Company Analysis: Wal-Mart Essay

Wal-mart Stores Inc is a United States based company started in 1962 in Arkansas. The company has grown exponentially to open branches in many parts of the world. It operates in three formats: United States based segment, abroad/international segment, and Sam’s Club. Through the three segments, the company owns and runs stores (retail and discount), chains of supermarkets and supercentres, and websites affiliated with the company. In those stores and supermarkets, one can buy foodstuffs, beverages, dairy products, and meat, among many other foodstuffs, electronics, accessories, cloth ware, and many other things. More than retail, the company offers financial services through banks and electronic payments. The company’s retail units are estimated to be around 10,800 all spread in about 27 countries all over the world. Wal-mart Stores Inc. has been listed in top 10 of the world’s 500 biggest companies by Forbes (Fishman 16). An analysis of the company reveals that it is growing remarkably well in spite of the turbulent economic times being experienced in America and many parts of Europe. Corporate and business strategy formulated by the company have enabled it transcend many challenges that have littered its path of progress. This paper will identify the company’s current mission and review its strategies and objectives. The financial status of the company will be analyzed by using financial rations, income data, and balanced sheet data. Additionally, internal strengths and weaknesses will be analyzed using SWOT model. External opportunities and threats will be analyzed using PESTEL and Porter’s five forces model analysis. Based on those analyses, the mission and strategies of the company will be revised. Corporate and business strategies that will enable the company achieve its mission and objectives will be developed and discussed, and appropriate recommendations made. Actions needed to implement the strategies that will be formulated will be outlined. Appropriate long term objectives in areas of marketing, human resources, finance, operations, and information systems will be developed. The results expected will be specified including pro forma financial statements. Lastly, procedural recommendations will be made for strategy review and evaluation. Specific measures to be utilized will be documented. Mission, Objectives, and Strategies Wall-mart growth in recent years has seen it overtake other companies to become the biggest retailer in the world. With a customer base exceeding 200 million customers annually and over 2. 5 million employees, the company’s sales are expected to surpass the $2 billion achieved in 2012 (Roberts, Bryan, & Natalie 14). Low prices and provision of high quality customer care service continue to be the drivers of the company’s growth. The strategies have revolved around attracting and retaining customers by low pricing and great customer care services. The low pricing is achieved by constant pressure on suppliers to lower their prices and redesign all services and products. The company’s mission is summarized in one sentence, â€Å"Save people money so they could live better† (Roberts, Bryan, & Natalie 34). Their objective is thus to lower the prices of their commodities so that customers are happy and satisfied. The low price strategy is premised on the knowledge that large volumes dispensed at a low price will compensate for the lowered price. By putting customers first, the company has survived tough economic times. Through its management strategy, transitions have been achieved efficiently. In recent years, the company has formulated a public affairs strategy that is meant to help it penetrate new markets, in the United States and Internationally. Political climate inevitably determines the success of a company. For that reason, Wall-mart has commissioned a political action committee that is tasked with the responsibility of networking with politicians that will help the company realize its goals in various places around the world. The company has short and long term objectives geared towards maintaining growth. The objectives are aligned to the strategy of low price and customer satisfaction. In the short term, Wall-mart intends to achieve a 95% level of customer satisfaction. In the long term, the company plans to stock all kind of merchandise for diverse customers retailing at low prices. In 2012, Wall-mart launched five central strategies for growth (Roberts, Bryan, & Natalie 24). The first strategy, developing our people, recognizes the supremacy of customers and empowered employees in any business venture. It aims to develop existing talent within the company by use of development programmes. The company also seeks to recruit new talents that are exceptional so as to remain competitive. Towards this strategy, the company plans to partner with Walton Institute and enhance its leadership series so as to produce the next generation of leaders for the company. There are plans to improve diversity and inclusivity in the hiring process. The company has thus committed to champion affirmative action by hiring women and other marginalized groups and investing in their career development. The second strategy is driving the productivity loop. The company aims to lower operation cost so that prices can be reduced further. The third strategy, labeled Wining in Global ecommerce seeks to harness the power of information technology in driving growth. The launch of @WalmartLabs is the precursor to this strategy and there are plans to replicate it in other countries such as Britain and Canada. With a growing online population, the company plans to expand its presence in social media so as to reach as many people as possible. The fourth strategy involves reinvigoration of the customer-centered culture. The growth of the company has been driven by the company and as indicated earlier, there is a strategy to hit a 95% customer satisfaction. The last strategy is directed towards retention of legitimacy and maintaining a good relationship with the society and community around the company’s premises and beyond. Dubbed Leading on social and environment issues, the strategy will drive Wall-marts corporate social responsibility activities. Through philanthropy, educational support, and women empowerment, the company intends to promote and maintain its corporate integrity.

Corporate Responsibility – Starbucks

How does Starbucks’ policy of corporate social responsibility impact the company’s bottom line? According to Porter and Kramer (2006), â€Å"Proponents of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), use four arguments, moral obligation, sustainability, license to operate, and reputation as justification for implementing CSR programs and practices (p. 3). Moral obligation is the duty to be a good citizen and do the right (socially responsible) thing. Sustainability requires responsibility managing both environmental and community needs, by meeting the needs of today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.License to operate, every company needs permission from governments, communities and stakeholders to do business and reputation, to ones improve image, strength in brand, increase morale, and raise the value of stock (Porter, 2006). Based on the video â€Å"Starbucks Corporation: Serving more than coffee†, (McGraw Hill, 2011), Starb ucks follows the four Porter points quite closely, and these efforts have had a positive impact on the financial standing and public perception of the company.Starbucks spokesperson, Sue Mecklenberg states â€Å"Social responsibility is a boost to financial well being† (2011). Through the implementation of â€Å"Eco-efficiency†, the company is able to reduce waste and utility costs for water and gas. Additionally, Starbucks offers their employees, referred to as partners, good benefits that include health plans and stock options. These, in turn help to create partner loyalty to the company, leading to low turnover, which helps Starbucks to lower recruiting and training cost.Additionally, the Starbucks customer base appears to be motivated to frequent Starbucks based on their CSR, and also helps to attract socially conscious investors. Corporate social responsibility is also a valuable tool to report and communicate back to company stake holders, what the company is doi ng, and provides accountability by which metrics can be used to measure and monitor progress on these fronts. As Starbucks continues its global expansion, what must it do to ensure that the company maintains its socially conscious focus?Corporate social responsibility encompasses all aspects of the business provides a view into the heart of an organization. In referring to CSR, Sue Mecklenberg quotes the Starbucks CEO as saying, â€Å"We need to hit numbers and live values†, because CRS is no long simply writing a check to a foundation (McGraw Hill, 2011). To effectively maintain the CSR commitment, Starbucks must continue to evolve and improve partner and customer satisfaction, while aligning the business with the mission and guiding principles.This is evident in the way Starbucks encourages and supports those partners who contribution to non-profit organizations, such as â€Å"Make Your Mark†, where Starbucks contributes ten dollars per hour, per hour volunteered by a Starbucks partner. Additionally, on a global scale, Starbucks assures coffee farmers get fair wages, fair prices and maintain good social conditions for their employees. Schools and hospitals are funded for coffee producers who meet social and environmental criteria.In an effort to further monitor vendors, Starbuck is working to develop â€Å"real-time† updates of supply chain information, as well as an information pipeline for awareness and to manage social conditions at the vendors level (McGraw Hill, 2011). As Starbucks expands globally, management must continue to do the things they do so well with the current CRS program. However, to ensure the same responsibility as the company expands, it must have continuous improvement plan in place that is forward looking for both new ways to benefit employees, business partners, community and nations in which it does business.References Porter, M. E. , & Kramer, M. R. (2006). The link between competitive advantage and corporate s ocial responsibility. Harvard business review, 84(12), 78-92. McGraw Hill (2011). Starbucks Corporation: Serving more than coffee [Video recording] Retrieved October from 30, 2012 from https://blackboard. cmich. edu/webapps/portal/frameset. jsp? tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_58229_1%26url%3D

An Empire for Slavery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

An Empire for Slavery - Essay Example So it becomes clear that though slavery was very profitable to those who owned slaves, such as cotton farmers, the overall effect was not only incredibly detrimental to the African-American population taken as slaves but also to the overall economy. As far as actual figures, it can be said that a single slave working in a cotton field would yield roughly $1,000 in crops per year. This is a sizable figure for that time period. Because slavery was so widespread and acceptable in Texas, many seeking wealth and profit relocated to Texas where slavery was expanding and growing conditions were optimal. The soil and weather conditions in Texas made the growing of crops a very profitable business. Other states were slowly doing away with slavery as Texas continued to capitalize on slavery. These states were invaded by federal troops that sought to free slaves. By the year 1860, nearly a quarter of a million slaves were working on Texas plantations. It was not until the year 1865 that the Texas slaves were freed. Due to the horrible conditions that most slaves had to endure, the overhead for bondsmen was low compared to the profit that it yielded. One would assume that the inhumane act of owning slaves would ultimately prove to be exceedingly profitable and in addition prop up an economy; however, this proved to be untrue as the state of Texas ultimately suffered for its hunger for money and bondsmen as its overall effect was one of delayed industrial development. Certainly, when the federal troops were commissioned to free Texas slaves at last, Texan plantation owners were then forced to come by their profits honestly through paid labor instead of forced slavery. An alternative would be for the once slave holders to farm their land themselves which was unthinkable to most. The sudden need for laborers would give individuals who did not own a plantation an opportunity for employment since slavery was no longer legal. The presence of slave labor really took hundreds of thousands of possible j obs away from the working people that hired themselves out as laborers. This too, is part of why slavery was so harmful to the Texas economy overall. Another important aspect of Campbell's look at slavery in Texas is how the legal system supported slavery. Obviously, there would have been no slavery in Texas if the legal system of the time did not work as somewhat of an accessory to taking and keeping slaves. Originally in the Texas revolution, Texan colonists fought fiercely for the right to hold slaves as Mexican law forbade it. It is common belief that slavery prospered in Texas and also in the South as a result of the revolution and ultimate separation of Texas from Mexico. It was the slaveholders of the time that possessed the wealth in Texas and this ultimately meant that slaveholders were in fact the individuals with positions in public office. The slaveholders were the politicians so they were the ones ensuring laws in favor of slavery. Laws did exist that prohibited masters from mistreating their slaves; however, it is important to understand that these laws were a gray area in that there was no clear definition of the master-slave relationship. Also, if the individuals with the money ( the slaveholders) were the ones making the laws, it is safe to say that these "masters" were not looking out for the best interests of slaves.

Hummen Resourse Mangment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hummen Resourse Mangment - Research Paper Example to deliver the right quantity of people with appropriate behaviors, the required competencies and the feasible degree of motivations to the organizations (Becker & Huselid, 2006). The concept is called strategic instead of just human resource management because it makes use of the strategies through which the performance of the business organization can be improved to a greater extent, and thus an environment of innovation and flexibility can be created among the employees in an organization. It tends to connect human resource with strategic objectives of the company so that the performance can be enhanced. The term ‘strategic’ helps in building ‘sustainable competitive advantage’ that helps the company to generate above average financial performance consistently. It is to be remembered that for this to take place it becomes significant for the HR department to be forward-thinking. In addition to this, the HR strategies need to run consistently as one of the main elements of the overall business plan (Becker & Huselid, 2006). Human resource development (HRD) function is considered as one of the vital functions of the human resource management. Each and every organization has the accountability to develop its human resources in order to remain operational and grow further. In the modern times, human resource development function is considered as an ideal and crucial task for any organization. The survival and growth of a company significantly depend upon the human resource development function. The main objective of the human resource development function is to enhance the performance of the organization by improving the performance of the employees working with the company. HRD tends to rest in a context which is dynamic by its nature. It receives tremendous demands from the varied aspects including globalization of the business, involvement of the government and consumers’ expectations, competition, deregulations, and unstable political, social,

Markets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Markets - Essay Example And the effective predator will come prepared. Don't be shy about peering into hidden corners. You might see my friends there and my friends have the power. We have purchasing power and our conversations will be heard. After all, the whole idea of marketing is to sell a product. Bottom line. Sell a product. You can have your ideals now, or a hundred years ago, or since, sales figures will still be the bottom line. It's nice that you can iconolize a product, but its not that simple. Even with the Internet, hyper cybernation, and the click track repeating the mantra of "Isn't That Special", there are still the main components of product quality, delivery date, and price. These are the qualities that the product will live or die by, not some word of mouth or over blogged innuendo. The million-dollar web site doesn't work anymore, it never did. With the technology available, web sites are an afterthought. The idea is in the communication, and the idea needs to remain crystal clear. The idea needs a clear channel of communication. The idea is to deliver a product that works when you say it will work, and someone that can afford to pay for it. Your Ipod needs to work as advertised and you need a guarantee that the cell phone you just bought will work in the area where you live. Then, and only then, will the talk become as cheap as the time spent talking. The vehicle to transmit that talk Priceless. Even at its worst, our newfound c... Well, DUH! The ability to communicate instantly and intimately is one of the most interesting aspects of any relationship. But, it does not preclude a trade show. It does not make humor obsolete. By the way, I happen to like the glitz and glare of a three-dimensional romp with like-minded competitors. And there are some pretty amusing sitcoms. I wish I could trust the world of high definition flat screen electronics, but it just doesn't have enough texture. Global business won't be accepted through a Pepsi commercial at the Super Bowl and it won't be accessed through the million dollar corporate web site I gaze at 9 hours a day. If the corporate website is a dinosaur, then TV sitcoms can't be far behind. and trade shows are as irrelevant as last week's laundry. The ability to spoonfeed the public with a one size fits all mentality has certainly gone the way of the bow and arrow. Just because your conversation is interesting and more entertaining than 'I Love Lucy', it still does not require me to spend a lot of time with it. We need to measure the quality of our time and factor that into our equation for brand recognition. Our newfound conversations would be unequaled in length. And anyway, this is about getting in touch. It's nice and it's interesting, but this short conversation with you just doesn't make the payment on my BMW. As markets, as workers, both of us are sick to death of getting our information by remote control. Why do we need faceless annual reports and third-hand market research studies to introduce us to each other These are the statements of a desperate, whining man running into the open, welcome arms of defeat. Technology has a way of doing that. A way of beating you

The final exam is a case study that you need to read and submit a Essay

The final exam is a case study that you need to read and submit a written analysis not exceeding 3 single spaced pages. The cas - Essay Example The goals and vision of the company shows the reason behind the measures which it took and how it apologized to its customers for its ignorance of the issue of child labor (Bartlett, Dessain, and Sjoman, 1-12). COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS Child labor has always been the focus of attention for different NGO’s. The retailers and other businesses associate themselves with producers working in the developing countries so that the cost of production can be reduced. The producers operating in such areas do not follow the laws or protect the rights of the children. The development of IKEA exhibits the sheer hard work of its founder. From a small mail order organization the company developed into a global retailer over the years. The company set some basic sourcing principles and outsourced its production processes for meeting the demand. This also allowed IKEA in reducing the cost of the products and expanding their sales prominently. IKEA also took continuous measure for expanding the bu siness. With the evolving business the culture and the values of the business expanded. This developed strong ground for the business allowing it to expand in different industries. The management emphasized on simplicity and focused on paying attention to the minor details (Bartlett, Dessain, and Sjoman, 1-12). ... The shockwave of this problem created hurdles for the business. Facing this problem and understanding that India, Pakistan and Nepal were not the signatories of this clause the business added a new clause in the supply contract. This stopped the suppliers from using labor for the production of goods. This type of monitoring was difficult so services of a Scandinavian company were hired for the purpose of quality assurance. The early lesson associated to the organization was that deeply imbedded to the problem the management had to take actions for the process. Different NGO’s, UN organizations and the carpet export organizations took measures for highlighting such issues so that the problems could be dealt with. While the organization was on the verge of dealing with this problem the business realized that a new issue took place. The German television made an investigative documentary which showed that Rangan exports one of the major suppliers of IKEA as using child labor for the production process. This created new problems for the company as it was the only company amongst the large retailers facing such problem. From the suggestions the company acted in cutting off the deal with the supplier. The measures which were analyzed showed that IKEA apologized to the industry and its customers for its ignorance and failing to acknowledge that they were unaware of the fact. This showed the social responsiveness of the business and prescribed that the organization gives heed to the social issues even at the opportunity cost of business profits (Bartlett, Dessain, and Sjoman, 1-12). The summary of the testaments which the business has made for defining the core values of the

Issues in global economy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Issues in global economy - Research Paper Example This piece of writing will center on the strengths, weaknesses, and legality through explanation and in depth analysis. James argues that the effect of information technology on Global perspective has not been deliberately considered. He further stipulates that some developing countries are not in a spot to enjoy the technical changes in the information technology. James further posits that developing countries should become accustomed to the plentiful uniqueness of the information technology such as capability of eliminating irrepressible competition in the business globe. He added that there are great ideology and procedures linked with the information technology (Bigman 2007, p.3-5). James draws his strong points from a World Bank publication that was published in 1996. The document was entitled Global Economic Prospects and The Developing Countries. This document showed findings on irregular participation of developing countries in overseas trade and investments. Good number of d eveloping countries experienced undeniably inferior foreign investments to GDP ratios. Technology situates its control on a range of aspects of the economy such as societal, political, and monetary factors (Bertho 2008, p.168-170). James argues that in the midst of developing countries, the NICs more than any other cluster of developing countries have immensely improved by having a clear understanding of the benefits of information technology and enhanced interaction amongst them. The author supports his argument by giving examples of the countries who have realized dire need of involvement in information technology such as Taiwan, Singapore, and Korea. He emphasizes that these countries had sensed the revolutionary changes and transformations brought about by the information technology. The countries deemed it necessary to increase their competitive edge by thoroughly involving themselves in technological transformation of the complete economy (French 2008, p.80-81). James derived his arguments from very rich sources such as the World Bank and other scholarly sources. Additionally, it comes into reader’s mind that the issue of technology in advancement of the economy has been immensely studied. James argues that developing countries should be able to comprehend and absorb the various benefits coupled with technology in enhancement of the economy. The author, who acknowledges the uneven distribution of globalization, adds that governments should come up with very clear policies that aspire to incorporate the developments of information technology in the developing countries (Bertho 2008, p.163-165). James elaborately, describes and relates the thought of information technology with the global economy by recurrently giving examples. He stipulates that information technology have ease communication amongst countries by stating e-commerce among the advantages gained by technology. He further argues that there are numerous cot saving ideas that are found in technology. According to James, the countries involved intensive use of technology, gains a competitive advantage and better infrastructure thus increasing their foreign investments (Bigman 2007, p.4-6). The article’s motive was to relate globalization with the information technology but this has not been entirely considered by James. The author does not clearly explain in this article, how information techn

The key factors influence the success of an international strategic Essay

The key factors influence the success of an international strategic alliance - Essay Example Unlike other kinds of associations such as mergers and acquisitions, company hierarchy frequently times allows for evaluation after entering into such deals. More often, when strategic alliance performance does not constitute monetary gains but merely other benefits, this proves hard to quantify as success it is based upon intangible criterion rather than stable financial growth procedures. Alliance goals and objectives from case studies often fluctuate considerably from the originally penned down deals and as such more difficult to define. These shortcomings are merely challenges and if handled effectively they will result in the success of an alliance; however, the four key factors are primal to success of any alliance. Introduction Rakowski and Patz (2009, p.5) defines Strategic alliance as a cooperative arrangement between two or more companies to achieve a shared goals, so that each reimbursements from the powers of the other, and gains reasonable lead. Most literature identifie s two categories of strategic alliances; those that are equity based and the non-equity based. Those that are based on equity include minority stock investments, joint ventures, to the furthest end majority investments. However, the non-equity based alliances are purely based on contractual agreements that spell out the relationships between the parties. In these arrangements the different parties to such agreements do not lose their independence and their autonomy with the regards to operations, however, the alliance do have an impact on their operations (Singh and Delios 2012, p.196). The emergence of strategic alliances has been seen as a reaction to globalization Vaidya (2006, p.256) insist that it is one of the most significant impacts of globalisation in the last 3 and a half decade coupled with the integration of markets and the increasing uncertainty and complexity in the business environment. Strategic alliances entail sharing of techniques and knowledge between parties inv olved plus schemes that involve the decrease of risks and expenses in areas such as relationships with suppliers and the development of new products and technologies. Strategic alliance has often been discussed within the realms of a joint venture, as it at times involves rivals, however more often it has a shorter lifespan than the former. Strategic partnership is a closely related concept, this paper explores the key factors influencing the success of international strategic alliances, through a two case study analysis. It is often stated that to understand the key reasons of the success, then it is imperative to grasp the rationale behind strategic alliances. The paper unearths that success depends on the levels of trust, communication, commitment and collaboration deciphering between the parties. For these factors above to flow seamlessly, the parties to the strategic alliance must have a fit with respect to alliance goals and objectives (Cullen and Parboteeah2013, p.315) its me chanics of operation and the performance evaluation criteria. Ogbor (2009, p.372) asserts that any company willing to enter into alliance with another party must look out for compatible goals; and complimentary capabilities. Globalization and Strategic Alliance With the proliferation of globalization and incorporation of markets into an international market,

Assessment in Special Education Essay Example for Free

Assessment in Special Education Essay Abstract Sometimes the general education program alone is not able to meet the needs of a child with disabilities, and he/she may be able to receive special education services. The evaluation process can be a very difficult task when trying to identify if the child qualifies for special education, schools often have a pre-referral intervention process. The most prominent approached used today is the â€Å"response-to-Intervention† or RTI. Special Education teachers face many challenges when trying to meet the needs of special needs students in their classrooms. Methods of evaluation are a big concern and challenge for educators of special needs students today. In addition, meeting everyone’s needs is a difficult task to accomplish because of students’ diverse abilities in the classroom. This research paper will explore the different methods of assessment in special education programs and the best practices to help this children achieve their potential in an appropriate setting. Testing and assessment is an ongoing process with children in special education programs. Some of these assessments include, developmental assessments, screening tests, individual intelligence tests, individual academic achievement tests, adaptive behavior scales, behavior rating scales, curriculum-based assessments, end-of-grade, end-of-course, and alternate assessments. Comprehensive assessment of individual students requires the use of multiple data sources. These sources may also include standardized tests, informal measures, observations, student self-reports, parent reports, and progress monitoring data from response-to-intervention (RTI) approaches (NJCLD, 2005). The main purpose of a comprehensive assessment in the special education field is to accurately identify the strengths and needs of the students to help them be successful during their school years and there after. Legislation has played a big role in the shift towards functional assessment. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is also known as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act has played a big role in this matter. The IDEA legislation â€Å"needed to assure that students with disabilities receive free appropriate public education (FAPE) and the related services and support the need to achieve† (Jeffords 1). IDEA was created to make sure that disabled children are receiving fair and equal education and support. This act has several parts to it which include providing grants, funds early intervention services, and supports research and professional development programs. The No Child Left Behind Act: Impact on the Assessment of Special Education Student. After the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) moved into our schools there is a great deal of controversy that questions whether the act implemented by President George W. Bush is helping or hurting an already suffering school system. There are many dimensions of the NCLB act that have been questioned over the past decade; the fair assessment of students with disabilities is one of them. As the National Center for Fair Open Testing (NCFOT) reported, the public relations aspect of this act is strong. Prior to the Individuals with Disability Education Act of 1997 (IDEA) students in special education were exempt from participating in the statewide testing. However, the IDEA advocated that all students including those with special learning difficulties should be able to participate in testing. (Cahalan, 2003). Legislative Overview of Laws Protecting Special Education Students On January 8, 2002, President George W. Bush signed the NCLB act. In this act the federal government was for the first time in the history of the Department of Education putting an act into effect that would penalize schools that failed to meet adequate yearly progress (AYP). The AYP is a measuring system in which the federal government will look at the progress of the local government and school systems to decide whether or not that school, along with its teachers and students, has progressed and provided a high-quality education (Goldhaber, 2002). Through the NCLB act schools are held accountable for failing test scores and failure to improve their class average from one year to the next. The longer the school fails to meet required scores, the more the school will be held accountable, and the greater the consequence. For instance, a school that is unable to make their desired AYP and has not improved a significant amount within five years will then be subject to reconstruction. This reconstruction could include the government completely taking over the school and hiring new teachers and  teacher staff, leaving many teachers and staff unemployed (Goldhaber, 2002). Teachers and students in the special education department do have some laws however that helps them make testing less stressful. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 required that accommodations must be made for students with learning disabilities in order to be able to participate in the assessment (Cahalan, 2003). However, this leaves the question of what can be used as accommodations. Accommodations could include things such as test schedules and setting of the test, along with the format of the presentation. Also used to help the special education students and teachers is the individualized education plan (IEP). The Individuals with Disabilities Educational Act (IDEA) of 1991 would set into effect the idea of an IEP. An IEP is a plan that is set by a group of individuals that work closely with the student to design the educational format that is most appropriate for him/her (Cahalan, 2003). This does not take into account the type of disorder the student has but simply the student themselves. The individualized attention that is given with this plan provides the student with the correct instruction needed to be successful in education. These groups of individuals include the teacher, parent, school psychologist and anyone else that is closely related to the education of this student. The IEP members are, in most states, responsible in deciding which accommodations are important for each individual student (Cahalan, 2003). They, however, are not a part of deciding what accommodations will be provided for each student during the NCLB assessment. The laws described here were all implemented with the same goal in mind; to protect special education students and be sure their quality of education is the same as all other students. However some of these laws, including the NCLB, must be altered in order to truly give special needs students the education and assessment they deserve. Best Practices in Assessment of Special Education Students Students in special education programs should be included in the statewide assessments, as the IDEA of 1997 states. The IDEA also states that accommodations should be made to be sure that the student is able to fully understand the materials they are asked (Cahalan, 2003). There are four categories of test accommodations, presentation, response, timing, and  setting (Cahalan, 2003). Presentation is simply visual aids that help the student fully understand the context. These do not alter the questions of the test; they simply make it accessible for the students. Presentation accommodations include Braille, large-print, sign language interpreter, or reducing the number of questions per page (Cahalan, 2003). These simple accommodations make test taking less stressful, and therefore the material is better understandable by the student. However, no state has reported using them in their statewide assessments since the inception of the NCLB. In a study of over one thousand students it was found that using a video presentation to help understand the test showed a significant increase in their achievement (Cahalan, 2003). So why is the educational department not using these modifications that help so much? Another form of accommodation used in special education testing is response. It may be as simple as giving an oral response instead of a written one or it may mean that the test is dictated to the student by a recorder. These accommodations in no way alters the response that is given or received, it is still the same question being asked. Results have shown that by providing a reader special education students showed a significant improvement in their test score (Cahalan, 2003). The last two accommodations are setting and timing. The timing could include any extra time needed, breaks during the exam, or spreading the testing out through a few days instead of taking it all in one day. And the final accommodation is setting, which could include special furniture, lighting, or an individualized testing area (Cahalan, 2003). Even though there was no evidence to prove that setting and timing are important accommodations, it is well known that many special education students are tested in private rooms with more time. These accommodations should be accessible for special education students that need them to better their test taking skills. However, many states do not allow such accommodations to be made due to the misconceived conception that they change the contents of the test when in actuality they do not in any way alter the questions asked. BEST PRACTICES IN ASSESSMENT HANDOUT †¢Create a shared mission and goals statement that reflects an emphasis on student learning. †¢Focus on collaboration and teamwork. Faculty members must agree on assessment goals for planning to be meaningful. They may have to rise to a higher level of collaboration than may have been traditionally practiced in most departments. Collaboration within the department, across departments, and with higher administration will facilitate the best outcomes from assessment planning. All constituents must recognize that assessment skills must be developed and that colleagues can assist each other by sharing practices and strategies. †¢Clarify the purpose of assessment. Assessment can serve dual purposes: Assessment can promote student learning or provide evidence for accountability requirements through an evaluation of strengths and weaknesses. Wherever possible, students should experience a direct, positive benefit from their participation in assessment activities. †¢Identify clear, measurable, and developmental student learning †¢OUTCOMES. Explicit identification of learning expectations facilitates the departments coherence about their GOALS. Sharing those expectations explicitly with students can provide an effective learning scaffold on which students can build their experiences and render effective performance. †¢Use multiple MEASURES and sources consistent with resources. Effective assessment planning can only occur when properly supported with appropriate time, money, and recognition for good work. The expansiveness of the assessment plan will depend on those resources. As resources permit, additional MEASURES can be added to planning. These MEASURES address variations in learning style, differences in types of learning, and interests from varied stakeholders. †¢Implement continuous assessment with clear, manageable timelines. Better assessment practice involves spreading out assessment activity throughout the year and across years rather than conducting a marathon short-term assessment effort in a single year. Projecting a schedule of regular formal reviews can facilitate appropriate interim activity. †¢Help students succeed on assessment tasks. Students will fare best in assessment activities when faculty make expectations explicit, provide detailed instructions, and offer samples or models of successful performance. They will benefit most with opportunities to practice prior to assessment and when given detailed feedback about the quality of their performance. †¢Interpret and use assessment results appropriately. Assessment should be a stimulus for growth, renewal, and improvement, not an action that generates data to ensure positive outcomes. Linking funding to assessment outcomes may encourage artificial results. Assessment data should not be used for personnel decisions. If cross-institution comparisons are inevitable, care should be taken to ensure comparisons across comparable institutions (benchmarking). †¢Evaluate your assessment practices. Results from assessment activity should be evaluated to address their reliability, validity, and utility. Poor student performance can reflect limited learning or an ill-designed assessment process. Examining how effectively the assessment strategy meets departmental needs is a critical step in the evolution of the department plan. (Retrieved from www. caspercollege. edu/assessment/downloads/best_practices. pdf) The Effect of NCLB Assessments on Special Education Programs When the Department of Education was asked how they intend to insure that special education students will not be forced to take tests that are above their intelligence level under the NCLB act, they could not give a real solution. They simply said that there are accommodations available, and if the student’s disability is severe to the point that the accommodations will not help, there are alternate tests they can take (Education Week, 2003). However, the problem with this is that there is no clear definition as to who is able to receive these accommodations and who is able to receive the alternate assessment. Who decides this? And how handicapped must a student be in order to receive an alternate assessment? Even though special education students are not at the same intelligence level as their peers they are still placed in the same test group as them. The NCLB act does not include in its AYP percentage the failing percentage rate of special education students in each given population. Therefore, teachers and school administration are trying to make up for the percentage loss in special education departments. Some teachers are now, for the first time, being held accountable for failing test scores. This, in effect, causes teachers to alter their curriculum and teach to the test? (Goldhaber, 2002). By teaching to the test students are missing out on important curriculum information that may be overlooked completely or presented in short educational lecture in the middle of teaching test taking skills and other information that may be found on the assessments. Possible Improvement to the Assessment and Accountability. To improve the NCLB act we must first know what is wrong with the act. While the idea of leaving no child behind in education is a good plan, there are still a few loop holes that the president’s act needs to clear up. The students that are placed in the special education setting are usually there because they have a disability or are below average in their cognitive abilities. In order to be fair to these students the government must be sure that they have the same quality education as all other students, but the government must also realize that the curriculum of the material they are learning may in some cases be drastically different. With this knowledge, it must then be known that to accurately and fairly assess special education students the assessments must be built with the correct accommodations. In order for this to happen, those who design the tests must develop an exam that meets the needs of the student, and not the needs of the disorder. In other words, do not test a student as an autistic child but first look at their individual advantages and disadvantages according to each test taking skill. Some students may simply need more time, while others will need more time along with a person to read to them and interpret some larger word usage. It is all based on the student’s individual needs (Cahalan, 2003). In other words the decisions of the accommodations should be made by people that know the student on a personal level, and know what accommodations are present in their current education setting. As stated before, with some assessments the IEP will meet to determine what accommodations will be made for the students in that assessment, However, this is not the case in the NCLB assessments; but it should be. Those who are teaching and raising the child should be a part of the process of determining how the child is assessed and what accommodations are necessary (Washington, 2003). It is important for the education of future special education students that the Department of Education take into consideration the possible reforms that were suggested by many local government and teachers surrounding them. Improvements can be made to the assessment of special education, and should be made to be sure that all students are receiving a fair and adequate education. Disproportionate identification of minorities in some special education categories: When speaking of the learning disabled, minorities, one must consider some dimensions to the issue of assessment within a particularly specialized light. This special population reflects both the learning disabled (LD) and the minority that they belong to. This is largely the case within a practical context, although as the literature points out, pre-considerations must be afforded for minority students. To begin with, it is important to look at the many variables that exist within the aforementioned components. These components include English as a Second Language (ESL), socioeconomic level and finally the impact this has on teaching the learning disabled in a classroom setting and more specifically when employing the assistance of a translator. Curriculum-based assessment is hampered with some biases that can affect these students (Dolson, 1984). A childs race and ethnicity significantly influence the childs probability of being misidentified, misclassified, and inappropriately placed in special education programs. Research shows the relationship between race and ethnicity and other variables for students placement in special education classes. Variables such as language, poverty, assessment practices, systemic issues, and professional development opportunities for teachers have been cited as factors that play a role in disproportionate representation (emstac. org). Children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds should be able to receive an excellent and appropriate education. Some students are not included in special education programs, even though they have a disability that is affecting their ability to learn and they need special education help. Some CLD populations are also significantly under-represented in programs for the gifted and/or talented. In these instances, CLD groups are considered under-represented because the proportion of students from certain ethnic or racial groups who receive special services are significantly less than the number of these same students in the overall school population (U. S. Department of Education, 2004). Facts: †¢ Hispanics are under-identified within certain disability categories compared to their White peers (U. S. Department of Education, 2006). †¢ Asian/Pacific Islander students are actually less likely to be identified for special education services than other CLD populations (NABE, 2002). There are a number of possible action steps school personnel can take to ensure that individual assessments are conducted in a culturally responsive and nondiscriminatory manner (Klotz Canter 2006). Recommendations include: †¢Allowing more time. Assessments of students from diverse backgrounds require more time to gather important background information and allow for alternative and flexible procedures. †¢Gathering extensive background information. To provide a context for the evaluation, conduct a review of all available background information including: school attendance, family structure, household changes and moves, and medical, developmental, and educational histories. †¢Utilizing student progress monitoring data from Response-to-Intervention (RtI) or problem-solving processes. Data generated from a process that determines if the child responds to scientific evidence-based interventions should be included in a comprehensive evaluation. The National Research Council on Minority Representation in Special Education recommended the use of data from a systematic problem-solving process measuring the student’s response to high quality interventions (National Research Council, 2002, pp. 7-8). †¢Addressing the role of language. Determining the need for and conducting dual language assessments are essential steps in an evaluation process. This includes determining the student’s language history (i. e. , ages that the student spoke and heard various languages), dominance (i. e. , greatest language proficiency), and preference (i. e. , the language the student prefers to speak). †¢ Using nonverbal and alternative assessment strategies. When assessing students from CLD backgrounds, use standardized nonverbal cognitive and translated tests (when available in the target language). Additional assessment techniques, including curriculum-based assessments, test-teach-test strategies and in-direct sources of data, such as teacher and parent reports, portfolios, work samples, teacher/student checklists, informal interviews and observations, and classroom test scores are also helpful in completing an accurate, comprehensive evaluation (NEA, 2007). Bibliography Bush, President George W. (December 3, 2004). Bipartisan Special Education Reform Bill. Retrieved from http://www. ed. gov/news/newsletters/extracredit/ 2004/12/1203. html Cahalan, C. Morgan, D. L. (2003). Review of state policy for high stakes testing of students with disabilities on high school exit exams. Educational Testing Service. Department of Education. (2003). Title I ? Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged; Proposed Rule. (34 CFR Part 200). Washington, DC: U. S. Government Printing Office. Dolson, David P. (1985). The Effect of Spanish Home Language Use on the Scholastic Performance of Hispanic Pupils. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, V. 6, No. 2,50. Fair Test. (2005). The National Center for Fair Open Testing. Retrieved from http://www. fairtest. org on October 12, 2011 Goldhaber, D. (2002). What might go wrong with the accountability measures of the? No Child Left Behind Act? The Urban Institute. IDEA Partnership. http://www. ideapartnership. org Klot z, M. B. Canter, A. (2006). Culturally Competent Assessment and Consultation. Retrieved October 2011 from: http://www.naspcenter. org/principals/Culturally%20Competent%20Assessment%20and%20Consultation%20NASSP. pdf. Improving accountability for limited English proficient and special education students under the No Child Left Behind Act. (2003). Washington Area School Study Council. National Association of School Psychology. (2007). The Truth in Labeling: Disproportionality Special Education. Retrieved from www. nea. org/books on October 15, 2011. National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities. (2001a). Issues in learning disabilities: Assessment and diagnosis. In Collective perspectives on issues affecting learning disabilities (2nd ed. , pp. 55–61). Austin, TX: Pro-Ed. (Original work published 1987) National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities. (2005). Responsiveness to intervention and learning disabilities. Available from www. ldonline. org/njcld. National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities. (2007). The documentation disconnect for students with learning disabilities: Improving access to postsecondary disability services. Available from www. ldonline. org/njcld National Center for Culturally Responsive Educational Systems. (Fall 2005). Cultural considerations and challenges in response-to-intervention models. An NCCRESt position statement. Retrieved October 2011 From http://www. nccrest. org/PDFs/rti. pdf? v_document_name=Culturally%20Responsive%20RTI. No educator left behind: Testing special education students. (2003). Retrieved October 15, 2011, from http://www. education-world. com/a_issues/NELB/NELB025. shtml Olson, L. (2004). Data show schools making progress on federal goals. Education Week, 24, 24-28. Retrieved from http://www. edweek. org Tomes, H. Ph. D. (2004). In public interest: Are we really leaving no child behind? American Psychologist, 35, 31-35. Retrieved from www. apa. org on October 15, 2011 U. S. Department of Education. (2004). Twenty-fourth annual report to Congress on the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Washington, DC: Author.

Computers and Ethics in the Workplace Essay Example for Free

Computers and Ethics in the Workplace Essay This paper discusses issues with ethics that have derived in the workplace as a result of the use of business computers. The definition of computer ethics is simple; they are a set of moral principles that intend to help with the regulation of the use of computers. Some common problems with computer ethics consist of privacy concerns, intellectual property rights, and the way computers have an effect on people. In other words, computer ethics refers to the ways people take ethical traditions and test, stretch, apply, negotiate and break in the realm of computer technology. As technology continues to evolve, there are a great deal of ethical issues and principles of behavior concerning privacy and accurateness for managerial leaders to deal with. In finding the issues of ethics that the Technology Age has brought to the workplace, organizations must be hands-on when it is time to highlight ethical use of technology by employees. Making sure that employees are knowledgeable on the proper policies the organization has on computer ethics. Promoting good computer ethics is a great way for companies to keep morale high and unnecessary issues from arising in the workplace. Introduction As technology like computers progresses, they will continue to contain a larger impact on people in today’s society. For that reason, computer ethics supports the how some debate on just how much influence computers need to have in human communication. With computers evolving constantly, ethical standards will continue to be constructed by computer ethics and will always have newer concerns that come from recent technology. With the new changes in technology like computers, more supervisors are coping with having to manager employees for proper use of company computers; they have to stay informed of all new ethical problems and the laws that were created to enforce ethics with workers. These are problematic areas, particularly with the arrival of the World Wide Web. To date, there have been problems with employees using company computers for purposes other than work. This subject has become more of a problem in today’s society and has been addressed by employers through monitoring computer usage, creating ritten policies, and enforcing other tactics to teach and inflict the ethics of computer use to employees at all levels. This paper topic was inspired through my own experience of an employer who felt that productivity was lower than past years, due to employees who utilized the Internet for reasons other than work. Today, we have monitored email and they are able to tell what Internet sites we visit daily and the duration of the time we are on that site. I must say as an employee, I felt violated for not being able to utilize the Internet throughout the day, as I am someone who still gets my work done each day no matter what. But I can see their reasoning behind and cannot blame them for keeping an eye out. Current Situation Ethics is a set of truthful principles that oversee the actions of people. As a result, computer ethics goes hand in hand with ethics with the intention to control how employees use computers. Often times, frequent issues with computer ethics consist of privacy concerns, intellectual property rights, and the way computers have an effect on people. In other words, computer ethics refers to the ways people take ethical traditions and test, stretch, apply, negotiate and break in the realm of computer technology. A current study shows how computers are making a heavy affect on ethics at work. One study said that almost half of the people they polled said they have participated in some kind of unethical act that relates to computers at work in the last 12 months. Another study found that one out of six working people believes conventional thoughts of moral and immoral have been superseded by new technologies (Websense and Saratoga Institute). These days, its almost impossible for one to keep up with how fast technology advances and has a significant influence on how we do business these days. Corporations, management and employees have to be able to keep up with the changing times in order to be competitive in their profession. The Internet creates an interesting predicament, with many employees utilizing it at work on a daily. The main concern is whether communication and information by way of the Internet should be monitored; this concerns both business and personal communications at work. This issue of employees and the Internet at work is a concern of many employers and managers, because in most cases it affects productivity

Can Yahoo Still Attract Tech Workers?

Can Yahoo Still Attract Tech Workers? Travis Bell Susan Knapp Presentation Techology organization are likewise searching for approaches to better theirself and their representatives. The interest for brilliant new workers in this field is high yet this is the point at which they keep running into issues. Managers are attempting to keep the product specialists they have and having issues with contracting new ones. With techolongy changing each day and consistently these organizations are discovering it is difficult to pull in the workers they require in this innovation world. It is not about getting new workers it is likewise about keeping the ones you have. These workers are searching for more pay and in the event that they discover it in another organization they may very well stopped and accept the other position. Audit/Investigation of the Case There are a wide range of organizations in the innovation world that is having these issues. Yahoo is one of those organizations and is one of the most seasoned web look organization. Starting today, Yahoo is not only a web index, they have moved into publicizing, news, and email. At the point when a recently crisp granduate understudy comes into the workforce the are seeking work for the most needed organization in innovation. Yahoo is no longer that and the representatives they do have are beginning to leave to different organizations. Yahoo has been battling with the technique for development for quite a while and there must be a few changes. The supply for work is going to new organizations like Google and Microsoft. Yahoo will need to roll out improvements in the organization to get the new understudy intrigued into the organization once more. With regards to the request they are searching for some representative and the workers they have are leaving as well. The methodology the y are utilizing is quite recently not working. Searching for newcomers will be hard for Yahoo. They will need to make quick move and roll out a few improvements within the organization. This will help with the workers they do have. The primary enormous stride would redesign the organization. Yahoo is by all accounts an organization that is passed its prime, Some may state. Making the present workers glad will get the organization great surveys and the representatives wont go to different organizations searching for an occupation. Strengthing the organization will prompt to better inward enlisting of workers. Susan Burnett, Senior compete leader of ability and association advancement, has begun on making a situation in which workers can learn new attitudes to help better themselves and the organization. These representatives with new attitudes can now climb and have more duties. The distinctive systems and preparing she is doing will reinforce Yahoos inward recuiting and may even help with getting new representatives. Another work er is not going to work for an organization if the employyes they as of now have are not cheerful. Beginning inside the organization first is ideal. Recuiting the correct representative straight out of school to come and work at Yahoo will take some imagination. Begin by utilizing a procedure in which the school will have the capacity to get some awesome expertise in an organization that has been around for quite a while. Yahoo is a built up organization and is searching for new thoughts from new faces in the organization. Additionally select in schools or colleges that cover data innovation and building projects or degree. Another point is to express Yahoo is searching for new worker to assist and develop with the organization. Synopsis and Conclusions With the free market activity of work changing not only for Yahoo but rather for all innovation organizations, they will need to think of an approach to keep the representatives cheerful and attract new agents. This will help in strengthing the team. Upbeat representatives work increasingly and fulfill different representatives. Yahoo has a major stride in front of them however putting their best foot forward and selecting in the opportune place will get yippee back on track. References Noe, R. (2013-01-17). Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 5th Edition. [Kaplan]. Retrieved from https://kaplan.vitalsource.com/#/books/0078095654/ Yahoo! executive links learning to growth. (2017). Svenonia Blog. Retrieved 30 January 2017, from https://svenonia.wordpress.com/2011/08/31/yahoo-executive-links-learning-to-growth/

Odyssey Theme Paper :: essays research papers

The Odyssey Theme Paper   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Odyssey is mainly about the tribulations of a great hero; that hero would be Odysseus. Although Odysseus does not appear in this epic until the fifth book, he is still the main character. Odysseus, whom I will call the hero, has many tribulations in this epic. Read on to see what I mean.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This story starts right after the Trojan War; the Greeks have won, thanks to one of Odysseus’ great ideas. All the kings are now trying to get back home to their families. Odysseus, however, will have the most problems.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first place Odysseus goes after the war is the land of the Ciconians. He and his men raid the island and destroy the village. However the next day, more Ciconians arrive and defeat Odysseus and his men. Several men are killed, and Odysseus experiences his first of many sorrows and tribulations. Next, the hero goes to the land of the lotus-eaters. Some of his men eat the lotus plant and instantly want to stay there and never leave. Odysseus manages to get his men away from the island, and they leave. Then the hero arrives at the home of Polyphemos. Polyphemos is a huge cyclops and also a cannibal. Odysseus and twelve of his men are trapped inside Polyphemos’ cave and can’t get out. Polyphemos comes back and eats some of the hero’s men. The next night Odysseus gets the cyclops drunk on wine, and when it falls asleep, Odysseus and his remaining men blind it with a large pole. He and his men barely escape with their lives and continue on the voyage. The hero soon lands on Aeolus’ island. (Aeolus is the Keeper of the Winds.) He helps Odysseus on his way by giving him the right winds to take him home to Ithaca. The hero gets within site of his home but a hurricane blows him all the way back to Aeolus’ island. This time Aeolus turns Odysseus away, and he is forced to continue his journey. The hero and his men next end up in the Land of the Midnight Sun, where the Laestrygonians live. The Laesrtygonians attack the men and sink eleven of the twelve ships. Only Odysseus’ ship and forty-four men escape to safety. This is one of the most painful tribulations Odysseus faces on his journey. Soon afterwards, Odysseus and his now small crew arrive on Circe’s island.

Elvis Essay -- essays research papers

On January 8, 1935 at 4:35 a.m., a little boy by the name of Elvis Aaron Presley was born to parents Vernon Elvis Presley and Gladys Love Presley in a two-room house located in Tupelo, Mississippi. Little did anyone know that this little boy would forever change the world of music and entertainment. Although this was a happy occasion for both of them, it was also a very sad one, too. Elvis had a twin brother, Jesse Garon Presley, who was stillborn just a couple of hours before Elvis himself was born. Elvis was named after his father, Vernon, and Vernon’s best friend, Aaron Kennedy. Elvis’s parents, Vernon and Gladys, married on June 17, 1933. Gladys was 21 and Vernon was only 17. His mother worked as a sewing machine operator while his father was farm hand. When Elvis was 3 years old, his father was convicted of forgery, along with two other men, for a hog they had sold. Vernon was sent to Parchman Prison where he served 9 months. Due to family hardships, Elvis and his family had to move to Memphis, Tennessee. Elvis was raised in a religious home. He grew up surrounded by gospel music. As a boy he sang with his local Assembly of God church choir, which emulated the style of African-American psalm singing. At age ten Elvis placed first in a school singing contest. He then began to teach himself the rudiments of the guitar. In 1949, Elvis was enrolled in the L.C. Humes High School in Memphis. The total combined salary of both his parents was a mere $35 dollars a week, but they managed. In 1953, Elvis graduated from high school and began working as a truck driver while he studied evenings to become an electrician. One day, while driving a truck for his company, Elvis noticed a sign that read, "Memphis Recording Service-Make Your Own Records. Four Dollars for Two Songs." This sign would change his life forever. II. Career Elvis decided he was going to record some songs for his mother as a birthday gift. Upon doing this, he impressed the studio manager with his unique vocal style. He demonstrated outstanding range and influences of African American music. This experience led Elvis to recordings with the studio’s owner, Sam Phillips through his record label, Sun Records. At the age of 21, he recorded his first songs for a major record label, the Radio Corporation of America (RCA). Included in these recordings, wa... ...is is regarded as one of the most important cultural figures of the twentieth century. So many people loved him, and he was an inspiration to many. IV. Comparison to an Important Person Today Elvis Presley was such a unique and influential person that it is hard to compare him to anyone today. In a way, he is in a class of his own. If he were to be compared to anyone in the spotlight today it would probably be someone like Garth Brooks. Garth Brooks is a country singer with thousands of fans around the world. Like Elvis, he has sold millions of records worldwide. Garth is in the music industry just like Elvis was. Although Garth is very popular, he cannot compare to the popularity of Presley. Presley still lives on as a legend today. He starred in 33 major motion pictures, and Garth hasn’t starred in any. It would be impressive to have someone in the spotlight today with the same fame and status as Elvis had. This concludes the story of the most famous and influential person of twentieth century popular culture. His name is Elvis Aaron Presley. His music and fame were, and still are, unprecedented. He is a legend that will forever live on in the hearts of many.

Mba Exam Papers in Operation and Production Management

i will give you full payment of 90 dollar if my below questions answers received from your side with chart and table where its required to fulfill my required. SUB: OPERATION MANAGEMENT 1. How would operations strategy for a service industry be different if any from that for a manufacturing industry? (It’s an example & explains) 2. Consider the following two mutually exclusive projects. The net cash flows are given below: NET CASH FLOWS years PROJECT A FROM PROJECT B 0 – Rs. 1,00,000 – Rs. 1,00,000/- 1 + Rs. 30,000 + Rs. 15,000/- 2 + Rs. 35,000 + Rs. 7,500/- 3 + Rs. 40,000 + Rs. 20,000/- 4 + Rs. 45,000 + Rs. 22,500/- 5 + Rs. 25,000/- 6 + Rs. 27,500/- 7 + Rs. 30,000/- 8 + Rs. 32,500/- If the desired rate of return is 10% which project should be chosen? 3. What are the levels of aggregation in forecasting for a manufacturing organization? How should this hierarchy of forecasts be linked and used? AN ISO 9001 : 2008 CERTIFIED INTERNATIONAL B-SCHOOL 4. How would fore casting be useful for operations in a BPO (Business processes outsourcing) unit? What factors may be important for this industry?Discuss. 5. A good work study should be followed by good supervision for getting good results. Explain with an example. 6. What is job evaluation? Can it be alternatively used as job ranking? How does one ensure that job evaluation evaluates the job and not the man? Explain with examples? 7. What is the impact of technology on jobs? What are the similarities between job enlargement & job rotation? Discuss the importance of training in the content of job redesign? Explain with examples? 8. What is internet connectivity? Feature article about  Production ManagementHow is it important in to days business would with respect to materials requirement planning & purchasing? Explain with examples? 9. Would a project management organization be different from an organization for regular manufacturing in what ways? Examples. 10. How project evaluation different from project appraisal? Explain with examples. SUBJECT: Production Management 1. What are the different types of production/operation system? Where would each one of them be applicable? Give practical examples. 2. What is flexibility in operations function?Can it be one of the strategic weapons? Explain your response. 3. What is the distinction between accounting profit & economic profit? How is such a distinction linked with the concept of opportunity cost? 4. What is the difference between the Scanlon & rucker plans? 5. Productivity improvement is not a one shot project Do you agree with this statement? Discuss 6. Is supply chain management a philo sophy? Discuss 7. What is the aim of production planning? 8. What is forecasting? Elements of forecasting & Methods of forecasting?

Crucible Analyzing John Proctor Essay

Analyzing John Proctor as a Tragic Hero In the Crucible, a play by Arthur Miller, John Proctor is the tragic hero. A tragic hero is defined as someone who has great courage that ends up dying at the end of the story. The reason John Proctor is the tragic hero of this play is because he has so much to lose. John Proctor fulfills my requirements of a tragic hero throughout the play. He decides to go to court and expose the girls. The girls turn on him and he gets accused. He is only trying to do well, but gets falsely accused. John Proctor is also a very intelligent man who can detect others as being fraudulent, however he questions his own moral. He questions himself because of his affair with Abigail which was his only flaw throughout the play. In spite of this I still consider him an honorable man. Another thing he did was save his wife from being put to death, and also refusing to confess practicing witchcraft. He proves he is a tragic hero when he explains to the judge that since he gave his soul to leave his name. With this plea, Proctor has eliminated all hopes of living and has established himself as the tragic hero. John Proctor is a man of sufficient stature in that he is given the choice to save himself at the end of the play, but does not. He does keep his affair secretive, but that is only thing that made him seem like the villain. He did not deserve to die at the end of the play, but that is one of the requirements to make him considered a tragic hero. Proctor serves as the voice of justice in the play. He came out and told everyone about Abigail falsely accusing others of being witches. He also came out and ripped the warrant and told the men to leave. In the end, he comes close to confessing being a witch but realizes it disgraces his good name, which is all his children will know him by. The issues leading to John Proctor’s death are not universal. I believe that he should not have been the one getting the punishment in the end, but that is why he is the tragic hero. Throughout the play he was a man of integrity and nobleness. He confessed to practicing witchcraft, in which he really  didn’t. This is why he died; saving his wife from death.

The Beautiful Country

Most people who live in the country dream of someday moving to the city and living a different life. Upon weighing the options, one may find that although sometimes boring, country life has much more to offer than city life such as better opportunities, better environment, and fresher food. The first advantage the country has over the city is greater oppurtunity. Although the city is filled with opportunities such as better education. The Country offers more of hands on experience while learning.The city is highly Populated, which makes it a lot harder to have any teacher to student bonding. However, in the country, less students are in each classroom, so it is easier for the teacher and student to interact. The jobs in the city are considered to be more mental than physical, which can cause mental strain on a person's mind. Although, in the country the jobs are more physical than mental. Physical work can cause pain in the long run, but mental strain has a higher risk to cause life threatening issues.When it comes down to making friends in the city a person has a low chance. The city has enough people to make friends, but most of the people in the city are too busy to take time out of their lifr to even introduce theirselves to one another. However, the country is filled with nice, friendly people that are looking forward to making new friends daily. A better environment is a huge benefit to living in the country. Living in the city, the view is usually the same no matter where you go. The buildings in the city seem never ending.The tallness of the buildings and the graffiti that usually cover them eliminate any chance of a good view outside your window. Because the city is lit up twenty-four hours a day, the chance of catching a glimpse of the stars is also very rare. The constant sound of sirens and car horns eliminate any possibility of a good night’s sleep as well. Pollution is also greater in the city than in the country. Because there are a lot mo re people in the city, there are many more cars on the road. There are also more factories for these people to work which also aids in the pollution in the city.In the country, there are hardly any tall buildings. Residents of the country can usually step outside of their home and see a long stretch of green grass. The stars are almost always shining at night and the only sounds one may here while trying to go to sleep are the crickets chirping. Pollution is a lesser issue in the country as well. There are fewer people in the country which means fewer cars on the road. Because many people have their own farmland and make money that way, the need for factories for jobs is not as great in the country.

Solution of Managerial Accounting

Chapter 5: Cost Behavior: Analysis and Use As we shall see in later chapters, the ability to predict how costs respond to changes in activity is critical for making decisions, controlling operations, and evaluating performance. Three major classifications of costs were discussed in this chapter—variable, fixed, and mixed. Mixed costs consist of variable and fixed elements and can be expressed in equation form as Y = a + bX, where X is the activity, Y is the cost, a is the fixed cost element, and b is the variable cost per unit of activity. Several methods can be used to estimate the fixed and variable cost components of a mixed cost using past records of cost and activity. If the relation between cost and activity appears to be linear based on a scatter graph plot, then the variable and fixed components of the mixed cost can be estimated using the quick-and-dirty method, the high-low method, or the least-squares regression method. The quick-and-dirty method is based on drawing a straight line and then using the slope and the intercept of the straight line to estimate the variable and fixed cost components of the mixed cost. The high-low method implicitly draws a straight line through the points of lowest activity and highest activity. In most situations, the least-squares regression method is preferred to both the quick-and-dirty and high-low methods. Computer software is widely available for using the least-squares regression method. These software applications provide a variety of useful statistics along with estimates of the intercept (fixed cost) and slope (variable cost per unit). Nevertheless, even when least-squares regression is used, the data should be plotted to confirm that the relationship is really a straight line. Managers use costs organized by behavior to help make many decisions. The contribution format income statement can aid decision making because it classifies costs by cost behavior (i. e. , variable versus fixed) rather than by the functions of production, administration, and sales. In this chapter, the following learning objectives will be covered: In this chapter, the following learning objectives will be covered: | |Understand how fixed and variable costs behave and how to use them to predict costs. | |[pic] | |[pic] | |[pic] | | | |Use a scattergraph plot to diagnose cost behavior. |[pic] | |[pic] | |[pic] | | | |Analyze a mixed cost using the high-low method. |[pic] | |[pic] | |[pic] | | | |Prepare an income statement using the contribution format. |[pic] | |[pic] | |[pic] | | | |(Appendix 5A) Analyze a mixed cost using the lea st-squares regression method. | Key terms: Account analysis  Ã‚   |A method for analyzing cost behavior in which an account is classified as either variable or fixed based on | | |the analyst's prior knowledge of how the cost in the account behaves. | |[pic] | |[pic] | |[pic] | |Activity base  Ã‚   |A measure of whatever causes the incurrence of a variable cost. For example, the total cost of X-ray film in a| | |hospital will increase as the number of X-rays taken increases. Therefore, the number of X-rays is the | | |activity base that explains the total cost of X-ray film. |[pic] | |[pic] | |[pic] | |Committed fixed costs  Ã‚   |Investments in facilities, equipment, and basic organizational structure that can't be significantly reduced | | |even for short periods of time without making fundamental changes. |[pic] | |[pic] | |[pic] | |Contribution approach  Ã‚   |An income statement format that organizes costs by their behavior. Costs are separated into variable and fixed| | |categories rather than being separated according to organizational functions. | |[pic] | |[pic] | |[pic] | |Contribution margin  Ã‚   |The amount remaining from sales revenues after all variable expenses have been deducted. |[pic] | |[pic] | |[pic] | |Cost structure  Ã‚   |The relative proportion of fixed, variable, and mixed costs in an organization. |[pic] | |[pic] | |[pic] | |Dependent variable  Ã‚   |A variable that responds to some causal factor; total cost is the dependent variable, as represented by the | | |letter Y, in the equation Y = a + bX. |[pic] | |[pic] | |[pic] | |Discretionary fixed costs  Ã‚   |Those fixed costs that arise from annual decisions by management to spend on certain fixed cost items, such as| | |advertising and research. |[pic] | |[pic] | |[pic] | |Engineering approach  Ã‚   |A detailed analysis of cost behavior based on an industrial engineer's evaluation of the inputs that are | | |required t o carry out a particular activity and of the prices of those inputs. |[pic] | |[pic] | |[pic] | |High-low method  Ã‚   |A method of separating a mixed cost into its fixed and variable elements by analyzing the change in cost | | |between the high and low activity levels. |[pic] | |[pic] | |[pic] | |Independent variable  Ã‚   |A variable that acts as a causal factor; activity is the independent variable, as represented by the letter X,| | |in the equation Y = a + bX. |[pic] | |[pic] | |[pic] | |Least-squares regression |A method of separating a mixed cost into its fixed and variable elements by fitting a regression line that | |method  Ã‚   |minimizes the sum of the squared errors. |[pic] | |[pic] | |[pic] | |Linear cost behavior  Ã‚   |Cost behavior is said to be linear whenever a straight line is a reasonable approximation for the relation | | |between cost and activity. |[pic] | |[pic] | |[pic] | |Mixed cost  Ã‚   |A cost that contains both variable and fixed cost ele ments. |[pic] | |[pic] | |[pic] | |Multiple regression  Ã‚   |An analytical method required when variations in a dependent variable are caused by more than one factor. |[pic] | |[pic] | |[pic] | |R 2  Ã‚   |A measure of goodness of fit in least-squares regression analysis. It is the percentage of the variation in | | |the dependent variable that is explained by variation in the independent variable. |[pic] | |[pic] | |[pic] | |Relevant range  Ã‚   |The range of activity within which assumptions about variable and fixed cost behavior are reasonably valid. |[pic] | |[pic] | |[pic] | |Step-variable cost  Ã‚   |The cost of a resource that is obtainable only in large chunks and that increases and decreases only in | | |response to fairly wide changes in activity. | Review Problem 1: Cost behavior Neptune Rentals offers a boat rental service. Consider the following costs of the company over the relevant range of 5,000 to 8,000 hours of operating time for the boats: |Hours of operating time | | |5,000 |6,000 |7,000 |8,000 | |Total costs: | | | | | |Variable costs |$20,000 |$ ? $ ? |$ ? | |Fixed costs |$1,68,000 |$ ? |$ ? |$ ? | |Total costs |$1,88,000 |$ ? |$ ? |$ ? | |Cost per hour: | | | | | |Variable cost |$ ? |$ ? |$ ? |$ ? | |Fixed cost |$ ? |$ ? |$ ? $ ? | |Total cost per hour |$ ? |$ ? |$ ? |$ ? | Required: Compute the missing amount assuring that cost behavior patterns remain same within the relevant range of 5,000 to 8,000 hours. Solution to Review Problem 1: Per Unit Variable Cost = 20,000/5,000= 4. 00 per Unit. |Hours of operating time | | |5,000hr 6,000hr |7,000hr |8,000hr | |Total Costs Variable costs |$20,000 |$24,000 |$28,000 |$32,000 | |Fixed costs |1,68,000 |1,68,000 |1,68,000 |1,68,000 | |Total costs |$1,88,000 |$1,92,000 |$1,96,000 |$2,00,000 | |Cost per hour: |$4. 0 |$4. 00 |$4. 00 |$4. 00 | |Variabl e cost | | | | | |Fixed cost |33. 60 |28. 00 |24. 00 |21. 00 | |Total cost per hour |$37. 60 |$32. 00 |$28. 00 |$25. 0 | Review problem 2: High Low Method The administrative of azalea hills hospitals would like a cost formula linking the costs involved in admitting patients to the number of patients admitted during a month. The admitting department’s costs and number of patients admitted during the immediately preceding eight month are given in the following table: |Month |number of patients |admitted dep. Costs | |May |1,800 |14,700 | |June |1,900 |15,200 | |July |1,700 |13,700 | |August |1,600 |14,000 | |September |1,500 |14,300 | |October |1,300 |13,100 | |Nov |1,100 |12,800 | |Dec |1,500 |14,600 | Required: 1. Use the high low method to establish the fixed and variable components of admitting costs. 2. Express the fixed and variable components of admitting costs as a formula in the linear equation form: Y= a+bx. Solution to Review Problem 2 1. |Number of Patients Admitted |Admitting Department cost | |High activity level (June) |$1,900 |15,200 | |Low activity level (November) |1,100 |12,800 | |Change |$800 |$2,400 | Variable cost per unit of activity: Variable Cost = 2,400 / 800 = 3 Fixed cost = Total cost – variable cost = 15,200 – (3*1,900) = 9,500 2. The cost formula expressed in the linear equation form is:Y= $9,500+$3X Problem 5-12 House of Organs, Inc purchases organs from a well-known manufacturer and sells them at the retail level. The organs sell, o n the average, for $2500 each. The average cost of an organ from the manufacturer is $1500. House of Organs, Inc has always kept careful records of its costs. The costs that the company incurs in a typical month are presented below in the form of a spreadsheet Costs |Cost Formula | |Selling: | |Advertising |$950 per month | |Delivery of organs |$60 per organ sold | |Sales salaries and commissions |$4,600 per month plus 4% interest | |Utilities |$650 per month | |Depreciation of sales facilities |$5,000 per month | |Administrative: | |Executive salaries |$13,500 per month | |Depreciation of equipment |$900 per month | |Clinical |$2,500 per month plus $40 per organ sold | |Insurance |$700 per month | During November, the company sold and delivered 60 organs. Required: 1. Prepare an income statement for November using the traditional format with costs organized by function. 2. Redo (1) above, this time using the contribution format with costs organized by behavior. Show costs and revenues on both a total and per unit basis down through contribution margin. 3. Refer to the income statement prepared in (2) above. Why might it be misleading to show the fixed costs on a per unit basis? Solution 5-12 1. House of Organs, Inc. Income Statement For the Month Ended November 30 |Sales (60 organs ? $2,500 per organ) | |$1,50,000 | |Cost of goods sold (60 organs ? 1,500 per organ) | |90,000 | |Gross margin | |60,000 | |Selling and administrative expenses: | | | |Selling expenses: | | | |Advertising |$  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  950 | | |Delivery of organs (60 organs ? $60 per organ) |3,600 | | |Sales salaries and commissions [$4,800 + (4% ? 150,000)] |10,800 | | |Utilities |650 | | |Depreciation of sales facilities |5,000 | | |Total selling expenses |21,000 | | |Administra tive expenses: | | | |Executive salaries |13,500 | | |Depreciation of office equipment |900 | | |Clerical [$2,500 + (60 organs ? 40 per organ)] |4,900 | | |Insurance |700 | | |Total administrative expenses |20,000 | | |Total selling and administrative expenses | |41,000 | |Net operating income | |$? 19,000 | 2. House of Organs, Inc. Income Statement For the Month Ended November 30 | |Total |Per Unit | |Sales (60 organs $2,500 per organ) |$1,50,000 |$2,500 | |Variable expenses: | | | |Cost of goods sold (60 organs ? $1,500 per organ) |90,000 |1,500 | |Delivery of organs (60 organs ? $60 per organ) |3,600 |60 | |Sales commissions (4% ? $150,000) |6,000 |100 | |Clerical (60 organs ? 40 per organ) |2,400 |40 | |Total variable expenses |1,02,000 |1,700 | |Contribution margin |48,000 |$  Ã‚  800 | |Fixed expenses: | | | |Advertising |950 | | |Sales salaries |4,800 | | |Utilities |650 | | |Depreciation of sales facilities |5,000 | | |Executive salaries |13,500 | | |Depreciation of office equipment |900 | | |Clerical |2,500 | | |Insurance |700 | | |Total fixed expenses |29,000 | | |Net operating income |$  19,000 | | 3. Fixed costs remain constant in total but vary on a per unit basis with changes in the activity level. Problem 5-15: High-Low Method, Predicting Cost Golden Company’s total overhead costs at various levels of activity are presented below: Month |Machine-Hours |Total Overhead Costs | |March |50,000 |$1,94,000 | |April |40,000 |1,70,200 | |May |60,000 |2,17,800 | |June |70,000 |2,41,600 | Assume that the overhead costs above consist of utilities, supervisory salaries, and maintenance. The breakdown of these costs at the 40000 machine-hour level of activity is as follows: |Utilities (variable)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. |$52,000 | |Supervisory salaries (fixed)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. |60,000 | |Maintenance (mixed)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. |58,200 | |Total overhead costs†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. $1,70,200 | The company wants to break down the maintenance cost into its basic variable and fixed cost elements. Required: 1. As shown above overhead costs in June amounted to $241600. Estimate how much of this consisted of maintenance cost. (Hint to do this, it may be helpful to first determine how much of the $241600 consisted of utilities and supervisory salaries. 2. Using the high-low method, estimate a cost formula for maintenance. 3. Express the company’s total overhead costs in the linear equation form Y=a+bx. 4. What total overhead costs would expect to be incurred at an operating activity level of 45000 machine-hours. Solution 5-15 . Maintenance cost at the 70,000 machine-hour level of activity can be isolated as follows: | |Level of Activity | | |40,000 MH |70,000 MH | |Total factory overhead cost |$1,70,200 |$2,41,600 | |Deduct: | | | |Utilities cost @ $1. 0 per MH* |52,000 |91,000 | |Supervisory salaries |60,000 |60,000 | |Total maintenance cost at the low activity level |$  58,200 |$  90,600 | |$58,200 | | | | | | | *$52,000 ? 40,000 = $1. 30 per MH 2. High-low analysis of maintenance cost: | |Maintenance Cost |Machine-Hours | |High activity level |$90,600 |70,000 | |Low activity level |58,200 |40,000 | |Change |$32,400 |30,000 | Variable cost per unit of activity: [pic] Total fixed cost: Therefore, the cost formula is $15,000 per month plus $1. 8 per machine-hour or Y = $15,000 + $1. 08X, where X represents machine-hours. 3. | |Variable Rate per Machine-Hour |Fixed Cost | |Maintenance cost |$1. 08 |$15,000 | |Utilities cost |1. 30 | | |Supervisory salaries cost | |60,000 | |Totals |$2. 8 |$75,000 | Therefore, the cost formula would be $75,000 plus $2. 38 per machine-hour, or Y = $75,000 + $2. 38X. 4. |Fixed costs |$? 75,000 | |Variable costs: $2. 38 per MH ? 45,000 MHs |1,07,100 | |Total overhead costs |$1,82,100 | Problem 5-17: High-Low Method cost of Goods Manufactured. NuWay. Inc, manufactures a single product. Selected data from the company’s cost records for two recent months are given below. |Level of Activity | | |July-Low | | |October-High | | | | |Number of units produced |9,000 | | |12,000 | |Cost of goods manufactured | | | |$2,85,000 | |Work in process inventory, beginning |3,90,000 | | | | |Work in process inventory, ending |14,000 | | |22,000 | |Direct materials cost per unit | | | |25,000 | |Direct labor cost per unit |15,000 | | | | |Manufacturing overhead cost, total |15 | |15 | | | | | |6 | | |6 | | | | | |? | |? | | | | The company’s manufacturing overhead cost consists of both variable and fixed cost elements. In order to have data available for planning, management wants to determine how much of the overhead cost is variable with units produced and how much of it is fixed per year. Required: 1. For both July and October, estimate the amount of manufacturing overhead cost added to production. The company had no under-or over applied overhead in either month. Hint: A useful way to proceed might be to construct a schedule of cost goods manufac tured. ) 2. Using the high low method of cost analysis, estimate a cost formula for manufacturing overhead. Express the variable portion of the formula in terms of a variable rate per unit of product. 3. If 9500 units were produced during a month, what would be the cost of goods manufactured? (Assume that the company’s beginning work in process inventory for the month is $16000 and that its ending work in process inventory is $19000. Also, assume that there is no under or over applied overhead cost for the month. Solution 5-17: High Low Method, COGM 1. Nu Way Inc. Schedule of Cost of Goods Manufactured |July—Low |October—High | | |9,000 Units |12,000 Units | |Direct materials cost @ $15 per unit |$1,35,000 | |$1,80,000 | | |Direct labor cost @ $6 per unit |54,000 | |72,000 | | |Manufacturing overhead cost |1,07,000 |* |1,31,000 |* | |Total manufacturing costs |2,96,000 | |3,83,000 | | |Add: Work in process, beginning |14,000 | |22,000 | | | |3,10,000 | |4,05,00 0 | | |Deduct: Work in process, ending |25,000 | |15,000 | | |Cost of goods manufactured |$2,85,000 | |$3,90,000 | | 2. | |Units Produced |Cost Observed | | |October—High level of activity |12,000 |$1,31,000 | | |July—Low level of activity |9,000 |1,07,000 | | |Change |3,000 |$  24,000 | [pic] |Total cost at the high level of activity |$1,31,000 | |Less variable cost element ($8 per unit ? 12,000 units) |96,000 | |Fixed cost element |$  Ã‚  35,000 | Therefore, the cost formula is: $35,000 per month plus $8 per unit produced, or Y = $35,000 + $8X, where X represents the number of units produced. 1. The cost of goods manufactured if 9,500 units are produced: Nu Way Inc. Schedule of Cost of Goods Manufactured |Direct materials cost (9,500 units ? $15 per unit) | |$1,42,500 | |Direct labor cost (9,500 units ? $6 per unit) | |57,000 | |Manufacturing overhead cost: | | | |Fixed portion |$35,000 | | |Variable portion (9,500 units ? 8 per unit) |76,000 |1,11,000 | |Total manufacturing costs | |3,10,500 | |Add: Work in process, beginning | |16,000 | | | |3,26,500 | |Deduct: Work in process, ending | |19,000 | |Cost of goods manufactured | |$3,07,500 | Edition 11: Problem 5-18: Marwicks pianos inc. purchase pianos from a large manf. And sells them at the retail level . the pianos cost on the average $2450 each from the mnf. Marwicks pianos inc. sell the pianos to its customers at an average price of $3125 each . the selling and adminis trative costs that the company incurs in a typical month are presented below: Costs |Cost Formula | |Selling | | |Advertising |$700 per month | |Delivery of organs |$30 per organ sold | |Sales salaries and commissions |$950 per month plus 4% interest | |Utilities |$350 per month | |Depreciation of sales facilities |$800 per month | |Administrative: | | |Executive salaries |$2,500 per month | |Depreciation of equipment |$400 per month | |Clinical |$1,000 per month plus $20 per organ sold | |Insurance |$300 per month | During august, marwicks pianos inc. sold and delivered 40 pianos REQUIRED: 1. Prepare income statement for marwicks pianos inc. for august. Use the traditional format, with cost organized by function. 2. Redo 1 above, this time using the contribution format, with cost organized by behavior. Show costs and revenues on both a total and a per unit basisdown through contribution margin. 3. Refer to the income statement you preferred in 2 above. Why might it be misleading to show the fixed costs on a per unit basis? Problem 5-19: Amfac comp. manf. A single product. The company keeps careful records of manufacturing activities from which the following inf. Have been extracted. |Level of Activity | | |March –low | | |June – high | | | | |Number of units produced |6,000 | | |9,000 | |Cost of goods manufactured | | | |$1,68,000 | |Work in process inventory, beginning |2,57,000 | | | | |Work in process inventory, ending |9,000 | | |32,000 | |Direct materials cost per unit | | |15,000 | |Direct labor cost per unit |21,000 | | | | |Manufacturing overhead cost, total |6 | | |6 | | | | | |10 | | |10 | | | | | |? | | |? | | | Required: For the both March and June, estimate the amount of manufacturing overhead cost added to production. The comp. had no under O. H . IN either month Using the high low method, estimate a cost formula for manf. O. H. expresses the variable portion of the formula in terms of a variable rate per unit of product. If 7000 units are produced during a month, what would be the cost of good manufacture? Work in process is same. Problem 5-24 High-Low Method; Predicting cost [L01, L03] Nova Company’s total overhead costs at various levels of activity are resented below: |Month |Machine-Hours |Total Overhead Costs | |April |70,000 |$1,98,000 | |May |60,000 |1,74,000 | |June |80,000 |2,22,000 | |July |90,000 |2,46,000 | Assume that total overhead costs above consist of utilities, supervisory salaries and maintenance. The breakdown of these costs at the 60,000 machine- hour level of activity is: |Utilities (variable)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. |$48,000 | |Supervisory salaries (fixed)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. |$21,000 | |Maintenance (mixed)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. |$1,05,000 | |Total overhead costs†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. |$1,74,000 | Nova Company’s management wants to break down the maintenance cost into its variable and fixed cost elements. Required: 1. Estimate how much of the $246,000 of overhead cost in July was maintenance cost. (Hint: to do this, it may be helpful to first determine how much of the $246,000 consisted of utilities and supervisory salaries. Think about the behavior of variable and fixed costs! ) 2. Using the high-low method, estimate a cost formula for maintenance. 3. Express the company’s total overhead costs in the linear equation form 4. Y=a + bX 5. What total over head costs would you expect to be incurred at an operating activity level of 75,000 machine-hours? ———————– Page4

An Essay On Metacognition

Humans are naturally curious beings. This curiosity occasionally generates interest into why we think a certain way. What compels us to value one thing over another? Why are some of us naturally better at a certain subject than others? All of these questions are topics that metacognitive research has strived to answer. Metacognition is the awareness and understanding of one’s own thought processes, or, in other words, what we think about thinking. Metacognition has been a topic that has not generated much study until the 1970s, but at that point most of the research was geared towards the memory aspects of metacognition instead of applied use (Sieck 2013). Over the last forty years, there has been a significant increase in the amount of studies conducted on metacognition, but that number is nowhere near the amount that it should be. There are so many ways in which increased study on metacognition can improve our day-to-day lives, as John Flavell said, the ideas brewing in the area of metacognition could someday be used to teach â€Å"children (and adults) to make wise and thoughtful life decisions as well as to comprehend and learn better in formal educational settings† (Sieck 2013). To this end is why it is crucial for the Department of Neuroscience to allocate more funds towards increased research on metacognition, specifically towards how metacognition can assist depressed people in getting rid of unwanted thoughts. The practical applications of metacognitive research are still being discovered. In a study conducted by German scientist Markus Paulus, he and his team discovered that older subjects were more prone to display significant developmental effects in recalling information, compared to a younger age group (Paulus 2014). Paulus shows us how as people grow older, their rate of learning grows as well. Human curiosity is a part of this too, while children can display signs of wondering about oneself, these signs are far more prominent in older people. It has long been thought that the education of our youth should be one of humanity’s foremost priorities, and methods to improve said education should be at the forefront of our minds. What hope do we as a species have if our youth do not surpass us in many ways? This thinking is what caused researcher Bennett Schwartz to conduct a study to discover the implications of metacognition for student learning. Schwartz decided to focus his research on how metacognition can â€Å"influence decisions about studying and how we might use [metacognition] to improve our learning efficiency† (Schwartz 2012). Schwartz discovered that the preconceptions students have towards whether or not something deserves to be studied are usually overconfident, and in many cases â€Å"fail to reflect variables† that could improve efficiency. His findings on how metacognition can affect the education of the youth, mainly the efficiency with which to study, will help said youth become more we ll-organized and disciplined in the future. We do not yet know the full extent to how metacognition affects our moods, but with further study this knowledge can be easily attained. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America found that one in eight children are affected with some form of anxiety. They also found that Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) affects 6.8 million American adults (Anxiety and Depression†¦). If the Department of Neuroscience would allocate more funds towards research on metacognition, we could study more the application of using metacognition to change the way we think. This would further allow us to better treat all the people with some form of depression or anxiety, maybe even going so far as to completely eradicating the disorder from human life. Without further research, we will never know the extent to which metacognition can help people. There is much that is yet to be known about metacognition, because, we still do not understand much about the science behind our thinking. The age-old argument of nurture vs. nature continues to go on, and increased research towards metacognition would go a long way towards possibly settling that argument for good. As you can see, allocating the grant money towards amplified metacognition research would be one of the best choices the Department of Neuroscience could do as improved knowledge of metacognition would allow there to be no limit to what humans could do. Once we learn how we learn, we will be able to learn even more efficiently. References Sieck W. 2013 Feb 13. Metacognition is Knowing Your Mind [Internet]. Global Cognition; [2013 Feb 13, cited 2014 Sep 18]. Available from: http://www.globalcognition.org/head-smart/metacognition-is-knowing-your-mind/ Paulus M, Tsalas N, Proust J, Sodian B. 2014. Metacognitive monitoring of oneself and others: Developmental changes during childhood and adolescence. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology [Internet] [2014 Jun 1, cited 2014 Sep 5] 122:153-165. Available from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022096513002749 Schwartz B, Efklides A. 2012. Metamemory and memory efficiency: Implications for student learning. Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition [Internet]. [2012 Sep 6, cited 2014 Sep 6] 1(3):145-151. Available from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211368112000617 Anxiety and Depression Association of America [Internet]. Silver Spring(MD):Anxiety and Depression Association of America; [cited 2014 Sep 28] . Available from: http://www.adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics