Corporate Social Responsibility in the C0-Operative Bank Essay

1. Introduction This report aims to review the corporate social responsibility (CSR) models which managers should consider important when deciding their CSR stance. The report will also review the corporative bank and their stakeholders regarding CSR. The report will then go on to analyse and evaluate the corporative bank’s CSR and ethical position. 2. Corporate Social Responsibility Corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a topic has received the attention of organisations and managers as a whole. The 1950s marked the start of the modern era of CSR for managers, where Howard R. Bowen (1953) defines social responsibilities in his publication as the businesses’ duty to make decision and follow principles that are acceptable to society. However, Milton Friedman (1970) argued that social responsibilities is for people not businesses, he claims that the only responsibility business managers should have is to use all their resources to maximise profit and increase shareholder’s wealth (Friedman, York Times Magazine, September 13, 1970, pp. 32-34). 2.1 Carroll’s CSR Models In 1979, Carroll developed a social responsibility model with a hierarchy of four responsibilities, starting from economic, moving to legal, ethical and discretionary responsibilities (see fig. 1.1). This CSR model talks about responsibilities which are the main areas that managers should consider when taking a stance on CSR. The summarised views of Carroll’s hierarchy are businesses should strike to make profit as their main priority, and then complies with the rules and regulations of the law; also behave ethically and finally be good corporate citizen (Carroll, 1979, p.500). The hierarchical four responsibility model was later improved by Carroll in 1991 as â€Å"pyramid of corporate social responsibility† (see Fig. 1.2). 2.2 Modern CSR Arguments As the definition of CSR developed and gain more attention over the years, more arguments over CSR began emerge. In reviewing CSR, both Goyder (2003) and Moore (2003) argued that firms claiming CSR in expectation of achieving greater profitability is unethical. Firms should take up CSR only if they can ensure positive impact on society and the environment. Even though Jones (2003) argued that managers must not use CSR as a business strategy but should see it as an ethical stance. However, he does not believe firms taking advantage of the opportunity to make profit is unethical. (Wan Saiful wan-Jan, 2006, pp.176-184) 2.3 Introduction of 3C-SR Model In order to counter the deficiencies of previous approaches, Meehan et al (2006) devised the 3C-SR model- â€Å"competitive advantage through â€Å"social resources†Ã¢â‚¬ . This model claims that Corporate Responsibility (CR) is a tool to making profit not ways of reducing revenue. This model is made up of three inter-related components, ethical and social commitment, connection with partners and consistency of behaviour. According to Meehan et al, if management encompasses all three elements it will build a strong corporate social performance and become a good corporate citizen. (Meehan et al, 2006). However, the models has not been based on observations and experiments, also there was no criticisms by other authors. It is subjective base and was not well supported. 3. The Co-operative Bank and Their Stakeholders The Co-operative bank is a part of the co-operative group, the largest consumer co-operative in the United Kingdom (UK). The bank offers a range of financial services such as saving accounts, current accounts loans and overdrafts. They are an organisation that makes profit consistently while operating in a socially and environmentally responsible manner by putting their ethics into action (www.co-operativebank.co.uk). The Co-operative Bank is sensitive to the needs of all their stakeholders (see fig 1.3). It aspires to meet common economic, social, environmental and cultural needs of their stakeholders. Stakeholder of a company is anyone who has can be affected or can affect the company’s actions or decisions. The co-operative bank acts quickly on relevant and important stakeholder concerns. Engagement with their stakeholders is an important continuous activity. The cooperative bank’s CSR stance of responsible finance which consists of ethical screening, financial inclusion and microfinance is important to each of their stakeholders. (Co-operative bank sustainability policy, 2010) 4. THE CO-OPERATIVE BANK’S CSR and ETHICAL STANCE ANALYSIS 4.1 Sethi’s Three-Stage Schema Sethi’s three-stage schema is useful in determining and analysing the Co-operative bank’s adjustments of their corporate behaviour to social needs. There are three categories of social commitments; social obligation, social responsibility and social responsiveness (Sethi 1975, pp. 58-64, cited Carroll, 1979). Social obligation refers to companies behaving in response to market forces or legal restrictions. Managers of such companies only limit their response to social issues which are guided by law and the economic system. Social responsibility is corporations acknowledging social values and expectations also the importance of ethics. Whilst social responsiveness states that it is important for firms to search for ways to be socially responsibly in the continuous changing society in the long run than how to react to social pressures (Sethi 1975, pp. 58-64). Co-operative bank is continuously searching for ways to be socially and ethically responsible to meet to match the dynamic social system. They are constantly coming up with ethical policies either to meet suppliers needs or customers needs. They plan to the most socially responsible business in the UK. The bank is also making profit maintaining their economic duty to be successful. (http://www.co-operative.coop/join-the-revolution/our-plan/responsible-finance) 4.2 The 3C-SR Model Ethical and Social commitments: This element represents the values aspect of social resources. This component comprises of the promises that organisation made to their stakeholders, also the ethical standards set by them which are stated in their mission statement and goals. (Meehan et al, 2006). The Co-operative bank seeks to be the leading retail bank in global financial services industry. They have been operating with values that have been handed down by the founders which are social responsibility, openness and honesty. They aim; ââ€" ª To be profitable ââ€" ª To meet customers and community needs ââ€" ª To respond to members and give them a fair return ââ€" ª To be an ethical leader and exemplary employer in order to inspire others The Bank is very committed to delivering value to their stakeholders. In 1992 they launched their ethical policy when the customers requested that they would like their money to be invested ethically. The policy was formed to reflect customers’ ethical concern not that of the managers. The bank practice ethics in action by turning away businesses that are involve in unethical practices (fossil fuel extraction, child labour etc). The bank’s suppliers gets paid fair price and there is effective communication between them and the bank, which leads long term relationship. With the banks fantastic delivering value policy some customers and employees are yet to be satisfied. (The co-operative bank sustainability report) The Co-operative Asset Management (TCAM) ensures that there is gender balance within their banks employees and also there is no discrimination. In 2010, the bank extended this policy to other companies they do business with (The co-operative bank sustainability report, 2010, p112). Connections with partners in the value network Norman and Ramirez (1993, p69, cited Meehan et al) claims that a business network gets value from a value creating system in which all the stakeholders and the business itself work to together to create value. Meehan et al believe that if anyone of the parties fails to embrace the value network structure, then the socially oriented business model is bound to fail. If one organisation chooses to associate with another organisation, the nature of that relationship should be based on credibility on both parties, then the value structure works. In the other if on party fails to meet the commitment of the other then a stakeholder deficit will occur (see fig 1.4). The Co-operate bank ensures that their corporate customers share the same values with them as in gender equality and anti-discrimination through their TCAM. There is also their ethical screening which helps them maintain the ethical finance image. The ongoing employee, members and customers survey ensure that the connection between them and the bank is still there (The co-operative bank sustainability report). Consistency of behaviour The consistency element refers to organisations implementing their policy to conform to the commitments and maintain the performance in the long term. It is the behavioural component of the social resources over time and across all aspects of an organisations operation. The common source of criticism is when businesses claims to be socially responsible and fails to act responsibly towards society. (Meehan et al) The Co-operative bank’s ethical policies and social responsibilities have been improved to meets stakeholders needs and maintained over the years. The bank has been consistent with a satisfaction survey for their employees called â€Å"the Voice† carried out twice a year. They have also maintained their investments to their local communities and society at large over the years (The co-operative bank sustainability report). Ethical investment policy generated in 1992 is still an ongoing process for the bank (http://www.thenews.coop). In maintaining this policy, the bank is loose out on income resulting to a reduction in income for turning business away. 5. Conclusion This report has reviewed some of the different CSR theories and models that are important to managers when they are deciding on their CSR approaches. The report also reviewed how CSR has been evolving over the years with theories and models of different scholars. The co-operative bank engages their stakeholders in all their CSR approaches which help them to understand the stakeholders better. The bank understands the fact that a successful business occur only when all the stakeholders work together with mutual ethical values. Using the sethi’s three stage schema and the 3C-SR model to evaluate the Co-operative bank, it is quite clear that the bank is an ethically and socially responsible corporation. Even thought they are losing income and spending a lot to remain ethically and socially responsible they still insist on maintaining ethical policy. On the other hand the benefits of sustaining their ethical policy out weight the losses being made. The bank made a more profit in 2010 than 2009. The bank is not only using CSR as a business strategy but they are also being sensitive to all the needs of their stakeholders including positive impact the environment. REFERENCES Articles Carroll, A.B. (1979), â€Å"A Three-Dimensional Conceptual Model of Corporate Performance†, Academy of Management Review, Vol. 4, No.4, pp. 497-505 Bowen, H.R. (1953), Social Responsibilities of the Businessman, Harper, New York, NY. Carroll, A.B. (1991), The pyramid of corporate social responsibility: towards the moral the moral management of organizational stakeholders†, Business Horizons, July/August, pp. 39-40 Carroll, A.B. (1998), â€Å"The four Faces of Corporate Citizenship†, Business and society Review Vol.100 No.1, pp.1-7 Friedman, M., (1970) â€Å"The Social responsibility of business is to increase its profit†, York Times Magazine, September 13 1970, pp. 32-34). Meehan, J; Meehan, K; Richards, A. (2006), â€Å"Corporate Social Responsibility: the 3C-SR model†, International Journal of Social Economics, Vol. 33, pp.386 – 398 Sethi, S.P. ((1975), â€Å"Dimensions of corporate social responsibility†, California Management Review, Vol. 17, No.3, pp. 58-64 Wan Saiful Wan-Jan, (2006), â€Å"Defining Corporate Social responsibility†, Vol. 6, Issue 3-4, pp. 176-184

Asperger Syndrome 3

Asperger syndrome is an autism spectrum disorder and is considered a high functioning form of Autism. Autism spectrum disorders are also known as pervasive developmental disorders and can affect social skills and communication. Asperger syndrome can also delay the development of motor skills and cause sensory problems. While there is no cure for Asperger syndrome, there are treatments to help teach the skills affected by Asperger to patients to help them cope with the disorder. Research is currently being conducted to find the causes of Asperger syndrome and other effective treatment methods. The symptoms of Asperger syndrome are caused by delays in several areas of development such as social skills, communication skills, motor skills, and language skills. Patients with Asperger syndrome can become over-focused on a single topic or object and will want to know everything about the topic and will talk very little about anything else. Their areas of interest may be extremely narrow and they will often rattle off facts about their topic of interest with no conclusion or connection to conversation (Asperger Syndrome-PubMed Health). Asperger patients also exhibit social awkwardness and have trouble forming relationships. Eye contact, use of facial expressions, and body language are impaired in patients and can inhibit regulation of social interaction. Patients may also lack emotional empathy and the ability to recognize social cues (OASIS @ MAAP – What Is Asperger Syndrome? . Speech may have a lack of rhythm, odd inflection, or a monotone pitch in patients with Asperger syndrome. They may also lack the control to match the volume of their voice to their surroundings (Asperger Syndrome Fact Sheet). Asperger syndrome patients may show delays in motor development and exhibit unusual physical behaviors such as repetitive arm flapping, twisting, or other whole body movements (Asperger Syndrome – PubMed Healt h). Asperger syndrome is very difficult to diagnose. People with Asperger syndrome often function very well in everyday life, so the signs and symptoms exhibited are often just recognized as â€Å"quirks† or a way of just being different. If a child exhibits any symptoms of Asperger syndrome, it is extremely important to seek the help of a doctor and they will refer you to a mental health professional or a specialist for further evaluation. A â€Å"psychological exam† will be performed to compile a history of when the symptoms first apeared, the development of motor skills and language patterns, and other aspects of behavior and ersonality. The earlier an evaluation is conducted, the sooner treatments can be started to improve a child’s development with Asperger syndrome (Asperger Syndrome). Asperger syndrome has no cure, but with treatments and medications, many children with Asperger syndrome grow into well-developed, productive adults. The majority of diagnosed children benefit from specialized treatments that f ocus on social skills training and behavior management. Some of these treatments include communication and social skills training and cognitive behavioral therapy. There are no medications that specifically treat Asperger syndrome, but there are some medications that can help improve symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and hyperactivity including Aripiprazole, Guanfacine, Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, Risperidone, Olanzapine, and Naltrexone (Staff, Mayo Clinic). Parent training is also helpful in continuing treatment at home and teaches parents techniques to be used at home to better their child’s development (Asperger Syndrome – PubMed Health). Research is currently being conducted to understand the causes of Asperger syndrome and to find more effective treatments. A study is currently being conducted using functional magnetic resonance imaging to show how abnormalities in particular areas of the brain can cause the symptoms of Asperger syndrome and autism spectrum disorders. There is also a large-scale study comparing neuropsychological and psychiatric assessments of children with possible diagnoses of Asperger syndrome and high-functioning autism to those of their parents and sibling to try to identify any patterns of symptoms that link Asperger syndrome and high-functioning autism to any specific neuropsychological profiles. A long-rang international study conducted by a collection of scientists from universities, academic centers, and institutions from around the world to collect and analyze DNA sample from children with Asperger syndrome and high-function autism, along with their families, to identify associated genes and how they interact. This study is better known as the Autism Genome Project and functions as a repository for genetic data so that researchers can try to find the genetic â€Å"building blocks† of Asperger syndrome an autism spectrum disorders (Asperger Syndrome Fact Sheet). Asperger syndrome is a high-functioning form of autism and is considered an autism spectrum disorder. It delays the development of many areas such as communication and social skills. Even though there is no cure for Asperger syndrome, with the right treatments and medications, most children with a diagnosis of Asperger syndrome and their families learn to cope with the symptoms of this disorder. Many adults with Asperger syndrome can develop to be happy, well-functioning, and productive adults with successful mainstream jobs and lead fulfilling independent lives with the right kind of treatment plans and support available to them. Works Cited â€Å"Asperger Syndrome – PubMed Health. † Web. 16 Oct. 2011. . â€Å"Asperger Syndrome Fact Sheet. † National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Web. 16 Oct. 2011. . â€Å"Asperger Syndrome. † KidsHealth – the Web's Most Visited Site about Children's Health. Web. 16 Oct. 2011. . â€Å"OASIS @ MAAP – What Is Asperger Syndrome? † OASIS @ MAAP – The Online Asperger Syndrome Information and Support Center. Web. 16 Oct. 2011. . Staff, Mayo Clinic. â€Å"Asperger's Syndrome – MayoClinic. com. † Mayo Clinic. Web. 16 Oct. 2011. .

Public Speaking Review

Public speaking is an essential tool that all students, more specifically communication studies majors, must learn and become familiar with. Learning how to be an influential public speaker can be the key difference to either succeeding or failing, in school, work, at home, and/or in your community. It Is no surprise that public speaking would be a requirement for a communication studies major at LULUS. There are a multitude of careers that a student pursuing a major in communication studies could aim for, it all depends on the person; however they are going to need public speaking in whichever career path they are aiming for.This course is designed to help build individuals' personal and professional confidence, success, and understanding of public speaking. Through the development of confidence, success, and understanding, the student develops the ability to present Information logically, advocate Ideas In an open mindset of civic discourse, and critically distinguish among differe nt opinions, all which represent necessary skills for personal and professional enrichment in the area of public communication. Through experiences within public speaking o develop a sense of self-worth and self-confidence that one might have not known they had to begin with.Developing an understanding of how crucial public speaking Is vital to one who Is studying communication studies. Understanding the art of persuasion and Its connection with public speaking is of utmost importance when interpreting the public speaking course. Aristotle once said, â€Å"speech which fails to convey a plain meaning will fail to do Just what speech has to do. â€Å"(Hosteller ; Kohl) The concept of clarity is important in a persuasive speech because it is the orator's spontaneously to clarify for the audience the topic being advocated and what they need to do to take action.A persuasive speech should cover a controversial topic that a portion of the audience has a view different than the orator. The goal of a persuasive speech is to modify the audiences' beliefs, attitudes, and/or behavior by the use of quality evidence, reasoning, and ethical emotional appeals. Persuading others is particularly important In our everyday lives, often one is called on to convince, motivate, or persuade others to change their beliefs, take an action, or Many people pursue careers that giving recursive speech is a critical part of gaining and continuing career success.Some individuals make careers out of public speaking, to various groups who pay to listen to them, such as, motivational speakers, authors or even pastors. Yearly, these speakers make millions of dollars from people who simply want to be motivated to do better in their every day lives. Nonetheless, persuading others is a challenging task in public speaking. By developing the skill to persuade effectively, he or she will see it as personally and professionally rewarding because it is not an easy thing that Just anyone can do. Info rmative speaking is one of the most common types of public speaking.Every day people give others information in an informal way, whether they realize it or not, for example showing a coworker how to count the money in the drawer. Information plays a vital role in our every day lives. The main goal of an informative speech is to share with the audience knowledge about a subject or teach them more about a subject they are already familiar with. There are a variety of different reasons to deliver an informative speech, such as sharing with classmates about expertise on traveling abroad, or a local community roof might want to hear about a volunteer experience enjoyed over the summer.During the course of ones career and in their personal life, informative speaking will be used. Informative speeches provide people with knowledge, when other people share facts or circumstances associated with some sort of topic; our understanding or awareness is increased. Through an informative speech, o ur perceptions are shaped, by bringing how a person might see a certain subject and bringing it to light, or might influence what is seen as important by simply directing attention to the topic. Information helps us shape who we are, interpret experiences, and gives us meaning to situations.

The Triplet Genetic Code Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Triplet Genetic Code - Assignment Example The commonly used theory is the Stereochemical Theory that states that codon tasks are influenced by the physiochemical similarities amongst anticodons (cognate codons) and amino acids. The second theory is the Coevolution Theory that asserts that amino acids biosynthesis conduits and the code structure coevolved. The third is the "error minimization theory" that posits that the selectiveness to reduce the negative effects of point mutations and errors of translation comprised a big part of the evolution of the code. The similarities between amino acids and cognate triplets seen in "Aptamer Selection Experiments" seem exclusive in relation to enhanced tasks of the involved amino acid in the standardized code table (Caporaso, Yarus & Knight, 2005). Therefore, regardless of whether these affinities are related to the code's origin, the properties in relation to "error minimization" with regard to the standardized code continue to prompt added elucidations. Stereochemical Theory supporters contend that some assignments of the amino acids have stereochemical qualities, while others have transformed into discriminatory compulsion for error minimization, leading to the seen sturdiness of the standardized code. Biological experiments have indicated that even when about 8-12 amino acids tasks are fixed within the standardized table, there remain many spaces to generate highly optimized genetic codes (Pain, 2010). The explanation aforementioned, however, is seen to contradict with a number of biological proof.

Dutchman and The Slave by Leroi Jones, Also known as Amiri Baraka Essay

Dutchman and The Slave by Leroi Jones, Also known as Amiri Baraka - Essay Example As both plays are told within the time frame of the 1960s, the mentioning of such relationships would prove essential in terms of achieving a greater understanding about the era of that time. The Vietnam War would be in full swing and the introduction of the civil rights act, would allow for the opportunity for individuals of African American descent, to have the opportunity to experience things that their ancestors would not have been able to do before them, such as vote. The introduction of such debate into the national debate would create greater commentary on the part of both sides of the racial landscape. In Leroi Jones’ ‘Dutchman’ & ‘The Slave’, he would seek to illustrate the intricacies of the relationships that inter-racial couples seek to have. This period of time in the 20th century, would serve as a deciding point for many in the nation as a whole. The decision of where they stood in their own cultures and also, where they stood in terms o f their ability to be involved with one another in terms of being romantically involved. In the ‘Dutchman’, the play begins with the introduction between Clay and Lula. Clay is an African American man, while Lula is a Caucasian woman. The characters are introduced by means of their presence aboard a cable car and the action taken by Lula of sitting down next to Clay. The flirty level of dialogue exchanged between both characters, as the train was moving along, would be an example of engaging in an intimate relationship with one another, without the inclusion of the physical aspects, or at least in the beginning. Just as both genders would find themselves with different perceptions about things, so would be the case for members of differing nationalities. The character of Lula would take a more physical response toward the character of Clay, in terms of initiating their intimate contact. When Clay proceeded to make an idle comment about the

Teacher Performance Assessment Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Teacher Performance Assessment - Case Study Example For example, he uses the words abuelita and abuelito to refer to his grandmother and grandfather. There is evidence of his poor writing and oral skills in his writing about the family and oral response respectively. Most of his sentences are incomplete, and his spoken words have a weak structure.   Student activity or instructional strategy presented on the second day could be challenging to Guillermo. The instructional strategy demands the student to hold a discussion based on the defining features of sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks. The activity also requires the entire class to design a chart that will highlight the features of each and every rock that will be discussed. Every student will be required to cooperate during every stage of the discussion. In addition, all groups of students who cooperate during the discussion will be provided with additional ten rocks. The students will be required to arrange the rocks into different categories on the basis of their characteristics. Afterwards, the students will draw a picture that is appropriate and write matching paragraph about the features of the different rocks. These are metamorphic, igneous, and sedimentary rocks. The reason I chose the activity or learning strategy employed on the second day is because of the student’s poor writing and oral skills. Guillermo reads English that is two years below his fourth grade level. This will make it difficult for him to efficiently participate in a discussion based on the defining features of sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks (Scriven 23). He will face several challenges when grammar that is technical is used during speaking or writing on the rocks. In addition, the student is socially shy; this will also hinder his active participation during the discussion. His poor writing skills will also isolate him when the rest of the students are making a chart for the rocks that are being studied. The

What was the role of Ptolemy I under Alexander the Great How important Essay

What was the role of Ptolemy I under Alexander the Great How important was Ptolemy to Alexander - Essay Example When Philip was murdered by a faction of aristocrats in 336 B.C.E., Ptolemy went back to the court and backed up Alexander’s rights as heir to the throne (Yardley 1984, 64) As a result, according to Bingen and Bagnal (2007), Alexander employed Ptolemy as his custodian, protector, and friend. Ptolemy escorted Alexander on his battles in 336 B.C.E. in the Danube, and in Corinth and Thebes. Ptolemy strongly supported the fledgling king in his military campaigns (Bingen & Bagnal 2007). Ptolemy persuaded and helped Alexander’s conquest of Asia Minor, Syria, and Persia. These campaigns were carried out to liberate the Greeks from Darius III’s Persian Empire (p. 16). Ptolemy supported Alexander’s nonviolent invasion of Egypt and the building of the Alexandria city, and perhaps escorted Alexander to Zeus’s temple in Siwa. Ptolemy immediately saw the huge importance of Egypt, and a wholehearted concern for the country thrived within him. Ptolemy afterwards escorted the young king to northern Mesopotamia for the ultimate clash with Darius’s armed forces in 331 B.C.E. (Green 1990, 131). Ptolemy played a major role in the crusades of Alexander in India and Afghanistan. When the great king passed away Ptolemy seized control over a large portion of all the territories that Alexander had invaded, becoming overseer of Egypt. Ptolemy’s major objective all over his almost four decades in power was to erect a strong reign, the Ptolemaic dynasty (Green 1990, 291). This dynasty reigned throughout Egypt for three centuries and was the leader of all the empires which were indebted to the invasions of Alexander the Great. Ptolemy buil t his main city at Alexandria where he also constructed a museum and began bringing together written works for a grand library, which eventually became the hub for scientific study and the world’s greatest compilation of Roman and Greek papyri (Ellis 1994,

Push and pull factors in Syrian migration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

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International accounting standard No.2 (IAS2) inventory Essay

International accounting standard No.2 (IAS2) inventory - Essay Example In the year 1974 during the draft of standard, the name was changed to â€Å"inventories† from â€Å"valuation and presentation of Inventories in the Context of the Historical Cost System† the first draft was affected on 1st of January in the year 1995 and this was 21 years after the first draft exposure. On 18th of December 2003, the standard was revised and took effect as from the strart of January 2005. In the year 2003, there was a revised IAS 2 whereby different cost formulas for inventories were incorporated into the standard. These were superseded from SIC 1 on consistency. On December 1997, SIC 1 was issued and was effective as from 1st January 1999. sic 1 required that that the same cost formula was to be used for inventories with the same characteristics under IAS 2.21 AND IAS 2.23. in that case, different methods may be used where inventory items were different from other groups (International Accounting Standards Board, 2008, p.978). SIC stands for Standing International Committee (SIC), and it was renamed to International Financial Reporting Issues Committee (IFRIC). some of the issues in SIC were not added in IFRIC’s Agenda. This are as follows: The question was whether cash discounts received should be subtracted from the cost of goods purchased. A decision was made in august of the year t 2002 that they should not be added. The reason given by IFRIC was that paragraph 8 of IAS 2 provided enough guidance and thus it was not necessary to publish on the interpretation on the issue. The problem was on how to treat net realizable value when the inventory is consumed as part of the service rendered. A decision was made in the march of 2004 that it should not be added. It was noted that it existed for commercial bodies. It was thus concluded that the matter involved the recoverability of an asset which

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Government Leader - Essay Example Government, with the authority to make laws, to adjudicate disputes, and to issue administrative decisions, and with a monopoly of authorized force where it fails to persuade, is an indispensable means, proximately, to the peace of communal life." (Government, Wikipedia.org) Running a country is not an easy task, it involves several roles and duties, and above all, it requires trying to maintain the audience satisfied. A good government leader and his/her should execute these tasks and skills to produce a decent outcome. With that in mind, I believe it is appropriate to compare some of the tasks of a government leader with the tasks of a Project Manager. According to Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia, a "Project Manager is required to plan, organize, and control", the same as a government leader in most aspects. (Project Management, Wikipedia.org) The Government leader should define specific objectives and generate a series of plans in order to reach his/her specific goals. He/she should not be limited to a single goal, since the needs of a country or a region are several, and the hopes are also high. Moreover, in some well established governments, the overall goals have been set previously and there is no need to reformulate them, just to continue working on them. On the other hand, there are countries that are constantly redefining its goals and any new leader recently sworn in, needs to start from zero. An example of the first statement is the hard work produced by the founding fathers of America. Mainly they needed to create a free country, ready to develop and grow as they continued moving west. During those days, the tasks were not as complicated as they are today; however, they managed to set goals that are still good during our current time: Life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. (Magna Carta and its American Legacy, www.fa-ir.org) An example of the contrasting situation would be Bolivia, a country that has been experiencing a series of radical changes, ranging from the creation of a new constitution to the nationalization of industries that have privatized during

Motivation Essay Essay Example for Free

Motivation Essay Essay Civil Engineering is my passion and a very important part of my life. From the very beginning of my school life I was intrigued in various types of structures and its complication from engineering side. In time this desire was growing and I start being interested in construction processes and especially in different structural solutions. My mind was overfilled with questions such as how process of construction design runs, what are the reasons why some of structures sustain more loads while other ones collapse affected with lower loads. So I dedicated my post-secondary education to search the answers which allows me to understand how the engineering science works. And I made the right decision by choosing Civil Engineering studies. It was a key which unlocked the right doors to get the answers that I needed. During my Bachelor studies I was interested in design branch and especially in Structural Design. It has admired me because of its complication and oneness. None of the other sphere requires such a wide range of knowledge and none of them is as universal engineering specialization as the Structural Design is. Furthermore, Structural Design studies in TU/e provide the possibility to do research project what is a chance to explore and gain understanding in the structural design of structures and the aspects of the design process. Due to these reasons I would like to take the Architecture, Building and Planning programme because one of its specializations is Structural Design. After taking decision that it is time to continue my education I started exploration of Western Europe universities and I found out that TU/e is the best option to fulfill my needs. TU/e is a great choice because of its objective to grow up creative, initiative and independent thinking experts. Furthermore, this university cooperates with international companies and universities and can offer many MSc programm es in English what demonstrates that TU/e is oriented towards exchanging international knowledge and experience. The other aspect I chose TU/e is its worldwide reputation and ranking among world’s top technical universities. This fact enthuse me and it would be such an honour to study in one of the best Technical universities in the world and get lots of knowledge from authoritative and meritorious professors. Furthermore, TU/e is well known because of its research institutes and that students are taking responsibility of impressive projects. Young engineers have a chance to express their creativity and innovation. I believe that opportunity to  participate in educational life of such an outstanding university is an ambition of all engineers. In conclusion, the facts such as great rankings among the world’s best technical universities, high level professors and leading position in research inspired me to take MSc programme in TU/e. I have no doubts I made the right decision. The master’s studies of chosen programme are the best way to seek the goals of my career. I believe in it due to the circumstance that there are a lot of educated but not enough experienced engineers in Lithuania. So only the best of them are able to compete for the most sought-after and perspective positions. Whereas I am ambitious person I want to become one of the most professional, desirable and promising engineer for engineering companies. So I would like to continue purposeful studies and to advance knowledge of my previous degree what could help me to perform in more professional way. Considering my personal features such as a strong will to learn and activity on taking participation in diverse educational projects I daresay that I will be adorable student for your university and your professors. Furthermore, I believe that I and these master’s studies we are great match due to the feature of my character that I cannot face up with myself when I have unsolved problems and the attribute of these studies to be challenging. This feature of my character shows that I will be persistent and committed student. With a foundation of academic knowledge and experience I gained during the years of my bachelor studies, I believe I am qualified for the Master’s degree of Architecture, Building and Planning, specialization Structural Engineering. I am convinced that TU/e will provide me with knowledge, experience and confidence for the future. I think that this programme matches perfectly with my academic expectations and offers the best way to make my goals come true.

Human Resource Management Essay Example for Free

Human Resource Management Essay The key to transform a great business idea into reality. Every business concept has a hand in hand relation with the manpower who will drive various aspect of the business. Unless the human resource and various aspect of it is not understood and utilized appropriately the success of business Competency and Its Mapping Competence (or competency) is the ability of an individual to perform a job or any given assignment properly. A competency is a set of defined behaviors that provide a structured guide enabling the identification, evaluation and development of the behaviors in individual or group of employees. Various kind of competency was understood and based on this an individual or group of individual may be assigned a job. At the same time I got an opportunity to assess my personal competency and how it may be shifted to expert level i.e. I was not very comfortable with sudden changes in the course action suggested by my senior – dealing with non clear instruction use to disturb me. But now I have understood that this is a part of job as one grows up in the corporate structure. And will have to manage such situation with better competency. Recruitment The process of recruiting an individual for some known set of job is also one of the important take away from this course. This refers to the process of attracting, screening, and selecting a qualified person for a job. The process to achieve competency in all the above mentioned skills was discussed in the course and it gave a fairly good idea on how to manage. Training and Development Training and development is the field which is concerned with organizational activity aimed at bettering the performance of individuals and groups in organizational settings. A well trained employee is the most valuable asset to the organization – as he is capable of executing most of the process desired by the respective individual. Important Legal Aspect In Reference to Indian Labor law. The legal aspect in the context of Indian labor law – we got acquainted to some of the important laws which we must know as managers. This is for our benefit, the benefit of the group, company, society and the nation at large. The bellow mentioned acts were very informative. ââ€" ª Industrial Disputes Act 1947 ââ€" ª Trade Union Act 1926 ââ€" ª Factories Act 1948 ââ€" ª Employee’s Provident Funds Misc. Provisions Act 1952 ââ€" ª Employees’ State Insurance Act 1948 ââ€" ª Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 ââ€" ª Payment of Gratuity Act 1972 ââ€" ª Employees’ Compensation Act 1923 Although the take away in this course cannot be documented fully but I have pointed out few of them which was important to me. The take away will be demonstrated in the time to come by the way it is implemented in the real and practical situations. HR audit on Appraisal System HR audit is the systematic verification of various aspect of human interaction with the concerned job. This encompasses job analysis and design, recruitment and selection, orientation and placement, training and development, performance appraisal and job evaluation, employee and executive remuneration, motivation and morale, participative management, communication, welfare and social security, safety and health, industrial relations, trade unionism, and disputes and their resolution. HR audit is very much useful to achieve the organizational goal and also is a vital tool which helps to assess the effectiveness of HR functions of an organization. It gives an idea that the organization is aligned to the organizational vision, mission and goal or not. In reference to this assignment I have done audit of â€Å"appraisal system and its linkage to pay for performance† Appraisal System and Pay for Performance The purpose to do this audit is to examine and pinpoint strength and weaknesses related to HR areas – like appraisal system and Pay for performance system to enable an organization to achieve its long-term and short-term goals. This audit is done for my own organization. Few suggestions for improvement are also added. The present Appraisal system The job role is clearly explained and is quantified. The performance is rated as A+ , A, B+ , B and C. The one who exceed in achieving the goal this will get A+ and so on. The one who gets A+ will be rewarded monetarily for display of great performance which exceeded the given target. Rest all will not be financially rewarded. This happens every quarter and finally at the end of financial year. Management felt it needed to use pay-for performance as an additional inducement either to achieve particular goals, to reinforce learning and/or team behavior in semiautonomous teams, and or to compensate for an increase in span of control due to de-layering. In this assignment I will try to point out the negatives of this kind of appraisal system Negative points Everyone is concerned for their target and tend to ignore the following. Specifically, they motivate employees to focus excessively on doing what they need to do to gain rewards, sometimes at the expense of doing other things that would help the organization. 1. The senior many time fails to inculcate employee motivation towards their individual achievement goal – which in turn is a component of immediate senior goal. i. Hence fails to inculcate the charm of achieving challenging but doable goal. 2. There is a quota of number of person who will get recognized for excellent performance. Corporate budgets for bonuses often limit payout. i. That in other terms means the achievement of goal is not the only measuring parameter. There are several more differentiating factors which decide that the individual will get recognized or not. ii. This sometime becomes non motivating factor in the mid of the evaluation course when an individual realizes that the recognition is based on the ability beyond the achievement of target. iii. Managers can lose commitment to the pay system if it pays out more than anticipated due to problems in payout standards and if there are changes in performance standards due to changes in technology and organizational arrangements and unanticipated learning curves. iv. It is changing circumstances that make it difficult for managers to sustain links between pay and performance in a way that will avoid perceptions of unfairness and inequity. Such perceptions can undermine the perceived link between pay and performance so important to sustain its motivational power. 3. There is no formal discussion with the HR representative during the appraisal. i. Which leads to inappropriate focus of personal development from HR point of view. In other words, rather than assuming that there are universal best practices for pay-for-performance, it may be that what is effective for a particular organization depends on some unique aspects of its culture, and one must, therefore, be cautious in generalizing from one organization to another, even within the same industry. To ignore employee discontent with the pay system would mean undercutting the high-commitment culture. Suggestion for changes 1. Discussion on the goal with the individual – monthly, quarterly as well as half yearly and finally annual. 2. The recognition of performance should be based on the attitude and genuine motivation towards achievement of goals set during the above discussion. 3. Appraisal should be done in presence of HR representative and immediate supervisor. 4. Many times the individual does not know why he is being asked to do any specific job and is unable to see the bigger picture i.e corporate strategy, competitive strategy and functional strategy. And hence the individual does not feel himself inclusive in the overall process. 5. Apart from the specific goals of the company – there must be a focus on the personal skill, knowledge and attitude of the employee. There must be a discussion on the training need and requirement. This will strengthen the most valuable asset of any organization. 6. The pay for performance should not be limited to little number of persons. It should be distributed in form of slabs to all. 7. High commitment can only be created if employees develop an emotional attachment to the task, management, and the company. This in turn can only be developed if they feel fairly treated. And, this in turn is a function of how much voice they have in issues that affect task performance and their well-being. 8. The recognition of performance should not be based on the skills other than the professional need.

Paulo Freires Pedagogy Of The Oppressed Literature Essay

Paulo Freires Pedagogy Of The Oppressed Literature Essay The Pedagogy of the Oppressed was written in 1968. The book became widely popular within a few years and was the subject of discussion by many people in the educational world as well as activists. In the teaching realm this book can be seen as something like an icon. It gives an inside view of the relationship triangle involved with education. The book can be seen as a set of guiding principles which Freire admits are skills hes learned through experience. Freire encourages individuals to use growth through situations from daily life and learned lessons from circumstances as tools to further your learning experiences. Paulo Freires purpose in writing the Pedagogy of the Oppressed is to help oppressed individuals form themselves and avoid being formed by other peoples acts of oppression. This book has a high level of vocabulary and word scheme that helps in its own way to educate the reader not just of oppression but in literacy as well, which was one Freires main works in life. Throughout this book you will find different proposals made by Freire to help individuals form themselves and heighten their own education. One of such examples is for a person to take his own life experiences that are constantly encountered instead of made up occurrences to rationalize problems in the educational aspect. Paulo Freire was born September 19, 1921 in Recife, Pemambuco, Brazil. His family was one that would be considered middle class. His father Joaquim Freire was an officer of the Pemambuco military police, while his mother tended to the home. During the Great Depression, the familys economic troubles resulted in them relocating in Jaboatao, which is where most of Paulos childhood and early teen years were spent. His mother managed to get him accepted into a private school in Recife, on a scholarship when he entered high school. Later in life Paulo would return to teach Portuguese at the same institution. At the young age of 13, Freires father passed away, that was the year of 1934. Paulo had a hard time making his way into the upper class society in his high school, because of his middle class status. School was a very important factor to the young adolescent and he strived to do his best in his studies. At the age of 20, Paulo was in Law school and had already mastered his grammar in Portuguese and was starting his studies in philosophy Sociology. In 1943 Paulo Freire married a elementary school teacher names, Elza Oliveira, just a year after he started Law School. Freires Law career was a short one which ended before he could even put his skills to use with his first client. Freires wife confided in him that shes hoped hes change his mind to education. Later the majority of his life would be based around his works in education and his strives to make improve the educational system. In 1946 Freire took over the Pemambuco Department of Education and Culture of the Social Service Industry as the Director. His 10 year term is detailed in the Pedagogy of Hope, another of Freires great works. The experience helped further Freires achievements by giving him a basis on which to develop his doctoral dissertation in 1959. This is what led to his first book, Education as the Practice of Freedom, which was completed and published during the premature years of his exile in Chile in during 1965. During 1957 Paulo was also appointed as the director of SESIs Pemambuco Regional Chapter Division of Research and planning. In 1959 Freire was appointed as the professor of the History and Philosophy of Education at the School of fine arts, after his thesis was accepted and hed done much traveling and consulting with other SESI programs as well as founding the Capibarbie Institute which is committed to scientific, ethical and moral education. Freire received many accomplishments and recognitions of honor as well as appointments of honor, many of which were educationally related. However after March 31, 1964 Freires exceedingly advancing career took a pause. After Freires participation for education movements and the peasants proved able to read the military came in and took control, throwing Paulo into prison twice and sending him into exile. To better understand the purpose of the book, it is essential to first know the meaning behind the title. According to Merriam-Websters online dictionary, the meaning of the word Pedagogy is: The art or science of teaching; especially: Education. This is the basis of the book itself; Freire directs our attention to the relationship between that of a teacher and student along with society Another word that it is vital to understand is Oppressed, I turned once again to Merriam-Webster for this definition which is as follows: To crush or burden by use of power and authority. Paulo Freires Pedagogy of the Oppressed gives us a view into the education system and how it is becoming less of a good learning tool. The education system has become less creative, and the teachers are sucking the very supplement of life out of the lessons. The minds of students today resemble that of storage, filled solid with memorized information that is later replaced when the next subject is being taught. We can see evidence in this today as many teachers focus in the classroom is prepping their students to the states standards so that they may pass the standardized tests. The teachers teach specifically to the test continuously replacing information in the students storage so that only the test materials remain. Freires book clues us in on the relationship between teacher and student, and the method that the teachers try to instill in the students to produce the perfect student, some of which include: The teacher is the main subject or model for the students, and the students are objects waiting to be molding into what the teacher perceives to be the perfect student. This relationship refers to Freires comment in his book During the initial stage of their struggle the oppressed find in the oppressor their model of manhood. (Freire 46) This is one of the quotes I selected throughout the book that I believe help the reader to gain insight to the message being delivered through Freires text. Oppression of students is much easier the more teachers dominate and control their students. Sometimes they are successful in their endeavors and others times the students notice this and rebel in an attempt to challenge the teachers and dominate over them instead. Freedom is acquired by conquest, not by gift. (Freire 47) This quote is used not only to give hope but also instruction. Sometimes shedding a previous habit or custom seems near impossible but in Freires text he uses this statement to show that there is a way to break free from the overbearing rules so that one may gain his or her freedom. When reading the book I saw that the main tool of domination when using the Oppressor-Oppressed method in education is the banking approach. The banking method, which is only the act of depositing information into a student, has very little connection to critical thinking skills or creative thought process. The method is set up that way so that there is no room to threaten authority. In this aspect the teacher is superior because they know all the information that they are to instill in the student but it is highly unlikely that through lecture alone the student will understand the importance and application of this new information, which the teacher more than likely will know . This is another example of the relationships Freire talks about amongst students and teachers, the teacher knows everything and the students know nothing. I find this to be false though, even though the oppressed (students) are more often than not at a great disadvantage to the knowledge of the teachers they, being oppressed know in a different sense a far greater importance than their oppressors. In the Pedagogy of the Oppressed Freire says Who are better prepared than the oppressed to understand the terrible significance of an oppressive society? Who suffer the effects of oppression more than the oppressed? Who can better understand the necessity of liberation? They will not gain this liberation by chance but through the praxis of their quest for it, through their recognition of the necessity to fight for it. And this fight, because of the purpose given it by the oppressed, will actually constitute an act of love opposing the lovelessness which lies at the heart of the oppressors violence, lovelessness even when clothed in false generosity. I took this to mean that even though they may be oppressed in the end it is the oppressed who often teach the oppressor a far greater lesson than they would have been able to teach themselves. Oppression can be the control factor in everything we as a people do. In education there is a formula for the success and Oppression is the control factor in the experiment. Without oppression students would use their creativity analytical skills to seek out the answers to challenges in everyday life as well as in the classroom. One thing that is very important to understand about education is that there isnt one set method or formula to teach or learn something, there is only what works best for the teacher or learner. Freires argument presented in the Pedagogy of the Oppressed is indisputable. He delivers his view not by the over-use of factual information and evidence but by creating a sense of either acceptance or denial of his belief. The author is able to deflect opposing arguments by first establishing his idea of the Oppressor within. Then throughout reading the book that single idea is able to back Freire in the majority of his statements leaving many critiques unable to ridicule his work. One of Freires arguments was that educators needed to have a profound trust in people. Their goal is to be able to understand, accept and connect with the people so that they may help raise a type of awareness in the people and their actions. However this goal can sometimes back-fire and end with negative results, if done incorrectly and with force, no compromise, disregard for the peoples culture and beliefs. Paulo Freires Pedagogy of the Oppressed was a wonderful read and left me insightful to the teacher student relationships, the beliefs of Paulo Freire . I believe that Freire put much thought and passion into the writing of this book and more than proficiently backed his opinion and arguments throughout the book in its entirety. Freires tone and attitude suggest that we are either supporters of the oppressed or oppressors ourselves. While this is a standard good vs. evil theme there is a more in depth meaning behind Freire forcing you to choose a side. This however can only be taken to a certain level without potentially warping future educators, resulting in an unbalanced structure and behavior. While reading, I got the sense that the author was often using everyday occurrences to help relate to pedagogical situations. The authenticity of my thought pattern here could be very accurate because after doing some research on Paulo Freire I saw in his biography that Pedagogy of the Oppressed was written with influence from some of Freires very own experiences in the educational career. His method makes a great deal of sense seeing as his approach was to reach and educator the world of the education system. This book is ideal for educators as well as parents and students. The Pedagogy of the Oppressed explains in great details the education system and the relationship of powers amongst students and teachers. Freire divides the world into the oppressed and oppressor, this is the under the assumption that the wielder and submitters to power fall into those categories. Although neither is free from the other, the oppressed are those who take the brunt of the relationship. Not only are the oppressed being suppressed by their oppressors but they also are conflicted with a fearfulness of freedom. (Freire 47) This confliction is what allows the oppressors to maintain and strengthen their superiority and keep the oppressed in a state of inferiority. I believe it was Freires hope that in writing this book and sharing his insight with the world he would somehow manage to lend a hand in the oppressed realizing their fate and perceive the reality of oppression not as a closed world from which there is no exit, but as a limiting situation which they can transform. (Freire) Although many educators have analyzed this book along with students, parents, and various people in the political world there are still many who do not grasp the importance of Freires work. The pedagogy of the oppressed is an instrument for their critical discovery. It is tool of liberation for the oppressed who have not realized their state of oppression. Once a person reads this book, if Freire has a accomplished his goal in that individual they will being to notice topics that Freire mentions throughout the book and realize that they may or may not have been a victim of oppression at some point in their lives.

The Euro :: essays research papers

The Euro has proven to have many advantages for the European Union, putting them on the path for political solidarity. With the Euro comes the elimination of exchange-rate fluctuations, making the fluctuations of currency values across Europe â€Å"a thing of the past†. Price transparency is another advantage of the Euro, which makes it easier to tell if the price of a product in one country is different than the price of the same product in another country. This encourages competition between countries, mobilizing economies to grow and compete with each other in different markets. Transaction costs become much less of a burden to tourists and business people alike when they do not have to constantly exchange their currency from another country when traveling within the European Union. This saves both time and money, which encourages more travel between countries for tourists and business men/women. All of the advantages mentioned so far contribute to the increased trade across borders also. Again, this boosts the economy of the countries within the European Union. With the European Union and it’s currency, the Euro, there is an increased cross-border employment. Businesses are more likely to employ and conduct business across different countries with the introduction of one currency. This means a person could work across the border in another country since the same currency is paid to employees across the European Union. There is an increase in the financial market stability with the introduction of the Euro across many countries as well. One currency means more stability across Europe and the members of the European Union. Inflation rates are decreased, as are the interest rates, to promote the growth of markets in these developing countries. Countries that wanted to become a part of the European Union had to shape up their economies, encouraging a growth in their marke ts, to keep up with the requirements of being a part of the European Union.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Euro’s position relative to the U.S. dollar and the potential political and economic consequences in relations between the U.S. and the European Union are very important topics when discussing trade between these nations. First, the Euro is worth 135% of one U.S. dollar. This should make it clear that we have to focus on exporting more of our goods to the European Union and its members rather than buying (importing) more of their goods during this time.

History Of Music Essay -- essays research papers

It can be argued that the vanguard of development has always been reflected in the arts of a culture. It is the poets, the dreamers and artists who are the architects of the future; the ones who ‘build the world they want to live in, the ones who dream out loud’1. Music is an elaborate art form, tempered by the emotions of those who create it and as such the dreams, creations and inventions are partly the products - or at least artifacts - of the world around them. As such, the social, economic and technological changes in society reflect themselves in the arts of the time also. The common question â€Å"Does art imitate life, or does life imitate art?† when inspected proves rhetorical: they are parallel mirrors which reflect each other. W.H. Auden best expressed this when he said, â€Å"A verbal art like poetry is reflective; it stops to think. Music is immediate, it goes on to become.† Tracing the course of musical development through history shows how closely music (of all the art forms) in particular represents the time in which it was written. The â€Å"immediacy† Auden speaks of is evidenced in music’s ability to associate itself with a specific point in time or event and always remind the listener of that time or place. It is impossible to analyse individual interpretation of music, however it is interesting to examine what caused musicians to write what they did, when they did. The personal interpretation or association of a work is superimposed; it is the music â€Å"going on to become.† By correlating musical developments with historical events or conditions, we can see not only why certain styles of music were written when they were, but also how the times dictated the styles as much as the styles dictated the times. The exact origin of music is unknown. We can only form educated guesses from the evidence that remains today: pictures on fragments on broken vases of musical instruments, or cave paintings of dancing figures. It is generally accepted that music was first used in prehistoric times in spiritual or magical rituals. This knowledge comes from the fact that music still forms a vital part of most religious ceremonies today. Whereas with ancient pictures, we can imagine missing pieces, or envision brighter colours, when it comes to music we have no idea of what instruments were used, or the sounds they made. Our relationship with the music of the time is ... ...tury. However, since most artists thrived on the emotional and irrational abstract that they were writing about, there was no specific category that this mode of thinking could fall into. This was a strength since the freedom to explore nature was infinite and without any restriction based on rules or laws. This invariably led to a reintroduction into religion and mysticism; people wanted to explore the unknown spiritual side of things. Music as a whole has had a gradual evolution throughout history. The tie between Man’s search for the unknown, quest for Truth and longing for spiritual fulfillment and the Arts is undeniable. Reactionary, or ‘pro-actionary’ music ties us tight to places or events both in our lives and in those of others. While architecture and artifacts can give us clues to what society was like in the past (Roman ruins tell us much about life two thousand years ago), it is only the music that can communicate what our predecessors were thinking or feeling. It is the poets, the dreamers and artists of old who were the architects of their future, which allow us to glimpse our past. And it has been said, to know where one is going, you must know where you came from.

Wal-Mart Essay -- essays research papers fc

Many retail stores are created by an owner that has a very creative idea for marketing products. Not all stores seem to stay in business partly due to the lack of interest shown in later years of the business's growth. The chains that tend to succeed are of course financially backed but the owner of the stores stays creative and innovative in their ideas to keep promoting the chain. One of the best examples of an entrepreneur succeeding in their idea for success lies in one man: Sam Walton, creator of Wal-Mart. At the heart of Wal-Mart's growth is the unique culture that "Mr. Sam" built. His business philosophy was based on the simple idea of making the customer No. 1. He believed that by serving the customer's needs first, his business would also serve its associates, shareholders, communities and other stakeholders. The goal at Walmart.com is to bring Mr. Sam's culture and philosophy from Wal-Mart stores to the Internet. Sam Walton had three basic beliefs the company was built on. Sam Walton built Wal-Mart on the revolutionary philosophies of excellence in the workplace, customer service and always having the lowest prices. They have always stayed true to the Three Basic Beliefs Mr. Sam established in 1962: 1. Respect for the Individual 2. Service to Our Customers 3. Strive for Excellence Sam Walton always knew he wanted to be in the retailing business. He started his career by running a Ben Frankling franchise store and learned about buying, pricing and passing good deals on to customers. He credits a manufacturer's agent from New York, Harry Weiner, with his first real lesson about pricing: "Harry was selling ladies' panties for $2 a dozen. We'd been buying similar panties from Ben Franklin for $2.50 a dozen and selling them at three pair for $1. Well, at Harry's price of $2, we could put them out at four for $1 and make a great promotion for our store. Here's the simple lesson we learned ... say I bought an item for 80 cents. I found that by pricing it at $1.00, I could sell three times more of it than by pricing it at $1.20. I might make only half the profit per item, but because I was selling three times as many, the overall profit was much greater. Simple enough. But this is really the essence of discounting: by cutting your price, you can boost your sales to a point where you earn far more at the cheaper retail than you would h... ...t have not agreed to pay back wages. Wal-Mart tends to hire very faithful, hard-working employees. They tend to stay in the company over their whole career. Brenda Whitlock, a Wal-Mart co-manager, stated, â€Å"There haven’t been any recent changes in our upper management or change of ownership.† She also stated that they were only hiring for cashiers at this time due to their successful upper management. She wouldn’t release the information pertaining to their computer and distribution systems due to their high regard towards their IT department. Wal-Mart has shown a steady surge in annual revenues — reaching the level of $1 billion in annual sales in 1979. Today, it often sells that much in a single day in 2001. In 2002, Wal-Mart — with its $220 billion in revenues — topped the Fortune 500 for the first time ever, overtaking Exxon Mobil and General Motors. Wal-Mart started off as an innovative idea and later became a marketing and sales success. Bibliography â€Å"1998 Year-end Earnings Fact Sheet,† Wal-Mart, February 24, 1998, pgs. 1-2. â€Å"Wal-Mart: Creation of a profitable Retail Chain,† Wal-Mart, February 8, 2001, pgs. 1-10. Whitlock, Brenda. Co-Manager of Wal-Mart, Fayetteville, Ga.

Business Ratio Essay

The profit margin is mostly used for internal comparison. Individual businesses’ operating and financing arrangements vary so much that different entities are bound to have different levels of expenditure, so that comparison of one with another can have little meaning. Digi has a highest net profit margin ratio among the 3 company which is 21.03%, while Axiata and YTL have 14.26% and 7.87%. YTL with a lowest profit margin indicates a low margin of safety: higher risk that a decline in sales will erase profits and result in a net loss. Profit margin is an indicator of a company’s pricing strategies and how well it controls costs. Differences in competitive strategy and product mix cause the profit margin to vary among different companies. Liquidity ratio (current ratio) The current ratio is an indication of a firm’s market liquidity and ability to meet creditor’s demands. Acceptable current ratios vary from industry to industry and are generally between 1.5 and 3 for healthy businesses. Axiata and YTL have a current ratio that is 1.1632 and 1.3149 is near to this range, it generally indicates moderate short-term financial strength. Digi has a current ratio that below 1, the current liabilities exceed current assets. Digi may have problems meeting its short-term obligations. Low values for the current ratios indicate that Digi may have difficulty meeting current obligations. But if inventory turns over much more rapidly than the accounts payable become due, then the current ratio will be less than one. This can allow Digi to operate with a low current ratio. Leverage ratio (Debt ratio) YTL debt ratio is 0.7403 which is higher than Axiata and Digi which is 0.4826 and 0.7098. The higher the ratio means the greater risk will be associated with the firm’s operation. In addition, high debt to assets ratio may indicate low borrowing capacity of a firm, which in turn will lower the firm’s financial flexibility. The debt ratio shows the proportion of a company’s assets which are financed through debt. The ratio of Axiata is less than 0.5, most of the company’s assets are financed through equity. Companies with high debt ratios are said to be â€Å"highly leveraged,† not highly liquid as stated above. Digi and YTL with a high debt ratio could be in danger if creditors start to demand repayment of debt. Activity Ratio (Total assets turn over) Asset turnover is a financial ratio that measures the efficiency of a company’s use of its assets in generating sales revenue or sales income to the company. Companies with low profit margins tend to have high asset turnover, while those with high profit margins have low asset turnover. Digi has a profit margins which is 1.193times is much higher than Axiata and YTL, 0.4182times and 0.3892times. These show that Digi has a high asset turnover while Axiata and YTL have low asset turnover. Companies in the retail industry tend to have a very high turnover ratio due mainly to cutthroat and competitive pricing. Market Ratio (Earnings per Share ratio) Earnings per share are the amount of earnings per each outstanding share of a company’s stock. In the United States, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) requires companies’ income statements to report EPS for each of the major categories of the income statement: continuing operations, discontinued operations, extraordinary items, and net income. Axita has the highest market ratio which is 28sen out of every ordinary share. Digi and YTL have lower market ratio, 16.1sen and 11.53sen. Compare with Digi and YTL, Axiata has the highest market value. Axiata earn 28sen out of every ordinary share. Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) Ratio Day sales outstanding are a calculation used by a company to estimate their average collection period. It is a financial ratio that illustrates how well a company’s accounts receivables are being managed. The day’s sales outstanding analysis provides general information about the number of days on average that customers take to pay invoices. YTL has higher DSO ratio, 72.72days can indicate a customer base with credit problems and is deficient in its collections activity. Digi and Axiata which have a lower ratio, 27.96days and 46.74days may indicate that firm’s credit policy is too rigorous, which may be hampering sales.

Problems and Questions

Briefly explain the meaning of R-squared. A time series analysis of demand tends to result In a higher R-squared than one using cross-sectional data. Why do you think this Is the case? R-squared measures the goodness of fit of a regression equation. A time series analysis of demand tends to result in a higher Required than one using cross-sectional data because data is being gathered at multiple periods of time as opposed to one period of time when using cross-sectional data. II.What is the identification problem? What effect will this problem have on the regression estimates off demand function? Explain. The identification problem occurs when there Is an Inability In the principle to Identify the best estimate of values of one or more variables In regression. This problem effects regression estimates of a demand function because there is a simultaneous shifting of both the supply and demand, which results in biased results. Ill. A. Why are manufacturers' new orders, endogens capital goods, an appropriate leading indicator?They are an appropriate Indicator because they are commitments that show that economic activity will take place In the future. B. Why Is the Index of Industrial production an appropriate coincident Indicator? The Index of Industrial production Is an appropriate coincident indicator because it provides information about the current state of the economy. C. Why is the average prime rate charged by banks an appropriate lagging indicator? It's an appropriate lagging indicator because changes in the prime rate generally trail changes in the rest of the economy.IV. You have been asked to produce a forecast for your compacts product, bottled water. Discuss the kind of Information you would look for In order to make this forecast. An effective forecast for bottled water would Include sales revenue, marketing, competition, Seibel issues that may arise in the future, and information about the target demographic. V. One of the most difficult tasks in re gression analysis is to obtain the data suitable for quantitative studies of this kind.Suppose you are trying to estimate the demand for home furniture. Suggest kinds of variables that could be used to represent the following factors, which are believed to affect the demand for any product. Do you anticipate any difficulty in securing such data? Explain. Determinants of Demand for Furniture Suggested Variables to use in Regression Analysis Price Prices set for furniture at competing companies Tastes & Preferences % of people who like modern, rustic, traditional, contemporary, country, etc. Hypes of furniture Price of related products Price of accent Items (blinds, pillows, rugs) Income Average Income of buyers Cost or availability of credit % of people who purchase furniture with cash or credit Number of buyers # of sales per year Future expectations Availability of products, future income of buyers Other possible factors Seasonal sales I do not see any problem securing this data. M ost of this Information can be maker of a leading brand of low-calorie microwaveable food estimated the following emend equation for its product using data from 26 supermarkets around the country for the month of April.

Night World : Dark Angel Chapter 8

Gillian stood perfectly still and watched David disappear around a corner. (It's not time for the plan yet, kid. Now buck up. A cheery face is worth diamonds.) Gillian tried to put on a cheery face. The strange day continued. In each class, Gillian appealed to the teacher for a new book. In each class, she was bombarded with offers of notes and other help. And through it all Angel whispered in her ear, always suggesting just the right thing to say to each person. He was witty, irreverent, occasionally cutting-and so was Gillian. She had an advantage, she realized. Since nobody had ever noticed her before, it was almost like being a new girl. She could be anything she wanted to be, present herself as anyone, and be believed. (Like Cinderella at the ball. The mystery princess.) Angel's voice was amused but tender. In journalism class, Gillian found herself beside Daryl Novak, a languid girl with sloe eyes and drooping contemptuous lashes. Daryl the Rich Girl, Daryl the World-weary World Traveler. She talked to Gillian as if Gillian knew all about Paris and Rome and California. At lunch, Gillian hesitated as she walked into the cafeteria. Usually she sat with Amy in an obscure corner at the back. But recently Eugene had been sitting with Amy, and up front she could see a group that included Amanda the Cheerleader, Kim the Gymnast, and others from The Clique. David and Tanya were at the edge. (Do I sit with them? Nobody asked me.) (Not with them, my little rutabaga. But near them. Sit at the end of that table just beside them. Don't look at them as you walk by. Look at your lunch. Start eating it.) Gillian had never eaten her lunch alone before-or at least not in a public place. On days Amy was absent, if she couldn't find one of the few other juniors she felt comfortable with, she snuck into the library and ate there. In the old days she would have felt horribly exposed, but now she wasn't really alone; she had Angel cracking jokes in her ear. And she had a new confidence. She could almost see herself eating, calm and indifferent to stares, thoughtful to the point of being dreamy. She tried to make her movements a little languid, like Daryl the Rich Girl's. (And I hope Amy doesn't think I'm snubbing her. I mean, it's not as if she's back there alone. She's got Eugene.) (Yeah. We're gonna have to talk about Amy sometime, kid. But right now you're being paged. Smile and be gracious.) â€Å"Jill! Earth to Jill!† â€Å"Hey, Jill, c'mon over.† They wanted her. She was moving her lunch over to their table, and she wasn't spilling anything and she wasn't falling as she slid in. She was little and graceful, thistledown light in her movements, and they were surging around her to form a warm and friendly bulwark. And she wasn't afraid of them. That was the most wonderful thing of all. These kids who'd seemed to her like stars in some TV show about teenagers, were real people who got crumbs on themselves and made jokes she could understand. Gillian had always wondered what they found so funny when they were laughing together. But now she knew it was just the heady atmosphere, the knowledge that they were special. It made it easy to laugh at everything. She knew David, sitting quietly there with Tanya, could see her laughing. She could hear other voices occasionally, from people on the fringes of her group, people on the outside looking in. Mostly bright chatter and murmurs of admiration. She thought she heard her name mentioned. †¦ And then she focused on the words. â€Å"I heard her mom's a drunk.† They sounded horribly loud and dear to Gillian, standing out against the background noise. She could feel her whole skin tingling with shock and she lost track of the story Kim the Gymnast was telling. (Angel-who said that? Was it about me-my mom?) She didn't dare look behind her. â€Å"-started drinking a few years ago and having these hallucinations-â€Å" This time the voice was so loud that it cut through the banter of Gillian's group. Kim stopped in mid-sentence. Bruce the Athlete's smile faltered. An awkward silence fell. Gillian felt a wave of anger that made her dizzy. (Who said that? I'll kill them-) (Calm down! Calm down. That's not the way to handle it at all.) (But-) (I said, calm down. Look at your lunch. No, at your lunch. Now say-and make your voice absolutely cool-â€Å"I really hate rumors, don't you? I don't know what kind of people start them.†) Gillian breathed twice and obeyed, although her voice wasn't absolutely cool. It had a little tremor. â€Å"I don't know either,† a new voice said. Gillian glanced up to see that David was on his feet, his face hard as he surveyed the table behind her as if looking for the person who'd spoken. â€Å"But I think they're pretty sick and they should get a life.† There was the cold glint in his eyes that had given him his reputation as a tough guy. Gillian felt as if a hand had steadied her. Gratitude rushed through her-and a longing that made her bite down on her lip. â€Å"I hate rumors, too,† J.Z. Oberlin said in her absent voice. J. Z. the Model was the one who looked like a Calvin Klein ad, breathlessly sexy and rather blank, but right now she seemed oddly focused. â€Å"Somebody was putting around the rumor last year that I tried to kill myself. I never did find out who started it.† Her hazy blue-green eyes were narrowed. And then everyone was talking about rumors, and people who spread rumors, and what scum they were. The group was rallying around Gillian. But it was David who stood up for me first, she thought. She had just looked over at him, trying to catch his eye, when she heard the tinkling noise. It was almost musical, but the kind of sound that draws attention immediately in a cafeteria. Somebody had broken a glass. Gillian, along with everyone else, glanced around to see who'd done it. She couldn't see anybody. No one had the right expression of dismay, no one was focused on anything definite. Everybody was looking around in search mode. Then she heard it again, and two people standing near the cafeteria doors looked down and then up. Above the doors, far above, was a semi-circular window in the red brick. As Gillian stared at the window she realized that light was reflecting off it oddly, almost prismatically. There seemed to be crazy rainbows in the glass†¦ And something was sparkling down, falling like a few specks of snow. It hit the ground and tinkled, and the people by the door stared at it on the cafeteria floor. They looked puzzled. Realization flashed on Gillian. She was on her feet, but the only words that she could find were, â€Å"Oh, my God!† â€Å"Get out! It's all going to go! Get out of there!† It was David, waving at the people under the window. He was running toward them, which was stupid, Gillian thought numbly, her heart seeming to stop. Other people were shouting. Cory and Amanda and Bruce-and Tanya. Kim the Gymnast was shrieking. And then the window was going, chunks of it falling almost poetically, raining and crumbling, shining and crashing. It fell and fell and fell. Gillian felt as if she were watching an avalanche in slow motion. At last it was over, and the window was just an arch-shaped hole with jagged teeth clinging to the edges. Glass had flown and bounced and skittered all over the cafeteria, where it lay like hailstones. And people from tables amazingly distant were examining cuts from ricocheting bits. But nobody had been directly underneath, and nobody seemed seriously hurt. (Thanks to David.) Gillian was still numb, but now with relief. (He got them all out of the way in time. Oh, God, he isn't hurt, is he?) (He's fine. And what makes you think he did it all alone? Maybe I had some part. I can do that, you know-put it into people's heads to do things. And they never even know I'm doing it.) Angel's voice sounded almost-well-piqued. (Huh? You did that? Well, that was really nice of you.) Gillian was watching David across the room, watching Tanya examine his arm, nod, shrug, look around. He's not hurt. Thank heaven. Gillian felt so relieved it was almost painful. It was then that it occurred to her to wonder what had happened. That window-before the glass fell it had looked just like the mirror in her bathroom. Evenly shattered from side to side, spidery cracks over every inch of the surface. The bathroom mirror had cracked while Tanya was being catty about Gillian's room. Now Gillian remembered the last thing she'd wanted to ask Angel last night. It had been about how the mirror came to do that. This window †¦ it had started falling a few minutes after someone insulted Gillian's mother. Nobody had heard it actually break, but it couldn't have happened too long ago. The small hairs on the back of Gillian's neck stirred and she felt a fluttering inside. It couldn't be. Angel hadn't even appeared to her yet†¦ But he'd said he was always with her†¦ An angel wouldn't destroy things†¦ But Angel was a different kind of angel. (Ah, excuse me. Hello? Do you want to share some thoughts with me?) (Angel!) For the first time since his soft voice had sounded in her ear, Gillian felt a sense ofover- crowdedness. Of her own lack of privacy. The uneasy fluttering inside her increased. (Angel, I was just-just wondering†¦) And then the silent words burst out. (Angel, you wouldn't-would you? You didn't do those things for my sake- â€Å"break the mirror and that window-?) A pause. And then, in her head, riotous laughter. Genuine laughter. Angel was whooping. Finally, the sounds died to mental hiccups. (Me?) Gillian was embarrassed. (I shouldn't have asked. It was just so weird†¦) (Yeah, wasn't it.) This time Angel sounded grimly amused. (Well, never mind; you're already late for class. The bell rang five minutes ago.) Gillian coasted through her last two classes in a daze. So much had happened today-she felt as if she'd led a full life between waking up and now. But the day wasn't over yet. In her last class, studio art, she once again found herself talking to Daryl the Rich Girl. Daryl was the only one of that crowd that took art or journalism. And in the last minutes before school ended, she regarded Gillian from under drooping eyelashes. â€Å"You know, there are other rumors going around about you. That you and Davey-boy have something going behind Tanya's back. That you meet secretly in the mornings and†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Daryl shrugged, pushing back frosted hair with a hand dripping with rings. Gillian felt jolted awake. â€Å"So?† â€Å"So you really should do something about it. Rumors spread fast, and they grow. I know. You want to either deny them, or†-Daryl's lips .quirked in a smile-â€Å"disarm them.† (Oh, yeah? And just how do I do that?) (Shut up and listen to her, kid. This is one smart cookie.) â€Å"If there're parts that are true, it's usually best to admit those in public. That takes some of the punch out. And it's always helpful to track down the person starting the rumors-if you can.† (Tell her you know that. And that you're going to see Tanya after school.) (Tanya? You mean-?) (Just tell her.) Somehow Gillian gathered herself enough to repeat Angel's words. Daryl the Rich Girl looked at her with a new expression of respect. â€Å"You're sharper than I thought. Maybe you didn't need my help after all.† â€Å"No,† Gillian said without Angel's prompting. â€Å"I'm always glad for help. It's-it's a rough world.† â€Å"Isn't it, though?† Daryl said and raised already arched eyebrows. (So it was Tanya who spread that stuff about my mom.) Gillian almost stumbled as she trudged out of art class. She was tired and bewildered. Somehow, she'd have thought Tanya was above that. (She had help. It takes a really efficient system to get a rumor to peak circulation that fast. But she was the instigator. Turn left here.) (Where am I going?) (You're gonna catch her coming out of marketing education. She's alone in there right now. The teacher asked to see her after class, then unexpectedly had to run to the bathroom.) Gillian felt distantly amused. She sensed Angel's hand in these arrangements. And when she poked her head inside the marketing ed room, she saw that Tanya was indeed alone. The tall girl was standing by a cloudy green blackboard. â€Å"Tanya, we need to talk.† Tanya's shoulders stiffened. Then she ran a hand across her already perfect dark hair and turned. She looked more like a future executive than ever, with her face set in cool lines and her exotic gray eyes running over Gillian in appraisal. Without Angel, Gillian would have dried up and withered away under that scrutiny. Tanya said one word. â€Å"Talk.† What followed was more like a play than a conversation for Gillian. She repeated what Angel whispered to her, but she never had any idea what was coming. The only way to survive was to give herself up completely to his direction. â€Å"Look, I know you're upset with me, Tanya. But I'd like to deal with this with a little maturity, okay?† She followed Angel's instructions over to a desk and brushed absent fingers over its imitation-wood top. â€Å"I don't think there's any need for us to act like children.† â€Å"And I don't think I know what you're talking about.† â€Å"Oh, really?† Gillian turned and looked Tanya in the face. â€Å"I think you know exactly what I'm talking about.† (Angel, I feel just like one of those people in a soap opera-) â€Å"Well, you're wrong. And, as a matter of fact, I happen to be busy-â€Å" â€Å"I'm talking about the rumors, Tanya. I'm talking about the stories about my mom. And I'm talking about David.† Tanya stood perfectly still. For a moment she seemed surprised that Gillian was taking such a direct approach. Then her gray eyes hardened with the clear light of battle. â€Å"All right, let's talk about David,† she said in a pleasant voice, moving tigerishly toward Gillian, â€Å"I don't know about any rumors, but I'd like to hear what you and David were doing this morning. Care to tell me?† (Angel, she's actually enjoying this. Look at her! And she's bigger than me.) (Trust me, kid.) â€Å"We weren't doing anything,† Gillian said. She had to tip her chin up to look Tanya in the face. Then she looked aside and shook her head. â€Å"All right. I'll be honest about that. I like David, Tanya. I have ever since he moved in. He's good and he's noble and he's honest and he's sweet. But that doesn't mean I want to take him away from you. In fact, it's just the opposite.† She turned and walked away, looking into the distance. â€Å"I think David deserves the best. And I know he really cares about you. And that's what happened this morning-he told me you guys had made a promise to each other. So you see, you've got no reason to be suspicious.† Tanya's eyes were glittering. â€Å"Don't try to pull that. All this †¦Ã¢â‚¬  She waved a hand to indicate Gillian's dress and hair. â€Å"In one day you turn from Little Miss Invisible to this. And you start prancing around the school like you own it. You can't pretend you're not trying to get him.† â€Å"Tanya, the way I dress has nothing at all to do with David.† Gillian told the lie calmly, facing the chalk-misted blackboard again. â€Å"It's just-something I needed to do. I was-tired of being invisible.† She turned her head slightly, not enough to see Tanya. â€Å"But that's beside the point. The real issue here is what's best for David. And I think you're best for him-as long as you treat him fairly.† â€Å"And what is that supposed to mean?† Tanya was losing her legendary cool. She sounded venomous, almost shrill. â€Å"It means no more fooling around with Bruce Faber.† (Oh, my God, Angel! Bruce Faber? Bruce the Athlete? She's been fooling around with Bruce Faber?) Tanya's voice cracked like a whip. â€Å"What are you talking about? What do you know?† â€Å"I'm talking about those nights at the pool parties last summer in Macon's cabana. While David was up north at his grandma's. I'm talking about what happened in Bruce's car after the Halloween dance.† (In a cabana?) There was a silence. When Tanya spoke again, her voice was a sort of icy explosion. â€Å"How did you find out?† Gillian shrugged. â€Å"People who're good at spreading rumors can be a two-edged sword.† â€Å"I thought so. That brat Kim! Her and her mouth†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Then Tanya's voice changed. It became a voice with claws and Gillian could tell she was moving closer. â€Å"I suppose you're planning to tell David about this?† â€Å"Huh?† For a moment Gillian was too confused to follow Angel's directions. Then she got hold of herself. â€Å"Oh, of course I'm not going to tell David. That's why I'm telling you. I just want you to promise that you're not going to do anything like that anymore. And I'd appreciate it if you'd stop telling people things about my mom-â€Å" â€Å"I'll do worse than that!† Suddenly Tanya was standing right behind Gillian. Her voice was a yelling hiss. â€Å"You have no idea what I'll do if you try to mess with me, you snotty little midget. You are going to be so sorry-â€Å" â€Å"No, I think you've done plenty already.† The voice came from the door. Gillian heard it, and in that instant she understood everything.

Alice Bingham Yvonne Essay

Understand how to safeguard the well-being of children young people 1. 1- Outline the current legislation, guidelines, policies and procedures within own UK Home Nation affecting the safeguarding of children and young people- Children’s Act 1989 and 2004- If there are children that are being accommodated by the Local Authority, then this all comes under the Children Act 1989. There are six beliefs within the Children Act 1989: * The best place for children to be looked after is within their own homes. * The welfare of the child is the paramount consideration. Parents should continue to be involved with their children and any legal proceedings that may concern them, and that legal proceedings should be necessary in most instances. * The welfare of children should be promoted by partnership between the family and the Local Authority. * Children should not be removed from their family, or contact terminated, unless it is absolutely necessary to do so. * The child’s needs arising from race, culture, religion and language must be taken into account. http://www. devon. gov. uk- online 03-02-2012 The Children’s Act 1989 is a law that relates to children to provide for the local authority services that provide for children in need and others. The law is there to put in place of the respect of children’s homes, community homes, voluntary homes and voluntary organisations. Fostering, child minding, adoption and day care for young children is related to this law in a way that the Children’s Act 1989 helps in these areas. The Children’s Act 1989 introduced the concept of parental responsibility. This act aimed to ensure that children’s welfare was dominant, whilst working in partnership ith the parents/carers. It is there to strengthen the child’s legal position, to give the child legal rights, feelings and wishes. The Children’s Act 1989 was then updated to The Children’s Act 2004 to ensure that children’s lives are further improved, and gives the foundation of ‘Every Child Matters’. The Act was updated to 2004 because of the Victoria Climbie case in February 2000. As a result the 1989 act was not up to the standard it should have been, children were not looked out for in a way that should have been done by social workers and the local authority. In 1998 Victoria was seven years old when her mum sent her to live with her aunt as she thought it would be a better life for her daughter. In 1999 Victoria’s aunt meets a man called Carl Manning and they both move into his house from the hostel they were living in. Within days of moving into Manning’s house Victoria suffers abuse from the hands of Carl Manning. Soon after Victoria was sent to hospital, but was discharged from there as they believed that the injuries were self inflicted by Victoria herself, picking at scabs and sores. The doctor contacted child protection, and then later on cancelled a home visit because of the hearing on scabies on Victoria. Victoria’s aunt told child protection and the social services that she poured hot water on to herself, and was hurting herself. Carl Manning forced Victoria to sleep in a bin liner in the bath every night at his flat. In 2000 Victoria is rushed to the hospital again suffering from malnutrition and hypothermia. Doctor’s later transfer her to intensive care at another hospital, and on the 25th February 2000 Victoria was declared dead at 3:15 pm. Victoria’s body was examined and they found about 128 injuries and scars. The Children’s Act 1989 and 2004 link to child protection as the protection of children underpins different sections of the act. Within section 47 the local authority including different agencies like social workers, child protection and SENCO are able to look into and investigate if they feel there are concerns where a child has suffered or suffers from harm. Section 31 and 38 are where the local authority including social workers, child protection and other agencies are able to apply for interim care orders for the child to put the child at their best possible care as possible. Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006- Working together to safeguard children 2006 sets out how organisations and individuals should work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people in accordance with the Children’s Act 1989 and the Children’s Act 2004. It is important that all practitioners within settings and environments looking and caring after children and young people must know their responsibilities and duties in order to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people, following their legislations, policies and procedures. Every Child Matters- Every Child Matters was published in 2003 by the government because of the death of Victoria Climbie. There are five outcomes that are key to children and young people’s wellbeing, these are: * Be healthy. * Stay safe. * Enjoy and achieve. * Make a positive contribution. * Achieve economic well-being. The main focus areas are early intervention, a shared sense of responsibility, information sharing and integrated front line services. CRB’s- CRB stands for Criminal Records Bureau. The CRB check searches your details against criminal records and other sources including the Police National Computer. The check may reveal convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings. Anybody working with children and young people will have to have a CRB to ensure they are legible to work and be responsible for children and young people. If you are volunteering working with children or a student, you must still have a CRB check done on you to ensure you are not there to harm anyone or the children and young people. Vetting and barring scheme- The vetting and barring scheme was created to help safeguard children and vulnerable adults by introducing new measures including monitoring and registration requirements following the Bichard inquiry. Explain child protection within the wider concept of safeguarding children and young people- * Health and Safety policy- * Outings policy- * Risk assessments policy- * Safeguarding children policy- I will include and write this question when I get the information from my folder at college on Friday and will the send you the extra bit to this question during the half term. Sorry I will include and write this question when I get the information from my folder at college on Friday and will the send you the extra bit to this question during the half term. Analyse how national and local guidelines, policies and procedures for safeguarding affect day to day work with children and young people- There are many policies and procedures within the setting that cover the range of safeguarding children and young people, some of these policies are, Health and Safety policy, Outings policy and Safeguarding policy. These policies are put in place to ensure that all children and young people are cared for in the way they should be. The children and young people’s health and safety are important as well as safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children within the setting or environment. Social workers have to implement local procedures in working to together, for example, social care department includes South end, Essex and Thurrock, and these all have SET procedures which are how locally you implement procedures such as Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006. In all cases there will be a serious case review that is carried out to investigate as to how the serious case happened and how it can be changed next time. Serious case reviews have evidenced failures in safeguarding children, lack of professionals working together and children not being seen. As a result of this three serious cases have occurred of some years, these are, the Victoria Climbie case, Bichard case and the Baby P case. Changes in policies and procedures, and Working Together to Safeguard Children has been implemented to ensure that no other cases happen like this again or are at a slight chance of happening again as there have been new acts and procedures implemented to ensure this does not happen. Nurseries and environments have to ensure they have policies and procedures and training to protect and safeguard the children and young people to the best of their knowledge and to ensure they is no risk of any harm coming to a child or young person. 1. 4- Explain when and why inquiries and serious case reviews are required and how the sharing of the findings informs practice- Inquiries and serious case reviews can be carried out at many different times and for many different reasons as to what has occurred or what has been occurring. If there happens to be a serious case within the practice or setting then social workers and child protection have the duty to investigate under section 47 of the Children’s Act 1989. There would be a referral from the nursery or setting to social care and then social workers, child protection key workers and relevant assessment teams will get involved to investigate the case and when and how the inquiry has happened. The procedures for completing an investigation are followed under section 47 of the Children’s Act 1989 and 2004. 1. 5- Explain how the processes used by own work setting or service comply with legislation that covers data protection, information handling and sharing- The Data Protection Act 1998 came into force early in 1999 and covers how information and details about individuals including children and young people are kept. The Data Protection Act is required and all organisations, environments and settings must ensure that all information and details about the children and young people and their families are kept well out of the way filed away or locked away to ensure that no person apart from practitioners are able to have access or see the information. Within my setting every child has their own folder which contains all the information and details about them and their families, these folders are kept in each of he rooms on shelving units but are covered up by a sheet which is over them to cover them up. This ensures that no individual coming into the setting can visibly see them and so will not know they are there. All confidential information is also kept on the computer and in filing cabinets locked within the manager’s office. Parents and carers of the children are able to see the information and details if they want to, but have to ensure they ask a practitioner to get the folder of information for them to ensure that do not look at another child’s information by mistake. I will include and write about these two policies when I get them from my folder at college on Friday and will the send you the extra bit to this question during the half term. Sorry I will include and write about these two policies when I get them from my folder at college on Friday and will the send you the extra bit to this question during the half term.