Clearwater Technologies

Clear Water Technologies : A Case Study QTX is a sales support server that allows multiple users to simultaneously maintain their sales account databases. These databases covers contact information, quote histories, copies of all communications, and links to the customer's corporate database for shipping records. The basic QTX package consists of a processor, chassis, hard drive, and network interface, with a manufacturing cost of $500. The package provided simultaneous access for 10 users to the system, referred to as 10 â€Å"seats. Each seat represented one accessing employee. The product line consisted of 10-, 20-, and 30-seat capacity QTX servers. Each incremental 10 seats required $200 of additional manufacturing cost. Yearly sales were at the rate of 4,000 units across all sizes. In initial sales, approximately 30 percent of customers bought the 30-seat unit, 40 percent bought the 20-seat unit, and 30 percent bought the 10-seat unit. Customers who needed more than 30 seats ty pically went to competitors servicing the medium-to-large company market segment.Clearwater set a per-seat manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) that decreased with higher quantity seat purchases, reflecting the customer perception of declining manufacturing cost per seat. Clearwater also saw this as advantageous because it encouraged customers to maximize their initial seat purchase. Clearwater typically sold its products through value-added resellers (VARs). A VAR was typically a small local firm that provided sales and support to end users.The value added by these resellers was that they provided a complete solution to the end user/customer from a single point of purchase and had multiple information technology products available from various vendors. Using VARs reduced Clearwater's sales and service expense significantly and increased its market coverage. These intermediaries operated in several steps. First, the VAR combined the QTX from Clearwater with database software from other suppliers to form a turnkey customer solution.Second, the VAR loaded the software with customer-specific information and linked it to the customer's existing sales history databases. Finally, the VAR installed the product at the customer's site and trained the customer on its use. Clearwater sold the QTX to resellers at a 50 percent discount from the MSRP, allowing the VARs to sell to the end user at or below the MSRP. The discount allowed the VARs room to negotiate with the customer and still achieve a profit. The Upgrade Initially, the expectation had been that the 30-seat unit would be the largest volume seller.In order to gain economies of scale in manufacturing, reduce inventory configurations, and reduce engineering design and testing expense to a single assembly, Clearwater decided to manufacture only the 30-seat server with the appropriate number of seats â€Å"enabled† for the buyer. Clearwater was effectively â€Å"giving away† extra memory and ab sorbing the higher cost rather than manufacturing the various sizes. If a customer wanted a 10-seat server, the company shipped a 30-seat capable unit, with only the requested 10 seats enabled through software configuration.The proposed upgrade was, in reality, allowing customers to access capability already built into the product. Clearwater knew that many original customers were ready to use the additional capacity in the QTX. Some customers had added seats by buying a second box, but because the original product contained the capability to expand by accessing the disabled seats, Clearwater saw an opportunity to expand the product line and increase sales to a captive customer base. Customers could double or triple their seat capacity by purchasing either a 10- or a 20-seat upgrade and getting an access code to enable the additional number of seats.No other competitor offered the possibility of an upgrade. To gain additional seats from the competitor, the customer purchased and ins talled an additional box. Because customers performed a significant amount of acceptance testing, which they would have to repeat before switching brands, the likelihood of changing brands to add capacity was low. The objective of this morning's meeting was to set the price for the two upgrades. As QTX product manager Rob Erickson stopped to collect his most recent notes from his desk, he reflected: What a way to start the week.Every time we have one of these meetings, senior management only looks at margins. I spent the whole weekend cranking numbers and I'm going in there using the highest margin we've got today. How can anybody say that's too low? He grabbed his notes, calculator, and coffee and headed down the hall. From the other wing of the building, financial analyst Hillary Hanson was crossing the lobby towards the conference room. She was thinking about the conversation she had late Number MSRP to VAR Unit Unit of Seats End User Price Cost* Margin** 10 $8,000 $4,000 $500 87 . 5% 20 $14,000 $7,000 $700 90. 0% 30 $17,250 $8,625 $900 89. % TABLE 1 *Unit cost reflects additional $200 for memory capability for each additional 10 seats. **Margin _ VAR Price _ Unit Cost VAR Price Number Original Original Actual Actual of Seats Unit Cost Unit Margin Unit Cost Unit Margin 10 $500 87. 5% $900 77. 5% 20 $700 90. 0% $900 87. 1% 30 $900 89. 6% $900 89. 6% TABLE 2 Friday afternoon with her boss, Alicia Fisher, Clearwater's CFO. They had been discussing this upcoming meeting and Alicia had given Hillary very clear instructions. I want you to go in and argue for the highest price possible. We should absolutely maximize the profitability on the upgrade.The customers are already committed to us and they have no alternative for an upgrade but with us. The switching costs to change at this point are too high since they've already been trained in our system and software. Let's go for it. Besides, we really need to show some serious revenue generation for the year-end repor t to the stockholders. Hillary had not actually finalized a number. She figured she could see what the others proposed and then argue for a significant premium over that. She had the CFO's backing so she could keep pushing for more. From the parking lot, Brian James, the district sales manager, headed for the rear entrance.He, too, was thinking about the upcoming meeting and anticipating a long morning. I wish marketing would realize that when they come up with some grandiose number for a new product, sales takes the hit in the field. It's a killer to have to explain to customers that they have to pay big bucks for something that's essentially built in. It's gonna be even tougher to justify on this upgrade. At least with the QTX, we have something the buyer can see. It's hardware. With the upgrade, there isn't even a physical product. We're just giving customers a code to access the capability that's already built into the machine.Telling customers that they have to pay several thou sand dollars never makes you popular. If you think about it, that's a lot of money for an access code, but you won't hear me say that out loud. Maybe I can get them to agree to something reasonable this time. I spent the weekend working this one out, and I think my logic is pretty solid. Price Proposals Once everyone was settled in the conference room, Rob spoke first: I know we have to come up with prices for both the 10-seat and 20-seat upgrades, but to keep things manageable, let's discuss the 20-seat price first.Once that number is set, the 10-seat price should be simple. Because the margin on the 30-seat unit is the highest in the line, I think we should use that as the basis to the price for the upgrade. He went to a whiteboard to show an example: If a customer is upgrading from a 10-seat unit to a 30-seat unit, they are adding two steps of capacity costing $200 each to us, or $400. $400 /1-0. 90 _ $4,000 to the reseller, and $8,000 to the end user. We keep the margin structur e in place at the highest point in the line. The customer gets additional capacity, and we keep our margins consistent.He sat down feeling pleased. He had fired the first shot, had been consistent with the existing margin structure, and had rounded up the highest margin point in the line. Brian looked at Rob's calculations and commented: I think that's going to be hard for the customer to see without us giving away information about our margins, and we don't want to do that, since they are pretty aggressive to begin with. However, I think I have solved this one for us. I've finally come up with a simple, fair solution to pricing the upgrade that works for us and the customers. He walked over to a whiteboard and grabbed a marker:If we assume an existing 10-seat customer has decided to upgrade to 30-seat capability, we should charge that customer the difference between what the buyer has already paid and the price of the new capacity. So . . . New 30-seat unit $17,250 Original 10-seat unit $8,000 Price for 20-seat upgrade $9,250 It's consistent with our current pricing for the QTX. It's fair to the customer. It's easy for the customer to understand and it still makes wads of money for us. It also is easy for the customer to see that we're being good to them. If they bought a 20-seat box in addition to the 10-seat box they already have, it would be costing them more.He wrote: New 20-seat unit $14,000 A new unit provides customers with redundancy by having two boxes, which they might want in the event of product failure, but the cost is pretty stiff. Upgrading becomes the logical and affordable option. Hillary looked at the numbers and knew just what she was going to do. That all looks very logical, but I don't see that either of you has the company's best interests at heart. Brian, you just want a simple sale that your sales people and the customers will buy into, and Rob, you are charging even less than Brian. We need to consider the revenue issue as well.These people have already bought from us; are trained on our hardware and software and don't want to have to repeat the process with someone else. It would take too long. They've got no desire to make a change and that means we've got them. The sky is really the limit on how much we can charge them because they have no real alternative. We should take this opportunity to really go for the gold, say $15,000 or even $20,000. We can and should be as aggressive as possible. All three continued to argue the relative merits of their pricing positions, without notable success.Jefferies listened to each of them and after they finished, he turned to a clean whiteboard and took the marker. I've done some more thinking on this. In order to meet the needs of all three departments, there are three very important points that the price structure for these upgrades must accomplish: 1. The pricing for the upgrades shouldn't undercut the existing pricing for the 30-seat QTX. 2. We want to motivate our buye rs to purchase the maximum number of seats at the initial purchase. A dollar now is better than a potential dollar later. We never know for sure that they will make that second purchase.If we don't do this right, we're going to encourage customers to reduce their initial purchase. They'll figure they can add capacity whenever, so why buy it if they don't need it. That would kill upfront sales of the QTX. 3. We don't want to leave any revenue on the table when buyers decide to buy more capacity. They are already committed to us and our technology and we should capitalize on that, without totally ripping them off. Therefore, while Hillary says â€Å"the sky's the limit,† I think there is a limit and we need to determine what it is and how close we can come to it.If we assume that those are the objectives, none of the prices you've put together thus far answers all three of those criteria. Some come close, but each one fails. See if you can put your heads together and come to a consensus price that satisfies all three objectives. OK? Heads nodded and with that, Jefferies left the conference room. The three remaining occupants looked at one another. Brian got up to wipe the previous numbers off the whiteboards and said: OK, one more time. If our numbers don't work, why not and what is the right price for the 20-seat upgrade?

Supply and Demand Simulation

1 Supply and Demand Simulation Connie F. Dents ECO/365 November 6, 2012 Tulin Koray 2 Supply and Demand Simulation The Supply and Demand Simulation is about the rental of two- bedroom apartments that is managed by Goolife Management Company. The Goodlife Management Company is in the City of Atlantis. The Simulation will show the different scenarios in how the shift in demand and supply curve, demand and supply shift, price ceilings, and the equilibrium changes, also the decrease and increase, and how supplies changes can stay the same.This assignment asks to identify two microeconomics and two macroeconomics principles or concepts from the simulation. Before one can identify he or she needs to know the definition of microeconomics and macroeconomics. As stated by (Colander, 2010) Microeconomics is the study of individual choice and how that choice is influenced by economics forces. Macroeconomics is the study of the economy as state by (Colander, 2010). Scenario one and four identify microeconomics concepts.In scenario one it describes the Goodlife management company, which manages two- bed room apartment’s has a large amount of vacancy, to have less vacancy the Goodlife management company would need to lower the rate on the rental property from 28% to 15%. By reducing the rental rate quantity is but a lower rate with other things remain constant. The Goodlife Company will have more apartments, which are not at a demanded. 2 The rental company continues to have surplus of apartment but to rent them the rental rate would have to be reduced. In the fourth scenario it explains that Lintech has move to Atlantis, which increase the city ofAtlantis population. The increase demand for apartments have increased, this will increase the rate of rent. Because the rental is higher, but this is a demand and supply increase, and the 2,350 apartment would have been rented for the price of $1,400. Macroeconomics is identified in scenario three and seven. In scenario thr ee a statistics was provided by the Atlantis housing survey on the demand for two- bedroom apartments in the city of Atlantis. It states that so many apartments will be demanded, but survey shows an imbalance between quantity demanded and quantity supplied at the price of renting a two-bedroom apartment.Because of high rent folk that works in Atlantis lives in neighboring towns because of the low rent. For there not to be a balance between quantity demanded and quantity supplied the rental rate have to decrease. When the scale is balanced, it show equilibrium has been meet. When the rental rate is below the equilibrium this causes for the quantity demanded is larger than the quantity supplied, this leads to a shortage of apartment in the market. Scenario seven states that the government imposed a price ceiling on rental property in the last two years that cannot exceed $1500. 3The imposing of the price ceiling in this scenario is below equilibrium as in this case, it makes the quant ity supply less than the quantity demand. As stated in the (ecampus. phoenix. edu) prices ceiling can have both economic and social consequences. In scenario two the shift of supply curve is upward sloping, and in scenario four the demand curve shifts to the left. In scenario two where the supply curve is upward sloping this was caused from an increase in rental rate. In scenario four the cause of the shift in the demand curve is caused from more people demanding apartments.In the shift of supply curve it would not affect the equilibrium price, as stated in the (ecampus. phoenix. edu) the supply curve for products are imaginary line at a point, which tells you the quantities, and the decision maker cannot access the supply curve. In the shift of the demand curve means that the quantity demanded is more than the quantity supplied at the original equilibrium, and the decision maker would increase the quantity demand. In the workplace I would apply it to access as to what student are a ccomplishing according to mastery, partial mastery, or non- mastery, and his would help all person who are assisting the students to know what his or her needs are. Price elasticity of demands affected consumers as related to the simulation is the increased and decreasing prices of the rental property. Folk that worked in the city of Atlantis lived in neighboring city because of the high priced two-bedroom apartments. 5 Reference Economics for Business, University of Phoenix, Retrieved from https://ecampus. phoenix. edu Colander, D. C. (2010). Economics (8th ed. ). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill

What is a key fact from the chapter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

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Are we living in a therapy culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Are we living in a therapy culture - Essay Example The different types of general problems are also increasing for employees day by day. According to Furedi (2003), the therapy concepts are not linked with dilemmas that are peculiar or indifferent states of mind of the individuals. Therapy is being taken as dealing with dilemmas that are common and state of minds that are being observed in normal human beings on a usual basis. There was a time therapy was considered as typically being applied on some unique cases but now every human being is gradually becoming prone to therapies. The states such as depression, stress, anxieties that are general, different types of phobia, and shyness are some of the common problems that are faced by majority of the individuals (Howard 2005). The author Furedi (2003) also discusses that the individual experiences that are faced are being categorized as medical and psychological issues and this may directly relate with the emotional mind set of the individuals. Therapy concepts are not just visiting psychologists and having chat sessions with them, therapy is becoming an inbuilt concept in society that is making mandatory compulsions on individuals for remaining competitive in the society and cope up with realities of life. Therapeutic claim making has become one of the most interesting debates currently. Furedi (2003) suggests that individuals are mostly interested in acknowledgements that state that they need formal recognitions and approaches to cure themselves. The society pressurizes the individuals to consult psychologists and counsellors to have sessions and discuss about their problems so that their therapy sessions can start with them. Cameron (2000) argues in his book that people are ready to make therapy claims very easily by observing their conditions. It the psychological thought that they have developed that they may get well if they take up therapy sessions for

I wrote it on 'Assignment Criteria' Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

I wrote it on 'Assignment Criteria' - Essay Example The advantages and disadvantages need to be studied in depth before a developing nation decides to build or leave the idea as it is of a dam within its territories. (Choudhury, 1999) Dams can pose both good and bad points for any developing nation but the real decision maker is the government since it finds how good or how bad the construction of dams could mean for the poor people of the developing nation. For a developing nation, the poor people get affected by dams in the most direct manner. Their agricultural basis is positively improved and their return on investments is taken care of. Different businesses also get affected by the availability of electricity as these dams bring them a reason to smile and earn more and more. For the poor, dams bring them water and that too in an abundant quantity. They get to drink fresh, clean water and are thankful to the authorities who made the decision to build dams in the past for them. Rain water gets accumulated within these dams and this helps the poor people a lot. (Lyon, 1994) They get a number of benefits for their own selves, their families and their respective businesses with the assistance of these dams. Dams help the poor people more than the rich ones since these dams assist in opening up their new business ranks and also help them in getting food and water easily. Dams always help in irrigation, agriculture and the issues related with the availability of fresh and clean drinking water. The illnesses related with the non-availability of clean drinking water are always scary and this is one aspect that is looked after in a good manner by the presence of dams within any country. A developing nation can continue on its developing path if it builds dams for the prosperity of its own people as well as to enrich its resources and the water that is there within its territories. The disadvantages that building dams on the

Discusstion Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Discusstion - Case Study Example Most of the businesses these days are using information technology to expand their origins and this is where cyber crime comes into play. It has been found that cyber crime poses a threat of 2.4 billion to the businesses operating in the United Kingdom. Similarly it was also found that this crime brought upon a loss of $67.2 billion to the companies operating in the United States (Marsillac et al 2010). Considering the high numbers of these crimes, it is estimated that cyber crime is further increasing over time and it needs to curbed as soon as possible. Different regulatory organizations have been formed all over the world to overlook the issue of cyber crime. This essay revolves around the severity of cyber crime as it is found in the world and resorts to an option that would help to limit the crime in totality. It was found that Cyber Crime went up by 10.4 % in the year 2014 from the previous year which clearly shows a growth in the pattern of cyber crimes. In accordance to the costly cyber crimes it was found that insiders, service denials and internet attacks formed an important part of the paradigm (Kassner 2015). Discerning from the research it can be said that the most suitable policy to thwart cyber crime should revolve around the threat from the inside of the company. These insiders are the ones who know most about the company and they can easily access the information with the appropriate information. If these insiders are stopped from committing the crime, the rate can be drastically reduced. The role of managers in curbing the crimes cannot be emphasized enough but the organization should also make sure that they are following the principles of strategic survival in the market. The managers can make sure of this by affirming legitimacy to the firm which forms an utmost part of it s dealing with the competitors.

Research Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Assignment - Research Paper Example Therefore, arguments that Information technology has lost its strategic value are baseless. According to Carr, companies were investing too much of their resources on IT (Carr, 2003). He therefore argued that it’s the high time that they turn their focus on risks rather than competitive advantage. However, this is not the case. After the entry of information technology, there was a boom as each company wanted to align itself effectively in the market. At the same time, globalization intensified as a result of liberalization of markets, efficient flow of information, and integration of economies. Consequently, companies were expanding their markets and operations in order to expand their sources of revenues. Therefore, they needed the necessary IT to enable them to monitor and manage various operations by the subsidiaries. This increased the demand. However, over the years, companies have reduced their spending on IT and have now focused on improving the existing infrastructure. Therefore, it is not right to argue that the value of information technology has diminish ed. On the contrary, new firms still invest heavily on IT. Nevertheless, with time they reduced this spending spree and focus on training and equipping their subordinates with the necessary skills to enable them maximize the returns through the use of IT. Carr argues that the greatest IT risk is overspending (Carr, 2003). He states that this puts the company at a cost disadvantage. However, this is not the case with the changes being experienced in the market. Initially, there were only few firms in the market. However, with the increasing levels of liberalization, multinational companies have entered different markets across the world in order to reduce the risks and uncertainties associated with concentrating on a single market. Research indicates that these companies

Sacrament of marriage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sacrament of marriage - Essay Example This concerns the establishment of the relations among the people involved in the union, as well as, the attribution of the relationship to the purpose of God in the individual lives of the people2. Thus, from the catholic cannons, marriage is a sacrament between baptized people joined in union at the confines of the church doctrines. It constitutes the unbreakable bond of love between Christ and the people. Thus, like the other sacraments, the sacrament of marriage is a symbol to reveal the Lord Jesus, facilitate the divine life, and love to the people. The twentieth century saw the evolution of the theology of marriage within the developments of the church, begging with the incorporations established by Pope Pius XI in 930, and passing through to the Second Vatican Council and Pope Paul VI. The culmination was the unfolding of the writings on the insights of Pope John Paul II. The church drifted from the juridical presentation of marriage to adopt church pronouncements that personalized the duties and rights of marriage, to present it as a presentation for availing conjugal love between the spouses3. The Vatican and Cannon Law explains the definition of marriage as an intimate, exclusive, indissoluble communion of love and life shared by man and woman as a fulfillment to the design established by the Creator of their own good and procreation. This covenant entails joining two baptized persons, raising the dignity of the sacrament. Historical development ranges back to the initial establishments about the promiscuity of man, which instituted the need to develop religious cannons to streamline the practice of marriage4. The responsibilities associated also contributed to the establishment of the divine union, as practice of monogamy became the preaching from the church5. Thus, current establishments and practices in the sacrament of marriage have evolved

Was William Shakespeare the author of his plays and sonnets Essay

Was William Shakespeare the author of his plays and sonnets - Essay Example It is difficult to determine the identity of the young man, which is apparent from references made in individual sonnets (Baxter, 1917). As the most important the documents of the time did not mentioned such name such as a Shakespeare. During the Renaissance period, poets were not allowed to publish poetry, so it is possible to assume that one of the poets took a pseudonym "William Shake-speare". Critics suppose that his true name was Edward de Vere. Edward de Vere was better educated than Shakespeare which allowed de Vere to describe events and manners of those times in details. On the other hand, the main problem is that there is no evidence that Shakespeare was an actor. "For example, there is no record of any part he may have played, and only two posthumous traditions to bit parts" (A Beginner's Guide, n.d.). The main fact against Shakespeare's authorship is that no manuscripts of Shakespeare's plays survive. Indeed, there are very few manuscripts available to scholars of plays of the Elizabethan and Jacobean period. Also, many editions, used as a basis for making modern texts into performances in modern theatres, have been put together by editors from early (sixteenth and seventeenth century) printed versions of the plays, published in small editions after the play itself had ceased to be regularly performed. In these editions the text is not always divided into acts and scenes, and when it is, the work, together with the punctuation, spelling and stage directions, is that of the first compositors who set the type from a manuscript probably supplied by the theatre. The first eight plays of Shakespeare to be published did not bear his name, but this was standard practice at the time, since few editions of plays bore the name of the author. It is important to note that this was normal pra ctice at the time, for once a dramatist had sold his play to a theatrical enterprise, he gave up his ownership and copyright of the work. So, it is possible to say that the plays were not written by Shakespeare. In a preface to their work, the editors claim that their texts are more reliable than those to be found in the quartos, many of which were illegally or hastily prepared. (Lancashire, 1998). Other facts against Shakespeare's authorship state that some of the earliest printed versions of the same Shakespeare play differ, quite significantly, in the text that they print. The question then arises as to which of the different versions is the 'correct' one. The main problem is that there is no definitive, generally excepted edition. Also most all texts have been reconstructed by generations of scholars from several of the earliest printed editions of the play. In the practice of Shakespeare's theatre, the authority of the written text was secondary to that of the spoken and the visual, and what was considered to be theatrically effective - what made people actually want to pay money to visit the theatre - was the paramount consideration of the actors and dramatist. The Elizabethan theatre did not possess a huge repertory of classic plays from the past. Almost all the plays shown on the public stages were being shown for the first time, this meant that there was tremendous pressure on dramatists such as Shakespeare to go on producing new plays, because audiences wanted, above all, to see new work. The players, or certainly

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

Sociology - Essay Example In this first article researchers examined the mental health of Arab Americans. They wanted to determine if their mental health was in any way influenced by how they fit in in their larger communities. They wanted to know if their general social environment and their lives as a minority altered their perceptions of the world. In this article, the researchers define acculturation as â€Å"the process of change on both the individual and group level that results from contact between a minority and a dominant culture, leading members of the minority culture to adjust their original cultural beliefs, values, and behaviors† (81). This definition is a useful starting point. A certain amount of stress accompanies any group that may not have as many opportunities or access to employment than a more dominant social group. For ethnic groups that are new to a country or community, or that share space with a larger group, this can be especially acute. However, the authors of this article did not find that acculturation had a determinant role in the mental health of Arab Americans. It could increase their stress levels but many other factors were involved in their mental health. Ghaddar S, et al. â€Å"Acculturation and healthy lifestyle habits among Hispanics in United States-Mexico border communities.† Rev Panam Salud Publica. 28 (2010):190–7. Many aspects of the lives of ethnic groups can be altered through acculturation.

Transition from Print Media to New Media Essay Example for Free

Transition from Print Media to New Media Essay New media has emerged from the print media. But its target audience is different from that of print media. Today, we have young readers getting attracted towards new media. This is because they feel that they really don’t need to waste their time reading when they could easily see or watch whatever they want to with audio and video, now a days the younger generation has gained a presence for it due to advances in technology and just reading a book for â€Å"fun† has started to become something of the past. The first news websites were launched by media houses around 1986. But, as you have already studied, these web editions were simply replicas of the respective print editions. The function of these websites was nothing more than generating awareness about the existence of these media houses. The actual transition in India happened after 1996 when several independent media houses tried to bring out a news website. But after 2000, most of the independent media organizations along with their websites closed down. That was the time when the phenomenon of convergence became popular. Convergence means the coming together of different forms of mass media. Ever since the first murmurs of electronic media, print media has always felt an undue threat, first from the radio and then from television. And now the Internet is seemingly up against the vast and widely spread print media. When the radio came in the early 1930s, everybody felt that newspapers would become obsolete. When television came in the 1950s, people and even experts felt that nobody would get the time for or feel the attraction of the written word. But everyone was wrong. Each media has managed to create its own time and space across cultures and around the world. However, the print media too, be it the newspapers or books, has been able to hold its own. Consider this – the circulation figures of major newspapers around the world have only increased over the years; publishers too come up with a deluge of books and new magazine titles pop up from nowhere every day. Alternatively, there are thousands of TV channels, even more radio stations, and the infinite Internet. In this deluge of information, where every media is fighting for attention, who wins? Nobody actually. Thanks to the distinct features, the ease of use and the reach of every media, they all have managed to create a specific target audience or readership for themselves. There is a little bit of appeal for everyone in every media. Information, knowledge, entertainment, fun, and serious business – all these things can be found in every media now. Now it is only left to the audience to choose what suits them. There lies the competition, which nobody has won yet. And nobody might ever win it completely ever. It’s true we are bombarded by images and sounds from various electronic media, which has shortened our attention spans. This quick deluge of information suits many of us who are hard pressed for time and because of this very few people get the time to read. Everyone wants content in a flash. The Internet has proved to be the most effective media here, where knowledge is literally at your fingertips. You type in what you want, and you get the results in milliseconds – in whatever form you want. There are now online editions of most standard newspapers. This is also the reason you have ebooks now. But how many people have access to the Internet? 10 percent of the population in India and just 8 percent over the world. Where do the rest of the 90 percent go? They turn to newspapers, the TV or radio. But, it is only a matter of time till the fast-spreading Internet is accessible to the rest of the people and a majority will look to it for most of their needs. So in such a scenario, is it just the print media that is dying? Is it not TV and radio too? Although, it is the print media which seems endangered, it is a fact that the success of any media tells upon another media. It is only a tug of war going among these, where the centre gets oscillated between the ends. Each has been devising ways to deal with the plus points of the other. TV is getting interactive, radio is getting gripping, newspapers and books are trying to get more attractive with the incorporation of visuals and graphics and interactivity to some extent, and all of them together are going online. Adaptability is crucial for existence. The bottom-line is if the print media continues to adapt to the changing media habits of people and corner its target readers well, it will survive. And it ought to do that for its good. Somehow, there is a feeling that even if it fails in that, the power of the written word will always be supreme. So while traditional media’s old channels – print and broadcast – are floundering, their online properties are thriving. In fact, I’d argue that the influence of traditional media outlets like theNew York Times and CNN are greater than ever. The internet and social networking sites have given traditional media outlets an audience beyond their once limited geographies. For example, take the Boston Globe. By all rights the Boston Globe’s circulation is in free fall. New England’s largest daily newspapers once bragged about a circulation of more than 700,000 and now finds itself below 300,000. There is little doubt that the print product for the Boston Globe is heading to obsolescence. But look at its other â€Å"new† delivery channels: * Boston.com receives an average of 4.2 million unique views per month in 2010. More than 5.500 other sites link to its content * The Boston Globe has more than a dozen Twitter channels – from books and movies to the Bruins and local news – that is followed by tens of thousands of people * The Boston Globe Facebook page has more than 6,500 people liking it The Boston Globe is also providing video and audio content. It even has a free smart phone application. Their audience is actually greater now than it has ever been. These new channels will continue to grow. So while traditional outlets are still struggling to fully monetize these new channels – they have jumped into online and social channels in a big way. People are getting their news on different channels (and in different formats), but they are still relying on traditional media outlets to deliver it to them. Traditional media – new and old alike – are reinventing journalism and news delivery. Don’t forget that. Media outlets still pack an enormous audience and have an even greater ability to influence people – from what books to read to what products to buy. Media relations isn’t dying – it’s just moving online and onto social networks. The media industry has always adapted to meet the changing needs of advertisers and to incorporate new technologies into their service and product offerings. Over the last two decades this industry has changed at a breakneck pace that is no longer a series of adjustments but a wholesale evolution of the industry. New media have entered the arena while others have been forced to evolve to avoid becoming obsolete. These changes have been driven by advancements in technology, consumer media usage and the almighty dollar. Perhaps no media has been more challenged by these changes than print. While print media has been the hardest hit, talk of its extinction is premature and ignores the fact that it has and continues to play a significant role in consumer marketing. Print media is here to stay but its form and role will never be the same again. Like all media forms, print has evolved over time and has been undergoing a period of considerable change that began prior to the recent recession. Newspaper ad revenues have been experiencing significant decline since 2001 while penetration has been declining in many key segments since the early 1970’s (see chart). This decline has been less pronounced with readers age 55+. As more tech-savvy baby boomers reach retirement, the decline seen in younger segments will likely be matched by the older segments. In order to combat the decline in all age groups, print media has diversified their offerings and taken steps to acquire new readers while cutting costs. Nearly all newspaper and magazine publishers have added complementary websites to their offering. In an effort to attract younger readers major publishers such as the Tribune and Sun-Times Media Group launched free circulation newspapers geared towards their target audience. Magazines such as Road Track and Sports Illustrated have provided unsolicited free 6 month subscriptions followed by a renewal subscription contact strategy thereby providing a free trail. In an effort to cut costs, some publications have abandoned long standing formats. On February 8th 2010 the Chicago Tribune trimmed its traditional broadsheet format to reduce costs and changed their editorial ratio as part of their bankruptcy agreement. As print revenues continue to decline profits are improving and should it be determined that these acquisition efforts and format changes played a key role, it is likely that other publications around the country will follow. Online advertising has benefited from regular techn ological advances and has become a mainstream advertising medium now representing 12% of total ad spending compared to 34.6% for print. [1] The explosive growth of online advertising has tapered off and for the first time experienced negative growth in the first quarter of 2009. Internet advertising spend grew 37.5% between 2005 and 2008 while print declined 29.9% over the same period.[2] However, the decline of print has not been made up by growth in online advertising. Changes in the media industry have impacted the two primary components of print media in different ways. For a long time, newspapers enjoyed the highest penetration levels of any media. This began to change with the introduction of television and its increased usage. Over the past two decades this evolution has been most impacted by a culture that thrives in convenience and demands their information in â€Å"real-time†. These have never been the strengths of print but proclamations that print is dead ignore prints strengths. These strengths have begun to show their worth as online advertising has failed to carry the same perceived value that even the wounded print industry maintains to this day. The very nature of the internet makes it impossible to completely replace print media. Print retains characteristics not replicable through vehicles: browsability, credibility, tangibility, size, inserts, ad impact, ad content, and usability. Print will have to redefine its niche, purpose and approach, but it has been a proven vehicle for marketing communication and the differentiating strengths it retains will help it survive. The internet has only partially succeeded at supplanting print as a news source. Journalism has been supplanted, in part, by blogs, and independent sources that lack both the clout and professional reputation of long standing institution such as the Wall Street Journal. Advertisers also have a vested interest in seeing print survive. The ability to reach large numbers of baby boomers and older consumers, with their considerable spending power through a tangible vehicle, will help support print through this transition period. There is no doubt media is undergoing a metamorphosis. For print, this future is unclear but the overall demise of print media is grossly exaggerated. Print is undoubtedly undergoing a significant change, one that will redefine its niche and better position it for the future. Media has always adapted to the needs and desires of its consumers and advertisers and this change is no different. Only time will tell the fate of print, but that fate is far from decided.

Causes of conflict in romantic relationships

Causes of conflict in romantic relationships As long as people have gotten romantically involved with one another, there has been conflict within those relationships. Some people argue that conflict is bad for the relationship and will ultimately lead to the demise of that relationship. Others argue that the conflict is good for the relationship and will help it to flourish. Conflict can be both positive and negative for a relationship. It can both help and hinder the relationship. No matter what stage the relationship is in and whether or not the relationship is being helped or hurt, conflict is always happening in different contexts. Conflict is also caused by numerous reasons. These reasons include a lack of interpersonal communication skills, low levels of trust, physical abuse, an individuals past history in relationships, and many others. Not many people in the world can say that they have had a 100% successful romantic relationship. Looking at the high divorce rate in the United States can prove this. However, there are those couples that have remained together for numerous years. As I am sure that conflict played a big part in ending a large number of relationships, I am also sure that the successful relationships have had their fair share of conflict and have even been helped by that conflict. In this paper, I have constructed nine propositions relating conflict to certain behaviors within romantic relationships. Each one will be defined, summarized, and supported according to the available research. P1- Women that have been abused in the past are more likely to remain in an abusive relationship. Unfortunately, thousands of women are abused everyday in the United States. This abuse can be physical, verbal, or psychological. Women, by nature, seem to hold a higher sense of personal worth when involved in a relationship. From birth, women are taught by society to conform to certain expectations and definitions of what it means to be a female. Growing up, women always here phrases such as Thats not lady like or You should be treated like a lady. What does it mean to be a lady? According to most societies, it means that women are the weaker sex and are always in need of a man to take care of them. Men are taught, from birth, what it means to be a man. This definition is usually one of dominance and control. This is shown in phrases such as I am the man of the house. When a woman is abused earlier in life she is trained in that frame of mind that women are the conformists and men are the dictators. Violence by men is a major component of the larger social hierarchy of gender. (Woods, 1999, p. 481). The abuse in these relationships usually instills feelings of inferiority, which goes along with their societal learning from childhood. Not only does this abuse give feelings of inferiority but also feelings of shame which lead to a sense of obligation to conserve the relationship to the best of her ability. According to a study done by K.M.Landenburger (1988), most women in these instances gave up on themselves before they gave up on their partners. If giving up on themselves, the logical conclusion is that they will eventually see the abuse as a social norm and will expect that in future relationships, thus repeating the cycle over and over again. P2- Women who have had more sexual partners increase their likelihood of abuse in a romantic relationship. Again, in this proposition, abuse is defined as physical, verbal, or psychological. As in any situation, the more exposure that a person has to a certain element, the more risk is involved pertaining to that element. In this case, women who have more sexual partners are exposing themselves to a greater risk factor of being intimate with that one that will engage in some sort of abusive behavior. With the increased exposure to a number of intimate partners, there comes a decreased sense of control for the women involved in these relationships. (Neufeld, McNamara, Ertl, 1999). When a person loses their sense of control, they become vulnerable and susceptible to incidence of abuse. According to the Abusive Behavior Inventory, (Shephard and Campbell, 1992 shown in Neufield, McNamara, Ertl 1999) the instance of abuse with a high number of partners went up significannot ly in all aspects of the definition. However it seemed that the highest level of abuse occurred psychologically. The ABI also indicated that 5% of undergraduate females had over seven sexual partners in a six-month period. This group showed the highest incidence of abuse within those relationships. It seems to me that any people who expose themselves to a high number such as this are going to put themselves in a situation where the abuse would be expected, to an outside observer. P3- High levels of insecurity cause high levels of dependency on romantic relationships. Dependency is defined as the reliance of an individual on another person for the satisfaction of his/her needs. (Attridge, Berscheid, Sprecher, 1998). In this case, insecurity can be defined as relational meaning a person will have doubts and uncertainties about the relationship that he/she is in. Insecurity is a sign that a person is lacking a perceived need in their life. Insecurity would then be the counterpart of dependency as w person would be lacking something therefore depending on something else. This is explained as Theory views the degree to which a person is dependent on a specific relationship as a function, not only of the number and importance of the needs the relationship currently satisfies for the individual, but also as a function of the extent to which those needs cannot be satisfied by alternative means. (Attridge, Berscheid, Sprecher, 1998, p. 33). When a person believes both that a relationship fills specific needs and that there are a lack of alternatives to fulfilling those needs a greater level of dependence is going to occur. Different factors that may lead to insecurity include the appearance of another person that the partner appears to have an attraction to, or a perceived lack of interest from the partner. Whatever the cause for the insecurity, it seems to always lead to a further dependence on that relationship. The reason for this is a fear of losing the relationship, therefore resulting in a further need for the counterpart to preserve the relationship. P4- Women are more likely than men to want a higher level of closeness in a romantic relationship. Closeness in any relationship is important in order for the relationship to flourish. I believe that most people involved in romantic relationships feel this way and desire that closeness. However, it is my contention that women perceive that closeness as playing a much bigger role than men do. As previously stated in Proposition 1, men and women are taught different things about gender roles from the time they are born. Women are supposed to be the caretakers of the relationships and men are supposed to be the hunter and gatherers that are independent and dont need to always have that closeness. (Feeney, 1999). In regards to closeness in romantic relationships, the partner that is more likely to initiate conversation about issues affecting the relationship is more likely to be the one who puts more value on closeness. In contrast, the partner who puts less value on closeness is more likely to avoid these conversations. In a study done by Judith Feeney, 37 out of 72 couples that were interviewed revealed that there was a difference of opinion when it came to the issues of closeness and distance. This doesnt necessarily show that these women felt that the closeness factor was more important than the men did. As one man interviewed stated: She didnt seem to really want me to much of a part of her life. Because of that, because I hate being neglected, I tended to react by neglecting her. Like I was trying to find faults within her so I could make myself feel better. I was always trying to find faults with her. (cf. Feeney, 1999). This man clearly felt that closeness was more important to the relationship than his female counterpart. Despite this mans view on closeness, 26 out of the 37 that reported different ideas about closeness and distance, said that the female in the relationship held a higher view of importance on closeness than the man did in their romantic relationship. P5- People with a high level of distrust in their partners feelings towards them, are more likely to have unstable romantic relationships. All relationships need to be based on trust if they are going to succeed. If you dont trust the partner you are with or vice-versa, then that relationship will never have the strong foundation that relationships need in order to succeed. Distrust in a partners feelings will form an emotional barrier between the two participants that are involved with each other. This barrier will eventually become the main focus of the relationship thereby halting all opportunities to focus on other aspects of that relationship. (Simpson, Grich, Ickes, 1999). For example, if a man distrusts his significannot other, he may always ask if she is happy, or if anything is bothering her. She always says that she is happy and nothing is wrong, but she doesnt understand why he keeps asking. This eventually becomes more than an annoyance to her and she finally starts telling him to stop asking. The man then thinks that she is mad and has further distrust in her feelings. This whole scenario demonstrates how the focus shifts from the relationship to his constant distrust in her feelings. P6- People with low self-esteem are more likely to experience feelings of jealousy in romantic relationships. Jealousy is one of the most powerful and dangerous feelings when dealing with conflict within romantic relationships. (Guerrero, 1998). Jealousy can cause depression, distrust, and /or anger, all of which are very harmful to relationships. When one person in a relationship has a low level of self-esteem, that person has feelings of inadequacy about him/herself in some aspect of his life. The inadequacies that the person feels causes him/her to feel like his partner can get something from someone or something else that he/she cant give. (Guerrero, 1998). Therefore, when the partner shows interest in something else (e.g. another potential mate, a job, or a new found friend), the other half of that relationship is consumed with threatening feelings that his partner is getting something, that he/she perceives as something that he/she cant give, from a source outside of their relationship. These feelings will cause conflict within him/her as well as within the relationship. Because one person in the relationship has low self-esteem, he/she believes that he needs the relationship but his/her partner doesnt necessarily need him/her. (Attridge, Berscheid, Sprecher, 1998). This will also cause the person to feel threatened when he/she thinks that there is a potential threat to that security blanket. This threat will be shown in the form of jealousy. P7- Men who are controlling to their partners are more likely to become physically abusive. In many romantic relationships, one of the partners feels the need to be controlling. They usually do this by restricting their partners social interactions, monitoring their activities, and reducing their decision-making power. (Ehrensaft Vivian, 1999, p. 251). Men, by nature, have the need to feel that they are always in control. This is especially evident in romantic relationships. Some men however take it to the extreme. They feel the need to watch and control their partners every move. Sometimes this controlling behavior can turn into violent behavior. If a man, who is controlling, feels like he is losing that control, he will many times move to more extreme measures to gain that control back. A survey done on battered women showed that most women reported their partner to be controlling and restrictive before the physical abuse began. Furthermore, most battering men reported that before they became physically abusive to their intimate partners, they made excessive attempts to limit the independence, decision making power, and social networks of their partner, in some cases they even felt entitled to control them. (Ehrensaft Vivian, 1999, p. 253). P8- Couples that express empathy in conflict are more likely to develop a stable romantic relationship. When in conflict it is always important to express empathy in order for the conflict to be constructive. Empathy can be explained as having a basic understanding of what the other person is thinking and feeling. Empathy, in my opinion, is one of the key ingredients to having successful communication. It is seen as being so important in romantic relationships that people have developed empathy-training workshops for people involved in romantic relationships. Many scholars have reported that the two main components of empathy are listening and suspending ones own thoughts and feelings. (Long, Angera, Carter, Nakamoto, Kalso, 1999). Both of these components are essential to developing and maintaining a stable and healthy romantic relationship. Listening can be explained as a conscious attempt to listen to all information that a partner is trying to communicate to their counterpart. If one partner never listens to the other, it is impossible to know and understand what the other person is thinking or feeling unless that person is a mind reader. Without that willingness to listen it is therefor impossible to be empathic. Suspending ones own thoughts and feelings is of equal importance. A person cannot shown any signs of empathy if that person is overly focused upon his/her self. (Long, Angera, Carter, Nakamoto, Kalso, 1999, p. 236). For example if a woman is expressing her concerns to her male partner about his lack of interest in going to the ballet, it is impossible for the man to be empathic if he is only focused on how much he hates the ballet. This then leads to conflict. However, if the man understands her wants and puts his aside, it will show empathy and promote better levels of communication. This will in turn result in a more stable relationship. This can also work in the exact opposite context where the woman understands how much the man dislikes the ballet and puts her feelings aside. This to will develop better communication practice. P9- Men are more likely to withdraw from a serious discussion in a romantic relationship than women are. Men are always said to be the ones in the relationship who want to avoid conflict. This is why I believe that men are more likely to avoid serious discussions about the relationship with their partner. Most of the time when there is a conflict between a couple that is romantically involved with each other, it is the sign that there is a problem in some aspect of the relationship. Most men learn throughout life to be problem solvers. This comes to be a problem if the conflict or serious discussion involves a problem that the man is unable to solve. If this is the case, the man is more likely to withdraw from that serious discussion than the woman is. (Vogel, Wester, Heesacker, 1999). This male withdraw pattern can also be explained by the fact that women are many times seen as having less control in a relationship and are therefore looking to change it. This has to start by discussing the relationship. Males on the other hand are many times seen as having more control in the relationship and therefore less open to the idea of change. This starts by withdrawing from the discussion about the relationship. (Vogel, Wester, Heesacker, 1999). As you can see, conflict happens in all aspects of romantic relationships. Like I stated earlier in this paper, sometimes it is helpful such as the use of empathy. It is also sometimes hurtful as in the case where a more controlling male is more likely to become physically abusive. However, whether it is good or bad, it is unavoidable. In these nine propositions I have shown a small fraction of a small percent of the different contexts that conflicts can occur in romantic relationships. Whether or not you agree with my propositions, the main goal of this was to study them. As there will always be romantic relationships in existence, there will also be conflict within those relationships. If other conflicts are studied, it is conceivable that methods can be developed to make all conflicts within romantic relationships positive that will result in positive outcomes.

Effects of Changing Accounting Standards on Commercial Bank

Effects of Changing Accounting Standards on Commercial Bank Proposed Research Topic: IAS 39 and IFRS 9: the effects of changing accounting standards for financial instruments on the financial assets management of a commercial bank in Chong Qing Background: In 2008, a catastrophic financial crisis ignited by the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers Holdings soon had a full scale break-out and dragged the world from prosperous growth to excruciating abyss of stagnation, even recession. People in business and academic community took a great number of serious discussions striving to find the causes of the financial crisis. It is widely agreed that the lack of transparency in banks and investment houses which increased their risks is one of the major driving forces of the crisis(Compton, 2012). It is argued by Rohde(2011) that the abuse of financial instruments is to blame for the lack of transparency. Accountancy, as a practical subject meant to make organizations more transparent via clear and correct financial reports therefore is closely linked to the solution to the financial crisis. One year after the crisis, world leaders declared that improvements in financial report were needed at the G20 summits.à ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã‹â€ Chan, 2010) In 2009, in response to the demand for improved financial reports, the new IFRS 9 was published as the replacement for IAS 39 to serve the purpose of regulating accountancy for financial instruments(IFRS, 2009; Chan, 2010). Some noticeable changes were made by IASBà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã‹â€ international accounting standards boardà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ° to the new standards, particularly the classification of financial assets. IAS classify financial assets into 4 measurement groups, which is considered by Chan(2010) as one of the its drawbacks resulting in unnecessary complexity and internal inconsistency. However, according to IFRS 9, the number of categories is largely simplified and is cut down from 4 to 2: amortize cost and fair value. Currently, business organizations can choose which standards they would like to apply because the mandatory effective date of IFRS was canceled already(IFRS, 2009). What effects could the differences between the 2 standards exert on banks’a management of financia l assets remains unknown. It has not been sufficiently studied in accounting literature yet. Although some studies are made with regard to IAS or IFRS as a whole, none of them are specifically on IFRS 9, let alone its effects on financial assets management. A study as this one is hence needed to fill in this gap. One of the main features of international accounting standards regardless of IAS9, IFRS 9, or their earlier predecessors is the steady status of fair value measurement. Despite that a lot of measurement categories are added to or removed from in amendments occurred since the establishment of one universal international accounting standards system, fair value measurement seems to stand unshakably in the center of measurement for financial instruments. Thus, this paper will mainly focus on fair value to discuss whether or not it is changed in the new standards and what influence those changes have on a bank’s financial assets management, which can better our understanding in the relationship between accounting standards and practical management. This paper is helpful not only to expand the accounting literature, but also to improve bankers’ assets management in precaution of the risk of another financial crisis. In a word, my research is worth doing academically and pract ically. The purpose of my paper is to identify the effects of changing financial standards on the assets management of a bank by interviewing its managers and examining its financial conditions before and after its accounting policy shifted from IAS 39 to IFRS 9. To achieve that, I set 3 research objectives. Firstly, my paper aims to find out the difference between IAS 39 and IFRS 9, particularly the changes made to the fair value measurement. Secondly, my paper tries to identify the effects of adopting IFRS 9 on Chong qing Bank’s financial assets management in replacement for IAS 39. Thirdly, my paper will make critical comment on whether those effects are positive or negative comparing with previous years when IAS was applied in the hope of providing some useful experience to other banks. Literature review: The number of existing researches on the new IFRS 9 is extremely limited and can hardly be found for it was published just 4 years ago as an incomplete demo to be tested and improved, awaiting continuous amendments. It takes time before it is as applicable as IAS 9, when a great amount of researches then can be expected due to mass usage of IFRS in business institutes. Fortunately, there are a number of studies on the IFRS as a whole and IAS No. 39. Carmona Trombetta(2008) got a panorama overview on IFRS and IAS, and proceeded to explain the difficulty of world-wide adoption of those standards owing to nature of highly diverse conditions in different individual countries, which leads to a conclusion that rule based standards are probably more acceptable than principles based ones to widespread a universal standards system across the world. Despite the insightful discovery they made, they did not focus enough attention on the obvious differences between IFRS and IAS. To the contrary, what they try to emphasize is the similarities instead of differences between those two standards. As a supplementary to the previous accounting literature, Wang(2010) made a thorough comparison between the two standards and noted the difference of classifications for financial assets which is covered by IAS 39 and IFRS 9 that matters a lot to financial assets management. However, she was one step away from getting the full picture, but stopped at that point and did not make further explorations concerning the effects of the differences in standards on banking management, which leaves her research unfortunately incomprehensive. The study on this topic has 2 dimensions: regulations, and the objectives those regulations exert effects on. Neglecting either of them would flaw the whole study. Armstrong and his collegues (2010) contributed to the literature by examining the objectives of accounting regulations. They studied business institutes’ reaction to the adoption of IFRS in Europe, which can made a worthy comparison with Chong qing companies that my paper is about to study. Morris and Sellon(1991) are among those first to focus on the relationship between accounting standards and financial assets management. They noted that a bank’s true assets (Morris and Sellon, 1991) can be best reflected by fair value based accounting practice. Their pioneering work was seconded by Barth(1994) who argues that accounting based on fair is helpful to improve a bank’s management by clarifying the true value of financial assets to the top management. He took a critical strep and brought accounting standard on to the managerial level. Although having laid down the fundamental base for my study, both of their researches share a fatal flaw of being too outdated. The world has witnessed too many tremendous changes including the financial crisis to fit in their theory’s framework developed in the early 1990s. Their theory fails to be applied to lately i nvented financial instruments, particularly financial derivatives. More researches close to today’s reality are needed, which is another justification for the rationale of my research. Methodology and methods: I intend to conduct an interpretive, inductive, empirical and qualitative research on this topic. The method adopted is cases study carried out via techniques including observing the company and taking interviews. Chong qing Bank in Chong qing is selected as the case study company for it is one of the first to answer IASB’s call to adopt IFRS. Given the geographic limitations and the cost to fly to Chong qing, semi-structured telephone interviews will be held to managers of Chong qing Bank Limited containing questions on their thoughts before and after IAS 39 was replaced by IFRS 39. Information about the company is to be thoroughly observed, particularly its capital adequacy ratio before and after IFRS was adopted, which can reflect its financial assets management in the period of changing accounting policy to a certain extent. The entire data collect by my case study and interviews is original primary data, except capital adequacy ratio, which is secondary data since it can be found in the company’s annual reports. Most of the data are qualitative as they are questions regarding people’s attitudes, beliefs, thoughts that cannot be quantified. However, the capital adequacy ratio is quantitative. The way my research is done is to acquire knowledge by making empirical observations and finding empirical evidences rather than establishing pure theoretical framework on a predetermined hypothesis. All the 3 research objectives listed before are about making empirical observations. Therefor the case study method is very suitable to serve my research objectives. As claimed by Robson(2002), case study is ‘A strategy for doing research which involves an empirical investigation’. The reason I employ the technique of interview is that interviews are very useful to collect empirical information. It is an empirical research method. A semi-structured interview by telephone would allow me to explore unexpected issues by holding relatively casual conversation consisted of not fully predetermined questions, and to build personal rapport with the interviewees that might be helpful to make some in-depth findings. In a word, the empirical, interpretive nature of my study that requir es original primary data and close observations determines the research methods I chose. Content analysis will be used on the main data analyzing tool to measure the frequency of certain key words and notions respondents mentioned in interviews. The data collected is not generalizable because they are predominantly qualitative information of a single individual company without statistical representativeness. But the data is of legitimate validity and reliability since they are authentically collected from a company in its practical daily operations. If anyone is to repeat my research on the same company, the out-come would be of no difference. Potential difficulties I can anticipate in this research are mainly geographically related. The location of me, namely UK, is too far away from the objective in Chong qing I am about to observe. This limitation is likely to cause a series of difficulties including the hardship of getting contact with the informants and inaccuracy of observations which are not made in person directly. Another difficulty is the willing of managers to receiving my interviews. In order to get a sufficient number of respondents, I plan to set certain incentive prizes for answering my questions. The research will mainly be funded by myself, though I will not give up the opportunity of being sponsored by the university. Application for research funds will be submitted to Royal Holloway before the research begins. However, those difficulties above can be overcome and minimalized as long as my research is well designed. Flying to Chong qing is reserved as the last resort if things get out of my control. The t ime scale of my research is 3months. The detailed time table is listed below: Timetable: Prepare the interview questions by 1 March Complete literature review by 10 April Conduct interviews by 10 May Complete data analysis by 12 May Give presentation on 23 June Complete the final dissertation by 20 June Reference: Armstrong, C, Barth, M, Jagolinzer, A, Riedl, E 2010, Market Reaction to the Adoption of IFRS in Europe, Accounting Review, 85, 1, pp. 31-61, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 1 January 2014. Barth, M. E.,1994, ‘Fair value accounting: Evidence from investment securities and the market valuation of banks’, Accounting Review, pp.1-25. Carmona, S, Trombetta, M., 2008, On the global acceptance of IAS/IFRS accounting standards: The logic and implications of the principles-based system, Journal Of Accounting Public Policy, 27, 6, pp. 455-461, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 1 January 2014. Chan, S., 2010, ‘From IAS 39 to IFRS 9: more than just a name change’, the official website of Chong qing institute of certified public accountants, Available at:http://www.hkicpa.org.hk/file/media/section2_become_a_hk_cpa/recog-oversea-bodies/useful-article/name-change.pdf [Accessed: 20 DEC 2013]. Compton, J., 2012, ‘Libor scandal: at the root of all financial crises is a lack of transparency’, The Telegraph, available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/9366972/Libor-scandal-at-the-root-of-all-financial-crises-is-a-lack-of-transparency.html [Accessed: 20 DEC 2013]. IFRS, 2009, IFRS 9: Financial Instruments (replacement of IAS 39), the official website of the IFRS Foundation and the IASB. Available at: http://www.ifrs.org/current-projects/iasb-projects/financial-instruments-a-replacement-of-ias-39-financial-instruments-recognitio/Pages/financial-instruments-replacement-of-ias-39.aspx [Accessed: 20 DEC 2013]. Robson, C., 2002, Real world research: A resource for social scientists and practitioner-researchers (Vol. 2). Oxford: Blackwell. Moody, D., 2002, Empirical research methods, the official website of IT University of Copenhagen. Available at: http://www.itu.dk/~oladjones/semester%203/advanced%20it%20mgt%20and%20software%20engineering/project/materials/what%20is%20empirical%20research1.pdf [Accessed: 20 DEC 2013]. Morris, C. S., SellonJr, G. H., 1991, ‘Market value accounting for banks: pros and cons.’, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City Economic Review, 76, pp.5-19. Rohde, L 2011, Lessons from the Last Financial Crisis and the Future Role of Institutional Investors, OECD Journal: Financial Market Trends, 2011, 1, pp. 77-82, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 1 January 2014. Wang, Z., 2010, ‘A comparative study of the difference between IAS 39 and IFRS 9: interpreting the classification and measurement of financial assets.’ Finance and Accounting Monthly, 2010, 16(548), pp.51-53.( In Chinese) Source available at: http://www.ckyk.cn/periodical/previous_detail-JOLQNON0.shtml; Full text available at: http://www.docin.com/p-226160490.html [Accessed: 20 DEC 2013].

The Mango: Asias King of Fruits :: Botany

The Mango: Asia's King of Fruits The genus Mangifera is one of the 73 genera belonging to the family Anacardiaceae in the order Sapindales. The greatest number of Mangifera species are found in the Malay Peninsula, the Indonesian archipelago, Thailand, Indo-China and the Philippines. Edible fruit is produced by at least 27 species in the genus, primarily species found in Southeast Asia. The mango's scientific name is Mangifera indica. Asia has held the mango with high esteem and has been considered to be the 'king of fruits'. Other areas of interest are the Borobudur Buddhist temple where sculptures were erected to depict the mango tree as a concept of royalty. The center of origin and diversity of the genus Mangifera is now firmly established as being in Southeast Asia. However, the origin of Mangifera indica has been a matter of speculation for years. Fossil records provided few clues. Mangifera indica is believed to have first appeared during the quaternary period. Some believe the mango originated from several related species, primarily located in the Malay Archipelago. Others believe that the mango originated in India and spread outward from there to southeast Asia and then to the New World and Africa. The Fruit and Nutritional Value The mango fruit is a large, fleshy drupe, containing an edible mesocarp of varying thickness. Fruit color is genotype-dependant and range from green, greenish-yellow, yellow and red blush. The exocarp is thick and glandular. The mesocarp can be fibrous or fiber-free with flavor ranging from turpentine to sweet. The endocarp is woody, thick and fibrous. No part of the fruit is wasted. The seed is used for extraction of the starch 'amchur', and the peels have been used as a source of anacardic acid. The mango wood is of low quality and the bark of the tree is an important source of tannins for curing leather. Mango fruit contains amino acids, carbohydrates, fatty acids, minerals, organic acids, proteins and vitamins. During the ripening process, the fruit are initially acidic, astringent and rich in ascorbic acid. Following fruit set, starch accumulates in the mesocarp. Free sugars, including glucose, fructose and sucrose generally increase during ripening giving the fruit a turpentine to sweet tasting flavor varying with species. The fruit is picked from the tree prior to ripening for export to other market places throughout the world. The fruit will turn colors during the ripening stage even after its removal from the tree.

Front Disk Brakes :: Automobiles Mechanics Essays

Front Disk Brakes For most people, driving a vehicle is a normal and every day process. On any given day, driving in city or town traffic one can experience a number of noises, by either their own, or somebody else’s vehicle. The most common sound made by the brakes of a vehicle is a light squeak, very high pitched and annoying. It may be time for new brakes, but wait; there could be a simpler fix. This paper is designed to educate the layman about brakes and give him or her some insight on how to fix them. I will concentrate on two common problems. Noise is probably what most people think of as the best indicator for repair, vibration is very a common problem, but noise will be discussed first. This paper will concentrate on the disk brake, but drum brakes are still very common in today’s cars and trucks. The fundamental difference between the two is how, and from what direction the force of the braking material contacts the braking surface. The disk brake uses a caliper that pinches the disk, which rides between the two brake pads on both sides. This lateral force squeezes the disk, and therefore stops it. The drum brake is shaped like a flat or square bell. It has brake shoes inside the drum and, when activated the shoes make contact with the inside of the drum’s surface. The misnomer about drum brakes are that people think the disk brake is better because they have more stopping power, but in terms of horsepower, the drum brake is more efficient. This comes with a drawback though, drum brakes get hotter faster than disk brakes, this cusses brake fade. In other words, disk brakes dispense heat better. The use of lighter weight materials, smaller cars, anti-locking systems, and power-assisted brakes has left the drum brake a part of the past. Keep this in mind first, especially if your vehicle has less than sixty or seventy thousand miles on it. The disk brake pad is usually the first component to wear first. Most domestic pads have little pieces of spring steel attached to them in order to warn the driver the pad has approximately 15% of the brake pad left. Under normal conditions the pad can be replaced and the surface of the rotor machined to ensure the coefficient of friction and lateral run-out are within specifications.

Symbolism in “The Story of an Hour” Essay -- Literary Analysis, Kate C

The symbols and imagery used by Kate Chopin's in â€Å"The Story of an Hour† give the reader a sense of Mrs. Mallard’s new life appearing before her through her view of an â€Å"open window† (para. 4). Louise Mallard experiences what most individuals long for throughout their lives; freedom and happiness. By spending an hour in a â€Å"comfortable, roomy armchair† (para.4) in front of an open window, she undergoes a transformation that makes her understand the importance of her freedom. The author's use of Spring time imagery also creates a sense of renewal that captures the author's idea that Mrs. Mallard was set free after the news of her husband's death. Right from the moment Louise Mallard hears of her husband's death, Kate Chopin dives into a her vivid use of imagery. â€Å"When the storm of grief has spent itself† introduces a weather oriented theme (para.3). This imagery depicts a violent and dark setting that denotes death and grief. Her reaction to her husband's death ideally what society would expect. Her acute reaction instantly shows that she is an emotional, demonstrative woman. Even tho...

Critical Review: with No Direction Home: Homeless Youth on the Road and in the Streets by Marni Finkelstein

In this critical review of Marni Finkelstein’s ethnography â€Å"With No Direction Home: Homeless Youth on the Road and in the Streets† I will analyze and evaluate some of the strategies and methods used by this author. One primary issue I will discuss is the sample population. Finkelstein may have set the population limitations to strictly for this ethnography. Her limited observation location and time is also a major issue. She chose to study a transient population that, very likely, primarily comes out at night. Yet, she limited herself to one primary location and she only went there in the daytime. I will discuss the lack of follow up to the individual interviews as well. While she discovered some fascinating information about this subculture, she did not find what she stated she initially set out to find. Finkelstein’s goal was to study â€Å"gutterpunks† (Finkelstein, 2005), but what she actually studied were the substance abusing homeless youth of Tompkins Square Park. In her original hypothesis she wanted to learn about â€Å"alternative youth subcultures, especially those revolving around music† (Finkelstein, 2005). She does not seem to have accomplished this goal. There was little talk about music in the ethnography, on her part or the part of the kids. Was it because she found that there was no relation to music or because she did not specifically try to find youth involved with the music. It seems like she basically settled for just plain old homeless drug addict and alcoholic kids, which would be great if her goal was not more specific to finding â€Å"gutterpunks. † The ethnography is also based on an extremely small sample size. According to Finkelstein’s own numbers, she only interviewed 50 youth over the period of the two summers. That seems like an extremely low number of participants for which to base an entire ethnography. I would think that over a period of two summers- let’s call that 6 months- a researcher would have the opportunity to encounter hundreds of potential candidates to provide informational interviews. Part of the trouble may have been that she limited her participants ages to being between 15-20 years old. I believe that this restriction left out a great deal of potentially vital informants and information. It may have substantially limited her population size. For example, the 25 year old, named Scratch, who had been on the streets for 10+ years, would have been a cornucopia of information. But, all she did was use him to refer her to other kids in her required age group. The street culture in Tompkins Square Park did not have age limitations. I’m not sure that Finkelstein should have either. It’s important to note that all of the kids involved were heavily dependent on drugs and alcohol. Also important to note, is that she was paying her participants. This combination may have created unintended consequences. It’s possible that the kids were willing to tell vivid and imaginative stories to Finkelstein in hopes of being interviewed again and, thereby, being paid again. Many of the youth were willing to admit to prostitution in order to earn money for drugs or alcohol. Is it possible that they would prostitute lies about their own lives for the same end? Is it possible that they never really left New York? Did they just move into shelters in the winter? It’s impossible to know for sure. These kids are caught up in the culture of lies and delusion surrounding drugs; that is to say, who says they aren’t just verbally fantasizing with Finkelstein and passing it off as the truth. The location limitation was also unfavorable for this kind of ethnography. If one is going to write ethnography about a transient population, they should become somewhat transient themselves. Traveling with the youth would necessarily be required in order to get a full picture of their culture. The stories from the kids may have been accurate and detailed, or they may have been fabricated, but, either way, it is not the same as having experienced it personally. In order to fully understand and appreciate a subsistence strategy, one must subsist from it, if only for a brief period. She might have considered a more interactive participant observation model to more fully experience their culture. Finkelstein should have gone out into the park when more kids were out and about. She mentioned that she only when out in the daylight, â€Å"I would try to get to the field site early before the kids were either too drunk to be interviewed or completely passed out in the grass† (Finkelstein, 2005). Because these kids are alcoholics and drug addicts, it is very likely that much of their life takes place after sundown and before sun up. I imagine that they have quite a tolerance and are relatively functional for much of the early part of the evening. â€Å"Drugs and alcohol were a major part of the kid’s lives† (Finkelstein, 2005). I can certainly appreciate her concern for personal safety, but if th is is the population she wanted to study she might have made more of an effort to be around when the activities were in full swing. She only mentioned being at one party in the book. I have to believe that there were countless similar activities during her research, of which she was not a part. I have gathered from the ethnography that Finkelstein interviewed each kid only once. From that interview, she sprinkled quotes throughout the book. She mentions a few times in the book that she would interview kids and then never see them again. For accuracy purposes, and to get an idea of the level of honesty from her informants she should have conducted multiple interviews with the same kids. This would have been more likely if she was willing to spend more time in their â€Å"natural habitat. † Follow up on the interviews with the youth should have been done. Talking with the family or schools of the kids would have added much needed detail to the ethnography. Since she was paying the kids, perhaps she could have paid more for verifiable information about their previous mainstream lives. Then followed up on the information provided and reported her results. It would have been nice to have a section on what their families and teachers said about how the kids were before their lives on the street. Perhaps, verifying or debunking some of the information the kids told her. It’s not only important that the kids are on the street, but why. What lead them there and are the youth truthful overall? It would have been interesting if Finkelstein could have interviewed ex-Tomkins Square Park kids for her book. Do they ever get out? Do they move on to other arenas for homelessness as they age? Clearly, in Chapter 9, the kids have plans for the future. It’s also clear that their plans are of then just a shared illusion. They don’t currently have the means or the wherewithal to accomplish the goals they’ve set out. The kids, like Jeff and Joyce, clearly have plans to buy land, but no real idea of the amount of money it requires. I am sure there are people that did grow up and out of this subculture. I would like to have heard from them on how they got out and what became of their lives. I can’t say that have the answer on how to find them either, but it would have been interesting. Finkelstein did make macro conclusions from individual or micro level research. But she does come up with some interesting information about the small group of Tompkins Square Park youth she interviewed. This should not be disregarded, as homeless youth often are. It was eye opening to pear into this culture and community. The homeless kids often had a common bond because of prior abuse. (Finkelstein, 2005) They also bonded out of shared needs. Whether those needs be drugs, alcohol, or food, they were willing to share with those they knew were in the same situation. When they would panhandle they would pool their money with other youth. If one got some food, he or she would share it with another who was nearby. This happened specifically when Finkelstein bought some pizza for a youth named Tommy. Although he was starving himself, he effortfully walked across the street to give half of it to a girl who was panhandling. Tommy did not know the girl; he just knew they shared the common bond of being homeless. The Tompkins Square Park youth considered themselves apart from mainstream culture. Yet, they required it for survival. If they were truly apart from society they would have been growing or hunting for food. They would have traveled from place to place on foot. That simply did not happen. Wasting of food by mainstream society allowed them the opportunity to dumpster dive for food. Caring people would sometimes buy them food. Modern modes of transportation allowed them to travel around the country in quick fashion. The kids panhandled and begged for money. They participated in this ethnography because they were getting paid to do it. While the youth would like to consider themselves apart from mainstream, the reality is that they are just one part of it. What one has to keep in mind always, is that these are not highly idealistic youth as much as they are kids caught in the fog of drug and alcohol addictions. From the drugs and alcohol came the extreme level of violence. These youth walked around with weapons, usually a knife or things called â€Å"smileys. † The smiley would be made from a bicycle chain which sometimes had lock on it too. This weapon appears to have the capability of causing some pretty disfiguring injuries. These kids have no qualms about deploying these weapons. In fact it seems to be a regular event. This level of unreported violence is definitely one area where they keeping themselves separate from mainstream society. The question for me is: Are they reverting to more primitive behaviors because of the lack of civilized structure or is the alcohol and drug use the main problem. Finkelstein’s ethnography is a remarkable piece of anthropological work. It s also possible to learn from some of her mistakes. She states that her objective is to study the relationship between music and this subculture of kids on the street. She never makes any further reference to that issue. How did the music play a part in this culture? She stated that the size of the street kid population is substantial, approximately 100 million worldwide, but she only had 50 youths in her study. She interviewed them only once without and any follow up with the youth themselves or their families, school, or other organizations. Furthermore, she studied a transient population from one single location, primarily Tompkins Square Park. It would seem appropriate to have traveled with this population to get a real sense of their culture. Did they act in California as they acted in New York? Did they really travel at all? A main concern is that this work is based on personal stories from youth who are deluded by drugs and alcohol. There is no real verification of the facts presented. From these personal stories Finkelstein makes claims about all homeless youth, when she should really just be discussing Tompkins Square Park youths.

Alfredo Jaar

The findings in this paper be based on an invention issuance graphicsicle Images of inclusion installation guile by Alfredo Jaar which is written by Richard Vine. Alfredo Jaar is whiz of the uncompromising artists today. He is a motion picture maker, artists and architect.He was born in Santiago, Chile in 1956 but he is currently hold out and living in sassy York. Alfredo was handy in film, photography, installations and community based projects. He is fitting to present regulliberal arts such as policy-making corruption, military conflicts and imbalances of power in developing and industrialized nations in for of art. In his work it includes incidences of toxic pollution in Nigeria, genocide in Rwanda, boarder conflicts of linked States and Mexico and Gold mining inBrazil. His work Awards and ExhibitionsAlfredo Jaar is an concede winner of many art awards which includes magic trick Simon Guggenheim Memorial foundation in 1985, MacArthur foundation Award in 2000, i n 1987 he worn two awards fellowships from national talent for the Art and Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Award.His work has been shown all over the area he has attended numerous exhibitions and the just about famous person once are in 1992 he attended to three exhibitions in impudently museum of contemporary art in New York, whitechapel in London and Museum of contemporary art at Chicago. Alfredo Jaar Art is able to speak extremely controversial issues and be able to convey moral convictions without violating the honesty of the concept.He does it without misrepresenting the facts or the motive of the case. In most of the art which he has worked on his anger and benignity is evident on how it is manifested. He ensures that he resist on any propaganda even in the most partisan pieces. In Jaar exhibition has a sense of yellowish pink and professionalism his arts are attractive and has fur reaching effects on humanity relations especially on political and the differences of t he developing and developed country.He has worked on highly politicized topics which mostly addressed the issues of politics which are done without principles which mostly bring grade and bad governance. All over the world cases of politics without principals attracts a lot enliven in the public and other nations. So his advancement to present such an take in form of art flock is able to relate to it.He also addresses issues of those who sop up wealth without toiling and those who practice moneymaking(prenominal) activities without moral responsibility such as the pyramid schemes. His art also addresses those who summation knowledge without virtues and those who advance to scientific ventures with slight considerations well its negative effects to humanity. The most prominent once are arts in commemorations of American civil reason of the early 1960s illegal Mexican immigrants into United States and none mechanized grand mining in Brazil.

Gsis Museo Ng Sining Essay

Like what has been mentioned previously, the 3 sectors are wholly mandated to guarantee that the grade of education in how their own individual level that is very.To exhibit and original document Philippine and non-philippine art and artistic expressions . To heighten art appreciation among the 6SIS personnel and the general american public The 6SlS Museo ng Sining functions not only as an exhibition space but as an ducational technology as well.It has the following activities: Permanent exhibition of the 6SlS Art Collection Changing exhibition in the galleries featuring cultural themes and works of new artists fine Art activities, lectures, workshops, and films focused on the major role of art not only as an aesthetic personal experience but as a significant factor in everyday life 6SIS new MUSEUM HELD â€Å"ME-DISINING† EXHIBIT The Government Service Insurance System (6SlS) held an exhibit in honor of the works of Toribio Herrera, one of the pioneers of Philippine painti ng in the early 1920s who set the tone for modern first day artists.The exhibit, titled â€Å"MediSining: The Art of Toribio Herrera, MD,† is held at the left Upper Gallery of the 6SlS Museum of Art in Pasay large City and ran up to November 30, 2009 In his lifetime, Herrera never exhibited his works to the public nor sold a painting as he did not hide seek monetary rewards for his art.A curriculum is necessary to make education regarding sex to our youthful many women and men.Garcia, in appreciation of the works of Herrera. â€Å"His many scenes are simple yet very moving. † Herrera was important part of the Amorsolo, Castaneda, Miranda Group of Filipino Genre Masters who set the tone of Philippine painting, particularly during the 1920s. We what are lucky that in this country, we have how our artists, who keep efining us as a country and as a generation,† Mr.

This introductory essay gives you an chance.Featured artists in â€Å"Sa ugandan amin may Sining† include Noel P. Bueza, Erick Dator, Norman F. Ragudo, Monnar Baldemor, Jowell Gaela, and Efren D.Nantes.Inside this museum, there how are pictures.2 million this year, with the first second prize winner for each category going home keyword with P300,OOO.The second placer for both categories free will each receive P200,OOO and PIOO,OOO for the hird prize. 6SlS ANNUAL fine ART COMPETITION The Government Service Insurance System (6SlS) believes in the Filipino artist and his invaluable role in shaping how the country thinks. For the forty sixth year.

This masterpiece inspired a sense of wonder.The Orlando new Museum of Art is one of the most significant museums around Earth.You can consider also inform.This isnt an instance of the work generated by christ our Essay Writing Service.

Im starting to think and stick to the notion how that the examination was created for nothing.Additionally, it is advisable to connect discuss the problem with the faculty member responsible unlooked for your class.Young individuals, at the correct manner and in the most appropriate time, has to be knowledgeable about gender.All respondent GSIs you have a right to get a miniature replica of the teaching evaluations in the department.

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