The Global Cement Industry and Cemex’s Penetration Strategy Into International Markets free essay sample

My report argues that demand and capacity creation in developing economies is a major driver in the global cement industry, which given the nature of the product (high transportation costs arising from its bulk) is prone to major company expansion by mergers and acquisitions. Cemex’s expansion strategy focuses on merger and acquisition (Mamp;A), mainly exploiting its expertise of operating in difficult institutional environments and taking advantage of opportunities arising from difficulties in developing market economies. The company successfully adapts best practice and technologies from its acquisitions throughout the wider company. My report begins with definitions, presents an overview of the global cement industry (section two) key players in the industry (section three) and Mamp;A trends (section four). I then analyse Cemex’s entry strategies by exploring in turn the regions into which it has expanded (section five) drawing conclusions on its penetration strategy. 1Introduction and definitions Cement is a binding substance, which sets and hardens independently binding other materials together. We will write a custom essay sample on The Global Cement Industry and Cemex’s Penetration Strategy Into International Markets or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It is intended for use in building or construction material and can withstand varying environmental conditions. About 75% of cement production is used in ready-mixed concrete to be utilized in construction. The remaining 25%, Portland Cement Association (2009) shows, is used for paving roads or extracting oil. As Selim and Salem (2010) indicate basic raw materials for cement production are iron, aluminium, silicon and calcium. Normally cement is divided as Portland cement, Portland cement blends and non-Portland hydraulic cements. Portland cement, which can be roughly divided into White Portland and Gray Portland, is the most commonly used type as it is the basic ingredient of concrete (Cemex, 2013a, PCA, 2013). There are two different processes used in the manufacture of cement – dry process and wet process. In the wet process, the raw materials, after properly proportioned, are ground with water, thoroughly mixed and fed into the kiln in the form of a slurry (containing enough water to make it fluid). In the dry process, raw materials are ground, mixed, and fed to the kiln in a dry state instead. In other respects, the two processes are essentially alike (PCA, 2013). However, the dry process was considered to be more sufficient than the wet one since it consumes less energy. On the other hand, the dry process requires more investment in equipment and plants. Cement manufactures in developing countries have widely adopted the wet process but the transformation to the dry process is underway on a large scale. 2An overview of the global cement industry This section discusses the nature of the global cement industry, including the market size and market potential, the nature of cement products, market supply and demand and related environmental issues, to provide a broad view to understand the nature of competition. The following are the main characteristics of the global cement industry. Huge market – especially emerging markets Cement is the primary and indispensable material in infrastructure construction for every country. Although it only accounts for around 6–13% in construction costs (Chandramouli, 2012), there are few substitutes for it (Wesley, 2009). Hence there is a potential huge global market with strong contracts between developed and developing countries. While the developed countries mostly have steady and limited demand for cement, the developing world is a more promising market, as a result of large-scale constructions: the demand of cement is positively correlated with a nation’s economic development. World demand for cement is growing by 4. 7% per annum reaching 6% growth in 2012, with total consumption of 3. 78 million tons (CW Group, 2012). Consumption in developing countries drives this growth in Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe, and the Middle East regions; China is the strongest driver. In contract, consumption in Europe has been stalled and the growth rate of consumption in the US is a steady 2%. Therefore, developing countries are the main drivers of the growth in cement demand – a trajectory likely to continue. Cost is dominated by oil price and transportation Due to the specificity of cement products, in the cement industry, oil price and transportation cost are dominant factors affecting cost. The cement industry is energy intensive and thus fuel costs is the most critical part in cement manufacturing, constituting 35% of total cost of production (Das, 2011). Therefore, the fluctuation of fuel price, especially oil price, has impacts greatly on production cost. During the first quarter of 2012, the oil price had kept rising and was 12% up by the end of 2011. At that time, the cement industry increased prices to cover higher fuel cost. In June 2012, Caribbean Cement Company Limited increased the price of bagged cement by 9. %, and the company claimed that its ex-factory was still among the lowest in five other regional markets. Cement is, clearly, a type of high weight-to-price ratio product and it is usually purchased in bulk. As a consequence, transportation expenditure is relatively high and restricts the spatial reach of markets. It is more feasible to produce cement domestically or to import cement products from neighbouring countries to reduce the transportation fee. Hence, the scale of international cement trade is small (5%-7%) when compared with total cement production worldwide (Selim and Salem, 2010). The demand of cement can be unpredictable Since cement production is largely dependent on infrastructure constructions, as Wesley (2009) argues, national construction polices and projects drives demand: sales volume is more sensitive to construction levels than to price. Over the long-term perspective, changes in social factors such as population and economic growth also affect cement consumption. The residential day-to-day demand for cement can be uncertain; it may be disrupted by unexpected situations such as bad weather (Wesley, 2009). Constantly related with environmental issues Although cement is locally produced in most cases, the impact of cement production is global, especially its environmental aspects; as Selim and Salem (2010) argues. The mass production with high-energy consumption brings pollution, producing 5% of the world’s total emission of greenhouse gases Loreti (2008) and Uwasu et al. (2012) estimate This pollution is produced mainly in developing countries, which are the main production locations of cement. China alone, being the world’s leader in carbon dioxide emission and cement production, has 15% of its emission contributed by cement the World Resources Institute (2008) suggests. The environmental issue becomes extremely urgent and pushes major global players to set up stricter emission standards on the cement industry. 3Top players and in global cement industry The table below shows the largest 20 cement producers in the world. It can be seen that top global players in this industry are either from Western Europe or from emerging markets, especially China. Rank| Company/Group| Country| Capacity (Mt/yr)| No. of plants| 1| Lafarge| France| 225| 166| 2| Holcim| Switzerland| 217| 149| 3| CNBM| China| 200| 69| 4| Anhui Conch| China| 180| 34| 5| Heidelberg Cement| Germany| 118| 71| | Jidong| China| 100| 100| 7| Cemex| Mexico| 96| 61| 8| China Resources| China| 89| 16| 9| Sinoma| China| 87| 24| 10| Shanshui| China| 84| 13| 11| Italcementi| Italy| 74| 55| 12| Taiwan Cement| Taiwan| 70| -| 13| Votorantim*| Brazil| 57| 37| 14| CRH**| Ireland| 56| 11| 15| UltraTech| India| 53| 12| 16| Huaxin| China| 52| 51| 17| Buzzi| Italy| 45| 39| 18| Eurocement| Russia| 40| 16| 19| Tianrui| China| 35| 11| 20| Jaypee***| India| 34| 16| Table 1 Global cement companies 1-20 ranked by capacity Source: Global Cement Magazine, 2012 * Includes 15Mt/yr of capacity from Cimpor shares. * Cement capacity calculated from clinker capacity assuming clinker factor of 95%. ***As in April 2012. Table 2 indicates top cement producing countries – again, fast-developing countries are the main force driving cement production. Rank| Country| Capacity (Mt)| 1| China| 2000| 2| India| 210| 3| USA (inc. Puerto Rico)| 68. 4| 4| Turkey| 64| 5| Brazil| 62. 6| 6| Russia| 52| 7| Iran| 52| 8| Vietnam| 50| 9| Japan| 47| 10| Korea, Republic of| 46| 11| Egypt| 45| 12| Saudi Arabia | 44| 13| Thailand| 36| 14| Italy| 35| 15| Mexico| 35| 16| Germany| 33| 17| Pakistan| 30| 18| Indonesia| 22| 19| Spain| 20. 7| Other countries (rounded)| 480| | World total (rounded)| 3400| Table 2: Top global cement producing countries by installed capacity (2011, estimated) Source: Mineral Commodity Summaries 2012 From the tables above, it can be concluded that China is the leader in both cement production and consumption due to its large scale infrastructure construction and fast development, representing more than half of the world’s total consumption. India follows China as the second largest consumer while also having large producing capacity. The United States is the largest cement consumer in the developed world. Major Mamp;A trends As the Economist (1999) illustrates, larger players in the cement sector frequently undertake mergers and acquisitions (Mamp;A) domestically and globally, to increase market share and benefit from economies of scale. The Economist goes on to argue that this high level of Mamp;A activity is driven by the nature of the cement industry since cement production is localised and transportation costs are high; thus global producers need to purchase local companies to enter new markets, especially when a domestic market is saturated or in downturn. Since the 1970s, the cement industry in the developed world has been saturated and there is little space for market expansion. Developing countries have consequently become the target market for expanding new capacity and seizing market share a trend clear since the 1990s. The industry is therefore becoming more of a monopoly with oligarchic key players taking the important decisions, making Mamp;A decisions, guided of course by changing economic and market conditions. In the 1990s, global cement giants saw great opportunities for Mamp;A and competed to purchase market share in rapidly developing markets at good prices. For example, the Mexican Peso crisis (1994) resulted in a currency flight to US dollars and Peso devaluation, a situation Cemex turned to their advantage, Wesley (2009) argues, by purchasing Latin American cement companies at undervalued prices. Similarly, after the Asian financial crisis in 1997, the Asian cement industry fell into a downturn. Global cement giants took advantage and purchased leading cement companies in the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia as bargains. At that time, six global giants purchased seventeen of the nineteen Philippine cement companies leaving Lafarge, Holcim and Cemex controlling 88% of the nation’s cement capacity. When the regional economy recovered, Cembusiness (2006) suggests, the price of cement rose again quickly and these multinational giants benefited from huge profits in Southeast Asia. 5Cemex’s entry strategy into international markets Cemex is currently the world’s third largest cement producer headquartered in Monterrey, Mexico. Although Cemex founded 107 years ago, it had been a domestic player for its first 80 years and did not start its global expansion until the 1990s. Its Mamp;A progress has been remarkable: it now operates profitably in 50 countries in the world with 44000 employees and annual sales of US$15. 14 billion (Cemex, 2013a). In general, as Hill (2008) points out, a firm’s entry modes into foreign markets include exporting, contracts (licensing or franchising), foreign direct investment (joint venture and wholly owned subsidiary, including Mamp;A) and strategic alliances. As discussed above, global cement giants, including Cemex, mainly enter foreign markets through Mamp;A. Specifically, as a global player from an emerging market, Cemex needs to build its own competitive advantage during its internationalisation processes to cope with its disadvantageous competitive position vis-a-vis companies from developed countries. In short, Cemex is diversifying its market position through internationalisation (Liu, 2013). As Cemex’s expansion history extends spatially, I now turn to discuss its entry strategies into the global market by regions, which are shown in table 3. Cement production capacity (Million metric tons/year)| Cement plants controlled| Sales (millions of US dollars)| Mexico| 29. 3| 15| 3,474| United States| 17. 1| 13| 2,521| Northern Europe| 11. 9| 7| 4,729| Mediterranean| 18. 8| 12| 1,719| South, Central America and the Caribbean| 12. 8| 11| 1,745| Asia| 5. 7| 3| 505| Others| -| -| 445| Total| 95. 6| 61| 15,139| Table 3: Global review o f Cemex’s operations As of December 31, 2011 Source: Cemex Annual Report 2011 Europe Europe was Cemex’s first step in global expansion. In July 1992, as Wesley (2009) reports, Cemex acquired two of the largest cement companies – Valenciana and Sanson – in Spain, with Valenciana becoming its regional hub holding company for all of Cemex’s future international acquisitions. However, significant movement into Spain, Europe did not become the main destination of Cemex as this region had limited potential for growth. More importantly, European players such as the French Lafarge and German Heidelberg controlled the European region. These European giants had advantages of scale, market share and advanced technology. What Cemex needed was not only the action of acquiring: it needed the advantages of the post-merger integration to catch up and improve. After purchasing Valenciana and Sanson, Cemex integrated its two Spanish subsidiaries by merging and streamlining the organisations and improved its technological and operational implementation. Cemex’s other substantial step in Europe was the purchase in 2005 of RMC, the world’s largest producer of ready-mixed concrete based in the UK. With this acquisition Cemex doubled its size, adding 20 mainly European markets (Cemex, 2013a) and managed to extend its product mix, becoming top producers of not only cement but also concrete and other construction aggregate (China Cement Net, 2005). Latin America Cemex made a series of acquisitions in Latin America, benefiting from the close psychic distance and geographic proximity to Mexico. Furthermore, in the 1990s, Latin America was an underdeveloped market with a high growth trajectory. Although at that time, Latin American countries were in a turbulent political and institutional condition with poor infrastructure and limited market information, Cemex viewed these conditions as advantages Fleury and Fleury (2011) argue, exploiting its experience in dealing with chaotic market environments in its home country and captured the opportune moment of the Peso crisis in 1994. Cemex moved into Latin America, including Central America and the Caribbean, by acquisitions in Venezuela (1994), Panama (1994), Dominican republic (1995), Colombia (1996), Costa Rica (1999), Nicaragua (2001), and Puerto Rican (2002) (see Cemex, 2013a). Latin America has been an important destination for Cemex, especially in the decade since the Peso crisis. During this decade foreign cement giants divided up the Latin American market due to the collapse of local producers and Cemex gained the dominant position. After acquiring those companies, Lessard and Reavis (2009) suggest, Cemex also upgraded its administration, production and technologies in this region, exploiting learning from the company’s operations in Mexico and Spain. Although Cemex has a noteworthy presence in Latin American countries, its production capacity in South, Central America and the Caribbean accounts for only 13. 4% of its total sales in 2011, less than its capacity in the United States, Northern Europe and Mediterranean respectively and less than half of its domestic capacity (Cemex, 2011). However, there has been a rapid increase in South America and the Caribbean since mid-2000s, as a result of higher levels of public expenditure on infrastructure, industrial and commercial development and housing construction (United Nations ECLAC, 2007). Hence Cemex controls its closest emerging market area, with the exception of Brazil. The USA The United States, unlike other developed countries, remains a major consumer and producer of cement products; however, few its cement producers are American-owned. In the 1970s, Wesley (2009) points out, when Cemex was a domestic firm, most US cement producers were already taken over by European companies. Cemex’s significant incursion into US market was the purchase of American producer Southdown in 2000. Southdown was one of the largest American cement producers and it was state-owned. Cemex’s purchase followed a 20-year joint venture with Southdown called Sunbelt in 1986: following disagreements on management fees and the price of imported cement, the partnership dissolved and Southdown supported anti-dumping measures against Mexican producers (Wesley, 2009). By late 1990s, Southdown was making profits from its upgraded plants and lower costs whilst unsatisfactorily performing on the stock market, enabling Cemex to buy Southdown for $2. billion in November 2000 (Cemex, 2000), becoming North America’s largest cement producer, obtaining Sothdown’s advanced production capacity and markets and circumventing anti-dumping duties. Another Cemex step into North America (Black, 2007) was the purchase of the Rinker Corporation, an Australia-based concrete maker that had about 80% of its sales in the US, notably increasing its share of the U. S. concrete market. Asia Cemex turned its attention into Asia after 1997, seeing the potential in Asian growth and Mamp;A opportunities following the financial crisis in southeast Asia (Wesley, 2009). In the next few years, Cemex made acquisitions in the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and India. Following rapid economic development and large-scale construction in Asia, by 2011 Cemex only managed to have the capacity of 5. 7 million metric tons in this region, representing only 6% of Cemex global capacity. Cemex failed to gain significant market share in China and India, the two largest Asian cement markets: the company continues to pay attention to the burgeoning Chinese and Indian markets (China Cement Net, 2005), however, institutional restrictions inhibit its growth. Indeed, the cement industry in China has excess capacity following slowdown in construction growth: many cement plants having been built during the boom. Currently Cemex does not have specific expansion plan of for China although it expresses a lot of interest (China Cement Net, 2006). In India, Cemex is more positive and in negotiations to acquire several Indian producers. Middle East and Africa (MENA) In 1999, Cemex acquired Assiut Cement Company, the largest cement producer in Egypt, started operating in Africa and increased its capacity following acquisitions (Wesley, 2009). Cemex also has operations in Israel and United Arab Emirates. The total presence in Middle East and Africa is limited since the African cement market is underdeveloped and as Digital Cement (2010) point out, the MENA cement markets are locally controlled. In summary, Cemex’s expansion into the global market is not only the strategic choice about competing and bidding for acquisitions, but also the integration process that ensued, as an opportunity to drive change, and as a result, continuously evolve as a corporation (Lessard and Reavis, 2009). 6Conclusions Cemex’s penetration strategy is shaped by the nature of the product and structure of the industry. Since cement is bulky and costly to transport global-global entry strategies are unavailable to it. The industry structure reflects the product in a wide array of regional-scale producers. Like other major players in the industry (such as Lafarge, Holcim and Heidelber) has sought to penetrate international markets by Mamp;A rather than direct investment, strategic alliances or licensing. Another characteristic of the global cement industry is that developing economies are the drivers of demand. Often these markets remain difficult to enter being overly regulated, protected or subject to corruption and political interference. Cemex uses its origins in a developing market as an advantage: the company has expertise in overcoming these barriers, knowledge it has successfully exploited in numerous markets. Additionally, Cemex has taken advantage of other adverse trading conditions in its target markets (Asian financial crisis, Peso crisis) to conclude Mamp;A deals when target company prices are depressed. Bibliography 1. Black, T. , 2007. Cemex Wins Control of Rinker With $14. 2 Billion Offer (Update3). [online] Available at: lt;http://www. bloomberg. com/apps/news? pid=newsarchiveamp;sid=aJtpqL2z4Lvsgt;. 2. Chandramouli, R. , 2012. Cement contributes to less than 10% of construction cost. The Times of India. [online] Available at: lt;http://articles. timesofindia. indiatimes. com/2012-09-05/chennai/33614627_1_cement-price-cement-companies-cement-cartelgt;. 3. Cembusiness, 2006. (The opportunities in the cement industry under the upsurge of international industrial capital Mamp;A). online] Available at: lt;http://www. hygs. cn/hangyedongdai/27. htmgt;. 4. Cemex, 2000. Annual Report 2000. [PDF] Available at: lt;http://www. cemex. com/InvestorCenter/files/2000/Ar00full. pdfgt; [last accessed 28/02/2013]. 5. Cemex, 2011. Annual Report 2011. [PDF] Available at: lt;http://www. cemex. com/InvestorCenter/files/2011/CX_AR2011. pdfgt;. 6. Cemex, 2013a. About us. [online] Available at: lt;http://www. cemex. com/AboutUs/History . aspxgt;. 7. Cemex, 2013b. Product and Services. [online] Available at: lt;http://www. cemex. com/ProductsServices/Cement. spxgt;. 8. China Cement Net, 2005. â€Å" †Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€? CEMEX †¢ (The master of acquisition – interviewing Armando Garcia, executive director of Cemex). [online] Available at: lt;http://www. ccement. com/news/2005/7-19/C177327042. htmgt;. 9. China Cement Net, 2006. Cemex (Cemex clearly expresses its interests in the Chinese market). [online] Available at: lt;http://info. ccement. com/news/content/12251. htmlgt;. 10. CW Group, 2012. CW Group: Global cement demand to reach 4bn tons by 2013. CemWeek. [online] Available at:

The methods Miller uses to create dramatic tension Essay Example

The methods Miller uses to create dramatic tension Essay Example The methods Miller uses to create dramatic tension Paper The methods Miller uses to create dramatic tension Paper Death of a Salesman is a fantastic example of a continuation of increasing Dramatic Tension. It is created by such methods mentioned in the title and further strengthened by the jumps between past and present. Miller also uses the continuing theme of symbolism to strengthen the tension of the play. The lasting impression is one of slight confusion, but this too aids the suspense as Willy Loman, the focus character of this tension, continues to lose his grip on reality and finally then, his life. Throughout the play the audience are invited to second-guess Willys next actions or attempt to link his present as a result of past events. The other characters in the play are also equally vital in allowing Miller to create such heightened dramatic tension. Often it is through their silent interactions, such as the complexity of relationships that exist only in thought or feeling. While the audience is aware of these unspoken family rifts, they are rarely exposed and this can create heightened dramatic tension. Linda then, is a character that we learn directly very little about. It is only through her interactions with her family that her nature is revealed, and this sense of mystery adds to the dramatic tension. Where uncertainty exists, suspicion can grow; the audience may sometimes question Lindas motives due to a lack of understanding into her character, creating dramatic tension. The audience cannot fathom why she stays with Willy and her dysfunctional family. Is she accepting her subordinate position as part of the nuclear family in order to hold it together? Or is she limited by her own personal inadequacies that prevent her from standing independently? Millers creation of a character shrouded in ambiguity allows extensive scope for dramatic tension. In fact Miller claims that he had no choice as far as the creation of Lindas character because A woman who was thinking of herself more would simply not have been there one morning, or else she would have put up such a fight so as to crush him [Willy]. This indistinct character of Linda has an effect on her relationship with Willy. From the beginning of the play, her interactions with Willy are almost unnaturally devoid of confrontation, instead she seems to be constantly looking to mother and appease her husband. We see constant references in the stage directions to the infinite patience of Linda. A constant dramatic tension hangs over their relationship, as Willy breaks down and Linda is increasingly challenged by his behaviour and distressing mental state.

Nursing Manager Skill Inventory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nursing Manager Skill Inventory - Essay Example My personal growth and development have always been my strongest points during my clinical experience and I would mention this as an expert practice. I am always in process of self-analysis and to work that out properly, I make strong plans for future and try my best to act upon them. To set high standards of ethical and moral behavior has always been my strength. I would rate myself as skillful and competent in the field of professional association involvement. Professional associations for networking and increasing social circle in my field for the better discussion on various topics in on top of my list and I strongly intend to apply that. I have certifications to prove this claim. Career Planning I have always tried my best to keep my professional work above everything else and that is why I am well equipped with tools and requirements that complete my professional abilities and I consider myself expert in this field. I have a strong and well-developed understanding of the professional demands that I have to cater in future I have strong and firm plans as for how I would achieve those goals. In spite of my strength goals, I would consider myself as a flexible person who is receptive to positive change. Personal Journey Disciplines Development of individual leadership qualities and strengthening them has always been a top priority for me in the field of nursing. I have strong leadership qualities and patients, as well as my fellow works, look up to me when they intend to take any suggestions. For me, action learning and reflective practice would be placed as competitive skill. I always work for achieving high ranks in any clinical setting I work in. Reflective Practice Reference Behaviors/Tenets I am not only well equipped with latest and current guidelines but I also put them in action and see their reflection in my professional ability. I always value integrity and truth in my profession and take it to highest possible levels. Diversity is a tool I am skillful at but I would regard myself a complete expert when it comes to holding multiple perspectives without biased opinion, in discovering potentials of life and keeping my commitments to myself. I do however get emotional with my patients and that at times e ffects my professional ability to stay focused. Current Leadership Skills as Method of Improvement I intend to use my leadership to improve workplace on individual and professional grounds for the whole team. I am always in search of knowledge that can help me understand new things so that I can work in a better manner for my patients. I also try to improve the workplace by mutual discussions and problem sharing with other colleagues. I always want to see a positive change in the workplace and I try my best in doing that too.  

Nasser speach Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Nasser speach - Assignment Example Even though the critics say that it did not change much in the country but it did show that the Arabs are aware. They are not merely masses that were just being sold and divided between borders and oil reserves. Even though the thoughts in Nassers narrative are appealing but nothing much has changed. One thing is for sure that the Arabs are aware, and they want to determine the destiny of their nation. Later in the documents Nassir talks about what the Arabs should do if they really want to take their fate into their hands. He says that their approach must aspire to the latest scientific tools and achievements. Embracing technology and education will be the greatest weapons in their hands. By acquiring new equipment, Egyptians industry will have its distinct position compensating for the production progress that started in other countries much earlier. He speaks of the United Arab Republic making foreign policies in the best interests of its people and not for a handful of rich Arab families. It is hard to discourage such passionate idea by Nasser, but the reality of the Middle East does not reflect his

Literature Search Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Literature Search - Assignment Example Totman J; You only have one chance to get it right’: A quantitative study of relatives’ experiences of caring at home for a family member with terminal cancer; Palliative Medicine – 2015,; SAGE Publications Ltd, Oliver’s Yard, 55 City Road, London EC1Y 1SP, United Kingdom. This is a framework approach quantitative study utilizing semi-structured interview, exploring the emotional challenges home caregivers faces in the provision of palliative care. It examines the challenges the relatives undergoes as they manage the pain of the terminally ill patients in London city. The study analyzes care slips systematically with emphasis on the pain scale rating of the patients change throughout the home care period. Either the research approaches the study from the patient perspective rather than the care provider perspective. Based on the research done in Ontario provides insight to pain management as an ethical obligation for palliative care providers. The focus of the study is the patients with HIV and AIDS. It incorporates 126 patients and strictly focuses the care from the patient view of the quality of life at the end of care issues. It also explores to the receiving adequate pain management as a measure to prolongation of life. The researcher utilizes the knowledge that old people form the largest pool of people receiving palliative care then looks at the dosages of various drugs that comfortable relieves pain among the older people. He uses quantitative research to evaluate the prescription criteria of the medicines that patients receive attributed in the palliative care. In this, the researcher concentrates on both experimental and non-experimental research to assess the usage of morphine as a main drug in geriatric pain control. Focusing the research on the people from three geriatric homes, he explores the risk of over dosage and under

Impact of Student Socio-Economic Background on Performance

Impact of Student Socio-Economic Background on Performance â€Å"THE IMPACT OF STUDENT’S SOCIO-ECONOMIC BACKGROUND ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE† A CASE STUDY OF NORTH-EAST STUDENTS IN LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY (PUNJAB) JALESH GURUNG CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ORIENTATION OF THE PROBLEM Education is a basic tool used by society for transmission of its societal values and culture. so, every parents are the most immediate relation of a child for their development and growth. Their financial status and education do have an important influence on the personality of child. For instance educated parents can better understand the educational needs and their children’s aptitude. They can help their children in their early education which affects their proficiency in their relative area of knowledge, confidence, idea, etc. While, Belonging to strong financial background, parents can provide latest technologies and facilities in a best possible way to enhance educational capability of their children as well as they provide good education facilities also. Socioeconomic status is an economic and sociological combined total measure of a persons work experience and of an individuals or family’s economic and social position relative to others, based on income and education, and occupation (Marmot, Michael, 2004) indicates When analyzing a family’s social economic status, the household income, earners’ education and occupation are examined, as well as combined income, versus with an individual, when their own attributes are assessed. Many factors and reasons have been given as being responsible for the continuous falling in the academic standard of our present educational system. These includes; attitudes of teachers to work, lack of seriousness on the part of the students, effect of the dwindled economy and to some extent the increasing degenerating moral system. According to Lareau, Annette ( 2003) observes that Socioeconomic status is typically broken into three categories, high, middle, and low to describe the three areas a family or an individual may fall into when placing a family or individual into one of these categories any or all of the three variables income, education, and occupation can be assessed. Additionally, low income and little education have shown to be strong predictors of a range of physical and mental health problems due to environmental conditions may be the entire cause of that person’s social predicament to begin with. Most economically disadvantaged children have effectively mastered the usual developmental childhood tasks of motor and language skills, and have learned the values of social practices of their homes and neighborhoods (Harry Klingner, 2007); but they may not have learned particular forms of language or the ways in which schools use specific forms of language to the extent that their middle inco me peers have. Therefore, it can be assumed that students’ failure to achieve academically may be explained by other factors also. The amount of money that a family has or the color of a child’s skin should not influence how well that child learns (Rothstein, 2004) Literature review These chapter focus on the relevant and related literature of various researches in an attempt to relate their work to this study. Sub topic related to the literature review are as follows: The concept of social and economic problems Relationship between parents income to the students. The students academic performance as well as social adjustment (i)The concept of social and economic problems While sociology use some broad theoretical sense to explain the concept and meaning of society and its activities. They divide the macro-level society into two broad perspectives, namely functionalism and conflict theory, and then the feminist theory, which combines both micro and micro-levels of analysis, and also the interactions theory, a micro –level analysis which is by far the most influential of the social psychological theories in sociology. (Coleman and Cressey, 1999).The idea make up of the society in such that individual and group of individual is co-exist in the society and make them as a harmony and pace without any threat to the society. Moreover the concept of social and economic problems is that misconstrued by many people. (ii)Relationship between parents income to the students. APA ( 2001) describe the relationship of family socioeconomic status to childrens readiness for school, Across all socioeconomic groups; parents face major challenges when it comes to providing optimal care and education for their children. For families in poverty these challenges can be formidable. Sometimes, when basic necessities are lacking, parents must place top priority on housing, food, clothing, and health care. Educational toys, games, and books may appear to be luxuries, and parents may not have the time, energy, or knowledge to find innovative and less-expensive ways to foster young childrens development. Furthermore,( Ominde, S.H 1964) observes that even in families with above average income parents often lack the time and energy to invest fully in their childrens preparation for school, and they sometimes face a limited array of options for high-quality child care both before their children start school and during the early school years. Kindergarten teachers throughout the country report that children are increasingly arriving at school inadequately prepared. Families with low socioeconomic status often lack the financial, social, and educational supports that characterize families with high socioeconomic status. Poor families also may have inadequate or limited access to community resources that promote and support childrens development and school readiness. Parents may have inadequate skills for such activities as reading to and with their children, and they may lack information about childhood immunizations and nutrition. Lareau, Annette (2004) state that low maternal education and minority-language status are most consistently associated with fewer signs of emerging literacy and a greater number of difficulties in preschoolers. Having inadequate resources and limited access to available resources can negatively affect families decisions regarding their young childrens development and learning. As a result, children from families with low socioeconomic status are at greater risk of entering kindergarten unprepared than their peers from families with median or high socioeconomic status. Amutabi, M.A (2003) says that the impact of socioeconomic status on children’s readiness for school: while the segregating nature of social class, ethnicity, tradition may well reduce the variety of enriching experience through to be prerequisite for creating readiness to learn among children activates. Similarly, cast ethnic value, housing, neighborhood and access to resource that directly or indirectly affect enrichment or deprivation as well as the acquisition of specific value system (iii)The student’s academic performance as well as social adjustment Academic performance of students in the classroom is very important as this is capable of determining whether the student is doing well or not. Parents, Teachers, School Administrators attach so much importance to students’ academic performance that if the students are not performing well academically, then they see all other efforts of the students in the school programme as a total waste. These people pretend as if there are no other activities for the student in the school environment aside the academics, hence academic performance defines the totality of the child in his school life. Contrary to the opinion of this group, it is important that there are many factors that determine the level of a student’s academic achievement, chief among these factors is social adjustment. Moreover, academic performance has been seen as a term used for students based on how well they are doing in their studies and classes. This definition tends to see academic performance as the culmination of all the activities of the student in the school. Academic performance for the student is also seen as the extent to which a student has achieved his educational goals (Wikipedia, 2012-2014). 1.3 Statement of the problems According to study published in 2001 issue of Psychological Science found that children of parents with a high socioeconomic status tended to express more disengagement behaviors than their less fortunate peers. In this context, disengagement behaviors represent actions such as fidgeting with other objects and drawing pictures while being addressed. Other participants born into less favored circumstances tended to make more eye contact, nods as signs of happiness when put into an interactive social environment. The more fortuitous peers felt less inclined to gain rapport with their group because they saw no need for their assistance in the future. However, Socio-economic status can be measured in a number of different ways. The prime things that commonly it is measured by father’s education, occupation and income. All familys socioeconomic status is based on family income, parental education level, parental occupation, and social status in the community such as contacts within the community, group associations, and the communitys academic performance of the family, while families with high socioeconomic status often have more success in preparing their young children for school because they typically have access to a wide range of resources to promote and support young childrens development in day to day life. They are able to provide their young children with high- quality child care, books, and toys to encourage children in various learning activities at home but lack in poor ones. And , they have easy access to information regarding their childrens health, as well as social, emotional, and cognitive development. In addition, families with high socioeconomic status often seek out information to help them better prepare their young children for school and college. The study aimed at finding o ut the contribution of socio-economic status of the family on the academic performance of the student in private Universities in Punjab, A case study of North-East students in lovely professional university. 1.4 Objective To study the relationship between socio- economic status of families and its impact on the academic performance of the students in university. To study the impact of the level of parents’ education on the academic performance of the students in university level. To study the impact of occupations of parents on academic performance of the students in the in university. Similarly, to know about the negative impact as well as positive impact on the students performance. To study the impact of family income on academic performance of the students in the various courses in university. To study the impact of expenditure on children’s education on their academic performance in the university. To know about the student’s academic performance (TGPA/CGPA) according to their families socio-economic background. CHAPTER-II METHODS AND PROCEDURE 2.1 STUDY AREA 2.2METHODS While, according to the availability of data the method adopted for this study was descriptive and statistical in nature. The sample consists of 95 students selected from different courses in the university. Therefore, Out of 95 students 36 were males and 59 were females in age range of 20 to 30 from different schools. To have a comparative study of the boys and the girls ,the sample was drawn from both the boys and the girl’s institutions. Stratified random sampling technique was applied for selection of the students for the sample. Similarly, For a detailed technical discussion of all that will be presented in this section, see Dachs et al (2006) Figure 1 –Heretical web of determinants of academic performance of students at university (Dechs et al. 2006) 2.3 QUESTIONNAIRE A self designed questionnaire was used for collection the data. First of all, The questionnaires were designed keeping in mind the objectives of the study and the clarity required at the field level for filling the questionnaire. In this study both types of questionnaire are used i.e. closed-ended as well open ended or combination of both. 2.4 DATA COLLECTION The primary data was collected through the help of questionnaires. While its carry both types such as closed ended as well as open ended questions and they are self administered. All around 95 of questionnaires ware distributed in different block of the University. Secondary data were collected by the appropriated data sources including news paper, books, journals, and activities both published and un-published data sources. Therefore, the data were collected by the method of snow ball survey as well as self distributed. Generally I followed this methods because it was save my time and costs. Additional documents were collected by the university faculty and from friends as well. 2.5 PROCESSING OF DATA The Entire data from the field observation was processed and tabulated in the computer unit. However these processes include the writing, interpretation, analysis of data etc. The programmed for the data feeding, coding of data, scrutinizing of data, preparing of table for the report as well as preparing of statistical volume and analytical tools likewise bar diagram, percentages, pie chat etc.

Unknown :: essays research papers

With the naming of Lou Gerstner as its new CEO (and the retirement of John Akers on May 7), IBM now has a chance to change both its own organizational structure and goals and, at the same time, the future shape of the computer industry. Nearly every computer publication has polled its readers asking such questions as "Do you think IBM can succeed at changing, Do you think Lou Gerstner is the right man to lead a turnaround at IBM," and "Do you care?" Reactions to such early pulse taking are mixed. Clearly customers are concerned about IBM's seeming inability to understand their future needs and help them move to new computing platforms. On the other hand, customers are divided between a "we have to give him some time to assess the problem and formulate a solution" point of view (we concur), and the feeling that an outsider like Gerstner can't possibly fix a computer company (see below). Some are convinced that it just doesn't matter, since the day of the mainframe is over and that means IBM's days as the industry leader are over, too. IBM, of course, does not agree. Gerstner has not revealed the specifics of his plans at all, except for a few remarks at the Annual IBM Shareholders' Meeting, where he brushed off the widely held notion that IBM would spin off profitable businesses. To him, it appears, reorganization means fewer people, different skills, more distribution of power, but not necessarily the wholesale deconstruction of IBM that some predicted. On the other hand, some of the things he has already done send clear signals of the big changes to come: †¢ He is spending a lot of time in the field and with the customers. That guarantees he will hear the story first-hand, rather than filtered through tiers of IBM staffers and middle managers. It is just this kind of filtering that has led to the dangerous continuation of the status quo when IBM was teetering on the brink of disaster. Only a senior management badly out of touch with the field and the customers could have been so unaware of what was really going on. Gerstner doesn't intend to make that mistake. †¢ He is making big changes in IBM senior management and many more changes are likely to come. Tellingly, these appointments are from outside of IBM (nearly unheard of in days gone by) and each appointment appears in the business press with tales of just how tough the manager has been before and how good he is in tricky situations.

Burned Alive: a Victim of the Law of Men Essay

Burned Alive is the devastating story of a young Arabic girl named Souad living in a small West Bank village that is run by the law of men, where women are practically worthless. Women here are beaten almost daily, and are used mostly for labor purposes, but most importantly, to produce sons. Not only do women go through horrible abuse and mistreatment, but they also live with the risk if being killed for committing even the smallest sin which brings embarrassment to the family. In order to restore the family’s honor, they get a man, normally the girls’ brother, to perform a torturous honor killing Souad begins noticing a man that lives nearby, named Faiez. After gaining his attention, they use signals to communicate from afar, since a girl must be married before she can speak or even raise her eyes to a man besides her father or brother. They eventually start meeting in private every day, they begin discussing marriage, even though Souad knows it is unrealistic at the time, since her older sister must marry before she can. Soon, Faiez starts to question Souads loyalty to him, and wants her prove her loyalty by letting him have her virginity. As badly as Souad does not want to do this, she knows that he will leave if she does not, so she lets him do what he wants. It’s not too long until Souad realizes that she is pregnant, and when she goes to tell Faiez, he has left the village, and will not return. Soon after, her stomach starts to grow, and her secret is out. The family decides that Hussein, Souads brother-in-law, will perform the honor killing. Hussein attempts this by pouring gasoline on Souads head while washing clothes in a pot above a fire. Souad runs screaming out of the garden and into the street where two women began beating her with scarves trying to put the fire out. The next thing she knew, she awoke in a hospital. Shortly after this, while still in the hospital, her mother tried to poison her with a drink. Luckily, a nurse came in just in time, and stopped Souad from drinking the poison and banned any of Souads family from coming back to the hospital. Several weeks later, Souad was awakened by a sharp pain between her legs. She had her baby, and didn’t even realize it. The doctors took her son, and she thought she would never see him again. A woman named Jacqueline, who was working in the Middle East with a humanitarian organization, heard of Souad’s story, and immediately started working to save her. She met with Souad, and tricked her parents into giving permission to take Souad to another country for better care. She got Souad’s son Marouan back and flew both of them to Switzerland, where she was given proper treatment. Once Souads burns were healed, she flew to Europe with Marouan to live with a foster family. When Marouan was five years old, their foster parents adopted him, and though she felt guilty about it, Souad needed to learn to live life on her own. She eventually adjusted to Europe, and went on to live on her own, get a job, get married, and even have two daughters. She later reunited with her son when he was about 18. After reconnecting with her and forming a great bond with his sisters, Marouan moved in with the family. Souad and Jacqueline stayed in touch, and when Souad was emotionally strong enough, she began bearing witness for the SURGIR association and shared her story with hundreds of men and women. I believe the author’s objective in writing this book was to inform the readers that not all cultures and beliefs are the same, and in some societies, what they believe is normal or right is actually very unfair. This story was written to open the reader’s eyes to the way woman are grossly unequal to men in some societies. They are sometimes not allowed to speak or look at a man, and they are often mistreated, abused, or even killed without any regard to their life. The book Burned Alive has many universal themes. One, for example, is acceptance. Souads husband in Europe, as well as her three children, still loved and accepted her despite her past and her scarred skin. Another is fear. â€Å"I’ve realized in adulthood that the memories that remain of my childhood are all linked to fear,† says Souad. Souad, her sisters, and every other woman and man around the world has felt fear. One last universal theme in the book is guilt. Everyone feels guilt at some point in their life, including Souad when she gave Marouan up for adoption. â€Å"I feel guilty, many years later, for making this choice,† she said. Considering Burned Alive is a true story, many parts of it can tie into human geography. For example, culture; it is typical of the cultures of the Middle East to treat women in what we in the western part of the world consider being a derogatory way. They require women to live by the men’s law and treat them basically as salves. Also in their culture, women are not allowed to get married until their older sisters do, women cannot go into a shop, wear jewelry, or pluck her eyebrows until she is married, a man can have several wives, and, of course, performing honor killings is very normal. The book also talks about the culture of Europe, and how tremendously different it is from the culture of the West Bank. In Europe, women were allowed to get an education, to choose who they marry, and to wear makeup and dresses that show their knees. Although it is not elaborated on, religion is another aspect of human geography mentioned in Burned Alive. It does not specifically say Souads religions, but it does mention that she prays twice a day with her brother and sisters and that the people in her village were taught to hate the Jews. One last geographic theme in Burned Alive is political development. The book does not actually say anything about political development, but if their country was more developed, these horrible crimes would not be tolerated. Also, in countries such as the ones in the West Bank, religion and politics are linked, and since their religion and culture believe that treating women that way is the right thing to do, their government allows it. Burned Alive was an amazing book. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and it was hard for me to put down. The fact that it was a true story made it even better. In my opinion, it was a complete story and was not really missing anything. It talked about all she could remember, and her life after the tragedy in full detail.

Past Semester Ais 280

CONFIDENTIAL AC/SEP 2011/AIS280/CAC230 UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA FINAL EXAMINATION COURSE COURSE CODE EXAMINATION TIME COMPUTERIZED ACCOUNTING/ COMPUTERISED ACCOUNTING AIS280/CAC230 SEPTEMBER 2011 3 HOURS INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES 1. This question paper consists of four (4) parts : PART A (20 Questions) PART B (3 Questions) PART C (3 Questions) PART D (2 Questions) 2. Answer ALL questions from all four (4) parts : i) Answer PART A in the Objective Answer Sheet. ii) Answer PART B, C and D in the Answer Booklet. Start each answer on a new page. . Do not bring any material into the examination room unless permission is given by the invigilator. 4. Please check to make sure that this examination pack consists of: i) the Question Paper ii) an Answer Booklet – provided by the Faculty iii) an Objective Answer Sheet – provided by the Faculty DO NOT TURN THIS PAGE UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO This examination paper consists of 14 printed pages  © Hak Cipta Universiti Teknologi MARA CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL 2 AC/SEP 2011/AIS280/CAC230 PART A This part consists of 20 multiple-choice questions. Choose the most suitable answer and shade the corresponding alphabet representing the answer in the Objective Answer sheet provided. 1. Which of the following statements about relative cell referencing is INCORRECT? a. It changes automatically when copying cell formula from one cell location to another location. b. It is usually denoted by this sign â€Å"=† or†+†. c. It is useful since it saves our time from typing the same data or formula into different location. d. It can also occur when a cell is entered in a formula using the $ symbol. 2. Cell B1 and B2 shows a value of 20 and 30 respectively. What is the best formula to total the values in cell B3? a. =B20+B30. b. =B1+B2. c. =$B$1+$B$2. d. =B$20+B$30. 3. The formula =IF(OR(condition 1, condition 2, condition 3), ‘YES', â€Å"NO†) will give the result . YES if condition 1 and 2 are met. i. NO if condition 2 and 3 are met. ii. YES if all the conditions are met. v. NO if all the conditions are not met. a. b. c. , ii and iii i, iii and iv , iii and iv d. All of the above 4. In Excel the ‘*' symbol is considered as a a. Label b. Text c. Number d. Formula  © Hak Cipta Universiti Teknologi MARA CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL 3 AC/SEP 2011/AIS280/CAC230 . The following description relates to which type of logical function? †¢ It has only one condition to test; †¢ If the condition is not met, the outcome is true; and †¢ If the condition is met, the outcome is false a. AND function. b. OR function. c. NOT function. d. ROUND function. Questions 6 and 7 are based on Figure 1 below: A B c D L F G KARAMBU NAI TRADING ADJUSTED TRIAL BALANCE AS AT 31 AUGUST 2011 Freehold Land Motor Vehicles Accumulated Depreciation – Motor Vehicle Sales Rent Administration Salaries Advertising Expenses Telephone lEIectricity Purchases Stationery Bank overdraft Capital Debtors Creditors Inventory Accrued Rent Depreciation – Motor Vehicles Closing Inventory Opening Inventory Doubtful debts Provision for Doubtful debts TRIAL BALANCE Debit (RM) 400,000 600,000 253,600 240,000†² 96,000 59,600 18,600 340,000 22,400 15,200 30,000 2,075,400 Credit (RM) 240,000 832,000 142,000 760,000 101,400 2,075,400 ADJUSTED ENTRIES Debit Credit (RM) (RM) 72,000 (b) 1,200 (a) 28,300 (d) 30,000 (e) 1,200 (a) 72,000 (b) 28,300 (d) 30,000 (e) 760 (f) 760 (f) 132,260 132,260 H I ADJUSTED TRIAL BALANCE Debit (RM) 400,000 600,000 254,800 240,000 96,000 59,600 18,600 340,000 2,400 15,200 28,300 72,000 30,000 760 2,177,660 Credit (RM) 312,000 832,000 142,000 760,000 101,400 1,200 28,300 760 2,177,660 Figure 1 6. The following statements are correct about the data inserted in cell D10, EXCEPT a. it represents accrued rent for the period b. it will be transferred to the balance sheet under current asset c. it will be shown in cell H10 as an addition to the bal ance in cell B10 d. failure to take into account the amount will be resulted on overstating the net profit. 7. Based on the Figure 1 above, what is the best formula for cell H6? a. =IF(0 Enter the date range 1/01/2011 to 31/01/2011 -; Click Display. c. Report -; Accounts -; Select Transaction Journal from Index to Reports -; Customize †¢Ã‚ » Enter the date range 01/01/2011 to 31/01/2011 -; Click Display. d. Click the Accounts icon at the main Command centre, and click Transaction Journal. 15. button is used to generate report in various format such as PDF , Email and Fax. a. Print b. Send To c. Customize d. Close 16. Which option cannot be found in Banking Command Centre? a. Spend Money b. Receive Money c. Reconcile Accounts d. Bank Statement 17. Which of the following statements are CORRECT? . If the company's financial year starts on 1 September 2011 and ends on 31 August, 2012, its current financial year is 2012. ii. The report that enables you to view stock movements for ea ch item is Item List (Summary), iii. The Banking Command Centre cannot be used to record money received for invoices created via Sales Command Centre, iv. An invoice can be changed to a quote or an order. a. i and iii. b. ii and iv. c. i, ii and iii. d. i, ii and iv. 18. In the event that a refund to customer is required in relation to the Credit Note issued, click the Pay Refund button at the . a. Bank Register. b. Sales Register's Returns and Debits Tab window. c. Sales Register's Returns and Credits Tab window. d. Settle Returns and Credits Tab window.  © Hak Cipta Universiti Teknologi MARA CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL 7 AC/SEP 2011/AIS280/CAC230 19. Which of the following account has the correct prefix number in MYOB? Account Name Account Number a. Inventory 2-4000 b. Owner's Equity 8-0000 c. Bank Charges 6-5555 d Other Expenses 7-1000 20. The following options are available to build the accounts list in MYOB, EXCEPT a. start with one of the list provided by MYOB. b. import a list of accounts from the company's accountant. . build own account from scratch. d. export from other company's account list. (Total: 20 marks)  © Hak Cipta Universiti Teknologi MARA CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL 8 AC/SEP 2011/AIS280/CAC230 PARTB Answer ALL questions. QUESTION 1 The following questions are based on Figure 4 below: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 IS 19 20 21 22 23 25 26 27 28 23 †¢SO 3 1 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 A B Reducinq Balance Method Machine Straiqht 1 – WDR 1704 YEAR 20O6 2007 2008 200S 2010 2011 Line Method Motor Vehicles – YEAR 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 201 1 DEPRECIATION EXPENSES 26,297. 06 17,076. 59 11,089 07 ,200 94 4,676. 09 3,036. 52 SAB 2317 DEPRECIATION EXPENSES 1 5. 800. 00 5,800. 00 5,800 00 5. 800. 00 5,800. 00 5,800 00 C ! Asset Name Date of Purchase Purchase Cost (RM) Salvage Value (RM) Useful Life { years ) D E ALIF HAIKAL BHD Schedule of Depreciation Machine 1 – WDR 1704 01/01/2008 75,000. 00 1,000. 00 10 Methods of Depreciation Reducing Balance Method ACCUMULATED DEPRECIATION 26,297. 06 43,373. 65 54,462 72 61,663. 66 66,339. 75 69,376. 27 ACCUMULATED DEPRECIATION 5,800. 00 11,600. 00 17,400. 00 23,20000 29,000. 00 34,800. 00 35% NET BOOK VALUE 48,702. 94 31,626. 35 20,537. 28 3,336. 34 8,660. 25 5,623. 73 NET BOOK VALUE 54,200. 00 48,400 00 42,600 00 36,800. 00 31,000. 00 25,200 00 F Motor Vehicles – SAB 2317 12/02/2006 60,000. 00 2,000. 00 10 Straight Line Method a) b) c) Figure 4 List two (2) differences between the depreciation methods used by Alif Haikal Bhd? (2 marks) State the formula used in each of the following cells: i. E11. ii. D19. iii. B32. (6 marks) Describe the steps to format the number in cells B32 through D37 to two (2) decimal places with the thousand separator. (2 marks) (Total: 10 marks)  © Hak Cipta Universiti Teknologi MARA CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL 9 AC/SEP 2011/AIS280/CAC230 QUESTION 2 The following questions are based on Figure 5 below: 1 1 . 2 ‘ 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 . 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 3? , Ol i B ;'-. :.. . †¢ . – , . . . C ! D THOMAS BIN JINIS CORPORATION BERHAD PROJECTED CASHFLOW STATEMENT Estimated Revenue Projected Sales Less: Estimated Expenses Other Fixed Cost Depreciation Variable Cost Total Expenses Projected Income Before Tax Less:Corporation Tax (28%) Estimated Project Net Income Net Cash Flow Estimated Project Net Income Add Back Depreciation Total Cash Flow PAYBACK METHOD PERIOD: END OF YEAR 1 END OF YEAR 2 END OF YEAR 3 END OF YEAR 4 I.. . †¦ I Year 1 800,000. 0 130,000. 0 170,000. 0 200,000. 0 500,000. 0 300,000. 0 84,000. 0 216,000. 0 216,000. 0 170,000. 0 386,000. 0 ANNUAL CASH FLOW 386,000 415,664 410,538 418,170 E ; PROJECT NAME PROJECT COST Depreciation Rate Year 2 880,000. 0 140,000. 0 170,000. 0 228,800. 0 538,800. 0 341,200. 0 95,536. 0 245,664. 0 245,664. 0 170,000. 0 415,664. 0 ACCUMULATED CASHFLOWS 386,000 801,664 1,212,202 1,630,371 Year 3 896,000. 0 150,000. 0 170,000. 0 241,920. 0 561,920. 0 334,080. 0 93,542. 4 240,537. 6 240,537. 6 170,000. 410,537. 6 SELECTED PERIOD  »Ã‚ » F XX-2011 850,000 20% Year4 944,000. 0 165,000. 0 170,000. 0 264,320. 0 599,320. 0 344,680. 0 96,510. 4 248,169. 6 248,169. 6 170,000. 0 418,169. 6 Figure 5 a) List the formula for each of the following cells: C14. i. C17. ii. C21. v. C23. (6 marks) b) c) What does the symbol  »  » in cell E30 means? (2 marks) If the company expects a maximum payback pe riod of 3 years, should the company accept the project? Explain your decision. (2 marks) (Total: 10 marks)  © Hak Cipta Universiti Teknologi MARA CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL 10 AC/SEP 2011/AIS280/CAC230 QUESTION 3 Question 3 is based on Figure 6 below: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 3 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 1? 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 2? 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 3S 36 3? a) A B ! CBDSDNBHD ADJUSTED TRIAL BALANCE AS AT 31 SEPTEMBER 2011 Land & Building ;Accum. Dep. Land & Buidling Furniture & Fittings Accum Dep . F Insurance .Advertising Rent Telephone Salaries Capital ‘. Sales Bank Loan Cash in Hand Creditors Debtors Depreciation Prepaid Rent Insurances Owing Cost of Good Sold Total DEBIT RM 288,000 180,000 25,400 26,000 10,000 1,480 2,000 4,200 500 18,000 12,000 1,600 19,840 589,020 CREDIT RM 72,000 46,000 259,300 26,240 58,000 22,280 5,200 589,020 WORKINGS TOTAL FIXED ASSETS (NBV) TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES CBD SDN BHD FINANCIAL RATIO REPORT AS AT 31 SEPTEMBER 2011 PROFITABILITY RATIOS GROSS PROFIT RATIO NET LOSS RATIO EFFICIENCY RATIOS: 350,000 24,300 76,880 27,480 84. 28% 23. 38% DEBTORS TURNOVER OPERATING EXPENSES RATIO LIQUIDITY RATIOS CURRENT ASSETS RATI OS : ACID TEST RATIO 52 DAYS 60. 90% I 0. 8B TIMES LVALUE! TIMES Figure 6 State the formula to calculate the amount in the following cells: ii. iii. iv. B27. H12. H35. H22. b) What does the symbol # VALUE! n cell H37 mean? (8 marks) (2 marks) (Total: 10 marks)  © Hak Cipta Universiti Teknologi MARA CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL 11 AC/SEP 2011/AIS280/CAC230 PARTC Answer ALL questions. QUESTION 1 Question 1 is based on Figure 7 below: Sales – New Item INVOICE Customer Shb to I Ship Backorder Salesperson Commen Ship Via Promsed Date †¢i Re Invoice De jumal Mernc enal Source livery Status :fl Item Number . . .ill Description Terms Invoice tt: Date: Customer PO tt: Price . Pisc% Subtotal Freight Tax Total Amount : Paid Today Payment Method Balance Due Total fi? Tax Inclusive Job Tax :†¢: J „J

Destroy College Stress With These Solid Tips

Destroy College Stress With These Solid Tips Its going to happen count on it. Sometimes it builds up slowly; sometimes it comes quickly when final exams hit for the first time. However and whenever it happens, stress in college is going to happen. If you are wondering how to be stress free, wonder no more. You cant be. You can, however, learn some basic tips for destroying it when it does come. Dont Procrastinate One of the key factors in college stress is too much work piling up all at one time. At the beginning of each semester, you get a course syllabus for a good reason. Your professors want you to know what is due when. Inevitably, they all have papers due at the same time, as well as mid-terms and finals. This can be a killer for you if you put stuff off. All of a sudden, you have 3 papers due in a week and havent started. If you are wondering how to destroy stress that comes from these situations, there really are only two ways: Get yourself organized at the beginning of the semester and calendar your assignments so that you do them over time. Pick your easiest paper first it will encourage you to go on to the next. Find an excellent academic writing service and order some of those papers. Pick those that are for courses not in your major field of study that really wont matter later on. Get Enough Sleep Of course, this is easier said than done. Lack of sleep comes with the territory of being in college, especially if you have a really active social life. Find times for naps, however, and you will be grateful later on. If you know that you are going to be pulling an all-nighter to study for an exam, then get a nap early in the afternoon. And if it is finals week, find times when you can grab and hour of sleep or so during the daytimes. Your body and mind will both thank you. Eat Better During Times of Stress Its so easy to stock up on chips and candy bars so you can snack while you bang out those papers. And that is fine, as long as you are eating correctly during meal times. But usually you are not. So, consider some different kinds of snacks dry roasted nuts (they are absolutely addictive), granola bars, and beef jerky. These will give you long-term energy and wont pile on any fat. Find Some Humor Whether it is pranking your roommate or watching hysterical YouTube videos, getting in a good laugh or two is one of the keys in how to free stress from yourself, at least temporarily. People who have a good sense of humor and who share that humor with others tend to be far less stressed than those for whom everything is just always serious Get Physical Exercise If you are seriously asking, How can I be stress free? remember that the answer is you cannot. But you can deal with it in healthy ways so that it has little to no impact on you. One of these is to get physically active in any way you can. Bicycle, jog, pay basketball or volleyball; go to the campus gym and get a serious workout in. Even if you do 30-minutes of brisk walking with your iPod in, you will be amazed how much brighter your world will look to you. And you will sleep better too. Get in Some ME Time Being around friends, partying, and studying hard is all a part of college life. But it is also good to have some alone time, to just reflect and think about all of the positive things in your life right now. Go to a coffee shop all by yourself, turn off your phone, and just sit with a beverage. Or to a zoo if there is one in your town, and just watch the animals. And if you have time in your room or apartment when your roommates are gone, all the better. Read a book, keep a journal, or try some meditation techniques. Ask for Help if You are Overwhelmed Every campus has a health center. There are counselors there you can talk to, openly and freely. They can give you even more tips than you have here, as well as a good listening ear. Sometimes, just verbally getting out what is really causing you stress in a stress-reducer in itself. Stress is not just a factor of college life. It is a factor of life long after college is behind you. The things you do now to relieve it are good habits to form they will help you for a lifetime.

Comparative Business Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Comparative Business Systems - Essay Example German’s economic condition entails a service sector, which offers a contribution of 70% of GDP and industry sector that offers 29.1% contribution, while the agricultural sector offers 0.9% (Mundi, 2010, 3). Brazil’s Gross Domestic Product has grown from 7.5% in 2010 to 2.7% 2011, and despite to the global hold back, the domestic market in Brazil have become strong, hence reducing vulnerability to the external crisis (The World Bank Group, 2012, 1). Conversely, Germany attracts foreign investors by providing an open market without restrictions to operate any business (Pugh and Hickson, 2007, 20). Therefore, the citizens of Germany and Brazil are benefiting from the stability of their economic growth, with relatively low inflation rate and improved social well-being (Chandler, 1984, 473). This paper will focus on comparing the business systems in Brazil and Germany. On the other hand, in Brazil there are limits of potential growth and significant advances in the economy, which are attributed to institutional reforms, noninflationary growth that is derailed by barriers, regulation and insufficiency in infrastructure and poor business climate (Jimenez, Gomez Sabaini and Podesta, 2010, 38). However, the condition is better in Germany, since the government has established necessary reforms to improve their economic conditions (Hall and Soskice, 2001, 36). Quality of Brazilian government services concerning the expenditure is relatively lower than other middle-income countries, and country launched a growth acceleration plan in 2007, which focused on increasing investment in infrastructure, and offering tax incentives to facilitate economic growth (Whitley, 2007, 30). In Germany, people are taxed on their income, especially individual residents; in fact, income tax rate have a range of 15% to 45% during the year 2010. Furthermore, Germany presented an initial general tax-free amount of 8,004 Euros during the year 2010 and 16,008 Euros for people, who ar e not married; thus, Germany has subjected corporation to 15% corporate income tax and a solidarity surcharge of 5.5% and it results to an entire rate of 15.8% (Mundi, 2010, 5). In Brazil, the plan led to a 7.5 % growth in 2010, and resilience to the crisis experienced in 2009, and insignificant recession among developed and emerging economies in 2011 (OECD, 2011, 4). Role of the National State in the Economy German’s economic condition has contributed significantly to production based on engineering; for instance, there is production of automobiles, machinery, metals and chemical products. Moreover, Germany has been renowned manufactures of wind turbines and solar power technologies (Mundi, 2010, 7). In fact, this country offers the largest international trade fairs every year; in fact, this congress has been held severally in cities such as Hanover, Frankfurt, and Berlin. On the other hand, the growth in Brazil has facilitated challenges, whereby the country is anticipating hosting the World Cup in 2014 and Olympics Games, in 2016, hence this is requiring significant investment in urban and social development, and transport infrastructure. Moreover, Brazil has experienced substantial regional differences in the social indicators like health, infant mortality and nutrition (Morgan, Campbell, Crouch, Pedersen and

The Role of the United Nations in Conflict Management During the Cold Research Proposal

The Role of the United Nations in Conflict Management During the Cold War Era - Research Proposal Example As the war progressed, it became reorganized and other countries joined resulting in a military that was made up of seventy million personnel who were drawn from different warring countries. Stevenson (2004) noted that this war was referred to as the first deadliest war in history and it resulted in the death of 9 million people. The second major World War to have occurred in the World’s history is the Second World War that took place between the periods of 1939 to 1945, and it involved two opposing alliances namely the Axis and the Allies, which comprised of over thirty different countries. This Second World War ended with the highest number of fatalities who were placed in the range of fifty to eighty-five million people and it was caused by more or less the same factors that also caused the Second World War. McMahon wrote that after the Second World War, there was great tension primarily between the Soviet Union and the United States, which lasted between the periods of 1947 to 1991. This war was characterized by high levels of tension between the two conflicting sides and there was also mutual suspicion among the two enemies. According to Friedman, the United States, and the Soviet Union, which at that time were regarded as the World’s superpowers were engaged in the Cold War mainly because of economic and political difference between the two countries, as the US was pro-democracy while the Soviet Union was pro-communism. This present research study will focus on the Cold War, which is referred to as â€Å"cold† because of the fact that there were no incidences of large-scale fighting. In particular, this research study will seek to investigate the role that the United Nations played in managing the conflict that was associated with the Cold War considering that it was simply formed after the Second World War on 24th October 1945 to foster international co-operation.