Communication with shareholders and stakeholders through financial report Essay Example

Communication with shareholders and stakeholders through financial report Essay Example Communication with shareholders and stakeholders through financial report Essay Communication with shareholders and stakeholders through financial report Essay The company chiefly communicates with its stockholders and other stakeholders through its fiscal study. Therefore the chief aim of a fiscal study is to offer information which is utile to current and possible investors for determination devising ( FASB ) . Fiscal statements entirely can non give a balanced and apprehensible position of the company s place and chances. Therefore a assortment of narrative studies have been included in the Group one-year study, which provides extra information that are non- fiscal on the company s stance, public presentation and chances ( ORegan, 2001 ) . This narrative subdivision is non audited by hearers as the fiscal subdivision, but still many users rely on this to measure the place of the company. Therefore, the company would frequently utilize artworks and other distraction methods to pull strings the fiscal figures in order to do the study look more attractive to the current and possible investors ( Penrose J.M. , 2008 ) . Use of coloring material and artworks The in writing interior decorator of the one-year study can pull strings the perceptual experience of the informations in a graph ( Penrose.J. 2008 ) . As mentioned in the debut, houses tend to utilize distraction methods so as to do the narrative study look more attractive. Pennon Group is no different than the others. There seem to be several efforts made in order to deflect the reader. A really obvious case is the use of cardinal public presentation indexs at the top of the page. On most pages KPI s are given as high spots, frequently out of context in really attractive artworks. This would decidedly deflect the several reader from reading the long paragraphs. Another method used by the Group is the use of graphs largely on the left page of the study. This distracts readers because it is frequently the first thing they would see. In other cases when two graphs are provided for comparing frequently the axis of both graphs are non the same, which can misdirect readers. Furthermore gridlines are non available in these graphs, doing readers to presume the figures. The study besides seems to hold used a batch of colorss and attractive artworks in most pages. Often about a one-fourth of the pages are full of artworks. Because the artworks look attractive, the readers might presume that the company had delivered a strong public presentation financially during the twelvemonth. The Canadian Institute of Charted Accountants ( 2008 ) points that utilizing graphs would assist concentrate involvement, attract, aid understand and salvage clip in analyzing informations. The narrative subdivision of Pennon Group consists of many types of artworks. Column charts and pie charts appear be the most common out of the remainder. Besides a broad scope of images, designs and colorss are used to foreground other points. The graphs provided are rather easy to construe. Often Different colorss are used to separate between clip periods. Furthermore the usage of blue and green to separate between the two subordinates proves to be rather effectual. The artworks provided are besides rather dependable, as the information it represents agrees with the underlying information. However most of these artworks are irrelevant to the informations it represents. For case alternatively of utilizing a column chart to stand for turnover, it would hold been more appropriate to utilize a line chart, as shown below. The current and possible investors will hold really small problem in measuring the public presentation, as the artworks are comparable between two pieces of information. Previous twelvemonth s figures are given along with the current twelvemonth s figures, doing comparing effortless. The use of artworks bypasses the linguistic communication barrier, and hence enabling non-English talking investors to grok better. Because frequently the inclusion of proficient footings would confound most readers. In similar cases these graphs make certain to convey the intended message. Use of Language Pennon Group has worded sentences carefully when covering with bad intelligence that would upset investors. One such case is when the president references that one of the subordinates of the Group, Viridor Limited had delivered a strong fiscal public presentation in a really ambitious environment . By utilizing the words ambitious environment Pennon Group tries to do Viridor Limited expression better in the eyes of the investors. This would besides connote that Viridor Limited had performed moderately good during the twelvemonth. There are besides cases where the words unsure planetary economic background had been used in the narrative study to depict low or worsening public presentations. Besides on one juncture the study references that operating net income has increased despite the lessening in demand . By adverting that the operating net income has increased , the fact that the demand has really decreased will non be highlighted. What they say . The several users of the studies may non be interested in all those information that have been presented in narrative studies and would instead stress merely on relevant information they may necessitate to help their determination devising. Therefore the Pennon Group s narrative study shows two cardinal features as illustrated in the FASB exposure bill of exchange, relevance and faithful representation. The information presented in Pennon Group s one-year study 2009 seems relevant to bing and possible investors. Adequate utile inside informations about the public presentation and the fiscal place of the Group during the current twelvemonth have been given. Besides a drumhead which includes many cardinal public presentation indexs ( KPI s ) is provided. These were besides presented rather accurately, and are the same as in the fiscal statements, and were non misdirecting. This besides saves the problem of tossing through the whole study looking for information. However, the above two cardinal features would non do in the reading of informations. Different users may hold different involvements in these studies. Therefore it is indispensable to heighten these cardinal qualitative features to be of more usage to the users. The FASB exposure bill of exchange of May 2008 identifies four more features that could heighten the utility of the narrative studies, viz. , Comparability, Verifiability, Timeliness and Understandability. 2.1.2 Comparison FASB exposure bill of exchange of May 2008 points that comparison enables users to place similarities and differences and measure the Group moderately accurately. The information given in the Pennon Group s narrative study was reasonably easy to compare with figures of the past. Any addition or lessening during the twelvemonth was explained with comparing to old old ages. Besides due to the fact that Pennon Group prepares their histories harmonizing to relevant accounting criterions it makes it reasonably directly frontward to compare with other similar companies in the industry and acquire an overall thought about how the Group is executing. 2.1.3 Verifiability John. M. Penrose exemplifies that narrative studies are non capable to be audited. Although it is non audited the information provided by Pennon Group appears to be presented in a dependable mode, and the information agrees with the underlying informations. 2.1.4 Seasonableness Pennon Group has merely presented information in the narrative study that is utile for the users and that will most likely act upon their determination. Irrelevant information about old old ages was non highlighted in the narrative study. Although it would hold been of aid to the users of the study if a line chart was included which would demo the gradual addition in gross during the past old ages. 2.1.5 Comprehensibility The information provided in the narrative study was rather straightforward. The information is given in simple English with really small proficient footings. Besides the fact that information is categorized under relevant subheadings makes it even easier to construe. The usage of colors was besides used to separate between the two chief subordinates. The frequent usage of paragraphs to foreground different points was really utile to users when looking for specific inside informations. Besides the inclusion of numerical figures to back up the information given increases the degree of comprehensibility. What they do nt state . The narrative subdivision of Pennon Group provides a huge sum of information to assorted users. However at that place appears to be certain critical points which were non highlighted within the study. The narrative study has emphasized on the net income before revenue enhancement, but has failed to foreground the fact that net income after revenue enhancement has been on a diminution. This is shown in the fiscal study, but non in the narrative study. Another critical piece of information withheld from the readers, is the fact that the addition in Earnings per portion by 6 % every twelvemonth is in fact a company policy merely till 2010. With the reduction net income after revenue enhancement it is difficult to vouch such an addition after 2010. Potential and current investors reading the study might acquire a incorrect feeling and this may overcast their opinion. Drumhead In brief, the intent of a narrative study is to supply extra information to investors to help them in their determination devising. The narrative subdivision of Pennon Group was able to accomplish this by supplying information which was utile from a stockholders point of position. The information provided shows features of lucidity, comprehensibility and effectivity which can be interpreted by a current or possible investor even with a minimal accounting cognition. Furthermore, the information seldom varies from the truth giving a just and balanced position on the company s stance. To sum up, it can be accurately concluded that the information provided in the narrative statement makes certain it provides the user of the study the intended message, with minimal divergences.

New Report Reveals Insights About Job Hopping Across Generations

New Report Reveals Insights About Job Hopping Across Generations We’re all familiar with the narrative: Baby Boomers are devoted workaholics, Gen Xers are ambitious revenue generators, Millennials are entitled and disloyal, and Gen Zers, who are only just entering the workforce now, are likely to be even more opportunistic than their older counterparts. The idea that the generation you belong to impacts your tendency to job hop is a popular opinion. But for the most part, it’s also just that: opinion. In fact, recent studies have shown that the notion that younger generations are less likely to stick around than Baby Boomers and Gen Xers is something of a myth. And now, thanks to LiveCareer’s 2018 Job-Hopping Report, we have a whole new heap of insights on this topic.The analysis investigated job churn across the four generations mentioned above – Baby Boomers (1946 to 1964); Gen Xers (1965 to 1980); Millennials (1981 to 1997); and Gen Zers (1998 to present) – while also looking at trends by occupation and educat ion level. What it found was that yes, younger generations do appear to spend less time in positions than their older colleagues – Gen Zers’ average job tenure is 1.2 years, millennials’ is 2.4, Gen Xers’ is 5.4, and Baby Boomers’ is 8. A comparison of the number of positions held over the past five years across generations paints a similar picture.But, according to the report, the dynamics that inform this pattern have very little to do with cohort membership.It’s about career maturation, not generation Findings suggest that this trend is more linked to life and career stage than generational factors. In other words, millennials and Gen Zers aren’t more likely to jump ship just because they are millennials and Gen Zers, but rather because they’re younger and at an earlier juncture in their careers. In fact, longitudinal surveys reveal that older generations were just as flighty when they were young professionals in a similar p hase of their work life.The report concludes that as employees move further along their career path, they tend to stay longer in roles. This is supported by data that shows that the job-hopping inclination of software developers (the vast majority of whom are Millennials) trends downwards when comparing the past two years of their careers to the past five.So, the good news for all you younger workers is that you now have a strong counterargument when someone labels millennials as the job-hopping generation. But that doesn’t mean you can relax entirely. There is another demographic factor that is, apparently, a good gauge of job-hopping tendencies, and that’s education.  The curse of being too educated  Simply put, the analysis found that the more educated you are, the more likely you are to change jobs regularly – a high school graduate, for instance, tends to stay put for longer than someone with a bachelor’s degree. This trend is linked to another f inding that today, across a range of occupations, job seekers often possess a higher level of education than is required.For example, blue-collar workers, like servers, cashiers, bartenders, and caregivers, list higher education qualifications when they build a resume 8.3x more often than blue-collar employers include them as requirements in job ads.As being overqualified is linked to an affinity for job hopping, possessing a degree you don’t need for a position might damage your chances of getting the job. And because millennials are more educated than previous generations (65% have a higher education, as compared to 57.2% of Gen Xers and 48.5% of Baby Boomers), they’re most likely to be hit the hardest by this truth.  To list or not to list qualifications on your resume? So, what do you do if you’ve gone to the trouble of earning a degree, but the job you want doesn’t call for one? To avoid being seen as a potential flight risk, consider leaving your higher education off your resume – particularly if you’re applying for a non-professional role. We’re not promoting dishonesty, but it may be in your interest to play down your qualifications in the earlier stages of the job application process to at least get an interview.You can take this one step further when it comes to professional certifications and licenses – don’t even enroll for them if they’re not requirements. While there are some fields where employers do value these credentials, the report indicates that there are also jobseekers in many roles who have poured time and money into training that most hiring managers don’t find valuable. These include administrative assistants, bartenders, cashiers, store managers, customer service representatives, sales associates and software developers.In particular, if you’re one of the last three, it’s probably not worth investing in costly certificates and testing at all.à ‚   Not one job ad examined for these professions made mention of any certifications or licenses, so attaining one is not only unnecessary but could make you appear overqualified.  The answer lies in the job ad The best way to know whether you should or shouldn’t list your degree on your resume or sign up for that certificate program is to carefully examine job ads. And not just the ad for the role you’re currently eyeing; scrutinize a wide range of postings relevant to your field and take note of the highest level of education listed and of any credentials regularly cited as must-haves.  By doing so, you’ll get a good idea of the kind of qualifications employers consider critical. And if you pitch yourself at this level and make sure your resume closely matches requirements, you can avoid being labeled a job hopper, regardless of your generation.Discover additional findings on job hopping, plus a free PDF download of the full report, via this link: 2018 Job -Hopping Report.LiveCareer offers assistance to job seekers at every step of the journey. Access free  resume templates  and  resume examples, plus a  cover letter builder  and advice on how to answer  interview questions  of all stripes.

Alexander Dumas' Georges Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Alexander Dumas' Georges - Essay Example Alexandre Dumas wrote some of the most well-known tales of adventure in history. His historical epic adventures listed The Count of Monte Cristo, The Man in the Iron Mask, and The Three Musketeers among his many titles, although originally his fame was derived from the plays that he wrote in Paris. He was born on July 24, 1802 with the name Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie and laid to rest on December 5, 1870. He wrote prolifically using many styles and genre’s to complete his portfolio. He wrote plays, novels, children’s stories, magazine articles, and even Alexandre Dumas‘ Dictionary of Cuisine. His career began with writing for magazines, but by 1829 he would see his first play produced. That play, Henry III and his Court would be followed the next year by Christine. His career was a success by his intuition on marketing his work and it was the business of writing that created a successful career for him along with the talent for the work. In 1840 he would marry an actress by the name of Ida Ferrier, but it would be one of his four illegitimate children, Alexandre Dumas fils, who would write the novel La Dame aux Camelias, from which Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi would develop his famous opera, La Traviata. Because of the success of both writers, the father would be known as Alexandre Dumas pere, and the son as Alexandre Dumas fils. Dumas did a great deal of collaborating in order to develop his work. The Count of Monte Cristo, and The Three Musketeers were developed by Auguste Maquet who would create the plot and the characters after which Dumas would add in the details and dialogue. This collaboration would create speculation about the extent to which Dumas contributed, however â€Å"ninety-nine surviving pages of Maquet’s manuscript outline for The Three Musketeers reveal that he not only supplied significant and

Leadership in Health Care Organizations Practicum Coursework - 14

Leadership in Health Care Organizations Practicum - Coursework Example Our entire organization was sealed in a way for the safety precaution purpose. Along with my team, especial health team was also overlooking the patient’s case. We were either prohibited to approach the patient unnecessarily. When I and my team went to give the initial treatment to the patient, then I examine that it might not be small pox. I immediately inform my leader to run some blood tests, before beginning the small pox precaution treatment. My leader humiliated me, and disagreed. Patient’s condition was not getting better with the given treatment. His condition was getting more critical. I hardly managed to conduct some tests of patient, to come up with a proof. I presented the tests result to my leader with a proof that, it is some other skin allergy containing identical signs of small pox. I asked my leader to agree with my observation, trust and stop the wrong medical treatment. On getting the patient worst, my leader eventually gave importance to my evaluatio n and made the especial health control team to cope up with me. As soon as the treatment given to the patient was replaced, it confirmed the misjudgment of small pox taken by my leader. Patient’s overall condition got stable and in control. Patient had some other skin disease, which was absolutely treatable. I was glad that my leader put down his stubbornness for a while, by giving the significance to my experience so far. That was the time, I really felt myself well acknowledged and educated in my working field. Leader can’t always be right. Sometimes the situations come across, which could probably mislead a leader’s examination over his team members. By doing the right thing at the right time, we as a team were successful in saving the life of our patient. Our organization was unsealed, and the inside working was switch onto usual. The outcome which can be taken by this experience is that, humility is

Language Arts with an emphasis on Writing Essay Example for Free

Language Arts with an emphasis on Writing Essay First grade students will use technology to complete a report about a farm animal. A visit to a local farm will provide students with hands on demonstrations of farm animals and how they live. Students will learn in depth facts about one specific animal by conducting research online. Students will improve writing and typing skills by composing their animal report using the computer. Students will gain further practice with the writing process during center time when they will write a letter to their chosen animal. Finally, students will gain presentation skills by presenting their animal findings to the class through oral presentations. These skills will be gained by meeting the following lesson objectives: 1. Students will identify farm animals. 2. Students will identify what their chosen farm animal eats. 3. Students will research and identify the name of the animal’s offspring. 4. Students will research and explain what resource their animal provides to humans. 5. Students will compile their research by using the computer. 6. Students will present their findings orally. Brief Description of the Task: Students will record four important facts about their chosen animal during a visit to a farm. Students will learn about what their animal eats and what its offspring is called. Students will ask the farmer questions in order to learn more about their animal. Students will have their drawing and writing materials with them in order to record what they see while at the farm. These recordings and observations will be taken back to the classroom and used to conduct research and write a report about their animal. After the reports are presented orally, they will be made into a class book for students to read during center time. Steps of the Lesson: 1. Visit the farm. Ask the farmer questions. Draw and write observations. 2. Find a picture of chosen animal on the computer via the Internet. 3. Find important facts about chosen animal and record them. 4. Glue the animal picture to a piece of writing paper. 5. Write down facts researched on the computer including name of animal, what the animal eats and what it provides for humans. Other important facts will be included. 6. Present the report orally to the rest of the class. 7. During center time, read the reports that have been made into a class book. 8. During center time, write a letter to chosen animal telling their animal about what they eat and where they live. A question for the chosen animal will also be included. Instructional Strategies Used: Sometimes summarizing and note taking are considered only â€Å"study skills† but they are two of the most powerful skills students can acquire (Marzano, et al, 2001). Summarizing and note taking give students the opportunity to identify and understand what they are learning (Marzano, et al, 2001). When students take notes through their drawings and observations while at the farm, they will be making identifications of different farm animals and will be gaining an understanding of farm animals. In order to include the most useful information in their animal report, students will analyze the information they are receiving in order to decide what will need to be included in their report. Summary frames will be used while students are at the farm as students develop a series of questions for the farmer that will highlight the critical elements in order to learn specific types of information (Marzano, et al, 2001). In this case, summary frames will allow students to learn about where their animal lives, what it eats and what it provides for humans. Reinforcing effort and providing recognition can push students to make an extra effort when they don’t feel like doing schoolwork or when the work is challenging. It is important for teachers to show students the connection between effort and achievement (Marzano, et al, 2001). The visit to the farm will be a fun activity for students and they will excited about doing something different so they will all most likely complete their note taking well. However, computers can cause frustration, particularly for first graders who are still emerging readers and have a hard time navigating the Internet. Therefore, the Pause, Prompt and Praise strategy will be useful. When students get frustrated or discouraged while using the computer, the teacher can initiate a short pause so the student can collect his or her thoughts. Next, the teacher can give specific suggestions to help the student complete the assigned task. Last, the teacher can praise the student for correcting his or her error as well as completing the task (Marzano, et al, 2001). Nonlinguistic representations will be included in this lesson plan. Students will include drawings of farm animals in their original note taking and research done while at the farm. These drawings will elaborate on the information that students are learning (Marzano, et al, 2001). Therefore, students will need to include pictures of the animal, details about where it lives and pictures of what it eats. Further, graphic organizers are useful for students when organizing information in a coherent way (Marzano, et al, 2001). Providing students with graphical organizers as an option while conducting research will enable visual learners to organize their material in a way that will help them make the most sense of it. Not all students will need to use a graphical organizer but they will be made available to students who would like to use one. Marzano, R. J. , Pickering, D. J. , Pollock, J. E. (2001). Classroom instruction that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

20th Century Somalia Essay -- International Government

20th Century Somalia Somalia is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, the Gulf of Aden to the north, and the Indian Ocean to the east. With the longest coastline on the continent, its terrain consists mainly of plateaus, plains, and highlands. It is made up of the former British Protectorate of Somaliland and Italy’s former Trust Territory of Somalia. Somalia’s modern history began in the late 1800’s, when European powers began to trade and settle in the Somalia area. These events and the events that occurred during the 20th century helped shape the modern Somalia government and culture today. In 1886, the British gained control over northern Somalia through treaties by guaranteeing British protection to Somali chiefs who agreed to them. The British were concerned with securing their trade interests with its coaling station in Aden. The British established what was known as British Somaliland and a boundary was made with Ethiopia through treaty negotiations in 1897. The British occupied this area with very little resistance in the late 19th century, but that started to change towards the turn of the century. The European powers that began to settle in Northern Africa, inspired the current leader of the Dervish State, Mohammed Abdullah to rally support from various nations across the Horn of Africa and began one of the longest colonial resistance wars ever. He challenged the British rule through persistent attacks and became known as the â€Å"Mad Mullah† by the British. His first major military offensive attack was with 1500 Dervish equipped with 20 modern rifles on British soldiers stationed in the region. This resistance fro... ... Hawk helicopters and killed 18 American soldiers. The public outcry in the US from these actions caused President Clinton to order all American soldiers to withdraw from Somalia by March 31, 1994. Other nations quickly followed suit of the Americans. The failed mission cost nearly $2 billion by its end. Although a new parliament was convened in 2004, rival factions in various regions of Somalia still struggle for control of the nation. Works Cited. U.S Marines storm Mogadishu, Somalia. (2012). The History Channel website. Retrieved April 27, 2012, from http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-marines-storm-mogadishu-somalia. History of Somalia. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved April 28, 2012, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Somalia Somalia. (n.d.). In Conservapedia. Retrieved April 27, 2012, from http://conservapedia.com/Somalia

Scott Miracle Grow Speader; Make or Buy

Scott’s Miracle-Gro has a plant in Temecula, CA that produces seed spreaders. Management is deciding if it should keep the Temecula plant open or if it should outsource manufacturing either to mainland China or offshore China. Before Miracle-Gro became Scott’s Miracle-Gro, they outsourced to contract manufacturers for production. Scotts manufactured their spreaders since it acquired Republic Tool and Manufacturing. Scott’s Miracle-Gro manufacturing facilities have a plant in Temecula, CA. The Temecula plant improved productivity, efficiencies, and also different innovations including a new assembly process for their hand spreader.Also, they invented an in-mold labeling process that produced a label that did not fade, scratch, or peel off. Despite what the Temecula plant had done, management was looking to see if they could save money by outsourcing the full operation. The plant manager wanted to keep the Temecula plant open and felt that if the production was mov ed to China that there would be quality problems along with high shipping costs, and extra administrative costs could erase any economic benefit from outsourcing to China. Another alternative to outsourcing to China was building a Scotts-owned facility plant in China.This option would help keep the proprietary processes in the hands of Scott’s Miracle-G ro. However, the disadvantages associated with moving to China stated above (poorer quality, high shipping costs), would still be a negative. The problem is what should Scott’s Miracle-Gro do. We did a NPV analysis focusing on the 4 Cost drivers for the Temecula plants which are raw materials, labor costs, electricity costs, and overhead costs and compared them to what it would cost in China. The NPV for the Temecula plant is $94,826,678 (screenshot of spreadsheet in appendix).The NPV for China mainland (offshore NPV would be close to mainland China except for initial start-up costs, etc.. ) is $90,070,804 (screenshot o f spreadsheet in appendix). We analyzed the data by using the numbers provided in the case. For example, for analyzing the Temecula plant, we used the information in Exhibit 4. However, some of the data (number of employees in China) we based the information on what the Temecula plant was using. Based just on the NPV, it seems that closing the Temecula plant and moving to China would be the best option.However, important the potential cost savings (in labor and energy costs) might be, it is also necessary to look at other factors. Some of the other factors would include the production quality, control over their own products, proprietary rights, longer lead times, having to carry safety stock, and their image to stakeholders and employees. Also, management needs to look at problems that might arise if China’s government changes laws, problems in cases of ports closing, and the training and productivity of new employees. Next, we will analyze the 4 cost drivers more in depth.C ost Drivers There were four main cost drivers examined in this case: Raw Materials, Labor, Electricity (Energy), and Overhead. Scott’s must evaluate these cost drivers to determine whether outsourcing the manufacturing of their spreader will improve the company’s profitability and/or operational efficiency. Although, in some instances the decision to outsource can be very clear based on the numbers alone, there are also other not so quantitative risks such as loss of control, loss of inventory flexibility, and loss of one’s competitive advantage. Raw MaterialsPlastic resin is the main component in the manufacturing of the spreader bucket, and the costs are comparable whether it’s purchased in China or in the US. However, the Temecula plant did invest in a re-grind process which saves them an additional $100,000 per year. However, this savings has little impact on the overall operating expenses at the Temecula plant. Labor Costs Labor rates are one of the main driving forces in whether or not a company should make or buy a product or service. For s Scotts labor costs associated with manufacturing the spreader in the US is initially $6M vs. 350K in China, see attached appendix , which is 17X more costly to produce the spreader at the Temecula plant. Even if the plant can improve their operational efficiency in the out years and reduce labor costs it would still be difficult to compete with China during this 10 year period. Electricity (Energy) Costs Energy costs are still cheaper in China, by more than half the cost. However, the majority of energy which China uses is from coal plants and not environmentally friendly, more and more companies and US consumers are becoming sensitive to the issue of reducing one’s carbon footprint.Outsourcing based on energy costs is typically not the sole driver. However, if energy cost between China and the US become more competitive, such as in the case of the US using natural gas (i. e. fracki ng) to supply electricity to their plants the argument to bring manufacturing back to the US may become more compelling. Overhead The cost of overhead or Governance at the Temecula Plant is approximately $5M annually vs. China $500K (excluding $1M in year one for start-up costs) these are costs associated with Scott’s management to monitor, track and visit China to oversee operations. Sensitivity AnalysisDue to the uncertainty in the future economic trends, there are three uncertain factors playing important roles in the decision making. They are labor cost in China, electricity price in China and exchange rate between Yuan and Dollars. The NPV model is sensitive to the how those three factors change over the next decade. A careful analysis on the sensitivity is necessary in order to make sound business decisions. 1. Labor Cost According to the case we know that labor costs in china may have a big increase in the next 10 years, from 40% totally to 10% annual increase to even 40% annual increase.If the labor cost will increase 40% in the next 10 years, that means it’ll increase 3. 4% annually, so the NPV of costs will be $73,751,039. If the labor cost will increase 10% annually in the next 10 years, the NPV of costs will be $74,998,037. If the labor cost will increase 40% annually in the next 10 years, the NPV of costs will be $91,424,835. We can see from previous analysis, NPV of Temecula is $94,826,678. So if labor cost will increase differently, we’ll get different NVP. But no matter how big increase it’ll be, our decision will still be outsourcing to china. 2. Electricity Price The current electricity cost in China is 0. 65USD per kilo-watt hour. It is estimated to increase by 20% over the next 10 years. Assuming the electricity cost increase at a certain rate each year, we get the annual increase rate 1. 8% (1. 8% =(1+20%)^(1/10)-1). This estimated rate is probably lower than the actually annual increase because of increasing pr essure on environmental records and fuel costs. Thus how much does electricity cost may increase is important and the NPV model output is sensitive to it. However, since the electricity cost in China is so low when converted into USDs, the growth rate doesn’t influence the NPV that much.For example, experimenting with 5% annual growth, since 5% is significantly larger than 1. 8%, we get NPV = 74,968,548 USDs, whereas 74,376,968 USDs with 1. 8% annual growth. The difference would be 591,580 USDs, which isn’t that significant when putting it in a bigger scope. Also, 5% is an unlikely assumption given the fact that the Chinese is heavily investing in infrastructure to generate more energy. Thus, we think NPV model is not very sensitive to the electricity price. 3. Exchange Rate According to the case, we know that the market expectation was the yuan would appreciate by 20% in next five years.Since this datum is just an expectation, which means it is inaccurate and uncertai n, so that we need to analyze the sensitivity of it. We assume that the annual increase in value of Yuan is 3. 6%, we can get the NPV of costs is $74,376,968. However, if we decrease the rate, say 2%, the NPV of costs turns to be $69,099,021, which means the cost decreases; on the other hand, if we change the rate to 6%, the NPV of costs increases to $81,500,203. So we can conclude that the lower the annual increase in value of Yuan, the lower the NPV of costs. ConclusionAs we stated in the beginning we feel Scotts Miracle Gro should outsource the manufacturing of their to spreaders to China, this is based on the data and sensitivity analysis the group conducted. In addition, one of the questions that we had to examine was whether or not the technology to have â€Å"in-mold labeling† was a competitive advantage, and should it be a considered a core capability. Although, Scotts Miracle Gro manufactures spreaders, the brand name is about the quality of seed and fertilizers for the do-it-yourself lawn and garden consumer, and not the spreader.The consumers primarily purchases those products which enhance the look of the garden and lawn, selling spreaders which can disburse their product is ancillary, Scotts wants consumers to buy their seed and fertilizers every season (repeat customer) where as the purchase of a spreader is a one-time purchase every 10 years or more. Therefore, if Scotts can outsource the production of approximately 3 million spreaders to China at a significant cost savings then the company should do so. Cost savings realized should be re-invested into research and development so Scott’s can maintain their competitive edge is this home and garden market.

Technology and learning

The modernization of the times led to a startling reality that the world will be crippled without the aid of technology. Technology is becoming more and more of a necessity these days in all aspects of daily living and as such, educational institutions have incorporated this subject in their curriculum because the authorities acknowledged the fact that technology can help attain student objectives and in order to achieve the maximum impact, it must form part of the school's education curriculum (Neir Tech, 2002).English is a subject that would be greatly enhanced by technology. English is a diversified field in itself that requires self-expression, vocabulary, reading, creativity and innovativeness of the mind. Technology can greatly enhance the students' learning process when it comes to English because the information that they need is just a few clicks away. The world wide web provides a wide array of information and lectures about all English subjects. For example, a student havi ng difficulty in pronunciation and vocabulary can access the Internet to learn this kind of skill.Students who have been assigned difficult topics for assignment can search the net for all the information that he needs. The teachers can use the technology as aid in teaching not only English but other subjects as well by using highly-powered technology driven lectures that would work best in capturing students' attention. There are some schools that use technology to breach the barriers of communication. Video conferencing is another technological development that greatly helps educational institutions teach students not only English but other subjects as well.ReferencesNeir Tech. 2002.   Strategies for Improving Academic Achievement and Teacher Effectiveness. Retrieved July 3, 2009, from http://www.neirtec.org/products/techbriefs/1.htm

Build your Author Street Team in 4 Simple Steps

Build your Author Street Team in 4 Simple Steps Authors: Build Your Street Team in 4 Simple Steps Last updated: 2017/12/07â€Å"No man is an island,† as the old poem goes. In much the same way, you don’t get to become a successful writer without some help along the way.  When you're marketing your book, companies like  Reedsy can certainly give you access to experienced freelance marketers – but in time you must also learn to rely on your Street Team.2. Finding your ‘first gangers’ Even if you end up with a fabulous book deal down the line, your street team will remain amongst your most important allies during the process of marketing your book. By staying on their radar and not wasting their time with spam, you can keep your street team happy and ready to help you the next time you release a book. Have you put together a street team before? Where did you find them and how did they help you promote your book? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

How to Write an SEO Article †Part 1

How to Write an SEO Article – Part 1 How to Write an SEO Article Part 1 How to Write an SEO Article Part 1 By Colin In a recent article, A Freelance Writers Basic Guide to SEO, we had several requests asking how SEO knowledge can be used in practice, when writing articles. Naturally, we are only too happy to oblige. The methods I am going to talk about in this article have not been learnt in online courses, nor have they been taken from theory manuals you can download for a price on the Internet. Everything I am going to discuss has been gained from hard experience, both as a writer (over 10 years), and as an I.T. consultant (University degree and 18 years in the business). Is Writing an SEO Article Complicated? No. There are no magic formulas or weird science to SEO, and there’s no right or wrong way of doing things. There are guidelines, however, as you will discover in this two-part article. SEO writing is very much a matter of common sense, and the application of some very simple points that are based on the idea of well constructed articles, and well constructed websites. Surprised? Don’t be. Just read on. SEO writing is no more complicated than writing a standard article for a magazine, the only difference being, there are a couple of other factors to consider. But the basics are always the same, which is where I am going to kick this article off. Get The Basics Right Whether the article is for your own website or as part of a freelance writing contract, the most important thing to always remember when writing a Search Engine Optimised article, is to make it a GOOD article. By good article, I mean the article must be useful to the reader. It should provide them with a benefit they can visualise, or offer something of value to them that is applicable and relevant to their lives or businesses. It should be something they can relate to easily. There’s no point in writing a technically good SEO article, for it to be a load of nonsense to the reader. Not only will the website concerned lose a potential customer or lose out on traffic and advertising revenue, but the article will become a non-entity and be a complete waste of everyone’s time. If the article is no good to the reader, don’t expect it to be picked up or linked to by affiliates, link marketers, or any other medium that could have provided valuable promotion or marketing – all of which would have boosted the website’s rankings. Always remember to write for the HUMAN who will read the article at the end of the line, not the search engine algorithm that finds it. Get that right, and you are already half way there! Components of SEO Content An SEO article is made up of two distinct, but very important components: 1) it has to contain relevant and value added content 2) it has to be supported by good website infrastructure (the ‘techy bit’) As I have already mentioned, SEO article content must be topically relevant, and provide value to the reader. And as with a standard article on any conceivable subject that’s possible, it has to have a new angle, a good initial hook, and and it must be important to the reader. Writers of articles for all kinds of publication will tell you this; it’s what you learn on day 1 at freelance article writing school. What they might not tell you until much later, is that in an SEO article content must include certain keywords and keyphrases that are relevant to the topic, and the article context. These keywords and keyphrases must appear seamlessly in the article, and not disrupt the natural flow of the piece; they should ehnance it and be inconspicuous at the same time. I’ll cover the ‘techy bit’ in the part 2 of this article. Keywords and Keyphrases There’s no science to figuring out what keywords to use within the content of your article, so that they show up in search engine results. Forget about AdWords, keyword software, scientific algebrae, and costly training courses. In my opinion these are expensive sledgehammers being wielded to crack a nut,and in my experience, are only designed by people hoping to make a quick buck by taking advantage of what writers don’t know. Here’s what to do. Sit down with a notepad and pen, and write down all the words and phrases that could possibly relate to the subject/business interest you are writing about. Almost all of these will (or should) be getting used in the meta data of the web page, but this will probably not be of your concern anyway (this is also covered in the ‘techy bit’ in part 2). Some of the keywords you write down, can be used within the SEO article. For instance, I recently wrote an article for a website that is in the business of superior tourist accomodation in the Scottish Borders a bed and breakfast. The keywords and phrases I came up with were: â€Å"bed and breakfast†, â€Å"hotel†, â€Å"guest house†, â€Å"Scotland,† â€Å"Borders†, â€Å"tourism†, â€Å"accomodation†, â€Å"Scottish Tourist Industry†, etc. However, in most cases, especially if you have been hired to write an SEO article for a third party, it is more likely you will be given certain keywords to use within an article in advance. This is fine – they’ve done the brain storming for you – but however they came up with the words and phrases, it’s your job to write a quality article that has them embedded in the text. It’s not difficult, as you will see in part 2 of this article next week, when I look at applying the keywords and keyphrases, utilising hypertext links in text, keyword density, and web page optimisation (the ‘techy bit’). Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:45 Synonyms for â€Å"Food†Does "Mr" Take a Period?Supervise vs. Monitor

Discuss whether the Euro zone crisis has had an effect on the European Essay

Discuss whether the Euro zone crisis has had an effect on the European integration project - Essay Example Bank of England referred this crisis as â€Å"the most serious financial crisis at least since the 1930s, if not ever,† in October 2011† (Kenny, 2012). This paper explores the history of European integration first and then explores whether Eurozone crisis has any effect on European integration. History of European Integration Second World War has changed the history of Europe immensely. In fact, Europe has been divided into distinctive ideological segments as a result of WW2. Eastern Europe came under the control of communist regime whereas Western Europe was occupied by democratic regimes or capitalist countries after WW2. Moreover, one portion of Germany (East) came under communism whereas another portion of it came under capitalism immediately after WW2. It should be noted that capitalism and communism would never travel in parallel directions. So, tensions between communist East and capitalist West of Europe started to intensify after Second World War. Prominent poli ticians and scholars of Europe such as Winston Churchill realised that the progress of Europe would never be possible if one part of it function in one direction and other part in opposite direction. Thus, the call for regional integration started immediately after the end of WW2. Moreover, the theories of Federalism and Functionalism, put forward by prominent scholars gave momentum to the integration process of Europe. â€Å"The term â€Å"regional integration† means combining parts into a whole, according to the Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary† (Dosenrode, 2010, p.4). Europe was functioning as parts after WW2. For example, the whole Germany was functioning as East and West under two contrasting political ideologies. The fall of Soviet Union during the latter parts of twentieth century gave momentum to the regional integration process in Europe. The introduction of principles such as perestroika and glasnost by former Soviet leader Gorbachev helped the Soviet Unio n and other communist countries to expel communism from their territories. Majority of the Eastern European communist countries including East Germany embraced capitalism or democracy after the fall of communism in Soviet Union. The Berlin Wall has been destroyed and the two Germanies became united once again. All these incidents encouraged the regional integration process in Europe in one way or another. Moreover, the progress of Untied States towards prosperity made the European leaders aware of the necessities of a European Union (EU) to enhance their potentials for economic progress. The first pillar of EU was constructed in 1951 in the form of European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) by the six countries; Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and Netherlands. Since then, a series of incidents happened in the integration process of Europe. â€Å"The EEC Treaty, signed in Rome in 1957, brings together France, Germany, Italy and the Benelux countries in a community (E EC) whose aim is to achieve integration via trade with a view to economic expansion† (Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, EEC Treaty - original text, 2010). The 1960 Stockholm Convention resulted in the formation of European Free Trade Association (EFTA) (Convention Establishing The European Free Tra