The Performance Appraisal: Advantages and Disadvantages

The Performance Appraisal: Advantages and Disadvantages Shari M. Kern   The performance assessment is the procedure through which employee performance is assessed, feedback is provided to the employee, and corrective action plans are designed (Youssef, 2015, Section 6.2, What is Performance Appraisal and Why is it Important? para 1). Performance appraisal is deemed an important means for decision-making needs of todays businesses. The performance appraisal is the method by which businesses appraise job performance. Typically, a performance appraisal system involves a manager to assess each employees performance corresponding to performance benchmarks that have previously been set up over a period of time. Performance appraisal methods also present a foundation for forecasting improvement, as well as a means for determining merit, raises, new positions within the business and even dismissals. Strategic Advantage of Performance Appraisals One of the several advantages of performance appraisal is, in the hustle and hectic working life, it extends a valuable opportunity for a manager and subordinate to have break for a private conversation about matters positive or negative that otherwise may not be spoken about. Performance appraisal proposes a good effort to focus on job accomplishments and targets, to discern and improve current problems, and to inspire improved future performance. For example, performance appraisals can have a profound effect on motivation and morale, it offers an excellent opportunity for managers to recognize and reach an agreement on individual training and development necessities, and it can examine the success of a businesss recruitment and orientation procedures. The Potential Forms of Bias Within Appraisals Systems Bias can impact employee performance appraisals in extraordinarily damaging ways. A good manager must be impartial about the performance of their workers. A performance appraisal bias can misrepresent a managers and a businesss assessment of how a worker is doing. Some biases are stereotyping (inaccurate results against certain employees belonging to a group), halo effect (erroneous judgments about an employee based on a limited number of performance dimensions), self-fulling prophecies (We tend to see what we expect to see. Research shows that when other things are equal, if managers poorly judge employees to be failures and expect these employees to fail, then the employees are likely to fail. On the other hand, if a manager believes in an employee and expects him or her to succeed, then he or she will be likely to succeed), and the fundamental attribution error (Employee blames others for their failures but do not give them enough credit for their successes. If left unchecked, thi s common attributional bias can be detrimental to performance appraisal) (Youssef, 2015, Section 6.6, Opportunities, Challenges and Recent Developments in Performance Management, para 16). Performance Appraisals Contribute to the Achievement of Strategic Objectives The success of a performance appraisal can be assessed in how good it accomplishes its strategic objectives. Performance objectives determine how a business strategy will be attained. Performance objectives also perform a key function in distinguishing the final outcomes required because of employees intense work and commitment. Performance objectives are a requirement in aligning well-defined objectives for employees. Performance objectives challenge employees to attain the greatest outcomes to encourage business development and make constant progress to meet the challenges and shifting demands of the marketplace. Performance objectives should be well-defined and direct engagement. Knowing the strategic objectives in performance appraisals can support a business to modify performance appraisals to meet business desires. In conclusion, performance appraisal is deemed an important tool for decision-making needs of todays businesses. The performance appraisal is the method by which businesses appraise job performance. When done successfully, employee performance appraisals are incredibly advantageous to the efficiency of a business. Performance appraisals offer a business with the methods to gather data and share business and specific objectives to each employee. These appraisals are methods that can make all employees more beneficial and involved in their work and thus make the business more prosperous. References Youssef, C. (2015). Human resource management. (2nd ed.). San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education.

Technology in Transportation Essay -- Computers Machines Papers

Technology in Transportation Throughout history, getting things (and people) where they need to go has been a pretty basic need. The Romans needed to move stone to build their aqueducts; the nobles wanted luxury spices and silks brought to them from far off lands; ancient cities needed to move vegetables and grains from the farms, to storage, and then to the cities to feed the populace. Transportation has always been one of the backbones of every great civilization, without the ability to move goods long distances, your 'culture' was only the distance you could go conveniently to get what was necessary for survival that you could not produce. The industry boomed during the railroading system and hasn't slowed since. First, there were ships and horse-drawn carriages, then cars, now huge 40 ton trucks and jumbo air-liners. In today's changing business environment, information technology plays an incredibly important role in almost every aspect of the day to day life of almost every industry. The transportation industry is, of course, no different. From the transport of goods from manufacture, to warehousing, to retail, to end-user, the industry relies on information technology to get things done. The transportation of people is the exact same; incredibly important to get done yet impossible without the impact of information technology. Technology in Moving People The transportation industry (airline, railway, bus transit, automobile rental agencies) has undergone enormous changes in the way its customers purchase tickets and place reservations. The continuing popularity in e-commerce combined with the widespread increase in the number of people with internet access has caused an explosion in the number of... ...t an amazing 10% per quarter. An example trend that is quickly developing in the freight cargo industry is the leasing of freight aircrafts to different airlines. The aircraft, crew, insurance and maintenance is included in the leasing. Works Cited http://www.aaafoundation.org. revised 15 March 2004. American Automobile Association. accessed 15 March 2004. http://www.airbus.com. revised 2004. Airbus Corporation. accessed 13 March 2004. http://www.e-travel.com. revised 2004. Amadaeus Global Travel Distribution. accessed 14 March 2004. http://www.msn.com. revised 2004. Microsoft Corporation. accessed 15 March 2004. http://www.redprairie.com/Knowledge/whitepapers.asp#WMCSchapt. revised 2004. Superior Logistix Results, Inc. accessed 16 March 2004. http://www.trucker.com revised 2004. Primedia Business Magazines and Media. Accessed 14 March 2004

Moral Attitueds Toward the Thousand and One Night

The entire basis for The Thousand and One Knights is Shahrayar has become exhausted by the infidelity of his wife and that of his brother's. Scheherazade's purpose for the tales is to show the king that not all women are bad and that men can be evil sometimes too. There are many women in the tales who act virtuously (the she-demon in the second merchant's tale, the farmer's daughter in the third merchant's tale, etc. ). Of course, the societal perception of women is very different from today. In the tale of the farmer who understands animals, he eventually beats the wife black and blue, she learns obedience, and â€Å"everyone was happy. While this aspect of society is shown, the morality of women is not attacked or praised: it is shown as being variable, just like any person's. I have not noticed any overt racial discrimination in the tales. Of course, people from different lands or regions are portrayed as strange or downright evil, but there isn't any racism the way we would consider it. The Blackamoors are simply the Arabian people from the area farther west than the setting for the tales (the name for the Moors- an Arab/Berber people comes from this). The tales of the ox and the donkey The vizier fears that his daughter will merely suffer. True to his character and to his role, he does not say so directly, but instead tells her a story of a donkey who, proud of his intelligence, schemes to trick the master of the farm into excusing the sweet, simple ox from labor. The scheme works, but not as the donkey expected. The wealthy farmer orders the donkey driven into the field to work in the ox's place. In using a story to warn Shahrazad, the vizier engages in narrative imagining, a form of thinking before acting. In trying to change her mind through story, he unwittingly endorses the very strategy he asks her to reject–to try to change the king's mind through stories. Narrative imagining–story–is the fundamental instrument of thought. Rational capacities depend upon it. It is our chief means of looking into the future, of predicting, of planning, and of explaining. It is a literary capacity indispensable to human cognition generally. This is the first way in which the mind is essentially literary. The vizier asks Shahrazad to think before acting by imagining a story and then evaluating it. He traces the consequence of her action forward to disaster, implying that Shahrazad should abandon her plan. In doing so, he puts to domestic use a fundamental cognitive activity: story.

Analysis Of The Poem Spring Offensive - 1055 Words

â€Å"Some men stand, unable to sleep like the rest† (Spring Offensive). This shows some unrest in the men themselves as well as the looming battle about to ensue. The fifth and sixth line signify that nature is abruptly becoming less kind to the soldiers and many of the men feel that they may die on this hill. However there is another mood change at lines six and seven: â€Å"Nature shows a smiling face again, the ‘long grass swirled’ in the ‘May breeze’† (Spring Offensive). The entire stanza â€Å"ebbs and flows† with nature’s changing moods. The next part of the poem still maintains this tranquil mood by painting vivid images of nature (Spring Offensive). The troops are walking through a meadow and buttercups become stuck to the men’s shoes making them â€Å"Blessed with gold.† This is a direct reference to when Owen said that his brother’s shoes â€Å"are blessed with gold’† after some flower s became glued to his shoes. The flowers â€Å"breathe like trees unstirred† creating a strong link between man and nature (Spring Offensive). Then suddenly, the soldiers start to get a bad feeling breaking the peaceful tone yet again. First, in line nineteen the â€Å"‘May breeze’ becomes ‘a cold gust’† (Spring Offensive). The sun becomes â€Å"like a friend with whom their love is done’† (Spring Offensive). It states in line twenty-five that nature is becoming unforgiving. The fourth stanza marks the start of the battle and in the heat of battle, everything becomes warped. The sky burns â€Å"with fury against them’† and theShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Poem Spring Offensive 1155 Words   |  5 Pages Another one of Owen’s famous poems, â€Å"Spring Offensive†, refers to a surprise attack on enemy forces that turns into a bloodbath. In the first line Owen immediately lays out the setting. The soldiers are on a hill and â€Å"nature [is] in [a] beneficent mood† (Spring Offensive). in the second line he says that this puts the soldiers in a beneficial mood as well (Spring Offensive). In the third line, the troops are touching shows that they have complete faith in one another and this creates a sense ofRead More‘Spring Offensive’ of Wilfred Owen1400 Words   |  6 Pages‘Spring Offensive’ of Wilfred Owen: Offensive and Its Outcome Sunday, October 23, 2011 Wilfred Owen Masters the group of war poets who have the first hand experienced of modern war fare. ‘Spring Offensive’ like other poems of Owen, is an eloquent protest against the cruelties and horror of war and it is drawn on Owens own experience of the Anglo French offensive launched in April 1917 to attack the Germans who took shelter behind the river Somme in France. The very title of the poemRead MorePoetry and War1681 Words   |  7 Pagesdoes Owen explore the themes of war through the power of his poetry? Answer Q Owen expresses the themes of war through the unique power of poetry. Both the mental and physical brutality of war is emphasised in the poems, â€Å"The Send off,† â€Å"Anthem for doomed youth† and â€Å"Spring Offensive,† furthering the responder’s understanding of a soldier’s life on the western front. Owen employs various poetic devices such as imagery, symbolism and sound techniques, and powerful language features, together helpingRead MoreAllusion And Repetition In Cummings When The World Is Puddle-Wonderful1163 Words   |  5 PagesPuddle-Wonderful: An Analysis of Enjambments, Allusion, and Repetition in cumming’s â€Å"[in Just-]† In â€Å"[in Just-],† cummings brings the reader into a world filled with balloons, playing children, and happier times—only to then insert an allusion to Pan, a lecherous Greek god. On the surface, e.e. cummings utilizes enjambments, allusion, and repetition to urge the reader to immerse themselves within the coming of spring and their past childhood. It would appear, however, that the subtleties within the poem are whatRead MorePoem Analysis: Hedgehog Night of the Armadillo2021 Words   |  9 PagesA Tale of Two Mammals: The Analysis of How to Make it in Society Connected by the delicate branches of the tree that sprouted from the constantly expanding lineage of the Mammalian family, the hedgehog and the armadillo are also separated by millions of years of evolution. The choice in animals for the poems did not fall under the laws of natural selection, they were hand selected to represent the separate, yet connected underlying messages. Paul Muldoon, author of â€Å"Hedgehog†, and Yusef KomunyakaaRead MoreMaya Angelous I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Essay1687 Words   |  7 Pagesin the library reading fantastic adventures. Summary: Chapter 12 In late spring, after Vivian stays out all night one time, Mr. Freeman sends Maya to buy milk. When she returns from the errand, Mr. Freeman rapes her. He threatens to kill her if she screams, and he threatens to kill Bailey if she tells anyone. Afterward, Mr. FreemanRead MoreA Compilation of Essays on People and Their Personalities4701 Words   |  19 Pagesdisturbance of peace by the neighbor. In retaliation the neighbor banged on tin cans to make things unpleasant for the musicians. In the first case it was effort made to earn an honest living and the musicians did not have the intention of being offensive. This leads to the need of being more sensitive to our neighbor’s needs. We have to learn to respect our neighbor’s sentiments According to the essayist a perfect neighbor is one whom we never hear except when he pokes the fire. HOW TO ESCAPERead MoreWilliam Shakespeare Is Highly Regarded For His Literary1969 Words   |  8 Pagesthe Lord Chamberlain’s company of players, (called the King’s Men after the coronation of James I), as a successful playwright. Throughout Shakespeare’s career, he wrote several plays in the genre of history, comedy, tragedy and romance, and several poems, that were not only wildly popular during his time, but to subsequent generations as well (Britannica). One of Shakespeare’s popular tragedies King Lear is one that is often read and studied by college students and literary critics alike. King LearRead MoreGrade 10 History Notes3557 Words   |  15 PagesYpres -April 1915 -Ypres, Belgium -Defensive Battle against German gas attack -Germans released chlorine gas, then attacked -First poison gas attack of war (showing the dangers of modern warfare) -6000 wounded, captured, or killed -Inspired the poem â€Å"In Flanders Fields† by John McCrae -Canadians proved themselves capable by holding the line against the gas attack. 2. Battle of the Somme -July-November, 1916 -Disastrous battle -Attempt to smash through enemy trenches near the Somme riverRead MoreANALIZ TEXT INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS28843 Words   |  116 Pagesï » ¿TEXT INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS The purpose of Text Interpretation and Analysis is a literary and linguistic commentary in which the reader explains what the text reveals under close examination. Any literary work is unique. It is created by the author in accordance with his vision and is permeated with his idea of the world. The reader’s interpretation is also highly individual and depends to a great extent on his knowledge and personal experience. That’s why one cannot lay down a fixed â€Å"model†

The Truth Behind The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Essay

The Truth Behind The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock The Truth Behind The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock The speaker of this ironic monologue is a modern man who, like many of his kind, feels isolated and incapable of decisive action. Irony is apparent from the title, for this is not a conventional love song. Prufrock would like to speak of love to a woman, but he does not have the nerve. The poem opens with a quoted passage from Dantes INFERNO, If I thought that my reply would be to one who would ever return to the world, this flame would stay without further movement; but since none has ever returned alive from this depth, if what I hear is true, I answer you without fear of†¦show more content†¦This night gives Prufrock the idea that he is now able to talk to women; however he is never able to make her understand his true feelings. In his conversations, Purfrock can never push pass polite conversation for the fear of rejection. He also feels he has plenty of time because in line 23 he states And indeed there will be time meaning he doesnt have to jump with both feet in, it will happen eventually. Prufrock knew all of these people well, and he struggled with the thought that if he did advance past polite conversation that he would disrupt his circle of friends. This can be seen in lines 44 and 45, when he states, Do I dare/Disturb the universe. This internal conflict continues into line 70, where he starts to prepare a love speech for a particular woman and then basically says he should have been born a crab instead of a human who has to ask for love instead of taking it. The verse states Shall I say, I have gone at dusk through narrow streets And watched the smoke that rises from the pipes Of lonely men in shirt-sleeves, leaning out of windows? I should have been a pair of ragged claws Scuttling acrossShow MoreRelatedT.S Eliot and Modernism1137 Words   |  5 Pagessociety are strong themes that are part of many modernist works. This meaning is hidden behind layers of complicated and elitist imagery and symbolism which force the reader to search for meaning in the poem as the poets search for meaning in their modern lives. The dramatic interior monologue that is common in modernist literature is also shared by TS Eliot, who through his poems â€Å"The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock†,†Preludes† and â€Å"Rhapsody on a Windy Night† , communicates a pessimistic view on theRead MoreThe Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock1729 Words   |  7 PagesThe Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock The dramatic monologue â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock was written by Thomas Stearns Eliot and published in June of 1915. Eliot was born in St Louis, Missouri on September 26, 1888, where he grew up and lived until the age of eighteen. After high school, Eliot studied at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA and the Sorbonne in Paris, France. Eventually, Eliot ended up in England where he married his wife Vivien and spent the remainder of his lifeRead More Comparing Dover Beach and Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Essays1556 Words   |  7 PagesModernist Perceptions as Exemplified by Dover Beach and The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock    Matthew Arnold and T.S. Eliot, in their respective poems, share a sense of alienation, not only from other people but from nature and God as well. Arnold is writing in an age when the place of man in the universe is coming into question, for the first time since the advent of Christianity. He can no longer take the same solace in nature and the love of God that his Romantic predecessors did. While ArnoldRead More The Wasteland Essay1747 Words   |  7 Pageshas replaced love and physical interaction has replaced genuine emotional connection. Eliot’s â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† goes a step further in depicting these relationships: the speaker reveals a deep sexual frustration along with an awareness of morality, in which he is conscious of his inability to develop a connection with women yet cannot break free from his silence to ask â€Å"an overwhelming question† (line 10). â€Å"The Wasteland† and â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Pru frock† together illustrateRead More Societies Effects as Indicated in The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock1765 Words   |  8 PagesSocieties Effects As Indicated in The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Society gives us a set of unspoken rules and regulations that must be abided by or else society becomes ones own worst enemy; thus is Eliots message in his poem, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. This poem has been given a cynical voice in which Eliot tries to convey his message of modern society and its expectations. He is in a position in which he knows what the flaws in society are but does not have the courage orRead More TS Eliot paper1017 Words   |  5 Pagesquot;Remark the cat which flattens itself in the gutter, Slips out its tongue And devours a morsel of rancid butter.quot; So the hand of a child, automatic, Slipped out and pocketed a toy that was running along the quay. I could see nothing behind that childs eye. (Poetry Archive) This poem doesn’t deal with alienation where a person is all alone and there is absolutely no one around. In fact, there are people present but they aren’t really alive but rather just living organisms that aren’tRead MoreW.B Yeats Great War Poets Symbolism2893 Words   |  12 Pages These swans symbolise something which humans cling to, the need to hold onto something which is unaltered by man’s biggest foe; time. They symbolise man’s want to have left something on this earth which will be eternal, leaving a piece of them behind to remain with the people, the places, the life they held so dear because they could not continue on their â€Å"conquest†[18]. The fear of losing this is evident in the last two lines of the poem (â€Å"I awake some day/ To find they have flown away?†[19])Read More Content, Themes, Diction and Imagery of Eliots Poems Essay4170 Words   |  17 PagesImagery of The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, Portrait of a Lady, Rhapsody on a Windy Night and Preludes    The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, Portrait of a Lady, Rhapsody on a Windy Night and Preludes deal with the psychological impasse of the sensitive person from whom life has been withheld. Both Prufrock and Portrait of a Lady depict self-conscious, philosophical characters who are unable to act and dare not chance acting. As portrayed in Prufrock the character isRead MoreSocieties Effects quot;the Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrockquot;1194 Words   |  5 PagesSociety gives us a set of unspoken rules and regulations that must be abided by or else society becomes ones own worst enemy; thus is Eliots message in his poem, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. This poem has been given a cynical voice in which Eliot tries to convey his message of modern society and its expectations. He is in a position in which he knows what the flaws in society are but does not have the courage or the ability to convey the message to the rest of the people. He fears whatRead More Insanity and the Necessit y of Madness in King Lear Essay1872 Words   |  8 Pagescourse of the tragedy that this protagonist, Lear, uses his power only as a means of projecting a persona, which he hides behind as he struggles to maintain confidence in himself. This poses a problem, since the audience is prevented from feeling sympathy for the king. Shakespeare’s ironic solution is to allow Lear’s progressing madness to be paired with his recognition of truth, thereby forcing Lear to shed his persona, and simultaneously persuading the audience that Lear is worthy of pity. Lear

Short Term and Long Term Financing - 5177 Words

| Sources of Short-Term and Long-Term Financing | SOURCES OF SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM FINANCING What is short-term financing? Short term financing has repayment schedules of less than 1 year Source: www.wiki.answers.com A loan or credit facility with a maturity of one year or less. Source: www.allbusiness.com Sources of Short-Term Financing * Trade Credits * Accruals * Commercial Papers * Bank loans * Banker’s acceptances * Receivable financing * Inventory financing Advantages and Disadvantages of Short-term Financing Advantages: * Easier to arrange * Less expensive * Provides borrower more flexibility Disadvantages * Interest rates fluctuate more often * Refinancing is†¦show more content†¦Maturities on commercial paper rarely range any longer than 270 days. The debt is usually issued at a discount, reflecting prevailing market interest rates. Bank Loans The act of giving money, property or other material goods to a another party in exchange for future repayment of the principal amount along with interest or other finance charges. A loan may be for a specific, one-time amount or can be available as open-ended credit up to a specified ceiling amount. Compensating Balances A type of premium paid by an insured business. Compensating balances plans allow firms to subtract various expenses from the premiums that they pay to their carriers. This allows the business to divert this portion of the premium to a separate account from which it can draw. Interest Rates The amount charged, expressed as a percentage of principal, by a lender to a borrower for the use of assets. Interest rates are typically noted on an annual basis, known as the annual percentage rate (APR). The assets borrowed could include, cash, consumer goods, large assets, such as a vehicle or building. Interest is essentially a rental, or leasing charge to the borrower, for the asset s use. In the case of a large asset, like a vehicle or building, the interest rate is sometimes known as the â€Å"lease rate†. When the borrower is a low-risk party, they will usually be charged a low interest rate; if the borrower is considered high risk, the interestShow MoreRelatedBusinesses keep a close eye on the money they make and the bills they owe. Anything that is not paid immediately is financed. Critically discuss the d1624 Words   |  7 Pagesthe shareholders, long-term and short-term sources. There are risks on every decisions that investors make to finance a business as no one knows how will it goes in the future. Factors like natural disaster, economic crises and changes in demand of markets might destroy the business. Therefore, sometimes it is difficult for businesses to raise funds if investors do not want to take the risk. Short-term financing and long-term financing Short-term financing and long-term financing are divided intoRead MoreFinancial Equity Essay865 Words   |  4 Pagesfactors impacted financing decision. The focus was not in testing a theory but getting â€Å"a deeper understanding how investment and cash flow shocks affect a firms financing decision.† (Gatchev, Spindt, Tarhan, 2009) The study was designed to determine which financing decisions were affected based on the information gathered for consideration. Specifically, the purpose was to determine what the causation or determining factors were when equity was being considered as a source of financing or what theRead MoreWorking Capital Management: Current Asset Holdings and Financial Policies1279 Words   |  5 Pagesand Financing Policies Introduction Working capital management is a strategized tool of corporate finance for making financial decisions that make and analyze a business enterprise. This finance management method in a corporate organization involves the comprehension of the totals while conducting working capital plus how it is financed. There are several concepts that assist in the comprehension of proper working capital management. These concepts are current asset holdings and financing policiesRead MoreScott Equipment Organization Paper1370 Words   |  6 Pagescompanies use debt financing to achieve financial goals. Some choose to use debt consolidation financing. By having a wide range of financing options available, a company is able to get their business up and running faster. This paper will examine three options of financing for Scott Equipment. The aggressive, moderate, and conservative financing options will be calculated and compared in order to determine the best option for Scott Equipment. Summary of Short-Term and Long-Term Financing Policy Options Read MoreMiss638 Words   |  3 Pages1. Compare and contrast a return on assets analysis versus a return on sales which companies will benefit most from the former and why?    ROA (short for return on assets) is a measure of a company’s profitability relative to total assets invested in the business by the owners.    ROA = Net Income/Assets    ROS (short for return on sales) on the other hand is a measure of a company’s overall operating efficiency.    ROS =Net Income/Revenue    Both ROA and ROS indicate the level of efficiencyRead MoreShort Term Financial Policies1216 Words   |  5 PagesPTMBA I / Trim III (A. Y. 2010-11) Div. C. Assets of Short Term Financial Policy Flexible Short Term Financial Policy Maintainance of high ratio of current assets to sales. This would include:- ⠝â€" Keeping large cash bank balances ⠝â€" Making substantial investment in inventories. ⠝â€" Liberal Credit Term meaning high level of debtors. Restrictive Short Term Financial Policy. This would include:- ⠝â€" Low cash balances / no investment in marketable securities ⠝â€" Small inventory levelRead MoreScott Equipment Organization1207 Words   |  5 Pages Scott Equipment Organization Many businesses use debt financing to achieve their financial goals. Debt financing is raising operating capital by borrowing. Scott Equipment Organization is investigating various combinations of short-term and long-term debt financing in financing their assets. Short-term debt financing has a maturity of one year or less; whereas, long-term debt financing has a maturity of more than one year. Short-term debt is usually used to increase the amount of available workingRead MoreThe Importance Of Financial Investments889 Words   |  4 Pagesarticle, a prediction is made that states if firms whose asset values are unclear, if they will use debt to cover financing needs, and issue equity as a last resort. These predictions were tested. It was found that investment induced deficit were financed using both long term debt and short term debt, as well as equity. It was also found that cash balances were not a source of financing. Another finding was that small firms, high-growth firms , and less profitable firms tend to use equity to coverRead MorePanera Bread Co Business Model And Efficient Business Operations1392 Words   |  6 Pagesrespects to the company’s business model and efficient business operations. The methods of analysis utilized include: breakdown of several financial statements such as: income statements, balance sheets, pro-forma statements, as well as, short-term and long-term solvency ratios. As a result of poor performance of in-store sales, in its current growth phase, the company is facing inability to rely on internal funding; which has led to tighter margins. Increases in product and material costs, andRead MoreShort Term Financial Policies1229 Words   |  5 PagesPTMBA I / Trim III (A. Y. 2010-11) Div. C. Assets of Short Term Financial Policy Flexible Short Term Financial Policy Maintainance of high ratio of current assets to sales. This would include:- ⠝â€" Keeping large cash bank balances ⠝â€" Making substantial investment in inventories. ⠝â€" Liberal Credit Term meaning high level of debtors. Restrictive Short Term Financial Policy. This would include:- ⠝â€" Low cash balances / no investment in marketable securities ⠝â€" Small

The Human Factor of Global Warming free essay sample

Global warming has been a growing concern for many over the last several decades. The effects of global warming are evident and broad, with historical research dating the first global warming crisis back 56 million years ago, better known as the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, or PETM (Jardine, 2011). Research from the composition of sediments of fossils shells of marine organisms conclude that carbon dioxide trapped within our atmosphere, increased global temperatures by more than 5 degrees in just a few thousand years (Jardine, 2011). While global warming may not be in question, many scientists have questioned the actual global warming effect theory due to many uncertainties. Whether or not humans are inherently responsible is debatable and subject to skepticism along with whether or not the human race can influence the outcome of such. * The first theory on global warming dates back to 1886. A Swedish chemist by the name of Svante Arrhenius had a theory that a rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide emissions as a result from combusting fossil fuels could enhance the average surface temperature of the earth (Maslin, 2004). While close to half the solar radiation reaching the earth’s surface is reflected back into space, the remainder is absorbed by land masses and oceans, warming the earth’s surface and atmosphere. This warming process radiates energy, most of which passes through the atmosphere and back into space. However, small concentrations of greenhouse gases like water vapor and carbon dioxide convert some of this energy to heat and either absorb it or reflect it back to the earth’s surface (Christianson, 1999). It is this foundation that fuels ours cognitive notion of global warming and the concatenation of events that result in a global rise in temperature. * Global warming is a well known fact; however, there are many different speculations as to the causes. While there are those that like to believe that humans control the course of the global climate system, the truth is that there is also natural climate variability on a year to year basis (Kump, 2011). This variability results through natural cloud changes, which alter the amount of sunlight being absorbed by the planet (Spencer, 2010). There is more complexity to climate variability than sunlight and clouds. Our planet’s climate is dynamic and naturally varies on seasonal, decadal, centennial, and longer timescales. Each up and down fluctuation can lead to conditions which are warmer or colder, wetter or drier, more stormy or quiescent (Millar amp; Woolfenden, 1999). * Perhaps the most well understood occurrence of climate variability is the naturally occurring phenomenon known as the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), El Nino is a term coined by Peruvian fisherman to identify meteorological instability and ecological effects on fish and coastal life (Caviedes, 1984). This is an interaction between the ocean and the atmosphere over the tropical Pacific Ocean that has important consequences for weather around the globe. The ENSO cycle is characterized by coherent and strong variations in sea-surface temperatures, rainfall, air pressure, and atmospheric circulation across the equatorial Pacific. El Nino refers to the warm phase of the cycle, in which above-average sea-surface temperatures develop across the east-central tropical Pacific (Caviedes, 1984). These variables in our climate are due to the change in the amount of energy entering and escaping from the Earth. The largest contributor in climatic forces comes in the form of short wave radiation from the Sun. Solar variability is major player in the distribution of energy throughout the Earth’s atmosphere. The changes in solar energy can be directly related to the Earths orbital path, changes in the tilt angle of the Earth, or variations in the energy coming from the Sun. Also additional factor which can cause climatic fluctuations on yearly to decadal timescales are volcanoes. Volcanic eruptions lead to enhancements of stratospheric and tropospheric aerosols which for the most part reflect solar radiation, hence leading to global cooling on a global average (Karlen, et al. , 2005). * While humans might not be solely to blame for global warming, we definitely have a major role. Most are familiar with the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and gas) as a major contributor to the overall C02, although, just as equally important is that of deforestation. It was realized that â€Å"conversions of land use, primarily deforestation in the tropics, induce substantial terrestrial carbon losses to the atmosphere, approximately 1. 6 billion tons annually† (Broadmeadow, Freer-Smith, amp; J. Lynch, 2007). While the cause of deforestation varies in different regions, the key contributors are cutting down tree to open up more land for agriculture, urban sprawl (Turk amp; Bensel, 2011). Forests work like filters to remove CO2 from the air and store it in the trees. When the trees are felled or burned, huge amounts of CO2 are released into the atmosphere at a rapid pace. Urban Sprawl, a result of deforestation releases significant amounts of green house gases such as CO2. Not only do you have carbon dioxide being release from burning or cutting of forests, it is coupled by urban sprawl. It just so happens one of the effects of urban sprawl is that â€Å"Concrete production contributes 5 percent of annual anthropogenic global CO2 production, mainly because such vast quantities are used† (Chemistry World, 2008). The result of urban sprawl worldwide currently accounts for 20-25 percent of the annual global carbon dioxide emissions, which equates to 1 to 1. 5 billion tons of carbon (Janson-Smith, Pandya, amp; Toften, 2003). A byproduct of urbanization is that of transportation, which also has profound effects in terms of releasing greenhouse gases. In the United States transportation alone makes up 450 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, with the Department of Energy projecting an annual growth of 1 percent (Turk amp; Bensel, 2011). Sprawl-induced driving not only contributes to the annual accumulation of carbon dioxide which is a prevalent green house gases but also volatile organic compounds such as nitric oxides. These volatile organic compounds have a small direct impact as greenhouse gases but they are also an ozone precursor and account for seven million tons annually (Turk amp; Bensel, 2011). Just as devastating as deforestation due to urban sprawl, is that of deforestation due to agriculture and agriculture by itself and how they contribute to global warming. During agricultural practices, methane gas which is a greenhouse gas, is produced when bacteria decomposes organic matter. It has been estimated that close to a quarter of methane gas from human activities result from livestock and the decomposition of animal manure. Paddy rice farming, land use and wetland changes are also agricultural processes that could contribute to the release of methane to the atmosphere. Use of fertilizers for agricultural activities also leads to higher N2O concentrations from nitrification and denitrification in cropped soil. (Adler, Del Grosso, amp; Parton, 2007). A report from the American Farmland Trust in 2007 stated that â€Å"from 1982 through 2007 the United States lost 41. 3 million acres of rural land which was converted to developed uses†. To put that into perspective that is roughly the size of Florida. An increase in farm land means an increase in crops and in animals, which translate into an increase in ammonia. This by-product of animal waste is due to the often inefficient conversion of feed nitrogen into animal product. Livestock and poultry are often fed high-protein feed, which contains surplus nitrogen. Nitrogen that is not metabolized into animal protein is excreted in the urine and feces of livestock and poultry where further microbial action releases ammonia into the air during manure decomposition (Virgina State University, n. d. ). Studies have shown by the FDA that broiler producers have contributed â€Å"8 times more ammonia emission annually than oil refineries and steel mills combined in poultry heavy states† (Merchant, 2008) and accounts for 27% of total man-made ammonia volatilization in the United States (Virgina State University, n. d. ). Not only do crops and live stock emit large quantities of greenhouse gases, but also the machinery used to aid in farming. The fuel that is used by agricultural machinery for tillage, planting, harvesting and applying pesticides also contributes to carbon dioxide emissions. The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency released a report in 2007 detailing U. S. Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Sources, which accounted for six percent of all U. S. emissions. Despite the amount of influence humans have to the overall contributions of global warming, we have made efforts to reduce our carbon footprint. While the inception is conceivable that the human race could influence the effects of global warming, it has yet to be proven. The reluctance in this ever being proven relies on the fact that it would take the entire global community to be involved. That means not only must it be approached scientifically, but also from an economical, social, geopolitical, local political standpoint, and that of an individual’s choice of lifestyle (Christianson, 1999). Humans in general are doing many things everyday to help reduce their carbon footprint believing that their efforts will help stop global warming. Some simple yet conventional methods such as car pooling can make a difference. On average the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that, the daily commute to work in the U. S. emits 94 tons of carbon annually (U. S. Environmental Protection Agency , n. d. ), so by carpooling with co-workers you can seriously cut down on an individual’s contribution of greenhouse gases. Another way people are helping to reduce their impact on our climate is by switching from incandescent light bulbs to energy efficient fluorescent bulbs. â€Å"If every household in the U. S. ook this one simple action we would prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions from nearly 10 million cars† (U. S. Environmental Protection Agency , n. d. ). These are ways in which humans can change aspects of their lifestyle an influence how they contribute to global warming. Our government is also contributing in ways to help stop global warming. The U. S. government introduced a law called The Clean Air Act in 1963 which initially was a research project. Since then it has developed through major amendments to the law into regulatory controls for air pollution. The Clean Air Act is making many companies change their products to decrease these problems. Part of the law says that you may not put a certain amount of pollutants in the air. Hairspray and some other products, like foam cups, had this problem. Making and using these products let out too many volatile organic compounds (VOC’s), ozone-destroying chemicals (chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s), and related chemicals (such as CO2) into the air. Now, almost all of these products have a label on them telling people what this product can do to the environment and many people (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency , n. d. ). The U. S. Government through Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has taken coordinated steps to enable the production of a new generation of clean vehicles, through reduced greenhouse gases emissions and improved fuel use from on-road vehicles and engines, from the smallest cars to the largest trucks. They have developed a National Program that will regulate a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and improve fuel economy of light-duty vehicles. By the government making regulations and holding people accountable, small initiatives have made a difference in the amount of greenhouse gases that have been emitted. However, the combined global efforts of governments on the issue of global warming, is something that is still in the making. In 1992 a treaty named Kyoto Protocol emerged from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change at a Earth Summit. The Kyoto Protocol was the first accordance between nations to sanction country-by-country reductions in greenhouse-gas emissions.