Failon Ngayon- Panglao Beaches( Reaction Paper)

Panglao Island Bohol Beaches It’s an unavoidable fact that somewhere among the Philippines’ 7,107 islands you will find the most beautiful beaches in the world. With a coastline twice the length of that of the United States, the Philippines can claim to be Asia's Beach Capital. Enjoy the warm crystal blue waters of both the China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. Mention the Philippines and images of long, white sand beaches and bodies of water blessed with a variety of marine life come to mind. Panglao is a perfect for a great dive and beach holiday. It is a small island on the Philippines southwest of the bigger island, Bohol.On the southern beach of Panglao there are several resorts that line up on the beach. But Tourism, however, also brings destruction. We’ve seen many beaches get abused and exploited by both residents and tourists themselves. Executive Director Bebot Pinat (Padayon, Bohol Marine Triangle) quote that â€Å"Ang dagat ay isang malaking dumpsite. â⠂¬  She said that she smells the unwelcome odor of the sea where they throw their waste. Panglao Island houses many resorts but if we will examine, where they throw their liquid waste they don’t even have waste water treatment.According to Dr. Abercio Rotor, an Environmental Scientist/ Biologist, all of these wastes will go to the sea. The water is very fertile that it can have algal bloom that which can lead in having a fish kills. The other man said that there are trucks collecting the wastes of the resorts. But he doesn’t know where they drop the wastes but he affirms that throwing of wastes in the island is prohibited. There was also riprap that is so close in the water and reportedly to extensive that it almost consumes the whole sea side, it’s sizable and it’s even expose.Mr. Arthur Arboladura (President, Alona Beach Community Association said that it protects the tourists as well as the area of Alona. Dr. Rotor states that if someone will put up a resort, it will destroy the natural riprap and the refined composition of the soil so that there will be erosion on top. It will destroy the water environment too. Sec. Ramon Jimenez was so shocked seeing the video clip of Failon Ngayon. He affirms that it is so much near the water and it will cause scouring. He also assures that DENR will take immediate action in this issue.Dauis, Panglao Island Bohol has many first class resorts and they all comply in all the policies. Even Mayor Jaime Jimenez said that they all have ECC’s. But Failon Ngayon was informed that Panglao Island Nature Resort and Spa give much damage in the residents nearby. The Panglao Island Nature Resort and Spa has a 531 sq. m. man made island. According to Executive Dir. Bebot Pinat there is a violation and there must no establishment near the shore. Foreshore lease is prohibited in our oceans, the Mayor said. But why all these establishments exist until now?It’s because they are difficult to demoli sh, according to him. On July 06 2006, EMB issued an order suspending the â€Å"resort† ECC and directing the cessation on any undertaking or project expansion within the area not covered by any tenurial instrument (foreshore lease/ PRA permit) The PINR send a message to Failon Ngayon that although it’s existing, ECC had been suspended temporarily by then, DENR Secretary Angelo Reyes, Management has been issued a temporary restraining order to prevent the DENR from pursuing their order. The Management has defended its positioning the lower court and appellate court.However, the DENR has raised it to the Supreme Court for its ultimate decision. And because the case is currently on trial they refuse to talk about it as well as the officials of EMB Region 7. They don’t want to forewarn the court in giving their sides. Secretary Jimenez quote† Kaninong kasalanan? Kasalanan nating lahat. Hindi posible na magkaroon ng turismo na hindi mamuhunan ng lupa ng mga ba hagi ng ganyang kalikasan. Ang importante dyan ay kung sustainable ba? Maitutuloy mo ba? Ubos na ba ang problema? Ay hindi po marami pa tayong aayusin. † Beaches are some of the most unique and enjoyable natural resources on our planet.The beauty and calm are two of the main reasons why the coast continues to be a prime place for fun, and for setting up housing and other developments. But why this is happening? As I watch this episode of Failon Ngayon there is one question in my mind, bugging me. Why there are people who don’t care for the environment even, this â€Å"environment† keeps their life comfort? They don’t put in their mind that if they destroy the environment their children and the future generation will suffer to it. Many of us are greedy in money, power and fame that sometimes we have no morality in our actions at all.We know what is right and wrong. And it is wrong to harm the environment as well as the people that might be affected. The fis hermen and their families who have been left behind by the development and the poor folks who have not benefited from the present tourism boom do not have a voice on what they think about the issue. It is wrong to sacrifice the environment for the growth of tourism. We must keep in mind that too much tourists bring harm to the environment. We need to find a balance between satisfying the needs of tourists and reducing to a minimum the pollution it will cause.

Global Warming (Cause and Effects)

GLOBAL WARMING Since the late 19th century Earth’s atmosphere and oceans have been getting warmer. According to a research by America’s Climate Choices the average temperature of Earth’s surface increased by about 0. 8 Â °C over the past 100 years. There are a lot of causes of global warming. The causes can be split up into two groups’ natural causes and man-made causes. Natural causes occur without the effect of humans. There are two natural causes one of them is the earth goes through a cycle of climate change that lasts about 40. 00 years. The other cause is release of methane gas from some part of the earth. Man-made causes are the biggest affection of global warming. According to National Geographic, there are several greenhouse gases responsible for warming and humans emit them in a variety of ways. Pollution is the one of the biggest man-made problems. Pollution occurs in many ways. For example, burning fossil fuels, when fossil fuels are burned th ey give off a kind of greenhouse gas. Another major man-made cause is population. More people mean more food.And to provide more food, fossil fuels are used more often. And more people mean more transportation. This is one of the biggest problem increasing use of fossil fuel. Global warming has observable effects on environment. There are a lot of effects for example: -Ice is melting worldwide. -Sea level rise became faster over the last century. According to the NASA effects that scientists had predicted in the past would result from global climate change are now occurring for example: loss of sea ice, accelerated sea level rise and longer, more intense heat waves.And if warming continuous, other effects could happen, for instance: -Hurricanes and other storms are likely to become stronger. -Ecosystems will change, some species will become extinct. -Less fresh water will be available. -Floods and droughts will become more common. So, we can contribute to this global cause with pers onal actions. Our individual efforts are especially significant. We can help immediately by becoming more energy efficient. Reducing our use of oil, gasoline and coal also sets an example for others to follow. Global Warming (Cause and Effects) GLOBAL WARMING Since the late 19th century Earth’s atmosphere and oceans have been getting warmer. According to a research by America’s Climate Choices the average temperature of Earth’s surface increased by about 0. 8 Â °C over the past 100 years. There are a lot of causes of global warming. The causes can be split up into two groups’ natural causes and man-made causes. Natural causes occur without the effect of humans. There are two natural causes one of them is the earth goes through a cycle of climate change that lasts about 40. 00 years. The other cause is release of methane gas from some part of the earth. Man-made causes are the biggest affection of global warming. According to National Geographic, there are several greenhouse gases responsible for warming and humans emit them in a variety of ways. Pollution is the one of the biggest man-made problems. Pollution occurs in many ways. For example, burning fossil fuels, when fossil fuels are burned th ey give off a kind of greenhouse gas. Another major man-made cause is population. More people mean more food.And to provide more food, fossil fuels are used more often. And more people mean more transportation. This is one of the biggest problem increasing use of fossil fuel. Global warming has observable effects on environment. There are a lot of effects for example: -Ice is melting worldwide. -Sea level rise became faster over the last century. According to the NASA effects that scientists had predicted in the past would result from global climate change are now occurring for example: loss of sea ice, accelerated sea level rise and longer, more intense heat waves.And if warming continuous, other effects could happen, for instance: -Hurricanes and other storms are likely to become stronger. -Ecosystems will change, some species will become extinct. -Less fresh water will be available. -Floods and droughts will become more common. So, we can contribute to this global cause with pers onal actions. Our individual efforts are especially significant. We can help immediately by becoming more energy efficient. Reducing our use of oil, gasoline and coal also sets an example for others to follow.

Mathematical modelling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mathematical modelling - Essay Example In mathematics, modelling offers a means of solving real world problems using mathematics (Berry & Houston, 1995). This is done using the representation of the association between at least two variables that are significant to a given problem. Consequently, mathematical modelling enables people to create or visualize patterns or representations of something to be constructed. This process involves formulating models using real world data obtained from observation, investigation, and evaluation. Mathematical models are then analysed to establish mathematical conclusions that are interpreted to predict or explain the real world data. The predictions are then tested to establish their applicability, validity, use, and limitations. Mathematical models are used to identify what is real world and conceptual world (Berry & Houston, 1995). In the real world, phenomena and behaviours of natural or artificial systems are observed and using the conceptual world, efforts are made to understand the real world through formulation of a mathematical model, solving resulting equations, and interpreting the results. With the resulting mathematical models, humans can then offer students the knowledge and skills of creating models and determining the extent to which they imitate the real world. In this report, mathematical models have been used to determine the maximum and minimum heights of two roller coasters. Height is a crucial attribute in the design of actual roller coasters and when determined, it is then related to roller coaster site and the conditions needed to have smooth rides. In this report, the application of mathematical models has involved listing all known variables as a way of identifying the unknown. This is followed by defining assumptions, and applying the physical principle to be applied to the model. Since to find the maximum height and minimum height the first derivative is zero,

Film Genre Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Film Genre Analysis - Essay Example Horror films are meant to create some negative emotions like fear, shock and tension among the audience or viewers. This discourse is about genre analysis of Near Dark, produced by Kathryn Bigelow, in 1987. Horror films incorporate various aspects beyond human imaginations to inflict some sort of fantasy, supernaturalism and the thrilling effects among others. Majority of horror films incorporates the evil and scary scenes through ghosts, serial killers, ogres, zombies, demons, aliens and cannibals among others. This film genre is however restricted to adults above the age of 18 or 21, who can deal with their fears or nightmares without compromising their social and spiritual lives (Wilkins, 2009). Horror films have various influences in the society. It is one of the most selling or marketable genre after sci-fi and animations. The horror films are the opposite of the old movies where the main theme was to satisfy men’s desires. The horror movies incorporate both men and women 's roles in the society and thus are good attribute to gender equality. Women are also the main audience and actors, or the main contributor to the ideas behind the horror films. The majority of female horror films usually begins as a vulnerable scared being to who develop to be strong and confident as the films come to an end. This has really impacted confidence and the strength to endure life frustrations among several women and men facing some sort of difficulties (Plaisance, 2008). Horror films also include the elements of motherhood, pregnancy and lesbianism to attract more female audience. However, it is being revealed that the evil and scary scenes in the horror films have compromised the spiritual and social lives among several audiences. For instance, the Christian clergies have lamented that the movies inflict fear and social withdrawals among teenagers. They also lament that movies based on Halloween celebrations are not in accordance with the Biblical teachings, but some sort of an evil cult. Some social and psychological studies indicate that a pregnant woman could miscarry when shocked or frightened by the evil and scary scenes in the horror films. The films also kill the sense of humanity in frequent audiences, for instance, Children who watch horror films are likely to adopt some criminal minds when they become of age. This is because their humanity and affection is replaced with anger, terror and revenge among other undesirable characters. Near Dark is a horror movie produced in 1987, directed by Kathryn Bigelow but produced by Steven-Charles Jaffe. It was written by Eric Red alongside Kathryn Bigelow. Its main actors and actresses are Adrian Pasder, Jenny Wright, Lance Henriksen, Jenette Goldstein and Bill Paxton. Its music and cinematography was done by Tangerine Dream and Adam Greenberg respectively. The 95 minute movie was based in the United States, and the entire script is in English. Near Dark is about a young man who tries to choose be tween the normal human family life and the vampire family. The main struggle is attributed by the fact that each choice has its consequences. In 1980, there was need to revive the vampire movies and Near Dark was one of the releases. The movie begins with Caleb Colton (Adrian Pasdar) meeting a young beautiful woman Mae (Jenny Wright). This happens before the morning sun appears. Mae bites Colton’s neck before running away. The sun rises and Colton realizes his body system is not the same anymore, his flesh burns when exposed to

Marketing Communication Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing Communication Plan - Essay Example This is because IMC is an indispensable tool that will link the marketing tools of Pure-Body business venture to attain its targets and objectives. This is in recognition that IMC creates a competitive advantage in the market while receiving huge economic boost to increase profits and sales (Pelsmacker & Kitchen, 2004:113). Moreover, Integrated Market Communication makes a strong tie between business ventures and customers for long-term success of companies. Integrated Marketing Communication plan embraces for stages such as horizontal integration, internal/external integration, and financial integration. Horizontal integration is a communication that promotes co-operation with manufacturing and operational departments for the companies to fulfil its objectives (Varey, 2002:127). In this case, the management of Pure-Body business will use corporate-level to identify industries in which their company should compete in to maximise its long-term profitability. Pure-Body aims to embrace horizontal integration to consolidating the activities of the various departments for its wholesale success. Through horizontal integration, Pure- body business will reduce the cost structure, increases service differentiation, and replication of business model. In addition, it will reduce rivalry within the industry, and increases bargaining power over supplies and purchasers. Pure-Body business aspires to enjoy the benefits of horizontal integration. These include lowering a business cost structure because it increases economies of scale. The operational departments provide important business advice to the manufacturing department to reduce cost structure (Stephenson & Thurman, 2007:239). For instance, the operational departments can advise the manufacturing department to dispose a faulty machine that is inefficient. This enables the manufacturing department to acquire a new machine that is efficient. Therefore, the manufacturing department cuts down the cost of the structure. Hor izontal integration helps to reduce the duplication of resources between two companies. The manufacturing department together with other departments achieve this endeavour by eliminating the need for two separate sales forces or corporate head offices. Horizontal integration augments product differentiation, which increases profitability. This is because horizontal communication provides the manufacturing department with innovative ideas to manufacture consumer products or give essential services. Horizontal integration encourages companies to merger. This increases differentiation thereby it allowing a company to combine the products lines or services of merged companies for customer satisfaction (Smith & Taylor, 2004:12). The Integrated market communication at Pure-Body will endeavour to conduct several marketing research techniques to ascertain the level of curiosity of satisfaction and among potential customers. Pure-Body will employ online surveys, blogs, and social media such as twitter and facebook for the users to enter into discussions. The company intends to use mass media to popularise itself after it achieves financial stability. Mostly the company will concentrate on online advertising, social networks, and communication through newspapers, and surveys. Online Advertising Pure-Body business recognises the benefits of employing online advertisement to create awareness of their services. Online advertisement

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 19

Essay Example petus to desegregation however occurred between 1866-1876 during the Reconstruction, when Congress overrode President Andrew Johnson and ratified the 14th Amendment. But in 1883 the U.S. Supreme Court overruled this and things reverted to their old ways although by 1869 the Freedmans Bureau had set up more than 3000 schools for black children. The most important judicial decision which led to total desegregation was the Brown v. Board of Education case, argued by such legal luminaries as Charles H. Houston and a battery of lawyers led by Thurgood Marshall, which opened the floodgates for reforms in the segregated educational system. The case was a combination of cases filed in South Carolina, Delaware, Virginia, Washington D.C and Kansas. The Delaware case challenged the poor conditions of schools for blacks and also the plight of children who had to travel an hour everyday to attend a school with poor facilities because the local high school refused to take them. Louis Redding, a local NAACP attorney was the lawyer. The South Carolina case was a class action civil suit against the inferior conditions in black schools, filed by the state NAACP at the urging of Rev. J.A. DeLaine. The case from Virginia was against the inadequate buildings and inferior school facilities and was facilitated by the NAACP. The case from Washin gton D.C was filed when students from a black school, during a field trip to a white school were denied entry and the ruling stated it â€Å"a denial of the due process of law guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment†. The Kansas case which gained fame as the Brown v. Board of Education case was filed on denial of admission to black children in schools segregated for whites. The Topeka NAACP under McKinley Burnett was responsible for this suit. This case was a landmark judgment because it paved the way for desegregation, not only in schools but also other public utilities and led the way for greater change in society and a general attitude towards

The role of government in safety policy for airpotrs since the attacks Essay

The role of government in safety policy for airpotrs since the attacks of september 11,2001 - Essay Example s well as people in buildings and on the ground are to be protected, terrorists of aviation must be prevented from passing through security checkpoints and gaining access to aircraft. Before September 2001, U.S. General Accounting Office’s (GAO) involvement in aviation security was to oversee the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) which had responsibility for aircraft safety, all under the auspices of the Department of Transportation (DOT). Studies conducted by the GAO had consistently demonstrated that there were major weaknesses in aviation security and this had been a problem for a long time. Among the most important aspect of these weaknesses involved airport screening. The industry was not required to screen checked baggage on domestic flights and proved inadequate in the detection of threats when carry-on bags or screening passengers prior to their boarding aircraft. It also provided insufficient security for air traffic control computer systems and inadequate means for restricting access to secure areas at airports and facilities. The Congress and the administration have reorganized the federal agencies responsible for transportation security, tr ansferring them to the new Department of Homeland Security, and the agencies are attempting to enhance security without unduly inhibiting the movement of goods and people. The Transportation Security Administration, which was created in November 2001 and has assumed overall responsibility for transportation security, has made considerable progress in addressing aviation security challenges. Prior to 9/11, airline screeners were hired by the airlines or airports directly. They frequently did not detect terrorist material located either on the passengers or in their carry-on baggage. According to a GAO report in June 2000, a study of screeners conducted in 1987 discovered that airport screeners failed to observe 20 percent of the potentially hazardous items that the FAA used in its tests. Data collected

Amercia Dream through the stories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Amercia Dream through the stories - Essay Example In the analyzed short stories, namely â€Å"A Rose for Emily† by William Faulkner, â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† by Nathanial Hawthorn, and â€Å"Bartleby, the Scrivener† by Herman Melville, the main characters fail to reach the American dream in the form it is defined here. The story of the life of the main character of the short story by William Faulkner, Emily, is anything but the American dream. Once belonging to a respected family, she ends her life in the inmost poverty. In fact, it is she who is responsible for such dire conditions of her life. The concept of American dream described above suggests every person has equal opportunities and freedom to become successful in life. Emily neglected the opportunity to restore the reputation of her family. She believes that the rich stay rich even though they lose everything they once had. Moreover, she fences herself off the real life where she could have at least some friends and get help. She also does not take advantage of an opportunity to communicate with people and by this climb out of oblivion and poverty. Overall, it is the hidebound view of the upper-class society to which Emily believes she still belongs that do not let the American dream come true. The fail of the American dream can be also traced in the short story by Nathaniel Hawthorn titled â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†. The action takes place in colonial America, and during this historical period it is Puritanism, the purest of all the religion. In this short story, however, this religion is shown from the opposite point of view with all its atrocities and rigidity represented metaphorically by the author. In this very case, it is the society, in which religion is central, is what prevents Goodman Brown from reaching his American Dream. The matter is that when the main character experiences the transition from the ignorance and blind faith to the truth, he sees the real picture of what is

Technology impact on Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Technology impact on Business - Essay Example The product was developed based upon the expectations of a citizen, such as customization and multiple communication options as well as virtual personalized assistance.(Lyon, 2008). Features of the IRS contact center include round-the-clock customer access using one click that can access the customer’s desired choice of assistance, such as chat, video or audio help. Using this improved technology, more customers can be served using fewer resources, thereby resulting in improved efficiency and higher levels of customer satisfaction. The author has pointed out that as the technology evolves, it is likely to improve further and become more mobile, requiring fewer devices to function efficiently. This article also provides details of improved technology devices that can contribute to a cleaner, greener environment. One of these is the EPEAT, a project of the Green Electronics Council. This program is a tool that helps customers to compare monitors, desktops and personal computers in order to evaluate their impact on the environment in terms of the waste they generate. For example, some of these electronic devices may contain toxic or hazardous compounds and if these components are not discarded properly, they could pose a danger to the environment and can also harm public health. The EPEAT technology consists of three basic components. The first is a standard that contains fifty one environmental performance criteria IEEE 1680 to 2006 Standard for the environmental assessment of personal computers. Twenty three of these fall under the mandatory criteria while twenty eight of these criteria are optional, but all of them fall under eight basic categories – the selection of materials, reduced use of environmentally sensitive materials, conservation of energy, ensuring product longevity and ensuring they are designed with end of life management so they can be

Mapping and The Geometry of Form and Function of Cities Dissertation

Mapping and The Geometry of Form and Function of Cities - Dissertation Example However, these models fail to address the very issues related to urban form. The development of these contemporary models does not take into account the urban development geometry. Instead, these are developed at an aggregate level. Batty and Longley (p. 72, 1994) comment ‘The best way to begin describing fractals is by example. A coastline and a mountain are examples of natural fractals, a crumpled piece of paper an example of an artificial one. However, such irregularity which characterizes these objects is not entirely without order and this order is to be found in fractals in terms of the following three principles. First, fractals are always self-similar, at least in some general sense. On whatever scale, and within a given range you examine a fractal, it will always appear to have the same shape or same degree of irregularity. The 'whole' will always be manifest in the 'parts'; look at a piece of rock broken off a mountain and you can see the mountain in the part. Look at the twigs on the branches of a tree and you can see the whole tree in these, albeit at a much reduced scale.’ Although, it has been observed that there is an acceptable level of consistency between such models and urban form but when it comes to the geometrical considerations of urban development, these are not dependent upon the processes and mechanisms (Bertuglia et al, 1987). The urban system models which are theoretical in nature, like the urban economics models, have shown a dependency upon the urban form through a set of assumptions. However, urban form has been defined by these models in terms of treating urban space as quite simple (Thrall, 1987). Hence, building a model which links a given form to statics and dynamics is very difficult because the relevance of form is considered as given and not something that arises out of the forces in action. As a consequence of this, all the research that has been conducted in urban form is considered to be highly idiosyncratic. However, as a result of some major developments during the last decade the science of form has seen some significant changes, especially within the areas of mathematics and physics. These developments have been brought about by the requirement to establish a connection between urban form and growth processes. In addition to this, another driving force has been the analysis of natural forms on the basis of the occurrence of the geometry of the irregular. Remarkable developments in the area of computer graphics have initiated the mathematical description and visualization of the urban forms. Making use of mathematical principles on fragmented structures, visualization has achieved a milestone (Mandeibrot, 1983). The developments have come about in terms of simulating natural forms (like landscapes) in a simple, yet realistic manner. This majorly involves addition of fractal ideas to produce simulations which are more conventional. This gets further deepened into theoretical ideas whi ch involves the generation of fractal structures through physical processes. The physics of critical

Office Visit Essay Example for Free

Office Visit Essay DHL is known for its reputation and service throughout the world. Major online vendors like Amazon. com and Barnes Nobles as well as several other industries employ DHL speed post service to deliver their items and couriers to their clients. It has been an immense pleasure to visit one of their branch offices and the layout of their work as well as their office has certainly been impressive. As time becomes more and more precious in the world of today, people are willing to invest into time-saving services. DHL has undoubtedly been one of them. Several industries involved in marketing and sales on a global basis employ their services due to the reputation it holds in the industry. From receiving express packages and couriers to sending express packages and couriers, DHL has been well-known for its reputation in the express mail and courier facility and its reliability for quality service. Though its major task has most commonly been linked with the express mail task, the DHL industry spreads itself into various other industrial sectors as well such as audio visual and telecommunications, electronics telecom, enterprise computer systems, fashion and fashion solutions, global automotive solutions, pharma/healthcare and semiconductors. DHL presents an amazing work history. Founded by Adrian Dalsey, Larry Hillbolm and Robert Lynn from their last names (DHL), DHL was established in the year 1969 via first express route that started from San Francisco to Honolulu, the success of DHL didn’t just stop there. Serving as a foundation for innovative ideas, DHL was the first in its industry to provide documentation prior to the arrival of the cargoes that rushed the route of importing of goods. Due to its reliable express service, it began to gain its recognition in the industry and this also initiated to expand its routes from Hawaii and Far East to as far as the Middle East. By 1988, DHL could be found in more than 170 countries and employing more than 16,000 employees in its firm. DHL offers a lucrative career for those involved in the sales and marketing field. The career options are many, including part-time as well as freelance. While the current estimate of the number of people hired is difficult; as of 2005 statistics, DHL had employed more than 110,000 employees in more than 200 countries (DHL, 2007). In the current office visit, there were around 50 employees assisting in the tasks involved in delivery and customer service, the head of whom. It mainly dealt with dealing calls from customers and answering several queries with respect to the orders placed by their company. The office layout is impressive. Designed into several cubicles, this structure ensured proper space for each employee to work in giving them their privacy (Martin, 2001). However, there are a few disadvantages linked with such kind of architecture. I’d prefer the DHL team to work without walls. The recent article on office cubicles and the joy of employees related to the demise of the cubicles is a proof enough to show that though cubicles grants privacy, it is not the best structure for offices to work effectively (Lotozo, 2006) In cubicles, we have walls separating one employee from another thereby giving privacy but in today’s management, the best way to work is to work in teams. This requires the employees to work together and of course, without the presence of walls. As Marilyn S. Burroughs in her article entitled, â€Å"Work spaces that work: designing high performance offices† states, â€Å"The future will see more teams that function as amoebae expanding and contracting, blurring both the center and the boundaries. Teams will be disposable, sometimes lasting only several hours; theyll be wholly elastic, coming in all sizes, and people will slip in and out of them instantly. And office designs will accommodate these ever changing teams: Flexibility, spontaneity, and the need to be fluid applies to the physical environment as well as to work processes†¦ The growth of teams is helping to eliminate functional silos and to flatten organizations because teams require faster, clearer, more direct, and more spontaneous communication. Teaming requires a less-structured atmosphere, one that is much more informal, participatory, and flexible† (Burroughs, 1996). The other section of the DHL department contained the packages that were delivered by trucks to the office (the office visited was one of the DHL branch present in my city) and the packages were neatly arranged according to their localities in the storage room. Each package was handled carefully by each employee as they are responsible for the proper delivery of the package and any harm to the courier package would mean refunds from the customer from the firm responsible for the courier. The type of workload that DHL handles varies from customer service (attending calls, queries and even e-mailing that involves the use of computers) to handling courier packages. An attendant is always ready at hand to answer any queries for visitors and the work space ensures that the customer is comfortable. Though the office is divided into cubicles, a comfortable space for the customers has been designed. The space has sofas and is moderately lit. The marketing strategies of DHL have been extremely successful in yielding business on a global basis and its success has been evident since its inception. As of recent, DHL won the contract from RE/Max network. It was a multimillion dollar agreement with the company that has a network from over 60 countries with 119,000 franchises. The company will now employ DHL services for express and international shipping (Business Wire, 2007). The winning of the multimillion contracts itself is a proof of its successful marketing and contract strategies. The business has been successful since the year of its inception. DHL, of recent, employs more than 300,000 employees throughout the world. The online tool that helps in the shipping tracking on an every-day basis has been extremely useful for many customers who wish to monitor their packages. Furthermore, the DHL merged with the Deutsche Post Euro Express (that is the leading postal provider in Germany and Europe) thereby giving DHL the access to an extensive reliable road network through Europe for business and private clients (Business Wire, 2006). Therefore, the kind of offices that DHL requires is the one that assists with the needs of the employees and the customers. Since there are many vendors and merchants who have partnered with DHL, an office specifically addressing the company inquiries plays a vital role. The future plans of the DHL are many, one of which has been stated by the Deutsche Post Euro Express is the employment of robots. Hermann Franck, the DHL master mind calls this as the â€Å"Cinderella feature† where he states, â€Å"Developers also plan to integrate RFID technology into the parcel robot. The idea is simple. With transponders placed on parcels and the robot being equipped with a reading device, the machine could identify the contents of the parcel during the gripping process. The robot would be able to pick through the parcels, just like Cinderella picking through the ashes to find the lentils, explains DHLs mastermind Hermann Franck. The idea is not to put the bad into the crop, as the fairytale goes, but to sort the parcels according to specific destination criteria, for instance† (Deutsche Post World Net, 2007). As DHL continues to expand itself in various areas, it comes with new ideas as well. The DHL Company has an innovation center that addresses the needs of customers and becoming their first choice as well. DHL has been continuously involved in evolving itself technologically and keeps itself in pace with the current events and machines that would facilitate in the development of the company in every way. The modern architecture of today plays a vital role in the successes of such companies. While the DHL office visit truly gave an insight into a company’s goals, aspirations and statuses, the business architecture is worth appraising. A business architecture, as stated by the BPM institute is, â€Å"comprehensive framework used to manage and align an organizations business processes, Information Technology (IT) software and hardware, local and wide area networks, people, operations and projects with the organizations overall strategy† (BPMinstitute. org, 2007). The DHL office is equipped with the latest tracking software with internet availability. The company has also been rigorous in performing regular checks on technology where it employs the latest to aid in the innovative express service that it offers to its customers. The business has been steadily growing and every year, it has marked a progress by improving its technology on a yearly basis. Today, the trend of information architecture plays a vital role in the businesses and thus, the successes of the businesses mainly rely on what kind of information architecture has been or is being used by the business. As Judith Lamont in her article, â€Å"Setting the stage for success- information architecture earns performance kudos from customers† states, â€Å"Information architecture is the process of organizing and structuring information so that it is logical in design and presentation. It establishes categories and relationships among different pieces of information. It defines metadata schemes, navigation and search interfaces. Good architecture not only helps users find information, but also facilitates updating content by having clear rules for adding new information. And its effects show tip on the bottom line with surprising speed when users can get what they need in just a few clicks† (Lamont, 2003). The basic structure that DHL uses is the information architecture. However, it also implements the enterprise architectural strategy in order to expand its business further. Every business’s architecture plays a vital role in its success as it acts like a blue print for transformation and technology modernization. In the current office visit, I found that due to the high success rates, the employees are happy to serve their satisfied clients in every way they can. Therefore, they create a premise that works efficiently in creating a comfortable and good office environment for workers as well as customers. The DHL Company has been found to work with good working ethics and therefore, if there were any further improvements that could be suggested to this company, it could be on the basis of the enterprise architecture where it can satisfy the workers and the clients to a greater extent than it does today. The DHL incorporates seven cultures in its company where it believes that employing highly talented people in its office actually boosts the status of being a responsible global corporate. Furthermore, it strives to deliver excellent quality and fosters openness. The company also acknowledges its social responsibility as well as strives to act in an entrepreneurial manner. This makes the company look professional and therefore, is the key success to all its ventures. Since it abides by the seven corporate cultures identified, the employees abide by it acknowledging its essence in the industry. Regular training and rewards are given to employees who perform well in their work. The DHL Company also believes that it is through its seven corporate cultures that it poses a stiff competition for its competitors. The benefits of enterprise architecture have been proved efficient in the world of today. If DHL wants to pursue its interests and expansions further, it should acknowledge the essence of enterprise architecture and therefore, as R. Suter in his article entitled, â€Å"Securing strategic benefit from enterprise architecture† states, â€Å"Enterprise architecture enables the transformation of organizations into efficient users of capital, be it human/intellectual, organizational, or technical. It does so by identifying capability and resource requirements of the agency mission before resources are committed to development, thereby minimizing the risk of costly rework and schedule overruns; identifying reuse; and streamlining opportunities for technologies, processes, procedures, and information assets. During subsequent development, architecture also enables the management of out-of-scope changes which, however meritorious, would derail subsequent modernization efforts† (Suter, 2007). The proper framework of any organization helps in the building of a successful business and therefore, only a proper architecture that updates and aligns itself with the business policies of today can assure that the business can be successful. Management itself is considered a part of architecture that ensures that there is a continuous development. DHL’s business plans have been consistent and successes have been evident. The fact that it provides excellent client and customer service is the reason why many companies prefer to deal with DHL though some of its prices may seem high compared to its competitors. DHL maintains itself by sustaining its ties through its sustaining program where it helps sustain environment (which is a social responsibility), economic performance (by promoting sustainable economic development), people and communities (by providing employment opportunities) and many more. It helps in the continuous development of talents for its employees by offering employment training and development programs. Thus, an employee working with DHL is continuously updated and its corporate values help in maintaining a fair attitude towards its employees. The ethical understanding of the DHL Company is evident through its sustaining programs that highlight on equal opportunities and also promotes general health promotion campaigns followed by providing an ideal management program that rewards the efficient and hardworking employees (DHL International, 2007). Maintaining such a network has helped DHL to advance further and I believe the management style of DHL is absolutely efficient in delivering success to its members and thus, is well managed. As DHL further undergoes expansion, it is evident that there is a scope for further additions to its offices throughout the world and if any recommendation is to be offered, I believe it would be asking the DHL to comprehend the significance of software architecture in the world of today. Basically, it is just a blue print for constructing new products and therefore, as DHL aims to be innovative in its methods (thereby providing satisfactory service to its clients and customers); an expansion into the software architectural strategy would be a wonderful addition. The easy part about the software architecture would be that it wouldn’t require any installations but would products based on software architecture are installed. The role of software architectural strategy is to account for the entire development of the product that is normally done by various sectors such as building and configuring. Since several sectors of DHL deal with several aspects of technology, the software architectural strategy would provide a fundamental base for the development of new products with innovative ideas (Sanders, 1992). This is the IBM’s Distributed Data Management Architecture and is meant for distributed application a service which is similar to the one we encounter in DHL Company. This would only serve as an innovative step for the DHL to proceed further in order to satisfy the clients and customers it sustains in its database.

Fire Safety Essay Example for Free

Fire Safety Essay On a cold summers night the fire department received a two-alarm house fire. When the first-in engine arrived on the scene they reported heavy smoke and flames visible from the exterior. Others units then arrived on the scene to help battle the blaze that destroyed the two-story house. Thankfully, no one was injured. Fire investigators determined the cause of the blaze was a candle that has been left burning unattended while the homeowners left the house. Accidents like this are the reason for fire safety awareness. Fire safety is an essential part of education for both the public and firefighters that has proven to decrease the risk of accidental fires and fire related deaths. The history of the fire service dates back to the early days of history. The service has evolved dramatically from the beginning. The first records of the fire service were recorded when a firefighting force emerged â€Å"during the rule of the roman empire† (Lincolnshire 1). The first try of using a fire brigade didn’t work as planned as nearly a quarter of Rome went up in smoke under rule of emperor Augustus. The first fire brigade used slaves to attempt to put out the raging fires. Later â€Å"Britain got its first organized fire brigade in 43 AD when the Romans invaded. After they left Britain’s first fire brigade disbanded† (Lincolnshire 1). At these early times in history people begin to realize the need for a fire department and the uses for spreading fire safety to protect civilians came about. The main reason for teaching fire safety evolved from these times. It is meant to protect and help save lives when fire is present in ones environment. Firefighting is one of the most honorable jobs in America. They play a major role in the communities in which they work. Firefighters don’t only work to put out fires that occur but also spend much of their time educating the public in an effort to help prevent fires before they start. Webster’s Dictionary defines fire safety as: public education and awareness to help reduce the risk of fires (â€Å"Fire Safety† 500). Fire safety is a simple and  inexpensive in educating the public and can be very helpful in preventing fires (Elken 641). Many fire departments get the community involved in programs to educate people of all ages. There are many types of programs and ways to make fire safety education realistic and interesting to learn about. One of the simplest and most inexpensive ways to share life-saving information is through the public service announcements (Elken 641). Some examples of this are methods such as radio and television commercials. Some fire departments have fire safety trailers. These trailers have often been remodeled to make the living areas of a house realistic but in a much smaller scale. They are fixed to make the sounds and a smoky environment that one might encounter if caught in an actual fire. It is stressed to stay low during a fire in a smoky environment. They also have stoves and fire suppression equipment such as fire extinguishers to educate in how to extinguish small fire such as one that may occur on the stove like a grease fire. Another great safety  program takes place in schools all across the nation. â€Å"Fire prevention and education programs are put in place to teach the dangers of fire and how to evacuate the building quickly and properly in case of an emergency in the learning atmosphere† (Elken 643). Fire drills are an example of procedures that take place in the school to inform students what to do in case of an emergency. These are a few examples of fire safety programs taught around the nation. The need for fire safety has never been higher. As more and more people move into the nation referred to as the â€Å"melting pot† more and more precautions need to be taken as the population increases. The US Fire Administration states â€Å"The US has one of the most highest death rates in the industrialized world (US Fire 1). â€Å"About 5,700 people are killed every year in fires and about 29,000 civilians are injured in fire related injuries† (US Fire 1). Furthermore, â€Å"Careless smoking is one of the most commons reason for fires in residential fires† but â€Å"arson is one of the major causes of death in commercial fire fatalities† (Elken 645). Fire safety is an essential part of public knowledge to help prevent these deaths and fire related injuries. There are many ways to help prevent fire deaths and injuries. Statistics show â€Å"A working smoke detector doubles a person’s chance of surviving a fire. Approximately 90 percent of US homes have at least one smoke detector. Nearly half the residential fires and three fifths of fatalities occur in home with no detectors† (US Fire 2). Smoke and fire detectors can be located throughout a  structure usually close to sleeping quarters. Battery or electricity or both operate them. All batteries should be changed when the time changes. Fire extinguishers should always be placed throughout the house in case of a fire. It is not only important to have this type of devise but it is essential to know how to fully operate it. All basic extinguishers are the same in that they have a handle, and pin to pull for activation by squeezing the handle, and a nozzle that can be pointed to the base of the fire. Another system that is becoming popular and required by fire code in some establishments is the installation of sprinkler systems. The Systems â€Å"have become more cost effective and can usually be installed for .75 to 1.50 dollars per square foot (US Fire 2). It is very important to have some type of devise in the home in the event of an emergency. It is obvious fire safety education is necessary to decrease the risk of fire fatalities. The NFPA says, â€Å"since 1980, fire calls have fallen 43%† (Top Ten 1). Firefighters hard work across the nation is paying off when it comes to public education. As the world strives to reach higher standards in technology I think there will be an even greater decrease in fires in both the residential and commercial environment. As long as the firefighters and communities continue to work together to teach people of all ages about the importance of preventing fire and how to react in the event that one may occur the rate of fire fatalities and injuries will continue to decrease. Saving lives and property is what fire safety is all about.

How to write a job application

How to write a job application After completing your studies, when you decide to take up a job in a particular industry depending on your skills and qualifications, the first thing that you will be required to do is to write an application for a job. But getting a job that suits you would take more than sending out a few application letters. First of all, you need to find out what skills you have to offer and what your expectations are from your work. Then on the basis of this, you can identify the employers that may be in search of a person with skills that you possess and that also fit the job profile that you are looking for. The letter of application is also called the letter of transmittal. It is written when you get to know of a specific job opening and you want to apply for it directly. It is always accompanied by a resume/CV. Thus, the letter of job application can be divided into two parts: a) Covering Letter and b) Resume/Curriculum Vitae (i.e. CV). The cover letter should introduce you and should give further details about certain qualifications and skills that may not be apparent from your resume. So ideally, a resume should always be sent along with a covering letter. Remember, you should mention only the qualifications, skills and experience that are relevant to the job that your are applying for. DRAFTING AN APPLICATION LETTER A letter of application is your very first communication with the prospective employer. He will form his first impression about you from your application letter. That is why it is very essential that your application letter should be neat, well-structured and should provide all the necessary information at a glance. What you basically set out to do in your application letter is to sell your skills and services. Thus, your application letter is a form of advertising. And the key feature of effective advertising is that it should be persuasive. An application letter therefore is also some kind of a sales letter. It should project your skills keeping in mind the employers and a particular jobs requirement. This kind of job analysis and self-appraisal will help you to identify which jobs suit you and where you should not apply. For example, if it is specifically mentioned in the advertisement for the post of schoolteachers that the school requires someone with minimum three years of teac hing experience and you have just graduated, then there is no point in applying for this post as you will be found ineligible. Again, if a company requires a smart, young receptionist with good communication and people skills and you are someone who is of reserved and laidback nature, then you should not apply for it. Before drafting an application letter, you must ask yourself these questions- 1. What sort of qualifications and experience are needed for this particular job? 2. Do I have the required skills and experience? 3. Am I suitable for this job? How? Once you have answered these questions, the next step is to narrow down your focus on the qualities and skills that the employer is looking for and to highlight those in your application letter. This does not mean that you make exaggerated claims. You should be honest, sincere and modest. If you possess the required qualifications, skills and experience, then only you should apply for a particular job. And you should provide necessary documents for verification of your declarations. Job application letter is an interesting blend of the features of a personal letter and a sales letter. Therefore, it should reflect your creativity and also your personal style. So as an applicant/writer, just be yourself and also a little businesslike in your approach. The main object of an application letter is to get you an interview. Therefore, it is essential that your letter should stimulate the employers interest in your skills and accomplishments and it should give him a clear idea about how you can satisfy the organisations needs. You should project your skills with confidence and this is possible only when you believe in yourself and your capabilities. TYPES OF APPLICATION LETTERS There are two types of application letters: a) solicited application letters and b) unsolicited application letters. Solicited application letters are those that are sent in response to job advertisements, whereas unsolicited application letters (also known as prospecting letters) are written at the applicants initiative. This is the fundamental theoretical difference between the two. In the first one, you write directly for the post advertised. In the latter one, you acquaint the prospective employer with the qualifications and skills that you possess and leave it to him to identify whether your profile is suitable for any of the positions in his organization and whether he should consider you for the same. But in practice, there is hardly any difference between the structure and the content of both these types of letters. Whether writing a solicited or an unsolicited application letter, the applicant has to mention his personal details, qualifications, skills and experience that ar e relevant to the job. Besides, the letters of application can also be framed in two different ways: All the information about the applicants qualifications, experience and personal details can be included in one comprehensive letter. OR The application letter can be divided into two parts. The first part is the covering letter which refers to the advertisement in response to which you are applying and in it you also highlight your most relevant and significant skills and qualifications for the advertised post. The second part is the resume which lists all the necessary personal and educational information in an easy-to-read format. The layout b) is the widely preferred and the most effective format as it gives the applicant an opportunity to display his skills and personality in an attention-grabbing and succinct manner thus generating the employers interest in his resume and getting him to read it in the first place. ESSENTIALS OF A GOOD COVERING LETTER The covering letter has one purpose- to attract the attention and sustain the interest of your prospective employer in your resume and thus get him to call you for a job interview. Therefore, your covering letter is not just a simple note that forwards an enclosure i.e. your resume and other relevant documents. Rather, it is a selling-piece. It should have the qualities of an effective sales letter. Besides, in your job application letter, you must focus on- The job requirements as specified by the employer- qualifications, skills, experience The special qualities you possess that will make you stand out from the rest (for an announced job opening, you will have to compete with hundreds of other job seekers) Your knowledge about the organization Your communication skills, problem-solving ability, people skills, etc. An effective covering letter should have the following features: It should be informative and to the point. The tone of the letter should be friendly but avoid being too casual or informal. Keep the covering letter to a single page, three paragraphs is ideal. Do not use the same covering letter while applying at different places. The style and layout is very important. Avoid grammatical and spelling errors. Use good quality paper and printing. Take care not to crumple the edges or stain the paper. Your letter should not appear overloaded with information. Leave enough white space, so that it looks appealing to the eye. The covering letter is a kind of persuasive, goodwill message. Show genuine interest in the organization and a keen interest in the position that you are seeking. Omit personal information that is not relevant to the job. Edit the letter carefully to make sure that there are no errors. FORMAT AND CONTENTS OF AN APPLICATION LETTER An application letter may be written in two formats: the complete block format (the latest and better preferred American format) or the semi-block format (the traditional British format). In the complete block format (also known as the full block format), every line is left-aligned i.e. it starts at the left margin. And nothing is indented. Whereas, in the semi-block format, the senders address, date and the complimentary close are indented. Even the paragraphs may be indented. An application letter has the following parts: The Senders Address and the Date In the semi-block format, these are written at the top right corner of the letter. Whereas, in the complete block format, the senders address and date are written at the top left corner of the letter. The date should be written in the American format (mm/dd/yy i.e. July 30, 2010) if you are writing in the complete block style and in the British format (dd/mm/yy i.e. 30 July, 2010) if you are using the semi-block layout. Leave one space between the address and the date. Also, the applicants address and date should be written in open punctuation (i.e. no punctuation). Example: Closed Punctuation Open Punctuation Divya Shah(,) Divya Shah 305, Clover Garden Society(,) 305, Clover Garden Society Alkapuri(,) Alkapuri Vadodara(.) Vadodara July 30, 2010(.) July 30, 2010 (Or) (Or) 30 July, 2010(.) 30 July, 2010 The Inside Address The inside address or the receivers/employers address should also be written in open punctuation. It should be one or two spaces below the date. It should always be left-aligned. If it is a solicited application, the inside address will begin with the designation and not the name of the person to whom it is to be addressed. Example: (To) (To) The Manager The Personnel Manager Aditya Birla Group OR Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd New Delhi Baroda If the name of the person to whom the application is to be addressed or the identification of the advertiser is not disclosed in the job advertisement and if only the post box or a newspaper box number to which the application is to be sent is given, then the inside address will be written as: (To) (To) The Advertiser The Advertiser Post Box No. 2509 OR Box No. 2203 Vadodara- 390004 The Times of India Ahmedabad- 380001 If it is an unsolicited application, then the letter should be addressed to the concerned person/officer. Example- The Employment Officer/ The Accounts Officer/ The Manager/ The Dean/ The Principal etc. Subject and Reference Leave one or two spaces after the inside address and state in one line the purpose of the application letter (i.e. the Subject). Leave one more space and write the Reference i.e. if someone has referred you for the post, then you may mention his/her name and designation. Writing the reference is optional. The Salutation Dear Sir is the most common salutation used in application letters. But you may try some of the following ways to open a letter depending on the context in which you are communicating. However, you should be careful in selecting an appropriate salutation. Context Salutation 1. Addressing someone in a company Dear Sir/Madam 2. Addressing a man whose name Dear Sir you do not know 3. Addressing a woman whose name Dear Madam you do not know 4. Informal way of addressing a man Dear Mr. Parekh 5. Informal way of addressing a woman Dear Ms. Dixit Remember, it is inappropriate and impolite to use the first name of a person in the salutation. For instance, Dear Ms. Deepa. Also, first names are never preceded by a title (Mr. Siddharth or Ms. Nirmita). The Body of the Letter It is often divided into three parts: The Opening/Introductory Paragraph It gives details about why you are writing the application letter and which position or type of work you are seeking. It also makes clear whether it is a solicited application or an unsolicited one. The opening paragraph should catch the readers attention and create interest in your resume. In a solicited letter, you may use a simple opening as you have been invited to apply and your focus therefore is not so much on capturing the readers attention. You may open your letter in one of the following ways: Summary opening- Mention your most relevant qualifications and/or experience and explain how it can benefit the organization. Example: With my three years experience as the Assistant Advertising Manager at Mudra Communication Pvt. Ltd., I feel confident that I can ably perform the duties of an Advertising Manager, the post announced by you in The Hindustan Times datedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Name opening- Mention the name of the person (if he is known to the reader) who has suggested that you apply for the job. Example: Professor Kulkarni informed me of a job opening for the post of Assistant Professor in your institution. My qualifications and experience suit the eligibility criteria and I would be glad if you find my profile suitable for the post and consider me for the same. I would indeed be very fortunate if I get an opportunity to be associated with your reputed college. Source opening- Make a reference to the newspaper in which the job advertisement was published. Briefly explain how you possess the necessary skills, qualifications and experience that suit the requirements of the target position. Example: With reference to your advertisement in The Times of India dated 25 July, 2010, I hereby apply for the post of Sales Executive. Or I wish to apply for the post of Marketing Manager advertised by you in The Hindu of 27 February, 2010. Or I request you to consider favourably my qualifications for the position of Legal Adviser in your firm advertised in The Indian Express dated Question opening- Begin with an attention-seeking question that targets the organisations problem, need or goal and describe how you can help in fulfilling it. News opening- Mention some organizational achievement, goal, etc. which was made public and express your desire to work for the organization because of it and for it. Personalized opening- Mention your relevant interests or previous experiences or your present position or profile and start discussing why you are eager to work with the organization. The Middle Paragraph It gives specific examples of why you are perfect for the job. With an effective introductory paragraph, half the work is done as you will have already succeeded in exciting the employers interest. The next step is to show how you are the one that he is looking for. For this, you should explain in detail the important points that you mentioned in the opening paragraph. Give evidence in support of your claims of ability. Avoid exaggerating. Take care not to repeat the points already mentioned in the opening paragraph or the resume. Include relevant details that could not be accommodated in the resume. The middle paragraph/s of the application letter should focus mainly on convincing the reader that you are the best choice for the post advertised. You can do this not by listing the academic degrees that you have earned but by highlighting how your education has equipped you for the work that you seek. Show how you are updated not only about your area of specialization but are also aware of the latest in the other allied areas. If you have handled different job profiles while working part-time, explain what you have learnt from it and how it has made you capable at adapting to different work environments. Also, mention the various job-related activities, interests and qualities that you possess. Sum up by referring the reader to the enclosed resume for further details. The Closing/Concluding Paragraph In the last paragraph, make a subtle suggestion to your prospective employer to act i.e. to grant you an interview. Do not demand it. Do not use sloppy words to gain the readers sympathy. Avoid closing lines like- Given an opportunity to serve in your esteemed company, I assure you the best of my servicesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Please be kind enough to give me an opportunity to serve in your reputed institutionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Be simple and direct in asking for an interview. Heres how you can do it effectively- I hope to hear from you soon. I will be glad/grateful if my application for the said post is considered favourably. I hope that my qualifications would merit your consideration. Looking forward to a favourable response. May I look forward to an interview with you at your convenience? Close the letter by stating your phone number and specify the best time to reach you. You may also include your email address on which you may be contacted. The Complimentary Close and the Signature Line The complimentary close is placed two spaces below the last line of the body of the letter. Some of the most commonly used complimentary closes include Thank you, Yours faithfully, Sincerely, Best regards, Respectfully, Best wishes, Yours truly, Warm regards, Sincerely yours, With many thanks, etc. The complimentary close begins with a capital letter and ends with a comma. Leave four spaces between the complimentary close and the Signature Line (i.e. the writers name) for a signature. The writers title or designation should be typed directly below the name. The signature should ideally be in blue or black ink. Example: Yours sincerely, (Sign here) Ramakanta Das Managing Director Saint Gobain Industries Hyderabad Enclosures List the number and nature of the documents that you are sending along with the letter of application. If the list is too long, attach a separate sheet. Leave two or three spaces after the signature line and write- Encl. See list attached.

Head of Single Party State Essays -- Essays Papers

Head of Single Party State â€Å"Syngman Rhee: Key South Korean Politician† 1875- 1965 A. Plan of Investigation The presence of Syngman Rhee’s regime in South Korea after World War 2 was essential for preventing South Korea (ROK) from becoming part of the Soviet Communist bloc. The validity of this statement shall be addressed and analyzed in great detail within this investigation. The primary sources chosen for this investigation shall consist of Top Secret US Documents which include an evaluation of Syngman Rhee and a memo from US Secretary of State to Rhee. They are attached in the Appendix (G). The secondary sources used are numerous and will be included in the bibliography. The main secondary source will be State Security and Regime Security : President Syngman Rhee and the Insecurity Dilemma in South Korea, 1953-60 book by Yong Pyo-Hong. B. Summary of Evidence The United States, Britain, and China had agreed that Korea would be allowed to become independent after the Allied victory, at the Cairo Conference of December 1943. The Soviet Union agreed to this principle in its declaration of war against Japan. On August 15, 1945, President Harry S Truman and Marshall Stalin agreed to divide Korean spheres of influence at the thirty-eighth parallel. Their foreign ministers met in Moscow on December 7, 1945 in order to create a 5 year â€Å"trusteeship† during which a joint United States-Soviet government would create a "provisional Korean democratic government." (1UpInfo, 2002) The trusteeship proposal was immediately opposed by the majority of Koreans (communists excluded), especially by the Korean right-wing politicians, led by Syngman Rhee’s Liberal Party , who used the discontent to form his base of support. Rhee ca... ...t 2003. <http://www.ahrchk.net/charter/mainfile.php/east/12/>. Eisenhower.com 13 Apr. 2000. â€Å"Assessment of Rhee† Oct 4, 2003. <http://www.dwightdeisenhower.com/koreanwar/Maj.%20Gen.%20Dean%27s%20assessment%20of%20Rhee.gif>. Eisenhower.com 13 Apr 2000. â€Å"Memo to Rhee† Oct 4, 2003. <http://www.dwightdeisenhower.com/koreanwar/Message%20from%20Dulles%20to%20Rhee,%20pg.%201.gif>. Hong, Pyon-Yow, State Security and Regime Security : President Syngman Rhee and the Insecurity Dilemma in South Korea, 1953-60, New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1999. Kim, Q.Y. Fall of Syngman Rhee. 1983. University of California. Oliver, Robert. Syngman Rhee: The Man Behind the Myth. 1973. Greenwood Pub. Group. †Rhee, Syngman." Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. 2003. Encyclopedia Britannica Premium Service. 26 Aug, 2003 <http://www.britannica.com/ebc/article?eu=402134>.

To kill a mocking bird :: To Kill a Mockingbird Essays

To Kill a Mocking Bird Essay -Courage- Harper Lee’s timeless classic of human nature and evils of mankind are well highlighted throughout the plot of â€Å"To Kill a Mocking Bird.† This novel mainly centers on the characters’ lives through racial prejudice at extreme measures. Courage is presented several times throughout the book and is the dominant defense towards vile people and dead-ended circumstances. Justice and equality are two important traits lacking in the town of Maycomb. Tom Robinson, an innocent black man, is under wrongful accusation of raping a young girl, Mayella Ewell. Due to a lack of morality and fairness, black people are naturally sentenced guilty and must suffer with the consequences appointed by the judge. No ordinary lawyer wastes their time on a color coded case, since chances of the black side winning are nearly inexistent. Atticus Finch steps forward and agrees to defend a black man, since he knows Tom’s innocent. This courageous leap costs Mr. Finch his towns respect and changes the outlook on his family. Knowing that he will lose the case, Atticus bravely protects Tom Robinson to all extents and tries to achieve justice. Although his attempts to set racial equality fail, he doesn’t lose confidence in his clients’ survival chances. Mr. Finch’s risk almost cost his children their lives and cause many people to scorn at him. Tom Rob inson knew how dangerous it was getting involved with Mayella would be, but he also understood that she needed a friend in this world. His brave attempts to help her with life cost him his life. Atticus Finch knows his morals, holds to his goals and stands up for what he believes in. As word about such an imposturous task of defending a black man gets out, the town of Maycomb is enraged. A mob of the community’s residents plot to visit the jail to pay a ‘visit’ to Tom Robinson’s cell. The town men arrive late at night, only to find Atticus quietly reading in front of the jail door. Facing 20 armed men in the middle of the night puts Atticus in a tight situation. The men start arguing as Mr. Finch’s safety becomes questionable. His daring personality doesn’t allow him to change his mind and go home. Atticus still has faith in the people of Maycomb. He still believes that good lies deep within their minds. Just as the men begin to heat up and get impatient, Scout runs out of her hiding place, from which she had been secretly spying on her dad.

life and death :: essays research papers

What It Takes to Overcome Suffering When dealing with hardship in one’s life, people deal with it in diverse ways. One may overcome suffering through their own thoughts and ventilation, or by through their relationships with themselves, other people, or even a higher being. Alice Walker, an African American writer, narrows the scope of suffering to a single, courageous woman in her novel, The Color Purple. Through this remarkable woman, Celie, Walker illustrates that even when life can’t get any worse, one can overcome impossible odds. Alice Walker illustrates through Celie’s triumph over Mr. _____, one overcomes suffering through the presence of strong positive relationships. The obstacles that Celie overcomes are indicative of the relationships that she acquires. Through the relationships that Celie forms with God, Sofia, Nettie, Shug, and the ultimate relationship she develops with herself, she is able to overcome the abuse and hardship that is present in her life and her past. Celie’s upbringing was not one, that which someone would call typical. She must care for her brothers and sisters, and is already burdened with the cooking and cleaning of the household because of her mother’s deteriorating health. And if that is not a harsh struggle enough, Celie is being continuously raped by the man she knows to be her father. Celie gives birth to two of her father’s children, whom he sells after Celie gives birth. She is tormented with the thoughts of her two born children, and why these horrible things happen to her. Celie is mistreated and abused day to day, and accepts this as the norm childhood. Not only is the young, innocent Celie raped Ventura 2 again and again, she is beat by this man, when she does something he does not approve of. â€Å"He beat me today cause he say I winked at a boy in church† (Walker 5). She is victimized by this man repeatedly and cannot help but only wonder why. She is thought of as nothing but a sexual object, and is taken advantage of over and over. She is stepped on repeatedly by her stepfather and is threatened not to say anything. â€Å"You better not never tell nobody but God. It’s kill your mammy† (Walker 1). She is silenced not to tell anyone about her explicit rapes because she knows it would kill her mother, and therefore only expresses her hardship to God. This poor young girl deals with hardship most adults do not even encounter, but handles it with her own prerogative.

Financial statement analysis

Most notable products from Apple include the Phone, Pod, Pad, ND Imax personal computers. Apple is also involved in computer and web based application developments, which support their essential products such as Tunes, Safari, and Cloud. Through its innovative, streamlined, user-friendly designs, Apple has achieved a meteoric rise to industry domination since 2002. This growth, however, has recently come to a relative standstill following its peak in 2012 and has investors speculating if this marks the end of Apple's bullish behavior, or just a minor setback because of the company's change of management.Apple Inc. Saw a 9% total increase in revenue this sat year from SSL 56,508 million in 2012 to $170,910 million in 201 3(Apple Inc. , 2013). This growth is in part due to the release of the Phone â€Å"As† and â€Å"c† models, the introduction of the Pad â€Å"Mini† retina display as well as the company's normal day to day sales. This 9% growth may be some cause f or concern though, as prior years increase in revenue saw a 45% average growth from year to year (44% in 2012 and 65% in 2011).Apple's annual release of new products typically yields a 30% overall growth in revenue, which potentially indicates there is stagnation of growth overall in the current racket. This stagnation may be attributed either to heavy saturation of products within the current market, leaving little opportunity for expansive growth, or that consumers are unimpressed with the current product line. Apples peer firm Microsoft (MOST) has seen a modest 5% increase in total revenue from $73,723 million to $77,849 million from 2012 to 213 respectively (Microsoft Corporation, 2013).This increase is consistent with prior 3 years which have each yielded a 4-5% increase in revenue. Compared to Apple, Microsoft has a relatively stable growth and be attributed to the elatedly consistent flow of products from year to year. The â€Å"earnings per share† ratio (PEPS) reflect s the decline in overall profitability as well, with a 10% decline in Apple's PEPS from $44. 43 to $40. 29 in 2012 and 2013 respectively (Apple Inc. , 2013).This can be attributed to two factors: a decrease in net profit margin and a paralleled decrease in gross profit margin. There was an 11% decrease in net profits because of an increase in overall inventory. Increasing inventory will also increase a company s operating expenses as they accommodate new production. Companies typically raise their inventory evils as they release new products in anticipation for projected consumer demand for these products.As is the case with Apple, this will have a negative impact on a company's net profit when there is less than anticipated demand for their new product. The depreciation of older inventories can also be responsible for an overall decrease in profitability. Microsoft has conversely seen an increase in PEPS from $2. 03 per shard to $ 2. 63 per share as a result of an increasing profit margin ratio from 23% to 28% in 201 3(Microsoft Corporation, 2013). Overall this increase can be attributed to an increase in ales over the period as new technologies are release.Overall PEPS increase as a result of Microsoft's lower CEQ duty/investment into their company where as Apple has put much more equity into the release of their new releases in 2013. The increase in cost of sales is reflected in the decline of the gross profit margin ratio which is an additional indicator for a comprehensive decrease in profitability. Apple's total gross profit fell from $44. 00 to $38. 00, in 2012 to 201 3 respectively, which is below the $42. 00 industry average as their cost of sales experienced a 22% increase from 587,846 million to 1 06,606 million dollars.The decrease in gross profit is explained by a number of factors according to Apple: â€Å"introduction of new versions of existing products with higher cost structures and flat or reduced pricing; a shift in sales mix to products w ith lower margins; introduction of pad mini with a gross margin significantly below the Company's average product margins; higher expenses associated with changes to certain Of the Company's service policies and other warranty costs; price reductions on certain products, including pad 2 and phoned; and an unfavorable impact room foreign exchange fluctuations. (Apple Inc. , 2013). An intangible effect that could positively impact Apple's gross profit in the long run is an increase in the number of product consumers as well as a potential increase in consumer loyalty. When compared to Microsoft smaller 2% decrease of gross profit margin from 76% to 74% in 2013. Microsoft decision to decrease sales price of windows 8 and decrease margins for the Oxbow One is responsible for the decrease in gross profit margin much like Apple. Tooth Apple inch's and Microsoft's overall decrease of gross profit margin can be said o increase consumer satisfaction because more advanced technologies are sol d at a lower margin thus giving a customer more value to their purchase. By lowering the price on certain high value items, such as the phone 4 and the pad 2 mentioned in Apple's statement, Apple has made these products more accessible to potential customers with lower incomes or frugal spending habits.Furthermore, if there is an increase in Apple product consumers as a result of the change in price, there will likely be an increase in customer loyalty and satisfaction with these products. The PEPS decline and he increase in cost of sales can further be explored through an analysis of the company's balance sheet. There was a significant increase in Apple's inventory from $791 million to SSL . 76 billion from 2012 to 2013 respectively. This 123% increase in inventory demonstrates a wholesale investment in anticipated consumer demand and loyalty.Apple typically announces product releases long before the actual release date in order to build market â€Å"hype† and also sets rele ase dates to coincide with times of historically greater spending in the market, such as the Christmas holiday season. This â€Å"hyping† recess, however, can go both ways in terms of sales by either positively building up consumer anticipation or by allowing time for consumers to second guess the product before it is released. There is also an inherent risk in inventory expansion based on projected sales; consumers may just not be in the market for new products.An indication that this may be the case is found by looking at the inventory turnover ratio which experienced a decrease from 11 1 times per quarter to significantly lower 83 times per quarter. Microsoft, like Apple, has seen a significant decrease of inventory turnover of 14% from 15. 2 times to 13. 13 times per quarter. This decrease in overall turnover much like, Apple is due to customer anticipation of newer release. However, these changes were significantly different for Microsoft as their offerings have less vol atility, especially in sales of operating systems, and usually see less adoption by consumers in starting stages.Apple acid test ratio, involving current assets over current liabilities, stands at 1. 64 in 2013 which is an increase of approximately 8 points from 2012. This is much higher than the industrial average of 1. 0, indicating Apple is a relatively safe investment and has enough in current assets to cover its debt Obligations. This sets Apple as one of the safer blue chip stocks that can provide consistent wealth for their share holders. Microsoft has experienced a increase acid test ratio from 2012 to 201 3 from 2. 57 to 2. 66 respectively this is significantly higher than Apple Inc. ND can be said to be a safer investment. Microsoft overall keeps their balance of ratios to asset very consistent and insures that they can meet their bottom line as well as provide security for their investors, more so than Apple In the third quarter of 201 3 Apple accrued total of 1 6,960 mil lion dollars in debt. The long term debt was used to offset the repurchase of stock of $22. 9 billion as well as dividend equivalent rights of $10. 6 million dollars. This accrued debt helps Apple Inc avoid taxes of upwards of $9. 2 billion dollars (Burrows, 2013) meanwhile Apple will only incur a $308 million interest a year.Had they used their offshore cash Apple would have had to pay a 35% tax and will save another $1 00 million as these interest payments are tax deductible (Burrows, 2013). Apple's move to take on this debt to finance $55 billion dollars in stock repurchase is an effort to increase overall earnings per share as well as increase total value to the consumer meanwhile adding to overall company value. The statement of cash flows revealed that In 201 2 Apple board of directors authorized a $10 billion stock which was later raised to a total of $60 billion in 2013.Apple repurchased/retired a total of $22,860 million dollars worth of stock in 201 3 as opposed to issuanc e of 665 million in 2012. Apple stated that this repurchase was a move to increase end value to shareholders. Shareholders that are offered buy back will in turn gain profit and will decrease the overall outstanding shares. By decreasing the total shares the company's earnings per share ratio will consequently increase, and given the current plan should increase PEPS by around $4 over the following fiscal year (Hughes, 2013) and adding to the company's overall worth.The overall decrease in outstanding shares also decreases the total amount of dividends paid to investors thus cutting expense and adding to company revenues. Apple began issuing dividends toward the end of 2012 and has since seen a significant raise in dividends issued to its stockholder. Apple has since issued $10,564 million of vividness to shareholders representing a 324% increase dividends paid for 2013 from the $2,488 of dividends paid in 2012. Quarterly dividends were raised by 15% from SO. 65 per share to $3. 05 per share in 2013.The price to earnings ratio also increased from 9% to 13 % as well as the increase in payout ratio from . 29 to. 06 reflects this change value to stockholders as a consequence of stock retirement and increased dividend payout.. A very lucrative opportunity presents itself for current stockholders as the prospective raise of PEPS due to buy back will ultimately add incredible attention value due to increased dividend yield. Microsoft's plan to buy back a total $40 billion plan began in 2008, they began this buy back to increase overall PEPS and PIE as well as increase the companies payout ratio.Buyback has thus far increase PEPS however subsequent drops in PIE ratio from 12. 36 to 10. 24 and stagnant dividend yield make investment into Microsoft a riskier endeavor than Apple as the decrease in P/E does not bode well for buyer confidence. Though the higher dividend yield is still attractive to investors and is higher than that of Apple Inc. Apples market share in sma rt phones should e of particular concern to interested investors as of recent events. Market share, especially for key products, gauges the company's current position amongst its competition and overall pull within the market.It can effectively gauge if the company is meeting the needs of its consumers and prospective growth. Within the past year the Phone only gained around a 13% overall growth in sales, however this is miniscule compared to overall Smartened market growth of 44% in 2013. Apples market share shows further struggles as overall mobile market share decrease by a full 4% from 19% market share n 2012 to a 15% in 2013. (Gardner, 2013) However, other companies like Microsoft and Samsung saw significant increases in SO use and hardware use with Samsung clearing 31% total market share from its 30% in 2012.This may be worrisome as Apple may not providing what customers want and can account for a decrease in overall prospective growth. However, this may be remedied by Apples breakthrough to markets china and Japan late in 2013. The departure of Steve Jobs and the arrival of Tim cook in august of 2011 has been a cause for a weaker overall product line. The recent introduction of ewe products have spawned a lackluster response by consumers especially in the release of the Phone 5 variants (as and c) as well as the improved retina display pad mini.These products neglected to offer anything new or revolutionary to set Apple apart, they were just mere improvements to tested product. The lack of ingenuity has potential to cause a decline Apples growth in sales and may cede market share competitors who have more to offer to the consumer. Microsoft on the other hand has remained consistent in its product offerings throughout the years. This is expected of Microsoft as hey re key product involves enterprise systems that provide basic needs for businesses. Financial Statement Analysis (2004-2008) Course Title: Managing Financial Resources Course: MSc. Finance Date: 11th January 2010. TABLE OF CONTENT Executive Summary This report shows the analysis of the financial performance of Centrica Plc, one of the top energy business providers in UK. Based on my analysis from this report I can conclusively state that: Centrica Plc has an upper hand in the energy and gas market than it s competitor; Scottish Power. Centrica Plc’s turnover was very high in 2008 which shows that it made better sales than its competitor. Although Centrica’s sales turnover was high in 2008 but the profit margin dropped drastically. In the overall financial performance Centrica Plc made a loss of ? 645million in 2008 compared to the previous year 2007 when the company had a retained profit of ? 1088million. This was considered to be an impact of the global financial crises that hit the UK and US economy causing increase in oil prices and a drastic fall again as the level of global oil demand rises and at the same time causing a tight supply position. Centrica Plc’s Total shareholders return has an upper hand when compared with other 99 members of the FTSE 100 in 2008. INTRODUCTION evaluate the impact of financial accounting concepts on corporate reporting of Centrica Plc. evaluate the limitations of ratio analysis discuss the role of management accounting in the evaluation of Centrica’s business performance. I have been motivated to choose Centrica Plc because of the type of product they deal in, which is energy. It is a product that is essential for all, not just households. And it will be good to know if this company is actually doing well in terms of profitability and customer’s satisfaction. LITERATURE REVIEW *PROFITABILITY RATIO ANALYSIS *OF CENTRICA PLC AND SCOTTISH POWER (Reference: FAME (Financial Analysis Made Easy) FINANCIAL RATIO ANALYSIS OF CENTRICA PLC AND SCOTTISH POWER (Reference: FAME (Financial Analysis Made Easy) GRAHPICAL PRESENTATIONS OF RATIOS {draw:frame} {draw:frame} {draw:frame} {draw:frame} {draw:frame} {draw:frame} ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS BASED ON THE GRAHPS According to Barry Elliot and Jamie Elliot, ratios show different items in the financial statements. A ratio is not useful in isolation and its usefulness depends on what aspects of the firm’s business affairs are being investigated. Ratios, according to them are a powerful tool in interpreting and understanding a company’s account. Therefore, the graphs above show the performance of the Centrica plc and its competitor; Scottish Power over a period of 5years and will be analyzed below. DEBTORS TURNOVER: This ratio shows how long it takes debtors of a company to pay back credit purchases. In as mush as credit facilities enhances sale turnover in a competitive market, it is very important to take adequate control of it because it is an essential part of working capital management. (Buz/ed, 2009) It is calculated as: Debtors' Turnover*= Average Debtors * ? 365days Centrica Plc has been able to achieve a positive stock turnover ratio over the years with a 55% less time between 2004 and 2008 compared to its competitor that has a longer time of 18% to sell off its products. This shows that Centrica Plc has more sales turnover than Scottish Power. The trend on the graph show that Centrica Plc has been more liquid than Scottish power because the higher the ratio, the more liquid the business is said to be. It is obvious from the graph that Centrica Plc is more liquid than Scottish Power. That is Centrica Plc has a better capacity to pay it short term debt than Scottish Power, with reference to their current ratio of 1. 12 to 0. 59 respectively in 2008. DISCUSSION IMPACT OF FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING CONCEPT UPON CORPORATE REPORTING OF CENTRICA PLC Going Concern: The Board of directors of Centrica Plc continues to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statement because they have a reasonable expectation that the company has adequate resources needed to continue operational existence for the foreseeable future Business Entity: Centrica Plc operates as a separate business entity from its investors. Cost: Centrica Plc reports the market value of its assets. Sincerity: The financial Statement of Centrica Plc is prepared and audited by auditors from the Pricewaterhouse coopers Monetary Unit: The financial statement of Centrica Plc shows a single monetary unit dominated in GBP (? ) because the parent company is in the UK. Dual concept: Centrica presents it total assets as liabilities (debt finance) plus equity (shares). Accrual: The revenue or income of Centrica Plc are recorded when they are actually earned. (Asmii V. 2009) ROLES OF MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING ON THE BUSI*NESS PERFORMANCE OF CENTRICA PLC According to Institute of Management Accountants, Management accounting can be defined as â€Å"the internal business building role of accounting and finance professionals who work inside the organizations† They are concerned about the growth of the business in terms of evaluating the business prospects, budgeting and forecasting, implementing and monitoring internal controls for the purpose of achieving economic value. The Board of Directors of Centrica Plc believes that there must be high standards of corporate governance which are relevant to the overall integrity and performance of the business. The Company adopted a new set of Articles of Association which states the power of the Board of directors at the 2008 Annual General Meeting and stated below are few of the responsibilities of the Directors with respect to the managerial accounting of the company. the Group’s corporate governance and system of internal control development of strategy and major policies nterim dividend payments and recommendation of final dividends the appointment and removal of Directors and the Company Secretary the Group’s corporate responsibility arrangements including health, safety and environmental matters reviewing management performance approval of the annual operating plan, the financial statements and major acquisitions and disposals The Board gives thorough monitoring to the development of the co mpany’s strategies and also during the year 2008, the Board had a full review of the company’s overall strategy with the assistance of an independent external consultant. The Board also place value on their investors and promote communication program in order to hear their views of their shareholders as regards the key matters affecting the company. The Chief Executive and Group Finance Director held regular meetings with the Company’s major shareholders during the year and the Company’s Rights Issue which was the main topic of discussion was successfully completed during December 2008 after which an approval was given at the Company’s General Meeting held on 21 November 2008. The company’s Executive Committees also established a control infrastructure to ensure proper monitoring and management where major risks have been identified. *THE NON-FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE* OF CENTRICA PLC The fluctuation in demand and prices of oil worldwide as well as the global financial crises in 2008 made Centrica Plc face series of challenges and the Chairman of the company (Roger Carr) tagged the year â€Å"a difficult year†. But despite the difficulty, the company still performed well because it is a company that aims at delivering stability and growth for the benefit of their customers, employees and shareholders. Centrica Plc’s non-financial performance can be outlined in terms of the following: *BUSINESS PERFORMANCE OF CENTRICA* PLC LIMITATIONS OF RATIO ANALYSIS Ratios are useful methods of analyzing the performance and financial position of a business but they have their flaws which are seen as limitations and will be analyzed below. THE IMPACT OF THE CHANGE FROM UK GAAP TO IFRS ON THE CORPORATE REPORTING OF CENTRICA PLC that IFRS has improved the company’s 2004 operating profit and statutory Earnings Per Share (EPS) reduction in shareholder’s fund as a result of pensions deficit Adjustment the company’s policy to link dividend to earnings thereby increasing pay out ratios. Some assets and liabilities will be treated differently which will affect timing of profit. CONCLUSION With reference to the ratios analyzed above, Centrica Plc has an upper hand in the energy and gas market than it s competitor; Scottish Power. Centrica Plc’s turnover was very high in 2008 which shows that they made better sales than its competitor. Although Centrica’s sales turnover was high was high in 2008 but the profit margin dropped drastically. In the overall financial performance Centrica Plc made a loss of ? 645million in 2008 compared to the previous year 2007 when the company had a retained profit of ? 088million. This was considered to be an impact of the global financial crises that hit the UK and US economy causing increase in oil prices and a drastic fall again as the level of global oil demand rises and at the same time causing a tight supply position. Finally, we can say that from the record of 2007, the financial performance in 2008 was good despite the economic instability. Centrica Plc made strong progress against the strategic priorities set out at the end of year 2006. The global financial crises which remain very challenging in the UK till date could pose as a problem for many of the company’s customers. But Centrica Plc promises to continue to place their customers’ needs at the forefront of their agenda, alongside the determination to deliver increasing long-term value for our shareholders FUTURE OF CENTRICA PLC According to the Chief Executive’s Review, some priorities have been set for the future growth of Centrica which would help measure performance in year 2009. Some of which are: To build on the company’s growth platform: Increasing the value of their customer base by expanding the overlap between the energy and services business. Also establishing a centralized service platform and the acquisition and construction of gas and power assets which will enable the company to compete efficiently in the energy market. To reduce risk through integration: There will be more focus on UK in the coming year 2009, due to the high demand. Therefore more production has to be made by integrating/building closer relationship with the National Oil Companies. To transform British Gas: In order for Centrica Plc to succeed, British Gas Residential which seems to be the core backbone of Centrica’s business has to deliver high level of profitability. Therefore, there will have to be an integration of the British Gas Residential, British Gas Business and British Gas Services into a single customer-focused organization. Amidst all these future plans briefly mentioned above, I can now conclusively say that the future performance of Centrica Plc is not 100% certain of profitability as they are not exempted in the effect of the global financial crises which is still hitting the UK economy. Although demand for product might rise causing increase turnover but consumers might not be able to meet up with financial obligations of paying cash. So, Centrica must be prepared for more credit sales which might decrease its debtor turnover. Also, prices of product must be put into consideration despite the goal of maximizing profit not forgetting its competitors. And finally, the leadership of Centrica Plc will be playing major role in delivering stability and growth for the benefit of customers, employees and shareholders. REFERENCES Asmii Vernekar, 2009. Available at: http://www. buzzle. com/articles/basic-accounting –concepts-and –principles. html. Assessed on 15th December, 2009 Buz/ed, 2009. Available at: http://www. bized. co. uk/compfact/ratios/sdc5. htm Assessed on 13th December, 2009. Centrica Plc, 2005. International Financial Reporting Standards. Available at: http://www. centrica. co. uk/files/results/2004_ifrs_transcript. pdf. Assessed on 15th December, 2009 FAME (Financial Analysis Made Easy), 2009. Available at: http://www. fame. bvdep. com/version-20091130. Assessed on 11th December, 2009 Peter Atrill, and Eddie McLaney (2008), Accounting and Finance for Non-Specialists, 6th ed. Prentice Hall, financial times. David Alexander and Christopher Nobes. (2007), Financial Accounting, An International Introduction, 3rd ed. Prentice Hall, financial times. Financial statement analysis Most notable products from Apple include the Phone, Pod, Pad, ND Imax personal computers. Apple is also involved in computer and web based application developments, which support their essential products such as Tunes, Safari, and Cloud. Through its innovative, streamlined, user-friendly designs, Apple has achieved a meteoric rise to industry domination since 2002. This growth, however, has recently come to a relative standstill following its peak in 2012 and has investors speculating if this marks the end of Apple's bullish behavior, or just a minor setback because of the company's change of management.Apple Inc. Saw a 9% total increase in revenue this sat year from SSL 56,508 million in 2012 to $170,910 million in 201 3(Apple Inc. , 2013). This growth is in part due to the release of the Phone â€Å"As† and â€Å"c† models, the introduction of the Pad â€Å"Mini† retina display as well as the company's normal day to day sales. This 9% growth may be some cause f or concern though, as prior years increase in revenue saw a 45% average growth from year to year (44% in 2012 and 65% in 2011).Apple's annual release of new products typically yields a 30% overall growth in revenue, which potentially indicates there is stagnation of growth overall in the current racket. This stagnation may be attributed either to heavy saturation of products within the current market, leaving little opportunity for expansive growth, or that consumers are unimpressed with the current product line. Apples peer firm Microsoft (MOST) has seen a modest 5% increase in total revenue from $73,723 million to $77,849 million from 2012 to 213 respectively (Microsoft Corporation, 2013).This increase is consistent with prior 3 years which have each yielded a 4-5% increase in revenue. Compared to Apple, Microsoft has a relatively stable growth and be attributed to the elatedly consistent flow of products from year to year. The â€Å"earnings per share† ratio (PEPS) reflect s the decline in overall profitability as well, with a 10% decline in Apple's PEPS from $44. 43 to $40. 29 in 2012 and 2013 respectively (Apple Inc. , 2013).This can be attributed to two factors: a decrease in net profit margin and a paralleled decrease in gross profit margin. There was an 11% decrease in net profits because of an increase in overall inventory. Increasing inventory will also increase a company s operating expenses as they accommodate new production. Companies typically raise their inventory evils as they release new products in anticipation for projected consumer demand for these products.As is the case with Apple, this will have a negative impact on a company's net profit when there is less than anticipated demand for their new product. The depreciation of older inventories can also be responsible for an overall decrease in profitability. Microsoft has conversely seen an increase in PEPS from $2. 03 per shard to $ 2. 63 per share as a result of an increasing profit margin ratio from 23% to 28% in 201 3(Microsoft Corporation, 2013). Overall this increase can be attributed to an increase in ales over the period as new technologies are release.Overall PEPS increase as a result of Microsoft's lower CEQ duty/investment into their company where as Apple has put much more equity into the release of their new releases in 2013. The increase in cost of sales is reflected in the decline of the gross profit margin ratio which is an additional indicator for a comprehensive decrease in profitability. Apple's total gross profit fell from $44. 00 to $38. 00, in 2012 to 201 3 respectively, which is below the $42. 00 industry average as their cost of sales experienced a 22% increase from 587,846 million to 1 06,606 million dollars.The decrease in gross profit is explained by a number of factors according to Apple: â€Å"introduction of new versions of existing products with higher cost structures and flat or reduced pricing; a shift in sales mix to products w ith lower margins; introduction of pad mini with a gross margin significantly below the Company's average product margins; higher expenses associated with changes to certain Of the Company's service policies and other warranty costs; price reductions on certain products, including pad 2 and phoned; and an unfavorable impact room foreign exchange fluctuations. (Apple Inc. , 2013). An intangible effect that could positively impact Apple's gross profit in the long run is an increase in the number of product consumers as well as a potential increase in consumer loyalty. When compared to Microsoft smaller 2% decrease of gross profit margin from 76% to 74% in 2013. Microsoft decision to decrease sales price of windows 8 and decrease margins for the Oxbow One is responsible for the decrease in gross profit margin much like Apple. Tooth Apple inch's and Microsoft's overall decrease of gross profit margin can be said o increase consumer satisfaction because more advanced technologies are sol d at a lower margin thus giving a customer more value to their purchase. By lowering the price on certain high value items, such as the phone 4 and the pad 2 mentioned in Apple's statement, Apple has made these products more accessible to potential customers with lower incomes or frugal spending habits.Furthermore, if there is an increase in Apple product consumers as a result of the change in price, there will likely be an increase in customer loyalty and satisfaction with these products. The PEPS decline and he increase in cost of sales can further be explored through an analysis of the company's balance sheet. There was a significant increase in Apple's inventory from $791 million to SSL . 76 billion from 2012 to 2013 respectively. This 123% increase in inventory demonstrates a wholesale investment in anticipated consumer demand and loyalty.Apple typically announces product releases long before the actual release date in order to build market â€Å"hype† and also sets rele ase dates to coincide with times of historically greater spending in the market, such as the Christmas holiday season. This â€Å"hyping† recess, however, can go both ways in terms of sales by either positively building up consumer anticipation or by allowing time for consumers to second guess the product before it is released. There is also an inherent risk in inventory expansion based on projected sales; consumers may just not be in the market for new products.An indication that this may be the case is found by looking at the inventory turnover ratio which experienced a decrease from 11 1 times per quarter to significantly lower 83 times per quarter. Microsoft, like Apple, has seen a significant decrease of inventory turnover of 14% from 15. 2 times to 13. 13 times per quarter. This decrease in overall turnover much like, Apple is due to customer anticipation of newer release. However, these changes were significantly different for Microsoft as their offerings have less vol atility, especially in sales of operating systems, and usually see less adoption by consumers in starting stages.Apple acid test ratio, involving current assets over current liabilities, stands at 1. 64 in 2013 which is an increase of approximately 8 points from 2012. This is much higher than the industrial average of 1. 0, indicating Apple is a relatively safe investment and has enough in current assets to cover its debt Obligations. This sets Apple as one of the safer blue chip stocks that can provide consistent wealth for their share holders. Microsoft has experienced a increase acid test ratio from 2012 to 201 3 from 2. 57 to 2. 66 respectively this is significantly higher than Apple Inc. ND can be said to be a safer investment. Microsoft overall keeps their balance of ratios to asset very consistent and insures that they can meet their bottom line as well as provide security for their investors, more so than Apple In the third quarter of 201 3 Apple accrued total of 1 6,960 mil lion dollars in debt. The long term debt was used to offset the repurchase of stock of $22. 9 billion as well as dividend equivalent rights of $10. 6 million dollars. This accrued debt helps Apple Inc avoid taxes of upwards of $9. 2 billion dollars (Burrows, 2013) meanwhile Apple will only incur a $308 million interest a year.Had they used their offshore cash Apple would have had to pay a 35% tax and will save another $1 00 million as these interest payments are tax deductible (Burrows, 2013). Apple's move to take on this debt to finance $55 billion dollars in stock repurchase is an effort to increase overall earnings per share as well as increase total value to the consumer meanwhile adding to overall company value. The statement of cash flows revealed that In 201 2 Apple board of directors authorized a $10 billion stock which was later raised to a total of $60 billion in 2013.Apple repurchased/retired a total of $22,860 million dollars worth of stock in 201 3 as opposed to issuanc e of 665 million in 2012. Apple stated that this repurchase was a move to increase end value to shareholders. Shareholders that are offered buy back will in turn gain profit and will decrease the overall outstanding shares. By decreasing the total shares the company's earnings per share ratio will consequently increase, and given the current plan should increase PEPS by around $4 over the following fiscal year (Hughes, 2013) and adding to the company's overall worth.The overall decrease in outstanding shares also decreases the total amount of dividends paid to investors thus cutting expense and adding to company revenues. Apple began issuing dividends toward the end of 2012 and has since seen a significant raise in dividends issued to its stockholder. Apple has since issued $10,564 million of vividness to shareholders representing a 324% increase dividends paid for 2013 from the $2,488 of dividends paid in 2012. Quarterly dividends were raised by 15% from SO. 65 per share to $3. 05 per share in 2013.The price to earnings ratio also increased from 9% to 13 % as well as the increase in payout ratio from . 29 to. 06 reflects this change value to stockholders as a consequence of stock retirement and increased dividend payout.. A very lucrative opportunity presents itself for current stockholders as the prospective raise of PEPS due to buy back will ultimately add incredible attention value due to increased dividend yield. Microsoft's plan to buy back a total $40 billion plan began in 2008, they began this buy back to increase overall PEPS and PIE as well as increase the companies payout ratio.Buyback has thus far increase PEPS however subsequent drops in PIE ratio from 12. 36 to 10. 24 and stagnant dividend yield make investment into Microsoft a riskier endeavor than Apple as the decrease in P/E does not bode well for buyer confidence. Though the higher dividend yield is still attractive to investors and is higher than that of Apple Inc. Apples market share in sma rt phones should e of particular concern to interested investors as of recent events. Market share, especially for key products, gauges the company's current position amongst its competition and overall pull within the market.It can effectively gauge if the company is meeting the needs of its consumers and prospective growth. Within the past year the Phone only gained around a 13% overall growth in sales, however this is miniscule compared to overall Smartened market growth of 44% in 2013. Apples market share shows further struggles as overall mobile market share decrease by a full 4% from 19% market share n 2012 to a 15% in 2013. (Gardner, 2013) However, other companies like Microsoft and Samsung saw significant increases in SO use and hardware use with Samsung clearing 31% total market share from its 30% in 2012.This may be worrisome as Apple may not providing what customers want and can account for a decrease in overall prospective growth. However, this may be remedied by Apples breakthrough to markets china and Japan late in 2013. The departure of Steve Jobs and the arrival of Tim cook in august of 2011 has been a cause for a weaker overall product line. The recent introduction of ewe products have spawned a lackluster response by consumers especially in the release of the Phone 5 variants (as and c) as well as the improved retina display pad mini.These products neglected to offer anything new or revolutionary to set Apple apart, they were just mere improvements to tested product. The lack of ingenuity has potential to cause a decline Apples growth in sales and may cede market share competitors who have more to offer to the consumer. Microsoft on the other hand has remained consistent in its product offerings throughout the years. This is expected of Microsoft as hey re key product involves enterprise systems that provide basic needs for businesses. Financial Statement Analysis (2004-2008) Course Title: Managing Financial Resources Course: MSc. Finance Date: 11th January 2010. TABLE OF CONTENT Executive Summary This report shows the analysis of the financial performance of Centrica Plc, one of the top energy business providers in UK. Based on my analysis from this report I can conclusively state that: Centrica Plc has an upper hand in the energy and gas market than it s competitor; Scottish Power. Centrica Plc’s turnover was very high in 2008 which shows that it made better sales than its competitor. Although Centrica’s sales turnover was high in 2008 but the profit margin dropped drastically. In the overall financial performance Centrica Plc made a loss of ? 645million in 2008 compared to the previous year 2007 when the company had a retained profit of ? 1088million. This was considered to be an impact of the global financial crises that hit the UK and US economy causing increase in oil prices and a drastic fall again as the level of global oil demand rises and at the same time causing a tight supply position. Centrica Plc’s Total shareholders return has an upper hand when compared with other 99 members of the FTSE 100 in 2008. INTRODUCTION evaluate the impact of financial accounting concepts on corporate reporting of Centrica Plc. evaluate the limitations of ratio analysis discuss the role of management accounting in the evaluation of Centrica’s business performance. I have been motivated to choose Centrica Plc because of the type of product they deal in, which is energy. It is a product that is essential for all, not just households. And it will be good to know if this company is actually doing well in terms of profitability and customer’s satisfaction. LITERATURE REVIEW *PROFITABILITY RATIO ANALYSIS *OF CENTRICA PLC AND SCOTTISH POWER (Reference: FAME (Financial Analysis Made Easy) FINANCIAL RATIO ANALYSIS OF CENTRICA PLC AND SCOTTISH POWER (Reference: FAME (Financial Analysis Made Easy) GRAHPICAL PRESENTATIONS OF RATIOS {draw:frame} {draw:frame} {draw:frame} {draw:frame} {draw:frame} {draw:frame} ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS BASED ON THE GRAHPS According to Barry Elliot and Jamie Elliot, ratios show different items in the financial statements. A ratio is not useful in isolation and its usefulness depends on what aspects of the firm’s business affairs are being investigated. Ratios, according to them are a powerful tool in interpreting and understanding a company’s account. Therefore, the graphs above show the performance of the Centrica plc and its competitor; Scottish Power over a period of 5years and will be analyzed below. DEBTORS TURNOVER: This ratio shows how long it takes debtors of a company to pay back credit purchases. In as mush as credit facilities enhances sale turnover in a competitive market, it is very important to take adequate control of it because it is an essential part of working capital management. (Buz/ed, 2009) It is calculated as: Debtors' Turnover*= Average Debtors * ? 365days Centrica Plc has been able to achieve a positive stock turnover ratio over the years with a 55% less time between 2004 and 2008 compared to its competitor that has a longer time of 18% to sell off its products. This shows that Centrica Plc has more sales turnover than Scottish Power. The trend on the graph show that Centrica Plc has been more liquid than Scottish power because the higher the ratio, the more liquid the business is said to be. It is obvious from the graph that Centrica Plc is more liquid than Scottish Power. That is Centrica Plc has a better capacity to pay it short term debt than Scottish Power, with reference to their current ratio of 1. 12 to 0. 59 respectively in 2008. DISCUSSION IMPACT OF FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING CONCEPT UPON CORPORATE REPORTING OF CENTRICA PLC Going Concern: The Board of directors of Centrica Plc continues to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statement because they have a reasonable expectation that the company has adequate resources needed to continue operational existence for the foreseeable future Business Entity: Centrica Plc operates as a separate business entity from its investors. Cost: Centrica Plc reports the market value of its assets. Sincerity: The financial Statement of Centrica Plc is prepared and audited by auditors from the Pricewaterhouse coopers Monetary Unit: The financial statement of Centrica Plc shows a single monetary unit dominated in GBP (? ) because the parent company is in the UK. Dual concept: Centrica presents it total assets as liabilities (debt finance) plus equity (shares). Accrual: The revenue or income of Centrica Plc are recorded when they are actually earned. (Asmii V. 2009) ROLES OF MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING ON THE BUSI*NESS PERFORMANCE OF CENTRICA PLC According to Institute of Management Accountants, Management accounting can be defined as â€Å"the internal business building role of accounting and finance professionals who work inside the organizations† They are concerned about the growth of the business in terms of evaluating the business prospects, budgeting and forecasting, implementing and monitoring internal controls for the purpose of achieving economic value. The Board of Directors of Centrica Plc believes that there must be high standards of corporate governance which are relevant to the overall integrity and performance of the business. The Company adopted a new set of Articles of Association which states the power of the Board of directors at the 2008 Annual General Meeting and stated below are few of the responsibilities of the Directors with respect to the managerial accounting of the company. the Group’s corporate governance and system of internal control development of strategy and major policies nterim dividend payments and recommendation of final dividends the appointment and removal of Directors and the Company Secretary the Group’s corporate responsibility arrangements including health, safety and environmental matters reviewing management performance approval of the annual operating plan, the financial statements and major acquisitions and disposals The Board gives thorough monitoring to the development of the co mpany’s strategies and also during the year 2008, the Board had a full review of the company’s overall strategy with the assistance of an independent external consultant. The Board also place value on their investors and promote communication program in order to hear their views of their shareholders as regards the key matters affecting the company. The Chief Executive and Group Finance Director held regular meetings with the Company’s major shareholders during the year and the Company’s Rights Issue which was the main topic of discussion was successfully completed during December 2008 after which an approval was given at the Company’s General Meeting held on 21 November 2008. The company’s Executive Committees also established a control infrastructure to ensure proper monitoring and management where major risks have been identified. *THE NON-FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE* OF CENTRICA PLC The fluctuation in demand and prices of oil worldwide as well as the global financial crises in 2008 made Centrica Plc face series of challenges and the Chairman of the company (Roger Carr) tagged the year â€Å"a difficult year†. But despite the difficulty, the company still performed well because it is a company that aims at delivering stability and growth for the benefit of their customers, employees and shareholders. Centrica Plc’s non-financial performance can be outlined in terms of the following: *BUSINESS PERFORMANCE OF CENTRICA* PLC LIMITATIONS OF RATIO ANALYSIS Ratios are useful methods of analyzing the performance and financial position of a business but they have their flaws which are seen as limitations and will be analyzed below. THE IMPACT OF THE CHANGE FROM UK GAAP TO IFRS ON THE CORPORATE REPORTING OF CENTRICA PLC that IFRS has improved the company’s 2004 operating profit and statutory Earnings Per Share (EPS) reduction in shareholder’s fund as a result of pensions deficit Adjustment the company’s policy to link dividend to earnings thereby increasing pay out ratios. Some assets and liabilities will be treated differently which will affect timing of profit. CONCLUSION With reference to the ratios analyzed above, Centrica Plc has an upper hand in the energy and gas market than it s competitor; Scottish Power. Centrica Plc’s turnover was very high in 2008 which shows that they made better sales than its competitor. Although Centrica’s sales turnover was high was high in 2008 but the profit margin dropped drastically. In the overall financial performance Centrica Plc made a loss of ? 645million in 2008 compared to the previous year 2007 when the company had a retained profit of ? 088million. This was considered to be an impact of the global financial crises that hit the UK and US economy causing increase in oil prices and a drastic fall again as the level of global oil demand rises and at the same time causing a tight supply position. Finally, we can say that from the record of 2007, the financial performance in 2008 was good despite the economic instability. Centrica Plc made strong progress against the strategic priorities set out at the end of year 2006. The global financial crises which remain very challenging in the UK till date could pose as a problem for many of the company’s customers. But Centrica Plc promises to continue to place their customers’ needs at the forefront of their agenda, alongside the determination to deliver increasing long-term value for our shareholders FUTURE OF CENTRICA PLC According to the Chief Executive’s Review, some priorities have been set for the future growth of Centrica which would help measure performance in year 2009. Some of which are: To build on the company’s growth platform: Increasing the value of their customer base by expanding the overlap between the energy and services business. Also establishing a centralized service platform and the acquisition and construction of gas and power assets which will enable the company to compete efficiently in the energy market. To reduce risk through integration: There will be more focus on UK in the coming year 2009, due to the high demand. Therefore more production has to be made by integrating/building closer relationship with the National Oil Companies. To transform British Gas: In order for Centrica Plc to succeed, British Gas Residential which seems to be the core backbone of Centrica’s business has to deliver high level of profitability. Therefore, there will have to be an integration of the British Gas Residential, British Gas Business and British Gas Services into a single customer-focused organization. Amidst all these future plans briefly mentioned above, I can now conclusively say that the future performance of Centrica Plc is not 100% certain of profitability as they are not exempted in the effect of the global financial crises which is still hitting the UK economy. Although demand for product might rise causing increase turnover but consumers might not be able to meet up with financial obligations of paying cash. So, Centrica must be prepared for more credit sales which might decrease its debtor turnover. Also, prices of product must be put into consideration despite the goal of maximizing profit not forgetting its competitors. And finally, the leadership of Centrica Plc will be playing major role in delivering stability and growth for the benefit of customers, employees and shareholders. REFERENCES Asmii Vernekar, 2009. Available at: http://www. buzzle. com/articles/basic-accounting –concepts-and –principles. html. Assessed on 15th December, 2009 Buz/ed, 2009. Available at: http://www. bized. co. uk/compfact/ratios/sdc5. htm Assessed on 13th December, 2009. Centrica Plc, 2005. International Financial Reporting Standards. Available at: http://www. centrica. co. uk/files/results/2004_ifrs_transcript. pdf. Assessed on 15th December, 2009 FAME (Financial Analysis Made Easy), 2009. Available at: http://www. fame. bvdep. com/version-20091130. Assessed on 11th December, 2009 Peter Atrill, and Eddie McLaney (2008), Accounting and Finance for Non-Specialists, 6th ed. Prentice Hall, financial times. David Alexander and Christopher Nobes. (2007), Financial Accounting, An International Introduction, 3rd ed. Prentice Hall, financial times.