ICAS Report Planning Template Essay

ABC Ltd supplies a complete range of carpets and furniture to the general public. ABC Ltd has over 75 nationwide high street shops in all major UK cities and many large towns. ABC Ltd also has a 24/7 online shop which is on the head office site in Aberdeen. Over the past seven years the company has grown steadily and now has revenue of over  £29 million. It employs around 400 full-time staff. Who are the businesses major stakeholders (internal and external) and why? Major stakeholders of the business could be anyone who has an interest in the business. The business is the sole supplier of a range of furniture. The relationship with this supplier is crucial to the success of the business due to the competitive advantage that it offers ABC. Accounts Department (PIC 1.1, 1.4) How big is the Accounts department? What is the purpose of the accounting function? What type of organisational structure is there? Where does the accounts department get its information from? How does the accounts  department inter-relate with other departments within the business? At ABC Ltd the accounts department consists of the Finance Director, Company Accountant, General Ledger and Inventory Clerk, Accounts Payable Clerk, accounts receivable clerk, costing technician As well as payroll and personnel database clerk. The departments deal with the payments of invoices, comparing them to the  purchase orders and the stock receipts. They also monitor the stock and requirement for purchase orders. The department is also responsible for the credit control function, monitoring customers and the payment of the staff wages. In order to carry out these roles Accounts are forced to interact with the whole of the organisation to gather information. ABC use an account spackage which is fully integrated with the rest of the business software. The use an Enterprise Management System called PRONTO. This software allows for multi user access which can be restricted based on job roles. Non accounts users can see, but not change essential financial data, such as supplier and customer balances. Describe (in relation to the organisation) the 3 main financial statements – Income statement, SOFP and Statement of Cashflow. (PIC   What do they show? Who uses them? What decisions are made based on them? Income Statement SOFP Statement of Cashflow Income statements illustrate ABC Ltd profit or loss over a certain periods of time. The income statement records all revenue, losses and operating expenses for the business. The IS can be used to show profitability of the  company. Income statements are used by stakeholders, company accountants, financial directors and  managing directors. The income statements compared with other income statements within ABC Ltd over a period of time or  companies within the same sector will be able to determine the operating performance of ABC Ltd. Managers and the company accountant may be able to find out what areas of the business are over budget or under budget and make necessary changes. Statements of Financial Position (SOFP) illustrate a snap shot of the business financial condition. The SOFP includes the assets and liabilities of ABC Ltd. This is ia good indicator of the liquidity of the business. This statement will again be used by stakeholders, company accountants, financial directors and managing directors. Managers and the company accountant may be able to quickly get a handle on the financial strength and capabilities of the business, it’s also demonstrates if ABC ’s assets is enough to cover its liabilities, how liquid its assets are if ABC was to declare bankruptcy, if the business is in a position to expand etc. Statements of Cash flow illustrate the amount of cash generated and used by the business in a given period of time. Again this gives an indication of liquidity and working capital management. This statement will again be used by stakeholders, company  accountants, financial directors and managing directors. Managers  and the company accountant may be able to determine whether the business has enough cash to cover payroll and other immediate expenses or liabilities, as well as allow potential lenders to decide whether or not ABC Ltd is able to pay of its liabilities. What accounting regulations cover the preparation of the above financial statements? (PIC 2.1) In the UK, financial statements are governed by UKGAAP (UK Generally Accepted  Accounting Principles). They are also governed by the Companies Act What other accounting regulations and industry specific regulations does the company have to comply with? Does the company have to deal with Money-Laundering regulations? Does the company come under Sarbanes-Oxley? (PIC 2.1) The company also has to comply with the data protection act as they hold customer and staff information. Non compliance with this act can have severe financial and reputational implications. They are also required to comply with any rules set out by HMRC when paying employees and also calculating the tax liability of the business. The company does not have to comply with Sarbanes Oxley as this only affects companies registered with the New York Stock Exchange When the company has to deal with a change to the above regulations how does it organise this? In what way are system users affected by the change How do they get to find out about the change? (PIC 1.5) The Finance manger and HR manager monitor all regulations and alert the business when changes are made that will affect how the business operates. Changes are implemented by ensuring all staff are made aware of the change via internal communication methods. If need be employees are trained to ensure they fully understand the changes taking place.

Original Oratory on stereotyping and social stigmas

In love there is creation the creation of power and energies exerted towards our seemingly divergent passions yet in love these passions can create destruction unbounded by anything else ultimately no one can escape we falter almost entirely everyday we take breath what causes us to be so determined to find meaning In things? Eyes. Drugs. Smiles. Love. Sex. Death. What says that anything Is anything or nothing at all? Im so dull at times. I want find meaning In things and I want to be this great, philosophic all around girl. Im not. Majority of what I write or think Is complete bulls.Every so often It comes across as genuine and well thought out but really Its Just stupidity. TFH I think that even to be diagnosed with something would be bullwhip because Im perfectly normal. Elf I asked you all to use some words to describe yourselves what words would you use? Student, Future entrepreneur, black, gay†¦ All these titles but do they really say who you are? More likely than not they wont. And if I asked you to describe your closest friend could you really? In all seriousness no. Why is this? People, all people, are lust a paradox ball of psychological issues and perfection.We try to define ourselves and each other. We want to belong. Not to be cliche © but our goal in life is to make a connection with something. We begin to stereotype. Whether its based on fact or not doesn't matter. And at what cost? While its true that we are at times rightly stereotyped, our views of ourselves can be distorted. As a person, still trying to figure out what I want out of life, its not hard to see that the stigmas, increasing suicide rates, and the difficulty in being successful in education because of stereotyping hinders peoples life's as well their concepts of themselves and others.

Forever Strong Essay

We all can understand that there is no â€Å"I† in â€Å"team† but how many of us can honestly say we know the significance and appreciation of a team. Forever Strong is a sports drama inspired by actual events. We are introduced to a troubled rugby player, Rick, who injuries himself and his girlfriend driving drunk and finds himself in a juvenile detention center, not knowing this journey will forever change his life. Rick is given the choice to decide between jail and playing rugby for his hometown’s ultimate rival, Highland, which also means playing against his dad, his hometown’s coach. With every scene we are able to see Rick’s struggle with understanding the value of teamwork and the desire to become a better person. It’s not uncommon for someone to neglect the obvious opportunity that is ahead of them, but many never will get over their own ego to do what is best for them. Rick’s first day of practice at Highland he is given a taste of what it means to be a part of a team but he doesn’t quite like the idea of playing for a team who he has competed against and loathed. He tries his hardest to be the star while his teammates try their hardest to put him in his place. At the end of the day his new coach makes the team promise they will keep their bodies clean, eat right, and stay away from drugs and alcohol while Rick makes a complete joke out of it. You begin to see the relevance of this scene throughout the movie while Rick slowly begins to understand the significance of teamwork and what it means to the rest of his teammates. The thoughts that one has going through their head as they encounter something surreal are not only sincere but indescribable. After a phenomenal victory not only for Highland but for Rick, personally, as he allows himself to open his eyes to being a part of a team, the team pulls over to help a family with car troubles and a terrible incident occurs leaving a teammate dead. All Rick can do is â€Å"run it out,† as he handles the impact of the news. Rick decides to stop the drugs and alcohol in order to be a better man and live in honor of his former teammate. Rick later on in the movie has pride in him and confessed, â€Å"I don’t do ANYTHING to embarrass myself, my team, and my family. Rick is given a positive evaluation from his guidance counselor to go home just in time to play against Highland for the championship game. He is quickly pressured into revealing â€Å"Highland’s secrets,† refusing, causing his friends to set him up with drugs and alcohol and getting caught by the cops. He tries over and over to plead his case that he has changed to his peers and family, resulting in a failure, until a former friend tells the truth about what really happened. Rick ultimately wonders where his loyalty lies. We all come to what seems like a fork in the road; we have no idea why life is tugging on us so hard but we eventually figured out what we have to do in order to protect yourself and your morals. Rick was shown the value of teamwork and selflessness while he was at Highland; although, he knew his teammates needed him for the game and he decided to go play for Highland where he was welcomed with open arms by his teammates to fulfill their common goal – win the championship game and come together as a whole. Forever Strong is much more than a movie about rugby, it’s about how one man struggles to become something much bigger than himself.

Constant struggle between environmental laws and economic growth in Essay - 1

Constant struggle between environmental laws and economic growth in correlation with 'the american dream' - Essay Example While the truth is that the opportunity exists, that group still only represents 1% of all Americans. Thus, the power of the dream is such that the public will support policies that diminish services to the majority to protect the potential success that all feel that they may someday enjoy. Some of the way sin which this type of thinking is engaged in the cultural structures that support this type of thinking is through policies that fail to protect the environment because lawmakers and the public have bought into the myth that to over regulate industry is to create economic hardships that are too hard to navigate and will ultimately destroy industry. This type of thinking is based upon a fear-based campaign that is intended to threaten the ‘dream’, thus tying the hands of scientists and more enlightened politicians when they approach solutions for the real problems that have been created through hazards that are the result of industrial destructive forces that strip the environment of vital resources. However, suggesting that change will ruin the future of industry is tantamount to telling Ford not to invent the combustion engine because it would destroy the horse and buggy industry. Time and technologies change, and in growing any industry, including the environmental solutions industry, the American dream can find a way to exploit it for resources in jobs, economic support, and in creating a future for the planet. One of the most important resources is based upon a continued future which is only provided for through industries who are implementing sustainable practices. Through sociological and political theories, man has the ability to change the world. Social Ecology provides for a world where man and technology join to promote the perpetuation of the planetary eco-systems and the ways in which resources are sustained. With an attitude that leads

Health and Wellbeing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Health and Wellbeing - Essay Example The main problem is that the impact of stress on performance and lifestyle is perhaps greater now than at any time in history. Modern society lives in an increasingly complex, high-technology world in which the potential for catastrophic error has greatly increased. Knowledge of stresses-related issues plays a crucial role in medial practice, and influences healthcare programs and methods, quality of the decisions made by health and social care professionals. Stress is defined as "relationship between the person and the environment that is appraised by the person as taxing ... and endangering his or her well-being" (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984, p. 19 cited Fletcher et al 2006, p. 92). For healthcare professionals, it is difficult enough to make decisions in operational settings where the stakes are high and data are ambiguous. Whether the stressors are time constraints, noise, workload, or threat, they can play havoc with the clear thinking needed in these settings. In life of patients, they can degrade the quality of judgments, prevent the use of rational decision strategies, and severely compromise performance; at least, that is a popular appraisal of stressors. Decision makers are adaptive in their reactions to stressors. The decision strategies used in the presence of stressors may be simpler, but they are rational and make powerful use of experience. Health Health and social care professionals should understand internal and external factors that influence the individual and his emotional and psychological reaction to these factors. Stress reactions are controlled by self-regulative processing constructs, including the stable knowledge structures that support self-beliefs and motivations, processing routines for self-monitoring and self-evaluation, 'metacognitive beliefs' about the utility of emotion-focused coping, and coping skills (Fletcher et al 2006). Self-regulation is organized at three levels: a lower, automatic level that generates intrusive thoughts, an executive level that regulates coping, and schema-like self-knowledge in long-term memory. Knowledge gives freedom and guarantees complete control over the programs and methods, ways of treatment and improvements in healthcare plans. A focus on a single health behavior does not adequately represent the complexity of behavioral effects on health (Cribb and Duncan 2002). Strategie s such as decision analysis using subjective expected utility judgments and multiattribute utility analyses are best suited for cases in which there is less time pressure, more carefully collected data, multiple stakeholders, or generally lower levels of experience. The strategies are termed compensatory strategies, because they are designed to compensate for a small weakness on one or two attributes or evaluation dimensions if an option shows major strengths on other evaluation dimensions (Gandee et al 1998). For health and social care professionals, there are a variety of sources of information that can be used to derive a model of human performance under stress: accident analysis, incident analysis, operator protocols and lifestyle (Fletcher et al 2006). Transactional stress processes may generate both direct and indirect effects on performance, mediated by coping and self-regulative processes. Direct effects follow from task-related coping efforts, such as voluntary decisions to adopt a risky speed-accuracy trade-off, to prioritize one of two

Protecting Emergency Responders Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Protecting Emergency Responders - Essay Example Responders First responders are people within the community who have been trained to answer to emergency calls until the ambulance service arrives. They are trained to provide basic life support to patients with various conditions and to accident or disaster victims. First responders may include medical, police and fire personnel. It is paramount for them to be accessible, reliable and have a 24 hour communication line. They normally have a call centre tailored with best practices, latest reference materials and plans for emergency. Second responders, on the other hand, are workers who assist in recovery after accidents, natural or man-made disasters. They provide vital assistance in restoring the sites after recovery operations have been completed. They are the people who ensure free flow of traffic, bringing back to normal business activities as well as public services such as infrastructure, health care institutions and building operations. Their main purpose is to ensure life is brought back to normal in public and private sector setups; most of them are drawn from skilled construction workforce (Interagency Threat Assessment and Coordination Group). Need For Emergency Response Training A response plan for an emergency is of structural necessity for the management of any critical situations. It is regrettable that some of these structures are never put in place, not until a disaster or major accident happens. This, most of the time, leads to negative consequences like loss of life and property that would otherwise be avoided if proper mechanisms are put in place to address those unforeseen occurrences (LaTourrette). Many countries and organizations that have come to the realization of the importance of planning for emergency response have detailed structures and policies for disaster preparedness. The structures that have been put in place must be tested and reviewed from time to time; many volunteers should be trained and properly equipped at all times. Th e disaster preparedness should include all levels of catastrophes, for example, the earthquake that hit Japan last year in March, the hurricane that hit Florida in 2005, the recent winter storm in Europe and the very common terrorist attacks. Training and Testing The emergency response plan of an organization or country has now been well put in place and finalized, passed to all relevant personnel and properly incorporated into a standard operating blueprint. The plan cannot work on its own unless a well coordinated training is provided and properly tested before exercising it in a real emergency situation. Testing the plan helps in identifying the weaknesses, efficiency of the equipment and materials and the ability of the personnel to respond to a real disaster. If any inherent weaknesses are identified, then corrections are done before moving to the critical stage of training. The first thing to consider in the training process is the people who are to provide the actual training . If you look at the magnitude of the earthquake that hit Japan last year and the hurricane, you will discover that training would require highly trained personnel who have experience in similar situations in other parts of the world. The trainers must be able to prepare the people psychologically to handle disasters of Japan’s magnitude. They can be doctors who have served in the military or otherwise, community nurses, paramedical staff, trained personnel from

Researching Tourism and Hospitality Operations Essay

Researching Tourism and Hospitality Operations - Essay Example In 2007, Isadore Sharp sought an exit from this long-term investment, selling the multi-national Four Seasons properties to Kingdom Holding, owned by Al-Waleed bin Talal from Saudi Arabia and Cascade Investments, controlled by the software and technology guru Bill Gates. Upon taking this business private, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts were able to internalise international expansion efforts, redevelop the business model, and restructure financial governance of the business without undo pressures from international investors in the stock market. However, this acquisition of Four Seasons in 2007 came at a time just prior to the global recession occurring between 2008 and 2010, which radically changed the predictability and revenue growth opportunities for this luxury hospitality business. The business’ long-term profitability has been impacted by a series of government-imposed austerity packages in European nations, reforms in the banking sector in Asian and North American cou ntries, and changes to consumer sentiment about luxury travel and tourism and its correlation to their personal finance availability. Hence, the economic and social conditions in the luxury tourism sector suddenly changed, creating a new set of pressures on Four Seasons to sustain its existing business model whilst still considering redevelopment of its long-standing brand to better service the contemporary consumer in the post-20th Century tourism sector. This report examines the macro- and micro-level factors impacting many dimensions of the Four Seasons value chain, its strategic focus for long-term sustainable growth, and marketing in a very saturated and dynamically competitive international hospitality sector. The report further examines the marketing prowess of Four Seasons, the business’ current and long-term operational strategies, and the characteristics of consumer behaviour that impact Four Seasons’ service ideology, and cost structures impacting profitabil ity with this business. 2.0 Macro and Micro Analysis of the Industry To better understand the performance and productivity of the current Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts business model, it is necessary to examine the macro- and micro-level factors that impact sustainability of competitive advantage influenced by industry conditions. 2.1 PESTLE Analysis POLITICAL The influence of political factors for Four Seasons is disparate, due to the dynamics of being a multi-national business with presence in North America, Asia, Europe and Australia. In Asia, the hospitality sector has significant difficulties sustaining hospitality-centric operations without the direct support of government. For instance, in India, the government imposes substantial taxation on luxury hotels, which raises the costs of operations and increases prices along local supply chain networks. It is even difficult to establish strategic alliances or joint ventures with major tourism airline carriers in many Asian count ries where Four Seasons operates, thus impacting co-branding strategy opportunities and the ability to create periodic promotional incentives to entice more consumer interest in bookings due to the government influence and government-imposed costs. However, in some countries, such as Canada (Four Seasons is headquartered in Ontario, Canada) and Europe, governments provide incentives for consumers to engage in shopping with guarantees that they can reclaim the

Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Research Paper Example Besides, he played these instruments so well that he would be invited to perform a solo in public. It was at a local travelling, when he first encountered an instrument that resembled a cello that was played a Catalan musician; in fact, this musician played a cello-stung broom handle (Avsharian, 1). Later, he requested his father to build a cello for him to practice playing and his request was granted. When Pablo Casals reached eleven years, he got a chance to heat a real cello performance that was performed by a group of travelling musicians; thus, this led to a decision to be dedicated to this instrument. Pablo Casals was enrolled in the Escola Municipal de Musica, where he was taken by his mother in 1888 and he studies cello and piano theory; later in 1890, he was discovered at age of thirteen where he was performing in second –hand sheet music store in Barcelona (Avsharian, 1). Later, he decided to come up with his version of six suites, thereby leading to an extraordinary progress as a cellist. In fact, this was seen when he got a chance to present a solo performance in February 23 1891 in Barcelona, and five years later, he graduated with honours from Escola Escola Municipal de Musica (Johnston, 1). ... He achieved this by playing through basics and entire controls of his elegant tones along with their interpretations. Casals made several tours around the world, where he had a chance to make foundation such as the Ecole Normale in Paris, and Orquesta Pau Casals in Barcelona (Baldock, 36). He had a chance to present a solo performance in December 17 1899 at Lamoureux during a concert in Paris and this led to significant publicity and crucial acclaim (Avsharian, 1). Casals made numerous tours in Spain and Netherlands; in fact, he made these tours accompanied by a pianist Harold Bauer, and made his initial visit to America in 1901, and later went South America in 1903 (Avsharian, 1). Due to his involvement in politics, he received a threat of execution after the outbreak of the civil war in Spain, whereby he was threatened by Franco regime (Avsharian, 1). However, during the Second World War, ha took a chance to offer numerous concerts that were beneficial to Red Cross and other Catala n exiles (Baldock, 36). After renunciation of the Franco regime, he commenced a self-imposed exile in 1946, later in 1950 be re-emerged and continued to promote peace through his music (Taper, 23). During his time in exile, he went to Catalan village located at Prada de Conflent in France, which was near the border of Spanish and France; in fact, between 1939 and 1942, though he made spontaneous appearances as a cellist (Baldock, 36). However, these performances were conducted in unoccupied regions of southern France and Switzerland. Nonetheless, he expressed severe opposition towards dictatorial regime of Francisco Franco in Spain. In fact, this opposition was portrayed through his refusal to appear or perform in countries that supported the authoritarian Spanish government.

Juvenile Delinquency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Juvenile Delinquency - Essay Example Those who will walk in the company of wise will continually be wiser unlike those who seek the counsel of fools. It records that those who seek the latter counsels subsequently suffers from unnecessary harm and afflictions. However, the counsel of just friends only brings happiness, success and blessings to a young man’s life. The book instructs stern warnings against youths who befriend individuals with unjust lifestyles. It advices that youth should not seek heed of the enticements of sinners who persuasively desires to recruit them to immoral and unaccepted actions. Young men are advised to relate wisely with charming women. They should avoid of wicked women who may lead them to a regrettable life. Such women should not entice or control them. Parents should at all times appeal and remind their sons of the instructions of the book of proverbs. They should faithfully teach their children the just ways of God even to be faithful to it. That their sons will not ignore these proverbs counsels in their youths lifestyle. As their children approach their youth’s life, they become independent in their decisions. It’s therefore the Wright counsel that will help them make acceptable decisions and escape the wrath of sin. Parents should therefore instill these instructions to their teenagers at all times even if they tend to rebel. The father should strive to ensure that his son does not give into the control of erroneous mentality of a youthful age. He urges his son to follow the ways of God at all times and avoid the misery of falling in the hands of adulterous women and crime. The path of the son has to be straight as this will deliver him from perversity of evil and walking in darkness. A father should at all times speak of the future life to his son. He must not tell his son of the days of his youth but rather the coming days of his son’s youth. The son will be in a better position and the upright mind to decide correctly

The Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The - Research Proposal Example 337). The style further requires no tangible initiatives (Ledlow and Coppola 2013, p. 73). Transformational leadership however identifies simulations, could be suitable for industries with technical applications, and associated change target not only followers but also the organizations (Ricketson 2008, p. 18; Lussier and Achua 2009, p. 354). Transactional leaders are however go getters who inspire followers towards set targets (Bertocci 2009, p. 48). The approach has such factors as rewards and punishment and may not be suitable for sensitive industries that also focus on quality rather than quantity (Daenzer 2009, p. 40). The health care industry is an example in which the style may leads to mistakes that may threaten lives from resultant services. The research is organized into five sections. The first section offers background information into the study, rationale, and objectives. The second section reviews literature on the subject and identifies knowledge gap while the third section discusses the study’s methodology. The forth section will offer results while the fifth section will discuss the results and offer its implications. Situational Leadership II model offers the basis for the proposed study. According to the model, ability to manage a relationship between a leaders and a follower determines leadership success and identifies the role of the environment to dictate leadership styles. Difference in environments, based on industries and associated scopes of work, then suggests a situational approach to leadership based on industries (Pitman 2009, p. 207; Blanchard 2009, p. 182). According to the model, need for support and direction, that may vary by both industry and organization develops the need for situational leadership. â€Å"Delegating leadership style† and self-reliance are for example suitable for