Indigo Book and Music Essay

Q1 When two organizations merge what type of structure issues doyou think might need to addressed?When Reisman was made a task to merging two organizations intoone, Indigo and Chapter both had similar organizational structure -afunctional based design.Indigo’s corporate structure, for instance consisted of departmentssuch as marketing, human resources, and retail. However, the neworganization suddenly had 90 big- box stores and close to 7,000employees. Moreover, with the take over, Indigo gained control of thenation wide.So when these two types’ organizations merge they can chose therecustomers and product mix and the assets which they have combined,the resources and the common functions which they have. They alsoset staffing numbers and decide salary levels. All customers, privateand corporate, no matter what size, are the responsibility of a localbranch. That means that even a large global customer such as Volvo ismanaged by a branch office. However, a branch office â€Å"buy in† specialist services it may need in servicing important customers likeVolvo. Each branch manger is also responsible for branch performance,which is measured by ratio of costs divided by revenues, and all thebanks branches are benchmarked against each other. if a branch startsunderperforming the regional office will offer advice and examples of what other branches have done. And to stop predatory competitionbetween its own branches, the company has set strict geographicalboundaries. Q2 What role do you think organizational structure plays in anorganization’s efficiency and effectiveness?Organizational structure is the formal arrangements of jobs within anorganization. When mangers develop or change the structure they’reengaged in organizational design. The challenge for managers is todesign an organizational structure that allows employees to effectivelyand efficiently do their work.

Consultation with Hostile Corporations -Case Essay

Lily’s Consultation with Hostile Corporations Summary Lily Advisors, a consulting firm based in Maryland, Washington DC, working with multi-disciplined teams for discrete projects, had a consulting agreement with Green Acres School System in Northern Virginia to resolve some issues arising from the construction of two new high schools. Unseasonable rains, contractor delays, weather issues, disagreements between architects and the school board were some factors contributing to the delays. With his extensive roles and experience, the school board hired Merv, President of Lily’s Advisors, to advise them about how to proceed under their tense circumstances Merv investigated the situation and submitted a confidential document, on the First High School this was in February 1999. The performances to date of Meyerhoff, the main contractor and Stewart and Sons, the architectural firm, were critically evaluated. The major findings were that Stewart and Sons failed to control the scheduling properly and that it was making an unusually large profit for its administrative function. Merv was familiar with Stewart & Sons and was able to write about their methods of execution. The school board asked Stewart and Sons to renegotiate because of the findings of the report, but gave them the impression that it was based on the construction delays. The content of the report remained undisclosed. After two months of very difficult negotiation, all groups signed an amended contract on June 30, 1999. All major issues were settled and they were able to proceed to the construction of the second high school. The new amended contract had further delays as the groups found that the excessive compromising that was done was becoming irksome. The school board had thought Stewart and Sons was very uncompromising and aggressive. Disagreements continued between the school board and the construction and architectural firms during the next eight months. At this point, Stewart and Sons decided to hire Lily as a consultant. Stewart had worked with Lily before. They met and Merv disclosed that he had submitted an evaluation of the contract to the school board in a document, after making a proposal on September 24, 2000. The negative aspects of the report were never revealed. Sam Shapiro, the architect’s lawyer, contacted Merv about the document submitted and the potential conflict of interest which could arise but Merv denied any conflict of interest. Shapiro and the representatives from Stewart gave Merv a contract to sign for his services on November 8, 2000. The situation further deteriorated during the next 4 months and the school board sued Stewart and Sons. The lawyers representing Stewart and Sons saw the confidential document, as was required by the law. This outraged Stewart and Sons as they viewed the document as impugning the company’s integrity and honesty. Stewart and Sons viewed it as a case of conflict of interest and not one with just the potential. Merv believed otherwise. He explained that he recognized a potential conflict of interest and devised measures to prevent it. Merv was convinced of his flawless strategy and believed he had insulated the teams sufficiently to avoid this and, in any case, the construction of the second school was a new project. Stewart and Sons informed him that they would not pay the $102,500 that was due on the contract. After contemplating the amount of money to be spent on the case, he decided to proceed to prove otherwise.

The Golden Lily Chapter 14

â€Å"OH, LORD,† I SAID. â€Å"What's wrong?† asked Brayden. â€Å"Is everything okay?† â€Å"Hard to say.† I put the phone back in my purse. â€Å"I hate to do this, but I have to go take care of something outside. I'll be back as quickly as I can.† â€Å"Do you want me to go with you?† I hesitated. â€Å"No, it's okay.† I had no idea what to expect out there. It was best if Brayden wasn't subjected to it. â€Å"I'll hurry.† â€Å"Sydney, wait.† Brayden caught hold of my arm. â€Å"This†¦ this is the song you requested, isn't it?† The one we'd been dancing to had just ended, and a new one was on – or, well, an old one. It was about thirty years old. I sighed. â€Å"Yes. It is. I'll be fast, I promise.† The temperature outside was pleasant, warm but not oppressively so. We were allegedly due for a rare bit of rain. As I walked toward the parking lot, some of Wolfe's lessons came back to me. Check your surroundings. Watch for people lurking near cars. Stay in the light. Make sure to – â€Å"Adrian!† All reasonable thoughts vanished from my head. Adrian was lying on my car. I ran over to Latte as fast as the dress would allow me. â€Å"What are you doing?† I demanded. â€Å"Get off of there!† I automatically checked for dents and scratches. Adding insult to injury, Adrian was actually smoking as he lay on the hood and stared up at the sky. Clouds were moving in, but a half-moon could occasionally be seen. â€Å"Relax, Sage. I won't leave a scratch. Really, this is surprisingly comfortable for a family car. I would've expected – † He turned his head toward me and froze. I had never seen him so still – or so quiet. His shock was so thorough and intense that he actually dropped his cigarette. â€Å"Ahh,† I cried, springing forward, lest the burning cigarette damage the car. It landed harmlessly on the asphalt, and I quickly stamped it out. â€Å"For the last time, will you get off of there?† Adrian slowly sat up, eyes wide. He slid off the hood and didn't seem to leave any marks. Obviously, I'd have to check it later. â€Å"Sage,† he said. â€Å"What are you wearing?† I sighed and stared down at the dress. â€Å"I know. It's red. Don't start. I'm tired of hearing about it.† â€Å"Funny,† he said. â€Å"I don't think I could ever get tired of looking at it.† Those words drew me up short, and a rush of heat went through me. What did he mean? Was I so outlandish-looking that he couldn't stop staring at the crazy spectacle? Surely†¦ surely he wasn't implying that I was pretty†¦ I promptly got back on track, reminding myself that I needed to think about the guy inside, not out here. â€Å"Adrian, I'm on a date. Why are you here? On my car?† â€Å"Sorry to interrupt, Sage. I wouldn't have been on your car if they'd let me into the dance,† he said. A little of his earlier awe had faded, and he relaxed into a more typical Adrian pose, leaning back against Latte. At least he was standing and less likely to do damage. â€Å"Yeah. They generally frown on letting twenty-something guys into high school events. What did you want?† â€Å"To talk to you.† I waited for him to elaborate, but the only response I received was a brief flash of lightning above. It was Saturday, and I'd been around campus all day, during which he could've easily called. He'd known the dance was tonight. Then, inhaling the smell of alcohol that hung in the air around him, I knew nothing he did should really surprise me tonight. â€Å"Why couldn't it have been tomorrow?† I asked. â€Å"Did you really have to come here tonight and – † I frowned and looked around. â€Å"How did you even get here?† â€Å"I took the bus,† he said, almost proudly. â€Å"A lot easier getting here than to Carlton.† Carlton College was where he took art classes, and without his own transportation, he'd come to rely heavily on mass transit – something he'd never done before in his life. I'd been hoping Sonya or Dimitri had dropped him off – meaning they'd pick him up again. But of course that wouldn't happen. Neither one of them would have brought a drunken Adrian here. â€Å"So I guess I have to take you home then,† I said. â€Å"Hey, I got myself here. I'll get myself home.† He started to take out a cigarette, and I gave him a stern headshake. â€Å"Don't,† I said sharply. With a shrug, he put the pack away. â€Å"And I have to take you home. It's going to storm soon. I'm not going to make you walk in the rain.† Another flash of lightning emphasized my words, and a faint breeze stirred the fabric of my dress. â€Å"Hey,† he said, â€Å"I don't want to be an incon – â€Å" â€Å"Sydney?† Brayden came striding across the parking lot. â€Å"Everything okay?† No, not really. â€Å"I'm going to have to leave for a little bit,† I said. â€Å"I have to give my brother a ride home. Will you be okay waiting? It shouldn't be that long.† I felt bad even suggesting it. Brayden didn't really know anyone at my school. â€Å"Maybe you could find Trey?† â€Å"Sure,† said Brayden uncertainly. â€Å"Or I can come with you.† â€Å"No,† I said quickly, not wanting him and drunken Adrian in the car. â€Å"Just go back and have fun.† â€Å"Nice toga,† Adrian told Brayden. â€Å"It's a chiton,† said Brayden. â€Å"It's Greek.† â€Å"Right. I forgot that was tonight's theme.† Adrian gave Brayden an appraising look, glanced over at me, and then turned back to Brayden. â€Å"So. What do you think of our girl's ensemble tonight? Pretty amazing, huh? Like Cinderella. Or maybe a Greek Cinderella.† â€Å"There's really not much about it that's truly Greek,† said Brayden. I winced. I knew he didn't mean to be insensitive, but his words stung a little. â€Å"The dress is historically inaccurate. I mean it's a very nice dress, but the jewelry's anachronistic, and the fabric's nothing that ancient Greek women would have had. Certainly not that color either.† â€Å"What about those other Greek women?† asked Adrian. â€Å"The flashy smart ones.† His forehead wrinkled, as though it were taking every ounce of his brain to come up with the word he wanted. And, to my astonishment, he did. â€Å"The hetaerae.† I honestly hadn't believed he'd retained anything from our conversation in San Diego. I tried not to smile. â€Å"The hetaerae?† Brayden was even more astonished than I was. He gave me a scrutinizing look. â€Å"Yes†¦ yes. I suppose – if such materials were hypothetically possible in that era – that this is something you'd expect to see find on a hetaera instead of the average Greek matron.† â€Å"And they were prostitutes, right?† asked Adrian. â€Å"These hetaerae?† â€Å"Some were,† agreed Brayden. â€Å"Not all. I think the usual term is courtesan.† Adrian was completely deadpan. â€Å"So. You're saying my sister's dressed like a prostitute.† Brayden eyed my dress. â€Å"Well, yes, if we're still speaking in hypothetical – â€Å" â€Å"You know what?† I interrupted. â€Å"We need to go. It's going to rain any minute now. I'll take Adrian home and meet you back here, okay?† I refused to let Adrian continue to play whatever game he had going to torment Brayden – and, by extension, me. â€Å"I'll text you when I'm on my way back.† â€Å"Sure,† said Brayden, not looking very sure at all. He left, and I started to get into the car until I noticed Adrian trying – and failing – to open the passenger side door. With a sigh, I walked over and opened it for him. â€Å"You're drunker than I thought,† I said. â€Å"And I thought you were pretty drunk.† He managed to get his body into the seat, and I returned to my own side just as raindrops splashed on my windshield. â€Å"Too drunk for Jailbait to feel,† he said. â€Å"The bond's numb. She can have an Adrian-free night.† â€Å"That was very thoughtful of you,† I said. â€Å"Though I'm guessing that's not the real reason you were hitting the bottle. Or why you came here. As far as I can tell, all you've accomplished is to mess with Brayden.† â€Å"He called you a prostitute.† â€Å"He did not! You baited him into that.† Adrian ran a hand through his hair and leaned against the window, watching the rapidly unfolding storm outside. â€Å"Doesn't matter. I've decided I don't like him.† â€Å"Because he's too smart?† I said. I remembered Jill and Eddie's earlier comments. â€Å"And unmemorable?† â€Å"Nah. I just think you can do better.† â€Å"How?† Adrian had no answer, and I had to ignore him for a bit as my attention shifted to the road. Storms, while infrequent, could come up fast and furious in Palm Springs. Flash floods weren't uncommon, and the rain was now pouring down in sheets, making visibility difficult. Fortunately, Adrian didn't live that far away. That was a double blessing because, when we were a couple blocks from his apartment, he said: â€Å"I don't feel so well.† â€Å"No,† I moaned. â€Å"Please, please do not get sick in my car. We're almost there.† A minute or so later, I pulled up at the curb outside his building. â€Å"Out. Now.† He obeyed, and I followed with an umbrella for myself. Glancing over at me as we walked to the building, he asked, â€Å"We live in a desert, and you keep an umbrella in your car?† â€Å"Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?† He dropped his keys, and I picked them up, figuring I'd have an easier time unlocking the door. I flipped on the nearest light switch – and nothing happened. We stood there for a moment, together in the darkness, neither of us moving. â€Å"I have candles in the kitchen,† said Adrian, finally taking a few staggering steps in that direction. â€Å"I'll light some.† â€Å"No,† I ordered, having visions of the entire building going down in flames. â€Å"Lie on the couch. Or throw up in the bathroom. I'll take care of the candles.† He opted for the couch, apparently not as sick as he'd feared. Meanwhile, I found the candles – atrocious air freshening ones that smelled like fake pine. Still, they cast light, and I brought a lit one over to him, along with a glass of water. â€Å"Here. Drink this.† He took the glass and managed to sit up long enough to get a few sips. Then, he handed the glass back and collapsed against the couch, draping one arm over his eyes. I pulled up a nearby chair and sat down. The pine candles cast fragile, flickering light between us. â€Å"Thanks, Sage.† â€Å"Are you going to be okay if I leave?† I asked. â€Å"I'm sure the power will be on by morning.† He didn't answer my question. Instead, he said, â€Å"You know, I don't just drink to get drunk. I mean, that's part of it, yeah. A big part of it. But sometimes, alcohol's all that keeps me clearheaded.† â€Å"That doesn't make sense. Here,† I prompted, handing the water back to him. As I did, I cast a quick look at my cell phone's clock, anxious about Brayden. â€Å"Drink some more.† Adrian complied and then continued speaking, arm back over his eyes. â€Å"Do you know what it's like to feel like something's eating away at your mind?† I'd been about to tell him I needed to leave, but his words left me cold. I remembered Jill saying something similar when she was telling me about him and spirit. â€Å"No,† I said honestly. â€Å"I don't know what it's like†¦ but to me, well, it's pretty much one of the most terrifying things I can imagine. My mind, it†¦ it's who I am. I think I'd rather suffer any other injury in the world than have my mind tampered with.† I couldn't leave Adrian right now. I just couldn't. I texted to Brayden: Going to be a little longer than I thought. â€Å"It is terrifying,† said Adrian. â€Å"And weird, for lack of a better word. And part of you knows†¦ well, part of you knows something's not right. That your thinking's not right. But what do you about that? All we can go on is what we think, how we see the world. If you can't trust your own mind, what can you trust? What other people tell you?† â€Å"I don't know,† I said, for lack of a better answer. His words struck me as I thought how much of my life had been guided by the edicts of others. â€Å"Rose once told me about this poem she'd read. There was this line, ‘If your eyes weren't open, you wouldn't know the difference between dreaming and waking.' You know what I'm afraid of? That someday, even with my eyes open, I still won't know.† â€Å"Oh, Adrian, no.† I felt my heart breaking and sat down on the floor near the couch. â€Å"That won't happen.† He sighed. â€Å"At least with the alcohol†¦ it quiets the spirit and then I know if things seem weird, it's probably because I'm drunk. It's not a great reason, but it's a reason, you know? At least you actually have a reason instead of not trusting yourself.† Brayden texted back: How much longer? Irritated, I answered back: Fifteen minutes. I looked back up at Adrian. His face was still covered, though the candlelight did a fair job of illuminating the clean lines of his profile. â€Å"Is that†¦ is that why you drank tonight? Is spirit bothering you? I mean†¦ you seemed to be doing so well the other day†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He exhaled deeply. â€Å"No. Spirit's okay†¦ in as much as it ever is. I actually got drunk tonight because†¦ well, it was the only way I could bring myself to talk to you.† â€Å"We talk all the time.† â€Å"I need to know something, Sage.† He uncovered his face to look at me, and I suddenly realized how close I was sitting. For a moment, I almost didn't pay attention to his words. The flickering dance of shadow and light gave his already good looks a haunting beauty. â€Å"Did you get Lissa to talk to my dad?† â€Å"What? Oh. That. Hang on one second.† Picking up my cell phone, I texted Brayden again: Better make that thirty minutes. â€Å"I know someone got her to do it,† Adrian continued. â€Å"I mean, Lissa likes me, but she's got a lot going on. She wouldn't have just thought one day, ‘Oh, hey. I should call Nathan Ivashkov and tell him how awesome his son is.' You got her to do it.† â€Å"I've actually never talked to her,† I said. I didn't regret my actions at all but felt weird at being called out on them. â€Å"But I, uh, may have asked Sonya and Dimitri to talk to her on your behalf.† â€Å"And then she talked to my old man.† â€Å"Something like that.† â€Å"I knew it,† he said. I couldn't gauge his tone, if it was upset or relieved. â€Å"I knew someone had to have prompted her, and somehow I knew it was you. No one else would have done it for me. Not sure what Lissa told him, but man, she must have really won him over. He was crazy impressed. He's sending me money for a car. And upping my allowance back to reasonable levels.† â€Å"That's a good thing,† I said. â€Å"Isn't it?† My phone flashed with another text from Brayden. The dance will nearly be over by then. â€Å"But why?† Adrian asked. He sat down on the floor beside me. There was an almost distraught look to him. He leaned closer to me and then seemed shocked as he realized what he was doing. He leaned back a little – but only a little. â€Å"Why would you do that? Why would you do that for me?† Before I could answer, another text came in. Will you even be back in time? I couldn't help be annoyed that he wasn't more understanding. Without thinking, I typed back: Maybe you should just leave now. I'll call you tomorrow. Sorry. I flipped the phone over so I wouldn't see any other messages. I looked back at Adrian, who was watching me intently. â€Å"I did it because he wasn't fair to you. Because you deserve credit for what you've done. Because he needs to realize you aren't the person he's always thought you were. He needs to see you for who you really are, not for all the ideas and preconceptions he's built up around you.† The power in Adrian's gaze was so strong that I kept talking. I was nervous about meeting that stare in silence. Also, part of me was afraid that if I pondered my own words too hard, I'd discover they were just as much about my own father and me as Adrian and his. â€Å"It should have been enough for you to tell him who you are – to show him who you are – but he wouldn't listen. I don't like the idea of using others to do things we can do ourselves, but this seemed like the only option.† â€Å"Well,† Adrian said at last. â€Å"I guess it worked. Thank you.† â€Å"Did he tell you how to get in touch with your mother?† â€Å"No. His pride in me apparently didn't go that far.† â€Å"I can probably find out where she is,† I said. â€Å"Or†¦ or Dimitri could, I'm sure. Like you said before, they must let letters in.† He almost smiled. â€Å"There you go again. Why? Why do you keep helping me?† There were a million answers on my lips, everything from It's the right thing to do to I don't know. Instead, I said, â€Å"Because I want to.† This time, I got a true smile from him, but there was something dark and introspective about it. He shifted closer to me again. â€Å"Because you feel bad for this crazy guy?† â€Å"You aren't going to go crazy,† I said firmly. â€Å"You're stronger than you think. The next time you feel that way, find something to focus on, to remind you of who you are.† â€Å"Like what? Got some magic object in mind?† â€Å"Doesn't have to be magic,† I said. I racked my brain. â€Å"Here.† I unfastened the golden cross necklace. â€Å"This has always been good for me. Maybe it'll help you.† I set it in his hand, but he caught hold of mine before I could pull back. â€Å"What is it?† he asked. He looked more closely. â€Å"Wait†¦ I've seen this. You wear this all the time.† â€Å"I bought it a long time ago, in Germany.† He was still holding my hand as he studied the cross. â€Å"No frills. No flourishes. No secret etched symbols.† â€Å"That's why I like it,† I told him. â€Å"It doesn't need embellishment. A lot of the old Alchemist beliefs focused on purity and simplicity. That's what this is. Maybe it'll help you have clarity of mind.† He had been staring at the cross, but now he lifted his gaze to meet mine. Some emotion I couldn't quite read played over his features. It was almost like he'd just discovered something, something troubling to him. He took a deep breath and, his hand still holding mine, pulled me toward him. His green eyes were dark in the candlelight but somehow just as enthralling. His fingers tightened on mine, and I felt warmth spread throughout me. â€Å"Sage – â€Å" The power suddenly came back on, flooding the room with light. Apparently, with no concern for electrical bills, he'd left all the lights on when he went out earlier. The spell was broken, and both of us winced at the sudden brightness. Adrian sprang back from me, leaving the cross in my hand. â€Å"Don't you have a dance or a curfew or something?† he asked abruptly, not looking at me. â€Å"I don't want to keep you. Hell, I shouldn't have bothered you at all. Sorry. I assume that was Aiden texting you?† â€Å"Brayden,† I said, standing up. â€Å"And it's okay. He left, and I'm just going to go back to Amberwood now.† â€Å"Sorry,† he repeated, moving toward the door with me. â€Å"Sorry I ruined your night.† â€Å"This?† I nearly laughed, thinking of all the crazy things I contended with in my life. â€Å"No. It'd take a lot more to ruin my night than this.† I started to take a few steps and then paused. â€Å"Adrian?† He finally looked directly at me, once again nearly knocking me over with his gaze. â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"Next time†¦ next time you want to talk to me about something – anything – you don't have to drink to work up the courage. Just tell me.† â€Å"Easier said than done.† â€Å"Not really.† I tried for the door again, and this time, he stopped me, resting a hand on my shoulder. â€Å"Sage?† I turned. â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"Do you know why I don't like him? Brayden?† I was so astonished he'd gotten the name right that I couldn't voice any answers, though several came to mind. â€Å"Because of what he said.† â€Å"What part?† Seeing as Brayden had said many things, in great detail, it wasn't entirely clear which Adrian was referring to. â€Å"‘Historically inaccurate.†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ Adrian gestured at me with his other hand, the one not on my shoulder. â€Å"Who the hell looks at you and says ‘historically inaccurate'?† â€Å"Well,† I said. â€Å"Technically it is.† â€Å"He shouldn't have said that.† I shifted, knowing I should move away†¦ but I didn't. â€Å"Look, it's just his way.† â€Å"He shouldn't have said that,† repeated Adrian, eerily serious. He leaned his face toward mine. â€Å"I don't care if he's not the emotional type or the complimentary type or what. No one can look at you in this dress, in all that fire and gold, and start talking about anachronisms. If I were him, I would have said, ‘You are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen walking this earth.'† My breath caught, both at the words and the way he said them. I felt strange inside. I didn't know what to think, except that I needed to get out of there, away from Adrian, away from what I didn't understand. I broke from him and was surprised to find myself shaking. â€Å"You're still drunk,† I said, putting my hand on the door knob. He tilted his head to the side, still watching me in that same, disconcerting way. â€Å"Some things are true, drunk or sober. You should know that. You deal in facts all the time.† â€Å"Yeah, but this isn't – † I couldn't argue with him looking at me like that. â€Å"I have to go. Wait†¦ you didn't take the cross.† I held it out to him. He shook his head. â€Å"Keep it. I think I've got something else to help center my life.† The Golden Lily: A Bloodlines Novel

Describe three methods that have been proposed for valuing minority Essay

Describe three methods that have been proposed for valuing minority interest and goodwill in the consolidated balance sheet of a parent company and it's partially owned subsidiary - Essay Example intangible assets that come from the business connections or reputation of the company gained through several variables including competent management, customer acceptance, favourability of location, efficient production systems, among others (Ammar et al., 2001). The similarity here is that in both cases, the parent company does not have direct control of what the asset manoeuvring of these two but the two are reported on the consolidated balance sheet of the parent company as a means of reflecting the claim of assets to the company and other non-controlling shareholders (Chaney, Mead & Schermann, 2002). Because of the place of these two in the consolidated balance sheet of the parent company and the subsidiary, the methods that go into the valuation of these two have often been an area of interest to stakeholders. The paper discusses three methods that have been proposed as part of the valuation of minority interest and goodwill. The average profit method has often been used to value the goodwill of the company as reported in the balance sheet but this calculation could be done to incorporate the minority interest as well. For example in calculating goodwill based on this method, an average profit is found with an agreed number of past years’ profits. The average is then multiplied by the agreed number of years to know the goodwill in a very simple mood (Gauthier, 2007). Horrigan (1968) however noted that the issue of minority interest comes in ahead of the utilisation of the formulation given above since any abnormal profits are expected to be deducted from the net profits of the various years. Again, abnormal losses are also expected to be deducted, as well as non operating incomes such as those incomes made from non-accruing investments (Sohl et al., 2009). In all three deductions, minority interest plays a major role because even though consolidated balance sheets are prepared to appear as though the parent company fully owned the partially owned

Why was there widespread innovation in Britain in the 18th century Essay

Why was there widespread innovation in Britain in the 18th century - Essay Example First, there were natural reasons like richness in the natural resources. Secondly, changes in the kingdom, power and autonomy also made the environment more favorable for innovation and creativity in the Britain. The two aspects are discussed below: Natural and political reasons favoring innovation in 18th century Britain: Britain saw such a large industrial revolution because she was rich in three commodities in particular which were iron, coal and water. Britain was able to use the water in her mountainous districts in order to drive the mills that were very important in the initial period of industrialization. â€Å"..the rivers, amplified from 1761 by a developing network of canals, facilitate inland transport in an age where roads are only rough tracks† (History World 1). Also, Britain was equipped with such a wonderful access to sea that goods could be transported through sea between the coastal areas without any inconvenience. Britain was able to make full use of its i ron ores because of the technological advancements made particularly by the Darby family in the 18th century. In the later half of the 18th century, Britain was equipped with the steam power with the hard work of Boulton and Watt. â€Å"The first Boulton and Watt engine was completed in 1776† (Weissenbache 202). Because of the discovery of steam power, the wide spread resources of coal gained extreme importance in Britain. The 1688 revolution resulted in immense changes that paved way for the contributions of Matthew Boulton and Abraham Darby on the political side of the story. There was a considerable decline in the royal power in Britain after 1688. As a result of this, middle class gained strength and surfaced in Britain very rapidly and forcefully. The middle class was eager to gain more money and power, and therefore, resolved to achieve the strength through inventions, innovation and enhancement in the mechanical side. One evidence of rise in the strength of middle clas s is Richard Arkwright, who came from a very poor background and gained a lot of wealth through his contributions in the innovation in Britain. In addition to the innovation supportive circumstances happening within Britain, Britain also facilitated the process by involving other countries in it and supporting them in any way she could. Britain offered the budding businessmen and entrepreneurs a very big and rich market to dwell in. Fortunately, England removed differences with Scotland and united with Scotland in 1707. Their internal tariff barriers were removed and the trade was promoted. American colonies were provided by Britain with frequent opportunities of trade. Later, Britain opened trade with India on a large scale. Industrial revolution in Britain was facilitated largely by increased control of Britain over the seas in the same century. â€Å"Much of the profitable carrying trade in the world's commerce can be secured for British merchant vessels† (History World 1) . Although there were large resources of iron in Britain, it could not use it to the full capacity because iron required charcoal in huge quantities in order to be smelted. Charcoal was very costly for Britain and she had to look out for other means of smelting iron so as to make the process more profitable and cost effective. It continued to be like this until 1709, when Abraham Darby discovered that charcoal can be replaced by coke in order to smelt the pig iron (Dickinson 131). Since then, coke has been used to smelt iron. It was cost-effective and fulfilled the purpose. This way, Britain’

The Movie Crash Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Movie Crash - Essay Example The movie avoids conversations leading to the topic on racism the author and journalist Jeff Chang tends to feature the practice as an â€Å"abomination to Hollywood subsequent to 9/11.†When an individual watch the movie for the first time; elements of race and prejudice appears evidently present. In as much as, the movie constantly talks about the issue of shoving racism, it ends up contradicting the message as the movie constantly voices, the advantages and superiority; that the whites enjoys in the film (Haggis et al, 24). The whites in the movie crash tend to enjoy superior positions, both in social class and economic settings. White characters such as; Jean and Rick Cabot, acted by Sandra Bullock with Brendan Fraser correspondingly, appear as prominent individuals in L.A socialites; characters like Rick, works as the District Attorney of Los Angeles (Haggis et al, 124). The society in the film comprises wealthy black producers like Cameron Thayer (Terence Howard), who des pite their wealthy status, experiences social insecurity. Tony Danza, a television chief producer, another white character tells Thayer, who appears black; to ensure that one of his actors brings out a â€Å"more black† personality as the character must appear â€Å"as the dumb one.† Characters like John Ryan, who appears to be played by Matt Dillion, and Tom Hasan Played by Ryan Phillippe appear as police detectives in the Los Angeles Police Department. The film clearly depicts that no white character that is seen struggling with financial discomforts. At this juncture, most of the alternative characters appear as impoverished or defenseless socially in the society (Haggis et al, 110). Michael Pena’s, acts as Daniel, a young Hispanic, family man, who has a young daughter appears as a working class. The daughter appears to sleep under the bed, on hearing the gun shots, the audience, which scared her. Her fears come the incident when a bullet penetrated into her room, in their former old house they had just vacated; Daniel later comments saying that the area’s neighborhood appeared as insecure (Haggis et al, 124). He operates for a 24-hour locksmith who leaves for a call at jean and Rick Cabot’s residence; he bumps into two youthful Black car thieves named Antony (Ludacris) and peter (Latez Tate). Jean demands the change of the locks as she believes that Daniel might give the key to his supposed friends, appearing as members of the gang. Daniel overhears the statement that Jean made as he was in the down Hall way. Daniel is also seen fixing Farhad’s convenience store’s back door. Daniel tells the store owner that the door requires replacement; the idea appears to disturb Farhad, the older Persian man, engages in business, misinterprets Daniel’s quest. Daniel and Fahad end up shouting at each other; at this juncture, Fahad terms Daniel as a fraudulent man (Haggis et al, 111). There exists another Officer na med Ryan; Ryan’s encounters a situation where he must contend with racism. The racism originates from Ryan father’s retrogress in life. Ryan appears underprivileged, in a way that he struggles to get the basic items including food and shelter. These appears as movie demonstration, despite the fact that, they appear slightly exaggerated, displaying how the wealthy individuals resides in the States (Haggis et al, 122). Contrary, the whites enjoy a distinct group comprising of Americans

Financial Analysis for Managers II Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financial Analysis for Managers II - Essay Example It is a fixed amount paid on annual basis (Myers & Allen, 2005). This amount might be constant for a certain period of time or may have a steady trend for some time and may fluctuate otherwise. The annuities and the time value of money are related and affected by certain factors. These are as follows; Interest rates are the prevailing charges of availing the facility of the capital that might have been invested in an interest generating instrument or a bank account. The interest rates of advancing loans and paying on the deposits are different and that the difference is actually the monetary reward of utilizing that capital. However, the actual value of money, even when the principal amount is added up with the total interest amount received as an annuity, is normally different from what it was at the time of blocking that money into the respective reserve under question. This may have a different affect on the compounded interest approach. Since the interest is compound, therefore it yields a higher amount at each step and thus even the actual value of the total of that amount might be more than the amount actually invested depending on the terms, policies and interest rates. This introduces the concept of the present value of future payments and/or income(s) that are expected to be received (Myers Allen, 2005). This means that the present value always differs from the future value. The idea is also related to the fact about the future value of any of the long term and/or even short term investments that were made. They will seldom be equal in real terms, even when they seem to be equal as an annuity. The most commonly applied model of the time value of money is our same old compounded interest model. An amount of money 'C' for 't' years at a rate of interest of 'I'% (where interest of 15 percent" is expressed also as 0.15) compounded on annual basis, the present value of the receipt of C, t years in the future, is: Ct = C(1+i)-t = C/(1+i)t The expression (1 + i)t is a generic form of calculating almost al sorts of present value. Where the interest rate is deemed to be something which is not constant figure over the period of the investment(s), different values for 'I' may respectively be used; an investment over a two year period would then have PV (Present Value) of: PV = C(1+i1)-1.(1+i2)-1 Present value is additive. This means that the present value of a bundle of cash flows is the sum of each individual's present value. If there are no risks involved in the project i.e. the project is deemed to be risk free, the expected/forecasted rate of return from the project must equal or exceed this rate of return or else it would be better to rather invest the capital investment in these (potentially) risk free assets. If there are risks involved in any such investments or a project ventures this can be reflected through the use of a 'risk premium'. The risk premium that is required can easily be found by comparing the investment with the rate of return required from other similar projects with similar risks (Ross & Westerfield, 2007). Thus it is possible for almost all investors to take account of any uncertainty or risk factor

Cost Estimation Plan Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Cost Estimation Plan - Coursework Example According to the agreement, these operations will be transferred to government. Approach road to this tunnel is shared with that of Sydney Harbour Bridge. The SHT is 2.3 kilo meters long with only 1 kilometer of the tunnel being under the Sydney Harbour. There are total 4 sections in the tunnel; two on the North of the Sydney Harbour and the other two on its Southern side. The two land tunnels on the North side have a length of 1 kilometer each and those on the Southern side have a length of half kilometer each. The four units are joined by means of eight solid concrete blocks. There are two carriage ways in SHT, each having two traffic lanes. This tunnel is one of the largest tunnels in Australia and therefore, has much importance. The project for construction of the SHT can be considered as one of its own nature as there are certain outcomes observed which have raised questions about the project. One such important issue is the fact that the project Sydney Harbour Tunnel was a PPP in which the private partner bore higher portion of risk as compared to that of public partner, or to be more precise, in this case government of Australia. In the next section of this essay we will focus on the various assumptions made during the cost estimation of the STH plan. Various approaches towards the cost estimation of mega infrastructural projects and their application to the Sydney Harbour Tunnel Project will follow the assumptions. A cost-benefit analysis of the project is given and conclusion is drawn on the basis of all the discussion. To start the discussion about cot estimation of STH, let us first discuss some of the major assumptions made during the financial planning stages of the project. Given are some of the basic facts and figures about Sydney Harbour Tunnel: 2.0 Looking into The Finances and Economics of Sydney Harbour Tunnel Sydney Harbour Tunnel was built on the principle of 'BOT,' i.e., Build, Operate and Transfer. There were a number of financial advisors involved in economic and financial analysis of the project. A combination of analysis techniques were used by these consultants and a unified statement as a result of the analyses was given by the Auditor General NSW in 1994.It was stated that the project was viable and beneficial on financial, economic and environmental basis. The tunnel was reported to be justified on the basis of factors like travel time, air quality, economics of the project and the quality of travel with special reference to air quality. However, it was mentioned in the later parts of the report that technical deficiencies and constraints may affect some of the outcomes o the project. These assumptions are addressed in the very next section of the essay with their detailed analysis and how it influenced the overall functioning of the tunnel from the start up to the date. The estimated cost for the construction of the tunnel was reported to be 3.8 million Australian Dollars. These funds were generated from three different sources. The first tool used was the issuance of inflation-index bonds of maturity 30 years to raise a capital of AU $ 486. The second

Gangster squads movie technique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Gangster squads movie technique - Essay Example Gangster squad is a 2013 movie based on a book by Will Beall and Paul Lieberman, the genre of a movie is a combination of action drama and crime. This movie is loosely based on the life of a mo king known as Mickey Cohen; a gangster based in Los Angeles who was also part of a Jewish mafia around the 1930’s to 1960’s. Reuben Fleisher being the director of the movie chose an outstanding number of very renowned actors who took the roles of various people to bring out the crime aspects the movie was based on. The perspective this movie genres could be related to movies that were produced earlier in time. Movies such as public enemy; a movie played by Johnny Depp was released in the year 2009, also based on the criminal activities that were undertaken by John Dillinger around the 1930s. The two movies mentioned above both share commonness in that their elements reflect older movies such as the Godfather in relation to the techniques adapted and the roles of characters.Mafia movie goes back as far as the 1940 where such movies as Capone were made. This movie was a black and white film based on the life of Al Capone (Anastasia & Glen, 12). One similarity that could be denoted from the mafia movies is that they are majorly based on the events that took place in real life and the characters in the movies are a true reflection of the characters that existed.

Can Barack Obama deliver the change (in foreign policy) he promises Research Paper

Can Barack Obama deliver the change (in foreign policy) he promises - Research Paper Example 5. The federal budget is balanced, therefore allowing the President more time to work on foreign policy. CON: No, President Obama can not deliver the change in foreign policy he promises. 1. Barack Obama is defeated by Governor Mitt Romney, who becomes the next President of the United States of America on 6 November 2012. 2. The legislative branch of the United States government continues to bicker among themselves, therefore not agreeing on policy. 3. The countries that have historically been allies of the United States decide to cut ties politically with the United States. 4. The war in Afghanistan continues for more than four years therefore occupying most of President Obama’s attention. 5. The United States continues to go into debt, therefore decreasing the ability that the United States to create foreign policy as well as not allowing time to manage foreign policy with an ever nearing depression. Due to the interconnectedness of the world, foreign policy is now an import ant aspect of any politicians’ job. This is even more so for the President of the Unites States of America, a position that has numerous levels of responsibility. The President has to maintain internal peace of prosperity, as well as international concerns. The United States in recent decades has taken on responsibilities that most countries would not. Being a leader in world politics, world economics, and being a world super power takes a toll on a country as well as a leader. This has especially been true for the United States that has seen in the last two decades almost constant international warfare, a struggling economy, and increased numbers of adversaries. To achieve what needs to be accomplished internationally, the President must have a strong stance on foreign policy and the ability to enact change. When Barack Obama was elected President in 2008 the nation was embroiled in two large conflicts, the national debt was increasing, and the rate of employment was decreas ing. Foreign policy while important was not on the top list of things to do. However, now that the unemployment rates are stable, and the United States is out of one of the conflict zones, a look at if President Obama can achieve any significant change to Foreign policy is appropriate. The main hurdles that President Obama is facing are the upcoming elections, which parties controls the legislative branch, our international allies start to falter, the current war in Afghanistan continues, and there is no relief in sight for the national budget to be balanced. All five of these things could affect foreign policy. In addition to each of these being a detriment to the success, the opposite will be beneficial in accomplishing effective and long lasting change. The election that is taking place on November 6, 2012 is one of the most divisive elections in the last 50 years. Many bloggers have realized this and started to write about what this election is doing to the country. Due to this divisiveness both #1 and #2 are going to be dependent on the results of the election. Daniel Greenfield, in a very conservative blog believes that it was the intention of the candidates to divide the country, to spread fear and loathing among the population.i This division was done not to support the United States, but to show how bad it could be. The latest polls show that there is a chance of either party to win the Presidency.