The Balance Sheet Essays - Accounting, Business Economics, Business

The Balance Sheet Although the balance sheet was first implemented just a couple of centuries ago, it has quckly developed and sophisticated to become nowadays a widely used and powerful tool in the hands of professional users, well known and popular even among the mass public. In spite of its prominence, or may be because of it, the balance sheet can not be easily and fully described in a few words, but still, if we leave aside its various functions and forms and any other subjective factors, we can state that the balance sheet is a summary of an enterprises' assets, liabilities and equity at a specific moment of time. To simplify this description even further we could say that the balance sheet shows an entity's possessions, obligations and others' debts to it. The objective point of view however is often too restrictive, and the most simple things many times prove to be rather complex... Among the thousand more complex definitions appended to the balance sheet one of my favorites is the definition given by .... according to which the balance sheet is a statement meant to communicate information about the financial position of an enterprise at a particular point in time, summarizing the information contained in accounting records in a clear and intelligible form, giving information about the financial state of an enterprise and indicating the relative liquidity of the assets, showing the liabilities of the enterprise (i.e. what the enterprise owes and when these amounts will fall due), able to assist the user in evaluating the financial position of the enterprise, being however only part of the data needed by users. Or to summarize this long description with which I completely agree, I could say that although the balance sheet is one of the most outstanding instruments in the hands of financial analysts, managers, investors and other users, its importance should not b e over emphasized, it has to be viewed along with many other documents, and it is far from being the perfect and the super financial document. In order to get a more clear, complete and fair picture of the balance sheet, apart from reviewing the definitions given by the experts in this field, we would need to consider as many sides and issues of the subject as possible. Being objective we should have a look at the etymology of the word balance, the history of this document, its theoretical essence and the basic concepts of accounting implied in it, its forms in the accounting practise. In our attempt however not to become over-objective or scholastic, we should also review the aims and purposes of the balance sheet and the extent to which they are fulfilled, the users of this financial statement and their contradictory needs, the negative aspects and restrictions of the balance sheet, and finally the trends of its further development. In short, we have to go further into the matter... The history of the so called financial statements, and the balance sheet among them, can be traced back to Renaissance Italy, where along with the double - entry book - keeping they first evoked to respond to the growing more and more complex needs of the accounting connected with the economic development of the society at that period (expansion of trade activities, development of banking, etc.) and with the transition from the owner - manager model towards limited companies or the breakdown of ownership from control. Obviously these historical events called for the development of new methods and new documents, reflecting the changes. Naturally the word balance itself has also an Italian origin (bilan, bilanz) though it is formed up of two latin words: bi - double and lanx - scales. Even from here it becomes obvious that the balance sheet is a sheet or summary of two different aspects of one and the same thing: an entity's financial position. Further to this aspect, we can take a look at the definition of the balance sheet given by John Arnold, Tony Hope and Alan Southworth: The balance sheet is the most inituitive and easily understood document of accounting. Most of us at some stage in our lives will be required to compute a listing of our possessions. Such a listing of

Free Essays on Construction Management

Construction Management Construction management is a very involving and important career. The definition of this career area is basically the management of construction. This may consist of management of the actual site or the politics behind the raw building. This definition, while imprecise and broad, is in essence the heart of the field. It can be more precisely defined through the specifics of the job. Employers around the world are constantly looking for employees with the broad skills and experience to oversee jobsites and all of the mechanics and aspects of construction. Every construction job requires an overseer, someone who has attained the knowledge and skill to maintain an efficient and quality job. Construction management is a broad career choice that is a very important component in the success of a jobsite. Whether it be a corporate building or a home remodel job, a construction manager is just that, the manager of every stage from start to finish. The job of the Manager is to control and extinguish emergencies, such as delays and bad weather, boost employee morale, and schedule and coordinate the design and construction processes. Managers oversee and take part in managing people, supplies, materials, budgets, schedules and contracts of the various people involved. For very large buildings, construction managers are divided into segments. Managers will be split up to oversee and coordinate a specific area of the construction like site preparation, from the excavation to the surveying. Construction managers also take care of the details of the project before there is any ground breaking. Managers evaluate different methods of building and materials to determine the mos t cost affective budget for construction. At the same time managers calculate the most efficient way of building to yield the quickest schedule. Computer software is often times used to estimate and calculate this. Construction managers ... Free Essays on Construction Management Free Essays on Construction Management Construction Management Construction management is a very involving and important career. The definition of this career area is basically the management of construction. This may consist of management of the actual site or the politics behind the raw building. This definition, while imprecise and broad, is in essence the heart of the field. It can be more precisely defined through the specifics of the job. Employers around the world are constantly looking for employees with the broad skills and experience to oversee jobsites and all of the mechanics and aspects of construction. Every construction job requires an overseer, someone who has attained the knowledge and skill to maintain an efficient and quality job. Construction management is a broad career choice that is a very important component in the success of a jobsite. Whether it be a corporate building or a home remodel job, a construction manager is just that, the manager of every stage from start to finish. The job of the Manager is to control and extinguish emergencies, such as delays and bad weather, boost employee morale, and schedule and coordinate the design and construction processes. Managers oversee and take part in managing people, supplies, materials, budgets, schedules and contracts of the various people involved. For very large buildings, construction managers are divided into segments. Managers will be split up to oversee and coordinate a specific area of the construction like site preparation, from the excavation to the surveying. Construction managers also take care of the details of the project before there is any ground breaking. Managers evaluate different methods of building and materials to determine the mos t cost affective budget for construction. At the same time managers calculate the most efficient way of building to yield the quickest schedule. Computer software is often times used to estimate and calculate this. Construction managers ...

Film Eassy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Film Eassy - Essay Example This paper will analyze the movie that is titled Saving Private Ryan and show how different aspects of ideology were manifested in it. It is quite understandable that the majority of movies that feature the setting of the World War II engage the issue of Anti-Semitism. The movie in question is quite interesting since it shows that this ideology of making the Jews a victim is deeply corrupted. On the one hand, the directors were able to show that within the American soldiers there might be some that adhere to such views; however, they are openly criticized. For example, there was a fight shown between soldiers on the shop that was departing to Europe which started because one made some ironic statements about â€Å"sons of Abraham†. Indeed, this movie supports the common idea that Anti-Semitism could not have happened in the American society (Dinnerstein 229). On the other hand, when the German troops are shown, they are portrayed as extremely Anti-Semitic. For example, in one episode, one of the soldier, who was a Jew, finds a special knife in the pockets of a German soldier and suddenly realized how many people of his nationality were killed with similar knifes. In addition to that, when the German prisoners are being relocated, he shows them they his start of David pendant and screams at their face: â€Å"Juden!† (which is German for Jew), pointing at himself, suggesting that they were captured by a race that was so despised by them. Indeed, Anti-Semitism of the Germans in the World War II has been one of the significant themes for numerous movies. That is why there is no wonder that Saving Private Ryan engages it as well. Another important concept that is fundamental to the plot of the entire movie is application of Sole Survivor Policy. The latter is a rather controversial and one of the most debatable policies which were implanted by the United States government in the

Consider your character's biography and create a speech that explores Essay

Consider your character's biography and create a speech that explores your character's perspective on the Iowa City Under 21 - Essay Example But I did, because I knew that this is the only place where I can meet several people, and most of them would give me insight into ways of living life happily. This is where creativity and ideas are born and helps you to realize how things can be done differently. For that reason, drinking and that too before the legal age of 21, should not be prohibited. At one point, it is bringing financial losses for the bar owners, on the other hand, it is depriving deriving youth to getting engaged in activities of more severe nature (Misiag). As an international student, I felt deprived when I came to know about Under-21 ordinance of Iowa City. By going to the bars, I considered it as an opportunity to get socialize with the locals and learn ways in which the local life is carried on. I thought it would give me an opportunity to learn about my professional studies and the life afterwards, so that I am ready to meet new people in professional life and fit my character and self-being within. But here I am standing today, in front of this young audience and demanding their right to live a free life. A life, which is given to them by God and only God, can put limits to what this youth want in their lives. So, I ask you to stand for your rights (Davis). Vote for your cause. It is your right to decide how you are going to live and fit in the social structure of the society. Stand against it and protest against the ordinance so that you can also be a normal part of this society and see how you are going to live in the life ahead. Here, I would like to quote Nicholas Johnson, who stated that: â€Å"A drinking age of 18 is something that he and a great many others support -- including those whose motto is "Iowa City: Where Great Minds Drink Alike.† (Johnson) Those who do not know who Nicholas Johnson really is, I would like to tell them that he is a former Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission. He is well known amongst the Iowians and popular for his social work. I would like to agree with Nicholas, as all around the world, the legal age for drinking is 18 years, whereas the local government here in Iowa thinks, they can produce better youth by stretching this ban to further three years. From the ethical point of view, I think Nicholas is fulfilling his responsibility of letting youth decide how they want to design their future. It is not established that alcohol drives human beings to unethical conduct, but there are medical explanations, that after 18, the human tendency to bare the adverse affects of alcohol increases. Further elaborating on his idea, Nicholas also asked a question to the law making authorities of City of Iowa that how they can help in creating good minds without alcohol? It is the utter belief of Johnson that the emotional strength comes from inside and to explore the potential inside, alcohol stimulates the inner strength to face demons and angels. It increase the creativity reflected in individuals’ work. So, it is either time to stand up for your rights and start lobbying to get Under 21 Ordinance of Iowa City abolished, or let the next generation be dependent on others to provoke their creative skills. I believe, as Nicholas Johnson do, that in the current competitive scenario of Iowa city and the outside world, it is in the best interest of the local government, talent managers and the local and foreigner students of Iowa city, that the ban on

The special education process Essay Example for Free

The special education process Essay The purpose of descriptive, qualitative study will be to discover how parents and teachers of special education students see their roles in the special education process. The study also will seek to assess the level of participation of the parents and teachers of students with special needs. The questions that will be specifically posed for the study are: a) What is the extent of parental involvement (participation) in the education of their children in special education self-contained programs? b) Is there a significant difference between the perceptions of teachers and the perceptions of parents concerning their role and their importance of parental involvement for special education students in self-contained programs? The school district was selected based on its location, size and diversity. The school district was selected based on: 1) high incidence of special needs students, 2) racial composition of students in self-contained program and 3) racial composition of teaching staff. The population was multicultural being primarily composed of African-American, White, Hispanic, and Asian parents and teachers. The study was conducted through teacher and parent questionnaires which were specifically developed by the researcher for this study. The survey questionnaire was developed as a result of many discussions pertaining to parents’ and educators’ feelings about parental involvement in the special education process of their children. Two 25 item questionnaires (one for the parent and one for the special education teacher) served as instruments to compare the perceptions of parents and special education teachers. The 25 item questionnaires helped ascertain how often parents participate in the various parental involvement opportunities in the school, determine parents’ level of understanding of parental involvement, measure the parents satisfaction with their current involvement, and get the respondents’ opinions regarding the effectiveness of parental involvement in the education of the children. The primary source of data was collected through parent and teacher survey questionnaires within the school district. Each questionnaire and corresponding teacher or parent was assigned a number for tracking and confidentiality purposes. The anonymity of each survey participant was guaranteed because participant’s names were not placed on the instrument. Data collection entailed the use of self-administered survey questionnaires that were distributed by mail. Mailed surveys were utilized because they provided the most cost effective method of gathering data. Participating parents and teachers were given instrument packages with self-explanatory directions; they were asked to complete the questionnaires independently and return them. Participants were given two weeks to complete the 25 item questionnaire. At the end of the two weeks, a follow up call or letter was made to parents. Questionnaires completed by the parents of 22 students in self contained were analyzed in relation to the special education teachers’ responses. A survey instrument was used to assess the perceptions the parents of children in self contained program on parental involvement in the education of their special needs children. Teachers were given a similar author-developed questionnaire to determine teacher’s thoughts about the parental involvement of the parents of their students in self contained program. Participation was on a voluntary basis. The data for this study was collected through two questionnaires using a parallel sample. The parallel populations were: 1) parents who have children enrolled in special education program (self-contained) and 2) special education teachers. Variables considered were race, age, parents’ income, parent marital status, and parent educational level. Teachers’ variables include age, marital status, race, and teaching experience The nature and extent of parental involvement by parents of special needs children and teachers in self-contained classrooms were examined. The study was intended to provide information on the differences between parents and school teachers perceptions of involvement in the special education process. The data will be presented as a summation of teachers’ and parents’ response to the questionnaires. The responses of the two groups were transcribed and analyzed using a description of results. The responses of the two groups were also compared on their perceptions of parent involvement. All data received through special education teacher and parent questionnaires were reviewed and analyzed through a detailed description of teacher and parent responses

living in basement :: essays research papers

Living in a basement is definitively associated with numerous inconveniences. Yet, after having spent almost two years in such location, I managed to find one feature distinguishing basement from other apartments in a way that recompenses all of its nuisances - the window. A view from the narrow gap which is positioned merely few inches above the pavement provides remarkable experience of learning the city’s life. The view my window offers may not appear intensively interesting at first, as, for the most part, it consists of wayfarers’ legs moving in opposite directions. However, after several hours of observation, it is possible to notice that the pace of people is at variance not only according to hour of the day, but also shifts throughout the week and year. And the pattern in the manner of how the passer-by’s gait changes embodies the city life’s rhythm. As the day commences, footpath is congested with citizens hastening to their workplaces. From their tread one can scent somnolence, and lassitude. There are however individuals bursting with the energy and sense of fulfilling their ambitions. As time passes many of the pedestrians become children and students. They toddle without hustle, still with a dose of excitement. Later on, in the midday hours the crowd dilutes, as if preparing for the rush of the afternoon. The pace of people returning homes indicates their fatigue and hope for finding time to calm at homes. Evening is definitively the time of the young people. Roaming teenagers and students are filled with jaunty and light thoughts, and the positive energy surrounding them spreads among all the surrounding. The later it becomes the more chaotic and disordered the moves of the striders become. Finally, as the dawn draws closer streets become deserted, save for the communal service workers, and whole cycle is ready to restart. Another dissimilarities in people’s way of walking can be observed with the shift of the seasons. Wayfarers tend to saunter much slower in summer, due to the high temperature’s influence on our mood and energy supplies. A perceptible amount of caution characterises feelings of pedestrians in winter, since the pavements become treacherous and dangerous places when covered with even the thinnest layer of ice.

Motivational theories applied in the workplace Essay

Within this assignment I will be looking at the various motivational theories that organisations may use in order to more their workforce more efficient. The organisation I will look at is Tesco as they now employ over 468,000 employees worldwide and have adopted various methods in order to give their employees increased knowledge, skills and job satisfaction by using training and relevant rewards and recognition schemes. Motivation is very important within an organisation that relies heavily on their employees as this will determine how efficiently they work. Motivation can be given in many ways such as personal interest in the job they are doing or other factors such as rewards, other factors include recognition of hard work, a sense of achievement, responsibility within the workplace, opportunity of promotion and also a sense of challenge and enjoyment. By motivating employees in this way they will be able to work harder and achieve a high quality of work in less time. If this is applied within Tesco, the same task will take a shorter period of time meaning a reduced labour cost for the business. The first motivational theory I am going to look at is Taylor’s theory which suggests that employee’s main incentive to work is for money purposes only. Although Taylor’s theory is based upon a production line where workers are paid for each item that is produced which creates an incentive to work faster. Although this meant that work would be completed quicker, it may also lead to lower quality work. Some positive aspects of this theory include that people are able to work for longer periods, and workers feel rewarded for putting in more effort although negative features may include not being suitable to everyone as people may feel less secure in their job. This motivational theory has been adopted within Tesco in order to motivate their staff by offering incentives, these incentives are varied according to lifestyle and includes free shares, pension scheme, private healthcare and contract mobile phones. Tesco offer varied incentives so that every employee has something to work towards as there are different rewards for different people. Although one disadvantage of adopting this method within Tesco is that only the floor staff will benefit as it will relate to the amount of work they complete, whereas mangers do not have the same type of work and will miss out on the same rewards, this means Tesco must adopt multiple theories to suit all employees. The next motivational theory I will look at is the Hawthorne study which suggests that there were various factors which created motivation at work and this included; greater communication, good teamwork, showing an interest in others and ensuring work was non-repetitive. This is due to Elton Mayo suggesting that receptiveness will make employees bored and become less motivated. Which means employees should be given freedom to make choices within their workplace. Although a disadvantage of using this theory is that employees will not get any financial benefits such as bonuses. This is apparent within Tesco as communication within this company is an important factor in order to motivate staff, examples of this include 1-to-1 discussions between floor staff and managers and also with the use of the company’s intranet which is used to offer jobs to current employees before they go out to the public. Another motivational theory I will focus on is Maslow, which includes a pyramid style of motivation where basic or physical needs must be met before the other stages can be dealt with. The other stages include security within the business, social needs which include teambuilding and a sense of belonging between employees, self-esteem which may include promotions and also self-fulfilment that may consist of a constant challenge they face within the workplace. This motivational theory is used within Tesco to motivate all employees within the organisation, such as ensuring each worker has a regular monthly pay and the use of facilities such as a restaurant. The next stage Tesco focus on is the need for security at work, this is in the form of formal contracts of employment to ensure employees feel secure in the job they have taken, security within Tesco also includes pension schemes, union options and also health and safety within the workplace. In addition to this, the Herzberg theory is also used within workplaces such as Tesco, and this includes both motivators and hygiene factors. Some motivational factors that are used within Tesco include: 1. Achievement 2. Responsibility 3. Promotion 4. Growth Also including hygiene factors such as: 1. Pay and benefits 2. Company policy 3. Supervision 4. Job security 5. Working conditions Tesco uses each of these factors in order to motivate its staff by delegating responsibility and decision making which will help to improve the communication within the business and ensure staff are working to the best of their ability. Although by following these factors no social needs are looked into which can be important within a large business such as Tesco. The McGregor theory implies that workers are one of two types which are labelled theory X which include: 1. Individuals who dislike work and avoid it where possible 2. Individuals who lack ambition, dislike responsibility and prefer to be led 3. Individuals who desire security For Theory X workers in order to achieve organisational objectives, a business would need to include a management system, control and correct penalties where needed. And Theory Y workers can be described as: 1. Consider effort at work as just like rest or play 2. Ordinary people who do not dislike work. Depending on the working conditions, work could be considered a source of satisfaction or punishment 3. Individuals who seek responsibility The implications for Theory Y workers are that to achieve organisational objectives, various rewards can be used to motivate workers. Although in order for the workers to show development the workplace must create a working environment. The McGregor theory is used within Tesco by providing a management system for workers on the shop floor by offering one to one talks with their own sector manager which will help to establish objectives for their work and also gives the employees a chance to express any enquiries they may have about their job. The next theory I will look at is the McClelland theory which suggests that there are three main types of motivational needs: 1. The need for achievement 2. The need for authority and power 3. The need for affiliation. Tesco makes use of this theory as each employee and manager has differencing levels of needs, and this influences them within their working environment. Tesco do this by ensuring all employees feel a part of a group and a part of the company, this can be achieved by giving employees responsibility to complete tasks and also have a chance at promotion. The final theory I will explore is the Vroom theory which proposes that employees will work harder if they can see that the overall outcome of their work will benefit them more. This is shown using a formula that can be used to show how motivated someone is likely to be. Tesco are able to use this by offering greater rewards for the work that their employees complete, which may include additional discounts on all areas of the company such as food and electronics and also offering their employees’ private health memberships.