This Fleeting World A short History of Humanity Essay Example for Free

This Fleeting World A short History of Humanity Essay Humanity is consistently and always evolving to meet there needs and demands. Humanity will have to evolve to changes in the environment and society. It has survived many problems in the past and it has changed for the better from those experiences. Humans have lived extreme times in earth’s history such as the last ice age and the bubonic plague. And so they have adapted to these events and have gained experience and evolved for the better. One main ideas of this book is this book is that mankind is always changing to be more efficient and to adapt to different events. The author writes of many events in worlds history such as the world wars and epidemics that have killed millions of people. And because of these events humans have to find vaccines/cures to dieses and create new types of technologies. So we have found solutions and advanced for the better of mankind. This proves the idea that humans are consistently evolving and changing. This idea is connected to modern times for example we develop and release new techonologies such as phones and computers on a weekly basis. Another main idea of this book is that can not keep up with the demands of its all people consistently. And so will go through periods of collapse and great hardships. As stated in the text the historian says â€Å"Humanity will never be able to fulfill the demands of its entire people† This is true as we do have the resources to provide for all of the world’s people. And so we go through periods of collapse like the great depressions. During this time many people lost their jobs and many families went hungry. This was a horror but we were able to recover and prosper once again proving that mankind is always evolving to meet demands. And finally the last main idea of this book is that agriculture has allowed for people to focus on other things then food. The author writes about how once agriculture was discovered people were able to learn new things and have different jobs then to just all be farmers. This is because there will be enough food provided to people so they do not have to grow it themselves. This time period was called the agrarian era. So the time of the foragers was over and now was the time of the agrarians. And so mankind was able to advance and become much greater. This applies to us because we have learned more effective ways to farm so are able to produce more crop. In the book it is stated that humanity will never be able to keep up with the demands of its entire people. This is relevant in much of world like in Africa. Mostly of the people there live in extreme poverty with very little food and drinking water. The GPD per captia of Africa is 1,200 US dollars. This is very insignificant amount of money to be able to raise a family with. And there is little hope of a better future for many. Also in many other third world countries such as India is very crowded and the population of is plagued by lack of fresh drinking water. And so these modern day events are relevant to the idea that humanity will never be able to keep up with the demands of its people.

A Study Of Lewins Model Management Essay

A Study Of Lewins Model Management Essay In the refreezing stage the company stabilized changes by establishing systems that can establish behavioural pattern in the organisation. A new performance appraisal system based on behaviour and results was introduced to encourage customer service. (Goodstein., D., L. Burke, W., W., 1991) 14 It is not easy for an organisation change its structure and business processes since any change may lead to some level of resistance by the employees. One of the main causes for resistance is the fear of the unknown and loss of what is familiar. There are four reasons of resistance from employee to organisational change including 1) Parochial self-interest, 2) Misunderstanding and lack of trust, 3) Contradictory assessments, and 4) Low tolerance for change. (Buchanan D. Huczynski A., 2004) BA tried to change behaviour by changing the management style from authoritative to participative. BA wished employees participate more in management decision but since this was unfamiliar employers would fall back to the old patterns. 15 A tactic that was used in BA to manage resistance to change was the HR policy which included training guidelines. Such an HR policy is important in making the employees understand and react positively to change. There is also an example where resistance to change hindered the organisations goals and objectives. In an attempt to cut down cost can compete with low cost airlines BA tried implementing a new payment system and also hiring workers for lower salaries. This created insecurity among the employees which ended in a strike that cost the company in millions in 2000. Therefore handling resistance and the HR aspects of the company is vital to a successful change process. 15 REFERENCES 16 Wilson, C.D., (1992), A Strategy of Change, Thomas Learning, London 16 British Airways, 2006, Leaders For Business: What are we looking for?, http://www.britishairwaysjobs.com/baweb1/?newms=info196 (22 December 2006) British Airways, 2006, Our Recruitment Process: The Assessment Process, http://www.britishairwaysjobs.com/baweb1/?newms=info48 (22 December 2006) 16 Paton, R.A. McCalman, J. (2008) Change Management 2nd ed. Sage Publications, London 16 Cellars, T. (2007), Change Management Models: A Look at McKinseys 7-S Model, Lewins Change Management Model and Kotters Eight Step Change Model, Associated Content, [Online], http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/237685/change_management_models_a_look_at_pg5_pg5.html?cat=3, accessed on 30 November 2009 16 Green, M. (2007), Change Management Masterclass, Kogan Page Limited, Philadelphia 16 Syque. (2007). Lewins freeze phases. Retrieved April 12, 2007, from Changing Minds 16 12Manage. (2007, April 9). 7-S framework (mckinsey). Retrieved April 12, 2007, from 12Manage Web site: http://www.12manage.com/methods_7S.html 16 Chapman, A. (2006). Change management. Retrieved April 12, 2007, from Business Balls Web site: http://www.businessballs.com/changemanagement.htm 16 Mind Tools. (2007). Lewins change management model: Understanding the three stages of change. Retrieved April 12, 2007, from Mind Tools Web site: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newPPM_94.htm 16 Morgan, O. (n.d.). Organization management part 1. Retrieved April 12, 2007, from Oliver Morgan Web site: http://www.omorgan.info/download/Part%20I/organisation_management_Part_I.pdf 16 Recklies, D. (2007). The 7-s-model. Retrieved April 12, 2007, from Recklies Management Web site: http://www.themanager.org/Models/7S%20Model.htm 16 Johnson G and Scholes k (2002) Exploring Corporate Strategy, Prentice Hall, 6th ed. 17 INTRODUCTION British Airways Plc, renowned in the world as a leading airline, operates international and domestic scheduled and charter passenger services, freight, mail as well as ancillary services. Including 6 domestic flights, British Airways serves nearly 150 destinations. New code share arrangements agreed with Finnair, Iberia and Cathay Pacific are included in BAs global alliances. The airline operates in geographical areas such as the UK, Europe, America, Africa, Middle and Far East, Australasia and Indian sub-continent. For the year ended March 2009, the company generated revenues of  £ 8,992 million which is an increase of 3.1% on the  £ 8,753 million revenues generated in the year ended 2008. The net loss of the company was  £358 million during the 2009 financial year, showing a major decrease from the  £696 million profit in the previous year. British Airways Plc was formed from the airlines,  BOAC,  BEA, Cambrian Airways  and Northeast Airlines on 1 September 1974 through  nationalisation  by the Labour Government. In February 1987, thirteen years later, the company was privatised. Measured by passenger numbers, British Airways was the largest airline of the UK until 2008. British Airways is listed on the  LSE  and is a constituent of the  FTSE 100 Index. The airline celebrated its 35th anniversary on 31 March 2009. Change management According to cook et al (2004) change management is a set of processes that is employed to ensure that significant changes are implemented in an orderly, controlled and systematic fashion to effect organizational change. One of the goals of change management is to reduce resistance to change in order for organizational members accept the change and thereby achieve the organizations goal of a smooth transformation. Change management can be seen to have five specific stages that must be realized for an organisation to be successfully implementing change. Firstly the organisation must know why a specific change or series should be brought about. Secondly the organisation must be motivated and desire to go through this particular change. Thirdly the organisation must posses the knowledge of how to carry out the change. Fourthly the organisation must acquire new skills and behaviours that are necessary for the change to occur. Lastly the organisation must become sustainable by making these new behaviours their usual practice. Further according to Wilson (1992) change can occur mainly in two dimensions depending on the theories and models used. This view explains that change can be either planned or unplanned. Also change can be described in terms of the process or implementation strategy. The issues of understanding and managing change within an organisation depend on the change approach that is selected by the organisation. Organisational Structure British Airways operates as a group of companies whose main industry sectors are international and domestic scheduled and charter air services carrying passengers, freight and mail as well as providing supplementary services. The group consists of British Airways Plc and a number of subsidiary companies, including British Airways Holidays Ltd, British Airways Travel Shops Ltd etc. The two main operating bases of the company are Heathrow and Gatwick airports and has established in branches around the world. The company is listed in several stock exchanges including LSE, Munich, US etc. British airways together with its partnerships have managed to extend its network thus entering all significant markets. As for the structure of BA, it has suffered a shift from modern to post modern to post modern organisational structure i.e. it has moved from mechanistic to more organic style of operation. The operations of BA can be analysed departmentally into Planning, Distribution and mileage partnerships, Marketing communications, Global contact centres, eCommerce, Triton Programme, Revenue management, AirMiles Travel Company, Travel Shops, BA Holidays, BA travel Clinics, Corporate communications, BA world Cargo, Ground Operations, BA engineering, Information management, BA shares etc. Each division has its own functionalities to perform, goals and objectives to meet which contributes to corporate aims and objectives. Department Responsibility Planning Planning fleet, network, schedule, infrastructure, resources, property Distribution mileage partnerships Ensure that customers can book pay and ticket a booking through the website, contact centres, shops, travel agents around the world Marketing communications Marketing communications, advertising, promotions, gain insight into customer needs Global contact centres Delivers services to customers who prefer using the phone eCommerce Major projects to broaden the range of transactions customers can do on their own, improve quality of online channels Triton Programme The 10 year contract with Amadeus, leading provider of travel industry systems Revenue management Monitors, controls, forecasts sales working to improve profitability AirMiles Travel Company Carries out customer loyalty programmes Travel Shops Provides personal services and expert advise from well travelled consultants BA Holidays Sells holiday packages travel Clinics Offers travel health advice and comprehensive vaccination service Corporate communications Protects and manages the global reputation ensuring that a wide audience are aware of the airlines news and developments. world Cargo Provides freight, mail and courier services Ground Operations Management of Customer services and terminal operations with safety and security Engineering Responsible for aviation maintenance providing full support for the fleets Information Management Responsible for all IT across the BA group and plays a fundamental role in shaping the future of the airline BA shares Responsible for all investor relations Table 1: Departmental Analysis of British Airways Market Environment PEST Analysis The Airline industry has become extremely competitive due to the budget airline and the current unfavourable economic conditions. All player compete for the market share in an environment where the bargaining powers of customer have increased and there is no control over the powers of fuel suppliers and prices. In the current economic conditions there is limited growth in volume and demand for air travel has declined significantly. The PEST analysis shows the external factors that affect the organisation and its change processes. It also reveals the changes the organisation must make in order to remain competitive in adverse market conditions. Thus, this section looks into the external environment of British Airways since change strategies are affected by the factors and changes in the macro environment. Such changes could bring about favourable or adverse effects on the companys turnover and growth. The PESTEL framework has been applied to examine the external factors and its impact on the company. Political and Legal Factors Developments in the political and legal factors can have a high impact on the airline industry. Political developments include changes in governmental policies, international regulations and legislations, government taxes on air travel, political and economical relationships with counties, changes in airport and aviation rules etc. Some of the developments have a favourable impact on the company while some others will have an unfavourable impact. The EU policy has increased air travel and therefore has been a positive impact on the airline industry. On the other hand, increase of government taxes has adverse results on the industry since demand for air travel declines due to high airfare. Economical Factors Economic developments such as increase in fuel prices, unfavourable currency and interest rates, recession, inflation, increase in unemployment has a negative impact on British Airways. In such environments leisure travel declines because people have less disposable income and business travel declines because corporate spending is reduced. Also recession negatively impacts on growth of companies in terms of expansions and buying additional aircrafts. On the other hand, changes such as economic boom, deflation could favourably contribute towards a companys performance. Social and Environmental Factors Airline industry is constantly under pressure for various environmental pressure groups due to high CO emission, noise and the effects on the climate. Also outbreaks of diseases such as such as Swine Flu can decrease air travel. Another aspect that could reduce air travel is safety related issues such as acts of terrorists and crashes. Technological Factors Changes in technology have shown negative and positive impacts on the airline industry. The positive impacts have been safety, cost reduction and ease of booking and planning travel online. On the other hand due to new technological developments such as advanced meeting facilities business travel is not necessary to the same extent as before. BA and Ryanair British Airways aims to operate a high quality service to its customers at a affordable price. It operates long and short haul flights to many destinations around the world and ensures comfort while taking the passengers closer to their destination. British airways mainly operate in three areas, namely passenger transport, cargo and mail services. British airways aim to understand its customers needs and operate accordingly. The company has a strong brand image and the employees are expected to work up to its standards. The organisational structure can be regarded as a flat type because it has only one level of hierarchy that separates Managing Directors at the top from bottom-line employees. On the other hand Ryanair operates on a no- frill strategy which means that the passengers are not provided with any extra facilities and operates simply as a point to point transportation service. It has grown largely in Europe by attracting customers who prefer low ticket prices thereby reducing the market share of British Airways. It mainly operates short haul flights to destinations which are secondary airports. Factors Affecting Change Management According to Paton and McCalman (2008) Change management can be defined as a planned process for changing a core function or organization of an enterprise. Change Management is an organized, systematic application of the knowledge, tools, and resources of change that provides organizations with a key process to achieve their business strategy. (Lamarsh 2000). With the aid of technology the industries and products are congregating which means each firm has to take a very holistic approach to the marketing of goods and services. Paton McCalman (2000). Factors driving change Most organisations change when internal and external environments change. The factors that initiate the need for organisational change can be two fold. The first factor can be called an External Trigger which involves the activities and innovations of competitors, change in customer requirements, legislation and government policies, and so on. Economic change can create the need for change. Also, due to the EU policies many companies had to change their practices and procedures. Environmental pressure groups that impose pressure due to adverse environmental effects can force a company such as BA to change its processes to make it climate friendly. The second factor can be called the Internal Triggers including new product and service design, innovations, appointments of new directors, new ideas on how to achieve service quality etc (Buchanan D. Huczynski A., 2004). The British Airways privatization program that changed the companys ownership was launched due to the impact from such triggers. The aims and objectives of this programme was to improve the organisations performance and gain a competitive advantage over its competitors. According to the change model described by Lewin, organisational change occurs in three stages. The first stage is called Unfreezing which reduces the forces which maintain behaviour as it is currently and recognition of the need for change occurs. The second stage is called Movement which is the development of new practices and the implementation of the change. The final stage is named as Refreezing which is stabilizing the changes that occurred and reinforcement through supporting mechanisms. (Mul lins, J., L., 1999) Involving People It is essential that the organisation manages its human resources in a manner that is favourable to the change process. It is important that the employees understand and support the change in order to have a smooth transformation. If the change managers can make the people involved to see the common objectives and mutual benefits that the change will bring about it helps in making the change more successful (Paton McCalum, 2000). However, each individual will react to change in a different manner. The factors that affect how individuals will react to change are manifold, namely the organisational culture, the reasons for change, factors of change, leadership aspects and organisational structure. The change management style and approach are important aspects with regards to involving the employees of the organisation. Change management requires a considerable amount of skill and previous experience on the management of the organisation. It is important to consider each individuals pe rception and attitude towards the process for it to be a success. For example during the second stage of change, BA developed tactics and programs to bring the vision of the top management-level to the bottom-line employees throughout the organisation. Thus the internal structure and systems were changed and also a permanent training center was established to promote staff training. Stakeholders It is important that the company analyses its stakeholders since the change will have an effect on them. Communication is vital to involve all stakeholders in the process so that the change is successful. It is also important to categorise your stakeholders according to their power and interest involving the change. There are some aspects regarding stakeholders and the change process that should be taken into consideration. Differentiating and grouping employees and deciding how to deal with different types, planning communication in both directions and also looking after the interests off all individuals. There are mainly four types of stakeholders, blockers, sponsors, champions and sleepers Green (2007). Blocker have high power but low level of commitment, while the sponsors have high power and high commitment. Also Champions have high energy and high commitment while sleppers have both low power and low commitment to change. For a successful change it is important to identify the stakeholders with high power and commitment. British Airways has a number of stakeholders who have various interests in the business and from whom the company expects different things. There have been conflicts between these stakeholders due to their differing interests as well as formations of coalitions. It can be observed that most stakeholders have an interest in the organisation performing well. In the above context it is important that the stakeholders are analysed according to the power and commitment grid so that change can be successful. Planning the change The change process must be planned and it is advisable to use models of change and also consider the impacts of resistance to change. Two different change models are discussed in the following section, namely the Mckinsey 7-S model and Lewins Model. The basic principle of the model is that there are seven internal aspects of an organization that need to be aligned if it is to be successful. The 7S model can be used in a wide variety of situations such as improving the performance of the company. The McKinsey 7S model contains seven interdependent factors which are categorised as hard or soft elements. Hard elements are strategy, structure, systems and soft elements are shared values, skills, style and staff. The Hard elements are easier to identify and influence while the soft elements are more difficult to manage but equally important for a successful transformation. The model depicts the interdependencies of these elements in terms of how a change in one element affects the others. According to the model the seven elements must be aligned. In the case of BA, the model can be used to identify what needs to be realigned to improve performance during other changes in the company. What ever the change is this model can be used to understand the interrelationships. Further it can be used to analyse the current position, proposed position and identify the gaps between the two. It is also necessary to adjust these elements to make sure the company works effectively. Now lets examine Lewins change model. According to Lewin, there are three stages of change in an organisation which are unfreezing, movement, and refreezing. Unfreezing Stage accordingly, the first step for BA is to unfreeze present pattern of behaviour to manage resistance. In this stage change did make an impact on individual level due to the implementation of Downsizing of Workforce policy to restructure the organisation. This policy reduced hierarchy, and allowed worked to be carried out easily thus improving performance. (Shibata., K., 1993) The downsizing was achieved through compassion. BA also introduced training programs such as Putting People First to help line managers and workers understand the change and the requirements of the industry. Movement Stage The second stage of Lewins Model is movement. During this stage BA used tactics and programs to bring the vision of the top management and line employees. In support a number of new systems where implemented. (Goodstein., D., L. Burke, W., W., 1991) Refreezing Stage In the refreezing stage the company stabilized changes by establishing systems that can establish behavioural pattern in the organisation. A new performance appraisal system based on behaviour and results was introduced to encourage customer service. (Goodstein., D., L. Burke, W., W., 1991) Resistance to change It is not easy for an organisation change its structure and business processes since any change may lead to some level of resistance by the employees. One of the main causes for resistance is the fear of the unknown and loss of what is familiar. There are four reasons of resistance from employee to organisational change including 1) Parochial self-interest, 2) Misunderstanding and lack of trust, 3) Contradictory assessments, and 4) Low tolerance for change. (Buchanan D. Huczynski A., 2004) BA tried to change behaviour by changing the management style from authoritative to participative. BA wished employees participate more in management decision but since this was unfamiliar employers would fall back to the old patterns. A tactic that was used in BA to manage resistance to change was the HR policy which included training guidelines. Such an HR policy is important in making the employees understand and react positively to change. There is also an example where resistance to change hindered the organisations goals and objectives. In an attempt to cut down cost can compete with low cost airlines BA tried implementing a new payment system and also hiring workers for lower salaries. This created insecurity among the employees which ended in a strike that cost the company in millions in 2000. Therefore handling resistance and the HR aspects of the company is vital to a successful change process.

Functional Areas of Organization

Functional Areas of Organization INTRODUCTION: Organisations are built about a group of functions, each of which provides support for the operations of the business. Functional departments each serve a specific purpose with an organisation to achieve its objectives. The most common functional areas of an organisation discussed below. Information need is an individual or groups desire to locate and obtain information to satisfy a conscious or unconscious need. The information and need in information need are inseparable interconnection. Information needs are related to, but distinct from information requirements. An example is that a need is hunger, the requirement is food. In large organizations, each of the functional departments may be separate, whereas smaller organizations may have integrated departments. Different functional areas of an organization are: Sales Purchase Manufacturing Marketing Finance Human resource Administration Comparison Contrasting Sales The sales team deal with customers and generate orders. The technioques used to generate sales varies between organisation,but some of the most common are telephone,door-to-door sales,advertising,and direct sales through representatives. Purchase The purchasing department is responsible for monitoring how many products or stock is required at any one time and buying accordingly. Manufacturing Depending on the type of organisation, one of the functional departments may be manufacturing, who would deal with all of the processing of product service. Marketing The marketing department advertise and promote the products or service of the organisation. In some case, it may be integrated with the sales function. Finance The primary function of the finance department is to ensure that there is financial stability within an organisation and a steady cash flow to support day-to-day transactions. Human resource The role of human resources is to provide support to the employees of an organisation. The primary function is to ensure the welfare of staff, by giving advice, guidance and motivation to enable them to work productively. Administration The administration function is integral to almost all organisations. Administrative staff works in all departments within organisations. Purchase: The purchasing department may also be responsible for buying in consumable products, such as stationery, to support the other functional departments within the organisation. Sales: the sales department may also provide supporting functions to other departments, particularly if the organisation does not have a dedeicated marketing or customer service department. Manufacturing : Large national or multi-national organisations offering a diverse range of products or services would certainly need a manufacturing department to spearhead product developments. Marketing: The marketing department will be involved in the few activities. Such as designing developing promotional materials, organising marketing events, likely launches and campaigns. Developing websites Finance: The finance department is responsible for payment and transaction, investments, accounting procedures, budges and forecasting Human resource: Human resource departments are also responsible for overseeing the recruitment of staff and the payroll as well as resignations and redundancies. Administration: Organising meetings, taking minutes, audio and touch typing and letter writing are some of the day to day tasks an office administrator undertakes.

Educating Rita Essay -- Educating Rita Humor Social Class Essays

Educating Rita Educating Rita is a humorous play giving out a very strong message, which is telling the reader to never give up in life and keep striving for what you are aiming for. In this play we have a 26 year old woman called Rita whom is a mature woman, seeking an education, as she didn't take the opportunity to learn when she was an amateur student, because of the environment she lived in and the fact she didn't want to learn due to her popularity and her working class culture. In reflection, Rita has come to realise how the law expectations surrounding her and her working class culture held her back from her real potential. She wants to change now and break this cycle. Frank, the other main character, is a teacher at the university where she has applied to do her course. He is around his 50's and is Rita's tutor. He is a lazy man, bored and frustrated by his life he too does not feel like he belongs anywhere. Frank does not like his job very much, he does not have any respect for himself at all. The play is staged in one room and only 2 people are taking the major role in the play. This is quite unusual for a play this long. Throughout the play, there are only two characters: this is known as a two-hander. Other characters are only mentioned in the play, but in the film have been cast as parts. It worked well for the film, but I think it lost the closeness which plays such an important part in the theatre. Some people would find this to be tedious, but I think it adds to the intensity and intimacy between the audience and the characters. Frank is a very important to Rita’s transformation. The relation ship between frank and Rita at the beginning of the play is not strong, Frank doesn't re... ...ing to take ten years off you†, it looked like rita was going to kiss Frank but she goes to him, ges out a scissor and starts cutting up his hair, this is one of the humerous parts. This would symbolise another chance for Frank and Rita, a new life for the both of them. I think this play is one of the best plays I have ever read. At te beginning, I had found out that this play only contained 2 characters, this made me think that this play would be not very interesting, but I was surprised. This had an excellent storyline which gave out strong messages which is basically ‘not to give up in life’, for example Rita had sacrificed a lot for her edcucation, this showed how dedicated she was. This play is presented in different styles, like sometimes this play can be humerous but most of the time it is serious. I think this way, keeps the reader interested.

George Orwell’s Down and Out in Paris and London Essay -- Down and Out

George Orwell’s Down and Out in Paris and London Days without food, nights without shelter and clothes without buttons are reality for homeless people around the world. Many are incapable of escaping their poverty and can not seem to find a way out of their bleak oppression. The few that do escape often help each other find a way to make their lives better and do not forget how to maintain friendships. George Orwell’s novel, Down and Out in Paris and London, displays the ability of those in poverty to escape their horrific lot in life through friendships and connections. The common goal of shelter and freedom from oppression bonds many of the lower class. Many in poverty work together to find the best means to achieve their common goal through locating employment and safe places to sleep. Orwell tries to display the lower classes sense of friendship and commitment though his interactions with the people he meets while in poverty. The individuals he describes have the same dismal prospects and must try to find a way to overcome poverty. It is the common goal of freedom from oppression that bonds many of the lower class to work together to break free. Orwell’s experience in poverty helps him gain a strong understanding of class structure and the separation of the classes. The realization that many in poverty do not deserve to be oppressed causes Orwell to take political action and to search for a way to help those in oppression. With Orwell’s strong examples of the lower class working together, he tries to display his belief that a socialistic society can solve the separation of classes. Many of the lower class band together to survive in an inhospitable world. While in poverty, Orwell experiences first hand the b... ...truly progress. This realization helps Orwell develop many of his socialist views. Orwell wants to demonstrate that those in poverty are often forced to lead that lifestyle and can not better their societal position because of the government. The need to change the governmental system is critical to truly change society and to work towards a brighter and more equal future. Orwell’s experience in poverty opened his eyes to the disparities in classes, but more importantly, the ability of those in poverty to bond together to overcome oppression set an example that awakened an individual’s desire for governmental change. Works Cited - Beadle, Gordon B. â€Å"George Orwell’s Literary Studies of Poverty in England.† Twentieth Century Literature 24.2 (1978): 188-202. - Kazin, Alfred. â€Å"Not One of Us.† The New York Review of Books 21.10 (1984): 13-18.

Acc 561 Week 2 Wiley Plus Assignment E13-5, E13-6, E13-9

E13-5| | The comparative balance sheets of Nike, Inc. are presented here. | NIKE INC. | Comparative Balance Sheets| May 31| ————————————————- ($ in millions)| Assets| 2007| 2006| Current assets| $8,076| $7,346| Property, plant, and equipment (net)| 1,678| 1,658| Other assets| ————————————————- 934| ————————————————- 866| Total assets| ————————————————- $10,688| ————————————————- $9,870| |   |   | Liabilities and Stockholders' Equi ty| | | Current liabilities| $2,584| $2,612| Long-term liabilities| 1,079| 973| Stockholders' equity| ————————————————- 7,025| ————————————————- 6,285| Total liabilities and stockholders' equity| ————————————————- $10,688| ————————————————- $9,870| | | | | | | | | | Correct. | |   | Complete the horizontal analysis of the balance sheet data for Nike using 2006 as a base. (If amount decreases, use either a negative sign preceding the number, e. g. 45 or parenthesis, e. g. (45). Round all percentages to 1 decimal place, e. g. 12. 5. ) NIKE, INC. | Cond ensed Balance Sheet| December 31| ————————————————- ($ in millions)| |   |   | Increase or (Decrease)| | 2007| 2006| Amount| Percentage| Assets|   |   |   |   | Current assets| $8,076| $7,346| $ 730 | 9. 9 %| Property, plant and equipment (net)| 1,678| 1,658| 20 | 1. 2 %| Other assets| ————————————————- 934| ————————————————- 866| ————————————————- 8 | ————————————————- 7. 9 %| Total assets| ———â€⠀Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- $10,688| ————————————————- $9,870| ————————————————- $ 818 | ————————————————- 8. 3 %| |   |   |   |   | Liabilities and stockholders' equity| | | | | Current liabilities| $2,584| $2,612| $ -28 | -1. 1 %| Long-term liabilities| 1,079| 973| 106 | 10. 9 %| Total stockholders' equity| ————————————————- 7,025| ————————————————- ,28 5| ————————————————- 740 | ————————————————- 11. 8 %| Total liabilities & stockholders' equity| ————————————————- $10,688| ————————————————- $9,870| ————————————————- $ 818 | ————————————————- 8. 3 %| | | | | | | | | | | | Correct. | |   | Complete the vertical analysis of the balance sheet data for Nike for 2007. (Round all of the percentages to 1 decimal place, e. g. 12. 5. NIKE, INC. | Condensed Balance Sheet| ————————————————- May 31, 2007| | $ (in millions)| Percent | Assets|   |   | Current assets| $8,076| 75. 6 %| Property, plant and equipment (net)| 1,678| 15. 7 %| Other assets| ————————————————- 934| ————————————————- 8. 7 %| Total assets| ————————————————- $10,688| ————————————————- 100. 0 %| |   |   | Liabilities and stockholders' equity| | | Current liabilities| $2,584| 24. 2 %| Long-term liabilities| 1,079| 10. 1 %| Stockholders' equity| ————————————————- 7,025| ————————————————- 65. 7 %| Total liabilities and stockholder's equity| ————————————————- $10,688| ————————————————- 100. 0 %| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ————————————————- Top of FormBottom of Form| E13-6| | Here are the comparative income statements of Winfrey Corporation. | WINFREY CORPORATION| Comparative Income Statements| —à ¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€ For the Years Ended December 31| | 2010| 2009| Net sales| $598,000| $520,000| Cost of goods sold| ————————————————- 477,000| ————————————————- 450,000| Gross profit| $121,000| $70,000| Operating expenses| ————————————————- 80,000| ————————————————- 45,000| Net income| ————————————————- $41,000| ——†”—————————————- $25,000| | | | | | | | | Correct. | |   | Complete the horizontal analysis of the income statement data for Winfrey Corporation using 2009 as a base. (Round all percentages to 1 decimal place, e. g. 12. 5. ) WINFREY CORPORATION| Condensed Income Statements| ————————————————- For the Years Ended December 31| | | | Increase or (Decrease)| | | | ————————————————- During 2010| | ————————————————- 2010| ————————————————- 2009| —â₠¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- Amount | ————————————————- Percentage | Net sales| $598,000| $520,000| $ 78,000 | 15. 0 %| Cost of goods sold | ————————————————- 477,000| ————————————————- 450,000| ————————————————- 27,000 | 6. 0 %| Gross profit| 121,000| 70,000| 51,000 | 72. 9 %| Operating expenses| ————————————————- 80,000| ————————————————- 45,000| â₠¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- 35,000 | 77. 8 %| Net income| ————————————————- $41,000| ————————————————- $25,000| ————————————————- $ 16,000 | 64. 0 %| | | | | | | | | | | | Correct. | |   | Complete the vertical analysis of the income statement data for Winfrey Corporation for both years. (Round all percentages to 1 decimal place, e. g. 12. 5. ) WINFREY CORPORATION| Condensed Income Statements| ————————————————- For the Years Ended December 31| | ————————————————- 010| —à ¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- 2009| | ————————————————- $| ————————————————- Percent| ————————————————- $| ————————————————- Percent| Net sales| $598,000| 100. 0 %| $520,000| 100. 0 %| Cost of goods sold| ————————————————- 477,000| ——————————————â €”—- 79. 8 %| ————————————————- 450,000| ————————————————- 86. 5 %| Gross profit| 121,000| 20. %| 70,000| 13. 5 %| Operating expenses| ————————————————- 80,000| ————————————————- 13. 4 %| ————————————————- 45,000| ————————————————- 8. 7 %| Net income| ———————â€⠀Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- $41,000| ————————————————- 6. 8 %| ————————————————- $25,000| ————————————————- 4. 8 %| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ————————————————- Top of FormBottom of Form| | E13-9| | Armada Company has these comparative balance sheet data: ARMADA COMPANY| Balance Sheets| ————————————————- December 31| | 2010| 2009| Cash| $25,000| $30,000| Receivables (net)| 65,000| 60,000| Inventories| 60,000| 50,000| Plant assets (net)| ————————————————- 200,000| ————————————————- 180,000| | ————————————————- $350,000| ————————————————- $320,000| |   |   | Accounts payable| $50,000| $60,000| Mortgage payable (15%)| 100,000| 100,000| Common stock, $10 par| 140,000| 120,000| Retained earnings| ————————————————- 60,000| ————————————————- 40,000| | ————————————————- $350,000| ————————————————- $320,000| Additional information for 2010: 1. | Net income was $25,000. | 2. | Sales on account were $375,000. Sales returns and allowances amounted to $25,000. | 3. | Cost of goods sold was $198,000. | 4. | Net cash provided by operating activities was $48,000. | 5. | Capital expenditures were $25,000, and cash dividends were $18,000. Compute the following ratios at December 31, 2010. ( Round to 3 decimal places, e. g. 2. 515. ) Current|    3. 00 :1| Receivables turnover|    5. 6 times| Average collection period|    65. 2 days| Inventory turnover|    3. 6 times| Days in inventory|    101. 4 days| Cash debt coverage|    . 31 times| Current cash debt coverage |    . 87 times| Free cash flow | | | | | | Current ratio| =| ————————————————- $150,000| =| 3. 000 :1| | | $50,000| | | Receivables turnover| =| ————————————————- $350,000| =| 5. 600 times| | | $62,500(1)| | | (1) ($65,000 + $60,000) ? Average collection period = 365 days ? 5. 600 = 65. 179 days Inventory turnover| =| ————————————————- $198,000| =| 3. 600 times| | | $ 55,000(2)| | | (2) ($60,000 + $50,000) ? 2 Days in inventory = 365 days ? 3. 600 = 101. 389 days Cash debt coverage ratio| =| ————————————————- $48,000| =| 0. 310 times | | | ($160,000 + $150,000) ? 2 | | | Current cash debt coverage ratio| =| ————————————————- $48,000| =| 0. 873 times | | | ($60,000 + $50,000) ? 2| | | Free cash flow = $48,000 – $25,000 – $18,000 = $5,000

Benefits of Organic Food Essay

Organic food, once only found in health food stores, is now a consistent element at local supermarkets. So what is the difference between a conventionally grown apple and an organic one? The answer is in the way the crop is grown and what it is and is not exposed to. In order to be labeled â€Å"organic† the farmer who grew it used renewable resources and conservation of soil and water methods. Also, organic farmers do not use conventional pesticides or weed killers, which may contain synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge. According to Fisher, â€Å"Sewage sludge from municipalities’ waste may contain heavy metals and toxins . . . † (1). Rather, organic farmers use sophisticated crop rotations, spread mulch and manure, and even hand pull weeds to keep them away. Instead of applying pesticides, they use beneficial insects and birds or traps to keep pests from harming the crop. The organic apple at the grocery store was never exposed to pesticides, chemicals, additives or preservatives. Pesticides may cause harmful effects to the nervous system and mild skin and eye irritations. Chemicals used in additives and preservatives may disrupt the natural rebuilding of cells and your resistance to disease diminishes after continued exposure to these chemicals according to Lagerquist. According to the USDA, instead of these harmful ingredients, the organic apple has higher levels of minerals, vitamin C and antioxidants. Vitamin C is helpful in protecting your immune system, decreasing cardiovascular disease and promotes healthy skin. Antioxidants protect cells against free radicals that create destructive processes in the cells. Besides being beneficial to your health, organic food has a positive impact on the environment. Farming organic food allows for less groundwater to become contaminated that in the process of farming conventional crops. This is because organic crops are never exposed to harmful chemicals that can seep into the ground and infect our groundwater. This absence of chemicals in the ground water also means that the quality of the soil is greater. When the soil is not exposed to chemicals such as pesticides and insecticides, it is able to be of better quality. With better soil quality, comes stronger crops for years to come. Another benefit to the environment is that organic crops increase biodiversity. Biodiversity is created because the absence of chemical inputs creates a habitat suitable for wildlife. Also, because there is no insecticides used farmers of organic farms are forced to use natural pest control methods. This means that to control one type of pest, the famer has to bring in other pests to kill it, creating a diverse farm. Organic farms also do not use synthetic fertilizers, so one way to keep the soil up is to bring in different types of worms, arthropods, and microbes. These animals stabilize and detoxify soil. Organic farming also helps the environment by using conservation methods. Organic farms are planted where the crops could grow naturally, instead of clearing away land for the purpose of planting there. They also conserve soil by not only planting the crop, but also planting other vegetation where there are places crops are not growing to make sure the topsoil does not get blown away by the elements. Crop rotating is also used. This is when the farmer plants more than one crop in the same place. For example, one year the farmer might plant corn in field, but the next year he plants beans. This process of crop rotation increases the soils productivity and reduces need for farm land. Organic farmers do not use harmful fertilizers. Instead, they take advantage of reusable waste options. These options include human waste and waste from the farm animals. These natural fertilizers do not contain harmful ingredients and it also allows farms to ‘go green’ in a sense that the waste is not going elsewhere. Another environmentally-friendly practice that organic farmers use is tilling. Tilling stirs up the topsoil of farms and makes it so that the soil does not become compact. Compacted soil can result in soil that is unable to create a run-off surface. If this happens, the water will be unable to seep into the soil and irrigate the crop. Tractors passing over soil can cause this compaction to occur, which is why tilling is a more effective way to stir up the soil. And as a bonus, tilling can help get rid of weeds, so it is a win win. Pesticides and preservatives are not only harmful to human beings, but they are also harmful to our environment and ecosystems. Pesticides used in organic farming may run-off and contaminate nearby bodies of water. If enough contaminated run-off from pesticides and artificial fertilizers get into water, it is able to poison animals and fish that live there. According to Raloff, recent studies have demonstrated that exposure to hormones has a substantial effect on the gender and reproductive capacity of fish, throwing off the natural cycle, (1). This is not only harmful to the animals that live there, but if enough fish are dying because of poisoned run-off, the fish industry could suffer and it will affect humans as well. The same chemicals that poison bodies of water could seep into our groundwater and affect the well water we drink and use daily. This does not happen with organic farming, because no chemicals are ever sprayed on the fields and there is much more run off because of tilling practices. Organic farming does not only include crops. There is also organic eggs and meat produced by livestock raised on organic farms. During normal farming of animals, conventional farmers use medications, hormone shots, and antibiotics to promote the health and growth of the animals on their farm. On these conventional farms, animals are forced to be crowded together in dirty, indoor spaces. The living conditions make it necessary for these animals to receive regular medication to fight of diseases that may be caused by their poor living conditions. Because so many animals are crowded together, their manure accumulates rapidly and for convenience for the farmer, is sometimes poured into lagoons which can leak into local water sources and may contaminate our water. Scientists are studying the question that if humans eat hormones found in the meat of animals injected with hormones, if it can affect our human hormones the same way it affects the animal it was injected into. â€Å"Scientists believe about two-thirds of American cattle raised in for slaughter today are injected with hormones to make them grow faster and America’s dairy cows are given a genetically-engineered hormone .. . to increase milk production,† (Raloff, 1). These injected hormones are also a scare because if the animal is digesting them, it means that these chemicals are also in their manure, which is spread on the fields of crops we eat and may be dangerous. Not only could it affect the crop, but also the topsoil, and in turn the groundwater. And again, if it gets into a water source, it has the opportunity to harm the aquatic life living there. In one case, cattle injected with artificial growth hormones revealed serious health problems. These included deformed calves and an increase of a bacterial infection in the udder. In order to treat the infected cows, it needed antibiotics and eventually became reliant on them. Cattle are often forced to produce so much milk that they cannot keep up the nutrients they are losing in the milk and the amount they are given in their food. This imbalance causes them to become malnourished and it makes it easier for them to get more diseases. This type of mistreatment and malnutrition does not happen on organic farms. Healthy plants and animals are more disease resistant. This fact means that as long as the plants and animals are kept clean and healthy, there is little to no need for use of antibiotics or medications. Organic farmers keep the facilities clean to reduce the amount of diseases caused by poor living conditions. Organic farmers allow livestock to live in outdoor conditions with plenty of grazing room. This extra room can greatly decrease the number of diseases in the livestock because they won’t be crowded together to closely. On a conventional farm, livestock is kept indoors and fed possibly unhealthy grains made to make them grow. This is not the case on organic farms. Livestock is kept on a balanced diet and fed using a rotational grazing process. Rotational grazing means that once the livestock has eaten all the grass and vegetation from one field, the farmer will move them to another to allow the vegetation to grow back. This helps maintain the health of the farmland and also keeps the livestock happy by keeping them in an area with enough food, if the livestock is well fed, there is less of a chance that it will get sick as well. If livestock are kept healthy, there is no reason to give it medications, which may not be healthy for the consumer. Organic foods are never bioengineered. Bioengineered foods are foods that are manipulated through their DNA to have traits that are desired. For example, many foods are bioengineered to be resistant to insects, herbicides, and diseases. These crops may seem like a good idea, but many have wondered if these genetically altered crops could be harmful to humans. Crops resistant to bugs and weeds have caused Mother Nature to fight back with â€Å"superbugs† and â€Å"superweeds†, bugs and weeds that have evolved to overcome genetically altered plants. Cases like this cause scientists to turn it up a notch and create a new crop that can defeat the â€Å"supers†. But when is enough enough? Soon the weeds and bugs could become resistant to every type of herbicide resistant plant. There are many health scares associated with bioengineered foods. One is that if a gene is injected into a crop to make it have a more desirable trait, this gene may cause an unexpected danger to the consumer. One such danger is allergic reactions. For example . . . â€Å"bean plants that were genetically modified to increase cysteine and methionine content were discarded after the discovery that the expressed protein of the transgene was highly allergenic† (Villano, 1). Sometimes these dangers can be detected before it is introduced into the public, but sometimes it is not found until several people are affected. Another health risk concerned genetically engineered foods is that for most plants, it is simple to tell that the genetic altering caused an unusual problem in the crop, but in some cases, this is not easily seen. If it is a very obvious problem, the crop may be discarded immediately based on the appearance. However, if the genetic altering caused a problem in low or uneasily seen genes, it may become a problem for the consumer especially if the mutation is in the edible portion of the plant. Again, most of the time these problems would be detected before it is presented to the public, but it may not always be found that soon. This is a very dangerous risk to take. In addition to not being bioengineered, organic food is never exposed to radiation. Food irradiation is frequently used on conventional food because ionizing radiation is can be used to kill bacteria and other germs that may be found in certain foods. These conventionally grown foods are passed through radiation waves on a convention belt. This type of radiation attacks the unwanted organism’s DNA beyond its ability to repair. It can also be used to stop the natural ripening process of fruit in order to prolong the food’s shelf life, and it can be helpful in managing bacteria and other harmful organisms There is much criticism about ionizing radiation. One concern is that irradiation may disguise spoiled food by means of altering the natural growth process of the food. The radiation prolongs its shelf life, but there is reason the food has an expiration date. Some believe that the natural decay of food should not be tampered with. Another scare to some critics is that these chemical changes may not be healthy for the consumer. There are many regulations and inspections in food plants that use irradiation practices, but many critics believe that there is not enough extensive research done of the subject. Critics have several arguments against food irradiation. They argue that food preservation techniques are inefficient because it is unable to undo food spoilage that happened before the radiation treatment. This means that the food is ‘stuck’ in a certain stage of maturity that may not be ideal for the consumer. Another argument is that the radiation process, while getting rid of unwanted organisms, may also remove nutrients that are vital or helpful for the consumer. There are several risks associated with buying conventional foods. These foods may contain pesticides, chemicals, additives, or preservatives that are not natural and may be very harmful for the consumer. When buying organic food, there is never a risk of ingesting any of these harmful substances. Organic farmers use only natural methods of keeping insects, diseases, and weeds away to unsure safety for the consumer. Unlike conventional farms, organic farms are more diverse, more conservative, and use reusable and environmentally friendly practices to keep the earth in good physical shape for years to come. Instead of being concerned with convenience, organic foods focus on health. There are never artificially introduced hormones, sewage sludge, bioengineering, or ionizing radiation exposed to organically grown foods. The most disturbing fact about conventionally grown foods that is that little has been tested in the procedures used to grow the food conveniently. It is not proven that food exposed to radiation, bioengineering, pesticides, herbicides, medications, hormones and antibiotics given to livestock are harmless to humans. Many critics believe that these practices could cause extreme damage to humans in the future if it is not tested more thoroughly. So why not play it safe? Organic foods have none of these health risks and actually have higher levels of minerals, Vitamin C, and antioxidants.