Verbal Communication And Written Communication - 1201 Words

There are 2 types of communication that will be discussed below, which are verbal communication and written communication 2.3.1 Verbal communication Verbal communication exchange their information between different people by communicating orally. The examples of verbal communication would include face-to-face conversation, meetings, interviews, conferences, speeches and phone calls. Verbal communication allows us to exchange ideas, understand the difference in perception and come out with resolution. Work performance is rather significant in employers communication skill which implied their proficiency. The process of transferring information in verbal communication is from one person to another person or groups orally. An effective communication happen only when both party participate in the process understand each other. The information receiver should be able to interpret and decode the message. 2.3.2 Written communication The written communication is communication in readable characteristics by printed or handwritten. Other than that, written communication could also include emails, notes, memos or proposals. In order to achieve success in a project, project manager need to deliver the message clearly, sufficiently and effectively. There may have confusion or failure if unclear written message is sent. The technology of written communication had been develop to become editable and revisable. These functions allow the message that is going to deliver to be flexible inShow MoreRelatedVerbal And Written Human Communication1304 Words   |  6 PagesLanguage commonly refers to verbal and written human communication in a regulated and conventional way. People have believed for a very long time that it is our human gift of language learning that distinguishes us from the rest of the living creatures. However, the learning of a mother tongue is not instinctive. Though the capacity to perceive language is i nnate, actually comprehending knowledge is learned behavior. Once a certain threshold is passed, the human mind will no long be able to absorbRead MoreAnalyzing Verbal And Written Communication1675 Words   |  7 Pagesimportant skill used to evaluate verbal and written communication. The concept behind thinking critically is to perform a focused analysis of the evidence and point the author is trying to make. To accomplish the analysis, the entire communication is disassembled, identifying the main point, the supporting evidence, the argument, the language, the author’s values, and the conclusions. The objective of this mental exercise is for the receiver of the communication to be able to make a sound decisionRead MoreHigh Level Interpersonal, Verbal And Written Communication Skills896 Words   |  4 Pages  Demonstrated high level interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills: My interpersonal skills have been developed through working closely with colleagues whilst on placement but also through my employment at the coffee shop, this has been particularly useful when training new staff. I have found that by using active listening and communicating in an open and professional manner with both patients and colleagues has led to strong long term professional relationships. I have receivedRead MoreContent Analysis As A Method Of Analyzing Written, Verbal, Or Visual Communication Messages1385 Words   |  6 PagesContent analysis is a method of analyzing written, verbal, or visual communication messages. Researchers first used it as a method for analyzing hymns, newspaper, magazine articles, advertisements, and political speeches in the 19th century (Harwood Garry, 2003). During the last few decades, its use has shown steady growth (Neundorf 2002), and content analysis now enjoys a long history of use in communication, journalism, sociology, psychology, and business. Content analysis as a research methodRead Moreoutline the different forms of verbal and non-verbal communication1332 Words   |  6 PagesCommunication is the activity of conveying information through the exchange of thoughts, messages or information; as by speech, visuals, signals, written work or behaviour. It is the meaningful exchange of information between two or more living creatures. Communication requires a sender, a message and a recipient although the receiver does not have to be present or aware of the sender’s intent to communicate at the time of communication thus communication can occur across vast distances in time andRead MoreThe Importance Of Communication And A Sports Coach1719 Words   |  7 PagesIn the topic of communication and care, one will be the discussing the importance of having interpersonal skills and written communication in sports coaching. This essay will also include the variety of skills a coach will need to progress in their line of business. In this essay, we will also be reviewing the positives and negatives of these forms of communication and how they can affect the job as a sports coach. Most say that communication is key to success in both the sports and business societyRead MoreIntroduction to Communication1724 Words   |  7 Pages 1 INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION * Introduction * Definition of communication * Elements and function of communication 2 VISUAL , VERBAL AND WRITTEN IN COMMUNICATION * Visual Communication * Verbal and Nonverbal Communication * Written in Communication 3 ADAGE : ‘A PICTURE WORTHRead MoreType Of Communication Used Within Amazon Description Examples868 Words   |  4 Pagesof communication used within amazon Description Examples (At least 2 examples must be given) Purpose Source (state the department involved) Verbal Verbal communication is the use of sounds and words to convey a message †¢ Photo of 2 colleagues talking Face-to-face (appendix1) †¢ Photos of Telephone conversation (appendix2) †¢ Radio Verbal communication could be used to both: †¢ Confirm an appointment or meetings †¢ To take orders or any other product enquiries Sales department Written Written communicationRead MoreA Presentation On Communication Methods1619 Words   |  7 Pagespresentation on Communication Methods. Now that Trusty Homes has branched out into our own insurance department, providing contents and property insurance to its homeowners and landlord’s, it is essential that as a brand we have a clear understanding on not only what communication means but importantly what good communication can mean for our business! We use communication methods every day without even considering it, in fact just attending this presentation is demonstrating one medium of communication youRead MoreCommunication in Health and Social Care1156 Words   |  5 PagesCommunication in health and social care Seeing, hearing Feelings Expression Feeling Expressing oneself Seeing, hearing Understanding Understanding Communication cycle Idea occur- think of something you want to communicate e.g. pass on info or persuade someone to do something. Message coded- think how you are going to say what you are thinking. Message sent- send the message verbally or otherwise. Message received- the other person sees/hears your message. Message is decoded

Similarities And Differences Between The Human Mind And...

Variations in Symbolic Anthropology After centuries of continuous and unresolved (though not fruitless) debate by many great theorists on how the scientific method should be applied to anthropology, a method was formulated that promised to finally put the debate to rest: just don’t apply them at all. Symbolic Anthropologists advocated the use of â€Å"a variety of tools from psychology, history, and literature† to conduct their anthropology (McGee and Warms 2004:525). The work of Sapir and Whorf had made revolutionary claims about the idea of knowledge and the mechanism behind its transmission. Symbolic anthropology could use this as a base with which to launch assumptions about knowledge and culture; science, after all, isn’t primary or even essential in these processes. The human mind, however, was. The traditional studies of literature, psychology, and history are in some important ways closer to the source of human knowledge in this model laid out by Sapir and Whorf. Of course, the individual human mind is impossible to enter and so expressions of these ideas, rather than the ideas themselve,s are â€Å"culture† and important. These ideas were hugely different than those before them; it was a complete restatement of anthropology all together. Perhaps because it was so different, and also due in part to its nature where great respect is given to personal interpretation, there were similarly large differences of opinion by its subscribers about how it should beShow MoreRelatedComparing The Religions Of Hinduism And Buddhism Essay1459 Words   |  6 PagesExam II #2. Compare and contrast the religions of Hinduism and Buddhism. What were the essential differences between the two? What hope did they give to the common people of India ? Both Hinduism and Buddhism are prominent religions in the ancient and modern world. They are arguably two of the most popular polytheistic faiths as well. Most people make the mistake of grouping them as one uniform religion, but this is inaccurate. Buddhism and Hinduism do split some resemblance, but several aspectsRead MoreThe Renaissance Versus the Reformation1340 Words   |  6 PagesReformation I feel, sometimes, as the Renaissance man must have felt in finding new riches at every point and in the certainty that unexplored areas of knowledge and experience await at every turnÂâ€"Polykarp Kusch. Two very critical periods in the history of western civilization involved the eras of the Renaissance and the Reformation. The renaissance evolved mainly in direct result to the medieval times where the people where obedient to authority. The reformation took place right after in the sixteenthRead More Bloodchild: Oppression in Science Fiction Essay1404 Words   |  6 PagesBloodchild: Oppression in Science Fiction Throughout American literary history, nearly every form of literature has covered the topic of slavery and black oppression in America. From William Lloyd Garrison’s abolitionist papers to Harriet Beecher Stowe’s controversial Uncle Tom’s Cabin to Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, the exploration of the black position in America has been a theme that engrossed generations. In the past century, as science fiction has established its place in the literaryRead MoreRocks of Ages by Stephen Jay Gould1499 Words   |  6 Pagescommentary on the conflict between secular scientists and religious believers who reject scientific theory when in it is disagreement with religious teachings about nature and origin of the natural world. Certain aspects of his argument hold true, but the application is impossible and still gives one magisteria a dominance over the other. While it is an accurate account of historical disagreements and critical views of well-known people, hi s argument is flawed by human nature. He repeatedly contradictsRead MoreThe Biological And Psychoanalytical Approach1489 Words   |  6 PagesBoth the biological and psychoanalytical approach have had a long history and still stand current today. Assumptions of the biological approach to psychology view men as a biological organism; everything, from what we think to what we do, has its basis in our physical structure (Carlson, 2004). Alternatively, the psychoanalytical approach heavily focuses on the â€Å"unconscious† and the role of internal processes in shaping personality and thus behaviour (Glassman Hadad, 2004). Fathered by Freud, theRead MoreThe Role Of Women During The Enlightenment And Transcendental Period1637 Words   |  7 PagesHaley Huffty Richardson ENGL2327 23 October 2014 The Roles of Women during the Enlightenment and Transcendental Period: The Tell of Rowson versus Fuller Throughout history the majority of the time when someone is telling women how to behave that someone is a man, but in Susan Rowson and Margret Fullers case they felt the need to tell their fellow females the proper way to behave in their society, rather it was with or against popular belief. Rowson was writing during the Early Republic, EnlightenmentRead MorePoe vs. Shakespeare Essay1556 Words   |  7 PagesShakespeare Many have been inspired by the likes of Edgar Allen Poe and Shakespeare in literature but, there are similarities and differences between the two. Each author could lure their audiences by the characteristics of their writing. Their places in society also differed, as each had different ways of dealing with the people in their society. Furthermore, the influences each of them had in literature have molded how many people see them as transcendent and prestigious authors. The typesRead MoreHistory and Theory Essay973 Words   |  4 PagesHistory and Theory The viewpoints if Sigmund Freud and Carl Rogers have similarities and differences. Both have made significant contribution to the psychology field. The theories from Freud and Rogers are still used in modern psychology. Freud is best known for creating psychoanalysis and Rogers is renowned for developing the person-centered therapy. The subject of this paper pertains to Freud’s and Rogers’ views of their respective theories, how different their theories would beRead MoreBloodchild: Gender Inequality in Society1462 Words   |  6 PagesButler is seen as a story about the relationship between alien oppressors and a group oppressed humans. It has also been described as a love story between the human narrator and the chief alien. In her afterword, she describes â€Å"Bloodchild† as â€Å"a love story between two very different beings,† â€Å"a coming of age story† and a â€Å"pregnant man story.†(Hardy) However, when one comparing Butlerâ €™s â€Å"Bloodchild† to Simone De Beauvoir’s essay â€Å"The second sex†, similarities surrounding the social issues of gender inequalityRead MoreGregor and Grete’s Transformation in The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka988 Words   |  4 Pagesis a profound change in form from one stage to the next in the life history of an organism. It is also defined as a complete change of form, structure, or substance, as transformation by magic or witchcraft or any complete change in appearance, character, circumstances, etc. This word is generally reserved for describing how a caterpillar turns into a butterfly, a good analogy for the process of metamorphosis. It brings to mind a pleasant event, very unlike what Gregor and his family experience.

Research Report on Starting a Coffee Business in Canada

Question: Discuss about theResearch Report on Starting a Coffee Business in Canada. Answer: Introduction A problem-solution recommendation report is a document that seeks to identify and analyze a real life problem, suggests potential solutions and expresses conclusions from the research findings giving recommendations on ways to overcome a problem matter (Guffey et al, 2009). Many people have a dream of starting up their own businesses and being their own boss at a point in life but for most people, it remains a dream due to the many obstacles faced in starting a business let alone keeping it running and profitable. The starting of a new coffee business is the problem that this report seeks to solve. The report seeks to solve the problem of starting a coffee shop in Canada. The primary purpose of this report is to identify the challenges that we will face in starting and running a coffee business. Some constrains in starting our coffee business are; sourcing for capital, identifying a strategic location for the business premises. The report outlines the steps needed and the challenges to be overcome from starting a new business venture from scratch to making it a highly successful business. These problems are discussed in details in this paper. Inadequate Start-up Capital Start-up capital is the amount of cash and other assets required by an entrepreneur to open a new venture (Allen, 2015). A large population of people willing to start a business are not capable because of high costs requirement. This is mostly common to young people like us who have little or no source of income of their own. This is largely due to the great deal of time spent in school hence most depend on their parents for upkeep. To realize our dream of starting our coffee we need adequate and proper funding. When starting from scratch, there are many things that need to be developed which include things like furniture, websites, logos and staffing. Renting of the business premises which needs to be strategic in order to attract a large number of customers requires a substantial amount of cash as well as developing a brand for our coffee business. Financial risk plays a huge in small businesses like ours and therefore ensuring and maintaining a healthy cash-flow is important. Stiff Competition According to Merriam-Webster competition in business is effort of two or more parties to do better than the other. They act independently to win customer in a market. New business finds it difficult to compete with existing large businesses. These big businesses may eventually bully the new businesses forcing them out of business. In our coffee business scenario, we have large organizations that enjoy large economies of scale hence they incur a smaller per unit cost compared to our newly started business. These existing businesses also have gained more knowledge in operating that sort of business, know the market better and probably can adapt to changes in market trends quicker than the new business. The existing businesses also have an upper hand in the market because they have already established brands and this makes it even more difficult for the small firms to compete in the market. Marketing of the New Business Marketing is one of the most essential functions of a successful business. We have to come up with a proper marketing technique that will best suit the needs of our business. Marketing channels range from print media advertising, online advertising, and social-media adverting. We need to come up with a means of advertising that is cheap because of the financial constraint and at the same time, the mode chosen should be able to cater for the marketing needs of our business sufficiently. Assembling a Business Team When starting our coffee business, we need to assemble a team with good management skills and requisite experience. Employees will be the core of the growth of our business because if our customers fell well served by our employees, it will create customer loyalty and this will eventually result to our business having a huge base of loyal customers. The strategic business team should comprise of the manager to the junior most worker in the organization. To assemble such a team requires due diligence by the recruiting agency to ensure that the business has the best personnel available in order to help in its growth and development agenda. Finding the Right Business Location Finding the right business location at a right price is a daunting task to most start-up business. Strategic location of a business enterprise is one of the major determinants of how successful a business enterprise will be. The location chosen for our business should be populous meaning that there will be many potential customers in the area (Wyshak, 2014). An example of good location for our business would be along a busy street in a town or a corner shop around a major junction. A good location of the business will drive up sales hence resulting to higher profit margins. Unforeseen Business Challenges and Expenses An entrepreneur should prepare for unforeseen and undesirable business outcomes that are likely to happen in the future (Cowan, 2012). These unexpected outcomes likely to face my business are; Inconsistent government policy Loss of market share Inadequate stock or inventory Bad debts from customers Loss of core staff members Unexpected lawsuits If this unexpected scenario are not handled properly can ruin our plan to start and build a successful and profitable coffee business. Recommendations As a result of the above problems and challenges that we have identified during our research as possible hindrance to our starting a successful coffee business, the recommend the following solutions to be applied in dealing with the identified challenges: To solve the problem of inadequate start-up capital, we need to identify alternative sources of capital such as borrowing a loan from bank .The capital unavailability can also be dealt with seeking for a potential investor to inject funds to our business or seeking the assistance of friends and family members (Gallander, 2002). The issue of completion can be dealt with through continuous innovations. This is done by re-designing our products to tailor the needs of our clients. This will help clients to prefer visiting our coffee shop as opposed to that of our competitors. One of the ways of differentiating products is through serving our customers in unique branded cups. Competition can also be dealt with through high regard for our customers needs and continuous marketing of our brand (Gray, 2012). The challenge of marketing can be dealt with by adopting cost effective marketing techniques like the use of social media marketing. To assemble a strong team of employees which can deliver results to our coffee business is by establishing stringent employee recruitment mechanisms to enable in picking only the best. The challenge of finding strategic location for our business will be solved be actively looking for premises which are located in prime areas but which are also affordable. To overcome unforeseen occurrences which may affect the business negatively, we need insure our business against risks such as risk of loss and risk of fire. Establishing proper internal risk control mechanisms will also enable reduce the risk of the occurrences happening. Conclusions From the research we carried out on the problems that would result to failure of our coffee business in Canada, we can make the following conclusions: The business stands a good chance of success with sufficient capital available for our business. There is great amount of competition in this industry and therefore its necessary that we put in strategies as recommended above to cope with competition References Allen, K. R. (2015). Starting a business all-in-one for dummies. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons, Inc. Cowan, A. (2012). Starting a tech business: A practical guide for anyone creating or designing a business program or software. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. Casson, M. (2008). The Oxford handbook of entrepreneurship. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Hisrich, R. D., Peters, M. P., Shepherd, D. A. (2011). Entrepreneurship. New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill. Guffey, M. E., Rogin, P., Rhodes, K. (2009). Business communication: Process and product. Toronto: Nelson Education. Gallander, B. (2002). The Canadian small business survival guide: How to start and operate your own successful business. Toronto, Ont: Dundurn Group. Gray, D. (2012). Complete Canadian Small Business Guide. McGraw-Hill. Kamoroff, B. (2011). Small time operator: How to start your own business, keep your books, pay your taxes, and stay out of trouble. Lanham, Md: Taylor Trade Pub. Kumar, S. A. (2008). Small business and entrepreneurship. New Delhi: I.K. International Pub. House. Martin, M. J. C., Martin, M. J. C. (1994). Managing innovation and entrepreneurship in technology-based firms. New York: Wiley. Stokes, D., Wilson, N., Mador, M. (2010). Entrepreneurship. Hampshire, UK: South-Western/Cengage Learning EMEA. Wyshak, S. (2014). Good food, great business. San Francisco, Calif: Chronicle Books LLC.

The Truman Show and Media Manipulation Essay Example

The Truman Show and Media Manipulation Essay The Truman Show is an eye-opening film, directed by Peter Weiss, about how we, as humans, are controlled by the media – advertisements, the news, movies, Facebook and anything that can help with our escape from reality. Us humans only want excitement and happiness in life and the drama of TV is a perfect way to escape from our problems and find the life we always wanted. After all, what better way to live a ‘fulfilling’ life than to live someone else’s, right? The Truman Show helps us to understand the importance of reality and the lack of it in our lives. The director used Christof, the ‘director’ of the show to symbolise the control media has over us all, Truman, the star of the show, with the life we wish ‘we’ had, and of course, the viewers, that symbolise the human population (us) who seem to do nothing but watch The Truman Show all day, every day; living no life of their own. The movie used the characters to symbolise our lives, and just ‘us’ as the human population in general. We have Christof who symbolises the media and the control it has over us, Truman who is the glorified character and the audience who does nothing but indulge in Truman’s life. Christof also symbolises TV industries and businesses, often commenting on contracts and ratings and including hidden advertising during the show. Christof uses manipulation and lies to control Truman and guarantee his alliance and ignorance, as well as the audiences respect; much like todays media industries, especially big ones like in Hollywood. We allow ourselves to be sucked into these lies and empty promises of a better life much like the audience in the show; who is often shown wasting their entire lives by doing nothing but watching the Truman show. These camera shots of the audience symbolise our obsession with media and how the media has raked us into a trap that we don’t even know we are in. The audience doesnt even notice their life passing t We will write a custom essay sample on The Truman Show and Media Manipulation specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Truman Show and Media Manipulation specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Truman Show and Media Manipulation specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

ADOLF HITLER Essays (1231 words) - Hitler Family, Klara Hitler

ADOLF HITLER Essays (1231 words) - Hitler Family, Klara Hitler ADOLF HITLER Adolf Hitler changed the course of history. His childhood strongly shaped his personality. There were many deciding factors that determined the kind of person Hitler finally became. Adolf's father was Alois, an illegitimate child, his mother was Marie Schickulgruber. Alois took his fathers name Hitler before Adolf was born. Alois was already a successful border guard when he was 18, and later became an Austrian customs official. He retired in 1849 after 40 years of service. He was 58 and retired early because of bad health. After he retired he bought a nine acre farm near the small town of Hafeld. His dream was to live a country life, but the farm took much more work than he expected. Since his health was poor, he had a very hard time making a living on the farm. He had always found that spending time with his children was irritating, but on the farm they were forced to work side by side. This was difficult for Alois, who was very hard on the children. He often beat them when they didn't mind. Adolf's father's main hobby was bee keeping, often the mother had to remove 30 or more bee stingers at the end of a day. Alois married his former house keeper, Klara Poelzl, in 1885 she was already pregnant. Klara had three children who died when they were very young, before she had Adolf. Five years late she had a daughter, Paula. Even though Klara was kind to her step children she showed favoritism to her own children. Adolf was fond of his sisters but never got along with Alois Jr., A step child from a previous marriage. Alois Jr. especially disliked Adolf because their mother always loved Adolf more. Alois Jr. resented his father, who often beat him with a whip for disobedience, and ran away at the age of fifteen and never came home. He was jailed twice for theft and led an unhappy adult life. He lived in Paris for a while and then moved all the way to Ireland, but when Adolf became famous he moved to Berlin and opened a cafe hoping to take advantage of his brother's popularity. Adolf disliked him and told his friends never to mention his name. When Adolf was born his mother was afraid he would die so she gave most of her attention to him. She treated the other two kindly but never with the same affection as she treated Adolf. Adolf liked his half sister Angela much better, but his baby sister Paula was his closest sibling. Paula too charge of his household, and remained faithful even after he became famous. Adolf was born in 1889 in Brounan, Austria, a small city on the German border. When Adolf was young, he took singing lessons and sang in the choir in a Benedictine monastery. Adolf did very well in elementary school until he became interested in art. As soon as he saw all the attention he could get from drawing he immediately began drawing pictures of castles and landscapes that amazed his peers. Much to his fathers disappointment he decided to pursue a career in art instead of following in his fathers footsteps. Since he did his drawing in class his school work suffered. Hitler said later on in life that he did bad in school so his father would let him pursue his career in art. At this time children either went to Gymnasium or Reilschule. Gymnasium was for people who wanted a classic education and Reilschule was a technical and scientific school. His father wanted him to go to Reilschule and Hitler agreed mainly because it offered a drawing class. Every day Hitler walked 3 miles to attend Reilschule in Rintz. Reilschule was much bigger than his old school and he didn't get the attention he was used to. After a while though, he started to fit in. He often organized the children into groups to play war games in which he was always captain. He based many war games on the stories he read out of James Cooper. Even as a child he was a convincing speaker, organizing the children into debate teams. He wrote later in Mein Kampf that he thought that this is where he got his speaking and organizational skills Hitler was fourteen when his father died. He could now follow the career of his choice. When he was 16 his grades were to

Quotes of Encouragement for Women

Quotes of Encouragement for Women Fight off the feeling of helplessness. You are a woman! You have the power to create, nurture, and mold. Your voice may be soft, but it carries a sense of determination. Your shoulders may be delicate, but they can carry the burden of a family with ease. Dont underestimate your strengths and abilities. When the time is right, you can prove your mettle to the world. Quotes of Encouragement for Women Read these encouraging quotes for women and learn to believe in yourself. These quotes can help you overcome any challenge that hinders your growth. St. Teresa of AvilaHowever softly we speak, God is near enough to hear us. Anais NinThere came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. Havelock EllisCharm is a womans strength just as strength is a mans charm. Indira GandhiPeople with clenched fists can not shake hands. Alice WalkerThe most common way people give up their power is by thinking they dont have any. Anais NinDreams are necessary to life. Pearl BaileyPeople see God every day. They just dont recognize him. Diane MariechildA woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform. Grandma MosesLife is what we make it, always has been, always will be. Edgar Watson HoweA man has his clothes made to fit him; a woman makes herself fit her clothes.

Interracial Marriages Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Interracial Marriages - Essay Example The US Census Bureau states that in the year 1970, there were 65000 black-white marriages in US. In 2005, this number has increased to 422000. Interracial marriages make less than 10 per cent of the total presently. Being an African-American that was first married to a man from the same race and now, is married to a Caucasian, (Landry) has sufficient experience to make a balanced approach to evaluation of the merits and demerits of interracial marriage. Landry has spent five years with the African American husband who was her college fellow. After divorce, she married the Caucasian husband and has been living with him for four years. When she reflects back upon the two experiences, she realizes that race was never a strong issue. Landry parted ways with her ex-husband because there was communication gap between them and he was disloyal to her. Besides, they had issues related to money. Therefore, when Landry searched for a husband the second time, she placed more emphasis upon his co mmitment towards budget and his tendency to exchange views frequently and maintain loyalty to her in marriage than the race he belonged to. Landry spent twelve years as a single after her divorce. In those years, she spent tome with numerous men from different ethnic origins. Having dated men of different professions and racial backgrounds, Landry reached the conclusion that two people’s resemblance in the level of intelligence, personal interests, aspirations and values were much stronger determinants of their compatibility with each other than race could ever be. Landry has evaluated the potential advantages and disadvantages of interracial marriages in this article. Discussing the pros of interracial marriages, Landry first discusses personal growth. Successful marriage requires the partners to grow together with the passage of time. Marital partners can enhance their growth by sharing with each other and appreciating the challenges arising from their cultural and racial d ifferences. Landry has noticed that her Caucasian husband’s behavior is changed for the better after marrying her. He has started to understand how people of color may feel like strangers in settings where the others don’t look like them. He had a new experience of going to church with an African American wife as a lone white man. Nevertheless, he has started to enjoy the worship services greatly. Now he responds more to his African American friends who tend not to go with him when he invites them to go to places where African Americans are not very likely to be. Such awareness has inculcated in him the need to persuade people into doing things that they would otherwise not do because of their race. Landry and her family had many preconceived notions about the Caucasian people until she and her family had an opportunity to interact with Landry’s husband and his family frequently. Same can be said about Landry’s husband and his family. Before, Landry thoug ht that Caucasian people were insensitive, stern and unaffectionate, but she found her husband’s Irish American family unusually jolly. Landry still has to resist the long cultivated urge to meet them by shaking hands with them that she has been doing all life long. Now Landry disputes with her African American friends for their baseless claims about the Caucasian people. Interracial marriage is a potential means of eliminating the social segregation. With the increased intimacy between Landry’s Caucasian and African American families developed in joint gatherings, every member of the respective families is likely to increase his/her number of friends outside his/her own race. Living together is a better way to end the differences between races than government mandated programs or diversity training. The first con

Compare and contrast reform under Khrushchev and Gorbachev Essay

Compare and contrast reform under Khrushchev and Gorbachev - Essay Example 2009). In 1934 Khrushchev became a member of the partys central committee. He had a close link to Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, and after Stalins death in 1953 Khrushchev surfaced as the new leader. He started restructuring Stalins most atrocious extremes, and as he criticized some crimes of Stalin which was considered as a dramatic development. Khrushchev as well tried to create fresh dealings with the United States; in 1959 he visited the U.S. and met with President Eisenhower (answers.com. 2009). Khrushchev delivered his well-known secret speech in 1956 wherein he exposed the reality of a letter written by Lenin prior to his death. The letter was significant of Stalin’s misdeeds, and Khrushchev made use it as weapon to condemn Stalins rules and practices, mainly the purges that he supported. This denigration led to de-Stalinization, a course that led to reforms, for instance leniency towards government censorship of the press, transference of economic decision making, and streamlining of the cooperative farm. Concerning foreign policy, Khrushchev promoted ‘peaceful coexistence,’ and reduction of strain involving the United States and the Soviet Union. At the same time Khrushchev was condemned from the start for the recommended reforms, and his political and armed forces failure in the Cuban Missile Crisis made certain his loss of control. In addition, the majority of his reforms were not working by the early 1960s (phs.prs.k12.nj.us/ewood., N.D) The Khrushchev’s duration of rule did not limit itself to the financial system. Where as he went on to demonstrate how changing financial requirements were mirrored in the social and political ‘superstructure’. The most remarkable aspect after the Stalin period was the reduction of scare and the majority of the labour camps were out of terror and more relaxed. Essential basics of the rule of law were reinstated, as the

The Coffee Crisis Essay Example for Free

The Coffee Crisis Essay To begin, The Coffee Crisis is about an acute coffee crisis and how it threatens millions of small coffee farmers around the world and is putting economic growth, as well as social and political stability, at risk in scores of coffee producing countries in Central and South America, Africa and Asia. In 2004, the governments of coffee producing countries were considering how to respond to the dramatic decline in coffee prices caused in part by a large increase in coffee production in Brazil and Vietnam. Coffee was the main source of income for roughly 25 million farmers, mostly small land holders, in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Coffee prices had hit 40 year lows in 2001 and had remained low since, resulting in real hardship for many farmers. A variety of alternative solutions had been suggested. (Gomez-Ibanez Quinlan, 2004) The International Coffee Organization was advocating increasing demand through programs promoting coffee consumption; the Inter-American Development Bank supported promotion but also thought some high-cost countries should get out of coffee, while the non-governmental organization Oxfam was pushing fair trade pricing. The coffee crisis is worldwide. It is affecting farmers in Central America, South America, Africa, and Asia. While the Arabica farmers in Costa Rica may be getting 40 cents per pound for their coffee cherries, the Robusta coffee farmers in Viet Nam are only receiving 15 cents a pound for theirs. Even the low cost producers are not benefiting from the current situation. This condition is created because the market place does not view coffee as a true commodity. It places premiums and discounts on both coffee types and coffee grades. While both markets may move up and down in tandem, the arbitrage, or spread between one Arabica and Robusta, does not give one farmer an economic competitive advantage over another. This fact tends to get glossed over in most economic discussions on the coffee crisis. Many analysts believe that oversupply is at the root of the present crisis. After the system of coffee export quotas (the International Coffee Agreement, or ICA), administered by the International Coffee Organization, collapsed in 1989, the regulation of coffee production and quality was left to each individual producer country. Almost immediately following the dissolution of the agreement, excessive quantities of coffee entered international markets, prices became quite volatile and the overall quality of the coffee began to decline. Many of the coffee producing nations, including Mexico, were simultaneously in the process of deregulating, privatizing, and otherwise liberalizing agricultural production and national agricultural institutions. This had the effect of exacerbating the uncertainties faced by coffee farmers at the end of the 1980s. The coffee crisis is structural. It was not caused by the cyclical nature of coffee agriculture that has produced the â€Å"boom-bust† cycles of the past. The change in the market place has been brought about by the concentration of buying power in the hands of a few firms that present coffee to the consumer as a â€Å"blended and branded† product, void of any links to type and grade. This has led to intense price competition for market share that has rewarded increased market share to low cost products in the short run at the expense of stability in the supply chain in the long run. Since the crisis is a structural problem and not a cyclical one, remedies are to be found by taking intervening actions. These actions would include a strengthening of coffee institutions, a realignment of market forces, a creation of suitable financial tools, and a promotion of sustainable agricultural practices. It must be emphasized that any direct market intervention, such as quotas or subsidies, would only be short term in effect and would not correct the structural problems. It must also be emphasized that what is required is a series of steps in a number of different areas, as no single step will produce the desired structural changes that are needed. The crisis in the coffee sector continues. Its impact cannot be understated, since coffee constitutes the livelihood of an estimated 25 million families around the world. In world trade, coffee is the second leading commodity, after petroleum. The worldwide coffee market spans some 71 countries, of which 51 are significant producers and 20 are key consumers. Prices have not kept up with production costs to the extent needed to make participation in the coffee business profitable for most producers, even though the crop year 2003-2004 witnessed a worldwide decrease in production. (Central America The Coffee Crisis: Effects and Strategies for Moving Forward, 1992) In coffee producing countries, which account for over 26% of world consumption, the situation is more diverse. In some countries, prices of coffee have fallen in local currency and consumption may therefore be stimulated. In Brazil, the largest coffee market among producing countries, the devaluation of the real has maintained prices of green coffee at pre-crisis levels. As a whole, consumption in these markets is not expected to suffer any major negative impact. The root cause of the coffee crisis can be linked to three factors: over production; under consumption; and market oligopoly. In short, these are all problems associated with the economics of coffee farming. Without resolution, they will lead to both social and environmental breakdowns. (Central America The Coffee Crisis: Effects and Strategies for Moving Forward, 1992). The crisis has been caused by a large increase in coffee production over the past several years by two countries Vietnam and Brazil. In the case of Vietnam, within ten years this country grew from a relatively insignificant producer to the world second largest – ahead of Colombia but behind Brazil, now producing well over 10 million bags annually and accounting for approximately 12% of world exports. (Central America The Coffee Crisis: Effects and Strategies for Moving Forward, 1992) To conclude, without economic remedies to the crisis, it is difficult to promote sustainable agricultural practices in coffee farming. While niche markets within the specialty coffee industry can provide some relief, the size of these markets makes them too small to be an effective solution. References: Central America The Coffee Crisis: Effects and Strategies for Moving Forward. (1992, July 19). Retrieved February 4, 2012, from Latin American and Carribean: http://web. worldbank. org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/LACEXT/0,,contentMDK:20606092~pagePK:146736~piPK:146830~theSitePK:258554,00. html Gomez-Ibanez, J. , Quinlan, S. J. (2004). The Coffee Crisis.

Chronicle of a Death Foretold, by Gabriel Garcia-Marquez Essay

Chronicle of a Death Foretold, by Gabriel Garcia-Marquez Works Cited Not Included Chronicle of a Death Foretold, by Gabriel Garcia-Marquez, is a story that brings one to question the code of honor that exists in the Columbian town. Marquez' paints a picture that shows how societal values, such as honor, have become more important than the inherent good of human life. The Vicario brothers' belief that their sister was done wrong was brought upon by this honor, along with racial and social tension. The dangerous path of both honor and religious faith caused Santiago's untimely death. "'Before God and before men,' Pablo Vicario said. 'It was a matter of honor'" (Marquez 56). In the town honor is taken very seriously and any action taken to protect one's own honor or family's honor is never questioned. If someone loses their honor, they automatically become an outcast in the society. Angela Vicario's father had "lost his sight from doing so much fine work in gold in order to maintain the honor of the house" (33). When Angela Vicario explained she lost her virginity to Santiago Nasar, the honor and respect of the family was lost. The Vicario brothers felt it was their purpose to keep some sort of semblance of honor to their family name. Angela's supposed premarital relations with Santiago Nasar were enough in this culture to warrant death. The idea that honor can cross the boundaries of religion is considered to be very powerful. It is an action in which one can take the life of someone else. The act of killing someone becomes a powerful and almost godlike statement. Honor can extend beyond the reaches of religion, as shown in this story. Angela Vicario could have been beaten to death because she infring... ...d the bishop does not get off his ship that he is traveling on and instead asks to eat cock-comb soup, one that is costly to make and considered to be a sexual innuendo. He only offers his blessing on the boat nearly a few hundred yards off shore. The people take pride in how they are of religious faith, yet a whorehouse and constant sexual relations saturates everyone in the town. Marquez in Chronicle of a Death Foretold attempts to show that people naturally blur the interpretation of their own beliefs. The honor code that exists in the town is merely outdated. The hypocritical system of honor and religion breeds infidelity, murder, and deceit. The Vicario brothers abused honor and God's repentance as reasons for their act. In this town, religion and honor can be a dangerous force to merge, and Santiago Nasar was an innocent victim right in the way.

La Guagua Aerea

â€Å"La Guagua Aerea† Many things in life are learned the hard way. We learn to overcome these obstacles and adapt to rapid change. The movie we saw in class is a perfect example of these points. It takes place in the 1970’s when tickets from Puerto Rico to New York where lowered down to $20 in order to promote immigrants to come to the U. S. This was found to be a big scam done by the U. S. to trick the Puerto Rican community to selling their properties. This movie takes place mainly on the plane on the way to La Guardia Airport.There were many interesting points I noticed in this film. One of my observations was how all these immigrants were traveling with the same dream. The American dream is this hope that all immigrants who come to the United States have of becoming successful. They believe that by coming to this country they will make a lot of money. For many it’s false hope and when they come here they realize how hard it is to actually make a living over here. Jobs aren’t opened everywhere especially not jobs that are willing to pay good.A good example of this is the taxi driver who was in the movie. He had previous experience of what life was like in New York. He went there once before with hopes of getting a good job and instead he realized that things were hard. That is why he became so angry when the stuck up Puerto Rican man tried to act like he was going to be so rich in New York. My personal opinion towards this movie is it’s definitely an eye opening visual of what really happens when immigrants come to the U. S.Their false thoughts and how we never let go of our culture no matter how far we are from home. I thought the movie was very funny at points especially when the people on board began eating their rice and beans. It was really hilarious how they kept looking at the pickle that came in the sandwich like it was from outer space. I understand how these people feel especially since I am an immigrant from Pe ru. It was very hard to adapt to this new world. Especially being so far away from family and what I grew up knowing.

Code of conduct

Those principles operate in injunction with our values (as described by our CEO above) and our policies and procedures. At the heart of each of the principles is the imperative to uphold the reputation of the Weakest Group. We all have a role to play in ensuring that the Group's reputation is strengthened and not harmed by our conduct, whatever work we do and wherever we are located. Remember this simple test to determine if our proposed conduct is appropriate: would we be happy to see that conduct reported on the front page of a newspaper?The Code has the full support of the Board and the Executive Team and we take compliance with the Code very seriously. If you breach the Code then you may face disciplinary action, including termination of your employment. You also have a responsibility to report immediately any breaches by a colleague to your manager or team leader or your Human Resources or Compliance business unit representative. Do the same even if you are unsure if there has b een a breach.Our Whistler's Protection Policy outlines all reporting channels, as well as the process for raising concerns anonymously. Here is some more detail about each of the principles in the Code. We do the right thing because it is the right thing to do. Honesty and integrity go hand-in-hand. They guide us in making decisions, so that we make the correct choices between right and wrong. There is no room for compromise: if we do not act with honesty and integrity 100% of the time, we are undeserving of the trust of our customers, colleagues, community and shareholders.Here are some examples of how we act with honesty and integrity: we do not use funds, property or information belonging to he Weakest Group or our customers for our personal benefit and nor do we help others to do so; we immediately report dishonest behavior by our colleagues and customers; we do not offer or give bribes, facilitation payments or other benefits to influence others, nor accept bribes or other bene fits; we keep records of our dealings with customers and suppliers that are accurate and transparent.If we fail to comply with laws and regulations both the Weakest Group and the individual employee may face criminal sanctions or other serious consequences. If o are unsure what laws and regulations apply then contact Legal & Secretariat. We must also comply with the Weakest Group's internal policies and procedures, including this Code.If you are unsure what policies and procedures apply to your work then talk to your manager or team leader. If there is anything inconsistent between the laws and regulations applying where you work and our policies and procedures, then you need to meet whichever sets the higher standard of behavior. If you believe such an inconsistency exists, you should talk to your Customers can be confident

Chapter Summaries for CORN RAID by James Lincoln Collier

Chapter Summaries for CORN RAID by James Lincoln Collier Chapter 1About: Richard Meets the Indian BoyDetails:*Richard is working in the tobacco field when an Indian boy comes up and runs off with his hoe.*Richard chases after the Indian boy when he corners him and they get into a fight.*Laydon comes and breaks it up and takes the Indian boy named Weetoppin home with him.Point: Metal stuff was valuable in those days.Statement: I think Laydon will make Weetoppin work for him.Chapter 2About: Laydon Brings Home WeetoppinDetails:*They get home and they meet Susan.*Susan asks what happened and Richard tells her that he got in a fight with Weetoppin because he stole the hoe. Then Laydon asks her to make dinner.*At dinner, Laydon tells Weetoppin that he wants him to work for him, so they bargain and Weetoppin finally agrees to work for him for a knife, a blanket, a shirt, and some pants.the gang + Richard DawkinsPoint: Indians could live with English and English could live with Indians.Statement: I think Weetoppin will run away.Chapter 3About: Wee toppin Gets Used to English LifeDetails:*Weetoppin and Richard work in the field, and they start to get to know each other.*On Sunday, they go to church, but Weetoppin sleeps during most of it.*After church, Henry Spofford comes up and talks to them and notices Weetoppin.Point: Indians didn't like the English life, ways, or religion.Statement: Richard will look for his Indenture paper.Chapter 4About: Weetoppin is IndenturedDetails:*Weetoppin's father comes and talks to Weetoppin. Then he goes into Laydon's house and comes out with a blanket and hatchet. Laydon then explains that Weetoppin has been indentured.*Richard tries to talk Weetoppin into telling him what happened, but Weetoppin refuses. They go inside and Susan explains to...

Thirty of the Worlds Busiest Airports

Thirty of the Worlds Busiest Airports This is a list of the thirty busiest airports for passenger traffic, based on finalized 2008 data from the Airports Council International. A more recent list of the busiest airports in the world is also available here on my site. Since 1998, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the United States has been the worlds busiest passenger airport. Numbers represent the number of passengers enplaned and deplaned with passengers in transit counted only once. 1. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport - 90,039,280 2. OHare International Airport (Chicago) - 69,353,654 3. Heathrow Airport (London) - 67,056,228 4. Haneda Airport (Tokyo) - 65,810,672 5. Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport - 60,851,998 6. Los Angeles International Airport - 59,542,151 7. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport - 57,069,331 8. Beijing Capital International Airport - 55,662,256* 9. Frankfurt Airport - 53,467,450 10. Denver International Airport - 51,435,575 11. Madrid Barajas Airport - 50,823,105 12. Hong Kong International Airport - 47,898,000 13. John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York City) - 47,790,485 14. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol - 47,429,741 15. McCarran International Airport (Las Vegas) - 44,074,707 16. George Bush Intercontinental Airport (Houston) - 41,698,832 17. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport - 39,890,896 18. Bangkok International Airport - 38,604,009 19. Singapore Changi Airport - 37,694,824 20. Dubai International Airport - 37,441,440 (New to the list) 21. San Francisco International Airport - 37,405,467 22. Orlando International Airport - 35,622,252 23. Newark Liberty International Airport (New Jersey) - 35,299,719 24. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport - 35,144,841 25. Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport (Rome) - 35,132,879 (New to the list) 26. Charlotte Douglas International Airport (North Carolina) - 34,732,584 (New to the list) 27. Munich Airport - 34,530,593 28. London Gatwick Airport - 34,214,474 29. Miami International Airport - 34,063,531 30. Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport - 34,032,710 * Beijing Capital International Airport saw a seven million passenger increase from 2006 to 2008, likely due to the 2008 Summer Games held in Beijing. Airports that previously made the top thirty ranking list for busiest airports but are not on this years ranking of the busiest airports include: Narita International Airport (Tokyo), and Philadelphia International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport (Canada).

Creating a Flowchart Design for the Validation Check Process Lab Report

Creating a Flowchart Design for the Validation Check Process - Lab Report Example Input validation check may either use blacklisting approach or white-listing approach. White-listing allows programmer to define the data that should be accepted in an entry while blacklisting does the opposite. That is, a blacklist approach defines a set of ‘known bad inputs’ that should not be accepted as an input whereas a white-list defines a set of known good inputs. Using the two approaches, one of the input checks may be application of a white-list. The auditor may consider checking the accepted data types in each entry. For example in the access routine number to payroll by the operator, one may specify that the input must consider of letters, special characters such as dollar sign and numbers. Since it acts like a password, the combination ensures security when it comes to accessibility (Nick, 2003). Additionally, employees’ number inputs may be restricted to letters and numbers only e.g kw997836. Besides, another input validation check to consider is canonicalization of all inputs. This involves reducing data received to its simplest form. Simplifying one input may facilitate bypassing of validation functions. Thus canonicalization ensures that any malicious user do not bypass the validation function (Nick, 2003). Last but not least, one may consider creating checks for the system content. Check for content specifies the maximum and minimum lengths of entries and probably the syntax. For example, in the employees’ number input slot, one may specify that the letters comes before numbers and the maximum number of characters is 6. The specification ensures that a malicious user does not paste several input data in the entry (Nick,

Are too many people being sent to prison Research Paper

Are too many people being sent to prison - Research Paper Example These are some of the questions that come to mind when one views the growing statistics of prisoners worldwide. This paper will focus on the fact that too many people are being sent to prison. There are too many people being imprisoned worldwide. The United States is leading in statistics for having many people in prison worldwide. The population in jail has risen by over ten times as compared to thirty years ago. Most prisons are overcrowded and the cost incurred by the state in its move to fighting crime is colossal and could be falling out of hand if nothing is done to address it. People are being sent to prison for minor crimes. Minor drug offenders for instance, make up a large number of inmates, are being jailed for long terms. Debaters have argued that these minor offenders should be subjected to other forms of disciplinary action like being made to do some community service in public. They claim that this would be a more positive way to punish them and subsequently the other offenders who have not been caught will learn from them (Doughty 1). Take a tour to any prison around and you won’t fail to notice the evident congestion. The prison facilities have been suffocated by the vast number of prisoners being injected to the system on a daily basis. Inmates in these prisons are facing unmentionable miseries since the facilities and resources in the prisons are not enough hence they have to live like slaves. Alabama’s prisons for instance, hold twice the number of prisoners that they were originally designed to hold. Their daily budget per prisoner is less than half the national average amount that should be spent on an individual prisoner. This strain is far from over since the number of people being sentenced is still increasing and new facilities have not been set up to accommodate them (Doughty 1). The increase in the number of people in the lower class is directly related to the increase in the number of people being sent to

Consider how the problems of cognitive bias might have influenced this Assignment

Consider how the problems of cognitive bias might have influenced this observation - Assignment Example Blue cars are not the only fats cars in Britain but boy racers have continuously selected them. This phenomenon can be associated with cognitive bias. People around us such as politicians, friends, politicians, expert and salesmen among others tend to influence our decision making by providing information that leads to their expectations (Stanovich & West 2000). This leads us to various forms of bias such as Confirmation, in-group, Gamblers fallacy, observational selection, post-purchase rationalization, and bandwagon effect biases among others other (Campbell 2010). One, two or more cognitive biases could have led boy racers in Britain to choose blue cars. Confirmation bias makes people agree with others who have similar opinion (Campbell 2010). Many people feel better while in the group of others who share same ideas and are insecure while in group of people sharing different ideas. A boy racer feels better while with other racers owning blue race cars. Blue cars may not be the fastest but no one among the racers is able to believe that there are faster cars bearing other color. As long as they keep that opinion that blue cars a re very fast, they will remain to use them. Racers may have also developed in-group bias. This is the bias associated by people who stay close together or those who have similarities in beliefs or origin (Finucane et al 2000). The fact that the boy racers are tied together by their age bracket and their fast driving habits, they have developed a close bond among them which makes them make similar choices as far as cars are concerned. This bias has led to their overestimation of blue cars’ ability to move faster than any other car. Gambler’s fallacy bias may have also influence their choice of blue car (Sides et al 2002). This is a type of bias that leads people to believe that past events influences future outcomes. If in the fast several blue cars won

Effective Operations Management At Ryanair

Effective Operations Management At Ryanair To be successful in an increasingly competitive environment, organisations must be more adaptive and innovative than ever before in providing a superior quality service. This paper will consider the role of operations management with the organisation and ways in which successful operations management can contribute to meeting organisational objectives. It is essential the organisations address issues of quality and resource utilisation to reduce costs and provide superior customer service with the intention of increasing sales and creating a competitive advantage. This paper will discuss how organisations can create a quality culture through TQM, and diagnose problems and areas for improvement using quality tools such as Lean and Six Sigma. The final section of this paper will discuss how organisations can plan for the successful implementation of TQM, highlighting the need for a quality management team, adequate management and resource availability, and consultation and communication with its workforce. Task 1: The strategic objectives of operational management The role played by effective operations management at Ryanair This section will discuss the role played by effective operations management at Ryanair; Europes largest low cost airline. Effective operations management is the systematic direction and control of five functions (management, procurement, transformation, customer services and distribution) that transform input resources into finished goods or services offering superior customer satisfaction (Slack, 1999). Within this transformation process (Figure 1), the role of effective operations management is to improve resource utilisation, thus reducing costs, whilst also providing improved quality and customer service which increases revenue (Slack and Lewis, 2002). Figure 1: Transformation process Operations management at Ryanair aims to optimise resource utilisation through the careful management of employees, technology, raw materials and money in order to increase productivity. For example, flight staff at Ryanair are trained to improve their productivity and keep aircraft turnaround times to a minimum (Slack et al, 2007). This increase in productivity allows Ryanair aircrafts to make more flights each day, significantly increasing turnover. In addition to this, another role of operations management at Ryanair is to ensure superior customer satisfaction. This is achieved through improving the flexibility, quality and consistency of its service and continually driving down costs. For example, through providing a no-frills basic service on-board its aircrafts, Ryanair can ensure superior satisfaction through driving down costs (Slack et al, 2007). The role played by effective operations management at Ryanair is to maximise resource utilisation and ensure superior customer service. Although operations management at Ryanair is extremely successful at these two roles, it could be recommended that they continue to ensure effective operation management through maintaining a precise understanding of customer requirements and monitoring environmental change that may affect these requirements. Ryanairs strategic objectives Ryanairs strategic objectives set out its mission and aims as well as defining how it is going to compete within its market (Slack and Lewis, 2002). Ryanairs strategic objectives will be categorised in terms of its goal (market leadership), target customers and offer (distinctive positioning), operating system (to sustain its low cost position), values and distinctive competence. Ryanairs fundamental goal is to establish itself as Europes leading low-fares scheduled passenger airline through continued improvements and expanded offerings of its low-fares service (Ryanair, 2009). Gaining and maintaining market leadership is advantageous in allowing Ryanair to increase its publicity due to leadership status, increase its economies of scale and further reduce costs. Another main strategic objective of Ryanair is to clearly identify its target market segments in order to position its strategy to satisfy particular customer requirements. Ryanair identifies its target customers as fare-conscious leisure and business travellers (Ryanair, 2009). In addition this, Ryanairs strategy is to create a superior offer tailed to its target customer requirements. Ryanair aims to offer low fares that generate increased passenger traffic while maintaining a continuous focus on cost-containment and operating efficiencies (Ryanair, 2009). Ryanairs strategy is also to clearly define its company values of low price, value for money and efficiency and to further utilise its distinctive competence of being creative at driving down cost. This distinctive competence is effective because it can be transferrable to other services; it provides a benefit to the customer and is unique to Ryanair. In summary, Ryanairs strategic objectives are to become Europes largest airline operator through offering low-cost, reliable service to both business and leisure users. Ryanair aims to achieve this through clear company values of low price, value for money and efficiency and its distinctive competence of being creative at driving down costs. In order to fulfil these strategic objectives, Ryanair must ensure that its operational objectives are focussed on ensuring superior customer satisfaction and effective resource utilisation. The success of Ryanairs operations objectives in meeting strategic objectives This part of the assignment shows how Ryanairs operations objectives contribute effectively to achieving its strategic objectives. Operations objectives are decisions which shape the capabilities of an operation and their long-term contribution to strategic objectives, through the reconciliation of market requirements with resource utilisation (Slack and Lewis, 2002). The success of Ryanairs operations objectives in meeting strategic objectives is achieved through its focus on ensuring superior customer satisfaction and through rigorous redesigning of systems and processes to enhance resource utilisation. Superior customer service is achieved by Ryanairs operations management through obtaining a clear understanding of the characteristics and requirements of their target customers. Ryanair understands the importance of a low-cost, reliable and safe airline service to its customers. Ryanair sells tickets directly to customers through its internet site keeping prices low and providing customers with the flexibility to buy tickets whenever and wherever they choose (Ryanair, 2010). In addition to this, Ryanair also keeps aircraft turnaround times to a minimum allowing more flights to take off per day and increasing the availability of flights to customers (Slack et al, 2007). Operations management at Ryanair also aims to improve resource utilisation and to continuously drive down cost. Ryanair, for example, uses standardised aircrafts and parts to allow for large orders from a single aircraft supplier increasing their economies of scale. In addition to this, Ryanair schedules flights to smaller secondary airports allowing money to be saved in airport fees (Slack et al, 2007). These twin operational objectives are so well balanced that they enable Ryanair to successfully achieve its strategic objectives. Through ensuring superior customer satisfaction, Ryanair is able to maintain a clear definition of its offer and also fulfil its goal to become Europes largest budget airline through increasing its customer demand. In addition to this, continuous improvement to resource utilisation allows Ryanair to gain and maintain competitive advantage through its distinctive competence of being creative at driving down costs and values of providing a low price and efficient service. Ryanairs operations objectives are extremely successful in meeting strategic objectives through its clear focus on ensuring superior customer satisfaction and rigorous redesigning of systems and processes. It could be recommended that Ryanair further builds upon this success through the implementation of a Total Quality Management (TQM) system aimed at integrating practical quality control techniques with organisational cultures conductive to the continuous improvement of quality (RDI, 2008). TQM systems at Ryanair will be further discussed in the next section. Task 2: Appropriate Systems 2.1 Systems to ensure the quality of products This section will discuss the use of two fundamental quality systems, Six Sigma and Lean. These two processes implement different methodology to achieve a similar goal: an offer of superior quality through the careful consideration of customer requirements and removal of defects and waste. Six Sigma Six Sigma is a data-driven discipline aimed to improve the quality of operational processes by listening to customer requirements and identifying and removing the causes of defects and variability (General Electric Company, 2009). Organisations that implement Six Sigma correctly achieve significant benefits that contribute to competitive advantage and to changing the culture in an organisation from reactive problem solving to proactive problem prevention (Six Sigma Group, 2010). An organisation such as Ryanair could use Six Sigma to ensure quality through the implementation of the Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve and Control method throughout the organisation. Customer requirements must be defined and measures should be made against core business processes to determine possible shortfalls. Potential gaps between current performance and goals must be analysed, and then innovative solutions using technology and discipline can be implemented and controlled (iSixSigma, 2010). Lean Lean is a production practice aimed at maximising customer value while minimising waste (Lean Enterprise Institute, 2009). Ryanair could incorporate Lean to help optimise the flow of the transformation system to ensure superior customer value and minimise waste. This could be achieved through determining customer requirements and eliminating stages of the transformation system that do not contribute towards meeting these requirements. This process should be repeated until perfect value is created with no waste (Lean Enterprise Institute, 2009). Unlike Six sigma which focuses on individual systems, Lean is effective at ensuring quality through addressing the transformation system as a whole. This also allows simpler information management and allows for faster responses to changing customer requirements. 2.2 The use of TQM and ISO 9000 to monitor quality to a satisfactory level Total Quality Management (TQM) and ISO 9000 have a mutual focus on ensuring quality through the promotion of customer satisfaction and process improvement. Whereas ISO 9000 is a tool used to regulate quality, TQM can be understood as the overarching philosophy within which ISO 90000 should be implemented. TQM TQM is a management philosophy that aims to empower all organisational functions with the responsibility of ensuring quality (ISO, 2010). This is achieved through developing and reworking systems to optimise resource utilisation, prevent errors and ultimately achieve superior customer satisfaction (Chartered Quality Institute, 2010). TQM aims to deliver quality and value above and beyond customer expectations through several key principles. Firstly, employees throughout the TQM organisation must be united within a customer-focussed culture to share ideas and facilitate innovation (Oakland, 2003 p3 ff). There must also be continuous improvements of systems and processes to increase resource utilisation and prevent errors before they occur. Finally, information must be shared throughout all levels of the organisation to ensure that the quality culture is embedded and maintained (Oakland, 2003 p3 ff). ISO 9000 ISO 9000 is a tool which can be used within a TQM culture to regulate and ensure quality. It is a systematic approach to managing the organisations processes so that they consistently turn out products that meet and exceed customer expectations (ISO, 2010). ISO 9000 is able to ensure quality to a satisfactory level through the implementation of quality management guidelines. Firstly, the organisation must ensure that a clear customer focus is established and processes are assessed as to how successful they are contributing to the customer focus. All outputs are monitored for defects, and new systems are implemented to prevent future defects. Continuous improvements are made to the quality system to ensure continued development (ISO, 2010). TQM and ISO 9000 are essential systems to ensure quality. Organisations must be aware, however, that in order to maintain a level of superior quality, TQM and ISO 9000 must not be treated as add-on functions with little attention given to the required changes in organisation and culture. 2.3 Quality Culture in the United Kingdom and Bulgaria This element of the paper sets out to define the term quality culture and then compares the view of quality between the United Kingdom and Bulgaria. Quality culture is an organisational value system that results in an environment that is conducive to the establishment and continual improvement of quality (Noronha, 1999). An organisation that develops and maintains a quality culture will differ significantly from an organisation with a traditional culture. Its attitude towards customers, problem-solving approach, supplier relationships and performance improvement approach will be geared towards creating superior customer value and increased resource utilisation as means of achieving a sustainable competitive advantage. For the successful introduction and implementation of a quality culture such as TQM, a quality culture must be developed to increase the success and likeliness of the systems acceptance throughout the organisation. This can be achieved through maintaining an awareness of quality as a key cultural issue, empowering employees and encouraging self-development, and rewarding behaviours that nurture and maintain a quality culture (Noronha, 1999). The view of quality in the UK and Bulgaria The view of quality in the UK has been shaped considerably by the values and principles brought about by quality management systems such as TQM, ISO 9000 and Lean etc. There is a great emphasis on achieving quality through the refinement of systems and processes tailored to deliver superior customer satisfaction and efficient resource utilisation (Noronha, 1999). Becoming part of the economic union in 2007, Bulgaria has had little exposure to quality management systems and quality culture that have been adopted by many organisations across Europe. The view of quality in organisations in Bulgaria was based purely on traditional values rather than hygiene, inspection of product, systems and TQM. Although there are clear differences in the view of quality internationally, there are also considerable differences between the views of quality nationally. The key issue, however, is the degree to which an organisation is able to understand and address quality issues. By way of conclusion a further point of interest prompted by this question is that while comparing quality culture between countries it is apparent that the same issue can be levelled at individual companies. Slack references the differences between companies in individual countries by distinguishing between pioneer, adaptive and follower categories of business and different approaches to quality culture Task 3: Organisational Performance Problems and opportunities for quality improvement In order to establish a need for quality improvement, BTB should conduct an appraisal of internal and external factors to gain an understanding of potential shortfalls in the quality of products and services, and resource utilisation. For an external review, an appraisal of the stakeholder market can be undertaken providing valuable information about customer requirements and stakeholder perceptions of the current quality of the operation. This type of appraisal can be undertaken through market sensing customer needs and requirements, and conducting surveys to obtain customer feedback on service and product quality. In addition to this, benchmarking can be undertaken to compare the performance of the company with that of its competitors within its own and other markets. BTB can also undertake an internal review to reveal information about potential gap between where the company is performing now and where they want to be in the future. This gap analysis can be undertaken to identify the adequacy of the systems currently in place to engage with customers and the channels in place to facilitate communication and information sharing. Organisational performance improvement programme Executive Summary This report will show how, through the introduction of TQM, improvements will be made to significantly raise productivity and reduce waste. As a consequence of these improvements sales throughput will have the potential to dramatically increase, significantly enhancing the organisations ability to gain and maintain competitive advantage. Introduction BTB Brew Technology (BTB) is an international manufacturing business specialising in buying, refurbishing, and selling industrial processing equipment and factories. BTBs strategy is to increase sales throughput by 10% through making dramatic improvements to customer service and resource utilisation. BTB has been advised to implement TQM as a means of achieving this goal. The importance of TQM Many organisations have found that the key to competitive success lies in maximising product and service quality (Kano, 1993). TQM is an effective means of allowing BTB to improve customer service through improving quality and resource utilisation. It is a structured system that will encompass all levels of an organisation to provide products and services that consistently meet and exceed customer expectations (Noronha, 1999). The importance of an implementation plan The implementation process of TQM will require a substantial change in BTBs organisation and management philosophy. Simply understanding TQM is not enough to create a management system required to sustain a TQM culture. It is essential that BTB develops a strategic TQM implementation plan that is developed, directed, and supported by management, and implemented throughout all levels of organisation. Strategic approach to project management Edwards and Hodgson (2004) state that TQM implementation is most successful when the four stages of (a) providing a vision (b) management action, (c) increasing employee participation and awareness, and (d) business alignment, are undertaken. This suggests that a successful implementation strategy must begin with creating vision towards quality which is communicated throughout the organisation. Management must show their commitment to the vision and motivate and empower employees to make quality their priority. Business systems and processed must then be modified to achieve customer satisfaction and recourse utilisation. Recommendations As a means of ensuring a successful and smooth implementation it is recommended that BTB formulates a project management team who will be responsible for developing and carrying through the strategic implementation plan. Strategic Implementation Plan Figure 1: Stages of TQM implementation The implementation plan consists of three stages: developing a case for change, piloting TQM, and implementation. Developing a strategy for change In this stage, BTB should aim to gain a thorough understanding of what should be expected from the introduction of TQM and the implications of introducing it. Upper management at BTB will need to develop a clear belief of the benefits of TQM to generate the momentum to start and maintain the implementation. This could be achieved through conducting benchmarking visits to superior performing organisations and studying TQM literature. After establishing a belief and need for TQM, the organisation must unite with a commitment to customer satisfaction; communicating the vision and bringing together employees within a quality culture. To communicate and lead this vision, BTB will need to bring together a quality management team who will be the driving force behind the implementation process. The quality management team will firstly need to communicate the quality vision and ensure that all employees understand and are committed to the organisations direction. This could be achieved through establishing a company quality policy, incorporating a statement of vision, goals and principles which is communicated to all employees. The quality management team must also start to build trust amongst employees, providing reassurance about jobs and roles, and communicating the benefit of TQM. Employees must also be motivated with a new sense of direction, receiving encouragement and rewards when commitment to the new culture is displayed. Preparation for the piloting stage must also be conducted, ensuring that there is appropriate resource allocation and support for TQM. Guidance must also be given by the quality management team to help clarify the role of each level of management, and establish systems and activities for interdepartmental problem solving. Finally, the quality management team must begin to identify and develop an appropriate action plan for TQM implementation; producing a Gantt chart which clearly illustrates the work breakdown structure of the project. They must, take into consideration the deadline for implementation, time to deliver and install new equipment and systems, length of training programmes, and potential obstacles which may be faced such as shortage of capital, and delays from suppliers. It is important that buffer periods are also factored into the time plan which will help to compensate for unexpected problems. Piloting TQM The piloting stage will provide BTB with a learning base from which management can begin to analyse the breadth of TQM requirements including, time, resources, and management focus. The number and sequence of team activities undertaken at the piloting stage should reflect the nature and strategy of the action plan devised by the quality management team. BTB should begin by testing its original production systems to assess efficiency and ability to ensure quality. Quality tools such as ISO 9000 and Lean production can be used to provide guidelines on system performance and address ways of increasing efficiency. BTB should make adjustments to all systems assessed as falling below standard. This can be achieved through buying new and more efficient production equipment, and though re-designing the transformation system to facilitate superior quality. Training initiatives must be implemented to all levels of the organisation. Line managers must be trained to become facilitators of continuous improvement, coaching new methods, and leading empowered employees. Employees should be trained to understand the importance of the customer and learn ways in which quality can be managed within their roles. Employees must also be trained to improve their communication skills to help facilitate information sharing throughout the organisation. It is also recommended that rewards and recognition are given to employees to reinforce commitment and adaption to new roles. For example, BTB may increase feedback given to employees by line managers and executives to reward commitment to quality and efficiency. In addition to this BTB may consider paying bonuses to reward positive appraisal feedback. Information and lessons learned from the pilot project must be used by management and the quality management team to make changes and revisions the original action plan, developing it into a structured and comprehensive multi-year implementation plan. It is at this point that BTB can make the commitment to implement TQM. Implementation In this stage, BTB should be concerned with securing the increased participation, shared responsibility, knowledge, skills and capabilities developed from the previous two stages. Training initiatives must be continued to improve communication channels throughout the organisation. For example, new IT systems could be installed to provide a new company instant messaging system allowing information to be sent instantaneously between departments. Employees should be trained on how to use these new systems and the importance of information sharing as a means of achieving a common goal. In addition to this, employees must continue to be kept regularly informed of business performance and development. Face-to-face meetings should be frequently scheduled with line managers, informing employees on factors such as individual and team successes to maintain motivation and commitment. It is recommended that BTB also forms strategic partnerships with suppliers and customers who have developed quality cultures and place value on efficiency and superior customer satisfaction. Strategic partnership will be beneficial to BTB in allowing them to form mutual relationships with other companies they are likely to work with, making sure that orders arrive on time, to right quality and the right price. BTB should now be in a position to exploit its internal improvement capability and use it to effectively re-focus its efforts on improving processes to deliver superior customer satisfaction. It should, for example, now focus on re-organisation to customer and market-driven process management. Conclusion The success of TQM implementation is a function of many variables (both controllable and uncontrollable), which are unique to the particular company situation. Effective project management determines the success or failure of the implementation project. BTB should aim to tailor its approach to exploit its unique strengths and focus on its particular weaknesses. It would be beneficial for BTB to look into more tactical approaches to TQM implementation; however this is beyond the scope of this assignment. Recommendations It is recommended that BTB focuses on a small defined set of improvement priorities that align with its business goals and objectives, and that should therefore be realistically achievable. These include the employment of an effective quality steering group who are effectively managed and resourced, and the set-up of a piloting project to help benchmark and appraise performance. The culmination and fulfilment of these objectives should then result in a structured TQM implementation plan customised to the specific needs of BTB. Assignment Conclusion To be successful in an increasingly competitive environment, organisations must be more adaptive and innovative than ever before in providing a superior quality service. It is essential the organisations address issues of quality and resource utilisation to reduce costs and provide superior customer service with the intention of increasing sales and creating a competitive advantage. Organisations must look towards transforming their culture into a quality culture through TQM, whilst implementing quality tools such as Lean and Six Sigma to diagnose areas of improvement. For organisations to remain competitive, they must continue to invest time and resources in the development of their transformation systems.

Term African Slave Trade Essay examples -- essays research papers

When you think of the African slave trade, do you realize that over 10 million people were removed from that continent in less than 500 years? Some scholars believe it may be as large a number as 20 million.1 I would like to pose a few questions and attempt to answer them in this collection of writings and opinions. The evidence and historical documents will show some of the economic and social impacts the Slave Trade had on the African continent. The first thing that needs to be established is just how many slaves were brought to the Americas. This has proven to be quite difficult at best. There have been many scholars debate just this subject alone. As you will see, many well known scholars have problems justifying their own estimations or guesses. A quick study of Philip D. Curtin’s work: From Guesses to Calculations: Shows his writings are a compilation of bits-n-pieces of information from previously thought of unimportant publishing’s. His sole purpose was to try to determine a more accurate account of the number of people brought over from what parts of Africa and to what final location. He goes on to make it clear his findings should not be construed as being accurate or to be relied upon with any degree of certainty: but rather an accuracy range of about 20% approximations. â€Å"It should also be understood that some estimates would not even reach that standard of accuracy. They are given as the most probable figures at the present state of knowledge. These considerations have made it convenient to round out most quantities to the nearest one hundred, including data taken from other authors...† By the following chart you can see clearly the late eighteenth century was the apex of the slave trade, as described by Philip Curtin. You can clearly see that over 60% of all slaves delivered to the New World were brought over between 1721-1820. Eighty per cent of the total were landed during a century and a half, 1701-1850. 2 I suppose one could find a similar spike in the sugar trade of the Americas, as well as the Rum exports from the colonies and the firearm exports from Europe. A variety of Opinions One conclusion that might be drawn is that, in reducing the estimated total export of slaves from about twenty million to about ten million, the harm to African societies is also reduced by half. This is obvious nonsense.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ... ...rice of the transatlantic slave trade on Africa was absolutely devastating. Not only was there a massive shortage of young women and men especially, but also the future potential of the continent was essentially gone. Many of the young men and women would die before reaching the New World. Thus not being given the chance to hand down their own culture to their children. Their culture was rarely a written culture, but an oral culture. A major factor that must be understood is what is called by some as the â€Å"brain drain† Which is considered a by-product of the Triangle Trade of the time. Craftsman, Warriors, politicians, Artist, Princes, Healers, Farmers, and Musician were all sent to be slaves by their enemies, both personal and political or even coincidental. All to serve the white masters on their sugar, cotton, and tobacco plantations on the other side of the world.5 Slavery does still persist. The reports of the United Nations International Labor Organizations, the British Anti-Slavery Society, and the U.S. Department of State show there still is large margin of slavery going on in the Northwestern (Mauritania) and in the Sudan region. The past isn’t dead: it’s not even past. 6

Test Bank for Cost Management Essay

Answers 1. A.Competence, confidentiality, integrity, and relevance. – Given 2. B. Competence, confidentiality, integrity, and credibility. 3. C. Competence, confidentiality, independence, and objectivity. 4. D. Competence, accuracy, integrity, and independence. According to the IMA Code of Ethics, what should a management accountant do if a significant ethical situation can’t be resolved? Mark – Incorrect Answers 1. A.The accountant should confront the guilty party and demand the unethical action be stopped. 2. B. The accountant should try to rationalize and understand the position of the other party. 3. C. The accountant should say nothing about the matter until he or she has retired. 4. D. The accountant should first discuss the matter with the immediate supervisor. The strategy map is a tool that is used Mark – Incorrect Answers 1. A.as one of the key aspects of the contemporary management environment 2. B. to enhance the sustainability of the organization 3. C. to link the perspectives of the balanced scorecard 4. D. to organize the critical success factors of a company 5. E. to implement strategy Which of the following is the primary user of management accounting information regarding business units? Mark – Incorrect Answers 1. A. Company management. 2. B. Investors. 3. C. Creditors. 4. D. Industry and governmental organizations. When managers produce value for the customer, their orientation consists of all the following except: Mark – Incorrect Answers 1. A.Quality and Service. 2. B. Timeliness of delivery. 3. C. The ability to respond to the customer`s desire for specific features. 4. D. State of the art manufacturing facilities. If a firm decided to reevaluate and reorganize the way it did business, in hopes of creating competitive advantage, by changing or decreasing jobs, the company would be using which of the following management technique? Mark – Incorrect Answers 1. A.The value chain. 2. B. Business intelligence. 3. C. Business process improvement. 4. D. Product reevaluation. 5. E. Life cycle costing. Which of the following is not considered part of the Institute of Management Accountants’ definition of management accounting? Mark – Incorrect Answers 1. A.Partnering in management decision making. 2. B. Devising planning and performance management systems. 3. C. Gathering, summarizing, analyzing, and providing information. 4. D. Providing expertise in financial reporting and control. 5. E. Assisting management in the formulation and implementation of an organization`s strategy. The difference between wholesalers and retailers is: Mark – Incorrect Answers 1. A.Wholesalers are merchandisers that sell directly to customers whereas retailers are merchandisers that sell to other merchandisers. 2. B. Wholesalers are merchandisers that sell to other merchandisers whereas retailers are merchandisers that sell directly to consumers. 3. C. Wholesalers are merchandisers that sell directly to the government whereas retailers are merchandisers that sell to other merchandisers. 4. D. Wholesalers are merchandisers that sell directly to customers whereas retailers are merchandisers that sell directly to the government. 5. E. There is no difference between wholesalers and retailers. Cost management has moved from a traditional role of product costing and operational control to a broader strategic focus, which places an emphasis on: Mark – Incorrect Answers 1. A.Competitive pricing. 2. B. Domestic marketing. 3. C. Short-term thinking. 4. D. Strategic thinking. 5. E. Independent judgment. Target costing: Mark – Incorrect Answers 1. A.Determines cost based on an expected market demand for the product. 2. B. Determines cost based on a budget. 3. C. Determines cost based on standard cost. 4. D. Determines cost based upon market price and desired profit. Cost management information typically is the responsibility of the: Mark – Incorrect Answers 1. A.Chief Financial Officer. 2. B. Controller. 3. C. Treasurer. 4. D. Chief Information Officer. A practical example of when the theory of constraints would not be an appropriate management technique to use would be: Mark – Incorrect Answers 1. A.Long lines at checkout stands. 2. B. Busy signals on Internet server sites. 3. C. One critical production process provides 60 parts/min. output, compared with a company-wide output of 90 parts/min. 4. D. Balanced, fast flow of product through the plant. A company’s management accountant is trying to improve the way costs are allocated within the company. Currently, several corporate expenses are grouped together and labeled â€Å"overhead.† If the accountant wanted to use activity-based costing (ABC) to help solve the problem, what should she do? Mark – Incorrect Answers 1. A. She should try to map the departments` costs to their cost objects, and then charge each department based on those cost relationships. 2. B. She should research how the company`s competitors are allocating their costs, and then implement one of those strategies. 3. C. She should look for bottlenecks within the production process, and try to eliminate them, thus reducing costs. 4. D. She should examine the firm`s value chain and apply target costing before adopting ABC. Which of the following is not a contemporary management technique used by the management accountant to respond to the changing business environment? Mark – Incorrect Answers 1. A.Enterprise risk management 2. B. Lean manufacturing 3. C. Life cycle costing 4. D. Enterprise sustainability Corporate management is required to identify and solve problems from a cross-functional view. Instead of viewing a problem as related to a specific business function, management solves these problems by combining skills from different functions simultaneously. This approach is called: Mark – Incorrect Answers 1. A.Inclusive approach. 2. B. Integrative approach. 3. C. Intra-function approach. 4. D. Multilateral approach. Strategic management can be defined as the development of a sustainable: Mark – Incorrect Answers 1. A.Chain of command. 2. B. Competitive position. 3. C. Cash flow. 4. D. Business entity. 5. E. Company image. Which of the following does not represent a main focus of cost management information? Mark – Incorrect Answers 1. A.Strategic management. 2. B. Performance measurement. 3. C. Planning and decision making. 4. D. Preparation of financial statements. 5. E. Internal auditing and control. In keeping with the current trend of increased strategic planning, how have management accountants changed their use of life-cycle costing? Mark – Incorrect Answers 1. A.They have now shifted their focus from R&D costs to marketing and promotion costs. 2. B. They have turned from a sole focus on manufacturing costs to a much wider outlook, taking into account costs from the entire product lifecycle. 3. C. They stopped looking at the entire life-cycle, and now focus their attention on product design costs. 4. D. Accountants don`t use life-cycle costing, that task is left for the operations manager. Which of the following professional certificates is considered to be the most relevant for dealing with cost management issues? Mark – Incorrect Answers 1. A.The CPA, which is monitored differently for each state in the U.S. 2. B. The CMA, which is administered through the Institute of Management Accountants. 3. C. The CFA, since its program focuses on the broadest range of topics and responsibilities for financial analysis. 4. D. The CPA, CMA, and CFA are viewed as equally relevant, since all three require an exam, as well as specific background and experience requirements. In a local factory, employees are rewarded for finding new and better ways of changing the way they work. This company is motivating its employees to use what management technique? Mark – Incorrect Answers 1. A.Benchmarking. 2. B. Activity-Based Costing. 3. C. Theory of Constraints. 4. D. Continuous Improvement. 5. E. Total Quality Management. All of the following are examples of total quality management practices except: Mark – Incorrect Answers 1. A.Redesign of a product to reduce its parts by 50 percent. 2. B. Reduction in the movement required in a manufacturing job. 3. C. Separating the sales and services functions. 4. D. Raising raw material quality standards. 5. E. Cross-training assembly line workers to cover sick leave absences. Which of the following aspects of the contemporary business environment involves using statistical methods such as regression or correlation analysis to predict consumer behavior, to measure customer satisfaction, or to develop models for setting prices, among other uses? Mark – Incorrect Answers 1. A. Business Intelligence 2. B. Target Costing 3. C. Life Cycle Costing 4. D. Benchmarking 5. E. Business Process Improvement Management accounting information plays a critical role in all of the following management functions except: Mark – Incorrect Answers 1. A.Profit planning. 2. B. Executive compensation. 3. C. Planning and decision making. 4. D. Hiring a new CFO. 5. E. Preparing financial statements for the SEC. The five steps for strategic decision making include all of the following except: Mark – Incorrect Answers 1. A.Identify the alternative actions 2. B. Gather, summarize, and report accounting information 3. C. Determine the strategic issues surrounding the problem 4. D. Choose and implement the desired alternative 5. E. Provide an ongoing evaluation of the effectiveness of implementation A local area consulting firm is trying to increase the long-term strategic focus of its company reports. Therefore, the firm has decided to use the balanced scorecard. What type of new information that the company currently doesn’t use in its financial reports, should the company include? Mark – Incorrect Answers 1. A. Non-financial information, including customer satisfaction, innovation, etc. 2. B. Additional financial information, such as profitability measures and market value. 3. C. Product life cycle information. 4. D. Supplemental accounting reports. Which of the following is not a major change in the business environment that has affected the way many companies think about conducting business? Mark – Incorrect Answers 1. A.An increased focus on the customer, especially their opinions about functionality and quality. 2. B. A growing emphasis on globalization – new markets for products and new competitors. 3. C. A larger number of companies are starting to use advanced information technologies, such as business intelligence. 4. D. The development of improved cost management methods. Which of the following aspects of a company would not be considered a critical success factor, for a company that competes on differentiation? Mark – Incorrect Answers 1. A.Cutting edge research and development. 2. B. Excellent customer service. 3. C. Award-winning product quality. 4. D. Continually beating competitors to the market with new, innovative products. 5. E. High level of production efficiency. Target costing determines the desired cost for a product upon the basis of a given competitive price such that the product will: Mark – Incorrect Answers 1. A.Earn at least a small profit. 2. B. Earn a desired profit. 3. C. Earn the maximum profit. 4. D. Break even. 5. E. Sell the highest volume. 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