The JLR Supply Chain Management Research Report Essay

The JLR Supply Chain Management Research Report - Essay Example However, the introduction of the new product line (electric automobile) will require the strategy to be redesign. Stages in the supply chain need to be prepared to handle all the specifics for the electric automobile. The following concerns are discussed broadly in this report since they are key determinant of success in each stage of Jaguar Land Rover Supply chain: Inventory control, Supply chain risks, distribution network, Quality management, and Production process. Decision making process involve for each concern have discussed too to aid the management to make sound and productive decision in what scenario that might arise either within or external of the chain. The growth of population and diversity has always forced generation of ideas in the supply chain management of either goods or services. Jaguar Land Rover need to come up with a supply chain management that will ensure the following aspect are dealt realized in the development of the electric vehicle: quality, inventory control, distribution, production processes. The overall goal of its supply chain will ensure the final consumer is satisfied with the electric vehicle as far as service provision is concerned. According to (Geunes, 2005) maximizing the available resources for profit generation should be guided by ethical considerations. It should not be just the ballooning market for a product that a firm chooses to venture in a given business. The idea for managing supply chain is to ensure all stages operate seamlessly towards achieving the overall goal. Management for Jaguar Land Rover need to develop management model that will ensure the supply chain for the electric automobile is efficient. In each stage of the chain linkages between then should be identified so as to make the chain robust. Decision will have to be made at each stage of the chain regarding the electric automobile (from raw material and retailer). Those decisions should be guided with

Scales in Music

Scales in Music â€Å"Life is like a piano, the white keys represent happiness and the black show sadness. But as you go through lifes journey, remember that the black keys also create music† â€Å"Unknown† Music was and will always be universal, personal, and close to millions of hearts anywhere in the world. Music would not have been created if it wasnt accompanied by musical instruments and the uniqueness of all the different scales that were and are used today in music. â€Å"A musical scale is a series of notes differing in pitch to a specific scheme.† Music is a universal language that people understand and is never outdated. Scales were originally formed in the early Medieval and Renaissance periods which date back to 500 AD. Everything was created in the early western classical music periods even though only primarily one scale was typically used during that time frame up until the Modern period. Two of the most common scales are called Major and Minor. Back in the Medieval and Renaissance periods, Major and Minor scales were used and coming from one specific term called â€Å"Church modes† or Gregorian modes. There are eight different types of Church modes: â€Å"The Lydian, Hypoaeolin, Hypolydian, Dorian, Phrygian, Mixolydian, Hypodorian and Aeolian.† One example of a Church mode would be a Gregorian scale. In natural major scales, typically the first solfege note begins and ends with Do. A typical Gregorian scale starts on Mi. The Gregorian model/scale is used for the piece â€Å"Song of Prayer†. This is an example of the Gregorian scale because the key starts on something else besides Do. The Gregorian scale itself starts and ends on a half step. Typically for most scales, there is a whole step between the first and second note. Every scale has their own sequence of half steps, whole steps and even thirds as well. â€Å"The Pentatonic scale dates back to Greece, and the word Pentatonic derives from Greek and means pente, meaning five.† â€Å"The Tonic meaning tone.† When you put both names together you get pentatonic and its referred to as a five-note scale. Its also quite similar to a Pentascale which is also a five note scale. The Pentatonic scale was also believed to be used in the past in ancient times. For example, Claude Debussy, who was very well known as an influential composer in the Romantic Period, used Pentatonic Scales in his own original pieces. One of his works, â€Å"The Sonata for Cello and Piano† used a Pentatonic scale in the key of D minor which was composed in 1915. When Major scales get transposed, they change into its relative Minor scale. For Minor Scales, there are 3 different types of scales: A Natural Minor, A Harmonic scale and a Melodic scale. All three scales are very different but still are very similar to each other. A Natural minor Scale is a sequence of whole and half steps where all the keys are all pure natural keys that are not sharped or flattened. A Harmonic minor scale is written just like a Natural scale but written with one added accidental. Accidentals are symbols which are: sharps, flats and naturals that ended on the musical staff by accident. A melodic minor Scale is just like a Harmonic minor scale except it has two added accidentals on the 6th and 7th note of the scale. The Minor scales are very commonly used in music and the easiest scale to incorporate is the Natural minor. The natural minor scale is also known Aeolian scale and its the complete opposite of a natural major scale. The qualities of the chords, the sound of the keys, and the whole and half pattern of notes are completely different. The sound of the natural minor scales are less high pitched than natural major scales. The tones of a natural minor scales are more darker and have a gloomier sound when you play the scale. For example, Green Days song â€Å"Holiday† is played in F minor and if you listen to the song you would automatically hear that it has a gloomy sound to the composition. When it comes to playing different scales and switching up the keys to make songs sound more unique, thats when you have your Harmonic minor scale. â€Å"The Harmonic minor scale derives its name from the harmonic function created by its 7th degree.† The Harmonic minor scale has a really pretty and soothing sound to it. Whenever I play the E harmonic minor scale, I think the scale sounds heavenly. Also, â€Å"The raised 7th gives this distinctly minor sounding scale a sense of authority.† Another example of a Harmonic minor scale would be â€Å"Easy Please Me† by Katy B, its solely based on the harmonic key in B flat minor. It doesnt really sound heavenly but It definitely has more out-there sound and is completely unique. The last type of a minor scale is the most complicated one out of all of them. The Melodic minor scale is quoted as the most commonly used minor scale. The Melodic scale is also quoted as the most complicated minor scale in Music Theory. The Scale has a nickname called â€Å"The Jazz Scale.† The Melodic minor scale has a raised 6th and 7th note in the scale to satisfy the harmonic part of the scale. One reason why the Melodic scale is difficult is because it creates conflict with the other scales. Another reason why the scale complicates things is because its in many different keys all at one. One example of the scale would be â€Å"Chelsea Bridge† by Billy Srayhorn because of its chords that sound dark and creepy. The first and most common scale that would come to peoples minds would be the major scale. The Major scale is one of the four most commonly used scales in music today. Major is always mentioned in any type of scale;Major Pentascales, Major Natural Scales, Major Triads etc. The Major scale is referred to as the joyful and happy tune when you play any major scale. For Example, in Taylor Swifts song â€Å"Ours†, Its a crush worthy song that makes a person smile about the guy that their missing. The song is played in C major. Another Example of a Major key is Taylor Swifts Song â€Å"Safe and Sound† featuring the Civil Wars. Despite its sound, its still written in major key even though its actually more on the gloomier and deeper side rather than the piece sounding cheerful. The song was written in G major. Imagine writing a song for key thats easy to read and then writing a song for a key thats so uncommon you have never heard of it. â€Å"The Octatonic Scale is a eight note scale that consists of starting off a scale with half steps rather than whole steps.† The Octatonic Scale is the one scale that has a fully Diminished sound to it and thats why its also called â€Å"The Diminished Scale†. One of the three modes of a Octatonic scale is a OCT (0,1) which starts off a half step to first and second note of the scale. The Second mode of the scale is an OCT (1,2) which is similar to the first mode because it starts off with a half to the first and second note as well. The last mode is called (Oct 0,2) which its pattern starts off with a whole step rather than half. In conclusion, Music has always been there for me and anyone else who loves creating and listening to music. Imagine if the world had no music, all of us would have a heart attack. Its really fascinating and wild how the generations have passed down music. Its interesting how much there is to learn in music despite how challenging it is. In the end, Its worth the stress to learn but to remember to never forget what you love the most: Music.   Works Cited Musicopoulos. Melodic Minor Scale. Web. 17 Dec. 2014. . The Freakiness of Melodic Minor. The Ethan Hein Blog. 31 Jan. 2011. Web. 17 Dec. 2014. . OctaveBox. OctaveBox. Web. 17 Dec. 2014. . Feist, Jonathan. Music Education Information and Articles. Web. 17 Dec. 2014.  . The Eight Gregorian Modes. Modes. Web. 17 Dec. 2014.  . Teorà ­a. Music Theory Web. Web. 17 Dec. 2014. . Web. 17 Dec. 2014. . Music Discipline Modes of the Major Scale. Modes of the Major Scale. Web. 17 Dec. 2014.  . The Community of Jesus | Christian Community | Benedictine Monastery. The Community of Jesus. Web. 17 Dec. 2014. .

Unjustness in The Crucible by Arthur Miller Essay -- Essay on The Cruc

In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, unjustness is displayed constantly throughout the play, when innocent men and women are accused of witchcraft in the town of Salem during the 1690's. Chaos and havoc erupt in this small town during the times of the trials, causing many prominent men and women to be wrongly accused of practicing witchcraft. In particular, John Procter, a well respected leader in the town of Salem, soon becomes entangled in the Salem witch trials, when his wife Elizabeth and many other women of the town are accused of witchcraft by Abigail Williams, his former mistress. Unlike other characters in the story, Procter's personality can be seen gradually changing throughout the course of the play, because of the events that occur in his life at the time of the trials. In The Crucible, John Procter develops from a sinful, dishonest man overwhelmed by guilt over his affair with Abigail, to a man with the courage to be truthful to himself and those around him. Unlike a ny other character in the story, John Procter ultimately learns to forgive himself for his sins, and take responsibility for his actions. As the story begins to unfold, John Proctor establishes himself as a confused man of ambiguity, unable to come to terms with his own sins, initially showing intolerance towards himself. After having an affair with Abigail Williams, John is unsure about his feelings towards her. Upon first meeting Proctor in the story, he is seen flirting with Abigail Williams, and provocatively telling her that â€Å"[she's] wicked yet,† and that â€Å"[she'll] be clapped in the stocks before [she's] twenty. (22).† John's amorous actions clearly exhibit his passion for Abigail. Although at first flirtatious gestures are exchanged, John... ... mistakes and learns to tolerate himself. John Proctor is a man who stands up to authority, and sticks to what he believes in when know one else will. Unfortunately, like all tragic heros John Proctor had a tragic flaw: his physical attraction to Abigail Williams. Sadly, Proctor's tragic flaw ultimately lead to his destruction. Because of John Proctor's tragic death, order is restored throughout the town of Salem. John Proctor is a man that knew the truth, and was going to stand by it no matter what. Workscited: Bowers, Kristen. The Crucible by Arthur Miller: Literature Guide. San Dimas, CA: Secondary Solutions, 2006. Print.

Jobless

People work hard to get better lives and to accomplish what they want after graduating high school or college. However, they face some difficulties in finding a job. Unlikely, â€Å"Ben† (‘Young†) would not want to be an â€Å"independent adult† (A. 25). As the rate of youth unemployment is rising, many countries suffer from how to deal this unwelcome circumstance. According to statistic of Margaret’s article, â€Å"In Canada, the jobless rate for young adults is a relatively low 14 per cent. Across the European Union, the jobless rate is higher than 20 per cent.In the U. S. , the jobless rate for high-school-educated men between 20 and 24 – Ben's generation – has reached 22. 4 per cent† (A25). If the number of jobless people increases, many problems will arise in society. First, youth power could be wasted, and countries could lose human resources. Many jobs require capacity from men for some works that women could not handle. Ho wever, some people may argue that women could handle those jobs and there should be no gender discrimination.Although there is less sexual discrimination in work places, discrimination in hiring still exists. Jobs of women are â€Å"much more likely to be part-time, contract work, working through a temporary help agency, or working on their own† (301). Women also have to consider â€Å"child care† that could be â€Å"limits women’s choice of paid employment† (301). Thus, men would be widely used in many jobs for society. Generally, in terms of physical condition, young men are stronger than women so labor and some jobs require physical strength from men.For instance, young women work at building construction; they could have difficulties to carry heavy materials. Consequently, progress of constructing the building could be slower because of lack of strength. The slow progression could create that the time and money be wasted. Secondly, people without work could be effect on the society. Not working is associated in homelessness, criminal problem and social welfare. Unemployment could be homeless because they do not have enough money to buy or rent the house.Homeless people sometimes commit suicide because they cannot afford to buy basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter. It is hard to maintain those requisites if they do not work and there is no financial supports. Poverty from unemployment also could impact on their children. Children who grow upon poverty later suffer from more persistent and several health problems than children who grow up under better financial circumstances. Children raised in poverty also tend to miss school more often, so they could not have a high quality of education.When these children grow up, it is hard for them to find a better career and they could be jobless again as their parents who were unemployment as well. Moreover, people without work make the criminal rate increase because joblessness a nd homeless could be a major motivator in theft, burglary and violent crimes in order to get money easily. A result of criminal from unemployment may bring that our social security is jeopardized. Lastly, there may be less social welfare for children and disabled people because young men without work have not enough money to pay taxes.The result of fewer taxes could make government’s finance decrease and then government could not support the social welfare. Of course, people would not receive the better social welfare services. Finally, being without work could affect their individual life such as relationship, confidence and health. If they go out and talk with friends or other people who are working, they could not communicate with them because they do not have work experience and do not understand words that worker used.Thus, they will not be likely to go out and interact with other people, and prefer to stay alone at home. Not moving out could make many unemployment not w ant to get married because youth unemployment could be â€Å"trapped in a twilight world of failure to achieve adulthood† (â€Å"Young†). Indeed, they would have the lack of relationship with people. By not working, people also may begin to doubt their sense of self and abilities, be depressed and not have confidence. The result of emotional effects may give unemployment a huge stress.Suffering from stress is known as to have physical effects on a human body; therefore, they find doctor and do drugs more. Certainly, their health may be at risk. In conclusion, there is a problem that not only youth power but also time and money could be wasted if the unemployment rate keeps rising. In terms of society, people without work could be homeless and a cause of increasing criminal. They also may lead to lack of social welfare services. In terms of each unemployed individual, they may have a low interaction with other people and communication skills.By being jobless, people cou ld have not only emotional effects such as self-esteem, lack of confidence, depression and anxiety, but also physical effects from the stress. Thus, young unemployed people may be the problems to be ironed out in the world. Works – cited Townson, Monica. â€Å"Canadian women on Their Own Are the Poorest of the Poor. † Writing: A Journey. Ed. Lester Faigley and Melanie Rubers. Pearson, 2010. 300-301. Print. â€Å"Young men without work. †Ã‚  Globe ; Mail  [Toronto, Canada] 10 Nov. 2011: A25. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 22 July 2012.

Accounting Treatment of Intangible Assets

Accounting Treatment of Intangible Asset Draft Pace University ACC692 Summer I By Yigal Rechtman July 30, 2001 Introduction What is the problem? Accounting for intangibles has gained prominence in the past few decades due to changes in the way the business world operates. The technological revolution and in particular, the information age, has brought intangible resources to the fore of the business environment. Businesses ( even the most traditional production manufacturers ( are moving towards an information age where a competitive edge is increasingly linked to resources other than the fixed and liquid assets as understood by Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Some research has shown that accounting for Intangible Assets (IA) – a general term that will be defined and separated later – will fulfill the accuracy requirement of the accounting functions and reports. Other research has shown that accuracy will have to be traded off with relevance of the accounting functions and reports. Still other research claims that neither accuracy nor relevance are served by accounting for resources that do not meet the current definitions of Assets under GAAP. Accordingly, there are two questions regarding the accounting for IA: 1. Should the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles recognize as financially relevant and accurate events that arise from IA? 2. How should GAAP account, process and present these IA related events (if the answer to question number 1 is positive. ) Question number one is answered in the positive: the existence of IA in the current business environment is proven in repeated investigations. Further, the economic effects of IA on corporations has shown that not disclosing or accounting for such resources amounts to miscomunications regarding the activity and financial state of a business. The research that was used in this paper has shown that Intangible Resources are increasingly a factor in the business world. Intangible resources, as will be discussed below, is a super-set group of strategic elements that contribute to the success of a business. IA, in turn is a sub-set of the Intangible Resources. The paper intends to explore the current range of thinking relative to IA and how such resources should be valued, recognized and presented in the financial reporting of U. S. companies. The question of how to account for IA poses different challenges, some of them related back to the answer of the first question. As this paper will show, recognizing IA on an entity(s books can be seen as a natural next step, especially for certain knowledge industry type businesses. However, the challenges to the issue of recognition remain: how to determine IA in a meaningful manner? How to report IA and what are the possible ramification of alternative accounting treatments? Scope and Method of Exploring the ProblemScope and Method of Exploring the Problem The process of finding information about the topics relating to IA, and obtaining an understanding of the issues, involved an introduction by means of participating in a conference on the subject and obtaining complimentary readings of published articles. The Third Annual Conference on Intangible Assets, sponsored by New York University(s Ross Institute produced a documentary of the presentations, which were used in this paper. Additional published material was obtained through the ABI-Inform database, by searching for (Intangible Assets(, (Intangible Accounting( as well as (Assets Valuation( and (Appraisal, Intangibles( for the years 1976-2000[? ][i]. The search was limited to articles available in full form on line (versus articles in which only the abstract is available on line. ) This paper refers to twenty articles that were obtained through ABI-Inform and ten articles from presenters at the NYU(s conference. Two points should be made in terms of the scope of the discussion. First, the discussion includes IA as it is captured and presented for external, possibly audited, users of the entity(s comprehensive financial statements. Unless otherwise stated, financial statements herein are presented with conformity of United States( Generally Accepted Accounting Principle (GAAP). Within the latter confines, estimates such as amortization and useful life of an Intangible Asset (IA), although a valid issue, will be generally out of the scope of this paper. The reason for the limitation is that for cash flow purposes, as well as for balance sheet analysis, such estimates represent regulatory requirements and provide little by way of capturing the essence of the issues surrounding IA. Therefore, the ultimate purpose of this paper is to venture out of the confined safety of U. S. GAAP and investigate what other isms are possible for presentation of a Statement of Financial Position which incorporates intangible assets. The method of this paper consists of discussing the three criteria which are used to assess the alternatives to accounting IA: valuation, recognition and presentation. Each of these criteria is measured on a scale from 0 to 100 (alternatively, from 0. 0 to 1. 0) to show the extent of the departure of the alternative from the currently accepted method, usually the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Because Goodwill is already an established IA under current accounting rules, it will be discussed first (for each criteria) to show the extent of the existing treatment. Although other IA such as Human Capital or Patents exist, they are often either unaccounted for or simply replaced by a generic (Goodwill( entry on the books. Although they are all intangible resources[? ][ii], it can be shown that not all are Assets (as defined herein). This paper will also explore the possibility that, perhaps intangible assets such as Human Capital should not be substituted for by the generic (Goodwill( entry. Definitions Some unclear, overlapping and unstructured definitions occupy the set of IA issues. in turn, some researchers have used inconsistent definitions of IA, reducing the transparency that accountants and financial experts have to discuss these issues. Although excellent analysis has been published, such research is often not consistent in scope or definition to other frame work and conceptual essays that are contemporarily published. Therefore, aside from giving this (creature( a proper name, and calling all its parts using the same taxonomy, coupled here from various sources. The dictionary defines IA as (an asset that is saleable though not material or physical([? ][iii] and (Intangible: †¦ an asset that can not be perceived by the senses†¦ such as Goodwill or dedication([? ]. According to the FASB, an internally generated IA is proposed to be defined[? ][v] as: (1) a past event that has a (2) measurable effect and that presents a (3) future benefit. The FASB Special Report[? ][vi] states that there is not a need for different rules of recognition for internally and externally generated IA. The FASB clarifies that internally generated IA is simply an (Asset( without a physical presence, nor does have to it be an external acquisition: as long as all three tests are conformed with, any business event or process can produce an IA. The FASB further notes that there is an embedded conflict in this definition because it contains a departure from the (historic cost( principle. The move to a (forward looking( definition is defended by the FASB in making an argument for further disclosure, not a modification for the format and content of the existing presentation rules. In this presentation, for the purpose of defining IA (internally or externally generated) the FASB definition will be applicable. Intellectual Capital (IC): A business entity uses three types of capital: physical, financial and intellectual[? [vii]. Intellectual capital (IC) is defined as an intangible asset that is not financial or physical and that has been (formalized, captured and leveraged to produce a higher-valued asset([? ][viii]. The raw material, captured and formalized in the process of capitalization of IC, is knowledge. Knowledge resides within an individual, a group of individuals or entity-wide. Knowledge that is structured in a formal manner (usually with an information system, computerized or otherwise) is just data. When it is purposeful and useful, data is considered information. Information made use of is knowledge[? ][ix], which can become an IC. In the discussion of IC, several disaggregation of IC exist. For the purpose of this discussion, the following categorization will suffice as (all inclusive(. This paper does not intend to be exhaustive in its definitions. It can be shown that other examples of IC can be found (and the definition extended) without diluting the effect of the issues at hand. The classification proposed in this paper uses the following examples of IC: Human Capital, Intellectual Capital and Structural Capital. Human Capital (HC) is arguably the most elusive from accounting for in financial or quantitative terms. Some[? ][x] argue that HC is the most active value driver in the business world today. Intellectual Capital (InC) has been at times presented under different names, too: (Patents and brand names[? ][xi]( or Social Capital (the latter is a definition of a hybrid of Human Capital and Organizational Capital. ) InC, abstractly is intellectual property that stem from (or relate to) innovation within the entity(s business. Structural Capital (SC) can be better described that defined: SC is any leverage that can be described in terms of the relationships of functions within the organization and the leverage of entities outside the organization. For example, a customer base relationship – qualified or quantified – is a SC that can be portrayed as an external relationship; an Enterprise Resource Plan (ERP) that allows departments within a company to facilitate resource allocation is an instance of SC. Goodwill: Goodwill is arguably the most conforming IA to GAAP: It is the excess of Fair Value (FV) over Book Value in a purchase transaction. Currently, treatment of any of IA has been confined to Goodwill produced on the balance sheet from acquisition under the purchase method. As the only allowed IA capitalization, Goodwill appear in many studies pertaining account for IA. For GAAP purposes, three tests are applied to allow recognition of an event as an Asset: 1. the event is a past-event, 2. it is measurable and 3. it contains probable future benefit. Goodwill passes the (past event(, (measurable effect( and (future benefit( tests. The reason Goodwill can be seen as a past event is that it is easy to date the creation of an acquisition under the purchase method where the fair value (FV) of an acquired entity is lower than the adjusted basis (AB) to the acquiring entity. Goodwill arising from a consolidation, merger or takeover transaction has produced inconsistent definitions of the (other( classes of IA. For example, at times a well trained workforce is describe plainly as (unrecognized Goodwill( due to the disallowed recognition under GAAP (the proper classification for such a workforce is HC). Although this paper is not intended to disprove these notions, definition clarification can aid in seeing the general direction of accounting for IA Evaluating possible answers to the question of Accounting Treatment of Intangible Assets Treatment by an accounting method is based on Measurement, Recognition and Reporting dimensions. In order to present these dimensions, this paper will attempt to survey the range of possibilities and plot them on three dimensional coordinate axises of possibilities: 0 being the most conservative point and 100 being the most (daring( in terms of relevance and accuracy. Thus, the treatment of IA can create a multi-dimensional view of the accounting classification, reporting and even auditing. Imagine a three dimensional cube with an X, Y and Z axises. On the X axis spread are the ideas about recognition of IA. On the Y axis we shall plot the various metrics (measurement) that are proposed for IA. Finally on the Z axis will lie the proposed solutions for the presentation aspects of IA. The difference between recognition and metrics should be explored further: metrics are the models upon which, ultimately, monetary amounts are made available for classification. Recognition, on the other hand, are the issues that mandate the accounting perspective of the monetary (and possibly non-monetary, too) information that can be captured. The matter of presentation touches on the financial statement and the disclosure issues that surround IA. Measuring and Valuing Intangible Assets Goodwill measurement is the only existing allowed GAAP-related event. The measurability of future benefit from Goodwill is based on known measures of financial events, namely the Adjusted Basis (also known as Book Value, or AB) and the Fair Value (FV). In a Goodwill event, the FV is the purchase price. The AB amount is discernable; the FV amount can arguably be changed according to market and strategic conditions. This discussion will assume, however, that FV is a fixed amount, available to accountants and the public. Therefore, Goodwill is an excess between two set amounts, Fair Value (of assets acquired) and Adjusted Basis (paid by acquiring entity). By definition, this is a measurable amount. Realizing Goodwill can be stated this way: the reason an acquiring entity is willing to pay more for the acquired entity more than the estimated assets( FV is because of difference of assumptions in the definitions of FV. Therefore, the FV to the acquiring corporation is different than the FV to the acquired corporation: the former sees future cash flow that is greater than the cash flow seen by fundamental look at the balance sheet of the acquired entity. In a sense, this is a statement about the value of the effect of (gamma( ( the effect of (growth( ( in the example given elsewhere in this paper (see Appendix). Thus, the acquiring entity sees a measurable amount of inflow of cash that can justify the excessive cost up front. Current research indicates that IA and, in general, non-financial events are measurable. The main conflict is deciding on which model to rely on, and moreover, which model to use as a standard measurement. The problem with measuring IA is that such measurements are too specific to an industry and perhaps to a particular entity. Research yields plenty of data showing how measurements can be conjured up to measure certain non-financial, intangible events. For example, measurements models exist to quantify information[? ][xii], or the value of business alliances[? ][xiii], et cetera. These models show that values of quantity, rate of growth and other statistics can be obtained at a feasible cost[? [xiv]: (existing techniques and expanded use of nonfinancial metrics seem to offer a more cost effective solution. ( However, the FASB Special Report states that making such proprietary measurements useful for general purpose accounting and financial reporting is not likely. The problem with value models or future-inflow metrics is that they are estimates. Like depreciation schedu les, valuation methods are based on assumptions. Because they often include not just one or two variables but numerous independent variables, the number of assumptions grow at least in linear proportion to the number of variables. For example, a Human Resource valuation model by Skandia, an insurance and financial corporation (Sweden) has been criticized for having up to 140 variables[? ][xv]. Unlike depreciation, which requires disclosure of one or two assumptions, disclosure of such complex models, even if they include only 5 to 10 variables, can be quite unfriendly to the user. Furthermore, a multi-variable model is generally susceptible to greater risk of contradicting of any of the assumptions, leading to invalidating the results of the entire model. Generally, measuring IA is a departure from historical cost[? ][1]. GAAP requires that the cost, or past event principle, guide any valuation. This requirement is in keeping with GAAP(s frame work of conservatism. When an IA is appraised in value it becomes a forward-looking measurement which is not compatible with other elements of GAAP. Future Value is the opposite of the principle of reliability in GAAP driven financial reporting: the accuracy of past events reported is the crucial element of its reliability[? ][xvi]. However, value projection can be manipulated to create certain effects. For example, a projection can be made by Management (and included in a financial report) about the future effect of a certain Internet domain name that is owned by a company, such as (money. com(. The projection is unique enough that it cannot be verified by other sources. In order to have measurability of IA, a compromise between the forward looking and historic cost principles is sought. Seemingly, past-based and future based measuring can not be consistent. It may be possible however to reconcile the projective nature of valuating IA and the required verification by historic cost in GAAP by creating an appraisal mechanism. Arguably, appraisals can be done by means of three approaches[? ][xvii]: cost, comparable market or income. Approaches used in Appraisals: Approaches used in Appraisals The cost approach estimates the value of an asset at an arm(s length transaction; this approach is inapplicable to IA; for example, HC is not measurable or even possible to conceive as an (arm(s length( transaction. Goodwill, also by definition, can not be an (arm(s length( transaction because an excess is paid by a purchaser above the FV of an acquired target. Similarly, SC can not be assessed this way because of its unique, untransferable characteristic. The market approach states that appraisals of similar purchased (or sold) goods or services can be a basis for estimating the value of the transferred property. Although a model for HC or InC can be built based on the market appraisals approach, SC can not be fit into a model that includes transferring assets in an exchange. IA of that nature loses its value in such a transfer. The income approach is most fitting to the accounting use in terms of IA. Present Value analysis is available and established within GAAP as a model. Its application in an IA valuation depends on the class of IA. Goodwill, for example, is inherently suited to the income approach valuation: the excess over FV represents the purchaser(s belief in enhanced cash in flow over a known (fixed) length of time, such that this inflow will surpass not only the declared FV but also the (higher) purchase price. However, SC has little known useful life, as does in part InC. For example, a distributed warehousing corporate structure, or a Just In Time production process can not have a reasonable income based appraised value because their useful life is not known, nor can it be averaged in the same way that for example, investment in employee training (HC) can be. However, HC is not completely compatible with the income approach, either: employee satisfaction and loyalty (both IAs) are similar in concept to the element of (going concern( because once HC(s useful life is in doubt, the going concern of the entity is generally in doubt, too. Users of financial statements are often wary of appraisals as they represent – at best – a range of possibilities. Consequently, an approximation of value diffuses the utility of fundamental analysis of the financial statement in question. At worse, appraisals represent a biased, subjective and diverted view point of the management. Even in an honest attempt to value an IA, a range must by provided or alternatively, a tradeoff measure of (confidence level( accompanies any so-called (fixed( dollar amount. In any way, an Appraisal[? ][xviii] does not produce a consistent monetary measure. On the Y axis all appraisals are at the high read: unsubstantiated, (daring() end, at Y=90. A (Real Options( valuation model describes a series of future inflow of cash (or other benefits or desirable effects, such as employee morale) in a recursive manner: the first event (event number 1) in the series is an evaluation of the chance that a successful beneficial event will come to pass i n the second event (event number 2). For events that are not the first event, (Real Options( model defines the event number N+1 as (if event N has been successful to obtain a desired result, evaluation of the possibility of event N+1 to occur is computed, along with the possible benefit of N+1. If event N has a result that is undesirable, the entire process ends. ( So, instead of seeing the model of future cash flow (or desirable result events), a Real Options model does not have a (useful life( but attempts to predict when the series of events will end and what the accumulated result will be. The Real Options model, however weak (in terms of assumptions or addition to understanding of (useful life(), does solves another conflict in measurement of IA: the conflict between consistency of an entity-specific measurement and the fair-value approach. The key for consistency is that no assumptions are made a-priory to using the model: each step has its own unique scenario and set of assumptions that can be extended and extrapolated by an external user or for internal use[? ][xix]. Because it is a projective model where future benefits are based on some assumptions, it can not be much more conservative than any value model conjured up by managers (or auditors). Consequently, (Real Option(s( place on the Y axis is 85. Proprietary Value Models: Although research abounds with successful examples of special valuation model, the test of consistency is a challenge to these models: (1)consistency of measurement over time (because not enough materials have been collected under any particular model) ; (2)consistency between business units (because the measurements are proprietary and a valuation model that fits an insurance corporation(s will be likely mot fit for a flower-delivery corporation or even an academic institution). And (3)consistency with GAAP: although these measurements are all non-GAAP compliant, by definition of this discussion, they do not rely on GAAP in their assumption. These models often use non-financial reporting assumptions that puts them closer to cost accounting than to financial accounting. For example, banks and lending institutions use proprietary value models to assess credit worthiness of certain IA-laden companies[? ][xx], although these valuations are typically limited to IA such as patents or copyrights because they have leverage in marketable or contractual terms[? ][xxi]. Simply indicating to the user ( external or internal ( that certain valuation is (estimated( or (based on a model( without specifying the assumptions, can lead rendering the valuation an act of providing useless or mis-stated financial value. An abstract standard setting is required to fulfill the task of measuring IA. Attribution of Income: IA can be attributed and recognized by measuring normalized operating income and subtracting the portion of income attributable to other classes of assets. This is a generalized value model that is based on fewer assumptions. It, too, can be located at Y=100. Discussion of examining the range of measurements available for Intangible Assets: On the axis of measurement (Y in this paper), some possible points can be plotted: first, measuring cost is the GAAP derived method (Y=0). For example, historic cost of training, benefits and other outlays of resources can be aggregated to measuring the intangible value of Human Capital, as an asset. Of course, whether such measurement can be recognized or reported must be construed on the respective X and Z axis, as presented elsewhere herein. The historic cost measurement will be on the 0 point of the Y axis (Measurement). In contrast, at the maximum point on the Y axis (Y=100), we plot the concept that allows any proprietary value model. Whether it is acceptable as consistent (read: GAAP compliant) or not, value models are available for managers and users of financial information on any IA-based event. Data mining and computer-oriented accounting information system make creating such models a relatively easy task, albeit a proprietary tool for the reporting entity or industry. Appraisals were often hailed as the magic bullet for such metric setting and some might set that to be the magic (Y=50( on the Y axis. But, as shown earlier in this presentation, appraisals are simply value models that have been warranted or certified and are founded on their own (multiple) assumptions. Because applying the right mix of different appraisals methods, human judgement and experience causes variation in the consistency of this valuation[? ][xxii], appraisals can not be a consistent or reliable method of measuring IA. Thus, appraising an IA receives a mark of 90 on the Y axis. As alternative of future benefit inflow models, a (real-options( model is also available to some small relief of the issues. Real Options, too is set at Y=90. Recognition of Intangible Assets Recognition of Intangible Assets There exists a notion that recognizing IA is a threat to proper disclosure of current period expenditures: capitalization of certain outlays can be seen as a scheme for expense deferral, designed to enhance the perceived value to creditors (shareholders et al). Proper classification, processing and reporting structures designed to deter such improper reporting can be effective. Overall, requiring additional disclosure can only enhance the utility of the financial report to its users. On the other hand, it is easy to prove logically (see Appendix) that IA should be recognized, assuming that it can be properly and consistently measured. The argument for capitalization essentially shows that if one assumes that (1) A company must have a growth factor ((gamma() in its assets in order to survive; (2) Outlays of assets (cash) in period N reduces Equity in period N; (3) If (gamma( is present then recognizing outlays as expenses in period N understates Equity in period N; Therefore, the recognition of expenses is inaccurate, and the capitalization of these outlays is required. In this paper, the X axis will become the range of possible recognition treatments of IA. In general, several points of view are identifiable on this axis. Currently, GAAP does not allow for recognition of IA (except Goodwill from purchase transaction) either because of the control test[? ][xxiii] or because of the measurability test (measurability pertains to the Y axis in this model). An opposing view is presented states in essence that IA are either any excess of market value over book value, or that earned income, before depreciation, amortization, and taxes (or some other similar representation of operating income) can be allocated([? ][xxiv] to the different asset classes: fixed, financial and intangible. Finally, using a completely projectionist method future cash flow as the value of an IA (perhaps in conjunction to subtracting the adjusted-basis and adding the disposal value) might allow non-GAAP recognition of an such an IA. GAAP Recognition: Currently GAAP contains no reco gnition of IA, other than Goodwill as provided by GAAP. As discussed in the measurement section, above, Goodwill is recognized only under certain purchases where certain tests of the excess of FV over AB are present, giving rise to Goodwill. However, Goodwill is often realized and recognized when another class of IA should be created, instead. Goodwill is realized and recognized due to an excess of a purchase consideration over FV (GAAP). This excess, however can be disaggregated or classified more finely than simply calling it Goodwill: Take for example a hypothetical acquisition of a Value Added Network (VAN) provider by an Internet Service Provider (ISP). The former provides the communication tools, the phone lines and the data traffic from customer(s homes to the Internet. The latter, the Internet Service Provider, can benefit from this acquisition by avoiding renting the VAN(s and instead capitalizing on the acquisition(s future cash in flows. Moreover, the ISP can direct its customer base to use VAN as a preferred channel, creating certain loyalties, flexibility (for the customers) and other added value benefits. Assuming – under GAAP – that the ISP paid the VAN(s shareholders more than the FV of their stock, an entry for Goodwill is required. However, this entry is a misnomer: the Goodwill is not really for the excess value but for the additional structure capital (SC) of the acquiring entity. Mostly, the VAN(s organizational structure can benefit from this excess (only in secondary order is the future cash inflows of the acquired VAN to the ISP. ) Because Goodwill is the only GAAP compliant IA combined with its possible vagueness or generality, it receives a position of 0 on the X axis. Recognizing only Marketable IA: This method allows for some latitude in recognizing certain IA, for example, patents, copyrights, and contractual leverage (with employees, suppliers or customers). Using this method excludes most internally generated IA because their effect is not legally binding. Recognizing IA based on their enforcability and to some degree, marketability gets placed at X=50. Recognizing All Events: Some knowledge based essays argue that all events in a business entity is one of IA. As such, all otherwise not measured events can be considered intangible and once measured, recognized on the entity(s books. Because it is the most relaxed method, recognizing all non-financial events in an index or model of fair value[? ][xxv] obtains X=100. Recapitulate: Valuation & Recognition Valuation and Recognition of IA has yielded a two dimensional plain on which different methods are available. At the most conservative level, GAAP driven, is the point (X=0,Y=0) which asserts that measuring asset must be according to the past-event principle (historic cost) and that with the exception of Goodwill, no internally or externally generated IA are accounted for. Departing from this basis, on the valuation scale (the Y axis) are proposed method of measuring the value of IA ((future cash flow(, (appraisal( or (real-option( models) make an interesting combination. For example, assume the point (X=0,Y=100) on the X,Y plain is proposed and accepted. This means that a only historic cost (X=0) is realized and yet, that future cash flow (Y=100) is used for measuring the value of these asset. Thus, any hybrid of such a nature (cell D in the Table I) of conventional measurement and unconventional recognition poses the challenge to the third axis in this paper: presentation of IA.    |   |   |   | |   |Recognition: X=0   |X=50 |X=100 | |   |   |   |   | |Valuation |(A) |(B) |(C) | |Y=0 |( IA not recognized[? [2] |( Select IA recognized, based on |( All events recognized, if not | |   |( Historic Cost |market, contractual. |classified elsewhere they are IA | | |   |( Historic Cost |events | | | |( Historic Cost | |   |   |   |   | |Y=85 |(D) |(E) |(F) | | |( IA not recognized |( Select IA recognized, based on |( All events recognized, if not | | |( Real option valuation model |market, contractual. classified elsewhere they are IA | | | |( Real option valuation model |events | | | | |( Real option valuation model | |   |   |   |   | |Y=90 |(G) |(H) |(I) | | |( IA not recognized |( Select IA recognized, based on |( All events recognized, if not | | |( Appraisal (cost, market, income |market, contractual. classified elsewhere they are IA | | |approaches) |( Appraisal (cost, market, income |events | | | |approaches) |( Appraisal (cost, market, income | | | | |approaches) | |   |   |   |   | |Y=100 |(J) |(K) |(L) | | |( IA not recognized |( Select IA recognized, based on |( All events recognized, if not | | |( Proprietary Value Model |market, contractual. |classified elsewhere they are IA | | | |( Proprietary Value Model |events | | | | |( Proprietary Value Model | Table I: Intersection o f measurement and recognition approaches for IA[? ][3] Presentation of Intangible Assets The issue of possible presentation of IA as part of a financial statement must be addressed by the Reporting utilization that such a report contains. Not specifically within the scope of GAAP(s IA (other than Goodwill) are vaguely disclosed in the financial statement. As research shows, some Securities and Exchange Commission regulated corporations disclose Goodwill in aggregated format, while others disclose the underlying detail. Moreover, the other (disclosure( of IA, specifically to the external user, is done by the Management Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) that accompanies most financial statements of publicly held entities. However, MD&A is a really only another form of appraisal, and not unbiased at that, in relation to IA valuation. In reference to accounting for IA, MD&A is inapplicable as interpretation of the value, structure and other forms of unclassified (and unaudited) material statement can become vague in its message to external users. It is important to note that the internal users of a financial statement are slightly better equipped to properly ascertain the message in the financial report; internal accounting practices, cost management and non-financial reporting facilities can aid an internal user to better gauge the weight and context of an IA reference within the financial statement, be it a Goodwill or otherwise disclosed IA. The current GAAP disclosure practice (but not requirement) is at the lower end of the Z axis (Z=0). Under GAAP, a balance sheet of a corporation that might have intangible resources at its disposal might be presented in the following way (example 1): |   | |Balance Sheet, GAAP Driven | |   | |Assets $1000 | |   | |Liabilities (100) | | | |Equity (900) | Example 1: GAAP Driven Balance Sheet Complete inclusion of any intangible resource available to a company is in contrast to the current GAAP treatment. A complete inclusion of non-required disclosure of IA is at the farthest end of the Z axis the concept of full integration of IA in the financial reporting (Z=100) . Of course, this in itself is a valid notion because full disclosure of IA represents expressing mostly relevant information to the user of the financial report. [? ][4] Relevance however, has a trade off with accuracy. The relevance of including any and all IA in a financial statement might hinder on its accuracy; the example below makes this point. Full integration of IA in a financial report can lead to a balance sheet of the following format (example 2):    | |With Considering IA, Complete Inclusion | |   | |Assets $1500 | |(capture events related to both tangible and intangible resources) | |   | |Liabilities (100) | |   | |Equity (1500) | Example 2: Complete Inclusion driven Balance Sheet A possible over-statement of Assets by $500 exists under a complete inclusion method, which is most permissive in relation to GAAP. This type of presentation contains all resource-based events pertaining to the business at hand. It includes both financial and non-financial events pertaining to the entity. Some of this superset(s contents are IA that are externally or internally generated. For example, employee loyalty or positive media coverage are non financial events that affect its financial position. A possible reconciliation between the requirements to present certain financial statement elements (such as fixed assets, financial assets, current and non current liabilities, shareholders( capital et cetera) can be obtained in a tiered financial report. The concept behind a tiered financial report is that the core of any financial report must be GAAP driven. Its benefit to any user must continue in order to provide consistent, accurate and standardized language of communication of a financial position. Within this core, GAAP reporting is one where the balance sheet presents the assets and the claims against them. This fundament is in turn included in a larger set which can include not only cost-related assets but value driven assets, i. e. IA. Conceptually, IA that provide a growth factor (recall: gamma > 1) is meaningful to the financial position of the reporting entity. For example, suppose an internally generated IA such as organizational structure or shared knowledge exist (assuming it can be valued and recognized). Under GAAP IA are not attributed to growth of several periods (by definition, growth is the increase of the value of an asset between successive periods). However, for the users of the financial statement, the information about such growth is important in making educated decision about the going concern and prospects of the entity. Thus, the compromise format of financially reportable events includes a degree of IA-related events that can affect a reasonable user(s decision-making process. This type of reporting mechanism is about mid-way between GAAP and Non-GAAP reporting format, at Z=50. An example of a tiered balance sheet follows (example 3): |   |   | |Without Considering IA |With Considering IA, Tiered Format | |   |   | |N/A |Intangible Asset $300 | | |(Note: Recognize IA events based on historical ost) | |   |   | |Assets $1000 |Assets 1000 | |   |   | |Liabilities (100) |Liabilities (100) | |   |   | |Equity (900) |Equity (900) | |   |   | |N/A |Equity Attributed to Intangible Asset | | |(300) | Example 3: (Padded( Balance Sheet In essence, this type of (padding( of a balance sheet is derived from the set concept introduced above. The (core( statement, consisting only of Asset, Liabilities and Equity, remains intact. An extended set of financial events allow further disclosure of the financial effect of IA (in this example, by using the most aggressive GAAP-departure valuation method). Recapitulate: Recognition and DisclosureRecapitulate Recognition and Disclosure Just as Valuation and Recognition can be plotted on a two dimensional plain, so can the axis of Recognition and Disclosure. Overall, the X,Y and Z axis allow us to examine the problem at hand on a three-dimensional basis. The intersection point of the Recognition alternatives in relation to the Disclosure alternatives follows: |   |   |   |   | |   |Recognition |   |   | | |X=0 |X=50 |X=100 | |   |   |   |   | |Disclosure |(M) |(N) |(O) | |Z=0 |( IA not recognized |( Select IA recognized, based on |( All events recognized, if not | |   |( No GAAP required Disclosure, |market, contractual. classified elsewhere they are IA events | | |only discretionary MD&A |( No GAAP required Disclosure, only |( No GAAP required Disclosure, only | | |   |discretionary MD&A. |discretionary MD&A | |   |   |   |   | |Z=50 |(P) |(Q) |(R) | | |( IA not recognized |( Select IA recognized, based on |( All events recognized, if not | | |( Tired ((Padded() Financial |market, contractual. |classified elsewhere they are IA events | | |Report |( Tired ((Padded() Financial Report. ( Tired ((Padded() Financial Report | |   |   |   |   | |Z=100 |(S) |(T) |(U) | | |( IA not recognized |( Sele ct IA recognized, based on |( All events recognized, if not | | |( Full financial incorporation |market, contractual. |classified elsewhere they are IA events | | |of IA – undefined |( Full financial incorporation of IA. |( Full financial incorporation of IA | Table II:Intersection of measurement and reporting approaches for IA. Cells M-U describe the X,Z plain (the letter are assigned sequentially). To complement tables I and II, the intersection of valuation alternatives and disclosure methods available are included in Table III: |   |   |   | | |   |Disclosure |   |   | | |Z=0 |Z=50 |Z=100 | |   |   |   |   | |Valuation |(V) |(W). (A1) | |Y=0 |( No GAAP required Disclosure, |( Tired ((Padded() Financial Report. |( Full financial incorporation of IA | |   |only discretionary MD&A |discretionary MD&A. |( Historic Cost | | |( Historic Cost |( Historic Cost | | |   |   |   |   | |Y=85 |(A2) |(A3) |(A4) | | |( No GAAP required Disclosure, |( Tired ((Padded() Financial Report. ( Full financial incorporation of IA | | |only discretionary MD&A |( Real option valuation model |( Real option valuation model | | |( Real option valuation model | | | |   |   |   |   | |Y=90 |(A5) |(A6) |(A7) | | |( No GAAP required Disclosure, |( Tired ((Padded() Financial Report. ( Full financial incorporation of IA | | |only discretionary MD&A |( Appraisal (cost, ma rket, income |( Appraisal (cost, market, income | | |( Appraisal (cost, market, |approaches) |approaches) | | |income approaches) | | | |   |   |   |   | |Y=100 |(A8) |(A9) |(B1) | | |( No GAAP required Disclosure, |( Tired ((Padded() Financial Report. |( Full financial incorporation of IA | | |only discretionary MD&A |( Proprietary Value Model |( Proprietary Value Model | | |( Proprietary Value Model | | | Table III:Intersection of measurement and disclosure approaches for IA. DiscussionDiscussion The problem of Intangible Assets revisited Conceptually, the accounting for IA is at the heart of the framework that links the Balance Sheet and the Income Statement: at its core the balance sheet is a statement of resources while the income statement is a an expression of the utilization of these resources (tangible or otherwise available to the entity). Coupled, the traditional balance sheet and income statement includes only tangible resources. However, the traditional Income Statement includes activities that stem from using all available resources. In the asymmetry lies the reason for inclusion of IA resources on the Balance Sheet. For example, outflows for compensation is often the single largest expense of a corporation. Yet, employee knowledge, or other types of Human Capital are rarely disclosed. Further, any activities that are profitable, i. e. where the growth factor ((gamma() is greater than 1, are attributed only the tangible resources. Classes of Intangible Assets IA can be divided to two classes: resources that are within the control of the organization and resources that are only partially within the control of the organization. To maintain a mathematic model, we can introduce OC, Organizational Control, such that: For IA such as Customer Base and Customer Relations Index, Vendors( Credit and Trust, Internal Production or Service Procedures, OC = 1. 0, i. e. there is complete control over the resource, which is an intangible asset; For IA such as Human Skill Level , Employee Satisfaction and public Relation Index ((Public Image(), OC < 1. 0. The following is an imaginary – yet possible – comparison of two companies that might have different levels of Organizational Control over their IA, classified according to their business type. Table IV is an illustration of OC levels: |   |   |   | |   |(Tobacco and food conglomerate(|(Northeastern Ice-cream | | | |Manufacturer( | |   |   |   | |Organization Control Level = 1. 0 |   |   | |   |   |   | |Customer Base |1. 0 |1. | |   |   |   | |Vendor(s Credit |1. 0 |1. 0 | |   |   |   | |Internal Production Procedures |1. 0 |1. 0 | |   |   |   | |Organization Control Level < 1. |   |   | |   |   |   | |Human Skill |0. 9 |0. 7 | |   |   |   | |Employee Satisfaction |0. 8 |0. 8 | |   |   |   | |Public Image |0. 5 |0. 9 | Table IV:The (determined) values of Organizational Control (OC) over Resources We assume these values derive from internal yet consistent studies and valuation, we can see that for the first three (classified as IA over which the entity has complete control) the OC value remain 1. 0. This simply indicates an existence of an IA (completely within the company(s control). The second group of so called (assets( (or generally: resources) are not completely within the control of their respective entity. We can say, perhaps, that the ice cream factory workers need less training than the tobacco production plant workers but that they are equally satisfied. Further it is clear that the tobacco conglomerate has less leverage in their public image (OC = 0. 5) than the ice-cream maker (OC=0. 9). The important point about all these resources is that the entities are not controlling the value drivers. Therefore, for example, their public images is different and it can not be enlisted as an (asset( because it is outside the scope of their respective control. [? ][5] The three sets of resource group can be summarized as follows: The most inner core of assets that are GAAP driven: Tangible Assets that are at the core of the Income Statement and Balance Sheet pair. These assets produce tangible activities such as cash (inflow) or products (output). The intermediate outer tier consists of resources that are fully under the control of the entity, thus they can be classified as Assets, albeit intangible: they too produce activity such as competitive edge (HC) and customer loyalty (SC). In contrast to HC and SC, the outmost tier class of resources are intangible resources that are not fully under the control of the entity thus fail the control test of the definition of an Asset. In a sense, the inner set of Balance Sheet and Income Statement represent the fundamental analysis that an external or internal user of these statement might be interested in. Under this framework, fundamental ratios and projections are available in the most traditional sense. Extrapolating from that tier, the resources described as (true( Intangible Assets, i. e. hat they are measurable resources that occurred in the past and are within the entity(s full control, describe the effect of growth and going concern. Growth is indicative of innovation or competi tive edge, while going concern is more general and encompasses other factors. In this vein it has been shown that IA are a source of both growth and continuity: IA are key to strategic planning and success[? ][xxvi]. Resources such as reputation, employee know-how, and organizational culture were also linked to success factors of companies[? ][xxvii]. Finally, the outer tier of partially controlled resources can be described ( if so wished by the reporting entity ( as additional disclosure of interest to the user of a financial report. The outer tier is only marginally useful because of the lack of full control the reporting entity might have over factors such as public image. It will be interesting to see if the two outer tiers of resources will play out in future disclosure: the FASB is now encouraging companies to discloses elements of intangible assets in their financial reports. However, from a review of the two tiers it seems that disclosing resources in the intermediate tier can add to the reporting utilization of the entity(s financial report, perhaps if it is presented in a two tier Balance Sheet ((padded(, described earlier). Resources that are not within the complete control of the entity (the outer tier(s elements) will most likely not be disclosed. Assuming a valid and consistent index can be obtained   (by an external review, for example), there can be usefulness to disclosing elements of intangible resources which are (true( IA such as index of customer base, customer loyalty and vendors( credit which reflect on a positive (going concern(. In contrast, disclosure of elements such as employee retention, public image and human skill index, can provide external users a marginal utility regarding the activity and prospects of the entity. Conclusion Measurement of IA is the area where the disparity is widest (on the Y axis in this discussion(s three dimensions model). The alternatives to historic cost are valuations based on proprietary models or based on certified models. Both alternatives are insufficient because they require judgement which lead to substantial variation. Historic cost is most consistent but inapplicable because it can not measure certain IA such as customer base or affiliations and alliances. Therefore, an allocation approach is suitable: computing the ratio of growth in equity to fixed, financial and intangible asset allows measurement of IA at least as a class of resources on the balance sheet statement[? ][xxviii]. Further discussion and research is required in order to properly weigh the specific intangible assets within this class, and thus compute the financial value attributed to it. Generally, the emergence of IA and in general, intangible resources, is unavoidable. The accounting profession should treat this type of financial event within its GAAP guidelines and not attempt to preclude it from recognition. Plainly, accounting for IA by including it in the financial statement (specifically, as part of the Balance Sheet) is not helpful to the external user. Such recognition will simply inflate the value of corporations and will cause comparisons to be more difficult and the financial statement viewed more skeptically. However, by methodically presenting IA in a tiered manner, users of the financial statement can view the traditional fundamental (current) GAAP elements as well as supplementary elements. In a sense, allowing companies to literally (pad( their balance sheet with separate IA and IC (Equity due to IA) will put to a (vote( of the external and internal users the concept of systematic disclosure. To wit, instead of a honorable mention in the MD&A section or a buried treasure in the footnotes to the financial statement, disclosing IA on the face of the balance sheet, without reducing its existing utility, might be a solution to the emerging need to report IA as a financial event. References [pic] [pic] [1][1]IA are often labeled knowledge assets. Much has been written about a knowledge economy and some attempted to define all resources as knowledge-based. The device in which this is possible is usually illustrated by an example of an organization that can be described all in terms of knowledge. Such zeal is convincing only to the extent that a counter example is not produced. Knowledge is information produced by data and ideas. Transforming knowledge to a benefit producing resource ((value() converts knowledge to an IA. Thus, in terms of scope of valuation of IA, not all business process are considered IA: only business processes that have not been measured or presented elsewhere can be considered measurable for purposes of this discussion. [2][2]In all the instances of Y=0, IA is not recognized except for Goodwill in purchase. [3][3]The recent FASB sponsored attempt to account for certain types of IA by rules of annual impairment valuation (read: appraisal valuation method) is position in box (B( of Table I: using historic cost and a (certified) appraisal of fair value of an IA to trigger both valuation and recognition. 4][4]However, (strange bedfellows( effect might occur if we simply plot the Z axis against, say the Y axis (measurement): the point (Y=0, Z=100) yields an IA that (is not recognized (Y=0)( and (integrated in the financial report( (Z=100). Therefore, at least from a practical point of view, these type of pairing with GAAP (Y=0 and Z=100) can not be used for our analysis: this point in our exploration model is undefined. [5][5]It is the public, the society in which they operate for example, that determines which company is the (Kind American Corporation( and which is the (Evil American Corporation. ( [i][i]. ABI-Inform is available via the Internet from ProQuest Information and Learning Company. [ii][ii]. Accuracy of the yield and direct capitalization methods: A twenty-year empirical study of the electric utility industry(; Assessment Journal Chicago; Richard R Simonds; Vol. 6; No. 4; pp. 49-55 [iii][iii]. Internet: available: www. dictiornary. com. Source of this citation: 1997 Princeton University. [iv][iv]. Internet: available: www. dictionary. com. Citation source: The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition. [v][v]. FASB presentation, Nakamura in 4th Annual Intangible Assets Conference, Ross Institute, New York University, May 2001. [vi][ vi]. Financial Accounting Standards Board; Special Report : Business and Financial Reporting, Challenges from the New Economy; Wayne S. Upton, Jr; No. 219-A; April 2001 p. x (Executive Summery). [vii][vii]. Lynn, Bernadette, CMA; Intellectual Capital Key to Value added Success in the Next Millennium; Society of Management Accountants of Canada, CMA Magazine. Available: Internet http://www. cma-canada. org. [viii][viii]. Lynn, Brenadette. [ix][ix]. Data is the superset of information which in turn is the super set of knowledge. Purposeful and formal conversion of data to information and information to knowledge, creates Intangible Capital, which can be leveraged. [x][x]. Berry, John; MIT, Wharton Search for IT Asset Metric; Internetweek; Manhasset; Feb 5, 2001. [xi][xi]. (†¦ Brand assets and patents are knowledge assets, not just technology(. Companies May Be Unwittingly Ignoring The Bulk of Their Asset Value; Investor Relation Business; New York; Dec. 3, 1999; p. 4. [xii][xii]. Hal Varian; How Much Information is Produced Worldwide? University of Berkeley; Presented in the 4th Intangibles Conference at New York University, Stern School of Business, Ross Institute of Accounting Rese arch; May 2001. [xiii][xiii]. Christopher Tucci; The Value of Collaborations and Alliances; New York University; Presented in the 4th Intangibles Conference at New York University, Stern School of Business, Ross Institute of Accounting Research; May 2001. [xiv][xiv]. FASB; Special Report; Chapter 2. [xv][xv]. John Rutledge, You(re a Fool if You Buy into This One; Available: ABIinfrom. [xvi][xvi]. Alfred M. King, Jay M. Henry; Valuing intangible assets through appraisals; Strategic Finance; Vol. 81, No. 5, Montvale; Nov. 1999. pp. 32-37. [xvii][xvii]. Alfred M. King, Jay M. Henry, Strategic Finance, Nov. 1999. [xviii][xviii]. Lawrence C. Rose; Accuracy of Appraisers and Appraisal Methods of Closely Held Companies; Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice (ET&P) Vol. 17, No. 3; Spring 1993; pp. 21. [xix][xix]. FASB; Special Report; p. 39 [xx][xx]. Alfred M. King, Jay M. Henry, Strategic Finance, Nov. 1999. [xxi][xxi]. Wiley A. Scott, Jr. ; Borrowers( Intangibles May be Off-Balance-Sheet Gold; Commercial Lending Review Vol. 9, No. 3; Boston; Summer 1994, pp. 26. [xxii][xxii]. Lawrence C. Rose; Accuracy of Appraisers and Appraisal Methods of Closely Held Companies; Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice (ET&P) Vol. 17, No. 3; Spring 1993; pp. 21. [xxiii][xxiii]. FASB; Special Report; Chapter 4. [xxiv][xxiv]. Lev, Baruch. [xxv][xxv]. IAS 36 defines (value in use( as (future cash flows expected to arise from the continuing use of an asset. [xxvi][xxvi]. Joseph A. Patrick et al; Global Leadership Skill and

Population Problem in Bangladesh Essays

Population Problem in Bangladesh Essays Population Problem in Bangladesh Essay Population Problem in Bangladesh Essay Bangladesh is a small country on the view to its space but its population are highly increasing than its demand, as a result, govt unable to fulfill peoples rights. Moreover, unemployment, illiteracy, child marriage, child labour, imbalance of environment, pollution, corruption, flood etc are highly increasing because of huge of population. Thus, population control is highly essential for Bangladesh. Bangladesh is a country where people dont take precaution and family planning policy. If you look at the rural level you will find every family has more then three child. es, the people of a country of country is the asset of that country. But there are some important obstacles behind this like if the government cant serve her people. Developing country like Bangladesh should utilize her man power. this is the first main key to be developed for a country . Read more: http://wiki. answers. com/Q/Is_the_population_of_bangladesh_is_asset#ixzz19asqymH2 City City popu lation (2008 estimate)[48] Metro population (2008 estimate)[48] Dhaka 7,000,940 12,797,394 Chittagong 2,579,107 3,858,093 Khulna 855,650 1,588,425 Narayanganj 800,000 ,500,000 Rajshahi 472,775 775,495 Sylhet 463,198 Barisal 210,374 Rangpur 251,699 – Population: 156,118,464 (July 2010 est. ) country comparison to the world: 7 Age structure: 0-14 years: 34. 6% (male 27,065,625/female 26,913,961) 15-64 years: 61. 4% (male 45,222,182/female 50,537,052) 65 years and over: 4% (male 3,057,255/female 3,254,808) (2010 est. ) Median age: total: 22. 9 years male: 22. 4 years female: 23. 4 years (2010 est. ) Population growth rate: 1. 55% (2010 est. ) country comparison to the world: 79 Birth rate: 23. 43 births/1,000 population (2010 est. ) ountry comparison to the world: 71 Death rate: 5. 81 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est. ) country comparison to the world: 173 Net migration rate: -2. 12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est. ) country comparison to the world: 175 Urbanizatio n: urban population: 27% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 3. 5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est. ) Sex ratio: at birth: 1. 04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1. 01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0. 89 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0. 93 male(s)/female total population: 0. 93 male(s)/female (2010 est. ) Infant mortality rate: otal: 52. 54 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 48 male: 55. 04 deaths/1,000 live births female: 49. 94 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est. ) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69. 44 years country comparison to the world: 149 male: 67. 64 years female: 71. 3 years (2010 est. ) Total fertility rate: 2. 65 children born/woman (2010 est. ) country comparison to the world: 79 HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate: less than 0. 1% (2001 est. ) country comparison to the world: 139 HIV/AIDS people living with HIV/AIDS: 12,000 (2007 est. ) country comparison to the world: 95 HIV/AIDS deaths: fewer than 500 (2007 est. ) country comparison to the world: 82 Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in some locations water contact disease: leptospirosis animal contact disease: rabies note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009) Nationality: noun: Bangladeshi(s) adjective: Bangladeshi Ethnic groups: Bengali 98%, other 2% (includes tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims) (1998) Religions: Muslim 89. 5%, Hindu 9. 6%, other 0. 9% (2004) Languages: Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 47. 9% male: 54% female: 41. 4% (2001 Census) School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 8 years male: 8 years female: 8 years (2007) Education expenditures: 2. 4% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 163 Most approaches to poverty, deal with the ‘symptoms’ of the problem. The symptom is, they don’t have proper resource, so, give them resources to cope with their poverty. The book concentrates on the cause rather than cure. It argues that the source of the problem lays in the unequal way the society functions. It works for the narrower elite in the society and a major proportion of the population remains under-served by opportunities. We argue that this is a problem that can be fixed. To address it, you should first know why it has been created and then try to correct it. The failure to correct this is injustice

How to Write a Compelling Character Arc in Just 3 Steps

How to Write a Compelling Character Arc in Just 3 Steps How to Write a Compelling Character Arc A character arc maps the evolution of a personality through a story. It's a term that writers use to describe their protagonist's journey from a place of comfort to rapid change and back again: hence, an arc.While main characters might face big challenges (Hungarian Horntails and evil Dark Lords), character arcs have to do with internal, personal change. Characters will find their strengths and weaknesses tested over the course of the story - so that by the time they arrive at the story's end, they are a changed person. These changes might not be monumental, but they will have made a significant impact on the character, either positively or negatively.In this post, we'll look at how a writer can plot a compelling, believable arc - starting with a classic story of good triumphing over evil. Whether your protagonist has a happy or unfortunate ending, here's how to arc their internal development How to write a character arc with a  positive changeWhen the protagonist overcomes external obstacles and internal flaws in order to become a better person, we can describe this as a positive arc. It’s often used in story structures such as the Hero’s Journey.At its core, this arc is made up of three points:The Goal: Every character needs to have a goal. It might be to fall in love. Or it might be to make as much money as possible. Either way, their journey will be hindered by...The Lie: A deeply-rooted misconception they have about themselves or the world that keeps them from reaching their true potential. In order to reach their goal, they’ll need to acknowledge and overcome the Lie, by facing†¦The Truth: While the character may have their own plans, the positive change arc has its own goal:   self-improvement. This is achieved when they learn to reject The Lie and embrace The Truth.To see this arc in action, let’s map it onto a few classic prot agonists.Example The HobbitIn Breaking Bad, Walter goes off the deep end (image: Sony Pictures Television)Walter White is in a happy marriage and lives an honest life working as a science teacher and as a father to his teenage son - but then he receives news of his advanced lung cancer. To begin, he’s concerned with the sudden confrontation with his own mortality. Until the inciting incident introduces...The Goal: Sell enough meth with ex-student-turned-drug-dealer Jesse Pinkman so that he can pay for cancer treatment and to secure the future of his family.The Lie: Arrogance. Walter believes he has the power to avoid the hand of the law, avoid corruption, and avoid bringing danger upon his family while entering the drug trade.The Truth: Walter believes he’s on a noble journey to provide for his family. In reality, he’s rebelling against his mortality - and playing with fire usually results in burns.This arc is different from the others we’ve examined be cause Walter starts his arc already aware of the Truth: cooking meth is risky business and is not the solution to his problems. But faced with impending death, the boundaries of his morals have been suddenly pushed, leaving him vulnerable to the Lie: the belief that he is immune corruption. His arc sees Walter continuously rejecting the red flags and embracing the Lie, until any distinction is lost and he’s so far gone he has no choice but to embrace the Lie completely. In the end, it consumes him and he loses everything, turning into a full-fledged anti-hero.Character Arc Map: They know the Truth about the world → They pursue a goal believing they can hold onto Truth → They succumb to the Lie and reject the Truth → They embrace (or are defeated by the Lie) and lose. How to plot a compelling and believable character arc - with examples These three steps, while being universal elements of all arcs, can take countless forms depending on the specificities of your character. Sometimes, the arc doesn’t involve substantial internal change, and is more about the change they effect on the world around them - something often called a â€Å"flat arc.†When planning the arc of your central personalities, always look for the lie they believe, the truth they may or may not believe, and the goal that drives them. We recommend downloading this free character profile template to help. If you find that you're still struggling, try using these character development exercises. Ultimately, breaking arcs down this way should help you emphasize cause and effect and keep your characters anchored in ways that will make it so much easier for your readers to empathize with.

Jericho - The Archaeological Ruin in Palestine

Jericho - The Archaeological Ruin in Palestine Jericho, also known as Ariha (fragrant in Arabic) or Tulul Abu el Alayiq (City of Palms), is the name of a Bronze Age city mentioned in the book of Joshua and other parts of both the Old and New Testaments of the Judeo-Christian bible. The ruins of the ancient city are believed to be part of the archaeological site called Tel es-Sultan, an enormous mound or tell situated on an ancient lakebed north of the Dead Sea in what is today the West Bank of Palestine. The oval mound stands 8-12 meters (26-40 feet) tall above the lake bed, a height made up of the ruins of 8,000 years of building and rebuilding in the same place. Tell es-Sultan covers an area of about 2.5 hectares (6 acres). The settlement that the tell represents is one of oldest more or less continuously occupied locations on our planet and it is currently over 200 m (650 ft) below modern sea level. Jericho Chronology The most widely known occupation at Jericho is, of course, the Judeo-Christian Late Bronze Age one–Jericho is mentioned in both old and new Testaments of the Bible. However, the oldest occupations at Jericho are in fact much earlier than that, dating to the Natufian period (ca. 12,000–11,300 years before the present), and it has a substantial Pre-Pottery Neolithic (8,300–7,300 B.C.E.) occupation as well. Natufian or Epipaleolihic (10,800–8,500 B.C.E.) Sedentary hunter-gatherers living in large semi-subterranean oval stone structuresPre-Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA) (8,500–7300 B.C.E.) Oval semi-subterranean dwellings in a village, engaging in long-distance trade and growing domesticated crops, construction of the first tower (4 m tall), and a defensive perimeter wallPre-Pottery Neolithic B (PPNB) (7,300–6,000 B.C.E.) Rectangular houses with red- and white-painted floors, with caches of plastered human skullsEarly Neolithic (6,000–5,000 B.C.E.) Jericho was mostly abandoned at this timeMiddle/Late Neolithic (5,000–3,100 B.C.E.) Very minimal occupationEarly / Middle Bronze Age (3,100–1,800 B.C.E.) Extensive defensive walls constructed, rectangular towers 15-20 m long and 6-8 m tall and extensive cemeteries, Jericho destroyed circa 3300 cal BPLate Bronze Age (1,800–1,400 B.C.E.) Limited settlementAfter the Late Bronze Age, Jericho was no lo nger much of a center, but continued to be occupied on a small scale, and ruled by Babylonians, Persian Empire, the Roman Empire, Byzantine and Ottoman Empire up until the present day Tower of Jericho Jerichos tower is perhaps its defining piece of architecture. British archaeologist Kathleen Kenyon discovered the monumental stone tower during her excavations at Tel es-Sultan in the 1950s. The tower is on the western fringe of the PPNA settlement separated from it by a ditch and a wall; Kenyon suggested it was part of the towns defenses. Since Kenyons day, Israeli archaeologist Ran Barkai and colleagues have suggested the tower was an ancient astronomical observatory, one of the earliest on record. Jerichos tower is made of concentric rows of undressed stone and it was built and used between 8,300–7,800 B.C.E. It is slightly conical in form, with a base diameter of roughly 9 m (30 ft) and a top diameter of about 7 m (23 ft). It rises to a height of 8.25 m (27 ft) from its base. When excavated, parts of the tower were covered with a layer of mud plaster, and during its use, it may have been completely covered in plaster. At the base of the tower, a short passageway leads to an enclosed stairway which was also heavily plastered. A group of burials was found in the passage, but they were placed there after the buildings use. An Astronomical Purpose? The internal stairway has at least 20 stairs made up of smoothly hammer-dressed stone blocks, each over 75 centimeters (30 inches) in width, the entire width of the passageway. The stair  treads are between 15-20 cm (6-8 in) deep and each step rises nearly 39 cm (15 in) each. The slope of the stairs is about 1.8 (~60 degrees), much steeper than modern stairways which normally range between .5-.6 (30 degrees). The stairway is roofed by massive sloping stone blocks measuring 1x1 m (3.3x3.3 ft). The stairs at the top of the tower open up facing to the east, and on what would have been midsummer solstice 10,000 years ago, the viewer could watch the sunset above Mt. Quruntul in the Judean mountains. The peak of Mount Quruntul rose 350 m (1150 ft) higher than Jericho, and it is conical in shape. Barkai and Liran (2008) have argued that the conical shape of the tower was built to mimic that of Quruntul. Plastered Skulls Ten plastered human skulls have been recovered from the Neolithic layers at Jericho. Kenyon discovered seven in a cache deposited during the middle PPNB period, below a plastered floor. Two others were found in 1956, and a 10th in 1981. Plastering human skulls is a ritual ancestor worship practice known from other middle PPNB sites such as Ain Ghazal and Kfar HaHoresh. After the individual (both males and females) died, the skull was removed and buried. Later, the PPNB shamans unearthed the skulls and modeled facial features such as chin, ears, and eyelids in plaster and placing shells in the eye sockets. Some of the skulls have as many as four layers of plaster, leaving the upper skull bare. Jericho and Archaeology Tel es-Sultan was first recognized as the biblical site of Jericho a very long time ago indeed, with the earliest mention from the 4th century C.E. anonymous Christian traveler known as the Pilgrim of Bordeaux. Among the archaeologists who have worked at Jericho are Carl Watzinger, Ernst Sellin, Kathleen Kenyon, and John Garstang. Kenyon excavated at Jericho between 1952 and 1958 and is widely credited with introducing scientific excavation methodologies into biblical archaeology. Sources Barkai R, and Liran R. 2008. Midsummer Sunset at Neolithic Jericho. Time and Mind 1(3):273-283.Finlayson B, Mithen SJ, Najjar M, Smith S, Maricevic D, Pankhurst N, and Yeomans L. 2011. Architecture, sedentism, and social complexity at Pre-Pottery Neolithic A WF16, Southern Jordan. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108(20):8183-8188.Fletcher A, Pearson J, and Ambers J. 2008. The Manipulation of Social and Physical Identity in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic: Radiographic Evidence for Cranial Modification at Jericho and its Implications for the Plastering of Skulls. Cambridge Archaeological Journal 18(3):309–325.Kenyon KM. 1967. Jericho. Archaeology 20(4):268-275.Kuijt I. 2008. The regeneration of life: Neolithic structures of symbolic remembering and forgetting. Current Anthropology 49(2):171-197.Scheffler E. 2013. Jericho: From archaeology challenging the canon to HTS Theological Studies 69:1-10.searching for the meaning(s) of myth(s).

Performance Management assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Performance Management assignment - Essay Example By doing so, organizations can easily project their profitability and thereby formulate effective strategies for business expansion. However, it is observed that budgetary forecasts in the modern era are not always accurate and result-bearing due to frequent market fluctuations. A recent statement from accounting press reflects that â€Å"the downturn has rendered budgets agreed last year largely irrelevant† (as cited in Jarman and Bibekar, 2009). This paper explores the scope of traditional annual budgeting process in the modern period. Generally, companies prepare budget for the whole financial period of 12 months. This forecast for a long period of 12 months seems useless in this fast changing business scenario as the deepening downturn and increase in economic volatility largely alter nation’s economic structure. Therefore, economic and market conditions after 12 months will probably be much different from that of the current situation. Similarly, today’s hig hly volatile nature of economy raises several constraints to the forecastability of the future economy. In short, the role of traditional annual budgeting process is not helpful in the present business era since it would not predict the future economic conditions accurately. In addition, the conventional practices associated with annual budgeting and forecasting processes involve higher costs. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) survey in 2009, on an average basis, every company employs an equivalent of ‘eight full-time staff to budgeting and forecasting’ (as cited in Jarman and Bibekar, 2009). The application of various modern financial and accounting tools is essential to predict the future economic variance. Similarly, under traditional budgeting system, a considerable portion of time is spent on data collection and tabulation activities. Hence, we can clearly assess the fact that budgeting and thereby forecasting process also includes cumbersome human efforts and it generally lasts up to three months. However, the degree of economic volatility would determine the success or failure of annual budget. As a result, if the economic conditions turn to be unfavorable in future, it will not only affect the success of the budget but also the cost spent on the formulation of the budget. Many economic conditions may adversely affect the effectiveness of a formulated financial budget. Most of the multinational companies value their various revenues and expenditures on the basis of predicted exchange rate of currency. If the fluctuation unfavorably exceeds the forecasted limits, then the expected revenues and expenditure would vary accordingly. Naturally, this situation may impede the successful progress of the designed annual budget. Similarly, different government regulations such as taxation and trade barriers raise further difficulties to the application of annual budgeting. When government increases tax imposition on trade activities, companies are forced to spend more on taxation which result in proportional increase in expenditure; and that will be higher than the budgeted expenditure. Moreover, economic downturn causes large deviation in budgeted figures. In such situations, firms are compelled to postpone their predetermined developmental policies since they need to spend more on other sectors in order to stabilize the economic growth. It is very difficult for the companies to predict whether there will be an economic downturn within

The Video of the USC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Video of the USC - Essay Example As seen in the video, the students are very responsive and assertive in contributing their knowledge and experiences to the aforementioned issues that have been the matter of a heated debate for several years. The teacher acts as a facilitator throughout the discussion. She also engages in the discussion to reiterate the need to understand these contexts. Her teaching style is relatively effective, as can be inferred from the video, since she welcomes all the points and contentions of the students. Ultimately, the issues of racism, gender and class stratification in society that affect the children are being dealt with in the video in a proper way; the teaching style can be deemed fit to address the issue and to provide an avenue for intellectual fermentation. 2. Analysis and Interpretation of the Video In its totality, the video evokes an inherent complexity about the issues of race, gender and class division in society. These issues affect the quality of education received by the s tudents. There is a structural problem in terms of implementing educational policies, since there is classification between the students and the selection of a manner of teaching can be problematic (McDermott et al 2008, p. 3). As there in attempt to make the kids realize the importance of engaging with these issues, there is a need to look at the relations of the social structures that affect the kids (McDermott et al 2008, p. 5). Is it important, and to what extent? For Rodgers, there is a need to analyze this matter, since it affects the intellectual condition and perception of the kids inside the classroom (2002, p. 231). The teacher-student relationship is considered to be very vital. This vitality is important; there is an intrinsic irony about American democracy where the person aspires to be accepted by others, yet there is dominance of racist practices despite of the attempts to eliminate them (McDermott et al 2008, p. 4). In relation to the video, the aforementioned ideas have been highlighted. The teacher tries to provide a very conducive learning environment that makes the children aware of racism, sexism and economic classification through a synthetic understanding of history and the political-economic structures that linger in society. As pointed out by McDermott et al, this manner implemented by the teacher to address the complexity of the matter shows that there is a need for reformulation of teaching methods. They must take into consideration the capacity of every student regardless of gender, race, and class (2008, p 13). This is considered a good step towards integration and understanding which will eventually abolish the racist and sexist practices that pose a detriment to the students’ learning capacity. Another positive aspect of the video is the very interactive approach that the teacher implements in making the subject matter interesting to the students. This shows a very reflective learning condition, wherein the understanding o f the students regarding the subject is based upon the input of the teacher and allows them to formulate their own approach which highlights independent thinking and critical reasoning (Rodgers 2002, p. 233). The verbal exchange between the stude

My philosophy of education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

My philosophy of education - Essay Example During an observation at Battery Park City School, I found an example. In a class of first graders, when a girl was moving a bean bag chair by herself, a boy classmate walked up to her and helped her move it. As soon as Liz, who is their teacher, saw it, she said, â€Å"Oh! Look at him. How gentle he is! You are a gentleman.† In this case, the boy is recognized and feels a sense of pride with what he has done. This helps the boy learn that helping others is a good thing. The teacher’s words are helpful not only for the boy, but also for the rest of students in class. Hearing their teacher praise their classmate for lending a helping hand will help them realize that helping others is a good thing. Through a few words of praise, students could learn what is right and it helps form their personality. In this context, praise is an effective learning method and teaching method. Alice S. Honig discussed the positive solutions to address typical difficulties. One of the positive solutions mentioned was praise. According to Honig, â€Å"Children who are tense may show signs of pressure and frustration, like biting their nails or stuttering. Harsh response will only make children more tense. Instead, find situations in which these children shine, and bolster their self-confidence with Praise. For example, ‘Marques, you did a beautiful job of hanging up your coat!’ †. For Gartrell as cited in Meece and Soderman, appropriate praise is one that is â€Å"sincere, constructive, and encouraging†. Children tend to flourish when adults take notice and recognize a child’s effort and accomplishments. Recognizing positive changes in a child’s behavior and abilities also helps. Pro-social behavior is developed when the positive results of a child’s behavior on another is pointed out. In promoting a positive verbal environment, praise is used as a means to encourage a child’s intrinsic motivation. As the articles

What impact did the Crusades have in Europe with respect to the Essay

What impact did the Crusades have in Europe with respect to the relationship between the Christian and the Islamic cultures - Essay Example For the good or bad, crusading movement had a lot of effects to the Muslims and Christians. According to Duiker & Spielvogel and Stearns, they argued that crusades affected the social upheaval. Whereas crusades promoted church authority in Europe, they also raised a lot of social chaos. It was more intense in Holy land than any other place. Between 1090 and 1290, several cities in the Holy land exchanged hands between the Christians and Islamic invaders, usually with a lot of violence involved. For example, in 1099, the crusaders overran the city of Jerusalem and carried out an intensive massacre of children, women and men. The same group went ahead to stir up unrest in the entire continent of Europe. It was then acceptable to persecute and kill Jews, especially those who were against the church. Crusades had also a significant impact on cultural exchange. Although there were fights between the crusades and those against the church, European cultures influenced each other. For instance, Christian invaders came up with European-styled feudal estates within the Holy land to oversee both agricultural production and trade. They also left a significant architectural imprint. They constructed several churches in Jerusalem that enhanced the spread of the gospel. They also built a hospital and a market place where they could trade their products. In making these developments, both the Christians and the Muslims could meet and shared their goods, services or ideas. In the process, there was cultural swap amongst them. However, cultural influence went the other way too. Crusaders were exposed to Arabian products, including dyed cottons, finely-crafted silks and glass. They went with goods of Middle Eastern furniture and some were taken to Europe. Ideological wealth was a significant impact also. They had a lot of impacts on the society that hosted them. Conversely to the common belief, crusades did not