Analytical Essay Measures of Diagnostic Vaginismus

Tips to Connect Your Essay ideas and Sentences

Tips to Connect Your Essay ideas and Sentences How to Connect Ideas Properly in Essay Writing? Each paper should feature a logical connection between paragraphs and sentences. This is to establish a comprehensive coherence and guide your reader from one section to another preventing from getting lost in author’s thoughts. While research papers and simple types of essay do not require such connection, it appears to be vital for such academic assignments as an argumentative essay. Follow our useful writing tips and boost your academic progress. Tips on connecting sentences The only way to establish a proper sentence connection is to use special words. They typically include: And – the word can be transformed into more complicated links like furthermore, additionally, as well as and other constructions; But – the main mission here is to provide an alternative in a logical way. You may use such transformations as although, despite, in contrast, nonetheless, etc.; So – this word, as well as its alternative forms, is to provide a result or effect. For this reason, the water starts boiling. Therefore, greenhouse effect causes air pollution; Because – the word highlights the effect or the cause. It stresses the reason. The result of 1005 degrees is boiling water. Make sure you follow necessary grammar and punctuation rules when using those words to link sentences in your paper. Tips on connecting ideas This one is probably the toughest challenge for immature and amateur writers. Using the write sentence formation is vital. At the same time, each part of the paper should have logical links to guide readers from one thought to another. Here are some useful tips not to get lost: Simplify the issue – do not be afraid to explain your thought in a simpler manner using â€Å"in other words† or other forms; Stress Similarities – compare a complicated thought with a simple analog. â€Å"In the same way as†, â€Å"equally† and other collocations would come in handy; Provide the Examples – give simpler examples to more complicated issues; Display Emphasis – use words that will stress your emphasis. They may include such collocations as â€Å"more importantly†, â€Å"indeed† and others. Tips on connecting paragraphs After we have provided a proper link to sentences and ideas, it is high time we connected our paragraphs to make the paper look complete. Signal and pointing words appear to be extremely useful for this purpose: Use Signal Words – use collocations to signalize a reader about the end of the beginning of the paragraph. â€Å"Besides†, â€Å"even though† and other signal phrases are necessary; Time Signals – they have proved to be rather effective. They include strong words and phrases like â€Å"finally†, â€Å"meanwhile† and others. Final word Writing a good paper means not just expressing your knowledge of the topic. It is also about great writing style and skills. For this reason, you need to establish strong connections between thoughts and ideas, paragraphs and sentences. Never leave your reader lost in thoughts. You should guide him or her using signal words and other phrases to spread light on your major paper.

Global Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Global Economics - Essay Example In my view, the creation of such institutions is a laudable effort and involved outstanding foresight considering the current landscape of the world economy. However, its sweeping power and influence over a country could prove disastrous in the event of miscalculation or error in analysis. In essence, the idea behind the IMF’s existence is crisis prevention rescuing nations by lending intermediation and surveillance. Policy reform is pertinent in the whole equation where the IMF is concerned and that is why its terms serves as objects of criticisms due to a popular perception of IMF’s manipulation and intrusion in a country’s sovereignty. One of the most controversial impositions of the IMF, for instance, is the austerity measure as condition to a borrowing country. â€Å"The IMF held that excessive government intervention was the fundamental cause of debt crisis. Their plan therefore involved eliminating public enterprises, sharply reducing government subsidies and deficit spending, weakening cost-of-living allowances, and decontrolling prices and exchange rates.† (Pollin, p. 146) This particular measure has been under fire because, although it achieved some success in increasing a country’s ability to service its debt, it sacrifice s the incomes of ordinary people, hence collapsing the mass purchasing power and living standards in a country. The austerity program is widely perceived as one of the failures of the IMF. For one, it has failed in achieving for Argentina some sort of stability amid its debt crisis in the late 1970s. The austerity measure caused the collapse of domestic investment as throughout the crisis years’ large numbers of capitalists spirited their money out of the country in search of safer and higher-yielding havens. (Pollin, p. 146) Not a few experts have decried that the IMF has very little incidence of success.

English Composition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

English Composition - Essay Example ding to Segell, the traditional standards of masculinity and femininity has overridden over society and therefore these standards have to be altered to think beyond it and find new concepts which retains the basic positive differences between men and women (Segell 298). Segell discussed that in the current race, the concept of masculinity and femininity is nothing more than a man who wants to find women / partner who had their sense of success dependent on their husbands. While natural aggressiveness, the want to dominate, and taking risks are other qualities of masculinity in our society. Femininity on the other hand has been defined as a very disastrous tool. They first identified and assured what men criticized in women, which is their expressiveness and empathy then by surpassing their self-confidence they got a foothold in the corporate sector (Segell 300). Psychological potency for the aspiring alpha male according to Segell is his tendency of a man who belief that their masculinity can actually help them to turn down their levels of self-absorption regarding practical problem solving. They can expand the understanding of themselves and can increase the respect for her mate / women bringing back the old traditional glory that was shared by women in husbands. In my very own opinion agreeing with the aforementioned proposal is not surprising and should be brought into consideration. Segell, Michael. "The Second Coming of the Alpha Male: A Prescription for Righteous Masculinity at the Millenium." Chaffee, John. Thinking Critically. Boston: Wadsworth/Clengage Learning, 2012.

Middle east studies global prespectives Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Middle east studies global prespectives - Essay Example There are numerous progressive laws that have been devised in regard to education in Lebanon but they are yet to be enforced. These laws have a potential of improving the Lebanese education system and consequently improving the life of the Lebanese (Samira, Achim & Sarhan 64). Also, it can promote respect and understanding among all political and religious groups in Lebanon. Education in Lebanon is compulsory. Compulsory education in the country was adopted as early as 1736 and influenced the adoption of the compulsory education in Ottoman Empire in 1869 (Hamdan 5). The compulsory education was abandon by the Ottoman Empire rulers but was readopted in Lebanon in 1959. In 1971, the Lebanese education system established Education Centre for research and Development (ECRD) (Hamdan 5). ECRD has a responsibility to drafting state schools’ textbooks, setting the curriculums and overseeing the Lebanese education system at large. Lebanon took part in the world conference that adopted World Declaration on Education for All which classifies education as a human right. This made Lebanese education system to set several objectives and means to achieve them. These objectives include broadening the means and scope of basic education, facilitating universal access to learning and promoting equity. ECRD also changed the curriculum to include subjects such as The atre, Arts and IT at the basic education level. The ministry of education and higher education in 2004 published national strategy for education for all. Lebanon education system consists of primary education and intermediate education, secondary education, vocational and technical education, and higher education (Samira, Achim & Sarhan 55). Primary education in Lebanon has been free since 1987. English, Arabic, and French are the instructional medium in the private schools. The duration of Lebanese primary education is 5 years (Hamdan 15). After completion of primary

The Introduction And Background Of Sime Darby Finance Essay

The Introduction And Background Of Sime Darby Finance Essay The Sime Darby in 1910 got the name from two European business partners by name; William Sime and Henry Darby. William Sime, a traveler and adventurer from Scotland, ventured to Malaysia when he was in his late 30s. Sime Darby Berhad is the largest conglomerate in Malaysia and one of the largest in Southeast Asia . Within its territory are more than 270 operating companies in 23 countries, while foreign operations in Hong Kong of which account for 25% of revenues, Singapore (14 %), and Australia (11%). The company generates 38 percent of its revenues domestically. Its broadly diversified activities include a wide range of industries, with the core businesses being plantations including oil palm and the companys original business, rubber, tire manufacturing, heavy equipment and motor vehicle distribution, property development, power generation, and engineering services. Natural rubber synthetic rubber was still being developed and had just been introduced to the country from Brazil. Sime and other entrepreneurs at the time recognized that the climate of Malaysias jungle region was similar to that of Brazils. Therefore, rubber could just as easily be grown in that country and sold not only in Malaysia but throughout Southeast Asia and the world. However, Sime Darby encountered opposition to its venture from locals, who were wary of outsiders coming in to operate a plantation in Malacca, in order to overcome this, Sime and Darby forged friendships with several members of the Chinese business community. The company expanded, becoming a manager for owners of other plantations and then moving into the trading end of the industry. Sime set up a branch office in Singapore in 1915 and shortly thereafter established a marketing office in London. Demand for rubber eventually outstripped Sime Darbys production capacity, and by the late 1920s the company found it necessary to clear more jungle. To do so, Sime Darby purchased Sarawak Trading Company in 1929. Sarawak (later renamed Tractors Malaysia) held the franchise for Caterpillar heavy earthmoving equipment. That important purchase signaled Sime Darbys expansion into the heavy equipment business, which would eventually become a major component of its expansive network. In 1936 the companys head office was relocated from Malacca to Singapore. Sime Darby made a fortune in the global rubber industry during the 1920s and 1930s. Growth in the industry began to fade, however, as natural rubber was gradually supplanted by synthetic rubber. Sales of natural rubber boomed during World War II as warring nations purchased all available supplies. The war, however, also led to significant advancements in synthetic rubber technology. A good deal of it was used to acquire other companies, thereby expanding Sime Darbys reach into several other industries. Much of Sime Darbys success during that period was attributable to its acquisition of the giant Seafield Estate in 1971 and the establishment of Consolidated Plantations Berhad that same year. Through Consolidated Plantations, which became the companys main plantation subsidiary, Sime Darby became a leading force in the regions thriving agricultural sector. In addition to growing the oil palms and cocoa, the company began processing the crops into finished products for sale throughout the world. As its sales and profits spiraled upward during the early and mid-1970s, Sime Darby became a shiny feather in Britains cap. To the surprise and chagrin of the British stockholders, however, the company was wrested from their control by the Malaysian government late in 1976. The intriguing events leading up to the takeover began in the early 1970s. During that time, Sime Darbys chief executive, Denis Pinder, began investing the companys cash in new subsidiaries throughout the world. The companys stock price soared as Sime Darbys sales spiraled upward. At the same time, some observers charged that Sime Darby was engaged in corrupt business practices (with critics coining the phrase Slime Darby). Allegations of corruption were confirmed in the eyes of some detractors when, in 1973, Darbys outside auditor was found stabbed to death in his bathtub. The Singapore police ruled the death a suicide, but Pinder still ended up in prison on misdemeanor charges. Pinders successor took up where he left off, investing in numerous ventures, most of which were located in Europe. Unfortunately, many of those investments quickly soured. Some Malaysians felt that Sime Darby was taking profits from its successful domestic operations and investing them unwisely overseas. So, in 1976 the Malaysian government trading office bought up Sime Darby shares on the London stock exchange. It effectively gained control of the company and installed a board made up mostly of Asians. Also in 1976, Asian and British board members were able to agree that Tun Tan Chen Locks son, Tun Tan Siew Sin, would be an acceptable replacement as chairman of Sime Darbys board. In 1978 Sime Darby was reincorporated in Malaysia as Sime Darby Berhad. Its headquarters was moved to Kuala Lumpur the following year. Staggering in the Early 1980s; Rebounding in the Late 1980s and Early 1990s Sime Darby jettisoned some of its poorly performing assets during the late 1970s and early 1980s under Locks leadership. But it also continued investing in new ventures. It purchased the tire-making operations of B.F. Goodrich Philippines in 1981, for example, and secured the franchise rights to sell Apple Computers in southeast Asia in 1982. The addition of B.F. Goodrich Philippines marked the companys entrance into the tire manufacturing sector; also in 1981 came the establishment of Sime Darby International Tire Company, which in 1988 was renamed Sime Darby Pilipinas, Inc. In 1984 the company purchased a large stake in a Malaysian real estate development company, United Estates Berhad, and used it to begin developing plantation lands. This company later was renamed Sime UEP Properties Berhad. In Malaysia, Sime Darby acquired the franchises for BMW, Ford, and Land Rover vehicles. By the early 1980s Sime Darbys push to diversify had given it a place in almost every industry, from agricultural and manufacturing to finance and real estate. Although it did diversify into heavy equipment, real estate, and insurance businesses, new management also plowed significant amounts of cash into the companys traditional commodity and plantation operations. Sime Darby became a favorite of investors looking for a safe bet. Indeed, the mammoth enterprise tended to minimize risks after the investment mistakes of the early 1970s and seemed content to operate as a slow-growth multinational behemoth that could withstand any market downturns. Even if something did go wrong, the company had a war chest of nearly a half billion U.S. dollars from which it could draw. Unfortunately, Sime Darbys staid strategy negatively impacted its bottom line. Sales dipped to M $2.78 billion in 1992 before plunging to M$2.17 billion in 1983. Sime Darby lumbered through the mid-1980s with annual sales of less than M$2.5 billion, and net income skidded from about M$100 million in the early 1980s to a low M$59 million in 1987. To turn things around, Sime Darbys board promoted Tunku Ahmad Yahaya to chief executive. Ahmad was a veteran of the companys executive ranks and was a favorite nephew of Malaysias first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman. Under Ahmads direction, the giant corporation began a slow turnaround. Significantly, Ahmad was instrumental in luring Tun Ismail to Sime Darbys board. Ismail was a highly influential central bank governor and the chairman of Sime Darbys biggest shareholder. Ismail became nonexecutive chairman of the company following the death of Tun Tan Siew Sin in 1988. During the late 1980s and early 1990s Ahmad invested much of Sime Darbys cash hoard into a bevy of new companies and ventures. Sime became a relatively big player in the global reinsurance business, for example, and tried to boost its activities related to heavy equipment and vehicle manufacturing. Most notably, Sime began pouring millions of dollars into property and tourism in key growth areas of Malaysia in an effort to get in on the development and tourism boom that began in that nation in the late 1980s. The success of that division prompted the company to invest as well in tourism overseas. Through its UEP subsidiary, for instance, Sime Darby bought a full-service resort with condominiums in Florida (Sandestin Resorts) and a hotel in Australia, among other enterprises. As the company dumped its cash into expansion and diversification, sales and profits bolted. Revenues climbed from M$2.53 billion in 1987 to M$4.98 billion in 1990 to M$6.20 billion in 1992. During the same perio d, net income soared from M$85 million to M$353 million. Sime Darby realized a stunning 65 percent average annual growth in earnings during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Despite its gains, though, critics charged that the company had concentrated too heavily on traditional commodity industries and had failed to move into the 1990s with the rest of Malaysia. In fact, Sime Darby continued to garner about 43 percent of its sales from commodity trading activities in 1993 and only 18 percent from manufacturing. The rest came from heavy equipment distribution, insurance, and its property/tourism holdings. Although building strength in those businesses had added to the companys sales and profits during the late 1980s and early 1990s, the strategy had caused Sime Darby to fall behind more progressive holding companies in the region that were participating in booming high-tech, gaming, brokering, and manufacturing sectors. Many company insiders believed that Sime Darby would have to eliminate its heavy reliance on commodity industries if it wante d to sustain long-term growth. The Crisis The companys stock price began to fall in 1993 and its rapid revenue and profit growth began to subside in comparison with late 1980s levels. In 1993 Ahmad stepped back from control of the company when he named Nik Mohamed Nik Yaacob to serve under him as chief executive. Among Mohameds first moves was to initiate the merger of the companys plantation assets, organized as Consolidated Plantations, and the parent company, The company also bolstered its regional insurance business in 1993 by joining forces with AXA of France for its insurance operations in Malaysia and Singapore. These efforts signaled an end to the companys historical emphasis on commodities and reflected Mohameds desires to increase activity in manufacturing, high-tech, financial services, and other fast-growth businesses and reduce Sime Darbys bureaucracy. The turn around after the crisis The company began increasing investments in businesses such as power generation, oil and gas, and heavy equipment exporting. In heavy equipment, Sime Darby bought the Australian distributor of Caterpillar equipment, Hastings Deering (Australia) Ltd., in 1993. In power generation, a key move came in 1994 when Sime Darby took a 40 percent interest in Port Dickson Power Sdn. Bhd., an independent power producer in Malaysia. That same year, the company acquired U.K.-based Lec Refrigeration plc, which was involved in the manufacturing, marketing, and servicing of refrigeration equipment and related products. At the same time, Mohamed worked to absorb the flurry of acquisitions conducted during the previous several years and streamline the company into some sort of cohesive whole. Despite restructuring activities, Sime Darby managed to boost sales to US$3.15 billion in 1994, about US$186 million of which was netted as income. In 1995 Sime Darby stepped up its acquisition drive through the purchase of a controlling 60.4 percent interest in United Malayan Banking Corporation from Datuk Keramat Holdings Berhad. The US$520 million purchase deepened the companys involvement in the countrys fast-growing financial services sector. United Malayan, which was the fourth largest bank in Malaysia in terms of assets, soon was reorganized as Sime Bank Berhad, with the companys brokerage arm becoming a subsidiary of Sime Bank under the name Sime Securities Sdn. Bhd. For the fiscal year ending in June 1997 Sime Darby posted record net income of M$835.8 million (US$322.9 million) on record revenues of M$13.24 billion (US$4.35 billion). Sime Bank and SimeSecurities played a key role in these stellar results (accounting for 30 percent of pretax earnings), but the eruption of the Asian financial crisis in July 1997 quickly proved that the acquisition of United Malayan had been ill-timed, if not also ill-advised. The severity of the crisis in Malaysia, which included a steep decline in the Malaysian stock market and a sharp depreciation of the ringgit (the nations currency), led Sime Bank to post the largest loss in Malaysian banking historyM$1.6 billion (US$431 million) for the six months to December 1997. In turn, Sime Darby posted its first loss in decades for the same six-month period, a loss of M$676.2 million ($172.7 million). With other Sime Darby units being hit hard by the crisis as well, the company posted the first full-year loss in its clo se to 90-year history in the 1998 fiscal year, a net loss of M$540.9 million (US$131 million). Subsequently ,it beat a hasty retreat from its aggressive expansion, determining that the prudent course would be a return to the companys core areas: plantations, property development, tire manufacturing, heavy equipment and motor vehicle distribution, and power generation. In June 1999 Sime Darby sold Sime Bank and its SimeSecurities subsidiary to Rashid Hussain, who merged it with RHB Bank to form the second largest commercial bank in Malaysia. During the 1999 fiscal year, the company also sold Sandestin Resorts for US$131 million. In 1999,it returned to the black with net earnings of M$821.8 million (US$216.3 million) on revenues of M$9.91 billion (US$2.61 billion). A further pull-back from the financial services sector came in March 2000 when Sime Darby sold its interest in Sime AXA, its insurance joint venture with AXA of France. Meantime, an area of growing interest was emerging at the turn of the millennium as Sime Darby increased its interest in Port Dickson Power to 60 percent, giving it majority control and turning Port Dickson into a company subsidiary. Flush with cash from the sale of its financial services units, Sime Darby appeared poised to make additional forays into the power generation sector. Given the near disaster of its aggressive moves into financial services, however, the company was likely to proceed with much caution in all of its future expansionary endeavors in a return to its traditional style of conservative management. Business activities: Plantation: Plantation is Sime Darby largest revenue generator with about 70% of the conglomerate profits come from this segment. The company operates palm oil and rubber plantations in Malaysia and Indonesian islands of Sumatera, Kalimantan and Sulawesi. With a land bank of over 633,000 hectares, including 300,000 hectares in Indonesia, it is one of the largest plantation company in the world. Property: The company is involved in the property development business in eight countries, namely Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, PeopleHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peoples_Republic_of_ChinaHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peoples_Republic_of_Chinas Republic of China, Australia and United Kingdom. Industrial and Monitoring :The company is involved in the purchasing, leasing and selling of industrial equipment such as Caterpillar Inc. heavy duty trucks and tractors.. it has partnership with Ford, it sells Fords cars and trucks together with the Land Rover brand. It is also a major BMW dealer in Singapore, Australia and Thailand. In Southern China, the company sells BMW and Rolls-Royce. In addition, Sime Darby co-owns Inokom Corp Bhd, a joint-venture with Hyundai Motor Company which assembles and sells Hyundai vehicles in Malaysia. Energy Utilities: The company is an Oil and Gas services company which provides equipment for exploring oil and gas assets in the South East Asia region. The company is also an independent power provider in Malaysia and Thailand. The company also provides engineering services in the system integration and sales sectors, security and oil gas sectors. Healthcare: The company owns hospital named Sime Darby Medical Centre Subang Jaya Sdn. Bhd ,SDMC Formerly known as Subang Jaya Medical Centre, and college formerly known as SJMC Academy of Nursing and Health Sciences which was established in 1995 and now is known as Sime Darby Nursing and Health Sciences College. Other businesses: The company has a port utility company named Weifang Sime Darby Port Co Ltd. Other businesses that the company is involved in include healthcare, aerospace (divested from Asian Composites Manufacturing (ACM) in 2009), bedding, consumer and industrial products, logistics and packing.The company also owns the 30% of the Malaysian arm of Tesco stores. Sustainable Practices: Sime Darby plantations implemented Zero Burning Planting Techniques Techniques (ZBPT), a practical and environmentally sound technique of replanting, in 1989. The Board of director and audit committee profile: Company Profile Bhg Dato Mohd Bakke, was chosen on13th May 2010 as the new president and group chief executive (PGCE) and formerly group president/CEO of Felda Global ventures Holdings SDN Bhd, he has necessary experience in corporate restructuring exercises as well as in management expertise in the plantation. Dato Azhar Abdul Hamid, Chairman,board of Directors and Managing Director of Sime Darby Plantation Sdn Bhd. He is head of the Sime Darby Groups Plantation and Agri-business Division Internal and External Audit Duties and comments To say that the group had processes in place its just that they had not been implemented properly certainly laughable because it is all too  familiar. If one was to seriously respond to this excuse, it would be that is why you have internal and external auditors. And when the internal auditors raised the red flag in August 2008, it was conveniently swept under the carpet! If the excuse was that, the non-executive independent directors were obliged to give the benefit of the doubt to management, the external auditors, Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC) certainly had no such obligation or professional reason to do so! This was their red flag to delve into the issue of cost over-runs including its recovery of such costs. This is no more an ordinary run of the mill statutory audit. PWC had been put on enquiry and were obliged to look into the concern meticulously. The question to be answered is that, what did PWC do? They signed off the accounts of Sime Darby for 2008 and 2009 with a clean audit report! Not even an emphasis of matter especially on the possible cost over-runs and its recoverability! The fact that official media had highlighted these matters, besides the media report prior to the finalization of the 2008 and 2009 accounts speak volumes about the role (or lack of it) of PWC The official media currently has been quite polite about this latest incident .yes, they have been polite relatively speaking, but if you read in between the lines, the insinuation is the total collapse in the check and balance roles of the other parties involved with Sime Darby notably the auditors and members of the Audit Committee headed by the ex-chairman of PWC. Andrew Sheng, a proponent of strong corporate governance is unfortunately embroiled in this mess as director and he cannot easily extricate himself out of this especially when he was appointed in 2007.He has to regain credibility by insisting massive and fundamental changes to the way things are done in the Malaysian corporate world in general and Sime Darby in particular. The audit committee In April 2008, for example, there were news reports that Sime Darby Engineering Sdn Bhd had incurred cost overruns of between RM120mil and RM150mil in its offshore engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning project for Maersk Oil Qatar (MOQ). In February 2009, a report also alleged that there had been costs overruns in the same project, but this time, the figure mentioned was far bigger. At a media briefing on Feb 4, Zubir dismissed this: Theres no such thing as the RM800mil losses. The Minority Watchdog Group (MSWG) wrote to Sime Darby chairman Tun Musa Hitam in March 2009 on issues in the energy and utilities division. At the companys AGM last November, the MSWG also raised questions about the divisions shrinking bottom-line. Moreover, it has been reported that Sime Darbys internal auditor has come up with reports highlighting the divisions losses and that longtime independent auditors PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) had delayed signing off Sime Engineerings 2008 accounts. Boardroom strength: The former executive director of a Big Four firm says When PwC does not sign off the accounts of a significant subsidiary of listed company and yet signs off the parent companys accounts. It is understood that the auditors could issue an unqualified audit opinion on the Sime Darby accounts despite not doing so for Sime Engineering because the issue in dispute at the Sime Engineering level was not material on a group basis. The current public discussions about accountability and the suggestions that more heads must roll at Sime Darby are making the headlines, but the core underlying issue is quite different: How could this mess have happened in spite of the conglomerates governance structure and controls? Going by the information in the annual report 2009, Sime Darbys system of checks and balances at the boardroom and top management level is sturdy and robust, befitting its status as a sprawling multinational corporation. Beside Ahmad Zubir, Sime Darby has 12 directors. Half of these are independent directors and all 12 are non-executive directors. Together, they form a team with deep and varied experience and knowledge. Among the independent board members are stalwarts such as Musa, Raja Tan Sri Arshad Raja Tun Uda, Datuk Seri Panglima Andrew Sheng and Tan Sri Dr Ahmad Tajuddin Ali.You cant accuse the board of being sleepy. There are some heavyweights there, says the research head of a foreign investment house. Yet, the directors have missed the extent of Sime Darbys project woes until, reportedly, PwC went to Musa last year to express its concerns over the energy and utilities division. In the financial year 2009, there were 12 board meetings. Not many listed companies in Malaysia hold these meetings this frequently. In addition, there are seven board committees and they each meet several times a year. Above all, Sime Darby has supervisory committees that were set up to assist the board in the oversight of the respective divisions (of the company). The board has identified certain non-executive directors to sit on these committees. Definitely, this is not a case of the directors having limited exposure to the companys management and affairs. So how is it that the many warning signs had not prompted the board to initiate a probe until October last year, when it established a board work group to review the energy and utilities divisions operations? The boards defenders say the management convinced the directors that in spite of the auditors concerns and the rumors, the situation was under control. The argument here is that the board has to constantly maintain a balance between objectivity and the ability to work well with the management. In other words, in the absence of strong evidence to the contrary, the board saw no reason to doubt the information provided by the management. That is why, it took a bit of time for the Sime Darby board to get into full swing once it became clear that it must investigate the corporate governance and performance of the division. The directors have to shift from a position of trus t to skepticism to disbelief and finally, to outrage, says a corporate insider Rajawas executive chairman and senior partner for 18 years, retired from PwC in June 30, 2005. Raja Arshad was appointed to the board of the pre-merger Sime Darby on July 1, 2007 exactly two years later, thus fulfilling the criterion for boardroom independence at Sime Darby. Raja Arshad was not necessarily the best choice to head Sime Darbys audit committee, PwC insisted that his position in the audit committee does not change how the firm conducts its audit of Sime Darby. Therefore, what is PwCs part in the Sime Darby fiasco? The four key findings disclosed by Sime Darby on May 13 was that , only one decision to reverse revenue of RM200mil for the Qatar Petroleum project relates to a matter taken up in accounts already audited. The other three relate to items that have only surfaced in the current financial year. This means PwC could not have known about these figures until it begins auditing Sime Darbys 2010 accounts. Nevertheless, some in the accounting fraternity say this may be a test case for the newly constituted Audit Oversight Board.

Running The Front End :: Home Depot cashier

Running The Front End   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Day after day, I work at Home Depot. I’ve worked at Home Depot for 6 months. My position there is a cashier. A few months have gone by and all I do is show up and do my job as a cashier. The cashiers have someone who runs the front end along with every register in the store, and that person is a head ashier. After what I see the head cashiers go through, I would never want to be a head cashier for the rest of my life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After four and a half months of working, I am just getting the hang of it. Being a cashier might sound easy, but over at Home Depot, it’s not. There are so many responsibilities for a cashier to do; it is just as hard as being a bank teller. You have to be quick at looking up items, being familiar with items in the store, checking every item for the right tag, and the list goes on. The cashiers are tested weekly with a secret shopper to make sure the cashiers are on their toes. The money has to be added up at the end of the day, each slip, coin, dollar bill, check and card. If it doesn’t add up, you don’t leave until you find out where it went. The cashier draw cannot hold more then 500$ at one time. Each time you collect up to five hundred you have to send it to the book keeping. All these responsibilities add up and are overwhelming for a cashier. A head cashier is responsible for every register and transaction in that store, along with the flow of lines and customer satisfaction. It is a job I would never want.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Coming into work one day, I knew something was wrong. When I saw long lines forming down each Isle, people complaining that the wait was too long, and register lights flashing for help. There were no head cashiers available or supervisors who knew anything about the front end. At that time I was the only cashier who had been there the longest, so I was asked to try and be head cashier for the day. I did, and I knew what I was getting myself into.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I was handed a set of keys and I was in charge of the entire front end. This was a job I had never done or been trained to do, It started out fine no one had any problems Three hours passed, and I ran into my first problem. Running The Front End :: Home Depot cashier Running The Front End   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Day after day, I work at Home Depot. I’ve worked at Home Depot for 6 months. My position there is a cashier. A few months have gone by and all I do is show up and do my job as a cashier. The cashiers have someone who runs the front end along with every register in the store, and that person is a head ashier. After what I see the head cashiers go through, I would never want to be a head cashier for the rest of my life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After four and a half months of working, I am just getting the hang of it. Being a cashier might sound easy, but over at Home Depot, it’s not. There are so many responsibilities for a cashier to do; it is just as hard as being a bank teller. You have to be quick at looking up items, being familiar with items in the store, checking every item for the right tag, and the list goes on. The cashiers are tested weekly with a secret shopper to make sure the cashiers are on their toes. The money has to be added up at the end of the day, each slip, coin, dollar bill, check and card. If it doesn’t add up, you don’t leave until you find out where it went. The cashier draw cannot hold more then 500$ at one time. Each time you collect up to five hundred you have to send it to the book keeping. All these responsibilities add up and are overwhelming for a cashier. A head cashier is responsible for every register and transaction in that store, along with the flow of lines and customer satisfaction. It is a job I would never want.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Coming into work one day, I knew something was wrong. When I saw long lines forming down each Isle, people complaining that the wait was too long, and register lights flashing for help. There were no head cashiers available or supervisors who knew anything about the front end. At that time I was the only cashier who had been there the longest, so I was asked to try and be head cashier for the day. I did, and I knew what I was getting myself into.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I was handed a set of keys and I was in charge of the entire front end. This was a job I had never done or been trained to do, It started out fine no one had any problems Three hours passed, and I ran into my first problem.

Business Ethics at Acme Corporation Essay

Mr. Frank Garcia was a new salesman at Acme Corporation. At Acme Corporation the corporate culture was top down or hierarchal and Garcia quickly learned that because of the competitive nature of the medical supplies industry few mistakes were tolerated. One of his very first sales clients was Mr. Otis Hillman, the buyer for Thermocare, a national hospital chain. The sale was a huge success resulting in a $500,000 contract for Acme and an additional bonus of $1,000 for Mr. Garcia. Months later, Mr. Garcia called on Mr. Hillman of Thermocare to increase the existing contract by some $500,000. The deal went through and Garcia received yet another bonus and a letter of achievement from the vice president of Marketing, however the deal cost Acme Corporation a pair of season tickets to the Cubs. On another occasion, Mr. Garcia approached Thermocare for an additional contract worth $750,000, once again Garcia was successful, but this time in return for the favor Acme had to pay for a trip to Cancun Mexico for Mr. Hillman and his wife. Lastly Acme Corporation decided to host a thank you party in Las Vegas for all of their best clients. The clients were informed that, if there is anything that they needed that they should let their salesperson know. That very night Mr. Hillman from Thermocare approached, Mr. Garcia and suggested to him that he was interested in attending an â€Å"adult entertainment club†. Garcia informed his boss, Amber about his client’s request. Amber was very laid back and replied, â€Å"we will take care of it†, however Garcia was a little concerned and asked â€Å"but what will Acme say if this gets out? † to which Amber responded, â€Å"Don’t worry, it won’t. † Taking a closer look at this scenario with Thermocare, Acme Corporation is faced with a few ethical issues. Firstly, we can look at the ethical issue of bribery. It is clear to see that in order for a sale to be successful, Garcia had to bribe Mr. Hillman on each occasion. In other words, each time Garcia proposed a new deal/contract to Thermocare it resulted in a cost Acme. Another ethical issue is Acme paying for Mr. Hillman to attend an adult entertainment club, an activity that is considered to be morally unaccepted and frowned upon by society. Additionally, even though Amber, Mr. Garcia’s supervisor was made aware of these unethical situations regarding the sale contracts with Thermocare, she was so concerned about making a profit that she had no issue with complying with their demands. One may ask, if Mr. Garcia was correct in complying with the demands/wishes of Mr. Hillman. In my opinion, Mr. Garcia was only following orders from his supervisor. If there is any one to blame for the ethical misconduct it should be Amber. In each instance, Mr. Garcia referred the situation to Amber. Furthermore, as the supervisor it was Amber’s responsibility to ensure that Mr. Garcia was conducting business in an ethical manner, however in reality Amber was not doing her job. On the other hand all of the blame should not be solely placed on Amber. It is obvious that Mr. Garcia was also driven by the need for large cash bonuses, in the back of his mind, he knew what he was doing was unethical, however as long as he was getting rewarded for his sales performance, he saw no problem with meeting the demands of Mr. Hillman. He figured as long as he making money for the company, what he was doing was indeed justified. However it could be argued that, Mr. Garcia could have easily referred the matter with Thermocare to another supervisor, if he felt that the decision he made, would have negatively impacted the reputation of Acme Corporation as an ethical corporate citizen. In conclusion, we all know that in order for businesses to survive, they must earn a profit. However the life of an organization may be shortened if these profits are realized through misconduct. Additionally businesses must balance their desires for profits against the needs and desires of society, and maintaining this balance often requires comprises. In the case of Acme Corporation if they wish to achieve and maintain a standard as a reputable and ethical corporation it must discontinue its current business practices and sales techniques. Furthermore, Acme must establish an ethics program that will communicate the core values of the organization to all employees and clearly capture the rules and principles that the company defines as appropriate conduct.

An Archaeological Primer on Craft Specialization

An Archaeological Primer on Craft Specialization Craft specialization is what archaeologists call the assignment of specific tasks to specific people or subsets of people in a community. An agricultural community might have had specialists who made pots or knapped flints or tended crops or stayed in touch with the gods or conducted burial ceremonies. Craft specialization allows a community to get large projects completed-wars fought, pyramids built and yet still get the day-to-day operations of the community done as well. How Does Craft Specialization Develop? Archaeologists generally believe that hunter-gatherer societies were/are primarily egalitarian, in that most everyone did most everything. A recent study on modern hunter-gatherers suggests that even though a select portion of the community group goes out to do the hunting for the whole (i.e., what you would imagine would be hunting specialists)  when they return, they pass the knowledge ​on to the next generations, so everyone in the community understands how to hunt. Makes sense: should something happen to the hunters, unless the hunting process is understood by everyone, the community starves. In this way, knowledge is shared by everyone in the community and no one is indispensable. As a society grows in population and complexity, however, at some point certain kinds of tasks became overly time-consuming, and, theoretically anyway, someone who is particularly skilled at a task gets selected to do that task for his or her family group, clan, or community. For example, someone who is good at making spearpoints or pots is selected, in some process unknown to us, to dedicate their time to the production of these items. Why is Craft Specialization a Keystone to Complexity? Craft specialization is also part of the process that archaeologists believe may kickstart societal complexity. First, someone who spends their time making pots may not be able to spend time producing food for her family. Everybody needs pots, and at the same time the potter must eat; perhaps a system of barter becomes necessary to make it possible for the craft specialist to continue.Secondly, specialized information must be passed on in some way, and generally protected. Specialized information requires an educational process of some kind, whether the process is simple apprenticeships or more formal schools.Finally, since not everyone does exactly the same work or has the same lifeways, ranking or class systems might develop out of such a situation. Specialists may become of higher rank or lower rank to the rest of the population; specialists may even become society leaders. Identifying Craft Specialization Archaeologically Archaeologically, evidence of craft specialists is suggested by patterning: by the presence of different concentrations of certain types of artifacts in certain sections of communities. For example, in a given community, the archaeological ruins of the residence or workshop of a shell tool specialist might contain most of the broken and worked shell fragments found in the whole village. Other houses in the village might have only one or two complete shell tools. Identification of the work of craft specialists is sometimes suggested by archaeologists from a perceived similarity in a certain class of artifacts. Therefore, if ceramic vessels found in a community are pretty much the same size, with the same or similar decorations or design details, that may be evidence that they were all made by the same small number of individuals-craft specialists. Craft specialization is thus a precursor to mass production. Some Recent Examples of Craft Specialization Cathy Costins research using examinations of design elements to identify how craft specialization worked among Inka groups in 15th and 16th century AD Peru [Costin, Cathy L. and Melissa B. Hagstrum 1995 Standardization, labor investment, skill, and the organization of ceramic production in late prehispanic highland Peru. American Antiquity 60(4):619-639.]Kathy Schick and Nicholas Toth of Indiana University continue experimental replication of craft technology at the Stone Age Institute.Kazuo Aoyama discusses the Aguateca site in Guatemala, where an abrupt attack of the Classic Maya center preserved evidence of specialized bone or shell working. Sources Aoyama, Kazuo. 2000.  Ancient Maya State, Urbanism, Exchange, and Craft Specialization: Chipped Stone Evidence from the Copan Valley and the LA Entrada Region, Honduras. Siglo del Hombre Press, Mexico City.Aoyama, Kazuo.  Craft Specialization and Elite Domestic Activities: Microwear Analysis of Lithic Artifacts from Aguateca, Guatemala. Online report submitted to the Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies, Inc.Arnold, Jeanne E. 1992 Complex hunter-gatherer-fishers of prehistoric California: Chiefs, specialists, and maritime adaptations of the Channel Islands.  American Antiquity  57(1):60-84.Bayman, James M. 1996 Shell ornament consumption in a classic Hohokam platform mound community center.  Journal of Field Archaeology  23(4):403-420.Becker, M. J. 1973 Archaeological evidence for occupational specialization among Classic Maya at Tikal, Guatemala.  American Antiquity  38:396-406.Brumfiel, Elizabeth M. and Timothy K. Earle (eds). 1987  Specializatio n, Exchange, and Complex Societies.  Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Camillo, Carlos. 1997. . L P D PressCostin, Cathy L. 1991 Craft Specialization: Issues in Defining, Documenting, and Explaining the Organization of Production. In  Archaeological Method and Theory  volume 1. Michael B. Schiffer, ed. Pp. 1-56. Tucson: University of Arizona Press.Costin, Cathy L. and Melissa B. Hagstrum 1995 Standardization, labor investment, skill, and the organization of ceramic production in late prehispanic highland Peru.  American Antiquity  60(4):619-639.Ehrenreich, Robert M. 1991 Metalworking in Iron Age Britain: Hierarchy or heterarchy?  MASCA: Metals in Society: Theory beyond analysis. 8(2), 69-80.Evans, Robert K. 1978 Early craft specialization: an example from the Balkan Chalcolithic. In Charles L. Redman and et al., eds. Pp. 113-129. New York: Academic Press.Feinman, Gary M. and Linda M. Nicholas 1995 Household craft specialization and shell ornament manufacture in Ejutla, Mexico.  Expedition  37(2):14-25.Feinman, Gary M., Linda M. Nicholas, a nd Scott L. Fedick 1991 Shell working in prehispanic Ejutla, Oaxaca (Mexico): Findings from an exploratory field season.  Mexicon13(4):69-77.   Feinman, Gary M., Linda M. Nicholas, and William D. Middleton 1993 Craft activities at the prehispanic Ejutla site, Oaxaca, Mexico.  Mexicon15(2):33-41.  Hagstrum, Melissa 2001 Household Production in Chaco Canyon Society.  American Antiquity  66(1):47-55.Harry, Karen G. 2005 Ceramic Specialization and Agricultural Marginality: Do Ethnographic Models Explain the Development of Specialized Pottery Production in the Prehistoric American Southwest?  American Antiquity  70(2):295-320.Hirth, Kenn. 2006. Obsidian Craft Production in Ancient Central Mexico: Archaeological Research at Xochicalco. University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City.Kenoyer, J. M. 1991 The Indus Valley tradition of Pakistan and Western India.  Journal of World Prehistory  5(4):331-385.Masucci, Maria A. 1995 Marine shell bead production and the role of domestic craft activities in the conomy of the Guangala phase, southwest Ecuador.  Latin American Antiquity  6(1):70-84.Muller, Jon 1984 Mississippian s pecialization and salt.  American Antiquity  49(3):489-507. Schortman, Edward M. and Patricia A. Urban 2004 Modeling the roles of craft production in ancient political economies.  Journal of Archaeological Research  12(2):185-226Shafer, Harry J. and Thomas R. Hester. 1986 Maya stone-tool craft specialization and production at Colha, Belize: reply To Mallory.  American Antiquity  51:158-166.Spence, Michael W. 1984 Craft production and polity in early Teotihuacan. In  Trade and Exchange in Early Mesoamerica. Kenneth G. Hirth, ed. Pp. 87-110. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press.Tosi, Maurizio. 1984 The notion of craft specialization and its representation in the archaeological record of early states in the Turanian Basin. In  Marxist perspectives in archaeology. Matthew Spriggs, ed. Pp. 22-52. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Vaughn, Kevin J., Christina A. Conlee, Hector Neff, and Katharina Schreiber 2006 Ceramic production in ancient Nasca: provenance analysis of pottery from the Early Nasca and Tiza cultures through IN AA.  Journal of Archaeological Science  33:681-689. Vehik, Susan C. 1990 Late Prehistoric Plains Trade and Economic Specialization.  Plains Anthropologist  35(128):125-145.Wailes, Bernard (editor). 1996. Craft Specialization and Social Evolution: In Memory of V. Gordon Childe. University Museum Symposium Series, Volume 6 University Museum Monograph - UMM 93. University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology - University of Pennsylvania.Wright, Henry T. 1969. The Administration of Rural Production in an Early Mesopotamian Town. 69. Ann Arbor, Museum of Anthropology, University of Michigan. Anthropological Papers.Yerkes, Richard W. 1989 Mississippian craft specialization in the American Bottom.  Southeastern Archaeology  8:93-106.Yerkes, Richard W. 1987 Prehistoric Life on the Mississippi Floodplain. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

UMASS Graduate School MBA Questionaire

UMASS Graduate School MBA Questionaire Free Online Research Papers UMASS Graduate School MBA Questionaire 1.How do you compare this MBA Graduate Program to others you have seen? I’m not very familiar with other MBA programs. However, since the MBA at UMASS is offered through an accredited college of business, I assume that the curriculum is very similar to other accredited schools. 2.What are the specific problems you see here? Many students complain that the program does not offer a bigger selection of core courses during each semester, and that courses offered in the fall are not repeated in the spring. Also, classes fill quickly and are very large due to fewer professors. 3.What are the specific strengths you see here? I feel that being an accredited school is a definite strength. I also appreciate that UMASS offers a variety of electives to supplement the MBA. This allows students to concentrate in a particular area of study. Lastly, many resources are available to students, including an extensive library network. 4.How do you feel about web-based MBA’s? I feel that having some web-based classes would be a good experience for students, however I don’t think that it should be all web-based. I feel that you can still learn more in a classroom-setting, and I, personally, wouldn’t want to be at a computer for so many hours. 5.How do you feel about satellite campus for the MBA program? I think that would be an excellent idea because many students live far away from campus. It would be very convenient for them to go to class at an alternate location, perhaps closer to home, and still receive the same quality of education. 6.How do you feel about tele-video for the MBA program? Similar to web-based classes, I feel that some tele-video would be beneficial. It is an excellent way to transmit new concepts to students. 7.How do you feel about adjunct faculty? I feel that it would definitely be helpful in managing a large student volume, especially when the school’s own faculty is going through a transition period. For instance, as in the case of UMASS Dartmouth, professors will be in short supply after a series of retirements fails to be immediately succeeded by new faculty members. In this case, adjunct faculty could be used in the interim. 8.How many faculty took early retirement? I don’t know the exact number of professors who retired, but I do know that it was enough to cause a much higher capacity utilization among the remaining professors. To make matters worse, the school has also built new dorms and experienced an influx of new students. A now crippled faculty has to stretch its limited resources over a larger student body. As a result, faculty and students suffer, alike. 9.How would you resolve the issue of large class sizes in future years? A combination of adjunct faculty and satellite campuses would help prevent large class sizes in future years. Research Papers on UMASS Graduate School MBA QuestionaireStandardized TestingPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyHip-Hop is ArtInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesThe Spring and AutumnBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeOpen Architechture a white paperCapital PunishmentIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in Capital

The Fast Track Program of Florida Institute Essay

The Fast Track Program of Florida Institute - Essay Example The Fast Track Program of FIT gives an opportunity for undergraduate students to take graduate coursework; thus, they are able to finish a master’s degree in less time than in traditional programs (Florida Institute of Technology 1). Furthermore, the students will not have to shoulder the cost of graduate admission requirements and eliminate the anxiety of applying to a graduate program. The time commitment will also be greatly reduced. Â  Another major advantage of the FastTrack program is that most students who graduate from this program usually earn higher starting salaries. They also gain access to the latest trends in technology and are better exposed to real-world scenarios. They become exposed to industry leaders and are able to expand their professional network (Florida Institute of Technology, par.1). Students from the program acquire major-related work experience, professional skill-honing, co-op earnings and insight into one’s professional strengths (Florida Institute of Technology, par.4). Â  

Differences and connections between groupware and ordinary databases Essay

Differences and connections between groupware and ordinary databases - Essay Example The significance of Groupware technology spawned by CSWC cannot be underestimated in the modern interactive world. This technology designed to facilitate and allow for ease of work amongst members of a group is nothing but a remarkable achievement. This technology has found usage in communication, cooperation, coordination, negotiation, and even competition amongst members of a defined group. This technology relies on modern computer networks, newsgroups, chatting networks, and even videophone Mills, (2011) In a globalizing world, it is important to find a way of connecting people in diverse areas across the globe. Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) is the field of study that has made the adoption, design and usage of groupware possible. But this field is not restricted entirely to work or cooperation in any sense, but can also be used to examine other aspects of social dynamics such as competition and play Mills,(2011). This basically means that unlike ordinary databases whose purpose can only be defined and will only require software designing and engineering, groupware may require the concerted effort of social and organizational behavior experts, business people, computer scientists, communication researchers, organization psychologists, anthropologists, to name just a few specialties. Designing a Groupware involves an in-depth understanding of groups and how people behave while in a groups. This is not a requirement in the design of the Ordinary User Interface. Further, designing a workable Groupware will require a coherent understanding of networking technology and how the various aspect of this system works, whether subtle or complex. It will be ideal to understand how instances of delay in synchronizing will affect the experience of the user. But it is also important to point out that all the other basic issues of traditional user interface remains relevant because