Friday, January 24, 2020

Multiple Regression :: Gender

Introduction For this study researchers were interested in assessing whether self-reported health behaviours and health literacy are able to predict self-rated physical health, after controlling for the effects of gender and age. They are further interested in knowing which of the variables provide a statistically significant contribution to the equation. Also of interest to the researches was the interaction between gender and health literacy, that is, the degree to which individuals are able to obtain, process and understand the information needed to make appropriate decisions about their health, and the impact of this interaction on health. Data was collected from 350 people randomly selected from a dataset from a population-based study of health and health determinants. Health was measured on a scale of 1 to 10, where higher scores represent better health. Health behaviours include healthy diet, physical activity and relaxation and are measured on a scale from 1 to 15. Health literacy is measured on a scale from 10 to 45. Gender and age in years were also collected from the respondents. Data Screening & Assumption Testing The initial step in this data analysis involved screening the data for possible missing values, out of range values, univariate and multivariate outliers and multicollinearity. Three variables used for this study contained missing values; both system and identified missing. These variables were health literacy, physical activity and age in years, one case for each of these variables. Each of these missing values were recoded with a missing value code of 999. Descriptive statistics produced for each of the variables used for the analysis revealed out of range values for the variables healthy diet, physical activity and relaxation. These values were also recoded to the missing value code 999. Testing for the presence of outliers was done by generating a scatterplot matrix for all variables (Figure 1), and plots of Cook’s distances (Figure 2) and Mahalanobis distances (Figure 3). There are no cases which indicate a particular cause for concern. On the Mahalanobis distance chart there are no cases that is substantially larger than the rest and on the Cook’s distance there is no case with a distance above 1 which would indicate an influential point. Multicollinearity was tested and there were no variables with a tolerance of less than 0.3. It is also necessary to check the regression assumptions to ensure that any results from analysis are valid. The first assumption is that all variables are measured on a metric scale or that categorical variables are dichotomously coded. This is true for the data in this study. The second assumption is that each observation in the sample is independent of the other observations, the

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Toys for Tots

Toys For Tots Take a seat, and think back to the very first Christmas morning you recall. How much it meant to receive that special toy you’ve been waiting for all year. Every child deserves to have that same tingly feeling of joy and excitement, but not every kid gets to. The Toys for Tots Foundation is an organization that aims to fix that, but they cannot do it alone. They can always use all the support they can. It is run by the United States Marine Core and they work to be the change.I support this noble mission by contributing toys to my community’s campaign. In the fall of 1947, with a hand crafted Raggedy Ann doll, the wife of Marine Reserve Major Bill Hendricks made this doll and asked her husband if he would â€Å"deliver it to an organization that would put it in the hands of a needy child on Christmas Day†. ( ) Unfortunately, Mr. Hendricks could find no such agency to provide this service. To fill that void, Major Hendricks’ wife told him he sh ould start one and indeed he did.That same year, Major Bill Hendricks, USCR, and a group of Marine Reservists collected and distributed 5,000 toys to needy children. The scheme was so successful that it was expanded into a nationwide campaign after the Marine Corps adopted Toys For Tots in 1948. They have conducted successful campaigns nationwide each year since then. The hallmark that remains the initial objective of the program today is to â€Å"bring the joy of Christmas to America’s needy children. This renowned charity foundation is nationwide and their goal is to send â€Å"a message of hope to less fortunate children that will assist them in becoming responsible, productive, patriotic citizens. †( ) All their main donations are toddler oriented unwrapped toys. They accept a wide variety of items, and they receive many donations every year. They are open year round but have strict constraints on their deadlines for all contributions. This is to ensure ample time to round up all the donations across the nation and distribute them.The deadline is always early December to make sure all the less fortunate kids get a toy to unwrap for Christmas. Their mission is to â€Å"play an active role in the development of one of our nation’s most valuable resources – our children; to reunite all members of local communities in a common cause for three months each year during the annual toy collection and distribution campaign and to contribute to better communities in the future. † (www. ToysForTots. rg) With multiple funding and aiding organizations, Toys for Tots is able to get its job done every single year. Organizations like the Department of Health and Human Services aid the foundation in raising awareness (Toys). With allies such as these; the foundation has a far reach to accomplish its goal of good will. Fundraising groups like SaveWealth aid the foundation by raising money so the foundation has more resources to accomplish its tasks. With more resources, more kids have a smile on their face for the holidays.It’s not only big companies that are involved though; the little guy makes a huge difference as well. I contribute to this noble organization by simply donating as many toys as I possibly can to my communities local Toys For Tots campaign. There are many other ways to support them as well though. You could also donate your time to assist your local campaign. If you’re a company/business owner, allow the Marines to place a toy collection box there. All other donations made to Toys For Toys are tax deductible and you can send them via mail, on-line, or CFC.Although you may not be able to show your support by donating time, space, or financially; demonstrating how to be a model citizen and have integrity, honesty, a positive attitude will give children a role model to look up to. Be a passive mentor . You’ll be helping the children and your community. Everyone has a choice of one of two paths to the future. You can either leave the responsibility up to someone else in hopes that they do it, or you can pitch in to support an organization that’s out to provide the proper steering and improve the development for Americas needy children.I challenge you to be a participator, not a spectator. Toys For Tots is Americas premier Community Action program. The Marines are definitely the unchallenged leaders in looking after all the needy children at Christmas for over half a century now, although, they could not have done it alone. Everyone’s support is needed and appreciated. Toys For Tots not only helps children, but also has a positive impact on communities. Most people want to make a difference. So help them â€Å"be the change. †

Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Maxis Communication Berhad Merger With Airasia Finance Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1536 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Narrative essay Did you like this example? The meaning of merger which is combination of two or more firms, in which the objectives are enhanced and increase shareholders wealth, increase company profit and allow the company move into a rapidly growing market place. Maxis Communication Berhad (MCB) leading the mobile provider and has mostly subscribers in Malaysia, The company provides mobile, fixed line telephony, data and network services and also a largest IPO ever in Malaysia and South East Asia. Although MCB having a strong financial background, but its competitor which are Celcom Berhad and Digi Telecommunication also considered as a very strong background and advantages competitor, how to prevent exceed by those company? Our suggestion for the MCB is merger with the Airsia (Malaysia low-cost airlines). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Maxis Communication Berhad Merger With Airasia Finance Essay" essay for you Create order Airasia operates scheduled domestic and international flights and is Asias largest low-fare, no-frills airline. These mergers are considering as conglomerate merger which means combination of company in unrelated business. We choose Airasia as a target, because Airasia has keep growing around the Asia and it been chooses become a Worlds Best Low-Cost Airline for 2009. According our research, Airasia are also finding more subsidiary and partnership to expand their business, which does will be an opportunity for MCB as well and the key benefit of that merger is ability reduce risk by MCB. Unfortunately, Airasia are still under a huge debt, but that become the main motive why we suggestion that MCB merger with it, because of tax consideration are a key motive for merging. Under that situation, will increase profit and increase shareholders wealth of MCB as well. Beside that, because of Airasia have a strong management team, which teams can keep minimize net loss of capital and maximi ze profit at a same time, operation their borrowing asset well and keep growing under the situation of debt. Strength From our suggestion, if MCB successfully merger with Airasia, it definitely bring much advantages than the disadvantages such as because of Airasia brands name, it will easily make advertising for the MCB. Regarding the MCB perspective, they are keeping advertising about their product which is broadband, 3G network, Iphone package, postpaid, prepaid and so on. Because of those advertising for the product, according for the MCB annual report mentioned that under the sales and marketing parts, it cost around 4.6% from their of revenue driven by year-end promotions, although it does not costly than other, but if MCB merger with airasia, they can saves those expenses for expands business or doing investment on the future. Because of Airasia brands name are well establishment in Asia pacific and advantages, strong brand name recognition of global market by organization, and Airasia are highly frequency linked with country such as Brunei, Cambonia, Hong Kong, China, Indonesia, India, Ira n, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Australia and so on, it will bring the benefit and increase reputation, brand name recognition of MCB. It easily makes advertising through their aircraft. At a same time, it will increase MCBs recognition by other organization with under a very rapidly growing market situation than other strongest competitor. Furthermore, successfully merger between the both companies, MCB will continuously become the strong leading mobile phone service provider in Malaysia, and Airasia will become a leading airline industry in Asia. Those will have a strongly financial background, will attract more investor to do investment and attract more people using Maxis network. In addition, MCB will have good potential increase managerial skill and technology from Airasia, because of their stronger management team. From Airasia perspective, company merger will enhance their fund-raising ability, company may be unable to obtain funds for its own internal expansion beca use of highly debt background but to obtain funds for external from (MCB) combination, and because of MCB has high liquid asset and low level of liabilities, it considered benefit for Airasia as well, it immediately decreasing financial leverage and allow funds to be raised externally at lower cost and reduce their debt in the future. These reasons mentioned that Airasia must accept suggestion merger by MCB. Weakness Although if merger with Airasia will bring along of advantages and benefit, but also does to consideration about the disadvantages for the merger. MCB can control significantly larger amount of assets than could acquire through merger, but major disadvantages of MCB which will increase risk resulting of the leverage effect, and must be pay attention that Airasia are having the bigger amount of debt on the future in 12 years repayment period, MCB may help Airasia covers its debt on that moments which means MCB immediately having debt at a same time. In addition, if MCB successfully merger with Airasia, it will become difficult to analyze by the MCB, and investor of MCB have difficulty understanding because of these complexity. In addition, effect of a merger on the earning per share of the MCB initial decrease in the per-share earnings of stock is expected. MCB will sell at low earning per share, its shareholders value may suffer of that merger at a short-term period. So, we define this merger as a long-term investment by MCB. From financial perspective, higher risks are higher return, thats why we suggest that MCB merger with Airasia, although these have few disadvantages. Opportunities According the annual report by the Airasia, we know that Airasia are still under the huge amount of debt. The tax loss can be applied against a limited amount of future income of the MCB, that is a consideration by the purpose of merger, if successfully merger with Airasia, it will bring a lot of benefit and after-tax earning by reducing the taxable income of the MCB. Although Airasia having a huge debt, but they have a strong management team which are control their debt as well. As the information, we know that borrowings of AirAsia are all in USD, it will benefit from the depreciation of USD because of this recent years economics crisis, USD are getting depreciation day by day, Airasia may having the foreign exchange gain from the repayment of debt. However, the foreign exchange gains just an accounting gain, which wont generate any real cash flow or economic value. Furthermore, fast expansion of AirAsia, leveraging on financing facilities, is one of the factors that enable AirAs ia to maintain its profitability in the highly competitive airlines industry. Regarding the economics of the world this few years, only the lowest cost player through effectively cost reduction, economic scale, and growing market place will survive. Those reasons are become the main purpose why MCB needs merger with them and we feel that Airasia are getting growing with rapidly, and way of expansion which are through borrowings instead of issuing new shares is the best way to benefit the shareholders as well. From MCB perspectives, maybe can follow their way and management to increase asset by borrowing from others although include the interest, but MCB will have more cash flow in hand, it can be use for expand business by highly return area or diversification investment. Beside that, Although the earnings per share of Airasia is quite low, RM 20.6, compare to the MCB earnings per share, RM 27.25, it allow investors believe that this merger will increase the wealth of the shareholde rs due to the high value of both companies in the market now on the future. Those reasons are becomes the way to keep growing and expands the businesses of MCB. Threat From Airasia perspectives, increasing competition because of increasing number of low cost airline competitors, and aggressive competition against the large or traditional airline companies under airlines industry such as Malaysian Airlines (MAS). Those threats will directly affect Airasia performances, profit, advantages, and indirectly affect to the holding company which is MCB as well. These are the problem that MCB must consideration after merger with Airasia. In addition, monitoring the foreign currency and adjust the profit against non-operating income are the important, because of exchange currency may cause company having the debt or gain. After MCB merger with Airasia, if MCB unable to pay Airasias liabilities, will cause both of them faced the challenge and seriously problem to become merger failure. Conclusion As a conclusion, we strongly suggest that MCB merger with Airasia. Because of those benefit are highly exceed the disadvantages of the merger. If successfully merger, MCB will have advantages of competitive between Celcom and Digi and other telecommunication network. As our information, because recent months, Celcom and Digi are plans to explore long-term network and infrastructure collaboration in Malaysia which are sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). They plan to corporation; it will threaten to MCB position in Malaysia. Thats why MCB must prepare himself and merging the target which are Airasia. Mainly reason that merger is about the tax loss carryforward for the MCB. The tax loss can be applied against a limited amount of future income of the MCB over 12years (Airasia debt period) or until the total tax loss has been fully recovered. MCB using those tax loss carryforward to expand its business at a same time. Beside that, increasing managerial skill or technology, and a dvertising through airline, those reason become the situation why MCB needs merger with Airasia. Furthermore, increasing profit on the long-term perspectives as well and because of its more pros than cons.