Revision of Responding to Pop Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Revision of Responding to Pop Culture - Essay Example Perhaps this twist in â€Å"Chuck† made the TV series a standout from the other series of similar genre because it reached Season 5 which is quite unusual for a spy genre. There is nothing heavy in its dialogue which an average Joe will not understand which explains why the Chuck flick became a hit with the general audience. Agent Walker, Chuck’s love interest also kept the audience glued to their screen as their romance unfolds in the secretive world of espionage. Just do not delve too much on how logical the circumstances of the Chuck series are because you will just be disappointed. The main entertainment factor of this flick is not the soundness of its logic just like CSI series. Chuck only intends to amuse its audience so it did put much emphasis on the logical sequencing of the film. Given this, do not wonder how could have it been possible to build a CIA headquarter beneath Nerd Herd without being notice because it is one of the givens that the film does not intend to explain. This disconnect however does not seem to be an issue with the audience evident with its high ratings and subsequent episodes. The flick only intends to entertain by bringing down the spy culture to the understanding of the masses. It appeals to our subliminal desires of living an action packed and adventurous life such that of a spy by removing the idea that this job is unattainable given the requirements imposed by other spy genre. In Chuck’s world, as long as you are in the right place and in the right time, you could be the â€Å"Intersect† who is the most valuable asset in the espionage world with a bonus of having girl that is way out of your league. If this TV series will be translated into a game just like other spy films, â€Å"Chuck† will prove to be interesting as those secrets imbedded in his brain can provide a wide assortment of possibilities of what the character can do in a lot of

The Demographic Factors For A Business Commerce Essay

The Demographic Factors For A Business Commerce Essay According to Michael Mattson John Ivancevich, the key factors influencing the differences in human behavior patterns are demographic factors, perception, ability and skills, personality and attitudes as follows: 1. Demographic factors: Demographic factors depend on someone Education, background, age, nationality, race, gender, etc. Organizations prefer those individuals who promote good socio-economic background, etc. and who are educated young people as they can better perform tasks. The young and dynamic professionals with good knowledge and communication skills are perfect and always in high demand by organizations. The study of demographic factors is important because it helps managers to select the qualified candidate for a job. 2. Ability and skills: Capacity is the physical capacity of an individual to do something. Skills can be defined as the ability to act in such a way that allows a person to do a good job perfectly. Individual behavior and performance is strongly influenced by the level of skills and competencies. A person can perform well in the organization, if his or her abilities and skills are matched with the job requirement. The manager has a very important role in the selection and assignment of individuals with particular job. 3. Perception: Perception is a process by which an individual reaches the sensory awareness or understand the information. The perception comes from the Latin word perceptio, percipio, which means receiving collecting. Â   There are many factors that affect the perception of an individual. The study of the perception plays a vital role for managers, as they know how to create a favorable atmosphere for work so that employees perceive them in a better way. Employees are probably give better results if they are going to perceive it in a positive and justified. 4. Attitude: According to psychologists, the attitude can be defined as the tendency to react positively or negatively to certain people, objects or situations. Factors such as family, culture, society and organizational factors influence attitude formation. Employees can do better for the organization if it is a positive attitude. It contributes to business growth and development 5. Personality: Personality comes from the Greek word personawhich means mask is defined as the study of personality characteristics and distinctive personality traits, the relationship between them, and how a person reacts and adapts to other people and situations. There are a number of factors that influence the personality of the individual i.e family, heredity, society, culture and situation. Its a fact that people differ in their way, responding to the organizational environment. Personality can also be termed as the most difficult aspect of human beings, which affects their behavior in a big way. It is shown that the study of personality traits offers an opportunity to understand peoples. This helps them to properly channel their efforts and motivate them to complete the organizational goals. Each organization requires a certain type of behavior from its employees and such behavior can be detected by monitoring, training, education, exposure, etc. Task for P4 Organization theory refers to the study of the phenomena of organizational functioning and performance of the behavior of individuals and groups working in them.The main theories to study the organization are as follows:- Classical theory: Efficiency productivity can be enhanced by improving the efficiency of the workers. F.W.Taylor is considered as the father of scientific management. According to him men are like machines, as good maintained machines production is more likewise healthy men can work more. He assumed there is one best method for every job. He introduced standardization of tasks, division of labour, analysis of work time measurement. He introduced the concept of fair day wages for fair days. According to him production is improved by teamwork and not by conflict. The goal is maximization of output and not limitation. The best means of doing a job needs for appropriate tools, motivation and fair wages. Bureaucratic theory: Organization designed to carry out large scale administrative tasks by thoroughly coordinating the work of many individuals. A German sociologist Max Weber introduced the idea of Bureaucracy. Salient features A person is said to have power or authority, If within the social framework his will can be imposed on others despite resistance for structuring human groups, becomes a special instance of power called authority or domination. Systems theory: Organization is as a system in which coordinated personal activities of two or more persons, held together by the potential for creating a common purpose, by willingness on the part of its members to participate in its processes and effective communication. Contingency theory It is a class of behavioral theory that claims that there is no best way to organize a corporation, to make decisions or to lead a company. Instead, the optimal course of action is dependent upon the internal and external situations. It is also called a situational theory. Functions of Management: Planning: This is the first tool function in the management process. The difference between successful and unsuccessful manager is within the planning process. Planning is the logical thinking through the goals and decision making on what needs to be done to achieve organizational goals. Â  Organization: The manager must know their subordinates and that they are able to arrange the most valuable company resources, ie its employees. This is achieved through proper management of personnel of the division, the acquisition of resources, establishment of training and organization of work groups in a productive and creative team. Â  Leading: organizational success is determined by the quality of leadership. A leader can be a manager but the manager is not necessarily a leader, says Allen, Gemmy. Leadership is the power of influence of one person over another, to encourage action aimed at achieving the objectives of the company. Â  Controlling: A process that ensures plans are implemented correctly and precisely. As said by Gemmy Allens Controlling is the last link in the chain of functional management activities and brings management cycle full circle. Managerial Roles: According to Henry Mintzberg there are ten managerial roles which are briefly developed here: FIGUREHEAD: The manager performs ceremonial symbolic duties as head of the organisation. LEADER: To develop an appropriate working atmosphere and motivating and developing subordinates. LIASION: Develops maintains a network of external contacts to gather information. MONITOR: Collects internal external information relevant to the company. Distributor: Pass a realistic and important information to their subordinates. SPOKESPERSON: communicates with the outsiders on the performance policies. OWNER: Designs and initiates changes in the company. VIOLATIONS handler: Deals with unexpected events and operational failures. RESOURCES distributor: Management and allows the use of organizational resources. NEGOTIATOR: Participates in negotiation activities with other individuals and organisations. Managerial authority: Managerial authority is the position that empowers a manager to exercise command and control over those individuals placed under him for realization of the assigned role in an organisation. Originally, the overall authority is centrally given in person of the manager. However, it is quite hard for a man to effectively execute and monitor each and every task. Therefore, various functions with a suitable authority are devolved downwards to concerned low levels for better output. The practice also provides a foundation for organisational tree specifying various powers and responsibilities in both vertical and horizontal hierarchy.

Liyana Badr’s A Balcony over the Fakihani, Pillars of Salt, by Fadia Faqir, and A Woman of Five Seasons, by Leila Al-Atrash :: A Balcony over the Fakihani

Liyana Badr’s A Balcony over the Fakihani, Pillars of Salt, by Fadia Faqir, and A Woman of Five Seasons, by Leila Al-Atrash In Liyana Badr’s novella, A Balcony over the Fakihani, the main character, Su’ad, meets and falls in love with a man named Umar, who towards the book’s end is killed in battle. What occurs between the meeting and the death constitutes the author’s attempt to process the environment in which she grew up. Similarly, Pillars of Salt, by Fadia Faqir, and A Woman of Five Seasons, Leila Al-Atrash, focus on and investigate women’s lives in the Arab world. At the very least, three issues are at work in these books. One string explores the oppressions and the joys, the perversities and the passions of Arab women. Another theme is Arab men’s behaviors and attitudes toward women. The final topic, which encompasses the other two, is the idea of literary form; that is, the particular ways in which the authors represent their experiences through writing. Taken together, these novels, in both shape and content, explore what it means to be a woman in an Arab , a man’s, world. One early scene in A Balcony Over the Fakihani is emblematic of the novella as a whole, as well as of the novels of Faqir and Al-Atrash; it encapsulates the authors’ artistic approach to the handling of their lives, the hostilities they must endure, the roles of Arab men and women, and the different ways both act within their setting. To begin, Badr artfully sets the stage in an almost journalistic fashion, parodying a newspaper’s objective approach in the face of so much human tragedy: "May 1973—tank gun and machine gun fire on Shatila camp (Badr, 45). This crafty setup is part and parcel of the way in which the author handles her topic. Only through art can she comprehend and process these events. In this respect, "The sky was lit with green and red stars, and the thunder and lightening wasn’t real thunder and lightening, but bullets from machine guns and small arms." In the midst of such fighting, Su’ad noticed "a white hair in the middle of her head. I couldn’t believe a baby’s hair could turn white" (46). Her disbelief is compounded when Im Hamdi sees the white hair and "cried out and wailed." Su’ad, in turn, is overcome by emotion. The two women hug and cry.

Mobile Phone and Favorite Website Facebook Essay

Introduction I. A woman driving her car, her eyes off the road, an accident occurred due to texting and are found dead. Being bullied on facebook led a teenage girl to commit suicide. II. These are the two scenarios in how technical reality is a dangerous part of today’s society. III. I have done research in texting and facebook that effects people in many different ways. IV. Today, I would like to persuade you that many people live in a technical world by using texting and a website like facebook instead of facing reality. (Transition: Let’s start with everyone’s favorite activity texting) Body I. Everyone is texting and has impacted their lives, which have caused them to injury or even death. People text while driving, running, walking, and even in places like school and work that are easily distracted by receiving a text. A. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety there statistics show that in the year 2010 there has been over 33,788 lives lost. 1. Many people know the danger of texting, but they rather risk their lives and just answer that text they received or read an email instead of focusing on their driving. 2. For instance, on CBS News in Minnesota announced that a mother was texting on her cell phone, with her two kids in the car, and caused her to crash into a motorcyclist that was in serious injuries. B. Besides texting and driving, adults and students are easily distracted from work and/or school. 1. On September 2011, Chris Gayomali from Time, his statistics shows that 83% of American adults that own cell phones, 73% of them send roughly about 110 texts per day or 3,200 text messages per month. 2. For example, students are easily distracted when they feel the buzzer go off on their cell phone and are eager to read their text, which cause them to loose focus of the lecture. (Transition: Now that I have discussed about texting let’s move on to everyone’s favorite website facebook.) II. Everyone has facebook. More than 800 million people have a profile activated. Most people use facebook to gossip about each other even adults. A. Many teenagers have facebook and are harming them in many ways. Some are being distracted from school; some are being bullied on facebook. According to Consumer Reports, 7 million kids under 13 are on Facebook. 1. For instance, the ABC News on October 2011 Nicolette Taylor a 13-year-old girl was being bullied on facebook about her having a big nose, which caused her to have cosmetic surgery done at a young age. 2. Another incident occurred, Douglas Stanglin from USA today, that Phoebe Prince a 15-year-old teen a recent immigrant from Ireland was found hanging from her room dead due to being bullied on facebook and harassed. B. Besides the facebook teens’ bullying, adults are zoned into facebook at work and not focused on their work. 1. For example, at my job New York Road Runner the organization of the NYC Marathon, I have seen m any on facebook chatting and browsing on photos, which have nothing to do with their work. Conclusion I. As we have heard that the virtual world is effecting everyone in different ways II. For our safety and the safety of others we should stop texting and face our reality. III. Being focused on a cell phone or facebook your being distracted from school, work, friends, or places you worship. IV. I encourage you today to try to use less of your cell phones or/ and facebook page and pay attention to the world. Bibliography AAA Foundation of Traffic Safety. Distracted Driving Gayomali, Chris. Jaw Dropper; 18 to 24 olds Average 110 Text Massages per Day, Time Techland, September 2011. Print. Chang, JuJu. Bullied on Facebook, teen 13, Gets Nose Job, ABC News, October 2011. Print. Stanglin, Douglas. Nine, Teens charged with Bullying in Teen’s Suicide, USA Today, March 2010. Print.

Summary-Response in Praise of the F Word

Adrienne Nicole Strunk Writing 115 Chris Risley Summary-Response In Praise of the F Word In her essay â€Å"In Praise of the F word† by Mary Sherry, she talks about how she teaches high school graduates that have been â€Å"cheated† by the education system; that they are â€Å"handed meaningless diplomas. † 2. ) Students were just passed along to the next grade whether they understood the material or not. 3. ) And the students soon discover that themselves later on. 4. ) Sherry describes how her attention-getter to her students was the mention of failure. . ) She recalls a time when her â€Å"world-class c youngest son,† was talking a lot in class and had to have a meeting with his teacher Mrs. Sifter about the situation. 6. ) Sherry simply asked Mrs. Sifter to move her son to a different area so he would focus more. 7. ) Mrs. Sifter’s response was simply â€Å"I don’t move seniors, I flunk them. † 8. ) That’s when she realized her son had completed the rest of Mrs. Sifter’s course without talking but finished out the term with an A. 9. ) The answer is simple, the idea of failure, â€Å"a healthy fear. 10. ) Later on in her essay she explains how people can overcome their problems but they need a reason too. 11. ) Sherry reminds us all that mentioning the idea of flunking can be a â€Å"positive teaching tool,† and she wants to return the choice to give students the opportunity to succeed or fail. In the same way that Sherry wants to give the opportunity to students to fail or succeed; I have been motivated to succeed by the harsh reality of an F on my first psychology test this term in college. . ) I was already on academic probation last term for not passing my classes and the last thing I needed now was to lose my financial aid completely. 3. ) The F was a reality check for me staring at me in the face. 4. ) I have now learned to study harder than I did before. 5. ) I read the long 100 pa ges of my chapter for psychology, highlight key people, key words, and key dates. 6. ) I then re-write what I believe is important in my own words. . ) I go to my 9 am Psychology class three times a week for lectures, and I also participate in the online worksheets. 8. ) I scored better on my second psychology test, but psychology is hard for me in general to understand the concepts, so I continue to finish out this term by busting my bottom on working hard and studying even harder for psychology. 9. ) I have been given the opportunity to succeed or to fail, and I have chosen to succeed.

Marketing Plan Essays - Mobile Phones, Mobile Telecommunications

Marketing Plan Essays - Mobile Phones, Mobile Telecommunications Marketing Plan We live in a world where consumers are demanding access to information and service anywhere, anytime, and from any device. For most people, Cell phones will be the devices, which provide them with their first access to the Internet. Time is the most precious commodity and convenience is everything. Access 2000 will allow you to talk, receive emails, news, stock quotes-or surf the web, and at the same time allowing you to use the features of a palm pilot which has word processing capabilities, all while on the move! Access 2000 Combining features of Cell Phones, Pagers, Palm Pilots and Internet into the palm of your hand. This product will arm you with the latest technology that is required for the 21st century. Target Market - Retailers Circuit City Best Buy Conns Comp USA Office Max Access 2000 Descriptions 6 by 4 1 Extendable Antenna 1 Ounce Battery Overall Weight 7 Ounces 2 LCD Digital Screen Touch Screen/Keyboard/mouse Access 2000 Functions Voicemail Caller ID / Call Forwarding / Call Waiting Three Way Calling Speed Dial LCD Icons / Star Code Internet / Email Access Microsoft Word Calendar Address Book / Phone Book Competitors such as Ericsson, Nokia and Motorola have not achieved the combination of features provided by Access 2000. Ericsson with their model R380 has comes close by offering a mini browser and phone. There really is no competition, for Access 2000, because no other company has dared to combine all the features of Cell Phones, Pager, Palm Pilots, and the Internet into the palm of your hand. Marketing Plan Access 2000 Free training for all sales representative of Circuit City, Best Buy, Conns, Comp USA, & Office Max Free samples for all store managers Financial incentive for the sales associate who sold the most Access 2000 biweekly Team up with other business to share advertising costs (AOL, Prodigy Etc) Promote trends or current events, tie Access 2000 to the environment, Olympics, World Series Create fear of not having the Access 2000 ex: missing out of effective business-boosting tool. If people dont buy Access 2000 now, they will miss something big, left behind in the ever changing tech world, a discount, premium free gift, etc TV ads News paper & magazine ads Demonstrating Access 2000s benefits at all the tech conventions Creating a buzz at all the tech, TV shows Promotional offers such as, off with the trade in of your old phone Banners at business functions, sporting events etc Free giveaways on TV shows Offer Store displays & standing cardboard cut-outs Contacting present cell phone users and compare our service to theirs present one Mail out post cards with incentives and bonuses for purchasing Access 2000 One outspoken solid representative (Bill Gates, or a sports figure Michael Jordan) Business Proposition This is a general proposition for Circuit City from Access Inc. Product Access 2000 will be available in stores by November 1st, just in time for Christmas. Suggested Retail Price - $399.99 Access 2000 - Option # 1. No contract required Price per unit - $300.00 Delivery upon order per month Profit per month - (# of units X price) Cost ROI ((399-300)/300) = 33% Access 2000 - Option # 2 6-month contract required Price per unit - $250.00 150 units per month X 30 stores Total price $37,500.00 per month Profit per month - $22,498.50 ROI ((399-250)/250) = 59.60% Access 2000 - Option # 3 12-month contract required Price per unit - $200.00 150 units per month X 30 stores Total price $30,000.00 Profit per month - $29,998.50 ROI ((399-200)/200) = 99.50% This discount is given to retail stores and not to the end customers unless the store decides to do so. In order to receive the discount, Circuit City has to sign a contract for the given amount of period. For example, in order to receive the price of $200.00 per unit, Circuit City has to sign a one-year contract. Access 2000 Mark 4366 7/2/00

Museum Paper essays

Museum Paper essays This object is a portion of a palace wall relief. The function of this relief wall in the palace is to serve as decoration and as a depiction of the king performing some of his duties. According to the museum, the palace relief was made out of limestone rock. The piece was part of a large wall, therefore the wall must have been constructed before the artist came in and carved the relief using chisels of bronze and copper and a hammer. The artist must have used chisels of different sizes and shapes to create the magnificent detail represented in this relief. The wall was left bare, not painted as there was no indication of paint or color. The head of the human figure was about double of a normal persons head, therefore the figure must have been very large. According to the museum, when the figure was part of the original wall it stood approximately 8 Â ½ ft tall. This piece belongs to the Assyrian culture in the Late Period of the Ancient Near East (1000 to 330 b.c.). When I first saw this piece I automatically thought of the lamassu that we looked at in class. The shape of the beard, wings on the persons back, horns on the headdress, and the hyperrealism depicted in each part gave me the indication of where and when this piece was created. Nothing in this piece seems unusual for this culture. The horns on the headdress of this man (Assunasirpal II, King of the Assyrians) resembles that of the Babylon culture. The Stela of Hammurabi of the previous Babylon Empire shows this same horned crown and shows how this past culture influenced the Assyrian art. This was an artistic convention used by artists in this area to depict a man or god of great importance. The museum information indicated this piece was from the Neo-Assyrian Era. According to our book, this period is referred to differently, so I would have to disagree with the museum s description on time period. The time period this piece belongs to is the Late...

How to Pay for College Without Loans

How to Pay for College Without Loans SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The question of how to pay for college is usually one with a complicated answer. Your own unique financial situation, interests, strengths, weaknesses, and preferences all come into play. Some of the most important factors that come up center around your ability and willingness to take out student loans. In this guide, I'll thoroughly cover how to pay for college without loans. This can help you pay for college without going broke, or at least graduating without a load of student debt. Maybe taking out loans for college isn’t a good financial option for you. Maybe your parents can’t or won’t co-sign on the necessary loans. Maybe you just hate the thought of having student debt. Whatever your reasons, choosing to pay for college without loans is a completely valid decision. I won’t sugarcoat this - it might make paying for college more difficult, especially if you don’t have many other financial aid options available. That isn’t to say, however, that there aren’t some viable options available for almost any student who wants to avoid taking on debt. Before going through all these options, I’ll briefly talk about college expenses and the reasons why some people choose to take out loans. Then, I’ll give non-loan aid options for students based on whether they demonstrate high or low financial need. I’ll finish off with info on how much aid you can expect to receive without having to take on debt. What Does College Cost? Why Do People Take Out Loans? The first expense you probably think of when calculating colleges costs will probably be tuition. Average tuition rates vary by the type of school you attend: $31,231 average tuition for private colleges $9,139 average tuition for in-state residents at public colleges $22,958 average tuition for out-of-state residents at public colleges Tuition is expensive enough on its own, but it's not the only major expense associated with attending college.You’re also responsible for room, board, transportation, books, and personal expenses.The cost of room and board also varies by school type, although not as widely as tuition costs: $,188 average room board at private colleges $9,804 average room board at public colleges If we add tuition, room, board, and other expenses, the average cost of attending college in the US ranges from $19,000 - $42,419.This is a pretty huge annual expense when we consider that the average US household income is about $50,000. So how does the average student afford these huge expenses? As it turns out, most students don't end up paying full sticker price for college. As of a few years ago, the average student received about $7,000 in non-loan financial aid per year - the rest of college costs would be covered by family contributions or (as we'll talk more about shortly), loans. A financial aid award of $7,000 makes a significant dent in total college expenses, especially if you're attending a less expensive school, but it would rarely cover all tuition, room, and board costs. If non-loan aid and family contributions don't add up to students' total college costs, they'll need help making up the difference. The average US student has about $28,400 in loans after graduation. In my experience, most students anticipate having to take out loans unless they're in one of two situations: They demonstrate very high financial need, thereby qualifying for many need-based aid programs. If they attend a school that meets all financial need, their families may not have to pay a cent to send them to college. They come from wealthy families who are able to cover all college expenses, even if they don't qualify for any need-based financial aid. Most students are somewhere in the middle, with a gap between what they have (savings, grants, scholarships) and what they need (total cost). This is where loans traditionally come in. There’s nothing inherently bad about taking out student loans, but if you’re striving to avoid student debt, the next section will outline all viable options and strategies. Financial Aid Options: How to Pay for School Without Student Loans Want to say no to student loans? This section will outline realistic financial strategies to help you do that. Your options for paying for school without loans largely depend on your financial status. Many non-loan financial aid options are need-based, so students who demonstrate high financial need tend to have more aid opportunities. There are some merit-only aid options that don’t take financial need into account - if you don’t demonstrate much financial need, those options will be a good place to start. Before you start considering non-loan payment strategies, you may find it helpful to estimate your own financial need. This way, you'll have a better idea of what aid options (merit-based only, or merit- and need-based) are available to you. Unfortunately,the amount you believe your family can afford doesn’t always match up with the amount that aid sources (schools, government, and private scholarship funds) determine you can afford. To get a realistic idea of what many need-based aid sources will expect your family to contribute, check out the FAFSA4caster: Enter in relevant financial information to get an unofficial EFC, or Expected Family Contribution The federal government, schools, and some need-based aid sources use this number to make an assessment of your family’s financial need The lower your EFC, the more aid you're likely to be eligible for Once you make this estimate, you'll know whether you should focus on the need-based aid options. High Financial Need: Need-Based Aid A lot of non-loan financial aid options are available for students from low-income families. Many of these aid sources are based on financial need or a combination of merit and financial need. Grants Federal grants: The Pell Grant is awarded to students with low EFCs. Check out Pell Grant eligibility requirements and application instructions. Institutional grants: Many top schools have exceptional need-based financial aid programs. Some even claim to meet 100% of unmet need without using loans - that is, anything that you can't afford to pay after getting federal grants or scholarships. Scholarships Many top scholarships are need-based and provide very generous awards.If they cover all unmet need, they'll pay for all expenses that aren't covered by grants or other scholarships. Some awards give you a set amount every semester or every year; others are nonrenewable, one-time awards. It'snot easy to budget around scholarships because they’re unpredictable, and the best ones tend to be very competitive. To start your scholarship search, check out our guides to the top scholarship programs for high school seniors and high school juniors. The Perkins Loan I know this is supposed to be a post on non-loan financial aid options only, but hear me out - if you plan on pursuing certain service careers, you could be eligible for 100% loan cancellation if you take out a Perkins loan. If you get your loan canceled or forgiven, it essentially functions as a grant - that is, it's free money to pay for school. The Perkins loan is meant for students with exceptional financial need. Read more about the Perkins loan program, its eligibility requirements, and the forgiveness process. Schools You may be able to avoid student loans just by applying to the right schools. Some schools, particularly top private colleges, tend to offer generous financial aid packages. Like I mentioned earlier, some of them even commit to covering all unmet financial need - the schools with the best financial aid programs don't ask students to take out loans in order to cover costs, either. If you're interested in public schools, stay in-state -resident tuitions and costs are usually much lower forthan those for non-residents. Low Financial Need: Merit-Based Aid There are fewer non-loan aid options for students who come from higher-income families, but they’re still out there! Keep in mind that you don't have to be higher-income to qualify for merit-based aid - anyone could theoretically benefit from the aid options listed below. Scholarships There are a ton of merit-based scholarships out there. You’ll have to make sure to carefully read all eligibility requirementsbecause some scholarship programs also take financial need into account. To get started with your scholarship search, check out our guides to the top awards for high school seniors and juniors. The Coca-Cola Scholarship is a particularly large merit-based scholarship award. Schools Even if your family has a relatively high income, you may still qualify for institutional grants at certain schools. Some private schools with top financial aid programs award aid to families who make well into six figures - for example, Harvard doesn’t ask families to contribute more than 10% of their adjusted gross income. If you're interested in public schools, apply to college and universities in-state - your tuition will be much cheaper, on average, than if you attended an out-of-state public school. If you ultimately won’t qualify for much need-based aid but have other academic, athletic, or artistic strengths that make you a competitive applicant, you could qualify for merit-based aid. Start by checking out this list of schools that award the most merit-based aid - all the schools listed awarded merit aid to at least 40% of their students last year. How Much Can You Get Without Loans? You don't need a fountain pen to do these calculations, although you're welcome to use one. In this section, I'll run through realistic expectations of how much money you can earn through different aid options. I'll run through realistic example situations at the end. Grants and Other School-Based Aid This aid will vary widely (not unsurprisingly) by school. Schools’ net price calculators will give you a good idea of how much money they could offer you if you were accepted. You’ll have to enter relevant financial info (e.g. income, assets) for both you and your parents in order to get an accurate estimate. If a school awards merit-based aid, they might also ask about things like GPA and SAT/ACT scores. To access a particular institution's net price calculator, just google "[school name] net price calculator." Scholarships Unfortunately, there’s no good rule of thumb to estimate how much money you could get from scholarships that you apply to. Many scholarships are pretty competitive, so the more programs you apply to, the better your chances of getting funding. If you start looking at scholarships earlier in your high school career, you can get a head start in targeting better scholarships. Examples I'll run through two different financial aid scenarios here to show you howyou can cover your college costs without taking out any loans. In the first example, the student is attending a public school and has low financial need; in the second example, the student is attending a private school and has high financial need. Public School + Low Need Student A is a high achiever who comes from a relatively wealthy family in Arizona. I plugged some general academic and financial information into Arizona State University's net price calculator to come up with her Cost of Attendance. Here's her background information: Current high school senior in Arizona National Merit Program Finalist Ranked #5 in a class of 150, 3.8 GPA 730 on SAT critical reading and math sections Combined family income: $150,000 And here's her financial aid output: There are a few things you should notice about this output: She's saving money right off the bat because she's applying to an in-state public school. Her tuition costs are $10,478, but tuition for an out-of-state resident at ASU comes to $25,042. Her expected family contribution (EFC) is pretty high - ASU expects her family to be able to afford $32,770 a year, which more than covers her costs. She isn't offered any need-based aid, but she is offered a merit-based scholarship of $13,000. She wouldn't be offered this scholarship if she wasn't a high-achiever. With this scholarship, her total out-of-pocket costs for the year come to $14,260. Since Student A's parents make $150,000 a year, ASU assumes thatthey can more than afford a bill of about $14,260 a semester - they wouldn't have to take out any loans to cover these expenses (although they could if they wanted to). Sometimes, though, families are unwilling or unable to make such a contribution. If this is the case for Student A, she could help mitigate these costs by applying to scholarship programs. Private School + High Need Student B is a California resident who's applied to Stanford. He comes from a family of 4 with high financial need. I plugged in some general demographic and financial information (no academic or merit information) into Stanford's net price calculator. Here's his background info: Current high school senior in California One 15-year-old sibling Combined family income: $40,000 And here's his financial aid output: Here's what you should notice about this output: Unlike for Student A, Student B has been offered financial aid based only on financial need - not on merit (although keep in mind that Student B would have to be a high achiever in order to get into Stanford in the first place). Student B'stotal costs ($64,900) are higher than those of Student A ($27,260), but Student B was offered way more in scholarship grant money ($59,900) Stanford doesn't expect Student B's family to make any financial contribution to these costs. Stanford does, however, expect Student B to contribute a small amount ($5,000) through a student job and/or savings. $5,000 a year is a significant, but manageable, bill for a college student.Student B could pay this bill in a number of ways without taking out loans - he could get a work study job during the school year and/or summer, for example. He could alsoapply to different scholarship programs to see if he could cover some or all of the cost with outside funding. What's Next? We've covered thoroughly how to pay for college without loans. Now you have a shot at paying for college without going broke. Financial aid comes in many forms and from many sources. Get clear, simple instructions on applying for financial aid. Whether you have high or low financial need, you should definitely submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Learn more about the FAFSA and how to submit one. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Interpreting Popular Culture Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Interpreting Popular Culture Paper - Essay Example Invariably, as with most fairytales, there are indeed a myriad of different versions of Little Red Riding Hood; however, for a means of clarity and overall purpose of analysis, the forthcoming discussion will focus upon the least common denominator that is exhibited between all of these stories. This is of course the fact that a young girl meets a wolf/werewolf on the way to her grandmother’s to deliver food that her mother had prepared. Dressed in what can only be described as dainty attire, the beguiling creature attempts to ultimately trick her. In certain versions of the story the trick is successful and the wolf/werewolf eats the young girl. In other versions, the trick is unsuccessful and the girl is able to escape. However, regardless of the ending in question, the underlying moral and social representation that should be understood is one in which strong sexual overtones pervade this particular story and the importance of maintaining chastity and situational awareness are championed. One of the first elements that can and should be discussed in terms of Little Red Riding Hood and the sexual overtones that are represented throughout this story has to do with the detailed description of the little red cloak, the little red, or the little red coats that Little Red Riding Hood is claimed to wear in almost each and every variant of the tale. The importance of this symbol has to do with the fact that it ultimately represents the female hymen. As Little Red Riding Hood is depicted as a young, chaste, and ultimately your girl, the red tape that she wears is indicative of her nature and presents the analytical mind with a deeper level of understanding of the tale in terms of sleekness and sexual virtue. In many ways, it is somewhat surprising that such a painfully obvious illustration of human anatomy has gone unnoticed by countless generations of listeners, readers, and storytellers. Another core similarity that exists between almost all the variants

The Hobbit by J R R Tolkien Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

The Hobbit by J R R Tolkien - Research Paper Example However, not only does the work of john use imaginative writing, it also incorporates other styles of literature in a bid to compliment the various themes and consequently enhance the plot while at the same time creating memorability of the particular piece of literature. Evidently, since johns work are majorly fictional stories, they are aimed to target audience who are young in terms of age and therefore read literature that is captivating while at the same time helps them to get an insight into the world of literature. However, in this paper we are going to focus on the novel, the hobbit written by john. In addition to that, we try to establish the various style of literature employed in this particular work of art and highlight on the relevance in the development of the plot and the themes of the story. Perhaps, in this paper we are going to focus on the role of imaginary writing approaches used by john in this particular novel. On that note, in order to get a glimpse on the role of imagery in this particular narrative, it is essential to read and consequently read and properly understand the plot of the story. First and foremost, the hobbit was first published in September 21st, 1937. On that note, it is one of the most successful works of literature produced by John (Watson, 253). For instance, the New York Herald Tribune named this book as being the best juvenile fiction and a prize was awarded. The hobbit is a story about elves and dwarfs. Apparently, Gandalf who is a wizard uses trickery on Bilbo Baggins who is a hobbit, in a bid to enable Bilbo to welcome and host a group of reunion of Thorin and his dwarf counterparts (Walker, 7). On that note, the meeting is purposed to addressing ways in which they can reclaim their homeland; Lonely mountains. Notably, they use the element of musicality to air their views and as the song come to a halt, Gandalf the wizard, reveals that he is in possession of a map that highlights a secret entrance into the mountain. On their endeavour to reach this destination, they pass through the misty mountain where they are attacked by goblins that live in tha t area and they are forced to go deep into the ground through canyons. However, Gandalf was able to save them but Bilbo was separated from this group as they escaped from the goblins (Nelson, 38). At this point in the story, john uses imagery to describe the structural makeup of the goblins in comparison to the dwarfs. In addition to that, we are able to learn that the dwarfs were small in size and thus at a disadvantage as compared to the goblins (Nelson, 38). Notably, at this juncture, the use of imagery to create mental pictures in a bid boost the understanding of the situation better in relation to the audience was essential. In the course of the separation with his fellow comrades, Bilbo gets lost in the goblin tunnels and it is at this point that he acquires a mysterious ring from Gollum, who eventually helps him find his way out of the goblin tunnel as a reward of unravelling the riddles posed to him by Gollum (Christensen, 10). However, Bilbo was able to use the abilities of the ring; provide invisibility to the one wearing it, to escape the goblin tunnels and was able to reunite with his fellow dwarfs thus boosting his reputation among the dwarf who previously viewed him as weak and full of fear. Despite their

Business Ethics-What Should Barner do Term Paper

Business Ethics-What Should Barner do - Term Paper Example The following case circumstance therefore is more of a challenge to the policies that they have and the values that they purport to uphold. The use of child labor is an unacceptable part of any contemporary society or conceivable reality. While this may be the general and ideal case, there are certain countries that still use children to make profits. The case presents Barner with a significant opportunity for the company. IKEA should clearly come out and accept this fact and the complexities that it possesses. Even in situation that child labor may be camouflaged as household chores; they should be in a position to distinguish the two and strengthen their policies (Jeruissen, 135). First of all, it gives her an opportunity to review the policies that they have in place as to trade practices. Secondly, it presents her with an opportunity to start validating the type of suppliers that IKEA trades with. Thirdly, it provides her with the chance to ensure that the suppliers that she deal s with conform to the policies that IKEA holds as strong values and finally, it presents her with the chance to show that IKEA is more than an organization that is out to make profit by any means necessary. All these instances are ethically based and not commercially focused. If they were commercially focused, the interest of the child would be the least of concerns because the suppliers would argue that the children are paid for their services. Next Move One major step that ought to be taken before any other moves is to first apologize for the ignorance about the issue in which IKEA has found itself in. this apology should bring out the point that the company intends to take the necessary corrective measures to clear the mess. It should also include how this corrective move is going to be applied so as to ensure that such mistakes are not commonplace in the future. In this way, the brand value that IKEA has developed over the past as the case shows, will not only increase but will also sell out. Most people appreciate the fact that they are dealing with company’s that appreciate social values. It is however essential that Barner finds the best way to understand the situation in which this supplier has put them. It would be wrong to take harsh measures on a company that was otherwise following genuine policies. This is because global outsourcing also has its share of cultural, social and regulatory differences that have to be dealt with. In dealing with such issues, the effect should in no way interfere with the supply and distribution chain. IKEA as a company has already built a customer niche that has grown loyal. If actions that Marianne Barner takes interfere with their demand for products, it would not only interfere with the sales but customer confidence too. Therefore, any decision on any of the proposals that IKEA has received should also not be unethical (Griseri, & Seppala, 227). It should be noted that the production of carpets in India is sp read over a geographical area that is very large. From the vast countryside to several smaller units; at times to even individual looms within the villages in these farms. This would therefore make it impossible for IKEA or any other organization that deals in a similar supply chain to effectively guarantee that there is no use of child labor at any point in this wide and long chain. Therefore, the idea that IKEA should sign up to an industry-wide response to the growing concerns

The life of moises from his birth until he gave joshua control of the Term Paper

The life of moises from his birth until he gave joshua control of the israelites - Term Paper Example Because Moses led the people of Israel out of bondage, and this was helped along with a series of miracles, Moses deserves the moniker of being the greatest leader of all time. The Life of Moses According to Feldman (2007), at the time that Moses was born, around 1592 B.C. by the Christian calendar, and 1391 B.C. by the Jewish calendar, the Pharaoh was afraid of an Israelite revolution against him, so he ordered that all the male infants be put to death. That said, Feldman (2007) cites scholars who question this, stating that it does not make sense that the Pharaoh would order this, as Israelites were important as slaves to the Egyptians, and males, especially, were important, because they were stronger and could do more work than the females could. That said, the Bible, in Exodus 1:10, according to Feldman (2007), clearly states that the Pharaoh was afraid that the Israelites were getting too numerous, and that they would try to take over the country. Therefore, to hide Moses from t he Pharaoh’s edict regarding Israelite male children, Moses’ family decided to put him in a basket and float him down the river, where the Pharaoh’s daughter was, as she had decided to go to the river to bathe at this time. She sent her maidservant to pick up the basket, and she rescued Moses out of the river (Feldman, 45). According to Cohen (2007), Moses, because of the circumstances of his birth and adoption, was of two different worlds. This was because, even after he was pulled from the river by the Pharaoh’s daughter, he continued to be with his mother while the boy was nursed. As Beegle (1972) notes, the Pharaoh’s daughter had to find a Hebrew woman to nurse the boy, and Moses’ mother presented herself for this task. The Pharaoh’s daughter paid Moses’ mother to nurse him, and the Pharaoh’s daughter adopted the beautiful Moses (p. 52). At this point, according to Cohen, the Biblical story of Moses jumps ahead a few years to the point where Moses has grown up, and decided to visit his own people, the Hebrews (p. 55). At this time, Moses was around 40 years old, so, assuming the Christian calendar, the date was around 1552 B.C. during this event. Cohen (2007) notes that this was a hallmark of leadership, because Moses experienced luxury when he lived with his adoptive mother, the Pharaoh’s daughter, but, as leaders often do, he decided to take on a lifestyle which is more burdensome. This is because he wanted to serve his people and his community. Moreover, Cohen (2007) notes that Moses had an intense desire to connect with his brothers and sisters, and this was another reason why he was driven to visit his birth family. Moses did not see that these people were any different from him, even though he had lived the life of luxury, and this was because he was able to see that his family, and the enslaved Hebrews in general, were his brothers and sisters, his kin (p. 9). As Cohen (2007) note s, because Moses, after visiting his birth family, saw that the Hebrews were his brothers and sisters, he could not stand to see the way that they were treated by the Egyptians. Therefore, he struck down an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew slave.

The Dawes Act and the 1924 Indian Citizenship Act Essay

The Dawes Act and the 1924 Indian Citizenship Act - Essay Example The early colonists believed that it was part of their destiny to conquer the west and the northern American wilderness but the Indians stood along the way and its God-given destiny (Kline 2000,p.24). At first, US treated the Indians as sovereign and independent people by negotiating treaties with them but the treaties only ended up with the Indians ceding their lands in return for desolate, barren lands elsewhere. This ended with President James Monroe's declaration that Indians be removed and resettled beyond the Mississippi River for their own best interests (American Philosophical Society 2000,p.65) Thus the Cherokees from Georgia appealed to the Supreme Court to prevent the seizure of their lands.However, Chief Justice John Marshall declared all Indians as without sovereignty and people who "reside within the acknowledged boundaries of the United States" and are "in a state of pupilage"(Cherokee Nation v Georgia). But he later on declared the Cherokees as a distinct political community "in which the laws of Georgia can have no force" and into which Georgians are prohibited to enter without treaty permission (Worcester v Georgia). The Supreme Court then declared all Indians to be under the complete control of the US government but ironically, they cannot be citizens as contemplated by the 14th Amendment because they belonged to 'alien nations'(Elk v Wilkins, 1884). As such, all Indians were impounded in assigned reservations to their consternation on the basis of national security and military necessity after they ceded their ancestral lands and were not allowed to leave without a permit. But in one case, the court adjudicated that Indians are entitled to the same legal protection and freedom as the Americans (Standing Bear v Crook, 1879). The Dawes Act of 1887 or The General Allotment Act The first idea of Indian citizenship was broached by Thomas Jefferson but he laid down an extensive list of prerequisites prior to giving them citizenship (American Philosophical Society 2000, p.63). He also voiced out his plans to civilize the Indians and slowly assimilate them to the mainstream of American society. He also revealed his plans to give the Indians parcels of land to farm. All these served as impetus for Congress to enact the General Allotment Act or the Dawes Act on February 8,1887. The rationale behind the statute was to civilize and assimilate the Indians

Film Making Styles in Bollywood and Hollywood Research Paper

Film Making Styles in Bollywood and Hollywood - Research Paper Example This will be followed by the third part of the research that will focus of the cinematography and film-making techniques on the audience itself. Saving Private Ryan† is a film written by Robert Rodat and directed by Steven Spielberg in 1988. It is set during the Second World War specifically the assault on Normandy. The movie is about rescuing Private First Class Ryan played by Matt Damon, who is missing in action. The United states Department of Defense discovers that three his three brothers had been killed in action and their mother was to receive three telegrams informing her of their death on the same day. General Marshal Orders captain Miller played by Tom Hanks, to assemble a team to find and rescue Private First Class Ryan. Miller and his team immediately move out. In a town called Neuville they meet with soldiers from 101st platoon. On entering Neuville a member of Miller’s team called Caparzo played by Vin Diesel, is shot by a sniper. Jackson, who is played by Barry Pepper is able to shoot and kill the sniper as Caparzo bleeds to death. In the town, they are able to rescue a soldier who they later realize is not Private Ryan. They letter meet a soldier from Charlie Company who informed them that they were dropped at Vieriville, and that Baker company which Private Ryan belonged to had the same dropping zone. Here, they locate Ryan’s colleague who directs them to a bridge over Merderet River in Ramelle town where Private Ryan is defending a strategic post. While going to Remelle, the Captain decides to neutralize a German position close to the radar station. Here, their medic, Wade, played by Giovanni Ribisi, is killed. They capture a German soldier who is later released blind folded by Milner despite protests from his men. This sparks an argument on the leadership of Captain Miller but is quickly settled. Finally, the squad finds three soldiers ambushing a German personnel carrier. Private Ryan is among the paratroopers. Although Ryan is devastated after being told of their mission and the death of his three brothers, he feels that it is unfair for him to be allowed to go home and tells Captain Miller that he does not wish to go home since he had a duty to help his brothers (his fellow soldiers) to defend the bridge and destroy approaching Nazis. Captain Miller decides to take command and defend the bridge. The Nazis arrive with a force of more than fifty men including an armored platoon. They defend their positions managing to destr oy two tanks and killing most of the German soldiers. However, they lose many men including Horvath, Melish and Jackson. Miller is shot and mortally injured while trying to blow up the bridge just before American planes destroys the bridge. Miller later dies in Ryan’s arms. Reiben, Upham and Ryan are the only survivors and are rescued by the American infantry. The movie ends in present day where together with his family and an old World War Two veteran, Ryan visits the war cemetery and insist that the sacrifice made by the soldiers was not in vain and finally salutes Millers grave. â€Å"Border†, produced and directed by J.P. Dutta is a war epic from Bollywood on the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War. It is specifically set during the Longewalan battle. It stipulates how 120 soldiers of the Indian army defended their position from a whole Pakistani army tank regiment. It commences just after the

The Dawes Act and the 1924 Indian Citizenship Act Essay

The Dawes Act and the 1924 Indian Citizenship Act - Essay Example The early colonists believed that it was part of their destiny to conquer the west and the northern American wilderness but the Indians stood along the way and its God-given destiny (Kline 2000,p.24). At first, US treated the Indians as sovereign and independent people by negotiating treaties with them but the treaties only ended up with the Indians ceding their lands in return for desolate, barren lands elsewhere. This ended with President James Monroe's declaration that Indians be removed and resettled beyond the Mississippi River for their own best interests (American Philosophical Society 2000,p.65) Thus the Cherokees from Georgia appealed to the Supreme Court to prevent the seizure of their lands.However, Chief Justice John Marshall declared all Indians as without sovereignty and people who "reside within the acknowledged boundaries of the United States" and are "in a state of pupilage"(Cherokee Nation v Georgia). But he later on declared the Cherokees as a distinct political community "in which the laws of Georgia can have no force" and into which Georgians are prohibited to enter without treaty permission (Worcester v Georgia). The Supreme Court then declared all Indians to be under the complete control of the US government but ironically, they cannot be citizens as contemplated by the 14th Amendment because they belonged to 'alien nations'(Elk v Wilkins, 1884). As such, all Indians were impounded in assigned reservations to their consternation on the basis of national security and military necessity after they ceded their ancestral lands and were not allowed to leave without a permit. But in one case, the court adjudicated that Indians are entitled to the same legal protection and freedom as the Americans (Standing Bear v Crook, 1879). The Dawes Act of 1887 or The General Allotment Act The first idea of Indian citizenship was broached by Thomas Jefferson but he laid down an extensive list of prerequisites prior to giving them citizenship (American Philosophical Society 2000, p.63). He also voiced out his plans to civilize the Indians and slowly assimilate them to the mainstream of American society. He also revealed his plans to give the Indians parcels of land to farm. All these served as impetus for Congress to enact the General Allotment Act or the Dawes Act on February 8,1887. The rationale behind the statute was to civilize and assimilate the Indians

Plurality of Law in the United Kingdom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Plurality of Law in the United Kingdom - Essay Example Both of these concepts of UK Parliamentary sovereignty are compromised by the UK’s accession to the EC.1 This fact together with the UK’s accession to international treaties and conventions and the application of common law ultimately means that the UK constitution is subject to two underlying and conflicting principles. These two conflicting principles are Parliamentary sovereignty and a plurality of sources of law in the UK. There is a concern and perhaps some measure of optimism that the plurality of sources of applicable law in the UK will eventually limit, if not eliminate the concept of Parliamentary sovereignty and that this would be progressive development. This paper argues, however, that the introduction of a plurality of laws in the UK is only made possible by the doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty. Just as parliamentary sovereignty permitted the introduction of a plurality of sources of law it can just as easily reverse this application of a plurality of sources of law. Therefore, while a plurality of sources of applicable laws might challenge the concept of parliamentary sovereignty in practice, theoretically, parliamentary sovereignty continues to provide for a reversal of this approach. A.V. Dicey’s description of the constitutional rule of law envisioned by the UK’s concept of Parliamentary sovereignty puts the strength and endurance of UK Parliamentary sovereignty in its proper perspective. Dicey maintains that the UK’s constitution is built around three significant principles. First, the rule of law renders the government accountable to the public. Secondly, the public is also accountable to the rule of law. Thirdly, the constitution sets out the framework by which the judiciary are made accountable for the administration of law.2 In describing the UK constitution, Dicey goes further to state that this constitutional framework is made possible by the fact that Parliament enjoys â€Å"total power†, and this is a basis of parliamentary sovereignty.

Ethical Issues Unique To Group Therapy Social Work Essay

Ethical Issues Unique To Group Therapy Social Work Essay Group Therapy has a variety of ethical issues one of the main issues that maybe encountered is involuntary group members. Corey, Williams, and Moline (1995) explained that ethically a counselor should advise clienteles of theirs privileges and duties and advise them of any probable concerns they face if they choose to follow treatment. Informed consent is extremely important when participation is mandatory. Informed consent is something that all psychologist, counselor, and therapist have to obtain from clients. The consent is important because certain guidelines have to be followed by the counselor during the sessions. When a client becomes involuntary this puts the counselor in a comprising position. The counselor becomes comprised because the incorporation of the client places limits on the direction of the sessions in the group. The following is an example of legal issue where a patient refuses medical care. Website Merck (2007), stated People who have legal and clinical capacity may refuse any medical care. They may refuse care even if it is something almost everyone else would accept or something that is clearly life-saving. With that being said there is also a variety of issues related to right of refusal. The following is a list of some legal issues related to refusal of consent. American Bar Association (n.d.), stated religiously sponsored HMOs often do not cover prohibited services or provide information, counseling, or referrals to plan members who may want or need these services. Women in Medicaid managed care plans face particular challenges (Susan, Lourdes). Because of the risk of misdiagnosis financial factors have become an issue. Psychologist and therapist are avoiding working with some clients because of what insurance they have. The reason for this is because some insurance companies cannot be reimbursed for certain diagnosis. In addition insurance companies are starting to take practitioners to civil court for incompetence. Ethical Issues Unique to Individual Counseling Some of the ethical issues a counselor may encounter in individual counseling may range from dual relationships, involuntary client, moral dilemmas, breach of confidentiality, and other significant factors. Ethics in psychotherapy and counseling (2007), stated In the mid-1970s, New York Supreme Court Presiding Justice Markowitz recognized evidence that from the time of Freud to the present, the health care professions had agreed that therapist-patient sex harms patients (Pope, Vasquez, p. 174). The extent of sexual relationships has not been fully understood until recently. Within the past quarter century a diverse series of investigations have broaden the meaning of therapist client relationships in individual psychotherapy. Certain issues that were addressed in the investigation included how clients can be injured, physical contact with clients, and sexual attraction to patients. Studies that were conducted have concluded that certain outcomes for sexually abused clients. Clients who have been sexually involved with individual counselors produce negative outcomes. Therapist would choose Group Therapy Essentially, Group Therapy is targeted on assisting clients with data about specific categories in order to give supplementary means or data. Counselors believe that group therapy is more structured; in group therapy counselors also believe that clients are provided with precise categories or modules to debate and learn about. The intent is to supply individuals with access data about the categories, which is frequently recognized in the label of the group. the process group therapy is favored by counselors too. a process group is best explained as a group that targets on the experience of belonging to a group, itself, this recognition is part of the healing opportunity given within the group. An example would be the process of a client showing their ideas, emotions, and in the group, in the here and now can become the essential vehicle that finds change in group therapy. Counselors often choose group therapy to supplement individual therapy. Counselors believe group therapy will sup ply clients with access support, or as the primary part of healing work. On no account substance what issues a client may want to address in therapy, group therapy give clients the opportunity to share their thought which is part of their healing journey. Counselors believes that clients attending group gain a sense from the experience as a way to know that they are not alone and that there others, with similar experiences, who are supportive of them. Therapist would choose Individual Counseling Ethical decision making in professional psychology is important to regulate the practice of psychology. Individual counselors believe that ethical decision making procedures can produce positive psychological outcomes. In addition ethical decision making places a certain degree of accountability on the psychologist in individual counseling. Ethical guidelines and educational requirements ensure that clients receive adequate professional assistance on a one on one basis. Ethical decision making in a sense also causes a power shift. Paste psychological practices were controlled by the therapist. In modern times clients have a say so of what treatments and practices they want to receive. This is due to current ethical guidelines. Psychologists give numerous reasons why Multicultural psychology has become a subspecialty. With a society that is diverse in culture psychology had no choose but to be aware of these circumstances. Because of this factor training had to be given to researchers and psychologist in the career field. These measures were done to raise awareness of culture differences and to clarify that these differences had to be handled different individually. Cultural competence is best explained by CEO Services (2007), as the development of skills by individuals and systems to live and work with, educate and serve diverse individuals and communities. Â   Having multicultural psychology as a subspecialty eradicates negative beliefs about other cultures. In addition categories of discrimination, prejudice, lack of education, and ethical values are learned. A major issue with research done with past experiments was they were not culturally equal. Things like the above issue and other factors lead to the requirement of multicultural psychology as a subspecialty. If a professional is culturally competent they should see and understand cultural, economic, gender, and physical differences that another individual may have in society. Culturally competent professional should not be prejudiced in thought while considering another human being feelings and cultural traditions. Social Phobia has a connection with the stability-change issue. The Life -Span Development (2007) text explains the stability-change dispute consists of the point to which early traits and characteristics persist through life or change. In the stability-change issue Develo pmental psychologists acknowledge the concept as broken into two separate issues. On the stability side of the issue psychologist argue that early experiences in life can affect a persons stability or there heredity can cause change in stability. But on the change side of the spectrum psychologist are arguing that peoples later experiences can cause change. So in saying that the change concept is basically that people are is constantly being molded throughout their life span. Distinctive Features Some of the distinctive features that are associated with social phobia range in vary areas. Person with social phobia experience excessive fear of being humiliated or judged negatively in social or performance situations (Heimberg, G. R., Liebowitz, R. M., Hope, A. D., Schneier, R. F., 1995). Social anxiety and panic disorder are also qualified as features in the social phobia criterion. The different experiences an individual lives through and witness can mold their mind state. If an individual has had many experiences dealing with discrimination they may perceive the world as unfair. If an individual is or maybe was raised in poverty they may perceive the world as unfair and class based. A prime example would be a minority individual born during the civil rights era or earlier. These individuals had witnessed the inequality of America and seen the horror that come from inequality. A majority of individuals who lived during those times have negative views on white America. I have seen this in my grandmother who is 83. She can get along with other races but she is still to a degree stuck in the past. Often stating how minorities should watch they do because of inequality. Ethical Challenges I may Face Being a counselor some of the many ethical challenges I believe I will face will be as followed. Being a counselor whether the setting is for a group or individual counseling Being mentally aware is important for individuals so they can understand their personal ethical perspectives in life. If individuals have an understanding of their ethical perspective other attributes can be understood. Personal ethical views can influence emotions and reactive behavior in some individuals. Personal ethical perspectives are essential in formulating who an individual is and what they stand for. In addition understanding personal ethical perspective is necessary when choosing a career field. Ethical dilemmas can be frequent if professional ethics are opposite of an employees personal ethics. If personal ethics are misunderstood stress can manifest in individuals. Ethics in psychotherapy and counseling (2007), stated Uncertainty causes stress for some of us. We cannot find that magical book that wi ll tell us what to do, especially in a crisis (Pope, Vasquez, p. 2). The argument about personal and professional ethics has been debated for a while. But each ethic is unique and essentially a necessity to function in society. The United States has become a nation were ethical perspectives are revered. The evolution the United States has made is amazing. Manifesting from a primitive culture to what is now known as the ethical nation. Work ethics involve such characteristics as honesty and accountability. Basically, work ethics break down to what one does or would do in a particular situation ethics as guidelines restrict the abrasive production low safety, employees non-companies, non-compliance with legal regulations and even lawsuits. Ethical regulations decline tension; makes the environment more beneficial by fostering a goal focused climate of cooperation that even boost business. Ethical regulations purely boost a positive site for the future. Confidentiality Better Morale Worker safety Organized work environment All organizations have laws that they have to abide by, employees, board members, and those who work voluntarily must do the same. Regardless of personal feelings toward those laws, they are to obey all laws in the performance of their work on behalf of Community Services. Ethics is the central part, the heart of leading and include private duties of service and public duties to the common good. Therefore, personal, professional, and practical ethics are included into a multidimensional perspective of ethical leadership in human service organizations Development of Professional Ethics through Societal Norms Ethical standards have a role in societys developmental norms. Social norms are explained on Sociology Guide website. Sociology Guide (2006), stated Sociologists have offered the following definition. Social norms are rules developed by a group of people that specify how people must, should, may, should not, and must not behave in various situations. To better understand what ethical standards really mean, the Santa Clara University (2007), stated Ethics has to do with what my feelings tell me is right or wrong; Ethics has to do with my religious beliefs. Being ethical is doing what the law requires; Ethics consists of the standards of behavior our society accepts (Velasquez, Andre, Shanks, S.J., and Meyer). Evolution of cultural factors and beliefs has impacted ethical standards also. Some of these factors are responsibility, malpractice, ethical dilemmas, ethical judgment, reasoning, language, and justifications. American 18 or 1900s social norms seem barbaric compared to 21st century norms. A prime example of disturbing social norms and ethical codes are practices of psychology. Practices such as psychosurgery left permanent damage to areas of the brain. Other primitive methods used were insane asylums, electroconvulsive therapy, and Trepanation. Robert Todd Carroll (2007) states Trepanation is the process of cutting a hole in the skull. If those procedures were practiced today society would consider them cruel and legally incorrect. Ethical standards and codes have helped the American nation become civilized. Civilized behavior is a progression compared to when individuals would react by emotions. In addition the codes have formed this nation into a more business oriented society. Ethical standards have made equal right obtainable to women. Because ethical standards and codes affect social norms woman can vote, and get equal pay. Equal bus seating, right to vote, and other factors African Americans gained because of ethical standards. Disabled individuals have also gotten opportunities to work. Through the development of new ethics standards societal norms have also changed and quality of life for all individuals has improved. APA Ethics Code The American Psychological Associations Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct consist of an introduction, a preamble, five general principles and specific ethical standards. The general principles and preamble are not enforceable rules. However, they should be considered by psychologists in arriving at a professional and ethical course of action. The Ethical Standards are set enforceable rules for conduct of psychologists/psychiatrists. Most of these standards are written so they apply to psychologists that have various roles within the field. The American Psychological Association enforces members and student residents to comply with the standards of their ethics code and the procedures and rules that are used to enforce them. Misunderstanding or lack of awareness of the code is not considered a defense if a member and/or student resident is charged with unethical conduct. The APAs Ethics code ensures psychologies will protect the human and civil rights and the importance of freedom of inquiry and expression in teaching, research and publication. Psychologists perform many roles; such as educators, diagnosticians, researchers, supervisors, therapist, administrators, consultants, expert witnesses and social interventionists. The APAs Ethics codes provide a common set of standards and principles, in which psychologist, researcher, therapist, etc. build their scientific and professional work. APA Ethical Violations The impact of the American Psychological Associations (APA) ethical standards and codes on professional practice in the field of psychology includes how the ethical issues are resolved once one is accused. The ethical code deals with such matters as: misuse of psychologists work, conflicts between ethics and law, regulations, or other governing legal authority, informal resolution of ethical violations, reporting ethical violations, improper complaints, and unfair discrimination against complainants and respondents. (APA, 2002) Psychologists who learn of misuse or misrepresentation of their work may take reasonable steps to correct or minimize the misuse or misrepresentation through the APA. When there is a conflict between ethics and law, regulations, or other governing legal authority and a psychologists responsibilities they make known their commitment to the Ethics Code and take steps to resolve the conflict. If the conflict cannot be resolved via such means, psychologists may adhere to the requirements of the law, regulations, or other governing legal authority. (APA, 2002) Sometimes situations may call for informal resolution of ethical violations. If a psychologist believes that there may have been an ethical violation by another psychologist, they may attempt to resolve the issue by bringing it to the attention of that individual, if an informal resolution appears appropriate and the intervention does not violate any confidentiality rights that may be involved. Reporting ethical violations may be necessary when an apparent ethical violation has substantially harmed or is likely to substantially harm a person or organization. Psychologists may take further action appropriate to the situation such as referral to state or national committees on professional ethics, to state licensing boards, or to the appropriate institutional authorities. This standard does not apply when an intervention would violate confidentiality rights or when psychologists have been retained to review the work of another psychologist whose professional conduct is in question. (AP A, 2002) When a Psychologist does not file or encourage the filing of ethics complaints that are made with reckless disregard for or willful ignorance of facts that would disprove the allegation the ethics code allows for treatment of these improper complaints. Unfair discrimination against complainants and respondents in the APA ethics code demands that Psychologists do not deny persons employment, advancement, admissions to academic or other programs, tenure, or promotion, based solely upon their having made or their being the subject of an ethics complaint. This does not preclude taking action based upon the outcome of such proceedings or considering other appropriate information. (APA, 2002) Psychology and Professional Ethics Psychologists have an obligation to protect the people in which they counsel on a regular basis. Ethic codes have been created to protect the public and offer guidance to professionals in serving their clientele. Many different mental health organizations have their own set of ethical codes in which they follow on a day to day basis. Without these ethical codes, they would not be able to properly protect themselves or their clients in the unlikely event that they are accused or sued for malpractice. There is believed to be three main reasons that these ethical standards and codes have been created for professional psychologists to follow. The three standards and codes are the general reason is to educate professionals about adequate ethical conduct; consultants that comprehend the standards may acknowledge prolonged alertness, ideals-interpretation, and difficult-answering abilities. Next, ethical standards encourage responsibility, also, counselors need to preserve ethical conduct encourage such from colleagues as well. Third the code of ethics helps support in cultivating preparation by proposing answers to challenging inquiries and circumstances (Herlihy Corey, 1996). Ethical issues in mental-health are governed by professional codes and laws. Law defines the minimum standards of performance which society will tolerate and these standards are enforced by the government. Ethics illustrates maximum or ideal standards of performance set by the profession and are managed by professional associations, national certification boards, and government boards which regulate professions (Remley, 1996). Ethical codes that are used in mental- health organizations are revised when new issues in the psychological community arise. Providing a code of ethics to clients receiving psychological care has proven to be fundamental in the field of psychology. Not only to the psychologist providing treatment but also to the client who is receiving treatment on a daily, weekly, or even a monthly basis. Besides knowing these rules, a therapist must be able to think rationally and apply different ethical standards to each individual situation that may crop up while they are providing professional counseling services. Not every situation is covered under these individual codes and standards. Often a psychologist is forced to make their own decisions in regards to which way to best treat a client who is seeking help. Without these codes of ethics, a therapist would be unprotected should they provide the wrong type of treatment to one of the clients they are serving. This could often a therapist up to losing their license to practice and be sued which could end up costing them a fortune financially, professionally, and pers onally. Conclusion The APA ethics code systematically describes how psychologists and psychiatrists should behave in a professional environment. Societal norms have helped to define how professional ethics should be followed and has also contributed to how the APAs ethics code has developed. Through communication of this ethics code among psychologists, they can hope to have greater success with clients and better relationships with colleagues.

A TV Show that is Appropiate for a Younger Audience :: Free Essay Writer

A TV Show that is Appropiate for a Younger Audience Wishbone: A Little Dog with a Big Imagination â€Å"Printed Paws of Thieves" With his uncanny knowledge of famous authors, a little dog-named Wishbone is one very smart canine. The Wishbone television series has been created to introduce children to classic literature and encourage a love for reading books. The half-hour, live-action series, designed primarily for elementary school children between the ages of 6 and 12, represents an entirely new concept in educational programming. As children watch Wishbone the dog’s adventure in the world of literature, they will come away with their first taste of classic literature as well as a desire to learn more. The series stars Wishbone the dog, â€Å"a little dog with a big imagination,† who serves as a canine bridge between life and literature. Portrayed in the series by a real Jack Russell terrier, Wishbone the dog represents an articulate, clever and funny character, whose every thought, is heard by the audience. Each episode presents a different literary classic, introduced through Wishbone the dog’s active imagination and fantasies. For example in the episode â€Å"Printed Paws of Thieves† which presents the story of Robin Hood, Joe Talbot the 12-year old owner of Wishbone almost gets suspended when he helps the school lunch lady donate leftover food to a local shelter. Meanwhile, Wishbone as Robin Hood risks arrest when he robs from the rich to give to the poor. In this episode, Wishbone is wearing the typical outfit we think of Robin Hood wearing a Brown leather two-piece outfit carrying a bow and arrow and a feathered cap. Wishbone portrays the character, Robin Hood as if how we would perceive him in the classic literature story. Throughout this episode Wishbone and the other characters, Joe Talbot, David (Joe’s best friend), and Samantha (a neighborhood friend of Joe’s and David’s), reinforce the primary literary themes explored in â€Å"Robin Hood.à ¢â‚¬  Wishbone the dog represents the imaginative, playful child inside all of us. Through his wild adventures and heroic stunts, children will be introduced to some of the greatest literary works of literature. This PBS series provides a challenge for children to read, by providing signature scenes, the basic characters, and themes from classic literature without presenting the entire story so children will want to learn more about the story. It provides a foundation for the children to apply what they already know about the story from the Wishbone series to the actual classic literary form of the story so they will comprehend the story better.

Understanding Disabilities :: Personal Narrative Writing

You don't have to work too hard to find places where your awareness of disabilities helps you see things clearly and understand more about your own world. I'm interested in art and I'm working at the Museum in town this summer. I'm helping develop an education program that will interest younger kids in the museum's collection. I have been looking everywhere to find out how to get kids to look at paintings that otherwise might not interest them at all. I saw something on the Internet which I thought would give me some ideas. It is a Web site created by Tom March called "2 Views 4 U." He uses questions to get the viewer to compare sets of interestingly matched paintings. I especially liked his combination of "The Scream" by Edvard Munch and VanGogh's "Corridor in the Asylum." March tries to get the viewer to define mental illness by comparing the two painters' interpretations of it. He starts out by asking us to think about the two titles of the paintings and he draws us into examining how each of the painters uses repetitions, shapes, lines, color, and patterns to represent his view of mental illness. I think he does something positive for art and disability by insisting that we look for "cool things" that attract us to each painting. March asks us if it is more disturbing for us to see a person who is mentally ill or to see through the eyes of someone who is disabled. What he is really asking is whether Munch or Van Gogh communicates the feelings of mental illness best. My experience with the Disabilities Awareness Newsletter has given me a good perspective on this question. Getting to know kids with disabilities through my connection with this Newsletter has increased my respect for letting people with disabilities tell their own story. I have understood more about disabilities by just listening than I could ever have imagined. It has been like looking at a piece of art work painted by a person with a disability.

Describe How Health and Safety Legislation, Policies and Procedures Promote of Individuals in a Health or Social Care Setting

Describe how health and safety legislation, policies and procedures promote of individuals in a health or social care setting Health, Safety and security issues are extremely important in care settings in order to protect staff and children, and their families. Legislations and regulations ensure that guidelines are followed to enforce safety and security within an organisation. Legislation is law which has been created by a governing body.Before a piece of legislation becomes law it may be known as a bill, and may be broadly referred to as legislation while it remains under consideration to distinguish it from other business. Policies ensure that everyone must work within the law and meet the minimum care standards set out by the legislation. Finally, procedures are the steps that are needed to be followed to ensure everyone’s safety within the workplace.Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH, 2002), for example, requires employers to control substances that are haz ardous to health such as toxic, corrosive or irritant chemicals like cleaning products or even bodily fluids. In a setting such as a Nursery, hazardous substances that are not stored properly and are easily accessible to children may cause consummation further poisoning or spilling on themselves. This hazard could be minimised by storing these substances in a high, possibly locked, area so that children are not likely to get a hold of them and harm themselves.Also, the incorrect disposal of soiled nappies etc. can cause germs to spread and could cause infection or cross contaminations within the Nursery. This can be avoided by having a specific bin solely for the disposal of soiled nappies to ensure that harm cannot result from this. Ensure that all staff are trained on how to deal with an incident and giving them full information of the regulation because it helps them act quickly enough if there was to be an incident. The Food Safety Regulation Act (1995) makes sure there is a foo d hygiene standard in place in all businesses.Illnesses and infections can be easily cause by someone, be it a child or member of staff, not washing their hands before eating or preparing food. This could be after changing a nappy, going to the toilet or playing outside. This risk can be minimised by making sure everyone washes their hands before eating and before, during and after preparing meals. Also, ensure that all equipment is clean and in good condition as this can also cause contamination if dealing with raw and cooked foods.The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulation (1995) requires employers to report injuries and dangerous occurrences as soon as they happen. In a nursery, broken furniture, broken toys and small objects can lead to injury or possibly death. Broken furniture can cause children to cut or graze themselves on the sharp break offs. Whereas with broken or unsuitable toys, children can swallow the object causing choking or death. This risk can be avoided by carrying out regular checks of the furniture and toys, making sure they are suitable for use with children. If not, then they should be disposed of efficiently.With the Data Protection Act (1998), the nursery has to control and protect the handling of the personal information of children and parents. Recklessness and naivety can cause personal information being let out into the public eye. Staff writing down children’s or their parent’s personal details or opinions can end up open to public view. This can be minimised by making sure all data is kept secure on an internal wall, in a locked cupboard. Also, ensuring that all staff are trained to correctly deal with information and are aware of the consequences of recklessness can help lower the risk. www. hse. gov. uk www. foodstandards. gov

Acca Notes

S T U D Y T E X T PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT BPP Learning Media is the sole ACCA Platinum Approved Learning Partner – content for the ACCA qualification.In this, the only Paper F5 study text to be reviewed by the examiner: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ We discuss the best strategies for studying for ACCA exams We highlight the most important elements in the syllabus and the key skills you will need We signpost how each chapter links to the syllabus and the study guide We provide lots of exam focus points demonstrating what the examiner will want you to do We emphasise key points in regular fast forward summaries We test your knowledge of what you've studied in quick quizzes We examine your understanding in our exam question bank We reference all the important topics in our full indexBPP's i-Pass product also supports this paper. FOR EXAMS IN 2011 First edition 2007 Fourth edition November 2010 ISBN 9780 7517 8921 8 (Previous ISBN 9870 7517 6367 6) British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Published by BPP Learning Media Ltd BPP House, Aldine Place London W12 8AA www. bpp. com/learningmedia Printed in the United Kingdom We are grateful to the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants for permission to reproduce past examination questions.The suggested solutions in the exam answer bank have been prepared by BPP Learning Media Ltd, except where otherwise stated. All our rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of BPP Learning Media Ltd.Your learning materials, published by BPP Learning Media Ltd, are printed on paper sourced from sustainable, managed forests.  © BPP Learning Media Ltd 2010 ii Contents Page Introduction Helping you to pass – the O NLY F5 Study Text reviewed by the examiner! Studying F5 The exam paper v vii xi 3 21 33 41 49 63 73 95 123 157 173 199 215 233 267 287 319 337 365 387 403 419 463 Part A Specialist cost and management accounting techniques 2a 2b 2c 2d 2e 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Costing Activity based costing Target costing Lifecycle costing Throughput accounting Environmental accounting Cost volume profit (CVP) analysis Limiting factor analysis Pricing decisions Short-term decisions Risk and uncertainty Objectives of budgetary control Budgetary systems Quantitative analysis in budgeting Budgeting and standard costing Variance analysis Behavioural aspects of standard costing Performance measurement Divisional performance measures Further performance management Part B Decision-making techniques Part C BudgetingPart D Standard costing and variances analysis Part E Performance measurement and control Exam question bank Exam answer bank Index Review form and free prize draw Contents iii A note about copyright Dear Customer What does the little  © mean and why does it matter? Your market-leading BPP books, course materials and e-learning materials do not write and update themselves. People write them: on their own behalf or as employees of an organisation that invests in this activity. Copyright law protects their livelihoods. It does so by creating rights over the use of the content.Breach of copyright is a form of theft – as well as being a criminal offence in some jurisdictions, it is potentially a serious breach of professional ethics. With current technology, things might seem a bit hazy but, basically, without the express permission of BPP Learning Media: †¢ †¢ Photocopying our materials is a breach of copyright Scanning, ripcasting or conversion of our digital materials into different file formats, uploading them to facebook or emailing them to your friends is a breach of copyright You can, of course, sell your books, in the form in which you hav e bought them – once you have finished with them. Is this fair to your fellow students? We update for a reason. ) But the e-products are sold on a single user licence basis: we do not supply ‘unlock’ codes to people who have bought them second-hand. And what about outside the UK? BPP Learning Media strives to make our materials available at prices students can afford by local printing arrangements, pricing policies and partnerships which are clearly listed on our website. A tiny minority ignore this and indulge in criminal activity by illegally photocopying our material or supporting organisations that do.If they act illegally and unethically in one area, can you really trust them? iv Helping you to pass – the ONLY F5 Study Text reviewed by the examiner! BPP Learning Media – the sole Platinum Approved Learning Partner – content As ACCA’s sole Platinum Approved Learning Partner – content, BPP Learning Media gives you the unique o pportunity to use examiner-reviewed study materials for the 2011 exams. By incorporating the examiner’s comments and suggestions regarding the depth and breadth of syllabus coverage, the BPP Learning Media Study Text provides excellent, ACCA-approved support for your studies. NEW FEATURE – the PER alert!Before you can qualify as an ACCA member, you do not only have to pass all your exams but also fulfil a three year practical experience requirement (PER). To help you to recognise areas of the syllabus that you might be able to apply in the workplace to achieve different performance objectives, we have introduced the ‘PER alert’ feature. You will find this feature throughout the Study Text to remind you that what you are learning to pass your ACCA exams is equally useful to the fulfilment of the PER requirement. Tackling studying Studying can be a daunting prospect, particularly when you have lots of other commitments.The different features of the text, the purposes of which are explained fully on the Chapter features page, will help you whilst studying and improve your chances of exam success. Developing exam awareness Our Texts are completely focused on helping you pass your exam. Our advice on Studying F5 outlines the content of the paper, the necessary skills the examiner expects you to demonstrate and any brought forward knowledge you are expected to have. Exam focus points are included within the chapters to highlight when and how specific topics were examined, or how they might be examined in the future.Using the Syllabus and Study Guide You can find the syllabus and Study Guide on page xi of this Study Text Testing what you can do Testing yourself helps you develop the skills you need to pass the exam and also confirms that you can recall what you have learnt. We include Questions – lots of them – both within chapters and in the Exam Question Bank, as well as Quick Quizzes at the end of each chapter to test your knowledge of the chapter content. Introduction v Chapter features Each chapter contains a number of helpful features to guide you through each topic.Topic list Topic list Syllabus reference Tells you what you will be studying in this chapter and the relevant section numbers, together the ACCA syllabus references. Puts the chapter content in the context of the syllabus as a whole. Links the chapter content with ACCA guidance. Highlights how examinable the chapter content is likely to be and the ways in which it could be examined. What you are assumed to know from previous studies/exams. Summarises the content of main chapter headings, allowing you to preview and review each section easily. Demonstrate how to apply key knowledge and techniques.Definitions of important concepts that can often earn you easy marks in exams. Tell you when and how specific topics were examined, or how they may be examined in the future. Formulae that are not given in the exam but which have to be learnt. T his is a new feature that gives you a useful indication of syllabus areas that closely relate to performance objectives in your Practical Experience Requirement (PER). Introduction Study Guide Exam Guide Knowledge brought forward from earlier studies FAST FORWARD Examples Key terms Exam focus points Formula to learn Question Case StudyGive you essential practice of techniques covered in the chapter. Provide real world examples of theories and techniques. Chapter Roundup Quick Quiz Exam Question Bank A full list of the Fast Forwards included in the chapter, providing an easy source of review. A quick test of your knowledge of the main topics in the chapter. Found at the back of the Study Text with more comprehensive chapter questions. Cross referenced for easy navigation. vi Introduction Studying F5 The F5 examiner wants candidates to be able to apply management accounting techniques in business environments.The key question you need to be able to answer is ‘what does it all ac tually mean? ‘ Modern technology is capable of producing vast amounts of management accounting information but it has to be used to help managers to make good decisions and manage effectively. The emphasis in this paper is therefore on practical elements and application to the real world. The examiner does not want to trick you and papers will be fair. The F5 examiner The examiner for this paper is Ann Irons, who replaced Geoff Cordwell from the December 2010 sitting onwards.Ann Irons has written several articles in Student Accountant, including one on how to approach the paper (September 2010 issue). Make sure you read these articles to gain further insight into what the examiner is looking for. Syllabus update The F5 syllabus has been updated for the June 2011 sitting onwards. The full syllabus and study guide can be found in this Study Text on pages xi to xviii. The main changes are the omission of backflush accounting and the inclusion of environmental accounting and cost volume profit (CVP) analysis. The syllabus order has also been changed, which has been reflected in this Study Text.A full summary of the changes to the F5 syllabus is given on the next page.. Introduction vii viii Introduction Introduction ix 1 What F5 is about The aim of this syllabus is to develop knowledge and skills in the application of management accounting techniques. It covers modern techniques, decision making, budgeting and standard costing, concluding with how a business should be managed and controlled. F5 is the middle paper in the management accounting section of the qualification structure. F2 concerns just techniques and P5 thinks strategically and considers environmental factors.F5 requires you to be able to apply techniques and think about their impact on the organisation. 2 What skills are required? †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ You are expected to have a core of management accounting knowledge from Paper F2 You will be required to carry out calculation s, with clear workings and a logical structure You will be required to interpret data You will be required to explain management accounting techniques and discuss whether they are appropriate for a particular organisation You must be able to apply your skills in a practical context 3 How to improve your chances of passing †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ There is no choice in this paper, all questions have to be answered. You must therefore study the entire syllabus, there are no short-cuts Practising questions under timed conditions is essential. BPP's Practice and Revision Kit contains 20 mark questions on all areas of the syllabus Questions will be based on simple scenarios and answers must be focused and specific to the organisation Answer plans will help you to focus on the requirements of the question and enable you to manage your time effectively Answer all parts of the question.Even if you cannot do all of the calculation elements, you will still be ab le to gain marks in the discussion parts Make sure your answers focus on practical applications of management accounting, common sense is essential! Keep an eye out for articles as the examiner will use Student Accountant to communicate with students Read journals etc to pick up on ways in which real organisations apply management accounting and think about your own organisation if that is relevant 4 Brought forward knowledge You will need to have a good working knowledge of basic management accounting from Paper F2.Chapter 1 of this Study Text revises costing and brought forward knowledge is identified throughout the text. If you struggle with the examples and questions used to revise this knowledge, you must go back and revisit your previous work. The examiner will assume you know this material and it may form part of an exam question. x Introduction The exam paper Format of the paper The exam is a three-hour paper containing five compulsory 20 mark questions. You also have 15 min utes for reading and planning. There will be a mixture of calculations and discussion and the examiner's aim is to cover as much of the syllabus as possible.Syllabus and Study Guide The F5 syllabus and study guide can be found on the next page. Introduction xi xii Introduction Introduction xiii xiv Introduction Introduction xv xvi Introduction Introduction xvii xviii Introduction Introduction xix Analysis of past papers The table below provides details of when each element of the syllabus has been examined and the question number in which each element appeared. Further details can be found in the Exam Focus Points in the relevant chapters. Covered in Text chapter June 2010 Dec 2009 June 2009 Pilot PaperSPECIALIST COST AND MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING TECHNIQUES 2a 2b 2c 2d 2e 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 9 10 8 Activity based costing Target costing Life cycle costing Throughput accounting Environmental accounting DECISION-MAKING TECHNIQUES Cost-volume-profit analysis Multi-limiting factors and the use of linear programming and shadow pricing Pricing decisions Make-or-buy and other short-term decisions Dealing with risk and uncertainty in decision-making BUDGETING Objectives Budgetary systems Types of budget Quantitative analysis in budgeting Behavioural aspects of budgeting STANDARD COSTING AND VARIANCE ANALYSIS 11 12 12 13 13 14 15 16 Budgeting and standard costing Basic variances and operating systems Material mix and yield variances Planning and operational variances Behavioural aspects of standard costing PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT AND CONTROL The scope of performance measurement Divisional performance and transfer pricing Performance analysis in not-for-profit organisations and the public sector 4 4 2 4 2 2 1 1 3 2 2 5 3 5 3 3 1, 4 4 4 1 1 2 1 xx Introduction Exam formulae Set out below are the formulae you will be given in the exam. If you are not sure what the symbols mean, or how the formulae are used, you should refer to the appropriate chapter in this Study Text. Chapter in Study Text Learning curve Y = axb Where Y a x b LR = cumulative average time per unit to produce x units = the time taken for the first unit of output = the cumulative number of units = the index of learning (log LR/log 2) = the learning rate as a decimal 10 Regression analysis y = a + bx b= a= 10 n ? xy ? ? x ? y n ? x 2 ? (? ) 2 ?y b? x ? n n (n? x 2 ? (? x)2 )(n? y 2 ? (? y)2 ) 5 r= n? xy ? ? x ? y Demand curve P b a = a – bQ = change in price change in quantity = price when Q = 0 MR = a – 2bQ Introduction xxi xxii Introduction P A R T A Specialist cost and management accounting techniques 1 2 Costing Topic list 1 Costing 2 The problem of overheads 3 A revision of absorption costing 4 Overhead absorption 5 Marginal costing 6 Absorption costing and marginal costing compared Introduction Part A of this Study Text looks at specialist cost and management accounting techniques. This chapter serves as a revision of concepts you will have covered in your previous studies.I n the following chapter we will be looking at more complex techniques so it is important that you are familiar with the key concepts and terminology in this chapter. If you want to get free study material of CAT, ACCA, CIMA, CFA, CIA visit : freefor911. wordpress. com 3 Exam guide This chapter serves as an introduction to your study of cost and management accounting techniques, as knowledge is assumed from Paper F2 Management Accounting and is still examinable at this level. Questions in this paper will focus on interpretation rather than doing calculations. 1 Costing FAST FORWARD Costing is the process of determining the costs of products, services or activities.Cost accounting is used to determine the cost of products, jobs or services (whatever the organisation happens to be involved in). Such costs have to be built up using a process known as cost accumulation. In your earlier studies you will have learnt how to accumulate the various cost elements which make up total cost. Abso rption costing cost accumulation system 2 The problem of overheads FAST FORWARD Indirect costs, or overheads, are costs incurred in making a product or providing a service, but which cannot be traced directly to the product or service. Absorption costing is a means of incorporating a fair share of these costs into the cost of a unit of product or service provided.If a company manufactures a product, the cost of the product will include the cost of the raw materials and components used in it and cost of the labour effort required to make it. These are direct costs of the product. The company would, however, incur many other costs in making the product, which are not directly attributable to a single product, but which are incurred generally in the process of manufacturing a large number of product units. These are indirect costs or overheads. Such costs include the following. †¢ †¢ Factory rent and rates Machine depreciation †¢ †¢ Supervision costs Heating and lig hting 4 1: Costing ? Part A Specialist cost and management accounting techniques Key termsA direct cost is a cost that can be traced in full to the product, service or department that is being costed. An indirect cost or overhead is a cost that is incurred in the course of making a product, providing a service or running a department, but which cannot be traced directly and in full to the product, service or department. In some companies, the overheads cost might greatly exceed the direct production costs. It might seem unreasonable to ignore indirect costs entirely when accumulating the costs of making a product, and yet there cannot be a completely satisfactory way of sharing out indirect costs between the many different items of production which benefit from them. 2. Using absorption costing to deal with the problem of overheads Traditionally, the view has been that a fair share of overheads should be added to the cost of units produced. This fair share will include a portion of all production overhead expenditure and possibly administration and marketing overheads too. This is the view embodied in the principles of absorption costing. 2. 1. 1 Theoretical justification for using absorption costing All production overheads are incurred in the production of the organisation's output and so each unit of the product receives some benefit from these costs. Each unit of output should therefore be charged with some of the overhead costs. 2. 1. 2 Practical reasons for using absorption costing (a) Inventory valuations Inventory in hand must be valued for two reasons. i) (ii) For the closing inventory figure in the statement of financial position For the cost of sales figure in the income statement The valuation of inventories will affect profitability during a period because of the way in which the cost of sales is calculated. Cost of goods sold = (b) Pricing decisions Many companies attempt to set selling prices by calculating the full cost of production or sales o f each product, and then adding a margin for profit. ‘Full cost plus pricing' can be particularly useful for companies which do jobbing or contract work, where each job or contract is different, so that a standard unit sales price cannot be fixed. Without using absorption costing, a full cost is difficult to ascertain. c) Establishing the profitability of different products This argument in favour of absorption costing states that if a company sells more than one product, it will be difficult to judge how profitable each individual product is, unless overhead costs are shared on a fair basis and charged to the cost of sales of each product. cost of goods produced + the value of opening inventories – the value of closing inventories 2. 2 Using marginal costing to deal with the problem of overheads For many purposes absorption costing is less useful as a costing method than marginal costing. In some situations, absorption costing can be misleading in the information it su pplies.Advocates of marginal costing take the view that only the variable costs of making and selling a product or service should be identified. Fixed costs should be dealt with separately and treated as a cost of the accounting period rather than shared out somehow between units produced. Some overhead costs are, Part A Specialist cost and management accounting techniques ? 1: Costing 5 however, variable costs which increase as the total level of activity rises and so the marginal cost of production and sales should include an amount for variable overheads. 3 A revision of absorption costing FAST FORWARD Absorption costing is a traditional approach to dealing with overheads, involving three stages: allocation, apportionment and absorption.Apportionment has two stages, general overhead apportionment and service department cost apportionment. Key term Absorption costing is a method of product costing which aims to include in the total cost of a product (unit, job and so on) an approp riate share of an organisation's total overhead, which is generally taken to mean an amount which reflects the amount of time and effort that has gone into producing the product. You should have covered absorption costing in your earlier studies. We will therefore summarise the simpler points of the topic but will go into some detail on the more complex areas to refresh your memory. Knowledge brought forward from earlier studiesAbsorption costing †¢ †¢ Product costs are built up using absorption costing by a process of allocation, apportionment and overhead absorption. Allocation is the process by which whole cost items are charged directly to a cost unit or cost centre. Direct costs are allocated directly to cost units. Overheads clearly identifiable with cost centres are allocated to those cost centres but costs which cannot be identified with one particular cost centre are allocated to general overhead cost centres. The cost of a warehouse security guard would therefore be charged to the warehouse cost centre but heating and lighting costs would be charged to a general overhead cost centre.The first stage of overhead apportionment involves sharing out (or apportioning) the overheads within general overhead cost centres between the other cost centres using a fair basis of apportionment (such as floor area occupied by each cost centre for heating and lighting costs). The second stage of overhead apportionment is to apportion the costs of service cost centres (both directly allocated and apportioned costs) to production cost centres. The final stage in absorption costing is the absorption into product costs (using overhead absorption rates) of the overheads which have been allocated and apportioned to the production cost centres. Costs allocated and apportioned to non-production cost centres are usually deducted from the full cost of production to arrive at the cost of sales. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Question Cost apportionmentBriefly discuss the type of factors which could affect the choice of the bases an organisation can use to apportion service department costs. 6 1: Costing ? Part A Specialist cost and management accounting techniques Answer (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) The type of service being provided The amount of overhead expenditure involved The number of departments benefiting from the service The ability to be able to produce realistic estimates of the usage of the service The resulting costs and benefits Question More cost apportionment A company is preparing its production overhead budgets and determining the apportionment of those overheads to products. Cost centre expenses and related information have been budgeted as follows.Total $ 78,560 16,900 16,700 2,400 8,600 3,400 40,200 402,000 100 35,000 25,200 45,000 Machine shop A $ 8,586 6,400 Machine shop B $ 9,190 8,700 Assembly $ 15,674 1,200 Canteen $ 29,650 600 Maintenance $ 15,460 – Indirect wages Consumable materials Rent and rates Buildings insurance P ower Heat and light Depreciation (machinery) Value of machinery Power usage (%) Direct labour (hours) Machine usage (hours) Area (sq ft) Required 201,000 55 8,000 7,200 10,000 179,000 40 6,200 18,000 12,000 22,000 3 20,800 – 15,000 – – – – 6,000 – 2 – – 2,000 Using the direct apportionment to production departments method and bases of apportionment which you consider most appropriate from the information provided, calculate overhead totals for the three production departments. AnswerTotal $ Indirect wages 78,560 Consumable materials 16,900 Rent and rates 16,700 Insurance 2,400 8,600 Power Heat and light 3,400 Depreciation 40,200 166,760 Reallocate – Reallocate – Totals 166,760 A $ 8,586 6,400 3,711 533 4,730 756 20,100 44,816 7,600 4,752 57,168 B $ 9,190 8,700 4,453 640 3,440 907 17,900 45,230 5,890 11,880 63,000 Assembly $ 15,674 1,200 5,567 800 258 1,133 2,200 26,832 19,760 – 46,592 MainCanteen tenance $ $ 29,650 15,460 600 – 2,227 742 320 107 – 172 453 151 – – 33,250 16,632 (33,250) – – (16,632) – – Basis of apportionment Actual Actual Area Area Usage Area Val of mach Direct labour Mach usage Part A Specialist cost and management accounting techniques ? 1: Costing 7 4 Overhead absorption FAST FORWARDAfter apportionment, overheads are absorbed into products using an appropriate absorption rate based on budgeted costs and budgeted activity levels. Having allocated and/or apportioned all overheads, the next stage in absorption costing is to add them to, or absorb them into, the cost of production or sales. 4. 1 Use of a predetermined absorption rate Knowledge brought forward from earlier studies Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 The overhead likely to be incurred during the coming year is estimated. The total hours, units or direct costs on which the overhead absorption rates are based (activity levels) are estimated. Absorption rate = estima ted overhead ? budgeted activity level 4. 2 Choosing the appropriate absorption base Question Absorption basesList as many possible bases of absorption (or ‘overhead recovery rates') as you can think of. Answer (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) A percentage of direct materials cost A percentage of direct labour cost A percentage of prime cost A percentage of factory cost (for administration overhead) A percentage of sales or factory cost (for selling and distribution overhead) A rate per machine hour A rate per direct labour hour A rate per unit The choice of an absorption basis is a matter of judgement and common sense. There are no strict rules or formulae involved. But the basis should realistically reflect the characteristics of a given cost centre, avoid undue anomalies and be ‘fair'.The choice will be significant in determining the cost of individual products, but the total cost of production overheads is the budgeted overhead expenditure, no matter what basis of abs orption is selected. It is the relative share of overhead costs borne by individual products and jobs which is affected. Question Absorption rates Using the information in and the results of the question on page 7, determine budgeted overhead absorption rates for each of the production departments using appropriate bases of absorption. 8 1: Costing ? Part A Specialist cost and management accounting techniques Answer Machine shop A: Machine shop B: Assembly: $57,168/7,200 = $7. 94 per machine hour $63,000/18,000 = $3. 50 per machine hour $46,592/20,800 = $2. 24 per direct labour hour 4. 3 Over and under absorption of overheads FAST FORWARDUnder-/over-absorbed overhead occurs when overheads incurred do not equal overheads absorbed. The rate of overhead absorption is based on estimates (of both numerator and denominator) and it is quite likely that either one or both of the estimates will not agree with what actually occurs. Actual overheads incurred will probably be either greater tha n or less than overheads absorbed into the cost of production, and so it is almost inevitable that at the end of the accounting year there will have been an over absorption or under absorption of the overhead actually incurred. †¢ †¢ Over absorption means that the overheads charged to the cost of sales are greater than the overheads actually incurred.Under absorption means that insufficient overheads have been included in the cost of sales. Suppose that the budgeted overhead in a production department is $80,000 and the budgeted activity is 40,000 direct labour hours, the overhead recovery rate (using a direct labour hour basis) would be $2 per direct labour hour. Actual overheads in the period are, say $84,000 and 45,000 direct labour hours are worked. $ Overhead incurred (actual) 84,000 90,000 Overhead absorbed (45,000 ? $2) Over-absorption of overhead 6,000 In this example, the cost of production has been charged with $6,000 more than was actually spent and so the cost that is recorded will be too high.The over-absorbed overhead will be an adjustment to the profit and loss account at the end of the accounting period to reconcile the overheads charged to the actual overhead. Question Under and over-absorption The total production overhead expenditure of the company in the questions above was $176,533 and its actual activity was as follows. Machine shop A Machine shop B Assembly Direct labour hours 8,200 6,500 21,900 Machine usage hours 7,300 18,700 – Required Using the information in and results of the previous questions, calculate the under- or over-absorption of overheads. Answer $ Actual expenditure Overhead absorbed Machine shop A Machine shop B Assembly $ 176,533 ,300 hrs ? $7. 94 18,700 hrs ? $3. 50 21,900 hrs ? $2. 24 57,962 65,450 49,056 172,468 4,065 Under-absorbed overhead Part A Specialist cost and management accounting techniques ? 1: Costing 9 4. 4 The reasons for under-/over-absorbed overhead The overhead absorption rate is pre determined from budget estimates of overhead cost and activity level. Under or over recovery of overhead will occur in the following circumstances. †¢ †¢ †¢ Actual overhead costs are different from budgeted overheads. The actual activity level is different from the budgeted activity level. Actual overhead costs and actual activity level differ from those budgeted. QuestionOver and under-absorption Elsewhere has a budgeted production overhead of $180,000 and a budgeted activity of 45,000 machine hours. Required Calculate the under-/over-absorbed overhead, and note the reasons for the under-/over-absorption in the following circumstances. (a) (b) (c) Actual overheads cost $170,000 and 45,000 machine hours were worked. Actual overheads cost $180,000 and 40,000 machine hours were worked. Actual overheads cost $170,000 and 40,000 machine hours were worked. Answer The overhead recovery rate is $180,000/45,000 = $4 per machine hour. (a) Actual overhead Absorbed overhead (45, 000 ? $4) Over-absorbed overhead $ 170,000 180,000 10,000Reason: Actual and budgeted machine hours are the same but actual overheads cost less than expected. (b) Actual overhead Absorbed overhead (40,000 ? $4) Under-absorbed overhead $ 180,000 160,000 20,000 Reason: Budgeted and actual overhead costs were the same but fewer machine hours were worked than expected. $ (c) Actual overhead 170,000 160,000 Absorbed overhead (40,000 ? $4) Under-absorbed overhead 10,000 Reason: A combination of the reasons in (a) and (b). 10 1: Costing ? Part A Specialist cost and management accounting techniques 5 Marginal costing FAST FORWARD In marginal costing, inventories are valued at variable production cost whereas in absorption costing they are valued at their full production cost.Marginal cost is the cost of one unit of a product/service which could be avoided if that unit were not produced/provided. Contribution is the difference between sales revenue and variable (marginal) cost of sales. Margi nal costing is an alternative to absorption costing. Only variable costs (marginal costs) are charged as a cost of sales. Fixed costs are treated as period costs and are charged in full against the profit of the period in which they are incurred. Knowledge brought forward from earlier studies Key terms Marginal costing †¢ In marginal costing, closing inventories are valued at marginal (variable) production cost whereas, in absorption costing, inventories are valued at their full production cost which includes absorbed fixed production overhead.If the opening and closing inventory levels differ, the profit reported for the accounting period under the two methods of cost accumulation will therefore be different. But in the long run, total profit for a company will be the same whichever is used because, in the long run, total costs will be the same by either method of accounting. Different accounting conventions merely affect the profit of individual periods. †¢ †¢ Quest ion Absorption and marginal costing A company makes and sells a single product. At the beginning of period 1, there are no opening inventories of the product, for which the variable production cost is $4 and the sales price $6 per unit.Fixed costs are $2,000 per period, of which $1,500 are fixed production costs. Normal output is 1,500 units per period. In period 1, sales were 1,200 units, production was 1,500 units. In period 2, sales were 1,700 units, production was 1,400 units. Required Prepare profit statements for each period and for the two periods in total using both absorption costing and marginal costing. Answer It is important to notice that although production and sales volumes in each period are different, over the full period, total production equals sales volume. The total cost of sales is the same and therefore the total profit is the same by either method of accounting.Differences in profit in any one period are merely timing differences which cancel out over a longe r period of time. Part A Specialist cost and management accounting techniques ? 1: Costing 11 (a) Absorption costing. The absorption rate for fixed production overhead is $1,500/1,500 units = $1 per unit. The fully absorbed cost per unit = $(4+1) = $5. $ Sales Production costs Variable Fixed Add opening inventory b/f Less closing inventory c/f Production cost of sales Under-absorbed o/hd Total costs Gross profit Other costs Net profit (300? $5) (300? $5) Period 1 $ 7,200 $ Period 2 $ 10,200 Total $ $ 17,400 6,000 1,500 7,500 – 7,500 1,500 6,000 – 6,000 1,200 (500) 700 5,600 1,400 7,000 1,500 8,500 – 8,500 100 8,600 1,600 (500) 1,100 1,600 2,900 14,500 1,500 16,000 1,500 14,500 100 14,600 2,800 (1,000) 1,800 (b) Marginal costing The marginal cost per unit = $4. Sales Variable production cost Add opening inventory b/f Less closing inventory c/f Variable prod. cost of sales Contribution Fixed costs Profit Period 1 $ 7,200 6,000 – 6,000 1,200 4,800 2,400 2,00 0 400 $ Period 2 $ 10,200 5,600 1,200 6,800 – 6,800 3,400 2,000 1,400 $ Total $ 11,600 1,200 12,800 1,200 11,600 5,800 4,000 1,800 $ 17,400 (300? $4) (300? $4) Question Direct labour Direct materials Production overhead Standard production cost per unit 3 hours at $6 per hour 4 kilograms at $7 per kg Variable Fixed Marginal and absorption costing $ 18 28 3 20 69RH makes and sells one product, which has the following standard production cost. Normal output is 16,000 units per annum. Variable selling, distribution and administration costs are 20 per cent of sales value. Fixed selling, distribution and administration costs are $180,000 per annum. There are no units in finished goods inventory at 1 October 20X2. The fixed overhead expenditure is spread evenly throughout the year. The selling price per unit is $140. Production and sales budgets are as follows. Six months ending Six months ending 31 March 20X3 30 September 20X3 Production 8,500 7,000 Sales 7,000 8,000 12 1: Costing ? Part A Specialist cost and management accounting techniquesRequired Prepare profit statements for each of the six-monthly periods, using the following methods of costing. (a) (b) Marginal costing Absorption costing Answer (a) Profit statements for the year ending 30 September 20X3 Marginal costing basis Six months ending 31 March 20X3 $'000 $'000 Sales at $140 per unit 980 Opening inventory – Std. variable prod. cost (at $49 per unit) 416. 5 416. 5 Closing inventory (W1) 73. 5 343 637 Variable selling and so on costs 196 Contribution 441 Fixed costs: production (W2) 160 selling and so on 90 250 Net profit 191 Profit statements for the year ending 30 September 20X3 Absorption costing basis Six months ending 31 March 20X3 $'000 $'000 Sales at $140 per unit 980 Opening inventory – Std. cost of prod. at $69 per unit) Closing inventory (W1) (Over-)/under-absorbed overhead (W3) Gross profit Selling and so on costs Variable Fixed Net profit 586. 5 586. 5 103. 5 483. 0 (10. 0) 473 507 196 90 286 221 224 90 314 234 Six months ending 30 September 20X3 $'000 $'000 1,120 73. 5 343. 0 416. 5 24. 5 392 728 224 504 160 90 250 254 (b) Six months ending 30 September 20X3 $'000 $'000 1,120 103. 5 483. 0 586. 5 34. 5 552. 0 20. 0 572 548 Part A Specialist cost and management accounting techniques ? 1: Costing 13 Workings 1 Opening inventory Production Sales Closing inventory Marginal cost valuation (? $49) Absorption cost valuation (? $69) 2 3 Normal output (16,000 ? 2) Budgeted output Difference ? std. ixed prod. o/hd per unit (Over-)/under-absorbed overhead Six months ending 31 March 20X3 Units – 8,500 8,500 7,000 1,500 $73,500 $103,500 Six months ending 30 September 20X3 Units 1,500 7,000 8,500 8,000 500 $24,500 $34,500 Budgeted fixed production o/hd = 16,000 units ? $20 = $320,000 pa = $160,000 per six months Six months ending 31 March 20X3 8,000 units units 8,500 500 units ? $20 ($10,000) Six months ending 30 September 20X3 8,000 units 7,000 units 1, 000 units ? $20 $20,000 6 Absorption costing and marginal costing compared FAST FORWARD If opening and closing inventory levels differ profit reported under the two methods will be different.In the long run, total profit will be the same whatever method is used. 6. 1 Reconciling the profit figures given by the two methods The difference in profits reported under the two costing systems is due to the different inventory valuation methods used. (a) If inventory levels increase between the beginning and end of a period, absorption costing will report the higher profit because some of the fixed production overhead incurred during the period will be carried forward in closing inventory (which reduces cost of sales) to be set against sales revenue in the following period instead of being written off in full against profit in the period concerned.If inventory levels decrease, absorption costing will report the lower profit because as well as the fixed overhead incurred, fixed production ov erhead which had been carried forward in opening inventory is released and is also included in cost of sales. (b) 6. 2 Example: Reconciling profits The profits reported for period 1 in the question on page 11 would be reconciled as follows. Marginal costing profit Adjust for fixed overhead in inventory (inventory increase of 300 units ? $1 per unit) Absorption costing profit $ 400 300 700 Exam focus point Remember that if opening inventory values are greater than closing inventory values, marginal costing shows the greater profit. 14 1: Costing ?Part A Specialist cost and management accounting techniques 6. 3 Marginal versus absorption costing: reporting to management FAST FORWARD Marginal costing is more useful for decision-making purposes, but absorption costing is needed for financial reporting purposes to comply with accounting standards. We know that the reported profit in any period is likely to differ according to the costing method used, but does one method provide a more re liable guide to management about the organisation's profit position? With marginal costing, contribution varies in direct proportion to the volume of units sold. Profits will increase as sales volume rises, by the amount of extra contribution earned.Since fixed cost expenditure does not alter, marginal costing gives an accurate picture of how a firm's cash flows and profits are affected by changes in sales volumes. With absorption costing, in contrast, there is no clear relationship between profit and sales volume, and as sales volume rises the total profit will rise by the sum of the gross profit per unit plus the amount of overhead absorbed per unit. Arguably this is a confusing and unsatisfactory method of monitoring profitability. If sales volumes are the same from period to period, marginal costing reports the same profit each period (given no change in prices or costs). In contrast, using absorption costing, profits can vary with the volume of production, even when the volume of sales is constant.Using absorption costing there is therefore the possibility of manipulating profit, simply by changing output and inventory levels. 6. 4 Example: Manipulating profits Gloom Co budgeted to make and sell 10,000 units of its product in 20X1. The selling price is $10 per unit and the variable cost $4 per unit. Fixed production costs were budgeted at $50,000 for the year. The company uses absorption costing and budgeted an absorption rate of $5 per unit. During 20X1, it became apparent that sales demand would only be 8,000 units. The management, concerned about the apparent effect of the low volume of sales on profits, decided to increase production for the year to 15,000 units.Actual fixed costs were still expected to be $50,000 in spite of the significant increase in production volume. Required Calculate the profit at an actual sales volume of 8,000 units, using the following methods. (a) (b) Absorption costing Marginal costing Explain the difference in profits cal culated. Solution (a) Absorption costing Sales (8,000 ? $10) Cost of production (15,000 ? $9) Less: over-absorbed overhead (5,000 ? $5) $ 135,000 (25,000) (110,000) (30,000) 63,000 33,000 $ 80,000 Closing inventory (7,000 ? $9) Profit Part A Specialist cost and management accounting techniques ? 1: Costing 15 (b) Marginal costing Sales Cost of sales Cost of production (15,000 ? $4) Closing inventory (7,000 ? $4) Contribution Fixed costs Loss $ $ 80,000 0,000 ((28,000) 32,000 48,000 50,000 (2,000) The difference in profits of $35,000 is explained by the difference in the increase in inventory values (7,000 units ? $5 of fixed overhead per unit). With absorption costing, the expected profit will be higher than the original budget of $10,000 (10,000 units ? ($10 – 9)) simply because $35,000 of fixed overheads will be carried forward in closing inventory values. By producing to absorb overhead rather than to satisfy customers, inventory levels will, of course, increase. Unless th is inventory is sold, however, there may come a point when production has to stop and the inventory has to be sold off at lower prices.Marginal costing would report a contribution of $6 per unit, or $48,000 in total for 8,000 units, which fails to cover the fixed costs of $50,000 by $2,000. The argument above is not conclusive, however, because marginal costing is not so useful when sales fluctuate from month to month because of seasonal variations in sales demand, but production per month is held constant in order to arrange for an even flow of output (and thereby prevent the cost of idle resources in periods of low demand and overtime in periods of high demand). Question Absorption v marginal costing A clothing manufacturer makes a specific brand of jeans which it sells at a standard price of $100 per pair. The manufacturer’s costs are as follows.Standard variable production cost: $16 per pair Total fixed production cost per month: $240,000 (10,000 pairs are planned to be p roduced per month) Total fixed non-production costs: $300,000 per month In Month 1, when the opening inventory is 1,000 pairs, production of 10,000 pairs is planned and sales of 8,000 pairs are expected. In Month 2, sales are planned to be 9,000 pairs and production is still 10,000 pairs. Required (a) What would be the net profit for Months 1 and 2 under (i) (ii) (b) Absorption costing Marginal costing What comments could you make about the performance of this business? 16 1: Costing ? Part A Specialist cost and management accounting techniques Answer (a) Absorption standard cost per unit = $16 + 240,000/10,000 = $40 Absorption costing Month 1 Month 2 $’000 $’000 $’000 $’000 800 900 Marginal costing Month 1 Month 2 $’000 $’000 $’000 $’000 800 900Sales 8,000 @$100 Cost of sales Opening inventory (1,000 @ $40) Production (10,000 @ $40) Less: closing inventory* (3,000 @ $40) Gross profit Contribution Less other costs Fixed product ion Fixed non-production 40 400 (120) (320) 480 120 400 (160) (360) 540 1,000 @ $16 10,000 @ $16 3,000 @ $16 16 160 (48) (128) 672 (240) (300) 48 160 (64) (144) 756 (240) (300) (300) 180 (300) 240 (540) 132 (540) 216 * Closing inventory = 1,000 + 10,000 – 8,000 (b) The absorption costing net profit is higher than the marginal costing net profit in both months because inventories are rising. Under absorption costing, where inventories are increasing, a greater amount of the fixed production cost is carried forward n the closing inventory valuation than was brought forward in the opening inventory valuation. This means that the impact of these costs on profit is delayed under absorption costing. Under marginal costing, the full impact of the fixed production costs on profit is immediate. The business is profitable and sales have increased. However, a build up of inventories in the clothing manufacturing industry is unwise as demand is subject to tastes and fashion. The business needs to respond rapidly to changes in demand or it will become rapidly uncompetitive. Part A Specialist cost and management accounting techniques ? 1: Costing 17 Chapter Roundup †¢ †¢ Costing is the process of determining the costs of products, services or activities.Indirect costs, or overheads, are costs incurred in making a product or providing a service, but which cannot be traced directly to the product or service. Absorption costing is a means of incorporating a fair share of these costs into the cost of a unit of product or service provided. Absorption costing is a traditional approach to dealing with overheads, involving three stages: allocation, apportionment and absorption. Apportionment has two stages, general overhead apportionment and service department cost apportionment. After apportionment, overheads are absorbed into products using an appropriate absorption rate based on budgeted costs and budgeted activity levels. Under-/over-absorbed overhead occurs wh en overheads incurred do not equal overheads absorbed.In marginal costing, inventories are valued at variable production cost whereas in absorption costing they are valued at their full production cost. If opening and closing inventory levels differ profit reported under the two methods will be different. In the long run, total profit will be the same whatever method is used. †¢ Marginal costing is more useful for decision-making purposes, but absorption costing is needed for financial reporting purposes to comply with accounting standards. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ 18 1: Costing ? Part A Specialist cost and management accounting techniques Quick Quiz 1 Here are some terms you should have encountered in your earlier studies. Match the term to the definition.Terms Direct cost Prime cost Overhead Classification by function Fixed cost Variable cost Product cost Avoidable cost Controllable cost Relevant cost Cost centre Cost unit (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i ) (j) (k) (l) 2 3 Definitions (a) Specific costs of, say, an activity, which would not be incurred if the activity did not exist Total of direct costs Future cash flow which will be changed as the result of a decision Product produced by an organisation Dividing costs into production, administration, selling and distribution, research and development and financing costs Cost that can be traced in full to whatever is being costed Organisation's departments A cost that varies with the level of output A cost that is incurred in the course of making a product but which cannot be traced directly and in full to the product Cost that is incurred for a particular period of time and which, within certain activity levels, is unaffected by changes in the level of activity Cost identified with goods produced or purchased for resale and initially included in the value of inventory Cost which can be influenced by management decisions and actions †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢ € ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ is the process of determining the costs of products, activities or services. How is an overhead absorption rate calculated? A B C D Estimated overhead ? actual activity level Estimated overhead ? budgeted activity level Actual overhead ? actual activity level Actual overhead ? budgeted activity level 4 Over absorption means that the overheads charged to the cost of sales are greater than the overheads actually incurred. True False 5Fill in the blanks in the statements about marginal costing and absorption costing below. (a) (b) If inventory levels †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ between the beginning and end of a period, absorption costing will report the higher profit. If inventory levels decrease, †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ costing will report the lower profit. 6 Fill in the following blanks with either ‘marginal' or ‘absorption'. (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) Using †¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ costing, profits can be manipulated simply by changing output and inventory levels. Fixed costs are charged in full against the profit of the period in which they are incurred when †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ costing is used. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ costing fails to recognise the importance of working to full capacity. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ costing could be argued to be preferable to †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ costing in management accounting in order to be consistent with the requirements of accounting standards. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ costing should not be used when decision-making information is required. Part A Specialist cost and management accounting techniques ? 1: Costing 19 Answers to Quick Quiz 1 Direct cost Prime cost Overhead Classification by function Fixed co st Variable cost Product cost Avoidable cost Controllable cost Relevant cost Cost centre Cost unit Costing B True (a) (b) (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) Increase Absorption absorption marginal marginal absorption, marginal absorption (f) (b) (i) (e) (j) (h) (k) (a) (l) (c) (g) (d) 2 3 4 5 6 Now try the questions below from the Exam Question Bank Number Q1Level Introductory Marks 10 Time 18 mins 20 1: Costing ? Part A Specialist cost and management accounting techniques Activity based costing Topic list 1 Activity based costing 2 Absorption costing versus ABC 3 Merits and criticisms of ABC Syllabus reference A1 (a), (b) A1 (c) A1 (c) Introduction Chapter 2 covers Part A of the syllabus, specialist cost and management accounting techniques. It has been divided into five sub-chapters to reflect the examiner's emphasis that all five techniques are equally important and equally examinable. In this chapter we will be looking at the first alternative method of cost accumulation, activity based costin g (ABC).ABC is a modern alternative to absorption costing which attempts to overcome the problems of costing in a modern manufacturing environment. If you want to get free study material of CAT, ACCA, CIMA, CFA, CIA visit : freefor911. wordpress. com 21 Study guide Intellectual level A1 (a) (b) (c) Activity based costing Identify appropriate cost drivers under ABC Calculate costs per driver and per unit using ABC Compare ABC and traditional methods of overhead absorption based on production units, labour hours or machine hours 1 2 2 Exam guide There was a question on ABC in the Pilot Paper for F5. It was also examined in June 2008 and June 2010 and is therefore a crucial topic to understand. 1 Activity based costing FAST FORWARD /08, 6/10 An alternative to absorption costing is activity based costing (ABC). ABC involves the identification of the factors (cost drivers) which cause the costs of an organisation's major activities. Support overheads are charged to products on the basis of their usage of an activity. †¢ †¢ For costs that vary with production level in the short term, the cost driver will be volume related (labour or machine hours). Overheads that vary with some other activity (and not volume of production) should be traced to products using transaction-based cost drivers such as production runs or number of orders received. 1. 1 Reasons for the development of ABCThe traditional cost accumulation system of absorption costing was developed in a time when most organisations produced only a narrow range of products (so that products underwent similar operations and consumed similar proportions of overheads). And overhead costs were only a very small fraction of total costs, direct labour and direct material costs accounting for the largest proportion of the costs. The benefits of more accurate systems for overhead allocation would probably have been relatively small. In addition, information processing costs were high. In recent years, however , there has been a dramatic fall in the costs of processing information.And, with the advent of advanced manufacturing technology (AMT), overheads are likely to be far more important and in fact direct labour may account for as little as 5% of a product's cost. It therefore now appears difficult to justify the use of direct labour or direct material as the basis for absorbing overheads or to believe that errors made in attributing overheads will not be significant. Many resources are used in non-volume related support activities, (which have increased due to AMT) such as setting-up, production scheduling, inspection and data processing. These support activities assist the efficient manufacture of a wide range of products and are not, in general, affected by changes in production volume.They tend to vary in the long term according to the range and complexity of the products manufactured rather than the volume of output. The wider the range and the more complex the products, the more support services will be required. Consider, for example, factory X which produces 10,000 units of one product, the Alpha, and factory Y which produces 1,000 units each of ten slightly different versions of the Alpha. Support activity costs in the factory Y are likely to be a lot higher than in factory X but the factories produce an identical number of units. For example, factory X will only need to set-up once whereas Factory Y will have to set-up the 22 2a: Activity based costing ?Part A Specialist cost and management accounting techniques production run at least ten times for the ten different products. Factory Y will therefore incur more set-up costs for the same volume of production. Traditional costing systems, which assume that all products consume all resources in proportion to their production volumes, tend to allocate too great a proportion of overheads to high volume products (which cause relatively little diversity and hence use fewer support services) and too small a pr oportion of overheads to low volume products (which cause greater diversity and therefore use more support services). Activity based costing (ABC) attempts to overcome this problem. 1. Definition of ABC Key term Activity based costing (ABC) involves the identification of the factors which cause the costs of an organisation's major activities. Support overheads are charged to products on the basis of their usage of the factor causing the overheads. The major ideas behind activity based costing are as follows. (a) (b) (c) Activities cause costs. Activities include ordering, materials handling, machining, assembly, production scheduling and despatching. Producing products creates demand for the activities. Costs are assigned to a product on the basis of the product's consumption of the activities. 1. 3 Outline of an ABC systemAn ABC system operates as follows. Step 1 Step 2 Key term Identify an organisation's major activities. Identify the factors which determine the size of the costs of an activity/cause the costs of an activity. These are known as cost drivers. A cost driver is a factor which causes a change in the cost of an activity. Look at the following examples. Costs Ordering costs Materials handling costs Production scheduling costs Despatching costs Possible cost driver Number of orders Number of production runs Number of production runs Number of despatches Step 3 Step 4 Collect the costs associated with each cost driver into what are known as cost pools.Charge costs to products on the basis of their usage of the activity. A product's usage of an activity is measured by the number of the activity's cost driver it generates. Question Which of the following definitions best describes a cost driver? A B C D Any activity which causes an increase in costs A collection of costs associated with a particular activity A cost that varies with production levels Any factor which causes a change in the cost of an activity Cost driver Part A Specialist cost and mana gement accounting techniques ? 2a: Activity based costing 23 Answer D Any factor which causes a change in the cost of an activity. Exam focus pointABC is a popular exam topic. Questions on activity based costing often require a comparison with more traditional methods. The implications for the business of each approach is often required. 2 Absorption costing versus ABC 6/08, 6/10 The following example illustrates the point that traditional cost accounting techniques result in a misleading and inequitable division of costs between low-volume and high-volume products, and that ABC can provide a more meaningful allocation of costs. 2. 1 Example: Activity based costing Suppose that Cooplan manufactures four products, W, X, Y and Z. Output and cost data for the period just ended are as follows.Number of production runs in the Material cost Direct labour Machine Output units period per unit hours per unit hours per unit $ W 10 2 20 1 1 X 10 2 80 3 3 Y 100 5 20 1 1 80 3 3 Z 100 5 14 Direct labour cost per hour $5 Overhead costs Short run variable costs Set-up costs Expediting and scheduling costs Materials handling costs Required Prepare unit costs for each product using conventional costing and ABC. $ 3,080 10,920 9,100 7,700 30,800 Solution Using a conventional absorption costing approach and an absorption rate for overheads based on either direct labour hours or machine hours, the product costs would be as follows. W $ 200 50 700 950 10 $95 X $ 800 150 2,100 3,050 10 $305 Y $ 2,000 500 7,000 9,500 100 $95 Z $ 8,000 1,500 21,000 30,500 100 $305 Total $ Direct material Direct labour Overheads * Units produced Cost per unit 4,000 * $30,800 ? 440 hours = $70 per direct labour or machine hour. 24 2a: Activity based costing ? Part A Specialist cost and management accounting techniques Using activity based costing and assuming that the number of production runs is the cost driver for setup costs, expediting and scheduling costs and materials handling costs and that machi ne hours are the cost driver for short-run variable costs, unit costs would be as follows. W $ 200 50 70 1,560 1,300 1,100 4,280 10 $428 X $ 800 150 210 1,560 1,300 1,100 5,120 10 $512 Y $ 2,000 500 700 3,900 3,250 2,750 13,100 100 $131 Z $ 8,000 1,500 2,100 3,900 3,250 2,750 21,500 100 $215 Total $Direct material Direct labour Short-run variable overheads (W1) Set-up costs (W2) Expediting, scheduling costs (W3) Materials handling costs (W4) Units produced Cost per unit Workings 1 2 3 4 $3,080 ? 440 machine hours = $10,920 ? 14 production runs = $9,100 ? 14 production runs = $7,700 ? 14 production runs = Conventional costing unit cost $ 95 305 95 305 44,000 $7 per machine hour $780 per run $650 per run $550 per run ABC unit cost $ 428 512 131 215 Difference per unit $ + 333 + 207 + 36 – 90 Difference in total $ +3,330 +2,070 +3,600 –9,000 Summary Product W X Y Z (a) (b) The figures suggest that the traditional volume-based absorption costing system is flawed.It underal locates overhead costs to low-volume products (here, W and X) and over-allocates overheads to higher-volume products (here Z in particular). It underallocates overhead costs to smaller-sized products (here W and Y with just one hour of work needed per unit) and over allocates overheads to larger products (here X and particularly Z). 2. 2 ABC versus traditional costing methods Both traditional absorption costing and ABC systems adopt the two stage allocation process. 2. 2. 1 Allocation of overheads ABC establishes separate cost pools for support activities such as despatching. As the costs of these activities are assigned directly to products through cost driver rates, reapportionment of service department costs is avoided. 2. 2. Absorption of overheads The principal difference between the two systems is the way in which overheads are absorbed into products. (a) (b) Absorption costing most commonly uses two absorption bases (labour hours and/or machine hours) to charge overheads to p roducts. ABC uses many cost drivers as absorption bases (eg number of orders or despatches). Absorption rates under ABC should therefore be more closely linked to the causes of overhead costs. Part A Specialist cost and management accounting techniques ? 2a: Activity based costing 25 2. 3 Cost drivers The principal idea of ABC is to focus attention on what causes costs to increase, ie the cost drivers. a) The costs that vary with production volume, such as power costs, should be traced to products using production volume-related cost drivers, such as direct labour hours or direct machine hours. Overheads which do not vary with output but with some other activity should be traced to products using transaction-based cost drivers, such as number of production runs and number of orders received. (b) Traditional costing