Bullying Research Paper

No matter who you are in the world, at some point in your life you’ll experience some form of bullying. Whether it is in school or online, bullying is a serious issue and has significantly impacted many individuals and how they live their daily lives. This issue hits close to home because I’ve been bullied for as long as I can remember. I even conducted my own experiment on Facebook by posting a picture of my friends and I at the beach in our bathing suits on a page called, â€Å"The World’s Cutest Teens†. I knew that the picture would get some rude comments so I waited, and that’s exactly what happened.People began to call us rude names and basically told us that we were disgusting. I took a picture of all the rude comments and the picture of us and made a collage, I then reposted it on the page saying that I would use the information I found in my research paper. I said that it doesn’t matter who you are in the world, bullying still happens today and it needs to be addressed, that picture now has over 20,000 â€Å"likes† on Facebook and I’m receiving tons of messages from people saying how smart I am to have come up with this idea.Now although I didn’t take the rude comments to heart, there are still many people in the world that do. It hurts them and ruins their self esteem. Bullying is a human rights violation. It is the abuse of the powerless by those who think they have all of the power. Bullying is the first human rights violation millions of students in the United States will confront. As a human rights organization, STTP [Speak Truth To Power] stated in a recent interview that they can’t simply ignore the fact that children aren’t able to get the proper education that they deserve because of bullies.They have to do their best to put a stop to as much bullying as possible. Two children in every classroom in America are estimated to miss at least one day of school each month bec ause they feel unsafe. Local governments realize we cannot afford to dismiss youth violence as simply â€Å"kids being kids. † Anti-bullying legislation has been passed in 49 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. But laws and reporting systems aren't enough. We must move beyond simply having the systems in place to react to bullying.We must instill in our youth the ideals of civility and respect, and we must create environments that prevent bullying everywhere our children live, learn and play. (â€Å"Schools Have Work to Do†) However, bullying doesn’t just exist in school, bullying can happen anywhere at any time and people need to know what they can do to help prevent and stop the bullies from attacking. First, you want to make sure that the person being bullied informs someone that the bullying is occurring by telling a trusted adult.Then, if you haven’t already, confront the bully by telling them how what they’re doing to you is rea lly upsetting and you would like it if they could please stop. If the bullying still continues, the best option is to let the bullies’ parents know what is happening so they can handle the situation. And if that still doesn’t work, you can always call the police and let them talk to the bully, most of the time bullies will stop their actions if they know they’ll get in serious trouble if they continue. (Kennedy, Kerry)To many people, bullying is people saying rude things to each other face to face or having some sort of abusive contact with one another. However, this is not the case. As I stated in my personal story earlier, bullying also takes place on the internet [most commonly social networking sites]. This type of bullying is referred to as â€Å"cyberbullying†. Many people believe that cyberbullying isn’t a real issue; they say that it’s your own fault for continuing to stay on the social networking site you’re being bullied on, you could just simply shut your computer off.This of course is very unrealistic, teenagers shouldn’t have to delete their social networking sites, turn off their computers, and so forth just because of bullies. Teenagers should be able to enjoy talking to their friends and interacting without having to worry about bullies harassing them. (Foxman, Abraham) Cyberbullying has become a real threat, and parents and educators must work together to get rid of antisocial and harmful harassment and make such crimes punishable by law.There is currently a law being put into place, set to take effect next year. The law was passed in large part because of the tragic suicide of Jamey Rodemeyer of Williamsville. The 14-year-old killed himself last September after absorbing relentless bullying over his sexual orientation. Police at the time said that because of weaknesses in state law regarding cyberbullying, there was little they could have done for Jamey. The new law moves to rectify that . Had it been in place already, Jamey's story might have taken a different turn.Implemented properly and pursued diligently, it will no doubt prevent much misery in the future. The new law defines cyberbullying as harassment taking place through any electronic means and that â€Å"reasonably causes or would reasonably be expected to cause physical injury or emotional harm to a student. † School districts would have a responsibility for incidents occurring on and off school grounds. It also creates a system for reports of cyberbullying to reach school principals or superintendents and requires prompt intervention by school officials.Schools will also be required to establish anti-cyberbullying policies and to report incidents to law enforcement if school officials believe the acts constitute criminal conduct. It also calls for training for teachers and administrators. (Ells,June) This story leads me into my next point which is on teen suicide. As of early 2010, suicide was the third leading cause of death of those between the ages of fifteen and twenty-four and the fourth leading cause of death for children between the ages of ten and fourteen.According to the Southern California Academic Center of Excellence on Youth Violence Prevention, young females were more likely to attempt suicide, though males were about five times more likely to die by suicide. According to a 1996 report of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), more young people died from suicide than from AIDS, birth defects, cancer, chronic lung disease, heart disease, influenza, pneumonia, and stroke combined. While the desire to commit suicide usually stems from a disorder such as depression, suicide is preventable.According to ABC News nearly 30 percent of students bully others or are victims of bullying. A report by Yale University in Connecticut indicates that victims of bullying are up to nine times more likely to consider suicide than their peers who are not bullied. Bullying comes in many forms and may include physical attacks, destruction of personal property, verbal abuse, starting rumors, name calling, and verbal attacks, which may be made in person, online, or through texting. Dr.Dan Olweus, a psychology professor from Norway and developer of the OLWEUS Bullying Prevention Program, says, â€Å"a person is bullied when he or she is exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more other persons, and he or she has difficulty defending himself or herself. † Bullying is most common between the fourth and eighth grades. A new term, â€Å"bullycide† has recently been used to describe those who have committed suicide because of bullying.According to bullyingstatistics.org, suicide rates among adolescents are rising, particularly in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. It’s sad to think that there are so many teenagers in the world that are being effected by bullying so much that they woul d consider taking their own lives. Suicide is not the answer; suicide is a permanent fix to a temporary problem. Since depression caused by bullying is one of the leading causes of teen suicide, treatment of this condition is often the first step to preventing suicide. Treatments may include counseling, residential treatment, and medication, though the latter should be used with caution.The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has a â€Å"black box† warning, its most severe label, on all antidepressants. Research has shown that children and teens on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may have increased suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Experts recommend careful monitoring of young people on such medication. Those suffering from depression feel alone and helpless, so communication is vital. According to NAMI, about 80 percent of those who commit suicide exhibit warning signs or tell others of their intentions before they act.Any mention of death or suicide should be t aken seriously. Many people believe that discussing suicide openly with someone who is contemplating suicide is wrong. In fact, asking someone openly about his or her plans is helpful. Asking questions such as, â€Å"Have you thought about how you would do it? † and â€Å"Do you have the means? † help determine the severity of the situation. Someone who discovers another's intention to commit suicide should immediately call 911 or take the individual to an emergency room or the nearest psychiatric facility. (â€Å"Teen Suicide†)As stated before, bullying is a serious issue, not only in schools, but outside of schools too. Bullying can happen at anywhere, at anytime, to anybody, including on the internet. However there are many ways that we can help stop and prevent bullying and if there was some way we could stop bullying for good, we could all live in a better world and teenagers wouldn’t continue to take their own lives because someone is making them fe el depressed or worthless. There is always someone that can help and if you’re being bullied you need to seek help immediately so you can get back to living a normal bully free life.

Works of Paul Cezanne

Paul Cezanne was born in 1839 in the southern French town of Aix-en-Provence. He was the son of a wealthy banker. He became interested in art at an early age, which did not please his father. Cezanne was educated at the College Bourbon at Aix, where he befriended Emile Zola. Both Cezanne and Zola decided they would like to devote themselves to art. Zola settled down to a literary career in Paris, but Cezanne, after a short period as a law student, decided to go with his father†s wishes that he should carry on the management of the family bank. He failed in this however, and was allowed to settle in Paris and attend the Atelier Suisse, where he was expected to prepare for the examinations of the Ecole des Beaux – Arts, which coincidentally, he never passed. He became known as one of the most extreme revolutionary painters. He became acquainted with the group of painters who encircled Manet and were later known as the Impressionists. During this period, he was most influenced by Delacroix and by the baroque painters that Delacroix studied, by Rubens and Tintoretto. The â€Å"color† theories of Delacroix combined with the â€Å"law of simultaneous contrast† formulated by the chemist Michel Chevreul, by the end of the 1860†³s were beginning to be taken up by the young artists that Cezanne was familiar with. Cezanne†s ambition was to create grandiose compositions of a purely imaginative description, expressive of his own moods, using either violently dramatic themes as he did in â€Å"Les Assassins† or â€Å"L†Autopsie†, or lyrical motifs, such as â€Å"Le Judgement de Paris,† or â€Å"Dejeuner sur l†herbe. Cezanne also painted a series of portraits in which dramatic and psychological effects were undertoned. In all these early works, the color is reduced to a few simple notes in which black, white, earth reds, and yellows predominate. He showed at this stage nothing of the curiosity about natural effects of color which distinguished the Impressionist group. During the years 1872-1873, a great change came over Cezanne. He spent the summers of these years at Auvers-sur-Oise in the company of Camille Pissarro, one of the foremost Impressionistic painters. Pissarro was older than Cezanne and had already discovered his personal style and perfected a methodical and precise technique adapted to it. For the first time Cezanne learned to look on nature with a curiosity and learned the process of recording the results that were obtained. And above all, the whole world of atmosphere color was revealed to him. Certain pictures painted by Cezanne in these years resemble very nearly Pissarro†s work, but they show Cezanne†s reater power over organizing form. For these years, Cezanne may be In the last decade of the 19th century belong some of Cezanne†s most celebrated works. These include the portrait of Geffroy, which could be unequaled in modern art for the completeness of its realization and the complexity and assurance of harmonies, several pictures of men seated at a cafe table and playing cards, and a series of landscapes dominated by the mass of Mont Sainte-Victoire. At the very end of his life, there seems to have been a reappearance of the romantic tendencies of his youth. His paintings became more richer, more intense, and vivid in color. In the 1880s and 1890s, his name had become almost unknown in the larger art circles of Paris. However, his fame began to gradually circulate among artists, and in 1904 an exhibition of his works in the Autumn salon revealed to the public this unknown genius. Most of his fame came posthumously, as Cezanne died at Aix in 1906.

Summary, Discussion, Personal Tie-In Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Summary, Discussion, Personal Tie-In - Article Example They are more particular with their targets. For the fact that they don’t expect any payments from their endeavors in the organization, they only believe that their rewards would come from the achievement of the organizational goals that can only be realized after hard work. They only expect the sense of satisfaction that would come with successful outcomes. On this note, there has been increasing number of corporate organizations while the nonprofits have been o the decline. However, even though this is taking place, the remaining nonprofits are very committed to their missions. The nonprofit organizations set clear and precise mission statements with which they run their activities. They have shown a greater commitment to management than the corporate organizations. This is what makes them realize the greatest results out of their operations. Their effects are more practical than those of the corporate organizations. They operate with preset performance targets with which th eir performance is evaluated including that of their senior employees. They consist of a very vigilant board of directors and management teams whose performance is also evaluated periodically. This is very different from the corporate organizations where it has rarely occurred that the board of directors has a work schedule for themselves and that their performance evaluated periodically. It always occurs that the lower employees in these organizations are the most exploited and kept on pressure to perform highly while the top management including the CEO and the board of directors earn highly for the very little that they do. They are the failing part in setting proper organizational goals to guide the entire organization. Insights Nonprofits don’t make money the centre of their plans even if they need it a lot This idea has been shown I this article through the examples the author offers on the numerous successful endeavors that nonprofits have undertaken with little or sca rce resources and money. The author says that the nonprofits create clear missions and follow them to the later while ensuring that all individuals of the organizations perform as required even though they are not paid for their services. This is a very important aspect in every human being that helps to enhance coherence in the human life through working towards building a harmonious society. It is good to start with the mission rather than the rewards From this article, there are many nonprofit organizations especially churches and healthcare providers that carried out their activities on either very little funding or no initial funds at all. The founders of such establishments such as the Willowcreek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois had their mission first before their rewards and struggled through their initial operations to succeed as it can be presently seen. The same example can be seen when the Nun that ran the Catholic hospital chain in Southwest operated the facility amid rising medical costs and less funding with the principle that they are in the business to deliver healthcare and not to run the hospitals. Personal Tie –in Being a professional teacher, I was once left to take care of the school as the teacher on duty while the rest of the teachers had gone to attend a seminar organized by the government in our area. It happened one particular after noon that a student fell sick and

HRM Book Summery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

HRM Book Summery - Essay Example logy-driven, fast changing business world where every corporation must compete for skilled talent, be able to influence its employees to provide the best products, be able to train and provide educational programs and be able to control and monitor personnel costs to maintain cost competitiveness Job analysis methods produce acceptable to high levels of reliability. Particularly high levels of liability can be demonstrated for methods that rely on structured questionnaires such as worker-oriented questionnaires, job inventories, or checklists Competence is a standardized requirement for an individual to properly perform a specific job. It encompasses a combination of knowledge, skills and behavior utilized to improve performance. More generally, competence is the state or quality of being adequately or well qualified, having the ability to perform a specific role. When it comes to executive incentives, human beings are both finite and creative; that means that the people offering incentives are often unable to predict all of the ways that people will respond to

Urban economics paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Urban economics - Research Paper Example Aspects such as population, employment and poverty index among others will be discussed in this study. As a point of departure, the City of San Antonio is found in the United States with the population of 1, 409, 019, making it the seventh most populous city in the US. This population is an indication of 16% increase since the year 2000. The growth rate in this city has been cited to be high and San Antonio is ranked among the top ten in terms of growth in the last decade. The location of this city is towards the South west of the US. It is notable that, the city is attributed to features of other cities in the western urban, which include the sparsely populated places and a relatively low-density rate within the outskirts of the city. The climate of the City of San Antonio has an intermediary humid subtropical weather. During summer, the city experiences a relatively hot weather and during winter, the climate is mild and cold, especially at night. Consider the following image that indicates a section of the city of Antonio. The city covers an area size of 1, 205.4 km2 and land of 1, 193.7km2. In addition, the city has 5.78 square miles of water. In terms of supply of water, the city has been in need of water for expansion purposes and can only acquire this commodity by buying rights from the farmers (Thompson and Browne, 27) Like any other fast developing city with a relatively higher growth rate, the employment opportunities in most cases take an assorted trend due to the numerous dynamics that exists. For instance, the growing population of professionals both the youth and the experienced age of between 38 to 55years calls fro more job positions in both the formal and informal sectors. The employment opportunities in the City of San Antonio are pooled from both the private and public sectors. For instance, the job opportunities boost rose to 2.6% this year and the unemployment rate reducing to the minimum of the 4.6%. This

Examine the roots of the Russian Mafia and account for its influence Essay

Examine the roots of the Russian Mafia and account for its influence in Russia today - Essay Example The Mafia is an illegal organization which is involved in organized criminal activity. Rigid rules, violence and monopoly of illegal activities are some of its attributes. â€Å"Gambetta defines the Mafia as an industry which supplies private protection (Gambetta, 1991:2). The Mafia produce and sells a very special commodity, trust or protection. Like ‘organized crime’ in general, the Mafia aims to produce, advertise and sell protection in conflict with the state. The Mafia operate in those economic transactions and agreements where protection is either inefficiently supplied or cannot be supplied at all by the state†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (The Russian Mafia: Do Rational Choice Models Apply?, date ?: p.7-8). Similar to the claims made by Gambetta, Hobsbawn also maintains that the â€Å"Mafia tends to develop in societies in which citizens regard the authorities as hostile. He argues that the Mafia provides a parallel masculine law and organized power in societies in which the o fficial government is not effective, and most of the citizens in the areas under its influence believe that it is the only effective law and power† (The Russian Mafia: Do Rational Choice Models Apply?, date ?: p.7) The Russian Mafia has often been studied in comparison with the Sicilian Mafia. The emergence of the latter in Southern Italy was due to the uneven transition of the market economy. The Italian citizens lost trust in the Italian state due to the fact that property rights and individual protection was not thoroughly given by it. This led to a rise in the demand for ‘protection’ and this protection was in turn provided by the Mafia. Similarly, part of the emergence of the Russian Mafia owes itself to the undefined transition of its market economy wherein there were no exact rules and regulations to govern the producers, sellers and consumers. Citizens were thus bereft of legal protection and

Financial Accounting Concepts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Financial Accounting Concepts - Essay Example The advantages is that the more concerned managers are involved, the better the chances are of the budget being very much realistic in approach. These budgets are generally made at all levels but individually, rather than collectively. For instance, a salesman keeps a self imposed budget of, e.g. 5 units to be sold in a day.†¢Ã‚  Base Year Budget: It is the type of budgeting in which the previous year or any year for that matter is considered a standard, against which the expected (/wanted) performance is added to have a forecasted budget for the coming term. For example, considering 2006 as a base year, with all revenues and expenses expected to rise by 10%; the said percentage is multiplied across the board to attain the coming year budget or forecast.†¢Ã‚  Zero Based Budget: It is a derived form of the base year budget in which no base year is considered and the concerned manager is expected to justify each and every expense that he/she has stated in the forecast/budget. These are difficult to make, require extensive efforts and data gathering, since there is no base, the budget has to be prepared fro scratch.The users of budgets use these for different purposes; e.g. accountants use the information to check with variance for future better forecast, the heads check the contribution and performance of individual employees, the management checks the department working and profitability, while the owners view the over all big picture to visualize individual contributions and achievements.

Music in Baroque Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Music in Baroque Society - Essay Example A third characteristic of the baroque age was significantly manifested through social living in Europe; the prevailing class structure had widely demonstrated the attitude and opinion on extravagance in the society via architecture, music, arts, and literature which had been promoted, in part, by the lavish life of King Louis XIV. Music of the period – 1600-1750 – projects an essential attribute of the baroque style as perceived through its grandiosity, irregularity, and strangeness. Compared to the music of the preceding Renaissance age, baroque music is found rich in various textures, levels of intensity, and melodies that seemed to form more embellished or intricate sound. To normal listeners, the characteristics of the original musical pieces of this era appeal to the senses not only emotionally but also experimentally. In either approach, a genius baroque musician had a particular unity of mood, form or style, and selection of instruments. By unity of mood, compose rs followed a specific kind of affection in generating rhythmic and melodic patterns, and this affection unified the mood in music, enabling the audience to recognize a theme or subject that is consistent all throughout the piece. When it comes to musical style, baroque is identified with the recitative manner of singing compositions or with speech rhythms designated for sung texts, which later evolved to arias or expressive melodies of a different order and instrumentation.

David Fincher's Seven Film Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

David Fincher's Seven Film Analysis - Essay Example The essay will initially explain how Seven can be regarded as what Hardy (97, 301) describes as a ‘neo-noir’ film, whilst also fitting into the New-brutality film category, in order to present a chronological narrative structure. It will then go on to discuss aspects of narrative which bridge these two categories and examine the narrative structure the film follows. Finally, it will focus on the neo-noir protagonist and demonstrate how characterization in the film draws heavily from this genre. There is a close and very important relationship between narrative, characterization, and mise-en-scene in any film. As Bordwell & Thompson (02, 75) explain ‘we should strive to make our interpretations precise by seeing how each films thematic meanings are suggested by the films total system. In a film, both explicit and implicit meanings depend closely on the relations between narrative and style’. It is, therefore, only when the film is taken as a whole that its fu ll array of meanings emerges. Gilles Deleuze argues that the classic Hollywood film is hallmarked by ‘action-images’. These action-images are, as he explains ‘the relation between [milieux and modes of behavior] and all the varieties of this relation. It is this model which produced the universal triumph of the American cinema.’ (Deleuze, 86, 141) In Deleuze’s definition of a standard Hollywood film, the character is acted upon by the milieu or the circumstances in which he finds himself. He is presented with a situation to which he reacts in order to modify the milieu or his relationship to it. He must, therefore, find what Deleuze (86,141) describes as a ‘new way of being’ or alternatively adopt his current way of being to meet the demands of the situation with which he is presented.  

Strategic Management Essay Example for Free

Strategic Management Essay Introduction For a company to succeed in its businesses, strategic management must be its main agenda. Managing multinational companies can be a hectic job and can end up in disarray if not well structured. Strategic management is based on a company’s top brass of management. The top management of the company is always at the center of decision making process on behalf the real owners of the company. This set up is in charge of mobilizing resources and structuring the company to match the external business environments. Formulating policies, planning and setting of objectives is the management’s concerns. Strategic management also deals with the achievement of the company’s vision through fast tracking the mission, programs and projects. In strategic management, there is a deliberate effort by the management to strike a scorecard that is balanced through evaluating the general performance of the business and the steps toward the achievement of the business’ set objective. Strategy in any business or company is in line with the expectations of all the stake holders of the business and must be based on the stakeholders’ objectives. Most multinational companies that have managed to be main players in the global business market have history of effective strategic management measures and settings. Such companies include the Coca-Cola Company, the Toyota Company, and the Hyundai Company among other multinational companies. Strategic management is the backbone of a successful multinational company or global business. Witcher Chau (2010) Background study For any company or business to be competitive in the market, there must be a high level and a well coordinated strategy management which is the fundamental aspect of tactics and goal setting. Strategic management is always vital in offering the direction to the business and its ultimate success. In business administration, strategic management and strategic consistency between the business and its environment needs to be struck. In various companies, strategic management is always undertaken by a management team which is mostly comprised of a Board of Directors among other stakeholders. Amason (2010) Different companies employ different strategic management approaches in trying to stay competitive in the business environment. The management boards in different companies apply different processes of evaluation and controlling the businesses and the various industries that are involved with the company. This is the case in two leading automobile companies, the Toyota and Hyundai companies. In assessing their competitors’ strategies, the two companies use various strategy management processes. Despite executing different strategic management forms, both companies consider basic factors in strategically managing their businesses. Such include the size of the organization and the need to adapt to the changes of the business environment. In order to achieve the objectives of any company, there are various aspects and concepts that need to be explored. A strategic management which is more structured may be employed in consideration to the size of the company, operations, requirements and the views of the stakeholders. Strategic management plays a very important role in shaping the way a business is run or the success and achievements of a company. Nevertheless, strategic management is always tied to the goals, vision, mission and the objectives of the company. In managing a company, the management board or team do work towards the views and expectations of the owners of the company or business. Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson (2009) Toyota Motor Corporation The Toyota Motor Corporation is based at Toyota at Aichi in Japan. The multinational company is an automaker with a large employee base of over 400000 employees with the largest manufacturing capacity of automobiles and specifically the famous vehicle brand ‘Toyota’. It terms of world revenue, the Toyota Company sits at the eleventh position and had manufactured an estimated 200 million vehicles in July 2012. Founded in 1937 as a family company by Kiichiro Toyoda, the company has been keen to strategically manage its businesses. The Toyota Company has had a choice of leadership that has embraced the benchmark of quality, perfect practices and corporate responsibility in the wake of stiff competition and technological advancement in the global market. Borowski (2010). The strategies of the company have been deeply rooted in principles that have continued to improve the respect for people, their strategy framework as been gearing towards waste cutting, positive attitude building and maximum utilization of the inherent talents of the workers. The Toyota Company has managed to create an impression of social responsibility in the global market. The company has exploited a number of strategies with a view of being the best company in terms of product quality and service provision vis-a-vis matching growing customers’ needs and technological advancement. The management board of the Toyota Company has been vigil to clinch any opportunity in developing and growing the company’s worth, a strategy that has gone a notch higher to see the company explore options of developing hybrid cars among other market strategies. The underlying strategy of the Toyota Company is rooted in rewarding merit and identifying faults in an attempt to perfect the product and service delivery. Through this basic strategy, the Toyota Company has managed to propel its influence and achieve an extensive customer base. Magee (2008). Strategy and management The success of the Toyota Company is attributed to its strategic management formula that has made them to remain competitive in the automobile market while maintaining the quality and efficiency of their products. The philosophy of management at Toyota Company has continued to evolve over a long period of time. This management philosophy has been built on the original value of the company which was centered on ‘Lean manufacturing and the concept of production in time. These two concepts have been vital in the development and growth of the company. The Toyota Company strives to produce designs of cars that are exclusively ideal and perfect. In its lean manufacturing policy, the company aims at achieving a customer ideal production which will eventually cumulate to customer satisfaction. In this quest, the Toyota Company has been producing different models of cars in order to meet the demands, taste and different preferences of its customers. Hino (2006). This has enabled the company to remain competitive and to have a wider market area. The business strategies and managerial values have been collectively convened into a single structure referred to as the ‘Toyota Way’. a. The ‘Toyota Way† The ‘Toyota Way’ was one of the strategies that the Toyota Company adopted in order to help them stay ahead in the automobile industry. It is a set of values guidelines of conducts that all the employees at Toyota are expected to embrace. The strategy had two main pillars; Continuous improvement and Respect for People. Liker Jeffrey (2011). All the conduct guidelines and values of the Toyota Company are summarized into major principles of embracing challenge, striving to improve their services and products, respect to customers, teamwork and a ‘go and see’ slogan. This is a strategy that the company has employed to ensure that the employees not deviate from the main objectives of the company thus enhancing success in business thus working as a driving force towards an achievement. Liker (2003). The strategy has also aided the formation of identity and has kept the spirit of quality and service which has helped the company to be outstanding among other automobile manufacturers. Alongside the Toyota Way are four other components that complement the strategy. These components include management decisions that are based on long term deliberations and a comprehensive problem solving process. Further, the aspect of focusing on the development of the people has added a lot of value to the organization. Consequently, the Toyota Company has embraced the art of organizational learning through solving the root problems continuously in the organization. Ono (1988) b. Worldwide establishment The Toyota Company has used a world presence strategy that has made them be a common household name in terms of automobile development. Through intensive marketing and strategic management, the company has expanded tremendously thus establishing factories in a majority areas in the world that deal with assembling and manufacturing of different types of vehicles. The Company has set branch factories in countries like South Africa, Turkey, Japan, India, The United States of America, Brazil, France, the United Kingdom, and Columbia and has recently established factories in Thailand, Mexico, Malaysia, Argentina, Pakistan, Vietnam, Russia, Egypt and Mexico. In this manner, the company has been able to meet the rising demand for automobiles and have provides a large variety of automobiles thus giving the customers the large variety to choose from. This is a strategy that has ensured that the products of Toyota Company are accessed by most people around the globe. The strategy of worldwide establishment does make a company to be widely known and become easier to be identified with. c. Electric technology Strategic management is all about exploring the possible options that can assist a company to be elevated above its competitors. This means that every implemented strategy needs to be suitable to effectively achieve the mission, feasible to ensure that it is applicable and that the strategy is accepted by the stakeholders. The management team at Toyota Company has explored the application of electric technology which is feasible, acceptable and suitable. In this respect, the Toyota Company has gone a long way in releasing hybrid electric vehicles into the automobile market. It has been the first company to introduce and sell hybrid electric vehicles, thus shaping the face of the automobile industry. In 1997, the company introduced the Toyota Prius and started producing vehicles that were smaller but maintaining the luxurious touch. Such cars like Lexus and Camry were received into the automobile industry with excitement, a sign of an effective strategic management implementation. Anderson Judy Anderson (2010). In 2012 October, the Toyota Prius became the hybrid car that was best sold in the whole world and this earned the Toyota Company about 2. 8 million units. This high sale was replicated in most parts of the world. Later in 2012 October, the company was the first to manufacture a passenger car that was hybrid and a motor vehicle hybrid that was one plug in model. This model was availed to around 80 regions and countries worldwide. The company has an aim of achieving the launch of a 20 hybrid vehicles models at the end the year 2015. Hyundai Motor Company. The Hyundai Motor Company has been a main player in the motor industry just like the Toyota Company. It is a multinational automotive company with it’s headquartering in South Korea in Seoul. Founded in 1967, Hyundai is ranked the forth in terms of automobile manufacturing having sold about 3. 6 million vehicles in the year 2010. Hyundai is the largest automobile company that is integrated with an employee base of around 75000 people working in the factories worldwide. Hyundai Company has applied strategic management in its success story. The company has set up 6 development and research centers across the world. The company has also an established center in California for designing automobiles specifically for the markets in the United States of America. Hyundai Company has applied various forms of strategy to remain equally competitive. The Hyundai Company has been able to establish a system of quality management which has gone forth to help the company achieve the status of a major player in automobile industries and machineries globally. In this sense, the company has realized a top class service provider status. Lansbury, Chung , Sok Suh, Kwon Ho Kwon (2007) a. Product development. Hyundai has strived to improve the quality levels of their products through application of unique procedures. The company has applied pilot production vis-a-vis researching by center engineers in an aim to meet the desired levels of production. The pilot production is a strategy that Hyundai Company used to avoid problems during the production of automobiles in mass. Through the large pilot plants, Hyundai Company is able to ensure there is quality in the production of its models. The company is also striving towards achieving a perfect product quality in order to be at the helm of profit making. Henry (2008) b. Outsourcing Outsourcing has been part of Hyundai’s strategy to maintain the quality of products they offer. This is a strategy that amalgamates various parts manufacturers who manufacture specific automobile parts before the parts are assembled by Hyundai to form complete automobiles. This strategy contravenes the Toyota policy whereby the manufacturing of the automobiles is done wholesomely by the company. The Hyundai Company outsources companies which make parts. The outsourced parts are sub-assembled into some modules which are further assembled into final automobiles. This strategic management aspect has made the Hyundai Motors Company to save a lot in terms of profits. Through outsourcing, the company has been able to shift its concentration more on marketing and product development and not to worry about the production of parts. This aspect of the Hyundai production model has been advantageous to the company as it accumulates more resources and channels them towards marketing and improving on its products. c. Advanced philosophy and Quality innovations strategies The achievements made by the Hyundai Motors have been as a result of quality innovations. The company, through strategic management organs, has weathered the challenges of hostile and competitive business environment through application of innovation. There has been an increase in customer satisfaction which has proved that the Hyundai Company has the ability to marshal massive shares in the market. As a result of aggressive and intensive innovations, Hyundai has come up with vehicles which meet the customers’ demands, wishes and comfort. This has been in line with the achievement of the company’s objective of meeting customer satisfaction and bringing ultimate elegance, enjoyment and creating confidence in its customers. The style and luxury that is aimed at by the Hyundai Company is thereby achieved. This strategy has ensured that Hyundai Company stands out in terms of class and design, making its products popular among people worldwide. Despite the growing fierce competition in the automobiles industry, Hyundai Company has managed to stay at the top in terms of quality and market base as a result of its management philosophy which is advanced. Its strategy has ensured that there is a clear cut for the future of the Company not leaving the customers behind. Hyundai’s philosophy has seen an increased favor among the customers due to its striving to make products of good quality and its main goal of laying emphasis on the satisfaction and efficiency of its products to the customers. Hyundai has continued to be a global brand name in automobiles. This has been boosted by the fact that the company has been creating an impression of fairness and transparency in terms of the acceptable and expected business ethics. d. Expansion of production Hyundai Company has employed the strategy of market expansion as a way to ensure it achieves its main objectives. It has increased the shares of its export in the market internationally and domestically. During the economic recession in the year 2009, Hyundai still managed to export 1. 3 million vehicles amidst a production capacity of 1. 6 million units. This strategy ensured that the company stayed at the top of automobile manufacturing and assembly industries when other players were diversely affected by the recession. Its marketing strategy and management strategy strength is further exhibited in the company’s success in increasing its market shares in the United States of America. This has gone a long way in improving on the quality of the company’s products. Hyundai has also extended its competitiveness in engaging in overseas businesses since the late 1990s. It has established its products in Alabama, Montgomery among other areas. In North America, Hyundai’s plant was ranked second in the level of productivity. e. Electric vehicles Just like the Toyota Company, the Hyundai Motor Company has embraced the use of electricity in the manufacture of vehicles. The company has introduced a hybrid electric automobile to match the increasing technological advancement. In 2008 November, the company introduced the first electric car which was facilitated by the technology of lithium polymer battery. In applying the electricity technology, Hyundai Company aimed at achieving sophistication, style and class in order to remain as competitive as possible. Chris, Masrur, Gao (2011). The strategy of applying electricity technology has ensured that the company has been at par with the other automobile producers to ensure that it does not lose its grip on the top spot in the global business. Society of Automotive Engineers (2000). Conclusion. Strategic management has been the center of interest for both the Toyota and Hyundai automobiles companies. Both have gone out of their way to establish global markets and have embraced the use of electricity in automobile development. Toyota Company manufactures its own vehicles from scratch while the Hyundai Company opts to outsource for parts manufacturers in order to reduce the costs incurred. The role of strategic management is evident in the two automobiles companies as both do have a team or a board of managers that is always tasked with the responsibility of formulating policies to help the company grow to transcendent heights. The board reviewing possible strategies in the companies does work towards actualizing the aims and objectives of the companies. The owners’ wishes can never be ignored in the strategic management process. References Allen C. Amason (2010). Strategic Management: From Theory to Practice. NY: Taylor Francis. Anthony Henry (2008). Understanding Strategic Management. NY. Oxford University Press. Arkadi Borowski (2010). Report on the Toyota Company. UK: GRIN Verlag. Barry J. Witcher, Vinh Sum Chau (2010). Strategic Management: Principles and Practice. UK: Cengage Learning EMEA. Chris Mi, M. Abul Masrur, David Wenzhong Gao (2011). Hybrid Electric Vehicles: Principles and Applications with Practical Perspectives. UK: John Wiley and Sons. Curtis Darrel Anderson, Judy Anderson (2010). Electric and Hybrid Cars: A History. UK: McFarland. David Magee (2008). How Toyota Became #1: Leadership Lessons from the Worlds Greatest Car Company. UK: Penguin Group. Jeffrey Liker (2003). The Toyota Way: 14 Management Principles from the Worlds Greatest Manufacturer. McGraw Hill Professional. Liker, Jeffrey (2011). The Toyota Way: Management Principles and Field book (eBook). NY: McGraw-Hill Professional. Michael A. Hitt, R. Duane Ireland, Robert E. Hoskisson (2009). Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalization: Cases. Canada: Cengage Learning. Russell D. Lansbury, Chung-sok So, Chung-Sok Suh, Sung-ho Kwon, Seung-Ho Kwon (2007). The Global Korean Motor Industry: The Hyundai Motor Companys Global Strategy. Seoul. Taylor Francis Satoshi Hino. (2006). Inside the Mind of Toyota: Management Principles for Enduring Growth. Productivity Press. Society of Automotive Engineers (2000). Hybrid electric vehicles. Society of Automotive Engineers. Nov 1. Taiichi Ono (1988). Toyota Production System: Beyond Large-Scale Production. Tokyo: Productivity Press.

Analysis of Lease Accounting Standards

Analysis of Lease Accounting Standards Abstract The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) are reviewing their guidelines on lease accounting this year. This paper provides background information on the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), FASB and IASB including what their role is in accounting. It details the history of lease accounting for them, changes that have occurred since the original guidelines were issued, and why the FASB and IASB are looking to update the current standards. History and Future of Lease Accounting for Leases The history of lease accounting provides numerous changes to the standards. FASB 13 is the last major change that has been made and that was 30 years ago. The financial community describes the changes that could arise from the FASB and IASB as an effort to bring transparency to company balance sheets. This is a continuing reaction to Enron and certain happenings earlier in the decade that brought off-balance sheet items to the forefront. There is a lot of focus on off-balance sheet obligations now. Users of financial statements depend on the statements to provide important information about a companys performance, financial condition, and the cash flow. Financial statement users include bankers deciding whether to lend money or renew a loan to a company, suppliers deciding to extend you credit. â€Å"The FASB and IASBs conceptual framework objective is to provide a common framework that provides useful and complete accounting information† (Monson, 2001). Standard Setting Bodies Security and Exchange Commission The Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) was established in 1933 after the Crash of 1930. Prior to this time there, no standard setting body existed. Even after its formation, the SEC encouraged the private sector to set them. In 1934, the SEC received the authority to establish financial accounting and reporting for publicly held companies. Committee on Accounting Procedures In 1939, the SEC suggested that the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) create a formal standard setting body. The AICPA established the Committee on Accounting Procedures (CAP). During its reign from 1939 to 1959, they issued 51 Accounting Research Bulletins. CAP was not as successful as had been hoped. CAP only issued standards on problems as they occurred. These standards are known as Accounting Research Bulletins or ARBs. Accounting Principles Board The Committee on Accounting Procedures was replaced with the Accounting Principles Board (APB) in 1959. They issued 31 opinions and 4 statements over the next 14 years. They are credited with the development of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) from the opinions and statements they issued. Financial Accounting Standards Board The APB was replaced by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), which was formed in 1973. FASB is an independent board with full-time members who no longer work in private firms or their employers. FASB establishes standards for businesses in the private sector. As part of the FASB mission statement it states that, â€Å"standards are essential to the efficient functioning of the economy because investors, creditors, auditors, and others rely on credible, transparent, and comparable information† (Financial, 2007.). In Facts about FASB (2007), the FASB seeks to accomplish their mission by acting to keep standards current to reflect any changes in methods of doing business, to improve the usefulness of financial reporting by focusing on relevance, reliability, comparability, and consistency, and to promote the international convergence of accounting standards. International Accounting Standards Board The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) established in 2001 is based in London. It succeeded the International Accounting Standards Committee (IASC), which was founded in 1973. The IASB develops a solitary set of global accounting standards that provide transparent and comparable information in financial statements. The IASB works with national accounting standards bodies to accomplish a united set of accounting standards to be used around the world. Original Standards for Leases ARB 43, Chapter 14 In 1949, the Committee on Accounting Procedures issued ARB 43, Restatement and Revision of Accounting Research Bulletins, Chapter 14 Disclosure of Long-Term Leases in Financial Statements of Lessees. ARB 43, Chapter 14 only provides guidance for leasing land and buildings. ARB 43 (1953) requires that the lessee assumes all the expenses and obligations of ownership, such as taxes, insurance, and repairs. These types of arrangements differed from conventional long-term leases but the principles of disclosure were intended to be applied to both types of arrangements. The disclosures that need to be reported included the amount of annual rent to be paid, the period for which the payments are payable. The disclosure is to be reported for the life of the lease not just the first year. In the first year of the lease, the disclosure needs to detail the transaction (FASB, 1953). APB Opinion No. 5 The Accounting Principles Board issued Opinion No. 5, Reporting of Leases in Financial Statements of Lessees in September 1964 and supercedes ARB 43, Chapter 14. Since ARB 43 had been issued, leases had been disclosed on financial statements but not in a consistent manner. The information disclosed was often not enough for investors to get a clear picture of a companys financial position. According to APB Opinion No. 5 (1967), there had been very few instances of capitalization of leased property and recognition of the related obligation. In Accounting Principles Boards Opinion No. 5, rental (lease) payments for services, property taxes, utilities, maintenance, etc. are to be treated as an expense. Having the right to use property and paying a specific rental amount over a period are not considered an asset or liability. An operating lease should disclose relevant information about the lease or rental agreement and the information disclosed will vary from one situation to another. Lessees were to disclose the minimum annual payments and length of time at the least. The maximum they should disclose was the type of property leased, the obligation assumed, requirements of the lease. APB No. 5 (1967) states a capitalized lease may require a note or schedule to disclose the details of the lease agreement. Lease arrangements that are similar to an installment purchase should be listed on the balance sheet and depreciated accordingly. For a lease agreement to be capitalized there should be material equity in the purchase. IAS 17 The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) issued IAS 17, Accounting for Leases, in September 1982. A lease is classified either as a finance lease or an operating lease. A finance lease is classified as such â€Å"if it transfers substantially all the risks and rewards† (International, 2003) to the lessee. Leases are classified as an operating lease if they do not meet the criteria of a finance lease. The following situations would lead a lease to be classified as a finance lease: Transfer of ownership of the asset to the lessee at the end of the lease The lessee has the option to purchase the asset at an amount that is sufficiently lower than the fair value The lease term is for most of the assets life At the beginning of the lease, the present value of the minimum lease payments is equal to the fair value of the asset. (International, 2003) IAS 17 (2003) requires that the following accounting principles be applied to finance leases. The finance lease should be recorded as an asset and a liability, lease payments should be distributed between finance charges or interest expense and the principle amount of the liability, and depreciation should be calculated using the same method as that of the companies owned assets. The International Accounting Standards Board (2003) defines the disclosure requirements lessees of finance leases must follow. Lessees of finance leases disclose the carrying amount of the asset, reconciliation between total minimum lease payments and the present value, amounts of minimum lease payments as of the balance sheet date, and the present value for the next years, years 2 through 5 combined, and beyond 5 years and a general description of the lease arrangement. In section 35 of IAS 17, the International Accounting Standards Board (2003) provides disclosure details for lessees of operating leases. Lessees must recognize lease payments as an expense on the income statement. They should provide in the financial statement disclosure a description of the lease arrangement, including any provisions, whether there is a purchase option, and any restrictions that are imposed. Also, lease payments as of the financial statement date for the next year, years 2 through 5 combined, and beyond 5 years. Changes to Original Standards APB Opinion No. 31 The Accounting Principles Board issued Opinion No. 31, Disclosure of Lease Commitments by Lessees, on June 1972 with an effective date of January 1, 1974. Opinion No. 31 was developed because investors, grantors, and users of financial statements acknowledged that at the time the disclosures did not provide all the information they deemed important. The APB issued it to clarify and now require the disclosure requirements of APB Opinion No. 5. The Board did not want to establish any disclosure requirements because the FASB had placed leases as a subject on its agenda at the time this was issued. The Board was hesitant because they did not want to bias the decision. The Board reworded its requirements for the disclosures of operating leases. A lease that is for one year or more needs to provide the total rental expense. The minimum rental payments should be disclosed for each of the five succeeding years, each of the next three to five year periods, and the remainder should be listed as a single amount. Additional disclosures that should be included are whether the payments are dependent upon any factors other than time, if so what is the basis for calculating the payments, is there a purchase or renewal option, and any restrictions. (FASB, 1973) FAS 13 In November 1976, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued FAS 13, Accounting for Leases. The issuance was to provide detailed criteria that other statements had supplied for classifying leases that would prevent many different interpretations. This statement superseded APB Opinion No. 5, Reporting of Leases in Financial Statements of Lessees and APB Opinion No. 7, Reporting of Leases in Financial Statements for Lessors. FAS 13 established standards of financial reporting for both lessees and lessors. The standard provided a definition of leases, how leases should be classified, and what needed to be disclosed. The Financial Accounting Standards Board (1976) defined a lease as â€Å"an agreement conveying the right to use property, plant, or equipment usually for a stated period of time†. This definition includes agreements that although may not be identified as a lease but falls under the definition. FAS 13 (1976) states that a lease is classified either as an operating lease or as a capital lease. Capital leases meet one or more of the criteria FASB established for a capital lease. The criteria for classifying leases as a capital lease are: The lease transfers ownership of the asset at the end of the lease term. The lease contains a bargain purchase option The lease is longer than 75% of the products economic life The present value of the lease is more than 90% of the asset value using the lessees incremental borrowing rate. (FASB, 1976) FAS 13 provided the following accounting principles that are applied when it is determined that a lessee is involved in a capital lease. The lessee records a capital lease as an asset and liability for the amount equal to the value of the lease payments. If the lease has a bargain purchase option or if the property transfers ownership at the end of the lease term, the asset is depreciated according to the lessees normal depreciation for owned assets. If the lease does not contain a bargain purchase option or if the property does not transfer ownership at the end of the lease, the asset is depreciated for the life of the lease. Leases that do not meet the criteria of a capital lease are classified as an operational lease and are treated as an expense for the term of the lease on the income statement. (FASB, 1976) Capital leases should disclose the gross amount of the asset and the future minimum lease payments. Operating leases should disclose the future minimum rental payment required, a general description of the terms of the lease agreement to include how the rental payments are determined, terms of renewal or purchase option, any restrictions that may apply. FASB and IASB to Update Lease Standards In July 2006, the FASB and IASB announced that it had added a leasing project to its agenda to reconsider all aspects of lease accounting. One reason for the project is to harmonize lease accounting standards with the IASB. â€Å" The IASB and FASB currently have substantial differences in their treatment of leases; particularly notable is that the â€Å"bright line† tests of FAS 13 (whether the lease term is 75% or more of the economic life, and whether the present value of the rents is 90% or more of the fair value) are not used by the IASB, which prefers a â€Å"facts and circumstances† approach that entails more judgment calls† (Open, 2006). Both the FASB and IASB have the finance and operating lease concept. However, their criteria are different for classification. Another reason is a request from investors and other authoritative bodies who have been criticizing that similar lease transactions were still being accounted for in different ways. In the SECs 2005 report in response to Sarbanes-Oxley the SEC stated that too many leases were being kept off the balance sheet. â€Å"The commissions staff estimated that the standards allow publicly traded companies to keep an undiscounted $1.25 trillion in future cash obligations off their balance sheet† (Leone, 2006). Therefore, the current accounting standards are failing to provide the necessary complete and transparent information. FASB and IASB hope to have an exposure draft available in 2009. Solutions There are two solutions to the lease problem. The FASB and IASB can either recommend leases to be reporting on a companys income statement only as an expense or on a companys balance sheet only as an asset and liability. Income Statement Only Using the income statement only solution, companies would report their leases as operating lease. An operating lease recognizes the lessees payments as rent expense or lease expense on the income statement. Balance Sheet Only Using the balance sheet only solution, companies report their leases on the balance sheet as an asset and liability. It will also allow for depreciation and interest expense on the income statement. Capitalization of all leases will bring previously unreported assets and liabilities onto the balance sheet Analysis When companies lease an asset, the way it is accounted for depends on whether it is categorized as an operating or capital lease. How a lease is categorized may be different for tax purposes then for accounting purposes. The GAAP standards and Internal Revenue Service can have different sets of criteria. According to IRS Revenue Ruling 55-540 the IRS is wary of lease arrangements used to accelerate depreciation deductions. The IRS has no general rule for leases and each case is decided on an individual basis. However, from decisions previous made the following factors indicate a sale instead of a lease. If the asset meets one or more of the factors, it is considered a sale NOT a lease. A portion of the payments are specifically allocated as interest or it is obvious that is what is intended. The title is transferred at the end of the â€Å"rental† term. The lessee may purchase the asset at the end of the lease term for a bargain purchase price. When a lease qualifies as an operating lease, there are major consequences for the net income or loss and the return ratios of that company. In general, both the operating and net income of the firm will be decreased and the assets and liabilities for the firm will be understated. Debt management ratios are important to creditors and stockholders. Creditors want to make sure funds are available to pay interest and principal and are therefore particularly interested in short-run coverage ratios. Stockholders are concerned about the impact of excessive debt and interest on long-term profitability. Lenders and investors use such ratios as debt to equity, current ratios, and return on assets to evaluate the credit risk of current or prospective businesses. Ratios are used to measure the effectiveness that a company uses its assets and to compare a companys current performance. As shown below in the comparison of ratios in an operating or capitalized lease, the financial ratios can be misleading just by reporting leases off the balance sheet. By reporting the lease of ABC Restaurant, Inc. (Figures 1-4) as an operating lease or ABC Restaurant, Inc. (Figures 5-8) as a capitalized lease, the companys financial statements are affected. The financial statements of both are identical except for the accounts that were affected by the relative lease. The financial statements are not as accurate as investors and lenders are demanding. The current ratio is a quick indication of whether or not the company will have the means to pay its bills during the next year. It is clear to remain solvent, a company must have at least as much money coming in as it has going out. The current ratio is .31 for the operating lease and .30 for the capitalized lease. A current ratio over 1.5 to 2.0 is generally required for comfort. The debt ratio for the operating lease is 1.68%. In comparison, the debt ratio for the capitalized lease is 1.64%. A high debt ratio is generally viewed as risky by lenders and investors. The debt to equity ratio equals -1.32 and their return on assets is 38.45%. In relation to the capitalized lease which had a debt to equity ratio of -1.40 and their return on assets is 34.05%. The effect of a capital lease on net income is different then that of an operating lease because capital leases are treated the same as if assets are bought by the company. The company is allowed to claim depreciation on the asset and the interest payments on the lease are a tax deductions. By reporting assets on the balance sheet, this provides an increased level of information to lenders. This is especially useful to lenders of non public business or the small (S Corporations) who elect to omit disclosures on the financial statements. When a company does this those who review their financial statements will be misled because there will be no evidence of a lease existing. The payments will be accounted for on the income statement as rent expense or lease expense. Thereby, reducing the net income of those companies income statements. The AICPA issues Statements on Standards for Accounting and Review Services. The FASB issues standards for the public. The process for both the AICPA and the FASB starts with deliberations that are open to the public; the proposed Statements are then issued as Exposure Drafts, which allows the public to comment on them prior to the final pronouncement issued. Many accountants issued their opinions on what they feel should be done about this 30-year-old standard. Conclusion Currently, the lease standards are outdated. â€Å"Lease arrangements have evolved considerably over the past 30 years and the standards are outdated† (Miller, 12). FAS 13 was suppose to force leases to be capitalized but it did nothing but help lease companies create more cunning operating leases. The misclassification of leases affects not only the balance sheet but also the income statement and cash flow statement.

Eveline, Dubliners and James Joyce :: Joyce Dubliners Essays

Eveline, Dubliners and James Joyce    "Eveline" is the story of a young teenager facing a dilemma where she has to choose between living with her father or escaping with Frank, a sailor which she has been courting for some time. The story is one of fifteen stories written by James Joyce in a collection called "Dubliners". These stories follow a certain pattern that Joyce uses to express his ideas: "Joyce's focus in Dubliners is almost exclusively on the middle-class Catholics known to himself and his family"(the Gale Group). Joyce's early life, family background, and his catholic background appear in the way he writes these stories. "Where Joyce usually relates his stories to events in his life, there are some stories which are actually events that took place in his life" (Joyce, Stanislaus). James Joyce in his letter to Grant Richard writes:    My intention was to write a chapter of the moral history of my country and I chose Dublin for the scene because that city seemed to me the center of paralysis. I tried to present it to the indifferent public under four of these aspects: childhood, adolescence, maturity and public life. The stories are arranged in this order. (5 May 1906; Selected letters). (Ingersoll)    In the story, Eveline's family is described poor, and they probably don't live a very comfortable life. The dust and Eveline's struggle for money mentioned in the story all go to explain the misery in their life: "Besides, the invariable squabble for money on Saturday nights had begun to weary her unspeakably"(Joyce5). This misery also appears in other stories by Joyce like 'The Sisters' and 'Araby'. Joyce could have related his childhood days when his family was in some financial crises to the family background of Eveline in the story: "but the [Joyce's] family fortunes took a sharp turn for the worse during Joyce's childhood" (Gale Group). From the story, we are told that it is from this misery, and her father's attitude that Eveline decides she would leave home, although, she does not leave at the end of the story. Joyce could have been writing about the urge the had to leave Dublin during his youth because he: "[cites] the city of Dublin as the center of paralysis" (t he Gale Group).

Growth in William Faulkner’s Barn Burning and James Baldwin’s Sonny’s B

Growth in William Faulkner’s â€Å"Barn Burning† and James Baldwin’s â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† The word family evokes an image of trust and a bond of loyalty. In William Faulkner’s â€Å"Barn Burning† and James Baldwin’s â€Å"Sonny’s Blues†, the main characters in both these stories demonstrate the idea of family loyalty in several ways. While they continue to express the values of family loyalty, the main characters have to overcome several obstacles. Searching for ways to communicate effectively with their families and maintaining their changing identities trap the characters. In â€Å"Barn Burning†, Sarty is conflicted with being loyal to his family and being loyal to himself and in â€Å"Sonny’s Blues†, the brother has to deal with being loyal to Sonny’s values. During this process, it changes their character and forces them to change and learn about themselves. In â€Å"Barn Burning†, Sarty is emotionally torn by two personalities, one being loyal to his Father, and the other is being loyal to society because in his mind, he knows he’s doing the right thing. But in the beginning of the story, Sarty’s personality starts to pull when the Justice of the Peace is questioning him. Sarty has the need to tell the truth yet with his Father’s dominating presence there, he cannot do it. â€Å"He aims for me to lie, he thought again with that frantic grief and despair,† (p.398). In one sentence, there is an instant clear meaning that Sarty is distraught in making decisions having to involve his Father. In this moment though, he also feels his Father’s emotions penetrating right into his body through his Father, â€Å"did not even look at him† (p.398). Sarty’s sense of loyalty sides strongly with family due to the fact of how he was raised. The time period in which the stor... ...nally figured out what Sonny’s dream was when he saw him play his music and the joy that Sonny felt, he felt it too and understood music is Sonny’s way of living, his life unleashed through music. Even though both stories tell a different tale, this quote applies to the brother and Sarty because they both had to rely on their self-intuition to help them understand the ordeals they went through to reach a final decision. â€Å"Freedom lurked around us and I understood, at last, that he could help us to be free if we would listen†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (P.216) Works Cited Baldwin, James. "Sonny's Blues." Literature: An Introduction to Fiction Poetry, and Drama. 7th edition. Ed. X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. New York: Longman, 1999. 272-295. Faulkner, William. "Barn Burning." The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter. 3th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998. 1554-66.

Mobile Maintenance Management Essay -- condition monitoring, mobile com

Since the early 2000s the manufacturing industry has trended towards employing preventive maintenance methodologies in production areas in order to maintain a competitive advantage. Industries have used a process called â€Å"condition monitoring† to identify critical equipment parameters such as temperature, vibration and visual inspection characteristics such as leaks and abnormal noise to predict and prevent mechanical failure. This process moves the concept of maintenance away from a tactic of â€Å"fail and fix† to an optimal approach of â€Å"predict and prevent†. This approach "saves time, money and resources" by providing companies with a conditioned-based status of critical operational equipment, and thus promotes optimal repair, downtime and shut-down planning. To accurately capture condition-based equipment information, a data asset collection system is used. This system usually consists of a front-end mobile device such as a handheld and a back-end data storage system: i.e. SQL database server. Due to the hazardous environments present in many operational areas of manufacturing plants, the handheld devices used by field operators to capture data have to be intrinsically sealed to prevent explosions. This intrinsically safe characteristic is referred to in industry as â€Å"Class I Division(Div.) 1† and until recently was limited to rugged smaller handheld type devices. Within the past year, manufacturers in the oil industry have developed and certified intrinsically safe covers for both android and iPad tablets. This development has opened a new avenue for condition-monitoring data collection with tablets, which provide several advantages over the typically lower performing handhelds. These advantages include a larger scree... ... IOS and Android platforms. These resolutions will result in the widespread use of tablets in hazardous industry areas. Works Cited A. Arnaiz, C. Emmanouilidis, B. Iung and E. Jantunen. Mobile maintenance management. Journal of International Technology and Information Management 15(4), pp. 11. 2006. Available: https://login.ezproxy.etsu.edu:3443/login?url= http://search.proquest.com/docview/205859467?accountid=10771. Joà «lle Courrech, and Ronald L. Eshleman. "Condition monitoring of machinery." Shock and Vibration Handbook. McGraw-Hill (1995). C. Emmanouilidis, S. Katsikas and C. Giordamlis. Wireless condition monitoring and maintenance management: A review and a novel application development platform. Presented at Proceedings of the 3rd World Congress on Engineering Asset Management and Intelligent Maintenance Systems Conference (WCEAM-IMS 2008). 2008,.

Thematic Essay on Diary of Anne Frank

The Diary of A Young Girl, written over a two-year period, tells about the life of a young girl named Anne Frank who is also the author, while she and her family are in hiding in Holland. They are staying in a secret attic of the office building where Mr. Frank used to work in order to escape from the Nazis during World War II. During their stay in the annex, they are supported by several people in the office building, who risk their own lives to insure the secrecy of the Jewish hideout and to provide them with food and basic supplies. Throughout the time Anne spends hiding in the annex she develops maturity and gains respect from the people around her. I would say that the theme of this book is adolescence. I think the theme of this book is adolescence because Anne writes in her diary about how she has become more of a women since moving into the annex. She also develops adolescence by being able to see what she did not see in a person before. For example she is asked by Mrs. Van Daan if she could ever picture Peter as a brother, instantly she reacts with disgust like a child. Later on in the book though she begins to develop feelings for Peter, stronger than a brother. She begins to confide in him, and ask him questions about sex. She also writes her father a letter describing her feelings for Peter. Throughout the 2 years Anne spends hiding in the Annex her child self, develops into a mature being, but not yet an adult making the theme of this story adolescence. In The Diary of A Young Girl, Anne Frank, who is our author of the diary writes many entries describing the relationship between her and her Mother. She feels that she does not fit in with her mother, who she thinks is very sentimental. On a diary entry dated October 3, 1942 (page 51) Anne writes â€Å"I simply can’t stand mother, and I have to force myself not to snap at her all the time, and to stay calm, when I’d rather slap her across the face, I don’t love her, I can imagine mother dying some day. † This diary entry written by Anne clearly shows the strong dislike she had towards her mother. Because Anne is a child and not mature enough she feels that when her mother tells her she did not do something right, and to do it again, Anne takes it personal and gets very frustrated. Her mom constantly does this and it makes Anne furious causing her to hate her mother at an unbelievable level. Later on in Anne’s diary though the theme adolescence is developed when Anne reads through her diary and is shocked at how negatively she wrote of her mother in past entries. On Page 155 in her entry of December 24, 1943 she wrote â€Å"Do you know what I’ve come up with? In order to give me the feeling of calling my mother something that sounds like â€Å"Mom,† I often call her â€Å"Momsy. Sometimes I wish I could honor her by removing the â€Å"s. † In this entry it clearly shows us Anne has more respect towards her mother now and has matured significantly. She regrets all the horrible things she ever said about her mother, and is able to see that it was not her mother that was really the problem but her maturity, and she realizes this because of her adolescence. Anne thinks she has grown wiser since then and now understands her mother bette r. She sees herself as an adolescent now. Another way the theme is developed in this is story is how Anne’s feelings change towards Peter, a boy who is also staying in the annex with his family and the Frank family. In Anne’s diary she writes an entry on September 25, 1942 (page 40) describing Peter’s personality, â€Å"They asked me in a typically grown-up way whether I could ever learn to love peter like a brother, since he loves me like a sister. â€Å"Oh, no! † I said, but what I was thinking was, â€Å"Oh, ugh! † Just imagine! I added that Peter’s a bit stiff, perhaps because he’s shy. Boys who aren’t used to being around girls are like that. In this entry she writes about Peter in a childish way, she says with disgust that she could never see Peter as a brother, and of course she would say it that way because her personality and attitude is still like one of a child. The theme adolescence is developed because her feelings towards Peter change. Earlier in her diar y entries she wrote how Peter is nervous around girls because he is not used to being around them, and she goes on about how immature and foolish he is. But they soon begin to talk like adults and open up to each other. Anne soon then confides in him, and begins to see he is not who she thought he was. She is more mature around him, and treats him with great respect because she likes the personality she gets from him. She transitions from a child to a mature teenager, her maturity is greatly because of the time she spends with Peter. Anne’s adolescence is also due to appreciating what she has in life. In a diary entry on November 27, 1943 (page 149) Anne writes about a dream she has about an old school mate, Hanneli. She writes about the dream and how it akes her thankful for what she has. In the dream Anne pictures Hanneli dressed in rags, her face thin and, worn, and she is begging Anne to rescue her, in the dream Hanneli is at a concentration camp. In this dream Anne can not help Hanneli, she can only stand by and watch while other people suffer and die. Anne realizes that there are millions of Jews who do not have the advantages she has, she could be at a concentration camp starving and d oing hard labor work, or even dead. But instead she is safe and warm with her family, who she before could not get along with. Anne greatly matures after all of this, she is able to see that she was such a child before who thought greatly of herself. She hated doing work around the house, and complained constantly about her mother. But after this dream she knows that she should have worried about other things, like the war. Anne leaves her childish acts and complaints behind and becomes a mature young adult! The best theme for this book is clearly adolescence. A young girl hiding in an Annex writing in her diary for 2 years can definitely develop a sense of maturity even with no contact of the outside world what so ever. Just because Anne is stuck hiding in an Annex and not able to go outside, she has plenty to do, to pass the time. She writes her feelings and thoughts in her diary, and writes meaningful events that talk about her adolescence. Her adolescence is greatly due to her appreciating what she has in life, because it makes her realize that not everyone has the advantages she has and that her complaints and hate towards many things are things that are less to even think about, she should not think about herself too much. Also changing her thoughts and opinions develops her maturity as well. She does not get along well with her mother or Peter, but she soon is able to confide in them and love and appreciate them. I think that Anne’s adolescence throughout the book is a very good thing. She is still very young when she does mature, and not many people at that age have the maturity that she gains. I appreciate the fact that Anne is able to mend the relationship with her and her mother. I know how it feels to have someone constantly nag at you and it is very hard to forgive someone, and I respect and honor that Anne was able to love her mom in the end of it all. I think everyone has a little bit of Anne in them, people regret things they do and say in life, and although it is a mistake it helps them to look back and learn from it, and gain a sense of maturity. It is a very good thing, and although Anne did not survive the war we can all learn from this book and appreciate life as it is now!

Lymphatic system Essay

1.What is the significance of a lower-than-normal hematocrit? What is the effect of a bacterial infection on the hematocrit? A lower than normal hematocrit indicates anemia, a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells provide oxygen to the body tissues. If you have a bacterial infection, your white blood cell count would increase because as the wbc’s are fighting off the infection they die off releasing a chemical into the blood stream that tells your body to increase production of white blood cells. With a higher production of white blood cells the red blood cell production would slightly decrease which would decrease the ratio of rbc’s to whole blood volume. 2.Compare the development of lymphocytes with the development of the other formed elements. Lymphocytes have a lifetime measured in years most formed elements of the blood are continually dying and being replaced within hours, days, and weeks. 3.What is erythropoiesis? Which factors speed up and slow down erythropoiesis? Erythropoiesis is the production of red blood cells – Erythropoiesis is speeded up when oxygen delivery to the kidneys falls, and slows down when there is sufficient oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. 4.Explain what would happen if a person with type B blood were given a transfusion of type O blood. Nothing would happen. O type blood is universal and can be given to any blood type. 5.During an anatomy and physiology exam you are asked to view white blood cells in prepared slides of standard human blood smears. Based on the observations below, what is the name and function of each WBC? a) Lymphocyte – Major combatant in immune responses b) Basophil – Intensifies the inflammatory reaction, and is involved in hypersensitivity reactions. c) Monocyte – Phagocytosis and cell debris cleanup d) Neutrophil – Active in phagocytosis e) Eosinophil – Releases enzymes that combat the effects of histamine and other substances involved in inflammation during allergic reactions. They also phagocytize antigen-antibody complexes and are effective against  certain parasitic worms. 6.Why would the level of leukocytes be higher in an individual who has been infected with a parasitic disease? The presence of the parasitic microorganisms triggers an immune response in the body of the infected individual. The leukocytes are then produced in large amounts in order to protect the body. 7.In regions where malaria is endemic, some people build up immune resistance to the malaria pathogen. Which WBCs are responsible for the immune response against pathogens? How do they function? White blood cells or leukocytes are vital cells of the immune system protecting the human body against infections, bacteria, microbes, viruses and pathogens. These cells are produced in the stem of the bone marrow and are composed of granulocytes (neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils) and non-granulocytes (lymphocytes and monocytes). White blood cells act as the defending army of the human immune system providing a shield against several diseases and viruses. A genetically weak or defective immune system can lead to increased susceptibility to infection, allergies, and autoimmune diseases. 8.What is the function of prothrombinase and throbin in clotting? Explain how the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways of blood clotting differ. Prothrombinase coverts prothrobin into the enzyme thrombin and thrombin converts soluble fibrinogen into insoluble fibrin. The extrinsic pathway occurs very rapidly with a tissue protein leaking into the blood from damaged tissues outside the blood vessels; the intrinsic pathway is more complex, occurs more slowly, and its activators are either in direct contact with blood or contained within the blood.

Location: Bhogpur village, Dehra Dun district, India

Location: Bhogpur village, Dehra Dun district, India Introduction: The CAS project spanned two days in Bhogpur village. As a group of 32 students, we decided to combine creativity, action and service into one positive approach to work in the village in the short time we were there. Day 1 Total number of hours: 4 hours Total distance trekked: 4 km After lunch, our group decided that it was important for us to find out the problems of people in the area and to attempt to address them in whatever ways possible. To do this, it had been suggested that the group divided itself into pairs of two and went door to door in the village, interacting with the villagers. Although I believed that the idea was, on the whole, a positive one I was still apprehensive about the approach. Nevertheless, forcing myself to throw out any negativity, I decided to participate wholeheartedly in the interaction with the people of the village. Initially, my friend Shivaan and I had a hesitant start. I was extremely self-conscious and felt downright idiotic expecting unknown villagers to pour out their problems to strangers. But as we kept trekking through the village, I realized that the distance was merely in the head. The villagers ranged from old women to middle aged families and young adults. Some were very hesitant in talking to us but soon started interacting openly. Others were extremely vocal throughout. Shivaan and I noticed an underlying set of problems that pervaded the entire village. These included a water problem, an economic divide, gender issues, etc. I mulled over all these problems in vain. What was the solution that I could provide in a day, in a flourish to people who were far removed from who I was or where I lived? In the evening, my perception underwent a change. We decided to put up a program that would encompass two plays, a dance routine and a panel discussion. I was part of both the plays and enjoyed outlining the storylines and acting and directing at the same time. As we practiced, I thought about the initial negative attitude that I had had regarding the solutions we could provide to the villagers about the issues that they faced. Day 2 Total number of hours: 4 hours Total distance trekked: 2 km This was the day of the performance. Before an early breakfast, we moved to rehearse and have a run through of the entire performance one final time. Although there were occasional glitches, I managed to keep calm and be confident. We then trekked to the village area. After literally tugging villagers out of their homes to create an audience for our performance, we started. All four items were great successes. The smiles on the faces of the children and the curt nods between the adults said it all. Although it would have been far too optimistic to believe that we could make a huge difference in merely a day, I am sure that we did make a difference. We did ensure that the villagers realized what their problems were and also offered rudimentary, individualized solutions. With a smile on my own face, I realized that the entire effort resulted in success – we had, in some way or the other, managed to positively affect the villagers’ lives.

Does the nuclear family benefit the bourgoisie?

The nuclear family can be taken to be two parents and their children. Is the nuclear family primarily to benefit the powerful rather than society as a whole can be perceived to be true. This point of view is associated with Marxism and the powerful are the ruling class or bourgeoisie. They own the means of production such as land, factories, machines and so on. Marxism is based on an exploitative and unequal relationship between two classes. The proletariats who are the workers are the majority and this is were the family comes in. The family is controlled by those who control the economy and they control the family and manipulate the family into benefiting them. In any society the economic aspect (that is, the productive process involving the creation of goods and services for distribution and exchange) is always the most basic, fundamental and ultimately most significant aspect because it is only through economic activity that people can produce the things they need for their physical survival. Marxists tend to see institutions like the family in terms of what they do to support the overall structure of capitalist society, their function within the limit of a particular form of economic production. Unlike Functionalist sociology, Conflict sociology tends to view these functions from more than one angle (for example, the family as an institution may serve useful purposes for upper class men, but not for working class women). Eli Zaretsky (â€Å"Capitalism, the Family and Personal Life†, 1976) a Marxists believes that the family is a prop to the capitalist society. The capitalist system is based upon the domestic labour of housewives who reproduce future generations of workers. He also believes that family has become a vital unit of consumption. The family consumes the products of capitalism and this allows the bourgeoisie to continue producing surplus value. In this respect, people are not simply being socialised into â€Å"society†, the socialisation process is directed towards the integration of people into a specific form of social relationship, one that reflects the fundamental, structural, inequalities of Capitalism. The ruling class ideology makes the family as an institution help to maintain and reproduce basic social inequalities by presenting them as â€Å"normal† and â€Å"natural† within the socialisation process. This creates a false class consciousness as they are not aware of their true identity as exploited workers. The family is a safety valve for people's frustrations whereas the vast majority of males are relatively powerless in Capitalist industry, the family structure serves the purpose of disguising this powerless condition. Males within the family have traditionally been powerful figures in relation the females. Marxists contend that this â€Å"illusion of power† within the family serves as a safety value for the build-up of tension and frustration at work. The feminist perspective on the family has tended to stress the following ideas. Men oppress women within the family, just as they oppress women within all other institutions in Capitalist society. Feminist have tended to dismiss ides of gender differences based upon supposed biological / genetic differences between males and females that serve to legitimate male domination over women. Women have a role forced upon them within the family. Women act as â€Å"unpaid servants† within the home. This idea is linked, by Marxist feminists, to the economic relationship between Capital and labour, in the sense that labour is exploited by Capital in the economic aspect just as women are exploited by men within the family. They see family benefiting the powerful who are the men, this is patriarchy. Functionalist sociology has tended to look towards the family as the cornerstone of social integration in any society by which is meant the idea that ways have to be found to make people feel that they belong to the society into which they were born – to feel and believe that they have something in common with the people around them. The family group represents the primary institution, in any society, for the initial socialisation of children. In this respect, any institution charged with this responsibility is going to play a significant part in the reproduction of cultural norms and values, therefore family benefits society as a whole. The family as a unit of stability, of equal importance to this socialisation function, the family also represents an institution that acts as a stabilising force in society. In this respect, the family is seen to be an institution that is charged with ensuring the maintenance of social order. The basic relationship of the family institution to the whole social structure in society that is proposed by Functionalists is the family is a vital social institution responsible with the basic functions of socialisation and system maintenance. Fletcher a functionalist thinker, identifies the main functions of the family as being: Procreation and Child-Rearing: The family structure provides a legitimate arena for the bearing and raising of children. Given the relative helplessness of children at birth, parental nurture and care is seen as vital – and the family provides a solid basis for such care and support in the early years of a child's social development. Regulation of Sexual Behaviour: In this respect, the family structure serves to limit and contain sexual jealousies and by defining the limits of sexual freedom, the family structure limits the chances of potentially damaging sexual relationships developing. Additionally, the family is a primary institution for the provision of love, care and emotional support for both children and adults. In short, it provides a sense of belonging and serves to clearly-define role relationships between men and women. Provision of a Home: This idea expresses the assumption that people find comfort and security within primary social and sexual relationships. The â€Å"home† not only provides physical shelter, it also serves as the focal point of family existence. I recognise that the family group serves some kind of purpose in any society. Where Marxists tend to disagree with thinkers working in other perspectives, however, is in relation to the nature of that purpose and, for Marxists, the relationship between the family and the social structure of any society is one of unequal dependence. Functionalists argue that social institutions develop out of the need to satisfy, fulfil and organise various human social needs. However I feel that the primary role of the family is not to benefit the powerful but in some societies it does to an extent conform to this idea. There are other functions of the family such as the socialisation of children also providing love and support for its members which does not always benefit the powerful.

Critically evaluate the literature relating to the role of coaching in Essay

Critically evaluate the literature relating to the role of coaching in developing leadership capabilities and reflect on your ab - Essay Example 12). As compared to other leadership techniques, coaching is more focused on improving employees’ learning (Lee, 2003, p. 60). Over the past few decades, the role of coaching in the study of leadership has developed to the extent that coaching has been considered one of the most significant components in the development of executive leadership. Using relevant theories, this report will focus on evaluating the literature behind the role of coaching in the development of effective leadership capabilities. Aside from appraising the characteristics of effective leaders, this report will critically review the role of coaches in the development of leadership characteristics by comparing the leadership approaches of different authors in terms of achieving these outcomes. Working as a part-time sales supervisor in one of the well-known insurance companies in UK, coaching leadership is important in terms of making me able to effectively facilitate a positive business outcome with my cl ients. Because of the importance of developing coaching leadership when managing a group of people (i.e. ... Since employees can be self-sufficient, improvements in the customer service quality is also possible. Leadership Leadership is often mistaken as a management skill. Despite the close similarities between leadership and management skills, there are still some clear differences between the two. In line with this, Winston and Patterson (2006, p. 7) explained that leadership is actually referring to the ability of the corporate leaders to â€Å"influence, select, equip, and train† employees in order to improve their existing skills and work performances aside from encouraging this group of people to be willing in participating in the guidance of the corporate leaders. By encouraging employees to work towards a single organizational goal, there is a higher chance for them to improve the overall work performance of the group. On the other hand, management skills are referring to the corporate managers’ ability to handle the actual business affairs (Merriam-Webster 2011). It is easy to appoint any person to be a corporate manager. However, not all corporate managers are good leaders. Corporate leadership is an important skill that managers should develop. According to van Maurik (1994, p. 121), a competitive corporate leader should have â€Å"wisdom, integrity, sensitivity, and tenacity (WITS)†. By having these special characteristics, a good leader will be able to develop and implement a clear organizational vision that can make managers easily make business decisions that are heavily based on facts. Given that leadership is a learnt and acquired skill, it is a wrong belief to think that â€Å"leaders are born leaders† (Cox 2010). As stated by Adair (2005, p. 7),