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Financial Analysis – 15 pager on company executive summary

 

 

Financial Analysis – 15 pager on company executive summary

 

Question
Choose a company

about 15 pager

 

Suggested Project Outline

1. Executive Summary

2. Firm, Industry, and Environment (not to exceed 2 pages)

1. Summary description the firm including a brief description of the key product or service, the relevant market, and analysis of demand including the principle
factors that influence demand, and the implications for revenue.

2. Brief description of the principal inputs, production processes, indicating any significant changes in technology and analysis of trends in productivity.

3. Summary of the behavior of costs, short-run and long run, indicating the principal factors that influence costs and their impacts as indicated by cost trends.

4. Summary of the competitive environment, analysis of the key measures through which firms compete (pricing, quality, brand, innovation, etc.) and discussion of
potential changes in the level of competition.

3. Company Performance and Managerial Effectiveness

1. Through-time (trend) analysis of the firm’s performance (using the Dupont framework as an organizing template for your discussion)

2. Cross-sectional analysis and comparison of the firm with benchmarks: industry competitor and industry benchmarks

3. Discuss the effect of the firm’s accounting choices on the financial statements

4. Future Prospects:

1. Integrative assessment of current company performance, focusing on principal sources of competitive advantage, investment potential, and credit-worthiness.

2. Integrative overall outlook for future performance

5. Appendix

6. Footnotes

7. Bibliography

 

Equal Employment Opportunity and Employee Rights Review

 

Equal Employment Opportunity and Employee Rights Review

 

Question
HRM 300: Equal Employment Opportunity and Employee Rights Review

Need help with my portion of the assignment ASAP!

For each selected law or issue, locate a present-day court case that has challenged your selected law or issue

A): Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972, and Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993.

B): Whistle-Blowing.

There are a total of three issues to address in the paper

Please be original, include APA format, and cite references

Only A rated tutors please!

 

 

 

Guillermo’s Furniture Store Scenario

 

Guillermo’s Furniture Store Scenario

QuestionWhile many people know that Sonora, Mexico is a beautiful vacation spot, it is also a large furniture manufacturing location in North America. Guillermo Navallez made
furniture for years near his Sonoran home. The area had a good supply of timber for the variety of tables and chairs produced by his company. Labor was also relatively
inexpensive. In addition, he priced his handcrafted products at a slight premium for the quality they represented. Overall, life was good for Guillermo.
All of that was true until late in the 1990s when two forces combined to cause a large dent in his business. First, a new competitor from overseas entered the
furniture market. Using a high-tech approach, this foreign competition provided furniture to exact specifications and did so with rock-bottom prices. Second, the
sleepy communities in Sonora woke up. One of the largest retailers in the nation’s headquarters was just a few miles down the road, and its influence had expanded
considerably. With inexpensive housing, mild weather, beautiful scenery, un-congested roads, a new International Airport, and plenty of development, an influx of
people and jobs raised the cost of labor substantially. Guillermo watched his profit margins shrink as prices fell and costs rose.
After doing some research on his competition to see how they are handling these changes, it is clear that many of them are consolidating into larger organizations by
merger or acquisition. Being independent, Guillermo does not relish the idea of being acquired by a larger competitor and then retired as the new company squeezes
every peso it could out of the overhead costs. Guillermo also is not looking to expand his management responsibilities by acquiring another organization either; that
could affect his time with his family in ways that he will not enjoy.
Guillermo then spent some time looking at the foreign competition and their high-tech solution. Essentially, their production utilizes a computer controlled laser
lathe to produce exact cuts in the wood. Highly automated, the plant in Norway uses very little labor as robots even perform the precise movement and assembly
functions. The cost of the technology is immense, as is the reduction in the labor needed for production. In addition, the production can move between products
quickly, and it runs on a 24-hour basis, as the shift-differentials are more than offset by the reduction in labor. Converting his production to this model would be
expensive, but he saw how he could also decrease dramatically his production costs.
When talking to some of his distributors about their wants, he had another idea that appealed to him. A second competitor, currently operating only in Norway, has been
looking for channels to distribute in North America. This second potential rival, however, did not operate furniture outlets favoring instead to rely on chain
distributors. Perhaps Guillermo could coordinate his existing distributor network and essentially become a representative for this other manufacturer. While he may
retain some of the high end custom work, he could move his company from primarily manufacturing to primarily distribution.
Guillermo also has a patented process for creating a coating for his furniture. In producing this product, the process first creates a common flame-retardant, and upon
further processing, the coating is complete and stain resistant. There is market for the flame retardant, but not as much of a market for the finished coating. There
is another product that Guillermo could buy to apply to his furniture as well that would add the same amount of value for the furniture.

INSTRUCTIONS The major point of this assignment is for you to realize there are three separate alternatives presented in the case verbiage.
Using the budget figures and projection assumptions given, you are to calculate a 5 year projected income statement and cash flow as well as the WACC for each
alternative. As in a real corporation, you can take each alternative, calculate the decision-making capital budgeting analyses
(NPV and IRR) using a discount rate and risk factors (sometimes referred to as the hurdle rate and/or required rate of return).
Then, a decision can be made as to which alternative would be best for the organization.  As you will see, each alternative not only has a different
projection, but a different level of risk that is built into the NPV calculations.  Of course, all possible variables are not accounted – but this exercise will give you a
flavor of what is used in the real-world in regards to capital budgeting. Below are the three scenarios from the case along with additional assumptions in order for you to fulfill the requirements of this assignment.
You can use the formats provided below as a way to organize the analysis.  You will need to do the calculations for the various elements and factors as part of
your analysis. Remember … Year 0 is when the initial investment is made, there are no sales or costs in that period … it is the “present” of present value.  There may be
follow-on investments in subsequent years. Note — please realize that the assumptions in the three below scenarios are just that — “assumptions”.  They are given to create an example of the decision
making process used Please show your calculations.  If necessary, set up additional spreadsheets using the other “sheets”, linking from the Scenarios sheet to the appropriate
information on the back sheets.  That will help you organize your thoughts and help in tracing data to your conclusions.  Please submit your completed spreadsheet with
your written analysis. SCENARIO ONE – Paragraph 4 of Furniture Scenario – increase in technology. 1) Year one projections are the same as the June Budget x 12 2) Year 2 and beyond — Revenues projected at 10% increase per year. 3) Year 2 and beyond — Varriable costs*  — increase at the same rate as sales. 4) Year two and beyond — Fixed costs increase at a standard inflation rate of 3% per year. 5) Year two and beyond — Depreciation increases at 20% per year. 6) Capital Expenditures — Initially $7,000,000; and an additional $700,000 is years two, four, and in year five.
7) Labor wages & benefits decrease by 20% for year two due to technology savings — then a 10% per year increase in year three and beyond.
Year 0 Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Revenue   High-End   Mid-Grade Total Revenue Cost of Goods *   High-End   Mid-Grade Total Cost of Goods Net Revenue Labor Wages Office Salaries Benefits Supplies Utilities Insurance Property Taxes Total Operating Expense Earnings before Taxes & Depr Depreciation Earnings before Taxes Income Taxes (42%) Net Earnings Add back Depreciation Subtract Out Capital Expenditures TOTAL CASH FLOW FOR ANALYSIS DISCOUNT RATE to use for calculating the NPV:   Add the calculated WACC to a risk rate your analysts have assigned to this scenario   Risk Rate Assigned = 1.6% WACC data needed for calculation:   Cost of Debt = 8%   Desired Mix for weighting (Debt = 40%; Equity = 60%)   Cost of Equity data needed:     Next Annual Dividend = $2     Current Stock Market Value = $40     Dividend Growth Factor = 7% NPV = IRR = SCENARIO TWO – Paragraph 5 of Furniture Scenario – converting factory from primary manufacturing to primary distribution
1) Year one projections are the same as the June Budget x 12 2) Year 2 — Revenues decrease 10% and then increase at 5% . 3) Year 2 and beyond — Varriable costs*  — increase at the same rate as sales. 4) Year two and beyond — Fixed costs increase at a standard inflation rate of 3% per year. 5) Year two and beyond — Depreciation increases at 10% per year. 6) Capital Expenditures — Initially $5,000,000; and an additional $500,000 is years two, four, and in year five.
7) Labor wages & benefits decrease by 40% for year two due to converting to distribution — then a 5% per year increase in year three and beyond.
8) Office Salaries increase by 20% for year two due to converting to distribution — then a 5% per year increase in year three and beyond.
Year 0 Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Revenue   High-End   Mid-Grade Total Revenue Cost of Goods *   High-End   Mid-Grade Total Cost of Goods Net Revenue Labor Wages Office Salaries Benefits Supplies Utilities Insurance Property Taxes Total Operating Expense Earnings before Taxes & Depr Depreciation Earnings before Taxes Income Taxes (42%) Net Earnings Add back Depreciation Subtract Out Capital Expenditures TOTAL CASH FLOW FOR ANALYSIS DISCOUNT RATE to use for calculating the NPV:   Add the calculated WACC to a risk rate your analysts have assigned to this scenario   Risk Rate Assigned = 5.1% WACC data needed for calculation:   Cost of Debt = 8%   Desired Mix for weighting (Debt = 40%; Equity = 60%)   Cost of Equity data needed:     Next Annual Dividend = $2     Current Stock Market Value = $40     Dividend Growth Factor = 7% NPV = IRR = SCENARIO THREE – Paragraph 6 of Furniture Scenario – adding another product to the finish of the furniture – cost is minimal.
1) Year one projections are the same as the June Actual x 12 2) Year 2 and beyond — Revenues projected at 10% increase per year. 3) Year 2 and beyond — Varriable costs*  — increase at the same rate as sales. 4) Year two and beyond — Fixed costs increase at a standard inflation rate of 3% per year. 5) Year two and beyond — Depreciation increases at 5% per year. 6) Capital Expenditures — Initially 500,000; and an additional 50,000 is years two, four, and in year five. Year 0 Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Revenue   High-End   Mid-Grade Total Revenue Cost of Goods *   High-End   Mid-Grade Total Cost of Goods Net Revenue Labor Wages* Office Salaries Benefits * Supplies Utilities Insurance Property Taxes Total Operating Expense Earnings before Taxes & Depr Depreciation Earnings before Taxes Income Taxes (42%) Net Earnings Add back Depreciation Subtract Out Capital Expenditures TOTAL CASH FLOW FOR ANALYSIS DISCOUNT RATE to use for calculating the NPV:   Add the calculated WACC to a risk rate your analysts have assigned to this scenario   Risk Rate Assigned = 0% WACC data needed for calculation:   Cost of Debt = 8%   Desired Mix for weighting (Debt = 40%; Equity = 60%)   Cost of Equity data needed:     Next Annual Dividend  = $2     Current Stock Market Value = $40     Dividend Growth Factor = 7% NPV = IRR =

Production Data Direct Cost Total Wood Materials Foam Chem A Chem B Chem C  Flame Retardent (per liter) 10.00 1.50 0.50   Coating (per liter) 25.00 7.50 2.50 15.00   Mid-Grade (per unit) 140.00 80.00 40.00 20.00   High-End  (per unit) 250.00 160.00 60.00 30.00 Alternative Coating (per liter) 27.50 Market Price of Flame Retardent (per liter) 10.00 Liters of Flame retardent per year 61 Liters of Coating per year 304 Plant Capacity   Flame Retardent 182   Coating 456   Mid-Grade 5,064   High-End 1,012

biology science – paper on natural resources and energy

 

 

 

biology science – paper on natural resources and energy

QuestionQ:Write a 1,400- to 1,750-word paper on natural resources and energy. Include the following: Choose a specific ecosystem, such as a forest, grassland, or a marine or
freshwater aquatic ecosystem. • Identify impacts associated with agriculture. • Identify and discuss the effects that a growing human
population may have on that ecosystem’s resources, including loss or harm to populations of wild species. • Discuss one management
practice for sustainability and conservation of natural resources in that ecosystem. • Identify the risks and benefits of extracting or using one type
of nonrenewable and one type of renewable energy resource from that ecosystem, or in areas near that ecosystem. • Assess management practices for
sustainability and conservation of natural resources and energy. Include two outside references. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

 

The Victorian Age

 

The Victorian Age

 

Question
Much debate existed during the Romantic period about women’s roles in society. Writers such as Mary Wollstonecraft and Anna Leticia Barbauld articulated specific
options, while the positions of other Romantic writers, such as Dorothy Wordsworth, must be deduced from their works.

 

Resource:“The Victorian Age” (pp. 1885–2291) in The Norton Anthology of English Literature

Reflecton the debate about women’s role in society during the Victorian period.

Develop an 8- to 10slide presentation, using Microsoft® PowerPoint® or another multimedia tool, summarizing the range of opinions about the role women should play in
Victorian society as evidenced by the literature of the period.

Address the following in your PPt. presentation:

Explain the implications of the opinions.
Identify which views became influential and how they differed from those that faded.
Reference specific literary passages to illustrate your position, and formatyourreferences consistent with APA guidelines. Include citations in the speaker notes or in
a separate reference list

Includephotos or illustrations as appropriate. Document the source of each media item you include.

 

International Business Risk

 

International Business Risk

 

Question
word count is 1000 words, refAssume that your business is visible and an important member of the community. Would the government encourage a decision to expand? How
would it affect the reputation of the business? Comment on whether the U.S. government would support a business owner’s decision to expand internationally or import in
light of the balance of payments and how the move internationally may affect the business’s reputation as a local small-business owner.
Discuss the risk, importer, exporter, L/M/S and how to overcome it in each of the following: Economic conditions, Fluctuations in industry, Competition, Technological
change, Change in preferences, Costs and expenses, Regulations, Expropriation, Interest rates, Government monetary policy, Government fiscal policy, Internal and
external wars, Difference in culture and religion, Ownership of factories and property, Human resource restrictions, Intellectual property, Discrimination, Red tape
and corruption, Blockage of funds or capital accounts, Change in government.

 

Life Style Inventory Assessment

 

Life Style Inventory Assessment

 

Please use APA Formatting

Please assist in writing a 3 page paper examining my Life Sytle Inventory results. Based on my life style inventory results,

Part 1>Personal Thinking Styles

Identify your primary and backup thinking styles:Self Acutalization is my primary and Conventional is my back up

Identify your limiting style: Identify and illustrate one style you think might be working against you to reduce your overall effectiveness: Prefectionist is one of
the styles that is working against me.

LSI style interpretations:

Part 2 >Impact on Management Style

What impact do your personal styles have on your management style? Explore and assess the impact of your styles on your effectiveness as a manager in terms of the four
functions of management, listed below.

Planning
Organizing
Leading
Controlling
If you are currently not a manager, assume you are and predict your effectiveness as such.

Part 3> Genesis of Personal Style

 

Anime and Manga Viewing Report L3

 

 

Anime and Manga Viewing Report L3

Required TitlesAh! My Goddess (Season 1, episodes #1-3 required  )The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006 film) Suggested TitlesYojohan Shinwa Taikei (Tatami Galaxy)
Genshiken
Love Hina
Honey and Clover
Whisper of the Heart
Urusei Yatsura
You’re Under Arrest!
Azumanga Daioh
Great Teacher Onizuka
K-On!
Ah! My Goddess Season 2 episodes #1-3 for Holiday dating customs and student jobs)!
Featured Artist/Studio
Kosuke Fujishima Mamoru Hosoda Madhouse TitleWhat is the title of anime or manga you are reporting here? Please select from the required titles for this lesson period (e.g. for Lesson 3, select one from the
titles required for Lesson 3).
Creator Name(s)
Write the creator name(s).
Release Year

What year was the original work released?
Medium
How did you view this work?
e.g. Netflix, your own copy, etc.  If you watched it on a website, please copy and paste the URL (=web address).If you watched a library copy, please specify the library name.View Date
When did you watch this title? Please indicate the date and approximate time.
Rating
How many stars out of five will you give to this work? Briefly explain why.
Lesson Topic Connection
What did you notice about the lesson content in this work?  Briefly explain relevant lesson materials that you observed in this anime/manga.
For example, for the lesson on geography, the required material should contain elements that teach you about Japan’s geography. What exactly did you notice in the work
that had something to do with the lesson content (in this example, Japan’s geography)?

Test Questions
Write a question to test other people’s knowledge of this work.  Rate your question in terms of difficulty.

Positive Social Media Posts
Imagine you are marketing this work on social media, such as Twitter or Facebook. Write a brief advertisement, focusing only on positive selling points. You may choose
to video/audio-record your post instead of writing text. You may choose any of the following audience.
Write for novices who don’t know anything about anime or manga.Write for anime/manga fans who have not viewed this particular work.Write for anime/manga fans who already viewed this particular work.

 

School and Education “Japanese School Life” Is it really like that?Let’s stop and think for a moment what most non-Japanese think of Japanese schools.  Maybe some of these words come to:
? Work, work, work? Serious? Strict? Examination hell? Competitive
When you think about it, though, something doesn’t make sense:
“What about all the fun stuff I see in anime?!”
All the manga and anime you enjoy are created for the domestic market and the domestic market only. It’s only recently that the industry has even begun to consider
foreign markets, and even then, the content is directed toward the Japanese.  They create manga and games to entertain Japanese readers and players, especially
children. How come there are so many of them, and great ones at that? Who are consuming that much entertainment created for Japanese children, if they are constantly
working and have no time for manga, anime or video games?
The existence and proliferation of manga and digital games alone should tell you that the stereotype may not be quite accurate. Many Japanese children have enough time
to enjoy plenty of games, manga, and time with friends. School is much more than just examinations and work.
Of course, you’ll be hard pressed to find giant robots crashing through the ceiling or unassuming girls tossing desks around. Obviously, manga contains hyperbole in
actions and characters, but the backgrounds and premises of the stories are often fairly realistic.
In this chapter, we will explore several commonly seen topics: the education system, school events, entrance exams, cram schools, clubs, seniority customs, lunch,
graduation trips, teacher’s roles, student chores, homeroom, and of course, uniforms!Hopefully by the end, you can apply your newfound knowledge the next time you watch anime or read manga and understand why such portrayals are significant. Some of
these facts may be surprising, even for the Japanese, as many Japanese believe in some of the myths themselves.
To get you started, try checking out some of these series, which explore various aspects of Japanese school life.? Azumanga Daioh (Kiyohiko Azuma, Dengeki Daioh, MediaWorks/Shogakukan, Feb 1999 – June 2002)? Great Teacher Onizuka (Tooru Fujisawa, Weekly Shonen Magazine, Kodansha, May 1997 – April 2002)? Hidamari Sketch (Ume Aoki, Manga Time Kirara Carat, Houbunsha, April 2004 – ongoing)? Kyou no Go no Ni  (Koharu Sakuraba, Young Magazine, Kodansha, 2002 – 2003)? K-On! (Kakifry, Manga Time Kirara, Houbunsha, May 2007 – August 2012)? Kare Kano (Masami Tsuda, Lala, Hakusensha, February 1996 – April 2005)

TV Tropes’ site has the following articles related to stereotypes in anime and manga. We will examine how much of these may reflect real life in Japan.? School Festivals ? Cram School.? High School Girls? Sailor Suits? Transfer Students
Basic FactsView Explore Japan: Schools for basic facts that all Japanese children know. A School year (as well as fiscal year) in Japan is from April to March.
K-12 and higher education in Japan will be explained separately below.
K-12Japan requires nine years of compulsory education: six in elementary school and three in middle school. Kindergarten is optional, but most go to Kindergarten for 3
years. Some opt to go to daycare instead.
High SchoolAfter 9th grade, most students (98%) continue their education with three years of high school. High school (Grades 10-12) is not compulsory. However, since 2010, high school education became virtually tuition free in public schools and some private schools. Many
private schools receive government subsidies to lower their tuition considerably.
An entrance exam is required for ALL high schools, including local public high schools. Private and national institutions require entrance exams at lower school
levels, even at entry to Kindergarten.  Note that in recent years, some public schools have started experimenting with different formats, for example comprehensive
secondary schools for grades 7-12. Those schools may not have entrance examinations for starting high school level grades. Some may have selective admission or lottery
at the entry grade, however.
The entrance exam for high school results is a form of tracking system in which students with similar academic status and career goal orientations are grouped together
into one class.  In addition to being grouped by the academic level as the entire school, students in the same school are typically separated into college or
occupational tracks and humanities or science tracks.  This is how the students in the same homeroom can be on the same schedule for the most of the week. You can see
how grouping like-minded and abled students together can build cohesion and a sense of community amongst them.
Class SizeThe current class size is 40 for grades 2-12. Until 1980, classes were filled with 45 students.  Since 2011, first grade class sizes were reduced to 35.
TextbooksTextbooks for compulsory education (Grades 1 through 9) are free.  The government supplies free textbooks to all its citizens and lawful residents. The textbooks are
thin and with soft covers.  Students don’t need to return the books after use, so they are free to highlight or write in the books.  The textbooks are theirs for good.
The national government implemented grants (not loans) to help lower income families at high school levels. Students are expected to purchase textbooks at the rather
affordable average price of $8 per copy.  The student grants range from $220-$430/mo., and the maximum eligible family income levels range from 40K-100K, depending on
family circumstances.
Class as a CommunityStudents in the same homeroom generally take the same classes and have the same schedule, even at the high school level.  A big difference with the American school
system may be that the Japanese homeroom operates as a tight knit community Since the school is regarded as an integral community, students are expected to work in roles that U.S. schools typically employ staff or ask parents to fill in for.
Most jobs are shared by all students either on a rotating basis or with the whole school working at the same time.  There are a lot of community building activities
and events based on the homeroom class. You might have seen things like culture festivals, community service (e.g. trash pickup), and athletic activities done by
homerooms in the series you’ve encountered. These will be discussed in more detail shortly.
Role of Teachers
In middle school and high school, teachers move from one room to the next to teach their subjects, while students stay in the same room. This might surprise those who
are more familiar with the system where students go to different classrooms and teachers stay in their own classroom. Of course, there are exceptions when the subject
requires a special set-up. For example, students typically move for PE, music, arts, science labs, shop, and home-economics classes.  This means that the typical 10-
minute break between classes is a “real break”, reserved for unstructured socialization amongst the students, rather than one which functions to allow students to
travel to the next class.
Each homeroom class is assigned a homeroom teacher, or tan-nin. Tan-nin is a quasi-parental figure for the students in the same homeroom. They are the multi-tasking
go-to adults for everything except medical attention.  A tan-nin teacher’s occupational responsibilities include teaching, advising students, counseling students in
both career and personal issues, social work with family home visits, and often coaching school clubs. It is unusual to have parents or outside coaches at a school
club except for select clubs competing at the national level.
For many decades, teaching was called a “sacred occupation, a term originally used for priests and clergymen.  They are considered selfless role models and surrogate
parental figures and are highly regarded in Japanese society.
If you’ve read/watched Great Teacher Onizuka, Onizuka’s actions are definitely a case of hyperbole and dramatization, especially in the forms and the specifics.
However, it is in a way realistic in its issues and emotional content. While Onizuka’s characterization is quite fantastic, the role he fills is authentic as a teacher
and all of the various duties that implies. Note how he does much more than just “teach” academics. He’s a guiding and caring role model not unlike a parent, albeit
perhaps a slightly twisted one. You can see how teachers act as the academic counselor in Azumanga Daioh Episode 25, Cosmonaut (the second segment of 5 Centimeter Per
Second), and especially Season 2 of K-On.
The close ties Japanese students develop with their teachers and the high social status of teachers are reflected in the popularity of the occupation.
Popular Careers (HS juniors) 2009 Benesse Corp Male Female1 Teacher Daycare/K teacher2 Government Employee Teacher3 Researcher/Professor Nurse4 Doctor Pharmacist5 Programmer / Systems Engineer Physical Therapist, Lab Technician6 Police Officer Government Employee7 Pharmacist Doctor8 Entertainer (Actor, VA, Comedian) Entertainer (Actor, VA, Comedian)9 Physical Therapist, Lab Technician Nutritionist10 Engineer Counselor /Psychotherapist11 Lawyer, Judge, Prosecutor
School Lunch and Lunch DutyTypically, all elementary schools and some junior high schools have lunch programs for all students to eat the same lunch. School lunch in Japan is not just a
nutritional program, but is regarded as an educational activity. A small group of students are assigned to be on lunch duty, and sent from each class to bring hot
lunches to the classroom and serve their classmates.
CleaningCleaning is also done by students. Every day, students clean the classrooms and facilities they use, including shared rooms such as science labs.  Some schools may
have a janitorial staff clean the bathrooms, but sometimes students are responsible for this as well.  Large-scale cleaning is a regularly scheduled school event.
Going to SchoolShudan Toko is the practice of going to school in small neighborhood groups. It is often organized for elementary school children.  Older children lead the group
safely to school, often without adults. This teaches students to depend on each other and reflects the system of seniority that is observed in Japanese school life. In
areas with no shoran toko, it is not unusual for young elementary school children to walk or take public transportation alone to and from school. Average commuting
time per day for students are 40 minutes for elementary students, 44-50 minutes for middle school students, and 1 hour 24-26 minutes for high school students.

 

Nicchoku (Day Duty)Nicchoku duties are odd jobs in the homeroom that all students do on a daily rotation.  Duties vary according to the homeroom teacher.  Typical jobs include erasing
the blackboard, keeping chalk neat at the board, bringing handouts to class, locking and unlocking the room and turning lights on/off. Usually there are nicchoku logs
to keep, which may include comments from subject teachers. They may write down homework and events on the board, chair daily meetings, and voice commands for class
greeting at the beginning and the end of class. Other duties may include watering plants, feeding animals and light cleanup. You can see how nicchoku works in Azumanga
Daioh, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, and Minami-key.

Iin (Homeroom Officers)Other Student Roles include Iin (homeroom Officers) ranging from Homeroom President, Co-president, Secretary as well as staff for various branches such as Compliance,
PE, Beautification, Library, Health and Culture (Travel, Field Trips). Senior classes will also have graduation album officers, much like Year Book committees in
American high schools. You’ve no doubt seen homeroom presidents in anime and manga. They are often portrayed as sharp, no-nonsense girls with glasses who are dedicated
to maintaining classroom order.
ClubsClub Leadership is highly hierarchical for the most part.  The distinction between Senpai (upperclassmen) and Kohai (lowerclassmen) are typically strictly observed.
Senpai have authority over kohai and kohai are expected to follow all orders by senpai, even if they are older by less than one year in biological age.  We see this in
K-On!, where in the original Japanese track Azusa consistently talks to her senpai in polite speech and attaches “-senpai” to each of the girls’ names while the senpai
talk to Azusa in more casual forms.
High School Curriculum and Extracurricular ActivitiesResults of surveys by the education industry giant, Benesse Corporation, run contrary to many popular notions of the Japanese school life.
For one, on average, Japanese children watch more TV than Americans do!  Across the age, Japanese children spend about one hour a day on TV (Japanese     134.7 min
vs.        American 128.8 min). The most popular subject among Japanese is PE, followed by music, not academic subjects.
Actually, more Japanese 5th graders say they never study outside school than American 5th graders in DC did.   About 40% of Japanese high school students study “very
little” or about 30 minutes a day. While over 90% of American children in DC perceived their parents expected them to go to good college, only less than 30% of
Japanese children did so. Similar percentages of high school students believed that graduating from a good college was the path to happiness. The data shows that a
fraction of Japanese students do study more than students in DC do. So much for the myth of Japanese children crammed to death with study and having no time to play!
Only a portion of Japanese students appear to follow the mythical stereotype of devoted academic study, and the rest seem more relaxed for most of their school life. Study Hours Outside School (5th grade:  including time at cram schools)Close to zero:         8.5% (Tokyo) vs. 6.8% (DC)About 30 minutes:     21.2% (Tokyo) vs. 37.9% (DC)1 hour:             19.6% (Tokyo) vs. 29.4% (DC)1.5 hours:         10.6% (Tokyo) vs. 9.1% (DC)2 hours:            8.9% (Tokyo) vs. 7.0% (DC)
Study Outside School (High School)? “Very Little” +”About 30 Min.” =39.5%? Average study outside school? Top tier schools: 105.1 min? #2 tier schools: 60.3 min.? #3 tier schools: 62.0 min.? Bottom tier schools: 43.2 min.? Juku/Cram school   25.3%? College Prep: Half? Supplementary: 40%? 2/wk. (38.8%). (Total 80% 3 days or less)
Going to CollegeMany students go to higher education with two to four+ years of University/Graduate School. January to March is college entrance exam season, starting with the College
Center Test. Many publicly funded universities and some private institutions require the College Center Test, often in addition to their own tests. The College Center
Test is somewhat similar to the SAT except that there is essentially only one chance for any student to take it per year. Most colleges admit students by the
quantified entrance examination results only: your performance on the one specific test day is all that matters.  The American-style portfolio-based admission process
is now practiced by a select few institutions, typically for a small percentage of their students, to benefit from diversity among their students.
Some students may spend a year or more after high school graduation, studying to get into their desired college (or any college at all). These strugglers are often
referred to as ronin, or a samurai without a master. They don’t belong to any formal school, except maybe private yobiko, or “college preparatory school” for ronins,
which is NOT a part of the formal school system in Japan. You can catch them in series like Love Hina, Chobits, and Maison Ikkoku.  Testing season is indeed a high-
pressure time for students and their families, but many students can relax once they are admitted to college.

 

School UniformsSchool uniforms, or seifuku, are generally required for middle school and high school. There are practical as well as cultural and historical reasons for the adoption
of the uniform. They are cost-effective, and promote unity, security, and are easy to regulate. The sailor uniforms you are likely familiar with come with the
westernization of the Meiji period.
No school series of anime is without its distinctive uniform. Girl’s seifuku are an especially heavyweight icon of the anime and manga world. Many series and games
have elaborate, if not impractical, seifuku designs. Due to their symbolism of innocence, they tend to be heavily fetishized in otaku media. It’s not uncommon to see
characters casually try on their “old uniforms” in various series, if only for fan service. “Sailorsuit for Dummies” is an excellent website on girl’s uniforms,
created for manga and anime fans.
The black military-looking boy’s uniform is called a gaku-ran. It has stiff high collars, and is typically used at secondary schools. About 40% of junior high schools
that require uniforms also require students to shave their heads.  It is a rite of passage for many boys to shave their heads as they enter junior high school (=7th
grade).  When boys graduate, some will give the second button of their uniform, closest to his heart, to the girl they like the most.
PE uniforms pop up very frequently in anime and manga. The classic bloomer shorts you always see are no longer the standard and are thus romanticized (if not
fetishized) in otaku media. PE clothes may also be worn for cleaning, volunteer work, field trips, health exams, or all day as a school uniform.  Check out the Adidas
Japan website  to see the kinds of PE uniforms Japanese schools actually use.
You may have seen anime characters changing shoes at the school entrance, or receiving notes or gifts inside their geta bako (shoe locker/box).  Many, but not all,
Japanese schools require that students wear special indoor shoes at school.

School Events and Activities
Schools events include ceremonies, formal meetings, cultural events, sporting events, and school trips. You’ve no doubt encountered some of these if you’re familiar
with anime and manga. The Azumanga Daioh anime series starts in episode 1 with an entrance ceremony and ends in episode 26 with a graduation ceremony. Throughout are
plenty of events, including sports and cultural festivals and field trips. We see many of the same school activities and events in other series, such as K-On!,
Hidamari Sketch, and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.
The following is a more detailed list of events.  Actual events differ from school to school, but none of the events below would be considered unusual.  You can say
Japanese schools have events all the time!
Ceremonies  Most schools hold Annual (entrance, graduation), Term (beginning & end), and Daily (morning, day-end) ceremonies and addresses.  Daily meetings are likely conducted by
the homeroom unit, but the rest are likely to be all school meetings. The principal tends to address the student body for Annual and Term ceremonies. You see a lot of
these in Hidamari Sketch.
Graduation Ceremony in Anime? K-On! Episode 24? Azumanga Daioh Ep.26? Gundam AGE #18
SportsMany schools offer sporting events such as Taiikusai /Undo-kai (Sports Festival), races and endurance events (swimming, running, hiking), and games (Ball Game Day,
Club games).
Sports FestivalThe sports festival is arguably the most popular school event. Traditionally held in early Oct, it is now often held in May instead.  Teams are typically based either
on homeroom or on grade level. Many of the games are fun physical games that do not depend on special athletic talents. Many of them rely on group collaboration, for
which group practice is required. Cheerleading (oen-dan) may be also interesting for non-Japanese people, especially the male-only cheer-leaders (bankara).
Sport Festivals in Anime? Lucky Star Ep. 8? Card Captor Sakura Ep. 10? Azumanga Daioh Eps. 6, 15, 23 ? Dai Mahou Touge Ep. 7? Hidamari Sketch x 365 Ep. 8? Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya I
Cultural EventsThe most prominent cultural school event in anime is perhaps Bunkasai (Culture Festival = Open House with a preparation week). Additionally, various competitive events
are held at different schools. Student government also exists.
Bunkasai (Culture Festival)
Bunkasai, or Culture Festival, is held at virtually all schools in one way or another, up to college.  It is considered a formal school activity until the end of high
school.  Bunkasai is primarily student-led. Students get involved through the Student Government, the homeroom class, and clubs.
What to do for bunkasai is typically summed up as “Anything goes!” Typical activities include sales of food or drink, performance (theater, music, etc.)  and exhibits.
Some Internet users reported having offered a planetarium, a “cross-gender bar”, games, a photo studio with props and effects, fortune telling, and “street fighter”
battles .  Classes may be cancelled for preparations for a day or more, up to a week. You have probably seen students voting for bunkasai activities and preparing for
their offerings in anime and manga.
Bunkasai in anime? Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer? K-On! Season 1 Ep.4, Season 2 Ep. 18-20? Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya? Azumanga Daioh Ep. 7, 16? School Rumble? Persona 4: The Animation Ep. 19? Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou Ep. 4? Hidamari Sketch Ep. 10 (we see preparations in Ep. 4 of Hidamari Sketch x 365)
Aside from bunkasai, Japanese schools often schedule other cultural events and activities in art & music appreciation and competitions to include? Chorus (Inter-Homeroom)? Classical Poetry Cards competition (called Karuta, as in the anime Chihayafuru)? Speech (Japanese / English)? Recitation? Math? Kanji
TripsOvernight school trips can be a graduation trip or retreats for outdoor experiences at the seaside or in the mountains. Some schools have freshman/study retreats and
overseas excursions. Additionally, day trips are made for arts & music, hiking, movies, or sightseeing.The graduation trip is probably the biggest graduation-related event. Its significance for Japanese students is somewhat similar to a prom in the U.S.
The graduation trip is called Shugaku Ryoko, which literally means “mastering/learning trip” and is a formal school activity.  It is an overnight trip to a “far” place
out of your region, and offers students a chance to explore the unfamiliar.   It is traditionally scheduled for the last year of each school (=Grade 6, 9, 12). 93% of
schools have the graduation trips in the spring of senior year (note that the Japanese school year starts in spring). 99.3% of the graduation trips are for 2 nights
and 3 days. In recent years, more and more schools have started scheduling for Grades 8 and 11 instead, in order to focus on entrance exams during their senior years.
Some schools even have their “high school graduation” trip during the 10th grade. But as you can see from the above statistics, it is not a common practice.
From East/Kanto, they travel to the West/Kansai (87.1%).  From Central/Tokai, they travel to the East/Kanto (80.5%).  The destinations from Kansai/West varies: Kanto
(36.9%), Okinawa (30.1%), Kyushu (13.5%) and Hokkaido (3.8%). Some go overseas. Activities during graduation trips are officially educational ones.  However, the
interpretation of “educational” is typically broad.  It’s meant to be fun and involves a lot of activities and sightseeing.
Graduation Trips in Anime? Azumanga Daioh Ep. 21? Yuru Yuri Ep. 10? Lucky Star Ep. 21 ? Pandora’s Box? K-On! Season 2 Ep. 4ClubsStudents typically belong to just one club all year round for three years.  It is uncommon to switch clubs. On average, Japanese students spend 1.25 hours (Middle) to
1.5 hours (HS) per day on club activities. However, averages are deceiving. Some clubs are intense and many others are not. In reality, one fifth of students don’t
even belong to any clubs, and another fifth belong to bunka (“culture”) type clubs. Half of the students belong to sport clubs. Sports clubs are typically the ones
that require intense participation. Roughly speaking, students in sport clubs spend around 2-3 hours per day in club activities. It is fairly common for clubs to meet
in the morning before school, during lunchtime, in the afternoon after school, on weekends, and during school vacation time. So, the premise of what you saw in K-On!
is not unrealistic: club members do meet often, except probably not (but not completely unthinkable) for afternoon teatime.
The distinction of senpai (senior members) and kohai (junior members) is typically strictly observed in most clubs, especially in sport clubs.
Clubs in Anime? Haruhi Suzumiya (Paranormal Activities/”Literature” Club)? K-On!  (Popular Music)? Clannad (Drama)? Hikaru-no Go (Game of Go)? Ouran High School Host Club (Host Clubbing?)? Bamboo Blade (Kendo)? Code Geass (Student Government)? Slam Dunk (Basketball)? Prince of Tennis (Tennis)? Inuyasha (Japanese Archery)? Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai! (“Napping” Club)? Free (Swimming)
Social IssuesJapanese school life is not without issues.  Anime works have reflected realities of NEET, school phobia, bullying, hikikomori and dropouts.
NEETNEET stands for “Not in Education, Employment, or Training” and is a growing global issue. There is concern that young people are either not motivated or are having
difficulty finding or pursuing work, especially those involving professional careers and advanced degrees. It seems to be closely tied to the problem of “hikikomori”
and school phobia/refusal in Japan. Hikikomori is a psychosocial condition similar to agoraphobia in which one secludes themselves in their rooms or homes for extended
periods of time. You can see a character afflicted with both NEET and hikikomori in Welcome to the NHK!.  For more information, please read this U.K. article on NEET .
NEET/hikikomori/School phobia in anime? Eden of the East? Heaven’s Memo Pad? Welcome to the NHK!? Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day
Bullying in anime? Paranoia Agent? GTO (Great Teacher Onizuka)? Hana Yori Dango (Boys Over Flowers)

 

 

Ah! My GoddessA Peek into College Life in JapaneseWhile school is a common theme and setting in anime and manga, most scenes take place in K-12 schools; few popular pieces are set in college. Ah! My Goddess is a
seinen manga series and one of the popular works dealing with college life. We see a college campus, an old-style dorm, student work, traditional Japanese homes,
housekeeping, and dating customs. It also shows the traditional gender ideals of Japanese society, particularly the “perfect” mate as seen from the young man’s point
of view, typified by Belldandy.
The TitleThe title is sometimes translated to Oh! My Goddess since the author reportedly intended it to be a take on the English exclamation “oh my god!” Newer translations
turn it into “Ah!” to keep it closer to the Japanese pronunciation of the title.
Empty ClassroomsAs you watch Ah! My Goddess, you might notice how empty the classrooms are. College might be difficult to get into in Japan, but once you make it in, it is considered
smooth sailing for many. It’s common for students to skip classes. You’ll notice this in other series dealing with college as well.
Campus Life? Video of Campus Life at Tokyo University (Public Relation Video produced by Tokyo University) ? A music video created by an American high school student: Time of the Soji (cleaning at school) .  ? Daily Life of a Japanese College Student in Nagasaki.  Created by a Japanese student .? My dorm in Sapporo Japan – Minami Shinkawa
KokuhakuKokuhaku is an explicit confession of serious romantic interest. It is often considered required before dating. This practice is deeply woven into the mythology of
anime and manga; you will see it in many shows.
School ClubsKeiichi Morisato is part of the motor club at his school. As described earlier, seniority among the students is often strictly observed. Senpai (seniors) traditionally
have absolute power over kohai (juniors). You’ll note how juniors will refer to their upperclassmen by “-senpai” to show respect. Club activities and relationships
often take priority over academics.
Japanese HousekeepingMany Japanese prefer to hang-dry laundry outside on poles even if they own clothes dryers. On sunny days, futon mattresses are hung and beaten in the sun to remove
moisture and dust. In recent years, the housekeeping methods are in transition in response to media coverage of science behind them. Instead of using mops, many
Japanese choose to wipe clean floors with damp zokin cleaning cloths. Many households now use disposable mops, but many others still practice zokin cleaning.  As a
matter of fact, elementary school children are commonly expected to bring own zokin to school.
Other Anime/Manga with College Life
? Maison Ikkoku (Rumiko Takahashi, Big Comic Spirits, Shogakukan, 1980-1987)? The Tatami Galaxy (Dir. Masaaki Yuasa, Wr. Makoto Ueda, Madhouse, April 2010 – July 2010)? Nodame Cantabile (Tomoko Ninomiya, 2001-2009, Kodansha)? Honey and Clover (Chica Umiko, Shueisha, 2000-2006)? Moyashimon (Masayuki Ishikawa. Kodansha. 2004-2014)? Elfen Lied (Lynn Okamoto. 2002-2005. Dir. Mamoru Kanbe, Arms, 2004)? Umi ga Kikoeru (Ocean Waves. Dir. Tomomi Mochizuki, Studio Ghibli,1993)
Featured Artist? Name Kosuke Fujishima? DOB July 7, 1964? Place of Birth Tokyo? Occupation Manga artist, character designer, illustrator, game designer? Notable Work Ah! My Goddess, You Are Under Arrest! ? Hobbies Motorcycles, automobiles, bicycles and plastic models. Reportedly owns Ferrari 360, Caterham, Alpha Romeo 156, Lotus Eran S3.
Kosuke Fujishima is noted for his extensive research into the settings in his works. He is a man of detail. His love for cars and motorcycles is readily apparent in
You Are Under Arrest and Ah! My Goddess. His detailed portrayal of police life in You Are Under Arrest! later influenced the hit live-action series Bayside Shakedown.
He is responsible for the character designs of many games, including the ever-popular Sakura Wars for which he also designed the weapons.
Fujishima won the 33rd Kodansha Manga Award for Ah! My Goddess. His current manga series, Toppu GP began serialization in 2016, clearly showcasing Fujishima’s love of
motorcycles, automotives and racing.

Computer Literacy INF 103

 

Computer Literacy INF 103

 

Review your initial post from this week’s discussion activity on computer ethics. Use Microsoft PowerPoint to create a presentation based on your initial computer
ethics discussion and associated research. To view a brief ‘How To’ video for creating a PowerPoint file for this assignment, click on the video in your course shell:
Creating a PowerPoint (access this link through your online course)

Your presentation Should:

Identify the key points you want to highlight.
Contain a minimum of three slides in the body of the presentation.
Each slide in the body of the presentation should have no more than three bullet points.
Each slide must include animation.
Include graphics, audio, video or embedded links as needed to support and enhance your topics.
In addition:

Create a title slide that that includes a Title of PowerPoint, Students Name, Course Number & Title, Instructor’s Name, and Date, in that order.
Create a reference slide that identifies all sources used within the presentation (including graphics or other multimedia)
Format your references according to APA style as outline in the Ashford Writing Center (Links to an external site.)
Links to an external site.
, and use in-text citations where necessary throughout the body of your presentation.

 

 

Eugenics is a growing field of study that opens up the possibility of eliminating genetic diseases in the human population. Discuss the pros and cons of eugenics in Eugenics is a growing field of study that opens up the possibility of eliminating genetic diseases in the human population. Discuss the pros and cons of eugenics in  determining characteristics of offspring and thereby changing future populations./Argue for or against the use of sex determination, considering the larger picture of  the human population as a whole and the potential consequences of making such a choice. What factors should we include to make such a decision?

Eugenics is a growing field of study that opens up the possibility of eliminating genetic diseases in the human population. Discuss the pros and cons of eugenics in Eugenics is a growing field of study that opens up the possibility of eliminating genetic diseases in the human population. Discuss the pros and cons of eugenics in
determining characteristics of offspring and thereby changing future populations./Argue for or against the use of sex determination, considering the larger picture of
the human population as a whole and the potential consequences of making such a choice. What factors should we include to make such a decision?

 

ANSWER ONE OF THE TWO QUESTIONS AT THE END OF THE ESSAY FOR A POSSIBLE 10 POINTS EXTRA CREDIT
1. Eugenics is a growing field of study that opens up the possibility of eliminating genetic diseases in the human population. Discuss the pros and cons of eugenics
in determining characteristics of offspring and thereby changing future populations.
2. Argue for or against the use of sex determination, considering the larger picture of the human population as a whole and the potential consequences of making such a
choice. What factors should we include to make such a decision?

Psychology in Your Life, 2e ©W. W. Norton & Company1Chapter 2: The Role of Biology in PsychologyOn EthicsPrenatal Genetic TestingWith our rapidly increasing knowledge about the human genome, we are being presentedwith new questions: Is it ethical to use (or not use) genetic information, and to whatextent should it be used? Today, if you know that you are a carrier of certain geneticdiseases, you no longer need to risk passing your bad genes to your children. Currentreproductive technology allows you to use in vitro fertilization (IVF), where several eggsare fertilized by sperm in a petri dish—that is, outside the body. After 3 days, when theresulting embryos are at the eight-cell stage, a single cell is removed and the DNA isextracted. With an advanced procedure known as preimplantation genetic haplotyping(PGH), the DNA can be tested for thousands of genetic defects and the healthiestembryos can be selected for implantation in the mother’s uterus.As in a great deal of biomedical research, the methods used to treat disease are being cooptedby the healthy population for other uses, and perhaps nowhere else are the ethicalquestions so rife as in the field of human reproduction. Using reproductive technologiesto identify devastating genetic disease seems ethical and even laudable to many people,but the idea of using it to cater to personal preference is more debatable. One question iswhether it is ethical to allow prospective parents to choose their offspring’s sex. Thispractice has been going on since the 1970s, when amniocentesis (the analysis of amnioticfluid from the mother’s uterus) made it possible to determine the sex of a fetus at 16–18weeks of gestation. Amniocentesis originally was done for couples who were carriers ofsex-linked genetic diseases, but both it and the less invasive ultrasound (creation of atwo-dimensional image from vibrations in the uterus), developed in the 1980s,increasingly have been used for sex selection. Beginning in the 1990s, the sex of embryosused for IVF has been determined through genetic diagnosis, and many prospectiveparents choose the sex of the implanted embryos. More recently, Microsort, a private Psychology in Your Life, 2e ©W. W. Norton & Company2company, developed a sperm-sorting sex determination technology that boasts a 73percent success rate for males and a 90 percent success rate for females.Advocates of sex determination argue that choosing the sex of one’s child is a privatedecision that does not harm anyone. The most common objection to sex determination,however, is its discriminatory effect on women. In the few years that sex selectionmethods have been available, the male-to-female ratios in many countries have climbeddramatically. (The standard sex ratio is 105 baby boys born for every 100 baby girls, andany sex ratio over 106 is assumed to be evidence of sex control.) The CIA’s WorldFactbook’s figures for sex ratio at birth found skewed sex ratios in many countriesaround the world, for example, Kosovo (108), Georgia (108), San Marino (110), Grenada(111), Vietnam (111), Falkland Islands (111), Azerbaijan (111), Hong Kong (112), India(112), Armenia (113), China (115), Curacao (115), and Liechtenstein (126). In societieswith skewed male populations, each heterosexual male is less likely to find a mate, andthe fear is that the society in general is likely to be more aggressive and suffer highercrime and greater social unrest. The patterning of violent crime, however, shows nosimple association with sex ratio (Schacht, Rauch, & Mulder, 2014). While some studypopulations with higher adult male sex ratios have high violent crime, others do not.Counterintuitively, one study using United Nations, World Health Organization, andINTERPOL data found that violent crime rates are higher in countries where femalesmake up a higher proportion of the adult population (Barber, 2000, 2009). In fact, adultmale scarcity predicts greater youth assault rates, suggesting that adult men, especiallyfathers, play a vital role in adolescent development (Kruger, Aiyer, Caldwell, &Zimmerman, 2014).One theory suggests that crime rates are dependent on several factors and takes intoaccount the fact that not all male violence is mate competition and not all matecompetition is violent (Schacht et al., 2014). These factors include how males competefor resources (steal, fight, or work harder), female choice of attributes (when malespredominate, those who provide care are selected; see Kokko & Jennions, 2008), andbehavioral differences in male mating strategies. Some effects of differing sex ratios on Psychology in Your Life, 2e ©W. W. Norton & Company3mating strategies include the following: With surplus women, men find themselves indemand and behave more promiscuously and lend little parental support (Schmitt, 2005),and rates of teen pregnancy (Barber, 2001) and single parenthood (Barber, 2004) areincreased. On the other hand, when women are in short supply, female marriage rates arehigher (Lichter, McLaughlin, Kephart, & Landry, 1992) and men who do have a mate,tend to be more vigilant guarding them, which may increase rates of domestic violence(D’Alessio & Stolzenberg, 2010). Certain cultures’ strong preference for a particular sexhas led to personal choices that have, not just personal consequences, but also societywideeffects.Controlling the sex of one’s offspring is merely the beginning of what we may be able tocontrol. Genes for traits such as eye color, skin color, height, temperament, personality,athleticism, and intelligence will be identified. When germline therapy becomes available(that is, changing the early embryonic genes, which are incorporated into all cells of thebody and are passed on to future generations), scientists will be able to screen forparticular genes and eventually to alter them. Eliminating genetic diseases is one thing,but in the future, children could be the specific results of their parents’ desires: We maysoon be able to order up our children just as we do burgers at fast-food restaurants.Eugenics (the science of attempting to improve a group’s gene pool), whether it is in thehands of government or of individuals, raises a central question: By what standard arechoices being made? In the case of sex determination, personal decisions appear to bebased on cultural desires, religious beliefs, and so on. The consequences of suchdecisions are yet to be determined.ReferencesBarber, N. (2000). The sex ratio as a predictor of cross-national variation in violentcrime. Cross-Cultural Research, 34, 264–282.Barber, N. (2001). On the relationship between marital opportunity and teen pregnancy:The sex ratio question. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 32, 259–267.Psychology in Your Life, 2e ©W. W. Norton & Company4Barber, N. (2004). Reduced female marriage opportunity and history of single parenthood(England, Scotland, U.S.). Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 35, 648–651.Barber, N. (2009). Countries with fewer males have more violent crime: Marriagemarkets and mating aggression. Aggressive behavior, 35(1), 49–56.Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). 2013–2014. World Factbook. Retrieved fromhttps://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2018.html.D’Alessio, S. J., & Stolzenberg, L. (2010). The sex ration and male-on-female intimatepartner violence. Journal of Criminal Justice, 38, 555–561.Kokko, H., & Jennions, M. D. (2008). Parental investment, sexual selection and sexratios. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 21(4), 919–948.Kruger, D. J., Aiyer, S. M., Caldwell, C. H., & Zimmerman, M. A. (2014). Local scarcityof adult men predicts youth assault rates. Journal of Community Psychology, 42(1), 119–125.Lichter, Daniel T., McLaughlin, Diane K., Kephart, George, & Landry, David J. (1992).Race and the retreat from marriage: A shortage of marriageable men? AmericanSociological Review, 57, 781–799.Schacht, R., Rauch, K. L., & Mulder, M. B. (2014). Too many men: The violenceproblem? Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 29(4), 214–222.Schmitt, D. P. (2005). Sociosexuality from Argentina to Zimbabwe: A 48-nation study ofsex, culture, and strategies of human mating. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 28, 247–311.Psychology in Your Life, 2e ©W. W. Norton & Company5Ethics Discussion Questions1. Eugenics is a growing field of study that opens up the possibility of eliminatinggenetic diseases in the human population. Discuss the pros and cons of eugenicsin determining characteristics of offspring and thereby changing futurepopulations.Concepts to Consider• Genetic diseases (p. 68): Huntington’s disease is a genetic disorder that damagesthe nervous system and specific parts of the brain. It affects thoughts andbehavior.• Subjective opinions: People have unique perspectives on events and ideas. It ispossible that some people will find traits admirable while other will not share thesame opinion. Who gets to decide what traits are favorable?• Natural selection: Tampering with natural selection could impact our social andphysical environments. Altering specific genes could also negatively affect thegenome as a whole.2. Argue for or against the use of sex determination, considering the larger picture ofthe human population as a whole and the potential consequences of making such achoice. What factors should we include to make such a decision?Concepts to Consider• Cultural biases: Depending on the culture, it is possible that people favor maleoffspring over female offspring, which would skew the population. This couldlead to social imbalances, the consequences of which cannot fully be predicted.• Superiority: If people are willing to make choices about the sex of their offspring,then it is possible that they consider one sex as superior. Is this an issue orsomething inherent in humans?Psychology in Your Life, 2e ©W. W. Norton & Company6• Environmental impact: According to statistics, there should be approximately 50percent females and 50 percent males in the population. Skewing this ratio ineither way is problematic in several ways.