Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Unanswered Problems With Term Papers Writing Service Exposed

Unanswered Problems With Term Papers Writing Service Exposed Term Papers Writing Service Secrets Essay writers' service inside your budget Cheap college papers don't always supply you with the very best quality. You should realize that the introduction also impacts the overall organization of the paper. A theatre term paper has to be written in an official style, in the very first person A short and intriguing title should be put on top, enables to deliver the entire significance of the expression paper issue. So, you receive an outstanding paper in your small budget. Additionally, his work is extremely engaging and offered at reasonable prices. It is essential that you give readers good information which they can use and not just attempt to sell people your products. 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Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Essay on Compare and Contrast Two Leadership Styles

Leadership can be defined as the ability to lead a group of people successfully in an organization. Hall, et al (2008) have mentioned that an effective leader has to be visionary, motivating and responsible in order to successfully run a business organization. In business the two key leadership styles, which are widely used in today’s corporate world are autocratic leadership and democratic leadership (Johnson, n.d.). Autocratic leadership may be explained as â€Å"a leadership style where the manager sets objectives, allocates tasks and insists on obedience† (Hall, et al 2008 p.g 401). Conversely, democratic leadership encourages â€Å"participation in decision making† (Hall, et al 2008 p.g 402). Whilst many people would consider autocratic†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"The leader must be able to explain ideas clearly to employees and understand any feedback they receive (Hall, et al 2008 p.g 402). Though rate of production with a democratic style of le adership might be slower than in an autocratic due to low supervision, it could be disputed that workers can work more freely as there is less stress to perform. A further aspect of leadership, which can also be believed to have a direct link with communication, is decision-making. Both leadership styles are similar in the way that ideas need to be stored before making a business decision. In an autocratic work place â€Å"decisions are made independently with little or no input from the rest of the group† (Riley, 2012 n.p.). However, in a democratic society â€Å"employees have greater involvement in decision making† (Riley, 2012 n.p.). Both these types of leadership have their benefits and disadvantages with respect to decision-making. In his research on different types of leadership, Joseph, (n.d.) stated that autocratic leadership style could be effective in a business environment as decisions can be made quickly without consulting with workers. According to Cherry, (n.d.) this type of leadership would be advantageous in situations such as the military where decisions need to be taken quickly. Though quick decision-making can be beneficial, it could be argued that it can lead to a demotivated workforce. Employees’ motivation decreasesShow MoreRelatedCompare and Contrast Any Two Theories of Leadership Essay1515 Words   |  7 PagesCompare and contrast any two theories of leadership In the following essay I will look at leadership, its definition and compare and contrast two theories behind it. I will firstly see if there is a distinction between leadership and management as suggested by John Kotter(1990) who goes on further to stress that organisations require both a leader and a manager but the function can be provided by a single individual. I will then look at some definitions of leadership such as that by Bryman(1999)Read MoreCompare and Contrast Different Structure of Organisation and Culture964 Words   |  4 Pagesbusinessballs.com Section 1 Understanding the relationship between organisational structure and culture You will need to: ï‚ · compare and contrast different organisational structures and culture Here you need to briefly describe the different types of organisational structure, and what different types/formats of culture can be found in organisations, and then compare and contrast them – what causes/creates each type, and positive factors / negative factors of each. ï‚ · explain how the relationship betweenRead Morebusiness Assignment1024 Words   |  5 Pages(Part-time) BEHAVIOUR AT WORK Unit 3: Organisations and Behaviour Outcome 1: Understand the relationship between organisational structure and culture Outcome 2: Understand different approaches to management and leadership Outcome 3: Understand ways of using motivational theories in organisations Outcome 4: Understand mechanisms for developing effective teamwork in organisations SCENARIO According to Bergstram and Hamilton, organisations have differentRead MoreCharacteristics of Managers and Leaders1568 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Characteristics of Managers and Leaders: The concepts of leadership and management are viewed differently by different people though managers and leaders are important in management. Some people view these terms as synonyms and use them interchangeably in sentences and phrases while others consider them to be extreme opposites. Actually, people who consider the terms as quite different argue that its nearly impossible to be a good leader and a good manager at the same time. Nonetheless, thereRead MoreComparing Two Leaders By Charles Schneider1244 Words   |  5 PagesThis paper explores two leaders, one with strong success, and the other with less success, and evaluating the differences and similarities between the two leaders. Charles Schneider was the COO of eCollege, which was purchased by Pearson, from 1999 – 2001. Schneider left eCollege on unfavorable terms due to his competitive and confrontational leadership style, and he has chosen to not list eCollege in his background on either his Builder Sourcing or M ygoflight biography pages (Denver Business JournalRead MoreInternal Organizational Politics1260 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican to French or German organizations. Explain the concept of equifinality by using two Internet references. 11. Organizations have been defined as â€Å"systems of power.† Explain what this means. 12. Define where leaders get their power and how they keep it or lose it when there are shifts in power. 13. Discuss Weber’s Typology of Authority. Go online to this site in order to compare and contrast Webers three power sources against others ideas: http://www.cf.ac.uk/socsi/undergraduate/introsoc/weber11Read MoreInternal Organizational Politics1267 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican to French or German organizations. Explain the concept of equifinality by using two Internet references. 11. Organizations have been defined as â€Å"systems of power.† Explain what this means. 12. Define where leaders get their power and how they keep it or lose it when there are shifts in power. 13. Discuss Weber’s Typology of Authority. Go online to this site in order to compare and contrast Webers three power sources against others ideas: http://www.cf.ac.uk/socsi/undergraduate/introsoc/weber11Read MoreLeaders And Their Organizational Influence1577 Words   |  7 Pages(2014), leadership styles refer to the frameworks that describe the main ways people lead. It is in a person’s best interest to study these leadership styles and use this knowledge to develop their own style of leadership. There are five main types of leadership styles and leaders tend to fall into one of them. This paper will look at three different leadership styles and famous leaders who are known for those leadership styles. This paper will also compare and contrast these three leadership stylesRead MoreLeadership Skills Of Jean Watson And Michelle Obama1458 Words   |  6 Pages The Leadership Skills of Jean Watson and Michelle Obama Oluwatoyin Adekonye Georgia State University â€Æ' The Leadership Skills of Jean Watson and Michelle Obama This paper will talk about the leadership philosophy of two female leaders Jean Watson and Michelle Obama, and how their leadership skills have impacted many lives. The purpose of this paper is to discuss what it means to be a leader, types, and characteristics of a leader, why it is important to have an effective leader, qualitiesRead MoreEssay on Management and Academic Integrity Policy1498 Words   |  6 Pagesin the Learner portal. Main Task: Compare Two Chapters, Adhering to the Northcentral Academic Integrity Policy For this activity, read the two chapters listed in the Activity Resource section (Krames,J. A. (2003) Chapters 2 5). Each chapter relates to a successful, innovative business professional. You will be asked to discuss their journeys as practitioners and their contributions. Prepare a brief, 2-3 page paper in which you compare and contrast the two chapters. Address the following in your

Monday, December 9, 2019

Furniture Manufacturing and Retailing Company-Financial Accounting

Question: Discuss about the case study Financial Accounting for Furniture Manufacturing and Retailing Company. Answer: Introduction In this given assignment, the analysis of the financial standings of a company listed in Australian Stock exchange will be made on the basis of profitability and liquidity analysis. In this process various ratios, which reflect the profitability and liquidity aspects of a company, will be calculated and analyzed (Collier 2016). Based on which future prospects of the company will be determined and recommendation will be given whether to purchase shares of the company or not. Company Background Company that has been selected for the purpose of analysis in this assignment is Fantastic Holdings Ltd. It is an Australian based company whose share is listed on Australian Stock Exchange (ASE) (Fantasticholdings.com.au 2016). It is engaged in manufacturing, retail and household furniture. It commenced its operation in the year 1989 and had shown a good growth rate since then and presently it is the third largest retailer of furniture in terms of revenue. Discussion Overview of the recent stock price movements for the company In order to overview and analyze the recent stock price movements for the firm Fantastic Holdings Ltd, the close value of the stocks of the particular firm for the period 1st January 2016 to 1st July 2016 has been considered. According to the chart of historical stock prices, it can be said that the stock price was AUD 1.94 in January 2016 that increased to AUD 2.14 in February 2016. However, it decreased to AUD 1.90 in May 2016 but ultimately it has increased to AUD 2.32 in July 2016. This indicates that the stock price movement of the firm Fantastic Holdings Ltd is volatile due to major shareholder selling, research notes, faulty numbers and future guidance. Financial Analysis In this section, the financial position of the company will be analysed based on the data and information available from the income statement and balance sheet of the company available from the various websites and annual report of the company (Connolly, Hyndman and McConville 2013). Fantastic Holding Limited AUD million INCOME STATEMENT 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Revenue 438 446 445 448 497 Less: Cost of goods sold 213 214 236 224 275 Gross profit 225 232 209 224 222 Less: operating Expenses 199 204 194 223 206 Operating Profit 26 28 15 1 16 Add: Other Income 3 4 3 8 4 Less: Other Expenses 0 0 0 0 0 Earnings before interest and taxes 29 32 18 9 20 Less: Interest 1 1 1 0 0 Earnings before taxes 28 31 17 9 20 Less: Provision for tax 8 9 4 3 6 Earnings after tax / Net profit 20 22 13 6 14 weighted average number of shares 103 103 103 103 103 BALANCE SHEET 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Asset Current asset 98 101 100 112 134 Receivable 9 10 7 9 5 Other Current Asset 89 91 93 103 129 Non Current Asset 70 78 84 70 53 Total Asset (a) 168 179 184 182 187 Liability and shareholders fund Current liability 50 58 50 51 69 Non Current Liability 17 12 27 24 8 Long term Debt 11 6 22 15 0 Other Non Current Liability 6 6 5 9 8 Total liability (b) 67 70 77 75 77 Equity / Net worth (a-b) 101 109 107 107 110 RATIO ANALYSIS 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Profitability Ratio Net margin (Net profit/Turnover*100) 4.57% 4.93% 2.92% 1.34% 2.82% Return on asset (Net profit/Total asset*100) 11.90% 12.29% 7.07% 3.30% 7.49% Return on Equity (Net profit/Equity*100) 19.80% 20.18% 12.15% 5.61% 12.73% Earnings per share (EPS) (Net profit/Number of shares) 0.19 0.21 0.13 0.06 0.14 Liquidity Ratio Current Ratio (Current Asset/Current Liability) 1.96 1.74 2.00 2.20 1.94 Capital Structure Debt Equity ratio (Long term debt/Equity) 0.11 0.06 0.21 0.14 0.00 Activity Ratio Receivable turnover (Turnover/Account Receivable) 48.67 44.60 63.57 49.78 99.40 Asset Turnover (Turnover/Total Asset) 2.61 2.49 2.42 2.46 2.66 (Source: Fantasticholdings.com.au 2016) Variance Analysis of Ratios 2012 2013 2014 2015 Profitability Ratio Net margin 0.37% 2.01% 1.58% 1.48% Return on asset (ROA) 0.39% 5.23% 3.77% 4.19% Return on Equity (ROE) 0.38% 8.03% 6.54% 7.12% Earnings per share (EPS) 0.02 -0.09 -0.07 0.08 Liquidity Ratio Current Ratio -0.22 0.26 0.20 -0.25 Debt Equity ratio -0.05 0.15 -0.07 -0.14 Activity Ratio Receivable turnover -4.07 18.97 -13.79 49.62 Asset Turnover -0.12 -0.07 0.04 0.20 (Source: Created by author) The above table of variance analysis of ratios indicates that the net margin of the organization Fantastic Holdings Ltd increases in the year 2013 by 2.01 % than 0.37 % in the year 2012. However, it has been found that it has constantly decreased for two consecutive years 2014 and 2015 to 1.58 % and 1.48 % respectively (Fantasticholdings.com.au 2016). The values of the return on assets of the particular organization indicate that the variance is volatile as it increased from 0.39 % in 2012 to 5.23 % in the year 2013 and it has been found that it has again reduced to 3.77 %. But finally it increases to 4.19 % in the year 2015. This implies the volatility of the return on assets ratio. Similarly, it has been found that the return on equity ratio is also highly volatile as it increased to 8.03 % in the year 2013 from 0.38 % in the year 2012 and then it reduced to 6.54 % in 2014 (Fantasticholdings.com.au 2016). Finally, it has been found that the variance of the particular ratio has incr eased to 7.12 % in the year 2015. In addition to this, the earnings per share has also been found to be much volatile as it was 0.02 in the year 2012, then it decreased to a larger extent that resulted into negative values like -0.09 in the year 2013 and -0.07 in the year 2014. However, ultimately, the variance of the earnings per share has increased to 0.08. The variance of the current ratio of the organization Fantastic Holdings Ltd is also much volatile. Thus, it increased from -0.22 in the year 2012 to 0.26 in 2013 and then it decreased consecutively for two years 2014 and 2015 to 0.20 and -0.25 respectively (Elshahat, Freedman and Elshahat 2015). Similarly, from the above calculated table, it can be said that the variable of other ratios like receivable turnover ratio also has high volatility. Though close analysis indicates that debt equity ratio increased to 0.15 in 2013 from -0.05 in 2012 and finally it decreased constantly for two consecutive years 2014 and 2015 to -0.07 an d -0.14 respectively. Finally, it can be said that variance of the asset turnover ratio constantly increased for all the years 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 from -0.12 to -0.07 to 0.04 and ultimately to 0.20 respectively (Elshahat, Freedman and Elshahat 2015). All these indicate that the variances of most of the ratios of the organization Fantastic Holdings Ltd are highly volatile. Narrative interpretation In this section, analysis and evaluation of the of income statement, balance sheet and ratios will be done. Income Statement From the above five years, income statement it can be said that revenue of Fantastic Holdings Ltd. has shown a steady growth in the last five years. Thus, it has been able to capture a good market share (Elshahat, Freedman and Elshahat 2015). However, it has drastically increased by AUD 49 m in the year 2015 which is a very good sign from the view point of Fantastic Holdings Ltd. COGS has also increased drastically which has resulted in lowering the gross profit from AUD 225 m in the year 2011 to AUD 222 m in the year 2015 (Feng et al. 2014). Operating expenses of Fantastic Holdings Ltd. has been stable within the range of AUD 199 m to AUD 206 m during the year 2011 to 2015. However, it has shown an increasing trend as Earning after tax (EAT) and Earning before tax (EBT) have decreased during the five years span i.e. definitely a worrying factor for the management of Fantastic Holdings Ltd (Harper 2016). Balance Sheet From the analysis of five years Balance Sheet of Fantastic Holdings Ltd., it can be said that its current asset has increased from AUD 98 m in the year 2011 to AUD 134 in the year 2015 (fantasticholdings.com.au 2016). This is due to other current asset as its receivable has decreased from AUD 9 m in the year 2011 to AUD 5 m in the year 2015. Its non current asset has also decreased during the this five year from AUD 70 m to AUD 53 m, which indicates that it has not purchased much fixed asset during past five years. Its current liability has also shown an increasing trend in the past five years from AUD 50 m to AUD 69 m, which needs to control as its current asset has decreased during this five years otherwise liquidity may become a big issue for the management of Fantastic Holdings Ltd (Hoskin, Fizzell and Cherry 2014). Ratio Analysis In order to analyze the profitability aspects of Fantastic Holdings Ltd. net profit margin, ROA, ROE and EPS has been used. Net margin has fluctuated during the past five years. However, it has decreased from 4.57 % to 2.82 %, which must be a worrying factor the management of Fantastic Holdings Ltd. and they should try to improve it in near future otherwise it will be difficult for them to carry on business (Jawadi, Jawadi and Louhichi 2014). It can be seen that profit has decreased in 2014 then it has increased in the year 2015, which is a positive factor. ROI implies that whether a company is effectively using its shareholders fund in generating profit or not. It has also followed the same trend as net margin i.e. it had decreased 19.80 % in the year 2011 to 5.61 % in the year 2014, again it has increased during the year 2015 to 12.73 % which implies that it might be due to some economic down turn of the whole industry during that period (Jawadi, Jawadi and Louhichi 2014). ROA has also followed the same trend as ROI, which has decreased from 11.90 % in the year 2011 to 3.30 % in the year 2014. Then it has again increased to 7.49 % in the year 2015, which indicates that Fantastic Holdings Ltd. has been able to turn around from the economic down turn (fantasticholdings.com.au 2016). EPS has decreased during from 0.19 in the year 2011 to 0.06 in the year 2012, and then it had again increased to 0.14 in the year 2015 which is very good sign for Fantastic Holdings Ltd. since EPS indicates the profit earning capacity of each year (Jawadi, Jawadi and Louhichi 2014). In order to analyze the liquidity position of the company current ratio has been taken into account. Current ratio of the company is currently 1.94 for the year 2015 and has been within the range of 1.94 to 1.96 in the past five years, which indicates that as regards to solvency it is in a better position since it is greater than one (fantasticholdings.com.au 2016). The capital structure of Fantastic Holdings Ltd is analyzed with the help of debt equity ratio, which has increased in the year 2013 due to some major debt infusion (fantasticholdings.com.au 2016). However, it has been repaid in the year 2014 and 2015 so it has came down to 0 in the year 2015 which means that currently Fantastic Holdings Ltd have no debt funding. Its only source of finance is equity. The market value of Fantastic Holdings Ltd has been analyzed with the help of Price-earnings ratio (P/E ratio) that indicates the market value of the particular firm has decreased from 0.007 in the year 2011 to 0.006 in the year 2012 (fantasticholdings.com.au 2016). However, it has increased to 0.007 in the year 2013 and it has further increased to 0.01 in the year 2014. Nevertheless, it has again decreased to 0.007 in the year 2015. This indicates that the market value of the firm Fantastic Holdings Ltd is highly volatile as the earnings before interest and taxes of the firm is also volatile (fantasticholdings.com.au 2016). Efficiency of the company is measured through the help of Receivable turnover and Asset turnover. Receivable turnover implies the efficiency of the company in collecting its dues from the creditors. It has increased from 48.67 in the year 2011 to 99.40 in the year 2015, which means that Fantastic Holdings Ltd has a good customer base that can pay their due in very short time (Fantasticholdings.com.au 2016). Whereas asset turnover ratio of the company has been within the range of 2.61 to 2.66 during the past five years, which implies that Fantastic Holdings Ltd have been able to effectively used its asset to generate profit at a constant rate. The debt ratio of the firm Fantastic Holdings Ltd has been calculated, which indicates that the debt ratio of the particular firm was 0.399 in the year 2011 but it increased constantly to 0.412 in the year 2015 (Fantasticholdings.com.au 2016). This implies that the total liabilities of the firm Fantastic Holdings Ltd has increased with the passage of time and the total assets of the firm have decreased. Therefore, it can be said from the above analysis that the financial condition of the particular firm is weak. The interest coverage ratio of the firm Fantastic Holdings Ltd has been calculated for five years. This indicates that the EBIT of the firm has decreased with the passage of time and the interest expenses of the firm have also been decreased with time. It has been found that the interest expense of Fantastic Holdings Ltd has been reduced to zero in the years 2014 and 2015 (Fantasticholdings.com.au 2016). Thus, the interest coverage ratio has become zero in both the years 2014 and 2015. As the financial ratios are limited to the organization Fantastic Holdings Ltd, it can be used further in order to compare the values of these ratios to any other businesses in the same industry (Fantasticholdings.com.au 2016). In addition to this, for comparing the financial ratios, the value of the ratios of a firm can be compared with the industry standards. This helps to understand the position of a company in the overall industry. On the contrary, by comparing the ratio values of one firm with another helps an individual to understand the financial condition of the particular firm (Biz.yahoo.com 2016). It also helps to understand the competitive advantage that can be earned by the specified firm. The financial position of the firm can also be detected by comparing the ratio values of a particular organization with other organizations of similar industry and also by comparing the calculated values with the industrial standard. It has been found that the industry standard of the current ratio is 1.5 (Biz.yahoo.com 2016). The current ratios of the firm Fantastic Holdings Ltd for all the 5 years are more than the industrial standard. This indicates that the particular company is running well and it has a better financial position in the market. On the other hand, it has been found that the value of the debt equity ratio of the firm Fantastic Holdings Ltd for the years 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 are lesser than the industrial standard average value i.e. 1.5 (Biz.yahoo.com 2016). This indicates that the financial position of the firm is relatively stronger as the debt to equity ratio decreased with time. This also implies that the liabilities or debt of the firm have been reduced with the passage of time indicating a positive aspect for the organization Fantastic Holdings Ltd. It has been noted that the industrial standard average of the receivable turnover is 31.04 days (Biz.yahoo.com 2016). However, it h as been found that the receivable turnover ratio for the organization Fantastic Holdings Ltd for all the five years i.e. 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 are more than the industrial standard average. This indicates the inefficiency of the firm Fantastic Holdings Ltd as with the increase in the duration of time or numbers of days, the particular ratio implies that the firm takes more time to turnover its receivables. This can be improved by decreasing the turnover and by increasing the account receivables. On the other hand, the industrial standard average of asset turnover ratio is 2.00 (Biz.yahoo.com 2016). It has been found that the values of asset turnover ratio of the organization Fantastic Holdings Ltd for all the five years are in line with the standard average value or it can be said that it is slightly higher than the standard average. The price earnings ratio has an industrial standard average of 12 15 % i.e. 0.12 0.15 (Biz.yahoo.com 2016). For the organization Fantastic Holdings Ltd it has been found that the values of price earnings ratios for all the five years are around 0.007 0.006. This implies that the firm has a healthy financial position in the present competitive market. It has been found that the industrial standard average of the debt ratio is 0.47 (Biz.yahoo.com, 2016). It has been found that all the ratio values of the organization Fantastic Holdings Ltd for 5 years i.e. 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 are in line with the industrial standard. Thus, it can be said that the particular organization has a strong financial condition. Limitation of ratio analysis Data available for the income statement does not always reflect the clear position of the company (Biz.yahoo.com 2016). Value of asset and liabilities in the balance sheet is at either book value or carrying amount whereas market value of the asset may be different which tends to give misleading results. The ratios are based on the past data available from balance sheet and income statement so they are unable to show the future prospect of the company. Ratio analysis is based on various assumptions, which may vary from company to company (Jawadi, Jawadi and Louhichi 2014). Dividend Growth rate Model In this section, the intrinsic value of shares is calculated assuming a standard dividend growth rate of 4 % and required rate of return of 9 %. Based on which is will be decided whether the shares are trading rich or cheap (Biz.yahoo.com 2016). P0 = D1 / (Re-g) Where, P0 = Current market price or intrinsic value D1 = D0 + g Re = Required rate of return or cost of capital g = Growth rate of dividend Dividend per share (DPS) for the year 2015 is AUD 0.13. Therefore, D0 0.13 D1 0.1352 (Source: Fantasticholdings.com.au 2016) Intrinsic Value 2.704 (Source: Created by author) However, the current market price of the share is 2.27, which implies that the share of Fantastic Holdings Ltd is trading cheap and investor should purchase it (Lazzati and Menichini 2015). Conclusion and Recommendation From the above analysis, it can be said that the Fantastic Holdings Ltd has shown adown turn during the period 2011 to 2014 but it has been able to turn around in the year 2015, which is a very good sign for the management as well as the shareholders of the company. It has been found that from the analysis of the of dividend discount model that the market price of the share is lower than its intrinsic value that means it is currently trading cheap. Therefore, it is advised that investors should purchase the shares of Fantastic Holdings Ltd. References Biz.yahoo.com. 2016.Industry Index By Sector: Industry Center - Yahoo Finance. [online] Available at: https://biz.yahoo.com/ic/ind_index.html [Accessed 15 Jul. 2016]. Collier, P., 2016. Accounting For Managers Interpreting Accounting Information For Decision Making 0470845023. Connolly, C., Hyndman, N. and McConville, D., 2013. Conversion ratios, efficiency and obfuscation: a study of the impact of changed UK charity accounting requirements on external stakeholders.Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations,24(3), pp.785-804. Elshahat, I., Freedman, M. and Elshahat, A., 2015. Are index measures better than individual measures in assessing the association between environmental and financial performance? A multivariate analysis study.International Journal of Critical Accounting,7(2), pp.191-212. Fantasticholdings.com.au. 2016.Fantastic Holdings Limited - Home. [online] Available at: https://www.fantasticholdings.com.au [Accessed 14 Jul. 2016]. Fantasticholdings.com.au. 2016.fantasticholdings.com.au. [online] Available at: https://www.fantasticholdings.com.au/media/122945/fan%20annual%20report%202015.pdf [Accessed 14 Jul. 2016]. Fantasticholdings.com.au. 2016.fantasticholdings.com.au. [online] Available at: https://www.fantasticholdings.com.au/media/122561/annual%20report_fy2014_lr.pdf [Accessed 14 Jul. 2016]. Fantasticholdings.com.au. 2016.fantasticholdings.com.au. [online] Available at: https://www.fantasticholdings.com.au/media/118003/annual%20report%20fy13%20final_lr.pdf [Accessed 14 Jul. 2016]. Fantasticholdings.com.au. 2016.fantasticholdings.com.au. [online] Available at: https://www.fantasticholdings.com.au/media/88718/updated%20annual%20report.pdf [Accessed 14 Jul. 2016]. Feng, M., Li, C., McVay, S.E. and Skaife, H., 2014. Does ineffective internal control over financial reporting affect a firm's operations? Evidence from firms' inventory management.The Accounting Review,90(2), pp.529-557. Harper, D., 2016. Accounting Financial Statements Analysis. Healy, P.M. and Palepu, K.G., 2012.Business Analysis Valuation: Using Financial Statements. Cengage Learning. Hoskin, R.E., Fizzell, M.R. and Cherry, D.C., 2014.Financial accounting: a user perspective. Wiley Global Education. Jawadi, F., Jawadi, N. and Louhichi, W., 2014. Conventional and Islamic stock price performance: An empirical investigation.International Economics,137, pp.73-87. Lazzati, N. and Menichini, A.A., 2015. A dynamic approach to the dividend discount model.Review of Pacific Basin Financial Markets and Policies,18(03), p.1550018.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Alfred Hitchcock Essay Example

Alfred Hitchcock Essay Alfred Hitchcock (13 August 1899 29 April 1980) is perhaps one of the most renowned and innovative film directors in the history of cinema, with an incredible film-making career spanning over half a century and dozens of award- winning films. He specialized in the psychological thriller genre, creating famous hit films such as Psycho (1960), North by North-west (1958) and Vertigo (1959) and revolutionized many cinematic techniques such as camera angles, lighting and sound which he used extensively in his films to successfully create a variety of moods and atmospheres in scenes and to manipulate the audiences feelings and emotions from fear, shock and suspense.Psycho was based on the novel written by Robert Bloch, and is probably one of the most recognisable and famous films made by Hitchcock. Released in 1960, it initially received mixed reviews from film critics, but soon it became a massive hit at the box office and thousands of people around queued up at movie theatres to watch t he film. Later, many critics considered it Hitchcocks best film and praised Psycho as a masterpiece of cinematic art. Despite all these good reviews, the film caused a lot of controversy because it contained quite explicit gore and sex references, things that have rarely shown so strongly on American films as in Psycho .For example, there is a scene where a shadowy figure brutally stabs a woman while she is showering, and an embalmed corpse is shown during the end. Although these scenes are nothing compared to the brutal and overwhelmingly gruesome horror films of today, Hitchcock still struggled to get his whole film released due to censors efforts to delete several explicit shots in the movie. Psycho was known as the mother of all horror films and Hitchcock basically formed the whole archetypical basis for most horror and thriller films that were released after it.Shot in stark black and white, the film Psycho portrays young secretary Marion Crane as she successfully steals $ 40,0 00 from her employer and leaving her town of Phoenix in Arizona, intending to get married. However, as Marion escapes, she drives through a heavy rainstorm at night and accidentally drives off the highway, driving along an unlit road and turning up at the eerie, seemingly deserted Bates Motel, in the middle of nowhere. However the motel owner Norman Bate hurries out and helps her inside with her bags while the rain pours around them.After Marion has settled into her cabin, Norman Bates innocently invites her to have dinner with him in the massive, eerie house that overlooks the motel, however after he has a loud and furious argument with his invalid mother up in the second floor of the house, he brings the dinner down to the motel and suggests to Marion they have it in the parlour. The parlour scene is the scene prior to the famous, celebrated shower scene, and Hitchcock is very successful in this scene in using his technical mastery of camera angles, lighting and clever imagery to foretell the future events of the film. The scene begins when Norman walks into the darkened parlour and switches the light on, illuminating the room .The parlour, where the scene takes place, is a very interesting room which reveals a lot about Normans personality. It is decorated with stuffed birds of prey, like owls and large ravens, hanging from the walls and ceilings .The camera pans to each one, finally showing Marions uncomfortable expression with eating in a room full of stuffed birds. The two characters sit on the opposite ends of the room, both facing each other; however the camera never shows both of them in the same shot for most of the duration of the scene. In the scene Hitchcock makes clever use of camera angles and the position of the actors in the camera shots to subtly show to the audience the emotions of the two characters and who has power in the conversation .He also uses lighting to show the personalities of the two next to where Marion is seated there is a br ight light so there is almost no shadows on her , however, Norman is sitting in the dark side of the room, and most of the time half of his face is shrouded in shadow, something that cleverly shows his dual or split personality that is revealed and explained later in the movie.Marion starts eating her dinner, while Norman never touches his. Instead he watches her intently, sitting upright as she nibbles her sandwich, looking frightened as well as very interested. He remarks to her You eat like a bird which she replies to Youd know, of course as she looks around the room at the large stuffed birds, staring at her form the ceiling. They have a noticeably uncomfortable conversation about his strange hobby (taxidermy) which fills the time, not pass it and the audience notices his lack of friends. For most of the start of the conversation, the camera switches smoothly between Marion and Norman as they talk, and the camera angles are ordinary, shot at neither a low or high angle shot. Ho wever, as they start to talk about Normans mother and his furious argument with her, Norman is strangely shot in a very low angle- shot, that is cleverly framed to include the huge stuffed owl that hangs from the ceiling above his head, causing the audience to think of Norman as some kind of predator.His face is also half-shrouded with shadow. This change subtly shows that Norman has gained the power in the conversation. Despite this, his voice is still quiet. Suddenly, as Marion delicately suggests that Normans mother should be put someplace else in other words, an institution, the mood and the atmosphere of the room goes cold and foreboding, and the camera switches to Norman using a close-up shot of his face as he slowly leans in towards Marion, showing his angry face. Deep violins and cellos play slowly and ominously in the background, showing the seriousness of the conversation but not too loud as not to obscure Normans words. The camera quickly switches to Marion a few times, f raming her perfectly with a high-angle shot to show her powerlessness. The music rises with Normans simmering anger, and he furiously scorns Marions suggestions, but then leans backs against his chair and the music quietens with his anger, suddenly he is back to his friendly, affable personality. Now that the audience know the Norman is trapped in a situation where he has to care for his ill mother or let her die, they sympathize with him more.Afterwards, Marion decides to leave and thanks Norman for the dinner. While doing so, she stands up and talks a bit more, and the camera frames her with a low-angle shot- while showing Norman, who is still seated, in a very high-angle shot; this shows that Marion has regained power and to make the audience to think of Norman as less of a threat to Marion than before. However, before she leaves the room, Norman quickly asks Marion her name, and she accidentally replies with her real name (Marion Crane), not the name she signed in the motel ledg er (Marie Samuelson). The audience wouldve realized by now that there could be a connection between Marions bird-related surname with the birds of prey that Norman Bates stuffs, which he calls his hobby, and if this is perhaps a glimpse of the fate of Marion Crane, however they cannot be too sure at this moment, as why would Hitchcock kill the main protagonist so early in the film?After Marion leaves the room, Norman stands up and starts chewing some gum. His mood and personality has changed dramatically; he is suddenly more relaxed and casual, contrasting with his nervous and edgy temperament that he had when Marion was in the parlour. Walking towards the counter and picking up the ledger, the audience notice how confident he has become, and wonder what the reason is. He opens the ledger and the camera shows a close-up of what hes reading- the fake name that Marion wrote on her arrival to the motel- and then switches back to his face, while he shows a slight smirk at the false name and location. Then, he slowly walks back into the dark shadowy parlour, his face and body covered in darkness, and stops before a wall, momentarily surrounded by large, sinister birds of prey. The audience can see that he is trying to listen to whats happening next door, and then removes a painting on the wall that separates the parlour from Cabin Room 1 where Marion is staying to reveal a small jagged peephole cut into the wall, a beam of bright light coming from it.Peering into the small hole, it is revealed to Norman that Marion is undressing to take her shower. Hitchcock uses a point-of-view shot with the camera to show to the audience exactly what he is seeing, and they feel uncomfortable to be put in a position where they can spy on Marion. Next, the camera switches to an extreme close-up of Normans face, filling the screen with just his unblinking eye, which is illuminated slightly due to the hole. The music that is played during the scene (sinister, high-pitched, violins an d cellos) is very effective as it adds to the mounting creepiness of Norman Bates. Norman puts the painting back , and gazes at nothing, as though he is thinking intently about Marion, a stony, evil expression on his shadowy face .The audience are very fearful at this point, as they think that Norman could now try to assault Marion or alert the police over her fake name, and as he walks resolutely out of the parlour while the music gets slightly faster and louder, but the audience relax, as Norman instead walks up the hill to the large, sinister house where his mother is, and walks inside, shutting the door after him. The camera uses a long shot when he does this, to suggest that Norman is no longer a threat as he is so far away, lulling the audience into a false sense of security. The audience are now itching to find out what happens, whether Marion would escape with her boyfriend or give up the money, and as they know that they watching a Alfred Hitchcock movie, they know that the re are probably many shocking twists that make his movies so exciting, but perhaps not as shocking as what happens next in the filmThe camera switches to the interior of Cabin Room 1 and shows Marion, who is now clothed in a bathroom robe, scribbling on a piece of paper before ripping it out and tearing it to pieces. She walks to the bathroom and flushes the pieces of paper down the toilet (shockingly, another ground-breaking moment- a toilet flushing had never been seen or heard on American films, which was to jolt audiences, but not nearly as much as her brutal murder) and takes off her robe, steps in the bathtub, closes the shower curtain and turns the shower on.This is the beginning of the famed shower scene, where Marion, what the audience think is the movies main heroine and protagonist gets violently and brutally killed off while shes having a shower in the motel bathroom, in an unexpected twist that shocked the audience. The scene is only 4 minutes long, with over 70 differe nt shots and many camera angles and it took 6 days to fully film it. Hitchcock paid enormous amounts of attention to details, and used cinematic techniques extensively such as camera angles, music and sound effects to create a truly horrific murder scene.As Marion is showering, one of the most noticeable features of the scene is the extreme crispness and loudness of the sounds that she makes, accentuating the lack of other noise around her. Furthermore, as she is showering, it looks like she is really enjoying herself, as though the shower , probably because she has decided to go back to Phoenix and the water is having a cleansing effect on her, cleaning all of her guilt. Next, the camera shows Marion from behind to show the shower curtain. The bathroom door is opened, and the audience can just about see a sinister, shadowy silhouette through the translucent shower curtain as he/she steps forwards towards the shower, although Marion is oblivious to her surroundings. By now, the audi ence would be screaming at the screen, telling Marion to look behind her, but the silhouette pulls across the curtain (the sound of this is amplified greatly to emphasize its abruptness) to reveal itself -an unidentifiable, shadowy figure brandishing a large and menacing knife, one of the most iconic images of the horror genre, and stabs Marion repeatedly as she struggles.The sequence of shots that follows are shot from many different angles and altogether there were more than 70 shots, and the shower scene is sometimes hailed and the well-edited scene in history. As the figure stabs Marion, the camera quickly switches from Marions horrified, screaming face to the shadowy figure and back again, shooting the two from many different angles. This emphasizes the extreme franticness and rapidness of the murder. Furthermore, it gives the impression that Marion is completely surrounded and cant escape. Also, the camera shows the murderers arm move in a stabbing motion many times, so that e ven though the audience never really see the knife stabbing her skin, they use their imagination to fill up the blanks. About forty-seconds of brutal violence later, the mysterious figure swiftly leaves the bathroom and the camera cleverly only shows the back of it to conceal his/her identity.Meanwhile, Marion is left in the bath, bleeding to death, and the camera shows her hand slowly sliding off the tiled wall, signifying her diminishing life. Also, as her body falls to the floor of the bathtub, there is a shot of Marions face, which is cunningly framed so she is not in the centre of the shot, but more to the right of it. This camera shot shows how Marion is not the main protagonist and heroine of the movie anymore. She falls forward with her hand on the shower curtain , breaking it and laying on the floor dead while the camera pans to the bathtub the where the water is washing away Marion s blood down the plughole.Music and sound effects are perhaps the most effective techniques used here. When the silhouette appears, one of the most iconic movie soundtracks in film history plays; a tumultuous and ear-piercing cacophony of short, high screeching notes played by violins cellos and other string instruments that greatly emphasize the franticness of the scene. It was music that made the audiences skin crawl and their hairs to stand on end. Alfred Hitchcock actually didnt want any music in the shower scene, but after he heard the score composed by Bernard Hermann, it influenced the scene a lot, greatly adding to the horror and tension. It gradually became higher and louder as the murder goes on, accentuating the heightening horror of the scene, but then goes very melancholy and slow as Marion is left to die in the bathroom, signifying the last few moments of her life. It stops altogether after she falls over and breaks the shower curtain, and the only sound left in the scene is the splash of water from the shower falling on the bathtub. Sound effects also added to the horror. For example, the sickening sound of the knife slashing through Marions skin is very audible; giving the audience impressions that the cuts are very deep (the sound was actually made by stabbing melons with a knife)By exposing the audience to forty-five seconds of nonstop violence without actually showing any gore or blood, Hitchcock leaves it up to our imagination. Imagination has no limits which is why the scene is timeless and just as shocking half a century later. The shock is not only the sudden bombardment of cuts but the fact that he killed off his leading lady. We looked through her eyes, listened to her thoughts and witnessed her actions only to see her naked body slashed to an ugly death. With more than an hour to go, anything is possible. Even though the film had a low budget, and the props used in the shower scene were quite crude and unsophisticated (although it was 1960, and special effects werent really used in films back then) Hitchcock uses his technic al mastery of cinematic techniques to make the shower scene and the whole movie one of the most famous in film history.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

8 Convenient Life Hacks for the Workplace

8 Convenient Life Hacks for the Workplace How do those people at work who always seem to have the right thing to say or do in any situation do it? How do people seem so confident and polished, when you always feel like you’re falling apart at the seams? Their tricks might be simpler than you think. It’s often the littlest things that make the biggest impact. Here are some convenient life hacks, pulled from real people who’ve used them in actual offices, to help you navigate your work life and come out on top.1. Dropbox your resumeEver been caught with your pants down and not had a copy of your resume when you really needed one? If you’re on the go, you can rest assured that you can email or print your resume directly from your phone if you use a service/app like Dropbox.2. Always type in the address lastYou’re writing an important professional email. You’re nervously wording everything perfectly. Make sure you don’t accidentally hit send before you’ve had a chance to lo ok it over. Make the address part the very last thing you type in. That way you always know you’re sending out a perfect, proofread product. No accidents! You can also set up (in Gmail based clients, anyway) a 5-10 second send delay, which gives you the chance to â€Å"undo† when you’ve sent too soon.3. Be the whiteboard heroSome numpty wrote on the office whiteboard in permanent marker? Rather than stare at whatever they wrote for the rest of your career, go over each mark with a normal whiteboard marker. Something magic happens between the two ink types that will make it possible to erase both together. For bonus points, charge admission to your magic trick.4. Take a chill pillIf you’re starting to feel overwhelmed and exhausted, even before you get to work, try building 2-5 minutes to yourself into your morning routine. Just sit with a cup of water, juice, or coffee and do nothing. Don’t even strategize about your day. Just be. You’ll fee l more rested and invigorated when you actually get back to your routine.5. Pay it forward–for yourselfWe’ve all had it happen: finish a job interview, walk outside, and realize immediately all the brilliant things you should have said. Write them down! Immediately and thoroughly. Then keep them for your next interview. 99.9% of it will be reusable, and very valuable. If you don’t get this job, you’ll have a great boost for the next.6. Hold your tongueIf we screw up, or we’re five minutes late, or we don’t have the document ready, it’s a knee-jerk reaction to preemptively apologize and offer up an explanation (read: excuse). Next time, hold on to it unless you’re asked for one. They might not have even noticed you were unprepared and the excuse will only serve to highlight what you did or didn’t do. Plus, nobody wants a reputation for making tons of excuses.7. Do the dirty deedOne way to distinguish yourself at work- and make yourself a hero- is to figure out the particular task or set of tasks that everyone else seems to avoid or hates to do, and do that. Well. Your niche in the office will be secure- even indispensable. And you’ll be the most popular employee around.8. Treat others how you would treat your bossSeriously. It is a little bit about popularity. Treat all of your coworkers, even your subordinates, as though they were the ones deciding about your raises and promotions and vacation requests. You never know who will make the difference in your career as it develops.â€Å"flair:’Careers Work

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Anchisaurus - Facts and Figures

Anchisaurus - Facts and Figures Name: Anchisaurus (Greek for near lizard); pronounced ANN-kih-SORE-us Habitat: Woodlands of eastern North America Historical Period: Early Jurassic (190 million years ago) Size and Weight: About six feet long and 75 pounds Diet: Plants Distinguishing Characteristics: Long, slim body; ridged teeth for shredding leaves About Anchisaurus Anchisaurus is one of those dinosaurs that was discovered ahead of its time. When this small plant-eater was first excavated (from a well in East Windsor, Connecticut, of all places) in 1818, no one knew quite what to make of it; the bones were initially identified as belonging to a human, until the discovery of a nearby tail put an and to that idea! It was only decades later, in 1885, that the famous American paleontologist Othniel C. Marsh conclusively identified Anchisaurus as a dinosaur, though its exact classification couldnt be pinned down until more was known in general about these long-extinct reptiles. And Anchisaurus was certainly strange compared to most dinosaurs discovered up to that time, a human-sized reptile with grasping hands, a bipedal posture, and a swollen belly populated by gastroliths (swallowed stones that aided in the digestion of tough vegetable matter). Today, most paleontologists consider Anchisaurus to have been a prosauropod, the family of svelte, occasionally bipedal plant-eaters of the late Triassic and early Jurassic periods that were distantly ancestral to the giant sauropods, like Brachiosaurus and Apatosaurus, that roamed the earth during the later Mesozoic Era. However, its also possible that Anchisaurus represented some kind of transitional form (a so-called basal sauropodomorph), or that prosauropods as a whole were omnivorous, since theres (inconclusive) evidence, based on the shape and arrangement of its teeth, that this dinosaur may occasionally have supplemented its diet with meat. Like many dinosaurs discovered in the early 19th century, Anchisaurus has gone through its fair share of name changes. The fossil specimen was originally named Megadactylus (giant finger) by Edward Hitchcock, then Amphisaurus by Othniel C. Marsh, until he discovered that this name was already preoccupied by another animal genus and settled instead on Anchisaurus (near lizard). Further complicating matters, the dinosaur we know as Ammosaurus may actually have been a species of Anchisaurus, and both of these names are probably synonymous with the now-discarded Yaleosaurus, named after Marshs alma mater. Finally, a sauropodomorph dinosaur discovered in South Africa in the early 19th century, Gyposaurus, may yet wind up being assigned to the Anchisaurus genus.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Essay on your name Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

On your name - Essay Example The hospital staff told my parents why they strongly believed that I should be named Victor. They told them the origin of the name. The name Victor is a Latin word meaning â€Å"one who conquerors† or â€Å"champion.† It is derived from the word â€Å"vincere† which means â€Å"to win.† The doctors also said that early Christians referenced â€Å"Victor† to Christ’s victory over sin and death and that there are numerous saints and three popes named Victor. One of the saints was Victor the Moor, a Christian martyr, born into a Christian family who became a soldier in the Roman Praetorian Guard. After he destroyed some pagan altars, he was arrested, tortured and killed. It was claimed that miracles occurred above his grave. A church was built above the supposed grave site. Many churches have been dedicated to him in the city and throughout the Diocese of Milan and its neighborhood. His memorial day is May 8th in the Roman Catholic Church and th e Evangelical Lutheran Church. One of the nurses stated that although I was not born on that day, yet my parents were granted a miracle and it was my determination to make it to this world that allowed that miracle to occur. Everything from the circumstances in which I was born to the name’s beautiful meaning went in favor of having me named

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Construction Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Construction Law - Case Study Example Partnering 1 means a relationship of open communication and close cooperation that involves both Government and Contractor personnel working together for the purpose of establishing a mutually beneficial, proactive, cooperative environment, alliances to contractual partnerships within which to achieve contract objectives and resolve issues and implementing actions as required. Partnering, as I define it, is the process of two or more entities coming together for the purpose of creating synergistic solutions to their mutual challenges. The Construction industry including both private and public sector clients, main contractors, consultants and specialists. The collective spend of the client members runs into billions of pounds and it constitutes the most influential pan-industry body in the construction industry. The building of a Partnering relationship is not straightforward and it is essential that sufficient time and resource is allocated in order to achieve the desired result. Effective relationships are the bedrock of Partnering and the Project culture needs to be one of full openness, honesty and trust in all dealings between the parties. .. The contract has been drafted as a purchase Order with separate Collaborate Construction terms. The former is only six pages long with additional appendices and is completed to fit the requirements of the particular project. In order to achieve a successful Partnering relationship all parties need to adopt a far greater degree of collaboration than would be found in conventional contracting. Partnering requires commitment throughout the business units and its suppliers and is not an easy option. Proactive attitudes and contributions will be required on Partnering from Project Initiation in order to obtain improved performance and shared benefits. The collaboration construction terms comprise some 18 pages and should not change, although some of the provisions may not apply, depending upon how the purchase Order has been completed. The contract is unique in that it can be used for the appointment of both consultants and contractors as a subcontract for appointment of sub consultants or subcontractors. There are already a growing body of evidence that lawyers are providing a different role from that of traditional 'legal technicians' and 'dispute adviser' in favour of movements towards 'assisting the delivery of successful projects'. Lawyers can genuinely 'add value' by explaining how a collaborative relationship can work within a supportive contraction framework. One simple step forward is for lawyers to at least explain the proposed form of construction contract (be it a partnering contract or otherwise) to the project team who will work under or in conjection with it. It is assumed that all parties fully understand what their legal obligations are and how their contract is indented to fit in with

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Analysis Of A Stakeholder Essay Example for Free

Analysis Of A Stakeholder Essay The Stakeholder in which I decided to research and write about is the AMA or to some it may be known as the American Medical Association. This association’s mission is to better public health and promote the art and science of medicine. The AMA was founded in 1847 by a man by the name of Nathan Smith Davis. The group has since invested in the doctor and patient relationship and has promoted scientific advancement as well as improved public health. Mr. Davis was the first editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association back in 1883 until 1888. The first code of medical ethics was adopted by the AMA delegates and they were the ones to establish the first nationwide standards for preliminary medical education as well as the degree of MD’s. This association has become the largest in American history. The AMA continues to serve as an advocate for the profession, physicians, and patients. The AMA focus on three core areas within health care: (1) Improving the outcome of health care, (2) Changing medical education, (3) and by making sure payment models are delivered efficiently as well as enhancing physician satisfaction. Members of the AMA say they plan on setting goals in order to reach these things. (www.ama-assn.org) By doing so they plan to initiate, identify share, and develop patient-physician decision making. Also when it comes to bettering the system the AMA states that they will: (1) Increase productivity, save lives and money, and improve outcomes and health by developing and practicing it’s delivery, (2) Diversify physician services so that it may reflect the levels as well as its service risk by adopting a good payment policy, (3) and allow physicians to select the models that fits the mode of their practices.(www.ama-assn.org) After reading and knowing what the AMA stood for and the mission in which they are striving to accomplish made me better understand how they connect with the health care field. Now since we all have a better understanding about the AMA I can focus on the Health Care Reform Act and describe the AMA’s position on it. Here are a few things in which the Health Care Reform Act states. Thirty-two million uninsured Americans will be extended medical coverage. In the year of 2014 small business will be allowed to purchase coverage through a separate exchange. If a child has a preexisting medical condition they will not be denied health insurance coverage. Also in the year of 2014 no health insurance company will be able to deny health coverage to anyone. Parents will be able to carry their children on their health insurance policy until the age of twenty-six. Even if illegal immigrants want/need health insurance coverage and they are willing to purchase it with their own money they will not be allowed to do so with any exchange. In 2009 expansion of insurance coverage was the most contentious issue and the AMA was the most visible organization that represented physicians and their views on this issue. The AMA opposed Medicare expansion and proposed coverage of the uninsured primarily through private means. Many AMA members were in disagreement about this but it seems as if the older physicians supported the AMA’s decision but the younger ones disagreed. Many physicians supported the proposals for health insurance expansion in which the AMA opposed. Even though the AMA is considered the most visible organization that represent physicians, it’s views did not represent the majority of the physicians views on coverage expansion in the most recent reform efforts. The AMA felt as if the reform act did introduce and promise some priority goals which were: (1) extend coverage to uninsured, (2) investing in physician’s workforce, (3) proving long term relief from Medicare flawed physician payment formula, (4) focusing as well as increasing the nation’s preventive care and wellness initiatives, (5) and simplifying administrative burdens for patient and physicians. The AMA states that they will continue to work with Congress as well as Administration pushing for the best outcome for physicians as well as patients. (www.ama-assn.org) They also will continue to eliminate the IPAB (Independent Payment Advisory Board), replace the SGR (Sustainable Growth Rate), and Enact the MLR (Medical Liability Reform). With this being said overall it will take time but the AMA states that it will continue to stand strong and firm about its mission as well as its goals in which they are try to reach for its physicians and the patients.(www.acep.org) Even though the disagreed about certain proposals they will continue to fight. References www.acep.org www.ama-assn.org www.nejm.org

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Lady of Shallot Essay -- Lady of Shalott Essays

The Lady of Shallot    "The Lady of Shallot," by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, acts as a voice for people struggling with materialism of the industrial age. Tennyson became famous for reflecting the "idealism of an industrious society that was nonetheless racked by deep doubts about its materialism" (The Longman Anthology Of British Literature p. 1908). The curse of the mysterious lady of the poem could be thought of   as the curse of the people subcombing to the dreaded materialism and giving up the Victorian innocent ideals. Furthermore, the lady represents Tennyson himself as he suffered from a personal battle between the desire for glamour's fame, and the need to stay an innocent poet. In Looking at the viewpoint of Tennyson towards Victorian tailed by an industrial society, we can both get a glance at the curse of the poet and the lady of his poem. Before Tennyson became rich and famous, the poet lived in desolation both financially and socially.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tennyson embodied the "Victorian gospel of hard work", as evidenced in the way he "labored patiently, in poverty, w...

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Capstone: Foster Care and Amp Essay

Abstract The project was designed to address high increase in homeless youth not transitioning into adulthood successfully. In fall 2011, a review of the literature confirmed the existence of high rates of homeless youth not transitioning into adulthood successfully. The literature attributed the problem to several causal factors of low income jobs, unemployment, and lack of formal education. There has not been a prototype project conducted within the literature. A need assessment survey of the target population and a data extraction tool was used to represent the target population indicated that new program would help in addressing this problem. A change project was designed at the beginning of the semester, and the objectives were to increase the knowledge of basic life skills by 10%. Evaluation findings showed that the new program increased the level of knowledge of basic skills and rate of youth returning to homelessness decreased by 10%. Table of Contents Chapter Page Number I. Introduction 5 II. Review of Literature 7 III. Needs Assessment 19 IV. Project Implementation 38 V. Project Evaluation 44 VI. Institutionalization and Stabilization 51 VII. Integration of Relevant Concepts 52 VIII. References 53 IX. Appendices 59 Chapter I: Introduction Background of the Problem Today, experiencing homelessness has nothing to do with a person’s intrinsic worth. Homelessness is a complex social issue with many variables. Unfortunately, for those experiencing homelessness, the impact of the values of the 1640s are still pervasive. In America many still hold to this tenet, that one only needs to pick themselves up by their bootstraps and into the pursuit of the American dream and for those who cannot, they deserve to be destitute for they bring no ‘added value’ to society (Thompson, Bender, Windsor, Cook, & Williams, 2010). Homelessness means not having a home, living in a place not intended for habitation, or unstably housed. Homelessness in the United States is primarily addressed by providing emergency and transitional shelter facilities that do not directly address the cause of homelessness (Culhane & Metraux, 2008). The Industrial Revolution starting in the 1820s-‘30s people began migrating from the farm to the city in search of j obs. Philadelphia and New York had many people walking the streets causing the country’s first pan-handling ordinances. City jails became de facto shelter systems. Poor safety regulation caused a lot of physical disability and death. Those disabled and widows, many with dependent children had no means to provide for themselves and nowhere to turn. The 1850s brought the first documented cases of homeless youth, many of whom were kicked out of their homes because their providers could no longer afford to raise them (Thompson, Bender, Windsor, Cook & Williams, 2010). Systemic issues have been established over time. People living in generational poverty do not have the resources and support to become educated and move out of poverty. Racial divides still occur in the areas of healthcare, education, access to mortgages, access to equal paying jobs among many others (Thompson, Bender, Windsor, Cook & Williams, 2010). There has been an increase in homelessness among African American male and female adolescents in the City of Philadelphia. In doing this research, the purpose was to address homeless youth transitioning into adulthood globally and locally. In looking at homelessness globally and locally, there are many causes, contributing factors, and possible interventions to decrease homelessness not only in America, but in the world. Youth who are homeless are in the situation for many reasons that do not attribute to their own doing. Homeless youth transitioning into adulthood have a difficult task, when one doesn’t have or wasn’t taught the skills to do so in society. In Philadelphia, youth that age out of foster care placement at age 18 are left to go to emergency shelters, house hop between family members, or resort to life on the streets. The range of the housing problems among adolescents who have left foster care may be underestimated as 12% to 14% of young people experience homelessness within a few years after they leave the system (Fowler, Toro, & Miles, 2009). The need for housing placement, education, and employment are services that homeless youth lack in their lives (Fowler, Toro, & Miles, 2009). ). The research states some causes and contributing factors range from familial abuse, conflict, or neglect, mental health issues, sexual orientations, lack of education, lack of employment, lack of affordable housing, and housing programs ending at 21 years of age. Homeless youth have trouble with completing school due to the lack of adequate housing. In addition, due to the lack of housing these youth limit their opportunities for gainful employment. In doing this research, the focus is on ways to prevent or decrease homelessness in youth who are aging out of foster care or aging out of housing programs at 21. The information given by the research will provide a frame of reference of the causes and solutions to homelessness. Throughout the study, the results will determine if the research has covered all causes, possible solutions, and limita tions to those solutions in dealing with this issue of homelessness. Chapter II: Review of Literature Homeless has been the label given to adolescents that are discharged from foster care, too old for the group homes, or kicked out of parents homes placing blame on the youth. This literature review will address the problem, the causes, and the solution relating to Homeless Adolescence successful transition into Independence. This review will conceptualize the problem, considering various approaches and interventions that might decrease the levels of homeless youth in the United States. The information in this review will cover the years between 2007 and 2012. Authors with similar presentations will be compared and those with differing views will be contrasted. Overview Today, those experiencing homelessness has nothing to do with a person’s intrinsic worth. Homelessness is a complex social issue with many variables. Unfortunately, for those experiencing homelessness, the impact of the values of the 1640s are still pervasive. In America many still hold to this tenet, that one only needs to pick themselves up by their bootstraps and into the pursuit of the American dream and for those who cannot, they deserve to be destitute for they bring no ‘added value’ to society (Thompson, Bender, Windsor, Cook, & Williams, 2010). The Industrial Revolution starting in the 1820s-‘30s people began migrating from the farm to the city in search of jobs. Philadelphia and New York had many people walking the streets causing the country’s first pan-handling ordinances. City jails became de facto shelter systems. Poor safety regulation caused a lot of physical disability and death. Those disabled and widows, many with dependent children had no means to provide for themselves and nowhere to turn. The 1850s brought the first documented cases of homeless youth, many of whom were kicked out of their homes because their providers could no longer afford to raise them (Thompson, Bender, Windsor, Cook & Williams, 2010). Systemic issues have been established over time. People living in generational poverty do not have the resources and support to become educated and move out of poverty. Racial divides still occur in the areas of healthcare, education, access to mortgages, access to equal paying jobs among many others (Thompson, Bender, Windsor, Cook & Williams, 2010). One approach to combat homeless was in New York City. Shelters were used to house many homeless men, women and children on the streets. In 1979, Robert Hayes brought a lawsuit against a homeless man. Through this lawsuit, he cited Article XVII which declares that the aid, care, and support of the needy are a public concern and shall be provided by the state. This lawsuit provided homeless men with shelter if they had any psychical, mental, social issues (Jannson, 2009, p. 585). Another approach to solve the problem of homelessness is to increase affordable housing. According to Milburn, Rice, Rotheram-Brous, Mallet, Rosenthal, Batterham, and Duan, in Western developed nations, the normal developmental trajectory for adolescents has been well documented. From early to late adolescence, young people increasingly move toward independence and autonomy with the relationship and/or the relative influence of families, friends, and social institutions as socializing agents shifting over time. By early adolescence, the role of family has changed while the importance of peers and friends, as well as that of teachers and others in institutional settings, increases Scope of the Problem Homelessness means not having a home, living in a place not intended for habitation, or unstably housed. Homelessness in the United States is primarily addressed by providing emergency and transitional shelter facilities that do not directly address the cause of homelessness (Culhane&Metraux, 2008). Over one million youth are without a stable residence on a given night and more than 750,000 are of school age (Tierney, Gupton, &Hallett, 2008). Tierney, Gupton, and Hallett (2008) state a little over 5 percent of all youth in America who are under 18 will experience homelessness at some point before adulthood. Estimates indicate that approximately 1.7 million youth are homeless in the United States (Oliveira & Burke, 2009). However, according to Fowler, Toro, and Miles (2009), approximately 3.5 million American youth are homeless and the number does not seem to be decreasing despite growing initiatives to stem growing rates of homelessness. Fowler, Toro, and Miles (2009) state that fund s are available for those leaving foster care with help from Chaffee Foster Care program and the states, however the states opt not to do so and fail to provides services that prevent homelessness. Thompson, Bender, Windsor, Cook, and Williams (2010), state that homeless adolescents are some of this nation’s most vulnerable youth and estimates the numbers between 500,000 to 2 million youth homeless in the U.S. Homeless youth is a rapidly growing population in the U.S. Within the scope of homelessness is immense not only in its commonness but also in the terms of its impact on young people’s psychosocial functioning (Fowler, Toro, & Miles, 2009). Homeless youth find themselves lonely and lacking emotional support as they attempt to deal with life on the streets (Thompson, Bender, Windsor, Cook, & Williams, 2010).Homeless adolescents experience mental health symptoms ranging from anxiety, ADHD, and developmental delays (Thompson, Bender, Windsor, Cook, & Williams, 2010).Slesnick, Min, Bonomo, and Prestopnik (2008), reported that only 28% of street youth reported accessing medical services, 10% accessing substance abuse treatment and 9% accessing mental health servic es. Studies suggest that 39-70% of homeless young people abuse drugs and alcohol (Thrane, Chen, Johnson, &Whetbeck, 2008). The lack of transportation and knowledge of services creates a problem for homeless youth to access services. Youth who are homeless and gay, lesbian or bisexual are one of the most disenfranchised and marginalized groups in our society (Gangamma, Slesnick, Toivessi, &Serovich, 2007). In comparison of homeless sexual minority youth with homeless heterosexual youth, 53% of the homeless gay male youth reported at least one suicide attempt compared to 32% of the general homeless male youth (Walls, Potter, &Leeuwen, 2009). The range of the housing problems among adolescents who have left foster care may be underestimated as 12% to 14% of young people experience homelessness within a few years after they leave the system (Fowler, Toro, & Miles, 2009). The need for housing placement, education, and employment are services that homeless youth lack in their lives (Fowler, Toro, & Miles, 2009). Homelessness is not only urban problem because it is also experienced in rural areas. However, compared to urban areas it is seen as invisible. When dealing with rural homelessness the same obstacles are experienced as those confronting urban youth (Skott-Myhre, Raby, & Nikolaou, 2008). Nonetheless, homeless youth are seen as inferior to service providers, law enforcement, and society. Youth homelessness presents a particular challenge for several reasons, including the fact that there is very little definitive data on the population, as this group often doesn’t interact with standard homeless assistance programs or government agencies. Lopez and Allen state that adolescents in foster care experience complex health care needs and face multiple barriers in receiving the necessary and appropriate health care services. When the adolescent ages-out of foster care at 18 or 21 years-old they are expected to make a transition to independence with no financial resources, poor access to health care, few personal and family connections and little if any support from the foster care system. This places them at risk for poor physical and mental health status, poverty, unemployment, homelessness, and incarceration. No formalized system of transition planning has yet been established to meet the needs of adolescents before discharge from the foster care system. Homeless youth are significant and several causes are frequently presented in this research.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Computerized Inventory System Essay

Introduction Rationale Inventory systems are tracking systems that inform the amount of raw materials, supplies or final products have readily available. Updated each time you sell an item or use raw materials to create and to know what you available for the following day or week. This type of system allows ordering products in advance, so you have everything you need at all times. Man has come along his way in doing business transactions with each other. Inventory system put you a head in game. It helps you conduct business transactions with ease as you have to press a few keys. It liberates you from a countless paper works as computation of the day’s scale and keeping track of inventory done automatically. Technology has influenced and greatly simplified almost in every aspect of life today. It is amazing what technology has done to our society and how dependent we have on it. Having computers in the workplace has enabled the business to us more efficiently and has contributed in having an all around. As what we have observed in the Paper Mill they are using manual method in inventory in each item that can take time and effort. With these things, we, the researchers, hope that upon the completion of this â€Å"Proposed Computerization in Inventory System† will find it of company. Through the use of system, unnecessary loss of the time spent on the computation of payments will be minimized and greater customer’s satisfaction will be achieved. Background of the Study In 1984 Danao Paper Mill was down due to economic declined and  management of the Durano Company, that time they will produced 65 grams per meter of paper for cement packaging used only and during that time also it was loan to a certain bank sequestration follow for they have no longer pay the capital and interest. Therefore the bank make an auction, will things won’t be easy to acquire this plant due to reconsider it will take time to pass and win the bidding but later the bank grant and award the ownership to Mr. Frederick Ong. Then it was the rehabilitation in year 2000 till mid of 2002, from 2002 mid completion of the rehabilitation, will then to start paper mill operation are far enough due to lack of permits, secure of necessary permits would be lately approved by different government agencies and from 2002 to June 06, 2006 officially the paper mill start the operation for four years of procuring the permits to operate. Inventory is basically the total amount of goods and materials held in stock by a factory, store and other business. An inventory system is a process whereby a business keeps track of the goods and material it has available. In its simplest sense it can be done manually by a count at the end of each day. In this way it is possible to keep a record of the goods coming in to the business and goods being sold. The same case applies in Paper Mill Inc. and as a result, the inventory system becomes prone to human error and would be more time consuming and security is also being risked. Since manual inventory consumes a lot of time and is susceptible to errors, it would be helpful to build a system that will automate the transactions from acquisition of the product description to updating the inventory database. The automated inventory system will improve employees’ work efficiency by automating routinely and time consuming tasks such as the time spent in taking down product information. As a result, the time can be used in more productive activities. The accuracy of the current system will also be improved, since the automated inventory system would eliminate the need of constantly encoding length details of products by having an inventory database. Theoretical Framework The team proposed the Computerized Inventory System is the volitional break of the operative material flow; and thus deliberately composed stocks develop. Inventory System needs a storage that means a room, building or area to store the item. The in-pouring items are called storage input, the outpouring items are called storage output. Therefore inventory system contains all activities and considers all consequences, which are connected with the storage of items. On the one hand there is the mere technical and logistical aspect of inventory system, for example the storage layout. On the other hand there are general questions, which are related to the total stock of a company. One of the most important decisions is about the quantity of inventories. Therefore a lot of mathematical models have been developed, which are summarized under the concept of Inventory system within the scope of Operations Research. For the stock of a retail market the outflow is induced through customer sales and the replenishment is secured through orders. The stock disposal therefore consists of ordering the right quantity (lot size) at the right time. Less order produces less order costs; but for a higher level of order quantity the storage costs rise. The advantage of a great inventory is that there is a high level of service and most customer requirements can be fulfilled. Real (short term) inventory problems are those, who deal with order costs, storage costs and the service level. Problems of long term inventory system do not belong to this issue, because the order costs are considered global and not for each order. The situation is similar with intermediate storages. This storage is strongly bound to production and we cannot speak of a proper inventory problem. But the results of inventory system theory can be used for the disposal of intermediate storages. Conceptual Framework Handling stocks in every organization is an important issue in every  business. A well structured inventory system would give the organization proper control of their stocks. This study will be using the input-process-output diagram to come up with a computerized inventory system for Paper Mill Inc. Input The first variable is the current inventory system of PMI as provided based on interviews and observations by the researchers. It will include policies and procedures provided by the management currently implemented for purchasing, receiving, storage, issuing and reporting of inventory. Process After identifying the inputs, the current inventory system of PMI will be evaluated using the SWOT analysis. After the strengths and weaknesses of the current system are identified, the computerization of the current inventory system of PMI will follow. During this phase, management and accounting theories, concepts, and techniques will be followed to enhance the current system. Also, the organizational requirements of PMI will be taken into consideration for the enhancement. Before the final output, feedback from the management will be taken for comments and suggestions to be added for the final output. Output The output will be the result of the careful analysis and discussion of the researchers and the client’s management. The output will be a computerized inventory system for PMI to be recommended for the client. Fig. 1.4 Conceptual Frameworks Statement of the Problem General problem of the Paper Mill is the inefficiently rate of manually mandating a system or necessary manual inventory system is widely known due to the time consumed of manually recording of the transactions being done, security of data is at risk, and inaccuracy of data. The authors considered the problems encountered in using manual inventory system. Significance of the Study The system will provide the owner and the employees faster recording of transactions and counting of their supplies. It will also offer a much efficient and reliable system that can record their transactions digitally. Since they are using manually, the said system will help great to them. In business transaction, time is very important, having the traditional way of computing and recording would take time, and the purpose of this system is to lessen this time and spend it in much more important matters.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Free Essays on Oedipus As A Tragic Hero

Sophocles’ Oedipus is a perfect model of the human potential to achieve godlike greatness despite his tragic downfall. Before his fate is revealed, pride, impiety, and ignorance bring his own nemesis, yet because of the remarkable intelligence, courage, and leadership skills he displays in dealing with calamity Oedipus ultimately reveals how ones spirit can become godlike. Before the opening scene, Oedipus’s hubris and impiety have already led him toward self-destruction. He commits both patricide and regicide on the crossroads because of his lack of respect for those in power, and because he is very prideful. He sees â€Å"the old man †¦ coming up along his wheels†, but does not waver to let him by. Instead he ignorantly â€Å"kill[s] them all – every mothers son!† even despite of the oracles prophesy (621). Also, he impudently belittles the gods by claiming his intelligence alone freed the people from the sphinx â€Å"With no help from the b irds† (606). By contemptuously announcing, â€Å"You pray to the gods? Let me grant your prayers,† Oedipus implies he feels superlative to the Gods, which sets him up for doom (606). Because Oedipus tests his humanly powers he reaches the boundary between mankind and divine power, and it is at this point that the truth of fate brings his anagnorisis, and his hamartia is broken. Through his demonstration of superior intellect, bravery, and his unselfish sacrifice for his country Oedipus is the Greeks model for the greatness that humans can achieve. Because of his intellect Oedipus is rated â€Å"first of men† (600). He is the only one capable of solving the sphinx’s riddle to free the city of Thebes (600). He is also the first to derive a solution for the plague. Claiming that he â€Å"labor[ed] over many paths of thought,† he finally sends Creon to Delphi in search for cure. In discovering fate, and dealing with its truth Oedipus also illustrates pr ofound courageousness. His passionate concern ... Free Essays on Oedipus As A Tragic Hero Free Essays on Oedipus As A Tragic Hero Sophocles’ Oedipus is a perfect model of the human potential to achieve godlike greatness despite his tragic downfall. Before his fate is revealed, pride, impiety, and ignorance bring his own nemesis, yet because of the remarkable intelligence, courage, and leadership skills he displays in dealing with calamity Oedipus ultimately reveals how ones spirit can become godlike. Before the opening scene, Oedipus’s hubris and impiety have already led him toward self-destruction. He commits both patricide and regicide on the crossroads because of his lack of respect for those in power, and because he is very prideful. He sees â€Å"the old man †¦ coming up along his wheels†, but does not waver to let him by. Instead he ignorantly â€Å"kill[s] them all – every mothers son!† even despite of the oracles prophesy (621). Also, he impudently belittles the gods by claiming his intelligence alone freed the people from the sphinx â€Å"With no help from the b irds† (606). By contemptuously announcing, â€Å"You pray to the gods? Let me grant your prayers,† Oedipus implies he feels superlative to the Gods, which sets him up for doom (606). Because Oedipus tests his humanly powers he reaches the boundary between mankind and divine power, and it is at this point that the truth of fate brings his anagnorisis, and his hamartia is broken. Through his demonstration of superior intellect, bravery, and his unselfish sacrifice for his country Oedipus is the Greeks model for the greatness that humans can achieve. Because of his intellect Oedipus is rated â€Å"first of men† (600). He is the only one capable of solving the sphinx’s riddle to free the city of Thebes (600). He is also the first to derive a solution for the plague. Claiming that he â€Å"labor[ed] over many paths of thought,† he finally sends Creon to Delphi in search for cure. In discovering fate, and dealing with its truth Oedipus also illustrates pr ofound courageousness. His passionate concern ...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

A Review of Think Through Math

A Review of Think Through Math Think Through Math (TTM) is an interactive online mathematics program designed for students in grades 3-Algebra I. It was created in its current form in 2012 and was a spin-off of the popular Apangea Math program. The program provides users with both direct instruction and remediation. Think Through Math was developed to prepare students for the Common Core State Standards and the rigorous assessments associated with the standards.   Students are enrolled in a unique pathway based on their grade level. Students are also given an adaptive assessment that prescribes precursor activities designed to build skills needed to achieve grade-level proficiency. These activities are added to the pathway. Each lesson in a pathway is divided into six unique skill-building components including a pre-quiz, warm up, focus, guided learning, practice, and a post-quiz. Students who demonstrate proficiency on the pre-quiz for a particular subtopic are able to move ahead. Think Through Math is a revolutionary program for student learning. It combines a unique blend of adaptive assessment, skill building, student motivation, and individualized live instruction. The entire program is geared to enhance classroom learning by filling gaps that a particular student may have and prepares them to meet the rigor of the Common Core State Standards. Key Components Think Through Math makes it simple to add a single student or a whole class by uploading a data template. It has terrific reporting that makes it easy to monitor individual student or whole class progress. It also has a terrific and easy to use interface making it easy for teachers and students to monitor usage, check performance, compare accomplishments, and check goals. Think Through Math allows and encourages students to access the program at home after school and on weekends to maximize the impact of the program. Think Through Math allows teachers to send messages to directly to individual students through the messaging system. Students are only able to receive these messages. They cannot send or respond. Instructional With Diagnostic Components Think Through Math provides both direct instruction and intensive remediation within the same program. It places each student in a â€Å"pathway† containing skills needed to be successful at a particular grade level. It also provides students with an initial adaptive assessment which assigns precursor activities designed to remediate the skills needed to do the required grade level work. Think Through Math continuously monitors and adapts to the individual, adding new material, based on performance throughout the program. Think Through Math Is Motivational Think Through Math allows users to create and personalize their own unique avatar. It provides continuous contests across multiple categories for terrific prizes such as an iPod touch, gift cards, etc. It also allows teachers to set classroom goals for a pizza party or ice cream party. Students can then donate their points towards that goal, and when the class reaches the goal, the teacher will receive a gift card to help purchase the goodies for the party. Think Through Math allows students to donate their points to charity. $10,000 points $1.00. Charities that they can donate to include St. Jude’s Children Hospital, World Wildlife Fund, Make-A-Wish Foundation, The Boys and Girls Club of America, The Wounded Warrior Project, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center, and American Red Cross. The program provides users with incentives and rewards. Each time they complete an activity, they earn points. They can use their points to purchase new features for their avatar, donate points to a charity, or they can give points towards a goal their class is trying to achieve as discussed previously. Think Through Math provides users with badges for achieving goals or reaching for milestones within the program. There are four levels of badges including bronze (easiest), silver, gold, and diamond (hardest). Students can see both the badges they have earned and those they have not earned. They can then work towards earning badges they do not have. Think Through Math provides students will printable certificates each time they pass an individual topic. Think Through Math Is Comprehensive Think Through Math is Common Core aligned in content, process, and assessment that encourages critical thinking and problem-solving development. It provides students with access to a calculator, critical math formulas, and key mathematics vocabulary terms at any time within the program. Think Through Math has an audio tool available in both English and Spanish that allows questions and answer choices to be read to struggling readers or English Language Learners. Think Through Math gives students the opportunity to demonstrate mastery by taking a pre-quiz over a particular topic. A pre-quiz consists of eight questions. A student who demonstrates mastery on the pre-quiz will immediately move on to the next lesson. It provides students with a three question â€Å"Warm Up† activity designed to activate prior knowledge by reviewing the math skills you have already mastered, but that is essential to the new skill you will be learning. The program provides you with step by step illustrations and explanations for solving each problem no matter whether you get them correct or incorrect. Think Through Math provides students with a three question â€Å"Guided Learning† activity allowing you to work through the new math. It also provides students with multiple help features within the â€Å"Guided Learning† activity. This occurs through a learning coach. To receive help simply click on the learning coach at any time. If you have not answered the question, an explanation of the concept with visuals will pop up to help you. If you answer the questions incorrectly, an explanation of the concept will pop up. If you still do not understand, you may again click on your learning coach. A box will pop up asking you if you want to work with a teacher. Click â€Å"teacher† and you are able to connect to a live certified math teacher that will walk you through the process and answer any questions you have. If you have audio and a microphone, you can have a direct conversation with them. If you do not, then you can communicate with each other in a text chat. Think Through Math provides students with a ten question â€Å"Independent Practice† activity allowing them to practice what they learned and to use the feedback to understand the concept further. Think Through Math provides the student with an eight-question â€Å"Post-Quiz† activity allowing them to demonstrate their understanding of the new concept. Students are only given one attempt per question. If they fail, they will have to retake or remediate the concept. Key Reports An overview report allows you to monitor how many lessons each student has attempted and passed and gives you pass rate percentages for both target and precursor lessons, while a student detail report provides you with a detailed progress report for each individual student. An individual pathway report provides you with a detailed overview of the progress that an individual student is making on their individual pathway, while the standards report allows you to monitor student progress based on individual state standards or the Common Core State Standards. Cost Think Through Math does not publish their overall cost for the program. However, each subscription is sold as an annual subscription cost per seat. There are several other factors that will determine the final cost of the programming including the length of the subscription and how many seats you will be purchasing.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Research Think Through Math is a research-based program. Its development spans over two decades. It is grounded on the foundation of helping students analyze and solve word problems effectively. This is done through the principles of active problem solving, explicit instruction, gradual release, elaboration theory, categorization of a prototype, mastery learning, a zone of proximal development, assessment and differentiation, and worked examples. In addition, Think Through Math has been the focus of several critical field studies involving more than 30,000 students across seven different states.