Finance (Case Study) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Finance (Case Study) - Essay Example They should work out how much (after paying off all their debts and driving down their expenditure) they can save every month. Good saving habits and practices begin with a clear knowledge and understanding of what one is capable of and how much one can spend at any given time without negatively affecting his/her financial health. The couple must therefore know how much they are capable of saving every month, compare that figure to the actual amount they are saving and then start cutting down on unnecessary spending. Work out a Saving Plan Ascertaining saving is only the first step. It acts as a precursor to the next course of action, which is working out a saving plan. The most important thing to note here is that one thing leads to the other, and in a case like this it is advisable to move in a systematic and methodical manner. Assuming the couple has now figured out how much they are capable of saving every month, they can now move to achieve that goal. All expenditures should be planned in such a way that the saving targets are either met at the end of every month (or even surpassed). So long as the couple is saving money, meeting its targets and avoiding unnecessary expenditures, a strong financial foundation has been laid which will act as a launching pad for financial security and freedom. Their Current Financial Situation I would say that the couple is currently doing fine. Their total expenditure per annum is $228,348, compared to their total income per annum which is $294,650. This means that at the end of every month they are able to save $66,302. In addition to this, their investments and assets total $1,771,500, while their total debt is $28,965. I would therefore say that since the couple is not in debt and they are able to save some money, their financial position is pretty healthy. As a consequence, it is possible that through better saving and spending habits, they can save even more money and maintain a positive financial outlook going forward . All the Aspects of their Finances Kevin and Alex are capable of saving more than they are saving now. The only thing they need to do is to eliminate any unnecessary costs and expenditures that can only serve to increase their debt. It is however encouraging to see that both of them have invested in either a superannuation or some other type of fund. Alex diverts a portion of her salary ($33,000) to a superannuation fund, while Kevin has invested in a superfund. Apart from this, the couple has invested in a share portfolio, an investment unit and a debenture. The superannuation is important because it provides them with a sense of security and something to fall back on once they are either retired or are unable to work. The debenture, investment unit and share portfolio also offer viable financial alternatives that would otherwise be unavailable if the couple did not seek financial security. Their Overall Situation I would laud the couple for making efforts to secure their future, because although they are faced with numerous financial challenges, they are managing to stay afloat. With a combined income of less than $300,000, it is commendable that they have made some very good investment moves. They took out a mortgage, and even though it was $850,000 at the time they took it, their house is now worth $1,050,000. This means that once they stop remitting the monthly payments that are due, they will own their home and probably get even a higher value for

Oil and Off Shore Drilling Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Oil and Off Shore Drilling - Research Paper Example While drilling of oil is deemed necessary for compensating the deficiency of oil and to reduce its ever-increasing price, the large scale environmental effects of offshore oil drilling cannot be overlooked. According to the law of environmental science mass is always constant and therefore the amount of materials human beings release into the environment must go somewhere and in the course renders its due effect on nature. Hence during oil spills a large area around the rig is affected destroying the habitat both of water and land. The BP and the Exxon Valdez oil spill cases are remarkable in this context and the arctic zone is extremely vulnerable (BP oil spill: Italy drilling ban hits UK-listed explorer, 2011; Fontova, 2008). Although offshore drilling was temporarily banned after the BP incident, the constant demand for oil and petroleum and its high price of $110 per barrel have prompted US to relax regulations and favor offshore drilling. Moreover the economic goals of meeting d eficiency and reducing prices are not met by increase in offshore drilling. ... Hence the team participants of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries have been deeming it conducive to boost the production of oil in order to control price rise. The author explains that when the supply increases in order to ensure future availability and reduction in cost, this further creates a boost in demand and hence the normal cases of price fall under increased supply does not take place. However while talking about oil price and the need to reduce the same, one needs to consider the global oil politics and the economy, which will be at stake. For instance, the oil exporting nations reap a major part of their revenues from oil. The sudden rise in oil prices made the oil dependant nations cautious about the supply strains and countries like United States put large-scale efforts to expand foreign reserves for future use. When the demand for oil fell suddenly in 2009, prices began to fall and this led to major problems with respect to decreasing government expenditur es and welfare activities in the oil exporting nations. The reserves of â€Å"easy oil† were already exhausted and extraction of â€Å"tough oil† requires large-scale investment in drilling and exploration, which the companies were not ready to make considering the falling demand. Therefore as the remaining reserves were getting depleted there was an impending rise in oil price, as demand would surge after recovery of the economy (Klare 2009). This shows the dangers involved in attempts to lowering of prices. Brian K. Mignone, director of research on Energy Security Initiative, has projected a similar explanation in his article ‘Offshore Drilling Will Not Significantly Lower Energy Prices’. Mignone (2008) observes that offshore drilling will

HCM337-0704B-01 Current Legal, Ethical, and Regulatory Issues in H - Essay - 4

HCM337-0704B-01 Current Legal, Ethical, and Regulatory Issues in H - Phase 2 Individual Project - Essay Example Lewitt Shawn, who is being treated for Arthritis for the past five months. The complaints were against both medical aide and the nurse taking care of Mr. Shawn. Since we take patient complaints very seriously, the administration department has decided to issue a detailed supervision plan for both so that no such complaints can arise in the future. The plan given below [1] takes effect from the first day of January 2008. The medical aide’s supervision plan and the nurse’s supervision plan will be subject to appraisal at the end of every month starting from the last day of January, 2008. The aides will be required to strictly abide by the ethical codes and company guidelines. In ambiguous situations, the aides are advised to take decisions based on their good judgment or in other cases ask the administration department for

Introduction to People, Organisations and Management Assignment

Introduction to People, Organisations and Management - Assignment Example Numerous theorists of personality describe personality in different ways that reflects their relevant hypothetical inclinations. Personality is complex parameter that intrigues society as people try to explain the behaviour and conduct of others (Hogan & Roberts, 2001, 30-34). The same stratagems are experienced by psychologists in their endeavour to underscore the essence of personality. However, perhaps the most significant difference between lay men and psychologist is the fact that people often concentrate on individuals in their quest to understand personality while psychologists nevertheless employ formations of personality that are applicable to all. Additionally, the study of personality entails the evaluation of the manner in which traits of personality grow. The theory of personality in the work place underscores the significance of human personality in workplace behaviour whereby the behaviour of people at the work place is guided by their personalities. It is conceived fr om an understanding the workplaces are just social avenues in which individuals interact and share experiences, therefore much of what transpires in the workplaces regarding human relations and social behaviour stems from the distinct human personality. On a broad perspective, the hypothesis signifies the impossibility of understanding human behaviour in work places without the consideration of personality. Generally, personality is a function of models of thought, emotion and conduct which portray people as unique. Furthermore, personality emanates from within a person and is regular all over life (Larsen & Buss, 2008, 99-105). Components of personality comprise of; regularity, physical and psychological, impact on behaviour and conduct and multiple manifestation. Regularity denotes that aspect of consistency whereby an individual’s personality is often perceived through numerous events and that such conduct remains regular in diverse situations. Consequently, personality af fects physical and psychological parameters of an individual though it could also be determined by biological requirements and courses. Personality has a dynamic effect on behaviour and in most cases an individual’s personality determine their behaviour. Finally, personality manifests through different situations in which certain mannerisms remain consistent, one event or situation is not sufficient to determine personality. There are several components of personality that indicate personality and its influence to a person in different avenues of life. In fact, the components are crucial in understanding the concept of personality in detail because they expose the characteristics that signify personality. Personality is inherently relevant in understanding behaviour in the workplace because an individual’s conduct at the work place is greatly influenced by personality factors. The concept of workplace personality underscores the distinct set of behaviours and character of an employee at the work place, which have a lot to do with personal inclinations and orientations. As a result, personality is very significant in comprehending human behaviour at the workplace. Basically, all human behaviour is a function of personality since personality is the basis of character and conduct. On a broad view, workplace behaviour is a

Frankenstein by Mary Shelly Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Frankenstein by Mary Shelly - Essay Example Mary Shelley was a very young woman when she wrote Frankenstein and her natural love of romance came into play in the relationship between Victor Frankenstein and his adopted sibling, Elizabeth Lavenza. While Victor was reckless and ambitious within his desire to create his "new species" that went beyond just creating a human being, Elizabeth remained a gentle, caring and devoted person. She played the opposite of Frankenstein's compulsion with his "project". It did not appear to be a wildly passionate love affair but one of depth and caring, especially on Elizabeth's part. Frankenstein developed a fascination with science and nature as a young boy which led him to pursue the philosophies of the ancient Greeks up until he reached the age of seventeen when he went away to the university to study science and medicine. An affable youth, he soon found himself consumed by studies of the then modern science techniques and the radical idea that man could create life other than through the natural process of procreation. An absurd idea then and today that a human life could be returned from death but it was Frankenstein's obsession. The novel leaves the reader with the feeling that Shelley herself did have that much faith in the modern science of the time. Through her main character's preoccupation that he could improve upon science with undisputable expertise, it could be viewed that the author herself felt that were too many limitations at the time period for medical advancement. Victor Frankenstein believed that he had expanded his knowledge beyond that of his professors and broke into a totally new unknown territory as is suggested in the following quote. "It was a mystery; yet with how many things are we upon the brink of becoming acquainted, if cowardice or carelessness did not restrain our enquiries." (Shelley 41) Mary Shelley displayed her thoughts upon science in the way that she developed the character of the monster, as he is, himself, an anomaly, a freakish creation of a human structure, and not one of natural science. The creature is still a human being that finds himself an outcast, shunned from the natural human need for social interaction, but possessed of all the human emotions for that need. As expressed in the monster's speech to Frankenstein "Remember, that I am thy creature; I ought to be thy Adam; but I am rather the fallen angel, whom thou drivest from joy for no misdeed. Everywhere I see bliss from I alone am irrevocably excluded. I was benevolent and good; misery made me a fiend. Make me happy and I shall be virtuous." (Shelley 74) Though a novel of violence as the creature becomes filled with hate for Frankenstein who has in turn become repulsed by the monster and begins to only flee it until in retaliation the creature begins to stalk and kill those whom Frankenstein loves. A deep bond of affection and love runs within Victor

Innovative Organisations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Innovative Organisations - Essay Example Even for maintaining a healthy growth, the deliverables must be much above the expectations of the client keeping the operational costs down and within the specified time frame. If the increasing demand for the product thus created have to met, then innovation becomes the need of the hour and an essence for any successful business to survive. I have taken Microsoft as the organization for analysis of business environment and have performed SWOT and PESTEL evaluation of its business. Microsoft being one of the most renowned companies in the world and frequent amongst the Fortune toppers offers a lot to learn from the innovative processes it has followed for more than a decade. Founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen on April 4, 1975 in Albuquerque(US) it is today a Multinational corporation which deals in computer software, computer hardware, research and development, gaming; a corporation that manufactures, outsources, licenses and supports a wide range of software products like Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Servers, Developer Tools, Microsoft Expression, Business Solutions, Games & Xbox 360, Windows Live, Windows Mobile. Board of Directors consists of ten people, made up of mostly company outsiders. Current members of the board of directors are: Steve Ballmer, James Cash, Jr., Dina Dublon, Bill Gates, Raymond Gilmartin, Reed Hastings, David Marquardt, Charles Noski, Helmut Panke, and Jon Shirley. There is an Executive Team which includes the Chairman and Chief Software Architect, the CEO, the General Counsel and Secretary, the Chief Financial Officer, senior and group vice presidents from the business units, the CEO of the Europe, the Middle East and Africa regions; the heads of Worldwide Sales, Marketing and Services; Human Resources; and Corporate Marketing. 1) Microsoft is one of the leading brands and one of the top companies featured in Fortune 500 list of companies. The operating system Windows,

Managerial and Cost Accounting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Managerial and Cost Accounting - Assignment Example Ross used to influence people only through his teaching inside the classroom. He neither wrote an article or a book in order to influence people like most writer or professors generally do. The author became a research assistant to Mr. Ross in the year 1940 for a second-year course named Control, a course which is a sort of contrast with the traditional Cost Accounting course. Nevertheless, the course became successful as a result of the reputation Mr. Ross has got as an impressive teacher of accounting at Harvard. The first appearance of management accounting in textbooks was, I believe, a first-year accounting text entitled Management Accounting: Text and Cases (Anthony; now Anthony and Reece) published in 1956. This text contained a series of detailed cost-accounting cases. A similar text by Massachusetts Institute of Technology professors appeared at approximately the same time written by Hill and Gordon in the year 1959. In the year 1965, a monograph named Planning and Control S ystems – A Framework for Analysis, written by the author was published by the Harvard Business School. It was the culmination of a series of meetings of the Harvard Business School Control faculty. Unlike most other Harvard Business School publications at that time, it proposed a framework rather than describing the results of a study of actual performance. It was written in the article that there is a contrast between Management Accounting and Cost Accounting.