Outback Steakhouse - 1401 Words

OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE: GOING INTERNATIONAL Overview: The advent of globalized business has brought new and interesting opportunities to companies all over the world. Chris Sullivan, chairman and co-founder of Outback Steakhouse, noted that many internationally based American restaurants have â€Å"average unit sales [that are] way, way above the sales level they enjoyed in the United States.† (Grant, 2010: 753) For fast-food franchise giants like McDonald’s, Burger King, and KFC, up to one half of total sales stem from international chains. (Grant: 757) â€Å"Casual dining† restaurants, such as Denny’s, Applebee’s, and T.G.I. Friday’s, have had very little history and presence within international markets. This presents the possibility of never†¦show more content†¦They have to prove they can build plants [abroad].† (Grant: 757) If this does not happen, what are the possible alternatives? Many restaurants that have gone international have faced problems finding food resources that are of quality, in quantity, and remain at stable prices. (Grant: 759) Even if Outback’s suppliers were willing to go international hand-in-hand, what challenges in communication and transportation would they face in a foreign society? Regulations and Trade Restrictions Quite possibly one of the most notable issues facing Outback Steakhouse is the differing regulations and restrictions that may hinder the corporation’s ability to enter certain markets. Other countries can impose more restrictions on new restaurants than in the United States, and it may also be difficult to readily find these regulations. (Grant: 759) Before entering a specific country, research must be done in order to fully understand how this may affect the corporation. It should be noted, however, that Outback Steakhouse realizes this and believes that franchising to local entrepreneurs will eliminate the need to understand each market individually. (Grant: 757) Introduction This case analysis identifies four strategic issues facing Google. Google First, Google has outgrown its original mission statement, an issue for investors andShow MoreRelatedOutback Steakhouse - Competitive Strategy3975 Words   |  16 PagesExecutive Summary Outback Steakhouse has enjoyed a dominant position in the casual dining market since inception. They have exponentially increased the number of locations each year; however their growth has apparently reached a plateau and they could potentially loose market share. There is significant competitive pressure from rivals using marketing and advertising in attempts to lure away customers. Consumer loyalty is highly valuable and rivals will use whatever tactics necessary to gainRead More Business Analysis of Outback Steakhouse Essay1778 Words   |  8 Pages Business Analysis of Outback Steakhouse This essay answers the following questions. 1) What are the standout business and economic characteristics of the restaurant industry? 2) What are the key success factors in the casual dining portion of the restaurant industry? 3) Do a SWOT analysis of Outback Steakhouse. What does it suggest? 4) Is the ?Principals and Believes? Policy Successful? 5) Evaluate Outback?s Financial Performance and present conditions. 6) What major issuesRead More Outback Steakhouse Case Essay1835 Words   |  8 PagesOutback Steakhouse Case Synopsis of Case In 1995, Outback Steakhouse was proclaimed as one of the most successful restaurant chains in the United States. The chain was started by Chris Sullivan, Bob Basham, and Tim Gannon during the 1980s. Prior to starting the Outback Steakhouse chain, Sullivan and Basham were successful franchisees of the Chili’s Restaurant chain. About the same time Gannon played a significant role in several New Orleans restaurant chains. Outback Steakhouse, formerlyRead MoreOutback Steakhouse - Customer Satisfaction Survey3297 Words   |  14 Pagessatisfaction survey: Outback Steakhouse Customer Satisfaction Survey Customer satisfaction survey: Outback Steakhouse Overview Outback Steakhouse is a multinational restaurant chain operating throughout the United States and in 18 other countries including Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and many more countries worldwide, (Outback Steakhouse, 2013). In most basic terms, Outback Steakhouse could be described as an Australian themed steakhouse. The restaurantRead MoreOutback Steakhouse Case Analysis Essay examples30195 Words   |  121 PagesProfessor Edward Desmarais BUS 470 Business Policy and Strategy Fall 2005 Outback Steakhouse Corporation CASE ANALYSIS Analysis completed by the Achiever’s TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Executive Summary 3 A. SWOT Summary 3 B. Recommendations 4 II. Current Situation 5 III. External Factors 12 IV. Internal Factors 39 V. Action Plan 76 Appendix A. Stakeholders Worksheet 87 2 I. Executive Summary A. SWOT Summary Weaknesses Strengths †¢ Read MoreOutback Steakhouse Is A Chain Of Restaurants1609 Words   |  7 PagesOutback Steakhouse is a chain of restaurants that serves a variety of foods, primarily steaks, with an Australian-themed menu and atmosphere. According to the Outback Steakhouse website, their strategy to compete in their market is providing quality, well-sized portions of food to customers at a reasonable price. They also strive to offer a â€Å"casual environment† through friendly service and a calming Australian outback-inspired ambiance. As an organization, Outback, is a mid-tier quality restaurantRead MoreOutback Steakhouse International Marketing Analysis Report5509 Words   |  23 PagesSummary: Outback Steakhouse is a chain of casual dining restaurants positioned with an Australian theme in the United States, first established in 1988 by Basham, Gannon and Sullivan. Early financing was limited, considering the company did not anticipate extensive expansions and franchising came from limited partnerships from associates, family and friends. However, in 1990, friends approached the three entrepreneurs and asked for a franchise of the Outback Australian theme. These franchises achievedRead MoreOutback Steakhouse1450 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Outback Steakhouse in Korea: a success story. by Lee, Kyuho^Khan, Mahmood A.^Ko, Jae-Youn Cornell Hospitality Quarterly †¢ Feb, 2008 †¢ CQ CASES Interviews with executives and managers of the Outback Steakhouse Korea chain point to the critical success factors that have allowed the chain to expand even in the face of economic turbulence. Opened in 1997, the Korean operation first had to survive the Asian currency crisis, which it did with assistance from its franchisor. With close cooperationRead MoreOutback Steakhouse1980 Words   |  8 Pagesâ€Å"Outback Steakhouse† Strategic Human Resource Management – HRM 530 Question 1: Discuss how the employee selection methods at Outback Steakhouse help the organization achieve a competitive advantage. The Selection process within most organizations is the foundation of competitive advantage through people. Upon reading this case, there is one particular aspect that stands out: the people are the main ingredients that make the company successful. Therefore, since the competitive advantage toRead MoreOutback Steakhouse Case1863 Words   |  8 PagesSynopsis of Case In 1995, Outback Steakhouse was proclaimed as one of the most successful restaurant chains in the United States. The chain was started by Chris Sullivan, Bob Basham, and Tim Gannon during the 1980s. Prior to starting the Outback Steakhouse chain, Sullivan and Basham were successful franchisees of the Chilis Restaurant chain. About the same time Gannon played a significant role in several New Orleans restaurant chains. Outback Steakhouse, formerly known as Multi-Venture Partners

Understanding the Financial Statements Free Essays

Submitted By:Salina Thapa Rana Magar (12077697)Sona Limbu (12078108)FINC20018 Managerial FinanceProfessor: Angelique McInnesCentral Queensland UniversityBrisbane Campus Term 1 201821st April 2018Table of ContentsQuestion No. 1: Understanding the Financial Statements (Chapter 3) Answer:Part 1:Financial Statement shows the total financial functioning of the firm. Any business entities can easily assume the financial status of the company by using the financial statement of the company. We will write a custom essay sample on Understanding the Financial Statements or any similar topic only for you Order Now At the end of specific period, each business prepares Profit and Loss Account (Income Statement), Statement of Financial Position (Balance Sheet), Statement of Cash Flows (Cash flow statement) and Statement of Changes in Equity. Cash flow statement is one of the major financial statement which records all the amount that a business is receiving from its business transactions as well as the amount that it disburses. The cash flow statement is prepared to find out how business is generating cash and how effectively they are utilizing their cash resources in productive sector. Cash flow statement if managed properly would help the firm to skip cash crisis in the business. As a result, business can assure the availability of cash to cover the due expenses. Cash flow statement depicts the position of economic status of the companyThe main objective of preparing cash flow is:To find out the sources and areas of cash incoming and cash outgoing respectively.To allocate the situation on which business might be in the position of cash insufficiency or cash surplus.Cash flow statement is prepared to predict future cash inflows or outflows. To deliver information regarding the capability of firm to pay its liabilities or taxes.To evaluate whether the firm is on the right track or not by measuring the overall financial records of the company at specific time.To deliver information for making capital budgeting decisions. To evaluate the overall performance of the firm by making comparison between their actual performance and future predictions of cash flow. Part 2Cash flow statement shows the mobility cash in three different areas of business activities: Operating activitiesFinancing activitiesInvesting activitiesCash flow statement provides the answer to the following questions:What are the primary sources of cash incoming?What are the basic operating activities of a firm to generate cash? How does the firm manage their extra funds if the business faces shortages?What are the main investment areas of business?What is the reason behind increase or decrease in cash flow?Part 3a) Calculation of Quality of Earnings RatioThe quality of earnings ratio for two firms i.e. Woodside Petroleum Ltd and Origin Energy for the latest three years is calculated as follows:Woodside Petroleum Ltd (WPL.AX)2017 2016 2015Quality of Earning Ratio = Cash flow from operationsNet Profit = 2,400,0001,024,000 = 2.3438 = 2,587,000868,000= 2.9804 = 2,475,00026,000 = 95. 1923Origin Energy (ORG.AX)2017 2016 2015Quality of Earning Ratio = Cash flow from operationsNet Profit = 1,289,000-2,226,000 = – 0.5791 = 1,404,000-628,000= – 2.2357 = 1,833,000-658,000 = -2.7857b)c) Capital Acquisition RatioThe capital acquisition ratio for both firms i.e. Woodside Petroleum Ltd and Origin Energy for the latest three years is calculated in the following tables:Woodside Petroleum Ltd (WPL.AX)2017 2016 2015 Cash Acquisition Ratio= Cash flow from operationsCash paid forcapital expenditure= 2,400,0001,390,000 = 1.7266 = 2,587,0001,860,000= 1.3909 = 2,475,0001,819,000 = 1.3606Origin Energy (ORG.AX)2017 2016 2015Cash AcquisitionRatio= Cash flow from operationsCash paid forcapital expenditure = 1,289,000-419,000 = – 3.0764 = 1,404,000-572,000= – 2.4545 = 1,833,000-1,484,000 = -1.2352 d)After comparing Woodside Petroleum Ltd and Origin Energy’s ability to utilize the operating cash flow to finance their capital expenditure, we came to the conclusion that †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.Question No. 2: The Income Statement (Chapter 3)Answer: a.CQU Oil LimitedIncome StatementFor the year ended†¦.Sales $ 2,500,000Cost of Goods Sold (700,000)Gross Profit 1,800,000Operating Expenses Cash Operating Expenses 150,000 Depreciation Expenses 150,000 Total Operating Expenses (300,000)Operating Profit 1,500,000Interest Expenses (200,000)Profit Before Tax 1300,000Tax (390,000)Net Profit 910,000b. From the above income statement, we can see that CQU Oil’s taxable Income and Tax Payable for the year are $ 1300,000 and $ 390,000 respectively. d.Question No. 3: Financial Analysis (Chapter 4)Calculation of Financial RatiosThe financial ratios for both firms i.e. West farmers Ltd and Woolworths Ltd for the most recent year i.e. 2017 are calculated as follows:West farmers Ltd (WES) Woolworths Ltd (WOW)1. Liquidity RatioCurrent Ratio = Current AssetsCurrent Liabilities = 9667 / 10417 = 0.928002303 = 0.9280 times Current Ratio = Current AssetsCurrent Liabilities. = 6994.2 / 15921.6 = 0.43929 = 0.4393 timesQuick Ratio= Current Assets –InventoryCurrent Liabilities = (9667 -6530) / 10417 = 3137 / 10417 = 0.3012 times Quick Ratio= Current Assets –InventoryCurrent Liabilities = (6994.2 – 4080.4) / 15921.6 = 2913.80 / 15921.6 = 0.1830 timesInventory Ratio=Cost of Goods SoldInventoryInventory Ratio=Cost of Goods SoldInventory = 39739.7 / 4080.4 = 9.7392 times2. Capital Structure RatioDebt Ratio = Total LiabilitiesTotal Assets = 16174 / 40115 = 0.4032 = 40.32% Debt Ratio = Total LiabilitiesTotal Assets= 13039.7 / 22915.8 = 0.5690= 56.90%Interest Coverage Ratio =EBITInterest Expense = 4402 / 213 = 20.6667 Interest Coverage Ratio =EBITInterest Expense3. Asset Management Efficiency RatioTotal Asset Turnover =SalesTotal Assets = 68444 / 40115 = 1.7062 times Total Asset Turnover =SalesTotal Assets= 55475 / 22915.8 = 2.4208 timesFixed AssetTurnover=SalesNet Property, plan Equipment = 68444 / 9440 = 7.2504 times Fixed AssetTurnover=SalesNet Property, plan Equipment = 55475 / 8437.5 = 6.5748 times4. Probability RatioGross Profit Margin= Gross ProfitSales= Gross Profit Margin= Gross ProfitSales = 15928.9 / 55475 = 0.2871 = 28.71%Operating Profit Margin =EBITSales = 4402 / 68444 = 0.0643 = 6.4315% Operating Profit Margin =EBITSales = 2326 / 55475 = 0.0419 = 4.19 %Net Profit Margin=Net ProfitSales = 2873 / 68444 = 0.04197 = 4.1976% Net Profit Margin=Net ProfitSales = 1482 / 55475 = 0.0267 = 2.67%Return on Assets=Operating Profit or EBITTotal Assets = 4402 / 40115 = 0.1097 = 10.97% Return on Assets=Operating Profit or EBITTotal Assets = 2326 / 22915. 8 = 0.1015 = 10.15%Evaluation of Relative Performance of Two Firms in terms of:Liquidity West farmers Ltd (WES) Woolworths Ltd (WOW)Current Ratio 0.9280 times 0.4393 timesQuick Ratio 0.3012 times 0.1830 timesInventory Ratio 9.7392 timesLiquidity Ratio shows the financial status of the company. From the above calculation, we can interpret that West Farmers Limited is more liquid than Woolworths based on its Current Ratio and Quick Ratio. West Farmers had $0.9280 current assets and $0.3012 cash and accounts receivable for every $1 of current liabilities. Whereas Woolworths had $0.1830 current assets and $0.1830 cash and account receivable to pay $1 current liabilities.ii) Asset Management EfficiencyWest farmers Ltd (WES) Woolworths Ltd (WOW)Total Asset Turnover 1.7062 times 2.4208 timesFixed Asset Turnover 7.2504 times 6.5748 timesiii) Financing Practices (Capital Structure)West farmers Ltd (WES) Woolworths Ltd (WOW)Debt Ratio 40.32% 56.90%Interest Coverage Ratio 20.6667 iv) ProfitabilityWest farmers Ltd (WES) Woolworths Ltd (WOW)Gross Profit Margin 28.71%Operating Profit Margin 6.4315% 4.19%Net Profit Margin 4.1976% 2.67%Return on Assets 10.97% 10.15%†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Calculation of Current Price-Earnings Ratio and Market-to-book Ratio:West farmers Ltd (WES) Woolworths Ltd (WOW)Market Value RatiosPrice Earnings Ratio = Market Price Per ShareEarnings Per SharePrice Earnings Ratio = Market Price Per ShareEarnings Per ShareMarket to Book Ratio =Market Price Per ShareBook Value Per ShareMarket to Book Ratio =Market Price Per ShareBook Value Per ShareQuestion no. 4: Time Value of Money (Chapter 5)Solution:Present Value (PV) =$20,000 Time (n) = 40 yearsInterest Rate (i) = 10 % per annum = 0.10 Future Value (FV)=?Timeline i=10% p.a FV=? 0 1 2 3†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ n= 40 years PV=$20,000FV= PV (1+i)n = 20,000(1+0.10)40 = 20,000Ãâ€"45.25925557 = $ 905,185.1114From the above calculation, Emily’s investment from her retirement plan will grow to $905,185.1114 after 40 years at 12% annual interest. b)Timeline i=6% p.a FV=$14,000 0 1 2 n= 3 years PMT=?Deposit on Car (PV)= $14,000No of years (n) = 3 years Annual Interest (i)= 6% =0.06Annuity Payment (PMT)=?We have,FV = PMT (1+i)n-1i14000 = PMT 1+0.06)3-10.06 PMT = 140003.1836PMT = $ 4397.5374To cover the cost of deposit on a new car, Emily needs to keep aside $4397.5374 from her bonus this year. Now, If Annual Interest on Saving (i)=10%=0.10PMT=?FVn = PMT (1+i)n-1i14000 = PMT1+0.10)3-10.10PMT = 140003.31PMT = $4229.6073If the annual rate of interest grows to 10%, then the amount of payment will decrease to $4229.6073.c)At the age 60 years, value of Trust Fund (FV)=?Time (n) = 60-30=30 yearsInterest rate =7%= 0.07Timeline i=7% p.a FV=? 0 1 2 3†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ n= 30 years PV=$50,000 FV = PV ((1+i)n = 50,000 (1+0.07)30 = 50,000 Ãâ€"7.612255043 = $ 380,612.7521When Emily turn 60 years, the value of her trust fund will grow to $380,612.7521 at the rateOf 7% government bond. d)Compounding and discounting have inverse relationship. Compounding method is the way of calculating the future value of money with the given current value of investment at certain compound rate. Whereas Discounting method is used to find out the Present Value of future cash flow using discounting rate. Mathematically,In Compounding Method,Future valuein year nFVn= Present Value(PV) Ãâ€"1+ Annual interest rate (i)number of years nIn Discounting Method,Present ValuePV = Future Value in year nFVn 11+ Annual Interest Rate (i)Number of years (n)e)Question no 5: Risk and Return (Chapter 7)a.Given:Share A Share BProbability Return Probability Return0.3 11% 0.2 -5%0.4 15% 0.3 6%0.3 19% 0.3 14%0.2 22% For Share AExpected rateof returnE(r)=rate of return 1 r1Ãâ€"probabilityof return 1Pr(r1)+rate of return 2 r2Ãâ€"probabilityof return 2Pr(r2) +rate of return 3r3Ãâ€"probabilityof return 3Prr3)= 0.3 Ãâ€" 0.11 + 0.4 Ãâ€" 0.15 + 0.3 Ãâ€"0.19= 0.033 + 0.06 + 0.057= 0.15= 15%Variance in rate of return?2 = rate of return 1 r1-expected rate of returnEr2Ãâ€"probabilityof return 1Pr(r1) + rate of return 1 r1-expected rate of returnEr2Ãâ€"probabilityof return 1Pr(r1) + rate of return 3r3-expected rate of returnE(r)2Ãâ€"probabilityof return 3Pr(r3) = [(0.11 – 0.15)2 Ãâ€" 0.3] + [(0.15 – 0.15)2 Ãâ€" 0.4] + [(0.19 – 0.15)2 Ãâ€" 0.3] = 0.00048 + 0 + 0.00048 = 0.00096 Standard Deviation = Variance =0.00096 = 0.030983867 = 3.0984%For Share BExpected rateof returnE(r)=rate of return 1 r1Ãâ€"probabilityof return 1Pr(r1)+rate of return 2 r2Ãâ€"probabilityof return 2Pr(r2) +rate of return 3r3Ãâ€"probabilityof return 3Prr3)+rate of return 4r4Ãâ€"probabilityof return 4Pr(r4)= 0.2 Ãâ€" (-0.05) + 0.3 Ãâ€" 0.06 + 0.3 Ãâ€"0.14 + 0.2 Ãâ€" 0.22= (-0.01) + 0.018 + 0.042 + 0.044= 0.094= 9.4% Now, Variance in rate of return?2 = rate of return 1 r1-expected rate of returnEr2Ãâ€"probabilityof return 1Pr(r1) + rate of return 1 r1-expected rate of returnEr2Ãâ€"probabilityof return 1Pr(r1) + rate of return 3r3-expected rate of returnE(r)2Ãâ€"probabilityof return 3Pr(r3) + rate of return 4r4-expected rate of returnE(r)2Ãâ€"probabilityof return 4Prr4) = [(-0.05 – 0.094)2 Ãâ€" 0.2] + [(0.06 – 0.094)2 Ãâ€" 0.3] + [(0.14 – 0.094)2 Ãâ€" 0.3] + [(0.22 – 0.094)2 Ãâ€" 0.3] = 0.0041472 + 0.0003468 + 0.0006348 + 0.0031752 = 0.008304Standard Deviation = Variance = 0.008304 = 0.091126286 = 9.1126% b)Shareholders or investors of the company always assume to gain certain profit from the investment they made on their business. Such expectation is referred to as Expected Rate of Return. Whereas Realized Rate of Return is the actual amount of profit or loss that that face from their investment in certain duration of time. c) d. Question No 6: Risk and Return (Chapter 8)Answer:Part 1Systematic Risk and Unsystematic RiskSystematic risk refers to those risks that are associated with the overall market or industry (Vasigh, Fleming ; Mackay, 2010) and cannot be diversified away while unsystematic risk refers to those risk that are associated with the single investment or small class of investment and can be diversified away (Swedroe ; Hempen, 2007). Investment beta is the measure of change in investments’ return to the change in return of the market portfolio. Johnson (2014) also stated that investment’s beta measures the volatility of share relative to volatility of market. Thus, investment’s beta helps to measure the systematic risk of an investment. Therefore, it is very useful in the investment decision. For example: if we want to know the systematic risk of particular investments, we can calculate beta and know the volatility and go for that investments with low volatility. In terms of unsystematic risk, it is calculated by deducting the beta scaled by the market volatility from the volatility of the single stock. Part 2Beta of a Portfolio and Betas of the Individual Investments in the PortfolioPart 3Security Market LineSecurity market line is the graphical representation of Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) i.e. the straight line relationship between expected return and betas that also explains the market price of risk in capital market (Khan, 2004). Return (%)Security Market Liners =rf+rm-rf?rfRisk Beta (?)Figure. Security Market Line. Adapted from â€Å"Investments: An Introduction† by H. B. Mayo, 2013, Boston: Cengage Learning. From the above graph, we can see that risk beta is at the x-axis and expected return on the y-axis. The slope of the security market line is represented by market risk premium which is the difference between expected rate of return on the market portfolio and the risk free rate (i.e.Erm-rf) while the y-intercept of this line represents the risk free interest rate i.e. rf . Part 4Capital Asset Pricing ModelCapital asset pricing model (CAPM) refers to the model that explains the relationship with expected return and the systematic risk of an investment. In a simple word, CAPM is that model which estimates the expected return for any risky assets. According to Mellen (2018), this model helps the business analyst and investor evaluate a suitable rate of return for an investment by giving the general economic, industry and firm’s conditions. CAPM helps to inform the investment decision by first of all measuring the fairest price for an investment on the basis of risk, potential return and other factors and then comparing this fair price with the market price.Therefore, this is how the CAPM can be used to inform the investment decision. Reference Johnson, R. S. (2014). Equity Markets and Portfolio Analysis. New York: John Wiley ; Sons, Inc.Khan, M. Y., ; Jain, P. K. (2004). Financial Management: Text, Problems and Cases. New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill Publishing Company Limited. Mayo, H. B. (2013). Investments: An Introduction. Boston: Cengage Learning.Mellen, C. M. (2018). Valuation for M ; A: Building and Measuring Private Company Value. New York: John Wiley ; Sons, Inc.Swedroe, L. E., ; Hempen, J. H. (2007). The only guide to a winning bond strategy you’ll ever need: The way smart money preserves wealth today. New York: St. Martin’s PressVasigh, B., Fleming, K., ; Mackay, L. (2010). Foundation of Airline Finance: Methodology and Practice. Farnham: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. Reference How to cite Understanding the Financial Statements, Papers

Policing in America free essay sample

Policing in America Shanell Jackson University of Phoenix Policing in America In this paper I am going to identify and define the US government and policing organizations throughout the US and how they both impact of this relationship on the American Society as a whole. The government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. This government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and their various powers are delineated in the U. S. Constitution; the powers are specified in greater detail in laws enacted by Congress. Self-policing, a form of self-regulation, is the process whereby an organization is asked, or volunteers, to monitor its own adherence to legal, ethical, or safety standards, rather than have an outside, independent agency such as a governmental entity monitor and enforce those standards. We will write a custom essay sample on Policing in America or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Self-policing attempts may fail, due to the conflict of interest in asking any organization to police itself.If the public becomes aware of this failure, independent organization is often given the duty of policing them, sometimes with highly punitive measures taken against the organization. The results can be disastrous, such as a military with no external, independent oversight, which may commit human rights violations against the public. Not all businesses will voluntarily meet best practice standards, leaving some users exposed. Example: Self-regulation for online child pornography.There are two levels of police in the United States: Federal and State. The Federal Level includes organizations like the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Drug Enforcement Administration and etc. The FBI for example pursues criminals who have or are likely to cross state and country boundaries. The DEA enforces laws on substances that have a tax ban on them. The State level has three Sub-levels of police: State Trooper, County Sheriff and Local/City Police. StateTroopers, also known as State Police and Highway Patrol, have Jurisdiction (policing authority) across the entire state but mainly patrol areas and projects that are maintained and operated by other State Level agencies, such as the Highways and State Government Buildings. County Sheriffs maintain and operate the county Jails and Patrol the unincorporated areas (areas not within city limits) within a county and provide policing services to Cities who contract the Sheriffs department as local police.In conclusion to this paper I identified and defined what the US government is and what it is entitled to. I also defined what policing organization consists of, broke down the levels of policing, and explained how the two coincide with each other. References †¢United States Secret Service Protective Mission. United States Secret Service. †¢Policing in the United States #Local policing †¢http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Law_enforcement_in_the_United_Kingdom#Jurisdictions_and_territories

Play Therapy free essay sample

An analysis of different methods of play therapy and their successes and failures when dealing with children. This paper is a detailed examination of play therapy and its purpose. The writer provides an understanding of what play therapy is and how it is administered. The author describes how it is mainly used with young children who are too young to participate in an adult-like therapy setting. The paper details the process involved in the administering of this type of therapy, including the setting, the duration of the sessions, the method of evaluation and in what situations this therapy is used most successfully. The paper then discusses the different types of therapy and when to apply them. Research has determined that this type of therapy is most effective for children between the ages of 2 and 10. The therapy is effective in this age range because it is the age range in which children communicate best through play and do not communicate as effectively through their verbal skills. We will write a custom essay sample on Play Therapy or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The children are encouraged to choose any toy they want from the hundreds of choices presented in the therapist office. They are also encouraged to play in a sand box in the office because sand has been shown to be relaxing for the patient.

Improve Your Business Writing Skills (A Step-by-Step Guide)

Improve Your Business Writing Skills (A Step-by-Step Guide) It can be confusing when we either realize or are told that we need to â€Å"improve our business writing skills.† â€Å"Better business writing" is a murky goal. How then, do we improve our business writing skills? In this post, I am going to outline six steps to start improving your Englishbusiness writing today.This goes beyond business writing tips and tricks and lays out a simple step-by-step process for improvement. You will learn how to correct common mistakes, tricks for better formatting, and how to reduce errors in your writing. 1. Remove the Emotions We can feel a little hurt or defensive any time a weakness is highlighted. Many clients have told me that writing was not something they enjoyed in school and memories of a mean English teacher with a red pen poised to slash an essay apart is still vivid. For others, even though they enjoyed writing in school, they realize that business writing is a somewhat different skill than academic writing. Whatever the emotional response, let it go. The truth is everyone needs to write well at work to succeed. If we’re good at, our careers opportunities improve. Turning your attention to improving your busines writing is all good! Let go of any negative emotions and focus on the career benefit and ease of knowing exactly how to tackle the task of better writing at work. 2. Identify Your Particular Weaknesses and Strengths This can be challenging if the only feedback we have received is we â€Å"need to improve.† Where to begin? There are so many embedded skills in business writing, so it’s important to understand what is working and what needs improvement. There are three essential metrics for business writing: Separate the information/substance/content of a document from the words that express that information/substance/content. There is the information, and there are the words that express that information. We have to look at these separately to identify strengths and weaknesses. Reflect on the information contained in your typical documents. Do your readers have the information they need? Is it logically grouped? Does it flow logically? This is the information or substance of your document. Reflect on the words you use to express the information. This is the syntax, or the way you use words. For a deeper analysis of this issue, read Improve Business Writing Skills to Measure What Matters. While it’s possible to review your business writing skills, it’s hard to be truly objective because we know the facts of our documents so well and we understand what we are trying to express. A professional business writing assessment, which should always be part of a good business writing course is always the best measurement. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(41482, '39de76fa-b005-4d0a-9136-a9a423513681', {}); 3. Review and Correct Your Information and Organization First One of my grandmother’s favorite expressions was â€Å"that’s just putting lipstick on a pig† when someone tried to improve or polish something that was innately flawed. Trying to fix the language and words in your business documents before the information and substance is accurate, relevant, and well organized is just like putting lipstick on a pig. Sentence improvements will never fix gaps in content or disorganization. Review several documents you’ve written at work lately. Review varying types of documents and include email and reports. To hone good information and organization: Define your audience clearly Overtly state the purpose of a document - â€Å"I need my audience to know or do X.† Decide on the major categories of information necessary for your defined reader to know or do what you want. Develop details around these major categories of information. Sequence the information logically. What category would lead best and what category should close? Remember the acronym B.L.O.T - bottom line on top. 90% of business documents should begin with the information most important to your audience. This beginning statement should be the purpose statement you identified while you analyzed your audience. The concluding information should elicit the business response you seek.For example, let’s imagine you are an insurance sales representative and a client has inquired about adding additional flood insurance to her homeowner’s insurance policy. You know this coverage would be beneficial to her, and it would increase business, so you want your reader to understand the benefits and purchase the additional coverage. Your introduction could be:The additional flood insurance coverage would protect your home if it were to flood because of hurricanes, river overflows, or excessive rain. All of these hazards have increased in your area i n the past five years by 36%. Your conclusion should make it easy for your reader to act as you need:To enact this coverage, please sign the enclosed coverage agreement on both pages three and five. Scan the signed coverage agreement into a PDF document and email it back to me by May 13. Look back at your sample work documents. By following these steps, can verify that your information is correct? And, breaking it down will help you identify where you tend to lose focus. 4. Review and Correct Your Format Next Study several different documents you wrote in the past few weeks and ask yourself what formatting enhancements would make them easier to scan. Helpful format elements are: Headings above document categories Indenting text to show it’s a sub-element of the previous information Bullet and number lists Lots of white space Short paragraphs Appropriate use of bold and emphatic text 5. Now It’s Time to Review and Correct Language Everyone makes different grammar and stylistic errors, so nothing will improve your business writing as well as business writing training that includes a professional instructor review of your writing. If that is not possible, you will need to self-diagnose your language and grammar. Grammar Diagnosis Run at least ten recent documents through Grammarly. Grammarly is an excellent spelling and grammar checker that will flag errors and explain what is wrong. You want to look for patterns. If, for example, Grammarly tells you that you made three â€Å"me, myself, and I† errors across your documents, accept that as a strong indicator that â€Å"me, myself, and I† usage is an error you need to correct. Run all of your documents through Grammarly and compile a list of all the errors Grammarly diagnosed. Grammarly is not foolproof, but it’s quite good. Without a professional review of your business writing, it’s the best objective assessment. Grammar Correction The best grammar resource on the Internet is the Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL). Use the search button on Purdue’s OWL and search for the first error in your compiled list. Purdue OWL has detailed explanations and exercises to help clarify your understanding and use of that grammar rule. Stay with the exercises until your grammar understanding of this first error is corrected. Once you feel comfortable with your correction of your first grammar error, then move on to the next. Make sure you’re comfortable with your new grammar skills before you move on because grammar correction is primarily a habit of practice. Your grammar skills will improve from awareness and practice. How to Hone Clarity Business writing is notoriously bloated. Instead, business documents should be clear and concise. Fewer words are better than more. Bloat typically creeps in through sloppy verb use. Clarity Correction #1: â€Å"Unsmother† Your Verbs Focus on verbs. They are the action of a sentence, and the best opportunity to enhance clarity. Imagine watching a Bruce Willis movie that shows Bruce napping or knitting or whittling on a park bench for 90 minutes. Bored yet? So too are readers if your writing has little action or wimpy verbs. This article will explain smothered verbs in detail. You will cut at least 25% of unnecessary words by simply â€Å"unsmothering† verbs. Let the verb do its job in a sentence without smothering add-on words. The impact on business writing clarity is amazing. Business Writing Clarity Strategy #2: Avoid Adverbs Choose powerful verbs that connote meaning, which don't need a second modifying word to do their job! For instance: "The attendant shouted loudly." "The attendant shouted," is a perfect sentence. "Loudly" is inferred and extraneous. "The executive ran quickly into the boardroom." "Ran quickly" is wasteful. Pick a better verb. "The executive sprinted into the boardroom" is concise, visual, and lively. Business Writing Clarity Strategy #3: Recognize the Power of Short Words. Years back, some business writers felt they conveyed their intelligence more by using long words when short words worked better. Long words don’t make you sound intelligent unless used very skillfully and judiciously. In the wrong situation, they’ll have the opposite effect, making you sound pretentious and arrogant. They’re also less likely to be understood and more awkward to read. I've always loved Hemingway's response when Faulkner criticized him for his limited word choice: Poor Faulkner. Does he really think big emotions come from big words? He thinks I don’t know the ten-dollar words. I know them all right. But there are older and simpler and better words, and those are the ones I use. Example: Fine, but can be improved: It has never been a good writing practice to use big words indiscriminately. Better: It has never been a good writing practice to use big words needlessly. ("Needlessly" is shorter and simpler than "indiscriminately.") Best: It has never been a good writing practice to bloat with big words. (More powerful verb "bloat" instead of the vague verb "use" eliminates the need for modifying adverb "needlessly.") Remember this maxim about business writing: Write to express, not to impress. Good business writers use short words and fewer words well. Richard Lederer sings the praises of the short word to enhance clarity in his book, The Miracle of Language: Here is a sound rule: Use small, old words where you can. If a long word says just what you want to say, do not fear to use it. But know that our tongue is rich in crisp, brisk, swift, short words. Make them the spine and the heart of what you speak and write. Short words are like fast friends. They will not let you down. 6.Ongoing Improvement To Your Business Writing Read good business writing blogs. Our blog addresses business writing improvement specifically. Join 25,000 other monthly readers by subscribing to our newsletter here. Grammar Girl will explain the nuances of grammar very well. Read good writing. Read anything that interests you that is written well - novels, newspapers, good blogs, short stories, or essays. This helps you developskills needed for good writing. If you want to hone clarity, read anything by Theodore White or the short stories of Andre DuBus. These six steps will diagnose and improve your business writing skills. If tackling all of this on your own is too much, contact us for information about business writing courses.We’re here to help.

Classroom Essentials for the New Special Educator

Classroom Essentials for the New Special Educator When we approach the school year all teachers will be evaluating the strategies and classroom structures that are important for behavioral success and instructional efficiency.  That is doubly essential for the new teacher creating their first classroom.  Ã‚   Perhaps the most important actor in your classroom is the environment.  A classroom environment is not just a matter of lighting and decorating (although they may contribute.)  No, it is the emotional as well as the physical environment that create the canvas on which you will be providing instruction.  For some special educators who push in, they carry their environment with them.  For teachers who are in resource room settings, they need to create an environment communicates expectations for students and create an efficient place for them to engage in instruction.  For self-contained programs, the challenge is to create an environment that will provide a structure that will work for the teacher, the classroom para-professional, and the range of abilities your students will probably bring with them. In our experience, self-contained programs often have as wide a variety of skills and challenges as a regular education classroom with three to four times more students.   Pro-Active Means Preparation Preparing a classroom for students will require planning and anticipation, including:   Seating/Seating chart: How you plan to provide instruction will change how you seat your students.  Anticipate those seating arrangements to change.  For a classroom where you anticipate behavioral challenges, start with desks in rows separated by an arms length in each direction.  As your year progresses, you will be able to modify how you mediate instruction and how you  manage behavior.  A group that needs constant monitoring will be arranged completely differently from a group that focuses on independent work while others are in small groups or working in learning centers.  Also, the first group, with consistent feedback, teaching, and reinforcement, might just become the second group! Comprehensive Behavior Management System How you intend to reinforce the behavior you want, especially independent behavior and how you want to provide consequences for behaviors you do not want, you will need to choose and implement one of several different comprehensive plans:   Whole Class and/or Individual Behavior Management Systems:  Sometimes a classroom system will work without implementing individual behavior management, especially when the focus of your program is remediating academics and not managing behavior.  Or, you can start with a group plan and then add an individual plan.  Or, you can use individual reinforcement plans (i.e. token boards) and then a classwide system for group activities or transitions.   Whole Class Behavior Systems Require   A visual cuing system.  This can be a board, a digital system (such as Class DOJO)  Ã‚  or an interactive cue system, like a clothespin clip system or a color wheel.  Clear expectations and outcomes. These include rules and routines, which we will explore later.  Be sure you know exactly when you place a token or move a clip up or down.  Be sure you know what consequences will be moving to red or whatever your least desirable color is.  Be sure your consequence is truly a consequence and not a threat, in other words dont make a consequence something that is either unreasonable (no p.e. for the rest of the school year) or something you are unwilling or unable to do (two swats with a paddle.  Corporal punishment is illegal in most states and doesnt work in any case.)  Rewards or Reinforcement.  Be sure some of the reinforcers you offer (positive) are social so you are pairing reinforcement with appropriate social behavior.  How about tickets for a game day? (Play bo ard games as a class on Friday afternoons.)  Access to preferred activities or classroom jobs with status (such as line leader or lunch basket) is also great reinforcers.  By pairing reinforcement with appropriate positive behavior, you also reinforce the social behavior.   Consequences.  Sometimes the absence of reinforcement is consequence enough to change future behavior.  Sometimes an appropriate consequence (because it makes undesired behavior less likely to reappear) is to remove access to a preferred daily activity, such as recess or reading in a kindergarten classroom.   Individual Behavior Systems Require A visual recording system.   Sticker charts or token charts work well.Clear expectations.  It is best to focus on no more than two behaviors at a time.  Be sure students know why they are earning stickers or tokens when they get them:  i.e. Wow, you did a nice job getting that spelling page done, Roger.  Heres your sticker.  Just two more till you get your break!  Targeted reinforcement:  As above, target specific behaviors and be sure you define those target behaviors clearly.  Reinforce no more than two behaviors at a time.   Deciding Which Behavioral Strategies to Use As you are setting up your classroom, you will need to decide a few things: Do you start with individual behavior management systems or group?  As a new teacher, you are best to err on the side of too much structure, not too little.How easy or hard will the system be to administer?  No structure is chaos, too much structure may lead to default because you cant keep your eyes on everything.  Know your team, as well.  Will you have one or more paraprofessionals who could administer one of your reinforcement systems?  Can you and your staff administer the system with as little effect as possible?  You dont want a system that you are tempted to use as a punishment.  If the focus of your system becomes your relationship with your students.  Ã‚   The Physical Environment Arranging supplies, pencil sharpening and all the mechanics of supporting academic and social interaction for school success is invaluable. Sharpening pencils, handing out materials, all those simple tasks are tasks your students can manipulate to avoid tasks, to move around the classroom and disturb peers, to establish their pecking order in the classroom.  New teachers may feel that those of us who are long in the teeth make way too much of organization, but we have watched students dither away the day sharpening their pencils.  Oh, and they can burn those babies out! So, you need to be sure your routines include: Pencil Sharpening.  Is it a job, or do you have a cup where pencils can be swapped out?  Desks: Trust me.  You want the tops of desks clean.  They are students, not insurance agents.  Supplies:   If you put students in groups, each group should have a carry all or tray for pencils, crayons, scissors, and other supplies.  Put someone in charge (and assigned on the job chart) to refill papers, sharpen pencils and do whatever you need.  For small groups, put someone in charge of paper passing.Turn in:  Have a routine for turning in completed assignments.  You may want a tray for finished assignments, or even a vertical file where students turn in their folders.   Bulletin Boards Put your walls to work.  Avoid that temptation of some teachers to spend big at the teacher store and clutter up the walls.  Too much on the walls may distract students with disabilities, so be sure the walls talk but not scream.   Resources Behavioral Systems A Color Chart System Using Clothes PinsToken ChartsSticker Charts to Support IndependenceA Lottery SystemA Token Economy Physical Resources Seating ChartsBulletin Boards that Put Your Walls to WorkBack to School Bulletin BoardsSticker Charts

Ancient Chinese Contributions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 6

Ancient Chinese Contributions - Essay Example Ancient Chinese has been recognized for a variety of inventions and contributions to mankind. Since ancient periods in China have been categorized according to dynasties, the ten most useful inventions and contributions noted and attributed to Chinese ingenuity and innovativeness are as follows: the building of the Great Wall of China and the multiplication table during the Qin or Ch’in Dynasty; the invention of the compass and paper making during the Han Dynasty; making of tea and matches during the Era of Disunity; making of porcelain during the Sui Dynasty; gunpowder in the Tang Dynasty; and finally, printing and wine making during the Sung Dynasty (Inventions, Innovations and Other Contributions from Ancient China). Of course there are other notable discoveries and contributions during ancient times but these inventions rise above the rest in terms of creating significant impact on the growth and development of civilizations around the world. From among these ten remarkable contributions, one strongly believes that the four most ingenious and innovative are the building of the Great Wall of China, paper making, printing, and the compass. The Great Wall of China has been renowned worldwide as one of the wonders of the world and as such, the building of the wall that reaches an immense length of about 8,850 kilometers or 5,500 miles long (Rosenberg) is a commendable task even to be imagined as such ancient times when materials and labor skills have not even been considered sophisticated or advanced. Paper making was likewise attributed to the ancient Chinese and have provided the impetus for the creation of paper currency and other documents that could be preserved. Due to the discovery, fast amounts of recording and documentation of historical events, famous writings, art works and literary pieces have been effectively archived. Printing, on the other hand, is also a relevant contribution as it