Essay --

Many students from all over the globe seek to take admission in different universities of USA but unfortunately many are unable to do so due to different problems like financial need, etc. So many different foundations have started funding the international students who are meritorious, talented and due to financial need or some other problem can’t afford to take admission. Scholarships for the Indian Students at any University in USAGiven below are some of the scholarships available for admission in Masters’ degree in any university of USA for the international students. Though the list contains mainly those scholarships for the Indian students in which they are eligible. The scholarships available here are: 1. Fulbright Foreign Students Program in USA This scholarship enables graduate students and young professionals from other countries of the world to research and study in US for a year or more at US universities and institutes. Eligibility: Any international candidate who is holding bachelors’ or equivalent degree is eligible for this scholarship Scholarship Amount: Full funding for the duration of study which includes tuition fees, airfare, living stipend, health insurance, etc. How to Apply: The applications are processed by the bi – national Fulbright Commission / Foundation or US Embassies. So the candidates need to apply through the Fulbright Commission / Foundation or US Embassies of their home countries, but it must be done before the deadline. For more details visit: http://foreign.fullbrightonline.org/about/foreign-fullbright 2. OFID Scholarship Awards for International Students OFID stands for The OPEC Fund for International Development. This foundation offers scholarship to those international stu... ...ime Minister Obuchi. He actually believed in â€Å"people building the next era†. This scholarship is to support innovative and imaginative post – graduate research in the areas of development. Eligibility: Any international candidates who have completed their bachelors’ or equivalent degree and must be a person of high intellectual promises are eligible. The candidate must be within the age of 40 years. Scholarship Amount: Between $ 6,000 and $ 10,000 in two or three installments How to Apply: All the candidates need to submit the application form along with the documents mentioned in the form before the deadline to the address â€Å"Fellowship Programme Section, UNESCO, 7, Place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris 07†. Also an advance copy may be sent by fax to 33.1.45.68.55.03. For more details visit: http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=14635&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

Individual Learning Project Essay

The organization selected for analysis and evaluation is American Lake Credit Union. This organization is composed of two main branches, both located in Tacoma, Washington. In contrast to banks, Credit Unions are smaller organizations and are directed by members who are selected via a vote to serve in an all-volunteer board of directors for the organization (Scott, and Johnston, p.2, 2011). Specifically, this credit union was founded in 1948 and has grown since then. (C. Fitzer, personal communication April 7, 2014). For instance, although the organization is small in size through a partnership with a credit union network, it is able to provide general financial services at diverse locations throughout the country (CO-OP Financial Services, 2013). In addition, the active CEO Fantz (2013) asserted that the organization’s mission is to â€Å"provide a variety of quality services to a diversified membership while maintaining financial soundness†; additionally, they current ly reported close to 50 billion dollars in assets on organization’s balance sheet. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) Analysis Arumugam, Chang, Ooi, and The (2008), emphasized that in order to facilitate the drive towards high performance, many companies are using self-assessment tools to measure their current position and develop strategy in order to asses where they are and where they want to be within their industry. (p.141). SWOT analysis is one of this tools or processes. Boone and Kurtz (2006) defined the concept of SWOT analysis as a methodical approach to develop strategy as it compels managers to do an internal reality check, and an analysis of the external environment (p.274-275). This assertion is echoed by Blocher, Stout, Juras, and Cokins (2013) in which the scholars lectured the process of SWOT analysis as a process that provides the opportunity to methodologically examine internal and external factors in order to complete a self-assessment of the organization, and examine the environment in order to create a solid foundation for sound strategy for the organization (p. 36-38). The general quadrants of a complete SWOT analysis are strengths, weakness,  opportunities, and threats. These are listed in Table 1 for American Lake Credit Union. Table 1 Strengths -High quality aggressive employee training programs parallel with organization high audit and regulatory compliance rates -Membership to CO-OP Shared Branch Network 1 -Local Market Position/Community Relations Program -Cost Advantage and Pricing compared to banks -Physical Locations -Strong and Experienced Managers Weaknesses -Employee Turn-Over -Requirements to become a member -Lack of Market Differentiation as it relate to financial Services2 -Only two physical branches -Lack of a business/Market Development Section -Technology, bad turn around in communications equipment repair, need to redo contract for local IT Support Opportunities -Online Market -Branch Expansion -External Training Program -Rotating Customer Base in the local installation -College population in nearby universities -Available location for Branch at Air Force Location Threats -Military drawdown (long term), affect main target market -More exposed to economic issues (recessions) than bigger organizations due to limited size -Loss of one segment of the market with the deactivation of 4-2 Brigade Combat Team -Columbia Bank Plans to Open Facility in the immediate area 2 -Cyber Crimes External Note. Lists Adapted from (C. Fitzer, personal communication April 7, 2014) with the exception of: 1. CO-OP Financial Services. (2013). What is CO-OP ATM and CO-OP Shared Branch?. Retrieved from http://co-opsharedbranch.org/participating-cus/ 2. (C.H. Chapman, personal Communication April 8, 2014) This source is a marketing consultant for non-profit organizations, has worked closely with the American Lake Credit Union, and provided fresh feed back into the credit union during the interviews. A brief discussion of Table 1 is provided below: In the area of strengths the one of the most important strengths provided during the interview was their current training program for federal  regulatory compliance, this put the organization at an advantage even with more developed organizations In the area of weaknesses, the biggest challenge was employee turnover. Even with the recession and the current job market good talent could and can be found, but it is hard to retain with the current compensation and benefit plans offered In the area of opportunities, the online market presents a strong market that the organization has not exploited as much as they could In the area of threats, the main target market of the American Lake Credit Union is the current drawdown within the Department of Defense structure, in the short term, the population have currently lost 1400 service members and their families, in the long term more loses in market are expected (C. Fitzer, personal communication April 7, 2014) American Lake Credit Union Balanced Scorecard Soderberg, Kalagnanam, Sheehan, and Vaidyanathan (2011) presented the balance scorecard as a strategic planning procedural tool used by organizations to balance financial concerns, customer concerns, process concerns, and innovation concerns with the main purpose of developing appropriate strategy in favor of a more favorable market position (p. 689-690). Similarly, Lawrence and Webber (2008) illustrated the process as a concoction of focused key quadrants, people and knowledge, internal, customer, and financial indicators with the main purpose of developing metrics to measure all areas of performance (p.79). In the case of American Lake Credit Union, interview and analysis with C. Fitzer and C.H. Chapman provided enough data to produce the balanced scorecard depicted in Table 2 below. -Reduce Exposure to default Loans -Cash Flow/Balance Sheet -Selected cost savings in utilities and materials -Reduction in days for accounts receivable -Customer Service/Satisfaction -Customer Loyalty -Trend in Customers that transferred direct deposit accounts -Customer Surveys (Measured Quarterly (QTLY)) -Mystery Shopper feedback to manager -Trend in returning customers – Number of Customer complaints -10 new customers a week (Account Holding) -10% increase in market share by end of fiscal year 2015 -95% Satisfaction on surveys per quarter -100% satisfaction in mystery shopper experience -Less than eight percent customer complaint rate quarterly -Participate in community awareness events -Sponsor small activities for customers -Provide Western Union Services at discount to customers with direct deposit to the institution -Open new Branch at local AF Base -Implement Secret Shopper Program -Implement Customer Service Training Table 2 (continued) General Quadrants Critical Success Factors/Goals Metrics/Measured Trends Towards Goals Goal Initiative Internal Process -Processes Efficiency and Quality -Productivity when doing direct customer interactions -Number of errors in financial processes -Cycle time/customer wait time -Time spent doing internal tasks -Less than 5 errors per shift -Less than 10 minutes from check in to check out for customers regarding of the time of the day -Decrease time doing internal tasks by 25% without loss of quality -Implement lean six sigma principles -Sustain compliance Training Program -Integrate yearly refresher for all employees (training will be employee led) Learning and Growth -Skill Development and Sustainment -Competitive Benefits/Compensation -Employee Access and Input in Strategic Planning -Number of errors in financial processes -Employee Surveys -Employee Turn-over rates -90% employee satisfaction rate in surveys -Minimize employee turnover rate by % by 50% FY 15 -Integrate yearly refresher for all employees (training will be employee led) -Implement a more comprehensive benefit package for employees, main target is well performing and those with longevity -Involved Employees in strategy development and asked for feedback on current decision Note. Lists Adapted from (C. Fitzer, personal communication, April 7, 2014) with the exception of: 1. CO-OP Financial Services. (2013). What is CO-OP ATM and CO-OP Shared Branch?. Retrieved from http://co-opsharedbranch.org/participating-cus/ 2. (C.H. Chapman, personal communication, April 8, 2014) This source is a marketing consultant for non-profit organizations, has worked closely with the American Lake Credit Union, and provided fresh feed back into the credit union during the interviews. Discussion of Critical Success Factors (CSFs) Blocher et al. (2013) defined critical success factors as â€Å"measures of the aspects of the firm’s performance that are essential to its competitive advantage and therefore to its success† (p. 898). Tables 2 depicted the selected CSFs within the standard four quadrants of the balance score card, and these are discussed in detail below. Financial The financial success factors are important because these defined the aspect of the main purpose of a business, to make a profit. The specific CSFs within the financial quadrant and the rational for their selection are explained below. Increase Gross Profit. This was selected by the interviewed organization representative because in her professional opinion it was the best way to determine the effectiveness and financial health of the organization (C. Fitzer, personal communication, April 7, 2014). Furthermore, in accordance to Bloomsbury Information (2009), this an important factor to consider because a high gross profit margin ratio, high gross profit margin ratio indicates that a business can make a reasonable profit on sales, as long as overheads do not increase. Investors pay attention to the gross profit margin ratio because it tells them how efficient your business is compared to competitors. It is sensible to track gross profit margin ratios over a number of years to see if company earnings are consistent, growing, or declining. For businesses, knowing your gross profit margin ratio is important because it tells you whether your business is pricing goods and services effectively. Reduce exposure to default loans. The concept implies reduction of credit risk. The term credit risk is illustrated by He and Xiong (2012), as the risk the organization takes when issuing a loan; furthermore, if the organization’s loan or debt market deteriorates, and loans go into default the organization would take loses in its investment (p. 391). This is important because if this risk is identified and mitigated in an effective way the organization will not be as exposed to financial loses. Customer Factors This specific quadrant addresses the customer and objectives to increase or develop value and differentiation from the point of view of the customer (Beard, 2009, p. 279). Specific CSFs for the organization in this specific quadrant are as follows. Prospective customer perspective towards the organization- This refers specifically for that segment of the market that are not customers of the organization yet. Lautenslager (2003) reported that aachieving a good perspective from this outer segment will allow the organization to attract new customers, expand its market, and build the  organization as an attractive brand which can translate in to new business and profits. Customer Service/Satisfaction- This term refers to the extent that the clientele is pleased with the product line or service provided by the organization. As a general concept this is important because if the customer is unhappy is likely that he would not comeback; furthermore, it is likely that he will walk away, repel other prospective customers, or even existing customers (Naik, 2011). Customer Loyalty- This objective is one of the fundaments of many business organizations. This is extremely important for any organization because once customer loyalty is achieved, these customers will purchase the organization’s products and services repetitively, the more loyal the customer, the harder it will be for a competitor to draw him, and they can provide a good source of advertising and new customers by word of mouth. (C.H. Chapman, personal Communication April 8, 2014). Internal Process Internal processes are another part of the quadrant that when disregarded can cost the organization in terms of effectives, quality, gross margin, and revenue. It refers to those processes that are internal to the organization, like appraisals, self-audits, customer interactions, and quality checks for example. Processes Efficiency and Quality- This area refers to the internal processes of the organization, for example, it was mentioned during the interviews that that one employee on the organization creates a weekly balance sheet, and that job usually takes about one hour. Streamlining this and similar other processes save the organization on employee hours that could be used for customer care or employee training (C. Fitzer, personal communication, April 8, 2014). Productivity when doing direct customer interactions- This refers to the amount of time that it takes to do a customer transaction from the moment that they enter the facility until they are complete. It may take a customer about 20 minutes during the busy time of the day to perform the transaction due to crowding. Altering the way the organization conduct some of this processes will allow for the â€Å"line† to move faster, and affecting the customer satisfaction factor. Learning and Growth The quadrant of learning and growth is fundamental to the American Lake Credit Union because of the environment in which financial organizations operate in our time. Constant changes to the financial regulations at the state, and federal levels, added to the technological advances call for continuous organizational development in order to remain relevant with the environment. Therefore, developing a learning collective workforce and retaining this work force is fundamental to any business organization today. The specific CSFs on this quadrant are discussed below. Skill Development and Sustainment- Currently, the organization has a very strong training program in the areas of federal compliance. The intent is to sustain this strong program, and enhanced it by adding employee training in new technologies, internal processes, and customer service; moreover, ensuring the program is employee led and centric, thus, giving a sense of ownership to the workforce (C. Fitzer, personal communica tion, April 8, 2014). Competitive Benefits/Compensation- C. Fitzer (personal communication, April 8, 2014) mentioned that this was one of the main employee complaints in regards to the employee programs within the organization. Implementing, a more comprehensive benefits/compensation plan will ensure that employee turnover rate is minimized and allow the organization to retain the experienced employees. Employee Access and Input in Strategic Planning- Allowing employees to have more impute on the decision making process for the organization will give management a fresher perspective that can be valuable when making those decisions. Plus, it will give sense of ownership to the workforce constraining any resistance to strategic changes. Evaluation of American Lake Credit Union in Achieving its CSFs Financial Any for profit organization is always on the look to increase its profit and solidify or expand its market position. Firstly, the risk reduction initiatives of education and member involvement combined with market expansion should facilitate the current goal of 10% increase in gross profit margin by the end of FY 15 (personal communication, April 8, 2014). Examining the balance Sheet quarterly will allow the organization to follow up and address trends that would constrain this goal. Currently, on the last quarter they were down by 2% from the quarter before, but on this quarter they are up 4% (personal communication, April 8, 2014). This may sound like a wave of percentages, but taking other factors into consideration as the  proposed expansion to the local AFB, cutting unnecessary costs on internal processes and supplies, initiatives to reduce cycle time for accounts receivable, and other initiatives within Table 2 an increase of 10% gross margin by the end of FY 15 is a realisti c and achievable goal for this organization. Customer Satisfaction Customer satisfaction will be measured monthly, analyzed and evaluated quarterly, taking in to consideration trends in customers that transferred direct deposit accounts, customer surveys, mystery shopper feedback, and trends in returning customers (C. Fitzer, personal communication, April 8, 2014). Currently’ the organization have a high customer satisfaction rate with survey results depicting up to 88% on all customer surveys and only three formal complaints last quarter (C. H. Chapman, personal communication, April 8, 2014). This fact combined with the implementation of the secret shopper program on the first quarter of FY 15, and the customer care training program initiatives will give a customer care advantage to the organization over other local competitors (C. Fitzer, personal communication, April 8, 2014). On the other hand, although the process for customer complaints seemed to be effective at the collection and solving states, there was no current intent on adding these as part of the customer care training program. This was recommended by this author to the manager under interview. Using an objective approach, after taking into consideration the current customer satisfaction trends and rates, the upcoming initiatives, it can be assessed that the goal of 95% customer satisfaction rate will be achieved and likely surpassed by the end of FY 15. Internal Process American Credit Union is looking to reduce errors in internal processes, increase effectiveness in customer processes, and decrease the time doing internal tasks. The current goals of less than five errors per shift, less than 10 minutes from check in to check out for customers regarding of the time of the day, decrease time doing internal tasks by 25% without loss of quality are achievable, but will require commitment of the leadership and the workforce. For instance, sustaining the current regulatory compliance training program, and implementing lean six sigma principles should provide  the tools to succeed in this area. However, with all the other initiatives on the horizon, and the plans for expansion in to the local AFB it will require extra effort for the organization as a collective to achieve those goals without de-prioritizing other initiatives. Learning and Growth In the case of American Lake Credit Union a robust education and training program, a more comprehensive concoction of compensation and benefits will translate into the development of a better and brighter workforce, and the retaining of this work force. This will be measure by taking into consideration the number of errors in financial processes, employee Surveys, and employee turn-over rates. Some of the initiatives on this area such as consider input from employees in strategic decisions and sustainment training will sharply motivate employees within this area. Moreover, the current goal of 90% employee satisfaction rate in surveys and to minimize employee turnover rate by 50% by FY 15 is very achievable if this area is somewhat prioritized by management. However, as reported in the article Putting People First (2011), management must keep in mind that newly trained and educated employees will take their knowledge and new skill sets somewhere else for better pay and or benefits, if the proposed compensation and benefit packets are implemented (p.25-26). Final Thoughts The purpose of this document was to provide a short description of American Credit Union along with a SWOT Analysis, Balanced Score card, and discussion of these. It can be assessed with the information provided that although there are challenges ahead, the current financial status of the organization selected is healthy and the ambitions for the future achievable as they exploit their strengths, their environment, and address their weaknesses. Lastly, as long as the management remained focused, committed, and is able to maintain the workforce motivated it is likely that the organization will achieve its goals. References Arumugam, V., Chang, H., Ooi, K., and Teh, P. (2009). â€Å"Self-assessment of TQM practices: a case analysis†, The TQM Journal, 21(1), 46 – 58. Retrieved from http://www.emeraldinsight.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/journals.htm?articleid =1766744&show=abstract#sthash.TkDGZoZ7.dpuf Beard, D. F. (2009.). Successful applications of the balanced scorecard in higher education. Journal of Education for Business, 84(5), 275-282. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA199801168&v=2.1&u=vic_liberty&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&asid=0a844270d80075c057b128b38e50a6e7 Blocher, E., Stout, D. S., Juras, P.E., & Cokins, G. (2013). Cost Management: A Strategic Emphasis (6th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Boone, L. and Kurtz, D. (2006). Contemporary Business. Mason, OH: Thomson South-Western CO-OP Financial Services. (2013). What is CO-OP ATM and CO-OP Shared Branch?. Retrieved from http://co-opsharedbranch.org/participating-cus/ Fantz, E. (2013). Annual Report. Retrieved from http://www.americanlake.org/pdf/annualreport.pdf Bloomsbury Information. (2009). Gross profit margin ratio. Retrieved from http://www.liberty.edu:2048/login?url=http://literati.credoreference.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/content/entry/qfinance/gross_profit_margin_ratio/0 He, Z., & Xiong, W. (2012). Rollover Risk and Credit Risk. Journal of Finance, 67(2), 391-429. Lautenslager, A. (2003), Why You Need PR: Getting the word out about your product or service should always be a priority. Retrieved form http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/65672# Lawrence, A.T., and Weber, J. (2008).Business & Society Stakeholders, Ethics, Public Policy (12th ed). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Naik, A. (2011). Why is Customer Satisfaction Important. Retrieved from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/why-is-customer-satisfaction-important.html Putting people first. (2011). Devel opment and Learning in Organizations, 25(1), 25-27. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/14777281111096816 Scott, K., and Johnston, C. R. (2011). Factors affecting the adoption of consumer oriented information technology biometrics solutions by the credit union industry. Journal of Technology Research, 2, 1-13. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/887909140?accountid=12085 Soderberg, M., Kalagnanam, S., Sheehan, N., and Vaidyanathan, G. (2011) â€Å"When is a balanced scorecard a balanced scorecard?, International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 60(7) 688-708

A Comparative Study Of The Banks In Nepal - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 12 Words: 3601 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Statistics Essay Did you like this example? A well-structured financial sector is of special importance for the economic growth in both developed and developing countries. The commercial banking sector should be well organized and efficient for the growth of an emerging economy. Commercial Banks which forms one of the backbones of the financial sector are the intermediary link in facilitating the flow of funds from the savers to investors. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "A Comparative Study Of The Banks In Nepal" essay for you Create order By providing a means of mobilizing domestic savings and proficiently channeling them into productive investments, they lower the cost of capital to investors and accelerate the economic growth of a nation. No underdeveloped country can well progress without setting up a sound system of commercial banking system.[1] Nepal is an agrarian based economy with a GDP of $ 33.26 billion[5]. Nepalese banking industry has considerable changes over past decades because of liberalization, deregulation, improving information technology and globalization. The financial sector liberalization resulted in the entry of new firms in the market, which also added more pressure on competitiveness of individual banks; deregulation widened the scope of activities and expanded the banking activities; advancement in technology resulted into new methods to perform banking activities. Furthermore, the banks, these days, are entering into non-banking markets while other financial institutions are entering into the banking markets that have conventionally been served by the banks. These changes have altered the structure and market behavior of Nepalese banking industry. Currently there are 26 commercial banks out of which 6 are joint venture banks, 63 development banks and 77 financial institutions in Nepal. At present there is only one international bank operating in Nepal which is Standard Chartered Bank Limited. It started operation in Nepal since 1987 as a joint-venture operation and today it is a part of Standard Chartered Group having an ownership of 75% in the company and 25% shares owned by the Nepalese public. Nepal after its commitment to the World Trade Organization (WTO) during its accession in 2004, has allowed foreign banks to make their foray in Nepal to do only wholesale banking  from Jan. 1, 2010. Initially before the agreement with WTO (GATS), the Central Bank regulation allowed foreign shareholders to acquire maximum of 51% shares. Later the regulation changed which allowed foreign ownership of 75% and the recent regulation of 2010 allows 100% foreign ownership (i.e. allows a local entity to be a branch of a foreign company) in the banking industry. Entering of foreign firms is likely to generate benefits to financial sector as well as the economy as a whole (Chau HB, 2003). The effects can be seen mainly through an increase in efficiency and technological advancements as mentioned above. Over the past decade, the Nepalese banking industry has been doing well and has a number of new firms entering into the market. However, there is only one foreign bank and 6 joint-venture banks in the banking sector, though the government has liberalized the financial sector and allowed foreign banks to have 100% foreign ownership. With limited number of foreign banks in Nepal, it is still unclear whether entering of foreign banks, including joint venture, helps to improve overall performance of banking sector as well as to spillover some benefit to domestic banks in Nepal. Objectives To answer the key question above, there are two objectives of the research paper. To measure and analyze the performance of three types of banks namely domestic bank, joint-venture bank, and foreign bank and to explain the variation in performances of these banks. To identify whether the entry of foreign banks, including joint venture, banks would be beneficial for domestic banks which still dominate the financial market in Nepal. 1.3. Scope and limitations of the Study This study will only focus on three types of banks, i.e. domestic bank, joint-venture bank, and foreign bank, and it will offer an insight on the advantages of foreign banks in Nepal. Furthermore it will provide the reasons pertaining to variations in performance of the banks. The main limitation in this study is that there is only one foreign bank in Nepal till date, so the interpretation of the performance of the foreign bank in Nepal could be restricted to some degree. 1.4. Research Methodology This section develops research methodology to reach the objectives of the study. The banking sector in Nepal will be divided into three groups, namely foreign owned banks; joint-venture banks, and domestic banks. For this research, foreign-owned banks will be classified as those which have started a branch or subsidiary in the host country where the share of foreign bank ranges from 51% to 100% while joint venture banks will be classified as those in which foreign investors own the total equity of 50% or less and domestics banks are those which are purely owned by the Nepalese. The foreign owned banks are separated from joint-venture banks in this study because these two types of banks tend to have different operational management, resulting in their different performance. The research methodology is composed of both quantitative and qualitative analysis. First, the qualitative approach is applied to examine the structure and development of financial sector in Nepal during 2000-2010. The financial policy, especially competition-restriction regulation in Nepalese banking sector is also reviewed, mainly through official documents from central bank and international organization. Then the quantitative approach is developed to measure the performance and efficiency of banking sectors in Nepal. This is done by conducting various financial indicators of three types of banks in Nepal namely foreign bank, joint venture banks and domestic banks. Comparison of the indicators among these three types of banks over the past decades will provide the clear analysis of different performance between foreign-owned and domestic banks. The indicators can be grouped into four aspects, namely profitability; operational costs; staff productivity; risk prevention. Table 1 shows financial indicators that will be conducted according these four aspects. Table: 1    Indicators Rational Profitability Profitability à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ·Profit Margin (Net Profit/Total Income) Profit margin is very useful when comparing  companies in similar industries. A higher profit margin indicates a more profitable company that  has better control over  its costs compared to  its competitors. Profit margin is  displayed as a percentage; a 20% profit margin, for example, means the company has a net income of $0.20 for each dollar of sales. Profitability à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ · Return on Asset (Net Profit/Total asset) ROA figure gives investors an idea  of how effectively the company is converting the money  it has  to invest into net income. The higher the ROA number, the better, because the company is earning more money on less investment. For example, if one company has a net income of $1 million  and total  assets of $5 million, its ROA is 20%; however, if another company earns the same amount but has total assets of $10 million,  it has  an ROA of 10%. Based on this example, the first company  is better at converting its investment into profit. Profitability à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ·Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Return On Equity (Net Profit/Equity) The amount of net income  returned  as a percentage  of shareholders equity.  Return on equity  measures a corporations profitability  by revealing how much  profit a company generates  with the money shareholders have invested.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Higher The ROE better the company. Profitability à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ · Interest Rate Spread (Interest Earning Ratio-Interest Expense Ratio) The difference between the average yields a financial institution receives from loans and other interest-accruing activities and the average rate it pays on deposits and borrowings. The greater the spread, the more profitable the financial institution is likely to be; the lower the spread, the less profitable the institution is likely to be. Risk prevention Risk Prevention à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ·Capital to Risk Weighted Assets (CRAR) Total Capital/ (RWAs) This ratio is used to protect depositors and promote the stability and efficiency of financial systems around the world. à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ·Core CRAR = Tier I Capital / RWAs Tier one capital is that which can absorb losses without a bank being required to cease trading. This measures the capital standard of the bank à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ·Adjusted CRAR = (Total Capital Net NPAs)/(RWAs Net NPAs) This relates to the bankà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s ability to sustain the losses due to risk exposures is the bankà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s capital. The intermediation activity exposes the bank to a variety of risks. Staff productivity Staff Productivity à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ·Profit per employee (Net Profit/ No. of Employee) This helps to measure how productive the employees are in the bank by calculating profit generated by every employee. Higher the figure better for the company. à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ·Net Income per employee (Net Total Income/ Number of Employees) This also helps to measure income generated by every employee in the company Operational costs Overhead Expense à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ · Overhead expense/total income The accurate accounting and allocation of over-head expenses are very important factors in calculating the true cost of the company Operating Expense Ratio à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ · Operating Expense/ Net Income The Operating Expense Ratio is usually viewed as a measurement of management efficiency.   This is because management usually has greater control over operating expenses than they do over revenues. In addition to analyzing different performance between foreign-owned and domestic banks, this study further analyze whether entering of foreign banks helps to improve efficiency of domestic bank. This is done by (1) Structured interviews with managers of central bank and commercial banks. Specifically, the interview will provide detailed analysis on which factors do help to improve performance of domestic banking sector in Nepal; could foreign-owned banks influence performance of domestic banks; and which channels do foreign-owned banks influence domestic banks, and (2) by à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Granger causality testà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? between domestic bank performance and foreign bank performance. This will be done on profitability, staff productivity and operational costs. 1.5. Organization of the study There will be five chapters in the study. Chapter 1 provides introduction, objective, scope and limitation, and methodology of the study. Chapter 2 reviews relevant theoretical and empirical literature on foreign bank penetration and domestic bank performance in both developed and developing countries to lay the groundwork for developing analytical framework and methodology in examining the impacts of foreign bank penetration on domestic bank performance in Nepal. Chapter 3 examines the structure and development of financial sector in Nepal as well as financial policy over the past decades. The results of banking performance are shown in this chapter. Chapter 4 discusses the impacts of foreign banks to domestic banks, both qualitative and quantitative. Chapter 5 provides conclusion and policy inferences. Chapter 2 Literature Review This section reviews relevant theoretical and empirical literature on foreign bank penetration and domestic bank performance in both developed and developing countries. This is done in order to lay the groundwork for developing analytical framework and methodology in examining the impacts of foreign bank penetration on domestic bank performance in Nepal. Penetration of foreign bank can come in different forms, such as branch offices, subsidiaries, joint ventures, or strategic partnerships. Branch offices, for instance, are an integral part of the parent company, that is, they have no capital of their own. Subsidiaries, however, are their own corporate entities, which are fully owned by the parent company. Similarly, joint ventures are separate corporate entities owned jointly by more than one parent company. Finally, foreign banks may establish a strategic partnership by buying a majority stake of an already existing domestic bank. Weller Scher (1999) The main difference between the various operational forms of foreign banks is their regulatory treatment. The regulatory treatment of the banks differs amongst domestic banks, joint-venture banks and foreign owned banks. Although there are different forms of foreign bank penetration, foreign owned banks are defined as those in which foreign investors own more than 50% of the total equity. Okuda and Rungsomboon, (2004). Decree on Foreign Banks, Phillip Fox 2006, distinguished foreign banks as Foreign Bank Branches (FBB), Foreign Invested Banks (FIB) and Joint Venture Banks (JVB). FBB is a dependent subsidiary of a foreign bank, for which the foreign bank has provided written guarantee that it will be responsible for all obligations and undertakings under FBB. A 100% FIB is established as a separate legal entity with capital being contributed from only foreign entities. Amongst the foreign investors, there must be a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“parent bankà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? and it must hold more than 50% charter capital. A JVB is established as a separate legal entity, with capital being contributed from one or more foreign banks and domestic banks. Capital is not divided into shares. In JVBs, the capital contribution rate by the foreign bank(s) is capped at 50% of the capital of the bank. The regulations and supervision of financial sector in a host country are crucial in affecting the penetration of foreign banks. Over the past decade, most of the banks throughout the world have started standardizing their policies relating to financial sector according to Basel committee (Basel II Basel III)[7] Although Basel system has been introduced and regulations and supervision of banking sectors began to be standardized, regulations relating to competition within the banking sector, which influence the penetration of foreign bank and market structure of banking sector, vary significantly across countries and regions. According to Barth, Caprio and Levin (2001), there are three key aspects of the regulations relating to competition within the banking sector, namely 1) Limitations on Foreign Ownership of Domestic Banks determine (whether there are any limitations placed on the ownership of domestic banks by foreign banks); (2) Limitations on Foreign Bank Entry determine (whether there are any limitations placed on the ability of foreign banks to enter the domestic banking industry) and (3) Entry into Banking Requirement determine (whether there are specific legal submissions required to obtain a license to operate as a bank). The restrictions on overall bank activities and ownership vary from country to country. The research on Regulation and Supervision of Banks around the World by Barth, Caprio and Levine (2001) mentions that there are two measures of the size of a countryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s banking industry. First measure is total bank assets as a percentage of GDP and the other is the number of banks per 100.000 people. . Both these measures show substantial variation across countries. Countries like Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, and United Kingdom have very high total bank assets as a percentage of GDP whereas United States and Asian countries are much lower. However the number of banks per 100,000 people is not much different in the countries mentioned above. The following Table shows the differences in restriction on banking system in some countries.[8] Countries Percent of total bank assets government owned Percent of total bank assets foreign owned Overall bank activities and ownership restrictiveness Professional Supervisor per bank Bangladesh 70 6 3.0 8 India 80 0 2.5 5.5 Nepal 20 35 2.0 4 Sri Lanka 55    1.8                   Cambodia 16 71 3.5    Indonesia 44 7 3.5 3 Malaysia 0 18 2.5 4.7 Philippines 12 13 1.8 7 Thailand 31 7 2.3 10 Singapore 0 50 2.0 1                New Zealand 0 99 1.0 0.6 Australia 0 17 2.0 2                United States 0    1.3 0.7                Germany 42 4 1.3 1 United Kingdom 0    1.3 0.7 Belgium       2.3 0.7 Switzerland 15 9 1.3    The table clearly shows that the countries in ASEAN region have higher restrictions on banking activities and ownership in comparison to countries like New Zealand and United States. The regulations are different in each country and do not match even if the countries are in the same region. But Professional supervision per bank is lower in developed countries like United States, New Zealand, United Kingdom whereas developing counties have higher no. of supervision per bank. According to the research the highest restrictions on overall bank activities and ownership are imposed by countries like Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Vietnam and lowest restrictions by New Zealand then Germany, Austria and United Kingdom. In countries like New Zealand and United states the government ownership of banks is zero percent whereas India, Bangladesh has very high percent of government-owned banks. Although the regulations on banking competition vary, over the last decades, restrictions on foreign bank penetration have been relaxed as part of financial reform and foreign bank penetration increased substantially in many countries. This could be because the host country expects the positive impacts of increased foreign bank penetration in the host countryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s banking system. Trade agreements have also played a major role in liberalization of market entry for foreign banks as financial services are required for international trade, production and investments. Governments usually support flow of foreign investment and this has been evident especially after various financial crises. Many countries in Southeast Asia started liberalizing foreign investment after the Asian financial crisis. The Asian crisis appeared to have catalyzed the liberalization of FDI restrictions in the banking sector across several ASEAN countries. Chau H.B (2003) A number of empirical studies analyze the impacts of foreign bank entry on domestic financial sector in a host country. The impacts can be grouped into three aspects. Firstly, foreign banks promote efficiency (competition and new technology) in domestic financial sector. A larger foreign bank presence can improve the competitiveness of the banking sector. Greater competition is advantageous for many reasons: to enhance the efficiency of financial services; to stimulate innovation; and to contribute to stability. It can also widen access of qualified borrowers to financing, which may increase aggregate lending and so enhance growth. A competitive and well-organized banking system can also improve the effectiveness of monetary policy transmission by tightening the link between policy rates and deposit/lending rates. (BIS paper No. 23) Foreign banks also help in availability of funds and acquisition of consumer-marketing skills. Chau (2003) In addition, foreign bank entry introduces new technology; financial services and advanced management skills, which existing domestic banks lack. The new technology and skills introduced by foreign banks include new financial products, advanced IT technology, and sophisticated bank management techniques. These are expected to contribute to lower operational expenses, amplified profitability, and better bank risk management. Forced by market competition, domestic banks may emulate the new financial products and management skills. Okuda Rungsomboon (2004). The presence of foreign bank also improves the corporate governance structure of the domestic banks. This includes breaking down the family-controlled structure and improving the decision making process. Chau H.B (2003) Unite and Sullivan (2001) has found that increase in foreign bank entry narrows the interest rate spreads and also reduces operating expenses. Foreign banks induces domestic banks to be more efficient, the increased competition forces domestic banks to take in less creditworthy customers and foreign participation induces domestic banks to spend more on improving their operations. However, Okuda Rungsomboon (2004) found that the entry of foreign banks is expected to negatively affect the operations of domestic banks but overall performance is likely to progress in the long run. Secondly, the entry of foreign banks is associated with reallocation of loans. Findings suggest that foreign banks improves credit access for many credit-worthy firms but some firms with positive net present value without opaque information will have difficulty obtaining loans. More developed countries, such as the U.S., Japan, and those in the European community, argue that Less Developed countries should allow foreign banks to enter into their economies. By increasing competition, foreign bank entry may boost the supply of credit and improve efficiency. Gormley (2006) Foreign banks are comparatively less likely to lend to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“soft informationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? firms, and more likely to lend to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“hard informationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? firms. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Soft informationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? refers to information that cannot be easily publicly verified by a third party. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Hard informationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? on the other hand refers to credible and publicly verifiable information, such as a foreign firmà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s authentically audited balance sheets, or government guarantees. Mian(2003.) The loan portfolio of foreign banks consists of only credible clients which mean that the chances of default are very less. The domestic banks will be compelled to give loans to non-credible clients because the credible clients will be mostly handled by foreign banks. This will have greater chances of loan defaults for domestic banks. Thirdly, foreign banks are geographically spread relative to domestic banks; therefore they are less affected by adverse shocks in the domestic country. Both foreign and private domestic banks have similar low probabilities of being assisted by the government in times of difficulty but foreign banks are considerably more likely of being bailed out by their parent bank. For example, if the local subsidiary in a developing country of a foreign bank runs into trouble, it may get an injection of new capital from its parent bank to bail it out. This access to liquidity directs to a lesser deposit cost for foreign banks. Furthermore, foreign banks have access to advanced technology, outside resources and expertise which facilitates them in providing better service than the domestic banks. However, there might be some drawbacks that make the foreign banks perform worse than domestic banks in the host country. Firstly, a large foreign banking existence could mean that information available to host country supervisors can be reduced and the decision-making and risk management shifts to the parent bank. The delisting of the equity of local partner on the local exchange removes an important source of market intelligence for the foreign bank. In addition, if the integrated firmsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ equities are delisted in the local market, host country controllers can also lose access to key foreign bank decision-makers. Secondly, a country might be more exposed to shocks due to foreign banks presence. External events which affect the parent bank will affect the branches or subsidiaries. The factors that determine exposure to such external shocks, whether it is greater with onshore foreign banking as compared to traditional cross-border bank lending, and the propositions for regulatory and supervisory policy also demand further investigation. Lastly Accounting Standards could also be a problem for foreign banks unlike the domestic banks which have clear set of accounting standards set within its organization. There is a need for transparent and reliable accounting and financial reporting but for foreign banks; usually parent banks and their foreign subsidiaries often have different accounting standards, which can lead to discrepant financial balances, even when they are based on the same financial information. This might lead to complexity in comparison between international financial statements which could raise doubt in the reliability of banks financial statements. Differences may occur in different tax treatment, deferred taxes, valuation and accounting of repos, amortization of goodwill, treatment of past due loans and from provision and inflationary accounting adjustments. Moreno and Villar (2005)

Benefits Of Recycling - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1350 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2019/03/14 Category Environment Essay Level High school Tags: Recycling Essay Did you like this example? There is an increased demand for electronic devices all over the world, especially for those desiring to make life simpler and safer. These devices have many positive effects on human life, but they also take a major toll on the environment, contributing to major pollution and waste. Since the 20th century, the increase in production of human waste has stimulated quick steps to be taken in developing different methods of recycling products. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Benefits Of Recycling" essay for you Create order The increasing disposal of products being consumed, like electronics and plastic, are filling up landfills all around the world. This creates health hazards in the areas they inhabit. Benefits Of Recycling Recycling has many benefits because it largely reduces the amount of pollution that is excreted, it reduces the need of large landfill sites used to dispose of waste, it conserves energy and scarce resources, and creates all types of different jobs. Recycling is in no way a new concept and was a practice in existence thousands of years ago. Originally, the beginning efforts for recycling were minimal. Initial attempts were usually individuals who went around and collected trash from households to sell for profit, who were called the rag-and-bone men (Recycling [Global Issues]). Decades later in the mid-nineteenth century, the Industrial Revolution was taking place. This revolution was the start of a colossal pollution and refuse problem because of the surplus of metals and textiles, so people could start throwing things away because they could just buy new ones (Recycling [Global Issues]). But when World War II took place in the 1930-40s, the aftermath involved a major economic depression. Items were no longer in a surplus due to all the money and resources being drained in the war effort, meaning that it was essential for items to be reused. This post World War II effort saw how everyday household objects and plastic were being produced in large-scale factories (Recycling [Global Issues]). This made it so industries saved a lot more money to dispose of used materials rather than reusing them, so people called it the throwaway society. On April 22, 1970, the first Earth Day was marked and it changed the majority of the populations view on recycling (Recycling [Global Issues]). In the future years following the start of Earth Day, new recycling requirement schemes started to show on bottles and paper. To this day, there are still more efficient ways being considered for recycling. Giving used materials the opportunity to be reused and put back on the market for profit requires a lot of preparation. These materials first need to be collected from businesses and homes, then transported to a materials recycling facility. Once at the facility, workers then process all the materials in order to increase their value. They separate all the material into different sections, such as glass separated by its color, plastics being transported and organized into separate pallets, and paper being baled (Recycling [Environmental Encyclopedia]). The materials that are about to be recycled, called PCMs, are mixed material that may be contaminated with toxic or nontoxic residue (Recycling [Environmental Encyclopedia]). While all types of recycling facilities may have different technology, the materials may be cleaned and reduced in large groups, or put in smaller groups, taking more time. Once all of the items are processed and properly cleansed of all impurities, they are then cleared to be reused and sold back into the market for profit. The increase of waste in landfills throughout the world is causing major environmental issues. For more than a century, many countries are disposing of peoples unwanted waste in landfills. 136 million tons of solid waste, which is about 2.3 pounds per person a day, was sent to landfills in the United States in 2014 (Recycling [Opposing Viewpoints]). The majority of these sites are sanitary landfills, and they are equipped with the most modern environmental protection and gas collection systems (Jones). Thanks to the modern equipment that these sites are equipped with, most of the sanitary landfill sites avoid emitting environmental pollution and releasing harmful greenhouse gas. But what about the unsanitary landfill sites? Unlike the sanitary sites, these sites do not have any protection sequences for the environment. Therefore, they can cause various environmental problems from the pollution of health, soil, and water (Jones). By recycling used materials, it helps avoid putting these environmental and health hazards into our landfills, assisting the environment in becoming a healthy and sanitary place for people all around the world. In the current day, energy is being consumed at an extraordinary rate. Since more countries are being introduced to the wonders of technology and are also becoming more modernized, the demand for energy is increasing daily. Recycling conserves this essential energy because the products that are going to be recycled usually require less processing in order to turn them back into usable materials. Although there is energy saved every time something is recycled, the amount that is saved depends on the material. For example, recycled aluminum saves more energy than recycled glass. Since aluminum is produced from aluminum ore, it involves a huge process that involves an enormous amount of heat and electricity to make (How does recycling save energy?). Most cans that are made from Coke, Mountain Dew, or Pepsi are made from aluminum, but this differs since the processing that is done on the aluminum from the ore is not needed because the cans can simply be re-cleaned and re-melted. Aluminum is a resource that is predicted to be in a deficit in upcoming years, so recycling it is a huge boost in saving it as a resource. In 2017, 3.7 million tons of aluminum were produced by recycling in the United States, which saved enough energy to provide electricity for 7.7 million homes (How does recycling save energy?). Glass does not nearly use the amount of energy required to produce aluminum because the only real energy-intensive action being done is getting the heat to melt the mineral mixture. Creating glass still uses energy but only a small amount, and in return, glass does not come close to saving as much energy as producing aluminum (How does recycling save energy?). While there may be minuscule amounts of energy being saved depending on which product is being recycled, there is nonetheless still energy that is being conserved, contributing to the fight against pollution and the diminishment of resources. Other than positively helping the environment, recycling can also boost the economy by creating all types of different jobs worldwide. A study conducted in 2016 showed that the recycling activities the United States accounted for attributed to the creation of 757,00 jobs and $36.6 billion in wages (Recycling Basics). Many businesses and industries that operate locally, nationally, and at international levels depend on recyclable materials to make a profit. One job that has been created by industries is the collection, processing, and preparing of recyclable materials (Bailey). Individuals who work in these jobs are involved in picking up the trash to bring to the recyclable centers. Another job is in the manufacturing process, which involves creating new products from the previously collected and processed items (Bailey). These jobs dont require high education and can help unemployed middle and lower class individuals find stable jobs. The need for recycling has become more evident over time. Acts from past generations and historic events of long-term damage have made the push for recycling more urgent. Previously, the impact of waste and landfills was not proven. Conclusion Today, it is now understood that dumping waste has been causing detrimental effects to the environment. It is from these past experiences that the concept of recycling was created. Changing our trash into something useful has been proven to be one way to protect our environment. There have been more increased efforts through recycling to stop future damage. Although our society is still exploring options to improve efficiency and improve old items, many more organizations are now involved in correcting the problem. Over time, it is anticipated that more aggressive efforts will be discovered to make an even bigger impact. It will be the responsibility of every able individual to support these efforts and make their own changes.

Essay about The Benefits of Online Universities - 3156 Words

It is a well-known fact that sometimes teachers are not able to respond to challenging questions and students have to look for the answers themselves. When I, as a student experienced the same, I made the decision to learn such topics from internet sources to compliment what we have studied in class. The result was astonishing; even though I haven’t fully studied in the classroom, I could pass my exams successfully. So, I came to the conclusion that online education may easily surpass the traditional, classroom-study one. However, there are some people who believe it is impossible . I have compared both pros and cons of 2 education styles, and detected in which field they will be beneficial, and in which their implementation will cause†¦show more content†¦Ilyas Nurseitov who is school councilor of Nazarbayev Intellectual School, which means he is a specialist in education, states, â€Å"to be a student of online university you have to be stimulated person, otherwis e you have nothing to do in online university†. One more benefit of online universities. Online universities have to make their schedule on their own, hence they are able to focus on concerning study topics more than others. According to a study by the U.S. Department of Education : on average, students in online learning conditions performed modestly better than those receiving face-to-face instruction. Using over 1,000 empirical studies, the DOE found that time was the additive that helped students study better. The report noted benefits in studies in which online learners spent more time on task than students in the face-to-face condition. This survey conducted by U.S. department of education used standard deviation methods which known by statisticians as a best way to make a survey. Hence, I suppose it is a good quality report. Chat rooms and forums in online universities enable students to communicate neglecting their modesty or timidity. One may beha ve too shy, even if he studied a lot, and perish his marks. Online education makes everyone’s voice heard, and promote them to easily express themselves. Katie Lepi, the reporter of Edudemic, supports my opinion. She says, â€Å"I grew up in aShow MoreRelatedBenefits Of Online Learning At A University1902 Words   |  8 Pagesenrolled in college (â€Å"Fast Facts†). Of the 20 million, 5.8 million are enrolled in at least one online class (â€Å"Report†). With that said, one can conclude that face to face learning at a university is the popular choice among students in the United States. It is the most familiar way of learning, and for most students it is the best choice in order for them to succeed. The rate of students choosing to learn online is on the rise though. Many view it as the better choice of the two options because it isRead More Online Teaching – Now and the Future Essay1087 Words   |  5 PagesOnline Teaching – Now and the Future Online teaching is defined as any educational activity that requires a student to complete some learning or assessment activity via a personal computer and a connection to a network (Murdoch University Academic Council 1999). This network connection is usually to the Internet (Demirdjian 2002). It is a seen by the Murdoch University Academic Council as a teaching and learning technology, not a method of study (2002), but this depends on how it is to be usedRead MoreOnline Learning Vs. Online Education1372 Words   |  6 PagesOnline education is growing in popularity as more colleges and universities offer alternative enrollment programs. While there may be advantages and disadvantages of online learning. The advantages outweigh the disadvantages, especially for those who may face obstacles in pursuing a college education. Online education can be an alternative means to classroom instruction. Online instruction allows students to have a flexible schedule while taking college cours es. Moreover, flexibility and convenienceRead MoreThe Flipped Classroom Experience1524 Words   |  6 Pagesmethodically to estimate the benefits. The technology we discussed and recommend includes Webex, classroom recording which facilitate collaborative online interactive sessions. These technology have played important role in making teaching more flexible and beneficial to students and teachers. Many universities across the world have started using online interactive sessions for teaching. This is also known as online tutoring or online course. As of now, major US universities including MIT and HarvardRead MoreThe Necessity of an Online Degree Program for Colorado Generic University1400 Words   |  6 PagesThis proposal considers the necessity of an online degree program for Colorado Generic University. The proposal will address the components and costs associated with creating an online degree program along with the benefits gained. It will also look at the most comprehensiv e model to follow in this recommended action plan. Needs Analysis Student demographics and needs have changed dramatically. An increasing number of students attending universities today are working adults who desire a flexibleRead More The Benefits of Distance Learning Essay examples540 Words   |  3 Pages The Benefits of Distance Learning I. Easy access for both students and teachers II. Knowledge of instructors and classmates A. Posting of bibliographies III. One-on-one contact between instructor and student A. Phone contact B. Web-site email C. Chat areas IV. Students learn just as easily as in the classroom V. Access to other students through online communication A. PersonalRead MoreOnline Courses And Its Impact On American Universities1358 Words   |  6 PagesOnline courses are defined as those in which at least 80 percent of the course content is offered online. On the other hand, traditional colleges and universities offer courses in which zero to 29 percent of the content is provided online. The number of schools that provide online courses has significantly increased for the last decade. Online enrollments have continued to grow at rates far in excess of the total higher education student population. According to Elaine Allen, professor of BiostatisticsRead MoreOnline Class : An Emerging Form Of Learning Of The Internet Age969 Words   |  4 PagesTaking online class s is an emerging form of learning of the internet age that did not really exist 20 to 30 years ago. The technology was not there before for the large scale of distanced learning allowing people that d previously have very limited options, the ability to learn fr om across the world that we can easily see from today. Many people can now learn and get many respected degrees from respected Colleges and Universities without as much of a need to be in a set classroom at a set timeRead MoreNew Demands And New Challenges : A Personalized Approach Essay1611 Words   |  7 PagesApproach The Ohio State University continues to change, adapting and integrating successful and new educational practices, to fit the needs of their students. One of the biggest changes taking place is the growing popularity of online education. Over the years, the Ohio State University has offered a number of online courses which continues to grow each year. Because of such growth, many play with the idea that Universities, such as Ohio State, could eventually offer a completely online education. I believeRead MoreOnline Education : The Final Milestone Of American Culture1437 Words   |  6 PagesIn many unprivileged societies, going to class on a campus may not be a luxury they can afford. That’s where online education comes in as an exciting alternative. Colleges and universities should offer more fully online courses because it can benefit tech savvy students, busy scheduled students, and students with physical or social disorders. Online courses are stress-free and with online to ols it is much easier to learn at their pace. Whether they have to work during the day, or take care of a child

The Equal Rights Amendment Free Essays

The Equal Rights Amendment was a proposal written in 1921 by Alice Paul, who was the founder of the National Woman’s Party. It was designed mainly to invalidate many state and federal laws that she felt discriminated against women; its central underlying principle was that sex should not determine the legal rights of American men or women. This proposed amendment to the U. We will write a custom essay sample on The Equal Rights Amendment or any similar topic only for you Order Now S. Constitution stated that â€Å"Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex† and also that â€Å"the Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article. The amendment was first introduced to Congress in 1923, soon after women in the United States had been given the right to vote. The U. S. Senate finally approved it 49 years later, in March 1972. It was then submitted to the state legislatures for ratification within seven years but, despite a deadline extension to June 1982, was not ratified by the required majority votes from 38 states. It would have become the 27th Amendment to the Constitution. Even though the ERA gained ratification of 30 states within one year of its approval by the Senate, escalating intense opposition from conservative religious and political organizations brought the ratification to a standstill. The main objections to the ERA were based on fears that women would lose privileges and protections such as exemption from compulsory military service and combat duty and economic support from husbands for themselves and their children. Among the opponents to the ERA, was a woman by the name of Phyllis Schlafly, a St. Louisan known for her opposition to the women’s liberation movement. She earned a law degree from Washington University and earned a master’s degree in political science from Harvard University. She worked as a researcher for several Congressmen in Washington, D. C. , and ran unsuccessfully for Congress herself in 1952 and 1970. She was largely opposed to the ERA as she believed that the amendment would require women to serve in combat, and because it would also take away legal rights of wives and would negatively influence family life. Schlafly also argued that the amendment would lead to unisex restrooms and the depravation of rights for women to not take a job, to keep her baby, and to be supported by her husband. She became a leading opponent of the ERA through her lobbying organizations such as Stop ERA and Eagle Forum, and by testifying against the ERA before 30 state legislatures. Advocates of the ERA, led primarily by the National Organization for Women (NOW), held that the issue was primarily economic. The position of NOW was that many state and federal laws amounted to sexual discrimination which perpetuated a climate of economic dependence among women and that laws determining child support and job opportunities should be designed for the individual rather than for one sex. Many advocates of the ERA thought that the failure to adopt the proposal as an amendment would cause women to lose many gains and would give a negative attitude to courts and legislators regarding feminist issues. Alice Paul, who I mentioned earlier as a proponent for the ERA, was a national leader of women’s suffrage movement, and founded National Woman’s Party. Public and equal justice for women was the basic entirety of her political goal. She was also involved with the militant wing of the English suffrage movement. She founded what was later to become the National Woman’s Party, which incorporated methods that originated in England to the struggle to pass the suffrage amendment. During WWI, she picketed the White House to protest against a government that she said, promised to make the world safe for democracy while denying half of its citizens the right to vote. Alice and others who were involved in this protest were arrested and imprisoned. She was very proud of the success of her efforts in getting the Nineteenth Amendment ratified in 1920, granting women the right to vote. But for her the ability to vote was not enough to guarantee women’s equal rights and she decided to concentrate her efforts for the ERA. Introduced in 1923, the Equal Rights Amendment finally passed Congress in 1972 but there it stopped as it failed to win ratification. Although it failed to become ratified by congress, currently since 1985 the ERA has been reintroduced into each session of Congress and held in Committee. How to cite The Equal Rights Amendment, Essay examples

Accounting Systems and Information Assurance Finance

Question: Discuss about the Accounting Systems and Information Assurance Finance. Answer: Introduction: 1. Electronic Bill Payment (EBP) is a feature that allows consumers of a financial institution to transfer the money to vendors for transactions through the credit card account. Such payments can be done via online, mobile banking or telephone banking as a direct deposit to the account of the merchandiser (Mortensen et al. 2015). Electronic Bill Presentment and Payment (EBPP) is a practice that transforms the bills, statements or any other payment systems with the use of information technology. The electronic process facilitates in creating, delivering or paying the bills or statements via internet. It is a procedure of e-business that many industries and organizations carrying out to simplify the transacting mode that eventually strengthen the customers relationship base (Blakely and Dziadosz 2015). Similarities between EBP and EBPP systems: With the constant advancement in the sector of information technology, e-business application is growing rapidly. Electronic Bill Payment and Electronic Bill Presentment and Payment are two essential components of e-business application. Under both the systems, there is a facility of online procedure with respect to transactions between purchaser and vendor. Both the systems work through net banking process that does not require physical mode of presenting documents to complete the transactions (Turban et al. 2015). Differences between EBP and EBPP systems: Though both the systems sound similar, there are some differences between the two. The system of Electronic Bill Payment (EBP) involves the transfer of money with credit card through internet while the Electronic Bill Presentment and Payment (EBPP) involve formation and delivery of transaction bills and statements. Electronic Bill Payment is a direct mode of payment between buyers and sellers through internet banking. On the other hand, Electronic Bill Presentment and Payment involves generation of bills through respective banks (Le et al. 2015). 2. Data flow diagram is a graphical illustration of the data represented through information system to create an overview of the operating system of the organization. It shows the type of input and output information to evaluate the origin of data flow and the storage system of the data flow (Tao et al. 2015). Internal environment of the organization forms the source of compliances with the business practice that helps the entities to achieve their target goals. However, external environment comprises of factors outside the organization having essential influence on the companies growth and sustainability (Călean, Srb and ChiÃ…Å ¸ 2015). In the given case, the explanation had been made with respect to the flow of internal entities as well as external entities that influence the business operations with the help of data flow diagram. Internal entities involve all the operating systems and business-regulating framework along with the group entities. It is essential to have the systematic and developed operating processes within the organization for the growth and enhancement of the business. Though the external entities are outside the boundary of the organizations, yet they provide significant influence on the development of the organizations business (ÄŒudanov and Kirchner 2016). However, it is important to differentiate the internal controls and external controls to have a smooth business operation in the organizations. This is because internal controls or entities directly influence the organization whereas external entities have indirect influence. Therefore, it is always a better approach to keep the internal entities within the organization and external entities outside the organization (Gumerov et al. 2015). Entity relationship diagram is graphical representation of the information system between people, substance, places or events within an organization. The representation is used to define the flow of information and relationship between the elements. In the given presentation, flow of information of between students, course and instructor have been made. The diagram shows the identification of students number, respective course number and grade. The next representation shows the detail of each course number with title of the course and respective instructor number followed with the name and location of instructor with each number. The representation assists in easy and concise identification of each student and their courses, grades and instructor (Tao et al. 2015). 3. Internal entities are the systems that directly influence the business operation mechanism in an organization. Internal entities comprises of internal stakeholders with respect to owners, managers and employees having a direct affect on the organizations. However, external entities are those outside the organization but are affected by the performance of the organization. External entities comprises of stakeholders like consumers, shareholders, suppliers, government, creditors and society (Călean, Srb and ChiÃ…Å ¸ 2015). In order to operate a business effectively and efficiently, there must be proper regulatory frameworks both within and outside the organizations. Moreover, the internal entities and external entities should be appropriately categorized so that the organization can operate and perform efficiently. Since each of the stakeholders have their own interests in the organization, it is important to maintain the difference between internal control and external control. Internal controls are the mechanism that works directly for the production system, labor employment, and sales of goods and services of the organization (Gumerov et al. 2015). On the other hand, external control directs the organization through suppliers for raw materials, consumers, government policy for payment of taxes and duties, investors and other people of the society. Hence, external entities are also important factor of organizations growth and development. As the conversation is between the colleagues, their position is considered as internal entity of the organization having direct influence on its performance. Consequently, the contention of the colleague is right in the present case because the internal and external entities cannot be at the same position in the organization. Existence of internal and external entities at the same position would create perplex situation in identifying the areas of problems. If both the entities remain separate, the management of the company can easily identify the actual problems and resolve easily (ÄŒudanov and Kirchner 2016). The position of a colleague in the organization falls under internal factors or internal entity and should be within the organization. Since, the employee is concerned with the matters that are internal to the organization; the position of the employee should be within the organization to get appropriate information. Reference List: Blakely, T.J. and Dziadosz, G.M., 2015. Provider Agency Practices as a Source of Social Work EBP.Journal of evidence-informed social work, pp.1-8. Călean, I., Srb, L. and ChiÃ…Å ¸, A.O., 2015. The Qualitative Mathematical Modeling of the Ambiguity within Internal Audit using Fuzzy Logic in the Forestry Entities.Procedia Economics and Finance,32, pp.1654-1666. ÄŒudanov, M. and Kirchner, K., 2016. Social Media and Employee Affiliation: Networks of Practice as New Supra-Organizational Entities. 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