The Good and Bad Side of COSTCO COMPANY

Organizations are run by people and they have a direct or indirect effect on the society which makes up the environment in which they exist.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Good and Bad Side of COSTCO COMPANY specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The behavior of a particular organization can be classified as either good or bad depending on some preconceive societal standards. One of the significant retail companies in America is Costco. According to Annual Reports 2008, Costco is the largest warehouse club in the world. The company deals with the selling of a wide range of merchandise and the customers purchase in bulk at greatly discounted rages. While it may be assumed that the company is good owing to its huge membership and high profitability, this is a wrong assumption since socially irresponsible companies have been known to be successful. This paper sets out to present an unbiased analysis of CostC o by giving a critical discussion of the company’s past and current activities with respect to social responsibility and business ethics. This will enable us to give a knowledgeable take as to whether CostCo is generally a good or a bad organization. The goodness of an organization can be inferred by the manner in which it treats the people who work for it. The relationship that a company enjoys with its employees can be gauged by looking at the rate of employee turnover. A report by Goldberg and Ritter reveals that Costco’s turnover is at a mere 24% per annum. Compared to the 50% annual employee turnover of one of the company’s chief rivals Wal-Mart, this reveals that CostCo indeed enjoys a good relationship with its employees. This low rate of turnover is attributed to many factors among which are the relatively high pay that the company offers to its employees and the benefits that they receive. Employee benefits such as health care benefits which are said to be extended to 82% of the staff show the concern for employee welfare by the organization therefore leading to increased employee loyalty (Priceviewer). The company’s founder and CEO, Jim Sinegal concedes that keeping the work force content is important since the employees are the people on whom the success of the business rides (Goldberg Ritter). However, the issue of employee treatment is still controversial as there have been instances where the company has been accused of being insensitive to employee needs especially with regard to leaves and overtime.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The company has been accused of violating wage and working hours laws by locking its employees in the store after hours without paying them for the overtime (Bloomberg News). While Costco insists that this action is for security reasons, the fact that the company refuses t o consider the workers complaint on the issue points to a disregard for the welfare of the employees. Perhaps one of CostCo’s most endearing characteristic is its customer service. While most companies do make attempts at ensuring that customer relations are good, very few organizations can boast of evoking the levels of loyalty and trust that CostCo has created with its customers. The organization boasts of being among the most consumer sensitive business in the world, an opinion that is reinforced by Bund who cites the company’s 6-month return policy as one of the best (76). This policy among others ensures that Costco’s customers are served satisfactorily. Bund also suggests that the open lines through which one can air their grievances with the company appeal to the customer since they know that the company appreciates their sentiments and emotional well being (77). Despite this claims of good customer services, Costco requires that the members pay an annual membership fee of $45 so as to enjoy some services. Critics see this as being a ploy by Costco to not only gain more money (an estimated 1billion per annum is accrued in membership fees) but also obligate consumers to purchase their supplies from the Costco stores. In addition to this, the organization is accused of primarily targeting affluent consumers who are said to make up over 50% of its sales (Bund 78) While Costco does not have a specific charitable organization that it runs, the organizations influence is felt by the hundreds of charitable causes to which it constantly makes donations to. The company specifically focuses its support efforts on children, education and the health sector (Costco). The company’s website also confirms that most of the organization’s donations are channeled to Children’s Hospital and the Red Cross international organization. Unlike most companies which engage in charitable activities to further their own agendas, Costco insi sts that its philanthropic efforts are completely devoid of gains to the company and to demonstrate this, the company specifically states that it does not make donations to individuals, political organizations or any professional associations (Costco). In the recent past, discussions about the environmental have taken a front seat especially with the global warming issue at hand. As such, individual activists and organizations have engaged themselves in various activities aimed at the protection of the environment.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Good and Bad Side of COSTCO COMPANY specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More To elaborate on its active contribution to environmental conservation, Costco has over the years undertaken some environmental conscious actions. To reduce its carbon footprint, the company has invested in solar panels and installation of skylights so as to cut on energy usage. Another mov e by the company was the replacement of plastic bags with hybrid packages contained as little plastic as possible. This move was motivated by the realization that plastic is detrimental to the environment and while the hybrid material that the company switched to are not 100% environment friendly, they are made from recycled products and are biodegradable which means that they are safer to the environment (Shelf Impact). The issue of environment however develops a different twist when you take into consideration the manufacturers of the goods that Costco sells. It is a well known fact that Costco stockpiles its warehouses with relatively cheap wares mostly from China and other Asian countries. These countries are known for their degradation of the environment almost no rules regulating the carbon emissions mostly due to lack of strict legislation of the issue. Costco boasts of having a diverse workforce and according to the company’s CEO, it is the organizations aim to create a favorable work experience for the entire workforce. The organization states that it does not discriminate on the basis of race of gender and this can be accentuated by the multiracial and almost mixed gender workforce (Costco). Religion is also not an issue with employees at Costco and the religious beliefs of each employee are respected. However, Costco happens to be one of the companies that have over the years been accused of gender based discrimination. The company has been accused of â€Å"glass ceiling† its women employees by limiting their chances of being promoted to high positions in the company. Frazel, an advocate for a class action suit against the organization asserted in a press release that â€Å"only one in six Costco managers is a woman† despite the fact that nearly half the company’s staff comprises of women. While Costco insists that awarding of promotions is on merit and that gender and race play no part, the fact that there is no promotio n system in place and it is the prerogative of senior managers to issue out promotions casts a shadow on the objectivity of the promotional efforts since most managers are male to begin with. This paper set out to perform an in-depth analysis of Costco’s behavior so as to help categorize it as â€Å"good† or â€Å"bad†. From the discussions presented in this paper, it is clear that despite the organization not being without fault, Costco is an inherently good company that has not only the consumer’s but also its employees and the environment’s good at heart.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Despite the negative publicity that the company has received mostly as a result of the female employee’s discrimination, it can be demonstrated that the company is socially responsible and makes an effort to give back to the community. In a world where the majority of organizations are only interested in profitability, Costco remains the exception to the rule and has proven through the years that a company can be socially responsible and still manage to compete favorably in the business world making huge profits for its stockholders. Works Cited AnnualReports. â€Å"Costco Wholesale† 2008. Web. Bund, Barbara. â€Å"The Outside-in Corporation: How to Build a Customer-Centric Organization for Breakthrough Results.† McGraw-Hill Professional, 2005. Bloomberg News. â€Å"Costco Accused of Abusing Wage Law.† 2009. Web. Costco. â€Å"Donation and Grand Eligibility Guidelines.† 2010. Web. Frazel, Trudi. â€Å"National Class Action Gender Bias Suit Filed A gainst Costco.† 2004. Web. Goldberg, Allan and Ritter, Bill. â€Å"Costco CEO Finds Pro-Worker Means Profitability.† 2006. Web. Priceviewer. â€Å"Costco Employment.† 2010. Web. Shelf Impact. â€Å"Costco Packaging goes Eco-friendly.† 2006. Web. This research paper on The Good and Bad Side of COSTCO COMPANY was written and submitted by user Cooper Bradford to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Mergers and Acquisitions of Chrysler, an American entity and Daimler

Mergers and Acquisitions of Chrysler, an American entity and Daimler In the current business world, entities are looking into ways to expand, acquire an operational or a competitive advantage edge. One way of accomplishing this entails mergers and acquisitions.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Mergers and Acquisitions of Chrysler, an American entity and Daimler-Benz specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A merger entails two firms combining on equal terms to form a different firm while in an acquisition; one firm becomes the holding entity of the other. This is normally an exceedingly risky move since most entities are different in diverse ways. Companies differ in terms of philosophy, culture, operations and organizational structure. Integrating all these aspects is challenging. Subsequently, many acquisitions and merge may fail to realize the ambitions of undertaking them (Goldberg Practising Law Institute, 2005). One of the factors that contribute to failure of mergers and acquisitions i s cultural disparity among organizations. Organizational culture denotes the values that an organization seeks to entrench among the staff members. Most of the American firms have a relaxed approach to management. However, European entities form countries such as Germany will probably have a very formal approach to management. Merging firms form such backgrounds may be tough. This will result in lower job satisfaction among the employees who have to alter the way they undertake their work. The culmination of a merge in the above scenario would be high employee turnover and lower productivity. The merger between Chrysler, an American entity and Daimler-Benz, a German company did not take off appropriately since the entity had many cultural and philosophical disparities.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Chrysler had a relaxed managerial attitude, which was suitable fo r its employees. Hence, this managerial approach was responsible for the success the entity had realized. Contrary, Daimler-Benz, another successful organization had a different managerial culture. The company owed its accomplishments to a formal managerial approach. The merger between the two organizations should have resulted in a bigger entity with massive potential. The resultant company would have had at its disposal a greater market proportion, excellent employees and a good product portfolio. However, the merger failed to meet the expectation of the managers and owners (Gole Hilger, 2008). The organizations had different philosophies with reference to remuneration and management. Attempts to merge these disparities had massive implications on the work force. The Daimler- Benz’s employees became more motivated as the entire entity tried to replicate their organization’s culture. Conversely, Chrysler’s employees were disoriented and most left the organizat ion. Subsequently, Chrysler’s performance dwindled significantly triggering take-over attempts by Daimler- Benz. The above example provides insight into the failures of mergers and acquisitions. The two firms failed to consider the human aspects of the merger. Chrysler and Daimler-Benz overlooked the impact of the merger on the most important resource, the human resource. As such, one firm was operating better than the other was, but the merged firm (resultant entity) was not realizing the expected results. This reveals that managers should make lengthy considerations prior to merging. The entity should consider the cultural disparity and various philosophies employed in determining vital issues such as remuneration.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Mergers and Acquisitions of Chrysler, an American entity and Daimler-Benz specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Overall, entities should seek merges among entities with similarities in numerous aspects. Disparities make it hard for entities to integrate various aspects of the merger (Sherman Hart, 2006). Conclusion In conclusion, mergers require massive preparations. Hence, merging entities should create a period within which to integrate and jell various aspects of the entities such as operations, philosophy and culture. This period should come prior to the signing of a comprehensive merger and acquisition deal. Period to this period the entities should sign a memorandum, which will detail what the entities should undertake to set the stage for the signing of a comprehensive deal. The integration process should provide insight to possible outcomes of the merger or acquisition (Sherman Sherman, 2011). References Goldberg, R. A., Practising Law Institute. (2005). A guide to mergers acquisitions, 2005. New York, NY: Practising Law Institute. Gole, W. J., Hilger, P. J. (2008). Corporate divestitures: A mergers and acquisitions best practices gui de. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. Sherman, A. J., Hart, M. A. (2006). Mergers acquisitions from A to Z. New York: AMACOM.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Sherman, A. J., Sherman, A. J. (2011). Mergers acquisitions from A to Z: Mergers and acquisitions from A to Z. New York: American Management Association.

Choose from the book Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Choose from the book - Essay Example The two writers are Steven Schier and Theda skocpol. According to (Schier 124) the reason for political indifference and hence the low voter turnout is due to activating American citizens into political rather than mobilisation as it was previously done. This has led to emergence of progressive movements that have replaced the power that political parties had. These progressive movements are very selective and do not activate all American citizens politically, what they do is select a small group based on their political interest and focus on them. This excludes a large number of American voters from the electoral and political process and therefore most of them have lost interest in being part of elections hence the low voter turnout. According to (Schier 134-150) the earlier 1970s political parties gained influence by mobilising the support of all American voters. This was through carrying out extensive campaigns to appeal to the American people, mass live broadcasting. This method of political mobilisation was extremely effective as it included all Americans and was in no way selective or choosy. This built a sense of belonging among most American citizens and encouraged them to take part in their electoral process. This explains the high voter turnout then. This is no longer the situation; the new era is more focused on lobbying interest groups such high earning American citizens, well educated American citizens and those with high incomes. This has isolated most American citizens who do not fall under this category and most no longer vote. In order to resolve this prevailing situation there is need to restore power back to the political parties as it was in the early 1970s instead of living the whole political process in the hands of interest and lobbying groups (Skier 140-150) This will put control of the election process back to political parties who instead of activation should resort to once again mobilising the entire American population. This will in vite the isolated American population to get involved in the electoral and political system. Although this is a difficult task to achieve, it will completely change the political environment and without a doubt increase voter turnout. I agree with some of Schier’s sentiments as to why there is poor voter turnout in America this is because there is indeed a power shift in American politics as more control is held by the interest groups other than the political parties especially in the election process. I also agree with his commendations to improve the prevailing situation by bringing back mobilisation in place of activation as a political tactic during the election period. I however disagree with Schier when he says that Americans have been isolated from the election process in terms of education level and the level of income. This is because a more than before the election process is fully covered in the media and even social networks. We cannot rationally argue that any Am erican is unaware about the elections due to isolation and give that as a reason for low voter turnout. This is because as much as most Americans may not be involved firsthand in the elections a majority if not all Americans are very aware of the political situation and most times choosing to participate in voting has nothing to do with whether they were mobilised or not. I find Theda Skocpol’s arguments in his book Diminished democracy: From membership to management in American

How the concentration of salt affect the rate of Osmosis Essay

How the concentration of salt affect the rate of Osmosis - Essay Example It does not require the provision of energy to be carried out. Osmosis is an important process for the living organisms because it is a part of many of the fundamental processes occurring in plants as well as animals. It is important for the transfer of fluids in the kidneys in human beings. It is also essential for the plants with regard to the process of photosynthesis. Therefore, it is important that this process should be understood clearly. There are many factors which serve as controlling and limiting factors in the process of osmosis. The concentration of salt also serves as an important factor in the process of osmosis. The addition of salt to a solution makes the solution hypertonic that is the concentration of salt increases in the solution and the water concentration becomes less. Similarly a hypotonic solution will be one which will have a lesser quantity of salt in comparison to the hypertonic solution and hence it will have a decreased salt concentration. If a selective barrier is formed between these two solutions which will only allow for the movement of water and prevent the movement of salt, the process of osmosis will occur. This process will follow the general rule of osmosis and water will naturally move from the hypotonic solution to the hypertonic solution.

An investigation of public health responses to diabetes Essay

An investigation of public health responses to diabetes - Essay Example This results in increased amounts of sugar in the blood, causing complications usually involving the heart and kidneys. (Wikipedia, 2011) There are three main types of Diabetes. Type 1 Diabetes, or insulin-dependent diabetes, occurs when the pancreas fails to secrete insulin, thus the glucose taken in from food cannot be broken down. The result is a buildup of sugar in the blood that causes complications like kidney failure, retinopathy, heart failure, and hypertension. A patient with this condition requires artificial insulin to be injected regularly in order to control the blood sugar levels. Type 2 Diabetes, or non-insulin dependent diabetes, is similar. In this case, the pancreas is able to secrete small amounts insulin, but the body’s cells cannot receive it. The result is identical. The sugar builds up in the bloodstream, and causes the above complications. The third type is Gestational Diabetes. This occurs in pregnant women only. During pregnancy, the overworked body o f the mother is unable to secrete the excess insulin required, leading to increased blood sugar levels. Women with gestational diabetes are most likely to have large babies. Diabetes is caused by different factors. Obesity is a big predisposing factor. In obese persons, insulin is less able to facilitate the entry of glucose into the liver and adipose tissues. In addition, fat buildup presents a suitable environment for circulatory overload. As sugar builds up in the blood, the density and concentration gradient increases, making the blood thick and viscous. This prevents it from properly circulating around the body. And because the hands and feet are the furthest from the pump center, the heart, they receive the least amount of blood. Lack of nutrients from the blood kills the tissue surrounding the area. Eventually, the hand or food necrotizes, or dies, leaving amputation as the only solution. Not surprisingly, most amputees are a result of Diabetes Mellitus. Heredity also plays a big role. If one of your ancestors or family members had a health history of diabetes, you have more chances of acquiring it, and as you age these chances increase. In spite of all these, the principal factor is a sedentary lifestyle. When your body lacks enough exercise, the heart pumps less blood to the extremities, causing tissue death. (Black, 2001) Classic signs and symptoms of Diabetes are increased thirst, increased hunger, and frequent urination. The thirst occurs when the body mistakes the concentration of sugar in the blood for lack of water, thus it triggers the thirst center in the brain, causing the person to drink more water, which in turn causes him to urinate more. The hunger occurs because the cells cannot utilize the sugar and nutrients, causing them to â€Å"starve†. The body interprets this as lack of food; hence, the person eats more and more. Increase of blood sugar also affects the eyes. Absorption of glucose causes the lens to change shape, resulting in vision changes. The heart usually suffers the most. Because of an increased workload, the heart muscles grow, causing cardiomegaly. As this progresses, the heart, out of exhaustion and overwork, eventually gives up and stops pumping, causing heart failure, and death. Heart attacks are common in chronic high blood pressure. Kidney failure also occurs. The main job of the kidneys is to remove waste from the blood and return the cleaned blood back to the body. In diabetes, the high levels of sugar damage the nephrons, the

Examining the usefulness of Financial Statement Analysis

Examining the usefulness of Financial Statement Analysis Financial statement analysis involves the assessment of a businesss past, present and future condition. The objective is to identify the weaknesses as well as the strengths of a business. If weaknesses are found, the business can take appropriate steps to correct or overcome them. On the other hand, the business can use its strengths to its advantage. In this way, the business will be able to improve its overall financial situation in the future. As the business owners they are intently interested in how well their business is doing. The most likely way to determine the status of a business is by analyzing the financial data and that means crunching the numbers. The basics of financial analysis usually mean calculating different financial ratios and then coming to conclusions about the how the company is financially performing. Financial ratios here refer to principal tools for financial analysis as they can be used to answer numerous questions regarding the businesss financial well being. Financial ratios are used by three main groups. First is Managers, who employ ratios to help analyze, control, and thus improve their firms operations. Second is a credit analyst, such as bank loan officers or bond rating analysts, who analyze ratios to help ascertain a companys ability to pay its debts. Third is stock analyst, who is interested in a companys efficiency, risk, and growth prospects. Also, the ratios provide useful information to users of financial statements for example investors and analysts to assess and evaluate the operations undertaken as well as being used to analyze its performance and position over time (Al-Ajmi J., 2008). As stated by Al-Ajmi J. (2008), the most important of the users groups to know about financial ratio analysis are investors and creditors because these users interested to read the contents of financial statements and calculate a variety of financial indicators before they want to make any final decisions on credit and investing decisions. To them, they believe that through analyzing financial statement will provide valuable financial indicators and have predictive power. Financial analysis can be done through assessing the financial statement of company. Financial statement in this case focuses on balance sheet, income statement, cash flow statement and statement of changes in equity. Financial ratios are generally classified into four main groups liquidity ratios, activity ratios, gearing ratios, and profitability ratios. The liquidity ratios can be used to measure whether the firm can repay its financial obligations on time or not. The two commonly used liquidity ratios are the current ratio and the quick ratio. Next is activity ratios can be used to measure how effectively the firm uses its resources (assets) to generate sales or revenue. This ratio is so called efficiency, turnover or even business asset management ratios. Commonly used to measure activity ratios are inventory turnover ratio, average collection period, accounts receivable turnover ratio, non-current assets turnover ratio and total assets turnover ratio. Third is gearing ratios also called debt management ratios and leverage ratios. This ratio indicate how the firm is utilizing outside funds to finance its assets and whether the firm can pay the interest on the use of these non-owner supplied f unds as well as repay the principal or the original amount of the loan. Commonly used to measure gearing ratios are debt ratio, time interest earned ratio and debt to equity ratio. Lastly are profitability ratios which can measure the end results of the firms ability to produce profits from its resources as well as to measure the companys use of its assets and control of its expenses to generate an acceptable rate of return. The most commonly used ratio is gross profit margin and net profit margin. Knowing the financial ratios of our business is important because by knowing what these ratios mean and being aware of trends can aid the entrepreneur in better managing a business in future. In general this paper is reviewing the literature review on the effect of analysis of financial ratios on business financial performance or financial situation in three different types of industries. Focus on the analysis of financial ratio in service industry, financial industry and higher institutional education. There are different views and different effects when financial ratio analysis going to used to analyze company performance from different types of industry. LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 USEFULNESS OF FINANCIAL RATIOS Financial ratios are said as the most widely used indicators of company. It play a role to value firms, to distinguish creditworthy companies compare to others, to identify acquisition targets and to indicate the process of organizational in completing or the time needed to complete a task (Al-Ajmi J., 2008). The financial analysis model known as a quite helpful tool for executives to measure or predict enterprise bankruptcy or enterprise failure provides concerned decision-makers (authorities) with the possibility or hoping to avoid failures. Also it becomes an early warning system to the corporate management. (Karacaer and KapusuzoÄÅ ¸lu, 2008). As stated by Karacaer and KapusuzoÄÅ ¸lu, (2008), the most highest ratios contribution in the analysis regarding the variables whose effect the financial condition of the sample enterprise are ROE, debt ratio, net working capital, acid test ratio, net profit ratio, cash ratio, and current ratio respectively. Among of them, the liquidity ratios are the main element in these ratios. It is observed that all the variables have differing but significant effects on the corporate financial situation. Financial ratios can be used as financial indicators which allow for comparisons between companies, between industries, between different time periods for one company, between a single company and its industry average. Apart from that, financial ratios generally hold no meaning unless they are benchmarked against something else, like past performance or another company and industries. The reason behind that is the ratios of firms in different industries, which face different risks, capital requirements, and competition are usually hard to compare if we have no other things to compare (Wikipedia). As mentioned by Salmi, Timo Roy Dahlstedt Martti Luoma Arto Laakkonen (1988), financial ratios are commonly used for comparison of financial position intra-industry. Also, in financial statement analysis a firms performance and financial status are frequently evaluated in relation to other firms in the same branch of industry or in relation to industry averages. 2.2 STEPS TO EFFECTIVELY FINANCIAL RATIOS As stated by Darrel Hulsey, the basics of financial analysis usually mean calculating different financial ratios and then coming to conclusions and clarification regarding on how the company is financially performing in business activities. There are certain things that must be considered before too many conclusions are drawn. Firstly, understand what comprise different financial ratios before start analyzing companys data. Must take into consideration all financial ratios numbers derived from financial statement comprise of balance sheet and income statement. Balance sheets represent a reflection for a particular point in time. Income statements present a cumulative time summary of performance. For example, year-end financial statements should include a balance sheet that presents how various company accounts look on that particular day at the end of the year, whereas the income statement shows how companys performance over the period Second is evaluating external influencing factors. As with all companies, the financial statements can be influenced by various factors like management or owner decisions and discretionary spending, seasonal effects, legal structure choice, type of industry, customer mix, or a number of other issues. These factors can influence the financial statements and will, in turn, influence the financial ratios analysis. Third is look at internal trends. Always keep in mind is that one ratio alone tells one very little. A clear picture starts developing when one looks at ratios over different time increments. By comparing financial results against prior performance one gets a better idea of what is occurring within the company. Trends will start to develop and can give insight into areas that may need corrective attention or to areas that may need to be reinforced. Internal trend analysis is most likely most beneficial because one is comparing similar business situations over various periods of time. Fourth is compare results to the industry. Comparing your business performance to other similar businesses is a common way to judge how well the business is doing. Even though this is very common, there are limitations to doing so. First realize these comparative ratios represent an average. Averages are simply that and most likely your business will vary somewhat. Next be sure you are comparing your business to other businesses similar in asset size and sales volume. In some cases there may be no suitable comparisons. Try to insure you are comparing apples to apples. There are several sources to get comparative financial data including private companies such as Risk Management Association (RMA) and trade associations that collect data from their members. Knowing what is the average for your industry is important. The averages can serve as a general benchmark for your business. Additionally, these averages are often times used to compare your business performance when you are seeking capital from outside sources such as a bank. Being different may not be a deal killer, but not being able to explain why you are different may indeed be a deal killer. 2.3 THE EFFECT OF ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL RATIOS ON BUSINESS FINANCIAL SITUATION IN DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES 2.3.1 SERVICE INDUSTRY In measuring the performance of service firms, the most strongest and consistent ratios used are activity and profitability ratios. Obviously, the profitability ratios indicate that small service firms have higher returns to sales than large firms. Specifically, service firms have less liquidity, greater activity, and higher profitability. Interestingly, the small and medium size service firms had higher total debt levels. The short-term debt findings show that service firms used significantly smaller amounts of short term funding. Means that service industry more prefer to finance the business activity through long term debt. On top of that in service industry, the most suitable of ratio to measure business profitability is by calculating return on equity. Apart from that, activity ratio was measured by a primary ratio and a secondary ratio. It refers to sales to assets and sales to inventory respectively (Michael D., John X. and Steven J.). The results found by Michael D., John X. and Steven J. associated with the activity ratios for service firms show a positive and significant relationship an concluded that size of firm very unrelated to productivity of public firms in service sector The growth in air transportation industry gives a picture that performance evaluation is important for executives body to identify and recognize the operating problems arise in market competition. According to Feng C.M. and Wang R.T. (2000), referring to previous study it more concerning airline performance evaluation which only focus merely on operational performance. However, evaluation on financial performance is seems to be ignored. As far as we are concern, to measure the survival prospect of an airline market can be look through the financial performance of the company itself. The absence of financial ratios may lead to biased assessment. There are three main types of performance indicators used in airline industry. The first one is production efficiency, marketing efficiency and execution efficiency which relate to department of production, marketing and management (Feng C.M. and Wang R.T., 2000). As stated by Feng C.M. and Wang R.T. (2000), in making analysis of financial statement of airline industry, assets and capital of the owners equity are classified as the input of financial factors. Moreover debts and expense are classified as the output of the financial factors and for revenue or otherwise losses categorized as the outcome of financial factors. Due to that, the input financial factors characterized by sunk cost which included flight equipment and interest expense, while its output by intangible products. Otherwise its consumption characterized as not-stored services. 2.3.2 FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS Evaluating the performance and financial condition of the financial service organizations is very critical. The intermediation role of financial institutions in market trading is such that performance in this sector indirectly gives impacts on other sectors of the economy. When performance is good it will contribute a positive effect on the economy but when the financial sector is distressed and got some problems then they will contribute a negative effect on other sectors of the economy (Ibiwoye A., 2010). In the perspective of banks to achieve their aims for institution development was by growing the components of their assets as an alternative of moving to increase the profitability. All of these require the determination and management of several factors, which play an important role in the profitability of banks in the new environment (Halkos and Salamouris 2004). In U.S Banks, to increase investors hope and confidence, they adopt Dominion Bond Rating Service (DBRS) which provides bank ratings as a forward-looking measure of a banks ability to meet its financial obligations. The DBRS ratio analysis focuses on four interrelated aspects of a banks financial health. First is Earnings Power, it refers to the ability to generate consistent profits and grow capital internally. Second is Asset Quality, it refers to the potential for losses that could impair earnings and capital. Third is liquidity where it focuses on cash resources available to meet short-term obligations. And the last one is Capital Adequacy; it refers to the ultimate creditor protection against future losses (Reid, Lister, Schwartz, and Muranyi, 2005) According to Al-Ajmi J., (2008), the financial indicators that analysts use as basis for decisions are not necessarily all equally useful to them in making any decision. There are no significant differences between credit analysts and financial analysts with respect to 40 of the indicators identified in the study. From the perspectives of 244 credit analysts and financial analysts in Bahrain, they are measured by the ranking of 71 financial indicators and 5 components of corporate governance. Based on the result it shows that credit analysts consider the quick ratio as the most useful ratio, followed by the non-recurrent ratio. For the financial analysts they consider price-earnings as the most useful ratio, followed by the market-to-book ratio. It is also worth mentioning that the efficiency difference between large and small banks reaches its maximum value in 1999. While doing financial analysis it has a positive relationship between size and performance. Besides, through mergers and acquisitions it leads to a continuous increase of average efficiency of the larger banks while efficiency of the small banks is impaired. It is proved that the higher the size of total assets leads to the higher of the efficiency is. It is evidenced from the significant increase in the sum of the total assets employed in the market as well as the increase in the average level of Banks Assets (Halkos and Salamouris, 2004). 2.4.3 HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS As study did by Buddy N.J. (1999), it identified a set of financial ratios that summarize the financial situation of a higher education institution in which the ratios helped to analyze the financial solvency and viability of the six higher education institutions in Oklahoma. The study focused on the ability of the institutions to meet current and future financial requirements of the institutions. Therefore financial ratio analysis is the most suitable and known as an effective communication to the mind of users regarding financial situations of universities and colleges to internal and external entities. On top of that, ratios known as excellent tools for facilitating the communication, analysis, and understanding of large masses of complicated, detailed information of the institutions. As what have been found in study conducted by Chabotar, (1989); Cirtin Lightfoot, (1996), they concluded that financial ratio analysis could also serve as a tool to evaluate the efficiency, effectiveness and accountability of higher institution education as what been done by ratio analysis in analyzing business financial condition. In this case Buddy N.J. (1999) said that financial ratio analysis allows for the evaluation of past performance and for future planning of institutions. By identifying a manageable number of quality ratios, the presentation of financial data may be more efficient and tell a better story and give a better picture of the true financial condition of the institution of higher education. The reduction of a large mass of numbers into a few manageable, easily interpreted ratios will allow both internal and external entities to make better-informed decisions regarding financial position and condition of higher learning institutions. In the opinion of Buddy N.J. (1999), understanding the financial condition of higher education institutions become an important part in view of decision making to respond to any pressures arise. As supported by Chabotar, (1989) where work on financial ratio analysis for higher education institutions has aimed at clarifying and explain the perceptions and making judgments of financial distress more credible. Financial ratios can also have the reverse use, to identify what is unique about a higher education institution. The most frequently cited motivation for financial ratio analysis is the ability to control for the effects of size difference over time and across institutions As mentioned by Buddy N.J. (1999), financial ratio analysis can help both the institutional user and those agencies to make funding decisions. This is due to where the financial ratio analysis could be used to obtain the physical evidence of any deviations of the norms and could also allow management by exception. Also financial ratios recognized as an indicator to whether conditions are getting worse or getting better which may allow management by exception and alerts the institution to the possibility of future financial distress. Besides, financial ratio analyses have a role to identify how and in what ways the condition is changing (Collier Patrick, 1978). Lupton, Augenblick, and Heyison (1976) in their study identified the indicators which include institutional control, enrollment trends, trends in education and general expenditures, current fund revenues to expenditures, academic expenditures to education and general expenditures, freshman full-time equivalents (FTEs) to total undergraduate FTEs, and tuition and fees to student aid revenues. All these indicators determined by using a panel of experts, as well as discriminate analysis, to determine 16 discriminating indicators of financial condition. Whereas, Collier and Patrick (1978) conducted theory-based research and developed a set of dimensions that describe financial condition which comprise of financial independence, revenue drawing power, financial risk, revenue stability, and reserve strength. Same as what being done by Lupton etc., Collier and Patrick also used experts and discriminate analysis to determine the indicators that differentiate between strong and weak private institutions and between strong and weak public institutions. As agreed by Buddy N.J. (1999) the purpose of institutional comparisons is to highlight differences and to raise important questions about past and future policies for internal and external entities. The reason is many higher education institutions differ from comparative peers for good and valid reasons. The argument might be that, when an understanding is reached for why an institution scores differently from its comparative peers, a conclusion can be drawn as to what is unique about that institution as compared to others institutions. Referring to study of Buddy N.J. (1999), he found that many of the measures financial ratios used by higher education institutions are based on what sources financial revenues are earned and for what services expenses are incurred. Based on the result it allows both internal and external entities to monitor institutional effectiveness and efficiency. There are 15 key financial relationships being used by Donald E. Miller (1972) to set forth for business and industry a cause-and-effect ratio analysis based. The reason is higher education institutions will find themselves in a particular financial position because of some cause or causes. The 15 ratios have been applied and tested as a unified system in thousands of business situations demonstrated that, when used together; provide a fundamental financial understanding to the users. The interrelationships that exist among financial resources require a better examination of the institutions total fund structure. A better understanding o f the trends in and the condition of the financial resources is important to the early detection of any institutional distress. Changes in resources are symptoms of those internal and external factors might cause financial pressure or development. A higher education institution with sufficient financial resources can withstand adverse trends and has the flexibility to institute changes at opportune moments to reverse the trends. Resources merely provide the opportunity to be flexible through economic changes and experiment where possible without jeopardizing and impair the institutions future prospect. 3.0 CONCLUSION It is important to analyze trends in ratios as well as their absolute levels. Trend analysis can provide clues as to whether the firms financial situation is likely to improve or to deteriorate. Financial statement analysis involves a study of the relationships between income statement and balance sheet accounts, how these relationships change over time (trend analysis), and how a particular firm compares with other firms in its industry as we called as benchmarking. In addition, financial statements are used to help predict the firms future earnings and divi ­dends. From an investors standpoint, predicting the future is what financial state ­ment analysis is all about. From managements standpoint, financial statement analysis is useful both to help anticipate future conditions and, more important, as a starting point for planning actions that will influence the future course of events The importance of financial statement analysis should not be underestimated. The understandable format of financial ratios allows virtually any stakeholder and users of financial statement to acquire a basic comprehension of the most critical financial policies of institutions and their financial condition. Chabotar, K. J. (1989). Financial ratio analysis comes to nonprofits. Journal of Higher Education, 60(2), 188-208. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ 389 089) Cirtin, A., Lightfoot, C. (1996). Financial statement analysis for private colleges and universities. The National Public Accountant, 41(8), 29-34. Collier, D. J., Patrick, C. (1978). A multi-variate approach to the analysis of institutional financial condition. Boulder, CO: National Center for Higher Education Management Systems. Chabotar, K. J. (1989). Financial ratio analysis comes to nonprofits. Journal of Higher Education, 60(2), 188-208. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ 389 089) Lupton, A. H., Augenblick, J., Heyison, J. (1976). A special report: The financial state of higher education. Change, 8(8), 20-35. Miller, D. E. (1972). The meaningful interpretation of financial statements: The cause-and-effect ratio approach. New York, NY: American Management Association, Inc.

Tragedy In Things Fall Apart Essay -- essays research papers

Consider the Aristotelian tragedy. It has yet to go the way of Eddie Bauer. In Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe devised a tragic African hero in Okonkwo, consistent with the classic stipulations of the figure. Thus, the novel--to its greatest practicable extent—inherently existed as a tragedy on all levels to accommodate Okonkwo. To illustrate this, I will dissect and analyze the many factors that make Things Fall Apart an exemplary model of Greek tragedy by Aristotle’s own towering ideals.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First and foremost, the tragic hero must be of noble stature, occupying a high position within the community, innately embodying virtue and majesty. Okonkwo distinguished himself as an exceptional wrestler, defeating Amalinze the Cat—who had not been defeated in seven years—and winning thus a reputation as a â€Å"manly† figure. In his family compound, Okonkwo lives in a hut of his own, and each of his three wives lives in a hut of her own with her children. The prosperous compound also includes an enclosure with stacks of yams, sheds for goats and hens, and a â€Å"medicine house†, where Okonkwo keeps the symbols of his personal god and ancestral spirits and where he offers prayers for his and his family.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Though the hero may be great, he may not be perfect. We must be able to identify with him, seeing him perhaps in others or ourselves. Having a notoriously short temper and an infamously wasteful father rendered Okonkwo imperfect, one wh...

Legislatures learnsmart 5 Essay

1. True or false: Both chambers of Congress allow a member to speak for an unlimited time on the floor. A: false 2. Which of the following are members of the House leadership? A: Majority leader, majority whip and minority leader 3. Redistricting can diminish the advantages of being an incumbent because the candidate loses name recognition 4. Order the following general steps that a bill must pass through in order to become law 1. A member of the House of Representatives or the Senate formally proposes the bill 2. Subgroups within the House and Senate, composed of legislators who have expertise in the bill’s subject mater, review the bill 3. A majority of members in the House and Senate must approve it 4. The Conference Committee reconciles the bill when different versions have passed in the House and the Senate 5. President signs the bill 5. Members of Congress may experience conflict between their policy-making function and their representation function because A: They feel pressured to vote for a policy that clashes with their constituent’s interests. 6. To balance the desire for representation at different levels, the framers made Congress a bicameral institution. 7. Congress has a number of functions other than lawmaking. These include A: Acting on presidential actions, setting the national agenda, and representing its constituents. 8. Because taxation was such an important power to the framers, they required that all these measures must start A: in the House. 9. Reapportionment is the reallocation of seats in the House of Representatives to each state based on changes in the state’s population since the last census. 10. Which of the following is the most powerful leadership position in the Senate A: Majority leader 11. Which of the following are reasons why specific members of Congress are chosen for congressional leadership positions? A: Ability to guide compromise, to persuade and to negotiate. 12. When congressional district boundaries are redrawn within a state, it is known as redistricting 13. Two of the most important influences on congressional elections are incumbency and redistricting. 14. Which of the following oversight tools ensure that Congress has some say in how the executive branch administers the laws that Congress creates? A: congressional hearings, budgetary appropriations and confirmation hearings. 15. The single most important factor in determining the success of a congressional campaign is incumbency. 16. Which congressional function involves auditing agency implementation of policy? A: Oversight 17. The power of taxation, among other powers, was given to Congress: A: to limit the power of the president; and because it is more representative to the people. 18. Gerrymandering A: is usually legal. 19 Which of the following influence agenda setting in Congress? A: public discourse, House and Senate leaders’ goals 20 Which of the following of Congress, which all other functions of Congress are related to? A: Policy making. 21. Constituents influence the legislative process by ensuring that their representatives in Congress work hard to represent their perspectives and policy interests 22. True or False: A president’s popularity rating cannot affect a legislator’s decision to vote for a particular bill A: True 23. Committees are important because A: They help develop passable legislation; they facilitate the consideration of high volume of bills; and they each specialize in a certain type of legislation. 24. Congressional oversight includes the federal bureaucracy because it is a part of the executive branch. 25. Interest groups engage in which of the following activities in order to influence legislators’ decision? A: grassroots activism, financial contributions, and lobbying. 26. Each senator represents his or her state, while House members represent their congressional district. 27. Partisan voting occurs more often when members are voting on domestic policy issues that tend to crystallize ideological differences between the parties. 28. House and Senate members often rely on which of the following inform their decision making on legislation because they frequently have policy expertise that can guide a legislator on an upcoming vote? A: Staff member 29. The president’s opinion concerning a specific bill can influence members of Congress, especially A: when they belong to the same party. 30. Some examples of Congress’s use of the ‘elastic clause’ include A: determining an oil company’s authority to drill on federal lands; expanding law enforcement authority in terrorism case; and regulating stem cell research. 31. Which of the following is a legislative power the president does not possess? A: Line-item veto. 32. Legislators use pork barrel politics and earmarks to bring money and jobs back to their home districts to show their constituents that they are working toward their best interests in Congress. 33. For mundane matters about which their constituents are less likely to be aware or hold a strong position, legislators typically rely on the trustee model of representation. 34. Citizens wanting policies that benefit the elderly, while others advocate for legislation beneficial for children, is an example of the influence that Congress has A: in managing societal conflict 35. Which of the following is not a way new legislation can be introduce in the Senate? A: A senator’s staff drafts a piece of proposed legislation and the senator place it in the hopper on the Senate floor. 36. Congress manages societal conflict by representing a wide range of views and interests. 37. The U.S Congress has a number of Constitutional powers beyond lawmaking. For example, it A: govern the District of Columbia; regulates the armed forces; regulates interstate commerce; and declares war. 38. When a committee or subcommittee holds a hearing, they are trying to gather information and views from experts about a proposed bill. 39. Interest groups can be a valuable resource to legislators because A: They can provide financial and electoral support. 40. Oversight is an important function of Congress because it ensures that laws are being administered in keeping with legislators’ original intent. 41. Which of the following are duties of the Speaker of the House? A: Making majority party committee assignments; chairing floor debates 42. Match the characteristics on the right with the chamber, which they describe: House: Taxation policies start in this chamber; this chamber faces more frequent elections Senate: Treaties are considered in this chamber; this chamber is more deliberative. 42. In the House of Representatives, a member of a legislator’s staff drafts t he proposed legislation and the House member puts the bill into the hopper. 43. House leadership is chosen at the A: beginning of each session of Congress. 44, Congress continuously engages in agenda setting because it relieves the pressure parties face in getting their members to vote with their particular party. 45. Congress engages in agenda setting when it determines which public policy issues the federal legislature should consider. 46. The framers had tax bills start in the House because A: it had a smaller constituency than the Senate; it had a shorter electoral term. 47. The practice in which members of Congress agree to vote for a bill in exchange for their colleague’s vote on another bill is called logrolling. 48. If a vote in the Senate is tied, the vice president breaks the tie. 49. Historically, which position has been honorary in nature? A: president pro tempore 50. Which of the following contribute to incumbents having an advantage during congressional elections? A: stronger name recognition; ease in attracting contributions; and easier access to media coverage. 51. An agency review provides an opportunity for executive agencies that would administer a proposed law to comment on the measure. 52. The Senate is more deliberative because A: its electoral terms are longer; it has fewer members. 53. A filibuster can arise when a member of the Senate wishes to halt or delay the passage of a bill. 54. After a committee agrees to the wording of a bill, the committee issues a report to the full chamber that explains the bill and its intent. 55. Creating â€Å"majority-minority† districts is a type of Gerrymandering. 56. Which committee sets the structure for the debate that ensues in the full House? A: Rules Committee. 57. An elderly person deciding to vote to reelect a House representative after the representative has tracked down the constituent’s Social Security check is an example of how casework can benefit an incumbent. 58. Unanimous consent agreements require that all senators agree to the terms of debate on a given piece of legislation. 59. A joint committee is composed of members of both chambers of Congress. 60. Redistricting can lessen the impact of incumbency, especially in years ending in the number 2. 61. Congress gets its powers from sources other than the Constitution, including A: American citizens, the media, and Supreme Court decisions. 62. The House Majority leader acts as an assistant to the Speaker of the House in performing legislative duties. 63. In more populated areas, congressional districts in the House of Representatives are often A: homogeneous, cohesive units. 64. AN elected or appointed official acts as an ombudsperson when advocating for citizens by listening to and investigating complaints against a government agency. 65. Which of the following is true about the Senate minority leader? A: Leader of the minority party in the Senate; negotiates with the majority leader. 66. A select committee is created to consider specific policy issues or address a specific concern in legislature. 67. Redistricting sometimes makes incumbency less important. 68. If 51 or more Democrats are elected to the Senate, each committee and subcommittee will have a minority of Republicans as members. 69. When there is a designation within a spending bill that provides for a specific expenditure it is called A: an earmark. 70. Congressional leadership refers bills to the lead committee. 71. Which of the following is not true about a markup? A: The committee actually alters a bill 72. The framers structured Congress in way that A: made it an effective check on the president; made it powerful enough to govern, and kept it from becoming too powerful. 73. After 1995, joint referrals were abolished from the House 74. The House leadership position of whip acts as a liaison between A: leadership and part members in the House. 75. Which of the following terms describes the segment of voters who pay careful attention to political issues? A: attentive public 76. Subcommittees are a subset of a A: Standing committee. 77. A standing committee is a permanent committee in Congress. 78. Members of the House of Representatives are reluctant to defy the will of their congressional districts because A: Their short two-year terms increase the probability that they will be voted out of office for going against the electorate. 79. When an incumbent performs casework for a constituent, it helps to create a good-word-of-mouth reputation and attracts support for that candidate during reelection. 80. The ability to use franking to communicate with voters is a benefit inaccessible to non-incumbents. 81. The attentive public is the segment of voters who pay careful attention to political issues. 82. The term pork barrel describes legislators’ appropriations of funds via legislation for special projects located within their congressional districts. 83. To end a filibuster, a supermajority of sixty senators must agree to invoke cloture and end debate 84. Which of the following is required to extract a bill from committee in order to have it considered by the entire House? A: discharge petition 85. A consequence of having a congressional â€Å"safe seat† is that a house member A: can generally be partisan without unfavorable political outcome. 86. Committee chairs are often chosen using the seniority system, by which the member with the longest continuous tenure on a standing committee receives preference when the committee chooses its chair 87. Which model of representation insists that legislators vote in line with their constituents’ views even when this contradicts their personal views? A: Instructed delegate model. 88. What occurs after a conference committee reconciles a bill between the House and Senate? A: The bill goes back to both chambers for a vote 89. In this model of representation, a legislator may act in opposition to the clear wishes of his or her constituents, such as in cases where an action is â€Å"for their own good† or the good of society. A: Trustee model 90. The most powerful position in the Senate: the majority leader manages the legislative process and schedules debate on legislation 91. Senators sometimes find it hard to represent constituents because they are elected by an entire state’s population, which may contain citizens who have conflicting views, ideologies, and policy priorities.

Things Fall Apart Culture Research Paper

Maduena 1 Thomas Maduena Mrs. Aisola English 4 December 16, 2012 Unconventional Culture of the Ibo People in Nigeria The Ibo people, traditionally known as Igbo, are one of the largest and most significant ethnic groups of Southern Nigeria (Igboland). Their culture and traditions are so diverse because their group is fragmented into subgroups. Chinua Achebe explains the tough and cultural ways of the Ibo people in his novel Things Fall Apart.Their customs can be compared but, nevertheless they have kept their traditions stayed the same throughout their history. Origin; Ibo people originated in the Kingdom of Nri. â€Å"Nri Kingdom in the Awka area is the cradle of Igbo civilization and culture† (destee. com) It is also one of the most oldest Nigerian kingdoms. Although Nri people were a different group, they influenced the traditional Igbo people with their customs and practices. â€Å"There is a little bit of Nri in all of us†¦ Igbo is Nri and Nri is Igbo†¦ you ar e Nri and Nri is you†¦ † (destee. om) The orgin of the Igbo people can be argued about, but no doubt the originated from the Nri People. Traditional Society; Although some ill-informed people would only see that the Ibo people are very primitive and barbaric, they had their own form of government, leadership, and economy. â€Å"The basic unit of Igbo life was the village group†¦family head† (qub. ac. uk) The â€Å"family head† or modern colloquial, the man of the house, would be the older male, In most cases the father. He settled all issues within and outside his family, and was the one to Maduena 2 talk to higher members of the clan or in the village. Social status is based on wealth, regardless of occupation. The Igbo distinguish between obgenye or mbi (the poor), dinkpa (the moderately prosperous), and nnukwu madu or ogaranya (the rich). â€Å" (everyculture. com) Titles were a major role in every Nigerian tribe whether it be the Ibos, Yorubas, or Hausas. A title gave respect and honor to their family. â€Å"Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages†¦ fame rested on solid personal achievements. † (Things Fall Apart P. 1, Chinua Achebe) His title was earned throughout his life and solely on himself, which gave him a god reputation and being respected. There was a hierarchy of ascending titles that were to be taken in order, accompanied by an ascending scale of payments. † (qub. ac. uk) Titles were not easy to come by and had an extensive process. Rituals were acquired and having a title gave the person a sense of success. Their villages are very dependent on one another. Any interference with their village would be taken up to the leader of the clan and if necessary brought up to the elders. Decisions would affect their entire village or town and need to be thoroughly checked with. Oracles played a key role for Ibo villages because of their consistency of being dependable.In â€Å"Things Fall Apart † the Oracle was an important character in their decisions made. â€Å"And there were indeed occasions when the Oracle had forbidden Umuofia to wage a war. If the clan had disobeyed the Oracle they would surely have been beaten. † (Things Fall Apart P. 11, Chinua Achebe) The Umuofia people are so superstitious that they will not make any major decisions without first consulting the gods through the Oracle. Their thought is that only the Gods can justify when the time to war is right. Government; The Igbo leaders of the village and the common people all work together to form a democracy.They all participate to make their villages such a working Maduena 3 community. â€Å"Perhaps it was the small scale of their political institutions that made Igbo Land such a good example of what a democracy should be. Some of the first European visitors to this region were struck by the extent to which democracy was truly practiced. † (qub. ac. uk) Igbo people are not the barbari ans people think of them to be. They just have an unconventional way of having a stable society. Family and Marriage; Families would live in the village group, but all living in separate segments.Males and elders would receive the outmost respect. The oldest male was usually the leader of the compound and there were many different groups in that compound. The rule of seniority was usually the placement where the person would be in their status. Marriage was ideal for every woman especially. â€Å"When a boy betroths a girl, the matter does not end there. The families of the contracting parties will embark on a series of investigations about the character, home training, lineage, health, clan relationship They needed a man to provide for them and their future children. (kwenu. com) Marriage was not as simple as it is modern days. Marriage requires thoroughly planning to get the best for their child, presumably their daughter. Polygamy was common and looked upon. If they were a succe ssful man, they had as much wives as they could marry. Men would have multiple wives and several children. Wives were ranked according to the order in which they married the common husband. Seniority was also important in children. The first male and female children of the domestic group were more important than the next children to be born.First-born children were given specific and responsible positions in their family. Rite of Passage; Children are normally the ones to have significant events happen to them. Circumcision is common in present day around the world. Ibo people too believe in this. â€Å"The difference is they also circumcise girls. The rite of Circumcision, whereby a child Maduena 4 is initiated into his culture, occurs on the eighth day after birth, when he or she is circumcised. † (kenwu. com) Another rite in Igbo culture would be Iru-mgbede (fattening of a girl before marriage).Igbo people believed that if the mother were physically healthy, the child woul d be born healthy and able to survive. Igba Mgba (wrestling) was how one became a warrior or well known throughout the community. This was the way Okonkwo first started to build his reputation as a fine skilled warrior. â€Å"As a young man of eighteen he had brought honor to his village by throwing Amalizine the Cat. † (Things Fall Apart P. 3 Chinua Achebe) Amalizine the Cat was an amazing wrestler whose back would never touch the ground, Okonkwo defeated him and with that gained his honor and respect. Every man wanted to be respected.Culture and beliefs; Spirits, gods and the unknown were not something to be interfered with and the Igbo people greatly feared the supernatural. † The darkness held a vague terror for these people†¦children were warned not to whistle at night for fear of evil spirits. † (Things Fall Apart P. 9 Chinua Achebe) Night was deeply feared. Animals were thought to become more vicious at night. Moonlight however would bring tranquility. People would go out for walks and children would be playing. Most marriages and festivities would be held in the evening leading on to the night. One of the biggest celebrations was the Feast of New Yam.Most West African countries celebrate this. The Feast of New Yam symbolized the end of a harvest and the beginning of the next work cycle. â€Å"†¦To honor the earth goddess and the ancestral spirits of the clan. New yams could not be eaten until some head first been offered to these powers. † (Things Fall Apart P. 32 Chinua Achebe) They strongly believed in sacrifice and giving the their higher beings. Although beating their wives and children is looked upon as strength to keep things in order, many Maduena 5 African tribes including the Igbo culture practiced the Week of Peace.Any disrespect towards traditions was dealt with the elders of the elders of the tribe. No work or violence should happen during to week of peace in order to pray for his or her future crop to gr ow. â€Å"Okonkwo broke the peace, and was punished†¦ † (Things Fall Apart P. 25 Chinua Achebe) His punishment was to sacrifice a female goat, a hen, a length of cloth, and one hundred cowries in order to keep from harvest turning out bad. Respect to their culture is mandatory for everyone in the tribe. Modern Igbo culture; Today, there are as many churches as well as mosques and traditional religion worship centers in Enugu State.The state is predominantly made up of Christians, but also had many catholic and protestant churches in Enugu State. Much of the Igbo’s traditions are still celebrated, but things like abusing your children and wife is not kept. Monogamous relationships are much more common and they celebrate holidays because they are converted into Christians. † One of the most important events in Igboland is Christmas and it signifies home return in the village†¦Igbo families consider their one and only real home their house in the village. It is the two weeks around Christmas which bring families back together to the village. (igboguide. org) Modern Ibo people are more focused in unity within their family and their villages. Unlike in Things Fall Apart, masculinity is not a major attribute, peace and affection has replaced it. Although the Ibo culture and religion has changed, the tough and rigidness is something they will always have. Ibo people are very spiritual, as shown in Things Fall Apart. Ibo people in nature show respect, if respect is shown towards them. Their customs have changed, but that will never change who they are at heart. Maduena 6 Figure 1 http://www. globalsecurity. rg/military/world/nigeria/maps. htm Figure 2 http://amaigboyouth. wordpress. com/maps/ Maduena 7 Work Cited Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. London: William Heinemann Limited, part of Reed Consumer Books, 1959. Print. Advameg Inc. â€Å"Countries and Their Cultures. † Economy. n. d. Web. 12 Dec. 2012. Akbondu. â€Å"Black Pe ople : Nri Kingdom†¦ the Cradle of Igbo Civilization. † Black People Meet. . n. d. , 11 Jan. 2011. Web. 12 Dec. 012. . Froiland, Andrew. â€Å"African Tribes – Ibo – Igbo Culture. † African Tribes – Ibo – Igbo Culture. Minnesota State University Mankato, n. d. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. . Onyemaechi, Uzoma, and Ann Arboy. â€Å"Igbo Culture and Socialization. † Igbo Culture. University of Michigan, n. d. Web. 11 Dec. 2012. .

Bahuvrihi Compounds

Bahuvrihi Compounds Bahuvrihi Compounds Bahuvrihi Compounds By Mark Nichol Have you ever described someone as a blockhead? Have you explained an action as heavy-handed? Have you ever referred to someone as white-collar? If so, then you’ve employed a bahuvrihi compound. Such terms are compounds in which the first word of each pair is a feature of the second; the composition is an adjective (or, occasionally, a noun) attached to a noun to itself serve as an adjective or a noun. The name, from Sanskrit, is itself a bahuvrihi compound that means â€Å"much rice† but refers, as a form of synecdoche, to a rich man. (A synecdoche is a term that uses a part of something to refer to the whole, such as hand in the direction â€Å"Give me a hand† when what one is asking for is the use of one’s entire person.) Bahuvrihi compounds often refer to a characteristic of a person. They can be neutral (barefoot) or derogatory (lowlife). They can refer to a physical feature (graybeard or redhead) or to status within a profession or pursuit (blue-collar and white-collar, or tenderfoot) or an attitude associated with one’s place in society (bluestocking or highbrow). Compounds such as heavy-handed can describe an approach or a personality trait. They can also pertain to an object (houndstooth, to describe a fabric pattern; also styled hound’s-tooth) or to an animal (sabretooth); other compounds that, like these, consist of two nouns include several pejorative terms for someone perceived to be dumb or foolish: blockhead, bonehead, half-wit, and knucklehead. By contrast, a person considered highly intelligent is called an egghead. Note that bahuvrihi compounds are usually closed; the aforementioned blue-collar and white-collar, as well as half-wit and heavy-handed, are exceptions, as is the term â€Å"old money,† to refer to a family that has been wealthy for generations (or an individual from such a family). Whether the compound is open, hyphenated, or closed, is, as is the case with compounds in general, random; note blue-collar and bluestocking, for example. Bahuvrihi compounds are useful resources for writers as expressive ways to describe a person or, occasionally, a place or a thing. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Punctuate References to Dates and TimesOn Behalf Of vs. In Behalf OfApostrophe with Plural Possessive Nouns

E-Business (For Information Technology class) Essay

E-Business (For Information Technology class) - Essay Example The bank's mission is to provide value added services to its customers in an efficient, timely, robust and reliable manner. It strives to become the bank of choice for its customers around the country. In order to achieve its mission objectives the bank needs to implement information technology bases systems to upgrade its current manual system which is tardy, slow, non-responsive and unreliable. This report is developed with a view to establish a framework for strategic IT direction for the bank. In addition, the rationale, extent, and timelines for implementing the information systems and technology within the bank have been identified and discussed. The purpose of the report is to establish a strategic plan for IT for the bank, to apprise higher management with the benefits and the value addition that IT provides to the business, the contemporary approaches to implementing IT based systems in financial industry and to provide recommendations customized to ABC Bank's operations. The report begins with an introduction of E-Business, describing the key areas and applications that this term covers; it then provides an insight into the latest IT trends in businesses; specifically banks around the globe. It is then followed up with the current issues and strategies that the businesses are adopting and dealing with in order to provide state of the art services to stakeholders. Suitable e-business systems are identified for the bank and recommendations are provided for IT managers to develop, acquire and implement e-business solutions. A tentative timeline for each strategic proposed solution is also provided. 3. BACKGROUND E-Business or Electronic Business, a termed introduced by Lou Gerstner (CEO of IBM), is defined as a business process that relies on automated information systems to function (Wikipedia.org, 2007). E-business is not just e-commerce, a technique for establishing and maintaining relationships with customers and suppliers online and over the internet; rather an e-business system spans over the entire value chain of the organization. It integrates the internal and external processes of the business. E-business applications can be generally divided into three categories namely (Wikipedia.org, 2007): Internal business systems (customer relationship management, enterprise resource planning, document management system, and human resource management); Enterprise communication and collaboration (VoIP - Voice Over IP, content management system, email, voice mail, web conferencing); and Electronic commerce (online marketing, internet shop, open catalog, supply chain management) The use of e-business techniques and applications allow the organizations, an ability to track resources, log expenses and revenues for proper

Pollution Of New Energy Resource Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Pollution Of New Energy Resource - Essay Example With the current issue of global warming, generation of energy from solar power is one of the best options for managing the problem. Use of solar power has a high likelihood of reducing the challenges of global warming affecting the world today. There are different ways in which solar energy can be used. It is as a result of this that there exist different forms of solar energy. For example, passive solar systems use absorptive structures of houses in heating water beside homes. Active solar energy systems are other types of solar systems that depend on solar collectors to harness solar energy. This type of solar can be used in the generation of electricity. The electricity generated by this solar is channeled to an electrical grid. It is as a result of this that I considered generating energy from a solar bag. Solar bags use the same principle of energy generation from the sun like other solar systems. The solar bag constitutes small, thin as well as durable solar panels. The solar panels in the solar bags are made up of photovoltaic cells which have the ability to generate electricity from the direct sunlight. As the light and energy from the sun hit the solar panel, the cells absorb the energy as well as the daylight making the flow freely since they become loose. The electric field created in the photovoltaic cells ensures the electrons have flown in one direction creating an electric current that is harnessed by metal contact cells that are attached to the top and bottom of the cells.