Intel Corporation: 1968-1997 Essay

Question: Apply the tetra threat framework in analyzing Intel’s strategy to sustain competitive advantage in microprocessors Threat of Imitation: * Intel used economies of scale to counter imitation. Project Crush helped it to gain IBM’s contract for the 8088 microprocessor. * By entering into a long term relationship with Microsoft, which was its complementor. * R&D also resulted in Intel coming up with upgrades and new generation of chips at a rapid rate. * Intel like many other microprocessors didn’t believe in patents and copyrights as the life cycle of the microprocessor was very low and the patents would become obsolete In the late 1980s Intel moved towards IPR protection for its technology and products. * Relationships with suppliers were also strong as its procurement strategy was best in breed technology. It also allowed dual-sourcing of critical pieces of production equipment. * Intel always overcame threats of retaliation by producing the next generation microprocessor of equivalent or better quality. This also comes true when it has entered the RISC market also. * Decision not to license the 386 to any manufacturer other than IBM helped Intel to position itself as the leading horizontal niche player in the computer chip segment. Threat of Substitution: * When companies and technologies evolved with CISC technology, Intel after little of straddling decide to stick over RISC technology and not respond to its competitors. * Intel has produced x386 processor before Microsoft came out with MS Dos 5.0 version, thus Intel always leapfrogged before the competitors could and making it difficult for the competitors to achieve similar high degrees of compatibility features. * Intel defended itself through Project Checkmate to win contracts. * The ‘Intel inside’ campaign, created a brand for the previously unknown and ambiguous interior of a PC. This created a first mover advantage for Intel as they were the first to brand it. Branding thus proved a recombining technique as everything was getting branded in the consumer market. * It also competed rigorously with Motorola in RISC keeping its CISC microprocessors. * It has also made itself compatible for better usage for Internet also thus building its competitive advantage continuously. * Intel also lessened its substitution problem by reducing the licensing companies to produce its chips and thus its revenue increased from 30% to 75%. Threat of hold-up: * Intel outsourced its 8086 chip manufacturing to 12 other companies in order to meet the high demands * Intel during its x386 launch had a major problem as IBM disagreed to buy the new microprocessors. Intel entered into a relationship with Compaq launched it in Deskpro 386 which became a huge hit. This built mutually dependence. The introduction of x386 transformed the industry which became more horizontal in nature which was more cost effective. * Intel also forward integrated and developed its own products through its systems business. It had been in the business of designing, manufacturing and selling electronic subsystems and even complete system products. * Also Intel tried to maintain a trust and build a relationship with all complementors and suppliers. * Intel increased its bargaining power by developing complementary products e.g. Microsoft OS is only compatible with Intel processors.

Health Complications Caused by Chlamydia in Males

The topic I have chosen to link it with is Chlamydia n individuals aged 16-25. I am going to see whether the health promotion is used as a system of empowerment or a system of control. Main body Chlamydia can cause many complications in males and females, a few examples of these are; abdominal pain, pelvic pain, inability to get pregnant, potentially deadly octopi pregnancy, swelling in one/both testicles, fever and preventing a man from being able to father children states Brown, N (2013).The government are setting up ways to prevent this by setting up free Chlamydia screening to Individuals aged 0-25, this Is empowerment. By the government doing this It Is making Individuals take precautions and have regular checks. It also makes individuals respect themselves as when they know what Chlamydia can do to them they may also start using condoms to reduce the statistics of people contracting Chlamydia.It can also be seen as trying to control individuals as they are pushing/persuading th em to use contraception and keep getting themselves checked out after a new sexual partner, this Is because If individuals start becoming aware and checking themselves, and also using protection It will reduce the amount of money the INS are spending on treatment, (1 tablet or a weeks worth of antibiotics). The individuals that don't use protection or get checked out regularly could be having sexual relationships with others in the community and passing on the infection.This is why when individuals find out they have the infection they are advised to tell their past and current partners to get checked out as well. The antibiotics that are prescribed are the medical approach as It alms to prevent disease. This topic also links to behavior hang as it encourages individuals to adapt healthy behaviors, it is also a form of health education as the individuals are learning about Chlamydia also it is unlikely to be successful unless the individual is ready to take action.For example if an individual is not willing to use protection and/or get regular tests then there is not a lot that can be done, unless they decide to change their ways and try help themselves. The education approach also links to this as It alms to provide knowledge influence relating to Chlamydia as it aims to help individuals acquire the skills and inference to take greater control over their own health. For example if you are afraid of what your partner may say when you mention ‘protection' you are less likely to mention it, also if you are afraid of the result you may get from the screening tests you may decide not to take one.Social change also has a link to Chlamydia as it aims to make the healthy choice the easy choice, some individuals may be too scared to get help, take tests or mention anything. This is where individuals need to start making the right choice. The media is an influence on Chlamydia as it encourages individuals viewing it to stay safe, look after yourselves and others so you don't pass the infection around the community. The government are also an influence on Chlamydia as it is thanks to them that 16-25 year olds can gain free Chlamydia screening in clinics INS choices (2011).The critical understanding for health promotion is as follows, health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve; health of people, communities and populations says Reuters, T (2013). It moves beyond a focus on individual behavior towards a wide range of social and environmental interventions. Interventions to help change behaviors and environments in ways that are conductive to health. The main goals of health promotion are to reduce health risks and optimize health and productively while lowering total health-related costs.At its best, worksheet health promotion creates a culture that fosters vitality, motivation and overall effectiveness of human capital says (Erickson,2006). The role and relevance of health promotion is in tackl ing the determinants of health, elate promotion will include combinations of the strategies namely developing personal skills, strengthening community action, and creating supportive environments for health, backed by healthy public policy.Health promotion is a powerfully relevant strategy for social development, in particular as an important set of strategies to address the factors influencing inequalities in health. Health promotion also brings together all the principles that underlie a series of strategies that seek to support conditions that allow populations to be healthy and to make lately choices. The range of strategies draws upon behavioral sciences, public health, education and communication, to name a few, and their respective methodologies says health promotion agency (2009).Empowerment or control Within this essay I have stated both ways in which it is empowerment and control. However both have equal entitlement; I am swayed to say I personally think that the health pr omotion is more a system of empowerment. This is because the government are setting up schemes that are free for individuals aged 16-25 to access. This shows he empowerment that is given to individuals to look after themselves without a cost. Also condoms are given for free at the clinic where the Chlamydia screening is taken states (Scholar, Abraham, Kook and Gilmore, 2004).This is empowering people to take precautions so that they don't contract the infection. Another point is the media what can happen if they have the infection and don't get checked out. Conclusion Throughout this essay I have shown how health promotion can be used as a system of empowerment and a system of control. I have linked it together with my chosen epic; I have also linked health promotion within my topic to the different approaches that I have learnt about within my lectures.

Amazon in ECommerce

com has revolutionized the selling and purchasing of all products over the internet. It started with selling books over the internet and progressed in selling almost all consumer goods within a short span of time. Its engineering and quality principals make sure that all the various standard compliances are met and justified for improving the system behavior for its customers. Customers have now moved from the brick and mortars model, a traditional model for purchase of products, to the click and mortars model for ease of access, anytime anywhere access, take part in auctions and avail several promotion offers and gifts. The very perspective towards retail buying has been changed by Amazon.com. The virtual store concept is quite likely followed by many retailers after the success of Amazon.com and they have created a benchmark for its products and selling models define the very success over the long period since its inception. Question 2: Comparisons have been made by giant bookstore retailer Barnes Nobles and Amazon.com. Barnes and Noble operate dozens of bookstores in many local communities. Yet Amazon.com’s reach goes anywhere and everywhere with the Web. What, in your opinion, should Barnes and Nobles do to compete with Amazon.com? Answer 2: Barnes and Nobles must identify the very future requirements for its physical bookstores and come up with â€Å"click and mortars† model for fetching the right customer focus and model. Identifying the competition around and the changing outlook of the customers towards decision making for purchasing products is the greatest differentiator for change. The decision making for taking the business of Barnes Nobles over the internet would make sure that all the various present disadvantages would be capitalized upon. The brand mark of Barnes Nobles makes sure that every activity towards the envelopment of skyrocketing technologies would develop into a mammoth in promoting its success and growth. Only setting up the website is not enough. The representation model, sound engineering techniques, quality standards and affiliation techniques makes sure that its representation over the internet is strong and makes a presence really promising. Question 3: In order to more quickly realize and sustain its profitability should Amazon.com have remained a solely clicks based e-business (without warehouses) selling only books? Why or why not? Answer 3: Amazon’s decision to cater to several products would definitely move its primary base of selling books to other products. This is a sort of erosion of its primary brand which it created for selling books. The very brand creation and sustenance for selling books online had created a larger market share for book selling. The various bookstores at that time were in greater risk concerning their sales as Amazon grew in its market share for selling books. It was a brand which no one could deny. Its decision towards clicks business for selling other products over books makes sure that monopoly was broken to some extent and other small to medium sellers in the market found opportunity to make some business. These created a balanced view for existence in the marketplace allowing every dimension of sellers and customers to interact for good. Another reason for making the right move is for long term business continuity and spreading its wing to several other products which did not make it to the internet in that era. Amazon’s decision to be clicks based business must be changed into â€Å"clicks and mortars† business model for improving its supply chain by making it efficient and effective. The effective supply chain would cut down extra costs of transportation and shipping and would in turn create trust for its safety and quality policies. Warehouses would make sure that timely delivery of products can be made at lesser costs, which otherwise would create a sense of misunderstanding and evolve privacy and security aspects to a larger scale. Question 4: How can Amazon.com complete Bezos’s vision? What do they need to do to individualize their services to 25 million customers? Answer: 4 Amazon.com must fetch the customers according to their tastes and product liking. The following can be the various options that can be exercised: Provide a survey with questionnaires of what is important, how it can be bettered, what else is desired and so on. The survey questions would serve quite helpful in fetching the right suggestion from its customers to in turn get them everything they desire. The adoption of B2B and C2C model where various sellers and buyers can meet for selling the products of their choice. This would help users to customize according to their preferences so that more number of customers is fetched for purpose. The customer logs must be duly analyzed for fetching the right decision and data mining approaches to the vast data can be devised for getting the facts out for better customization of products and services. Request boxes and techniques must be presented so that in case a customer fails to find exactly what he desires, he can make a request for the new product. This would help to fetch the needs in micro detail for better capturing of the customer base. The above approaches would enhance Bezos’s vision to cater to individual needs and demands. Amazon is a virtual reseller, one of the main new intermediaries (Sarkar, 1996.) They are an electronic-commerce only intermediary; business and customer relationship management (CRM) is conducted purely via their website; a virtual marketplace with no direct contact between buyers and sellers. Amazon have created a virtualized value system through their accelerated ordering, delivery and payment of goods and services, while reducing operating and inventory costs associated with traditional bricks and mortar stores. This model demands a change to bring every buyer and seller to meet for catering individualized services. References Sarkar, M., Butler, B. Steinfield, C. (1996) Intermediaries Cybermediaries. Amazon in ECommerce com has revolutionized the selling and purchasing of all products over the internet. It started with selling books over the internet and progressed in selling almost all consumer goods within a short span of time. Its engineering and quality principals make sure that all the various standard compliances are met and justified for improving the system behavior for its customers. Customers have now moved from the brick and mortars model, a traditional model for purchase of products, to the click and mortars model for ease of access, anytime anywhere access, take part in auctions and avail several promotion offers and gifts. The very perspective towards retail buying has been changed by Amazon.com. The virtual store concept is quite likely followed by many retailers after the success of Amazon.com and they have created a benchmark for its products and selling models define the very success over the long period since its inception. Question 2: Comparisons have been made by giant bookstore retailer Barnes Nobles and Amazon.com. Barnes and Noble operate dozens of bookstores in many local communities. Yet Amazon.com’s reach goes anywhere and everywhere with the Web. What, in your opinion, should Barnes and Nobles do to compete with Amazon.com? Answer 2: Barnes and Nobles must identify the very future requirements for its physical bookstores and come up with â€Å"click and mortars† model for fetching the right customer focus and model. Identifying the competition around and the changing outlook of the customers towards decision making for purchasing products is the greatest differentiator for change. The decision making for taking the business of Barnes Nobles over the internet would make sure that all the various present disadvantages would be capitalized upon. The brand mark of Barnes Nobles makes sure that every activity towards the envelopment of skyrocketing technologies would develop into a mammoth in promoting its success and growth. Only setting up the website is not enough. The representation model, sound engineering techniques, quality standards and affiliation techniques makes sure that its representation over the internet is strong and makes a presence really promising. Question 3: In order to more quickly realize and sustain its profitability should Amazon.com have remained a solely clicks based e-business (without warehouses) selling only books? Why or why not? Answer 3: Amazon’s decision to cater to several products would definitely move its primary base of selling books to other products. This is a sort of erosion of its primary brand which it created for selling books. The very brand creation and sustenance for selling books online had created a larger market share for book selling. The various bookstores at that time were in greater risk concerning their sales as Amazon grew in its market share for selling books. It was a brand which no one could deny. Its decision towards clicks business for selling other products over books makes sure that monopoly was broken to some extent and other small to medium sellers in the market found opportunity to make some business. These created a balanced view for existence in the marketplace allowing every dimension of sellers and customers to interact for good. Another reason for making the right move is for long term business continuity and spreading its wing to several other products which did not make it to the internet in that era. Amazon’s decision to be clicks based business must be changed into â€Å"clicks and mortars† business model for improving its supply chain by making it efficient and effective. The effective supply chain would cut down extra costs of transportation and shipping and would in turn create trust for its safety and quality policies. Warehouses would make sure that timely delivery of products can be made at lesser costs, which otherwise would create a sense of misunderstanding and evolve privacy and security aspects to a larger scale. Question 4: How can Amazon.com complete Bezos’s vision? What do they need to do to individualize their services to 25 million customers? Answer: 4 Amazon.com must fetch the customers according to their tastes and product liking. The following can be the various options that can be exercised: Provide a survey with questionnaires of what is important, how it can be bettered, what else is desired and so on. The survey questions would serve quite helpful in fetching the right suggestion from its customers to in turn get them everything they desire. The adoption of B2B and C2C model where various sellers and buyers can meet for selling the products of their choice. This would help users to customize according to their preferences so that more number of customers is fetched for purpose. The customer logs must be duly analyzed for fetching the right decision and data mining approaches to the vast data can be devised for getting the facts out for better customization of products and services. Request boxes and techniques must be presented so that in case a customer fails to find exactly what he desires, he can make a request for the new product. This would help to fetch the needs in micro detail for better capturing of the customer base. The above approaches would enhance Bezos’s vision to cater to individual needs and demands. Amazon is a virtual reseller, one of the main new intermediaries (Sarkar, 1996.) They are an electronic-commerce only intermediary; business and customer relationship management (CRM) is conducted purely via their website; a virtual marketplace with no direct contact between buyers and sellers. Amazon have created a virtualized value system through their accelerated ordering, delivery and payment of goods and services, while reducing operating and inventory costs associated with traditional bricks and mortar stores. This model demands a change to bring every buyer and seller to meet for catering individualized services. References Sarkar, M., Butler, B. Steinfield, C. (1996) Intermediaries Cybermediaries.

Data Results and Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Data Results and Discussion - Essay Example Aside from the net cash receipts from the sale of tickets, there are the peripheral gains that should be attained in commercial activity of Olympic tourists, and the spending by both participants and spectators that were to spur local businesses. After the Olympics, further gains are to be had by the benefits of urban regeneration, which is the choice and development of depressed urban areas, making them the site, close to the site, of the Olympic infrastructure, so that after the Games, the newly developed property could be productively used either as new residential housing or new sites for commercial activity, thereby spurring growth. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is comprised of household consumption, government spending, investment and net trade (exports less imports). Of all the components of GDP, household consumption is the largest which typically comprises 60% of the economy. Government usually takes up 23%, and investment 15%. The fourth quarter in 2012, the consumption rose by 0.2% in real terms compared to the third quarter 2012. According to the government Economic Outlook, this rate of growth has been the slowest for consumption since the fourth quarter 2011. The graph shows, however, that there is a spike in government consumption for the fourth quarter 2012, which amounts to a 0.6% rise over the previous quarter. During the same time, exports receded by 1.5%, as did imports by 1.2%. The next graph depicts the fluctuation in gross fixed capital formation (GFCF). This refers to the investment in buildings and machinery. The fourth quarter in 2012 saw GFCF fell by 0.4%, which is 1.7% higher than the preceding year. For the same quarter, business investment decreased by 1.2%, which is significant because this indicator (business investment) is a significant component of GFCF. The fact that the rate of decrease in business investment is three times the rate of decrease of GFCF means that capital formation

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 16

History - Essay Example The blue dragon is pictured moving in up and down waves like a fancy kite dragon I once saw flying in the air. It is a good luck sign in most Asian countries and is a very happy creature as compared with western dragons. It is in the classic ginger Jar shape. This kind of porcelain was really popular and expensive, since the cobalt blue dye had to be imported from India through China, so it was only used for dragons. These made their way west on the Silk Road, along with the rare and coveted silk to western European courts all the way to Great Britain even during the most isolationist times. The motif and some of the shape and technique was copied in the UK, as I have seen these before outside of the museum, even in boot sales. (Dragon Jar 2009) Things like this, spices and silk made the trade with the east very profitable, and controlling the Mediterranean was the key to domination. Mostly the trade was dominated by the Mughal Empire, China or the Portuguese. The next artifact I noticed in this collection was another lovely round teapot with a bird on it. Since it also originated in Korea during the same time period, I have to assume the bird is the Phoenix, the alter-ego of the Dragon even though it is very small, because the painting is done with Cobalt Blue. The teapot is in lovely condition and sports a ropy handle and a lid. It could also have been used to serve wine. Clear bottles were likely very rare in Asia as they were using more porcelain and clay, so this would not have been an unusual way to use a teapot. In the Chinese artifacts there were many beautiful dishes in porcelain from China, even one with the same kind of dragon on it, also pictured moving like a flying snake with six legs. This plate was very colorful in red, blue and green. It was even decorated on the underside, and must have been some household head’s prized

An Analysis of Youth Voter Turnout in the UK Dissertation

An Analysis of Youth Voter Turnout in the UK - Dissertation Example In order to effectively interpret and analyse low voter turnout in Britain this dissertation draws on the voter surveys conducted by the, the Electoral Commission, British Election Study (BES) and Ipsos MORI before and after general elections and a number of empirical research studies conducted over time. Thus secondary sources are used because they provide a more realistic representation of youth voter turnout over a long period of time among a larger representative population sample using both quantitative and qualitative analyses. A single empirical study would only be able to cover a small population sample of voters in a single location, who may vote or not vote in upcoming elections. Secondary studies identify youth who failed to vote in past elections and trends indicating that young people are becoming increasingly alienated economically, socially and politically as well as generally disenchanted with democracy in Britain. Table of Contents Abstract 3 Table of Contents 4 Part I: Introduction to the Study 5 I.Introduction 5 II.Research Questions 6 IV.Significance of the Study 8 V.Research Methodology 8 VI.Organization of the Study 9 Part II: A Review of the Literature 10 I.Introduction 10 II.Evidence of Young Voter Turnout 10 A.Global Trends 10 B.Youth Voting Trends in Britain 13 III.Explaining the Youth Voter Turnout Downward Trajectory 14 IV. Previous Studies 18 Part IV: Young Voter Turnout Trends in Britain 21 Part V: Research Findings/Conclusion 24 Bibliography 27 Table of Figures Figure 1: Global Voter Turnout From 1945-2005.......................................................11 Figure 2: Voter Turnout by Age in 15 Western European Democracies.....................13 Figure 3: Nonvoters by Age Group from 1964-2005...................................................22 An Analysis of Youth Voter Turnout in the UK Part I: Introduction to the Study I. Introduction It is generally accepted that youth voter turnout in the UK is significantly lower than th e voter turnout for older cohorts (Parry, Moyser & Day, 1992; Heath & Park, 1997; Jowell & Park, 1998; Keaney & Rogers, 2006). Although voting trends in general are on the decline, younger voters’ turnout is declining at a more alarming rate than older voter turnout. A poll conducted by MORI in coordination with the Electoral Commission in 2001 concluded that 24% of voters between the age of 18 and 24 reported that they have never voted while only 6% reported having ever voted (Ipsos MORI, 2002). Another survey conducted in 2005 found that although 75% of register voters over the age of 65 voted, only 37% of younger voters voted (Keaney & Rogers, 2006). The British Election Study (1997) revealed that only 56% of young voters between the age of 18 and 24 turned out to vote in the British General Election in 1997. The British Election Study (2005) also reported that less that 48% of registered 18-24 year old voters turned up to vote in the 2005 British General Elections compare d to 75% of older voters. The Electoral Commission (2002) provides some insight into the declining trends among young voters in terms of voter turnout. Using data from an Ispos MORI survey, the Electoral Commission (2002) concluded that there were two primary factors influencing young voter

Leadership styles and their impact on the effective development of Dissertation

Leadership styles and their impact on the effective development of faculty members at the College(sechool) of Education at Ha'il - Dissertation Example The Impact 29 1.3. A Brief Look at Ha’il University and College XYZ 31 1.4. Some Gaps 33 Summary 34 Chapter 2 Methodology of Research 35 2.0. Introduction 35 2.1. Qualitative and Quantitative Methodology 36 2.2. Collection of Data 39 2.2.1. Qualitative Survey 39 2.2.2. Interview 40 2.2.3. Sampling Size 43 2.3. Validity and Reliability 44 2.4. Data analysis 47 2.5. Ethical considerations 48 Chapter 3 Results 49 3.0. Introduction 49 3.1. Questionnaire Results 50 3.3. The Interview 59 Summary 61 Chapter 4 Discussion 62 4.0. Introduction 63 4.1. The Research Questions and Departments XYZ of College XYZ at Ha’il University 63 4.2. Leadership Styles in the Academe: A Fertile Ground 65 4.3. Development of Faculty Members: More than Just Encouragement 67 4.4. The Relationship: Leadership Styles and Development of Faculty Members 69 4.5. The Impact and Effect of Leadership Styles to Faculty Development 73 4.4.1. Departments XYZ of College XYZ at Ha’il University 74 Summar y 75 Chapter 5 Summary, Conclusion, and Recommendations 77 5.1. Summary 78 5.2. Conclusion 79 5.3. Recommendations 81 References 84 Appendices 101 List of Figures, Tables, and Charts Figure 1 p. 5 Figure 2 p.9 Figure 3 p. 11 Figure 4 p. 15 Table 1 p. 16 Chart 1 p. 36 Chart 2 p. 37 Chart 3 p. 38 Chart 4 p. 38 Chart 5 p. 39 Chart 6 p. 40 Chart 7 p. 40 Chart 8 p. 41 Chart 9 p. 42 Abstract Education is one of the most value–laden institutions in modern society but like other organisations, it faces the challenge of keeping its identity and embracing the ethos of corporatism. In this regard, as universities and colleges embrace the current duality of its nature, understanding leadership styles in the Academe vis-a-vis development of faculty members has become pivotal as higher educational institutions meet the demands of the 21st century. As such, this study will look into how leadership styles impact and influences the development of faculty members. This study is significant as there are limited studies pertinent to leadership styles and faculty development in developing countries. As such, this research will help in augmenting the literature tackling the said issue. This research will be addressing the primary question â€Å"What is the effect and impact of leadership in the development of faculty members?† In order to clarify further this issue, the following sub-questions will also be answered by the study. These are (1) What leadership styles are deemed most effective for faculty members? (2) What is the relationship, if any, between leadership styles and development of faculty members? (3) What kinds of leadership styles are used by three department heads at the College of XYZ at Ha'il University? In order to address the questions, a qualitative case study had been adopted. Some of the results of the study are: (1) Combination of leadership styles is used by leaders in the Academe in general and in Departments of X, Y, and Z in particular. (2) Leadership styles provide the arena or environment where creativity may flourish or scholarly pursuit may stagnate. (3) Leadership styles serve as a ‘push and pull factor’ in the development of faculty members. Finally, it has been observed that leadership styles are the necessary condition for authentic faculty development. Introduction Background of the Study Education provides the path in which the freedom from mental slavery is attained. To this end, higher education is one of the institutions recognize to be most-value laden in modern society (Scott 2004).

Situation in Iraq Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Situation in Iraq - Essay Example Those who carefully study the process of reconstruction on the postwar Iraq often speak about the challenges, costs and unresolved problems that make the essence of the process. Besides, numerous examples of the reconstruction policy represented by the USA in Afghanistan and Bosnia make evident that these policies do not promise fast and easily reached successful result. Those who review the process that now takes place in Iraq, insist that this country has much in common with Afghanistan. The country is characterized by ideological and ethnic contradictions. The main purpose that had to be achieved before starting the process of democratization was settling down the conflict between Shiites, Kurds, and Sunni Muslims. Political situation in the country is such that a system to keep political and security balance is to be organized to support a new democratic government, as the situation is not likely to change for better at the nearest future. As the commentators state, "In short, the United States would have to become engaged in nation building on a scale that would dwarf any other such effort since the reconstruction of Germany and Japan after World War II. ... ch different from the countries of the West not only due to the differences in culture and consciousness, but also due to their location and geography, which also affects the society life and the functioning of all the spheres of the country life in general. So facts about geographical position, which comprises regional observation, can help understand this country better. The most basic facts that it is necessary to know about Iraq's position are as follows: it borders with six various countries, it also has limited outlet to the sea, and the total area of the country is not very large, it can be compared to the territory that is occupied by California state. The country is divided into four geographical regions - highlands, plain, desert and uplands. The deserts occupy about a half of the whole area of the country. The major rivers that provide for existence of the population and agriculture are the Tigris and Euphrates. The climate in the country is rather severe, especially in desert areas - extremely hot in summer and cold in winter, the atmospheric precipitates are limited, but spring floods often cause damages. It is evident that natural conditions are not favorable for easy and patient life of the people that live in the country; their life is a constant struggle with natural forces, especially as the natural conditions almost do not provide people with the possibility to grow food. (Malinowski) There are also some more details that also worth consideration. Due to rich natural resources of oil Iraq is supposed to be one of the wealthiest countries of the world, but due to the sanctions imposed by the UNO and the government negligence the population of the country is the poorest compared to the other countries of the Middle East. All those who study the

Explanation of I Believe That Deep Down All Human Beings Are Really Essay

Explanation of I Believe That Deep Down All Human Beings Are Really Good Quote by Anne Frank - Essay Example The Holocaust, which claimed the writer’s life, involved the killing of hundreds of thousands of innocent Jews. The author believed that the evil would soon end, and peace would prevail. She had the belief that the people who were undertaking the massacre would come to their mind and realize the harm that they cause, realizing the good that is still in their hearts. The quote means that people have two sides, the good and the bad, and no matter how the evil side is, the good side can still be portrayed. I disagree with this quote. People do certainly have good sides, but they do not apply to everybody that they interact with. For this quote to be applicable to all humans, people would be considering the implications of their actions on others before undertaking these activities. In the worst scenario, if all humans had some good on them, they would see how other people are suffering and have empathy for them. The mere assumption that humans are capable of changing does not mean that everybody can. Some people are stuck in beliefs that good will happen to them if they commit heinous actions. There are occurrences that prove not all humans have good in them. One critical phenomenon is the historical Johnstown massacre in the US 1978 which claimed the lives of over 900 people (The Guardian, n.p). The cult leader Jim Jones forced his followed to drink poisoned juice. Those who declined were injected with the poisoned or shot dead (The Guardian, n.p). Another issue that proves not all humans have good in them is the presence of terrorist organizations such as ISIS. The ISIS members behead people and kill people in painful and horrible ways. If these people had any slight good in them, these atrocities would not be happening. Â  

HR Practices At For Profit And Not For Profit Organizations Essay

HR Practices At For Profit And Not For Profit Organizations - Essay Example This move toward HR puts information, authority, rewards, and a communication system in place at each stage in an organization. If organizations are to be sustainable in the middle to long-term, workers must be provoked to care about the job they do, to obtain knowledge-related skills, and to execute the work to the best of their capabilities. Superior employee participation can only be attained during a cautiously directed procedure that struggles for contribution by incorporating the personality with the organization to attain high efficiency and spirited benefit. This course engages reformation the work so that it is demanding, motivating, and inspiring as probable. Employees at all stages are set authority to control decision-making, they are given information concerning the organization's processes and presentation, and they are skilled so that they can function with a talented accepting of the industry. Though, elevated quality employees do not guarantee an organization of having a stable spirited benefit or even a short-term benefit. If employees are inadequately aggravated or if the right organizational systems are not in position, the employees' aptitude may be exhausted or lost to opponents (Pfeiffer & Veiga, 1999). As well, leadership is serious to the stability of an organization and it desires to be renowned that the leaders of organizations now need new talent and capability. Old methods of leadership, shatterproof by conventional bureaucratic hierarchies, are no longer suitable to organizations that at the present face confronts of challenging in worldwide markets and speedy technical modifications (Fitz-enz, 1993). Importance of HR Practices Profitable and non-profit organizations have altered noteworthy features of their service policies throughout the 1990s. According to Dyer and Reeves (1995) the function of trade unions has turn down, bartering about employment circumstances and earnings has moved to the endeavor stage and rising numbers of organizations are initiating systems to converse straightly with their employees. There has been an enlargement in reimburse for presentation schemes, supple service practices, teaching, performance evaluations and wider work arrangements. These expansions entail an importance on humanizing employee presentation even as together growing the suppleness of labor. Current literature in the delayed 1990s places tough stress on the requirement for high- participation labor practices, better employee contribution in decision-making and control over how the work is carried out and augmented elasticity and casualization of the staff. The practical and hierarchical managerial structures have given means to wider and praise arrangements where self-directed work teams have become more widespread and workers and employees have a contribution to the

Catawba Industrial Company Essay Example for Free

Catawba Industrial Company Essay 1.Is the company correct in its practice of not manufacturing standard model compressors on Sundays because of the accounting loss incurred on each unit? 2.The compressor department and its manager are evaluated based on profit. Compute the compressor department profit with and without Sunday production. 3.If Marge McPhee decides to manufacture ten light-weight compressors each week and to sell them at a price of $8,000, how much better or worse off financially would Catawba be? 4.What weekly production plan for standard and light weight compressors would result in the highest financial return for Catawba? That is, how many of each product should Catawba produce each week? Assume that you have been hired by Marge McPhee to help with the three decisions she must make: (1) whether to produce on Sunday, (2) whether to produce any light-weight compressors, (3) how many of each compressor should be manufactured each week. You will recommend and justify a course of action for each decision. McPhee wants to make the right decision for herself and her division, which is treated as a profit center and evaluated based on profit as computed in Exhibit 2. However, the correct decision model and her best interests (in terms of short term performance measurement) may not agree. As an accountant, you must inform her of this inconsistency and explain it so that she can, in turn, explain it to owners or top management. Be sure to discuss all the assignment questions within your written analysis. You will need to determine the optimal volume and price to choose the correct production schedule. Memo Instructions 1.The memo is an individual project, so you are expected to work on it yourself without seeking any one’s help other than the instructor. You should bring TWO complete copies of the memo and any exhibits to class. All assignments must be handed in by the beginning of the class. Bring a copy of the memo and/or detailed notes to class with you so you will be able to discuss the case intelligently in class. 2.Download and read the memo about writing memos provided by the communications specialists. You can download it from the course’s web page in the announcements section. 3.The memo should: a.Be written in proper memo format to Marge McPhee. Several templates are provided in MS Word. This assignment has a three-page maximum page limit, not including exhibits. b.Indicate the author’s name and show his/her handwritten initials. c.Begin with a short introductory paragraph stating the purpose of the memo, and end with a brief concluding paragraph. d.Your memo should contain at least the following sections: Sunday manufacturing, Minimum light-weight production, Optimal light-weight and standard production, and Performance evaluation issues. e.If you wish to use brief references to the work of others (including the text and readings assigned for this course, as well as any other sources you may choose), you must acknowledge the source using appropriate footnotes.

Drama Comparison Essay Example for Free

Drama Comparison Essay I am going to compare the scenes in which we have studied for She Stoops to Conquer and Guys and Dolls, I am going to discuss the similarities and differences between the two chosen sections. The sections that I am going to discuss are Act 1 scene 2 in Guys and Dolls, and In She Stoops to Conquer the section between Marlow and Miss Hardcastle as a maid. The time period that Guys and Dolls by Damon Runyon is set is in the 1950s, New York, this is shown through the accents of the characters on stage and also through costumes. In this scene Sky would be wearing a full suit and Sarah would be wearing an old Salvation Army suit. This is vastly different then She Stoops to conquer by Oliver Goldsmith, which is set in the 18th century, in the English countryside. The period is conveyed through costume, Marlow would be wearing breeches, and a cravat, a short jacket with a tail underneath wearing a colourful waistcoat the men would have long hair tied back with a ribbon. Miss Hardcastle would be wearing a maids outfit in this section; this would be a long brown dress with long sleeves and a square neck front and would also be wearing a white apron. They also convey this through language, which is Shakespearian. Another difference between them is that Guys and Dolls is a Musical and She Stoops to conquer is a restoration comedy. There are some major similarities between these two sections one of these is that its between a guy and a girl, and in both the guys are going for the girls. Even though this is a major similarity the woman react in different ways. In She Stoops to conquer Miss Hardcastle is playing hard to get so actually does like Marlow but does not want him to take her to bed, whereas Sarah just does not like Sky and does not want to talk to him. Both of the girls reactions are similar in the way that they are both rude and talk back to the men, both woman are supposed to come through as being innocent. Another similarity is that it is both dramatic irony this is because in She Stoops everyone knows that the maid is actually Miss Hardcastle, and in Guys and Dolls everyone in the audience knows that Sarah and Sky are going to fall in love. The guys in both performances are bold, Sky asks Sarah to go to Havana with him and Marlow implies to Miss Hardcastle that he wants to go to bed with her. Both plays are also deceiving this is because Miss Hardcastle is pretending to be a maid to Marlow, and in Guys and Dolls Sky is only talking to Sarah because he has bet that he can take her to Havana. A difference between them is movement, in She Stoops to conquer the movements are very over exaggerated this is because at the time it was the fashion in theatre to do this, the audience would find these movements amusing and made the story easier to follow. In Guys and Dolls the movements are much more naturalistic in this scene and this also helps to convey the period. An example of over exaggerating in She Stoops is that when she meets Marlow for the first time she would do a big curtsy, but over the top this would be amusing for the audience because they would be able to see that she was trying too hard to act like a maid. A similarity between them too is that they both use the whole stage this is because in She Stoops the large movements make the actors use more space and in Guys and Dolls the actors use a lot of space because Sarah is almost trying to get away from Sky. The status of the characters is different, in She Stoops Marlow thinks that he has the higher status but Miss Hardcastle actually does I would show this by Marlow sitting down for quite a lot of it, showing he has a lower level. In Guys and Dolls the status changes at the start Sarah has the highest status but when she says Isaiah the status changes and Sky then has the higher status. The set is different in both sections because of the different periods and the contexts. In She Stoops I would set it out as in a small area I would use a similar idea as what I saw in the production Othello were the walls fluctuated according to the mood of the play. I think that this should be a very small space this would show intimacy towards the two characters. The furniture should be set out as rich 18th century home e.g. a chez lounge chair in deep red and oak tables. In Guys and Dolls I would have this in a big space this would show the emptiness of the room and also reflect how far Sky and Sarah were away from each other in class. The design of the room would be that with 10 rows of chairs and 5 seats horizontally across the front. The use of Lighting would be very different this is because in She Stoops it is older so the light would be in sepia, or the light dimmed like it was candlelight, this would convey the period and show that it was old. In Guys and Dolls the lights would be bright at colourful to show that it was exciting and have a happy mood. The Music in Guys and Dolls is similar in the way that it tells a part of the story, in She Stoops when we acted out when the music came on we would do movement to what would be happening next. The emotional impact of She Stoops is that the audience find it very amusing and there is tension because the audience do not know weather Miss Hardcastle will pull it off. In Guys and Dolls the audience find it funny because Sky is so persistent and will not take no for an answer this is similar because for both the audiences reaction should be to find it funny. In Conclusion I think that they are very similar and different in lots of ways they both have similar ideas about a boy trying to get a girl, but the way in which the girls react is different. The way in which I would set out each of the sections would be completely different because of the time period and the intensity of the characters. Overall they both use different techniques to show that they are different e.g. making gestures big.

The Impact On Marks And Spencer Key Stakeholders Accounting Essay

The Impact On Marks And Spencer Key Stakeholders Accounting Essay Corporate governance means that the companies which are administrated, controlled and directed. It performs how to set and achieve the objectives of the company, how to measured and monitored the risk and how to get the optimized performance. It creates new values to the companies through innovation and gives the control and responsibility appropriate with the risks concerned. It is a main factor to improve the organizational performance and sustainability. Corporate governance reforms should be viewed as an opportunity to improve internal compliance and communications systems which will, in turn, improve the potential profit-making ability of the company and its competitive status in an ever-increasing global market place. The most successful governance-improvements are therefore not undertaken sorely in response to dictates from regulators or pressure from investors. They are undertaken to improve the system of corporate governance within the corporation the system of accountability with all its checks and balances between management, shareholder and the board in the pursuit of yielding greater shareholder-value. The major players in the area of corporate governance can be classified into two groups: 1. External, and 2. Internal. Externally, the pace of corporate governance is set by the Government, investors, financial institutions and customers. Government as the regulator sets the legal, financial and business framework which defines the scope and extent of corporate governance. Internally, corporate boards, the shareholders and employees within the corporation decide how companies are directed and controlled. Corporate governance is a broad and somewhat vague terms which is used to refer to a range of corporate controls and accountability mechanisms designed to meet the aims of all the stakeholders. It is the process of direction, supervision and accountability of corporations. It concerns the theories and practices of the board of directors and its relationships with the shareholders of the company. Corporate governance relates to laws, procedures, practices and implicit rules that deter mine a companys ability to take improved managerial decisions. Entrenching sustainable development within corporate governance have need of companies to recognise and identify with their social impact and environmental and responsibilities and to act accordingly. The process requires using the fact and experience of the management and others in the concern to determine every task related to issues, liabilities, and performance. Launching integrate sustainability corporate governance should sketch the financial with social accounting and reporting through the audit to know the complete scope of the companies of activities. The course of sustainability and corporate governance meets with the new demands and tasks. It holds balance between social and economical goals and between joint and individual goals. The framework of the corporate governance is to utilize the resources. The success of the sustainability depends on to get the right issues and the right voices. It portrays to understand the social and environmental goals. here in this research we are going to assess the corporate governance of Marks and Spencer and the impact on key stakeholders. 1.2 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY To examine the quality of the corporate governance and the impact on marks and Spencer key stakeholders. 1.3 SPECIFIC RESEARCH QUESTIONS what is the core objectives of the company in the present scenario ? how the organization tackles sustainability with the governance? what are the roles played internally? 1.4 REVIEW OF LITERATURE A literature review is a text that intends to review the critical points of present acquaintance on a topic. Its ultimate goal is to bring the reader up to date with current literature on a topic and forms the basis for another goal, such as a justification for a the future research in the area. A good literature review is charecterised by: a logical flow of ideas; current and relevant references with consistent, appropriate referencing style: proper use of terminology; and an unbiased and comprehensive view of the previous research on the topic. It helps with all types of assignments as well. The Impact of corporate Governance on auditor independence: A study of audit committees in uk listed companies by Ismail Adelopo in 2010 this research speaks about the changing roles of the audit committees these have to be recognised and incorporated in the regulatory framework for corporate governance in organisations. A case study analysis report of Marks and Spencer plc by Emma Bunce gives us idea about the problems in Marks and Spencer. Best environment practices of Marks and Spencer : A Case Study by Dr. Leigh Sparks gives us wider knowledge about the execution plans carried out in making the goals. Mainstreaming the Corporate Social Responsibility Agenda: A change model grounded in theory and practice Francois Maon and Valerie Swaen gives us idea about corporate social responsibility. 1.5 PROFILE OF THE COMPANY UKs leading retail shop is Marks and Spencer. It provides home products, food, clothing and financial services. People shopping nearly 1.3 million in everyday in above 375 MS stores in the UK and also it manages 28 territories. The company runs with two units such as general merchandise and food. The general merchandise unit classified into menswear, lingerie, home, womens clothing and beauty. These units contributes the vision through value, quality, trust and innovative service. These units develops their own CSR strategy based on brand value. Strategies identified from a mixture of customer research, stakeholders, government, non-government organisations etc. and action plan developed by the stakeholders expectations and pressures. The issues tackled in the strategies are grouped into three areas such as people, products and community. The CSR strategic approach builds good relationships between the employees and the suppliers. It is focusing to enhance and maintain trust. It launches some initiatives on the environment, employability and on health. MS has taken action to improve its impact on society by means of Ready for Work  [1]  . Philosophy of MS is helping others to help themselves. Promoting the highest standards of corporate governance with the help of group secretary and to build sustainable business. Leading the board meeting and have Agenda covers risks, strategies and performance of the business. Ensuring right things in a right time. Facil itating on business risk and strategy. 1.6 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Most of the materials in this research are taken from secondary resources such as Journals, Books, Annual reports and the Internet, Information through Public Report, Bulleting and other Printed Resources supplied by the Company. No primary sources has been used in this research. Secondary data are those which have already been collected by someone else and which have already been passed through statistical process. 1.7 DATA ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION CORPORATE GOVERNANCE STATEMENT OF THE MARKS AND SPENCER The core objective of the board is to build a sustainable achievement of the business by the means of profitable development and consistent. UK corporate governance code 2010 provides the principles of the UK companies enlisted in the London Stock Exchanges. Diversity of the boards policy includes measurable objectives to implement the policy and to achieve the progress will be reported. MS complied with all provisions of the compliance code with exception in the year ended 31st March, 2012. The board not meet during the short period so it proves that corporate governance not impacted. THE ROLE OF THE BOARD Each and every company must be have an efficient and effective board is responsible for the victory of the company. The governance framework adopts boards responsibilities in the following: providing guidance of the company within the effective control and practical framework which gives risk assessment and management setting up planned aims and to ensure the required human and financial resources to focus its performance with the effective objectives ensuring the standards and values of the companies that to set up duties and responsibilities of the shareholders and others In the appointment of the directors, they are insisted to do and act to improve the development of the company and the benefits of their members. To satisfy this duty, they should regard the positive impacts of the decision making not in the short term, relationships between customers and suppliers, employees interests, the consequences of the environment, desire to sustain the high reputed standard of the business and to need good communication among the company members. The board requirements to logically estimate the environment and impact of the sustainability problems looks the company, as fine as where sustainability wants to be measured in next of kin to problems such as sequence forecasting and performance assessment. Boards are a vital part of governance composition and, at the same time as by way of other governance system, need to hold sustainable growth. There is requiring making sure that panel have the capability to guide with honesty and enjoy the right ability to build difficult resolution and handle danger. The influences of the wider stakeholders obviously need to survive integrated in the governance method. Employee council have partaken in boards used for a mass of years; perchance the most fighting fit identified cases are during Japan and Germany. But, evidently there is a necessitate to appear beyond member of staff council alone and charily select non-executive chief with sustainability proficiency in region such as the surroundings, health and security, consumer relatives or human property, as well as persons from non-business conditions who can carry valuable outlook into the meeting room. These talent and view can permit companies to estimate key strategic sustainability problems more systematically and watch their act more successfully. Non-executive directors want the exact mix together of proficiency, experience and special qualities to enable them to advise, monitor and challenge effectively. Organisations need to be optimistic to cast the network widely in looking for suc h persons and to build up a deeper considerate of what ability are mandatory. The board wants to realistically estimate the personality and importance of the sustainability problems facing the company, as well as where sustainability needs to be measured in relation to the current problems such as progression planning and performance estimatation. The Board consist of nine directors which includes the Chairman, Chief Executive, two executive directors and five non-executive directors who are measured to be of self-governing character and conclusion. This conform with the secret code as readily available is a balance of executive and non-executive directors permit for fair and decision-making. The Non-executive directors have provision concurrence with the company for an early three-year term after which they seek out re-election. The Group also has superior independent directors who offer a communication channel between the Chairman and Non-Executive directors. The Board meets ten times in every year and determines the on the whole group strategy; control its accounting, operating plans and remuneration policies etc. The Board have the committees are the Audit, Remuneration and Nomination Committees. Audit Committee: The Marks and Spencer audit committee includes four independent non-executive directors. At least one member of the committee has fresh and applicable financial experience in accordance with the combined code. It met four times in the year and it functions to present independent guarantee by supervise the honesty of financial statements to shareholders, make another study of effectiveness of internal control and threat management systems; and sustain an appropriate correlation with the companys outside auditors, Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) committee also reassessed the self-government and neutrality of the outside auditors. Remuneration Committee: The Marks and Spencer payment committee covers four independent non-executive directors. It meets eight times in a year. Its position is to suggest to the board a suitable remuneration scheme and make certain that executive directors are remunerated for individual charity. The remuneration of Non-executive directors is resolute by the Chairman and Executive directors. Nomination Committee: MS has a official nomination committee prepared by the Chairman, Chief Executive and five non-executive directors who meet once a year and ensuring that suitable measures are in place for nomination, selection and evaluation of directors. They think about the balance of membership and necessary unify of skills, knowledge, and experience of the Board. Approach to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): MS have changed its attempt in meeting socio environmental tasks. They take action to customers ask for to supply them with information on CSR performance by initiation the Look behind the label movement. This is extremely noticeable advertising and interactions movement planned tell consumers the span they go to certify that the whole lot they wholesale is produced reliably. They shaped the Plan A which is a five-year,  £200m eco-plan incorporated into its day-to-day action in which they prepared a 100 assurances across five areas. They aimed to become carbon unbiased, dispatch no squander to landfills, reduce wrapping by 25% and give confidence recycling, utilize sustainable raw materials, work strictly with home communities using the Marks and Start work understanding programme. This intention who facing employment challenges i.e. homeless and disabled persons  [2]  . The Group also bring in the just partner scheme to assist progress lives of people and local communities. They sustained Breakthrough Cancer Campaign serving to hoist up to  £6m; and also supported Prostate Cancer charity to raise  £90,000 in funds and responsiveness for the disease. Marks and Spencer integrated in the Dow Jones Sustainability and FTSE4 Good Indexes and status 20th with a attain of 95% in Business in the Community Corporate Responsibility (BiTC CR) index. Proficient stakeholder advice-giving panels can also assist bridge the opening between an organisations stakeholder commitment and its supremacy, by bringing professional together with senior panel. Companies are all the time more using connoisseur panels to warn how to respond to budding socio environmental problems in a way that is intentionally aligned to the organisations trade model. The reality of a committee in charge to the board permit specific problems to be walk around in more strength than is achievable at board stage, as critical responsibility remainder with the board as a totality. Everywhere this team exist it is critical that they are convincingly integrated into the usual governance composition. King II is the shortened name for the King details on Corporate Governance for South Africa published 2002. It pursues a 1994 report normally famous as King I. Corporation scheduled on South Africas JSE Securities Exchange having complied with King II. It is a position of doctrine. It achieves not determine a comprehensive course of accomplishment. It shapes that the board is accountable for the progression of threat management and that it be obliged to decide the companys desire and broad-mindedness for risk. The board should ensure that review of the development and result of key hazard is carried out yearly. And, significantly, hazard management information must be release annually. It is setting out the subsequent seven features of good corporate governance such as discipline, transparency, self-government, accountability, responsibility, fairness and social accountability. The board of MS brand guides the relationships of the stakeholders. Right thing in a right time with right way will attain the protected future. MS governance also focusing nook and corner of the business. Good governance produces good business and develops long-term performance. THE ROLE OF THE CHAIRMAN The Chairman is accountable in the headship of the board and to ensure effective role in all aspects. The Chairmans commitments are revealed to the board before getting the appointment. Members of the board helps to develop strategic proposals. The chairman motivating the directors to update their knowledge and skills. Meeting location, legal information and up to date governance and customers views reviewed by the shareholders. Chairman evaluates development needs and training in the annual general meeting. He collects information in the form of clear, accurate and timely with the gradual update of the business. Head of the corporate governance and the group secretary carried out accountability of the governance. Governance group comprises internal audit, the company files and documents, insurance, pensions and risks. Board of members reviewed board evaluation in the last year. the board establishes professional advice in the appropriate time to the committees. Promotion of governance has dealt by the group secretary. Governance activities in MS is dedicated to the best in practice. It governs benchmarking, effectiveness and performance for ensuring the future development. In every three years the board has been conducting external review and feedback from the new appointments. The board and its committees sets out the annual report. Collected information resulted in year 2012-13 which deals with core spots of people development and succession, regular commitment with shareholders, body representatives, disclosure and transparency, training, skill and knowledge of the directors, risk bearing, risk tolerance and framework of the board conversation and carry on analysis. The chairman revealed the individual performance and objectives. Remunerations reviewed by the remuneration committees. Ffion Hague has reviewed again the governance reliability in the year of 2011-12. All directors insisted to submit for re-election in the annual general meeting in 2012. Biographies of the directors has given in the annual report pages 40 and 41. The board must present companys prospects and position clearly. The board pertains the reliable approach in the public reports. In the annual report pages 72 and 73 presents what are the responsibilities of the all directors in the preparation of final accounts and auditors report. In order to explain the innovative values of the shareholder dealt in the annual report pages 2 to 37. Going concern statement of the directors has given in the page 72 in the annual report is based on the projections and forecasting cash flows. The board is accountable to shaping the important strategic objectives and its nature. The board must obtain sound internal control and risk management system. The primary role of the nomination committee is ensuring the suitable procedure are nomination, selection, training and evaluation. This committee analysis the Boards structure, diversity, size, succession needs and composition. There to keep required knowledge, skill and experience of the board. It formally meets five times a year. Each appointment considers time and diversity of new policy experiences. The Chairman takes the important role to improve and sustain the business with the great accountability. He ensures some of the parts of board with the non-executive act as critical friends to Chief Executive Marc Bolland and it supports the formulation and execution strategy; bringing perspectives with holding knowledge, independence and experience; seeking decisions and views of the management; acting responsibility to meet sure accountabilities to wider stakeholders and shareholders; and diversifying the recommendations with the right of experience, skills and background. The MS board have met ten times in the year of 2011-12. It has planned for meetings at least one and half years in advance in the financial year. The board of members determines on the whole creation or innovation, disposal or acquisition of corporate assets; how to protect and develop the brand; matters related to public desires and relating to statutory accounts; what are the important alterations in the policy which relates to account, capital, dividend and also determines indicators key performance, operating plans and policy remuneration structure. THE ROLE OF THE INVESTORS Searching the appropriateness of non-executive directors in perceptive the materiality of non-financial problems is critical. Institutional shareholder and fund executive have a liability to produce long-term assessment on behalf of their shareholders, the person investor, savers and pensioners for whom they are eventually working. They must insist that the concern they invest in lay adequate resource into initial governance system that distribute long term importance. Shareholders ought to take governance into financial credit as part of their task decision-making. Institutional shareholder and other investors need to know what questions they must be invite boards. For instance, does the panel have the acquaintance and competencies are essential to comprehend the sustainability inferences of the current market and board works reflect the direction of the prospect strategy? Inquiring the aptness of non-executive directors in accepting the materiality of non-financial problems is vital. Eventually investors call for to request if the board and human being are conveyed. Element of this is launch if governance get together international values. The case under indicates the feedback of shareholder as the retort. Marks Spencer flashed a angry reaction from large institutional shareholders in 2008 after declare that it was come together the responsibility of chairman and chief executive to maintain Sir Stuart Rose at the big business until 2011. Shareholders reacted robustly to the pronouncement and, though they have because been relieved to a certain degree, the thing highlights the aptitude of investors to manipulate and pressure the significance of governance to this society. The Co-operatives liable investment director at the time stated that The configuration obviously leave from preeminent practice. Not have of earlier consultation with shareholders. The leader of equities for lawful universal, one of the largest shareholders emphasised the significance of responsible governance: As set out in the Combined Code we believe strongly in the separation of the roles of chairman and chief executive, believing this allows a much needed balance in the boardroom and prevents the potentially damaging concentration of power. Other governance models The excellence of governance is significant not only for a single person business but also for combined initiatives, joint venture and economic systems. Collaborative proposal and a variety of types of business have seen by a lot of as a way to fruitfully address numerous sustainability challenges. On the other hand, these combined proposal and enterprise do not forever carry their objectives. Basically lots of the challenges are governance system which fails to convey liable decision making. Business performance depends on valuable governance. Firm supposed to produce new traditions for society, stakeholders and attracted parties to hold in the freedom of sustainable result. Ensuring the governance of partnerships is effectual there is require to create encouragement for good firm governance, to ensure firm governance systems grow the trust of central part stakeholders and to fabricate the knowledge and capability of partnerships and its stakeholders to administrate efficiently. New global governance Present economic conditions raise grave problem as to the sufficiency yet bearing of many set ideas of good corporate governance, particularly those originate from global best practice embedded broadly in Anglo-Saxon approaches that contain proved missing. There is a rising emotion that at the present is the right time to counterfeit a supportive approach to the calamity, and to construct a stronger, additional inclusive worldwide financial and economic governance design that will also deal with other overall challenges such as vigour and weather change, safety and violence, and deficiency and fitness issues. THE ROLE OF THE DIRECTORS Directors decided an indemnity from the company in value of responsibility acquired as a effect of its workplace. MS keeps suitable liability insurance to the benefit of directors. There is a separate house-hold task between the decision making responsibility and the board. an individual should not have open minded powers. All directors should allocate adequate time and responsibility. Senior Independent Director directly communicate between the Non-executive directors and the chairman. He is the chairs for the general meetings. He has given payable consideration. Directors records the minutes of the board. He should give a written statement on his resignation for giving circulation. The board of new directors should be have transparent procedures, accurate and formal. As under the Articles of Association of the company all directors looks for election at the first annual general meeting, re-election offered at every three years by the shareholders. All directors should accept training on amalgamation the board and also update their knowledge and skills. They can meet the chief shareholders. THE ROLE OF THE ACCOUNTANTS The primary role of the accountant is to grant transparency in exposure, monetary or else, to shareholders and the wider stakeholder assembly who have an awareness in the performance of the trade. The effort of accountants is evidently crucial to successful governance, in particular in next of kin to its conventional focus on economic performance and book-keeping integrity. To embark on this role accountants should ensure they are memorable with the broad management, risk management, functioning and reputational portion of the company to provide framework to the facts presented in the economic statements. In order to offer independent judgment on a companys financial statements, that is its annual report, accountants should have right to use to data on all company deeds which can be fabric to its monetary position. Accountants running in a business are concerned in quite a few of the governance system, which may comprise nominations committees for the board, payment committees and risk and observance committees as well as the inspection committee. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act 2002 describe the audit committee as a committee established by and amongst the board of directors of an issuer for the purpose of overseeing the accounting and financial reporting processes of the issuer and audits of the financial statements of the issuer. Audit committee members are looked with increased prospects from many collections, including shareholders, governing activities of shareholder, supervisory body, the media, and beneficiary board members. The other region where accountants employment in business presently supports good corporate governance is in de-coding instruction for the company and opinionated internal incorporation and loyalty. Accountants carry their dictatorial knowledge and industry standard experience to their clients to drive through best practice. Additionally they interpret the listing needs relevant to its business and lawful structure. Accountants carry a professional strictness in challenging transparency; in order to sustain professional reliability, accountants should follow principles and measures that will emphasize concerns. They should make certain their risk negotiations with organization are strong and industrious and assist the company and the board to prepare for alteration. Accountants are in the most excellent position to make available sovereign challenge to preparation they examine within a company. It is within their specialized conduct to have this task and disagreement practice which is not in the comfort of the long-term sustainability of the business and its stakeholders. Bring into line their detailed approach to set up financial statements with wider governance reviews permits accountants to endow with a full observation on a companys annual and long term performance. Eventually this will afford the company, their stakeholders and people with a truer and additional strong reflection of the dealing performance and its potential impact on wider social, environmental and ethical concerns. MS assured that its prevailing corporate goal is to maximise the long-term shareholder value all the way through sustain by reliable, money-making growth and as well go beyond the outlook of its stakeholders from side to side value creation. They reaffirmed pledge by building a number of superior management alteration take in new persons with the true bring together of skill and knowledge to pick up commodities and services and follow new chance for enlargement. The groups report appears to assemble a balance between the requirements of shareholders and stakeholders in the company. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF STAKEHOLDER COMMITMENT Organisations preserve no longer wish if they wish for engage by way of stakeholders or not, the simply choice they want to obtain is at what time and how fruitfully to take on. Stakeholder commitment is premised on the view that those groups who can affect or are precious by the attainment of an organisations scope  [3]   should given in the chance to remark and input keen on the development of assessment that influence them. In todays the public, whether they are not aggressively wanted out, sooner or later they may claim to be confer with. Situations arise when organisations do not actively engage but are forced to do so by the demands of society as a result of a emergency situation. In retort, organisations occupy crisis-management performance, and are frequently required into a cynical talk with stakeholders, chief to a important and long-lasting failure of reputation. This kind of dealings is often opposed and injurious of belief. significant meeting occurs as soon as organisations, awake of the alteration in the broad society and how they relay to organisational presentation, wish to establish affairs with stakeholders as a way to deal with the force of those modify, such as persons shaped as a outcome of global monetary decline. Organisations can either look for to moderate risk in the course of the use of stakeholder supervision, or develop these new trends to categorize and ascertain new occasion from side to side the use of consequential stakeholder commitment; the end is characterised through a motivation to b e release to alteration. As in the company of some other selling process, the practice for meeting should be regular, logical and realistic. This practice is

Jim Abbott :: essays research papers

Jim Abbott It is a clear summer night at Fenway Park in Boston. The Boston Red Sox and the California Angels are in a hot pennant race. The Boston Red Sox are the best hitting team in the American League. The Angels need a win and are counting on their rookie pitcher. The old green stadium is overflowing with die-hard Red Sox fans as the rookie takes the mound. He has to concentrate on tonight's game and ignore the crowd. The game advanced with no trouble for the rookie. In the end, he gave up four harmless hits and, most importantly, no runs. When he got the final man out, giving his team a 4-0 victory, he starts to walk off the mound. All over Fenway Park, not only Angel fans, but Red Sox fans stood and applauded, cheering the rookie off the field. Everyone knew that they had seen someone very special. This person was Jim Abbott. Jim Abbott has led an eventfully life. He brought his college team to the championship in 1985, brought Team USA to gold in 1988, and threw a no hitter against the Cleveland Indians in 1993. These achievements are not what make him so special; what makes Jim Abbott even more remarkable is that he only has one hand. As a child Jim's parents always told him that he could do anything he wanted to do. They knew that their son loved sports. They hoped that Jim would play soccer, which didn't require the use of hands, but right from the very beginning, Jim loved baseball. So, Jim's parents bought him a baseball glove. However, Jim was not just involved in baseball. He was the top scorer in his school's intramural basketball league, and played two years of varsity football. Jim's various athletic exploits resulted in press attention. When Jim got to college, he picked up right where he had left off in high school. His two main goals were to get an education and to become the best possible pitcher he could be. At this point, his fastball was close to ninety miles per hour. Jim to worked hard on a straight change-up and a better curveball. In the fall of 1987, Jim Abbott was given the United States Baseball Federation's coveted Golden Spikes Award. This award is given yearly to the best amateur baseball player in the country. That wasn't his only award. He also received the Academy Award for Sports Award for Courage in 1987 and was chosen as the March of Dimes Amateur Athlete of the

Alcohol :: essays research papers

After maneuvering through a herd of people, the ultimate goal of the night is found, the keg. The party is full of people just looking to have a good time on a Friday night and alcohol just waiting to be consumed by the partygoers. As the night progresses, the keg empties, and the minds and motor skills of the partygoers have deteriorated. Some can no longer control their actions or sense what is happening in their surroundings. Though according to them, their current state is well worth the trouble because they had a good time at the party. Alcohol and its effects are far too accepted in today’s society. In life, the biggest role models for children are their own parents. Too often is the case where minors are allowed a small sip from Dad’s beer just to obtain a taste. From there, these children see that if their own parent allowed them to drink, then it must be perfectly normal to consume alcohol as a minor. The legal drinking age is a law that seems to go unnoticed by teenagers who want to get an early start on consumption. High school students are beginning to drink at an earlier age as more underclassmen are experimenting with the party scene. They are naturally curious of what drinking is like, and without parents standing in the way at parties, there is nobody to stop them from drinking. One thing that seems to allure the younger drinkers is the highly publicized state of being drunk. Not being in control over one’s body would seemingly be a state that most would want to avoid. However, they see it as an excuse for actions that they would most likely not have done if it were not for the alcohol. Too often is the case where others will not hold a person liable for the things they do while drunk. In Dorothy Parker’s You Were Perfectly Fine, Peter had become ridiculously drunk the night before and awakes in the apartment of a woman. How often is the case where people will find themselves waking up in a strange place with no recollection of what took place the night before? This scenario definitely sounds familiar because of the portrayal on television of this being a natural occurrence following a night of heavy drinking. In most cases, both parties would be absolutely embarrassed when they realize what took place. Alcohol :: essays research papers After maneuvering through a herd of people, the ultimate goal of the night is found, the keg. The party is full of people just looking to have a good time on a Friday night and alcohol just waiting to be consumed by the partygoers. As the night progresses, the keg empties, and the minds and motor skills of the partygoers have deteriorated. Some can no longer control their actions or sense what is happening in their surroundings. Though according to them, their current state is well worth the trouble because they had a good time at the party. Alcohol and its effects are far too accepted in today’s society. In life, the biggest role models for children are their own parents. Too often is the case where minors are allowed a small sip from Dad’s beer just to obtain a taste. From there, these children see that if their own parent allowed them to drink, then it must be perfectly normal to consume alcohol as a minor. The legal drinking age is a law that seems to go unnoticed by teenagers who want to get an early start on consumption. High school students are beginning to drink at an earlier age as more underclassmen are experimenting with the party scene. They are naturally curious of what drinking is like, and without parents standing in the way at parties, there is nobody to stop them from drinking. One thing that seems to allure the younger drinkers is the highly publicized state of being drunk. Not being in control over one’s body would seemingly be a state that most would want to avoid. However, they see it as an excuse for actions that they would most likely not have done if it were not for the alcohol. Too often is the case where others will not hold a person liable for the things they do while drunk. In Dorothy Parker’s You Were Perfectly Fine, Peter had become ridiculously drunk the night before and awakes in the apartment of a woman. How often is the case where people will find themselves waking up in a strange place with no recollection of what took place the night before? This scenario definitely sounds familiar because of the portrayal on television of this being a natural occurrence following a night of heavy drinking. In most cases, both parties would be absolutely embarrassed when they realize what took place.

Life Outside Our Biosphere :: essays research papers

Life Outside Our Biosphere The fragile balance of the Earth's ecosystem is constantly being disrupted. Overpopulation is placing heavy strain on the world's resources. We are burning all our fossil fuels to create the energy we need, and clearing our rainforests to make enough farmland to feed everyone. The ozone layer is slowly eroding, exposing us to harmful UV light. The room we have on this planet is just enough to provide for our population now! As the population grows, we will find ourselves more and more crowded, with no room left to expand. Solution: Transfer part of the population off the Earth, to colonies established either on other planets or on orbiting space stations. This will lessen strain on the world's land resources by providing more agricultural area, and will help solve problems associated with overcrowding. In our solar system, a few planetic possibilities exist for colonization. Mars, one of our closest neighbors, was previously a prime choice until it was explored more in depth. Scientists have now found it to be a red, rocky, barren desert with little atmosphere, no water, and containing no life. If Earthlings were to settle on Mars, we would remain totally dependent on the Earth's resources. Another close planet is Venus, the second from the sun. This "sister planet" of Earth proved to have extremely hostile conditions. Scientists were hopeful when they found traces of water vapor in the upper atmosphere, but were disappointed when concentrations of sulphuric acid were discovered mixed with the water. Venus has surface temperatures of around 600 degrees Fahrenheit, and an atmosphere one hundred times as thick as the Earth's. (This produces pressure equivalent to pressure two miles under water on Earth.) These conditions project a less than comfortable life on Venus. The Moon has held Man's curiosity since we were created, leading to such missions as the Apollos. These space missions have taught us a lot about what life on the moon would be like. The moon has little to offer us in the way of settlement: it has little to no atmosphere, and only one sixth of the gravity of Earth. Although the moon might not be the best place for colonies to settle, it would be an excellent source of resources for nearby space stations. ( Scientists can extract oxygen from the rocks, and glass, aluminium, and other metals as well.) Space stations orbiting in the past have been very dependent on the Earth's supplies for construction and maintenance. The Soviets have launched a brigade of structures called Salyuts. In fact, one of their cosmonauts has lived in space for more than 235 days! They supplied the Salyuts by shuttle

Denim Finishing Company Case Essay

1. Mrs. Kelsey Bowser using the ABC method decided to use the number of garments as the cost driver of the change-over costs. Nevertheless, I argue that this was not the best possible choice. I will try to defend my point using the following example. Let’s assume that Guess Who Jeans demands 600, not 500 garments per shipment. Although the number of garments changes, the total change-over costs would stay the same, because no additional retooling of the machine would be necessary. The whole change-over process takes 3 hours regarding if the number of garments is 200, 500 or 800. Furthermore, let’s strictly theoretically assume that the company is able to achieve some extra capacity and one batch is now composed of 150 garments instead of 100 garments. Still, although the total number of garments would vastly increase, the change-over costs would be altered only partially. The opportunity cost measured as a lost contribution margin would slightly increase, but the out-of-po cket costs would stay the same, as the wages of the employees and supplies costs will not change. Thus, it is clear that the number of garments is not the proper cost driver for the change-over costs. In my opinion the number of shipments would be a much better cost driver for the change-over costs. Regarding the number of garments or the number of batches Guess Who Jeans demands every shipment requires the change-over costs to be incurred twice. For instance, if 99 shipments were made, the total change-over costs would equal $351 * 198 = $69,498, because two change-overs ($702) would not have to be undertaken. Thus, the number of shipments clearly drives the analyzed costs. Unlikely the previous example with the number of garments per batch increasing to 150, the number of shipments fully ‘drives’ the change-over costs. Every time the number of shipments rises or falls, the change-over costs change by the full amount of the two per-changeover costs which properly reflect the real situation. Using such a cost driver may be problematic when the allocation of the chang e-over costs is analyzed. Nevertheless, I argue that those cost should be solely allocated to the propriety denim finishing. The demand for the stonewashing services exceeds the company’s capacity. Thus, if the Guess Who Jeans’ offer was declined, the company would use the whole capacity for stonewashing. However, if the offer was accepted the stonewashing processes would be somehow ‘interrupted’ by the propriety denim finishing. Each ‘interruption’, and therefore each shipment would require incurring the change-over costs twice. No factor connected with stonewashing ‘drives’ those costs. Regarding the number of batches or garments used in the stonewashing process each shipment necessitates the cost of $702. Therefore, I believe this cost should be associated with every shipment done by Guess Who Jeans. In Appendix A I present the product profitability analysis using the number of shipment as the cost driver. Moreover, Mrs. Kelsey Bowser claims that the change-over costs should be treated as product-sustaining costs. Nevertheless, I believe her opinion is wrong. I believe these costs should be on the batch level in the cost hierarchy. Hence, I believe the initial analysis undertaken by Mrs. Bowser was correct, although the cost driver she selected was improper. Product-sustaining level costs could be defined as ‘activities that are needed to support an entire product line but are not performed every time a new unit or batch of products is produced’ [Hilton 2010]. Although the first part of the definition applies to the change-over costs, it is clearly not the case when the second part of the definition is concerned. The change-over costs have to be incurred every time the shipments is delivered and the propriety denim finishing has to be done. Therefore, I believe these costs should be rather placed as the batch-level costs in the cost hierarchy. Batch-level costs are believed to ‘arise from activities performed once for each batch or lot of products’ [Zimmerman 2011]. Since the change-over costs need to be incurred every shipment, placing them at this level in the hierarchy seems reasonable. 2. It is clear that before accepting the proposal several nonfinancial issues have to be considered in order to make a reasonable decision. First, the management should think how accepting the Gues Who offer would affect the relations with the other clients. Since Guess Who requires the Denim Finishing Company not to offer the particular type of finish to other customers, it is very likely that relations with other firms will worsen. The Denim Finishing Company has been cooperating with many companies for a long time. Therefore, those companies may dislike the fact that the new client receives the special treatment, while such benefits could not be observed in their case, even though they have been the customers for ages. Consequently, the Denim Finishing Company’s reputation may shrink and furthermore the firm may lose some of its customers that it had long term relations established with. Accepting the Guess Who offer, as mentioned before, would require the Denim Finishing Company to offer the certain time of finish exclusively to Guess Who. Hence, the firm would be prohibited from providing other companies with this service. Before making the decision it should be analyzed if that could lead to potential losses in the future. For instance, although cooperating with Guess Who may be beneficial, the potential gains from offering that type of finish to other clients could be higher. If so, the Denim Finishing Company should rather provide the service to other firms. Naturally, before making such a decision it has to be determined if other firms would require the Denim Finishing Company to offer the service exclusively to them, like it is the case for Guess Who. Offering exclusive service to one company may result in other companies’ (not only potential clients as mentioned in the previous paragraph, but also current ones) demands for exclusive treatment. If other clients, especially those who have been cooperating with the Denim Finishing Company for a long time, realize that it is possible to receive such a special treatment, they would likely claim for it too, as it could give them a competitive advantage over other firms in their industry. Thus, the Denim Finishing Company would undoubtedly face a big problem. It theoretically could increase the prices for the firms that demand exclusive service, but it could lead to losing those clients. Accepting or declining the Guess Who offer may also result in potential conflicts within the firm that have to be considered. For instance, Bruce Farrand who is against the offer may be so determined in defending his point of view that if the offer is accepted, he will decide to terminate his employment. However, he might be so valuable for the company that the gains from the cooperation with Guess Who would not compensate for the value added by Mr. Farrand. Moreover, some other conflicts could arise in the company after deciding either. Before making the decision it would also be recommended to analyze the potential influence the service offered to Guess Who could have on the machine. Since providing the finish would require constant and often retooling of the machine, it could negatively affect the lifetime of the machine. What is more, it is possible that the quality of services done by the machine would shrink because of those often changes. Hence, the satisfaction among clients could diminish and the high cost of purchasing new machine would have to be incurred soon. It also cannot be forgotten that the current demand exceeds the firm’s capacity and some of its clients already use services provided by other companies. Thus, if the Denim Finishing Company’s has even less time for stonewashing, these clients can shift to competitors. Finally, it should be estimated what potential nonfinancial benefits could cooperating with Guess Who bring to the Denim Finishing Company. Guess Who is considered to be a company that offers innovative and premium products. Thus, being an important business partner of such a firm could have a positive impact on the Denim Finishing Company’s reputation. Consequently, it could attract new clients and encourage more companies to cooperate with the Denim Finishing Company. Moreover, successful cooperation with Guess Who Jeans could lead to extending the business relations with that company. For instance, it could outsource more of its production to the Denim Finishing Company. 3. If I were Tom Corcoran, I would undoubtedly have a few questions for the controller. First, I would ask about all the problems mentioned in the two previous questions. As mentioned before, I believe that Mrs. Bowser did not place the change-over costs at the right level in the cost hierarchy. Hence, I would like to get to know why she decided to treat them as product-sustaining costs, while there are a lot of arguments supporting the idea to treat them as batch-level costs. Furthermore, the cost driver chosen by Mrs. Bowser is highly doubtful. I would require the explanation how and to what extent in her opinion the number of garments ‘drives’ the change-over costs. Since I believe the number of garments is not the right cost driver, I would ask Mrs. Bowser for some other type of profitability analysis, such as the analysis presented in Appendix A. The analysis presented at the meeting by the controller could be misleading. Both Exhibit 3 and Exhibit 4 present data that is in my opinion inaccurate. Moreover, as it was analyzed in the second question accepting or declining the offer could lead to multiple nonfinancial outcomes that may play a significant role on the company’s profitability. Hence, I would ask if such factors have been analyzed and if so, what possible impact they may have. I also believe that Tom Corcoran would be most interested in the total profit his company would have under both scenarios. Analyses presented at the meeting, as valuable as they might be, do not contain such information. For instance, they do not include the facility-sustaining costs that the Denim Finishing Company has to incur. Hence, it would be recommended to present Tom Corcoran with the yearly profit the firm may earn. Moreover, I would ask Mrs. Bowser about the accuracy of her assumptions in Exhibit 4. She estimates that the costs of the proprietary process, as well as the price paid by Guess Who Jeans will not change during the year. However, it may not necessarily be the case. The analysis relies on historical costs that may not be appropriate for the future estimations. Thus, I would like to know if Mrs. Bowser took that aspect into account. Another question would regard the overhead rates of the batch- and unit-level costs. The rates were estimated when only stonewashing was done. However, accepting the offer from Guess Who Jeans would require retaining from using the machine for 600 hours. This could likely result in different overhead costs and consequently different overhead rates. The batch-level utility cost can be particularly problematic. It is ‘driven’ by the machine hours and as previously mentioned the machine is not used for 3 hours before and 3 hours after the shipment. Furthermore, the case makes it unclear whether drying is also performed by the Unit #4. The per-garment utilities cost includes 3 hours for washing and 3 hours for drying. However, when the change-over is undertaken, the washing is not performed, because the machine cannot be used. Therefore, during the change-over the utilities cost is possibly lower. This is especially important for the opportunity cost analysis. Since the case is lacking information explaining the problem, if I were Tom Corcoran I would like to clarify it. Finally, I strongly believe that it would also be necessary to ask Mrs. Bowser about the facility-sustaining costs. Such costs are ignored in the controller’s analysis. Nevertheless, they still affect the company’s profitability. Hence, I would like to get to know how big those costs are. Moreover, the facility-sustaining costs could also be somehow influenced by the possible cooperation with Guess Who Jeans. For instance, the security or insurance costs could rise, since the service is supposed to be offered exclusively to that particular client. Therefore, the analysis of the capacity-sustaining costs would also be useful. To sum up, if I were Tom Corcoran I would have many doubts about the controller’s analysis. I would probably ask her to prepare yet another presentation that includes my suggestions. However, if I were to make the decision, I probably would accept the Guess Who Jeans’ offer. The analysis in the Appendix A, although it does not include nonfinancial factors and may not properly reflect all the costs, clearly shows that such a scenario leads to increased profits. 4. Activity-based costing is undoubtedly a useful tool that could help the management to make the optimal decision. It is much more accurate that the traditional costing systems. Distinguishing various activities and determining cost drivers relating to them helps to more precisely allocate the costs. Using one cost driver for all the amount of the overhead could create the situation where the indirect costs are not really ‘driven’ by the particular cost. For instance, although direct labor hours might to some extent determine the value of the overhead, the influence may only be partial, especially regarding certain products. Using various cost drivers for various activities largely eliminates this problem. What is more, selecting particular cost drivers for respective activities enables ‘taxing’ certain activities. This internal tax system gives an incentive to reduce certain costs and therefore improve the company’s efficiency. For instance, if machine labor hours are chosen as a driver for the production activity there is an impulse to lower the number of machine labor hours which consequently results in decreased value of overhead, lower costs and higher profits. Under Activity-Based Costing the share of costs allocated directly to the products increases. Thus, the company better understand where its overhead costs go to. It enables the firm to identify the products that are not profitable and undertake relevant actions, such as decreasing costs, raising the price or withdrawing the product. However, the cost hierarchy helps to make such decision regarding not only particular products, but also batches and product lines. This undoubtedly allows making decisions that are more profit-maximizing. Moreover, in the ABC the practical capacity is used. Therefore, it is possible to determine the unused capacity. Diminishing the unused capacity is definitely helpful in maximizing the profits of the company. Hence, Activity-Based Costing provides the management with the information necessary to make optimal decisions. To compare, the traditional costing systems do not give such a possibility. However, the ABC method also has some flaws that may result in making a non-optimal production decision. Some of those disadvantages could be observed in the previous questions. First, the system is believed to be complicated. As noticeable in the first question choosing the proper cost driver for the particular activity might be problematic. Selecting the wrong driver could lead to biased results and consequently the decision that is not profit-maximizing. Furthermore, trying to maintain the cost hierarchy may also be difficult, as shown in the example of Mrs. Bowser from the Denim Finish Company. The results when the costs were determined as the batch-level where completely different than when they were analyzed to be product-level. Thus, such easily made mistakes could result in a non-optimal decision. Furthermore, as it could be seen in the second question Activity-Based Costing does not include any nonfinancial measures. Thus, even though pure financial values may show that a particular decision is profit-maximizing, it might not necessarily be the case. Other factors, such as e.g. loss of reputation could actually result in decreased profits. Finally, the ABC method requires gathering data from the whole company, often through interviews. Hence, there is a relatively big possibility that collected data is not perfectly accurate. To sum up, the Activity-Based Costing method is quite reliable tool in making optimal production decisions, especially compared to the traditional costing systems. However, the system has to be carefully planned and implemented, because any mistakes could lead to inaccurate results. Choosing the wrong cost driver and improper assignment of the costs in the cost hierarchy may result in undesired errors. Furthermore, as useful as the ABC is, the management cannot rely solely on financial values provided by the method. Before making the decision all nonfinancial factors have to be considered. Only such a consideration combined with the information supplied by the properly designed and applied Activity-Based Costing system can lead to the optimal production decision.