Financial Analysis of Yum Brands - 1441 Words

A Financial Analysis of Yum! Brands, Inc Restaurants are, and will continue to be, an extremely profitable business. As a result, shareholders who have interest in brands such as McDonalds and Starbucks need not to worry about negative implications for the food giants compared to more risky industries. One company in particular, Yum! Brands (YUM), is another brand investors should become familiar with. Consumers may recognize the more specific stores the company owns such as Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, but investors should realize the sales and earnings growth associated with this organization. In addition, while there are many companies in the restaurant industry, Yum not only rings familiar with consumers like Starbucks, but Yum†¦show more content†¦To justify this claim, during the past twelve months, Yum received a revenue figure, according to Reuters, of $9.56 billion. This number was a 5.05% increase compared to the previous year number. While this increase in margin was a bit below the average year-to-year incr ease of 6.58%, the difference in growth decline was only a 23% difference. Other companies like Brinker saw a 43% deceleration during this same time period. In addition, while some investors may critique the industry 11.31% growth in sales during the past to Yums lower numbers, it is also important to realize that Yum supports the seconds highest sales figure in its industry, and appreciation of revenue growth will be much difficult than smaller-capitalization companies to come-by. This is in addition to the fact that many lower-revenue companies in this industry are actually seeing negative sales growth (not deceleration) during the same time frame as the aforementioned analysis. With these thoughts on sales at hand, these numbers can be used at the broadest of levels to illustrate that the steady increase and influx of money into Yum over its career has aided in the appreciation of its share price. Since 2003, not once has Yum seen a calendar year decrease in price. This comes wit h a 25% appreciation in 2006 and a 12% escalation so far in 2007--despite the recent economic turmoil. These sales and share price indications illustrate that Yum will fair veryShow MoreRelatedYum Brands Financial Statement Analysis2856 Words   |  12 PagesBackground Yum Brands Incorporated is the world’s largest fast-food, or quick-service restaurant (QSR), company in terms of restaurants, which numbered over 37,000 at the end of 2010. It currently operates five restaurant chains, but by the end of 2011, that number will decrease to three: KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell. The remaining two chains, AW and Long John Silver’s, will be sold in the 4th quarter of 2011 to companies formed by their franchise holders. As of November, 2011, Yum is in theRead MoreEssay on Financial Analysis Report Yum! Brands4261 Words   |  18 PagesFinancial Analysis Report (FAR) YUM! Brands, Inc. The fast food and quick service restaurant industry consisted of about 945,000 restaurants representing approximately $552 billion in annual sales.  The industry is highly fragmented, with the top 50 companies holding about 25% of industry sales and is intensely competitive with respect to food quality, price, service, convenience, location and concept (Hoovers 2009). The major companies of the industry include McDonald’s, Burger King,Read MoreFinancial Analysis - Yum! Brands and Darden Restaurant2097 Words   |  9 PagesYum! Brands Yum! Brands started out as Tricon Global Restaurants in 1997 as the result of a separation from PepsiCo, and became owners of the KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell brand names worldwide. Yum! Brands is now a Fortune 500 company based out of Louisville, Kentucky and the world’s largest restaurant company in the world in terms of system restaurants. With over 37,000 restaurants in over 110 countries, Yum! Brands dominates four sectors of the quick-service food industry: Mexican with the TacoRead Morevison, mission and objectives for yum brands1633 Words   |  7 Pagesthe relevant information on Yum brands business strategy. With the hospitality market becoming increasingly competitive, it’s important that as a business has a business’s strategy set. The main aims normally revolve around making lots of profits, growing and expanding, and most importantly, being different from others. These goals must be achieved for business success in any tough market industry. To accomplish the aim, I will be writing a report with concise analysis of the organization’s historyRead MoreCash Flow Statements Of Yum Brands, Inc.1124 Words   |  5 PagesThis paper reviews the Cash Flow Statements of Yum Brands, Inc., Panera Bread, and Starbucks documented by case study 10-10 in our textbook for the purpose of analyzing financial health based on cash flow data. (Gibson, 2013). Cash Flow Data (Case 10-10) Table 1 replicates provided case 10-10 Cash flow data for companies Yum Brands, Inc., Panera Bread, and Starbucks (Gibson, 2013). Data Reviewed Yum Brands, Inc. Panera Bread Starbucks 2010 2009 2010 2009 2010 2009 Net cash provided by operatingRead MoreBusiness1473 Words   |  6 PagesCompany Analysis Phase IV Team A Leland Cannon, Tracy Garcia, Jeff Green, Udonna Newton FIN 370 June 12, 2012 Peggy Determeyer Company Analysis Phase IV * Buffalo Wild Wings, Inc. operates chicken wing restaurants that are located within the borders of the United States and Canada. Two friends, Jim Disbrow and Scott Lowery, founded the company in 1982 in Ohio. The companys claim to fame is their multitude of signature sauces used to create delectable wings to meet the expectationsRead MoreMarketing Analysis : Yum ! Brands Inc.3538 Words   |  15 Pagesand Industry/Strategy Analysis Introduction Yum! Brands Inc. is the world’s largest restaurant company. From the worldwide it is has more than 37,000 restaurant units in 110 countries and regions based in Louisville, Kentucky. â€Å"In 2009, the company pulled in almost $11 billion in revenue. The brands owned by Yum! Brands Inc. are KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell.† These four brands are global leaders in the categories of chicken, pizza, and Mexican-style food. â€Å"Also Yum! Brands have three divisions:Read MoreAnalysis of the Company Yum! Brands, Inc.2908 Words   |  12 Pages1. Introduction In the module strategic hospitality management an analysis of the company YUM! Brands, Inc. will be made. The second week of the module especially focuses on the internal analysis of YUM!. In order to understand the internal analysis process, books are red on the topic. This will be done in order to define the strengths and weaknesses, resources, capabilities and the development of competitive and strategic advantages. The lectures and workshops provided important information andRead MoreYum Brands Essay696 Words   |  3 PagesDescribe Pizza Hut and KFCs investment strategy in Latin America. Latin America was appealing to Yum brands because of its close proximity to the United States, language and cultural similarities, and the North America free Trade Agreement eliminated tariffs on goods traded between the United States. Performing a country analysis was an important part of the strategic decision making process. Yum Brands had to accurately assesses the risks of doing business in other countries and regions in order toRead MoreCase 10-10 Essay examples987 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿ Analysis of â€Å"Eat at My Restaurant – Cash Flow† FIN400 – Analyzing Financial Statements June 28, 2013 Analysis of â€Å"Eat at My Restaurant – Cash Flow† Understanding the flow of cash within an organization is critical to knowing the health of an organization. Without this understanding, a business may run into a situation where even though they are profitable, they may not have enough cash on hand to meet their obligations. This paper will look at the case study Eat at My Restaurant

Record Management Free Essays

string(34) " of being complete and unchanged\." Running head: Records Management Name Instructor Date of submission Executive Summary An effective records management program is an integral part of an organization’s effective business operations. Organizations must consider records management requirements when implementing the system management strategies or whenever they design and augment an electronic information system. Organizations are required by law to â€Å"make and preserve records containing adequate and proper documentation of the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, and essential transactions of the organization. We will write a custom essay sample on Record Management or any similar topic only for you Order Now This legal requirement applies to electronic records kept by the organizations as well. Organizations that do not consistently adhere to standard records management practices run the risk of not having records that can be depended upon in the course of subsequent business transactions or activities. This paper focuses on the various methodologies that organizations can implement in order to develop ECM/ERM strategies that are backed with electronic signature systems. It also gives an insight into the various ways through which organizations can implement good IT practices to complement or parallel existing records management practices. In systems implemented in line with ECM/ERM guidelines, developing the most efficient systems will form the core of organizational success. This will be achieved by making electronically signed records the core of organizational IT systems. The organizational IT professionals will come to terms with the fact that signatures are an integral part of the records they keep. If the records need to be preserved, whether for a short duration of time or permanently, then the organization is required to promote integrity of its records by electronically signing them in scheduled series. Additionally, this paper discusses the general principles that govern application of electronic signature technology in organizations. Organizations can accomplish electronic signatures through the use of different technologies such as Personal Identification Number (PIN), smart cards and biometrics. However, some organizations can decide to apply additional technology specific-record management systems. Introduction Records Life Cycle vs. System Development Life Cycle According to Adam (2008), the terms â€Å"records life cycle† and â€Å"system development life cycle† are significant concepts that are often confused in information technology and records management discussions. Records life cycle: The records life cycle refers to the life span of a record from the time it is created or received to its eventual disposition. The process is usually carried out in three main stages: creation, maintenance and use, and eventual disposition (Sampson, 2002). Majorly, this paper focuses on information creation stage since the electronic signature record is created at the initial stage of the records life cycle. The second stage, maintenance and use, is the part in the records life cycle in which the record is maintained at the organizational level while in active use, or is maintained when not in frequent use. The final stage of the records life cycle is disposition, which marks the ultimate fate finish to the record. Most organizational records are categorized as having either a â€Å"temporary† or â€Å"permanent† disposition status (Addey, 2002). Temporary records are held by organizations for stated periods before they are destroyed or deleted. On the other hand, permanent records are initially held by organizations before they are eventually transferred to state and other involved agencies. The eventual disposition of the electronically-signed records is subject to debate between the involved agency and the statutory bodies, in which some organizations may be authorized to dispose some of the records. System development life cycle: The â€Å"system development life cycle† gives a description of the developmental phases that an electronic information system entails. These phases typically include initiation, definition, design, development, deployment, operation, maintenance, enhancement, and retirement. The most important steps in all this are the definition, development, and refinement of the data model, which mostly involves treatment of the records being created or managed (Stephens, 2007). Information systems are developed according to system development methodologies, including those that organizations use to implement the electronic signature as required by the statutory bodies; which govern production and augmentation of existing records. The records life cycle usually exceeds the system development life cycle. When it does the organization involved needs to retain the particular record for a period of time longer than the life of the electronic information system that generated the electronic signature. However, this presents special challenges, such as maintaining the integrity of record in case of system migration. Background Characteristics of Trustworthy Organizational Records Reliability, authenticity, integrity, and usability are the features used to describe trustworthy records from a records management perspective. An organization needs to consider these features when laying implementation plans for ERM programs; such that it can meet its internal business and legal needs, as well as external regulations (Boiko, 2002). The degree of effort that an organization puts into ensuring that these characteristics are attained depends on the organizational business strategies and the structure of the market environment. Transactions that are of great importance to the organization require greater assurance level than those usable with transactions of less criticality to the organization Reliability: A reliable record is one that carries contents that can be trusted as a whole and actual representation of the transactions, activities, or facts to which it refers and can be relied upon in the subsequent transactions Authenticity: An authentic record is one that is proven to be what it purports to be and to have been created or sent by the person who purports to have created and sent it. A record should be created at the point in time of the transaction or incident to which it relates, or soon afterwards, by individuals who have direct knowledge of the facts or by instruments routinely used within the business to conduct the transaction (Wiggins, 2007). To demonstrate the authenticity of records, organizations should implement and document policies and procedures which control the creation, transmission, receipt, and maintenance of records to ensure that records designers are authorized and identified and that records are protected against unauthorized addition, deletion, and alteration. Integrity: The integrity of a record refers to the state of being complete and unchanged. You read "Record Management" in category "Essay examples" It is essential that a record be protected against changes without signed permission. Records management policies and procedures should specify what, if any, additions or annotations may be made to a record after it is created, under what circumstances additions or annotations may be authorized, and the people authorized to make the changes. Any authorized annotation or addition to a record made after it is complete should be explicitly indicated as annotations or additions. Another aspect of integrity is the structural integrity of organizational records. The structure of a record refers to its physical and logical format; as well as the relationship between the data elements contained in the record. Failure to maintain the structural integrity of organizational records can easily impair reliability and authenticity of the record Usability: These are records that can be located, retrieved, presented, and interpreted. In any subsequent retrieval and use, the record needs to be directly connected to the business activity or transaction which produced it. It should be possible to identify a record within the context of broader business activities and functions. The connection between records which document a sequence of activities should be maintained. These contextual linkages of records should carry the information needed for an understanding of the transaction that created and used them. Preserving Trustworthy Records For a record to remain reliable, authentic, with its integrity maintained, and useable for as long as the record is needed, it is necessary that it’s content, context and sometimes structure is maintained. A trustworthy record preserves the actual content of the record itself and information about the record that draws relation to the context in which it was first designed and used. Specific contextual information will vary depending upon the business, legal, and regulatory requirements of the business activity (e. g. , issuing land use permits on Federal lands). It is also necessary to preserve the structure of the record, as well as the content arrangement. Failure to preserve the content structure of the record will affect its structural integrity. That, in turn, undermines the record’s reliability and authenticity; which is of great essence. There are special considerations when dealing with the preservation of the content, context, and structure of records that are made possible by Electronic Record Management through electronic signatures: †¢ Content: The electronic signature or signatures in a record are part of the content. They give a clear indication on who signed a record and whether that person gave approval for the record content. In organizations, multiple signatures are an indication of initial approval and subsequent approvals. It should be understood that in ERM, signatures should accompanied by dates and other identifiers such as organizational titles. All of these peripherals are part of the content of the record and needs to be kept well. Lack of this information seriously impairs the reliability and authenticity of a record †¢ Context: Some electronic signature technologies are centered on individual identifiers which are not embedded in the record content, trust paths, and other means used to create and verify the validity of an electronic signature. This information is not inclusive of the record content but is nevertheless significant. It provides contextual support to the record since it provides evidence that can be used to support the authenticity and reliability of the record. Lack of these contextual records seriously impairs subsequent attempts to verify validity of the organizational records. †¢ Structure: Preserving the structure of a record means that the physical and logical formats of a record are well drawn. In doing this, organizations must ensure that the physical and logical formats of the record elements remain intact physically and logically. An organization may find it necessary to maintain the record structural form through the use of an electronic signature. In that case, the organization is required to preserve both the hardware and software that created the electronic signature, which can either be encryption algorithms or chips. This ensures that the electronic record can be revalidated at a later time when required Advantages and disadvantages of using ECM/ERM systems in organizations The main advantage of organizations using ECM/ERM approaches in organizations is the fact that it offers the platform to verify the validity of records. There are various approaches that organizations can use to achieve trustworthiness of electronically-signed records within their systems over time. This requires that organizations choose an approach that is applicable, fit for their particular line of business; as well as risk assessment The first approach may involve an organization deciding to maintain adequate documentation of its records’ validity. This involves maintaining of adequate documentation of the records such as, trust verification of records gathered at or near the time of record signing. This record keeping approach enables organizations to retain contextual information through an adequate document processes carried out at the time the record was electronically-signed, along with the electronically-signed record itself. The additional contextual information is then retained for as long as the electronically-signed record is retained. Thus the agency preserves the signature’s validity and meets the adequacy of documentation requirements by retaining the contextual information that documented the validity of the electronic signature at the time the record was signed. Maintaining adequate documentation of validity gathered at or near the time of record signing may be preferable for records that have permanent or long-term retentions since it is less dependent on technology and much more easily maintained as technology evolves over time (Rockley, 2003). However, using this approach, the signature name may not remain readable over time because of bit-wise deterioration in the record or as a result of technological obsolescence. Agencies must ensure that for permanent records the printed name of the signer and the date when the signature was executed be included as part of any human readable form (such as electronic display or printout) of the electronic record. Similarly, an organization may opt to maintain the capacity to re-validate digital signatures. The re-validation approach demands that an organization retains the ability to revalidate the digital signature, together with the electronically-signed record itself. The information necessary for revalidation (i. e. , the public key used to validate the signature, the certificate related to that key, and the certificate revocation list from the certificate authority that corresponds to the time of signing) must be retained for as long as the digitally-signed record is retained. Both contextual and structural information of the record must be retained. This is of benefit to the organization since it can review it records over time effectively (Jenkins, 2005). However, this approach of record keeping is potentially burdensome, particularly for records that are digitally signed records with long retention requirements. Conclusions Record keeping is consistently becoming a priority for many organizations with advancement in technology. The challenging part is keeping up with the drastic options that are being launched within short periods. As discussed in this paper, the most efficient method of managing organizational records is through the adoption of Electronic Content Management or Electronic Record Management systems (Halvorson, 2009). This is mostly achieved by electronically signing records depending on their importance and usage in the organization. In doing this, organizations are able protect the reliability, authenticity, integrity, and usability, as well as the confidentiality, and legitimacy of their records. When implementing electronic signature technology, organizations are expected to accord special consideration to the use of electronic signatures in electronic records that preserve organizational legal rights. This is based on the fact that long-term temporary and permanent electronically signed records have greater longevity than typical software obsolescence cycles, it is certain that organizations will be required to migrate those records to updated versions of software to maintain access to the records (Hackos, 2002). The software migration (as opposed to media migration) process may invalidate the digital signature embedded in the record. This may adversely affect an agency’s ability to recognize or enforce the legal rights documented in those records. References Adam, A. (2008). Implementing electronic document and record management systems. Boca Raton: Auerbach Publications. Addey, D. (2002). Content management systems. Birmingham: Glasshaus, cop. Boiko, B. (2005) Content Management Bible. Hoboken: John Wiley Sons. Hackos, T. (2002). Content management for dynamic web delivery. New York: John Wiley Sons. Halvorson, K. (2009). Content strategy for the web. Indianapolis: New Riders. Jenkins, T. (2005). Enterprise content management: what you need to know; [turning content into competitive advantage]. Waterloo: Open Text Corp. Rockley, A. (2003). Managing enterprise content: a unified content strategy. Indianapolis: New Riders. Sampson, K. (2002). Value-added records management: protecting corporate assets, reducing business risks. West port: Quorum Books. Stephens, D. (2007). Records management: making the transition from paper to electronic. Alexa: ARMA. Wiggins, B. (2000). Effective document management: unlocking corporate knowledge. Aldershot: Gower. How to cite Record Management, Essay examples

The Private Treaty for Settlement Plans or Contracts-myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about thePrivate Treaty for Settlement Plans or Contracts. Answer: The private treaty has laid out strict procedures on the outcomes and procedures required during the sale and finalization of the sale of different types of property in Australia. It requires that the potential buyers interested in a property are firstly qualified and approved, and then they are invited to conduct inspections for the listed properties. After this process The treaty recommends that effective sales pitches can then be made to the potential buyers, such that the buyers are made aware of the of any legal requirements that could affect either the sale of the property or the process of transferring the ownership of the property (Ostrom Hess, 2000). After this step, the potential buyers can thus go ahead with the negotiations of the sale, considering all the terms and conditions for sale and transfer of ownership. The realtor ought to remain in constant communication with the willing buyer throughout the sale process. The sale process entails the exchange and settlement processes which could be complicated by the presence of any legal issues that affect the sale process. The sales process also entails making arrangements that will facilitate the sale of the property at hand as well as the documentation of any disbursements to the agency, settlement plans, or contracts (Wenar, 2008). This report details all the statutory and overall requirements needed for the sale process of any property to run smoothly and efficiently until completion of the process. It will also detail the benefits and inconveniences of these steps in this process following the private treaty. In the sale process of any type of property, the private treaty identify that a sale has only been made after the potential buyer signs the sale contract. The process takes place in two stages, namely the exchange process and the settlement process (Daly, Gronow, Jenkins, Plimmer, 2003). In the primary stage, the exchange process, any contracts agreed upon after the negotiation of terms and contract are drafted into a new contract with revised terms and conditions known as the sale contract. The sales contract ought to detail important tenets such as the property details of the property to be sold, the buyers details, the agents details, details of legal practitioners involved in the sale process, the deposit to be paid, installments and the total price of the property, as well as any other conditions that may affect the sale process (Denver, 2008). After the sale contract has been signed the exchange process allows for a cooling period which is a number of days that the buyer can be allowed to walk away from any legal liabilities after agreeing to purchase any type of property. For instance, In the state of New South Wales the Private treaty allows for a cooling period of up to 5 business days, although the buyer is forced to the property seller or agent a fee of about 0.25% of the total price of the property. While this may seem like an unnecessary fee, the buyer may stand to gain about $1,000 on a $ 400,000 sale that has been cooled off (Hodgkinson, 2004). The cooling off period begins when the buyer signs the sale contract and only ends after five business days. If the buyer had signed an agreement that binds them such that the cooling off period is waived, the private treaty permits that they can exercise their recession rights, and thus an exception to the cooling off period. If the buyer had signed a contract that waives the five day cooling off period, then they are exempted from the cooling off period (Allon, 2006). The sale contracts signed during the exchange process are normally prepared by the agent so that the buyer and the seller only append their signatures on the document. Contract preparation can also be done by the legal conveyancer or a solicitor who represents the buyer. Further, each of the participants to the argument ought to keep their own copy of the contract after the documents have been signed. The buyer is then expected to make a deposit for the purchase of the property, which is mainly about 10% of the total purchase price. The deposit is paid to either the agent or the solicitor who keeps the money until the entire sum is paid in full and then it is transferred to the seller (Anastasia Suwiro, 2015). The legal conveyancer also has the mandate of ensuring that the buyers and sellers are aware of when the agreement becomes binding and when they can use the cooling off period f or further considerations. Further, the conveyancer can facilitate any negotiations to waive or alter the cooling off period following the legal guidelines. They could also serve as witnesses for the receipt of any monies paid as deposit for the purchase (Beer, Kearins, Pieters, 2007). The secondary stage of the sales process is called the settlement process where the transaction of the sale process is continued, continued, and completed. The settlement process occurs after 6 weeks from the day of the exchange of contracts. This time is usually taken as the balance of the total purchase price and any other adjustment costs ought to be paid and the documents of transfer of ownership and the title document ought to be finalized to completion. This process allows the new buyer to become the legal owner of the property that they have acquired during this sales process. The settlement is attended by the agent, the buyer, the seller and the legal conveyancer who participate by going through the relevant settlement requirements to ensure that no breach of contract and misunderstandings. The buyer may also have the right to request to conduct an inspection of the property before the settlement is finalized. This right may however be limited by the terms and conditions agre ed between the buyer and the agent, or even through the state requirements of the private treaty (Anastasia Suwiro, 2015). The New South Wales state legislative requirements allow the purchaser the right to view the property prior to finalization of settlement, given that the buyer had not signed a contract to waive these rights. The agents also determine the responsibilities of both the buyer and the seller with regard maintaining the property through either building or insuring the contents of the property. This information is provided by the agents to ensure that there is no emergence of conflicts after the settlement has been finalized. All the deposit funds paid are either held or released using the procedures set by the contract between the seller and the agent during the settlement period, as any complications may results in a conflict of interest and thus a breach of contract. The settlement process is expected to continue following the stipulation of the sales contract (Denver, 2008). As such, stakeholders of the property purchase ought to be involved in the settlement process, since they are th e representatives of both parties, the buyer and the seller. For instance, if for one reason or another settlement is not finalized as expected by the private treaty, the two parties and the professionals involved in the transactions ought to assist in the consideration of contingency plans so that all parties are enabled to fulfill their expectations according to the sale contract (Daly, Gronow, Jenkins, Plimmer, 2003). After the settlement process is completed and finalized, the ownership is transferred to the buyers title and they are invited to see the contents of the property and if they are in line with the agreements of the contract. The documentation for disbursing fees to the agency are also commenced at this stage by checking the transactions for deposit of monies are accurate. The total sum is also compared to the sum cited in the contract. The next step entails calculating the agency fees through computing the fees agreed in the contract. The fee is also compared to the statutory requirements of the state and then the agency policies. The account sale statement is then updated to include the value of the agency disbursements and the procedures set in place are used to obtain the permissions, and identification details of the buyer (Allon, 2006). References Allon, F. (2006). Suburbs for sale: buying and selling the great Australian dream. InPost-Suburban Sydney: The City in Transformation Conference. Anastasia, N., Suwitro, A. L. (2015).The Rational and Irrational Factors Underlying Property Buying Behavior(Doctoral dissertation, Petra Christian University). Beer, A., Kearins, B., Pieters, H. (2007). Housing affordability and planning in Australia: the challenge of policy under neo-liberalism.Housing studies,22(1), 11-24. Daly, J., Gronow, S., Jenkins, D., Plimmer, F. (2003). Consumer behaviour in the valuation of residential property: A comparative study in the UK, Ireland and Australia.Property Management,21(5), 295-314. Denyer, L. (2008). Buying Property in Ten of the Worlds Top Resorts.The Sunday Times. Hodgkinson, L. (2004).The Complete Guide to Buying Property Abroad. Kogan Page Publishers. Ostrom, E., Hess, C. (2000). Private and common property rights.BOUCKAERT, Boudewijn a Gerrit DE GEEST (eds.). Encyclopedia of law and economics,2, 53-106. Wenar, L. (2008). Property rights and the resource curse.Philosophy public affairs,36(1), 2-32.

Moby Dick Essays (246 words) - Moby-Dick, Pequod, Ishmael, Moby Dick

Moby Dick In the novel Moby Dick, Ishmael is saved while the rest of the Pequod's crew die at sea. There is a specific point in the theme of the novel where each crew member sealed their fate. These thematic reasons make sense at the end of the novel. The Pequod's crew dies because of the pledge they made to Ahab. They put their lives on the line to capture the White Whale. At the time, all of the crew members on deck thought Moby Dick was a actual whale they were trying to catch. As the story progresses, they start to realize Moby Dick is"god-like" and "immortal." This leaves them chasing a Whale that is more important then life itself. Thus they are damned to death. Ishmael makes the same pledge the rest of the crew makes and yet he becomes the lone survivor of the Pequod's crew. The thematic reason for his survival is when he cleanses his hands in the whale blubber in the "Squeeze of the Hand" chapter. He says "I forgot all about our horrible oath...I washed my hands and my heart of it." Queequeg takes the position as the savior for Ishmael. Through him, Ishmael will be entered back into the "joint stock company," even though Queequeg will die. Melville's ultimate point regarding Ahab's concept of the human condition is that maybe it is God who compels us to do the things we do and that we do not control our own decisions. God may have us predestined for riches, glory, or sorrow.

Free Essays on Alcoholism in Young Adults

Alcoholism in young adults and alcohol abuse is a growing problem in our society. Daily, people are injured and killed in alcohol-related accidents and this has an effect on each and every person as a result of these occurrences. Whether we are personally involved or have directly suffered from the activities of someone who is under the influence of alcohol, we all suffer from the negative consequences of alcohol. Since we have those who choose to abuse these privileges we need to develop consequences for them. By learning what leads people to drink alcohol, and how this affects their lives, we can then determine what actions need to be taken to help remove ourselves from our ever-increasing attraction to alcohol. Because the abuse of alcohol often begins with adolescents and young adults, most research is based around them. At this particular time in life we hope to find out why these young adults choose to drink, and what motivates them to drink. Michael and Rebecca C. Windle, in their research, were able to show several reasons that provided incentives for adolescents to consume alcohol. Using a written survey, it was determined that the high-school students being studied used alcohol to cope with problems in their lives, including "task-oriented", "emotion-oriented", and "avoidance coping (Windle & Windle, 1996, p. 551)." The only major discrepancies in results between the sexes became obvious when it was shown by Windle and Windle that girls were more likely to use alcohol for avoidance and emotion-oriented coping than were boys, but the boys were more likely to have alcohol problems. Also found was that adolescents drank less often for social reasons than for the aforementioned coping reasons (Windle & Windle, 1996). However, coping motives were responsible for an increased consumption of alcohol. A surprising result of this study was that the students drank more frequently as a result of positive daily e... Free Essays on Alcoholism in Young Adults Free Essays on Alcoholism in Young Adults Alcoholism in young adults and alcohol abuse is a growing problem in our society. Daily, people are injured and killed in alcohol-related accidents and this has an effect on each and every person as a result of these occurrences. Whether we are personally involved or have directly suffered from the activities of someone who is under the influence of alcohol, we all suffer from the negative consequences of alcohol. Since we have those who choose to abuse these privileges we need to develop consequences for them. By learning what leads people to drink alcohol, and how this affects their lives, we can then determine what actions need to be taken to help remove ourselves from our ever-increasing attraction to alcohol. Because the abuse of alcohol often begins with adolescents and young adults, most research is based around them. At this particular time in life we hope to find out why these young adults choose to drink, and what motivates them to drink. Michael and Rebecca C. Windle, in their research, were able to show several reasons that provided incentives for adolescents to consume alcohol. Using a written survey, it was determined that the high-school students being studied used alcohol to cope with problems in their lives, including "task-oriented", "emotion-oriented", and "avoidance coping (Windle & Windle, 1996, p. 551)." The only major discrepancies in results between the sexes became obvious when it was shown by Windle and Windle that girls were more likely to use alcohol for avoidance and emotion-oriented coping than were boys, but the boys were more likely to have alcohol problems. Also found was that adolescents drank less often for social reasons than for the aforementioned coping reasons (Windle & Windle, 1996). However, coping motives were responsible for an increased consumption of alcohol. A surprising result of this study was that the students drank more frequently as a result of positive daily e...

An Analysis of Data On Rape Crimes

An Analysis of Data On Rape Crimes Introduction I will comment on the value of data and highlight advantages and disadvantages of this data and finally and come up with appropriate business actions that could be taken and enable Russex constabulary to help prioritise their work. Methods of data collection Official statistics are those published by the central Government. This source of statistical information informs the general public about the extent of ‘notifiable offences’. Official statistics are easy and cheap to access as you can observe them on the Home Office web page. The second source of statistical information comes from the British Crime Survey (BCS). These statistics are ‘unofficial’ and the procedures used to gather information are completely different to the first, as the statistical data comes from surveys carried out by the public themselves. The statistics given are based on a large representative sample of the general public about their experiences as victims of household and personal crime. The BCS endeavours to provide a count of crime that consists of episodes not reported to the police, therefore examining the â€Å"dark figure† of crime which is not recorded in official statistics. The British Crime Survey (BCS) is a large random survey of private households, designed to give a count of crime that includes incidents not reported to the police, or those reported to them but not recorded. The main BCS interview takes place face-to-face, with no gender matching of interviewer and respondent. This context is not conducive to accurately measuring levels of highly personal victimisation. Estimates of the level of sexual victimisation obtained by the main BCS are acknowledged to be underestimates Consequently, the survey now makes use of Computer Assisted Self-Interviewing (CASI), whereby respondents keyed their responses into a laptop computer themselves. This method provides respondents with an increased sense of confidentiality and minimises ‘interviewer effects’. Respondents who answered the self-completion modules were routed through a series of three ‘screener’ questions, designed to identify whether or not they had been a victim of a sexual offence. If they responded positively to one or more of these, they then answered a series of follow-up questions, designed to elicit the exact nature of the ‘last incident’ experienced. Data as a management tool Data collection is practical because you cannot manage what you do not measure. Statistics from data enables a police department to make smart judgments and assists them in possibly identifying department and procedural problems. Data collection is also a great gesture to the community, showing law enforcement has the willingness to take an inward look to prevent discrimination. It also displays a true commitment by law enforcement to address community concerns and needs. Data collection gives everyone something to work with even t hough it might be just a partial solution. With mandatory data collection, officers will be forced to think about what happens during an encounter and what they do and say and possibly what parts should be looked at closer. Data collection provide a basis for important policy changes. Statistical techniques Line Graph A line graph is most useful in displaying data or information that changes continuously over time. The example below shows the Rape of a female from 1993-2005/06

Legal and Ethical Issues in the Workplace Essay

Legal and Ethical Issues in the Workplace - Essay Example Such an environment guarantees success of the goal. Leaders of an organization are expected to lead higher standards of morality in a workplace. It has been observed that companies that observe ethical decisions show more productivity by employee and turnover ratio is very low. It has also been observed that companies who observe ethical decisions just because they have to be complied to are usually hostile environments and human resources seldom wish to retain in such companies (â€Å"Ethics in the Workplace Training Helps Employees Understand their Personal Obligations  » Workplace Answers†, n.d.). In order to protect the moral standards of a work place and to ensure that people are happy to work together, laws are put in place. These laws comprise of explaining a code of conduct and some ethical policies. Consequences of violation of these laws are also elaborated in these laws. This check and balance ensures that people know their rights and decide to work in a way that will not put them into serious legal complications. The consumers benefit from an ethical environment as well. They become loyal customers of the brand when they realize that the company keeps its integrity intact by displaying a good sense of responsibility (â€Å"Ethics in the Workplace Training Helps Employees Understand their Personal Obligations  » Workplace Answers†, n.d.). Alcohol and drug usage is a concern at work places as its usage is synonymous to an irresponsible attitude. A serious attitude is required at workplace. It has been observed that people who use drugs or alcohol tend to take more leaves from office and hence are not regular employees. Another study reveals that the productivity declines with the usage of alcohol or drugs. It is estimated that people who use it are ten to sixty percent less likely to perform well as compared to people who do not indulge in it. It is also known that drug abuse and excessive alcohol usage calls for frequent accidents ( Raskin, 1993, p. 45-81). This may result in legal complications. Employees feel being accused if they are asked to get themselves checked at workplace. They find it a breach in their privacy and do not accept the test as socially important. They also feel being controlled. There is a need to make them understand that this measure is taken as a safety precaution majorly. They should be discouraged from discriminating people. They should be trained to encourage the impacted colleagues to stop its usage when coming to work and to lead a healthy life by controlling the abuse. Employees are usually monitored at work places by using cameras or even key loggers on their systems. Employers feel that they are gaining knowledge about their business this way. They think it will help them maintain this knowledge. It is suggested in research that the monitoring should be transparent and people should be made accountable to maintain knowledge effectively and not be secretly monitoring it. It has been estimated that a company that has 500 employees that spend time on internet for half an hour a day, the loss the company bears is approximately one million dollars (Yerby, 2013, p. 45-48). On the other hand labor unions claim that electronic monitoring induces stress in the work place and makes the organization use it in negative ways against the employers too. They use emails for communication

Anthropological theories on the common property Term Paper

Anthropological theories on the common property - Term Paper Example In this regard, the theory can be used to describe the behavior individual in the use of common property to meet their needs for more satisfaction. Moreover, people tend to focus on the utilization of utilities which are as cost effective as possible. In this regard the propensity for the use of common property is justified. The human nature which makes them to seek cost effectiveness in their actions and behavior is described within the instrumental rationality which lies in the spectrum of the rational choice theory (Kim and Mahoney 223). In the illustration of rational choice theory, it is observable that people for example tend to use public parks because of the cost effectiveness associated with them. In this regard, the society makes choices based on instrumental rationality to ensure that they enjoy better than bad at the most cost effective manner (McLellan 13). In this regard, the justification which people give for the use of common property is likely to include the fact th at they are cost effective even though they may not reveal this apparently because of the social attitudes associated with the common property. ... Rationality within the rational choice theory is used to signify the sanity which people employ in the use of common property. This means that people are left with no choice but to make realistic and hence sane choices in the utilization of common property (Dowding and Andrew 455). For example it makes sense for sane choices of utilization of common property because of the cost effectiveness associated with them. This can be exemplified by an individual who makes sane choices of using common property swimming pools instead of installing his or her own which would be impractical due to limitations in space, costly and time consuming. The rational choice theory further is used to exemplify the thoughtful nature of human beings in the use of common property. This means that the use of common property is often evaluated or assessed by the users with an aim of determining its usefulness or benefits in relation to the possible advantages (Hechter and Satoshi 194). The rational choice is th us conclusively based on the ability of people to weigh between benefits and disadvantages of utilization of specific common services or property under a thoughtful process before a choice is eventually reached. The motive of rational choice as postulated by the rational choice theory is the maximization of the advantages that can be accrued from personal utilization of common property (Yalman 388). Therefore, there is a rational process which drives the use of common property. The rational process and the cognition of a person therefore define the attitudes and behaviors which are demonstrated during the use or conversation about common property (Roberts 32). More importantly, the rational choice theory is postulated within the concept of preference (Nehring 205). For example

Moral reasoning and classroom conduct Essay Example for Free

Moral reasoning and classroom conduct Essay The article duplicates a research method previously used by two of the current researchers George Bear and Herbert Richards in 1981 in their research â€Å"Moral reasoning and conduct problems in the classroom. † Each of the 87 male and female participants were assessed for their individual levels of moral reasoning using Kohlberg’s Moral Judgment Interview, Form A by the research assistant. Their classroom behavior was assessed by their teachers using the Conduct Scale of the Behavior Problem Checklist. One of the strengths of the research methodology was that the teachers were blind to the results of the Moral Judgment Interview. This ensured that the teachers did not make a judgment on students’ behaviors based on the assessment of moral reasoning. The scores from these two instruments were therefore independent. Additionally, to further decrease potential rater bias the twelve interview protocol were randomly selected and scored by an independent judge. The scores produced by the research assistant and the independent judge were compared and a high level of correlation was found. Another strength is that there was pre-screening of research participants. Screening ensured equitable representation based on stage of moral reasoning, sex and grade level. The researchers justify eliminating the seven participants with stage one moral reasoning from data analysis on the grounds that this would facilitate easier duplication. This decision is still questionable since neither the current research, nor the one it replicates has accounted for the conduct of stage one students. Thus there is still a gap in the literature on how this category of students rate on their classroom conduct. One major weakness of the study is in the data collection procedures. The classroom conduct of the participants is based on the assessment of teachers. While teachers are the ones who work more intimately with students and are in a better position to assess behavioral outcomes, teacher bias often produces inaccurate data (Reynolds, 1991). As in the case of the interviews, some measures should have been put in place to diminish possible evaluator bias. Another limitation of the study is that the researchers recruited participants from both the elementary and high school levels yet did not make any controls for how this factor could have influenced either moral reasoning or conduct. The nature of the school environment can have an influence on these variables and thus, to ensure uniformity of survey conditions, it is advisable to utilize similar type schools for the survey setting. Where that is not possible or where the researchers desire to recruit participants from different school environments, the necessary controls for these factors need to be discussed in the presentation of data. 1. Identify the primary question(s) of the article. The researchers wanted to discover if the results discovered by Bear and Richards (1981) on the influence of stage of moral development on classroom conduct of middle-class students in Iowa was replicable among culturally diverse students of different ages and grade levels. They also wanted to discover if the influence of moral stage on conduct varied based on sex. 2. Identify the theoretical construct that is being used. The theoretical foundation of the research is Kohlberg’s theory of moral development. This theory postulates that individuals are at different stages of moral development ranging from one to six with each stage hierarchically higher than the other. He further stipulates that moral reasoning impacts and determines observable behavioral outcomes in different life situations. With respect to the classroom setting Kohlberg concludes that the lower the level of moral reasoning, the more disruptive behaviors will be displayed in the classroom and consequently the higher the level of moral reasoning the less problematic behaviors will be carried out in the classroom. 3. Recommend an alternative quantitative approach that could have been used for this study and support your rationale. In order to assess the classroom conduct of students I would recommend, as an alternative to the teacher-evaluated Conduct Scale of the Behavior Problem Checklist, that taped observations of classroom practice be utilized. In this approach the researchers would obtain permission from school administrators and teachers to tape two typical classroom sessions each, with a one-week interval in between. In the three school environments one classroom at each level will be included in the study. There would be one fourth-grade and one fifth-grade classroom at each of the two elementary schools and two eighth grade classrooms at the high school to give a total of six classrooms and twelve video-taped sessions. Independent evaluators would score the classroom behaviors of each of the students in the classroom independently and then their scores will be correlated to ensure inter-rater reliability. The behavior problem checklist would form the criteria for assessment of the videotapes and would be completed for each student in each classroom independently. Missing data would be eliminated from the study during analysis. The strength of this method is that it eliminates the bias that has customary been associated with teacher-evaluated instruments and thus would give a more reliable and hence valid indication of the classroom conduct of students. Classroom teachers will not be briefed as to the complete purpose of the survey so as to eliminate the influence they may exert on classroom conduct in the classroom. Additionally this method ensures that there is consistency in what behaviors are considered and how these behaviors are categorized. The evaluators of video tapes will be standardized prior to the actual evaluation procedure. Bibliography Reynolds, A. J. (1991). Early schooling of children at risk. Education Research Journal, 28, 392-422. Richards, H. C. , Stewart, A. L. , Bear, G. G. (1984). Moral reasoning and classroom conduct: A replication. Paper presented at the 92nd Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: APA. Bear, G. G. , Richards, H. C. (1981). Moral reasoning and conduct problems in the classroom. Journal of Educational Psychology, 73, 644-670.

Southwest Airlines Essay -- essays research papers fc

I.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Current Situation Following the Deregulation in 1978, a competitive price war ensued among the airline industry as a direct result of the new freedom for airlines to set their own fares as well as route entry and exits. This gave rise to the operating structure of the airlines as it exists today, consisting of the point-to-point system and the hub and spoke system. With this came the change of focus for major airlines to non-stop, cross-country routes in densely populated cities, which, in a regulated environment, would be profitable. This resulted in the obvious outcome of increased competition, thus lowering the average industry prices for non-stop cross country routes which were profitable. This caused operating costs to increase, narrowing the profit margins. During the mid 80’s, acquisition led to eight airlines capturing a disproportionate share of domestic traffic. Due to a recession and increasing fuel prices in the 90’s, bankruptcy and collapse were common to many carriers. As a direct result, new airlines were formed, and now position themselves as low fare, no frill airlines. As a culture, American consumers seem to follow one obvious trend; the need and desire for maximum safety. This trend has seen a rapid rise in the wake of 9/11, and seems to show no sign of a decline. This can be further observed in the form of advanced airport/airline security measures and regulations. In accordance with this, Southwest has always prided themselves on being the safest airline in the industry, adapting to the rapidly changing times. This has helped them soar over competition. A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Industry 1. Industry Defined and Total Volume   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Southwest exists and operates within the air travel industry in the United States; an industry which has traditionally been based on a point-to-point flight system. However, this industry has been redefined, evolving into a hub-and-spoke system which all airlines have adopted; all except Southwest. Hub-and-spoke flights, called feeder flights, are defined by long-haul, layover flights where consumers stop at a central hub city and can then either continue the flight on the same plane, or transfer onto a different plane flown by the same carrier. The point-to-point system, deployed by Southwest, is non-stop flights, called shuttle flights. Th... ...profit while other airlines dive into the red.† www.post-gazette.com/pg/05020/445078.stm. January 2, 2005. mars.acent.wnec.edu/~achelte/Theresa.htm. Maynard, Micheline. â€Å"Southwest Losing Its Immunity to Labor Conflicts of Airlines.† The New York Times. July 4, 2002. (C1). Okada, Bryon. â€Å"Airline: Wright law still wrong on long-haul flights.† Knight Ridder Tribune News. February 18, 2005. (1-3). â€Å"Sail the Ocean Blue with the Airline Cast and Crew; Customers Can Take a Cruise with their Favorite ‘AIRLINE’ Characters.† PRNewswire, February 14, 2005. Serwer, Andy. â€Å"Southwest Airlines: The hottest Hottest Thing in the Sky.† Fortune: February 23, 2004. â€Å"Southwest Airlines Expands Nonstop Flights Between Houston Hobby and Los Angeles International.† CNNMoney, February 3, 2005. Southwest Airlines Co. http://www.southwest.com. 2005. â€Å"Southwest Airlines Sends Hottest Fares Directly to customers’ Computer Desktops† PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX, February 28, 2005. Training & Development. â€Å"Southwest Airlines charts a high-performance flight.† Alexandria: June 1995. Issue 6. (Vol 49-39). Yahoo! Finance. http://finance.yahoo.com/. 2005.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Boer Guerrilla Fighters Essay

I agree that the way the British soldiers treated the Boer fighters and civilians was in fact brutal. With the use of the ‘refugee camps’ and the scorched earth policy it made them seem that much more brutal. Sources P, Q and R all offer different insights into how brutally British soldier dealt with the Boer guerrilla fighters during the Second Boer war in 1899, with evidence to support the brutality of it all. Source R strongly agrees that the British treated the Boers badly, particularly the women and children, with this being said the source also has elements of disagreements. At a first glance source Q seems to disagree but that disagreement is later challenged within the source. Source P takes an agreeing approach to the statement. From the sources it appears that the way the British dealt with the Boers was brutally, but how brutal were they when trying to defeat the Boers guerrilla fighters is debatable. There is evidence in source Q and elements of source R would support the fact that the British soldier didn’t treat the Boers brutally. Source Q explains that ‘The English did burn down farm houses, but never shot the people within them’ and ‘Of course, brutal treatment did occur, but mostly the Boer prisoners were treated with respect.’ This links in with a certain part of source R where it ways ‘The high death rate was the result of incompetence and lack of foresight on the part of the British military authorities.’ The scorched earth policy was brought in by Kitchener, it involved British soldiers going into the Boer farm houses, evacuating them and then burning them down. By burning the houses down Boer men couldn’t use their farm houses as a way of hiding from the British and the women couldn’t resupply their men during the guerrilla warfare. The policy itself isn’t considered to be a brutal tactic as it wasnâ₠¬â„¢t killing or harming anyone; if killings were taking place then this would have made it brutal. The none-brutality of this tactic suggests the British were not brutal when dealing with the Boers and they ‘treated (them) with respect’. The women and children were then transferred into the British refugee camps. Originally the concentration camps had been set up by the British army as â€Å"refugee camps† to provide refuge for civilian families, mainly woman and children, who had been forced to abandon their homes primarily due to the scorched earth policy. These concentration camps started as refugee camps, and then turned into outside prisons until finally things got out of hand and became concentration camps. The quote from source R shows that the progression of refugee to concentration camps wasn’t the original plan of action for the British but due to disorganisation and ‘incompetence’ the standards and quality of the refugee camps fell. Both sources give sufficient evidence to support the fact the British soldiers weren’t Bruta l with their dealings with the Boers as one of the tactics weren’t brutal and the concentration camps weren’t intentional. Sources P and R both show evidence to support the idea that the British were brutal with their treatment of the Boar population. Source P says ‘Some of our work was unpleasant. If we found any arms or ammunition concealed on a farm we had to burn down the place.’ Source R really highlights the brutality and reality of warfare. ‘The treatment of the Boer population in the camps was brutal’ and ‘Over 20,000 Boer women and children died in 40 camps, about one in four of the inmates.’ It was the soldiers who had to do the process of the scorched earth policy, they were ordered to destruct the farms and the homes of civilians in order to prevent the still-fighting Boers from obtaining food and supplies. The intention of the British government was the complete eradication of the Boer nations. From 1899 – 1901, the British destroyed 40 towns and burned crops. The impact of the British scorched earth policy during the war killed both half of the Boer Nations. During January 1901 Emily Hobhouse arrived at a camp in Bloemfontein where she found diseases such as measles, bronchitis, pneumonia, dysentery and typhoid had invaded the camp with fatal results. The very few tents were not enough to house the one or more sick persons, most of them children. When she requested soap for the people, she was told that soap is an article of luxury. She later succeeded, after a struggle, to have it listed as a necessity, together with straw, more tents and more kettles in which to boil the drinking water. She distributed clothes and supplied pregnant women, who had to sleep on the ground, with mattresses. Among the many dying people there was a child called Lizzie von Zyl, Hobhouse used her death as an example of the hardships the Boer women and children faced in the British concentration camps during the war. Both of the sources show the difficulties the Boer population had to face during the Second Boer War as a result of the brutality from the British. Without the scorched earth policy the concentration camps may not have risen to the extent and disaster which was witnessed by Emily Hobhouse on her journey to Bloemfontein.

Market Failure: Kelloggs Cereal-Mates

A Study on Market Failure: Kellogg Cereal-Mates First, I must begin by saying that as most Americans would agree – cereal and milk go together hand-in-hand. However, how would the general public feel about a combination of the two sold pre-mixed? This was essentially the case when Kellogg’s decided to introduce Breakfast Mates. Breakfast Mates included a small box of Kellogg’s cereal packaged with a container of milk and eating utensil. While the product was right in step with the accelerating trend of convenience foods, a fickle and demanding public found the new packaging less than ideal.Essentially the choice that Kelloggs was giving consumers was that you could eat your Kellogg’s Corn Flakes refrigerator cold and pour cold milk over them, or eat your flakes at room temperature with warm milk. This led to a dilemma that would ultimately be proven as a scar on the company’s record of wonderful products and marketing campaigns. Kellogg’s bel ieve that this would be a popular concept due to increased working hours in the United States combined with the rise of the fast-food industry led the false belief that the product would be successful. Kellogg’s launched the concept on a national basis in ‘kit form’–a four oz. ox of cereal, a four oz. container of aseptically packaged milk [no refrigeration required] and a plastic spoon. The line consisted of four popular Kellogg’s brands; Corn Flakes; Fruit Loops; Mini Wheats; and Frosted Flakes. Although the milk did not require refrigeration, Kellogg’s placed Breakfast Mates in the refrigerated dairy case alongside cheese, yogurt, Jell-O pudding, and other refrigerated desserts. The company believed that this would be the best choice since Americans liked to pour their milk over cereal. This caused much confusion, however, because most individuals wouldn’t be searching for breakfast cereals in the dairy case.I feel that there were 5 main factors that actually led to this marketing and product failure. The first problem I feel was the fact that Kellogg’s believed that providing a â€Å"aseptically packaging†. This meant that the product would require no refrigeration for the milk. Consumers were revolted by the idea of warm milk. The second issue was when Kellogg’s tried to market in a different fashion and use cool milk as the basis by putting the product in the refrigerator section. This actually caused more confusion because the product was not in a location that you would expect cereal at.They company spent too much of what profit money they had received in trying to re-educate consumers into looking in the dairy aisle for cereal. The third factor that led to the products unsuccessful stint into the marketplace was their advertising campaign. In these ads Kelloggs chose to market the product to young kids so they could prepare meals for themselves without their parents’ help. Thi s would have been fine, but the packaging was not child-friendly. Taste was also a serious problem for the Kellogg’s convenience line. Reportedly (according to personal experience), the milk was usually consumed at work or away from home.The warm milk tasted absolutely terrible. Finally, the biggest nail in the coffin for this product was that the price. The cereal was selling for over one dollar per serving, which was considered too expensive by most consumers for a 4 oz cereal. The product survived two years on the market before Kelloggs’ pulled the plug. According to the February 2000 article in the Newsweek on the food, they stated that the product simply wasn’t convenient enough. This is because with increased commute times and busy schedules people wanted a product they could eat on the go.With cereal mates they were required to still pour a liquid milk over the cereal which was not possible to do safely while commuting to work. Most customers also were ad ults, so the small spoon that was supplied with the cereal was too hard to use. I feel that this was a good product in concept, but the complexity of the concept made this product non-attractive to those who not only were needing a convenient and healthy food, but also one they could consume in a hurry. This idea later evolved to the milk and cereal bars they would later introduce around 2004 – which have been wildly more successful than the original cereal mates ever were.

Frances Dana Gage - Feminist and Abolitionist Lecturer

Frances Dana Gage - Feminist and Abolitionist Lecturer Known for: lecturer and writer for women’s rights, abolition, rights and welfare of former slaves Dates: October 12, 1808 – November 10, 1884 Frances Dana Gage Biography Frances Gage grew up in an Ohio farm family. Her father had been one of the original settlers of Marietta, Ohio. Her mother was from a Massachusetts family, and her mother had also moved nearby.   Frances, her mother and maternal grandmother all actively helped escaping slaves. Frances in her later years wrote of going in a canoe with food for those in hiding.   She also developed an impatience and longing for women’s equal treatment in her childhood. In 1929, at twenty, she married James Gage, and they raised 8 children.   James Gage, a Universalist in religion and abolitionist as well, supported Frances in her many ventures during their marriage. Frances read while at home raising the children, educating herself far beyond the rudimentary education she’d had at home, and began to write as well.   She developed strong interest in three issues which attracted many of the women reformers of her day: women’s rights, temperance, and abolition.   She wrote letters about these issues to newspapers. She also began to write poetry and submit it for publication. By the time she was in her early 40s, she was writing for the Ladies’ Repository. She began a column in the Ladies Department of a farm newspaper, in the form of letters from â€Å"Aunt Fanny† on many topics, both practical and public. Womens Rights By 1849, she was lecturing on women’s rights, abolition, and temperance. In 1850, when the first Ohio women’s rights convention was held, she wanted to attend, but could only send a letter of support. In May 1850, she began a petition to the Ohio legislature advocating that the new state constitution omit the words male and white. When the second Ohio women’s rights convention was held in Akron in 1851, Gage was asked to be the presider. When a minister denounced women’s rights, and Sojourner Truth got up to respond, Gage ignored the protests from the audience and allowed Truth to speak.   She later (in 1881) recorded her memory of the speech, usually remembered with the title â€Å"Ain’t I a Woman?† in a dialect form. Gage was asked to speak more and more often for women’s rights. She presided at the 1853 national women’s rights convention when it was held in Cleveland, Ohio. Missouri From 1853 to 1860, the Gage family lived in St. Louis, Missouri.   There, Frances Dana Gage didn’t find a warm reception from the newspapers for her letters.   She instead wrote for national women’s rights publications, including Amelia Bloomer’s Lily. She corresponded with other women in America interested in the same issues she was attracted to, and even corresponded with the English feminist Harriet Martineau. She was supported not only by women in the woman suffrage movement, including Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Lucy Stone, Antoinette Brown Blackwell, and Amelia Bloomer, but also by abolitionist male leaders including William Lloyd Garrison, Horace Greeley, and Frederick Douglass. She later wrote, From 1849 to 1855 I lectured on [woman’s rights] in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and New York†¦.† The family found themselves ostracized in St. Louis for their radical views. After three fires, and James Gage’s failing health and failing business venture, the family returned to Ohio. Civil War The Gages moved to Columbus, Ohio, in 1850, and Frances Dana Gage became the associate editor of an Ohio newspaper and a farm journal. Her husband was now ill, so she traveled only in Ohio, speaking on women’s rights. When the Civil War began, the newspaper’s circulation dropped, and the newspaper died. Frances Dana Gage focused on volunteer work to support the Union effort. Her four sons served in the Union forces.   Frances and her daughter Mary sailed in 1862 for the Sea Islands, captured territory held by the Union. She was put in charge of relief efforts on Parris Island where 500 formerly enslaved people lived.   The next year, she briefly returned to Columbus to care for her husband, then returned to her work in the Sea Islands. In late 1863 Frances Dana Gage began a lecture tour to support relief efforts for soldiers’ aid and for relief for those newly freed.   She worked without salary for the Western Sanitary Commission. She had to end her tour in September of 1864 when she was injured in a carriage accident on her tour, and was disabled for a year. Later Life After she recovered, Gage returned to lecturing. In 1866 she appeared at the New York chapter of the Equal Rights Association, advocating rights for both women and for African American women and men. As â€Å"Aunt Fanny† she published stories for children. She published a book of poetry and several novels, before being limited from lecturing by a stroke. She continued to write until her death in 1884 in Greenwich, Connecticut. Also known as: Fanny Gage, Frances Dana Barker Gage, Aunt Fanny Family: Parents: Joseph Barker and Elizabeth Dana Barker, farmers in Ohio Husband: James L. Gage, lawyer Children: four sons and four daughters

Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Strategies - Essay Example A leader should always be aware that their emotional instability shows in the group through frustration and low morale (Goleman, Boyatziz and McKee, 2013). According to Goleman, Boyatziz & McKee (2013) there are different types of leaders. Discordant leaders are those who are not in touch with their group emotions. The negative impact, a discordant leader, can have on the group, include internal anger and rage, frustration and lack of focus on tasks. Harmony and understanding are part of a strong working unit. According to Goleman, Boyatziz & McKee (2013) the brain is in charge of many functions within the body. One of them includes hormones that generate superior emotions or those that create awful emotions. A leaders frame of mind is related to how the brain operates. An emotionally able leader can be a powerful tool in stirring, awakening passion and enthusiasm in people. Leadership: Leading At the Edge The most important aspect of Shackletons’ leadership according to Stokes (2006) is primal leadership highlighted in Emotional Intelligence (EI). Primal leadership refers to the most crucial act of leadership which means acting as the group’s emotional leader while eliminating emotions that are negative and unhealthy for the group. According to Ainsberg (2010) to create movement and momentum Shackleton found that although you are not able to influence what happens to you, you can choose how you handle the situation. Instead of giving up and allowing self-pity to take over, Shackleton chose to motivate and inspire himself and his men in order to reach their goal. According to Ainsberg (2010) the main goal was to keep the emotions and spirits of the group up. Shackleton encouraged the crew to sing songs and play music that can act as a method of unifying and keeping attitudes positive. Through these actions, the group can connect and become closer to each

CEO Project-EXXON Mobil Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CEO Project-EXXON Mobil - Research Paper Example anagement strategic positioning or decision will be single handedly implemented to ensure the petroleum company to continue to shine and outperform in the oil sector. The four implementation programs will be aligned to protect the vast shareholders’ interests by ensuring profitability in its subsequent financial years, meet the ever changing customer preference in an innovative and responsive manner that continuously meets target market customers’ needs, bud an aggressive high qualified employee workforce that conforms to the global standards and finally run environmentally safe business that protects community interest. Financial program implementation will take the initiative of finance department restructuring to create financial policies that are able to cater for the per barrel cost that eat into the annual profits, increase the company’s liquidity and mitigate any financial risks that are associated with poor disaster relief methods. The major activity will entail the financial management and team is effectively trained to embrace the newer technology in management of the financial systems that provide good results. Exxon Mobil has the funds to facilitate technological systems that streamline the processing of the oil to meet customers’ specifications and hence make more profit for the company (Rea, 2015). The financial strategy will be communicated to the shareholders for purposes of accountability. Customer programs main objective is to meet customer needs. This is outright from the Exxon Mobil mission and objective which is to be the preferred world’s premier petroleum and petrochemical company. This particular clause envisions a company that has its priority in developing products that satisfies the diversified customer base, for instance, the introduction of SCAN fining process that eliminates sulfur which is deadly to automobile engines. ExxonMobil has adopted an implementation strategy that makes use of its existing employee base of

INTB3000 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

INTB3000 - Essay Example lobal, acting local and thinking local, acting global, need to exist side by side because contrary to the general perception that building a brand sells it, the actual key to success is local passion for the brand coupled with a feeling of local pride and ownership. Examples of thinking global, acting local: 1. Retaining a clearly focused target product, so that the nature of the product was clear in the customer’s mind – Vicks was a rub for colds 2. Not growing complacent with the 20% growth that made Vicks no: 1 in India, but growing the market and benchmarking against the best in the world 2. Using an efficient, low cost local distribution system and 3. Using local ayurvedic medicinal products to prepare additional Vicks preparations apart from the rub for colds. Thinking local, acting global: 1. The global strategy was to increase advertising during the winter months, but Vicks Vaporub stepped up its advertising in the monsoon months, when local conditions caused more colds. 2. Positioning the 5 gm tin for the middle class and pricing a package of 4 such tins lower than a 19 gm jar, because it was specifically targeted at the middle class. Das and Vicks Vaporub were so successful in India because they were able to understand their consumers and act to satisfy their needs. They were able to use the existing, low cost distribution networks perfected by traders to avoid excessive costs along the supply chain. When chemists and pharmacists across the nation came together to boycott Vicks, the Company changed its registration from Western to Indian medicine to extend this distribution networks to food shops and local grocers, thus avoiding the strike altogether. 1. Being receptive to regional variations, i.e, suiting the product to fit opportunities available in the local market; for example using the monsoon as an opportunity to step up advertising during summer months. In a country like Russia, the economy was in a state of transition from a

Opportunities and Limitations of the Trade Market Essay

Opportunities and Limitations of the Trade Market - Essay Example It is an integrated process through of creating value for customers and build strong customer relationships to capture value from customers in return (IMA, 2010). International marketing refers to marketing outside the immediate country of origin or registration of a given organization. It so happens that there is currently a lot of competition for tourists from almost all countries in the world. To help improve their chances of capturing tourists, countries are only too willing to give their profiles to help them achieve this end (Pricken, 2008, p 24) This paper sets out to discuss the application and analysis of the profile of France with specific regard to the tourism industry. It looks at France as a potential market for tourists bound for the UK and proposes appropriate strategies to boost this particular market segment for the benefit of UK tourism. France is one of richer Western European nations. It is made up of a population of 64.1 million persons according to the 2008 national census. The main language spoken in the country is French which is an international language spoken by over 1 billion people globally who are mainly found in Francophone countries which are former colonies of France. Other important languages are English, Spanish, and German. It is important to note that all these languages share a history of conflicts with French for supremacy in Europe. So some of them, especially English, may not have been very welcome in certain sections of France in the past. However, with the emergence of America as a superpower, speaking English has become fashionable and prestigious among the younger generations in France (visitbritain.com, 2010). French is a highly developed language classified as romantic and low context. It is highly expressive with nasalized and lilting sounds.

Information Systems, Not Computer Science

Information Systems, Not Computer Science The largest growth in most economies is coming from information industries. The success of such knowledge-based organisations lies in their information systems. Also, forced by technological change and globalisation of markets, many manufacturing industries are also placing increasing emphasis upon information systems. Information systems are more than just computer programs. Though information and communications technologies are playing an increasing role in meeting organisations information needs, an information system is a much more general concept. It refers to the wider systems of people, data and activities, both computer-based and manual, that effectively gather, process, store and disseminate organisations information 2.0 Information Systems not Computer Science Information systems, as a discipline, focuses on exploring the interface between management, information science and computer science. Computer Science focuses on information technology: software. Information Systems mediates the two opposing worlds of human activity systems and information technology 3.0 Information Systems and the Modern Organization 3.1 Outline Competitive Advantage and Strategic Information Systems Evolution of Information Systems Classification of Information Systems The Modern Computing Environment Managing Information Resources 3.2 Learning Objectives Describe Porters competitive forces model. Discuss strategies that companies can use to achieve competitive advantage in their industries. Describe strategic information system (SISs) and how information technology helps companies improve their competitive positions. Describe various information systems and their evolution. Learn major Information System classification schemes. Describe the emerging computing environments. Describe how information resources are managed and the roles of the information systems department and the end users 4.0 Competitive advantage and SIS Competitive Advantage: An advantage over competitors in some measure such as cost, quality, or speed, which leads to control of a market and to larger than average profits. 4.1 Competitive forces model A business framework, devised by Michael Porter, for analyzing competitiveness by looking at five major forces that might alter a firms competitive standing. 4.2 Porters five forces Model 4.3 Strategies for Competitive Advantage Cost Leadership. Produce products and/or services at the lowest cost in the industry. Differentiation. Offer different products, services or product features. Customer orientation. Concentrate on making customers happy so that they remain loyal. New markets. Discover new markets either as a means of expansion and growth, or with the goal of capturing market niches. Innovation. Introduce new products and services, add new features to existing products and services or develop new ways to produce them. Operational Effectiveness. Improve the manner in which internal business processes are executed so that a firm performs similar activities better than its rivals. Discussion: Which of these strategies can be enhanced by the use of IS/IT, and how? 4.4 Strategic Information Systems (SISs) Systems that help an organization gain a competitive advantage through their contribution to the strategic goals of an organization and / or their ability to significantly increase performance and productivity. 4.5 IS Related Organizational Responses Strategic Systems may provide advantages that enable organizations to increase market share and/or profits, to better negotiate with suppliers, or prevent competitors from entering their markets. Customer Focus is the idea of attracting and keeping customers by providing superb customer service. Can be enhanced by use of IS/IT. Made-to-Order. is a strategy of producing customized products and services. Mass Customization is producing a large quantity of items, but customizing them to fit the desire of each customer. E business and Ecommerce. Is the strategy of doing business electronically. Discussion: Which Information Systems would be strategic for: An university An online book store A car manufacturer? 5.0 Evolution of Information Systems The first business application of computers (in the mid1950s) performed repetitive, high volume, transaction computing tasks. The computers crunched numbers summarizing and organizing transactions and data in the accounting, finance, and human resources areas. Such systems are generally called transaction processing systems (TPSs). Management Information Systems (MISs): these systems access, organize, summarize and display information for supporting routine decision making in the functional areas. Office Automation Systems (OASs): such as word processing systems were developed to support office and clerical workers. Decision Support Systems: were developed to provide computer based support for complex, or no routine decision making. End-user computing: The use or development of information systems by the principal users of the systems outputs, such as analysts, managers, and other professionals. Knowledge Management Systems: support creating, gathering, organizing, integrating and disseminating of an organization knowledge. Data Warehousing: A data warehouse is a database designed to support DSS, ESS and other analytical and end-user activities. Intelligent Support System (ISSs): Include expert systems which provide the stored knowledge of experts to non experts, and a new type of intelligent systems with machine learning capabilities that can learn from historical cases. Mobile Computing: Information systems that support employees who are working with customers or business partners outside the physical boundaries of their companies; can be done over wire line or wireless networks. 6.0 Classification of Information Systems The two most common classifications are: Classification by breath of support Classification by organizational level. 6.1 Classification by Breath of Support Typical information systems that follow the hierarchical organization structure are functional (departmental), enterprisewide and interorganizational Functional information systems are organized around the traditional departments. Enterprise information systems serve several departments or the entire enterprise. Inter organizational systems connect two or more organizations. An organizations supply chain describe the flow of materials, information, money, and service from raw material suppliers through factories and warehouses to the end customers. IT provides two major types of software solution for managing supply chain activities: Enterprise Resource Planning ( ERP), Supply Chain Management (SCM) 6.2 Departmental, corporate, and inter organizational IS 6.3 IT outside your organization 6.3 Classification by Organization Levels The typical enterprise is organized hierarchically, from the clerical and office worker layer, to the operational layer, the managerial layer, the knowledge worker layer and finally the strategic layer. 6.4 Levels in an Organization 6.5 The Clerical Level Clerical workers constitute a large class of employees who support managers at all levels of the company. Among clerical workers, those who use, manipulate, or disseminate information are referred to as data workers. These employees include bookkeepers, secretaries who work with word processors, electronic file clerks, and insurance claim processors. 6.6 The Operational Level Operational or first line managers deal with the day to day operations of the organization, making routine decisions, which deal in general with activities such as short-term planning, organizing, and control 6.7 The Knowledge Work Level They act as advisors and assistants to both top and middle management and are often subject area experts. Many of these professional workers are classified as knowledge workers, people who create information and knowledge as part of their work and integrate it into the business. 6.8 The Strategic Level Top-level or strategic managers (the executives) make decisions that deal with situations that may significantly change the manner in which business is done. 7.0 The Modern Computing Environment Computing Environment: The way in which an organizations information technologies (hardware, software, and communications technology) are organized and integrated for optimal efficiency and effectiveness. Legacy system: Older systems, typically those that process an organizations high volume transactions that are central to the operations of a business. 8.0 Managing Information Resources Information resources includes hardware, software, data, networks, applications etc. Management includes acquisition, introduction, support. Traditionally, department (ISD IS department) owns, manages and controls all resources End-user computing: employees use computers, write applications, manage data etc. Leads to fragmented management and need for cooperation between ISD and users Who is responsible for which resources? Includes financial responsibilities (contracts between users and ISD IT controlling) Discussion: What are the possible problems associated with: Complete control at ISD, and Complete control for end-users? Which factors in a company would lead to which outcome Chief Information Officer (CIO): sometimes member of top management, nowadays no longer technical, but strategic function IT Governance: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the leadership and organisational structures and processes that ensure that the organisations IT sustains and extends the organisations strategies and objectives. Framework for IT Governance: COBIT Control Objectives for IT and related Technologies Mandated for Turkish banks in 2006 Domains: Plan and Organize, Acquire and Implement, Deliver and Support, Monitor and Evaluate COBIT 9.0 The information system strategies implementation in UK companies 9.1 Strategic process formality Business strategy relationship % companies The ISS is a formal documented part of the business strategy 47.5 There is no formal documentation, but the ISS is related to specific strategic aims 41.8 The ISS is a departmental function, rather than a corporate function 6.4 The ISS is not seen as related to the business strategy 0.0 9.2 Success of strategies 9.4 Conclusion: Collective intelligence and knowledge management can become effective mechanisms to help avoid the disturbances leading to internal disequilibrium within the organisation. Collective intelligence and knowledge management can remediate the negative effects of the instability of environment. The information and knowledge become raw materials for the intelligent organisation; their management requires simple solutions. Life cycle for products and services is getting shorter; the markets are global, fragmented by the needs and exigencies of the clients. The organisational culture evolves according to the aggregate strategy. The role of knowledge manager is to invest in the acquisition and dissemination of knowledge, leaving the employees to capitalise their personal competence

Essay --

Lonnie Young III Susan Trudeau College Writing 25 November 2013 University College Program Today’s colleges are more geared towards admission requirements such as GPAs, standardized test scores, and advanced placement scores to accept students. Students are often denied for admission because their standardized test scores or grades are below the average scores. Some of the students might attend community colleges in order to transfer into the college of their choice or go to the University College Program. The University College Program at UDM is a secondary admission program. This program is for students who have not met all the university admission requirements. Students in the program must sign a contract to participate in support services the university has to offer. The contract plays an important role in the day to day life of UCP students. The contract not only includes several obligations for student in the program to obey, but also for admission into the program immediately. The reasons why the contract used are to keep students on the straight and narrow, academic dish...

Sample Financial Plan Description

We have created a financial plan to help you retire at the age of 62 and afford to send your son, Sam, to college. After looking at the information you gave us regarding your income and expenses, we came up with the best solution for your financial future. We’ve picked out profitable mutual funds for your son’s college, as well as retirement investments. We also have found different methods of saving money for your retirement and future education for your son. We believe that there will be a great benefit to having a financially stable future. We understand with Sam attending a four-year university, the cost will be great along with the need for saving money for this to work financially. Grand Valley State University will provide an excellent education for your son, along with benefiting him for his future. Overall, it will cost $189,750 to attend Grand Valley State University for four years. We do, however, understand that the cost to attend the university may concern you at first, but there are methods of assistance that are available, such as investments and savings plans. Investing in specific funds, with good performance history, will have a huge advantage in acquiring the money for your son to go to college. We strongly advise investing a portion of your discretionary income into mutual funds. Your discretionary income would be the amount of your income that is left over, after taxes and expenses have been paid. Investing in mutual funds, rather than other investment options, will eliminate the stress and difficultly of trying to time the market. We invested 46% of your discretionary income into four different types of mutual funds, which will provide diversification for your investments. Using a MET and/or a MESP savings plan will create many advantages that will benefit you in sending your son to college. Both, the MET and MESP savings plan, are 529 plans. These are tax-advantaged savings plans specifically designed to encourage saving for future college costs. You are not able to withdraw money that is invested into a 529 plan unless it is an eligible college expense. We feel as though it is a benefit for most because it allows the money to amass without disturbance. The Michigan Education Trust (MET) is a way to help pay tuition and mandatory fees at Michigan public colleges. The plan allows for years of college tuition to be purchased for the future use of a student at today’s price. For example, you could buy four years of tuition now at 2011 prices, which would be $189,750, for Sam to use when he enters college in 2028. Some advantages the MET offers are a state tax deduction and a tax-free growth. The only thing that we want to bring to your attention is that you only have fifteen years to use the tuition benefits, unlike the MESP, which has no expiration date. The Michigan Education Savings Plan (MESP) is an advantageous way to allow your family to save for the expenses that come along with college. The MESP is a 529 college savings plan which allows families to save for tuition, room & board, mandatory fees, equipment, and required books for any qualified institution in the nation and some abroad. When the student is ready to use the funds in the MESP, whatever has been accumulated is what they have to work with. Some benefits of the MESP include: a state tax deduction, tax-free growth, and it allows for unused benefits to be transferred between members of the same family. We would recommend this plan over the MET to your family. The MET will cover tuition fees; although, it lacks the flexibility to pay for other related expenses, such as books, supplies, and other miscellaneous items. A mutual fund is an investment in which a company brings together money from many investors and invests it in stocks, bonds or other assets. Mutual funds are a good long-term investment, such as for your retirement. The risk level depends on the type of mutual fund it is. In your case, we chose the mutual fund with the best performance out of each different type. We recommend taking the remaining portion of your discretionary income, which would be 54%, and invest it just as we did for your son’s education. Mutual funds that are properly diversified will have investment dollars spread equally among four different classes of financial assets. We invested the remaining portion of your discretionary income into the same four mutual funds that were used for your college savings. We chose to invest in an international mutual fund, the New World Fund, which has a 9. 55% rate of return. We also chose an aggressive growth mutual fund, the SMALLCAP World Fund, which has a 9. 62% rate of return. Thirdly, we invested in a growth mutual fund with a 13. 63% rate of return, known as the Growth Fund of America. And lastly, we chose a Growth and Income mutual fund, the Capital World Growth and Income Fund, with has an 11. 17% rate of return. When diversifying the money in which you would like to invest, the smartest decision that you could make would be to invest in the four mutual funds that I just stated or funds that fit into each of the four different classes. This helps to reduce risk, such as if a couple securities in the mutual fund lose value and that loss could compensate for other securities that appreciate in value. When reaching the retirement age you can then transfer your gained revenue from all four of your mutual funds and place it into a bond fund. Bond mutual funds are designed mostly to provide investors with a steady stream of income versus capital gains. These funds are debt securities, or IOUs, which are issued with a promise of repayment on a certain date at a specified rate of interest. For your financial plan, all of your gained revenue was placed into a bond mutual fund as soon as you retired, therefore liquidating your riskier assets. Using this bond fund, you are earning a 5% interest every year. For example, the first year of retirement, after removing your yearly expenses, you will have $678,785 to place in your bond fund. At the end of the year, with the 5% interest rate of return on bond fund, you will have profited $1,139. 70 throughout the year, even after your expenses. We recommend that you invest in at least one retirement savings plan, such as a 401k or a Roth IRA, to securely save for retirement. It is a good idea to look into different savings plans, rather than make a hasty decision, because everyone benefits from a different savings plan, depending on their situation. In your case, the Roth IRA or 401k will be the most beneficial. With both of these retirement savings plans there are tax breaks that will benefit you. These savings plans are greatly used in America to help save for retirement nowadays. Each savings plan offers different advantages for couples saving for retirement. A 401k is a retirement savings plan for employees in which a desired amount of your check is taken out before tax deductions and placed into your 401k account. We understand that you have a pension plan through work, but your wife does not. This type of savings plan would be a great way to save for retirement. 401k is the favorite plan for corporate America today, due to its many advantages. Many employers will match, up to a certain percentage, the amount in which you place into your 401k. Invisible savings is one of the biggest advantages to the 401k savings plan. The money saved is taken directly out of you check weekly, even before the income tax is withdrawn. In doing so, this makes the money seem invisible to your eyes, and to your financial pocket book. There are other beneficial savings plans available, which can be used along with the 401k. Roth IRA’s are after- tax IRA’s. They grow tax free and offer many more choices than the normal IRA. Roth IRA’s are a good choice when it comes to saving for retirement. Even though you contribute after-tax dollars into a Roth IRA, all withdraws are completely tax free if you are over the age of 59 ? and have had the account for 5 years. With Roth IRA’s, unlike a tradition IRA or a 401k plan, there are no required minimum distributions. Direct contributions can be withdrawn at any time as well. Roth IRA’s can be set up on top of already existing retirement plans; as well the assets can be passed onto beneficiaries after death, therefore leaving an inheritance for your family. We are sure that we have supplied you with a detailed overview in helping you to be financially secure now and in the future. In taking the advice that we have given you with these many different investment ideas, you will find yourself more than content financially. We can guarantee that down the road, you will not have to worry about your financial status. Although in actuality, it is important to remember that building wealth takes time. However, the acquisition of your financial contentment will be well worth your time. We hope, here at L&N Financial Planning, that providing you with this letter will give you the financial peace of mind that you and your family deserve.