Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words - 1

Research Paper - Essay Example Exchange of a commodity between individuals with the aim of deriving mutual benefits or with profit motif is one of the available definitions for the term business. The definition however extends to multiple transactions and disqualifies isolated transactions, such as a single exchange in a person’s life, as business. A single exchange transaction or just a few number of exchange transactions like three times in a person’s lifetime, for instance, does not identify the individual as a businessperson and therefore fails to offer an accurate definition of business. A more accurate definition of business is therefore an activity whose primary objective is wealth creation through exchange of goods and services. This definition separates such transactions as sale of personal property as a disposal strategy because of lack of profit motive. Some examples of activities have also been identified with the definition of business. According to Maheshwari (1997), all activities in t he field of commerce and industrial based activities meets the definition of business and this includes activities in â€Å"basic industries, processing and manufacturing industries and the network of ancillary services, distribution, banking, insurance, transport,† among other sectors (Maheshwari, 1997, 1). ... Its formation is simple, requiring no formalities, and it requires small amount of capital to start because its scope can be narrow. The proprietor also enjoys all the derived profit from the business and has the sole decision making right, a property that allows for faster decisions because there is no consultation obligations. Sole proprietorships however faces a number of challenges such as difficulty to raise sufficient capital for ventures, limited sources of capital because of lack of collaterals, and lack of specialization that limits quality of goods or services from a sole proprietorship business (Kelly and McGowen, 2010; Gitman and McDaniel 2008). Lack of expertise in management and service delivery possibility of the proprietor overworking himself are other limitations of the form of business. The business’ life is also limited to the life of the owner (Schneeman, 2012; Miller, n.d.). Partnership is another form of organization for business activities and defines a group of individuals, normally between two and twenty people, with a common objective of making profit. The form of business has advantages such as a wider capital base from members’ contribution, possibility of rich skills and experience from members that can be organized into specialization, rich sources of ideas for decision-making. Members also share losses and this facilitates continuity because of reduced impacts (Pride, Hunges and Kapoor, 2010; Kimmel, Weygandt and Kieso, 2010). Disadvantages however include sharing of profits, lengthy decision-making processes that may also experience disagreements and unlimited liability of business partners (Sutherland and Canwell, 2008). Cooperatives have such advantages as low operation

Corporate finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Corporate finance - Essay Example It was also able to maintain total dividend per share at the level of 33.00p. Even in the turbulent market scenario, it managed to increase its sale of life and pensions by 11 percent. Total life and pensions sale became 36,283 million pounds. Sale of general insurance also increased. (Aviva Plc. 2009; Annual Report of 2008) a) Weighted average cost of capital: Cost of capital to a firm is generally defined as the opportunity costs of investors for making their investment in the firm. When an investor invests his fund in a particular firm, he actually looses other opportunities of investing his funds in other securities having risks equivalent to risks of the security of the firm he is actually investing his fund in. hence, if a firm fails to earn a return on capital at least equal to its weighted average cost of capital (WACC), it actually destroys its value. If a firm manages to earn a return that is greater than its weighted average cost of capital, it becomes successful to create value. On the other hand, if it manages to earn a return exactly equal to its weighted average cost of capital, then it neither loose nor create any value. WACC can be defined as the rate that a firm is expected pay for financing its asset. It is actually the minimum level of return that a company needs to earn on its exist ing asset base for satisfying its creditors, its owners, as well other providers of capital.( (Miles and Ezzell, 1980; â€Å"Weighted average Cost of Capital†) The weight of equity can be defined as the ratio of market capitalization to the market value of the firm and the weight of debt can be defined as the ratio of market value of debt to the market value of the firm. Total market value of firm is generally measured by summing total market value of equity and total market value of debt. (Miles and Ezzell, 1980; Fama, 1970; Fama, 1991) Cost of equity is generally treated as the return that the

Critical Appraisal of Qualitative Research Assignment

Critical Appraisal of Qualitative Research - Assignment Example To maintain data untainted in any way, researchers and interviewers need to create questions in ways that would not affect the outcome through preconception of answers from the interviewees (Smith, Flowers, & Larkin, 2009). Using methods least-likely to affect the interviewees by allowing them to be themselves without necessitating them to change their attitudes and collecting data as soon as possible, biases or inconsistencies in interviewee data can be minimized. An approach on qualitative interviewing called phenomenological analysis has been devised so as to prevent such biases, wherein there is a need to find out the phenomenon of a lived experience by allowing researchers to take part in another individual’s experience and interpret these experiences based on their own and within their consciousness (Letts, et al., 2007; Smith, et al., 2009). The phenomenological analysis is concerned with collecting human experiences using philosophical principles and rationale in study ing human experiences through various and vivid descriptions of each experience (Holloway, 2005). After the delivery of either a highly-specific or highly-generic question, collation of data is done through the assimilation of similarities and differences and tallying the results so as to find out any factors that might have any effects on the experiences of the interviewees. By using a minimalist approach, interviewees are allowed to give much more focus on the effects or the impact of their own experiences rather than analyzing the reasons on why they had these experiences in the first place (Wimpenny & Gass, 2000). Reduction or bracketing in conducting interviews using the phenomenological analysis is considered so as to prevent any misconceptions or presuppositions on behalf of both parties. However the use of such an analysis is not considered to be an ultimate method in itself since phenomenological analysis does not employ any exacting style or process, thus it is considered to be an approach in obtaining data (Wimpenny & Gass, 2000). With regards to specific methods, the Grounded theory can be considered because it utilizes methods of obtaining qualitative data via approaches such as phenomenological analysis in the identification of social processes in any given situation (Letts, et al., 2007; Mills, Bonner, & Francis, 2008; Wimpenny & Gass, 2000). However, similarities end here as grounded theory is not used in its entirety but instead is only employed as one of the methods used in order to obtain qualitative data, whereas phenomenological approach is seen as abstract and generalised concept in the process of theory formulation and analysis of qualitative information (Wimpenny & Gass, 2000). Thus, the grounded theory can be employed as only one of the few methods to systematically obtain qualitative data, and the phenomenological approach is the overall driving force.

Distributed Electrical Generation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 22500 words

Distributed Electrical Generation - Essay Example Cost and price of electricity has been taken as the moderating factor. Thus all of the independent factors will be considered in accordance with the cost and price of electricity. The black out of electricity in the northeastern parts of USA have been studied in great detail and has been taken as an example of which to base the blackout portion of the study. A questionnaire has been developed in this regard and face-to-face interviews have been conducted in order to gather primary data. The aim of this study is to define how electricity can be generated and distributed with regards to each of the independent factors mentioned. The aim of this research is to study in detail the system of electricity distribution in the United States. Blackouts are a problem that modern day American will have to contend with on a regular basis, unless the system of electricity distribution is reformed and enhanced. As more and more of our lives revolve around electricity, a modern and newer system of distribution is required. Otherwise an overload on the electrical system will result in a black out such as that occurred on16th August (a detailed analysis and description of the blackout has been given in the literature review portion of the report). In addition, the concept of privatization in the utility business has also been taken as an independent variable and has been thoroughly studied in the report. As long as an institute is a state owned enterprise, it is not likely to prosper. One of the main reasons is that governments operate on a basis of cost efficiency; their main aim is to provide a service to the general population by charging the consumers the minimum amount of money possible. Due to this factor, it is difficult for governments to buy state-of-the-art equipments in order to update

Blog Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Blog - Article Example The organizations, big and small, scattered around the globe tend to have more than their ample share of what may be called the bad managers, whose only concern seems to be to mar the organizational efficiency and nip the talent right in the bud, wherever it is deployed within or outside the organization, thereby restraining the organization from achieving the levels of productivity and efficiency that may shock the shareholders, pushing most of them towards a premature stroke or heart attack (Lussier and Achua 5). One other role of bad managers is to give way to a pervasive despondency, apathy and cynicism within organizations so that employees may genuinely end up believing that they scarcely deserve a promotion or a raise, thereby sparing the organizations from splurging much money in the name of motivation and efficiency. When it comes to recruiting bad managers, the organizations may complain of a serious dearth of real talent. However, the good news is that bad managers happen to be just like regular managers with a discerning pool of skills and abilities at their disposal, which help them justify their title and denomination. While talking of bad managers, the one person that emerges on the canvass of my memory is Mr. Dam Doolittle, a paragon of managerial dexterity and a virtual paradigm of a bad manager, whom I came across while working in a local advertisement firm. One thing that outshined Mr. Doolittle from the pool of inefficient menials working under his tutelage in the firm was his panache for professional outlook. Mr. Doolittle had a passion for designer suits, ties and Italian patent leather shoes. Perhaps his guiding maxim was that if one successfully managed to look like a manager, than perhaps 99 percent of one’s job is done. No wonder, Mr. Doolittle’s managing acumen stood to be merely skin deep and superficial like the garishness of his apparels. However, sadly, this was not the be-all and end-all of his managerial acumen and talent. Mr. Doolittle indeed was endowed by the providence with some rare and special skills that aptly placed him at an assorted place in the hall of fame of the worst managers. His reputation was indeed well deserved and well earned, scarcely impervious to any tarnishing by the ravages of time or bursts of organizational change. When it came to micro management, it goes without saying that on this entire globe there scarcely existed a manager born of a human womb that could match the adroitness of Mr. Doolittle. Mr. Doolittle scarcely believed in the obsolete concept of ‘vision’. He was a stickler for change. He believed that in the current times defined by fast altering consumer preferences and the onslaught of digital solutions, ‘vision’ happened to be a thing of the past. He not only believed in leading from the front merely, but generously spread his management talent, right, left, behind and center, firmly convinced that the day he contracts his man agerial acumen from the floor, the business will virtually fall down on its knees. He believed in ruthlessly cracking the whip whenever and wherever the need be, luckily restrained by the organizational norms from wielding a whip in the literal sense. Being deprived of the superfluous notion of vision, the employees mostly felt insecure, confused and intimidated, and that is how Mr. Dam Doolittle expected them to be (Benfari 109). Esteemed to be a manager worth his salt, he had

Community culture and change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Community culture and change - Essay Example It bothers much on the issue of the ethnical minority whereas Britain believes in enrichment of lives through cosmopolitan outlook of human existence via eco-social aspect of its perception. Behind the principle of social theories that every good society is ever changing, there erects the monument of the cross-question what about the recognition of the ethnical identity of the mainstream Britain. The opportunity of racial acceptance, religious tolerance, political understanding and economic support led Britain to face this serious question withering the belief that society that does not change gets extinction. Initiated and influenced by British initiative in the post and prior industrial revolution European White settlers almost colonized the one third of the world. The Second World War brought a drastic change in the imperialistic set up and colonial power had to honor the democratic rights of each commonwealth nations. This followed a great influx of immigrants in Britain in the p rocess of idealizing a multicultural British society. Still the question poses the righteousness of such historic liberality.The latest official figures surveyed in 2006 show net immigration to the UK of 591,000 immigrants and 400,000 emigrants Stephens, J. 2006 "Multiculturalism". Only one in six were from Eastern European countries. Immigrants from New Commonwealth countries outnumbered them. Immigration from the Indian subcontinent, mainly fuelled by family reunion, accounted for two-thirds of net immigration. By contrast, at least 5.5 million British-born people are living abroad. The threats born out of liberal public policies in Great Britain demand minute scrutiny over the facts of composite culture. No civilized man would appreciate the historic 7 July whatever be the ground of identity crisis if even one side the bombers and their influencing powers. The 7 July 2005 London bombings were a series of coordinated terrorist bomb blasts that hit London's public transport system during the morning rush hour. At 8:50 a.m., three bombs exploded within fifty seconds of each other on three London Underground trains. A fourth bomb exploded on a bus nearly an hour later at 9:47 a.m. in Tavistock Square. The bombings killed 52 commuters and the four suicide bombers, injured 700, and caused disruption of the city's transport system and the country's mobile telecommunications infrastructure, (News archive 'The Guardian' UK). Different world free thinkers forums were shocked to get the shocking news that mix origin British citizens carried the nasty terrorist's acts. Fun damental belief system inspired them, which has been a serious concern for the mainstream British today. HISTORIC CULMINATION OF CHANGES IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY Social changes that promoted multicultural consensus of human existence under the British clemency had its roots in literature, art, science, technology and every sort of humanistic social institutions. Their terrestrial expansion even propagated a classless and fearless free society where feminism,

Pacific Northwest History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pacific Northwest History - Essay Example The potential for conflict existed because of the agricultural bounties in this largely unexplored region such as thick coniferous forests that can support a large timber industry (ideal for shipbuilding too), lumber for commercial uses, an almost unlimited supply of fur, to include sea otters and the very rich fishing grounds, particularly the chinook salmon considered by many as â€Å"pink gold† that served as a crude currency for barter (Merchant 97). There was also another reason for staking a claim: geopolitics. America, flush from its relatively recent victory in its war for independence, was eager to spread its wings and this was expressed in its expansionist aspirations via a political philosophy of â€Å"Manifest Destiny†. The belief was that America was destined to expand across the North American continent, that is primarily westward from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific seaboard to include Canada, Cuba and Mexico, even parts of Central America. These territorial ambitions were advanced as obvious or readily apparent (manifest) and inevitable or inexorable (destiny) but this came into conflict with Great Britain that also explored this US region known as British Columbia. Viewed from this perspective, the joint occupancy served more as a diplomatic course to exploit the regions riches and avoid a war for resources of which the two countries fought briefly, between 1812-1815 known as the War of 1812. This particular war was actually part of the larger Napoleonic wars in Europe between Great Britain and Napoleon of France. This was actually a modus vivendi (a diplomatic accommodation of a temporary nature) despite the political, cultural, economic or cultural differences for the sake of expediency. Incentives for suing peace were very much evident because neither side could gain an upper hand either in territorial gains or military supremacy. The larger