International Marketing Management Corporate Sustainability

Questions: 1. Discuss how a firm could use product leadership, operational excellence and customer intimacy as a basis for competitive advantage. Use examples to illustrate? 2. Select an industry (e.g. airlines, fast food etc) and use Porters Five Forces model to analyse the industry structure and determine the level of competitive rivalry. Explain how a company wanting to enter the industry could use this information? Answers: 1. Competitive Strategies There are many competent organizations in the modern world of business. There are a number of internal as well as external factors that are faced by the organizations. The external factors have the capability of impacting the strategic power of the organizations. In order to achieve the operational efficiency of the organization, it is important to formulate effective competitive strategies. There is several numbers of strategies that can be used by the organizations for achieving competitive strategy. However, this report covers three important aspects related to competitive advantage. Operational Excellence The operational excellence strategy is closely connected with cost leadership. The cost leadership is concerned with the reduction of costs in order to maximize the control on the resources. This is to be done in an automated manner. The primary focus of this strategy is focused on the automation of the different manufacturing processes in such a manner so that there is sufficient control on the automation of the financial resources. The operational excellence is connected with enhancing the productivity levels. For this purpose, there can be increase of the output by the process of sustaining or there can be reduction of the input. The increased level of productivity would increases the operational excellence. This would be a powerful tool in the competition. The strategy focuses on the reduction of the work procedures by reducing the operational cost and streamlining the operations for long time period. The strategy has impacts on the standardized production, transaction oriented as well as high volume which leads to differentiation. The operational excellence is achieved by making sure that the high production volumes would be kept for longer duration and it would lead to high sustainability. The implementation of the standardized production delivers good brand image of the company which would attract more number of customers. It would also lead to greater level of customer satisfaction. The above strategy makes sure that the operational strategy is closely related to the cost leadership strategy so that the strategy is best for the market where the customer gives more importance to the cost and less importance over choice. The operational excellence is used by the company to commoditize the market and the mature market in which the cost leadership is being considered as one of the main economic growth sources. The cost leadership model gives strength to the organizations for giving products and services on affordable prices than the competitors. This would become of the sources of competition. The operational excellence leaders would ensure centrally rule based operations which are standardized as well as follow organizational discipline. The framework of operational excellence is being increasingly used by the companies. There are several companies such as Wal-Mart, McDonalds, FedEx, IKEA, Southwest Airlines and others who use operational excellence framework. There are different disciplines such as Supply Chain Management, Total Quality Management and Six Sigma which are being incorporated into the operational excellence policy of the firm. The primary aim of this integration is the maintenance of the good quality services or products along with lower prices. The aim of this strategy is attract maximum number of customers in the organization. This strategy of the operational excellence is effective for the new firms when there is a need to gain a loyal set of customers. The organizations need to follow the strategy for attaining maximum excellence level through the model of cost leadership. The cost leadership would emerge as a mode to gain sustainability in the organization through implementing quality products in affordable prices. The organizations should also use this strategy for a longer time period so that the customer attraction can be gathered in the least possible manner. Customer Intimacy The strategy of customer intimacy focuses on the offering of unique range of services as well as products to the customers so that is delighted with them. The company should give enough scope for personalization as well as provide customized products to the customers. This would be done according to the needs of the customers. The competitive strategy would be based on the personalization concept which would give importance to the personal preferences of the employees. This kind of services would satisfy their needs so that there is increased revenue generation of the company. If the customers feel that they are being valued by the organizations then they would opt for more number of products as well as services of the company. A customized product would definitely attract the customers and this kind of strategy can be used by the small as well as large organizations. The businesses should adopt flexible policies which would help them to gain the trust of the organizations. This strategy should be used by the company to couple the products as well as solutions and deliver them as a package to the customers. The overall package must be made by taking into account the values, needs and beliefs of the customers. This would make the customers come back to the organizations time and again (Baumgartner and Ebner 2010). The goal of this kind of strategy is the gaining of maximum level of satisfied customers in an effective manner so that there would be an increase in the loyal customer base. This strategy is based on the outcomes of the research or the effective formulation of policies in which a high level of importance is given to customer needs. The vendors should get the information about customer requirements and then convey them to the company authorities so that they can design their products or services accordingly. The need segmentation would provide a platform for the organization so that special customers can be targeted and their unique needs can be fulfilled. It is also vital to mention that this strategy is devoid of any innovation. It is effective as a variety of customer needs can be fulfilled by this kind of approach. This is because there is high level of customer satisfaction in this approach. The strategy is being used by top companies such as IBM, Amazon.com, Lexus and Virgin Atlantic. The strategy is being used by the companies who focus more on the customer centric aspect. These kinds of organizations have the recognition modes as the nature of the decentralized organizations helps them to modify their operations as needed. This type of companies aims to fulfill the customer needs by focusing on their requirements. These type of companies aim to upgrade the services as well as products in a effective manner (Teeratansirikool et al. 2013). Product Leadership The product leadership can be considered as one of the strategy which aims to provide unique products as well as services, which is different from that of the competitors. The aim of the strategy is to offer superior products to the market and increase the operational efficiency of the firm. This would be done by the effective utilization of development and innovation. The leaders of the different products have the aim of achieving premium market prices by developing creative development plan. The concept of First mover advantage is closely related with this concept as the act of increasing the operational efficiency would incorporate some value added services to the customers. This would make the customers feel better about the utilization of the products or services of the company. The companies should incorporate a competitive strategy by focusing on product leadership. The firm should be strong in branding as well as innovation so that it can sustain in the market for longer dura tion. It is required for the organization to build an excellent operating model in which the organization would be able to provide value added services to the customers. The product leadership is directly related with the corporate culture and it includes various aspects such as product management, talent management, marketing management, research portfolio management and teamwork (Cusumano Kahl and Suarez 2015). The integration of the various disciplines in the operations of the organization helps the organization on enhancing the operational excellence. This would also give the company the required competitive advantage. The time during which the company does not offer any products or services to the customers is considered as the golden time period. This is one of the methods of being able to charge premium prices for the products which would increase the financial revenue of the company. The product leaders are able to recognize the excellence displayed in the team work, creativity and problem solving in the organization, which would impact the success of the organization. It is important to maintain collaboration, creativity and enforcement of talented manpower in the organization, which would make the companies to enjoy competitive advantage. There are organizations such as Apple, Pfizer, Fidelity Investment and BMW which strives for research and development so that there is maximum degree of the operational excellence and it is being done through the process of product leadership. The organizations develop new products as well as services by the process of product leadership. This is being done with the help of knowledge management and creativity. The organization need to do sufficient research as well as development in the product improvement sector so that the company can give competitive services. 2. Five Forces Analysis Commonwealth bank of Australia The five forces are being analyzed by determining the various factors that affect the performance of the industry. The banking industry has witnessed sustainable growth in terms of economic factors since the last 20 years and it is also considered as the third largest industry in the Asia-Pacific region. It is also considered as 11th largest industry in the world. The important strengths of it include the implementation of effective financial plans as well as implementation of effective government policy that can contribute to the finance circulation in a perfect manner (McMillan 2010). The five forces is usually based on the factors which affect the performance of the Banking industry in Australia. Threat of New Entrants: The threat of new entrants is low in Australias banking industry since there are a large number of barriers imposed by the Government of Australia. There are different forms of barriers such as economies of scale, reputation, capital requirements, government regulations, learning scope and switching costs. The government regulations specify that banks should possess approximately 8% of the capital in the total weighted assets. The government has implemented Base III capital reforms in order to define the minimum capital requirements. This has been done after the global financial crisis. It has been realized that the Basal III criteria ensures effective as well as higher quality capital for the global banks. The restriction in the capital requirements as well as the regulatory requirements results in the mere fulfillment of these requirements by the potential entrants. The threat of new entrants in the banking sector is reducing every year which is having a negative impact on the new entrants. It is true that the overall increase in the number of banks impacts the banking industry performance, however, it is being counterbalanced by the mergers as well as acquisitions of the weak banks. The new entrant performance is required to follow the different strategies which need to be implemented by the management. The biggest barrier in the banking industry concerning the new entrants is the trust factors. The customers do not usually trust the banks existing in the banking sector as there is an increased default risk. The present banks concern with the dealing of the financial information and hence the banks need time to gain the trust of the people. The industry people are willing to transact with the bank and provide them with their financial information who they assume to be trust worthy (Rothaermel 2015). The barriers which are being faced by the new entrants in the banking industry are usually based on the psychological parameters of the customers. Thus it takes long time to modify the behavioral aspects of the customers so that they would be availing the banking services of the institution. The small banks which are being opened in Australia, are trying hard to get customer trust at the regional level which can be used for the purpose of maximizing success of the business operations. Power of Suppliers The primary suppliers of the bank in Australia comprises of the legal services, financial market, accounting service providers and customers. The legal entities do provide legal services regarding contracts with the clients in the banking sector. The accounting firms do provide different services such as recording the banks financial information, auditing, preparing tax statements and formulation financial documents (Joshi Cahill and Sidhu 2010). The financial market is regarded as the supplier so that there is greater execution of the business operations. The customers can be compared to that of the depositors so that there are enforcement operations relating to lending which is closely related to the banking operations. The capital is being treated as one of the primary resources of the organization which is used as an option of receiving input so that there is greater level of outputs. The following four major suppliers deliver capital to the banks- Customer Deposits Loans and Mortgage Mortgaged Securities Lending from the recognized financial firms The utilization of the capital which is being offered by the suppliers are considered as an assured means of the banks being able to meet the withdrawal as well as borrowing expectations of the customers. The supplier power is based on the Australian market and the power is associated with major fluctuation between the high trend and medium trend. The new entrants need to maintain good interpersonal relationships with the suppliers so that they can sustain in the market for a long time. The new entrant should be highly effective so that the operational efficiency can be enhanced. There should be adequate supplier relationships so that the banks can have greater level of sustainability (Yap et al. 2010). It is the duty of the bank to maintain amicable relationships with the suppliers so that they can be incorporated well in the business operations. This would ensure that the businesses would have smooth operational flow for longer duration. Power of Buyers The banking industry enjoys adequate bargaining power so that there can be greater collaboration between the foreign, regional and national banks so that the customers are able to switch in between the banks as per as their choice. The power would enable the banks to be more competent as far as the pricing strategy is concerned. The customers for the banking services deposit the money in the banks and take loans from the bank. If the customers are not provided adequate services, then they would not be attracted to the banks. There are several banks in Australia which shape the nature of the banking industry. These banks belong to both the national as well as international sector. These banks formulate competitive strategies for ensuring greater profitability of these firms. The present customers of the bank are closely attached to their respective banks and hence the competitive banks need to spend high switching costs so that they can attract the customers of the competitors (Omarini 2016). The internet has provided one of the most convenient options of the bank so that the customers are able to select their banking services as per their preferences. These reasons have led to an increase in the buyer power concerning banking industry in Australia. A competent bank modifies their service levels according to the demands of the customers in order to get maximum return (Peppers and Rogers 2016). Thus, the new entrants need to maintain high levels of operational efficiency by fulfilling the needs of the customers. Availability of Substitutes The availability of substitutes can improve the competition level in the industry when there is availability of substitutes in the organization. The substitutes should be utilized in such a manner so that maximum number of customers can be attracted. This would also prevent the customers to switch to other brands (Pais and Stork 2011). The credit unions, building societies, insurance companies and others would provide substituted services which are uniquely provided by that company. The primary threat of new entrants in the banks is from the non-financial competitors in Australia and not only from the banks in Australia (Lodhia 2015). The banks do not face threat of substitutes concerning withdrawals, deposits or others. The non-financial services in Australia provide financial securities, bonds, insurance, mutual funds and fixed income securities. The substitutes have negative impact on the new entrant performance as the substitutes are offering higher returns. There are some payments which provide less service charges and they are provided by online platforms, which have increased speed of transactions. Competitive Rivalry The competition within the industry may relate to scale or size of the industry. There are 68 operational banks in Australia which includes 40 foreign banks, 20 foreign subsidiary banks and 8 domestic banks. There are four most important bank in Australia such as New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ), Westpac Banking Corporation (WBC), National Australian Bank (NAB) and Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA). The four banks have 72.08% of the entire industry in Australia and the new entrant should have potential so that sustain in the market for a longer period. The rivals among the different banks should address the high risk of the new entrants from entering the industry. The Australians banking industry is highly competitive and is influenced by several elements of the industry (Xia 2011). The customers would select the banking services which provide the best services in the market. The bank that provides greater conveniences, high rates, lower financing and investment services would attr act more number of customers. These additional features need to be incorporated in the banking services so that the new entrants are successful in luring the customers to buy their products or services. References Baumgartner, R. J., Ebner, D. (2010). Corporate sustainability strategies: sustainability profiles and maturity levels.Sustainable Development,18(2), 76-89. Cusumano, M. A., Kahl, S. J., Suarez, F. F. (2015) Services, industry evolution, and the competitive strategies of product firms,Strategic management journal,36(4), 559-575 Hollensen, S. (2015).Marketing management: A relationship approach. Pearson Education. Joshi, M., Cahill, D., Sidhu, J. (2010). Intellectual capital performance in the banking sector: An assessment of Australian owned banks.Journal of Human Resource Costing Accounting,14(2), 151-170. Lodhia, S., 2015. Exploring the transition to integrated reporting through a practice lens: an Australian customer owned bank perspective.Journal of Business Ethics,129(3), pp.585-598. McMillan, C. (2010). Five competitive forces of effective leadership and innovation.Journal of Business Strategy,31(1), 11-22. Omarini, A., 2016.Retail Banking: Business Transformation and Competitive Strategies for the Future. Springer. Pais, A., Stork, P. A. (2011). Contagion risk in the Australian banking and property sectors.Journal of Banking Finance,35(3), 681-697. Peppers, D. and Rogers, M., 2016.Managing Customer Experience and Relationships: A Strategic Framework. John Wiley Sons. Rothaermel, F. T. (2015).Strategic management. McGraw-Hill. Teeratansirikool, L., Siengthai, S., Badir, Y., Charoenngam, C. (2013). Competitive strategies and firm performance: the mediating role of performance measurement.International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management,62(2), 168-184. Xia, Y. (2011). Competitive strategies and market segmentation for suppliers with substitutable products.European Journal of Operational Research,210(2), 194-203. Yap, K. B., Wong, D. H., Loh, C., Bak, R. (2010). Offline and online banking-where to draw the line when building trust in e-banking?.International Journal of Bank Marketing,28(1), 27-46.

Seal Air Corporation Essay Example

Seal Air Corporation Essay The management of Sealed Alarm was unable to Identify profitable acquisitions or expansion projects and simply increasing the dividend [would be] admitting defeat. Starting with the World Class Manufacturing program to improve Sealed Airs manufacturing process, Sealed Air established new priorities, such as using cash flow from operations as a major factor in managers bonuses instead of airings per share, and Sealed Air put more emphasis on employee stock ownership after the rationalization. We believe that Sealed Air made a good choice to leverage themselves to the extent that they did, and that decision benefited multiple parties. Management believed that they were not as well suited to invest the $54 million in Sealed Airs cash as their investors would be able to, thereby making those investors happy with the companys decisions. Any shareholders that kept their shares following the rationalization did not lose equity in Sealed Air, which could have happened if Sealed Alarm decided to Issue more shares. The company itself was able to stay Independent without any need for an anti-takeover device. In order to determine how much value was created from Sealed Airs decision to leverage itself, we had to figure out the present value of the interest tax shield. We will write a custom essay sample on Seal Air Corporation specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Seal Air Corporation specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Seal Air Corporation specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer For the senior secured bank credit agreement of $136. 7 million, we reduced the principal by the given repayments from 1991 to 1996 and each year calculated the interest due by multiplying the 1 1. 5% by the beginning balance at the start of each year. Each interest amount for those years was multiplied by the corporate tax rate (34% for 991 and 1992 and 35% thereafter) In order to determine the present value of the tax shield, and the NP of $1 5,904,368 was determined based on those individual year values. For the subordinated bridge notes, the $170 million value was multiplied by the 12. 25% interest rate to determine the interest due. We multiplied this by a constant 35% corporate tax rate to determine the interest tax shield. Using a formula to determine the full tax shield over the 10 years of the bridge notes, this present value was found to be $41 Adding the NP and the bridge notes IV resulted n a $57,283,921 total tax shield, which represents the value that sealed Air gained by the leveraged rationalization By creating value in terms of a tax shield, Sealed Air Corporations decision to pursue this leveraging up plan coincided with World Class Manufacturing. The purpose of the WAC program was to revivalist the culture and operations of the company. In order to execute this program, however, the company had to change directions and become much more disciplined and organized in their operations. Once they were operating efficiently, they then had a structure In place hat served as the foundation for the financial discipline that was then needed to take on a large amount of debt. Termed Dumpy, the CEO of Sealed Air, believed it was necessary to change the companys priorities and incentive structure following the recap. Dumpy felt that management needed to place a greater emphasis on the importance of generating cash flow. Prior to the recap, their Incentive structure was based on earnings-per-share, which takes Into account non-cash accounting expenses. By swelling ten Touch to A, management was teen addle to Touch on cash flow from operations. Additionally, Sealed Air focused on meeting inventory, receivables, and working capital goals that required management to be more aware of cash that was tied up in these balance sheet items. Dumpy also placed a strong emphasis on employee stock ownership. He felt that this sort of profit sharing would greater align the interests of shareholders and employees, and effectively improve the overall performance of the company. After the recap, many institutional investors had sold their holdings, and were replaced by cash flow investors. On one hand, the institutional investors were more conservative. They aimed at investing in companies with consistent growth, a solid financial situation, and limited downside risk. On the other hand, the one-time special dividend eliminated pension funds that required themselves to hold dividend paying stocks. Moreover, other institutional investors who sold their shares were negative toward leverage and deficit net worth. The managers of Sealed Air should be concerned more about this situation, and focus on cash flow projections. The important new shareholders for Sealed Air became speculative wealthy private investors who were looking for significant gains n profitability. This leveraged rationalization plan required management to curb their capital expenditures per year. This situation could make it hard for a firm to stay competitive in the market but in the case of Sealed Air, the constraint imposed on capital expenditures under the bank lending agreement was good for the company, although it was difficult to achieve. Capital expenditures were restricted to a set amount from 1990 to 1995, which forced the Sealed Air to make wiser decisions to reduce capital expenditures and restructure the formal capital budgeting process. In this way, the company would generate more free cash flows, which would benefit the leveraged rationalization to some extent. We think the managers would be able to renegotiate the covenant successfully. By the end of 1989, the leveraged recap proved to be successful, putting the company a year ahead of the principal payments required by the banks. The managers could renegotiate the covenant by identifying the success of the rationalization with stronger balance sheets. Leverage rationalization is a risky business venture for any company. When evaluating several options for the use of Sealed Air Corporations cash, management did not want to sit on their $54 million. Rather, they wanted to keep company performance at a maximum. In order to do this, management decided to leverage up the company by borrowing money and paying out dividends to their shareholders. Management was confident Sealed Airs cash flows would stay constant for the foreseeable future, which is necessary for leveraged rationalization to work. Furthermore, by leveraging the company, operational improvements were made by holding management responsible for increasing the corporations cash flows. The use of leverage rationalization to change the organizational structure of the company also coincided with managements implementation of World Class Manufacturing. Although leveraged rationalization worked out well for Sealed Air Corporation, it would not be good for all companies to do. A company who participates in leveraged rationalization has to be able to maintain or increase their cash flows for the life of their debt repayment. If a company is not able to hold a steady cash flow, they will have a hard time maintaining the interest payments on their loans. A company who prates In a non-volatile environment Witt a lack AT competition Is Test salute Tort this procedure. A company whose cash flows can change as the market moves would not be well suited for this capital structure. In addition, a corporation must have a strong management core in order to maintain operational efficiency thus improving future cash flows for the company. If management shirks even a little bit, a corporation may be unable to lean out their operations as necessary. Finally, a company that needs to invest in capital expenditures in order to continue their operations would not be suited well for a leveraged rationalization plan. As seen by Sealed Air Corporations binding debt covenants, Sealed Air was only allowed to spend a certain amount per year on capital expenditures. From analyzing this case study, as well as further research on Sealed Air Corporation, it can be seen that a leveraged rationalization plan worked out well for Sealed Air. Sealed Air had all of the necessary requirements in order to make a plan like this successful. The company created value for the corporation as a whole, as well as their shareholders. Management was able to show that the corporations shares were undervalued and improved investors perception of the company in the market.

Sample Essay on to Kill a Mockingbird

Sample Essay on to Kill a MockingbirdWriting a sample essay on to kill a mockingbird is one of the most challenging tasks in writing for college. The writer must master the art of succinctness, logic, humor, and syntax.Mock birds are birds that are able to imitate different sounds of human speech. When someone picks up this talent, they become known as a mockingbird. They are in fact among the most famous creatures in the world and their nickname is sometimes regarded as one of the funniest.One of the ways you can identify a mockingbird is by watching their appearance. If you see one fly away from a perch, then they are probably not aware of their abilities. Mockers do not normally leave their perches unless they have discovered a high-potential target to grab.Mockingbirds generally fly from perch to perch, catching different birds, thus spending a lot of time singing to attract different species. They usually sing in a very sweet tone, raising their voices and imitating human tones. A male will try to intimidate its potential mates by singing to arouse them and attract them.As mentioned, mockingers are sensitive creatures. They will generally flatter their desired mates with a very sweet tone, making them appear almost human. If a female is placed near the perch, the mockingbird will imitate what she says, so much so that she will feel threatened and if she moves away, the mockingbird will actually begin to cry.In order to write a mock essay on to kill a mockingbird, the writer should start by identifying the interest of the reader. By this, it means that it is the subject of the essay that is worth paying attention to. The other part of the concept is to demonstrate the ability to learn, so that the reader knows that the writer has the necessary skills to complete the assignment.You must also consider how long the sample essay on to kill a mockingbird should be. This would depend on how many times the student has already done this task. If the student has to spend the time to write this essay again, then the essay should be longer.

Free Essays on Technology Vs. Evolution

, all of us have two agendas: one hidden in the recesses of our minds, and one that we sell to ourselves and others† (De Waal 662). What this is saying is that even if someone has no thought in their head that what they are about to do is unselfish; the... Free Essays on Technology Vs. Evolution Free Essays on Technology Vs. Evolution Technology Vs Evolution Until the recent discovery of cloning, no one thought that technology was in any way related to morality. In reality isn’t technology against the morals of the natural world to begin with? But is there even such a thing as a purely selfless act? Sure there are actions that seem selfless, but the reason for doing them is consciously or unconsciously selfish. Evolution is a natural occurrence that one would think is unselfish and completely moral, however in reality the process of evolution is very selfish. It is a species genes changing so that the species will ultimately survive, this is an act that only helps that species. Technology is created to conform to how far evolution has gone. Technology is the next step in the evolution process for humans, and it is making all humans a little more immoral. A tribal shaman â€Å"ensures that the relation between human society and the larger society of beings is balanced and reciprocal, and that the village never takes more form the living land than it returns to it – not just materially but with prayers, propitiations, and praise† (Abram 5). While this seems to be natural and morally thanking the earth for what is has given, the shaman are doing this because the â€Å"scale of a harvest or the size of a hunt are always negotiated between the tribal community and the natural world† (Abram 5). This seemingly selfless act is really only to help the amount of food they can grow or catch that season. This leads to the thought that there is no such thing as a purely moral person. â€Å"If people think they are at times unselfish, so the argument goes, they must be hiding the selfish motives from themselves. In other words, all of us have two agendas: one hidden in the recesses of our minds, and one that we sell to ourse lves and others† (De Waal 662). What this is saying is that even if someone has no thought in their head that what they are about to do is unselfish; the...

Learn Chemistry - A Guide to Basic Concepts

Learn Chemistry - A Guide to Basic Concepts Chemistry is a logical science. You can master the essential concepts yourself. You can study these concepts in any order, but its probably best to start from the top and work your way down  since many concepts build on understanding units, conversion, and how atoms and molecules interact. Key Takeaways: How to Learn Chemistry Its possible to learn the basic concepts of chemistry online.Chemistry concepts should be studied in a logical order because concepts build upon each other. Jumping into the middle of the science can lead to confusion.While its fine to learn chemistry principles online, be aware that the lab component is an important part of the science. Its a good idea to supplement textbook learning with experiments using a chemistry kit. Introduction to Chemistry: Learn about what chemistry is, what chemists do, and why you would want to study this science.Units Measurements: Get a handle on the metric system and the common units used in chemistry.The Scientific Method: Scientists, including chemists, are systematic about the way they study the world. Find out how to use the scientific method to collect data and design experiments.The Elements: Elements are basic building blocks of matter. Learn what an element is and get facts for them.The Periodic Table: The periodic table is a way elements can be organized, based on their similar properties. Find out what that table is, how it was designed, and how you can use it to make your study of chemistry much easier.Atoms and Ions: Atoms are single units of an element. Ions can be made up of one or more types of elements and carry an electrical charge. Learn about the parts of an atom and how to identify the different types of ions.Molecules, Compounds, Moles: Atoms can b e joined together to make molecules and compounds. A mole is a useful way of measuring an amount of atoms or larger components of matter. Define these terms and learn how to perform calculations to express quantities. Chemical Formulas: Atoms and ions dont bond together randomly. Find out how to predict how many of one type of atom or ion will combine with others. Learn to name compounds.Chemical Reactions Equations: Just as atoms and ions combine in very specific ways, molecules and compounds react with each other in definite quantities. Learn how to tell whether or not a reaction can occur and what the products of a reaction will be. Write balanced chemical equations to describe reactions.Thermochemistry: Chemistry is the study of both matter and energy. Once you learn to balance the atoms and charge in a chemical reaction, you can examine the energy of the reaction as well.Electronic Structure: Electrons are found in regions around the nucleus of an atom. Learning about the structure of the electron shell or electron cloud is important for understanding how atoms and ions will form bonds.Chemical Bonds: The atoms in a molecule or compound are attracted and repelled with respect to each other i n ways that determine the types of bonds they can form. Molecular Structure: Once you understand the types of bonds that can be formed between components in a substance, you can begin to predict and understand how molecules are formed and the shapes they take. Valence shell electron pair repulsion (VSEPR) theory helps chemists understand molecular structure.Liquids Gases: Liquids and gases are phases of matter with properties distinctly different from the solid form. Collectively, liquids and gases are termed fluids. The study of fluids and how they interact is important for understanding the properties of matter and predicting the ways in which that matter can react.Rates of Reaction: Several factors affect how quickly and completely a reaction proceeds. Learn about these factors and how to calculate the speed at which a reaction can occur.Acids Bases: There are several ways to define acids and bases. One way is to look at hydrogen ion concentration. No matter which method you choose, these categories of chemicals participate in some v ery important reactions. Learn about acids, bases, and pH. Oxidation Reduction: Oxidation and reduction reactions go hand in hand, which is why they are also called redox reactions. Acids and bases may be thought of as reactions involving hydrogen or protons, while redox reactions tend to be concerned with electron gain and loss.Nuclear Reactions: Most chemical reactions involve exchanges of electrons or atoms. Nuclear reactions are concerned with what happens inside the nucleus of an atom. This includes radioactive decay, fission, and fusion.

FINANCIAL REPORTING & ANALYSIS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

FINANCIAL REPORTING & ANALYSIS - Essay Example counting standards include a constant approach towards solving of problems and do not present a sequence of ad hoc reactions that deal with the accounting issues. The main function of the framework is to support the International Accounting Standard Board in the progress of consistent and coherent accounting standards. The conceptual model is not referred to a standard, although it directs in the preparation of financial statement in order to facilitate them to determine accounting issues. It is an extremely influential and important document which helps the users to understand the function as well as the limitation of the financial reporting (Ruppel, 2010). The conceptual framework is an existing subject because it is being amended as a combined project with the International Accounting Standard Board’s American Counterparts; the FASB (Financial Accounting Standard Board). However, the conceptual framework is being criticised for not accomplishing its functional goals, mainly that of offering a base for directing standard-setting and resolving accounting arguments. The main rationale behind this project is to highlight the criticism of financial accounting and problems with prevailing conceptual framework. The aims of universal purpose financial reports are also taken into consideration. The purpose of the theoretical/conceptual framework is to build up an enhanced framework which offers a sound base for developing the future accounting models. Such a structure is crucial in fulfilling the Board’s objective of developing benchmarks that are value based, internally reliable, and that show the way to the financial reporting; which gives the information to the capital providers who requires to make judgments in their capability as wealth providers. Moreover, the new Financial Accounting Standard Board framework will be constructed on the prevailing framework (Fasb, 2014). Although the prevailing conceptual framework has assisted the International Accounting

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson - Essay Example The story reveals the misguided beliefs of the villagers and their specific customs. The day, in which the lottery was conducted, Mr. Summers, an old man in the village, gives guidance for the villagers. He arrives in the village square carrying a black wooden box with slips of paper in it and Mr. Graves, a young man in the town, follows Mr. Summer, carrying a three- legged stool. People keep a distance from the box and the reader can see that the villagers show their willingness as well as their hesitations towards the rituals. Amelia Tibbet observes that â€Å"Basically, the story revolves around the misguided belief that if the villagers sacrifice one of their own to what readers are led to believe is a Rain God, then they will have good crops the next year† (Tibbett). The villagers believe that if they fail to follow the tradition of the lottery, they will face some tough consequences like starvation, poverty and drought. Before the lottery is conducted, various lists had to be made, such as the heads of households, heads of eminent families, and the members of each family. The old man keeps and classifies all the details and begins the lottery. From the words of the old citizens in the town, the reader can see that there had been a ritual solute which the officials of the lottery used to practice. They had addressed each and every person who come up and draw from the box. Examining the procedures, the reader can see â€Å"there had been a recital of some sort, performed by the official of the lottery, a perfunctory, tuneless chant that had been rattled off duly each year† (Jackson). After the drawing, the winner is stoned to death by the villagers, and their activity exposes their superstition and brutality. Here, the modern reader may feel the situation as absolutely ironic because they have positive expectations