Golf Industry Competition

Case #3: â€Å"COMPETITION IN THE GOLF EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY† From its earliest beginnings in the 1450’s, golf was a peculiar game that tested the individual skill of each person who played. It is a game that takes a player on a journey through a number of â€Å"greens. † The player must try to get the small, hard golf ball into the â€Å"green† or â€Å"putting green† which contains a hole in the ground. The player can only hit the ball with a golf club. Golf equipment, such as golf clubs, golf balls, and the like are the subject of this report.There are five competitive forces: â€Å"competitive pressures stemming from buyer bargaining power and seller-buyer collaboration; competitive pressures coming from companies in other industries to win buyers over to substitute products; competitive pressures stemming from supplier bargaining power and supplier-seller collaboration; competitive pressures associated with the threat of new entrants into the mar ket; and competitive pressures associated with rivalry among competing sellers to attract customers.This is usually the strongest force)† (Gamble & Thompson, 2011). There are a handful of rival competitors in the golf equipment industry. The leading manufacturers and marketers of Golf Equipment were Callaway Golf Company, TaylorMade-Adidas Golf, Titleist/cobra Golf, Ping Golf and Nike Golf. Innovation in regards to new technology â€Å"as allowed by the USGA and R&A, product performance, brand image, tour exposure, and price were the competitive forces that had the greatest effect on the industry.In 2009, most golf club manufacturers had met dimension, volume, CT, and MOI limits and were attempting to achieve differentiation in drivers by either lowering the center of gravity to increase launch angle or by offering clubs with adjustable features† (Gamble & Thompson, 2011). The pace of rivalry is not becoming more intense since the industry services a limited amount of p layers and must work within the industry’s guidelines and regulations. Drivers of industry and competitive change include â€Å"changes in an industry’s ong-term growth rate; increasing globalization; emerging new internet capabilities and applications; changes in who buys the product and how they use it; product innovation technological change and manufacturing process innovation; marketing innovation; entry or exit of major firms; diffusion of technical know-how across more companies and more countries; changes in cost and efficiency; growing buyer preferences for differentiated products instead of a standardized commodity product; regulatory influences and government policy changes; and changing societal concerns, attitudes, and lifestyles† (Gamble & Thompson, 2011, p 61).Differentiation of product, quality control, and touring professional golfers’ endorsements and their design preferences, along with other industry forces continue to shape the golf e quipment industry. A charismatic professional touring golfer with perfected golf skills can bring a lot of positive changes to the golf industry. This might lead to increased awareness and viewership, an increased number of new golfers and returning golfers, and innovative design of products.Key success factors (KSFs) may include â€Å"particular strategy elements, product attributes, resources, competitive capabilities, or intangible assets†¦and answers these questions: on what basis do buyers of the industry’s product choose between the competing brands of sellers? That is, what product attributes are crucial? ; given the nature of the competitive forces prevailing in the marketplace, what resources and competitive capabilities does a company need to have to be competitively successful? and What shortcomings are almost certain to put a company at a significant competitive disadvantage? † (Gamble & Thompson, 2011, pg 67, 69). Common key success factors include â €Å"technology-related; manufacturing-related; distribution-related; marketing-related; skills- and capability-related; and other types of KSFs† (Gamble & Thompson, 2011, p 68). Technology, innovative design, and cost control are the key factors that determine success of companies competing in the golf equipment industry. Callaway Golf, Ping Golf, and Taylor-Made Golf utilized the innovations in club head design the best.Important factors in evaluating industry and competitive environment include: the industry’s growth potential; whether powerful competitive forces are squeezing industry profitability and whether competition appears destines to grow stronger or weaker; whether industry profitability will be favorably or unfavorably affected by the prevailing driving forces; the company’s competitive position in the industry vis-a-vis rivals; and how competently the company performs industry key success factors (Gamble & Thompson, 2011, p 69).Net sales for Callaw ay Golf is: $1,117,204,000 in 2008 up from $934,564,000 in 2004; TaylorMade-Adidas Golf is: â‚ ¬812,000,000 in 2008 (when the exchange rate was 2. 008 US dollars for every â‚ ¬1) up from â‚ ¬633,000,000 in 2004; Fortune Brands’ Golf is: $1,369,000,000 in 2008 up from $1,212,000,000 in 2004. Operating income for Callaway Golf is: $84,188,000 in 2008 up from ($24,702,000) in 2004; operating profit for TaylorMade-Adidas Golf is: â‚ ¬78,000,000 in 2008 (when the exchange rate was 2. 008 US dollars for every â‚ ¬1) up from â‚ ¬60,000,000 in 2004; Fortune Brands’ Golf is: $125,000,000 in 2008 up from $154,000,000 in 2004.TaylorMade-Adidas Golf is doing extremely well. TaylorMade-Adidas Golf seem to have a strategy that copes strategically well with the competitive forces prevailing in the industry. The recession of 2008-2009 was very telling in the financial performance of the industry’s major sellers. Some increased financially while others decrease d. Callaway Golf ‘s net sales decreased $7,387,000 in 2008 from 2007; TaylorMade-Adidas Golf’s sales increased by â‚ ¬8,000,000 in 2008 (when the exchange rate was 2. 08 US dollars for every â‚ ¬1) from 2007 numbers; Fortune Brands’ Golf decreased $31,000,000 in 2008 from 2007. I would recommend more research and development to Callaway Golf. I would also recommend that their employees play golf with their clubs, balls, and other equipment and suggest product design to an unbiased top management. Perhaps Callaway Golf could make a few high-end specialty items that cater to player preferences including players with disabilities. Buyer access to its product line could also be streamlined and revamped to include low or no-cost shipping and handling.To Fortune Brands, I would recommend selling the golf division. It seems like Fortune is in the golf business to make money and although this is an essential trait, the golf business requires the company to be all i n it to win it. I would recommend buyer seminars, classes, instruction offered to TaylorMade-Adidas Golf customers and business clientele. I would suggest that notification of these instructional seminars be marketed through high-end retailers and office pools in locations where golf is an accessible sport.Maybe a golf celebrity or other celebrity could show up at the seminars to increase the enthusiasm of TaylorMade-Adidas Golf product line. I would suggest that TaylorMade-Adidas Golf research the options of wider distribution points such as the internet and other outlets. If the issue is the instructional experience of the buyer, perhaps TaylorMade-Adidas Golf could offer some quick internet video access instruction or live instructional seminars (as mentioned above) to the internet buyer as well.Essentially, a company is to perform at its best capacity: â€Å"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men† (Colossians 3:23) and â€Å"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God† (Romans 13:1) REFERENCES Gamble, J. E. & Thompson, Jr. , A. A. (2011). Essentials of Strategic Management: The Quest for Competitive Advantage: 2nd Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Holy Bible (KJV). Public Domain.

Picasso

I have studied Picasso work because it is simply spectacular. The way he makes the cubists painting is amazing, he can show more than Just one viewpoint in a single angle which makes the painting that much better because it is like an entire book in a single picture. The layers and colors that express the emotions of this Weeping Woman are shown so clearly. The expression ‘Cry my eyes out' She literally cries her eyes out, they pop out of the eye socket. Cubism is a type of art technique that allows you to see more than one viewpoint of he picture from Just a single angle; so you see the emotions that she is expressing.By 1937 the great Weeping Woman' was established by Pablo Picasso. He made this picture as a representation of a weeping woman living in Spain during the civil war. Picasso was from Spain although he lived in France; he wanted to express his feelings and perspective on how the civil war has affected those living there. The Weeping Woman displays what it clearly s tates, a sad, a weak and worried woman however I believe strongly that there is more to this than Just being sad. The first feature I notice is her eyes.The way the both engage towards the audience as they were looking at someone and telling them to feel her pain as so the people of Spain. As well as this, her eyes seem to be falling out of her sockets, which could suggest that she has been ‘crying her eyes out† this is linked to the civil war reaction that Picasso is trying to show the audience. Following this, it has come to my attention that beneath her eyes are running tears displayed in cold colors, he has used cold lords to imply that this is not warm a warm and cheerful painting, in fact he wants to make her look isolated and alone.The running tears look endless as they have been thee for a long time and have frozen so therefore they have become like freezing icicles leaving her with sore eyes. The woman's mouth is drooping down whilst biting an extremely distress ed tissue at the same time. This action of the Weeping Woman connotes that she is either anxious or nervous, on top of that the coloring of the tissue is the same colors as the tears; this may be because the issue holds many tears and memories she cannot let go of.The coloring of her skin is varied between yellow and green, which could propose that she may be ill or feeling sick, anxious or nervous because of hearing bad news to do with the civil war. This links to her clothing as she is wearing all black, which symbolizes death, and that maybe she will be attending a funeral. Her clothing including her hat suggests that she is very wealthy. Finally the background is emblematic of the Spanish flag, which resents his patriotism to his country, this shows that Picasso still has connections with Spain even though he is living in France.My favorite type of art is Abstract mainly because you can take something so simple and distort it to make it something no one has ever discovered. This is why I truly love the Weeping Woman because in my opinion it displays pure imagination, individuality and a unique interpretation of art seen from his eyes. Following this I also find the Weeping Woman extraordinary because the way he has placed all angles and viewpoints onto a flat piece of paper really makes you stop and think about what he is trying to portray through his work; it doesn't Just present itself it lets you see the portrait from the point of view you like best.My cubist painting could consist of only 3 things. Half of my face would be red for my bad (devil) side and blue half of my face, for the calm chilled (angel) side. And my final point could be a complete dark black background, this symbolizes that there is absolutely nothing there, so there is nothing that can get in my way of what I can achieve. Picasso I have studied Picasso work because it is simply spectacular. The way he makes the cubists painting is amazing, he can show more than Just one viewpoint in a single angle which makes the painting that much better because It Is like an entire book In a single plectrum. The layers and colors that express the emotions of this Weeping Woman are shown so clearly. The expression ‘Cry my eyes out' She literally cries her eyes out, they pop out of the eye socket.Cubism is a type of art technique that allows you to see more than one viewpoint of he picture from Just a single angle; so you see the emotions that she is expressing. By 1937 the great Weeping Woman' was established by Pablo Picasso. He made this picture as a representation of a weeping woman living in Spain during the civil war. Picasso was from Spain although he lived in France; he wanted to express his feelings and perspective on how the civil war has affected those living there.The Weeping Woman displays what it clearly s tates, a sad, a weak and worried woman however I believe strongly that there Is more to this than Just being sad. The first feature I notice Is her eyes. The way the both engage towards the audience as they were looking at someone and telling them to feel her pain as so the people of Spain. As well as this, her eyes seem to be falling out of her sockets, which could suggest that she has been ‘crying her eyes out* this is linked to the civil war reaction that Picasso is trying to show the audience.Following this, it has come to my attention that beneath her eyes are running tears displayed in cold colors, he has used cold lords to imply that this is not warm a warm and cheerful painting, in fact he wants to make her look isolated and alone. The running tears look endless as they have been thee for a long time and have frozen so therefore they have become like freezing Icicles leaving her with sore eyes. The woman's mouth is drooping down whilst belting an extremely distressed t issue at the same tale. Hills action of the Weeping Woman connotes that she Is either anxious or nervous, on top of that the coloring of the tissue is the same colors as the tears: this may be because the issue holds many tears and memories she cannot let go of. The coloring of her skin is varied between yellow and green, which could propose that she may be ill or feeling sick, anxious or nervous because of hearing bad news to do with the civil war. This links to her clothing as she is wearing all black, which symbolizes death, and that maybe she will be attending a funeral.Her clothing including her hat suggests that she is very wealthy. Finally the background is emblematic of the Spanish flag, which resents his patriotism to his country, this shows that Picasso still has connections with Spain even though he is living in France. My favorite type of art Is Abstract mainly because you can take something so simple and distort It to make It something no one has ever discovered. This I s why I truly love the Weeping Woman because In my pollen It displays pure Imagination, individuality and a unique interpretation of art seen from his eyes.Following this I angles and viewpoints onto a flat piece of paper really makes you stop and think bout what he is trying to portray through his work; it doesn't Just present itself it lets you see the portrait from the point of view you like best. My cubist painting could consist of only 3 things. Half of my face would be red for my bad (devil) side and blue half of my face, for the calm chilled (angel) side. And my final point could be a complete dark black background, this symbolizes that there is absolutely nothing there, so there is nothing that can get in my way of what I can achieve.

The risk factors and causes of cervical cancer Essay

The risk factors and causes of cervical cancer - Essay Example 805; Fonseca-Moutinho, 2011, para 1-4). About 90% of cervical cancer cases are however direct resultant of HPV virus whiles other causes such as smoking explains the remaining 10% of cervical cancer cases. It should be noted that regular pap tests are recommended, as HPV may stay long in human body after infections before cancerous symptoms start to be exhibited. Symptoms that one may be suffering from the type of cancer include bleeding from vagina and which would not be explained, breeding during sexual intercourse or better whenever a foreign object such as a diaphragm is exposed to the cervical region as well as the painful experience while having an intercourse. It is also a sign whenever one observes bloody vaginal discharge and as such, one should take all precaution in the event of such signs of cervical cancer. Diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer is dependent on regular tests and which would reveal it in the early stages, which would enable it to be treated successful ly (O'Malley et al, 2006, p. 2179). Applicable treatments to cancer patients include surgery such as hysterectomy, chemotherapy as well as the radiotherapy. In many instances and depending on the stage of growth, the treatments described can be administered separately, combined or even repeatedly. Nevertheless, there are some procedures in treatment, which have long lasting effects on the victim such as hysterectomy, which renders on incapable of bearing children. The most well known mechanism of protection against cervical cancer is through regular pap tests, which enable one to take precautionary measures once such abnormal cells are noted in a person. Moreover, persons aged below twenty-six years have the capacity to take up a vaccination, which protects one against infection of two main types of HPV (Kraszewski, 2008, p. 14; Thiry et al, 2009, p. 161). Other mechanisms of preventing against cervical cancer is through abstinence or practicing safe sex as sex is one major way that the cancer causing virus are transmitted. With such an introductory background, this paper intends to have an in-depth analysis of risk factors responsible of causing cervical cancer. However, the scope of analysis will be in relation to sexual behavior as a risk factor to contracting HPV which causes cervical cancer and how as a tool, sexual cancer would be adopted to be a primary management tool for cervical cancer. It should be noted that cervical cancer is not a new phenomena within the medical profession. However, dynamics in lifestyles as well as increased research studies have revolutionized the field of medicine and subsequently influenced the knowledge on cervical cancer. Unlike previously, cervical cancer can be diagnosed early, be treated fully and can be effectively prevented than before (Bailie et al, 1998, p.304). Increased awareness and the ease of access of pap test have increasingly played a fundamental role in containing the menace in the modern day societies. Mor eover, advancement of medical knowhow has been ascribed with efficiency in cervical cancer management. It is worth noting that there have been developed vaccines, which are administered for protection purposes against the infection. Besides, increased awareness have enabled people to adopt favorable living practices such as abstinence as well as practicing safe s

The history of tequila in mexico Research Paper

The history of tequila in mexico - Research Paper Example Known as the tree of miracles, the Agave plant is the only source of Tequila drink (Earth Bar Magazine 1) where it takes about nine years for an agave plant to be ready for harvesting, processing, and distilling to make the Tequila drink. The history of Tequila in Mexico confirms that the drink is a symbol of cultural heritage with a cultural significance that supersedes the status of alcoholic beverage (James 1). The process that produces Tequila represents a cultural blend as it defines the indigenous Prehispanic culture of Jalisco, Mexico and the emergence of the Spanish distillation process (Festa 1). This marked a Spanish and Mexican cultural blend (James 1). This cultural blend has passed to the current generation where the production and consumption of Tequila in Mexico portrays a cultural blend. The ancient tribe of Mexico, the Aztecs, the Chichimecans, the Otomies, the Toltecan’s, and the Nahuatls who drank beverages made from the Agave plant initiated the history of the Tequila in Mexico (Earth Bar Magazine 1). Indeed, the Aztecs were the first people to ferment sap from the local agave plants that made Tequila in the pre-Hispanic times (La Cava del Tequila 1). On the other hand, the Nahuatl’s worshipped the Agave plant that made Tequila (Earth Bar Magazine 1). The blue agave plant that produces sugar that later forms Tequila is native to northwestern state of Jalisco (Earth Bar Magazine 1). The arrival of the Spaniards in Tequila, which is in a region of Techinchan in the old Aztec Empire and Jalisco state of Mexico, led to the introduction of the European influence on Tequila (Earth Bar Magazine 1). In the 1000 B.C the Mayan and Aztec leaders produced and consumed pulque, which was North Americas first known alcoholic beverage (La Cava del Tequila 1). The Mayan and Aztec leaders made the pulque drink from the fermented maguey plant’s sap (La Cava del Tequila 1). The

Employee Recruitment Proposal Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Employee Recruitment Proposal - Assignment Example Considering the elaborate nature of activities of the company, this proposal seeks to request for hiring of more employees in order to boost efficiency and hence productivity of the company. The Need for Additional Employees There have been many complaints from employees about being assigned too many tasks. The employees are overworked and have a feeling that the company should employ more personnel to ease the current work burden. Employees have grown weary of putting too much effort on overtime. Besides, when critically evaluates the amount of money the company spends in paying dues for overtime performance, it is undisputable that the ultimate solution would be hiring additional staff, which will even help the company to cut down its operation costs. Hiring more employees is undoubtedly the best solution the problems facing the company. Hiring more workers would lower the present work burden on employees and increase their efficiency (Mathis & Jackson, 2011). By having a reasonabl e number of employees in the company, the output per work will greatly increase. The inefficiencies realized in the organization are as a result of strain by employees to get work done (Kleynhans, 2006). Because they are covering even for activities, which are supposed to be handled by other personnel who unfortunately have not been recruited, the workers have been complaining of stretching their efforts beyond reasonable limits to help attain organizational objectives. Coupled with the emphasize of meeting deadlines, it is quite challenging to achieve high standards in task performance when there is still a state of imbalance between the workforce of Beautiful & Handsome and its demanding tasks. From the company’s statistics, the average number of hours worked by employees in the past two financial periods is far much lower when compared with the first quarter of this fiscal year. For example, in the first six months of 2010/2011 financial period, the average hours worked by employees (200) was eight hours a day. This was the year when the company realized high production levels and hence high profits. When this is compared to the first six months of the trading period 2011/2012, the average working hours of employees is thirteen hours a day. This can indicate how strained the employees are and how they are overburdened with work. From the past performance records of the company, this is indeed the cause of high levels of inefficiency and low productivity in the company. Hiring new workers is crucial for the success of the organization. Besides easing off work burden from old employees, it will ensure inflow of new talents and skills into the company. Recruiting new employees will open avenues for hiring highly qualified personnel, who are crucial for the success of the organization. Hiring of new workers with adequate experience may reduced training costs and brings in innovative culture in the company thus providing a source of competitive advantage over rivals in the market. Employee Recruitment Budget The company should establish a recruitment program that contains budget estimates of money that is likely to be used in the recruitment process. The recruitment budget for twenty employees, it would cost around $ 2000 to $ 5500 per employee, factoring in all the expenses that are likely to

Recruitment & Selection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Recruitment & Selection - Essay Example Advertisements online both on job seekers' and corporate sites can be a viable way of getting as much number of candidates. This can be further enhanced by subscribing to the services offered by recruitment websites which gives employers access to its database of applicants. Having this access will allow Westpac to directly contact applicants who hopes to pursue a career in banking. Since the company can have the chance to choose the background of their potential employee. It should be noted that this can be really helpful recognizing that it is serving a diverse market which also requires its front line employees to match these different backgrounds (Boxall and Purcell 2003; Lieberman 2003; Riccuci 2002). In addition, Westpac should also consider recruiting CSR1 through the use of job fairs held at universities months before graduation. This will enable the company to establish itself as an attractive employment alternative after college. This can also be a good opportunity to intro duce itself not just as a company but to highlight the benefits and motivations of pursuing a career with them.

Eye of the Albatross Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Eye of the Albatross - Assignment Example A sharp contrast also exists between the perception of sea usage by the Albatross and the Humans. While the Albatross uses the sea as their lifetime habitat, obtain food and shelter from the seas and oceans, the human usage of the sea is quite different. They use the seas to obtain gifts, though piracy, where they capture and terrorize other humans in order to achieve their goals, goals to enrich themselves from the properties and at the expense of others (Mancke, 225). While the Humans perceive the Albatross, as a burden to them, similarly is the Amelia’s perception of human, as a burden to the albatross, they capture them and other sea birds, and then slaughter them for food, sports, or feathers. Any interaction of Humans and the Albatross is of a destructive nature, where the humans capture and kills the birds while taking their eggs, thus threatening their survival. Humans use the hooking lines to capture and kill the Albatrosses for their food. The perception of the sea d iffers between the Albatrosses and the Humans, in that Humans perceive the sea as a trash bin where they can dispose all their wastes. This in turn affects the life of the sea birds by polluting their habitats and eventually causing them inhabitable and poisonous. This further risks the lives of the sea birds and threatens their survival (Safina, 151). While the Albatrosses uses the sea to survive and thrive, owing to it being their habitable environment, Human have always perceived and used the seas and the oceans as a territory through which to exercise their power, eventually controlling the other humans. The Europeans used the sea and the oceans to exercise their powers and eventually colonized the Africans and the Asians (Mancke, 227). The comparison between Amelia and the human perception of the sea is that both utilize it for one goal, surviving and thriving. The proletarians, the poor, and the peasants engage in sea activities to seek for food and other means of survival. Th is is however different from the other group of humans; the politicians, the diplomats and the military who uses the sea and oceans as a platform to obtain dominance over the others. The relationship between humans with each other and Albatrosses with each other sharply defers. While the relationship between the Albatrosses is that of support and assistance, the human relationship is that of master-servant, with the powerful and the well off dominating over their subordinates. The perception on the importance of seas and oceans differs between the Albatrosses and humans. While the albatrosses views the seas and the oceans as the only source of livelihood, with the dry land being used for procreation only, to humans the reverse is true (Lewis, 192). Human perceives the mass of dry land as the most important of the two, since this is where he lives and undertakes all his life activities. To human, the seas, and oceans, if anything, serves to supplement the source of livelihood that ma n has, the land. No wonder therefore, humans have always tried to reduce the size of seas and oceans by increasing the masses of dry land. While the entire Albatrosses population lives and co-exists in the seas and oceans, only a few of the human population lives or even depends on the sea for their livelihoods (Lewis, 212). The few humans that depend on the seas and oce

Information system Master Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Information system Master - Essay Example We will focus on how information system works in a dynamic and turbulent environment and how it helps in the development of strategic, tactical and operation system of organizations. Moreover, we will give a glimpse of different information systems that are used like executive information systems, management information systems, risk management systems etc. In modern organizations it is very important that technology works according to the needs of the people and it works on continuous basis ensuring reliability and effectiveness. Information systems collaborate with the managers and play an important role in implementing proper technology in the organizations (Ralf, 2009). Information systems help in every aspect like creating a business plan, generation of formal reports, maintaining databases, preparing accounts etc. Decision making is the utmost task of every manager and the information system helps a lot in developing a proper and a formal decision making process (Alter, 2002). Usually the information flow from top to bottom or from bottom to top and in most of the organizations the information is managed by information management systems. Since, the decision making process is an important practice in every organization and information system provides with the decision makers with information in the form of reports, researches and huge amounts of data is compressed into shorter forms and this helps the mangers to take decisions. System generated reports are widely used by all departments and it makes the work easier for managers. The flow of information is used by managers for the decision making process and the information systems mentors the information and make sure that it will flow smoothly and will not affect the decision making process. Managers on the other hand higher professionals that can manage the flow of information and they must know that how the information in flowing in the organization. Usually the information flows from the top management to the down line workers, but in certain organization the flow of information is from down line workers to the top management and actually the flow of information varies from organization to organization. Managers of information system and the computers plan research and coordinate the computer related activities of the organization. They coordinate with each other and determine technical and organizational goals. Although this requires a proper and strong understanding of the computer systems and the technology but formal reports and detailed information can be stored and developed and can easily be presented to the top management for the purpose of decision making. Information systems are also related to the hardware and the networking side but the core purpose is related to the management side only. The needs of the organization are identified at all levels and utmost importance is given to operational and strategic perspective. Competition is also kept in mind and that's why information systems are equipped with the state of the art technology to ensure that the organization won't lag behind its competitors. An information system

Company profile and initial analysis of a given case study Research Paper

Company profile and initial analysis of a given case study - Research Paper Example The basic motto of the organization is to expose the struggles and war damages or impacts, occurring down the ages. The company primarily tries to integrate the consequences created by modern wars and ‘wartime experience’ within the displays of its museums. However, the company focuses primarily on the cars of Britain. The five museums of the company are IWM London, Greater Manchester, IWM North in Trafford, the Churchill War Rooms in Whitehall, IWM Duxford near Cambridge and the ship of Belfast that is fastened in the Pool of London in the Thames River. The company’s mission claims that â€Å"Our vision is to be a leader in developing and communicating a deeper understanding of the causes, course and consequences of war† (IWM, 2013a) It is found that though, presently, there are no living survivors of First World War in U.K., yet the war has managed to leave a strong impression on the culture and heritage of the country. It is found that in most of the U.K . communities, building monuments or memorials are practiced widely in order to pay respect and remember the great lives which have been sacrificed during the World Wars. An artistic view on wars surfaced right after personalities like, Rupert Brooke and Wilfred Owen, had started to write poems on wars. At this juncture, IWM had analyzed that the centenary of the First World War can turn out to be a promising opportunity for its business growth and help the business by augmenting reputation, profile and brand value in the market as well as its market position. The company has undertaken the decision of opening new First World War galleries in its IWM London museum. However, this project, which is expected to be accomplished by 2014, requires a lot of funding. Approximately ?35 million has already been accumulated by the company from donations and Heritage Lottery Grant. In addition, about ?5 million has been granted by the Prime Minister, David Cameron, in 2012 to the company for fi nancing this project (IWM, 2013b). However, the company requires more funds for backing the project. It has introduced the First World War Centenary Partnership Programme in order to acquire pre-digital asset collections and historical information. Through this partnership programme, the company desires to attract millions of users and donators across the world towards its project. It is believed by them that such a project would surely augment its brand value in the market compared to its competitors. Competitor Analysis The organization of Stoke-on-Trent Museums serves a strong competition to other museum owners in the market. The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery is an organization that owns the leading museum in Britain. The combination of place and products are expressed in the museum of the company through its exquisite displays. The quests of the museum, unlike the museums of IWM, are not charged. The museum has achieved several awards and accolades from millions of pottery and art lovers in the country. Individuals in U.K. and across the world visit this museum to explore the brilliantly displayed history of potteries in this museum. The exhibitions of the museum change almost regularly and thus, the visitors have a new experience, every time that they visit. There is cafe in the museum premises where visitors can buy refreshments and the managers

Researching how to conduct a profitable online business Essay

Researching how to conduct a profitable online business - Essay Example Numerous studies have indicated that the power of internet shopping rests in the immediacy, 24-hour availability, and depth of product information available as consumers are able to search for information with near-zero cost since information is only 'a click away.' Further, unlike traditional retail products, the internet poses no constraints on the amount of information that may be provided. There are no shelf-space limitations, and consumers can access more information as long as they are willing to scroll down, or select another web page. Information-based decision aids are key consumer-based tools that facilitate broad search, controlled by the user, at reduced cost and with greater accuracy. Much of these functionalities are provided by means of online shopping decision aids (e.g., bargain list, best of list, comparison matrix, consumer reviews, gift reminder, live chat help, personalised recommendations, recommendation agent, related item list, sponsored chat forum, wish list, etc.), which are electronic attributes of an internet retailer website that significantly enhance the consumer's shopping experience and help them make purchasing decisions. Despite the growing popularity of decision aids with consumers, little is known about how they create value for the Internet retailer. It is unclear, however, just how decision aids contribute to the bottom line in helping consumers make purchasing decisions. By examining the decision aids currently used, this project aims to design and develop an application, which could simulate the value/appropriateness of each proposed online shopping decision aids (i.e., from several perspectives such as bookstore, food retailing and travel industry). In this regard, the dissertation poses several questions. It will help clarify the intended purpose of the decision aids by answering some of the following research questions; should Internet retailers employ one or more decisions aids Could the optimum number of decision aid s to be used be determined Could the optimum combination of decision aids be mapped out). The application should also provide some new insights for Website design, IT spending, and overall business strategy. These theories have then been tied up theories and management tools like knowledge management so as to render credibility to the studies and to demonstrate the nexus between application and technology for the successful codification of information. This codification of information will further the cause of successful business activities in the online arena. Introduction The world has shrunk to a small speck called E-commerce, where it is now possible to exchange goods and money in the form of normal transactions. Shopping on the Internet or online shopping as it is more popularly known is that form of shopping that has almost emptied shopping malls in various parts of the world. For success in this kind

Indian Textile Industry Essay Example for Free

Indian Textile Industry Essay Indian textile industry An overview textile industry in India is one of the hopeful divisions of Indian market. It supplies more than thirteen percent to trade production, 16. 63 percent to export revenues and four percent to the nations GDP. In the forth coming year, the industry is to make approximately twelve million career opportunities with a venture of US dollar six billion in the field of textile tools and structure, and garment manufacturing by the end of 2015. Union ministry of Textiles certified Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) has taken the reliability to motivate the overseas financiers to invest in Indian Textile industry by revealing it huge unknown domestic market. It has also prepared and authorized the motto of reach the destination, spend, generate and trade in India. Under this perceptive, the ministry has made a decision to send some representatives to Germany, Switzerland, France, Italy and US. The purpose is to activate the overseas venture towards textile entity in India by offering several grants to international financier like low cost employees and intellectual right fortification. The government of India has also agreed to the proposals to support the textile industry by approving hundred percent Foreign Direct Investment in the market. Owing to the uprights and instantly incorporated textiles cost sequence (price chain), the Indian textile industry signifies a tough subsistence in the total value chain from raw products to finished products. The Synthetic and Rayon Textile Export Promotion Council (SRTEPC) has taken every required steps to meet the target of doubling the synthetic textile export in India to US $6. 2 billion by grabbing four percent of market share by fiscal year 2011- 2012. Taking into consideration the persistent funds in the textile industry, the Govt. of India may possibly widen the Technology Up gradation Fund Scheme (TUFS) by the end of the 11th Five Year Plan- in the financial year of 2011- 2012 in order to protract the industry. Indian textile industry is extraordinarily providing to meet the targeted production of $ 85 billion in the year of 2011, intending exports of more than $ 50 billion which was in year 2010. There is massive progress foreseen in Indian textile exports from the $ 17 billion accomplished in the year of 2005 -2006 to $ 50 billion by the year of 2009-2010. The assessment for the exports in the current fiscal year is about $ 19billion. There is significant potential in Indias exports of technical textiles and home textiles, as most European businesses desire to set up facilities near- by the emerging markets, such as China and India. So, the future of Indian textile industry is very bright, as it has open up the market for international business people.

Hypocrisy: the attitude-behaviour discrepancy

Hypocrisy: the attitude-behaviour discrepancy There are possibly no better examples of attitude-behaviour paradoxes than those of British politics: Diane Abbot, a Labour MP and avid socialist campaigner (who criticized Harriet Harman and Tony Blair for sending their children to selective state schools), created controversy when she sent her son to the private City of London School (Swift, 2003). Her actions did not correspond with her expressed attitudes; Diane was acting hypocritically. In general an attitude is defined as an overall evaluation of an object that is based on cognitive, affective and behavioural information (Maio Haddock, 2010, p. 4). Such attitudes can relate to abstract concepts (such as socialism) or concrete objects. An attitude is constructed of three distinct components; judgements of a cognitive, behavioural and affective nature (Breckler, 1984). Attitudes play a significant role in human cognition; particularly in attention (Holbrook, Berent, Krosnick, Visser, Boninger, 2005; Roskos-Ewoldsen Fazio, 1992), interpretation (Vallone, Ross, Lepper, 1985) and memory (Eagly, Chen, Chaiken, Shaw-Barnes, 1999). Attitudes influence information processing and therefore manipulate our subjective construct of reality. With attitudes conveying such influence over cognition we would expect their effects to be expressed behaviourally. However, despite such cognitive influences, attitudes are not always congruent with behaviour. A clear example of this was illustrated by Richard LaPiere (1934): Whilst travelling America with two Chinese individuals, in a time of heightened racial prejudice against Asians, LaPiere noted all 251 establishments they visited. Despite the current prejudice against Asians only 1 of 251 (0.004%) establishments refused service. However, six months later, when LaPiere sent questionnaires to the establishments 91% of 128 respondents claimed they would not accept Chinese patrons. The symbolic attitudes expressed in the questionnaire did not reflect the concrete behavioural actions. Such a counter-intuitive result prompted research in this area; in a review of 33 studies Wicker (1969) found the average attitude-behaviour correlations to be .15 (rarely exceeding .30, accounting for just 10% of variance). Such a low correlation led Wicker to suggest the rejection of the attitude concept. Yet for certain behaviours a strong attitude-behaviour link can be established. For example, Fazio and Williams (1986) found a strong correlation (r(121) = .782) in predicting individuals voting behaviour. In a more recent review, Sheeran and Taylor (1999) found a strong attitude-behaviour correlation (r+ = .45) in relation to condom usage; far exceeding Wickers (1969) analysis. Such inconsistencies illustrate the numerous complex processes that mediate the attitude-behaviour link. Subsequently, research turned to explaining under what conditions attitudes become action. Individual Differences Our behaviour is undoubtedly the product of thought and our thought processes can differ phenomenally from person to person (Cacioppo, Petty, Kao, Rodriguez, 1986). Thus, individual and cultural differences have been offered as an explanation to attitude-behaviour inconsistencies. Schwartz (1973) investigated the role of self-responsibility on the mediation of the attitude-behaviour link. The participants were measured for both their attitudes and the degree to which they assigned responsibility to themselves (to donate bone marrow). Schwartz (1973) found those high in self-responsibility ascription acted far more attitude consistently (r=.44) than those of low responsibility (r=.01); a significant contrast (p The degree to which an individual self-monitors has also been proposed as an attitude-behaviour moderator (Snyder Tanke, 1976). Those high in self-monitoring are more behaviourally variable across situations, as they are more aware of their expected character in a given social context, so attitudes are often overridden by social norms. Low self-monitors remain stable across situations, relatively unaware of the social context, acting in line with their attitudes. In an experiment where participants were requested to write counter-attitudinal essays (Snyder Tanke, 1976); low self-monitors were found to have high attitude-behaviour correlations (r(10) = +.65, p A further individual difference in attitude-behaviour congruence is cognitive processing; weather individuals engage in effortful issue-relevant cognition or not (Cacioppo, Petty, Kao, Rodriguez, 1986). Cacioppo et al (1986), in relation to a presidential election, found high-cognition individuals to have stronger attitude behaviour correspondence (r(40)=.86) than those of low-cognition (r(41)=.41); such a comparison was significant (Z = 3.71, p Weather it is due to cognitive preference, the degree of self-monitoring or responsibility ascription individual differences in attitude-behaviour congruence are clear. Individual preference for attitude inaction can account for some variation, yet the situation itself can also provide a bias. Situations Influence The power of the situation has been illustrated by many studies (for example: Asch, 1955; Milgram, 1963), it is therefore unsurprising that the situation can exert influence over attitude-behaviour congruency. The public or private nature of an attitude can influence overt behaviour. Public behaviour, due to increased salience of social norms, will involve more normative influence than private behaviour. Froming, Walker and Lopyan (1982) investigated the role of self attitude salience (using a mirror) or public salience (using an audience) on the attitude-behaviour link. Participants were selected based on their negative views of punishment and subject to an electrical shock teacher/learner task (similar to that of Milgram, 1963). The experimenter manipulated self salience against public salience whilst measuring what level of shock the teachers administered to the learners. Those in the mirror condition (attitude consistent) shocked far less than the participants in the evaluative audience condition (attitude inconsistent): t(23) = 3.64, p The reality of an attitude can effect behavioural outcomes; a bias to act unrealistically in hypothetical situations (Brown, Ajzen, Hrubes, 2003). In a contingent valuation scenario Brown et al (2003) found participants to be 48% more likely to donate $8 in a hypothetical senario in comparison to a realistic situation; indicating that more salient beliefs are activated by concrete situations than by hypothetical situations. Aditionally, Ajzen, Brown, and Carvajal (2004) illustrated that hypothetical intension correlate more so (r(120) = .51) than real situations (r(120) = .39). Such a bias could apply to socialism (being a theoretical construct) yet not to a childs education (a concrete action). The salience of attitudes and the salience of situational norms can influence attitude-behaviour congruence. In a court case scenario Snyder and Swann (1976) found that if attitudes were not made salient there was very little correspondence (r(56) = .06 .07, ns), yet if attitudes were made salient (with a short paragraph of text highlighting the importance of ones own view) attitudes did significantly correspond with behaviour, r(28) = .58, p The role of affective (the emotions associated with an attitude) and cognitive (attributes and beliefs associated with an attitude) control on behavioural action varies between situations. These two categories can be activated separately, by making a category salient. Millar Tesser (1986) successfully manipulated behaviour by making affective or cognitive controls salient; those made cognitively salient enacted more instrumental behaviour, whereas those made affectively salient enacted consumatory behaviour, F(1,59) = 8.85, p Another emotive motivator is that of vested interest. Vested interest essentially means that the consequence of a decision will personally affect an individual. The more than an issue directly effects an individual, the more logical processing that will take place and the higher attitude-behaviour congruence will be (Sivacek Crano, 1982). Sivacek and Crano (1982) analysed attitude-behaviour congruence in relation to vested interest of a proposed alcohol drinking age limit. Unsurprisingly, those most affected by the change were more attitude consistent (r(39) = .30) and those unaffected were most inconsistent (r(18) = .16). As the future of your child is somewhat determined by education, parents would likely have significant vested interest in this decision. Therefore, behaviour should be attitude consistent. The influences of the situation are huge; be it through the nature of the situation (its publicity, reality, potential affects or emotionality) or the salience of attitudes activated, it undoubtedly plays a role in mediating attitude-behaviour correspondence. Modelling attitude-behaviour congruence With the many factors that influence attitude-behaviour congruence a unified model seems doubtful. However, Ajzens (1991) theory of planned behaviour has found significant empirical support. The model focuses on the behavioural intention as a mediator between attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control (see figure 1). The model claims an attitude is the interaction between the individuals expectation of a behavioural outcome and its desirability. The subjective norms component refers to the normative beliefs about a given behaviour, in interaction with the motivation (i.e. high/low self monitors) to comply with these norms. The final component, perceived behavioural control, refers to the individuals judgement of their own ability to perform the behavioural action. Ajzen, Brown, Carvajal (2004) have shown that intentions correlate strongly with behaviour (r=.57), as do attitudes (r=.31), subjective norms (r=.27) and perceived behavioural control (r=.45). Since LaPiere (1934) and Wicker (1969) suggested the rejection of attitudes, research has established specifically when attitudes do lead to action. When facing the problem Why a socialist parent would send their child to a private school? many of the situational and individual variables mentioned could apply. For example, deciding a childs future is likely to be classed as a private behaviour and so should be less biased by social norms and more attitude dependent (Froming, Walker, Lopyan, 1982). Incongruously, the reality of such a situation is likely to dampen behavioural expression of attitudes (Ajzen, T. Brown, Carvajal, 2004; T. Brown, Ajzen, Hrubes, 2003). It is impossible to isolate why any behaviour is enacted as there are too many conflicting variables; behaviour is the sum of these many variables. Perhaps the principle of aggregation is more suitable for linking attitudes to behaviour: As any given behaviour is unlikely to relate to a single attitude; rather many attitudes, situations factors and individual differences interact to produce behavioural action (Ajzen, 1991; Fishbein Ajzen, 1974). The human mind subconsciously factors a huge number of variables producing a seamlessly effortless conclusion; far too many variables to consciously disentangle. Figures Figure 1 Reproduced from Ajzen (1991) p.182

Accounting Essays Management Accounting

Accounting Essays Management Accounting Current Issues in Management Accounting INTRODUCTION Accounting measures of performance have been the traditional mainstay of quantitative approaches to organizational performance measurement. However, over the past two decades, a great deal of attention has been paid to the development and use of non-financial measures of performance, which can be used both to motivate and report on the performance of business and other organizations. The impetus for such developments has come from both the bottom and the top of the organization. Much performance management at the operational level is carried out using specific indicators of performance, which are usually not measured in financial terms. At the most senior levels, although financial performance is inevitably a major consideration, there has been increasing recognition that other important factors in the effective running of the organization cannot be well captured by such measures (Neely 2002). Thus, non-financial performance measures have undergone significant development, to the relative neglect of the development of improved financial measures. However, the recent publicity surrounding the marketing of economic value added as an overall measure of company performance by management consultants can be seen as a sign of a new emphasis on the financial aspects of performance. It will be argued that there are three different major functions for financial performance measures, and that, although these functions overlap to some extent, major confusion can be caused by applying measures developed for one function to a different one (Neely 2002). Any organization, whether public or private, has to live within financial constraints and to deliver perceived value for money to its stakeholders. The role of the finance function is to manage the financial resources of the organization, and to ensure that the financial constraints it faces are not breached. Failure to do this will lead to financial distress, and ultimately, for many organizations, to financial failure or bankruptcy. Establishment of precisely what the financial constraints are and how the proposed operating plans will impact upon them are a central part of the finance function. There are three main areas of focus for financial plans. Most basically, cash flow planning is required to ensure that the cash is available to meet the financial obligations of the organization. Failure to manage cash flows will result in technical insolvency. For business organizations, the second area requiring attention is profitability, or the need to acquire resources at a greater rate than using them. Although over the life of an enterprise, total net cash flow and total profit are essentially equal, this can mask the fact that in the short-term they can be very different (Neely 2002). Indeed, one of the major causes of failure of new small business enterprises is not that they are unprofitable in the long term, but that growth in profitable activity has outstripped the cash necessary to resource it. The major difference between profit and cash flow is the time period between payments made for capital assets which will generate income in the future and the actual receipt of that income which is needed as working capital. This highlights the third area of focus, namely on assets and the provision of finance for their purchase (Neely 2002). Businesses need to know about their financial performance to access what are the things they are doing right. The paper takes a look at the two forms of accounting systems. The paper will also discuss on the concern towards the financial and management accounting’s linkage and such linkage drawing operating decision making into a short-term, narrow focus not supportive of the most effective operations. ACCOUNTING AND ORGANIZATIONS As instruments, financial statements can only provide representations of the phenomena that guide the decision-making processes of investors, creditors and other interested parties. The serviceability of these statements will be dependent on the extent to which they depict accurately the phenomena they purport to represent. This notion has been explained under a variety of guises in the accounting literature. Accounting is financial map-making. The better the map, the more completely it represents the complex phenomena that are being mapped. Financial statements may be viewed as descriptive accounts of the financial relationships between an entity and its environment from time to time, and changes in that relationship over time (West 2003). Accordingly, a system of accounting may be viewed as a model of the system of financial relationships between an entity and its environment. The function of the accounting system is, therefore, to represent the financial consequences of an entity’s actions and the financial consequences of the endogenous and exogenous factors which determine an entity’s financial status in relation to all other entities. When the laws underlying the accounting model have the same syntactical structure as a corresponding set of laws which govern the phenomena of financial position and financial performance, financial statements may be considered syntactically isomorphic with the actual financial position and financial performance of firms (West 2003). The consequences of faulty financial instrumentation may be severe. Where the decision-making processes of individual investors are misguided, economic inefficiencies with broader social repercussions are likely to ensue. To protect against these adversities, accounting, in common with other systems of instrumentation, needs to be subject to some form of governance or discipline. Consistent with this qualitative standards for accounting information have a long history. They appeared in early bookkeeping manuals and were written into the constitutive documents of commercial ventures and a variety of statutes in the United Kingdom during the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Their purpose was to signify the duty to ensure that accounts were properly kept as a basis for representing the financial affairs of public bodies and business firms. rather than seeking to ensure that accounting information corresponds with the actual financial features of firms as at their date and that the function of accounting is therefore served there is evidence that the accounting profession has been, and continues to be, concerned only to ensure that financial statements have been prepared on the basis of prescribed technical accounting rules (West 2003). Were these rules to prescribe an effective system of financial instrumentation, they would provide the means by which the function of accounting would be better served. Accountants of the highest abilities and reputations are willing to give their considered opinion, after due examination, that the financial statements fairly present the position of a company based upon accounts determined in accordance with accepted principles of accounting. It follows that these fundamental truths upon which such opinion is based, and which may be properly dignified with the term principles, are known to the accountant and are matters with respect to which there can be no general disagreement (West 2003). Businesses use accounting as a method to know how they are performing and to see if there is a balance between what the company acquires and what the company takes out. The balance should be maintained so that a firm operates for a longer time. Accounting systems are said to have different forms o ne is financial accounting and the other is management accounting. The next discussion focuses on Financial Accounting. FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING Financial accounting and reporting is essentially a means to provide information. If information is to be useful, there must be uncertainty that can possibly be resolved by such information. To understand why accounting is useful at all, analyzing accounting information in the context of certainty would be clearly inappropriate. An information system provides signals that alter the likelihood of the occurrence of future events or states of the world that are part of a decision problem. A decision problem is characterized by states of the world, their probabilities, actions the decision-maker can choose, results of state-action combinations, and the utilities the decision-maker receives from such results. The usefulness of information can only be assessed in the context of a particular decision problem. Thus, the same information system may be useful in one context but not in another. General-purpose financial accounting and reporting is designed primarily to provide information to pe ople outside the firm, such as investors, creditors, and customers (Hopwood, Leuz Pfaff 2004). These parties are presumably interested in that information and rely on it for their own decision-making. The firm prepares the accounting information, and hence is better informed than the users. Further, some potential users of information have conflicts of interest with the firm. The information asymmetry generates concerns because it is not necessarily in the firms best interest to provide the information at all, or to provide it in an unbiased fashion. It is in such a context that disclosure and earnings management issues arise. Introducing an auditor as another player with asymmetric information and potential conflicting interests adds another layer of incentive issues to be considered. However, there are several features of financial accounting systems that make them peculiar information systems (Hopwood, Leuz Pfaff 2004). Accounting provides periodic information about the financial position of a firm. Accountants use accruals to provide information about transactions and events, not just cash flows. Accrual accounting allocates cash flows to particular periods under specific transformation rules. This information leads to the distinct accounting language, such as stocks and flows, assets and liabilities, and income. The transformation rules include the realization principle, which defines when revenue is recognized; the matching principle, which states that expenses follow the respective revenues; and conservatism, which introduces a bias in the reported income. Financial accounting and reporting is governed by standards or rules developed by standard-setters or legal bodies on a national or international level. The objective is to provide decision-useful information to the stakeholders of the firm (Hopwood, Leuz Pfaff 2004). Accounting information competes with other information sources, which are provided either directly by the firm or generated by intermediaries. To be valuable, the information must have a comparative advantage over other sources, or at least a complementary value. Indicators attesting that this is in fact the case are that investors and analysts usually generate earnings expectations and react to firms meeting or not meeting them, and that they also react to accounting scandals. Firms exert effort in managing earnings. These features make accounting reports a special and important information system. Useful models in financial accounting attempt to capture some of these features (Hopwood, Leuz Pfaff 2004). Financial accounting is focused on the financial issues of the company and it provides financial related information to internal and external people concerned with the company. The main focus of financial accounting is making sure that the stakeholders are given positive financial information. MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING Many companies have turned to their management accounting systems to bypass the limitations of financial accounting. Some of them have developed best practices that give them a firm foundation for true accountability. However, many companies have not gotten beyond the crisis in management accounting that crept into place early in the century. That is, they use management accounting as not much more than a data-gathering device for determining product costs and compiling external financial accounts. Management accounts are driven by the cycle and procedures of financial accounting. The information is most useful for tasks like valuing inventory and aggregating costs across the company (Birchard Epstein 2000). It is an incomplete basis for measuring performance. Any company that has not radically changed its management accounting risks finding it produces problems similar to those created by financial accounting. The two most critical problems are prodding managers into, first, an incessant financial focus and, second, a near total reliance on historical, or lagging, indicators for decision making. The product and service costs that managers receive, the meat and potatoes of managerial accounting, often reveal little about the non financial factors of performance that create costs, like complex product designs or defective customer service. The cost data help managers keep the financial score but not necessarily how to improve their long-term batting average companies that depend on financial accounting and traditional management accounting systems are in crisis because they are missing the first element for making the accountable organization which is relevant and comprehensive measures o f performance. Without systems that extend beyond the financials to non financials and that accurately tally product costs, few managers or executives can deliver a maximum of value to shareholders, customers, or anyone else (Birchard Epstein 2000). Managers widely recognize the problem today. In a study 45 percent of companies said that their performance measurement system had a neutral to negative impact on long-term management. Whats more, respondents who reported the least satisfaction with their performance measurement systems used financials more intensely and used fewer non financials than did respondents who reported more satisfaction. Little surprise that 65 percent said most of their measures came from the current-year financial results. Measures have great power, almost like genetic code, to shape action and performance. Whether at the equivalent of the cell level, the organ level, or the systems level, measures become the directional device that influences or even dictates the shape of the enterprise. Change the measures, and you change the organism. Measures have always had the power to shape a corporations destiny, but the focus on financial figures alone limited their utility (Birchard Epstein 2000). Management accounting of the past forced managers to build world-class organizations and it is build with a truncated set of chromosomes. Today, though, with the help of revitalized cost accounting and non financial measurement, managers can develop a full set of instructions financial, operational, and social for the enterprise. Those instructions give them the capability to create accountability they never had before. The mark of the financially accountable organization has changed. Once upon a time, standard accounting measures like earnings per share were the gold standards of performance measurement. Traditional measures today, if used in isolation, raise a red flag. They signal to investors that managers may be reporting their performance reflexively as slaves to tradition, rather than as leaders of a well-wrought financial and business strategy (Birchard Epstein 2000). As a complement to financial accounting, companies make use of management accounting to check its performanc e and know which operating part of the firm they are not doing well. IMPROVEMENTS IN MANAGEMENT AND FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING There is mounting evidence that the deployment of digital technologies by organizations not only affects the economics of operational and managerial processes but also mobilizes extensive social and organizational effects. Digitization impacts the form, substance, and provenance of internal accounting information with attendant consequences on the behavior and actions of organizational participants and on the functioning of enterprises more widely. Knowledge about the influence of the deployment of digital technologies on management accounting thinking, processes, and practices is starting to take shape. As enterprises become increasingly concerned with the generation and the processing of digitized information relating to the production and delivery of physical and digital products and services, the challenge will be to sustain sufficient credence in the monitoring, measurement, and assessment of these altering organizational activities (Bhimani 2003). Trust is core in this regard. If it can be claimed that trust is becoming the most important asset in the digital economy then what comprises trust in internal accountings will likely see transformations. Novel accounting concerns centering on faith in numbers will once again emerge and contemporary control systems will no doubt continue to face calls for reforms. Accounting measures will seek to endanger trust in contexts where what is bought, sold, or produced never assumes physical form. Although service products have always evidenced such characterization, the means by which they are delivered have not ordinarily defied desired transparency or the potential for observation in the same way as digital processes. Counting based on observation or observations enabling evaluations to be made are not always amenable to operationalization in contexts where digital rather than physical transactions underpin enterprise activities (Bhimani 2003). Digital processes often evade physical verification, and established modes of enumeration and evaluation will therefore likely come under question. How far accounting information can be trusted is not subject merely to the development of more rational forms of capturing the economic consequences of organizational activities resting on digital processes. Human interpretations of the significance of deploying digital technologies and their representation in economic terms are also a relevant issue. Alterations in the capture and reporting of information as well as the changing nature of the product that is to be reported upon within digitized organizational contexts will likely have behavioral implications worthy of study. Behavioral accounting research which has traditionally documented similarities and variations in the uses and impacts of accounting information on individuals will raise new concerns, questions, and issues (Bhimani 2003). At the individual level, digitization will affect the type of accounting information being reported as well as the manner in which it is used and the resulting consequences. The rise of digitization which may in part occlude the transparency of organizational affairs, will impact on pressures to portray management accounting work as being technically and internally legitimate. This will prove particularly pertinent in the near future given that, in the recent past, the accountants credibility in public accounting functions has been tarnished. Just as consumers rely on brands to guide their choices as product diversity and complexity grow, and as barriers to entry in many markets drop, so the linkage between the managerial task and the know-how of internal accountants will be shaped by the credibility which management accounting can engender within enterprises. The management accountant will need to project not simply traditional professionalism but the constitution of a digitally cog nizant person. This person must have an appeal to digital spaces in representation of managerial tasks and which combine simulation with traditional reality as well as corporate legitimacy (Bhimani 2003). Just like any other concepts accounting has developed and it became adaptable to the changes in the environment. The digitization of accounting creates a better chance for more accurate information that will prove to be vital for organizations. CONCERN TOWARDS THE LINKAGE Fry, Steele, and Saladin 1998, stated that accounting systems take two forms, management accounting and financial accounting, and can be tightly linked. However, the functions of these two forms of accounting are quite different: management accounting is focused on monitoring and analyzing the effect of management decisions, financial accounting is focused on short-term, external reporting. The concern is that this linkage is drawing operating decision making into a short-term, narrow focus not supportive of the most effective operations. For Fry, Steele and Saladin they have doubts that the two forms of accounting are not used together by companies and decisions are focused only on one form of accounting. In the previous discussions it mentioned that companies use both forms of accounting to make decisions and create strategies. Companies cannot completely disregard the information that are acquired by using the financial and management accounting. The information acquired has a rel ation and are useful in determining the next actions for the company. The linkage between the two forms of accounting does not create a short term focus and it does not create a situation wherein there is no support for effective operations. The linkage between the two creates a better outlook on how a certain problem can be solved and it helps in discerning the effective actions a company should take. CONCLUSION Businesses need to know about their financial performance to access what are the things they are doing right. Businesses use accounting as a method to know how they are performing and to see if there is a balance between what the company acquires and what the company takes out. Financial accounting is focused on the financial issues of the company and it provides financial related information to internal and external people concerned with the company. As a complement to financial accounting, companies make use of management accounting to check its performance and know which operating part of the firm they are not doing well. There is said to be a linkage between the financial and management forms of accounting. This linkage is also said to create a short term, narrow focus that is not supportive of effective operations. The linkage between the two forms of accounting does not create a short term focus and it does not create a situation wherein there is no support for effective operat ion, it provides better decisions to be done and a better focus for a firm. REFERENCES: Amernic, JH Robb, S 2003, Quality of earnings as a framing device and unifying theme in intermediate financial accounting, Issues in Accounting Education, vol. 18, no. 1, p. 5. Bhimani, A 2003, Management accounting in the digital economy, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Black, T Gallagher, L 2004, Are physical capacity constraints relevant? : applying Finance-Economics theory to a management accounting misconception, Australian Journal of Management, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 143. Birchard, B Epstein, MJ 2000, Counting what counts: turning corporate accountability to competitive advantage, Perseus Books, Cambridge, MA. Fry, TD, Steele, DC Saladin, BA 1998, ‘The use of management accounting systems in manufacturing’, International Journal of Production Research, vol. 36, no. 2, p.503-525. Hopwood, A, Leuz, C Pfaff, D (eds.) 2004, The economics and politics of accounting: international perspectives on research trends, policy, and practice, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Neely, A (ed.) 2002, Business performance measurement: theory and practice, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England. West, BP 2003, Professionalism and accounting rules, Routledge, New York.

How to Babysit Four Kids :: Process Essays

How to Babysit Four Kids   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   My mom, who skillfully manages four children, works Tuesday evenings - she calls it time out. As I walked in the house on a recent Tuesday evening, I hear Meghan screaming. Tim is mercilessly teasing her by hiding her teddy bear.   Pat is hollering from the basement at Tim; and the phone is ringing.   The ringing stops, which means Maura got it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When Meghan hears me enter she runs crying "Tim's teasing me and I'm hungry."   I ask the kids, "Why didn't you feed her?"   Tim responds, "she didn't say she was hungry."   Pat runs up from the basement and reminds me I have to take him to guitar practice now or he'll be late.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Maura bounces down the steps, pokes her finger in my ribs and shouts, "I need help with my Algebra but give me the keys 'cause I have to run to school to get my history book and Mom says give Meghan a bath before you put her to bed and have the kitchen looking as nice as it did when she left, which was spotless."   I won't tell you how I reacted that evening.   As married-with-children typically means both partners are working, the need to cope with such situations has become a daily necessity.   For you fathers, who haven't acquired the natural mothering instincts, here are some pointers I've learned the hard way to ease the pressures of work and family: Don't think that by ignoring the family they'll go away.   If pressures at home build because of schedules, personalities, etc. deal with them.   Rather than react to events like I did, create the action.   Be prepared for those evenings or weekends when you're the only cook, cleaner and ente rtainer.   On my fateful Tuesday, I should have phoned home before leaving work to discuss plans for the evening. Plan family schedules in advance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Have a large calendar hung prominently in the busiest room in the house and preferably near a phone.  Ã‚   Schedule activities immediately on the calendar.   My mom has informed me of major family plans while I was watching Pitt play on TV.   Because I didn't tune into the discussion, when the time came for me to be at whatever event she was talking about at the right time and place, and with the right kid it didn't happen. Have a few tricks up your sleeve.

Blindness and Sight - Nothing and Blindness in King Lear :: King Lear essays

Themes of Nothing and Blindness in King Lear Many of the passages of King Lear, particularly those between the characters of Lear, Kent, the Fool, and Cordelia, all share a common theme. The theme of nothing, as well as the theme of blindness, echoes throughout the play. King Lear is in many ways about nothing. However, Kent, the Fool, and Cordelia make him more than nothing by serving faithfully, speaking bluntly, and loving unconditionally. The first occurrence of the imagery of nothing takes place between Lear and Cordelia. In this particular scene, Lear asks his three daughters to profess their love for him. When Cordelia is prompted to speak, she replies "Nothing, my Lord" (1.1.87). Here, Cordelia acknowledges that her other sisters are only putting on an act for Lear. Since she truly loves him the most, she cannot bring herself to praise him falsely. Instead, she says "I love your majesty according to my bond, no more no less" (1.1.92-93). In this short dialogue between Lear and Cordelia, the word "nothing" is said four times. What's notable is that each time it is said, it implies a different meaning. The purpose of this repetition is to show the audience its importance in the text and to make the ideas and imagery that go along with the word to be clear. By replying "nothing" when posed with the question of her love for Lear, Cordelia implies that there is nothing left to say since her sisters have already said al l that there is to be said. This particular passage, with its usage of the word "nothing" also takes on its own rhythm compared to the rest of the text. In a later passage between Lear, Kent, and the Fool, this imagery of "nothing" occurs again. In the Fool's first speech, he gives both Lear and Kent a little bit of his own brand of wisdom. To that, Kent replies, "This is nothing, Fool" (1.4.126). The Fool tells Kent "you gave me nothing for't" (1.4.128). The Fool then asks Lear "Can you make no use of nothing, nuncle?" (1.4.128) To that, Lear relies, "Why no, boy; nothing can be made out of nothing" (1.4.130). These "nothings" that occur again here all seem to have different meanings as well. Kent tells the Fool that his wisdom is nothing, since it seems on the surface to not make any sense. When Kent tells the Fool this, the Fool tells him that it was just free advise, and that he was paid nothing for it.

African Americans unnoticed :: Essays Papers

African Americans unnoticed For too many years, African Americans have lived without knowing the people who have influenced their way of life. We walk around without taking the time to appreciate the people that have allowed us to go to these black colleges and universities, or the African Americans that have dedicated life their to make life better for all mankind as well as blacks. Women as well men have gone out of their way to make life better for their future. We know that women have influenced life from the beginning of time whether the role of the women is a mother, wife, doctor, or educator. But women have not always been able to advance in society, as men have been able to. As a black women I am proud to hear of women such as Lucy Laney, who she dedicated her life to get funding for black Georgia schools. She believed that women are better teachers than men and that an educated Negro woman is what is needed to teach students of all ages. Annie Julia Cooper was an active participant in the women's organizations in the 1980s. She believed that higher education of the black woman was too rare and did what she could so that young women like me can attend college. Fannie Barrier Williams realized that racism was a major problem, but also realized that sexism was an even greater problem in equality. For, as she said, "to be a colored woman is to be discredite d, mistrusted and often meanly hated." Through times of strife and stress she worked, sometimes successfully, to eliminate discrimination against black women. Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Dubois, Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., and Stokely Carmicheal; these names when said are ones to which black people respond to, because all of these men improved social conditions for African Americans. All were part of large organized mass movement in black history. Each on of these men played a different part in influencing black America. Washington was skilled at politics. He was powerful and influential in both the black and white communities, Washington was a confidential advisor to presidents. DuBois was a public speaker who noted how America tactically sidestepped the issues of color, and how his approach of "educate and agitate" appeared to fall on deaf ears. Marcus Garvey drawing on a gift for oratory, he created "Garveyism" eventually evolved into a religion of success, inspiring millions of black people worldwide who sought relief from racism and colonialism.

Online gambling and social responsibility Essay

The Gaming Industry does not escape as any other industry in acting responsibly and being sensible to the society in which it operates. Since the early 50s and 60s when the gaming industry was targeted and tagged as one controlled by criminals, and as cited earlier in this paper, the industry has been regulated constantly to prevent customers to be the target and profit and limit the expansion of the gambling criminal activities. But with the constant regulatory eye of the government, how can’t the gaming industry act as any other where the main purpose of business activity is the creation of profits? In an attempt to portray the main and traditional intention of a business, Cavico explains that a corporation main purpose in our society is the profitable production and distribution of goods and services (Cavico, 2009). In fact, that is how corporations invest money in a business opportunity to create profits, and gradually based on the market and business condition, look for an expansion of their operations in the search for more opportunities and profits. The online gaming industry, domestic or international, has this intent as their main purpose of existence. Exploring the social responsible side of corporations, John Bussey in a Wall Street Journal article, introduces a justification why companies would benefit from adopting the social responsible side, by mentioning Starbucks’s CEO, Howard Schultz in promoting corporate social responsibility in companies. Also, the article also compares Mr. Schultz’s viewpoint with Milton Friedman’s position. Mr. Friedman said that â€Å"there is one and only one social responsibility of business to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits so long as it stays within the rules of the game. † However, Mr. Schultz’s corporate social responsible movement states in contrast that â€Å"companies that hold on to the old-school, singular view of limiting their responsibilities to making a profit will not only discover it is a shallow goal, but an unsustainable one,† and added that â€Å"values increasingly drive consumer and employee loyalties. Money and talent will follow those companies whose values are compatible. â€Å"(Bussey, 2011). With this context in mind, Milton Friedman, in a New York Times article, explains eloquently the role of government and elected representatives are the ones providing all rules, regulations and environment necessary for a responsible and welfare of the society, and concludes that by political principle, this is the main domain of government and not corporations (Friedman, 1970). Thus, how can the Online Gaming industry take advantage of the gambling status quo and be socially responsible, improve acceptance of society, and in return expands their business activities online? The gaming industry has been limited to ground operations based primarily on the fact that they have already impacted vulnerable customers in our society. Several aspects such as financial instability, emotional and psychological impact, and addiction to both gambling and internet use, are the negative factors to consider in the public forum and discussion for internet gambling acceptance in our society (Griffits, 2002). Many medical studies revealed how customers are socially, psychologically and economically impacted by the persistent side effects of online gaming and what how the medical community defines this type of addiction risk as pathological gambling (Harvard Health, 2004). Pathological gambling as disorder presents in addicts preoccupation of past, present and future, need to increase wagers, repeated unsuccessful efforts to stop or cut back, escape from every day problems, restlessness, committing illegal acts to finance gambling, lying, losing or jeopardizing careers or family relationships, and/or requesting gifts or loans to pay gambling debts (Harvard Health, 2004). With this context, gambling customers are exposed to either initiate these behaviors, continue with their present trends, or making them worse in the future without adequate education and/or professional counseling. To make matters worse, the technology diversification found on intelligent mobile devices such as intelligent phones and tablets, besides computers at home, are an open channel for many individuals to internet gambling (Griffits, 2002). With the recent trend of extensively social networks use, the elevated impact of texting or posting comments anytime and anywhere, and the serious accidents seen in recent years, lawmakers will see very difficult to work with both sides: either advocating the main purpose of online gambling on the merely entertainment business grounds, and thereforerelaxing their current   limitations and prohibition, or to promote the prohibition of the such business operation medium. Still in this background, the recent mobile technology diversification and the potential increase of compulsive behaviors mentioned above, will make matter worse to build a positive case for this industry. In response to create awareness among operators, regulators and the public of the potential problem that internet gambling represents, the National Council on Problem Gaming, an organization founded in 1972 as a non-partisan, non-profit organization that is neutral on legalized gambling, advocates for programs and services to assist problem gamblers and their families, published in April 2012 an Internet Responsible Gaming Standards. The document available at ncpgambling. org shows a summary of recommendations to nationally advocate programs and services to help problem gamblers and their families (National Council 2012). The NCPG is one of the many initiatives found domestically to provide support to Internet gambling addicts and promote awareness. Other organizations such as the Gamblers Anonymous (gamblersanonymous. org) and National Center for Responsible Gaming (ncrg. org) are among non-profit organizations dedicated to assist, advocate and promote responsible gaming practices and the development of effective prevention and treatment strategies for gambling disorders among all legislators, regulators, researchers, treatment professionals, industry representatives and informed citizens. On the consumer side, and according to the American Gaming Association (AGA) website, while current U. S. laws prevent the use of betting on online sites which are mostly based overseas, American consumers feel that both technology and times have changed, and the internet gambling option is something that should be passed by congress. Presently, consumers are exposed to either prosecution by federal authorities, or to the mercy of overseas gaming companies out of the jurisdiction of U. S.authorities, making this more difficult and risky (AGA 2012). Viewing the aspect of social responsibility from a different angle, other industries found beneficial exploring and integrating the corporate social responsibility (CSR) aspect to the point that is now incorporated as part of the daily business activities. The interest and move for being a CSR company follows, as Cavico states, that a corporation cannot sustain economic viability in an even, unstable and deteriorating society. In some examples portrayed by Cavico, Google efforts to combat poverty, Starbucks assisting growers in developing countries, and Microsoft supporting the fight to obesity among employees, are some examples of the efforts companies employed to be more appealing to the cause of social responsibility (Cavico 2009). Being attractive has two other focuses. Number one, gain better public image with society and consumers, and number two, improve attraction to investors who are looking for environmentally responsible companies. For example, Starbucks customers are more sympathetic to consume coffee knowing that it comes from a fair certified grower. At the same time, Starbucks improves and changes the marketing strategy, makes themselves more appealing to socially minded investors (Cavico, 2009). Within the same context used by other companies, currently gambling corporations follow the same concept of the CSR entity with the assistance of the American Gaming Association (AGA, americangaming. org). Each company that is listed under the AGA website lists their own efforts to be more socially responsible providing programs at employee levels, support the National Council for Responsible Gambling and promote responsible gambling through websites. However, each one follows in this respect the same rhetoric of cooperating or supporting an organization, but there are no references to case studies, or links explaining the success in other areas such as schools or universities, or expanding the actual work of being a CSR company that cares about their customers and society, failing to make a stronger case in search of acceptance and informing the society. In contrast, Google provides in their corporate page detailed information for each assisting program the company is involved domestically and internationally. The authors believe that here is where the industry can make a major case and effort to improve their future expansion into the online arena. It is certain that corporations in general are under the scrutiny of two entities. First, society in general who looks for these organizations to be corporate socially responsible, and recognized as major driver providing work opportunities in several areas of the country. Also, divulging that part of their current CSR efforts are producing results by means of improvement in areas of concern such as education, income and health. Second, the company, by promoting their CSR efforts and results, will become more attractive to conscious investors who are looking for CSR companies with excellent CSR results investing their profits in those communities where they operate. Finally, the authors believe that the internet gambling industry has a good opportunity to remove old labels as threats to society by lessening the potential impact in society with addiction and other illegal activities related, and to build and expand their CSR plans to move into the direction other companies enjoy with the public opinion. This industry has the capacity and capability to deliver a strong case that online gaming is another entertainment activity, and that it will act socially responsible, not only giving back to their communities, but also operating in thorough and healthy regulatory environment. Most importantly, the industry can take advantage that the 21st century American society is more open to accept the industry if it displays results back in the search of a case for their future domestic online service. References Cavico, Frank J. , and Bahaudin G. Mujtaba.Business Ethics: The Moral Foundation of Effective Leadership, Management, and Entrepreneurship. New York, NY: Pearson Custom Publishing, 2009. 12, 162-169 Friedman, Milton (1970). The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits. New York Times. Retrieved from ttp://www. colorado. edu/studentgroups/libertarians/issues/friedman-soc-resp-business. html. Accessed on 2 September 2012. Bussey, John (October 2011). Are Companies Responsible for Creating Jobs? Wall Street Journal (Online), pp. n/a-n/a. Retrieved from http://online. wsj. com/article/SB10001424052970204505304577001930473006096.html? mod=WSJ_business_LeftSecondHighlights. Accessed on 2 September 2012. Griffits, Mark D. and Parke, Jonathan (2002) The Social Impact of Internet Gambling. Nothingham Trent University, Department of Political Science. Retrieved from http://www. eou. edu/~jdense/griffithsparke. pdf. Accessed on 06 August 2012. Harvard Health Publications, Harvard Mental Health (March 2004). Problem Gambling. Retrieved from http://www. health. harvard. edu/newsweek/Problem_gambling. htm. Accessed on 24 August 2012. National Council on Responsible Gambling (2012). Public Education and Outreach. Retrieved from.

Girls’ State Essay

I hope to attend the Rhododendron Girls State Program. My attendance would drastically assist me in all of my future endeavors. It would provide me with an opportunity to join the over 30,000 girls who have already benefited from the citizenship, leadership, and patriotism training. This nationally recognized program would help me academically excel above others. Besides looking great in general on my college application, it could provide me with a chance to receive scholarships. After high school, I currently plan to continue my education at either West Liberty University or Ohio University.I want to take a dual major of biology and chemistry; these majors are important because I want to be Pre-Medicine. Along with a rigorous curriculum, I hope to play collegiate softball. After college, I will again further my education by going to a school of medicine in order to become an orthopedic surgeon. When I apply for admittance into these schools, they will take into account programs such as Girls State causing them to perceive me as a better choice than those who did not attend such programs.Since I will soon be of voting age, I am interested in acquiring a better understanding and deeper regard for my nation’s legacy of freedom and democracy. Running for offices, registering to vote, and delivering speeches will give me first-hand experience for the real world. My nation’s history is unique and the founding fathers of America would be proud to see youth learning about the government they created.

Eating Disorders: Symptoms, Signs, Causes Essay

What is an eating disorder? Well, one of the many definitions for an eating disorder is any range of psychological disorders characterized by disturbed eating habits; which include anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervous (BN) and binge-eating disorder. (CITE). All eating disorders have similar characteristics. This could be a fear of becoming fat, food, weight or calories. The reason why I want to focus on this population is that eating disorders are a significant problem during the adolescent years affecting up to 5% of adolescent girls (Golden et al., 2003). Someone suffering from an eating disorder has a very unhealthy relationship with food that is prying into many areas of their everyday life. An individual may eat little to no food, eat unreasonably massive amounts of food, be infatuated with thoughts of food or exercise, and have a distorted body image. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fifth edition (DSM-V) recognizes four main eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS). (CITE DSM-5).The signs of an eating disorder will vary and may include refusal to eat, extreme exercise, social withdrawal, self-induced vomiting or binge eating. Many families that have a family member that suffers from an eating disorder also have an increased risk of depression, obesity, substance abuse or consuming too much food. People that suffer from eating disorders may struggle socially, physically and or mentally, there are also many symptoms and signs to watch for. (article 7) Causes of Eating Disorders: Eating Disorders are complex disorders, influenced by a faà §ade of factors. Thought the exact cause of eating disorders is unknown, it is generally believed that a combination of biological, psychological and/or environmental abnormalities contribute to the development of these illnesses. (Cite Article 4) Biological Factors: When it comes to biological factors some include; certain people may have irregular hormone functions that increase their risk of developing eating disorders. Genetics (the tie between eating disorders and one’s genes is still being heavily researched, but we know that genetics is a part of the story). And lastly, there are nutritional deficiencies; which is an inadequate supply of essential nutrients in diet resulting in malnutrition or disease. (Mayo Clinic) Psychological Factors Some of the psychological factors or emotional health include people with a negative body image. They may have low self-esteem, perfectionism impulsive behavior and troubled relationships with friends and loved ones. (Article 4) Environmental Factors Environmental factors or social factors that would contribute to the occurrence of eating disorders are dysfunctional family dynamic, professions and careers that promote being thin and weight loss, such modeling. Aesthetically oriented sports, where an emphasis is placed on maintaining a lean body for enhanced performance. Family and childhood traumas: childhood sexual abuse, severe trauma and cultural and/or peer pressure among friends and co-workers. (Article 6) Signs and Symptoms: (CITIE Article) Symptoms may vary depending on the type of eating disorder. A man or a woman suffering from an eating disorder may reveal several signs and symptoms that are both the same and different. Anorexia Nervosa Anorexia is possible life-threatening eating disorder characterized by an atypically low body weight, intense fear of gaining weight and one-sided perception of weight or shape. People that suffer from anorexia use dangerous efforts to control their weight and shape, which often knowingly interferes with their lifestyle. Obsession with calories and fat contents of food or use other methods to lose weight; such as having engaging in formalized eating patterns, including, cutting food into tiny pieces, eating alone, and/or hiding food. (Cite article 5) Bulimia Nervosa Bulimia is a serious, theoretically life-threatening eating disorder. When you have bulimia, you have episodes of bingeing and purging that involve feeling a lack of control over your eating. Many people with bulimia also restrict their eating during the day, which often leads to more binge eating and purging (Cite article 3). During these episodes, bulimics typically eat a large amount of food in a short time, and then try to rid of the extra calories in an unhealthy way. Because of guilt, shame and an intense fear of weight gain from overeating, they may force vomiting (purging bulimia), exercise too much, or use other methods, such as laxatives, to get rid of the calories (no purging bulimia). Even if you are bulimic, you’re undoubtedly preoccupied with weight and body shape and may judge severely and harshly for self-perceived flaws. Bulimic may be at a normal weight or even a bit overweight. (Cite article 4) Binge-Eating Disorder When it comes to a binge-eating disorder, many regularly eat too much food (binge) and feel a lack of control over eating. Eating quickly or eat more food than intended, even when not hungry, and may continue eating even long after becoming uncomfortably full. After a binge, there may feeling of guilty, disgusted or ashamed by the behavior displayed and the amount of food eaten (Cite Article 2). Many will try to but do not try to compensate for this behavior with excessive exercise or purging, as someone with bulimia or anorexia might. Embarrassment can lead to eating alone to hide bingeing. A new round of bingeing usually occurs at least once a week. Many may be normal weight, overweight or obese (Cite article 1) Treatments: Treatment of an eating disorder generally includes a team approach. The team typically includes medical providers, mental health providers and dietitians; all with experience in eating disorders. Many of the treatments are based around your specific type of eating disorder. However, in general, it typically includes psychotherapy, nutrition education and medication thorough being either an outpatient, or inpatient and if your life is at risk the possibility of being hospitalized. (CITIE ARTICLE 2). Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy can help learn how to replace unhealthy habits with healthy ones. Psychotherapy can also help to improve the relationships and moods. Psychotherapy can include both Cognitive Behavioral therapy and Family Based Therapy. (Cite Article 3) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is applicable to all eating disorders but has been most intensively studied in the treatment of bulimia nervosa (BN). CBT is designed to alter abnormal attitudes about body shape and weight. (CITE ARTICLE 1) CBT is effective in reducing all core features of BN and shows good maintenance of therapeutic improvement. Family Based Therapy Family Based Therapy (FBT) is an evidence-based treatment for children and over teenagers dealing with eating disorders. The family is involved in making sure that the child or other family member follow healthy-eating patterns and maintains a healthy body image and weight. (Cite article 1) Outpatient: The goals of this form of treatment include restoring a normal weight and maintaining that weight, managing physiologic abnormalities, reducing the comorbid psychiatric symptoms such as depression, and changing the fundamental thoughts that are underlying the anorexia. Bulimics require similar medical management with the goal of the treatment being the restoration of a normalized eating pattern free of the binge and/or purge cycle. (Article 6) Partial Hospitalization: For the patient with anorexia nervosa (AN) who have had repeated hospitalizations, a partial hospitalization treatment plan is recommended. The partial hospitalization treatment should follow a group treatment model and should include nutritional counseling, meal planning and additional groups such as social skills training. For a patient with BN who are in transition from inpatient to outpatient treatment or those whose bingeing and purging have begun to interfere with their functioning may be treated in partial hospitalization. (Article 3) Inpatient Treatment: The criteria need for hospitalization for both anorexia and bulimia include unstable medical conditions. Weight loss of 10% to 15% or more normal for relapse only or 16% to 20% or more if it is a patients’ first episode. (Cite article 1). The inpatient hospitalization beings with a full evaluation, including a psychiatric and medical evaluation. Patients with anorexia are fed initially with supplemental liquid feedings 6 times a day until they are within at least 10% of their goal weight. Patients who refuse the feedings consistently and do not gain weight are given feeing through nasal gastric tubes (Mayo Clinic). Bulimic patients being with food trays. The goal for both anorectics and bulimics is self-regulated weight maintenance. This is done through letting the patient self-selecting meals after a period of weight maintenance within their range. Both the bulimic and the anorectic are participants in response prevention techniques intended to prevent any purging behavior. (John Hopkins) Future Practitioner Helping Individual with Eating Disorders from Empowerment and Strength Perspectives The empowerment perspective and the strength-based approach work together. In social service work, the strengths-based approach involves helpers highlighting the client’s strengths and not their shortfalls. There are different ways to empower clients; and how empowerment can benefit the clients and social services workers attitudes, relationships etc. Social workers need to be aware and practice methods for empowerment effectively to be able to believe in their client’s strengths, abilities, and dreams. (Cite empowerment article). Empowerment does not give people power, people already have plenty of power. Empowerment is defined as letting this power out. It encourages people to gain the skills and knowledge that will allow them to overcome obstacles in life or work environment and eventually help them develop strengths within themselves or in the society (Cite Theo class).