Computer Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Computer - Assignment Example hat did not want to spend a lot on their learning management system and would be able to delegate employees to run the system while blackboard was found to be appropriate for the institutions that had the money to buy the best learning system. The institution customized learning system required the institution to create the learning system from scratch but it was also a costly venture but it would cater for the system needs since it was tailored specifically for the system. In conclusion it was found that virtual learning systems are now very important in learning institutions, for it operate smoothly and to prevent the cumbersome old traditional methods that used to give instructors and students a hard time. Santiago et al (2007) enumerates that various studies have shown that achieving a satisfying learning environment and teaching frame work requires the use of open source learning platforms and virtual learning environments. They are therefore critical for learning institutions. Rosenberg (2001) further states that online training and learning platforms is a viable mode of instruction. But virtual learning packages should not be a replication of in class training. Structure can vary but the needs of the students should be first and foremost in the delivering training through virtual learning environments and open source platforms. Open source software is made up of broad reaching movement of individuals who create a platform that is available to all and can be modified by anyone. It promotes sharing and modification of the software by the individuals who access it and have an interest in it. The main difference between open source and virtual learning environment propriety systems is that propriety software have property rights that is they have patents and have restrictions and conditions imposed by the software license. In open source learning software users are granted the rights to both program’s functionality and methodology, with propriety software

Financial management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 2

Financial management - Essay Example The theory acknowledges the use of both equity and debt financing of the firm operations. It holds that each firm has an optimal capital structure at which it maximizes the value of the firm, which is the point when the attractiveness of each additional debt unit declines, upon balancing its costs and benefits it brings to the firm (Ghazouani, 2013). By this the theory links a firm’s financial leverage to its profitability and optimum debt ratio. Proponents of the theory argue that debt financing can enable firms to achieve maximum profitability and value by making a trade off of the accrued benefits and cost. Financing firms with debt has the advantages of corporate tax benefits of the debt, but also suffer risks from bankruptcy and agency costs, which create financial distress for the firm. Tax shields are firm specific factors that influence firms financing decisions. Firms may choose to take additional debt with increases to tax shield offered. According to Chen, â€Å"the trade-off theory predicts that firms will increase their debt level to capture fully tax benefits until the expected marginal benefits are equal to the expected marginal costs of debt† (2012, p. 1). The higher the tax rate the greater the firm’s leverage and effectively a higher enterprise value. By maximizing the use of debt, firms on the other hand become more prone to losses due to increasing risks of bankruptcy. The firm’s over-borrowing could result to failure of paying the principle, chances of defaulting, and in the event of financial distress are unable to get extended credits from financial institutions, failure to pay dividends or attractive for investment (Kim, Heshmati and Aoun, n.d.). In turn they affect the firm’s profitability, performances and its value. Holding other variables constant, a point comes when a further debt increment becomes inversely and directly proportional to its marginal profits and costs,

Civil Liberties and Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Civil Liberties and Rights - Essay Example Individuals from different areas changed into a new race of men and their prosperity and labors caused significant changes in the world in the future. Now days united States demographics are not the only ones who are changing in an unprecedented way, but also notions of assimilation. It has been noted that, as the immigrants’ size of population reaches a critical mass in some communities, they are to be transformed by the American society. Culture in America is a powerful force that influences people living in America and the entire world. (Davis, 2003, p. 213). Today, several factors have combined to allow immigrants to resist, if they decide to use assimilation, which is believed to be irresistible. It has become easier for immigrants to resist change because; cultural diversity has been accepted, with emphasis laid on industrial competitiveness. It is worth noting that Immigrants embrace the notion of cultural diversity. This is because they do not have any mechanisms, and policies that describe what cultural diversity actual means. It is pertinent to note that cultural diversity is part of the national agenda, and plays a part in supporting its production realization in the ways people play, work, and live together. During colonization, various European colonists went to where it is today known as United States. Some moved there with the hope of being free of political and religious prosecution while others were after riches and to expansion of their companies. Swedish was in the category of those who went to colonize America under their governments command. Swedish went to America in large numbers and with a purpose. Out of the large numbers, they formed communities, which kept private for them, and in these communities, there were people from many different trades and with many skills lived and prospered. Considering this large numbers, concentration of Swedish people in

Financial management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 2

Financial management - Essay Example The theory acknowledges the use of both equity and debt financing of the firm operations. It holds that each firm has an optimal capital structure at which it maximizes the value of the firm, which is the point when the attractiveness of each additional debt unit declines, upon balancing its costs and benefits it brings to the firm (Ghazouani, 2013). By this the theory links a firm’s financial leverage to its profitability and optimum debt ratio. Proponents of the theory argue that debt financing can enable firms to achieve maximum profitability and value by making a trade off of the accrued benefits and cost. Financing firms with debt has the advantages of corporate tax benefits of the debt, but also suffer risks from bankruptcy and agency costs, which create financial distress for the firm. Tax shields are firm specific factors that influence firms financing decisions. Firms may choose to take additional debt with increases to tax shield offered. According to Chen, â€Å"the trade-off theory predicts that firms will increase their debt level to capture fully tax benefits until the expected marginal benefits are equal to the expected marginal costs of debt† (2012, p. 1). The higher the tax rate the greater the firm’s leverage and effectively a higher enterprise value. By maximizing the use of debt, firms on the other hand become more prone to losses due to increasing risks of bankruptcy. The firm’s over-borrowing could result to failure of paying the principle, chances of defaulting, and in the event of financial distress are unable to get extended credits from financial institutions, failure to pay dividends or attractive for investment (Kim, Heshmati and Aoun, n.d.). In turn they affect the firm’s profitability, performances and its value. Holding other variables constant, a point comes when a further debt increment becomes inversely and directly proportional to its marginal profits and costs,

Hsbc Strategy Essay Example for Free

Hsbc Strategy Essay Proposal on HSBC’s strategic shift with the organization based growth model (410 words, 2011). Research topic: How HSBC’s changed its strategic direction using organization-driven growth model to achieve long-term economic and strategic success. Rationale and literature review The long-term economic success of an organization is dynamically associated with the organization’s ability to create new modes of production (Chandler 1990). A number of factors influence an organization’s ability to grow and achieve strategic success in today’s era of globalization. These are: * The dynamic processes that govern an organization’s operations are not uniform but diverse across different parts of the world (Martin Verdier 2008). * Organization’s changes and the dynamic process that influence do not necessarily have a consistently progressive development phase. i. e they go through a phase of high-development and low-development (Martin Verdier 2008). Organizations, like HSBC, who have recognized this, have invested resources to evolve their economic development over time. HSBC developed their organizational-driven growth model to successfully create a model for long-term sustainability, growth and profitability. The model is shown below: Figure: The HSBC organizational-growth model (Image source: Deans Kroeger 2004) HSBC was founded by Thomas Sutherland in 1865 in Hong Kong and for many years was a small-sized bank that operated in Asia (Ahlstrom Bruton 2009). In the 1980’s, the management developed the organizational growth-model to address the need for HSBC to become global and diversify in the long-term. This model led to the development of the ‘HSBC character’, which is the cornerstone of HSBC’s growth strategy today (Deans Kroeger 2004). By implementing this model effectively across all areas of HSBC holdings, HSBC was able add scale to its business such as insurance, leasing and fund management and be cautious and thrifty while using their international experience to acquire or merge with a myriad of businesses (Syrett 2007). Using the model, training systems for employees were put in place that encouraged a growth culture within the organization (Syrett 2007).

Huckleberry Finn: Themes of Religion

Huckleberry Finn: Themes of Religion Phyu Han Theme of Religion in Huckleberry Finn Relating to today’s Society In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain makes a satire of some characters’ absolute faith in religion compared to other characters’ doubt that such beliefs are for real. Miss Watson and Widow Douglas both believe that heaven â€Å"good place† exists and they explain to Huckleberry Finn that the only way to get there is to pray and go to church every Sunday. â€Å"She told me to pray every day, and whatever I asked for I would get it. But it warn’t so. I tried it.† (Twain 8) On the contrary, Huckleberry Finn presumes that religion and faith are unrealistic because people cannot see them. â€Å"I went and told the widow about it, and she said the thing a body could get by praying for it was ‘spiritual gifts’.† (Twain 8) In relation to the issues concerning faith in religion in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, there are still conflicts between faith in God, the Creator, and belief in scientific ideas in to day’s society. Currently in today’s world population, the religious â€Å"unaffiliated† category makes up the third largest group (Heneghan). This category consists of atheists, agnostics, and people with no evident religion (Heneghan). In present society, religion faces a new challenge known as scientific research. Many people still disagrees on whether the Creator has created and expanded the universe or if it was caused the initial Big Bang explosion (O’Neil). Scientists have continued to search for a definite answer. On March 17, 2014, scientists announced a Big Bang breakthrough that might suggest that the Big Bang did not occur as a simple explosion caused by hot and dense matter but was a highly ordered event (O’Neil). Scientists in South Pole working with a telescope called BICEP 2 detected gravitational waves that provides evidence for the universe’s rapid expansion known today as the Big Bang theory (O’Neil). The evidence found was that the univer se expanded faster than the speed of light when it was a trillionth of a trillionth of a trillionth of a second old (O’Neil). Christian scientists claim that the evidence ensures that there was a beginning (O’Neil). In terms of cause and effect, if there was a beginning, there must have been a beginner according to the Christian scientists (O’Neil). This struggle between religion and science relates to Huck’s disbelief in religion due to him not being able to see it. Huck Finn is especially realistic as he would not believe in religion for it could only give him ‘spiritual gifts’. Presently, people continue to be unsure of how the universe began and expanded to life. As a result, 16.3% of the world’s population currently is religious unaffiliated (Heneghan). In addition to the Big Bang discovery, recent findings show proofs to the authenticity of the Bible. Advanced Physics students of Leicester University tested out if Biblical dimensions of Noah’s ark in Genesis could hold 70,000 animals (â€Å"Students Surprised to Find Noah’s Ark Feasible†). In Genesis, there would have been 35,000 animals needed to be saved by Noah times two concerning males and females of the animals (â€Å"Students Surprised to Find Noah’s Ark Feasible†). The students constructed the ark based on estimated Biblical dimensions and found that the ark could have held 70,000 animals plus food and water (â€Å"Students Surprised to Find Noah’s Ark Feasible†). The result shows some truthfulness in the Biblical stories which provides confirmation to some aspects of the Bible. Widow Douglas believed in Biblical stories such as about Moses and the Bulrushers and she found importance in teaching Huck about them â€Å"After s upper she got out her book and learned me about Moses and the Bulrushers† (Twain 2). Religious stories are a part of the religion. If the stories are real, the religion itself could potentially be real. As well as Biblical stories, there are also proofs to Biblical descriptions of Earth’s structure. According to Genesis 7:11, when the Flood began, ancient transition zone water rose up through the crust and all the fountains of the great deep were broken up (â€Å"Water Deep in Earth’s Mantle†). A new discovery reveals that mineral of earth’s mantle material can store great amounts of water (â€Å"Water Deep in Earth’s Mantle†). This means that the subterranean Flood could have originated from ancient reservoirs in the upper earth mantle (â€Å"Water Deep in Earth’s Mantle†). Moreover, Scriptures suggests that Earth was created by God with water (â€Å"Water Deep in Earth’s Mantle†). The research reveals that the mantle could hold two oceans’ volumes of water (â€Å"Water Deep in Earth’s Mantle†). The idea opposing creationism, the idea that the universe and life originates from a grand design, is evolution. Evolution disproves the belief that all living things and the universe are created by God, the Creator. Scientists sequenced the genome of the vesper bats to identify the cause of their vast diversity (Going batty for jumping DNA as a cause of species diversity.). The researchers found jumping elements in their genome called DNA transposons (Going batty for jumping DNA as a cause of species diversity.). The results prove that changes and mutations in DNA cause evolution in living organisms (Going batty for jumping DNA as a cause of species diversity.). It also proves that different species of living organisms were not created by the Creator but organisms evolved into diversified species. In support of Darwin’s evolution theory, modern researches indicates that there are 338 known species of hummingbirds and they are still evolving based on habitats (Hummingbirds 22- million-year-old history of remarkable change is far from complete.). The conflict continues as Creationists in Texas education board refuses approval of a commonly used biology textbook due to the belief that the textbook portrays evolution as a fact and not as a theory (Rich). Several reviewers for the textbook refused to accept evolution and climate change as scientific fact (Rich). In today’s society, there are still disagreements on whether schools should incorporate creationism into their teachings. In regards of the state’s creationism law called the Louisiana Science Education Act, Governor of Louisiana Bobby Jindal allows the teachings of creationism in Louisiana public schools (Kopplin). Some people believe that this is wrong and that schools should not blur the lines of science facts and religious beliefs in their education (Kopplin). â€Å"If I catch you about that school I’ll tan you good. First you know you’ll get religion, too. I never see such a son.† (Twain 15) In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, P ap sensed that Huck will learn religion as along with education because schools in those times incorporated religion with education. Throughout history, there has been continuous conflict between religion and realism. People have always searched for truth and answers to the mysteries of creation and being. In today’s society, human beings call belief in religion, faith, because it is simply trust in its existence without actually knowing its existence as a fact. There have always been believers such as Miss Watson and Widow Douglas and doubters such as Huck Finn and Pap. The real question, though, is do human beings really need to know religion as a fact when it could make people behave better? In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huckleberry Finn does not believe in the existence of religion but he was taught by religious people such as Widow Douglas that stealing is wrong. As a result, he developed a conscience and realizes he is stealing. For this reason, he calls stealing â€Å"borrowing† and only steals what he necessarily needs.

Business Plan for an Established Business Essay example -- Business Ma

Business Plan for an Established Business This business plan consists of a narrative and several financial spreadsheets. The narrative template is the body of the business plan. It contains more than 150 questions divided into several sections. Work through the sections in any order you like, except for the Executive Summary, which should be done last. Skip any questions that do not apply to your business. When you are finished writing your first draft, you will have a collection of small essays on the various topics of the business plan. Then you will want to edit them into a flowing narrative. The real value of doing a business plan is not having the finished product in hand; rather, the value lies in the process of research and thinking about your business in a systematic way. The act of planning helps you to think things through thoroughly, to study and research when you are not sure of the facts, and to look at your ideas critically. It takes time, but avoids costly, perhaps disastrous, mistakes later. The business plan narrative is a generic model suitable for all types of businesses. However, you should modify it to suit your particular circumstances. Before you begin, review the section titled Refining the Plan, found at the end of the business plan. It suggests emphasizing certain areas, depending upon your type of business (manufacturing, retail, service, etc.). It also has tips for fine-tuning your plan to make an effective presentation to investors or bankers. If this is why you are writing your plan, pay particular attention to your writing style. You will be judged by the quality and appearance of your work as well as your ideas. It typically takes several weeks to complete a good plan. Most of that time is spent in research and rethinking your ideas and assumptions. But then, that is the value of the process. So make time to do the job properly. Those who do never regret the effort. And finally, be sure to keep detailed notes on your sources of information and on the assumptions underlying your financial data. Business Plan OWNERS Business Name Street Address Address 2 City, ST ZIP Code phone fax e-mail I. Table of Contents I. Table of Contents 3 II. General Company Description 4 III. Products and Services 4 IV. Marketing Plan 4 Notes on Preparation: 4 The Marketing Plan: ... ...does the company: o Protect intellectual property? o Avoid technological obsolescence? o Supply necessary capital? o Retain key personnel? If your company is not yet profitable or perhaps does not yet even have sales, you must do longer-term financial forecasts to show when profit take-off will occur. And your assumptions must be well documented and well argued. Retail Business †¢ Company image †¢ Pricing: Explain mark-up policies. Prices should be profitable, competitive, and in accord with the company image. †¢ Inventory: o Selection and price should be consistent with company image. o Calculate your annual inventory turnover rate. Compare this to the industry average for your type of store. †¢ Customer service policies: These should be competitive and in accord with the company image. †¢ Location: Does it give the exposure you need? Is it convenient for customers? Is it consistent with company image? †¢ Promotion: What methods do you use and what do they cost? Do they project a consistent company image? †¢ Credit: Do you extend credit to customers? If yes, do you really need to, and do you factor the cost into prices?