Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Research proposal Essay - 10175 Words

Research proposal (Essay Sample) Content: HEALTH OUTCOMES AND MIX INEFFICIENCY: A CASE OF ITALIANS REGIONAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEMSName:Course:Professor Name:Date of Submission Table of Content TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u  HYPERLINK \l "_Toc327264009" Abstract  PAGEREF _Toc327264009 \h 3 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc327264010" 1. Introduction  PAGEREF _Toc327264010 \h 3 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc327264011" 2. Motivation and brief literature  PAGEREF _Toc327264011 \h 5 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc327264012" 3. Italian's health care system: provision of care and financing  PAGEREF _Toc327264012 \h 8 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc327264013" 4. Regional differences  PAGEREF _Toc327264013 \h 9 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc327264014" 4.1. Health outcomes differences  PAGEREF _Toc327264014 \h 9 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc327264015" 4.2. Health inputs differences  PAGEREF _Toc327264015 \h 11 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc327264016" 4.3. Some socio-economic and demographic differences  PAGEREF _Toc327264016 \h 15 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc32 7264017" 5. Data and variables  PAGEREF _Toc327264017 \h 18 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc327264018" 6. Methodology of analysis: analytical framework  PAGEREF _Toc327264018 \h 20 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc327264019" 6.1. DEA model  PAGEREF _Toc327264019 \h 22 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc327264020" 6.2. Censored panel analysis  PAGEREF _Toc327264020 \h 23 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc327264021" 6.3. Cluster analysis  PAGEREF _Toc327264021 \h 23 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc327264022" 7. Results  PAGEREF _Toc327264022 \h 25 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc327264023" 7.1. DEA slacked model results  PAGEREF _Toc327264023 \h 25 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc327264024" 7.2 Censored econometric results  PAGEREF _Toc327264024 \h 29 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc327264025" 8. Discussion  PAGEREF _Toc327264025 \h 30 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc327264026" Discussion of regional differences  PAGEREF _Toc327264026 \h 30 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc327264027" Discussion of DEA model results  PAGEREF _Toc327264027 \h 32  HYPERLINK \l "_Toc327264028" Discussion of second stage analysis  PAGEREF _Toc327264028 \h 34 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc327264029" 9. Conclusion and such possible policy implications  PAGEREF _Toc327264029 \h 36 HYPERLINK \l "_Toc327264030" References  PAGEREF _Toc327264030 \h 38 Health outcomes and mix inefficiency: a case of Italians Regional Health Care Systems(Preliminary version)AbstractThis paper critically analyzes the relative efficiency in the Italians regional collective health outcomes using HFA health data. The empirical literature on health economics often use OECD sample for efficient relative comparison of Health Systems, focusing on the Italians regional health care system level. Can it be that a health system or regional health care system is technical efficient but spending inefficient if the use of resources is expensive or vice versa (for example when the prices are very low and reducing, can use more resources than necessary relatively compared at the output level). So technically, efficiency is a very important dimension of health system performance, and measurement about nonparametric method is very useful when there is multi-objectives contest in addition to when it is difficult to individuate relation between output and input, such as the case of Regional Health Care Systems. DEA analysis reveals, that on average on the period analyzed, 66,2% level of efficiency with potential efficiency gains of 33,8% in ten years. Some fully efficient Regional Health Care System (RHCS) are Valle D'Aosta, Friuli V.G., Trentino A.A. and Liguria. Regional differences analysis show that on average life expectation at 0 years, for male and female is increasing, whereas general rate of mortality is decreasing with significant differences between regions, and physical resources have different path, not more different between regions. The possible influences of the demographics-socio-economic and lifestyle variables on the inefficiency, ana lyzed in econometric framework, reveals that for such variables the influence is of improved for some. For instance, the ratio of public health care spending on the entire health care spending and worsening for other variable such as day average cigarette, whereas for other variables is dubious the influences. It is important to use precaution interpreting results for policy indication.Keywords: health production, health care regional differences, health care system performance and efficiency, DEA, panel Tobit Health outcomes and mix inefficiency: a case of Italians Regional Health Care Systems1. IntroductionMeasurement of public sector performance, when they offer fundamental service such as health, transportation, instruction, justice among others, is an important issue in the economic debate, for researcher and for policy maker. The magnitude of public or private provision has a direct impact on the wellbeing and is vital for the economic development and growth. In this paper me asurement of performance issue is considered in terms of relative efficiency of regional health care systems in Italy, where is principally public financed. Question remains irrelevant even when state of countrys overall health, in terms of life expectancy and rate of mortality, are in significant improvement. But we must not overlook the impact of risk factor, individual and collective, as the quality of life, individual lifestyle and socio-economic factors on the health status, directly, and therefore the level of health resources available for obtain the health status of population. So this paper to try consider the influence of such factor on the inefficiency of regional health care systems, later relative efficiency is derived for each regional health care system. In this direction Retzlaff et al (2004) considers technical efficiency in the provision of aggregate health status of the population in OECD country, and use results for policy indication. The present work in the heal th care system level of Italy is ordered at three levels of government; they are the central, local level, and regional. The central level constitute of the Ministry of Health, which oversee the National Health Fund, abolished by Legislative Decree 56/2000 and to be replaced by various regional taxes. For this reason, the Central level is responsible for fixing minimum level of care (LEA) and also fixing the National Health Plans. At regional level, governments have the responsibility of pursuing and implementing the leading national objective developed by the National Health Plan and to guarantee a package of benefits (LEA) at the population trough local health units (ASL) and public and private credited hospitals. Regional planning activities of health care, organize supply in relation to population needs, monitoring the quality, appropriateness and efficiency of the services provided and are responsible for legislative and administrative functions. At local level they operate fo ur different categories of institutions: local health units (ASL), National Institutes for Scientific research (IRCCS), public hospital trusts and private accredited health care providers. Because of decentralization and devolution, the regional health care system has become the most important sub-level public sector for Region. So the Italian's Regions are not simply centers of spending of the central resources, indeed, Regions manage, organize and finance their own RHCS. In view of this fact that there is a contest then, how efficiently do different Region use their input resource to achieve their health outcome is a central question? By identifying the inputs it is probable to determine how technically efficient (TE) a Region is at health production. In this work is clear that the health production in a population is a multifactor and multifaceted issue. In fact, health aggregate population depends to socio-economic factors such as education, income, working conditions, lifestyle (for example, consumption of tobacco and alcohol, physical activity) and preference, psychological factors (stress, isolation etc), biological factors (adrenalin, and hypertension etc.) latest government policies (economic, welfare, health, housing and transport).This paper presents some advantage respect other work. First, a DEA model for slack measurement is used; to gain information about the single input reduced and not only input proportional reduction. Second, is that a health regional system level of analysis and not at level of health care system and thirdly, consider the influence of regional difference in terms of socio-economic variables on the regional health care efficiency, useful for possible policy indications.2. Literature ReviewThe health of the population is one of most vital services provided by Italian's Regions. The RHCS (Regional Health Care System/Sistemi Sanitari Regionali), in general sense, it is efficient in health production that constitute it, it also provide health using the best possible resources. The major question is whether RHCS could obtain results by spending less or with is spending level and obtain more, or could it be spending causes inefficient. According to OECD, the total spending on health in GDP percentage was in Italy 8.1% in 2000 and 9.5% in 2009, whereas public spending on health percentage total spending on health was 72.5% in 2000 and 77.3% in 2009. Professionally active physicians density per 1000 populations was 4.2 in 2000 and 2009; hospital beds density per 1000 population was 4.7 in 2000 and 3.8 in 2008. One unit or regional health system, although have high spending and are inefficient for this point of view, because of use of very expensive input (for example Anderson et al, (2003) find that USA spending differential are determined by high ...

Monday, May 18, 2020

Essay on John Rawls “Original Position” - 1137 Words

The general concept of Rawls â€Å"original position† is that all social â€Å"Primary Good† should be distributed equally to individuals in a society, unless an unequal distribution favors those less fortunate. Rawls call â€Å"the situation of ignorance about your own place in society the â€Å"original position (242).† Rawls’ theory is in direct response to John Lock’s principles on social contract which states that people in a free society need to set rules on how to live with one another in peace. Rawls’ principles were designed to guards against injustices, which was inflicted upon society, with the help of John Stuart Mills Utilitarianism principle that individuals should act so as to maximize the greatest good for the greatest number. Mills†¦show more content†¦In the priority rules, Rawls escapes the possibility of self-contradiction by acknowledging that there will be situations when his two principles will be at odds with each other. He then suggests the following priorities: 1) under the Priority of Liberty; the principles of justice are to be ranked in lexical order (244); a) a less extensive liberty must be shared by all and; b) a less than equal liberty must be acceptable to those with the lesser liberty; 2) the second principle of justice is lexically before the principle of efficiency and to that of maximizing the sum of advantages; and fair opportunity is before the difference principle. There are two cases: a) and inequality of opportunity must enhance the opportunity of those with the lesser opportunity; and b) an excessive rate of saving must on balance in order to lessen the burden of those bearing this hardship. On the subject of efficiency Rawls states: 1) no system can be called efficient if there is an alternative arrangement that improves the situation of some people with no worsening of the situation of any of the other people and; 2) the system of justice must be brought for th in order toShow MoreRelatedJohn Rawls s Theory Of Justice1471 Words   |  6 PagesJohn Rawls â€Å"A Theory of Justice.† John Rawls was an American political and moral philosopher. Rawls attempts to determine the principles of social justice. In this essay, I will elucidate John Rawls’ views on forming a social contract, the counter-arguments against Rawls’ theory and finally the state of debate on the counter-arguments. John Rawls set out on his discussion on justice and fairness in his book A Theory of Justice 1971. Rawls theory describes a society with free citizens holding equalRead MoreRawls Justice As Fairness1602 Words   |  7 PagesRawls’ Justice as Fairness: John Rawls was dissatisfied with the traditional philosophical approach to justifying social and political actions therefore he attempted to provide a reasonable theory of social justice through a contract theory approach. In his work, A Theory of Justice, Rawls bases almost the entirety of his piece on the question, what kind of organization of society would rational persons choose if they were in an initial position of independence and equality and setting up a systemRead More John Rawls and Political Liberalism Essay1640 Words   |  7 PagesJohn Rawls and Political Liberalism Describe in detail the role that the ideas of â€Å"overlapping consensus† and â€Å"comprehensive doctrine† play in Rawl’s theoretical answer to the fundamental question of Political Liberalism: â€Å"How is it possible for there to exist over time a just and stable society of free and equal citizens, who remain profoundly divided by reasonable religious, philosophical, and moral doctrines?† (Rawls 4). More specifically, how do these concepts help to preserveRead MoreJohn Rawls’ A Theory of Justice Essay964 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Rawls’ A Theory of Justice holds that a rational, mutually disinterested individual in the Original Position and given the task of establishing societal rules to maximise their own happiness throughout life, is liable to choose as their principles of justice a) guaranteed fundamental liberties and b) the nullification of social and economic disparities by universal equality of opportunities, which are to be of greatest benefit to the least advantaged members of society , . Rawls’ system ofRead MoreAnalysis Of Rawl s Theory Of Justice895 Words   |  4 Pagesis needed for true justice in a contemporary society. By examining Rawl’s philosophy, I will agree with his original position, veil of ignorance, and justice as fairness which contains his view of human nature. Then, I will compare and contrase John Lockes’ differing views of human nature to Rawl’s position of human nature and defend possible assertions towards Rawls’ position. Rawls view of human nature assumes everyone makes decisions based on self-interest alone, while making a rational accountRead MoreThe Original Position and the Veil of Ignorance1369 Words   |  6 Pages Political philosopher John Rawls believed that in order for society to function properly, there needs to be a social contract, which defines ‘justice as fairness’. Rawls believed that the social contract be created from an original position in which everyone decides on the rules for society behind a veil of ignorance. In this essay, it will be argued that the veil of ignorance is an important feature of the original position. First, the essay will describe what the veil of ignorance is. SecondlyRead MoreThe Philosophy Of Social Justice1507 Words   |  7 Pagesare embedded in social justice. Individuals living in harmony for mutual benefit living in a state of society are set out by social contract. This paper will firstly show, the background of the philosophy of so cial justice. Then it will focus on John Rawls Theory of Justice. Secondly, It addresses the stages of the Theory of Justice, It then historical nature of social justice in conjunction with western philosophy. Lastly it will look at the diversity of philosophical and ethical thought. DuringRead MoreJohn Rawls : A Theory Of Justice Essay1339 Words   |  6 Pages John Rawls is a world renowned, American political philosopher of the twentieth century. His views on the state of nature, society, and politics were much more distinct from previous philosophers, and his more modern or progressive life experiences can contribute to the separation between him and others, such as Aristotle, Hobbes, or Rousseau. However, he does have certain ideas and point of views that correlate with the views of those that Immanuel Kant expresses, and more specifically Rawls wasRead MoreJohn Locke And Jean Jacques Rousseau Essay1583 Words   |  7 Pagesreligion, science, economics, goverments and laws. Dating back to 1588,Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) English philosopher, conditional defender of monarchy as the source of civic order (Explorations, 2014).Three philosophers in particular being Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau were the key thinkers within the philosophy of social justice, influencing the main idea of a social contract based on their theories, they suggest that the whole of society have been produced by a general social agreementRead More A Theory of Justice Presented by John Rawls Essays1556 Words   |  7 PagesIn A Theory of Justice John Rawls presents his argument for justice and inequality. Rawls theorizes that in the original position, a hypothetical state where people reason without bias, they would agree to live in a society based on two principles of justice (Rawls 1971, 4). These two principles of justice are named the first and second principles. The first is the equal rights and liberties principle. The second is a combination of the difference principle and the fair equality of opportunity principle

Saturday, May 16, 2020

Analysis Of Arthur Miller s The Crucible - 2138 Words

Crucible Character Essay - John Proctor #6 In Arthur Miller’s â€Å"The Crucible† the protagonist is a man by the name of John Proctor. Proctor is a very complex character because he doesn t have the cleanest history. He is a man in about his forties who had committed the sin of cheating on his wife with a young girl. This act of his gives a bad first impression to the reader. Proctor however does try to become a better man and do the right thing to save his wife s life, which changes feelings about him as he is then seen as almost a savior. This controversial character faces many obstacles that go against him in trying to save his wife. Early on in the story Proctor is challenged with letting a young naive girl, by the name of†¦show more content†¦Proctor feels that the only way to prove his wife innocent is to reveal his personal relationship with Abigail, so he can reason that Abigail only accused his wife because she wants to be with him and have her out of the picture. This sets up the main feud with Procter being the protagonist and Abigail being his antagonist. John shows his attempt to make things right in his decisions. Instead of being seduced by Abigail again he has self control and tells her that it is over. This choice Proctor makes early on in the story demonstrates his desire to correct his mistakes. It is never more evident that Proctor is trying do good than when he confesses to lechery to save his wife. He tells the judge that he slept with underage Abigail and that is why she accused his wife, so she can get rid of her. Proctor’s decision to not say anything when asked to confess to witchcraft reveals how much he cares about his reputation. He would rather be hung than be known to everyone as a man who performed whichcraft. Proctor is pretty successful in changing his image. He positively changes himself. He goes from being a man who committed lechery, which is sleeping with someone underaged, to a heroic man who dies with honor because he didn t lie and confess to witchcraft to save himself from being hung. He is the most changed character in the story and is controversial because it is debatable whether he is truly a hero

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The Oddly Dreamlike Quality of A Midsummer Night’s Dream

We started A Midsummer Night’s Dream with only a text. There was no one to interpret the words, no body movement or voice inflection to indicate meaning or intention. All meaning that a reader understands comes from the words alone. The simplicity of text provides a broad ground for imagination, in that every reader can come away from the text with a different conception of what went on. The words are merely the puzzle pieces individuals put together to bring coherence and logic to the play. Although we all read generally the same words, we can see that vastly different plays arise depending on who interprets them. By interpreting the word-clues that Shakespeare wrote into the script to†¦show more content†¦Perhaps something we expected to see on stage was omitted; perhaps! something unusual was added. We might even sample the same play dozens of times, all performed by different companies; it is common, it is even expected, that none of the twelve interpretations will be much the same. Unlike with reading, with viewing we are not allowed to sample the play in whatever manner we want. As the audience, our experiences are directed. We must resign ourselves to be the two-hour subject of anothers whims and methods. This kind of challenge is usually very enlightening, bringing new thoughts and perspectives where we would otherwise have only our own. These new thoughts and perspectives often materialize in the form of visual and auditory details, mostly because the script stays generally the same. Viewing an actual performance adds depth and detail to what was before only words. We are given scenery, costumes, voices, faces, body movements, and other forms of physical (rather than verbal) expression that contribute to a particular feel. These types of details are in reality just instances of the direct!ors influence, interpretations and preferences that cause us to challenge our initial ideas, and accept us a possibly richer taste of the play. Because I was involved in two scenes of A Midsummer Nights Dream,

Ku Klux Klan, Arkansas - 1830 Words

Ku Klux Klan - Harrison, Arkansas Over the years racism has been a problem with the United States, but more specifically, a group, referred to as the Ku Klux Klan. This group was formed by people across the United States, whom viewed themselves as the superior class of citizens. I am researching the Ku Klux Klan in Harrison, Aransas . I will discuss what the group is, how they made their second phase in Harrison, Arkansas, the Reconstruction, and their involvement in Harrison, Arkansas today. I hope the audience can better grasp the history of Arkansas and the racism that took place, using groups, such as the Ku Klux Klan. The group known as the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) was first founded in 1866. The KKK was organized by white supremacist to go against the Republicans Reconstruction-era policies. The members of the group formed in the southern states. They met secretly and formed a campaign to intimidate and use violent acts of discrimination towards both white and black Republican leaders. The Ku Klux Klan had laws pas sed against them, to stop there acts of injustice, which was considered terrorism. The Ku Klux Klan was a group that formed three times, and had different phases. The reformatted in the early 20th century, and came back stronger than the were before. They held rallies, burned homes and people, burnt crosses, and held marches against immigrants and other religions. Another phase was after the Civil Rights movement in the 1960’s the activity was very violentShow MoreRelatedSummary Of Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee1545 Words   |  7 PagesAmerican society is the Ku Klux Klan. Their methodology advocates extremist views, such as white supremacy, anti-immigration, and anti-Semitism. The KKK has an agenda in support of racial segregation and anti-black sentiment. Calling for the purification of America, and considered to be a right-wing radical group, Klan members use violence and intimidation to suppress. Becoming a coalition at once, the antagonism radiating within one s heart finds congeniality. Members of the Klan ranged from â€Å"smallRead MoreThe End Of The Civil War1487 Words   |  6 Pagesofficials loyal to the Unionist cause if the war was to end. So, after encouraging Arkansas to ratify a new state constitution in 1864, Arkansas citizens elected Isaac Murphy as Governor in hopes that Arkansas would rejoin the Union. He proved successful. Arkansas rejoined the Union at the end of the war. Moving forward three years after war, Powell Clayton â€Å"became the one of the youngest governors in Arkansas history† at the age of 34. In his inaugural address, he explained to the citizensRead MoreThe Ku Klux Klan Is A Gang With A Notorious Past940 Words   |  4 PagesThe Ku Klux Klan is a gang with a notorious past. The clan started off as a group of people defying the southern state’s laws, but it turned out to be one of the most terrifying gangs of the nineteenth century. It all started during the election of Ulysses S. Gran t, when most of the democrats in the south created groups to terrify the African Americans. It was a violent gesture to any of the minorities who wanted to gain political attention. They banded together in Pulaski, Tennessee in 1865, consistingRead MoreThe Ku Klux Klan, also known as the Klan or the KKK, originated in Pulaski, Tennessee, in 1865.600 Words   |  3 PagesThe Ku Klux Klan, also known as the Klan or the KKK, originated in Pulaski, Tennessee, in 1865. The first KKK was formed by six Civil war veterans, with the purpose to restore power to the plantation owners. The people that the KKK was against was African Americans and republicans. The second KKK was founded in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1921. This KKK lasted much longer and had millions of members, partially due to their organization with finances and members. The third KKK was founded as aRead MoreThe Role of the Ku Klux Klan in U.S. Society Essay1162 Words   |  5 PagesThe Role of the Ku Klux Klan in U.S. Society Originally, the Ku Klux Klan was founded immediately after the Civil war and lasted until the 1870’s, after which it collapsed. The Klan was then reformed in 1915 and is still conducting till the present day. The Activists had set up for many different reasons, the foremost ones being, to create a business or rather as a ‘social club’, invite members who were anti-Civil war and of course to restore white supremacy after theirRead MoreThe Ku Klux Klan of the 1920s1835 Words   |  8 PagesThe Klan of the 1920s The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) was notorious for their hatred towards African Americans and their proclamation of white supremacy. They were known as the invisible empire and for their symbols of intimidation, which included white cloaks with hoods, and burning crosses. The KKK was depicted as an organization which was mostly active in the southern Confederate states and targeted African Americans. It originally died out in the late 1860s, but The Klan rose again in the 1920s becauseRead More Ku Klux Klan Essay1445 Words   |  6 Pages The Ku Klux Klan nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In the southern states of the USA, the period known as â€Å"Reconstruction† created a pressure and fear and hate for the African Americans among many of the southern white people. This was because the African Americans were now free people and had the same rights as the white people. This angered many white people and they created groups to support their beliefs and to allow people with the same ideas to gather together and share their ideas. This isRead MoreMomma’s Decision in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings762 Words   |  3 PagesMaya Angelou describes her overall feelings on the topic of San Francisco and how it changed her life for the better. As a result of Momma choosing the correct path for Angelou and Bailey, they gained freedom, escaped a racist environment in Stamps, Arkansas, and were guaranteed a little bit more protection in San Francisco. As a result of the size of Stamps, and the people that inhabited the town, there was very little you could do without the whole town knowing. Throughout Maya Angelou’s and Bailey’sRead MoreNight Riding With the Klan: The Spread of the KKK568 Words   |  2 PagesThe Ku Klux Klan, also known as the Klan or the KKK, originated in Pulaski, Tennessee, in 1865. The first KKK was formed by six Civil war veterans, with the purpose to restore power to the plantation owners. The people that the KKK was against was African Americans and republicans. The second KKK was founded in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1921. This KKK lasted much longer and had millions of members, partially due to their organization with finances and members. The third KKK was founded as aRead MoreBallad Of Birmingham By Dudley Randall1549 Words   |  7 PagesIn the 1960s racial discrimination, segregation, and race-inspired violence was at its worst. Jim Crow laws kept white and African American people separate in public, the Ku Klux, Klan forced African Americans to fear for their lives every minute of every day, and absolutely nothing was happening to change these injustices. African Americans participated in thousands of nonviolent boycotts, freedom marches, and protests and nothing was ever changed until the morning of September 15, 1963. On that

Balance Sheet free essay sample

Five companies, which are in the default counter of KSE, were also included in the analysis (due to the availability of audited annual reports of the current year and consecutive previous years). Annual reports of thirty four companies (mostly on default counter of KSE) were not available at the time of the analysis therefore, to present a comparable and consolidated picture the last available data in respect of these companies have been repeated. The sum of Assets and Liabilities of a company may exhibit minor differences due to rounding off separate items. Ratios and percentages have been worked out after rounding off the figures in thousands, which may, therefore, slightly differ from ratios obtained from actual amount of balance sheet. The symbol ‘ – ‘ appearing in the analytical tables stand for Not applicable or Not available. The publication is based on the two sets of analysis: (a) Overall summary: This gives the consolidated financial analysis of companies listed at KSE. We will write a custom essay sample on Balance Sheet or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page (b) Company-wise analysis: This provides financial analysis of the individual companies. II. Methodology A. Capital Structure 1. Ordinary Share Capital This represents the total paid-up capital against issue of ordinary shares. These are amounts of capital actually paid by the shareholders to the institution for acquiring its shares. It includes shares paid in cash (subscribed/right issued), issued as bonus shares and shares issued for considerations other than cash (eg. for settlement of receivables/debts or debts redeemable into stock etc. ). 2. Reserves It is evaluated by aggregating all kinds of reserves except depreciation reserve and reserve for bad and doubtful debts plus the balance of profit and loss account and subtracting there from intangible or fictitious assets (e.g. , goodwill, preliminary expenses, exploration accounts, patents, trade mark) and adverse balance of profit and loss figures. The reserves entering into the calculation are: (i) General (ii) Capital (iii) Development (iv) Dividend equalization (v) Proposed issue of bonus shares (vi) Profit on re-issue of forfeited shares (vii) Premium on shares (viii) Capital profit arising from the sale of fixed assets (ix) Special reserves under relevant provision of Income Tax Act (x) Raw material price equalization (xi) Tax equalization (xii) Contingency (xiii) Leave passage (xiv) Workmen? s compensation fund  Gratuity, pension or provident fund (xvi) Investment depreciation but not including provision for actual shortfall of market value as compared with book value (xvii) Publicity (xviii) Employees? housing and welfare fund (xix) Charities (xx) Deferred liabilities (xxi) Taxation reserves including deferred taxation reserves, but not including provision for tax assessed or estimated on actual or part of profits. 3. Shareholders’ Equity This item purports to represent the total stake of the shareholders in the business and has been obtained by adding the ordinary share capital to the surplus. 4. Preference Shares As the name indicates these are ordinary shares of a company and pays a fixed dividend (whether the company is earning profit or making loss during operation), but its shareholders have no voting privilege. In case of liquidation of the company its status is normally considered prior to the status of ordinary shareholders. The difference between ordinary shares and preference shares is as follows: ii a) Ordinary shareholder will receive dividend, which varies according to the prosperity of the company but preference shareholder will receive a fixed amount dividend every year. Ordinary shareholder has a right of voting in the company? s annual general meeting while the preference shareholder has no voting right. c) Ordinary shareholders have to claim on the net assets of the company in case of liquidation, while the claim of the preference shareholders is paid earlier. 5. Debentures / TFC’s These are bonds/certificates issued by a company to raise funds for long-term period (generally more than one year) for a specific purpose, sometimes convertible into stock. At present, debentures have been replaced by TFC? Other Fixed Liabilities The liabilities, which are required to be discharge after a period of more than one year from the date of balance sheet, are termed as other fixed liabilities or loan capital. They may consist of the following items: (i) Loans from financial institutions. (ii) Loans from non bank financial institutions. (iii) Loans from specialized financial institutions (iv) Foreign loans (v) Vendors? account 7. Total Fixed Liabilities It is the sum of the preference shares, debentures and other fixed liabilities. Total Capital Employed It is the sum of shareholders? equity and total fixed liabilities. B. Liquidity 1. Current Assets An asset is to be a current asset, which can be readily convertible into cash or equivalent without any significant loss in value. The current assets comprise of liquid assets, inventories and other current assets. a) Liquid Assets Broadly speaking, liquid assets comprise of all assets like cash, bank balance, marketable security, etc. , which are easily realisable almost at book value. While there can not be two opinions regarding the status of cash, current accounts and government securities in this context, the treatment of savings and fixed deposits and of shares of joint stock companies not quoted on stock exchange leaves the analyst in doubt. The classification of borderline cases had therefore, to be made partly in keeping with the iii objective of the analysis and partly on one? s own subjective judgment. For this study, liquid assets that are also sometimes referred to as liquid capital have been bifurcated as cash and investments and comprise of the following items. Cash in transit (iii) Current deposits (iv) Saving deposits (v) Call deposits (vi) Fixed deposits (vii) Deposits held abroad (viii) Government and corporate securities (ix) Savings and Unit Trust Certificates (x) Debentures stock of local or foreign companies b) Inventories It comprises of stocks of raw material in hand, work in progress and finished goods at the closing date c) Other Current Assets The following items are taken as other current assets: (i) Book debts including bad and doubtful debts (ii) Stores (iii) Work in progress(current) (iv) Advances, prepayments, etc. 9. Current Liabilities All liabilities, which are required to be discharge within one year, are termed as current liabilities. Alternatively, these cover those obligations whose liquidation is expected to be made out of current assets. They are usually incurred in the normal course of business and are required to be paid at fairly definite dates. The current liability consists of the following items. (a) Sundry Creditors (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) Income tax payable For expenses For other finance Bills payable Advances from customers against orders (b) Payment become due but outstanding (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (vii) (viii) Income tax payable Proposed, unpaid and unclaimed dividends Estimated liabilities in respect of outstanding claims whether due or intimated Gratuities becoming payable Provident Fund becoming payable Current installment and interest payable on fixed liabilities Provision for taxation estimated on current profits Workers profit participation fund iv (c) Loans, Deposits and Advances (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (vii) Loans secured by stock or other current assets Bank overdrafts and other unsecured loans Short term loans acquired against the security of fixed assets Unsecured loan from directors, parent company, and subordinate loan Due to managing agents In contra distinction to current assets, fixed assets consist of items, which are not readily convertible into cash during the course of normal operations of an enterprise. These items are not subject to periodical exchange through sales and purchases. Fixed assets are of permanent nature and are not normally liquidated or intended to be turns into cash except in the form of depreciation, which is added to the cost of goods sold. The following balance sheet items are included in the category of fixed assets: (a)Real Estate (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) Freehold and leasehold land Factory and office buildings Residential buildings Advertising, fixtures and fittings. 2. Fixed Assets After Deducting Accumulated Depreciation Deducting the accumulated depreciation from the fixed assets of the company gives this item. 3. Depreciation for the year It includes all the depreciation charges to the profit and loss account during the year. Owing to the absence of uniform accounting standards, depreciation is a subjective item and very from company to company. It is important for the analyst to know what effect such variation could have on the net profit. 4. Total Assets This item is sum of fixed assets at cost after deducting accumulated depreciation, and current assets. Operations 1. Gross Sales This item represents the sale proceeds of the company. Sales revenue is classified as local sales and export sales. 2. Gross Profit Subtracting cost of sales from sales revenue arrives at gross profit. 3. Overhead and Other Expenses These are total expenses that are incurred on the operational activities of a company except financial expenses and include: (i) Cost of sales (ii) Administrative and general expenses (iii) Selling and distribution expenses (iv) Other expenses 5. Operating Profit Subtracting overhead and other expenses from gross sales and adding thereto-non-operating income gives operating profit. The difference in value of total capital employed (i. e. , share capital, surplus, preference capital, debentures and other fixed liabilities) at the beginning of the year and the corresponding figures at the end of the year and shown as increase (+)/ decrease (-). 2. Retention in Business This item is obtained by deducting the provision for the tax and the total dividend distributed or proposed to be distributed from the net profit for the year. 3. Finance from outside the company The difference between the increase in the capital employed and the retention in the business is the finance from out side the company. It is possible for this item to be negative. Indeed in some circumstances it is also possible for the increase in the capital employed as well as the retention in business to be negative, for instance where dividends are distributed not out of the current earnings but out of the reserves. vii F. Cash Flow Data 1. Depreciation for the year plus Retention in Business The total funds that corporation generates internally for investment in the modernization and expansion of plant and equipment. 2. Depreciation for the year plus changes in Capital Employed Depreciation for the year is added in the difference of two successive years? Operating Financial Investment Ratios 1. Gearing Ratio This item shows the proportion that the fixed loan capital bears to the total capital employed. Where there is preference capital, there is an item of Gearing i. e. , the fixed loan capital plus the preference capital as the ratio of the total capital employed. The justification for taking the preference capital together with the fixed liabilities is that, from the ordinary shareholders? point of view, both items represent a fixed charge on the profits. Total capital employed is shareholders equity plus total fixed liabilities. Gearing becomes inapplicable when the shareholders? equity becomes zero or negative. 2. Current Ratio This item tells a lender about the liquidity of the assets and as a result its ability to pay the short term debts. 3. Acid Tests or Quick Ratio The acid test or quick ratio is used to determine how quickly a company would be able to pay off its current liabilities if it needs to convert its â€Å"quick† assets into cash. 4. Debt Equity Ratio In debt equity ratio, the total debt is compared with the shareholder’s equity; the lower the ratio the better the company’s solvency, the higher ratio is a risk to a present or future creditor. This ratio is considered a measure of how effectively assets are used to generate a return. 6. Self -Financing Ratio The ratio expresses the amounts retained in business as percentage of increase/ decrease in the capital employed. viii 7. Cash Flow Ratio This ratio has a purpose somewhat similar to the self-financing ratio. The only difference being that it takes into account the amount of depreciation. 8. Shareholders’ Equity as % of Ordinary Share Capital It is the shareholder’s equity to the ordinary share capital, which means the stake of ordinary shareholders in the total equity of the company. 9. Overhead and Other Expenses as % of Gross Sales It shows the ratio of overhead and other expenses to the gross sales. This is an important ratio, which indicates the contribution of operating expenses in the operating revenue through sales of the company. Lowering the percentage, the company is more viable and efficient. 10. Financial Expenses as % of Operating Profit This shows the ratio of financial expenses to operating profit. It identifies how much weight the company will bear from its operating profit before reaching to the net profit before tax. Smaller ratio is a good for a company. 10. Financial Expenses as % of Gross Sales It shows the ratio of financial expenses to gross sales. Lowering the ratio indicates the financial discipline of the company and the increasing ratio indicates that the company is facing financial expense burden out of its gross sales revenue 11. Financial Expenses as % of Contractual Liabilities It shows cost incurred (interest/mark up paid) on contractual liabilities. 13. Tax Provision as % of Net Pre-tax Profit It shows the portion of net profit set aside for tax provisions. 14. Sundry Debtors as % of Gross Sales It is the ratio of outstanding credit (all sales receivables) to the total sale proceeds of the company. Higher the percentage, the company is increasing its debtors and credit risk and reducing its liquidity position. 15. Net Profit as % of Shareholders’ Equity It is worked out by dividing the net profit before tax by the shareholder’s equity, expressing the result in percentage. ix H. Key Performance Indicators 1. Dividend Cover Ratio The ratio of net profit after tax to total amount of dividend. 2. Dividend Ratio to Equity This item has been worked out by dividing the total amount of dividend by the shareholder’s equity, expressing the result in percentage. 3. Net Profit Margin. This ratio shows how much profit comes from every rupee of sales. 4. Earning per Share It has been arrived by dividing the net profit (before/after tax) by the number of ordinary shares. 5. Average annual % Depreciation on Written Down Fixed Assets This item is simple depreciation rate and is intended to give some idea of the company? s practice with regard to depreciation. Since there are so many items in the fixed assets schedule, it is not practicable to calculate depreciation rate for all the items individually. Therefore, an aggregate depreciation rate for all the item taken together has been worked out. The method is to take total depreciation provided during the financial year and dividing it by the written down value of the total fixed assets at the beginning of the financial year. The result is expressed in percentage. 6. Sales as % of Total Assets This item indicates how efficiently the business of a company generates sales on each rupee of assets. 7. Sales Growth (Current Year’s Sales Last Year’s Sales) Sales growth is the percentage increase or decrease in sales between two time periods. 8. Break-up Value of Ordinary Shares It is obtained by dividing the sum of ordinary share capital and the surplus by the number of ordinary shares.

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Existing Barriers In Organisational Learning Commonwealth Bank Austra

Question: Discuss about theExisting Barriers In Organisational Learningfor Commonwealth Bank Australia. Answer: Introduction The Commonwealth of Australia is one of the multinational banks, operating its business in different countries of the world (About Commbank 2017). It offers various financial services like business and institutional banking, retail, insurance, funds management, broking and investment services (About Commbank 2017). Commonwealth Bank of Australia believes that by fostering organizational learning culture within an organization can support in primary value propositions (About Commbank 2017). It even helps in addressing the competencies and skill gaps and even offer development inputs to an individual. Most often, organization comes across barriers in the learning process, which later on impact the performance of the company (Aragon-Correa, Garcia-Morales and Cordeon-Pozo 2007). It is important that leaders are required to create the contextual support for the purpose of increasing the barriers, which will, later on, facilitate the learning needed for innovation (Aragon-Correa, Garcia-Morales and Cordeon-Pozo 2007). Commonwealth Bank of Australia had come up with many barriers that hinder the process of organizational learning. One of the key barriers relates with biases in action. The cycle of bias for action includes different problems like a requirement for work, lack of reflective observation, lack of concept understanding, immediate action on task, time wasted on inconclusive deliberations, fear to get failed, lack of decision making, and no certainty of getting results (Aragon-Correa, Garcia-Morales and Cordeon-Pozo 2007). Commonwealth Bank of Australia had also come across one more barrier in organizational learning, and thats resistance to change. The bank had failed in past to take change initiative, in spite of the involvement of stakeholders. It is true that, for bringing substantial technological change in the company, the leadership transition or either the shift in the day to day process, that create average work day, initial resistance should be taken and company should adapt it, and it's where the management can effectively communicate with the team for enhancing the understanding about need to bring change (Aragon-Correa, Garcia-Morales and Cordeon-Pozo 2007). Change should also be worn for increasing the motivation to succeed, and feedback is valued and help in the decision-making process. It is important that managers should take a responsibility and emphasize and make the team understand that the change is adopted for the benefit of both team and company (Berson, Nemanich, Waldman, Galvin and Keller 2006). Commonwealth Bank of Australia is also facing the barrier of biases in culture, which hinder the development of organizational learning within an organization. Cultural diversity exists in Australia, and people often come with different knowledge and create influence on others (Berson, Nemanich, Waldman, Galvin and Keller 2006). Usually, organizational learning debates are avoided in the bank, but for the purpose of mitigating the issues, it is important that discussions should be initiated (Berson, Nemanich, Waldman, Galvin and Keller 2006). Through debates, individuals thoughts can be placed in front of others and can even support in bringing the outcome (Berson, Nemanich, Waldman, Galvin and Keller 2006). Even managers are expected to discuss the issues in the team, as it can help in taking a decision or deriving an outcome. References About Commbank. 2017. [Online]. Available at: https://www.commbank.com.au/about-us.html?ei=CB-footer_about-commbank [Accessed on: 31st January 2017]. Aragon-Correa, J. A., Garcia-Morales, V. J. and Cordeon-Pozo, E. 2007. Leadership and organizational learning's role on innovation and performance: Lesson from Spain. Industrial Marketing Management, 36, pp. 349-359. Berson, Y., Nemanich, L. A., Waldman, D. A., Galvin, B. M. and Keller, R. T. 2006. Leadership and organizational learning: A multiple levels perspective. The Leadership Quarterly, 17, 577-594.