Policy Effects on Investment Planning and Strategy

Policy Effects on Investment Planning and Strategy Introduction One of the essentially significant long term decisions for any company relates to investment. Investment is the acquisition or formation of assets with the purpose of creating profits in the future. Classically investment engages using financial resources to acquire a building/ machine or additional asset, which will then yield returns to a business above an era of time. Investments planning entail thinking in relation to a series of issues that have a standing on where you eventually choose to place your money. These issues will differ as per to your particular circumstances, age, and approach to risk, and thinking regarding them cautiously prior to you establish making commitments will assist you keeping away from some potentially expensive mistakes. 1. Outline of a plan. Product pricing for reaching out to the current and expected customers is very important for the managers. It is their perceptive and choices that are going to establish the accomplishment of any business. A most important strategy that guarantees that customers keep hold off with the product is to construct the product inelastic utilizing pricing and further strategies. On the other hand, before we explicate the strategies to build low-calorie microwavable food inelastic, we have got to realize the significance of elasticity. Elasticity or elasticity of price is an assessment of quantity demanded offsets when price is modified, that is, it is a measure of accessibility of the consumer owing to changes in price. It is calculated as the percentage of the proportion change in the demanded quantity and proportional change in price. If the demand of elasticity is superior to one, we state that demand is elastics, if it is a lesser than one, we state that demand is inelastic, if equivalent to one, we state demand is unit elastic. Inelasticity essentially involve that the product is essential to the consumer, as a result even if the price goes up, customer will not act in response with an equi-proportionate reduction in demanded quantity. We have establish out in this case that the elasticity of price is -0.61 which denotes a 1% price increase of the product sources demanded quantity to increase by 0.61%. Consequently, the product demand is comparatively inelastic. On the other hand, from an extended term viewpo int, it is significant for the managers to make certain that inelasticity continues to be the advantage for the company. So the primary strategy will be to classify the section of the consumer for which product of low calorie microwavable is essential and center on tendering services and benefits to these sections which tie up them to the product for an extended time. The managers require ensuring that their competitors cannot attract the customers with services and benefits that will put forward replacements to the buyers, as one of the means to create a product inelastic is having a smaller number of substitutes. Cost Reduction will as well assist the company by which they can surpass on the gain of reducing of cost by maintaining the price low and thus maintaining the base of customer. Innovation, diversity and getting out to an extensive customer base will as well assist in long run to continue the product inelastic. 2. Major effects of government policies It is very important as a business manager to be aware of the effect of government policies on their business. Policies from more than a few levels in an economy can have an effect on the business. State, Federal, and local governments are engaged in the business enterprises regulation. At State level, regulations include of licensing of various businesses and regulation of public utility companies, for instance health care facilities, and copious professions, for instance law and accounting. At Federal level we have Antitrust Division and Federal Trade Commission e including several additional agencies that control business decisions. Correspondingly, Local governments normally set and put into effect building codes and zoning laws. Regulatory restraints can be imposed in non-discriminatory means on any set of comparable business. These restraints can have an effect on a capital costs, operating costs of firm (both variable and fixed), and revenues. Consequently when the firms cost is enhanced owing to several type of government regulation that may direct to decreased production and thus a lesser number of hiring. There are more than a few firms in this case of the microwavable food, who are producing food which are to some extent diverse from each other, a situation that can be exemplified as differentiation of product. This is a typical instance of a monopolistically competitive market. Now as per to FDA, it is needed that the stated quantity for an substitute or imitation food or altered food, for instance a version of low calorie, should be the identical for the foodstuff for which it is proposed as a replacement. Consequently if the firm consecutively may want to capture the market may break the regulation that would have an effect on the firm. 3. Government regulation to ensure fairness. Industry of Low- calorie microwavable food has been exemplified as industry of monopolistic competition. When sales of industry are concentrated in a small number of hands, market performance and conduct are not as much of likely to be aggressive in nature. One extensively used index of market concentration is the ratio of market concentration. It might be described as the proportion of output of total industry (measured in terms of sales, value added, employment, or value of shipments) attributable to the 4, 8, 20, or 50 major companies. Companies that stand-in alone can be controlled beneath the Sherman Act who are unlawfully endeavoring to monopolize a market or employ in monopolistic practices. Consequently, if the industry is basically concentrated in few hands, equality would need intervention of government. Similarly equality can be infringed when the industry performs discrimination of prices. A big company that functions as a distributor or manufacturer in two (or more) diverse geographic (or product) markets and slashes wholesale prices in one market and not in the additional market can be indicted underneath the Robinson-Patman Act for alluring in unlawful price discrimination. Differential pricing directly to final product customers is permitted (and frequently based on â€Å"what the market will stand†) however not so in pricing to transitional product resellers (distributors, wholesalers, etc.). 4. Major reasons for government involvement. Governments intervene in the market because of social and economic reasons. Regulations turn out to be pleasing if the intervention effects into marginal benefit further than the intervention marginal cost. In the same way, when market may not offer the majority proficient outcome, it might require increasing it with regulation of government. Again, one more important feature is deliberation of ensuring fairness or equity in the process of decision making. It is significant that regulations of government benefit the poor, on the other hand, there is for all time an adjustment of trading off equity with effectiveness. It is supposed that unregulated market can for times lead to inefficiency or as normally referred to as failures of market. For instance consider the markets for power, water, and telecommunications. In such circumstances a normal monopoly can offer the services mainly efficiently, however that would generate unregulated profits and market power. Therefore in relation to each economy there is a regulatory control in such markets that restricts profits and utility prices. Correspondingly, there might be substantial differences in terms of social costs and values and private costs and values from the manufacture and using up of definite goods and services. This distinction is habitually referred as externality. One instance of unconstructive eternality is pollution of environment and in such a situation regulatory provisions similar to carbon tax can here contribute a significant role in harmonizing the negative effects of pollution. 5. The major complexities under expansion via capital projects. All the companies want out to built big empires and for that carry out expanding the horizons of business. Therefore it is best that firm’s managers think of the extensive run and allocate resources to raise productive capacity, generate mechanism to advance cost efficiency, and expand the base of asset of the company. It is on the other hand, vital to note that any decision taken by the managers engage exposures and usually would affect not merely the existing cash flows however as well future costs in addition to benefits. Capital budgeting is a procedure that engages long term planning, needs appropriate mechanism to assess capital expenditures which fundamentally demands developments and, research training and education for employee, -buy versus lease- decisions, and decisions concerning acquisitions and mergers. 6. Key actions that need to be taken to address or prevent complexities. The complexities engaged in expansion and capital budgeting require cautious and deliberated efforts and the subsequent steps might be taken consecutively to tackle these complexities. Primarily, managers should produce substitute project proposals of capital investment and endeavor to democratize the course of producing the ideas for fresh capital investments. Participation of all the stakeholders in producing fresh ideas, from factory workers all the means up to the Board of directors, will surely assist in sinking the complexities. It is as well significant to have an estimation of the cash flows for proposals of project. And following principles can positively aid in estimating such cash flows; 1. Cash flows that is calculated on a incremental basis, i.e. the cash flow stream for any project must be represented by the difference among the cash-flow streams to the firm with and devoid of recognition of the investment project. 2. Cash flows must be calculated on basis of after-tax, by means of the firm’s marginal tax rate. 3. All the indirect outcomes of the project all through the firm must be comprised in the calculations of cash-flow. For instance, if a division or department of the firm is considering a capital investment that will modify the costs or revenues of additional departments or divisions, then these external effects must be integrated into the estimates of cash-flow. 4. Sunk costs must not be considered when estimating the project. A sunk cost is an expenditure that has been completed (or committed to be made). Since sunk costs cannot be evaded, they must not be deemed in the decision to reject or accept a project. 5. The worth of resources employed in the project must be measured in expressions of their opportunity costs. Consequently, the third part is appraising the viability of the project. Classically, a project will effect in an initial (first-year) outflow (investment) pursued by a sequence of cash inflows (returns) above a number of following years and there might be more than a few criterion to evaluate the viability of a project: be it Net Present value Internal or rate of return. In conclusion an inclusive review of the projects confirming the accurateness of the decisions and a mid-course rectification if required to be made. 7. Convergence of the interests of stockholders and managers. It is rather normal to have a conflict of interest among the shareholders and managers. Consequently, it is imperative that managers are competent to identify such possible conflicts and offer answers to these conflicts. The foremost trouble comes from the allocation of profit amongst the shareholders and managers. Whereas shareholders would desire the profit to be dispensed as dividends, managers would desire this as bonus. 8. Most likely impact of above convergence Here, there needs the synergy of interest among these two groups. One strategy would be to propose deferred stocks to the managers which enable the holder to acquire company stock at a small discount to its existing price. Consequently these are linked to the manger’s performance and offered as bonus. If the performance of firm’s consequently improves, capitalized value ascends and equally the managers and shareholders position to gain. Conclusion In conclusion, diverse investments perceptibly bear diverse risks; these risks require to be balanced in opposition to the prospective rewards. There is an extensive selection of financial instruments and asset classes to select from, and it falls to the individual investor to recognize the risks by reading the documentation, doing their homework, etc†¦ prior to making any decisions on investment. Taking a positive view in the direction of investments can obstruct judgment and direct to higher risks being taken. Make balanced decisions founded on your original goals. The requirement to ensure you base your investment decisions on apparent reasoning sounds so understandable that it’s almost not worth pointing out. Yet it’s rather several people find astonishingly hard to do every time in practice. References G. N., Mankiw, (2012). Principles of Microeconomics (6th ed.) . Cengage Learning J. R., McGuigan, R. C., Moyer, F. H. deB. Harris, (2014).Managerial economics: applications, strategies and tactics (13th ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning

The Design Argument – as Level

Outline the Key Concepts of the Design Argument [21 marks] The design argument is also referred to at the Teleological Argument stemmed from the Greek work ‘Telos’ meaning end or purpose. It is an ‘A posterior’ argument (from experience) based on our empirical senses and it is synthetic meaning that it is from observation. The argument is also inductive meaning there a number of possible conclusions. The main basis of the Teleological argument is based on a designer commonly known as ‘the classical God of theism’ (hereafter referred to as God)The outline of the design argument is that the universe has order and purpose and is regular, the complexities of the universe demonstrate some form of design, a design requires a designer, and this designer is God. This however is an inductive leap meaning that the Design argument is valid but not sound. The key concepts of the argument are that the universe has order, there are laws and regularities, the universe has purpose, and therefore the objects in the universe appear to work towards and end or purpose.The universe has benefit, meaning that it provides all that is necessary for life and more and finally, the suitability for human life, as the Universe provides ideal environments and conditions for human life to exist and flourish. Like the cosmological argument, the design argument goes back to Plato, who stated that the human body, with all its particles and elements, must owe its origin to ‘the royal mind soul and mind in the nature of Zeus’.The theory of the Design argument was first put forward by Socrates who was a Greek Philosopher who lived in 400 BC, one of the main strengths of Socrates proposing this theory is this means it is a Pre Christian idea and also that it has withstood the test of time. Socrates said ‘With such signs of forethought in the design of living creatures how can there be any doubt that they are the work of choice or design. â₠¬â„¢ Thomas Aquinas who lived in the 13th century furthered the idea of Socrates Design Argument; he wrote a book called the ‘Summa Theologica’ and was strongly influenced by Aristotle.Aquinas rejected the possibility of an infinite regress of movers and causes to explain the existence of movers and causes to explain the existence of mutable beings. Aquinas proposed 5 ways to prove the existence of God, the unmoved mover, the uncaused case, Possibility and Necessity, Goodness Truth and Nobility and the Teleological Argument. He called these the fifth way and is ‘’from the governance of things’’. Aquinas also proposed the theory of design qua regularity, ‘That we call God’.Aquinas maintained that since such behaviour patterns rarely change, and their end result is beneficial, there must be a purpose to them, and if non-rational beings can work towards such a goal, something must be directing them to do so. ‘Now whatever lacks knowledge cannot move towards an end, unless directed, and this being we call God. ’ He also championed the Analogy of the arrow directed by the archer showing that in order for something to end somewhere, there must be someone causing the movement, the arrow could not have ended us on the board on its own.William Paley, an 18th Century Philosopher continued to develop the principles of the Design argument, showing many more extended features to Socrates original concept. Paley championed the theory of design qua purpose and that a design requires a designer. ‘’The world is too complex and well-designed to have come about by chance. It seems to have been planned by an intelligent mind for a special purpose. ’’ For Paley, the world is like a machine made up of intricate parts, all of which worked towards an end for the benefit of the whole. Paley proposed the analogy of the watch and the watch maker. ’Suppose you had never seen a watch before . One day when you are out walking, you find one on the ground. You would instantly see how complex it is. ’’ His theory was that if you came across a watch then it is so intricate therefore it must have been designed. Therefore the universe is so fine-tuned that there must have been a designer for this too. It is obvious that both are not there by chance. Another analogy for this is the eye is designed so well for the purpose of seeing. A designer gave each part of the universe a special purpose. Paley makes the inductive leap to say that this designer is God.The Anthropic principle is a key feature of the Design argument and suits the theory of Design qua Regularity proposed by F. R. Tennant showing that science and religion are one in the same. He argues that human life flourishes on earth, therefore there must have been a supreme designer, that designer being God. Tennant accepts the scientific reasoning of evolution as a fine balance of ‘’fine tuningà ¢â‚¬â„¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ and God’s chosen way to support life. Tennant also argues that ‘’the world could so easily have been chaotic’’ and that ‘’the universe is not chaotic, nature is the outcome of intelligent design. ’ Others argue that the earth runs so smoothly and everything works together therefore ‘’The world is compatible with a single throw of a dice and common sense is not foolish in suspecting the dice has been loaded’’ cited by Vardy. James Lovelock of the 20th century furthered the anthropic principle in ways of the Gaia Hypothesis, ‘’engineering on a planetary scale’’ cited by Vardy. He suggests that the oxygen content in the air, the salt content in the sea and the temperature of the earth are all precise in order for human life to flourish.If the oxygen content in the air were to be 12% less no fire would be able to burn, if the oxygen content were 25% more, then no f ire would ever go out, however over the last 25 million years, the oxygen content has remained at 21% which is perfect to sustain human life. One other person who championed the idea of the Anthropic principle is Arthur Brown from the 20th century, he says that science shows the way in which a designer chose to design, †The ozone gas layer is mighty proof of the creators forethought†¦ Just the right thickness and exactly the correct defence, gives evidence of a plan. ‘ However there are two type of Anthropic principle, the weak Anthropic principle states that conditions on the earth were such that human life adapted to the conditions, for example evolution. The strong anthropic principle revolves around conditions being set up for human life to be introduced, for example a Baby's nursery being all ready for the baby to be introduced into it. In 1986 Freeman Dyson said â€Å"in the universe there are many accidents of physics and astronomy that have worked together for our benefit, it almost seems as if the universe knew we were coming. The weak anthropic principle however states that human life adapted to the conditions of the earth, for example, by way of evolution. This does not eliminate that Evolution means that there was no divine power involved, in the 19th century Archbishop Temple stated â€Å"The doctrine of evolution leaves the argument for an intelligent creator†¦ stronger than it was before. † In the 20th century, Tennant worked alongside Taylor in proposing the aesthetic principle which observes that the universe possess a natural beauty that goes beyond that which is necessary to live.For example art, literature, music all contribute in making the world a nicer place for us to live, we would be able to live without these things however F. R Tennant observes that ‘Nature is not just beautiful in places it is saturated with beauty†¦ from an intelligent point of view beauty seems to be superfluous to have lit tle survival value. ‘ Another example of the aesthetic principle is shown within people and the example of Weary Dunlop, cited by Vardy. Weary Dunlop was an Australian Doctor during World War II who cared for thousands of injured soldiers who showed endless compassion and love.This example shows that humans are not selfish, leading to an intelligent designer creating some humans to have beauty beyond what is necessary. Franciscan Theology also supports the aesthetic principle and stresses the idea of beauty and the beauty within creation; this therefore leads to a direct pointer of God's nature, showing an omnibenevolent and numinous experience. In the 20th century Richard Swinburne furthered the argument of God due to that of Design, by developing the argument of probability as a key concept.He furthered a statement made by Socrates, ‘with such signs of forethought in the design of living creature, how can there be doubt that they are the work of choice or design. †™ Swinburne suggested that the evidence of design and the order in the universe increases the probability of the existence of God. He states that a belief in God is compatible with science. This is due to the theory that without a designer the universe could have been chaotic, the universe seems to be governed therefore order is present, order is more probable and the probability for design is much greater than that of chance.Swinburne uses the parable of the card shuffling machine to show that if a man was locked in a room with 10 card shuffling machines and unless the ten machines all chose an ace of hearts from each of the packs, he would die, however the machine chooses an ace of hearts from each pack. Swinburne says it would not be adequate for the victim to claim that no explanation of the draw is required here. You would have expected the card machines to have been designed that way as the chances of this happening are seemingly almost impossible.Swinburne uses this parable to even say that ‘’the very succession of science is showing us how deeply ordered the natural world is’’ and that ‘’science provides strong grounds for believing that there is a deeper cause in that order. ’’ Harold Morowitz thought that the chances of the universe being ordered in such a way would be the equivalent of throwing four billion penny pieces into the air and all of them landing ‘heads up’. William Ockham developed the theory of Ockham’s razor, and even though not specifically to do with the design argument, he states that ‘’the simplest explanation is usually the best explanation’.Fred Hoyle continued Swinburne’s probability as a way of explaining a need for a designer by proposing that the probability that the universe developed by chance is much the same as if a whirlwind flew threw and junkyard and assembling a Boeing 747. Even though Kant rejects the idea of the des ign argument he even states that ‘it is the oldest, the clearest and most accordant with the common reason of mankind’ and that ‘this proof always deserves to be mentioned with respect’. b. Comment on the view that the strengths outweigh the weaknesses [9 marks]The teleological argument contains many opponents who have found weaknesses within its theory. Epicurus, a Greek Philosopher devised the Epicuran Hypothesis, stating that the universe has come about only by chance and that a number of particles floating around in space, at some point these particles formed together to create a universe, due to there being enough time for the combination of particles to make a universe. He rejects Swinburne’s theory of probability and believes that the chaotic state, by chance, led to order.Sarah Tyler explains this theory in ways of monkeys and typewriters in saying that if an ‘infinite number of monkeys’ were to be given an ‘infinite amount of typewriters’, in time they would eventually ‘produce the entire works of Shakespeare’. However, in my opinion, judging by Epicuran Hypothesis and then Swinburne’s theory of probability, I believe that the strength of Swinburne’s argument outweighs that of Epicurus. Neither can be proven however with what humans know today, Swinburne’s development somewhat seems more probable in explaining how the universe began.I believe that the strengths in this case outweigh the weaknesses of the design argument. The main critic of the Design argument was David Hume in the 18th century, who was an empiricist, therefore based all his arguments of proof. He does not reject the idea of God, however fails to make the inductive leap from having a designer to that designer being God. He says that ‘the world was only the first rude essay of some infant deity who abandoned it afterwards. ’ Hume believes that if there is a God that this God is not necessarily what humans assume him to be, if he is even still in existence.Hume also believes that there could have been a ‘co-operative of lesser god. ’ For example a man who claims he builds his own house does not actually build it but requires others to do the work for him, e. g. a carpenter, electrician. Hume states that humans ‘assume’ what is going on outside the world and beyond, yet we cannot know. Another rejection of the design argument from Hume is that he says the world around us is not perfect yet religious believers claim that God is perfect and unlimited in every way, therefore if a perfect God designed the world, why isn’t it perfect?Hume then furthered his rejection of the Design argument by refuting the use of analogies by saying that they are unsound because God is beyond human understanding therefore anyone who uses Analogies is supporting anthropomorphism and likening God to a human or object, therefore making God less divine. Hu me also says that the world is natural like an animal or vegetables, it is organic and it grows changes and moves. Hume continues to say ‘the world is more organic than mechanic’, likening the world to a carrot. Hume does have many more criticisms on the Design Argument however his main problem with it is due to the inductive leap.Other criticisms of his include not assuming the laws of cause and effect. In my opinion, Hume’s argument for the weaknesses of the design argument is a very strong argument as he considers the theory of God when proposing his ideas. No other person has been able to challenge Hume’s criticism that if the world is not perfect then God cannot be omnipotent, omnibenevolent and omniscient, leading to a gap in the inconsistent triad of God. In my opinion I think that this weakness does have an impact on all other strengths as it is the only one hat I can definitely say is a valid argument and makes sense to me. Another person who oppo ses the Design argument is J. S. Mill in the 19th century, who furthered the work of Hume and goes contrary to the idea of the world being an ordered, beautiful and harmonious place. He looks at the problem of suffering and that as there is so much in the world, this goes against the idea of an all loving, all powerful God. He states that if there were a designer God, he would have control over cosmic forces. ‘’Go straight to their end without regarding whom or what they crush in their road. ’ In my opinion, this weakness is fairly strong as the problem of evil demonstrates a limited God. A God that is wholly good or wholly powerful would not have created evil therefore it has to be one or the other. JS Mill personally believes that this God is good but not all powerful. Charles Darwin of the 19th century, wrote the book ‘Origin of Species’ is another person who refutes the design argument and provided an alternative explanation for the design of wor ld without reference to God, this is the theory of evolution and natural selection, ‘the survival of the fittest. However, I believe that Darwin’s theory of evolution is a weak argument against the existence of a God as it can also be placed into the category of the weak anthropic principle as the way God chose to introduce human beings; however we adapted to the conditions over time. Therefore I believe that Paley as a proponent of the design argument, his theory of there being a designer to design the universe is a much stronger argument than Charles Darwin’s theory of Evolution as there is no explanation as to where evolution began in the first place, so ultimately no conclusion.Richard Dawkins of the 20th century argues that Natural Selection give the appearance of design however we are mistaken into believing that this shows there must be a designer. He opposes Swinburne and Tennant and Taylor and says that nature is random, meaning the world was formed by c hance. He says that ‘’Biology is God’’ and people are lazy therefore made up this ‘’God of the Gaps’’. He says there is ‘’no more evidence for God then there is the Easter Bunny’ and that ‘life has no purpose’ and ‘God is a superfluous hypothesis’.I believe that this weakness to disprove the Design argument is weak as there is no evidence and is trying to disprove one of the earliest theories by comparing it to the Easter Bunny, therefore I feel that this weakness does not outweigh any of the strengths. A. J Ayre as another opponent said ‘unless we can say what the world is like without design we cannot conclude design’. Kant furthered this by saying the world could be chaotic but we perceive it as being ordered.To conclude this argument, the design argument is a religiously ambiguous and Paul Davies makes this clear by stating ‘’this is really a question of your threshold of conviction. It has to be a matter of personal taste whether you regard the accumulated evidence as compelling enough to want to make that inductive leap. ’’ The design argument is eschatologically verifiable. Many people however still are not convinced yet do not reject the argument fully, for example John Wisdom’s parable of the Gardener showing that everyone has different opinions on how the world was designed and has been maintained.John Lesley also says that ‘’if rocks had made by God stamped on them we would know it is made by God – they don’t’ therefore we can’t know for sure. In conclusion to the question of strengths and weaknesses I feel that for me, the strengths, even, though there may be fewer than weaknesses, their principles outweigh the number of weaknesses. I personally think that the design argument cannot thoroughly prove the existence of God; however it gives a clear indicator to a des igner.

Organized Sport Essay

It is obvious that the American society is obsessed with sports. All one needs to do to see this obsession is turn on the television and watch one of the dozens of twenty -four hour sports stations and commercials dedicated to sports. Still not convinced, then hop into your car and take a drive across any suburban American town and look at the parks and playing fields. They are full of adult and children athletes playing for leisure and competition. We, as adults, have made athletics into a billion dollar industry as spectators and participants. Our need for sports fuels our pride and self worth as Americans. However, organized youth sports in the U. S. are still a relatively new phenomenon. Prior to 1954, most organized sports in this country took place through social agencies such as the YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, etc. (Seefelt & Ewing, 1997). Since this time, the benefits provided by these activities have developed into private youth sports organizations primarily run by volunteering adults. Does our obsession have a purpose? Do organized sports play a positive role in the lives of our children? At first thought, any red blooded American would say absolutely. But can we explain why and in what way organized sports benefit our children? Parents and coaches have alluded to the idea that sports are great for kids for decades, but when this comment is made it seems to be accepted without any question. In the following text we will discuss specific benefits from participation in organized sports including the physical, psychological, and academic impact of sport on children. We will also look at the research to see the concrete proof that organized sports play a vital role in the development of the youth of this country. Physical The most alarming issue facing the health of our country and specifically our children is the epidemic of childhood obesity. The infrastructure of our nation’s health care system will be tested as we see the first wave of obese children reach adulthood and deal with the related health issues. The scary facts are that the lifestyle and diet we promote is trickling down to the children of this country. Health issues that are linked to adult obesity are now becoming more and more common in children and teens. For example, type II diabetes was once considered adult on-set diabetes, but today the cases of children with type II diabetes is raising at an alarming rate. The estimated yearly cost of obesity in this country is estimated at around 61 billion dollars. With these issues facing the children of this country we need a cure right? Well a portion of that cure is located in organized sports. The solution is simple to stopping the trend of childhood obesity; eat less and be more active. Today children in this country are far less active than prior generations. Through childhood activity, we are not only saving our children from a life of obesity as adults but we are also potentially saving this country billions of dollars in missed days of work, dollars spent on health care, and rising disability rates. (Healthierchildren. org). In 1997, the CDC stated within its â€Å"Guidelines for Schools and Communities for Promoting Lifelong Physical Activity† that youth sports can promote positive behavior that can last a lifetime (Seefelt & Ewing, 1997). Much debate has been discussed in the general public about the frequency and duration it takes for a child athlete to receive benefits from physical activity. Boys and girls who participate in just two 50 minute training sessions per week improved their aerobic capacity by 15% in just six months (Eppright, Sanfacon, Beck & Bradley, 1996). How young is too young for involvement in organized sports? Children under the age of 5 are more than likely to receive from organized sports the simplest of benefits. For example, children at this age seem to enjoy the advancement in motor skills and interaction and not the competitive aspect of the activity (Eppright, Sanfacon, Beck & Bradley, 1996). A study in Singapore showed that even preschoolers could benefit from involvement in organized sports. This study showed that preschoolers who participated in organized sports where stronger physically, socially, and emotionally developed than peers who were not evolved in organized sports at the preschool level (Nonis, 2004). As with adults over training is a serious issue. A 1980 study detailed the risks of over training with child athletes. There is points in training were growth actually may be retarded (McKeag, 1980). This extreme should not scare parents from allowing there children to participate in a appropriate level of physical activity. Academics We live in a competitive world and as a culture it is our duty to prepare children for the competition. The benefits of organized sports reach farther than the playing fields and hardwood floors of our schools. Organized sport has the potential to also help our children in the realm of academia. Sports help us to prepare for a life filled with stiff competition. Organized athletics teach children to respect authority and to develop time management skills outside the classroom; to be able to balance the responsibilities of being a student and an athlete. The typical stereo-type of the â€Å"dumb athlete† couldn’t be any farther from the actual truth. Current research actually points to a relationship between organized athletics and higher academics. The lessons learned outside the classroom transfer directly into relationships with teachers and peers in an educational environment. The research points to a direct correlation between organized sports and higher development rates in academics. Athletics teach our children to master skills and to focus on the development of virtue over the outcome (Durrant, 2007)). This is a concept that parents and coaches since the dawn of sports have stressed. Organized sports teach life lessons of discipline, hard work, dedication, and how to push through adversity. But the stereotype of the â€Å"dumb jock† has also haunted organized sport as well. The truth is that students who participate in extra curricular activities including organized sports tend to be more academically equipped (Fredricks & Eccles, 2006). It must be noted that students who participate in multiple extracurricular activities including those outside of organized sport seem to benefit the most academically. Psychological The average person knows that there is a positive feeling of self that comes from physical activity and exercise. From a physiological stand point we could say that this is caused by the body producing natural endorphins that just make us feel good for a short period of time following exercise. But the truth is through organized sport we build a sense of self worth, and accomplishment not present in exercise and physical activity alone. These positive feelings we feel following participation in organized sport are the direct result of putting hard work in and seeing the outcome for the whole group not just the individual. The truth is that sports give children an opportunity to develop self concept and how to express themselves within a group. It seems that this is a natural need that even children who do not participate in organized sports have. For example, children in early elementary school are seen looking for situations to act out their competitive nature; competition becomes an independent social motive. Organized sports give these children an outlet for this natural behavior (Eppright, Sanfacon, Beck & Bradely, 1996) As health professionals, it is our job to promote behavior that will increase quality of life and educate Americans on the risk taken in certain behaviors, yet in this country today our children are living lives of risk. Our children are putting themselves at risk for sexually transmitted diseases, substance abuse, adult obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, etc. Extracurricular activities including organized sports have a direct impact on decreasing risky behavior by children. This can mainly be explained due to the type of peers a child associates with on a regular basis. If a child participates in extracurricular activities his or her choice of friends is likely to be from the pool of children that participate in the given extracurricular activity. Peers who are involved in extracurricular activities tend to be more academically conscience and less likely to live lifestyles promoting risky behavior (Fredricks & Eccles, 2006). If a child is surrounding them selves with responsible peers risky behavior is likely being decreased. In American society today it seems antisocial behavior is accepted, we claim that it’s just a phase or that it’s alright to just be who we are. While both of these may be true, a healthy person is a pro-social person who can function in main stream society. So what role can organized sport play in creating positive pro-social behaviors in children? Children who have been involved in organized sport tend to be more pro-social than their counterparts who have not been exposed to organized sport at an early age. Sports have been used with some success with improving adults and children with antisocial issues, but no clear evidence has shown sports as an effective treatment for antisocial behavior issues (Duncan, 2004). Organized sports may not have a place in treatment of children with antisocial issues but it is clear that children who have been exposed to sports at an early age are less likely to have antisocial disorders. Organized sports participation has been proven to lower scores in the areas of externalizing problems, social problems, aggression problems, and delinquency problems(Donaldson & Ronan, 2006). The number one psychological issue in the life of a child or young adult is the idea of self worth or self concept. The easiest way to define self concept is how do I feel about myself? What kind of self worth do I have? Various researchers have pointed to self concept as the variable with the most potential to reflect the most positive psychological gains (Sonstroem & Morgan, 1988). Researchers have found a positive relationship between organized or formal sports and a positive concept of self (Donaldson & Ronan, 2006). The strength of self concept is built through the knowledge that I, as a person on my own, can finish what I start. I, as a person, can put my mind to a given task and perform that task with the skill I have learned through hard work. And most of all, I can contribute to the group giving us overall success. The large focus of research in the health and sport community has focused on the benefits of organized sport, but can children receive the same social benefits from relatively unorganized sports activities? The answer to this question seems to be that children do not benefit from the same life skills that come from organized sports. Organized sports do create an environment where we learn to exist within the team concept. The world of organized sport appeals to young people who are drawn to the team concept and have a positive view of authority and the group concept. However, the earlier children are involved in organized athletics the more likely they are to be attracted to these sports as a adolescent (Donaldson & Ronon, 2007). Many have witnessed the out of control parent at a little league game or a child who participates in too many activities and gives up a sport at a later age. These are examples of the negative impact of youth sports. The negative impact of youth sports is a real and valid concern. The psychological benefits of youth sports are just as great for the child who grows up to have nothing to do with competitive athletics (McKeag, 1980). Conclusion The proof is in the research, organized sports provide positive benefits. Physically, children who participate in organized sport are less likely to develop asthma and diabetes as adults. Academically, children who participate in organized sports are more likely to excel in the classroom. Socially, children who participate in organized sport are less likely to suffer from depression and less likely to participate in antisocial high risk behavior. With all the positives involved, why do we see so many states and individual school districts cutting funds and opportunities for children to participate in organized childhood sports? It is vital that we fight to not only keep childhood sports a priority in our primary schools but also expand those programs. As parents we must take it on ourselves to give our children every chance to benefit from organized youth sports, even if it means taking time out of our own busy schedules to volunteer. As Americans we cannot afford to see a day when organized sports are limited to only those families who can afford to pay for their children to participate in them. In order for organized sport to become a priority in this country, we as health professionals must educate the public on the positives and how they translate to the long term financial and social benefits for our country. Works Cited Donaldson, S. , & Ronan,K. (2006 Summer). The Effecs of Sports Participation on Young Adolescents’ Emotional Well-being. Adolescence, 41(162), 369-389. Duncan, S. , Duncan, T. , Strycker, L. , & Chaumeton, N. (March 3, 2002). Relations Beween Youth Antisocial and Prosocial Activites, Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 25 (5) 425-438. Durant, S. (2007 Summer). Raising Successful and Emotionally Healthy Children in a Competitive World. Independent School, 66(4), 116-116. Eppright, T. , Sanfacon, J. , Beck, N. , & Bradley, J. (December 23, 1996). Sports Psychiatry in Childhood and Adolescence: An Overview, Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 28(2), 71-86. McKeag, D. (1980). Sports and the Young Athlete: A Family Practice Perspective, Sports and the Young Athlete, 3-16. Nonis, K. (November 2005). Kindergarten Teachers’ View About the Importance of Preschoolers’ Partcipation in Sports in Singapore. Early Child Development and Care, 175(7-8), 719-742. Seefeldt, V. , & Ewing, M. , (September 1997). Youth Sports in America, President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Research Digest, 2(11), 2-14.

About David Adjaye, African-Born World Architect

With an exterior siding of bronzed aluminum panels and an entry hall with more wood than the hold of a slave ship, the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. may become David Adjayes most recognizable work. The Tanzania-born British architect creates transformative designs, from this national museum for the U.S. to an old rail station that is now the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo, Norway. Background Born:  September 22, 1966, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Africa Education and Professional Training: 1988-1990: Chassay Last, London, United Kingdome1990: Bachelor of Architecture with honors, London South Bank University1990-1991: David Chipperfield (UK) and Eduardo Souto de Moura (Portugal)1993: Masters in Architecture, Royal College of Art1994-2000: Partnership with William Russell as Adjaye Russell1999-2010: Visited every country in Africa to document African architecture2000-present: Adjaye Associates, Principal Significant Works 2002: Dirty House, London, UK2005: Idea Store, Whitechapel, London, UK2005: Nobel Peace Center, Oslo, Norway2007: Rivington Place, London, UK2007: Bernie Grant Arts Centre, London, UK2007: Museum of Contemporary Art, Denver, CO2008: Stephen Lawrence Centre, London, UK2010: Skolkovo Moscow School of Management, Moscow, Russia2012: Francis Gregory Library, Washington, D.C.2014: Sugar Hill (affordable housing), 898 St. Nicholas Avenue, Harlem, NYC2015: Aà ¯shti Foundation, Beirut, Lebanon2016: Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), Washington, D.C. Furniture and Product Designs David Adjaye has a collection of side chairs, coffee tables, and textile patterns offered by Knoll Home Designs.  He also has a line of circular chairs on stainless steel tubular frames called Double Zero for Moroso. About David Adjaye, Architect Because Davids father was a government diplomat, the Adjaye family moved from Africa to the Middle East and finally settled in England when David was a young teenager. As a graduate student in London, the young Adjaye traveled from traditional Western architectural havens, like Italy and Greece, to Japan while learning about modern Eastern architecture. His world experience, including returning to Africa as an adult, informs his designs, which are not known for a particular style, but for a thoughtful representation embedded into individual projects. Another experience that has affected the work of David Adjaye is the disabling illness of his brother, Emmanuel. At a young age, the future architect was exposed to the dysfunctional designs of public institutions used by his family as they cared for a newly-paralyzed child. He has said many times that functional design is even more important than beauty. In December 2015, Adjaye Associates was asked to submit a proposal for the Obama Presidential Center, to be built in Chicago. Related People of Influence Eduardo Souto de MouraChris OfiliRichard Rogers Significant Awards 1993: Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Bronze Medal2007: Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to architecture2014: W.E.B. Du Bois Medal Quotations The New Yorker, 2013 Things often come at the time they’re meant to come, even if they seem late. Approach Sustainability is not just material use or energy use...it is lifestyle.† Related Books: David Adjaye: Form, Heft, Material, Art Institute of Chicago, 2015David Adjaye: Authoring: Re-placing Art and Architecture, Lars Muller, 2012David Adjaye: A House for an Art Collector, Rizzoli, 2011African Metropolitan Architecture, Rizzoli, 2011Adjaye, Africa, Architecture, Thames Hudson, 2011David Adjaye Houses: Recycling, Reconfiguring, Rebuilding, Thames and Hudson, 2006David Adjaye: Making Public Buildings, Thames and Hudson, 2006 Sources Approach. Adjaye Associates, 2019. Barack Obama Foundation Issues RFP to Seven Potential Architects for the Future Presidential Center. Obama Foundation, December 21, 2015. Bunch, Lonnie G. African American life, history, and culture explored in Washington D.C. National Museum of African American History Culture, Smithsonian, Washington, D.C. David Adjaye. Knoll Designer Bios, Knoll, Inc., 2019. David Adjaye. Moroso, 2019. Home. Adjaye Associates, 2019. McKenna, Amy. David Adjaye. Encyclopaedia Britannica, October 23, 2019. Murphy, Ray. David Adjaye: Africa offers an extraordinary opportunity. Dezeen, September 29, 2014. Sugar Hill Project. Broadway Housing Communities, New York, NY. Tomkins, Calvin. A Sense of Place. The New Yorker, September 23, 2013.