Balance Sheets for the four quarters Essay Example for Free

Balance Sheets for the four quarters Essay To evaluate how I utilized both budgets and pro-formas to ensure the adequacy of funds for providing production capacity that was needed to achieve the businesses goals. I want to first start with the definition of both pro-forma and budget; A budget is a basic idea that covers more than a few areas, all in all its a financial plan that is made to control costs for operations and results. It can be expressed in a multitude of numerical terms, it also can cover a certain period of time, short, intermediate and long term goals. A pro-forma is also a financial statement but it is prepared based upon assumptions of specific events and transactions that will hopefully occur in the Future, so basically a projected estimate using historical data to form a hypothesis of A financial outcome. The importance of both the pro-forma and budget were huge. Knowing going into the simulation how much seed money was going to be issued and how much additional money was coming in future investments, gave me an idea of how aggressive or conservative I could be. I was able to to set with an initial idea of how much I could spend for each factor needed moving forward. I was able to understand how much to market, how much to hire and how much I could afford for each of these tasks, as well as how much was coming into pay for future marketing and hires. Without advertising there are no customers, without a good sales and service staff there are no sales, or an ability to take care of the customer. In the opening quarter of the company I had a 2 million dollar start-up fund. My upfront expenses were approximately $530,000. I also chose to invest in a 3 month CD about $880,000, I made sure in my first endeavor to keep money available and not to over indulge. I took similar approaches going into each additional quarter; thereafter I wouldreview what was spent and estimate what was coming in and at that point I would hire more employees, adjust and raise benefits and increase marketing. My sales force and marketing expenses doubled from quarter two to quarter three and rose another 49 percent from quarter three to quarter four. These two factors in my opinion are the biggest of a profitable company, as sales and marketing grow and increase your company will thrive. At the end of each quarter I would review the results in these areas and make assessments on how much additional advertising I needed based upon sales numbers of the individual computers Mercedes and the Traveler. Based upon production and the competition I would review to see if I was going to increase the sales force and the compensation plan. The overall outcome of both areas had my company in NWL as the top employers at 83 out of a maximum 84 Score; also in regards to marketing effectiveness in NWL my company had a 92 out of a 97 maximum Score thats how I used the budget and pro-forma to help NWL achieve its goals. B.2. To evaluate how I employed Just In Time or JIT and Lean Operations to improve operating efficiency in my manufacturing facility, again as part of moving forward I want to define these two strategies before I explain how I use them. A) Just In Time or JIT is a production strategies to improve a business return on investment ROI by reducing in-process inventory as well as the associated carrying cost. This is done by only receiving goods as they are needed in the overall process, this helps cut overall inventory costs. B) Lean Operations simply supplies a customer with exactly what the customer needs when and only when the customer wants it without waste with this constant improvement, the emphasis and focus is on understanding the customer. Both JIT and Lean Operations can help with the overall increase of return on investment or ROI. In regards to how my simulation for NWL worked with these strategies, I would say in NWL ran overly Lean to a fault. I ran my operation capacity at 65 and my fixed capacity at 75 which was the second lowest of my competitors on both accounts. This was a huge negative for my company since it cost me over 2100 in lost sales. This would have increased my sales by approximately 33 percent which would have lowered the overall production costs and increase profits. I finished number 2 in sales with thehighest average price of computer. With a 33 percent increase in sales had I run a better production operation I would have had a lager profitability for a already profitable simulation. I did not key into the right places when I reviewed the early production numbers which cost me when it came to changing Operating and Fixed Capacities. I was overly cautious and my end result was indicative of this and caused big loses for NWL. B.3. Work Cells vs Traditional Straight Line Production. A Work Cell is defined to be a arrangement of machines and personnel that focuses on making a single product or family related products. Traditional Straight Line Production Is the standard assembly line style of manufacturing. Work may start in one department until that phase is complete. Then the product moves onto the next department for the next phase and the next and so on. The major difference between the two is efficiency and cost differentials. In a work cell method there are a multitude of benefits, from a reduction in work area needed, speed of production completion and number of associates needed just to name a few. All of which are in line with the thought process of JIT and Lean Operations which in turn increases ROI (return on investment). Five distinct advantages in the work cell vs the assembly line (1)Tasks are grouped, therefore inspections can be immediate. (2)Fewer workers are needed because of cross training. (3)The workers can access more of the work area. (4)Work areas are more efficiently balanced. (5)Enhanced communication based upon the shape of the work cell. These advantages can help lead to fewer employees reaching higher production numbers. Which in the simulation could have led to smaller start-up companies making more cost efficient production goals happen along with how well a micro computer company could make a work cell arrangement payoff positively. B.4. Evaluation of decisions involving inventory management in the Marketplace Simulation Inventory is defined as raw materials, work-in-progress goods and completely finished goods that are considered to be the portion of the businesses assets that are ready or will be ready for sale. Inventory represents one of the most important assets that most companies possess, because the turnover of inventory represents one of the primary sources of revenue generation and subsequent earnings for the company. In the marketplace simulation NWL was not very successful at inventory management in the attempt to run Just-in-Time (JIT) and Lean Operations, I ended up with sold out product and a enormous loss in sales. The lost sales totaled 50 percent of the total sales, which meant there could have been an additional 33 percent positive sales increase if the inventory was managed properly. These were losses of 1000 Travelers units and 1103 Mercedes units, those totals losses of $3,312,730 in gross profit. That was based upon the final sales and not taking into account any production savings by the increased sales volume. That could have increased gross profit by a minimum of 47 percent, if I had it to do over again paying more attention to the inventories would have been a possible windfall. B.5. A continuous improvement program that could have been used to improve and achieve quality assurance goals could have been either Employee Empowerment or Bench-marking. Employee Empowerment involves employees in every step of the production process. Employees are on the front lines and know what is going on in every aspect and on all fronts. If employees find problems they can fix them or help fix them. Whom better in handling an issue then the ones most familiar with the process, if a shortcoming is found an experienced a periodic quality circle can address it. Its been proven that most quality issues are either material or the process, its not usually the employees performance. If a Bench-marking program were to be implemented, the first step would be to established what the benchmark would be. Examples of which are; Percentage of Defects, Cost per unit processing time, Lost sales due to Out-of-Stocks and Customer Satisfaction Rates. If these type of factors were used in my situation, I would have used either Lost sales due to Out-of-Stocks or Customer Satisfaction Rates. mainly because I would have found out possibly a better way of keeping product in stock which could have reduced lost sales as well as a negative customer satisfaction due to no product. The benchmark team can find out what and how benchmark partners were doing to achieve their sales goals by tracking and keeping product stock, whereas to assure customer satisfaction. Then we could analyze the data from the partners and take the appropriate steps to move beyond and keep the process continually improving. C. Sources Investopedia (2013) A Division of ValueClick â€Å"www.investopedia.com†

Personal Narrative- Helping Others Essay -- Personal Narrative Writing

Personal Narrative- Helping Others Declining standards of living and continuing exportation of our jobs have resulted in rising stress levels for all Americans. This results in negative effects on our well being – mentally, physically and emotionally. Some people seek to reduce stress levels by using alcohol and drugs. Some overwork themselves, resulting in mental breakdowns. The pharmaceutical giants pocket billions of dollars a year from sales of tranquillisers, anti-depressants, barbiturates, amphetamines, and other psychoactive medications. We know we must learn to control stress in safer, saner, and healthier ways. So we read about Yoga or Aromatherapy, or maybe Feng Shui. We think about doing stress-management courses. We try to get more exercise and fresh air. We check for preservatives and other additives in our foods, and stock up on multi-vitamins. All useful and worthwhile ideas. But one stress-buster that we don’t hear much about is helping others. A loving or supportive act, unsolicited and unconditional, can brighten another’s life and return to us as contentment and a sense of well being. When we involve ourselves in helping someone else, we overcome the self-centred nature of our own anxieties. Living in huge centres of population, as so many of us do, often means that we lack the interaction and co-operation with neighbours which would have been so much a part of my grandparents’ lives. It’s understandable, I suppose, that constantly feeling our space invaded, we go out of our way to preserve some sort of privacy -- and end up cutting ourselves off from people who live only yards away from us. On the other hand, for those of us who have access to it, the Internet has brought a whole n... ...y own heart is its campaigning on behalf of the â€Å"unknowns† – those prisoners who are tortured or at risk of death in obscure circumstances, and whose names rarely reach the international media. You can read about some of these desperate people at www.stoptorture.org. The theologian Reinhold Niebuhr coined the ultimate expression of empowerment: (God) grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. By joining in Amnesty’s work, we can change things. By each sending an Amnesty 'Stop Torture' postcard to five friends, together we have the potential to add thousands to the list membership and constantly increase their influence. Can you imagine how many lives could be changed, or even saved, if all of us showed someone imprisoned and forgotten that we really do care?

Sociology & Suicide

Introduction to Sociology Performance Assessment Task #1: Sociology & Suicide Amy M. Ehlert Northcentral Technical College Abstract In this paper, I introduce Emile Durkheim's ideas of suicide and the four types. I also discuss the sociological perspectives of the variations in suicide rates that Durkheim's theory is able to explain. Finally, in conclusion, I offer my own personal views on the topic of suicide and propose ways that society could prevent suicide. Emile Durkheim was a French sociologist who published one of many books, entitled, â€Å"Suicide†. In it, he showed the different suicide rates between Protestant and Catholic people. This book was published in 1897, so, it reflects his findings at that point in time. Some of the theories that Durkheim established about suicide being at a higher rate include the following: * Men than women * Single than married * Childless than with children * Protestants than Catholics/Jews * Soldiers than civilians * Times of peace than in times of war * Scandinavian countries * Higher education level The four subtypes of suicide that Durkheim recognized were: egoistic, altruistic, anomic, and fatalistic. Egoistic suicide resulted from a feeling of not belonging or having no sense of meaning. Altruistic was being overwhelmed by a society's beliefs and they feel less important. Anomic was from a person's basic lack of not knowing where they fit in. Finally, fatalistic suicide, which is the rarest, is when a person's future or what they are passionate about are oppressed by harsh discipline. The longitudinal variation in Durkheim's theory is pretty much constant in that during each decade, the rates stay about the same. They range from a low of 10. 6/100,000 in 1960 to a high of 12. 4/100,000 in 1990. The average rate remains around 11. 39/100,000. No matter the difference in integration, social ties or freedom, the suicide rates remain about the same. Suicide rates are higher among college students because they tend to have more stress in their lives or more things to worry about. They have all new things to worry about and do not have the closeness of their parents to help them as they did before. Some occupations can increase suicide rates and they include dentists, artists, teachers, etc. The type of work the person does and if they are depended on by others for their work can push these people to suicide. Single people tend to have higher suicide rates than married. When you are married, you are part of a functioning unit and dependent upon each other. Adding children into the mix does and can add stress but also makes one happier, in my opinion. Single people are more isolated and less likely to have such close bonds. As for those with advancing age, they just seem to have given up. They think they have lived their lives and what more can they do? The late Dr. Kevorkian tended a lot of assisted suicides requested mostly by elderly people. The median age of Dr. Kevorkian's patients was 74. That really shows how the elderly just seem to want to give up and pass on. Among the black and white youth population, Durkheim showed it was more likely for white youngsters, especially those who were wealthy, to take their own lives. This seemed to be due to even though these white youths had more economic advantage, they were often socially isolated. However, black youth suicide is on the rise in our country. I read that this is due to the breakdown of family and easier access to alcohol and drugs. However, the biggest factor is the increase of the black middle class, which puts more stress on these kids from their new social surroundings. In conclusion, I believe a lot of suicides generally stem from a cry for help. In my past, I have had these types of thoughts and am currently on an anti-depressant. There should be more literature available, especially for our youth, so they can be thoroughly educated on suicide. From my own personal experience, most attempted suicides are a cry for help. These people want help but not in a condescending way. They don't want to be made fun of or made to feel like crap for their feelings. They just want to be understood. At least that is how I always felt. I believe there should be more youth groups or places youngsters can go and get involved in a healthy manner. Even for those who feel isolated by the normal groups in schools like athletics, choir, etc. There should be a community center specializing in groups of different interests; that are not offered in a typical educational environment. So, overall, I propose more education on suicide, a better understanding of those who are suicidal or depressed, and a place for the community to help them, not just our youth but all of our society. REFERENCES Macionis, J. J. (2009). Sociology (13th Ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. , publishing as Prentice Hall. Suicide (book). (n. d. ). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved Sept. 11, 2011, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Suicide_(book). Randall, Vernellia R. (1993, 2008). Suicide Among Black Youth 1980-1995. Retrieved Sept. 11, 2011, from http://academic. udayton. edu/health/01status/suicide01. htm. Massango, Rataemane and Motojesi (2008). Suicide and suicide risk factors: A literature review. CPD Article, p. 25-28. Retrieved Sept. 1, 2011, from http://www. safpj. co. za/index. php/safpj/article/viewFile/1302/1305. Maris, Berman, Silverman and Bongar, (2000). The Comprehensive Textbook of Suicidology: Part II: Sociodemographic and Epidemiological Issues, p. 194-203. Retrieved Sept. 11, 2011, from http://books. google. com/books? id=Zi-xoFAPnPMC&pg=PA202&lpg=PA202&dq#v=onepage&q&f=false. Physician-Assisted Suicide Advocate Dr. Jack Kevorkian to be released from prison. (May 27, 2007). Retrieved Sept. 11, 2011, from http://www. foxnews. com/story/0,2933,275712,00. html.

Christianity Judaism and Islam in todays society - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 819 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2019/07/31 Category Religion Essay Level High school Tags: Judaism Essay Did you like this example? In todays society, there are a lot of contentious acts that have been caused because of the different beliefs that other people have in their religions. The problem with that, is the United States is a free country, yet we still will call people out for being in a different religion than the majority practices. Although there are many problems with people believing differently than what a great portion does, there are three main religions and they have many similarities and differences; Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, but there is a lot of information on just those three religions themselves. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Christianity Judaism and Islam in todays society" essay for you Create order Christianity is 31.2% of the populations, although the religions of Islam, and Judaism do not take up as much of the population, it is predicted that by 2050 that these two religions will surpass Christianity by far. Christianity is a very common religion in the United States of America, and their religion and teachings are based on the teachings of the Jesus of Nazareth. After people die, christians believe that they go to heaven if people do believe in him and trust him they go to heaven, but if the people do not, they go to hell. Each religion has a different text or scripture that they read from, and for Christians its the bible. Between the holy scripture that the Christians use, there are many different holy places. An example of a few are: Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Lourdes (a popular place of pilgrimage), Rome, and Canterbury. Christianity is a very complicated religion, but they can have very simple beliefs. Many of the people in this religion do very helpful things for their communities. In the religion of Judaism, there are only Jewish people because in order to be in this religion people have to be born into to the religion or have a family member that was Jewish. The religious figure for the Jewish people is HaShem, he is called by this name, although his name was formerly known as Tetragrammaton. There is a vast amount of sacred texts in this religion, but one of the larger texts is the Hebrew Bible, and also the Torah. In the Jewish religion, they believe that nothing really happens after death. If you ask a Jewish person what happens after death, they may say one of the three things: dont care, dont know, or two men three afterlives. The last phrase means one single person could have three different views on the afterlife because there is no definitive answer to what happens to a person after the die. Although the information of a Jewish afterlife is just belief, there is a sacred place in the city of Jerusalem. The last religion is Islam, and one fact about this particular religion is, it is one of the three religions that have a lot in common, from their beliefs to the way they practice them. The religious figure in Islam is the same god as Judaism, HaShem. There are a lot of sacred texts, and one of the main sacred texts is the Quran, but these religions also have a sacred building called Mosque, which has the Quran located inside. Islam and Death states, Muslims believe that on a day decided by Allah, and known only to Allah, life on earth will come to an end and she will destroy everything. Islam and Death also states, On this day all the people who have ever lived will be raised from the dead and will face judgement by Allah. Muslims believe that they will remain in their graves until this day. This day is called by several names; and one of them is called, the last hour. There are many similarities and differences in the religions, of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. One of the major similarities is, the religions, all come from Abraham and his sons Ishmael, and Isaac. These religions also share the old testament, a belief in God, and believe in the afterlife. The biggest difference in the three religions is that most Christians believe that Jesus was divine, and the son of God. Islam reveres Jesus as a prophet only, and this religion does not think that he was in any way holy. Judaism also does not think Jesus is the Son of God. Within the religions Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, there are many similarities and differences, but those are the main ones. In conclusion, there is a plethora of information on Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, but there are also a number of facts and information on the similarities and differences. People around the world practice many different things, and there are a vast amount of religions, but only 4,200 religions remain. In the religion Judaism(Jewish people), there is no definitive answer, for how many people practice Judaism, because the number is always changing. One more thing, if a person references a Jewish person as a Jew, it is likely they will get offended.