Investment and Selling Price Essay Example for Free

Investment and Selling Price Essay Turnhilm, Inc. is considering adding a small electric mower to its product line. Management believes that in order to be competitive, the mower cannot be priced above $139. The company requires a minimum return of 25% on its investments. Launching the new product would require an investment of $8,000,000. Sales are expected to be 40,000 units of the mower per year. Required: Compute the target cost of a mower. 57. The management of Hettler Corporation would like to set the selling price on a new product using the absorption costing approach to cost-plus pricing. The companys accounting department has supplied the following estimates for the new product: Management plans to produce and sell 4,000 units of the new product annually. The new product would require an investment of $643,000 and has a required return on investment of 20%. Required: a. Determine the unit product cost for the new product. b. Determine the markup percentage on absorption cost for the new product. c. Determine the target selling price for the new product using the absorption costing approach. 58. Bourret Corporation is introducing a new product whose direct materials cost is $42 per unit, direct labor cost is $16 per unit, variable manufacturing overhead is $9 per unit, and variable selling and administrative expense is $3 per unit. The annual fixed manufacturing overhead associated with the product is $84,000 and its annual fixed selling and administrative expense is $16,000. Management plans to produce and sell 4,000 units of the new product annually. The new product would require an investment of $1,022,400 and has a required return on investment of 10%. Management would like to set the selling price on a new product using the absorption costing approach to cost-plus pricing. Required: a. Determine the unit product cost for the new product. b. Determine the markup percentage on absorption cost for the new product. c. Determine the target selling price for the new product using the absorption costing approach.

Prison makes bad people worse Essay Example for Free

Prison makes bad people worse Essay In the year 2002, there were just over 68,000 persons in prison in England and Wales, 6,000 in Scotland and 1,200 in Northern Ireland. In the case of England and Wales, this is a few thousand more than in 1999, but at this time the plateau stood in marked comparison to the trend up to 1997-8 and it was by no means certain that this could be maintained, (Morgan, 2002). These findings serve to highlight the progressive increase in rising prison numbers in the UK the causes of which are continually in debate and beg the question; what happens when there is no more room left in our prisons? For the purpose of this essay, this author assumes that the statement â€Å"prison makes bad people worse† infers that an offender, who serves a custodial sentence, is more likely to re-offend upon release. Before evaluating this statement and reaching a conclusion, this author will introduce a brief history of the prison system in an attempt to offer an understanding of how imprisonment has become the most severe penalty imposed on offenders in the UK today. Prisons all over the world have existed for many years for the purpose of confining those in society who have committed a crime serious enough to warrant such a sentence. The purpose of prison is now not only to inflict a punishment but also to attempt to rehabilitate offenders contrasting with the early days of imprisonment where little rehabilitative work was done. A custodial sentence is now the most severe penalty that an offender can be sentenced to in the UK following the abolition of the death penalty in 1965. Imprisonment is intended to punish offenders through restricting freedom and liberty as well as unfavourable living conditions in the name of ‘less eligibility’, (Morgan, 2002). This in no way is intended to suggest that conditions in prisons are inhumane although reports exist from previous investigations that would suggest otherwise. Punishment for offenders was served in a very different manner prior to the nineteenth century. Punishments at this time in the main consisted of physical punishment which would often involve torture, public humiliation and even execution. After decades of this type of punishment being administered, the torture and public humiliation elements ceased. The infliction of physical pain was replaced by the principle that the loss of rights and wealth would serve as an adequate deterrent for further offending. Although this altered form of punishment apparently focused on the mind of the individual, it could still be argued that custodial sentences still impose an element of physical torture indirectly by food rationing, sexual deprivation and solitary confinement. These aspects of punishments are still relevant within the penal system today, (Flynn, 1998). Many different explanations exist for why this change from physical punishment to imprisonment came about, one of which argues that the reason for the shift was due to humanitarianism and reform which would offer a more humane and civilised alternative to the methods of previous years, (Wilson, Ellis, Mikulski, Nash, 2003). An opposing argument suggested that this was not the case and that the defining of a new age and more effective punishment by focusing on the reform of offenders into the ‘disciplined subject’ were the main reasons for this shift in operation, (Foucault, 1977). Despite this argument, one of the most influential factors associated with how prisons operate in the UK today is the concept of human rights. The 1998 Human Rights Act governs these rights. Along with this, the Prisons Inspectorate introduced guidelines on what factors should constitute a healthy custodial environment based on international human rights principles. Arising from the World Health Organisation’s influence, four tests are used to identify whether a healthy custodial environment is present. Firstly, prisoners must be held in safety. Secondly, they must be treated with respect and dignity as human beings. Thirdly, they must be able to engage in purposeful activity, and lastly, prisoners must be prepared for resettlement into the community prior to release, (Owers, 2003). Because of the unpleasantness of imprisonment it is necessary for this type of punishment to be justified. Prison can be very unpleasant for many offenders as their liberty is severely reduced, their contact with family and friends is minimised, and it can infer many social disadvantages that may lead to offenders becoming socially excluded upon their release from custody. In order to justify imprisonment as a viable punishment, numerous theories or arguments have been introduced in an attempt to support this sentencing option. One argument that attempts to justify imprisonment is the concept of Reductionism. This argument suggests that custodial sentences reduce the number of crimes committed. Those in agreement with this theory also argue that the number of crimes committed will be less if someone is punished in this manner, than there would be if no punishment were imposed at all, (Cavadino Dignan, 1997). This theory also suggests that society as a whole, has a greater influence than the individual and therefore an offender would be powerless to justify not going to prison if he/she had committed a crime that endangered public safety, (Abercrombie, Hill, Turner, 1988). However, it could be argued that this theory suggests that crimes are only committed by those who are in prison ignoring the concept that there are many in society committing crimes that have never been caught. Deterrence is another theory used to justify imprisonment as an appropriate punishment by arguing that people will not offend because they are too fearful of the consequences should they be caught as the punishment is seen as too severe. There are two elements to this theory, firstly there is individual deterrence which suggests that an offender will not re-offend because the punishment they received last time was so severe that it has deterred them from doing it again. Secondly, there is general deterrence which argues that a punishment imposed on one offender for a crime will deter others from offending, as they know exactly what the consequences are. At first glance, deterrence theory appears to hold validity, but in reality research findings have indicated that sentencing offenders to custodial sentences has a more influential effect. Once an offender has been in prison they may find themselves labelled by the rest of society and categorised into a stereotype with unfavourable connotations. This may hinder their attempts to live lawful lives for example; problems getting a job and even psychological effects, which may become apparent in their behaviour, (Cavadino Dignan, 1997). This evidence could be used to support the argument that prison does make people worse. Rehabilitation theory suggests that some forms of punishment can actually reduce the likelihood of re-offending and alter an offender’s behaviour and attitude. Together the prison service and the probation service are heavily involved with rehabilitation as well as the treatment and training of offenders, (Wilson et al, 2003). As a main aim of the prison service to assist in the rehabilitation of offenders, the provision of accredited programmes such as PASRO (Prisons Addressing Substance Related Offending) and ETS (Enhanced Thinking Skills) attempt to address prisoners’ offending behaviour whilst in prison. However, a report by the Social Exclusion Unit found that the prison experience causes such damage to an offenders’ rehabilitation that it outweighs the effectiveness of the programmes, (Solomon, 2003). Another criticism of the penal system is that many offenders are sentenced to such short periods of custody that they are unable to gain access to any rehabilitative interventions. This evidence could also suggest that prison can make bad people worse. The theory of incapacitation implies more emphasis on public protection rather than the behaviour of offenders which coincidently is another main remit of the probation service. Quite simply, this theory argues that if an offender is in custody they are unable to commit crime and therefore ensuring public safety for the duration of the sentence giving piece of mind to members of society, (Ainsworth, 2000). It could be argued that this theory fails to recognise that crime often occurs within prisons including violence, bullying and drug offences. Another criticism of this theory is that as mentioned earlier, the public will only be protected in this manner for the duration of a sentence. Lastly, retribution theory holds that punishment is imposed on an offender to redress the balance between offenders and their victims in making sure that the offender suffers for their crime. Ainsworth (2000), recognises that seeing an offender incarcerated may make the victims feel that justice has been done. However, this is often not the case as many offenders receive sentences that the victim may feel does not reflect the harm that has been caused to them as a result of the offence. Now that some of the justifications for imprisonment have been discussed, it is now possible to explore conformity within prisons which may assist in reaching a conclusion on whether the statement â€Å"prison makes bad people worse† can be justified. Conformity, a theory closely linked with labelling theory, suggests that an individual may conform to social rules or may even assume a social role because it is recognised as the norm in their environment. Heavily influenced by the levels of power, social roles exist predominantly in the prison environment especially between prison officers and offenders. One study that attempted to explore power dynamics and how easy it is to assume a role was conducted in August 1971 by psychologist Philip Zimbardo and was named the Stanford Prison Experiment. Twenty-five male volunteers took part in the experiment and were taken to a mock prison where each person was assigned a role of either prisoner or guard. The guards had the authority to dictate 24 hour a day rules to the prisoners the results of which were shocking and are still referred to today. A number of prisoners had to be released due to mental health illnesses arising from the trauma of the situation. The experiment, which was intended to last for two weeks, was terminated after six days due to the pathological reactions of the prisoners who ironically had been selected for their normality. The findings were that the environment transformed the participants and after a few days, the role dominated the person, (Alexander, 2001). This experiment highlighted social power as the being the major factor in the participant’s behaviour as all the guards at some point displayed abuse, authoritarian attitudes, and appeared to enjoy being in control. Zimbardo argued that this abnormal behaviour is a product of transactions within an environment that supports this behaviour. The labels placed upon the participants became valid in this environment and pathological behaviour was the outcome, (Wilson et al, 2003). This experiment still has implications for the prison system today in that Zimbardo argued that the current prison system is guaranteed to cause severe pathological reactions within prisoners causing a debasement of their humanity, low self esteem and making it difficult to integrate into society outside of prison, (Wilson et al, 2003). This would suggest that labelling and conformity theories are a case for prison making bad people worse. Whilst in prison an offender may assume a role that could be continued upon their release. Zimbardos’ experiment provides an adequate basis for discussing the sociological theory of a prison subculture sometimes referred to as the inmate code. The prison society exists apart from the rest of society and therefore it is understandable that norms and values are very different between the two. Sykes (1958) found that the inmate code is something that may give a prisoner an identity and help them to cope with the effects of imprisonment. The code is thought to include certain rules such as not fraternising with staff, acquiring a position in the inmate ‘pecking order’, and giving the impression of toughness in emotion and physical appearance. Clemmer (1940) argued this to be part of the prisonisation process which arguably reinforces criminal behaviour as prisoners become used to opposing authority which is likely to continue in the outside world, (Cited in Morgan, 2002). Therefore, attempts at rehabilitation may be hindered by this and could be used to argue that prison makes bad people worse. So what statistical evidence is there to support the statement â€Å"prisons make bad people worse†? Reports into the subject have found that prisons have a poor record in reducing re-offending and that 59% of offenders are reconvicted within two years of release. For male youths under the age of twenty-one, the reconviction rate is 74% over the same period of time. Research findings from the Social Exclusion Unit have indicated that re-offending by ex-prisoners costs society approximately ? 11 billion each year and that they are responsible for one in five recorded crimes, (Solomon, 2003). This evidence would appear to suggest that people who have served custodial sentences have been made worse by the experience and that imprisonment is not an effective punishment. Contributing to this argument is the theory that these statistics are only obtained from recorded crime suggesting that the figures may in reality be significantly higher as many crimes are not recorded. In conclusion it would appear that there is much evidence to support the claim that prison makes bad people worse such as the statistical evidence revealing reconviction rates. On the other hand, there are also arguments for prison as an effective punishment such as the justifications for imprisonment including rehabilitation and deterrence theories. It would appear that prison does indeed have an influence on some prisoners re-offending but it would be difficult to assume that this is the case for all offenders who have served a custodial sentence. This would suggest that for some offenders prison is effective and for others it is not. Having said this, it is important to recognise that prison does ensure public safety from offenders who pose danger to society, but only for the period they are in custody unless they emerge from prison rehabilitated. For those offenders who could be dealt with in another manner, community penalties offer the versatility in sentencing options necessary to provide effective punishment without contributing to the growing problem of increasing prison numbers. It is therefore vital that the most appropriate punishment is imposed individually taking the crime and the offenders’ circumstances into account when sentencing.

Strategic Accounting for Decision Making

Strategic Accounting for Decision Making Super Service Mini Market. Contents (Jump to) Abstract Chapter 1 – Introduction Chapter 2 – The Mini Markets Chapter 3 – Conclusions and Recommendations Tables Abstract One of the key factors in achieving bottom line performance in any business enterprise is a complete understanding of how controlling costs contribute to the attainment of profitability. Walters and Giles (2000)[1] point out that managers who exercise â€Å"†¦flexibility in timing of decisions†¦Ã¢â‚¬  provide themselves with options in equating the viability of opportunities. The utilization of strategic accounting in decision-making represents a departure from past accounting practices whereby it was used to predict fiscal performance and then report on what was achieved. Today’s accounting theory sees this function as an ongoing active component in business operations. The proper utilization of varied accounting principles permits business owners and managers to utilize past results as a foundation for predicting future performance as well as the performance for the addition of new product lines. Horngren et al (1997)[2] indicate that effective planning along wit h effective control represent critical factors in the achievement of business objectives. They go on to state that through effective planning goals are selected with more care and input and that the achievement of goal objectives calls for the utilization of effective controls. The introduction of a new section in a ‘mini market’ represents an application of the foregoing whereby the employment of ‘strategic accounting for decision making’ is a process by which the business can be evaluated from differing operational perspectives. The foregoing setting shall be utilized to explore and pose solutions and answers to business conditions and questions with respect to varying business decision-making areas within this setting. Chapter 1 – Introduction The Setting An entrepreneur in South Wales postulated that the establishment of a mini market selling a limited variety of varied food items would be able to establish a foothold and survive in a competitive environment that included major supermarkets, Tesco – Safeways, Asda along with other outlets. The main theme for the foundation of this enterprise was based upon offering consumers ‘convenience’ as well as ‘quality service’ in an establishment where they could purchase either a single or multiple items quickly. The foregoing concept proved successful, as this entrepreneur was able to add three more mini markets in the area. And success brings with it the need to innovative, improve operations and seek areas of opportunity to continue growth. In order to be successful when a business goes through expansion an entrepreneur needs to evolve into a professional manager and understand not only how to delegate, but how to lead as well as communicate and plan. And since sales and profitability are the barometers by which business is measured, the importance of being able to forecast revenues and expenditures, identify probabilities, analyze operations, and control costs are key components of strategic accounting. The foregoing principles became apparent as a result of attending a University course for ‘Budgetary Planning and Control. In order to develop a more sophisticated and effective system, the assistance and input of the managers of the stores was not only an necessary component, it was vital in gathering information as well as insight on the individual operations. Simons (1987)[3] emphasizes that a ccounting represents an informational as well as control mechanism that managers must utilize to understand the varied components of their business and mold their accounting systems in terms of information gathering and construction, to fit the needs of the entity. Background Facts and Factors It was noticed that one of the store managers, located in Aberdare, was committed but lacked the expertise to functionally participate in the formal ‘Budgetary Planning and Control’ system that was being implemented. As a result is was agreed that the company would pay for this manager to attend a course conducted at the ‘Glamorgan Business School Weekend MSC Accounting programme’. At a meeting that called together all of the store managers it was explained that hence forth each store would be rated and evaluated on its individual performance rather than the prior group consolidation basis. This entailed each manager producing a yearly budget for their outlet in consultation with their department managers to generate figures for each retail area. The overall line management organizational structure of the four mini markets is as follows: Table 1 – Organizational Structure Managing Director Newport Penarth Cowbridge Aberdare Each manager was directed to compile the following: ‘Profit and Loss Account’ for their individual mini markets for the period ending 31/21/04, a breakdown of staff salaries, employee composition by mini market section, percentage of floor space allocated to sections, asset value of each cost center within their mini markets, and, a Forecast of Profit and Loss for the six month period 01/01/05 through 30/06/05 The foregoing produced an interesting response from one of the department manager of General Groceries at the Aberdare mini market. The analysis of floor space in that section found that there was under-utilized space that could be put to better use. The manager had conducted some research and uncovered that there was no location in Aberdare where one could have photographs developed or enlarged. The idea was broached with the store manager and after gathering of some additional information regarding the cost of film it was included in reports to be presented at a meeting of managers and the owner. These were to consist of the following: A comprehensive comparison of the Aberdare and Penarth mini markets that includes their relative strengths as well as weaknesses. An analysis of the profitability of the profit centres in Aberdare. Because each mini market was henceforth to be operated as individual business entities, options as well as constraints with regard to raising capital to expand operations at the Aberdare location also were to be included. Budgetary planning and control was delegated to the manager of the Penarth mini market. The foregoing was based upon the fact that all managers had attended a seminar on this subject matter. Proposals for new revenue sources. Report on ‘working capital management’ emphasizing debtor control and the lack of a link between it and profit / cash flow. Presentation of the Forecast Balance Sheet and Profit and Loss Account for the Aberdare Super Service mini market in 2005. Chapter 2 – The Mini Markets 2.1 A comprehensive comparison of the Aberdare and Penarth mini markets that includes their relative strengths as well as weaknesses. In developing a basis for comparison of the Aberdare and Penarth the constant that is attributable to both locations is the general layout of the locations and organizational style. As shown by Table 3 the Penarth mini market does not have a sales area devoted to ‘alcoholic drinks and cigarettes’ as well as a separate defined space for the ‘administrative office’. And while the specifications do not provide information on this point, the allocation of 50% of space in the Penarth mini market to ‘stores’ would seem to indicate that this area also is utilized for administrative functions. The other difference in general layout between the two subject locations is the absence of ‘alcoholic drinks and cigarettes’ section at the Penarth mini market. As these products represent traffic builders as well as profitable items, alcoholic drinks at the Penarth mini market they are assigned to the ‘general groceries’ area for alcohol ic drinks and most likely checkout location for cigarettes. This aspect indicates a weakness in the Penarth mini market as the sales of alcoholic drinks and cigarettes contributed 7% to revenue. Table 2 Organization of Aberdare / Penarth Mini Markets The allocation of 50% of floor space to ‘stores’ in the Penarth mini market represents a sizeable amount of area devoted to a non-sales function and would seemingly create a more cluttered layout for the remaining departments. For consumers accustomed to the spacious layout of major supermarkets such as Tesco – Safeways, and Asda the loss of floor space at Penarth as well as definitive section for ‘alcoholic drinks and cigarettes’ could negatively affect sales performance. However, the operating profit as shown by Table 4 for both locations is extremely close, recording 19% for Penarth and 17.4% for Aberdare. Table 3 – Financial Comparisons for the Penarth and Aberdare Mini Markets Penarth Aberdare 2.2 An analysis of the profitability of the profit centres in Aberdare In calculating the profitability of each department at the Aberdare and Penarth mini markets, areas 3 (stores) and 7 (administrative office) need to be removed in order to calculate the relative profitability of the remaining sales areas. The calculations relating to the aforementioned were derived from Table 5 below. Table 4 Organization of Aberdare / Penarth Mini Markets Clearly, the stores (3) and administrative office (7) do not contribute to sales, and thus are cost expense areas. The following Table 6 distributes gross profitability against sales departments. An area that stands out in the analysis of these two locations is that Penarth has 50% of its available space devoted to ‘stores’ a non-sales area. In contrast, Aberdare devotes just 22% of its available space to this department (stores) and another 5% for administrative function thus losing just 27% as opposed to 50%. The percentage of profitability figures for Penarth sales sections double as a result of deducting the 50% allocated to ‘stores’. By comparing the two mini markets in this manner it is apparent that the Penarth mini market has a higher ratio of sales percentage attributable to the departments utilizing the remaining floor space. The largest discrepancy occurs in the frozen food section which is the third most profitable department at Aberdare ( £47, 387.5) as well as ranking third in terms of sales ( £174,375) behind general groceries, which ranks first in terms of sales ( £465,000), and profits ( £136,260), and dairy products which ranked second ( £348,750 and  £124,775 respectively). Table 5 Percent Profitability of Aberdare and Penarth Sales Areas In equating the percentage of sales attributable to each department at the Aberdare mini market, stores (3) along with the administrative office (7) were eliminated as these represent expense (support) functions. In so doing the percentage of sales differs from the percentage of space allocation in reaching this calculation. Table 6 Comparison of Area Percentage and Percentage of Sales – Aberdare Table 7 Overhead Expense and Net Profit Allocations at Aberdare As one of the points that were mentioned in the meeting of all mini market managers, any activity(s) that was producing a loss was to be discontinued. The preceding directive calls into question the ‘stores’ department at the Penarth mini market. At 50% of the available floor space allocation for that section is grossly out of line with the space allocated at Aberdare at 22%. Interestingly, the Penarth mini market does not indicate an allocation for an administrative office while Aberdare has a specific space for this function at 5% of floor space. As the directive indicated any activity that generates a loss is to be eliminated, the 5% allocated for the administrative office at Aberdare needs to be discontinued. The positioning of the stores department as well as the administrative office at the rear of the store means that existing floor space for dairy products as well as a portion of general groceries could be expanded from the 5% that will become available. Since th e subject of adding a film developing department was broached, the utilization of the added 5% in floor space will be covered in a later section. As administrative functions represent desk space for a computer, files, printer, telephone and allied equipment a small segment of space in the stores area will be utilized for this function. The Penarth’s stores allocation needs to be reduced to a percentage that approximates Aberdare’s 22%. This would open up 28% to be devoted to profitable sales such as diary products and general groceries, significantly expanding these sections as well as providing additional space for small increases in the other departments, fresh meats – frozen foods and space for alcoholic drinks and beverages which is completely missing from the Penarth mini market. 2.3 Because each mini market was henceforth to be operated as individual business entities, options as well as constraints with regard to raising capital to expand operations at the Aberdare location also were to be included. Options for raising capital at each mini market are governed by prudent business practice. The calculation of factors such as ‘interest cover and gearing provide guidelines by which to operate in constraining the raising of capital beyond acceptable levels. Interest Cover represents an important financial variable for business entities in that it provides a gauge concerning the interest paid on the businesses borrowings as measured against its operating profit (HM Revenue Customs, 2005)[4]. This figure is arriving at by dividing the operating profits of the mini market by the interest paid during the same fiscal period. The preceding ratio illustrates the relationship of gearing with respect to the profit and loss. Simply stated, ‘gearing’ describes the debt compared with the mini market’s equity capital (Randall, 2003)[5] Table 3 – Financial Comparisons for the Penarth and Aberdare Mini Markets Penarth Aberdare 2.4 Budgetary planning and control was delegated to the manager of the Penarth mini market In fulfilling this aspect of the directives discussed in the manager’s meeting the balance between improving operational performance through decision making precedes budgetary planning as the direction and changes to be employed must first be decided upon and all impacting variables considered. One such example is the allocation of space at the Penarth mini market whereby the stores department occupies 50% of available floor space. The decision making process in this instance revolves around how to reapportion space and to what departments to maximize the return. Another decision-making process entails the introduction of film processing at the Aberdare mini market and the allocation of resources as well as space based upon projections and market research. Decision making entails utilizing a checklist of steps to assist in arriving at the most viable selection based upon a consideration of factors, facts, influences and alternative options. The following are decision-making procedures to aid in determining what courses of action to take: Pareto Analysis This technique helps to select the most effective changes through following the courses of action that will yield the largest benefits. The technique entails listing the changes that could be made and grouping them into changes that are related. The list items are scored by the basis of profit, customer satisfaction or other titles basing the scores on the profit generated or reduction in complaints, to utilize and example of the two possibilities indicated. In this manner attention is paid to those items with the highest scores (Reh, 2004)[6]. Paired Comparison Through this technique the importance of options that are relative to each other is worked out. The methodology aids in setting priorities when resources are subject to conflicting demands. Placing options on a grid permits the varied options to be compared and then numbered ranging from 0, representing no difference, through 3 which represents major difference(s) are assigned. These values are converted to percentages of the total score (Marsh et al, 2003)[7]. Grid Analysis The utilization of a grid analysis is employed when there are a number of good possibilities or alternatives. The list of options is placed into rows and factors are put into columns. The relative importance of factors comprising the decision is worked out and shown as numbers. These are utilized to apply varying weights to preferences through the importance of the factors. If this is not apparent then ‘paired comparison analysis is utilized (Olsen et al, 2002)[8]. Decision Trees This time proven method begins with the decision that needs to be made which is drawn as a square. Lines emanating from this square are drawn to the right for every possible solution with the explanation written on the line. The end of these lines considers the results and if it is not certain a circle at the end is used to designate this with squares used for decisions. The process is continued until as many possible outcomes as can be thought of are considered (Monahan, 2000)[9]. PMI The Plus-Minus-Implications technique weighs the pros as well as cons of a decision. The process entails utilizing a table with the headings ‘Plus-Minus-Implications’ where one writes the positive (plus), negative (minus) and possible outcomes (implications) of taking a particular course of action (Hennen, 2004)[10]. If the decision is not obvious after the preceding then scores are applied in a subjective manner to complete the exercise. Force Field Analysis This looks at all of the forces as well as pressures for as well as against change. The process looks to strengthen those forces that support the decision and weaken the impact of those forces in opposition. The forces representing change are listed in one column, with those against change listed in the other, then a score is assigned from 1, representing weak, to 5, representing strong are used (Lewin, 1951)[11]. Six Thinking Hats Looking at a decision representing all the possible points of view is the basis for this technique. The method forces thinking outside of habitual styles and employs emotional, creative, intuitive, creative as well as negative views so that resistance to change and other factors are considered (de Bono, 1999)[12]. Cost/Benefit Analysis This relatively simple method entails adding up the relative value of a course of action’s benefits and then subtracting the costs that are associated with it. These costs may be one time or ongoing. Time is factored into the equation by looking at the period required for payback or breakeven as well as the costs (risks) involved (Gramlich, 1981)[13]. Budgetary planning represents actions and activities undertaken by a company over a specified period of time whereby the costs and results are contained in forecasts and projections that consider the factors resulting from the decision making process to arrive at the courses of action (Otley, 1978)[14] ). While decision-making is utilized to arrive at the answers or solutions, budgetary planning uses elements that have already been decided upon and worked into a coherent plan. Decision-making represents the phase when possibilities are considered, whereby budgetary planning entails utilizing elements that are parts of the overall plan for the business entity, both new as well as existing. 2.5 Proposals for new revenue sources The manager of the Aberdare mini market was approached by one of the departmental managers who suggested that an unutilized space in the General Groceries section could be used for photograph development, enlargement, etc. The manager presented the following facts to support the recommendation: Equipment utilized in the process of developing and enlargement cost  £18,000 with a useable life cycle of three (3) years. Operation of the service would entail hiring an additional employee at  £15,000 per annum. The cost of photographic paper would total  £0.75, and would represent 36 prints per sheet. The cost of chemicals to develop 36 prints would total  £0.40 It was suggested that a good marketing promotion would consist of giving customers a free album with each roll of film that was developed. The cost of each album was presented as  £0.80. Competitive pricing put the figure for developing 36 prints at  £5.50. In order to retain customers it was recommended that an offer of a free roll of film be provided customers for each roll brought in for developing. Film could be obtained from Fuji at  £0.75 per roll. In conjunction with the foregoing the manager of the Aberdare mini market prepared a demand forecast representing film development for the years 2005 through 2007: Table 8 Demand Forecast for Films Developed 2005-2007 Year 2005 2006 2007 Films Processed 11,000 12,500

Life in Colors :: essays research papers

How do colors depict lifestyles? I use colors in every part of life. Color is described as a property that surfaces have when light falls on them and is reflected or absorbed. Colors are the basic way that I describe my life. The colors blue, silver, and gold represent a favorite color, an event and or extracurricular activity, and the future that will be committed to after high school. The color blue which represents the time from when I came into this world up to the years before high school. The color blue started the first day of kindergarten when the teacher said lets go over our colors. As she went through them and then said, â€Å"Well, let’s use your favorite color from the one’s we have just gone over.† Of course, the color that went in my hand was the color blue. A few years down the road when I started to pick out clothes, the color blue was in every item that I bought. And to this day the color blue has been my color of choice as long as I can remember. It will always be that color blue that will be in my fancy wardrobe as long as I live. Silver as a dime, nickel, or quarter is the color that makes up the high school years since starting in the ninth grade. Silver is the color of the star on the uniform for the brigade which I serve proudly. The color silver did not become appealing to me until that night when we (the band) were in Statesboro, Georgia, at the first competition, and we (the band) marched out on the field for our performance and the crowd went crazy. That night when the awards were announced and we came in second out of twenty-two bands, that color silver was the most awesome color ever. Then, we came home and the next weekend we went to Palatka, Florida, and did the same placement. The next year came around, same results. Then it was my junior year and a moment that will never be forgotten. We left on Saturday morning around 9:00 am for Inverness, Florida, and performed the preliminary show at 1:15 pm. The scores came in and that color silver became even more meaningful: we were in first place. That ni ght around 9:30 pm, we entered the field for finals competition. We finished the show, the hats of the directors came off their heads, and the crowd went wild.

An Analysis Of Why Jimmy Doyle Will Never Succeed In Life Due To His F :: essays research papers

An Analysis of Why Jimmy Doyle Will Never Succeed in Life Due to His Father In "After The Race", by James Joyce in the book "Dubliners", the main character, Jimmy Doyle will be an unproductive citizen, fooling around with his friends and living off of his father's money for the rest of his life. In this short story he demonstrated that he doesn't realize the value of money, because he has never had to work for it, hence he is too frivolous with it at times. Jimmy also likes to be with his friends and to not work hard at what he does. Jimmy has no work ethic because his father had a lot of money, in fact he is referred to as a "merchant prince" in Dublin due to his success as a butcher, and his father did not want Jimmy to work for what he has, but would rather see his son become popular and make a lot of connections. Jimmy's father is the reason he will never succeed in life on his own. Jimmy Doyle grew in a family that was quite well off financially due to the hard work of his father. Mr. Doyle made a lot of money through hard work and sacrifice as butcher, and he wanted nothing but the best for his son. He did not want his son to work as hard as he did growing up. When Jimmy went away to college, he spent more time socializing than he did studying. "Jimmy did not study very earnestly and took to bad courses for awhile. He had money and he was popular; ..."(p.25). Jimmy liked better to be in the company of peers rather than study, and his father condoned it. When Jimmy was not doing well at Dublin University, his father let him go off to Cambridge where he could "see life a little". While there he seemed to run the bills a little high, and his father took care of all the expenses because he wanted to show off the money that he had acquired. The way Jimmy's dad just gave him money and only wanted Jimmy to meet people who were "worth knowing" corrupted Jimmy's work ethic and his behavior in the book clearly demonstrates this. Jimmy Doyle has no work ethic and is just happy to be with his friends accomplishing nothing. Jimmy loves having acquaintances and meeting people. He was very proud coming through his home town after the big race and being seen in the car with such people that he was with; Charles, an heir to a hotel empire

fully just? :: essays research papers

Fully Just? The death penalty debate is an extremely controversial issue affecting the world today. In today’s society, people argue whether the death penalty is an acceptable form of justice. In America, the pros and cons of the death penalty are an ongoing debate. Countless questions arise whenever someone mentions the death penalty. Is Capital Punishment just? The death penalty is just. As a citizen of the United States, I am interested in this issue because I live under the statutes of the American justice system. Someone who disagrees with the death penalty claims that it is wrong to promote murder, yet he or she promotes murder by opposing an equal punishment for those who commit the crime. Not executing criminals who commit horrific crimes is preserving a life that has devalued all life. People have been sentenced to death for various forms of wrongdoing all throughout history. One can trace back execution all the way to the crucifixion of Jesus. Stoning, drowning, burning at the stake, impaling, and beheading are other forms of punishment that people used hundreds of years ago. These previous methods are found cruel and unusual and evolve to what we refer to today as modern capital punishment. Capital Punishment today is the legal infliction of death as a penalty for violating criminal law and is justly so. Since 1976, capital punishment is accomplished through various means; lethal injection (primarily), electrocution, and gas chamber are the most prominent (Death Penalty Information Center). These new methods are more efficient and less inhumane for the party receiving the sentence of death. Thirty-eight states across the country currently take part in capital punishment; thirty-seven of which use lethal injection as the primary means. The law executes both men an d woman for various crimes, but for the most part the severity of the punishment increases with the severity of the crime (Death Penalty Information Center). The crime most punished with the death penalty is murder, and rightfully so. Society is better off without people who commit inhumane crimes. Opponents of the death penalty commonly portray the death penalty as a barbaric "eye for an eye" approach to criminal justice. Although most parts of the world do not take this philosophy literally, our culture still follows the spirit of this law. In America, two out of every three people support the death penalty, about sixty-six percent (Death Penalty Information Center).

Motivation in the Play Essay

Villains and why they do their villainy is always justified or explained in any literary work. Even those childhood fairy tales with the villain’s formulaic and predictable evil deeds will always do things that have a purpose or will do those things because they were compelled to do it caused by a negative feeling: jealousy, revenge, envy, greed, a childhood without someone to love them or support them, etc. William Shakespeare’s plays are not an exemption to this case as he even creates characters that are capable of not only of evil; they embody evil in their totality as a person—if you may call them that. An example of this would be Iago, touted as the most villainous of all villains in the literary world because of the simple reason that he was guiltless, conscienceless and definitely purposeless in his strategic deeds that destroyed Othello and the people close to the tragic hero. This analysis will focus on this villain and scrutinize his character, villainy and most of all, his purpose (or the lack thereof) on why he did the things he has done that aimlessly ended to other people’s lives. In fact, there is already an answer to this query for Iago is just plain evil, nothing less and definitely more. His motivation lies in the fact that he wants to end other people’s happiness and takes simple delight in causing other people pain and grief which makes him not just a villain but a very mysterious and most terrifying one. In Othello, the Moor of Venice, a man’s capacity to do evil is magnified as Iago is overcome with rage as Othello gives a position to another less qualified man that was originally intended for Iago. Iago takes this in deep and plots against Othello, a Moor in Venice that holds such high position, influential power and great riches. Iago uses jealousy to destroy Othello and the people around him by making it appear that Othello’s loyal wife, Desdemona, is having an affair with another man. In rage, Othello kills his own wife and when he realizes that it was all Iago’s evil plan, he kills himself out of grief and guilt. Iago confesses to no one and does not explain his actions; instead, he keeps mum about what he has done and the purpose in them. Thus, as the play concludes, it is only the audience who are witnesses to Iago’s malice and the extent of his wickedness—but there is a possibility that Iago also leads the audience into believing that they know the entire truth when in fact, he has been dishonest the whole time to everyone—even that of the audience. Iago acts as the villain in the play even if he was not really the one who did the bad deeds. He is the sole villain because he was the master plotter in the whole thing that even innocent people like Roderigo and Emilia were implicated as bad people when they were not wholly that capable of evil. Roderigo and Emilia were simply pawns to his plans and he used them and easily discarded them. In the book of Dobbs & Wells entitled The Oxford Companion to Shakespeare, they sum up the villainy of Iago (and pretty much, the entire play) in a few words: He skilfully convinces Othello that his wife Desdemona has been adulterous with Cassio. He wounds Cassio, murders Roderigo, whom he has involved in his plots, and also kills his own wife Emilia. (211) The extent of Iago’s villainy does not merely end in his acts and plans but in an entirely different context and case because his villainy was unjustified and unexplainable. He did not have a purpose and an aim in ruining Othello’s life and soul. For even if it seems that Iago was motivated by the anger he felt over Othello’s passing over the position that was rightfully his to another man that was very much unqualified (according to Iago that is), it still seems not enough motive. In the first part of the play (act I, scene i), Iago insists that he does hate Othello and does a lengthy monologue on why he hates the Moor. However, it can be later learned that maybe Iago was not really motivated by that trivial act done by Othello since Iago has never really revealed the real reason on why he hates Othello. This is because in the same act, he declares that he will never say what he feels and thinks because it is dangerous and it is laughable: For when my outward action doth demonstrate / The native act and figure of my heart In compliment extern, ’tis not long after / But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve For daws to peck at. I am not what I am. (Shakespeare 1. 1. 63-7) His supposed reason on hating Othello may not be his true reason for the vendetta he so chillingly instills on the Moor because Iago will never disclose his real reasons. Thus, even though Iago was transparent with his feelings and thoughts to the audience and some characters like Roderigo and Emilia, he actually lied to everyone since he could never â€Å"wear his heart† on his sleeve. Moreover, even if the rage he felt over Othello’s actions propelled him to do/plan such things, it was not enough to completely destroy the life of one man and the lives around that man. To think that Iago even killed his own wife with his own hands—without a second thought on doing it or a guilt overcoming afterwards. As what Dobbs & Wells wrote, Iago was a â€Å"motiveless evil† and that lack of motivation in him makes him a superior proponent of evil (211). In conclusion, Iago is most villainous not just because of the things he has done but also because of the lack of motivation in them, the absence of purpose, the incapacity to be guilty over the success of his evil plans and most of all, the mockery he throws to the characters and the audience at the end of the play with his silence. This silence is eerie as it has a purpose—to make everyone shiver at what other havoc and damnation he could have done with that evil mind of his. Works Cited Dobson, Michael and Wells, Stanley. â€Å"Iago†. The Oxford Companion to Shakespeare. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc. , 2001. 211. Shakespeare, William. â€Å"Othello, the Moor of Venice†. Ed. Russ McDonald. New York: Penguin Group, 2001. Print.