Over the next 30 years, what are the risks to National Security posed Essay - 2

Over the next 30 years, what are the risks to National Security posed by increased competition for energy and food resources; and what initiatives might Qatar pursue to reduce these risks - Essay Example Massive reliance on imports poses the risk of biological or chemical attack, or even intentional food contamination by international suppliers1. There is, therefore, a critical concern to national security when a country relies heavily on international supplies. Another key risk relates to price factors in both food and energy. Economic and political disturbances around the world spread shockwaves to the affected states. In such an event, Qatar and other GCC members would be on the receiving end. The influence of global states when it comes to prices could cripple domestic operations designed to enhance national security. In other words, food security that primarily depends on international trade comes with price-based risks2. Finally, the risk of terrorism will heighten as competition for food and energy increases. To reduce these risks, Qatar will need to secure her imports from around the world, as well as enhance food security at the domestic level3. Most importantly, initiatives to dismantle extremist groups and terrorists will play a fundamental role in reducing threats to national

Beowulf Deeper Understanding Essay Example for Free

Beowulf Deeper Understanding Essay In the epic poem Beowulf there is a more universal understanding that can be seen once a reader has taken the time to look deeper into the text of the poem. A characters intentions are not always seen instantaneously. To understand the full meaning of why someone might go out of their way to help another is not always in the kindness of their own heart. A more intense and complicated plot is behind the thoughts of a character named Beowulf. Everything he does always has a catch to it and requires more then a personal thank you. In the poem Beowulf has three battles against foes. The first foe that he encountered was the man beast Grendel. Grendel lived in Denmark, which was a great distance from Beowulfs homeland. On his journey to Grendel he came upon and slayed nicors. Nicors are sea demons and their occurrence in his journey brought Beowulf more honors. The significance of Beowulfs journey and the killing of those beasts was that they brought him glory. This glory was not only shown through his pride although it was also shown through the inhabatince of the land towards Beowulf. The people of the land also gave him precious gifts. These gifts brought out the self-centered and materialistic sides of Beowulf. He didnt slay Grendel to help the people, because his intentions of getting a reward were not accepted out of the kindness of his heart. They were accepted in the sense that he knew that he deserved them and that they should be required to pay him tribute to his greatness. The following foe the Beowulf slayed was Grendels mother. His mother wasnt of any threat to the Danes until Beowulf killed her son. This caused a sedate and low key monster to take offense to the people who she has never tried to revenge against. Beowulfs ways in which he killed Grendel would be offensive to any parent either human or beast. When your sons arm is seen lying torn off his body symbolizing the greatness of his death and the excellence of a human being revenge is the only answer to the situation. The point in which Beowulf was trying to make when killing Grendels mother was that he was showing them that he not only got rid of their biggest  problem but he got rid of the following problem as well. He knew that if he slayed the mother following the son that a more exceptional reward would be given to him. The battle with the mother was more intense then the battle with Grendel because it took place underwater and in that place Beowulf found the deceased body of Grendel. To tip off his fame amongst the Danes he cut off Gredels head and returned home with it to signify his notability once again. Since the first and second beasts were off the hands of the Danes and Beowulf has receive enough personal gratification to meet his needs he now travels back home. All of his gifts of gratitude are brought back with him and a few outstanding items are given to the king in honor of Beowulfs loyalty towards him, although his intentions are not what they seem. His true intentions are to rule the kingdom and he does get his wish once the king dies in battle. While Beowulf is king the people gain much security in him due to his strength in battle. Knowing that Beowulf is less likely to be defeated in battle causes the people to want to treat him better because of the protection that he posses. The last foe the Beowulf goes into battle with is the fire-breathing dragon. The dragon has been in slumber for 300 years until one of Beowulfs peasants disturbs him by stealing his gold from his cave. Once this occurs the dragon periodically comes out of the cave and torments the Geats. Since the dragon is disturbing Beowulfs people he takes it upon himself to slay the dragon, although this will end up being the last battle that he is going to be alive to fight in. Once he returns home he dies shortly after asking to see the treasure that he has won from fighting the dragon. In the battle between the dragon and Beowulf him wanting to see his treasure before he dies acknowledges his materialistic ways. He doesnt ask to see any of his loved ones of the people who have been with him along his journeys, he asks to see what is in his possession before he dies. Beginning the battle he shows his loyalty to his people although his people dont show loyalty towards him because when he went to fight the dragon majority of them ran away. Therefore, Beowulfs dignity and strength traits are not  passed on to majority his people and they are only supporting him when they are not involved in dangerous battles. Beowulf wanted to be appreciated. He knew that his strength was rare and he wanted to be treated as a rare stone would be treated. Everything that he did had to be praised and had to have treasure in the end or it wouldnt be good enough for Beowulf. The fact that he made his people build him a grave and put all of his treasures in it with him shows that his peoples love towards him was not voluntary given. He forced the people to understand that with out him they were nothing and that they would be unable to survive in battle with out him. I believe that he made himself out to be more then he was to make himself feel more out of the crowd then anyone else that obtained a special talent. A persons innermost feelings are never clearly visible physically. To understand how a person thinks and why they feel the way that they feel is a very hard task. One may never understand the human feelings and what their results may concluded too, although ones inner thoughts or feelings (such as Beowulfs) may bring upon a deeper level of frustration. In the epic poem of Beowulf such human actions are expresses once a reader looks deeper into the poems story to see that there are more interpretations that can be made on a larger, more universal level.

Sir Donald Bradman Essay -- Sports Baseball Bradmand Essays

Sir Donald Bradman Sir Donald Bradman, who died at the age of 92, was the greatest cricketer of the 20th century and the greatest batsman ever lived. He was arguably the most famous athlete in the eyes of most Australians, as sports has played the major role in giving the young nation of Australia global standing, self-belief and a sense of identity. Sir Donald Bradman is an Australian sporting hero. His achievements on the cricket field from 1928 to 1948 are still among the world's best. The tragic boxer of Les Darcy and champion galloper Phar Lap played a part, making up a trinity of Australian sporting legends, but nothing could match the phenomenon of Bradman. His battling statistics are incredible, incomparably ahead of everyone else playing the game. He creases in major cricket for 338 times, but in 117 of those innings returned with a century. He was better than twice the ratios achieved by such greats such as Jack Hobbs, Len Hutton, Denis Compton. His first class average was 95.4, where his nearest rival is 71. Most famously, he went out at the Oval in his last ten innings needing only four to finish with an average of 100, and was bowled second by Eric Hollies, of Warkwickshire, for a duck. It was as though the cricket god had reclaimed the invulnerability they had given him. His final average is 99.94 remains so resonant in cricket history, that the Australian Broadcasting Commission uses it as its post office box number. Donald Bradman had embodied the Australian dream. He was a country boy, born in Cootamundra in rual New South Wales. Donald bradman was the blond, blue-eyed baby of the family, with other three older sisters and a brother. His father was a carpenter and farmer whose earnings was average. None of bradman’s school friends lived there him, so in those solitary moments, he had invented a game that involved throwing a golf ball at the base of the family water tank and whacking it with a cricket stump. The ball fizzes off the tank at high speed at unpredictable angles. Donald left school at fourteen and didn’t started to play cricket seriously until he was eighteen. His headmaster had commented that he was a truthful, honest, industrious and unusually bright. He began work at a real estate agent in Bowral. In 1923-1924, he played no cricket at all and little in the following summer. Most of his free time was given to ten... ...cted and admired through out the world for not only her personal qualities and family values, died in September 1997, after 65 years of loving marriage. This had simplify for Sir Donald Bradman that the 'best partnership of his life' was over. Donald Bradman was knighted in Melbourne at 1949, and went into the role cricketing elder statesman. He's the only Australian ever knighted for services to the game of cricket. He gave up his stockbroking career and became a selector and administer, dealing firmly with the throwing crisis that convulsed the game at the end of 1950s. After being knighted in 1949, Sir Donald Bradman wanted a very private life. The Wisden panel in 2000 voted Sir Donald Bradman as the cricketer of the century, with unanimous hundred percent votes. He'll be long remembered for his sporting skill, gentle manner and good humour. His reputation as a cricketer has never been questioned. The memory of Don Bradman is revered like no other wherever the great game of cricket is played. He is no doubt a legendary sportsman, which will remains enigmatic in our heart forever. Cricket has known great man and fine players, but there has been and can be, only one Bradman.

The Australian Financial Review Essay

INTRODUCTION This assignment aims to present in a clear and concise manner our viewpoint towards remuneration disclosure, considering steps to improve this matter of contention is taken voluntarily by the boards as recently stated by The Australian Financial Review. Section I explains our disposition about amendments done concerning disclosing remunerations. Financial accounting principle theories utilised, along with published printed information came to our conclusion which suggests executive pay reports simplification is substantial to shareholders understanding of remuneration outline. Section II takes up voluntary remuneration disclosure and its likely consequences applying IASB Conceptual Framework of qualitative characteristics. Analytical thinking and apprehension lead us to conclude that an increase in participation over the matter results to a much better comprehension from the shareholders. Section III logically analyses the argument about share based payment having to cost the company anything or not. Upon critical evaluation of published views, adding our sensible and sound judgment, the process itself of issuing share options consumes resources, meaning that, it falls down as an expenditure. The motivation to improve remuneration disclosure Literature Review A fierce debate is raging about the legitimacy of executive pay rises. The evidence is mixed about how efficient remuneration disclosure has been, but what is clear is that the responsibility to ensure it is appropriate resides with the boards, and that there is a need for greater shareholder participation (Fels, 2010). The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) have called for companies to provide more clarity on remuneration arrangements for their directors and executives (Gibson, 2013). As a challenge, we will discuss and analyse the motivations to improve remuneration disclosure. The following are the reasons why there is a need to improve disclosure of executive pay: * Assessing the `efficiency’ of executive pay is consequently problematic. Many performance indicators used by companies are not publicly disclosed and risk preferences vary across companies and individuals (Fels, A. 2010). * There has been a widespread perception that executives have been re warded for failure or good luck – receiving rewards for rises in the share market price that had little to do with their contribution to company performance, and much to do with what was happening in global stock markets and asset valuations (Fels, A. 2010). * Boards voluntarily taking steps to improve remuneration disclosure by adding take home pay tables to annual reports are one step ahead of the game as demands for increased disclosure persist (Weggins, J. 2012). * Corporations and Market Advisory Committee (CAMAC) review the disclosure of executive pay reports and the report include providing more relevant information to shareholders, streamlining pay reports and disclosure of all termination payments for executives (Disclosure on Aust Exec`s Pay Need To Be Simplified: Report, 2011). * Boards are compensating for bonus cuts by inflating base pay and long term incentives. As share prices and earnings decline, board of directors keep changing the mix of cash, bonuses and s hort-term incentives. Long term incentives now account for a greater percentage of total pay than they have in previous years (Smith, M. 2012). * The desire to comply with legal and professional requirements. There could be benefits for the company in appearing to act responsibly by their employees and this could be deemed to be more important than acknowledging other social responsibilities of the company (Deegan, 2002). * An attempt to be an accountable or responsible company by reporting information voluntarily. Managers are likely to consider that stakeholders have a right to certain information, and that they should fulfil that entitlement despite the related costs (Donaldson and Preston, 1995). Analysis This paper provides an overview of the current debate and the theories that attempt to explain executive remuneration disclosure. Attention is given to underlying accounting theories such as Positive Accounting Theory, Normative Accounting Theory, Stakeholder Theory, Legitimacy Theory, Institutional Theory, Public Interest Theory, Capture Theory and Economic Interest Group Theory. We will now analyse motivations to improve remuneration disclosure using the theories of financial accounting. Accounting theories typically either explain or predict accounting practice or they stipulate unambiguous accounting practice. Positive Accounting Theory (PAT) aims to make good predictions of actual world events and convert them to accounting transactions. Its general objective is to understand and predict the choice of accounting policies across conflicting firms. It recognises that economic consequences exist. In relation to PAT, because there is a need to be efficient, the firm will want to min imise costs associated with the performance indicators used by the firm. PAT uses hypotheses around which its predictions are organised. One of the most utilised hypotheses is the bonus plan hypotheses. Companies with bonus plans choose accounting procedures that modify reported earnings from future periods to current period. In doing so, the company can increase their bonuses for the current period. There was a need to simplify pay reports to executives. The report`s current length and complexity can make it intricate for shareholders to understand and time-consuming on companies to prepare. It is important that remuneration report is easy to understand. It is vital for the shareholders to have all the information they need to be able to hold company directors to account (Disclosure on Aust Exec`s Pay Need To Be Simplified: Report, 2011). Simplifying remuneration report applies a Positive Accounting Theory wherein it explains what information the company will use and will not use for the shareholders. Stakeholder theory refers to the concerns of stakeholder power, and how the power impacts their ability to persuade the company into complying with the stakeholder’s demands. Stakeholder power is viewed as a function of the stakeholders’ degree of control over resources required by the company and how critical these resources are to the unrelenting viability of the company. (Voluntary Employee Disclosures in Australian Annual Reports Applying Ullmann’s Stakeholder Theory, 2011) Legitimacy Theory seeks to ensure that the company operates within their rules, bounds and norms. Company should attempt to ensure that their activities are perceived to be legitimate. Rewards given to the executives for failure or good luck indicates that they operate beyond the company`s norms. This append to the needed impr ovements for remuneration disclosure. If remuneration is disclosed properly to the public, such erroneous transactions will be avoided. Companies disclose actual take home pay for key management, irrespective of whether the remuneration was granted in the current or previous financial year (Weggins, J. 2012). Many companies have started providing the public how much money their executives are taking home. Public Interest Theory supplies regulations that respond to the demand of the public to correct inefficient and inequitable market practices. By disclosing actual take home pay helps the companies counter claim that executives are overpaid. The possible consequences of voluntary remuneration disclosure Literature Review In the aftermath of the global financial crisis (GFC), public interest ensured spotlight being thrown on the pay of the senior executives and its regulations (Morrow M. & Limnalong B., 2011). Remuneration disclosure has been progressively strengthened in Australia over the last quarter of a century. Before 1986, the only requirement for disclosure of remuneration was the combined total level of collective remuneration aid to all executives of a listed company (Fels, A., 2010). As motivations to improve remuneration disclosure are presented on the previous discussion, we are now looking at the consequences of voluntary remuneration disclosure and analyse the current practices: * Many Directors hold more than one directorship across a range of publicly listed, private and not-for-profit organizations (Fels, 2010). * There is also a possibility of entrenchment of incumbent directors. It is difficult for shareholders to work out whether an individual director is underperforming from the outside. Later we will also see how the current practices help address this issue (Fels, 2010). * Another consequence of voluntary remuneration disclosure is to have a ‘clubbish’ practice amongst the board. A clubbish practice occurs when boards declare that the maximum number of directors is the number of directors presently on the board when shareholders nominate a candidate (Fels, 2010). * Recent remuneration reforms which commenced on July 1st, 2011, were directed to improve shareholder trust, thus granting the board to concede with the compensation process and be held responsible for strategy and structure (Morrow & Limnalong, 2011). * Productivity Commission proposed a two strike rule intended to strengthen the non-binding shareholder vote, giving shareholders the opportunity to cast votes against a company’s director under special circumstances in an Annual General Meeting (Morrow & Limnalong, 2011). * The new law, in addition, was particularly structured to allow shareholders to have more say over the pay of senior executives and also so that the boards are better informed on remuneration dissemination that might result in a shareholder casting a negative vote (Morrow & Limnalong, 2011). * The use of remuneration consultants as a requirement by the new amendment charges a potential conflict of interest in which their existence provides advice to boards on their pay (Morrow & Limnalong, 2011). Analysis In this section, we will were to give analysis on the possible consequences we discussed earlier in our review using the qualitative characteristics in the IASB Conceptual Framework focusing mainly on relevance, reliability, comparability, verifiability, timeliness and understandability. The introduction of the two strikes rule implies that the boards might become more cautious to avoid difficulties with shareholders and remuneration consultant reinforces that conformity (Durkin & Tadros, 2012). Since we will be analysing the consequences in accordance with the IASB Conceptual Framework, we shall start at looking into the relevance of voluntary remuneration disclosure. ‘Remuneration issues are now taking up so much time that boards are in danger of neglecting other issues such as risk management and succession planning’. Also it makes it harder for the shareholders to work out whether an individual director is underperforming or over performing from the outside (Wiggins, 2012). As we have discussed, the importance of remuneration disclosures has been felt more since the GFC. ‘This recent financial crisis has increased the saliency of reliability concerns about fair value disclosures’. Examination of voluntary disclosures in audited financial statements shows clear unreliability towards the mandated fair value estimates (Blacconiere et al., 2011). In addition, it is difficult to find authenticity with voluntary remuneration disclosure, as to many Directors hold more than one directorship across a range of publicly listed, private and not-for-profit organizations. Hence we can conclude that reliability is very low with voluntary remuneration disclosure. Pay policy has been a major pre occupation and distraction in the past year as reported by Graham Bradley, chairman of Stockland and HSBC Australia and a former Business Council of Australia president (Bradley, 2012). Dean Paatsch, director and co-founder of governance and proxy firm Ownership Matters was quoted saying that without transparency, the bad practices of the past like outsized termination benefits, non-executive director retirement schemes, paying dividends on unvested shares and dodgy options valuations could easily return (Paatsch, 2012). We know that recent reforms were directed to improve shareholder trust, thus granting the board to concede with the compensation process and be held responsible for strategy and structure. Local executive pay trends do not constitute the kind of picture that lends itself to establishing simple casual links between executive greed and the financial crisis. Assessing the efficiency of executive pay is considered problematic. Many performance indicators used are not publicly disclosed. There are various forms of pay and different types of hurdles and they all have different effects on incentive. In practice, company prefers to adopt a combination of hurdles (Fels, 2010). This encourages the need for remuneration consultants as well, but is considered as a conflict of interest. In a study by Dr. Idlan Zakaria of the University of Essex published on March 2011, he stated that remuneration consultants have a significant positive effect on disclosure quantity but with no impact on disclosure quality. (Morrow & Limnalong, 2011). Along with this, ‘Remuneration committees are more time consuming and more complex than audit committees’ warned the chairman of Stockland, Graham Bradley (Durkin & Tadros, 2012). We know that remuneration calculation is a complicated process in itself and involvement of the shareholders would further complicate things in turn affecting the timeliness factor for both practices. Mr Pablo Berrutti, the head of responsible investment for Asia Pacific at Colonial First State Asset Management stated that ‘the introduction of the two-strikes rule had encouraged companies to spend more time discussing remuneration and corporate governance issues with investors (Wiggins, 2012). A huge amount of time is said to be spent on remuneration and less on strategy. Hence, we can see that voluntary disclosure is good in a timely manner in comparison to the recent practices. Pablo Berrutti also acknowledged that companies were receiving unclear and mixed messages from a number of sig nificant investors. Some of the investors wanted pay packages to be better aligned with shareholders interest which are less complex. We know that the new law allows the shareholders more say over the board regarding the matter thus, being more actively involved is a very important factor to be considered (Wiggins, 2012). Share-based payments did not cost the company anything? Literature Review As per AASB2, companies must value and record employee options granted as an expense in their financial statements. Previously, the share based payments was just recorded in the notes of the financial statements. Argument arises to whether share-based payments recorded as an expense did or did not cost the company anything. Asness (2004) strongly believes it is reasonable to recognise the employee share options as an expense. He discussed several aspects in his article to convince his readers that options must be expensed. He emphasises options are something of value and they will be exercised only when employees have more advantages than the shareholders. In his article, he rebutted that options do not have value until they are exercised. However, Ronen (2008) advocated that the expense of share based payments should be borne by the pre-existing shareholders rather than the company itself. He suggests the companies to adopt separate statement to record the cost of the share options separately. Suggested separate financial statements are â€Å"Corporation Income Statement†, â€Å"Statement of Cost and Benefits to Pre-existing Shareholders† and â€Å"Statement of Enterprise Income†. With this, he deliberately concludes that the share options granted to employees should not be an expense in the corporation. Similarly, Hagopian (2006) believes that it is not ideal to recognise the employee share options (ESO) as an expense in the financial statements. Logically, the shareholders who will reap the gain from an ESO must bear the cost by themselves as well. He mainly discussed the three basic reasons why ESO should not be expensed. First, ESO is a kind of â€Å"gain-sharing instrument†, which, by its nature, means it cannot be an expense of the granting entity. Second, the cost of it has already been fully accounted. Lastly, expensing ESOs cannot meet the expense definition in the standard accounting. Analysis There was a controversial issue on implementation of share based payment under AASB 2 since it had been released. Arguments emerged as to which expensing options do cost the company an entity or not at all. The supportive parties believe that share-based options will cost the company, signifying that, options are of valuable entity when the future market price is higher than the price exercised. The optionholders will put to use their options and thus take part of the company from the pre-existing shareholders at below-market prices. To some extent, the optionholders obtain something of value, which means an expense. In addition, if the company sells options to the outside investors, they have to pay cash for the options and the executives usually get options for free. This means issued options are an expense (Asness, 2004). Advocates likewise mention the cost of stock buyback program which is the real cost of employee options. In order to manage dilution, the company has to buy some shares back. Even if a company will not act on buyback shares, the earnings will still be reduced because of issuing options and dilution. Therefore, options have a certain value and should be recorded like regular salaries (Wayman, 2011). On the other hand, the opponent parties argue that share-based payment costs the business firms nothing. Instead, the shareholders will bear the cost of the share options by themselves. In fact, the shareholders will get extra value even after the cost of dilution (Ronen, 2008). They consider ESO a kind of ‘gain- sharing instruments’, which does not have a cost until there is a substance to accumulate. At the same time, the cost will be located where the related gain is. Since shareholders par take the benefits with the optionholders, the cost must be a portion of the stock appreciation. Hence, it cannot cost the granting entity (Hagopian, 2006). The Australian Venture Capital Association Limited (AVCAL) places their confidence on th e fact that there are improprieties in standards which includes ESO as an expense. For high growth unlisted companies, it is not an accurate method to value those firms because the securities of private companies are not trading on the open market; it is likely to misuse the models in the context of expensing ESOs. Therefore, the valuations cannot reflect actual costs to the company (Deegan 2012, p. 621). Based on our combined judgment, it is not reasonable and logical to say share-based payments did not cost the company anything. To a certain extent, it costs value to the resources of the company. The process of issuing share options and equally dividing it to the employees consumes resources in which, therefore is considered an expense for the company. For the option itself, it has certain value even if it is out of the money. Otherwise, it is impossible to be accepted by its employees. Employees get the share options for free whereas the outside investors have to pay the company cash to buy the options if the company issues the share options to outsiders, thus it would mean an apparent expense for the company. To counter this action, instead of allotting new options to employees, the company bought the options from the market and gave them to its employees. This further proves that it is the initial outlay of the option’s cost for the company (Asness 2004). Furthermore, when the options are utilised, the employees usually buy them at a discounted rate. Comparatively, the company will lose the opportunity to sell some of their stocks at the market value (Pirraglia, n.d.). Without a doubt the company has sacrificed some value for exchanging its employees’ service. Additionally, share-based options are type of compensation expense. Logically thinking, would the employees accept $1 less in their salary because of receiving the options? The answer is clear ly no. Hence, we have to admit that options are a substitute for salary (Asness, 2004). In remuneration disclosure, the government will require to provide a more accurate data including the shares and options executives in the remuneration reports (Durkin & Tadros, 2012). Therefore, it is impossible to realise aforementioned argument without having to pay out a single cent. CONCLUSION Remuneration pay for executives evolved into a delinquent juncture to those who seek a substance to blame for the disintegration of the world’s financial system following the global financial crisis. Demands for increased disclosure persisted causing the boards to make necessary actions to reform remuneration disclosure. In an attempt to explain executive remuneration disclosure, principled theories of financial accounting were applied as they have the ability to account for or express in advance a specific accounting practice. Attenuation of costs while remaining efficient in which, nowadays, is highly essential relates to Positive Accounting Theory. To attain this, applying the idea of Legitimacy Theory, properly disclosed remuneration as to public is seen to avoid faulty transactions. In accordance, acknowledging remuneration in the interest of the public marks a strategy to aid business firms to express that executives are given proper compensation. Carrying through to ref orms in disclosing executive remuneration, Stakeholder Theory is being adapted in the form of implying the recently approved two strikes rule in the financial system. This method is directed to give shareholders the capability to exhort power over remuneration issues. Amendment also allows the board to focus on compensation strategy and structure as what they are responsible for. Share-based payment entail companies to assess the fair and equal value of the employee stock options granted to employees and recognise it as an expense. Share-based payments match the service provided by employees with the expense of their compensation. Employee share-based options arguably cost value to the resources of the company. The process of issuing share options and company buy back elucidate the costs incurred. It is concluded that, a firm’s competitive edge lies in the business’ policy and strategy regarding remuneration thus drawing attention to confining key executives. Remunerat ion disclosure makes board of directors more accountable and supply information about company projections, and can thereby bolster investors. In line with this, top executives and ordinary employees are expected to perform at their best to justify the pay they are receiving. To have an accurate remuneration report, execution of appropriate accounting procedures and policies must be exercised. REFERENCE LIST Asness, CS 2004, ‘Stock Options and the Lying Liars Who Don’t Want to Expense Them’,Financial Analysts Journal, vol. 60, no. 4, pp.9-14, retrieved 25 April 2013,< http://ezproxy.deakin.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=14076750&site=ehost-live&scope=site> Blacconiere W.G., et al., 2011, ‘Are voluntary disclosures that disavow the reliability of mandated fair value information informative or opportunistic?’, Journal of Accounting and Economics, Volume 52, Issues 2–3, November 2011, Pages 235-251 . Bradley G, 2012, ‘Bring executive pay back to the boardroom’, Australian Financial Review, November 26, retrieved April 22, 2013. Deegan, C. (2000), Financial Accounting Theory, McGraw Hill Book Company, Sydney. Deegan,C. (2012), Australian Financial Accounting, McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd, Sydney. `Disclosure on Aust Execs` Pay Need To Be Simplified: Report’ (2011, p. 1). Donaldson, T, and Preston, L (1995), â€Å"The stakeholder theory of the corporation – concepts, evidence, and implications†, Academy of Management Review, Vol. 20 No.1, pp. 65-92. Durkin, P & Tadros, E 2012, ‘Laws will target executive pay’, The Australian Financial Review, 26 November, p. 10. Durkin, P & Tadros, E., 2012, ‘More restraint as investors wield their new powers’, The Australian Financial Review, Executive Salaries 26 November, p. 20, viewed on April 26 2013. Fels, A., 2010, ‘Executive Remuneration in Australia’, Australian Accounting Review, 20,1,pp. 76-82, viewed on April 24 2013. Hagopian, K 2006, ‘Point of View: Expensing Employees Stock Options Is Improper Accounting’, California Management Review, vol.48, no.4, pp136-156, retrieved 21 April 2013, < http://ezproxy.deakin.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=21923221&site=ehost-live&scope=site> Morrow M. & Limnalong B., 2011, ‘New rules on executive pay’, Charter, 82(7), pp. 24-25, viewed on April 23 2013. Paatsch, D, 2012, ‘Exec Excess: Blame weak boards, not regulation’, Australian Financial Review, November 26, retrieved on April 21, 2013. Pirraglia, W 2013, ‘What Are the Benefits of Employee Stock Options for the Company?’, retrieved 28 April 2013,< http://smallbusiness.chron.com/benefits-employee-stock-options-company-2842.html> Rinen, J 2008, ‘Should Executive Options Be Expensed’, Journal of Accounting, Auditing&Finance, vol. 23, no. 3, pp.437-470, retrieved 21 April 2013, http://ezproxy.deakin.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=33064759&site=ehost-live&scope=site `Voluntary Employee Disclosures in Australian Annual Reports Applying Ullmann’s Stakeholder Theory’, (2011, p. 3-5) Wayman, R 2011, ‘The â€Å"True† Cost of Stock Options’, retrieved 22 April 2013, Wiggins, J., 2012, ‘Take-home disclosure is catching on’, The Australian Financial Review, November 26, p.21.

Domestic violence against women Essay

Among the different causes of injury to women, domestic violence tops the list, ahead of other causes such as rapes, mugging or even car accidents. According to recent reports by the CDC, there is an abuse of about 15 million children and women annually. Domestic violence lowers human dignity, and therefore, the whole world should come out and condemn it in the strongest terms possible. Many people argue that the women, who are mostly the victims of domestic violence, should also not keep silent about it to protect their spouses, but rather report them to the relevant authorities for the appropriate actions to be taken against the perpetrators. However, that would not be a complete solution to the problem. As a matter of fact, it puts the woman in more danger of a violent attack or even murder, should the man get freed, because they are likely to revenge the actions of the woman through violence. To solve the problem of domestic violence, the procedure has to begin from childhood. The children should be taught how to relate to others in a relationship from a young age at home. But the problem is that domestic violence begins at home, and the children who grow in families with regular violence, are likely to behave the same way in future, to their own families. Therefore, these lessons should be taught at school. Besides teaching our kids about science, mathematics, languages, and technology alone, they should also be taught about relationship skills. This helps them to understand the importance of love and the dignity of humans, deterring them from getting involved in domestic violence in the future. This can be a very effective way of dealing with domestic violence. Let us face it, is almost impossible to rehabilitate domestic violence offenders so that they can live peacefully with their families. Statistics indicate that perpetrators of domestic savagery have repeated the act more than once, and continue to threaten the victim of assault, should they dare counteract. Therefore, teaching a child early enough about relationship skills can be very beneficial to them in future, as they will have the knowledge to understand conflicting situations; making the right decisions and taking the right actions concerning them. The children should also not be exposed to a situation of domestic violence, and those in families with such problems should better be raised away from such an environment. We all have the power and ability to influence a stop to domestic violence. We need to speak about it openly, rather than hiding it. Many people suffer every day from domestic violence, but they are afraid to let it known to people because they fear revenge from the offenders. They are also made to feel that they are at fault for their suffrage. And people will always ask why they do not just walk out of the relationship, without considering the possible consequences they might suffer. Many victims who have broken their relationships because of domestic violence have ended up getting killed by their ex-boyfriends or husbands. There is also stalking of the victims, after they move on, or get married by other people. Therefore, we just ought to make a change, starting with ourselves, in respecting our relationships and our partners. Teaching our children early about relationship skills and raising them in a violence-free environment will in future give rise to a new generation of nonviolent husbands and wives. This is possible if we commit ourselves to making it happen. According to recent researches, children raised in families with domestic violence are more likely to be violent in future to their partners, than the children raised in nonviolent families. This implies that when the children grow up, they develop the characters that they were exposed to. Domestic violence can only thrive when we are silent about it, but when we all team up together to eliminate it, it can no longer be a subject of discussion. It is never late to act against a problem, and similarly, there is much that we can do right now and long into the future, concerning domestic violence. We can start by raising awareness about the issue and letting our family and friends know that we never will tolerate domestic violence and that they should stand together with us in its fight. There also are programs that have been formed to combat domestic violence, which we can support, in order to continue with the efforts of ending the matter in the long run. A difference can only be made when we stand together.

Free Essays on Cicero

Summary of Cicero’s, On Duties This excerpt from the book, On the Good Life, is a letter from Cicero to his son. I couldn’t even imagine getting something like this from my father. It is full of great advice on how to live your life in such a way that you are regarded as a highly favorable person with impeccable morals. I agree with most of what Cicero has to say in his excerpt, On Duties. In this review I will summarize Cicero’s’ main arguments and his ideas for a better person and nation. I believe that Cicero wrote this book for intelligent individuals who wanted to attain power in life through morally positive avenues; it was written almost as an academic piece. It was also written as a gage with which a person who was reading it could weigh himself. Cicero begins the volume by relating to us why he has chosen Philosophy as his current field of study, his only field of study. He had once been a political leader but since the government â€Å"lay under domination of a single individual† (120) he was angry and sorrowful that he had lost some of his good friends to the uprising. That he was no longer able to practice politics deeply saddened Cicero. So to forget his sorrows he took up philosophy. Cicero believed that the best method for learning was philosophy because it literally meant love of wisdom. Even though Cicero thought himself a philosopher he was quick to disagree with those philosophers who he saw as tricky and misleading to the public. Cicero believed that the only way to â€Å"attain the objects of their desires† was â€Å"by moral goodness, both in thought and in action† (125). This leads us to Cicero’s classification of expediency and how it affects us as humans. Cicero classified the â€Å"things that go towards the maintenance of human life† (125) as either animate or inanimate. The inanimate objects consist of gold and silver and things from the earth. He then further classifies the animate into rationa... Free Essays on Cicero Free Essays on Cicero Summary of Cicero’s, On Duties This excerpt from the book, On the Good Life, is a letter from Cicero to his son. I couldn’t even imagine getting something like this from my father. It is full of great advice on how to live your life in such a way that you are regarded as a highly favorable person with impeccable morals. I agree with most of what Cicero has to say in his excerpt, On Duties. In this review I will summarize Cicero’s’ main arguments and his ideas for a better person and nation. I believe that Cicero wrote this book for intelligent individuals who wanted to attain power in life through morally positive avenues; it was written almost as an academic piece. It was also written as a gage with which a person who was reading it could weigh himself. Cicero begins the volume by relating to us why he has chosen Philosophy as his current field of study, his only field of study. He had once been a political leader but since the government â€Å"lay under domination of a single individual† (120) he was angry and sorrowful that he had lost some of his good friends to the uprising. That he was no longer able to practice politics deeply saddened Cicero. So to forget his sorrows he took up philosophy. Cicero believed that the best method for learning was philosophy because it literally meant love of wisdom. Even though Cicero thought himself a philosopher he was quick to disagree with those philosophers who he saw as tricky and misleading to the public. Cicero believed that the only way to â€Å"attain the objects of their desires† was â€Å"by moral goodness, both in thought and in action† (125). This leads us to Cicero’s classification of expediency and how it affects us as humans. Cicero classified the â€Å"things that go towards the maintenance of human life† (125) as either animate or inanimate. The inanimate objects consist of gold and silver and things from the earth. He then further classifies the animate into rationa...

Jupiter essays

Jupiter essays Jupiter is one of the Suns most interesting planets. Jupiter has many intriguing properties, which differ from those of Earth and other planets. It has many satellites uncommon to others in the solar system. It even helps to sustain life on Earth. Jupiter may seem like an ordinary planet, but in reality Jupiter may be one of the most interesting planetary bodies in the galaxy. Jupiters physical attributes is one of the reasons it is so fascinating. Unlike Earth, Jupiter is composed of gases, and has a molten center. It does not have rocky layers such as Earth or Mars. It is a ball of gas with rock and sediment debris orbiting it. Jupiter actually looks like a squished ball because of its high rotational spin. A Jupiter day is equal to 9 Earth hours and 45 minutes and a Jupiter year take more than twice as long as an Earth year. All these facts and more are what make Jupiters physical attributes so interesting. Unknown to most people, Jupiter actually helps sustain life on Earth. One of the ways it aids life is that it blocks many of the asteroids and meteors that would otherwise collide with Earth, ending life almost instantaneously. Also, Jupiter has a favorable orbit. If its orbit wasnt static, it would have sucked Earth into its orbit, killing everything on it. Other Jupiter-like planets have irregular orbits, which prevent life in those solar systems. Without Jupiter and its positive attributes, life on Earth would never have flourish as it has today. Jupiter has many moons, each with its own unique properties. In all it has eight moons, which can be divided into two categories of the closes four moons and furthest four. The first group contains the satellites Metis, Adrastea, Amalthea and Thebe, which are anywhere from 127,000 km to 222,000 km away from Jupiter. They are all dark, irregularly shaped moons. Of these four, Adrastea and Metis are the closest to Jupiter, and act as she...

Elizabeth Cady Stanton Quotes on Women, Equality Life

Elizabeth Cady Stanton Quotes on Women, Equality Life One of the best-known of the mothers of woman suffrage, Elizabeth Cady Stanton helped organize the 1848 womans rights convention in Seneca Falls, where she insisted on leaving in a demand for the vote for women despite strong opposition, including from her own husband. Stanton worked closely with Susan B. Anthony, writing many of the speeches which Anthony traveled to deliver. Selected Elizabeth Cady Stanton Quotations We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal.Truth is the only safe ground to stand upon.But when at last woman stands on an even platform with man, his acknowledged equal everywhere, with the same freedom to express herself in the religion and government of the country, then, and not until then, will he be able to legislate as wisely and generously for her as for himself.The moment we begin to fear the opinions of others and hesitate to tell the truth that is in us, and from motives of policy are silent when we should speak, the divine floods of light and life no longer flow into our souls.Self-development is a higher duty than self-sacrifice.The happiest people I have known have been those who gave themselves no concern about their own souls, but did their uttermost to mitigate the miseries of others.I am always busy, which is perhaps the chief reason why I am always well.Whatever the theories may be of womans dependence on man, in the supreme m oments of her life he can not bear her burdens. (from Solitude of Self) Nature never repeats herself, and the possibilities of one human soul will never be found in another. (from Solitude of Self)Because man and woman are the complement of one another, we need womans thought in national affairs to make a safe and stable government.Woman will always be dependent until she holds a purse of her own.A mind always in contact with children and servants, whose aspirations and ambitions rise no higher than the roof that shelters it, is necessarily dwarfed in its proportions.It requires philosophy and heroism to rise above the opinion of the wise men of all nations and races.Womanhood is the great fact in her life; wifehood and motherhood are but incidental relations.Women have crucified the Mary Wollstonecrafts, the Fanny Wrights, and the George Sands of all ages. Men mock us with the fact and say we are ever cruel to each other.Men say we are ever cruel to each other. Let us end this ignoble record and henceforth stand by womanhood. If Victoria Woodhull must b e crucified, let men drive the spikes and plait the crown of thorns. So long as women are slaves, men will be knaves.It would be ridiculous to talk of male and female atmospheres, male and female springs or rains, male and female sunshine . . . . how much more ridiculous is it in relation to mind, to soul, to thought, where there is as undeniably no such thing as sex, to talk of male and female education and of male and female schools. [written with Susan B. Anthony]To throw obstacles in the way of a complete education is like putting out the eyes.The prejudice against color, of which we hear so much, is no stronger than that against sex. It is produced by the same cause, and manifested very much in the same way. The negros skin and the womans sex are both prima facie evidence that they were intended to be in subjection to the white Saxon man.Women of all classes are awakening to the necessity of self-support, but few are willing to do the ordinary useful work for which they are fitted.The heyday of womans life is the shady side of fifty.I think if wo men would indulge more freely in vituperation, they would enjoy ten times the health they do. It seems to me they are suffering from repression. [at the 1893 Parliament of the Worlds Religions] The new religion will teach the dignity of human nature and its infinite possibilities for development. It will teach the solidarity of the race that all must rise and fall as one. Its creed will be justice, liberty, equality for all the children of earth.The Bible and the Church have been the greatest stumbling blocks in the way of womens emancipation.The memory of my own suffering has prevented me from ever shadowing one young soul with the superstitions of the Christian religion.Among the clergy we find our most violent enemies, those most opposed to any change in womans position.I asked them why one read in the synagogue service every week the I thank thee, O Lord, that I was not born a woman. It is not meant in an unfriendly spirit, and it is not intended to degrade or humiliate women. But it does, nevertheless. Suppose the service read, I think thee, O Lord, that I was not born a jackass. Could that be twisted in any way into a compliment to the jackass? More About Elizabeth Cady Stanton Elizabeth Cady Stanton BiographySolitude of SelfComments on Genesis: Excerpt from The Womans Bible, Stanton About These Quotes Quote collection assembled by Jone Johnson Lewis. Â  This is an informal collection assembled over many years. I regret that I am not be able to provide the original source if it is not listed with the quote.

Draft of your File-Sharing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Draft of your File-Sharing - Essay Example Ultimately this hurts the musical artist because the artist does not receive the profit they deserve from this exchange. This downloading is illegal and should be banned. However, no solid action has been taken thus far. Moral dilemmas in addition to monetary issues develop over these infractions of copyright laws. If law enforcement as well as the general public does not do something, the artists will continue to not profit by the P2P software. Something concrete must be done to protect these artists and stop people from downloading music illegally. It is apparent that album sales have been reduced drastically because of P2P software. This action only hurts the artists and destroys their ability to earn their livelihood. It is time to stop this menace. Strict actions must be taken to ensure that no illegal copies of any music album are made. It seems like nothing has been done to eliminate P2P websites and software in the past, but necessary steps must be taken now in order to protect the artists. Examples of peer-to-peer software include, but are not limited to: music-oasis, bearshare, frostwire, and ez-tracks. The idea behind the software is that users contribute their own songs to other users while downloading new music in the process. It is based on the concept of sharing: you give me your Elton John song and I will give you my Cher song. In these circumstances, there is no exchange of money involved. The artist does not benefit from this software in any way. Consumers have always shared music- when cd’s were popular, it was common to borrow a cd from a friend and put the songs on the computer. The concept of mass communal sharing via the Internet is clever, and it must be nice to not have to pay for music. However, in the end the consumer is only hurting himself. For instance, an artist distributes a single. The song becomes popular. The radio plays it all the time, people hum it absentmindedly while they are at

Homeland Defense Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Homeland Defense - Essay Example This is always important when operations in the foreland regions approach the homeland. These partners and allies provide logistical and information support (Doctrine for the Armed Forces of the United States, 2007). The Interagency coordination is a vital element since it enables the department of defense to engage the USA agencies for the purpose of achieving an objective. It forges a mutual relationship between other constitutional entities and the national power. This is done through sharing of awareness, planning together, incorporated training education and ground operations. The understanding of non military capability is what makes it successful. On the other hand, protection is considered during planning for homeland and civil mission in four primary aspects namely: 3. Emergency management and response: involve reducing the loss of personnel’s and capabilities due to accidents. It goes further to include use of forces, systems and civil infrastructure of other nations. The public affairs involvement in the operations of the homeland come in handy and includes supported the joint force commander, through giving of truthful and unclassified information on the activities of the defense forces in the United State. The role of public affairs in homeland operation simply narrows to ensure that all federal agencies provide factual consistent and speak in one voice to the public. Therefore, it must be included in all planning and coordination of the homeland security. Since the Armed forces of the United States are required to work under harsh conditions, which could be considered dangerous for human contact. For example, due to toxic gas release, naturally occurred pandemics commanders must therefore train plan and exercise with their inter-agency counterparts in preparedness of working in the homeland defense operations. Other regional

Bullying in the Workplace Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Bullying in the Workplace - Assignment Example From this paper it is clear that organizational justice laws clearly indicate the space that an employer should give an employee and highly discourage any act that may be considered as bullying. Any act that is aimed at hurting the employee directly or indirectly and hence lead to reduced work should be reported and appropriate steps taken against the employer. In our case Kara should have reported that to the appropriate discipline for it to stop. This study highlights that wWhere workplace bullying can be taken as just a norm or a light act that will have no deep effects on the employee, at extreme cases one can experience the following;- high blood pressure, heart attack, overwhelming anxiety and panic attack, constant loss of memory and concentration, tension and constant headaches, mood swings and loss of appetite. This can highly reduce your motivation at the workplace and it is at such times that one can decide to take a retaliatory step to end it all. This can be in different forms where one can decide to quit the job and work where you will be okay working. Other people may decide to handle it in a different way where they can report the employer for the indecent approaches and intimidation.  The first factor that leads to workplace bullying is job insecurity. Team Field claims that a weak manager who is afraid of the employees will always try to impact actions that intimidate the employees. This can be curbed by cre ating good cohesion in the workplace and reducing the tension. This will stop the efforts of suppression by the boss. Female employees are 70% more often bullied than their male experts. This is mainly because of their soft nature. They should address the situation early as it could even lead to sexual harassment as it has been witnessed in some situations.  

How does Oedipus and Antigones stubbornness lead to their downfall Essay

How does Oedipus and Antigones stubbornness lead to their downfall - Essay Example However, the process by which it does this is not always made clear. In the character of Oedipus, for example, pride drives him, but stubbornness proves to be his downfall as he steadfastly refuses to listen to council regarding this pursuit. Following in his footsteps, his daughter, Antigone, expresses her own stubborn inability to listen to council which leads to her death as well. In this essay I will argue how both Oedipus from Oedipus the King by Sophocles and the character’s daughter Antigone from Antigone by Jean Anouilh are each protagonists who cannot control their own stubborn natures, eventually bringing forth their own downfalls. Early in the Oedipus the King, Oedipus unknowingly sets himself up for failure by pledging that he will avenge the old king as if he were his sire. â€Å"And I pray / whoever the man is who did this crime, / one unknown person acting on his own / or with companions, the worst of agonies / will wear out his wretched life. I pray, too, / that, if he should become a honoured guest / in my own home and with my knowledge, I may suffer all those things I’ve just called down / upon the killers† (Sophocles, 284-292). Although his motivation seems to be a bit divided between doing what’s right for the city and acting in the interest of self-preservation, he is utterly sincere in his conviction that the killer should suffer the worst possible fate if he refuses to acknowledge his guilt immediately. His commitment to this conviction is shown in his dealings with Tiresias. He tells Creon that he’s already sent for the prophet twice with no response and when the proph et does appear, he does nothing at first but beg to be allowed to return back home. Oedipus’ increasing insistence that Tiresias speak of what he knows are met with dire hints that the news is not good for Oedipus in

How would you create a healthy, holistic atmosphere for children that Research Paper

How would you create a healthy, holistic atmosphere for children that addresses their physical, cognitive, and socioemotional ne - Research Paper Example The teacher serves as a facilitator rather than an instructing boss, and this aids the students in better communicating with the teacher and with other members of the group, and in getting an improved understanding of complicated problems related to their curriculum. An ideal curriculum would have the students focus not only on the theoretical segment of the subject but also upon the practical objectives that can also be applied to â€Å"their personal and professional lives† (Adamson). A healthy, holistic atmosphere encourages the students to work in groups in an informal environment where teacher does not act as a boss or a dictator; rather, the students act as their own instructors. They discuss the topic among themselves; ask each other questions; and, try to come up with the best possible solutions. This way, they learn to better communicate with peers and get to know each other better along with achieving a clearer concept about the topic in hand. An ideal environment sh ould so much keep the student occupied with the topic that they want to stay in the class even after the class is over so that they can argue about the uncertain concepts with the teacher.

E-Marketing Industry Report (Emirates Airlines) Research Paper

E-Marketing Industry Report (Emirates Airlines) - Research Paper Example (The Emirates Group 2013-2014). The company has utilized the media in the most effective manner and their e-marketing strategy is undoubtedly very efficient (Oxford Business Group 2008). However, there needs to be few amendments in its  strategy that will help in improving the company’s overall operations online (Graham, Papatheodorou and Forsyth 2010). The e-marketing strategy of Emirates Airline is discussed below in this report. The Internet is considered as one of the fundamentals of marketing and advertising. Due to its vast reach and effectiveness, it is now a dynamic source for the consumers of every industry. Since the twenty-first century has opened new doors of technology and communication for almost every corporate sector, therefore, the airline industry have also utilized the medium in an effective manner. The airline industry is utilizing the internet for online reservations, promotions, advertisements, marketing, etc. through websites, social media, mobile apps, and various other e-marketing tools. This report will analyze the e-marketing strategies and online presence of Emirates Airlines. Furthermore, the report will discuss how the corporation has utilized e-marketing for improving its performance. Suggestions and conclusions are also included in the paper. Online analysis or Web analysis is an assessment or measurement /gathering of web data for the purpose of comprehending and optimizing the web page (Kaushik 2009). The online analysis helps organizations to revise their e-marketing strategy as per the market and their research (Graham, Papatheodorou and Forsyth 2010). It allows assessing the effectiveness of the website of a business and how influential their advertising and marketing techniques are (Lurie 2014). There are numerous websites through which other websites can be assessed and analyzed (Hitt, Ireland and Hoskisson 2014). The web analysis and e-marketing / online assessment of

How would you create a healthy, holistic atmosphere for children that Research Paper

How would you create a healthy, holistic atmosphere for children that addresses their physical, cognitive, and socioemotional ne - Research Paper Example The teacher serves as a facilitator rather than an instructing boss, and this aids the students in better communicating with the teacher and with other members of the group, and in getting an improved understanding of complicated problems related to their curriculum. An ideal curriculum would have the students focus not only on the theoretical segment of the subject but also upon the practical objectives that can also be applied to â€Å"their personal and professional lives† (Adamson). A healthy, holistic atmosphere encourages the students to work in groups in an informal environment where teacher does not act as a boss or a dictator; rather, the students act as their own instructors. They discuss the topic among themselves; ask each other questions; and, try to come up with the best possible solutions. This way, they learn to better communicate with peers and get to know each other better along with achieving a clearer concept about the topic in hand. An ideal environment sh ould so much keep the student occupied with the topic that they want to stay in the class even after the class is over so that they can argue about the uncertain concepts with the teacher.

Comparison between Emirates Airlines and Qatar Airways Term Paper

Comparison between Emirates Airlines and Qatar Airways - Term Paper Example Both the airlines provide extensive services and are in search for better performance in a continued manner for serving the customers in a superior way. However, it was concluded that according to the overall performance between the two airlines organization, Emirates Airlines performed noticeably well in certain aspects as compared to Qatar Airways and considerably holds the upper hand. Letter of Transmittal Dear Sir/Ma’am, I present the report of the study of comparison between the two airlines, i.e. Emirates Airlines and Qatar Airways. The report is structured based on the comparison of various activities performed by both the airlines in the global market. A copy of the report is being submitted to you. I highly appreciate the time that you have devoted to me. Regards Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Letter of Transmittal 2 Table of Contents 3 Introduction 4 Analysis 5 Discussion of Findings 6 Summary and Conclusion 11 Works Cited 12 Introduction Emirates is recognize d as a renowned airline of The Emirates Group located at Dubai International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is regarded as one of the biggest airlines in Middle East which was established during the year 1985. The airline is headquartered in Dubai. Emirates Airlines comprises around 191 fleets which are spread across 128 destinations as of report presented in December 2012 (Emirates, â€Å"Our Fleet†). ... The Economy Class of Emirates renders comfort as well as convenience through various facilities such as exclusive meals, email and telephone services. Luxury services such as Shower Spas and Private Suites are also presented to customers in Emirates Airlines (Emirates, â€Å"Cabin Features†). The first flight of the airline named EK 600 was launched in 1985 from Dubai to Karachi. The airline earned its exclusive profits inside nine months of its establishment and since then it has grown considerably and never looked back (Grand 1-100). Qatar Airways has grown to a significant level within a short period of time, serving more than 120 destinations around the world. The airline offers excellent services which have assisted it to capture award winning position for becoming one of the leading airline companies in the world. It was founded during the year 1993 and started its operations in 1994. The airline company is owned by Government of Qatar, having its headquarters in Doha. D uring the initial period, the airline organization could not gain prominence and was temporarily dissolved. During 1997, with its re-launch of airlines, Qatar Airways had earned various awards and was categorized under the elite group for airlines in the world with a 5-Star rating provided by Skytrax. There are around 230 fleets operated by Qatar Airways that function all around the world. Qatar Airways also provide facilities for customers travelling in First, Business and Economy Class including 5 Star dining facilities, entertainment and comfort for customers with luxury products along with amenity kits for customers for their personal comfort. An added facility is provided to customers of First Class for carrying luggage of 40 kg, while it is 50 kg for Emirates (Qatar Airways,

Hubspot Case Question Essay Example for Free

Hubspot Case Question Essay 1. Analyze HubSpots Marketing Mix in the context of an overallMarketing Strategy 2. Do you agree with HubSpot that the rules of marketing have changed? If so, how? Is inbound marketingthe answer? Why or why not? 3. Is HubSpot finding and serving the right set of customers? Given its position as a start-up company,should it widen its focus to serve any customer that comes its way? Or narrow their target, by focusingexclusively on either Owner Ollies or Marketer Marys? Or by focusing exclusively on either B2B or B2Ccustomers? 4. HubSpot has begun to differentiate its products as it has learned more about its customers. Should it domore? Should its pricing strategy change too? Does the software-as-a-service (SaaS) pricing model workfor both Marketer Marys and Owner Ollies? Should HubSpot try to immediately capture more value for either of these customers? 5. Are Halligan and Shah being too stubborn by not doing any outbound marketing? Or should they continueto practice what they preach by focusing on inbound marketing alone? 6. Halligan and Shah want HubSpot to be to marketing, what salesforce.com is to sales. What would your plan of action be to make this happen? Why would you take these actions? What keeps you up at nightabout your plan? This case follows the growth of HubSpot, an entrepreneurial venture which faces significant challenges including:developing a market segmentation, deciding which customer to serve and which customers to turn away,configuring a pricing strategy which is aligned with the value being delivered to customers, and determiningwhether inbound marketing programs can generate enough scale to grow the business or whethertraditionaloutbound marketing methods need to be employed to accelerate growth. The HubSpot case focuses on issuesaround marketing channels, specifically inbound marketing and the use of Web 2.0 tools and applications suchas blogging, search engine optimization, and social media

Essay on Spirituality in Song of Solomon -- Song Solomon essays

Inclusive Spirituality in Song of Solomon    When slaves were brought to America they were taken from all they had known and forced to live in a land of dark irony that, while promising life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, provided them with only misery. In a situation such as the one in which the slaves found themselves, many people would rely on their religion to help them survive. But would slaves be able to find spiritual comfort within the parameters of a religion that had been passed on to them from the slaveholders? In Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon, African-Americans struggle to find a spirituality that is responsive to their needs and that encompasses their experiences in a way that the religion of the dominant culture does not. Song of Solomon deals with the African-American struggle to find a spirituality not defined by a religion of the dominant culture. From the beginning of the novel, Morrison alludes to Christianity with the names she chooses-Hagar, First Corinthians, Magdalene, and Ruth for example. However, the two main allusions Morrison draws on are the name "Pilate" and the name of the biblical book Song of Solomon. In the narrative in which Pilate is named, Pilate's father, who can't read, lets the Bible fall open and points to a set of lines that look agreeable to him. It just so happens that the word spelled out by those lines is "Pilate," the name of the Roman who turns Jesus over to be crucified. The midwife attending at Pilate's birth asks the father if he really wants to name the child after the person who killed Jesus, and the father replies, "I asked Jesus to save me my wife," and he continues, "I asked him all night long" (19). Yet his wife wasn't saved, and Pilate's father feels... ...sition of meanings shows both majority and minority readers that African-American spiritual experience, while touched by majority experience, does not have to be formed by it. Song of Solomon deals with the struggle of African-Americans to find a spiritual avenue that is responsive to their needs and reflective of their experience. The text helps people to examine differing ideas, learn about different experiences, and become sensitive to various needs. If we are able to learn something from Song of Solomon, really learn something, perhaps life, liberty and happiness will finally find us. Works Cited Bloom, Harold, ed. Modern Critical Views: Toni Morrison. New York: Chelsea House Publishing, 1990. Middleton, David. Toni Morrison's Fiction: Contemporary Criticism. New York: Garland, 1997. Morrison, Toni. Song of Solomon. New York: Plume, 1987.

Subliminal Messages :: essays research papers

Subliminal Messages in Advertising: The Case For and Against Lisa Caswell Syracuse University Running Head: Subliminal Messages Subliminal messaging and subliminal perception are controversial topics in the field of psychology. Many studies have been conducted to determine if subliminal messaging does in fact work. Many people think that subliminal messages in the field of advertising are much more successful than subliminal messages for self-improvement, such as tapes sold to help the consumer lose weight, gain intelligence, or do something else to improve themselves simply by listening to a tape. Subliminal advertising can be defined as "embedding material in print, audio, or video messages so faintly that they are not consciously perceived." Rogers and Smith (1993) surveyed 400 households. When asked if they believed advertisers deliberately included subliminal messages, 61.5% responded 'yes'. A 72.2% 'yes' answer was obtained when asked if subliminal advertisements were effective. Based on these results, it can be concluded that consumers are aware of subliminal advertising, and believe it is effectively used by advertisers to influence their decisions. The term "sub-threshold effects," first popularized by Packard in 1957, preceded the popular notion of "subliminal advertising," whose originator is James Vicary. Subliminal advertising first came to the public's attention in 1957 when Jim Vicary conducted a subliminal advertising strategy of interspersing "drink Coca-Cola" and "eat popcorn" messages on a movie screen so quickly that they could not be seen consciously by the audience. His research initially reported increases in the sales of both Coca-Cola and popcorn as a result of the subliminal messages. Later, however, when he was challenged and could not replicate or even produce the results, Vicary admitted that the results of the initial study had been fabricated (Weir, 1984). Key (1989) has more recently claimed that hidden or embedded messages are widespread and effective. Key's theories have been widely discredited by scholars who have examined marketing applications scientifically (Moore, 1982). Although a few scholarly studies have reported certain limited effects of exposure to subliminal stimuli in laboratory settings (Greenwald, Klinger, and Liu, 1989), most academic researchers on the subject have reported findings which indicate no practical or predictable effect in an advertising setting (Dixon, 1971). The 1957 Vicary study has been largely disregarded in the scholarly community due to lack of scientific documentation of methodology and failure to replicate. However, scholarly findings and industry assertions may have had little or no effect on the average American, who has been exposed to popular articles and books promoting the notion that subliminal advertising is used and is effective. In addition, Americans have been exposed to advertisements claiming that self-help audio-tapes and videotapes containing subliminal materials can help the purchaser with weight loss, better relationships, an improved golf game, quitting smoking, and even birth control. Awareness of Subliminal Messaging by the Public

Starbucks Solvency Case

STARBUCK’S ASSIGNMENT Question 2 Short-term liquidity: Starbuck’s current ratio has increased from 1. 29 to 1. 83 between 2009 and 2011. At the same time its quick ratio has also increased to a healthy 1. 36 percent in 2011. It is clear that current liabilities are decreasing at a faster rate than current assets. Thus the company’s ability to meet its obligations in the short-term should not be a problem. Starbucks’ liquidity looks healthy going forward as it has a healthy receivables turnover at 33. 95 in 2011, whilst the average collection period is at 10. 75.Long-term Solvency: The debt to equity ratio dropped from 2010 levels where it was at 0. 74 to 0. 68 in 2011 which means that there has been a reduction in financial risk and an improvement in solvency. This may largely be explained by the increase in retained earnings. The interest coverage is between 4 and 5 times meaning that Starbucks is not at any high risk of default on its debt obligations. T hus the risk of insolvency is highly mitigated. Profitability: The return on equity (ROE) for Starbuck’s has improved greatly from 14. 12% in 2009 to 30. 91% in 2011.The return on assets (ROA) has followed a similar trend growing from 9. 99% in 2009 to 25. 15% in 2011. This suggests that for any potential investors Starbuck’s is a lucrative proposition at least to the extent that past performance is a reliable predictor of future performance. P-E Ratios: Given its size Starbuck’s is not likely to see any extraordinary growth and as such a P-E ratio of 23. 65 in 2011 is reasonable even though it shows a drop from 2009 levels. Of an interest is the fact that over the same period Starbucks EPS have actually grown by up to 200% from 0. 53 to 1. 66.It is clear that investors do not expect any rapid growth in the company’s net income but rather more stable growth. Question 3 With regard to short-term liquidity it is clear that Starbuck’s is doing better than the industry where the current ratio averages out at about 0. 7 and the quick ratio at about 0. 3. Insofar as solvency is concerned Starbuck’s also does better than the industry where debt-equity ratios have reached peaks of 128. 075, whilst industry interest coverage averages out at about 1 or 2 times. Thus Starbuck’s is more solvent than a lot of its peers in the industry.Starbuck’s is also more profitable than the industry where both ROE and ROA average below 20%. Starbucks’ P-E ratio of 23. 65 in 2011 shows that the market expects Starbucks to grow its net income faster than the industry average growth rate which is given by an industry P-E ratio that averages out at about 16. Question 4 Up until 2008 Starbucks registered stable growth, growing its ROE from 14. 10% in 2003 to 29. 81% in 2007. During this same period the return on sales number remained steady around 7%. However it’s ROE plummeted in 2008 to 13. 21%, only recovering in 2010 and peaking at 30. 1% in 2011. At the same time its return on sales dropped to a record 3% in 2008. The drop in 2008-2009 is partly explained by the economic downturn of 2008. Starbucks situation was certainly not helped by the fact that it had a liquidity problem that had persisted since 2005 with quick and current ratios below 1. 0. Starbucks has since seen its short-term liquidity improve with its quick and current ratios recovering in 2010 and 2011 to levels above 1. 0. Improved liquidity has also come with improved profitability with the return on sales number peaking at 10. 65% in 2011.

Strategic Management and Personal Media Players

Apple, Inc. in 2010 Assignment Questions 1. What are the chief elements of Apple’s overall competitive strategy? How well do the pieces fit together? Is the strategy evolving? 2. What are the key elements of Apple’s strategy in computers, personal media players, and smartphones? Have its strategies in its core businesses yielded success? Explain. 3. What does a competitive strength assessment reveal about Apple’s computer business, as compared to the leaders in the personal computer industry? Use the methodology in Table 4. to support your answer. Does it appear that the company’s competitive positions in personal media players and smartphones or stronger or weaker than its position in computers? 4. Does it make good strategic sense for Apple to be a competitor in the computer, personal media player, smartphone, and tablet computer industries? Are the value chain activities that Apple performs in computers, personal media players, tablet computers and smar tphones very similar and â€Å"compatible† or are there very important differences from product to product?Which of the four products lines—computers, tablet computers, personal media players, or smartphones—do you think is most important to Apple’s future growth and profitability? Why? 5. What is your assessment of Apple Computer’s financial performance the past three years? (Use the financial ratios in Table 4. 1 on pages 94-96 of the text as a guide in doing your financial analysis. ) 6. What recommendations would you make to allow Apple to strengthen its position in its most important markets? What steps should it take to ensure that the iPad becomes a success in the marketplace and a major contributor to the company’s overall performance?Google’s Strategy in 2010* Assignment Questions 1. Discuss competition in the search industry. Which of the five competitive forces seem strongest? weakest? What is your assessment of overall ind ustry attractiveness? 2. How is the search industry changing? What forces seem most likely to bring about major change to the industry within the next three to five years? 3. What are the key factors that define success in the industry? What are the key competencies, capabilities, and resources of successful search engine companies? 4. Describe Google’s customer value roposition and profit formula linked to its business model. What strategies has Google relied upon to build competitive advantage in the industry? 5. Have Google’s business model and strategy proven to be successful? Should investors be impressed with the company’s financial performance? How does the company’s financial performance compare to that of Microsoft and Yahoo? Please conduct a financial analysis to support your position—you may wish to use the financial ratios presented in the Table 4. 1 of the text as a guide in doing your financial analysis of the company. . What are the company’s key resources and competitive capabilities? What competitive liabilities and resource weaknesses does it have? What opportunities exist? What threats to its continued success are present? 7. What recommendations would you make to Google’s top-management team to sustain its competitive advantage in the search industry? How should it best capitalize on its strategic initiatives in mobile phones, cloud computing, emerging markets, and other ventures? Southwest Airlines in 2010: Culture, Values, and Operating Practices Assignment Questions . Is there anything that you find particularly impressive about Southwest Airlines? 2. What grade would you give Southwest management for the job it has done in crafting the company’s strategy? What is it that you like or dislike about the strategy? Does Southwest have a winning strategy? 3. What are the key policies, procedures, operating practices, and core values underlying Southwest’s efforts to implement and execute its low-cost/no frills strategy? 4. What are the key elements of Southwest’s culture? Is Southwest a strong culture company? Why or why not?What problems do you foresee that Gary Kelly has in sustaining the culture now that Herb Kelleher, the company’s spiritual leader, has departed? 5. What grade would you give Southwest management for the job it has done in implementing and executing the company’s strategy? Which of Southwest’s strategy execution approaches and operating practices do you believe have been most crucial in accounting for the success that Southwest has enjoyed in executing its strategy? Are the any policies, procedures, and operating approaches at Southwest that you disapprove of or that are not working well? 6.What weaknesses or problems do you see at Southwest Airlines as of mid-2010? 7. Does the AirTran acquisition make good strategic sense for Southwest? 8. What strategic issues and problems do Gary Kelly and Southwest executiv es need to address as they proceed to close the deal with the AirTran acquisition and contemplate how best to integrate AirTran’s operations and AirTran’s employees into Southwest? 9. What recommendations would you make to Gary Kelly and Southwest executives as the company heads into 2011? Competition in Energy Drinks, Sports Drinks and Vitamin-Enhanced Beverages Assignment Questions 1.What are the strategically relevant components of the global and U. S. beverage industry macro-environment? How do the economic characteristics of the alternative beverage segment of the industry differ from that of other beverage categories? Explain. 2. What is competition like in the alternative beverage industry? Which of the five competitive forces is strongest? Which is weakest? What competitive forces seem to have the greatest effect on industry attractiveness and the potential profitability of new entrants? 3. How is the market for energy drinks, sports drinks and vitamin-enhanced beverages changing?What are the underlying drivers of change and how might those forces individually or collectively make the industry more or less attractive? 4. What does your strategic group map of the energy drink, sports drink, and vitamin-enhanced beverage industry look like? Which strategic groups do you think are in the best positions? The worst positions? 5. What key factors determine the success of alternative beverage producers? 6. What recommendations would you make to Coca-Cola to improve its competitiveness in the global alternative beverage industry? to PepsiCo? to Red Bull GmbH?

Adolescent Pregnancy Compilation Notes

Adolescent pregnancy – Overview Alternative Names Teenage pregnancy; Pregnancy – teenage Definition of Adolescent pregnancy: Adolescent pregnancy is pregnancy in girls age 19 or  younger. Causes, incidence, and risk factors: The rate of adolescent pregnancy and the birth rate for adolescents have generally declined since reaching an all-time high in 1990, mostly due to the increased use of condoms. Adolescent pregnancy is a complex issue with many reasons for concern. Younger adolescents (12 – 14 years old) are more likely to have unplanned sexual intercourse and more likely to be coerced into sex. Adolescents 18 – 19 years old are technically adults, and half of adolescent pregnancies occur in this age group. Risk factors for adolescent pregnancy include: * Younger age * Poor school performance * Economic disadvantage * Single or teen parents Adolescent pregnancy Teenage pregnancy; Pregnancy – teenage Last reviewed: September 12, 2011. Adolescent pregnancy is pregnancy in girls age 19 or  younger. Causes, incidence, and risk factors Adolescent pregnancy and babies born to adolescents have dropped since reaching an all-time high in 1990. This is mostly due to the increased use of condoms. Adolescent pregnancy is a complex issue with many reasons for concern. Kids age 12 – 14 years old are more likely than other adolescents to have unplanned sexual intercourse . They are more likely to be talked into having into sex. Up to two-thirds of adolescent pregnancies occur in teens age 18 – 19 years old. Risk factors for adolescent pregnancy include: * Younger age * Poor school performance * Economic disadvantage * Older male partner * Single or teen parents Symptoms Pregnancy symptoms include: * Abdominal distention * Breast enlargement and breast tenderness * Fatigue * Light-headedness or actual fainting Missed period * Nausea/vomiting * Frequent urination Signs and tests The adolescent may or may not admit to being involved sexually. If the teen is pregnant, there are usually weight changes (usually a gain, but there may be a loss if nausea and vomiting are significant). Examination may show increased abdominal girth, and the health care provider may be able t o feel the fundus (the top of the enlarged uterus). Pelvic examination may reveal bluish or purple coloration of vaginal walls, bluish or purple coloration and softening of the cervix, and softening and enlargement of the uterus. A pregnancy test of urine and/or serum HCG are usually positive. * A pregnancy ultrasound may be done to confirm or check accurate dates for pregnancy. Treatment All options made available to the pregnant teen should be considered carefully, including abortion, adoption, and raising the child with community or family support. Discussion with the teen may require several visits with a health care provider to explain all options in a non-judgmental manner and involve the parents or the father of the baby as appropriate. Early and adequate prenatal care, preferably through a program that specializes in teenage pregnancies, ensures a healthier baby. Pregnant teens need to be assessed for smoking, alcohol use, and drug use, and they should be offered support to help them quit. Adequate nutrition can be encouraged through education and community resources. Appropriate exercise and adequate sleep should also be emphasized. Contraceptive information and services are important after delivery to prevent teens from becoming pregnant again. Pregnant teens and those who have recently given birth should be encouraged and helped to remain in school or reenter educational programs that give them the skills to be better parents, and provide for their child financially and emotionally. Accessible and affordable child care is an important factor in teen mothers continuing school or entering the work force. Expectations (prognosis) Having her first child during adolescence makes a woman more likely to have more children overall. Teen mothers are about 2 years behind their age group in completing their education. Women who have a baby during their teen years are more likely to live in poverty. Teen mothers with a history of substance abuse are more likely to start abusing by about 6 months after delivery. Teen mothers are more likely than older mothers to have a second child within 2 years of their first child. Infants born to teenage mothers are at greater risk for developmental problems. Girls born to teen mothers are more likely to become teen mothers themselves, and boys born to teen mothers have a higher than average rate of being arrested and jailed. Complications Adolescent pregnancy is associated with higher rates of illness and death for both the mother and infant. Death from violence is the second leading cause of death durig pregnancy for teens, and is higher in teens than in any other group. Pregnant teens are at much higher risk of having serious medical complications such as: * Placenta previa * Pregnancy-induced hypertension * Premature delivery * Significant anemia * Toxemia Infants born to teens are 2 – 6 times more likely to have low birth weight than those born to mothers age 20 or older. Prematurity plays the greatest role in low birth weight, but intrauterine growth retardation (inadequate growth of the fetus during pregnancy) is also a factor. Teen mothers are more likely to have unhealthy habits that place the infant at greater risk for inadequate growth, infection, or chemical dependence. The younger a mother is below age 20, the greater the risk of her infant dying during the first year of life. It is very important for pregnant teens to have early and adequate prenatal care. Calling your health care provider Make an appointment with your health care provider if you have symptoms of pregnancy. Your health care provider can also provide counseling regarding birth control methods, sexually transmitted disease (STD) prevention, or pregnancy risk. Prevention There are many different kinds of teen pregnancy prevention programs. * Abstinence education programs encourage young people to wait to have sex until marriage, or until they are mature enough to handle sexual activity and a potential pregnancy in a responsible manner. * Knowledge-based programs focus on teaching kids about their bodies. It also provides detailed information about birth control and how to prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Research shows knowledge-based programs help decrease teen pregnancy rates. Abstinence-only education without information about birth control does not. * Clinic-focused programs give kids easier access to information, counseling by health care providers, and birth control services. Many of these programs are offered through school-based clinics. * Peer counseling programs typically involve older teens, who encourage other kids to resist peer and social pressures to have sex. For teens who are already sexually active, peer counseling programs teach them relationship skills and give them information on how to get and successfully use birth control. Teenage pregnancy Teenage pregnancy refers to pregnancy in a female under the age of 20 (when the pregnancy ends). It generally refers to a female who is unmarried and usually refers to an unplanned pregnancy. A pregnancy can take place at any time after puberty, with menarche (first menstrual period) normally taking place around the ages 12 or 13, and being the stage at which a female becomes potentially fertile. Teenage pregnancy depends on a number of societal and personal factors. Teenage pregnancy rates vary between countries because of differences in levels of sexual activity, general sex education provided and access to affordable contraceptive options. Worldwide, teenage pregnancy rates range from 143 per 1000 in some sub-Saharan African countries to 2. 9 per 1000 in South Korea. Pregnant teenagers face many of the same obstetrics issues as women in their 20s and 30s. There are however, additional medical concerns for mothers age 14 or younger. For mothers between 15 and 19, risks are associated more with socioeconomic factors than with the biological effects of age. However research has shown that the risk of low birth weight is connected to the biological age itself, as it was observed in teen births even after controlling for other risk factors (such as utilisation of antenatal care etc. ). In developed countries, teenage pregnancies are associated with many social issues, including lower educational levels, higher rates of poverty, and other poorer â€Å"life outcomes† in children of teenage mothers. Teenage pregnancy in developed countries is usually outside of marriage, and carries a social stigma in many communities and cultures. Many studies and campaigns have attempted to uncover the causes and limit the numbers of teenage pregnancies. In other countries and cultures, particularly in the developing world, teenage pregnancy is usually within marriage and does not involve a social stigma. Among OECD developed countries, the United States and United Kingdom have the highest level of teenage pregnancy, while Japan and South Korea have the lowest. Teenage pregnancy rates In reporting teenage pregnancy rates, the number of pregnancies per 1000 females aged 15 to 19 when the pregnancy ends is generally used. The rates look at the age at which a pregnancy ends, and not the age when the woman conceives, so that if a woman aborts her pregnancy or misscarries while she is 19, she would be counted, while if she went full term and gave birth at age 20 she would not be counted. According to a 2001 UNICEF survey, in 10 out of 12 developed nations with available data, more than two thirds of young people have had sexual intercourse while still in their teens. In Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States, the proportion is over 80%. In Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, approximately 25% of 15 year olds and 50% of 17 year olds have had sex. In a 2005 Kaiser Family Foundation study of US teenagers, 29% of teens reported feeling pressure to have sex, 33% of sexually active teens reported â€Å"being in a relationship where they felt things were moving too fast sexually†, and 24% had â€Å"done something sexual they didn’t really want to do†. Several polls have indicated peer pressure as a factor in encouraging both girls and boys to have sex. The increased sexual activity among adolescents is manifested in increased teenage pregnancies and an increase in sexually transmitted diseases. The rates of teenage pregnancy vary and range from 143 per 1000 girls in some sub-Saharan African countries to 2. 9 per 1000 in South Korea. The rate for the United States is 52. 1 per 1000, the highest in the developed world – and about four times the European Union average. Care must also be taken of the common actual marriage age in different countries, as in countries where teenage marriages are common can expect to also experience higher levels of teenage pregnancies. In an attempt to reverse the increasing numbers of teenage pregnancies, governments in many Western countries have instituted sex education programs, the main objective of which is to reduce such pregnancies and STD's. Save the Children found that, annually, 13 million children are born to women under age 20 worldwide, more than 90% in developing countries. Complications of pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of mortality among women between the ages of 15 and 19 in such areas. The highest rate of teenage pregnancy in the world is in sub-Saharan Africa, where women tend to marry at an early age. In Niger, for example, 87% of women surveyed were married and 53% had given birth to a child before the age of 18. In the Indian subcontinent, early marriage sometimes means adolescent pregnancy, particularly in rural regions where the rate is much higher than it is in urbanized areas. The rate of early marriage and pregnancy has decreased sharply in Indonesia and Malaysia, although it remains relatively high in the former. In the industrialized Asian nations such as South Korea and Singapore, teenage birth rates are among the lowest in the world. The overall trend in Europe since 1970 has been a decreasing total fertility rate, an increase in the age at which women experience their first birth, and a decrease in the number of births among teenagers. Most continental Western European countries have very low teenage birth rates. This is varyingly attributed to good sex education and high levels of contraceptive use (in the case of the Netherlands and Scandinavia), traditional values and social stigmatization (in the case of Spain and Italy) or both (in the case of Switzerland). The teenage birth rate in the United States is the highest in the developed world, and the teenage bortion rate is also high. The U. S. teenage pregnancy rate was at a high in the 1950s and has decreased since then, although there has been an increase in births out of wedlock. The teenage pregnancy rate decreased significantly in the 1990s; this decline manifested across all racial groups, although teenagers of African-American and Hispanic descent retai n a higher rate, in comparison to that of European-Americans and Asian-Americans. The Guttmacher Institute attributed about 25% of the decline to abstinence and 75% to the effective use of contraceptives. However, in 2006 the teenage birth rate rose for the first time in fourteen years. This could imply that teen pregnancy rates are also on the rise, however the rise could also be due to other sources: a possible decrease in the number of abortions or a decrease in the number of miscarriages, to name a few. The Canadian teenage birth has also trended towards a steady decline for both younger (15–17) and older (18–19) teens in the period between 1992 and 2002. The age of the mother is determined by the easily verified date when the pregnancy ends, not by the estimated date of conception. Consequently, the statistics do not include women who became pregnant at least shortly before their 20th birthdays, but who gave birth, experienced a miscarriage, or had a voluntary abortion on or after their 20th birthdays. Similarly, statistics on the mother's marital status are determined by whether she is married at the end of the pregnancy, not at the time of conception. Impact Maternal and prenatal health is of particular concern among teens who are pregnant or parenting. The worldwide incidence of premature birth and low birth weight is higher among adolescent mothers. In a rural hospital in West Bengal, teenage mothers between 15–19 years old were more likely to have anemia, preterm delivery, and low birth weight than mothers between 20–24 years old. Research indicates that pregnant teens are less likely to receive prenatal care, often seeking it in the third trimester, if at all. The Guttmacher Institute reports that one-third of pregnant teens receive insufficient prenatal care and that their children are more likely to suffer from health issues in childhood or be hospitalized than those born to older women. Young mothers who are given high-quality maternity care have significantly healthier babies than those that do not. Many of the health-issues associated with teenage mothers, many of whom do not have health insurance, appear to result from lack of access to high-quality medical care. Many pregnant teens are subject to nutritional deficiencies from poor eating habits common in adolescence, including attempts to lose weight through dieting, skipping meals, food faddism, snacking, and consumption of fast food. Inadequate nutrition during pregnancy is an even more marked problem among teenagers in developing countries. Complications of pregnancy result in the deaths of an estimated 70,000 teen girls in developing countries each year. Young mothers and their babies are also at greater risk of contracting HIV. The World Health Organization estimates that the risk of death following pregnancy is twice as great for women between 15 and 19 years than for those between the ages of 20 and 24. The maternal mortality rate can be up to five times higher for girls aged between 10 and 14 than for women of about twenty years of age. Illegal abortion also holds many risks for teenage girls in areas such as sub-Saharan Africa. Risks for medical complications are greater for girls 14 years of age and younger, as an underdeveloped pelvis can lead to difficulties in childbirth. Obstructed labour is normally dealt with by Caesarean section in industrialized nations; however, in developing regions where medical services might be unavailable, it can lead to eclampsia, obstetric fistula, infant mortality, or maternal death. For mothers in their late teens, age in itself is not a risk factor, and poor outcomes are associated more with socioeconomic factors rather than with biology. Psychosocial Several studies have examined the socioeconomic, medical, and psychological impact of pregnancy and parenthood in teens. Life outcomes for teenage mothers and their children vary; other factors, such as poverty or social support, may be more important than the age of the mother at the birth. Many solutions to counteract the more negative findings have been proposed. Teenage parents who can rely on family and community support, social services and child-care support are more likely to continue their education and get higher paying jobs as they progress with their education. In the mother Being a young mother in an industrialized country can affect one's education. Teen mothers are more likely to drop out of high school. Recent studies, though, have found that many of these mothers had already dropped out of school prior to becoming pregnant, but those in school at the time of their pregnancy were as likely to graduate as their peers. One study in 2001 found that women who gave birth during their teens completed secondary-level schooling 10–12% as often and pursued post-secondary education 14–29% as often as women who waited until age 30. Young motherhood in an industrialized country can affect employment and social class. Less than one third of teenage mothers receive any form of child support, vastly increasing the likelihood of turning to the government for assistance. The correlation between earlier childbearing and failure to complete high school reduces career opportunities for many young women. One study found that, in 1988, 60% of teenage mothers were impoverished at the time of giving birth. Additional research found that nearly 50% of all adolescent mothers sought social assistance within the first five years of their child's life. A study of 100 teenaged mothers in the United Kingdom found that only 11% received a salary, while the remaining 89% were unemployed. Most British teenage mothers live in poverty, with nearly half in the bottom fifth of the income distribution. Teenage women who are pregnant or mothers are seven times more likely to commit suicide than other teenagers. Professor John Ermisch at the institute of social and economic research at Essex University and Dr Roger Ingham, director of the centre of sexual health at Southampton University – found that comparing teenage mothers with other girls with similarly deprived social-economic profiles, bad school experiences and low educational aspirations, the difference in their respective life chances was negligible. Teenage Motherhood may actually make economic sense for young women with less money, some research suggests. For instance, long-term studies by Duke economist V. Joseph Hotz and colleagues, published in 2005, found that by age 35, former teen moms had earned more in income, paid more in taxes, were substantially less likely to live in poverty and collected less in public assistance than similarly poor women who waited until their 20s to have babies. Women who became mothers in their teens — freed from child-raising duties by their late 20s and early 30s to pursue employment while poorer women who waited to become moms were still stuck at home watching their young children — wound up paying more in taxes than they had collected in welfare. Eight years earlier, the federally commissioned report â€Å"Kids Having Kids† also contained a similar finding, though it was buried: â€Å"Adolescent childbearers fare slightly better than later-childbearing counterparts in terms of their overall economic welfare. One-fourth of adolescent mothers will have a second child within 24 months of the first. Factors that determine which mothers are more likely to have a closely spaced repeat birth include marriage and education: the likelihood decreases with the level of education of the young woman – or her parents – and increases if she gets married. In the child Early motherhood can affect the psychosocial development of the infant. Developmental disabilities and behavioral issues are increased in children born to teen mothers. One study suggested that adolescent mothers are less likely to stimulate their infant through affectionate behaviors such as touch, smiling, and verbal communication, or to be sensitive and accepting toward his or her needs. Another found that those who had more social support were less likely to show anger toward their children or to rely upon punishment. Poor academic performance in the children of teenage mothers has also been noted, with many of them being more likely than average to fail to graduate from secondary school, be held back a grade level, or score lower on standardized tests. Daughters born to adolescent parents are more likely to become teen mothers themselves. A son born to a young woman in her teens is three times more likely to serve time in prison. In other family members Teen pregnancy and motherhood can influence younger siblings. One study found that the younger sisters of teen mothers were less likely to emphasize the importance of education and employment and more likely to accept human sexual behavior, parenting, and marriage at younger ages; younger brothers, too, were found to be more tolerant of non-marital and early births, in addition to being more susceptible to high-risk behaviors. If the younger sisters of teenage parents babysit the children, they have an increased risk of getting pregnant themselves. Causes In some societies, early marriage and traditional gender roles are important factors in the rate of teenage pregnancy. For example, in some sub-Saharan African countries, early pregnancy is often seen as a blessing because it is proof of the young woman's fertility. In the Indian subcontinent, early marriage and pregnancy is more common in traditional rural communities compared to the rate in cities. The lack of education on safe sex, whether it’s from parents, schools, or otherwise, is a cause of teenage pregnancy. Many teenagers are not taught about methods of birth control and how to deal with peers who pressure them into having sex before they are ready. Many pregnant teenagers do not have any cognition of the central facts of sexuality. Some teens have said to be pressured into having sex with their boyfriends at a young age, and yet no one had taught these teens how to deal with this pressure or to say â€Å"no†. In societies where adolescent marriage is less common, such as many developed countries, young age at first intercourse and lack of use of contraceptive methods (or their inconsistent and/or incorrect use; the use of a method with a high failure rate is also a problem) may be factors in teen pregnancy. Most teenage pregnancies in the developed world appear to be unplanned. Sexuality In most countries, most men experience sexual intercourse for the first time before their 20th birthdays. Men in Western developed countries have sex for the first time sooner than in undeveloped and culturally conservative countries such as Sub-Saharan Africa and much of Asia. Countries with low levels of teenagers giving birth accept sexual relationships among teenagers and provide comprehensive and balanced information about sexuality. However, in a Kaiser Family Foundation study of US teenagers, 29% of teens reported feeling pressure to have sex, 33% of sexually active teens reported â€Å"being in a relationship where they felt things were moving too fast sexually†, and 24% had â€Å"done something sexual they didn’t really want to do†. Several polls have indicated peer pressure as a factor in encouraging both girls and boys to have sex. Role of drug and alcohol use Inhibition-reducing drugs and alcohol may possibly encourage unintended sexual activity. If so, it is unknown if the drugs themselves directly influence teenagers to engage in riskier behavior, or whether teenagers who engage in drug use are more likely to engage in sex. Correlation does not imply causation. The drugs with the strongest evidence linking to teenage pregnancy are alcohol, â€Å"ecstasy†, cannabis, and amphetamines. The drugs with the least evidence to support a link to early pregnancy are opioids, such as heroin, morphine, and oxycodone, of which a well-known effect is the significant reduction of libido – it appears that teenage opioid users have significantly reduced rates of conception compared to their non-using, and alcohol, â€Å"ecstasy†, cannabis, and amphetamine using peers. Amphetamines are often prescribed to treat ADHD – internationally, the countries with the highest rates of recorded amphetamine prescription to teenagers also have the highest rates of teenage pregnancy. 2][12][51][52], Leonard Sax, M. D. , Ph. D. , 2005, Doubleday books, p. 128. Lack of contraception Adolescents may lack knowledge of, or access to, conventional methods of preventing pregnancy, as they may be too embarrassed or frightened to seek such information. Contraception for teenagers presents a huge challenge for the clinician. In 1998, the government of the United Kingdom set a target to halve the under-18 pregnancy rate by 2010. The Teenage Pregnancy Strategy (TPS) was established to achieve this. The pregnancy rate in this group, although falling, rose slightly in 2007, to 41. 7 per 1000 women. Young women often think of contraception either as ‘the pill' or condoms and have little knowledge about other methods. They are heavily influenced by negative, second-hand stories about methods of contraception from their friends and the media. Prejudices are extremely difficult to overcome. Over concern about side-effects, for example weight gain and acne, often affect choice. Missing up to three pills a month is common, and in this age group the figure is likely to be higher. Restarting after the pill-free week, having to hide pills, drug interactions and difficulty getting repeat prescriptions can all lead to method failure. In the United States, according to the 2002 National Surveys of Family Growth, sexually active adolescent women wishing to avoid pregnancy were less likely than those of other ages to use contraceptives (18% of 15- to 19-year-olds used no contraceptives, versus 10. 7% average for women ages 15 to 44). More than 80% of teen pregnancies are unintended. Over half of unintended pregnancies were to women not using contraceptives, most of the rest are due to inconsistent or incorrect use. 23% of sexually active young women in a 1996 Seventeen magazine poll admitted to having had unprotected sex with a partner who did not use a condom, while 70% of girls in a 1997 PARADE poll claimed it was embarrassing to buy birth control or request information from a doctor. In a study for The Guttmacher Institute, researchers found that from a comparative perspective, however, teenage pregnancy rates in the United States are less nuanced than one might initially assume. Since timing and levels of sexual activity are quite similar across [Sweden, France, Canada, Great Britain, and the U. S. ], the high U. S. rates arise primarily because of less, and possibly less-effective, contraceptive use by sexually active teenagers. † Thus, the cause for the discrepancy between rich nations can be traced largely to contraceptive-based issues. Among teens in the UK seeking an abortion, a study found that the rate of contraceptive use was roughly the same for teens as for older women. In other cases, contraception is used, but proves to be inadequate. Inexperienced adolescents may use condoms incorrectly, forget to take oral contraceptives, or fail to use the contraceptives they had previously chosen. Contraceptive failure rates are higher for teenagers, particularly poor ones, than for older users. Long-acting contraceptives such as intrauterine devices, subcutaneous contraceptive implants, and contraceptive injections (such as Depo-Provera and Combined injectable contraceptive), which prevent pregnancy for months or years at a time, are more effective in women who have trouble remembering to take pills or using barrier methods consistently. Age discrepancy in relationships According to the conservative lobbying organization Family Research Council, studies in the US indicate that age discrepancy between the teenage girls and the men who impregnate them is an important contributing factor. Teenage girls in relationships with older boys, and in particular with adult men, are more likely to become pregnant than teenage girls in relationships with boys their own age. They are also more likely to carry the baby to term rather than have an abortion. A review of California's 1990 vital statistics found that men older than high school age fathered 77% of all births to high school-aged girls (ages 16–18), and 51% of births to junior high school-aged girls (15 and younger). Men over age 25 fathered twice as many children of teenage mothers than boys under age 18, and men over age 20 fathered five times as many children of junior high school-aged girls as did junior high school-aged boys. A 1992 Washington state study of 535 adolescent mothers found that 62% of the mothers had a history of being raped or sexual molested by men whose ages averaged 27 years. This study found that, compared with nonabused mothers, abused adolescent mothers initiated sex earlier, had sex with much older partners, and engaged in riskier, more frequent, and promiscuous sex. Studies by the Population Reference Bureau and the National Center for Health Statistics found that about two-thirds of children born to teenage girls in the United States are fathered by adult men age 20 or older. Sexual abuse Studies from South Africa have found that 11–20% of pregnancies in teenagers are a direct result of rape, while about 60% of teenage mothers had unwanted sexual experiences preceding their pregnancy. Before age 15, a majority of first-intercourse experiences among females are reported to be non-voluntary; the Guttmacher Institute found that 60% of girls who had sex before age 15 were coerced by males who on average were six years their senior. One in five teenage fathers admitted to forcing girls to have sex with them. Multiple studies have indicated a strong link between early childhood sexual abuse and subsequent teenage pregnancy in industrialized countries. Up to 70% of women who gave birth in their teens were molested as young girls; by contrast, 25% for women who did not give birth as teens were molested. In some countries, sexual intercourse between a minor and an adult is not considered consensual under the law because a minor is believed to lack the maturity and competence to make an informed decision to engage in fully consensual sex with an adult. In those countries, sex with a minor is therefore considered statutory rape. In most European countries, by contrast, once an adolescent has reached the age of consent, he or she can legally have sexual relations with adults because it is held that in general (although certain limitations may still apply), reaching the age of consent enables a juvenile to consent to sex with any partner who has also reached that age. Therefore, the definition of statutory rape is limited to sex with a person under the minimum age of consent. What constitutes statutory rape ultimately differs by jurisdiction. Dating violence Studies have indicated that adolescent girls are often in abusive relationships at the time of their conceiving. They have also reported that knowledge of their pregnancy has often intensified violent and controlling behaviors on part of their boyfriends. Women under age 18 are twice as likely to be beaten by their child's father than women over age 18. A UK study found that 70% of women who gave birth in their teens had experienced adolescent domestic violence. Similar results have been found in studies in the United States. A Washington State study found 70% of teenage mothers had been beaten by their boyfriends, 51% had experienced attempts of birth control sabotage within the last year, and 21% experienced school or work sabotage. In a study of 379 pregnant or parenting teens and 95 teenage girls without children, 62% of the girls aged 11–15 years and 56% of girls aged 16–19 years reported experiencing domestic violence at the hands of their partners. Moreover, 51% of the girls reported experiencing at least one instance where their boyfriend attempted to sabotage their efforts to use birth control. Socioeconomic factors Teenage pregnancy has been defined predominantly within the research field and among social agencies as a social problem. Poverty is associated with increased rates of teenage pregnancy. Economically poor countries such as Niger and Bangladesh have far more teenage mothers compared with economically rich countries such as Switzerland and Japan. In the UK, around half of all pregnancies to under 18s are concentrated among the 30% most deprived population, with only 14% occurring among the 30% least deprived. For example, in Italy, the teenage birth rate in the well-off central regions is only 3. 3 per 1,000, while in the poorer Mezzogiorno it is 10. 0 per 1,000. Similarly, in the United States, sociologist Mike A. Males noted that teenage birth rates closely mapped poverty rates in California: County| Poverty rate| Birth rate*| Marin County| 5%| 5| Tulare County (Caucasians)| 18%| 50| Tulare County (Hispanics)| 40%| 100| * per 1000 women aged 15–19 Teen pregnancy cost the United States over $9. 1 billion in 2004. There is little evidence to support the common belief that teenage mothers become pregnant to get benefits, welfare, and council housing. Most knew little about housing or financial aid before they got pregnant and what they thought they knew often turned out to be wrong. Childhood environment Women exposed to abuse, domestic violence, and family strife in childhood are more likely to become pregnant as teenagers, and the risk of becoming pregnant as a teenager increases with the number of adverse childhood experiences. According to a 2004 study, one-third of teenage pregnancies could be prevented by eliminating exposure to abuse, violence, and family strife. The researchers note that â€Å"family dysfunction has enduring and unfavorable health consequences for women during the adolescent years, the childbearing years, and beyond. When the family environment does not include adverse childhood experiences, becoming pregnant as an adolescent does not appear to raise the likelihood of long-term, negative psychosocial consequences. Studies have also found that boys raised in homes with a battered mother, or who experienced physical violence directly, were significantly more likely to impregnate a girl. Studies have also found that girls whose fathers lef t the family early in their lives had the highest rates of early sexual activity and adolescent pregnancy. Girls whose fathers left them at a later age had a lower rate of early sexual activity, and the lowest rates are found in girls whose fathers were present throughout their childhood. Even when the researchers took into account other factors that could have contributed to early sexual activity and pregnancy, such as behavioral problems and life adversity, early father-absent girls were still about five times more likely in the United States and three times more likely in New Zealand to become pregnant as adolescents than were father-present girls. Low educational expectations have been pinpointed as a risk factor. A girl is also more likely to become a teenage parent if her mother or older sister gave birth in her teens. A majority of respondents in a 1988 Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies survey attributed the occurrence of adolescent pregnancy to a breakdown of communication between parents and child and also to inadequate parental supervision. Foster care youth are more likely than their peers to become pregnant as teenagers. The National Casey Alumni Study, which surveyed foster care alumni from 23 ommunities across the United States, found the birth rate for girls in foster care was more than double the rate of their peers outside the foster care system. A University of Chicago study of youth transitioning out of foster care in Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin found that nearly half of the females had been pregnant by age 19. The Utah Department of Human Services found that girls who had left the foster care sy stem between 1999 and 2004 had a birth rate nearly 3 times the rate for girls in the general population. Media influence A study conducted in 2006 found that adolescents who were more exposed to sexuality in the media were also more likely to engage in sexual activity themselves. According to Time, â€Å"teens exposed to the most sexual content on TV are twice as likely as teens watching less of this material to become pregnant before they reach age 20†. Prevention Many health educators have argued that comprehensive sex education would effectively reduce the number of teenage pregnancies, although opponents argue that such education encourages more and earlier sexual activity. United Kingdom In the UK, the teenage pregnancy strategy, which was run first by the Department of Health and is now based out of the Children, Young People and Families directorate in the Department for Children, Schools and Families, works on several levels to reduce teenage pregnancy and increase the social inclusion of teenage mothers and their families by: * joined up action, making sure branches of government and health and education services work together effectively; * prevention of teenage pregnancy through better sex education and improving contraceptive and advice services for young people, involving young people in service design, supporting the parents of teenagers to talk to them about sex and relationships, and targeting high-risk groups; * better support for teenage mothers, including help returning to education, advice and support, work with young fathers, better childcare and increasing the availability of supported housing. The teenage pregnancy strategy has had mixed success. Although teenage pregnancies have fallen overall, they have not fallen consistently in every region, and in some areas they have increased. There are questions about whether the 2010 target of a 50% reduction on 1998 levels can be met. United States In the United States the topic of sex education is the subject of much contentious debate. Some schools provide â€Å"abstinence-only† education and virginity pledges are increasingly popular. A 2004 study by Yale and Columbia Universities found that 88% of those who pledge abstinence have premarital sex anyway. Most public schools offer â€Å"abstinence-plus† programs that support abstinence but also offer advice about contraception. A team of researchers and educators in California have published a list of â€Å"best practices† in the prevention of teen pregnancy, which includes, in addition to the previously mentioned concepts, working to â€Å"instill a belief in a successful future†, male involvement in the prevention process, and designing interventions that are culturally relevant. On September 30, 2010, The U. S. Department of Health and Human Services approved $155 million dollars in new funding for comprehensive sex education programs designed to prevent teenage pregnancy. The money is being awarded â€Å"to states, non-profit organizations, school districts, universities and others. These grants will support the replication of teen pregnancy prevention programs that have been shown to be effective through rigorous research as well as the testing of new, innovative approaches to combating teen pregnancy. † For teens who choose to engage in sexual activity, the primary mode of preventing teen pregnancy becomes correct use of contraceptives. In the States, one policy initiative that has been used to increase rates of contraceptive use is Title X: Title X of the 1970 Public Health Service act provides family planning services for those who do not qualify for Medicaid by distributing â€Å"funding to a network of public, private, and nonprofit entities [in order to provide] services on a sliding scale based on income. Studies indicate that, internationally, success in reducing teen pregnancy rates is directly correlated with the kind of access that Title X provides: â€Å"What appears crucial to success is that adolescents know where they can go to obtain inf ormation and services, can get there easily and are assured of receiving confidential, nonjudgmental care, and that these services and contraceptive supplies are free or cost very little. In addressing high rates of unplanned teen pregnancies, scholars agree that the problem must be confronted from both the biological and cultural contexts. Netherlands The Dutch approach to preventing teenage pregnancy has often been seen as a model by other countries. The curriculum focuses on values, attitudes, communication and negotiation skills, as well as biological aspects of reproduction. The media has encouraged open dialogue and the health-care system guarantees confidentiality and a non-judgmental approach. Developing world In the developing world, programs of reproductive health aimed at teenagers are often small scale and not centrally coordinated, although some countries such as Sri Lanka have a systematic policy framework for teaching about sex within schools. Non-governmental agencies such as the International Planned Parenthood Federation and Marie Stopes International provide contraceptive advice for young women worldwide. Laws against child marriage have reduced but not eliminated the practice. Improved female literacy and educational prospects have led to an increase in the age at first birth in areas such as Iran, Indonesia, and the Indian state of Kerala. Teenage fatherhood In some cases, the father of the child is the husband of the teenage girl. The conception may occur within wedlock, or the pregnancy itself may precipitate the marriage (the so-called shotgun wedding). In countries such as India the majority of teenage births occur within marriage. In other countries, such as the United States and the Republic of Ireland, the majority of teenage mothers are not married to the fathers of their children. In the UK, half of all teenagers with children are lone parents, 40% are cohabitating as a couple and 10% are married. Teenage parents are frequently in a romantic relationship at the time of birth, but many adolescent fathers do not stay with the mother and this often disrupts their relationship with the child. Research has shown that when teenage fathers are included in decision-making during pregnancy and birth, they are more likely to report increased involvement with their children in later years. In the U. S, eight out of ten teenage fathers do not marry their first child's mother. However, â€Å"teenage father† may be a misnomer in many cases. Studies by the Population Reference Bureau and the National Center for Health Statistics found that about two-thirds of births to teenage girls in the United States are fathered by adult men age 20 or older. The Guttmacher Institute reports that over 40% of mothers aged 15–17 had sexual partners three to five years older and almost one in five had partners six or more years older. A 1990 study of births to California teens reported that the younger the mother, the greater the age gap with her male partner. In the UK 72% of jointly registered births to women under the age of 20, the father is over the age of 20, with almost 1 in 4 being over 25. History Teenage pregnancy was normal in previous centuries. Perhaps the most famous teenage pregnancy in history was Mary, Mother of Jesus. She is generally believed to have been 13 years old when she gave birth to Jesus. Other sources place her age as high as 15 years. Hildegard of Vinzgouw, the wife of Charlemagne was about 14 years old when she gave birth to her first son in 772 CE. The mother of Henry VII of England was 13 years old when she gave birth to him in 1457. Maria of Tver, the wife of Ivan the Great of Russia, gave birth to her first son when she was about 16 years old, in 1458. Empress Teimei of Japan was 16 years old when she gave birth to Hirohito in 1901. Lina Medina of Peru holds the world record for youngest live birth: She was five years, seven months old when she gave birth in 1939. Society and culture Teenage pregnancy has been used as a theme or plot device in fiction, including books, films, and television series. The setting may be historical (The Blue Lagoon, Hope and Glory) or contemporary (One Tree Hill). While the subject is generally treated in a serious manner (Junk), it can sometimes play up to stereotypes in a comic manner (Vicky Pollard in Little Britain). The pregnancy itself may be the result of sexual abuse (Rose in The Cider House Rules), a one-night stand (Amy Barnes in Hollyoaks), a romantic relationship (Demi Miller in EastEnders); (Ronnie Mitchell in EastEnders); or a first time sexual encounter (Sarah-Louise Platt in Coronation Street) unusually, in Quinceanera, the central character becomes pregnant through non-penetrative sex. The drama often focuses around the discovery of the regnancy and the decision to opt for abortion (Fast Times at Ridgemont High), adoption (Mom at Sixteen, Juno, Glee), marriage (Sugar & Spice, Reba and Jeni, Juno) or life as a single mother (Saved! , Where the Heart Is, Someone Like You). In the German play Spring Awakening (and the Broadway musical based upon it), the central female character gets pregnant and dies from a botched abortion. Stephanie Daley deals with the aftermath of a teenage pregnancy that ends with a dead newborn baby. While the pregnant girl herself is normally the chief protagonist, Too Young to Be a Dad centers on a 15-year-old boy whose girlfriend becomes pregnant, while The Snapper focuses on the reactions of the family, particularly the soon-to-be grandfather. Other fiction, particularly in a long-running television series, looks at the long-term effects of becoming a parent at a very young age (Degrassi Junior High). In Gilmore Girls, because Lorelai Gilmore is only 16 years older than her daughter Rory, the two are more like sisters than parent and child. Looking for Alibrandi also features the teenage daughter of a woman who was herself a teenage mother. In The George Lopez Show, Benny Lopez, gave birth to George at 16. In the ABC Family television show The Secret Life of the American Teenager centers on Amy Juergens, a 15-year-old who becomes a teenage mother after a one night stand. In the popular Comedy Central television show South Park the character Carol McCormick was said to have had her sons Kevin McCormick at 13, and Kenny McCormick at 16. In the Japanese drama 14-sai no Haha: Aisuru tame ni Umaretekita, the protagonist Miki Ichinose becomes pregnant with her boyfriend's child at age 14. The show examines the impact of her pregnancy on her, her family, her school life, the life of her boyfriend and his family, and the society in which she resides. Additionally, reality television shows have featured teenage pregnancy stories. MTV launched two reality shows about the topic, 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom, in 2009. Each show depicts the gritty reality that pregnant teens face from friends and family while going through this life changing event, allowing teens to see what actually happens in this scenario through an outlet other than a scripted plot. Autobiographies that look at the author’s own experience of teenage motherhood include I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and Gather Together in My Name by Maya Angelou, Coal Miner's Daughter by Loretta Lynn, and Riding in Cars with Boys by Beverly D'Onofrio. Songs about teenage pregnancy include downbeat tales of abuse (â€Å"Brenda's Got a Baby†), poverty (â€Å"In The Ghetto†) and back-alley abortion (â€Å"Sally's Pigeons†), as well as upbeat and defiant tunes such as â€Å"Papa Don't Preach†. American pop singer Fantasia Barrino, who was 17 when she gave birth to her daughter, released a controversial song about single motherhood titled â€Å"Baby Mama†, describing the difficulty of raising a child alone with limited financial and family support. (Many U. S. adio stations would not play the song, ostensibly because it contains a profanity. ) â€Å"There Goes My Life†, a modern country song by Kenny Chesney, focuses on the reaction of the father, who rhetorically asks, â€Å"I'm just a kid myself; how am I going to raise one? † As the daughter grows up, his attitude changes, and the song ends with his tearful farewell as she leaves for college. Due to its implied pro-life message, â€Å"There Goes My Life† was sung at the inauguration of George W. Bush in 2005 Teen pregnancies in the Philippines By Rebecca B. Singson Philippine Daily Inquirer First Posted 00:55:00 06/14/2008 Filed Under: Health, Lifestyle & Leisure, Gender Issues (First in a series) MANILA, Philippines? The sexual revolution has ushered in a period in which the average adolescent experiences tremendous pressures to have sexual experiences of all kinds. Filipino teens get a higher exposure to sex from the Internet, magazines, TV shows, movies and other media than decades ago, yet without any corresponding increase in information on how to handle the input. So kids are pretty much left to other kids for opinions and value formation when it comes to sex. Sexual misinformation is therefore equally shared in the group. Parents at home and teachers in school feel equally inadequate or uneasy to discuss the topic of sex with youngsters. The problem mounts because the barkada (gang) has a more profound influence than parents do and they exert pressure and expect the adolescent to conform to the rest of them. In fact, female adolescents whose friends engage in sexual behavior were found to be more likely to do the same compared to those who do not associate with such peers. If the teen perceives her peers to look negatively at premarital sex, she was more likely to start sex at a later age. Numbers Statistics in the United States show that each year, almost 1 million teenage women? 10 percent of all women aged 15-19 and 19 percent of those who have had sexual intercourse? become pregnant and one-fourth of teenage mothers have a second child within two years of their first. In the Philippines, according to the 2002 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Study by the University of the Philippines Population Institute (Uppi) and the Demographic Research and Development Foundation, 26 percent of our Filipino youth nationwide from ages 15 to 25 admitted to having a premarital sex experience. What? s worse is that 38 percent of our youth are already in a live-in arrangement. The 1998 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) reveals that 3. 6 million of our teenagers (that? s a whopping 5. 2 percent of our population! ) got pregnant. In 92 percent of these teens, the pregnancy was unplanned, and the majority, 78 percent, did not even use contraceptives the first time they had sex. Many of the youth are clueless that even on a single intercourse, they could wind up pregnant. Risks There are many reasons teen pregnancies should be avoided. Here? s a low down on the facts: ? Risk for malnutrition Teenage mothers tend to have poor eating habits and are less likely to take recommended daily multivitamins to maintain adequate nutrition during pregnancy. They are also more likely to smoke, drink or take drugs during pregnancy, which can cause health problems for the baby. ? Risk for inadequate prenatal care Teenage mothers are less likely to seek regular prenatal care which is essential for monitoring the growth of the fetus; keeping the mother? s weight in check; and advising the mother on nutrition and how she should take care of herself to ensure a healthy pregnancy. According to the American Medical Association, babies born to women who do not have regular prenatal care are 4 times more likely to die before the age of 1 year. ? Risk for abortion Unplanned pregnancies lead to a higher rate of abortions. In the United States, nearly 4 in 10 teen pregnancies (excluding those ending in miscarriages) are terminated by abortion. There were about 274,000 abortions among teens in 1996. In the Philippines, although abortion is illegal, it would shock you to know that we even have a higher abortion rate (25/1,000 women) compared to the United States where abortion is legal (23/1,000 women). For sure, there are more abortions that happen in our country that are not even reported. Backdoor abortions are resorted to with untrained ? hilots? with questionable sterility procedures, increasing the possibility for tetanus poisoning and other complications. Risk for fetal deaths Statistics of the Department of Health show that fetal deaths are more likely to happen to young mothers, and that babies born by them are likely to have low birth weight. ? Risk for acquiring cervical cancer The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually-transmitted, w art-forming virus that has been implicated in causing cancer of the cervix. This is the most common cancer in women secondary to breast cancer. Women who are at increased risk for acquiring this are those who engage in sex before 18, have a pregnancy at or younger than 18, or have had at least 5 sexual partners, or have had a partner with at least 5 sexual partners. If you start sex at an early age, you have a higher likelihood of going through several sexual partners before you settle down, thus increasing your exposure to acquiring the virus and acquiring cervical cancer. The men can get genital warts from this virus and can certainly pass it on to their partners, thus increasing her risk for cervical cancer. Is that something you would want to gift to your wife with on your honeymoon? There is a way to test women (HPV Digene test) but no test for the man so you can? t know if you have it. Using the condom does not confer protection against acquiring this virus since the condom cannot cover the testes where the warts can grow and proliferate. Adolescent Pregnancy: Current Trends and Issues Abstract The prevention of unintended adolescent pregnancy is an important goal of the American Academy of Pediatrics and our society. Although adolescent pregnancy and birth rates have been steadily decreasing, many adolescents still become pregnant. Since the last statement on adolescent pregnancy was issued by the Academy in 1998, efforts to prevent adolescent pregnancy have increased, and new observations, technologies, and prevention effectiveness data have emerged. The purpose of this clinical report is to review current trends and issues related to adolescent pregnancy, update practitioners on this topic, and review legal and policy implications of concern to pediatricians. INTRODUCTION Adolescent pregnancy in the United States is a complex issue affecting families, health care professionals, educators, government officials, and youths themselves. Since 1998, when the last statement on this topic was issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), efforts to prevent adolescent pregnancy have increased,and new observations, technologies, and prevention effectiveness data have emerged. The purpose of this clinical report is to provide pediatricians with recent data on adolescent sexuality, contraceptive use, and childbearing as well as information about preventing adolescent pregnancy in their communities and in clinical practice. This report does not address diagnosis of pregnancy or management of the transition to prenatal care. Information about counseling pregnant youth is provided in the AAP policy statement â€Å"Counseling the Adolescent About Pregnancy Options,† and from the Alan Guttmacher Institute, and information about early prenatal care is available from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists SEXUAL ACTIVITY The proportion of American adolescents who are sexually active has decreased in recent years; however, rates are still high enough to warrant concern. Currently, more than 45% of high school females and 48% of high school males have had sexual intercourse. The average age of first intercourse is 17 years for girls and 16 years for boys. However, approximately one fourth of all youth report having had intercourse by 15 years of age. Younger teenagers are especially vulnerable to coercive and nonconsensual sex. Involuntary sexual activity has been reported by 74% of sexually active girls younger than 14 years and 60% of those younger than 15 years. Sexually active youth, similar to older unmarried adults, usually have monogamous, short-lived relationships with successive partners. Current surveys indicate that 11% of high school females and 17% of high school males report having had 4 or more sexual partners. In addition to intercourse, many adolescents report having had oral sex or engaging in kissing, touching, or other mutual stimulation; however, data on these other behaviors are reported rarely. There are several predictors of sexual intercourse during the early adolescent years, including early pubertal development, a history of sexual abuse, poverty, lack of attentive and nurturing parents, cultural and family patterns of early sexual experience, lack of school or career goals, substance abuse, and poor school performance or dropping out of school. Factors associated with a delay in the initiation of sexual intercourse include living with both parents in a stable family environment, regular attendance at places of worship, and higher family income. Recently, parental supervision, setting expectations, and parent/child â€Å"connectedness† have been recognized as clearly associated with decreasing risky sexual behavior and other risky behaviors among adolescents. CONTRACEPTIVE USE Despite increasing use of contraception by adolescents at the time of first intercourse, 50% of adolescent pregnancies occur within the first 6 months of initial sexual intercourse. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic and public health education efforts have led more adolescents to use barrier contraceptives; nonetheless, in 2003, among high school students who reported that they had ever had sexual intercourse, only 63% reported having used a condom the last time they had intercourse. Despite HIV prevention guidelines, initiation of prescription contraceptives is often accompanied by decreased condom use, especially among adolescents who do not perceive themselves to be at risk of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Many adolescents who currently report using prescription contraceptives delayed seeing a clinician for a contraceptive prescription until they had been sexually active for 1 year or more. Adolescent women, similar to adult women, have changed contraceptive methods in recent years, with decreases in pill use and increases in injectable contraceptive use. Factors associated with more consistent contraceptive use among sexually active youth include academic success in school, anticipation of a satisfying future, and being involved in a stable relationship with a sexual partner. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention unambiguously recommends both abstinence and the use of barrier contraceptives for individuals who choose to be sexually active. However, some groups continue to question the effectiveness of condoms. Youth who participated in programs that provided information about abstinence, condoms, and/or contraception; who were engaged in one-on-one discussions about their own behavior; who were given clear messages about sex and condom or contraceptive use; and who were provided condoms or contraceptives have been found to increase consistent condom and contraception use without increasing sexual activity. TRENDS IN ADOLESCENT CHILDBEARING Each year, approximately 900000 teenagers become pregnant in the United States, and despite decreasing rates, more than 4 in 10 adolescent girls have been pregnant at least once before 20 years of age. Most of these pregnancies are among older teenagers (ie, those 18 or 19 years of age). Approximately 51% of adolescent pregnancies end in live births, 35% end in induced abortion, and 14% result in miscarriage or stillbirth. Historically, the highest adolescent birth rates in the United States were during the 1950s and 1960s, before the legalization of abortion and the development of many of the current forms of contraception. After the legalization of abortion in 1973, birth rates for US females 15 to 19 years of age decreased sharply until 1986. Rates increased steadily until 1991; since then, the birth rate among teenagers has decreased every year since 1991. Since 1991, the rate has decreased 35% for 15- to 17-year-olds and 20% for 18- to 19-year-olds. Rates for 10- to 14-year-olds were 1. 4 per 1000 in 1992 and have gradually decreased to 0. 7 per 1000 in 2002. Although birth rates have been decreasing steadily for white and black teenagers in recent years, 1996 is the first year that birth rates decreased for Hispanic teenagers; Hispanic adolescents also have had the highest overall birth rates and smallest decreases in recent years. Once a teenager has had 1 infant, she is at increased risk of having another. Approximately 25% of adolescent births are not first births. ADOLESCENT PARENTS AND THEIR PARTNERS Adolescent childbearing is usually inconsistent with mainstream societal demands for attaining adulthood through education, work experience, and financial stability. Poverty is correlated significantly with adolescent pregnancy in the United States. Although 38% of adolescents live in poor or low-income families, as many as 83% of adolescents who give birth and 61% who have abortions are from poor or low-income families. At least one third of parenting adolescents (both males and females) are themselves products of adolescent pregnancy. Although it is difficult to establish causal links between childhood maltreatment and subsequent adolescent pregnancy, in some studies as many as 50% to 60% of those who become pregnant in early or midadolescence have a history of childhood sexual or physical abuse. The problem of adolescent pregnancy is often assumed to be both an adolescent and an adult problem, because many partners of childbearing youth are adults. The percentage of adolescent pregnancies in which the father is an adult is unclear; studies report a range from 7% to 67%. Adult men having sexual relationships with adolescents is problematic, because many of these relationships may be abusive or coercive. Adolescents who have sex with older men are also more likely to contract HIV infection or other STD. Although more than two thirds of adolescent girls' sexual partners are the same age or within a few years older and the sexual activity is consensual in nature, some partners are more than 4 years older. Sexual relationships between adults and minors may be coercive or exploitative, with detrimental consequences for the health of both the teenager and her children. Although some states and local jurisdictions have changed statutory rape laws and their enforcement, mandated reporting of all sexual activity as statutory rape or as child abuse has not been effective at changing behavior, does not allow for clinical judgment, and has the effect of deterring some of the adolescents most in need from seeking health care. Adolescent fathers are similar to adolescent mothers; they are more likely than their peers who are not fathers to have poor academic performance, higher school drop-out rates, limited financial resources, and decreased income potential. Some fathers disappear from the lives of their adolescent partners and children, but many others attempt to stay involved, and many young fathers struggle to be involved in their children's lives. Current programs in adolescent pregnancy and parenting are exploring ways to r