The Effects of Standardized Tests on Education

Standardized tests have been debated and argued for as many years as they have existed. It is worthwhile to look at some of the arguments for both sides and find out if there can be some middle ground. Two important factors of standardized tests are the way the tests are administered and how the results are handled. These two issues may be more important than the tests themselves. There must be ways to have accountability in most areas of society. In schools, we need to know if teachers are teaching and if students are learning. There has to be some way to judge whether the system is working. Standardized tests can show students’ strengths and weaknesses. Ideally, teachers then develop strategies to address the needs of the student that the test has outlined. These tests can help predict selection at college, justification for scholarships, and selection for employment. They can document achievement, both for the student and the teacher. â€Å"The fundamental ideas behind the construction and use of tests are not beyond our understanding†. Says Andrew J. Strenio Jr.  These tests â€Å"certify that the examinee does have the requisite skills and competencies needed to graduate from high school programs, practice in an occupation or profession, or receive elevated status within a profession†. (Defending Standardized Testing; Phelps, Richard. We could not function in society without some basic standards and these standards need to be uniform throughout our society. Chauncey and Dobbin write in their book Testing: It’s Place in Education Today:â€Å"Every school and almost every teacher uses a test at some point in the process of planning instruction that will fit the student and his capacities†. Standardized testing is just a larger scale for comparison. It offers feedback to the student and the school system about where achievement is in certain areas. But it should not be the only criteria for what we consider success. There is a great deal of criticism of standardized tests. Making test scores public is a way to see them as indicators of school quality. This has increased their value 100% but not in a particularly good way. Officials use an assortment of bribes and threats to coerce everyone into concentrating on test results. If the scores are high, the bribes may include bonuses for teachers and schools. Students may receive food, tickets to theme parks or sporting events, exemptions from in-class final exams, and even scholarships. The threats include loss of funding or accreditation for schools, while students may be held back a year or denied a high school diploma if they don’t test well, regardless of their over-all academic record. All together, these tactics are known as ‘high stakes’ testing. There may not be data on this, but Alfie Kohn states â€Å"the people who work most closely with kids are the most likely to understand the limits of standardized tests. † He says that â€Å"support for testing seems to grow as you move away from the students, going from teacher to principal to central office administrator to school board member to state board member, state legislator, and governor. † 3 Standardized Minds by Peter Sacks talks about the unquestioned position of standardized testing which he terms â€Å"an unhealthy and enduring obsession†. He also writes about the cost of all this testing. â€Å"The amount Americans spend taking tests, preparing for tests, scoring tests, and running magnificently elaborate testing programs in schools, colleges and the workplace is stunning, probably running in the billions of dollars each year. It is possible that Americans may be taking as many as 600 million standardized tests annually, or more than two tests per year for every man, woman, and child in the United States. Unreasonable demands of ‘higher scores’ from schools has many negative results. Alfie Kohn says â€Å"Teachers are beginning to tire of the pressure, the skewed priorities, and the disrespectful treatment as they are forced to implement a curriculum largely determined by test manufacturers or state legislators. † A hostile environment develops as teachers feel the need to prove that low scores were not their fault. An unhealthy competition is set up between teachers. High-stakes testing has led to widespread cheating. Recently, Atlanta schools cheating scandal has been front page news. An article in Substance News by George N. Schmidt on Dec. 26, 2010 details the depth and breadth of the CRCT scandal. The article is part of series that has examined the statistically improbable gains in test scores in Atlanta schools and how school district officials responded to them. The money spent on this investigation could probably build a new school. The expectation of higher scores means teachers are more likely to â€Å"teach to the test’ and become drill sergeants. Other things like fine arts fall to the wayside as math and science are emphasized. From the book Standardized Minds: â€Å"Researchers have found consistently that one of the most damaging effects of large-scale, big-stakes standardized testing in schools has been to: (1) oversimplify what’s taught in school; and (2) to severely constrict what is taught to only those items most likely to appear on an upcoming standardized test. There is blame and consequence to cheating, whether it is outright erasures on tests or days of teaching the test. But it should help us to rethink the pressures on ‘high-stakes’ testing. Maybe the Atlanta cheating scandal can show us that our response to the test score is way out of line. School districts, schools, teachers, and students should not have to be tested under such extreme pressure. This threatening atmosphere makes cheating a likelihood. Grades and test scores don’t tell us what we really want to know about somebody. The Case Against Standardized Testing includes a list offered by educator Bill Ayers: â€Å"Standardized tests can’t measure initiative, creativity, imagination, conceptual thinking, curiosity, effort, irony, judgment, commitment, nuance, good will, ethical reflection, or a host of other valuable dispositions and attributes. What they can measure and count are isolated skills, specific facts and functions, the least interesting and least significant aspects of learning†. Maybe it is not a ‘bad test’ but how the results are handled. Daniel Koretz in Measuring Up talks about the limits of test scores. He says â€Å"What education leaders want is a fair, straight-forward measure of school performance, to be able to monitor schools and hold them accountable. The problem is that we tend to overestimate what tests can do. Tests are not designed to summarize all that students and schools can do†. By the same token Andrew Strenio states that â€Å"Standardized tests convey an illusion of much greater precision than they are actually capable of achieving†. Learning is a process and process is defined as movement, a series of actions or changes. That is what makes it hard to precisely measure. So maybe we should not pin so much on standardized tests. Instead, make them a component of the over-all measurement of quality achievement. Valerie Janesick states in The Assessment Debate that â€Å"Learning does not take place by sheer dumb chance or luck . It takes place by design†. She makes reference to Grant Wiggins saying â€Å"the goal is not instant reform or instant knowing but rather a continuous process that results in understanding†. Priscilla Vail states â€Å"Above all, parents, students, and educators must remember that a test only shows what one person did on one exercise on one day. A standardized test score is not a license to live or a measure of deserving oxygen and space on our planet. † The opportunity to demonstrate what you know can also be done with portfolio assessment, group or individual projects, and take-home exams. We should strive to create schools that help students flourish. We should also strive to hire administrators who can develop and implement new criteria for measuring achievement that could go along with the standardized tests.

Self Directed

Summary on Self-directed Learning and Culture: a study on Malay adult learners. This journal talks about the relationship between SDL and the learning culture focusing on the Malay adult learners. The element of culture plays an important role in adult learning and it has been noted that self-directed learning is the central concept in the study and practice of adult education.Self-directed learning is related to the learners’ culture, learning style personality traits motivation and readiness to accept responsibility and these characteristics emphasis on the individuality of the learners in any learning environment will come to consideration. The present study intends to investigate the influence of the Malay culture on self-directed learning among Malay adult learners which could bridge the gap between the Malay culture and self-directed learning by providing breakthrough into Malay adult learners.Thus add to the knowledge regarding adult learners, and also help to generate better understanding of the Malay adult learners and the influence culture has in their learning process. Developing self-directed learning readiness will help to escalate the process of becoming life-long learners among adult learners. Cultural influences on the different levels of self-directed learning readiness on Malay adult learners were discussed. Does culture have any influence on self-directed learning of the Malay adult learners? Does culture have any impact on the self-directed learning of the Malay adult learners?Self-directed learning is part and parcel of the psychological and social development of adulthood. Self-directed learners are said to demonstrate greater awareness of their responsibility in making learning meaningful and monitoring them, thus making them more effective learners and social beings. Self-directed learning is an approach where learners are motivated to assume personal responsibility and collaborative control of the cognitive and contextual process in constructing meaningful and worthwhile learning outcomes.One of the findings indicated that self directed learning readiness appears to be positively associated with work experience and postulated that this could be due to the fact that respondents have learned to become more self-directed as they accumulate work experience. A study on the relationship between personality traits and self directed learning of undergraduates indicated that there is a positive and strong correlation between personality traits and self-directed learning. Finally, the findings from the study have indicated that culture has a role in the self-directed learning readiness of adult learners.

Hospitality Management Major-Dining Room Operation Class-Memo 3 Essay

Hospitality Management Major-Dining Room Operation Class-Memo 3 - Essay Example One gets ready to attend to the guests and to serve their needs in a customized fashion. This calls for one to understand their guests and to comprehend what their needs are (Holmes, 12). The second part is the attribute of effecting merchandising. This is where one takes the order of the meals. One gets to interact with the guests and get what their orders of the day or the time are. What it is they feel like having at that point in time. The third part of a meal is the action of practically getting to serve the meal. This comes upon getting what the guests would like to have and hence it is done in a fashion that is befitting the desires of the guests at the point in time (Hall, and Schulz, 43). â€Å"Having the chef explain particular items is a good way for the service person to learn the menu† (Strianese and Strianese, 161). The service person needs to be at the beck and call of the guests and hence needs to master the menu. â€Å"Guests often inquire about terms on the menu† (Strianese and Strianese, 164). Finally the last part is getting to present the check to the gusts. This is where they get the breakdown of what the fiscal implications of their service was and they are required to foot their bill before making their

Organization Analysis Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Organization Analysis Paper - Essay Example This item comprises the personnel expenses and other costs of administration, as well as the cost of external services that are not allocated internally to other functions" (Nivea Home Page 2008). a. Policy making and allocation of financial resources are determined with much thought to the broader vision of the community and its needs. Nivea strategic planning is an effective link between a number of traditional planning processes and budgeting. Similar to other cosmetics companies, Nivea has a comprehensive plan focusing on a ten- to fifteen-year horizon and emphasizing the development of the company. Budget processes tend to allocate resources on a basis of one to three years (Kemp and Dunbar 2003). Capital improvement plans tend to focus on five-year time frames. A strategic plan, like any planning process, describes future action but is not time-dependent. Some strategic issues are critical today and must be dealt with immediately (Rachlin, 1998). Strategic planning and budgeting reflect mission statement of the company and its strategic goals. The consumer business strategy is determined as "passion for success" (Nivea Home Page 2008). In order to fulfill its promises, Nivea relies on superior brand, superior supply chain, has clear Geographical Focus and superior talent in Lean Organization. Nivea's mission formulation determines the competitive arena in which an organization operates, how resources are to be allocated, and the appropriate size of the organization. Mission also focuses the direction of the organization and helps determine its driving forces (Rachlin, 1998). The mission statement defines the overall organizational purpose and driving force(s). It should be developed by top management and, if formulated correctly, it can have surprising consequences for later strategies. "We want to continuously increase our world market share. We will achieve this by consistent growth from within and by targeted acquisitions in line with our strategy" (Nivea Home Page 2009). The role of the senior financial officer is to ensure effective allocation of resources and financial spending. For instance, in 2004 budget department changed its mission from "controlling financial expectations" to "achieving excellence in financial and budgetary management." Respect for the organization increased dramatically and employee morale skyrocketed. Missions like these provide a statement to insiders and outsiders about what the organization stands for--its image, values, and character. For Nivea, strategy is the framework which guides those choices that determine the nature and direction of an organization. Thus, without careful budgeting planning the company would not be able to expend and invest in other activities (Garrison et al 2004). Tactical goals are the heart of budgeting. It is the process that answers the "what" questions that an organization must answer in order to carry out its mission (Kemp and Dunbar 2003). Strategy development seems to be the most difficu lt part of the budgeting planning process to accomplish in the cosmetic sector. Much budgeting strategy development is aimed at combating efforts or anticipated movements of competitors. The role and task of the financial officer is to control and manage financial spending and investments in accordance with goals and strategies

Strategic Groups Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Strategic Groups - Essay Example This paper aims at discussing the rivalry that strategic groups face and how they aim at neutralizing the competition. The paper discusses the rivalry between Google Incorporation and other rivalry groups that offer similar services and products. Google and Microsoft have been on market command wars while Samsung and Apple have also been battling it on the mobile phone productions. Google in particular has several strategic advantages that have enabled it to emerge the strongest internet provider in the world. Google has been able to employ strategies such as product and service diversity that has provides the company with greater sales. Google also possess one of the largest geographic coverage in the world. In addition to this, Google has several numbers of market segments that it is serving. Apart from internet production, the company also provides image and graphic production software. The company also provides mobile phone applications in addition to mobile phone production. The company also enjoys good distribution channels that provide it with the best strategic advantages. The extent at which Google brands its product cannot be compared to other rival companies. This is because the company is bale to brand and market its products cheaply and efficiently through the internet that the company owns. The degree of vertical market integration in Google Company is also very efficient. Product and pricing policies for the company has also been superb enabling the company to enjoy wider markets and retain most of their loyal companies (Porter, 1980). On the other hand, Microsoft Incorporation enjoys the best PC software producer in the World. It is estimated that almost 90% of the PC’s in the world uses Microsoft Software. Analysts argue that without Microsoft, Google would find no base for their supplies since the internet utilizes Microsoft applications in computers. Yahoo Incorporation is also another strategic group of company that offers similar ser vices like Google. The rivalry has led to the attempt of Google trying to purchase Yahoo. Background Information and Strategic Benefits Larry Page and Sergey Brin studied at Stanford University and own 16% of the total company’s shares formed Google Inc. they are the founders of Google Inc. The company came into existence in 1998 as a private company but later went public in 2004 when the company invited other shareholders into the company. The two friends invited their fellow student Craig Silverstein who also studied computer science as their first employee. The company runs on a vision of organizing all the information in the world and making it readily available for all the users in the world. The company also runs on a slogan â€Å"don’t be evil† which has helped it in its growth (Why is Google so great 2007). The Company’s history dates back in 1998 when Larry and Sergey decided to upgrade Backrub a search engine that was operating on Stanford sever s for almost more than one year. The two friends decided to change the name from Backrub to Google which is a mathematical term that is used in referring 1 then the digit is followed by 100 zero digits. Their decision to land on the term was later used in forming the vision. The number of zeros signifies infinity, which means looking for all the world information, which is almost impossible. The same year the company received a donation of $100,000 from Andy Bechtolsheim who is now the co-founder of the company. In December, the same year the company was recognized as one of the best 100 websites in the world and it had an efficient way of providing feedback to its users. In 1999, the company improved its employees to eight and therefore had to shift into a larger working place. The following year

Ecological crisis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ecological crisis - Research Paper Example countries have on the other hand been transferring multinational companies to these countries because of the availability of cheap labor and resources (Dean 2005). This paper therefore will discuss the environmental crisis of Capital vs. Nature appropriation facing Latin America. This will be important in coming up with the possible solutions to the crisis. The history of environmental crisis facing Latin America dates back to the days that economy of United States became developed. United States enacted different laws that were aimed at guarding its natural resources from exploitation by multinational companies. As a result, multinational companies were forced to look for countries where laws were friendly to their activities. At that time, Latin America was facing political upheavals therefore; the countries had no stable laws. This saw mass investment being taken to these countries (Catro 1997). With economies of countries such as Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and Columbia growing tremendously the previous companies and other mushrooming companies have put a strain on natural resources while at the same time the these countries are in need of capital and labor to sustain the growing population (Roberts 2003) Currently, little has been done to reverse the condition with the impact of degradation of the environment in these countries affecting the whole world. Different summits have been held in these countries with the latest being the UN summit on environmental protection (Rio+20) which was held in Brazil. I believe that the solution to this crisis can be achieved by these countries themselves. These countries need to enforce laws that will force the companies to comply with the set measures aimed at improving the environment. In addition, more campaigns need to be conducted in order to sensitize the general public on the importance of taking the appropriate measures in protecting the environment (Dià ¡z 2005). In addition, this region needs to set up a specific

Death March Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Death March Project - Essay Example However, most commonly seen results of high level risk evaluation are a blend of the risks and constraints (Pearson Higher Education). Some of the common causes of Death March projects are politics, politics, and politics. Though, the majority of software developers and programmers guarantee that they would not intervene in politics, fairly for the reason that they have learned that they are not extremely good at playing political games, however as well for the reason that they believe that all about politics is revolting. Unfortunately, avoiding politics is also not easy for software developers. In fact, the moment two or more people contribute in various joint corporate activities, politics is involved. However, when politics turns out to be the leading â€Å"driving force† in a huge and complicated project, the project is probable to worsen into a death march (Pearson Higher Education; Yourdon, 1997). Basically, the Death March project is one for which the budget, schedule, staff, or property is 50 to 100 % less than what they should be. Here comes a question in our mind, why are these limitations being placed on the same operational and working project? Though, there are numerous potential clarifications for this question; however in many cases, the response is just â€Å"politics.† It can be a controlled struggle between two determined vice presidents or directors in our business, or the project can have been established to fail as a form of payback upon a number of managers who paced on the wrong goes at the incorrect time. Simply, the causes can be infinite (Pearson Higher Education; Yourdon, 1997). In addition, there is only a small possibility that we will get the politicians to confess what is going on; though, if someone is a technical staff associate, it is not difficult to ask our project manager whether the whole Death March project is a political pretense. Despite the fact that if project team members are not involved in politics, a s well as even if they think they are a political novice, they should listen cautiously to the answer of their manager provides to them. Though, they are not stupid, as well as the project is not that inexperienced. If they have a 6th sense that there is a number of ugly politics dominating the whole project, probabilities are that they are right; and if they direct supervisor gives an immature, vague, or carefully unconvincing answer to their queries, they should draw their own endings. It can be considered in another scenario, for instance if our project sounds similar to something straight out of a â€Å"Dilbert† cartoon, probabilities are that it will be the type of Death March project in which no rational person would desire to be concerned (Pearson Higher Education; Yourdon, 2004; RATZBURG, 2010). I have outlined below some of the useful steps that can be taken to make sure that we stay healthy and happy while completing our project: If the development project is very m uch significant, then it is value taking the time to complete it fine. Without doubt project teams want to finish things as rapidly as probable, however implementing an impractical deadline does not make sure that their project gets the notice it justify (Yourdon, 1997; Wright, 2010; Egeland, 2012). In addition, we need to

St.Regis Doha 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

St.Regis Doha 2 - Essay Example It offers butler service to every client that books a stay at the hotel in a bid to ensure maximum customized service to each client. They achieved this through creation of St. Regis Butler Service. The Butlers wait on the guests throughout the entire stay. They serve all sorts of beverages at guest’s convenience. Guests have varied service choices from wake-up calls with breakfast, daily newspaper services and basic housekeeping services. Guests in Superior Rooms, Grand Deluxe Rooms and Junior Suites receive complimentary coffee and tea on arrival. Guests in any Suite type receive complimentary coffee and tea throughout the stay. The Butlers unpack for guests as they relax or pack for them as they leave. They also offer free garment pressing and folding of two items a day. Additional items are charged (St. Regis, 2011). Apart from butlers, the establishment employs professional chefs for various dish cultures, waiters, and security men, cleaning staffs, management and other m aintenance labor. They obtain their supplies locally or from the international market. Marketing is mostly through advertisements and participation in local and global activities (Scott, 2013). The hotel targets clients visiting for leisure and business purposes. It has 4,000 square meters of conference and meeting space, a number of restaurants, lounges and bars. The restaurants include Gordon Ramsey, a famous collection of restaurants at St. Regis Doha with different rooms having completely different but beautifully unique breathtaking decorations. The hotel offers Remedy Spa, private treatment services that have 22 rooms set aside for the purpose. The hotel price different packages differently. Each package has its own customized services but is flexible as well (St. Regis, 2011). Qatar witnesses great inflow of tourists throughout the year. Tourism in Qatar is on a steady growth rate since 2010. According to Qatar Tourism Authority report on (2013), years 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 experienced a constant 12 percent tourist’s increase. Fiscal Q.1 2013 indicates figures slightly below 11 percent but fiscal year is not yet over. Qatar authorities made it clear in the recent past that their target market is high-income earners and not low or mid-income tourists. Therefore, they focus on business travel and high luxury retreats. Despite this discriminatory approach, tourists flock the State at an increasing rate. However, the income ranges of the tourists are not known. Between 2010 and 2013, 10% more visitors came from around the globe rather than from around the region. The report also indicates that hotel sector at Qatar is growing at a high rate. Currently, 110 hotels are under construction, which upon completion will increase the total capacity of hotels from 13,407 rooms to 19,931 rooms (QTA, 2013). Table four: Porter’s five forces analysis of St. Regis Doha Strategic scope The increasing growth of tourists ensures a steady market for St. Regis Doha-both business visitors and luxury seekers. Strategic strength The facility has a number of advantages that strengthen its operations and service provision. They include 336 guest rooms, 58 suites, a collection of restaurants, lounges and bars, butler services and scenic attractions. New entrants threat Qatar is a dynamically growing economic region. Expanded business options attract more people to the region leading to increased hotel industry

Chapter 8 Unemployment Taxes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Chapter 8 Unemployment Taxes - Essay Example Fines and interests are common but they can be avoided by depositing the taxes when due, filing the 940 forms accurately and within the stipulated time and finally by ensuring that the checks issued during tax payments are valid. State Unemployment Tax (SUTA) is not deducted from the employee’s wages in most of the states. They are usually paid by the employers. They are paid on top of federal unemployment taxes owed by the employer. Most employers who pay state unemployment tax are required to pay Federal Unemployment tax that is included in Form 940. It is deemed to be late by the federal government if submitted later than January 31 of the subsequent year. A state is said to be in a state of credit reduction if it has borrowed funds from the US federal government to help run the development activities but able to pay back the loan by the agreed time frame. Some states allow a voluntary contribution to reduce the state unemployment tax rate. Explain how this works and what does it accomplishes for the employer. How many states have this provision? Is it always a savings? Why or why not? Do Missouri and Illinois allow voluntary contributions? Voluntary contribution is an alternative practiced by employers in an attempt to reduce their tax rate and maintain them low. They opt to voluntarily pay some or all of the benefits paid to former employees instead of paying them through an increased unemployment tax rate. It is practiced in 23 states in the US. Partial benefit payment is a departmental term that is used to describe unemployment composition of less than the weekly amount of benefit that is paid to the claimant. Its sole purpose is to ensure that former employees still get some pay from their employers even after their employment has been terminated. The payments are made when the individual participates in odd jobs or subsidiary work that is not equal to the usual

Experiment 4 Rdr - Chemical Equilibrium Essay Example for Free

Experiment 4 Rdr Chemical Equilibrium Essay Iron-Silver Equilibrium In the first phase of the experiment, iron sulfate was mixed with silver nitrate, and the reaction produced solid silver and iron nitrate, which is formally written as, Fe2+ (aq) + Ag+ (aq) ⇄ Ag (s) + Fe3+ (aq) The mixture was then placed in a centrifuge in order for the solid silver to settle and separate from the supernate. The supernate was then tested for the presence of Fe2+, Fe3+ and Ag+ by placing K3Fe(CN)6, KSCN and HCl to 3 separate samples of the supernate. The result of the tests was as follows: 1.Addition of K3Fe(CN)6 After K3Fe(CN)6 was added to the supernate, a Prussian blue precipitate was formed, more formally written as, Fe2+ (aq) + Fe(CN)63- (aq) + K+ (aq) → K∙Fe2(CN)6 (s) This reaction thus proves that the supernate contains Fe2+. 2.Addition of KSCN After KSCN was added to the supernate, a blood red complex was formed, more formally written as, Fe3+ (aq) + SCN- (aq) → FeSCN2+ (aq) This reaction thus proves that the supernate contains Fe3+. 3.Addition of HCl The last test was the addition of HCl to the supernate. This produced a white precipitate, which we can formally write as, Ag+ (aq) + Cl- (aq) → AgCl (s) This reaction thus proves that the supernate conatins Ag+. The 3 tests showed that all 3 ions were present in the supernate. This goes to show that the reaction between iron sulfate and silver nitrate was in a state of equilibrium since both the ions in the product and reactant side were present, meaning to say that the forward and reverse reactions were proceeding at the same rate. Furthermore, the range of the equilibrium constant (Keq) for the reaction of iron sulfate and silver nitrate is from 10-10 to 1010 [1]. Copper-Ammonia Equilibrium The second phase of the experiment dealt with the reaction between copper sulfate and ammonia, more formally written as, CuSO4 (aq) + 2 NH4OH (aq) → Cu(OH)2 (aq) + (NH4)2SO4 (aq) The pale blue precipitate formed at the beginning of the reaction of copper sulfate and ammonia was the Cu(OH)2. From the pale blue color, it turned into a deep cerulean blue when 11 drops of ammonia was added. The solution then went back to the pale blue color after 4 drops of hydrochloric acid was added. The addition of hydrochloric acid added more H+ ions to the solution; therefore, drawing the equilibrium back to the reactant side. This equilibrium reaction is formally stated as, [Cu(H2O)6]2+ (aq) + 4 NH3 (aq) ⇄ [Cu(NH3)6]2+ (aq) + H2O (l) As observed, it took almost 3 times the number of drops of ammonia to change the pale blue color to a deep cerulean blue as compared to the number of drops of hydrochloric acid that changed the deep cerulean blue back to pale blue. This means that the reverse reaction was more spontaneous than the forward reaction. Chromate-Dichromate Equilibrium In the third phase of the experiment, the chromate and dichromate solutions were observed. Chromate had a yellow color, while dichromate had an orange color. When sulfuric acid was added to a sample of chromate and dichromate solutions, the yellow chromate solution turned orange, while the dichromate solution remained orange. The equation for the chromate’s change in color is as follows, 2 CrO42- (aq) + 2 H+ (aq) → H2O (l) + Cr2O7- (aq) When sodium hydroxide was added to a sample of chromate and dichromate, the chromate solution remained yellow, while the orange dichromate solution turned yellow, formally written as, 2 OH- (aq) + Cr2O7- (aq) → 2 CrO42- (aq) + H2O (l) The change in color of chromate as hydrochloric acid was added and the change in color of dichromate as sodium hydroxide was added was due to the instability of the reactions, causing a shift in the equilibrium. The acid H2SO4 (sulfuric acid) was used in the reaction since it’s a strong acid, and strong acids dissociate more. The added H+ ions increase the concentration, therefore, shifting the equilibrium. Based on the observations made, it could be said that the dichromate solution is stable under acidic conditions, while the chromate solution is stable under basic conditions. Iron-Thiocyanate Equilibrium In the fourth phase of the experiment, iron trichloride was reacted to thiocyanate giving way to this reaction, [Fe(H2O)6]2+ (aq) + SCN- (aq) ⇄ [Fe(SCN)(H2O)5]2+ (aq) + H2O (l) The reaction produced a light orange solution, which was then tested to determine to which direction the equilibrium shifted when Fe3+, SCN- and NaCl were added. The result of the tests was as follows: 1.Addition of Fe3+ After FeCl3 was added to a sample of the solution, the light orange color of the solution became a darker shade of orange, which could be said to show a shift to the right. 2.Addition of SCN- After KSCN- was added to a sample of the solution, the shade of orange of the solution was lighter than the solution when FeCl3 was added, but darker than the original light orange color. It could then be said that the equilibrium shifted to the right. 3.Addition of NaCl Lastly, NaCl was added to a sample of the solution. It was observed that the resulting solution had a lighter shade of orange than that of the original. With this, it could be said that the equilibrium shifted to the left. The shift to the left of the equilibrium was brought about by the reaction of Cl- (from NaCl) with Fe(SCN)3. Cobalt-Cobalt Chloride Equilibrium The last and final phase of the experiment was on the reaction of cobalt dichloride and hydrochloric acid which could be formally written as, [Co(H2O)6]2+(aq) + 4Cl- (aq) ⇄ [Co(Cl)4]2-(aq) + 6H2O(l) The first part of this phase reacted cobalt dichloride with hydrochloric acid. The pink color of the cobalt dichloride (Co2+) turned blue (CoCl42-) when hydrochloric acid was added. In the second part of this phase, the test tube containing cobalt dichloride was immersed in a boiling water bath. The pink color of the solution turned blue when the temperature increased. With this, it could be said that the equilibrium shifted to the right upon heating. When the temperature is increased at constant pressure, an exothermic reaction would proceed backward or shift to the left. In this case, the increase in temperature made the equilibrium shift to the right; therefore, the reaction is said to be endothermic. CONCLUSION The experiment basically could be summarized into the 5 different equilibrium states. First, the iron-silver equilibrium states that reactants and products could indeed co-exist in a system. Second, the copper-ammonia equilibrium states that certain chemicals could affect the state of equilibrium of a system. Third, the chromate-dichromate equilibrium states that increasing the acidity or basicity of the solution could either move the equilibrium forward or backward. Fourth, the iron-thiocyanate equilibrium states that â€Å"An increase in the concentration of the reactant or a decrease in the concentration of the product shifts the direction of the reaction towards the production of more products to return to the equilibrium position. On the contrary, a decrease in the concentration of the reactants or an increase in the concentration of the product shifts the equilibrium position towards the production of more reactants.† [3] Lastly, the cobalt-cobalt chloride equilibrium states that an increase in temperature in an endothermic reaction favors product formation, therefore shifting the equilibrium to the right. On the contrary, increasing the temperature in an exothermic reaction favors reactant formation causing a shift to the left. RECOMMENDATIONS The methods and procedures done in the experiment are sufficient to obtain the data and results needed. No further recommendation is needed. REFERENCES [1] Petrucci, Ralph et.al. General Chemistry: Principles and Modern Applications, 10th ed.; Pearson Canada: Toronto, Ontario, 2010. [2] Padolina, Ma. Cristina et.al. Conceptual and Functional Chemistry: Modular Approach, Vibal Publishing House, Inc.: Araneta, Quezon City, 2004. [3] Chemical Equilibrium. [Online]. http://www.scribd.com/doc/30015115/Expt-9-Chemical-Equilibrium (accessed last January 15, 2013)

Effectiveness of Auditing in Corporate Business

Effectiveness of Auditing in Corporate Business UK Auditing Introduction The UK auditing and accounting market is one of the largest in the world with over 432 accountants per hundred thousand of population (Saudagaran, 2003, p.10), many of whom are employed in auditing firms. This paper will concentrate upon one aspect of the accountants role in corporate business, namely that of auditors. The author’s intention is to discuss and evaluate various aspects of the auditing market and duties with a view to reaching a conclusion regarding the effectiveness and efficiency of their role in the commercial market. Audit Market Over the past few decades the United Kingdom audit market has seen a significant level of consolidation from a previous position of eight competitors. The industry nationally, now worth in excess of  £2.4 billion per annum, is presently dominated by four firms, which are Price Waterhouse Cooper, Ernst and Young, KMPG and Deloitte Touchà ©. Between them, these firms prepare the audits for over ninety percent of UK listed companies, including all but ten of the FTSE[1] corporations. Below this level, there is a secondary tier of between nine and fifteen auditing firms. The big four dominance of the auditing marketplace presents serious problems for other firms who wish to enter the market. Primarily there would be the difficulty of cost together with the return on their investment into such a move. For example the largest auditing firm outside of the â€Å"big four,† has a revenue level, which is less than half that of the smallest big four firm, Ernst and Young. Add to this the economical factors of entrance and risk involved with competing against the dominance of the big four and it is not difficult to understand the reluctance of other firms to challenge the present positions (Discussion Paper, 2006). In addition to the challenges new firms would face from present organisations, they would also be faced with having to address the current perceptions of the firms needing auditors. The situation is that most of the FTSE corporations perceive that, outside of the â€Å"big four,† other firms would not have the experience, resources or ability to manage their auditing requirements. In addition, concerns regarding quality would also be one of the major problems that would need to be addressed. From the viewpoint of the regulators and the clients, there are concerns with regard to the low numbers of auditing practices that exist at the top end of the markets. Not only is there fear that further consolidation will reduce choice even further, but many corporate audit committee chairman believe that the present structure itself allows for insufficient choice. This is particularly true considering the fact that auditing firms cannot offer any other services to their clients, such as consultancy. The other area of the contraction of the audit market that causes worry to corporate managers and shareholders is the high increase in audit fees that has been seen during recent years as increasing corporate governance demands are implemented. Despite the concerns regarding auditor choice, in the main confidence in financial statements in the UK remains at a very high level with investors. In a conducted survey in 2004 (Virdi, 2004) over 86% of fund managers, one of the main sources of corporate funding and investment were satisfied with the standard of financial statements, and over 87% had a fair to great deal of confidence in the auditing process. The Audit Inspection Unit (Public Report, 2006) also seemed to be relatively satisfied with the present quality levels of audits being carried out. In general, whilst there is a reasonable level of satisfaction with current audit levels, the concerns regarding choice of auditors and the inherent problems of further consolidation within the industry will need to be addressed. In particular, there is a need to avoid the â€Å"big† firms achieving a monopolistic status. Audit Regulations Before 1980 and the Companies Act 1985, corporate auditors were required to be members of the four recognised accounting institutes of the UK. At that time, the industry operated on a self-regulatory basis, monitoring its own members (Gray and Manson, 2004, ch.4). This position was not seen as satisfactory as the potential for conflict of interest existed. In an attempt to address the conflict problem the European Union (EU) issued new rules, embodied in its 8th directive, which required governments to closely monitor auditors. Subsequent to the 8th directive from the EU and the Companies Act 1985, auditors needed to obtain licences to practice from a Recognised Supervisory Body (RSB). In the early 1990’s the government also set up the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) in a move to improve auditing reporting standards. However, as the main accounting institute’s applications to become RSB’s were accepted, ultimate control and inspection of auditors still at that time remained in the hands of the professions. Therefore, although the RSB have the power to withdraw or suspend licences, ultimately the decision still rested with the institutes. Whilst in some areas this was considered an appropriate way to address industry regulation, many felt that it still did not address the issue of conflict of interest. Because of this continuing disquiet, in the late 1990’s an independent body known as the Accounting Foundation was set up to take over some of the RSB’s responsibilities, specifically those of auditing practices. It was the problems associated with the Enron disaster (Matt Krantz, 2001), which prompted the most significant change in the UK auditing regulatory hierarchy. Resulting from this situation, much of the monitoring and regulation of auditors was transferred to the FRC[2], which was generally well respected and considered to have the independence that satisfy financial institutions and corporate shareholder concerns. This included the Auditing Practices Board. The FRC is also responsible for ethical guidance and auditing standard guidelines. Several bodies have been set up by the FRC to oversee, monitor and investigate all areas of the auditing profession. These include the Professional Oversight Board and Audit Inspection Unit, which have taken over responsibility for monitoring the RSB’s from the DTI. These units oversee and investigate audit firm actions and decision made throughout the audit process. The Accountancy Investigation and Discipline Board are also under the responsibility of the FRC. Whilst this unit can investigate cases referred from the RSB’s and the accounting institutes, it also has the power to launch independent investigations where the need arises. Therefore, whilst the RSB’s still control large areas of the auditing structure, such as inspection and investigation, their actions are accountable to the FRC. Although responsibility for monitoring, standards and investigation routines have moved away from the institutes, there are still those who are uncomfortable with the level of government involvement in the auditing industry, and these call for more state control. There is some merit in this view, particularly in view of the dominance of the â€Å"big four† members on the institute committees. A recent KMPG report (Copnell 2006), confirms that shareholders are seeking much more transparency regarding issues such as qualification, suitability and compliance of the external auditors. Ethics and Auditing One of the issues that have received most attention with regard to auditing is that of ethics (Gray and Manson, 2004). The behaviour and veracity of auditors has come under scrutiny over the last two decades. The objectivity and freedom from influence of auditors has become a major issue of shareholder concern globally, as University of Aukland (Cheung and Hay 2004) research confirms, and the UK is not an exception. Confidentiality, promotion and new appointment procedures are other areas where auditors and expected to act in an ethical manner. Historically, the difficulty was that there were no guidelines, monitoring or investigation procedures relating to ethical issues. Before 1989, the institutes own guides on ethical matters were seen to be inadequate. Post 1989, the RSB system made ethical compliance a regulatory part of the institute’s monitoring processes. However, this did not alter the control or investigative procedures for ethics. Following government reviews in the early years of the new millennium, and the transfer of the APB and to the FRC, responsibility on major ethical issues, such as integrity, objectivity and independence became more independent, although other ethical issues remained the province of the institutes. In addition, major investigation and complaint cases, particularly those considered to be of â€Å"public interest,† became the responsibility of the newly created Investigation and Discipline Board. To further address the ethical issues, the ASB produced guidelines (2004). These included five major statements and one for small entities. The first of these statements outlines the compliance requirements and the identification of threats to the ethics of audits that may exist. It further outlines the safeguards that should be implemented by audit firms to avoid such threats, including the review of the audit by an independent partner in the firm and the compliance with corporate governance rules and regulations. The second ethical statement deals with the relationship between the auditors and their clients. Within this statement, the ASB covers such items as financial relationship between the parties as well as issues that might arise from personal relationships, for example family connections or the employment on audit by the auditing firms of an employee of the client being audited. Whilst this statement allows auditors to employ experts for opinion purposes during the audit, it does stress that such experts must be independent. Therefore, this precludes an auditing firm from using the consultancy arm of its own firm. Statement three deals with the length of association with an audit. Whilst it does not call for regular changes in the audit firm itself, this statement does make provision for the terms of service of audit team partners and members who are conducting the audit, such terms being stated not to exceed five or seven years depending upon the position of the team member. The fourth statement concentrates upon fees, litigation, gifts and hospitality. With regard to fees, the statement stresses that these should be time and skill based and not determined by any other factor. Similarly, it dictates that the level of fees should not affect the intention to allocate adequate resources to the audit work. The statement further states that audit firms should not accept appointment in any cases where their firm, whether it is the auditing department or not, is involved in litigation with the client. Finally, the acceptance of gifts and hospitality is declared unacceptable unless â€Å"its value i s insignificant.† The fifth and final ethical statement deals with the issue of the provision of non-audit services to an audit client. It addresses how these pose a threat to the audit and what measures are needed to safeguard the audit firm from the perception that such a threat my have on their independence as viewed by others. Following on from the Enron disaster, where it was considered that the auditors had lost independence and integrity, there was an international effort to restore public confidence in the auditing industry by introducing a range of regulations and rules. In the US, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (2002)[3] was introduced, which aggressively restricted auditors from providing other services to clients and made rotation of key staff mandatory. In the UK, the Combined Code[4] was used for similar purposes, incorporating many of the aspects and demands of the Ethical Statements. In the UK, whilst the government has set up independent regulatory bodies such as the FRC to deal with a range of ethical issues, including setting standards, monitoring and investigation into compliance, there is still little statutory requirement. Although the institutes themselves may feel that the ethical structure is too extensive and stringent, there are those who hold the opposite view. However, it is apparent that ethics and integrity are of major importance when it comes to protecting the business stakeholders, including shareholders and creditors. Incidences such as Enron have clearly shown that to leave the monitoring of such areas solely within the control of the profession does not provide the degree of protection required by other stakeholders and that this can only be achieved by independent external bodies. Legal Actions against Auditors Litigation against UK auditors is a complex area. In essence, any proposed litigation will be dealt with under civil law, in particular the law of contract, where there is breach of a contract between the auditor and the client, or tort law, where there is a claim for negligence made by a third party, such as banks and shareholders (Gray and Manson, 2004). The outcome of most disputes of this nature is normally based upon previous case law. The most prevalent cases against auditors tend to occur following client insolvencies, after takeovers and mergers and in incidences of fraud. From the plaintiff’s (claimants) aspect and for their case to succeed, they have to prove that it was reasonable to expect that the auditor owed them a duty of care and that, as a result of sub-standard work or negligence on the part of the auditor, they have suffered a loss. In terms of auditors, perhaps the most defining case in terms of the above issues is that of Caparo case[5]. In this case, the auditors had given an unqualified certificate to a corporation, which the plaintiff relied upon when making a takeover. It was subsequently revealed that the profits had been overstated. Thus, the plaintiff sued for breach of contract and negligence in tort. In settling the case is was adjudged that in the matter of contract the auditor’s responsibility, as defined in the Companies Act, was to the company as a separate entity, not individual shareholders. With regard to the question of negligence it was held that the condition of â€Å"proximity,† or relationship between the auditor and Caparo, a core issue when deciding whether negligence has occurred, was not sufficient. It was stated that the auditor could not have reasonably expected the plaintiff to have relied upon their statements for actions they took, and therefore could not be held to be negligent. This approach and definition has been held in most subsequent cases. However, in 2002, a case between Royal Bank of Scotland and Bannerman Johnson Maclay appeared to change the position in Scottish Law (Glyn Barber 2002), although this does not apply to the English courts. Here the auditors were found guilty of negligence to a third party. To address the potential for claims, one of the conditions imposed by the RSB was that auditors must have professional indemnity insurance. Whilst most insurance companies sought to settle potential claims out of court, it did lead to continual premium increases. This, joined with the fact that the structure of auditing firms meant individual partners faced the prospect of losing all personal assets, led to increasing concern in the industry. To address these, and mitigate the fear they might lead to further industry consolidation, the Companies Act 1989 allowed audit firms to become limited liability companies. Auditor protection was further enhanced in the Companies Act 2006[6], by allowing them to reach agreement with shareholders to cap their contractual liability. From the foregoing it is obvious that not only is it extremely difficult to succeed in a liability case against an auditing firm, but that the industry generally has been very effectual in creating greater levels of protection for their firms and individual employees in recent decades, although as a recent article (Lawsuits threaten US audit firms, 2006), shows, the threat has not been totally eliminated. However, other stakeholders are not satisfied with this position but it seems that, unless direct fraud or illegal acts can be proven, there is little chance of challenging audit firms providing their audits have been performed within the confines of the regulations and rules that have been imposed upon them by their institutes and the independent monitoring bodies, such as those within the Financial Reporting Council. Conclusion Over the past three decades or so, it can be seen that there have been substantial changes made within the auditing industry. Whilst there has been improvement, both regulatory and statutory, in the conduct and standards of audit work, there are still areas that need to be further examined. Firstly, although the consensus is that standards are satisfactory, concerns over independence and transparency of reporting remain. Secondly, the concentration of major corporate audits into the â€Å"big four† firms does raise issues. These include the fear of consolidation, lack of competitive fees and difficulties in changing audit firms, as well as the problem of choosing firms for non-audit financial, accountancy and consulting work. Lastly, the issue of litigation and the audit firm’s ability to create protection against such action has caused some distrust. A possible solution to some of these issues couple is to ensure that any further mergers are referred to the monopolies commission and, from an independence viewpoint, to look at the feasibility of de-merging the auditing arms of the firms from their other services. References ASB Ethical Guidance (2004). Retrieved 5 January 2007 from http://www.frc.org.uk/apb/publications/ethical.cfm Barber, Glyn (2002). Can you still bank on an Audit. Accountancy Age, UK. Cheung, Jeff and Hay, David. (2004) Auditor Independence: The Voice of Shareholders. Business Review. Volume 6, issue 2. University of Aukland. Copnell, Timothy (Director) (2006). Shareholders’ Questions 2006. Audit Committee Institute KPMG LLP. UK. Discussion Paper (2006). Choice in the UK Audit Market. Financial Reporting Council. Retrieved 6 January 2007 from http://www.frc.org.uk/images/uploaded/documents/Choice%20in%20the%20UK%20Audit%20Market%20Discussion%20Paper4.pdf Gray, Iain and Manson, Stuart (2004). The Audit Process: Principles, Practice and Cases. Third edition. Thomson Learning. Krantz, Matt (2001). Accounting rule for energy companies eyed. USA Today. 3 December 2001. Lawsuit threaten US audit firms (2006). Accountancy Age. 18 September 2006. Public Report (2006). 2005/6 Audit Quality Inspections. Audit Inspection Unit. Retrieved 6 January 2006 from http://www.frc.org.uk/images/uploaded/documents/Choice%20in%20the%20UK%20Audit%20Market%20Discussion%20Paper4.pdf. Saudagaran, Shahrokh M (2003). International Accounting: A User’s Perspective. 2 Rev. Ed. South Western College Publishing. UK Virdi, Alpha A (2004). Investor Confidence Survey 2004. The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. Retrieved 7 January 2006 from http://www.icaew.co.uk/index.cfm?route=116714 1 Footnotes [1] Financial Times Stock Exchange [2] Financial Reporting Council [3] Available from http://www.sec.gov/about/laws/soa2002.pdf [4] Available from http://www.frc.org.uk/documents/pagemanager/frc/Web Optimised Combined Code 3rd proof.pdf [5] Caparo Industries plc v Dickman [1990] 2 AC 605, 618 [6] See Companies Act 2006, section 535

Creation and Evolution: An Eternal Debate Essay -- essays research pap

Creation and Evolution: An Eternal Debate   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many people have tried to reconcile the differences between creationism and Darwinism but few have succeeded. Any religious debate is seen as a very sensitive subject and the discussion about the foundations of certain religions generally becomes difficult. Darwinism, in relation to religious beliefs can become controversial; some say they can coexist and some say they cannot. Darwinism was not intended to be anti-religious, but religious activist have criticized the belief since On The Origin of Species was published in 1859. Common ground between the two subjects is a very rough place, but it can be achieved. Reconciliation between the subjects has been achieved but few are standing by it because even the compromise is controversial.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The beliefs of Charles Robert Darwin, as shown in his book On the Origin of Species, are controversial religiously and have been debated since its’ publication. Darwin writes â€Å"I see no good reason why the views given in this volume should shock the religious feelings of any one† (Darwin 329). This was not how religious activists saw the book; they attacked Darwin’s beliefs and stated it is in opposition of some religious beliefs. Darwinism is based on the basic belief of ‘natural selection’ and ‘survival of the fittest’. These are not separate thoughts when it comes right down to it. According to Darwin, the idea of ‘natural selection’ states that animals adapt slowly in accordance to their environment, and their DNA adjusts throughout generations. At first glance, this seems like a logical, non-controversial topic, but Creationist believe that â€Å"†¦all species were created by God and had not changed biologically† (Hirschberg 321). This is where the conflict comes in to play. Darwin believes that genes can mutate and change over generations to better adapt to environment. This belief has since been overturned by modern evolutionists. Hirschberg put it this way: â€Å"Today, evolutionists believe that mutations in genes produce the variations that natural forces select for survival. And, indeed, geneticists have traced ancestral relationships among species from the presence of similar molecular structures and DNA patterns† (Hirschberg 321). Instead of only bettering the species, the DNA shifts and the stronger of the species ... ...; there are others that rebel against the compromise. Overall not many have gotten very far in the compromise process and it does not seem promising. Works Cited Berra, Tim M. Evolution and the Myth of Creationism: A Basic Guide to the Facts in the Evolution Debate. Stanford, California. Stanford University Press. 1990. Darwin, Robert Charles. Past to Present: Ideas That Changed Our World. Ed. Stuart and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Terry Hirschberg. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2003. Davis, Edward B. â€Å"The Christian Century†. Chicago. Jul 15 – Jul 22. 1998. Vol 115,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Iss. 20; pg. 678. Hirschberg, Stuart and Terry, ed. Past to Present: Ideas That Changed Our World.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. 2003. Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Wheaton, Illinois. Housley, Kathleen. â€Å"The Christian Century†. Chicago. Jun 19- Jun 26, 2002. Vol. 119,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Iss. 13; pg. 39. Pope, Stephen J. â€Å"The Christian Century†. Chicago. Jul 13, 2004. Vol. 121, Iss. 14;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  pg. 38.

University Costs :: essays research papers

University Costs How have university costs changed over the years? University costs have been steadily increasing throughout the last ten years as more and more students apply. However, foreign students feel the brunt of the hikes as they pay around the area of three times as much as in country students. What are some of the costs when going away to university? Costs that you are expected to cover when going away for university are listed below. 1) Tuition - this is the main expenditure when going away to university. Tuition cost run from about 2,000 - 4,000 dollars a year. 2) Books and supplies - this cost runs up at about 500 - 800 dollars per year for books. Average supplies range from about 100 - 200 dollars. 3) Transportation - when a student is away at university, the problem of getting to and from school arises. More than likely, this problem can be solved through public transportation such as, bus, subway, or shuttle train. The average cost for a years pass on one of these transportation systems is about 200 - 300 dollars. The other available option is to own a vehicle. The downside is gas drains the cash flow and student parking can be quite expensive at some universities. 4) Housing - a student who attends university away from home must find a place to eat, sleep and , of course, study. There are about three main options in this field of discussion. The first is dorm housing. The costs of sharing a dorm ranges from about 250 - 400 dollars per month. The second available option is to rent an apartment. A nice affordable apartment ranges from about 300 - 500 dollars a month. This type of apartments usually contains features such as a stove and a fridge. The final option is to board at a house. This is clearly the most affordable situation. Most meals are home cooked, you are equipped with a washer and dryer. The atmosphere of home is also a plus for first-time students who might feel homesick. The price to board ranges from around 200 - 400 dollars a month depending on how close you are to the campus. 5) Miscellaneous - costs that are included under the miscellaneous section are food, clothes, and personal expenditures. The average cost yearly for miscellaneous expenses can run from about 500 - 1000 dollars a year.

Tracking Tv Programs :: essays research papers

Tracking TV Programs Since its invention, television has been an important part of American life and culture. In our modern society, there are even those who would argue that it has become an absolute necessity. Recently, many people have been debating whether or not television content is corrupting our youth and Americans in general. In spite of this, I believe that the networks do an adequate job of providing programs that appeal to the different categories of viewing audiences. In the early evening, one can find a variety of programs that connect with a large audience spanning children to adults, however as the night progresses the program content changes in order to target mature audiences only. When the early evening programming begins at around five o'clock the viewer has various selections to choose from. It is about this time that many people are returning home from work, so news programs are a staple of these early time slots. Following this is a barrage of comedy sitcoms, movies, and dramas, such as "Home Improvement" and "Melrose Place". Their viewers include children, families, and single adults. Therefore, these time slots draw larger audiences than any other. As the evening dwells on, one can start to see a gradual change in program content as they begin to lose the younger viewers and start focusing on more mature audiences. The content becomes more violent and sexually explicit. The comedy also follows this pattern and becomes more adult oriented, such as HBO's "Def Comedy Jam". This is also the time of night that those famous infomercials begin airing. The reason for this is that these are the cheapest time slots to buy and broadcast on.

Iphone vs Androind Compare and Contrast Essay

Over the last decade, electronic-based companies such as Samsung and Apple have collaborated with cellular-phone carriers, and have studied the average consumer to find endless ways to improve the cellular phone. As a result, the smart phone was born. With their ability to provide users with instant access to communication, entertainment, Internet access, calendar, news, social media, and much more, the smart phone revolutionized and shifted the path of modern technology. In 2006, Apple began this revolution with their release of the iPhone. Being the first proper smart phone, many other companies attempted to mimic the unbeatable features and technology that Apple had included with the iPhone. Though many had failed in doing so, Google managed to keep up with the iPhone with their Android software. Soon enough, Google’s Android software became the dominant smart phone based software for smart phones not manufactured by Apple. Because of this, Android phones had become just as popular as iPhones. This paper will explore the similarities and differences between both Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android. One major similarity between the iPhone and Android phones is their shape. For example, all models of the iPhone have been similar in shape, which can be noted in their rectangular shape and rounded corners. This exact shape can also be seen in many of the Android phones, such as the Samsung Galaxy and HTC Evo. iPhones and Android phones have also been noted for their large touch screens occupying the majority of the front space of the phone, and their job in navigation in place of traditional buttons seen on non-smart phones. Though the trend of this rectangular shape, rounded corners, and large screen has lead to many disputes regarding who had originally designed the structure, manufacturers continue to use this as the basic structure for their smart phones. Though the iPhone and Android appear to be very similar, they have more differences than they do similarities. For example, because of Android’s alliance of over thirty phone manufacturers, there are currently seventy-seven different models of Android phones. However, because of the act that Apple refuses to allow other manufacturers to use the iPhone’s IOS software, there are only six models of the iPhone. Differences in appearance are evident as well. For example, higher-end Android phones have been noted for their screens that are much larger than that of the iPhone. However, this limits the screen’s resolution, which is much greater on the iPhone for this very reason. Another similarity between the iPhone and Android are their features. For example, both include a high-resolution camera and MP3 player. In terms of connectivity, they both allow 3G, 4G, and Wi-Fi connection. Like all modern smart phones, they are both based on very similar downloadable applications, and both include a very similar app store. Like the iPhone, the Android also includes a similar notification center, allowing users to view a log of missed calls, text messages, and other notifications from apps. As stated prior, iPhone and Android share many of the same applications, and both display similarities in their app stores. However, the systems of apps for both types of phone are almost entirely different. For example, the apps on the iPhone are of higher quality than that of the Android, and there is a much greater selection. However, Android phones allow users to download applications from third party sources, and the Android app store is much less strict to developers than that of the iPhone. Aside from applications, the software of both smart phones display differences as well. For example, the iPhone is known for its simplicity and user-friendliness, while the Android is known for allowing users to customize everything down to the theme of the keyboard. In conclusion, while the iPhone and Android appear to be very similar at first glance, it is evident that they have more differences then they do similarities. Because of this, both the iPhone and the Android typically tend to attract different groups of people based on what they believe should be in a smart phone, whether they prefer the iPhone’s simplicity and high quality applications, or the Android’s customizability and larger variety of apps. As the smart phone has evolved over the last six years, it will continue to do so as consumers continue to buy what smart phone fits them personally. This will evidently lead to new features, advanced screens, further personalization capabilities, and much more, partaking in the further evolution of the smart phone. In the end, the evolution of the smart phone will bring further advancement to modern technology.

The Case of Legalized Euthanasia: Analysis and Insights

Euthanasia, also commonly known as mercy killing or assisted suicide, as defined by any lexicon, would refer to the act of intentionally killing a person in a painless or minimally painful manner so as to end that person’s suffering.The word euthanasia was actually derived from two Greek words to wit: â€Å"eu† and â€Å"thanatos†, which mean good and death, respectively. Thus, euthanasia is also sometimes referred to as good death while in other references it is referred to as easy death.Euthanasia or mercy killing is usually carried out for people who are terminally ill and would want to cut short their prolonged suffering from pain and or for those people who are placed in a situation wherein they have become incapable of making such request for themselves. This group of people would include those whose primary existence is being provided by a life support or vital medication.There are actually various types of euthanasia. This would include active, passive an d physician assisted suicide.Active euthanasia, according to various references, would refer to that type of euthanasia wherein there is a direct action involved in causing an individual to die. To illustrate, let us take into consideration one of the most talked about film of the year, the Million Dollar Movie.In the said film Ms. Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) was placed in a situation wherein the only thing that enables her to thrive is by means of a life-support machine. Mr. Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood), who was Ms.Fitzgerald’s trainer in the field of boxing, as a response to Ms. Fitzgerald’s request to help her end her suffering actually engaged oneself in committing the active type of euthanasia via injecting a substance which is alien to the Ms. Fitzgerald’s body, thus causing Ms. Fitzgerald’s death.Passive euthanasia, on the other hand, is defined as that type of assisted suicide wherein the death of a person is hastened by deliberately alterin g available forms of life support and letting the individual experience the natural course of death.To illustrate, Mr. Frankie Dunn also exhibited this type of euthanasia by means of taking out the life support machine of Ms. Fitzgerald, thus contributing to her hastened death.Passive euthanasia may also be exhibited by stopping necessary and imperative medical procedures, medications, and the like. Likewise, by stopping food as well as water intake thus allowing the person or patient to dehydrate and or starve to death is also another manifestation of a passive type of euthanasia.Physician assisted euthanasia, in contrast with the other two types mentioned, is that type of euthanasia wherein a professional in the field of medicine makes available to his or her patient the necessary information and or means to cut short the patient’s suffering or life.Due to the fact that euthanasia involves an act that deviates from the natural way of dying, it became a precursor to various ethical, religious, and moral issues. Likewise, since there have been many medical cases that involved the act of mercy killing as well as existing and public policies that legalizes it, strong protests on its practice became prevalent. Should euthanasia be legalized despite the many intricacies and social implications it has created?For the purpose of this paper, the author aims to discuss the nature of euthanasia and the claim of Mr. Robert Dworkin et al. in the compendium entitled â€Å"Assisted Suicide: The Philosopher’s Brief†. Likewise, it is also the objective of the author to make a stand on the legalization of euthanasia and support his claim by citing examples from the movie the Million Dollar Baby and other examples of even nature to critically examine Mr. Dworkin’s claim in his published essay.

Hershey Report

THE HERSHEY CHOCOLATE COMPANY INTRODUCTION The Hershey Company was originally a purely chocolate manufacturer but extended to wafers and other products, some even non-chocolate. Now, the Hershey Company has grown to become a leader when it comes to dark chocolate and premium chocolate. Hershey’s Mission Statement is â€Å"Bringing sweet moments of Hershey happiness to the world every day† (www. thehersheycompany. com).This means delivering quality confectionary to consumer for all occasion, being a dominant and fun organization for the employees, having good business relationships for growth with customers, suppliers and business partners, creating value for shareholders and philanthropic activities for society as a whole. The company, adhering to its Mission from the founding day till today, strives to continuously create value by developing a number of products to cater to frequently changing consumers’ desire.Hence by creating a diverse portfolio which transfo rmed customer desires to reality, and by maintaining its quality The Hershey Company has managed to become one of the top chocolate brands in the market. HISTORY Hershey’s derived from a single decision- the decision of candy manufacturer Milton Hershey. In 1894 he decided to produce sweet chocolate which would coat caramels. He started off an enterprise and called it The Hershey Chocolate Company, located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In 1900, the Hershey Chocolate Company started the production of milk chocolate bars, chocolate wafers and more.Hershey was the company which made the once a luxury item affordable to the common public by choosing to produce at a mass level. By using mass production the company had lowered its per unit cost and hence was able to sell it at a lower cost than other chocolates. The success of high sales led to Hershey’s expansion of new chocolate factories, one of them being in south-central Pennsylvania in Derry Township, close to the ports of New York and Philadelphia which supplied the imported sugar and cocoa beans needed, surrounded by dairy farms that provided the milk required, and with a local labor supply of honest, hard-working people.By 1905 the production of chocolate in this factory was flourishing. Today, the Hershey Company operates all over the world, employs more than 12,000 people and generates revenues of more than $5 billion. (www. thehersheycompany. com) ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS Sales of chocolate depend majorly on the demand of chocolate, and these demands fluctuate heavily. And hence the success of a chocolate industry relies heavily on whether it’s the Easter, Halloween or Christmas season or a plain summer day, sales being lower in the latter.It has been noted that sales of Hershey’s or any chocolate brand for that matter, increases during the third and fourth quarter of the year, that is, the holiday seasons. For Hershey’s, the difference in the net sales of the first quarter of 2009 and the third quarter of 2009 was $248,087,000. (www. thehersheycomany. com). Judging from this, we can safely deduce that chocolate sales, on a large part, depends on the environment. If we look at the social environment, there are all sorts of consumers with different demands.Some would prefer cheaper chocolate and would be more than ready to compromise on quality and consider it just a snack while others demand a rich taste making chocolate more of a luxurious item. This requires the industry to produce a variety of products to meet the needs of as many customers to ensure greater sales. But there is also the issue of brand image. If a company produces both rich and cheap quality products, it does not develop a specific image of the brand. Hence the business needs to identify what demographics they want to cater to. The Hershey Company has a number of competitors.The company itself has an average of 5 billion dollar sales annually, 5132. 8 million dollars in 2008 (theher sheycompany. com) and employs 14,400 employees which is quite a large number but there are other similar brands in the market. Major competitors of Hershey’s are: †¢ Cadbury, with a sale of 7,792. 3 million dollars and 45,000 employees in 2008. †¢ Mars, with sales reaching 30,000 million dollars and a total of 70,000 employees in 2008. †¢ Nestle with sales of 104,060. 9 million dollars and 283,000 employees in 2008. (www. hoovers. com) MARKET ENVIRONMENT ANALYSISPorter’s Analysis By using ‘Porters five forces’ we can analyze the industry and subsequently to develop business strategy. These five forces present in the marketing environment will help determine the intensity of competition intensity and hence attractiveness of a market. In the marketing context, attractiveness refers to the overall profitability of the industry. A profitable business is an ‘attractive’ industry wherein the combination of these forces acts to pull up the overall profitability. Bargaining Power of Suppliers: The supply of Cocoa is limited.Since it is produced in areas with tropical weather, a lot of chocholate manufacturers have to import the cocoa. Suppliers have more bargaining power over the chocolate industry since cocoa suppliers are limited (www. bpi. cam. ac. uk). Bargaining Power of Customers: Bargaining power of customers of Hershey is moderately high. From Hershey’s annual reports, we can see that sales volume is high for The Hershey Company and whenever consumers buy in large volumes, their bargaining power increases. This is specifically applicable to retailers, more specifically to retailers like Wal-Mart.Wal-Mart and other retailers who purchase large volumes of chocolate can bargain for lower prices and the industry’s profits can decrease. Threat of New Entrants: Threat of new entrants is not a major concern for The Hershey Company as Hershey’s uses the technique of mass production (Evan Carmi chael) that is, produces on a mass level and has achieved economies of scale. A new entrant would therefore have to be a mass level manufacturer. Also, there are factors such as capital requirements and channels of distribution which make it harder for business to be set up on a large level and to get the sales going.And, of course, there has to be something that sets apart the new entrant’s products from the existing businesses’ products. Threat of Substitute Products: Since chocolate is not a need-based product and a number of people consider in just a snack, they look to towards other products such as chips, ice-cream, other flavored products such as vanilla, orange etcetera as well. Also there are many people who deem chocolate as unhealthy and fattening and are ready to substitute it with other products. Competitive Rivalry within n Industry: Hershey is not the only chocolate company around. There are a lot more chocolate brands which are as established as Hershey . Consumers have a choice of buying Hershey or Cadbury or Mars or other more generic chocolates, and this provides a significant amount of competition. Hershey’s has to compete against other chocolate brands and watch out for substitute products which makes competition intense. However, this analysis looks at the forces closely affecting the business i. e. the micro environment.Hence the Porter’s Analysis is not a hundred percent useful on its own. For most marketing experts, porters five forces analysis is only a starting point or sort of a â€Å"checklist† and therefore the benefit of this analysis can be taken only when used in conjunction with other analysis techniques. SWOT Analysis STRENGTHS: †¢ Rich history full of tradition, originality and philanthropic service: The Hershey Company produced Hershey’s Tropical Chocolate bars and Field Ration D bars for the troops at war giving it points for both originality and patriotism.Milton Hershey has a lso opened the Hershey Park in 1907 (www. hersheypa. com) †¢ Strong Brand Name and Image: Hershey has been in the market since 1894 and since then it has created a strong brand name and image. †¢ Diverse Product Portfolio: Hershey’s Chocolate Bar, Almond Joy, Kit Kat, Hershey’s Kisses, Mounds, Reese’s, Payday, York Peppermint Pattie, Milk Duds, Mr. Goodbar, Rolo, Skor, Whatchamacallit, Whoppers and Krackle Bar are only a few of Hershey’s products amongst many more. Having a huge variety of products increases chances of high sales for the company. Strong Alliances: Apart from acquiring a number of popular chocolate/candy manufacturing companies and has acquired licenses for producing and selling Cadbury and Nestle products, it has also, recently allied with Starbucks, which lead to a 30% increase in profits for Hershey. (MarketWatch) OPPORTUNITIES: †¢ A number of consumers desire and demand richer products and this gives Hershey to gain more of the upper strata of society †¢ The Hershey Company joined up with Starbucks, which was a wise move as it contributed to a 30% growth in Hershey’s profit (MarketWatch).More joint ventures with, for instance, Dunkin Donuts would boost sales of Hershey. †¢ In today’s day and age, people have started giving more importance to holidays as noted in the Quarterly reports of Hershey sales were higher in the holiday seasons. Hershey can use this to focus more on chocolates as gifts. †¢ Price decline of sugar †¢ Outsourcing of labor to cheaper areas WEAKNESSES: †¢ Hershey is North America’s largest chocolate producer (The Hershey Company) but the same cannot be said when it comes to the international market. Currently, the company’s presence is limited to Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and the United States. www. investopedia. com) †¢   A key weakness of Hershey is that it does not have much sales in the Asian markets and since Asia is the largest continent and a huge population, it is missing out on a lot. †¢ Price inflation is also an issue. As prices are relentlessly increasing, consumers think twice before purchasing a lot of things and Hershey products are no longer item that once can buy with the loose change in their pocket. Less people are willing to buy chocolates frequently. THREATS: †¢ There has been an increase in Nut allergies both in the UK and USA. ut allergies. (AAIR). A lot of Hershey products uses nuts and it has to consider this fact. †¢ Obesity is also on the rise and according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there has been a massive increase in obesity. â€Å"In 2008, only one state in the United States of America (Colorado) had a prevalence of obesity less than 20%†. Though there is no proof that chocolate equals obesity but that is the general conception and heatlh conscious people tend to buy little or no chocolate. If the health trend rises chocolate sa les will gradually decrease. Technology is becoming more and more advanced every day, and in order to be retain its economies of scale and to remain competent, Hershey has to keep up with technological progress in manufacturing and this will automatically increase cost.. †¢ A recent issue has been minimum wage for labourers. â€Å"Effective July 24, 2009, the federal minimum wage increases to $7. 25 per hour†. (Labour Law Center) †¢ Price of milk has been on a steady rise. Milk prices reached its peak in July 2007 and consumers paid â€Å".. an average $3. 80 a gallon, compared with $3. 29 in January†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Vandore, 2007).If this trend continues in the future, Hershey will have to increase prices due to increased costs of production hence sales could plummet really low. †¢ There has also been a steady price increase in gasoline. In the Clayton News Daily, â€Å"The annual average price of regular unleaded gas is expected to increase from $2. 35 per ga llon in 2009, to $2. 83 in 2010, with similar price hikes on heating oil and diesel fuel†. In this case production costs of running the heavy machinery in factories will increase significantly, making it difficult for Hershey to maintain reasonable price of its products. SWOT of CompetitorsAmongst Hershey’s competitors, Cadbury is one of the major ones. Below is a brief SWOT analysis for Cadbury. |STRENGTHS |WEAKNESSES | |Has been in the market for 200 years- well established brand name &image. |Small product portfolio. There’s not much variety. | |Products sold in over 200 countries. |Very few new products are created by own group. | |High profits | | |Has been awarded Royalty. | |OPPORTUNITIES |THREATS | |Can expand into new markets |Other established brands in the market | |Should produce new products |Diversification of other brands into the market | MARKETING STRATEGY PRODUCT:The Hershey Company has a number of products, the main categories being as foll ows: 1. Chocolate Candy: This includes Hershey’s Kisses, Hershey’s Bliss, and Hershey’s Milk Chocolate amongst a lot of others. 2. Pantry Items: This category includes Hershey Syrup, Hershey Toppings and Hershey’s Hot Cocoa mix etcetera. 3. Snacks: Some products of this category are Canola Bars, Snacksters, 100 Calorie Bars and SnackBarz. 4. Gum and Mint: BreathSavers mints, Bubble Yum bubble gum and Ice Breakers are the products of this category 5.Sugar Confectionary: To capture the market who is sugar conscious or health conscious, Hershey’s developed Hershey's Sugar Free Candy The Hershey Company has, in addition, acquired licenses to manufacture and sell chocolate and non-chocolate products of other brands such as Nestle Kit Kats, Rolos, and Cadbury. It also acquired a number of companies and now Jolly Rancher, Bubble Yum, Mauna Loa, Reeses, Whoppers, Twizzlers and Young & Smylie products are officially a part of the Hershey Company. PRICE: Her shey’s chocolates are priced at a moderate level.A plain Hershey bar of 1. 55 oz is priced at $0. 99 and a Toblerone, 1. 7 oz bar, is priced at $1. 49. Toblerone is 50% more expensive than Hershey, as we can see below. Following is a list of the general pricing of Hershey Products: †¢ Hershey’s Milk Chocolate (1. 55 oz) priced at $0. 99. †¢ Mr. GoodBar (1. 75 oz) priced at $0. 99 †¢ Almond Joy 8 Pack (0. 6 oz x 8 pieces) priced at $2. 45 †¢ Almond Joy Eggs (1. 1 oz) priced at $0. 99 †¢ Cadbury Caramel Eggs (1. 2 oz) priced at $0. 99 †¢ Black Licorice from Y (8 oz bag, containing 55 pieces) priced at $4. 5 †¢ Bubble Yum (o. 17 oz oz x 5 pieces) priced at $0. 99 We can see the general pricing trend of Hershey, as almost all 1. 5 to 2 oz bars are priced at 0. 99 dollars PLACE: Hershey sells its products at a wide array of places. It sells to wholesale distributors, wholesale clubs, mass merchandisers, grocery stores, drug stores, vending companies, convenience stores, department stores, dollar stores and natural food stores. Then these customers of Hershey sell to end consumers in approximately 2 million outlets all over North America and worldwide. (The Hershey Company)One of the largest distributors of Hershey products is the Mc Lane Company Inc. , which in turn sells to other stores. It is the main distributor for Wal-Mart which is one of the few places which sells products of the Hershey Company. (The Hershey Company) PROMOTION: The Hershey Company uses a variety of mediums and techniques for advertising and promotion. Apart from regular mediums such as Billboard advertisement, Newspaper and magazine advertisements and Television commercials, it uses other techniques like using movies and Box Office to promote their company.For instance, in Hershey’s â€Å"Hulked-Up† promotion, you â€Å"enter to win† a Hulk Hummer and get a free T-Shirt by checking out featured products (ComicBookMovie. co m). Other promotions include HERSHEY’S Camaro Sweepstakes to win a 2010 Chevy Camaro, HERSHEY'S KISSES Cookie and HERSHEY’S and the Young Survival Coalition which was used to create breast cancer awareness along with promoting Hershey. (The Hershey Company) ADVERTISEMENT CRITIQUE FINANCIAL ANALYSIS Looking at the financial statement of the last five years (www. thehersheycompany. om) has given the following results: †¢ Net Profit 10. 1% of Sales in 2005. †¢ Net Profit 11. 3% of Sales in 2006. †¢ Net Profit 4. 32% of Sales in 2007. †¢ Net Profit 6. 06% of Sales in 2008. †¢ Net Profit 7. 94% of Sales in 2009. These profitability ratios show that while Hershey has performed better in 2009 than two of its preceding years, its profits have decreased considerably compared to 2006. 2006: By taking a closer look at the quarterly reports of Hershey for these years it is noted that the first half had strong but the second half of 2006 saw a slow-down in sales.The Hershey Company’s long-term strategies seek to attain net sales growth of 3% to 4% annually (The Hershey Company) but results for 2006 did not meet their goals. Net sales growth was 2. 58% for 2006. There was a decline in market share during the second half, mainly in North American. Hershey tried to gain momentum again and succeeded with time but at a price. Apart from the increased interest costs for that year there were increased spending on advertising starting from the fourth quarter and continuing well into 2007, affecting the net profit for 2007 drastically. From a net profit percent of 11. % in 2006, it went down to 4. 32% in 2007. 2007: 2007 was also a difficult year. Net sales growth in this year was 0. 05% which is not even close to the company’s goal of 3%-4% per year, even with the increased sales from international business and sales from the Joint Venture formed with Godrej Beverages & Foods Limited formed that year (Wikipedia). Sales in North America was low, costs incurred were much higher than the previous year and the company saw a much lower profit in 2007. Business realignment and impairment costs rose from 14,576,000 to a whopping 276,868,000.The difference in net income percentage was -61. 7%. Increased investment spending for advertising and expansion of our international infrastructure also contributed to the lower income in 2007. 2008: Net sales growth increased from 0. 05% to 3. 8% in this year. The net income percentage which was negative in the previous year turned into a positive 45. 4%. Needless to say, Hershey gained momentum in the market again. Results for the 2008 up to mark and met the Hershey Company’s goals and expectations. FUTURE TRENDS Health Awareness: Many people don’t use chocolate for fear of become fat, getting acne or other health reasons such as cholesterol. This may reduce sales. †¢ Allergies: some children and adults have allergies, most commonly peanut allergies and o ther nut allergies. This, also, may decrease sales. †¢ High Class society gatherings/increased importance to holidays such as Halloween, Easter, Christmas which use a lot of chocolate and chocolate products. This could increase sales in the future. †¢ Price of cocoa and Price of fuel: The price of these two commodities will effect sales negatively if they continue to rise.RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE: Keeping in mind the factors and trends that may increase or decrease sales in the future, Hershey can take a number of steps to improve their chances of turning unfavorable situations into ones that will actually benefit the company. A lot of people think of chocolate and think of one of these words: â€Å"junk food†, unhealthy†, â€Å"fattening† and so on. But the fact is that chocolate can actually promote good health. Especially dark chocolate, which has anti-oxidant effects and generates antithrombotic mechanisms, can lead to better cardiovascular health (The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal).In layman terms this means it prevents the blood in the heart from clotting up. Hershey’s can use this knowledge for a different spin on their advertisements and removing the concept of unhealthy chocolate. Also many people and children have nut allergies, and since a lot of Hershey’s products include hazel nut and peanuts, this can pose a problem But with careful and well defined market research Hershey’s can overcome the problem of its chocolate bars containing nut not being sold, by finding out approximately what population of chocolate lovers is allergic to nuts and other ingredients which prevent them from buying chocolate.Another trend which poses a problem is the economy. Prices are constantly on the rise and cocoa and fuel are the two major concerns. Increase in fuel prices may lead to closure of a few plants to save on costs, or if the plants are not closed, prices of products may have to be raised to cover up the costs. Prices of cocoa are also on the rise, and an increase in this raw material may lead to an increase in price of the end-products. Since cocoa is produced in a few countries with tropical climate, chocolate manufacturers in colder climates have to import cocoa. Hershey has to pay mport taxes on top of the increased prices due to the global deficit of 145,000 tonnes of cocoa in the 2007-2008 season (confectionarynews. com). To reduce this cost, Hershey has two options. Either to buy as much cocoa in bulk as possible when prices are low and to buy as minimum as possible when the prices are high, or to outsource their manufacturing to places like Indonesia or Ghana where cocoa production is the largest (BBC News). CONCLUSION Hershey is a company which is already popular, but with a few well planned strategic decisions has the potential to be much more successful.They can do this by a reducing their costs, starting up new subsidiaries, perhaps even starting up production of th eir own cocoa beans instead of importing from Indonesia, Ghana and other cocoa manufacturers. The next thing they have to do is increase their advertising to countries Asia, as Asia has a large number of potential consumers.. APPENDIX REFERENCES About The Hershey Company. (www. thehersheycompany. com) < http://www. thehersheycompany. com/about/> Asthma and Allergy Information and Research. Nut Allergy- The Basics < http://www. sers. globalnet. co. uk/~aair/nuts. htm> BBC News. Peanut allergy on the increase < http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/2487769. stm> BBC News. BBC News. Cocoa price hits 14-year-high Clayton News Daily. Confectionerynews. com. Future of cocoa prices uncertain, says ICCO. ComicBookMovie. com. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Emma Vandore. Got Milk? More People Want It Now. Contra Costa Times. Evan Carmichael. His Secret Recipe: How Hershey Achieved Success Groovy Candies. Hoovers. Labour Law Center.Federal Minimum Wage Increase for 2007, 2008, & 2009 Lunde ll, Dean â€Å"Capitalizing on Our Candy Cravings (NSRGY, CSG, HSY). † Investopedia. com. August 1st, 2007. November 13th, 2007. Investopedia website: Investor Relations: Annual and Quarterly Reports (www. thehersheycompany. com) MarketWatch. Hershey's 3rd-quarter profit rises 30% ; http://www. marketwatch. com/story/hersheys-third-quarter-profit-rises-30-2009-10-22; Products (www. hersheys. com) The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. Plasma antioxidants from chocolate Oct, 2003 . Volume 22 Issue 10. p A7

Introduction of Management

Chapter 1 Introduction of management Management  is a universal phenomenon. It is a very popular and widely used term. All organizations – business, political, cultural or social are involved in management because it is the management which helps and directs the various efforts towards a definite purpose. According to  Harold Koontz, â€Å"Management is an art of getting things done through and with the people in formally organized groups. It is an art of creating an environment in which people can perform and individuals and can co-operate towards attainment of group goals†. According to  F. W. Taylor, â€Å"Management is an art of knowing what to do, when to do and see that it is done in the best and cheapest way†. Management is a purposive activity. It is something that directs group efforts towards the attainment of certain pre – determined goals. It is the process of working with and through others to effectively achieve the goals of the organization, by efficiently using limited resources in the changing world. Of course, these goals may vary from one enterprise to another. E. g. : For one enterprise it may be launching of new products by conducting market surveys and for other it may be profit maximization by minimizing cost. Management involves creating an internal environment: – It is the management which puts into use the various factors of production. Therefore, it is the responsibility of management to create such conditions which are conducive to maximum efforts so that people are able to perform their task efficiently and effectively. It includes ensuring availability of raw materials, determination of wages and salaries, formulation of rules & regulations etc. Therefore, we can say that good management includes both being effective and efficient. Being effective means doing the appropriate task i. , fitting the square pegs in square holes and round pegs in round holes. Being efficient means doing the task correctly, at least possible cost with minimum wastage of resources. Management can be defined in detail in following categories : 1. Management as a  Process 2. Management as an  Activity 3. Management as a  Discipline 4. Management as a  Group 5. Management as a  Science 6. Man agement as an  Art 7. Management as a  Profession Management as science science is a systematic body of knowledge pertaining to a specific field of study that contains general facts which explains a phenomenon. It establishes cause and effect relationship between two or more variables and underlines the principles governing their relationship. These principles are developed through scientific method of observation and verification through testing. Science is characterized by following main features: 1. Universally acceptance principles –  Scientific principles represents basic truth about a particular field of enquiry. These principles may be applied in all situations, at all time & at all places. E. g. – law of gravitation which can be applied in all countries irrespective of the time. Management also contains some fundamental principles which can be applied universally like the Principle of Unity of Command i. e. one man, one boss. This principle is applicable to all type of organization – business or non business. 2. Experimentation & Observation –  Scientific principles are derived through scientific investigation & researching i. e. they are based on logic. E. g. the principle that earth goes round the sun has been scientifically proved. Management principles are also based on scientific enquiry & observation and not only on the opinion of Henry Fayol. They have been developed through experiments & practical experiences of large no. of managers. E. g. it is observed that fair remuneration to personal helps in creating a satisfied work force. 3. Cause & Effect Relationship –  Principles of science lay down cause and effect relationship between various variables. E. g. when metals are heated, they are expanded. The cause is heating & result is expansion. The same is true for management, therefore it also establishes cause and effect relationship. E. g. lack of parity (balance) between authority & responsibility will lead to ineffectiveness. If you know the cause i. e. ack of balance, the effect can be ascertained easily i. e. in effectiveness. Similarly if workers are given bonuses, fair wages they will work hard but when not treated in fair and just manner, reduces productivity of organization. 4. Test of Validity & Predictability –  Validity of scientific principles can be tested at any time or any number of times i. e. they stand the test of time. Each time these tests will give same result. Moreover future events can be predicted with reasonable accuracy by using scientific principles. E. g. H2  & O2  will always give H2O. Principles of management can also be tested for validity. E. g. principle of unity of command can be tested by comparing two persons – one having single boss and one having 2 bosses. The performance of 1st person will be better than 2nd. It cannot be denied that management has a systematic body of knowledge but it is not as exact as that of other physical sciences like biology, physics, and chemistry etc. The main reason for the inexactness of science of management is that it deals with human beings and it is very difficult to predict their behavior accurately. Since it is a social process, therefore it falls in the area of social sciences. It is a flexible science & that is why its theories and principles may produce different results at different times and therefore it is a behavior science. Ernest Dale has called it as a  Soft Science. Management as art Art implies application of knowledge & skill to trying about desired results. An art may be defined as personalized application of general theoretical principles for achieving best possible results. Art has the following characters – 1. Practical Knowledge:  Every art requires practical knowledge therefore learning of theory is not sufficient. It is very important to know practical application of theoretical principles. E. g. to become a good painter, the person may not only be knowing different colour and brushes but different designs, dimensions, situations etc to use them appropriately. A manager can never be successful just by obtaining degree or diploma in management; he must have also know how to apply various principles in real situations by functioning in capacity of manager. 2. Personal Skill:  Although theoretical base may be same for every artist, but each one has his own style and approach towards his job. That is why the level of success and quality of performance differs from one person to another. E. . there are several qualified painters but M. F. Hussain is recognized for his style. Similarly management as an art is also personalized. Every manager has his own way of managing things based on his knowledge, experience and personality, that is why some managers are known as good managers (like Aditya Birla, Rahul Bajaj) whereas others as bad. 3. Creativity:  Every artist has an el ement of creativity in line. That is why he aims at producing something that has never existed before which requires combination of intelligence & imagination. Management is also creative in nature like any other art. It combines human and non-human resources in useful way so as to achieve desired results. It tries to produce sweet music by combining chords in an efficient manner. 4. Perfection through practice:  Practice makes a man perfect. Every artist becomes more and more proficient through constant practice. Similarly managers learn through an art of trial and error initially but application of management principles over the years makes them perfect in the job of managing. 5. Goal-Oriented:  Every art is result oriented as it seeks to achieve concrete results. In the same manner, management is also directed towards accomplishment of pre-determined goals. Managers use various resources like men, money, material, machinery & methods to promote growth of an organization. Thus, we can say that management is an art therefore it requires application of certain principles rather it is an art of highest order because it deals with moulding the attitude and behavior of people at work towards desired goals. Management as both Science and Art Management is both an art and a science. The above mentioned points clearly reveals that management combines features of both science as well as art. It is considered as a science because it has an organized body of knowledge which contains certain universal truth. It is called an art because managing requires certain skills which are personal possessions of managers. Science provides the knowledge & art deals with the application of knowledge and skills. A manager to be successful in his profession must acquire the knowledge of science & the art of applying it. Therefore management is a judicious blend of science as well as an art because it proves the principles and the way these principles are applied is a matter of art. Science teaches to ’know’ and art teaches to ’do’. E. g. a person cannot become a good singer unless he has knowledge about various ragas & he also applies his personal skill in the art of singing. Same way it is not sufficient for manager to first know the principles but he must also apply them in solving various managerial problems that is why, science and art are not mutually exclusive but they are complementary to each other (like tea and biscuit, bread and butter etc. ). The old saying that â€Å"Manager are Born† has been rejected in favor of â€Å"Managers are Made†. It has been aptly remarked that management is the oldest of art and youngest of science. To conclude, we can say that science is the root and art is the fruit. Levels of Management The term â€Å"Levels of Management’ refers to a line of demarcation between various managerial positions in an organization. The number of levels in management increases when the size of the business and work force increases and vice versa. The level of management determines a chain of command, the amount of authority & status enjoyed by any managerial position. The levels of management can be classified in three broad categories: – 1. Top level / Administrative level 2. Middle level / Executory 3. Low level / Supervisory / Operative / First-line managers Managers at all these levels perform different functions. The role of managers at all the three levels is discussed below: 1. Top Level of Management It consists of board of directors, chief executive or managing director. The top management is the ultimate source of authority and it manages goals and policies for an enterprise. It devotes more time on planning and coordinating functions. The role of the top management can be summarized as follows – a. Top management lays down the objectives and broad policies of the enterprise. b. It issues necessary instructions for preparation of department budgets, procedures, schedules etc. c. It prepares strategic plans & policies for the enterprise. d. It appoints the executive for middle level i. e. departmental managers. e. It controls & coordinates the activities of all the departments. f. It is also responsible for maintaining a contact with the outside world. g. It provides guidance and direction. h. The top management is also responsible towards the shareholders for the performance of the enterprise. 2. Middle Level of Management The branch managers and departmental managers constitute middle level. They are responsible to the top management for the functioning of their department. They devote more time to organizational and directional functions. In small organization, there is only one layer of middle level of management but in big enterprises, there may be senior and junior middle level management. Their role can be emphasized as – a. They execute the plans of the organization in accordance with the policies and directives of the top management. b. They make plans for the sub-units of the organization. c. They participate in employment & training of lower level management. . They interpret and explain policies from top level management to lower level. e. They are responsible for coordinating the activities within the division or department. f. It also sends important reports and other important data to top level management. g. They evaluate performance of junior managers. h. They are also responsible for inspiring lower level managers towards better performance. 3. Low er Level of Management Lower level is also known as supervisory / operative level of management. It consists of supervisors, foreman, section officers, superintendent etc. According to  R. C. Davis, â€Å"Supervisory management refers to those executives whose work has to be largely with personal oversight and direction of operative employees†. In other words, they are concerned with direction and controlling function of management. Their activities include – a. Assigning of jobs and tasks to various workers. b. They guide and instruct workers for day to day activities. c. They are responsible for the quality as well as quantity of production. d. They are also entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining good relation in the organization. e. They communicate workers problems, suggestions, and recommendatory appeals etc to the higher level and higher level goals and objectives to the workers. f. They help to solve the grievances of the workers. g. They supervise & guide the sub-ordinates. h. They are responsible for providing training to the workers. i. They arrange necessary materials, machines, tools etc for getting the things done. j. They prepare periodical reports about the performance of the workers. k. They ensure discipline in the enterprise. l. They motivate workers. m. They are the image builders of the enterprise because they are in direct contact with the workers. Functions of management Management has been described as a social process involving responsibility for economical and effective planning & regulation of operation of an enterprise in the fulfillment of given purposes. It is a dynamic process consisting of various elements and activities. These activities are different from operative functions like marketing, finance, purchase etc. Rather these activities are common to each and every manger irrespective of his level or status. Different experts have classified functions of management . According toGeorge & Jerry, â€Å"There are four fundamental functions of management i. e. lanning, organizing, actuating and controlling†. According to Henry Fayol, â€Å"To manage is to forecast and plan, to organize, to command, & to control†. Whereas Luther Gullick has given a keyword ’POSDCORB’ where P stands for Planning, O for Organizing, S for Staffing, D for Directing, Co for Co-ordination, R for reporting & B for Bu dgeting. But the most widely accepted are functions of management given by KOONTZ and O’DONNEL i. e. Planning,  Organizing,  Staffing,  Directing  and  Controlling. For theoretical purposes, it may be convenient to separate the function of management but practically these functions are overlapping in nature i. . they are highly inseparable. Each function blends into the other & each affects the performance of others. [pic] Planning It is the basic function of management. It deals with chalking out a future course of action & deciding in advance the most appropriate course of actions for achievement of pre-determined goals. According to KOONTZ, â€Å"Planning is deciding in advance – what to do, when to do & how to do. It bridges the gap from where we are & where we want to be†. A plan is a future course of actions. It is an exercise in problem solving & decision making. Planning is determination of courses of action to achieve desired goals. Thus, planning is a systematic thinking about ways & means for accomplishment of pre-determined goals. Planning is necessary to ensure proper utilization of human & non-human resources. It is all pervasive, it is an intellectual activity and it also helps in avoiding confusion, uncertainties, risks, wastages etc. Organizing It is the process of bringing together physical, financial and human resources and developing productive relationship amongst them for achievement of organizational goals. According to Henry Fayol, â€Å"To organize a business is to provide it with everything useful or its functioning i. e. raw material, tools, capital and personnel’s†. To organize a business involves determining & providing human and non-human resources to the organizational structure. Organizing as a process involves: †¢ Identification of activities. †¢ Classification of grouping of activities. †¢ Assignment of duties. †¢ Delegation of authority and creation of responsibility. †¢ Coordinating authority and responsibility relationships. Staffing It is the function of manning the organization structure and keeping it manned. Staffing has assumed greater importance in the recent years due to advancement of technology, increase in size of business, complexity of human behavior etc. The main purpose o staffing is to put right man on right job i. e. square pegs in square holes and round pegs in round holes. According to Kootz & O’Donell, â€Å"Managerial function of staffing involves manning the organization structure through proper and effective selection, appraisal & development of personnel to fill the roles designed un the structure†. Staffing involves: †¢ Manpower Planning  (estimating man power in terms of searching, choose the person and giving the right place). †¢ Recruitment, selection & placement. †¢ Training & development. †¢ Remuneration. †¢ Performance appraisal. †¢ Promotions & transfer. Directing It is that part of managerial function which actuates the organizational methods to work efficiently for achievement of organizational purposes. It is considered life-spark of the enterprise which sets it in motion the action of people because planning, organizing and staffing are the mere preparations for doing the work. Direction is that inert-personnel aspect of management which deals directly with influencing, guiding, supervising, motivating sub-ordinate for the achievement of organizational goals. Direction has following elements: †¢ Supervision †¢ Motivation †¢ Leadership †¢ Communication Supervision-  implies overseeing the work of subordinates by their superiors. It is the act of watching & directing work & workers. Motivation-  means inspiring, stimulating or encouraging the sub-ordinates with zeal to work. Positive, negative, monetary, non-monetary incentives may be used for this purpose. Leadership-  may be defined as a process by which manager guides and influences the work of subordinates in desired direction. Communications-  is the process of passing information, experience, opinion etc from one person to another. It is a bridge of understanding. Controlling It implies measurement of accomplishment against the standards and correction of deviation if any to ensure achievement of organizational goals. The purpose of controlling is to ensure that everything occurs in conformities with the standards. An efficient system of control helps to predict deviations before they actually occur. According to  Theo Haimann, â€Å"Controlling is the process of checking whether or not proper progress is being made towards the objectives and goals and acting if necessary, to correct any deviation†. According to Koontz & O’Donell â€Å"Controlling is the measurement & correction of performance activities of subordinates in order to make sure that the enterprise objectives and plans desired to obtain them as being accomplished†. Therefore controlling has following steps: †¢ Establishment of standard performance. †¢ Measurement of actual performance. Comparison of actual performance with the standards and finding out deviation if any. †¢ Corrective action. Planning   means looking ahead and chalking out future courses of action to be followed. It is a preparatory step. It is a systematic activity which determines when, how and who is going to perform a specific job. Planning is a detailed programme regarding future courses of action. It is ri ghtly said â€Å"Well plan is half done†. Therefore planning takes into consideration available & prospective human and physical resources of the organization so as to get effective co-ordination, contribution & perfect adjustment. It is the basic management function which includes formulation of one or more detailed plans to achieve optimum balance of needs or demands with the available resources. Definition of Planning:- According to Koontz & O’Donell, â€Å"Planning is deciding in advance what to do, how to do and who is to do it. Planning bridges the gap between where we are to, where we want to go. It makes possible things to occur which would not otherwise occur†. According to Urwick, â€Å"Planning is a mental predisposition to do things in orderly way, to think before acting and to act in the light of facts rather than guesses†. Planning is deciding best alternative among others to perform different managerial functions in order to achieve predetermined goals. Steps in Planning Function Planning function of management  involves following steps:- 1. Establishment of objectives a. Planning requires a systematic approach. b. Planning starts with the setting of goals and objectives to be achieved. c. Objectives provide a rationale for undertaking various activities as well as indicate direction of efforts. d. Moreover objectives focus the attention of managers on the end results to be achieved. e. As a matter of fact, objectives provide nucleus to the planning process. Therefore, objectives should be stated in a clear, precise and unambiguous language. Otherwise the activities undertaken are bound to be ineffective. f. As far as possible, objectives should be stated in quantitative terms. For example, Number of men working, wages given, units produced, etc. But such an objective cannot be stated in quantitative terms like performance of quality control manager, effectiveness of personnel manager. g. Such goals should be specified in qualitative terms. h. Hence objectives should be practical, acceptable, workable and chievable. 2. Establishment of Planning Premises a. Planning premises are the assumptions about the lively shape of events in future. b. They serve as a basis of planning. c. Establishment of planning premises is concerned with determining where one tends to deviate from the actual plans and causes of such deviations. d. It is to find out what obstacles are there i n the way of business during the course of operations. e. Establishment of planning premises is concerned to take such steps that avoids these obstacles to a great extent. f. Planning premises may be internal or external. Internal includes capital investment policy, management labour relations, philosophy of management, etc. Whereas external includes socio- economic, political and economical changes. g. Internal premises are controllable whereas external are non- controllable. 3. Choice of alternative course of action a. When forecast are available and premises are established, a number of alternative course of actions have to be considered. b. For this purpose, each and every alternative will be evaluated by weighing its pros and cons in the light of resources available and requirements of the organization. . The merits, demerits as well as the consequences of each alternative must be examined before the choice is being made. d. After objective and scientific evaluation, the best alternative is chosen. e. The planners should take help of various quantitative techniques to judge the stability of an alternative. 4. Formulation of derivative plans a. Derivative plans are the sub plans or secondary plans which help in the achievement of main plan. b. Secondary plans will flow from the basic plan. These are meant to support and expediate the achievement of basic plans. c. These detail plans include policies, procedures, rules, programmes, budgets, schedules, etc. For example, if profit maximization is the main aim of the enterprise, derivative plans will include sales maximization, production maximization, and cost minimization. d. Derivative plans indicate time schedule and sequence of accomplishing various tasks. 5. Securing Co-operation a. After the plans have been determined, it is necessary rather advisable to take subordinates or those who have to implement these plans into confidence. b. The purposes behind taking them into confidence are :- a. Subordinates may feel motivated since they are involved in decision making process. b. The organization may be able to get valuable suggestions and improvement in formulation as well as implementation of plans. c. Also the employees will be more interested in the execution of these plans. 6. Follow up/Appraisal of plans a. After choosing a particular course of action, it is put into action. b. After the selected plan is implemented, it is important to appraise its effectiveness. c. This is done on the basis of feedback or information received from departments or persons concerned. . This enables the management to correct deviations or modify the plan. e. This step establishes a link between planning and controlling function. f. The follow up must go side by side the implementation of plans so that in the light of observations made, future plans can be made more realistic. Organizing  is the function of management which follows planning. It is a function in which the synchronization and combination of human, physical and financial resources takes place. All the three resources are important to get results. Therefore, organizational function helps in achievement of results which in fact is important for the functioning of a concern. Definition of organizing According toChester Barnard, â€Å"Organizing is a function by which the concern is able to define the role positions, the jobs related and the co- ordination between authority and responsibility. Hence, a manager always has to organize in order to get results. A manager performs organizing function with the help of following steps:- 1. Identification of activities –  All the activities which have to be performed in a concern have to be identified first. For example, preparation of accounts, making sales, record keeping, quality control, inventory control, etc. All these activities have to be grouped and classified into units. 2. Departmentally organizing the activities –  In this step, the manager tries to combine and group similar and related activities into units or departments. This organization of dividing the whole concern into independent units and departments is called departmentation. 3. Classifying the authority –  Once the departments are made, the manager likes to classify the powers and its extent to the managers. This activity of giving a rank in order to the managerial positions is called hierarchy. The top management is into formulation of policies, the middle level management into departmental supervision and lower level management into supervision of foremen. The clarification of authority help in bringing efficiency in the running of a concern. This helps in achieving efficiency in the running of a concern. This helps in avoiding wastage of time, money, effort, in avoidance of duplication or overlapping of efforts and this helps in bringing smoothness in a concern’s working. 4. Co-ordination between authority and responsibility –  Relationships are established among various groups to enable smooth interaction toward the achievment of the organizational goal. Each individual is made aware of his authority and he/she knows whom they have to take orders from and to whom they are accountable and to whom they have to report. A clear organizational structure is drawn and all the employees are made aware of it. DIRECTING  is said to be a process in which the managers instruct, guide and oversee the performance of the workers to achieve predetermined goals. Directing is said to be the heart of management process. Planning, organizing, staffing have got no importance if direction function does not take place. Directing initiates action and it is from here actual work starts. Direction is said to be consisting of human factors. In simple words, it can be described as providing guidance to workers is doing work. In field of management, direction is said to be all those activities which are designed to encourage the subordinates to work effectively and efficiently. Definition of directing According to Human, â€Å"Directing consists of process or technique by which instruction can be issued and operations can be carried out as originally planned† Therefore, Directing is the function of guiding, inspiring, overseeing and instructing people towards accomplishment of organizational goals. Direction has got following characteristics: 1. Pervasive Function –  Directing is required at all levels of organization. Every manager provides guidance and inspiration to his subordinates. 2. Continuous Activity –  Direction is a continuous activity as it continuous throughout the life of organization. . Human Factor –  Directing function is related to subordinates and therefore it is related to human factor. Since human factor is complex and behaviour is unpredictable, direction function becomes important. 4. Creative Activity –  Direction function helps in converting plans into performance. Without this function, people become inactive and physical resources are meaningless. 5. Executive Function –  Direction function is carried out by all managers and executives at all levels throughout the working of an enterprise; a subordinate receives instructions from his superior only. . Delegate Function –  Direction is supposed to be a function dealing with human beings. Human behaviour is unpredictable by nature and conditioning the people’s behaviour towards the goals of the enterprise is what the executive does in this function. Therefore, it is termed as having delicacy in it to tackle human behaviour. Controlling consists of verifying whether everything occurs in conformities with the plans adopted, instructions issued and principles established. Controlling ensures that there is effective and efficient utilization of organizational resources so as to achieve the planned goals. Controlling measures the deviation of actual performance from the standard performance, discovers the causes of such deviations and helps in taking corrective actions Definition of controlling According to Brech, â€Å"Controlling is a systematic exercise which is called as a process of checking actual performance against the standards or plans with a view to ensure adequate progress and also recording such experience as is gained as a contribution to possible future needs. According to Donnell, â€Å"Just as a navigator continually takes reading to ensure whether he is relative to a planned action, so should a business manager continually take reading to assure himself that his enterprise is on right course. † controlling as a management function involves following steps: Process of controlling 1. Establishment of standards-  Standards are t he plans or the targets which have to be achieved in the course of business function. They can also be called as the criterions for judging the performance. Standards generally are classified into two- a. Measurable or tangible – Those standards which can be measured and expressed are called as measurable standards. They can be in form of cost, output, expenditure, time, profit, etc. b. Non-measurable or intangible- There are standards which cannot be measured monetarily. For example- performance of a manager, deviation of workers, their attitudes towards a concern. These are called as intangible standards. Controlling becomes easy through establishment of these standards because controlling is exercised on the basis of these standards. 2. Measurement of performance-  The second major step in controlling is to measure the performance. Finding out deviations becomes easy through measuring the actual performance. Performance levels are sometimes easy to measure and sometimes difficult. Measurement of tangible standards is easy as it can be expressed in units, cost, money terms, etc. Quantitative measurement becomes difficult when performance of manager has to be measured. Performance of a manager cannot be measured in quantities. It can be measured only by- a. Attitude of the workers, b. Their morale to work, c. The development in the attitudes regarding the physical environment, and d. Their communication with the superiors. It is also sometimes done through various reports like weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly reports. 3. Comparison of actual and standard performance-  Comparison of actual performance with the planned targets is very important. Deviation can be defined as the gap between actual performance and the planned targets. The manager has to find out two things here- extent of deviation and cause of deviation. Extent of deviation means that the manager has to find out whether the deviation is positive or negative or whether the actual performance is in conformity with the planned performance. The managers have to exercise control by exception. He has to find out those deviations which are critical and important for business. Minor deviations have to be ignored. Major deviations like replacement of machinery, appointment of workers, quality of raw material, rate of profits, etc. should be looked upon consciously. Therefore it is said, â€Å" If a manager controls everything, he ends up controlling nothing. † For example, if stationery charges increase by a minor 5 to 10%, it can be called as a minor deviation. On the other hand, if monthly production decreases continuously, it is called as major deviation. Once the deviation is identified, a manager has to think about various cause which has led to deviation. The causes can be- a. Erroneous planning, b. Co-ordination loosens, c. Implementation of plans is defective, and d. Supervision and communication is ineffective, etc. 4. Taking remedial actions-  Once the causes and extent of deviations are known, the manager has to detect those errors and take remedial measures for it. There are two alternatives here- a. Taking corrective measures for deviations which have occurred; and b. After taking the corrective measures, if the actual performance is not in conformity with plans, the manager can revise the targets. It is here the controlling process comes to an end. Follow up is an important step because it is only through taking corrective measures, a manager can exercise controlling. Types of managers: ? Functional manager: The functional manager is responsible for only one functional area. Like ? Production manager, ? Finance manager. ? Marketing manager ? HR manager ? General manager: The individual responsible for all functional activities, such as production, sales etc†¦ MANAGERIAL ROLES A s a manager, you probably fulfill many different roles every day. For instance, as well as leading your team, you might find yourself resolving a conflict, negotiating new contracts, representing your department at a board meeting, or approving a request for a new computer system. Put simply, you're constantly switching roles as tasks, situations, and expectations change. Management expert and professor, Henry Mintzberg, recognized this. He argued that there are ten primary roles or behaviors that can be used to categorize a manager's different functions. In this article we'll examine these roles, and we'll see how you can use your understanding of them to improve your management skills. The Roles Mintzberg published his Ten Management Roles in his book, â€Å"Mintzberg on Management: Inside our Strange World of Organizations,† in 1990. The ten roles are: 1. Figurehead. 2. Leader. 3. Liaison. 4. Monitor. 5. Disseminator. 6. Spokesperson. 7. Entrepreneur. 8. Disturbance Handler. 9. Resource Allocator. 10. Negotiator. [pic] The 10 roles are then divided up into three categories, as follows: Category |Role | |Interpersonal |Figurehead | | |Leader | | |Liaison | |Informational |Monitor | | |Disseminator | | |Spokesperson | |Decisional |Entrepreneur | | |Disturbance Handler | | |Resource Allocator | | |Negotiator | Interpersonal Category The roles in this category involve  providing  information and ideas. 1. Figurehead  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ As a manager, you have social, ceremonial and legal responsibilities. You're expected to be a source of inspiration. People look up to you as a person with authority, and as a figurehead. 2. Leader  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ This is where you provide leadership for your team, your department or perhaps your entire organization; and it's where you manage the performance and responsibilities of everyone in the group. 3. Liaison  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Managers must communicate with internal and external contacts. You need to be able to network effectively on behalf of your organization. Informational Category The roles in this category involve  processing  information. 1. Monitor  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ In this role, you regularly seek out information related to your organization and industry, looking for relevant changes in the environment. You also monitor your team, in terms of both their productivity, and their well-being. 2. Disseminator  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ This is where you communicate potentially useful information to your colleagues and your team. 3. Spokesperson  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Managers represent and speak for their organization. In this role you're responsible for transmitting information about your organization and its goals to the people outside it. Decisional Category The roles in this category involve  using  information. 1. Entrepreneur  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ As a manager, you create and control change within the organization. This means solving problems, generating new ideas, and implementing them. 2. Disturbance Handler  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ When an organization or team hits an unexpected roadblock, it's the manager who must take charge. You also need to help mediate disputes within it. 3. Resource Allocator  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ You'll also need to determine where organizational resources are best applied. This involves allocating funding, as well as assigning staff and other organizational resources. 4. Negotiator  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ You may be needed to take part in, and direct, important negotiations within your team, department, or organization. Better understanding of role 1. Figurehead Figureheads represent their teams. If you need to improve or build confidence in this area, start with your image, behavior, and  reputation. Cultivate  humility  and empathy, learn how to  set a good example at work, and think about  how to be a good role model. 2. Leader This is the role you probably spend most of your time fulfilling. To improve here, start by taking our quiz,  how good Are Your Leadership Skills? This will give you a thorough understanding of your current abilities. Next, learn how to be an  authentic leader, so your team will respect you. Also, focus on improving your  emotional intelligence  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ this is an important skill for being an effective leader. 3. Liaison To improve your liaison skills, work on your  professional networking  techniques. You may also like to take our Bite-Sized Training course on  Networking Skills. 4. Monitor To improve here, learn how to  gather information  effectively and  overcome information overload. Also, use effective  reading strategies, so that you can process material quickly and thoroughly, and learn how to  keep up-to-date with industry news. 5. Disseminator To be a good disseminator you need to know how to share information and outside views effectively, which means that good communication skills are vital. Learn how to share organizational information with  Team Briefings. Next, focus on improving your  writing skills. You might also want to take our  communication skills quiz, to find out where else you can improve. 6. Spokesperson To be effective in this role, make sure that you know how to  represent your organization at a conference. You may also want to read our articles on  delivering great presentations  and  working with the media  (if applicable to your role). 7. Entrepreneur To improve here, build on your  change management  skills, and learn  what not to do when implementing change  in your organization. You'll also need to work on yourproblem solving  and  creativity skills, so that you can come up with new ideas, and implement them successfully. 8. Disturbance Handler In this role, you need to excel at  conflict resolution  and know  how to handle team conflict. It's also helpful to be able to  manage emotion in your team. 9. Resource Allocator To improve as a resource allocator, learn how to  manage a budget,  cut costs, andprioritize, so that you can make the best use of your resources. 10. Negotiator Improve your negotiation skills by learning about  Win-Win Negotiation  and Distributive. .