Tuesday, December 31, 2019

International Financial Reporting Standards For Cross...

As more business entities continue to get involved in cross-border capital investments, globalization intensifies and considerable costs are applied to the translation of financial statements prepared under different accounting standards into a comparable form. Multiple number of accounting systems exist which create these differences and accounting is the language of business created by society to present information which reveals the economic health of a company. Like any other language there are many different accounting languages used across various regions of the globe to present this information. The intensification of globalization and the resulting costs of translation have created a demand for an internationally comparable set of†¦show more content†¦For this framework culture can be thought of as the shared values of a society that influence its behavior. It is obvious significant differences in these values exist internationally, and that these differences have an overwhelming effect on all the components of society. With that being said, accounting, as a societal creation, is influenced by these significantly different values as well. Given the objective of adoption and comparability internationally, it is important to look at the effect that culture can have on the implementation of IFRS and the obstacles it presents. After a thorough examination of IFRS and the obstacles it faces because of culture, IFRS will not be able to attain its objective of international adoption and comparability any time soon. The influence of culture on international accounting standards cannot be analyzed without some sort of framework where accounting and social values can be linked. The foundation of this framework begins with the cross-cultural study of Geert Hofstede (1980; 1983). Hofstede’s study tried to distinguish significant aspects of culture that had an effect on people’s behavior in a professional capacity. He did this through a survey of people’s values across 50 different countries and three regions. Values were analyzed on the collective level and were thought to be the most

Monday, December 23, 2019

Briefly Present The Aim Of The Article Or Book Chapter

Briefly present the aim of the article or book chapter and summarize the main findings/key points, along with a limited number of examples. The article that I chose relates to sundownng and tips that can be used to reduce it from the Mayo Clinic Website. Sundowning occurs with dementia patients and can cause a variety of issues and behaviors such as confusion, wandering, and aggression to name a few examples. In addition, there were many articles on this subject and from looking at several of them it can be confusing because this is one topic that requires more research because many things are unknown about sundowning syndrome. â€Å"The term sundowning refers to a state of confusion occurring in the late afternoon and spanning into the†¦show more content†¦What new insights I have gained is that it is important to look at the factors that may cause sundowning in each person because factors that may be a part of sundowning could be different for each resident and it must no t be looked at the same for everyone. For example, if a resident has a urinary tract infection or some other medical condition that contributes to sundowning that would need to be addressed. If another resident has different factors that aggravate late-day confusion different methods might need to be used to help them that are not the same. Of course, sundowning can affect people differently such as types of behaviors that might occur and it would be important to know what those behaviors are especially if it is aggression. The social worker, nurses, CNA’s and others that work with the resident would need to be careful if someone gets aggressive and know what to do for safety reasons. In addition, by knowing to look for the factors that could be causing it measures can be taken to try to address it or prevent it beforehand that would be the best practice. Tips for reducing sundowning: †¢ Try to maintain a predictable routine for bedtime, waking, meals and activities. †¢ Plan for activities and exposure to light during the day to encourage nighttime sleepiness. †¢ Limit daytime napping. †¢ Limit caffeine and sugar to morning hours. †¢ Keep a night light on to reduce agitation that occurs when surroundings are dark or unfamiliar. †¢ In the evening,Show MoreRelatedHow Does The Refrigeration Be Considered An Artificial Cold Person Can Not Live Without?1372 Words   |  6 Pageswho was a British-American, and he had published a book called, â€Å"How We Got to Now.† In the novel, Johnson presented six- part series where it had amazing explored legacies that passed on great ideas. In each of the chapter titles had six sessions are: Glass, Cold, Sound, Clean, Time, and Light. Johnson had included many of the famous historical characters such as â€Å"Thomas Edison, Galileo Galilei, Mark Zuckerberg, and more.† Throughout most of the book, he had quite often brought different type of inventionsRead MoreUsing Qualitative And Qualitative Research1069 Words   |  5 Pagesqualitative results can explain and interpret the findings of a quantitative study, and meanwhile, mixed methods are used to overcome a weakness in using one method with the strengths of another. I Main Points: There are three main points from chapter seven, which are 1) sampling approaches used in quantitative and qualitative research; 2) types of sampling in mixed methods study; 3) data collection approaches used in qualitative data and quantitative data. 1) Sampling approaches used in quantitativeRead MoreApplication Of Information And Communication Technology1677 Words   |  7 Pages1. INTRODUCTION In this section, a brief overview of the research topic will be looked into which defines the key concepts, gives description of context and scope of the investigation. This section also provides the aims and objectives of the research topic. Finally, the methodology of the research study will be discussed. 1.1 TITLE The limitations challenging further integration of information and communication technology (ICT) in Nigeria’s secondary schools: An assessment through secondary schoolRead MoreLink Between Language And Culture1743 Words   |  7 PagesPress. It is widely used in Mainland China as a standard teaching material of national compulsory education. This book is prepared for Chinese teenage aged 13-15 who are the beginners of English study. In this report, I intend to evaluate Unit 1‘How do you study for a test?’ and Unit 12 ‘ You’re supposed to shake hands.’, using what I have learned as well as my own study experience. 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The first literature concerning the heads was the excavation publications of the original archaeologists, primarily George Andrew Reisner and Hermann JunkerRead MoreHow Has The Wearable Sculpture Of Alexander Mcqueen, Iris Van Herpen And Lucy Mcrae Influenced Contemporary Everyday Fashion2174 Words   |  9 Pagesmy Special Study will be organized, constantly making sure each of my chosen methodologies closely relate to my title so as not to go off course and gather unrelated feedback. This will include the use of books, magazines, interviews, exhibitions and installations. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the dissertation is to research fashion designers Alexander McQueen, Iris Van Herpen and Lucy McRae and discover how their work is currently influencing contemporary everyday fashions, via sources suchRead MoreReading And Studying Of Scientific Articles2323 Words   |  10 PagesINTRODUCTION- READING AND STUDYING OF SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES Research is conducted in order to increase scientific knowledge. The research results are summarized and presented in scientific journals and can then be used for the introduction of new therapies or new health programs. Reading and studying of modern literature and published articles is necessary for the scientist. Journal articles are modern and include updated scientific knowledge, whereas the books because of the lengthy authoring and publicationRead MoreThe Influence of Employment on Core Values Essay1413 Words   |  6 Pagesreflecting upon their values before and after working as a teenager had similar results. So with my aims in mind I drafted my questions and had them checked for clarity. They were adjusted and published to participants by social media with the focus on receiving teenagers’ response and a small group of adults to compare with. The data collected from my questionnaire verified my aims. I achieved these aims by enquiring about participant’s age, working status and how they valued or viewed negative andRead MoreThe Business Of Human Rights Essay2199 Words   |  9 Pages0 Summary Chapter 9 of the book â€Å"The Business of Human Rights† edited by Voiculescu and Yanacopulos (2011), is dedicated to â€Å"Business in zones of conflict: An emergent corporate security responsibility?† based on the content present in the book â€Å"Corporate Security Responsibility? Corporate Governance Contributions to Peace and Security in Zones of Conflict† by Nicole Deitelhoff and Klaus Dieter Wolf (2010). The focal messages Deitelhoff and Wolf (2011), reference throughout the chapter is the importanceRead MoreAnnotated Bibliography3971 Words   |  16 PagesCulture and organizational learning. Journal of Management Inquiry 2 (3): 373-390 (1993). 8 13. Garratt, B. Creating a Learning Organization: A Guide to Leadership, Learning and Development. Cambridge, UK: Director Books, 1990. 96 pages. 9 14. Hendry, C. Understanding and creating whole organizational change through learning theory. Human Relations 49 (5): 621–641 (1996). 9 15. Covey, Stephen R. â€Å"The 7 Habits

Sunday, December 15, 2019

A Managerial Approach to Marketing Free Essays

The product that I will be proposing in the meeting will be a video game called FaDream. FaDream’s platform will be connected to the FaDream Game Portal. This website will have a collection of downloadable games for the users. We will write a custom essay sample on A Managerial Approach to Marketing or any similar topic only for you Order Now The users of FaDream will have to get the membership to the FaDream Game Portal in order to gain access to numerous games of all sorts. They will be charged with membership fees every month in order to stay connected. Besides this they will have to get a platform with remotes, virtual gaming equipment, etc. There have been video games in the past but what makes this one different from the rest is that this video game will only work once it is connected to the internet. It will be linked to a website called www.FaDream.com/gameportal which will have a collection of downloadable games. People might argue that such technology is nothing new because of the online games present on the internet through the computer. FaDream cannot be compared with online gaming because the experience that the players will get with FaDream will be unmatched. What makes this product new is the quality, availability and variety of games present at all times. There will be no more hassle of buying expensive CDs from the store and taking care of them. There will be no more hassle of repairing the sensitive lens in the video game platform. All the users will need is the platform and an internet connection. The technology will be successful because of widespread use of internet already all over the world. Another factor which makes this different from everything else in the market is the affordability. FaDream will be Entertainment with Affordibiltiy. The price of the platform will be a fraction of what is paid for other video games in the market and this is what makes this product is feasible. To be more precise the price range of the platform will fall within $80 to $90 and besides this the membership fees will be approximately $7 per month. This is all about the product and price of FaDream. This project will be joint venture with XYZ Company which already has a name in the market in order to gain confidence of its audience. The target audience that we will be satisfying with this technology will be middle class males and females within the age range of 8 to 30 years. The age range is so large because of the variety of games available on the FaDream portal. It has games for every gender and age. It will be advertised in magazines all over the world. Other mediums of advertisement that will be used will be the internet and television. The logo which will be used for advertisement will be Entertainment with Affordability. After an intense advertisement campaign which will inform the audience about the product, FaDream will be launched worldwide. After this launch, the advertising strategy will be changed and the advertisements will become persuasive. Once the audience has knowledge about the product, they will have to be convinced that they need to have it with them. In conclusion, this product is totally new in the market and this is its strength but we must not forget that the market has been taken over by very strong competition. Getting people to recognize FaDream from among every other video game will be a threat and a challenge. We must ensure that the marketing strategy that will be employed by us must have no limitations because a good marketing strategy will be our only opportunity. Â   How to cite A Managerial Approach to Marketing, Essays

Friday, December 6, 2019

Tax Compliance Structure and Compliance †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Tax Compliance Structure and Compliance. Answer: Introduction: Taxation is without any doubt the lifeblood of any economy which has tremendous implications for both the underlying people and the government. Most commonly, the taxation system is seen as a mechanism to raise revenue for the government so that it can meet the various responsibilities bestowed on the same especially. However, a key objective of the taxation system is also to alter the consumption of resources through the creation of incentives and disincentives for the same (Feldstein, 2008). A case in point is the high rate of tax levied on cigarettes as the government wants to ensure that lesser resources are spent on the same. Further, taxation system is also a potent means to address the inequalities in income through the imposition of a progressive tax system especially in direct taxes where a higher tax would be levied on individuals with higher income levels (Gregory, Weinzierl and Yagan, 2009). In wake of the above objectives, it is essential to highlight the utility of taxa tion for people, government and the economy as a whole. For the people, taxation is very important. One of the main reasons is that through taxation linked revenues, the government is able to provide social security to some extent and also provide various infrastructure in terms of healthcare, education and other basic amenities which can cater to the mass population. The magnitude of revenue through taxation is as highlighted below (Index Mundi, 2012). For certain services, there are alternatives available in the private sector but purchasing power remains a barrier for the majority of the population and hence the only resort for a sizable people is the government run centres which run on taxation revenues. Also, through taxation, the people are able to utilise their resources and income in a productive manner. For instance, there are deductions available for interest on home loans and additional schemes which promote housing and hence owing to the taxation incentives, people tend to look for their own houses which lead to asset formation. Similarly, the tax system provides disincentives in form of high tax burden on consumption of certain products such as cigarettes tend to lower the consumption of cigarettes and hence promote better health outcomes of the people. Also, the extent of social security system available in an economy to an extent is linked with the underlying tax revenues which is apparent from the experience of the d eveloped nations of the West where even though the tax rates are comparatively higher but the social security system is much more comprehensive as compared to Malaysia (Loo, 2006b) For the government, taxation revenues are vital to perform the various functions which have grown in the past decades owing to the popularity of welfare state. This is especially true for a country like Malaysia where affordability of even basic amenities could be an issue and hence intervention from the government is required for ensuring the same. Also, the government also has the objective of minimising inequality in society by redistributing the income which is ensured through the taxation system where the revenue from the rich acts as welfare or support payments for the needy and vulnerable population. This support provided by the state ensures that stability in the society is maintained or else there could be potential uprising by the poor (Taha, Nanthakumar and Colombage, 2011). Also, the government through the fiscal policy is expected to ensure that the limited resources available with the nation are deployed in the most productive manner possible thereby ensuring that maxim um utility can be served. In fulfilling this objective, a critical role is played by the tax system which the government uses to alter the preferences of the consumers. Besides, there are a host of basic services such as law order, defence which every government including the Malaysian government needs to be provide which cannot be enabled in the absence of taxation system (Piketty, 2015). The taxation system has critical effect on the economy. One way this happens in through government expenditure which sets the foundation for economic growth through the providing of requisite infrastructure and also allowing for higher purchasing power of the people. Further, through the prevalence of an effective taxation system, the productivity of the economy improves as the poor people are able to contribute to the production based upon their underlying skill (Hines, 2007). Lack of social support and basic amenities to these people would create additional hurdles for these people to join the labour force. Further, the fiscal policy of the government is critically dependent on taxation and the outcome in this regards tends to impact various macroeconomic indicators such as inflation, GDP growth and unemployment. Also, the currency exchange rate is impacted by the taxation policy which is pivotal for Malaysia considering the rising dependence on trade especially in the past couple of years. Thus, it is apparent that an efficient taxation system is inevitable for the government to play an enabling role in economic development through the support of domestic and foreign investors (Hubbard, 2015). Considering the above, it would be appropriate to conclude that a sound taxation system plays a critical role in the stability and development of a nation and it stands true for Malaysia as well. The objective is to determine if the personal and business tax rates that are prevalent in Malaysia fair or not. The personal income tax rates that are applicable for 2016 assessment year are highlighted as follows (PwC, 2016b). From the above tax rates, it is apparent that the highest marginal tax that is applicable is 28%. Also, the personal income tax applicable for low income i.e. lesser than RM 50,000 annually is quite less at 10%. It is evident that the taxation rates seem biased towards the rich even though the system might seem progressive but empirical evidence suggests that post taxation, the relatively poor are left worse than the rich and not the other way around. This is primarily because the marginal tax rate which is levied for the rich is quite low in comparison to other countries. For instance, in India (a country comparable in terms of development), the marginal tax rate for anyone having an annual income in excess of RM 65,000 is 30%. In comparison, the marginal tax rate applicable for the same is about 16% in Malaysia. Also, the highest marginal tax rate is low and the slab has been kept at very high value. Further, the marginal tax rates till couple of years ago stood at only 25% for the highest income groups and it is only recently that amendments have been done. Further, considering Australia as an example of a developed nation, the highest marginal tax applicable is 37.5% (PwC, 2016b). A developing nation like Malaysia needs to garner higher revenues from the rich in order to enhance wealth distribution but the current system does the opposite and hence there have been regular clamours for reforms from various economists (Chen, 2012). In wake of the above facts, it would be appropriate to consider that the current Malaysian personal income tax system is not fair and is not effectively progressive even though it may seem so from the periphery (Zahid, 2017). Coming to the business income tax or corporate income tax, a similar trend is observed. The prevalent corporate tax rates are summarised below (PwC, 2016a). It is apparent from the above that the highest marginal tax is 24% and thus, the average tax rates ignoring any concessions would be lower than 24%. The highest marginal corporate tax rate prevalent in India is in excess of 30%. The developed world has still higher tax rates which exceeds 35%. Even the various global hub for foreign businesses do not offer tax rates as lucrative as Malaysia. Additionally, it needs to be considered that the government has lowered the tax rate further even though this is not aimed at foreign firms. Thus, it is apparent that the government tends seems to be exceptionally pro-business which seems odd considering that the highest marginal tax rate for individuals is higher than the corporate tax rates (Pomerleau, 2015). Hence, it is apparent that the corporate tax rates seem to be unfair and there is a case to increase the higher bracket of the marginal corporate tax rate so as to enhance the corporate tax collections which then can be used for economic d evelopment and providing of requisite infrastructure in the small cities and rural areas. As a result, tax reform is required in corporate taxes as well which seem biased towards businesses at the cost of the national development (Chen, 2012). An additional statistic which highlights towards the non-fair taxation system in Malaysia is the decreasing tax collections as a % of GDP indicated below (Inde Mundi, 2012). Tax compliance means complying, following or adhering to the various provisions which have been highlighted in the relevant tax statute (for instance ITAA 1967 for Malaysia) and to pay taxes in accordance with the highlighted provisions. However, within the ambit of tax compliance, the taxpayer does have the right to utilise the available concessions in order to lower down the taxes payable. Any tax avoidance not authorised by the statute and any tax evasion would lead to non-compliance. Hence, non-compliance in effect implies not obeying the tax rules that are applicable in a particular geography in relation to computation of tax liability and filing of the same on a timely basis. Non-compliance does not always have to lead to an economic benefit to the underlying taxpayer. Failure to file tax returns (when the law of the land require the same) even when no tax would be payable could be termed as non-compliance (Dom, 2013). It is apparent that there are various statutory provisions in place by the ITA 1967 in relation to non-compliance which lead to punishments ranging from financial fines to imprisonment. The effect of these fines and penalties on the compliance rate of taxpayers needs to be analysed to determine the underlying effectiveness of these provisions. It would be excepted based on common sense and available literature in this context that erection of fines and penalties typically leads to higher rate of compliance even though there are certain exceptions and the absolute increase witnessed may be quite variable according to various underlying circumstances and other parameters at play (Loo, 2006a) Empirical studies that have been conducted in the Malaysian context have indicated that compliance tends to remain low despite the implementation of fine and penalties provisions is because of the ineffective enforcement of these rules which tends to diminish the integrity of the enforcement agency (Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (IRBM)). Also, a key finding from the prior researches has been that taxpayers tend to have a high rate of voluntary tax compliance and thus for enhancing the compliance rate further, it makes sense to enhance the positive attitude rather than address the incidence of non-compliance. This has been found to be true for Malaysia as well on the basis of empirical studies (Loo, 2009). This is particularly significant for salaried employees as there is automatic salary deduction in line with the tax deduction scheduler which has been outlined by the IRBM. Besides, in certain cases it has been observed that the compliance costs are significant which proves to be deterrent for a taxpayer who wants to be compliant. This is particularly true when the underlying tax payable is lesser and thus it makes economic sense for such taxpayers to risk being caught and fined rather than filing their returns. Also, tax compliance rates amongst the voluntary complying people do not make any significant difference as reflected by the available literature both in Malaysian context and also in global context (Loo 2010; 2006b). Infact, it has been found that in actuality implementation of provisions regarding fines and penalties may tend to have an adverse impact on the compliant people who may not tend to highlight a lower compliance rate (Yussof, 2016). Besides, it has been observed that tax compliance has been adversely impacted due to the incorrect wording of the provisions such as one that dealt with incorrect returns (Kuan, 2014). There has not been any significant improvement in the tax compliance rate observed for businesses and individuals taxpayers owing to stricter implementation of fines and penalties as these tend to be counterintuitive at times. Consider for instance any delay by a company in filing the tax returns by even a week can attract a very high penalty ranging from 20% to 35% of the total tax which the entity had to pay and clearly such fines could be back breaking for a business. Further, in Malaysia the businesses are required to pay taxes in a monthly manner based on the potential estimates of future income and hence, there is a tendency for the companies to overestimate their revenues so as to avoid any tax related issues with the IRMB on account of underestimation. Hence, in such an environment, it is apparent that the tax compliance rates for various taxpayers would not improve using the system of penalties and fines (Lim, 2011). The five reasons why taxpayers tend to evade taxes despite effective exemptions and rebates offered are outlined as follows. The compliance costs tend to be significant which acts as a significant deterrent for those who tend to have very small taxable income or tax payable. For these taxpayers, in economic terms it is better to evade taxes rather than paying the same as the compliance costs would be a significant percentage of the tax payable (Lim, 2011). The existing loopholes in the tax provisions encourage the taxpayers to leverage the same in a creative manner in order to not only avoid taxes but also evade the same (Dom, 2013). The weak state of enforcement in relation to tax matter is another reason for non-compliance and tax evasion. The taxpayers feel confident that even if they are caught, the prevalent enforcement system would allow them with options to escape with minimal fines which would be significantly lesser than the taxes saved. Also, the integrity of the enforcing agency is thought to be weak and compromised due to which tax evaders feel that through bribes and other favours, the tax evasion practice can continue resulting in financial gains (Loo, 2010). Prevalence of cash economy is another factor which promotes tax evasion. This is because the income obtained in cash is at the discretion of the taxpayer for reporting purposes as often the trail for such payments is lacking. This is quite difficult in case of bank transactions or white economy where each payment has a trail and hence evading income is comparatively more difficult (Dom, 2013). Lack of awareness amongst the taxpayers is also one of the reasons which does contribute to the evasion of tax. Thus, this can be minimised by ensuring that the law are simplified, people are made more aware about the utility of taxes and common sources of income that ought to be taxed in accordance with the underlying regulations (Dom, 2013). It is essential that in order to enhance the tax compliance, more focus should be on building the positive attitudes rather than tackling the negative attitudes through the use of penalties. The various measures in this regards are detailed as follows. Simplifying the tax regulations in order to lower down the overall compliance costs associated with filing of returns. This is expected to boost the compliance rate amongst the majority of the taxpayers who want to comply with the tax regulations. Currently, the cost of compliance is significantly high both for individual taxpayers and also for businesses (Kuan, 2014). Also, there is a strong case for tweaking the laws so as to lower the underlying ambiguity involved and make it oriented to resolve the practical issues faced by taxpayers. An example pertains to the use of incorrect tax returns which is also used when there is technical difference in interpretation and may attract fine which is clearly not desirable (Dom, 2013). Rather than enhancing the quantum of penalties and fines, in order to enhance tax compliance it is better to improve the enforcement mechanism so that the guilty are served with due fines and punishment so that they do not consider the system as weak with compromised integrity (Loo, 2010). The use of technology to allow for easy returns filing is also essential. Also, the skills and strength of the auditing officers need to be improved. Besides, measures must be taken by the IRBM in association with the government and other agencies to crack down on the cash economy and make attempts to slowly integrate the same in white economy which would lead to better compliance and higher tax revenues for the government (Dom, 2013). References Chen, K.Y. 2012, The Progressivity of The Malaysian Personal Income Tax System. Vol.30, No. 2, pp. 27-43. Available from: Kajian Malaysia. [19 October 2017]. Dom, H. J. 2013, Enforcement Trent and Compliance Challenges.Malaysias Experience. Available from: https://www.imf.org/external/np/seminars/eng/2013/asiatax/pdfs/malaysia2.pdf Feldstein, S. M. 2008, Effects of Taxes on Economic Behavior. Vol 61, no. 1, pp.131-139.Avaiable from: National Tax Journal. [20 October 2017]. Gregory, N., Weinzierl, M., and Yagan, D. 2009, Optimal Taxation in Theory and Practice. Available from: https://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/4263739/mankiw_optimaltaxationtheory.pdf?sequence=2 Hines, J. 2007. Taxing Consumption and Other Sins, Vol. 21 No. 1, pp. 67-74 Available from: Journal of Economic Perspectives [20 October 2017] Hubbard, G. 2015. Taking Capitals Gains: Capitals Ideas and Tax Policy in the Twenty First Century. Vol. 68 No. 2, pp. 409424. Available from: National Tax Journal. [20 October 2017]. Index Mundi, 2012, Malaysia-Tax Revenues: Tax revenue (current LCU). Available from: https://www.indexmundi.com/facts/malaysia/tax-revenue [20 October 2017]. Kuan, W.P. 2014, Time to Reform Tax Penalties?. Available from: https://www.pwc.com/my/en/assets/press/131012-focus-malaysia-time-to-reform-tax-penalties.pdf Lim, K. 2011, Late Filling Penalties and the high cost of tax compliance in Malaysia. Available from: https://lampiran2.hasil.gov.my/pdf/pdfam/penaltylate.pdf Loo, E. C. 2006a, Determinants of individual taxpayers' compliance behavior: Experience of the transition from pre to post self-assessment in Malaysia. In M. Walpole M. McKerchar (Eds.), Further global challenges in tax administration pp. 201-225. Available from: Fiscal Publication. [20 October 2017]. Loo, E. C., 2006b. Tax knowledge, tax structure and compliance: A report on a quasi-experiment. New Zealand Journal of Taxation Law and Policy, Vol. 12, no.2, pp.117-140. Loo, E. C., McKerchar, M., Hansford, A. 2009. Understanding the compliance behaviour of Malaysian individual taxpayers using a mixed method approach. Vol. 4 no.1, pp.181-202.Avaiable from: Journal of Australasian Tax Teachers Association. [20 October 2017]. Loo, E. C., McKerchar, M., and Hansford, A. 2010. Findings on the impact of self-assessment on the compliance behaviour of individual taxpayers in Malaysia: A case study approach. Vol. 1, no.2, pp. 1-22. Available from: Journal of Australian Taxation. [20 October 2017]. Piketty, T. 2015, Capital and Wealth taxation in the 21st Centaury. Vol 68, no. 2, pp.449-458.Avaiable from: National Tax Journal. [20 October 2017]. Pomerleau, K. 2015, Corporate Income Tax Rates around the world. Vol 2, no. 4, pp.124. Available from: Tax Foundation. [20 October 2017]. PWC, 2016a, 2015/2016 Malaysian Tax and Business Booklet. Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 131. Available from: https://www.pwc.com/my/en/assets/publications/2016-malaysian-tax-business-booklet.pdf PWC, 2016b, Malaysia, Individual Taxes on Personal Income, World-wide Tax Summaries. Available from: https://taxsummaries.pwc.com/ID/Malaysia-Individual-Taxes-on-personal-income Taha, R., Nanthakumar, L. and Colombage, R.N. S. 2011 The Effects of Economic Growth on Taxation Revenue: The Case of a Newly Industrialized Country. Vol.7, no. 1, pp.319-329. Available from: International Review of Business Research Papers. [20 October 2017]. Yussof, H.S. 2016, The Impact of Threat of Punishment on Tax Compliance and Non-Compliance Attitudes in Malaysia. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272390642_The_Impact_of_Threat_of_Punishment_on_Tax_Compliance_and_Non-compliance_Attitudes_in_Malaysia Zahid, J.S. 2017, Ahead of Budget 2018 economists call for fair taxation. Available from: https://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/ahead-of-budget-2018-economists-say-higher-corporate-tax-should-replace-gst#2o3lH7qVtLzfCmfl.97

Friday, November 29, 2019

Into the Wild Reflection free essay sample

But do we really know the whole story? Do we really know Chris McCandless? (Seidgul) At first glance, you may think of Chris McCandless’s story as a call for death; you may even think of him as a fool, but that’s only on the surface. The public’s response to his story is based on what they’ve heard rather than the facts. The rare few, who look into Chris’s life, discover that he is an example of heroic idealism. This is because he had a dream and he went out and fulfilled it. How many of us have something in the back of our minds, but never go and do it? It’s not easy to chase the dreams in our hearts and in many cases, this may be difficult or even impossible; but not for McCandless. The dictionary’s definition of a hero is a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. We will write a custom essay sample on Into the Wild Reflection or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Chris McCandless fits this definition perfectly. He did not lack in ability to succeed and he had a great amount of courage with anything he tried in life. Chris was extraordinarily talented; he excelled in most areas, letting nothing stand in his way. During Chris’s year and a half adventure around the Western United States he showed all the qualities of a hero. He dropped everything he owned and took away the barriers that society had subconsciously imposed on him, to discover who he really was. A bold and stubborn risk it was, but more importantly Chris took that risk, something many people would never dream of attempting because they can’t predict the outcome. That’s why Chris is a hero, because he did something so many can’t. He set out on an adventure to enjoy what little time he had on this beautiful planet. (Peton) When you want something in life, you just gotta reach out and grab it (Krakauer) I don’t want to know what time it is. I don’t want to know what day it is or where I am. None of that matters. † (Krakauer 7) What Chris was saying is that our life in this world is limited. We are living in this world with a deadline; the more we live, the closer we become to our ending point. We normally try to pretend that this fact isn’t true but at some point in our life we get to believe wha t we were trying to avoid for so long. We are also limited by a place, just like Chris was. He was feeling trapped in an overwhelming society he didn’t even want to be a part of. Chris was trying to go a place which allowed him to ignore the limitation of place and time, a place where he could live in his own imagination and the wild was that place for him. In the documentary Call of the Wild, Alaskan men talk in a bar about Chris and how stupid he was for thinking he could survive. They’re thinking what everyone else in the world was at the time but what they don’t know is that McCandless was a very smart guy. He attended college at Emory and got a degree but all of that wasn’t enough for him. Chris stresses on going into the wild for a purpose, to simplify. Boy Scout rule number one is to be prepared and Chris was. He had everything he needed, food, money and identification indicating that he did intend to come home someday despite what everyone else thinks. As a boy he grew up in a wealthy family and it’s clear he didn’t agree with the lifestyle. He spent his weekends helping the less fortunate out and rejecting his parents gifts because he didn’t need all the material things. For example, his parents offered to buy him a new car but he declined because he had a car that was running perfectly fine. It is evident that McCandless was also trying to get away from his family. After he learned about his father’s past mistakes he no longer respected the man that raised him. In McCandless’s journal he writes, â€Å"He was right in saying that the only certain happiness in life is to live for others. I have lived through much, and now I think I have found what is needed for happiness. A quiet secluded life in the country. † (Krakauer 169) Living in the wild is what made Chris happiest and we can’t dictate what makes others most happy. Jon Krakauer describes Chris in a picture he found, â€Å"His face is horribly emaciated almost skeletal.

Monday, November 25, 2019

5 Superstar Female Sociologists You Should Know

5 Superstar Female Sociologists You Should Know There are many female sociologists who do important work around the world, on topics ranging from the achievement gap, to global consumption patterns, to gender and sexuality. Read on to learn more about 5 superstar female sociologists. Juliet Schor Dr.  Juliet Schor  is arguably the foremost scholar of the sociology of consumption, and a leading public intellectual who was awarded the 2014 American Sociological Associations prize for advancing the public understanding of sociology.  Professor of Sociology at Boston College, she  is the author of five books, and co-author and  editor of numerous others, has  published a multitude  of journal articles, and has been cited several thousand times by other scholars. Her research focuses on consumer culture, particularly the work-spend cycle- our tendency to spend more and more, on things that we don’t need and that won’t necessarily make us happier. The work-spend cycle was the focus of  her  research-rich, popular companion hits  The Overspent American  and  The Overworked American. Recently, her research has focused on  ethical and sustainable approaches to consumption in the context of a failing economy and a  planet on the brink. Her 2011 book  True Wealth: How and Why Millions of Americans Are Creating a Time-Rich, Ecologically-Light, Small-Scale, High-Satisfaction Economy makes the case for shifting out of the work-spend cycle by diversifying our personal income sources, placing more value on our time, being more mindful of the impacts of our consumption, consuming differently, and reinvesting in the social fabric of our communities.  Her current research into collaborative consumption and the new sharing economy is a part of the MacArthur Foundations Connected Learning Initiative. Gilda Ochoa Dr.  Gilda Ochoa  is  Professor of Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies at Pomona College. Her cutting edge approach to teaching and research has her regularly leading teams of college students in community-based research that addresses problems of  systemic racism, particularly those related to education,  and community-driven responses to it  in the greater Los Angeles area. She  is the author of the 2013 hit book,  Academic Profiling: Latinos, Asian Americans and the Achievement Gap. In this book, Ochoa thoroughly examines the root causes of the achievement gap between Latino and Asian American students in California. Through ethnographic research at one Southern California high school and hundreds of interviews with  students, teachers, and parents, Ochoa reveals troubling disparities in opportunity, status, treatment, and assumptions experienced by students. This important work debunks racial and cultural explanations for the achievement gap.   Following its publication, the book  received two important awards: the American Sociological Associations  Oliver Cromwell Cox Book Award for Anti-Racist Scholarship, and the Eduardo Bonilla-Silva Outstanding Book  Award from  the Society for the Study of Social Problems. She is the author of numerous academic journal articles and  two  other  books- Learning from Latino Teachers  and  Becoming Neighbors in a Mexican-American  Community: Power, Conflict, and Solidarity- and co-editor, with her brother Enrique, of Latino Los Angeles: Transformations, Communities, and Activism.  To learn more about Ochoa, you can read her fascinating interview about her book Academic Profiling, her intellectual development, and her research motivations. Lisa Wade Dr. Lisa Wade is a preeminent public sociologist in today’s media landscape. Associate Professor of Sociology at Occidental College, she rose to prominence as co-founder and contributor to the widely read blog Sociological Images. She is a regular contributor to national publications and blogs including  Salon, The Huffington Post, Business Insider, Slate, Politico, The Los Angeles Times, and Jezebel, among others. Wade  is an expert in gender and sexuality whose research and writing now focuses on hookup culture and sexual assault on college campuses, the social significance of the body, and U.S. discourse about genital mutilation. Her research has illuminated the intense sexual objectification that women experience and how this results in unequal treatment, sexual inequality (like the orgasm gap),  violence against women, and the socio-structural problem of gender inequality.  Wade has written or co-written over a dozen academic journal articles, numerous popular essays, and has frequently been a media guest on radio and television. In 2017, her book American Hookup was published, which examines hookup culture on college campuses. With Myra Marx Ferree, she  has co-authored a textbook on the sociology of gender. Jenny Chan Dr. Jenny Chan  is a  groundbreaking researcher whose work, which  focuses on issues of labor and working class identity in iPhone factories in China, sits at the intersection of the sociology of globalization and the sociology of work. By gaining hard-to-come-by access to Foxconn factories, Chan has illuminated many of the things Apple doesnt want you to know about how it makes its beautiful products. She is the author or co-author of numerous journal articles and book chapters, including a heartbreaking and analytically shrewd piece about a Foxconn suicide survivor,  and is writing a book with Pun Ngai and Mark Selden, titled  Dying for an iPhone: Apple, Foxconn, and a New Generation of Chinese Workers. Chan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Applied Social Sciences at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and was previously a Lecturer at the University of Oxford. In 2018, she became the Vice President of Communications for the International Sociological Association’s Research Committee on Labour Movements. She has also played an important role as a scholar-activist, and from  2006 to 2009 was the Chief Coordinator of Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior (SACOM) in Hong Kong, a leading labor watch organization that works to hold corporations accountable for abuses happening in their global supply chains. C.J. Pascoe Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Oregon, Dr. C.J. Pascoe is a leading scholar of gender, sexuality, and adolescence. Her work has been cited by other scholars  over 2100 times and has been widely cited in national news media. She is the author of the  groundbreaking and highly regarded book  Dude, Youre a Fag: Masculinity and Sexuality in High School, winner of the 2008 Outstanding Book Award from the American Educational Research Association. The research featured in the book is a compelling look at how both formal and informal curricula at high schools shape the development of gender and sexuality of students, and how in particular, the idealized form of masculinity boys are expected to perform is premised on the sexual and social control of girls. Pascoe is also a contributor to the book  Hanging Out, Messing Around, and Geeking Out: Kids Living  and Learning with New Media.   She is an engaged public intellectual and activist for the rights of LGBTQ youth, who has worked with organizations including Beyond Bullying: Shifting the Discourse of LGBTQ Sexuality, Youth in Schools, Born This Way Foundation, SPARK! Girls Summit, TrueChild, and the Gay/Straight Alliance Network. Pascoe is working on a new book titled Just a Teenager in Love: Young People’s Cultures of Love and Romance and is a co-founder and co-editor of the blog Social In(Queery).

Thursday, November 21, 2019

This is history...this is history on drugs Essay

This is history...this is history on drugs - Essay Example It is also a contributor to the economy. Historical sites and archeology have attracted tourist and thus pumping cash into the country’s economy. History has boosted scientific growth since it is from the past that advancements are made to better human life. It is from history that a country is able to know is origin and independence. How the country evolved and split into its various states. Nowadays in school, history is an uphill task and most students do not like it. The students have the mentality that the course is very wide and difficult. Loewen records that current history analysis focuses more on the good and pays little attention to the wrong. He quotes President Wilson to whom many students attribute women suffrage. Though this is true, President Wilson led the country to war during Palmers raid. He says more harm took place when Wilson secretly funded the invasion of Russia thus controlling the security of the state. Wilson linked with Japanese invasion to invade Vladivostok and set up an anticommunist government while maintaining the war fronts. Loewen says,’ no one of the twelve American history textbooks in my original sample ever mentioned it.’ He compares American history books to Russian books and concludes that the latter are more descriptive in their approach. In the past, Wilson also wanted to build links and promote boarder security wi th neighboring Latin countries. The idea was noble and favored both countries to grow economically and have a larger security backing. Current books however shy from showing the wrongdoing of Wilson. It was through this that the invasion occurred. American books try to make individuals to seem like heroes. It is through this that most books shy away from documenting the outcome of the 1920 election (Loewen 17). Idolizing individuals led to the development of new terminologies owing to their acts. Christopher Columbus voyages are said to be the cause of

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Renewable Wind Power Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Renewable Wind Power - Research Paper Example A wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy of wind into mechanical energy. When mechanical energy is put to use directly in some equipment such as grinding stones or a pump, it is called a windmill. Instead, when it is converted to electricity for further use, the device is known as wind turbine or wind generator. Wind turbines are mounted at high elevation so as to receive a constant flow of wind power at higher average velocity. Usually, wind turbines need an average speed of 35 kilometer/hour or 11 meters/second. Wind velocity mapping is done before selecting a place for wind turbine. Higher the wind speeds, more are the chances to get continuous flow of electricity (Whitburn, 2012). As terminology implies, 1- kW rated capacity wind turbine would generate theoretically maximum of 1 kW of power per hour, if continuous flow of wind with the average wind velocity is available at all the time; however, in all practical purposes it does not happen so because wind energy is intermittent. In the long run, wind turbines are found to generate electricity only at 10-40% of their rated capacity. This means that wind turbine with the rated capacity of 1 kW would generate between 2.4 kWh (1Ãâ€" 24Ãâ€" 0.10) and 9.6 kWh of power per day (1Ãâ€"24Ãâ€" 0.40) (Whitburn, 2012). Wind turbines can be segregated on the basis of horizontal- and vertical-axis turbines. Horizontal-axis turbines have tail fins that keep blades facing the wind. A constant flow of wind keeps turning the rotor blades of the turbine, which is connected to the generator through a rotating shaft and gear-wheel assembly. The power so generated is called Direct Current (DC) and needs to be converted to Alternating Current (AC) for its use as all devices for home use are usually designed based on AC current. The conversion from DC to AC is done through a device called inverter. Inverter is connected to a battery bank that is a store house of electricity produced in this way because wind energy is available intermittently while electricity demand is continuous. When no sufficient wind energy is available, electricity production comes to a standstill; however, the need of end users are met through the stored energy in the pool of battery (Whitburn, 2012). The following schematic shows the st eps involved in the production of wind power. Source: http://exploringgreentechnology.com/wind-energy/how-does-wind-energy-work/ How Wind Energy Can Save Money Companies can save a huge amount of money if they use this renewable source of energy. Subsidies that are available at Federal and State levels give extra cushioning; technological advances and scale of operations have changed the scenario in clear terms. Subsidies Available on Wind Energy The production tax credit (PTC) is the subsidy available to the producers of wind power and that, currently, rules at 2cents/kWh (zFacts, 2011). Most of the wind generators have qualified for this and they will receive it for 10 years. Moreover, double declining 5-year depreciation is the second benefit that companies get on investment toward wind power. This allows investor to take a 40% tax deduction on the very first year and 24% deduction on the second year. It is allowed to be completed in five years. The combined federal-sales tax rat e is around 43% and in that sense the depreciation allowance is lucrative enough and in terms of benefits, it accounts for half a cent/kWh (zFacts, 2011). Though wind produces electricity free of operating cost, it requires still huge investment toward the cost of equipment and installation

Monday, November 18, 2019

International trade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

International trade - Essay Example in 20 countries of the world, so far the company has not expanded into one of the most important emerging economies in the world in the world, India. Goldman Sachs, in its world famous BRICs report has predicted that within the year 2050 four emerging economies, Brazil, Russia, Indian and China would have a combined GDP more than the combined GDP’s of G6 countries or the biggest present six economies of the world in terms of US Dollar. Income levels would rise in these economies and as a result there would be huge demand for consumer goods including motorcycles.. The Indian economy is predicted to surpass the economies of Italy, France, Germany and Japan by the years 2015, 2020, 2025 and 2035 respectively. The report also points out that the Indian economy shows the potential of accelerating the fastest for the period of next thirty to fifty years. (Dreaming with BRICs: The Path to 2050, 2003). This high rate of growth presents huge opportunities in front of local and multinational companies and this is the right time to invest in India. Moreover India is already one of the most important motorcycles and two-wheeler markets in the world. The domestic two-wheeler market size of Indian in the year 2007 was 7.86 million units which were 4.2 million units in the year 2004 (Automotive Industry, October 2007). India is already the 2nd largest two wheeler producing country in the world and as of 2007 two wheelers constituted around 76.2% of the total automobile market in the country with CAGR of 14.5%. Moreover out of this huge two wheeler market, 83.3% is constituted of motorcycles. All these data signify how important India is or should be for any motorcycles manufacturer of the world. So it is crucial for Triumph motorcycles Ltd. To venture into the Indian market seriously to leverage its present and future growth potential. On the other hand due to the subprime crisis which started in the US followed by the credit crisis, many economies including UK have suffered

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Causes And Effects Of Global Financial Crisis Economics Essay

Causes And Effects Of Global Financial Crisis Economics Essay Financial crisis is defined as a situation characterized by severe disruptions in the value of financial institutions assets, their access to funding or their clients trust, to the point of endangering the financial systems sustainability (Argandona 2009). This essay will discuss the various likely causes of Global financial crisis and the preventive measures that the UK government could take to avoid or diminish the threats of another crisis. Global economic crisis of 2008 resulted due to some fundamental and undesirable changes that took place in the efficient use of resources in America (Davis 2009, p. 1). According to Davis (2009), some changes that could be easily perceived were breakdown of information technology and the ever increasing globalization across the world. He has discussed in his article, the consequences of emergence of Post Industrial Society in US which led to an increase in unemployment as the largest employers shifted from manufacturing organizations to service industry which later contributed as a cause of credit crunch. The essay will first place the possible causes that led to the downturn in the financial position of the various economies across the world and finally it will talk about the methods that UK government can adopt to prevent itself from the hazards of next financial crisis. The essay concludes that while some countries were largely affected by the impact of crisis in 2008, there remain few countries that managed to overcome the shock and survived because of their policies and the best possible steps taken by them. The IMF remains bedeviled by philosophical disputes about the scale and scope of its lending and crisis related activities. These disputes distract the institution from its role as a global lender of final resort.(Truman 2006b, p. 532) Truman (2008) says that at the time of unfolding of economic crisis, members of International Monetary Fund failed to provide any kind of assistance to the economies that required a short term need for external liquid resources. According to him, one of the various possible causes was macroeconomic policies of several countries across the world that jointly holds the responsibility to a great extent for the crisis. He further commented that easy monetary policies and fiscal policies of countries like US, Japan and others reduced the savings rate of these countries and distorted the balance of the financial system and led to a soaring of global credit and elevated the price of houses. Collateralized debt obligations are bonds ultimately backed by bundle s of loans such as subprime mortgages.(Davis 2009, p. 103) Financial institutions had a good amount of money in the form of foreign exchange reserves so it started lending money to everyone at a very low interest rate (Truman 2008, p. 23) and also to the people who had no capacity to return it back, that is, subprime mortgages came into picture (Davis 2009). After a certain period, when the supply started exceeding demand, housing prices in US began to drop, mortgage holders found that the price or value of their house was less than what they were owing to the banks and so they started defaulting in high numbers and a rise in foreclosures was observed. Emergence of post industrial society, i.e. a shift from manufacturing to service industry in US led to large unemployment. In an effort to improve productivity, companies started cutting down on labour and ultimately small number of skilled labours were left. So the competition for skilled labour increased. With the materialization of defined contribution pension plan, the incentive to stick to a particular company came to an end. And employees started moving from one company to another. This new plan of pension fund led to the growth of mutual fund industry (Davis 2009, p. 31) which resulted in decline in employee attachment with the company and increased participation by financial institutions through mutual funds. Securitization [altered the traditional pattern of banking by] turning assets into securities traded on markets (Davis 2009, p. 35). This way of banking allows the bank to lend more amount of money. One form of securitization was mortgage backed bonds (Davis 2009, p. 35). Deboer (2008, p. 5) says that any commercial bank must have approximately 10% of the total amount of loan issued by it, in its capital assets. Many financial bodies issued mortgage-backed financial derivatives and eventually when the housing prices started falling, the value of mortgage backed securities declined too which in turn started making them bankrupt. Realizing this, banks started issuing small number and small quantity of loans. This strapped the credit situation tightly and thus housing prices started narrowing further. In Eastern Europe, the major reason behind the crisis was short term borrowings (Aslund 2009) from many European banks in large amounts because of the security and safety offered by so many countries in Europe by setting a fixed exchange rate. This led to inflation of prices because high amount of money was flowing in. Also the countries like Ukraine started importing goods on high scale and thus fell short of balance payment it owed to other countries. Lack of administration and regulation of the financial sector is another cause identified by Truman (2008, p.24). He says that the overleveraging of the financial system took place gradually in an exponential rising manner over several years, where poor supervision of the policymakers and the others responsible praised the incredible growth of the economy in its early years when the signs of inflation were not noteworthy. After a period of time, (Truman 2008, p. 24) when the financial institutions were left with no money and had no capacity to fund any further investment, the formation distorted and deleveraging began. He believes that another possible reason that might have had altered the market structure was the poorly understood risk associated with the innovations in the formation of new policies in the financial institutions. Bergsten (2008) says that countries like UK should adopt an economic expansion programme to avoid or surpass the effect of next possible financial crisis. Such programme would involve an effort to increase the domestic demand and thus causing an expansion of the trade in between countries. It also involves reducing the restrictions of trade on the border and inside the country as well. He says the most positive step the leaders of the G-20 could take would be to pledge to adopt fiscal stimulus programs amounting to at least 1 to 2 percent of most of their national economies. Leaders should try to think something creative rather than blaming each other for the crisis. Bergsten (2008) suggests that UK along with other countries must assure a support of at least $500 billion each to enhance the resources of IMF (International Monetary Fund) so that it will accumulate good amount of wealth and pledge to support UK as well as other countries at the time of crisis. He also suggests that an efficient working group needs to be formed within the countries to analyse and supervise financial regulations closely. Financial stability report from Bank of England (2009) states that banks should have sufficient amount of liquid assets to lessen its dependence on short term borrowings for funding non liquid assets. The Tripartite Committee comprising of the Bank of England, FSA (Financial Services Authority) and the treasury was held responsible for the crisis of 2008 by the staff of politics.co.uk (2009) in a report. They say that the Bank of England should be held accountable for macro-economic supervision instead of FSA and that all the three should know their exact roles and responsibilities. The report also suggests steps like developing policies to suppress fluctuations in financial conditions, assigning British authorities to constantly monitor UK branches of multinational banks so that if any new policy is formed by them which might affect the financial status of the co untry in future can be clogged at the right time, increasing the regulations about the capital assets requirement for the bank so that it properly assesses the loan borrower and grant it to him only if he can afford to pay it back. Bergsten (2008) has put forward the idea of a joint work or supervision of the FSA and the Bank. He feels that it would be effective if FSA concentrates on the conduction of the business and Bank focuses on the systemic issues. Amato (2009) expresses his views saying that assets whose value could not be determined were given triple-A ratings by the rating agencies and thus attracted more investors so UK government must ensure that banks dont over rely on the credit ratings (Bank of England 2009). Amato (2009) says protectionism should be removed so that all the companies across the world can trade easily and freely in other countries without any barriers. Recapitalization scheme has been undertaken by UK banks deliberately to raise capital to provide it w ith ample amount of insurance against future threats of crisis. (Bank of England, 2008) CONCLUSION Looking at the various causes, we can conclude that there were different reasons for crisis in different parts of the world. If a country forms strong policies and takes decisions that would be beneficial in the long run, then it might be able to protect itself from the adverse consequences of financial instability. Amato (2009) says that a country needs to form policies keeping in mind not only the benefit of its domestic market but also of the whole world. All the countries should cooperate at the international level and support IMF by all means. Countries like China, Malaysia and some Islamic countries were least affected by crisis because of their strong policies, good supervision and regulations, ability to predict or identify financial fluctuations in advance and resistance to outside worlds financial imbalance. The world has lot to learn from these countries.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

up yours :: essays research papers

Kristine Bartasavich My first day of Childbirth Education class was January 17th. The teacher first started out the class with any questions we had. Question such as if there is any other calcium supplements you could take instead of drinking milk like viactive. She also asked how we were feeling at that point in our pregnancy. A lot of people had the same feeling; they were scared about the labor. After we all talked she should us a video of women giving birth. During the video we saw woman who had their waters broken by a tool that looked like a crochet nettle. Another had an internal monitor were a wire was put onto the babies head to keep a better track of the heart rate. As we watch the teacher passed around the things that were being used in the video.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During my second day of class we learn breathing techniques and the option of anesthesia. We first learn the deep breathing technique that would relaxes us during our contractions. The deep breathing is breathing in through your nose and letting it out slowly through your mouth. When contractions begin and end we are supposed to take a deep cleansing breath witch is like deep breathing but breathing out normally at the end. We also learned high chest breathing where you take a cleaning breath if you have time inhale, then exhale as you say â€Å"Hout†. Are partners also learned how to help relax us by talking to each other and eye contact or by a massage. If the breathing dose not help and are at lest 6cm dilated then you can get Anesthesia witch is inserted into the back with a large nettle. A tube is taped to your back and anesthesia is injected into it through out your labor to num the lower half of you.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For our third class we learned about cesarean birth. This only takes place if the mother or baby are going to be harmed and could die. An incision is made through the wall of the abdomen and the uterus.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Monopoly and Fair Return

Chapter 10 (Tentative Due Date: by November 1) Question 2: Discuss the major barriers to entry into an industry. Explain how each barrier can foster either monopoly or oligopoly. Which barriers, if any, do you feel give rise to monopoly that is socially justifiable? LO1 The major barriers to entry in an industry are economies of scale, legal barriers such as patents & licenses and other strategic or pricing barriers. Economies of scale occur only in large firms who are able to reach a minimum efficiency scale point and operate at that point for a long period.This high TC results in a low ATC and high efficiency. Once a huge firm innovates, it protects that very idea or product through patents disallowing other firms to copy their product. Government licensing could also result in limited entry of firms because they might not provide permission for another firm to enter the market. Another means to reduce competition within an industry is to manipulate price. Monopolists, being a price setter, could slash their price just to make it tougher for their competitor to survive.Other strategic methods could include increased advertisement to a level where the lesser and smaller firms will find impossible to compete against. These barriers of entry can prove to be pertinent for the existence of a pure monopoly. The absence of some of these barriers would lead away to a market structure resembling an oligopoly or perhaps even a monopolistic competitive industry if the number of firms was to be large. And in the case where there are no barriers a purely competitive market would appear.But definitely some barriers are within legal rights. For example a patent protects the product for a number of years and it’s understandable that a monopoly would want to restrict the usage of their research and hard work. Similarly if the price slashes are pushing out competition, they are at the same team encouraging competitors to reduce their costs/price which is great for t he consumers and the market in general. Question 3: How does the demand curve faced by a purely monopolistic seller differ from that confronting a purely competitive firm?Why does it differ? The demand curve of a purely competitive firm is horizontal because it has perfect substitutes and a very large number of firms. The demand curve is perfectly elastic and hence horizontal. On the other a pure monopoly’s demand curve is downward sloping because market demand is not perfectly elastic. The monopolist is the industry and its demand curve is hence the market demand curve. The difference in characteristics such as number of firms, types of product and barriers to entry cause the distinguished demand curve.Question 9: Explain verbally and graphically how price (rate) regulation may improve the performance of monopolies. In your answer distinguish between (a) socially optimal (marginal? cost) pricing and (b) fair? return (average? total? cost) pricing. What is the â€Å"dilemma of regulation†? LO5 Thinking of a firm operating at a point where ATC is still falling. Each small firm would produce a much smaller output at a higher ATC. So efficient and lowest-cost production requires a single seller. This is represented in the graph attached and named Graph 1. The monopoly could charge any price they choose.One option is to charge the socially optimal price where price equals marginal cost. This is the allocatively efficient output level where all marginal benefits exceed marginal cost. An alternative pricing method is the fair return theory where price is equal to ATC. Under this operation the monopoly is able to break even and continue operation. A fair return is equal to normal profit. The â€Å"dilemma of regulation† is caused by these very regulation methods. These regulatory measures which are set to achieve the most efficient allocation of resources in P=MC actually result in the monopoly making a loss.Similarly the problem with the fair re turn price is that it doesn’t completely solve the issue of under-allocation. Question 11, LAST WORD: How was De Beers able to control the world price of diamonds even though it produced only 45 percent of the diamonds? What factors ended its monopoly? What is its new strategy for earning economic profit, rather than just normal profit? Despite producing 45% of the diamonds, De Beers was able to control the world price due to the ability to control its own production levels and high market share.The fact that so many diamond suppliers were coming through and providing alternatives such as synthetic diamonds forced De Beers to invest in advertising and promoting their own diamonds. These were factors simply out of De Beers control. More diamond reserves were being discovered and caused competition. So De Beers was forced to stop its operation as a monopoly and instead as â€Å"the diamond supplier of choice†. Problem 1: Suppose a pure monopolist is faced with the demand schedule shown below. Calculate the missing total? revenue and marginal? revenue amounts.Assuming that MC is $39, determine the profit? maximizing price and profit? maximizing output for this monopolist. Assuming that the ATC is $52. 50, what is the monopolist’s profit? Verify your answer by comparing it to the Total Revenue -Total Cost approach. LO2 Total Revenue from top to bottom, in dollars: 0, 100, 166, 213, 252, 275, 288, 294, 296, 297, 290 Marginal Revenue from top to bottom in dollars: 100, 66, 47, 39, 23, 13, 6, 2, 1, -7 The profit maximizing price is $63 and profit-maximizing output is 4. Monopolist’s profit is TR-TC=252-(4*52. 50)=>252-210=$42

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Kea Case study Essay Example

Kea Case study Essay Example Kea Case study Essay Kea Case study Essay Kea Case Study- Marketing issues and future recommendations Subsequent to my study of Keas case, below Is a brief description of the marketing issues that I have observed and my recommendations for future. 1. Kea has this brand image of low cost modern furniture. Though this brand perception is great for value conscious modern families, this perception might not be helping Kea in gaining greater traction with the high income people. Kea has still not been able to come out completely of Its image as a European brand. Infant some of the challenges that It aced Initially while entering American market Is a testimony to that. Initially when It entered American market, the Sales were relatively low because the furniture and Its dimensions were more appropriate for European customers. Later when it started designing and dimensioning furniture and other accessories per American tastes, the Sales shot up. Therefore it is important for Kea to continue to design its furniture and accessories keeping in view local cultures to be able to effectively meet their needs. Secondly Kikes business model is different from traditional furniture places. One Is expected to pick up these large flat modular furniture boxes at the store, drive them home, inbox them and then assemble the pieces. Now this can be psychologically burdensome for a lot of customers who are not good with assembling and with the tools. This could potentially discourage quite a segment of potential customers. Recommendations: Understand the local demographics and culture more closely to be able to more effectively design the marketing campaigns. Low cost sometimes can create this Image of low quality products. And so I would also commend to Kea to Incorporate strict quality control mechanism with Its suppliers to make sure the quality of its products doesnt go down. I would recommend Kea to highlight in its marketing campaigns both -value as well as quality of Kikes products. Secondly, for the people who may get scared at the very thought of picking up the heavy boxes, unfixing them and then assembling them, my recommendation would be to come up with staggered delivery and assembly options for the customers for an additional cost. Also If Kea can replace written assembly Instructions with DVDs, I hint that would be a very smart move which will bring down the furniture returns and thus improve companys bottom line. 2. While offering low cost good quality furniture is one of the strengths of Kea, it can also lead to concerns and a perception of not long lasting products because of the low prices. And while the cost of the products has been going down consistently primarily as a result of Kea bringing more local suppliers on board, It still depends on European suppliers to meet Its International supply chain obligations. As competition with other low cost furniture tillers becomes fierce, Kea may be at a disadvantage if it continues to source material from Europe. Recommendations: I would recommend Kea to target young demographics and highlight its low cost leadership, good quality and modern attributes In Its marketing campaigns to further reinforce and consolidate Its brand postponing for the long and open up more local manufacturing facilities to lower its dependence on European imports to further drive down its prices as the competition with the other local retailers heats up. Keas has been mainly promoting its products via distribution of product dialogues. And they seem to distribute these within surrounding areas of the store. Now, furniture is a high involvement product in my view and people might be willing to travel some distance to buy if they can it at affordable prices with good quality. Secondly, Kikes products seem to cater to value conscious young modern people and to that segment of the population it doesnt seem to market aggressively enough. This segment of the population is definitely more active on social media on the internet and so if Kea is not using the social media platform more effectively in its advertising forts that would be a problem. They also have not signed up any celebrities to be the brand ambassadors of the products which might not be working out for them. Recommendations: I would therefore recommend that the catalogues be distributed among the target segments (students, young modern value conscious families) in areas little farther from the stores as well. They can take advantage of the college/ university campuses and sporting events to distribute those catalogues to promote their brand. I also recommend incorporating social media marketing campaigns as one of the marketing strategies. Kea could also promote their brand more aggressively in print media and especially in the magazines catering to value conscious modern families and students. And finally they could sign up some celebrities to be brand ambassadors of their products. 4. Kea stores are generally located farther from the main business centers or the population hubs. They are also few in numbers. This may be a problem since they are not conveniently located to encourage people to drive by and check out their products. On top if Kea is also not aggressively marketing to get those people to visit the stores that will sure become a robber in gaining incremental market share. I also observed that Kea faced long lines at times in their stores which the customers are not going to like. Recommendations: My recommendations would be for Kea to sign up more franchises to expand the distribution, build more stores in strategic areas complimenting companys overall business model and strategy. Kea could possibly consider tie-ups with other furniture brands/outlets to increase its reach and presence. Kea should continue to innovate, improve their store designs, expand on the payment methods and integrate more technology to improve its store operations.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Applying Marxist Literary Criticism to Of Mice and Men Essay Example

Applying Marxist Literary Criticism to Of Mice and Men Essay Example Applying Marxist Literary Criticism to Of Mice and Men Paper Applying Marxist Literary Criticism to Of Mice and Men Paper Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men’ is a microcosm of reality for the working classes during the great economic depression in the U. S. A. Through the use of generic characters which represent the different echelons that existed at the bottom of society during a period of economic instability – Steinbeck’s novel resists dominant ideologies at the time of publication as the bleak portrayal of the lives of itinerant workers could be interpreted as a statement against capitalism. Karl Marx saw political devices such as ‘The American Dream’ as oppressing the proletariat by giving them false hope. This idea of a false consciousness is evident throughout the novel as Steinbeck uses the recurring theme of dreams in ‘Of Mice and Men’ to illustrate the unsatisfying nature of the lives that the ranch members lived. The fact that all the characters have idealistic dreams of a better life highlights their dissatisfaction with their current predicament. Although the use of dreams such as George’s utopia of an easy and simple existence on a farm could be interpreted as positive because they give the characters hope, the reality which Steinbeck makes clear at the end of the novel is that these dreams are unrealistic and the majority of people in society do not fulfil their ambitions. ‘Someday – we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs’ is repeated many times in the novel to highlight how dreams are used to prevent the proletariat from rising against their oppressors as they are manipulated by the promise of a life that is in reality unobtainable for the vast majority. Thus, resisting the dominant ideology that ‘everybody has an opportunity to be successful’. As the two central characters in the novel, George and Lennie epitomise the average itinerant worker in the sense that they are unskilled workers attempting to survive in a harsh economic climate. Itinerant workers are generally considered as being at the base of an economy, so by illustrating their plight Steinbeck is in fact devaluing the superstructure as the novel highlights the tough living conditions they are subjected to in order increment the wealth of the bourgeoisie. Steinbeck uses George’s perspective to further illustrate his perceived mistreatment of lower economic groups in society. ‘Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don’t belong no place†¦ They ain’t got nothing to look ahead to’ is the overpowering message at the end of the novel as all of the characters are subjected to hardship, tragedy and loneliness yet none are presented as facing a better outlook. This theme of loneliness and isolation also supports the Marxist theory of ‘The forces of production’. Whilst most of the characters in the novel are working at an unforgiving labour intensive job they are still at the bottom of the economic hierarchy. Steinbeck constantly reiterates the loneliness of the characters’ lives in order to highlight that although they are a major force of production there is an absence of enjoyment in the lives of the itinerant workers as they are not properly rewarded for their contributions to the economy. Coupled with the temporary nature of their employment, the workers are shown to be dislocated from reality and other people, living lonely existences and spending what little they earn on perverse pleasures such as gambling and prostitutes. This desire for false gratification could be a symbol for the lack of substance in the workers lives, or in other words Steinbeck’s perceived alienation of ranch workers. Karl Marx believed that workers in capitalist states such as the U. S. A where ‘Of Mice and Men’ is set are psychologically estranged from their work as they do not see the fruits of their work, instead they merely repeat one step of a cycle and are paid a fixed wage which is not relative to the profit the product they create gains. This theory is adopted by Steinbeck as the itinerant nature of the ranch workers job is shown to cause a separation from nature, leaving the workers disillusioned. The workers are given one task to fulfil, for example hauling the crop, and then they repeat this step over and over again until they move to another ranch – never seeing the result of their hard work. This industrialisation of the workers is depicted as having a detrimental effect on the workers psychology by Steinbeck and being the causation for their unhappiness. George and Lennie’s dream to ‘live of the fatta the land’ also forces itself into the fervent desires of Candy and Crooks which supports Marx’s belief that humans yearn for a relationship with nature. In this light, George is shown to resist bourgeoisie values which would stipulate that the industrialisation of workers is necessary for a healthy society which would be based on the assumption that profit is the most important motive – not the mental well-being of the workers. Curley’s wife could be seen as a symbol for those crushed by dominant ideologies and bourgeoisie values. Curley’s wife is portrayed as a vain and attention seeking character in life yet after her tragic death she is also a source of sympathy as Steinbeck shows her in a different light. ‘She was pretty and simple, and her face was sweet and young’ contrasts with the flirtatious, provocative and callous woman who endangered Lennie and cruelly threatened to have Crook’s hanged. Steinbeck is implying that the flaws in her character were created and compounded by the system she was born into. The fact that she is not named in the novel is an overt statement of how undervalued she is in society and this contrasts with the dominant ideology at time which is that everybody has equal opportunities to become ‘successful’. Instead of attempting to make the best of life within her means, she dreamed of the ‘high life’ advertised by purveyors of bourgeoisie values in order to preserve a capitalistic state. This meant she accepted the harsh reality of her predicament in the belief she would soon escape it.

Monday, November 4, 2019

What is the Calorie Plate Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

What is the Calorie Plate - Research Paper Example In fact, the concept has never been introduced before. It uses state-of-the-art technology which digitally shows the number of calories the calorie plate contains. Calorie Plate has recently just been patented, with the concept coming from a group of students in Brisbane Australia. The emergence of this new product prompted the individuals involved in its intention to create a business unit that would market, sell and distribute the product in various locations within the country, and other major parts of the globe. The company behind Calorie Plate is named C-Med, Inc. Due to the nature of the product and the forecasted demand for its distribution in key sales channels for medical products, C-Med, Inc. will primarily take on a direct-selling approach to the product. This method shall be supported by both above-the-line and below-the-line advertising efforts, with specific emphasis on merchandising and web-based promotional and marketing activities. C-Med, Inc. will handle all aspects of the business – from manufacturing, operations, distribution, and marketing. The management will carry these out through partnerships with third-party suppliers and distributors to ensure that it reaches the right channels and the right market. As primarily a corporate type of business, all incorporators have invested an equal sum to make launch and operate the business. As a support to the current investments, C-Med, Inc. will open shares to other individuals who believe in the marketability of the product. Weight management is both wellness and aesthetic concern. Due to the competitive nature of the society we live in, people are now more conscious of their looks and their health. The first area of concern is one's health. As such, there are countless weight-management program and supplements in the market today. In Australia, there is a need to address the growing concern about the increasing number of people who may be considered obese.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Case study furniture bank Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Case study furniture bank - Term Paper Example Though the company is going to incur expenses which have to be given from the cash in hand or go for bank loans. But furniture bank being a charitable organization will also get some rebate in the interest levied on the loan. Once the furniture banking starts building up on the cash, they will also be in a position to spread an awareness regarding their cause for which they are working in the country. Moreover, a further cash of $127000 can be earned from which the expenses of the truck drivers can be borne. Thus, the truck which gets utilized for five days for 90 hours can give more output. Capital Campaign The problem faced by the charitable institution like furniture banking may be that of many other organizations which non profit making institutions are. Being a charitable institution the land acquired by furniture bank was given for free; which is now being taken away forcefully with the intention of building houses at affordable rates. The institution also wants to move to a pl ace which is easily accessible to their entire volunteers who live in Greater Toronto Area. But getting a property there even at a subsidised rate accounts to $1.5million to 3.5million which is almost beyond the limit of furniture bank. Though the institution is having a favourable cash balance yet the rate proposed is beyond their limits because if they go for a property at exorbitant price then the cash required for rendering services will get reduced hampering the cause which is their main motive behind starting of the organization. So in order to get rid of the relocation problem some steps need to be taken like the create more volunteers for the organization, improving fund raising skills and confidence and train the existing staff for making a strong team towards the achievement of the goals. But until a suitable place to set up the institution is found it would not be advisable to shift from the present location under any circumstances (Kihlstedt, 2010, p. 2). Information Tec hnology The information technology is an essential element to run any business effectively, be it profit making or non profit making organization. To track the caller of the furniture bank a proper information system should be built up so that the company can expand more. The cause of the company though a good one is not yet marketed properly so the number of volunteers is a mere 30 members. For a non profit making organization to grow it is very important to spread the cause near and far. This will require more volunteers than presently existing, so marketing through the information technology will not only spread the cause of furniture bank but also do the needful at an affordable cost. Even the records of the institution related to its policies and procedures will be well maintained unlike now. Answering calls will be much prompt than that of now. Customer relationship will also get enhanced. Though the initial cost will come to around $90000 approximately with a monthly payment of $1500 for system maintenance and direct technical support, yet it is advisable to bear with the