Thursday, September 3, 2020
I have been asked to investigate factors that affect the depreciation :: Economics
I have been approached to research factors that influence the devaluation of vehicles. I have been approached to examine factors that influence the devaluation of vehicles. To do this I might in a perfect world want to gather my own information about utilized vehicles. This would be called essential information. I would have gathered information eager for advancement, model, mileage, motor size, age, cost and cost at the point when new of a few hundred trade-in vehicles. Sadly this would have taken a great deal of time, yet the bit of leeway would have been that it would have been dependable information which I could trust, and I could have found out precisely the data that I needed. It would have been inconceivable for me to do such an enormous overview, in any case, so I needed to utilize auxiliary information that I got from the CCEA site. The benefit of this was it was snappy, modest and simple, be that as it may, I can't make certain of the precision of these outcomes and I don't have the foggiest idea in the event that any predisposition was included when it was being gathered. I have moreover discovered that huge numbers of the outcomes are inadequate. From the very beginning, I am certain that two of these outcomes aren't right - a Renault Laguna which costs à £50,000, and a Renault Clio that increments in esteem. I have erased these outcomes straight away. Theory 1 My first speculation is that vehicles devalue more as they get more established. I utilized the spreadsheet on the PC to test this speculation, yet first I needed to get the age and rate devaluation for every vehicle, neither of which are recorded in the table. Right off the bat, to get the age of the vehicles, I deducted the year wherein they were produced using 2002, the year when the information was gathered. I first made another section on the spreadsheet and called it age. At that point I composed into the principal box under the title the equation for age- =2002-F2 where F2 is the segment for the year the vehicle was made. This filled the box with the age of the vehicle. I at that point featured the container, right clicked what's more, chose duplicate, before featuring all the containers beneath and choosing glue exceptional, recipe. This filled in the ages for all of the vehicles. Next, to get the rate deterioration, I made another segment and filled it with an increasingly convoluted equation =(I2-H2)/I2*100 where I2 is the cost when new and H2 is the value now. This filled the main box in the rate deterioration section with the proper worth, and I duplicated the equation into the different boxes as previously. I at that point featured these two sections and duplicated them into diagram 2. I have been approached to examine factors that influence the deterioration :: Economics I have been approached to examine factors that influence the deterioration of vehicles. I have been approached to research factors that influence the deterioration of vehicles. To do this I might in a perfect world want to gather my own information about utilized vehicles. This would be called essential information. I would have gathered information eager for advancement, model, mileage, motor size, age, cost and cost at the point when new of a few hundred trade-in vehicles. Shockingly this would have taken a ton of time, however the bit of leeway would have been that it would have been dependable information which I could trust, and I could have found out precisely the data that I needed. It would have been unimaginable for me to do such an enormous review, in any case, so I needed to utilize auxiliary information that I got from the CCEA site. The benefit of this was it was brisk, modest and simple, be that as it may, I can't make certain of the precision of these outcomes and I don't have a clue on the off chance that any inclination was included when it was being gathered. I have too discovered that a large number of the outcomes are deficient. From the very beginning, I am certain that two of these outcomes aren't right - a Renault Laguna which costs à £50,000, and a Renault Clio that increments in esteem. I have erased these outcomes straight away. Speculation 1 My first speculation is that vehicles devalue more as they get more established. I utilized the spreadsheet on the PC to test this theory, yet first I needed to get the age and rate deterioration for every vehicle, neither of which are recorded in the table. Right off the bat, to get the age of the vehicles, I deducted the year wherein they were produced using 2002, the year when the information was gathered. I first made another segment on the spreadsheet and called it age. At that point I composed into the main box under the title the recipe for age- =2002-F2 where F2 is the section for the year the vehicle was made. This filled the box with the age of the vehicle. I at that point featured the case, right clicked what's more, chose duplicate, before featuring all the cases beneath and choosing glue extraordinary, equation. This filled in the ages for all of the vehicles. Next, to get the rate deterioration, I made another segment and filled it with an increasingly confused equation =(I2-H2)/I2*100 where I2 is the cost when new and H2 is the value now. This filled the main box in the rate deterioration segment with the fitting worth, and I replicated the recipe into the different boxes as previously. I at that point featured these two segments and replicated them into outline 2.
Tuesday, August 25, 2020
International marketing plan strategy to pentrate new market Research Paper
Worldwide promoting plan system to pentrate new market - Research Paper Example The current investigation would cover the part of global showcasing procedures of Emirates carrier in the Indian market. The decision of market expect noteworthiness considering the way that it is among the quickest developing economies of the globe. The investigation would be done in two sections. The initial segment would establish an investigation of the outer market condition alongside the data about the item and the administrations being offered by the organization. The subsequent area would manage the market review and an examination of the showcasing procedures to be utilized by the firm in the Indian market. At long last, a lot of conceivable ends and suggestions would be confined based on the investigation directed in the two areas which would assist the firm with establishing itself in the rewarding Indian market. Chapter by chapter guide Executive Summary 2 Table of Contents 3 Part A 5 Introduction 5 About the Company 6 Product or Service Analysis 8 Environmental Analysis 8 PESTEL Analysis 8 Summary of Part A 11 Market Audit 11 Analysis of Micro Environment 12 Market Analysis 12 External Analysis 15 Customer Analysis 15 Competitors 15 SWOT Analysis 15 Strengths 15 Weakness 16 Opportunities 16 Threats 16 Preliminary Marketing Strategy 16 Product 16 Price 17 Place 17 Promotions 17 People 18 Process 18 Physical Evidence 18 Conclusion 19 Recommendations 20 References 22 Annexure 25 Part An Introduction The elements of universal exchange and business is changing with time. Globalization is the essential purpose for such changes and this has additionally acquired numerous enhancements the field of universal exchange and business. The business associations have gotten progressively cognizant as seriousness in the worldwide market has been expanding essentially. Furthermore, the administrative assortments of various economies are supporting the organized commerce approaches that additionally prompted strengthened level of rivalry level. In this regard, Hope and Maeleng have recognized the organized commerce strategies as ââ¬Å"competition-upgrading deviceâ⬠as these approaches empowers organizations to go into new markets with more prominent chances (Hope and Maeleng, 1998, p.52). Be that as it may, when organizations choose to extend their business universally, they need to consider numerous variables for accomplishment in the remote market. There are noteworthy contrasts between the natures and highlights of local market and global market because of social decent variety, diverse large scale ecological components and so forth. This paper will endeavor to manage universal market arranging methodology for Emirates Airlines. The essential point of this paper is to offer a lot of significant and conceivable systems to Emirates Airlines for Indian aircraft industry. So as to meet this point, this paper will introduce a broad conversations, examinations and discoveries dependent on which a lot of applicable and successful proposals w ill be defined. This paper will be introduced in two sections. The initial segment will introduce a short investigation of organization, its item or administration and large scale ecological examination of Indian economy with deference of carrier industry. Second part will incorporate technique definition for marker section dependent on the results of investigation. About the Company Emirates Airlines is the biggest air travel administration organization of the Middle East. Sheik Mohammed receptacle Rashid Al Maktoum and Mr. Flanagan took the activities for beginning a carrier travel administrations and they established an organization called Emirates
Saturday, August 22, 2020
Medieval Weapons and Protection essays
Medieval Weapons and Protection expositions The Middle Ages hold huge numbers of the universes most inquisitive weapons. Knights utilized a wide range of kinds of weapons. These included blades, knifes and spears. Some were for long-extend, for example, the longbow, short bow and cross bow and some were for close experiences. They ensured themselves with suits of protective layer (firmly woven metal, and metal sheets) and shields. There were likewise monstrous weapons used to tear down entire palaces. Blades, knifes and spears were awesome for taking on conflicts that were very close and risky. There were various types of blades like the pushing blade (fourteenth century), the falchion sword (thirteenth century), and the hand-and-a-half-blade (fourteenth century). Toward the finish of the thirteenth century, blades were progressively pointed and the area of the edge was precious stone molded as opposed to level. That made the blade more grounded. There was even ones that were serrated to cut wooden hatchet handles and one called the two-gave blade; it could slice through bone. These are utilized by knights by walking and is longer and heavier than different blades. (Knight-Meyr) A knights blade was his most significant weapon. There were two distinct kinds of knifes. They were the fifteenth century bullock knife, and the fourteenth century rondel blade. Some of the time, individuals could shroud knifes in strolling sticks. Spears were for knights riding a horse to knock off the ad versary knight. They utilized the spear for fights and jousting. The jousting knight utilizes a spear to thump his rival from the pony. It is second just to the blade as a knights weapon, and is utilized in fight or competitions. (Knight-Meyr) An abnormal weapon was the bola. It was a spiked ball on a short chain that is joined to a wooden handle. The ball arrived at high speeds when swung and conveyed powerful, squashing blows. Since a long time ago rang weapons were utilized in fight, however were increasingly prudent and could be utilized from a separation. The long-run weapons are the crossbow, longbow ... <!
International Market Entry and Development Research Paper
Global Market Entry and Development - Research Paper Example This inadequacy in basis is very evident in the unequivocal components that are utilitarian to separate the universal markets in contrast with each other in order to choose to enter the market of fitting nations. The nations that are picked for activities in the global business are for the most part reliant on the components of quickness or individual decision in contrast with variables, for example, size of the market, pace of progress or accommodation (Cateora and Ghauri, 2000). Picking a suitable nation is given indispensable significance inferable from the unfeasibility of attempting to enter all the states and countries in a worldwide setting. This includes money related and gracefully impediments just as the enormous measure of likely risk happening from picking a market that is poor (Alon, 2004). Statistical surveying Process It is incredibly essential to direct an exhaustive statistical surveying while at the same time entering in another worldwide market so as to evaluate th e potential risks in the outside market. Bombing in understanding the issues would bring about actualizing right choices for erroneous issues. Worldwide markets are new to the advertiser in this way, there are high prospects of confusing the issues in the new remote market. In this manner, it tends to be comprehended that it is very fundamental to complete an exploration that is analytical so as to increase a legitimate comprehension of the market circumstances and issues (Zainbooks, n.d.). The exploration system for business will include a four stage methodology. In the initial step, the destinations of research in regards to the size of the structure of the market and the idea of the item in the new market are resolved. The structure of the market includes the market size and the improvement stage among others and the idea of the item would include that how the item is distinguished in the new market. This additionally includes discovering the capability of the market for the part icular item alongside the methodology of the clients towards the item. The subsequent advance arrangements with organizing or planning a legitimate research plan where the goals of the examination ought to be translate into specific data prerequisites. In the third step, the examination plan is executed and to deduce in the last advance the discoveries and the subtleties are assessed just as deciphered (Zainbooks, n.d.). Item Adaptation and Approaches to Promotional Strategies While entering another remote market, it gets essential for the item that will be acquainted with adjust as indicated by the new outside market. This basically intends to adjust the item so it reflects the attributes of the new market. This is significant as the shoppers are distinctive in the remote market. This would likewise demonstrate favorable as this modification will help in obliging it among the shoppers and would likewise guarantee delayed infiltration. There are scarcely any adjustments that become mandatory for an item while entering another remote market. These incorporate the administration guidelines, social fundamentals, for example, regardless of whether the item is reasonable for the customers, mechanical contemplations, for example,
Friday, August 21, 2020
Business Environment Assessment Of Bisleri Marketing Essay
Business Environment Assessment Of Bisleri Marketing Essay An investigation of business condition is helpful to foresee openings and to design assets to abuse these open doors effectively. It can likewise be utilized as an early notice framework to forestall dangers or to transform hindrances into circumstances. Business condition is a whole of each one of those components, conditions, circumstances or environmental factors which legitimately influence the working of business. It is an extensive term and covers factors like buyer conduct, financial arrangements, rivalry in the market, innovation, etc. Conceptual: Water is one of the fundamental necessities for human life to get by on this planet today getting unadulterated water isn't a simple errand with so much hurtful synthetic being arranged into the water by different ventures is making the water destructive for drinking. 71% of the earth is made of water out of which just 1% of water can be utilized by living creatures. Among this 1% of water half of water is contaminated. This is an investigation report of one of the premium, perceived believed brand in the Indian filtered water advertise named BISLERI INTERNATIONAL PVT LTD. This is getting a charge out of the colossal offer in the market both in mass fragment in little packs. HISTORY OF BISLERI: WATER EVERYWHERE, BUT JUST A LITTLE THAT IS CLEAN The source of BISLERI lies in Italy and the brand owes its name to its originator MR.FELICE BISLERI, an Italian business visionary. In 1967, BISLERI set up a plant in Bombay for packaging and showcasing genuine mineral water, which didn't exactly work. By 1969, BISLERI needed to leave the business and to get him out the Chauhans purchased the brand, meaning to transform it into a soft drink brand. From that point forward it has made some amazing progress. Presently, it possesses a huge level of offers in the Indian market and furthermore it has its quality in International Water Market. WATER EVERYWHERE, BUT JUST A LITTLE THAT IS CLEAN Excursion OF BISLERI OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS: 1969: Buys BISLERI filtered water from an Italian organization, Felice Bisleri. It was packaged in glass bottles at that point. Mid 1980s: Shifts to PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride) bottles. Deals flood Mid-1980s: Switches to PET containers, which implied more straightforwardness and life for water. 1993: Sells carbonated beverage brands like ThumsUp, Gold Spot and Limca to Coca-Cola for Rs. 400 crore. 1995: BISLERI dispatches a 500 ml restrain and deals shoot by 400 percent. 2000: Introduces the 20-liter compartment to bring costs down from Rs. 10 a liter to Rs. 2 a liter. 1998: Introduces a carefully designed and alter clear seal. 2000: BIS drops BISLERIS permit of water packaging in Delhi since a portion of the containers didn't convey ISI mark; the permit is reestablished one-and-a-half months after the fact. 2002: KINLEY overwhelms BISLERI. The national retail locations review by ORG-MARG show Kinsleys piece of the pie at 35.1 percent contrasted with BISLERIS 34.4 percent. 2003: BISLERI wandered out into Europe and America to sell filtered water. THE GROWTH OF BISLERI OVER THE YEARS: 1. HOW THE QUALITY STANDARD IS IMPROVED:- Each container of BISLERI is gotten through a thorough Multi stage purging procedures which incorporates micron filtration and ozonisation. It procures 6 phases of purging procedures which guarantee quality water which is unadulterated and alright for drinking reason. Great assembling are the quality all the time handling in strictly observed at each stage. 2. THE TRUST FOR BRAND HAS ALWAYS BEEN CONSISTENT :- In excess of 50 lakhs individuals trust the BISLERI. They purchase just BISLERI water since it has became conventional name for mineral water. For instance: When individuals go to purchase the mineral water a large number of them request BISLERI, despite the fact that they get other brand. 3. Enormous RANGE OF PRODUCTS OFFERED:- BISLERI offers an enormous scope of items which pulls in buyer all things considered. For instance: 1 liter or 500 ml pack is helpful for singular purchasers, 12 liters or 20 liters is valuable for association. Along these lines it draws in huge number of client. 4. Promoting STRATEGY:- BISLERI is advanced by a forceful print TV. Television is upheld by a Hoarding retail location material. Each interface with client is utilized as a chance to strengthen. For instance: All vehicles utilized for flexibly have been painted in light green, bears the BISLERI logo sport snappy gauge likes drive drunk. 5. Circulation SYSTEM. With little faith in the wholesaler framework, the organization influence its enormous armada to truck to gracefully filtered water legitimately goes to retailers through a framework called Route Selling where the driver of truck are prepared to be the administration individual. This guarantees water provided are new and bottles are in the acceptable shape. BISLERI has in excess of 80,000 outlets in the nation. 6. Mass SEGMENT IS USEFUL FOR HOUSEHOLDS ALSO:- Family units in specific pieces of the nation spend a gigantic measure of cash on fuel so as to filter the water. They should purchase the sullied water and afterward they need to go through cash to sanitize it. For example the water rare south individuals go through huge some of cash to purchase water and still more to decontaminate it. The 12 liter item is hit in different urban communities of south. 7. Developing POPULARITY:- The notoriety of BISLERI is expanding quickly step by step. Individuals in the market with regards to mineral water an individual goes to any shop and requests BISLERI as his/her first inclination. BISLERI is seeing a development of practically half every year. With the little pack being famous among people client its mass pack is likewise producing the gigantic interest which is catching the market for BISLERI. Today 60-70 % of all out salary of BISLERI originates from its mass section and the organization is intending to expand it up to 80%. 8. THE BREAK AWAY SEAL:- Remembering the buyers need to perceive a veritable item that can't be tempered with. The one of a kind top has been protected and can't be copied. This specialized quality guarantees that the buyer will possibly get a high protected item when they will drink BISLERI. Statement of purpose To give the greatest item, remembering all perspective including newness immaculateness and security and making it simple accessible to the buyer at entirely moderate cost. MARKET SIZE AND GROWTH Piece of the overall industry 2005 Bisleri 53% Indeed 13% Bailey 23% Others 11% Bisleri Indeed Bailey Others Piece of the overall industry 2007 Bisleri 51% Indeed 11% Bailley 17% Aquafina 4% Kinley 10% others 7% Bisleri Indeed Bailley Aquafina Kinley Others piece of the overall industry feb 2008 Bisleri 38% Kinley 28% Water unadulterated 11% Bailey 6% Others 17% Bisleri Kinley Water unadulterated Bailey Others The Bisleri in the mineral water advertise is as yet keeping up the pace at which it has been developing over recent years. The brand has been seeing dispatch of various player as time passes. Directly the market is slanted towards local players and has in excess of 250 players in the quarrel. Other than these there are various transient administrators who enter the market in summers, receive rewards by bundling faucet water and selling as unadulterated mineral water, and afterward leave once the season is finished. The issue in the market isn't with the players however with the buyers. Destitution levels, absence of education has driven these players to exploit customers by selling even the faucet water as mineral water. Absolute packaged market has a size of Rs11-12bn of this around Rs7bn is in the hands of sorted out division and rest is with disorderly segment. In the composed part Bisleri is the market head with 45% piece of the overall industry followed by Bailey with 23-24% piece of the overall industry. The Rs 1,000 crore marked bundled water showcase has consistently been equivalent with the desi Bisleri. Piece of the overall industry of players among clients The brand is a result of Parle International and by and by is the market chief with over 45% piece of the overall industry. The organization spearheaded the idea of filtered water in the Indian market as right on time as 1967. The organization is likewise credited with SKUs of 500ml, 1.2 lts, 1.5 lts and 2 lts in the Indian market The relaunch of Bisleri in 1993, anyway was a triumph because of developing mindfulness and high cognizance of wellbeing and cleanliness among individuals. In 1993, when Ramesh Chauhan, Chairman, Parle Bisleri offered his entitlement to advertise Bisleri brand to Coca-Cola, Bisleri, which experienced the new administration for a time of 5 years, remained to a great extent disregarded. On recovering the rights, he began building Bisleri as a mineral water brand. Bisleri had a brand name, an item, the brand working of Bisleri began in a little manner in 1998, which proved to be fruitful in 1999-2000 when it developed by 140%. Situating : Playing Safe Target crowd : Health and cleanliness cognizant individuals Character : Guardian, Authoritative, Reliable Climax : Play Safe USP : Pioneer advantage in filtered water industry, old player with parcel of experience Bisleri, which appreciates 65 percent piece of the overall industry in the marked water section, is likewise peering toward a sharp development in deals during the current year 2010. The organization, that as of late propelled its excellent image with clinical qualities Vedica, is expecting a 50 percent development in deals from this brand With such a large number of brands propelled and to fulfill the developing need in the filtered water section that is developing at 40 percent year on year, the organization intends to scale-up its creation units. It would be opening 10-15 packaging units in the following a half year. In this year up until now, Bisleri has set up 5 plants .At present, the organization has 52 packaging plants the nation over. On Bisleris abroad plans, organization is in chats with neighborhood drink producers in Sri Lanka, the UAE, Bangladesh and Oman to set up units and establishment the Bisleri brand. The organization additionally plans to grow its worldwide impression this financial. As of now, it sends out its items to Singapore. The filtered water brand pioneer is opening 35 new plants in littler towns and entering the high-edge sections Filtered water brand pioneer, Bisleris new plants are prepared to satisfy the mid year need. What's more, throughout the following a half year, the
Thursday, August 6, 2020
How to Practice Loving Kindness Meditation
How to Practice Loving Kindness Meditation Meditation Print How to Practice Loving Kindness Meditation By Elizabeth Scott, MS twitter Elizabeth Scott, MS, is a wellness coach specializing in stress management and quality of life, and the author of 8 Keys to Stress Management. Learn about our editorial policy Elizabeth Scott, MS Reviewed by Reviewed by Sara Clark on January 27, 2020 facebook Sara Clark is an EYT 500-hour certified Vinyasa yoga and mindfulness teacher, lululemon Global Yoga Ambassador, model, and writer. Learn about our Wellness Board Sara Clark Updated on February 11, 2020 Caterinac / Getty Images More in Self-Improvement Meditation Happiness Stress Management Spirituality Holistic Health Inspiration Brain Health Technology Relationships View All Loving kindness meditation (LKM) is a popular self-care technique that can be used to boost well-being and reduce stress. Those who regularly practice loving kindness meditation are able to increase their capacity for forgiveness, connection to others, self-acceptance, and more. This technique is not easy as you are asking yourself to send kindness your way or to others. It often takes practice to allow yourself to receive your own love or to send it. Benefits of Loving Kindness Meditation During loving kindness meditation, you focus benevolent and loving energy toward yourself and others. There are many well-documented benefits of traditional meditation, but as with other techniques, this form of meditation takes practice. It can be difficult and sometimes leads to resistance since the average person is not used to this level of giving and receiving love. Emerging research specifically on LKM is also helping social scientists to understand the unique benefits that it provides, although most study authors note that more research is needed. For example, a study published in the 2018 July/August issue of the Harvard Review of Psychology provided an overview of scientific evidence related to loving-kindness meditation and other compassion-based interventions. Study authors concluded that LKM may be beneficial in the treatment of chronic pain and borderline personality disorder but further evidence is needed to confirm these promising effects. Some published studies have noted that this meditation technique may be useful in the management of social anxiety, marital conflict, anger, and coping with the strains of long-term caregiving. And other research has suggested that loving kindness meditation can enhance the activation of brain areas that are involved in emotional processing and empathy to boost a sense of positivity and reduce negativity. While more research is needed to confirm the full extent of LKM benefits, there are no risks or costs associated with the practice. So if you choose to give this meditative practice a try, youve got nothing to lose except for a few quiet moments in your day. How to Practice Loving Kindness Meditation There are different ways to practice this form of meditation, each based on different Buddhist traditions, but each variation uses the same core psychological operation. During your meditation, you generate kind intentions toward certain targets including yourself and others. The following is a simple and effective loving kindness meditation technique to try. Carve out some quiet time for yourself (even a few minutes will work) and sit comfortably. Close your eyes, relax your muscles, and take a few deep breaths. Imagine yourself experiencing complete physical and emotional wellness and inner peace. Imagine feeling perfect love for yourself, thanking yourself for all that you are, knowing that you are just rightâ"just as you are. Focus on this feeling of inner peace, and imagine that you are breathing out tension and breathing in feelings of love.Repeat three or four positive, reassuring phrases to yourself. These messages are examples, but you can also create your own:May I be happyMay I be safeMay I be healthy, peaceful, and strongMay I give and receive appreciation todayBask in feelings of warmth and self-compassion for a few moments. If your attention drifts, gently redirect it back to these feelings of loving kindness. Let these feelings envelop you.You can choose to either stay with this focus for the duration of your meditation or begin to shift your focus to loved ones in your life. Begin with someone who you are very close to, such as a spouse, a child, a parent, or a best friend. Feel your gratitude and love for them. Stay with that feeling. You may want to repeat the following phrases or similar ones that bring about feelings of loving kindness within you:May you be happyMay you be safeMay you be healthy, peaceful, and strongMay you give and receive appreciation todayOnce youve held these feelings toward that person, bring other important people from your life into your awareness, one by one, and envision them with perfect wellness and inner peace. Then branch out to other friends, family members, neighbors, and acquaintances. You may even want to include groups of people around the world. Extend feelings of loving kindness to people around the globe and focus on a feeling of connection and compassion. You may even want to include those with whom you are in conflict to help reach a place o f forgiveness or greater peace. When you feel that your meditation is complete, open your eyes. Remember that you can revisit the wonderful feelings you generated throughout the day. Internalize how loving kindness meditation feels, and return to those feelings by shifting your focus and taking a few deep breaths. Tips for a More Effective LKM Practice When you first begin your loving kindness practice, use yourself as the sole subject during meditation. As you get more comfortable with the imagery and loving phrases, begin to add the visualization of others into your practice. Finally, direct loving kindness meditation toward difficult people in your life. This last arm of LKM boosts feelings of forgiveness and helps you to let go of rumination for an increased sense of inner peace. As you develop a regular practice of meditation, you may want to set a timer with a gentle alarm if youre concerned about spending too much time in focus. Lastly, remember that this meditation can be practiced in many different ways. The method outlined above is a sample of how you might choose to begin. You may come up with your own loving kindness meditation technique that works better for you. As long as you focus your attention in a way that promotes feelings of loving kindness, you can expect to gain benefits from the practice.
Monday, June 22, 2020
More College Application Mistakes to Avoid
Watch Out For These College Application Mistakes Before You Hit ââ¬Å"Submitâ⬠College application deadlines are just days away, so now is the time for students to put the finishing touches on their apps, and double check for any mistakes. There are a number of mistakes that students make every year on their college applications. Some are not a big deal ââ¬â students make them all the time and they have no impact on whether or not a student gets accepted or rejected. Others, however, can pose some problems or make it harder for an admissions officer to advocate for students when deciding whom to admit. Before submitting your college applications, itââ¬â¢s wise to double check your essays for any spelling or grammar errors, make sure all your information is correct, and that youââ¬â¢ve included the correct essays within the application. But there are other college application mistakes to avoid. Here are a few. Not Explaining Acronyms This happens a lot when students are filling out their activity list or discussing a club or extracurricular in an essay. Donââ¬â¢t assume that admissions officers know acronyms for awards, clubs, or other organizations. If you include an acronym, like NYCSEF, make sure you explain that it stands for New York City Science and Engineering Fair. Admission officers donââ¬â¢t have a lot of time to review applications the first time around, and if they have to spend time Googling or finding context clues to figure out what an acronym means, that takes away time they could be spending on other aspects of your application. Putting Extra Essays in ââ¬Å"Additional Informationâ⬠Section The additional information section on the Common Application is meant to give students a space to provide additional context for things like a grade dip, leave of absence, or other information that will help admissions officers better understand who you are as a student. It is NOT a place to put a second personal statement or an extension of the activity list or other section. If you have included extra college application essays just to fill up the additional information section, consider taking it out. Donââ¬â¢t just fill it out to fill it out if the information your providing isnââ¬â¢t giving any additional context. This will only give application readers more work, and some colleges actually request that students NOT provide any additional materials outside of what is requested. Selecting a Major/College Because Itââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"Easyâ⬠to Get In Itââ¬â¢s a ââ¬Å"strategyâ⬠that many students think will put them at an advantage. If a student wants to go to a highly-selective college, theyââ¬â¢ll choose an major thatââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"easyâ⬠to get in, with the intention of possibly switching majors at a later date. For them itââ¬â¢s about the name brand ââ¬â not the fit. This is a mistake that a lot of students make, and it can create more problems than solutions. Donââ¬â¢t apply to a college because of the name or a ranking on a list. Apply because itââ¬â¢s the best fit for you and your goals. Also, applying to a major that doesnââ¬â¢t align with your interest will put you at a disadvantage, as colleges are looking to admit specialists. If youââ¬â¢re an engineering student applying to an English program just to get in to a certain college because English is ââ¬Å"less competitiveâ⬠than engineering, you likely still wonââ¬â¢t be admitted because youââ¬â¢ve demonstrated an interes t in engineering, and they wonââ¬â¢t admit an English student they know will just transfer later. For more last minute college application tips before the regular decision deadlines, check out these articles. Last Minute Tips for Regular Decision Applications Last Minute Tips for Your College Admissions Essays Last-Minute College Application Resources Last Minute College Application Mistakes Students Frequently Make Here are some additional college application tips from our team of expert counselors. If you need some additional help finishing your applications before the deadline, contact us today for information on our short-term programs for seniors.
Saturday, May 23, 2020
Analysis Of Shareholder Binding Vote Rule - 1235 Words
Introduction Shareholders finally ended a decade of advisory vote for pay on executive pay of directors after a new Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act published in 2013. (Orsagh, 2013) The new policy promulgated should be possible to set off an enormous impact for all types of people, especially the shareholders. However, the fact is quite unsatisfactory. In this essay, the analysis of shareholder binding vote rule will be divided into two sections in the main body, one is focus on the effects and benefits from binding vote and another one is describe the useless binding vote and it problem. A brief overview of background of corporate governance will be introduced first. Main Body a) Background of Corporate Governance Corporateâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Moreover, one of the key futures of Britain best practice has been changed. The executive remuneration of directors will deeply influenced by the votes of shareholders, that the rights of the shareholders have become powerful. b) The effects and benefits from binding vote As regard as shareholders have binding vote for executive compensation, the whole process of conference on executive compensation becomes more transparent. Since the transparency of special payments for non performance will be increase that shareholders will reduce the expectation for surprises (Wilson, as cited by BBC News, 2013). Exten-Wright (2012) emphasizes that the rights of shareholders for the remuneration process are useful to sanction the unfairly compensation policies. In addition, shareholders can avoid using reject the re-election for directors or any other extreme way to express the criticism about compensation structure by using a targeted program. Aviva event (Treanor and Kollewe, 2012) is a typical case which shareholders used tough attitude through high percentages, with 54% against votes, to vetoing the reappointment of directors before binding vote term published. Shareholders unexpectedly abstain from a large number of voting, which nearly 60 per cent, to boycott Aviva s chief executive, Andrew Moss. The irritant approach will make shareholders to obtain a
Monday, May 18, 2020
Coming Together - 855 Words
The Louisiana Purchase is arguably the greatest real estate deal in history. It more than doubled the size of the United States. We gained approximately 530 million acres of land for 15 million dollars; about four cents an acre. Before the purchase, the French had control over the land west of the Mississippi River. Therefore, by gaining this land, America also gained control of the Mississippi River and correspondingly, access to the Gulf of Mexico and the port of New Orleans. Because of The Louisiana Purchase, Americans had the right to trade profitable products at the port of New Orleans and the country became more independent. Also, the purchase provided America with the opportunity for westward expansion, which would result in theâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦It declared an armistice, or end to the fighting. Although the treaty did not address the issues of impressment or neutral shipping rights, Americans were eager for peace and welcomed the treaty. Other events that contribu ted to independence and nationalism were the decisions of John Marshall in the Supreme Court. His cases were all attempts expand the power of the federal government. In one of his most famous cases, Marbury VS Madison in 1803, The Supreme Court declared that the law on which Marbury based his claim was unconstitutional, and therefore the court refused to order Madison to give Marbury his money. This case showed the use of the Judiciary Act of 1789, which ensured that Congress exercises only those powers granted to them by the Constitution. Because of this act, the rights of the people are protected by the courts. In another case of his, Dartmouth College VS Woodward in 1816, the New Hampshire legislature attempted to change Dartmouth College - a privately funded institution - into a state university. The Supreme Court decided that the establishment of the college predated the state so it had no power to make it a public institution. The decision settled the nature of public versus p rivate charters and resulted in the rise of the American business corporation and the free American enterprise system. Lastly, there was the Gibbons VS Ogden case, in which Ogden took Gibbons to court in order to get him to stop driving hisShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Henry Ford s Coming Together 782 Words à |à 4 Pagesââ¬Å"Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, working together is successâ⬠, Henry Ford once said. These wise words spoken by Henry Ford inadvertently relate to how a family works together to adapt to life changes. There are countless obstacles and hardships that people encounter as they journey through life. Having strong, stable, and supportive relationships allow people to be resilient to the hardships. A family subsystem provides support to the changes that occur throughout lifeRead MoreGlobalization Is The Coming Together Of All Cultures From The World And The Sharing Of Knowledge3010 Words à |à 13 PagesGlobalization is the com ing together of all cultures from all over the world and the sharing of knowledge and resources. This sounds like a good thing, and that everyone should benefit from it, but that it not always the case. For as many positive connotations globalization has, it also has just as many, if not more, negative connotations. Better put, globalization ââ¬Å"includes increased human interconnectedness facilitated by new information technologies and huge volumes of trade, capital, peopleRead MoreCoca Cola s Coming Together Commercial And Gap s Print Ad881 Words à |à 4 PagesCoca-Colaââ¬â¢s Coming Together commercial and Gapââ¬â¢s print ad both have a message of change that they want to promote. They are both similar in that they want to inform the audience of how buying products from their brands can help them contribute to a certain cause. These ads inform consumers of the steps their companies are taking to better societyââ¬â¢s health. Coca-Colaââ¬â¢s video wants to inform their American consumers of the fact that for over 125 years, theyââ¬â¢ve been bringing people together with theirRead MoreI Am A New Jersey Girl952 Words à |à 4 Pageseffected as well as separation from my father and most of all trying to understand and out the pieces together as a child .Growing up was developmental for me now as an adult I understand things from both side. Growing up a Jersey girl is what made me. Once my parents separated, my mother, sister, little brother and I left my grandmotherââ¬â¢s house to stay with different relatives until my mother got it together. But our first stop was act my older sisterââ¬â¢s house. It was different waken up somewhere differentRead More Things Fall Apart and The Second Coming Essay521 Words à |à 3 Pages Things Fall Apart and The Second Coming nbsp; nbsp; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; The Second Coming nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; By William Butler Yeats nbsp; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Turning and turning in the widening gyre nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; The falcon cannot hear the falconer, nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Mere anarchy is loosened uponRead MoreMy Very Good Friend From High School, Maeleigh, And Her Recent Girlfriend930 Words à |à 4 PagesI interviewed my very good friend from high school, Maeleigh, and her recent girlfriend, Anna. Maeleigh and Anna have completely different ââ¬Å"coming outâ⬠stories at this point in their lives. Growing up with Maeleigh, I was able to see how her life was affected by being gay. I know more about her lifestyle and story than most would and it was difficult for her to figure herself out. Mae was very confused and distraught as she got older and she started to realize she was not the so called ââ¬Å"normalâ⬠littleRead MoreAnalysis Of Alison Bechdels Fun Home1350 Words à |à 6 Pagesher story in order to show how these objects play a much deeper role between not only comprehending her sexuality, but her understanding of her choppy relationship with her father. The end result is a series of connections that bring the two closer together than they ever were. Alison begins to question her sexuality in the third chapter of the novel. She discusses how her homosexuality was a ââ¬Å"theoretical and untested hypothesisâ⬠(Bechdel 58) hinting at her confusion towards what being a lesbian isRead More Essay on themes in Things Fall Apart and Second Coming861 Words à |à 4 Pages Similar Themes in Things Fall Apart and The Second Coming nbsp; nbsp; The novel Things Fall Apart examines African culture before the colonial infiltration. Achebes novel forces us to examine the customs and traditions that make up an informal culture. At times we may find some their practices appalling, but Achebe makes us realize that the traditions and customs are what essentially hold the Ibo together. Achebe wrote Things Fall Apart with the intention of changing the common viewRead MoreClassic Coming of Age Stories in A White Heron by Sarah Orne Jewett and The Man Who Was Almost A Man by Richard Wright935 Words à |à 4 PagesReading coming of age stories are always interesting and at times nastolgic. Coming of age stories typically include a young protagonist forced to make a grown decision which is a transition to their first move into adulthood. In a sense, these stories show the protagonist shifting from innocence to gaining experiences. The two coming of age stories that we read in class were ââ¬Å"A White Heronâ⬠by Sarah Orne Jewett and ââ¬Å"The Man Who Was Almost A Manâ⬠by Richard Wright. Both being coming of age storiesRead MoreThe Sun - Original Writing1000 Words à |à 4 Pagescolor as the sky when the sunlight shine. Each day, as the cloud leave, the sun is shining with a little wind whispering, she would sing a song, a marvelous song she wrote. In front of the beautiful dazzling orange sunlight, pressing her rough palms together, tightly holding her both wrinkled hands up, she would peacefully pray to a luminous sun. One morning, the old thin women awoke; she slightly lifted her lips up and smiled. Pressing her palm against the newspapers on the floor that she use to sleep
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
The Ethics Of Business Ethics Essay - 2711 Words
Business Ethics Business ethics is a type of professional ethics or applied ethics which examines moral problems and ethical principles that come up in a corporate environment. It is applied to every aspect of conducting business. According to Milton Friedman, a company has the responsibility to generate as much revenue as it can while still conforming to the basic rules that society has set. These rules include the ones embodied in customs as well as in law. Similarly, Peter Drucker stated that the standards set for personal ethics should cover all situations in business. There are various perspectives of looking at ethics. This includes deontological theory, teleological theory and natural law theory. Deontological theory The term ââ¬Ëdeontologicalââ¬â¢ stems from an ancient Greek term that means ââ¬Ëdutyââ¬â¢. This position of ethics is normative. It determines morality of a deed based on whether it adheres to the rules. In this perspective, ethics is determined by asking what the right action to take is instead of asking what is good. What is looked at is whether the action to be taken is right in itself. However, at this point, the consequence of the action is not considered. According to Immanuel Kant, the foundation of morality is found or located in reason. He proceeds to state that a person should act since it is their duty. Teleological theory The term ââ¬Ëteleologicalââ¬â¢ is drawn from the word ââ¬Ëtelosââ¬â¢ which means outcome or end. This theory of ethics derives moral obligation or dutyShow MoreRelatedEthics And Ethics Of Business Ethics1304 Words à |à 6 PagesBusiness Ethics Varun Shah University of Texas at Dallas Business Ethics Morals are a crucial part of life. Without having principles one would never be able to distinguish the right from wrong and good from evil. Just as it applies to life in general, ethics is an integral part of doing business as well. When we here the term Business Ethics in our work place, we usually do not take it seriously and brush it off saying ââ¬Ëitââ¬â¢s just a simple set of basic rules like not cheating and so onââ¬â¢. ThisRead MoreEthics And Ethics Of Business Ethics1624 Words à |à 7 Pagesinvestors losing their retirement accounts and many employees lost their jobs (Accounting-Degree.org, 2015). Crane and Matten (2010) argue ââ¬Å"After all, despite many years of business ethics being researched and taught in colleges and universities, ethics problems persist and the public remains sceptical of the ethics of businessâ⬠. The big problem we face is that ethical standards are declining because of insider trading of stocks and bonds, bribery, falsifying docume nts, deceptive advertising, defectiveRead MoreEthics And Ethics Of Business Ethics1200 Words à |à 5 PagesEthics meaning in simple way for average person is what is right from wrong. According to Chris MacDonald (2010)â⬠Ethicsâ⬠can be defined as the critical, structured examinations of how we should behave - in particular, how we should constrain the pursuit of self-interest when our actions affect others. ââ¬Å"Business ethics is the applied ethics discipline that address the moral features of commercial activity (Business ethics, 2008).Working in ethical way in business has a lot of benefits which can attractRead MoreThe Ethics Of Business Ethics1471 Words à |à 6 PagesReview Nowadays, the concern for business ethics is growing rapidly in the business community around the world. Business ethics are focused on the judgment of decisions taken by managers and their behaviors. The issue regarding these judgments is the norms and cultures that shape these judgments. Business ethics are concerned about the issue, how will the issue be solved and how will it move ahead along the transition analysis as well (Carroll, 2014). Business ethics can be addressed at differentRead MoreBusiness Ethics : Ethics And Business943 Words à |à 4 Pagesdiscussions in Business is Ethics. Some people believe that the decisions businesses make in interest of the business has no place in ethics and that they are essentially amoral. These businesses believe that their main objective is to simply make a profit and that it does not affect the success of the business. Whereas some businesses believe that they have to take ethics into consideration, in order for their business to be a success. Richard T. De George (1999) states that ethics and business do notRead MoreThe Ethics Of Business Ethics Essay1097 Words à |à 5 PagesResource A discusses how ethics is crucial in business. There are three key ideas used to understand this. Firstly, making ethically wrong decisions tend to cause more upset than other general mistakes as purposeful unethical actions are not as easily forgiven or forgotten. Secondly, ethics provides businesses with a broader understanding of everything to do with their business. Business ethics is effectively just business it its larger human context. Thirdly, being unethical can tarnish the publicRead MoreThe Ethics Of Business Ethics1064 Words à |à 5 Pagesãâ¬â¬Ã£â¬â¬Ã£â¬â¬Ã£â¬â¬Business Ethics Ethics can be viewed as the rules and values that determine goals and actions people should follow when dealing with other human beings. However, business ethics can be defined as moral principles of a business. It examines moral or ethical problems that arise in a business environment. Generally, it has both normative and descriptive dimensions. Organization practice and career specialization are regarded as normative whereas academics attempting to understand business behaviourRead MoreThe Ethics Of Business Ethics757 Words à |à 4 Pagesdeciding what to do in certain situations, ethics is what guides an individual to act in a way that is good, or right. Those involved in business settings apply ethics to business situations, known as business ethics. It is expected of businesses, small and large, to follow business ethics. There is a particular framework businesses are to follow. However, the reoccurring news headlines of poor business ethics prove differently. Poor busine ss ethics include bribery, corporate accounting scandalsRead MoreThe Ethics Of The Business Ethics1431 Words à |à 6 Pages BUSINESS ETHICS INTRODUCTION:- Presentation Ethics are exceptionally regular and essential good esteem that helps us to take the right choice where we think that it hard to pick between our own advantages and the correct thing to do. We are going to talk about three sections of morals Behavioral morals, Bounded ethicality and last one is irreconcilable situation. As from the names of these parts of morals, its verging on clarifying the significance of it. It clarifies why great individualsRead MoreThe Ethics Of Business Ethics1349 Words à |à 6 PagesBusiness ethics can be defined as the critical examination of how people and institutions should behave in the world of commerce. There are many subcategories that we may look into when speaking of business ethics, in this essay I will be writing about advertising ethics. Advertising is practically unavoidable in today s world, we see it in the streets, shops, magazines, television, on the internet, hear it on the radio. In this essay I will describe two ethical iss ues in advertising, show why business
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Women in Homers Odyssey Essay - 1960 Words
As Agamemnon tells Odysseus, ââ¬Å"Let it be a warning even to you. Indulge a woman never, and never tell her all you know. Some things a man may tell, some he should cover up.â⬠(P.199, Book XI) This is not a revelation for the wayward King. Odysseus treats all women he encounters with the same caution alluded to by Agamemnon when the shade tells him how his treacherous wife Clytemnestra acted in a way that defiled all women kind. Agamemnon is giving words to the concept of women that existed in Greek times, and still exists today although it is hopefully not expressed as much. Even before Odysseus speaks to his dead friend, he reveals the same attitude in the encounters that he has with women along his journey home. Each and everyâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Both of these transgressions are against the natural order. All though the Gods in Greek times were much more human that in other cultures, it was not tolerated for them to behave with mortals in this way, as explained by Kalypsoââ¬â¢s arguments with Hermes about why the two should have to separate. Odysseus for his part is not without a lie of his own; although in this particular case it may be that it is more a self-delusion than an outward lie. Odysseus cries every morning on the shores of the island, longing for home. But he also goes back to bed with Kalypso every night, showing an apathetic nature that constitutes a rare weakness on the part of the King. Very seldom is he shown in such an unflattering light. This self-delusion is a part of his need to deceive. A Goddess is not as susceptible to a lie as a mortal woman, and so Odysseus deceives himself to compensate. Most of his other confrontations are not as subtle. His encounter with Kirke, for instance, is a much cleaner deception, on the part of the adventurer and the Goddess. Kirke lures the men into her cave with promises of food and treasure, but then transforms them into animals. Odysseusââ¬â¢ men, famished from their days at sea, let down their guard and approach the cave. When they are trapped, Odysseus does not hesitate to come and rescue them. His answer to the Goddess is another deception, a similar tactic to that of all the various encounters that he has, both with women and with menShow MoreRelatedThe Odyssey : The Role Of Women In Homers Odyssey966 Words à |à 4 Pagesinteractions. The Odyssey portrays what is right or wrong in relationships between god and mortal, father and son, and man and woman. In the epic poem, the role of women is a vital demonstration of Ancient Greece. The women in the epic are unique in their personality, motives, and relationships towards men. In Homers, The Odyssey, all women are diffe rent, but all of them help to represent the role of the ideal woman. Homers epic describes the world of women in Ancient Greece, a time where women were seenRead MoreThe Role Of Women In Homers Odyssey1165 Words à |à 5 Pages The Role of Women In The Odyssey In literature, are women used as important roles or only used as love interests and for their beauty? This question has been around for a long time and there is still no clear answer. One literary example is the women characters in Homerââ¬â¢s The Odyssey- the ancient Greek epic of Odysseus and his journey home to Ithaka. When on his journey, Odysseus meets many women who are ultimately used as alluring characters to distract Odysseus on his journey home. ThroughoutRead More Women in Homers The Odyssey Essay627 Words à |à 3 PagesHomers The Odyssey Women are important to the plot and overall theme of the Odyssey. In fact, without many of the women there would not be a complex plot to this epic poem. In the narrative and in Greek society women played a variety of roles, as mothers, herons, and many other strong roles yet, they were treated as less significant, and were made to be loyal and submissive to men. The women were required to wait on and sulk for love, as Penelope did for 20 years. In Greek society, the women hadRead MoreEssay about The Women of Homerââ¬â¢s Odyssey1336 Words à |à 6 PagesThe Women of Homerââ¬â¢s Odyssey à à à Homerââ¬â¢s Odyssey, by, is typically seen as a male dominated poem: the hero is male and the majority of the characters are male. à We follow the men on their attempt to return to Ithaca.à However, even though women are not the main characters, they are omnipresent through much of the story.à Women play a very important role in the movement of the story line: they all want to marry, help or hurt Odysseus.à During the course of his journey, Odysseus meets three differentRead More Powerful Women of Homers Odyssey Essay516 Words à |à 3 Pages The Powerful Women of Homers Odyssey nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Homers Odyssey depicts women as strong subjects-they are real substantive characters. Women in this poem are tough, strong-willed and are treated with the respect and seriousness they deserve.nbsp; Homer characterizes the women in his poem as the real counterparts of men-they have real feelings, real plans and are able to accomplish them on their own. nbsp; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Read More The Role of Women in Homers The Odyssey Essay695 Words à |à 3 PagesThe Role of Women in Homers The Odyssey Women form an important part of the folk epic, written by Homer, The Odyssey. Within the story there are three basic types of women: the goddess, the seductress, and the good hostess/wife. Each role adds a different element and is essential to the telling of the story. The role of the goddess is one of a supernatural being, but more importantly one in a position to pity and help mortals. Athena, the goddess of wisdom,Read More The Cunning and Deceitful Women of Homerââ¬â¢s Odyssey Essay1483 Words à |à 6 Pages The Cunning and Deceitful Women of Homerââ¬â¢s Odyssey One of the most famous works from the early Greek era is Homerââ¬â¢s Odyssey. It details the journey home of a war hero, Odysseus. His homecoming entails many adventures, each presented as a separate episode that he must overcome. Though the varied episodes differ in terms of characters and settings, most are based on similar patterns of plot and theme. The themes that are most emphasized are forgetfulness, a willingness to risk pain for pleasureRead More Comparing the Deceitful Women of Homers Odyssey and the Bible1184 Words à |à 5 PagesThe Deceitful Women of Homers Odyssey and the Bible Across all barriers, women have always brought pain, suffering, and aguish to the men as demonstrated in both Homers Odyssey and the Bible. With their beauty and grace, temptresses like the Sirens and Delilah lure men into their grasps, only to later steer them to their ruin. Other times, they use their cunning abilities and deception, as Circe and Jezebel did, in order to entice men into doing things that they normally would neverRead MoreEssay about Portrayal of Women in Homers Odyssey719 Words à |à 3 PagesThe Portrayal of Women inà Homers Odyssey In the first section of Odyssey, mortal women are presented to us as controlled by the stereotypes and expectations of the culture of the day, and it is only within that context that we can consider the examples Homer provides of women to be admired or despised. He provides us with clear contrasts, between Penelope and Eurycleia on the one hand, and Helen and Clytemnaestra on the other. In Penelopeââ¬â¢s case, it is made clear that her freedom of actionRead More The Role of Men and Women in Homers The Odyssey 1173 Words à |à 5 PagesWho is the ideal Greek man? It can be argued that through the illustration Homer weaves throughout the Odyssey, Odysseuss character traits cast a lens as a prime example of a man in ancient Greek society. He appears to be brave, intelligent, well-spoken, and clever. Much of his knowledge is discovered by his travels, absorbing the local culture around him and using it as a guide. Aristocratic and a warrior. Perhaps the best warrior of all time. It is the Iliad which presents these attributes initially
Corruption in Procurement Free Essays
UNIVERSITY OF DAR ES SALAAM BUSINESS SCHOOL| AN ASSESSMENT OF CORRUPTION IN THE PROCUREMENT PROFESSION IN GOVERNMENT: CASE IN TANZANIA. | | BY| BERNARD, HELLEN| REG. NO. We will write a custom essay sample on Corruption in Procurement or any similar topic only for you Order Now 2009-06-00929 | RESEARCH PROPOSAL SUBMITTED FOR APPROVAL TO CARRY OUT RESEARCH FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTERS OR BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION. | Table of Contents 1. 0 INTRODUCTION 1. 1 background3 1. 2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM4 2. o research aim6 2. 1 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES6 3. 0 RESEARCH QUESTIONSâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦6 3. 1 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS. 7 4. 0 LITERATURE REVIEW 4. 1 CONCEPTUAL LITERATUREâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦8 4. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â ¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦. 10 4. 3 EMPIRICAL LITERATUREâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦.. 12 5. 0 METHODOLOGYâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦. 14 REFERENCESâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢ ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦. 17 1. 0. INTRODUCTION 1. 1 Background The Tanzania Government has long realized the importance of public procurement to the economic development of Tanzania and hence to the fulfillment of key objectives within the national Poverty Reduction Strategy. To this effect, Tanzania was one of the first countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to enact a law modeled on the UNCITRAL model law. Since 1996, when the first country procurement assessment report (CPAR) was carried out, the Government has been working closely with the World Bank and other development partners to enhance the economy and efficiency of its procurement system and to make it more transparent and accountable. The Government has long acknowledged that there is rampant corruption in Tanzania and has been fighting hard to reduce it. It is estimated that at the national level about 20 percent of the government expenditure on procurement is lost through corruption, mainly through kick-backs and bogus investments that have to be written off. Considering that public procurement accounts for about 70 percent of the entire government expenditure budget, this translates to a loss of TShs 300 billion (USD 300 million) per year, enough to finance the combined annual recurrent budgets of the ministries of health and education. Clearly such a loss is economically unsustainable. Major losses occur in construction and supply contracts, which are the major avenues for corruption, particularly at the local government level. The need for enhancing the transparency of the procurement system cannot therefore be overemphasized. The Government of Tanzania is fully aware that its public procurement is still weak and needs to be strengthened substantially to enable it to ensure that the procurement laws and institutions become effective tools in the efficient and transparent management of public funds. Strategic management in the public sector begins by looking up toward politics -the current expectations and aspirations of citizens and their representatives and the older political agreements formally enshrined in the legislation that defines public managersââ¬â¢ mandates for action. Corruption had been inculcated in the political culture of most underdeveloped countries; while, it still elicits the criticism and opposition of the public, it has nonetheless been accepted as a fact in the political life. One of the primary areas of corruption is in the procurement process. Grounded on the idea that, the bread and butter of politicians exists in this aspect, the procurement process has been the locus and target of most politicians aiming to get a slice of the cake. In third world countries, this part of the cake proves to be the life of people. The foreign aid given by international organizations like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund and the government revenue from taxes is easily lost once the budget is distributed to departments and the ââ¬Å"purchaseâ⬠of equipments and materials has begun. . Earlier on we questioned the assumption or perception that corruption, especially petty corruption is a function of low pay. In our review of theories of motivation we noted that there is consensus among theorists on motivation on pay being a necessary, but not sufficient condition for an employee to perform at a minimum level in an organization. Where an employee has a perception that the level of compensation given by the employer cannot and will not meet basic living/existence needs, and the employee is not in a position to exit from the organization, he/she will adopt deviant work behavior, which will include a number of income maintenance strategies, including corruption to address the income shortfall. 1. 2 statement of the problem The procurement process has been the locus of government corruption- unless this can be addressed; the citizens of Tanzania will continue to suffer. It is necessary that strategies and measures be introduced in the government procurement profession to reduce the corruption in this process and in effect, corruption in the government. Procurement corruption is deeply rooted in the political culture and traces its roots on the nature of governments. As long as the nature of government and politics remains to be relatively immature, corruption in the procurement process will remain. Thus, the need for strategies to hamper this occurrence arises. A focus on newspaper reports, editorials and letters from readers in any of the last ten years would make one conclude that this country has been eaten away by the corruption scourge. Contrast the foregoing situation with what obtained between 1961, as we became independent and the late 1970s. The decade following Tanzaniaââ¬â¢s independence (1960-1970) did not manifest intense corruption. Where it took place it tended to be restricted to low-level officials who demanded and received negligible sums of money. As the country expanded the public sector and public administration institutions progressively decayed, entailing the rise of bureaucratic malfunctioning, opportunities for rent-seeking behavior and asking and offering bribes started creeping in. In the same period, the cost of living rose dramatically while public service pay remained static or declined. Public officials became driven by a culture of survival and they progressively adopted deviant behavior patterns discussed earlier in the paper, including the use of corruption as an income maintenance strategy. To address and control the trend of increased corruption, the Nyerere Government enacted the leadership code as part of the Arusha Declaration which had been adopted in 1967 and dedicated Tanzania to the pursuit of Ujamaa and Self Reliance as its ideology. While moral suasion through a socialist code of conduct was making its contribution to the fight against corrupt tendencies, the country came to experience a major economic crisis following the oil crisis and the after effects of the war with Idd Amin in the late 1970s and early 1980s, with double digit inflation, major fiscal deficits and negative economic growth. That situation saw the state lose its ability to pay public servants a living wage. Official salaries, even at managerial and executive levels, fell below subsistence needs, creating incentives to look for side incomes. As the state controlled economy declined, an informal one arose to take its place. Smuggling became rampant. In the end, the harsh realities of scarcity and poverty overwhelmed the dedication to socialist equality and corruption became embedded in Tanzania society. 2. 0 RESEARCH AIM This study aims to propose measures and strategies that could resolve the issue of government corruption in the procurement process. . 1 research objectives This research paper aims to: 1. Identify the different procurement corruptions in governments of Third World countries 2. Determine the stages of the procurement process and discover where corruption happens 3. Evaluate the nature of Third World Government and politics and the corruption in procurement 4. Propose measures that can reso lve the issue of corruption in the procurement profession 3. 0 RESEARCH QUESTIONS This study seeks to answer the following questions: 1. What are the indicators of procurement corruption and how extensive is it mong governments (Developed, developing and Third World) 2. What are the different corrupt practices in the process of procurement? 3. Outlining the procurement process, what stage(s) does corruption happen? 4. In relation to the nature of Third World Governments, what is their relation and to what degree that these two variables (corruption in procurements and government) affect each other? 5. What are the measures and strategies that governments have employed to address this issue? 3. 1 Research hypothesis 1. The nature of government and politics in a country is significantly related to its corruption practices 2. The more accountable the government, the lesser the tendency of corruption in the procurement process 3. Further, procurement corruption is directly related to the lack of transparency in government purchases. 4. 0 LITERATURE REVIEW 4. 1 Conceptual literature CORRUPTION Corruption is a very widespread phenomenon with most governments having a least some. While corruption usually meets with disapproval, it may have some redeeming features (Tullock, 1996). It may make possible smaller or no salary payments to officials who, if carefully supervised, will still carry out their functions on a fee-for-service basis (Tullock, 1996). Transparency International (TI) has chosen a clear and focused definition of the term: Corruption is operationally defined as the misuse of entrusted power for private gain. TI further differentiates between ââ¬Å"according to ruleâ⬠corruption and ââ¬Å"against the ruleâ⬠corruption. Facilitation payments, where a bribe is paid to receive preferential treatment for something that the bribe receiver is required to do by law, constitute the former. The latter, on the other hand, is a bribe paid to obtain services the bribe receiver is prohibited from providing. The cost of corruption The cost of corruption is four-fold: political, economic, social, and environmental. On the political front, corruption constitutes a major obstacle to democracy and the rule of law. In a democratic system, offices and institutions lose their legitimacy when they are misused for private advantage. Though this is harmful in the established democracies, it is even more so in newly emerging ones. Accountable political leadership cannot develop in a corrupt climate. Economically, corruption leads to the depletion of national wealth. It is often responsible for the funneling of scarce public resources to uneconomic high-profile projects, such as dams, power plants, pipelines and refineries, at the expense of less spectacular but more necessary infrastructure projects such as schools, hospitals and roads, or the supply of power and water to rural areas. Furthermore, it hinders the development of fair market structures and distorts competition, thereby deterring investment. The effect of corruption on the social fabric of society is the most damaging of all. It undermines peopleââ¬â¢s trust in the political system, in its institutions and its leadership. Frustration and general apathy among a disillusioned public result in a weak civil society. That in turn clears the way for despots as well as democratically elected yet unscrupulous leaders to turn national assets into personal wealth. Demanding and paying bribes become the norm. Those unwilling to comply often emigrate, leaving the country drained of its most able and most honest citizens. Environmental degradation is yet another consequence of corrupt systems. The lack of, or non-enforcement of, environmental regulations and legislation has historically allowed the North to export its polluting industry to the South. At the same time, careless exploitation of natural resources, from timber and minerals to elephants, by both domestic and international agents has led to ravaged natural environments. Environmentally devastating projects are given preference in funding, because they are easy targets for siphoning off public money into private pockets. PROCUREMENT Procurement is the full process involved in acquiring required goods, services or works. Procurement involves identifying the requirement of the purchasing authority, building a list of minimum requirements, and then scoring any interested parties who meet the minimum requirements, usually offering the highest score based on the most economically advantageous bid, commonly known as ââ¬Å"best valueâ⬠. Part of the Procurement process is also to manage the contract once awarded, to ensure that the successful suppliers, or suppliers, are providing a quality service. Collaborative contracts are becoming more commonplace; where multiple public bodies will combine their requirements and run a single Procurement process to meet their merged requirements. Due to the higher volume of business promised by collaborative contracts, suppliers will usually offer larger discounts. Collaborative contracts are usually led by one public body, acting on behalf of the others. In addition to this, some Procurement Centers of Expertise set up and manage contracts on behalf of public bodies, allowing all public bodies to use these collaborative contracts. Some examples of these Centers of Expertise are OGC, Buying Solutions and Procurement Scotland. The stage of the Procurement cycle when suppliers are invited to submit bids is known as the Tendering process. Usually, in addition to submitting their monetary bid, suppliers are required to respond to a questionnaire which the public body has put together with the intention of identifying and eliminating suppliers who are unable to meet their basic requirements, thereby preventing their tender from being successful regardless of whether they have the most economically advantageous bid. . 2 Theoretical framework The systematic study of political corruption encompasses matters of definition, typology, cause, and consequence, linked by a common theoretical framework. A substantial body of literature explores these issues, but many problems exist. The countless definitions inadequately set out the fundamental normative and behavioral dimensions of corruption and fail to incorporate the phen omenon into a broader theoretical framework or to deal accurately with the question of private interests. Typologies of corruption, though equally rife, also seem to lack clear theoretical relevance. Existing explanations of corruption can be attacked for projecting confusing and contradictory hypotheses, for being fragmentary, and for failing to differentiate various types of corrupt behavior; those centering on the functions of corruption also seem incomplete. Some, for instance, underscore the positive effects of corruption in integrating ruling elite but fail to question whether corruption influences feelings of legitimacy toward government or inspires destabilizing protests and mobilizations. As a form of deviant political behavior, corruption is political conduct contrary to political norms. This definition underscores both its normative and behavioral components. The normative aspect of corruption centers on the evaluative standards or rules that determine political propriety: the criteria used to judge the legitimacy or illegitimacy (i. e. , the ââ¬Å"corruptnessâ⬠) of a political act; the behavioral aspect corresponds to observable actions (Morris, 1991). The norm provides the standard by which all acts of government are to be interpreted and judged. Accordingly, any private usurpation of that pertaining to the public domain, which negates this principle, invites condemnation. An important issue that warrants attention concerns the role of personal gain or interest. Including personal gain or what is tantamount to private interest in a definition of corruption presents two major problems. First, it is generally held that all acts are a function of personal gain; in formal theory, this is referred to as ââ¬Å"rationality. â⬠Consequently, all acts by government officials, whether corrupt or otherwise, are thought to be motivated by a rational promotion of private interest. In other words, a non corrupt act is promoted by personal interest just as is a corrupt act. Since personal interest is an assumption of human behavior and a constant, it need not be included in a definition Strategic management in the public sector begins by looking up toward politics -the current expectations and aspirations of citizens and their representatives and the older political agreements formally enshrined in the legislation that defines public managersââ¬â¢ mandates for action. Politics, and the laws that politics produce, deserve this pride of place for three key reasons. First, it is this realm that managers must search to discover what purposes are deemed publicly valuable and can, therefore, be practically and normatively sustained as the focus of their managerial efforts. It is in and through politics that they can discover and help shapes their mandates for action. Second, political institutions grant public managers the resources they need to accomplish their operational purposesââ¬âincluding money and authority over their own organizations and over those beyond their organizations who can contribute to the managersââ¬â¢ purposes. Third, it is to politics and law that public managers are both theoretically and practically accountable; their performance is graded and their reputations made within this realm. Procurement contracting often entails large monetary sums and involves widely known or powerful people inside and outside government. Thus, this kind of corruption can be especially damaging to a country in terms of distorted incentives, undermined public trust, and inequitable distribution of national budgets. This is particularly prevalent in Third World countries where the political socialization of people seems to accept corruption as a part of the political culture. Among the principal types of procurement corruption includes: collusion in bidding (leading to higher costs/prices for the city, payments for which may or may not be shared with corrupt officials); kickbacks by firms to ââ¬Å"fixâ⬠procurement competition; and bribes to officials who regulate the winning contractorââ¬â¢s behavior (which may permit lowball bids with subsequent cost overruns and unnecessary changes in contract specifications) (Klitgaard, MacLean, and Parris, 2000). 4. 3 Empirical literature Corruption is about economics, gaining power, maintaining power and unfortunately to some, survival (Green, 2000). Generally, itââ¬â¢s been my experience that corruption usually involves bribery, kickbacks, gratuities and gifts to government employees from individuals doing business or attempting to do business with the government. A large percentage of corruption taking place within governments and businesses worldwide rests within the procurement of goods and services. The movement toward decentralization, accountability, and democratic forms of government at the local level is gathering momentum (Klitgaard, MacLean, and Parris, 2000). In this context, the enormous costs of corruption are being explicitly recognized, as is the urgent need to correct governmental malfeasance (Klitgaard, MacLean, and Parris, 2000). Corruption is an entrenched symptom of misgovernance often reflected in patronage, red tape, ineffective revenue-generating agencies, large scale bribery in procurement, and failure to deliver services to city dwellers When the government needs a good or service, the city government has the two broad alternatives of making it or buying it: that is, the city can provide the good or service itself, or rocure it from the private sector (Klitgaard, MacLean, and Parris, 2000). Corruption is one of the dimensions of this choice. Because contracting is ââ¬Å"where the money isâ⬠, most government officials are tempted by the lure of procurement services often at the expense of the public. Recent developments and current trends are highlighting the role of accountants in governance. Foremost among these are: the increasing concern with rising levels of corruption, the renewal of interest in accountability and transparency as inoculations against corruption; the new government focus on results, benchmarking and value-for-money (the ââ¬Å"new public managementâ⬠) and the corresponding thrust in the private sector through business process reengineering, knowledge management and intranets ââ¬â where accounting systems play a major role; decentralization and participation by citizens and NGOs in public management are multiplying the needs for credible accounting information; the privatization of utilities in several countries is increasing the need for regulation, in which accountants have a major role in reducing information asymmetry; the globalization of corporate finance has enhanced the need for global standards of accounting and auditing; the Asian crisis has highlighted the weaknesses in transparency, in financial sector regulation and in corporate g overnance generally in a number of countries (Bennett,à 2000). There are several measures that could be done in order to reduce the incidence of corruption. First, reducing the scope and role of personality politics. An increase in public policy debates and other activities of government, opening the closed doors, and permitting greater public scrutiny of official processes would clearly have such an impact. Generally, the more public government affairs become, the less corrupt they can be (Bennett,à 2000). Enhancing the autonomy of the stateââ¬â¢s subsystems would also reduce the likelihood of corruption. This could be pursued, for instance, by creating an effective civil service system or merit system or opening up grass-roots political involvement. Such reforms would cripple the centralization of recruitment and thereby temper the loyalty patterns that currently prevail. Strengthening the autonomy and role of Congress or democratizing corporate organizations would be steps in this direction (Bennett,à 2000). Strengthening social organizations would also impinge on corruption. This could be done by reducing the tutelary role of the state and lessening the dependency of social organizations on the state or by enhancing popular input into the organizations themselves. Not only must businesses or unionââ¬â¢s articulate demands on the government, but such organizations must be structurally responsive to the demands of their constituents. Tying the fate of leaders of social organizations to criteria internal to the group rather than those determined by the state would greatly inhibit current patterns of corruption (Bennett,à 2000). 5. 0 METHODOLOGY This chapter will discuss the method of research to be used, the respondents of the study, the sampling technique, the instrument to be used, the validation of the instrument, the administration of the of the instrument and the statistical treatment of the data that will be gathered. Research Methodology and Techniques for data collection This study will use the descriptive approach. This descriptive type of research will utilize interview, observation and questionnaires in the study. To illustrate the descriptive type of research, the researcher will be guided by Calmorin when he stated: ââ¬Å"Descriptive method of research is to gather information about the present existing condition. The purpose of employing this method is to describe the nature of a situation as exists at the time of the study and to explore the cause/s of particular phenomena. Proposed subject Population/Sample The general population for this study will be composed of government officials and personnel in the procurement process, randomly selected private companies who have been involved in the bidding process and randomly selected citizens. I will use a combination of cluster and random sampling. First, I will cluster the respondents from the government, the private sector and the public sector. To make the sampling easier for every specific cluster, I will seek the aid of any anti-corruption non-government organization to facilitate the names and addresses of the respondents or have them together in one place (i. e. in an organizational meeting) so that the surveys can be given in one session. I will pick one hundred (100) respondents per cluster for a total of three hundred (300) respondents. Validation of the Instrument For validation purposes, I will initially submit a survey questionnaire and after approval, the survey will be given to five responden ts from the government, private corporations and the public sector. After the survey questionnaire will be answered, I will ask the respondents for any suggestions or any necessary corrections to ensure further improvement and validity of the instrument. I will again examine the content of the survey questionnaire to find out the reliability of the instrument. I will exclude irrelevant questions and will change words that would be deemed difficult by the respondents, too much simpler terms. Administration of the Instrument The revised instrument will then be administered to the respondents of the study which will be chosen through a combination of cluster and random sampling. I will exclude the ten respondents who will be initially used for the validation of the instrument. I will also tally, score and tabulate all the relevant data in the survey questionnaire. Statistical Treatment of Data When the entire survey questionnaire will have been collected, the researcher will use statistics to analyze all the data. The statistical formulae to be used in the second and third part of the survey questionnaire will be the following: 1. Percentage ââ¬â to determine the magnitude of the responses to the questionnaire. 2. Weighted Mean 3. I will use chi-square to relate the participation rate of the government employees, companies and the public sector. I will be assisted by the SPSS in coming up with the statistical analysis for this study. Resource, Confidentiality and other consideration The survey respondents and intervieweesââ¬â¢ identities will be held confidential. Only I will have the knowledge on their identities and utmost secrecy will be provided. Further, personalities who do not want to be quoted in interviews will not be disclosed. REFERENCES. 1. Klitgaard, Robert, MacLean, Ronald and Parris, Lindsey, Corrupt Cities: A Practical Guide to Cure and Prevention, Ics Press, 2000 2. Bennett, Anthony, ââ¬Å"The Role of Accounting in Good Governanceâ⬠, In Carter, Williiam, Davies, Mark, El, Yassin and Ford, Kevin, Government Ethics and Law Enforcement: Toward Global Guidelines, Praeger Publishers, 2000 3. Green, Vincent, ââ¬Å"An Approach to Investigating Corruption in Governmentâ⬠, In Carter, Williiam, Davies, Mark, El, Yassin and Ford, Kevin, Government Ethics and Law Enforcement: Toward Global Guidelines, Praeger Publishers, 2000 4. Morris, Stephen, ââ¬Å"A State-Society Approach to the Study of Corruption ââ¬Å", Corruption Politics in Contemporary Mexico, University of Alabama Press, 1991 How to cite Corruption in Procurement, Papers
Financial Analysis Genesis Corporate Finance
Question: Describe about the Financial Analysis for Genesis Corporate Finance. Answer: Introduction AGL Eenrgy boasts of a long history which commenced in 1837, although the current company came into existence in 2006 only. It is listed on the ASK and a part of the ASX 200 index. It is an integrated energy player which is involved in production of electricity along with retailing of the same to both commercial and residential customers. The company has an impressive generation portfolio which consists of traditional coal based thermal power plants along with gas based and also renewable sources portfolio. The renewable energy generation portfolio possessed by the company is largest for any Australian private company (AGL Energy, 2015) Genesis energy came into existence as a result of the energy reforms that took place in the New Zealand electricity market in the 1999. The company is involved in generation of electricity and also is involved in the retailing of LPG and natural gas. The company is based in Auckland and listed on both Australian and New Zealand stock exchanges. The company is the largest retailer of natural gas and electricity in NZ with an estimated share of 42% and 26% respectively (Genesis Energy, 2015). Income Statement With regards to the income statement of AGL Energy, it is evident that that the revenue growth is quite muted. However, the increase in the expenses is comparatively higher. However, for Genesis Energy there is an increase in the revenue on account of increased generation and supply coupled with increase in the profitability due to decreasing expenses. The comparison of the profitability ratios for the two companies is shown below (AGL Energy, 2015) It is apparent from the above figures that both the ROA and net profit margin for the company have declined. This may be attributed to the lacklustre growth in revenue primarily because of the pressures in the consumer market due to greater competition. Additionally, the cost for the production CER (Certified Emission Reductions) also increased besides the $ 15 million integration cost for New Energy.. Further, the decline in profitability could also be explained on the back of the lacklustre performance in the other operations division which constitutes of thermal electricity production along with electricity production from source such as natural gas and other renewables (AGL Energy, 2015). Genesis energy has increased the revenue on the back of greater electricity generation from coal and hydro power plants coupled with decreased expenses related to employees and fuel management due to the emphasis on digital platforms and increased operational efficiency (Genesis Energy, 2015). Balance Sheet It is evident from the balance sheet of the company at the end of FY2015, the major changes have been in the fixed assets and also the current liabilities. The fixed assets have witnessed an increase of almost $ 1.6 billion on account of increase in PPE. Besides, the current liabilities have increased due to increase in short term borrowing from $ 45 million at the end of FY2014 to $ 443 million at the end of FY2015. The ratios with regards to liquidity and capital structure are presented below (AGL Energy, 2015; Genesis Energy, 2015) On the basis of the above table, it is apparent that the current ratio and quick ratio have declined which is primarily attributed to the increased short term borrowing in the year FY2015 which caused the current liabilities to increase while the current asset level has continued to remain at the last year level only. The debt to equity ratio at the end of FY2015 has witnessed a small decline even though total liabilities have increased fuelled by the increase in current liabilities. This can be explained by the higher percentage increase in the equity on account of increased in share capital by almost $ 1.2 billion besides the increase contributed by the retained profits (AGL Energy, 2015) The sharp decline in current ratio and quick ratio for Genesis is on account of increase in short term borrowings from $ 12.3 million at the end of FY2014 to $ 117.8 million at the end of FY2015. Cash Flow Trends - AGL Energy It is apparent from the cash flow statement of the company that there has been a significant increase in the cash flow to the tune of almost $ 1.4 billion on accounting of investing activities in FY2015. Besides, the cash flow from operations have increased by $ 443 million on account of lower cash payments to suppliers and employers. Due to higher repayment of debt in FY2015 as compared to FY2014, there is a net outflow of $ 207 million due to financing cash flow (AGL Energy, 2015). With regards to Genesis Energy, no major changes have been indicated with regards to any the cash flow statement and the various components are similar to corresponding figures for FY2014 (Genesis Energy, 2015). Market Performance AGL Energy The relevant indicators of the market performance of the company for FY2014 and Fy2015 are presented in the table below (AGL Energy, 2015) From the table above, it is apparent that EPS per share has dipped significantly in the year FY2015 which is but expected as the net profit in FY2015 has dipped in comparison with the previous year and also because there has been an increase in the weighted shares due to fresh issue of shares in FY2015. The dividend per share has increased for the shareholders as the company decided to pay a higher sum of money as dividends to shareholders (AGL Energy, 2015). However, for genesis EPS has increased on back of higher profits and also in line with the higher profits, dividend paid to shareholders per share has also increased (Genesis Energy, 2015). Comparison of Financial Performance AGL Energy and Genesis Energy The comparable set of ratios for the two companies is listed below ((AGL Energy, 2015;Genesis Energy, 2014). Profitability With regards to profitability, it is apparent that Genesis energy has been an outperformer especially in the year FY2015. This may be attributed to the lower portfolio of Genesis with regards to renewable energy as the focus is only on wind and hydroelectric. This is in contract with ACL Energy which also tends to focus on solar and other renewable sources which have underperformed (Damodaran, 2008). Liquidity- The current ratio and quick ratio for both companies is in excess of one which indicates that business is robust. However, the higher liquidity ratios of AGL can be explained on the basis of larger scale of operations and more receivables due to greater contribution from wholesale markets. Gearing The gearing ratios for both the companies are comparable and indicate that these have no long term liquidity issues. This is because the D/E ratio for both companies is lesser than 1. The interest coverage of both companies is impressive which does not indicate any issues (Petty et. al, 2015). Market performance The EPS as expected is greater for AGL energy, however the encouraging trend for Genesis is that its EPS has grown by 100% on a y-o-y basis which augers well for the company. Even though dividend paid by AGL energy is higher in absolute terms in comparison to Genesis but the dividend yield for Genesis is significantly higher. Efficiency Ratios- The debtors turnover of Genesis is significantly higher than that of AGL energy which to an extent is attributed to the difference in the segments served. Conclusion On the basis of the above analysis, it may be concluded that AGL energy has underperformed in FY2015 in comparison to FY2014 with all indicators lagging and this has led to the stock price remaining almost constant with choppy sideways movements. The other operations segment of the company is a drag on the energy markets and it is unlikely that it would turn dramatically. But the company still is robust and in due course as the policy regime becomes more definitive, the company would be in leveraging position. However, Genesis has shown a significant improvement in the various financial indicators in the year FY2015 as is apparent from the positive changes in all ratios and financial indicators. (Parrino Kidwell, 2011). Recommendations It is recommended that the investor should not invest in AGL energy as the underperforming of the companys renewable business is expected to continue. Further, there is uncertainty of policy in Australia with regards to energy prices and also suitable tax structure to promote renewable energy sources which globally are witnessing a soft market (AGL Energy, 2015).. In such scenario, it makes sense to invest into Genesis which pays a dividend yield of almost 6% and has showed encouraging financial performance in FY2015. Also, the significant market share that it commands in the New Zealand market is an additional benefit for the company (Brealey, Myers Allen, 2008). References AGL Energy 2015, Annual Report 2015, Available online from https://www.agl.com.au/about-agl/media-centre/article-list/2015/august/agl-annual-report-2015 (Accessed on August 31, 2015) Brealey, R, Myers, S Allen, F 2008, Principles of Corporate Finance (Global edition), 10th edn, McGraw Hill Publications, New York Damodaran, A 2008, Corporate Finance, 2nd edn, Wiley Publications, London Genesis Energy 2015, Annual Report 2015, Available online from https://www.genesisenergy.co.nz/documents/10180/2699552/Genesis+Energy+Annual+Report+FY2015.pdf/fa13f57b-fd37-4262-9bb2-5c591a55aab3 (Accessed on August 31, 2016) Parrino, R Kidwell, D 2011, Fundamentals of Corporate Finance, 3rd edn, Wiley Publications, London Petty, JW, Titman, S, Keown, AJ, Martin, P, Martin JD Burrow, M 2015, Financial Management: Principles and Applications,6th edn, Pearson Australia, Sydney
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)