Thursday, October 31, 2019

Organizational Communication Master Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Organizational Communication Master - Essay Example The former is a process of sharing information and understanding between two people or a small group: the latter makes use of systems to share information and understanding with large number of people. Both type of communication occur at all level within an organization, with people outside the organization, and between organizations. Organization learning focuses on the way people make sense of their experiences at work. The aim of organizing is to enable people to relate other and to work together for a common purpose. The organized group of people in a collective sense is known as organization. (Yvonne 129) "Organization is the process of identifying and grouping work to be performed, defining and delegating responsibility relationships for the purpose of enabling people to work more effectively together in accomplishing objectives." (Yvonne 149) (b) Facilitates Organizing - Communication facilitates organizing function of management by providing information about the duties, responsibilities, authority, relationships, positions and jobs. Delegation and decentralization of authority is accomplished in an organization. (c) Facilitates Directing Function- Communication facilitates directing function by providing proper interaction between and their subordinates and between members of work groups. It improves superior-subordinate relationships by promoting exchange of ideas and information between them continuously. (d) Facilitates Controlling Function - Communication facilitates controlling function by providing feedback of actual performance against planned targets. In an organization, effective communication facilitates in promoting innovation as well as control and coordination. (e) Facilitates Decision-Making- Communication facilitates decision making by providing the required information needed. The quality of decision made in an organization depends largely on the amount and quality of information available to the decision maker. (Kathryn) (f) Facilitates co-ordinating - Communication facilitates coordinating by providing proper upward, downward and horizontal interaction between members of different departments or sections at all levels of authority. (g) Helps the Process of Motivation

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Mapping Your Conflicts Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mapping Your Conflicts - Case Study Example A good example is the issue of sibling rivalry where a daughter becomes jealous of the newly born baby brother. Sometimes, because of the new baby, parents and family members give more attention to the new born child, and the elder daughter will feel left behind. The daughter will now start to ask for more attention and become rebellious. Conflict will arise between daughter and parents. Instead of blaming someone for what happened, the systems theory helps assess the situation by knowing all sides of the story. The systems theory will look at the daughter’s perspective and from the perspectives of the parents. Because of this, both of them will understand what really happened and why it happened without having someone feel the guilt and blame. In this week’s case study, I will use the metaphor of â€Å"conflict as competition† to describe the conflict between Enrique and Monica. In this metaphor, those involve will always aim to win against the other. Both Enriq ue and Monica don’t want to give in and let someone control the other. Monica wants Enrique to help her, Enrique wants to go out and not help. Monica does not want Enrique to do his own way and go to his friend and she can’t. Neither of them wants to let someone rule over the other.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Analysis Of BMW Financial Position And Performance Accounting Essay

Analysis Of BMW Financial Position And Performance Accounting Essay This is a financial analysis report on BMW. Specifically, in the first part of this report, the financial position and performance of BMW for the four financial years from 2008 to 2011 will be firstly re-formulated, and the financial ratios for the company will be computed for analysis purposes. In order to perform a throughout financial analysis on the company, the trends of the financial ratios of BMW will be analyzed. Then, the financial statements of Audi will also be reformulated and the respective financial ratios for Audi will also be computed. The financial performance of Audi will be used to compare to the performance of BMW, to gauge the relative performance of BMW, as compared to one of the peer within the industry. Then, in the second part, BMWs forecasted value of equity per share at the end of the fourth financial (i.e., at FY 2011) will also be computed. Recommendations will be provided if the stock is a good investment choice, based on the various findings derived fr om this study. 1.2 Company Background Today, BMW is the worlds best-selling manufacturer of premium cars (Rauwald, 2012). BMW is founded in 1916; and is headquartered in Munich, Germany. Today, the company has more than 96,000 workforces at 24 production facilities in 13 countries and had penetrated to around 140 countries in the world (Avery Bergsteiner, 2011). BMW is also a company emphasizing on corporate social responsibilities (Stamoulakis Bridwell, 2009). Some of the competitors of BMW include Audi and Mercedes-Benz, whereby these companies has also been competing with BMW in important markets such as China (Rauwald Pearson, 2011a). Referring to Table 1 below, the various business segments BMW is operating within is shown. The major revenue contribution of the company comes from selling automobiles, and then followed by car financing activities. Table 1: The Various Business Segments BMW Operating Within Source: Worldscope Table 2 below however shows the various geographical regions BMW is operating within. As shown from the figure, the revenue generated from BMW sales in China is improving fast, while the revenue generated from the United States are stagnating. Indeed, prior to the financial crisis, United States is the biggest market for BMW (Rauwald, 2010). In contrast, as discussed in Muller (2010), BMW growth in recent years had largely driven by the increase of sales from emerging countries. This is a trend worth acknowledging in analyzing the current financial performance and to predict the future probable performance of the firm. Table 2: The Various Geographical Region BMW Operating Within Source: Worldscope Part I: Analysis of BMW Financial Position and Performance In Part I, the financial analysis on BMW will be performed through two major methods, firstly by reviewing the trends of the financial metrics of BMW and its competitor; and secondly, through the review of various financial ratios of BMW and to compare the ratios to the competitors ratios. 2.1 Trend Analysis A Review of BMW Past Performances 2.1.1 Profitability Ratios Based on Table 3 below, the various profitability ratios of BMW are shown. As measured by the Return on Assets, Return on Equity and Return on Invested Capital, BMW performance is generally well-performing in FY2007, but subsequently suffered to a minimal profitability in FY2008 towards FY 2010, before returning to superior profitability situation in FY2011. This is not surprising. In FY2008, the world financial crisis hit, and the automotive industry, which is cyclical in nature, are impacted adversely (Peterson, 2008). Indeed, the entire automotive industry fall into a turmoil as auto sales have plunged in the United State and Europe; while sales faced stagnation in previously booming markets like China and India (Rauwald, 2009b). In 2009, as discussed within Rauwald (2009a), BMW suffered losses due to recession as the sales and demand of luxury cars stalled. This is logical as in recessionary period, people cut down spending and luxury product manufacturers are often the most im pacted as the product demand are highly elastic. Then, qualitatively speaking, in FY 2010, the profitability improvement in BMW is due to improved efficiency significantly in all areas of the company (during the restructuring programme of BMW in the global financial crisis) as well as favourable exchange-rate fluctuations for the company (Rauwald, 2010). Next, Rauwald Schmidt (2012a) had however attributed the significant enhanced of BMW performance due to the companys comprehensive transformation, via cutting jobs and costs since 2007 (which include a cut of more than 8,100 jobs and reduction of more than 6 billion Euros in costs). This is also true as based on the employee per sales figure, the company is showing positive improvement as in recent years, more sales are generated per employee. Aside from that, it is also observed that the ratio of research and development to sales ratios has also been high, approximately around 5%. This is because BMW has been investing in research and development activities for further innovations in the future. For example, one of the recent innovations of BMW is development of eco-super car through the Vision Efficient Dynamics concept (Kable, 2010). Overall, based on the profitability ratios, a gross profit margin of 24% and the Return on Equity ratio of 19.2% in the recent years suggest that BMW is a well performing firm. Nonetheless, the fact that the firm could be seriously affected by recession also suggests that the business is cyclical, and therefore, the business risk faced by the firm and investors could be high. Table 3: Trends of Profitability Ratios of BMW Source: Worldscope 2.1.2 Asset Utilization Ratios Based on Table 4 below, the various asset utilization ratios, such as assets per employee, total assets turnover, inventory turnover and net sales to gross fixed assets are shown. Overall, there is a trend of improvement on these ratios. As discussed in Rauwald Schmidt (2012b), the strong performance of BMW is primarily contributed by the strength of the BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands as well as improvements in efficiency. The improved of efficiencies can be noted as the assets per employees had increased (i.e., fewer employees as compared to the total assets), and the higher total assets and inventory turnover ratios (as the company is more able to generate more sales from every unit of asset). Table 4: Trends of Asset Utilization Ratios of BMW Source: Worldscope 2.1.3 Leverage Ratios Based on Table 5 below, the trends of use of debt financing and capital structure of BMW are shown. Overall, it can be noticed that BMW is a highly geared firm, as the long term debt within the capital structure has been consistently high throughout the past few years, i.e., at approximately 60%. Then, the portion of debt is also far outweigh the portion of equity, and as indicated by the total debt to common equity ratio, the total debt is approximately more than 2 to 3 times the total amount of equity. Overall, this suggests that BMW is heavily leveraged and the firm would face higher finance risks (such as solvency, liquidity and interest payment risks) in hard times. In contrast, the firm would make high return on equity for the shareholders due to use of leverage. Therefore, part of the reasons contributing to the high return on equity for BMW is through the use of high leverage within the firm. Table 5: Trends of Leverage Ratios of BMW Source: Worldscope 2.1.4 Liquidity Ratios Based on Table 6 below, the various liquidity ratios such as quick ratio and current ratio are shown. Overall, the liquidity position of BMW is marginally satisfactory, as the current and quick ratio fall around the range of 1. A more conservative ratio would be a current ratio of more than 2 times. Then, it is also noted that throughout the years, the proportion of receivables in the current assets is the highest, followed by cash, and then inventories. This is however unavoidable, as most of the customers would purchase the luxury cars on credit. Table 6: Trends of Liquidity Ratios of BMW Source: Worldscope 2.1.5 A Review of the Financial Performance Trends of BMW In order to form an overview of the financial performance of BMW in the past few years, the general profitability picture of BMW is presented in Figure 1. As shown below, prior to the crisis, BMW has been in a rising profit position for more than a decade (Avery Bergsteiner, 2011). However, unfortunately, the firm performance is badly affected during the global financial crisis (as discussed previously). During the period of financial crisis, the net income, return on equity and total common equity fall sharply. Nevertheless, upon the crisis, the profitability of BMW surged sharply. Avery Bergsteiner (2011) had found that one of the reasons contribute to fast BMW recovery from the global financial crisis in 2008 is due to sustainable leadership model and processes within the company. Therefore, this suggests the resiliency and the quality of the management within the firm as satisfactory and competent. Then, another trend worth discussing is that in the recent years, BMW car sales have been increasing significantly in the China market (Rauwald, 2012). Indeed, as discussed within Schafer (2011), much of the sales increases of BMW come from the growth of sales from China and India. Such a trend had contributed significantly as even in FY2011 and FY2012, BMW sales in Europe are facing challenges due to sovereign debt crisis (Rauwald Pearson, 2011a). Similarly, as discussed within Schafer (2011), the sales of BMW cars are slow in Europe due to the slow recovery within the region. Figure 1: Net Income, Equity, ROE and ROCI Trends of BMW C:Documents and SettingsHappyGoLuckyDesktopData Collectiondatareturn analysis chart.jpg Source: Worldscope 2.2 Peers Financial Ratios Comparisons In this section, in order to understand the financial position and the performance of BMW in the context of its industry as well as in relation to its peers, the various financial ratios of BMW, the peers and one of its leading competitors, namely Audi will be performed. 2.2.1 Growth Rates related Ratios As shown in Table 7, the various growth rates of BMW is compared to the peers and Audi. Firstly, it is noted that the growth of sales of BMW is slightly worse than the growth of Audi, but significantly worse off than the peers. In other words, both Audi and BMW are performing less satisfactorily as compared to the industry average. Therefore, while the financial picture of BMW is recovering and experiencing sharp upturns in FY2011, the firm is actually down perform as compared to the industry average. Table 7: Trends of Growth Rates of BMW, Audi and Peers Company BMW AG Peer Mean Audi AG Last Fiscal Yr End Date 12/31/2011 12/31/2011 Key 1 Year Growth Rates Sales 1Yr Growth 13.80 22.22 24.42 Operating Income 1Yr Growth 53.21 47.75 57.09 Net Margin 1Yr Growth 32.92 104.88 36.41 Net Income 1Yr Growth 51.26 149.43 69.72 EPS 1Yr Growth 51.12 146.47 69.73 Total Assets 1Yr Growth 11.71 14.54 19.56 Equity 1Yr Growth 13.11 8.58 13.72 Key 5 Year Growth Rates Sales 5Yr Growth 7.03 15.17 7.20 Operating Income 5Yr Growth 16.39 23.44 14.71 Net Margin 5Yr Growth 3.92 7.76 18.21 Net Income 5Yr Growth 11.22 23.09 26.72 EPS 5Yr Growth 11.21 21.35 26.72 Total Assets 5Yr Growth 9.18 12.25 14.00 Equity 5Yr Growth 7.17 9.09 11.83 Source: Thomson One Banker As shown in Table 8, the figures of growth rates of several financial metrics are also computed, from the reformulated financial statements (as shown in Appendix at the end of this document). Overall, it can be observed that both Audi and BMW financial performance move in tandem, whereby the good performance of both company tend to be happen at the similar time. For instance, the growth of sales was negative for both of the firm at FY2009. Then, the growth rates of common shareholder equity also tend to be similar in terms of magnitude. For example, the growth rate of shareholder equity has been slight negative or positive at FY2009. However, the growth rate of operating income (after tax) for both the company tend to be less similar. This could be due to the operational management differences between the two firms. Table 8: Trends of Growth Rates of BMW to Audi Profitability R 2009 2010 2011 Growth Rate in Sales BMW -4.73% 19.33% 13.80% Audi -12.74% 18.77% 24.42% Growth Rate in OI (after tax) BMW 352.36% -20.66% 49.91% Audi -43.17% 128.13% 60.40% Growth Rate in NOA BMW 31.36% 13.02% -10.94% Audi 10.86% 47.64% -4.07% Growth Rate in CSE BMW -1.79% 15.94% 17.18% Audi 2.62% 9.30% 13.72% Source: Computed from Reformulated Financial Statement 2.2.2 Profitability Ratios As shown in Table 9, the profitability related ratios for BMW, peers and Audi are shown. Overall, the profitability margins of BMW would be slightly lesser than that of the Audi (particularly from the net margin perspective), but would be higher than that of the peers. This is because BMW operate within the luxury car segment, and therefore, the margins would be higher, as the majority of other competitors go for the volume for profitability. Therefore, the asset turnover of BMW and Audi is lower significantly than the peers, as the company focus on the luxury niche segment. Aside from that, it could be seen that the RD expense to sales ratio for BMW (and Audi) is higher than that of the peers. For this, one of the successes of BMW comes from investing heavily in extra production capacity and new technology constantly (Rauwald, 2012). Table 9: Profitability Related Ratios for BMW, Peers and Audi Company BMW AG Peer Mean Audi AG Last Fiscal Yr End Date 12/31/2011 12/31/2011 Asset Turnover 0.57 0.85 1.25 Pretax Margin 10.73 13.70 ROA 4.37 13.86 Return on Invest Cap 5.62 34.13 Reinvest Rate 13.25 37.59 35.68 R D to Sales 4.90 3.43 5.09 Gross Profit Margin 24.62 19.45 18.57 Operating Profit Margin 11.42 6.92 9.54 Pretax Margin 10.73 13.70 Net Margin 7.09 9.95 Source: Thomson One Banker Table 10 is about the profitability ratios of BMW and Audi, computed from the reformulated financial statements (as shown in Appendix at the end of this document). Overall, it can be seen that Audi would perform slightly better than BMW, although from the net profit margin perspective, BMW outperform Audi in FY2010 and FY2011. Then, it is also observed that the financial margins of BMW are more volatile as compared to Audi. Therefore, the risks (from the standard deviation perspective) for BMW are higher. Nonetheless, as discussed before, BMW is performing well in terms of cutting down the expense. This can be observed as the portion of administration costs to the sales ratio for BMW has been decreasing from FY2008 towards FY2011; whereby the ratio for Audi had been staying relatively constant (around 8-10%). This reaffirm that BMW had been slowly transform itself into a more efficient organization. Table 10: Trends of Profitability Ratios of BMW to Audi 2008 2009 2010 2011 Operating Profit Margin BMW 0.95% -0.09% 5.71% 8.03% Audi 5.27% 3.43% 6.59% 8.50% Sales Profit Margin BMW 1.95% 9.27% 6.17% 8.12% Audi 5.27% 3.43% 6.59% 8.50% Other Items Profit Margin BMW 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% Audi 2.82% 2.86% 2.87% 2.90% Net Profit Margin BMW 1.25% 0.13% 5.23% 7.75% Audi 6.46% 3.52% 3.07% 5.91% Expense Ratio Admin Costs BMW 9.59% 9.91% 7.98% 7.83% Audi 9.47% 10.52% 8.57% 8.16% Expense Ratio Distribution Costs BMW -0.21% 0.10% 0.24% 0.50% Audi 0.88% 1.01% 1.06% 0.97% Operating Profitability (RNOA) BMW N/A 14.55% 9.55% 14.27% Audi N/A 12.48% 21.87% 30.03% Financing Profitability (RNFA) BMW N/A 0.70% 0.98% 1.37% Audi N/A 5.07% 5.54% 9.98% Source: Computed from Reformulated Financial Statement 2.2.3 Asset Utilization ratios Table 11 is about the asset utilization related ratios for BMW, Audi and peers. Overall, BMW down perform both Audi and the peers from asset turnover and inventory turnover perspective. Indeed, Audi perform best in utilizing assets in generating revenue. This shown that BMW may not be effective to the peers and Audi in leveraging on the assets to generate sales, and there are much room for improvement to significantly enhance the asset utilization ratios for the firm. Table 11: Asset Utilization Related Ratios for BMW, Audi and Peers Company BMW AG Peer Mean Audi AG Last Fiscal Yr End Date 12/31/2011 12/31/2011 Asset Turnover 0.57 0.85 1.25 Inventory Turnover 5.11 8.52 8.85 Source: Thomson One Banker 2.2.4 Leverage Ratios Table 12 is about the comparisons of leverage related ratios between BMW, Audi and peers. Obviously from the figure of the industry mean score, it can be noticed that most of the automotive manufacturers are highly geared. Indeed, as it is discussed that BMW is a firm that relied heavily on debt instrument for financing its operations, the industry average figure is even higher. In stark contrast, Audi is a lowly leveraged firm. Indeed, the use of debt is very minor within the firms capital structure. Table 12: Leverage Ratios Related Ratios for BMW, Audi and Peers Company BMW AG Peer Mean Audi AG Last Fiscal Yr End Date 12/31/2011 12/31/2011 Total Debt to Common Equity 245.94% 250.96% 9.39% LT Debt to Common Equity 133.58% 146.61% 0.17% LT Debt to Total Capital 56.96% 41.23% 0.16% Dividend Payout 17.46% 15.80% 0.00% Cash Dividend Coverage Ratio 7.13 21.08 #N/A Source: Thomson One Banker In Table 13 below, trends of leverage ratios of BMW and Audi, computed from the reformulated financial statements (as shown in Appendix at the end of this document) are presented. Similar to the discussions presented above, the financial leverage ratio of BMW is significantly higher than the case of Audi. However, from the operating liability leverage ratio perspective, the figures of the two firms are roughly comparable. Table 13: Trends of Leverage Ratios of BMW to Audi 2008 2009 2010 2011 Financial Leverage Ratio (FLEV) BMW 0.299 0.414 0.413 0.410 Audi 0.256 0.198 -0.128 0.054 Capitalization Ratio BMW 1.378 1.843 1.796 1.365 Audi 0.781 0.844 1.140 0.962 Operating Liability Leverage Ratio (OLLEV) BMW 1.093 0.663 0.645 1.011 Audi 1.479 1.381 1.058 1.268 Source: Computed from Reformulated Financial Statement 2.2.5 Liquidity Ratios In Table 14 below, the liquidity related ratios for BMW, Audi and peers are compared and presented. It is noted that the liquidity position of BMW, as measured from all of these ratios, i.e., quick ratio, current ratio, cash and equivalent to current assets ratio, account receivables days as well as inventories days held are not only down performing the peers, but also perform much badly as compared to the situation of Audi. Indeed, Audi is having strong liquidity position, thereby indicating that the firm is unlikely to suffer from any near term liquidity issues. Audi had also outperformed the peers significantly and based on the findings above that Audi is a lowly geared firm; the firm is financially conservatively managed. Table 14: Liquidity Related Ratios for BMW, Audi and Peers Company BMW AG Peer Mean Audi AG Last Fiscal Yr End Date 12/31/2011 12/31/2011 Quick Ratio 0.82 1.00 1.32 Current Ratio 1.04 1.28 1.60 Cash Equivalent to Current Assets 23.52 32.24 41.13 Accounts Receivable Days 136.25 102.07 61.22 Inventories Days Held 71.44 48.60 41.24 Source: Thomson One Banker 2.2.6 Summary Overall, while BMW is a profitable firm, and the firm is performing very well in FY2011 (i.e., experiencing sharp recovery) such performance can be largely attributed to the industry wide recovery situation around the world. However, the performance of BMW would seem to be lacking, more risky and less efficiently, effectively and conservatively managed when compared to the peers. This is particularly when compared to Audi, as Audi had found to be having much stronger and yet conservative financial position and performance. It can be summarized that BMW performed unsatisfactorily as compared to the other automotive manufacturers. Part II: Valuation In this section, valuation of BMW stock will be performed via the discount cash flow model. In order to compute the company value via this method, the dividend distributed to the investors will be treated as the proxy of the cash flow to the investors. Currently, the latest dividend payment from BMW is EUR 2.30 (Figure 2, the indicated dividend payment from the management). Then, from Figure 3, the growth rate of the dividend yield/ payment (i.e., the growth rate of the cash flow of the firm) range from 0.23% (i.e., 3-years growth rate) to 1.01% (i.e., 3-years growth rate). Theoretically, the longer term growth rate should be used. However, the global financial meltdown in FY2008 to FY2009 would be considered as anomalies (the black swan event), and therefore, it is unfair to take the three year average figure for the firm. Therefore, conservatively, a growth rate of 0.5% would be assumed to represent the growth rate of dividend payment for the investors. Then, in order to compute th e required rate of return for BMW, the risks pertaining to the firm will be considered. As BMW is found to be highly geared, a required rate of return of above 10% would be necessary. Therefore, conservatively speaking, a required rate of return of 15% is justifiable. Hence: D = EUR 2.30 g = 0.5% r = 15% Firm value = D (1+g) (r-g) = 2.3 (1+0.005) (0.15-0.005) = 2.3 (1.005) (0.145) = EUR 15.94 Therefore, a very conservative firm value for BMW from the dividend discount model (i.e., Gordon Growth Model valuation method) is only EUR 15.94. This is even much lower than the analysts target price of EUR 75.60 (Figure 2). Therefore, from the valuation method applied, it is unwise to purchase into BMW stock. Figure 2: Estimates from Analyst C:Documents and SettingsHappyGoLuckyDesktopUK0538 Advanced financial statement analysisData Collectiondatathomson forecast report.jpg Source: Thomson Financial Figure 3: Estimates from Analyst C:Documents and SettingsHappyGoLuckyDesktopUK0538 Advanced financial statement analysisData Collectiondatastock valuation.jpg Source: Thomson Financial In Table 15 below, the price multiple of BMW, peers and Audi is shown. It is shown that BMW stock prices is valued at 10 times earnings multiple, as compared to Audi (which is only 5 times earnings multiple). Indeed, from the other two yardsticks, namely price to book value and price to cash flow ratios, BMW stock is valued more expensively. Then considering that the financial position and performance of BMW is significantly lower than the peers, and particularly, to Audi, the high price multiples of BMW would justify a sell comment on the stock. Table 15: Market Value Related Ratios for BMW, Audi and Peers Company BMW AG Peer Mean Audi AG Last Fiscal Yr End Date 12/31/2011 12/31/2011 Current P/E Ratio 10.17 5.15 Price/Book Ratio 1.84 1.33 1.81 Price/Cash Flow Ratio -11.10 1.94 3.34 Source: Thomson One Banker Then, from the qualitative perspective however, looking forward, competition between automotive manufacturers in China could be intensifying and this could affect how BMW compete with other car manufacturers (Rauwald, 2012). However, some analysts had also been optimistic as they anticipate growth in markets such as China and Russia which would contribute to higher BMW sales in these emerging regions (Rauwald Schmidt, 2012a). Then, as discussed in Reed Schafer (2010), the rise of sales in China is primarily due to the branding and the quality of the cars sold by BMW. Therefore, the growth story of BMW in emerging regions would be in doubts, as the competitors, such as Audi has also strong performance in these emerging regions. Therefore, from a more conservatively perspective, it is reasonable to conclude that even it is expected that BMW could profit from the emerging countries, which would also not justify the high valuation of the stock. Hence, it is not rational to purchase i nto the stock of the company at the current price. In contrast, investors seeking exposure to automotive industry would be better to purchase the stock of Audi, as the firm is financially conservatively and operational effectively managed, and yet, having a low price multiple. References Avery, G. C., Bergsteiner, H. (2011). How BMW successfully practices sustainable leadership principles. Strategy Leadership, 39(6), 11-18. Kable, G. (2010). Bolts from BMW. Autoweek, 60, 12-12. Muller, J. (2010). BMWs push for made-to-order cars. Forbes, 1. Penman, S. H. (2010). Financial Statement Analysis and Security Valuation, 4th Edition. McGraw-Hill Irwin, New York. Peterson, T. (2008). BMW 135i: High performance, low price. Business Week (Online). Rauwald, C. (2009a). Corporate news: BMW posts loss as unit sales fall 21%. Wall Street Journal. Rauwald, C. (2009b). Corporate news: BMW swings to $1.24 billion loss as luxury-car sales plunge. Wall Street Journal. Rauwald, C. (2010). Luxury demand drives BMW results. Wall Street Journal (Online). Rauwald, C. (2012). BMW, Porsche profits rise on higher sales. Wall Street Journal (Online). Rauwald, C., Pearson, D. (2011a). Corporate news: BMW cranks up profit view luxury-auto maker gains on emerging-market demand as European woes damp peugeot-Citroen. Wall Street Journal (Online). Rauwald, C., Pearson, D. (2011b). BMW raises sales, profit forecasts. Wall Street Journal (Online). Rauwald, C., Schmidt, N. (2012a). Managing careers: For BMW, a tough transformation pays off. Wall Street Journal (Online). Rauwald, C., Schmidt, N. (2012b). For BMW, a tough transformation pays off; no grand prix cars, but pole position in luxury market gives CEO reithofer a happy start to the new year. Wall Street Journal (Online). Reed, J., Schafer, D. (2010). Demand for luxury powers BMWs China sales. Financial Times. Schafer, D. (2011). BMW receives sales turbo-charge from China and India. Financial Times. Stamoulakis, D., Bridwell, L. (2009). BMWs approach to global warming and environmental management: Corporate social responsibility or greenwashing? Competition Forum, 7(1), 98-106. Subramanyam K. R., Wild, J. J. (2009). Financial Statement Analysis, 10th Edition. McGraw Hill, New York.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Lorraine Hansberrys A Raisin In The Sun Essay -- essays research pap

Lorraine Hansberry’s novel, A Raisin in the Sun, revolves around a middle-class African-American family, struggling during World War II. By reading about the Younger’s true to life experiences, one learns many important life lessons. One of the aforementioned would be that a person should always put family’s needs before their own. There are many examples of this throughout the novel. Just a few of these would be the example of Ruth and her unborn baby, Walter regaining the respect of his family, and Mama and her unselfish ways.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first event that shows one should always put family before oneself is the case of Ruth and her unborn baby. At first, Ruth is thinking about having an abortion, and has already paid a five-dollar down payment to the doctor. She explains to Walter her reasoning for such drastic measures by saying, â€Å"†¦I—I’m sorry about this new baby, Walter. I guess maybe I better go on and do what I started†¦ I guess I just didn’t realize how bad things was with us†¦ I guess I just didn’t realize.†(87) Ruth is going to destroy this baby because she feels that she and Walter just do not have enough money to support another family member, and feels that she and Walter will only bring the baby into a world of fighting. Beneatha also has influence on Ruth’s decision by asking, â€Å"†¦ where is he going to live? On the roof?†(58). Beneatha feels that if Ruth has another baby it would just complicate the living situation, which is strenuous enough as it is. Later, even with all of this negat ive energy, Ruth comes to realize that she should not take the life of her baby and decides to keep it. One of her reasons for this change of heart is that her and Walter have been getting along much better, and their constant fighting was one of the main reasons she did not want to have the baby in the first place. Also, now that they are all moving into a new house, there will be enough room for the baby. In the end, although having an abortion seems like an easy way out, Ruth instead thinks about the baby’s life rather than her own, and chooses not to terminate her pregnancy. Another example that proves this, is when Walter gives away his and Beneatha's money to buy a liquor store, and loses it all. He then tries to get the money back by selling their new house to Mr. Lindner, although the only reason Mr. Lindner wants to buy it is becau... ... buy the family a new house so that Travis would have a better place to grow up. Mama could have spent that money on something she wanted, but instead bought something that would make the whole family happy. After she buys their new house, Mama gives Beneatha $3000 dollars towards college and gives Walter $3500 dollars to better his future. Mama has given all of the insurance money to the people she cares about, and kept none of it for herself. She thought about her children’s future and decided to invest the money towards a better life for them. This is a very unselfish act on Mama’s part, a perfect example of putting family before oneself. Although sometimes people can get wrapped up in events that they feel only concern themselves, they should always take a moment to think about how their actions could be affecting the people they love. Friends will always come and go, but family is forever. If a person wants to stay close to their family, they have to consider things from both theirs and the other person’s points of view. For love, people have to sacrifice things that they might not want to, but they have to love their families enough to help them before they help themselves. Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun Essay -- essays research pap Lorraine Hansberry’s novel, A Raisin in the Sun, revolves around a middle-class African-American family, struggling during World War II. By reading about the Younger’s true to life experiences, one learns many important life lessons. One of the aforementioned would be that a person should always put family’s needs before their own. There are many examples of this throughout the novel. Just a few of these would be the example of Ruth and her unborn baby, Walter regaining the respect of his family, and Mama and her unselfish ways.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first event that shows one should always put family before oneself is the case of Ruth and her unborn baby. At first, Ruth is thinking about having an abortion, and has already paid a five-dollar down payment to the doctor. She explains to Walter her reasoning for such drastic measures by saying, â€Å"†¦I—I’m sorry about this new baby, Walter. I guess maybe I better go on and do what I started†¦ I guess I just didn’t realize how bad things was with us†¦ I guess I just didn’t realize.†(87) Ruth is going to destroy this baby because she feels that she and Walter just do not have enough money to support another family member, and feels that she and Walter will only bring the baby into a world of fighting. Beneatha also has influence on Ruth’s decision by asking, â€Å"†¦ where is he going to live? On the roof?†(58). Beneatha feels that if Ruth has another baby it would just complicate the living situation, which is strenuous enough as it is. Later, even with all of this negat ive energy, Ruth comes to realize that she should not take the life of her baby and decides to keep it. One of her reasons for this change of heart is that her and Walter have been getting along much better, and their constant fighting was one of the main reasons she did not want to have the baby in the first place. Also, now that they are all moving into a new house, there will be enough room for the baby. In the end, although having an abortion seems like an easy way out, Ruth instead thinks about the baby’s life rather than her own, and chooses not to terminate her pregnancy. Another example that proves this, is when Walter gives away his and Beneatha's money to buy a liquor store, and loses it all. He then tries to get the money back by selling their new house to Mr. Lindner, although the only reason Mr. Lindner wants to buy it is becau... ... buy the family a new house so that Travis would have a better place to grow up. Mama could have spent that money on something she wanted, but instead bought something that would make the whole family happy. After she buys their new house, Mama gives Beneatha $3000 dollars towards college and gives Walter $3500 dollars to better his future. Mama has given all of the insurance money to the people she cares about, and kept none of it for herself. She thought about her children’s future and decided to invest the money towards a better life for them. This is a very unselfish act on Mama’s part, a perfect example of putting family before oneself. Although sometimes people can get wrapped up in events that they feel only concern themselves, they should always take a moment to think about how their actions could be affecting the people they love. Friends will always come and go, but family is forever. If a person wants to stay close to their family, they have to consider things from both theirs and the other person’s points of view. For love, people have to sacrifice things that they might not want to, but they have to love their families enough to help them before they help themselves.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Everything is an Argument

Who commissioned the poll? B. Who is publishing the results? C. Who was being surveyed? In what proportions? D. What stakes do these parties have in the outcome? Results can vary depending on how the question is asked d) Testimonies, Narratives, and Interviews- Personal experiences Very convincing when used carefully Most effective when person has some credibility a. Example: I. Interviews with eye witnesses ii. Evaluations Of an person or event (be careful Of subjectivity) Ill. Artistic Appeals I.Using Reason and Common Sense a) Logic- formal study of principle of reasoning Syllogisms- method of deductive reasoning assuming a major principle applies to all minor cases, errors occur when middle term is unrelated to topic in discussion a. Ex. All human beings are mortal. Socrates is a human being. Therefore, Socrates is mortal. B) Most people effectively use informal logic, stating claims and drawing conclusions, consciously or subconsciously c) Entitlement = claim + reason Condensed arguments, rely on implied informationPersuasive when readers agree with ideas on which they are based a. Ex. The presentation will be postponed because there is a surprise guest- speaker. Ii. Cultural Assumptions and Values- many arguments based on culture and history a) Because of its history, the United States bases many arguments on equity and fairness Enthronements on these principles need less formal support b) Even when citing cultural values, be careful Values open to interpretation iii. Providing Logical Structures for Argument a) Degree- More of a good thing, or less off bad thing, is good Common, rarely noticed a.Ex. The health benefits of stem cell research will surely outweigh the ethical risks b) Analogies- Explaining an idea by comparing it to something else More complex and symbolic than metaphors and similes a. Ex. Comparison between human society and animal behaviors c) Precedent- Also involves comparison, doing something in a situation because it was done in a sim ilar situation Using what has been done in the past as a model for what to do now a. A national bank saved the economy in the past, so we should establish one now.Summary: Argue meets based on logos use logic, reasoning, and evidence to make their point. Inartistic arguments, arguments based on facts, evidence, statistics, or testimonies, are set up as statement (or claim) then proof (or evidence). Artistic arguments are founded on logic and reasoning and are structured as Enthronements. Enthronements use the basic formatting of claim then reasoning. The reasoning itself can be introduced as a degree, an analogy, or a precedent. Overall, using logos adds truth and hard logic to arguments, which can be very persuasive if used properly.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Drawing on What You Have Learned About City Road from the Making Social Lives Dvd and Learning Companion 1, Describe Some of the Ways in Which Order Is Made and Repaired on the Street Which You Know

Drawing on what you have learned about City Road from the Making Social Lives DVD and Learning Companion 1, describe some of the ways in which order is made and repaired on the street which you know. The purpose of this assignment is to compare and contrast the social order of City Road with a local road to demonstrate how order is made and is continually repaired over time. Abington Street, has changed considerably over the past 50 years, from a quiet street of individually owned shops such as, Halford Jewellers, Benefit footwear, and only one a big convenience store.Today, you will find fewer individually owned and many more big name high street shops, such as Primark and Tesco Express. Firstly, I will compare Abington Street, and how it has changed to City Road. Abington Street used to be the main thoroughfare to the town centre, with a tram running down the centre of the street creating â€Å"invisible order†, nowadays the street remains invisibly ordered but is used diffe rently as it is now completely pedestrianised. It is both a daytime shopping zone and a night time social space.Meanwhile City Road has changed from a simple country road to a busy town through road, however similarities still exist with Abington Street as both are now shopping and social spaces, as City Roads 1960’s car showrooms, have been replaced by shops, cafes, takeaways and restaurants designed for a wide range of people. With the changes in use, have come the changes in visible order, Abington Streets use changes throughout the day, in a very similar way to City Road.Shopping is the daytime occupation, with people eating and drinking in the cafes, visible order is demonstrated by adherence to the society’s rules as people queue in orderly fashion to purchase goods. Disruption of social order occasionally happens when for example, shoplifting occurs, however this is deterred by CCTV keeping invisible order and is repaired by the presence of security guards preve nting further incidents. Social order is present at night in Abington Street as well as in City Road, at night the shops close, as the takeaways, pubs and clubs open. Young people then use Abington Street for entertainment rather than for shopping.Although, Abington Street brings in different types of people during the different times of day, different shops and venues are aimed at certain groups of people. The younger generation use fast food takeaways or go to socialise at the pubs at night, whilst in the DVD Jose Romas Surez, from Taste bud cafe talks about how mostly elderly customers regularly come back to his cafe during the day, because they feel secure in there this could be to do with the types of people using the streets during a day – the elderly or school children (Making Social Lives on City Road DVD, 2009, scene 3).Most invisible social order at night in Abington Street is maintained by the use of CCTV, whilst visible night time order is maintained by the presen ce of club bouncers, the police and local community support officers. Young people may see the presence of the police and community support workers as a deterrent to them having fun, whilst the shopkeepers rely on the police to maintain social order and protect their property from drunken or accidental bad behaviour.Social order is also affected by the influx of big business; this is demonstrated in the DVD, which shows how the arrival of Tesco Express to City Road results in the closure of smaller businesses. There are inequalities between local shops and the big named supermarkets on both streets. On Abington Street there are two very dominant stores, Tesco Express again as well as Marks and Spencer’s. Both of these shops have a large variety of products on offer at competitive prices; these stores also have a wider range of goods for the convenience of the customers.In City Road, like in Abington Street, the smaller business owner reports adverse affects, an example of thi s is Colin Butwell (the newsagent),he described how he had been affected, saying that Tesco moving in close to his store has resulted in a reduction in trade. On the positive side the opening of well known chains can have a positive effect on remaking society, and social ordering, as it can bring about more jobs, and encourage people to use the area more resulting in other places such as cafes, restaurants being busier.As Georgina Blakely point out some people gain from the reshaping and some people lose (Making Social Lives, 2009, Scene 5). In conclusion, social order will always need to adapt, change and be continually restructured, and repaired to meet society’s requirements. The effects of a single change can have a massive impact on a street and the people that it involves. This can be seen in the effect that pedestrianisation had on Abington Streets main uses, it is also clear to see that the slightest change can have a massive impact on the social ordering of the area. This can be applied to any street in the world. 814 WORDSBibliography, * Blakeley, G. , Bromley, S. ,Clarke, J. , Raghuram, P. , Silva, E. and Taylor, S. (2009) Learning Companion 1,  Introducing the social sciences, Milton Keynes, The Open University. * ‘The street' (2009)  Making Social Lives  [DVD], Milton Keynes, The Open University. * What have you enjoyed about starting this module? I have enjoyed getting back into studying again, after leaving college. I’m definitely looking forward to the rest of this course. What have you found difficult? Time management is my main difficulty, juggling working and writing an assignment but I’m sure I will find this easier as time goes on.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

The Opening Scene of Macbeth Sets the Mood of the Whole Play-Discuss Essays

The Opening Scene of Macbeth Sets the Mood of the Whole Play-Discuss Essays The Opening Scene of Macbeth Sets the Mood of the Whole Play-Discuss Paper The Opening Scene of Macbeth Sets the Mood of the Whole Play-Discuss Paper Macduff (Macbeth) 1 Macduff (Macbeth) Macduff (Macbeth) Dan OHerlihy as Macduff in Orson Welles controversial film adaptation Macbeth (1948) Creator William Shakespeare Play Date Source Family Macbeth c. 1603-1607 Holinsheds Chronicles (1587) Lady Macduff, wife Son, (name unknown) Antagonist to Macbeth; kills him in the final act. Despair thy charm / And let the angel whom thou has served / Tell thee Macduff was from his mother’s womb / Untimely ripped (5. 10. 14-16) Role Quote Macduff, the Thane of Fife, is a character in William Shakespeares Macbeth (c. 603-1607). Macduff plays a pivotal role in the play: he suspects Macbeth of regicide and eventually kills Macbeth in the final act. He is the main antagonist, yet the hero, in the play. The character is first known from Chronica Gentis Scotorum (late 14th century) and Orygynale Cronykil of Scotland (early 15th century). Shakespeare drew mostly from Holinsheds Chronicles (1587). Although characterized s poradically throughout the play, Macduff serves as a foil to Macbeth, a figure of morality, and an instrument to the play’s desired excision of femininity. Origin The overall plot that would serve as the basis for Macbeth is first seen in the writings of two chroniclers of Scottish history, John of Fordun, whose prose Chronica Gentis Scotorum was begun about 1363 and Andrew of Wyntouns Scots verse Orygynale Cronykil of Scotland, written no earlier than 1420. These served as the basis for the account given in Holinsheds Chronicles (1587), on whose narratives of King Duff and King Duncan Shakespeare in part based Macbeth. Macduff first appears in Holinsheds narrative of King Duncan after Macbeth has killed the monarch and reigned as King of Scotland for 10 years. When Macbeth calls upon his nobles to contribute to the construction of Dunsinane castle, Macduff avoids the summons, arousing Macbeths suspicions. Macduff leaves Scotland for England to prod Duncans son, Malcolm, into taking the Scottish throne by force. Meanwhile, Macbeth murders Macduffs family. Malcolm, Macduff, and the English forces march on Macbeth, and Macduff kills him. [1] Shakespeare follows Holinsheds account of Macduff closely, with his only deviations being Macduffs discovery of Duncans body in 2. 3, and Macduffs brief conference with Ross in 2. 4. Historically, the Clan MacDuff was the most powerful family in Fife in the medieval ages. [2] The ruins of Macduffs Castle lie in East Wemyss cemetery. Role in the play Macduff first speaks in the play in 2. 3 when he discovers the corpse of King Duncan in Macbeth’s castle. He raises an alarm, informing the castle that the king has been murdered. Macduff begins to suspect Macbeth of regicide when Macbeth says, â€Å"O, yet I do repent me of my fury / That I did kill them† (2. 3. 103-104). Interestingly, Macduff’s name does not appear in this scene; rather, Banquo refers to him as â€Å"Dear Duff† (2. 3. 75). In 2. Macbeth has left for Scone, the ancient royal city where Scottish kings were crowned. Macduff, meanwhile, meets with Ross and an Old Man. He reveals that he will not be attending the coronation of Macbeth and will instead return to his home in Fife. However, Macduff flees to England to join Malcolm, the slain King Duncan’s elder son, and c onvinces him to return Macduff (Macbeth) to Scotland and claim the throne. Macbeth, meanwhile, visits the Three Witches again after the spectre of Banquo appears at the royal banquet. The Witches warn Macbeth to â€Å"beware Macduff, beware the Thane of Fife† (4. 1. 87-88). Furthermore, they inform him that, â€Å"The power of man, for none of woman born / Shall harm Macbeth† (4. 1. 96-97). Macbeth, fearing for his position as King of Scotland, orders the deaths of Macduffs wife, children and relatives. Macduff, who is still in England, learns of his family’s deaths through Ross, another Scottish thane. He joins Malcolm, and they return to Scotland with their English allies to face Macbeth at Dunsinane Castle. After Macbeth slays the young Siward, Macduff confronts Macbeth. Although Macbeth believes that he cannot be killed by any man born of a woman, he soon learns that Macduff was â€Å"from his mother’s womb / Untimely ripped† (5. 10. 15-16). The two fight, and Macduff slays Macbeth offstage. Macduff ultimately presents Macbeth’s head to Malcolm, hailing him as king and calling on the other thanes to declare their allegiance with him (5. 11. 20-25). 2 Analysis Macduff as a foil to Macbeth As a supporting character, Macduff serves as a foil to Macbeth; his integrity directly contrasts with Macbeth’s moral perversion. [3] In an exchange between the Scottish thane Lennox and another lord, Lennox talks of Macduff’s flight to England and refers to him as â€Å"some holy angel† (3. 6. 6) who â€Å"may soon return to this our suffering country / Under a hand accursed† (3. 6. 48-49). The play positions the characters of Macduff and Macbeth as holy versus evil. The contrast between Macduff and Macbeth is accentuated by their approaches to death. Macduff, hearing of his family’s death, reacts with a tortured grief. His words, â€Å"But I must also fee l it as a man† (4. 3. 223), indicate a capacity for emotional sensitivity. While Macbeth and Lady Macbeth insist that manhood implies a denial of feeling (1. 7. 45-57), Macduff insists that emotional depth and sensitivity are part of what it means to be a man. This interpretation is supported by Macduff’s reaction upon his discovery of Duncan’s corpse and the echo of Macduff’s words when Macbeth responds to the news of Lady Macbeth’s death. Macduff struggles to find the words to express his rage and anguish, crying, â€Å"O horror, horror, horror† (2. 3. 59). In some stage interpretations, Macduff’s character transitions from a state of shock to one of frenzied alarm. [4] This contrasts starkly with Macbeth’s famous response to the announcement of his wife’s death: â€Å"She should have died hereafter / There would have been a time for such a word / Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow† (5. . 17-19). Macbeth’s words seem to express a brutal indifference–she would have died anyway–and perhaps even suggest that he has lost the capacity to feel. Macduff as a moral figure Although Macduff comes to represent a type of â€Å"goodness† in the dark world of Macbeth, Shakespeare also allows for some instability in his character. This becomes most evident in 4. 3 when Macduff joins Malcolm in England. In this scene, the play has moved from the tumult in Scotland to England. In the exchange between the two Scotsmen, Malcolm is clearly in control and forces Macduff to examine and reconcile with himself his own moral code. In a moment of dramatic irony, Macduff begins the conversation urging Malcolm to fight for Scotland rather than to grieve, not knowing that Malcolm has already arranged for English military support (4. 3. 134-136). Malcolm manipulates Macduff, questioning his loyalty, facilitating his emotional responses, and testing to see how much Macduff’s, and perhaps the audience’s, morality can ultimately be compromised. Malcolm portrays Macbeth as a tyrant, but he positions himself, too, as someone morally repulsive. [4] He describes his own voluptuousness–the bottomless â€Å"cistern of [his] lust† (4. 3. 4)–and â€Å"staunchless avarice† (4. 3. 79). Macduff must decide whether he can accept Malcolm as an alternative to Macbeth. He does not give this answer until the final scene, addressing Malcolm, â€Å"Hail King† (5. 6. 20). By this point, however, Malcolm has abjure[d] / The taints and blames I laid upon myself, / For strangers to my nature (4. 3. 125-127). This shows that rather than speaking truthfully about himself, Malcolm was simply testing Macduff to see where Macduffs loyalties were. Therefore, Macduff is right in accepting Malcolm Macduff (Macbeth) as king. Macduff may also be read as a precursor for ethical philosophy. 5] Macduffs flight from Scotland is a spiritual reawakening, with spirituality based around the truth, regardless of what it may be. Macduff constantly reexamines his values. In deciding to leave his family, Macduff deserts those values and pays bitterly for it. Macduff echoes sentiments of writers such as Plato and the later Thomas Hobbes, who claim that morality may only be judged to the extent that a person takes responsibility for his or her actions. Thus, because he accepts the burden of his decision to leave his family for political exploration, Macduffs actions can be justified. [5] 3 Macbeth and the fantasy of female power One of the themes that the play Macbeth wrestles with is the relationship between male vulnerability and feminine influence. The play explores the fantasy of a female or maternal power as well as the desire of an escape from this influence. [6] Femaleness is to be feared and reviled, and to a certain extent, the play works to excise femininity and restore autonomous male or paternal power. However, the play also exposes the impossibility of the fantasy of absolute masculinity. After Macbeth derives much of his motivation from the Witches’ perceived promise of invincibility: that no man born of woman can kill him. He interprets the prophecy to mean he is untainted by femininity, as if femininity were the source of vulnerability. [6] Macbeth believes in his own invulnerability, claiming, â€Å"I bear a charmed life, which must not yield / To one of woman born† (Act V, scene 8). However, Macduff, born via caesarian section, exposes this fantasy as a fallacy. He replies to Macbeth: â€Å"Despair thy charm, / And let the angel whom thou still hast served / Tell thee, Macduff was from his mother’s womb / Untimely ripped† (Act V, scene 8). Though he may not have been of a woman born in the conventional sense (thus fulfilling the prophecy), Macduff ultimately originates from woman, asserting that he was â€Å"from his mother’s womb. If, as Macbeth believes, true manhood cannot derive from or be tainted by femininity, then Macduff’s very existence fundamentally counters this idea. References [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] Bevington, David and William Shakespeare. Four Tragedies Bantam, 1988. Official Scottish Clans and Families (http:/ / www. electricscotland. com). Horwich, Richard. Integrity in Macbeth: The Search for the Single State of Man. Rosenberg, Marvin. The Masks of Macbeth. University of California Press, 1978. Hennedy, John F. Macduffs Dilemma: Anticipation of Existentialist Ethics in Macbeth. Adelman, Janet. Escaping the Matrix: The Construction of Masculinity in Macbeth and Coriolanus. Suffocating mothers: fantasies of maternal origin in Shakespeares plays. Routledge, 1992. External links Macbe th: Folio Version (http://internetshakespeare. uvic. ca/Annex/Texts/Mac/F1/Work) Macbeth: Full-text online (http://shakespeare. mit. edu/macbeth/full. html) Article Sources and Contributors 4 Article Sources and Contributors Macduff (Macbeth)   Source: http://en. wikipedia. org/w/index. php? oldid=542149214   Contributors: 2A01:388:201:3030:E4B5:F56E:CE1B:5242, Agricolae, Akira625, Alansohn, Alex2706, Andrei Iosifovich, Andrew Hampe, Ashton1983, Australian Matt, Benjamin Geiger, Bucklesman, Byron Farrow, Cntras, David Gerard, Deskford, Dwanyewest, Escape Orbit, Finavon, Fitnr, Focus, Girlwithgreeneyes, Huw Powell, IllaZilla, ItsLassieTime, John of Lancaster, Jupiter Optimus Maximus, KGasso, Kabartlett, Kierant, Kyaa the Catlord, Lentower, Lordrosemount, Luki9875, MarnetteD, Mhardcastle, Mhockey, Monkeyzpop, Nashikawa, NatureA16, Omarworld87, P. S. Burton, PC78, Paul Bedson, Pegship, Philip Trueman, Pjweller, Poeloq, Red-eyed demon, Roregan, SAGE01, Saga City, Smalljim, Speedevil, Stefanomione, Stephenb, Steven Zhang, ThinkBlue, Tiria, Tommy2010, Treybien, UltimateCoach, Wangyingyun, Warofdreams, Woohookitty, Wrad, Xover, 115 anonymous edits License Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3. 0 Unported //creativecommons. org/licenses/by-sa/3. 0/

Monday, October 21, 2019

Labor in Colonial America to The Origins of Slave labor essays

Labor in Colonial America to The Origins of Slave labor essays It is a common held belief that slavery was a direct result of racism and that it appeared suddenly. As a matter of fact, racism developed gradually and was the consequence of certain business and economic decisions. In Colonial America, there were three contending systems of production in Labor. There was the plantation system, which consisted in having large farms, and hired or enslaved laborers. Another system was the family based farming in New England and the Middle Colonies, which produces primarily for the family and local community. The third system of production was the artisan crafts. There were 100 or more crafts (carpentry, printing...). The three main forms of European (White) Labor were, voluntary, semi-voluntary and involuntary. The voluntary laborers were indentured or went of their own freewill. The indentures would agree to work without pay for a certain amount of time. The semi-voluntary laborers were mostly young apprentices, while the involuntary laborers were transportees. Two different experiences in Colonial America took place; one in the city of Jamestown in Chesapeake, and the other in New England. -Jamestown was founded as a profit-making corporation with God, Glory, Gold as a slogan. Jamestown turned out to be a total disaster. Only 60 people had survived in 1609, out of the 800 who arrived in 1607. They had come with no real intention of working, and only a few were skilled workers. Their relations with the Indians were disastrous meaning a lot of people were killed. Most deaths were caused by starvation. Tobacco was becoming more popular and this helped Jamestown to make a lot of money but also created economic problems such as labor shortage. Chesapeake could either exploit indentures or encourage immigrants. Those who survived made claims on their land bringing about inequalities between rich and poor planters and creating rebellions such as Bacons Rebellio...

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Challenges And Opportunities That Social Media Networks Offer Media Essay

Challenges And Opportunities That Social Media Networks Offer Media Essay Traditional media v/s new age media The availability of digital media such as satellite and mobile phones, the digital television and most importantly the internet, as a means for communication makes Internet Marketing (IM) very different from the Conventional Marketing. McDonald and Wilson (1999) elaborately highlighted the key difference between traditional media and new media. With particular emphasises on IM the authors proposed what they call ‘The 6 Is of e-marketing mix’. The authors posit that the relevance of the 6 Is are twofold – (i) they draw emphasis on the practical aspects of IM such as direct response and personalization and (ii) provide an understanding of strategic issues such as restructuring of the industry and the changes in the integrated channel communications. The 6 Is of e-marketing mix’ Interactivity In the case of traditional media the marketing message is predominately broadcasted from a company to its target audience, thereby im plying the existence of a ‘push factor’. This process of communication provides little scope for interaction with the customers. However, on the Internet, contact is initiated by the customer who, in most cases, is seeking information, implying the existence of a ‘pull factor’ (Deighton, 1996). Intelligence The internet renders itself as a cost effective means of conducting market research. The internet is an especially useful tool in gathering information about customer perceptions about the product/ service. Individualism (Fig 1.14) pg 30 As illustrated in the diagram above, new media forms allow marketing communications to be tailored to the individual that the message is meant for, unlike in the case of traditional media wherein communication is mass media and the same message is disseminated to its audiences. (Lasswell 1984, Katz and Lazarsfeld 1955) Further, the inherent feature of ‘personalisation’ that new media forms offer to marketers is an important building block in managing relationships with customers. Integration (diagram: A New Marketing Paradigm for Electronic Commerce) The conventional marketing communication model witnesses a fundamental alteration in the presence of a hypermedia Computer-Mediated Environment (CME) like the internet (Hoffman and Novak 1996). The internet enables an increased scope for an integrated marketing communication. The CME communication model provides a platform for consumers to interact with each other, the medium and the company itself. The most drastic departure from the traditional media is the opportunity for the consumers to generate content onto the medium. Hence, in the CME model the primary relationship is with the receiver and the CME, and not between the sender and the receiver, which is the case in traditional media.( Hoffman, 1996) The active role of the consumers makes it imperative for marketers to integrate their communication messages. Industry restructuring. Co ncepts such as ‘disintermediation’ and ‘reintermediation’ (Chaffey et al, 2003) are important considerations for companies that operate in a CME. Disintermediation refers to the process of eliminating conventional intermediaries such as agents and brokers, who previously linked the company to its customers. Reintermediation is the process of creating new age intermediaries between the company and its customer, given the presence of the internet. These new age intermediaries are often referred to as ‘cybermediaries’ (Shankar et al, 1996) and include virtual communities like forums, fan clubs and user groups, search engines like Google and Bing , virtual resellers like Amazon and eBay.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Essay question Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Question - Essay Example For example, considering that patriarchal social systems are the norm during the time of revelation, one can see why the choice of a male messenger of God in the form of Prophet Mohammad strengthened the status quo. What Wadud seems to be implying is that although there is no dispute about the revealed word, its documentation and dissemination was exclusively done by men, making it susceptible to sub-conscious (if not deliberate) gender bias. Seen in this perspective, the Holy book could be interpreted as a divine code meant to apply only to men and which employs masculine language and viewpoints throughout. With this new understanding it is then a natural course of action to reinterpret the text from a female point of view, by discounting historical patriarchal prejudices and attitudes toward women. Added to this there are limitations of language itself, which is found inadequate in encapsulating the numinous and transcendent into the range of common human experience. However sophisticated the syntax, grammar and flexibility of Arabic languages, they cannot capture experiences that are beyond words. This could mean that there is a divergence between divine intent and the Holy Quran. Also, divine revelation is a process and not an event. This was true even during the life of Prophet Mohammad, when divine guidance did not cease to arrive to him till his last days. So, if one sees the guidance provided by Allah as perennial and emergent, there is plenty of scope for constructing a fair and just code for womens role in society. If one would accommodate these adjustments to the reading of Quran, as the author Amina Wadud proposes, the the text ceases to be as oppressive for women as it is made out to be. I largely agree with the authors assessment and her suggestions for a progressi ve reinterpretation of the Quran. 2.

Important Sex Linked Disorder That Affects Humans Assignment

Important Sex Linked Disorder That Affects Humans - Assignment Example Crossing a female with the disease with a male that doesn’t have it will result in all male offspring having the disease and all females being carriers. Finally, crossing a female and a male both that have the disease will result in all offspring having it. Many genetic disorders are inherited recessively. As such the child must have two copies of the allele for it to show phenotypically. One such disorder is cystic fibrosis. This condition results in the excess build up of mucus in many organs including the lungs and liver, as well as increased susceptibility to developing infections. Without treatment, the disease often results in death at early childhood. A cross between a female carrier (Cc) and a male with the disease (CC) would result in 50% of the offspring having the disease, and the other 50% being carriers. A cross between two carriers (Cc) would result in a quarter of the offspring having the disease, half being carriers and the final quarter not inheriting the alle le. Lastly, a cross between two individuals with the disease would result in all of the offspring having the disease. ... Thus, a cross between two carriers (heterozygotes) would result in three-quarters of the offspring having the disease and one not. A cross between a female that did not have the disease and a male carrier (heterozygote) would result in half of the offspring having the disease and the other half not. Finally, a cross between two individuals with the disease depends on the genotypes of each. If both have only one copy of the disease allele, the one-quarterer of their offspring will not have the disease. However, if even one of them is homozygous, then all offspring will have the disease.

Adult Educator Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Adult Educator - Essay Example It is true that being an adult educator is an extraordinarily diverse job marked with different forms of work domains and different kinds of institutions. Research has it that there is a greater degree of informal learning. In fact, from the researchers, eighty percent of all we learn is acquired informally (Usher et al, 2007, p.99). Conversely, only twenty percent of the learning process takes place in the learning institutions. In this case, teaching done in the institutions is given the bigger attention. This follows that, this is the section of learning which involves adult students that can be influenced by using combined forms of learning. What strengths propel one to be an exemplary teacher of adults? First, it is obvious that knowledge is a prerequisite quality for a good teacher. In addition to the professional knowledge, it is noteworthy for the tutor to consider enlarging his/her general knowledge on culture, humanity, society, methodology, psychology, politics and history . This will in turn, serve to boost the effectiveness in providing what the students need to know. In addition, this knowledge places the teacher in a good position to deal with the student’s curiosity and satisfy their diversified requirements. Devotion and passionate love for students are another quality that a skilful teacher needs to have. In general, the adult student exhibit diverse behavior. Consequently, the teacher must be well acquainted with methodologies of handling the students in gentle and loving manner. Paying scrupulous attention to the students and knowing how to keep calm in any situation is imperative at this point. This will help much when giving the students advice and help them realize where they have gone wrong to realize positive change. The only perfect and absolute trait of all good teachers is being reflective. This is so, as without it none of the other characters fully attains its goal. It has been observed that an outstanding teacher is required to think and reflect on their classes from time to time. In addition, the teacher gets so concerned over their students, methods of teaching and even materials used to teach. Following these, comparisons are made and contrasts drawn. The distinctions and parallels will be highlighted with respect to reviews and restoration. This works to ensure one keeps connected with the teaching and learning process. A respectable adult teacher should be comfortable with not knowing. This is a case where one is required to be honest about the dilemmas that cannot be solved immediately. This is notable as one is dealing with mature minds that require honesty. A teacher is expected to live with the dilemma for a while, while trying to come up with the solution (Usher et al, 2007, p.74). Another notable attribute is the ability to enjoy the work and students in class. This character serves to build up motivation and creativity and avoid burnout. Workings within the right parameters will help avoid making students feel irrelevant, misunderstood, or left out. Here, close observation, carefully evaluation, and acting on the finding are indispensable. Finally yet importantly, is the drive to inspire the student’s passion to undertake a study both under the guidance in class and out of class on their own? This quality is highly appreciated owing to its undeniable value. This is of enormous benefit, as class work does not sufficiently provide all the required knowledge; therefore, an excellent teacher succeeds to motivate students to carry on their active and successful self-study at home. Obviously, teaching students on how to do their study independently, resourcefully and successfully is something that every teacher should strive to realize. In what

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Decisions in Paradise, Part II Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Decisions in Paradise, Part II - Essay Example The company has gained the trust and confidence of the company’s current and future customers that they are paying their money’s worth of coffee and other Starbucks products. In terms of service, the company has proven itself to implement world class restaurant service in more than 30 countries around the world. Implementing the going green policy complies with global environmental laws, including the Island’s anti-pollution laws (Ferrell, 2010). Weaknesses. Within the Kava Island market segment, the Starbucks entity’s coffee and other restaurant products are normally higher than the prices of Starbucks’ competitors’ selling prices. The company is only focusing a majority of its marketing management activities on coffee sales. The company relies on coffee sales to bring the company out of a possible bankruptcy situation. The current economic depression enveloping the United States and United Kingdom triggered a drop in the demand for Starbuck s coffee. With many employees retrenched by the bankrupt United States and United Kingdom companies, the increased unemployment rate precipitated to many of Starbucks’ current and future customers losing their jobs. With the lost of their jobs, the current and future customers’ purchasing power declined. ... The company can also save on salaries in countries where the legally allowed salaries are lower than the salaries of Starbucks employees in the United States and United Kingdom. Another opportunity is to hire 16 years old and above employees as part time workers for short periods of time. Hiring the teenagers will help the parents pay for their students’ school and personal needs (Ferrell, 2010). Threats. There are several competitors cropping up in the same coffee restaurant market segment, including Kava Island. The Island’s coffee competitors include the lower priced coffee-serving restaurants in the newly established Kava Island branch. The cultural diversity of the new countries hinders the implementation of the United States-based culture imbued in the company’s unique global marketing strategies (Ferrell, 2010). Analysis of specific steps of the chosen decision-making technique Starbucks implements specific steps in the implementation of the companyâ€℠¢s decision-making techniques. The steps include advertising the many benefits of sipping the reasonably priced cup of the uniquely Starbucks coffee aroma (strengths). For example, the Starbucks coffee ambience creates togetherness among the company’s group clients. Likewise, the advertisements effectively show the busy business line and staff employees can easily ponder the day’s decision making plans while taking their Starbucks lunch (Nutt, 2010). Additionally, buying the local coffee products of Kava Island farmers, instead of importing the coffee plant raw materials from the US reduce raw materials transportation expenses. Consequently, the company can lower the selling prices and still generate more than enough profits (Nutt, 2010). Furthermore, the company hires the local residents to work

Laredo I.S.D. School Board Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Laredo I.S.D. School Board - Essay Example Additionally as in any group dynamic, those things affecting organizational behavior and ultimate action include the catalyst of leadership attributes of members, the vision, mission and goals of the organization, individual dedication and beliefs, and the social interaction required for board compliance and excellence in District performance (Kimbrough 1964). Specific to the Laredo I.S.D. Board of Trustees Public Facilities Corporation Public Hearing of Thursday October 16, 2008, a full agenda was published and each category on the itinerary was covered in the meeting. A significant part of the agenda was associated with budgets, tax allocation issues of one sort or another, and individual testimony associated with behavior and cultural issues in the district environment. A high level view of the 33 agenda items are listed in appendix A. The structure and format of the agenda is arranged in a specific manner to ensure consistency and follow up. The agenda included Board of Directors as well as Board of Trustees meeting components. As evidenced by the scope of the agenda items, a variety of district education and fiduciary issues were given space on the docket to encourage discussion and ultimate action including approval or disapproval. ... The issues that received the most attention included financial and budget reports. Votes that were taken during this meeting included approval of various budget and tax related issues as well as other administrative board decisions. There were a hand full of individuals that utilized the public forum, and their issues were heard and recorded for further action. Public speakers included: Janet Bowman; Pamela Sheran; Juan Gutierrez; Anna Maria Hernandez; Mr. Lavienia; Mr. Cabooses; Mr. Sinuous; and Mr. Bueno. Other presentations and comments were by staff members including Mr. Alvaro Perez, Chief Financial Officer Mr. Raul Cisneros, Executive Director for Facilities and Support Services; Mr. David Garza, Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction; Mr. Gerardo Cruz, Mrs. Ofilia Chapa, Ms. Elsa Arce, and Mrs. Severita Sanchez; Mr. Jose A. Valdez; Mr. Daniel Rigal; Mrs. Guillermina Montes; Mr. George M. Beckelhymer; Mr. John Peter Montalvo; Mr. Jesus J. Guerra; Mr. John Kazen; Ms. E lizabeth G. Henry, Internal Auditor; Mr. Ernesto Guajardo, Ex. Director for Human Resources; and Mrs. Veronica Castillon, Director of Communications. In combination, the speakers presented issues associated with the school board oversight responsibility on budgets, investments, bids, and other administrative functions. The overall impression of the experience of viewing the board proceedings was positive, although there were many uncomfortable political and personal attacks in the open forum component. The general professional conduct of the meeting was fairly impressive regardless of the posture and negativity of some speakers. It was obvious that there is a strong political component interwoven in the board activities and meeting agenda items. The agenda was well structured and

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Adult Educator Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Adult Educator - Essay Example It is true that being an adult educator is an extraordinarily diverse job marked with different forms of work domains and different kinds of institutions. Research has it that there is a greater degree of informal learning. In fact, from the researchers, eighty percent of all we learn is acquired informally (Usher et al, 2007, p.99). Conversely, only twenty percent of the learning process takes place in the learning institutions. In this case, teaching done in the institutions is given the bigger attention. This follows that, this is the section of learning which involves adult students that can be influenced by using combined forms of learning. What strengths propel one to be an exemplary teacher of adults? First, it is obvious that knowledge is a prerequisite quality for a good teacher. In addition to the professional knowledge, it is noteworthy for the tutor to consider enlarging his/her general knowledge on culture, humanity, society, methodology, psychology, politics and history . This will in turn, serve to boost the effectiveness in providing what the students need to know. In addition, this knowledge places the teacher in a good position to deal with the student’s curiosity and satisfy their diversified requirements. Devotion and passionate love for students are another quality that a skilful teacher needs to have. In general, the adult student exhibit diverse behavior. Consequently, the teacher must be well acquainted with methodologies of handling the students in gentle and loving manner. Paying scrupulous attention to the students and knowing how to keep calm in any situation is imperative at this point. This will help much when giving the students advice and help them realize where they have gone wrong to realize positive change. The only perfect and absolute trait of all good teachers is being reflective. This is so, as without it none of the other characters fully attains its goal. It has been observed that an outstanding teacher is required to think and reflect on their classes from time to time. In addition, the teacher gets so concerned over their students, methods of teaching and even materials used to teach. Following these, comparisons are made and contrasts drawn. The distinctions and parallels will be highlighted with respect to reviews and restoration. This works to ensure one keeps connected with the teaching and learning process. A respectable adult teacher should be comfortable with not knowing. This is a case where one is required to be honest about the dilemmas that cannot be solved immediately. This is notable as one is dealing with mature minds that require honesty. A teacher is expected to live with the dilemma for a while, while trying to come up with the solution (Usher et al, 2007, p.74). Another notable attribute is the ability to enjoy the work and students in class. This character serves to build up motivation and creativity and avoid burnout. Workings within the right parameters will help avoid making students feel irrelevant, misunderstood, or left out. Here, close observation, carefully evaluation, and acting on the finding are indispensable. Finally yet importantly, is the drive to inspire the student’s passion to undertake a study both under the guidance in class and out of class on their own? This quality is highly appreciated owing to its undeniable value. This is of enormous benefit, as class work does not sufficiently provide all the required knowledge; therefore, an excellent teacher succeeds to motivate students to carry on their active and successful self-study at home. Obviously, teaching students on how to do their study independently, resourcefully and successfully is something that every teacher should strive to realize. In what

Laredo I.S.D. School Board Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Laredo I.S.D. School Board - Essay Example Additionally as in any group dynamic, those things affecting organizational behavior and ultimate action include the catalyst of leadership attributes of members, the vision, mission and goals of the organization, individual dedication and beliefs, and the social interaction required for board compliance and excellence in District performance (Kimbrough 1964). Specific to the Laredo I.S.D. Board of Trustees Public Facilities Corporation Public Hearing of Thursday October 16, 2008, a full agenda was published and each category on the itinerary was covered in the meeting. A significant part of the agenda was associated with budgets, tax allocation issues of one sort or another, and individual testimony associated with behavior and cultural issues in the district environment. A high level view of the 33 agenda items are listed in appendix A. The structure and format of the agenda is arranged in a specific manner to ensure consistency and follow up. The agenda included Board of Directors as well as Board of Trustees meeting components. As evidenced by the scope of the agenda items, a variety of district education and fiduciary issues were given space on the docket to encourage discussion and ultimate action including approval or disapproval. ... The issues that received the most attention included financial and budget reports. Votes that were taken during this meeting included approval of various budget and tax related issues as well as other administrative board decisions. There were a hand full of individuals that utilized the public forum, and their issues were heard and recorded for further action. Public speakers included: Janet Bowman; Pamela Sheran; Juan Gutierrez; Anna Maria Hernandez; Mr. Lavienia; Mr. Cabooses; Mr. Sinuous; and Mr. Bueno. Other presentations and comments were by staff members including Mr. Alvaro Perez, Chief Financial Officer Mr. Raul Cisneros, Executive Director for Facilities and Support Services; Mr. David Garza, Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction; Mr. Gerardo Cruz, Mrs. Ofilia Chapa, Ms. Elsa Arce, and Mrs. Severita Sanchez; Mr. Jose A. Valdez; Mr. Daniel Rigal; Mrs. Guillermina Montes; Mr. George M. Beckelhymer; Mr. John Peter Montalvo; Mr. Jesus J. Guerra; Mr. John Kazen; Ms. E lizabeth G. Henry, Internal Auditor; Mr. Ernesto Guajardo, Ex. Director for Human Resources; and Mrs. Veronica Castillon, Director of Communications. In combination, the speakers presented issues associated with the school board oversight responsibility on budgets, investments, bids, and other administrative functions. The overall impression of the experience of viewing the board proceedings was positive, although there were many uncomfortable political and personal attacks in the open forum component. The general professional conduct of the meeting was fairly impressive regardless of the posture and negativity of some speakers. It was obvious that there is a strong political component interwoven in the board activities and meeting agenda items. The agenda was well structured and

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

The Ambition and Idealism of Benito Mussolini Essay Example for Free

The Ambition and Idealism of Benito Mussolini Essay The rise and fall of the Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini in Italy during the early half of the twentieth century demonstrate the story of a man’s vision pursued, but eventually doomed. The reign of Mussolini in Italy is one remembered in history as a violent suppression of human rights in name of a ruthless ambition to revive the past glory of Italy and ultimately (re)create an Italian empire (Smith). Born in a small Italian village in the district of Predappio, his beginnings were humble (Roberts, 2006). However, his educated parents gave him an education which broadened his view of the world and led him to be dissatisfied and restless about the opportunities a man like him could have in Predappio. His father, who was a blacksmith, actively participated in Socialist concerns and voiced out his opinion against dubious policies that affected their labor (Roberts, 2006). His mother, who worked as a schoolteacher in a small village for a meager salary, taught the young Benito discipline and focus. He was educated in a strict Catholic school which proved to be unsuitable for him because of his restlessness, inclination to rebellion and uncontrolled and violent temper (Haugen, 2007). After transferring to a different school, Mussolini blossomed into his adolescence with a great aptitude and flair for writing and oration. He became interested in politics, poetry and literature. Around 1902, he attempted to work as a schoolteacher but failed miserably at it, so he decided to migrate to Switzerland to find opportunity and also to escape the military draft during that time in Italy (Roberts, 2006). Upon his return to Italy in 1904 and the subsequent pardon of all draft dodgers in exchange for their enlistment in the army, Mussolini realized that his future was in the country of his birth (Roberts, 2006). His appetite for adventure, socialism, journalism and politics landed him an editorial job in Trent near the Italian-Austrian border where he asserted and promoted his Socialist beliefs. He also trumpeted the pride of being Italian and spoke about the â€Å"Latin genius and courage† (Roberts, 2006, 19). After being evicted from that district because of its anti-socialists sentiments, he moved to Forli near his birthplace to work for a socialist newspaper and engaged himself in more political work (â€Å"Benito Mussolini†). It was in Forli where he was elected as the secretary for the Socialists. His popularity grew as he became more voracious in his writings and speeches. He drew support from his radical decisions such as the strike he organized in Forli which resulted to his imprisonment (â€Å"Benito Mussolini†). When World Ward I broke out, Mussolini opposed the participation of Italy claiming that he would only support class war and threatened a proletariat revolution if Italy continued their support (Smith). But, he retracted soon after and encouraged young men to enlist; this decision resulted in his expulsion from the Socialist party (â€Å"Benito Mussolini†). He formed the Fascist party through the establishment of a pro-war group called Fasci dAzione Rivoluzionaria (Smith). However, Mussolini failed to secure the seats he needed in senate to gain power and control. After the breakdown of a weak alliance with the dominant party Popolare, Mussolini decided that he won’t win the seats democratically, so he staged a siege in Rome which ended in the invitation of the king for him to build a new government (Smith). It was at this point as the head of the National Fascist Party that he established himself as dictator, Il Duce (â€Å"Mussolini†). From that point on he would demand blind trust from the people after insisting through propaganda that he was after all their â€Å"infallible, irreplaceable duce† (Griffin, 2000, 31). As a dictator, Mussolini knew that absolute control was key in ensuring the attainment of his goals. He formed a powerful military force and a secret police to vanquish insubordination (â€Å"Mussolini†). He converted the state economy into â€Å"corporate state† wherein all Italians in professional organizations were put in corporations controlled by the central government (â€Å"Mussolini,† Smith). Propaganda was crucial in Mussolini’s career as dictator. He spent considerable time in planning and propagating his ideas through the press, films and school books (Smith). His training as a journalist and orator helped him broadcast his imperial ideas. To proselytize younger generation, he banned history books in school and indoctrinated them with the tenets of fascism (â€Å"Benito Mussolini†). Under his rule, he abolished the parliament and rewrote the laws to ensure the loyalty of every citizen to the Fascist party (Smith). He tempered his ruthlessness with popular decisions such as the approval of Vatican’s independence. However, the people’s support to him started to wane as he made erratic, unplanned and senseless military and political decisions. In an effort to expand Italy’s territory, he waged war in Ethiopia; this was met with worldwide protest (â€Å"Mussolini†). After the League of Nations condemned his imperialist decisions, he forged allegiance with the Nazi party although he previously opposed Hitler because of Mussolini’s fear of losing Austria to the Germans. His allegiance to the Nazi marked the beginning of his gradual downfall as he supported the World War waged by Hitler (â€Å"Benito Mussolini†). Further, he spread anti-semitism in Italy which Lindemann (2007, 1) pertains to as an â€Å"opportunistic, unsystematic and unprincipled† decision. As the Allied powers encroached German territories, Italy’s weak military force gave in to the pressure of defeat. Mussolini sought refuge under the German forces and attempted to escape to Switzerland. However, anti-Fascist rebels seized their vehicle and got custody of Mussolini and twelve other Fascist party officials (Smith). They were summarily executed and their corpses were hung in public where the people ridiculed and mocked their dead bodies. The ambition for power and control and its inevitable disintegration ended the twenty year reign of Mussolini in Italy. Some historians claim that with the way Mussolini ruled Italy, it is doubtful whether he has as much idealism in him as his speech and propaganda portrayed (Griffin 2000). Whether it his idealism or his ambition which motivated his decisions, the scars of his dictatorial rule in Italy will remain in history as one of the deplorable outcomes of fascist dictatorial rule. References â€Å"Benito Mussolini. † (2008). ThinkQuest Library. Retrieved 30 January 2009 from http://library. thinkquest. org/17120/data/bios/mussolini/ Griffin, R. (2000). How fascist was Mussolini. New Perspective 9. 1 pp. 31-35. Haugen, B. (2007). Benito Mussolini: Fascist italian dictator. Minneapolis, Minn. : Compass Point Books Lindemann, A. (2007) Benito Mussolini. UCSB History Department. Retrieved 30 January 2009 from http://www. history. ucsb. edu/syllabi/spring07/Lindemann/Mussolini2. pdf â€Å"Mussolini, Benito Amicare Andrea† (1999). Who’s Who in the Twentieth Century. Oxford University Press. Oxford Reference Online. Retrieved 30 January 2009 from http://www. oxfordreference. com/views/ENTRY. html? subview=Mainentry=t47. e1187 Roberts, J. (2006). Benito Mussolini. Minneapolis: Lerner Publishing. Smith, D. M. Benito Mussolini. Groiler Online. Retrieved 30 January 2009 from http://www. grolier. com/wwii/wwii_mussolini. html

Monday, October 14, 2019

Advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing the internal audit functions

Advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing the internal audit functions Internal auditing is an appraisal or monitoring activity established within an entity as a service to the entity. It functions are, among other things, examining, evaluating and reporting to the management and the directors on the adequacy and effectiveness of components of the accounting and internal control systems. An internal audit department in an organization is set by the management or appointed by the board of directors to whom it is answerable. It is headed by the chief internal auditor assisted by the internal audit staff to help cater for the following: To ensure that the business is operating in an efficient and orderly manner. Ensure adherence to management policies. Safeguard the fixed assets of the company and control the current assets. Determine the accuracy and reliability of the company records and accounts. Ensure adherence to companys statutory requirements. Reasons for internal audit function Due to increase in business size, which has reduced the efficiency of the management to have full control of the business, it has become increasingly important for large businesses to have an internal audit function. There is need for improved controls in large companies with branches/subsidiaries as it is hard for the management to supervise such companies. Dynamism in business due to economic, social and technical environment all call for change in the management attitudes and constant appraisal for a change. Responsibilities Regularly examine the accounts to determine their accuracy and reliability. Independent appraisal of the business activities to determine their reliance, accuracy and completeness. Review the company policies, operations and procedures to agree with expectations and standards. Establish and programme adequate accounting system and effective forms of control. Report to management regularly in respect to ICS, e.g., adequacy of staff and development of computerized systems. Act as a consulting department to other user departments e.g. sales, accounting, purchases etc. Provide advice to the management in respect to the changes in the economy and their changes in economy and their changes impact on the industry where the client business does operate. Prepare and present the companys budget. Supervise the progress of the company. Other services to the management. Communication between staff and management Coming up with staff welfare strategies e.g. staff promotion circles for the client. Advantages of internal audit Facilitate the achievement of company policies such as budget targets etc. Enhances the presence of a strong internal control system. Acts as a preventive measure against errors and fraud through constant checking of accounts. Enables external audit to be completed in time i.e. with strong internal control system external auditor will rely on an internal auditors work. Ensures that the company assets are safeguarded against misuse or theft by dishonest employees. Being an employee of the company, an internal auditor is more knowledgeable with the problems facing the company which he will try to solve by advising the party responsible for the proper management of the company. Internal audit ensures compliance with statutory requirements within the organization. Internal audit ensures as far as possible the completeness and accuracy of the records. Disadvantages of having internal audit Over reliance by the management will make the staff take advantage of perpetrating frauds. It is ideal for large companies as it may be very expensive to maintain and thus unaffordable by small companies. Lack of support by management kills the morale and ability to perform its duties effectively. Internal audit reports may be misleading because they do not have liability to the owners of financial statements. Internal auditors may collude with staff leading to misappropriation of resources. Outsourcing the internal audit functions This is the process whereby the management purchases the services of auditing from outside. This is because monitoring and reviewing required by certain companies could be done in a small amount of time and full time employees cannot be justified or it may be expensive to maintain an internal audit function consisting of employees. Advantages Service providers have good quality staff i.e. have specialized skill and assess what management wants them to do. Also they have a high degree of professionalism since the service providers are trained in many areas enhancing the quality of advice to the management on best practices. Outsourcing can provide an immediate audit department instead of employing audit staff thereby cutting costs e.g. salaries to the employees, benefits and allowances. Outsourcing enhances independence and there is minimal room for collision thereby giving value added reports i.e. there is real value for money. Outsourcing enhances the auditor in understanding the business environment policies and procedures thereby increasing the credibility of the financial reports and reducing their liability. Disadvantages The cost of outsourcing the internal audit functions might be high to make the directors not to have the internal audit functions at all. The company might use the same firm for internal and external audit services leading to inferior reports. Outsourcing leads to duplication of efforts if the same procedures are used in gathering evidence in the final audit. Outsourcing is not ideal for small businesses with few transactions. External audits may bring leads to interior reports. I.e. Influence or cause unwanted changes in the way the organization operates. Assessment of internal auditors work Before placing any reliance on the work of the internal auditor, the external auditor must assess the internal auditor and his work in the following areas: 1. Independence: The internal auditor may be an employee of the organization but may be able to organize his own activities and report his findings to high-level management i.e. directors. 2. The scope and objective of the internal audit functions This includes reviewing accounting systems and internal controls, also examining financial and operating information by management including resting of transactions and balances. 3. Due professional care to be useful to an external auditor The internal auditors work must be done in a professional manner i.e. properly planned, controlled, supervised, recorded and reviewed. 4. Technical competence Internal auditors should be members of professional bodies and follow professional ethics in performing their work. Also they should have computer knowledge in performing audit in computerized systems. 5. Reporting standards A useful internal auditor will provide a high standard of reports which are acted upon by management. 6. Resources available An internal audit department that is starved of resources will not be very useful to the external auditor. Factors that influence the external auditor in deciding on the extent to which he may rely on the work of the internal auditor The materiality of the areas or the items to be tested or the information to be obtained in the audit exercise. The level of audit risk inherent in the areas or items to be tested or in the information to be obtained. Specialized skills possessed by the internal audit staff i.e. the level of experience and qualification. Independence of the internal auditor i.e. whom they report to. The level of judgment required i.e. how the internal auditor has gathered and arranged the report and quality of working papers. How the internal auditors have acquired evidence e.g. seeking legal advice from advocates, seeking information from valuers, etc. The efficiency and strength of internal control system. Ways in which the internal audit department can assist the external auditor during his audit work The external auditor can use the internal auditors working papers to gather evidence concerning the companys operations, programs etc. Also the internal auditor can explain technical operations or controls used by the company. He can undertake verification of assets in particular mobile assets, assets held by third parties and branches or subsidiaries which the external auditor may not have a chance to physically verify during his presence. Internal auditors can prepare schedules relating to items in their accounts e.g. asset schedules, debtors schedule, creditors schedules etc which are important for comparison to be made by the external auditor. Internal auditor will pin point the weak areas in control systems which the external auditor will concentrate on.