An Introduction to the financial tools in measuring Liquidity and Profitability

An Introduction to the financial tools in measuring Liquidity and Profitability Tools that are important in monitoring business are liquidity and profitability. Liquidity refers to solvency meaning how quickly assets can be converted to cash while the income statement measures the financial performance of an entity through measuring profitability. The main financial documents of a company measures profitability and liquidity, the statement of comprehensive income measures profitability whilst liquidity is measured by the statement of financial position. Liquidity is measured by comparing the current assets and current liabilities of an entity. Current assets are resources of a business maturing within a year whilst current liabilities are the short term obligations of a business maturing within a year. Therefore, when measuring liquidity we measure the ability of an entity to cover its short term obligations with its current resources which includes inventory, Debtors, cash in the bank and petty cash amongst other resources. If a firm can cover its current obligations with its current resources twice it is considered liquid meaning it can cover its current obligations with few difficulties and any ratio less than that is considered illiquid meaning the entity will face difficulties in settling its current obligations which is not a good sign for any entity. Profitability is measured by matching revenue for a period with expenses for that period. Revenue is the proceeds an entity receives from selling its products from its core business activities. Whilst expenses are those costs incurred during a period in the process of generating sales revenue. Examples of expenses include electricity, rent, depreciation, salaries and wages e.t.c. The excess of revenues over expenses means the business is profitable whilst the vice versa means its making a loss. Profitability is measured in the income statement, and in addition to cash items it also considers non cash items such as depreciation. As a result profitability is not a true reflection of the cash generated by the business given the fact that it is drawn on an accrual basis. Yearling Ltd The company is faced with disagreements between two departments which are the accounting and finance staff. The accounting staff believes that if the company is profitable it should be able to pay for its obligations whilst the finance staff disagrees. The elaboration in the above paragraphs has explained profitability and liquidity and differences can be identified from the explanations. That is profitability means the ability of the firm to cover its operational expenses with its operational revenue and this includes cash and non cash items and hence can not measure the ability of a firm to pay its obligations. On the other hand liquidity measures the ability of a firm to cover its obligations with its resources and hence a perfect measure of the ability of the firm in covering its financial obligations. Hence, a profitable firm can be illiquid i.e. can face liquidity challenges in meeting its obligations. Conclusion The financial managers staff is right in advocating for party budget cut in order to reduce their financial obligations given the challenge they are faced with. On the other hand the accounting staff are wrong in thinking that a profitable firm implies liquidity as these are two different things as was discussed in the previous paragraphs. Question 2 Question 3 3.1.1. Debt Ratio A  debt ratio compares a companys total  debt to its total assets. Debt consists of the amounts borrowed or owing to creditors. The ratio is used to gain a general idea as to the amount of leverage or debt being used by a company. A low percentage means that the company is less dependent on debt or leverage i.e. money borrowed from and/or owed to others. The lower the proportion, the less leverage a company is using and the stronger its equity position. This is so because the lower the chances that the company will be liquidated to meet the debt obligations. In general, the higher the ratio, the more risk that company is considered to have taken on. Debt ratio is calculated by the following formula: For the companies under discussion their debt ratios are as follows: Pelican Paper Ltd Timberland Forest Ltd 1000000/10000000 5000000/10000000 10% 50% Timberland Forest Ltd has got a high ratio of 50% compared to the ratio of Pelican Paper Ltd of 10%. This means that Timberland has a high financial risk as it is financed by debt more than Pelican. The more debt compared to equity a company has, which is signalled by a high debt ratio, the more leveraged it is and the riskier it is considered to be. 3.1.2. Times Interest earned Ratio A metric used to measure a companys ability to meet its debt obligations. It is calculated by taking a companys earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) and dividing it by the total interest payable on bonds and other contractual debt. It is usually quoted as a ratio and indicates how many times a company can cover its interest charges on a pre-tax basis. Failing to meet these obligations could force a company into bankruptcy. The ratio is calculated as follows: Times Interest Earned=Earnings before interest and taxes/interest For the two companies their respective ratios are as follows: Pelican Paper Ltd Timberland Forest Ltd 6250000/100000 6250000/500000 62.5 times 12.5times Pelican Paper Ltd has a high times interest earned ratio of 62.5times compared to Timberlands of 12.5times. This means Pelican has a high ability to cover its debts compared to Timberland as reflected by the number of times they can cover their interest obligations with available earnings. Conclusion Timberland has a high financial risk reflected by a high debt ratio and a lower time interest earned ratio. 3.2 3.2.1. Operating Profit margin Operating profit margin is the proportion of operating profit to Sales revenue for that period. Operating profit margin indicates how effective a company is at controlling the costs and expenses associated with their normal business operations. A high ratio means a high profitability whilst a lower means less profitable. The ratio is calculated as follows: Operating profit margin = operating profit/sales The respective ratios for the two companies are as follows: Pelican Paper Ltd Timberland Forest Ltd 6250000/25000000 6250000/25000000 25% 25% The companies has the same ratios and this implies that they are equally good in managing their costs and expenses hence profitability based on this ratio. 3.2.2. Net Profit Margin The ratio measures the percentage of profit available to ordinary shareholders to Sales. This number is an indication of how effective a company is at cost control. The higher the net profit margin is, the more effective the company is at converting revenue into actual profit. The net profit margins are a good way to compare companies in order to gauge which ONES are relatively more profitable. The ratio is calculated by the following formula: Net profit margin = Earnings available for ordinary share holders/sales The respective ratios of the two companies are as follows: Pelican Paper Ltd Timberland Forest Ltd 3690000/25000000 3450000/25000000 14.76% 13.80% Pelican has a high ratio compared to Timberland which means a high profitability based on this ratio. Therefore Pelican is profitable than Timberland. 3.2.3. Return on Total Assets Measures profit in proportion to total assets, in other words the effectiveness of management utilising the available assets in generating profits. A high ratio means greatest effectiveness and profitability. The ratio is calculated as follows: Return on total assets = Earnings available for ordinary shareholders/Total assets For the two companies the respective ratios are as follows: Pelican Paper Ltd Timberland Forest Ltd 3690000/10000000 3450000/10000000 36.90% 34.50% Pelican has a high ratio compared to Timberlands hence high profitability. 3.2.4. Return on common equity Measures the return earned on the ordinary shareholders investment in the firm. The amount of net income  returned  as a percentage  of shareholders equity.  Return on equity  measures a corporations profitability  by revealing how much  profit a company generates  with the money shareholders have invested.  Ã‚   ROE is expressed as a percentage and calculated as: Return on Equity = Net Income/Shareholders Equity Net income is for the full fiscal year (before dividends paid to common stock holders but after dividends to preferred stock.) Shareholders equity does not include preferred shares. The two companies ratios are as follows: Pelican Paper Ltd Timberland Forest Ltd 3690000/9000000 3450000/5000000 41% 69% Pelican has a lower return on equity compared to Timberland and based on this ratio Timberland is more profitable compared to Pelican. 3.3. Timberland has become more profitable because of the larger debt. Debt has a fixed interest payment and its tax allowed meaning it is tax deductable and as a result a high debt means a high interest payment and lower tax hence increased profits. 3.4. The risks undertaken by Timberland investors are basically financial risks which include the liquidity risk, interest rate risk and credit risk. Question 4 Item Change(Rands) inflow(I)/outflow(o)/neither(N) Cash +100 I Trade and other payables -1000 O Short term borrowing +500 I Long-term borrowing -2000 O Inventory +200 O Non-current assets +400 O Trade receivables -700 I Net profit +600 Depreciation +100 N Repurchase of shares +600 O Cash dividends +800 I Sale of shares +1000 I Question 5 5.1. Year Cashflow PVIF(5%) PV 1 800 0.95 761.90 2 900 0.91 816.33 3 1000 0.86 863.84 4 1500 0.82 1234.05 5 2000 0.78 1567.05 Present Value of mixed cash flows 5243.17 5.2. The amount that can be paid at most is 5  243.17 5.3. Present Value of the mixed cash flows at 7% is as follows: Year Cashflow PVIF(5%) PV 1 800 0.93 747.66 2 900 0.87 786.09 3 1000 0.82 816.30 4 1500 0.76 1144.34 5 2000 0.71 1425.97 Present Value of mixed cash flows 4920.37 An opportunity cost of 7% implies that the investor will be prepared to pay less now and earn the same return as the one who pays more at 5% return. Question 6 6.1. Risk Averse Describes of an investor who, when faced with two investments with same or a similar expected return and different risks, will prefer the one with the lower risk. Given the trade off between risk and return its means risk averse investors will always lose on a potential of earning higher returns as investments with lower risks tend to have lower returns. 6.2. Risk indifferent This describes investors who overlook purposely risk when deciding between investments. They are also called risk neutral investors and they are mainly concerned with an investment expected return. 6.3. Risk seeking Describes investors who are willing to take additional risks for investments that have relatively low expected return. This contrasts with a typical investor mentality risk aversion. They tend to take higher risks in an effort to earn higher returns. They are also termed risk lovers. 6.4. Financial managers are best described as risk averse as they always seek to minimise risk when they make financial decisions. Question 7 7.1. Standard deviation measures the deviation of the returns from the expected return whilst range measures the differences between the highest possible return and the lowest return of a project. The higher the standard deviation the higher the risk whilst the same can be said about range, therefore project A is less risky as it has the lowest standard deviation and range compared to other projects. 7.2. Project A has a lower standard deviation 7.3 Standard deviation measures extend at which the returns are dispersed from the expected return of an asset. But it does not measure proportionately, so given different returns standard deviation will not be proper to use it as a measure of risk for purpose of comparison. 7.4 Coefficient of variation = Standard deviation/Expected Return Project Coefficient of variation A 2.9%/12% 0.24 B 3.2%/12.5% 0.26 C 3.5%/13% 0.27 D 3%/12.8% 0.23 7.5 Coefficient of variation is a best measure of risk for purposes of comparison as it measures proportional deviation from the mean. Given that Grassland owners are risk averse they will choose a project with the lowest coefficient of variation which is project D based on the table above. Question 8 8.1 Comparison of Ordinary shareholders and other providers of long term capital Ordinary Shareholders Other Suppliers of long term capital Dividends to be paid are at the discretion of the companies board of directors Receives a fixed interest whether the company made profit or not. Dividend payments are taxed Interest payments are tax deductible Permanent form of financing They mature Have secondary claims to assets and income of the company. Have primary claims to income and assets of a company. Owners of the firm Creditors of the firm Have voting rights Dont have voting rights. 8.2 Rights offering are when ordinary shareholders are offered new shares at a discounted price first before they become available to the public. Therefore, this offering protects a firms shareholders from dilution of their holding in such a way that they are given preference to maintain their holding first by being offered proportional new shares to their holding. In that manner protected from a possible dilution if they were to be taken by new shareholders. 8.3. Authorised Shares Authorised shares quantify the maximum total shares a company can be allowed to issue. In other words it is the number of shares a company is authorised to issue highlighted in its articles and memorandum of association. It is from this that the company can decide on the number of shares that it can issue and can only issue at most to this amount of authorised shares otherwise it can issue less. Issued shares Its the number of shares that has been issued and paid for and it represents part of the amount equity reflected in the statement of financial position. These also represents the amount of he authorised shares held by the public. Issued shares represents the sum of issued and treasury shares. Treasury shares A company can decide to purchase part of the issued shares back for some reasons. If it does the shares will be held by the company and they do not participate in any thing i.e. they do not participate in voting nor receive dividends. These types of shares are the ones termed treasury shares 8.4. Preference shareholders tend to have more favourable basic rights in terms of the distribution of earnings and assets compared to ordinary shareholders. They often have features of debt instruments which makes them superior in terms of claims compared to ordinary shareholders. The claims that preference shares will be discussed in the paragraphs that follow; Preference shares have a fixed claim on the firms income that takes precedence over the claim of ordinary shareholders. This makes them less risk compared to ordinary shareholders as they have guaranteed income. Given that they are participative preference shares they will also have preference over ordinary shareholders in the distribution of earnings. Furthermore, if they do not receives the dividend earnings it implies the ordinary shareholders they have not as well. This then makes and shows that the ordinary shareholders are the true risk takers. In the event of liquidation, preference shares do have a preference over ordinary shareholders in claims over assets of the firm. In other words they are paid their initial capital first before ordinary shareholders could be paid. 8.5. The cumulative future of preference shares refers to the guaranteed payment of dividends to the shares irregardless of the performance of the company. In the event of a company having less financial resources to pay for the dividend, it will be deferred and paid as and when the company realizes the resources to pay. In other words the dividends are accumulated and paid when the company can. For example, if a company is liable to pay a 10  000 dividend annually for preference shares and it happens that one financial period the lack financial resources to pay the dividend they defer it to the following financial period. As a result, in the following financial period they will have to pay a dividend of 20  000 which covers the 10  000 for the last period and the 10  000 for the current period. Question 9 Valuation of shares with no dividend growth, the formula is as follows. 9.1 Share price = Dividend per share/cost of capital 2.4/0.12 R 20.00 9.2 2.4/0.2 R 12.00 9.3 The higher the risk the higher the value, a lower interest rate results in a higher value. This is so because the lower the interest rate the higher the risk of default and that risk should be compensated by an increased capital value. The reverse is also true for a higher interest rate as it has resulted in a lower capital value.

On Being Told I Don’t Speak Like a Black Person Essay

† On Being Told I Don’t Speak Like a Black Person† tells a story of the importance in identifying your own speech and how there is nothing more personal than your own speech. Many people change their attitude, personality and in some cases the way they speak based on their environment and surroundings. The meaning of what the author wants to get across to the reader is exemplified in lines 52-70. In those lines she says how we shouldn’t care how any one speaks no matter what race, color, or where the individual is from. She realizes this in her own experience because her mother, father, and her all speak differently and she asks one of her friends â€Å"does everyone in your family speak alike† they responded â€Å"don’t take this the wrong way, nothing personal†. I believe it is then that the author realizes how personal ones language is and that no person should have to defend the way they speak or what language he/she speaks. I also, found it interesting how Allison, a black woman questioned why black people just drop syllables, and sound lazy, instead of just speaking clear, clean English. She brings this up because her college acquaintances noticed how she spoke like a â€Å"white† person instead of like a black American. The speaker also mentions that her acquaintances seemed sure they knew what a black person is supposed to sound like. The speaker is talking about how her acquaintances have a preconceived notion and stereotype on how black people should sound. There are a lot of cultural assumptions in this belief. There is a stereotype that black people are not as educated as white people. In my opinion, this is simply not true. Also, they may expect her to speak in Ebonics or improper English. The matter of the fact is that you should not be ashamed of where you come from and the way you speak, that is all part of your identity. Finally, people will one day perceive who you really are and respect your heritage.

Gun politics in the United States Essay

To draw up case studies, it is first important to understand its various aspects. For an effective case study, one must first understand the principles of a case. It is important to understand what a case is, the types of cases there are and their purposes. Following this understanding, the methods of analyzing and discussing cases must be explored. After mastering these skills, The three stages of problem, decision and evaluation are vital to the organization of the case study. 4 ? 5 6 7 ? In all case studies we should first explore the brief synopsis of the case and its pedagogical objectives. 8 9 ? In a case method classroom, both the instructor and students must be active in different ways. The art of a case method instructor is to ask the right question at the right time, provide feedback on answers, and sustain a discussion that opens up meanings of the case. If students don’t come to class well-prepared, the case method will fail because the people responsible for making meaning from the case are not equipped to do it. ? 10 ? Case discussions are full of facts and information, but they aren’t shaped into single interpretation, the â€Å"truth†. Instructors don’t announce definitive conclusions or right answers, although they may discriminate between more and less plausible solutions. Students enter and leave the classroom responsible for the outcomes of the discussion. For students, this is a shift from the comfort of authority and single truth to the hard work of personal responsibility and the unease of ambiguity and multiple meanings. ? 11 ? Cases are verbal representation of reality. Real business situations involve uncertainty and don’t present selected and sorted information. ? A case must have 3 characteristics: 1) a significant real world business issue or issues 2) Sufficient information on which to base conclusions 3) No stated conclusions 12 ? Many cases have these complicating properties: 1) Information that includes â€Å"Noise†- false, irrelevant†¦ testimony by characters in the case 2) Unstated information that must be inferred from the information that is stated 3) Nonlinear structure 13 ? A well-written case must have these characteristics. Reader of the case must be able to: 1) Construct conclusion from the information in the text 2) Filter out irrelevant portions of the text. 3) Furnish missing information through inferences. 4) Associate evidence from different parts of the case and integrate it into a conclusion. 14 ? Noise is a characteristic of real situations. Today, we are flooded in information, much of it of little value. Every case, whether it has a large amount of information or very little, requires the reader to make inferences. This can be the most difficult transition from textbooks and lectures. ? If memorization is the primary skill of the lecture model, inference is the primary skill of the case model. Furthermore, cases do not have a linear structure and are not presented in the most logical way. ? 15 ? There are 3 possible approaches to reading the case: 1) Receive it 2) Find it 3) Make it (appropriate for cases) ? â€Å"Receive it† states both subject and its significance (fits a text such as news story) â€Å"Find it† states keys and clues to find the solution (fits a text such as mystery novel) On the first reading of the case, it can seem to be a whole that is less than the sum of its parts. Indeed, the most basic matters of fact are not clearly stated or are stated in multiple ways. Students have to read a case actively (Active Reading) and construct their own meaning based on pedagogical objectives of the case and the theories and concepts already discussed in the class. 16 ? ? ? A case is a text that refuses to explain itself; hence, a meaning needs to be constructed for it. To analyze a case, the contextual factors concerning it must first be studied in order to allow a deeper understanding of the case (Situational analysis) Contextual information helps to limit and narrow the analysis of the case. Courses are often divided up into different modules or themes defined by certain types of situations and, often, concepts, theories, and practices appropriate for these situations. Students should learn how to make a case with relevant information based on the objectives of the case or questions already given by the instructor. 18 ? ? ? The method of analyzing a text is heuristic, meaning that important aspects of the situation in which the case is set must be identified and understood. This is a term used for self-guided learning that employs analysis to help draw conclusions about a situation. 19 ? Analysis has two closely related definitions: to break something up into its constituent parts; and to study the relationships of the parts to the whole. To analyze a case, you therefore need ways of identifying and understanding important aspects of a situation and what they mean to the overall situation. ? Thinking about a case must start before you begin making it. This way, the different questions arising about the case can be answered during the reading process. For example, the framework of a certain concept may guide a product launch decision. Hence, specialized methods are advantageous in achieving well-defined purposes. 20 21 22. 23 The following will provide a starting point for further understanding the different aspects of analyzing a case: ? There are four types of situations which appear repeatedly in case: †º Problems †º Decisions †º Evaluations †º Rules (complicated for beginners) 24 ? The definition of â€Å"problem† as a case situation is quite specific, unlike its other suggestions. Problem is a situation in which there is a significant outcome or performance, and there is no explicit explanation of the outcome or the performance. A problem in a case study is when the outcome or performance is significant yet there is no clear explanation of why it has happened. The causes of these outcomes are important to know so that the situation can be improved. ? 25 ? The outcomes of the cases may be negative. This is as a result of the fact that the change effort of the manager may be self-destructive. This result may arise from weaknesses that are unapparent. For efficient problem analysis, the problem first has to be defined. This is where success can come to be seen as a problem, in its own special meaning. ? ? Next, the problem must be explained by linking the outcome or performance to its root causes. Specialized methods of business disciplines are needed as tools to carry out this analysis. 26 ? Problem analysis begins with a definition of the problem. That seems obvious, yet many cases do not state a problem. As a result, you will first need to realize that a problem does exist. After this, you must define it yourself. Next, you must work out an explanation of the problem. This can be done by linking the outcome or performance to its root causes. This is the main work of problem analysis. To carry it out, you will need to employ the relevant tools, the specialized methods of business disciplines such as Strategy or SCM or operations management. 27 ? Would Barnes & Noble have benefited (or been hindered) by its physical organizational structure and management processes in its attempt to strengthen its position as an electronic commerce product/service provider? Defend your arguments. 28 ? Many cases complicate the decision immediately. Many of these are organized around an explicit decision. The decision, however, should not be based on other situations. The existence of an explicit decision is an important distinction, because nearly all business cases involve decision. In many other cases, however, the decisions are implicit and dependant on another situation. The decisions featured in various cases vary greatly in scope, consequence and available data. An executive must decide whether to launch a product, move a plant, pursue a merger, or provide financing for a planned expansion. ? 29 ? Analyzing a decision requires the following, regardless of the dimensions of a decision: †º Decision options †º Decision criteria †º Relevant evidence ? The decision options are often mentioned in the case itself. A stated decision needs to be followed by a statement of the alternative decision options. Finding these or coming up with them can be set as the first goal of the analysis. 30 ? In making a rational decision, the appropriate criteria need to be determined. By thoroughly studying the specifics of the case with the help of specialized methods, the criteria can be derived from the case, as they are not likely to be directly stated. The criteria are then used to develop evidence so as to complete a decision analysis. The decision must be the best option between the evidence and criteria available. In decision analysis, no decision is objectively correct. The goal is to find a decision that creates more benefits than the alternatives, as well as having less severe downsides. 31 ? ? â€Å"If we are to continue outsourcing, and even consider expanding it, why should we keep paying someone else to do what we can do for ourselves? † what are the stimuli behind such a statement to reflect on eBay customer support decision? 32 ? In an evaluation, a judgment is expressed about the worth, value, or effectiveness of a performance, act, or outcome. An outcome can be the subject of an assessment. The analysis of an evaluation can be based on any unit, from an individual to a global region. ? The outcome can be the subject of an assessment. The competitive position of a company, for instance, is the outcome of numerous decisions and performances as well as contingencies such as macroeconomic conditions. 33 ? Evaluations require appropriate criteria for setting the standards for assessing worth, value, or effectiveness. These criteria can be inferred from the particulars of a situation, with the aid of specialized methods. An overall evaluation will express the best option between the evidence and the criteria. Another requirement of an evaluation is that it includes both positive and negative aspects. Both strengths and weaknesses require analyzing. ? ? 34 ? 1. Is it justifiable for a company like Amazon. com to continue investing so much money and effort in a business operation that not only has made a profit for nearly 5 years but was incurring heavier losses? (Refer to the company’s financial statements) 35 ? The key to the analyzing process is active reading in order to make a case, as it is interrogative, purposeful, and iterative, meaning that you make multiple passes through a case and each time reading with various purposes. 37 ? Three factors contribute to active reading: a goal, a point of view, and a hypothesis. Goal of Analysis – Concrete limits must be set in order to derive the desirable information form the case. In addition, a time limit can be used to make the time spent on analyzing the case more productive. the main character. This way, making a decision as a person in that situation will help making conclusions easier. compare and contrast a concrete statement against case evidence. †º Point of View – It is effective to pout oneself in the place of †º Hypotheses – This gives the advantage of being able to 38 ? The process of working on a case has five phases: 1) Situation 2) Questions 3) Hypothesis 4) Proof and action 5) Alternatives 39 The analysis can first be structured as a series of questions and then identifying the situation by reading the first and last sections. The opening or end of a case may present partial or complete descriptions of the problem as well as expressing a tension or conflict vital to the analysis. 40 Knowing the situation allows you to ask questions pertinent to a problem, a decision, or an evaluation. Hence, the stages previously stated can develop the needed understanding to ask the questions in this second phase. Making a content inventory of the case, to locate information that might be used to answer the questions about the situation, can be useful. 41 †º Problem – Who or what is the subject of the problem? What is the problem? Am I trying to account for a failure, a success, or something more ambiguous? What is the significance of the problem to the subject? Who is responsible for the problem and what might he need to know to do something about it? †º Decision – What are the decision options? Do any seem particularly strong or weak? What is at stake of the decision? What are the possible criteria? What might the most important criteria be for this kind of decision? Are any of the criteria explicitly discussed in the case? †º Evaluation – Who or what is being evaluated? Who is responsible for the evaluation? What is at stake? What are the possible criteria? What might the possible criteria be for this sort of evaluation? Are any of the criteria explicitly discussed in the case? 42 ? Instructor may decide to provide situation guidelines and questions regarding the case study for students: 1) Situation 2) Questions 3) Hypothesis 4) Proof and action 5) Alternatives 43. This is the most important phase while working on the case. This involves narrowing the possibilities to the one that seems most plausible. There are different aspects to take into consideration, depending on if you are dealing with a problem, a decision, or an evaluation. Recording your thought process can help the development of this stage. 44 ? – Make sure you know the problem that needs to be diagnosed. Consider whether the characteristics of the problem suggest causes. – Think about the frameworks that seem most appropriate to the situation. Quickly review the specifics of the frameworks if you are not certain about them. – Pursue the diagnosis by looking at case information through the lens of the cause you are most certain about. – For each cause, make a separate pass through the case looking for evidence of it. – If the case has a lot of quantitative evidence, to what case is it most relevant? If you do not have a case relevant to the quantitative evidence, formulate one. Work up as much relevant, high-value quantitative evidence as you can. – In a case with a protagonist (central character), consider whether she is a potential cause. If you think she is, work out how she contributes to the problem. Problem 45 Energy = 2/3 consulting + all of technology service Industry = 1/3 consulting + all of certification 46 ? Decision – Review the criteria you have come up with so far. Which do you have the most confidence in? – Review the decision options. Do any seem especially strong or weak? – Apply the criteria that seem to identify the most evidence in the case. – Investigate the strongest decision option with the criterion you have the most confidence in. or, if you are reasonably certain about what which is the weakest, see if you can quickly dismiss that option. – If the case has a lot of quantitative evidence, which criterion is most relevant to it? If you do not have the criterion relevant to the quantitative evidence, formulate one. Work up as much relevant, high-value quantitative evidence as you can. – If there are conflicts about the decision between individuals or groups, think about why it is. Look at the decision from the point of view of each of the parties to the conflict. – If the protagonist is in a difficult position in relation to the decision, consider why that is. 47 48 49 ? Evaluation – Review the criteria you have come up with so far. Which do you have the most confidence in? – What are the terms of the evaluation going to be? Do any stand out in the case? – Do you already have a sense of the bottom-line evaluation you favor? If you do, what are the reasons for the preference? Pursue those reasons. – Start by applying the criterion that seems to identify the most evidence in the case. – Investigate the most positive range or the most negative with the criterion you have the most confidence in. – Investigate the most positive rating or the most negative with the criterion you have the most confidence in. – If the case has a lot of quantitative evidence, which criterion is most relevant to it? If you do not have a criterion relevant to the quantitative evidence, formulate one. Work up as much relevant, high-value, quantitative evidence as you can. 50 08 😕 ?†¢  «  » ( )? ?†¢  «  » ( )? ?†¢  «  » ( )? ?†¢  «  » ( )? 😕 ?15? A hypothesis drives a different approach to the case. You will start proving something you have already found out. Evidence supporting the hypothesis can be found in this stage. After this, the evidence can be assessed and a decision option can be drawn up, also finding the actionable content of the decision made. The last phase involves questioning your own hypothesis. This means reading your hypothesis and evidence with a critical eye. In this way, you can be the one who notices the weaknesses in the first place. †º †º Problem – Can the problem be defined differently? Would that make a difference to the diagnosis? Are there any holes in the diagnosis – could there be causes missing? What is the weakest part of the diagnosis? Could an entirely different diagnosis be made? What would it look like? Decision – What is the biggest downside of the recommended decision? How would you manage the downside? What is the strongest evidence against the recommendation? How would a case for the major alternative look? 55 †º Evaluation – Have you been objective and thorough ? If a hypothesis, after all these stages of analyzing and evaluation, fails, looking at alternative ideas can help to come up with another, stronger, hypothesis. This can be made into a useful learning experience for gaining more expertise. Such a case may arise if you perhaps overlooked important information or not used specialized tools effectively. about the evaluation findings that oppose your overall assessment? Think how a different overall evaluation might be proved. Have you accounted for factors that the subject of the evaluation could not control? 56 ? Potential for further discussion 57 ?†¢ 02 0102 ? Deepwater Horizon , 11 ? 71 . 3 002 ? ? .? ?85? ? The variables that influence the path and quality of a case discussion include the instructor, the students, the case, and a host of other possibilities such as the physical setting, the time of day, or the proximity to exams. The only variable that you can control is yourself. Case discussions are the most important part of Industrial Engineering and Business studies classrooms. This method encourages students to apply their learned theories and be able to contribute as part of a group to converse in a business matter. Therefore, skills to communicate and participate are very essential. 60 ? ? A case is a condition explained in which the students attribute with giving their own opinions about it, as well as listening to their peers. It is important for everyone in the case class to contribute in the discussion and comment on it. 61 ? Unfortunately there are some students who do not find it comfortable to participate in the class and feel threatened. This could be due to several reasons. ? The language used in the class might be different from their mother’s tongue and therefore give them the fear of making a mistake in front of their native speaker peers. They might have the fear that they do not have enough knowledge and background about business as others do, and therefore make themselves look silly by making a useless comment and several other reasons, which limits students from participating. Strategies have been used by instructors to overcome these kinds of fears. 62 ? ? Preparing comments and speeches are among the tactics used to overcome fears. Students prepare all their comments and what they want to say before the class and write them down, ready to be said. They will feel comfortable thinking they will have a valuable point to make. This is not always right. A discussion is not predictable, and the preparation might not work very well. The discussion might go into a totally different path in which the prepared points are irrelevant. On the other hand a flexible plan preparation can be helpful. It only causes problems when it is â€Å"over prepared†. ? 63 ? Another tactic is to enter the discussion with a delay, which is after listening to the peers and the professor and trying to make a comment relevant to theirs. This is not a very good way. In fact, it makes it harder to enter a discussion, thinking that only a perfect comment will give him the power to break into the discussion. Therefore the earlier the student starts participating, preferably from the first class, he will feel more comfortable. ? 64 ? Case method exposes risk which is shared by everyone. Risk isn’t purely negative; it is a motivator to do the hard work the case method requires. The most valuable advice about case discussion is to speak up early. Speaking up early not only reduces the nervousness of being in the spotlight It also assists you in setting realistic expectations for yourself. †º Setting a limit on your case preparation has several benefits: it puts a healthy pressure on students to use the time well; and it encourages students to pay attention to how you analyze a case. †º Read the case actively. Reading passively is one of the most important obstacles to efficient analysis. 65 ? In addition, students can try to get to know each other outside the classroom. This reduces their fear and strangeness towards each other. ? They can meet outside the classroom. This will definitely change the environment in the classroom. Building a social network is important to case discussion. Students surrounded by classmates who clearly respect them will probably be at least a little more willing to take risks in discussions. The often subtle but damaging influence of stereotypes about gender, personal appearance, and many other characteristics can be muted when people get to know each other as they are instead of what they are projected to be. A classroom friend can encourage a quiet student to speak up or to take bigger risks with his/her comments 66. Regardless of business seriousness, it is also  helpful to be funny at some points, and make others enjoy the class with a little humor. participation. However it should be accompanied by participating. It is important to listen to everyone carefully and contribute equally, and do not hesitate to talk whenever an idea pops in the mind. †º Listening is the most important factor of 67 †º Take a little time after class to think about the discussion before the memory of it fades away, you’ll capture more of the value of the classroom experience. The short-term benefit is greater clarity about the issues that link on case to another and lends coherence to a course. In long run, these takeaways become your personal bible for leadership. is the product of useful contributions over a period of time, not occasional bravura performance. †º You need to be patient. Effective collaboration 68 ? In conclusion, it is important to first analyze and discuss a case to develop one’s understanding of it. Afterwards, the knowledge gained can be employed to draw up the planning of the casebased essay. Finally, using the guidelines outlined, the different aspects of the case analyzed can be used to write up a well-researched essay. 69 ? Ellet W (2007) The Case Study Handbook: How to Read, Discuss, and Write Persuasively About Cases (Boston: Harvard Business School Press) ECCH Case Study Workshop 2010 ? 70 View as multi-pages TOPICS IN THIS DOCUMENT Scientific method, Casebook method, Case study, Qualitative research RELATED DOCUMENTS How to analyse case study †¦ How to analyse a case study Step 1: Get a general impression †¢ Which organisations and industries/sectors does it relate to? †¢ Is the organisation doing well or badly and how has it performed in the past? Is it an organisation that has an unbroken record of success or has it fallen on hard times? †¢ Look at the development of the organisation over time. What strategies has it pursued? Which have succeeded and which have failed? How successful has the†¦ 4076 Words | 3 Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT Case Study Guide Ukzn Westville South Africa †¦ UKNZN, SCHOOL OF MIG- DISCIPLINE OF MAKERTING AND SUPPLY CHAIN SCMA 305 2013 CASE STUDY GUIDE ANSWERING CASE STUDIES The following problems that have prevented companies to be successful are as follows: 1. The inability to recognize important problems; 2. Difficulty in formulating the main problem; 3. The inability to actually visualize or understand the situation; 4. The inability to communicate with other managers and†¦ 4076 Words | 7 Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT Case Study †¦ Introduction to Case Study by Winston Tellis+ The Qualitative Report, Volume 3, Number 2, July, 1997 (http://www. nova. edu/ssss/QR/QR3-2/tellis1. html) ——————————————————————————– Abstract This paper is the first of a series of three articles relating to a case study conducted at Fairfield University to assess aspects of the rapid introduction of Information Technology at†¦ 4076 Words | 20 Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT Case study †¦? Case Study Evaluation Protocol and Procedures Evaluation of the overall quality of each case study will be made on the following criteria: CASE STUDY PARTS CRITERIA Abstract Summary paragraph introducing the project, building, hypothesis, highlights of findings. concise brief of the parts to the case study. Introduction Description of building, background†¦ 4076 Words | 3 Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT MGMT591 Case Study Analysis †¦? Case Study Analysis: Building a Coalition Aldranon English II aldranon_englishii@yahoo. com MGMT591 ­_68800_20150301 Glenn Palmer March 22, 2015 Abstract This is an in-depth analysis of case study involving the Woodson Foundation. The analysis will evaluate the structure, environment (internal and external), strategy and implementation of tactics surrounding the program. This is only my interpretation of the program’s strengths†¦ 4076 Words | 6 Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT Case Analysis Study †¦ Case Study Analysis Paper Prepare a 1,400 to 1,750-word case study analysis paper based on the University of Phoenix Material, â€Å"Case Study for Student Analysis,† located in Week Two of the COMM/215 [pic] page. Below is a detailed description explaining how to prepare a case study analysis paper. ____________________________________________________________ _________________†¦ 4076 Words | 6 Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT How to Write a Case Study †¦ Write a Case Study Analysis By Karen Schweitzer, About. com Guide See More About: †¢ case studies †¢ case study analysis †¢ mba classes Ads Wetting Balance TestingSolderability Testing & Analysis Components -PWB- Assemblywww. standsgroup. com Requisite OrganizationFree research and information from the RO International Institute. www. requisite. org Novi Team BuildingIdealna zabava za†¦ 4076 Words | 4 Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT Case Study Writing Fromate †¦ Writing a case study report Josephine Hook, Research & Learning Coordinator Josephine. Hook@monash. edu (Source: www. office. microsoft. com) Outline ? What is a case study? ? Approaching a case study assignment ? The structure of a case study report ? Key elements of a case study report What is a case? A case might be: ? A†¦ 4076 Words |

Personal Statement On My Life - 876 Words

To me, my life stories are my adventures. However, to some; they are just life. I believe that certain events in my life have not only shaped who I am, but have helped construct my values, and me as a person. My life started off differently that what most people would consider the normal. In the beginning on my life, my dad was not there for me virtually at all. However, over time he came around and regained his position as the father figure in my life. I lived in Protection, Kansas for the first two years of my life, with my mom and my three other siblings. I was split between two families, with three siblings on my dad and moms side each. At the age of two, I moved into my fathers house, in Coldwater, Kansas along with my mom and siblings, whom of which all share the same father, not including me. At this point there were eight of us all living in the same house. However, in regards to my age I have little to no recollection of any of this until I was about five years old. From as far back I can remember, my dad was never a great father to me in my eyes. Not to be mistaken for taking him for granted, because I am very thankful to have both of my parents. however, in the aspect of father-son bonding, my dad was never fully there for me. We would constantly argue and but-heads over anything and everything. Also, I didn’t have the experience of going out and simply hanging out with my dad, or even just doing normal things that dad’s and sons do together. My dad wasShow MoreRelatedPersonal Statement : My Life998 Words   |  4 Pages Personal Statement ï » ¿ ï » ¿ ï » ¿Ã¯ » ¿I was born in the historical city of Patiala, town in northern part of India. All my ancestors right until my father have been businessmen. Due to early demise of my Grandfather my father had to take over his clothing business in his early 20 s. He could not complete his studies due to responsibilities he had toRead MorePersonal Statement : My Life Essay1217 Words   |  5 Pagesreplaying in my mine, â€Å"Promise me you won’t tell anyone,† and I did that; without hesitation, I promised. Overwhelmed with emotions that are churning through by body, I’ve realized that I’ve just made a statement that consequently, I would grow to regret. Feeling bemused and as though I can barely breathe, and knowing that I will betray her, the decision is made. Every part of my being knows that I must find him; at her expense. Childhood was a joyous time. Having had amazing parents who were my roleRead MorePersonal Statement : My Life848 Words   |  4 PagesOne day I was going through my Facebook profile, and I recognized I was friends with five hundred and eighty people. I was dumbfounded by the great number of individuals I am associated with through my profile. I went through the list to identify several people who I have never met in real life. Most of them were schoolmates, college mates and individuals I had mutual friends with. I was Facebook friends with a majority of them, just because we were part of the same organization. I went to the sameRead MorePersonal Statement : My Life1734 Words   |  7 PagesIn my past I was constantly striving for achievements, whether it was school, music, or good deeds in general, I wanted to be the best and stand out. This was not because those things gave me a sense of personal satisfaction, but rather it was because I wanted to finally be good enough for my d ad to be proud of me or for my mom to take an actual personal interest in who I was and not what I could provide for her. By the time I had moved across the country to go to college and to, frankly, begin writingRead MorePersonal Statement : My Life975 Words   |  4 PagesMy life in America started with a couple of unfortunate events that changed me profoundly. In the first six months in this country, I learned to be resilient, innovated and decisive. Thanks to those experiences I was prepared to achieve my American Dream. Before I moved to this country, I was a studious girl, that owned a small cloth shop in a town in the middle of the jungle. I could only dream of having a successful career. It was very unlikely that a girl from the Choco, the poorest and leastRead MoreMy Personal Statement On My Life869 Words   |  4 Pagescrazy how a minute detail can change the entire outcome a situation. Life has many hardships, I for one believe that it is these hardships that shapes us i nto what we are today. I was about ten years old but had the mentality of a four year old boy. Mostly cried when I was denied a toy or grounded for being mischievous. Like every other week I would grind my way into emotionally blackmailing my parents to allow me to go to my friends place and then go the extra mile to stay as long as possible.Read MoreMy Personal Statement On My Life878 Words   |  4 PagesOne day when I came home from school, I wanted to say hello to my step dad but he was in the shower. Therefore, I went straight to my room without saying hello to him. After a few minutes I heard the shower turn off in the bathroom. When he opened the bathroom door I heard him yelling my name, so I quickly ran to him to see if he was ok.When I saw him he told me he did not feel good and could not walk. I told him to stop playing around because he always joked about his health. But he told me he wasRead MoreMy Personal Statement On My Life918 Words   |  4 Pagesreceiving my as sociate’s degree in applied science. My journey to obtain my associates has not been easy. Nevertheless, I am accomplishing my goal and over the moon to be doing so. I did not plan to get my associates, I had originally planned just to bypass it completely and move on to get a bachelor in biology, however my health had other plans in mind. My health complications forced me to change my perspective on my life and to reconstruct how I prioritized everything in my life. My dream is toRead MoreMy Personal Statement On My Life945 Words   |  4 Pagestennis practice, I saw my parents talking to each other in the same room; which was unusual, considering they have not spoken with each other since their divorce, and typically begin to argue when they communicate. They told me to have a seat on the pew of my piano because they had something important to address. My father had opened the conversation with one question: Do you know what you re going to do when we re no longer here to support you? I sat there contemplating what my answer will be, butRead MoreMy Personal Statement On My Life1110 Words   |  5 Pagesthrough the plethora of papers sitting on my desk, hoping to find the career pamphlet that tells me who I am and what I am supposed to be doing with my life, I realize that no one other than myself can answer â€Å"Who am I? Who am I in the process of becoming?† As I begin to map out my future in accordance with my interests and career g oals, I realize how lending a helping hand and acting as role models for others have been an essential part of my daily life. I aspire to impact the lives of others, as