Constructivism - 1400 Words

Constructivism Learning Theory Constructivism learning theory is a philosophy which enhances students logical and conceptual growth. The underlying concept within the constructivism learning theory is the role which experiences-or connections with the adjoining atmosphere-play in student education. The constructivism learning theory argues that people produce knowledge and form meaning based upon their experiences. Two of the key concepts within the constructivism learning theory which create the construction of an individuals new knowledge are accommodation and assimilation. Assimilating causes an individual to incorporate new experiences into the old experiences. This causes the individual to develop new outlooks, rethink what were†¦show more content†¦Mediation refers to people intentionally interject items between their environment and themselves, so that they are able to modify it and gain specific benefits. Mediation is the key propoent of Vygotskys theory of constructivism. His theory offers a harmonizing viewpoint to the behaviorist view. Vygotskys theory of constructivism supports that the use of mediators helps the human to alter their environment, and this is her way of interacting with the nature. Vygotskys theory of constructivism also supports that the us e of activity mediators provides a way in which people are able to interact with the nature. Mediation is also defined as the use of certain tools within socially organized activity. There were two phenomena which encompasses the mediated relationship of individuals to their environment. These are 1) Humans use language and physical signs to change social relations into psychological functions between their minds and their environment. The second thing was that higher intellectual progression will actually use symbolic mediation. Apart from learning theories, Piagets theory of constructivism addresses how learning actually occurs, not focusing on what influences learning. The role of teachers is very important. Instead of giving a lecture the teachers in this theory function as facilitators whose role is to aid the student when it comes to their own understanding. This takes away focus from the teacher and lecture and puts it upon the studentShow MoreRelatedConstructivism And Constructivism724 Words   |  3 PagesConstructivism is a type of method that has changed and continues to change with time. It has been stated that due to the fact of the ever-changing definition many have called the definition empty. According to Kretchmar (2017), â€Å"So many different definitions currently exist some scholars believe constructivism has been emptied of meaning altogether.† Sofie M. M. Loyens and David Gijbels (2008), defines constructivism as â€Å"the way in which people try to make sense of situations or, in other wordsRead MoreConstructivism in the Classroom1832 Words   |  8 Pages1. Constructivism is a method that says students learn by building their schema by adding to their prior knowledge by the use of scaffolding (Rhinehart Neas). Because the students are basically teaching themselves new information, the teacher is there mainly for support and guidance for the students. Pro: By using a constructivist approach to teaching, students will be â€Å"fully engaged in their own learning† (Rhinehart Neas). This allows the students to make sense of what they are doing by relatingRead MoreConstructivism : A Learning Theory917 Words   |  4 PagesConstructivism is a learning theory that suggests that because individuals are not blank slates new knowledge is constructed by building upon prior knowledge and experiences (Brandsford, Brown, and Cocking, 2000). Within the classroom setting, constructivism often includes, but not limited to a hands-on activity, group work, and teachers acting as facilitators. At the sight of observation, the learning activity was a guided reading lesson. This reading activity was designed for a small group of fourRead MoreThe Theory Of Education And Constructivism1587 Words   |  7 PagesTwo of the more prevalent theoretical frameworks used in education are constructivism and andragogy. Savicevic (1991) points out that t he popularity of andragogy has spread among practitioners and researchers in many countries, including Hungary, England, Finland, France, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, and Russia (as quoted in Chan, 2010, p. 28). Constructivism, on the other hand, has become, as O’Neil (1992) observes, â€Å"a new catchword† among educators (as quoted in Oxford, 1997, p. 37). ThisRead MoreEncouraging Constructivism in Todays Classroom Essay1953 Words   |  8 Pagesaside and I feel like constructivism learning theory should be given a try in the classroom. Learning according to the free dictionary is the act or process of experience of gaining knowledge or skill. This knowledge or skill is gained through schooling or study. (The Free Dictionary by Farlex). Constructivism is a philosophy of learning founded on the premise that, by reflecting on our experiences, we construct our own understanding of the world we live in. (Constructivism, 2014). In other wordsRead MoreTheoretical Frameworks Of Learning, Discipleship And Constructivism3882 Words   |  16 Pageschildren learn with a focus on one area from a selection of current priorities drawing on relevant literature, research and practice from a critical perspective This essay will discuss two theoretical frameworks of learning, Behaviourism and Constructivism. Then examine the orginin, need and importance for ability grouping specifically to aid the gifted student. It will then analyse evidence of a child from block School Experience (BSE) 1 and relate theory to practice. Learning can sometimes appearRead MoreEssay about What Is Constructivism3002 Words   |  13 PagesWhat Is Constructivism Watching a young child grow from infancy to toddler hood, we marvel at the amount of learning that has allowed her to understand her expanding environment. Those early years provide the basis for language, physical dexterity, social understanding, and emotional development that she will use for the rest of her life. All of this knowledge is acquired before she even sets foot in school! This child has taught herself by gathering information and experiencing the worldRead MoreTeaching Phylosophies and Learning Theories: Constructivism3051 Words   |  13 Pagesfollow in order to reach students of diverse learning styles; it would be a disservice to the student to only focus on teaching through the paradigm of one theory. Throughout the paper, however, I will discuss examples where the learning theory of constructivism has proved to accurately portray how I best learn new information and also how it will be an appropriate theory to guide me in teaching high school agriculture in a productive learning environment, as well as serve as a tool in managing classroomRead MoreRealism, Liberalism, And Social Constructivism1009 Words   |  5 Pagesanalyze the international system using a variety of theories. Realism, liberalism, and social constructivism are only a handful of lenses through which we view global affairs. Realism suggests that anarchy causes states to fight for survival and the balance of power. Liberalism suggests that while states do fight to survive, anarchy creates an environment conducive to cooperation. On the other hand, constructivism suggests that people constructed this system of international relations and anarchy is whatRead MoreFeminism and Constructivism: A Comparison2645 Words   |  11 Pagesthe traditional rationalist theories of neorealism and neoliberalism to critical re-evaluations. As a result, constructivism is a concept that has emerged as an alternative approach to dominant IR theories. It focuses on the importance of state i dentities in defining and gaining knowledge of state interests, actions and goals. There are theorists who purport that the rise of constructivism allows for a further understanding of another international theory, feminism. This is a branch of critical social

Malcom X An African American Minister And An Activist Of...

Malcom X also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, was an African-American minister and an activist of human rights. He was born in May, 19, 1925 in North Omaha, Nebraska, US and was assassinated (multiple gunshots) in February, 21, 1965. He was born in a family of eight, his father Earl Little was a Baptist minister and a supporter of Marcus Gaverys, and a local leader of Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) induced self-reliance and black pride in his children. His mother Louise Norton Little was a house maker. Malcolm Little was effectively orphaned early in life. His father was killed when he was six and his mother was placed in a mental hospital when he was thirteen, after which he lived in a series of foster homes. Malcom Little changed his name to Malcom X for he taught that â€Å"little† was for slaves and chose â€Å"x† standing for lost tribal name. He got married in 1958 to Attallah Shabazz and had six children. I was very inspired by Malcom X’s story. He was a very good public speaker who was able to talk to his audience using facial expressions and body to talk to his audience. He was effective in expressing meaning in his speeches and point of view. He was very charismatic and passionate. Malcom X was a trustworthy man, he was never in things for something else but for he thought they were the right things to be done, very persuasive and able to convince people during his speeches. He was very caring and shown a great concerns in what the black race was facing.Show MoreRelatedWho knew the two most powerful African Americans that influence countless of people in history and700 Words   |  3 PagesWho knew the two most powerful African Americans that influence countless of people in history and wrote their one of many most inspirational work while locked up in jail? Martin Luther King Jr. was incarcerated because the city officials issued a court injunction to prohibit the civil ri ghts marches in Birmingham. Whereas, Malcolm x was arrested for burglary while trying to pick up a stolen watch he had left for repairs at a jewelry shop. The fight for civil right was taken in the 1960s, whereRead MoreMalcom X s Experiences Inspired His Autobiography1223 Words   |  5 PagesMalcom X’s Experiences inspired his Autobiography Considered as one of the greatest and influential in African Americans in history, Malcon Little was born on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska, and murder on February 21, 1965 in New York by three Nation of Islam members. Best known as Malcon X, he was also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, an American Muslim minister and a human rights activist. Malcon X was a fervent advocate the separation of black and white Americans, and rejected the civil rightsRead MoreMalcolm X : The Man That Does Wonders1443 Words   |  6 PagesMalcolm X: The man that does wonders Malcolm X was a determined activist, a man who fought for what he believed in. He left a strong impression on the hearts of millions. His actions not only motivated others but also urged them to believe in the same ideologies as his. Despite of his struggle with poverty, personal conflicts and his beliefs he followed his dreams of aiding the society and raising their self-esteem. He was born Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska, on May 19, 1925. The seventh childRead MoreA Life Well Lived By Martin Luther King Jr.1535 Words   |  7 Pagesstand up and peacefully fight against injustice. Martin Luther King Jr. was a humanitarian and leader who fought for American rights and for peace, fairness, and kindness. To begin with, Martin Luther King Jr, originally born as Michael King Jr, was born on January 15, 1929. He was born in Georgia to Alberta Williams King and Michael King Senior. Michael King Senior was a minister for Ebenezer Baptist church and changed his name from Michael King Senior to Martin Luther King Sr. Martin Luther KingRead MoreA Brief Note On Civil Rights Leaders And The Media Essay1453 Words   |  6 PagesCOMM 205 Third Research – Civil Rights Leaders and The Media Millie Brasser 11/07/2016 MALCOM X 1925 -1965 Maxlcom X was born on May 19, in Omaham Nebraska, also knows as Hajj Malik Elshbazz, His family lived in in Omahan his father was a preacher of a Baptist church he was an active man where he dedicated himself to preaching to the community of blacks his father Belonged to a movement called Marcus Garvey. Maxlcom X and his family received many threats from the Ku-klux klan group where manyRead MoreBible Versus the Toran12356 Words   |  50 Pages PAGE 20 - 23 VI. THE BIBLE COMPARED TO QURAN PAGE 24-28 VII. FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM COMPARED TO THE TEN PAGE 29-34 COMMANDMENTS VIII. COMPARING THE LIFE OF TWO AFRO-AMERICANS (1) MALCOM X - ISLAMIC MUSLIM/QURAN PAGE 35-43 8 (2) MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. - CHRISTIAN/BIBLE PAGE 44-48 9 (3) BOTH MENS POLITICAL VIEWS ON VIOLENCE AND PAGE 49-56 Read MoreMalcolm X s Influence On Society1391 Words   |  6 PagesADOLECENT YEARS Malcolm X had accomplished many achievements throughout his time as a religious, fellow activist, however, it had never been something simple to do. Throughout his younger years, he had always been in a battle with race, religion, and who exactly he identified himself to be. When Malcolm’s parents, Earl and Louis Little, had been expecting on the arrival for Malcolm’s birth, Earl had been threatened precisely by many white supremacist groups, causing their family to relocate manyRead MoreEssay on The Civil Rights Movement: Malcolm X1135 Words   |  5 PagesDuring the Civil Rights Movement, there was a famous leader whose protests were peaceful and non-violent. That man was Martian Luther King Jr., but many people have never heard of another Civil Rights leader. Even though his protests were different than King’s protests, he did his part and help with equality. This man was Malcolm Little, more famously known as Malcolm X. After a rough upbringing, Malcolm X l ed protests that differed which ended with his assassination. His protesting didn’t startRead MoreStride Towards Freedom1358 Words   |  6 PagesFreedom touches on not only a huge part of African American/Negro history but also American history with one of the first applications of nonviolent successful protest known to date. A quote Dr. King used to specifically describe this book was â€Å"the chronicle of fifty thousand Negroes who took to heart the principles of nonviolence, who learned to fight for their rights with the weapon of love, and who, in the process, acquired a new estimate of their own human worth. It gives an account for the charismaticRead MoreThe Presence Of Political And Social Messages Essay2371 Words   |  10 Pagesrelationship between Soul music and civil rights movements in the United States. The rise of Soul music was a product of the particular environment of that time in which the musicians who created it lived, a period much paralleled with the Civil Rights Movement (CRM) and Black Power Movement (BPM) (Maultsby, 1983, 54). The objective of this research was to examine any existence of political and social messages delivered in Soul music around the civil rights movement era in America, which would lead

The steps of a strategic learning process Free Essays

Benjamin Franklin once said, â€Å"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. I involve me and I learn†. We will write a custom essay sample on The steps of a strategic learning process or any similar topic only for you Order Now It shows the importance of learning and education. Knowledge is the only thing in the world that can be forever kept and so we understand the importance of the learning. To achieve learning and/or a desired goal, you must be ready to practice, be motivated, and have proper exposure to every detail of the course content. There is not any existence of life without the process of learning. Readers shall acquire skill through the principles of learning and their use in the school, in this essay. In order to fully comprehend the information learned, practicing and reviewing is crucial. By practicing and reviewing course content, the success of understanding the information will be within arm’s reach. Being able to understand the information will be useful when writing tests or quizzes by allowing memorization of the content. Repeating words or sentences from lessons or homework, is one way to move information from short term to long term memory. As well redoing math problems or homework, which is a great way to better recognize how something is done, or should be done after getting the wrong answer. In addition reviewing notes or homework with a buddy can improve the knowledge of the subject, by having a buddy show the correct answer to the questions or notes that were wrong. Finally the last way of being able to fully understand what has been taught is by reducing the amount of notes taken. Decreasing the size of notes taken can help long term memory skills by reviewing less, and giving the most important information needed. Through having the most important information memorized, for tests or quizzes, this will allow for easy recollection of material learned and will give the correct answer. In conclusion by following the practicing and reviewing methods given, it will ensure full comprehension of the information learned. Motivation is a big factor in student success because motivation drives us to do many things not only at school but at home as well. Motivation can help us succeed at school because it can drive us to take that extra mile in anything we choose. An example of this is if you’re in English class and asked to write a minimum of 3 paragraphs. While most people will do 3 paragraphs, a motivated person will write 5 paragraphs and earn a 90% instead of an 80%. Motivation can be used at home also. An example is if you have a test coming up but don’t want to review until the day before the test. Although this is common for many people, a motivated person will review their notes several days before the test. This is because that person is motivated to be successful and they know that by sacrificing a couple hours each day, they have a greater chance at being a successful student. It’s a fact that students who attend school regularly learn more and are more successful in school than students who do not. People who attend school regularly learn to accept responsibility, an important lesson for a successful life. People who develop good attendance habits in the early grades will be more likely to continue them throughout their school career, as well as into their chosen career. Regular attendance is critically important, because students who miss school miss out on the exposure of course content. As a result, the student is more likely to fall behind, and miss important socialization concepts that enhance the ability to understand and follow directions or, ultimately, plan for the future. Just by being present at school, the student is learning how to be a good citizen by participating in the school community, learning valuable social skills, and developing a broader world view. Learning social skills is just as important as learning history, math, science, and English. To summarize, in order to achieve learning and/or a desired goal, a student must be ready to practice, be motivated, and have proper exposure to every detail of the course content in order to be successful in achieving the best process of learning. Education is so important that there are so many steps and levels to be delt and learnt from in order to achieve goals, and success. To be the best possible learner, follow these steps and put them into use in the classroom so then you can have the right steps of a strategic learning process. How to cite The steps of a strategic learning process, Essays

Accounting for Managers Contribution Margin

Question: Describe about the Accounting for Managers of Contribution Margin. Answer: Introduction: Management account is the process of preparing reports for management and accounts that provide accurate statistical information in time, required by managers to make day to day short term decisions. Management accounting reports show the available cash; sales revenue generated, accounts payable, accounts receivable, outstanding debts, raw materials, inventory, variance analysis and other statistics. The role of accounting is to support competitive decision making by communicating information that helps management plan, control and evaluate the business strategy. According to the (Roszkowska-HoÅ‚ysz, 2013). The ability to develop and use good management, accounting is an important ability for individuals, operation and marketing managers and information technologist. Management accounting plays a key role in organisations. Management accounting is significantly affected by dramatic improvements in computer technology. The current study attempts to evaluate the significance of management accounts in the fast food sector. It further attempts to scrutinise on the balance score card of Steve Roger's Delicacy. Various frameworks are determined to analyse the triple bottom line initiatives undertaken by the management. The theories like the Weighted Average Contribution Margin (WACM), Contribution Margin Ratio (CMR) are initiated to configure the sales lines approaches. Furthermore, the factors like the operating leverage, safety margin and the risk determined are examined to understand the financial efficacy of the chosen business. The entire analysis consists of forecasting for not only next year but also subsequent 2 more years. Balanced Score Card approach: The balanced scorecard approach is a strategic planning and management system that is used worldwide by industry and business, government and non-government organisation to improve internal and external communications, and monitor organisational performance against strategic goals. The approach is originated by Dr Robert Kaplan and David Norton. The balance scorecard approach incorporates the following points to measure a businesss viability. They are as follows: Customer/stakeholder perspective (satisfaction) The main objective of any business is to earn a profit. The profit is gained through lowering costs and increase revenue. The revenue will increase when sales increase, and sales increases when customer are satisfied with the end product. According to the Wilsey (2016), Steve Rogers restaurant should focus on customer satisfaction. The growth and stability of any business depend on the level of customer satisfaction it acquires. In the food, business satisfaction varies from customer to customer, for their varied tastes and preferences. Thus successful business depends on efficiently catering to the different needs of the customer in time. Internal business process Internal business process helps managers to evaluate how efficiently and effectively the business will run Sabry (2014). Employee satisfaction, proper working hours and condition, sanitised environment, etc. Thus internal business process or internal operations is of paramount importance in the smooth running of business. The food business requires utmost care, how the food is made and delivered to the customer, factoring in the time aspect throughout the process (Prez et al. 2013)). The objective of any food business is to earn customer satisfaction. Innovation and learning perspective (Organizational capacity) The smooth running of a business depends on an efficient workforce Shaughnessy (2010). Learning and innovation are great tools for building a skilled workforce. In the food industry, experience and training are crucial as it deals with people's health. The training of trainees should be detailed and proper, and innovation should play a significant role in the training process. Innovation enhances the skill of a worker together with learning. On the other hand, introducing employees with technologically high equipment increases their knowledge about the job (Quesada Gazo, 2007). Ethics is also a major part of the learning process; therefore appropriate ethical conduct helps to build a proper working environment and skilled workforce. Financial/Stewardship (Financial performance) As per the statement of (Pilcher Van Der Zahn, 2010)) the key objective of any business organisation is to maximise their profit, by lowering the cost and increasing sales, earning more revenue. The food industry is thriving nowadays, Steve Rogers restaurant should incorporate initial cost to be incurred, for raw materials, fixed asset, fixed variable cost, administrative and operational expense and marketing and promotional expense, before commencement of business to ascertain the profitability, growth and future prospect of the business. The above points can be explained from Figure 1 below: Figure 1: Balance score card approach (Source: balancedscorecard.org, 2016) Triple bottom line initiatives: According to the (Elenbaas (2015), the framework to measure corporate performance incorporates the triple bottom line approach. Sustainability is one of the goals of businesses, non-profit organisations and government organisations. The triple bottom line initiative underlines three dimensions of performance: Social Environmental Financial Triple bottom line approach differs from traditional reporting frameworks, as it includes environmental and social measures which are difficult to measure. Triple bottom line (TBL) initiatives are also called the three Ps (people, planet and profit). The sustainability of a company and its impact on the organisational world is greatly dependent on profitability, shareholders value, human and ecological factors. The dimensions of performance (social, environmental and financial) can further be elaborated by points stated below. Financial variables Financial variable are variables that deal with the flow of money in an organisation or this case, Steve Rogers restaurant. The business can look at various financial factors. Specific examples include: Personal income Cost of underemployment Establishment size Growth in job Employment distribution Revenue contributing to gross state profit Environmental measures Environmental variables should incorporate measurement of natural resources that reflects the businesses viability. The environmental measures should also factor in air and water quality, consumption of energy and natural resources and solid and toxic waste. Specific examples include Priority pollutants Electricity consumption Fossil fuel consumption Solid waste management Hazardous waste management Social measures Social measures include participation in the community, access to social resources, health, well-being and quality of life. Few vaUnemployment rate Female workforce participation rate Median household income Percentage of educated youth Average communication time Violent crimes per capita Figure 2: Triple Bottom Line Initiative (Source: Barter, 2015, 198) From the above explanation of the three dimensions, Steve Rogerss restaurants management can factor in few of the variable into its business plan to achieve sustainability and a promise of growth (Bohmholdt, 2014)). Sales budget for the products The sales budget contains an itemization of company's sales expectation for a period. The sale budget is presented in a monthly format. The calculation of sales budget is to itemise the unit sales expected in one row and list the expected unit price in the next row. The appendix below depicts the sales budget of two products, Barbecued Shrimp (A) and Sausage Rolls (B) for the FY 2016. It is assumed that the sales have been increasing gradually throughout the year, the price per unit for product A is assumed at $12, and a monthly breakup is shown for each product. The price per unit of product B is assumed at $10. From the appendix below, it is seen that product A (Barbecued Shrimp) contributes to a major portion of sales, which is 65% of total sales. Direct material budget is prepared to calculate the materials that must be purchased, to fulfil the requirements of the production budget. It is presented in either a monthly or quarterly format in the annual budget. According to the Shuai Tang (2014) the direct material budget for product A (Barbecued Shrimp) is significantly higher than product B (Sausage Rolls), it is because Barbecued shrimp enjoys a larger portion of sales margin compared to Sausage rolls. Due to the large sales volume of Barbecued shrimp, the volume of materials used is greater. The cost of materials for each unit in the materials budget is assumed to $1.50. Direct materials are traceable matter used in manufacturing process. The budgeted direct material for product A is $2,99,700 and for product B is $63,180. For both the products, the cost of each unit is assumed at $4.50 and $1.50 per unit for product A and B respectively. The direct labour budget is prepared to calculate the number of labour hours required to produce one unit of a product. The direct labour budget is useful for anticipating the number of employees needed to staff the manufacturing area throughout the budget period. From the appendix below it is seen that the budgeted labour cost is higher in the case of product A, compared to product B. This is due to the difference in sales volume of the two products. The labour hour per unit is assumed at $2 and the cost per labour hour is assumed at $3. Due to the higher sales volume of product A, the direct labour budget of product A is significantly higher than that of product B. Overhead budget shows the assumed cost of all production costs except direct material and direct labor cost. In the case of Steve Rogers Delicacy, overhead budget contains only administrative expense. According to the appendix below an overhead budget is created as a contingent budget, which is calculated at 1% of Administrative expense. The selling expense budget is prepared to estimate the selling expenses that will occur in a given period. From the appendix below, the selling expense budget of Steve Rogers Delicacy depicts expenses, assumed to be incurred over a year. It includes Commission at 2%, which is calculated on budgeted units of sales. This also includes Freight Charges of $200, Advertising of $1,000 and Other Selling Expenses of $500 per month. The administrative budget is prepared to identify the cost of running an operation that is not bound to producing a product or service. The budget provides the management with the power to exercise control over the day to day activities of the business. According to Mervis, 2016, the salaries of the administrative personnel are assumed at $10000 per month and Telecommunication, Repair and Maintenance, Supplies and Other Administrative Expenses are assumed at $150, $120, $500, $300 respectively on a monthly basis. The administrative expense budget for the year 2016 is calculated at $1,32,840 for both the products A and B. Administrative expense budget will also help Steve Rogers Delicacy to make prompt and precise decisions regarding the operation and smooth running of the business. The appendices appended below do not show the projected budget for 2nd and 3rd years. Income Statement shows such calculation. However, the assumption is that the all kind of expenses have increased by 10%, be it fixed cost and be it variable cost. Income statement: The income statement is a report that shows income, expense during a specific period and resulting profit or loss during the same period. It is the first financial statement prepared during the accounting cycle. From the appendix given below, it is noticed that Steve Roger's Delicacy has earned a profit of $26,224 (2%). The sustainability, viability and growth of a company depend on its profit earning capability. Steve Rogers Delicacy income state depicts a sound health of the business. Earning a profit results in investors interest in the business. Earning investors interest is beneficial for the business as it will help the business to expand and grow both financially and geographically by acquiring additional funds and by setting up new branches in new locations. This, in turn, will help the business to increase its goodwill, which ultimately will increase the market share of Steve Roger's Delicacy in the food industry. It has been assumed that the growth in revenue for 2nd year a nd 3rd year is 10% each. Consequently the revenue for 2nd year would be around $1,342,440 whereas the same was around $1,220,400 and the same for 3rd year would be around 1,476,684. It has also been assumed that the expenses will also grow at a steady rate of 10%, same as revenue. Therefore, the revised expenses for 2nd and 3rd year will stand at $13,13,594 and $14,44,953 respectively. Initially, the first years total expenses were $11,94,176. It may be inferred that due to the increase of expenses by 10% each year, profit has also increased by 10% each year. Weighted Average Contribution Margin Weighted Average Contribution Margin (WACM) is the average amounts that group of products contribute to paying the fixed cost of a business. WACMs main weakness is that the projections based on the average margin incorporate the assumption that the product mix sales and margin will apply in the future. The weighted average contribution margin is useful for calculating the number of units that must be sold to cover its fixed expenses. The analysis is also known as cost-volume-profit analysis. According to the Emokaro (2014) the above content can be explained by the appendix below, where the sales price per unit is taken $12 and $10 for product A and product B respectively. The contribution margin is calculated at $1.26 ($12-$10.74) for product A and $2.30 ($10-$7.70) for product B. From the above computation the proportion in product mix is calculated at 65% for product A and 35% for product B. Therefore the weighted average contribution margin of product A and product B is $1.66 (con tribution/unit multiplied by proportion in product mix of product A plus contribution/unit multiplied by proportion in product mix of product B). Contribution Margin Ratio Contribution Margin Ratio (CMR) The contribution margin measures how proficiently a company can manufacture products and maintain low levels of variable cost. It is also known as managerial ratio, as management incorporates this calculation to improve internal procedures in the production process. Contribution margin ratio is calculated by dividing contribution margin per unit by sales price per unit, this is done to analyze weather product A or product B is more profitable for the business. According to the appendix given below the contribution margin ratio of product A is 10.5% and product B is 23%. It means that production of product B will incur more profit compared to product A. Although the sales price per unit of product A is more ($12) than product B ($10), product A contributes less in the business, so it is advisable to stop the production of product A and increase the production of product B to increase profit. Here it may be noted that the Contribution Margin Ratio will increase by 10% each year in 2nd and 3rd year. This is because of the fact that the revenue has also increased by 10% and all the expenses including variable expenses have also increased by 10%. Therefore, the contribution per unit will also stand as before. However, the total sales will increase by 10% in terms of units. Revised proportion in product mix will remain same as before, both in terms of amount and units. Consequently revised WACM will increase by 10% and the same will stand at around 1.83 in 2nd year and at around 2.01 in 3rd year. Sales volume, breakeven points Sales volume in units with respect to breakeven point is the amount of product that needs to be produced or sold to cover total cost of production. In other words breakeven point in units refers to a no-profit no-loss situation. The above statement can also be explained by karimi Torghabeh et al (2014) as the total revenue generated is sufficient to cover the cost of production to arrive at a no-profit no-loss condition. Therefore, from the appendix below the break even sales volume in units are 92,950. This includes 56,940 units of Barbecued Shrimp and 36,011 units of Sausage Rolls. In other words, the break even sales would be $683,277 for Barbecued Shrimp and $360,106 of Sausage Rolls. Since the total sales for the first year is 1,08,720 consisting of 66,600 units of Barbecued Shrimp and 42,120 units of Sausage Rolls, it may be inferred that the break even volume will be achieved within the 1st year. Hence, the concept of break even point may not become relevant in subsequent year s. The breakeven sales volume can be formulated by dividing contribution in units by total fixed cost. It means if Steve Rogers produces one unit more than the breakeven sales volume unit, the company will gain a profit and if the company produces a unit less than the breakeven sales volume it will earn a loss. The breakeven point refers to the revenue needed to cover a companys total fixed and variable expenses during a specific time period. The breakeven is based on assumption that change in expenses of the company is related to change in its revenue. The breakeven point in sales dollars is formulated as fixed expenses divided by contribution margin ratio. Thus from the above explanation it can be incurred that if Steve Rogers Delicacy produces 56,940 units of Barbecued Shrimp (A) and 36,011 units of Sausage Rolls (B), the business will face a no-gain no-loss situation. In other words if the company sells a total of $10,43,383 it will neither gain a profit nor a loss. The operating leverage and safety margin The operating leverage is a measurement of degree to which a firm incurs fixed and variable cost says Hart Tzokas (2000). The company that makes sales with a high gross margin and few fixed and variable cost has much leverage. The operating leverage is used for calculating a companys breakeven point, substantially affecting profits by changing the pricing structure. From the appendix below degree of operating leverage (DOL) is calculated by multiplying total contribution of product A with net profit of product A. Therefore the operating leverage of Steve Rogers Delicacy is calculated at 6.89%. It means with one percent change in sales, the profit of Steve Rogers will change by 6.89%. In other words a degree of change in sales will affect the profit margin by the calculated degree of operating leverage. Since the total contribution and net profit also increase by same proportion i.e. 10%, the DOL ratio remains same. Business concerns are separate legal entities that solely focus on profitability. Businesses also suffer from risks and contingent liabilities, which may occur at any point of the businesses life span. Di Maio et al. (2016) states that for these unforeseen contingencies, any business concern that is at its inception will have to keep a safety margin for its financial safety and soundness. The concept of safety margin arises due to risks in the market that can hamper the smooth running of the business and its future viability (Sherry et al. 2013). According to the appendix below, a safety margin of $1,77,017 is calculated by subtracting revenue at breakeven point from total revenue of Steve Rogers Delicacy. In other words the safety margin is the excess of revenue earned over the breakeven point sales volume. (Ofileanu, Bumbescu 2014) states that safety margin is a mandatory concept in business concerns. The margin of safety (MOS) increases in the 2nd and 3rd year. The MOS will be $2 99,057 in the 2nd year and $433,301 in the 3rd year. Critical Evaluation: The food industry is one of the most flourishing businesses nowadays. Jingjing, (2015) states that people love to eat, and love to surprise their taste buds. Steve Rogers Delicacy should try different mediums in selling their products. Mobile food vehicles are one of the most efficient, easy to reach, easy to handle modes of selling food. They reach a variety of customers in a short period with low operating cost and overhead expenses. According to (Love PhD, 2012), the expansion of business in different areas may prove profitable, keeping in mind customers taste and preferences. Steve Roger's Delicacy should expand its business through online services, catering to customers who like to have their food delivered to their doorsteps. The amount of revenue a business earns depends on few factors that are, the location the business where it is settled, customer taste and preferences and availability of cheap labour. The main objective of an organisation is to earn a profit. The business should perform a market survey, keeping in mind the concept of profitability, to get an idea of customer taste and preferences to a get an estimate about the forecasted profitability and sustainability of the business. According to (Wang et al. 2010) Steve Rogers Delicacy should incorporate canter van services in their business to reach customers beyond their vicinity. Steve Rogers should also include more variety of food items in their menu, to serve to a larger customer base. The increase in customer base will increase the sales volume, resulting in increased profitability. To ensure the continuous and smooth running of Steve Roger's Delicacy the business should take into consideration few factors. The business outlet (restaurant) should be presentable visually to attract more customers. The quality of food should meet high standards, keeping in mind the price quoted. The price should not be too high, as it, may discourage customers, owing to the high priced menu. The infrastructure of the restaurant should be eye-catching so as to attract more customers. The (Henrekson, 2014) states that for any business to flourish, it has to look presentable, as the first impression is the last impression. The quality of food is important, as customer tastes and preferences vary, the profitability and sustainability of the business will depend on the quality of food prepared. Also, the employee must be well dressed and well mannered, so as to cater to a variety of customers. Decision making is a daily activity for any business organisation. The process of decision is a habit and a process as well. The profit or loss of a business depends on effective and successful decision making. According to the (Lusardi, 2012), the following are important steps in decision making process: Identify the purpose of decision making Gathering information Judging the alternatives Analyse different choices Evaluation of different alternatives Selection of best alternative Execution of decision Result evaluation The key results that would impact the future decision-making of Steve Rogers Delicacy are Customer feedback from canter van service Feedback from hospitality Customer's foot fall Quality of food The variety of dishes preferred by customers. Ray, (2008) states that the feedback from customers with regards to canter van service is vital. If the feedback is negative the canter van service will be stopped, and an alternative will be decided, and if the customer feedback is positive, the service will expand to different areas. The customer is the most important factor of any business. Catering to the customers' needs, tastes and preferences are vital. Proper service to the customers earns loyalty and increase the customer base further; poor service to the client will hamper the restaurants business, and as a result may decrease sales and customer support. Management should decide the proper and efficient way to provide proper hospitality, so it may customer footfall ultimately benefiting the business. Customer footfall depends on Steve Rogers Delicacys marketability, presentation and hospitality and food quality. Managements decision-making process should include these four factors so as to increase the businesses viability and profitability. The main asset of a restaurant is its quality of food stated by Santosuosso, (2014). If customers like the quality of food of Steve Rogers Delicacy, the management may decide to increase the quality further so as to attract more customers. Customers taste, and preferences vary widely. Deciding the right items on a menu is an important task. Too many varieties on the menu will increase the cost of sales. So deciding the right variety of food items on the menu is important, keeping in mind the location where the restaurant is situated and the type of customers that come to the restaurant. According to the Kampf et al (2016) Steve Rogers Delicacy has shown promise of profitability, growth and stability by earning a profit margin of 15% in the FY 2016. The investors who are interested in investing in Steve Rogers Delicacy should take into consideration the proposed product mix application into their decision making process. From the appendix below it is seen that product B contributes 25% in total sales compared to product A, which contributes 10.5% to the business. Thus from the calculation below it can be incurred that the production of product B (Sausage Rolls) will prove to be more profitable for the business. From the weighted average contribution margin it can be stated that if the company produce 108720 units of product B by sacrificing product A, the company will earn $69264 more profit. Thus the product mix table depicts that if the company the company computes the WACM to its decision making process, it will have a profitable and a stable future. The (Kane, 20 13), states that though the price per unit of product A is more than product B, product B provides more contribution to the business than product A. So it can be stated that Sausage roll (B) is a more contributing product earning higher profit. In case of subsequent years also, respective profit figures have been calculated. Net profit for the 2nd year stands at $ 105,036 in the proposed situation and $ 115,540 in the 3rd year in the similar context. Conclusion: From the above case study it can be incurred that the decision making process of the management is justified by including the balanced scorecard approach and the triple bottom line initiatives into the businesses projection of profitability and viability. The management has used various methods to come to a sound decision for the proposed investors. The weighted average contribution margin and contribution margin ratio has helped Steve Rogers Delicacy decide which product will be profitable for the business. The breakeven point has helped the business to calculate the safety margin required. Therefore, it can be concluded that the culmination of the calculations in the case study states that product B (Sausage Roll) is more profitable to produce. The investors should look into this factor before investing, as favorable product mix results in increased profitability and sustainability in the long run. References: Barter, N. (2015). W(h)ither ecology? The triple bottom line, the global reporting initiative, and corporate sustainability reporting. Social and Environmental Accountability Journal, 35(3), 197198. Bohmholdt, A. (2014). Evaluating the triple bottom line using sustainable return on investment. Remediation Journal, 24(4), 5364. Brix, J., Lauridsen, O. (2014). Improving learning competencies in the context of radical innovation: A team perspective. International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 16(4), 367. Di Maio, F., Rai, A., Zio, E. (2016). A dynamic probabilistic safety margin characterization approach in support of integrated deterministic and probabilistic safety analysis. Reliability Engineering System Safety, 145, 918. Elenbaas, M. (2015). Triple bottom line evaluation of Biosolids management options. Water Intelligence Online, 14, Emokaro, C. (2014). Effect of marketing cost on marketing margin Realizable from beef sales in Benin city, Nigeria. American Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 4(2). Finney, S. (2011). Stakeholder perspective on internal marketing communication. Business Process Management Journal, 17(2), 311331. Hart, S., Tzokas, N. (2000). New product launch mix in growth and mature product markets. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 7, 389405. doi:10.1108/14635770010359874 Henrekson, M. (2014). Entrepreneurship, innovation, and human flourishing. Small Business Economics, 43(3), 511528. Jingjing, Z. (2015). Dior product mix analysis research. Journal of Human Resource Management, 3(4), . doi:10.11648/j.jhrm.20150304.11 Kampf, R., MajerÄ k, P., vagr, P. (2016). Application of break-even point analysis. Nae more, 63(3), 126128. doi:10.17818/nm/2016/si9 Kane, T. (2013). GETTING THE PRODUCT MIX RIGHT. Acta Horticulturae371375.doi:10.17660/actahortic.2013.1014.84 karimi Torghabeh, M. R., Parsian, H., Shams Kolookhi, A. (2014). A study on relationship between earnings before tax, interest and operational cash flows with stockholders equity. Management Science Letters16991706. doi:10.5267/j.msl.2014.7.014 Love PhD, E. (2012). The right sensory mix: Targeting consumer product development scientifically20121Diana Derval. The right sensory mix: Targeting consumer product development scientifically . New York, NY: Springer146 pp. $49.95 edited by Geoffrey P. LantosStonehill colleg. Journal of Product Brand Management, 21(6), . doi:10.1108/10610421211264964 Lusardi, A. (2012). Numeracy, financial literacy, and financial decision-making. Numeracy, 5(1), Mervis, J. (2016). Budget 2017: Mandatory spending dims prospects for Obamas budget. Science Ofileanu, D., Bumbescu, S. S. (2014). The analysis of the factors which influence the change of the breakeven point. Procedia Economics and Finance, 16, 356367. Prez, A., Rodrguez del Bosque, I. (2013). Customer personal features as determinants of the formation process of corporate social responsibility perceptions. Psychology Marketing, 30(10), 903917. Pilcher, R., Van Der Zahn, M. (2010). LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, UNEXPECTED DEPRECIATION AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE ADJUSTMENT. Financial Accountability Management, 26(3), 299324. Quesada, H., Gazo, R. (2007). Methodology for determining key internal business processes based on critical success factors. Business Process Management Journal, 13(1), 520. Ray, A. (2008). Optimizing the product mix: An eclectic decision. Journal for Manufacturing Science and Production, 9(3-4), . doi:10.1515/ijmsp.2008.9.3-4.183 Reimsbach, D. (2011). Weighted average return on assets - WARA. Controlling, 23(7), 399400. Roszkowska-HoÅ‚ysz, D. (2013). The accounts receivable management in commercial enterprises of the installation and heating industry. Management, 17(2), Sabry, K. (2014). Sharing and learning interactions: Social media perspective. International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 16(3), 291. Sales performance im benchmark-check (2013). Sales Business, 22(4), . doi:10.1365/s35141-013-0645-y Santosuosso, P. (2014). Cost of debt and corporate profitability. International Business Research, 7(2), . doi:10.5539/ibr.v7n2p13 Shaughnessy, A. C. (2010). SEGs financial stewardship. The Leading Edge, 29(6), 632632. Sherry, R. R., Gabor, J. R., Hess, S. M. (2013). Pilot application of risk informed safety margin characterization to a total loss of feedwater event. Reliability Engineering System Safety, 117, 6572. Shuai, Q., Tang, J. (2014). Direct compensation of lift-off oscillation effect in magnetic impedance-based damage detection. Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures, 26(17), 23512361. Sridhar, K. (2011). A multi-dimensional criticism of the triple bottom line reporting approach. International Journal of Business Governance and Ethics, 6(1), 49. Wang, X., Young, O. A., Karl, D. P. (2010). Evaluation of cleaning procedures for Allergen control in a food industry environment. Journal of Food Science, 75(9), T149T155. Wilsey, D. (2016, August 23). What is the balanced scorecard? Retrieved August 23, 2016, from https://balancedscorecard.org/Resources/About-the-Balanced-Scorecard

Should animals be kept in zoos free essay sample

?Zoos are sometimes seen as necessary but poor alternative to a natural environment. Is it necessary to keep animals in zoos? Zoo is the place where different kinds of animals are kept, displayed to public, and in which they may also be bred. In today’s fast paced world, people are pressurized everyday working at a stressful job from nine to five; leisure in the form of going to zoo can be truly welcoming. There are many debates on whether zoos should be prohibited since the issue of animal conservation had arisen about thirty years ago. Zoos are important and should be kept although they provide poor alternatives to a natural environment to the animals. It has often been said that animals survival abilities have been deprived because of the limited exposure to nature in the zoos. In addition, they dont have any freedom since they are kept in small cage In the modern society, zoos are almost indispensable places in large cities for people to visit. We will write a custom essay sample on Should animals be kept in zoos? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In some large zoos, there are various animals from space to sea and from primitive invertebrates to advanced and intelligent mammals. In the zoos, all animals, including those rare animals, such as panda, African elephant, and North-Eastern tiger, could enjoy good care and protection away from any danger. However, along with the stronger natural environmental protection consciousness, many people think that to put animals into small cages will change their living instincts, and therefore break the ecological balance. Viewed from the basic relations between animals and human beings, animals should have the equal freedom with human being. Animals have their own living instinct, and it is this instinct that forms the biological chain of the Earth. This relation is called â€Å"Ecological Balance† academically. This opinion sounds ideal theoretically. However in reality, human beings and other animals cannot stay together peacefully on the Earth. Because of human beings’ lust for fortune, many valuable animals are killed or sold, especially those endangered species. Therefore, zoos appear as an active way for people to protect these poor animals. First, this is an action not only for animals but also for human being itself. Next, zoos can serve a purpose of educating and entertaining people, narrowing the distance between human beings and animals. Last, zoos can be a scientific study center to rescue more endangered species and make animals better to serve people’s need. The key point of this topic is freedom or protection. It is necessary to keep animals in zoos for the purpose of its study, protection of animals, and

How to Work Full-Time and Fit in Vacations

How to Work Full-Time and Fit in Vacations Joanna Niles, a lifestyle and travel blogger, wrote about traveling while working full time over at the HuffingtonPost this week. I thought her tips were great- practical and strategic- and my husband and I used many of the same approaches when we plan travel a few  times a year. Look at the calendarSince I teach workshops and college-level courses, my schedule is bound by the academic calendar. This means I can travel a lot in early and late summer, I have a lot of time in January, and I always have a few 3- and 4-day weekends during the fall and spring.Chances are if you work for a corporate or government employer, you have a variety of paid and national holidays to make the most of, too. Not every trip is a week-long extravaganza- we’ve done weekend jaunts to San Francisco, Philadelphia, Portland, Maine, and have a trip to New Orleans coming up at the end of the month. It’s surprising how refreshing and enjoyable a brief visit can be. You can also be more efficient with your vacation days by adding on one before or after a long weekend.TelecommuteNormally, you’d be working during the day and perhaps socializing at night. Maybe you can work out an arrangement where you can take that format on vacation with you, too. Another option is to work after the family goes to bed or before they’re up in the morning.This tip has the potential to backfire since you can also be pursued by work long after you’re ready to unplug, but if you’re disciplined about allowing and restricting access (yours, and your coworkers!), a vacation where you spend an hour or two emailing and coordinating in the morning and then go about your day can be great for making your getaway productive.This summer I had to take a pile of grading to the beach, and the first two days of our trip were divided between lounging on the sand and marking up papers on the balcony. Sure, I wanted to be spending more of my time on the boardwalk, but the alternative w as postponing our much-anticipated vacation just for a deadline, so it turned out to be a worthwhile compromise.Plan AheadWhen my husband and I first got together, he hated the way I liked to plan six months or a year out, but now he appreciates that if you don’t get a head start on planning trips, you can miss out on awesome seasonal opportunities or experiences that sell out as soon as they become available to the public.Don’t forget to set aside some vacation time around the holidays! My first year of working full-time, I didn’t anticipate that my company wouldn’t just automatically close on important â€Å"eves.† If my boss hadn’t been generous about commuting my sick time, I would have had a sad solitary holiday weekend alone in my apartment instead of back in my hometown.Be FlexibleThat said, sometimes you have to just get that price alert in your inbox, click through, reserve your flight and grab a weekend bag. If budget is the most i mportant factor in your ability to travel, get yourself on the mailing list of sites like The Flight Deal and Airfare Watch Dog and stay tuned as rates rise and fall during the various tourist seasons.Where you go is more important than when you go anyway, and remember how nice a quick weekend can be- fly out Friday after work, enjoy Saturday and part of Sunday, and maybe go in a little late on Monday.How to Travel with a Full-Time JobRead More at Huffington Post

Control Structures in programming Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Control Structures in programming - Essay Example s control structures for the statements have been held up for the reason that the primeval control structures of a digital computer that has a sequential uni-processor that is adequate to replicate some other control structure. The compensate of extraordinary as well as meticulous control structures are for the most part in simplicity plus briefness of appearance and in programming effortlessness, events which are tough to determine and normally in unpredictability by competence of accomplishment proceedings. It is accessed that "language programmers should by no means be pleased by languages that give permission to them to program the whole thing, on the other hand to computer program not anything excluding attention simply"(Fisher, 1990). The control arrangements of programming have not reserved rate by the augment (Fisher, 1990). The next important control structure is the selection that permits the selection in the middle of diverse ways. For instance the C++ offers dissimilar ranks of assortment: we have the one-way choice by means of an â€Å"if structure† then we have the 2-way choice by means of an â€Å"if-else structure†. The last selection can be used for the multiple choices by means of a â€Å"switch statement†. The last type of the control structure is the iteration control structure that guides to the looping of the programming statements. In the C++ we have 3 types of the iteration control structure lopping structures:2 This type of the control structure permits single set of programming language statements to be performed if an outcome is correct plus one more group of proceedings to be performed if a statement is false.   A selection structure is as well acknowledged as an "If-Then-Else" arrangement, its pictorial representation is given below in picture # 1. Here in the selection control structure the state in the â€Å"if statement† is the expression that is calculated for the decision of the â€Å"if statement†. If this statement is correct,

Leadership in Organisations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Leadership in Organisations - Essay Example Good leaders are in a position to establish suitable decisions that direct the attainment of their objectives. This is because of the existing effectual communication skills, self-confidence, and the capability of managing others (Badaracco, 2006, p. 47-55). The author continues to argue that a society cannot be alienated from good leadership (Badaracco, 2006, p. 47-55). Leadership has been linked to the shape and outcome of a society since what the leaders do is replicated to what the members of the society will do as well. 2.0. Monologues in V Act 4, Scene 1, lines 227-281 2.1. Summary of monologue From the monologue, it is evident that Henry the king is willing to send his soldiers to the battlefield. With his ability to disguise himself as a commoner, it is difficult for the common people to see and recognize him. This he does by borrowing a dirty old cloak that he uses to move around (Shakespeare 2007, p.108). He is also seen to claim to be a kinsman of Fluellen though he despis es him as a captain. His leadership qualities allow him to consult the common soldiers about the war (Shakespeare 2007, p.108). Despite the fact that the soldiers were doubtful about the king’s ability to lead them to war, King Henry is quick to motivate his soldiers to go to the battlefield under his leadership. Some of the soldiers like Williams also questioned the justification of the war with France. Despite Henry’s leadership skills in being in constant communication with the soldiers, Williams, just like any ordinary person would, questions the king persistently and argues that if they die and leave their windows, it would be unforgivable for the king (Shakespeare 2007, p.109). However, the king responds by saying that he would be responsible for any death of his soldiers as it was their responsibility to guard the nation. Since a leader is bound to face all manners of rejection, Henry is not worried but defends himself from Williams. It is after the bitter excha nges between the king and the Williams that the soldiers leave for the battlefield (Shakespeare 2007; p.110). 2.2. Analysis of monologue Looking at Henry V act Act 4, Scene 1, lines 227-281, Henry’s hidden dialogues with his warriors reveals the close relationship between the king and ordinary man who are the soldiers. In this scene, the author presents different types of voices that talk in Henry V exposing how every soldier interacted with Henry, therefore, adding a contemporary dimension to the comprehension of the difficult emperor. Henry’s discussions with his soldiers feature the team spirit between leader and his subordinate, and this promotes a common understanding between the two groups (Shakespeare 2007, p.110). Henry knew that he was the same as the other common people. The only difference was that he was a leader, and he interacted with them in a free manner without threatening them. In the monologue, Henry described the unpleasant tasks of power, which bot h separate and exposed the king, where all the subjects give the impression of putting all their uncertainties, worries, and responsibility to the king’s shoulders.

Argumentative Paper (Logical Fallacies) on Why Smoking is good for you Essay

Argumentative Paper (Logical Fallacies) on Why Smoking is good for you - Essay Example It instills a sense of brightness in you and the aromatic flavor it exudes will truly lift your sprits and make you feel better. Many of my friends, when feeling dejected and demoralized, resort to smoking in order to rev themselves up and I’ve seen that it works. Really, a smoker never feels lonely as he or she becomes capable of maintaining an intimate relationship with this indulgence. It’s like a courtship and it revitalizes your soul. Bad habit, they say. But believe me; they’re just incapable of recognizing the best and extracting it. Every human being will feel lonely at some point of time in their lives. Your friends may abandon you, your loved ones too. But believe me, your habit never does. So, any time you are lonely, you can depend on your cigarette. Just do not forget to carry a packet and a lighter in your pocket. I guarantee your habit will never desert you. I’ve seen people with such dependence, and the habit of smoking has come to their rescue every time they feel lonely and dejected. People make a big hue and cry about the negative sides of smoking and believe that cigarette causes cancer. They do propaganda and conduct campaigns against this habit to create awareness in youngsters. Tobacco companies are forced to carry statutory warnings on their packets that ‘Smoking Kills’. To me, this is absolute nonsense. How can cigarettes cause such a dreadful disease as cancer? Also, are all cancer patients smokers? Not at all! If you take the case 10 patients and analyze it, you will see that the majority of them are nonsmokers. If a person who smokes happens to have cancer, that doesn’t mean that all smokers will have cancer. It’s really a pity that we lay the blame on this harmless habit while the actual cause may be genetical or physiological. One of my near relatives has died of cancer but she has never so much as touched a cigarette in her entire life. There are many smokers who never had cancer. I know hundreds of them. So

Research Methodology for Business Analysis

Research Methodology for Business Analysis RESEARCH METHODOLOGY METHOD Research Strategy The purpose of this study is to use the literature as a framework to answers our two research questions. Because our questions are profound, and therefore hard to measure, an analytical research approach that promotes measurement and a quantitative model is not appropriate for our study. Since the term strategy is an intangible phenomenon, information regarding the subject can only be gathered through deep interviews. For such studies the qualitative research strategy is preferred (Gilljam, Esaiasson et al 2004). Our purpose is to describe the strategy applied in our case company by using the literature we have compiled as a framework. Even though there might be some instances of normative conclusions for how a strategic management controls system should be formed, there is no direct empirical research tied to that conclusion in our thesis. Therefore our research approach neither derives from a normative research approach. Our study should rather be classified as a descriptive one. Our main purpose is to describe how a strategy can be defined and how it can be used as a management control instrument. The descriptive study is used to describe a certain phenomenon through previous theories and thereby testing the validity of these theories in practice. The descriptive study leads to a deductive research approach. The deductive approach is used when the research is based on previous theories. The theories used states what type of empirical information that should be gathered, how it should be in terpreted and how the results can be related to the theories to describe the empirical material. This research approach consist the base of our thesis. Research Philosophy Since we wanted to identify the strategy of Lema, the best way to gather this information was to interview the staff of the management team. Through our interviews we were able to gather adequate empirical information to interpret and describe Lema’s strategy based on our theoretical framework. Due to our emphasis on interviews we derive our interpretation of reality through an operator’s perspective. This perspective concludes that reality is a social construction (Gilljam, Esaiasson et al 2004) and it is interpreted differently by each individual. Therefore the truth consists of coherency among different individuals’ interpretations of reality. This perspective is consistent with our choice of conducting four interviews to validate the coherency between each individual’s interpretations and thus we attempt to build a reliable empirical data of reality. Inquiry approach By studying and summarizing the works of Michael Porter and Chan Kim Mauborgne’s Blue Ocean Strategy we have come up with a coherent theoretical work frame for examining how a strategy can be defined in an actual business. Further to this, we have investigated how the strategy can be executed by using Kaplan Norton’s theories about Strategic Mapping and The Balanced Scorecard as well using Simon’s strategy implementation theory Levels of Control. According to Robert K. Yin (2006), a case study is that which discusses a contemporary fact in its real context. A case study also supports the use of several theoretical frameworks to describe empirical information. In accordance with this guidance we realized that this was an appropriate method for achieving the purpose of our thesis. Therefore our research method is based on an in depth, single case study in which we examined both the strategy and strategy management control system. Further to this we also wanted to make clear how the different theories could be used as complements to one another and use them together to describe the strategy of a company. Selection of Case Study Objects In order to be able to apply the theories that we have chosen for strategy definition and strategy implementation, we thought that a company with a clear market position would be suitable for us. This because an evident market position often mean a distinct value proposition, which facilitates the process of defining a strategy (Porter, 1996, 1998). Since our theoretical framework revolves around many different theories, it was also important that the company was of an appropriate size so that we would to be able to assemble the empirical and theoretical material into one comprehensible context. When searching for interesting companies that could be appropriate for our thesis, we became more and more interested in Lema because they have a unique concept and position. While the vast majority of companies have suffered during the recent financial crisis, Lema has defied this general pattern of decline and prospered. In mid-2009 their growth rate was higher than it had been for almost h alf a decade, despite the prevailing crisis. The fact that Lema has defied the general condition of the market suggests that they are in some way distinguished from their competitors. This triggered our interest for a more detailed study of the strategy that has contributed to Lema’s success. After some initial contacts with Lema and receiving their support we decided to build our case study around their company. Literature search In order to find a practical and valid theoretic framework for strategy definition and strategic management control systems, we started our literature search by looking at previous studies within the field of strategic management controls. This was done by searching the Swedish database â€Å"Uppsatster.se† and through Gothenburg University’s own database GUNDA. We used key search words such as â€Å"strategy†, â€Å"strategic management controls† and â€Å"strategy implementation† to find relevant studies within the specified field. After covering a broad number of previous works we found several commonly used articles and books. We later searched for these articles by entering their specific article names within the scientific databases EBSCO, Emerald and Google scholar. The books that we used in our thesis were found in the various Gothenburg University libraries by searching on either the author’s name or the title of the book. We first briefly overviewed the articles and books that we had found in order to evaluate whether they were relevant to our research question or not. The sources that we found relevant were later used to create our theoretic framework. We were also g iven literature guidance from our supervisor Ingemar Claesson and from a business case competition’s (BI-Marathon) readings recommendations. The coherency among the sources we found through the database searches and those sources we received from our supervisor and reading recommendations from the business competition gives credibility of relevancy to our sources. Since our thesis converge two interconnected discourses; those of strategy literature and those of management control, we consider our literature overview of five models quite broad. This approach enabled us to apply a combination of appropriate theories to be able to answer our research questions in a manner that we saw fit. Through the literature search and understanding of the previous studies we created a theoretical framework. This theoretic framework guided our collection of empirical data in the case study so that the theoretic framework could later describe and interpret the empirical information. Selection of Respondents In the process of selecting respondents we assumed that we needed to interview employees at leading positions within Lema in order to gain information from those with significant insight into the strategic processes. In order to gain a broad perspective of Lema business and activities we chose to interview the CEO, CFO, Purchasing Manager and the Store Manager of the company. By interviewing these respondents we gained insight into the different areas relevant to our study. Our respondents were: Boris Lennerhov, CEO, Lema Ullared (3/5 16.00-18.00) Per Andreasson, CFO, Lema Ullared (3/5 10.00-12.00) Christian Henriksson, Store Manager, Lema Ullared (4/5 10.00-12.00) Carin Kjellgren, Purchasing Manager, Lema Ullared (5/5 10.0-12.00) Interviews We have designed our interview template based on the theories that we have compiled so that the interview would be thematic and thereby congruent with the purpose of our thesis (Gilljam, Esaiasson et al 2004). Our interview questions were designed in a semi-structured way, as an entirely structured interview often leaves too little room for respondents to answer freely (Patel Davidsson, 1994) A semi-structured interview also enabled each respondent to focus on the questions he/she found more relevant. We used the same general design for all interview templates in order to get a broad perspective of the interview subjects and to cross-reference these answers with one another to ascertain the answers coherency. Before the interview we met with the respondents to briefly explain to them on the different areas that we would be discussing so that our respondents would be acquainted with the topics of the interview. However we did not send the exact interview template, since we did not want our respondents to give us â€Å"automated† answers. None of the respondents requested to be anonymous, which contributed to the credibility of our research (Gilljam, Esaiasson et al, 2004). Data processing To facilitate the data processing and ensure the reliability of data received from our interviews we printed out our interview templates and used them during the interviews. Answers were document by both computer and by hand to ensure reliable answers. Since the interviews were held in Swedish in order to make sure that our respondents felt comfortable and to be able to gather more information, we had to first translate the raw data into English. The interviews were recorded for validity check during the data processing. After documenting all answers directly after each interview we put together all four answers and concluded the coherent answers of each performed interview into one final main answer. This process is consistent with our research philosophy of the operator’s perspective that reality is based on coherency among each individual’s interpretations. Due to our interview structure, which is based on our theoretic framework, we could quite easily relate the answers to our theories. We later analyzed the empirical data with our theoretic framework to answer our two research questions. Method Critics – Validity and reliability The validity of research studies is the most difficult and most important problem in empirical social studies. (Gilljam, Esaiasson, 2004) The term validity can be defined in three different ways: Congruency between the theoretic definition and the operational indicators Free from systematic errors The research examines what we intend to research The first two definitions can be categorized as conceptual validity while the third definition is categorized as result validity. (Gilljam, Esaiasson ,2004) These two categories are related to each other by the following formula: Conceptual validity + Reliability = Result validity (Gilljam, Esaiasson et al, 2004) The greatest validity problem is that of conceptual validity. The problem of social science empirical research is that many theoretic terms are abstract and intangible and therefore makes it difficult to use proper operational indicators that measure the theoretic term. Therefore improper results and wrong conclusions are created by using inconsistent operational indicators to measure the theoretic term. Further for the proper result to be valid, the reliability of the study must be high. Reliability implies that the thesis is free from unsystematic and random errors. These kinds of errors might occur due to stress, carelessness or sloppy notes, misunderstood interview answers, negligence of certain information during data processing etc. However it is argued that conceptual validity is more important than reliability. (Gilljam, Esaiasson et al, 2004) For example if the operational indicators used in a study does not measure the intended theoretic term the results are flawed, but if the conceptual validity is correct and the reliability is low the results are slightly skewed though the overall result is still accurately measured. Since the theoretic terms strategy and management control systems are very abstract and interpreted differently among researches and professionals. There are no unanimous operational indicators that properly define these two terms or any unanimous framework in which these two terms can be described. However in this thesis we have implied a theoretic framework that guided us how to describe strategy and through this framework we formed interview questions that could be seen as our operational indicators. Thereby we attempted to achieve as good conceptual validity as possible. To increase the reliability of our thesis, we taped all our interviews and performed the same interview with our four chosen respondents. We used structured interview templates printed on A4 paper that would provide a clear guide for notes and made it easier for us to refer answers to our literature framework. We transcribed the answers directly after the interviews to make sure that the answers were correctly documented. Still the reliability for this study might be imperfect because our behavior during the interview might have affected the respondents’ answers. However we tried to prevent this so-called interviewers effect (Denscombe, 2000) by reacting as neutral as possible to the respondent’s answers. Further, Lema has not worked with any kind of strategy controls therefore some respondents were unfamiliar with our subject. If the respondents had read through our content email and prepared a bit before our interviews, their answers might have been better. Since we only conducted four interviews with the management team of Lema our empirical finding might include a large amount of their subjective assessments. It would have been better to interview a larger number of respondents within the management team and even conduct the same interviews with external industry experts5 to further validate the answers of our respondents from Lema.

Compensation for Living Human Organ Donation is Unethical Essay

Compensation for Living Human Organ Donation is Unethical As technology continues to progress the feasibility of organ transplantation becomes a commonplace. It is very common for organs to be donated after one passes if it is the wishes of the deceased. As the supply of organs from the deceased is greatly outnumbered by the number of patients on waitlists living donors becomes an issue. Many times a relative or close friend is willing to give up an organ to help save a life. The question is: Is it ethical to accept a monetary payment in exchange for an organ to save a life? Organ donation started out as simply â€Å"donation† or the act by which a person voluntarily transfers the title to a thing of which be is the owner, from himself to another, without any consideration, as a free gift (Dictionary.com). A person is giving out of the goodness of their heart; donors did not expect anything in return for giving a part of them to help save a life. In Organ Grinders, Artie makes a living from selling she replenish able fluids such as, blood, plasma, and semen. Artie is asked in the book to give one of his testicles in exchange for money. He willingly agrees, and the operation proves to be a success in the book. This brings up the argument if it is morally ethical to sell your organs for a profit. Currently in most Western Countries including the European Union, The United States, and China, statutes have been put in place forbidding the purchase and sale of human organs (Cameron 724). Overall as a whole society looks at human organ sales as u nethical and morally wrong. There have been a few proposals to having a successful way of buying and selling organs just as we sell our bodily fluids. T... ...uld be unmoral and unethical to carry out. Even with the technology available today, the humanistic nature of people to be greedy will overcome their kindheartedness to give the gift of life to one another. The resale of human organs from living donors should continue to remain illegal around the world. Works Cited. Cameron, J. Stewart and Hoffenberg, Raymond. â€Å"The ethics of organ transplantation reconsidered: Paid organ donation and the use of executed prisoners as donors.† Kidney International. Vol 55. p724-732. 30 November 2003. Howards, Lawrence A. â€Å"Ethics of Organ Donation.† JSOnline Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 20 June 1999. p4. 30 November 2003. http://www.jsonline.com/alive/column/jun99/howard62099.asp> â€Å"New Safeguards for Living Organ Donors.† ConsumerAffairs.com. 25 April 2003. p3. 30 November 2003.

No Homework Essay

No Homework Homework, we all hate it, it went from being just 3 or 4 questions to 15 to 20 questions. Homework has historically been given to students to help them remember what they learn at school, and ultimately to help them learn the material better. However, too much homework is not good, and can be bad for the student. Too much time spent on completing homework can take away from a kid’s social life, family time, and limits participation in sports or other activities. The amount of homework a teacher can give to a student should be limited, and only assigned if absolutely needed. A famous author named Tamim Ansary said that since 1981, the homework for the average sixth grader has increased by more than 50 percent. Many teachers are for large amounts of homework, claiming that it helps prepare students for a world that is becoming increasingly competitive. However, excessive amounts of homework can be harmful to kids both physically and mentally. A lot of homework usually means a lot of books to carry. Carrying large amounts of weight daily at a young age can do a lot of damage because bones are still in development. The large amount of homework is causing kids in both high school and middle school to be up until midnight or later. When other activities such as sports and clubs are added to the picture, kids may even have to wake up early the next morning to finish their homework, leaving them with not enough sleep. When busy work assignments are given frequently, it causes students to lose interest in the subject. Negative results can also occur when a student is not able to complete his or her homework. Many times they will resort to copying homework, having others do their assignments, or cheating on tests. The use of homework is effective when used by the rule less is more. Overwhelming kids with homework can cause them stress. Homework takes away from the small amount of time kids get to spend with their parents and siblings. A limit on their physical and social activities can also take a large toll on their lives, and could hurt their health. Homework is good at times, but not all the time. Some teachers just pile on the homework and not think about what the student is going through. The time that we get to ourselves should be used to rest after a long day, bond with family, and participate in physical activities.

History of SEMCO †Business Management Essay

History of SEMCO – Business Management Essay Free Online Research Papers History of SEMCO Business Management Essay Maverick’s story refers to a series of changes occurred to SEMCO, a Brazilian manufacturing company, initiated by the founder’s entrepreneur son, Ricardo Semler, turning it into one of the worlds most unusual and admired workplaces. SEMCO, whose headquarters is located in So Paulo, started in 1952 by Ricardo’s father, Antonio Semler, with a small patent for a centrifuge that could separate lubricating oil from vegetables, later growing under the entrepreneur’s hands into one of that countries most successful companies. Ricardo Semler’s concise and efficient form of writing lay way to a textbook that reads like a novel and yet manages to render the vision under which his company should be run, a company who has proven itself a definitive success in business and economics. Certainly Maverick is a book for more opened-mined readers, an unquestioningly beneficial and stimulating novel, and a necessary narrative. Semler’s vision was one which was not laid out to him from the very beginning it was drawn from not only his own ideas but from those of his close companions as well, he credits many of the people who work for Semler: Clovis, Joo Vendramin, Harro, Ernesto, Josà © Fiasco, etc. A vision that spread from giving his workers the confidence of eliminating supervisors and the desire to make them feel more involve in the process of production to eliminating nine layers of management and letting them set their own pay. A strong principal by which Semler has been guided is the trust in his employees. His view of them is not one of mindless slaves who are paid to do as they are told, but one of understanding individuals who are responsible for the cooperative effort of making a product. In the book we can see that SEMCO does not use a formal organization chart. They believe that without them they can create great leaders. If it is absolutely necessary to sketch the structure of some part of the company, they always do it on pencil, and dispense with it as soon as possible. The way SEMCO acquires new employees differs with other companies’ standards. When some one is hired or promoted, the other employees of that unit and his subordinates have the opportunity to interview and evaluate the candidates before any decision is made. This makes SEMCO a more united company because every person knows the capacities and abilities of his or her comrade. The working environment there is very flexible, because at SEMCO they want their people to feel free to change and adapt their working area as they please. Painting walls or machines, adding plants or decoration the space around them is up to them. The company has no rules about this, and does not intend to have any. People change their area according to their tastes and preferences according with other people desires. SEMCO has a philosophy built on participation and involvement. Any worker can give his or her opinion. It is not desired to have workers who are just one more person at the company they should be participants. An opinion is always welcome, even if it just an interesting observation. Workers should get in touch with committees, and participate in elections. Another interesting point is the evaluation of your boss. This assessment is made twice a year by means of a questionnaire to be filled out enabling the employees to express what they think about their boss. Worker should be frank and honest, not just on the form but also in the discussion that follows. Employees at SEMCO are guaranteed representation through the Factory Committee of each business unit. Each SEMCO unit groups of workers elect representatives to serve on committees. These committees meet regularly with the top managers at each unit to discuss any and all workplace issues or policies. They are empowered to call strikes, audit the books, and question all aspects of management. At SEMCO workers are motivated to defend their interests even though these will not usually coincide with those of the company. These conflicts are to be seen as healthy and necessary. At SEMCO they offer job security which is than any worker that has been with them for three years, or has reached the age of fifty, has special protection and can only be dismissed after a long series of approvals. This does not mean SEMCO has no layoff policy, but it helps to increase the security of their people. Women in Brazil have fewer job opportunities, promotion, and financial opportunities than men. At SEMCO, they have various programs, run by them, that seek to reduce this discrimination. They are known as â€Å"The SEMCO Women†. They inspire women to participate. Every one at SEMCO should take thirty days of vacation every year. It is vital for their health and the company’s welfare. No excuse is good enough for accumulating vacation days for â€Å"later†. Ricardo Semler has named this hepatitis leave. In his book he states his desire to make them feel more involved in the creation process. He uses a parable comparing three stonecutters and their response when asked what was their job. â€Å"The first said he was paid to cut stones. The second replied that he used special techniques to shape stones in an exceptional way, and proceeded to demonstrate his skills. The third stonecutter just smiled and said: ‘I build cathedrals.’† He understands the benefits for a company to have its people dedicated in what they build. He gives his workers as much freedom as possible, giving them voice in short of every decision the company deals with, from how the plants should look and where each section should be positioned to where the plants themselves should be located, what uniforms they would like to wear and making a lunch committee to choose the food available at the cafeteria to letting them set their own working hours and schedules as well as their pay. Not only is freedom offered, but also power. Ricardo Semler’s company is not a dictatorship, it is a cooperative democracy where titles are forgotten and unions are welcome with mutual respect and dialog, where committees recommend changes and surveys are made regularly, a place where it is possible for the employees to dismiss their boss or force their hire. SEMCO’s managerial staff was reduced almost completely. In his view: â€Å"The pyramid, the chief organizational principle of the modern corporation, turns a business into a traffic jam.† That is why chapter 24 refers to â€Å"rounding the pyramid†, which is simply the elimination of unnecessary management positions as well as the need for sophisticated titles. He implemented a system of circles: in which the innermost circle would enclose a team of half a dozen people, who will serve as a catalyst stimulating decisions and actions by those in the second circle, to be called Counselors. The second circle would enclose the leaders of SEMCO’s business units and be called Partners. The last, immense circle would be comprised of everyone else and be called Associates. With triangles scattered about enclosing a single individual to be called Coordinators, who are the first crucial level of management. There would be six to twelve triangles floating about each business unit. As a consequence wages evened out and titles were simplified. An important thing to remember is that all these things did not occur spontaneously, but more of a continuous flow of events, which started off a first-come first-serve parking policy. Another point that is emphasized in SEMCO is maintaining its people motivated. They are pushed to exchange job descriptions and positions with job rotation, for a minimum of two years and a maximum of five. New employees are required to be â€Å"Lost in Space†, they must work for at least twelve departments in twelve months. He believes this helps maintain his people happy, allowing them to choose the right job for them, or simply let them work for the ones they like, not just a single occupation, obliging people to learn new skills, discouraging empire building, providing employees with a broader view of a company, which lets them appreciate colleagues problems, forcing management to prepare more than one person for a job and creating additional opportunities for those who might otherwise be trapped. He also created the â€Å"Nucleus of technological innovation†, which are a small group of engineers who are free of day to day production or managerial responsibilities and have all their time to invent new products, refine old ones, devise market strategies, unearth cost reductions and efficiencies, even dream up new lines of businesses. Not mentioned above are the setbacks the company has faced. It is said more is learned form mistakes then from a success. SEMCO experienced growing pains, unnecessary hype So far as to what is considered to be different from other companies it is safe to say that almost every detail in his book is quire of the normal corporation. In fact his book is dedicated specifically to point out each one of these differences, why he believes them to be proper and how he implemented them. In general his view is one of democratic society where decision taking is not the role of one, but of many. He believes the only way to achieve this is with transparency, and a sense of equality where everyone is fighting for a greater good, the good of the company. For this he believes his employees’ well being must reflect the well being of the company, if the company simply assigns wages no mater what goes wrong then people will not feel impelled to make things go right. His ideas of risk salary, where employees are proposed to take a pay cut of up to 25% of their wages for the chance to receive a 150% bonus if the company has a good year, and profit sharing, where company profits are not unilaterally distributed, but instead more is given to those who make less, provide this incentive. Several other policies are promoted to ensure democracy at SEMCO. When strikes take place it is emphasized that everyone is an adult and should be treated as such, strikers are told that no one will be punished when they return to work, the police is never called upon, benefits are maintained, worker’s access to the factory, or access of the union representatives to the workers, don’t fire anyone during or after the strike, but make everyone see that a walkout is an act of aggression. This in our opinion protects their employees (which are the company’s greatest asset), the company itself and their politics. Their treatment towards union leaders is quite different as well. They are respected, union leaders are not kept waiting in line, they are attended with courtesy and equality as promptly as possible. No aspect other than Brazil’s economic conditions make SEMCO’s situation as a corporation distinctively separates the company so as to have an unequivocal and unique situation. Nevertheless this in itself is quite a big difference from companies in other countries, especially the United States. In Brazil there is an average of a 400% yearly inflation rate, with a peak year of 1,600%, Brazils currency has had three zeroes knocked off twice. Banks have made billions with the inflations, and fired 150,000 clerical workers when things go bad. Brazil has become a warfare ground were a 10% pay increase turns out to be a fluke when inflation is calculated at 15%, and everyone is trying to arrange contracts to their own benefit. Most other companies in Brazil abide by the traditional form of organization and because of this are plagued with strikes, low profit or even debt. Brazil has grown so fond of SEMCO that 25% of all graduates say that they would love to work for SEMCO. SEMCO was conceived under the chaotic, corrupted, inflation filled, strike infested society of Brazil, where a company must be as dynamic as possible to be able to adapt to the ever-changing hostile environment. A situation where all the techniques, described in Maverick, are constantly put under the test to prove themselves useful. Ricardo Semler’s ideas, if implemented correctly, are all catalysts for solidarity, cooperation, and friendship among the ranks of his workers. These attitudes are of great help in times of need where everyone instead of fighting each other, attempting to place the blame of hardship elsewhere in order to liberate the conscience and assure the position in the company are trying to find ways to levy the companies burden by voluntarily taking pay cuts and reducing expenses so as few people as possible will be acquitted by adversity, and if dismissal is the last surrender committees are formed to take into account who are the ones who can cope best wit hout their paychecks; seniority and the costs of living all outweigh a newly employed single individual. Not withstanding, SEMCO has been through several setbacks; since the very beginning with Ricardo’s first aggressive leap into the market SEMCO was suffering from crushing losses when buyers became very hard to come by, then later on as well as the company experienced what the author called growing pains as the company grew beyond its capacity by buying too many companies which were in bleak economic conditions. The writer later goes on to explain his opinions on a very important topic, economies of scale. It is the authors opinion that economies of scale are overrated, that worrying about buying and producing in large scales eventually ends up consuming what was saved through the need for warehouses and overstocked inventories where there are hundreds of units for a specific piece but none for another which will freeze the production process entirely, apart from the fact that once this occurs, receiving a shipment of that piece takes a considerable amount of time when anyone from the factory can just run to the nearest shop and by several unit with which to work with in the mean time, it is SEMCO’s policy to encourage this behavior as SEMCO employees have been known to present such receipts and the company gladly pays for them, just as long as what was bought falls between a rational set of items. Another trail and error mistake came in the eighties, when mainframe computers at the core of businesses were a new and coming trend. SEMCO had decided it too would enter the information age. So in preparation for a new computerized system to handle all of the company’s affairs the old hand written system had been left, and yet after several months past the deadline had gone by and the problem was either bug in the software or a glitch in the hardware it became clear that the project, as ambitious as it was, was destined to fail. Again SEMCO learned to take it slow. ‘The era of using people as production tools is coming to an end. Participation is infinitely more complex to practice than conventional corporate unilateralism, just as democracy is much more cumbersome than dictatorship. But there will be few companies that can afford to ignore either of them.’ Certainly Brazil’s situation as a country was a very crucial first step, if thing were to have been going well when Ricardo first entered the corporation then he would never have been so aggressive in implementing these radical changes. Another condition must be Ricardo’s personality, his qualities as a human being, his humility, always with an open ear to a new suggestion, his openness and forwardness. Ricardo Semler is a revolutionary individual, who had the balls to dismiss 75% of a stagnant company’s managerial staff immediately after receiving possession of it, risking everything for the desperate hope of breathing new life where the industry itself is loosing ground. Fortunately through much pressure and with plenty of luck, Ricardo had the ability to find talented people, individuals who gave much of their selves in support of the company. The transparency with which as much information as possible must be made accessible to the employee’s, as well as the means which allow for their comprehension. This appears to be the single most important factor for SEMCO’s successful change, transparency and the ability to think he has given his employees help make the efforts for cooperation between management and the working class as both sides learn to understand better each others situations, allowing the company to achieve its goals by means of favors and compromise. Concluding; the history of SEMCO is closely related to that of its leader, as the author matures into a more prudent individual so does his company, the large step of removing all the heads of a corporation without any replacement nor due time is no longer a part of SEMCO’s ways. And yet it remains fluid, ever changing dynamic and as little mundane as possible, just as the author is, the author and principle proprietor of SEMCO managed to instill his own personality into his corporation, just as his father had made it the strict, neat organizational reflection of himself. What is interesting is the authors respect for the working class, his humility in front of ‘unnecessary expenses’ and his transparency, strait forwardness and trust of his fellow man. Just as he sees himself, so he wished to see his company. Of course it was not the work of this one man, but he managed to surround himself of similar individuals who shared his ideals and most importantly his visio n. Through hard work and dedication they managed to surpass the many obstacles in place before this goal, of which other peoples closed mindedness was the most important one. Every time a new idea came into play, at least someone had to be convinced for its implementation. It is very hard to make a coordinator become more flexible and understanding of not only his subordinates, but of his equals in other areas. This has been such a difficult exploit that most of the changes were made to force superior attitudes towards bending in and those who simply could not learn where expelled. At the end, Maverick and the story of SEMCO help us remember that there is more than one way to do things, and being pleasant and courteous is indeed one of them. Research Papers on History of SEMCO - Business Management EssayAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaTwilight of the UAWMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductThe Project Managment Office SystemNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayResearch Process Part OneDefinition of Export QuotasIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in Capital