Health Care Reform Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Black Women’s Feminism and Literature Essay Example for Free

Dark Women’s Feminism and Literature Essay Dark Women, the term frequently means the dark cleaned individuals, particularly the individuals who depend on the African district. Despite the fact that different well known essayists who shed their words as bloods and battled against the unfairness that where occurring against the dark individuals, Maya Angelou was one wonderful individual. She thought more towards the ladies area, as she is an increasingly touchy and incredible lady without anyone else. One inborn nature of her is that she is constantly pleased to consider her to be a lady. A large portion of her abstract works center towards acquiring unrest the general public, specifically for ladies. Dark ladies confronted loads of difficulties because of imbalance and racial separation and to defeat all these were framed the National Black Feminism Organization (NBFO). All ladies from this association battled for accomplishing balance and force for the blacks. A few social, political and women's activist developments where held to help the dark ladies. This reality of issue was not just on account of disparity looked by the dark ladies. They were additionally inexpensively pushed to sexism by the men of different class. Writers are the most expressive and understanding individuals more than others, and they have an alternate coherent point of view towards anything they see. That is the reason journalists, particularly female essayists concentrate more towards the government assistance of ladies and it is totally irrefutable that ladies merit all these exceptional advantages and contemplations. I, out of close to home understanding, owe my fullest regard to the ladies I for one carried on with my existence with. It is as a matter of fact my valuable mother. I would state ladies scarify the most ideal approach to offer the best things for other people. She is the good example in my life and she has formed me in a truly lovable manner and what I am today is exactly what she favored me with. I generally bow my head to the valuable blessing god gave me. Ladies are consistently the best models in different fields, and if no ladies, there is nothing wonderful on the planet. African American Women, however has confronted part of battles and deterrents, have figured out how to effectively conquer every one of them. Today, in this 21st century, we can see different ladies from the Black history to be fruitful sparkling in all fields. Our dearest author Maya Angelou is one such individual, and the rundown may reach out up to Daisy Bates, who is a progressive columnist and a functioning individual from social liberties. Maya has shaped the torment of the dark ladies in every one of her works and this has likewise been a purpose behind the unrest. It will not be publicity when we state dark ladies have contributed a great deal to the worldwide culture. One fundamental explanation behind this could be their opposition and withstanding limit towards all the obstructions and embarrassment they happened to run over. They utilized their capacity admirably in conquering this battles. In the event that they would experience felt the difficulties a major weight for them, at that point they would have gone undetectable to every one of them. In any case, they stood up solid against all these prejudice and sexism issues. They utilized their qualities and powers in a helpful manner by starting different lobbyist developments and battling for the law. They demonstrated that they merit the equivalent rights and force and they are no chance lesser than other society ladies. Days when ladies thought themselves as casualties have gone past the mountains and now ladies defeat the battles by displaying their abilities and attributes. Support of ladies in all fields is radically expanding and now there is no field you can see that ladies can't be a piece of it. Ladies demonstrate that they are consistently the victors, be it any order. References http://www. poemhunter. com/sonnet/extraordinary lady/http://en. wikipedia. organization/wiki/Black_feminism http://womenshistory. about. com/od/africanamerican/a/black_women. htm

How Does Compound Interest Work

How Does Compound Interest Work How Does Compound Interest Work? How Does Compound Interest Work?Compound interest is a double-edged sword: It can either work for you or against you. So make sure you get it on your side!Contrary to what its name might lead you to believe, the subject of “interest” isn’t all that interesting. But that doesn’t mean it’s not importantâ€"far from it. Gaining a basic grasp of how various types of interest rates work is a crucial first step in becoming financially literate.But to make matters more complicated, there are several different kinds of interest out there. We recently wrote about how variable interest rates work, and today’s article will instead focus on compound interest. Because the more you know, the better you’ll borrowâ€"and save.What is compound interest?Whether you are borrowing money or investing it, there are two main types of interest: simple interest and compound interest. If you’re an investor, compound interest is your friend. But if you’re a borrower, it’s a foe.“Compound in terest is the amount paid on the initial principal and the accumulated interest on the money youve either invested or borrowed,” explained Nathan Wade, Managing Editor for  WealthFit Investing. “The sum of money grows faster compared to simple interest.“This is because youre earning returns on the money you invest and you also receive returns on those returns at the end of each compounding period,” he continued. “The interest is calculated on the initial principal which does include accumulated interest of previous periods of a deposit or loan. Essentially, compound interest allows you to earn interest on your interest. ““Now if you are a borrower, compound interest hurts you rather than helps you,” said finance expert Ron Auerbach. “Compound interest is calculated in the exact same when you’re borrowing money: The only difference is that instead of your getting that money (interest), you now have to pay it. So with compound interest on a loan, youll owe more tha n if your loan was a simple interest one.How does compounding interest work?In order to explain how compound interest works, it helps to start with an explanation of simple interest.“Simple interest only gives you interest on your original amount,” said Auerbach. “For example, you deposit $100 into an account that earns five percent simple interest per year. At the end of one year, your account will grow to $105.”“And simple interest is calculated by taking your original amount multiplied by the annual rate of interest. In my example, that would be your $100 deposit times five percent, which is 0.05. Doing this multiplication gives you five dollars.“Now with simple interest, its a fixed rate. That means each year, your interest amount will be the same. So how much would you earn in simple interest in year two? Another five dollars. So by the end of the second year, youd have $110. In other words, you only get interest on your original amount! ““But what if we were de aling with compound interest?” he continued. “In this case, youd be getting interest on top of your original amount, plus interest on top of any previous interest youve received. So using my example from above,  at the end of year one, youd have the same $105 as you did with simple interest.“However, in year two, youd earn interest on the original $100 and interest on the five dollars interest from year one. So youre getting interest on the $105 at the end of year one, which would be $105 x 0.05 = $5.25. At the end of year two, youd have a total of $110.25.”The Rule of 72.According to Steven Briggs of  Briggs Financial, The “Rule of 72” in important shorthand you should know to help you understand the power of compounding interest.“What this rule tells you is that if you know the interest rate or rate of return, you can divide 72 by that interest rate to get the number of years it takes for your money to double,” he said.Briggs also offered the following example:“ If you have had your money in an SP 500 index fund, the rate of return has been give or take about nine percent. 72 divided by nine is eight, meaning that about every eight years, the value of your account doubled. Over a 32 year career, the first dollars you put in would have doubled 4 times, meaning that $1,000 invested back then has earned you $16,000 today.”“This also applies in a negative direction with debt interest rates,” He continued. If your credit card, for example, has an 18 percent interest rate, we can take 72 divided by 18 and find that our debt will double in approximately four years.“Wait, you may be saying, youre telling me that my credit card interest rates could be double or more that of average investment market performance? Yes, which is why before clients of mine work on anything involving investing, we get rid of the guaranteed high-interest debt first.”“I cannot predict how the market will perform,” said Briggs, “but an 18 percent interest is guaranteed to charge that against your balance. Thats a lot of money being given away for the privilege of Visa and Mastercard and American Express letting you borrow it. I hate it, and you should hate it too, hate it enough to want to get rid of it as soon as humanly possible.Make compound interest work for you.If you are saving money for retirement, you need to take advantage of compounding interest by putting your money into retirement accounts or other investment vehicles. If you just leave it in a savings account, you almost certainly won’t have enough to retire on.Similarly, if you’re letting your financial future get bogged down in high-interest credit card debt, you are essentially throwing your money down the drain. Whatever you do, you need to make sure that compound interest is working for you, not against you.“The main component to consider is that most of us are not taking advantage of compounding interest in a meaning and positive way,” urged Josh Littauer (@j osh_littauer), a financial adviser with  Wealth Wave. “For example, if your money is in a checking account the interest rate is typically between .25 percent and .5 percent, at these rates it would take between 144 and 288 years for your money to double. Not very good right?”That’s why Littauer encourages everyone he works with to find ways to minimize the use of interest against them and find ways to starting getting interest on their side: “There are plenty of investment vehicles that will give you 6-12 percent return annually, but in many cases we need to get out of debt first in order to maximize our ability to get a return.“I often get the argument that ‘I dont make enough money to invest,’” he continued. “There is an example of a man who was a UPS driver his whole career starting at 22, during which he committed to investing 20 percent every year. His income was less that 20,000 annually, and yet when he retired he was worth seven million dollars! He took adv antage of compound interest early and it paid off in a huge way!”“The moral of the story, compound interest will make or break you. Einstein calls it the eighth wonder of the world, but if that eighth wonder is working against you its hard to combat,” concluded Littauer, who added that you should “make sure interest is working in your best interest.”The more financially literate you become, the better grasp youll have on managing your own finances. If you find yourself relying on  short-term  bad credit loans  and  no credit check loans  (like  payday loans,  cash advances, and  title loans) to make ends meet every month, then you should make financial literacy one of your top priorities. To learn more about improving your long term financial outlook, check out these related posts and articles from OppLoans:Building Your Financial Life: Budgeting for BeginnersSave More Money with These 40 Expert TipsFrom Budget to Baller: 6 Tips to Grow Your MoneyEmergency Funds Are Import ant: Here’s How to Start Building OneDo you have a   personal finance question youd like us to answer? Let us know! You can find us  on  Facebook  and  Twitter.  |  InstagramContributorsRon Auerbach holds degrees in finance, accounting, economics, and human resources. As a highly-experienced educator, he’s taught subjects from A to Z. This includes personal and corporate finance, economics, accounting, and business math. Mr. Auerbach has also worked in many  industries. This includes banking and financial services, retail, hospitality, IT, education, and sales And he is the author of the job search book,  Think Like an Interviewer: Your Job Hunting Guide to Success.Steven Briggs is the owner of Briggs Financial, a fee-only financial planning and investment management firm located in Round Lake Beach, IL. He primarily works with his clients online, serving households from coast to coast. Steven is also the host of Money is Personal, a weekly personal finance podcast available on iTunes. Additionally, he volunteers as a board member of the Northwest Housing Partnership, a nonprofit organization that facilitates affordable housing for families throughout Northwest Chicago.Josh Littauer  (@josh_littauer) is a financial adviser with  Wealth Wave, and an associate of World Financial Group. Josh focuses on bringing education to a financially illiterate society while combining habits, mindset, and perspective from his professional Crossfit  career. Our nation and culture are struggling both physically and financially, Josh aspires to change both of those for you and your family. In his spare time, Josh enjoys reading,  writing, having a good beer, and exercising.Nathan Wade is a licensed attorney for the State of Hawaii and the U.S. District Court of Hawaii. He holds a law degree with a focus in business and has extensive experience in entrepreneurship and international business. He is also a Managing Editor for  WealthFit Investing, a financial education blog ded icated to curating advice on investing, entrepreneurship and money.

A Brief Note On The Articles Of Confederation - 1381 Words

1777 - 1789 // The Articles of Confederation The Declaration of Independence ignited the search for a government, with some states even drafting their own. In 1777, the Continental Congress finished drafting a national government for states for ratification. They ratified it easily, supporting how this form of government was the polar opposite of the†tyranny† of Great Britain. The Articles allowed the government to do the following: make treaties, form a national army, and other meager tasks compared to the faults. These limitations were highlighted as they could not actually enforce any of these powers, nor could the government tax. This led to funding being even more limited than initially perceived. Even the editing process hindered†¦show more content†¦Another key factor that stemmed from the creation of the Articles was the fact that there should be a strong central government. Opposition to strong government was high during this time because of localized fear that they would become just like the gover nment they had been trying so hard to tear away from. However, the Articles made it incredibly clear that idly standing by and letting the states do their own thing wasn’t going to fly well. The failure of the Articles of Confederation would ultimately lead to the amount of federalist support that would come towards the early stages of the Constitution in the future. This event was caused by the breaking off from the British government. This event would never have happened if it hadn’t been for the perceived oppressiveness of the British government, and subsequently the separation of the colonies and Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence was drafted as a means of preventing possible anarchy due to lack of structure. Most Americans agreed that an anarchy government wasn’t for them, however they were all in fear of becoming a tyranny, as they felt that was the case with the previous government. So a weak framing was favorable at the time. This development’s the short term effects were the obvious problems in the Articles, such as the no taxation power or trade regulation. The long term effects saw not being able to

Essay on Great Expectations by Charles Dickens - 2511 Words

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens Great Expectations was written by Charles Dickens in 1861. Great Expectations is a coming of age story that revolves around the life of one man Pip. From the time he was seven years old until he was in the mid thirties, Pip shows us the important events in his life that shaped who he became. Along the way, he enquires many different acquaintances and friends that influence him in his decisions and goals in his life. Great Expectations is a story that the public can relate to because at some point, everyone goes through the struggles that Pip must battle. It shows that possessions and wealth do not change who people are inside, and that finding ones self†¦show more content†¦These kind of prisons came to be workhouses for people who had lost all their belongings. This painful experience would have stayed in Charless mind for the rest of his life. Great Expectations is a harsh criticism on the British Legal and Penal system as well as on the Victorian Society. By reading th e novel the reader becomes aware of the Victorian unfair Justice regarding poor people but advantageous towards the rich and educated middle class. Crime and Punishment is an important theme in Great Expectations and Dickens uses the character of Magwitch to highlight his concerns with the criminal Justice system. Magwitch, frightens Pip at first because he is a convict and Pip feels guilty for helping him because he is afraid of the police. By the end of the novel, however Pip has discovered Magwitchs inner nobility, and is able to disregard his external status as a criminal. Prompted by his conscience, he helps Magwitch to evade the law and the police. As Pip has learned to trust his conscience and to value Magwitchs inner character, he has replaced an external standard of value with an internal value. The character Magwitch is not only powerful in itself but it shows us what Dickens thought about crime. Dickens was trying to find the good in even the darkest of characters. In chapter one, Dickens uses metaphors and similes to describe the setting andShow MoreRelatedGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens1113 Words   |  5 Pagesadventures that the male characters go on. This seems to be relevant in a lot of movies and books like the story Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. In Great Expectations there are multiple female characters like Estella, Biddy, and Miss Havisham who all play a large part in the main character, Pip’s life. One of the first that we meet the character Estella in Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations is when Pip goes to Miss Havisham’s to play with her. The two kids play the game beggar my neighbor when EstellaRead MoreGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens1347 Words   |  6 Pagespoor status of the economy, social mobility does not seem to be occurring at high rates, with the poor getting poorer and rich getting richer. Despite this, social mobility is alive and well, and has been for centuries. In his novel, Great Expectations, Charles Dickens voices the concerns of many that lived in Victorian England during the 19th century by promoting such a desire to live life in a more prosperous social class. One of the most fundamental and reoccurring themes in the novel is that ofRead MoreGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens1426 Words   |  6 Pages Twelve-year-old Charles dickens gets ready for bed after a long day at the blacking house. These Victorian-aged memories will provide him with many ideas for his highly acclaimed novel Great Expectations. Set in 1830 England, Great Expectations is a coming-of-age story about a common innocent boy named Pip and his road to becoming a gentleman through the influence of others. Pip is influenced both positively and negatively by Estella, Herbert, and Magwitch. Estella left a huge impression on PipRead MoreGreat Expectations by Charles Dickens984 Words   |  4 PagesCharles Dickens utilizes his life for inspiration for the protagonist Pip in his novel Great Expectations. They both struggle with their social standing. Dickens loved plays and theatre and therefore incorporated them into Pip’s life. Dickens died happy in the middle class and Pip died happy in the middle class. The connection Dickens makes with his life to Pip’s life is undeniable. If readers understand Dickens and his upbringing then readers can understand how and why he created Pip’s upbringingRead MoreCharles Dickens Great Expectations943 Words   |  4 Pages This is true in many cases but none as much as in Great Expectations. In many ways the narrator/protagonist Pip is Charles Dickens in body and mind. While there are many differences between the story and Charles Dickens life there remains one constant. This constant is the way Pip as the narra tor feels, because these feelings are Dickens s own feelings about the life he lead. Since Great Expectations was written towards end of Charles Dickens life, he was wiser and able to make out the mistakesRead MoreGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens1375 Words   |  6 PagesGreat Expectations by Charles Dickens and The Talented Mr Ripley by Anthony Minghella present similar criticisms of society to a large extent. Both of these texts consider the criticisms of rich social contexts (wealth and status), societal morality (whether a society is good or not. Status [can lead to the wrong people being in a high position i.e. making bad decisions affecting the community/society] Appearance [society appears to be moral/good (if you’re from a higher status) {dickens criticisesRead MoreCharles Dickens Great Expectations1344 Words   |  6 Pagessomething that is not what they truly need? Often, they use social class to fill a void in their lives that can not be filled by materiali stic possessions. Many people realize this, but it is often too late. Charles Dickens demonstrates the effects of social climbing in his novel, Great Expectations. This novel explores the connections and effects of human nature and society, which are the two most powerful forces that guide people’s decisions. Some may say that social climbing is good, but as will beRead MoreCharles Dickens Great Expectations1223 Words   |  5 PagesBeloved author Charles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812 in Portsmouth, England. Growing up in a life of poverty, his childhood hardships provided the inspiration to write a myriad of classic novels including his 1861 seminole masterpiece, Great Expectations (â€Å"BBC History - Charles Dickens†). Great Expectations follows the life of an orphan named Pip, who’s perspective of the world is altered when he is attacked by an escaped convict in his parents’ graveyard in the town of Kent. Throughout hisRead MoreGreat Expectat ions by Charles Dickens1285 Words   |  6 PagesAP Great Book Assignment: Great Expectations The 544-page, Bildungsroman novel, Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens is considered a classic because it has stood the test of time, appealing to generation after generation of readers while still remaining relevant to them. Published in 1861, Dickens created a coming-of-age story that is similar to his other novel, David Copperfield, but Great Expectations is considered to have reflected parts of his own life. There are several parallels betweenRead MoreGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens924 Words   |  4 Pagesa character driven novel, or a mix of the two. In order for a novel to be character driven, it must revolve more around the characters’ individual thoughts, feelings, and inner struggles, rather than around the quest of the story. Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens, is a character driven novel. While the story does have a plot, it is not contingent upon that plot, but rather is reliant upon its characters and their natures. This is evident from the beginni ng of the novel. From the opening of

Risk assessment template Free Essays

This is a risk assessment form for assessing the risk of an activity not for the room or premises; this is the responsibility of the institution. If a risk is identified with the room or premises then a decision needs to be made whether the activity takes place until the risk is removed or the level of risk is considered to be acceptable. Risks identified in relation to the premises should be identified on the Need for Action Form. We will write a custom essay sample on Risk assessment template or any similar topic only for you Order Now A risk assessment is nothing more than a careful examination of what, in your work, could cause harm to people, so that you can weigh up whether you have taken enough precautions or should do more to prevent harm. The important things you need to decide are whether a hazard is significant and whether you have it covered by satisfactory precautions so that the risk is small. You need to check this when you assess the risks. Don’t be over complicated, in most of our situations the hazards are few and simple. Checking them is common sense, but necessary. You probably already know whether, for example, you have equipment that could cause harm, or if there is an awkward entrance or stair where someone could be hurt. If so, check that you have taken what reasonable precautions you can o avoid injury. Whilst a generic risk assessment is acceptable for a regular activity it must be reviewed and evaluated on a regular basis. Risk assessments will need to be modified dependent on type of group (do you know the group? Are there any members of the group with particular needs? Has the staff changed? You may have staff less competent than previously, have new staff received instruction/training? ) Overleaf are some examples, these are not fit for all activities and are only guidance in an assimilated situation. HAZARD WHO MIGHT BE HARMED WHAT PRECAUTIONS ARE IN PLACE HOW IS RISK CONTROLLED WHEN/BY WHOM Physical Injury (sport) Lifting and handling of equipment Cuts, puncturing from sharp implements staff,YAP Qualified/trained staff Staff clear about their responsibilities. Conduct and instructions given to participants prior to activity. Equipment checked and manual handling procedures observed. Adequate warm up/warm down. Appropriate dress code L part of induction process for new staff. Training where appropriate. Appropriate handling equipment supplied I. E. Trolley. Incidents and near misses to be recorded. Incidents and near misses recorded Advise on safe practice given. Close supervision. Agreed level of qualification or training required. Agreed code of conduct. Equipment regularly maintained and recorded Analysis of incident reports. Written information in induction packs reviewed. Training courses. Additional equipment identified at supervision sessions Agreed and written safe working practice Ongoing/staff Centre co-ordination 3 times per year by H Committee Training officer. How to cite Risk assessment template, Papers

Risk assessment template Free Essays

This is a risk assessment form for assessing the risk of an activity not for the room or premises; this is the responsibility of the institution. If a risk is identified with the room or premises then a decision needs to be made whether the activity takes place until the risk is removed or the level of risk is considered to be acceptable. Risks identified in relation to the premises should be identified on the Need for Action Form. We will write a custom essay sample on Risk assessment template or any similar topic only for you Order Now A risk assessment is nothing more than a careful examination of what, in your work, could cause harm to people, so that you can weigh up whether you have taken enough precautions or should do more to prevent harm. The important things you need to decide are whether a hazard is significant and whether you have it covered by satisfactory precautions so that the risk is small. You need to check this when you assess the risks. Don’t be over complicated, in most of our situations the hazards are few and simple. Checking them is common sense, but necessary. You probably already know whether, for example, you have equipment that could cause harm, or if there is an awkward entrance or stair where someone could be hurt. If so, check that you have taken what reasonable precautions you can o avoid injury. Whilst a generic risk assessment is acceptable for a regular activity it must be reviewed and evaluated on a regular basis. Risk assessments will need to be modified dependent on type of group (do you know the group? Are there any members of the group with particular needs? Has the staff changed? You may have staff less competent than previously, have new staff received instruction/training? ) Overleaf are some examples, these are not fit for all activities and are only guidance in an assimilated situation. HAZARD WHO MIGHT BE HARMED WHAT PRECAUTIONS ARE IN PLACE HOW IS RISK CONTROLLED WHEN/BY WHOM Physical Injury (sport) Lifting and handling of equipment Cuts, puncturing from sharp implements staff,YAP Qualified/trained staff Staff clear about their responsibilities. Conduct and instructions given to participants prior to activity. Equipment checked and manual handling procedures observed. Adequate warm up/warm down. Appropriate dress code L part of induction process for new staff. Training where appropriate. Appropriate handling equipment supplied I. E. Trolley. Incidents and near misses to be recorded. Incidents and near misses recorded Advise on safe practice given. Close supervision. Agreed level of qualification or training required. Agreed code of conduct. Equipment regularly maintained and recorded Analysis of incident reports. Written information in induction packs reviewed. Training courses. Additional equipment identified at supervision sessions Agreed and written safe working practice Ongoing/staff Centre co-ordination 3 times per year by H Committee Training officer. How to cite Risk assessment template, Papers

Is It All A Dream Essays - Epistemology, Philosophical Methodology

Is It All A Dream? Phil 2003 H Second Essay Brandy L. Davis Is it All a Dream? In Descartes' Meditations, he attempts to outline his philosophical views of the mind and body. Descartes knows that over the course of his life, he inadvertently accepted many false beliefs (and their falsity infected other beliefs which he based on them). He decides to sort through his beliefs, discard all the questionable ones, and retain only a perfectly secure basis: some beliefs whose truth is beyond doubt. He begins by doubting all that he ?knows? and all that he ?feels? in order that he may be absolutely certain when he claims to have knowledge of anything. One of his initial methods of skepticism is to doubt everything that comes to him via the sensual world. In order to do this, he suggests the possibility that he is always in a dream state. Descartes remembers that sometimes when he is dreaming, he falsely believes that he's awake. And, reflecting on this, Descartes thinks he can't ever tell whether or not he's dreaming. Maybe it's all just a dream. If it were a dream, everything would seem just the same. Thus, every bit of knowledge about the world that he gained would be false. Descartes introduces the argument in his first meditation, but never fully explains his reasons for dismissing it. Finally, at the end of his last meditation (VI), he offers a response to this early concern. Descartes claims to have found a marked difference between the states of dreaming and wakefulness. He adheres to the notion that memory is not linked and able to connect dreams in sequential order as it is able to do with waking states. Additionally, he concludes that if he is able to connect something, be it inanimate or animate, to its past present and future occurrence or appearance in his life, then he is definitely awake. He feels that such ability is not possible in the dream state. Finally, he states that if he has exhausted all his abilities and brought all of his senses and faculties to bear on the satisfactory conclusion of the argument, and he still concludes that he can determine he is awake, then he must be. This is supported by the idea that his senses and faculties would be simultaneously deceiving him if he were dreaming and was certain of the opposite. Since God is his creator, he would necessarily be a deceiver if he allowed his creations to be so falsely made that they could be completely deceived by the instruments He provided them. Additionally, because of his refutation of the ?God is a Deceiver? claim, he knows he is not dreaming. In order for Descartes to be able to make the claim that doubting if one is dreaming is not a serious doubt, he was first required to establish the following premises: God exists, God is the creator of everything, God is not a deceiver, errors in perceptions come from the misuse of the senses, and premature assumptions are the effect of errors in perception. This, I believe, is why he did not go into great detail on his dismissal of the possibility that he was dreaming in the first Meditation. For instance, it would be impossible (following Descartes' logic) to explain why we would automatically dismiss the claim that 2+2=5 without first establishing the following ideas: numbers exist, they can be put together and their values increased, and that if you put them together in the same ways, you will always end with the same value. I have many issues with Descartes' response to the claim that whether one is dreaming or not is a viable doubt. Most of them center around his unsatisfactory evidence for the existence of God. However, I have been instructed not to pursue them, so I will refrain. The conclusions he makes about this argument are unconvincing to me, as are all his other conclusions. I will attempt to support my rebuttal of his claims. My first problem is with his conclusion that our memory can't connect our dreams with each other and with the course of life. This, in my experience, is completely false. I am constantly certain of aspects of my

Griffin essays

Griffin essays Griffins project is that she carefully constructs and describes history, particularly World War II, through the lives of several different people. She does not just state the history, she ties each of her topics and shows how they directly effected the other by the actions someone would take. For example, when Himmler sends all those people to the death camps, Helene was directly affected by this and Griffin they went ahead and showed how because of Himmlers actions, Helene had her own story about the same conflict but in a totally different point of view. Griffin strikes all of these aspects in her essay. What is most compelling about the essay, however, is the way Griffin incorporated personal, family, and world history into a chilling story of narrative and autobiography, without ever losing the factual evidence the story provided. Many believe that history is what is read in textbooks, or what is seen on the news. If Susan Griffin were asked that question, she would probably argu e that history is much more than that. It is about the minds and souls of the people who went through the historical event, not simply what happened. In her essay, Griffin incorporates stories of people from totally different backgrounds, and upbringings, including herself, all to describe their account of one time period. Each persons history is somehow connected with the next persons, and each story contributes equally to the larger view of history. Griffin inputs three types of histories in her text; personal, family and world history. In her personal history, she describes her life, and her childhood, which intertwines with her family history. However, she not only talks about her histories, she talks about the histories of the other characters in the essay to bring across the larger world history. One of the techniquess that Griffin uses to help the audience understand her concepts, is explaining two other story lines whil...

Argumentative Essay Example Should High School Be Mandatory

Argumentative Essay Example Should High School Be Mandatory High school students are facing the whole new world of education. Is it worth getting? When you’re in high school, it’s challenging enough to plan for the next week, let alone the next 10, 15, 25 years. But if a high school student had the foresight to look ahead that far in the future, and even further down the road, they would undoubtedly see the importance of having a high school education. Rather than leaving it up to the near-sighted adolescent to decide, a law should be enacted mandating that all American residents and citizens complete a high school education. After all, it’s free to the public (or paid for with taxes) kindergarten to the 12th grade. And it’s probable that most people who drop out before graduating from high school tend to lead lives of struggle, financial hardship, and criminal troubles, too. HIGH SCHOOL YEARS ARE THE MOST MEMORABLE ONES To begin with, a high school diploma should be the standard in America, because a solid high school education lays a solid foundation for the rest of a person’s life. In high school, as well as the years leading up to high school, a student learns the basics, of course – reading, writing, and arithmetic – but also how to do many other skills that will serve them well as working adults. The school prepares a person to be a responsible, resourceful adult. In school, whether a student realizes it at the time, they are developing quite valuable skills and learning important information. When a person finishes high school, they can do just about anything an adult person needs to do to survive and live a good life – read road maps and plan a trip; understand contracts and agreements, as well as read directions on how to assemble something; balance a checkbook, research how to solve a problem. A high school education is imperative for everyone looking to survive adulthood. Ultimately life is disease, death and oblivion. Its still better than high school. Dan Savage Secondly, a high school education provides a person with the knowledge and fundamental skills needed to get a job as an adult; therefore, it should be made mandatory. To survive in America as an adult, one needs a decent-paying job – and to get a job that pays even the minimum wage, a person generally needs a high school diploma. Take, for example, a gas-station attendant. They work with money most of the day, so they must have a strong foundation in math – a skill taught in school from the very beginning, up until the more-advanced math courses in high school, such as algebra and statistics. Even gas-station attendants are generally required to have some basic knowledge of technology to work the money machines. Nowadays, students begin working on computers from a very early age, in elementary school, and they’re taught more advanced computing skills in high school. Also, attendants each day must communicate information to customers and supervisors alike. Communi cation skills are created and developed through one’s schooling, through writing papers, engaging in discussions, reading, researching and conversing. Without a high school education, a person lacks the necessary skills to be successful as an adult. Thirdly,  a high school education should be mandatory for all Americans for another important reason: the entire point of education is to establish the intellectual foundations needed to be self-educated. In other words, when a person graduates from high school, they possess the intellectual and  informational resourcefulness one needs to teach him or herself just about anything. Naturally, there are tons of people with just a high school education who have gone on to become very successful individuals in just about various fields and industries. Due to their educational foundation, however, they are self-learners capable of mastering any task and challenge they face as adults. FRATERNITY VIOLENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION To conclude, there should be a law that makes a high school education mandatory for all Americans; that is, a person should be penalized for not finishing high school and getting their diploma. A lack of education hinders an individual, which hurts the economy in the long run – which in turn hinders a country from moving forward and flourishing. It gets left behind. One may go as far to argue how Americans should be legally required to have some sort of post-high school education – whether a college degree or at the very least some sort of specialty education, an apprenticeship, if one prefers the less-academic route. Either way, a high school education is necessary for anyone required to work for a living. It’s imperative for success.

The Presence of Racism is Shakespeare's Othello Essay

The Presence of Racism is Shakespeare's Othello - Essay Example Therefore, after the Reformation, it represented an antagonistic political and religious force against Protestantism in England. At that time, Italy was the site of classical Roman history and civilization which paved the way for the "Renaissance" of European culture from the fifteenth to the seventeenth century. (Nostbakken, 2000) Differences matter. Othello was not a Venetian by birth and therefore his status is ambivalent: he both belongs and does not belong to the city of Venice. He belongs because he is Venice's military general whose main role was to defend the city from possible invaders, and he is a Christian who shared a common religion with his fellow Venetian citizens. However, he is also a real stranger from a strange country, a foreigner and an outsider. The play manifests the inherent tension which exists between the differences that set him apart and the qualities that allow him to play a respected and vital role in the city's day-to-day life. Cassio, another key character of this play, is an outsider but he is less of a stranger compared to Othello for he is a European gentleman. Cassio comes from the beautiful Italian city of Florence. Othello, in contrast comes from the unknown and misunderstood world of Africa. (Nostbakken, 2000) The courtesans of Venice were prostitutes serving an upper-c... In this play, Shakespeare presents the strong positive and negative impact of identity by exploiting many degrees of difference between various characters of the play as distinguished by their rank and status, and by their places of origin, adoption, or conquest. Shakespeare wrote this play for English audiences in the early seventeenth century and this play reflected and responded to problems, situations, and problems of the period. Hence, the play showed identities defined by differences as well as similarities. In a sense, the responses of English audiences were also influenced by their own sense of identity as a nation.Iago's character speaks for the corruption and intrigue in Venice. In the first scene, he implies the practice of political prejudice, as opposed to impartiality, by explaining that friendship gained Cassio the title of lieutenancy while Iago's attempts had failed. Iago acts as a model of self-interest rather than duty. Iago's advice to Roderigo to "put money in th y purse" exemplified the naked greed that foreigners identified with Venice's highly prosperous merchant economy. Iago is inherently revengeful, scheming, and manipulative. His dominance in the play mirrors the dark side of humanity and also the dark side of Venice. Iago is a true native of Venice and he belongs there in a way that Othello, the outsider, does not. (Nostbakken, 2000) Venetian women were perceived to be very deceptive. Desdemona was shown as a "super-subtle Venetian" and suspects practically every man and woman as being unfaithful, adulterous, or promiscuous. However, Desdemona does not fit the Venetian stereotype of infidelity and deception. She was a faithful woman.

Are No-Suicide Contracts Effective in Nursing Practice Essay

Are No-Suicide Contracts Effective in Nursing Practice - Essay Example There are different thoughts in a patient’s head and psychologically the act provides the patient with a different mindset. In a sense, it assists in the fuelling positive thoughts in a patient. The no-suicide act also provides patients with a means of attaining assistance. Many patients suffer from severe emotional stress and they are unsure of what to do with their lives. The act provides the patients with reasonable steps they can take when they begin to feel suicidal. The use of the suicide act hinders different interventions as much faith may be placed on this method. Many studies state that nurses become less competent in the presence of a no-suicide contract. As the nurses are reluctant to implement other approaches, they may overlook obvious and much better intervention methods Apart from being able to detect early suicidal warning signs, the nurse should also be able to detect warning signs in the patient’s history (depression, drug abuse, recent divorce or unemployment, psychiatric disorders). The nurse should refer the patient to psychiatric department if he or she detects warning signs of suicide (verbalization- â€Å"I can’t live like this any longer†; reckless behavior; giving away valued possessions and abuse of narcotics) 8. Please develop 3 nursing interventions for the patient’s plan of care that are each directly related to the identified nursing diagnoses. Please include a rationale for each nursing intervention. Establishment of a therapeutic relationship with the patient. The nurse must be fully aware of the patient’s condition in order to understand the history of the problems and the different approaches taken in the past. The nurse must also understand the patient and his or her attitudes towards the current situation. Validation of the patient’s thoughts towards his or her condition. This is useful in establishing the relationship between the nurse and patient. It also assures the client that the

Homers Bio :: Essays Papers

Homers Bio Biography of Homer (?-? BC) Beyond a few fragments of information, historians and classicists can only speculate about the life of the man who composed the Iliad and the Odyssey. The details are few. We do not even know the century in which he lived, and it is difficult to say with absolute certainty that the same poet composed both works. The Greeks attributed both of the epics to the same man, and we have little hard evidence that would make us doubt the ancient authorities, but uncertainty is a constant feature of scholarly work dealing with Homer's era of Greek history. The Greeks hailed him as their greatest poet, as well as their first. Although the Greeks recognized other poets who composed in Greek before Homer, no texts from these earlier poets survived. Perhaps they were lost, or perhaps they were never written down†¹Homer himself was probably on the cusp between the tradition of oral poetry and the new invention of written language. Texts of the Iliad and the Odyssey existed from at least the sixth century BC, and probably for a considerable span of time before that. These two great epic poems also had a life in performance: through the centuries, professional artists made their living by reciting Homer, performing the great epics for audiences that often know great parts of the poem by heart. It is impossible to pin down with any certainty when Homer lived. Eratosthenes gives the traditional date of 1184 BC for the end of the Trojan War, the semi-mythical event which forms the basis for the Iliad. The great Greek historian Herodotus put the date at 1250 BC. These dates were arrived at in a very approximate manner; Greek historians usually used genealogy and estimation when trying to find the dates for events in the distant past. But Greek historians were far less certain about the dates for Homer's life. Some said he was a contemporary of the events of the Iliad, while others placed him sixty or a hundred or several hundred years afterward. Herodotus estimated that Homer lived and wrote in the ninth century BC. He almost certainly lived in one of the Greek city-states in Asia Minor. All of the traditional sources say that he was blind. Over the course of millennia of scholarly speculation, prevailing theories about Homer and his relationship to his work have had time to change and change again.

Current Events in the Philippines and How it Affects Good Governance

There are several current issues in the Philippines, let’s just say in economic, political and government conditions, education, environment,health, socials and many more. Every day, we watch on television, we hear from radios, read from newspapers and in the internet the continuous news of corruption of some politicians is the most trending issue.The scandalous pork barrel scam is history in the making. It is the biggest problem now a days in the government, imagine how many senators, congressmen and government agencies are being involved and a lot of budget are being wasted because of these fake NGOS and this is the example of a perfect crime.The second trending issue is on the environment, those fortuitous event like the long list calamities that hit the country, specificallythe earthquake in bohol and the super typhoon haiyan/ Yolanda, these unprecedented calamities has been a great problem to us and for our political leaders but still with the help of outside countries an d with fast relief operations of the government our country is hoping to rise from these terrible events. But ofcourse some of our political leaders again and their operations had become harsh and some mal practices are present.In the midst of our difficulties and despair, some politicians are taking advantage of the situation. We taxpayers pay for the salaries of these lawmakers to make our country the best place to live. To help them perform their job well, but what happened?Instead of performing their jobs and fulfill their function in uplifting the lives of Filipinos many of them used their power, authority, time and effort for sustaining their private interest so it may result in graft and corruption practices and anomalies in the government.Poor become poorer and most of politicians are becoming busy increasing their assets. Now, there is really a good governance in the phillipines? Those sceneraio are the perfect examples that may greatly affect good governance, its because p ublic office is a public trust.Public officers and employees must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity,loyalty, and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice and lead modest lives.

Bertrand Russell And The Greatest Philosopher - 1261 Words

BERTRAND RUSSELL Bertrand Russell was born on May 18, 1872 into British aristocracy, In 1931 career centered on work as a philosophy professor, writer and public lecturer. He not only knew but worked with many dominant figures in the late 19th and 20th century as a philosopher, a mathematician, science as well as politics. Russell was arguably the greatest philosopher in the 20th century. Although Russell was a decent man he got most of his ideas from Gottolob Frege, a German mathematician, logician and philosopher. Gottolob was also a vicious anti-semite and proto-Nazi. The Nobel Prize Committee described Bertrand Russell as one of the best spokesman of rationality and humanity. According to Russell, the value of philosophy is to be sought in the effects it has on those who study it. The more you study philosophy, the more free your mind become. Russell believed that exercise is to the good of the body as philosophy is to the goods of the mind. Philosophy keeps alive the interest in the world. It aims the achievement of knowledge through criticism and self-evaluation. Philosophizing allow those who study it to enrich their intellectual imagination. Russell saw philosophy as a way of life, insisting that questions have an ethical urgency. I believed his assertion is correct. One who sought philosophy cultivate the mind. They become self-reflective and wiser. From that point on their mind is free to evaluate the world around us. Philosophy evasion of questions pertains to theShow MoreRelatedBertrand Russell Is One of the Greatest Masters of English Prose.832 Words   |  4 PagesBertrand Russell is one of the greatest masters of English Prose. Bertrand Russell is one of the greatest masters of English Prose. He revolutionized not only the subject matter but also the mode of expression. He has in him a happy blend of greatest philosopher and a great writer. He was awarded Nobel Prize for literature in 1950. The subject matter of his essays may be very difficult but his manner of expression is so lucid and simple that even a layman can understand him without any specialRead MoreThe Principles Of Aristotle, Bertrand Russell, And Immanuel Kant1555 Words   |  7 Pagesthrough the study of arguments in natural language. It deals only with propositions that are capable of being true and false. Modern logic descends mainly from the ancient Greek tradition. All three philosophers; Aristotle, Bertrand Russell, and Immanuel Kant theorized the question of what is logic. The greatest and most influential of Platos students was Aristotle, but the works of Aristotle do reflect his teachings from Plato but unlike Plato, Aristotle was concrete and practical. Aristotle definedRead MoreThe Good Life: Do Great Minds Think Alike? Essay2066 Words   |  9 Pagespersons should we be? Many philosophers, theologians, and laymen have ruminated on the subject and drawn their own conclusions. 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His major works in mathematics includesRead MoreAdvantages Of The Ontological Argument1261 Words   |  6 Pagesexistence then it must also prove the existence of all possible perfect things such as islands which is completely absurd. Anselm responded to this criticism with the claim that the property of necessary existence can only be the property of the greatest possible being and so God is the only being that it is in their nature to necessarily exist. God is necessary, he has no cause and has always existed and always will, while something such as an island is contingent and so it has a cause and willRead MoreThe Divide Between Science And Religion996 Words   |  4 PagesScientia, the Latin noun meaning â€Å"to know† is the etymological root of the modern English word science (Merriam-Webster, 2016). It is perhaps fitting that many of the greatest minds of our time consider science to be the ultimate source of truth, knowledge, and understanding. Famed chemist, professor, and author Peter Atkins (1995) believes â€Å"science is the best procedure yet discovered for exposing fundamental truths about the world† (Atkins, 1995, p. 97). This paper will challenge that assertionRead More The Existenc e Of God Essay1657 Words   |  7 Pagescriticisms and the responses to the criticisms. The first argument for the existence of God I will look at is the cosmological argument, more commonly known as the First Cause argument. It is attributed to Saint Thomas Aquinas, a 13th century philosopher. The basic premise is that for the Universe to exist, something must have caused it to exist in the beginning. The conclusion to this premise, argues Saint Thomas, is that God created the Universe, as he is the only thing eternal. The unstated premisesRead MoreMill vs. Bentham2787 Words   |  12 Pagesthe system. To fully understand the origins of the ideas and opinions expressed by Mill and Bentham it is useful to examine their backgrounds and influences. John Stuart Mill was the eldest son of James Mill, a British historian, economist and philosopher. He was educated entirely by his father, who was a strict disciplinarian, and by the age of 10 had read all the Latin and Greek authors commonly read in the schools and universities of the time. His main reading, however, was history and by thisRead MoreWilliam James on Free Will1523 Words   |  7 PagesOrigins of William James / Jamesian Thinking William James, born 1842, was a trained physician who subsequently dabbled in works of philosophy and psychology (in which he officiated as a formal study through lectures) (Goodman, 2009). As did many philosophers, Jamesian thinking seeded many discussions on various philosophical topics such as metaphysics, morality, free will-determinism, religion and the afterlife; however, what truly made his ideas notable was his uncanny ability to borrow and integrateRead MoreWho Did It? Who Started World War I?868 Words   |  3 Pagesmilitarism. Nationalism was a contributing factor into the war. Many people from each country believed that their country was the best. This gave them more faith that they would win the war which is why a lot of citizens urged it on. Bertrand Russell, a British philosopher makes a statement saying how crowds of British men and women would crowd around Trafalgar Square delighted at the prospect of war (Document 2). Kaiser Wilhelm II from Germany was even more confident about winning the war that he said

The American Dream Essay - 1969 Words

The capability of all Americans to achieve the American dream is what many believe to have made this country great. Perhaps this is why more immigrants flock to the United States than any other nation, because they view America as â€Å"the land of opportunity†, because here anyone can achieve the American dream. Generally, the American dream is the belief that anyone, even one at a low income level, can achieve success and make themselves content if they work hard enough and are determined. Unfortunately, when looking at certain aspects of society, it’s apparent that nothing can be further from the truth. For example, a person can pursue and live the American dream and still be unhappy. Also, the lifestyle that one may live to pursue the American dream can be dehumanizing. Both of these examples are flaws in the American dream that can be seen in the film Fight Club. Furthermore, rising levels of income inequality and the crushing debt people face also shows flaws in t he idea of the American dream. When analyzing the evidence, it’s clear that in the modern United States, the American dream is non-existent. An example of how the American dream is extinct is how one can live in the state of the typical American Dream and still live an unhappy life. An example of this would be in the movie Fight Club. In this movie the narrator is unhappy despite living the American Dream. He has a successful corporate job as an automobile recall specialist and owns a home. Despite his success theShow MoreRelatedImmigrants And The American Dream1362 Words   |  6 PagesImmigrants and the American Dream In the article â€Å"The American Dream†, by James Truslow Adams in The Sundance Reader book, he stated that the American dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and highRead MoreThe American Dream By Kimberly Amadeo1637 Words   |  7 PagesNowadays, a large number of people migrate to the United States to work and achieve the American Dream. According to the Article â€Å"What is the American Dream?† by Kimberly Amadeo, â€Å"The American Dream was first publicly defined in 1931 by James Truslow Adams in Epic of America. Adam’s often-repeated quote is, ‘The American Dream is that dream of land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyon e, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.’† There are many peopleRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie The American Dream 754 Words   |  4 Pages Nyreel Powell Ms. Jones American Literature 1 June 2015 The American dream in A Raisin in the Sun Have you ever had a dream and it didn’t come how you wanted it to be? Have you ever had accomplishments that you wanted to achieve but people were getting in the way of them? The four main characters in this book all have good dreams but there are people in the way of getting to those dreams or their dream is too high to accomplish. A Raisin in the Sun a play written by Lorraine Hansberry, andRead MoreSister Carrie and the American Dream1618 Words   |  7 PagesThe American Dream is surely based on the concept of â€Å"Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness† but it is above all, a matter of ambition. James Truslow Adams, an American writer and historian, in 1931 states: life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement†, which not only points towards a better standard of living for Americans but also denounces a degree of greed in the US society. Ambition not only â€Å"killed the catâ₠¬  butRead MoreGrapes Of Wrath And The American Dream1644 Words   |  7 PagesThe idea of the American Dream is ever changing depending on the person and the time of life that person is in. Although the main ideas of the American Dream remain the same to be educated, economically sound, healthy, to have a family, and equal rights. Many great films and works of literature were created to show case all the different ideas people have for their American Dream. The film â€Å"Grapes of Wrath† directed by John Ford and the poem â€Å"I Will Fight No More Forever† by Chief Joseph, both depictRead More Destruction of the American Dream Essay2145 Words   |  9 PagesDestruction of the American Dream I’ve talked about it in the past, the destruction of the American Dream. Always, there have been papers, writings, and thoughts that quantify a particular section of its ultimate demise, be it due to money, education, or sexuality. Maybe the destruction cannot be viewed as a singular event or cause. Perhaps instead it must be examined as a whole process, the decay and ultimate elimination of a dream. Self destruction, if you will†¦ Mr. Self Destruct Read MoreSuccess As One Of The American Dream1137 Words   |  5 PagesApril 2015 Success as One of The American Dream When we hear the word â€Å"success†, we often think of wealth and money. To some people, the embodiment of being success is earning a lot of money. In fact, the concept of success is primarily based on how much money a person earns. However, each person views the definition of success differently. One way to define success is something that has more to do with flash than it does with substance. John Wooden, an American basketball player and coach viewRead MoreJim Cullen And The American Dream2081 Words   |  9 Pages The American Dream, as defined by Cullen, is starting your goal off with a little and ending with more; it s like a business, you invest in it in order to gain more money. Usually, people will define the American Dream as being able to achieve your goal because everyone is offered opportunities. Cullen does acknowledge that people are born with different opportunities, so he talks about the good life. The good life describes different factors that determine your opportunities. Throughout the otherRead MoreFactors Influencing The American Dream1834 Words   |  8 Pagesindividual to succumb or to not succumb to the seductions of crime. These three factors are brilliantly portrayed in the television show, Breaking Bad and the novel, The Stick Up Kids. The American Dream is what many American citizens strive for. However, not all of those citizens are able to achieve the American Dream through a legal pathway. The reason an indivudal may not being able to do so is because of his or her background factors. It is important to note that background factors are a fractionRead MoreShark Tank And The American Dream1755 Words   |  8 PagesShark Tank and The American Dream The TV show Shark tank embodies everything the American dream represents. The show obtains successful Entrepreneurs ready to invest their own money into other Americans wanting to be just like them, reaching the American dream and become a successful entrepreneur. The show presents entrepreneurs working towards the goal of creating a business to not only gain wealth but also change the way we live today. The show is to keep the American dream alive and well while

Roles and Responsibilities in Lifelong Learning Essays

Roles, responsibilities and relationships in lifelong learning As a teacher I have roles, responsibilities and boundaries affecting my learners, which I aim to explore using the various pieces of legislation, regulations and codes of practice, then analyse my own experience and reflective ideas. According to Gravells (2011) my main role is to teach my subject â€Å"in a way that actively involves and engages (my) learners during every session†¦motivating them†¦(managing) the learning process†¦assess their progress, give relevant feedback and keep appropriate records†. In addition, the author describes boundaries as â€Å"the constraints you might be under as a teacher (and) the negative aspects to your roles and responsibilities†. In†¦show more content†¦Within a learning environment, it is important that I challenge stereotypes and prejudice through diversity, actively fostering a culture with other learners and inclusivity for all. This means making all learners feel like an important part of the session according to their individual needs and learning styles. I should also be aware of the differing learning levels of students and make every effort to incorporate this into classes using different teaching methods. Petty (2009) asserts that as teachers â€Å"we need to discover, and then meet individual needs†¦all students can learn if they are placed on the right programme, taught in the way they can learn, and given any help and support they might need†. I am also responsible for ensuring the content of the class is appropriate to the needs of the learners, and to the requirements of the course. Each organisation has its own set of regulations which protect the rights and expectations of its staff, learners and teachers. These are, for the main part, linked to the legislative framework and principles as detailed above. Initially, the use of risk assessments to identify local hazards can fall into this category. In the case of Halesowen College, the Student Guide not only outlines what the learner should be doing, but also what they should expect and what happens if they, or the institute falls short of this. This contract is linked to Maslow’s principles of Love and Belonging and Self Esteem within hisShow MoreRelatedRoles, Responsibilities and Relationships in Lifelong Learning1535 Words   |  7 PagesRoles, Responsibilities and Relationships in Lifelong Learning. Task A: Research Report. (a) A summary of key aspects of legislation, regulatory requirements and codes of practice relevant to the role and responsibilities of the teacher. Teachers must maintain their knowledge of legislation, regulatory requirements and codes of practice and ensure that they are up to date with all current requirements, which are often subject to change. Some are generic and affect all who teach, whereasRead MoreRoles, Responsibilities and Relationships in Lifelong Learning3178 Words   |  13 PagesRoles, Responsibilities and Relationships in Lifelong Learning. 1.1: Summarise key aspects of legislation, regulatory requirements and codes of practice relating to own role and responsibilities Government legislation and statutory laws are put in place regulate, restrict, authorise, proscribe, provide, grant, sanction or declare. This takes the form of a law or bill which outlines the legal requirements of an organisation. All organisational policies must be in line with government legislationRead MoreRoles, Responsibilities and Relationship in Lifelong Learning1065 Words   |  5 Pages Understanding own role and responsibilities in lifelong learning. In my experience, the teacher is the key figure in making the learning process a success for the learner. We are a guide to the subject, responsible for creating a structured experience for the learner to navigate allowing for individual learning styles and methods to flourish. 1.1 Summarise key aspects of legislation, regulatory requirements and codes of practice relating to own role and responsibilities. Examples of legislationRead MoreRoles, Responsibilities and Relationships in Lifelong Learning2672 Words   |  11 PagesUnit 1: Roles, responsibilities and relationships in lifelong learning 1. Understanding own role and responsibilities in lifelong learning 1.1 Summarise key aspects of legislation, regulatory requirements and codes of practice relating to own role and responsibilities I work with vulnerable people, and so am subject to various legislation, rules and regulations which protect the welfare of all individuals. These are legally binding and must be adhered to at all times. These include: -Read MoreEssay on Roles and Responsibilities in Lifelong Learning920 Words   |  4 PagesRoles, Responsibilities and Relationships in Lifelong Learning The purpose of this assignment is to understand a teacher’s role and responsibilities in Lifelong Learning by summarising key aspects of legislation and codes of practise relating to the role of a teacher. Also by promoting equality, diversity and evaluating a teacher’s responsibility by identifying and meeting the needs of learners. It aims to understand the relationships between teachers and other professionals by analysingRead MoreRoles, Responsibilities and Relationships in Lifelong Learning2171 Words   |  9 PagesRoles, responsibilities and relationships in lifelong learning 1. Understand own role and responsibilities in lifelong learning 1.1 Summarise key aspects of legislation, regulatory requirements and codes of practice relating to own role and responsibilities. The key aspects of legislation which relates to my own role and responsibilities as a driving instructor teaching learners would be that I hold a valid ADI badge and adhere to the criteria as set out by the DSA to maintain that badge includingRead MoreRoles, Responsibilities and Relationships in Lifelong Learning604 Words   |  2 Pagesprofession teaching should behave. Nowadays Britain became more multicultural society; professional teaching will change too, therefore I have to keep up to date with the change. I must ensure that I will fulfil all criteria toward the professional learning, build more skills and deepen my knowledge as a professional teacher. The most important legislation that comply with for a professional teaching are: Data protection Act 1998 and confidentiality: Learners expect from us to respect and protect allRead MoreRoles and Responsibilities of a Tutor in the Lifelong Learning Sector1084 Words   |  5 PagesRoles and Responsibilties Within The Life Long Learning Sector DTLLS Year 1 Introduction The roles, responsibilities and boundaries of a tutor within the FE/adult education sector are ever progressing qualities which are reflected upon using the teaching cycle. This cycle can be used by both tutor and learner as discussed in Prepare to teach in the lifelong learning sector – Ann Gravells 3rd Edition. Roles 1.0 The role of a tutor is to create a safe and healthy learningRead More22 Roles, Responsibilities and Relationships in Lifelong Learning607 Words   |  3 Pagesto own role and responsibilities Q1. Identify 4 legislations that could relate to your job as a teacher and explain how this relate to your job eg government bodies, professional standards, awarding organisation requirements; Q2. Identify 3 organisational policies and procedures that relate to your job as a teacher explain how this relate to your job eg codes of practice, equality and diversity, health and safety, quality assurance, standards. 1.2 Analyse own responsibilities for promotingRead MoreRoles and Responsibilities of the Teacher in the Lifelong Learning Sector968 Words   |  4 PagesAmanda Smith Pttles Teaching Programme Tutor: Joanna Martin Essay Title/ Level 4 Assessment: ‘Review what your role, responsibilities and boundaries as a teacher would be in terms of the teaching/ training cycle’? Describe what your role, responsibilities and boundaries would be as a teacher in terms of the teaching/training cycle. Traditionally the role of the teacher has been as a purveyor of information and trusted to be the fount of all knowledge. This suggests that the teacher was

Business Words U Should Know Free Essays

string(32) " industry or just starting out\." Over 1,000 Essential Words and Phrases! BUSINESS WORDS YOU SHOULD KNOW From Accelerated Depreciation to Zero-based Budgeting—Learn the Lingo for Any Field H. DEAN M C KAY, P H . D. We will write a custom essay sample on Business Words U Should Know or any similar topic only for you Order Now , AND P. T. SHANK Business Words You should knoW From Accelerated Depreciation to Zero-based Budgeting—Learn the Lingo for Any Field h. dean MckaY, Ph. d. , and P. T. shank Avon, Massachusetts I dedicate this book to Susan Shank Mix, my wife, lifelong friend, and trusted advisor. Without her encouragement, creativity, and support, this book would be still in my imagination. —Dr. Dean McKay I dedicate this book to Al Burgos, an accountant with the heart of an astronomer, because without him, no deadline would have been made. —P. T. Shank Copyright  © 2008 by H. Dean McKay, Ph. D. , and P. T. Shank All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher; exceptions are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews. Published by Adams Media, an F+W Publications Company 57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322. U. S. A. www. adamsmedia. com ISBN 10: 1-59869-146-5 ISBN 13: 978-1-59869-146-7 (paperback) ISBN 13: 978-1-44050-101-2 (EPUB) Printed in the United States of America. JIHGFEDCBA Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data McKay, H. Dean. Business words you should know / H. Dean McKay, and P. T. Shank. p. cm. ISBN-13: 978-1-59869-146-7 (pbk. ) ISBN-10: 1-59869-146-5 (pbk. ) 1. Business—Dictionaries. I. Shank, P. T. II. Title. HF1001. M26 2007 650. 03—dc22 2007016518 This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional advice. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. —From a Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their product are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and Adams Media was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed with initial capital letters. This book is available at quantity discounts for bulk purchases. For information, please call 1-800-289-0963. Contents Introduction / 1 The Words, A–Z / 2 Appendix: Acronym Index / 247 Acknowledgments T his book is an accumulation of decades of business, education, and management with some remarkable mentors and associates. In particular, I would like to recognize my mentors at the Peter F. Drucker Center for Management, Claremont Graduate School, Professor Joseph A. Maciariello and Professor Peter F. Drucker, along with the other faculty and participants in my decade of association with the university. I would like also to acknowledge the thousands of associates, peers, and managers in the organizations with whom I have had the pleasure of working these past five decades. To my family, who has been so supportive, I say thank you, Robert, Chris, Melinda, Cameron, Amanda, Dave, Michelle, Marcus, and Meredith. You are my team. P. T. Shank made this book a reality with her voice and creativity as well as hard work. —Dr. Dean McKay M any people helped me make this book happen. Specifically, I would like to thank H. Dean McKay for his business acumen; Ed and Mitchell, as always; Stephanie Sauls, for laundry, dinners, flowers, and generally being an amazing friend; Billy Taymor for his patience, humor, and being awake long after most people have gone to bed; Shoshanna Grossman, who saw me through the beginning of it; David Willis, who saw me through the end of it; and all my friends—both real and cyber—who understood and still love me. —P. T. Shank Introduction W hen Dean and I first started talking about writing this book, we thought it would be very straightforward. We knew we wanted to take the language of business and translate it into plain English. He would choose the words, write the definitions, and take the role of business guru, ensuring the information was accurate. I would write the sentences, handle the technical part of writing a book, and take the role of target audience, ensuring the information was understandable. And we would have the next book in the excellent Words You Should Know series. To a certain extent, that is what happened. Over and over throughout the last year, Dean would present me with a definition, and I would say â€Å"But what does it mean? † until he had simplified it enough that even I could understand it. So it was straightforward. Dean has indeed chosen words and written definitions. I have written sentences. And you are reading this book. But something else happened as well. Once we started writing it, we came to realize it had far more potential than we originally recognized, and that was really exciting. Yes, this book can be used in a very straightforward manner: When you hear a business word you don’t understand, look it up and close the book. Easy. But it can be much more than that as well, depending on your needs. Perhaps you need to know more about a concept than simply its definition and usage. An Internet search on â€Å"management style,† for instance, turns up more than 200 thousand results! This book offers related words for each term. Combine a few of them in your search, and suddenly you are closer to finding the information you actually need. Also, throughout the book, you will find boxes with further explanations of many of the defined words. While the definitions for these words are easy to understand, the concepts sometimes are not. The information found within the boxes will help clarify the concepts and how they apply to the business world. We sincerely believe this book has become the valuable tool we always knew it could be. Hopefully, you will agree with us, whether you are wellestablished in an industry or just starting out. You read "Business Words U Should Know" in category "Essay examples" And who knows, maybe you’ll even come to understand our excitement. We hope you do. 1-to-1 marketing  1 1-to-1 Marketing Customizing the offering to the specific customer needs and desires. This process involves much more than just sales and marketing because the firm must be able to change how its products are configured or its service is delivered based on the individual needs of individual customers. The technology company was successful because of its ability to offer 1-to-1 marketing to all its clients. See also: Direct Marketing, End User 10Q Report A financial statement filed with the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission by a company, regarding its financial performance. This form is used for quarterly reports under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. A quarterly report on this form must be filed within forty-five days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year. Investors and brokers are wise to track companies’ 10Q reports before buying large amounts of stock. See also: Financial Statement or Reports, Public Company, Quarterly Report, SEC Filings 10X Change A strategic change from a current state, called X, to a future state in which the change is measured in orders of magnitude. This term refers to those rare moments when something creates a â€Å"10X change†Ã¢â‚¬â€a change ten times greater than your average everyday change. Leadership believes in the exponential growth capacity of each team member. A 10X change is any change in a business environment that could potentially cause an industry change. Business forecasters were aware that the creation of the personal computer would create a 10X change in the industry. See also: Change, Change Management, Strategic Inflection Points 360-Degree Feedback A means for leadership development; a method and a management tool that provides each employee the opportunity to receive performance feedback from his or her supervisor and four to eight peers, reporting staff members, coworkers, and customers. Every year, the management staff received 360-degree feedback from their peers and staff in order to ensure a positive working environment for everyone in the department. See also: Communications, Empowerment, Human Resources, Motivate, Performance Review accelerated depreciation  4 Ps of Marketing Product, price, place (distribution), and promotion are the major marketing management decisions; these variables are known as the marketing mix. Even though most customers may not be aware of it, nearly all decisions about buying products are based on the 4 Ps of marketing. See also: Distribution, Marketing, Price, Product, Promotion A A-Team An elite group or task force that is willing and able to solve difficult problems; a team that works together under uncertain conditions to create innovative solutions; a group having a special mission with a leadership role. The new engineer was assigned to the A-team to tackle the division’s most pressing problem. See also: Leadership, Team Building, Teams Abatement A deduction in the amount of money owed. The start-up received rent abatement to help them get things going in their production facility. See also: Obligation, Payment in Kind Ability The quality of being able to perform; skill and aptitude that an employee needs in order to perform successfully the various tasks associated with a job; qualities that enable a person to achieve or accomplish something. It is vital to hire someone based on his or her ability to perform the job at hand. See also: Organization, Performance, Skill Abstract A document that summarizes and explains the important aspects of a larger, more detailed document. The database contained many abstracts from articles on small business. See also: Business Plan, Executive Summary Accelerated Depreciation Depreciation at a greater rate in the early years of an asset’s life; an accounting method. Due to the accelerated depreciation attached to some goods, many people recommend buying slightly used items over brand-new ones. See also: Accounting, Depreciation, Taxes A  A access Access A process of inputting or retrieving data from a computer, network, or system. The staff realized the computers were down when none of them could access the database. See also: Computer, Data, Database, Network Access Time The time interval between a request for information and the start of the delivery process for a computer, network, or system. Faster access time was one of the major selling points of the new computer system. See also: Access, Computer, Float Accessory Goods Products used by business operations to function. Examples include computers, fax machines, office copiers, networks, and so on. The small shop had a full inventory but the bare minimum of accessory goods needed to open for business. See also: Administrative Expenses, Back Office, Operations Accomplishment The result of successfully meeting a goal; an achievement. The award was given to the sales team for their accomplishment of increasing profits 20 percent over the estimated goal. See also: Ability, Goals, Objectives, Success Account An organization’s record of all the debits and credits chronologically posted to a ledger showing how each transaction affects a particular phase of a business. Entries are usually stated in monetary figures and reflect the current balances, if any. A bookkeeper is often required to manage multiple accounts and track the strengths of all of them. See also: Chart of Accounts, General Ledger, Ledger Accountability Taking responsibility for actions. An obligation to one’s self—an obligation to lead a meaningful life, both in and out of the workplace, that is consistent with one’s own values. The CEO was impressed by the supervisor’s sense of accountability for everything that happened in his department. See also: Behavior, Governance, Responsibility accounts receivable turnover  Accounting The process of identifying, measuring, recording, and communicating financial information about a business or organization. Accounting information can be a helpful managerial and investment aid in the decision-making process. The accounting firm was known and respected for the efficiency and uncompromising sense of integrity. See also: Accounting Noise, Public Accounting, Purchasing Accounting Accounting Noise Complex rules that may affect the way a company’s performance is related to the public. These rules do not affect the company’s true performance, simply the way that performance is reported. After a company has gone through a major change, it may be difficult for potential investors to cut through the accounting noise to discover how well the business is actually expected to perform. See also: Accounting, Financial Statement or Report Accounts Payable Money or liabilities owed by a firm to vendor, suppliers, or service providers. The secretary juggled the accounts payable so that the small firm’s bills were paid every month within days of receiving the fees from their clients. See also: Balance Sheet, Liability, Supplier, Vendor Accounts Receivable Money or liabilities due to a firm from customers for the purchase of inventory, goods, or services. Carried in the current-assets section of the firm’s balance sheet. The billing department sent out invoices on all accounts receivable that were not paid in full at the time of service. See also: Assets, Balance Sheet, Customer, Inventories Accounts Receivable Turnover A measurement of how quickly customers pay their bills. The ratio of net credit sales to average accounts receivable. Their bank asked for the accounts receivable turnover report to measure how quickly their customers paid their bills. See also: Accounts Receivable, Credit, Financial Ratios, Turnover A  A accrual-based accounting Accrual-Based Accounting An accounting method in which income is reported when earned and expenses are reported when an obligation is made rather than when money is received or paid. Retail stores and other businesses that sell products and stock inventory use accrual-based accounting. See also: Accounting, Bookkeeping, Expenses, Income Accrue Accumulate or increase over a period of time. She chose to put her money into a CD rather than just into a savings account because interest would accrue at a faster rate. See also: Depreciation, Expenses, Taxes Accrued Expenses Expenses yet to be paid; accumulated expenses in a given period that will be paid in the future. It was agreed that the accrued expenses owed to the law firm would be paid at the end of the trial. See also: Accrue, Expenses, Period Accrued Interest Interest yet to be paid; accumulated interest in a given period that will be paid in the future. She opted to receive all accrued interest from her investments in one check at the end of the year. See also: Accrue, Interest, Period Accrued Taxes Taxes yet to be paid; accumulated taxes that will be paid in the future. The accountant tracked the accrued taxes in order to ensure there was enough cash to pay them when they came due. See also: Accrue, Taxes Accurate Correct and exact; produces flawless work, generally as the result of painstaking care. The accountant was known for being detail oriented and accurate in every aspect of his job. See also: Consistent, Quality action learning  Acid Test Ratio A ratio of current assets minus inventories, accruals, and prepaid items to current liabilities that is used to determine a firm’s ability to meet current debt obligations. According to the acid test ratio, the firm was actually in very good financial shape in spite of the unexpected quarterly losses. See also: Assets, Liquid, Short-Term Debt Acquisition Acquiring control of a business or corporation. The parent company’s primary goal was to staff its new acquisition quickly and well before it began losing money. See also: Due Diligence, Integration, Merger, Purchasing Accounting, Strategy Acquisition Cost The cost of purchasing equipment before sales tax. The start-up bought much of its equipment slightly used in order to keep acquisition costs low. See also: Capital Expenses (CapEx), Hard Assets Acquittance A receipt indicating payment in full, freedom from a financial obligation. Every acquittance was kept on file in case questions arose later about the payment of the bills. See also: Debt, Payments Across the Board Affecting all in an equal manner; comes from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) big board, a large board on which stock prices were once written, so when the majority of prices were up or down, the movement was shown â€Å"across the board. † Concern about the economy and rising prices cut consumer spending across the board, not just in the travel industry, over the summer. See also: New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), Stock Action Learning A process in which a group of people come together more or less regularly to help each other to learn from their experience. The company offered action learning programs as a way for senior management to lean on each other and junior management to receive mentoring. See also: Action Plan, Group Processes, Teambuilding A action plan  A Action Plan A list of tasks that needs to be carried out in order to achieve a larger objective; may include other plans, activities, resources, and/or commitments. The action plan was clear and concise so that everyone on the project knew what steps needed to be taken in order to achieve success. See also: Goals, Obstacles, Task Actionable An act, event, or occurrence that carries legal grounds for basing a lawsuit. As offensive as the supervisor’s statements and behaviors had been, her attorney told her they were, unfortunately, not actionable. See also: Arbitration, Audit Activity List A list of the defined activities that need to be completed for a project or task within an action plan. The team was pleased that they had completed their activity list well enough in advance that the whole project moved forward sooner than expected. See also: Planning, Project, Task Activity Sequencing Identifying how activities affect each other and determining the best order to perform them in order to complete the project. Although the committee’s suggested activity sequencing seemed reasonable on paper, it didn’t take into account ordinary delays expected by the technicians. See also: Program Evaluation and Review Techniques (PERT), Project, Time Management Ad Hoc A team, project, task force, or committee formed to address a specific issue or concern; singular-in-purpose effort; dealing with a particular organizational problem. The CEO created an ad hoc committee to investigate the charges of harassment. See also: Organization, Project, Teams Adaptation to Change Methods and mechanisms that organizations use to react to internal and external environmental changes. Businesses tend to survive longer when their adaptations to change are flexible, open-minded, and already in place prior to major market fluctuations. See also: Adapting, Change, Change Management, Organizations adjustment  Adapting Capable of change from today’s reality to a future state, such as change in response to new markets, globalization, and management changes. Many nonprofit organizations had a hard time adapting to computerization in the 1980s and 1990s. See also: Change, Flexible, Growth Addendum A supplement to a written document. The actor requested that an addendum spelling out the specific needs of his staff be added to the contract. See also: Appendix, Communication Adhesion Contract A contract that generally contains nonnegotiable terms that usually favor the party presenting it. The band was known for the outrageous clauses in the adhesion contract they required each venue to sign before they agreed to perform. See also: Contract, Letter of Intent (LOI), Terms Adhocracy A form of organization, usually with little or no structure, that allows for greater creativity and innovation around capturing opportunities, solving problems, and getting results. Once the company moved from a bureaucracy to an adhocracy, several of the program directors had a hard time changing from a very controlling management style to one where staff was allowed more input and flexibility. See also: Bureaucracy, Cross-Functional Team, Management, Organization, Teams Adjustment A debit or credit to a cardholder or seller’s account to correct a transaction error. When the woman’s coat didn’t arrive in the promised amount of time, the store made an adjustment on her credit card to reflect the removal of shipping charges. See also: Accounting, Credit, Credit Card, Debt A administrative expenses 10 A Administrative Expenses The expenses incurred in carrying out the activities listed in the management and organization section of the business plan. The assistant secretary had to be laid off in order to cut back on administrative expenses. See also: Accounting, Business Plan, Expenses, Income Statement Administrivia The day-to-day workings of an office environment required by administrators; Tasks that staff perform to maintain value in an organization that are needed to keep things going forward or to fulfill management needs. The old secretary was invaluable to her boss because of her skill at dealing with administrivia. See also: Administrative Expenses, Task Advertising A tool or management resource for increasing product differentiation and encouraging brand loyalty by communicating the features and benefits of a product/service through the use of radio, television, print, Internet, and other media. Advertising is a large part of any company or product’s success. See also: Benefits, Brand, Communication, Marketing Advertising-Based Model A business model in which a firm generates revenue by charging advertisers for space (for example, in a magazine or on a Web site) or time (as in radio or TV). The weekly neighborhood newspaper was able to stay in business once it switched over to an advertising-based model. See also: Advertising, Business-to-consumer (B to C or B2C), Business Model, Revenue, Web Page Advisory Board A group of outside experts, typically three to six people, usually recruited by entrepreneurs to provide regular input and suggestions to management. The entrepreneurs brought in an advisory board early in the planning stages of getting the new company up and running. See also: Entrepreneur, Goals, Planning, Vision agenda 11 Affiliate An organization, firm, or other entity with a relationship with another company, peer, or larger entity. Few people realized the community clinic was actually an affiliate of the nationally recognized hospital and was staffed by many of the same doctors. See also: Control, Network, Relationships Affinity Group An organization made up of businesses (or representatives thereof) with common interests, such as an industry trade association or another group of entrepreneurs. It is important for young professionals to find and join an affinity group that will assist them in becoming comfortable and growing in their chosen field. See also: Trade Association After-Hours Trading Refers to stock trading that takes place outside the traditional trading hours of the major exchanges, such as the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the NASDAQ Stock Market. As more people use the Internet for investment purposes, after-hours trading is becoming more and more common. See also: Stock, New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), Transactions Aftermarket The trading activity in a security immediately after its initial offering to the public; used to define the volatile time before prices stabilize or the secondary market for upgrades, such as the automotive non-factory parts. Casual investors often wait until the aftermarket has settled down before deciding whether to invest in a specific stock. or Computer companies can make large sales based solely on the aftermarket when new technology that is desirable but not necessary becomes available. See also: Capital Market, Initial Public Offering (IPO), Investor, Marketing, Security Agenda A list of items, issues, things to be considered; points to be discussed; outline of topics to be discussed in a meeting. The agenda was so full, he wasn’t sure if they would cover everything in the course of the hour-long meeting. See also: Briefing, Kickoff Meeting, Meetings, Schedule A 1 A aging of receivables Aging of Receivables An accounting method that provides management with information regarding a debt’s age; or a method of estimating bad-debt losses by aging the accounts and then assigning a probability of collection to each classification. The accountant urged the billing department to track outstanding fees because the aging of receivables indicated any accounts more than six months delinquent would be worthless. See also: Accounts Receivable, Debt Agreement An understanding between two or more parties. May be formal or informal, legal or a â€Å"gentlemen’s† agreement. In many parts of the country, a handshake still creates as binding an agreement as a signed contract. See also: Collective Bargaining, Confidentiality Agreement, Contract Alert Managers, executives, and employees who are observant and on the lookout. Aware, quick to understand the real importance and consequences of a situation or an occurrence. The staff of the advertising department had to be alert to the changing values and morals of society in order to create effective campaigns. See also: Human Resource, Observant Allegiance A commitment to a leader or organization that binds a party (intellectually or emotionally) to a course of action. The business made it clear that its allegiance was to its customers and employees, even before that of the stakeholders. See also: Commitment, Leadership, Loyalty, Stakeholders Alliance Any formal, inter-organizational, collaborative relationship with competitors or suppliers of complementary products and services aimed at avoiding crippling capital investments and gaining market entry or core competencies. The owners of the start-up companies were excited about forming an alliance, secure in the knowledge that they could help each other grow. See also: Collaborate, Relationship analysis 1 Alpha Version Development-stage terminology that expresses that the development of a piece of software is in its early stages and may require much further development. An alpha version of a program is also known as a â€Å"pilot† version, which can be tested for overall usability and training effectiveness. Although the alpha version hadn’t worked the way the designers had expected it to, the lessons learned from its failures were valuable in correcting the design flaws. See also: Feasibility Study, Product Development Ambitious Intent on advancing, enterprising, having great desire and determination to achieve a certain goal. An advancement in position, authority, earnings, or reputation is usually the objective. The plan to expand the company throughout the Northeast was ambitious, but management thought it could be done based on projected sales and growth. See also: Energetic, Motivated Ambivalence Conflicting emotions or feelings about an individual, team, or organization; mixed feelings leading to uncertainty or indecisiveness. The manager was ambivalent about his team’s performance on the marketing campaign. See also: Conflict, Indecisiveness, Leadership, Management, Uncertainty Amortization The allocation of a lump sum amount to different time periods. Either the paying off of debt in regular installments over a period of time or the deduction of capital expenses over a specific period of time. Loan companies set up an amortization schedule that allows businesses to pay off their debts slowly so they don’t go under but, at the same time, ensure the lender does indeed get its money back in a timely manner. See also: Capital Investments, Debt, Installment Analysis The action of taking something apart in order to study it, such as financial analysis, competitive analysis, or strategic analysis. The analysis of the competing firm’s client list proved they were signing the clients everyone in town was hoping to bring on board. See also: Competitive Analysis, PEST Analysis, Problem Solving, SWOT Analysis, Variance Analysis A 1 A anchor store or client Anchor Store or Client A branded store or client that provides an attraction to draw new customers. The presence of such an anchor increases the market potential for other businesses and makes adjacent locations more desirable for entrepreneurs. The mall closed within months after the two anchor stores moved out. See also: Brand, Marketing Angel Capital Start-up money provided to entrepreneurs by friends, family, or wealthy individuals (often referred to as the 3 Fs: friends, family, and fools) whose motives may be non-monetary as well as financial. The company’s first round of financing was angel capital. See also: Entrepreneur, Financing, Seed Capital, Venture Capital Angels Private investors, generally wealthy individuals who are former entrepreneurs or executives who invest in entrepreneurial companies. The young businessmen wanted angels for the company, not just for the monetary assistance but for the advice and experience they would bring to the table. See also: Advisory Board, Angel Capital, Incubator, Investor, Venture Capital Animation Effects used in presentations to improve the audience’s experience; rapid sequential presentation of different graphics to create the illusion of motion. Even the most engaging speakers can be more effective with the use of animation in their presentations. See also: Presentation Slides, Visual Aid Annual Percentage Rate (APR) An interest rate that states the true cost of obtaining credit for the duration of the loan. Even an APR that is only half a point lower than others can save a consumer a lot of money over the course of a loan. See also: Credit, Interest, Loan applicant 1 Annual Report A document issued annually by public companies to their shareholders per Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulations; includes information about a company’s performance during the previous year, as well as management’s view of the company’s strategy for the future. Serious investors will pay very close attention to a company’s annual report before investing. See also: 10K, Communication, Financial Statement or Report, Investors Annual Sales Sales or revenue received during the period of a year, before any expenses are deducted, for providing the firm’s products and services. In a weak economy, simply maintaining annual sales is often considered as much a success as increasing them would be in a strong economy. See also: Income Statement, Revenue, Sales Antitrust Laws that prohibit agreements in restraint of trade, monopolization and attempted monopolization, anticompetitive mergers and tie-in schemes, and, in some circumstances, price discrimination in the sale of commodities. The antitrust laws apply to virtually all industries and to every level of business, including manufacturing, transportation, distribution, and marketing. Antitrust laws were established to help ensure every company has the opportunity to succeed or fail on its own merits, without being held back by larger, already established businesses. See also: Entry Barriers, Monopoly, Predatory Pricing Appendix An addition to the end of a document. In a business or feasibility plan, it may include copies of product/service information, legal agreements, resumes of principal owners, and so on. Although people tend to ignore the appendix of a document, it often contains important, albeit secondary, information. See also: Communication, Contract Applicant One who is seeking employment. Employers appreciate having a large applicant pool because it tends to increase the chances of finding the right person for the position. See also: Employ, Employee A application 1 A Application A form to be filled out by a job candidate when seeking employment, or the use of computer-based programs to process data for specific purposes. Many companies have applications online, which allows people to apply for positions with ease. or Since the business world has become computerized, having a working knowledge of several different applications is beneficial to job applicants. See also: Applicant, Applications Software, Data Processing Application Service Provider (ASP) Party that offers an outsourcing mechanism whereby it develops, supplies, and manages application software and hardware for its customers, thus freeing up customers’ internal IT resources. The application software resides on the vendor’s system and is accessed by users through a Web browser using HTML or by special-purpose client software provided by the vendor. Using an ASP can be risky because if the vendor goes under or closes, information can be lost with very little, if any, warning to the customers. See also: Client, Information Technology (IT), Server Application Software Software applications that are intended for end-users, such as database programs, word processors, and spreadsheets. Application software runs on top of system software. Application software can often be purchased to upgrade a computer’s capabilities. See also: Application, Data Processing, Information Technology (IT) Appraisal A written document by a professional appraiser estimating the value or quality of an asset as of a given date or a performance evaluation of an employee. It is important to get a fair appraisal prior to purchasing a big ticket item. The company required yearly performance appraisals of all the employees. See also: Employee, Promotion Appraise Estimating the value or determine the cost of an item or enterprise. When the situation was appraised objectively, moving the company out of the city really was the best course of action in the long run. See also: Appraisal, Valuation arbitration 1 Appreciation An increase in the value of an asset. The appreciation in property values expected in the neighborhood made buying even a small house an excellent investment. See also: Assets, Capital Appreciation, Valuation Appropriation The application of the payment of a sum of money, made by a debtor to his creditor, to one of several debts as money that has been set aside by formal action to pay some known or anticipated costs. The bookkeeper insisted on an accounting of the funds appropriated for each step of the loan repayment process because she feared the company was overreaching its financial abilities to pay back new loans. See also: Creditor, Debt Arbitrage The opportunity to profit from a simultaneous purchase and sale of an asset; a rare and short-lived situation because market forces will close the gap between the purchase and sale prices, thus ending the opportunity. The speculator realized she needed to take advantage of the arbitrage before the window of opportunity closed and the market prices equalized. See also: Risk, Security A rbitrage is the opportunity to obtain a risk-free profit from the simultaneous purchase and sale of an asset, thus capturing the price differentials in similar or different markets. Such arbitrage opportunities are rare and short-lived as market forces will drive toward price convergence and eliminate such arbitrage opportunities. Arbitration A form of alternate dispute resolution in which a neutral third party hears the respective positions and renders a decision. The contract disputes were eventually resolved when the company and the union were ordered into arbitration. See also: Conflict Resolution, Mediation A articles of incorporation 1 A Articles of Incorporation A document filed with the secretary of state of the state of incorporation detailing things such as a company’s purpose, powers under state law, classes of securities to be issued, and the rights and liabilities of directors and shareholders. One of the first steps taken by a new business needs to be filing its articles of incorporation so that every step thereafter is legal. See also: Board of Directors, Incorporate Articulate The ability to express oneself distinctly; able to speak effectively. The CEO was disappointed to learn that as articulate as she had been during interviews, the new employee didn’t have the skills or knowledge base to get the job done. See also: Persuasive, Understanding Artificial Intelligence (AI) Using the power of a computer or network to improve the quality of management decisions, particularly complex strategic choices. Many spam blockers use AI to filter out e-mail that is unsolicited, which in turn improves efficiency. See also: Computers, Data Mining, Expert System, Fuzzy Logic, Strategic Choices Asking Price The price an owner places on an asset he is willing to sell. The asking price is also viewed as a benchmark price where the buyer and seller can begin negotiations since an agreed-upon price has yet to be reached. During a housing boom, it is not uncommon for sellers to get above the asking price on a property. See also: Benchmark, Bid Price Aspirin Count Theory A market theory that suggests that aspirin production and stock prices are inversely related, therefore when stock prices drop, aspirin production increases. The aspirin count theory may be based on an old wives’ tale but it certainly makes sense as well. See also: Stock, Economics sset-based financing 1 Assertive The ability and willingness to speak up without hesitation, make a position known; characterized by decided, often emphatic, statements and actions. A good supervisor is able to juggle being assertive with diplomacy skills. See also: Attitude, Positive Assessment An official estimate of the value of something for the purpose of computing property tax. Based on the ass essment, the house was worth far more than the young couple could afford to pay for it. See also: Taxes, Valuation Asset Lending The loaning of money on the value of assets offered as security. The lender is protected from loss by the liquidation value of the assets. Although she generally didn’t like asset lending, the antiques presented as security were worth the risk she incurred by offering the couple the loan. See also: Assets, Loan Asset Redeployment The strategic relocation of enterprise assets in order to increase profitability through improved competitive advantage. The small company decided to try asset redeployment to help bring in more money so layoffs wouldn’t be required. See also: Assets, Competitive Advantage, Strategy Asset Turnover A company’s total sales divided by its total assets. This ratio measures the overall efficiency with which a company uses its assets to produce sales. The higher the measure, the more efficient the business model. The investors were pleased to see the asset turnover on the rise after three straight quarters of watching the ratio fall. See also: Assets, Financial Ratios, Profit Margin, Revenue, Turnover Asset-Based Financing Financing an enterprise by using its hard assets for collateral to acquire a loan of sufficient size with which to finance operations. Asset-based financing can be a safe or a risky choice depending on the strength of the company being taken over. See also: Assets, Financing, Leveraged Buyout (LBO), Loan A assets 0 A Assets Anything on a company’s books considered as having a positive monetary value. Assets are reported on a firm’s balance sheet. Although the firm seemed financially secure, the accountants were beginning to become concerned about its dwindling assets. See also: Balance Sheet, Return on Assets (ROA) Assign To transfer a right or interest to another person. On his twenty-fifth birthday, the young man was assigned his half of his father’s share in the business. See also: Project, Resource Assumptions Factors that are believed to be true and affect business planning. Assumptions may impact risk and should always be documented and validated. Organizations make assumptions about many internal and external factors, including customers, competitors, industry evolution, regulation, technology, and the organization’s resources, competencies, and cash flows. Inaccurate assumptions about the dot-com industry led to the bubble bursting in the 1990s. See also: Business Plan, Organizations, Resource At-Will Employment An employment policy that allows employees and employers to terminate the working relationship at any time. Many seasonal and part-time employees are hired with an at-will employment understanding. See also: Employee, Termination Attrition A reduction in the number of employees through retirement, resignation, or death. Some downsizing may occur through attrition, while others take place more aggressively through layoffs and terminations. See also: Downsizing, Employee, Retirement, Rightsizing average selling price 1 Audit To examine an individual’s or organization’s records in an attempt to verify accuracy and legal compliance. Insurance companies may audit clinic records at least once a year, provided they offer reasonable notice. See also: Accounting, Adjustment, Due Diligence Authentication The process of confirming a user’s identity; commonly done through the use of passwords or digital certificates. Most credit card companies use security questions to ensure authentication of the caller. See also: Authorization, Information Technology (IT), Password Authority Permission or approval to make decisions for team, organization, or firm; the power to command actions be taken; legitimacy to lead. In order to be effective, managers need to have the authority to make decisions without double-checking with the CEO or president. See also: Adhocracy, Delegation, Organizations Authorization Validating the authenticity of something or someone; approval of a bank card transaction by the card-issuing bank for a specified dollar amount. Authorization is a critical step in processing credit cards for purchase of merchandise online. See also: Authentication, Bank Card, Charge-Back, Credit, E-Commerce, Gateway, Power of Attorney, Sales Transaction Average Annual Growth Rate A measure of the rate of change in a firm’s annual sales. The average annual growth rate can indicate the overall health or weakness of a company. See also: Net Worth, Revenue, Sales Average Selling Price (ASP) The average price for all items sold during a particular time frame, usually calculated for a specific category or a single seller’s sales. Online auctions benefit customers because products can be bought well below the ASP. See also: Distribution, Price, Retailer A award  A Award A final decision that is rendered in favor of one party or something that is given on the basis of merit or need. Many people believe there should be no upper limit to what juries may award victims in malpractice suits. or The team was thrilled to win the award, especially in light of the strength of the national competition. See also: Grant, Honor B Baby Boomers Consumers born from 1943 to 1960, characterized as experimental, individualistic, free spirited, social cause–oriented, distrustful of government, and generally cynical. As the largest generation cohort in America, they have dominated the market’s attention and driven product development. Many ad campaigns are directed toward baby boomers’ reluctance to admit that they are aging. See also: Cohort, Market Research, Marketing Back Office Administrative functions that support the processing of online transactions such as e-mail confirmations, shipping and tax calculations, packing slip creation, and report generation. For every online store, there is someone in front of a computer handling back office issues. See also: Administrivia, General and Administrative (GA) Expenses, Overhead Back Order Part of an order that was not filled when the initial shipment was made. Back orders are usually shipped when the items become available, without requiring the customer to place a reorder. See also: Backlog, Customer Back Pay Wages that an employee is entitled to when the employer is found to be in violation of standard employment practices. He received his back pay after going for an extended period of time without a paycheck. See also: Employee, Wage bailout clause  Backdating Placing a date on a document that is prior to the date the document is actually drawn up; a process that makes a document effective from an earlier date. Both parties agreed to backdate the contracts to the day they had first discussed the arrangement. See also: Agreement, Contract, Stock Option Backlog Customer orders on products that are planned for shipment or delivery in the future. The clerk was able to check the backlog and tell the customer when his equipment would be delivered. See also: Back Order, Sales Backup A copy of a file or application that is kept separate from the original as a precaution against data loss in the event the original is lost or destroyed; or (two words) to make a copy of original work. It is vital to keep a backup of all documentation stored on a hard drive. or He didn’t back up the data, so we lost last week’s work. See also: Computer, Data, Data Recovery, Software Bad Credit The result of a company or individual being late or defaulting on bill payment. He was concerned about qualifying for the loan because of the bad credit he had accrued while he was in college. See also: Credit, Default Bad Debt Money that is still owed on an account and is past due; a debt that cannot be recovered. Once the firm declared bankruptcy, its lenders had to write off their accounts as bad debt. See also: Debt, Insolvency, Risk Bailout Clause A clause in a contract that allows a party to get out of the contract. They decided to accept the bailout clause despite some reservations. See also: Cancellation, Contract, Negotiation, Termination B balance sheet  B Balance Sheet A statement of the book value of a business, corporation, or individual at a particular date. The balance sheet provides a snapshot of the organization’s assets, liabilities, and net worth or shareholder equity. Her business acumen allowed her to interpret a company’s balance sheet more accurately than most, so she knew what was a good investment even when others missed the opportunity. See also: Assets, Financial Statement or Reports, Fiscal Year, Income Statement, Liability, Net Worth, Profit and Loss (PL) Statement Balanced Scorecard A process that enables organizations to translate a company’s vision and strategy into implementation by working from four perspectives: financial, customer, business process, and learning and growth. This not only allows the monitoring of present performance, the method also tries to capture information about how well the organization is positioned to perform in the future. The balanced scorecard enabled the consultants to understand where the company wanted to go in the future and help its staff understand how to get there. See also: Critical Success Factors (CSFs), Metrics, Organizations, Strategy, Teams, Vision Bank A financial institution; a commercial institution licensed as a receiver of deposits; a business for keeping, lending, exchanging and issuing money. A bank-issued card that authorizes the holder to receive bank services and that often functions as a debit card is an important tool for any business. See also: Bank Statement Bank Card A form of payment using either credit or debit from a bank account; any valid card issued by a card association or other card-issuing organization that is presented in payment for goods and services or to obtain cash advances. Many people appreciate being able to use a bank card instead of having to carry cash. See also: Bank, Credit Card Bank Statement A record of a firm’s account that is regularly provided by the bank, either in print or online. Our accountant reconciles the firm’s bank statement each month. See also: Bank, Cash Basis Accounting, Deposit Transactions barrier  Bankruptcy A state in which an entity is unable to meet its obligations and seeks court protection from its debtors. If the bankrupt entity is a firm, the ownership of the firm’s assets is transferred from the stockholders to the bondholders. Shareholders are the last people to get paid if a company goes bankrupt. Secure creditors always get first grabs at the proceeds from liquidation. Also called Chapter 11. The company decided to file for bankruptcy rather than to accumulate more debt and destroy its reputation even further. See also: Assets, Creditor, Debt, Stockholder or Shareholder Banner Ad Internet advertising using graphics on a Web page to direct a viewer’s attention to a product or service. Banners link to further information and Web pages. The online store charged other businesses a small fee to have banner ads on its Web site. See also: Advertising, Hyperlink, Internet, Web Page, World Wide Web (WWW) Bar Chart A schedule that shows project activities with associated start and completion dates. The bar chart was posted where everyone involved with the project could see it and be sure to stay on target. See also: Activity Sequencing, Business Plan, Critical Path Method (CPM), Gantt Chart, Milestone, Projects Bar Code An identifying mark made from a pattern of bars and spaces. A bar code is generated for individual items based on the item name/number or stockkeeping unit (SKU) on the item record. If a bar code is ripped or missing, it can be difficult for clerks to find the price of an item. See also: Inventories, Inventory Control, Retailer Barrier Conditions that create difficulty for an organization to meet a goal or objective; something that prevents progress or success toward an end. There is a long-standing debate about how much of a barrier race and gender are in the corporate world. See also: Entry Barriers, Obstacles B barter  B Barter The exchange of one commodity for another without the exchange of money. Although the project had very limited assets, the team met its goals through a barter arrangement. See also: Commodity, Microeconomics Baseline The agreed-upon plan to which all subsequent plans will be compared for cost, schedule, and performance. The initial product was so successful that everyone agreed it would be unfair to use it as a baseline for the projects that were scheduled to follow. See also: Business Plan, Performance, Schedule Basis The cost or value of an asset as adjusted for tax purposes. Securities also have a basis, which is determined by the price an investor pays for the security plus any other incremental fees. The basis is then used to determine capital gains or losses for tax purposes when the stock is eventually sold. She had bought stock at a high price, but because she had been given more shares as a gift, the basis was very reasonable. See also: Capital Gains, Taxes Behavior A manner, action, or set of actions performed by a person under specified circumstances that reveal some skill, knowledge, or attitude; a way of conducting oneself. The goal of training is to teach new employees the proper behavior in any situation, including unexpected or stressful ones. See also: Attitude, Knowledge, Skill Beliefs Assumptions and convictions that a person holds to be true regarding people, concepts, or things; an organization’s understanding of cause-effect relationships. Many people choose to work for organizations that share their political, social, or environmental beliefs. See also: Behavior, Convictions, Mindset, Organizations big, hairy, audacious goals  Benchmark A standard of reference used for comparison; a process of comparing practices within a company to the very best practices in some of the very best organizations, within and outside the industry; a process for measuring â€Å"best practice† performance and comparing the results to corporate performance in order to identify opportunities for improvement. The overwhelming success of the holiday ad campaign was the benchmark by which all other campaigns would be measured. See also: Competitive Advantage, Core Competencies, Metrics, Strategy Benefits A collection of advantages; solutions offered to customers through a company’s products/services; the advantages that are inherent in a product/service or that customers expect to receive and that motivate customers to purchase it. An effective ad campaign communicates the benefits of buying a specific product well enough that consumers believe they need the product. See also: Communication, Marketing, Sales Bid An offer of money in exchange for an item that is for sale. Once the national chain made a bid for the shops, the medium-sized businesses dropped out because they knew they couldn’t match the prices the larger company could offer. See also: Asking Price, Bid Price Bid Price A price offered by a prospective buyer to begin the negotiation process of buying a security or business asset. Although the firm had been in his family for years, the man was tempted by the increasingly high bid prices being offered by the competitors. See also: Bid, Negotiation Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals (BHAGs) A goal, vision, or plan that causes the organization to stretch to obtain the result; a challenge by leadership to an organization to fulfill a mission or strategy. By setting BHAGs, companies often accomplish far more than if they had set goals that would be expected to be met easily. See also: Catalytic Mechanisms, Goals, Strategy B bill of sale  B Bill of Sale A written agreement stating the terms by which ownership of goods is transferred to another party. It is wise to get a bill of sale for any large purchase item you cannot simply carry away. See also: Agreement, Term Sheet Bit The fundamental informational building block used by all computers. A bit is a single character in a binary number. The digital camera images contained 3 million bits of information. See also: Computer, Data, Information Blog A journal that is available on the Web; frequently updated, chronological entries on a particular topic. This word was created from the combination of the words â€Å"Web log. † These days, teenagers are as likely to host a blog in order to keep in touch with their friends as they are to use the phone. See also: Communication, Internet, Link, Media, Web Page, World Wide Web (WWW) Board of Directors A group of people elected by a corporation’s shareholders to oversee the management of the company. A board often consists of executive and nonexecutive directors. Executive directors play an active part in running the company, while non-executive directors are there to offer advice. The program supervisors reported to the board of directors on a quarterly basis. See also: Chairman of the Board (COB), Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Strategy Bonds Debt securities that pays the holder a fixed sum on a regular schedule for a fixed term. Bonds are issued by corporations and governments; they come in a wide variety of types. In the past, the United States government has issued war bonds in order to maintain a cash flow during wartime. See also: Debt, Security bookkeeper  Bonus A sum of money or equivalent incentives given to employees in addition to base compensation. Bonuses can also come in the form of extra vacation time, gifts, and other nonmonetary awards. Even when business was slow, the store owner made sure his staff received holiday bonuses to show his appreciation for their hard work. See also: Compensation, Intangible Rewards, Perquisite or Perk Rewards Book Inventory The balance of the inventory account after all incoming inventory is added and the cost of outgoing goods is subtracted. The book inventory type of perpetual inventory system is usually verified annually by taking a physical inventory and reconciling any discrepancies. See also: Accounting, Inventories Book Value The value of an asset as reflected in the books of the company owning the item. The book value of the items at auction could never accurately represent the sentimental value several of the pieces had to the buyers. See also: Accounting, Assets, Balance Sheet, Liability, Net Worth Book-to-Bill Ratio A measure of sales trends of a company or overall industry. The ratio divides the amount of new orders â€Å"booked† by the value of the products shipped each month (or â€Å"billed†). The strength of the technology industry can be measured in part by watching the book-to-bill ratio every month. See also: Ratio Analysis, Revenue, Sales Bookkeeper A person who records the accounts or transactions of a business in a general ledger. The store owner hired a bookkeeper to handle finances when she opened her second shop. See also: Accounting, General Ledger B bookkeeping 0 B Bookkeeping The practice or profession of recording the accounts and transactions of a business through a systematic and convenient record of money transactions in order to show the condition of a business enterprise. Having an accurate and trustworthy bookkeeping staff is vital to the success of any large business. See also: Accounting, Bookkeeper Bookmark A marker or address that identifies a Web site or Web page. Most Web browsers allow users to save and organize bookmarks as a convenient way to mark Web sites for future reference. Most browsers have a section called â€Å"favorites† where users can bookmark their favorite sites for easy access. See also: Application Software, Web Page, World Wide Web (WWW) Boom A period when business expands and the economy experiences rapid growth and rising prices. During such a period, there is an increased demand for goods and services and unemployment rates fall. The boom that resulted after the election showed the country’s faith in the new president’s economic policies. See also: Demand, Economics, Leading Indicators Boot Camp An indoctrination program in some aspect of leadership or management; going to such a program means being immersed in a discipline or topic with a group or team of cohorts. The board recommended everyone on the management team attend boot camp on cultural differences before the expansion into Europe took place. See also: Leadership, Teams Bootstrapping A management approach that uses internal methods to generate money to be used for a proposed project or venture; a low start-up, pay-as-you-go approach to launching businesses. Many managers believe that bootstrapping rather than waiting until a new company has more than enough start-up monies helps create a sense of excitement and energy that bonds the staff and makes the company stronger in the long run. See also: Seed Capital, Start-Up, Venture Capital brainstorming 1 Boston Consulting Group Box (BCG Box) A framework for analysis and communication strategy for a business with a portfolio of products, services, programs, strategic business units or companies. The consultants used a BCG Box to present the analysis of the programs. See also: Cash Cow, Competitive Advantage, Dog, Harvest, Strategic Business Unit (SBU), Strategy Bottleneck Anything that slows down or impedes by creating an obstruction or that halts the progress or flow of an activity, process, or operation in an organization. The computer glitch caused a bottleneck throughout the entire production line. See also: Barriers, Obstacle Bottom-Up An estimating technique in which every activity is individually estimated and then added together to determine the total project estimate. Each department was required to provide the CEO and the treasurer with a bottom-up budget every year. See also: Budget, Business Plan, Decentralized, Organizations, Planning, Structure Bottom Line The line in a financial statement that shows net income or loss. Based on the bottom figure on a profit-and-loss statement, it refers to an organization’s most important measure of success: profits. Even established businesses must keep an eye on the bottom line in order to continue to be successful. See also: Income Statement, Loss, Profit, Valuation Brainstorming A management technique used to foster ideas, solve problems, set goals, establish priorities, and make assignments for employee accomplishments. As a semistructured creative group activity, this method is used most often in ad-hoc business meetings to come up with new ideas for innovation or improvement. The committee came up with several good fundraising ideas in one brainstorming session. See also: Creativity, Innovation B brand  B Brand The symbolic embodiment of key information that differentiates a product or service from the competition. Brands matter because companies act just like people when it comes to evaluating what products or services to buy. Many teenagers can identify popular brands faster than they can identify current world leaders. See also: Brand Equity, Brand Loyalty, Brand Management, Customer Loyalty, Marketing, Value Proposition A brand and branding today is a strategic tool that helps the supplier cut through the morass of the market, get noticed, and connect with the customer on many levels and in ways that matter. Consumers are drawn to brands’ irrational benefits (status, prestige, affinity, self-security). Business customers specify and purchase based on rational drivers (pricing, product performance, metrics). Brand Equity The total or intrinsic value of a brand. Awareness of a firm’s products or services are measured by consumer goodwill, l How to cite Business Words U Should Know, Essay examples