Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Does the Media Influence Young Womens Body Image in Ireland

Does the media influence young women’s body image in Ireland? The department of Health estimates that 200,000 people are affected by eating disorders every year in Ireland of which 80 people die as a result (www.dofc.ie). In a study on Irish girls 27.2% were found to exhibit clinical levels of bulimia, with 71.4% of Irish adolescents feel adversely affected by media portrayal of body weight and shape (www.onlinelibrary.wiley.com). Self-image was the number one factor that affects the mental health of Irish teens (www.dcya.gov.ie). In Ireland very often teenagers and young women compare themselves to the models they see in magazines and other forms of media such as television shows and billboards, in regards to their physical†¦show more content†¦http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/erv.916/abstract 2. Accessed on: 24/02/13 Title: Mental health what helps and what hurts. http://www.dcya.gov.ie/documents/publications/MentalHealthWhatHelpsAndWhatHurts.pdf 3. Hannah Jones, et al. INTERNALIZATION OF THE THIN IDEAL, WEIGHT AND BODY IMAGE CONCERNS. Social Behavior amp; Personality: An International Journal 31.1 (2003): 81. 4. Wang, Youfa; Beydoun, May A (2007). The obesity epidemic in the United States—gender, age, socioeconomic, racial/ethnic, and geographic characteristics: a systematic review and meta-regression analysis. Epidemiologic Reviews 29: 6–28. doi:10.1093/epirev/mxm007. PMID 17510091 5. Martin, Mary C. and Gentry, James W. Stuck in the Model Trap: The Effects of Beautiful Models in Ads on Female Pre-Adolescents and Adolescents Journal of Advertising, 1997, p. 19. 6. Hockenbury, Don and Hockenbury, Sandra (2008). Psychology, p. 593. Worth Publishers, New York. 7. Accessed on: 25/02/13 Title: Body image, media and eating disorders. http://ap.psychiatryonline.org/article.aspx?articleid=50181 8. Accessed on: 25/02/13 Title: RCPsych Eating Disorders Section: Statement on the influence of the media on eating disorders. http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/pdf/RCPsych%20Eating%20Disorders%20Section%20-%20Statement%20on%20the%20influence%20of%20the%20media%20on%20eating%20disorders.pdf 9.Show MoreRelatedBody Shop in China4288 Words   |  18 PagesThe Body Shop in China: Market Feasibility Research and Strategy Design DU Yuping 1,2, Mai Jinger2 School of Economics and Management, Wuhan University 2 School of International Trade and Economics Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangzhou, P. R. China, 510420 1 Abstract: The well-known British brand, the Body Shop, is a strong advocate of environment and human rights. 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Sunday, December 15, 2019

Issues with Revenue Recognition Within the Software Industry Free Essays

Issues With Revenue Recognition within the Software Industry The Isoft Example Financial Controller-SoftWarehouse Ltd This report has been prepared for the Board of Directors of SoftWarehouse Ltd for elucidation about the contentious issues that have given rise to the publication of the article concerning Isoft’s issues with revenue recognition. Finally, it will also assess whether or not these issues are likely to affect SoftWarehouse Ltd. TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary:3 Introduction:5 Part 1- Examining the Isoft Ltd example:5 PART 2 – The issues faced by software companies in relation to revenue recognition:6 Part 3- Issues raised that may impact SoftWarehouse Ltd:7 Part 4 – Future changes in revenue recognition standard:8 Conclusion:9 Reference List:10 Executive Summary: This report has been prepared for the Board of Directors of SoftWarehouse Ltd for elucidation about the contentious issues that have given rise to the publication of the article concerning Isoft’s issues with revenue recognition. We will write a custom essay sample on Issues with Revenue Recognition Within the Software Industry or any similar topic only for you Order Now Finally, it will also assess whether or not these issues are likely to affect SoftWarehouse Ltd. In January 2006, Isoft, a Manchester based supplier of software applications for the healthcare sector, announced that its profit would be below market expectations due to a required change in its accounting policy for revenue recognition. Isoft was forced to reverse revenue of approximately ? 70m in 2005 and ? 55m in 2004 – when Deloitte found that Isoft was recognizing revenue sooner than it should have been. The underlying principle of Isoft’s historic revenue recognition policy had been that the value of the product licenses was recognised at the time of delivery, while the value of support and servicers was recognised as they were performed. Moreover, the value of licences was identifiable and separable form the implementation and support services provided. This is not aligned with what the AASB Revenue states. Consequently, Isoft engaged in controversial accounting practices. The company recognised revenue at the start of long-term contracts instead of recognising revenue over the life of the contract. Isoft was recognising revenues from contracts even though actual payments for some projects were due over an extended period (for example: one project it recognized revenue even though actual payments were to be paid over a two-year period). The accounting practice of recognising revenue in this method lead to an overstatement of its income, and therefore had the effect of misleading the stock market and Isoft’s overall credibility. After realigning its revenues to the current period (in 2006) to reflect a fair value of its performance, 40% was taken off its share values and the company was forced to lay off 10% of its staff. Isoft adopted a new revenue recognition policy, which more appropriately reflects the changing nature of the business as the group is involved with more complex and long-term product supply projects. In the new policy, licence revenues will be recognised over the same period as the implementation of revenues, which may range from a few months to a number of years from contract signature. This will increase visibility and predictability of earnings. At SoftWarehouse Ltd, our contracts with our customers involve the sale of customised software as well as its implementation and maintenance services. We recognise revenue in accordance to AASB 118. The revenue therefore, is recognised over the length of the contract. Due to the fact that our selling prices include an identifiable amount for the subsequent services, that amount is deferred and recognised as revenue over the period during which the service is performed. We recognise revenue by reference to the stage of completion of the transaction at the end of the reporting period. Therefore, I am confident that we will not encounter similar issues, which were faced by Isoft. However, due to the lack of guidance from the IFRS and GAAP standards on revenue recognition, it is foreseeable that interpretations could become misguided or unaligned with these standards in the future. The issues raised by Isoft elucidate the importance of recording an accurate picture of its earnings. The joint project of the FASB and the IASB is trying to converge the two sets of standards and offer a single revenue recognition model that can be applied consistently to various transactions – which would address these issues of lack of guidance. Introduction: In January 2006, Isoft Ltd, a Manchester based supplier of software applications for the healthcare sector, announced that its profit would be below market expectations due to a change in its accounting policy for revenue recognition, when it announced its results for the year ended April 2006. This situation is not unusual within the software industry and reflects the issues that software companies face when it comes to accounting for revenues. As the financial controller of SoftWarehouse Ltd, my goal is to clarify and explain the main issues faced by Isoft Ltd; the consequences of those issues on the business and finally; to determine if those practices could also impact the financial reporting within SoftWarehouse Ltd. Part 1- Examining the Isoft Ltd example: The underlying principle of Isoft Ltd’s historic revenue recognition policy had been that the value of product licences was recognised at the time of delivery, while the value of support and services was recognised as they were performed (Isoft 2006). Moreover, under this policy, the value of licences was identifiable and separable from the implementation and support services provided (Isoft 2006). AASB 118- Revenue (AASB 2010), gives some guidance on how to recognise revenue: â€Å"When the selling price of a product includes an identifiable amount for subsequent servicing, that amount is deferred and recognised as revenue over the period, which the service is performed. AASB (2010) illustrates that statement by giving an example which can be applied to Isoft Ltd’s situation: â€Å"When the selling price of a product includes an identifiable amount for subsequent services (for example, after sales support and product enhancement on the sale of software), that amount is deferred and recognised as revenue over the period during which the service is performed. The amount deferred is that which will cover the expected costs of the services under the agreement, together with a reasonable profit on those services. † Ther efore, it seems that Isoft Ltd’s traditional policy is acceptable under AASB 118- Revenue. Isoft Ltd had to change its revenue recognition after Deloitte had found that some revenues had been recognised earlier than they should have been (Stafford 2006), which lead to an overstatement of its income and therefore had the effect of misleading the stock market (Griffiths and Bowers 2006), and thus affect Isoft’s credibility. When the company was obliged to realign its revenues to the current period in 2006 to reflect a fair value of its performance, its revenues got wiped out and it knocked 40% off its share values. The company also announced that at 10% of its staff would be laid off (Meyer 2006). Under Isoft Ltd’s new revenue recognition policy, licence revenues will be recognised over the same period as implementation revenues, which may range from a few months to a number of years from contract signature, and over the full duration of the contract in the case of managed services (Isoft Ltd 2006). The group stated that a change of accounting policy for revenue recognition is needed to more appropriately reflect the changing nature of the business as the group is involved with more complex and long-term product supply projects (Isoft Ltd 2006). Isoft Ltd also mentioned that its new revenue recognition policy would increase visibility and predictability of earnings (RNS 2006). PART 2 – The issues faced by software companies in relation to revenue recognition: Isoft Ltd was accused of being engaged in controversial accounting practices. The main issue with Isoft Ltd’s accounting practices is that it was recognising revenue sooner than it should have been. The company recognised revenue at the start of long-term contracts instead of recognising revenue over the life of the contract (Moulds 2006). Indeed, during the year 2004-2005, Isoft Ltd accounted in full for the revenue raised as part of long-term contracts at the time of receiving part prepayments. Analysts had found that Isoft Ltd, the main software supplier for the NHS’s ? 6. 2bn IT project, was recognising revenues from contracts even though actual payments for projects were only due over two years time (Neveling 2006). For the year ending April 2004, Isoft Ltd recognised ? 30m of payments from Accenture and CSC who were implementing the NHS’s technology overhaul (UK Parliament 2007). One of the main issues in accounting is about revenue recognition, especially in our IT industry. As KPMG (2009) stated, IFRS does not provide any specific guidance on revenue recognition for software related transactions. The IFRS standard and the Australian GAAP standard on revenue recognition lack guidance when a transaction involves both a good and services related to that good (IASB 2008) – which is often the case for software companies. The difficulty for software companies resides in the fact that due to this vagueness, it is hard to distinguish the revenue from the software and the revenue from the services offered. As Stafford (2006) mentioned, Isoft Ltd is not the first software company to have had issues with revenue recognition. Part 3- Issues raised that may impact SoftWarehouse Ltd: At Softwarehouse Ltd, we are providing customised software to our customers in the mining industry. Our contracts with our customers involve the sale of customised software as well as its implementation and maintenance services. We recognise revenue according to AASB 118, which we previously mentioned in detail in part 1. AASB (2010) adds an interesting point for guidance: â€Å"fees from the development of customised software are recognised as revenue by reference to the stage of completion of the development, including completion of services provided for post delivery service support. † The revenue is therefore, recognised over the length of the contract. Due to the fact that our selling prices include an identifiable amount for the subsequent services we deliver, that amount is deferred and recognised as revenue over the period during which the service is performed. We recognise revenue by reference to the stage of completion of the transaction at the end of the reporting period. We are confident that we will not encounter a similar situation than the one Isoft Ltd went through. However, I have to admit that the AASB is not giving clear guidance regarding revenue recognition, which leaves us with our own interpretation. Due to this lack of guidance, it could be foreseeable that our interpretation could become misguided or unaligned with the AASB. We should always be aware that even though our policy is acceptable under the Australian GAAP, it doesn’t mean that we are protected from making mistakes. Indeed, Isoft Ltd’s traditional policy was acceptable under the Australian GAAP. However, as their contracts changed, Isoft Ltd did not update its policy, which led to misalignment. At Softwarehouse Ltd, we have to bear in mind that if the type of contracts or transactions that we offer change, then we will have to update our policy to accurately reflect our financial position. Ultimately, we must ensure that we do not recognise revenue too early and overstate our income. Part 4 – Future changes in revenue recognition standard: We are still keeping a close eye on the project regarding the new revenue recognition model: the Contract- based revenue recognition model. This is a joint project of the FASB and the IASB whose goal is to converge the two sets of standards (Henry Holzmann 2009) and to offer single revenue recognition model that can be applied consistently to various transactions (IASB 2008). If adopted the proposed standard will replace existing standards AASB 118- Revenue. The core principle of this model is that an entity would recognise revenue from contracts with customers when it transfers promised goods or services to the customer. The amount of revenue recognised would be the amount of consideration promised by the customer in exchange for the transferred goods or services (RSM Bird Cameron 2011). Under this new revenue recognition model, it is stated that the â€Å"entity should recognise revenue when its net position in a contract with a customer increases as a result of satisfying a performance obligation. An entity satisfies a performance obligation when it transfers goods and services to a customer. † (IFRS 2008). The last exposure draft (IFRS 2011) indicates â€Å"if a romised good or service is not distinct, an entity would combine that good or service with other promised goods or services until the entity identifies a bundle of goods or services that is distinct. Therefore, the entity would account for the bundle as a single performance obligation†. The revenue for that performance obligation would then be recognised over time by selecting an appropriate measure of progress towards comple te satisfaction of the performance obligation (IFRS 2011). Conclusion: One of the main issues in accounting concerns revenue recognition, especially within the software/IT industry. The IFRS and the Australian GAAP standards on revenue recognition lack guidance when it comes to multiple element transactions. Due to this lack of guidance, it is foreseeable that interpretations could become misguided or unaligned with the IFRS or Australian GAAP standards. The issues raised by Isoft Ltd, elucidate the importance of recording an accurate picture of its earnings. Indeed, Isoft had to change its revenue recognition after it was exposed that some revenues had been recognised earlier than they should have been, which lead to an overstatement of its income and therefore had the effect of misleading the stock market. The joint project of the FASB and the IASB is trying to address these issues of lack of guidance. Reference List: Australian Accounting Standards Board 2010, AASB 118 Revenue. Available from: www. aasb. gov. au. [20 March 2012]. Griffiths, I Bowers, S 2006, ‘Revealed: Isoft’s U-turn on accounts problems’, The Guardian 2 November. Available from: www. guardian. co. uk. [8 April 2012]. Henry, E Holzmann, OJ 2009, ‘Contract-Based Revenue Recognition’, The Journal of Corporate Accounting Finance, pp. 77-81. Available from: Proquest [28 March 2011]. House of Commons, Committee of Public Accounts 2007, Department of Health: the national programme for IT in the NHS, The Stationary Office, London. International Accounting Standards Board 2008, Discussion Paper Preliminary views on revenue recognition in contracts with customers. Available from: www. ifrs. org. [20 March 2012]. IFRS 2011, Exposure draft revenue from contracts with customers. Available from: www. ifrs. org. [5 April 2012]. KPMG 2009, Impact of IFRS on the Information Technology and Business Process Outsourcing Industries. Available from: https://www. in. kpmg. com/securedata/ifrs_Institute/Files/IFRS_IT. df. [ 10 April 2012]. Meyer, D 2006, ‘NHS IT timescale questioned as Isoft CEO resigns’, Zdnet 15 June. Available from: www. zdnet. co. uk. [7 April 2012]. Moulds, J 2006, ‘Isoft directors and ex- auditors face questioning in new inquiry’, The Telegraph 26 October 2006. Available from: www. telegraph. co. uk. [5 April 2012]. Neveling, N 200 6, ‘What’s going on at Isoft’, Financial Director 31 August 2006. Available from: www. financialdirector. co. uk. [7 April 2012]. RNS 2006, Isoft Change in Accounting Policy. Available from: http://production. investis. com/isoft/rnsfilter/rnsitem? d=1149746579nRNSH2501E. [5 April 2012]. RSM Bird Cameron Chartered Accountants, 2011, Revenue Recognition- New and Revised Proposal, Available from: http://www. rsmi. com. au/rsbcwr/_assets/main/lib90034/111220_financial%20insight_revenue%20recognition%20web. pdf. [28 March 2012]. Stafford, P 2006, ‘Revenue Recognition is Isoft’s Curse’, Financial Times 9 August. Available from: http://www. ft. com. [5 April 2012]. Uk Parliament 2007, Memorandum submitted by Ian Griffiths and Simon Bowers. Available from: http://www. publications. parliament. uk/pa/cm200607/cmselect/cmpubacc/390/6062640. htm. [8 April 2012]. How to cite Issues with Revenue Recognition Within the Software Industry, Papers

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Temporary Flight Restrictions free essay sample

A discussion on whether the recent implementation of flight restrictions following the Sept 11th attacks are constitutional. This paper examines why Temporary Fight Restrictions (TFR) are considered unconstitutional by many quarters and how they are seriously hurting economic conditions of the United States aviation. The paper also presents a legal point of view which states that we cannot declare any action taken for security reasons as unconstitutional. This is because the federal government has Congresss permission to take appropriate measures to ensure security of the country, its landmarks, general public and important public figures such as the president and vice president. The paper asks when these actions cross the limits of justice and start interfering with smooth operations of any industry, and explains that a petition can be filed against them in U.S. courts to determine the legality of those actions. No such action has so far been taken against TFRs, which were imposed in the wake of September 11. We will write a custom essay sample on Temporary Flight Restrictions or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The paper studies the issue closely to find out why people feel that TFRs should be declared unconstitutional and how it is contributing towards bad economic conditions in the country. Table of Contents Abstract Introduction Methodology Literature Review and Discussion Condition of Airline Industry after Sept. 11 TFRs and General Aviation TFRs without Information TFRs and Business at Busy Airports TFRs Circles TFRs and Young Pilots TFRs: an Ineffective Measure Conclusion References Temporary flight restrictions were imposed after September 11 in order to protect America public from terrorist attacks. These restrictions had a huge negative impact on the airline industry in specific and on economy in general. This is the reason why many felt that such restrictions should be declared unconstitutional even if the objective behind such measures is highly constitutional. TFR regulations have been in operation since 1971 but amendments that have taken place over the years have expanded the scope of this regulation. For example while formerly it could be invoked at certain given occasion or days, since September 11, they are being used whenever the government feels a certain site can become potential target for terrorist attacks. In order to understand why temporary flight restrictions were imposed and whether or not they are unconstitutional, we must first take a look at the economic conditions of the country after September 11. This will help us understand why any fl ight restrictions can further worsen the United States economic downturn. Temporary flights restrictions are issued by Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) to protect certain sites from any kind of threat. Before September 11, the main purpose of such restrictions was to protect government military sites from spy planes or to prevent possible collusion of non-participating planes during air shows. But since the tragic incident of September 11, things have changed dramatically for the airline industry as many commercial planes are now being forced to take new routes to reach destination because of FAA flight restrictions.

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Women Trafficking And The Yakuza an Example by

Women Trafficking And The Yakuza Human trafficking is not a novel issue that the Southeast-Asian region is faced,. In fact, it is noteworthy that this issue has been haunting this part of Asia for years now. Individuals, especially women, are being illegally transported from one country to another for purposes of rendering work, or worse, so they may be lured into the sex industry. The existence of this problem is undeniable, yet the most effective solution to the same seems to be so elusive that governments are still trying their very best to combat this predicament called trafficking of women. It is advanced that the causes of the trafficking of women should first be scrutinized to eventually determine the best way of attacking this critical issue. Need essay sample on "Women Trafficking And The Yakuza" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed The Yakuza As Japan is one of the most popular destinations when it comes to human trafficking, it is worthy to investigate if there exist groups or organizations in the said jurisdiction which may have been facilitating the illegal transportation of women into their borders. One said organization powerful enough to be investigated on would be The Yakuza. Considering the number of its members and the connections it has built throughout the years it had existed, the possibility that it has a huge connection to the problem of trafficking cannot be characterized as remote. As pointed out in an article, Drawing on the contacts they had established, yakuza partnered with local agents throughout the region and developed transnational networks that were able to recruit large numbers of women each year, arrange their travel to Japan, and connect them with different employers in the Japanese sex industry (Dinan 2002). Students Often Tell Us: How much do I have to pay someone to write my paper in time? Get Your Essay Before The Deadline Cheap Essays Essays Online For College Buy An Essay For College Paper Writing Service The Japanese Government and Doubts about its Efforts The Japanese government has been trying its best to combat the growing problem of women trafficking into Japan. The government admits and aware of how serious of a problem the trafficking of women in Japan is. Some laws have been framed for purposes of criminalizing and eventually imposing a corresponding penalty on acts that are tantamount to human or women trafficking into its jurisdiction. It must be noted, however, that based on reviews, the government should exert more effort when it comes to battling the issue at hand. Humantrafficking.org reported that in 2007, the Japanese Government was cited by the U.S. Department of State for not being in full compliance with the minimum standards mandated by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (Japan). In addition, it has also been pointed out by Human Rights Watch that although the Japanese government acknowledges the existence of women trafficking as a problem, the Japanese government lacks policies designed specifically to respond t o trafficking and has yet to aggressively enforce existing laws against forced labor, forced prostitution, illegal confinement, coercive job placement, and other severe abuses committed against trafficked women by traffickers and employers (2000). Conclusion The trafficking of women into Japan from other countries within the Southeast Asian region has been linked to the propagation of sex trade in Japan. The Yakuza is considered as one of the biggest and strongest supporters of human trafficking, considering the amount of power and global connection that this organization has. Although it cannot be denied that the government of Japan has been exerting efforts to combat this growing issue, we have yet to see how these efforts can turn out to be real results in attacking the trafficking of women for purposes of luring them into the sex industry. It is worthy to scrutinize whether or not the noblest of intentions of the Japanese government will be enough when brought face to face with the power and strength of the Yakuza. Bibliography Cameron S and Newman E, Trafficking of Filipino Women to Japan: Examining the Experiences and Perspectives of Victims and Government Experts Dinan, KA 2002, Trafficking in Women from Thailand to Japan: The Role of Organized Crime and Governmental Response, Harvard Asia Quarterly, vol. VI, no. 3 Fujimoto N 2006, Trafficking in Persons and the Filipino Entertainers in Japan, Our rights Osaka Human Rights Watch 2001, OWED JUSTICE: Thai Women Trafficked into Debt Bondage in Japan Kaplan E and Dubro A 2003, Yakuza: Japans Criminal Underworld, University of California Press Japan

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

The Canadian Government should Offer Additional Support for Homeless People

The Canadian Government should Offer Additional Support for Homeless People Homelessness in Canada is a real challenge despite the little attention and poor documentation accorded to it. It has been reported that close to 32,000 Canadians in Toronto city lived in emergency tents in 2002. Since then, this figure has been steadily increasing (Gaetz et al., 2006); consequently presenting a challenge to the Canadian government and non-governmental stakeholders.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Canadian Government should Offer Additional Support for Homeless People specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Historically speaking, homelessness in Canada was restricted to urban areas. This trend appears to be changing with time since the crisis has become evident in virtually all regions. The issue of homelessness seems to elicit one critical question whenever it is brought up: what is the correct and most acceptable definition of a homeless person? This question has been the source of contention for many years. Although there is general consensus that a homeless individual suffers socially and needs urgent help, the search and implementation of appropriate solutions often leads to disagreement with regard to â€Å"who really is homeless†. Disagreements about the definition of homelessness originate from the fact that the funding and resources meant to be allocated to homeless individual are limited. These complications have meant that caution should be exercised in trying to craft the definition of a homeless person. As a measure to circumvent this challenge, a rather abstract and generalized definition has been suggested: â€Å"A homeless person is an individual who lacks access to adequate housing facilities† (Gabbard et al., 2007, p. 90). Being bogged in to details of definitions is, however, not important. Emphasis should be placed more on generating ideas which will in turn form the basis for sustainable remedies for the problem. This essay emphasizes the need fo r the Canadian government to offer special support for the homeless community. The government’s laxity in implementing recommendations and the implications of homelessness are also discussed.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A critical examination in to the causes of homelessness in Canada raises a myriad of questions as to what the Canadian government is doing to contain the situation. Statistical evidence shows that 53% of all cases of homelessness in Canada are caused by inability of individuals to foot rental bills. The government can fix this situation by availing low-cost housing facilities. Although the government made an attempt to this effect in 1998 by putting up over 30,000 low-income houses, this number has drastically reduced year by year since then. For instance, only 16 new houses were constructed in Calgary city in 1996. About 40% of homeless individua ls are mentally ill. This situation has been attributed to the international policy to deinstitutionalize mental patients. This move saw the release of the mentally ill from asylums. There were no efforts by the government to structure a follow-up strategy for ensuring clinical care for the patients. While some of the discharged patients integrated quite well with the public, many of them (75%) worsened. This significantly contributed to the ever growing number of homeless Canadians. But what saddens any descent Canadian is that no substantial remedial measures have been adopted by the government to reverse the situation. According to the United Nations Organization (2009), Canada is the only nation that lacks a national housing strategy. Most of the federal governments draw budgets that give little attention, if any, to the homeless. The United Nations reports show that the government’s laxity in solving this problem is the major contributor to its perpetuation. During the i ntroduction of the housing legislation in 1973, the then minister in charge of Urban affairs (a ministry which no longer exists), Ron Basford, delivered a speech which clearly demonstrated the importance of adequately housing all people: When we talk †¦ about the subject of housing, we are talking about an elemental human need – the need for shelter, for physical and emotional comfort in that shelter. When we talk about people’s basic needs – the requirements for survival – society and the government obviously have an obligation to assure that these basic needs of shelter are met.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Canadian Government should Offer Additional Support for Homeless People specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More I have already acknowledged this obligation in stating that good housing at reasonable cost is a social right of every citizen of this country. †¦ [This] must be our objective, our obligation, and our goal. The legislation which I am proposing to the House today is an expression of the government’s policy, part of a broad plan, to try to make this right and this objective a reality. (Basford, 1973, p. 2257). Had the government moved on with this kind of enthusiasm, the social dilemma of homelessness would have been adequately resolved. There is also need to for the federal governments to have a provision for a ministry in charge of urban housing. The government views the issue of homelessness as an urban problem. The resulting consequence is that the responsibility has been shifted to municipalities, which lack a comprehensive policy implementation framework. Homelessness should be an issue of national interest and therefore calls for concerted efforts of all government organs. During the national IYSH conference in 1987, a document proposed by the conference, named â€Å"Canadian Agenda for Action on Housing and Homelessness through the Year 2000† was presented. The agenda stated in clear terms how the federal government had not only failed to take appropriate action but also ignored the plight of the homeless. The following is an extract from the document: A significant component of the homelessness problem is that housing has not been a high priority for governments at any level†¦. [O]nly a small proportion of government resources are directed to improving housing conditions†¦. In all regions of the country, the demand for housing that is adequate and affordable to low-income persons and the willingness of local organizations ready to build greatly exceed the availability of government funds to carry out effective social housing programs. (Canadian Association of Housing and Renewal Officials, 1988, p.92). This attitude by the government is a key factor that has led to housing problems in Canada. This is evident from the rejection of Social Housing Agenda in 1987. In 1993, all federal governm ents terminated fund allocation towards building of new social units and in 1996, there was no longer any federal involvement in the provision of low-cost housing.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Homelessness can have tremendous effects on societal values. It tends to strengthen vices such as drug and substance addiction, sexual abuse, violence, incidences of school drop-out and teenage pregnancy. However, the most important consequence of homelessness is the loss of available manpower to drive the economy. This is true because a homeless individual cannot be productive, taking in to account the social burden associated with the condition. Another consequence with direct economic implications relates to the health risk the homeless are often exposed to. Their out-door lifestyles greatly predispose them to many infections. This again reduces the labor force available to drive industry. In addition, it is costly for the government to foot medical bills for all these individuals. People empowerment would be a critical but long-term step towards resolving the crisis of homelessness. The government must invest in the youth of today in terms of education and relevant training. Thi s will guarantee self reliance and nurture independent individuals. This move needs to be reinforced further by construction of affordable units. Similarly, appropriate social support programs should be initiated throughout the country with the idea of reaching out to drug addicts and other social misfits. Such programs need also address the dilemma of the homeless mentally ill individuals. Research-based responses are equally imperative. Well organized data systems for the homeless community can be instrumental during the study of trends such as the growth rate of the homeless population, predominant age group, and average level of education. These data forms the foundation upon which appropriate remedial measures can be based and should be collected as frequently as possible. The actual task for the government is not to look for solutions. Solutions already exist. The housing policies are superb. What lacks is the drive and enthusiasm to implement the policies. If the government c an impress upon the relevant departments the gravity of the matter, and if it can be in the interest of every Canadian to support this worthwhile course, homelessness in Canada will only exist in our memories. References Basford, R. (Minister of State for Urban Affairs). (1973). National Housing Agenda (NHA) Amendments. Canada: House of Commons. Canadian Association of Housing and Renewal Officials. (1988). New Partnerships – Building for the Future: Proceedings of the Canadian Conference to Observe the International Year of Shelter for the Homeless. Ottawa: Canadian Association of Housing and Renewal Officials. Gabbard, W.J., Snyder, C.S., Lin, M.B., Chadha, J.H., May, J. D., Jaggers, J. (2007). Methodological issues in enumerating homeless individuals. Journal of Social Distress and the Homeless, 16(2), 90-103. Gaetz, S., Tarasuk, V., Dackner, N., Kirkpatrick, S. (2006). â€Å"Managing Homeless Youth in Toronto: Mismanaging Food Access Nutritional Well-being. Canadian R eview of Social Policy, 58(43), 1-19. United Nations Organization. (2009). Report of the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this context. Canada: Miloon Kothari.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Business munication Assessment

Communication can be defined as the process of receiving information and exchanging the same between two or more person (Kasper, & Kellerman, 2014). The current case study is based on the investigation and evaluation of the current munication of Class Act Limited and r mending an ideal munication strategy, which will help in solving the issues of the organisation. The study is aimed at improving the performance of Class Act Ltd by designing appropriate munication objectives along with the identification of specific brand awareness. The current munication process at Class Act Ltd is plex, which prises of several levels of management. Due to this break down or distortion may arise. The long lines of munication process and flow of munication leads to delay and distortion (Colleoni, 2013). It is found from the analysis that every layer of authority cuts down a piece of information or are reluctant to municate, especially in the upward munication process. Due to specialisation at Class Act Limited, every department is greatly concerned in their own interests and does not takes into the consideration the problems of others. It is further noticed that inappropriate attention to the message is creating misunderstanding. The main cause of inattention is credibility gap representing inconsistency between what one says and what one does, which ultimately creates, misunderstand of message (Austin, & Pinkleton, 2015). The current situation revolving Class Act Ltd reflects slow and inappropriate accountabilities of personnel in delivering messages during emergent situations. After conducting a careful research concerning the munication strategies and their elements, a ten-step munication strategy is developed to assist Class Act in achieving its performance objectives and improving the organisation munication procedure as well. The strategy is designed to improve the human relationship by promoting appropriate interaction between one another through munication. Class Act Limited needs to figure out what needs to be done in order to realise the organisation needs while creating a munication strategy. The organisation currently operates under the traditional method of munication that holds nothing with the current munication strategy and thus, it needs to start from beginning (Goetsch & Davis, 2014). The organisations current strategy does not seems to be working and it needs to realise that requires improvement. Probably expanding its channel of munication can help in developing relationships among people in terms of both formal and informal way. Step 2: Defining the goals of the organisation:   An organisation can attain success only if it understands what exactly needs to be done to achieve desired performance as a whole. If the goal of the organisation to reach out the munity then the words and symbol which used to convey the message must match with the reference and understanding of the receiver (Carnmarata et al., 2014). This will help in minimising the semantic barrier. Step 3: defining the goals of the individual within the organisation: Unlike every organisation, Class Act Limited has different projects containing goals which the pany itself want to attain outside of the organisation’s goals. These goals needs to be determined and specifically defined (Ulmer et al., 2013). The reason behind this is that when the munication strategy is being developed, there should be a consistent portrayal of message for the intended program. Step 4: Defining precise means of munication for each program: Unlike defining the objectives of individual program, it is imperative for Class Act Limited to define each means of munication for every program needs before executing the plan (Cornelissen, 2014). This process is effective in assuring that each personnel is moving in the same direction with the programs. Step 5: Defining the target audience: For Class Act Limited determining the target audience forms an indispensable element in formulating an effective strategy for munication. Without defining the appropriate audience, it is almost impossible to formulate a plan to widen the reputation of the organisation (Cummings and Worley, 2014). Step 6: Developing the key messages to be portrayed: The development of key messages to be portrayed will allow Class Act Limited to inform the target audience about their determined goals. Such messages will help in building awareness by allowing the organisation to regulate their perceptions (Miller, 2014). The messages to be transmitted by each authority should be clear and concise. Therefore, for Class Act Limited, the messages should be suitable and appropriate for the purpose of munication.   Figure 1: Principles of Effective munication for Class Act Ltd Class Act Limited should create a timeline concerning the needs of events in order to keep each individuals and authority on the same page regarding the necessary steps to be taken in the a plishment of desired organisation performance (Hrebiniak, 2013). The timeline of events should contain detailed step-by-step methodology of specific performance strategies and should be broad in terms of time taken in a plishing each of these steps. Step 8: Developing the initial plan: Strategic preparation of the initial plan is necessary in the process of developing new strategy for munication. If Class Act Limited is looking forward to indulge in marketing by expanding the public knowledge of its programme, then it must define the types of tools to be used to transmit their message among the target set of audience (Smith, 2013). Class Act Limited should also take into the consideration the time money and personnel limitations while deciding the type of munication to be implemented. A sound organisation structure for Class Act Limited would help in developing the chain of mand, which would ultimately assist in speeding up the flow of information. Thus, it is worth mentioning that authoring and accountability of each position should be clearly laid down. Class Act Limited should regulate the flow of munication in order to avoid over burdening of munication (Percy, 2014). Appropriate channel and media of munication such as fax, video conferencing, SMS etc. should be used. Figure 2: munication Strategy of Class Act Ltd Step 9:   Implementing the elements of plan: After developing the list of ideas for an effective strategy of munication, Class Act Ltd should make the use of best options for its organisation and implement the same. It is noteworthy to denote that the process of implementation should be in accordance with the time as stated in step 7. For instance if Class Act Limited is looking forward to indulge in human resource practices it can create a pool of candidates along with the number of people they are looking to pool. To do this, words in message should be reinforced through appropriate gestures or facial expression (Miller, 2014). Therefore, the tone to be used in this process should take into the consideration the physical environment and human conditions. Step 10: Assessing the elements of munication strategy: Assessing the implemented strategy of munication is the only procedure of making sure that the targeted set of audience is being reached. Under this step, the process of munication at Class Act should be well set and have been provided with sufficient time to influence the public. Class Act Ltd should ensure that evaluation is performed appropriately to assure that there are no such loose ends and skipped details (Cornelissen, 2014). The more number of time is spent in discovering the information the better it will be able to adapt to its strategy. To conclude with, the above stated evaluations and strategies seeks to examine the objective of munication and consider the total physical setting of Class Act Ltd. The munication process designed will Class Act Ltd to take opportunity as and when the right amount of message or value to the receiver arise to covey. Austin, E.W. & Pinkleton, B.E., (2015). Strategic Public Relations Management: Planning and Managing Effective munication Campaigns (Vol. 10). Routledge. Carnmarata, S., McArthur, D., & Steeb, R. (2014). STRATEGIES OF COOPERATION IN DISTRIBUTED PROBLEM SOLVING!. Readings in Distributed Artificial Intelligence, 102. Colleoni, E., (2013). CSR munication strategies for organizational legitimacy in social media. Corporate munications: an international journal, 18(2), pp.228-248. Cornelissen, J. (2014). Corporate munication: A guide to theory and practice. Sage. Cummings, T.G. and Worley, C.G., 2014. Organization development and change. Cengage learning. Goetsch, D. L., & Davis, S. B. (2014). Quality management for organizational excellence. Upper Saddle River, NJ: pearson. Hrebiniak, L. G. (2013). Making strategy work: Leading effective execution and change. FT Press. Kasper, G., & Kellerman, E. (2014). munication strategies: Psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic perspectives. Routledge. Miller, K. (2014). Organizational munication: Approaches and processes. Nelson Education. Percy, L. (2014). Strategic integrated marketing munications. Routledge. Smith, R. D. (2013). Strategic planning for public relations. Routledge. Ulmer, R. R., Sellnow, T. L., & Seeger, M. W. (2013). Effective crisis munication: Moving from crisis to opportunity. Sage Publications.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Describe the impact of regulation and standards on an organization and Assignment

Describe the impact of regulation and standards on an organization and its stakeholders - Assignment Example In fact, shareholders get motivated to take part in the issues affecting the organization only when they receive inducements beyond the value of their contributions. A responsible team of management should always involve shareholders in all stages of important decision making. Organizational management must be extra careful while making vital decisions on behalf of the stakeholders more so on matters of new technology otherwise the project may not succeed. It is important to note that there is a growing demand for information technology in the contemporary society making investment inevitable. All the stakeholders ought to be informed on the need of investing in any particular IT project. This calls for a rigorous business case justifying the need for the new venture. This involves ways of accessing costs and expected returns. General Motors Company had been faced with net loss in 1980 due to stiff competition from foreign companies. This necessitated them to spend $40 billion in a program that would see it regain its position in the market through implementation of new technology that would see the company manufacture fuel efficient vehicles as demanded by the market. Most stakeholders who consisted of managers, investors, and the local community had varying feelings about the idea and the management decided to overlook them which eventually landed the company in huge spending. The genesis of this problem was on the failure of the management to involve all the stakeholders in decision making. Krajewski, M. (2003). National regulation and trade liberalization in services: The legal impact of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) on national regulatory autonomy. The Hague [u.a.: Kluwer Law Internat. Ulrich, D., Goldsmith, M., & Carter, L. (2004). Best Practices in Leadership Development and Organization Change: How the Best Companies Ensure Meaningful Change and Sustainable Leadership. Hoboken: John Wiley &