Wednesday, December 25, 2019
Benefits Of Competition Among Firms Delivers Benefits And...
Introduction Competition is considered one of the main driving factors of innovation and performance within business. But before we can fully assess the benefits to society of competition between firms, we must first ask, what is competition? Competition has been described as the rivalry between firms selling similar products and services with the goal of achieving revenue, profit, and market-share growth. This essay will answer the question, ââ¬Å"Assess the extent to which competition among firms delivers benefits to societyâ⬠. Through assessment and analyse of competition this essay will make a judgment on the impact of various types of competition, including perfect, imperfect, monopoly and oligopoly, for both the business along with the consumer. To illustrate and support theoretical ideas, concepts and policies, real life examples have been utilised, which will bringing to light key areas where society as a whole may benefit. Competition is apparent on virtually every street, isle and shelf we look at these days, a simple example being that competition can even generate an entire aisle of breakfast cereal, washing powders and toothpaste etc. This is evident as The Global Competitiveness index has described the U.K in the following statement, ââ¬Å"The country continues to have sophisticated (9th in world) and innovative (12th in world) businesses that are highly adept at harnessing the latest technologies for productivity improvements and operating in a very large market (it isShow MoreRelatedBlackmores1291 Words à |à 6 PagesAustralian School of Business ACCT5910 Business Analysis and Valuation Lesson Plan â⬠¢ â⬠¢ â⬠¢ â⬠¢ â⬠¢ â⬠¢ Dot Com case study Why do we need to undertake strategy analysis? Industry I d t analysis l i Competitive strategy analysis Corporate strategy analysis SWOT analysis Australian School of Business B i Class 2: Strategy Analysis gy y Dot Com ââ¬â NASDQ index from 1 Jan 1996-30 Dec 2002 School of Business B i Australian A. Why Strategy Analysis â⬠¢ â⬠¢ Strategy drives the actions of an organisationRead MoreAnalyzing The Industry Forces That Affect Competition And Drive Profits Down1083 Words à |à 5 PagesINDUSTRY FORCES One way to determine the profitability of a firm is to analyze the industry forces that affect competition and drive profits down. Michael porter proposes a framework to analyze the level of competition within an industry; according to porter these forces directly influence the system profitability. The stronger the forces are the less profitable the firm becomes. The forces are defined to be strength of competition, barriers of entry, the power of buyers, power of suppliers, andRead MoreValue Chain as Competitive Advantage1295 Words à |à 6 Pagesas a competitive advantage can contribute significantly to the prosperity of a firm in the competitive arena, but it can cause dire situations if not operated properly (Guy, 2011). However, there are conflicts among companies as to how stakeholders think they gain competitive advantage. Porter (1996) suggests: A company can outperform rivals only if it can establish a difference that it can preserve. It must deliver greater value to c ustomers or create comparable value at lower cost or do bothRead MoreHow Should Reverse Auction Fit Into An Overall Procurement Strategy?1739 Words à |à 7 PagesReverse Auction fit into an Overall Procurement Strategy? It is quite challenging to discuss about procurement management without stating the importance of its strategies. There are four main basic procurement strategies that serve different functions within a procurement management. To begin with, a ââ¬Å"Partnershipâ⬠strategy focuses mainly on constructing mutual commitment in long term relationship with suppliers. While a ââ¬Å"Secure Supplyâ⬠strategy aims to secure short and long term supply while reducingRead MoreTarget Is A Retail Store That Some People Would Happen1574 Words à |à 7 PagesTarget is a retail store that some people would happen to say aligns with Walmart we will not be discussing them within comparison but yet how does target build in business strategy within the corporation and department level. A business strategy consists of internal business process, customers, learning growth, and finances. Now letââ¬â¢s get to know target. Target is seen as an upscale discount store, because of its major designers that design a line of products just for Target. Their chic, fashionableRead MoreHow Training and Development Helps in Competitive Advantage1594 Words à |à 7 Pageshigh-performing employees in the extremely competitive business environment. Companies have recognized the need to enhance the employeeââ¬â¢s opportunity to develop skills and abilities for full performance within the position and for career advancement and growth which would lead to retention of talented workforce in return increase firms performance in terms of profitability and productivity. Companies have realized that in todays competitive business milieu, the quality of people one employs will makeRead MoreBenefits of Strategic Management1255 Words à |à 6 PagesCompetitive Advantage in Strategic Management A business without strategy is a business without direction. A strategy without a competitive advantage is a business without a precondition of success. Managing strategically is to make decisions and implement strategies that allow an organization to develop and maintain competitive advantage. Competitive advantage is a concept that motivates strategists to replicate the strategies that make most successful companies successful. AccordingRead MorePorter Argues That If a Firm Is to Attain Competitive Advantage; It Must Choose Between the Types of Competitive Advantage It Seeks, Discuss Using an Industrial Example?1468 Words à |à 6 Pagesargues that if a firm is to attain competitive advantage; it must choose between the types of competitive advantage it seeks, discuss using an industrial example? An industry can be defined as a group of companies offering products that are closely substituting for each other in order to satisfy customers. Competitive advantage can be defined as when a firm sustains profit which exceeds the companyââ¬â¢s average; it automatically possesses competitive advantage over rivals. The business strategy forRead MoreNetwork Theory of Internalization and Social Capital in Internalization1000 Words à |à 4 Pagesin terms of processes products and innovation. Michael Porter established a theoretical framework for enterprise application in industries which analyzed the processes and activities that create value in the organization and dynamics with your competition and market. However, the formulation of the Porter value chain was limited to vertical view of organizations, making rigid implementation in non-industrial or horizontal integration features flexible sectors. Porter looked for human value as a resourceRead MoreValue Prposition2396 Words à |à 10 Pagespropositionà is part of businessà strategy. Kaplan and Norton[1]à say Strategy is based on a differentiated customer value proposition. Satisfying customers is the source of sustainable value creation. Developing aà value propositionà is based on aà reviewà andà analysisà of theà benefits,à costsà andà valueà that anà organizationà can deliver to itscustomers, prospective customers, and otherà constituentà groups within and outside the organization. It is also a positioning of value, whereValueà =à Benefitsà -à Costà (cost
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
Death Penalty Analyzing The Capital Punishment s...
Joshua Baltzley AP Lang, B2 Ms.Wallace 10 January 2015 Death Penalty: Analyzing the Capital Punishmentââ¬â¢s Statistical Effects and Harms Imagine what it feels like for people who are on death row. Regrets are racing through their minds. Nerves are shooting up their spine. They start to feel this overwhelming guilt come upon them. This guilt makes them feel as if they deserve this punishment. The truth is they do not deserve it. No human being in this world deserves that punishment. They deserve a second chance. They deserve a glimmer of hope in their life that makes them strive to do better. The death penalty kills their hope. It takes their hope and annihilates it, leaving no traces behind. The death penalty is a punishment that should never be used because no person deserves to be killed for their actions, and it has way too many harmful statistics that affect the government and the people of America. The death penalty has also been suggested as a threat in plea-bargaining. In the article Leveraging Death, Sherod Thaxton addresses the use of the death penalty as leverage in plea negotiations as virtually nonexistent (475). Thaxton states ways that describe why researching this is important, ââ¬Å"Examining the impact of capital punishment on plea bargaining is important for several reasons. First, it helps inform our understanding of how sentencing law influences plea bargainingâ⬠¦.Second, the use of the death penalty as leverage in plea negotiations raises important legal andShow MoreRelatedSpeech on Capital Punishment Should Not Be Abolished2506 Words à |à 11 PagesThe Death Penalty Should Not Be Abolished Criminal Justice , 2009 David B. Muhlhausen, The Death Penalty Deters Crime and Saves Lives, Heritage Foundation, August 28, 2007. www.heritage.org. Reproduced by permission of the author. Capital punishment produces a strong deterrent effect that saves lives. In the following viewpoint, David B. Muhlhausen argues that capital punishment should not be abandoned because it deters crimes, saves lives, and the majority of American citizens support its useRead MoreOverview of Hrm93778 Words à |à 376 PagesImportance of HRM The success of organizations increasingly depends on people-embodied know-how- the knowledge, skill, Copyright à © Virtual University of Pakistan 2 Human Resource Management (MGT501) VU and abilities imbedded in an organization s members. This knowledge base is the foundation of an organization core competencies (integrated knowledge sets within an organization that distinguish it from its competitors and deliver value to customers). HRM plays important role in creating organizationsRead MoreLogical Reasoning189930 Words à |à 760 Pages........................................................................................... 418 Stratified Samples .......................................................................................................................... 420 Statistical Significance ................................................................................................................... 422 Designing a Paired Comparison Test ...........................................................................Read MoreManagement Course: MbaâËâ10 General Management215330 Words à |à 862 PagesCalifornia College for Health Sciences MBA Program McGraw-Hill/Irwin abc McGrawâËâHill Primis ISBN: 0âËâ390âËâ58539âËâ4 Text: Effective Behavior in Organizations, Seventh Edition Cohen Harvard Business Review Finance Articles The Power of Management Capital FeigenbaumâËâFeigenbaum International Management, Sixth Edition HodgettsâËâLuthansâËâDoh Contemporary Management, Fourth Edition JonesâËâGeorge Driving Shareholder Value MorinâËâJarrell Leadership, Fifth Edition HughesâËâGinnettâËâCurphy The Art of M A:Read MoreStrategy Safari by Mintzberg71628 Words à |à 287 Pagesmanagement needs to be opened up, not closed down; it needs reconciliation among its many different tendencies, not the isolation of each. 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In the musical chairs world of publishing these x EMBARKATION days, to beRead MoreFundamentals of Hrm263904 Words à |à 1056 Pagesmoney From multiple study paths, to self-assessment, to a wealth of interactive visual and audio resources, WileyPLUS gives you everything you need to personalize the teaching and learning experience. à » F i n d o u t h ow t o M A K E I T YO U R S à » www.wileyplus.com ALL THE HELP, RESOURCES, AND PERSONAL SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR STUDENTS NEED! 2-Minute Tutorials and all of the resources you your students need to get started www.wileyplus.com/firstday Student support from an experiencedRead MoreChange Management49917 Words à |à 200 Pageschange as it relates to structure, culture, systems of power and control, which gives them further clues about whether it is worth trying to introduce change. But what causes change? What factors need to be considered when we look for the causal effects which run from A to B in an organization? The change may occur in response to the : â⬠¢ â⬠¢ â⬠¢ â⬠¢ â⬠¢ Changes in technology used Changes in customer expectations or tastes Changes as a result of competition Changes as a result of government legislation ChangesRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words à |à 1617 Pagesbuilt-in pretests and posttests, focus on what you need to learn and to review in order to succeed. Visit www.mymanagementlab.com to learn more. DEVELOPING MANAGEMENT SKILLS EIGHTH EDITION David A. Whetten BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY Kim S. Cameron UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Prentice Hall Boston Columbus Indianapolis New York San Francisco Upper Saddle River Amsterdam Cape Town Dubai London Madrid Milan Munich Paris Montreal Toronto Delhi Mexico City Sao Paulo Sydney Hong Kong Seoul SingaporeRead MoreHuman Resources Management150900 Words à |à 604 PagesBureau of Labor Statistics, http://stats.bls.gov/ecopro.table6.htm GLOBAL COMPETITION One major factor affecting these shifts is the globalization of economic forces. As seen the past few years, the collapse of Asian economies had significant effects on U.S.-based organizations. One estimate by U.S. government statisticians is that over 25% of all U.S. manufacturing workers hold jobs dependent on exporting goods to other countries. This is particularly true with more highly skilled, technicalRead MoreInternational Management67196 Words à |à 269 Pagesbusiness and the increasing importance of corporate social responsibility and sustainability in global management. We have incorporated the latest research on the increasing pressure for MNCs to adopt more ââ¬Å"greenâ⬠management practices, including Chapter 3ââ¬â¢s opening World of International Management which includes discussion of GEââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"ecomaginationâ⬠initiative and a boxed feature in that chapter on the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. We have updated discussion of and provided additional emphasis on the
Monday, December 9, 2019
Open Disclosure of Software Vulnerabilities
Question: Discuss about the Open Disclosure of Software Vulnerabilities. Answer: Introduction Software vulnerability is any error that can be exploited by a hacker for compromising system or stealing data. Attacks can of different nature and can cause different levels of severity. Vulnerability once known is responded by the software developer by fixing it through release of a patch(Altinkemer, et al., 2004). Security vulnerabilities have caused a huge number of worms and viruses coming into the world and attackers exploiting these vulnerabilities are able to take some significant benefits by stealing money or confidential information about users and entities. These vulnerabilities are explored and reporting by security professionals so that remedies to counter these attacks can be found in advance to stop hackers from exploiting systems. These disclosures are made public in the marketplace which is open for all to reach. However, disclosure of security vulnerabilities on one side warn the users and software programmers to resolve them, on the other side, they also make the attackers attentive enough to act fast against vulnerabilities before they are taken care of(Cencini, et al., 2005). This paper explores different types of vulnerabilities that systems have different types of disclosures made, and different types of hackers to understand what positions they take in order to exploit the vulnerabilities as soon as they discover problems with software before their next versions could be launched. Research methods and approach Choice of research method depends on the objectives, philosophical assumptions of the researcher, availability of research data, availability of resources, availability of time, and the context of research(ML, 2004). As there is a lot of information already available on the subject of interest, thus, a secondary research would be used. Past research papers, journal articles, news articles, and academic papers would be studied and a critical analysis would be done using content analysis(Johnston, 2014). The research explored the types of vulnerabilities, the disclosure of vulnerabilities, types of hackers and the positions they take Vulnerabilities in software can be of two types including software defects that include design and coding flaws and configuration errors that include dangerous services and administrative errors. As per the Gartner study, 25% of the security attacks that become successful exploit software defects. These defects can be introduced when the design of software is unsafe. There could be instances when the software is not designed to face the exposure to the internet but when it actually happens, the software becomes vulnerable to the security threats. Such flaws should usually get discovered while performing requirement analysis, developing architecture, or while designing. If there are flaws in the software coding, it can cause issues like buffer overflow, non-random coding, and race conditions(K Telang, 2004). Configuration errors can occur when multiple software products are made to work together in such a manner that they cause vulnerabilities. As per the Gartner study, 65% of the security attacks that become successful exploit such configuration errors. At times, a software is configured in such a way that it allows those services to connect that do not meet the operational requirements of the system. This can cause malfunctioning of software(Arora, et al., 2003). Such flaws can be identified during quality assurance testing. However, subsequent changes made in software can still cause configuration errors at later stages. Configuration errors also include misconfigured access controls which can be the most dangerous threat to security in software as it let unauthorized users perform malicious activities by abusing privileges of legitimate users. Such flaws can be detected at the Quality Assurance stage but they usually appear only after the system becomes operational. Thus, it is essen tial that access policy compliance scans are regularly done(Pescatore, 2003). Vulnerabilities can also be classified on the basis of the stage of disclosure. A vulnerability can be called as secret when is never disclosed or patched. A published vulnerability is disclosed but not patched, and patched vulnerability would both be published and patched. A typical path of any kind of vulnerability goes from secret to published to patched. A research involving 2952 observations made over 9 weeks involving 328 different software vulnerabilities had found that 160 of the vulnerabilities were made public on the same day of discovery, 77 vulnerabilities had no patches made and 76 were patched later. The vulnerabilities that were published attracted 5.45 attacks every day per host while patched vulnerabilities attracted 2.5 attacks per host per day(Arora Telang, 2013). Microsoft defines a life cycle of software vulnerabilities beginning with its birth, followed by discovery, disclosure, correction, publicity, scripting, and death. Birth refers to the stage of development when the vulnerability is actually created. Vulnerabilities that are detected and then corrected before the deployment are not considered in the case. At discovery stage, a researcher or developer comes to know that the vulnerability exists in the software(Schryen, 2011). Once discovered, the vulnerability is disclosed to vendor, authority, developer or public. Vendor then analyzes the bug, fixes it, and releases the patch to the public. Once patch is released, the vulnerability is spread to public along with the patch. A tool is developed for exploitation of vulnerability in the scripting stage. After patching most systems, old systems may get retired or the exploit does not remain a subject of interest for hackers leading to the death of vulnerability(Arora, et al., 2006). Vulnerability disclosures can be classified into a few categories including non-disclosure, limited disclosure full disclosure, and responsible disclosures. When a security researcher finds out about vulnerability in software and instead of letting the information out keeps it a secret, it is an act of non-disclosure(Algarni Malaiya, 2014). The reason for non-disclosure could simply be laziness or a malicious intent to freely break into the system without having a need to implement patches. Such a hacker can share the information about vulnerability to other hacker which can compromise user security. If this happens, it can later lead to full-disclosures initiated by underground communities(Zhao, et al., 2015). When the software vulnerability is disclosed only to a limited audience and not a wider community or public, it is a limited disclosure. A small group is provided with the complete details of the vulnerability. The challenge in this type of disclosure is that it is difficult to determine who could be trusted as it is very difficult to enforce the ethical behaviour on the people it is disclosed to. The information disclosed in this type of disclosure is actually not much detailed and thus, there may not be a complete understanding of the structure of the flaw in the audience which can lead to repetition of same mistake by a developer in future. Thus, limited disclosure is often criticized y researchers(Hoskins, 2015). Full disclosure involves spreading of information to whole community with details like how it was found, what software it can affect, how it can be exploited, and how it can be protected from security attacks. This act is considered as ethical because one user is informed about the vulnerabilities through a community; they can disable the affected software in their machines to protect themselves. Such a move would also push software vendors to immediately notice the flaw and work on remedial actions. With full disclosure, the researcher also receives the credit immediately and this can be motivator security professionals(Wattal Telang, 2004). Over the years, there have been several policies proposed concerning disclosure such as full disclosure policy and vulnerability disclosure in 2000 by RFP and CERT respectively. A vulnerability disclosure framework was formed by NIAC in the year 2004. Full Disclosure policy by RFP focuses on researchers and advocates full disclosure of vulnerabilities to community. CET vulnerability disclosure suggests disclosure of vulnerability of any software to public but is against the full disclosure including details and exploit codes. The NIAC had advised building of a framework for defining the guidelines for disclosure. A disclosure policy is affected by how the participants in a disclosure respond including software vendors, hackers, and users as each of them would be affected in some way by the policy. If the disclosure is fast then the patches for filling vulnerability also comes faster from the vendor. An optimal disclosure policy can give more time to software developers to come up with patches. If patching is to be done in the real time, the vulnerability must never be disclosed except to the developers so that before a hacker identifies vulnerability, a patch can be released by the developer. If a disclosure is made instantly after discovery not followed by the launch of the patch, it can leads to a loss for the software vendor. CERT gives 45 days to developers to come up with patches before the disclosure is made public. In a typical disclosure process, a limited disclosure is done which begins with the discovery of vulnerability by a security researcher which s first communicated to the software vendor or an independent regulatory body like CERT which can later make the vulnerability public. In some cases, if full disclosure policy is used, the vulnerability can be directly disclosed to the public. This usually happens when researchers use public forums like Bugtraq for making disclosures(Telang Wattal, 2004). Three types hackers operate in the digital space each with some distinguishing characteristics and these include grey-hat hackers who are actually researchers, black hat hackers who violate the last of security to get personal gains and is often involved in selling zero-day vulnerability exploits, and white hat hackers who are ethical and use their skills for legal purposes. Grey-hat hackers when finds software vulnerability would simply disclose it without the concern of its consequences but a white hat hacker would do this disclosure to the developer so that the developer can fix the vulnerability to prevent attacks(A, 2004). The White hat and grey-hat hackers are involved in making disclosures of vulnerabilities. While grey-hat hackers use forums as platforms for disclosures, White-hat hackers are those ethical hackers that can involved by security organizations themselves to identify vulnerabilities and make limited disclosures. Vulnerability disclosure appears to be an important activity in the security space as it would make the users or developers aware of the issues and take precautions or launch fixes to remediate the security problem. Four types of disclosure approaches were found including no disclosure, limited disclosure, full disclosure, and responsible disclosure. Depending on the types of vulnerabilities and the capacity of the vendor to launch the patches would be useful in determine which approach to take. A real time patching system may require a company to not make any disclosure and directly release patches. A disclosure policy may be formulated by an organization such that the process of disclosure can be formalized and organized(SANS, 2017). There could be three possible regimes that are followed for making disclosures of vulnerabilities by software firms. A firm may choose to not disclose any of the vulnerabilities or issue any updates. Another firm may choose to disclose all vulnerabilities and release update as soon as possible after that. A firm can also adapt to an existing disclosure policy. Whatever is the policy of disclosure, it has to be communicated to the consumer at the time of the purchase of the software from the vendor(Choi, et al., 2007). Conclusions The paper explored the idea of disclosure of software vulnerabilities. The paper discussed different types of vulnerabilities, hackers, and disclosures. It was found that most companies define a policy for disclosure which can either be self-developed or adopted from security bodies like CERT. The type of disclosure to be made depends on the capacity of vendor to launch patches and the level of threat caused by vulnerability. References A, A., 2004. Whose Bug Is It Anyway? The Battle over Handling Software Flaws, s.l.: IEEE Software. Algarni, A. Malaiya, Y., 2014. Software vulnerability markets: Discoverers and buyers. International Journal of Computer, Information Science and Engineering, 8(3), pp. 71-81. Altinkemer, K., Rees, J. Sridhar, S., 2004. Vulnerabilities and Patches of Open Source Software: An Empirical Study, s.l.: Purdue University . Arora, A., Caulkins, J. Telang, R., 2003. Provision of Software Quality in the Presence of Patching Technology, s.l.: Carnegie Mellon University. Arora, A., Krishnan, R., Telang, R. Yang, Y., 2006. An Empirical Analysis of Software Vendors Patching Behavior: Impact of Vulnerability Disclosure, s.l.: Carnegie Mellon University. Arora, A. Telang, R., 2013. Economics of Software Vulnerability Disclosure , s.l.: Carnegie Mellon University. Cencini, A., Yu, K. Chan, T., 2005. Software Vulnerabilities: Full-, Responsible-, and Non-Disclosure , s.l.: University of Washington. Choi, J. P., Fershtman, C. Gandal, N., 2007. Network Security: Vulnerabilities and Disclosure Policy, s.l.: Michigan State University. Hoskins, B. N., 2015. The Rhetoric of Commoditized Vulnerabilities: Ethical Discourses in Cybersecurity , s.l.: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University . Johnston, M. P., 2014. Secondary Data Analysis:A Method of which the Time Has Come. Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Libraries (QQML), Volume 3, pp. 619-626. K, K. Telang, R., 2004. Market for Software Vulnerabilities? Think Again, s.l.: Carnegie Mellon University. ML, J., 2004. Application of systematic review methods to qualitative research: practical issues., s.l.: Pub Med. Pescatore, J., 2003. Taxonomy of Software Vulnerabilities, s.l.: Gartner, Inc. SANS, 2017. How do we define Responsible Disclosure?, s.l.: SANS Institute. Schryen, G., 2011. Is open source security a myth?. Communications of the ACM, 54(5), pp. 130-140. Telang, R. Wattal, S., 2004. Impact of Software Vulnerability Announcements on the Market Value of Software Vendors an Empirical Investigation, s.l.: Heinz School of Public Policy. Wattal, S. Telang, R., 2004. Effect of Vulnerability Disclosures on Market Value of Software Vendors An Event Study Analysis , s.l.: Carnegie Mellon University . Zhao, M., Grossklags, J. Liu, P., 2015. An Empirical Study of Web Vulnerability Discovery Ecosystems, s.l.: Pennsylvania State University.
Sunday, December 1, 2019
International Trade Theories Essays - International Trade Theory
International Trade Theories Mercantilism Mercantilism was a sixteenth-century economic philosophy that maintained that a country's wealth was measured by its holdings of gold and silver (Mahoney, Trigg, Griffin, s global influence. Politically, mercantilism was popular with many manufactures and their workers. Export-oriented manufacturers favoured mercantilist trade policies, such as those giving subsidies or tax rebates, which stimulated their sales to foreigners. Domestic manufacturers threatened by foreign imports endorsed mercantilist trade policies, such as those imposing tariffs or quotas, which protected them from foreign competition (Mahoney, Trigg, Griffin, & Pustay, 1998). Most members of society are hurt by such policies. Government subsidies of exports for selected industries are paid for by taxpayers. Mercantilist terminology is still used today, an example when television commentators and newspaper headlines report that a country suffered an unfavourable balance of trade-that is, its exports were less than its imports. Mercantilist policies are still politically attractive to some firms and their workers, as mercantilism benefits certain members of society. Modern supporters of these policies are known as neo-mercantilists, or protectionists (Mahoney, Trigg, Griffin, & Pustay, 1998). The mercantilists were a group of economists who preceded Adam Smith. They judged the success of trade by the size of the trade balance (Lipsey, & Chrystal, 1996). Absolute Advantage The theory of absolute advantage, suggests that a country should export those goods and services for which it is more productive than other countries, and import those goods and services for which other countries are more productive than it is (Mahoney, Trigg, Griffin, & Pustay, 1998). Adam Smith was the first to come up with the theory of absolute advantage. According to Adam Smith, mercantilisms basic problem is that it confuses the acquisition of treasure with the acquisition of wealth. In An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (1776), Smith attacked the intellectual basis of mercantilism and demonstrated that mercantilism actually weakens a country. Smith maintained that a countrys true wealth is measured by the wealth of all its citizens, not just that of its monarch (Mahoney, Trigg, Griffin, & Pustay, 1998). A country is said to be more productive than another country, if it can produce more output (goods) for a given quantity of input, such as labour or energy inputs. An example is that there are only two countries, Australia and Japan. They both produce computers and wine, and only one factor of production, labour. Japan produces 6 computers for every 1 bottle of wine, where as Australia produces only 4 computers for every 3 bottles of wine. This suggests that Australia should export some of its wine to Japan, and Japan should export some of its computers to Australia. Australia has an absolute advantage over Japan, when producing wine, and Japan has an absolute advantage over Australia, when producing computers (Gandolfo, 1998). Economists use the term absolute advantage when comparing the productivity of one person, firm or nation with that of another. The producer that requires a smaller quantity of inputs to produce a good is said to have an absolute advantage in producing that good (Gans, King, & Mankiw, 1999). Comparative Advantage The theory of comparative advantage, states that a country should produce and export those goods and services for which it is relatively more productive than are other countries and import those goods and services for which other countries are relatively more productive than it is (Mahoney, Trigg, Griffin, & Pustay, 1998). David Ricardo, the early nineteenth-century British economist solved the problem of the theory of absolute advantage, by developing the theory of comparative advantage. Absolute advantage suggests that no trade would occur if one country has an absolute advantage over both products. The differences between absolute and comparative advantage theories are subtle. Absolute advantage looks at absolute productivity differences, comparative advantage looks at relative productivity differences
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
12 Cause and Effect Essay Topics on Chinese Studentsââ¬â¢ Discrimination in the US
12 Cause and Effect Essay Topics on Chinese Studentsââ¬â¢ Discrimination in the US If you are writing a cause and effect essay on Chinese students discrimination in the United States, there are many facts that you might want to consider integrating into your work. Below is a short list of some recent developments, based on many scientific journals and studies. These might be of use to anyone who needs to include useful information into their existing content, or who is searching for another argument to include in an existing paper: Colleges and universities are being forced to increase the number of international students who attend universities, as a result of the economic crisis and many state and federal level budget cuts. Such a move has resulted in many tax dollars being spent educating students who come from out of state as well as from out of the country. $21.8 billion was spent by international students on their education in the United States in 2011. 70% of international students who enroll in American universities receive their funding from sources which are beyond the boundaries of the United States. Many foreign students, especially from China, are encouraged and recruited by universities to attend so that they generate income for the school and so that they can improve diversity on campus as well as increase cultural exposure enjoyed by other local students. Higher rates of international students have results in higher racial incidents targeted primarily at international students. The rate of incidents increase when issues arise in the news relating to the country where a particular student may originate. In some cases, domestic students may inaccurately place blame or target students incorrectly, such as pointing racial slurs about Koreans to a Chinese student, or vice versa. Recent studies have determined that discrimination faced by Chinese students goes beyond the racial comments from other students and extends into the interactions that students have with their classmates, but with their professors, staff members of the university, and the community at large. Some professors will have little regard for the various cultures, ways of thinking, or academic trainings a Chinese student may have had back home. Professors have been found to ignore Chinese students when they cannot understand them or when the accent is thick, rather than being patient and listening to them. Students will mock the names of foreign students openly, as well as the foods they eat and the smells generated by the said foods. Some university campuses have addressed the issues by encouraging the development of cross cultural activities on campus whereby one-on-one interactions are promoted between domestic students and foreign students. Some universities have gone so far as to offer a credited course which doubles as an orientation to local customs and cultures but runs for one semester instead of just one week. These courses have successfully targeted problems with academic plagiarism, transportation and housing, as well as the resources which are available on the campus. Research indicates that relationships formed by Chinese students with domestic students and other international students alike is paramount to mitigating the risk of depression, improving performance in the classroom, and encouraging overall higher rates of satisfaction with the educational experience. There are racist ideologies as well as stereotypes which are perpetuated in China and America which can interfere with successful cross cultural engagement. In China, for example, those people with darker skin like that of Latinos, Blacks, and Southeastern Asian students are considered culturally to be inferior. This perception can interfere with international students and Chinese students becoming friends. Many Chinese students will revert to associating with other Chinese students and with some U.S. white students, while avoiding the other minorities, and even shunning them. Some campuses fail to require Chinese students to take diversity courses or to complete American history classes. This impacts the perception that Chinese students have about race, interactions with others, and as a result has a negative impact on their school experience. This can seep into all aspects of the campus. As a result of this problem, it is important that students are able to partner with other campus offices or organizations whereby they can fain better education on race relations in America and higher education about other international students. These methods have been applied by a handful of universities with some success. The course content covers things such as gender issues, race, multi-racial identity, and ethnicity. Some academic institutions have encouraged Chinese students to enroll in ethnic studies courses where issues of class, race, gender, and sexuality are presented. By offering students a better understanding of cultural differences and ideologies in America and abroad, they can critically analyze themselves. Many Chinese students who come to America for their education face the challenge of language and behavior first. While they may pass English proficiency exams on paper for entrance into the university, it can be much more challenging to face fast-paced conversations with classmates full of colloquial phrases and odd cultural references, or even fast lectures given by professors. Understanding things such as finances, university programs, health, transportation, and housing are all equally challenging when the forms all require a higher knowledge of legalese. This challenge is one which causes and results in a great deal of uncertainty for the Chinese students. Some students in such situations try to communicate with strangers or those they know, but this results in uncertainty and feelings of insecurity. The uncertainty results from not knowing how to behave and the feelings of insecurity results from language issues. Some Chinese students are much more aware and sensitive to these d ifferences which only encourages anxiety. Chinese students who study abroad have to adapt to a socio-cultural system that is far different than theirs at home, which makes the academic experience about much more than completing course work. This increase the pressure and makes many students hesitant to engage in social events knowing that such differences exist but not knowing how to resolve them. Chinese students really suffer from discrimination and itââ¬â¢s an important issue to write about. Thatââ¬â¢s why there is also a list of ready-made topics on Chinese studentsââ¬â¢ discrimination that will help you write a good paper. In addition, you should check out the tips on cause and effect essay writing that will assist you in producing a high quality text. References: Benner, Aprile D., and Su Yeong Kim. Experiences of discrimination among Chinese American adolescents and the consequences for socio-emotional and academic development.à Developmental psychologyà 45.6 (2009): 1682. Boswell, Terry E. A split labor market analysis of discrimination against Chinese immigrants, 1850-1882.à American Sociological Reviewà (1986): 352-371. Jung, Eura, Michael L. Hecht, and Brooke Chapman Wadsworth. The role of identity in international studentsââ¬â¢ psychological well-being in the United States: A model of depression level, identity gaps, discrimination, and acculturation.à International Journal of Intercultural Relationsà 31.5 (2007): 605-624. Lee, Jenny J., and Charles Rice. Welcome to America? International student perceptions of discrimination.à Higher Educationà 53.3 (2007): 381-409. Lin, Canchu. Culture shock and social support: An investigation of a Chinese student organization on a US campus.à Journal of Intercultural Communication Researchà 35.2 (2006): 117-137. Tian, Mei, and John Lowe. Existentialist internationalisation and the Chinese student experience in English universities.à Compareà 39.5 (2009): 659-676. Ying, Yu-Wen, Peter A. Lee, and Jeanne L. Tsai. Cultural orientation and racial discrimination: Predictors of coherence in Chinese American young adults.à Journal of Community Psychologyà 28.4 (2000): 427-441.
Saturday, November 23, 2019
Tips for Writing an Art History Paper
Tips for Writing an Art History Paper You have been assigned an art history paper to write. You would like to finish your assignment on time with a minimum of stress, and your instructor fervently hopes to read an engaging, well-written paper. Here are some dos and donts to guide you, written by an art history professor who has graded thousands of these papers ranging from the superlative to the good, the bad and the phenomenally ugly. Choose a Topic You Love Look through an art history book, slowly and leisurely.Look through our list of art history topics for ideas. Good starting points are our lists of movements, artists bios, and image galleries.Pick a topic based on eye appeal and compelling personal interest. Fill Your Brain with Information Remember: a car works on gas, a brain works on info. Empty brain, empty writing.Research your topic using websites, books, and articles.Read the footnotes in the books and articles - they can lead to creative thinking. Be an Active Reader Ask yourself questions while you read and look up what you cant find or dont understand on the page.Take notes.Search the internet with the words, names, titles you learn.Write down interesting facts and thoughts that come to mind while you read. Writing Your Introduction Compose a thesis statement. Declare that you have noticed something about the art, building, artist, architect, critic, patron, or whatever your focus is for your analysis.Then, frame your thesis. Tell your reader about discovering information that can help us understand the work of art/building better. (For example, the French artist Paul Gauguin moved to Tahiti late in life. Your thesis analyzes his late paintings in terms of his Tahiti lifestyle. Youve read his biography, Noa, Noa and other sources for ideas to support your thesis.)If you are focusing on artworks, remember to put the artists name/artists names, the title(s) of the work(s) and the date (s) in the first paragraph. You can refer to the title(s) alone thereafter. Describe and Point Out What You Want the Reader to Notice If you are going to include the artists/architects biography, begin with a short summary. Unless your paper is a biography of the person, most of your paper should be about art, not life.Make sure your arguments are constructed in a parallel fashion: Establish a sequence of information.Consider the paragraph a unit of information. Each paragraph should discuss one topic within the quantity of information you plan to cover.Ideas for units of information or topics: appearance, medium and technique, narrative, iconography, history, artists biography, patronage, etc. - whatever will help you support your thesis.Iconography might require more than one paragraph, especially if your whole paper is about analyzing the iconography of a work of art.Write about the connections between what you described in these analyses and what you declared in the thesis statementFollow the same sequence of ideas for the second artwork, building, artist, architect, critic, patron, etc.Follow the same sequence for the third artwork, building, artist, architect, etc. When you have analyzed all the examples, synthesize: compare and contrast.Comparison: Dedicate one paragraph to discussing what is the same about the artworks, the building, the architects, the artists, the critics, the patrons, etc.Contrast: Dedicate one paragraph to discussing what is different about the artworks, the building, the architects, the artists, the critics, the patrons, etc. What Do You Want Your Reader to Learn from Your Essay? Reiterate the thesis.Remind your reader about your findings in a summary sentence or two.Persuade the reader that you have demonstrated that your thesis is soundly based on your findings.Optional: state that your analysis is important in terms of understanding a larger picture (but not too large). For examples, the artists other work from that period, the artists work all together, the artworks relationship to the movement or the artworks relationship to that moment in history. The connection should not open a new topic, but simply offer the reader food for thought and then declare this investigation is beyond the scope of your paper. (It demonstrates that you thought of it, but youre not going to go there.)DO NOT write that art history is wonderful and youve learned a lot. You are writing to your teacher, and s/he is tired of reading that sentence for the umpteenth time. Leave a good impression and avoid being trite. Editing Be sure to footnote/cite your sources in the body of the paper when you use information or an opinion from a book, article, website, etc.Make a list of your sources at the end of the paper. Follow your teachers instructions and/or visit a website on citation style or bibliography style. Ask the teacher which citation style s/he prefers.Check for the following:Titles for works of art should be in italics: The Birth of VenusFirst and last names begin with a capital letter. Exceptions include place and familial indicators including da, del, de, den and van, among others, unless the last name begins the sentence. (Van Gogh lived in Paris.)Months and days of the week begin with a capital letter.Language, nationalities and country names begin with a capital letter.Leonardo is not called da Vinci. Above All Do not wait until the last minute to begin your essay.Start your research after midterms.Start to write at least one week before the paper is due.Take the time to EDIT, EDIT, EDIT - be concise and clear.Ask your professor for help and advice as you write your paper - s/he will enjoy discussing the topic with you.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
How free is the free market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
How free is the free market - Essay Example The first example which comes to mind is the labour market and western democracies such as the UK and the US pride themselves on being welfare states which regulate how the labour is governed (Chomsky, 1996). However, this governance and control may have political objectives as described by Adams (2002). Unemployment becomes an important question for governments therefore they may try to maintain low unemployment figures with the regulation of the labour market (Sloman, 2004). In essence, what should have been a free market in an economic system is turned into a controlled market. It could be asked why a system which promotes the idea of a free market as described by Adam Smith and many others who came after him actually seeks to regulate labour at all? The notions concerning the acceptance of a free market and competition between individuals seem to run counter to labour regulations and minimum wage laws (Chomsky, 1999). The answer given to solve this apparent disjoint is that regulations are supposed to protect people from those who may exploit them. For instance, without proper regulations created by the government bodies the labour market could become imperfect as factory owners could be unfair to the labour they have employed (Botero et. al., 2004). Richardson (1999) says that, ââ¬Å"regulation of the labour market has been a feature of Western economies since it was proposed as an amelioration of some of the worst abuses of workers experienced during the Industrial Revolution (Richardson, 1999, Pg. 1)â⬠. Undoubtedly, the situation during the Industrial Revolution meant that mill owners could treat their labour as they wished no regulatory controls existed on wages or work hours. The situation might be not have changed much today had there been no control on the market even though writers such as Chomsky (1999) suggest that the neoliberal agenda allows the exploitation of
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Counter-Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Counter-Terrorism - Essay Example Unlawful enemy combatant status can also be given to anyone attacking the US in a war, such as insurgents, that do not belong to an organized military. They can be detained without charges for the duration of the conflict. Lawful combatants, members of a military, are treated as POWs. The Supreme Court has consistently upheld that "the President has unquestioned authority to detain unlawful enemy combatants, including those who are U.S. citizens, during wartime (Haynes, 2002). Without regards to the suspect's status or charges, torture should never be a matter of policy. Torture is an ethical decision, not a matter of procedure. If an agent is faced with a situation in which they believe torture would be productive, then they should take whatever action is necessary, report it, be prepared to justify it, and be prepared to suffer the consequences. When torture becomes policy, the government ends up debating the legalities of their actions, rather than their effectiveness. Our laws, traditions, and sense of justice can never make torture, even perceived torture, acceptable. 3.) The doctrine of a 'Just War' places limitations and restrictions on the motivations for initiating war, the goals of war, and the engagement of war. Advocates of the just war theory contend that a war is justified if it is formally declared, has a just and defensive cause, has the limited objective of peace, uses proportionate force, is a last resort, and targets only military targets (Anderson, 2003). These guidelines are rather straightforward in a traditional border war or against an aggressive occupation. However, the globalization of terrorism adds a new level of complexity to the... The doctrine of a 'Just War' places limitations and restrictions on the motivations for initiating war, the goals of war, and the engagement of war. Advocates of the just war theory contend that a war is justified if it is formally declared, has a just and defensive cause, has the limited objective of peace, uses proportionate force, is a last resort, and targets only military targets. These guidelines are rather straightforward in a traditional border war or against an aggressive occupation. However, the globalization of terrorism adds a new level of complexity to the meaning of a 'just war'. The war on terror and the Bush Doctrine of pre-emptive action were justified using the just war standards. It was a declared war, and pre-emption was considered a defensive action against future aggression. Its objective is peace, and has no goal of territory or wealth. In addition, it is a last resort without the alternatives of negotiation or diplomacy. However, the definition of military tar get has changed in the modern world. Through one lens, the terrorists are radicalized civilians with a political and social agenda. However, their funding, organization, training, and commitment can be defined as pari-military.
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Higher Education Ensures Better Life Essay Example for Free
Higher Education Ensures Better Life Essay 1.what state exams do school-leavers choose most often in (CITY) ? 2.what are the best ways to prepare for examinations?how are you going to do it? 3.do you think that exams motivate students to study?why? 4.higher education ensures better life. these days is very important to gain secondary education. its not only develops your mentality,but and broadens your perspective. In (CITY) the school-leaver are preparing for exams. Lithuanias main exam is the first language exam. this first language exam Is difficult and takes a lot of energy. a lot of studying people are fail this test. so, the school-leaver are studying very hard and much when to finish the tests with a good marks. If you want are finishing the exam with good marks, you have to concentrate on what you dont know something and are progressing what you dont know, at the moment. also, calm down, learn little by little, ask the teachers, they always helps you and of course, you should believe what you do. I think that examinations motivate you to learn more.but also, use to a lot of nerve, efforts and energy. school-leaver gets a lot of stress, exhaustion. I think that can facilitate exams and everyone would be happy. higher education ensures better life.Nowadays, higher education is important thing in better life when the person finishes final exams.the person will be able to better job with a good qualification. also, the person who has higher education, has higher intellect level. So, higher education is important. everyone has to learn and finish at school.
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Problems With Looking ?un Neat? On The Playing Field :: essays research papers
Problems with looking ââ¬Å"un neatâ⬠on the playing field à à à à à As a sophomore on the Cocoa Highââ¬â¢s Varsity girl soccer team, I can truly say that our appearance on the field looks revolting as a whole. It simply ruins our reputation, even before we compete. Everyone, even our own school assumed that we have little or no chance winning the game. We get no support at all. That really upset my team and me. Joking around about out school record can go but too far. Yes itââ¬â¢s true that we donââ¬â¢t have a strong girl soccer record. But we are willing to change that. And we are showing a lot of progress as years goes by. But you got to remember this group of girls works their butts off to even show up for game. You have to give us a lot of credit just for attempting. We sacrifice our time and strength to play these games. We work awfully hard at every single game. Just because we donââ¬â¢t go home winning the game, doesnââ¬â¢t mean we are losers. It just means, we have a lot of work to progress our soccer abilit y. To start with, without us group of girls, Cocoa High wouldnââ¬â¢t even have a girl soccer program. And if the school doesnââ¬â¢t have it, it also means the boy soccer team wouldnââ¬â¢t exist either. à à à à à When I sit on the stands watching the Junior Varsity play against other schoolââ¬â¢s Junior Varsity team, the first thing I notice, is how we present ourselves. At the most, other schoolââ¬â¢s has greater a mount of players, at least twice as more then us. We barely made it to where we can start the game. With no substitution, its just mean, ââ¬Å"donââ¬â¢t get hurtâ⬠during the game. And when youââ¬â¢re playing aggressively, like youââ¬â¢re suppose to, you will have greater chance of getting injured. Which cause the Cocoa Tiger to become weaker then it already is. I know itââ¬â¢s not fair that we have to suffer, which most girls drop out of the team. And I know a lot of other girls would like it too, but they donââ¬â¢t want other schoolââ¬â¢s to start talking some more about us. Also, lots of us like the sport, and want to continue competing. Problems With Looking ?un Neat? On The Playing Field :: essays research papers Problems with looking ââ¬Å"un neatâ⬠on the playing field à à à à à As a sophomore on the Cocoa Highââ¬â¢s Varsity girl soccer team, I can truly say that our appearance on the field looks revolting as a whole. It simply ruins our reputation, even before we compete. Everyone, even our own school assumed that we have little or no chance winning the game. We get no support at all. That really upset my team and me. Joking around about out school record can go but too far. Yes itââ¬â¢s true that we donââ¬â¢t have a strong girl soccer record. But we are willing to change that. And we are showing a lot of progress as years goes by. But you got to remember this group of girls works their butts off to even show up for game. You have to give us a lot of credit just for attempting. We sacrifice our time and strength to play these games. We work awfully hard at every single game. Just because we donââ¬â¢t go home winning the game, doesnââ¬â¢t mean we are losers. It just means, we have a lot of work to progress our soccer abilit y. To start with, without us group of girls, Cocoa High wouldnââ¬â¢t even have a girl soccer program. And if the school doesnââ¬â¢t have it, it also means the boy soccer team wouldnââ¬â¢t exist either. à à à à à When I sit on the stands watching the Junior Varsity play against other schoolââ¬â¢s Junior Varsity team, the first thing I notice, is how we present ourselves. At the most, other schoolââ¬â¢s has greater a mount of players, at least twice as more then us. We barely made it to where we can start the game. With no substitution, its just mean, ââ¬Å"donââ¬â¢t get hurtâ⬠during the game. And when youââ¬â¢re playing aggressively, like youââ¬â¢re suppose to, you will have greater chance of getting injured. Which cause the Cocoa Tiger to become weaker then it already is. I know itââ¬â¢s not fair that we have to suffer, which most girls drop out of the team. And I know a lot of other girls would like it too, but they donââ¬â¢t want other schoolââ¬â¢s to start talking some more about us. Also, lots of us like the sport, and want to continue competing.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Crime and Hurricane Katrina Essay
Hurricane Katrina caused many forms of distress, displacement and disruption to the community of New Orleans and the citizens most certainly were forced to act in drastic ways for survival. The response by the people has been considered forms of criminal activity and in all senses of legal activity has been defined as crime. Acts of looting and violence were reported by many reporters of various news media. Crimes were not only committed by everyday citizens of New Orleans, but volunteer workers as well and even, what people saw as the most shocking display of violence and betrayal of trust, by the Law Enforcement Officials as well. What is also interesting is how this destructive event altered the residentsââ¬â¢ perception of what is crime and what can be considered criminal. What was once considered to be a betrayal of trust towards another member of the community had been transformed into an activity that was now a means of survival. Some of the acts varied from a ââ¬Å"needâ⬠to steal because they ââ¬Å"had toâ⬠(i. e. , stealing from Bath and Body works for soap, supermarkets for food, water, clothes, etc. ) and then increasing to other side of the spectrum to murder of strangers, friends, and even family. Hurricane Katrina caused a massive social disruption to the people of New Orleans and this catastrophic event would eventually lead to their breakdown of societal rules and values. And it is this breakdown that would not be lost to the eyes of the news media and would be broadcast everywhere, all across the world (of Katrina, apocalypse 2005). The New York Times gave many accounts of the violence, destructive and slide into anarchy that was happening in New Orleans. One article, published September 29th, 2005, After Katrina, crimes of the imagination, detailed the mass amount of looting and violent crimes in the area. The article details the fears and horrors of becoming a broken society and living in fear of your once loved neighbor. Another thing this article seemed to touch on was that it was possible that fear was actually caused by a trick of the mind. ââ¬Å"â⬠¦Some, but not all, of the most alarming stories were figments of frighten imaginations, the product of no reliable communications, and perhaps the residue of raw relations between some police officers and members of the public. â⬠Speaking of the ââ¬Å"raw relations between some police officers and members of the public,â⬠these supposed raw relations were only further hurt and ripped apart by actions made by the police department themselves. Five police officers were accused and convicted (six years later) of shooting and killing defenseless citizens attempting to cross a bridge in search of food, water and shelter. These same officers along with the help of their department attempted a brilliantly mastermind plot to cover up their crime. This included ââ¬Å"made-up witnesses, falsified reports, and a planted gunâ⬠to prove that they were under fire by the citizens and were only trying to protect themselves. This news article Jury Reaches Guilty Verdict in Hurricane Katrina Shootings Trial by Fox News shows the corruption and hidden brutality of the law enforcement department of New Orleans. In association with police corruption and brutality, there was a similar crime committed by five different police officers a mere two days before the crime previously mentioned. An injured 31 year old male was taken to the temporary headquarters of police by his friends in search of help. The officer drove off with the car with the injured male still in the back seat and his remains were found in the torched car. The implicated officer, for shooting the injured male and attempting to cover up by burning the car with the body still inside (oddly enough) was charged with a civil rights violation and the remaining four were charged with obstruction of justice. This just yet another article (5 cops charged in post-Hurricane Katrina shooting, burning death) found in the Daily News archives describing the corruption and brutality of law enforcement in the face of disaster. However the actual brutality of the police system is not entirely at fault on its own. In a New York Times article: More Horrible Than Truth: News Reports published September 19th 2005, described of the crimes of the people against each and against law enforcement. There were gangs shooting at rescue crews, emergency room physicians were being confirming the rising amount of murders and rapes, and there were eye witness accounts of police officers being shot at while trying to help out a group of helpless victims. While there is no excusing the horrible brutalization by the police department, it is clear to see that all of it is not always unprovoked. There have also been many other forms of crime in the wake of Hurricane Katrina that do not involve looting and murder. There have also been crimes by the state and government which have affected the residents of New Orleans. In Time Runs Out for St. Bernard Parish, an editorial in The New York Times, the housing and racial discrimination was brought to light. The parish was banning anyone who was not a ââ¬Å"blood relativeâ⬠from seeking shelter at the parish. Since being in a predominantly white neighborhood this was implied to many any people of color was banned from the church. There were also crimes against the government through insurance fraud and lawsuits. Insurance companies were defrauding their clients (Attorneys arrive for opening of first Katrina insurance lawsuit, 2006) and then also evacuees of New Orleans were attempting to fraud insurance money away from FEMA and FBI grants (Katrina: Four Years Later, 2009). The aftermath of Katrina was no match for the crime that occurred during and after it. The crime destroyed the faith and rationality of the people which prolonged and deepened the chaos of New Orleans. The news media as always played a big role in the hype of the crime wave but without the media the true seriousness of the crime would have never been investigated and given proper consideration to improve.
Sunday, November 10, 2019
Human Resources and Organizational Effectiveness Essay
Introduction ââ¬â The organization I am currently employed with is the United States Army, more specifically the Army Substance Abuse Program, rehabilitation treatment clinic at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Tacoma Washington. The rehabilitation treatment clinic has 35 employees; 26 chemical dependency counselors, four of which are supervisors and nine administrative assistants. Key Strategy Aspect ââ¬â With the recent realignment of the department from one agency to another, training and coaching is a key strategic aspect that needs to be addressed. Many of the standards and expectations of the new agency are very different than what was the norm with the previous agency the clinic was aligned with. The realignment to the new agency has brought the spotlight to the department and increased pressure to improve how the department operates. The new agency has required the department to prove efficiency and effectiveness, which has required more record keeping and statistic reporting. Proper record keeping of patient care has emerged as cumbersome and actually taking away from the quality of care provided to the patients. HR Program ââ¬â Training and coaching would support and further the departmentââ¬â¢s strategy to improve effectiveness and efficiency. Through providing training and coaching on how to better use current technologies such as Microsoft office products and dictating tools to better produce patient documentation and statistical data efficiency and quality will improve. Care providers will spend less time working on documentation and will have the time needed to focus on the patient care. Strategic Metric ââ¬â A strategic metric that could be used to assess the effectiveness of the training and coaching program is to measure how well the employees are performing their specific reports would be to measure the time it takes to produce the reports before and after the training. To show reduced time spent producing the patient care reports and statistical data would prove training and coaching is effective. Organizationââ¬â¢s Strategy ââ¬â How this relates to the organizationââ¬â¢s strategy is that it directly affects the overall mission, patient care. By reducing time spent on the administrative aspect and improving the quality of the record keeping. Current statistics simply tracks how many case reports are completed. How it might differ from a benchmarking metric is that measuring the time it takes to complete the required documentation is quantifiable compared to a benchmark metric. The measure is ensuring that cases are actually documented and the time spent completing the requirement is reduced and measured.
Thursday, November 7, 2019
Free Essays on Media Violence
Two hundred thousand.........................................believe it or not, by the age of eighteen, the average American child will have witnessed this many dramatized killings (Television 1). The glamorization the media gives to violence is polluting childrenââ¬â¢s thoughts and desensitizing them to reality. One reason, among many others, the media has this control, is because parents do not censor enough violence from their children. Most parents respond by claiming that their eight year old son or daughter could never become one of those serial killing, stalkers on the news every night (Gerdes 108). The fact is that some of these kids do end up robbing, stealing, degrading women, and killing. A childââ¬â¢s innocence makes him/her all the more vulnerable to violent television programs and movies and explicit lyrics and novels. Studies have repeatedly shown an increased aggressiveness among children exposed to larger quantities of violence. It cannot be argued then, that d ue to the influence the media has on children, Americans must resolve to oppose violent acts portrayed in the media. Before interpreting the mediaââ¬â¢s effect, it is crucial to understand what it is, how it works, and where it comes from. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, media can most basically be defined as a way of mass communication. Now it a reasonable question to wonder why television ads are the most expensive and profitable? TV reaches more people than any other media source out there, so if a commercial does not make persuade people to buy the product, the money spent on it would not be worth it. Just the same, crime on television must be sold to the audience or the show would not be productive. A shocking statistic that proves televisionââ¬â¢s dominance over society is that the average American watches approximately 1,669 hours of TV each year and sixty six percent of American children have TVs in their room! (Katz 1) When the hours are tallied... Free Essays on Media Violence Free Essays on Media Violence Two hundred thousand.........................................believe it or not, by the age of eighteen, the average American child will have witnessed this many dramatized killings (Television 1). The glamorization the media gives to violence is polluting childrenââ¬â¢s thoughts and desensitizing them to reality. One reason, among many others, the media has this control, is because parents do not censor enough violence from their children. Most parents respond by claiming that their eight year old son or daughter could never become one of those serial killing, stalkers on the news every night (Gerdes 108). The fact is that some of these kids do end up robbing, stealing, degrading women, and killing. A childââ¬â¢s innocence makes him/her all the more vulnerable to violent television programs and movies and explicit lyrics and novels. Studies have repeatedly shown an increased aggressiveness among children exposed to larger quantities of violence. It cannot be argued then, that d ue to the influence the media has on children, Americans must resolve to oppose violent acts portrayed in the media. Before interpreting the mediaââ¬â¢s effect, it is crucial to understand what it is, how it works, and where it comes from. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, media can most basically be defined as a way of mass communication. Now it a reasonable question to wonder why television ads are the most expensive and profitable? TV reaches more people than any other media source out there, so if a commercial does not make persuade people to buy the product, the money spent on it would not be worth it. Just the same, crime on television must be sold to the audience or the show would not be productive. A shocking statistic that proves televisionââ¬â¢s dominance over society is that the average American watches approximately 1,669 hours of TV each year and sixty six percent of American children have TVs in their room! (Katz 1) When the hours are tallied... Free Essays on Media Violence Americaââ¬â¢s Road to Independence: In the year 1783 the Treaty of Paris was signed, granting America their freedom from Great Britain. There were many reasons why the colonists wanted their freedom and separation from their mother country of England. Great Britain laid down many laws and Acts which were the main reasons leading up to the revolutionary war, otherwise known as Americaââ¬â¢s War for Independence. For eleven years even before the actual revolution started, Great Britain bullied the thirteen original colonies with several harsh acts and proclamations. The Proclamation of 1763 came first. It prohibited settlements west of the Appalachian Mountains and trading in that area without a license. Less than a year later the Sugar Act was passed. It lowered taxes on molasses, but put new taxes on wine, coffee, cloth, and of course sugar. Colonists reacted to this harsh act by smuggling in the goods they needed. This way they did not have to pay the tax and it was much cheap er for them. In 1764 the Currency Act was passed. This prohibited colonies from issuing paper money and required all of the debts to be paid for in gold. In 1765 the Stamp Act was passed which required all written materials to be printed on stamped paper including newspapers, birth, marriage, and death certificates (King, McRae, Zola 95). These items were many of the basic necessities, which made the tax even more realistic. The colonists reacted to this act by forming a Stamp Act Congress. Nine colonies of thirteen showed up and all wanted representation (Dadante, 25 September 2000). These three acts were the start of the build up towards the war. In 1765 the Quartering Act was also passed requiring colonists to house and feed the British soldiers. Colonists did not want them in their homes so they taxed themselves to build barracks for the soldiers. A year later the Stamp Act was repealed because of the violent acts that the Sons of Liberty committed, a violent libe... Free Essays on Media Violence ââ¬Å"The average child watches 21 to 23 hours of television per week...the average person has viewed around 200,000 acts of violence by the time he reaches 18 years of ageâ⬠(Steele). Lights, camera, action! ââ¬Å"Jerry, Jerry, Jerryâ⬠is the chant heard from the audience as The Jerry Springer Show begins each day at 2:00pm on the Fox television network. In a recent episode titled ââ¬Å"Sexy Storiesâ⬠, which aired on July 11, 2 women stripped down to their undergarments and were romantically involved in a kitty pool filled with whip cream. They poured chocolate syrup all over each other and ate strawberries and bananas while the Springer crew poured nuts all over them. They basically became human sundaes while the audience chanted ââ¬Å"we love lesbians!â⬠While this ridiculous banana split session was going on, the husband of one of the women in the pool was trying to fight the other woman, but was restrained by Springer security. Undoubtedly, there w ere children home alone watching the sho! w, viewing the violent and distasteful behavior that always dominates The Jerry Springer Show. Television networks should not air violent and inappropriate shows such as The Jerry Springer Show at times when unsupervised children are likely to be watching. Violent behavior is prevalent on The Jerry Springer Show. Fistfights are normally broken up quickly, but the hatred and anger shown by the guests is not something children should be witnesses to. Benjamin Spock, M.D., in his book titled ââ¬Å"Problems of Parentsâ⬠writes, [A certain number of judges, prosecutors, and psychiatrists have been impressed with the frequency with which a severe delinquent, asked in court where he ever got the idea for his crime, has promptly answered, ââ¬Å"On a television programâ⬠] (Spock 253). Violent behavior definitely has a negative effect on children. It may even affect the way their young brains perceive behavior. Robert Steele writes, ââ¬Å"children repea...
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
The 23 Best College Towns (With Great Universities)
The 23 Best College Towns (With Great Universities) SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips After considering the quality of academics at a college, you should also look at the pros and cons of living in the area where the school is located. You don't want to be stuck somewhere that's unfriendly to college students or has zero entertainment options. Being able to eat off-campus is also important for when you get sick of the dining halls! I'll give you a list of the best college towns in the country so that you can learn more about some of the great places that you might have the opportunity to call home for the next four years or more. What Is a College Town? For the purposes of this article, a college town is a small to medium-sized town or city (I have cities with up to almost a million residents on this list) where one or more colleges are located, and the college student population is high enough to make an impact on the culture as a whole.This means that the population is fairly young on average, and there are many entertainment and dining choices that cater to the college crowd. In other words, the university(s) are a big part of the economy and energy of the town; itââ¬â¢s hard to mention these towns without also mentioning their corresponding colleges! The Best College Towns This list is based on a combination of the quality of life in the town and the overall quality of the university or universities in the surrounding area.Looking across a bunch of different ranking lists, these were the towns that came up most frequently as the best for college students.All of the towns in this article were mentioned two or more times on ranking lists and are associated with high-caliber, competitive universities. I put the especially great combinations of universities and towns in the top ten section. These towns were mentioned three or more times by ranking lists. In the following section, I've listed thirteen more towns that were mentioned at least twice by town ranking lists. Thetowns are listed alphabetically within each section. I didn't rank them more specifically because they're all so different; whether you like one over the other mainly depends on personal preference! Top 10 College Towns Ann Arbor, MI; University of Michigan Traveler100/Wikimedia Commons Total Population: 113,934Student Population: 43,625 Whatââ¬â¢s So Great About It? University sporting events are a huge part of the entertainment culture because the student to resident ratio is so high. A major attraction is the Michigan Theater, a glamorous, old-fashioned movie house that shows unique films. Main Street has an exciting and eclectic mix of locally owned boutiques and restaurants. The city is well-planned to offer a high degree of walkability and bikeability. A few prominent employers are located in Ann Arbor, including Googleââ¬â¢s AdWords headquarters. Berkeley, CA; University of California ââ¬âBerkeley Wikimedia Commons Total Population: 110,000Student Population: 37,581 Whatââ¬â¢s So Great About It? Life in Berkeley is centered around the university, so itââ¬â¢s a quintessential college town. The population of Berkeley is young, diverse, and highly invested in education. The downtown has a huge selection of great restaurants, breweries, concert venues, theaters, and coffee shops. Youââ¬â¢ll also have access to prime hiking spots and beautiful parks, which you can take advantage of year round because of the perfect weather. Silicon Valley is nearby, so if youââ¬â¢re looking for a job in the tech sector after college, you wonââ¬â¢t have much trouble networking. Boulder, CO; University of Coloradoââ¬âBoulder Eddyl/Wikimedia Commons Total Population: 97,385Student Population: 32,080 Whatââ¬â¢s So Great About It? Boulder has beautiful scenery and tons of opportunities for outdoor activities (hiking and skiing in the Rocky Mountains, anyone?) combined with a prominent art scene and spectacular shopping and dining options. It's surrounded by a greenbelt, which is a swath of preserved natural land just outside the city limits. It's an open-minded, creative community of highly educated people and highly high hippies (not that the two are mutually exclusive). There are strong bonds between students and the community - many volunteer programs exist that students to help people in the surrounding area It has great weather! Boulder is sunny almost all year. Public transportation is high-quality, and the city is very walkable overall. There are many post-grad job opportunities. Cambridge, MA; Harvard University and MIT Wally Gobetz/Flickr Total Population: 105,162Student Population: 35,833 Whatââ¬â¢s So Great About It? Cambridge is an extremely friendly area for college students because its residents and economy are closely tied to higher education (no surprise considering two of the most prestigious schools in the country are located here!). Itââ¬â¢s a great place to find a job after college or get experience in a research lab. The more tech-oriented side of Cambridge is balanced out by a healthy dose of bohemian vibes, so you get the best of both worlds. Itââ¬â¢s a very walkable area with lots of quirky, unique shops and restaurants that will appeal to college students. Boston is easily accessible via subway, so youââ¬â¢ll have the opportunity to see famous landmarks, meet other college students in the area, and attend fun events. Chapel Hill, NC; University of North Carolina ââ¬âChapel Hill townofchapelhill/Flickr Total Population: 58,424Student Population: 29,135 Whatââ¬â¢s So Great About It? There is so much to do here: food festivals, performances, bars, shopping, art shows, and hugely popular sporting events. Chapel Hill is sometimes described as one big food festival because of the quality of its culinary scene. Cute cafes and public art are fixtures of the town. There are over 700 acres of parkland for outdoor fun. Itââ¬â¢s a good place for sports fans because of the reigning enthusiasm for the North Carolina Tar Heels basketball team. College Station, TX; Texas AM Pmelton87/Wikimedia Commons Total Population: 97,801Student Population: 61,263 Whatââ¬â¢s So Great About It? You'll get access to Historic Downtown Bryan, where you can have a unique shopping experience with many local craft and artisan shops. There's a vibrant night life with many dance clubs, bars, and live music events. There are a wide variety of dining options (the barbecuehere is a particular point of pride). College Station is home to nine museums including the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum, the Brazos Valley African American Museum, and the Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History. Students dominate the social and cultural scene; College Station is affectionately called "Aggieland" because of the overwhelming number of Texas AM students (Aggies) that live there. College Station is ranked as the most educated city in Texas. You'll find lots of research opportunities and a strong economy. Columbia, MO; University of Missouri and Columbia College lronski21/Wikimedia Commons Total Population: 115,276Student Population: 50,131 Whatââ¬â¢s So Great About It? Columbia combines affordable costs of living with a high population of college grads and a strong economy. It has an overall cool, youthful vibe with great music and art scenes. Arcades, art galleries, popular restaurants and pubs, street fairs, museums, and many more attractions add to Columbiaââ¬â¢s fun ambiance. There are plenty of nearby hiking trails, campsites, and lakes for outdoor activities. The city also has tons of recreational centers and is highly walkable. Madison, WI; University of Wisconsin Dori/Wikimedia Commons Total Population: 240,013Student Population: 66,533 Whatââ¬â¢s So Great About It? Madison is located on an isthmus between two lakes, so there are great opportunities for boating and swimming and awesome scenery. Downtown has an eclectic mix of local businesses along with an exciting nightlife that includes a famous Halloween celebration. Thereââ¬â¢s even a bar where you get to drink for free on your birthday, so you can celebrate your 21st for cheap. Farmers markets and restaurants are plentiful. The economy is doing well, and it's a great place to start your career. San Luis Obispo, CA; California Polytechnic University Rob Bulmahn/Flickr Total Population: 45,119Student Population:20,186 Whatââ¬â¢s So Great About It? You'll see tons of cool historical sites and beautiful mountain views. There are beaches close by and great weather year round! Activities like hiking, kayaking, and surfing are easily accessible. You'll get to experience free outdoor concerts in the summer and an international film festival in March. It purportedly has some of the best coffee in the country (critical for college). There's a maze of old tunnels underneath the city - awesome and creepy. State College, PA; Penn State Total Population: 41,983Student Population: 47,040 (this is larger than the total population because it's the student enrollment for the Penn State campus, technically located next to State College in University Park) Whatââ¬â¢s So Great About It? State College is one of the safest and smartest towns in the country. There's an awesome live music scene; a pub called Phyrst has live music every night along with a host of other fun gimmicks, and there's a long list of other places in State College where you can catch some live tunes or perform yourself at open mic nights! You can easily get out of the downtown center and experience nature in the countryside. The town's culture is centered around Penn State. 13 More College Towns to Check Out Ames, IA; Iowa State University Tim Kiser/Wikimedia Commons Total Population: 58,965Student Population: 34,435 Whatââ¬â¢s So Great About It? A very young population gives the town a fun atmosphere and a thriving nightlife. There are great employment opportunities with national companies that exist alongside a pleasant small-town vibe. Ames has a thriving arts culture with lots of museums and libraries. Amherst, MA; Amherst College and UMassAmherst John Phelan/Wikimedia Commons Total Population: 37,819Student Population:31,827 Whatââ¬â¢s So Great About It? Amherst is home to many prominent artists and writers, so itââ¬â¢s a very diverse, creative, and intellectual environment. Itââ¬â¢s a super liberal place, which appeals to many college students. Fifty percent of the population is employed in the education sector. The quality of the surrounding colleges (which include Smith College, Hampshire College, and Mount Holyoke College, as well as those mentioned above)arguably makes it one of the smartest towns in the country. Athens, GA; University of Georgia Total Population: 119,980Student Population: 35,197 Whatââ¬â¢s So Great About It? Athens has low costs of living and a vibrant, intellectual culture. It boasts one of the best music scenes in the country (Neutral Milk Hotel and R.E.M. came out of Athens!) and great overall artistic and cultural life (of which the summer Arts Festival is a highlight). Athens is dotted with an assortment of restaurants, bars, and coffee shops that will appeal to college students. Austin, TX; University of Texas - Austin Earl McGehee/Flickr Total Population: 885,400Student Population:56,643 Whatââ¬â¢s So Great About It? Sixth Street is a famous spot for great bars and nightlife. The city is super bikeable. Austin has nice weather all year and access to many outdoor recreational activities. Itââ¬â¢s easy to find part-time work because there are so many small businesses. Likewise, there are tons of opportunities to get professional experience. Austin has a very open-minded culture - ââ¬Å"Keep Austin Weirdâ⬠is its motto! The food is great (especially the barbecue, since itââ¬â¢s Texas). Itââ¬â¢s right in the middle of Texas, so you can get to a lot of other cities pretty easily. Bozeman, MT; Montana State University Tim Evanson/Flickr Total Population: 39,860Student Population: 15,294 Whatââ¬â¢s So Great About It? You'll have unparalleled access to great outdoor recreational activities including spelunking and rock climbing. Yellowstone National Park is easily accessible along with a few ski areas. Even though itââ¬â¢s kind of small, Bozeman has a respectable assortment of coffee shops, restaurants, art galleries, and performance events connected to the University. It also hosts a bunch of tech startups, so itââ¬â¢s an overall youthful, fun atmosphere. Champaign, IL; University of Illinois Herschman321/Wikimedia Commons Total Population: 231,891Student Population:43,603 Whatââ¬â¢s So Great About It? Bozeman has a mixture of an urban and suburban atmosphere that provides many of the benefits of a big city with fewer of the drawbacks. Museums (Krannert Art Museum), concerts, and other events abound in the city. The Downtown Festival of the Arts is a highlight along with classic theaters like The Art Theater and The Virginia Theatre (made famous by the renowned critic Roger Ebert, who was a resident of the area) that show unique films. Cultural life revolves around the University; Memorial Stadium is a big draw for football fans. You can also get outside and visit some of the area's numerous parks, orchards, and vineyards. Charlottesville, VA; University of Virginia Bobak Ha'Eri/Wikimedia Commons Total Population: 43,475Student Population:21,238 Whatââ¬â¢s So Great About It? Charlottesville has pretty natural surroundings including vineyards and rolling hills. There are historical landmarks close by (Monticello is right outside the city). It has tons of art galleries and performance events. The Heritage Theater Festival happens every year. UVA is one of the best public universities in the country. Corvallis, OR; Oregon State University Gregkeene/Wikimedia Commons Total Population: 55,055Student Population: 28,886 Whatââ¬â¢s So Great About It? It has a beautiful setting with great views of the Cascade Mountain Range. There is an extremely high quality of living overall, with environmental consciousness and an outdoorsy, active feel. There are lots of parks throughout the area. You'll have access to a ton of research opportunities - Oregon State gets the most funding by far of any higher education institution in Oregon. Gainesville, FL; University of Florida Douglas Green/Wikimedia Commons Total Population: 126,047Student Population:51,725 Whatââ¬â¢s So Great About It? There are many opportunities for outdoor activities, especially water sports like kayaking, snorkeling, and fishing. The nearby parks are also great for hiking. The Downtown features the Hippodrome State Theater, many restaurants and local shops, and an array of craft breweries. It has a prominent art scene and is home to some awesome museums including the Florida Museum of Natural History and Harn Museum of Art. Iowa City, IA; University of Iowa Billwhittaker/Wikimedia Commons Total Population: 70,133Student Population:31,387 Whatââ¬â¢s So Great About It? There is a strong literary scene associated with authors including Kurt Vonnegut and Robert Frost which is bolstered by the Iowa City book festival and the best creative writing MFA program in the country (the Iowa Writers Workshop - sadly, I only know about this from watching the showGirls). It has a great nightlife with lots of dining options. University of Iowa itself is ranked among the top party schools in the nation, but the community is also very focused on giving back in the form of fundraisers for local hospitals. Lincoln, NE; University of Nebraska Total Population: 295,404Student Population: 24,202 Whatââ¬â¢s So Great About It? There's a low cost of living. It has a great restaurant scene. Lincoln is very walkable and bikeable (lots of sidewalks and paths and few hills) - no car necessary! There's a large assortment of pubs, clubs, and entertainment venues close to UNââ¬â¢s campus. It's home to expansive parks that accommodate a variety of outdoor activities. Lincoln is currently experiencing exciting economic growth as more and more businesses are drawn to it for its central location. Minneapolis, MN; University of Minnesota Total Population: 400,070Student Population:70,143 Whatââ¬â¢s So Great About It? Almost 20 percent of the city is made up of parks. It has the most theaters per capita of any city besides New York. There are lots of great bike paths. It's a big-ish city with a smaller city feel. Tempe, AZ; Arizona State University Total Population: 168,228Student Population:50,358 Whatââ¬â¢s So Great About It? It has great shopping, recreational facilities, and overall economy. Bars feature local craft brews and lots of live music. The Tempe Center for the Arts includes many art galleries and theaters. There are a few water parks to keep you cool. Itââ¬â¢s a great place for biking and hiking. Cold Stone Creamery started here! What more can I say? Which Town Is Right for You? Now that you know about all these cool places, how can you decide where to go? There are so many great options! First off, think about where in the country you want to be for college. If you're hoping to stay relatively close to home, you should focus on college towns that are in your region of the country. You should also consider the sizes of the towns. Some of these "towns" are actually decent-sized cities. Living in Minneapolis is going to be a lot different from living in Amherst. You can read more about the differences between rural, urban, and suburban college environments and which might suit you best in this article. You'll notice that many of these college towns are centered around large, public universities, which might not be representative of the types of colleges that interest you. Your primary concern should be whether you're interested in the educational opportunities a college offers, not how many entertainment options and food festivals there are in the area. If you'd prefer to attend a small school for a more personalized educational experience, you should prioritize that over how exciting the town is. Students always find ways to have fun, even at colleges that are virtually in the middle of nowhere! What's Next? Curious about one of the best college towns? Consider taking acollege tour to experience the campus in person. Can you still get a great education at a school with a reputation for a crazy party scene? Read about the best colleges where students work hard and play hard. If you don't know where to start in the college search process, read my step-by-step guide for how to do productive college research! Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:
Sunday, November 3, 2019
Financial Report for Custom Snowboards Inc Essay
Financial Report for Custom Snowboards Inc - Essay Example At present the company is funded with $750 of debt to $903.8 of equity representing a debt to equity ratio of 0.83 or 83 cents of debt funding for every $1 of equity funding. Other considerations may consider the liquidity of the company, while many companies have a great business model and represent a good long term investment, many fail simply due to an inability to meet short term cash flow needs (Brealey et al 2006). At present, the liquidity position of Custom Snowboards Inc would appear to be healthy with a current ratio of 6.12 and an acid test of 3.91. The concern here on the behalf of the bank may be that Custom Snowboards Inc is not actually making best use of its current assets, rather than a concern over the liquidity of the company at this stage (Arnold, 2007). Further issues which the bank may consider is the long term prospects of the company, here the bank may choose to analyse both various measures of profitability as well as the underlying sales of the company which ultimately driver profitability. At present, the bank may highlight key concerns over both falling sales revenue and sharp falls in the operating and net profit margin. 2 In attempting to reduce perceived levels of risk, Custom Snowboard Inc may undertake a number of measures: Payback Debt ââ¬â As has been noted, at present the company may be seen as having too high a level of liquid assets, indicating that the company is not using its assets in an efficient way. One way to reduce the perceived risk of the company would be to use such assets to reduce the amount of debt the company has. This would have a double effect on the company, on the one hand, the debt to equity ratio would reduce, making the company a less risky proposition for investors from a capital structure perspective. In addition, the liquidity ratios would be reduced to what the literature (Arnold, 2007) defines a more reasonable level. Overhead Reduction ââ¬â One of the issues for Custom Snowboards Inc has been that while sales have fallen in recent years, fixed overheads have remanded the same thus resulting in a falling gross profit margin and presenting investors with a profitability risk. In seeking to address the problem, Custom Snowboards Inc should begin a program of overhead rationalisation. Here the company should seek to undertake a significant program of cost cutting with the aim of reducing overhead costs in line with the reduction in sales revenue seen. 3 In considering weather Custom Snowboards Inc is able to pay back the principal and loan it may be prudent to analyse a number of key ratios and tends. At present the company is paying an interest charge of $75,000 per year, if the company were to take on an additional $1m of debt at 6.75% this would add an additional cost of $67,500 PA to the companyââ¬â¢s interest charges. Recent years have already seen key ratios declining with the net income ratio falling from 1.7% to 0.5%, and times interest earned reducing from 2 .91 to 1.53. It is believed that by increasing the amount of debt in Custom Snowboard Incââ¬â¢s capital structure and thus adding greater costs of financing, these key ratios will be reduced further thus questioning whether the company can afford the additional interest charges and principal payments. In considering the net income ratio and times interest earned, it should already be noted that in year 14, Winter Sports outranked Custom Snowboard
Thursday, October 31, 2019
Recruiting and Selection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Recruiting and Selection - Essay Example Also, a good time manager is a measure often required when recruiting a right applicant in the executive director position. In past years, nonprofit making organizations started using interim directors as an approach of avoiding non-qualified applicants in the field. The employers use the approach since there is a small, but growing body of knowledge around the executive director position. Also, employers look at the experience of the applicant in order to assist in the transition development of the organization. Legality, reliability, and validity are my best standards that meet the requirements and measurement of being a right executive director. In order to be hired as an executive director in an organization, legal documents play an important role as a ticket to be given the job. Legal documents such as curriculum vitae will help me in identifying my skills and experiences as an executive director. The legality of being an executive director will depend not only on the legal documents, but also the skills and experience I have learnt from the previous job position. Also, the validity of my documents will help me in securing the executive director position. Employers consider valid documents and claims before recruiting new applicants into their organizations. This implies that without a valid claim of being an executive director, a panel can automatically disqualify an application. In addition, reliability is an important standard, which work hand in hand with the experience, skills, str ength, and capability measures. An executive director is supposed to be reliable. A theme in the performance appraisal focus on the attitude of an employee is integrity, dependability, and reliability. Reliability of an employee improves the performance of an organization (Monroy & Zwerling, p. 421-422). I have learnt that legality is an important standard to be considered in any selection process of being an executive director in an organization. In his case, a
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