What Debts Should You Make A Priority - 1725 Words

What Debts Should You Make a Priority? If you have fallen into debt then chances are you will be in debt for more than one reason and will have numerous debts to pay to numerous creditors. If this is indeed the case, then just as important as paying off your debts is making sure you pay them off in the right order, as leaving certain debts to gather dust whilst you pay off others could result in further legal action, your assets being repossessed and an ever increasing downward spiral into bankruptcy and depression. Here, we ll help you to understand which debts you should be prioritising. Priority Debts As the name suggests, a priority debt is any debt that, if left unpaid, could result in serious consequences. These consequences will depend on the size of the debt and your creditors, but could include everything from home repossession, your gas and electricity being cut off, bailiffs being sent to take your belongings from you and even prison! Below, we ll be taking you through the most common priority debts and will explain how you should be handling them. Mortgage – Perhaps the most important debts you should think about paying off ASAP are mortgage arrears, as, if you don t pay them, you could end up losing your home to your mortgage lenders if the loan agreement on your home is a secured loan. If it is an unsecured loan, the lender will have no legal financial claim on your property, but the vast majority of mortgages are secured. It should be noted that yourShow MoreRelatedFinancial Problems With Bad Debt Management1069 Words   |  5 PagesBad debt management is at an all time high. More people are having more financial problems than ever before. Bankruptcy is at an all time high. Financial stress is tearing families apart. Many people think debt consolidation is the answer to all their financial problems. Just think... you get one loan to pay off all your debts. Then, you only have to deal with one company and one payment. You have to admit, it sounds very good. However, getting a debt consolidation loan will not likely resolveRead MoreStudent Financial Planning Essay1018 Words   |  5 Pagesmost common revelation. Lazarony adds what Mark Oleson, director of a financial counseling clinic at Iowa State University, stated, Usually, just by tracking expenses, youll start to curb expenses (Savings: Money management tips for college students). As stated above, tracking spending can provide a student insight on what they are actually spending their money on. This provides valuable data that can then be analyzed and help determine what their priorities are. The downside of tracking spendingRead MoreFinance Principles That Might Be Useful For This Family899 Words   |  4 Pagestime, generally a month. Most income and expenditures recur on a monthly basis. They need to control their expenses immediately, Budgeting is the key of controlling all the debts, expenses, planning how to get out of debt, and save money for financial independence. Principle #3 from Chapter #1 Financial Independence: No matter what their income is, this family could have financial independence if they save a portion of their earnings and collect interest on their savings. However, this is only trueRead MoreMarketing Plan For Smart Goals992 Words   |  4 PagesAs you walk on a solid concrete foundation, you may not realize that the Smart Goal was implemented to achieve the goal that concrete conforms into a solid mass. In order for that structure to be successful a well thought out chemistry plan was designed, and instrumented through the SMART Goal success. To make your goal S.M.A.R.T., it needs to conform to the following criteria: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely. When implementing Smart Goals your mind needs to be clear and yourRead MorePersonal Finance By Rachel Siegel And Carol Yacht1072 Words   |  5 Pages23). Prepare a two page (double-spaced) essay. Cite references to material that you use in preparing the essay. As you walk on a solid concrete foundation, you may not realize that the Smart Goal was implemented to achieve the goal that concrete conforms into a solid mass. In order for that structure to be successful a well thought out chemistry plan was designed, and instrumented through the SMART Goal success. To make your goal S.M.A.R.T., it needs to conform to the following criteria: Specific,Read MoreProposal For Higher Education1162 Words   |  5 PagesCurrent Research Current research over student debt and its burden has allowed an insight and analyzation over the government’s role in higher education at the federal, state, and local level. Through data of institution cost efficiency and inefficiency, tax exporting, and the backgrounds of student borrowers, policymakers and can create a visual representation of the importance of state allocations towards higher education. Government matters. A study done by Sav (2016), explores the decreases inRead MoreEssay on Obama and the National Debt1185 Words   |  5 Pages â€Å"Back in 2008, candidate Obama called a $10 trillion national debt ‘unpatriotic’. Yet by his own decisions, President Obama has added more debt than any other president before him, one president, one term, and $5 trillion in new debt† (Paul Ryan, Rep. for Wisconsin, 2011). Everyone agrees that the national debt needs to be fixed. However, people are disagreeing about how to tackle this problem and whether or not we are making any progress. Like most global issues, it is a complicated issueRead MoreEssay on Out of Control1364 Words   |  6 Pagesthreatening America as a world power. A policy of deficit spending has dragged us into deep debt and lawmakers are reluctant to even admit there is even a problem. Instead of choosing to address the issue when it was first identified, they have played politics w ith it and a financial crisis now looms. Congress and the president must take action and develop a sustainable fiscal policy. It needs to be their top priority and significant changes need to occur before the United States of America is torn fromRead MoreEssay on Out of Control1322 Words   |  6 Pagesdragged the United States into deep debt and lawmakers are reluctant to admit there is even a problem let alone address it. They have played politics with the issue for too long and a financial crisis now looms over our heads. Congress and the president need to make a sustainable fiscal policy their number one priority and implement some significant changes before the United States is torn from its position of power and prestige. As of this writing, the national debt is approaching a staggering $14Read MoreProject Finance1543 Words   |  7 Pages1. How should PDVSA finance the development of the Orinoco Basin? Can you define project finance? Is Petrozuata a project? What are the costs and benefits of using project finance instead of the traditional (debt) finance – as Mr. Bustillos said, PDVSA could have finance the debt internally (p.7 of the case)? Project finance is a kind of Financing that has a priority does not depend on the creditworthiness of the sponsors proposing the business idea to launch the project. Approval does not even

Causes of Racism in the United States Essay example

The United States of America is a multicultural nation. All races and cultures are almost represented in America. Considered as a nation of immigrants, this country has faced and still facing many racial issues from the Civil Right Movement till today. Racism and discrimination have always been the most discussed topics when it comes to any society problems. To understand this issue we should try to find the causes and then think of an appropriate ways to reduce them. What should government do to ensure equality of opportunity and also ensure equality of outcome, so that everyone would have the freedom to do what they want, when they want without being judge by the colors of their skin but by the outcome of their work? â€Å"Slavery was a†¦show more content†¦D’Souza said: â€Å"Africans were chosen for slavery in part because they were considered as inferior as a race† (D’Souza, page467). After the abolition of slavery, racial segregation was one of the main problems in the country. Black men were not treated right. They were oppressed, and discriminated against because of the color of their skin. Their race was considered as an inferior race so after being free they were reduced to live in poverty and they did not have the opportunity to live as men or citizen of the United States. According to Martin Luther King â€Å"One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination† (I Have a dream). The fight for the abolition of slavery was a big battle but the one for racial segregation was a bitter one. â€Å"Race should not be a source of power or advantage or disadvantage for anyone in a free society† (Steele, page509). It is quite difficult to understand that America a nation of freedom, liberty and opportunities could have allowed some people to be oppressed. Even in the court of law the injustice persisted. â€Å"Negroes have experienced grossly unjust treatment in the courts† (Letter from a Birmingham Jail). According to Frederick Douglass, there was no consistency of the valuesShow MoreRelatedRacism : Nelson Mandela, Former President Of South Africa1523 Words   |  7 Pageslove comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite† (Nelson Mandela Museum). Racism has been at the forefront of debates since the Nineteenth century and has spread throughout the United States, creating outrage, violence, and political reform. Racism has been the main cause behind many major organizations in this country, some even political. 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That is farthest from the truth. Unfortunately racism is indeed still real in this world. You see, racism is not something that appeared out of thin air. In fact, racism began dating back to the early years of slavery. Thank God slavery no longer exists. Yet racism still does. Racism still plays a majorRead MoreBlack Americans And The Criminal Justice System994 Words   |  4 Pagescriminal justice system in the United States is evident of several deep flaws relating to the treatment of black men and women accused of committing criminal offenses. It is logical to believe that due to the U.S.’s rather dark past surrounding the treatment of black Americans, systematic racism is included under the guise of the criminal justice system. The U.S. is historically infamous for it’s open racial discrimination against black Americans, up until systematic racism became one of the more dominantRead MoreRacism Essay1634 Words   |  7 Pages1 Writing 121 Racism Changes Lives Racism is defined as views, practices, and actions reflecting the belief that human beings are divided into certain categories known as races and that these members share common attributes amongst one another. This definition causes a specific group or race to be less desirable, more desirable, inferior, or superior. The segregation between ethnicities have stirred many debates, battles, and controversy. Another issue that is related to racism would have to beRead MoreRacism : The Criminal Justice System1040 Words   |  5 Pages Mr. Andrew Bagley PLS 213 American Federal Government-Online 25th November 2015 Racism in Our Criminal Justice System There are many different types of unlawful racism in the criminal justice system. It goes from back in the early part of our great nation’s birth to the killing of Martin Luther King Jr. to Ferguson, Missouri. The path that racism takes is from old time’s point of view. The way to clear up racism in our criminal justice system is simple and easy. Americans need to fully understandRead MoreEssay On Racism In To Kill A Mockingbird761 Words   |  4 Pages Have you ever been in a situation having to do with race? In the novel â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† by Harper Lee, racism is a vital role in the time this story takes place. She wrote the story based on how racism was like in her eyes as a child. In my opinion, after reading her novel, racism still takes place in America many years later. The novel starts with the introduction of two kids that live with their lawyer father. They have an African American woman who works for them in their home all day

Critically discuss the main research methods that are used in Social Psychological studies free essay sample

The purpose of this essay is to review the literature investigating key research methods that are used in Social Psychology, while providing an overview of the respective method’s strengths and weaknesses. The essay will also seek to review any ethical considerations which should be taken into account when pursuing a particular research route within social psychology. Social psychology employs the scientific method of research to study behavior and as such has been defined as: ‘The scientific investigation of how the thoughts, feelings and behaviours of individuals are influenced by the actual, imagined or implied presence of others. ’ (Hogg and Vaughan, 2011, p. 8). When a researcher is investigating a particular field of study they have several options available to them, surveys can be completed, their own intuition implemented, questionnaires developed or observations made, essentially the chosen approach will vary depending on a variety of considerations (McQueen Knussen, 2006, p. 8). These factors may include the context, ethical issues and practical considerations at play. (McQueen and Knussen, 2006, p. 8). In most instances the research process aims to investigate, if a relationship exists between or among variables (McQueen and Knussen, 2006, p. 67). The concept of causality or ‘cause and effect’ has been extremely important throughout the history of psychology (Baron, Branscombe and Byrne, 2009, p. 24). Within a social psychology context the approach is to review the level to which a number of variables are associated to each other, when taken at a single point in time (Howitt and Cramer, 2011 p. 8). In essence causality is a statistical index or test, which describes the degree and direction of the relationship between two characteristics or variables. (Howitt and Cramer, 2011, p. 8). Thus it can be said that the stronger a correlation exists, the more confident one can be in predicting the outcome. This can also be known as the correlational method (Baron et al, 2009, p. 24). In the research design phase, hypotheses (or predictions) are formulated (Walliman, 2006, p. 68). Researchers will deduce hypotheses from a range of sources such as prior knowledge, casual or systematic observation or indeed perhaps even speculation (Baron et al, 2009, p. 33). As defined by Walliman (2006, p. 68) they are ‘empirically tested predictions about what goes with what, or what causes what. ’ Tests can contradict hypotheses, causing it to be either rejected, revised or tested in some other way. However, if a hypotheses is found to be supported, one has the opportunity to more finely tune it. (Walliman, 2006, p. 68). Broadly speaking social psychology has two types of methods for testing hypotheses, these methods are known as – experimental and non-experimental (Hogg and Vaughan, 2011, p. 7). The first method of testing hypotheses (experimental) is essentially a test in which something is done to see its effect on something else. It is said to involve intervention by manipulating one or more independent variables and then measuring the effect on one or more focal dependent variable (Walliman, 2006, p. 69). Social psychology is said to be largely experimental, with social psychologists preferring to test experimentally where possible (Hewstone, Schut, de Wit, Van den Boss Stroebe, 2007, p. 296). An example of a conventional social psychology experiment may be to challenge the hypotheses that violent video games may increase aggression in adolescents. A researcher may assign 50 children to two conditions in which they individually play a violent or a non-violent game, and then evaluate the amount of aggression they may display immediately afterwards while interacting with other children. Importantly participants in such studies must be randomly assigned to ensure no bias is incorporated in such a study. If you test one group of females against another group of males in the above example, as males are more pre-disposed to aggression according to research (Hogg and Vaughan, 2007, p. 8), it may have an impact on the outcome of the study. It is also vital that both interest groups are tested under identical circumstances so as not to unduly bias any group or what is known as confounding. This occurs when two or more independent variables vary in such a way that it is impossible to know which has caused the effect. In the case of the above study e. g. if the temperature in the room where the above test was taking place increased significantly, it may have an impact on the aggression levels displayed as excessive temperatures can have adverse effects on the aggression level of children (Repper, 2007). In order to control and limit mitigating factors many psychologists hold the view that laboratory studies, broadly speaking, contribute a more convincing measure of causal propositions, while others would counter with, due to the fact that such experiments achieve a level of so called accuracy, the realistic nature of the experiment is lost to an extent (Howitt and Cramer, 2005, p. 197). Social psychologists have traditionally distinguished between true experiments and non- experiments. True experiments are typical of laboratory studies in psychology whereas non-experiments are more typical of more naturalistic studies in the field’ i. e. community or real-world settings (Walliman, 2006, p. 44), in fact they are intentionally low on external validity i. e. how comparable the conditions are to the real world (Hogg and Vaughan, 2011, p. 11). They can be subject to a variety of biases such as subject effects (where participants try to guess what the researcher wants to hear) or experimenter effects where an experimenter inadvertently gives the respondents clues as to what the hypotheses is. This can be reduced by a double-bind procedure where the experimenter is unaware of which experimental condition they are running (Hogg and Vaughan, 2011, p. 11). It is worth noting those studied may not often be representative of the population at large e. g. young, optimistic university students taking part in a myriad of studies versus general population (Baron et al, 2009, p. 33). Researchers should also be mindful of what is known as the generalisation problem, where they apply observations from one situation to another with conditions quite different nor are the findings transferable e. g. the optimistic, young university students as mentioned above versus the views of the general population (Wlliman, 2006, p. 26). While experimentation tend to be the preferred method of scientific research, in certain instances it may not be possible to proceed with the above methods e. g. when testing levels of esteem among victims of sexual assault subjecting one group to assault and comparing against those that haven’t been subjected. When it is not achievable or indeed suitable there are other methods available i. e. non-experimental methods. It is worth noting, it can be impossible to draw definite conclusions but we can decipher if correlations between variables exist, as there is no definitive evidence that one action causes another (Hogg and Vaughan, 2006, p. 18). An example of social psychology theory that is impossible to test with the experimental method includes biological sex and decision-making because we cannot manipulate biological sex experimentally and see what effects emerge (Hogg and Vaughan, 2011, p. 19). Given the issue of non-naturalistic settings; a method that doesn’t suffer from such problems, are that of field experiments. Field experiments are defined as an â€Å"experiment, research, or trial conducted under actual use conditions, instead of under controlled conditions in a laboratory† (Howitt and Cramer, 2005, p. 10). It can be said this approach is truly holistic in a way that lab experiments can never be. When observed in naturalistic settings, people tend to produce more typical behavior patterns (Walliman, 2006, p. 44). Conversely experimentation can be difficult to apply findings to real life due to the artificial nature of the set up. However, without the ability to control the setting it may be said that conducting research in natural settings means that the outcome will be a product of many aspects of the interactions. (Howitt Cramer, 2005, p. 197). Therefore singling out cause and effect can sometimes be difficult due to the number of influencing factors on the behavior. It should also be noted that people may not always behave completely naturally once we have become aware that we are being watched. (McQueen and Knussen, 2006, p. 12). This is known as ‘The Hawthorn Effect’. While the very nature of observation means that as it is conducted by humans, which are influenced by a number of factors such as political, sexual, motivational etc. , making it difficult to guarantee, what we observe is actually happening (McQueen and Knussen, 2006, p. 8). However, it may be said that through extensive planning, positive study design, and various techniques we can limit the interfering factors (Howitt and Cramer, 2005, p. 197). There are drawbacks in that it can sometimes be hard to gain an understanding of subjective feelings, as obvious behaviour is all that can be measured (Hogg and Vaughan, 2011, p. 12). A popular non- experimental approach is the survey method, whereby researchers ask a significant number of people about their attitudes or behaviour (Weigold, Weigold Russell, 2013, p. 53). Questions can be open-ended or close-ended while they allow for a researcher to obtain a large amount of data from a large sample of respondents, hence generalisation is not a problem. (Weigold et al, 2013, p. 54). Drawbacks of surveys are that it is subject to experimenter bias, subject bias and evaluation apprehension (Howitt and Cramer, 2005, p. 227). There are ways to minimize such drawbacks, such as through the use of confidential or anonymous questionnaires, which will reduce apprehension and subject bias but demand characteristics will remain (Weigold et al, 2013, p. 54). It must be said that poorly designed questionnaires may also return biased data, examples of which are leading questions or questions which are worded in such a way that the reader wont understand them. Ensuring the sample size is reflective of the population will increase the confidence in the validity of the scores in terms of size and representative nature (Howitt and Cramer, 2005, p. 227). Employing an array of data collection techniques as outlined above such as interviews, questionnaires and the observation of behavior, the case study method allows an in-depth analysis of a person, group or single event (Walliman, 2006, p. 46). These are excellent methods of investigating rare or unusual or that which is not possible to investigate in a laboratory setting (Hogg and Vaughan, 2011, p. 13). Notably while case studies are useful at investigating hypotheses, they do suffer from many of the same issues as that of surveys including researcher or subject bias (Hogg and Vaughan, 2011, p. 13). One cannot consider modern research methods without considering the ethics with which they should be governed. The guiding code of ethics in psychological research carried out in an Irish context are as laid out by the Psychology Society of Ireland and covers 4 basic principles, that of: Respect for the Rights and Dignity of the Person; Competence; Responsibility and Integrity (Psychology Society of Ireland, 2010). Potential harm, deception, confidentiality and informed consent are commonly the emphasis of the debate about ethics, but it may be said that the issue stretches much more widely and can include responsibilities to other organisations, the law and ethical committees, circumstances in which video or photo recording are suitable etc. (McQueen Knussen, 2006, p. 131). One of the key ethical issues within social psychology research is that of deception which involves an attempt to withhold or conceal information about the purposes of a study from participants. Most social psychologists believe that short-term deception is necessary to obtain valid results (Baron et al, 2009, p. 33) Crucially from an ethical point of view deception can only be perceived to be acceptable in the instance of important safe-guards being implemented. These safe-guards include informed consent and thorough debriefing (Baron, et al, 2009, p. 33). In all of the above experimental and non-experimental research methods as outlined, social psychology researchers encounter extremely important ethical issues on an on-going basis (Howitt and Cramer, 2005, p. 140). While ethical issues arise most often in experimental research, they also appear in non-experimental research as outlined in Hogg and Vaughan (2011, p. 35), where the authors question if it is ethical conduct for a non-participant observer investigating crowd behavior to refrain from interceding in a violent assault? This is perhaps an extreme example but it displays just some of the ethical issues facing researchers. In conclusion, while social psychology employs the scientific method of research to study behavior it involves a whole range of empirical methods. These methods are implemented to collect data and test hypotheses in the development of theories. It is experimentation which appears, based on the evidence available, to be the preferred method due to it’s ability to reveal causal processes (Hogg Vaughan, 2011, p. 36). Regardless of the method used and however complex it is in its implementation, it may be said that each one has its limitations (Hewstone, Stroebe Jonas, 2008, p. 24). It is for this reason that such academics as Donal Campbell urged for as much caution as possible within the practical implementation of research while arguing for what is termed as triangulation, or the concept of multiple methods of research providing a better understanding of any single method (Hewstone et al, 2008, p. 24).

Walmart SWOT Essay Example For Students

Walmart SWOT Essay SWOT Analysis Wal-Mart Strengths Wal-Mart is a powerful retail brand. It has a reputation for value for money, convenience and a wide range of products all in one store. Wal-Mart has grown substantially over recent years, and has experienced global expansion (for example its purchase of the United Kingdom based retailer ASDA). The company has a core competence involving its use of information technology to support its international logistics system. For example, it can see how individual products are performing country-wide, store-by-store at a glance. We will write a custom essay on Walmart SWOT specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now IT also supports Wal-Marts efficient procurement. A focused strategy is in place for human resource management and development. People are key to Wal-Marts business and it invests time and money in training people, and retaining a developing them. Weaknesses Wal-Mart is the Worlds largest grocery retailer and control of its empire, despite its IT advantages, could leave it weak in some areas due to the huge span of control. Since Wal-Mart sell products across many sectors (such as clothing, food, or stationary), it may not have the flexibility of some of its more focused competitors. The company is global, but has has a presence in relatively few countries Worldwide. Opportunities To take over, merge with, or form strategic alliances with other global retailers, focusing on specific markets such as Europe or the Greater China Region. The stores are currently only trade in a relatively small number of countries. Therefore there are tremendous opportunities for future business in expanding consumer markets, such as China and India. New locations and store types offer Wal-Mart opportunities to exploit market development. They diversified from large super centres, to local and mall-based sites. Opportunities exist for Wal-Mart to continue with its current strategy of large, super centres. Threats Being number one means that you are the target of competition, locally and globally. Being a global retailer means that you are exposed to political problems in the countries that you operate in. The cost of producing many consumer products tends to have fallen because of lower manufacturing costs. Manufacturing cost have fallen due to outsourcing to low-cost regions of the World. This has lead to price competition, resulting in price deflation in some ranges. Intense price competition is a threat. .