Saturday, January 25, 2020

Management From The Corps :: essays research papers

I want to use this opportunity to discuss two things, both near and dear to my heart; The United States Marine Corps and Management. Throughout this paper I want to focus on how I think civilians can learn to be better managers by using what that corps has established over it’s illustrious 223 years as the â€Å"Best Management-Training Program in America† Inc. (Freedman).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The United States Marine Corps manages using a principle I learned in this course: Decentralization! Let me break this down. I learned it quite simply as the rule of three. But before I define this, I will briefly explain to you a small portion of the Marine rank structure. A Corporal is the first rank that an enlisted Marine is considered a leader due to his/her rank (though all Marines are trained to lead). The Corporal is the first of the Marine Non-commissioned Officers (NCO’S), then in ascending order is the Sergeant, Staff Sergeant, Gunnery Sergeant, and so on. Now back to the rule of three. Each Marine has three responsibilities. In our organizational structure, a Corporal has a three-person fire team; a Sergeant has a squad of three fire teams; and a Staff Sergeant has a platoon of three squads; and so on, up to the Colonels and Generals.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For the typical business, decentralizing and flattening organizational structure involves â€Å"gutting several layers of management, often leaving managers overwhelmed with as many as a dozen direct subordinates† (Freedman). In contrast, the Marine Corps has been able to push out authority but still maintain a â€Å"simple hierarchical structure designed to keep everyone’s job manageable† (Freedman).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What at first glance may seem rigid or narrow, the many layers between the Private and Colonel lend opportunity for innovation. At the same time, even the lowest ranking Marine, the Private knows that he or she is expected to do whatever it takes to accomplish the mission. An organization (civilian) may want to look at this a little further. We must have established managers, but the notion of delegation of authority should be expanded in the civilian world. Well considered delegation of authority not only lifts some pressure off the titled manager, but also gives some well-deserved leadership satisfaction to an employee who may never have had the chance to be a â€Å"manager†. The success of the Marine Corps Management strategy is apparent in the vast numbers of ex-Marines who hold the Chief Executive Officer, President, Vice President, Chairman, and Manager positions at all levels in top. Management From The Corps :: essays research papers I want to use this opportunity to discuss two things, both near and dear to my heart; The United States Marine Corps and Management. Throughout this paper I want to focus on how I think civilians can learn to be better managers by using what that corps has established over it’s illustrious 223 years as the â€Å"Best Management-Training Program in America† Inc. (Freedman).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The United States Marine Corps manages using a principle I learned in this course: Decentralization! Let me break this down. I learned it quite simply as the rule of three. But before I define this, I will briefly explain to you a small portion of the Marine rank structure. A Corporal is the first rank that an enlisted Marine is considered a leader due to his/her rank (though all Marines are trained to lead). The Corporal is the first of the Marine Non-commissioned Officers (NCO’S), then in ascending order is the Sergeant, Staff Sergeant, Gunnery Sergeant, and so on. Now back to the rule of three. Each Marine has three responsibilities. In our organizational structure, a Corporal has a three-person fire team; a Sergeant has a squad of three fire teams; and a Staff Sergeant has a platoon of three squads; and so on, up to the Colonels and Generals.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For the typical business, decentralizing and flattening organizational structure involves â€Å"gutting several layers of management, often leaving managers overwhelmed with as many as a dozen direct subordinates† (Freedman). In contrast, the Marine Corps has been able to push out authority but still maintain a â€Å"simple hierarchical structure designed to keep everyone’s job manageable† (Freedman).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What at first glance may seem rigid or narrow, the many layers between the Private and Colonel lend opportunity for innovation. At the same time, even the lowest ranking Marine, the Private knows that he or she is expected to do whatever it takes to accomplish the mission. An organization (civilian) may want to look at this a little further. We must have established managers, but the notion of delegation of authority should be expanded in the civilian world. Well considered delegation of authority not only lifts some pressure off the titled manager, but also gives some well-deserved leadership satisfaction to an employee who may never have had the chance to be a â€Å"manager†. The success of the Marine Corps Management strategy is apparent in the vast numbers of ex-Marines who hold the Chief Executive Officer, President, Vice President, Chairman, and Manager positions at all levels in top.

Friday, January 17, 2020

The Silver Linings Playbook Chapter 30

Like a Shadow on Me All of the Time Veronica drops us off in front of the Plaza Hotel on Saturday, saying, â€Å"Break a leg,† just before she pulls away. I follow Tiffany into the lobby, where four towers of water shoot out of a large fountain – at least ten feet up in the air. Real fish swim around in the pool of water, and signs read do not throw coins into the fountain. Tiffany has been here before. She walks right past the information desk and leads me through a maze of hallways with gold wallpaper and swanky-looking light fixtures that are all large bronze fish with lightbulbs in their mouths. Finally, we find the hall where the dance recital will take place. Red curtains frame a large stage. A huge banner hangs high above the dance floor; it reads dance away depression. We try to register at a desk, and it becomes obvious that we are the first contestants to show up, because the fat woman who is in charge of registration says, â€Å"Registration is not for another hour.† We sit down in the last row of seats. I look around. A huge chandelier dangles above us, and the ceiling is not just a regular ceiling, but has all sorts of plaster flowers and angels and other fancy things sticking out of it. Tiffany is nervous. She keeps cracking her knuckles. â€Å"Are you okay?† I ask. â€Å"Please don't talk to me before the performance. It's bad luck.† So I sit there and start to get nervous myself, especially since I have a lot more riding on this competition than Tiffany does, and she is obviously rattled. I try not to think about losing my chance to send Nikki a letter, but of course this is all I can think about. When other contestants begin to arrive, I notice that most of them look like high school students, and I think this is strange, but I do not say anything – mostly because I am not allowed to talk to Tiffany. We register, give our music to the sound guy, who remembers Tiffany from last year, I know, because he says, â€Å"You again?† After Tiffany nods, we are backstage, changing. Thankfully, I'm able to slip into my tights before any of the other contestants make it backstage. In the far corner, I'm minding my own business, sitting with Tiffany, when an ugly woman waddles over and says to Tiffany, â€Å"I know you dancers are pretty liberal about your bodies. But do you really expect me to allow my teenage daughter to change in front of this half-naked man?† Tiffany is really nervous now. I know because she does not curse out this ugly woman, who reminds me of the nurses in the bad place, especially since she is so out of shape and has a poofy old-lady haircut. â€Å"Well?† the mom says. I see a storage closet on the other side of the room. â€Å"How about I go in there while everyone else changes?† â€Å"Fine with me,† the woman says. Tiffany and I enter the supply closet, which is full of abandoned costumes from what must have been a children's show – all sorts of pajama-looking suits that would make me look like a lion or a tiger or a zebra if I put one on. A dusty box of percussion instruments – tambourines, triangles, cymbals, and wooden sticks you bang together – reminds me of the music room in the bad place and music relaxation class, which I attended until I was kicked out. And then I have this terrifying thought: What if one of the other contestants is dancing to a Kenny G song? â€Å"You need to find out what songs the other dancers are performing to,† I tell Tiffany. â€Å"I told you not to talk to me before the performance.† â€Å"Just find out whether anyone is dancing to any songs played by a smooth jazz performer whose initials are K.G.† After a second she says, â€Å"Kenny – â€Å" I close my eyes, hum a single note, and silently count to ten, blanking my mind. â€Å"Jesus Christ,† Tiffany says, but then stands and leaves the closet. Ten minutes later she returns. â€Å"No music by that person,† Tiffany says, and then sits down. â€Å"Are you sure?† â€Å"I said no Kenny G.† I close my eyes, hum a single note, and silently count to ten, blanking my mind. We hear a knock, and when Tiffany opens the door, I see that many moms are backstage now. The woman who knocked tells Tiffany that all the dancers have checked in and are changed. When I leave the storage closet, I am shocked to see that Tiffany and I are the oldest contestants by at least fifteen years. We are surrounded by teenage girls. â€Å"Don't let their innocent looks fool you,† Tiffany says. â€Å"They're all little pit vipers – and extraordinarily gifted dancers.† Before the audience arrives, we are given a chance to practice on the Plaza Hotel stage. We nail our routine perfectly, but most of the other dancers also nail their impressive routines as well, which makes me worry we will not win. Just before the competition begins, the contestants are brought out before the crowd. When Tiffany and I are announced, we take the stage, wave, and the applause is mild. The lights make it hard to see, but I spot Tiffany's parents in the front row, seated with little Emily, Ronnie, Veronica, and a middle-aged woman who I guess is Dr. Lily, Tiffany's therapist, because Tiffany told me that her therapist would be in attendance. I scan the rest of the rows quickly as we walk offstage, but I do not see my mother. No Jake. No Dad. No Cliff. I catch myself feeling sad, even though I did not really expect anyone but Mom to show up. Maybe Mom is out there somewhere, I think, and the thought makes me feel a little better. Backstage, in my mind I admit that the other contestants received more applause than we did, which means their fan bases are larger than ours. Even though the woman who announced us is now giving a speech, saying this is a showcase and not a competition, I worry that Tiffany will not get the golden trophy, which would kill my chance to write Nikki letters. We are scheduled to perform last, and as the other girls do their numbers, the applause ranges from mild to enthusiastic, which surprises me, because during the preshow rehearsal, I thought all the routines were excellent. But right before we are set to dance, when little Chelsea Chen concludes her ballet number, the applause is thunderous. â€Å"What did she do out there to get such good applause?† I ask Tiffany. â€Å"Don't talk to me before the performance,† she says, and I start to feel very nervous. The woman in charge of the recital announces our names, and the applause is a little livelier than what we received before the competition. Right before I lie down at the back of the stage, I look to see if maybe Jake or Cliff showed up late, but all I see when I look out into the audience is the hot white from the spotlights that are on me. Before I have a chance to think, the music starts. Piano notes – slow and sad. I begin my incredibly drawn-out crawl to center stage, using only my arms. The male voice sings, â€Å"Turn around †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Bonnie Tyler answers, â€Å"Every now and then I get a little bit lonely and you're never coming round.† At this point Tiffany runs onto the stage and leaps over me like a gazelle or some other animal that is beautifully nimble. As the two voices continue to exchange verses, Tiffany does her thing: running, jumping, tumbling, spinning, sliding – modern dance. When the drums kick in, I stand and make a huge circle with my arms so people will know that I am the sun and I have risen. Tiffany's movements also become more fervent. When Bonnie Tyler builds up to the chorus, singing, â€Å"Together we can take it to the end of the line; your love is like a shadow on me all of the time,† we go into the first lift. â€Å"I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark.† I have Tiffany up over my head; I am steady as a rock; I am performing flawlessly. â€Å"We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks.† I begin to rotate Tiffany as she lifts her legs out into a split and Bonnie Tyler sings, â€Å"I really need you tonight! Forever's gonna start tonight! Forever's gonna start tonight.† We make a 360-degree rotation, and when Bonnie Tyler sings, â€Å"Once upon a time I was falling in love, but now I'm only falling apart,† Tiffany rolls forward down into my arms and I lower her to the floor as if she were dead – and I, as the sun, mourn her. â€Å"Nothing I can say, a total eclipse of the heart.† When the music builds again, she explodes upward and begins to fly all around the stage so beautifully. As the song continues, I again make huge, slow circles with my arms, representing the sun as best I can. I know the routine so well, I can think about other things while I am performing, so I begin to think that I am actually nailing this performance pretty easily and it is a shame my family and friends are not here to see me dancing so excellently. Even though we will most likely not win the audience's loudest applause – especially after Chelsea Chen obviously brought every single one of her family members to the performance – I begin to think we will win anyway. Tiffany is really good, and as she flies by me so many times, I begin to admire her in a way I had not previously. She has kicked her game up a notch for the competition and is now showing a part of herself I had not previously seen. If she was crying with her body for the last month or so, whenever we practiced in her studio, she is weeping uncontrollably with her body tonight, and you would have to be a ston e not to feel what she is offering the audience. But then Bonnie Tyler is singing, â€Å"Together we can make it to the end of the line,† which means it is time for the second lift – the hardest one – so I lower myself into a squatting position and place the backs of my hands on my shoulders. As the song builds, Tiffany stands on my palms, and when Bonnie Tyler sings, â€Å"I really need you tonight,† Tiffany bends her knees, so I engage my leg muscles and push upward as fast as I can, extending my arms, elevating my palms. Tiffany shoots high up into the air, does a full flip, falls into my arms, and as the chorus dies down, we gaze into each other's eyes. â€Å"Once upon a time I was falling in love, but now I'm only falling apart. Nothing I can do, a total eclipse of the heart.† She falls from my arms, as if dead, and I – being the sun – set, which means I lie back on the floor and use only my arms to slowly push myself backward and out of the spotlight, which takes almost a full minute. The music fades. Silence. For a second I worry that no one will clap. But then the house explodes with applause. When Tiffany stands, I do too. Just like we practiced so many times, I hold Tiffany's hand and take a bow, at which time the applause thickens and the audience stands. I'm so happy, but at the same time I am sad because none of my family and friends came to support me – but then I hear the loudest Eagles chant I have ever heard in my entire life. â€Å"E!-A!-G!-L!-E!-S! EAGLES!† I look up toward the back rows, and not only do I spot Jake and Caitlin and Mom, but also Scott and the fat men and Cliff and the entire Asian Invasion. They are all wearing Eagles jerseys, and I start to laugh when they begin to chant, â€Å"Baskett! Baskett! Baskett! Baskett!† In the front row, Ronnie is smiling at me proudly. He gives me the thumbs-up when we make eye contact. Veronica is also smiling, and so is little Emily, but Mrs. Webster is crying and smiling at the same time, which is when I realize that she thinks our dance was really beautiful – enough to make her cry. Tiffany and I run offstage, and the high school girls congratulate us with their gaping eyes and their smiles and their chatter. â€Å"Oh, my God. That was so amazing!† they all say. It is easy to see that every one of them admires Tiffany because Tiffany is an excellent dancer and a talented choreographer. Finally Tiffany faces me and says, â€Å"You were perfect!† â€Å"No, you were perfect!† I say. â€Å"Do you think we won?† She smiles and looks down at her feet. â€Å"What?† I say. â€Å"Pat, I need to tell you something.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"There's no gold trophy.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"There are no winners at Dance Away Depression. It's just an exhibition. I made up the part about the wreath just to motivate you.† â€Å"Oh.† â€Å"And it worked, because you were beautiful out there onstage! Thank you, and I will be your liaison,† Tiffany says just before she kisses me on the lips and hugs me for a very long time. Her kiss tastes salty from the dancing, and it is strange to have Tiffany hugging me so passionately in front of so many teenage girls in tights – especially because I am shirtless and my torso is freshly shaved – and also I do not like to be touched by anyone except Nikki. â€Å"So now that we are done dancing, can I talk about Eagles football again? Because I have a lot of Eagles fans out there waiting for me.† â€Å"After nailing the routine, you can do whatever you want, Pat,† Tiffany whispers into my ear, and then I wait a long time for her to stop hugging me. After I change in the storage closet, Tiffany tells me there are no more naked teenagers backstage, so I go to greet my fans. When I hop down off the stage, Mrs. Webster grabs my hands, looks into my eyes, and says, â€Å"Thank you.† She keeps looking into my eyes, but the old woman doesn't say anything else, which makes me feel sort of weird. Finally Veronica says, â€Å"What my mother means to say is that tonight meant a lot to Tiffany.† Emily points at me and says, â€Å"Pap!† â€Å"That's right, Em,† Ronnie says. â€Å"Uncle Pat.† â€Å"Pap! Pap! Pap!† We all laugh, but then I hear fifty Indian men chanting, â€Å"Baskett! Baskett! Baskett!† â€Å"Better go greet your rowdy fans,† Ronnie says, so I walk up the aisle toward the sea of Eagles jerseys. Other audience members I don't know pat me on the back and congratulate me as I weave my way through them. â€Å"You were so good up there!† my mother says in a way that lets me know she was surprised by my excellent dancing skills, and then she hugs me. â€Å"I'm so proud!† I hug her back and then ask, â€Å"Is Dad here?† â€Å"Forget Dad,† Jake says. â€Å"You got sixty or so wild men waiting to take you to the most epic tailgate party of your life.† â€Å"Hope you weren't planning on getting any sleep tonight,† Caitlin says to me. â€Å"You ready to end the Pat Peoples curse?† Cliff asks me. â€Å"What?† I say. â€Å"The Birds haven't won since you stopped watching. Tonight we're taking drastic measures to end the curse,† Scott says. â€Å"We're sleeping in the Asian Invasion bus, right outside the Wachovia parking lot. We set up the tailgate party at daybreak.† â€Å"Ashwini is driving around the block right now, waiting for us,† Cliff says. â€Å"So. Are you ready?† I am a little shaken by the news, especially since I just finished such an excellent dance routine and was hoping to simply enjoy the accomplishment for more than ten minutes. â€Å"I don't have my clothes.† But my mom pulls my Baskett jersey out of a duffel bag I hadn't noticed before and says, â€Å"You have everything you need in here.† â€Å"What about my meds?† Cliff holds up a little plastic bag with my pills inside. Before I can say or do anything else, the Asian Invasion begins chanting louder: â€Å"Baskett! Baskett! Baskett!† The fat men pick me up above their heads and carry me out of the auditorium, past the fountain full of fish, out of the Plaza Hotel, and onto the streets of Philadelphia. And then I am in the Asian Invasion bus, drinking a beer and singing, â€Å"Fly, Eagles, fly! On the road to victory †¦Ã¢â‚¬  In South Philadelphia, we stop at Pat's for cheesesteaks – which take a long time to prepare, as there are sixty or so of us, and no one would dare go next door to Geno's Steaks, because Geno's steaks are inferior – and then we are at the Wachovia parking lot, parked just outside the gate so we will be the first vehicle admitted in the morning and therefore will be guaranteed the lucky parking spot. We drink, sing, throw a few footballs, and run around on the concrete; we roll out the Astroturf and play a few Kubb games under the streetlights, and even though I have only had two or three beers, I begin to tell everyone I love them because they came to my dance recital, and I also tell them I'm sorry for abandoning the Eagles mid-season and that it was for a good reason, but I just can't say what – and then I am on a bus seat and Cliff is waking me up, saying, â€Å"You forgot to take your night meds.† When I wake up the next morning, my head is on Jake's shoulder, and it feels good to be so close to my brother, who is still asleep. Quietly I stand and look around and realize that everyone – Scott, the fat men, Cliff, all fifty or so Asian Invasion members – is asleep on the bus. Two or three men are sleeping in every seat, with their heads on each other's shoulders. Everywhere brothers. I tiptoe to the front of the bus, past Ashwini, who – in the driver's seat – is asleep with his mouth wide open. Once outside, on the small patch of grass between the street and the sidewalk, I begin the same push-up and sit-up routine I used to do back in the bad place, before I had access to free weights and a stationary bike and the Stomach Master 6000. After an hour or so, first light comes. As I finish the last set of sit-ups, I feel as though I have burned off my cheesesteak and the beers I drank the night before, but I can't help feeling like I should go for a run, so I run a few miles, and when I return, my friends are still sleeping. As I stand next to Ashwini and watch my boys sleep, I feel happy because I have so many friends – a whole busful. I realize that I left the Plaza Hotel without saying goodbye to Tiffany, and I feel a little bad about that, even though she said I could do whatever I wanted after we performed so well. Also I am very eager to write my first letter to Nikki. But there is Eagles football to think about now, and I know that an Eagles victory is just about the only thing that will smooth things over with my father, so I begin to hope, and I even say a little prayer to God, who I bet was pretty impressed with my dance routine last night, so maybe He will cut me a break today. Looking at all those sleeping faces, I realize I have missed my green-shirted brothers, and I begin to anticipate the day.

Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Megaraptor - Facts and Figures

Name: Megaraptor (Greek for giant thief); pronounced MEG-ah-rap-tore Habitat: Plains and woodlands of South America Historical Period: Late Cretaceous (90-85 million years ago) Size and Weight: About 25 feet long and 1-2 tons Diet: Meat Distinguishing Characteristics: Large size; bipedal posture; long, single claws on front hands About Megaraptor Like another impressively named beast, Gigantoraptor, Megaraptor has been a bit oversold, in that this large, carnivorous dinosaur wasnt technically a true raptor. When the scattered fossils of Megaraptor were discovered in Argentina in the late 1990s, paleontologists were impressed by a single, foot-long claw, which they assumed was located on this dinosaurs hind feet--hence its classification as a raptor (and one that would have been even bigger than the biggest raptor yet identified, Utahraptor). On closer analysis, though, it turned out that Megaraptor was actually a large theropod closely related to Allosaurus and Neovenator, and that those single, oversized claws were located on its hands rather than its feet. Sealing the deal, Megaraptor has proved to be similar in appearance to another large theropod from Australia, Australovenator, a hint that Australia may have been connected to South America later into the Cretaceous period than was previously thought. Its place in the dinosaur bestiary aside, what was Megaraptor actually like? Well, it wouldnt be surprising if this South American dinosaur was covered with feathers (at least during some stage of its life cycle), and it almost certainly subsisted on the small, skittery ornithopods of its late Cretaceous ecosystem, or perhaps even on newborn titanosaurs. Megaraptor may also have encountered, or even preyed on, one of the few true raptors of South America, the appropriately named Austroraptor (which only weighed about 500 pounds, or a quarter of Megaraptors size).

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

The Outbreak Of Ebola Virus - 1866 Words

The recent outbreak of the ebola virus in 2014 reminds the world of the vulnerability of society because of the great force of disease. However, this outbreak of ebola is miniscule in comparison to all the pestilence and plague that has emerged throughout history. Nothing compares to the bubonic plague, which killed one-third of Europe’s population, smallpox, which completely eradicated some indigenous populations in the Americas, and AIDS/HIV, which is one of the greatest challenges the world faces today. All of these are characterized by to no methods of treatment (at their height), extremely painful symptoms, and their ability to spread easily. The Black Death, smallpox, and AIDS may be considered the most devastating pandemics to†¦show more content†¦When Columbus first brought this disease to the Americas, he landed on the island of Hispaniola, now known as Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Here in 1507, the local indigenous group of three million people, the Tai no, was exposed to smallpox. A couple of decades later, the Taino were completely extinct. Soon afterwards, smallpox spread to Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean. Every two years, three to four million Indians continued to die. As a result, it destroyed all Aztec civilization. Also, religious and political leaders were among those that died, and this only weakened the social structure of this region. Smallpox led to the loss of culture, knowledge, and tradition (Mari 24-28). Even recently after the attacks of September 11, 2001, the government of the United States has been concerned with the possibility of smallpox being used as a weapon of bioterrorism. In other words, smallpox, a biological agent is purposely spread as an act of terrorism (Smallpox). On the other hand, HIV, which stands for human immunodeficiency virus, is most prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, which has 62% of the world’s HIV cases. Because sub-Saharan Africa is home to 70% o f the poorest people in the world, people lack the skills and the money they need to survive. Therefore, the only way they can get their basic needs is the risky behavior. For example, women have to engage in sexual transactions for commercial

Monday, December 23, 2019

Interpersonal Communications Concept Analysis Paper

Katie Latimer November 1st, 2012 COMM 218 Concept Application Paper Communication takes place in any and all locations, intentionally and unintentionally, and it can be positive or negative. Many of our personal traits and character qualities can affect how we communicate with other people, and how they communicate with us. Recently, I had an experience that further proved this point to me in a very real and tangible way. Growing up, I have been known as levelheaded and optimistic. I don’t let a lot of distractions or emotions change or affect the way I act around others. As an athlete, my coaches always knew that if they called me into a game I would handle the pressure and play to the best of my ability, so I decided to change†¦show more content†¦I realize now, what I was feeling was a result of social comparison. According to Alder, Rosenfeld amp; Proctor (2013), social comparison is â€Å"†¦evaluating ourselves in terms of how we compare with others. We decide whether we are superior or inferior and similar or different by comparing ourselves to what social scientists call reference groups...† (p. 69). Social comparison, in this instance, brought upon feelings of inferiority, as I was displaying undesirable qualities. After a very disheartening day at class, I went home. By the time my mom came home, my attitude had worsened. First she asked me â€Å"What happened?†. I responded by saying, â€Å"Nothing, I’m fine.† Which she took literally, by the content of my words, when I was hoping that she would take them in a relational sense and see that I wasn’t really â€Å"fine†. In this instance, my mother was hearing my words in a contextual form, so when I said, â€Å"I’m fine.†, she heard me saying that I was okay and nothing was wrong. If she had realized that I was communicating with her relationally, she could have been able to tell by the tone of my voice and my non-verbal communications that I was not really â€Å"fine†. At the end of this very long day, I saw my boyfriend. While I am more open with him than I am with other people, I know that he still sees me as a smiling, level-headed person. Somehow he immediately knew that something was wrong. I decided to self-disclose to him, and tell him what was wrong. I told himShow MoreRelatedIntercultural Interview1422 Words   |  6 PagesINTRODUCTION TO HUMAN COMMUNICATION Ââ€" SPRING 2007 PROFESSOR CIRAULO INTERCULTURAL INTERVIEW PAPER ASSIGNMENT: Achieving competence as an interpersonal communicator in a diverse society is necessary to your personal and professional success. One way to enhance our understanding of interpersonal communication as a relationship-building activity is to engage in first hand dialogue with people from cultures other than your own. This assignment gives you the opportunity to engage in the dualRead MoreEssay on Interpersonal Communications in Sweet Home Alabama1411 Words   |  6 PagesIn Interpersonal Communications, it is important to understand how stereotyping can affect close relationships. When an individual uses stereotyping in a negative way, this in return negatively affects the relationship. This can lead to major problems in the long run. In Sweet Home Alabama, it is easy to see that false stereotypes lead to judgments reflecting badly on relationships. The clip shown of Sweet Home Alabama starts off with Melanie Carmichael, a fashion designer who is about to haveRead MoreConcept Comparison and Analysis Across Theories1051 Words   |  5 PagesConcept Comparison and Analysis Across Theories Nur 513 May 19, 2014 Theory is the core of nursing and nursing process. It describes, explains and predicts the uniqueness of a phenomenon. Theory is analysis and examine to determine the viability in the world of professional nursing. Concepts is the framework and foundation of the theory which consist of concrete and abstracts. The purpose of this paper is to select a core concept that is common to two nursing theories. Compare and AnalysisRead MoreRelationship Between The Senior Management Team Of A Company And The Junior Employees1392 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Interpersonal communication plays a very important role in an organization. It enabled employees from different departments to harmoniously work together towards the achievement of common shared goals. In fact, successful business relationships can only be maintained if employees hold impeccable interpersonal communication skills. In this paper, the focus will be on the business relationship between the senior management team of a company and the junior employees. In mostRead MoreInterpersonal Communication Analysis Of Dirty Dancing1242 Words   |  5 PagesKaitlyn Kirkwood Human Communication (40992) Mrs. Dixon 4 March 2015 Interpersonal Communication Analysis of Dirty Dancing The term interpersonal communication often referred to as dyadic communication sounds a lot more complex than it really is. It is the communication between two people, or face-to-face interaction. There are many different characteristics that separate dyadic communication from other forms of communication, such as being more direct, personal, immediate, spontaneous, and informalRead MoreCritical Analysis Of Communication Techniques And Phases Of The Therapeutic Relationship902 Words   |  4 PagesCritical Analysis of Communication Techniques and Phases of the Therapeutic Relationship As first year nursing students, we have been introduced to concepts that are fundamental to our professional development as future nurses, such as interpersonal understanding, and interpersonal communication. In fact, understanding the importance of interpersonal communication during different stages of the therapeutic relationship between a nurse and a client is one of our main learning objectives. As a resultRead MoreI Am A California Department Of Insurance987 Words   |  4 Pagesexcellent student, exceeding my own expectations, I am a Self-employed driven professional, compassion, empathy and patience person, who possess a strong desire to learn and grow professionally. I have excellent communication, listening, and problem solving skills, and strong interpersonal ability. However, I am working to improving my organization skills, in order to become more effective for my clients. Ultimately, my goal is to serve as an advocate for the elderly. The baby boomers generationRead MoreThe Break Up1428 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Effective communication is one of the most important things to maintain a happy relationship. Communication will help to create a better atmosphere and to know what are the interests, thoughts and feelings of your loved one. All romantic relationships need a lot of communications from both sides. The main factor is interpersonal communication, which couples are able to overlap environments and create a relationship. We reviewed the movie â€Å"The Breakup† and have found the concepts of IntegratingRead MoreInter Team Conflicts And Interpersonal Conflicts1306 Words   |  6 Pagesthings that can lead to conflicts and leaders must recognize these to have an effective team. As a result of this, the leader must take into account everyone’s background and experience level as the team is formed. This paper will discuss the inter-team conflicts, interpersonal conflicts, why policies are created and ways a leader can prevent conflicts from happening. Inter-team Conflict Conflict in teams can have an adverse effect on a team’s performance. As a leader, it is imperative toRead MoreThe Perception of Listening Essay examples1399 Words   |  6 Pages What is Listening and why is it important? This paper will address the viewpoint of listening skills and its outcome. Listening is an essential tool, which is one of the constructive aspects in the communication process, for communicating with other people. To listen well is a knack that is learned. However, for people to listen effectively, they would need to practice to obtain the skill. †As with any new skill, learning to listen takes effort, attention, and practice† (Stewart, 2006, p. 202)

Sunday, December 15, 2019

ACCOUNTING SYSTEM INSIGHTS Free Essays

AIS – Final Study Chapter Highlights Chapter 1 – ACCOUNTING SYSTEM INSIGHTS 1. Enterprise system – A system that supports business activities throughout the enterprise, including inputs, processing, and outputs 2. Integrated enterprise system – Shares data across functional areas within the enterprise 3. We will write a custom essay sample on ACCOUNTING SYSTEM INSIGHTS or any similar topic only for you Order Now Business processes – Related activities performed by an enterprise to create value by transforming input into output 4. Value chain – An organizing framework for business processes, beginning with vendors and ending with customers Baseline accounting system – A model that provides an enterprise-wide view of the firm`s accounting system 1. Transaction cycles – Accounting transactions related to specific business processes (1) Purchasing cycle – Transactions related to purchasing items from vendors (2) Payroll cycles – Transactions with employees (3) Sales cycle – Exchange or transactions between an enterprise and its customers 2. Vendors module – A module related to purchasing goods and services 3. Customers module – A module related to selling the customer a product or service 4. Employee module – A module related to the payroll cycle 5. Banking module – A module that involves cash received and cash paid 6. Financial module – A module that includes adjusting and correcting entries (1) Adjusting entries – Entries to bring accounts up to date at year end (2) Correcting entries – Entries to correct errors (3) Closing entries – Zeros out income and expense accounts at year end 7. Reports module – A module that relates to output from the accounting system (1) Financial reports – Reports that include a company`s income statement, balance sheet, and statement of cash flows (2) Tax reports – Reports used when filling federal, state, and local returns (3) Management reports – Reports prepared to assist managers in making decisions (4) Sustainability reports – Reports used to evaluate an enterprise`s sustainability performance What is the importance and value of information as an asset? Today, the value of information assets for some business exceeds the value of other assets, such as land and buildings What is the role of the accounting system within the larger enterprise system? * The accounting system spans the entire value chain of an enterprise, tracking transaction information from the purchase of items from vendors through the sale of products or services to customers. Business processes are associated with the related acco unting transactions known as transaction cycles. Also read  Modules 9 10 The purchasing cycle consists of employee and payroll transactions. The sales cycle involves exchanges or transactions between an enterprise and its customers. In addition to the accounting system, other modules or subsystem can include supply chain management (SCM), operations/production system (OPS), human resource management (HRM), and customer relationship management (CRM). What are the database essentials that today’s accounting professional needs to know? 1) A field is a piece of data, such as customer first name (2) A record is a collection of related fields, such as a customer record (3) A table is a collection of related records, such as a CUSTOMER table (4) A database is a collection of related tables, such as an accounting database (5) A database form is a computer-based form for entering data into the database (6) A database query is used to extract data from a database, such as searching for a customer’s account balance. (7) A database report is a computer- based output to display What are the SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle) phases? The system development life cycle organizes the activities involved in developing a new system into the following six distinct phases: (1) Plan the system project including scheduling, budgeting, and staffing (2) Analyze the new system requirements, such as what reports are required and what data needs to be collected by the system (3) Design business processes and databases for the new system (4) Build/buy and test databases and computer programs for the new system (5) Install new IT hardware, software, and databases 6) Deploy the new system, using the system on an ongoing basis and maintaining and updating it as necessary. Why is it important to safeguard information assets? * To protect information assets, organizations implement security and controls to prevent fraud, unauthorized access, modification, destruction, or disclosure. Internal control is the set of policies and procedures enterprises use to safeguard assets, including information assets, and to prevent and detect errors. What are the three functions of an accounting system in today’s business environment? 1) Collecting, recording, and storing financial and accounting data (2) Providing financial analytics and business intelligence for improved decision making and business performance (3) Safeguarding information assets stored in accounting systems using security, controls, and risk management Chapter 2 – ACCOUNTING DATABASES 1. Operational database – Databases used to store data related to business operations and transactions 2. Data warehouse – Stores data from a variety of sources and is used for business intelligence 3. Database administrator (DBA) – Responsible for managing the enterprise’s databases 4. Intersection table – Placed at the junction of two tables to eliminate a many-to-many relationship 5. Composite primary key – Used when more than one field is required to uniquely identify a record 6. Normalization – A process for removing database anomalies or problems 7. Database integrity – Ensures that the database contains accurate, valid data Rule 1: Entity integrity Each record in the database must have a unique identifier. No two records in the database can have the same primary key value. Rule 2: Primary key integrity The primary key value cannot be null (empty). Rule 3: Domain integrity The field values must be from a pre-defined domain. Rule 4: Referential integrity Data referenced and stored in related tables must be consistent across the database. DBMS is a software used to (1) Create database tables (2) Transfer data from the accounting software to the database (3) Update data in the database (4) Delete data from the database (5) Sort database tables (6) Run queries What data is stored in accounting databases? * Organizations store data about assets, liabilities, operations, transactions, employees, customers, vendors, and more in databases. Accounting databases needs to be well structured, redundancy-free, consistent, and current What are the three tiers in accounting system architecture? (1) Database tier: The back-end accounting database stores accounting data in database tables. A back-end database management system (DBMS) sorts, stores, inserts, updates, and deletes accounting data and runs queries (2) Application tier: Accounting software applications interact with the DBMS to access the back-end accounting database (3) User tier: The user tier consists of the interface appearing on the accountant’s computer screen. The user interface consists of database forms and reports. What are enterprise databases? * Enterprise databases used by an enterprise for business purposes can be considered as one of two types: internal databases or external databases (1) Internal databases are databases in which the data belongs to the organization. Internal databases consist of two varieties: operational databases and data warehouses. Operational databases, such as an accounting database, store enterprise transactions. Data warehouses store data from a variety of sources. 2) External databases are databases containing data collected by other organizations. What problems can result from poorly designed databases? * Poorly designed databases may contain database problems or anomalies, such as problems with inserting, updating, and deleting data. This can result in inaccurate, unreliable accounting data. * Three types of database anomalies (problems) are DUI: Deletion, Update, Insertion What are the steps used to bu ild an accounting database? (1) Identify and build database tables (2) Identify and enter fields in each database table (3) Select the primary key for each table 4) Identify and build relationships among database tables, removing any many-to-many relationships by creating intersection tables Chapter 3 – ACCOUNTING INTERFACE 1. Graphical User Interface (GUI) – User interface containing images and icons 2. Data validation – Tools used to minimize data entry errors, such as drop-down lists 3. Real-time reports – Reports that provide up-to-the-minute data without a time lag 4. Live reports – Reports that provide up-to-the-minute data continuously 5. Structured query language (SQL) – Code used to search and retrieve data 6. Query Builder Tools – Streamlines query development What is the role of the accounting system interface? * The accounting system user interface plays an important role in entering accounting data and retrieving accounting information. The accountant views the interface on the screen, and the RDBMS and database are behind the screen. The accounting software interface interacts with the RDBMS using database forms, queries, and reports. Features of a well-designed interface include user-friendly, effortless navigation, and customizable preferences. What is the role of database forms? Database forms are commonly used to input data into accounting system. The database forms are frequently designed to look like commonly used and familiar items, such as an invoice or a check. What is the role of database reports? * The output of the accounting system is typically displayed in a report format. The report displayed on the user’s computer screen is actually a database report that is formatted to meet accounting requirements. The database report uses information from the database to populate the report. What is the role of database queries? * One component of the user interface is retrieval or query. Sometimes the interface will call this a search and provide a form where the search question can be entered. In other instances, a query may be run to prepare a report, retrieving data from the database to enter into the database report that appears on the user’s computer screen. Well-designed database forms are designed to save time and minimize data entry errors. A few general guidelines for database form design include the following: (1) Enter data once (2) Use data validation (3) Enable auto entry (4) Mirror paper forms (5) Design user-friendly forms (6) Implement appropriate security Chapter 4 – ACCOUNTING SYSTEMS AND B. PROCESSES 1. Data flow diagrams (DFDs) – a technique used to document business processes using agent, event, data store, and data flow symbols 2. Data flows – shows how data enter, moves, and exits a system 3. Data stores – a database table represented by an open rectangle 4. Events – a process represented by a rounded rectangle 5. Agents – a person or department represented by a square symbol 6. External agent – an agent outside the enterprise 7. Internal agent – employees within the organization 8. Event-agent-database (EAD) table – each row in this table corresponds to an event in a DFD 9. DFD Fragment – a DFD of a single event 10. Black hole – a DFD error that occurs when data goes into a process but no data exists 11. Gray hole – a DFD error that occurs when the input data does not correspond to the output data 12. Miracle – a DFD error that occurs when there is no input to a process The approach to reading a DFD is to use the following four steps (1) Identify the agents (internal and external) (2) Identify events (3) Identify database tables (4) Trace the data flows How are accounting systems developed today? * Today, most accounting systems are developed in two stages. First, baseline accounting software is selected. Then the accounting software is customized to meet the enterprise’s specific needs. How is customization of accounting systems documented? * Customizing an accounting system involves documenting the specific needs of the enterprise using data flow diagrams to provide a detailed view of the enterprise’s business processes. Each module of the baseline model can be customized to meet the enterprise’s needs. Additional modules might also be needed to provide the required customization, such as a production module to track manufacturing costs. Chapter 5 – BUSINESS PROCESSES 1. Gap Analysis refers to analyzing the gap between the baseline modules and the customization required to meet enterprise-specific needs. 2. Big Bang refers to when all system modules are built and implemented for the entire enterprise at the same time. 3. Stages refers to when modules or locations for a new system are built and implemented stage by stage instead of all at once. How are business processes documented? * The baseline accounting system can be customized using data flow diagrams (DFDs) to document the enterprise’s business processes. What is gap analysis? * A gap analysis identifies the gap between the selected baseline system, such as SAP, and the customization required by the specific enterprise. What is the difference between the big bang approach and stages approach to customization? * The two approaches to customization are big bang and stages. The big bang approach is used when all the modules are built and implemented for the entire enterprise at the same time. The stages approach involves completing modules or locations stage by stage instead of all at once. What is a workflow management system? Workflow management systems automate workflow by automatically forwarding the electronic document to the next step in the business process. Chapter 6 – INTEGRATED ENTERPRISE SYSTEMS 1. Order-to-cash – corresponds to the sales cycle 2. Procure-to-pay – corresponds to the purchasing cycle 3. Spaghetti code – programming code used to connect stand-alone systems 4. Three-tier architecture à ¢â‚¬â€œ when an enterprise system uses layers of IT components: enterprise database, application, and client computers 5. Firewall – software programs on a router that monitor network traffic 6. Business process management (BPM) – transforming business processes to improve efficiency Top Reasons for Failed ERPs include the following: (1) Unrealistic budget. Underestimated costs. Overestimated benefits. (2) Unrealistic schedule. Not enough time allowed for project completion. (3) Not a good fit. User requirements are not net. Baseline system not a good fit with business processes. (4) Too much change. Failure to educate employees on changes to expect. Lack of adequate change management. (5) Lack of project champion at the top. Commitment by top management is lacking to champion the project. What are advantages of an integrated enterprise system? * The integrated enterprise system offers many advantages over the functional silo approach to enterprise systems. The accounting functions are integrated into the larger enterprise system, permitting accounting to share data with other functional areas and better coordinate activities. What are challenges associated with an integrated enterprise system? * Challenges of an integrated enterprise system include business processes that may need to be redesigned and managing the changes required by the new system. How is data entered in an integrated enterprise system? Database forms that relate to business process activities permit users to enter data once into the IES and have the data shared throughout the enterprise, eliminating the need for different functional areas to rekey the same data. How does an integrated enterprise system relate to the accounting system? * Integrated enterprise system use a modular approach that is con sistent with the baseline accounting system model. The basic module names may vary but the functions are basically the same. Integrated enterprise systems integrate accounting with other modules for an enterprise. Customer and vendor systems can also be integrated. Chapter 10 – FRAUD AND INTERNAL CONTROL 1. Entity-level IT controls – processes, organization structure, and leadership for IT to support an organization’s business strategy and objectives, such as internal audits 2. IT general controls – controls that apply to IT services in general and ensure continued IT operation and availability, such as change and access controls 3. Application controls – controls embedded within business process applications, such as accounting software controls A. Classification by the control objectives specified in the COSO internal control framework: i. Operation controls – controls to ensure that operations are completed appropriately, such as the timing of cash disbursements to ensure that late fees are avoided ii. Financial controls – controls to ensure that external financial reports are prepared on a timely basis in compliance with laws, regulation, or contractual agreements iii. Compliance controls – controls to maintain confidentiality of information in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations B. Classification by how the process is completed: iv. Manual controls – controls performed without the assistance of technology v. Automated controls – controls performed automatically by computers 1. Input controls – controls over data entered into the system 2. Processing controls – controls to ensure that amounts have been processed appropriately 3. Output controls – controls to ensure that reports are distributed only to appropriate users vi. Hybrid controls – a combination of manual and automated controls What is SOX and how does it affect the accounting system? Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) legislation resulted from the accounting scandals of 2002. This legislation requires organizations to use recognized framework for internal controls. As a result, many organizations adopted COSO’s Internal Control – Integrated Framework and the COBIT framework for IT controls What is IT control architecture? * IT control architecture is a blueprin t for IT controls in the organization. This blueprint shows that internal control impacts IT at three levels within the organization resulting in three levels of IT controls: * Entity-level IT controls Application controls * IT general controls How can control weaknesses be documented? (1) Build a DFD (2) Document preventive and selective controls on the DFD (3) Document control HotSpots on the DFD Fraud and abuse can be classified into three broad categories: (1) Corruption, such as bribery (2) Misappropriation of assets, including theft of cash, fraudulent disbursements, or stealing merchandise (3) Fraudulent financial reporting, such as misstating financial statements in order to meet earning targets. Three elements required to prove fraud are the followings: 1) A material false statement is made with the intent to deceive (2) A victim relies upon the false statement (3) The victim incurs damages The fraud triangle depicts the three conditions that typically must exist in order f or a fraud to be perpetrated (1) Motive – reason for committing the fraud, such as financial difficulties (2) Opportunity – access to the asset or financial statements in order to carry out the fraud (3) Means – knowledge or skills that permit the perpetrator to commit the crime Internal Control is a process, effected by an entity’s board of directors, management, and other personnel. This process is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the achievement of objectives in effectiveness and efficiency of operations, reliability of financial reporting, and compliance with applicable laws and regulations. SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley Act) emphasize a strong system of internal control as a means of avoiding Enron-sized accounting frauds. SOX Requirements to remember (1) Section 302. Corporate responsibility for financial reports (2) Section 404. Management assessment of internal controls (3) Section 806. Protection for employees of publicly traded companies who provide evidence of fraud (4) Section 906. Corporate responsibility for financial reports Audit and Internal Controls (SOX) (1) Audit of internal control – tests of controls to obtain evidence that internal control over financial reporting has operated effectively (2) Audit of financial statements – tests of controls to assess risk and substantive procedures to collect evidence regarding the accuracy, completeness (3) IT audit – audit of IT controls 4) Integrated audit – integrates an audit of internal control with an audit of financial statements There are two types of deficiencies that may be found in internal control over financial reporting: (1) Material weakness – deficiency that results in a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis (2) Significant deficiency – a deficiency in internal control o ver financial reporting that is less severe than a material weakness COSO (Committee of Sponsoring Organization of the Treadway Commission) Internal Control Objectives 1) Effectiveness and efficiency of operations (2) Reliability of financial reporting (3) Compliance with laws and regulation Internal Control Components (1) Control environment – control environment factors include integrity and ethical values, importance of board directors, management philosophy and operating style, organization structure, commitment to financial reporting competencies, authority and responsibility, and human resources (2) Risk assessment – involves identifying, analyzing, and managing risks that affect a company’s ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial data properly. Risk assessment control objectives include the following: A. Importance of financial reporting objectives B. Identification and analysis of financial reporting risks C. Assessment of fraud risk (3) Control activities – include policies and procedures to mitigate risks including financial, operational, and compliance controls. Control activities include the following: D. Segregation of duties – to divide authorization, recording, and asset custody among different individuals E. Independent reconciliations of assets and accounting records – such as bank statement reconciliations and inventory reconciliations F. Physical controls – to provide for physical security of assets, such as security cameras and restricted access to corporate buildings G. IT controls – to ensure appropriate information processing, authorization, and data integrity. (E. g. Data validation) (4) Information and communication – includes the accounting system for identifying, recording, processing, and reporting transactions and financial data. An organization’s system produces reports, containing operational, financial, and compliance information. Internal control principles related to this component include information technology, information needs, information control, management communication, upstream communication, board communication, and communication with external parties (5) Monitoring – involves assessing internal controls as well as the process for taking corrective action if needed. Effective monitoring includes: H. Ongoing monitoring – such as controls over purchasing I. Separate evaluations – such as an internal audit that assesses internal controls. J. Upstream communication to report internal control deficiencies COBIT (Control Objectives for Information and related Technology) Three Dimensions (1) IT Resources can be divided into the following four categories: A. Application – consists of manual and programmed procedures to process information B. Information – includes structured and unstructured data in any form, such as text, graphics, pictures, audio and video. Data is input, processed, and output by the system C. Infrastructure – refers to IT technology including hardware and software. It may also include physical structures, such as a data center facility D. People – includes staff members as well as their knowledge and skills to plan, organize, acquire, implement, deliver, support, monitor, and evaluate IT processes and systems (2) IT Processes deliver information, run applications, and use infrastructure and people to accomplish IT goals in light of business requirements. IT processes are grouped into the following four domains E. Plan and Organize (PO) domain – relates to IT strategy and tactics to contribute to attaining business goals F. Acquire and Implement (AI) domain – identifies, acquires (built or bought), and implements IT solutions. Also ensures that the SDLC phases and activities are used when upgrading and modifying current systems G. Deliver and Support (DS) domain – concerned with the delivery of IT services. Encompasses IT operations, security and training. Assures the continued support and maintenance of these services H. Monitor and Evaluate (ME) domain – monitors IT processes for compliance with control requirements. Includes management oversight of control processes as well as independent assurance services provided by internal and external audits (3) Business Requirements (Information Criteria) I. Three criteria relate to the information security: confidentiality, integrity, availability (CIA) J. For the remaining four criteria, COBIT relies upon definitions used by COSO’s Internal Control – Integrated Framework (Effectiveness, Efficiency, Reliability, Compliance) Chapter 11 – CYBERSECURITY What are the 10 domains of cybersecurity? (1) Legal, regulations, compliance, and investigations (2) Information security and risk management (3) Security architecture and design (4) Telecommunications, network, and Internet security (5) Control access (6) Operations security (7) Physical and environmental security 8) Application security (9) Business continuity and disaster recovery (10) Cryptography What is the scope of cybersecurity in the accounting system? * Cybersecurity in an enterprise is not limited to just guarding against hackers and cyberattacks. It involves many aspects of enterprise operations, including how you train and educate your employees about secur ity awareness to safeguarding information assets, how to implement new technologies in a security conscious manner, how to maintain backups in order to recover and continue business operations, and how to provide the highest level of security in a cost-effective way Why is encryption important in securing accounting data? * For accounting purposes, encryption provides an especially valuable tool offering increased data integrity and confidentiality. Encryption can be used for accounting data in transit and for accounting data stored in the database. If an attacker is successful in penetrating the enterprise security and reaches the database, encryption of the stored data is an additional line of defense *Refer to Lecture PPT slides for more detailed information regarding key terms. Chapter 12 – THE RISK INTELLIGENT ENTERPRISE What is a risk intelligent enterprise? * The risk intelligent enterprise moves beyond security and controls to managing risk and then to using risk to create value What is the enterprise risk management (ERM) framework? * The ERM framework offers guidance to enterprises implementing enterprise risk management. ERM units may consist of entity-level units, divisions, business units, and/or subsidiaries * The four ERM objectives are Strategic – relate to goals that support the entity’s mission * Operational – relate to the effective and efficient use of the entity’s resources * Reporting – relate to the reliability of the enterprise’s reporting, both internal and external * Compliance – relates to the entity’s compliance with all applicable laws and regulations * The eight ERM components consist of * Internal environment – involves the risk management philosophy of the ente rprise, including the tone set by top management. Risk resilience, risk appetite, risk tolerance, integrity, and ethical values also affect the nternal environment * Objective setting – setting objectives that are consistent with the entity’s mission and risk appetite * Event identification – involves identifying potential events that might affect the entity. Events can be either internal events or external events that might affect the entity’s ability to achieve objectives. * Risk assessment – the process of assessing the extent to which events would impact an entity’s ability to achieve its objectives (impact/likelihood) * Risk response (avoidance/reduction/sharing/acceptance) * Control activities Information and communication * Monitoring What is spreadsheet risk management? * A significant risk for many enterprises is the widespread use of spreadsheets with limited controls. A spreadsheet risk management program includes using access and change controls with spreadsheets in order to be SOX compliant Chapter 13 – ACCOUNTING SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT * This chapter explains stages of SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle) and SDM (Software Development Methodologies). Refer to Lecture PPT slides for more information. How to cite ACCOUNTING SYSTEM INSIGHTS, Papers

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Diploma in Hospitality Management

Questions: 1. Within the first article you will analyze the contribution of the entertainment industry and the development and distribution of different activities to the UK economy.2. In the second article you will compare local, regional and national funding agencies and their impact on the entertainment and venue industry in UK. Answers: The entertainment industry is clearly associated with the show biz or show business. It has contributed significantly to the UK economy. Till now, the show business has contributed around 4.6 billion pounds to the Gross Domestic Product of UK and then over 1.3 billion pounds to the Exchequer as per the independent report. Due to the entertainment industry, the quantity of jobs has significantly increased due to the entertainment industry of UK. It resulted in an increase in the employment of around 44,000 people in 2014. The film industry of UK employs more individuals than both the pharmaceutical and fund management manufacturing sectors with 70 percent of the graduates of the workforce and that people are earning around 32500 GBP that is mainly higher than the average salary (Blanchflower, 2009). The entertainment industrys reputation in the UK is significantly and imperatively strong. The exports of the UK entertainment industry during 2013 were found to be as GBP 2.1 billion and that the trade surplus i.e. net trade contribution since 2000 has been GBP 380 million (British Film Institute, 2015). This mainly indicates a significant increase with the entertainment industry effectively competing within the global market and developing an imperative contribution to the net trade position of UK through promoting the UK abroad emulated by the export earnings. The production that is spent on an inward investment on an average accounts for around 80 percent of the aggregate UK production and this critically contributes GBP 3.7 billion to the GDP of UK followed by GBP 1 billion to Exchequer revenues (British Film Institute, 2015). It should be noted that the growth is also further driven by the investments of the major studio where the example could be associated with the cumulative investment by Pinewood of GBP 63 million since 2007 and hence, it is anticipated to expand in the upcoming years where Pinewood would propose a significant development scheme for extendi ng the capacity of the studio and the GBP 100 million investment at Leavesden by Warner Bros (Humphries, 2006). The entertainment industry of UK makes a contribution substantially to the UKs cultural life and that the UK show businesses are found to be a significant means for expressing the identity of British. The UK audience like the films and plays of UK and that on an average earn 30 percent box office revenue within the domestic cinemas (British Film Institute, 2015). The entertainment industry of UK has boosted the box office GBP 69 million on an average annually since 2000 (British Film Institute, 2015). The sales or revenue for the films of UK on Blu-ray and DVD, films on VoD, film rentals, soundtrack CDs and related computer video games emulated by the merchandising associated with the film which further made a contribution of around GBP 239 million to the GDP of UK and GBP 108 million to the Exchequer (British Film Institute, 2015). 2. In accordance with the department for Culture, Media and Sport, there are skills investment funds mainly to support skills development in the films, high end TV animation, video game industries and visual effects. Government is contributing up to 8 million every year in 2013/14 and 2014/15 through the Skills Investment Fund, match financing industry venture. This is a one off allocation from DCMS to bolster aptitudes in the digital content sectors and innovative commercial ventures and is being conveyed by Creative Skillset. Innovative England are putting forth business loans to digital creative organizations hoping to grow new products, including applications, software and content for the development of cross platform TV, medicinal services, interactive, e-learning and versatile applications. Organizations situated in the South West, North and Midlands will have the capacity to apply for a loan of between GBP 50,000 and GBP 200,000 which is then reimbursed more than three years (Humphries, 2006). The repayments of the loan in the main first year are negligible, trailed by 24 equal reimbursements over the last two years. The loan must be coordinated 50:50 with other fund, sourced by the organi zation (Ukie.org.uk, 2015). Apart from this, the BFI film fund makes a utilization of the National Lottery funds for developing and supporting the genuine UK films and filmmakers which further expands the audiences who can further enjoy them. Their basic aim is to champion bold, diverse and distinctive films while increasing the audiences across the nation UK (Toporowski, 2011). They also make a provision of the support for the development, production and completion of the feature films that would reflect fairly those people having different backgrounds. That would also facilitate high quality British emulated by some of the other independent releases so as to expand the choice of films for the audiences and then also offer a springboard for the film exports of UK. Apart from this, the BFI diversity fund has given a rise to numerous opportunities for some of the individuals for the development on a professional basis and that the supporting organizations and companies so as to demonstrate the leadership within diversity. Some of the other private funding agencies include the names of creative Scotland, Creative England, Northern Ireland Screen and Ffilm Cymru Wales offer development opportunities or funding associated to their nations (Ukie.org.uk, 2015). This further fosters commerce, creativity and the development of the film skills. More than this, the agency of the capital film, Film London, runs directly several schemes related to production that supports the making of the local film (UK stabilizes some science funding, 2013). Apart from this, the direct assistance is further provided in accordance with the form of a Film Tax Relief for benefiting the UK films that are made by the production company of the British Films and that qualify as an official co-production or Cultural test which are aimed for theatrical release and hence, have a significant expenditure for production with at least 10 percent of the making of the films being spent in the UK (Ukie.org.uk, 2015). References Blanchflower, D. (2009). WHERE NEXT FOR THE UK ECONOMY? 1.Scottish Journal of Political Economy, 56(1), pp.1-23. Humphries, C. (2006). Skills in a Global Economy: Ten Proposals for a UK Skills Policy.Local Economy, 21(3), pp.241-248. Toporowski, J. (2011). Profits in the UK economy: some Kaleckian models .Review of Political Economy, 5(1), pp.40-54. UK stabilizes some science funding. (2013).Phys. Today. Ukie.org.uk. (2015). UK games industry contributes 1.43bn to economy | Ukie. [online] Available at: https://ukie.org.uk/news/2015/02/uk-games-industry-contributes-%C2%A3143bn-economy [Accessed 10 Mar. 2016]. British Film Institute. (2015). The economic contribution of the UKs film, high-end TV, video games and animation programme sectors. [online] Available at: https://www.bfi.org.uk/education-research/film-industry-statistics-reports/reports/uk-film-economy/economic-contribution-uks-film-sectors [Accessed 10 Mar. 2016].