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...