Historical and Structural Factors Affect †Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: How Historical and Structural Factors Affect? Answer: Introducation This essay is based on the knowledge of how does the culture, historical and structural factors affect social programs and the social outcomes from the same. Social programs are always set for the public and that is why all the factors which are raised because of the public or for the public do affect the social programs and even their outcomes (Andrews, 2001). Hence, it is very important for person to look into the issue of sociological Management for pulling out the issues faced by the social programs. For getting a clear view of what the effects are- we need to know the social imagination in the society and the culture of the same (Arvanitakis, 2016). As stated by a famous sociologist, dr. Mills, a person can only understand the social coordination and change if he is able to apply the sociological imagination on the situations. It is highly important for a person to understand the sociological imagination of the society to get an answer to the change and its effects. This idea given by mill, involves a theory of making a familiar thing turn strange. This idea lets a person question the world with different point of view and basically involves a social aptitude to the question and not just focus on the personal viewpoint. This statement can be detailed as- it is very important for a person, when understanding an issue with social and sociological point of view, to judge and look onto a point, not just personally but also measure allots outcomes socially (Andrews, 2001). Social outcomes can be only being noticed if one is aware of all the social alterations. There are many external influences and factors, like, social, cultural, political and structural which affect the outcomes of society on a daily basis. The question does not count- how a person feels about his looks but, instead It counts- how the society feels about the person who is conscious about his looks. To know the effect of racism in a society, one can study the interaction of communities and individuals to know the influence which has been created due to racism (Arvanitakis, 2016). It has been studied by many sociologists and has been found that in the modern society, racism is based on the phenotype and does not lie in assumptions of supremacy based on biological factors (Pierce, 2013). The changed way of looking into the social issues has increased the tendency to use cultural hierarchies for measuring instead of practices which just included minority groups. It has always affected the society in a larger view. We can see the social media changing their way of expressing and justifying racism. The idea of whiteness and multiculturalism has influences the society and the outcomes in many ways. The factors like- showing of power over the minorities and race factor has been affected majorly due to this (Arvanitakis, 2016). In sociology, inequality does not mean the difference in treatment but it observes a relationship between the privileged and the subordinate (Pierce, 2013). There have been many cultural and social factors which have stopped the poor countries from speaking up or even acknowledging their condition. Discrimination is one of the main hands of inequality. Discrimination with one sector group can lead to suffering of overall countrys productivity. It can either be a tribe, minority or a small language group. There has been a severe change faced by the whole world, which is being famous as anti- racism. The big past of racism and its present effects have gained a lot of people being noisy about fighting against it. An example is the iwillridewithyou movement which started due to the lint cafe incident (Pierce, 2013). The above case concludes that it is not just sufficient to know the problem and its effects to draw a solution or an answer to it. But, it is very important to look onto the social image of the problem and how it is being measured and thought by the vast society. Without a realization in the society and the minds of people suffering, one can neither start a revolution alone nor make a clear understanding of sociological effects of the same. Culture is not just a part of society but the truth is society belongs to the culture it adapts. A person can never just easily move away from the truth that society is headed by the external factors and culture plays a big role in this field. Any problem or any affair is widely affected by the societal, cultural and its political factors (Arvanitakis, 2016). Development is only possible in a society when all the cultures, sects and groups, living in a society are rising together. Same way, a sociological outcome and effects can only be studied deeply and perfectly, if all the factors effecting the situation are dealt and studied properly. References Andrews, K. (2001). Social Movements and Policy Implementation: The Mississippi Civil Rights Movement and the War on Poverty, 1965 to 1971. American Sociological Review, [online] 66(1), p.71. Available at: https://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2657394 [Accessed 17 May 2017]. Arvanitakis, J. (2016). Sociologic. Kinloch, G. and Kovel, J. (2012). White Racism: A Psychohistory. Contemporary Sociology, [online] 3(1), p.65. Available at: https://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2063462 [Accessed 17 May 2017]. Pierce, J. (2013). White Racism, Social Class, and the Backlash Against Accounting Action. Sociology Compass, [online] 7(11), pp.914-926. Available at: https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/soc4.12082 [Accessed 17 May 2017]. Sociologic principles. (2014). [Place of publication not identified]: [publisher not identified].

Discuss the Role of Neural and Hormonal Mechanisms in Aggression free essay sample

Support that serotonin leads to aggressive behaviour has been found, as human and animal research suggest that serotonin levels influence aggression and violent behaviour. There seems to be a negative correlation as low levels of serotonin, increase aggressive behaviour. Although we cannot determine a causal link as the cause of aggression cannot be attributed solely to serotonin. The link between dopamine and aggression is not as clear as with serotonin. Although there does seem to be a relationship between high levels of dopamine and aggression. Dopamine is produced in response to rewarding stimuli such as food, sex and recreational drugs. Research suggests that some individuals try to find aggressive encounters because of the rewarding sensations it brings, caused by increases in dopamine. Researchers have also suggested that people can become addicted to aggression, in the same way that they become addicted to food, gambling, etc. Ferrari et al. made a rat fight for 10 consecutive days. We will write a custom essay sample on Discuss the Role of Neural and Hormonal Mechanisms in Aggression or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page On the 11th day it was not allowed to fight. Researchers found that in anticipation of the fight the rat’s dopamine levels had raised and serotonin levels had decreased. This shows that experience had altered the rat’s brain chemistry, gearing it up for a fight. This supports the idea that both neurotransmitters are involved in aggressive behaviour and suggests a possible cognitive element in aggression i. e. the anticipation the rats experienced seemed to altar the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain. It is hard to extrapolate these results from animals to humans as it is unclear whether the influence is the same for both. Hormonal mechanisms such as testosterone and cortisol, are chemicals which regulate and control body functions. It is said that hormone levels affect a person’s behaviour. An example of a hormone which affects body functions is testosterone. This hormone is found in both men and women, but in larger quantities in men. Testosterone makes aggression more likely, but there is not a causal link. Nelson found a positive correlation between levels of testosterone and aggressive behaviour in male and female prisoners. However these levels were not measured during the aggressive act so we cannot be sure whether hormonal levels are a causal factor. Observational studies of children have shown that they tend to become more aggressive once they enter puberty and their testosterone levels rise. Pillay found that male and female athletes involved in aggressive sports have higher levels of testosterone than those involved in non-aggressive sports. Despite these findings we can question this using the basal and reciprocal model of testosterone. Did the male and females have high levels of testosterone and so were more competitive and dominant, therefore enjoying aggressive sports as stated by the basal model of testosterone. Or were the high levels of testosterone in those involved in aggressive sports exerted due to the aggressive sports, as stated by the reciprocal model of testosterone. Whether testosterone causes aggression has not been proved, although it does have an effect on aggressive behaviour. It also plays a big role in encouraging other behaviours i. e. dominance, impulsiveness and competition. These are all adaptive behaviours in human evolution and therefore very important for our survival as species. Despite this, this is a deterministic view of human behaviour. If aggression is completely controlled by neural and hormonal levels then it follows that individuals don’t exert any free will over their actions and that their behaviour is completely determined by their biochemistry. There are many individuals who have high testosterone levels, who may choose not to act aggressively even though they may be provoked. This demonstrates how a person can exert their free will and choose to override biological impulses. By only understanding aggressive behaviour from a biological approach, these explanations can be criticised for being reductionist. Simpson argues that testosterone is just one factor linked to aggression and that the effects of environmental stimuli such as heat and overcrowding have at times been found to correlate strongly. Likewise social psychological theories of aggression, e. g. social learning theory and deindividualisation have also received a lot of research support, for example the studies conducted by Bandura and Zimbardo.

Swisher Mower and Machine Company

Executive Summary There are two or more alternatives that managers normally confront in various organizations. It is better to pursue an alternative that maximizes value and profit of the organization. This paper is set to discuss a problem that CEO and President of Swisher Mower and Machine Company face.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Swisher Mower and Machine Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The company is being approached by a major national retail merchandise chain with a proposal that mentions various terms and conditions for a business deal that targets the purchase of 8,200 units of private-label riding mowers on an annual basis. This paper will show why the acceptance of the new proposal may lead to a loss in the organization. Through extensive analysis, the researcher found out that SMC should be able to meet a break-even point of 12,822 units if the new proposal is accepted. Given that the sale s of the company as regards to private-labeled riding mowers amount to 40%, it would be risky to accept the proposal since SMC is likely to lose sales via other channels such as wholesale distribution and direct-to-dealer sales. However, if the chains were to accept negotiation over the previous terms in order to reach the break-even point, it would be worth considering the proposal. Nevertheless, it is quite difficult for the chain to accept negotiation given that there are other competitive manufacturers in the industry. Given the current terms, which interfere with the SMC advertisement and promotion, the management of SMC will not consider the proposal. Therefore, SMC should continue advertising and promoting in order to recruit new dealers. This would expand its market share. Problem Statement Swisher Mower and Machine Company began its operations in 1950s. The company deals with a number of products that are concerned with agricultural production and environmental cleaning. Ma nufacturing of the best mowers in the lawn and garden equipments industry helped the company gain popularity in the US and in other foreign countries. Max Swisher had been the company’s President Chief Executive Officer for over thirty years. However, after growing old, Mr. Max stepped down to allow his son Mr. Wayne Swisher to manage the company as the CEO and the President. With three years experience in the sales and marketing department, Mr. Wayne was expected to utilize the MBA skills to manage the company in the most effective way.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In early 1996, Mr. Wayne received a proposal from a major national retail merchandise chain inquiring about a private-brand distribution arrangement for SMC’s riding mowers. This is the first proposal Mr. Wayne encountered as the president and the CEO of Swisher Mower and Machine Company. The adm inistrator thought about the proposal as an opportunity that required keen consideration. This is because the sales of SMC riding mower had stagnated for several years. Nevertheless, Mr. Wayne and his associates had to scrutinize details concerning the proposal since it meant that SMC would change its current distribution practices. This was a challenge for Wayne and the management. Although the company expected high sales from this new deal, Mr. Wayne wondered whether the current distribution channels would be negatively affected. Presently, the firm issues its lawn mowers through farmhouse stores, lawn and garden supplies, home centers, and hardware stores situated in reserve areas. From the company’s financial information, it is evident that three quarters of the SMC sales are made in nonmetropolitan areas. SMC sales its Ride King Mower either directly to dealers or through wholesale distributors who later distribute the equipment to various independent dealers. On the oth er hand, the new proposal has come with new terms and conditions that Mr. Wayne considers to be worthy of his consideration. Apart from asking for a sample of 700 standard riding mowers at the beginning of the year 1997, the national retail merchandise chain expects to make an annual order of about 8,200 units. However, the deal appears quite different from the normal business deals the company had with other private-label institutions. The retail merchandise chain needs to purchase a standard mower at 95% of the market price quoted by SMC. Unlike other business deals, this retail merchandise chain did not need any seasonal or promotional discounts but guaranteed low price. In addition, the chain promised to pay for all freight charges. The chain did not want the title to be transferred to it until the goods were transferred from its regional warehouse to a particular company facility. After the chain had acquired the title, payment was provided in 45 following days. The company agr eed that for goods staying in the warehouse for more than two months, it would acquire the ownership title and payment would be made in 45 days.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Swisher Mower and Machine Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Apart from the title and payment, some changes would also be needed with regards to the appearance of the mower. This effort was focused on differentiating the mowers on the new deal from the Ride King. The changes included a unique seat and a specific color. All parts had also to be American-made or display an American name as the equipment producer. The chain suggested that it would supply all labels using its own brand name. However, the national retail merchandise chain did not propose any mechanical specifications for the mowers that were to be supplied. Other terms in this proposal include the need for the SMC warranty that was required for all parts of the mower. As a result, the chain needed reimbursement of $22 per hour, a cost that was associated with the warranty work. If this business deal was successful, a contract of two years was expected to be initiated after which it could be extended on an annual basis. Termination of any contract would only be validated following a six-month notice. A new price would be negotiated after two years were over. The proposal also clearly indicated that SMC could not mention any relationship existing between the chain and SMC in its advertising or promotion. SMC would be liable for personal injury resulting from the mower maintenance or usage. Situational Analysis Swisher Mower and Machine Company Currently Swisher Mower and Machine Company is utilizing outside suppliers for machine tool work, as well as subassembly. It produces 10,000 units of riding mowers every year on a working rate of 40 hours per week. However, the company currently rents both space and office from another firm. Since its inception early in 1950s, the company has continued to focus on customer needs. This has made the company remain customer-oriented meaning that it recognizes and offers goods as per the needs and the tastes of both dealers and end users. The former president and CEO of the company insisted that the company should always maintain a ‘small company image’. This has resulted over the years into great relationships between customers and company. As a result, loyalty has resulted into strong sales. Distribution and promotion The management of the company has always stated that 75% of all sales are made in nonmetropolitan areas. Wholesalers who represent the SMC are located across the country but they only supply products to farm dealers located in the southeastern and south central parts of the United States. While wholesalers account for 30% of sales, direct-to-dealer sales account for only 25% of the total sales. Private-label riding mower sales account for 40% of the total sales.Ad vertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The company produces Big Mow mowers for Mid-states that are located in Minneapolis and Wheat Belt, which are situated in Kansas City. In addition, the company has distribution arrangements with some companies in Europe and South Pacific that account for 5% of the company’s total sales. Company’s competitors and Industry This market comprised of 10 major competitors in 1995. The manufactures included American Yard Products, Ariens, Honda, John Deere, Kubota, MTD and Murray of Ohio. Others included Snapper, Toro and Garden Way. These manufactures normally sell their products in various lawn and garden stores and other special retailers. However, other manufactures such as MTD, Murray and American Yard Products sell their products to national merchandise chains. The 10 companies engage in production of riding mowers under national brand names. They also engage in private-label production. Companies in this industry produce both nationally branded riding mowers and private labels for mass merchandisers such as Sears, Wal-Mart, and K-mart, as well as home centers such as Lowe’s and Home Depot. They also sell the combination of hardware chains such as True Value Hardware. It has been confirmed that private-label riding mowers has led to high volume sales in the market. and it constitutes about 65% to 75% of sales in the industry. The major competitors in the industry produce mowers at different prices. The prices also vary according to the different retail outlets in the country. The national retail merchandise chain accounts for 24% of the total industry sales. Outdoor power equipment or farm equipment supply stores account for 22% of the industry total sales while Lawn/Garden stores account for 19% of the total sales. On the other hand, Discount department stores account for 13%, Home centers account for 10%, while the Hardware stores account for 2% of the total industry sales. Other distributors account for 10% of the total industry sales. F rom the industry statistics, it is clear that the riding mower unit in terms of volume of sales is cyclical. In 1974, the volume of sales was 1,020,000 units. In the following year that is, 1975, the units sold in the industry dropped to 640,000 units. This was due to the decline in the US economy. In 1979, the units rose to the highest of 858 units while it fell to 620 units in 1981 due to poor economic conditions. The lawn mower industry is seasonal since one third of the riding mowers sales occur in March, April and May while half of the sales occur between January and April. Analysis proposal opportunity and other Alternatives The decision regarding the proposal will mainly depend on the situation of the company and the industry where the company will be competing. The proposal will be analyzed in accordance with the internal and external environment. According to Wayne, it is true that the proposal needs a rigorous and extensive scrutiny to determine whether the proposal is wor th being embraced by the company. The proposal will give SMC an opportunity to expand its level of production. The company stands a chance to benefit from the expanded distribution in the metropolitan areas. The company had extensive distribution in the nonmetropolitan regions. There is a high chance for the company to get the opportunity to sell trail mower. However, the plan for production is underway. However, there are also other negative factors associated with the acceptance of the new proposal. According to the company, SMC had never experienced liability claims associated with the maintenance and use of its mowers. Since the chain had suggested that SMC would be liable for injury resulting from the maintenance and use of the mowers, there is a high likelihood that SMC would be exposed to more liability claims. There is also a possibility that the price will increase by 4% if workers were paid overtime. The overtime will be required because of the increased level of productio n. Increased level of production would call for an additional 1% of the current manufacturing cost. The company is likely to lose 1% of the company’s profits. Other expenses that are expected to increase the costs by 1.5% include additional inventory insurance, additional wear and maintenance costs, pilferage and breakage, and county property tax. Other one-time costs would be associated with the increased production. This includes costs that are incurred while arranging for specific sources and materials that differ from those that were used in the previous production. Rearrangement of facilities that allow the new level of production will also reflect the new increased one-time costs. The one-time costs would range from $10,000 to $12,000. Since the new proposal reflects an additional 2,100 units, there is a high chance that the financing cost will increase. The financing costs are associated with the financing of mower inventories and account receivables. The prime rate of offering short-term funds is 7%. SMC obtains the short-term funds from the local banks at the rate of 9.5%, given that it obtains funds at 2.5% above the prime rate. Given that the chain would need 8,200 units on an annual basis, there is a chance that the already established lines of sales would be cannibalized by the new proposal. From the evaluation, it is likely that SMC will lose about 300 units of Ride King every year. The established SMC dealers would not welcome the new competition arising from the national retail chain dominance in the market. As a result, there is a likelihood that most dealers that associate with SMC will drop the SMC line. According to the proposal, there are aspects that can be negotiated while others cannot be negotiated. Aspects that are likely to be negotiated include the title transfer and the period of payment. However, other aspects are more likely to be fixed. These include the unit price indicated in the proposal. Moreover, the company would be approaching new companies in the market for the same deal. SMC has the advantage since it manufactures highly differentiated and established riding mowers. Other manufactures in the industry offer indistinguishable mowers. Although this is one of the attractive opportunities to consider, SMC should strike a balance between this opportunity and other existing and available alternatives at the market. The new proposal is more appealing because the private-brand distribution is to be made with a major national retail merchandise chain. This chain would offer various benefits to SMC. The negative impact arising from the acceptance of the new proposal includes a decrease in aggressive advertising that is intended to recruit new dealers, as well as helping existing ones. There is also a risk associated with the introduction of the new Tri-Max product under the Swisher’s name. The manufacture’s list price for a standard Ride King is $650. From the company’s financial statements, it has been confirmed that the company earns a gross profit of 15%. For the cost of goods sold, the cost for labor is about $100 while that for parts is $453. The company mowers are of high quality in the market considering that they are designed in a way to allow easy usage, as well as easy maintenance. It also stays for long without the need for replacement. The warranty lasts for one year. As in 1995, the Riding mowers accounted for 63.6% of the Swisher Merchandise Chain sales. However, the Riding mowers only accounted for 57.8% of the total gross profit incurred by the company. Unlike other companies in this industry, SMC is lucky since its current parts are interchangeable with parts that date back to 1956. The company is also lucky because its patent for zero-turning drive unit has expired. Due to this, the company has faced no competition in the market regarding the patent. This is because no company has acquired such patent in the market. Another brand that was p roduced by SMC is T-44. This trail mower has a cutting width of 44 inches. Nevertheless, when the unit is hitched to a riding lawn mower, the unit increases the cutting width by 44 inches. This unit is pulled behind by all-terrain vehicle. According to the financial statements released in1995, the T-44 units contributed to 8.2% of total sales and 13.2% of total gross profit. The self-propelled push mowers contributed 8.2% of the total sales experienced by SMC in the year 1995. These units did not contribute any amount to the gross profit of the company. The replacement parts contributed 20% of the company’s total sales. This is because there is little standardization among the mower parts that are produced in the industry. The replacement parts contributed 29% of the total gross profit of the company. Since 1996, the firm concentrated on widening its production by setting up a high-wheel string trimmer product, such as Trim-Max, a high-wheel walk behind product. The break-eve n point Breakeven point analysis for lawn mower considering its flagship product, Ride King Profit = (Sales – Variable Expenses) – Fixed Costs Sales = Variable Expenses + Fixed Costs + Profits To attain break-even point, profits must be equal to zero. Therefore, for one to get break-even point, the formula changes. Sales = Variable Expenses + Fixed Costs Fixed Costs Sales and administrative expenses = $264,700 Depreciation = $2,300 Total fixed costs per year = $267,000 Variable Costs per Unit Cost of goods sold (standardized mower price) = (85%*653) $555 Sales Price per Unit = $650 Volume in units for break-even point $650Q = $553Q + $264,000 $98Q = $267,000 Q =2725 If the company chooses to sale its flagship product that is, Ride King, it should sell 2,725 units to meet the break-even point. Given the company makes total annual sales of 4250 units, it will mean that annual sales associated with Private-label riding mower will be 40% of 4250 units. This is because the company’s financial reports point out that sales resulting from private-label riding mowers are only 40%. On average, the SMC sells 1700 units. This means that the company will not be able to meet the break-even point of 2725 units if it only ventures in selling private-labeled riding mowers. With the additional sales such as those associated with wholesalers and direct-to-dealers, SMC is able to reach the break-even point. This ensures that the company does not operate under a loss. Acceptance of the Proposal from the National Retail Merchandise Chain With the acceptance of the proposal, there will be changes in the variable and fixed costs. Changes The payment for overtime will be an additional cost that will reflect 4% in the price of the mower. Additional direct material costs could represent another 1% of the current manufacturer’s price. Additional overhead costs were estimated to be one percent. Other expenses that would be expected to increase the price by 1.5% include additional inventory insurance, additional wear and maintenance costs, pilferage and breakage, and county property tax. The chain expected SMC to reimburse it for labor costs resulting from warranty work at $22.00 per hour. The one-time costs would range from $ 10,000 to $12,000. Additional costs Variable costs Raw materials = 4% of manufacture’s price Overhead expenses =1% Other expenses= 1.5% Total increase in variable costs = (4%+1%+1.5%)*$650=42.25 Fixed costs Onetime costs= [(10,000+12,000)/2] =$11,000 Warranty work costs per week=$22*40hrs=880 Yearly warranty work= 880*52= $45,760 Total increase in fixed costs =$45,760+$11,000= $56,760 Total variable costs= 42.25+ 550 = $592.25 Total Fixed costs= $56,760 + $267,000= $323,760 The chain suggested that it would purchase at a discount of 5% of the market quoted price Sale price per unit = 95% of 650 = $617.50 Volume in units for break-even point $617.5Q = $592.25Q + $323,760 $25.25Q = $323,760 Q =12,822 From the ca lculation presented above, it is expected that SMC should be able to sell 12,822 units every year to avoid losses resulting from low level of production as well as low sales. The 12,822 units represent the number of private-label riding mowers that should be sold every year in order to meet the break-even point. Currently, the SMC private-label sales represent 40% of the total sales. Given the chain plans to order 8,200 units from SMC every year, it is apparent that the proposal is not worth accepting. However, freight charges and advertisement costs, which represent reduction in costs of operation, have not been incorporated in the calculation due to lack of accurate costs related to transportation and advertisement. Rational decision From the calculation made earlier in this paper, it is clear that after the acceptance of the proposal, SMC should reach a breakeven of 12,822 units. Considering that national retail merchandise will be making an annual order of 8,200 units, it would be prudent to undertake a further analysis. The company does not clearly indicate its costs of advertising and promotion associated with 8,200 units. As it has been pointed out, it is apparent that the chain does not need any promotion or advertisement associated with products that would be shipped to its warehouses and stores. This means that there would be a reduction in costs associated with promotion and advertising if SMC accepts the proposal. Since the advertisement and promotional costs are not known, they were not incorporated in the calculation of reduced costs resulting from promotion and advertisements. Therefore, if these costs are known, there is a possibility that a breakeven would be below 8,200 units, which means it would be worth considering the proposal. Another aspect that still leaves some concerns of whether to accept the proposal includes the freight charges. The chain proposed that it would be able to pay all freight charges that were associated with shipping the products from SMC premises to the chain warehouses and stores. This shows a possibility of reducing the transportation costs. However, the information given does not indicate the exact amount that is associated with the transportation costs. Therefore, the transportation was not incorporated while calculating changes that might occur after accepting the proposal. This implies that there could be a reduction in variable costs if transportation costs were incorporated into the calculation after the acceptance of the proposal. As a result, the breakeven point would decline below the annual order of 8,200 units. At such point, it would be prudent to accept the proposal given that the chain will be ordering 8,200 units of mowers every year. Otherwise, with the current situation, the proposal should not be accepted. The proposal might thwart SMC’s efforts to expand its share in the market through advertisement and promotion. Implementation and evaluation The private-label repre sents the highest sales of the Swisher Mower and Machine Company. However, an interest to pursue the opportunity presented by a national retail merchandise chain would lead to losses. The company should continue with the current channels of distribution. The company should incur costs with an aim of expanding its market share. The company should also find new partnerships at the global level in order to increase its international sales from 5% to over 20% in the next two years. Selling of its products through known chains at the global level would enable it to gain an international presence that would further lead to more sales in the near future. In addition, it should increase the number of retail outlets it has throughout the country to increase the sales resulting from the direct-to-dealer sales. Direct-to-dealer sales should increase in accordance with sales through wholesalers. Direct-to-dealer sales would allow the firm to enhance the design of the mower in accordance with th e taste and preference of the final user. Wholesalers will help the firm expand its operations. Given that wholesalers are purchasing the Ride King at the market price of $650, and the cost of goods amount to $552, the company is assured that fewer sales would lead to break-even point. If increase in the cost of advertisements leads to increased market share by 20% in the next two years, the company should specialize in such private-label riding mowers. This will be in anticipation of increased volume of production that would be able to meet the break-even point. This essay on Swisher Mower and Machine Company was written and submitted by user Blaze Shannon to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Centertop00 Essays - Electric Power Distribution, Electricity Market

Centertop00 Essays - Electric Power Distribution, Electricity Market centertop00 Who are we? Barr Towers are Australia's premier energy provider. Since the market deregulated, Barr Towers has emerged as the key player and has recorded year on year growth. Although competitors have come and gone, Barr Tower's focus on customer service has ensured that although their prices might be higher, people still want to have their energy supplied by Barr Towers. Barr Towers currently provides electricity and gas for 5 million Australian customers. They currently employ 2,500 people across 3 different offices in Melbourne. Barr Towers is owned and operated by Nick Barr. Barr started the company through the funds he made modelling. As a well-known Australian, Barr has become synonymous with a stable Australian economy. What do we do? Barr Towers is primarily focused on selling electricity and gas to their consumers. Barr Towers employs people to design their product lines (e.g. solar, electricity, gas plans), market their product lines (create ads) and then sell them to the customer (call centre). Separate call centres are used to call potential customers; call customers who are leaving us and we are trying to win back; and act as customer service representatives to assist customers with any issues they might encounter. Barr Towers takes pride in their one on one interactions, investing heavily in its customer service workforce. Future Strategy Barr Towers are currently looking at opening up in the recently deregulated Japanese electricity market. Although they have the capital to enter this market, they are worried that their service model will cost to much to run in Japan. In saying this, they are unsure that their model will be sustainable in the future in Australia either. In order to prepare for the entry into the Japanese market, Barr Towers are looking at ways to reduce their cost to serve customers. The board realise this is an issue moving forward and are looking for an innovative solution. They understand that they cannot continue Business as Usual (BAU) and expect a different result. They have assembled your team to look at the problems facing the business and where they should go into the future. Word on the street is that they have had a team from Microsoft pitch a new idea to them which will help with this. Although they don't have much for you now, they will try and send you as many materials as they can get their hands on and also give you some time with some senior executives. For now, they have a couple of key challenges for you. Key Challenges There are currently some major issues faced by Barr Towers. Location of offices Currently there are three offices in Melbourne that house the employees. A recent report by Deloitte has shown that Barr Towers looses 95 minutes of productivity per employee per week due to them walking between buildings. Second, as they are not near stations, employees walk 15 minutes to and from the station every morning. The board believes that if the office was closer to the station, employees would still catch the same train and arrive at work earlier and stay later. High cost to serve Although a major differentiator in the market, Barr Towers reliance on customer service teams are increasing their cost to serve. With a push to have call centres open on weekends, Barr Towers are worried about the potential costs of paying staff a casual wage and still making margins on electricity. The weekend wage of a casual employee is $35.50 and on a weekday it is $21.60 Unsure of preparation to enter Japan The market is there for the taking and Barr Towers aren't there yet. They need a clear plan of how much it is going to cost to get into the Japanese market and if it is worth it. Lack of collaboration The key issue that Barr Towers are worried about is the lack of collaboration between their staff. The teams do not talk, they do not interact and many people don't venture off their floor, let alone their office. Nous Group did a workplace audit and believed it was an issue with a lack of collaboration spaces. People were at the same desks they had spent their careers at. There were limited

Accounting for Management Decisions

From their establishment in 1914, who was formed as Western Australian Farmer Cooperative, they have qualified to be the largest among the listed companies of Australia. They have their head office in Western Australia. Their wide variety of business involves liquor, supermarkets, convenience stores, hotels, office supplies and home improvement. They also have business departments in fertilisers and energy, chemicals, coal, safety and industrial products. Wesfarmers positioned among the largest employers in private sector employing approximately 220,000 employees and shareholder stands of around 530,000 (Wesfarmers.com.au 2016). Wesfarmers aims to attain their objectives through: Woolworths is the biggest chain for supermarket in Australia. They operate 961 stores and employ 111,000 team members around Australia. They provide their customers with support offices and allocation centres to offer their consumers with better value, range, services and convenience. Woolworths are confident about working closely with farmers and growers from Australia to assure that the best produces are available to their consumers. Their available sources for 96% of vegetables and fresh fruits and 100% of fresh meats are from the growers and farmers of Australia. As the leading retailer of Australia, they appreciate that the customers always search for simple and new way for shopping. To facilitate the consumers to avail the facility of shopping on the go, they had introduces the App for Woolworths supermarket and the best thing is that the groceries are delivered directly to the kitchen bench ("Woolworths Supermarket - Buy Groceries Online", 2016) Woolworths fulfils their objectives through maintain these basic things: Net cash received from operating activities amounted to $3365 million for the year ended 2016. The main receipt under this head was receipt from customers and the major payment was towards the employees and suppliers.   Net cash from investing activities were amounted to ($2132) million. The major payments involved the payment towards the plant, equipments, property and intangibles. Their net cash flows from financing activities are ($1333) million. Major transactions involved under this were proceeds from borrowing and repayment of borrowing. Their year-end cash equivalent and cash was $611 million. In creation of earnings and cash flow, the company utilize exceptional well teams of management who have the capabilities to earn long-term growth and profit. This is obtained by employing best practice principles in maintenance and execution of operation for long-term target concerning results and strategy. The company observes to improve the effectiveness of working capital on a continuous basis for their business. In addition, the company assures the tough discipline with regards to capital expenses and decision of investment.   Net increase in cash or cash equivalents comes in negative figures and amounted to ($100); Only the inclusion of opening cash balance turned the closing balance into positive, which amounted to $611 million (Wesfarmers.com.au 2016) Net cash received from operating activities amounted to $2357.50 million for the year ended 2016. The main receipt under this head was receipt from customers and the major payment was towards the employees and suppliers.   Net cash from investing activities were amounted to ($1266.7) million. The major payments involved the payment towards the plant, equipments, property and intangibles. Their net cash flows from financing activities are ($1474.9) million. Major payments involved under this were payment of dividend and repayment of borrowing. Their year-end cash equivalent and cash was $956 million. Their cash and cash equivalents in the statements of cash flow includes call deposits and cash balance with a maturity period of three months or less than three months. Only the cash from operating activities has been achieved positive results. Cash from financing activities and investing activities are in negative figures, that is, loss. The differences in foreign currency were due to conversion of foreign operations. Differences in exchange causes due to receivable of monetary item or future payment to foreign operation for the agreement to the subject matter, which were not intended or not probable to take place in the near future. These hedges and monetary items are considered being part of the total investment in international operation and classified again into loss or profit on disposal of the total investment. Net increase in cash or cash equivalents comes in negative figures and amounted to ($384.10); Only the inclusion of opening cash balance turned the closing balance into positive, which amounted to $956 million (Woolworths Annual Report 2016).   Wesfarmers limited: $3365/$3798 = 0.88 times or 88% Woolworths limited: $2358/$1983 = 1.19 times or 11.9% Wesfarmers limited: $3365/$10424 = 0.32 times or 32% Woolworths limited: $2358/$8993 = 0.26 times or 26% Wesfarmers limited: $7410/$3365 = 2.20 times or 22% Woolworths limited: $6039/$2358 = 2.56 times or 25.60% Wesfarmers limited: ($3365/$65981)*100 = 5.10% Woolworths limited: ($2357.5/$58275.5)*100 = 4.05% Wesfarmers limited: $9684/$17834 = 0.54 Woolworths limited: $7427/$8993 = 0.83 Wesfarmers limited: $407/$22949*100 = 1.77 Woolworths limited: ($1235)/$8471 = -0.15 #year-end owner’s equity is used instead of the average figure (i)Using profit: Profit/Average total asset# Wesfarmers limited: $407/$40783*100 = 0.99% Woolworths limited: ($1235)/$7427*100 = -16.63% # year-end total assets is used instead of the average figure Wesfarmers limited: $1346/$40783*100 = 3.30% Woolworths limited: $2564/$7427*100 = 34.52% #EBIT = profit after tax + tax expense + net interest expense Wesfarmers limited: $17843/$22949*100 = 77.75% Woolworths limited: $15032/$8471*100 = 177.45% (Source: Woolworths Annual Report 2016) Operating cash flow ratio: The operating cash flow is a measure to calculate the liquidity of a company. If the ratio of cash flow from operation comes less than 1, that means the company has not created enough cash in the related period to pay off their liabilities over short-term period. It is a parameter of how well the company’s current obligations are covered up by the company’s flow of cash from operations (Gupta et al., 2014). Manipulating the flow of cash against the income is regarded as more accurate, cleaner method as the revenues can be influenced. The operating cash flow ratio of Wesfarmers limited is 0.32 and that of Woolworths limited is 0.26. The industry average is 1. Both the company’s operating cash flow ratio is below the average. However, if the two companies are compared, Wesfarmers Limited is in slightly better position than Woolworths Limited (Biddle, Ma & Song, 2013). Debt coverage ratio: Debt coverage ratio is a method of calculating the available cash flow to pay off the obligation of current debt. This ratio explains the total operating income as a compound of debt liability payable within the period of one year and it includes principal, sinking fund, lease payment and interest. In finance of government, it is the export earning required meeting the yearly principal and interest payments on a nation’s external borrowings. On the other hand, in individual finance, the officers of bank loan to estimate the borrowings on property income apply this ratio (Rasoolpur, 2014).   Debt coverage ratio greater than 1 means the company - whether company, person or government – has capability to pay off its current borrowing liabilities with its available income. Debt coverage ratio of less than 1 means the company is not viable. The debt coverage ratio of Wesfarmers limited is 2.20 times and that of Woolworths limited is 2.56 times and the industry average is 1. Both the company’s debt coverage ratio is above the average. However, if the two companies are compared, Woolworths Limited is in slightly better position than Wesfarmers Limited. However, the high ratio always does not mean that the companies are in very good position. It also indicates that the company is not utilising its income properly and are afraid of taking debt from outsides for improvement purpose (Keister & Bech, 2012).    Cash flow to sales ratio: This ratio evaluates the sales revenue with the operating cash flows. This ratio scrutinizes the capability of a company to earn cash from its sales and help the investors to make their investment decisions.   It is stated in percentage terms. Ideally, with the increase in sales, there should be increase in operating cash flow (Friesenbichler, Hà ¶lzl & Hà ¶lzl, 2016). The situation will be troublesome if the movements of cash flows are not corresponding to the movement in sales. The more the ratio, the better the position the company in. it is always desirable to have larger amount of cash flows from operations. The Cash flow to sales ratio of Wesfarmers limited is 5.10% and that of Woolworths limited is 4.05%. It reveals that Wesfarmers is in a better position to generate cash from sales compared to Woolworths Limited (Douglas, Huang & Vetzal, 2016). Base on the above analysis it is concluded that Both the company should attempt to take necessary steps to increase their operating cash flow ratio and to meet at least the industry average of 1. Major portion of the payment for the companies are for supplies and payment to employees. The companies should should take initiatives to increase their production with available supplies and employees so that, their operating income can be increased with minimisation of cost. Biddle, G. C., Ma, M. L., & Song, F. M. (2013). The risk management role of accounting conservatism for operating cash flows.  Available at SSRN 1695629. Douglas, A. V., Huang, A. G., & Vetzal, K. R. (2016). Cash flow volatility and corporate bond yield spreads.  Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting,  46(2), 417-458. Friesenbichler, K. S., Hà ¶lzl, W., & Hà ¶lzl, K. (2016). Cash-Flow-to-Sales Ratio Unchanged in 2015. Profitability of Austrian Manufacturing.  WIFO Bulletin,  21(11), 136-145. Gupta, J., Wilson, N., Gregoriou, A., & Healy, J. (2014). The value of operating cash flow in modelling credit risk for SMEs.  Applied Financial Economics,  24(9), 649-660. Home - Woolworths Annual Report 2016. (2016). Wow2016ar.qreports.com.au. Retrieved 26 December 2016, from https://wow2016ar.qreports.com.au/ Home. (2016). Wesfarmers.com.au. Retrieved 26 December 2016, from https://www.wesfarmers.com.au/ Kaplan, R. S., & Atkinson, A. A. (2015).  Advanced management accounting. PHI Learning. Keister, T., & Bech, M. L. (2012). On the liquidity coverage ratio and monetary policy implementation.  BIS Quarterly Review December. Rasoolpur, G. S. (2014). Impact of Cash Flow Coverage, Debt Service & Current Ratio on Capital Structure Decisions: Empirical Evidence from the Indian Corporate Sector.  Journal of Research in Marketing,  3(1), 232-238. Reports. (2016). Wesfarmers.com.au. Retrieved 26 December 2016, from https://www.wesfarmers.com.au/investor-centre/company-performance-news/reports Woolworths Supermarket - Buy Groceries Online. (2016). Woolworths Online. Retrieved 26 December 2016, from https://www.woolworths.com.au/

Encoding Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Encoding Study - Essay Example In the following report, an understanding on how two primary procedures of encoding are rather effectively affecting the memory use of the young students shall be examined. Through an experimentation process, the entire study shall be based on evidence proven approach that would likely involve the use of certain willing participants and the evaluation of the results that are to be handled by the researchers early on. 2 The process by which the mind stores an awful lot of information in the head of human individuals is a great and awesome truth about the amazing capabilities of the human body’s capability to respond to the environment that a person lives in. Not a single super computer could amount to the capability of the human mind to store information about a hundredfold of details about different matters of consideration that a person is most likely interested in. 3 This particular capability of the mind is the basic reason why there is learning. The belief that growth comes along with the process of mindful maturity and the amount of information stored and utilized by the human minds is indeed considered as the basic foundation of the reasons behind the establishment of several learning institutions today.4 Truthfully, the entire process of storing and utilization of information is taken considerably by the human mind as the main function that it contributes to the function of the human body. However, not all human individuals are able to utilize the memory function of their minds. Some are able to develop an easier personal process of storing information in their minds, while some others find it hard to recall certain details that they were already supposed to know since their mind has already been fed with the information that they need to know.5 For this particular reason, the need to develop and investigate existing procedures of memory enhancement among students is pursued by many educators

Genetically Modified Foods Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Genetically Modified Foods - Research Paper Example Genetically modified foods also known as biotech foods are foods that are manufactured artificially. Unlike other natural foods, genetically modified foods are produced from genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Most genetically modified foods produced by genetically modified organisms are crops. The crops produced from genetically modified organisms include maize, wheat, beans, tomatoes and rice to mention but a few. GMOs are organisms that had changes in their bodies which were done by the introduction of some hormones into their bodies (Halford 2003). These changes were different from the mutational changes that are done to other organisms by genetic engineers. The commercial selling of genetic modified food products is believed to have begun in 1994. Scientists or rather genetic engineers began to produce genetically modified crops because they wanted to curb the increasing global hunger by then. The genetically modified crops undergo faster growth unlike the natural crops (Half ord 2003). Therefore, this helped to curb the menace of hunger. Genetically produced crops are also resistant to pathogens and other types of pests. This makes them to be produced in large amounts enough to cater for the rising world population. It was also found out that the natural crops lacked some nutrients such as iron and calcium. Therefore, the production of GMOs began since they produced extra nutrients which were helpful to children and pregnant mothers. However, after some years, the production of genetically modified food products faced strong opposition from world organizations.... In addition, the paper also discusses the possible solutions to the problems caused by the genetically produced food products. Opposing viewpoint There have been campaigns which encourage the supply of genetically modified products in the global market. Several organizations such as the European Union began to oppose the commercial sale of the products because the organization believed that the products were not good for human health. Several scientists were against the idea to encourage the production of genetically modified food products. However, one scientist who was popular because of his pro GMO campaigns was known as Thierry Vrain. Vrain in his campaigns gave alternative perspectives and proposed different methods of addressing the issue of genetically modified food products. To begin with, Vrain suggested that the growth of natural crops through irrigation is tiresome and hence should not be enhanced. He also suggested that the sale of genetically modified food products shoul d be enhanced globally. Vrain also supported biotechnology which encouraged the production of genetically modified food products. He proved his stand by withdrawing from a group of scientists who held meetings to campaign against the genetically modification of food products. However, according to this documented research paper, Vrain’s stand on genetically modified food products is found to be invalid. This is because the naturally grown crops such as maize, wheat, tomatoes, and beans among others were found to be very healthy and of good quality (Halford 2003). Especially among pregnant mothers and young children, they were discovered to provide certain nutrients such as iron and calcium which are not found in genetically modified