Social Networks Essay -- Social Issues, Technology

Over the past decade the internet has become a important part of everyday life by people of all ages. The internet is used for a variety of purposes, such as finding information, buying and selling products, watching television shows, finding friendships and searching for entertainment, but the main use for the internet is communication. Three quarters of American adults have been online, with even more teens (93%). Almost all of those internet users say their main purpose for going online is for communication (Correa, Hinsley, Zuniga 2010, cited in Jones and Fox 2009, Pg 247). With the introduction of social networking sites such as Facebook, My Space, Twitter and various smaller community based social networking sites it has made the ability of communicating so easy and accessible that people are able 'to sit in one place and know about what is going on somewhere else in the world related to your friend / group / community network' (Nair 2009, Pg 52). This essay will focus on ho w social networking sites play an integral part of everyday communication in society today and will focus on both the positive and negative effects that social networking sites are also presenting in society today. This essay will finally inform how it is not just the younger generation who use social networking sites to build relationships but how the older generation are taking advantage of social networking sites to form and maintain relationships with one another. During the past decade there has been an influx of social networking sites, which have become an essential element of everyday society. Social networking sites enable the ability to share and create information, form personal as well as business relationships, find romantic relationsh... ...r groups? A comparison between UK, Spain and Japan', Journal of Youth Studies, Vol 14, No 1, pp 91-108, Taylor & Francis Online, EBSCOhost, viewed 15th December 2011. Nair, N 2009, '"Social Networking" on the Generation Next', SCMS Journal of Indian Management, Vol 6, No 3, pp 43-52, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 15th December 2011. Pfeil, U, Zaphiris, P & Wilson S 2009, Older adults' perceptions and experiences of online social support', Interacting with Computers, Vol 21, No 3, pp 159-172, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 3rd January 2012. Zhong, B, Hardin, M & Sun, T 2011, 'Less effortful thinking leads to more social networking? The associations between the use of social network sites and personality traits', Computers in Human Behavioiur, Vol 27, No 3, pp 1265-1271, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 31st January 2011.

Paradoxical Twins Case Analysis Essay

1. At the end of Part I, how would you describe the organization design of both Omega and Acme? What factors led you to this conclusion? By the end of Part I, it is clear that Acme is a more mechanistic organization focusing on efficiency and profits, while Omega aligns itself with an organic organization structure focusing on cooperation, collaboration, and integration. Acme is mechanistic with a clear vertical structure; this conclusion is reached when looking at various factors. Factors include the degree of specialization, formalization, and centralization. Mechanistic structures are highly specialized, highly formalized, and centralized similar to Acme. Specialization can be seen through narrow job descriptions with clear responsibilities, while high formalization can be seen through the well-defined organizational charts and â€Å"tight ship† management style. The high level of both specialization and formalization indicate a centralized environment, which is verified in Part I by the fact that managers wish they had greater decision-making influence (â€Å"more latitude†). Furthermore, the structure at Acme has an end goal of efficiency and cost control, similar to most mechanistic organizations. Omega, on the other hand, has an organic structural design with an emphasis on collaboration, cooperation, and employee satisfaction across and among departments. This emphasis shows Omega’s focus on effectiveness, especially in the internal process, which combined with management’s team-based emphasis on making everyone feel as if they are part of the team and taking the time to listen to suggestions (a little too much time occasionally) furthers the conclusion that the company is organic. Furthermore, CEO Rawls does not believe in organization charts or written memos indicating low formalization and a decentralized decision-making process (without organization charts, authority is less defined). Low specialization can be seen through one workers initial experience at Omega where he or she worked in two different departments within the first two days. Both facts (low specialization and formalization) are indicative of a horizontal structure that aligns with the conclusion that omega is more organic. 2. At the end of Part III, how can you explain the differences between what happened at Acme and at Omega? (Link the background facts with the behavior and problems and then to the outcomes observed, and then explain the relationships between these three elements.) At Acme, Tyler led the authority and assigned tasks to each department once the project came in, but cross-department communication was lacking. The rigid organizational structure with set rules and procedures did not allow for the departments to collaborate. Instead, departments were functional and focused only on the task for their section. Furthermore, Tyler was not being informed of the errors occurring in each department perhaps because in a large, hierarchical system it takes longer for information to reach its end destination (whether that be the top or bottom). His â€Å"hit the roof† mentality took a blame approach, which is not productive for employee morale. Read more:  Essay on Paradoxical Twins Acme The photocopier manufacturer mentioned that in this phase, speed was critical. Mechanistic structures work better in stable, known, simple environments where situations are routine and the goal is control and efficiency. This prototype production process involved greater uncertainty considering the prototype had to be produced before final designs were approved. Furthermore, the routine for this process was still being developed. Due to the unknown, changing, and non-routine nature of this project, an organic structure such as Omega was bound to due better because it is more flexible and adaptable. At Omega, Rawls immediately set up an initial meeting where all the departments heads could discuss the project together and collaborate. Though the start up time took longer this way, problems were solved up front so time was saved later, quality was improved, and bottlenecks reduced. Cross communication and collaboration is key with a non-routine process and greater interdependence level was required. The level of interdependence required proved to be a negative aspect for Acme due to the lack of cross-department communication, but worked in Omega’s favor. It is important that structure align with strategy, and in this initial case Omega’s organic, team-based structure aligned with the speed strategy that the photocopier had required. When information is shared in a quick manner, without vertical impediments, the whole process moves along much more quickly and collaboration enables efficiency. Through coordination and the team-based mentality at Omega, the company was able to take a problem-solving approach and address issues of design errors up front whereas Acme did not even realize the design flaw because of the organizations focus on high specialization. Each department focused only on what they specialize in so errors were nearly impossible to catch. Acme’s inflexible structure required the company to go back to the beginning when the new design was approved, setting the company further back. Omega, on the other hand, adjusted easily to the new design because of its adapting nature. Tyler, as a leader, made the mistake of assuming the team would work as efficiently as they have in the past considering this project was a rush priority with a different required strategy and different end goals. Tyler made it a point to communicate new developments to the photocopier company, but he did not communicate any of the issues/developments that were arising. Rawls, on the other hand, communicated instantly with the photocopier company once the flaw was discovered. Essentially, the problem was the same for both companies—certain parts could not be received on time and engineering the assembly was difficult. However, how each organization approached the problem, as led by the type of structure in place, is what led Omega to succeed and meet the speed deadline determined by the photocopier company. Omega’s organic, adaptable, collaborative structure was more efficient for problem-solving scenarios, which this project was and allowed Omega to meet the deadline 10 days before Acme and with greater reliability. Acme’s vertical structure with rigid procedures would take longer to communicate problems from the bottom to the top. It took longer time to take action with Acme’s formal, hierarchical structure. These factors combined with its inflexible nature led Acme to be outdone by Omega. 3. At the end of Part IV, how can this turnabout be explained? Ultimately, the goal for phase two, once the prototype was developed was to cut costs and ensure quality control. Given that the production process had already been created, this second phase project had a greater degree of certainty and routine. Once each company figured out how to engineer the assembly, the process became routine, which is better suited for a mechanistic structure. If your end goal is to cut costs, specialized and rigid structures are better and more efficient as Porter’s low cost strategy shows. The degree of routine allowed each functional team (department) at Acme to focus on their specialization, which eliminated the problem of quality control. There was no guessing this time of how to best assemble the product. More time could be spent on figuring out ways to cut costs. When control and efficiency are the end goal, a mechanistic structure works better than an organic, adaptable, and problem solving structure. Organic structures are contingency-based, which was not as helpful in this case because of the greater degree of certainty. Omega should have been seeking ways to reduce costs, but instead focused too much on collaboration this time and on the management philosophy of maintaining employee satisfaction. Once again we see that when strategy (low cost) does not align with structure (organic), the end result is not achieved. Omega’s lack of detailed organization charts and specific job responsibilities most likely created internal confusion as well. At Acme tasks became standardized and job roles were well defined. At Omega, job roles were not clearly defined, and it is possible that, as mentioned earlier, too much time was spent on â€Å"listening to suggestions and making sure everyone understood what was going on.† While Acme was focusing on doing things right, Omega was focusing on doing the right thing. Also, considering the high volume that needed to be produced, it makes sense that Acme received the contract in the end since the company specialized in low cost, high volume projects. 4. If you were to consult with the Presidents of Acme and Omega, what advice would you give (to each one) concerning future survival and success of their firms? Explain your reasoning. What each company should learn from this example is that it is never ideal to be too mechanistic (rigid and structured) or too organic (loose and flexible). Each has its benefits depending on the type of project and what the end goals are, but as this case demonstrates each company failed at least once and succeeded once. Acme’s president should try to integrate some organic components into their structure, and Omega should integrate mechanistic components into their structure. A hybrid system would be ideal to get the best of both structures. A matrix, in essence, would prove to be a more efficient and effective structure. Well defined authority structures are needed so that workers are not confused about what their roles and tasks are, and collaborative environments should be encouraged as well in case there are times where problem solving needs to be done. To be more specific, at Acme, instead of acting as functional teams, the teams should be cross-functional which allows for collaboration, and the managers should be given a greater level of decision-making power (increased lateral). Something needs to be done so that it does not take so long for information to travel. Tyler should consider investing in an HR department if one does not already exist and on the internal environment because satisfied workers are generally more efficient. If a worker feels like they are a part of the team, he or she will want the company to succeed and work better towards that goal. Tyler should have department heads be on the same horizontal level and ensure cross communication occurs. So that he doesn’t have to do this himself, the idea of a project manager can be introduced. Someone from the outside can be brought in to coordinate between the departments and ensure deadlines are being met and that solutions are being worked on when a problem arises. At Omega, job responsibilities should be narrowed and clearer and greater measures should be taken to maintain control. There should be some sense of an authoritative figure or two. There seems to be a lack of line authority and without unity of command, there is room for confusion. Rawls should not spend so much time listening to suggestions and can instead hire someone to do that for him. As head of the company, he should be focusing on bringing in business and not trying to micro-manage everyone. In this company, there is too great a degree of lateral structure. Instead of everyone meeting together all the time, only department heads should be meeting regularly. The heads can have greater discussion with their own team and then report back to one another. A structured flow of ideas will save time. Greater specialization and formalization is needed because if workers are unsure of what their roles are how can they be expected to perform. Broader categories can be established such a s marketing, operations, engineering, etc. Rawls should also look into written communication to ensure the company is well organized. Meetings take up a greater amount of time, and with writing there may not always be a need to physically meet. It is important to remember that structure and strategy alignment will lead to success. Therefore, the structure must be somewhat flexible to adapt to strategy, but rigid enough to address end objectives such as cutting costs and maintaining efficiency. The matrix structure is the ideal balance, combining the best of both mechanistic and organic to achieve business objectives. The best part is that it can be tailored to each organization so Acme can retain it’s vertical nature for the most part and Omega can still focus on collaboration, but elements of the opposing type are introduced to achieve greater balance. â€Å"This is my own work. I have not discussed this case with anyone, nor have I used someone else’s write-up of the case, either current or past students or from the Internet.†

Dickens a Christmas Carol and Priestley’s Essay

By bragging about his knighthood and talking about his strong capitalist views; â€Å"A man has to make his own way,† â€Å"community and all that nonsense,† Birling makes himself unpopular to the audience which is Preistley’s intension when Birling talks about the â€Å"Titanic being absolutely unsinkable,† and the fact that, â€Å"nobody wants war,† this creates dramatic irony as the audience know that the Titanic would sink on its maiden voyage, there would be two world wars, depression and strikes however, the characters don’t know this and in this case they don’t know that Birling is completely wrong in what he is saying. All of this creates a negative diction in which Priestley creates this wealthy, prosperous almost perfect family that looks splendid but is the opposite as they are ignorant and the lowest of low, especially to Priestley who strongly disagrees with their capitalist views. Birling can be compared to scrooge in â€Å"A Christmas carol,† as they both are prosperous, both don’t play a part in their community and they are both set up by Dickens and Priestly to be unsympathetic by using the same techniques like negative diction and them both being ignorant. In the opening scene we also learn about Birling’s family; his wife Sybil Birling who plays little part in the opening act, his son Eric who seems shy and close to being drunk, his â€Å"pretty† daughter Sheila who â€Å"is very pleased with life,† and her light hearted conversation shows she is youthful and enthusiastic. There is also one visitor present, Sheila’s fianci Gerald who is, â€Å"attractive,† and â€Å"the easy well-bred young man-about-town. † His father owns a large business; Crofts Limited and when making his speech, Birling says that, â€Å"we may look forward to the time when Crofts and Birlings are no longer competing but are working together,† which means that Birling being the man we now know him to be, sees his daughters engagement as a clear opportunity for a business deal. However things seem unstable between Sheila and Gerald when she mentions, â€Å"last summer,† in a â€Å"half playful, half serious,† tone. Priestly does this to show that although they look perfect, they all obviously have problems creates unease in the atmosphere and causes conflict and anxiety. The Inspectors arrival instantly adds tension as the lighting is changed on stage to be, â€Å"brighter and harder,† which signals a change of mood in the play and also seems to add menace to the Birling family. Priestley describes the Inspector to be man who; â€Å"creates at once an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness. † This tells the audience that this character is important and the fact that he speaks, â€Å"carefully, weightily, and has a disconcerting habit of looking hard of the person he addresses before actually speaking,† also gives the impression that he knows, hopefully as well as the audience, how ignorant and wrong the family is. The inspector speaks to each of them: â€Å"gravely,† â€Å"dryly,† â€Å"slowly,† â€Å"steadily,† â€Å"plainly,† â€Å"coolly,† â€Å"with authority,† â€Å"massively,† and â€Å"sharply,† which builds up a moralising tone. From this early stage Priestley presents him as a judge and jury of the family’s wrong doings and almost a philosopher and social observer rather than a policeman. For example â€Å"it’s my duty to ask questions,† and in the case of Eva Smith, â€Å"what happened to her then may have determined what happened to her afterwards, and what happened to her afterwards may have driven her to suicide,† comments like these would be out of place being said by a police man. In â€Å"A Christmas Carol,† Dickens voiced his opinions through different characters, in â€Å"An Inspector Calls,† Priestley voices his socialist views through the Inspector when he describes Eva Smith by; using the repetition of no; â€Å"No work, no money,† listing; â€Å"few friends, lonely, half starved,† and emotive language. He also uses biblical reference similar to Dickens, â€Å"we are members of one body,† which is part of a communion prayer which means that we are all equal in the sight of God and that he sees no class barriers. Another example is, â€Å"fire and blood and anguish,† which is a biblical reference to hell and links to World War 1 which Priestley fought in. Also like Dickens he unites the speaker and the audience by using the plural, personal pronoun, â€Å"we,† which emphasises his positive views on the idea of community. The Inspector, referring to Eva Smith says, â€Å"There are a lot of young women living that sort of existence in every city and big town in the country,† â€Å"If there weren’t, the factories and warehouses wouldn’t know where to look for cheap labour,† this is a general social point Priestley is making as well as the fact that there is no clear dividing line between different elements of society, for example, Gerald says, â€Å"we’re respectable citizens not criminals! † to which the Inspector replies, â€Å"Sometimes there isn’t as much difference as you think. † This brings out Priestley’s positive views on the community, that we are all responsible for each other, that we are all part of humanity and we need to share our problems. Also like Dickens’ â€Å"A Christmas Carol,† Priestley gives the Inspector the role of mystic, all knowing power; Shelia notices this when she says to him â€Å"I don’t understand you. † This can be linked to Ouspensky’s theory that existence is a cycle of lives, which we can only escape from if we change them with the help of a gifted or extraordinary person; in this case that person is the Inspector. Through the whole play the Inspector rids the Birling family of their respectability as the audience feel, with the persuasive techniques of the Inspector, that not only are they on trial but the whole of the people in their advantaged social position for treating people like Eva Smith badly; â€Å"Public men, Mr Birling, have responsibilities as well as privileges,† the antithesis in this emphasises Priestley’s just spoken message. Before the Inspector leaves he makes a powerful, prophet like speech, which summarises the play’s philosophy; â€Å"We don’t live alone,† and â€Å"We are responsible for each other;† a biblical message, shows Priestley’s sense for community and the antithesis of â€Å"if men will not learn that lesson they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish. † represents the two World Wars to come as the play is set in 1912 and it was performed in 1945, to tell the audience that we haven’t learnt anything. The Inspectors speech is very compelling and is used to voice Priestley’s views to the audience. The repetition of â€Å"we,† is a persuasive technique that he uses as well as Dickens’ to captivate the audience and to make them realise that it also involves them. There is a huge difference in the older and younger generations of the family to the reaction of Eva smith. The eldest, for example Mr Birling is not nearly as effect by the story as Shelia who reacts emotionally. She also readily agrees that she has behaved badly and is prepared to admit her faults. She also is keen to change her behaviour; â€Å"I’ll never, never do it again. † Her brother Eric is also anxious to change his ways for the future and is deeply sorry for what he did, together they are also ashamed of their parents; Eric says to his mother, â€Å"You don’t understand anything. You never did. You never even tried. † She and her husband however are less remorseful, Birling in particular as he refuses to take any responsibility for Eva Smith’s death and seems to be more concerned about the money Eric stole from him than Eric’s treatment to Eva Smith. He is also concerned about keeping his ever so important social status when he says to his wife that, â€Å"It isn’t going to do us much good,† and, â€Å"The press might easily take it up,† this shows how ignorant he is and that he represents Priestley’s disgust of capitalist businessmen who are only interested in making money. From this it is clear that it is left up to the younger generation to learn from their mistakes and to change the future to which the Inspector adds, â€Å"They’re more impressionable. † Priestley makes crucial parts of the play more dramatic by using tension; before the Inspector arrives there is a slight unease as Sheila brought up, â€Å"last summer,† to Gerald, which tells us that something already isn’t quite right in the family, there is also irony as Gerald jokingly suggests that, â€Å"Eric has been up to something,† Eric is not amused and uncomfortable at this remark, Gerald insists it’s a â€Å"joke,† but we later find out he has been up to something. The Inspector enters straight after this and again there is more tension built up by him questioning Birling and Sheila but even more so when he begins to question Gerald who reveals that he was with Eva Smith â€Å"last summer,† the act then ends as the Inspector enters and says, â€Å"Well? † This leaves the audience in huge suspense and anticipating what will happen next. After questioning Gerald and Mrs Birling, which adds even more tension when she says that the boy who got Eva Smith pregnant should be, â€Å"compelled to confess in public,† not realising that this boy was her own son Eric, who enters after the Inspector tells her who the boy is. There is huge anxiety and stress now as the inspector has interrogated them all, he leaves with a compelling speech and after this the tension fades away as the family question the Inspectors presence. Was he an Inspector? Was Eva Smith real? They all start to relax apart from the youngest who are ashamed of their behaviour, the eldest seem to be, â€Å"amused,† and the word, â€Å"joke,† reappears, to which straight away the telephone rings, a moments silence creates worry and large amounts of anxiety build up. As Birling tells his family a police Inspector is on his way they all â€Å"stare guiltily and dumbfounded† as the curtain falls. Ending the play here would leave the play open for the audience to make their own decision on what would happen next again this would add tension. Priestley’s intention when adding tension at crucial parts in the play is to make them more memorable and for the audience to really think about the characters involved. It also highlights his message that he is trying to get across; we should all live as a community and see each other as equals. â€Å"A Christmas Carol,† and â€Å"An Inspector Calls,† are similar as they both contain the supernatural and the idea of fate. â€Å"A Christmas Carol,† involves ghosts and spirits, which give us the message that if we do not change our ways for the better we will be punished. This is also true for, â€Å"An Inspector Calls,† as it has a philosophical theme that society needs to change, however, the supernatural is only hinted at as the characters suspect that the Inspector wasn’t real and they have no proof that he was. The Inspector had a moralising almost prophet like presence similar to the spirits. Priestley’s play follows Ouspensky’s theory, as the Inspector is the extraordinary person who changes the lives of the Birling household. Even though Dickens did not know this theory it can be compared to it, as his novel is based on a very similar theme. In, â€Å"A Christmas Carol,† the gifted or extraordinary people who change lives are the spirits. Both texts also follow the concept that in our lives there are significant moments we make which can lead to disaster or salvation; in â€Å"An Inspector Calls,† the Inspector analyses these moments and tries to make the characters see where they have gone wrong. In, â€Å"A Christmas Carol,† Scrooge sees his past present and future and realises that he too has made the wrong decisions in life and plans to change them. The Characters in both stories can also be compared for their similarities; there are the villains; Scrooge and Birling, who are written to be disliked. Both are ignorant, arrogant and have no sense of community that both authors are for. They both symbolise the capitalist businessmen who turn a blind eye to everyone else. In both narratives there are also the victims of the villains behaviour and actions; Tiny Tim and Eva Smith. These characters symbolise the poor; Eva Smith represents the lives of many women of that time. We learn that even though she has been hard done to, she still has the highest morals; she didn’t accept the stolen money that Eric offered her and reclined his offer of marriage, as he didn’t love her. Preistly writes her this way to show that these women are not bad people and that they should not be judged on their social class. Tiny Tim symbolises the poor in, â€Å"A Christmas Carol,† as he creates sympathy for the reader; he is ill and still tries to enjoy life. In both texts, the victims die as part of the villain cruel and unjust behaviour. Both also have a theme of repentance; Eric and Shelia are deeply sorry and ashamed of how they behaved and plan to change their ways if possible. Marley also carries this theme of regret when he comes and warns Scrooge to alter. Each of these characters represents the authors beliefs that we should change become a stronger community and disregard each other’s differences. In both texts there are differences, the obvious being that one is a novel and one is a play. This variation effects how the messages are conveyed; â€Å"A Christmas Carol,† shows the message clearly, and goes into more detail about characters emotions. â€Å"An Inspector Calls,† illustrates the message in a less obvious way and leaves the audience thinking more about its message. The characters emotions can only really be displayed when acting which would give the audience a much clearer image. The more realistic of the two is, â€Å"An Inspector Calls,† because it contains less of the supernatural which makes it easier to believe. â€Å"A Christmas Carol,† could be called a fairytale, as the idea of ghosts and spirits is very unrealistic. Scrooge changes his attitudes through out the novel and is a totally different person from the beginning to the end. This can be said for the younger members of the Birling family; Sheila and Eric both feel wrong and guilty. They too, plan to change how they behave and act. Nevertheless, Mr Birling and Mrs Birling show no signs of changing their capitalist beliefs and they don’t plan to act any differently than before.

Accounting Standards Boards Essay Example for Free

Accounting Standards Boards Essay ? Increased globalization in the business world has brought to fore some of the issues and challenges that multinational businesses face in financial recording and reporting of foreign based operations. With operations based in different countries that operate under different accounting principles and with varying currencies, there has been a need for the accounting principles and standards to be converged. This has in the past nine years seen the accounting policy making suggesting a complete overhaul in the way financial statements are reported and a convergence between the US’s generally accepted accounting principles (US GAAP) and the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). This has been through various meetings between the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and US Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), two boards which determine these accounting standards. This paper therefore evaluates the history of the two boards and their relationship and looks at IASB equivalents to FASB original pronouncements. It also describes how a Master of Science in Accounting would prepare a student for an accounting profession. History of the Relationship between FASB and IASB US Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) is a board which is responsible for setting and improving financial accounting standards in the US and for governing and fostering preparation of financial reports by non-governmental organizations (Financial Accounting Standards Board, 2012).International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) on the other hand is also an independent board responsible for setting international financial reporting standards (IFRS Foundation, 2011). Whereas IASB and IFRS takes a principle based approach to accounting standards setting, FASB’S GAAP does this through pronouncements which are based or rules. They both put a lot of emphasis on income statements, balance sheet, statements of changes in equity and cash flow statements as key reports that are important in financial reporting. Over the past decade these two boards which determine the accounting standards in the world have been working towards ensuring that the financial reporting all over the world converges. The convergence concept first took root in the 1950s in response to the cross border capital inflows that were as a result of the economic integration after world war two. These efforts initially focused on reducing difference in accounting principles between major capital markets globally otherwise referred to as harmonization of the accounting principles. By 1990s the concept had changed into convergence which sought to build high quality financial reporting standards to be applied internationally (Financial Accounting Standards Board, 2012a). Both developed in the 1970s, FASB and IASC (international Accounting Standards Committee) a predecessor to IASB, set a trend for expanding international accounting standards and with the reorganization of IASC into IASB in 2001, the use of IFRS among various countries has progressed rapidly. For instance, over 100 countries and the European Union use these standards issued by IASB. The U.S. mainly uses its own issued US GAAP (Progress Report, 2011; Cain, 2008). IASB and FASB have been working together towards converging the IFRS and the US GAAP since 2002. Even China and Japan have been working to bring together their accounting standards with IFRS as at 2009. Over the past decade the pace of convergence has been very fast with the internationalization of standards growing rapidly. In 2010, Securities and Exchange Commission in the US issues a report supporting the convergence of these standards through incorporation of â€Å"the IFRS in the US financial system† (Financial Accounting Standards Board, 2012a). This implies that the US has been increasing exploring adopting IASB’s IFRSs, although there have been issues such as the fair value issues in IFRS and the cost of implementation that have slowed the progress. The IASB equivalents of the FASB original pronouncements As noted above, IASB’s IFRS takes a principle based approach to accounting standard setting as compared to FASB’s pronouncements which are viewed to be much stricter. In essence therefore, though IASB and FASB may address similar accounting concepts their approach to it may be different. It is these IASB’s equivalents to FASB’s pronouncements that bring the differences between GAAP and IFRS standards. Evaluating the FASB’s original pronouncements and IASB, the manner in which accounting concepts are approached can be noted. These are: whereas IASB’s IFRS requires that inventory costs of spoilage and idle capacity be excluded from the cost of inventory, FASB’s GAAP does not; IFRS requires yearly comparison of financial statements unlike US GAAP which only views comparisons as â€Å"desirable† but require three year comparisons; IFRS permits but does not require reporting of â€Å"comprehensive income† unlike US GAAP which requires it; IFRS classifies liabilities as non-current if refinancing is complete before the date of the balance sheet unlike GAAP which classifies it as so, if refinancing is completed before the financial statements are issued; and prohibition of extraordinary items from the financial reports by IFRS unlike GAAP which permits but to a restricted items which affect profit and loss (Deloitte, 2004; FASB Report, 2002). Other accounting concepts that differ between IASB and FASB’s original pronouncements are that IFRS requires that LIFO method of determining inventory cost be prohibited in IAS 2, unlike US GAAP which permits LIFO in SFAS 151, and that IFRS requires reversal of inventory write downs if given criteria are met unlike US GAAP which prohibits it. In addition FASB permits that inventory at net value be measured even if it is above cost unlike IFRS which restricts this to producers and broker-dealers inventories. FASB classifies the interest received and paid as operating activity in the cash flow statement unlike IASB which may classify it as financing, investing or operating activity. This leaves room for a number of interpretations. Furthermore, though FASB excludes overdrafts from cash, IASB includes it if it forms a critical and integral part of an organization’s cash base or cash management (Deloitte, 2004; FASB Report, 2002). Other IASB equivalents to FASB pronouncements are enumerated as shown below (Deloitte, 2004; FASB Report, 2002): -IFRS restates previous financial statements in the event of non-mandated changes in accounting policy, unlike FASB which includes cumulative effects current financial statement’s net loss and profits -IASB uses change in estimated method to evaluate changes in depreciation of assets, unlike FASB which used change in accounting policy that is the net profit or loss cumulative effect. -IASB uses cost recovery method for construction contracts when the completed percentage cannot be determined for sure unlike the USA GAAP which uses completed contract method -IASB does not recognize deferred tax due to the an asset or liability transaction that doesn’t affect accounting or taxable profit and is not a business combination in IAS 12 unlike the US GAAP recognizes this these through its lack of â€Å"initial recognition exemption† as addressed in SFAS 109. -US GAAP has special exemptions due to the provision of deferred tax such as leveraged leasing, intangible developments in the gas and oil industry and undistributed earnings -IASB uses a tax rate that is â€Å"substantially enacted† to measure deferred tax liabilities and assets, which can be left to a lot of interpretations, unlike FASB’s enacted tax rate which is sure and consistent -IASB uses rate applicable to undistributed earnings of an organization to measure the deferred tax on those earnings , unlike FASB which uses the higher of the tax rate between the one applicable to undistributed profits and the one applicable to distributed profits as addressed in SFAS 109 -IASB recognizes expense for share-based payment based on fair value of the payment whereas FASB recognizes this based on intrinsic value at grant date -IASB measures business combinations on the date of the acquisition whereas FASB does this on the date of consummation or closing date -IASB requires that recognizing a liability prior to acquisition restructuring be only if the one being acquired recognizes it under IAS 37, this is unlike FASB which recognizes it if the acquisition has already began -IASB recognizes in process R&D as an intangible finite asset or good will, unlike FASB which recognizes it as expense How MSA Program prepares student for professional Accounting A Master of Science in accounting program is very important for anyone who intends to pursue an accounting career in the future. This program prepares a student by providing knowledge on the various accounting principles that need be applied in accounting profession. It also makes a student be aware of the various accounting standards that are existing in the world, how each differ, and how accounting records and done in each. In addition such a program provides analytical and critical thinking abilities. In addition, it offers a global perspective on accounting practices and business issues and provides a framework for effective development for team building and leadership skills, and ethical decision making in business. Lastly it will enhance interpersonal and communications skills through interactions which seek to learn ways of solving problems and issues in the accounting and finance realm. All these are critical for a career as an accountant. Conclusion This paper has discussed the history of the FASB and IASB boards and their relationship and has looked at IASB equivalents to FASB original pronouncements. It has shown that standardized management accounting and controlling concepts that transcend national boundaries are increasingly needed with concern on the need of an internationalized Accounting and financial reporting standard to help in comparing of financial statements of countries from different countries and also to make it efficient and less costly for multinational companies when they are conducting financial reporting of their performance. IASB and FASB have made tremendous progress thus fur in their bid to converge the global accounting standards. Accounting Standards Boards. (2016, May 05).

American old film class Gone with the Wind and Red River Essay

American old film class Gone with the Wind and Red River - Essay Example But when we go through the actual history, we could realize that the slave trade was a peak cause for the out burst of the civil war, and also we could understand the slave trade and the treatment of slaves, the minimal or zero freedom given to them even to make decision in their daily activities etc. This aspect seems to be missing in this film, though the term ‘darkies† has been referred to the black slave characters who appear in the screen, is one of the influences of the history and the sentiments of the civil war. The photography of the Old South, the plantations of the Tara, where the heroine wants to take refugee with her family, is all resemblances of the Civil War period. But then the cinematic effect could be identified as aloof from reality. The character of Mammy, one of the happiest of black slaves is found out to be an exceptional slave, as she seems to be a very happy person, utilizing the full freedom in her household. This aspect, as mentioned above deviates from the historical notion or the Civil War notion of how a salve was treated during that time. Freedom was a constraint for the slaves during the Civil war time. Coming to the Red River, the cattle herding, which was found out to be the most profitable income for the cowboys and which also gave a good recognition for the cowboys during the time when Chisholm Trial was opened. This event was also taken place during the time of Civil War. On the whole both the movies were centered on the years 1850-1870. The location, Texas, where the film was shoot is yet another point for the success of this movie. But coming to the point of cattle herds that were driven through the trial, is becomes quiet doubtful whether the cattle herds shown in the movie driven by Dunstan really bring out an accurate picture or effect of the original historical incident. Because it has been recorded in many history books that there were thousands and

English Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 21

English - Essay Example The official name of this sport is association football. Americans developed a distinct type of football in the 19th century which has subsequently come to be known as American football. This game has basically grown out of two sports, soccer, or association football, and rugby football. Both these games remain as separate sports with each having its own specific set of rules. The international body governing soccer is FIFA, or Federation Internationale de Football Association. The immensely popular World Cup, held at four-year intervals is organized by FIFA, and it also governs all levels of soccer, including professional games on the international level, Olympic competitions and youth leagues. The FIFA World Cup is undoubtedly the sport’s premier event, pitting national teams from 32 countries against one another. American football’s National Football League or NFL is the most popular and major professional league in the world. However, over the years, several other leagues have been formed in North America and Europe. The comparable soccer league known as MLS or Major League Soccer has many teams which have fans worldwide and some of the most famous teams are A.C. Milan of Italy, Ajax Amsterdam of The Netherlands, Manchester United of England, Real Madrid of Spain, Boca Juniors of Argentina, SÃ £o Paulo of Brazil, and Colo Colo of Chile, among others. Both forms of the game, soccer or association football, and American football have some things in common, namely both are played between two teams, in which players try to score a goal by hitting the ball into the opponents’ goal, by using any part of their body except the hands. Players thus have to use remarkable skills of using feet and heads as they kick, dribble, or pass the ball toward the goal or to another player. Although this much remains common to both games, there are some important contrasts and

Discussion board Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 8

Discussion board - Essay Example Factors such as socio-emotional, cultural, personality, family background and learning environment are some of those that can largely change a learner’s attitude towards education. A study done in South Australia as reported by Hattie, indicated that learning is much more pleasurable when the social upbringing of a child is effective and enriched such that values, social skills, confidence and self-esteem among other are built early enough through right healthy nurturing. As the school system emphasizes the spirit of responsibility, the family socialization puts a strong foundation to it such that when these children go to school these virtues automatically synchronize without much struggle. It is worth pointing out that humans need to be reinforced to make most of the moves in the real world contrary to Willingham’s conception that they are naturally predisposed to automatic functioning. It is my stance that not all learners hate school or that they undergo through the process through coercion. It is, however, notable that owing to above-mentioned factors, a child may develop hatred for education. Scientific research has proved that to hold that all students hate school is a flawed premise as there are clear