Security Policy for McBride Financial Services Essay

Security Policy for McBride Financial Services - Essay Example We can access the information only when you click the Submit Application button on the Mortgage Application page (http://finishcollege.tripod.com/id4.html) of our web-site. You can use our mortgage service only when you submit the application form; however, you can continue to browse our web-site and find out about our services without submitting any personal information. Security policy applies differently to our customers, potential customers and non-customers. A customer is a person who has gone through the procedure of furnishing personal information, either online or in person, to acquire a loan from McBride Financial Services. A potential customer is someone who has submitted personal information and is in process of acquiring a loan from McBride Financial Services. A person who does not want to use our services is a non-customer. Of the three above-mentioned categories of people, we have the authority to access the information relating to customers and potential customers. Both customers and potential customer, at the time of applying for loan, can choose the information that they intend to provide. Certain fields in the application form are marked with an asterisk '*' sign and are mandatory.

Google's Strategy in 2012 Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Google's Strategy in 2012 - Case Study Example This research will begin with the statement that legal actions that are against Google have mainly originated from infringement as well as other issues that are associated with copyrights. Nonetheless, the concept of privacy in the internet world is progressively becoming unmanageable and ability that Google has of recording the habits of internet users and broadcasting the information to the people on the internet has to lead to the calls for new laws that are more stringent. The external macro economic environment that Google exists in encompasses all the outside firms and forces, which have a possible interest or effect on the ability that the firm has to achieve its goals. Despite the fact that Google is an online business, macroeconomics factors greatly affect the broadcast of the company in several regions such as China, which has restricted the use of Google and in some cases unavailable. Google has enjoyed freedom from government interferences since it was established in 1998 since it does not fall under one government jurisdiction. The software that Google utilizes is proprietary and is only restricted by particular court orders in various countries. However, this might change in the days to come with the introduction of a Federal Internet Sales Tax Law in the United States. The fact that Google has already established a brand name that the users have been able to trust is one of the strengths of the associated with the company. The services offered by this company are dependable, reliable and relatively fast compared to other search engines.

Leadership Styles of Snowball and Napoleon in Orwells Animal Farm

Leadership Styles of Snowball and Napoleon in Orwells Animal Farm George Orwells classic tale of how the animals of Manor Farm start a rebellion against the humans is a satirical outlook on power play, politics and leadership. The two protagonists in the book are the pigs Snowball and Napoleon. This essay begins with attempts to study the distinctive leadership style of the two characters, how they were or were not able to hold their organization, the farm, together and move it towards the paths of success. It then critically analyzes the impact of these styles on organizational behavior and change. This is done by means of examples of various famous leaders and what their leadership did for the company. The essay details the requirement of a change leader and what he needs to do in general terms to ensure the change. The conclusion of the essay will try to bring in to focus the leadership style that is most favorable to change. George Orwells Animal Farm was published in 1945 during the time of The Second World War. The book is said to be a critic of Stalins rule in Russia. The political satire gives insight into two types of leadership the democratic Snowball and the narcissist Napoleon. They were both leaders of the revolution that happened at the farm in the beginning of the story. Napoleon is seen as the quite one who spoke rarely and only when absolutely required. Snowball on the other hand was a charmer and was able to capture the attention of the crowd with his words. He was full of new ideas to improve the way of life in the farm. Snowball and Napoleon come out with Seven Commandments for their Animal Farm once the humans are run out. The most important of these were all animals are equal (Orwell, 1945). Snowball was devoted to the commandments and encouraged the animals to follow it to the dot. He tries methods to improve the way the animals lived by starting various clubs and trying to teach the animals to read and write. Napoleon on the other hand just adopts a few pups and teaches them on private. No one in the farm knows what he is up to. A very important factor in their leadership of the farm was that they never agreed with each other. Whenever, Snowball came out with his elaborate schemes to improve farm life Napoleon stood against it. However, most of the time Snowball was able to win over the support of the animals with his charismatic personality and play with words. He was able to win them over with comforting talk and some amount of reasoning. He tried to get the animals involved in the decision making through a voting system and thus had a more participative approach to running the show. Napoleon on the other hand preferred to dictate and direct things. He was not good at getting the animals on his side with his talk. Hence after running Snowball out of the farm with the blood hounds he had trained and by lying to the animals he establishes himself as the leader. He uses another pig called Squealer to speak on his behalf and mislead the animals into believing that everything Snowball did was harmful. Squealer was also used to tell great tales about Napoleon. Napoleons autocratic style of leadership, with lies and tales leading the show, leaves the animals confused. However, they carry on with their work more ardently than ever. He is a narcissist who makes the animals work mainly for his own benefit. When a comparison is made between the kinds of leadership the two pigs portrayed big differences can be easily noticed. Snowball came out with good ideas but always presented it to the group for vote. He sells it to the group with his speeches. When one considers Blanchards leadership theory, Snowball will fall under the selling/consultative leadership style. He could also be called a transformational leader. According to Burns a transformational leader is one who is able to raise the entire group, including himself, into higher levels of morality, motivation and motives (Gill, 2006). That is exactly what Snowball did. He raised the motivational level of the farm animals with his inspiring speeches and led them to work and fight for liberty and the betterment of the farm in which he too actively participated. However, Snowball lacked muscle power. Napoleon with the strength of his dogs and a string of lies were able to overthrow Snowball. He clearly portrayed an autocratic and narcis sist style of leadership. He was corrupt and with false pretenses he forced his decisions on the group. There was no voting or any suggestions taken from the animals. They were led to believe that everything that was happening was for their own good and made to do double work with lesser pay. Everything he did finally ended up in benefiting him and his gang of pigs and not the other animals of the farm. Though dictatorial and ruthless, Napoleon can be described as a transactional leader as well. Transactional leaders are considerably autocratic in their approach and do not believe in consulting with the staff to come to a decision. They define tasks and job profiles and reward workers on a contingent level. As such they are generally able to get compliance out of the staff but never commitment to the cause. Such leaders are able to bring about stability, just as Napoleon did, but cannot instigate the change that the organization actually requires (Daft, 2010). Which of the above mentioned leadership style is the key to bringing about change in the organization? Most management thinkers are of the opinion that real change in an organization is brought about by a transformational leader. This is the reason organizations actually employ people who are known for their transformational capabilities in leadership positions when it comes into a crisis and requires a total change to happen. Locke says that leaders are in one way or the other transactional in nature (Locke, 1999). This many not be always right. There are many leaders who are unable to achieve even the transactional level of leadership. The real difference as stated by Bass (2008) is that the transformational leader does a lot more he ensures that the employees feel the need to work not just for the short term benefits of the company, but also towards the long term goals that could change the very face of the organization. The leader is thus able to lead them towards higher levels of success not only for the organization but also for themselves (Orwells Snowball). But Basss view tends to state that transformational leaders are always successful. Clegg et al (2002) says that this is not the case always. They quote a research in their book which states that context also plays a big role in success (Clegg et al, 2002). This is quite true, yet it can be said that transformational leaders run the extra mile to bring the context in as well. A transactional leaders importance in the companys success cannot be undermined. He is ideal for maintaining the status quo and leading the company in its present state. Basss point that a transactional leader works with a focus on his self interest (Orwells Napoleon) and tries to make people work with contingent rewards than unconditional rewards is correct (Bass and Bass, 2008). He is more authoritarian in nature. This can be seen in the example of American Axles leader Dick Dauch. He was an authoritarian leader who bordered on narcissism. He was more interested in securing his and his familys future. Though successful, his leadership focused on mainly one area of business and hence when there was a shift in the market condition the company was quite unprepared (Fortune, 2008). There are other examples of leaders who are leading successful enterprises, but not always in the paths of glory. United Parcel Service has a leadership pattern that is transactional in nature. The leaders a t UPS aim at maintaining status quo and prefer for things to work they want. They employ an authoritative style to direct and get work done by the workers (Pride et al, 2010). Jim Donald, the former CEO of Starbucks, was not able to create any ripples. He tried to maintain status quo. His attempts to improve the companys fortunes failed and he was sacked by the company. Howard Shultz, the companys original transformational leader, stepped in and took reins to turn back the fortunes of the company (Fortune, 2011). An autocratic leader is quite similar to a transactional leader; however autocracy does bring in short term changes. Even though their style is demanding, bordering on dictatorship, and is known to cause resentment among the workers, it cannot be said that they lead failing enterprises. For example, Bobby Knight, the basketball coach of Texas Tech is known to be harsh and demanding to the team members and this includes allegations of choking a player (Harvard Business Review, 2008). He still leads a winning team. However their ability to manage change and adversity is questionable. For example, Stan ONeal, the former CEO of Merrill Lynch, always had an autocratic approach to managing the show. He was quite ruthless and eliminated executives who were a threat to him. However, his style was able to withstand only the good times. The moment there was a problem in the company he did not know what to do and how to bring about a turn around. He was later pushed out of his position by a hos tile vote by the board of directors (Fortune 2010). The problem with such leadership is that it is not sympathetic towards change and for an organization to move forwards change is a very critical factor. This is where a transformational leader comes in. According to Bass and Riggo (2006), their main aim is company greatness as against their own and for this they are ready to take risks (Bass and Riggio, 2006). The following are the points gathered from various sources as what transformational leaders do to bring about change in the organization: Talk to the people and inspire them to work towards change and a collective vision (Lussier and Achua, 2010). Make the employees question the current status of the organization and ask themselves what they can do to improve it. Encourage innovation and distinctive thinking. Give special attention to the performance at the individual, group and corporate level. A careful integration of all three is required for bringing about transformation. Come forward and take the reins in a crisis with the intention of saving the organization and not for the self achievement. Ensure that the change is instilled into the core of the organization so as to last. Based on these things he does to achieve change in the organization the important variables associated with such a leader can be charted out. They are: Positive Influence Transformational leaders are positive influences on the group they are leading. Bass and Riggo (2006) in their book Transformation Leadership refers to this as idealized influence (Bass and Riggio, 2006). It means that the leader inspires the people in the organization to copy him in their work habits and emotions. He becomes their role model and they follow him in making the organization great. Motivational Influence Transformational leaders motivate the people to achieve greatness at the individual level as well as the corporate level. They motivate them to take risks and work ardently towards change in the organization. Intellectual Influence It is very essential to be intellectually stimulated to bring about innovative ideas and thus change. Beerel (2009) is right in stating that transformational leader intellectually stimulates the people in the organization by questioning the status quo and by looking at problems from different angles to come up with different solutions that the obvious (Beerel, 2009). Thoughtful Influence A leader who brings about change in the organization is generally considerate towards the feeling, capabilities and capacities of others. The people in an organization led by a transformational leader feel that they are cared for and considered as separate entities than a collective means to achieve a goal. This in turn influences them to worker harder towards change. A few good examples of transformational leaders would clarify further the claims of many writers of how they affect change in a organization. Steve Rizley of Cox Communications, Arizona, took over the company when it was running losses for more than three years. He was pivotal in transforming the company into one of profit and growth. By encouraging the people to grow professionally as well as emotionally and intellectually, Rizley was able to convert the $700 million company into $1.3 billion in a little over two years since taking over (Bloomberg Businessweek, 2010). Yet another example is Proctor Gambles CEO, A. G. Lafley. Though he met with failure in the beginning he trudged on and led P G in to one of the most successful enterprises today (Harvard Business Review, 2011). Jack Welch reigned as CEO of General Motors (GM) for almost twenty years. During his tenure he set in the path to success and glory. Welch set a new corporate paradigm for GE that not only assured its success but that became a model for the world over. He is known to spend hours with his managers, cajoling them, coaching them and questioning them so that they think bigger and more differently (Business Week, 1998). It is quite obvious that transformational leaders are ideal for bringing about change in the organization. They are able to bring out the best in the employees and shine light in to new and improved ways to conduct business. They are able to ensure long term commitment to the betterment of the organization from others leading the way to greatness. All transformational leaders are transactional. But the same cannot be said about transactional leaders. Their lack of ability to adapt or change is a big hurdle in achieving greatness for the organization they work for. The company itself may be flourishing but at a status quo position with no real innovation happening. Autocracy and narcissism does result in change but these are short lived and there is no long lasting change happening in the organization other than what may be beneficial to the leader himself. Napoleon of Animal Farm was able to bring about small changes in the farm, however, in the end the benefits of these changes were only to him and to his fellow pigs. The other animals in the farm were more or less the same as before if not worse. This is quite so in the real world as well. Snowball was a visionary and more in line of transformation. However, he did not have the muscle power to bring in the transformation required. A transformational leader is able to face all kinds of adversities and lead the company to a path of glory. It is he who revolutionizes the people and the organization. Resources Bass Bernard M and Riggio Ronald E. (2006), Transformational Leadership, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc. Bass Bernard M with Ruth Bass (2008), The Bass Handbook of Leadership, Free Press. Beerel Annabel (2009), Leadership and Change Management, Sage Publications Ltd. Byrne John A. (1998), How Jack Welch Runs GE, Business Week, June 1998, Available at Clegg Stewart, hardy Cynthia and Nord Walter R. (2002), Handbook of Organizational Studies, Sage Publications Ltd. Daft Richard (2010), Management, South Western Cengage Learning Dillon Karen (2011), I think of my failure as a gift, Harvard Business Review, April 2011, Available at http://hbr.org/2011/04/i-think-of-my-failures-as-a-gift/es Farrell Greg (2010), Crash of the Titans The Rise and Fall of Stan ONeal, Fortune, November 4th 2010, Available at http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2010/11/04/crash-of-the-titans-the-fall-of-merrill-lynch/ Fisher Anne (2011), How Starbucks Got its Groove Back, Fortune, March 24th 2011, Available at http://management.fortune.cnn.com/2011/03/24/how-starbucks-got-its-groove-back/ Gill Roger (2006), Theory and Practice of Leadership, Sage Publications Ltd. Locke Edwin A. (1999), The Essence of Leadership The Four Keys to Leading Successfully, Lexington Books. Lussier Robert N. and Achua Christopher H. (2010), Leadership : Theory, Application and Skill Development, South Western Cengage Learning. Orwell George (1945), Animal Farm A Fairy Story, Penguin Books. Pride William M, Hughes Robert J., Kapoor Jack R. (2010), Business, South Western Cengage Learning. Snook Scott A (2008), Love and Fear and the Modern Boss, Harvard Business Review, January 2008, Available at http://hbr.org/2008/01/love-and-fear-and-the-modern-boss/ar/1 Stevens Cleave Dr. (2010), What Employees Need from Leaders, as posted on Harvard Business Review on 6th May, 2010, Bloomberg Businessweek, 7th May, 2010, available at http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/may2010/ca2010057_172171.htm Taylor Alex (2008), Narcissism, Nepotism and Greed at American Axle, Fortune, July 2nd 2008, Available at http://money.cnn.com/2008/07/02/news/companies/taylor_americanaxle.fortune/index.htm

Great Expectations Essay -- Great Expectations Essays

In Charles Dickens’ novel, Great Expectations, the main character named Pip suffers through a conflict of confusing good and bad people. He repeatedly disregards the people that love and care for him and instead chooses to care for people who do not care for him. When making these choices, Pip senses that he is making the wrong decisions and therefore confuses good and bad and also confuses himself. After Pip first meets Estella, he begins to dislike everything he has ever known. He is uncomfortable feeling common in front of Estella and takes out his frustration on Joe, the one who brought him up to be common. â€Å"I determined to ask Joe why he had ever taught me to call those picture-cards, Jacks, which ought to be called knaves. I wished Joe had been rather more genteelly brought up, and then I should have been so too† (65). Here, Pip begins to look down on Joe even though Joe has only done the best that he could. Still, Joe continues to be kind to Pip even when Pip makes mistakes. He is not the only one that Pip hurts though. Biddy is another person Pip disrespects. At first Pip is too blinded by his love for Estella to notice that Biddy truly cares for him, and by the time he realizes it, it is too late. Pip confides all his secrets in Biddy and even tells her how unhappy he is with his common lifestyle. â€Å"’Biddy,’ said I, after binding her to se crecy, ‘I want to be a gentleman’† (127). Biddy tries to rationalize Pip’s thoughts so that he will see what is truly important, but he just cannot see past his desire for Estella. In this way, Pip is already ignoring Biddy and her great advice. When Pip receives his fortune from his secret benefactor, his disregard for the two people that love him the most becomes much worse. Before hi... ... of why his common life and being with Biddy is much better than the alternative, Estella. However, after all those reasons come to him, the remembrances of Satis House and Estella rush back to him and he is thrown into a conflict between the two. The worst part of Pip’s conflict comes from the fact that even Estella warns him of her cruelty. She tells him how she has no heart to love and will never care for him (229). Still, it is not until the end of the novel that Pip realizes all of his mistakes and his conflict is somewhat resolved. All in all, Pip messed up throughout the novel. He chose to ignore those that loved him and were good to him, viewing them as bad memories of his past, and instead sought after a heartless girl who could never love him. These inner and outer conflicts that Pip experiences from his decisions shape Charles Dickens’ classic novel.

Review of Financial Statements Essay

Financial statements are essential accounting tools which include balance sheets, cash flow statements, and income statements that provide information on a company’s past and present financial history. Information on financial statements can be used by any number of public and private entities to determine if an organization’s financial status is healthy. Burger King and McDonald’s are two organizations that use financial statements in conducting business. Further, this paper will discuss the financial statements of each company, the firms which audit each companies financial statements, and define accounting concepts, terminologies, and transactions used in the financial statements. Additional information will provided regarding when McDonald’s and Burger King were established and what product and services they provide to the public. Overview of Organizations McDonalds first opened its doors in 1940 introducing the concept of the â€Å"speedee service system† offering french fries, hamburgers, and shakes to satisfy the hungry customer quickly at a low price. Over the next 65 plus years the McDonalds menu has changed from just french fries and hamburgers to salads, wraps, chicken nuggets and many more items which cater to the ever changing tastes of consumers. McDonalds has been criticized over the years as being a major contributor high obesity rates, in part due to the speedee service concept. These criticism have caused McDonald’s to rethink menu items and helped the company to enact numerous changes to the menu which now offers nutritional guides for each menu item and healthier choices such as salads, fruit, and milk. McDonald’s has changed the oil used to fry foods to make the fries healthier and includes a choice of meal sizes and most recently started a new line of coffee drinks, which offers the desired Starbucks taste for a fraction of the cost. â€Å"The fast food chain currently has 31,000 restaurants worldwide and operates in 119 countries and serves approximately 47 million customers daily. McDonalds is also highly associated with the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) that has donated money and services to families and communities for over 35 years to approximately 37 million children and families.† (McDonalds, 2009). The McDonald Corporation pays for most of  RMHC’s global administration cost so that all donations go directly to the community and families. The charity is in such high demand that RMHC plans to expand their programs by 37% by 2010 to better help those in need. Burger King started in 1953 first known as Insta Burger King offering hamburgers to consumers that was cooked on a small cooker called an Insta-Broiler oven; the concept proved to be successful. â€Å"In 1954 the name changed to Burger King, the broiler oven first used was replaced with the flame broiler and soon became popular for offering their flame broiled hamburgers and what is now known as the Whopper burger.† (Burger King, 2009). The next 60 plus years for Burger King began suffering the same criticisms as McDonalds. It seemed all fast food chains were being blamed for the increased obesity rate in the U.S. Burger King followed suit and began making changes to their menus adding chicken, salads, fruit, food nutritional guides, smaller sizes, choice of drinks such as tea, milk, and changing the oil used to fry French fries as well as additional changes. Burger King Corporation is associated with a few charity organizations such as â€Å"Have It Your Way† which works to alleviate hunger, disease, and promotes community education through scholarship programs; the McLamore Foundation provides scholarships and is associated with several charities for When Organizations Were Established Burger King was founded in 1954 in Miami, Florida by James McLamore and David Edgerton. â€Å"McLamore and Edgerton, both of whom had extensive experience in the restaurant business before starting their joint venture, believed in the simple concept of providing the customer with reasonably priced quality food, served quickly in attractive, clean surroundings.† (New York Job Source, 2009), thus, the invention of the Whopper which was an instant success. Today Burger is found in all 50 states and 74 countries and territories throughout the world with more than 11,700 restaurants. In 1967 the Pillsbury Company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota purchased the company and its employees and the company went public in May 2006 at $17 a share. Today the company remains majority-owned by an equity group comprised of Texas Pacific Group, Bain Capital Partners and the Goldman Sachs Funds. (New York Job Source, 2009). McDonald’s was founded by two brothers, Dick and Mac McDonald of San  Bernardino, California. Ray Kroc, a milkshake machine distributor happened on the brothers’ restaurant as he was curious to discover why such a small establishment would need 10 milkshake machines. Kroc was impressed by the speed with which these two brothers were able to provide service in their busy hamburger stand and he asked the brothers for a briefing on their â€Å"McDonald’s Speedee System† and after the briefing he requested and â€Å"secured the rights to duplicate the system throughout the United States. â€Å"Ray Kroc opened his first outlet in Chicago in 1955, 50 years later the number of McDonald’s locations had expanded to over 31,500.† (Albrecht, Stice, Stice, & Swain, 2008, pg. 76). Today McDonald’s averages over 100 million dollars a day and is located in 121 countries around the world. Both companies had meager beginnings and have grown into fas t food superstars. Accounting Organizations Providing Audits Both McDonald’s and Burger King offer burgers, fries, and creamy shakes. However, the differences between McDonald’s and Burger King are far more than golden arches and golden crowns. McDonald’s has both and internal and external audit committees. The internal audit committee is composed of five Directors, each of whom meets the independence and other requirements of the New York Stock Exchange (Santona, 2009). The committee abides by a charter which states all its responsibilities and is reviewed annually. Ernst & Young LLP (Ernst & Young), the Company’s independent auditors, is responsible for performing an audit of the Company’s annual consolidated financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and for issuing a report on those statements (Santona, 2009). The Burger King Corporation also has both internal and external audit committees. The internal committees perform quarterly internal audits that are published for investors, but these audits are indicated as unaudited by an external entity. KPMG LLP is the external organization the Burger King Corporation uses for its external audits. Financial Statements Used and Terminology As a publicly traded company within the United States Burger King Corporation (BKC) has taken all the necessary steps required to abide by the regulations set forth the Sarbanes-Oxley Act  of 2002. â€Å"The annual report for FY2008 includes information such as business information, risk factors, physical assets, legal proceedings, stockholder matters, and finally a comprehensive financial statement.† (Burger King Corp, 2009). This section of the annual report begins with management reports on internal controls which are in place regarding financial reporting which explains in detail the understanding of both the CEO and CFO and their obligation to take full responsibility for the content of the annual report. The report of the independent registered public accounting firm (KPMG) is and additional statement of responsibility from the independent accounting firm which states the firm has reviewed the information. Paged within the reportcontain the balance sheet, statement of income, statement of stockholders equity, and statement of cash flows for FY2008 compared to 2007, 2006, and 2005. While BKC’s annual report was presented in a standard no-frills format, McDonald’s Corporation’s 2008 annual report included graphics and photos as the driver of the information. Along with the financial statements, â€Å"McDonald’s annual report focused on highlights from the menu to the money along with letters of welcome from the Chairman, Andy McKenna and CEO, Jim Skinner.† (McDonalds Corporation, 2009). The financial reporting still included the management’s report on internal controls, the report of independent registered public accounting firm (Ernst & Young, LLP), the balance sheet, statement of income, statement of stockholders equity, and the statement of cash flows. In both instances a dedicated effort was made to satisfy the requirements regulated by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Basic Accounting ConceptsIn 2008, McDonalds’ financial report shows annual total revenue at 23,522.4 million dollars compared to Burger King’s 2,455.0 million dollars; a difference of 21,067.4 million dollars; McDonald’s clearly having earned more revenue (MSN Money, 2009). However, prior to 2003, the difference between McDonald’s profits and Burger King’s were even greater. â€Å"From 2001 through 2003 Burger King was losing money, but has made a steady annual gross profit since.† (CNN Money, 2006). Transactions In 2008, Burger Kings’ annual profit was 1,452.0 million dollars and in 2007 the profit was 1,317.0 million dollars, a growth of 135 million dollars. McDonald’s has also encountered gross profit over the past two years, however, at a much greater scale. In 2008 the gross profit recorded was 8,639.2 million dollars and in 2007 a gross profit was recorded of 7,905.2, an increase in profit of 734 million dollars. Accounts Affected by Transactions While the two fast food restaurant chains are no where near comparable in revenue, both chains are increasing revenue year after year. Since 2006, when Burger King became a publicly traded company; like McDonald’s, they both worked to maintain a profitable growth for share holders which has increased the amount of profit each year (MSN Money, 2009). Both companies have cash assets as well as land and property, rental fees, food, supplies, salary responsibilities, and advertising. Financial Statements Affected by TransactionsEach of the transactions listed for Burger King and McDonald’s are provided in detail on a number of the financial statements. Specifically, the profit can be followed on the balance sheet, the statement of income, and the statement of cash flows located in each annual report. In addition these figures are compared to the previous years’ numbers on each of these statements. Conclusion McDonald’s and Burger King have been in business for decades and each company has established its respective company in the hearts of the American people and consumers across the globe when they expanded into global market. Both companies use reputable accounting firms and the same types of financial statements in order to assess the health of their financial status. This paper has shown how important understanding the concepts, terms, and transactions listed on financial statements are in order to better gauge how a company is faring financially on a year to year basis. References Albrecht, W.S., Stice, E.K., Stice, J.D. & Swain, M.R. (2008). Accounting: Concepts and applications, (10 ed). Cengage Learning Center, Mason, Ohio. Burger King Corp. (2009). Company Info. Retrieved June 20, 2009 http://www.bk.com/Companyinfo/corporation/fact.aspxCNN Money. (2006). The King Meets his Public. Retrieved June 18, 2009, from http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2006/03/06/8370602/index.htmMcDonalds. (2009). Our company. Retrieved June 18, 2009 from http://www.aboutmcdonalds. Com/mcd/our_company.htmlMcDonald’s Corporation (2009). 2008 annual report. Retrieved June 18, 2009, from http://www1.mcdonalds.com/annualreport/index.htmlMSN Money. (2009). McDonalds Corporation: Financial Statement. Retrieved June 18, 2009,from http://moneycentral.msn.com/investor/invsub/results/statement.aspx?Symbol=MCD&1stStatement=Income&stmntView=AnnMSN Money. (2009). Burger King Holdings Inc.: Financial Statement Retrieved June 18, 2009, from http://moneycentral.msn.com/investor/invsub/results/statement.aspx?Symbol =BKC&1stStatement=Income&stmntView=AnnNew York Job Source. (2009). Burger King: World’s second largest food chain. Retrieved June 19, 2009 from http://www.nyjobsource.com/burgerking.htmlSantona, G. (2009). McDonald’s: 2009 Annual Shareholders’ Meeting and Proxy Statement. Retrieved June 20, 2009, from http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/etc/medialib/aboutMcDonaldsinvestor_relations.Par.58.686.File.tmp/2009%20Annual%Shareholders%20Meeting%20Proxy %20Statement.pdf

Business National Btec Unit 13 Essay

|To achieve a pass grade To achieve a pass | | | |grade the evidence must show that the learner|To achieve a merit grade the evidence must |To achieve a distinction grade the evidence | |is able to: |show that, in addition to the pass criteria, |must show that, in addition to the pass and | |evidence must show that the |the learner is able to: |merit criteria, the learner is able to: | |learner is able to: | | | |P1 identify how two organisations | | | |plan recruitment using internal and external | | | |sources | | | | | | | |P2 explain the impact of the legal and | | | |regulatory framework on recruitment and | | | |selection activities | | | | | | | | | | | |P3 prepare the documents used in selection | M1 compare the purposes |D1 evaluate the usefulness | |and recruitment activities |of the different documents |of the documents in the | | |used in the selection and |interview pack for a given | | |recruitment process of a given organisation |organisation, in facilitating | | | |the interview process | |P4 plan  to take part in a selection interview|M2 analyse your contribution |D2 evaluate your experience | | |to the selection process |of planning and participating | | |in a given situation. |in the recruitment and | | | |selection process. | |P5 take part in a selection interview | | | | | | | | | | | Unit 13: Investigating Recruitment and Selection Task 1: How organisations plan recruitment (towards P1). â€Å"P1 Identify how two organisations plan recruitment using internal and external sources.† You need to understand that there are a number of reasons why vacancies occur and that the decision to recruit will be the result of an analysis by the organisation of its requirements. The vacancy may be filled internally or externally. External sources may be used but they may have time and cost implications. You need to include the following points; Understand the processes involved in recruitment planning Recruitment planning: †¢ reason for vacancy, eg employee leaving, increased volume of business, different work, maternity cover, sickness; †¢ decision to recruit; †¢ internal recruitment; †¢ external sources of recruitment (use of job centres, consultants, recruitment agencies); †¢ cost and time considerations of external sourcing Task 2: How organisations advertise vacancies (towards P1). The vacancy may be advertised internally and externally. If advertised externally, the choice of media will be important in order to reach the targeted market. External advertising is more costly and there are legal considerations to be aware of on all recruitment advertising. You need to cover the following points; Recruitment advertising: †¢ internal advertising; †¢ external advertising (choice of media, use of external agencies, format and type of advertisement, cost implications, legal considerations of recruitment advertising); †¢ methods of application, eg letter, online, telephone. â€Å"P2 Design a concise briefing sheet for a selection panel to guide them on the regulatory requirements of recruitment and selection practice.† This requires an overview of the key legal and ethical requirements of selection interviews. It should be a concise guide that interviewers can easily understand. You need to include the following points: Current UK and EU legislation: †¢ Sex Discrimination Act 1995/97; †¢ Race Relations Act 1992; †¢ Equal Pay Act 1970; †¢ Disability Discrimination Acts 1995 and 2005; †¢ European Working Time Directive; †¢ Employment Act 2002; †¢ national minimum wage; †¢ Data Protection Act 1998 (together with any future amendments) Ethical issues: †¢ asking candidates the same questions; †¢ interviewers not related to candidates; †¢ gender and ethnic balance on panels Task 3: Preparing a job description and person specification (towards P3). â€Å"P3 Prepare the advertising, job description and person specification required to recruit an employee for a specific role in a selected organisation.† You will prepare the documentation for an identified vacancy. This will encompass a job description and person specification. The completion of these two documents to an appropriate standard will provide the evidence for this criterion. Prepare the job description and person specification. You need to include the following points: Job description: †¢ purpose and standard formats; †¢ title of job; †¢ department and location of post; †¢ broad terms of job; †¢ responsible to whom; †¢ responsibilities; †¢ scope of post; †¢ education and qualifications; †¢ name of compiler and approver; †¢ date of issue Person specification: †¢ purpose and standard formats, eg job title and reference number; †¢ location in management line; †¢ essential and desirable attributes; †¢ physical characteristics required; †¢ attainments and qualifications; †¢ previous experience; †¢ general intelligence; †¢ special aptitudes; †¢ temperament and personality; †¢ hobbies and interests; †¢ personal circumstances Task 4: Job Applications â€Å"P3 Apply for a job by completing the application documentation.† You should use the Morrisons website to find the application documents. You should complete the process as if you were applying for the post. You should complete the application form and include any other documentation requested, which should include your curriculum vitae and a covering letter. The completion of the required documentation to an appropriate standard will provide the evidence for this criterion. Know the documentation involved in the recruitment process Application documentation: †¢ letter; †¢ application form; †¢ curriculum vitae Task 5: Briefing the selection panel on regulatory requirements. (P4) You need to include the following: Pre-interview: †¢ selection criteria for short-listing; †¢ application packs and information for candidates; †¢ references; †¢ types of interviews (group, individual, team, panel, telephone, multi-stage); †¢ tasks and tests used to complement the interview process, eg occupational preference tests, attainment tests, aptitude tests, psychometric tests; †¢ use of specialists in the interview; †¢ a list of interview questions; †¢ procedure for informing candidates on interview decisions Task 6: Taking part in a selection interview (towards P5). â€Å"P4 Participate in a selection interview.† You should adopt the role of either an interviewee or an interviewer in your pairs for a mock selection interview. You should demonstrate through role play that you have prepared for the interview. Roles can then be reversed to give everyone in the class opportunity to see the recruitment process from the perspectives of both the applicant and the interviewer. If you are not participating in an interview you will be observing and taking notes. Evidence is likely to come from a copy of the documentation used by each participant and a witness statement from the assessor. In your planning you should show evidence that you have considered each of the following points: Interview: †¢ interview protocol; †¢ confidentiality; †¢ fairness; †¢ interview environment; †¢ agreed questions; †¢ checking of personal information; †¢ interview checklist; †¢ control of interview; †¢ decision criteria and documentation; †¢ communicating the decision to candidates; †¢ communication and listening skills; †¢ body language; †¢ questioning techniques; †¢ barriers to communication; †¢ analysing and summarising Task 7: Following up the interview (towards P5). You should prepare the necessary documentation to fill the vacancy and complete the interview process. You should include the following: Post interview: †¢ informing candidates; †¢ making a job offer; †¢ verbal/non-verbal offers; †¢ contents of job offer, eg start date, wage or salary rate, hours of work, holiday entitlements; †¢ other conditions, eg references, medical test, passing specific qualifications; †¢ expenses claims; †¢ candidate’s feedback; †¢ taking up and checking references; †¢ police and/or medical checks including a CRB check; †¢ rejection of unsuccessful candidates Task 8: Comparing selection documents. â€Å"M1 Compare the purposes of the different documents used in the selection process of a given organisation.† You must be able to identify the documents used in the three stages of the selection process. You should know the purpose of the key documents. You should be able to explain the purpose of the information that the completed documents will provide for the interviewers. You should be able to draw comparisons between the purposes of appropriate documents. Task 9: Evaluation of the usefulness of interview documents. â€Å"D1 Evaluate the usefulness of the documents in the interview pack of a given organisation in facilitating the interview process.† You must make judgements on the usefulness of documents that you have collated in the interview pack. This will be informed by a mix of theory and practice. You must be able to demonstrate that you are able to assess the usefulness of documents that belong to a real organisation or that you have used in the role play exercise. In what ways did the documentation contribute to the organisation, management and conduct of the interview and the process of making a selection decision? Task 10: Analysing your contribution to task 5 (see P4). â€Å"M2 Analyse your contribution to the selection process in a given situation.† You must show that you can prepare for and perform in a role-play situation. You should ensure that an application pack is prepared and that all the necessary documentation is provided for the interviewee and the interviewers. The interview should be organised and conducted in a professional manner. Observers will be looking for evidence that the participants have prepared for the interview. This can be judged by observing how the learners organise and manage the sequence of the interview, the ability of the participants to ask appropriate questions, the quality of their participation and whether they have used communications and listening skills to good effect. Evidence will come from supporting documentation such as interview questions that interviewers and interviewees have prepared. The evidence will be supported by a witness statement on the role play of each Participant. Task 11: Evaluation. â€Å"D2 Evaluate your experience of planning and participating in the recruitment and selection process.† You must be able to demonstrate that you can critically reflect on your  experience and draw lessons from it. Evidence will require an evaluation of the role play and this should be linked to the feedback on the witness statement. You must also be able to critically evaluate your experiences of the planning stages of the interview. Websites www.bbc.co.uk/learning/subjects/business_studies.shtmlA changing bank of learning resources and up to date case studies. This site also has links to other useful sites www.bized.ac.uk Includes a number of pertinent case studies from thetimes100 including McDonalds and Cummins www.cipd.co.uk Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development www.thetimes100.co.uk Includes a number of pertinent case studies including McDonalds and Cummins, British Gas and Tesco ———————– Scenario: You work in the HR department at Morrisons where vacancy rates have been high over the past year. Your manager is concerned about this and has asked you to do a presentation to identify why vacancies occur and to compare with a competitor. In your presentation you must also include a plan of how to fill the vacancies using internal and external sources. Presentation date: Scenario: Following your presentation your manager has asked you to write a report on the steps that your department should take to go about advertising a vacancy both internally and externally. Your manager also wants you to consider the possible ways that applicants can apply. Hand-in date: Hand-in date: Scenario for Tasks 3 and 4: You are the assistant to the head of Business at Sheffield Park Academy and you have been asked to find a new Business Studies teacher to join your growing department for this popular subject. Design appropriate advertising for to attract a suitable candidate for the role and submit a report to your manager alongside the advert to show that you made all the necessary considerations. Hand-in date: Scenario: You want to apply for a part time job at Morrisons to get some extra cash while you are studying. Complete the documents to apply for the job. Hand-in date: Scenario: You are head of recruitment at Sheffield Park Academy and will be interviewing candidates for the advertised role of Business Studies teacher. The interview panel will be made up of various senior members of staff and some members of the Business department. Not all members of the panel have interviewed before so they are not familiar with the regulatory requirements. Design a briefing sheet which is easy to follow and will help them plan the interviews. It must include all the important points that they will need to know to avoid any legal or ethical problems. Hand-in date: Scenario: After advertising the position of Business Studies teacher at SPA and receiving several applications, you are now ready to start planning the interviews for the potential candidates that have been selected. Work in groups and discuss how you will select your candidates. Make a list of your selection criteria for the interview panel to follow when selecting candidates. You will role play the interviewee as well as the interviewer so prior to the role play you will need to read a candidates CV to help you prepare and make any notes that you feel necessary. Interview date: Hand-in date: Scenario: You have completed the interview process and selected a candidate successfully. The head of recruitment at your school has asked you to review the selection process by comparing and explaining the purpose of the documents that are used at SPA to recruit new teachers. Hand-in date: Scenario: You have interviewed all candidates using the documentation that you prepared for P4. How useful was this documentation in organising your interview, managing the interview process and choosing which, if any, of the candidates to employ? Hand-in date: Hand-in date: Hand-in date:

U.S. Imperialism.

U.S. Imperialism. Since the beginning of this country, the United States has always been an imperialist nation. Imperialism is the domination over an undeveloped country socially, politically, and economically. Imperialism affected many countries; for example, China, Africa, and South America were all affected by imperialism. Causes of imperialism are for mostly military and economic reasons. Many nations wanted to expand their territory, their army, and develop a more successful trade with no limitation. Imperialism began in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, due to economic, political, and social forces including the Industrial Revolution, trade, and military conditions.One cause of the Imperialism according to economic, political, and social forces was the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution was a major turning point in world history as it resulted in a complete change in society. During the Industrial Revolution, while other countries had only come up with labor-saving machines, America came up with labor-replacing machines.Created by the previous uploader using a popular O...This was huge because America was able to make their products more rapidly and efficiently. Other countries say this and began to do the same. Effects of the Industrial Revolutions were very large accomplishments, and influenced many other cultures both positively and negatively.The United States' military also influenced other countries. Our military strength was what allowed us to control and take over other countries. Some countries even wanted us to just be there just incase they needed military backup. When America declared war on Spain, it was for Cuba. America felt that the U.S. was more powerful than Spain, and could rule Cuba in a better way. Other countries began to think that they needed more military strength in order to rise above America.The U.S.' politically dominated other countries during the late 19th century. The U.S. was so far ahead of other countries in their...

1928 Election Essays - Second Party System, Andrew Jackson

1928 Election Essays - Second Party System, Andrew Jackson 1928 Election AP American History October 21, 1997 The year of 1828 was a tumultuous year in American politics. It so happened that it was a presidential election year. The election of 1828 was different from any other presidential election up to that point. The election not only set a precedent, but was also one of the bitterest in American history. Out of all the elections up to that point, it had all the makings of a present-day campaign. The two modern aspects evident in the campaign were horrific mudslinging and the choice of presidential electors by a popular vote. The two men running for the office of president that year were the incumbent, John Adams, and the once-defeated Andrew Jackson. John Adams ran as a National Republican, later to be known as the Whigs. Adams had the support of the respectable Secretary of State, Henry Clay, but he did not have the support of his own Vice-President, John C. Calhoun. Calhoun was very powerful in the politics of that time period. He threw his support in favor Jackson because he could tell that Adams and the Republicans wanted Henry Clay to succeed Adams in the election of 1832. William H. Crawford, presidential hopeful in 1824, also gave his support to Jackson. However, the most important man to lend his backing to Jackson was Martin Van Buren, because he could tell that Jackson was going places. Jackson was running as a Democratic Republican. Because the Democrats are widely known to be the party of the common man, Jackson could use the theory of us against them. The Democrats also gained the support of the newly formed Workingman's Party. When Adams had beaten Jackson for president four years before, the Jacksonians protested that there was a corrupt bargain between Clay and Adams. This came about because once the vote went to the House of Representatives, Clay, a candidate, threw his support in favor of Adams. Once in office, Adams made Clay Secretary of State. Throughout Adams' administration and the campaign, the Jacksonians made the phrase corrupt bargain a rallying cry for their supporters. Adams though made enemies of his allies by refusing to remove competent civil servants from their jobs in favor of his political friends. Adams' views were already known so he had to run on those. Jackson however was for anything against Adams that made Adams look bad. Everything else he was safely shrewd in defining his position on the current issues of the time. He would just put himself in the middle if he didn't have an opinion or he didn't want to upset his supporters. So, in fact, he ran without a program. While he campa igned in the South, his friends in Washington, led by Van Buren, were winning the election for him. They concocted a tariff bill aimed at attracting electoral votes in both the Northeast and Northwest by hiking the protective rates on items favored in those areas. It was called the Tariff of Abominations, especially in the South. This raised dislike for the Adams Administration. That year was also the first year in which presidential electors were chosen by popular vote instead of congressional caucuses. This made the election even more democratic, which is what the Democrats, as they had come to be known, wanted. The Democrats, after all, were on raising the idea of democracy versus aristocracy. This campaign was not only one of the most savage elections up to that time, it is one of the nastiest in our country's history. Both candidates used the newspapers to do a significant part of their mudslinging. One newspaper editor that Jackson used was Amos Kendall of Kentucky. Kendall was the editor of the Argus of Western America. All of his editors though did an expert job of making his political head-hunting look like a crusade to clean Washington of corruption and privilege. One of Adams' editors was Charles Hammond of Cincinnati. He was the editor of the Cincinnati Gazette. Hammond turned Jackson's marriage into a contemptible type of propaganda. But the even more effective propaganda was the Coffin Handbill, which made Jackson out to be a murderer and a ruffian because he had executed six Tennessee militiamen for mutinying during

Article Review

This article tells us that nowadays, people and Industries do not really care about the sustainability of the resources they have exploited. The profit to be made is comes first There are three types of resources; they are renewable resources, partially renewable resources, and nonrenewable resource. Regardless the types of resources, the exploiting agents have their own obligation. Industries may get an enormous pront by xploiting the fossil fuels; but, It Is killing softly the environment of our planet. 5. What is the writers message or purpose in writing this article? Based on my analysis, what the writer tried to say s that human, ds the actor behind the exploitation of natural resources, is actually attached responsibility. If people want to take something trom the environment, It means that they also have to do the planetary liabilities For example, for those who make their living from theoretically renewable resources, they have to ensure that the resource Is actually enewed. e. Olve your personal comment on the article as a conclusion of your article review. Now, I already know how to have a good way on taking responsibility to the environment. I think this article Is clearly described what we have to do to the environment as our planetary liabilities. We are not allowed to exploiting the natural FORM-2 Faculty Class Emotional Intelligence Patricia Holt 3. Explain in two or three sentences why you have chosen this article. I have chosen this article because the topic of the article is interesting me. I like topic about psychological research like what this article is talking about. I also interested with the statement of this article which says: emotional ability is more important than IQ in determining an individuals success in life. . Explain briefly in four or five sentences what the article is about. This article explains about the famous impulse control test at a San Fransisco lecture by Daniel Goleman, called The Marshmallow Challenge. He did an experiment that involves a kind man, four-year-children, and some marshmallow during the 1960s. The experiment was continuing dozen years later and he got a result: some chil dren who had resisted eating the marshmallow and waited for the promised double prize were clearly more socially competent than the others. He also stated that if the emotions stored in the brain are those of restraint, selfawareness, self-regulation, self-motivation, empathy, hope, and optimism, then we become endowed with an emotional intelligence which is good. analysis, the writer of this article tried to explain about recent discoveries in brain esearch that prove emotional stability is more important than IQ in determining an individuals success in life, as stated early on this article. People who are better in emotional intelligence are more sociable, confident, and have a better strength on facing difficulty. 6. Give your personal comment on the article as a conclusion of your article review. I think this article gives us a very important fact that maybe not everybody knew. Now, after read this article, I guess we have to develop our emotional intelligence our intelligence quotient (Q) for balancing our mind.

Change from Quantitative to Qualitative using template Article

Change from Quantitative to Qualitative using template - Article Example Research Purpose Thus, the aim of this quantitative descriptive research study was to appraise nurses’ knowledge on the subject of prevention of unpremeditated perioperative hypothermia (Hegarty, & ettal, 2009). As a result, Hegarty, & ettal (2009) observes that between 60%-90% perioperative patients by chance become hypothermic, which then results in significant negative outcomes on the patient health, including increased hospital-stays, as well as further procedures and even forced to undergo further diagnostic tests. It therefore becomes important to every perioperative nurse to have an in-depth awareness of inadvertent hypothermia, particularly the risk factors and subsequent complications. Research Question The research question centers on whether perioperative setting nurses do have sufficient knowledge base concerning the management of their patients body temperature in a defined range, given the detrimental outcomes linked to inadvertent hypothermia. Normally, accident al hypothermia among perioperative patients has been linked to deprived patient outcomes, whereby control of the patient body temperature is not under a defined range which can sustain a stable body environment (Hegarty, & ettal, 2009). Informed Consent and Ethical Considerations This study can be considered ethical since it considers the basic ethical principles of research comprising autonomy, non-malfeasance, and justice. Notably, ethical approval was acquired from relevant clinical-research ethical committees, even though the researchers have not stated specifically the institutional names of the committees. Furthermore, informed consent was the hallmark of their research, since they used informational leaflet to notify the volunteers of their participation in the study, and as such, participation was voluntary and personal information acquired through questionnaires were kept confidential. Thus, the volunteers were given detailed purpose and objectives of the research study bef orehand (Hegarty, & ettal, 2009). Design In terms of design, the researchers applied a quasi-experimental design whereby the sole variable was not influenced or controlled. The strengths, sample size, limitations, and overall implications have been highlighted just as required in any evidence based nursing study. The study is based on a reflexive progression, which entailed working through every phase of the research whereby the functions of developing theory, gathering and analyzing of data, in addition to elaborating of research questions have been done simultaneously (Hegarty, & ettal, 2009). Hence, each of these functions influenced the others. Data Collection In terms of data collection, questionnaires containing structured questions in several leaflets were filled by participants, even as the entire survey package comprised two survey-tools tailored with consent from original authors of the questionnaires. The intention for tailoring the survey tools was to suit the perioperat ive setting nurses working environment. Moreover, the study participants were able to identify various techniques applied under their clinical-field when trying to make certain that their patients do not acquire hypothermia. In total there were nine questions with the major questions asking the participants to describe hypothermia and the other to list factors which can result in hypothermia for their perioperative patients. They were also asked to state likely sources of heat loss, the methods each participant applies in their

Managing Financial Resources in Health and Social Care Essay - 3

Managing Financial Resources in Health and Social Care - Essay Example Financial Management is therefore an important aspect which refers to the effective and efficient management of funds (money) in such a way that the objectives and goals of the organziation are accomplished. The department of finance requires the specialist functions that are connected with the top management at hierarchal ladder. Financial Management has been defined by Joseph Massie as the operational activity in a business organization which serves the purpose of obtaining the funds and utilizing them in an effective manner for the efficient business operations. Weston and Brigham describe this term as a domain of financial decision making that harmonizes the enterprise goals and individual motives (Weston, Fred and Brigham, Eugene, pp. 25-46). It is evident from the definitions that researchers and financial experts have recognized the purpose of financial management as an activity which pertains specifically to the planning, obtaining, monitoring, controlling and managing the funds or money in a business. It is a domain of business management activities within an organization that is dedicated to the careful selection and utilization of the capital and sources of finance for enabling a business organization to proceed into the direction of goal achievement (Weston, Fred and Brigham, Eugene, pp. 25-46). Thus, financial management involves the raising and allocation of capital judiciously. In order words, it is directly related to the concept of capital budgeting. Finance is the lifeblood of any organization. The financial management, until the period of 1960s, was considered to be of a descriptive nature in all industries along with its key role being to secure the financial requirements for fulfilling the operating objectives of the business. However, in the present era, the capacity of financial management contributes vitally to the management of any organization irrespective of its nature and structure. Now, the key

Problem Set Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Problem Set - Essay Example As a result, those suffering from various genetic and chronic illnesses that they cannot control, no longer have to get involved in high risk pools that are expensive and ineffective. An individual with this cover will never have to entirely forego the health cover and services that are so much needed. It is because of this reason that experts explain that not all pre-existing conditions are serious such as is the case with cancer, diabetes or kidney complications. They also believe that the purchase of this cover will help patients obtain medical services in less expensive ways hence a stress-reduced medical process. Moreover, they will be assured of the services whenever they require them. 2. The pluralist approach to policy making differs from the policy analysis approach of class and elites in the sense that the former does not contain any stratification as is the case in the latter approach. Therefore, politics play a major part in the policy process where the mass and the under structure government are coerced into policy making. Unlike in elite and class approaches, which are based on disparities pluralist approach is conducted by members with common interests hence the beneficial use of politics. b). With this, attempts can be made to apply it in the address of national debt and deficit by bringing about equitable distribution of wealth. Due to the lack of coercion on the government, tax systems will be used to promote equality. The government will no longer be influenced by the elites in the society. These efforts will also include the reduction in budget spending by the congress. It is because the pressure upon them to maintain their programs, resources and positions will be reduced. Since it is the groups that influence the political systems, they can manage to transform the spending programs into firmly established and entitled programs. Members of the representatives can additionally prevent the influence of elite groups towards the

Effects of employment insurance on unemployment (Canada) Essay

Effects of employment insurance on unemployment (Canada) - Essay Example policy is to increase the opportunity cost of those Canadian citizens’ who are unemployed and to reduce the cost of working by mobilizing the unemployed people to look for a job.1 It is believed that this policy will help unload the burden on low-skilled laborers as well as improving the Canadian public employment agencies. In the short term run, it is expected that there will be an increase in the unemployment rate because the employment insurance policy is expected to promote more people into job searching. The number of people looking for jobs will continue to increase because of the job searching performance that is being monitored directly by the Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC). The increase in the supply of manpower will create an adjustment in the supply and demand curve of labor in the market. (See figure 1) The increase in the number of people looking for a job will eventually affect the supply and demand for employment in the sense that the bigger the supply of manpower available in the market force will give room for employers to select a prospective employee at a lower salary. (See figure 2) Considering that the supply of manpower continuously increases, the demand for manpower decreases. This will give the company the privilege to select competent employees at a cheaper salary. Cheaper salary will result to a decrease in the operational cost per unit in production. A lower operational cost will result to an added profit for the company. (See figure 3) For example, a company is able to manufacture a toy that sells for $10 per hour. Given that there is no other production cost except for the salary of a worker, if the salary of a new worker is only $5 per hour as compared an old employee rate of $7 per hour, the profit per unit will be: Profit per toy (new worker) = Price – Cost per toy The same process applies in reverse. Given that the selling prices fall but the input costs are relatively fixed, the profit margin will

Accountant in business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Accountant in business - Essay Example Identifying the organization that suits the profession or business can carry this and making a hierarchical structure that supports employee engagement and communication among the individuals (Rainey, 2009). Sole Proprietorship is the organization places all the liabilities of the business operations as well as finance on only one owner. Sole Proprietorship is not applicable for Molly, Mark and Mary as they are three individuals. In Sole Proprietorship, the risk is attached with only one person as he is tied to the business (Spadaccini, 2007). Corporation is another business organization that is equally unsuitable for the three individuals because it is chartered by the state and consists of a large enterprise where the owners are the major shareholders of the company and cannot be dissolved as in the case of Partnerships (Spadaccini, 2007). In order to recommend the right business for Molly, Mark and Mary, it is necessary to understand the concepts of the kinds of business organizations. As all three of them have an unequal amount of distribution of cash, they need to make comparisons through tax, liability and the impacts of organizational management in either a corporation or partnership to see which organization would be suitable to carry out business activities. As Sole Proprietorship and Corporation are not applicable for these three individuals, the following three are recommended for them. Partnership is the organization in which two or more than two people have the share of the ownership of the business enterprise. Unlike the Sole Proprietorship, there is a legal agreement made among the two or three owners as they will most of the decisions taking place within the organization have to be mutually shared, along with sharing profits. All partners are equally responsible to take measures in the organization regarding any discrepancy and can take effective steps to dissolve the partnerships whenever they wish to do so. At the time of

Problem Set Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Problem Set - Essay Example As a result, those suffering from various genetic and chronic illnesses that they cannot control, no longer have to get involved in high risk pools that are expensive and ineffective. An individual with this cover will never have to entirely forego the health cover and services that are so much needed. It is because of this reason that experts explain that not all pre-existing conditions are serious such as is the case with cancer, diabetes or kidney complications. They also believe that the purchase of this cover will help patients obtain medical services in less expensive ways hence a stress-reduced medical process. Moreover, they will be assured of the services whenever they require them. 2. The pluralist approach to policy making differs from the policy analysis approach of class and elites in the sense that the former does not contain any stratification as is the case in the latter approach. Therefore, politics play a major part in the policy process where the mass and the under structure government are coerced into policy making. Unlike in elite and class approaches, which are based on disparities pluralist approach is conducted by members with common interests hence the beneficial use of politics. b). With this, attempts can be made to apply it in the address of national debt and deficit by bringing about equitable distribution of wealth. Due to the lack of coercion on the government, tax systems will be used to promote equality. The government will no longer be influenced by the elites in the society. These efforts will also include the reduction in budget spending by the congress. It is because the pressure upon them to maintain their programs, resources and positions will be reduced. Since it is the groups that influence the political systems, they can manage to transform the spending programs into firmly established and entitled programs. Members of the representatives can additionally prevent the influence of elite groups towards the

Accountant in business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Accountant in business - Essay Example Identifying the organization that suits the profession or business can carry this and making a hierarchical structure that supports employee engagement and communication among the individuals (Rainey, 2009). Sole Proprietorship is the organization places all the liabilities of the business operations as well as finance on only one owner. Sole Proprietorship is not applicable for Molly, Mark and Mary as they are three individuals. In Sole Proprietorship, the risk is attached with only one person as he is tied to the business (Spadaccini, 2007). Corporation is another business organization that is equally unsuitable for the three individuals because it is chartered by the state and consists of a large enterprise where the owners are the major shareholders of the company and cannot be dissolved as in the case of Partnerships (Spadaccini, 2007). In order to recommend the right business for Molly, Mark and Mary, it is necessary to understand the concepts of the kinds of business organizations. As all three of them have an unequal amount of distribution of cash, they need to make comparisons through tax, liability and the impacts of organizational management in either a corporation or partnership to see which organization would be suitable to carry out business activities. As Sole Proprietorship and Corporation are not applicable for these three individuals, the following three are recommended for them. Partnership is the organization in which two or more than two people have the share of the ownership of the business enterprise. Unlike the Sole Proprietorship, there is a legal agreement made among the two or three owners as they will most of the decisions taking place within the organization have to be mutually shared, along with sharing profits. All partners are equally responsible to take measures in the organization regarding any discrepancy and can take effective steps to dissolve the partnerships whenever they wish to do so. At the time of

Effects of Free

Effects of Free Primary Education Essay The research will investigate the effects of free primary education on learners with diverse needs in the main stream primary schools. (A case of Lilongwe Urban Schools) Identification of a sample of teachers, parents, pupils, schools. Distribution of questionnaires, conduct interviews, and observations. The Data will be conducted from four mainstream primary schools in Lilongwe district. 3. 0. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3. 1. A statement of search method. Many learners with special educational needs experience a number of challenges in the mainstream primary schools in which in some way or the other prevent them from receiving quality education. (Ministry of Education PIF Document on special needs, 2000) At a conference held at Salamanca in Spain 1994, it was declared that learners with special educational needs acquire education in their home schools. (World Declaration on Education For All, 1990). This meant that they were to be included in the mainstream schools and the schools were supposed to accommodate these learners by providing them with specialized resources so that the children acquire quality education. The introduction of free primary education in Malawi in 1994 posed a threat towards the education of learners with special educational needs in their home schools, because much as it increased access to educational opportunities for all Malawians, it brought many challenges towards the education of learners with special educational needs in mainstream schools and to the ordinary learners as well. (Ministry of Education PIF document 2000). One of the challenges emanating from the implementation of free primary education policy towards the education of learners with special educational needs is overcrowding in schools which lead to poor performance due to poor methods of teaching. Statistics indicates that in 1993, there were about 1. 6 million primary school students in Malawi. However, when free primary education was introduced in 1994, the number of students jumped to over three million (World Bank report 2004). This created a lot of problems, overcrowding in classes made teachers not to consider the needs of learners with special educational needs because there was too much work load. Teachers use poor methods of teaching as a result of overcrowding in classes and lack of resources. Teachers are failing to practice the individualized education plan meant for learners with special educational needs due to increased enrollment rates. (Ministry of Education PIF Document). This results in poor performance, high repetition rates for both learners with special educational needs and the ordinary pupils. It is thus of great importance to asses on how poor methods of teaching is a challenge to the education of learners with special educational needs. Some indications suggest that overcrowding in classrooms is pushing out pupils with special educational needs; an issue which the World Bank (2004) recommends that needs further research. Furthermore, due to overcrowding, survival rates for all learners (ordinary and those with special educational needs) have also been affected. The double/triple shifts are also making it hard for schools to plan for remedial programmes for learners with special educational needs and teachers complain of increased pupil teacher ratios. (Ministry of Education, PIF Document, 2004). Thus, it is the interest of the researcher to further assess the effects of overcrowding in classrooms towards the education of learners with special educational needs. The shortage of teaching resources is also another problem that is making the education of learners with special educational needs difficult. The shortages of teaching and learning aids worsened as a result of the implementation of free primary education. The number of pupils per text book was 2. 9 prior to Free Primary Education, declining to 7. 1 in 1994/5. Even more worrying is the fact that repetition rates are over 20%. (Riddel R. , 2003) What should be noted is that, learners with special educational needs require specialized resources for them to receive quality education. This is expensive and need expertise to use specialized materials. In this case, if the government is failing to provide learning materials for ordinary learners, what more to the provision of teaching and learning materials to learners with special educational needs. The shortage of teachers and recruitment of unqualified and untrained teachers who did not have any knowledge on special needs education was also another recipe for disaster because the needs of learners with special educational needs were not given a priority. (Ministry of Education PIF document 2000). Thus, it is reported by 1997, more than half the teachers were untrained, compared with 13% before the introduction of Free Primary Education. The World Bank Report on effects of free primary education (2004) states that this left learners with special educational needs to struggle to meet the needs of the school and not the schools meeting the needs of learners with special educational needs. As such it is to the interest of the researcher to assess on how this has led to low academic achievement to both learners with special educational needs and ordinary learners. Poor infrastructure is also another area of concern, according to an article by Ligomeka. B. (2000), it is stated that the ambitious plan by the Malawi government to boost its education levels by offering free primary education backfired, largely because of the terrible poor conditions of the country’s primary schools. Ligomeka adds to say that conditions at schools remain terrible; there has been a shortage of classrooms for the pupils, resource centers, teacher’s houses, and toilets for over a decade. The inaccessible physical environment makes it difficult for children with disabilities to survive. ( e. g. poor hygiene in toilets) Additionally, many of the preliminary surveys seem to show that the existing facilities make a mockery of the free education program. As a result, the situation of the teaching force in most of the districts is generally bad. On quality issues, the World Bank Report (2004) states that, the free primary education has produced unintended and unforeseen negative consequences. The reforms that Malawi has come up with have produced some consequences including quality issues which are of concern in Malawi. Whilst the enrolment expansion has been remarkable, the quality of education – and many would say, even the ‘value’ of education – has deteriorated. The question might be; if ordinary pupils are complaining of quality issues, what about the quality of education being offered to learners with special needs? This puts in question for the quality of education being delivered and if the needs of learners with special needs are being met. It is for this reason that the researcher would want to assess the quality of education being offered to learners with special educational needs in the mainstream primary schools with regards to the challenges emanating from the implementation of free primary education. Kadzamira and Rose (as cited at http//www. Introduction of free primary education in sub-Saharan Africa) point to the continued lack of access of some sub-groups (street children, out-of-school youth, those with special needs, orphans. ) who still face problems to meet some of their needs ( such as learning materials, food, accommodation, wheelchairs, hearing aids, and clothes) despite the education being free. As such, this has resulted in a lot of absenteeism, poor performance, a very high repetition rate and dropouts for learners with special educational needs, street children and orphans, because despite the education being free, they still have to meet other expenses such as stationary, uniforms, food, wheel chairs, and other specialized materials. (Ministry of Education PIF document 2000). The researcher therefore, would like to investigate if the needs of the above mentioned subgroups are taken into consideration by the schools. Through the reports, articles and journals, it has been discovered that the effects of free primary education worsened the problems learners with special educational needs were facing in mainstream primary schools. These problems do not only affect learners with special needs but also those without, and this has made/created a lot of learners to fall under special educational needs because their needs are not being met by the education system. In conclusion, there is evidence that free primary education brought challenges towards the education of learners with special educational needs, as such, it will be necessary to find out the extent to which the challenges are making the education of learners with special needs difficult in the mainstream primary schools, so that the feedback can be used to correct deficiencies in the schools. This research will be beneficial to teachers, schools even the researcher herself to diagnose barriers to inclusion hence coming up with strategies to reduce or eradicate the barriers. Definition of Key terms. Mainstream refers to the integration of learners with special educational needs in general education settings (Heward, 2000) Special educational needs refer to learners who require specialized instruction and different levels of support if they are to realize their full human potential, or to facilitate their academic, social, and emotional development. It also includes those coming from poor socio-economic backgrounds. (Heward 2000) Inclusion is the process of accommodating learners with special needs in the general education settings, with support services provided by the school. (Index for inclusion, 2002) Sub-questions What challenges do learners with special educational need face in the mainstream primary schools as a result of free primary education in Malawi? How do the challenges affect education provisions for learners with special educational needs? What support services are provided by parents towards the education of learners with special educational needs? 3. 2. RESEARCH METHODS The research shall be conducted using the survey strategy. 3. 3. Survey Studies Survey studies as pointed out by Cohen (2003) Is another way to get unique material. It is regarded as one of the best tool for collection of data by many scholars. Cohen added that surveys take one or two forms, questionnaires or interviews. During a survey, a researcher can ask people questions in person or draw a written questionnaire, but in either case, it is advised that questions must be phrased carefully so that people can respond easily and clearly. A Gay L. R. etal (2009) state that surveys requires the collection of standardized, quantifiable information from all members of a population or of a sample. It is from the above understanding that the researcher has seen it necessary to use this design, in the collection of data to examine on how the introduction of free primary education has affected the education of learners with special educational needs in terms of human resource, teaching and learning materials, and the quality of education being provided. 3. 4. SOURCES OF EVIDENCE The following instruments will be used for data collection: Questionnaires, interviews, and observations. 3. 4. 1Questionnaire. A questionnaire is a written collection of survey questions to be answered by a selected group of research participants. (Gay L. R. etal). And it is a widely used and useful instrument for collecting survey information. However, Bell (1993) warns that one needs to ensure that the questionnaire is well designed in order to give the researcher the information needed, acceptable to subjects and that will not give problems at the analysis and interpretation stage. The questionnaire will contain both open ended questions and closed questions. Among the advantages of a questionnaire is that it is cheap compared to interviews, and can be used to collect data from a large sample without the researchers presence, and one of the disadvantages is that respondents can delay information and could be difficult to make follow ups. (Cohen, 2003). To minimize errors, the researcher will make sure that questionnaires be taken for supervision before distribution to ensure that they are clear. The researcher shall follow guidelines for writing effective questions, such as avoiding complex questions, avoid irritating questions or instructions, just to mention a few. Cohen (2003). And in this study, a sample of ten teachers and Primary School Education Advisor (PEA) will be given questionnaires. See appendix,( item number 2 a,2b). 3. 4. 2Focused Interviews Interviews are an oral, in person question and answer session between a researcher and an individual respondent. (Gay L. R. etal 2009) Here, the researcher will use focused interviews. Ary D. etal (2002), describes focused interviews as those where the researcher ask questions designed to draw out subjects’ responses on a topic of interest. Subjects are free to answer in their own words rather than having to choose from pre-determined, open ended format, this permits greater flexibility and responsiveness to emerging issues for the participants. Among the advantages of interviews as pointed out by Donald etal (2002) is that, a researcher gets instant feedback, participants are able to ask for clarity, and the researcher probes participants where ever necessary. Donald adds to say that interviews enable an interviewer to get information concerning opinions, beliefs, attitudes and feelings in relation to certain questions. Hence making a researcher acquire rich information from respondents which will make the research to be standard. Nevertheless, the disadvantage of interviews is that it could be time consuming to both the researcher and the participant; it is expensive in terms of travel costs and materials, besides it is also difficult for individuals to articulate their feelings in a one to one interview. As such focused interviews will be conducted with head teachers, experienced teachers (those with over 16 years experience), parents, ordinary learners, and learners with special educational needs. The researcher shall prepare a list of standardized questions ahead of time and shall be taken for supervision to minimize errors. Furthermore, the researcher will make herself available at a time that is convenient for the respondents. The researcher shall begin by sending a letter of Identification, requesting an interview with the Primary School Education Advisor (PEA), head teachers, teachers, parents and pupils and specify the sort of information needed. See appendix ( item no. 1. a,1. b, 1. c, 1. d) 3. 4. 3Observations. Cohen (2003), states that observation data are attractive as they afford the researcher the opportunity to gather â€Å"live† data from â€Å"live† situation. The researcher will observe, teaching methods, attitude of teachers and peers, classroom organization, and availability of resources. Cohen continues to say that observation makes data to be reliable and generalization can be made. Stringer (2004) also points out that observations principle purpose is to familiarize researchers with the context in which issues and events are played out, however, Gay R.L. (2009) warns that researchers that when obtaining observations there should be objectives, unbiased and accurate in the sense that the observer has avoided influencing the behavior of respondents. The disadvantage of observation according to Alkins Encyclopedia of Education Research (1992) is that it more naturalistic and researchers are not constrained by what is in a checklist or rating scale. If an observation is well planned and carried out, it can give both qualitative and quantitative data. Observation has limitations on bias to an extent that the individual perceptions and interpretations of the observer, influenced by previous experience, affect the recording of the behavior, (ibid p. 271). However, the researcher will be aware of this problem so that learners with special educational needs be observed thoroughly in order to detect their difficulties which they face in mainstream primary schools. Observations shall be carried out in all the primary schools. See appendix (item no. 3). 3. 5. Population Sample This involves identification of a sample of schools, teachers, parents, and pupils, from the schools. Three mainstream primary schools in Lilongwe urban will be selected for the collection of data. Schools will be selected based on their experience in the education of learners with special educational needs. Teachers shall be selected according experience (those with more than 16 years experience prior to the introduction of free primary education). Pupils will be selected based on their age and class. (Will start from standard 3 up to 8 and within the age range of 9-15) the Primary School Education Advisor will also be contacted to answer a few questions and parents will be selected based on proximity (those living around the school and available). A total of six Learners with special educational needs and six ordinary learners will be interviewed from each school, will al so be interviewed, a total of eight teachers will be given questionnaires and two teachers will be interviewed, all the head teachers will be interviewed, and Observations by the researcher will also be carried out in all schools. The reason behind this sample is: To find out teacher perceptions on how free primary education has undermined the quality of education being offered to learners with special educational needs. To know how involved parents are in the education of their children. To find out from learners on the challenges they face in the classroom and how this is affecting their academic achievement. To find out from Primary school Education Advisor if the government is aware of such problems and necessary measures are taken to minimize the effects. 4. 5DATA ANALYSIS Data analysis is one of the things the prepared researcher needs to consider. It involves filing and organizing data collected (Cohen 2003). Gay etal (2009) add to say that the planning of data analysis will need to consider the organization, accounting for and explaining the data; It indicates what needs to be done with the data when they have been collected and how will the data be processed and analyzed, additionally, it shows how the results of the analysis will be verified, cross-checked and validated. (Bell 1993). In analyzing data, the researcher will re- write notes as soon as possible after making a set of observation. Full notes shall be typed and two copies of the notes shall be produced so that the other copy should act as a backup. The files shall be created in chronological order of events including notations of the dates and times they were made. Ultimately, observations shall be analyzed and interpreted to find the underlying meaning in the things observed. And the organization and filing of notes is the first step in discovering that meaning. (Donald A, etal 2002) All the results from different participants shall be analyzed and interpreted cordially, and data will be presented in the form of tables, type written text and charts. 3. 6Reliability and Validity According Kubiszyn T. etal (1996), reliability refers to an extent where similar results are obtained from different samples and after using different methods of data collection. Cohen (2003), states that validity is an important key to effective research, because if a piece of research is invalid then it is worthless. He further points out that that validity of research results refers to the extent where the research measures what it was intended to measure. The extent of triangulation is also another form of validity. To ensure reliability, the researcher, will use different tools of data collection, use standardized questions in both questionnaires and interviews and will make sure that the questions should be in line with the research question to ensure validity. 3. 7 LIMITATIONS Ethical issues, travel cost and time will be taken as some of the barriers to this study, nevertheless, ways will be found to deal with these problems. To overcome the problem of travel costs, the researcher started saving money meant for this purpose, where there will be a shortage, it will be required to ask for funds from guardians. To deal with ethical issues, the researcher will try by all means to be careful in the use of language so as not to harm participants psychologically because this might affect the outcome. The researcher will also take the interview and questionnaire questions for supervision to make sure that language used does not offend the participants. In the case of time, where the researcher will be on a short holiday and at the same time collecting data, appointments for interviews, observations and distribution of questionnaires. The researcher shall make herself available at a time convenient to the participants. Prompts/follow up shall be made in the case of questionnaires so that all the data should be ready before the holiday ends. To avoid doubts from participants, a letter of identification shall be obtained from the Special Needs Department of the Catholic University of Malawi. People will be assured of privacy and the research shall seek parental/teacher consent before interviewing learners below the age of fifteen. REFERENCE Ary Donald. Lucy Cheser Jacobs. Asghar Razaviah. (2002), Introduction to Research in Education, Thomson Learning, Belmet. Bell J (1993), Doing your Research Project. A guide for first research in Education and social science. Suffolk, st Edmunds bury press. Cohen L. etal (2003). Research Methods in Education. Prentice-hall Inc, New York. EFA Global Monitoring Report @ http:// www. EFA report @ unesco. org. Gay L. R. , Geoffrey E. Mills, Peter Airasian. (2009), Educational Research Competencies for Analysis and Applications. Pearson Education, Inc; New Jersey. Heward W. L. (2000). Exceptional Children: an introduction to special education. Prentice-hall, New York. (http://www. aft. org/research/rel-site. htm) (http: //www. World Bank report on effects of free primary education. org. ) Riddell R. (2003) The introduction of Free Primary Education in Sub-Saharan Africa Report. Ministry of Education (PIF document on Special Needs Education in Malawi, 2000) IRINA MANJOMO CALENDAR FOR DESSERTATION MONTH YEAR DATE ACTIVITY JUNE-2010 15-20 25-30 Writing letters to institutions where data will be corrected. Distribution of questionnaires for data collection and making appointments for interviews JULY -2010 Data collection, Data analysis and data entry. AUGUST- 2010 1-17 Data analysis and entry. 18-23 Editing analysed data, submission. 24-25 Meeting the supervisor 25-31 Literature Review SEPTEMBER-2010 3-13 Writing of chapter two (Lit. Review) begins ends 14-15 Meeting the supervisor 16-19 corrections 22-29 Writing of chapter III submission 29-30 Meeting the supervisor OCTOBER-2010 1-4 Corrections 7-14 Writing chapter IV submission 15 Meeting the supervisor 15-17 Corrections 19-25 Writing Chapter V and VI submission 26-27 Meeting the supervisor 28-30 Corrections NOVEMBER-2010 2-9 Writing Ch. 1 submission 11-14 Meeting supervisor corrections 16-21 22-23 Writing first Draft of Dissertation submission corrections DECEMBER-2010 24-30 1-3 Writing 2nd Draft of Dissertation submission 5-7 Meeting supervisor JANUARY-2011 Making Corrections on the Dissertation draft FEBRUARY-2011 13-18 Defending the Dissertation 21-23 Making corrections submission MARCH-2011 1-3 Meeting the supervisor 3-20 Making final corrections on the Dissertation Draft. APRIL- 2011 Writing the final copy of the Dissertation begins and ends. MAY-2011 16-23 submission to the supervisor