Thursday, December 26, 2019

Valued Historical Cost Example For Free - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 8 Words: 2322 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? It is a system of accounting which is based on the principle that assets should be valued at historical cost or historical cost is the original monetary value of an economic item. Historical cost is based on the stable measuring unit assumption. In some circumstances, assets and liabilities may be shown at their historical cost, as if there had been no change in value since the date of acquisition. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Valued Historical Cost Example For Free" essay for you Create order The balance sheet value of the item may therefore differ from the true value. It is relaxed to some extent by such practices as the valuation of stock at the lower of cost and net realizable value and, revaluation of fixed assets. The advantages of historical-cost accounting are that it is relatively objective, easy to apply, difficult to falsely manipulate, and suitable for audit verification. In times of high inflation, however, the results of historical-cost accounting can be misleading as profit can be overstated, assets understated in terms of current values, and capital maintenance is only concerned with the nominal amount of the capital invested rather than its purchasing power. Because of these defects it is argued that historical-cost accounting is of little use for decision making, but attempts to replace it with such other methods as current-cost accounting have failed. Conventionally financial accounts are based on historic cost; that is, assets are valued in the balance sheet at their cost of acquisition. Expenses are also charged against revenues in the determination of profit based upon the historic cost of the assets used up in generating the revenues. This system was developed long ago during decades of relatively stable price levels and continued to be used before the consequences of inflation on the preparation of financial accounts were recognised. The principle advantage claimed for historical cost accounting (HCA) (and incidently until the development of CPP and CCA accounting was simply referred to as accounting, it only being recently that the traditional form of accounting has been distinguished by calling it HCA) is that it enables the preparation of accounts on an objective basis. However, it will suggest that in considering techniques for allowing for inflation the accounting profession should not be eager to let objectivity be the overriding consideration when formulating ground rules for the preparation of financial statements, since even the existing system of HCA frequently proves to be wanting as far as the possibility of achieving pure objectivity is concerned. Current cost measurements may provide useful information about assets that are held by a business as well as those that are used or sold. If the current cost that is the specific price of an asset has increased, it may be because the asset can be used to earn more than previously therefore people are willing to pay more. Thus, increase in the current cost of assets held by a company may provide a clue to the increases in the cash flow and earnings that the assets will be able to generate in the future. It is likely to be a better basis for assessing future cash flow than historical cost information but it must be interpreted with an appreciation of the economics of the industry in which the business concerned operates. Purchasing Power of Money Under inflation (or deflation) the value of money, its general purchasing power, is the reciprocal or the general level of prices. If all prices rise at the same rate, the holder of a given set of goods would gain by the rise in price and lose by the fall in the value of the money unit in which prices are expressed; the gain and the loss would be offsetting. But nothing would offset the loss in the purchasing power of money in respect of net monetary items (cash and receivables less payables), which are commonly exchangeable at their nominal amounts. In the more general case, the prices of non-monetary assets do not vary uniformly, nor consistently with changes in the value of money; and the asset compositions of firms, as between monetary and non-monetary assets, vary. These variations have differential impacts on firms. Further, a change in the price of any good may be in part due to a change in the relativities of the prices of goods, and in part due to a change in the general purchasing power of money. To what extent those changes affect severally any pri ce is unknown, even to buyers and sellers; and they, in any case, deal on the basis of prices as they stand from time to time whatever their causes. But periodical income calculation was different matter. To know what person could consume or firms could distribute in a period without impairing their financial capitals would be a guide to prudent behavior. According to Sweeney advanced stabilized accountingfor that purpose (various papers, and in 1936, Stabilised Accounting). Stabilised accounting dealt with income calculation by reference to the maintenance of real capital, dated general purchasing power, deriving the stabilized accounts from customary HCA accounts by use of a general price index. Such schemes would later be called Current Purchasing Power or CPP accounting. HCA does not yield a balance sheet representing the moneys worth of non-monetary assets. Where depreciation charges are based on calculations and inventory charges are based on any such rule as valuation a t the lower of cost and market, neither those charges nor the resulting asset balances are price indicative of moneys worth. Only to dated selling prices and dated amounts of net monetary assets may a price index be applied, if the object is to discover a present purchasing power equivalent of an opening stock of general purchasing power equivalent of an opening stock of general purchasing power, and then a gain or loss on the change in the value of money. Another main criticism of historical accounting method is its obvious flaws in times of inflation. The validity of historic accounting rests on the assumption that the currency in which transactions are recorded remains stable, i.e. its purchasing power remains the same over a period of time. Another main point with regards to inflation is rise in prices for an asset. An asset purchased at a point in time may be expensive in future. The traditional accounting principles record all assets at an original cost and continue to use these historic figures throughout the assets life, while economists make a more intelligible assumption that money has a time-value attached to it. (Thompson, 2010, pp.1) (https://eduarticles.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-historical-cost-accounting) Changes in Prices of Inventories and Property, Plant and Equipment Held Changes in the current costs of inventories, property, plant and equipment while they are held awaiting use or sale are often called holding gains or holding losses. They arise under the current cost approach. For example; Current cost operating income of $0.80, the company would have a nominal holding gain of $0.20 because the current cost of the inventory item increased from $1.00 to $1.20 while the company held it. Of the $0.20 holding gain, it may be said the $0.10 corresponds to or represents the effect of general inflation of 10% and the remaining of $0.10 represent a holding gain net of inflation, some times referred to as a real holding gain or a constant dollar holding gain. Holding gains (or losses) may be either realized-meaning that the asset has been sold or used or they would be unrealized which mean that the asset is still held by the company. Realized holding gains are included in operatin g income in the basic (historical cost) financial statements but they are not shown separately. These gains include what are often called inventory profits. Unrealized holding gains are not reflected or included in the traditional income statement. Further, the realized holding gains that are included are those realized in the current period, without regard to whether they result from price changes in the current period. Under current cost accounting in Statement 33, realized and unrealized holding gains and losses that result from changes in the current period in prices of inventory and property, plant and equipment are reported as increases and decreases in current cost amounts. Holding gains or losses are generally excluded from operating income. Gain or Loss in Purchasing Power on Net monetary Items This component may be described in various ways, such as gain from decline in purchasing power of net amounts owed or loss from decline in purchasing power of net monetary a ssets held. In this book we will refer to it simply as the monetary gain or loss; it is a measure of the effect of holding monetary assets or liabilities. Monetary assets include cash and claims to receive a fixed amount of money (such as receivables). Holders of monetary assets experience a loss of purchasing power due to inflation because the amount of goods and services that can be bought with a fixed sum is reduced by inflation. Monetary liabilities are obligations to pay fixed amounts of money in the future. A borrower experiences a gain from inflation because the fixed amount of money required to repay the loan diminishes in purchasing power. A brief example illustrates this point. Suppose that a company holds cash of $1.00 throughout a year while the CPI increases by 10% so that dollar will buy less at year-end than it would have bought on January 1. A 10 percent increase in the CPI will indicates that it would take $1.10 at year end to match the purchasing power of the or iginal $1.00. Therefore, the company lost $0.10 worth of purchasing power measured in end of year dollar. Companies that have more monetary assets than liabilities will show a net loss of purchasing power when there is inflation. If deflation occurred- if the general level of prices fell- they would have a gain. A majority of nonfinancial companies (that is, excluding banks, insurance companies, etc) have more monetary liabilities than assets. However, Historical cost accounts, in general, simply show the acquisition cost or the depreciated historical cost of a companys assets and not their current value, let alone the value of the company as a whole. Therefore, historical cost accounting do not provide an absolute measure of success of the company. In times of inflation such companies show a net gain in purchasing power, reflecting the fact that they will be able to repay with dollars of reduced purchasing power. In addition effects of inflation may not be the same for all th e companies in the market and historical cost accounts become almost unhelpful when comparing corporate performance. Causes of Price Level Changes It is useful to ask whether price level changes come solely from inflationary or deflationary effects. And the answer would be no and it is found that price level changes are made up from three major components. These are: scarcity ,i.e. supply and demand factors; changes in technology and cost factors. From the combination of the effects of these three factors will come the total price level change in which it is virtually impossible to isolate completely any effects of the other factors from inflationary or deflationary component. Because any of these factors may be working on price levels even in times of general price stability there will still be changes in relative prices. For example, The retail price index might remain stable, yet there may have been an increase in the price of services, an area where production is generally labour intensive, which was compensated for by decrease in the price of consumer durables, produced using capital intensive methods of production. Thus it becomes important that any system developed to adjust accounts for changes in price levels must be able to cope with the possibility of prices in different factor and product groupings changing at different rates. In taxation also can be impact or affect the historical cost accounting, for example, the company tax charge is based on its the accounting profit, the higher the amount and that will be paid in tax. The historical cost accounting does not constitute a suitable basis for the computation of the taxation obligation of business. However, the use of historical cost accounting as the basis for taxation it means that in period of rising prices the proportion of the increase in companys wealth which is taken by taxation might be very much larger than that which is implied by the nominal rate of taxation. For example, the ra pid of inflation of the mid-1970 made government and others very much aware of the inadequacy of historical cost accounting for the purpose of taxation. Edwards Bell proposed the separation of gains (or losses) into operating and holding gains. Holding gains, said to be capital gains, are the differences between selling prices while goods are held. Current operating profit is the difference between the prices at which goods are sold and their current costs at the time of sale, aggregates of both of which were said to be expressed in average of the year dollars (currency). The distinction was made necessary by the determination to distinguish current operating profit, realisable cost savings, realise cost savings and capital gains and to calculate realised profit and business profit, two concepts of money profit. Also which given the occurrence of inflation, price level changes were considered to play a subsidiary role. Inflation gave rise to fictional gains or losses which had t o be eliminated to obtain real realised profit and real business profit. They also rejected HCA and CPP, in favour of recording particular price changes as they occur (Edwards Bell, 1961, p.17). They considered firms as adaptive entities in an uncertain world, adjusting their operations and arrangements to shifts in the price-indications of changes in internal and external conditions. The options for discovering the consequences of past decision/event (Historical cost) they considered to be the exit prices and the entry prices (current costs) of assets at the terminal dates of successive periods. The use of exit prices would said realizable profit and the use of entry prices would be a business profit.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Managerial Accounting Quizes and Midterm Essay example

| Question : | (TCO 2) Bubba’s Crawfish Processing Company uses a traditional overhead allocation based on direct labor hours. For the current year overhead is estimated at $2,250,000 and direct labor hours are budgeted at 415,000 hours. Actual overhead was $2,200,000 and actual direct labor hours worked were 422,000. (a) Calculate the predetermined overhead rate. (b) Calculate the overhead applied. (c) Determine the amount of overhead that is over/underapplied. | | | Student Answer: | | a) Calculate the predetermined overhead rate. 2250000/415000 = 5.4217 per hour (b) Calculate the overhead applied. 422000 x 5.4217 = 2287952 (c) Determine the amount of overhead that is over/under applied. 2287952-2200000 = 87952 over†¦show more content†¦Beginning balance in Finished Goods $ 17,000 Ending balance in Finished Goods 15,200 Beginning balance in Work in Process 2,500 Ending balance in Work in Process 1,836 Selling expenses 123,000 General and administrative expenses 89,000 Direct material cost 54,500 Direct labor cost 66,000 Manufacturing overhead 21,400 Sales 385,000 Prepare a schedule of cost of goods manufactured. | | | Student Answer: | | Snappy’s Surgical shears Company Cost of Goods Manufactured Schedule For the Month Ending in January 31, 20XX Direct Material $54,500 Direct Labour $66,000 Manufacturing Overhead $21,400 Total manufacturing cost $141,900 Add : Work in process inventory (Beginning) $2,500 Less : Work in process inventory (Ending) -$1,836 Cost of goods manufactured for the month $142,564 | | Instructor Explanation: | Sappy’s Surgical Shears Schedule

Monday, December 9, 2019

Case study on tata nano free essay sample

Sunsilk was introduced in 1989 in Pakistan with three variants related to hair types. Endorsement of a hair stylist was the first step in building the image of the brand as a hair care expert. With the competition from local and multinational companies due to rationalization of excise duties, Sunsilk has not been able to gain the desired share in the market. To strengthen the brand, LBPL decided to re-launch Sunsilk with a premium range consisting of four variants in January 2000. In 2001, due to the constant research of their affiliated hair care institutes, the need of a shampoo for oily hair was observed and they launched a new variant of Sunsilk having citrus extracts. 1. 2 Background: LBPL, the largest consumer goods producing company in Pakistan, was incorporated here in 1948 and started building their factory at Rahim Yar Khan. This factory was inaugurated formally in 1951 by the then Governor General of Pakistan. LBPL moved into the personal care product business in 1981. It has gained a major market share due to the introduction of quality brands likeSunsilk, Lifebuoy, Lux and Fair Lovely. Lever Brothers was the recipient of Management Association of Pakistan (MAP) and Karachi Stock Exchange awards in recognition of its performance. For the purpose of MAP award, it was judged the best among the companies that have performed well in the areas of Financial Discipline, Management practices such as Risk Management, Corporate Governance, Social Responsibility and Research Development. Lever Brothers is committed to investment and modern production facilities thereby contributing to economic growth and employment opportunities. 1. 3 Statement of Problem: Their main target market is females between the ages group 16-40 belonging to the two upper income classes. But in their promotional activities, they cover the whole market irrespective of these classes. Competitors’ Review: The major competitor of Sunsilk in the rural areas is Bio Amla while in the urban areas, Sunsilk faces cutthroat competition with PG. The main advantage of Bio Amla is its Herbal composition and low price, which attract the rural market, but in terms of quality, they are far behind Sunsilk. In urban areas, Sunsilk is acting as a market challenger against PG. Sunsilk has got the advantage of keeping their prices lower than PG shampoos but PG has captured a bigger share of the market due to its intense promotional activities. 1. 4 Objectives of the study: 1. To carry out the review of literature on brand, brand awareness and consumer behavior. 2. To study the socio economic characteristics of women consumers in Bangalore. 3. To identify the factors influencing brand awareness of Sunsilk shampoo. 4. To identify and interpret the factors involved in quality and benefits offered in the shampoo product. 5. To know the impact of brand awareness in sales improvement of the shampoo product. 1. 5 Research Methodology: Literature survey has been carried out using research journals, books and websites. Socio economic stratum of women consumers have been identified using socio economic classification grid during personal interview at individual households. Factors influencing brand awareness of shampoo products have been analyzed with the data collected from questionnaire. Comparative study has been carried out based on advertisement awareness with the competitor. Pareto analyses have been used to identify the major quality problems in the shampoo product. 1. 6 Company Objectives: Neither our own nor our major competitors’ objectives are simple or obvious. There are many choices between short term and long-term profit, between growth and cash flow, between growth in assets and growth in earnings, between proportions of earnings paid to share holders as dividends or reinvested. It is reasonable to assume that these different objectives of different competitors predetermine some of their strategies and tactical behavior. Assess the concept of product acceptability, credibility and perceived benefits. Examine consumer’s assessment of the product, in terms of product performance and related benefits. Explore consumers’ reaction towards packaging. Understand consumers’ perception of quality advertisement in terms of its impact. 2. Chapter II 2. 1 Mission Statement: The New Sunsilk Shampoo aims at fulfilling the needs of its target market by offering a high quality, assessment of the concept in terms of its acceptability, credibility and perceived benefits, that it offers a healthy choice shampoo alternative to the targeted consumer. The theme of the product shall be anchored around the motto: â€Å"Softness, shine and manageability of Hair† Figure 1 2. 2 Packaging: The packaging design for the New Sunsilk range is extremely exciting and has been developed by Brown Inc. UK. The packaging makes the brand look expert and modern. This packaging makes the brand look more contemporary and hi-tech. It ensures more emphasis on the variants that have already been a part of the product but never been communicated to the customer that well. This new packaging has clearly identified that there is a separate product for each hair type. Currently, the range consists of: Yellow Sunsilk with Bio Proteins from Vegetable Extracts: Normal hair needs wholesome nourishment. New Sunsilk with Bio Protein extracted from Vegetable milk has nutrients that deeply penetrate each hair strand, to nourish it leaving hair strong and beautiful. Black Sunsilk with Melanin from Plant Extracts: Dull hair needs a rich black shine. New sunsilk with Melanin extracted from plants serves this purpose very effectively. It helps in the growth and retention of the black color of hair, giving it a rich black shine. . Green Sunsilk with Fruitamins Vitamins from fruit Extracts: Thin and limp hair needs extra body and volume. New sunsilk with Fruitamins has natural extracts from fruit that contains Vitamins. These vitamins help in giving extra body, shine and amazing manageability to the thinning and lifeless hair. Pink Sunsilk with essential Oils from Flower Extracts: Dry hair needs wholesome conditioning, extra shine and styleability. New Sunsilk with essential oils makes the dry hair full of life. Its especial ingredients moisturize each hair right to its tips leaving it shiny and beautiful. Orange Sunsilk with active nutrients from Citrus Extracts: The advanced formula of orange Sunsilk is the result of the latest research. This shampoo is especially designed for oily hair type that looks flat and greasy due to the excess of moisture. New sunsilk with active ingredients from citrus extracts cleans the excess oil off hair while its nutrients deeply penetrate each hair strand to nourish it. Customer Review of Product Usage Figure 2 2. 3 Pricing Objectives: Lever claims to practice value-based pricing in which the customers’ perception of the product’s price provides a starting point for developing the marketing mix of the product. The research department determines this price usually by using focus groups. The price of RS 3 for Sunsilk shampoo sachets shows how the price also reflects a concern to make the purchase more convenient, since the rupee is dominated in this value. The primary importance of this value-based pricing is that the product demand will be much higher if its price is in line with the customer’s perception of its value. One crucial concern for value-based pricing is strict management of cost in order to be able to make a profit at the value-based price. After the initial price is determined, Lever then uses target costing in order to achieve the required profits. With the marketing plan now being termed as ‘Annual Contract’ the importance of meeting the profit margin requirements has increased. Target costing thus provides an essential tool to manage cost effectively. The characteristic of monopolistic competition typifying the market sets the threshold for pricing. This market consists of many buyers and sellers trading over a range of prices. The key element is differentiation, which allows the seller to gain market share in contrast to competitors. Given this market condition, Lever differentiates its products and also sells them in different price ranges to cover at least a large portion of the market. Also this makes Lever more sensitive to price changes of competitors’ products. Last year PG revised their prices which has increased the prices of their shampoos considerably but Sunsilk has maintained its prices and their prices are much lower than PGs’, which is a major blow to PG because being a poor country people go for products which are within the range of Rs. 100. Figure 3 2. 4 Promotion objectives: Build top of the line consumers’ awareness. Creating a personality of the brand. Besides having these general objectives, the advertising objectives are set avoiding to the advertising strategy for each product, e. g. Sunsilk advertising objectives since it was being re-launched were: To increase the usage. Conditioning benefits. Makes the hair appear clean and shiny. Imparts a feeling of freshness-due to fragrance. Easy to manage, silky, soft hair. Unique shampoo for every hair type. Effectively communicate brand promise. 2. 5 Advertisement objectives: The advertisement of a product should follow the smile approach that is: S Simple M Memorable I Interesting with relevant information L Linked to the brand E Emotionally involved and liked. The advertisement should be in line with the past ad (if any). The ad should have a good advertising idea. Advertising should meet the brief Message clearly communicated Advertising should fit the brands personality An add is usually changed after 18 months TARP(Target Audience Rating Points) 2. 6 Advertising strategy: A product’s particular advertising strategy also depends on the level of competition involved with each product. For example shampoo ads previously used to provide emotional benefits but when PG entered the shampoo market with it’s shampoo Pantene, it revamped the whole situation, Pantene ads promoted the shampoo’s functional benefits, which greatly appealed the consumers. Levers seeing this trend changed its advertising strategy for Sunsilk so that Sunsilk advertisements also promoted the shampoo’s functional benefits. Thus Lever evaluates the product’s present position in the market, the promotion objectives it wants to achieve and the level of competition involved while setting the advertising strategy for a product. Elida Hair Institute does a lot of research and they come up with innovation in the product. Elida provides credibility that Sunsilk is not locally made but it is based on a lot of research by internationally accredited institutions. Lever believes that messages about product delivered by credible sources can be very persuasive. Hence Nabila who is an hair care expert endorses Sunsilk and more value is added to the brand. Consumers relate to products itself, they can relate to a human being who consumers believe is an expert so if Nabila is an expert so is Sunsilk. Nabila a recognised and highly qualified hair stylist is used by Sunsilk in its ads because they want to bring out an expert’s image. Sunsilk has come up with a new promotional campaign GOOD HAIR DAYS in six major cities in collaboration with famous hair stylists of the country. 2. 7 Advertising Evaluation: Lever also carriers out on extensive evaluation process. Target audience rating points are used to evaluate a product. Households are monitored in various cites to get consumers response and feedback. R-Lintas carriers out in own evaluation proceeds for its advertisement. Weekly figures are presented by research department. Regarding sales which have been carried out by extensive surveys. Products manager themselves have to visit the Consumers’ View of Sunsilk Advertisements Figure 4 2. 8 Distribution Objective: â€Å"To reach as many towns and villages as we can† Lever has 150 distributors whose function is to sell to wholesalers directly. There are different distributors for different areas. They are carefully selected and their performance is constantly evaluated. They appear extremely satisfied with their channel systems and have a good rapport with them. We feel that this is essential since these are not too many levels, thereby preventing channel complexity and allowing Lever greater control. Lever’s statements were verified by our consumer survey, which revealed that the retailers were very satisfied with Lever’s distribution system, which allowed well-stocked shelves. This is an added advantage, since the consumers undergo habitual buying behavior. Sunsilk has a very good distribution network all over the country. They have struggled hard to adopt such channels that guarantee the perfect results regarding the placement of their product. These distributors are given clear instructions regarding the selection of the retailer and to make sure that the retailer; Knows about the significant characteristics of the product. Places the product along with its major competitors like PG. Displays the sachets distinctly. They give off and on offers as trade promotion incentives to their distributors. The distributors contribute to the promotion of Sunsilk by word of mouth. 2. 8. 1 Strengths Lever Brothers Pakistan Limited is one of the largest organizations in Pakistan. Company has advanced technology and well skilled professionals. The New Sunsilk Shampoo is a high quality product in terms of hair protection. The target market is educated, professionals and belongs to premium and middle class. Company totally owned, systematic distribution network, transparent communication system. Participative management style Very good distribution network all over Pakistan, in all major and small cities. 2. 8. 2 Weaknesses: Competitor has strong promotional activities. Imported brands also available in the market. Customers are offered better alternatives by the competition. 2. 8. 3 Opportunities: Population expanding at a rapid rate. Consumers are becoming more quality conscious Current capacity utilization is 80%, which can be further broadened with the increase in demand. Customer base is increasing with effective marketing. Baby shampoo is another area where Lever Brothers can make huge gains. Shampoo plus conditioner and anti-dandruff shampoos are another area where lever brothers can earn huge profits. Rural areas are a large prospective market where they can introduce Sunsilk. 2. 8. 4 Threats: Political and Economic factors. Partial Government policies. High rate of competition. Local and Foreign competition. Smuggling via Afghan Trade Transit is one of the big hurdles faced by Sunsilk. Supplies from Indonesia and Thailand is another important issue. 3. Chapter III 3. 1 Summary: This marketing plan forms the basis of the introduction of an innovative and unique productby Sunsilk. The analysis allows us to the best strategies to help our product be successfulwith the internal and external environments which we have analyzed at our bestunderstanding. Sunsilk Hair Colour Shampoo will be marketed as a unique and convenientproduct for consumers who need and want to colour their hair. And we would like tomaintain the company’s status as the 2nd brand leader in hair care industry in Pakistan. Themarketing strategies will enable us to reach the target sale ofRs 50 million by end of first year and also bring awareness to the consumers in the sixmonths about the new product, and reach at least 80% consumers in Pakistan. The hair colourindustry is currently in the growth stage and the number of people who wish to colour theirhair is growing day by day. Customer have been introduced by hair colouring products andthere is a existing industry for colour in Pakistan, but Sunsilk Hair colour Shampoo is a newinnovative product which is convenient for consumers to use and also less harmful then otherproducts available. IntroductionThis plan has been prepared as an assignment for Marketing Strategies and Operations classat London Business School of Finance. The plan will provide background information aboutthe current environment in which Hair colour products are operating in Pakistan. It will alsodiscuss the present state of hair colour products in general, which will include information onthe company and its interest in extending product range in Pakistan, and give a broader ideaof how the brand will be introduced and marketed in the current environment. Company BackgroundSunsilk is a product of United Kingdom, which was launched in 1954. Sunsilk wasintroduced by Unilever (LBPL), who are the largest consumer goods producing company inPakistan, especially in personal care products. Unilever was found in 1930 by AntoniusJohannes Jurgens and William Hulme Lever. It was incorporated here in 1948 at Rahim YarKhan. Sunsilk was introduced in 1989 in Pakistan with three different types of shampoos fordifferent hair texture. Getting Support from hair stylist was the first step in constructing theimage of the brand as a hair care expert. In beginning of introduction of Sunsilk brand, it wasbeing raided by other competitors, in which, sunsilk was not able to gain the desired share inthe market 3. 2 CONCLUSION The survey helped in understanding the consumer perception on brand awareness and position of product in the market. It was observed that consumer’s expectations were, Quality, benefits offered and packaging of shampoo product. Based on the results obtained, integrated marketing communication was suggested, as a result an improvement of 8% to 12. 6% was observed in target population. Lagging quality Attributes have been identified for the improvement of sales by 45. 39%. Suggestions towards improving brand awareness through quality attributes have been made. 3. 3 Recommendations: Lever, Pakistan realizes the huge potential of the rural markets, i. e. 72% of the total population, but has not yet developed a successful strategy to penetrate this market. The success of Levers Hindustan should be emulated, which has successfully captured the rural market by two key strategies; firstly, by developing a strong distribution infrastructure and secondly, by adapting the packaging and pricing to this market. Lever should increase the buying of raw materials from local markets so that it does not have to suffer excessively from devaluation and continuous increase in tariff rates. This would also negate the adverse affect on sales volume due to smuggled foreign product. Lever should introduce a smaller (100 ml) pack of Sunsilk shampoo in order to capture the lower income segment. Lever should enter into WEB Marketing. The Legacy Soccer Foundation sponsored mainly by Levers, should be emulated by Levers Pakistan in the area of cricket since it is the most popular sport in Pakistan. Levers could also provide consumers with a hot line number where they can call in to complain or to ask specific questions about Lever’s products. These hot line numbers can also advise consumers about their hair type and other hair related queries. Such a strategy would highlight Levers concern for the public as well as helping it to gain market share. They should increase the frequency of their advertisements on electronic and print media. They should introduce 2 in 1 composition, i. e. shampoo plus conditioner which is the demand of a huge potential market.

Monday, December 2, 2019

The Medias Influence on Adolescents Body Image free essay sample

An analysis of the effects of media on the appearance of adolescents. This paper takes a look at how the media influences the way adolescents view the ideal body image. The author examines the type of stereotypes that the media encourages and the way that this effects society. Adolescence is a time for learning and growth. This time can be easier to handle by some than others. For some it can be a revelation of new experiences and ideas, while adolescence can also be a difficult, stressful time for those trying to discover themselves. This can affect themselves as well as those around them. During this time, adolescents are likely to identify with those around them, their peers. Identifying with peers can help adolescents along by giving them the opportunity to see how others deal with problems similar to their own and by offering their own advice to those who need it. We will write a custom essay sample on The Medias Influence on Adolescents Body Image or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Along with this, adolescents are liable to worry about their body image, and may want to conform to those who have achieved the desired image. This image may be thin, muscular, or just average. Nevertheless, some adolescents will go too far to achieve this image, usually this is done by adolescent females who wish to become thin. This can be attributed to medias portrayal of women. The majority of women in ads, television and movies are thin and are seen as attractive because of this. Adolescent girls will see these women and may want their image as their own, and some will go to any lengths to acquire this. This in turn could lead to the idea that during this process of change and growing up, adolescents are often concerned about their physical image, which is influenced by the media.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

How To Say But in Spanish

How To Say But in Spanish Although pero and sino are the most common words translated from Spanish as but, they are used in different ways and cannot be substituted for each other. Like but often is,  pero and sino are coordinating conjunctions, meaning that they connect two words or phrases of similar grammatical status. And like but, pero and sino are used in forming contrasts. Differences Between Pero and Sino Usually, the Spanish conjunction to be used to indicate a contrast is pero. But sino is used instead when two conditions are true: when the part of the sentence coming before the conjunction is stated in the negative, and when the part after the conjunction directly contradicts what is negated in the first part. In mathematical-like terms, sino is used for but in sentences of type not A but B when A contradicts B. The examples below should make this clear. Heres another way of putting it: Both pero and sino can be translated as but. But in almost all cases, rather, but rather or instead also could be used as an appropriate translation where sino is used, but not for pero. Examples of Pero in Use Me gustarà ­a salir, pero no puedo. (I would like to leave, but I cant. The first part of the sentence isnt stated in the negative, so pero is used.)Marà ­a es alta pero no es fuerte. (Mary is tall, but she isnt strong. The first part of the sentence isnt stated in the negative, so pero is used.)Los huevos son fritos pero no revueltos. (The eggs are fried but not scrambled. Again, the first part of the sentence is stated in the affirmative.)Marà ­a no es alta pero es inteligente. (Mary isnt tall, but shes intelligent. Although the first part of this sentence is in the negative, pero is used because theres no direct contrast - theres no contradiction with being short and smart.)No son muchos pero buenos. (There arent many, but theyre good. Again, theres no direct contrast, so pero is used.)El virus Cà ³digo Rojo no afecta usuarios, pero Sircam no remite. (The Code Red virus doesnt affect users, but Sircam doesnt let up. The two parts of this sentence are used as a comparison rath er than a contrast, so pero is used.) Examples of Sino  in Use Marà ­a no es alta sino baja. (Mary isnt tall, but short, or Mary isnt tall, rather shes short. Theres a direct contrast between tall and short.)No creemos lo que vemos, sino que vemos lo que creemos. (We dont believe what we see, but we see what we believe, or we dont believe what we see, rather we see what we believe. Theres a clear and direct contrast between cause and effect used in this sentence.)El protagonista no era conde sino seà ±or. (The protagonist wasnt a count but a lord, or the protagonist wasnt a count, rather he was a lord. Although conde and seà ±or arent opposites, they are used in this sentence to contrast with each other.)No he venido a ser servido sino a servir. (I havent come to be served but to serve, or I havent come to be served; instead I have come to serve. Again, theres a direct contrast between the two purposes stated in the sentence.)El problema no es tuyo sino mà ­o. (The problem isnt yours but mine. Sino shows a contrast in ownership.) Other Ways of Saying But in Spanish When except can substitute for but, it is often possible to use excepto, menos, or salvo. In these cases, however, but and the Spanish word are arent used to form a contrast but to function as a preposition. Creo en la justicia para todos, excepto mis enemigos. (I believe in justice for everyone but  my enemies.)No conozco a nadie, excepto mi hija. (I dont know anybody but my daughter.)Me gustan todos los comentarios, menos el primero. (I liked all the comments but the first one.)Debemos considerar todas las posibilidades, menos esa. (We should consider all the possibilities but that one.)Todos los formularios,  salvo uno, estn disponibles en inglà ©s. (All the forms but one are available in English.)Nadie, salvo yo, sabe lo que es bueno para mà ­. (Nobody but me knows what is good for me.)

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Lambda and Gamma Levels of Association

Lambda and Gamma Levels of Association Lambda and gamma are two measures of association that are commonly used in social science statistics and research. Lambda is a measure of association used for nominal variables while gamma is used for ordinal variables. Lambda Lambda is defined as an asymmetrical measure of association that is suitable for use with nominal variables. It may range from 0.0 to 1.0. Lambda provides us with an indication of the strength of the relationship between independent and dependent variables. As an asymmetrical measure of association, lambda’s value may vary depending on which variable is considered the dependent variable and which variables are considered the independent variable. To calculate lambda, you need two numbers: E1 and E2. E1 is the error of prediction made when the independent variable is ignored. To find E1, you first need to find the mode of the dependent variable and subtract its frequency from N. E1 N – Modal frequency. E2 is the errors made when the prediction is based on the independent variable. To find E2, you first need to find the modal frequency for each category of the independent variables, subtract it from the category total to find the number of errors, then add up all the errors. The formula for calculating lambda is: Lambda (E1 – E2) / E1. Lambda may range in value from 0.0 to 1.0. Zero indicates that there is nothing to be gained by using the independent variable to predict the dependent variable. In other words, the independent variable does not, in any way, predict the dependent variable. A lambda of 1.0 indicates that the independent variable is a perfect predictor of the dependent variable. That is, by using the independent variable as a predictor, we can predict the dependent variable without any error. Gamma Gamma is defined as a symmetrical measure of association suitable for use with ordinal variable or with dichotomous nominal variables. It can vary from 0.0 to /- 1.0 and provides us with an indication of the strength of the relationship between two variables. Whereas lambda is an asymmetrical measure of association, gamma is a symmetrical measure of association. This means that the value of gamma will be the same regardless of which variable is considered the dependent variable and which variable is considered the independent variable. Gamma is calculated using the following formula: Gamma (Ns - Nd)/(Ns Nd) The direction of the relationship between ordinal variables can either be positive or negative. With a positive relationship, if one person ranked higher than another on one variable, he or she would also rank above the other person on the second variable. This is called same order ranking, which is labeled with an Ns, shown in the formula above. With a negative relationship, if one person is ranked above another on one variable, he or she would rank below the other person on the second variable. This is called an inverse order pair and is labeled as Nd, shown in the formula above. To calculate gamma, you first need to count the number of same order pairs (Ns) and the number of inverse order pairs (Nd). These can be obtained from a bivariate table (also known as a frequency table or crosstabulation table). Once these are counted, the calculation of gamma is straightforward. A gamma of 0.0 indicates that there is no relationship between the two variables and nothing is to be gained by using the independent variable to predict the dependent variable. A gamma of 1.0 indicates that the relationship between the variables is positive and the dependent variable can be predicted by the independent variable without any error. When gamma is -1.0, this means that the relationship is negative and that the independent variable can perfectly predict the dependent variable with no error. References Frankfort-Nachmias, C. Leon-Guerrero, A. (2006). Social Statistics for a Diverse Society. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Strategic Human Resources Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Strategic Human Resources - Essay Example The report will analyse the impact of strategically planned recruitment and selection processes on department’s performance and its contribution towards achieving organisational goals. This report elaborates the steps involved in recruitment and selection at NHS and its associations and highlights implications of these procedures on the organisation. It also identifies various functions involved in successful R&S process. administration unit responsible for provision of healthcare for all UK citizens and is funded by taxes. It works in collaboration with thousands of different trusts that are majorly categorized as the primary care trusts, acute trusts, hospital and foundation trusts, ambulance and care trusts, mental health trusts etc (Brooks, 2008). In order to ensure high-quality service and healthcare to its people, the NHS strives hard to appoint the best talent in the industry. The NHS employs a variety of workforce including nurses, general physicians, consultants, technical and scientific staff, administrative staff for finance and accounting activities, staff dealing with logistics and transportation, etc. Owing to its wide variety of workforce, talent acquisition is a core function at NHS, which is guided by a variety of complex and advanced systems have been put in place. Moreover, research indicates that the workforce at NHS is rapidly graying and shrinking, which necessitates integration of workforce planning at strategic level in order to ensure smooth running of the operations from thousands of locations within the country (Hurst, 2005). Hurst (2005) asserts that the huge demand for health to be catered to by the NHS services is being met by stringent staffing and personnel numbers at most of the primary care trusts. However, equally important are the right mix of workforce size and type achieved through appropriate recruitment and selection,

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Managing your identity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Managing your identity - Essay Example A single real time identity may act several under different identities over the internet. The presentation of an individual in real time may vary from association with positivism to that of negativism. Social sites are rampant for deceitful identity, for instance. Most internet users express the desire to receive positivism attached to their identity while using the internet. However, some internet users prefer negative identity to positivism for vested reasons. Some internet uses involve professionalism and need high level of identity that displays the reality. Others, on the contrary, require low levels of reality of the internet user. The true characteristics of the internet user are subject to a degree of manipulation, in the later case. The media of preference dictates the personality of an individual while using the internet. Communication media that use semantics of language require low levels of identity. It requires a temporary real time personal identity. For choice of media that require that, personalities should have a vivid identity, including webcams for highly engaging interactions, a nearly true personality is

Sunday, November 17, 2019

On-Boarding, Socialization, Retention and Down-Sizing Essay Example for Free

On-Boarding, Socialization, Retention and Down-Sizing Essay Chern’s has recently hired two new sales associates and have a need for an on-boarding and socialization strategy. Because organizations invest money in hiring new employees, the company has a need to get new hires off to a good start but need help doing so. Because turn-over’s occurs early, organizations can increase their retention rates by helping new hires adjust to their company and jobs. Out-boarding is the process of completing new hires employment paperwork, and providing them with all essential elements for their jobs. Companies also have the need to socialize their employees through planned and unplanned processes, formal and informal activities and experiences through which individuals acquire the attitudes, behavior, and knowledge needed to successfully participate as members in an organization and learn the organizations culture. On-Boarding and Socialization Strategies In order to incorporate Chern’s new hires into its organization several strategic programs, on-boarding and socialization have been recommended. Both of these programs are beneficial for Chern’s and its employees. This recommendation will help Chern’s employee’s transition into the company. The following strategies were recommended for Chern’s new hires; Orientation will involve employees learning about the company, its culture, values, goals, history, mission statement, business, chain of commend and products. Orientation will encompass the company’s policy and procedures as well as the process of filling out the proper paperwork required to work at Chern’s. Through the orientation process employees will receive the tools they need to perform their duties, such as uniforms if required, keys, identification cards, computers, an e-mail address, business cards, telephone number and a work space (office or cubicle). Orientation will provide employees with their benefits information (booklet), 401 k plan, and IIP and retirement plan. Orientation will also include learning how to use the company’s intranet where they can find information about the company (financial facts), products and number of stores and their locations. The orientation process will allow the new hires to meet their co-workers, supervisors and managers. Through orientation employees can understand their roles, and their expectations. Orientation will accelerate the new hires learning process of Chern’s organization. Socialization—will give the new hires the planned, unplanned, formal, and informal activities and experiences to acquire the behavior, attitude and knowledge needed to participate as a member of the organization and learn the firm’s culture. Socialization programs that are recommended for its new hire’s are: A Staggered Program This concept allows new hires to encompass information about Chern’s through a staggered approach, learning in increments instead of obtaining information all at once causing an overload. By learning in increments new hires will retain that information. Socialization activities can be performed through steps allowing new hires to interact with co-workers, supervisors, managers, and HR personal who are familiar with the company. Socialization can be in person as well as via online and classroom settings. Individual Programs gives new hires the flexibility of socializing in a one-on one setting with a mentor or an apprenticeship. By using a mentor or apprenticeship each new hire can learn what is required, their expectations, and job performance rapidly. They experience on the job training through hands on experience and tend to socialize and learn more easily. Formal Socialization Programs- will give new hires the opportunity to socialize with other entities outside of the company, an example would be a seminar where they can interact with other individuals on a professional level and learn new and innovating techniques, procedures and designed activities and materials. This process increase employees job satisfaction and reduce turnover. This gives new hires a chance to be proactive, ask questions, build relationships with others in the rganization and seek feedback while increasing job satisfaction and commitment. Sequential programsallow new hires to follows a range of steps such as step 1—learning about the company. Step 2 –learn policy and procedures. Step 3—learn about the job and its requirements and. Step 4 perform well a so on. Each step leads to opportunities and possible promotions. Fixed Socialization Programs gives new hires information about their probationary status (how long) and their performance statu s with their job. Serial Socialization incorporate new hires with mentors, these mentors guide the new hires through the steps needed to become successful on the job and serve as role models to the new hires. Each new hire will be expected to follow in their mentors footsteps. Investiture Programs- will give each new hire the chance to reaffirm their confidence in them selves and their job performances. This process allows supervisors, managers and in some cases senior management to evaluate the knowledge, skills, and characteristics of the new hires. Investitures programs also evaluates what new hires can do in terms of helping the company move forward and make money from their new innovating ideals (Phillips Gully, 2009). By making these recommendation Chern’s will continue to give its customers the service that lies at the heart of the company. Chern’s strategy can empower its new hires to excel in the company, while upholding its reputation for customer service, quality and selection. These recommendations will continue to give Chern’s a core value that is essential to its branding and culture, while contributing to its customers and building a long term relationship through shared value and customer care. Retention Plan A retention plan for Chern’s top performers is to create an environment, work style and management team that promotes, teamwork, cooperation and retention, which leads to successful delivery of products, customer services and values. Ultimately enriching the company, customers and workers. In order to retain its top performers Chern’s can initiate plans to keep top performers happy by offering great rewards that will be hard to resist. Generally the reason people stay with a company is often the same reason they became attractive in the first place. Implementing the following retention plan will keep Chern’s top performers with the company and reduce a need to hire new people. †¢ provide initiatives to establish and maintain the company’s goals. †¢ establish open communication between management, customers and staff. develop a working environment that encourages professional growth. †¢ match employees with challenging assignments that will lead to professional and career growth. †¢ create a climate of respect, fairness and trust with supervisors and customers. †¢ give employees work flexibility so that they can balance their work and life demands. †¢ provide competitive wages and benefits that are fair, introduce fitness and child care centers. †¢ give top performers bonuses when goals are meet, such as monetary, vacations or extra sick days. create a strong corporate culture for employees that they find attractive such as a mission Statement that appeals to customers and workers. This can help retain employees with the same or similar values. †¢ providing employees with support can also help retain employees, by monitoring their work load, managers can determine if they have the necessary tools to perform their jobs. Using these strategies will institute to recruit, retain and develop top performers.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Spanish-Amerincan War :: history

Spanish-Amerincan War With the assassination of President McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt, not quite 43, became the youngest President in the Nation's history. He brought new excitement and power to the Presidency, as he vigorously led Congress and the American public toward progressive reforms and a strong foreign policy. He took the view that the President as a "steward of the people" should take whatever action necessary for the public good unless expressly forbidden by law or the Constitution." I did not usurp power," he wrote, "but I did greatly broaden the use of executive power." Teddy's years as a child were not all gasping for breath. Teddy was a very curious child. He loved to go outside into the woods and watch and study birds and the surrounding wildlife. He liked to record data about the animals, and enjoyed experimenting. When he grew up, he wrote books about nature, and went on trips to the mountains of New York often. Teddy and his father believed Teddy could overcome his sickness. Mr. Roosevelt set up a gym in the Roosevelt's house. Teddy worked out more and more, and after a while began to get stronger. But none of this happened overnight. When Teddy went to Harvard for college, he and a friend published a book called "Summer Birds of The Adirondacks." During college, Teddy also was deeply saddened when his father died on February 9, 1877. On October 27, 1880, Theodore Roosevelt walked down the aisle. He got married to Alice Lee. Theodore also went to Columbia University Law School. He also wrote a book called "The Naval War of 1812." He went to balls and opera's. And was a very busy man. In 1883, Theodore went West for a year. When came back from the trip, a new baby girl was born. Unfortunately, soon after the baby was born, on February 14, in the early morning, Teddy's beloved mother died. If that were not enough, Alice died of Kidney Disease that afternoon. Teddy, still grieving from the loss of Alice and his mother, went to the Dakota Territories for several years. He later said that he wouldn't have been the same if it wasn't for the years he spent in the Dakota Territories." When he got back from the Dakota's he married Edith Carow. In the Spanish-American war in 1898, Theodore was the commander of a cavalry known as "The Rough Riders.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Heidi Roizen

1. What are the strengths and weaknesses of Roizen’s network at the end of the case? Heidi Roizen has invested time and effort in developing and sustaining relationships/networks in the computer industry, especially in the Silicon Valley area, throughout her professional career. As she moves into her venture capitalist role, her networking efforts have the following strengths – †¢Includes executives including CEO’s, thereby giving her the experience of interacting with these business leaders.Since she has established relationships with many and her credibility is proven, which is an important criterion for business leaders; this is a critical skill in her new role. †¢Since she is not only well known in the internet industry but is also well respected, her joining Softbank provides positive feedback about the new group making it an attractive opportunity for many. Her current role is different from her prior jobs in that it requires making go/no-go fundi ng decisions about start-up companies rather than establish a network of contact to help develop the business she was involved in.This fundamental difference in her role will put strains on her vast network as well as herself. Namely- †¢Reject projects from her acquaintances. Even though she has been making concerted efforts to reach out to those affected by these adverse decisions, there is a good possibility that some people will let these decision impact their personal/professional relationships with her. Since, she is very values her relationships a lot I imagine such issues will negatively affect her at a personal level.This has the potential of having a negative impact on her credibility in the industry †¢Trying to manage her network will put constraints on her professional and/or personal life. As she mentions that she spends two hours per day sending out rejection notes, I believe for her to be able to sustain this she will need to put in extra hours at work or com promise the quality of work. †¢Create internal conflict for herself by deviating from her philosophy of helping others when it is a mutually beneficial situation for both, since in her current role she is feeling pressured to help people by referring them to the companies she is tied with. 2) What specific steps did Roizen take to develop her network? To maintain it? Heidi Roizen is a very well know business leader in the computer industry sector, especially in Silicon Valley. During the course of her career she has built a vast network of connections. The basic reason for her vast network can be attributed to her innate extrovert and high energy personality coupled with a desire to interact and help people with high caliber and engaging personalities. In addition, she was also required to cultivate relationships to support the software company, T/Maker, which she co-founded in the early phase of her career.The primary objective was to market the company’s product. Her s trategies towards developing relationships included – †¢Follow the ‘what can I offer’ approach. In her interactions with people she planned carefully on how to help their projects/needs. During her time at Tandem, she had opportunity to work with the company’s CEO’s and through her approach she built relationships with the CEO. Her relationship benefited her professionally as he recommended her for the Stanford MBA program. †¢Identify organizations and people that will help her initiatives and engage them through meaningful contributions in their activities.To promote her company, T/Maker, Heidi networked with the press, the software entrepreneur’s forums and the software publishers association. Through her contributions she has established sustainable relationships, as is evident by the glowing reviews paid to her by business leaders such as Brian Gentile of eALITY Inc. †¢Trust her judgments on the caliber of person she associ ates with rather than their position in the organization. The paper gives instances where she built relationships with ‘smart’, ‘interesting’ and ‘good quality’ people who later become senior executives in their companies. Relationships are built on a combination of professional-social interactions. She is known to have regular parties at her house. She used these events not only to build her relationships but also provide networking opportunities to her guests. Heidi gives a lot of importance to her relationships and is consequently very conscientious in sustaining them. To maintain her network, she believes in †¢Quality of the interaction rather than quantity. She leverages her relationships after much thought, for e. g. higher up in the organization her contact is, fewer times she would contact that individual for favor. †¢Focus on been consistent in the relationship. She emphasizes being consistent in her actions while dealing wit h friends. †¢Ensuring there is reciprocity in the relationship i. e. , there is a balance between the times she is asking for help versus helping that particular individual out. ? 3) How does your own network compare with Roizen’s? To what extent are the differences due to the political structure in the networks assist?To what extent are the differences due to the personal preferences and style? As I compare my social/professional network to Heidi Roizen’s, one of the biggest differences is the number of people we know-my LinkedIn contact list is at 100+ while I guess Heidi’s would be 500+ category. After going through this article I have realized the significance networking can have on one’s profession and moving forward will like to The commonalities between our relationships include †¢Quality of interactions rather than quantity.I have some very good friends whom I only meet once/twice per year yet the relationship has been sustained. †¢ Relationships have to be on an even footing. I make concerted efforts to ensure reciprocity is maintained from my end. There have been occasions in the past where I have discontinued relationships when I felt the other individual was always asking for help. Some differences that occur in our relationships are †¢Heidi is very social and has parties almost every weekend in her house. This is not the case at my place. There is a very strong emphasis in her life on networking, which is not the case for me. She seems to invest time in relationships with the intent of leveraging them for future benefit either for herself or other acquaintances. This becomes clear at the end of the case during her time Softbank she referred people to organizations that will help her business interest. In my case, relationships can sometimes be used to exchange ideas or just have fun without the intent of obtaining any benefit. †¢I am generally not looking to bring people together for mutual benef it. †¢She makes an effort of meeting new people through attending trade shows, participating in conference etc.In my role, I have opportunity to attend technical conferences but my primary intent there is to acquire knowledge rather than meet new people. In my opinion one of the biggest reasons for the differences is our personality type. She is an out-going, high energy person with a passion for meeting new people. This means that interacting and meeting new people provides her with fuel to get recharged in life. I am an introvert who enjoys meeting people but feel drained after these experiences and need alone/close family time to recharge.In addition, differences between Heidi and me can also be attributed to our professions. Since she has primarily worked as entrepreneurs/business developer, my role is to develop manufacturing processes. I believe there is a fundamental difference between these roles, her job needs interacting with a large number of people whereas in my cas e knowledge about the processes is more important. ? 4) What suggestions would you give Roizen for adjusting and maintaining her network as she became more involved as an internet venture capitalist?I will give her the following suggestions †¢She should not try to sustain every relationship that she has established over the years. She should create of priority list of people and maintain relationships with those who meet her basic requirement of being ‘smart’ and ‘good quality’ as well are value added in her new role. She has to juggle three critical roles – family, work and network management. If she focuses too much on trying to maintain her network, there is a high probability that one or both of the others will suffer. She should focus on creating some relationships with people who are not in the same industry sector as her. This will be –in sync with her outgoing personality and fulfill her ‘need’ to interact with people while not creating expectations/pressures in her profession. In the paper, it is obvious that many of the proposals, including meeting requests, being submitted are from with her network. Since most of these are being rejected and even though she is being very professional in rejecting these, it should be expected that some of these rejections are not well received.The negative reactions emanating from these may create stress for her and hamper her professional and personal life. †¢She should also delegate the rejection letters to her subordinates as she seems to be spending too much time on them and this is taking away from her work time that may be detrimental for her career. †¢Since, her current role is different from her past roles of being an entrepreneur/business developer there is limited need for keeping a very large network.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Effect of Patient Preferred Music on Pain in Postoperative Patients

The relief of acute pain in adult postoperative patients continues to be a common problem despite the use of pharmacologic therapies. Unrelieved pain can cause various effects including: increased heart rate and blood pressure; increased need for oxygen; tachypnea; increased susceptibility to infection; and anxiety/fear (Swift, 2018). Nurses strive to provide the best care for their patients and this includes finding alternative ways to help with unrelieved pain. Providing music as an adjunct to the standard of care for pain has been shown to reduce acute pain in postoperative patients (Comeaux & Steele-Moses, 2013; Nilsson, Rawal, & Unosson, 2003; Zografakis-Sfakiankakis et al., 2017). The following research proposal intended for the institutional review board (IRB) will discuss the purpose of the study; background and significance; participants and methodology; recruitment; participant confidentiality; participant safety; consent process; risks and burdens; benefits; cost and payment; data and document security; and follow-up and dissemination of results.Purpose of StudyThe purpose of this study is to determine whether allowing patients to listen to their preferred choice of music compared to providing them with pre-selected instrumental music is more effective, when used as an adjunct to the standard of care for pain, on reducing the perception of pain in the adult postoperative patient.Background and SignificanceThe review of literature w as conducted by utilizing the following databases: Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Google, Nursing Times, and Research Gate. Search terms included: music therapy, music, acute pain and postoperative pain. The review of literature proved that music, when used as an adjunct to pharmacologic therapy, is effective in reducing postoperative pain. Pain is an expected outcome of a surgical procedure, however unrelieved postoperative pain can lead to complications, delayed healing and, if not dealt with effectively, can become chronic (Swift, 2018, p. 25). According to Nilsson, Rawal, and Unosson, (2003) the best practice for postoperative pain control management should include both pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods (p. 700). Comeaux and Steele-Moses (2013) reported â€Å"According to the Joanna Briggs Institute (2009), music therapy as a non-pharmacological adjuvant to opioid analgesia is best practice in the management of pain and anxiety† (p. 313). In their own study, Comeaux and Steele-Moses (2013) found that the use of music therapy improved patient satisfaction of pain management in the postoperative period (p. 314). Another study also found that using music as an intervention tool in the acute postoperative period could be useful in promoting patient's comfort and improving perception of pain (Zografakis-Sfakiankakis et al., 2017). Nilsson et al. (2003) reported that â€Å"Music is a non-pharmacological technique, that is inexpensive, non-invasive and has no side-effects that have been shown to reduce postoperative pain† (p. 700). Music therapy has been beneficial in treating patients with a wide range of diagnoses and is effective in reducing patients' perception of anxiety and pain as well as the need for analgesia (American Music Therapy Association, 2010). While it has been proven that music can reduce postoperative pain, the preceding studies used pre-selected instrumental or classical music, there is limited research available in the clinical setting on the effects music has on pain with regards to providing patients with preferred music choices compared to providing them with pre-selected music. inlay and Anil (2015) conducted a cold pressor test study to induce experimental pain to determine the impact of music type on pain and stated that â€Å"Simply listening to music may not be sufficiently effective for managing pain if the music is not enjoyable for the listener†¦the more likable the music is to the individual, the better the effects of music listening on the pain† (p. 56). Therefore, it is important for nurses to know which type of music to implement, preferred or pre-selected, as an adjunct to reduce unrelieved postoperative pain.Participants and MethodologyThis study will be conducted as an experimental prospective randomized clinical trial in a Level II Trauma Center that has a complete team of general, specialty and trauma surgeons who perform a broad range of multiple surgeries daily. The anticipated number of participants is between 150 and 200 in a 2 month period. The inclusion criteria includes all patients age 18 or over who will be having an ele ctive surgical procedure done, have an anticipated stay of 3 days or more, are alert and oriented and able to read and write English (for questionnaire purposes). Exclusion criteria includes any patient with hearing loss or hearing deficit making it difficult to hear the music. Data will be collected by placing participants into two study groups, the study group (preferred music choice) and the control group (pre-selected music). Using Zografakis-Sfakiankakis' (2017) random selection algorithm participants, if they meet the inclusion criteria, will be selected by the following: on a typical surgical day, half of the patients, the 1st and 3rd patient or every other, will be included in the study group and then the 2nd and the 4th and so on will be included in the control group. A questionnaire will be given to all participants, since both groups with be listening to some type of music, and will include questions about demographic data including: gender, age, race, type of surgical procedure. The remaining questions will ask the participant to rate their pain using the numeric rating scale (0-10) before the start of and after listening to at least 30 minutes of music; what type of analgesic what administered for their pain; If any other non-pharmacologic intervention took place (i.e. repositioning or application of ice); what was the patient doing before, during and after listening to music (i.e. lying in bed, up in chair, walking in room/hall, talking with visitor, reading etc.); and the date and total time listened to music between each pain medication administration (with at least 30 minutes per session). The study group will be given an easy to use MP3 player with FM radio capability and will also be able to request their preferred songs and music to be downloaded to the device by the nurse researchers. The control group will also be given an easy to use MP3 player, without FM radio capability, that is loaded with pre-selected, by nurse researchers, instrumental/classical music. All groups will be provided with earphones to use in order to prevent disruption to other patients.RecruitmentUpon check-in at the hospital for their elective surgery prospective participants, who meet the inclusion criteria, will be asked if they would like to be involved in a voluntary research study during their hospitalization. The researchers will introduce themselves, including their credentials, and will verbally inform the individual that the study is trying to determine the effects that music has, in addition to receiving the standard of care for pain, on reducing postoperative pain. They will be informed that MP3 players as wells as earphones will be provided to them and that they will be required to fill out questionnaires during the study. Participants will be informed on how their information will be kept confidential, the risks and benefits of this study and after which will be encouraged to ask questions.Participant ConfidentialityTo ensure participant confidentiality and anonymity participants will be assigned a number that will be included on their questionnaires. The number that they are assigned will be determined by the order in which they leave the post anesthesia care unit (PACU). When leaving the PACU the nurse will give the known participants a manila folder that will contain the numbered questionnaires, MP3 player and instructions on use. The first paper that the participant will see when opening the folder will include a statement to them ensuring that the information that is collected from this study from them will not be divulged to others without permission. The instructions will inform the participants to place all questionnaires and MP3 player back in the envelope upon discharge, seal it and then leave it in the designated locked box at the nurses' station.Participant SafetyListening to music is beneficial, not harmful and non-invasive. Participants will still receive the standard of care for pain. Therefore, in this study there is no risk for harm or harmful deception as both groups will be provided with a music intervention, either preferred choice or pre-selected, along with the standard of care for pain. There is no anticipated adverse events seen in implementing the intervention of music listening.Consent ProcessAs part of the recruitment process, which includes providing information about the study, its pr ocedures and allowing for questions, participants who have met the inclusion criteria will be informed that their participation in this study is voluntary and that if they choose to participate that they can withdraw at any time without consequences. The other components of the informed consent will include: basis for selection; duration of participation; risks and benefits; confidentiality of records; names of investigators and contact person; statement of voluntary participation and then signature lines which will indicate consent. Even though signatures will be obtained at the time of recruitment for informed consent, the researcher will not know the identity of the participant once the study begins as they will be assigned numbers randomly as they leave the PACU. All participants will be alert and oriented consenting adults. The participants will also be informed that once this study is finished that it is the goal to have it published in a journal for medical professionals to use as evidence for best practice.Risks and BurdensAs stated earlier, there is to harmful effects or risks in the intervention of listening to music. However, potential burdens of this study could possibly occur when filling out the questionnaire. The participants will have to take time and effort to fill out the questionnaire each time they use the music therapy along with taking prescribed medication. This can pose as a possible inconvenience for them as they will be in a perceived state of pain.BenefitsThere are many potential benefits to the participants who take part in this study. As stated earlier music therapy has been beneficial in treating patients with a wide range of diagnoses and is effective in reducing patients' perception of anxiety and pain as well as t he need for analgesia (American Music Therapy Association, 2010). According to the American Music Therapy Association (2010) in addition to the reduction of pain and anxiety participants may experience: improved respiration, lower blood pressure, improved cardiac output, reduced heart rate, and relaxed muscle tension (p. 4). Furthermore, the results of this study can be beneficial in providing nurses and other healthcare providers with knowledge about the best type of music to use, along with the standard of care, in reducing unrelieved pain for their patients. This information can be shared and may be beneficial as an alternative to reducing pain in various other types of patient populations as well.Cost and PaymentThere will be no cost to the participants of this study as the MP3 players and the earphones will be provided to them by the researchers. No incentives will be given in recruitment or for participation in this study.Data and Document SecurityDocuments for this study will be kept by the patient in the provided manila folder. Once the par ticipant is discharged the sealed manila folder will be turned in by placing it in the designated locked box at the nurses' station. The folders will be picked up on a daily basis. Only the nurse researchers will have access to the locked box as well as the questionnaires. All questionnaire collected from the hospital will then be kept in a locked filing cabinet when not being used by the researchers. The data collected including informed consent will be kept for a period of 3 years.Follow-Up and Dissemination of ResultsParticipants will be given the researchers contact information and will have the option to contact the researchers after 3 months to either get the results of the study or be given an approximate date of when the results will be available. Upon completion of this study the aim is to present the research results at various presentations, submit the research results for peer review and then ultimately spread the knowledge and the evidence-based intervention through publication in a peer-reviewed journal.ConclusionIn conclusion, we have discussed the purpose of the study; background and significance; participants and methodology; recruitment; participant confidentiality; participant safety; consent process; risks and burdens; benefits; cost and payment; data and document security; and follow-up and dissemination of results. Researchers involved in this study welcome the critical evaluation of the IRB in order to ensure that the study will be conducted in a strong, ethical and legal manor.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Iraqi and Western Sahara Statehood essays

Iraqi and Western Sahara Statehood essays The state of Iraq has a turbulent history and has rarely stayed the same in its long history of different sovereign rulers over the territory. The battleground for different civilizations over centuries of political and religious rivalry, Iraq now finds itself divided into three distinct groups: the Kurds, the Sunni, and the Shia. Since its inception by the French and British in the First World War, Iraq has been a melting pot of different cultures. Yet, the Sunni population won out for control of the country in 1968 when the Ba'athis party overthrew the President Abdul Rahman Arif whose brother was responsible for the removal of the British installed Hashemite monarchy in 1958. Saddam Hussein rose to power in 1979 and installed a firm authoritative hold over the country, about the same time as the Iranian Revolution which resulted in Shi'ite Muslim theocratic state. The Ba'ath party and Saddam Hussein were primarily Sunni while they only composed about 35% of the population as oppo sed to the 65% Shia majority. The history and violence between both sects of the Islamic culture made the composition of the Iraqi state in the first place an uneasy Union. If the three main groups were split into two, there would be complications for each to cope with in order to become meet the criteria of statehood according to Article 1 of the Montevideo Convention on Rights and Duties of States 1933. The legal qualifications for the international community require that the three new states would have to possess a permanent population, establish a defined territory, a government, and the capacity to enter into legal relations with other states. Though there has been a large migration out of Iraq since the United States invasion in 2003, it is clear that there will be a permanent population in Iraq. There has always been competition for control of the land around the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers. Combined with the oil fields in the north and sout...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

The 4 Best Free VIN Check Sites

The 4 Best Free VIN Check Sites SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Imagine this: You’ve been saving up to buy a new car for months. You finally find the perfect vehicle and drive it home, only to get a call a few days later. The car was stolen, and you now need to deal with a police investigation. Obviously, this scenario is extreme, but it’s not unheard of for consumers to have issues purchasing new or used cars. One way to cut down on potential problems when purchasing a car is to run a VIN report to check out the vehicle’s history before you buy it. In this article, I’ll explain what a VIN number is, why it’s important, and how to run a free VIN check through the National Insurance Crime Bureau. I’ll also review other options for free VIN reports and discuss whether or not you should pay money for a more detailed VIN report when purchasing a car. What’s a VIN Number? A VIN number is an identifying code that’s associated with a specific automobile. A VIN number is made up of 17 characters (numbers and letters) that act as the vehicle’s fingerprint. No two automobiles have the same VIN number, so you can use a VIN number to track a specific vehicle’s history, registrations, and more. You can find a car’s VIN number by looking on the driver’s side of the vehicle, either at the corner of the vehicle where the windshield meets the dashboard or on the doorpost of the driver’s side front door. You can also find a VIN number on a vehicle’s insurance card, title, and registration. Why Should I Check the VIN Number When Buying a Car? If you’re planning to buy a car (new or used), it’s important to run at least a free VIN report on the car’s VIN number to get a better understanding of its history. Running a free VIN check on the car will pull up its basic history, including information on previous claims of theft and/or accidents. You’ll want to run a VIN check when purchasing a car to make sure that the car is legally available for purchase and that it’s in good enough condition to drive. A VIN check will pull up any significant claims that have been made about the car. These include information about if the car was ever stolen and if it was ever subject to serious damage, such as flood, fire, or accident damage. Reputable car dealerships will often provide you with a copy of the VIN report for the car you’re looking to purchase, free of charge. Your salesman will likely review the report with you, noting the number of owners, any accidents or claims reported on the car, and any other issues of note, such as recalls or leftover warranties. If you’re buying a car from a dealership that doesn’t offer a free VIN check, or purchasing from a private party, you’ll want to run a free VIN report on your own to check for theft records and major accidents. Depending on the circumstances, you may also want to pay for a more detailed VIN report. I’ll discuss when to purchase a detailed VIN report in a later section. How to Use the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s Free VIN Check The National Insurance Crime Bureau is a great resource for running a free VIN lookup search to check for theft and total loss records. In this section, I’ll talk you through how to use the NICB as a resource to check the history of an automobile. The first thing you need to run a free VIN lookup at NCIB is the VIN number of the vehicle you’re looking up. As I mentioned earlier, you can find a vehicle’s VIN number on the driver’s side of the car, either where the dashboard meets the window, or in the driver’s side door. After you have the VIN number in question, go to the NICB VinCheck page and enter the VIN number where it says â€Å"Step 1.† Check the box to agree to the terms and conditions of use in â€Å"Step 2.† Enter the verification code that appears in the box for â€Å"Step 3,† then hit â€Å"search.† You’ll be taken to a page that displays the results of your free VIN lookup. You’ll receive information about the vehicle’s theft and total loss records. A theft record indicates that the car has been marked as stolen at some point in its history, while a total loss record means that the car has been damaged and marked as a loss in an accident, flood, or fire. If your VIN number shows that the vehicle has not been identified, as shown in the above screenshot, that means that the vehicle has never been stolen or had any significant damage that would signify a total loss, e.g., the car's been declared totaled. The vehicle will only be listed in this database if theft or loss records have been generated. If your vehicle shows that there’s a record for either theft or total loss, you’ll want to do more research to find out the exact details of the situation to determine if the vehicle is suitable for purchase. Other Free VIN Check Options You can get a free VIN check from a number of other sites as well. In general, these sites offer more detailed VIN reports than that of the National Insurance Crime Bureau. You can also pay at each of these sites to upgrade your VIN check and receive more information about the car you're purchasing. #1: CarFax CarFax is known as a leader in provided detailed VIN reports to consumers. In fact, many car dealerships will show you the CarFax report for the vehicle you’re looking to purchase. While the most detailed CarFax reports cost money, you can get a basic VIN report on used cars listed on CarFax’s website for free. These reports show accidents reported, owner history, usage information, and service history. #2: Research.com Research.com provides the most comprehensive free VIN report, offering extensive details about the vehicle’s inspection and performance records, safety ratings, warranty, and more. It will also tell you when and where the vehicle has been listed for sale, as well as its sale price. #3: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers a VIN lookup that gives you information about the car’s make and model, so you can know if it’s under any recall orders. Knowing about recall orders will help you decide if the car is safe to drive and if it’s facing any lengthy or costly repairs. Should You Pay for a More Detailed VIN Report? When should you pay for a more detailed VIN report? Well, a lot of it depends on how much detail you want to know about your car’s history. In general, it’s a good idea to purchase a detailed VIN report if you’re buying a used car and you can’t get one for free from the dealership or individual you’re working with. More detailed VIN reports are fairly cheap - $39.99 to check a single VIN number on CarFax, or $59.99 if you want to check a bundle of five different VIN numbers. Detailed VIN reports go into much more depth about the overall condition of the vehicle. For instance, CarFax’s detailed VIN reports offer comprehensive information about recalls, repairs, dates and times of servicing, and an overall evaluation of the vehicle’s condition. Knowing the vehicle’s condition is important for two reasons. First, it helps ensure that you’re purchasing a car that’ll actually run for you. Second, it lets you know if you’re paying a fair price for the car. Learning about a previous owner’s service records is important as well, as it shows that the car has been properly maintained. Likewise, learning about recalls and warranty information can save you money on repairs and routine service in the long run. If you’re purchasing a new car, you probably don’t need a detailed VIN report, as it won’t tell you much information about the car, since a new car won’t have any ownership or accident records. Review: How to Check a VIN Number for Free A VIN number is like a car’s fingerprint- you can look it up to learn about the car’s history. When purchasing a car, it’s important to run at least a free VIN check to lookup the car’s history and ensure that it doesn’t have any open theft or total loss records. You can also pay for more detailed VIN reports that offer information on a car’s service and ownership history, as well as detailed information about the car’s value.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Mental Health Issue Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words - 1

Mental Health Issue - Coursework Example Interestingly, the legal aspect of this issue is also detailed in the guide. Cindy has a responsible job as a software engineer in a multinational company but she feels she is unable to advance in her career because of her inability to contribute in group meetings. It’s almost more than what she could bear just to sit in on meetings, let alone offer her opinions. Yesterday, her boss approaches her about the possibility of giving a presentation about their latest product to some customers. At that point, she began to be nervous and could not open her mouth to talk at all. He walks out of her boss’s office with lack of self-confidence and later refuses to give the presentation. Phobias can be defined as the persistent and irrational fears that affect some people when they come into contact with external factors (stimuli) (Morgan, 2003). There are different categories of phobias based on the sources of stimuli, to which the persons affected withdraw or move away from. Examples of these categories are:- (i) Agoraphobia:- this is irrational and persistent fears about being in a place crowded with many other people, and which might make escape impossible in case there is a sudden danger (Gray, 1994). This may happen with or without a panic attack. (ii) Social phobia:- This is irrational and persistent fears about participating in a social or public event. A chronic form of social phobia also leads to avoidance behavior as the affected person keep running away from social duties (Kleiman, 1988). Cindy is affected by this kind of phobia as she dodges her duties. (iii) Specific phobias:- These are irrational and persistent fears to some specific stimuli. Examples of these stimuli include but are not limited to animal types, natural environment types, situational types, blood-injection injury etc. (Lefton, 1997). Several researches have

Friday, November 1, 2019

Philemon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Philemon - Essay Example Paul is therefore writing against the backdrop of Onesimus willing to return to Philemon, and thus, the need for this personal appeal to Philemon to accept Onesimus as a Christian brother (1:16) (Jason, 2010). Just as Betz (2004) observes, Apostle Paul writes with a lighthearted tone, but tactfully and with clever wordplay (1:11), to win Philemon’s willingness. Paul organizes the appeal as was prescribed by ancient Romans and Greeks by: building a common ground (1:4-21); persuading the mind (1:11-19); and appealing to emotions (1:20-21). It is interesting that Onesimus’ name is not mentioned until rapport is built between Paul and Philemon (1:10). The appeal is also made at the end (1:17). As has already been roughly mentioned in the introduction, Apostle Paul is writing to Philemon who is a Christian in the church in Colosse. It is plain that Philemon is a slave master and that there are others in the church with similar status in the same church, according to Colossians 4:1. Onesimus, one of Philemon’s slaves, had stolen from Philemon his master and ran away (v. 18). The import of Onesimus’ act is that it amounts to capital offence under Roman law. As a fugitive, Onesimus happens upon Paul in his ministry and becomes a Christian (v.10). After his stint with Apostle Paul, Onesimus is willing to return to his master, Philemon. For this purpose, Paul makes a concerted appeal to Philemon to accept back Onesimus as a Christian brother (1:16). According to Gromacki (2008), the main addressee in the epistle is Philemon, Onesimus’ master. Again, as already stated, the main intention or purpose of Paul’s address to Philemon is to have him accept Onesimus, his runaway slave back as a Christian brother (v. 16). Paul does this by using several logical strategies which are also subthemes of Paul’s address. One of the underlying themes that Paul uses to convince Philemon is that just as

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Sourcing Decisions of Arts and Media Organizations Essay

Sourcing Decisions of Arts and Media Organizations - Essay Example Likewise, the process of fund raising and donations has rather become a commercial activity that not only has resulted in more and more charity events but has also created a market within that is funded by such large organizations. The amalgamation of social services and media and arts has been an eminent result. Hence the market for sponsorships has thrived. These can be seen by the famous charity events by BBC and FOX news (Dan 2011). Thus, activities like fundraising, donations and sponsorships are of strategic importance to such organizations which is why sourcing decisions are of integral importance to not only a firm’s financial standing but also to its public relations. It has no become a necessity to get the charity events sponsored or to sponsor a charity event for that matter, as it adds to the reputation and good will of the company. Likewise, firms involved in fundraising are evaluated on the basis of their participation in social activities and on this has become marketing an essential marketing tactics to broaden their customer base and reach of the brand. Fundraising events or sponsorships act as a contact point for several untapped markets and increases brand loyalty of the existing customer base (Pope 2010). Therefore, sourcing decisions are imperative. ... These may include the extended reach of its brand awareness, the objective to increase its brand exposure by having logos placed on the event’s advertisements or simply the motif of profit maximization. These objectives might sometimes conflict with the objective of the firm especially if the event is a charity event (Pope 2010). In that case both the parties will aim for different incentives thus the marketer must provide more substance than just logo pasting. Moreover, the commercial benefit of the sponsor may often be in direct conflict with the firm’s strategic goals. Hence rounds are negotiations are often common when sourcing decisions are made which however incur much costs for the firm (Simmons 2006). Therefore, the most crucial step is the decision to choose from the various candidates. A firm must choose the sponsor who is the best fit with the company’s strategic goals as well as its public image. The Consumer Involvement theory suggests that consumers make purchase decisions based on the level of involvement they have with the brand and includes the aspects of consumer behaviour like amount of time spent on choosing the product or service, research about the specific product or service, asking friends and family etc. therefore, like the advertisements and promotions, sponsorships should be based on such considerations (Krohmer 2011). Given the nature of arts and media products and services, which are high involvement decision making processes involving emotion rather than rational, the sponsorship should be based on consumers’ preferences of the emotional brands that they associate themselves. Hence if an organization is unable to identify the purchase decisions of its