Reflective Essay for Data Structure and File Management Project free essay sample

Reflective Essay on Data Structure and File Management Coursework C++ is an object-oriented, low-level ANSI and ISO standard programming language that can generate very efficient and very fast programs. As an object-oriented language large- scale programs C++ is one of the most popular programming. Initially when the project was given my first reaction was how will I be able integrate my limited programming knowledge of C++ and fact that it was done in the reverse of me currently doing C programming. This would however cause a conflict of interest that I ill not confuse the programming languages and I would have to do adequate research and revisiting my notes on C++. Given the draft of how the program will be coded, according to the task allotted to me (calculating salary) the first challenge faced was when the hours worked is entered an error check was needed to check the validity of the hours entered. We will write a custom essay sample on Reflective Essay for Data Structure and File Management Project or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page An error check was implemented in the function to calculate payroll when hours worked was entered. Whenever an error occurs the system will return an error message and prompt the user to reenter the hours worked according to the outlined criteria. After reentering the hours worked again a display was done and the gross pay and other calculations were not seen. However after many error checks and tests the decision was made to insert a new function called calcpay to calculate the salary while the payroll function was used to insert the hours worked and check for errors. Another occurrence of challenge that was face when programming the system is that the backup of the system was not writing to the file. This was because the writing of the â€Å"payroll. dat† was done when the system close (exit) and the backup was before the alling of the function to calculate payroll. The decision was made to merge the Backup and Store function in one â€Å"Case† in the switch so that while the system will be saving (writing) the â€Å"payroll. dat† and create a backup copy at the same time. What I have learnt from doing this coursework is that for me to write, test or debug a program especially in C++ is that I will have to revisit my previous knowledge of C++, sacrifices both personally and at work, sleepless nights and a break from my immediate studies for Mid Semester Exams. Based on my contribution towards this project I have a ore in-depth knowledge in C++. I also learnt how to set precision for the way in which the information will be displayed both on the screen and in the file. This was used to organize how the employee payslip will look and the use of a date code to print out the date on the employee payslip. There were other coding and its related terminologies that was learnt to aid in the accurate, consistent and limited amount of errors in creating the program which I know will better aid in my programming skills and approach to programming various application.

Gun Control misc7 essays

Gun Control misc7 essays Why Should We Ban Handguns in the United States Recently in Michigan a six-year-old brought a handgun to school and shot a classmate and killed her. In 1990 there were 23,438 homicides in the United States, 9,923 due to handguns (418). This was one of the points that Nicholas Dixon brings up in his article, Why Should We Ban Handguns in the United States. Dixons argues for the ban of handguns in the United States, with the complete ban outweighing the negative effects. He does not argue for the outright ban of all guns, that is questioning the Second Amendments right to bear arms. Arguing the complete ban of all guns would be impossible which is why he stays to strictly handguns. Dixons line of reason is that if we reduce the handgun population, we will reduce the handgun violence, which will lower the number of violent crimes (418). Handguns were chosen to be the gun of choice to be banned because of its easiness to be concealed. The handguns were also chosen because they were seen to be the primary cause of the violent crimes in America. In an International comparison the U.S. had a significantly higher rate of homicide, than all countries included (419). This was attributed to the more lenient laws that are in the U.S. more than anywhere else. The comparison of Seattle to Vancouver is used to present this point more efficiently. The two cities are similar in almost all aspects, the only difference being that Canada has stricter gun laws (421). In short Dixons argument is in order to reduce the number of violent crimes in the U.S., we need to decrease the number of handgun owners, which will lower handgun violence. Even though criminal offenders would still have guns, the amount available would be significantly decreased. The idea behind the ban is to lower the overall pool of guns (422). Lowering the pool of guns I feel that this will not lea...

Key challenges and pitfall to virtual team performance Essay

Key challenges and pitfall to virtual team performance - Essay Example Companies also face the challenge of training and updating the technology used by the virtual team members. Defining the best task technology fit is another challenge that influences virtual team performance. Organizations face the challenge of scheduling meetings since the virtual team members live in different geographical areas with distinct time zones (Kirkman, Rosen, Gibson, Tesluk, & McPherson, 2002). Companies/individuals require complex technological applications to enhance virtual team performance (Ebrahim, Ahmed, & Taha, 2009). Moreover, virtual team performance experiences decreased control of activities since it involves virtual members. Mistrust and communication barriers also depict pitfalls in virtual team performance. Virtual team members develop divergent thoughts subject to cultural and functional diversity experienced in virtual activities Ebrahim, Ahmed, & Taha, 2009). Moreover, effective virtual team performance requires special training and motivation of virtual team members. The members are invisible and virtual meetings are seemingly ineffective since they do not involve physical interactions and personal feelings (Robb, 2014). Virtual environments do not offer detailed analysis of salient issues (Robb, 2014). Moreover, the members face the problem of working in different time zones that is very confusing. Kirkman, B., Rosen, B., Gibson, C., Tesluk, P., & McPherson, S. (2002). The Seven Challenges to Virtual Team Performance: Lessons from Sabre, Inc. Retrieved from:

Case Study on Ontology Languages Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Case Study on Ontology Languages - Essay Example 20/Jul/2006 J B Conrad Semantic web creation conrad@xyz.com DAML+OIL: http://www.xyz.com J B Conrad conrad@xyz.com Semantic Web Creation May OWL: Comparison of the...While these languages represent the specifications for the Ontology, they do not represent the real programming languages that are employed like CycL, Ontolingua, F-Logic, etc., 1. XML: This uses a standard syntax laid down already by the W3C. The code is crisp and easy to write. The DTD can be defined the way it is required. However, this does not offer the flexibility of defining standard classes and then making use of the similar structure repeatedly. XML is easy to use in a program though of course, creating XML data which will have semantics in them is not possible with the existing structure of XML. 2. XOL on the other hand, offers all those features that are present in XML as well as in OIL. XOL employs modelling primitives that are in line with OKBC standards. This is based on XML and uses Ontologies to extend the features. Therefore, it is found that the language is supporting some of the insufficiencies in XML like standard class definition and other structure definitions. With these, the data gets verified and the mistakes in the data are avoided. In addition to these, this also supports extensive slot hierarchies. But however, it does not allow definition of relationships extensively. This makes it a weak relationship modeller. XOL is comfortable where only data is to be represented without any major relationship criterion which is hard to find in knowledge systems. 3.

What are the features of the constructivist theory and its Assignment

What are the features of the constructivist theory and its applications - Assignment Example tainer† exists wherein the individual can seek to categorize the new and incoming information, the constructivist approach dictates that a container will be made which is suitable to house such information within the mind, worldview, and culture of the individual in question. Accordingly, as a means to provide a positive learning result, it is incumbent upon the educator to seek to build such a construct first prior to seeking to impart key elements of knowledge upon which a larger construct can be understood. An example of this would of course be the need for a teacher to adequately express and detail all points of vocabulary and understanding to an elementary school class prior to launching into a broad overview of a new means of understanding. Similarly, psychological constructivists are primarily interested in how people construct key internal elements of cognitive reasoning. In other words, psychological constructivists seek to answer the question of precisely how human construct different containers within which to house information that is oftentimes otherwise viewed as somewhat absolute. On the other hand, social constructivism, as the name implies, relies heavily on the means by which constructs are built as a result of the societal constraints, culture, and norms that are present within group dynamics. Accordingly, as the text states, on the extreme end of the spectrum there is what is known as radical constructivism. This particular type of constructivism is what can be termed as a type of relativism in which those that espouse such a view contend that there is no reality whatsoever other that what the individual establishes for themselves. Accordingly, the means by which any type of constructivism takes place lie s solely within the grasp of the individual who is creating the reality (construction) for themselves. These unique and differing layers of understanding the way in which human beings classify and categorize key information is

An evaluation of impact on financial and operations consequence

An evaluation of impact on financial and operations consequence INTRODUCTION Choosing the Topic After completion of all my fundamental papers in August 2010, I waited till the next session to decide to submit a research and analysis project for the Oxford Brooke University. The reason for such delay was the pressure to complete three professional papers in December session. This report is also important to me because I believe by having combination of both Profession qualification and a degree will uplift my career. To base my project on ACCA provided me with a list of 20 recommended topics to choose from. After reading through the list, the topic that immediately attracted my attention was topic 19 which was â€Å"The financial and operational consequences of a merger between two organisations or of the acquisition of one organisation by another†. What attracted me the most about this topic was that, it was all very relevant to my studies as I am thinking to pursue financial management after ACCA. I knew this topic will allow me to try out and learn the all important, analytical skills. Other reason to choose this topic was the much talked about acquisition of KRAFT and Cadbury therefore it encouraged me to choose this topic. Another reason was availability of the vast amount of information through the internet and press release because of recent release of Krafts recent fourth quarter in the month on February 2011. Choosing the organisation Once I chose my topic, I had to choose an organisation to base my research on.   I chose Kraft and Cadbury for my analysis; it was an obvious choice as this was the acquisition that impelled me to select this topic. This was one of the most controversial and largest takeovers in the year of 2010. I believed the takeover by the 2nd Largest Food Giants in its industry would accomplish the objective I had in mind for the project. Aims Objectives The main objective of this report is to evaluate the consequences of the acquisition on the finance and operations aspect of KRAFT FOODS. The financial statements by themselves only provide the quantitative data which need to be analysed by drawn graphs. The main focus of this report, therefore, is as follows: * To analyse the reasons for Kraft to make a strategic choice of acquiring Cadbury and whether it satisfy the strategic fit as claimed by the CEO of KRAFT FOODS in terms of financial and business operations. * The second part of the research aims to analyse whether Kraft is on the track to achieve its targets it promised its stakeholders at the time of acquisition. * Since financial information wasnt sufficient for my research, I need to review the strategic decisions made by Kraft for its subsidiary Cadbury after the acquisition along with the friction identified while integrating both business. The anticipated future of Cadbury under Kraft Group. In order to achieve the aims mentioned above, I have done qualitative analysis using SFE (Suitability, Feasibility Acceptability) and Ashridge model along with quantitative analysis using financial ratios and linking both to get an overall picture. THE ORGANISTAION Company Profile Kraft Kraft Foods is the worlds second largest food company headquartered in North Field, Illinois manufactures and market packaged food products, including biscuits, confectionery, beverages, cheese, convenient meals and various packaged and grocery products.( KRAFT FOODS INC, 2009)The business was formed by James L. Kraft and his four brothers who began by wholesaling door to door cheese business in Chicago. Kraft then achieved growth by merging with other companies and increases the size of the business by expanding more product lines.( Wikimedia Foundation,2011) Being listed on NYSE, Kraft now has approximately 127,000 employees worldwide. Kraft sells products to consumer in approximately 170 countries. At 31 December 2010, Kraft had operations in more than 75 countries and made products at 223 manufacturing and processing facilities worldwide. Kraft portfolio included eleven brands with annual revenues exceeding $1 billion each: Oreo, Nabisco and LU biscuits; Milka and Cadbury chocolates; Trident gum; Jacobs and Maxwell House coffees; Philadelphia cream cheeses; Kraft cheeses, dinners and dressings; and Oscar Mayer meats. Kraft portfolio included approximately 70 brands which each generate annual revenues of more than $100 million. (KRAFT FOODS INC, 2010) Cadbury Cadbury was a leading global independent business in the exciting world of confectionery, a large, growing, brand-led industry. With an outstanding portfolio of chocolate, gum and candy brands, the largest emerging markets business and a focused and experienced team, Cadbury is committed to its long-term vision to be the worlds biggest and best confectionery company. Cadbury operated in more than 60 countries with a workforce of 46000. (Cadbury, 2008) Cadbury made its beginning by opening one single shop by John Cadbury. As time progressed John Cadbury moved into the manufacturing of drinking chocolate and cocoa. Cadbury grew bigger through some organic growth and some mergers. During the first world war Cadbury started to achieve great success, its products were regarded as necessities and Cadbury were at their peak. Cadbury kept investing in technology, new factories and in new products to remain ahead of competition. With factories all over the world and a host of well known brand names it has become a household name in many countries. (Birminghamuk, (n.d.)) INFORMATION GATHERING Sources of Data Data can be collected for any research by the following ways: * Primary Research: Under primary research new information is collected via interviews, survey or questionnaire etc; hence information is collected first hand. * Secondary Research: Also known as Desk Research is gathered from information which has already been provided but may not be for the same purpose. Such information are easy to access and are my cheaper than carrying out primary research. Such information gathered should be analysed and screened properly so that it fits for the purpose. Kraft and Cadbury both being listed companies although listed in different countries were required to issue annual accounts for its stakeholders by Sarbanes Oxley and Companies House respective. These companies especially Kraft issued Interim Reports as per the stock list requirement. Therefore much of the quantitative and qualitative date was readily available for analysis. Hence I chose to use secondary data over primary. The only complication I faced apart from time pressure was obtaining latest financial information for Cadbury (2009 accounts). Fortunately Kraft public relation team co-operated and emailed me 2008 and 2009 Cadbury annual accounts on my request. The following are the sources of secondary information I used for my project: Annual and Interim Financial Accounts and Reports This is the main source I used for financial aspect of my business and to draw graphs. I had to use interim reports even to demonstrate impact of Cadbury acquisition on Kraft at each and every quarter due to complexity of the business. Krafts annual accounts were available to view and download on Krafts Investors Website. However Cadbury financial statement isnt easily available. Internet This is the source of limitless information; hence it took me a lot of time to extract information which was relative to the point. Firstly it provided me the qualitative information which was missing or less in the financial statement of both entities. Secondly it also provided me information from a third party or neutral point of view. Letters and Reports Under this source, I analyzed the documents sent by Kraft to Cadbury management or reports addressed to Kraft shareholder explaining them the strategic fit of Cadbury acquisition. These documents were available over the internet. Library I used study text published by Kaplan for ACCA to brush my skills and be of aid when I got confused during an analysis phase. Apart from my course books I visited local library for reference books. As I mentioned earlier I didnt had an opportunity to visit British Library for the access of database such as Datamonitor and Mintel. However I was able to get access to Euromonitor through internet and used it as a tool to aid understanding of the application of analytical tools regarding acquisition and both the entities. Data Collection Methods Its easy to collect data, but skills are required to make sense of data and using it for the purpose. It was a fiddly job to collect reliable authentic information to base my reports on. Any negligence on my behalf may cause me a failure in achieving the report objectives. I was cautious and took my time to read through all the information once before starting with my project. As this acquisition was of the biggest acquisition in the year 2010, too much was written by the newspapers and media about it. Reading about the merger in 2011 gave me this idea to do a project on Kraft and Cadbury, as Kraft were about to issue its fourth quarter results. I started my data collection by reading articles from local newspapers as well as papers or journal published in other counties. I viewed them retrospectively. The most prominent newspaper I viewed was Financial Times, Guardian, Reuters, Wall Street Journal and Economists. After I got a general idea behind the acquisition and critics claiming the acquisition as a failure. I downloaded the fourth quarter as well as annual report. I need to know what did CEO responded on the acquisition as it had been a year. Then I looked at financial data provided to support any statement by the CEO. Internet provided me great deal of help in my project. I type in the keywords such as Cadbury Kraft in etc at www.google.com . Find the relevant articles and making notes as well as bookmarks of the WebPages if I needed to read it again for qualitative part of my research. I even visited many libraries in my local areas; the librarian helped me by giving me advice on referencing as I had no idea on references. Unfortunately I couldnt make a trip to British Library to access database which could help me in my project. But I was pretty content with the amount of information I already collected to carry out my analysis. Referencing I have used the HARVARD REFERENCING SYSTEM for the referencing in my research and to aid readability, I have cited the source below the paragraph if the whole paragraphs were written based on the same single source. Acquisition for Kraft PreAcquisition To systematic analyse the strategic choice by Kraft to acquire Cadbury, I will be using Johnson and Scholes framework (Suitability, Feasibility and Acceptability Model). (Wu, 2010) Suitability Kraft Foods Inc. being the second largest food company still looks for opportunities to grow and try to remain one of the market leaders in the industry and and to spread risk by a diversified portfolio. Kraft believes in rapid expansion by acquiring other businesses. Kraft adopted new strategy implemented by new CEO who believed low growth segment should be disposed of and adopt those strategies that will achieve rapid growth even by means of acquisition .Kraft will look for businesses that will build on its strengths and guide against its threats. Kraft has a successful track record of acquiring iconic brands and businesses and effectively using it for its expansion.   We will be using one of the criteria of Ashridge model under suitability. Under Ashridge model we will be examining two criteria; whether Kraft has sufficient skills, resources and understanding of the Cadbury business and whether there are opportunities for helping to achieve critical success factors. (Steiner, 20 09) * One key reason for Kraft to acquire Cadbury was to penetrate in those growing markets where Cadbury has good base such as China, India and Mexico. Brands such as Cadbury Dairy Milk dominated such markets by a vast length compared to its rivals. Cadbury did receive 40% of its revenue from fast growing emerging market.   Cadburys acquisition of Adams played a vital role to increase their market share in Latin America.   Cadbury has experienced 12% growth in revenue in emerging market over five years (EUROMONITOR, 2008) this can be beneficial for Kraft as it intends to use Cadbury s distribution network to sell its brands. (Cadbury, 2008) (Cadbury, 2009a) Kraft being aware of Cadbury s heritage and its strong confectionery business ranking and its iconic brands makes Cadbury globally number one in chocolate, gum and candy. By attaining all these eponymous brands Kraft will become a global powerhouse in snacks, confectionery and quick meals with exceptional portfolio of leading brands in the world. Hence will be one step closer in achieving organic growth objective. Feasibility Under feasibility we would evaluate Krafts position before acquisition in terms of internal resources of the organization this can even be connected to Ashridge s model criteria of possessing sufficient resource by Predator Company. Kraft being second largest business in its industry has huge cash reserve which reflects in its Cash flow Statements of 2008 and 2009 ($1.24 billion and 2.10 billion respectively). Buts its worth mentioning   the disposal of Krafts North American Pizza to Nestle for total consideration of $3.7 billion contributed majorly to its high cash reserve. High cash reserve helps them to with acquisition cost and integration cost and any other abnormal cost. Apart from cash reserve Kraft does have reasonable current ratio of 1.04 reflecting its above average liquidity position then its peers. Although Cadbury has a strong hold on overall emerging markets Kraft have a greater position in some markets such as Brazil and Russia. As Kraft being a huge conglomerate bu siness it has vast amount of resources in terms of specialist staff, a highly invested research and development teams and finance etc to back up Cadbury to face competition from other rivals such as Hershey and Mars. Kraft can eve use its power over major supermarket chains such Wal-Mart to increase shelf value of Cadbury as majority of its sales come from small convenient store. Kraft is even able to promote Cadbury heritage brand more rigorously due to available of immense resources. It would be worth mentioning the fact that billion dollar Kraft empire has been experiencing an average growth of impressive 5 % over period of four years to 2008 (where it achieved 13% growth than previous year).(Daltorio, 2009) Acceptability To carry on with a strategic choice it also need to be acceptable by the stake holders. As shareholders are key stakeholders their consent is highly important. Although Kraft assured them the acquisition would result in increase in shareholders wealth as it fits in into its business culture, some shareholders have different opinion. One of the reasons for such conflict of interests is the fear of increase in companys gearing. By 2008 Kraft had a high gearing of 1.34 (ratio) compare to its rival Nestle of (0.36). They fear by acquiring Cadbury, Kraft would issue more long-term debt that may adversely affect the gearing ratio and hence increasing the financial risk of the business and affecting the capability of paying out dividends, hence damaging shareholders interest. The other reason for conflict of interest was the reaction from one of the biggest shareholders Warren Buffett of Berkshire Hathaway who regarded the acquisition as â€Å"bad deal â€Å".He believed Kraft has overval ued Cadbury for purchase consideration and the disposal of pizza business to Nestle for $3.7 billion   was a mistake. He firmly believed Kraft is paying high premium for the acquisition. One shareholders view didnt affected Krafts strategic choice and Kraft went ahead with the acquisition despite got rejected first time. (Barr, 2010) Ballast Businesses *CADBURY* Heartland Businesses Alien Business Value trap Business According to my analysis I think Kraft values Cadbury as Heartland Business as Kraft has the skills to exploit opportunities from Cadbury. (UNDER ASHRIDGE MODEL) ACQUISITION for Kraft The long clashing 5 month battle between Cadbury and Kraft was finally over on 2nd February 2010 as Kraft clinches control over Cadbury by 72% holding. Kraft then took total control of Cadbury on June 2010. Cadbury shareholders had a deadline of 2nd February to accept Kraft offer of 500 pence in cash for each Cadbury share and 0.1874 new Kraft shares for each Cadbury share which altogether values each Cadbury share at 840 pence including a special 10 pence dividend. This sums up the total valuation of Cadbury business to approximate of  £11.9 Billion ($19.4 Billion). Kraft offered this purchase price on 19th of January after a long negotiation with Cadbury management. Kraft tried to make hostile takeover on 7th September by a bid worth 300 pence in cash and 0.2589 new Kraft shares for each Cadbury share (valuing it 745 pence a share). However Cadbury rejected the bid immediately and regarded it â€Å"derisory†. Kraft sweetened the bid by raising the original offer and increa sing the cash component from 40% to 60% to make it more appealing for Cadbury shareholders. (Cimlluca et al, 2010) I have extracted this graph from Thomson Reuters to illustrate the impact on the share price for both involved parties after the announcement of take-over. We notice an increase of almost 40% in the market value of Cadbury. The increase in Cadburys share price was triggered by the initial announcement by Kraft of its intention to take over Cadbury in early September of 2009. The announcement was received well by Cadbury Shareholders causing an increase in demand and thereby price of the stock. However we see a fall in the share price of Kraft food at the time announcement (graph below), some analysts believe this was due to Warren Buffet dissatisfaction of Kraft Acquisition. He regarded the acquisition as ‘bad deal, which caused chaos amongst other shareholder hence a price falls. This price fall deteriorated the purchase price offered by Kraft which was immediately rejected by Roger Carr, Chairmen of Cadbury. KEY POINTS FOR FINANCIAL ANALYSIS Kraft foods acquired Cadbury plc in February2 2010. Hence Cadbury results are restricted to 10 months rather than full 12 years and its subject to fluctuate with moving exchange rates. Cadbury data was adjusted from IFRS (previously applied by Independent Cadbury) to U.S GAAP followed by its new Parent Kraft Foods Inc. Cadbury previous years figures couldnt be compared with unless comparison is made in percentile due to the size difference of both businesses. Kraft even revised its Net Revenue retrospectively 2009 onwards. Post Acquisition Financial Perspective The above graph represents s the growth and decline in sales over a period of 4 years by means of percentage. The 2010 information contains data post acquisition, specifically contribution from Cadbury of $9143 that has been converted using the exchange rate of $1.595 per  £1.00 for the aid of analysis. It can clearly be noted the reason why Cadbury was so desirable by Kraft. Cadbury attained significant growth from 2007. In June 2007 Cadbury introduced their Vision into Action plan which insisted in strengthening their position in emerging market. This strategy was immediately effective and can be reflected in the graph. As stated earlier in this research report one of the key reasons for Kraft to acquire Cadbury was their better position in emerging market as compared to Kraft. Although Cadbury has just been acquired for 11 months under Kraft we see a marginal fall of 4% in Cadbury sales than its preceding years. This maybe because Kraft maybe getting acquainted to Cadburys opera tion and network hence not utilizing Cadburys full potential. (Cadbury, 2009a) This graph explains what did Krafts CEO meant by â€Å"GLOBAL POWER HOUSE†. If we examine the two graphs we see a change in the revenue from developing and North American markets. The main reason for Kraft to takeover Cadbury was to derive maximum benefit of Cadburys strong hold in emerging market. Although Kraft is one of the largest companies in food industry it drives more than 57% of its revenue from its Home Market US. As US market is experiencing economic recession Kraft needed to adopt an effective strategy to broaden its operations globally. Hence Cadbury looked more attractive from Krafts perspective. Its worth mentioning that Cadbury earns more than 40% from the fast emerging markets portraying its position being better than Kraft.. It should be taken into consideration that fact that Kraft hasnt launched any new aggressive marketing scheme or any strategic step via Cadbury in emerging markets. In 2010 Kraft has continued to run Cadbury operation without making any m ajor changes. Talking quantitatively Cadbury boosted Krafts net revenue in emerging markets by $3382 million which can be seen clearly in the graph at the bottom. Krafts strengths in Russia, Brazil and China along with Cadbury great position in United Kingdom, India and Mexico has spread its revenue source which has reduce the risk of a recession affecting Krafts sales .By acquiring Cadbury Kraft enhanced its distribution channel which became effective in the first year of acquisition and clearly be seen in the 2010 net revenue segments. In 2010 revenue from US market contributed less than 50% to Total Net Revenue minimizing the business risk driven by recession. (Farrell et al, 2010) The above illustrated graphs represent the change in Krafts revenue source after the acquisition of Cadbury. Krafts adopt a rational approach and pursue the strategy of selling off less profitable brands and achieving quick growth by acquisition. Kraft faced fierce competition from private label companies in the cheese and packaged meat market. Therefore Kraft acquired Cadbury to diverse its revenue source as there were dangers of fall in revenue from its main segments. There is an increase of 16% in the contribution made by confectionery segment. This segment is a high potential growth segment and Kraft would like diverse its business risk by investing more in promotion of this segment. (Trefis, 2011) The Gross margin shows the amount of gross profit generated by the company as a percentage of the sales revenue. Kraft Gross Profit Margin has been plotted against each quarter from 2009. It can be analyzed by the graph that Kraft tried to maintain its Gross Profit Margin in mid 30s percentile despite economic downturn in US market and increase in raw materials Kraft is able to maintain its objective, the main grounds for such level gross profit margin was the acquisition. By acquiring Cadbury Kraft has widen its distribution network as Cadburys main selling networks are convenient stores open on High Street therefore reach of every individual. Talking in respect on cost of sales (100 Gross Profit Margin) Kraft will benefit from economies of scale especially regarding purchases as Kraft will be bulk buying and using Cadbury suppliers rationally to minimise cost of sales as possible. (Szalai, 2011) Net Profit Margin is an indicator of profitability, calculated as net income or net profit divided by net revenue. As shown by the graph, we see a downward trend in the net profit margin against each quarter in 2010.Despite the fact that there has been a 27% increase in Net Revenue in 2010 as compared to its preceding year, we notice a fall of 23% in net profit especially in the fourth quarters of 2009 and 2010 ($711m and $547 respectively. However in aggregate there has been an increase in the net profit from 2009. The major reason for such deteriorates result for the fourth quarter was the cost associated with integration between Kraft and Cadbury. The pizza business of Kraft did contributed to the net profit in 2009 , by the sale of its pizza business to Nestle ,Kraft has deprived itself from the positive contribution of its disposal component.(BBC, 2011) The Prime objective of making investment in any business is to obtain satisfactory return on capital invested. Hence, the return on capital employed is used as a measure of success of a business in realizing this objective. Return on capital employed establishes the relationship between the profit and the capital employed. It is used to show the overall profitability and efficiency of the business. By analysing we see a fall in return on capital employed although the sales and net profit overall has increased however it hasnt increased by the proportion of investment made by KRAFT FOOD. As Mr. Warren Buffet feared that Kraft did overpay for the acquisition this can be reflected in diminish of return on capital employed. I have also included a graph showing fall in earning per share that illustrate the point of less return for the investors this maybe due to issue of new share to Cadbury shareholders. (Wilson , 2010) I have included this graph in my research report especially to breakdown the positive and negative contribution made by Cadbury to Kraft operating income in 2010 as compared to Kraft in 2009. As announced by CEO of Kraft Foods, Kraft is highly likely to expect $1 billion in incremental revenue synergies apart from $750 million in cost saving by 2013. In order to achieve the synergies Kraft has budgeted to spend $1.5 billion in the first three years following the acquisition to combine and integrate the two businesses and already incurred $657 million in 2010. As stated in Kraft Annual Account 2010, Kraft incurred and expensed transaction related fees of $218 millions in 2010 and $40 million in 2009.Kraft has recorded the mentioned costs under selling, general and administrative expenses in Profit and Loss Statement (Statement of Comprehensive income). However in the above graphs include figures which has been given in the Kraft 2010 annual accounts analysis of operating profit rather than actual incurred cost as some cost have been taken under finance cost which hasnt been included in arriving at operating profit for 2010. This seems a draw back in the acquisition object ive and maybe criticizes by its stakeholders as integration cost has reduced Krafts earning by 33%. (BBC, 2011) Liquidity ratio expresses a companys ability to repay short-term creditors out of its total cash. The liquidity ratio is the result of dividing the total cash by short-term borrowings. This Graph represents the two liquidity ratio one normal current ratio and another quick test ratio. Unlike Current ratio, quick ratio focus on the most liquid assets hence it exempt inventory from current asset while calculating ratio. Some of the key points that need to be addressed before analysis of the graph are the disposal of the pizza business and all the working capital relating to it. We should also account for the current assets and current liabilities acquired by Kraft such as Net Receivable of $ 1333 m and Accounts Payable of $ 1605 m etc. Another point to be mentioned is that while calculating Quick ratio I havent excluded the deferred tax asset, while some analyst exclude deferred tax asset as they dont regard it liquid. We see a significant difference between both ratios as inventory has occupied much of the working capital. Comparing it to the last year it is almost consistent with the growing sales. We notice a slight deterioration in both the ratio of 2010. The $3.7 billion cash raised by disposal of the pizza business was used to pay cash component of the acquisition. The rise in the actually figure is in line with the growing and diverse sales (Kraft Foods Inc, 2010) Gearing Ratio is a measure of financial leverage, demonstrating the degree to which a firms activities are funded by owners funds versus creditors funds (investopedia).The above   graph represents   how much company has borrowed compare to equity raised by KRAFT FOODS. Kraft had issued a long term debt of $9.379 billion (net proceeds) to support the cash component of Cadbury of acquisition along with proceeds from Pizza Business. Kraft even made a repayment $2.1 billion of long term debt during the year. This has increased the total debt of the business from $18990 million to $28724 Million. Kraft has also issued 262 million shares to existing Cadbury shareholder as part of purchase consideration. This has enlarged Krafts share capital affecting the gearing ratio. By taking into consideration the above mentioned circumstances, we see an increase in the gearing ratio of 7%. This may cause some concerns amongst shareholders and lenders of Kraft as the financial risk of the business has increased as more interest will be paid from the profits available to pay dividends to shareholders. (Tradition Financial Concept.). This may even damage the creditability of KRAFT FOOD in lenders market as it has borrowed 80% to Equity, hence it may be charged high interest rate by the lenders in future. (Kraft Foods Inc, 2010) (Hoskins, 2010) Interest cover is a measure of the adequacy of a companys profits relative to interest payments on its debt. This ratio will help to explain the previously mentioned financial due to increase in gearing. Due to the increase in leverage we see a fall of 0.94 in interest cover which means there would be less profit available for dividends.   This maybe is one of the reasons why Warren Buffet (one of the major shareholder in Kraft) reduced its stake from 9% to 6%. The ratio is over 2 which is considered strong by analyst and reflects Krafts strong position in borrowers market. However Fitch, one of reputed credit rating agency, has downgraded the default rating on both companies to BBB-. However its rivals havent downgraded the rating as yet but our reviewing if they should follow their peers. Flitch has downgraded the rating due to anticipated increase in financial leverage of the combined Kraft/Cadbury. (Peters   et al, 2010) Operational Changes Post Acquisition The significant changes in operations along with their impact on KRAFT FOOD GROUP as a whole: Closure of Somerdale factory Days after acquisition Kraft announced the closure of Cadbury factory in Bristol. During the acquisition struggle, Kraft pledged to retain Somerdale Factory. The announcements created a chaos amongst Cadbury workforce and British Unite trade union as 400 employees were being made redundant. It would be worth mentioning; Cadbury prior to its acquisition (in year 2007) had already announced the closure of its Somerdale factory as they had invested more than  £100million in the production plant

Willy Russell’s Intention by the End of the Play :: Educating Rita Plays Willy Russell Essays

Willy Russell’s Intention by the End of the Play ‘Blood Brothers’ The stage production of ‘Blood Brothers’ helps to emphasise the social difference between Mickey and Edward. There are two main sets used, one for Mrs. Johnstone’s house and street and one which is the inside of Mrs. Lyons house. Mrs. Johnstone’s house is a poorer set; there are smashed windows and graffiti written on the walls. The houses are small close together terrace houses built out of red brick. There is lack of colour in this set Willy Russell is trying to show the gloominess, coldness and poverty of their area with this set. Whereas, Mrs. Lyons house is colourful and bright. There is a bookshelf which shows that they are privileged enough to have books and that this family is refined and educated. There is a carpet that is rolled out every time that the Lyons house is on stage. This shows comfort, softness and warmth as does the fireplace in the Lyons house. This is a contrast between the Johnstons house where they have broken windows which shows coolness and discomfort. This shows the difference between two classes in a Thatcherite Britain at the time to the audience. At the Johnstone’s house the lighting is always dim, not well lit, to show the gloominess and poverty in their lives. However the lighting in the Lyon’s house is always very bright. This is to show to the audience that the life of the Lyons is brighter than the Johnstones. In parts of the play (especially I found when the narrator was speaking) the lighting was red and black I think Willy Russell’s intention here is to show that there is death in the play and symbolises the bloodshed. Sometimes one person would have the spotlight on just them so the background is black. This picks out this one person so all our attention is focused on this person and the darkness in the background is very gloomy like a dark hole to symbolise the emptiness that will be in some of their lives because of the deaths at the end. There is a musical theme to suggest the same idea or place theme. Like the music that is played at the Johnstones house. When this song comes on it is to show the poverty of the Johnstons. The song that I remember the most is the game when Mickey, Sammy and their friends are all children and they are shooting each other. The words of the song are very childish and it’s just a game. However when they become older this game becomes reality and a lot more serious and it’s not so

“Panopticism” by Michel Foucault Essay

â€Å"Our society is not one of spectacle, but of surveillance; under the surface of images, one invests bodies in depth; behind the great abstraction of exchange, there continues the meticulous concrete training of useful forces; the circuits of communication are the supports of an accumulation and a centralization of knowledge; the play of signs defines the anchorages of power; it is not that the beautiful totality of the individual is amputated, repressed, altered by our social order, it is rather that the individual is carefully fabricated in it, according to a whole technique of forces and bodies.† (240, Foucault)In the essay, Panopticism, by Michel Foucault, he makes the argument that we live in a society of â€Å"surveillance†. It is mainly this surveillance that forms the basis of authority that draws the individual to believe that the world he lives in is one that is continually watching over him. This becomes another aspect of power where it underlies the main idea of separation as one of the many forms of forces in the Panopticon. The effects of surveillance are clearly discussed in Foucault’s essay. The infected population was always observed by presenting themselves at their windows for attendance. If they did not look out the window at that time, they would be considered and marked as dead. Their family would be removed, the house would be cleaned out, perfumed, and then, mere hours later, people would move back in. Obviously, the fear of not being watched would be strong in this situation, resulting in drastic measures taken once someone could not be watched. The plague stands as a representation against which the idea of discipline was created. The existence of a whole set of techniques for measuring and supervising abnormal beings brings into play the disciplinary mechanisms created by the fear of the plague. The Panopticon, is a prison that is â€Å"a machine for dissociating the see/being seen dyad: in the peripheric ring, one is totally seen, without ever seeing.† (228, Foucault) This means that those who are being seen can not see one another and the one who sees everything can never be seen. For the observer, the benefit of being observed is that is establishes the ability to control, change and influence the person. The observer separates the individual from the group by observation, thereby making them individually  aware of themselves, but mainly the observer. This helps obscure the concept of cohesion with others and prevents organization and conspiracy. The panopticon architecture in which everyone is observed and analyzed is incorporated in a building that makes these operations easy to perform. The theory of discipline develops out of the need for surveillance shown in the plague. Plague measures were needed to protect society, which as a result allowed the panopticon to operate power efficiently. Foucault makes this assumption about today’s society by saying that we are always being watched whether we know it or not. One always keeps an eye over their shoulder as a result of the constant fear that someone is watching them. The power gives those in charge a safety net, making the individual conscious of the presence of a hidden watcher, causing them to think twice before acting. An example found in today’s society would be the notion of Santa Claus and how Santa Claus can be used as a form of power to make children behave. â€Å"He knows when you are sleeping. He knows when you’re awake. He knows if you’ve been bad or good. So be good for goodness sake.† The song about Santa Claus is more than a Christmas carol, it is used to plant the constant fear in the mind of a child that they are being watched even when they can’t see who is doing the watching. The mere threat at Christmas time of this hidden force is enough to keep children well behaved. Another example is that when we are born, we are given a social security number and a record of our birth. Information goes into a database that is accessible to many people. The government and head offices in the United States can track us with ease since ever job and school we can attend uses our social security number. There is not a single bank account we can open or a loan we can receive without people in higher places knowing about it. Even though we can not see people watching us, we are constantly being watched and tracked by our government. These are examples of many in our society. Also, verbal communication in the Panopticon was not an option. The prisoners  were not allowed to speak to one another. This limit on communication dehumanizes the inmate. If one cannot communicate, not only is new knowledge difficult to gain, but one cannot feel comfort in the simple knowledge that they are not alone. Throughout this endless mind-game, people do not have the idea that they are fabricated and reshaped. Being under surveillance has brought discipline. â€Å"In the central tower, one sees everything without ever being seen.† (226, Foucault) Foucault describes the inside of the Panopticon where in the center stands a guard. Whenever we walk into a retail store, we are always under observation. There is a circular glass piece on the top of the ceiling with a rotating camera looking down upon each of our movements. We think someone is watching us. And from that, we react with discipline. It has proven to be a form of behavior to give us a guilty conscious or the simple fear of being caught. In conclusion, Foucault’s argument may not be easily understood given the difficulty of his writing, but with the examples and proof of such the mind-games that we live in in our society today is a good way of understanding his point of view. Michel Foucault’s Panopticism shows that society is under surveillance. The panopticon represents the way in which discipline and punishment work in modern society, where it shows how the processes of observation and examination function. Schools, factories, hospitals and prisons resemble each other, not just because they look similar, but because they examine pupils, workers, patients and prisoners, classify them as individuals and try to make them conform to the â€Å"norm†. The fact that the modern citizen spends much of his life in at least some of these institutions reveals how far society has changed. We live in a society that watches over one’s movement to judge if their behavior is wrong. It is in ultimate fea r and anxiety that we live out our lives everyday.

Free Essays on Mental Illness

Dysthymic Disorder is described as chronic depression, but is less severe than a major depression. The main symptom for dysthymic disorder is an almost daily depressed mood for at least two years, but without the necessary criteria for a major depression. Low energy, sleep, appetite disturbances, and low self-esteem are signs of having this mood disorder. People who have this will often say they don't recall ever not feeling depressed, but they may be relatively functional in managing their life. The symptoms are severe enough to cause stress and interference with every day situations. It is important to have a complete physical with a health doctor to rule out any physical illnesses that might be causing the depression. If this is so then the correct diagnosis might be a Mood Disorder due to a general Medical Condition, even if all the criteria for dysthymic disorder are met. The question is whether the medical condition is physically causing the depression. Dysthymic disorder is a long term illness but psychotherapy is effective in reducing the symptoms, and assisting the person in managing their life better. Some use antidepressant medication and psychotherapy, and many respond better when using both at the same time. Dysthymic Disorder causes many changes in the way you think, feel, behave, and also you physically. * Changes in Thinking include experiencing difficulty with concentrating and making decisions. Some have problems with short term memory or forgetting things all the time. Negative thoughts and thinking are characteristics of depression. Pessimism, poor self-esteem, excessive guilt, and self-criticism are all common. Some even have self-destructive thoughts during more serious depression. *Changes in Feelings include feeling sad for no reason. Others say that they no longer enjoy activities that they once found fun. You might lack motivation or feel "slowed down" and tired all the time. Sometimes smaller p... Free Essays on Mental Illness Free Essays on Mental Illness Dysthymic Disorder is described as chronic depression, but is less severe than a major depression. The main symptom for dysthymic disorder is an almost daily depressed mood for at least two years, but without the necessary criteria for a major depression. Low energy, sleep, appetite disturbances, and low self-esteem are signs of having this mood disorder. People who have this will often say they don't recall ever not feeling depressed, but they may be relatively functional in managing their life. The symptoms are severe enough to cause stress and interference with every day situations. It is important to have a complete physical with a health doctor to rule out any physical illnesses that might be causing the depression. If this is so then the correct diagnosis might be a Mood Disorder due to a general Medical Condition, even if all the criteria for dysthymic disorder are met. The question is whether the medical condition is physically causing the depression. Dysthymic disorder is a long term illness but psychotherapy is effective in reducing the symptoms, and assisting the person in managing their life better. Some use antidepressant medication and psychotherapy, and many respond better when using both at the same time. Dysthymic Disorder causes many changes in the way you think, feel, behave, and also you physically. * Changes in Thinking include experiencing difficulty with concentrating and making decisions. Some have problems with short term memory or forgetting things all the time. Negative thoughts and thinking are characteristics of depression. Pessimism, poor self-esteem, excessive guilt, and self-criticism are all common. Some even have self-destructive thoughts during more serious depression. *Changes in Feelings include feeling sad for no reason. Others say that they no longer enjoy activities that they once found fun. You might lack motivation or feel "slowed down" and tired all the time. Sometimes smaller p... Free Essays on Mental Illness â€Å"Mental illnesses are socially constructed and are highlighting aspects of those illnesses that help define how both the mentally ill and normal people behave† (Text, pg. 72). There are three different explanations of mental illness: 1) the medical model, 2) the deviance approach, 3) the controversial argument that mental illness is not a disease but a way that the government can control people with the said disease. The medical model is a thought that holds a mental disorder to be viewed as a disease with biological causes (text, pg 72). Research on the medical model arose in reaction to the order that mentally ill people are â€Å"possessed† and should be locked up. The concept of mental disorder as a disease has certain disadvantages, because it concentrates on individuals and their immediate environment, it tends to disregard the wider social environment as a possible source of the problem. Especially for hospitalized patients, the medical model can lead to impractical criteria of recovery; people may have gained considerable insight into their inner tensions but are still unable to function correctly when they return to the outer tensions of home, job, or society (text, pg72). The mental disorders that cause severe social problems are the most extreme forms of mental illness, in which individuals become violent and irrational. Less threatening, but more widespread as a social problem, are severely ill individuals who are unable to care for themselves without specialized attention (text). The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders has gone a long way toward standardizing the diagnosis of mental illness. However, many researchers believe that psychiatric diagnoses are arbitrary and amount to labels, describing behavior that is contrary to accepted social and psychological norms (text). Poverty is associated with high exposure to crime and violence, which creates stresse...

The eNotes Blog Jack Kerouac American Literary Baddie to theStars

Jack Kerouac American Literary Baddie to theStars Today were going to talk about an American legend: Jack Kerouac. Jack was a pretty amazing writer, not just in the work he created but also in his methodology for doing so. Like so many of us, he was not a big fan of the revision and re-write process. He was also  invested in the New York Jazz scene, and at the time that was about as cool as having backstage passes to a Justin Bieber concert, amirite? (I dont actually know what the cool kids listen toI still like jazz.) Read on to learn a bit about this literary icon, his books, and what makes him continue to be a big name on the list of American writers. [OVERVIEW] Why is Jack Kerouac Still a Big Deal? Jack Kerouac was one of the founding members of the Beat Generation of American literature. In fact,  Jack Kerouac was the acknowledged leader and spokesman for the Beat Generation. Its  underlying philosophy could loosely be described as  visionary enlightenment, Zen Buddhism, and Amerindian culture. The Beat Generation  as a whole adopted  these ideals and served to influence American culture in the post–World War  II era. Jack Kerouac Did a Great Job with Vernacular Part of Kerouacs aesthetic was his love of jazz and how freely the music seemed to come to the musicians- they didnt worry about whether  it would make sense.  Kerouac eventually developed the writing style (that still exists today, though its not often taught) known as spontaneous prose. Kerouac would observe and take notes  on a subject for months or  years at a time, and then put  all of these thoughts down on paper at once; after years on the road with friend Neal Cassady, Kerouac eventually settled down to write  On the Road in a period of about three weeks. He Was a  Master at Reflecting  His Point in Time The Beat Generation was extremely reflective of the Post–World War II  era. At this time, there was a huge exploration into alternative ways of life  (basically, a mini 60s-  and  70s-style revolution). Kerouacs work reflected  these views- his tone and subjects often conveyed  attitudes of excitement  that were  demonstrated in colloquial ways. He Had  Some Good Views on Freedom Kerouacs views on freedom may have  come from his difficult childhood and the number of doors that slammed in his face (the football team and the Marines, for example). As a result, he  rebelled. Kerouac and his character in  On the Road made their way by doing the exact opposite of what society told them to do- and the results are entertaining and a bit inspirational. In On the Road, Kerouac echoes ideas of American freedom and  the  boundless energy the country was experiencing in the aftermath of World War II.   Sal and Dean jump into the car and driveand driveand drive. There is little in terms of an exact destination because freedom and individuality are depicted as journeys in their own right, without a need for a defined end. He Was a Buddhist The Wests  interest in Eastern religions has been around for, well, a long time. But Eastern religions werent  commonly seen in practice until the later decades of the 20th century. Its arguable that it was the Beat Movement that led to this alternative view of religion. In his  book  The  Dharma Bums,  Kerouac writes about the spiritual experiences of  the character Ray and  his friends. The book  focuses in particular on the characters contact with  Buddhism. He Wasnt into Censorship Free speech has obviously been a thing in the United States since the whole drafting of the Constitution thing went down. We all know that there are some things that simply  arent always appropriate for a wide audience (like if I suddenly started talking about how Kim K. got famous- not appropriate here). Well, back in the 50s, this idea of inappropriateness was even more widespread, and that didnt really jive with Kerouacs wild experiences on the road. Kerouac also saw revisions on ones work as a form of literary lying and all but refused to do it. With all that in mind, it makes sense that the original version of  On the Road  that he attempted to publish was full of sex, drugs, and rock n roll, and no one knows if Kerouac folded on his principles and edited the novel or if his editor went ahead and did it for him. Were thinking the latter, though. P.S. He Was Kind of a Total Babe

Heroin Abuse Health Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Heroin Abuse Health Policy - Essay Example Abuse of heroin is becoming very prevalent among young women because of its high availability at lower prices. The individuals who consume the drug are mostly from the poor family background. Consumption of the drug often results in very bad consequences among maternal child parents during the withdrawal period. Among the withdrawal effects include malaise, sweating, insomnia, diarrhea, nausea, and cramps among others. With the implementation of this policy, it is expected that individuals will benefit from it a great deal. The people will be educated on drug abuse. They will gain the knowledge and life skills that will help them overcome drug and substance abuse related problems. The society will also benefit from this health policy in terms of the improved socioeconomic lifestyle of the people. Businesses are likely to blossom since the monies used to buy drugs will now be channeled into legitimate business activities (Cross, and Karen, 2001). The rate of crime is also probable to reduce drastically.

Global Management Styles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Global Management Styles - Essay Example The kind of the company I would like to manage is the registered limited company in which the liability of all the members is limited to a number of shares they hold. There are various management policies that the manager of a limited company needs to follow to ensure that the company runs smoothly. In this ISO 9000, certification represents a means of internal communication to customers and other constituents. I will be required to adhere to the ISO 9000 developed framework by constantly referring to the requirements in the operational manual. I will be required to use my skills to ensure that I make proper judgment especially in cases of disagreements. The company requires filing tax returns, and it will be my responsibility to ensure that there is complete compliance. ISO 9000 standards are not for evaluating finished products or the delivered service but assure that the organization has well-documented quality management systems such as written procedures and rules. Policies requ ired by the company include the keeping of the company's records in addition to ensuring that its accounts are true and fair (Mendel, 2006). As the manager the company, managing employees and ensuring that each performs his or her duties perfectly will be of great use. ISO guidelines will be our guiding factor to rationalization or conceptualization logic. Another challenge that I may be faced with is decoupling in which the returns on assets may diverge from their normal pattern of correlation.