Blog Archive Diamonds in the Rough Public Nonprofit MBA at Boston University

Blog Archive Diamonds in the Rough Public Nonprofit MBA at Boston University MBA applicants can get carried away with rankings. In this series, we profile amazing programs at business schools that are typically ranked outside the top 15. Since 1975, the Boston University (BU) School of Management has offered a Public Nonprofit MBA (PNP), specifically designed to cultivate business management skills that can make a real difference in the world. Standing at 39th  in the 2012 Bloomberg Businessweek rankings, the BU School of Management exposes PNP students to a robust general management core curriculum in addition to specialized courses and resources targeting the governmental, public and private nonprofit sectors. Experiential field projects offer students hands-on consulting experience through such courses as “Marketing Social Change” and “Social Entrepreneurship.” The PNP program also maintains partnerships with high-profile nonprofit organizations, such as City Year and Education Pioneers, through which scholarship opportunities, enrollment deferral and application fee waivers are available to students interested in gaining work experience with these affiliations. Share ThisTweet Diamonds in the Rough

The Moka Exchange Research Assignment Paper - 825 Words

The Moka Exchange Research Assignment Paper (Case Study Sample) Content: Students Name:Professors Name:Course:Date:The Moka ExchangeMarcel Mausss three obligations of the gift entail giving gifts, receiving and reciprocating. In this particular case, a big man in the tribe of Kawelka arranges a feast to pay back a Moka  to a Peruwa, a man from a neighbouring tribe that had earlier on hosted such an event. With Moka meaning interest , Ongka arranges to repay more than what was given to him initially, which was 400 pigs. He intends to counter this by giving back 600 pigs, which indeed is in agreement with the obligation of reciprocity that whatever you give back must be of higher value. Ongka works hard to bring friends, relatives, and other his tribesmen together in smaller feasts to contribute pigs towards the big Moka to repay Peruwa. He does so to maintain the fame and status for him and his tribe and to outdo Peruwa. In the feasts, he collects enough gifts from the three feasts that he held. (Andrew, 32-46)Karl Polanyi argues, The economy is an instituted process  in non-western countries. It is a process where man interacts with his environment, to ensure means of material stuff continuously supplies his wants. This system is concerned with action within a market, where commodities are used as prices to quantify action and conditions of choice. When the economy is institutionalized, it brings about unity and stability, producing a structure in the society. Instituted economies are characterized by reciprocity, redistribution, and exchange. In the Moka exchange system, the environment is organized symmetrically to allow for successful reciprocative behaviour among the tribes. Kinship and neighbourhood positively contributed towards this reciprocating behaviour. The Kawelka people also demonstrated sharing and division of labour, which brings about a redistributive economy. Arranging for the big Moka meant that people had to share and contribute pigs and money towards its success, and in turn, the women ha d to take care of the pigs, demonstrating division of labour.Ongkas system of rule was by persuasion rather than physical coercion. He did not have real authority, leaving him no choice but to persuade his people to accept his ideas and plans. He encourages them to work hard for the success of him and his tribe. He makes speeches at the small makes to convince his people towards contributing for the big Moka.I have knocked you down because have given you so much,  declares Ongka at the end. He makes this statement to imply that according to their traditions, he had achieved for his tribe what any Big man  should. These include political and social gains. Among the social gains are fame, status, and prestige for both himself and his people, thus earning him favour among his people over the Australian rulers to come.Ongkas obligation to sponsor the Moka does indeed amount to fulfilling an agreement equivalent to a legal contract. This is so because customary practices associated with the Moka exchange are tied by rules governing Mausss obligations of gifts. Just like how legal contracts serve to preserve morality, the Moka gift giving is founded on morality. By giving, receiving and retuning gifts, moral bonds are created between the people involved in the thus exchange. Thus by agreeing to sponsor this, Ongka was obligated to honour the rules of the game  just like it is in a legal contract.Just like how the Kwakiutl chiefs organize their people and designate duties, Ongka was also responsible for organizing his people for a common cause. He made sure to encourage the men to work so as to raise more pigs while he delegated the duty of taking care of the pigs to the women once he acquired them. This is clearly shown by Rumbeka his favourite wife, who has to take care of more than ten pigs to serve as Ongkas contribution during the Moka. While the Kwakiutl chiefs acquire their positions and status from the primogeniture...

Essay about Analysis of A Tale of Two Cities by Charles...

â€Å"A Tale of Two Cities† by Charles Dickens is an artfully crafted tale that unabashedly tells the story of the injustice, the horror and the madness of the French Revolution. More than this, it is a story of one man’s redemption, one man who Dickens vividly portrays as being â€Å"a nobody†. This nobody had thrown away his life. â€Å"A Tale of Two Cities† is the tale of Sydney Carton and his full circle redemption. The first impression we get of Sydney Carton is not a pleasant one. â€Å"[Sydney Carton] sat leaning back, with his torn gown half off him, his untidy wig put on just as it happened to light on his head after removal, his hands in his pockets, and his eyes on the ceiling as they had been all day. Something especially reckless in his†¦show more content†¦What a change you have made in yourself. A good for talking to a man, that he shows you what you might have been!’ † (p. 64) It is at this point in the novel that Carton admits to himself that he is not satisfied with the path his life had taken. He want the ‘footsteps of change’ to enter his life. â€Å" ‘I take them into mine!’ said Carton. ‘I ask no questions and make no stipulations.’ † (p. 78) Carton is willing to accept anything that might come into his life. That is the first step on the path to redemption- realizing that you need change and then being read y to accept it. The second pivotal moment in the hatching process is when the little bird inside finally makes its first hole in the shell, allowing the surrounding world a little glimpse of what’s inside. â€Å"[Carton] was shown upstairs and found Lucie at her work alone†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢I fear you are not well Mr. Carton’ [said Lucie] ‘No, but the life I lead, Miss Manette, is not conductive to health’†¦.’It is too late for [change]. I shall sink lower and be worse.’ † (p. 115) From this conversation we again realize that Carton has truly given up on himself. However, by admitting to Lucie what he feels, he crosses the next bridge on the road to redemption. He is letting Lucie see into his heart. â€Å" ‘I am like someone who has died young.’ † (p. 115) â€Å" ‘If it had been possible Miss Manette, that you could have returned the love of the man you see before you--self-flung away, wasted, drunken, poor creature of mi suse as you knowShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Charles Dickens A Tale Of Two Cities986 Words   |  4 PagesWith revolution brewing in the air, various authors took writing as a way to express their opinions. One such author, Charles Dickens wrote A Tale of Two Cities as his way of expressing his interest and concerns. Charles Dickens, the second of eight children, was born on February 7, 1812, in Portsmouth, England. His father, John Dickens worked as a naval clerk, and dreamed of striking it rich. However, in 1823, his father found himself forced into Marshalsea Debtor’s Prison, where the rest of hisRead MoreHumanism1439 Words   |  6 Pageshumanity, A Tale of Two Cities by Dickens demonstrates his humanistic thinking perfectly. Main figures’ experiences and analysis of their characters is an important aspect to understand the theme this novel reveals. Key words: Dickens A Tale of Two Cities Humanism Humanity Humanism is an important subject in Charles Dickens’ works. Among his many famous works, A Tale of Two Cities is the most outstanding one which vividly expresses the author’s humanistic thinking. A Tale of Two Cities, basedRead MoreCharles Dickens : A Social Critic And English Writer Essay2210 Words   |  9 PagesCharles Dickens (1812-1870) was a social critic and English writer. Dickens generated some of globe’s most renowned fictional characters. He is viewed as the most remarkable writer of the Victorian period. Dickens’ works, during his life, enjoyed exceptional popularity. By 20th century, scholars and critics called him a literary genius. Dickens’ short stories and novels continue to be popular. Dickens was born in Portsmouth in England. He was forced to drop out of school following his father’s imprisonmentRead MoreSydney Carton : The Sacrifice Of His Past And Present Self3040 Words   |  13 PagesSydney Carton In Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens uses Sydney Carton to show that sacrifice is necessary to achieve happiness and this is shown through both the sacrifice of his past and present self throughout the novel. One of the two ways Sydney Carton sacrifices himself is by transforming himself into a man of worth and thereby sacrificing his former self and his worthless past. At the beginning of the book, Sydney constantly reminds those around him he cares for nothing along with the thoughtRead MoreChilds Story2238 Words   |  9 PagesAnalysis of Fictional Techniques Paper Team C’s Paper is an Analysis of Fictional Techniques on The Child’s Story by Charles Dickens, The Gift of the Magi, by O. Henry, and The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe. The team focused the following three techniques: 1) Nature of Narration; 2) Nature and level of description included in the story; and 3) Use of Setting. Several questions have been answered concerning the different effects produced by each of the authors’ use of these techniques. ContentRead MoreCritical Analysis on a Tale of Two Cities2729 Words   |  11 PagesCredit English 1/3/12 Mr. Burns A Literary Analysis of A Tale of Two Cities I. Introduction Charles Dickens’ twelfth novel, A Tale of Two Cities, was written to show all of the good and evil that was present during the French Revolution. He uses the two main cities, London and Paris, to represent this, and then ties in a love story with many different symbols of good and evil such as Darnay and Carton, Madame Defarge and Miss Pross. In his novel, Dickens also shows both sides of the revolution withRead MoreA Tale Of Two Cities By Charles Dickens1591 Words   |  7 PagesA Tale of Two Cities, the 1859 classic written by Charles Dickens, tells the story of two men who look similar, but have different characters, begins with the famous verbiage, â€Å"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we hadRead MoreFighting Society: Charles Dickens 1937 Words   |  8 Pagesimportantly, the ability to make better technology. Though at the time these advances seemed to improve many aspects of daily life, Charles Dickens only saw the negative effects that this new way of life imposed upon unsuspecting families. As a victim of the Industrial Revolution, which left many of the working class, including his own family, in a horrible state of living, Dickens grew up in a wretched environment brought on by an advancing society. His early life led to his ambitions of escaping the povertyRead MoreUnderstanding the Plot of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens2205 Words à ‚  |  9 Pagesimportantly, we are first introduced to the main conflict of the story. Rising action is when the story begins to develop the conflicts, which in turn usually leads to the building of suspense or interest. The exposition and rising action are the two elements that build up the beginning of the story. The middle of the story is entirely devoted to climax. Climax is the turning point of the story, where the main characters usually come to face with a conflict which makes them in some way â€Å"change†Read MoreThe Castelia City Times Analysis1189 Words   |  5 PagesHello everyone, Today marks the beginning of a new series of articles I wish to work on, the Castelia City Times. Name is still pending but as of now, thats what Im sticking with. In essence, thisll be a (hopefully) weekly article dedicated to non-Pokemon stuff, be it movies, other games, music, or anything else I feel like sharing with the rest of the League. I was originally planning on starting this series strong with Spider-Man Homecoming and Transformers: The Last Knight reviews, but my laptop

Swot Analysis A Swot - 852 Words

Strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, commonly known as a SWOT analysis is used by businesses. Organizations use the SWOT analysis technique to figure out and understand their areas of strong suits (strengths), their inevitable flaws (weaknesses), prospects that the organization could look into (opportunities) and things that pose as intimidations to the organization (threats). There are many obstacles to overcome when it comes to international expansion. Obstacles such as; language and cultural barriers, tax compliance issues, local competition and political atmospheres. These things must be discussed and evaluated, a SWOT analysis is a good way to do so. Many organizations perform a SWOT on their competitors to use as a comparison tool as told by Hill (2014). We as an organization have performed SWOTs on our competitors and the following slides will reflect the information that was assembled from the data we collected. The information obtained will be of great benefit , in our pursuit of international expansion. Strengths The Ecommerce platform is a way for us to market our product at minimal cost and to provide our customers great pricing structures because of there are no overhead expenses, it is our greatest strength. We provide our online customers with the option to chat with customer service professionals when shopping on our website. We have chosen to utilize the customer service-centric approach on our ecommerce website. We will focus onShow MoreRelatedSwot Analysis Of Swot And Swot Analysis738 Words   |  3 Pagesknown as SWOT analysis. The SWOT analysis is business analysis method that business can use for each of its department when deciding on the most perfect way to increase their business and future growth. This procedure identifies the internal and external strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that are in the markets. SWOT analysis helps you decide your position against your competitors, identifies best future opportunities, and highlight current and future threats. SWOT analysis is an acronymRead MoreSwot Analysis Of Swot Analysis : Swot1223 Words   |  5 PagesOnStar – SWOT Analysis To help OnStar determine if home monitoring services should be added to its list of products and services, a SWOT analysis should be completed. A SWOT analysis is a situation analysis or tool used to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of an organization (SWOT Analysis Definition | Investopedia, 2005). Thus, it is a basic straightforward model that determines what an organization, like OnStar, can and cannot do, as well as determines its opportunitiesRead MoreSwot Analysis : Swot And Swot2320 Words   |  10 PagesSWOT analysis focuses on the internal factors which are the company’s strengths and weaknesses as well as the external factors which are the opportunities and threats which are gained from situational analysis, which focuses on summarizing all the pertinent information acquired about the key three environments of internal, customer, and external (Ferrell Hartline, 2014, p. 39). A SWOT analysis further gives a company precise advantages and disadvantages in satisfying the needs of its selectedRead MoreSwot Analysis Of Swot Analysis : Swot911 Words   |  4 Pages SWOT Analysis In the article â€Å"SWOT analysis† Harmon (2015) offered a definition for SWOT analysis, the purpose of the SWOT analysis, the advantages of performing a SWOT analysis, and outlined and discussed the four components of the SWOT analysis. SWOT analysis is a planning and brainstorming tool that helps people evaluate an idea or project for a business or formulate a business plan (Harmon, 2015). It should be noted that SWOT analysis is an acronym for Strengths, Weaknesses, OpportunitiesRead MoreSwot Analysis : Swot And Swot1081 Words   |  5 PagesSWOT Analysis: A SWOT analysis (SWOT matrix) first used by Stanford Research Institute during 1960-1970 and it was presented by Mr. Albert S. Humphrey a American business and management consultant by using data from fortune 500 companies. We can succeed in our life if we use our talents to our full extent. Similarly, we‘ll have some problems if we know our weakness are, and if we manage these weaknesses so that we don’t matter in the work we do. To understand more about our self and our externalRead MoreSwot Analysis : A Swot1371 Words   |  6 Pages SWOT analysis is valuable in understanding and revising the position of the company before decisions are made about company direction or the application of a new business idea. PEST is a tool to assess external factors. It is useful to complete a PEST analysis before a SWOT, although it may be more useful to complete a PEST analysis during, or after, a SWOT. SWOT and PEST are vital in determining the success of a business. SWOT analysis is a form of situational analysis in which internal strengthsRead MoreSwot Analysis : Swot And Swot1957 Words   |  8 PagesSWOT analysis focuses on the internal factors which are the company’s strengths and weaknesses as well as the external factors which are the opportunities and threats which are gained from situational analysis which focuses on summarizing all the pertinent information acquired about the key three environments of internal, customer, and external (Ferrell Hartline, 2014, p. 39). A SWOT analysis further gives a company precise advantages and disadvantages in satisfying the needs of its selected marketsRead MoreSwot Analysis : A Swot1708 Words   |  7 Pages A SWOT analysis is â€Å"a structured planning method used to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats involved in a project or in a business venture.†(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWOT analysis, 03/11/14). A swot analysis can also be used to examine a person’s attributes. The strengths and weaknesses usually are internal factors whereas threats and opportunities are mainly external. Advantage Disadvantage Internal Strengths 1. Self-motivated 2. I am organised; accurate and pay attentionRead MoreSwot Analysis : The Swot1888 Words   |  8 PagesThe SWOT analysis, a strategic planning tool was developed by Albert Humphrey in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Albert is said to have come up with this strategic planning tool through the use of data the Fortune 500 companies in the United States of America at that time (Lancaster Massingham, 2011). A SWOT analysis determines the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, which are a relevant part of any organization especially the ones that get involved in new ventures. This tool assists the usersRead MoreSwot Analysis : A Swot3101 Words   |  13 Pagesa) Carry out a SWOT analysis to reflect your own current skills and competencies A SWOT analysis is â€Å"a structured planning method used to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats involved in a project or in a business venture.†(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWOT analysis, 03/11/14). A swot analysis can also be used to examine a person’s attributes. The strengths and weaknesses usually are internal factors whereas threats and opportunities are mainly external. Advantage Disadvantage

Causes Of The Opium Wars - 1048 Words

The Opium Wars were a series of conflicts that eventually led to China’s decline through the trade and abuse of the drug opium. The first of the Opium Wars (1839-42) was fought between China and Britain, and the second war (1856-1860) involved France as well. In both wars, the foreign powers triumphed over China, causing havoc, causing the fall of the Qing dynasty. Prior to the Opium Wars, China was full of rich culture, remarkable goods, and useful inventions. They had invented gunpowder, kites, and porcelain, all of which were in demand. The Qing dynasty had believed that they were superior to other countries, and refused to let any foreigners access any Chinese territory. There was only one area where trade was permitted, and it was†¦show more content†¦The amount of people using the drug soon increased as well due to the large amount of opium that soon became available throughout the country. The addictive nature also began to cause people to want, or even need, more and more of the drug, ensuring that it would be a continuous market for Britain. The amount of addicts skyrocketed to 12 million at one point, which soon led to a ban on the drug by Lin Zexu, commissioner of China. Zexu arrested dealers, seized crates of the drug, and then dumped 2.6 million pounds of it into the ocean. This was another cause for the opium war, as his actions angered British traders who were not able to get compensation from the British government. Overall, China’s strict trading techniques, in addition to the way they responded to the problem was one of the main causes of the opium wars. Another main cause for the opium wars was China’s unfair trade superiority. Prior to the opium wars, China was the leading trade nation for the world, with its long distance trade reaching many different area of the world, such as Southern Asia, the Middle East, and even Europe. China had the most commercial ships out of anybody in the world up to the 19th centur y, which helped expand its already large economy. China’s goods were in high demand, as they had paper, firearms, tool, silk, tea, porcelain, and much more, making them the world’s superpower for trade. By only accepting silver for these items, China began to haveShow MoreRelatedAnti Opium Movement, Opium War And Their Causes2510 Words   |  11 PagesJoel Palhegyi Final Paper Anti-Opium Movement, Opium War and Their Causes The main theme of 19th century was the imperialism expansion of western capitalistic industrial nations throughout the whole world. During this process, the conflicts between occidental imperialism powers and oriental countries never stopped. The First Opium War, well known as the Opium War, was the war that happened during September, 1839 to Autumn, 1842, between China and Britain. The war was initiated by the conflictsRead MoreIb Internal Assessment - the Causes of the Opium War2359 Words   |  10 PagesA: Plan of Investigation What are the causes of the Opium War which occurred in 1839-1842? When the Chinese decided to ban the opium trade, wars broke out due to conflicts between China and Britain. The aim of this investigation is to analyze the causes of the first Opium War, as it will cover the circumstances of China through that period, and the condition of China with Britain during the war. The analysis will specify what triggered the Opium War and briefly on the impact behind this importantRead MoreEssay On Favorable Trade764 Words   |  4 Pages China and Britain go head to head in all out battle for the use of drugs, and a favorable balance of trade. This certain drug is called Opium. Opium has a very addictive ingredient in it that China was very observant about at their time. China was so observant that their emperor decided to expose the Western Countries, and China decided to ban all use of Opium in their country. Although a problem arose, Britain needed a favorable amount of trade, and China at the time had most of Britains silverRead MoreDBQ: Opium in Chin a Essay examples1745 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿ DBQ: Opium in China While most of the Western Hemisphere was undergoing drastic advancements, such as former colonies gaining their independence and transforming into more modernized nations, a lot of mishaps were occurring in the Eastern Hemisphere—China, specifically—a nation that was notorious for its isolation from foreign influences. European nations began to greedily eye China’s abundance of desirable resources, such as tea, porcelain, and silk. However, China had very little need orRead MoreTrade Imbalance Between China And China1365 Words   |  6 Pagesthe trade imbalance between the two nations, Britain started to smuggle opium into China. The reason behind this was because the Chinese had no need for Britain s goods but they did want silver, so the British demanded silver in exchange for opium. With all of the opium flooding into Britain s economy, they then had enough money to purchase fine Chinese goods. Opium proved to be dreadful to China s population and the Opium w ars arose from all of the disputes. The market for Western goods in ChinaRead MoreProhibition and the War on Drugs904 Words   |  4 Pagescertain parts of life are frequently argued upon. Wars are in a state of flux, but a constant in Americas policies is the Drug War. The government attempts to prevent the consumption of illicit and harmful substances, even shown in modern domestic policies. Yet with much effort, positive results was not usually yielded. Apart from the outcomes, prohibition has made a large impact on daily life. In the United States, prohibition of alcohol and opium was a visible and controversial debate. The prohibitionRead MoreOpium Wars: The Trade Disputes over Opium between China and Britain 1804 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction â€Å"Opium entered China on the back of a camel, and ended up breaking the back of an entire nation† -Unknown This paper studies the trade disputes over opium between China and Britain and the two wars that resulted from these disputes in the 19th century. The focus of this paper will primarily be British actions in the years leading up to the Wars, the Wars themselves, and the aftermath of the Wars. The first war was fought between 1839 and 1842, while the second was fought fromRead MoreThe Domestic Price Of Silver956 Words   |  4 Pagesby the Manchus, they lost in the Opium Wars. As the wars led China into financial crisis, corruption led to various forms of protests and reform movements and eventually to the rise of the nationalism, which put an end to the last dynasty. One of the causes of the corruption was the opium trade. There were two most important official concerns about the trade. According to Harry, â€Å"one was the damage done to the health and capacity for work of the people using opium, especially the addicts. The otherRead MoreHistory Is Not A Series Of Events1134 Words   |  5 Pagesrather the description of mankind and its relation to itself. It as a meta-psychology for all of humanity. In that viewpoint, questions of humanity’s past self, today’s self, the future’s self, and their relationship arise. Such as this one: How is the opium trade of the 1800s similar to modern day American-Chinese trade? So far, the answer is that the two trades created demonstrable conditions for the Chinese and were motivated by westerners’ desire for cheap goods. This is an important question toRead MoreCorruption in the Qing Government and the Taiping Rebellion Essay945 Words   |  4 Pagesin the Qing bureaucracy, the incompetent leadership, the closed mentality of the Qing Government, shortage of land and impact of an alien Manchu regime highlighted the Qing Government as the main cause of the rebellion. The essay would also include the other causes of the rebellion, such as the opium war and natural disasters. Firstly, there was obvious corruption in the bureaucracy. When the lowly-paid officials were taxed, the consequence was that the officials taxed the peasants even more in

Financing the Short Term Obligations of The Business Coursework

Essays on Financing the Short Term Obligations of The Business Coursework Financing The Short Term Obligations Of A Business† and Task Sources of Short Term Finance There are many different types of sources of short term finance that can be used by a company to finance its operations. However, the most common sources include: (i) business overdrafts, (ii) trade credit, (iii) bank loans, and (iv) lease. Each of these is discussed in detail below. I. Business Overdraft Almost all companies have the accounts with more than one bank. An overdraft facility is when the bank agrees that company withdraws money from the bank in excess of its balance with the bank. Of course, such a facility needs to be agreed with the bank well in advance, so that the bank honors its commitment by allowing an overdraft facility to the company at a time when the company’s own funds end. A major difference between a loan and an overdraft is that in loans, interest is to be paid on the entire amount, whereas in the case of an overdraft interest is only paid on the amount of overdraft facility used (and not on the entire amount of overdraft facility). II. Trade Credit Trade credit is often a facility extended by suppliers to their customers to make payment at a later then at the actual time of making the purchase. The payment can be made by the company anytime within the time decided at the time of making the purchase. Trade credit facilities are usually lent out by suppliers without charging any interest on the amount of purchase as such. The payment period varies from company to company, but most businesses are required to pay up within a month of making the purchase. III. Bank Loans Bank loans are one of the most common ways of financing the short term obligations of a company. Money can be lent from banks on flexible terms in terms of the repayment period, amount of the loan and that interest that would be charged on the principal amount (Webster and Healey, 1998). Bank loans are a very good way to finance the operations of a company but the downside is high interest payments, which need to be paid even if the business itself doesn’t do well enough (Organization For Economic Cooperation And Development, 1996). IV. Lease Leasing is one of the most common ways of financing the operations of a company. Even though leasing doesn’t allow one to own a particular thing, it effectively gives the owner of the lease a right to use the good leased. In case of a lease pre-decided payments need to be made at every payment interval and they give the lessee the right to use the goods as they want to. Leasing is a good source of short term financing as it gives the right to use the goods leased just by making small term payments rather than buying the good outright. Moreover, leases are flexible and can be set up to suit a company’s own requirements. Task 2 The two companies that are being used for the purpose of this question are British Petroleum and Shell. a) Shell has been financing its short term obligations with the help of liquid cash. Moreover, the company has access to various international capital markets from where it can raise debts to service its obligations. It has access to these debt capital markets through the help of two commercial paper or CP programs, namely the EMTN program (Euro Medium Term Note Program) and the US universal shelf registration. Moreover, Shell also has access to a committed credit facility, which it often used to service its short term obligations. British Petroleum, on the other hand, uses cash to service its short term obligations. Other than that, it has lending and overdraft facilities set up with commercial banks, which it uses at times for the same purpose (Nichols, 1908). Moreover, to manage its exposure to risk on its short term liabilities, British Petroleum also engages in the trading of derivatives. b) Liquidity And Efficiency Ratios Shell British Petroleum Liquidity Ratios Current Ratio = Current Assets / Current Liabilities 112,894 / 100,552 = 1.12 89,725 / 82,832 = 1.08 Quick Ratio = (Current Assets – Stock) / Current Liabilities (112,894 – 29,348) / 100,552 = 0.83 (89,725 – 26,218) / 82,832 = 0.77 Efficiciency Ratios Debtor Days = (Debtors / Sales) * 365 70,102 * 365 / 368,056 = 69.52 days 36,549 * 365 / 297,107 = 44.9 days Creditor Days = (Creditors / Purchases) * 365 76,550 * 365 / 283,176 = 98.67 days 46,329 * 365 / 216,211 = 78.21 days Stock Turnover Days = Cost Of Goods Sold / Average Stock (27,410 + 283,176 – 29,348) / ((27,410 + 29,348) / 2) = 9.91 times (22,605 + 216,211 – 26,218) / ((22605 + 26,218) / 2) = 8.71 times c) Liquidity Ratios The liquidity position of Shell seems to be slightly better off than of its competitor, British Petroleum. Shell has a current ratio of 1.12, meaning it 1.12 units of assets to serve every 1 unit of its liability. On the other hand, the same figure for British Petroleum stands at 1.08, which isn’t that bad as per industry standards, yet is a little lower than its competitor Shell (Nichols, 1908). Quick ratio is the same as current ratio besides the fact that it doesn’t take stock into consideration as a current asset. The rationale behind this is that stock often takes a lot of time to be sold, thereby it isn’t that liquid. Shell has a better quick ratio than British Petroleum. However, since the figure for both the companies is below 1, it means that the company is not in a current state to finance all its short term liabilities with the help of its current assets since a lot of money is tied up in inventory (Nichols, 1908). d) Efficiency Ratios Looking at the efficiency ratios makes it very clear the Shell is more efficient in managing its working capital as compared to Shell. British Petroleum makes recovery from its debtors in about 45 days as compared to Shell, which takes almost 70 days to do the same. This much a considerable amount of money is stuck with debtors all the time until the payment is actually received (Webster and Healey, 1998). Credit days for Shell and British Petroleum stand at 99 and 78 days respectively. It can be observed here that Shell better negotiates with it suppliers, as it is able to get a longer deadline to make payment to its suppliers. This mean that in the meanwhile until payment is made to the suppliers (Keir, 1988), Shell can use this money to finance other business related issues. Finally, the stock turnover days for Shell and British Petroleum are 9.9 and 8.7 respectively. Shell has higher stock turnover days which mean it is better at managing its stock. Shell generates a higher level of sales from its ordered stock then British Petroleum does, thereby saving on holding and ordering costs of stocks and maximizing profitability. Appendix Shell’s Statement of Comprehensive Income Shell’s Statement of Financial Position British Petroleum’s Statement of Comprehensive Income British Petroleum’s Statement of Financial Position References Top of Form ETZKOWITZ, H., WEBSTER, A., HEALEY, P. (1998).  Capitalizing knowledge new intersections of industry and academia. Albany, NY, State University of New York Press. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truescope=sitedb=nlebkdb=nlabkAN=5578 Top of Form FILMS FOR THE HUMANITIES SCIENCES (FIRM), FILMS MEDIA GROUP, AGENCY FOR INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY. (2008).  Ratios. New York, N.Y., Films Media Group. http://digital.films.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=8751xtid=8741. Bottom of Form Top of Form HAPPERSETT, S. (1997).  Ratios. S.l, S. Happersett. Top of Form DUN BRADSTREET CREDIT SERVICES, DUN BRADSTREET CORPORATION. (1989).  Industry norms and key business ratios, one year. [Murray Hill, N.J.], Dun Bradstreet Credit Services. Top of Form KEIR, M. (1988).  The oil industry. London, B.T. Batsford. Bottom of Form Top of Form NICHOLS, A. G. (1908).  The Oil industry. Bottom of Form Top of Form ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT. (1996).  Industry productivity: international comparison and measurement issues. Paris, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form .

Character Analysis of Brother Jack and Brother Tod in...

Ralph Ellison’s â€Å"The Invisible Man†, is a novel that reveals the characters psychological growth. Also, in this novel the story revolves around the narrator as an individual. In this novel the narrator relates the whole story in a first person point of view in which his name is never revealed. The narrator remains a voice throughout the entire novel, never establishing a concrete presence in the story. This is why he is looked at as an â€Å"invisible man.† In the novel, he is an African American who is extremely vulnerable to the pressure that society put upon him. The narrator in the story is a dynamic character who does not realize what is really going on around him. He also constantly ignores the truth about everything that is going†¦show more content†¦Although in time, his intelligence allows him to rebel against this conflict. Ellison uses Brother Jack, the leader of the Brotherhood, to reveal realistic situations in the life of an African American and the victims that come about with an African American’s lifestyle during the time this novel was actually published. At the beginning of the story, Jack seems to be a very caring, generous, and honorable person. He gives away his job, along with money and many other things in order to help his fellow African American people. But, as the story evolves it becomes known that the narrator and most of the other African Americans are all unseen or â€Å"invisible† to Brother Jack. Jack uses the narrator as a tool in order to advance some of the Brotherhood’s goals. The Brotherhood soon figures out that Jack has the same outlook on the African American race as the majority of the Caucasian American society. Ellison uses Brother Jack to symbolize how poorly African Americans were treated during the 1930s and 40s. Brother Jack has the char acteristics if a flat character. Arguable one of the most memorable characters in this novel is Ras the Exhorter. He is a man that seems to have a powerful impact in this story. Ellison uses this character to show his concerns of what he believes will come in the future for the African American race. Ras is a man that believes heavily in fighting against the white men who try to control the