The Effects of TQM in Eurasia International

The Effects of TQM in Eurasia International Introduction The Eurasia International case study is based on the implementation of total quality management (TQM) to improve the overall performance of the shipping company. TQM involves the application of quality management standards to all elements of the business.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on The Effects of TQM in Eurasia International specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It requires that the quality management standards be applied in all branches and at all levels in the organization. Characteristic of Eurasia going through the total quality process is an unambiguous and clear, limited interdepartmental barriers, excellent customer and supplier relation, time spent on training and the recognition that quality is product quality as well as the quality of the entire firm, including personnel, finance, sales and other functions. Top management has the responsibility for quality rather than employees and is thei r role to provide commitment, support and leadership to human and technical processes (Kanji Asher, 1996). In as much as the TQM initiative is to succeed, management has to foster the participation of workers in quality improvement and create a quality culture by altering attitudes and perceptions towards quality. Importance of a voluntary system of self regulation Mr. Bajpaee believed a voluntary system of self-regulation was essential for the shipping industry largely because of the need to achieve excellence in maintaining the necessary HR focus while controlling the vessel’s cost structure, keeping on line with customer requirements and foreseeing the competition. That is focusing on the nature of the shipping work and the important roles of individuals in order to meet the diverse needs of the stakeholders. The industry had undergone major restructuring which led to significant growth especially into the international markets.Advertising Looking for assessment o n business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The outcome of the rapid growth was the demand for more resources, yet in an environment with diverse regulatory systems. This led to issues like shipping accidents and other deficiencies as the industry focused more on making profits at the cost of the quality of services. According to Bajpaee, the shipping industry is analogous to any manufacturing industry. Therefore, a ship is likened to a factory where independent control is paramount in order to increase efficiency in operations and effectiveness of the human resources. In addition to the differing needs of the employee, the industry is associated with uncertain environments which call for unique actions and strategies to ensure success. Quality in the shipping industry is measured by the ability of a shipping firm to transport products safely from one place to another. However, there are factors unique to individu al ships that are described by the environment which determine the decision making processes. The self-regulation means that the management is able to respond to these factors free from other restrictions that might not fit in the specific context. In this respect, total quality management is considered to interlock with a self-regulatory system in that the system supports the creation of a quality culture. Managers as well as other employees who are restricted to explore the ideas they think to fit best in their duties are not likely to understand the needs of stakeholders that can lead to value creation. They will likely be endeavoring to accomplish tasks rather than accomplishing them efficiently. Bajpaee observes that a ship manager serves as an intermediary with secondary customers and is different from a manager at the base of a shipping company. Therefore, the success of the two managers is determined by different factors and hence cannot function under a common regulatory fr amework. Each environment demands self-reliance for the managers to offer effective solutions and steer the respective workforce towards achieving the organizational objectives.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on The Effects of TQM in Eurasia International specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Creating value for people Mr. Bajpaee likens cash flow to blood flow such that as oxygen is important to blood flow, profit is important to cash flow. However, the significance of life is not limited to having a pulse and similarly business existence is not limited to the flow of cash. More important is to create value for the stakeholders: shareholders, customers and employees. These observations mean that profit or cash flow results from value creation and not the other way round. As much as the firm is committed to creating value for the stakeholders, profit is created and the business is also sustained. The Bajpaee’s s aying is directly related to the idea of total quality management. Creating value for the stakeholder means the efforts to bring job satisfaction, customer satisfaction and shareholder satisfaction (Mukherjee, 2006). No business can be sustained if it lacks the capacity to retain employees, attract new customers and encourage shareholders to invest more. The human resources are the source of customer satisfaction which lead to increased sales and profits as well as shareholder satisfaction which is the source of investments. Therefore, value creation is not only the source of cash flow but also the best approach to instill a quality culture. The central purpose of a business’ existence is therefore to create value for stakeholders and profit cannot supersede it. Eurasian international is committed to creating value for stakeholders through total quality management initiatives. First, the organization creates value for its employees through recruitment, training and developmen t. Attracting employees from diverse environments is important to any firm operating at the global level which Eurasia achieves by recruiting seafarers globally and assembling international crews. Value is created through more friendly conditions for employees by offering stable working hours and established career paths.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Job roles are defined and the employees can advance their careers through education and accumulation of experience. Work performance for individual workers is formally appraised on periodic basis as a way to motivate them. Second, customer value in Eurasia is achieved by collecting and acting on customer satisfaction information. There are established Key Performance Indicators corresponding to customer value, shareholder value, human value and leadership/intellectual value. All sea-based and shore-based groups have performance targets at all levels. This ensures that the management is able to observe how all parameters are working on a virtually real-time basis. In addition, the firm collects information from external market and financial information providers which is analyzed by employing TQM methods prior to taking the necessary action. Third, Eurasia creates the value for its shareholders through a number of ways including the proper use and maintenance of resources as well as ensuring the flow of revenue. Since the shareholders are also the ship owners, Eurasia has set a process of monitoring, evaluating the technical conditions of the vessels in an effort to maintain them in good working conditions. The teams responsible are organized such that any deficiency is identified, analyzed and corrected appropriately and on time. As much as the resources are in good conditions, the sea activities are increased and thus higher returns for the stakeholders. In general, the organizational structure, employee training and development, resource allocation and maintenance as well as focusing on customer needs are among the factors that create value for the people. Organizational structure enables the human resource to understand their job roles and responsibility. Employee training and development provides the employees with the necessary skills and motivates them to work hard. Resource allocation enables the company ensures higher returns by reducing inefficiencies in operations. By focusing on the needs of customers, Eurasia ensures brand equity which lead to a royal customer base. Realizing operating efficiencies One of the objectives that Bapjaee put forward when implementing TQM was to increase the operating efficiencies. For this goal, the manager was determined to establish coordination in activities between the sea-based and shore-based groups. This was because any successful operation depended on the effort of both groups. The failure of crew members to deliver cargo safely would as well nullify the efforts by the shore-based groups to complete the transaction with the customer. As a result coordination of activities begins at the initial stages of a transaction and continues through until success is attained and evaluated for recommendations. To start with, the crew members are recruited, trained and developed according to the specific type of vessel under management, the particular type of cargo or the voyage in question. The shore- based group must communicate to the crew the system of safety, guidelines, policies and procedures in order to equip them with tools and knowledge necessary for any probable eventuality. This is backed up with well established daily, weekly and monthly reporting systems; quarterly inspections; pre-embankment and post-dismemberment debriefings and constant satellite-based monitoring to determine whether the vessel was making the right progress. Moreover, Eurasia has established a management structure comprised of self-check, cross-check and external-check constituents corresponding to the firm’s shipboard fleet management and support team. Additionally, when defects or deficiencies are identified in a particular operation, they are analyzed by a reliability team to determine the root course of the failure. For all operations, this determination is widespread involving the crew, system and equipment. The appropriate remedy to the failure is arranged while touching on the releva nt adjustments such as provision of more training and development, making necessary maintenance and revising the policies and procedures. Such a follow up ensures that every other operation is performed better than the previous one; continuous improvement. Other companies have a number of lessons to learn from Eurasia operating efficiencies. First, operating efficiency are achieved when there is corporation between operating groups. This means that operating efficiency touch every party that has influence no matter how small it is. Companies should not assume some departments simply because they are not directly related to the particular operation. They should aim for total quality improvement. Secondly, efficiency is about improving on the weak areas rather than introducing new ideas. When one learns from failure, he becomes more confident to explore new ideas that add to the existing knowledge. Finally, other companies can learn the need to create a quality culture in order to inc rease operating efficiencies. Indeed, quality of service in the service industry translates to efficiency in operations and improving that quality is an effort to increase operation efficiencies (Klefsjo Bergquist, 2006). The role of information Information play a central role in everything that Eurasia does which begun from its establishment to its expansion into the global market. Initially, the selection of Hong Kong as headquarter stemmed from the information gathered about the city. The city had a sophisticated telecommunication, infrastructure, an extensive air transport system, an advanced banking infrastructure, a low tax regime and a productive workforce, all of which suggest extensive research of the market. As a competitive competency, Eurasia deployed advanced database-management and computerized information system that gave users access to timely and accurate information. Most of the strategies established in the firm were based on information attained either from the market environment or failures in the industry. For instance, the strategy to become the best instead of the biggest was established after continued failures of firms in the shipping industry. During this time, Bapjaee observed how many shipping companies competed in a limited marketplace to acquire economies of scale and decided to focus on a completely different direction. Operations efficiencies originated from relevant actions on the weak areas identified through the collection and good flow of information among the operating groups. Another area that information has played a central role is on the Eurasia’s quality journey. Despite Bajpaee having reflected on the changes taking place in the industry to conclude that TQM was most necessary to the firm, he studied processes at other companies that had implemented TQM to confirm the relevant components. Again, these components were based on the need to seek much information on both the industry and the market. A definition of quality in terms of customer’s needs is a matter of seeking information about the diverse needs of customers. An organization-wide quality performance is about integrating stakeholder information into the company. The work system proposed relates to the adoption of an information system by the human resources. A meaningful way to monitor and measure results will require an evaluation and analysis of information pertaining to the performance of the system. Information has also played a center role in recruiting, training and developing employees. The recruitment of seafarers globally and assembling of international crews clearly stipulate the need to have relevant information about the global market needs. Job design that specified the roles of the candidates is a consequence of information about the objectives of the firm and the market needs. Again, organizational learning occurs as information cascades down through the levels of the organization. Employees plight in the information provided by the higher levels while managers take use of the feedbacks from the employee. Appraisal system is also an issue of collecting information about the performance of the employees and weighing them against the objectives of the firm in order to determine the worthy workers. Conclusion Total Quality Management is a concept applied in businesses such as Eurasia with a focus on continuous improvement across all branches and levels of an organization. Being part of Eurasia, the concept defines the way in which the organization can create value for its people. Bapjaee thinks that the most appropriate environment to use TQM is that which has a self regulatory system which allows the appropriate response to the dynamics of the shipping environment. Through TQM, Eurasia has been able to create value which eventually leads to operation efficiencies. These efficiencies have particularly been achieved by continuous correction of deficiencies identified in the process. A pa rticular interest is the central role that information has played in enabling TQM initiatives especially through continuous learning. References Kanji, G. K. Asher, M. (1996). 100 methods for total quality management. Thousands Oak, CA: SAGE. Klefsjo, B. Bergquist, B. (2006). Six sigma and total quality management: different day, same soup. Int. J. Six Sigma and Competitive Advantage, 2(2), 162-178. Mukherjee, P. N. (2006). Total quality management. New Delhi: PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd.

Auditory Learning Strategies and Characteristics

Auditory Learning Strategies and Characteristics Do you prefer lectures over long reading assignments? Are you great at following verbal directions? Do you benefit from in-class discussions and receive great marks for class participation? If so, you may be an auditory learner. Auditory learning is one of the  three learning styles  established by the VAK model of learning. In essence, auditory learners retain information best when it is presented through sound and speech. Auditory learners generally remember what their teacher says and readily participate in class. They are good listeners and often very social, which means they can sometimes get distracted from the lesson by everything else going on in the classroom. Auditory learning methods range from studying with voice recordings to memorizing vocabulary words by inventing short songs. Strengths of Auditory Learners From kindergarten to calculus class, auditory learners will be some of the most engaged and responsive members of any classroom. Here are some of the strengths that will help them achieve success in the classroom: Good at explaining ideas out loudKnack for understanding changes in tone of voiceSkilled at oral reports and class presentationsUnafraid to speak up in classFollows verbal directions wellEffective member of study groupsGifted storytellerAble to work through complex problems by talking out loud Auditory Learning Strategies Those with an auditory learning style like to speak and hear others speak in order to learn, but they may have trouble reading silently or staying engaged in a completely quiet classroom. If you are an auditory learner, try these strategies to improve your learning experience. Find a study buddy. Team up with a study group or a reliable study partner and quiz each other on the content. Verbally reinforcing the information will help you retain it, especially if you have to memorize lots of details.Record class lectures. Ask your instructors permission to create audio recordings of class lectures. During class, focus your brain power on listening closely to the lecture. Youll process the information much better this way than if you try to jot down every word the teacher says. Later, you can listen back to the recording and take notes on the most important information.Sit near the front of the room. Find a spot in the front row so that you can hear every word of the lecture.Listen to classical music. Listen to lyric-free music while you study. (Music with lyrics may be too distracting.)Participate in class discussions as much as possible. Talking about your ideas and voicing your questions will increase your understanding of the material. Encourage other stud ents when they speak so that others feel just as comfortable as you do speaking in front of a group.   Record yourself reading key terms and their definitions out loud. Then, listen to the recording while you walk to class, exercise, or get ready for bed.Repeat facts with your eyes closed. This technique will help you focus your attention on the auditory process, rather than any other visual stimuli that might be in front of you.Read assignments out loud. If youre given a homework assignment that involves reading a lengthy chapter, dont feel like youre trapped into a silent reading session. Instead, curl up in your room or another study space and read aloud to yourself. (You can even make it interesting by using goofy voices.) Auditory Learning Tips for Teachers Auditory learners need to listen, speak, and interact in order to learn. They are often social butterflies. Help the auditory learners in your class put their gift of gab to good use with these teaching strategies. Call on auditory learners to answer questions.Lead class discussions and reward class participation.During lectures, ask auditory learners to repeat ideas in their own words.Record your lectures so that auditory learners can listen to them more than once.Allow any struggling auditory learner to take an oral exam instead of a written one.Create lesson plans that include a social element, such as paired readings, group work, experiments, projects, and performances.Modulate your vocal tone, inflection, and body language during lectures.Allow students with an auditory learning style to listen to approved music during silent study periods.

Loans. Variable interest and fixed interest loans Essay

Loans. Variable interest and fixed interest loans - Essay Example There are many reasons why comparable short term loans have various degrees of risk. One of the primary reasons is the existence of variable term loans. A variable interest loan can change in payment on a monthly basis based on the current interest rate in the marketplace. Fixed loans are much different because these loans have a fix payment rate until maturity. A secondary reason why short term loans have different levels of risk is due to credit history of the individual or business entity. People that have excellent credit pay less than people that have bad credit. The reason people with bad credit pay more on short term loans is because they represent a high risk. A third reason why the terms of loans are different in terms of interest and risk is because each financial institution has different earnings expectations. Some banks are willing to earn less than others. 2. Granting credit to a firm or person with bad credit can result in a positive NVP. There are a lot of people that have bad credit that are not at fault. Some people lose their good credit because they co-signed for a friend or family member that defaulted on a loan. The lack of responsibility of the person that defaulted places the person in a tough situation because they are forced to pay a debt that is not theirs. Another reason why banks may earn positive NPV from people with bad credit is because they charge these individuals or business institutions a higher interest rate. 3. The credit score of a person is very influential in the terms of the credit the borrower receives. There are three credit agencies that evaluate the person. The three agencies are Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. You are correct in your assumption that the amount of credit experience a person has influences the credit score of the individual. The three credit agencies utilize different criteria to evaluate the person. My father recently applied for a loan and he was denied because one of the agencies rated him as a 560. It was strange that another one of the agencies gave him a 716 score. 4. I have always preferred to have a variable interest loan than a fixed interest loan especially in long term loans. The market fluctuates a lot and a variable interest loan can enable a person to negotiate better terms of credit if the market conditions become favorable. Some people on the other hand prefer fixed loans because of the security of knowing the exact amount you have to pay on a monthly basis. When the interest rate goes down it is better to have a flexible interest loan, but when it goes up the fixed payment loan is the best alternative. 5. The types of financial institutions that deal in very short term loans such as 15 to 30 loans have a lot of business because everyone every so often faces an emergency that requires instant cash. People also on many occasions are not able to keep up with the budget and the run out of cash. You need cash for daily food expenses and transportation cost to go to work. Due to the risk involved in these types of loans it is justified for these firms to charge a high interest rate. Also these firms have to charge a high interest rate because they do not enjoy the benefits of compound interest like other banks due to the fact that the debt is settled in a very short term. Banks make a lot of interest money during the first part of a long term loan. Shorter loans generate less interest revenues. 6. It is true that when people are faced with an emergency that requires instant cash they do not care about the terms of the agreement. In our world there are people that take advantage of the necessities of the poor by becoming loan sharks. Loan sharks are people that create an illegal lending operation which charges on my occasions upwards of 10% per week. People borrow money from these loan sharks when they have nowhere else to turn. Short term lending institutions that deal 15 day and 30 day loans are the legal equivalency of a loan shark. They c harge 30% to 50% yearly interest on short term loans. 7. The credit score

The Impacts of Black Death in Europe Research Paper

The Impacts of Black Death in Europe - Research Paper Example Capitals, were the toughest hit by the epidemic, suffering a great loss of cultural institutions such as churches and schools. Universities and grade schools were closed and at most abandoned. This was because the institutions did not have enough students to go to class or because teachers were not enough to teach the classes. For instance, Cambridge University alone lost sixteen out of forty lecturers to the plague. Churches lost priests and many people worried that there would be not a single soul left to share testimonies or lead sermons. Bishops and their successors were not spared either. People started to question their values. The atmosphere changed from one of cooperation to an individualism idea. Self-indulgence and self-satisfaction became popular as the whole society started to question what to expect the following day, so people started living each day to the fullest (Gottfried 164). The people became hopeless with the Roman Church and its power, as a result, the churches ’ influence and power declined. They started to question the Roman Catholic beliefs and faith, and God too. The priests had always taught the human race was chosen by God, but at that particular time, they wondered why God was not saving them.Education and religion systems had been brought to a standstill. An aspect of the community that was not as significantly affected by the plague as a culture was politics. The plague did not highly affect the course of politics, but it still had its share.

Kevin Stevenson retires as AASB Chair Essay Example for Free

Kevin Stevenson retires as AASB Chair Essay This article is concerned with the accomplishments and achievements of Kevin Stevenson upon his retirement as the Chairman of the Australian Accounting Standards Board on 30th June 2014. During his tenure, Kevin Stevenson ensured that the long traditions of financial reporting were upheld both internationally and domestically and also provided counsel on issues concerning the FRC. Mr. Stevenson was an example of pioneer standard setters for generations down the line as he was among the founding members of the Accounting Standards Advisory Forum of the International Accounting Standards Board. Through his leadership, the AASB’s Research Centre was established as Stevenson served the Asian-Oceanian Standard Setters Group’s chair. His main focus was to work in the interest of the public, as stated by Lynn Wood, the FRC’s chair and trustee of the IFRS Foundation. In concurrence is Ian Mackintosh, the former Chair of the PSASB of Australia and Deputy Chair of IASB. According to Mackintosh, Stevenson largely contributed in the moves by Asia countries like Nepal and Korea to the IFRS. From the onset of the 1970s, Mr. Stevenson’ attention was driven towards setting ‘principal based’ standards and developing a Conceptual Framework to be used in financial reporting. He advocated for accounting regulations as evidenced by his association with the Accounting Research Foundation and later on watched over the growth of the AARF upon being appointed its Director. He was at the forefront of setting the international pace in the development of com mon accounting standards for both the public and the private sectors. Stevenson largely contributed to the formation of the Public Sector Accounting and also played a significant role in the establishment of the stable platform of International Financial Reporting Standards in 2005 for adoption in Australia and the entire Europe. Concepts, ideas and facts                      Teamwork and leadership are two important components that must be in alignment so as to provide effective high quality and efficient accounting services. A strategic human resource management model provides guidance to accounting teams and leaders to deliver high-quality services in a timely manner. Accounting operates within a performance measurement that tolerates no errors. Therefore, a state-of-the-art investigation requires scientific leadership working with major stakeholders as a team to provide the best accounting services to a fraud investigation. The new techniques of accounting are significant steps in the right direction and they require leaders with skills and business tools to apply concepts such as efficiency, cost benefit analysis, economies of scale and cost-effectiveness analysis that will measure continuous improvement on a regular basis. Effective leadership is needed to develop, design and implement a solution that would resolve the core competency of an organization. Strategic leadership in accounting provides quality and timely accounting services to a company. Such leadership like that o Stevenson brings together a fragmented system consisting of thousands of accountants working within a fragmented system of organizations. Effective teamwork and leadership in accounting shows the way through the development of new innovative fraud investigations for the future. Leaders in positions like that of Stevenson are encouraged to consider both the social and moral implications of their decisions with regard to how their decisions will affect the clients and shareholders of the company. It is the ethical responsibility of every employee to ensure their company does not illegally evade income taxes or allow questionable deductions. They should ensure that the company finds are allocated to the appropriate activities based on their importance and determine the important elements of the business. The accounting issue                      One major way of improving the confidence in financial reporting and accounting is to ensure that there is improvement in ethical standards, reporting mechanisms, strengthening of governance and adequacy of financial management. It is ethical to maintain the right to the truth while practicing accounting and financial reporting. Those who use financial statements have the right to accurate and truthful information when engaging in investment strategies. Clients have a legal right to receive competent and professional services from accountants who have a legal obligation to perform their responsibilities within the constraints of their skills. It is often argued that most accountants lack ethical ability to recognize and solve ethical dilemmas. This has necessitated the need to include ethics education as a major component of the accounting profession. The development of professional ethics and values should be initiated early in the accounting profe ssion and be emphasized throughout the career. Major issue of the article                      Stevenson clearly shows that it is the responsibility of management to serve the best interests of the company that they are providing auditing and accounting services for, investors and society as a whole. This can be done by providing truthful and accurate financial records. Ethical guidelines require that management should be honest, concise, accurate and complete while recording financial data to ensure ethics are held to the highest degree. It is also the duty of every employee to make wise, informed decisions about the future of a company. These accounting standards are useful in financial reporting and accounting as they are processes that are currently under a great deal of scrutiny. The two are important functions that organizations should take care of and ensure that they exhibit a high code of ethics. This is because clients and shareholders use accounting and financial reports in their decision making process. Legal and ethical issues ar e important elements of financial reporting and accounting as has been demonstrated by the positions assumed by Mr. Stevenson. These issues prompted Stevenson to establish financial reporting and accounting departments to set up specific sets of rules that govern the functioning of any organization. Relevant topics and theories                      The long traditions of financial reporting applied Positive Accounting theory by focusing on various aspects that are of major interest to accounting techniques and the issues that provided an informative background and the gives in depth details of the functionality of accounting in financial reporting. Positive Accounting gives a holistic description of what is currently unknown and proposes future considerations. Financial reporting and accounting apply to any economic entity relating to the company’s future business. The major ethical elements involved are objectivity, competence, independence and integrity. These ethical elements require that accountants and financial reporters are independent of the clients to whom they provide financial and accounting services. Ethical obligations help to determine the effectiveness of accounting and financial report and redress any imbalance that may alter information symmetry. The move by Nepal and K orea followed the ethical guidelines of financial reporting and never let the desire for a better living and acquiring more possession get in the way of their financial obligations. It is ethical for any employee of the accounting or financial department working in the public or private sector to remain loyal and impartial to ethical obligations when reviewing both individual and financial reports. It is usual for one to encounter various ethical issues and it is therefore important for one to remain vigilant to resist temptations to manipulate financial records that could violate ethical guidelines. Transparency and integrity are important ethical elements of normative accounting theory. Some companies may receive pressure from management to maintain a certain public image. This is because some public companies have the burden of succeeding at high levels and it becomes an ethical issue for them to maintain true reports of the company assets, profits and liabilities without succumb ing to the pressure from management. It is unethical for management to alter the financial records of its company and manipulate the numbers to create a false image of the success of the company. This only leads to prosperity in the short term since such fraud cases are discovered by the Securities and Exchange Commission ultimately spelling the downfall of the company. For these reasons, accounting theories assert that companies must remain ethically vigilant to avoid breaching the code of conduct. High standards of ethical behavior are expected for those people engaging in accounting and financial reporting. These standards provide rules and guidance to employees in the performance of their professional obligations. Poor decision making by management based on faulty or manipulated financial records aimed at deceiving the public about a company’s financial health has negative consequences on the business. It is therefore unethical for management to overlook such behavior. Gi ven how tempting it is for companies to manipulate their financial records in order to portray an image of economic health, management should provide the last defense possible to prevent accounting fraud. In comment letter 1, the Financial Reporting Committee of the IMA wrote to express its views on financial accounting standards on simplification of the income statement presentation through the elimination of the concept of extraordinary items. The FRC is in charge of several accounting books of different companies this in essence means that they are charged with the responsibility of making timely responses to statements, pronouncements, research legislations, proposals and pending legislations. Their main concern in this letter is the complex nature of financial statements in FASB comment letters. They support the simplication initiative adopted by the board as regards to making the financial statements easier to understand by the common folk CITATION Sch l 1033 (Schroder, 2014). Their support is on the elimination of elimination of extra ordinary items as in most times this criterion is not always met. Their proposal thus rids of the tedious work in the preparation of financial documents and whether this requirement is met by auditors in the process of doing their work. Their support is based on the fact that it reduces to a great extending the complex nature of the time for the allocation of the provision of income tax by reducing the occurrence of other income items occurring. They thus advocate for a thorough examination of the details of this suggested proposal CITATION Sch l 1033 (Schroder, 2014). In comment letter number 2, Marcum Accountants and Advisors write to the FASB regarding the proposed accounting standards through the simplification of the income statement by elimination of the concept of extraordinary items. Their letter is generally a response to several questions regarding the process of simplification of the income statement. They support the concept of elimination of extra ordinary items from the General Accounting principles. Their contention is based on the difficulty of application the extra ordinary items in accounting practice CITATION Giu14 l 1033 (Giugliano, 2014). They thus support the application for extra ordinary items in previous accounting periods. A sudden change of the rules would otherwise lead to confusion in the accounting practice. The ease of application of the proposed update makes it easy to make these recommended changes quite easy to adopt. They thus suggest the immediate adoption of the proposed update. They are in agreement with the decision by the board to stick to the principle of separate disclosure of infrequent transactions. Items must thus meet the definition of occurring infrequently in recurrent expenditure. They list the following examples as those that should not be classified as unusual or infrequently occurring: occupancy related expense, routine tax audit returns and losses and gains from reimbursements from insurance CITATION Giu14 l 1033 (Giugliano, 2014). They thus suggest the importance of offering guidance on the determination of unusual items. Proper definitions should thus be provided of the unusually occurring items. In comment letter 3, Ford Motor Company also writes in support of the simplication initiative by FASB. Their agreement is based on the objective of evaluation, identification and improvement of the generally accepted accounting principles CITATION Cal14 l 1033 (Callahan, 2014). This thus means that the reduction of the cost of complexity is possible with the simplification of the income statement. They are also in agreement with the board that such an update would not lead to data loss. The overall benefit would be to the end users of such financial statements. References Callahan, S. (2014). Ford Company. Giugliano, G. (2014). Marcum Accountants. Schroder, N. (2014). Institute of Management Accounting. Source document

Teaching Status Report :: JPE Education Teaching Teachers Essays

Teaching Status Report A lot has changed since my last status report. I have essentially been teaching math lessons on my own since October 11th. It feels really good to have so much responsibility and to become an accepted part of the classroom. I am also realizing how lucky I am to have a cooperating teacher who I am so compatible with. In reference to classroom management and discipline, my cooperating teacher and I have become a team. When he is teaching I serve as another source of discipline, I can talk to students one-on-one who are causing trouble and I can provide help to students so my teacher can continue with the lesson. Furthermore, because I am still working on my authoritative side, when the class gets really out of control my cooperating teacher serves as a reminder that although I may be a student teacher I should be respected like the other teachers. In reference to my authoritative side, it is still a work in progress. I definitely have developed an ability to raise my voice and correct a student when they are misbehaving. However, I still have trouble when the entire class gets out of control and starts talking. Halloween definitely revealed this weakness, the Friday before this holiday was especially stressful because the students were so excited about their plans and had already began eating candy so they were very noisy and they did not want to learn. I tried my best to correct them but my cooperating teacher had to step in. Although I wish I could have handled the situation myself I know this skill of correcting the entire class will come with time and experience. My students’ behaviors and learning abilities are both disappointing and exciting to talk about. It amazes me that some students have the ability to work hard, regardless of their personal lives, and truly want to learn. However, there are some students who have absolutely no desire to be in school. My teacher is still working with the guidance office to see which students have IEPs and should not be in this classroom. I am really frustrated that no action has been taken yet, the school year is quickly going by and it is clear that some of these students need more help than my cooperating teacher and I can provide. Another interesting detail about this problem is that most of the IEPs are behavior related.

Mobile phones Essay

Consumers have when choosing between different mobile phone brands. The study was built upon six key attributes (telephone features, connection fee, access cost, mobile-to-mobile phone rates, call rates and free calls) related to mobile phone purchasing respondents had to importance rate. The research showed that consumers with prior experience about a product can predict their choices relatively well, although respondents tended to overestimate the importance of features, call rates and free calls and underestimate the importance of a monthly access fee, mobile-to-mobile phones rates and the connection fee. 1.Demographic factors have an influence on the evaluations of different attributes related to mobile phone choice. Specifically, gender and social class will impact on the evaluations of the attributes as men belonging to higher social class seem to be more technology savvy. 2.Consumers value personal time planning properties in the choice of new mobile phones. Consumers value in smart phones features that enhance their personal time planning (e.g., Jones, 2002). These high-rated features include calendar and e-mail services .However, while synchronization of calendar and e-mail services to PCs has become easy and fast, the importance of time planning in mobile phones becomes more and more important. 3.New technical properties increase consumer willingness to acquire new phone models. Another important aspect that has risen from different studies is that consumers purchase new phones due to the fact that their existing one’s capacity is not appropriate referring to the idea that new technology features such as built-in cameras, better memory, radio, more developed messaging services, and color displays are influencing consumer decisions to acquire new models. Thus it can be expected that new features will influence the intention to acquire new mobile phones. 4.When choosing between different mobile phone models, consumers value larger screen size but the whole phone should be small enough and light to carry in pocket. 5.When choosing between different mobile phone models, consumers value familiar brands. Price of the phone has been identified as a critical factor in the choice of the mobile phone model, especially among younger people. besides new technological advances price is the most influential factor affecting the choice of a new mobile phone model. In addition, it seems that size and brand play to some extent an important role in decision making. Liu (2002) for instance surveyed Asian mobile phone users and found that size of the phone had no impact on mobile phone choice, but this finding might be due to the fact that all competing brands have quite similar sized phones that are small enough. Liu continues that the trend will actually be not towards smaller phones but towards phones with better capability and larger screens. While companies are advertising new models and services that do not yet exist, it according to the paper signals to the market that the company is at the cutting edge of technology and shows what will be available in the very near future. The sales of new phones will then be driven by replacement rather than adoption.

Odyssey and O Brother Essay

Thus, we find the modern film depiction of the troubles of a man during the depression is molded by the ancient struggles of Odysseus in Homeris Odyssey. Specifically, three parallels surface in the discussion of the similarities between Homeris classic epic and iO Brother Where Art Thou? The Cyclops encounter for instance, is transcendent between both works. Furthermore, each story contains a comparable perspective of the Lotus Eaters. Finally, the strongest parallel between the iOdysseyi and iO Brother, Where Art Thou? i is the mystical call of the Sirens and the powers of the witch goddess Circe. The Cyclops encounter is transcendent between both works. The Cyclops, in the iOdysseyi and iO Brother, Where Art Thou? i has obvious physical traits that connect the two pieces of work. The Cyclops in each story is a large man, who only has one eye. One website describe the Cyclopes race as, ia rough and uncivilized race of one-eyed giants. i(Spark notes p1) Odysseus describe the giant as, i A prodigious man who slept in his cave alone, and took his flocks to graze afield—remote from all companions, knowing none but savage ways, a brute so huge. i(Wilkie p378) The encounter of the Cyclops shows a great similarity in both of these stories. Odysseus, the main character of the iOdysseyi and Ulysses, the main character of iO Brother, Where Art Thou? i are taken from of state of tranquility and savagely attacked. As described by Odysseus, iSo there all day, until the sun went down, we made our feast on meat galore, and wine. i(p 377) This quote describes Odysseus and his men relaxing and enjoying a feast. Quite similar in iO Brother Where Art Thou,i Ulysses was enjoying a picnic when the savage Cyclops attacked him. When Ulysses and Odysseus were about to enjoy a peaceful day they are overtaken by the Cyclops either imprisoned or robbed. Both Ulysses and Odysseus mentality of a warrior allows them to fight back and eventually defeat the Cyclops. In each story an attempt to blind the creature offers a distraction for each character to escape from the Cyclops. Secondly, each story contains a similar perspective of the Lotus Easters. When you eat the intoxicating fruit of the lotus, as described in the Odyssey, the thought of home, purpose of voyage, and memories of the past are no longer important. Odysseus and his men arrive at the land of the Lotus-Eaters and become addicted and drawn to the fruit. They are so leered to the fruit, that it becomes a mindless obsession. iO Brother, Where Art Thou? becomes parallel to the story of the Lotus-Eaters when Ulysses and his men are baptized. Websteris dictionary defines baptism as, ithe Christian sacrament of sin and spiritual rebirth as a Christian. i Both the iOdysseyi and iO Brother Where Art Thou? i describe a rebirth and new thinking. The things of the past are no longer important. Rebirth of the soul and becoming filled with the spirit are identical to the intoxication of the f ruit. Therefore, the producers of iO Brother, Where Art Thou? i are describing baptisms as a new beginning and new thought, then comparing it to the lotus eaters of the iOdyssey. Finally, the strongest parallel between the iOdysseyi and iO Brother, Where Art Thou? i is the mystical call of the Sirens and the powers of the witch-goddess Circe. This parallel is the strongest element of comparison because it is very similar how each story describes the Sirens. Odysseus is told in the iOdyssey,i iSquare in your shipis path are the Sirens, crying beauty to bewitch men coasting by. i (p 421) Both Ulysses and Odysseus use wax to avoid the Sirens. Ulysses hair smelling of wax, (hair wax) and Odysseus instructing his men to put wax in their ears is enough to avoid the Sirens seductive song in each story. Avoiding the Sirens allows both Ulysses and Odysseus to continue on their purpose of journey, to get home. Another striking similarity is the witch goddess of Circe. In the iOdyssey,i Circe turns one of Odysseus men into a pig. Parallel to the Homeric epic, one of Ulysses men was supposedly turned into a frog. These two strong parallels sum up an obvious influence of Homeric work in iO Brother, Where Art Thou? i The movie iO Brother Where Art Thou? i is strikingly similar to Homeris iOdyssey,i in both plot and character description. Specifically, three parallels surface in the discussion of the similarities between the iOdysseyi and iO Brother, Where Art Thou? i The Cyclops encounter for instance, is transcendent between both works. Furthermore, each story contains a similar perspective of the Lotus Eaters. Finally, the strongest parallel between the iOdysseyi and iO Brother, Where Art Thou? i is the mystical call of the Sirens and the powers of the witch-goddess Circe. Thus, we find the modern film depiction of the trouble of a man during the depression is being shaped by the ancient struggles of Odysseus in Homeris iOdyssey.

20 Tips for Freshman How to Make It Through During Your Best College Years

20 Tips for Freshman How to Make It Through During Your Best College Years As a freshman, you may be so sure in your powers because you used to be a class president or Prom Queen in your high school. You could also be a member of the honor society. In addition, you could graduate with the highest possible GPA, which is 4.0. At last, a freshman could have been a valedictorian. No matter how hard you tried during your school years, being a college freshman creates many new challenges and obstacles on your way to perfect career. High school success has nothing to do with your higher education. But every freshman has to survive his very first year in college. You should forget about all your high school achievements once you turn a freshman. You begin a new year with a blank page. Of course, if you’re lucky to pass all necessary exams and submit a winning admissions essay along with a cover letter. From one side, you’re absolutely independent and the only one responsible for your further life. On the other side, all the decisions you make on your own, especially when talking about the first academic year, will have an irresistible impact on your further education and career. So, every freshman should be really careful. American College Testing (ACT) reports that  ¼ of college students tend to quit the game before completing the sophomore year. Every freshman feels the pressure too much. 50% of the freshmen who survive fail before getting their target degree. Most of these poor ones try to find a better place to complete their Bachelor degree. Thus, we can say that things are going better with Master’s degrees even though they involve more complicated disciplines. The article we have just written is not written to scare a freshman. Vice versa, we are here to share the secrets of surviving. We will tell you about the things and tips you’ll need during your first educational year at college or university. By the way, these witty hints might also be useful when building your career or even family. The first few weeks of the first academic year in college are very important for each freshman. This time belongs to a complex decision-making process which will predetermine your further development. During this period, a student may even change his mind concerning future career. Try to implement all of these tips during the first half of your initiate year. Each of the advice was tested by the freshman of reputable institutions, so you’d better listen up carefully. Use These Strategies and Hints to Survive Your Freshman Year Explore the area around campus.  From the very first day of your initiate academic year, you have to observe the entire area around your campus. It’s like a tiny town for each freshman. Aren’t you interested in the local infrastructure and your neighbors? Besides, studying the area around gets you prepared for many challenges. Welcome your roommate warmly.  Each roommate is just another freshman. Don’t be afraid of these youngsters – they are just as scared as you might be. These young people tend to have similar experience and emotions. Dedicate some time to study each freshman – who knows how each individual can help you during your first study year. Get the things organized.  Forget about your parents and high school tutors who used to lead you through the years. Every freshman is the only responsible person for his adult life. The parents are too far, and your teachers have all evolved into professors. Right, just like the Pokemon do. The college and university professors simply post the assignments or project all students have to complete and wait for the results. You are the one to save your skin – so stay wise and organized. Find the perfect location for your after-class preparation.  Discover a cozy corn like a library or use your room during the first year to study. Perhaps, you’ll gain other opportunities as the time passes by, but when you’re a freshman, you’re not invited to the rooms of elder guys and loud parties. So, use this time to accumulate new knowledge and experience. Try to attend every first year’s class.  Visit every lecture and take notes. Avoid the temptation. Except for memorizing complicated material to save time later, every freshman will get a vital data necessary for the upcoming tests and exams. We’ll tell you more: during the first college year, most of your exams will contain questions from the in-class quizzes and essays. Mind college requirements and due dates.  Prepare your own first-year schedule. As a freshman, you should study every syllabus by heart. Besides, you should take a look at the calendar much more often than you used to do at your school age. The justification like â€Å"I didn’t know it was due today† won’t work with your college professors. Make arrangements with your professors.  There is nothing to be ashamed of when talking to your professor during the first academic year. It is still better to retrieve information before the exam than doing it after Get to know your counselor.  One of the best advisors is your preferred academic writing service where you can buy custom essays for cheap. If we talk about counselor only, then it should be a person who will consult you on which courses to drop or take, how to organize your after-class meetings, schedule classes for the upcoming terms, choosing majors and minors. Besides, such people can help freshman with choosing his or her first job. It’s all about balance.  Take part in both social and academic occasions. Participate on campus actively.  Every second freshman faces so-called homesickness during the first year in college. Join some club or interest group not to feel lonely. Contribute to your grades.  Forget about your school grades – everything is much more serious at higher educational institutions. Here, every solved essay or in-class quiz counts. Do not ignore study resources on campus.  Perhaps, school library did not seem a reliable place for retrieving information. But college labs and libraries impress. Every freshman should take the best of such places. Dedicate some time to your hobbies.  To reduce the stress and relax, it is crucial to remember about your old hobbies like playing guitar or reading. No more pressure!  Your parents have no more power to decide on your future. If you are not sure in the career you’ve chosen the last year, discover your new opportunities. It may help to change your mind. Take responsibility.  Since your first day in college, you have to learn by your mistakes. Make conclusions and try to avoid falling into the same trap again. Keep in touch with your classmates.  Remember that every another student from your class is also a freshman. He or she won’t make laugh of you. Building stable, friendly connections might play in hand later when the exams come. Get to the Career Services Office.  Talk to real professionals who will help you with your career choice. Don’t procrastinate.  It is crucial to set priorities. Do not postpone any important job until the last minute. Keep in mind that you always need a time for revision. Stay healthy. This point is mostly about nutrition. Also, freshman enjoys alcohol beverages and smoking, but you should stick away from these bad habits. Don’t overwhelm your body with fast food. Learn how to cook elementary meals. Keep away from the dreaded extra â€Å"Freshman 15† pounds by obeying a balanced diet. Keep track of your money. We are not telling you to become a professional accountant, but you have to at least count your cash and allocate all money resources wisely. Let’s say, you can’t spend more than $50 per day if you earn $100. The last advice would be to use only official writing services for freshman and other students from the very first year. Don’t save your money on two things; your health and education. Thus, we recommend buying essays and research papers of high-quality instead of failing your course due to late or poor-quality paper.

Shakespeares Plays Sorted by Tragedy, Comedy, History

Shakespeares Plays Sorted by Tragedy, Comedy, History It is not always easy to categorically say whether a William Shakespeare play is a tragedy, comedy, or history, because Shakespeare blurred the boundaries between these genres, especially as his work developed more complexity in themes and character development. But those are the categories into which the First Folio (the first collection of his works, published in 1623; he died in 1616) was divided, and thus, they are useful to start the discussion. The plays can be generally classified into these three broad categories based on whether the main character dies or is bequeathed a happy ending and whether Shakespeare was writing about a real person.   This list identifies which plays are generally associated with which genre, but the classification of some plays is open to interpretation and debate and changes over time. Shakespeare’s Tragedies In Shakespeares tragedies, the main protagonist has a flaw that leads to his (and/or her) downfall. There are both internal and external struggles and often a bit of the supernatural thrown in for good measure (and tension). Often there are passages or characters that have the job of lightening the mood (comic relief), but the overall tone of the piece is quite serious. The 10 Shakespeare plays generally classified as tragedy are as follows: Antony and CleopatraCoriolanusHamletJulius CaesarKing LearMacbethOthelloRomeo and JulietTimon of AthensTitus Andronicus Shakespeare’s Comedies Shakespeares comedies are sometimes further subdivided into a group called romances, tragicomedies, or problem plays, which are the dramas that have elements of humor, tragedy, and complex plots.  For example, Much Ado About Nothing begins like a comedy  but soon descends into tragedy- leading some critics to describe the play as a tragicomedy. Others debated or cited as tragicomedies include The Winters Tale, Cymbeline, The Tempest, and The Merchant of Venice.   Four of his plays are often called his late romances, and they include: Pericles, The Winter’s Tale, and The Tempest. Problem plays are so-called because of their tragicomic elements and moral issues, and they dont end perfectly tied up, such as Alls Well That Ends Well, Measure for Measure and Troilus and Cressida. Regardless of all that debate, the 18 plays generally classified as comedy are as follows: Alls Well That Ends Well As You Like It The Comedy of ErrorsCymbelineLoves Labour’s LostMeasure for MeasureThe Merry Wives of WindsorThe Merchant of VeniceA Midsummer Nights Dream Much Ado About NothingPericles, Prince of TyreThe Taming of the ShrewThe Tempest Troilus and CressidaTwelfth NightTwo Gentlemen of VeronaThe Two Noble KinsmenThe Winters Tale Shakespeare’s Histories Sure, the history plays are all about real figures, but it can also be argued that  with the downfall portrayed of the kings in Richard II and Richard III, those history plays could also be classified as tragedies, as they were billed back in Shakespeares day. They would easily be called tragedy plays were the main character of each fictional. The 10 plays generally classified as history plays are as follows: Henry IV, Part IHenry IV, Part II​Henry VHenry VI, Part IHenry VI, Part IIHenry VI, Part III​Henry VIIIKing JohnRichard IIRichard III

The Importance of effective communication to quality nursing care Coursework

The Importance of effective communication to quality nursing care - Coursework Example While communicating, the nurse should always pay attention to both verbal and non-verbal communication to get the right information required for the patient care (Harrington & Terry, 2009). For effective communication, various techniques have to be utilized to ensure proper communication with the patient. For instance, the nonverbal communication is important. The nurse should ensure that there is agreement between the non-verbal and the verbal communication. Some of the nonverbal communications to note as the process of communication goes on is facial expressions, posture and gestures among others. Listening is important in the process of communication. By paying keen attention to the patient, gives the nurse a chance to mobilize all the perceiving sensory organs to allow for picking of the messages emitted both verbally and non-verbally. At the same time, the self-esteem of the patient is raised hence allowing the patient to open up even more. God interpersonal relationship is important for gaining the confidence of the patient. The patient feels secure and respected with the appropriate use of kindness when asking questions. The patient feels accepted as the nurse s hows interest on the patient. Hence, by use of the good interpersonal relationships, the nurse can get the necessary information that will go a long way in efficient patient care (Harrington & Terry,