Reserch paper

For this assignment you must develop a topic, create a thesis relevant to the topic, conduct research to support/explore your thesis, and write a 6-8 page research paper. Remember, this is a research paper, which means you'll be employing an informational tone. If you're exploring a controversial topic, be sure to explore both sides and remain as objective as possible. Method: 1. First, you must choose a topic. There are links to various topic suggestions in the guidelines folder.Rely on brainstorming methods covered in class (freewriting, for example) to help you choose a topic. 2. Next, narrow your focus by developing a thesis question. For example, if your topic of choice was abortion, you could focus it by researching information about undifferentiated adult human cells, and how they are making stem-cell research unnecessary. Topic: Abortion Thesis: Will undifferentiated cells make stem-cell research obsolete, thus making scientifically condoned abortions obsolete? 3. Conduct res earch as discussed in class. 4.Begin your draft, providing the audience with a short history of the topic, the specific issue you plan to address (remember to remain objective and address all sides), and the details of your issue relative to your thesis focus. Paragraph-by- paragraph breakdown: Intro story (optional): some students start with a short, very short, story to draw the reader in before they start their thesis topic. For example, a student who wrote a paper about ethnic profiling starting his paper by talking about a man, Amadou Diallo, walking down the street who was pulled over by cops.The cops asked him for ID, he attempted to extract his wallet and they fired 40 rounds on him. In the next paragraph (the introductory paragraph), he began â€Å"Circumstances such as this indicate that ethnic profiling is a growing concern in our country. With the terrorist attacks of 2001, ethnic profiling is at an all time high. But is it acceptable? His thesis question: to what degre e do we allow ethnic profiling for the sake of safety in our country?Paragraph 1, the introductory paragraph: introduce topic, provide thesis question Paragraph 2(optional): methodology, i. . how did you acquire your sources? Paragraph 3-: history. If you're dealing with a current topic, how did the history of the topic develop? For example, if you were writing a paper about abortion, what has influenced the topic (court cases, religious beliefs, laws passed, etc. ) By using chronological transitions you could effectively break this section up into several paragraphs. Write no more than one page on the history of your topic.Paragraph 3 (optional): perhaps you're dealing with only late-term abortion, in addition to the istory of the subject, you might want to detail the process by which the late-term abortion is completed (this paragraph would be dedicated to process) Paragraph 4: Begin exploring one side of the issue. Present evidence. This section of the paper could include more th an one paragraph. You could dedicate a paragraph to each resource supporting one side ot the issue, tor example. No more than 1&1/2 pages for this section Paragraph 5: Begin exploring the other side of the issue.This section of the paper could include more than one paragraph. You could dedicate a paragraph to each resource supporting one side of the issue, for example. No more than 1&1/2 pages for this section Paragraph 6: Compare the data from both sides of the issue. Does any evidence from one side appear to outweigh evidence from the other side? If you're exploring a controversial issue, elaborate one which side seems more viable.

Economics and Dahlia Furniture Private Essay

On August 1984, Mr. Chua Boon Kang and Mr. Leong Sim Lam bought over Peter Lim’s forty six percent (46%) stake at Dahlia Furniture Private Limited. Although co-owners at one time, Mr. Chua and Mr. Leong have found Mr. Lim’s management of the company to be unsatisfactory. Some reorganization took place as most of the production workers who were doing subcontracting orders solely for Dahlia had resigned due to poor company performance in 1982. Dahlia also sold off seventy five thousand dollars ($75,000) worth of machinery used for mass producing furniture which was previously purchased by a former Managing Director, who has since left the company. Now at the helm, both are uncertain about the long term direction of the company. Meanwhile, they are both concerned over maintaining sales growth in a highly competitive industry. Dahlia Furniture made its entrance into the furniture industry in 1972 as subcontractors to two large furniture concerns, Ching Lin and Diethelm. It supplied mainly wall units and kitchen cabinets while bedrooms sets and dining sets were subcontracted out or obtained from local suppliers. Business went well and the company decided to branch into retailing. Between 1979 and 198, Dahlia acquired two factories At Ang Mo Kio and Upper Thomson at a cost of $400,000 and $300,000, respectively. The factory At Ang Mo Kio was rented out on a monthly basis to furniture makers who were also subcontractors to Dahlia. The company also acquired two or more showrooms in the Bukid Timah and Upper Thomson area in 1978 and 1982, respectively. I. TIME CONTEXT The Dahlia Furniture Private Limited Case (Case) was developed in 1985 by Mr. Ch’ng Hak Kee and Ms. Jeannie Teoh from the National University of Singapore. (Reference: Book) The case, as described is dated in the 1980’s in which Singapore’s economy was dependent on external markets and suppliers pushed. In the 1980s, Singapore was a free port with only a few revenue tariffs and a small set of protective tariffs. It had no foreign exchange controls or domestic price controls. There were no controls on private enterprise or investment, nor any limitations on profit remittance or repatriation of capital. Foreign corporations were welcome, foreign investment was solicited, and fully 70 percent of the investment in manufacturing was foreign. (mongabay.com) This shows that there is quite a contrast with regards to foreign policies as compared to the Philippines which has more stringent rules with regards to foreign investments considering that both countries are within the same region and are at the time regarded as developing nations. For the first two decades of its independence (1963, Britain and 1965 from Malaysia), Singapore enjoyed continuous high economic growth, largely outperforming the world economy. Its GDP growth rate never fell below 5 percent and rose as high as 15 percent. At the same time, Singapore managed to maintain an inflation rate below world averages. However, the 1985 international recession severely affected the economy as Singapore is dependent on foreign investments. However, due to better policy making, the country, on the same decade experienced a rise of the construction and manufacturing industries. By 1988, Singapore has rebounded. (wiki) II. VIEWPOINT As the more important decision makers for the company, Mr. Chua and Mr. Leong have to decide on the direction of the company where they want to be. Since the case does not directly supply a problem, it is presumed that the students are to make decisions based on the interpretation of the case. III. MAJOR POLICY STATEMENT The furniture business industry vision, the philosophy is built upon providing tailor-made business furniture solutions that exceeds our client’s unique needs and expectations whilst remaining cost competitive. IV. CURRENT BUSINESS POLICY V. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM VI. STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVE a. Long Term i. To develop strategies that will enhance and raise sales figures ii. To be highly competitive aginst both foreign and domestic competitors b. Short Term iii. To improve company’s position in the market iv. To exceed sales figure from the previous year VII. SWOT ANALYSIS STRENGTHS| WEAKNESSES| 1. Target Market is well defined 2. Multiple supply/inventory sources 3. Stable Management (as of 1984) 4. High quality Image 5. Highly profitable Branch (Orchard Area)| 1. Limited Market 2. Slow moving imported inventory 3. Primary Decision Makers are indirect Competitors 4. Low Profit Branches| OPPURTUNITIES| THREATS| 1. Re-exportation 2. New design trends 3. Improve profits from weaker branches 4. Open market for imported furniture| 1. Conflict on interests between the decision makers and the company 2. Loss of competent managers 3. Gradual changes in economic policies of the government 4. Loss of clients to competitors| VIII. ALTERNATIVE COURSES OF ACTION 1. Import all products and continue its high quality and fairly expensive image with middle and upper income family’s clientele. 2. Expand its production unit and contend with competitors through lowering of prices to reach a larger market, the mass. 3. To formulate a proportionate inventory acquisition with some products imported and some manufactured, to drive away competition and at the same time, maintain its present image, also to reach all brackets of prospective clientele. IX. ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES X. DECISION STATEMENT XI. IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAMS XII. PROPOSED BUSINESS POLICIES XIII. MANAGEMENT LESSONS LEARNED Dahlia Furniture Private Limited I. Problem : What way of acquiring inventories should Dahlia employ to maximize profit and improve the company’s position? II. Alternatives : A. Import all products and continue its high quality and fairly expensive image with middle and upper income family’s clientele. B. Expand its production unit and contend with competitors through lowering of prices to reach a larger market, the mass. C. To formulate a proportionate inventory acquisition with some products imported and some manufactured, to drive away competition and at the same time, maintain its present image, also to reach all brackets of prospective clientele. III. Advantages and Disadvantages * Advantages for Alternative A * Dahlia would be free from hiring more labor. * Will maintain its present image for quality and pricing. * No overhead costs. * Smaller units of products are needed to be sold because of its price * Problems about filling their showrooms are rapidly solved. Disadvantages for Alternative A * Would turn out costly if not sold two months or more. * Dahlia would be driven away by competitors because of erratic pricing. * It could not cater to the mass market. * It will be pinpointed by government for using foreign labor and might affect its credibility. * Advantages for Alternative B * Will not incur large cost, even inventory remain idle for quite some time. * The company can now afford to cater the mass market. * Can now drive the competition. * Will not violate government’s policy on foreign labor. Disadvantages for Alternative B * Will incur large overhead cost. * Company’s current image might be at stake. * Has to hire more labor that will boost costs. * Might incur losses if driven away by erratic pricing. * Advantages for Alternative C * Lower risk for the company. * Will neutralize all costs. * Will have a larger†¦ [continues]

Determinism Versus Free Will Essay

Freedom is an ideal that many people in privileged society take for granted on a daily basis. Just because some people find themselves at home in a country where social norms have evolved to allow a rational sense of individualism and free will within its borders does not concede that free will is a universal right. In fact, many other countries such as Syria struggle to bring their policies up to speed with more progressive democracies such as Spain or the Australia, and their populace suffers backlash from corrupt legal systems and government. However, one thing that these countries stand to learn from successful nations such as the United States is that populations with more personal freedom tend to be happier with their lives as a whole than those who feel limited and stagnant in their development. At the same time, as freedom is important in making any group of people happy, there must be limits placed on their actions to avoid moral misconduct; that is, the concept of personal responsibility is a crucial one to keeping society clean, and it is commonly accepted that accepting responsibility for one’s actions is a way to keep society tidy. However, the weighting of moral codes and ethics is a difficult thing to do with accuracy because of the varying nature of such an abstract concept. In â€Å"Alternate Possibilities and Moral Responsibility,† Harry Frankfurt describes a principle that states that â€Å"a person is morally responsible for what he has done only if he could have done otherwise. † Called the principle of alternative possibilities, this proposition purports that moral responsibility and choice go hand in hand; without one, the other can’t be just. As Frankfurt mentions in his writing, most people would take for granted this idea as a faultless constituent of the rationale behind lawmaking. However, Frankfurt conjectures a few obscure ways in which this principle could be contradicted. One example given was of a man named Jones who had decided to do something morally wrong, and when a second party was notified of his intent, Jones was forced to follow through with his actions. Here, Jones obviously would have been considered morally liable because whether or not the second individual had forced him to commit his crime of choice, he would have done so anyways. The logic stands to reason then, by the example given, that such a possibility does exist to make a similar situation happen. Whether by karma or by blackmail, myriad similar things could happen, and since moral fibre lies within the conscience and not in the physical realm, evil has been done as soon as one decides to act. At the same time, in this example, Frankfurt manages to give a proof that determinism and moral responsibility are compatible because, as he points out, it is possible to be responsible without the option to do otherwise. That is, in the case given, the threat of blackmail could have been so severe that Jones would have had no choice but to do what he had done. This would mean, then, that Frankfurt’s example would present a large hole in the way most people would see the intersection of free will and determinism; that is most would see it as incompatible, but by Frankfurt’s proof, they can sometimes run side by side practically parallel. While Frankfurt was quite perceptive to realize such a possible proof of compatibilism, this also presented a hole in his argument in that free will and determinism are not necessarily compatible because at the same time that one could be forced to do something without prior intent, if determinism were true, then the whole situation would have been predetermined, and if everything were predetermined then responsibility cannot exist as an option. Responsibility is defined as a state of having to deal with something, which in itself entails making certain decisions. However, despite the fact that determinism seems to dictate a timeline of events that completely eliminates the importance of making decisions, perhaps the brain’s ability to make decisions is a real one and decisions are, in cognitive terms, actually taking place. Determinism has merely caused one line of thought or line of decision making to necessarily end up coming true over the other. If determinism were true, then that would not entail that there is no such thing as a decision, it simply means that all our decisions would have been made beforehand. In that sense, the idea which Frankfurt presents is lent credence. If free will and determinism were indeed compatible, then every Christian, every latter-day saint, and every last-minute convert would be happy to know that they were much more likely to be granted a spot in heaven. According to the most popular scriptures, God is an all knowing, all powerful, and all good being, who granted the right of free will to all humans as an ultimate test to determine their destiny for better or worse. In this way, God is purported to be both liberal and deterministic; it only goes to follow that Frankfurt’s theory would be happily received by many religious believers. In some sort of real-world sequel to the book 1984, there would be signs all over the place proclaiming the existence of God based on some study created by Frankfurt’s constituents. Mass converts would line the streets of all the New York burroughs. Heaven would be a doorknock away. Though such an extreme scenario could only be conceivable in a novel, the image is clear. Sarcastic as it may be, such a magnitudinous occurrence in modern society could not be expected to occur based on some example with such abstract and intangible results. Perhaps in some warped space-time corollary the same would be seen in the science of philosophy. Perhaps a new theorem would be passed in its discourse, and textbooks with the same tired old vocabulary would be entirely rewritten to include Frankfurt’s new theorem. Though no one cares about philosophy as much as religion, still such a magnitudinous occurrence would be like an earthquake caused by everyone in the town of Athens jumping at the same time: difficult to conclude based on the lack of further evidence. Perhaps this pattern of occurrences is one of the holes in Frankfurt’s theorem. Well, not a hole in the sense that it disproves his logic, but a criticism nonetheless; it seems that his idea is too marginal to conclude something so physically contradictory as to say that just because a person could be forced to do something that he would otherwise not have done could prove determinism as right as the theory of relativity. Surely the scientific community would be all ears to Dr. Frankfurt’s dissertation as to why they should all wear underwear to work the next day: in a word, â€Å"who cares! † with determinism proved true, the scientists would probably feel a lot more relaxed for the next few weeks, however, when they tallied up all the evidence as to why they suddenly converted to Dr. Frankfurt’s new school of thought, they would have only one piece of evidence as to why: the mysterious case of Mr. Jones. Realizing that it was fate, they would rest their faces in their palms and wait for something else to happen. While Frankfurt’s logic is as technically true as is that of a Cartesian argument for the existence of reality all in one’s own imagination because of the lack of evidence to the contrary, perhaps the shoddy reputation of philosophical theories as being worth anything besides food for thought is nil. They are always careful with words, so as to traipse around the discerning and cold ears of the left-brained. There, they peacefully coexist with poets, artists, and other like minds. However, no matter the precision of their wording, it is always the popular decision to simply stay in the third dimension of thinking without bringing in any extraneous points of view that would go against common sense in an inherently immaterial way. â€Å"One nation, under god, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. † This famous verse marks the final few words of the American Pledge of Allegiance. Without prior knowledge of the country, one would probably be led to assume that Americans value freedom highly. In this case, they would most certainly be on to something. Freedom is a beautiful thing, yet it is powerful at the same time. Its power can be used for good or for evil, and that is why America (as well as every other model society) simply is not complete without a decent legal system. Obviously murder, rape, and theft are all violent crimes which must carry harsh penalties for those who commit them, and they all share one thing in common that no minor traffic violation does at heart: a morally wrong motive. Truly it would take a sick individual to commit any one of these things with intent to do so. So where does the idea of determinism in relation to the concept of free will fit into this picture? It is a tight fit in an ever-evolving jigsaw, but one of the obscure pieces nonetheless that must be considered to get the bigger picture. Laws are changing all the time, and morals have to remain at their core. When one remembers the addendum, â€Å"under god,† of the Pledge of Allegiance, it becomes ever clearer how determinism can fit into the moral scheme of the country as well. However, when it does in a legal sense, it goes against what is clearly stated in the constitution: America has secular laws unlike some other countries, and although some of the laws on the books are outdated and had better jurisdiction in a time when America is more religious, new laws as of late are much more secular. This adds to the point that determinism is becoming an increasingly abstract concept in society as times progress; that is, it has less place in law than it does in philosophical thought. Determinism is a concept that no proof, no theorem, and no scientific data will ever elucidate and validate before society. It would mark a monumental moment in the history of things, but if it were true, it would not matter very much what happened; all events thereafter would be destined to occur. For this reason and the reason of practicality, it is necessary to view determinism as an abstraction rather than reality. In such a dimension where determinism were held to be true, it would follow from assumption that free will would be merely an illusion. But why then, one would suppose, would humans have evolved to become such complex decision makers? If one believes in an omniscient and omnipotent God, then determinism’s validity seems much more promising, however for all other parties, it seems better left in the realm of abstraction. However, despite its realistic application, determinism remains as essential to philosophical abstraction as does the concept of good and evil. That is one reason it manages to justify itself in the vocabulary of philosophers worldwide — a broad vocabulary, indeed. Frankfurt happens to be like a Newton or Aristotle of his day and age, postulating truly genius and more importantly original ideas in such a relevant field as his own, A polite way to put it but an apt one as well. It is an inventive mind who decides to venture well beyond the blurred lines of the abstract and metaphysical in order to question an a priori truth so firmly believed to be accurate as the perpendicularity between determinism and free will; it is an inventive mind indeed. Works Cited Frankfurt, Harry. â€Å"Alternate Possibilities and Moral Responsibility. † N. p. : n. p. , n. d. N. pag. 620pixeltable. Web. 05 Dec. 2013.

Community Assessment of Somers Point, NJ Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Community Assessment of Somers Point, NJ - Essay Example While the United States Average age is as per the last time was 35. 3 in the last census, Somers Point City had a median age of 38.4. In terms of age distribution in the city, there were up to 8,899 people who were above the age of 18 year. This figure represented an estimated 76.6% of the city’s population. This percentage was slightly above the national average that stood at 74.3% (Census.gov, 2013). The percentage number of people of 65 years and above was 15.1%. Again, this was higher figure when compared to the national average of 12.4%. In terms of racial composition of the city, the last census had placed the whites at 78.8%, African Americans at 0.25% and Native Americans at 3.1%. Other races such as the Asians, Pacific Islander and other races were placed at 0.06%, 4.17% and 3.025 respectively. The statistics are expected to vary with each census conducted. Again one may be able to compare the population distribution statistics with the national averages which place A frican Americans at 12.3% and Hispanic population at 6% (Census.gov, 2013). A comparison with state population would reveal some little differences where New Jersey State was at 8,864,590 as at the year 2012. This figure was arrived at by factoring in the 0.8% state increase in population to the 2010 census. The racial makeup in the state of New Jersey was 68.8% whites, a figure lower by 10% when compared to Somers Point City. African Americans in the state were 13.7% in the state, Native Americans at 0.3% and Asians at 8.3%. Other races made up 6.4% while an unclassified group and illegal immigrants were 2.7% and 17.7% respectively (Census.gov, 2013). Education profile in the city reveals that there are 84.2% of high school graduates or higher. This translates to 6,812 people while the number of people with Bachelor degree or higher in Somers Point stand at 1,601. This figure translates to 19.8% of the population. This is below the national average, which as per the last census was 24.4%. However, one may observe that the City’s median house hold income of $42,222 is slightly above the national median household income which was $41,994. Another socio-economic issue worth noting is that the number of families living below the poverty line in Somers Point City was 147 or approximately 5% of the population (Census.gov, 2013). In terms of life expectancy, the state of New Jersey is 81.94. The national rate is 81.17. In Atlantic County, male life expectancy is 74.5. At the state level, male life expectancy is 77.80 and 76.20 at the national level. Female have the highest life expectancy with Atlantic County being at 79.9 while the state life expectancy is 82.20. Female life expectancy at the national level is 81.30. Currently, access to health is improving throughout the state. This is especially after the passing of regulations to make healthcare affordable. Even so, the exact statistics are not immediately available. Even so, one would easily observe that the 5% that constitutes those living below the poverty lines as well as the illegal immigrants constitute the group that is hardest hit in terms of being able to afford health care (World Life Expectancy, 2011). 2. With the community as partner, identify five strengths and five weaknesses of the community The community in Somers Point boasts of the following

HRM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

HRM - Essay Example Strategy and HR In the case of introducing UniCall, Unibank was headed towards the right direction strategically. New entrants under established brands with innovative service are already in the market bringing with them the convenience of banking. If Unibank will not introduce Unicall, it will eventually fade into obsolescence that will undermine the bank’s existence. In short, Unicall was a business imperative to keep the business relevant in the market. What the HR was lacking is preparation for change or Change Management when it restructured itself in introducing Unicall. Change management Change is inevitable especially in a business setting. Factors like the external and internal environment precipitates the need for change and the organization has to respond to remain viable and competitive as a business entity. According to Murthy in his book Change Management, change is â€Å"to make or become different, give or begin to have a different form, dissatisfaction with o ld and belief in the new† (2007: 7). There are two factors that bring about change, the external and internal environment. ... But implementing and managing change is not easy. In the case of Unicall just like in any other oganisation, people who are accustomed to their old ways are often hesitant to change. In fact, the biggest obstacle is change is often the internal factor that comprises 81 % of the time compared to the external factors that is only 19% of the time (Murthy, 2007: 19). The labour union and employees may have resented the closing of many small local branches but the biggest impact of this change was in the performance of Unicall employees which was beset by many problems due to the new work arrangement that the spin off has brought. Such, people are a major focus in implementing change management which Unibank should have prepared before fully introducing Unicall. People are the major focus of organizational change because â€Å"it is the people who will ultimately cause the change to be a success or a failure. The implications of change on individuals are important without which we can ne ver really hope to manage large scale change effectively† (Murthy, 2007: 23). Resourcing (HR planning; recruitment; selection and flexibility) Unibank did the right thing in HR planning when it attempted to redeploy existing employees when possible, but also needed to recruit new staff to work in the national call centre. It was also mindful of the relatively high unemployment rates in the West Midlands that UniBank decided to locate UniCall just outside Birmingham. Unibank was conscious enough to realize that employees will be dislocated with the closure of many small local branches that it attempted to redeploy them to avoid economic dislocation among its

Nonverbal Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nonverbal Communication - Essay Example Nonverbal communication is used because it offers a number of advantages which the verbal communication does not. Nonverbal communication provides an individual with more safety and freedom of expression in quite a lot of places. Individuals’ moods and body language are the primary controllers of interaction among them. One sentence can be perceived in several different ways depending upon the way it has been said. Hence, nonverbal communication often directs the verbal communication and plays a very important role in the development of understanding among the interacting people. There are a lot of differences between the way nonverbal communication is used by men and women. This paper explores the subject of nonverbal communication from different aspects and identifies the differences between the non-textual nonverbal communication of men and women. Nonverbal communication, as the name implies, is a communication that is anything but verbal. â€Å"[N]onverbal communication i nvolves those nonverbal stimuli in a communication setting that are generated by both the source [speaker] and his or her use of the environment and that have potential message value for the source or receiver [listener]† (â€Å"Non-Verbal Communication†). In the simplest words, it is unspoken communication (Butler). This means that nonverbal communication is inclusive of text messages, emails, and other more complication and indirect ways of communication like the one through body language. Nonverbal communication through text often takes place when the communication people can not see one another face-to-face. However, in order to communicate through the body language or gestures, it is imperative that the communicating people can see one another. Technology is the most essential prerequisite of doing the nonverbal communication through text. Exchanging text messages, writing and reading emails, and chatting require mobile phones and/or computers with Internet connect ion to take place. The most fundamental element that makes the nonverbal communication different, and in a way, superior to the verbal communication is the fact that nonverbal communication broadcasts an individual’s true intentions and feelings to others and allows the individual an insight into the other person’s heart (â€Å"Improving your nonverbal†). There is a lot of disparity in the nonverbal communication of men and women specially on grounds of nonverbal immediacy or attitudes which cause the people to be close psychosocially. Attitudes included in the nonverbal immediacy include but are not limited to eye contact, gesturing, close proximity, smiling, vocal inflections, orientation of the body as well as touching during communication. Women rely on the nonverbal communication more than men do. One reason for this is the fact that men are braver and hence, more straight forward as compared to the women. In other words, men make use of metaphors in places where women feel more comfortable with using the similes. Men say whatever they feel on the face while women generally adopt more indirect ways of expressing their emotions, which is complicated not only for them, but also equally complicated for the listener to comprehend. Men’s ways to communicate non-verbally are more through deeds than gestures which women make use of to communicate non-verbally. This is particularly evident in the times of conflict. For example, a man may make use of his power or relations to get an individual unemployed just to tell him/her that he/she has made a big mistake by messing with a man of such huge power and significance in the society. On the other hand, a woman who is agitated to the same level as this man may just refuse to interact with the offender in an attempt to convey the message that she did

Neal v. Alabama ByProducts Corporation, No.8282, 1990 Del. Ch. Lexis Article

Neal v. Alabama ByProducts Corporation, No.8282, 1990 Del. Ch. Lexis 127 (1990) Court of Chancery of Delaware - Article Example The court held that the Delaware appraisal law's comparable company analysis framework required a discounted cash flow analysis that incorporated the risk factors underlying the corporation's financial structure. As an initial matter, the court stated that the correct valuation method under Delaware law was a discounted future cash flow analysis; the more troubling issues pertained to an analysis of the assumptions regarding the inputs into the discounted future cash flow analysis. The court, consequently, engaged in a detailed analysis of these input assumptions, identifying them as "four principal areas of disagreementthe value of ABC's coal reserves, the value of ABC's investment in the VP-5 mine in Virginia, the amount of ABC's excess working capital and, finally, the EME report on the purported environmental liability at ABC's Tarrant coke plant" (28). The court's first decision was to reduce the corporation's asset value determinations to a net present value. It then changed some of input assumptions and held that the corporate assets ought to have been presented with higher asset values. Both parties stipulated to the use of a capital pricing method in order to select a discount rate; the court, however, ordered that risk factors be explicitly incorporated into this valuation model.

Broadcasting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Broadcasting - Essay Example Do they view the audience as a mere mass of individuals anonymous to other people or they treat them as having some common interests and overlapping relationships Do they treat them as mere spectators who go home after the show or potential long term clients who can bring in benefits such as profits By knowing which of these holds true can we know what and how we broadcast. The Encyclopedia Britannica (Online) defines broadcasting as the electronic transmission of radio and television signals that are intended for general public reception, as distinguished from private signals that are directed to specific receivers. In its most common form, broadcasting may be described as the systematic dissemination of entertainment, information, educational programming, and other features for simultaneous viewing. Without doubt, we are broadcasting because we are trying to capture attention of the general public, the mass media or what we would call the audience Understanding them is imperative because they are the very reason why we are broadcasting. We want them to watch, hear, talk, buy from us and even feel us. We broadcast because we want them to listen to whatever we are saying whether we are reporting, selling, acting or chatting with other people like those in talk shows. However, the way we want to gain their attention still depends on the way we view them. The term audience used to denote a congregation of people gathered in a certain space listening or viewing someone. In the days of the Romans and the Greeks, they were those who were watching and applauding orators and actors. They were those who watched the theatrical plays of Shakespeare and musical performances of Beethoven. The audience was simply regarded as people coming together a certain show. Today, there are different ways of viewing audiences and the two most prominent views are that of the audience as a 'market' and as a 'public/group'. The Audience as a Market In the view of audience as a market, the individuals composing the audience are considered as consumers. As such, we broadcast because we are trying to sell a product or service to the audience. In this type of view, effective communication as well as quality of audience experience takes the backstage. The priority is that people will be enticed to buy whatever we are selling. We are concerned with people who can buy the product and as such, we address them in a way that will appeal to their socioeconomic criteria. We are not concerned whether it is inappropriate to those in the lower echelons of society so long as it persuades those in the higher ups to prefer us. In this view, we then concern ourselves whether what we broadcast could capture the imagination of the people we are trying to persuade. We heighten the hype and creativity. We resort to gimmicks and other activities that may sometimes be unusual but is a sure attention grabber. This is actually a commonplace practice especially in corporate media where shows are filled with gimmicks design to keep the audience glued on the television so that ratings are high. The Audience as a Public/Group There exists an atomistic view of the audience- one which considers people as being too different from others and having large social distance to the broadcaster. The result of this view was a depersonalized way of broadcasting. Broadcasters

National Business Cultures Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

National Business Cultures - Research Paper Example During causal activities the women prefer to display modest dress. The appearances of the youth are both neat and clean. The youth find it unethical to touch another person's shoulders. Winking is taboo in any situation. It is also unethical to touch a child's head because children are held in high respect in Taiwan. Another characteristic of the Taiwan culture is that the feet should not be used for pointing because it is classified as dirty. HOFSTEDE- Finland, According to Hofstede, the Hofstede scores of Finland shows that It is low Powered, above average uncertainty avoidance, average masculinity and very low long term orientation2. Power distance measures how well the low power cultures like Finland feel and act when they fact high power cultures. The Hofstede analysis shows that the low power cultures easily accept the high powered cultures. The less powerful members of a culture can easily accept the unequal distribution of power. The Arabic-speaking nations, Latin America, Russia, and nearly all of Asia (especially India and China) are high in power distance. Most of Europe, Canada, Australia and Israel are low in power distance. Japan and Mediterranean-Europe fall in the middle range. In a culture of high power distance, it's okay for a department head to display his authority because most superiors rarely give their subordinates important work And if anything goes wrong, the subordi... And if anything goes wrong, the subordinates are usually blamed for not doing their proper job/role by the supervisors. In this culture, managers rarely interact or socialize with workers and the school teachers are treated with respect. The local politicians feel comfortable with totalitarianism. In this society, class distinction is emphasized. class distinctions are emphasized. Low power distance culture. This unique culture is described as the supervisors expected to treat employees respectfully. This culture is characterized by a few selected subordinates doing important work. There is a strong opportunity to get promoted quickly. However, if something ever unintentionally goes wrong, the department head is usually blamed for having unrealistic expectations or being too strict managers socialize and interact with workers. Also, the teachers are simply regarded as employees and parents are identified as merely people. Uncertainty avoidance. Uncertainty avoidance measures a nation's preference for strict laws and regulations over ambiguity and risk. According the Hofstede's research, Greece is the most risk-averse culture, and Singapore the least. The Protestant, Buddhist, and Hindu cultures rank relatively low; Catholic and Islamic countries tend to score high in uncertainty avoidance. Likewise, high uncertainty avoidance cultures tend to have a less efficient infrastructure than low uncertainty avoidance cultures. Hofstede Analysis will again help the foreign based national in decision making processes because different cultures react differently in the same situation. BODY II. Recent environmental influences (important PEST factors) in the 2 countries.TAIWAN Political. A. According to

The Presence of Homosexual Characters Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Presence of Homosexual Characters - Essay Example Similar sitcoms, such as Brothers and Sisters followed in the wake of the success of Will and Grace. Today, there is a liberal offering of sitcoms that feature gays in lead roles, have gay themes, or present gay minor characters. Because of the number of shows available, the portrayal of the gay lifestyle reflects the diversity we might see in real life. There are lesbians that would defy recognition if we met them on the street, and there are outrageous gay men whose sexual preference can be detected from across a parking lot. While mainstream America is sometimes shocked by the outrageous portrayals of some of these characters, they have benefited the viewers by exposing them to a valid world of authentic diversity and reduced discrimination against gays. The portrayal of homosexual characters on television is positive because it gradually makes people accept homosexuality. Prior to mid 1990s, homosexuals were rarely accepted in the society, and kept as a 'dirty little secret'. Homosexuality at that time was considered deviant behavior and not as an acceptable norm. America was uncomfortable with gays and uncomfortable with itself. ... During this period, the media had been passively introducing gay characters and homosexual themes to the television viewers. The trend started during the 1970s in an ABC sitcom called Soap with a gay character named Billy Crystal. Twenty years later, in 1996, people were becoming more accepting of homosexuality and seeing their characters on television. Though there were many sitcoms that had supporting characters who were homosexuals, NBC's 1998 sitcom, Will and Grace had successfully included a main character who is homosexual in a show that had homosexuality as a main theme. Homosexuality had been gradually introduced over a period of 3 decades, and the public was ready for the character, Will. He was a conservative, well mannered male that did not stereotype the homosexual lifestyle. NBC was able to pull the audience a little farther into the gay world by introducing Will's friend Jack, who was more outgoing and substantially more physically demonstrative. Jack was able to exhibi t mannerisms and say lines that the public was not yet ready to see in a lead role. However, this highly successful sitcom was instrumental in introducing a gay couple in a gay setting on a regular basis. The viewers benefited from the gradual exposure to homosexuality as a realistic, alternative lifestyle. Homosexuality has become less monstrous to the cultural mainstream and instead has become a cultural curiosity. As a result, homosexuals can be open about themselves to society and as well as feel normal about themselves. The increasing acceptance of homosexuals in the television sitcom has helped to dispel 'gay panic', an unwarranted and exaggerated fear of homosexuality. Gay panic has been the cause of violence towards gays, as well as a legal defense for assaults on gays. The

Comparing the movie with the book(The Elegance of the Hedgehog) Essay

Comparing the movie with the book(The Elegance of the Hedgehog) - Essay Example The wide appreciation of the movie affirms that the novel has been well presented in audio form and the director has used brilliant skills and techniques to present the cinematic version of the novel. The movie revolves around the tale of an intelligent girl with some distinct type of emotions and attitude. She used the camera of his father to record the personal moments of the family members in order to show the reason their different types of attitudes. She planned to end her life on her sixteenth birthday by using sleeping pills of her mother. The parents of the girl were busy enough in their own life and engagements that they rarely have quality time to spend with their children. The lack of parent attention instigate some different types of feelings in the girls and rather living a normal life as other girls of her age, she used to become a spy at her own home and recording different moments of the lives of people of her home. Her life took a turn when she began to look inside the life of her building’s concierge who was experiencing pleasant change in her life after the entry of a person. The main idea and theme of the movie has been taken from an international best seller book. The book was appraised by the literary experts due to the intelligent dealing of the intricate subject and the same kind of reception was given to the movie because the director has used complete potential and cinematic proficiency to produce same level of work as was presented in the book form. It is widely believed that the movie has done justification with the book because the main ideas of the book are not ruined in the movie; in fact, they are well presented and well explained with the support of proficient acting and direction. It is not always easy to make a movie from a book or novel because when people have already read the story

Early Intervention in the First Grade Essay Example for Free

Early Intervention in the First Grade Essay The purpose of the paper is to look at early intervention in the first grade. The paper will discuss what early intervention at first grade is all about with close scrutiny of the various methods that are used in early intervention at schools and the effect of the intervention. It also shade light on the use and value of early intervention at first grade with respect to students performance later in the education. The introductory part of the paper will give an explanation about early intervention at first grade, whom it affects and the parties involved. The statement of the problem will illustrate the nature of the research proposal in terms of stating exactly what the problem is. It will also explain why early intervention at first grade is a problem of research and whether or not it is researchable. The literature review section will elaborate the context of the problem while discussing the related issues that readers are most likely to raise, their differing views, methodology and results. The objectives of the research will also be looked at in detail. These will stipulate the various aims or goals that the research needs to address and will be followed by the hypothesis section that will try to answer the stipulated objectives of the research proposal. The research methodology will then be followed by the expected outcomes or results, the discussion of the results and the paper in general. Introduction. Early intervention in the first grade is a situation where children are subjected to or put in a schedule that allows them to have the relevant exposure and experience in the process of acquainting themselves with school before they get to the real school life environment. Children between the age of three and the age at which they are expected to join the beginners level are the ones targeted by the various institutions and organization offering such programs (Deese Ellen 2003). There is need to implement such programs as they help the children is preparation and anticipation of what they expect the moment they begin their first grade programs. Interventions at early age are necessary in that they help in situations where the childrens right have been violated and more so where some children have been denied the go ahead of joining the first grade programs on different accounts. In Pennsylvania for instance, there is an Act which legitimatizes children who are between three years and the age of joining the beginners program to have access to early intervention programs. Several procedures have been established by different circulars on the way forward to achieving the set objectives of the early intervention programs. Statement of the problem. It is evident that there is a problem concerning early intervention in the first grade. The issue here is to address the problems that come along with early intervention procedures and programs. This has been a problem in that several children are locked out of the programs simply because they are thought to be underage (Lakein, 2004). Some have been denied the opportunity of getting to first grade at a certain age. The problem can actually be researchable as it touches on every persons life be it the childs or the parents life. If researched properly, the findings and recommendations will be tabled and put into effect by the relevant authorities. Literature Review. Early Intervention. In the year nineteen ninety, an Act was established in Pennsylvania concerning early intervention and its transition. The circular had the sole purpose of clarifying the procedure to be followed during the transition process of childrens education. It focused on the procedures required by the authorities in the transition process from early intervention programs that are preschool in nature to the first grade and the kindergartens. The transition was required to be in such a way that it did not interrupt the school going program and that all children will be eligible for the program especially those who were not provided with the procedures for transition. It also guarded against instances of childrens rights being violated by certain people and institutions of learning (Deese Ellen 2003). The smooth transition of the children to the district programs from early intervention was also the objective of the Act. This was to be done not only by the schools but also the parents choices were to be taken care of by the circular. In February, a body was appointed and vested with the mandate of one, identifying all the children who were almost the age of kindergarten in their residential districts, making parents aware that those children who were about the age of joining kindergarten that their children would be required to continue with early intervention for a period of another year, creating awareness to the many families about the process of transition, holding meetings to discuss the process of transition and also confirming whether or not parents were ready to register their children in the residential districts or that of the school that the children would join the following year (Lakein, 2004). The other role of the circular on Basic Education was to make sure that schools did evaluations and came up with education programs that were individualized and that they adhered to the laid down timelines (Lakein, 2004). It also ensured that children who had left their schools for other schools continued to be offered services by their former schools as they wait for the appeals and court hearings in case their parent disagreed with the individualized programs in the district schools. Such circulars were important in that they helped children in achieving the education in a manner that is properly structured in terms of education programs and curricula. Parents also had the chance of having their views and opinion heard in matters concerning their childrens education lifestyle and process. Reasons for Early Intervention. Research has shown that learning in schools and in general life, is more rapid in the preschool years. Intervention at this stage is extremely necessary as the child needs to start developing his/her education early enough. It care is not taken in terms of teaching the child at this early stage, it might be difficult for the child to get a particular skill or phenomenon at the later stage in life (Lakein, 2004). These early intervention procedures and measures have an impact on the parents and the children as well. A child who is considered ans being an exceptional case may cause the family to feel isolated socially, disappointed, stressful, frustrated and even feel helpless. This combination of negative attributes may affect the well being of the family and to some extend affect the development of the child in question. Some families find themselves in situations of divorce and even suicidal situations in cases where their children are either handicapped or physically challenged. This creates a stigma in the minds of other people and create a negative impression to the concerned families (Lakein, 2004). Interventions at early stages will result to improved attitudes by the parents towards their children and towards themselves. Parents are also likely to improve and increase on their childrens information and skills in terms of devoting more time to leisure activities and teaching schedules for them. Parents who believe that their children have a brighter future in terms of education, need such early interventions so that they can provide good learning environment for their children and also offer the necessary support required by their children. The other reason for early intervention is that through it, a society or community for that matter will be in a position to reap benefits that are maximum. The increased educational benefits and development of the child and the reduction in the over dependence of the child on the educational institutions together with the ability of the childs family to be in terms with them despite their exceptional nature coupled with the increased chances of the child to employment, are factors issues that offer social and economic benefits. Beneficiaries of Early Intervention. Beneficiaries of this program include children who are attending school or even younger children who are thought to be at risk of lacking education or at risk of being handicapped including any other need considered as special and would affect the development of the child. Families of children who are affected also benefit from early intervention as they help to lessen the effect of the condition. The other beneficiaries of the program are the teachers in the various institutions. Teachers stand to benefit a great deal in that they come across children who are already molded and are ready for their next level of education. Such programs could be based at home, based in hospitals, based at centers, even be a combination of all of them (Berruetta, 2005). The program also benefits those who are in their tender ages, that is, from birth to their school going ages. Inasmuch as this is true, there are so many reasons as to why the program should begin at the earliest age possible. Research has shown that there is qualitative and quantitative evidence that intervention at the early ages increases the childs development and also boosts the childs educational gains. It is also evident that early intervention helps in improving the familys functionality and harvest long-time gains and benefits for the society at large. The results of early intervention to the child include; the child needing less education that is special and also other services for rehabilitation in terms of education and social well being later on in life (Pauk, 2007). Early intervention has also shown that students are less likely to be retained in their grades for along period of time. The children get promoted at the required stage and time and do not waste a lot of time in their grades. Outcomes of previous researches. According to Berrueta (2005), research was carried out in Perry Preschool on physically challenged children. The research showed that the children were consistent in their performance at the age of 19. The students had a positive attitude to schooling and most of them completed their high school education and went ahead to join institutions of higher learning to pursue their careers. This landed them employment compared to other children who did not have the chance and opportunity to attend preschool programs. Previous research outcomes have also shown that handicapped and disabled children scored higher marks when it came to arithmetic, languages and reading tests. The early interventions led to a reduction to up to fifty percent in the quest for education services that are specialized. It also led to less and less antisocial behaviors within and outside the schools compared to other students who did not attend the program. It is through the research that is came out clear that cases of under-achievement in children who are gifted and talented may be curbed and taken care of by early intervention and identification through appropriate methods and programs (Pauk, 2007). The approach to early Intervention. The approach to early intervention has been captured in different fields such as education, health, psychology, neuroscience as well as criminology. The approach is based on the need of improving and promoting community and family relationships and experiences during their childrens childhood periods. Childrens development during the first years of their lives is crucial in the laying down of a foundation of learning, health and behavior outcomes. This postulation is the foundation on which the importance of intervention at the early stages and prevention at early ages stands (Berruetta, 2005). The most important and effective intervention approaches will always tend to deal with the childs problems earlier on in life and prevent the problems before they are embedded in the child. Early intervention could tackle and prevent ills that are social to the community such as illiteracy, unemployment and crime which are assumed to have been caused by lack of early intervention at the childs early age. Such approaches could be carried out at any level sch as at the family level, individual level and the community level as the effects and results are all bu the same. Service such as training parents on the various skills of dealing with the child, visiting pregnant mothers and also those with new born babies, education concerning family relationships, counseling services of the family, supporting families with young and tender children among others should be provided at all times through early intervention. Research Questions. The research proposal is aimed at establishing the benefits of early interventions in the first grade. The benefits will be looked at in terms of whom they benefits, how they benefit and the outcome of the benefits. There will also be the question of how early interventions have helped children desist from social evils in their later lives. This will be justified by previously conducted researches on the same. The paper will lastly address the question of the impact of early interventions on the society and the community at large. Statement Hypothesis. This section will try to answer the objectives of the research paper. There are obvious benefits that can be attributed to early interventions to both the children parents and the community in general. Early interventions have helped children shape their lives in terms of behavior, education and social aspects. Research methodology. The research will be made possible by the aid of research methods that will be deemed useful. The research shall deploy both the qualitative and quantitative methods of data analysis as there will be need to analyze both numbers, figures as well as statements. Data collection methods and techniques will involve the use of primary and secondary data. Primary data will be collected by use of questionnaires and interviews. Secondary data will be collected from journals, books and other scholarly materials that will be deemed fit for the research. Participants in the research will include children in the kindergartens, teachers of various schools that offer the early intervention program, the government officials who are in charge of the educational programs and other relevant authorities. The research shall use instruments and materials such as questionnaires, tape recorders, tape translators among others. Tape recorders are reliable tools for data collection as they can keep information for long and can be used in case there is clarification in future. The design of the study. The study was designed in such a way that it involved all the relevant parties. Children were conducted through interviews which were recorded using tape recorders. This methods was deemed relevant to the children as they were free to give information as a result of enjoying being taped and heard afterwards from the tape recorders. The first phase of the data collection will take about three weeks to five weeks after which the in information will be gathered, compiled and analyzed. The questionnaires will be used on teachers and government officials who will be given one month to fill them and thereafter they will be collected for compilation and analysis. The next step will be data compilation and analysis which will take about one month and an extension another two weeks just in case the process takes a lot of time than expected. Data interpretation will then take two weeks as it is not a demanding exercise as compared to data analysis. Data collection methods. Questionnaires and Interviews. Questionnaires will be used because of the many advantages they have over other methods of data collection. They are easy to understand and interpret because the language used is simple and easy to read. They also have an advantage in that they allow the respondent to give views and opinions without the fear of either being heard or looked at by the interviewer. The main disadvantage with the questionnaires is that they bound to give the impression that the interview is not serious and that the questions can be answered in any way as the respondent feels fit. This method will be used because it is appropriate for children and other government officials who might not be willing and comfortable to use questionnaires. The main disadvantage is that interviews might instill a sense of fear and panic among children and other respondents for fear of being victimized there and then by the interviewer. Conclusion/Discussion. It is evident from the literature review that early intervention in the first grade is important for child development and the community as well. Many children who go through the program of early intervention are found to be sharp in their academics, alert, focused and even end up maintaining their academic standards in their later education levels (Berruetta, 2005). Early intervention helps to shape the future of many children as they are made to understand and molded into better students at a very early age of their lives. The research will therefore be expected to make known the importance of early intervention in schools and other places as well. The outcome of the research will also be expected to make more and more schools and institutions embrace the need for early intervention and put up facilities to support the programs (Pauk, 2007). References. Berruetta, C. (2005). Early Intervention in schools. New York: McGraw Hill Deese, J. Ellen, K. (2003). The importance of Early Intervention. Washington: Sage Publishers. Lakein, A. (2004). Early Intervention Programs and their effects to children. New York: Peter H. Wyden, Inc. Pauk, W. (2007). Interventions at Chilhood: An Analysis of what it means. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.

Examining different types of budgets and their uses

Examining different types of budgets and their uses Budgeting operations are very important for any kind of an organization, that is involved in making profits or not. This is the case because all forms of organizations have a number of resources, both material and human, which have to be managed in order to promote and effective realization of goals and objectives. As well, all organizations shall have a number of obligations and missions that have to be realized within stated time durations, and hence budgeting acts as one of the major tools that can be greatly applicable towards realization of goals and objectives. This paper shall hence give the major findings on the budgetary framework, usage and benefits of the 8 types of budgets. Introduction Definitively, a budget refers to forecast of companys incomes and expenses anticipated for a given period of time. With a budget, an organization is able to analyze how much money they are making and spending, and they are able to figure the best way to channel it among various categories and departments. Budgeting depicts the entire process of analyzing and planning using a budget. Since budgets are vital tools for management and planning, the process of budgeting generally affects all types of organizations regardless of their size and composition. Many organizations participate in budgeting process with the view of determining the most cost effective and efficient strategies of making profits and intensifying its capital and asset base. In management, budgeting guides an organization to use its scarce resources in a way that exploits the existing business opportunities well. Good budgeting concepts integrate efficient business judgment and help the management to make decisions reg arding the overall performance of the company. In budgeting, an organization typically develop long-term and short-term plans that assist in implementation of its policies and even though its expensive and time consuming, it increases awareness of costs and coordination of activities channeled towards achievement of company goals and objectives. In any organization, an effective budget always explains the projected route a company would follow in achieving its objectives and goals, and it summarizes the forecasted result of production and marketing efforts, and acts as a benchmark in which the management compares its performance against the actual outcomes. The major functions of budgeting include planning and control. Planning activities convey the views and plans of a company in scientific terms and the eventual planning on its part creates the framework for control, which an organization uses to delegate duties and standardizes procedures (Banham, 2000). Budgeting process is chronological in nature, and consists of many budgets that are roughly classified according to methods and techniques of an organization in generating and spending its money. Different budgets are used for different applications. Some of these mentioned budgets deal with income coming from dividends, sales and interest. Consequently, other budgets give details of sources of expenditures like labor, selling costs, purchases, and factory costs. Some unique types of budgets are chiefly concerned with investments and forecast for company productivity and performance. These budgets are classified according to their usage and include ,Sales budget, Production budget, Direct materials usage budget, Direct materials purchase budget, Direct labor budget, Factory overhead budget, Selling and administration budget and Cash budget (Colin, 2005). Types of budgets Sales budget In any organization, its the sales department that has the overall responsibility of preparing the sales forecast. Sales forecast is a requirement in devising sales budget on which an organization can schedule its production. Sales budget refers to a comprehensive schedule that shows the anticipated sales for a given period of time. The plan for this given period is usually expressed in terms of volume of total sales and selling prices of each class of goods or services. An accurate sales budget is an important element in budgeting as it contributes to the overall organization budgeting process. If sloppily done and formulated, the rest of the budgeting process becomes a waste (Adams, et al., 2008). The sales budget is also referred to as revenue budget since its a preliminary step in preparation of master budget. In an organization, sales budget assist the management to determine the amount of units to be produced thus the production budget is formulated after the sales budget, whic h in turn is used to determine budgets for production costs that include direct materials , production overhead costs and direct labor budget. In essence, the sales budget is very critical in that it elicits a chain of reaction that often leads to growth and development of other types of budgets. The sales budget consists of sales that are expressed in terms of number of units and the amount of revenue including all expenses that support sales, advertising and the cost of distribution of goods sold. Sales budget also consist of forecast of distribution of expenditure for goods sold (Banham, 2000) When developing a sales budget, the following calculations are formulated; the sales budget is erected by multiplying the budgeted sales in units by the selling price. Budgeted Sales = [Budgeted Unit Sales] [Budgeted Sales Prices] For the management, sales budget is often the preliminary step in preparation of the master budget. All other components in the master budget do depend on it in some way. Production budget Its mostly prepared with data from sales budget. Companies that are product oriented usually create production budget that tends to estimate the number of units that ought to be produced in order to meet the sales goals and objectives. The other function of production budget is that it estimates different types of costs involved in production or manufacturing of the said units, inclusive of material and labor costs (Colin, 2005).Any typical organization spends huge amount of money in production than in any other type of expense. For this reason, its vital to create production budget that include all production expenditures so as to estimate the future working capital and future effects on inventory and levels. Production budget is an all-inclusive plan that considers all manufacturing works to be done within the period including the amount expenditures to be incurred on these projects. When creating production budget, it requires individuals involved to be accurate with detailed prod uction estimates .This kind of estimates are typically prepared in combination with the title budgets, which must be finished prior to contracting of other project (Horace, et al., 2007). Before production budget is prepared, the management should always review the production period of budget. The major function of production budget is that it calculates approximately different costs involved in production or manufacturing of products including the cost of materials and labor. When calculating the total production needs, an organization adds anticipated sales to ending inventory and deducts the commencement of inventory from that sum. Total production= (projected sales) + (ending inventory) (starting inventory). Direct materials usage budget Direct material budget refers to analytical plan that shows how much materials would be required in manufacturing or production and the amount of material required to meet the production needs. Its usually prepared after calculation of production needs or requirements. Materials budgeting show the amount of raw material to be purchased in order to accomplish production requirements and the necessary amount to provide adequate inventories. Preparation of this kind of budget constitutes the organizational overall use of material requirements planning (MRP).This organization tool help manage inventories and materials, and ensures the required materials are available in the right quality and quantity and at the required time to meet the production needs of the company. Direct materials budget regularly go along with a schedule of anticipated cash payouts for raw materials and this plan is required for the preparation of the overall cash budget. Expenditures for materials include the cost of purchases of purchases the present budget period. Direct material budget is mostly constructed to determine the amount and cost of any additional materials needed to fulfill the anticipated production levels. Most organizations depicts this in two tables, where the first table shows the number of units to be purchased and the total cost for those purchases while the second table shows a plan of the projected distributions of cash to suppliers of materials. The formula for the computation of materials purchases is given by:- Purchase costs = (Materials Purchase Costs Unit of Materials to Be Purchased) X (Unit Price). Most successful organizations uses the planning and control of a direct-materials budget in order to determine the level of competence in their cargo space, inventory system success and to appraise the capacity of dealers to supply raw materials in the estimates and qualities that are required, and plan material purchases in relation with movement of funds into the organization (Livingstone Leslie, 1994). Direct materials purchase budget Production budget provide necessary information for determining the projected amount of direct materials that ought to be purchased.   Simply by multiplying these amounts with the anticipated costs of purchase price, gives the total costs of materials to be purchased. The major function of direct material purchases budget, is that it provides the essential framework to plan and schedule cash payments for direct materials (Peter McLaney, 1997).This budget also critically reveals the companys planned end of the fiscal year inventory .this value is very important in cost accounting techniques because it a vital component in preparation of the budgeted year ending balance sheet. For effective implementation, the direct purchases budget should be incorporated with the production budget to make sure any level of production is not interrupted during the period of production. This budget tends to estimate the quantity of materials to be purchased in order to promote the budgeted production level and keep desired inventory levels. Direct materials to be purchased are given by:- Materials to be purchased = (materials required for production) + (desired ending materials inventory) (estimated beginning materials inventory) (Horace, et al., 2007). Direct labor budget Definitively, direct labor budget refers to a fixed Schedule for anticipated labor cost. The anticipated labor costs is chiefly reliant on projected volume of production or production budget. The labor needs are dependent on production volume multiplied by direct labor-hours per unit. The derived product is then multiplied by direct labor cost per hour to achieve the exact budgeted direct labor costs. This budget is created from the production budget where direct labor needs are computed to make the management know whether there is sufficient labor time to fulfill the budgeted manufacturing requirements. This advance knowledge helps the management in to develop plans to regulate labor force when adverse situations occur (Livingstone Leslie, 1994). Organizations that fail to budget well always face the risk of having labor shortages or increases in unwarranted times. This kind of unpredictable often leads to inconsistent labor policies that contribute to insecurity, low workers moral e, and low productivity. Direct materials budget is used in an organization to illustrate the amount and cost of direct materials to be purchased. It also provides the foundation for preparation of direct labor cost budget (Colin, 2005).Most organizations give this budget in terms of the number of units and the total costs. Labor hours are displayed using parameters like the type of operation, workers used, and the overall cost centers involved. Total direct labor cost is given by:- Total direct labor cost = (Expected production) + (direct labor hour per unit) + (direct labor cost per hour) Factory overhead budget In cost accounting, factory overhead budget is referred to as a to-do list of all anticipated manufacturing or production costs apart from for costs related to direct material and labor. Factory overhead include items like indirect material and labor, cost of insurance, rent and rates Factory overhead are usually variable or fixed, or a blend of the two. The major function for this schedule is that it critically analyzes all the anticipated production costs for the specific period of time. Factory overhead budget does not include miscellaneous expenses incurred in marketing and administration. These expenses are considered miscellaneous because they are not involved in the production process. As mentioned earlier, production overhead costs determine the total production factory overhead costs and also determine the manufacturing overhead cost per unit. The overall overhead costs include the costs of materials required to make the finished product, direct labor costs needed to produce one unit and the factory expenses required to create one finished unit. The summation of the three costs gives the manufacturer a rough idea of the cost required to produce one unit or finished product (Horace, et al., 2007). Selling and administration budget Selling and administrative expense budget refers to a schedule of budgeted expenses for other areas rather than manufacturing. In organizations this type of budget consists of assemblage of many and individual budgets that are forwarded by various departments. It provides a detailed plan involving all the companys operating expenses, other than the ones involved in production. The said expenses are required in maximum in order to maintain the sales and organization overall operations for a given period of time (Peter McLaney, 1997). This comprehensive financial plan is analytically used by the management to plan and control the day-to-day running of business affairs and activities. In this budget the organization gives details of the amount of money it projects to spend in support of manufacturing or production and sales efforts to be taken. Selling and administrative expense budget consists of employees salaries and benefits, office supplies and expenses; expenses sustaining admini stration, taxes, and any other professional services (Livingstone Leslie, 1994).Normally, these expenses differ little for changes in the volume of production which fall within the period of budget. As a result, the selling and administrative budget is always a fixed budget. Cash Budget Cash budget is definitively referred to as an evaluation of cash outflows and inflows for an organization for a  given period of time. They are mostly used to appraise the performance of an organization and check whether it has adequate cash to accomplish the overall regular operations of a company. The budget is also used to check whether funds are being used as per laid down guidelines. The cash budget shows the companys liquidity position and shows the capability of an organization to meet it goals and objectives. Even though profits promote liquidity, they do not have a high relationship. This budget assists the management in keeping proper cash balances that relates with needs and objectives of the organization. It also helps the management to plan usage of cash where by it avoids cash fro lying idle and prevents possible funds shortages. most budgets consists of four sections that include receipts section, disbursement section, cash surplus section and finally the financing s ection which gives details of payments and borrowings expected during the budget period (Horace, et al., 2007). A budget properly prepared shows how funds flows in and out of the organizations and indentify any loopholes that may slow organization productivity. The cash budget also determines the organization future ability to pay expenses, loans and as well as debts. Banks and other financial institutions grant loans to organizations that have effective liquidity ratio and proper systematic cash plan. Similarly, organizations that function on a casual basis are able to borrow more funds at unfortunate times (Colin, 2005).Cash budgets are commonly given by:- Budgeted Cash Available = (Beginning Cash Balance) + (Budgeted Cash Collections) Conclusion Therefore, for any organization, Budgeting involves the process of controlling and planning the overall activities of a company. It analytically covers precise details of management, sales, marketing, operations, and finance, and thereby provides the management effective guidelines for future performance. Through the concept of budgeting, the management is also able to verify the most profitable use of its limited resources and also it increases the organization ability to deploy resources effectively. In conclusion, its imperative for any organization to trade effectively and efficiently without proper budgeting skills. Its important for individuals and organizations to build budgets to ensure proper movements of resources. References Adams, R., et al. (2008). Self-review for  higher  education  institutions. Melbourne: Australian Universities Quality Agency. Banham, R. Better Budgets. Journal of Accountancy, vol.2, no.1, 2000, pp.32 55. Colin, D. (2005). Management and Cost Accounting. 4th ed. New York: Thomson Business Press. Horace, R, Charles, E., P., Billie, M, (2007). Accounting Principles and Applications. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill. Livingstone, Leslie, J. (1994). The Portable MBA in Finance and Accounting. New York: Wiley. Peter, A., McLaney, E. (1997). Accounting and Finance for Non-Specialists. New York: Prentice Hall. Question Two Budgeting and its functions Introduction Budgeting refers to the process of predicting or forecasting the organization incomes and expenses for a given period of time. Budgeting depicts the entire process of analyzing and planning using a budget. Since budgets are vital tools for management and planning, the process of budgeting generally affects all types of organizations regardless of their size and composition. Many organizations participate in budgeting process with the view of determining the most cost effective and efficient strategies of making profits and intensifying its capital and asset base. I budgeting is vital in an organization in that it provide measurements that help the organization management in planning and setting of goals and objectives. Effective budgeting assists an organization to forecast future performances and productivity. They make available a feasibility analysis that help an organization create an effective business model; identify required resource and capital requirements. Budgeting at times also helps in finding funding. Budgeting guides an organization to use its scarce resources in a way that exploits the existing business opportunities well. Good budgeting concepts integrate efficient business judgment and help the management to make decisions regarding the overall performance of the company. In budgeting, an organization typically develop long-term and short-term plans that assist in implementation of its policies and even though its expensive and time consuming, it increases awareness of costs and coordination of activities channeled towards achievement of company goals and meet its objective, and to measure up to standards set (Iain, 2003). Functions of budgeting For any individual or organization with the yearning for financial freedom, the most significant thing they can do is to appreciate the fundamental functions of budgeting. Generally without figuring what one owns and spends it would be impossible to make changes in ones spending habits. With the use of adequate budgeting schedule, it acts as a tool that assist individuals and organizations track areas where changes can be done to improve monetary situation. Budgets serve a number of useful purposes that includes planning, coordinating, communicating, motivating, controlling and evaluating (Rubin Irene, 1997). Planning Generally, a budget is a plan for the operations of a company for a given period of time. As a planning tool, budgets are vested with the sole function of determining an organizational programs and objectives .They tend to evaluate available alternatives as a way of achieving its goals and objectives. Planning also involves prioritizing where the most beneficial projects are put forward first and the less beneficial ones follow suit. In all financing activities, budgeting is the core function. Proper budget makes planning easier because it allows people to know which direction the company is following and what business activities it plans to engage in, in the future. Budget planning involves discovering and looking for sources of revenue and expenses, with the intention of meeting personal or organizational goals and objectives (Downes Goodman, 2006). Planning as the primary function of budgeting, it makes sure there is savings after the funds have been allocated for spending. Organ izations that plan and use effective budgeting strategies, they are ensured of successful management of their expenses and savings hence they are able to secure better investments in the future. The major advantages of budget planning are that they put checks and balances at specific points to prevent overspending I future at various levels, also they assist the management of an organization to take account of any unexpected need or requirements for funds. Though beneficial, planning as a function of budgeting has few shortcomings that include, it affects the quality of life and productivity of people and organizations especially in situations where there is excessive emphasis on savings. Also when the budget is planned to rigid, devotion to it tends to become a problem and fulfillment of organizational goals and objectives becomes a problem (Brookson, 2000). Coordinating In order an organization to properly grow and develop, the management needs to know what is happening within the company and have an unambiguous idea of what they expect in the future. Coordination as a component of budgeting has fundamental objectives that are important to the management. The act of Coordination makes budgets from various specific departments to work together with sole function of meeting the organization goals and objectives. The way budget are constructed is very vital including the figures it carries. The entire process of putting budget together involves correction of data regarding the business and the present and future needs of the company (Iain, 2003). Coordination of activities makes different individuals to participate in the making of budget where each of them contributes his or her knowledge to the areas of their expertise. In the process, employees learn from each other and this promotes the concept of teamwork and working together. Diverse units found in the company should coordinate different works they do. Communicating Budgets act as communication tools in that they allow individuals and management of organizations to pass information regarding the goals and objectives of the company. The management is able to promote goal congruence that allows the companys limited resources to be coordinated and channeled to key areas. Budgeting process gives organization opportunities communicate and this allows them to accomplish their goals, and hence gives them chances scrutinize those achievements as well (Rubin Irene, 1997). Communication being a core purpose of budgeting provides information that is significant in the entire business strategic planning. The communication between the management and employees helps establish a mutual understanding that is geared towards achieving the companys goals and objectives. Also different units in the company must communicate with each other during budget making process in order to effectively and efficiently coordinate their plans and efforts. Motivating Effective Budgeting and budgets allow an organization to motivate its workers by involving them in the budget making process. This concept of giving them a chance to make organizational decisions makes them feel valued and appreciated, and they respond by working harder with the sole aim of meeting the goals and objectives they set in the budget. Even if top-down budgeting technique does not realize this objective effectively, participative budgeting can be very encouraging and motivating. Budgeting can be an effective tool in promoting teamwork in places of work though many people and businesses dont realize it. Since the employees know the companys performance and productivity, they tend to channel all their effort in adhering to budgetary policies and work extra harder to make sure the companys goals are met (Sullivan, Arthur Steven, 2003). Controlling Budgetary control involves deliberate actions that are performed analytically with the guidance of a budget plan. Budget control involves the use of budget plan to control expenses with the aim of maximizing accountability. This purpose is mostly connected with line-item budgets. Technically once the budget is created; it acts as a planning tool for the organization operations. Management has power to use up funds within the set budget and to generate revenues within the specified margin of the budget. These Budgets are scrutinized regularly to countercheck variations and to establish whether the company is moving on the right target. If the company performance and productivity does not meet the requirements of the budget, immediate action is always taken to adjust its activities. The general aspect of budgeting allows an organization to control costs and avoid things not budgeted to be done. Proper budgets also give organizations a benchmark from which they evaluate the companys per formance. Control involves monitoring, and involves comparison of different informations to a given standard from where it is used to make corrective actions (Brookson, 2000). Evaluating The aspects of budgetary control are much valued and appreciated in an organization since they help an organization to evaluate and monitor team and organizational performance and provides the management of the organization with a clear idea of the company financial position and makes information and data available on which they base their action. Budgets at times are used as a tool of management, which reward and punish managers and their employees and also they are used as a basis for modifying future plans and budgets (Iain, 2003). One way to evaluate the management and employees performance is by comparing the company budget and the overall actual performance. Though an important concept of business, budgeting can cause massive problems in parts of workers especially in situations where they are not involved, and also where their jobs are dependent on meeting certain organizational goals and objectives established by the budgets. This happens in organizations that concentrate so much on evaluation purposes of budgeting and those organizations that conduct top-down budget process, rather than the bottom -up or participative one. Effective evaluation and monitoring of employees and the management as a whole, improves the efficiency and effectiveness of the company products and services and makes them competitive in the global scene (Rubin Irene, 1997) Conclusion Budgeting always form an integral part in our society. Its ideal concepts require individuals and companies to look ahead and sanctify future goals. Budgeting involves the process of controlling and planning the overall activities of a company. It analytically covers precise details of management, sales, marketing, operations, and finance, and thereby provides the management effective guidelines for future performance. Budgeting depicts the entire process of analyzing and planning using a budget. Since budgets are vital tools for management and planning, the process of budgeting generally affects all types of organizations regardless of their size and composition. Many organizations participate in budgeting process with the view of determining the most cost effective and efficient strategies of making profits and intensifying its capital and asset base. Budgeting is vital in an organization in that it provide measurements that help the organization management in planning and setting of goals and objectives. Through the concept of budgeting, the management is also able to verify the most profitable use of its limited resources and also it increases the organization ability to deploy resources effectively. In conclusion, its imperative for any organization to trade effectively and efficiently without proper budgeting skills (Budgeting is vital in an organization in that it provide measurements, 2009). Its important for individuals and organizations to build budgets to ensure proper movements of resources.

Pros And Cons Of Credit Cards English Language Essay

Pros And Cons Of Credit Cards English Language Essay Nowadays credit cards are of great convenience. Credit Card is a kind of bank plastic cards, which is tied to the personal account of the bank, which bank offers the customer with a credit line without filing liens and guarantees. AS a fact, to get a credit card is more complicated than a debit card as a credit card means the loan. Typically, a credit card issued by a commercial bank to obtain consumer credit for any urgent needs of the client, as this is the easiest option of processing the loan and the original amount of the credit facility is generally not very high. Credit card should be used wisely and cautiously. The main advantage of a credit card is the use of the credit funds. If people receive a consumer credit, they must pay interest on a loan. A credit card is a convenient way to pay for the goods and services. As a fact, nowadays people pay no more attention to the cash money, as they have credit cards. If a person does not like to ask to borrow money, banknote may be fall-back option in case before the wages are not enough money. A credit card is absolutely indispensable when booking a hotel or car rental. In such cases, the correct amount is not deducted, but only blocked on the clients account. Interest on the amount of lockable is not charged. As disadvantages, there can be attributed the restrictions set by the bank for cash. The disadvantage of credit cards is that not all outlets accept credit cards to pay for their goods or services, but all more or less large retail chains can pay by credit (and debit) card. With a credit card, you can withdraw cash using the ATM network of an y bank. True to withdraw cash on credit cards have limitations, but you can always get the remaining amount to another ATM or in the same, by entering your card and pin code again. [1] In the banks, credit card processing practiced as part of the contract to the target consumer loans, for example, when you make a loan to purchase home appliances. In the loan agreement the conditions for issuing credit cards are specified and the whole mechanism of its transmission to the client, for example, after full repayment of the first loan. Often there are situations when people get credit cards in the mail, it is outraged, believing that the bank simply imposes his card. And not to fall into such an awkward position should carefully read all the terms of any credit agreement are signed. [5] The money people all over the world spend using credit cards, does not actually exist. It should be noted that the money has gone virtual and there are a lot of cases of cheating and hacking of the credit cards, as the whole system is not perfect. As a fact, credit does not do any good, as there emerge many different problems caused by the credit cards and the taken credit, when people purchase a lot and become shopaholics. Consequently, nowadays to survive and to live comfortable life, people us credit cards to buy different things, from a pen to a flat with the help of a credit card. For that, everyone needs a stable highly paid job to cope with the difficulties arising. And many people live in debt while shopping constantly and purchasing plenty of unnecessary things. Debt is the latest concern in our society and there should be found a solution to the way of spending money. Individuals and governments are struggling to cope with the debt and offer different options to solve the problem. Also, marketing credit card companies have had to stop towards high school and college kids in order to help keep them out of debt before graduation, as there is very high percentage of people living in debt and have no way out. Nowadays it is a severe problem for the people all over the world, who use credit cards and who constantly have a temptation to purchase goods, even if they dont need them. And especially thi s problem is about adolescents who do not work yet and already have an access to the credit cards. [3] Either way it should be remembered that buying goods with the credit card, we hereby affirm the agreement to buy the goods at a price much higher than the real price of the product itself is. This is called I want it now, that further includes paying more for the goods. It remains only to compare the size of this proportion with the rate of inflation. Everyone knows that credit stimulates consumption and, consequently, production. But any loan borrower must provide certain guarantees on their credit obligations. Excessive credit entails a chronic excess of the rate of consumption over the pace of increase in income of the loan borrowers and, therefore, guarantees taken credit obligations. Imagine for a moment that all that you are using was purchased on credit. The car, which you navigate to work and shop, as well as TV, refrigerator, furniture everything bought on credit, and often this is added to the most important apartment on credit. Your only guarantee your monthly salary. O f course, you have no savings, because almost all of your wages goes to pay for the credit for those things that you use. Such loans are called sub-prime. This is the way most Americans live. Now imagine for a moment that you or someone from your friends lost their jobs. The next day in front of your house there would be a queue of creditors to declare the guarantee or to pay obligations. You are nervously looking for decent jobs with wages sufficient for your monthly payment obligations. If you do not pay for the credit on time, on your account penalties are applied. In the worst case, your property is started with a hammer. But imagine this same situation, but only on a global scale. You cannot pay off the loan, your property is auctioned, but no one at the auction would buy it, because the neighbors of your neighbors would be in exactly the same situation. Automatically starts the crisis in the banking sector, falling demand, and, of course, there comes a decline in production. [ 2] Time flies very quickly. Think about it: not so long ago, buying something on credit could safely assume status act. Now buying on credit is a commonplace, routine activity, nothing to do with the advance. All kinds of people do it, often without thinking about consequences. It is no secret: take credit when you do not have enough money to have the right to pay the entire purchase (for the washing machine, a car or a new apartment). So from a rational, practical point of view a credit is a direct alternative to hoarding. Credit stimulates consumption, and thus serves as an additional battery for the production. Credit is just the ideal solution for implementing the words I want it right now. But the total loan creates the illusion of an exaggeration of your financial opportunities. Some people are so accustomed to use credit cards that they often fail to notice how quickly their red account balance reaches the size of the monthly salary. [4] Today it is too difficult to stay away from the banks and credit, since we live in an age of capitalism. And if we live, therefore we adopt the rules of the game that the banks set. Banks rule the world nowadays. If you want an apartment take the credit, you want the car take the credit, you want a great vacation you are welcome! Take a credit voucher. And if you save for the same things without taking a credit, is there any sense to rejoice over it in old age? Credit for today for the majority nowadays is both the way out and the prison Interest loan lately is very crucial. Now with a credit card a person can buy almost everything from simple TV and mobile phone to a car, apartment and a country house. There is no dispute that credit is extremely convenient and profitable invention of mankind. But, as says the popular proverb, every cloud has a silver lining. And vice versa.