Definition and Examples of Heat Energy

Most people use the word heat to describe something that feels warm, however in science, thermodynamic equations, in particular, heat is defined as the flow of energy between two systems by means of kinetic energy. This can take the form of transferring energy from a warm object to a cooler object. More simply put, heat energy, also called thermal energy or simply heat, is transferred from one location to another by particles bouncing into each other. All matter contains heat energy, and the more heat energy that is present, the hotter an item or area will be. Heat vs. Temperature The distinction between heat and  temperature  is  subtle  but very important. Heat refers to the transfer of energy between systems (or bodies), whereas temperature is determined by the energy contained within a singular system (or body). In other words, heat is energy, while temperature is a measure of energy. Adding heat will increase a bodys temperature while removing heat will lower the temperature, thus changes in temperature are the result of the presence of heat, or conversely, the lack of heat. You can measure the temperature of a room by placing a thermometer in the room and measuring the ambient air temperature. You can add heat to a room by turning on a space  heater. As the heat is added to the room, the temperature rises. Particles have more energy at higher temperatures, and as this energy is transferred from one system to another, the fast-moving particles will collide with slower moving particles. As they collide, the faster particle will transfer some of its energy to the slower particle, and the process will continue until all the particles are operating at the same rate. This is called thermal  equilibrium. Units of Heat The SI unit for heat is a form of energy called the joule (J). Heat is frequently also measured in the calorie (cal), which is defined as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one gram of water from 14.5 degrees Celsius to 15.5 degrees Celsius. Heat is also sometimes measured in British thermal units or Btu. Sign Conventions for Heat Energy Transfer In physical equations, the amount of heat transferred is usually denoted by the symbol Q. Heat transfer may be indicated by either a positive or negative number. Heat that is released into the surroundings is written as a negative quantity (Q 0). When heat is absorbed from the surroundings, it is written as a positive value (Q 0). Ways of Transferring Heat There are three basic ways to transfer heat: convection, conduction, and radiation. Many homes are heated through the convection process, which  transfers heat energy through gases or liquids. In the home, as the air is heated, the particles gain heat energy allowing them to move faster, warming the cooler particles. Since hot  air is  less dense than cold air, it will rise.  As the cooler air falls, it can be drawn into our heating systems which will again allow the faster particles to heat up the air. This is considered a circular flow of air and is called a  convection current.  These currents  circle  and heat  our homes. The conduction process is the transfer of heat energy from one solid to another, basically, two things that are touching. We can see an example of this can be seen when we cook on the stove. When we place the cool pan down on the hot burner, heat energy is transferred from the burner to the pan, which in turn heats up. Radiation is a process in which heat moves through places where there are no molecules, and is actually a form of electromagnetic energy. Any item whose heat can be felt without direct connection is radiating energy. You can see this in the heat of the sun, the feeling of heat coming off a bonfire thats several feet away, and even in the fact that rooms full of people will naturally being warmer than empty rooms because each persons body is radiating heat.

The Critical Analysis Of Sun Tzu s The Art Of War

The Critical Analysis of Sun Tzu’s the Art of War Introduction The leadership is an art which is based on invention, determination, irony, and a reflective identity (Grint, 2000). The Sun Tzu’s the Art of War is an ancient remaining military piece in the world and often considered the best. This book has powerful principles of human behavior and rules of conduct for military leaders. It also enumerates philosophies of war and how to win battles in any situation. The maxims of a Chinese legionnaires who lived more than 2000 years ago can help modern businesses be more successful (Business Horizons, 1994, p. 1). The Art of War has a theme that is surrounded to every other theme, especially in respect to knowing self and opposition. The Art of War Strategic Leadership Principles and Thinking If we can understand first few chapters of the Art of War, then we will learn many characteristics to apply to our strategic leadership. The Art of War principles of strategies are prudence and the need for good planning, before a decision to wage war is made. According to Shang Chang â€Å"the marketplace is a battlefield† for everyone in the business.(Cite? Shang Chang is not in the reference list) Therefore, many business experts believe the Asian business strategies are based on classical military principles (Chen, 1994, p. 1). Because the Art of War’s core subject is military strategy , it stresses the importance of analyzing all features of the situation before engaging inShow MoreRelatedThe Art Of War By Sun Tzu1867 Words   |  8 Pages THE ART OF HUMAN RESOURCES Kimberly M. Ayres University of Houston â€Æ' The Art of Human Resources The Art of War by Sun-Tzu, translated by Ralph Sawyer, has become a timeless roadmap to successful business management practices. This text provides valuables insights into human resources and the role it plays in the business environment today. Countless lessons can be learned from Sun-Tzu’s teachings. Specifically, instructions on proper strategies regarding planning, staffing, training, leadershipRead MoreThe Concept of Strategic Leadership738 Words   |  3 Pagesoriginal assignment, this author answered the question of what strategy means, what leadership means, what strategic leadership means and what execution means. In this essay, the author will answer these questions again and speak about what has changed. Analysis After reading the course text and materials, the authors views have changed considerably. What has changed is the real world applications of strategic leadership. Initially, this author felt that leadership was a kind of ability to handle orRead MoreSun Tzu Theory Essay1781 Words   |  8 Pages The Relevancy of Sun Tzu’s Theory for XXI Century Is the Sun Tzu’s theory of war relevant for the nature and character of XXI century wars, despite the finding that, most probably, the author wrote it more than 2500 years ago in his famous treatise, â€Å"The Art of War? This complex question becomes more important if we take into consideration the age of his ideas and difference in character of wars fought in the current century and those fought before that. However, the question becomes less complexRead MoreUsing Systems Theory And The Human Social System2276 Words   |  10 PagesUsing Systems Theory to Understand How Sun Tzu Predictably Turned Concubines into Soldiers in Ancient China; and How Chaos Theory Explains Why Systems Are Ultimately Unpredictable Even When They Are Otherwise Understood The Facts In each nation and in each locale inside of that nation, people in general policymaking and authoritative systems are diverse (Shafritz and Borick 2011). On the other hand, they are likewise the same in that every policymaking system offer normal components (Shafritz andRead MoreMilitary and Corporate Strategy7776 Words   |  32 PagesAnnouncement of the plan I. The historical origin of strategy A. The birth of military strategy: Sun Tzu - Main actors - Historic main events of the evolution B. The concept of business strategy - What is strategy about? - Different kind of company - Strategic analysis II. The relation between military strategy and business strategy A. Internal relationship: exploitationRead MoreThe Character Of 21st Century Warfare2508 Words   |  11 Pagescharacter is highly adaptive.1 Sun Tzu claimed â€Å"all warfare is based on deception.†2 Consequently, his principals of war offer a good framework to explain the character of 21st century warfare, which I rationalize as a near-continuous battle of ideologies fought through asymmetric means to advance the values and interests of state and non-state actors. I will first introduce contemporary evidence of 21st century warfare, and then select Sun Tzu’s principals of war – national unity, rational appraisalsRead MoreStrategic Management8161 Words   |  33 Pagesstrategic management and strategic planning are synonymous in this text. Answer: TRUE Diff: 1 Page Ref: 6 Topic: What Is Strategic Management? Objective: 1.01 Describe the strategic-management process. 6) A vision statement is, in essence, a company s game plan. Answer: FALSE Diff: 1 Page Ref: 11 Topic: What Is Strategic Management? Objective: 1.03 Define and give examples of key terms in strategic management. 1 Copyright  © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. 7) Strategy implementation is often consideredRead MoreThe Future Of Holistic And People Centric Essay1627 Words   |  7 Pagesshift away from focusing on talent and a shift to concentrating on people even though departments must use technological tools to accomplish their duties and stay competitive. Epic Shift In HR Priorities - Treating the Person and Not the Disease Today s HR practices focus on engaging and empowering employees and key company stakeholders, and software solutions are expanding well beyond managing talent and into uncharted territories based on the needs of diverse companies and industries. Some companiesRead MoreHongkong Disneyland5985 Words   |  24 PagesContents 1. Introduction 3 2. External Analysis 3 2.1 PEST 3 2.2 PEST Analysis Overview 6 3. Internal Analysis 7 3.1 SWOT Analysis 7 3.2 Implications of Assessment 9 4. Industrial Analysis 10 4.1 Perceptual Map of Disneyland Hong Kong amp; its competitors 10 4.2 Porter’s 5 Forces 11 4.3 Porter’s 5 Forces Overview 14 5Read MoreTelevision Programming : Public Broadcasting Station ( Pbs )1985 Words   |  8 Pagescrew and inspect the most important aspect of the structure: the foundation. According to the online Cambridge dictionary, a foundation is â€Å"the base that is built below the surface of the ground to support a building†, thereby making it the most critical aspect of the structure being built. Every contractor understands that without the proper base, the rest of the project is meaningless because it is only a matter of time before the building starts to crack, weakens, and in time collapses. On more

Best Buy in China Free Essays

string(31) " the end was acquired by Gome\." Best Buy’s failure in China is another example of a slow, arrogant major international player that didn’t understand China. Their own explanation of why they failed: â€Å"China’s demand for low prices without regard for service,† is clearly a lame excuse. By Fang Yu, China Entrepreneur magazine Best Buy shut down their nine stores in China on February 22nd, and within 48 hours fell into an unprecedented credibility crisis. We will write a custom essay sample on Best Buy in China or any similar topic only for you Order Now Customers rushed to Best Buy stores on hearing the news and were locked outside security doors. They finally broke through the doors and went into the shops, partly to seek refunds on the extended warranty policies they had purchased. Because of quarrels with staff over return policies, the Shanghai Municipal Government had to send police to maintain order. Best Buy, which has always boasted it was centered around consumers, never predicted it would withdraw from the Chinese market in such a disgraceful way. Best Buy China top executives said the business closed because their model did not adapt to the Chinese market. Best Buy China president David Sisson said, â€Å"I have never worked in such a price-sensitive market. † Best Buy shops within China were forced to close after a five year struggle Best Buy explains its failure with the excuse â€Å"Chinese consumers pursue low prices rather than services. † This excuse shows that Best Buy still does not understand why it failed. This excuse does not take into account that China’s spending power is the fastest growing in the world. Home appliance expert and director of the Pal consulting firm Luo Qingqi argues luxury brands now entering into Chinese second- and third-tier cities, and the purchasing power for luxury cars in Chinese inland is no worse than in the first-tier cities. Ding Jie, a global partner at the Roland Berger consulting firm, notes that there are foreign retailers running excellently China. Why not Best Buy? Slow and arrogant Dennis, who has worked for ten years selling audio products, worked as an employee at Best Buy until it shut its doors. After signing a compensation agreement, he began to seek a new job. He first came to a giant domestic chain giant to be interviewed, but he felt the treatment he received and business culture was too different from Best Buy, so he started looking for jobs at foreign retail enterprises. Dennis says the experience of working at Best Buy was profound and lasting. It’s difficult for him to adapt to the performance-oriented culture of domestic enterprises that stresses absolute obedience and brute execution. Instead, he has become used to Best Buy’s â€Å"people-centered† culture: trying to win returning customers and promotion opportunities based on giving good service. He also became used to the sound of the English name that the store provided him with. The employee culture of Best Buy, which is not based on sales volume, enables the store to be peaceful, without a feeling of fierce competition between the sales staff. However, observers believe this unhurried attitude is exactly what drove Best Buy to become a loser in China’s fiercely competitive home appliance market, which is dominated by the retailers Suning Appliance and Gome. When Best Buy entered China, Suning Appliance chairman Zhang Jindong said his company would ignore Best Buy for the next five years. Gome founder Huang Guangyu also said Best Buy could not compete with Gome in China because Best Buy did not have a sense of where to put its stores. People who participated in the press conference announcing the acquisition of Five Star Appliance by Best Buy in 2006 remember that Five Star founder Wang Jianguo was excited to announce the establishment of 300 stores annually with the financial backing of Best Buy. However, this plan was quickly denied by Best Buy top executives. Wang and his team eventually left the company. In the United States, Best Buy defeated the second-largest retailer Circuit City, which used a consignment model, similar to Gome and Suning in China. Best Buy then entered the Chinese market with the arrogance of a missionary, ignoring the gap between its own model and the Chinese market. In Best Buy stores, the aisles are clearly wider than in Suning and Gome, the shelves aren’t as crowded, and fewer brands and models are on display. Best Buy’ believes the space should be left for consumers rather than products. Suning Shanghai top executives pointed out North Americans prefer open and wide stores, and don’t require a wide range of product lines ranging from cheap and generic to expensive top quality brand names. Best Buy’s style is more suitable to North Americans emphasizing individual freedom, and China’s market is more similar to Japan’s. Insiders recalled Best Buy’s first China president Lu Weimin knew the local market very well. The Chinese-born American, who graduated from a special class of gifted teenagers of the University of Science and Technology of China, better understood the rules of China’s home appliance industry than his colleagues. Lu Weimin helped to bring about the acquisition of Five Star. This helped Best Buy become a major retailer. However, Best Buy still did not want to give up the business model it developed and was proud of, and dreamed of restructuring more home appliance retailers such as Five Star into the Best Buy fold. This resulted in a two-brand operation over the past five years, so that the Best Buy management team’s resources and focus were diluted. Five Star former top executives recalled Lu Weimin pushed Best Buy to expand. Lu chose several properties in Shanghai, but, following Best Buy’s management process, all matters related to store openings must be reported to Best Buy International. Best Buy’s competitors were opening a new store every four or five days. Faced with the slow process of opening new stores, Lu hoped he could use financial muscle to expand quickly. For instance, Best Buy bid for Shandong Sanlian Commercial, which in the end was acquired by Gome. You read "Best Buy in China" in category "Essay examples" Many foreign executives who are not familiar with the Chinese market have a hard time understanding the importance and feasibility of quickly opening stores. An investor said he had heard a foreign executive of a consumer goods company laugh at his Chinese colleagues, saying, â€Å"What? How dare they plan to open 200 stores a year! † In fact, these scoffers generally only ever come to Shanghai and Hong Kong and have no idea of the width of the Chinese market. Managed by Best Buy, Five Star has expanded slowly (the number of stores has only grown to more than 160 from nearly 140 in 2006). Lu left Best Buy in April 2007, after he was made a figurehead. He had worked there for more than ten years. When the news of the closure of Best Buy stores was released, a departed top executive pointed out that if the failure was a result of a poor business model, why did the Xujiahui store in Shanghai become one of the world’s top 50 stores, with an operating revenue of RMB 500 million, becoming profitable in 2010? The Xujiahui store’s property costs were denominated in U. S. ollars, and were the highest in the Best Buy system. One of the reasons for the success of the store was that its site was chosen when Wang Jianguo served as Best Buy global vice president. The superior location of the Xujiahui store was envied by competitors. Following in Wang Jianguo’s shoes, Best Buy sent many executives to China, who were good at IT system s and background management processes, but did not have experience in selecting sites and opening stores in unfamiliar cities. â€Å"We can say they are outsiders! At the root, it was caused by the people factor. If they had different people, the results would have been different. Missing its chance After stumbling through the first three years, Best Buy made some changes. In 2008, Best Buy started to speed up its expansion in China, opening in Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou and Beijing to lift the total number of stores to nine. This change was rooted in a shift in government policy. In September 2008, the Ministry of Commerce issued a document shifting the approval process for foreign retail stores from the national to the provincial level. Best Buy, which had a good relationship with the Shanghai government, quickly opened more stores in Shanghai to consolidate its base. But compared with another retail giant, Wal-Mart, Best Buy again did not correctly understand the policy direction of the Chinese market. Wal-Mart quickly established wholly-owned companies (with taxes going to local authorities) in more than ten provinces in China, and quickly opened more than 30 stores in China in the first half of 2009, mainly in second- and third-tier cities. The new regulations of the Ministry of Commerce were intended to help foreign retailers make investments in China. The Shanghai market, where land is expensive, ended up putting a lot of pressure on Best Buy. At that time, Suning only allocated 10% of its planned stores to central Shanghai and focused on opening stores in the suburbs, but Best Buy was making efforts to squeeze into the core business district, which was already full of the rival stores. The result was that the number of Best Buy stores grew, but diminishing returns did not cover the operating costs. David Sisson hinted at this when he explained that he shut down all of the stores in China because â€Å"the costs needed to keep one or two stores open are actually are almost the same as the cost needed to keep nine stores open. Best Buy missed its window for rapid development, and perhaps had no time to think about how to enter more deeply into the Chinese market because it was struggling with strong competition and high land prices in first-tier cities like Shanghai. Best Buy top executives were aware of the problems with the company’s expansion. Under pressure to make profits in 2010 (the 2010 third-quarter fiscal report shows Best Buy same-store sales fell 5%), Best Buy first adjusted the company’s global management structure. Best Buy global vice president and Five Star CEO Wang Jian told China Entrepreneur, â€Å"In 2010, Best Buy adjusted the organizational structure and set up the America region, Asia region and Europe region. One major reason for the adjustment is that Best Buy wanted to give full authority to enable it to be more localized in operation and development. † At that time, Best Buy’s attitude to Five Star changed. Best Buy encouraged Five Star to â€Å"open as many as stores as possible,† but Five Star also faced the problem of lagging development. When Suning and Gome completed setting up in first- and second-tier cities and started planning to enter into third- and fourth-tier cities, Five Star was still only operating in limited areas and never opened stores in Shanghai. In Best Buy’s last days, the low-price commitment could be seen everywhere, and even the consumers could feel the change. Claire, a loyal Best Buy customer who works at a foreign company in Shanghai, said, â€Å"Compared with the beginning, the number of salespeople in the store grew obviously. In the past, when you looked around by yourself in the store, no one would bother you. But at the end,] if you stood in front of an item for a while, a salesperson would come up to you. † Best Buy started taking the initiative to increase sales. Learning the wrong lesson After closing all of its China stores, Best Buy top executives said the lesson learned in the Chinese market is â€Å"price, price and price! † In the opinion of Best Buy top exec utives, Chinese consumers’ sensitivity to the price is so overwhelming that Best Buy’s â€Å"customer-centric† values were meaningless. However, Best Buy’s customer-centric philosophy and various design details were adapted by Gome and Suning, making Best Buy’s conclusion questionable. The Five Star top executive interviewed by this magazine said the Best Buy model uses its own staff, unlike stores using a consignment model. He gave an example. A 5,000-square meter store needs 260 staff, and in consignment stores, generally 200 come from the manufacturers. But Best Buy will not open a store until recruiting all 260 staff. Because of the emphasis on service, the training period for retail staff is longer, with a six-month to one-year training period for management. A shortage of talent was an important reason for Best Buy’s slow rate of opening stores. Home appliance expert Luo Qingqi believes Best Buy’s problem is not that is acted like a traditional retailer (as opposed to selling on consignment like Gome and Suning) but the product line. Products sold at Best Buy stores were mainly foreign. Chinese brands such as Midea, which offers many popular product lines, did not appear on Best Buy’s shelves. Even the foreign brand Whirlpool cooperated more with Suning and Gome. â€Å"We are operating within the Chinese market and will notice which stores consumers like to visit, and use them as our main distribution channels,† said a Whirlpool employee. Ding Jie, a global partner of the Roland Berger consulting firm, believes Best Buys’ high operating costs were not its main problem, but rather that Best Buy cut itself off from the supply chain by refusing to adapt the consignment model. Ding Jie said most staff members at China’s consignment-based home appliance stores are employees of the manufacturers. â€Å"In China, consumers do not have strong core brand awareness, and the difference among home appliances is not big. Manufacturers focus on distribution channels that allow them to collect market information and determine market trends. Manufacturers and distributors cater to the needs of consumers with the collaboration of the entire industrial chain. † The Best Buy model serves consumers by being independent. But because there is no personalization and differentiation of products, it is bound to fail. According to Ding Jie, the main advantage of foreign retailers is their management model. But if they want to succeed in China, foreign retailers should let their local staff operate more freely and give them the power to adjust the business model. Many foreign retailers that failed in China might have succeeded if they empowered local staff. How to cite Best Buy in China, Essay examples

The Net Capital Losses or Gains Analysis

Question: Explain the net capital losses or gains for the current tax year of Dave. Answer: In this particular case, the objective is to determine the net capital losses or gains for the current tax year of Dave as per the given transactions. Dave Solomon has sold some of his assets in order to prepare for his retirement. These selling operations of the given assets would result reasonable tax implications in terms of capital losses or gains. A brief discussion on the selling of the assets are as follows. Selling of the residence place (St. Lucia) As per the given information, it can be concluded that to achieve the reasonable amount of superannuation fund, Dave has sold his residential house which was situated in St. Lucia and he resided in that house from last 30 year. As per this information it would be said that Dave must have purchased this two story residency house in the year 1986. Since, the house has been purchased after 20 September 1985, therefore, any capital gains realised by selling this residential place would be considered for CGT (Capital Gains Tax) as per ITAA, 1997 (Sadiq et. al., 2015) . Despite the residence not being exempted from the aegis of CGT, the main residence exemption may allow for capital gains concession in line with Division 118 ITAA, 1997. However, this would require the current residence to fulfil the following two conditions as are mentioned below (Barkoczy, 2015). The taxpayer must necessarily have stayed in the house ever since it has been purchased for the house to be classified as the main or permanent residence. Also, the commercial usage of the residence would not be there for deriving any sort of income. From the case information provided, it may be deciphered that in the given case, the satisfaction of both conditions takes place and thereby the given house can be classified as the main or permanent residence for Dave in the absence of any other residence. Hence, no CGT would be paid by Dave Solomon on any gains that are made on the sale of the residence (Gilders et. al., 2015). Capital gains computation of painting It is known from the question that the painting has been acquired in the post CGT era that commences on September 20, 1985 and therefore capital gains tax is applicable on any capital gains which may be derived by liquidation Paintings acquisition cost for Dave = $ 15,000 Sales price obtained on selling of the painting = $ 125,000 Gains of capital nature derived from painting sale = 125000 15000 = $ 110,000 Since the painting was held for more than a year, hence the capital gains derived from the same are of long term nature (Sadiq et. al., 2015). Capital gains computation of luxury boat It is known from the question that the luxury boat has been acquired in the post CGT era and therefore capital gains tax is applicable on any capital gains which may be derived. Purchase price of boat = $ 110,000 Liquidation price of boat = $ 60,000 Resultant capital losses = 110000-60000 = $ 50,000 Since the boat was held for more than a year, hence the capital losses are of long term nature (Sadiq et. al., 2015). Capital gains computation of shares It is known from the question that the shares have been acquired in the post CGT era and therefore capital gains tax is applicable on any capital gains which may be derived. Share acquisition price in January 2016 = $ 75,000 Selling price of the shares = $ 80,000 However, as per the question, there are certain costs that are incidental to the normal transaction and therefore as per Section 110-25 would contribute to the cost base of the asset. As per the information provided, the incidental costs are brokerage charges and also the stamp duty. Besides, the asset financing cost is also added to the overall cost base as per Section 110-25. In the given case, since ATO has denied providing any deduction to Dave Solomon, hence the interest costs would also add on to the overall share cost base (Barkoczy, 2015). Therefore, cost base for shares = 5000 + 250 + 75000 + 750 = $ 81,000 Sale proceed on share liquidation = $ 80,000 Capital losses on account of share sale = 81000 80000 = $ 1,000 Hence, the total gains of capital nature that Dave can derive based on the given transactions = 110000 50000 -1000 = $ 59,000 The case information also states that in the previous year, Solomon has made a loss of capital nature to the tune of $ 10,000 for the shares that Dave had sold. These losses would be brought forward in the current year and adjusted against the capital gains for the current year (Gilders et. al., 2015). Post adjustment net capital gains = 59000 -10000 = $ 49,000 The capital gains that are derived by Solomon are long term in nature and considering the individual taxpayer status of Solomon, a discount of 50% with regards to capital gains is available. Therefore, capital gains on which CGT would be levied = 49000*0.5 = 24,500 It is evident from the above computation that Dave makes a capital gain and thereby would have to pay CGT which is applied at a flat rate of 30% and is independent of the underlying value. Thus, liability related to CGT = 24500*0.3 =$ 7,350 The question now presents a situation where Solomon would make loss for FY2016 also and in this case the previous year losses would be accumulated and the cumulative loss would be transferred to the future years for balancing against the potential future capital gains, Ir is noteworthy that the accumulated losses would be rolled on till perpetuity until these are neutralised with adjustment against capital gains (Deutsch et. al., 2015). The given facts of the case reflect the fact that the employer Periwinkle has extended certain fringe benefits to the employee Emma which may have FBT (Fringe Benefit Tax) implications. The aim of the question is to opine on the tax implications arising from the above benefits in line with the provisions mentioned in the Fringe Benefit Tax Assessment Act 1986 (FBTAA86). The discussion of the tax implications of the host of fringe benefits extended in this case is carried out below. Fringe benefit linked to personal car usage The car fringe benefit is deemed to be derived under the circumstance when the employee uses the company owned car for satisfying his/her personal usage. This is in line with the description extended in Section 8 of the FBTAA86. The usage of the car and the underlying distance in kilometres leads to the determination of the fringe benefit and the associated tax liability. Additionally, as per Section 23L of the ITAA 1936, due to the car fringe benefit the tax implications will be levied on the employer (Sadiq et. al., 2014). As per the case details, Emma has been given car fringe benefit since the employer owned car was given by the employer for personal usage. For the computation of taxable value on a grossed up level, it is imperative to ascertain whether GST is paid or not (McCouat, 2012). In the event that GST is paid on the car, the relevant factor deployed for grossing up is 2.1463(ATO, 2015). The calculation of the resultant FBT liability is shown below (Wilmot, 2012). Step 1: Taxable Value Determination The formula for determination of the FBT taxable value is shown below. The various components which act as input need to be determined as is visible below. The applicable statutory percentage in the given case would be 20% as per the guidance from the ATO rule which states that the car must be utilised for a distance which is less than 15,000 km as the corresponding figure is 10,000 km (ATO, 2015). Total period for personal car usage by the employee i.e. Emma = 365-30-5 = 330 In the given case, 30 days have been deducted since the car was provided to Emma not at the beginning of the financial year but when a month had already been elapsed. Besides, further five days are adjusted for the repair period but no adjustment for ten days has been made for the parking as the ownership of the car was with Emma. Value of the fringe benefit due to car = 32450 0.2 (330/365) = $ 5,867.7 Step 2: Liability associated with FBT Fringe benefit tax on the value of the fringe benefit due to car = 5,867.7 2.1463 0.49 = $ 6,170.95 Loan linked fringe benefit The loan fringe benefit is the result of the extension of loan to employee by the employer at a rate of interest which is lower as compared to the prescribed rate of RBA and hence provides benefit to employee. Like the other fringe benefits, the liability arising on behalf of the loan fringe benefit has to be borne by the employer. The current RBA rate is spelled out in the TD 2015/8 and is equal to 5.65% pa (Barkoczy, 2015). The interest rate applicable on the loan given to Emma is 4.45% pa and hence the employee is being benefited due to lower interest rate. The actual amount of loan fringe benefit is the amount of saving of employee on the cumulative interest cost supposing that it was lent at the rate prescribed by RBA (Gilders et. al., 2015). Finance cost when loan is extended at RBA prescribed cost = 500,000 0.0565 = $ 28.250 Finance cost when loan is extended at employer prescribed cost = 500,000*0.0445 = $ 22,250 The total cumulative savings on interest = $ 28,250 - $ 22,250 = $6,000 Hence, FBT at the rate of 49% would be levied on the loan related fringe benefit of $ 6,000. Since 90% of the extended loan of $ 500,000 is deployed for holiday home purchase for deriving personal gains, hence the employer would get rebate on the interest paid on this loan which would lead to the FBT liability lowering (Sadiq et. al., 2015). Fringe benefit related to bathtub By extension of bathtub to employee Emma at a rate lower than that charged by the retail customer, Periwinkle has indeed extended a fringe benefit whose value is equal to the costing differential between the normal retail customers and Emma. Thus, on this differential amount FBT should be levied at the rate of 49% (Deutsch et. al., 2015). The information provided in the question states that there is a change in fund deployed as $ 50,000 which was earlier used by Emma would now be used by her husband who would use them for indulging in share investment. The tax rebate on account of the interest on the component of the loan used for purchase of the holiday home would still be continued. However, otherwise there would be a decrease in the FBT linked liability as is computed below (Sadiq, et. al.,2015). Finance cost when 10% loan is extended at RBA prescribed cost = 50,000*0.0565 = $ 2,825 Finance cost when loan is extended at employer prescribed cost = 50,000 0.0445= $ 2,225 Therefore, decrease in the fringe benefit taxable value = 2825-2225 = $ 600 Total decrease in FBT related liability = 600*0.49 = $ 294 References ATO 2015, How to calculate your FBT, Australian Taxation Office. Barkoczy,S 2015.Foundation of Taxation Law 2015,7th edn, CCH Publications, North Ryde Deutsch, R, Freizer, M, Fullerton, I, Hanley, P, Snape, T 2015. Australian tax handbook, 8th edn, Thomson Reuters, Pymont Gilders, F, Taylor, J, Walpole, M, Burton, M. Ciro, T 2015. Understanding taxation law 2015, 8th edn, LexisNexis/Butterworths. McCouat, P 2012, Australian GST legislation. 17th edn, CCH Australia Limited, North Ryde Sadiq, K, Coleman, C, Hanegbi, R, Jogarajan, S, Krever, R, Obst, W, and Ting, A 2015,Principles of Taxation Law 2015,8th edn, Thomson Reuters, Pymont Wilmot, C 2012, FBT Compliance guide, 6th edn, CCH Australia Limited, North Ryde.

Bhopal Gas Leak

Table of Contents Introduction Cause of the Disaster Effects on the Environment References Introduction The Bhopal Gas Leak is the worst environmental disaster in our history. This disaster occurred on December 12, 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL), a pesticide-manufacturing factory in Bhopal, India, and was caused by a leak of methyl isocyanate gas (MIC) and other lethal gases from the plant (Rosenberg, 2011). The gas cloud emanating from this leak contained nearly 15 metric tons of MIC and spread over the vast and densely populated Bhopal city.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Bhopal Gas Leak specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The gas leak killed at least 4,000 people immediately and caused health complications for at least 50,000 inhabitants with some agencies reporting a figure of 500,000. These health complications have resulted in the death of more than 15,000 people over the last two decades while a large number (estimated at 100,000) still suffers from the effects of the gas leak, with ten people dying every year (Broughton, 2005). Chemicals released during the leakage were deposited in the area around the plant and have continued to seep into the groundwater. Other sources of pollution include leaks from isolation material and residues as the containers used for storing them are slowly wearing out. Tests carried out by UCIL in 1989 showed that soil and water in the Bhopal neighborhood were poisonous to fish and other aquatic life. In 1994, studies indicated that 21% of the UCIL premises were highly contaminated with toxic chemicals. Apart from humans, animals were also affected by the MIC leak: at least 2,000 animals, both wild and domesticated, were found dead. Cause of the Disaster The gas leak is said to have begun when water entered a tank that contained 42 tons of MIC, an ingredient in the production of pesticide. This contact led to an exothermic reaction that e levated temperatures inside the tank to more than 200 0C, leading to a corresponding elevation in pressure. This caused the tank to vent, releasing poisonous gases into the atmosphere, the spread of the leaked gas was hastened by the northwesterly winds blowing over Bhopal (Rosenberg, 2011). The explanation as to how water entered the MIC tank has varied depending on the investigating agency. Union Carbide, the major shareholder in the firm, stated that such a large amount of water could only enter the tank through sabotage by an employee. Somebody intentionally put water inside the tank leading to a reaction and eventually a gas leak. However, the Indian government accused Union Carbide of not taking adequate security measures to avert or control a disaster. For example, the company should have installed six safety systems that would either prevent or contain the disaster, none of them worked correctly that night.Advertising Looking for essay on environmental studies? Let's se e if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Besides, the company switched off safety controls to reduce their expenses- including the MIC tank cooler that would have lessened the severity of the gas leak. The number of casualties was high due to the dense population in the Bhopal area, said to be more 900,000 and a warning siren that was started was immediately put off allegedly to prevent panic. Most of the Bhopal residents were asleep when trouble began at the pesticide plant and many only woke up because they heard their children coughing from the fumes. As the residents woke up, they felt a burning sensation at the throat while some chocked from the smoke. People ran in all directions, unsure of which way to go, amidst the confusion, families became separated and many people fell unconscious and were trampled upon (Rosenberg, 2011). Effects on the Environment Even before the gas leak, the area surrounding the plant was used for depositing toxic ch emicals and this led to the abandoning of wells in the vicinity of the plant in 1982. During the leak, nearly 27 tons of MIC gas escaped into the air and spread over the heavily populated city of Bhopal, spreading over a 30 square mile area. The plant was closed between 1985 and 1986, during which most of the pipes and drums were sold off, however, the MIC and pesticide tanks are still in the site, as well as several tanks used to store various residues (Broughton, 2005). These tanks have worn out and the isolated material is falling out and is being dispersed into the surrounding water systems. The isolated material contains several heavy and/or toxic elements that include naphthol, nickel, lead, mercury, and other hydrocarbon compounds such as hexachlorobenzene, most of which can cause nervous system breakdown, liver and kidney infections and perhaps cancer in the coming years. In fact, several studies have indicated that the water and soil in the area are highly polluted (Brought on, 2005). Today, the location and its environs are still polluted with thousands of tons poisonous material, these have found their way into water systems that are used by the local population. A recent visit by the BBC revealed that some wells in the area even contain nearly 500 times the recommended limit of these pollutants, however, the locals continue to use this water as they have no other choice (Vickers, 2004). The population around the UCIL plant still suffers from various diseases not common among persons living in other areas (Morehouse Subramaniam, 1986).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Bhopal Gas Leak specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More References Broughton, E. (2005). The Bhopal disaster and its aftermath: a review. Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source, Vol. 4, No. 6. Morehouse, W., Subramaniam, M. A., and the Citizens’ Commission on Bhopal. (1986). The Bhopal tragedy: what re ally happened and what it means for American workers and communities at risk. NJ: Council on International and Public Affairs. Rosenberg, J. (2011). 1984 – Huge Poison Gas Leak in Bhopal, India. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/huge-poison-gas-leak-bhopal-india-1779415 Vickers, P. (2004). Bhopal ‘faces risk of poisoning’. Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4010511.stm This essay on Bhopal Gas Leak was written and submitted by user N0mad to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Opposition to the War of 1812 From Americans

Opposition to the War of 1812 From Americans When the United States declared war against Britain in June 1812, the vote on the declaration of war in the Congress was fairly close, reflecting how unpopular the war was to large segments of the American public. Though one of the main reasons for the war had to do with the rights of sailors on the high seas and the protection of American shipping, the senators and representatives from the maritine states of New England tended to vote against the war. Sentiment for war was perhaps strongest in the western states and territories, where a faction known as the War Hawks believed that the United States could invade present day Canada and seize territory from the British. The debate about the war had been going on for many months, with newspapers, which tended to be highly partisan in that era, proclaiming pro-war or anti-war positions. The declaration of war was signed by President James Madison on June 18, 1812, but for many that did not settle the matter. Opposition to the war continued. Newspapers blasted the Madison administration, and some state governments went so far as to essentially obstruct the war effort. In some cases opponents to the war engaged in protests, and in one noteworthy incident, a mob in Baltimore attacked a group which opposed the war. One of the victims of the mob violence in Baltimore, who suffered serious injuries from which he never fully recovered, was the father of Robert E. Lee. Newspapers Attacked the Madison Administration Move Toward War The War of 1812 began against a backdrop of intense political battling within the United States. The Federalists of New England were opposed to the idea of war, and the Jeffersonian Republicans, including President James Madison, were very suspicious of them. A huge controversy broke out when it was revealed that the Madison administration had paid a former British agent for information on Federalists and their suspected connections to the British government. The information provided by the spy, a shady character named John Henry, never amounted to anything that could be proven. But the bad feelings engendered by Madison and members of his administration influenced partisan newspapers early in 1812. Northeastern newspapers regularly denounced Madison as corrupt and venal. There was a strong suspicion among the Federalists that Madison and his political allies wanted to go to war with Britain to bring the United States closer to the France of Napoleon Bonaparte. Newspapers on the other side of the argument argued that the Federalists were an English party in the United States that wanted to splinter the nation and somehow return it to British rule. Debate over the war - even after it had been declared - dominated the summer of 1812. At a public gathering for the Fourth of July in New Hampshire, a young New England attorney, Daniel Webster, gave an oration which was quickly printed and circulated. Webster, who had not yet run for public office, denounced the war, but made a legal point: It is now the law of the land, and as such we are bound to regard it. State Governments Opposed the War Effort One of the arguments against the war was that the United States was simply not prepared, as it had a very small army. There was an assumption that state militias would bolster the regular forces, but as the war began the governors of Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts refused to comply with the federal request for militia troops. The position of the New England state governors was that the president of the United States could only requisition the state militia to defend the nation in the event of an invasion, and no invasion of the country was imminent. The state legislature in New Jersey passed a resolution condemning the declaration of war, terming it inexpedient, ill-timed, and most dangerously impolitic, sacrificing at once countless blessings. The legislature in Pennsylvania took the opposite approach, and passed a resolution condemning the New England governors who were opposing the war effort. Other state governments issued resolutions taking sides. And it is clear that in the summer of 1812 the United States was going to war despite a large split in the country. A Mob in Baltimore Attacked Opponents of the War In Baltimore, a thriving seaport at the beginning of the war, public opinion generally tended to favor the declaration of war. In fact, privateers from Baltimore were already setting sail to raid British shipping in the summer of 1812, and the city would eventually become, two years later, the focus of a British attack. On June 20, 1812, two days after war was declared, a Baltimore newspaper, the Federal Republican, published a blistering editorial denouncing the war and the Madison administration. The article angered many citizens of the city, and two days later, on June 22, a mob descended on the newspapers office and destroyed its printing press. The publisher of the Federal Republican, Alexander C. Hanson, fled the city for Rockville, Maryland. But Hanson was determined to return and continue publishing his attacks on the federal government. With a group of supporters, including two notable veterans of the Revolutionary War, James Lingan and General Henry Lee (the father of Robert E. Lee), Hanson arrived back in Baltimore a month later, on July 26, 1812. Hanson and his associates moved into a brick house in the city. The men were armed, and they essentially fortified the house, fully expecting another visit from an angry mob. A group of boys gathered outside the house, shouting taunts and throwing stones. Guns, presumably loaded with blank cartridges, were fired from an upper floor of the house to disperse the growing crowd outside. The stone throwing became more intense, and windows of the house were shattered. The men in the house began shooting live ammunition, and a number of people in the street were wounded. A local doctor was killed by a musket ball. The mob was driven to a frenzy. Responding to the scene, the authorities negotiated the surrender of the men in the house. About 20 men were escorted to the local jail, where they were housed for their own protection. A mob assembled outside the jail on the night of July 28, 1812, forced its way inside, and attacked the prisoners. Most of the men were severely beaten, and James Lingan, an elderly veteran of the American Revolution, was killed, reportedly by being struck in the head with a hammer. General Henry Lee was beaten senseless, and his injuries probably contributed to his death several years later. Hanson, the publisher of the Federal Republican, survived, but was also severely beaten. One of Hansons associates, John Thompson, was beaten by the mob, dragged through the streets, and tarred and feathered. Lurid accounts of the Baltimore riot were printed in American newspapers. People were particularly shocked by the killing of James Lingam, who had been wounded while serving as an officer in the Revolutionary War and had been a friend of George Washington. Following the riot, tempers cooled in Baltimore. Alexander Hanson moved to Georgetown, on the outskirts of Washington, D.C., where he continued to publish a newspaper denouncing the war and mocking the government. Opposition to the war continued in some parts of the country. But over time the debate cooled off and more patriotic concerns, and a desire to defeat the British, took precedence. At the end of the war, Albert Gallatin, the nations treasury secretary, expressed a belief that the war had unified the nation in many ways, and had lessened a focus on purely local or regional interests. Of the American people at the end of the war, Gallatin wrote: They are more Americans; they feel and act more as a nation; and I hope that the permanency of the Union is thereby better secured. Regional differences, of course, would remain a permanent part of American life. Before the war had officially ended, legislators from the New England states gathered at the Hartford Convention and argued for changes in the U.S. Constitution. The members of the Hartford Convention were essentially federalists who had opposed the war. Some of them argued that states which had not wanted the war should split from the federal government. The talk of secession, more than four decades before the Civil War, did not lead to any substantial action. The official end of the War of 1812 with the Treaty of Ghent occurred and the ideas of the Hartford Convention faded away. Later events, events such as the Nullification Crisis, the prolonged debates about slavery in America, the secession crisis, and the Civil War  still pointed to regional splits in the nation. But Gallatins larger point, that the debate over the war ultimately bound the country together, had some validity.

MS Flight Simulator Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

MS Flight Simulator - Research Paper Example Bruce Artwick started its development in 1977 and put it on the market for a range of computers with his company subLOGIC. Artwicks company certified Microsoft  a version of Flight Simulator known as  Microsoft Flight Simulator 1.00 in 1982 (Grupping, 2007). The Microsoft Flight Simulator gives its users the realistic experience of flying a plane. The aviation industry is making great use of the system for design and development and by training pilots and other flight deck crews in both military and civil aircraft (Anonymous, 2005). The newest versions, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004  and  Microsoft Flight Simulator X, gratify pilots, would-be pilots and individuals who had dreamt of being pilots in similar fashion. While playing these, the new users can be frustrated due to its reality-based complex and difficult nature. But it can be rewarding for those who are skilled flight simmer. The latest versions also include enhanced weather simulation, alongside the ability to download real-world weather data and diverse air traffic environment with interactive  Air Traffic Control, player-flyable aircraft, interactive lessons and challenges, and finally aircraft checklists. Furthermore, there is availability of, both free and commercial upgrades and add-ons for flexibility and scope (Lackey,

Project Control Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Project Control - Essay Example Technical changes are the alterations of the project scope. Market changes are the changes made so that the project adapts to the changing external market conditions such as regulatory changes and development of new products by competitors (Kerzner, 2001). Contractual changes include the changes made on the contract with the stakeholder involved in the project. The management should prevent uncontrollable changes because they have a negative impact on the project. Implementation of change control can be done using specific procedures. One of the procedures is to conduct impact analysis. In this case, the likely impact of the uncontrollable changes is assessed. In this stage proposed changes are provided and they are analysed in relation to the impact of the changes in order to determine whether they are within or outside the scope of the project requirements. The second step is to determine the financial requirements of the changes. This will determine whether the changes can be implemented using the available financial resources. Thirdly, the management should find out the reason why the change is needed (Stare, 2001). It should determine the business need for the changes and establish whether the business will benefit from the changes if implemented successfully. In the next fourth step, the company should analyse the challenges and constraints that may be faced when implementing the changes. This will enable the management team to be prepa red for any of the challenges and risks and be able to tackle them appropriately. In terms of project quality evaluation, the management should evaluate and communicate whether the project is meeting any stated performance and quality objectives of the management. This is done through comparison of the planned quality standards and the quality outcome of the project. Evaluation of the project quality also involves checking whether specific tasks of the project have been

CAPM ana Capital Budgeting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

CAPM ana Capital Budgeting - Essay Example The estimation of the cost of capital in turn is based upon the CAPM. However, not only does recent discourses in academic literature challenge the validity of the CAPM model, there is lack of consensus regarding the adequate measure of the market risk premium, a central input required for computing the cost of capital using the CAPM. However, in spite of these short comings, the CAPM has survived as the predominant quantitative model in its class for over 40 years since its inception. It is precisely this paradox the paper in concern addresses. In particular, Jagannathan and Meler (2002) offer an explanation to the following question: in spite of the various short comings of the CAPM model in computing the cost of capital, why do majority of managers report using the model to make critical decisions? The answer they offer is that in the real world, computing the exact cost of capital may not be crucial for optimal decisions. Hence, although the CAPM may not provide the exact value o f cost of capital, but it still remains useful for managers. Assuming rationed organizational and managerial capital which implies that not all projects with positive NPVs can be invested in, the paper shows that utilizing a hurdle rate greater than the cost of capital and the typical NPV computations, the value of waiting for an option can be accounted for. Therefore, the exact value of cost of capital no longer remains an imperative for optimal decisions. The idea that discounting values are set much higher than the cost of capital has significant support in financial literature. Stein (2001) for instance shows that aspects like agency costs arising out of asymmetric informational situations among share owners and managers leads to setting of discount rates that are much higher than the actual cost of capital. Empirical literature also lends further support to the claim by establishing the existence of a large number of hurdle rates that are set higher than the cost of capital (Po terba and Summers, 1995). Truong, Partington and Peat (2008) have also established that there are a number of hurdle rates used in the capital budgeting procedure in Australia. The critiques of using CAPM in capital budgeting fundamentally stem from two particular difficulties. First, the time horizon of the basic model is limited to a single period. But in reality, investment appraisals of firms typically involve decision making over multiple periods. Thus, this raises the question of applicability of the CAPM in investment appraisal in the real world. Secondly, computing discount rates specific to particular projects can prove difficult owing to for instance, difficulties arising in identification of appropriate proxy betas as proxy companies usually undertake multiple activities simultaneously. Disentangling the beta specific to a project may prove near impossible because these require certain information that may be extremely difficult to obtain. (Head, 2008) Additionally, it ha s been shown that although the NPV criterion can be utilized to make accept/reject decisions, these are valid and optimal only if the discount rate is not computed using the CAPM (Magni, 2009). In light of the discussion above what emerges essentially is that the CAPM generates estimates of cost of capital

Social interaction and how we rapidly forms impressions

Social interaction and how we rapidly forms impressions Human beings are social creatures. Our interaction with another is important as it provides us with a vast amount of information necessary to carry out daily activities. With the amount of information that is available to us at one time, the human mind has naturally developed shortcuts that allow us to function more efficiently in a social world. One function of human interaction is the ability to make rapid assessments about other people. We often form impressions about people within seconds of meeting them. Impressions of personality form quickly and easily. It is quite hard to forget our impression of a person once it has been formed in our minds. These impressions form automatically and instantly provide us with important information about others. Then, this information provides us with a foundation on which we make additionally judgments and effects future attitudes about an individual. This ability to form rapid impressions of people is neither bad nor good. According to Asch (1946), it is simply a precondition of social life. Concerning social psychologists in particular are questions regarding the manner in which our impressions of other people are established, and what are the principles that regulate the formation of these impressions. It has been found in social psychological research, that impressions of personality can be influenced by certain cognitive biases. An excellent example of a cognitive bias that influences our perception of personality of others is the halo effect. The halo effect is a cognitive bias that occurs when the perception of one trait of a person or object influences the perception of another trait or multiple traits. Thorndike (1920) was the first to support the theory of the halo effect using empirical research. Commanding officers were asked to use a rating scale to assess traits of their soldiers. The results of his study showed a high cross-correlation between positive and negative traits (Thorndike, 1920), which suggests that people do not think of others in mixed terms, but rather as generally good or bad across different categories of measurement. Primarily, the halo effect biases our perception with a tendency to focus mainly on the good. A classic example would be judging a good-looking person as more sociable or more intelligent. Another example would be perceiving an individuals personality differently based on information given about that person. This includes influencing expectations of another person through the use of interchangeable adjectives. An overwhelming amount of research supports the notion that describing a strangers personality using particular words can significantly affect the way that person is perceived by others (Asche, 1946; Mensh Wishner; 1947; Kelley, 1950; Biggs McAllaster; 1981; Widmeyer Loy, 1988). A strangers disposition can be perceived to match up to the personality traits previously stated, despite the actual nature of the person. Influential Social Psychological Research Over sixty years ago, Asch (1946) demonstrated that certain labels can affect the entire impression of a person. Asch read a list of adjectives which were supposed to describe a hypothetical person. His subjects who were all college students (mostly women) were then asked to characterize that person. Asch found that by simply using interchangeable adjectives representing central qualities, such as warm and cold, he could influence the descriptions given by subjects about the personality of a hypothetical person. However, it was also found that including words to describe peripheral qualities, including terms such as polite or blunt, did not have a significant effect on subjects perceptions of the personality of the hypothetical person. A number of the Asch experiments were replicated by Mensh and Wishner (1947) to determine if the results of Aschs experiment were population specific. In their study, they used subjects that were a mix of both male and female students. Furthermore, they took measures to make sure that subjects were graduate and undergraduate students, and they also selected subjects from different geographical locations. Despite Mensh and Wishners modifications to Aschs experiments, the findings in Aschs study were effectively confirmed and reinforced by Mensh and Wishner (1947). Aschs experimental work was also extended by Kelley (1950) who demonstrated that the warm/cold manipulation extends to actual people, as well. That is, Kelley found that this warm/cold manipulation effected subjects perception of a person with whom they had actually encountered, instead of just a hypothetical person whom they had never met. In Kelleys study, a man posing as guest lecturer was introduced to subjects in a neutral manner. Later, one of two notes about the stimulus person were randomly distributed to subjects. One note contained a description of him as being rather warm, while the other note described him as rather cold. Then, the guest lecturer proceeded to give a 20-min discussion to the subjects, while the verbal interaction that between the subjects and the stimulus person was recorded. The recording of the subjects interaction with the instructor was novel, because according to Kelley (1950), no previous studies reported had dealt with the importance of first impres sions for behavior (Kelley, 1950). After the discussion, subjects were asked to rate the personality of the stimulus person on 15 different scales that were predetermined. In addition to rating the stimulus person, subjects were also asked to write free descriptions of him, as well. It was by observing the interaction between the subjects and the stimulus person that Kelley found support for the autistic hostility hypothesis (Newcomb, 1947). The autistic hostility hypothesis states that when someone perceives another individual as cold, that person will limit his or her interactions with the cold person. It was observed by Kelley that students who were in the warm group engaged in discussions more freely and more frequently than those in the cold group (Kelley, 1950). Like Asch, Kelley found that subjects total impression of a person is significantly influenced by the attribution of a central quality such as warmth. Kelleys results showed that subjects who were given preinformation describing him as warm, gave him consistently better ratings on multiple personal attributes than did those who were given preinformation describing the stimulus person as cold. Furthermore, Kelly found that 56% of the warm subjects actively participated in the discussion, as opposed to only 32% of the cold subjects. These studies conducted by Kelley (1950) and Asch (1946) are important because they were both novel and influential. Their early studies stimulated a considerable amount of research concerning the perception of people, specifically a study by Widmeyer Loy (1988). They designed their study with the primary intent to determine whether or not Kelleys warm/cold effect could be replicated in a classroom setting 35 years later. More specifically, they examined the effects of warm/cold manipulation on first impressions of individuals and their teaching ability. In Widmeyer Loys study (1988), a man posing as a guest lecturer gave a neutral lecture to 140 male and 100 female college students. Before the lecture, as in Kelleys study, forms were randomly distributed to subjects describing the instructor. One half of the group received information describing him as rather cold, while the other group received information describing him as rather warm. To half of each of these groups, the stimulus person was said to teach physical education, while the other half of these groups were told that he taught social psychology classes. Following the stimulus persons 40-min lecture, subjects evaluated his personality and teaching ability though a Likert scale and through additional written comments. Results showed that subjects who were told the stimulus person was rather warm rated his personality and his teaching ability more positively than did subjects who were told he was rather cold. Additionally, it was found that the manipulations of both discipl inary status of the instructor and the sex of the subjects had no significant influence on subjects ratings of the stimulus persons teaching ability. Research done by Asch, Kelley, and others is strongly supported by the findings of a similar study conducted by Biggs McAllaster using warm/cold manipulation (1981). In this study, it was found that subjects who were told that a guest lecturer was warm tended to evaluate that person as more favorable than subjects who were led to believe he or she was cold. Additionally, the use of the neutral group (one that was told that the speaker was neither warm nor cold) also helped to reinforce the findings of Asch (Biggs McAllaster, 1981), which will be discussed in further depth along with some interesting novel occurrences within the experiment. Critical Review of Research The studies conducted by Asch, Mensh Wishner, Kelley, Biggs McAllaster, and Widmeyer Loy are similar in ways that link them together and give them the ability to use modifications in order to add to existing research. It is because of these modifications that they all contain important differences that extend the level of research to a new level. One important similarity is that they use all warm/cold modification to discover if subjects total impression of a person is influenced by the attribution of a central quality such as warmth or coldness. All studies found that this modification of adjectives did affect the way the stimulus person was perceived by subjects. Additionally, four out of the five studies use a male as a stimulus person. Interestingly, Biggs McAllister (1981) intentionally uses him or her when discussing the stimulus person. This raises an important question regarding the sex of the stimulus person. Would subjects rating across multiple characteristics such as personality and teaching ability differ if the stimulus person used was a female? It might be interesting to see how a female instructor might be rated by female subjects, and also by male subjects, as well. Another variation of this experiment might seek to investigate the length of the description of the instructor provided to the subjects. It might be interesting to examine whether a longer description would increase or decrease the differences between the cold ratings and the warm ratings. In a longer description, for example, the word warm or cold might be glossed over given the larger amount of information being provided or ultimately missed all together. It is possible, however, that people might accidently read only certain words that help them to form an impression of the stimulus person due to an overload of too much information. Varying the length of the description could be another possible modification of these experiments. It should also be noted that while the study conducted by Asch (1946) found that the use of interchangeable adjectives could influence the descriptions given by subjects about the personality of a hypothetical person, Kelley (1950) found that this warm/cold manipulation effected subjects perception of a person with whom they had actually encountered, instead of just a hypothetical person. Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, no previous studies reported had dealt with the importance of first impressions for behavior according to Kelley (1950). This made Kelleys recording of the subjects interaction with the instructor quite novel, as it had not been reported to have been done by a previous study. Widmeyer Loy (1988) sought to modify and extend Kelleys work in three specific ways which will be discussed below. Since Kelleys study only examined teaching performance indirectly by looking at whether the observers expectation of the instructor was favorable or not, Widmeyer Loy tried to determine whether warm/cold manipulation would affect subjects impression of the instructors teaching ability specifically. Secondly, according to Wilson (1968), an instructors perceived status has an influence on subjects perception of an instructor. For example, physical education is likely to be seen as being less academically prestigious than other disciplines that are more traditional (Seater Jacobson, 1976). These finding were of particular interest to Widmeyer Loy who wanted to determine whether the labels of physical education professor and social psychology professor would have different influences on subjects judgments on an instructors teaching performance, and on their central and peripheral personality traits, respectively. They found, however, that the disciplinary status of the instructor had no significant effect on subjects ratings of the stimulus person. Thirdly, based on evidence that suggests male and female college students assess college-level instructors differently (Lombardo Tocci, 1979), Widmeyer Loy were interested in the sex of the subjects. The subjects in Aschs study were mostly female college students, while Kelleys study included only male college students. Just as Biggs McAllister intentionally used gender-neutral terms when discussing the stimulus person, the sex of the subjects was also went unreported. Widmeyer Loy specifically made efforts to determine if male and female subjects were influenced differently by the preinformation given about the instructor, in regards to the warm/cold variable, by using a mixture of both male and female college students as subjects. It should be noted that Mensh Wishner (1947), seeking to extend on the original research of Asch, also used subjects that were a mix of both male and female students, but despite their modifications to Aschs experiments, the findings in Mensh Wishne r showed that subject sex had significant influence on subjects impression of the stimulus person. Despite the finding that the manipulations of disciplinary status and the sex of subjects has no significant effect on subject ratings (Widmeyer Loy, 1988), effects were found in regard to perceptions of personality and perceptions of teaching ability. In regard to the warm/cold manipulation, significant effects were reported. More specifically, subjects who were told that the stimulus person was warm, perceived him (with regard to personality) as less unpleasant, more sociable, less irritable, less ruthless, more humorous, less formal, and more human compared to subjects to were led to believe that has was a cold person (Widmeyer Loy, 1988). Additionally, in regard to perceptions of teaching ability, it was found that subjects who were told that the stimulus person was rather warm perceived him to be more intelligent, more interesting, more considerate of the class, and more knowledgeable of his material than subjects who were given information that the instructor was cold. These findings strongly support previous research in a number of ways. First, they confirm the hypothesis that the attribution of the central quality of warmth greatly influences the overall impression of subjects on the personality of the instructor. These results also lend support to Kelleys observation that the size of this effect seems to depend upon the closeness of relation between the specific dimension of any given rating scale and the central quality of warmth or coldness' (Kelley, 1950). In other words, it was asserted by Kelley that the warm/cold manipulation does not have an equal influence on all variables. In the studies conducted by Asch, Kelly, Biggs McAllastar, and Widmeyer Loy found that being sociable, humorous and considerate were positively related to warmth, while being proud ruthless and irritable were negatively related to warmth. It was also found that being proud, self-assured and dominant were not related to warmth at all. The discovery that the warm/cold manipulation affects the ratings of some characteristics more than others supports an assertion made by Kelley concerning the extent of the halos effects influence. Kelley states that, the effect cannot be explained altogether on the basis of a simple halo effect (Kelley, 1950). The pattern found by Widmeyer Loy with regard to the differential effects across 12 common scales is similar to the patterns found by both Asch Kelley. This pattern lends support to the explanation given by Kelley of how the effect is dependent on the closeness of the characteristic being rated to the quality of warmth (Kelley, 1950). Any discrepancies in the findings of Widmeyer Loy that do not parallel the patterns in the other studies, lend support to an idea asserted by Mensh Wishners (1947) that depending on the context, the strength of the effect of the warm/cold manipulation can vary. For example, formality was not related to warmth in Widmeyer Loy, while it was related in Kelleys investigation. Biggs McAllister (1981). Using warm/cold manipulation, subjects who were told that a guest lecturer was warm tended to evaluate that person as more favorable than subjects who were led to believe he or she was cold. Additionally, the use of the neutral group (one that was told that the speaker was neither warm nor cold) also helped to reinforce the findings of Asch (Biggs McAllister, 1981). More specifically, the warm/cold comparison made it possible for Biggs McAllister to replicate Kelleys experiment, while the addition of the neutral group allowed them to make sure that other words in the biography were not contributing to differences in the evaluations between the warm and cold groups, as Asch did in his study. Something else that should be taken into consideration is the lecture or discussion led by the stimulus person. In Asch and Mensh Wishners experiments the person described was merely hypothetical, so there was no lecture or discussion. In Biggs McAllisters (1981) study, the stimulus person used was real as opposed to hypothetical. This stimulus person gave a lecture as opposed to an interactive discussion, but not amount of time was reported regarding the length of the lecture given. In Kelleys experiment, the stimulus person led the class in a 20-min discussion and subject verbal interaction was recorded. In Widmeyer Loys experiment, however, the stimulus person gave a 40-min lecture to the subjects, and there was no reported subject interaction with the lecturer. Discussions can vary in formality and the comfort-level of the atmosphere can be influenced, while lectures do not tend to vary as much in these respects. It could be possible that one of these conditions could be easie r or harder for the stimulus to demonstrate intelligence and knowledge of the subject. Also, it may be the case that subject interaction with the instructor could provide a different foundation on which subjects base personality ratings and ratings regarding teaching ability. As previously mention, there were some interesting occurrences within the Biggs McAllaster (1981) experiment. There were two occurrences in particular that should be noted. First, some students realized later, after talking to each other, that some descriptions of the instructor contained the world warm, while others contained the word cold. What was interesting, though, was that one subject later told the instructor that the cold groups description of contained words such as vicious and unforgiving, as well as other negative thing that were not included in the description. It seems that in the perception of the instructors personality, the word cold became combined with extra negative characteristics. The second occurrence to be noted is that one individual from the class felt that she did not have sufficient information to rate the instructor. Her refusal to finish the questionnaire was turned into a positive point of discussion in this study because it demonstrated that her decis ion regarding the personality of the instructor did not have to be made based solely on the information that was provided. Conclusion Each of these studies replicates, modifies, and/or extends the original Asch study pertaining to warm/cold manipulation in a variety of ways. They all lend support to hypothesis that a subject who is told that another person, whether real or hypothetical, is warm will tend to evaluate the stimulus person more favorably than another person who is led to believe he or she is cold. These studies demonstrate how easily first impressions are formed despite limited or even invalid information. Additionally, the experiments can be used to discuss trait theories of personality perhaps and why it would be important to be careful when make predictions based on single traits. Furthermore, the error in cognition referred to as the halo effect can be pointed out since the evaluator is making generalizations about a person from a single personality trait. It is noteworthy that personality characteristics as well as teaching abilities can be influenced by the halo effect. By being perceived as a wa rm person, an instructor would be able to influence students rating of his or her personality as well as teaching abilities. When considering the role that students evaluations of their instructors play in regard to tenure and promotions, these findings have considerable implications within the educations system. Teachers who would like to get ahead, for example, should present themselves being warm. It is possible that students expectations of professors can be influenced by student ratings. These expectations can, in turn, have an influence on the attitude and behavior of the instructor. Thus, these studies have significant educational implications.

Hidden Curriculum Essay -- essays research papers

Hidden Curriculum   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Education is designed to serve many purposes towards the youths of today. It teaches the youth how to be better people and it prepares them for life. Education teaches its pupils knowledge in more that one way, by looking at life in different directions. There is a curriculum that is taught by the teachers and the textbooks, and in addition to the standard schooling there is also a â€Å"hidden curriculum.† Gatto and Rose each have their own style of teaching and learning and their articles explain their unique styles. In college, high school, and even previous schooling, lessons are taught that enforce hidden instruction, but the students that succeed are the ones that recognize this and learn from it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the article â€Å"The Seven-Lesson Schoolteacher,† written by the teacher John Taylor Gatto, he sarcastically talks about how he secretly teaches his students lessons in life without their knowing. His messages teach important things in life such as patience and organization. Gatto’s lessons like these are important for people to learn in school, but they cannot be taught out of a book or in a lesson. He believes these types of lessons must be taught to children within hidden messages to make it easier to learn. Gatto is speaking the truth when he says that the lesson plans of teachers contain much hidden curriculum. For example, Gatto jokingly says that he teaches confusion as one of these mysterious le...

Excel Benefits

Excel system MIS 241-001 NC A&T State University A. Define the competitive advantages of an Excel system in general. An Excel system is very useful in the business world allowing many tasks to be overcome more effortlessly.One advantage is calculations enabling issues to be solved with few errors when dealing with placement of numbers and topic in there needed category; along with number placement there is also so many tools and formulas that make finding an answer so much easier, instead of inputting the mathematical calculations for hours on a piece of paper or entering a formula over and over again an excel system allows this process to be done all at once cutting down on redundancy and error. B.Achieving competitive advantages using information systems. When a company is involved with technology that company is thus allowed to grow and change when change is needed. Information systems are achieving this task thought out the business world, helping to improve efficiency and cu tting down redundancy. This achievement over all allows many companies who are at the cutting edge and using technology to its full potential to have personal achievements of there own, a competitive advantage over there competitors.Technology for a company can be very helpful may it be cutting down cost, cutting down redundancy, improving efficiency and workflow or even allow visibility for improves about their competitors. C. Achieving competitive advantages using Excel. Excel has been in use for years within many businesses even still today; one main function of excel is it allows you to organize, manipulate, and change data that has been entered into excel. Over all for this reason excel can provided a competitive advantage if the data being recorded is used correctly in a way that can only improve business function.This data in turn can be produced into valuable information and used for business intelligence to improve on areas that are not preforming to levels need and really just getting down to the core of an issue by using valuable information. D. Providing three examples/areas of using IS/Excel to achieve competitive advantages and explaining how they are done. Excel allows the user to input data then take that recorded data and covert this recorded data into information that can be used to target, track, and understand the current status of a company, over all utilizing and creating business intelligence.However, on the other hand most company’s have no reason not to involve information systems into there company strategy Information systems in one way can allow a company to connect information from different departments, even using a server and multiple computers to cut down company cost and improve networking between different departments. Another asset of using information systems is that it can allow transitions and shipping to become more visible and even understandable making this process only more simple and effective.

Strategic Warehouse Management

Strategic Warehouse Management Introduction The Southern Boston Massachusetts area proposed for the construction of the warehouse is suitable because of the small number of warehouses that are available in comparison to the available demand. The proposed area holds a lot of potential because the supply chain management and warehouse business has not been well exploited.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Strategic Warehouse Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Research studies indicate that the existing supply chain management systems and available warehouses are not very efficient in their work which has led to the loss of clients for some of the businesses that do business with these supply chain businesses (Stuart, 2011). The area holds a lot of potential for being a source of high income. Research materials on studies that had been conducted in the area showed that some of the existing warehouses had poor delivery times for their clients which made them gain a bad reputation with the consumers. The disadvantage for the consumers is that some of these warehouses are the only sources of the bulk commodities that their customers need to run their businesses therefore. Another potential weakness of existing warehouses that the company can take advantage of is that some of the warehouses in the identified region sometimes run out of the stock that consumers need. If the deliveries to clients could also be made on time, the clients would gain the necessary confidence in the Strategic warehouse management Inc. Company. Before delivery, the staff at the Strategic Warehouse Management Inc. Company that would be set up could first determine the most efficient routes to use to deliver goods to clients. Consideration of minor aspects such as traffic, would result in the saving of time and satisfaction of the customers’ needs. The Strategic Warehouse Management Inc. Company would also form the necessary relationships with the lowest priced producers to ensure that clients get the products they need at lower or similar prices in relation to other Warehousing and supply chain management system businesses in the area (Stuart, 2011). The inefficiency of competitors would result in an economic advantage for the company in terms of high number of clients due to the efficient and convenient services provided by the company especially in comparison to other similar businesses (Mentzer, 2011).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Strategic Warehouse Management Inc Company would strive towards the proficient delivery of the services that clients are in need of. The efficient delivery of services would result in the building of a good name and reputation for the company which would spread to other consumers resulting in growth and development of business. The company could ensure that every c onsumer in the market is aware of the services handled in an efficient manner leading to saving of time and more convenience as needed Tompkins Smith, 1998). The Southern Boston area has good facilities in terms of banks and higher institutions of learning. The close proximity to banks would ensure that transactions could be processed fast to avoid any incidences of delay which might lead to loss of business and impact negatively on the profit margin. The internationally ranked higher institutions of learning would contribute to the highly trained staff that would be needed in the running of the company. Southern Boston also has a wide variety of businesses which would serve as a base for the potential clientele needed by Strategic Warehouse Management Inc. Company (Stuart, 2011). A supply chain Assessment Supply chain is a very important and fast developing field. The field encompasses the activities involved in manufacturing, purchasing of needed products, transportation and dist ribution of this products to where they are needed, at the right condition and at the right time. Supply chain management is integrated with warehousing because the handling of material often includes the storage of these materials before proper logistics can be planned and finalized on (Gattorna, 1998). Supply chain management is a very essential part in the delivery of products to the final consumer since it forms an important link between the manufacturer and the end consumer and all the individuals and processes that are in between such as; transfer and management of necessary data needed in the exchange process, transportation of raw products and processed goods out of factories, storage of the products before they can distributed, controlling of the inventory in the warehouse systems, procuring and managing of the whole supply process (Alexander, 2002). The supply chain management process has also expanded to include demand and supply forecasting and planning, scheduling of op erations, processing of orders and ensuring that customers are served cost efficiently at effective processes for involved firms in the supply chain (Simchi-Levi, Kaminsky Simchi, Levi, 2004). Another importance of Supply chain management systems is that, it results in cost efficiency for firms and ensures that firms remain competitive especially when they are benchmarked with competing organizations. Proper supply chain management allows an organization to be competitive and ensure that goods are supplied to customers at or before the specified time by customers.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Strategic Warehouse Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Effective supply management systems ensure that proper planning of the routes to be taken have been designed, modal analysis performed, preparation of the loading systems completed and the necessary distribution plans designed and the best ones chosen to ensur e fast delivery of goods to consumers(Simchi-Levi, Kaminsky Simchi, Levi, 2004). For most businesses, the key to ensuring that they attract and retain their customers is the fast delivery of ordered goods to consumers. If the goods are not available when needed by clients, the business risks losing existing and potential clients. Therefore all businesses should ensure effective supply management so as to remain competitive in comparison to other businesses and in order to maintain or even exceed set profit margins. Supply chain management has the intent of increasing incomes, reducing incurred costs, ensuring that the assets in an organization are effectively made us of and customers’ needs are met (Stuart, 2011). A warehouse operations plan on how to build and manage the warehousing operations Running of a ware house is not an easy and it requires a lot of planning and dedication to execute the necessary operations to the warehouse in order to serve clients cost effectively while increasing revenue and ensuring that customers’ needs are met. A warehouse operations plan should include the human resource planning for the warehouse, layout plan for the space of storage for materials to handled, proper installation and availability of handling equipment and up to date warehouse management systems (Alexander Communications, 2002). The proper documentation needed in order to be legally permitted to build up a warehouse should be sourced from the necessary authorities so that the work to put up a warehouse can begin. It would be highly preferred to work with individuals that have already worked in the construction of a warehouse because they would be at a better position to understand the concepts used in the construction of a warehouse. The services of an efficient project manager should be acquired to ensure that construction of the warehouse takes place within a given time line that the plan of having the warehouse running is not stalled (Mentzer, 2001).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Depending on the funds that are available, the building would be expected to take a period of about six months to one year. After the warehouse building has been completed, the warehouse management should start sourcing for the right human resources for the warehouse. One of the most important resources in a warehouse is the human resource which the organization should ensure are highly skilled in their areas of expertise. The right number of employees should be sourced. Too many employees would be an unnecessary expense to the company while a low number of employees would result in poor outcomes such as poor customer service because they would be overworked and not perform their duties effectively. The different expected duties of employees should be divided into different categories to enable proper recruiting of needed personnel (Tompkins Smith, 1998). Receiving of orders, storage and picking of orders are different function as that should be allocated to different people especi ally because of the different documentation processes that are required for effective and smooth running of the warehouse. Within the major roles of receiving, storage and dispatch of commodities in the warehouse, are the smaller roles such as inspection of the commodities to ensure that they are in good shape when received and before delivery to clients, controlling of the available stock and ordering of more when the available stock is about to get finished, packing and loading of the commodities stored in the warehouse (Lambert, 2008). The layout section of the warehouse should also be planned for. Warehouse activities such as receiving and loading of the stored commodities, development of actual spaces needed for the warehouse activities and the estimation of the necessary space for receiving and loading should be accounted for. Depending on the type of commodities to be stored, shelves should be installed to ensure efficient and maximum utilization of available space. After mak ing a layout plan, it should be reconciled with available space and revisions of available space made where necessary. For example storage space could be reduced if it is found that the available loading space is insufficient (Tompkins Smith, 1998). Concluding recommendation using supporting rationale derived from the above mentioned items I would recommend that Strategic Warehouse Management Inc. Company begins its sets up of â€Å"super warehouses† in Southern Boston stemming from the results of the research that had been carried out on the area that indicated that there is a gap in efficient warehouse and supply chain management which would result in raking in of high profit margins for the company. The establishment of warehouses in Southern Boston would also serve as a marketing tool for the Strategic Warehouse Management Inc. Company due to the efficient services that the company would offer thus earn a good name for itself. Proper supply management is important for mo st companies to ensure that they remain competitive when they are benchmarked with other organizations in the same industry. That is why efficient supply chain management is a very important toll in ensuring that an organization gets to, and stays at the top. Nowadays, supply chain management includes; procurement, purchasing, information management systems, storage, storage management, logistics and distribution. Organizations are able to take advantage and maximize on proper supply chain management, can be able to maximize on profits since clients would be aware of the reliability and speed that such a company delivers commodities to clients. Establishment of warehouses would include building of warehouses by the company. The building of the warehouses should be allocated to a construction company with a proven track record of delivery of services to clients. The warehouses that would be constructed would be staffed with highly trained personnel to ensure customer satisfaction and efficient record keeping and management of the warehouses. The lay out plans for the warehouses would be made very efficiently to ensure that all the available space would be utilized to the maximum. Proper arrangement of the warehouse can increase space for storage and convenience for loading and offloading of the goods to and from the warehouse respectively. Any necessary installation of equipment would be made to ensure that the storage is increased and convenient for the types of goods to be stored in the different warehouses. Strategic Warehouse Management Inc. would maximize on the expertise that it holds in warehouse management and strategically place itself as a market leader that offers delivery of commodities in a convenient, cost effective and timely manner in comparison to other companies offering similar services (Simchi-Levi, Kaminsky Simchi- Levi, 2004). References Alexander, C. (2002). Warehouse Management Control New York, NY: Alexander Communications Inc. Gattor na, J. (1998). Strategic Supply Chain Alignment. England: Gower Publishing Ltd. Lambert, D.L. (2008). Supply Chain Management. Florida: Hartley Press. Mentzer, T.J. (2001). Supply Chain Management. California, CA: Sage Publications. Simchi-Levi, D., Kaminsky, P. Simchi, Levi, E. (2004). Managing the Supply Chain: The Definitive Guide for the Business. Ohio: Cengage. Stuart, E. (2011). Excellence in Warehouse Management. Massachusetts: Wiley. Tompkins, J.A. Smith, D.J. (1998). Warehouse Management Handbook. New York, NY: Rosen.