The Persian Royal Road Improve Governing And Communism Essay

Essential Questions Chapter 4 - Christopher Hallinan Why would the Persian Royal Road improve governing and communism in the Persian Empire? The Persian Royal Road was very beneficial for governing and communication because it allowed people to go throughout the empire efficiently. According to the Behistun inscription, how does Darius the first justify his assumption to power and why is his relationship to Ahuramazda significant? He says that he has power because Ahuramazda gave him control of the kingdom. Because he was chosen by the god, nobody would ever think to question his authority due to respect for their religion. According to the Behistun inscription, what role does divinity play in human affairs? Divinity plays a major role in human affairs because the gods let Darius rule Persia. According to the document of Xerxes from Persepolis, did Alexander the Great possess the desired qualities of a ruler? According to the document, Alexander the Great did possess the desired qualities of a ruler because he was friendly with his people, respected their culture, and was a great leader for war. Which Persian leader would be the equivalent of George Washington; Cyrus, Darius, and Xerxes? Explain your answer. I would pick Xerxes to be most equivalent to George Washington because he firmly believed in religion and was respected by his people. How did the Persian treatment of conquered people compare to the Assyrians treatment of conquered people. As we learned fromShow MoreRelatedInternational Management67196 Words   |  269 Pagesarticles have been published in the Academy of Management Journal, Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of World Business, and European Management Journal. Since the very beginning of the transition to a market economy after the fall of communism in Eastern Europe, he has been actively involved in management education programs sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development in Albania and Macedonia, and in U.S. Information Agency programs involving the Central Asian countries ofRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesan overview of the gendering of political and social transformations over the course of the twentieth century. Attentive to differences across cultures and regions and under varying political regimes, Smith chronicles the struggles of women to improve their situation within the domestic sphere and the conditions under which they labored to expand the career opportunities available to them at different times and in diverse settings. She places special emphasis on the important but often overlooked

Critical Analysis Of Human Resource Development Intervention Free Essays

string(97) " theoretical accounts that assemble changing observations into one definition \( Erdem 2009 \) \." What is larning and how does larning take topographic point? This essay will turn to the reply to the aforementioned inquiry by critically measuring an Induction semen Training plan conducted by John Little. Mezirow ‘s instrumental acquisition and Kolb ‘s acquisition manners will be discussed to analyze the existent life larning that I personally experienced whilst working for the abovementioned retail merchant. To show the transportation between theoretical and organisational acquisition, the apprehension gained from the Human Resource Development ( HRD ) literature will be utilized to supply recommendations on bettering the Induction semen Training plan to heighten and ease grownup acquisition. We will write a custom essay sample on Critical Analysis Of Human Resource Development Intervention or any similar topic only for you Order Now John Little is managed by the Robinsons Group, one of Singapore ‘s prima retail merchants ( Robinsons 2009 ) . The departmental shop offers a broad scope of consumer goods to the general populace. Its success is reliant on its committedness to excellent client service. Staff preparation in cardinal countries such as merchandise cognition and presentation is paid peculiar attending to because, these would reflect on John Little ‘s client service ( Robinsons 2009 ) . The approaching critical ratings of Mezirow ‘s instrumental acquisition and Kolb ‘s acquisition manners will help in analyzing the attack used by John Little ‘s direction during the initiation semen preparation plan for new employees. In my sentiment, these two theories implemented together during a learning episode, can supply effectual acquisition for grownups. Mezirow ‘s Instrumental Learning Instrumental acquisition happens when one engages in undertaking orientated job work outing as it involves the procedure of larning to pull strings and command the environment or people i.e. , how to make something or how to execute ( Delahaye 2005 ) . In instrumentalA acquisition, one can reflect on the everyday premises or content that guided in the job work outing procedure ( O’Neil A ; Marsick 2007 ) . Therefore, this signifier of larning allows us to determine alterations ensuing from the acquisition by mensurating behaviors, public presentation or productiveness of employees ( Delahaye 2005 ) . Mezirow ( 1981 ) further emphasized that instrumental acquisition, at all times, involves anticipations about discernible actions either societal or physical, which can turn out to be wrong or right ( Mezirow 1981 ) . Therefore, empirical grounds is used in instrumental acquisition to guarantee that the implicit in premises are right ( O’Neil A ; Marsick 2007 ) . Instrumental acquisition is apparent in two domains of activity, viz. ; procedural preparation and empirical research ( Delahaye 2005 ) . As noted by Nonaka A ; Takeuchi ( cited in Delahaye 2005 ) , procedural preparation is the cardinal supplier to knowledge coevals and as such is indispensable in any organisation as it ensures that cognition is widely disseminated. Learning through undertaking orientated job work outing and finding the cause and consequence relationships are constituents of empirical research ( Delahaye 2005 ) . The rules of grownup larning preponderantly shaped the apprehension of Mezirow ‘s instrumental acquisition. A figure of research workers have identified these rules to be viz. ; get downing with the known, preparedness to larn, portion acquisition, spaced acquisition, active acquisition, over-learning, multiple sense acquisition, feedback, meaningful stuff and transportation of larning ( Delahaye 2005 ) . These rules will be discussed in the extroverted paragraphs. Any signifier of larning episode should get down with the basic thought or the scholar ‘s current degree of cognition as this AIDSs in acquisition and in such instances, the larning nonsubjective becomes easier to grok. Thorndike ‘s Law of Readiness ( cited in Delahaye 2005 ) , emphasizes that the larning experience of an person would be more enriching if the person is ready to larn. Part acquisition and spaced acquisition are used jointly within the larning context. Part larning emphasiss that larning stuffs should be separated into reasonably even sized pieces before being presented to the scholar. Miller ( cited in Delahaye 2005 ) named this procedure as ‘chunking ‘ . The construct of separated acquisition asserts the fact that clip intervals should be allowed between the balls to ease acquisition. As suggested by Delahaye and Smith ( cited in Delahaye 2005 ) , active acquisition involves the use of an activity to reenforce the predating ball of information. McGehee and Thayer ( cited in Delahaye 2005 ) pointed out that over-learning is basically the repeat of undertaking or stuff. This occurs when an single patterns until the stuff is mastered. The term multi sense larning speaks for itself. Feedback and meaningful stuff are critical in the acquisition procedure. Learning is transferred to the working state of affairs given the instance that the acquisition and public presentation state of affairss are similar ( Delahaye 2005 ) . For illustration, transportation of larning occurs when the exact equipment and working stuffs are utilised during the learning procedure. Kolb ‘s Learning Styles Mezirow ‘s theory focused on the use and control of environment or people. Kolb, on the other manus focused specifically on persons ‘ acquisition manners. His theory will be used to complement Mezirow ‘s theory for the intent of this essay. Kolb ‘s acquisition manners were developed upon the theoretical account of experiential acquisition ( Erdem 2009 ) . The theoretical account symbolizes larning in a cyclic construction, ‘namely having ( perceptual experience ) and transforming ( treating ) information ‘ ( Kolb, cited in Erdem 2009, p. 156 ) . It is believed that the four acquisition manners consisted of two dimensions. The â€Å" feeling † class is related with the concrete experience whereas the â€Å" thought † class is related with the abstract conceptualisation of the perceiving dimension ( Loo 2004 ) . The â€Å" making † class is related with the active experimentation of the processing dimension whereas the â€Å" ob servation † class is related with the brooding observation dimension ( Loo 2004 ) . As such, the four different manners of larning classified under Kolb ‘s theory are viz. ; divergers, learners, convergers and obligers. He farther suggested that scholars may follow different manners in changing state of affairss as the preferable manners merely mirrors a inclination ( Kolb, cited in de Jesus, Almeida A ; Watts 2004 ) . They have a leaning to favor some manner of larning over others. Divergers are skilled in originative imaginativeness as opposed to convergers ( Erdem 2009 ) . They prefer multi directional information assemblage ( Erdem 2009 ) . They are besides cognizant of values, significance and are interested in people ( Delahaye 2005 ) . Learners are extremely skilled in making theoretical theoretical accounts that assemble changing observations into one definition ( Erdem 2009 ) . You read "Critical Analysis Of Human Resource Development Intervention" in category "Essay examples" They are more concerned with constructs and thoughts instead than people ( Delahaye 2005 ) . Convergers emphasise the practical application of thoughts and map best in individual solution state of affairss ( Delahaye 2005 ) . They prefer to cover with proficient jobs instead than interpersonal and societal issues ( Erdem 2009 ) . Obligers are opposites from learners. They like to do programs and implement them ( Erdem 2009 ) . Furthermore, they seek chances, take hazards and are action orientated ( Delahaye 2005 ) . Therefore, they are perceived to prefer teamwork. The restrictions in Kolb ‘s acquisition manners must besides be discussed to measure the failing in Kolb ‘s theory. Garner ( 2000 ) stated that Kolb ‘s theory was frequently questioned about its cogency and dependability and this was due to its hapless theoretical foundations. Furthermore, he besides mentioned that Tyler ‘s ‘possibility processing ‘ ( cited in Garner 2000, p. 345 ) was used as a justification for the stability of his theory. Tyler ‘s original work which emphasized single differences was missing in Kolb ‘s theory as Kolb has categorized scholars into groups ( Garner 2000 ) . Furthermore, confusion and finally a misinterpretation was created as to whether Kolb is reasoning for larning manners that are flexible or inflexible ( Garner 2000 ) . Induction cum Training plan at John Little The aforesaid theories will be applied to a existent life experience with the aim of showing the transportation between theoretical and organisational acquisition. This treatment will concentrate on the design and execution phase of the HRD procedure. Mezirow ‘s instrumental acquisition will be applied to the design and execution phase whereas Kolb ‘s acquisition manners will be focused on the design phase. Harmonizing to Delahaye ( 2005 ) , the design phase in any HRD procedure is defined such that all facets of grownup larning coalesce when planing the acquisition experience. He besides stated that it is indispensable for the human resource developer to hold accomplishments to use the appropriate acquisition schemes in the execution phase ( Delahaye 2005 ) . As noted, initiation and preparation are two different facets of an HRD plan. John small combined these two facets into a individual session plan. This session had employees from different age groups, runing from adolescents to the middle-aged. The initiation session for the new gross revenues associates started off with a brief debut about John Little. This basically covered the history of the organisation, values, policies and mission. Following which, the facilitator went on to speak about work civilization, personal presentation, occupation duties and familiarization of each section and what was expected of the employees. Everyone was given a interruption after which, the preparation session commenced instantly. The acquisition stuffs that were presented to the employees seemed hard to grok, particularly so, for the middle-aged employees. It consisted of many pages of processs, which was written in complex English. The intent of John Little ‘s preparation session was to develop and steer the new employees in runing the hard currency registries and to supply client service. Training was conducted with the assistance of a power point presentation which finally, ended up being a one manner communicating as the facilitator did n’t try to prosecute the audience. Furthermore, while the session was on-going, the employees were expected to mention to the manual for farther elucidation without farther advice. It was noted that all the employees who were recruited during that period, were undergoing the same preparation session irrespective of their single occupation duty. At the terminal of the twenty-four hours, after the talk manner preparation session, each employee was allowed 15 proceedingss of hands-on session with the hard currency registry. The hands-on session, guided by the facilitator was meant to be an advantage in the preparation session but as there was merely one hard currency registry to work on, each employee had to wait in line for their single hands-on session. On the 2nd twenty-four hours, we were introduced to our single section supervisor and were given a floor circuit of our existent on the job country. Thereafter, we were instantly asked to get down work on the topographic point. Overall, the initiation semen preparation session was conducted over a one and a half twenty-four hours period. Critical Analysis and Evaluation of Induction cum Training plan The accomplishments and cognition gained from the initiation semen developing plan should help John Little in presenting and continuing its current quality of client service. However, this was non the instance as there were bugs in its design and execution. Therefore, the grownup larning procedure was hindered. The extroverted treatment will further lucubrate on the failing in the design and execution of this plan. As per Mezirow ‘s instrumental acquisition, John Little was right in showing a brief debut to the organisation. This would hold instilled basic cognition of the organisation for the employees. However, John Little did non measure the employee ‘s competency degree in orienting the plan. Employees from really different demographics were given the same type of preparation. This may do the slow scholar to face troubles in maintaining gait with others and therefore may halter their acquisition procedure. If I was the HRD director, I would hold grouped the recruits harmonizing to their age group and have had a self debut semen ice ledgeman session. This would hold eased any uneasiness amongst older employees if they were slow scholars. This will besides promote them to inquire more inquiries which will take them to larn more than if they were grouped with adolescents who nowadays are by and large better read and good versed with retail civilization. I would hold besides given press releases in simple English and more hands-on session as this escalates the understanding procedure greatly instead than talks. As established earlier, the recruits were non introduced to the present staff in their assigned sections. As portion of the ice ledgeman session, I would hold introduced the supervisor and all the staffs under the single sections to the new employees. John Little has assorted sections with five to six senior employees in each section. The debut should be done during the initiation session to do the employees feel at easiness and mix with their hereafter co-workers. The intent of initiation is to acquire good acquainted with the work environment, the organisation ‘s civilization, the people and the procedures whilst the intent of developing harmonizing to Mathis and Jackson ( 2007 ) is to supply employees with specific accomplishments and identifiable cognition for usage in their present occupations and is defined as the procedure whereby employees get capablenesss to execute their occupations. Both initiation and preparation should hold been conducted individually because both have a different intent. I would hold conducted the full plan over a three twenty-four hours period. Induction would be done over two yearss and preparation would take up one twenty-four hours. It is advisable to carry on the session in parts as this will enable the participants to absorb and retain more information instead than holding a concentrated plan. In add-on, the frequence of interruptions during such Sessionss should be high. It is apparent that John Little ‘s human resource developer did non take into consideration the ample handiness of resource, which in kernel, is clip. Everything was packed together and therefore the transportation of larning would non hold been successful. The larning stuff consisted of a thick employee enchiridion in complex English which may non hold been suited for all recruits. Grasping information would hold been much easier if the enchiridion had been split into its assorted subdivisions with a more images instead than merely apparent words. As it has been said, a image speaks a 1000 words. Such ocular AIDSs enhance grownup acquisition and it would hold enabled the participants to link more easy with the power-point presentation. And alternatively of merely enchiridions, I would hold besides incorporated worksheets to measure and measure the participants apprehension of the preparation. This will enable me to put the recruits in sections best suited for their ability and aptitude. There was merely one hard currency registry available for hands-on session for the full batch of participants which resulted in everyone hardly holding 15 proceedingss on it. While waiting for their bend, there is a possibility that some of the information could hold been forgotten or they may experience ignored. It would hold been more productive if a brace of participants had one hard currency registry to themselves for the hands-on session. Furthermore, I would press every brace to prosecute in replying each others ‘ questions and acquiring constructive feedback from the trainer. This sort of active acquisition will enable them to retain information and liven up the acquisition procedure. The constructive feedback on advancement of the participants will ease them to recognize their failings and work on it. Motivational words used by the trainer can promote participants to execute beyond their occupation range which is sorely missing in today ‘s service industry in Sing apore. Alternatively, to get the better of this barrier that hinders the acquisition procedure, John Little should carry on specialized preparation for operation of hard currency registries. Time dedicated specifically for hands-on preparation better enables larning to take topographic point as repeat occurs. This should be accompanied by a supervisor who could help and supply feedback. The importance of feedback in the acquisition procedure can non be emphasized more as it completes the cringle in the learning rhythm. All participants were grouped together even though they had different occupation Scopess. An ideal state of affairs would be to group them harmonizing to occupation range and seamster customized preparation Sessionss to run into their acquisition demands. This will heighten acquisition as the session would be more meaningful and relevant to them. Alternatively of acquiring employees to get down work instantly and independently after a mere one and a half yearss of initiation and preparation, they should be tasked to alternate an experient senior employee. Designating a manager or a supervisor in this instance, provides a point of mention to new employees should they hold any questions or uncertainties. This once more, links back to constructive feedback on the portion of the manager. New employees are expected to execute up to outlook on the really first twenty-four hours of work. It is apprehensible that worlds make errors particularly so, when the preparation session was non conducted proper. It is besides improper of the employee to transport around the enchiridion until they have mastered a peculiar accomplishment or undertaking as it would do the feel incapable and unprofessional and will relect severely on John Little. As such, understudying and larning through feedback and active acquisition is indispensable in the acq uisition procedure as it recalls attending. As mentioned earlier, Kolb has identified four different larning manners of persons. Each manner of acquisition has to be accommodated for, during the design of the initiation and preparation plan. It is of import to observe that in any group, it is likely that there will be a mixture of larning penchants and this mixture could cover the four acquisition manners ( Delahaye 2005 ) . Since learners are able to cover with brawny sums of information and have the ability in organizing these information logically the structured technique as mentioned above can be used to profit them. The undermentioned unstructured larning schemes should be taken into consideration whilst planing the plan. Group larning or group exercisings should be implemented to further heighten larning by utilizing instance surveies and scenarios. Since effectual handling of clients is indispensable in client service and no 1 homo is heterogenous, scenarios and instance surveies would use creativity to get at an reply. Such exercisings would profit scholars who are divergers. Experiential acquisition in the signifier of larning instruments, where hands-on acquisition was conducted with the hard currency registries would profit obligers. Decision The aforesaid critical rating of the HRD literature clearly aided me in analysing the larning procedure of an grownup. Mezirow ‘s instrumental acquisition was focused on the control and use of the environment or people whereas Kolb ‘s acquisition manners was centred on persons ‘ acquisition manners. For the intent of this essay, Kolb ‘s theory was used to complement Mezirow ‘s theory as both theories are indispensable to the grownup larning procedure. These theories were applied to John Little ‘s initiation semen preparation plan. The failings in the plan were identified to be within the design and execution constituents. As a acquisition intercession was applied, I was able to rectify the failing by proposing effectual larning techniques that were associated with portion acquisition, spaced acquisition, active acquisition, feedback, intending stuff and transportation of larning. With the known fact that heterogenous persons have different acquisition manners in head, activities based on Kolb ‘s acquisition manners were recommended to ease acquisition. This essay assisted me to use HRD literature to a existent life larning experience and has proved to be good to my-self acquisition as good. 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Accounting Theory and Issue Innovative Method

Question: Describe about the Accounting Theory and Issue for Innovative Method. Answer: 1. The production of innovative feed fish has supported the company BSF Ltd to grow and capture current market demand. The waste materials are recycled and used in the process of manufacturing which is consider as the eco friendly production process. The word research is a method or technique which is operated in a systematic scientific manner. Unfairness, prejudices, and subjectivity should be strictly avoided in order to carry the research work in a systematic procedure. The procedure of the work based on research mainly involves the principles and the demonstrable equipment (R., 2016). The proper use of the instruments, equipment and the values provides the accurate results. So the scientific research must be conducted very systematically and with the correct techniques, equipment and procedures. The events and the techniques of the research to be made are very vital. Any misconduct or wrong follow up can prove the research to be a great disaster. Thus the research should be conducted in an appropriate and methodological manner so that the research can be proved to be logically correct. The step by logical step measures and the procedures are given by the practical and academic examples which are offered by the person or the i ndividual dealing with the research work (Sarker et al., 2016). The research also depicts the implementation of the idea that is experimented for the enhancement of the product and thereby the research study is considered by the organization BSF Ltd. Research and development are necessary path for the improvement and development of the manufacturing appearance and quality of the product and services. Thus, the development of the product lines and the improvement of the corporate experience are focused in BSF Ltd for the enhancement of the research. For the development of the research, the innovation procedure is followed by the organization (Chung, 2016). The research development process relies on the improvement of the research process carried out in the organization. The environments of the research are represented with creating a focus on the values and thereby the creation of the research seems to be depicted in this case study of BSF Ltd. The research and development process helps the company to build its reputation in the market as well as attracting more customers towards the company. The process provides a great opportunity in experimenting unique and innovative things (B. Rust, 2011). The difference created in this case study depicts the process and implementation steps which must be carried out with considering the views of the organization. It thereby also focuses on the enhancement of the corporation with mitigating the issues depicted during the research process continued in the organization. References Sarker, P., Kapuscinski, A., Lanois, A., Livesey, E., Bernhard, K. and Coley, M. (2016). Towards Sustainable Aquafeeds: Complete Substitution of Fish Oil with Marine Microalga Schizochytrium sp. Improves Growth and Fatty Acid Deposition in Juvenile Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).PLOS ONE, 11(6), p.e0156684. R., L. (2016). [online] Available at: https://sciencenordic.com/fish-feed-research-may-helpreduce-world-hunger [Accessed 16 Sep. 2016]. Chung, E. (2016).'Greener' fish farming could lead to unhealthier seafood. [online] CBC News. Available at: https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/aquaculture-feed-1.3262922 [Accessed 16 Sep. 2016]. Rust, M. (2011).The Future of Aquafeeds. [online] https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/aquaculture/docs/feeds/the_future_of_aquafeeds_final.pdf. Available at: https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/aquaculture/docs/feeds/the_future_of_aquafeeds_final.pdf [Accessed 16 Sep. 2016].

The benefits of introducing a career development policy an Example of the Topic All Posts by

The benefits of introducing a career development policy In order to succeed in the market, companies need to ensure they provide efficient management of human resources. Companies can perform well only in such a case when all of the employees are able to realize their potential, apply their skills and make sufficient contribution to the development of the company. Career development policies are particularly important for those organizations which want to be successful in the market. However, their application in various companies can be rather controversial. Need essay sample on "The benefits of introducing a career development policy" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed On one hand, career development policies can be very expensive for the company because it has to hire well-known professors or consultants to give additional knowledge to its employees. Only large companies might be able to afford that, while small companies might not have enough resources for such investments. Smaller companies might thus choose to invest in other more certain assets than employees knowledge, in order to achieve the best allocation of their limited resources. However, the investments in employees knowledge can pay off very fast in many cases, and companies should always consider this alternative. By investing into the knowledge and skills of their employees, companies benefit greatly because employees productivity increases rapidly as the result of trainings. Employees become more confident and they are able to introduce many more new ideas, which will eventually bring great benefit to the company. As an example of a company with a well-developed career development policy, it is could be valuable to examine World Bank. This large institution is well-known in the world for its great career development opportunities. The paper seeks to investigate career development policy in World Bank and identify its effectiveness. Building blocks of career development policy is World Bank include the following ones: Career development services are available for all of the permanent employees of the company; Career development services are offered in a wide range of spheres, including 1-week orientation program for any new employee, various kinds of computer courses, language tutoring in all of the languages of the world (in large, middle-size, small groups or private tutoring), courses in communications, economic policy, poverty and a large variety of other subjects dealing with specifics of a particular department of the Bank; Career development based on performance appraisal of employees; Career development based on a particular program according to which the employee got enrolled in the Bank. The Bank annually adopts large budgets for career development of the personnel. According to the opinion of its executive, employees are the most valuable asset of the Bank, and thus their career development is number one priority. Such policy gives advantages both to every individual employee of the Bank and to the organization in general because productivity increases. It is important to mark that every employee who works full-time (or part-time, such as a consultant) at the World Bank is able to sign up for a large number of courses which he would like to take. An employee of the lower level is certainly not able to attend courses which are designed specifically for top-level management, but he is allowed to take any courses in the general list of the Bank. There might be a line for some courses because they are constantly in demand, and an employee will have to wait for a few months to get into the particular class, but he is always welcome to sign up for the class. Orientation program is offered to any new employee in the staff, disregarding the functions which he is going to fulfill. By attending the orientation program, every employee is able to find out about the operations of the Bank, its policies and prospects of the development. Orientation program last the whole week and every employee gets acquainted with the top professionals of the Bank running its departments, and learns everything about the Banks operations. After going through the orientation program, an employee is able to start studying any language he is interested in, and he will be placed in a group with the knowledge level which answers his level. Every employee is able to take computer classes in software which he is not familiar with. Further career development of the employees depends both on their desires and desires of their managers. Employees are free to choose courses according to their own interests, but from time to time they have to take certain courses because their managers consider it necessary, as the result of performance appraisal. Performance appraisal is currently one of the most important issues in human resources management, and World Banks managers devote considerable attention to it when it comes to career development issues. Bernardin Hall, Posner, Maroney Thomas & Bretz (1994) have all devoted considerable attention to the development of theoretical models of performance appraisal. How can a manager of World Banks department make a conclusion about the necessity to promote this or that employee, increase of decrease his salary, shift him to another department? How can the manager decide which employee needs special training or which can perform on the highest level without additional training? The most efficient tool in such a case is performance appraisal. If carried out correctly and on the basis of efficient methods, performance appraisal can be very helpful for the evaluation of employees work. Companies that hope to succeed in today's competitive business environment must learn to identify their most capable employees for placement in key organizational appointments. To do this, managers should devote more attention to maximizing the effectiveness of performance appraisal systems. (Mcbey 1994: 23). On the basis of performance appraisal, World Banks managers usually make decisions about the necessity of certain training for certain employees. Computer skills are crucial for administrative positions; therefore, most of the employees occupying these positions are required take 2-3 day courses on PowerPoint, Lotus Notes, Excel, SAP and other learning programs. As soon as the employees become professional in these software packages, they are able to perform all of the tasks in their workplace much more efficiently. Employees in professional positions are often required to take courses connected with their position (for example, those who participate in projects dealing with economic policy of Nigeria, are often required to take a 1-week course in the basics of economic policy) or with the languages of the department they are working at (such as Chinese language for the Asia and Pacific Department). Managers are usually required to take courses in communications, for example, conflict solving. One of the most popular communications courses for senior level management at World Bank is Art and Science of Strategic Communication. This course is presented by well-known professors from Harvard and Wharton. Lecture notes of the course are prepared not only based on the course contents, but also the projects which the participants have been working on. Therefore, training is slightly different every time a new group of participants takes it. In such a way, the creators of the course do their best to make the learning program as efficient as possible for the participants. The career development tools at World Bank also greatly depend on the type of the assignment which the employee has. There are many ways to obtain a job at the World Bank, and your career development will be greatly influenced by the nature of your entry-point. If you get a job at the Bank as a consultant, you will have a chance to participate in many learning programs, but your career potential might still be a little limited. You will have to wait until you get a more permanent position to use all of the available learning opportunities. If you get a job as an administrative assistant, you might not be able to take advantage of professional learning programs for a long while. If your first job at the Bank is economist, or financial analyst, or communications officer, or any other professional job, you will have unlimited opportunities for career development. For mid-career professionals, the Bank offers a variety of employment contracts, either open-ended or term, based on the business needs of specific units. Searches are undertaken internationally for jobs that require global outlook and experience and for which staff are expected to be globally mobile. Managers also hire locally when their work programs warrant it. (Employment opportunities. Accessed on February 26, 2006 at URL: www.web.worldbank.org). However, it is usually very difficult to get a job like that from the start. The most rewarding entry-level position which one can get is a Young Professional. It opens the best horizons for career development for a young person. Young Professional Program is one of the most challenging programs available at World Bank. It is difficult to get selected in it, but those people who get selected have literally unlimited opportunities. As the World Banks website mentions, The Young Professionals Program (YPP) is a starting point for an exciting career in the World Bank. It is a great leadership opportunity in development, which offers a solid base to distinguish a path and start a career in the World Bank, gives the flexibility to work in different areas of the institution, providing an array of opportunities to learn about development work. The program offers the best opportunities for career development available at the Bank. Even though a Young Professional might not be familiar with operations of the Bank in the first place, all of the extensive training which he gets during two years is enough to make him into the top professional of the Bank. Young Professionals Orientation is specially designed to familiarize YPs with the operations of the World Bank. Training in Finance is an intensive program on the fundamentals of finance. Individual training opportunities are also being offered. YPs participate in training activities organized within the World Bank as well as external seminars. (Employment opportunities. Accessed on February 26, 2006 at URL: www.web.worldbank.org). Young Professionals are considered such valuable assets for the Bank that they get trained in every possible sphere of the Banks operations for them to determine what the best position for them at the Bank is. Young Professionals program has a very large budget because Young Professionals are even required to travel on various missions in order to get exposed to work in other countries during their rotation program. Grass Roots Immersion Program enables YPs with limited exposure to poverty participate in an immersion program so they can learn from the experience. Young Professionals Discussions provide YPs with a better understanding of the policies, procedures, and business culture so they can better integrate into the institution. Opportunities similar to Young Professionals Program are being offered by The Junior Professionals Program for Afro-Descendants (JPPAD). It provides young and motivated individuals with practical, on-the-job experience and training in a global development environment, while giving the Bank an opportunity to benefit from the knowledge, talent and diversity that they can bring to the institution.People enrolled in this program also get a chance to obtain training in all of the aspects of the Banks activity in order to determine the most suitable positions for them at the Bank. As a conclusion, it is important to mark that career development policy at the World Bank is very beneficial both for every particular employee and for the Bank in general. As long as the Bank allows all of the employees to participate in various kinds of learning programs, the managers can be sure that employees will stay with the Bank. Employees at the World Bank have a saying that nobody ever leaves the Bank after starting to work in it. Even if somebody leaves, he will be back very fast because he will not be able to find better opportunities elsewhere. Career development policies offered by the World Bank make every employee feel like an important part of the organization, and employees loyalty to the Bank is unlimited. The policy which the Bank has chosen is very efficient. It is the most favorable for employees enrolled as Young Professionals or mid-career professionals because they have the most opportunities for learning, but other employees of the Bank also have great oppor tunities for learning during their careers. Bibliography Bernardin, J. H., & Klatt, L. A. (1985). Managerial Appraisal systems: Has practice caught up to the state of the art? Personnel Administrator, November, 79-82, 84-86. Canada Benjamin O. A Strategic View of Recruitment. School Administrator. Volume: 58. Issue: 1. January 2001. Coens Tom, Jenkins Mary (2001), Focusing on Performance. Security Management. Volume: 45. Issue: 8. August 2001. Hall, J. L., Posner, B. Z., Hardner, J. W. (1989). Performance appraisal systems: Matching practice with theory. Group and Organization Studies, 14(1), 51-69. Hornsby Jeffrey S., Shirmeyer Roslyn, Smith Brien N. (1996). Current Trends in Performance Appraisal: An Examination of Managerial Practice. SAM Advanced Management Journal. Volume: 61. Issue: 3. Maroney, B. P., Buckley, M. R. (1992). Does research in performance appraisal influence the practice of performance appraisal? Regretfully not? Public Personnel Management, 21(2), 185-196. Mcbey Kenneth (1994). Perfecting Performance Appraisals. Security Management. Volume: 38. Issue: 11. November 1994. Thomas, S. L., & Bretz, R. D. (1994). Research and practice in performance appraisal: Evaluating employee performance in America's largest companies. SAM Advanced Management Journal, 59(2), 28-34.

Battle of the Falaise Pocket - World War II

Battle of the Falaise Pocket - World War II The Battle of the Falaise Pocket was fought August 12-21, 1944, during World War II (1939-1944). Following the Allied landings in Normandy in June 1944 and the subsequent breakout from the beachhead, German forces in the region soon found themselves in nearly encircled in a pocket south of Falaise. Over the course of several days, German troops conducted desperate counterattacks to breakout to the east. While some succeeded in escaping, they often did so at the cost of their heavy equipment. Around 40,000-50,000 Germans were captured by the Allies. With the collapse of the German position in Normandy, Allied forces were able to race east and liberate Paris. Background Landing in Normandy on June 6, 1944, Allied troops fought their way ashore and spent the next several weeks working to consolidate their position and expand the beachhead. This saw the forces of Lieutenant General Omar Bradleys First U.S. Army push west and secure the Cotentin Peninsula and Cherbourg while the British Second and First Canadian Armies engaged in a protracted battle for the city of Caen. It was Field Marshal Bernard Montgomerys, the overall Allied ground commander, hope to draw the bulk of German strength to the eastern end of the beachhead to aid in facilitating a breakout by Bradley. On July 25, American forces launched Operation Cobra which shattered the German lines at St. Lo. Driving south and west, Bradley made rapid gains against increasingly light resistance (Map). Lt. Gen. Omar Bradley (center) with Lt. General George S. Patton (left) and General Sir Bernard Montgomery (right) at 21st Army Group HQ, Normandy, 7 July 1944. Public Domain On August 1, the Third US Army, led by Lieutenant General George Patton, was activated while Bradley ascended to lead the newly-created 12th Army Group. Exploiting the breakthrough, Pattons men swept through Brittany before turning back east. Tasked with rescuing the situation, the commander of Army Group B, Field Marshal Gunther von Kluge, received orders from Adolf Hitler instructing him to mount a counterattack between Mortain and Avranches with the goal of reclaiming the western shore of the Cotentin Peninsula. Though von Kluges commanders warned that their battered formations were incapable of offensive action,Operation Là ¼ttich commenced on August 7 with four divisions attacking near Mortain. Warned by Ultra radio intercepts, Allied forces effectively defeated the German thrust within a day. Battle of the Falaise Pocket Conflict: World War II (1939-1945)Dates: August 12-21, 1944Armies and Commanders:AlliesField Marshal Bernard MontgomeryLieutenant General Omar Bradleygrowing to 17 divisionsGermanyField Marshal Gunther von KlugeField Marshal Walter Model14-15 divisions An Opportunity Develops With the Germans failing in the west, the Canadians launched Operation Totalize on August 7/8 which saw them drive south from Caen towards the hills above Falaise. This action increasingly led to von Kluges men being in a salient with the Canadians to the north, British Second Army to the northwest, First U.S. Army to the west, and Patton to the south. Seeing an opportunity, discussions ensued between the Supreme Allied Commander, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Montgomery, Bradley, and Patton regarding enveloping the Germans. While Montgomery and Patton favored a long envelopment by advancing east, Eisenhower and Bradley supported a shorter plan designed to surround the enemy at Argentan. Assessing the situation, Eisenhower directed that Allied troops pursue the second option. British forces advance during Operation Totalize, 1944.   Public Domain Driving towards Argentan, Pattons men captured Alenà §on on August 12 and disrupted plans for a German counterattack. Pressing on, the lead elements of Third Army reached positions overlooking Argentan the next day but were ordered to withdraw slightly by Bradley who directed them to concentrate for an offensive in a different direction. Though he protested, Patton complied with the order. To the north, the Canadians launched Operation Tractable on August 14 which saw them and the 1st Polish Armored Division slowly advance southeast towards Falaise and Trun. While the former was captured, a breakthrough to the latter was prevented by intense German resistance. On August 16, von Kluge refused another order from Hitler calling for a counterattack and secured permission to withdraw from the closing trap. The next day, Hitler elected to sack von Kluge and replaced him with Field Marshal Walter Model (Map). Closing the Gap Assessing the deteriorating situation, Model ordered the 7th Army and 5th Panzer Army to retreat from the pocket around Falaise while using the remnants of the II SS Panzer Corps and XLVII Panzer Corps to keep the escape route open. On August 18, the Canadians captured Trun while the 1st Polish Armored made a wide sweep southeast to unite with the US 90th Infantry Division (Third Army) and French 2nd Armored Division at Chambois. Though a tenuous linkup was made on the evening of the 19th, the afternoon had seen a German attack from inside the pocket breakthrough the Canadians at St. Lambert and briefly open an escape route east. This was closed at nightfall and elements of the 1st Polish Armored established themselves on Hill 262 (Mount Ormel Ridge) (Map). German troops surrendering near German forces surrendering in Saint-Lambert-sur-Dive on August 21, 1944. Library and Archives Canada On August 20, Model ordered large-scale attacks against the Polish position. Striking through the morning, they succeeded in opening a corridor but could not dislodge the Poles from the Hill 262. Though the Poles directed artillery fire on the corridor, around 10,000 Germans escaped. Subsequent German assaults on the hill failed. The next day saw Model continue to hit at Hill 262 but without success. Later on the 21st, the Poles were reinforced by the Canadian Grenadier Guards. Additional Allied forces arrived and that evening saw the gap closed and the Falaise Pocket sealed. Aftermath Casualty numbers for the Battle of Falaise Pocket are not known with certainty. Most estimate German losses as 10,000–15,000 killed, 40,000–50,000 taken prisoner, and 20,000–50,000 escaped east. Those that succeeded in escaping generally did so without the bulk of their heavy equipment. Re-armed and re-organized, these troops later faced the Allied advances in the Netherlands and Germany. Though a stunning victory for the Allies, debate quickly ensued regarding whether a greater number of Germans should have been trapped. American commanders later blamed Montgomery for failing to move with greater speed to close the gap while Patton insisted that had he been allowed to continue his advance he would have been able to seal the pocket himself. Bradley later commented that had Patton been permitted to continue, he would not have had sufficient forces in place to block a German breakout attempt. Following the battle, Allied forces quickly advanced across France and liberated Paris on August 25. Five days later, the last German troops were pushed back across the Seine. Arriving on September 1, Eisenhower took direct control of the Allied effort in northwest Europe. Shortly thereafter, Montgomery and Bradleys commands were augmented by forces arriving from the Operation Dragoon landings in southern France. Operating on the unified front, Eisenhower moved forward with the final campaigns to defeat Germany.

Capital Structure and Corporate Performance

The assignment deals with the financial analysis of ratios of Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC). Maldives Transport and Contracting company is engaged in marine and land transport business and also has a separate division which deals with marine and land constructions. The company was one of the first public sector company which was established. The financial performance of the company is to be analyzed with the help of significant ratios. The major ratios which are to be analyzed for the company are liquidity, profitability and efficiency ratios. The analysis will be containing an insight of the capital structure of the company and stock performance of MTCC. Liquidity ratios are used to measure the liquidity of the company which means whether the business has enough liquid cash to meet the short-term liabilities of the company or not (Higgins 2012). In the liquidity ratio sub-head, the most significant ratios are current ratio, liquid ratio and cash ratio. As per the calculation shown, the current ratio of the company has first declined from 1.34 in 2014 to 1.28 in 2015 and then again increased to 1.34 in 2016. This shows that the company is more than capable of handling the short-term business requirements. If the current ratio of the company is above 1 then it signifies that the company is able to meet with the current short-term expenses of the business which MTCC has as stated above (Ahrendsen and Katchova 2012). An ideal current ratio is however 2:1, which means that the current assets must be twice of current liabilities. The quick ratio of the company shows that the ratio is on an increasing trend from 2014. The ratio increased from 0.96 in 2014 to 1.08 in 2016 as per calculations. This is a favorable result as the higher the quick ratio the more liquidity the business has and ideally quick ratio should be greater than 1. However, the ideal results of a quick ratio vary from industry to industry. The cash ratio of the company has decreased and the ratio suggest the real cash of the company is falling. The ratio however does not take into consideration account receivable and inventory and only considers cash and asset which are close to cash. The profitability ratios of the company measure the overall profitability of the company considering the significant areas such as gross profit, net profit, operating profit and similar other areas (Al Karim and Alam 2013). These ratios depict whether the company is performing well in terms of profitability or not. The gross profit ratio shows that the gross profit of the company first increases from 18.73% in 2014 to 23.84% in 2015 and then again decreases to 22% in 2016. The gross profit for the year 2016 has decreased which the company needs to improve and also analyze why the gross profit of the company fall during 2016. The net profit ratio of the company also shows a fluctuating and a similar result when compared to gross profit ratio. The net profit ratio of the company for the year 2016 show a ratio of 8.80% which is even lesser than the ratio result which was calculated for 2014 which is 10.57%. This is not a favorable sign for the business and therefore the business needs t o improve the same. Net profit ratio is a financial indicator and the company needs to improve the overall net profit of the company (Tugas 2012). The operating profit ratio also depicts a fluctuating result and has a similar result and analysis as gross profit ratio and net profit ratio of the company.   The return on assets and return on equity also show unfavorable results for the company in the year 2016. The return on asset has decreased from 0.9 in 2015 to 0.8 which is shown in 2016. The return on equity also shows a decreasing trend which was 30.22% in 2015 which has reduced to 18.70% in 2016 which is even lesser than the estimate of 2014. The next group of significant ratios which are to be considered are the efficiency ratio of the company. Such type of ratios generally covers all types of asset turnover ratio of the company. The receivable turnover ratio of the company shows how efficiently the company is able to collect the credit allowed on sales by the company. an high account receivable ratio signifies that the company has a strong credit policy and all credit operations are running smoothly. The receivable turnover ratio of the company shows that the ratio has increased in 2016 which is 1.59 and the same was 1.44 in 2015. Therefore, it suggests that there has been improvement in the receivable turnover ratio or collection policy of the company as the case may be. The inventory turnover ratio shows that the ratio has significantly increased in 2016 in comparison with 2015 results. The inventory ratio of the company for the year 2016 is 4.28 which is much more than previous two years results. The higher the inven tory turnover ratio the more favorable for the business as it will then portray a strong sales structure and lesser inventory in stocks (Ehiedu 2014). While lower inventory turnover ratio shows poor sales structure and more inventory capacity at hand of the company which is being unused by the company. The asset turnover ratio of the company also shows that the ratio has increased from the previous years results (Tehrani, Mehragan and Golkani 2012). The asset turnover ratio for the year 2016 is shown at 0.89. Asset turnover ratio measures the capability of the company to generate revenue or sales in comparison to the assets of the company. The next group of ratios is the capital structure ratio which measures the components of the capital structure of the company. The debt ratio of the company shows that the company’s debt ratio has decreased from the result of 2015. The debt ratio for 2015 was 0.61 which has reduced to 0.58 in 2016. From the perspective of risks debt ratios of any company are preferred to be lower as the risk is also low. In this case it can be said that it is favorable for the business of MTCC. The equity ratio shows how much equity capital has the business incorporated in the capital structure of the company. The equity ratio of the company has increased from 2015 which was 0.39 to 0.42 which is shown in 2016. This signifies that the company is now using more of equity in comparison to last year. The gearing ratio of the company shows the total debt which is used by the business in comparison to the equity capital of the business. It is similar to Debt equity ratio however it contains more va riations which can provide different results. The gearing ratio of the company 7.07% in 2016 which is lower than previous year figure as the company has reduced the debts of the company. This shows that the company is payoff the debt capital and incorporating more of equity capital in the capital structure mix of the company (Babalola and Abiola 2013). The debt equity ratio of the company shows that the ratio has reduced from 1.59 in 2015 to 1.40 in 2016 which also shows that the company is reducing the debt capital of the company. With the analysis of the debt equity ratio it is evident that the company is trying to restructure the capital structure of the company and add more of equity capital in the mix. However, the full benefit of the capital structure can be extracted when a certain balance is attained between debt and equity capital funds. The stock performance ratios are related and measures the performance of the company on the basis of valuation of stock or earning per shares or market value of shares (Delen, Kuzey and Uyar 2013). Earning per share is the measure of the company’s profit per share which is earned by the shareholders of the company (Brigham and Houston 2012). The earning per share of the company has fallen sharply from 312.76 in 2015 to 23.076 in 2016 which is a drastic fall. This is a serious concern for the business as if it is not improved than the company’s stock prices and market valuation will repeatedly fall. The dividend payout ratio show that the ratio is much more than previous year’s measure which shows that the company has declared dividend in spite of low Earning per share. Price earning ratio is the measure of the price which the investor pays for $ 1 profit in the company. The price earning ratio of the company has increased from the previous year results. The following recommendations can be offered to the company for improvement in the key financial ratios: Any business which is planning to start or establish itself in the market needs to plan out the financial requirement which the business needs. In other words, there are certain expenses which initially which the business must incur in order to establish the business in the market (Lee, Sameen and Cowling 2015). The two most popular form of business which can be open are partnership form of business and private limited companies. A partnership form of business is a business where two or more parties cooperate together in order to run a business. In case of partnership the liability of the partners may be unlimited or limited as per the agreement in the Partnership deed (Allen and Kraakman 2016). Whereas in a Private Limited Company the shareholders are the owners of the company, however the company is operated by board of directors who are representatives of the shareholders of the company. The liability in a company is limited to the number of shares which is held by the shareholders of the company. Moreover, a company is regarded as a legal person whereas a partnership form of business does not enjoy such a right 9Burns 2016). Both the above forms of businesses require initial capital to start up the business and also long-term finances for smooth operation of the business. In case of partnership form of business, the various options of financing which are available are: Personal Savings: In a partnership form of business personal savings is an important source of finance. The partners of the firm contribute to the total capital of the firm and operates in a similar fashion whenever there is additional requirement of funds (Gbandi and Amissah 2014). In case of a startup partnership business, generally individuals resort to capital contributions which will be made by the partners of the firm to meet the start up cost of the business instead of taking a loan from banks. The amount which is contributed by the partners are the basis on which the profit which is earned by the firm is distributed among the partners unless otherwise agreed upon. Retained profits: The profits which are earned by the firm are reinvested in the business in many cases which is then used as reserves or retained earnings. However. such type of financing cannot be done in the initial years of the business but for long term financing purpose of the business (Fairfield and Jorratt De Luis 2016). This is the most productive type of financing as it does not create a burden on the business as in the case of debts and also the partners are not bringing in any capital into the business. Short term /Long term Bank loans: This is another mostly used source for financing of capital for the business. The partnership can take a loan as per the requirement of the business that is it can be short term as well as long term in nature. This source of financing can be used by the business at initial stages of the business and also in the pursuance of the long-term business objectives of the firm (Shin 2012). The financing which is done through bank loans can meet both the objectives which can be start up financing as well as long-term financing of the business. Additional Partner’s Capital: In many situation, there has been cases where the firm is requiring additional capital and the firm does not want to take a loan from banks then they use this technique. Whenever there is an admission of a new partner in the partnership firm, the individual brings in his share of capital for the purpose of investing in the firm and also determining the profit ratio which he is going to get. The additional capital which is brought by the new partners is used for financing purpose of projects and operation of the business. This type of financing is rarely used by firms as admission of a new partner means that the profit sharing ratio diminishes. However, it is commonly seen that a partnership business applies such techniques when a partner retires from a business so as to meet the capital requirements of the business. In case of a company form of business the most common sources of financing for a business are discussed below: Issue of Shares: The most important sources of financing for a business is through issue of shares which can be equity shares or preference share as per the requirement of the business. The company has the ability to issue shares in order to collect small amount of capital per share from potential investors (Engel and Stiebale 2014). The share capital as collected by the business is used in financing the projects of the company. Such sources of financing are useful in start up business as well as financing for the long-term business objectives. In addition to this, financing with share capital is a reliable source of financing for the business (Bobinaite and Tarvydas 2014). Bank Loan: This is another option which is available to the company which can be used for financing of the business. The company can take long- term as well as short term loans from banks for day to day operation of the business. However, lumpsum amount for loans as required by the company is not always available and the bank requires certain securities on the basis of which the bank will be allowing the loan to the company (Robb and Robinson 2014). In the startup phases of the business, company generally do not get any loan from the banks unless they provide ample amount of securities against the loan amount. Debentures: Another source of financing of the business is by issuing debentures for collecting capital. The capital which is collected with the issuance of debentures forms a part of the debt capital of the business. The capital which is collect by the use of debentures can also be used to finance projects and it can issued for collecting funds for start-up cost and also for long-term financial requirements of the business (Buigut et al. 2013). Retained Earnings. The company form of business also employs the concept of retained earnings. The company retains a part of the profit which is earned by the company during previous year and the business reinvest the profits in the business again (Serrasqueiro and Nunes 2012). The retain earnings method which is used by the business is known as plough back of profits in the business. Moreover, such method is advantageous to the company as it increases the internal strength of the company and makes the company financially strong. The retained earnings of the business depend on the amount of profit which was earned by the business in previous year. Moreover, the business cannot use such type of capital in start up financing of the business and has to resort to other means of sourcing of finance. Preference Share Source of Financing This refers to the funds which are raised by the business by issuing shares which are also known as equity (Elsas,   Flannery and Garfinkel 2014). Tis refers to the capital which is taken from a bank or financial institution This type of capital is similarly raised as equity sources of capital but such shares have rights of their own and are different from equity sources of capital (Gitman, Juchau and Flanagan 2015). This is regarded as own capital of the business This is regarded as borrowed capital of the business or also known as loan capital of the business. This also forms a part of the own capital of the business (Abdulsaleh and Worthington 2013). The risks which are associated with equity shares is high as equity shares are generally risky in nature (Bekaert and Harvey 2017). The risks which is associated with debts are low and debt capital are considered less risker than equity sources of capital. This type of shares are not as risky as equity shares but has certain risk factor. The return which is generated by equity share capital is in the form of dividends and such dividends depends on the profit which is earned by the company and also on the decision of the management. If the company is not earning profits than the company will not be paying any dividend. The return which is related to debt capital is interest which is fixed and regular in nature and generally depends on the agreement of debts of the business The return which is generated by such sources are fixed unlike equity sources of capital and they are need to be paid even if the company is earning losses. Thus, from the comparison of the above three sources of capital it can be said that the equity source of capital is very useful even though it is a risky source of capital. The consultancy business will be able to collect bulk amount of capital from equity sources and also there is no pressure of dividends in initial years even if the business earns losses. Abdulsaleh, A.M. and Worthington, A.C., 2013. Small and medium-sized enterprises financing: A review of literature.  International Journal of Business and Management ,  8(14), p.36. Ahrendsen, B.L. and Katchova, A.L., 2012. Financial ratio analysis using ARMS data.  Agricultural Finance Review,  72(2), pp.262-272. Al Karim, R. and Alam, T., 2013. An evaluation of financial performance of private commercial banks in Bangladesh: Ratio analysis.  Journal of Business Studies Quarterly,  5(2), p.65. Allen, W.T. and Kraakman, R., 2016.  Commentaries and cases on the law of business organization. Wolters Kluwer law & business. Babalola, Y.A. and Abiola, F.R., 2013. Financial ratio analysis of firms: A tool for decision making.  International journal of management sciences ,  1(4), pp.132-137. Bekaert, G. and Harvey, C., 2017. Emerging equity markets in a globalizing world. Bobinaite, V. and Tarvydas, D., 2014. Financing instruments and channels for the increasing production and consumption of renewable energy: Lithuanian case.  Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews,  38, pp.259-276. Brigham, E.F. and Houston, J.F., 2012.  Fundamentals of financial management . Cengage Learning. Buigut, K., Soi, N., Koskei, I. and Kibet, J., 2013. The effect of capital structure on share price on listed firms in Kenya. A case of energy listed firms.  European Journal of Business and Management ,  5(9), pp.29-35. Burns, P., 2016.  Entrepreneurship and small business. Palgrave Macmillan Limited. Delen, D., Kuzey, C. and Uyar, A., 2013. Measuring firm performance using financial ratios: A decision tree approach.  Expert Systems with Applications,  40(10), pp.3970-3983. Ehiedu, V.C., 2014. The impact of liquidity on profitability of some selected companies: The financial statement analysis (FSA) approach.  Research Journal of Finance and Accounting,  5(5), pp.81-90. Elsas, R., Flannery, M.J. and Garfinkel, J.A., 2014. Financing major investments: information about capital structure decisions.  Review of Finance,  18(4), pp.1341-1386. Engel, D. and Stiebale, J., 2014. Private equity, investment and financial constraints: firm-level evidence for France and the United Kingdom.  Small Business Economics,  43(1), pp.197-212. Fairfield, T. and Jorratt De Luis, M., 2016. Top income shares, business profits, and effective tax rates in contemporary Chile.  Review of Income and Wealth,  62(S1). Gbandi, E.C. and Amissah, G., 2014. Financing options for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria.  European Scientific Journal, ESJ,  10(1). Gitman, L.J., Juchau, R. and Flanagan, J., 2015.  Principles of managerial finance. Pearson Higher Education AU. Higgins, R.C., 2012.  Analysis for financial management. McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Lee, N., Sameen, H. and Cowling, M., 2015. Access to finance for innovative SMEs since the financial crisis.  Research policy,  44(2), pp.370-380. Robb, A.M. and Robinson, D.T., 2014. The capital structure decisions of new firms.  The Review of Financial Studies,  27(1), pp.153-179. Serrasqueiro, Z. and Nunes, P.M., 2012. Is age a determinant of SMEs' financing decisions? Empirical evidence using panel data models.  Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice,  36(4), pp.627-654. Shin, H.S., 2012. Global banking glut and loan risk premium.  IMF Economic Review,  60(2), pp.155-192.   Tehrani, R., Mehragan, M.R. and Golkani, M.R., 2012. A Model for Evaluating Financial Performance of Companies by Data Envelopment Analysis-A Case Study of 36 Corporations Affiliated with a Private Organization.  International Business Research,  5(8), p.8. Tugas, F.C., 2012. A Comparative Analysis of the Financial Ratios of Listed Firms Belonging to the Education Subsector in the Philippines for the Years 2009-2011.  International Journal of Business and Social Science,  3(21). Zeitun, R. and Tian, G., 2014. Capital structure and corporate performance: evidence from Jordan.

How does college experience affect future experiences Essay - 1

How does college experience affect future experiences - Essay Example ikely to be exposed to several benefits such as making different friends as well as business connections, in addition to meeting a potential mate or spouse. These are all very important aspects of one’s future life which is very much dependent on these vital early college interactions. More so, college experiences gives one access to various people, allowing an individual to learn more regarding various religions, personalities, as well as cultures, which one may not had prior exposure to in their places of origins, something that widens an individual’s perspective and knowledge(Murphy & Eddy,1998). College life also equips one with critical interpersonal values and skills such as the chance to interact with fellow students and faculty by joining student clubs and organizations, as well as participating in debates and discussions. Through such organizations one develops positive values such as entrepreneurship, critical thinking, exploring of various other career options and provision of networking value. This makes college graduates to be not only more productive in life, have happier lives but also live longer. In addition, college graduates embrace positive values in life such as having health insurance together with retirement plans, thus enabling them to live full and well planned lives (Siegel, 2010). However college experience has got its own consequences such as stress which may result in health issues as well as other related negative consequences due to the need to perform well, AIDS fear, grade competition, career choices as well as several aspects of college environment. Lastly, college debt forces students to delay their financial freedom, marriage as well as other milestones in adult

Women's Involvement During Word War II Research Paper

Women's Involvement During Word War II - Research Paper Example The importance of this lay in the immense economic and sexual changes that then gave way to new formations in the family and the workplace. This paper shall look at these and the role that women had to play in the Second World War that led to the changes that have been talked of. The creation of the fictional character James Bond can be seen in the light of the wound that the collective masculinity of the British suffered following the Second World War. This can be seen in the hyper-masculine rhetoric that Ian Fleming employs in this series of novels where he builds up the British agent as a super-male. After the loss of colonies following the war, British soldiers returned home to find that many of their jobs had been taken up by the women who had till then been a part of the home and the family. They had, during the war, since many frontline positions had been taken up by the men, taken up the posts of office workers that had been left vacant. This shows that the women were a part of the war that created a void in the land where the war was not an everyday reality as it was on foreign land. This shows that the records of bravery that have been recorded regarding the war have been masculine accounts that have been made to suit the male needs of history. There are also accounts that say that women, especially those women who are a part of lower class backgrounds, have always worked for a living and to supplement their family’s income. In the cases of people of African American communities, it has always been the case that women have contributed a significant part to the economy of the land (â€Å"The Image and Reality of Women who Worked During World War II†, n.d.). Such commentators look at the recruitment of women during the Second World War as nothing but a channelization of the energies that women had directed towards other fields towards that of the war. This direction of energies towards the war resulted in an increase in the social status t hat was enjoyed by women and women of all races. A lot of the women were a part of the Nurse Corps that was instrumental in the reduction of the number of the casualties during the war. They were also sometimes a part of the army that fought at the frontline. Apart from this, there were women who were a part of the communities that stayed at home and created items that were necessary for the victory in the war. This included those women who worked in factories so as to keep the war a well-oiled machine and also those who would collect blood and roll bandages so as to keep the work of the nurses going. This led to great improvements in the way the war was fought and was also a great morale booster for the people who were at the frontline of the war (National Women’s History Museum, 2007). Despite these changes, even during the war, women were seen as secondary to the larger idea of serving the interests of the men who were at the forefront of the war. They were mostly paid les ser wages than the men and they were also viewed with a great deal of suspicion. This can be seen from the fact that they were not a significant part of the trade unions that came up following the war. They were also laid off by many employers or were forced to work at lesser wages than the men who returned from the war. This was very different from the attitudes that were adopted by the people who had employed them when there was an acute shortage of labor in the industries. What the women felt following the euphoria of the victory of the war was a sense of betrayal

Expository Prose Assignment Essay Example for Free

Expository Prose Assignment Essay 1.Ed Pilkington purpose for this article is to inform the audience that he wants to abolish the rule of execution because in this article, the U.S legal system made a fatal mistake by sentencing an innocent man to his death.   This article is in expository style because it has a thesis that explains what he is going to talk about and it has the proper structure of beginning, body and conclusion. Another reason is because the author is explaining his knowledge on what he believes on, which is informing his audience by sharing the trail of an innocent man. The thesis in this article is explicit. It is explicit because the author clearly states it in the article near the beginning. â€Å"It is now clear that a person was executed for a crime he did not commit, and his name –Carlos Deluna – is being shouted from the rooftops of the Columbia Human Rights Law Review.† This article is also considered in expository style because it includes methods of exposition. One of the methods that are being used is the short anecdote. This method is shown when the author explains a short flashback of the day of the murder and this evidences to the audience that there is proof that Carlos Deluna is innocent. â€Å"Carlos Deluna told the jury that on the day of the murder he’d run into Hernandez, who he’d known for the previous five years. The two men, who both lived in the Southern Texas town of Corpus Christi, stopped off at a bar. Hernandez went over to a gas station, the Shamrock, to buy something, and when he didn’t return Deluna went over to see what was going on.† Another method is used when the author contrast the trial of OJ Simpson with the Carlos trial. â€Å"This wasn’t the trial of OJ Simpson.† The author uses this method because he is trying to reach out to his audience by saying that this case has no real evidence that Carlos Deluna is the real criminal. While contrasting to the case of OJ Simpson where there was actually proof that OJ was the murderer. The third method of exposition that is used is the process of cause and effect. This example is shown when the author explains how the detectives failed to carry out important evidence like blood samples. The cause in this case would be the detectives not examining blood samples and the effect would be the death of an innocent man 2.The rhetorical situation in this case would be any American citizen that listens or reads about the news and the writer would be Ed Pilkington in New York Times. Ed Pilkington is grabbing the attention of American citizens by informing the citizens that a fatal mistake; made by the U.S legal system caused an innocent man to his death. This article is written for almost all Americans because Pilkington is sending a message to the citizens that they should be more aware of the U.S legal system from now on because miscarriages of justice might happen again. Another reason why this article is for all U.S citizens is because the structure of the article is not long and not too difficult to read. The structure of this article is simple and easy to understand. Pilkington made his paragraphs short but long enough to explain the article precisely. Meaning all Americans can read this article, not just intellectual geniuses. Lastly, the nature of the relationship between the author and the reader is American to another American. The reason for this is because Pilkington wants all Americans to hear about his article, not just specific amount of people. So Pilkington (an American) is explaining his story with other Americans. 3.The definition of style is a characteristic manner of expression, combining the idea that is being expressed with the individuality (the particular voice) of the author. Style includes such general qualities as diction, sentence structure and variety, imagery, rhythm, coherence, and emphasis. In this article the style the author uses is simple and understandable. The author uses some of the qualities that are mentioned in the definition. One of the qualities the author uses is diction. The diction in this piece of article is informal and easy to understand. The vocabulary is not difficult and it is easy to read so most Americans will be able to understand the entire article. Also another style quality that is used is the sentence structure. The sentence structure of this article is short but exact. Meaning it has the right amount of important information and since its short, most readers would not lose interest from it. 4.The relationship between the audiences is Ed Pilkington the author, to any American citizen. Ed Pilkington in this article seems to know his audience very well. He grabs the audience’s attention by using an easy type of style that can be understood by the general public, while still explaining the author’s opinion. The author not only grabs the audience’s attention, he expresses his purpose through out the whole article. The author’s purpose is to try to convince his audience that the capital punishment of execution should be abolished. Like I said before, the author uses a style that is effectively easy for the audience to understand the meaning of criminal and political matters. Even though the author’s style makes the article well written, the article seems to be less effective then effectual. The author explains the article by implying the meaning in one case. The author could have compared more articles on fatal mistakes from the U.S legal system because the trial occurred few years from now and as years go bye, the Government legal system has been improved. Furthermore, the article is effective because the author proves his thesis by describing how an innocent man was sentenced to death but the fact that the author used one example, makes it a risky decision to follow. So overall, the author proves his thesis by using the right type of style, but the concept of abolishing the lethal injection does not seem comprehensible with the proof of just one article.

Fighting for Inner-peace :: Personal Narrative Essay Example

Fighting for Inner-peace    I am fighting for inner-peace. I know this is a paradox, and I'm rather proud because it is true. Passivity has been a lifelong threat, laziness a constant lure in my search for identity. This world begs me to succumb to existing in the image of someone else, it asks only that I slip silently and blindly into the niche it provides instead of carving my own. I required a long time to work up courage to fight for the serenity I had glimpsed in the woods in summer and in lovingly handled books read late until the early morning. Doubt had established itself in my mind at some early age, when or why I do not know, and I could trust any person or group more than myself. Doubt begat fear, and fear gave birth to obscuring myself from the eyes of the world while I was a child.    Now, I am dedicated to the fight, after over five years of fear and immobility. I rejected the easiest way out of life, and demanded truth. I strengthened my body as I strengthened my mind against the attacks I faced. When I was fifteen I started Tae Kwon Do, the martial arts class that was offered through my school. I learned more about blocking, kicking, and punching in the first two weeks of that class than I had known my entire life. My once powerless body, petite and thin, could knock the wind out of someone with a well placed punch, and I could kick people taller than me in the head. So what I could do, I did, and now my friends instinctively block when they see me grin mischievously in their direction. I am content to know I have taught them something useful.    Last spring for the third time in a row, I shakily accepted my teacher's hand as he congratulated me on second place in women's division sparring. It was a bittersweet triumph, three times now I have lost to the same girl. She has become an icon for everything I wish to triumph over in this world. She is beautiful, hair like black silk, impeccable taste in clothing,makeup like a Renaissance painting, and average when it comes to everything else. I watch her silently stride into art class on three inch heels, skirt above her knee, no runs in her stockings, and manicured nails smoothing invisible wrinkles from he shirt.

Are People Living in Cities Becoming More Materialistic?

In today's constantly changing society, more and more people are becoming more materialistic. This is particularly so in the cities and more urbanized areas. Take America as an example. Compared with three or four decades ago, Americans today are very much more materialistic. Materialism is usually more apparent in cities because in the cities, people are constantly exposed to new inventions that make life easier. These new inventions often come with a hefty price tag attached to them, simply because they are new products.Human beings being what they are will constantly try to attain the newest and best things in life for themselves. Moreover, city living is such that everyday, you will come into contact with many other people, as city dwellers live within close proximity of one another. As such, on seeing that their neighbours or friends have a certain new product, they too will want to have that, new product as it implies that they have the money to buy the new product. With the ma ssive industrialization programme of the American government over the past two to three decades, America has come a long way.We are now a modern city. Industrialization has improved the living standards of most Americans. as such, our buying power is greater and we are thus able to enjoy more of the luxuries in life. This however has caused many Americans to become materialistic. Nowadays, people tend to judge one another by their outward appearance than their character. If a person is well-dressed and drives an expensive car, he tends to get better service and more respect from the people around him. In the job market. , materialism is also evident..In recent years, employers have complained about young graduates who job-hop. These young graduates have no loyalty whatsoever to the company they work for. As such, when another company offers them the same job but with a higher pay, they simply resign and take up the other offer. Some young graduates have even held four or more differ ent ,jobs within two years. The reason for their job-hopping is simply because each job offers a better pay and nothing else. Materialism is also seen in the shopping habits of people nowadays. People feel that their status comes from what they wear.As such, the budget corners of many department stores are often shunned by the younger more materialistic set. Instead, they flock to designer boutiques like `Ralph Lauren' and `Emporio Armani' to get their outfits. Materialism is not confined to the younger adults. Even teenagers are becoming more materialistic. Materialism in teenagers is due mainly to peer pressure. Many teenagers feel the need for expensive things because their friends have them too. Moreover, as the family size gets smaller and more mothers work. parents often try to make up for the time not spent with their children by giving them more money.Materialism in teenagers can be clearly seen just by looking at the school shoes of most students. The traditional `Bata' sho es have been abandoned for the more prestigious `Reebok', `Nike' or ‘L. A. Gear'. These teenagers experience the power of money at a very young age and therefore grow up having a very materialistic outlook of life. Materialism in America or in any other urbanized city cannot be blamed on anyone but society. It often arises out of peer pressure and also because of a better standard of living. Materialism, therefore, can be considered as a price people have to pay for industrialization.

Is persuasion ethical? Essay

This simple question has engaged scholars and practitioners alike. Aristotle and Plato discussed it. Machiavelli touched on it. So have modern communication scholars and social psychologists. And you can bet that practitioners—Tommy Hunger, Phil Knight, Donna Karan, even Michael Jordan—have given it a passing thought, no doubt on the way to the bank. Yet persuasion ethics demand contemplation. As human beings we want to be treated with respect, and we value communications that treat others as an ends, not a means, to use Immanuel Kanf s famous phrase. At the similar time, we are practical creatures, who want to achieve our goals, whether they are financial, social, emotional, or spiritual. The accomplishment of goals—money, esteem, love, or religious fulfillment— requires that we influence others in some fashion somewhere along the way. Is the need to influence contrary with the ethical treatment of human beings? Some scholars would say it always is. Plato, who regarded truth as â€Å"the only reality in life, † was offended by persuasive communication (Golden et al. , 2000, p. 17). As, he regarded rhetoric as a form of adulation that appealed to people’s worst instincts. Although Plato did believe in an ideal rhetoric estimably composed of truth and morality, he did not think that ordinary persuasion measured up to this standard. The German philosopher Immanuel Kant would view persuasion as immoral for a diverse reason: In his view, it uses people, treating them as means to the persuader’s end, not as appreciated ends in themselves (Borchert & Stewart, 1986). This violates Kant’s ethical principles. In a similar fashion, Thomas Nilsen (1974) has argued that persuasion is immoral because a communicator is trying to encourage someone to do something that is in the communicator’s best interest, but not essentially in the best interest of the individual receiving the message. As considerate as these perspectives are, they set up a rather high bar for human communication to reach. What’s more, these authors tend to lump all persuasive communication together. Some communications are certainly false, designed to manipulate people by appealing to base emotions, or are in the interest of the sender and not the receiver. But others are not. Some messages make very intelligent appeals, based on logic and evidence. Additionally, not all persuaders treat people as a means. Therapists and health professionals ordinarily accord clients a great deal of respect. The best counselors treat each person as unique, an inexplicable treasure to be deciphered and understood. Many people who do volunteer work—such as those who counsel teens in trouble or AIDS victims—do not receive great financial benefit from their work. Their communications can be extremely much in the best interest of those receiving the message. On the other extreme are philosophers who argue that persuasion is basically moral. Noting that people are free to recognize or reject a communicator’s message, conservative thinkers tend to embrace persuasion. Believing that people are adequately rational to distinguish between truth and falsehood, libertarian scholars argue that society is best served by diverse persuasive communications that run the gamut from completely truthful to totally fallacious (Siebert, Peterson, & Schramm, 1956). Persuasion, they say, is better than coercion, and people are in any incident free to accept or reject the communicator’s message. There is some understanding in this perspective. However, to say that persuasion is intrinsically moral is an extreme, absolute statement. To suppose that people are capable of maturely rejecting controlling communicators’ messages naively neglects cases in which trusted but evil people exploit others’ vulnerability. What of men who trick or seduce women and then take advantage of their dependence to demand added sexual and emotional favors? Perhaps we would argue that the women chose to get involved with the men—they’re persuaded, not coerced—but it would be heartless to propose that such persuasion is moral. Moreover, the idea that all communication should start somewhere and that the individual or organization that it starts from influences the way the communication is expressed (Forsyth, D. R. , & Kelley, K. N. 1994). The idea that all communication goes somewhere that the sender’s view of what the audience is like will influence how they frame their communication, but that the receiver will also tend to take their own meanings from the communication, despite of what was intended in the first place. Just as students on a course must have to work in a variety of formats, so also they should have to deal with a diversity of audiences so that the effect of audience on what is said and how will be reinforced. All communication is put together with some purpose in mind, whether or not the sender is fully aware of what this is. Again, one can understand the communication and its effects better if one is fully aware of what the real purpose of it is. It must become apparent that what we think someone’s purpose is, is more significant than what it actually is. The pupils will come to understand that we act on postulations when decoding messages. The physical or social situation in which the communication takes place will constantly affect how it is understood, and will perhaps affect how it is put together in the first place. In terms of interpersonal and group communication, it is at least helpful to discuss or simulate examples which may be described as public or private situations so as to get across the force of this concept. Try getting a pupil to role-play behaviour in public that they would usually use at home, and the point will have been made (Dunbar, N. E. , & Allen, T. H. 2003). All communication has to be put into some form such as speech or pictures. Diverse forms have diverse qualities, and different advantages and disadvantages. The form used affects how the communication is put together and understood. Effective communicators weigh up the compensation of the various forms of communication accessible to them. It is often the case that we use more than one type of communication at a time. The number of forms that may be used through the medium of television in an evening news broadcast is a case in point. Students must be allowed to make decisions concerning the use of forms of communication during their course. They must practice the conventions of the form or format. On a more sophisticated level they should grapple the idea that the medium is indeed the message, and that the same message is transformed in various ways once cast in a form other than its original. References: Borchert, D. M. , & Stewart, D. (1986). Exploring ethics. New York: Macmillan. Canary, D. J. , & Spitzberg, B. H. (1990). Attribution biases and associations between conflict strategies and competence outcomes.Communication Monographs, 57, 139-151. Cooper, M. D. , & Nothstine, W. L. (1998). Power persuasion: Moving an ancient art into the media age. (2nd ed. ). Greenwood, IN: Educational Video Group. Dunbar, N. E. , & Allen, T. H. (2003, May). Toward a message-centered approach to attributions regarding interpersonal conflict. Paper presented at the meeting of the International Communication Association, San Diego, CA. Forsyth, D. R. , & Kelley, K. N. (1994). Attribution in groups: Estimations of personal contributions to collective endeavors. Small Group Research, 25, 367-3

Wars Evolution Essays

Wars Evolution Essays Wars Evolution Essay Wars Evolution Essay War has been part of our history ever since the dawn of time. Even when our ancestors were still using primitive rocks to sustain their also very primitive lives, wars have been fought between tribes for control of territory and small resources. Those wars were not fought with the future in mind, those wars were just fought for the simplest of things. War is our curse, a curse that poisons every inch of the goodness inside. Our human greed, our human imperfections act as the catalyst of war, fuels it to the point that it becomes a burning fire filled with rage, anger, greed and the lust for power.It begins engulfing everything in flames of spears, swords, missiles, bullets and nukes. This fire we call war is simply sparked by a number of reasons, no matter how stupid or childish the reason, it still is war. For once the nations of Honduras and El Salvador declared war on each other after El Salvador won a FIFA World Cup qualifying round against Honduras. In an cient times, a woman whose beauty caught the eye of a Trojan prince began a war which was is part of ancient lore, the Trojan War, where the magnificent beauty of Helen of Troy sent a thousand ships, Greek ships to be exact.If wars are sparked by the beauty of a woman and a defeat in a soccer match, what more blind reasons could we humans fight wars with? We have fought millions of wars between ourselves and no war has ended all wars. We fight it for millions of reasons and can only be justifiable by ourselves. The million times we fought have really brought the worst of humanity. In every war there is no rule book, no proper rules of engagement, no rules that could contain the bloodiness of war. For these reason war is an uncontrollable fire that engulfs anything in its path with no slight twitch of remorse.We have killed billions of our kind, men, women and children were shown no mercy as they were shot, stabbed, burned, gas chambered and left to bleed or rot in a street somewhere . Or even buried en mass in the middle of nowhere. Innocent children who had their entire lives ahead of them were just shot like animals to be harvested. The realities of war are totally different from the explosive action we see on television because in war the battles are not only fought between this side and that, soldiers, generals and leaders fight a inner war between themselves, struggling to make themselves think right in the middle of the berserk that is war.Struggling to understand the horrors they have caused. Wars have never really left the confines of people’s daily lives, we still war with each other no matter how highly educated we are on how war affects persons across nations, as war chooses none. It’s a well oiled machine that knows no mercy. War drives people insane, war is a melancholy truth that even bravest of humanity could not withstand. It has done no good, to the victor it might have given him glory the spoils of war, to the vanquished it must have brought about shame and horrifying defeat, but no side has truly won, for both sides have lost so many in such bloody battles.They have sent fathers and husbands to their deaths. But war is sometimes the only option, the only option left to take even if we all know it’s horrible effects on our daily lives. Therefore I, a lowly student who is just a spectator of wars, that no matter how much we have evolved our weapons from rocks to nukes, no matter how much we have developed weapons of mass destruction that our ancestors thought unfeasible, I could simple say, WAR, war never changes.