Communication in business and information technology Essay -- essays r

Communication for Business and Information Technology Case Study. OLYMPIA PRODUCTIONS: Introduction: Olympia Productions is in itself a product of five independent entities, combining their resources to create an efficient and effective partnership. The transition from separate businesses to a singular partnership has been a new experience to every part of the partnership. The matter of using a participative or a hierarchical management style has yet to be determined. Management Approaches: Hierarchical: This management style requires leaders to make decisions without consolidations from fellow employees. According to Dwyer (1997), the leader of the group here is the one who announces the decision while all other members follow his/her orders. Dwyer states that this method is more likely to favour the businesses â€Å"interests† far ahead of that of employees. The employers of the previous five independent businesses had implemented this method and since they have been using its for so long, have become accustomed to it. Participative: The participative management method makes it essential for the leader to have an active role in making decisions. Dwyer (1997) recognises, He/She must ask fellow members opinions and ideas in order to achieve maximum output. An opposite result is identified by Dwyer. It has been suggested that the newly formed ‘Olympia Productions’, should consider this style of management. Implementation: Suggestion: Using a Hierarchical management style may have gotten objectives achieved much more timely, but team members have found the leader to be too dominating and therefore as a result: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Poor team participation† 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Low motivation† 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  and â€Å"Lack of creativity† are the consequences that have arisen as shown by Dwyer. The Participative method ensures that all member are actively involved in the entities operations. Dwyer displays the results as: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Shared responsibility† 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Encourages Self-Esteem† 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  and â€Å"Job satisfaction† are the benefits of a teamwork orientated management method which promotes easier communication. Dwyer explains both methods thoroughly but uses more positive incites on the participative method. Therefore all managers should be briefed on ... ...d supporting members† 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Giving feedback† 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Developing teamwork† 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  and â€Å"Counselling members† These simple steps outlined by Dwyer, display the encouraged communication in various ways. Management could ask for contributions into developing goals, and make jobs meaningful with rewards and compliments on successful work. Leaders represent fellow staff at meetings and give recognition. This strategy will impact Olympia Productions in a positive manner, as both management and staff receive cooperation and further develop communication. RERERENCES : Dwyer, J. 1997, The business communication handbook, 4th edition, Prentice Hall, Sydney. Crosling, G., & Ward, I. 1999, Graduates, workplace oral communication and undergraduate curriculum, [online], Monash University, Clayton. Jones, G., George, J.M., & Hill, C.W.L. 2000, Contemporary management, 2nd edition, McGraw- Hill Higher Education, Boston. (Technical advances in communication ) Jones, G., George, J.M., & Hill, C.W.L. 2000, Contemporary management, 2nd edition, McGraw- Hill Higher Education, Boston. ( Social responsibility )

Its Time to Reform the Endangered Species Act Essay -- Argumentative

It's Time to Reform the Endangered Species Act In 1973, Congress passed the Endangered Species Act. The Act was passed in response to findings by Congress that growth and development were responsible for the extinction of species of fish, wildlife and plants. This Act was to provide programs to protect species identified as either endangered or threatened. It also mandated Federal agencies and departments to protect endangered and threatened species in their own operations, as well as work with State and local agencies to further promote conservation and protection of identified species. By the definition of the Endangered Species Act, a species covered by the legislation is either classified â€Å"Endangered† if threatened with extinction, or â€Å"Threatened† if in a state of decline that might place it on the endangered list. As of 23 March 2003, 1262 species of plants and animals were listed as endangered or threatened by the Endangered Species Act, with thirty-three species proposed for listing. To date, twenty-six species have been removed from the list, either due to recovery or the discovery of new information about their status, while seven were removed due to becoming extinct. THIRTY YEARS LATER: NEW LOOKS AT THE SUCCESS OF THE ACT There are concerns about the Endangered Species Act upon business, industry, and property owners, as well as Wildlife groups, about the effectiveness of the Act in protecting and restoring listed species. A report from the Ecological Society of America entitled â€Å"Strengthening the Use of Science in Achieving the Goals of the Endangered Species Act†, calls upon the Federal government to adopt a more-proactive approach in species preservation. They note that by the time a species... ... important. But anything worth doing is worth doing right. The Act should be reformed in a manner which will increase cooperation by all interested parties, and in doing so, help us reach the ultimate objective of the Endangered Species Act. SOURCES: Ecological Society of America, The. â€Å"Strengthening the Use of Science in Achieving the Goals of the Endangered Species Act† http://www.esa.org/publications/esarpt.htm National Endangered Species Act Reform Coalition http://www.nesarc.org/ National Wildlife Institute. â€Å"Conservation Under the Endangered Species Act: A Promise Broken† http://www.nwi.org/SpecialStudies/ESAstudy.html U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. â€Å"Endangered Species Information† U.S. Fish http://endangered.fws.gov/wildlife.html U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. â€Å"The Endangered Species Act of 1973† http://endangered.few.gov/esa.html It's Time to Reform the Endangered Species Act Essay -- Argumentative It's Time to Reform the Endangered Species Act In 1973, Congress passed the Endangered Species Act. The Act was passed in response to findings by Congress that growth and development were responsible for the extinction of species of fish, wildlife and plants. This Act was to provide programs to protect species identified as either endangered or threatened. It also mandated Federal agencies and departments to protect endangered and threatened species in their own operations, as well as work with State and local agencies to further promote conservation and protection of identified species. By the definition of the Endangered Species Act, a species covered by the legislation is either classified â€Å"Endangered† if threatened with extinction, or â€Å"Threatened† if in a state of decline that might place it on the endangered list. As of 23 March 2003, 1262 species of plants and animals were listed as endangered or threatened by the Endangered Species Act, with thirty-three species proposed for listing. To date, twenty-six species have been removed from the list, either due to recovery or the discovery of new information about their status, while seven were removed due to becoming extinct. THIRTY YEARS LATER: NEW LOOKS AT THE SUCCESS OF THE ACT There are concerns about the Endangered Species Act upon business, industry, and property owners, as well as Wildlife groups, about the effectiveness of the Act in protecting and restoring listed species. A report from the Ecological Society of America entitled â€Å"Strengthening the Use of Science in Achieving the Goals of the Endangered Species Act†, calls upon the Federal government to adopt a more-proactive approach in species preservation. They note that by the time a species... ... important. But anything worth doing is worth doing right. The Act should be reformed in a manner which will increase cooperation by all interested parties, and in doing so, help us reach the ultimate objective of the Endangered Species Act. SOURCES: Ecological Society of America, The. â€Å"Strengthening the Use of Science in Achieving the Goals of the Endangered Species Act† http://www.esa.org/publications/esarpt.htm National Endangered Species Act Reform Coalition http://www.nesarc.org/ National Wildlife Institute. â€Å"Conservation Under the Endangered Species Act: A Promise Broken† http://www.nwi.org/SpecialStudies/ESAstudy.html U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. â€Å"Endangered Species Information† U.S. Fish http://endangered.fws.gov/wildlife.html U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. â€Å"The Endangered Species Act of 1973† http://endangered.few.gov/esa.html

Advices for Those who marry

Marriage is the institution under which man and woman become legally united in a permanent basis, or it is an intimate linking together (New Webster Dictionary, International Edtion, 2004) Marriage is a life _ long, serious commitment that needs to be made between two people who are very sure about exactly what they are getting into (Romance Class. com Advice). Marriage life is a long term relationships and death is the only way that can make the man and woman separate from each other.It’s very important that once u get married both the man and woman is ready and capable enough to face the challenges they may tackle in life. Body of the Paper This paper will discuss on the possible don’t for marriage and their possible advices like for instance: Before entering into marriage life, a man and a woman must think it over and over again if they are already in the right age to become a father and a mother of their future children.It is very common nowadays that people who are together for a long period of time and suddenly to have their relationships change and ended over the years. One of the possible causes of don’ts or failure of marriage is the marrying at early age; teenagers get married just because of hot passion of love and emotions, not thinking what will happen to their marriage life in the future. Mostly of the married couples in their early age will not prosper and some lead to separation.Marriage should never ever involve someone pressuring the other, like in the Islam religions it is their parents who will choose who will be the future husband or wife of their children’s, and they are force to marry in their early age because they don’t have choice but to follow, this marriages just resulted to break ups and separation. In marriage, one of the important factors is the relationship that also needs a ton of work to keep it going. While it’s easy in the early days to coast on the rush of passion, it’s much h arder as it goes on to maintain the relationship between the husband and the wife.(Romance Class. com Advice). People don’t take breaks or break up when they’re happy but if something was wrong that will lead to destructive conclusion. One of the most important things in marriage is the ability to work through problems and actively address issues on how to resolve it successfully to preserve marriage. People should not be married if she he don’t have patience because marriage life will runs thin when we are in a hurry and want things instantly or right now; especially when it comes to love, Love is patience and kind.It is very important to know ourselves first before we try to get to know someone else too intimately, being a couple both of them must be open to each other, and must share all the happiness and frustration in life. The wrong time would be when you are marrying just to please someone else, but not yourself. Remember that you are the driving force in your own life, when you lose control or give up that responsibility to someone else, disaster will surely follow and you will be the one to suffer for the rest of your life. Some basic attributes that will help strengthen or tear down your marriage.As simple as they are, they are easily set aside or overlooked. So let's take a look and get a good reminder right now of the important â€Å"do's† and â€Å"don'ts† in a marriage. Do pray, a couple that prays together connects on an emotional level. You unite in your beliefs and values; therefore you bond emotionally and spiritually. Do show affection, play and laugh Marriage should be fun! There's enough work involved. Don't forget to enjoy each other in addition to sharing the work load. Do encourage each other, just because you are married doesn't mean you or your spouse don't need encouragement.We all do. Hearing that someone believes in you or is encouraging something that is important to you, makes all the difference in the world in how you feel about yourself and them. Do invest time in your relationship; the toughest obstacle for parents is finding time alone together. Make sure you do. Whether it's an hour locked away together before bed time or a set date night†¦ find what works for your situation. Don’t refuse to forgive, we teach our children to forgive, so should we! Some hurts take longer to heal than others, but grudges and resentments only push away love.Don’t snipe; sarcasm is the biggest disease in our homes these days. And it can be painful! Sniping and making sarcastic comments never builds up a home or a marriage. Work now at breaking this harmful habit. Don’t compare, your husband may not be like your friend's husband, but hey, you're not like your friend either! We all have strengths and weaknesses. Comparing only enhances the weaknesses instead of boosting the strengths. And it's never fair to anyone. Don’t criticize, we all make mistakes. Give each other some room. Doesn’t play the blame game, we all do this?Why is it so tough to say, â€Å"I'm Sorry†? Blaming never solves the issue at hand – it only divides you as a couple. Don’t want to personally win, Marriage is a team. You should be on the same side. Don’t yell and fight so hard, Disagreeing and arguing is bound to come to every marriage. But when you start the trend of yelling, slamming doors, etc – that can become a habit that ends up crippling communication. Learn to be constructive and practical when you disagree or take a time out until your emotions calm a little (Christian –Parent, Focusing on Family Values). Conclusionâ€Å"Every one of us is entitled to be happy† but marriage life is not an answer for that saying. Before planning or entering marriage we have to consider many things, we have to ask guidance from our parents and especially to our creator if we are ready or not to face the biggest challen ges that we in life. Marriage life is more successful if it is done in the right time, if both are emotionally stable, and if both are financially ready for their children’s to come, because the only way a relationships can work smoothly if both people was actively work to reach the goals they want to achieve.References Romance Class. com Advice, Retrieved December 9. 2006 from http:// www. romanceclass. commiscradvice653 Sanchez Dionna, Do’s and Don’ts of Marriage Retrieved December 9, 2006 from http://www. christian-parent. com/marriage/062605a. shtml Sister’s Advice, Retrieved December 6, 2006 from http://www. advicesisters. netgifts%20jpegsDoubletakeedt- When the right ones come along, Retrieved December 9, 2006 from not ready towed. http;\www. datingtop. netadvicearticle. php? id=7

Business Environment Essay

Introduction: In this assignment I will be explaining how the two businesses that I have chosen from my previous assignment P3, how they present the organisational structure and how strategic planning helps them achieve its purposes and aims. This assignment will include the following * The aims of Coca- Cola and Nike * How the strategic planning helps them both to achieve these aims * How the organisational structure helps to achieve the aims of both organizations The aims and purposes of Coca Cola: The mains aim of Coca cola is to revive the world in mind, body and soul. Coca Cola Company is to provide to ensure this the company ensure that all employees are working to their highest standards test product that they can to the public, and create customer satisfaction. o create the best product, in the quickest possible time to make sure that there is an ability for quick distribution. The main goals and objectives of Coca-Cola are to be the finest beverage sales and customer Service Company. This means being the first or second brand in every group in which then can contest, being the customers most appreciated supplier and establishing a winning and inclusive culture. They also aim to never let their high standards of quality fail. To do this, there are strict evaluations at each stage of the manufacture of all products at Coca Cola production plants, throughout the day. When distributing any products, Coca Cola arrange with the distribution companies what standards Coca Cola expect from them. This means that the customer will always be to create a value and make a difference- everywhere they engage and to inspire moments of optimism through their brands and actions The aims and purposes of Nike: Nikes main objective is to develop products that help athletes of every level of ability reach their potential, to create business opportunities that set Nike apart from the competition and to provide value for its shareholders. As they are in the private sector the main objective would be to make a profit. However with all organisations this would be surrounded with other aims and objectives that their organisation may have set in place at the beginning of their campaign. For example Nike has an aim to be the largest sporting organisation for the foreseeable future, which they are currently achieving. Other aims and objectives that Nike may set out would be to improve the working conditions of the factories in the Less Economically Developed Countries. How strategic planning helps Coca-Cola achieve its aims: Coca-Cola is a household name the company can control soft drink market. Their success can be attributed to their overall strategy to produce and promote their products. Coca-Cola decided to build global brands to bottlers throughout the world. And a portion of the proceeds goes toward advertising to build and maintain brand awareness. Coca-Cola is responsible for producing and distributing to vending machines, supermarkets, restaurants, and other retail outlets. However, the advertising is left up to Coca-Cola. In addition, they must sign an agreement that prohibits them from distributing competing cola brands. Their strategy is simple, yet dynamic. It forces bottlers to enter into exclusive agreements, which creates a high barrier to entry into the industry. Any potential competitor must create their distribution network rather than use the existing one. And the large amounts of money spent on advertising helps to develop a global brand name and differentiate their products. How strategic planning helps Nike achieve its aims: The strategic plan aims to focus Nikes vision and priorities in response to a changing environment and to ensure that members of the Nike are working towards the same goals. Strategic management harnesses the full potential of an Nike by integrating daily operational decisions into the strategic process. Strategic management is a task for the whole company all the time. It is a way of thinking and a guide to action, and should govern the behaviour of everybody concerned. It enables Nike to think through and document what they are doing, for whom they are doing it, and why. How organisational structure helps Coca-Cola to achieve its aims: The Coca-Cola Company, have built flexible structures which, wherever possible, encourage teamwork. For example, at Coca-Cola Great Britain any new product development (e.g. Coca-Cola Vanilla) brings together teams of employees with different specialisms. At such team meetings, marketing specialists clarify the results of their market research and testing, food technologists describe what changes to a product are feasible, financial expert’s reports on the cost implications of change. How organisational structure helps Nike to achieve its aims: The organizational structure of a Nike helps affect a workplace culture, employee motivation, performance and cooperation. Selecting the correct structure that compliments Nike’s goals and objectives can positively affect employee’s behaviours and attitudes, as well as a lead to more effective teamwork and networking opportunities that build stronger worker relationships throughout the Nike industry’s. Planning and implementing an organizational structure will help determine the necessary workforce talent to build a successful business like Nike. Conclusion: What I have learnt is that how they style of organisation helps them to fulfil their purposes through there aims and purposes for example, They have built flexible structures which encourage great team work for both organisations. Also and through their strategic planning for example Strategic management is a task for the whole company all the time so they need to organise the company in order to a achieve the best successful organised business.

The Prelude – William Wordsworth

Fardad Hajirostami Guilty Conscience In his poem, â€Å"The Prelude†, William Wordsworth relives a childhood epiphany that alters his perception of nature. Wordsworth describes this experience of his through his voyage in a boat which later dramatically turns into a nightmarish journey. Through use of suspenseful diction, dramatic personification, and descriptive syntax, Wordsworth vividly illustrates his perception of nature and how he views it with certain trepidation after he encounters a â€Å"towering† and horrific figure.The opening lines of the poem immediately personify nature as having a feministic quality. When Wordsworth stumbles upon a boat and unloosens its chain, he describes this incident as an â€Å"act of stealth and troubled pleasure†. Wordsworth in a way foreshadows possible dangers that are lurking in the near future due to his guilty conscience. This guilty conscience can also be interpreted as a consequence of the sexual seduction of nature and the boat as suggested by the author’s syntax and tone.The author’s mentioning of the boat as â€Å"an elfin pinnace† and the description of how he â€Å"lustily †¦ dipped [his] oars into the silent lake† confirm the author’s premature and lascivious tendencies. Wordsworth’s attitude towards the relationship that he shares with the boat also infers a sense of egotism and overconfidence. He describes himself as â€Å"one who rows, proud of his skill, to reach a chosen point with an unswerving line,† with a â€Å"fixed† view. Wordsworth’s syntax and his choice of the words â€Å"fixed†, â€Å"chosen† and â€Å"unswerving† all further develop and emphasize his haughty youthful character.Later in the poem, when Wordsworth witnesses a monstrous black figure appearing on the horizon that seemed to acquire an â€Å"utmost boundary†, a sudden shift in tone and diction takes place. The authorâ €™s seemingly control of nature and his sexual dominance is abruptly stolen away from him due to a symbolic black figure that in a way represents Wordsworth’s guilty conscience and childhood illusions. In addition, the author has lost his composure and â€Å"proud skill† in the way he paddles away with â€Å"trembling oars†. The incidence of this daemon figure completely transformsWordsworth’s tranquil and lustful relationship with nature into a dreadful and outlandish one. Wordsworth’s earlier intimacy with nature transforms to â€Å"solitude† and â€Å"blank desertion†. The author’s perception of nature contrasts with that of the Romanticists. The â€Å"familiar shapes† are no longer prevalent and â€Å"no pleasant images of trees† or â€Å"colors of green fields† linger in the author’s conscience. The author’s anticipation of possible dangers that seemed inevitable due to the suspensefu l nature of the poem did not compare to the extent of such an episode.A key distinction between the author’s perceptions of nature earlier and later in the poem arises in the extent in which he personifies it. Initially, nature was illustrated as possessing an inert quality and a mere existence. This connotation suggested that he controlled nature’s way and determined its fate. Later, however, this earlier notion of his is altered once â€Å"a huge peak, black and huge† appears on the horizon. The â€Å"voluntary power instinct† of the figure implies that it has acquired unnatural and humanistic qualities and thus haunted the author’s dreams.Wordsworth’s description of nature can be interpreted as Wordsworth’s childhood sexual fantasies with feminine figures while the black figure symbolically represents religious condemnation of his society at the time. The morals and customs of the society in which Wordsworth lived in presumably dis dained the sexual desires of the youths. Consequently, Wordsworth unconsciously fears the black figure and interprets it as a force that has come to punish his unfitting and lustful behavior.

Masculinity in Science Fiction Essay

Throughout the past couple of centuries science fiction has become one of the most popular genres worldwide. Thousands of people of different age, gender, racial and ethnical origin submerge into a world where the level of technological development is incredibly high, and where the machines often seem to dominate their creators, humans. To begin the essay we should first give the definition for what the science fiction is. So, the Wikipedia says that: â€Å"Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology upon society and persons as individuals.† Scientists have long been arguing about the reasons that make science fiction so popular among the readers. The realm, depicted in science fiction novels isn’t magical or fairy, like the fantasy world is. On the contrary, it’s often more cruel and merciless than our reality is. One of the main hypothesis is that people like to drift into the worlds of robots, intelligent machines and spaceships because there the easy ways to solving the emerging problems exist. In most of those books there is little attention paid to the human to human relations. On the contrary, the problems that are dealt in science fiction novels are rather more global than the relations between the individuals. The authors of this kind of books prefer to write about the rise and fall of the empires, about the giant wars, won or lost with the help of the mind, intrigues and power. For lots of people in our Western, highly individualistic world, reading science fiction books is one of the few ways to forget about the necessity to maintain and keep social relations with others. Nowadays, when the society allows us, its members, to open and develop our individuality freely, communication between the individuals becomes more and more complicated, as people, given the opportunity to develop the way they want, find more differences between each other, so that they have less in common with each passing year. This fact, combined with the absence of the defined standards of communication that existed in traditional societies, make communication a tough task for the contemporary people. It’s well known, that women adapt easier and faster than the man do, thus they experience less difficulties in adjusting to this new way of communication. On the contrary, men are those who sometimes experience severe troubles when some advanced form of social interaction is required. Thus, man read science fiction in order to transfer themselves in the world where mind and power decide a lot, and emotions are usually seen as something lateral and even useless. This hypothesis is confirmed by the fact that males comprise the main auditory for the books, shows and films in this genre. In order to better understand what is science fiction about, and why is it preferred by man, we’ll research the inner genres science fiction has in it. Kay Fowler offers his classification for the genres of science fiction which is: World at Risk SF and Apocalyptic Science Fiction Political/Massive War/Doomsday Weapons Disaster Alien Invasion/Conquest of Earth Plague/Disease/Epidemic Agricultural/Ecological/Population Disasters Far Future or Ancient History-Future History . Utopias/Dystopias/and in-between Utopia near utopias; ambiguous utopias, heterotopias Dystopias Alternate Earth/Alternate History (What If?) Time Travel, Time Paradoxes, Time Patrolling, Time Wars, Alternate Time Lines Religion/Theology/Anti-religion and Science Fiction Space Opera Robots, Androids, Cyborgs, Clones and Cyberbunk/Virtual Reality, Genetic Engineering, and Nanotechnology. World Building/Terraforming/Scientific and Social Inventiveness ESP/Telepathy/Psi Powers Underwater living/ocean worlds Human Colonization/Conquest of Other Worlds Feminist Science Fiction/Alternate Sexualities/Gender Benders SF with a theme of deafness or a focus on non-oral communication (Kay Fowler, Themes/Genres in Science Fiction: An idiosyncratic and woefully incomplete list) As you can note from the list above, science fiction is mostly the literature of action, the field of action for the active people, warriors, politicians and scientists, where there is little place for emotions and emotional life. Contemporary critics say that science fiction is one of the genres whose main characteristic is reflecting and reproducing masculinity, creating the specific, sometimes even perverted image of it in the minds of those who fancy this kind of literature. Of course, some researchers of the SF literature consider that: â€Å"science fiction †¦ seem(s) also to promise more freedom than do non-genre literature to imagine alternatives to the privileged assumptions of heterosexuality and masculinity that suffuse our culture », as it is noted in The Queer Encyclopedia of the Visual Arts.   But, in the reality, the authors of the SF books put â€Å"the male as the central role and in a position of power†, as it is noted in the article Science fiction’s use of Utopian and Dystopian visions of the future in relation to challenging boundaries of gender and / or sexuality. Today, when the amount of novels, stories and tales written in this genre is enormous, science fiction authors will do anything to attract the reader’s attention to their novel. Some years ago, when the SF began its rapid development, it was new and original to make the protagonist of the story female. Unfortunately, for most of the SF writers it meant only the change of setting or decorations, not touching the key points of their writings. To attract the readers’ (and, as we can recall, those are mostly males) attention they   provide their main protagonist with huge eyes and breasts, enormously long legs and a tempting smile, but inside their â€Å"heroines† are as masculine as any male monster slayer with the huge gun is. Thus, changing the decorations for their stories, the authors evade the convictions in gender discrimination, in the same time attracting new waves of male readers who are longing to read about the long-legged half-naked amazons fighting with the evil. Thus, the heroes of science fiction novels are mostly males to the marrow of their bones, and it doesn’t depend of their physical sex. Science fiction literature usually describes conflict situations, like war, ethical, racial or cultural conflicts. The protagonists of the science fiction stories are always the people of action; those who possess notable decision-making skills, and are able to actualize their choices immediately. If we analyze current researches in the field of gender psychology, a conclusion can be deduced that those qualities characterize mostly males, while women are considered to be more of the facilitators, peace makers. Stereotypical women behavior is characterized by irrationality, which’s doesn’t belong to the features that characterize this genre. A considerable part of science fiction novels and stories are characterized by the external conflict between the protagonists of the story. Of course the existing external conflict in science fiction, like in some of the other genres, is often the reflection of the internal protagonist’s conflict, but in most science fiction stories this internal clash is moved on the background of the story. Most SF stories are written for the man to allow them to drift into the world, where power and mind is the key to solving all of the existing problems. The external conflict in the story is usually characterized by the considerable amount of power the opposing characters possess, for whether it is physical or mental. Power is the key to becoming a winner in the clash, which’s the only goal the masculine protagonists usually have in mind. Another gaze into the gender psychology study book provides us with the information that the necessity to prove one’s superiority by becoming a winner in some conflict is also mainly male characteristic. Science fiction novels are usually the stories describing concrete situations, where the plot develops, and one event causes another. To cut the long story short, SF books are usually based on logical interpretation of the events. The causal consecutive ties there are usually very strong, thus there are usually little unfinished plot lines and the events that do not have any substantional meaning to the development of the plot of the story. All the technologies used in the story are scientifically validated, the principles of their operation are usually explained or understandable to the readers, in contradiction to the principles that stipulate the usage of magic in fantasy books.   One of the reasons for which less women read science fiction than man do, is the lack of the elements of decoration that make the book â€Å"alive† in women’s opinion. In the feminine literature the event that is described or the person that appeared may be introduced only in order to help the reader to feel the atmosphere of the setting described by the author. Only few of the science fiction novels hold such seemingly useless elements in them, while in all of the others â€Å"every gun that’s hanging on the wall is going to fire†, and every person appearing, and every action been committed are the basis for some further development of the plot, as Justine Larbalestier proves in his research book The Battle of the Sexes in Science Fiction. Science fiction novels’ protagonists are also often characterized by their orientation on victory. It’s a usual pattern of action for the SF heroes to fight the things they don’t like or don’t understand. They rarely seek for the round-abouts for reaching their goals, preferring the straight and habitual way of defeating and destroying the things that prevent them from getting the needed things. Such a way of solving the problems is also mostly male characteristic. For women the strategy would rather be to understand the enemy, to find the reasons for which he’s opposing and try to get rid of them, preferably uniting their forces with the past rivals. Women tend to understand and not to fight, as destroying diverges with the basic female ideals, while creation is their field.   But, as we can note, there are fewer science fiction novels that tell about the cooperation between the aliens and people, than of those, that describe the wars between the different races. In addition, most of the novels that actually describe that cooperation show it is based on the military, political or economic needs only. Actually, the situation with the aliens’ psycho type for lots of SF writers is the same as it is with gender appurtenant of the protagonists. The description of the aliens’ phenotype is called to create the impression in the consumer’s mind that humans in the story are contacting with the creatures totally different from them, but if the reader looks closer he begins to feel himself pigeoned, as there are the same humans under the scary carnival masks. Unfortunately, only a small amount of the writers puts an effort to design the psycho type different from the humans’ one.   Of course, most of them don’t even need it, as it’s not necessary and is even harmful to research the enemy’s psychology thoroughly, as it may summon sympathy or, which’s even worse, the desire to find the reasons for the antagonist’s inappropriate behavior. Psychologists prove this is typically masculine approach to problem-solving. That’s why only a few books describe cultural cooperation between the people and aliens. Human to human cooperation has been thoroughly researched and described, so it’s ineffective to create the â€Å"human in masks† type of aliens, while creating and designing the psychology of the race much different from humans requires lots of time and effort. Science fiction got its name because of the numerous elements of scientific research and the results of progress that characterize the books written in this genre. Science is the world of rationality, of the casual-consecutive bonds, where all the events have their reasons, and provoke certain consequences, the world where the miracle is unlikely, because it deprives that world of the reality it possesses. Introducing miracle in SF novel is the same as bringing the atomic bomb into the world of the faeries and dragons. If it is done without the proper skills only the excellent writers possess, those new elements ruin the authenticity of the imaginary world, making it look like a child’s picture with the broken proportions. SF world is primordially opposite to the woman’ irrational view of the surrounding world, the place where the content is valued and the form is neglected. Most of the science fiction worlds demand their protagonist to belong to one of the two categories, either the warrior or the scientist, in order to survive in the surrounding society. Of course there are woman whose nature is of one of this two types, but for most of the females those roles are unfamiliar and unwanted. It sometimes happens in the SF that the woman have to play those roles despite of their desires or longings in order to survive, but most writers prefer to describe the beings that feel themselves comfortable in those two roles, as only than their heroes are capable of actualizing their hidden potential and revealing some of the inner qualities.   Thus they prefer to write about males, who are naturally designed to play those roles. It is also important for the science fiction protagonist to be centered on the goals put before him by the gods, doom or just the consequences, and the science fiction writers know that man are much more suitable for this role than woman are. Realistic heroine will be distracted dozens of times a day from her high mission by the cute kitty mioving, new wrinkle appeared or the handsome man walking nearby. It is also worthy of mentioning that science fiction literature rarely describes the societies where the human’s individuality is valued. For most of the heroes their surroundings are not valued for their personal qualities, but for the things they can do, thus the notion of personality is often replaced by the notion of function in the mind of the protagonist of the SF novel. This also belongs to the typical masculine qualities, described by the gender psychologists. Te contemporary world becomes more and more feminine with each passing year, and the science fiction is often used to , distract the males’ attention from this fact. Using the example of Terminator 2, Amanda Fernbach in her article The Fetishization of Masculinity in Science Fiction: The Cyborg and the Console Cowboy says that: â€Å"Ordinary masculinity lacks, and the technological Terminator represents a fetishized, idealized masculinity that is a desirable alternative. In Terminator 2, the Terminator represents an idealized phallic masculinity heavily dependent upon technofetishes to ward off the anxieties of the male spectator faced with the prospect of a future vision of castrated masculinity. Although he learns to make jokes, the Terminator admits he could never cry. He becomes more human in every way except those that display weakness or vulnerability.† Thus we can make a conclusion that science fiction is a genre designed specially for man in order to solve some of their psychological problems and satisfy some of their needs. SF is designed for man and about them, at least most of the examples are. References Fernbach, A   2000, The Fetishization of Masculinity in Science Fiction: The Cyborg and the Console Cowboy. Science Fiction Studies, Volume 27, Part 2 Fowler. K 1999, Themes/Genres in Science Fiction:   An idiosyncratic and woefully incomplete list. Ramaro College of New-Jersey. Viewed 11 May, 2005.   http://orion.ramapo.edu/~kfowler/sfthemes.html Larbalestier, J 2002, The Battle of the Sexes in Science Fiction. Wesleyan University Press Science fiction. Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia. Viewed 11 May, 2005  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_fiction> Science fiction’s use of Utopian and Dystopian visions of the future in relation to challenging boundaries of gender and / or sexuality. 2002,   Viewed 11 May, 2005 http://www.corneredangel.com/amwess/papers/sf_gits_esca.doc. Summers. C (ed) 2004, The Queer Encyclopedia of the Visual Arts. Cleis Press.      

Working Capital

WORKING CAPITALQ1. Which of the following is the primary most objective of working capital? (MCQ)The difference between current assets & current liabilitiesA balance of having liquid assets to ensure the operation is unaffectedManagement of individual working capital componentsWorking capital analysis using ratios(2 marks) Q2. Calculate the Current Ratio & Quick Ratio using the below information. (MCQ)$000Inventory 200Receivables 670Payables 235Bank loan 85Current Ratio 0.37, Quick Ratio 0.27Current Ratio 0.58, Quick Ratio 0.31Current Ratio 1.76, Quick Ratio 1.54Current Ratio 2.71, Quick Ratio 2.09(2 marks) Q3. Pick Co. sold 20% of its inventory on credit for 10% profit. What will be the effect on the quick ratio & current ratio after the inventory sale, if all else is equal? (MCQ)Current Ratio (Increase), Quick Ratio (Increase)Current Ratio (Increase), Quick Ratio (No change)Current Ratio (No change), Quick Ratio (Increase)Current Ratio (Increase), Quick Ratio (Decrease)(2 marks) Q4. Inkle Co has receivables turnover of 8 times, a payables turnover of 4.5 times and an inventory turnover of 2.25 times. Calculate cash operating cycle assuming 365 days in a year? (MCQ)46 Days81 Days127 Days162 Days(2 marks) Q5. Which of the following TWO statements are correct in relation to working capital policies for a manufacturing company and a food retailer? (MRQ)A manufacturing company will need to invest in raw material and result in large amounts to be owed to its customersA food retailer will have a large inventory of large receivables balanceA manufacturing company needs no accounts receivable policyA food retailer will need to consider inventory management policy (2 marks) Q6. Mafia Co is a manufacturing company and has the following periods. Periods DaysReceivables collection 70Raw material turnover 42Work in progress turnover 14Finished goods turnover 42Payables payment 495334032258000What is the time it takes to complete a working cycle? (FIB) Days(2 marks) Q7. Which of the following best describes the working capital turnover? (MCQ)It measures a company's ability to replace its working capitalIt measures the working capital support to the revenuesIt measures the liquidity position of the companyIt measures the profitability position of the company (2 marks) Q8. Yolo Co. has the following inventories:Raw material $600Work in progress $550Finished goods $700Yolo Co has annual purchases of $5,000 with the cost of sales being $2,000. What are the average inventory days for Yolo Co (366 days in a year)? (FIB)23495-317500Days(2 marks) Q9. A company sells toy machine guns in the USA; it yearly sells 15,000 guns at $60/each. It has to receive $56,000 from its customers. In how many days will the company receive all its payments? (MCQ)10 Days23 Days63 Days98 Days(2 marks) Q10. A delay in payment to the suppliers may result which of the following? (MRQ)Future contracts with the suppliers may be disruptedA discount on late payment will be missedGoodwill in the market will be increasedAn increase in the price of products as a compensation (2 marks) Q11. Which of the following is not a typical symptom of overtrading? (MCQ)A significant increase in revenue A bank overdraft reaching its limit A fall in the quick ratio and the current ratio A fall in trade payables days(2 marks) Q12. A company has very high levels of inventory and high cash balances. This is an indication of? (MCQ)Over-tradingHigh cash operating cycle Over-capitalizationLow working capital cycle (2 marks) Q13. Select whether the following statements are true or false. (HA)An increase in sales revenue should likely to increase the level of working capital invested TRUE FALSEA profitability decrease is an indication that the trade cycle has been increased TRUE FALSEUnder-capitalization is the rapid increase in sales as compared to the invested finance TRUE FALSE(2 marks) Q14. Match the following ratios in comparison to identify the over-trading problems. (P;D)A significant increase in sales Customers are paying late than their credit period Current liabilities are in excess of Current assets WORKING CAPITAL GROWTH % QUICK RATIO % INCREASE IN RECEIVABLES(2 marks) Q15. Unto Co is an online sales company which has established its business in the past two years. The CFO has indicated that the company has expanded its business and gained a good market share in these two years but to able to continue further they will need to manage its working capital effectively. Which of the following actions might help overcome Unto Co problems? (MRQ)The shareholders will be asked to inject finance into Unto CoInventory levels should be increased by Unto CoSales of Unto Co should be withheld for some timeRetained profits should be invested back in Unto (2 marks) Q16. An investment policy is the amount of working capital investment needed for a particular company. Which of the following statement related to a conservative policy? (MCQ)Company keeping a low level of inventory will lead an earlier cash operating cycleA lengthy cash operating cycle may lead to high finance costInventory levels ; receivables should be kept at an optimum levelA short cash operating cycle may lead to risky business(2 marks) Q17. Kelp Co has kept its inventory levels at the minimum level from the start of the business. The business was acquired by a competitor and they continued its operation as per their previous owners. In the last three months, the company is unable to meet the supply demands due to a shortage of inventory. The new owner of Kelp Co is unable to recognize the working capital policy. Select the appropriate working capital policy? (MCQ) Conservative investment policyAggressive financing policyAggressive investment policyConservative financing policy(2 marks) Q18. Select the appropriate option. (HA) The efficient management of inventory ; receivables relates to a moderate investment policy TRUE FALSEIf customers pay late to a company this will increase the cash cycle TRUE FALSE(2 marks) Q19. A company needs finance to invest in their assets. Select the appropriate asset in relation to working capital financing policy. (P;D)Assets are bought in their respective seasons Assets continue for more than a year Assets present with the company at any given time of the year NON-CURRENT ASSETS PERMANENT CURRENT ASSETS FLUCTUATING CURRENT ASSETS(2 marks) Q20. Which statement best reflects a conservative working capital finance policy? (MCQ)More short-term finance is used because it's riskyMore long-term finance is used because it improves liquidityMore short-term finance is used to purchase inventoryMore long-term finance is used to pay-off payables(2 marks) Q21. Select the following similarities in an Investment & financing working capital policy. (MRQ)The risk of stock out in the policyThe names used in each policyThe use of assets in the policyThe level of inventory in the policy(2 marks) Q22. Which of the following factors could have an influence in working capital? (MRQ)Company credit policies The future growth prospectThe balance of liquidity & profitabilityThe nature of the companyPayable credit policies of suppliers(2 marks) Q23. Which of the following is a benefit in having a decentralized treasury department in a company? (MCQ) The duplication of workThe benefit of bulk discountingThe low-interest rates applied by the bankThe development of skills of managers (2 marks)WORKING CAPITAL (ANSWERS)Q1. BThe difference between current assets & current liabilities (Definition)A balance of having liquid assets to ensure the operation is unaffected (Objective)Management of individual working capital components (One of the aspects of WC)Working capital analysis using ratios (One of the aspects of WC) Q2. DCurrent Ratio = [200+670] à · [235+85] = 2.71Quick Ratio = [670] à · [235+85] = 2.09 Q3. AThe Quick ratio = IncreaseThe inventory sold on credit, all else being equal receivables (current assets) will increase, so the quick ratio will increase.The Current ratio = IncreaseCurrent assets include Inventory & Receivables. The inventory sold for profit, the receivables increase will be more than the decrease in inventory, the net effect will be the increase in current assets, hence ratio increased. Q4. CReceivable days= (365 à · 8) = 46 daysInventory days = (365 à · 2.25) = 162 daysPayable days = (365 à · 4.5) = 81 daysCash operating cycle = (46 + 162) – 81 = 127 days Q5.A manufacturing company will need to invest in raw material and result large amounts to be owed to its customers (Correct)A food retailer will have large inventory with small receivables balanceA manufacturing company needs careful consideration of accounts receivable policyA food retailer will need to consider inventory management policy (Correct)Q6. 119 daysWorking Capital Cycle= (70+42+14+42) – 49 = 119 Q7. BQ8. 91 daysRaw material days = (600 à · 5,000) Ãâ€" 366 = 44 daysWork in progress days = (550 à · 2,000) Ãâ€" 366 = 101 daysFinished goods days = (700 à · 2,000) Ãâ€" 366 = 128 daysAverage days = (44 + 101 + 128) à · 3 = 91 days Q9. BSales = 15,000 Ãâ€" 60 = 900,000 Receivable days = (56,000 à · 900,000) Ãâ€" 365 = 23 days Q10. Future contracts with the suppliers may be disrupted (Correct)A discount on early payment will be missedGoodwill in the market will be decreasedAn increase in the price of products as a compensation (Correct) Q11. DOvertrading is business trying to do too much too quickly with too little long-term capital. The payment period to accounts payable is likely to lengthen (not shorten). Q12. COver-capitalization represents an excessive investment by a business in its current assets. In the case inventory & cash balance both relate to current assets of a business. Q13. An increase in sales revenue should likely to increase the level of working capital invested TRUE A profitability decrease is an indication that the trade cycle has been increased TRUE Under-capitalization is the rapid increase in sales as compared to the invested finance TRUE Q14. A significant increase in sales Working capital growth %Customers are paying late than their credit period % Increase in ReceivablesCurrent liabilities are in excess of Current assets Quick Ratio Q15. The shareholders will be asked to inject finance into Unto Co (Correct)Inventory levels should be managed efficiently by Unto Co Sales of Unto Co should be lowered not withheld completely for some timeRetained profits should be invested back in Unto (Correct) Q16. BIn a conservative policy, the inventory levels & receivables are kept high resulting longer cash operating cycles leading to a need for finance via overdraft facilities. Overdraft results finance cost. Q17. CThe company kept its inventory levels at the minimum having a high risk of stockouts which indicates the Aggressive investment policy was used by Kelp Co.'s previous owners. Q18.The efficient management of inventory ; receivables relates to a moderate investment policy TRUE If customers pay late to a company this will increase the cash cycle TRUE Q19.Assets are bought in their respective seasons FLUCTUATING CURRENT ASSETSAssets continue for more than a year NON-CURRENT ASSETSAssets present with the company at any given time of the year PERMANENT CURRENT ASSETS Q20. BThe conservative policy finances most fluctuating assets with long-term finance and finances all permanent assets with long-term finance. Resulting low risk eventually improving liquidity but decreasing profitability. Q21. The names used in each policy are same only. Q22. All given above are the factors which can influence the working capital Q23. D