Wikis as Education Tool Essay Example for Free

Wikis as Education Tool Essay With the development of today’s technology, it has allowed the creation and proliferation of information in a more convenient manner. Due to this, individuals have used this towards achieving competency and gaining the necessary foundation for learning that paves the way for improvement. Seeing this, instruments such as â€Å"wikis† have allowed the creation and further expansion of data. By taking into consideration the advantages of this mechanism in education, it can further harness the way educational goals are administered and achieved. The development of the term ‘wiki’ in education started in 2006. It is composed of information that is subject for changes and improvement on a particular subject given. â€Å"Wikis are more versatile than a class blog, because blogs are typically one way communication and Wikis are updated by teachers and students† (Wetzel, 2008, p. 1). Since this idea is powered by the internet, it allows people to actively collaborate and contribute both information and insights on a subject, thus widening the horizons for change (Baird and Nye, 2009). Its creation originates from a posting of a particular topic of interest. Under this, the user then allows his/her work to be subject to editing and updating on areas that need further expansion. â€Å"Wikis improve upon more traditional modes of writing collaboration like sharing paper and document files since a wiki page is shared on the Internet and easily accessed and edited online† (Baird and Nye, 2009, p. 1). At the same time, since its creation, it has adopted new approaches that have made this process more user-friendly and applicable to all. â€Å"The use of hyperlinks, tables, images, media, as well as incorporating the customized layout that we see with carefully designed web sites is present in wikis† (Baird and Nye, 2009, p. 1). Looking closely at the content associated with ‘wikis’, the topics offer a myriad of information that students can deem to contribute. It can look into areas of Natural Sciences such as Biology, Physics, Chemsitry, etc. or other topics such as History, Mathematics, Religion, and Sociology. The presence of this diverse subject matter exemplifies its potential in creating an active environment for learning and enhances educational goals and objectives (Elgort, 2007). That is why continuing strategies should be explored to actively tap on its strengths and capability as an instrument for teaching and facilitation. Realizing the relevance of such approach in education, I feel that it can be an essential device for intensifying training and facilitate learning. In doing this, I need to understand the parameters and scope of what my subject of interest would be. After this, I have to actively link this on how I wish to use ‘wikis’ to encourage cooperation among my target students. â€Å"Decisions need to be made not only about how information is structured but also what navigational support is provided to the reader, and these decisions are crucial to the ways in which the reader interacts with the wiki† (Elgrot, 2007, p. 234). I feel that this is an initial step in making sure that the initiative is in-line with the objective, needs and standards mandated. After this, the next step involves the creation of an active system wherein students can explore the meaning of the subject and point out their relative inputs and understanding based on the information provided. This means that communication and interaction via the website is an important agenda to consider. By highlighting areas wherein changes or modifications can happen, it can increase the likelihood of participation and further acquisition of knowledge and information. To conclude, the creation of wikis is one instrument that technology has provided to humans today. By actively exploring its capabilities, it can be seen that this setup can be applied to intensify and increase learning objectives. At the same time, as people realize the relevance of such practice, it can be an alternative approach in education which can make it adaptive to 21st century trends. References Baird, R. and Nye, M. (2009) Beyond Wikepedia: Wikis as Learning Tools in CITES EdTech.Retrieved May 11, 2009 from http://www. cites. illinois. edu/edtech/newsletters_articles/articles/baird/beyond_wikipedia-spr09. html Elgort, I. (2007) Using wikis as a learning tool in higher education in ascilite. [online] Retrieved May 11, 2009. 233-238. Wetzel, D. R. (2008) Using Wiki Technology to Engage Students: Educational Technology Strategies for Creativity and Collaboration. Retrieved May 11, 2009 from, http://teachertipstraining. suite101. com/article. cfm/using_wiki_technology_to_engage_students

The Role of the Sirens in Homers Odyssey Essay -- Homer Odyssey Essay

The Role of the Sirens in Odyssey The Sirens in the Odyssey represent more than just a maritime danger to the passing ship. They are the desires of man that he cannot have. The Sirens can also be construed as forbidden knowledge or some other taboo object. Whatever these singing women actually are, the sailors are wise to avoid them. As usual, the wily Odysseus cheats at the rules of the game by listening to their song under the restraints constructed by his crew. In their critical review, Horkheimer and Adorno treat the song of the Sirens as a forbidden knowledge of everything. The Sirens represent man's enlightenment. The two writers state, "Even though the Sirens know all that has happened, they demand the future as the price of that knowledge, and the promise of the happy return is the deception with which the past ensnares the one who longs for it" (Horkheimer and Adorno 48). Even though these critical readers do not mention it, they have repeated a story from the Bible. Adam and Eve also sought enlightenment. Once they tasted the apple and gained knowledge, their futur...

In-Work Benefits and the Nordic Model

Abstract Welfare bene†¦ts in the Nordic countries are often tied to employment. We argue that this is one of the factors behind the success of the Nordic model, where a comprehensive welfare state is associated with high employment. In a general equilibrium setting, the underlining mechanism works through wage moderation and job creation. The bene†¦ts make it more important to hold a job, thus lower wages will be accepted, and more jobs created.Moreover, we show that the incentive to acquire higher education improves, further boosting employment in the long run. These positive e ¤ects help counteracting the negative impact of taxation. JEL codes: H24, J21, J24 Keywords: Nordic model, in-work bene†¦ts, wage adjustment, unemployment, education, skill formation, earnings 1 Introduction A prominent feature of the so-called Nordic model is a comprehensive welfare state †¦nanced by taxes on labor.In fact, the public sector in many We want to thank Torben Andersen, Mar tin Floden, Richard Freeman, Mathias Herzing, Eddie Lazear, Ethienne Lehman, Bruno van Linden, and participants at the Conference on the Economics of the Nordic Model. y Department of Economics, Stockholm University, S-106 91 Stockholm, Ph. +46 8 163547. Fax +46 8 161425, E-mail address: ann-so†¦e. [email  protected] su. se z Economics Division, University of Southampton, UK; Economics Department, UniCredit & Universities Fellow, Central European University, Budapest; and IZA, Bonn.Email address: m. [email  protected] ac. uk 1 of the Nordic countries is responsible for the distribution and allocation of resources amounting to more than half of their country’ GDP (Eurostat, s 2012). With an emphasis on redistributional transfers and service provision †¦nanced by taxes on labor, a concern with the model is, of course, that it induces weak incentives to work. In a more long term perspective, such a system may also reduce incentives to acquire skills, with a negativ e impact on future pproduactivity and labor market outcomes.However, external observers are often surprised that the Nordic countries manage to combine low unemployment and high labor force participation with high taxes and generous welfare arrangements. So, how is this possible? One answer to this question is that many of the welfare arrangements in the Nordic countries are closely tied to market work. The generosity of the bene†¦ts are, in general, related to earnings. In addition, eligibility to a number of bene†¦ts and social services is conditional on employment.Subsidized childcare, for example, is, in principle, only available to employed workers. Also, some generous elements of the paid paren'tal leave schemes are only accessible to employed workers. In addition, the more recently introduced earned income tax credit is by de†¦nition exclusively targeted to employed workers. The idea is that these bene†¦ts, by increasing the returns from working, increase the supply of labor. The observation that the Nordic countries have sustained high economic aactivity because bene†¦ts are closely tied to market work is not new.In fact this was noted as a contributing factor to the high participation rate observed in Sweden when a group of NBER economists studied the Swedish welfare state in the mid 1990s (see Freeman et al. , 1997). This was also an important message in the discussion on the prospects and challenges of the Scandinavian model in Andersen (2008). The starting point for this paper is that entitlement to many of the bene†¦ts available in the Nordic countries is conditional on employment. As discussed above, this tends to increase the gains from working, which encourages labor supply.However, we argue that this is not the end of the story. To investigate the full impact of welfare state arrangements of this type, one needs to account for the general equilibrium e ¤ects. This is particularly relevant because many bene†¦ts have been available to the whole population for a long period of time. Clearly, to investigate the e ¤ects of these bene†¦ts on employment, which is an equilibrium outcome, both supply-side and demand-side factors must be iincluded in the analysis. Moreover, beside considering the equilibrium outcome for the existing workforce, it is important to account 2 or the impact of these bene†¦ts on incentives to acquire skills. The equilibrium composition of the workforce in terms of educational attainment is a crucial variable for the sustainability of the Nordic model, both in terms of its growth potential and international competitiveness (Andersen, 2008) and in terms of the political support for the welfare state (Hassler et al. , 2003). To carry out such an analysis, we develop a simple model of a non-clearing labor market featuring involuntary unemployment as an equilibrium outcome.Labor force participation is also endogenously determined. Moreover, individuals di ¤e r in their ability to acquire education and choose educational attainments based on a cost-bene†¦t analysis. In particular, we focus on the choice between proceeding to higher, i. e. tertiary, education or not. The aim is to investigate the implications of bene†¦ts that are conditional on work on unemployment and labor force participation, accounting for their long term impact on educational attainments.We show that bene†¦ts available only to employed workers moderate wages, reduce unemployment rates, and increase labor force participation and employment. Moreover, one could expect that welfare bene†¦ts, even if conditional on work, could induce an outright reduction in education as they represent an important subsidy for low skilled workers. What we †¦nd instead is that the incentives to proceed to higher education are actually strengthened. This is a consequence of the relatively sthronger increase in labor market opportunities for highly educated workers that follow when wages are moderated.Wages, in turn, fall because workers are more willing to accept lower wages when bene†¦ts are conditional on work and thus the value of having a job is higher. Lower wages increase job creation and lower the unemployment rate. Thus, total employment increases for three sets of reasons. First, the bene†¦ts reduce the unemployment rate for workers at all educational levels. Second, more workers choose to proceed to higher education where expected unemployment spells are shorter. Third, as labor force participation increases with the bene†¦ts, a larger share of the population will be employed.We also look at the impact of bene†¦ts when they are †¦nanced through a proportional tax on wages. Taxation actually reinforces wage moderation and, as such, does not overrule that bene†¦ts reduce wages, increase job creation, and reduce unemployment rates. However, it weakens the incentives to acquire higher education and particip ate in the labor force, thus inducing a counteracting e ¤ect on educational attainment and labor force participation. The element of the Nordic model that this paper underlines is the wage moderation stemming from bene†¦ts conditional on work.Also, we †¦nd this 3 mechanism to be very robust to the choice of model. Moreover, looking at bene†¦ts through this channel highlights how they have a positive impact on educational attainment and participation, thus counteracting, at least partly, the negative e ¤ect that taxation has on skill acquisition and labor force participation. The analytical results are followed up with a numerical example illustrating the e ¤ects of the bene†¦ts on labor market performance and educational attainment.The simulations indicate that bene†¦ts can have an important impact on unemployment for both low- and high- skilled. Without distortinary taxation, bene†¦ts also have a positive impact on skill acquisition, thus further reducing overall unemployment in the long run. When †¦nancing through proportional taxation on wages is iincluded in the model, the negative e ¤ect of taxation on educational attainment dominates the positive e ¤ect of bene†¦ts, thus resulting in a decrease in the share of the workforce acquiring tertiary education.Nonetheless, bene†¦ts still have a positive overall impact on unemployment. Considering the previous literature, there are a number of studies that have tried to explain why the Nordic countries have performed so well despite high taxes and generous welfare arrangements. As mentioned, some of these studies have emphasized the importance of that bene†¦ts are tied to market work for the successful outcome in terms of employment and participation (see Aronsson and Walker, 1997).A related view is provided by Rogerson (2007). He argues that the governments’spending pattern in the Scandinavian countries, compared to other high tax countries, can potentially explain the large number of aggregate work hours observed in these countries. He shows, holding tax rates constant, that it matters if the revenue is spent on disability payments which may only be received when an individual does not work or subsidies for day care for working mothers. The reason is that childcare subsidies create jobs.Our study also †¦nds that how the government choose to spend tax revenues matters for labor market performance, although for a di ¤erent reason. In contrast to Rogerson (2007), our results materialize through general equilibrium e ¤ects working through wage moderation. There is also a large number of studies focusing on particular features of the welfare state in the Nordic countries, looking for instance at the impact of childcare subsidies and paid paren'tal leave schemes on labor supply and a number of other outcome variables. 1 In contrast to our study, this literature

Is Human Immortality Beneficial - 1774 Words

â€Å"Sustainable† Growth Advances in technology have really boomed over the last couple of decades. Not too long ago it was impossible to do many of our daily tasks taken for granted today. Tasks such as checking cell phones to browse Facebook, text friends, or even just play games to kill time. We are in the middle of a technological revolution. Aside from the concrete technological advancements, what about the biotechnological side? Well it is to no surprise medicine has been greatly improving, which typically leads to an increase of our life expectancy. We have also genetically modified organisms to better our society. If our life expectancy goes up due to our advancements, our death rate will most likely go down. Also if our birth rate is higher than our death rate, then this will lead to a population growth. Nonetheless, to prevent a bigger problem in the future, we need to implement a plan into our governments offering incentives toward having a limited number of children. It has even been theorized human immortality is a reachable goal through this method of replacing organs. Even more astonishing, it is estimated to be reached in our lifetimes. This is possible by using the same concept involved in automobiles and applying it to humans. When a car breaks down, it is possible to replace or fix the part. So why would it not be possible to do the same with organs? Well in most cases it does not work because the human body rejects the organs. It would be different if weShow MoreRelatedEssay The Debate Concerning Stem Cell Research1409 Words   |  6 Pagesdebates around the world. In the blink of an eye, clones, perfect children, and immortality are no longer a myth told by elders around campfires. Through various techniques, scientists are able to better the lives of those living, but at what cost? In their articles â€Å"Cloning Human Beings: An Assessment of Pro and Con,† by author Dan W. Brock; â€Å"The Ethical Implications of Guman Cloning,† by Michael J. Sa ndel; â€Å"Theriputic Human Cloning Is Ethical,† by Ian Wilmut and Roger Highfield; and various other articlesRead MoreThe Burden And Blessing Of Mortality1327 Words   |  6 Pages causing them to distract themselves from a serious debate on the effects of mortality to our earth. Hans Jonas writes in The Burden and Blessing of Mortality about the universal advantage of human mortality and the perceived burdens of it as well. Like Jonas, I will argue that mortality is a beneficial concept in the realm of external issues like preserving our earth’s resources, and internal issues like existential meaning and motivation. Diametrical opposition to this idea from a logical standpointRead MoreCloning: The Synthetic Way of Life754 Words   |  3 Pagespeople, but in all reality, it is just a synthetic way of life. If we accept cloning as an acceptable option, an example would be human cloning; it will devalue our human lives, lessen our way of adapting, and cause undesirable traits from the clone. Life is a wonderful gift that is given to us. We live life to the fullest to experience the natural way of life. Creating human clones will devalue our lives in different ways. If you are a clone, then it is likely that you will be held in captivity forRead MoreThe Epic Of Gilgamesh : Gilgamesh1013 Words   |  5 Pageschallenges. First, they went into Cedar Forest to slay Humbaba, the beast and cut down the tallest cedar tree. Second, they killed the Bull of Heaven that Ishtar, the godess of love and war, unleashed. Lastly, Gilgamesh goes alone on a journey to find immortality, which he fails to do. By the end of all the journeys, Gilgamesh becomes a wise, devoted, and heroic king. Like Gilgamesh, some challenges are won and others are lost, but the outcome of the journey is what matters. This lesson shows current readersRead MoreEssay on Taoism and Nature In Chinese Medicine 1481 Words   |  6 Pagesthat which is naturally so. Taoism teaches that human beings should be in harmony with nature, that is, with Tao† (Y). Taoism celebrates the forces of nature and recognizes the interplay of yin and yang in all things. The Taoist principles of Yin-Yang, the eight principles, Chi energy, and the five elements are tools used in Chinese medicine to comprehend the web of phenomena as it relates to health and well-being. The philosophic view of the human body is to regard it as a microcosmic reflectionRead MoreThe Theory Of A Soul Essay1408 Words   |  6 PagesThe topic I have chosen for my final project is the argument of whether or not we as humans have a soul. If so, is it something different from the brain and does this â€Å"force† survive after our physical death? The concept of a soul has long been rooted in religion and we still debate its existence to this day. As humans, we fear the unknown that follows this existence; after this physical life. Due to this fear we have created this idea of a force larger than ourselves. Many scien tists and philosophersRead MoreEssay on Comparison of Taoism and Confucianism1153 Words   |  5 Pages attacked Taoism because they feel it lacks the necessities for social order. Taoism, unlike Confucianism, is filled with mysticism. There are two forms of Taoism: philosophical and esoteric and both place a huge emphasis on metaphysics and immortality through religion as well as relying greatly on cosmic forces. The central teaching of Taoism is similar to Buddhism in the way that it centers around emptiness. The meaning of emptiness used in Taoist and Buddhist beliefs is not that of the WesternRead MoreShi Huangdi and his Legacy in China1503 Words   |  6 Pagesyou will die. Even people of the highest royalty/power fear death, and this was no exception to Shi Huangdi. His quest for immortality ironically led to his death, but it also fueled him to push his empire further. â€Å"After surviving three assassination attempts, Qin Shi Huangdi became obsessed with avoiding death and devoted his energies to discovering the secrets of immortality. He tried many different tactics to become immortal, all to his dismay† (Case Study: Entombed Warriors from Xian). Shi HuangdiRead MoreHow Technology Can Improve The Human Bodies986 Words   |  4 Pagesbecome cyborgs won’t necessarily mean that we will all feel superhuman. While these developments that have been made in the progress of improving the human bodies possess unbelievable potential to change many lives, but most of the enhanced needs to make some sacrifices to be augmented. Gabril Licina, who experimented with unlocking infrared vision in humans stated that â€Å"The myth to dispel is that with an augmentation, people will easily become superhuman. It’s important that we stay grounded in scientificRead MoreConfucianism And Daoism As Forms Of Philosophy And Religion902 Words   |  4 Pagesas binary, for instance hot and cold or day and night, but even though they are opposites they are still connected to each other and everything is still connected to the cosmos itself (IWR, 280). Humans are no different in the sense that yin and yang make up the physical mani festation that is the human body, though the immaterial self is made up of another binary: hun (representative of yang, purity, and upward-rising) and po (representative of yin, turgidity, and downward-sinking) (IWR, 281); once

Understanding Organization And Management Leadership And...

Understanding Organisation and Management Leadership and teamwork INTRODUCTION During the three seminars we have been through, we observed and studied the way groups interact, evolve and how they deal with leadership. Indeed, despite the fact that leadership and teamwork have different benefits and purposes, they are strongly connected in some domains including business. Generally, groups share a communication network and a sense of collective identity and goals. The larger the group, the greater number of possible relationships within it and the more complex its structure for successful operation. This is why talking about the group we constituted during this module, a whole class or a medium-sized company is a completely different†¦show more content†¦Selling Supervisors give more information, and are encouraging and supporting with the subordinates that have learned the bases but cannot work yet without coaching. The two theories linked The group Development The adapted leadership style The team members do not know yet exactly what is expected from them. Usually here, the leader adopts a â€Å"telling† approach. He/ She also should make sure the members know each other so that they feel comfortable together. As the team begin to work together, they feel more at ease with each other. Some conflicts could then happen because the members feel more comfortable to express their opinions and possible disagreements. In this stage, the â€Å"selling† style leadership style is more adapted. A bad leadership during this phase could cause the members to have bad relationships between one another and then lead to incoherent work because of a lack of communication. The members of the team should here begin to enjoy what they are doing and then take some initiatives, trusting gradually each other. The ideal leadership could here correspond to a â€Å"participating† style. The leader should nevertheless control the subordinates do not feel too self-satisfied and lose their energy and efficiency. The team developed skills and know its strengths and limitations. They can also solve problems to be efficient on their own. TheShow MoreRelatedEssay Chattanooga Ice Cream Company Case Analysis1577 Words   |  7 PagesCourse: Leadership in the 21st Century Professor: Dr. Mario Barrett Date: End of Week 8 Introduction Teamwork has become so influential and determinant of outcomes on goals in many organizations. Thus, the concept of teamwork has been given a lot of attention in the management process. Instead of the old management models, contemporary management lays emphasis on leadership and effective teamwork approach. Therefore, the potential of creating and managing teams in an organization is highlyRead MoreImproving and Developing Leadership Characteristics Essay examples1020 Words   |  5 PagesINTRODUCTION â€Å"It is centered in groups or organizations, rather than individuals, and engages the group in heart, mind, spirit, and energy†. [Lorilee,R.S., Lela,V..(1995)]. {From this point of view, we can assume that leadership will change from the individual-centered to collective-centered. Leadership also can change from a group of curriculum to a developing, adapted educational process where it focused on building a good relationship. Its mean the leadership is a process of social influence, whichRead MoreEmployee Strengths And Decision Making Strategies1000 Words   |  4 Pagescan use it for the benefit of the company. This paper will focus on developing a training tool that can be used by the management to coach the employees on how to use their unique strengths in making decisions. Some of the strengths that individual employees may possess include flexibility, creativity, teamwork, communication and interpersonal skills, dependability and leadership among others. Each strengths listed above play a critical in employee decision making when effectively developed and theRead MoreLeadership Analysis As An Art Is Critical In The Development1286 Words   |  6 PagesLeadership analysis as an art is critical in the development of the efficient skills relevant to management. The leadership is split into various psychological components for gross analysis that is essential in boosting the necessary skills. The analysis should take care of the social and cultural aspects encountered in the given context. All the subjects in the context must be considered for a non-bias analysis and overall conclusion on the state of leadership. Research has come up with variousRead MoreEssay on Applied Business Research Case Study935 Words   |  4 PagesThe field of business management continues to evolve as organizations engage in the ever-changing global market. After years of unscrupulous corporate leaders managing and leading some of the world’s biggest corporations to failure, researchers and business leaders realize the need for ethical and sound leadership. The need for ethical and sound leadership helps to facilitate and manage daily operations and to sustain their competitive advantage within the global economy. However, with this evolutionRead MoreChapter1-Introduction. Existing Studies Focus On The Impact1030 Words   |  5 PagesChapter1-Introduction Existing studies focus on the impact of teamwork and productivity on implementing, quality improvement. For example developing a culture within the work place where teamwork is a vital necessity can significantly improve performance, effectiveness, efficiency, morale, job satisfaction, unity of purpose, communications, innovative thinking, quality, speed in getting things done, and loyalty to an organization (Warrick, 2014). In corporate America, superiority and personal recognitionRead MoreBenefits Of Effective Teams Within Healthcare1562 Words   |  7 Pagesfive core components of teamwork that include team leadership, mutual performance monitoring, backup behavior, adaptability, and team orientation. High-performing teams use these elements to develop a culture for ‘‘speaking up,’’ and situational awareness among team members. Situational awareness refers to a person’s perception and understanding of their dynamic environment, and human errors often result from a lack of such awareness (Ezziane et al., 2012). These teamwork constructs provide theRead MoreManagement Styles in the Workplace1312 Words   |  6 PagesManagement styles are wide and varied across the entire world of work. The specific type of management that works for one particular set of workers does not always work for another group of employees. Almost everyone has come into direct contact with a m anager at some point in their careers. It is the relationship between the employee and the manager that must be keenly developed; in order for an office, factory, restaurant, or similar organization to run smoothly and effectively. When an organizationRead MoreHow Current Project Teams Within The Organization Can Work More Collaboratively And Effectively1335 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction This briefing paper will address the question of how current project teams within the organization can work more collaboratively and effectively. Due to the number of recent failed projects, the organization is currently looking into how project teams are set up and managed. The issue, given the circumstances, revolves around how to equip managers, team leaders, and members with the skills and support to progress from project teams to high performing project teams in order to deliverRead MoreThe Importance Of Effective Communication Patterns For A Healthy Work Environment1466 Words   |  6 Pagesimportance of open communication, self-organization, teamwork and relationship connectivity. Examining the organization to understand the organizational flow and above mentioned dynamic interactions is an essential step that is often missed by leadership in a chaotic, complex health care environment. The importance of effective communication patterns for a healthy work environment and for quality care outcomes was noted in all eleven articles. In theory, an organization with open communication between

Gun Control Versus Mental Illness Essay - 2085 Words

The Debate over Gun Control versus Mental Illness Jeffrey Glass COM/220 July 14, 2013 Erin Fagan The Debate over Gun Control versus Mental Illness The debate over gun control is not a new argument, neither is the existence of mental illness. There have been those who support and those who oppose gun control for many years. What has recently re-ignited the debate is an increase in mass shootings over the past few decades; one in particular is the Newtown, Connecticut, massacre. Incidents, such as this, fuel anger and fear, driving many to question the need for firearms in modern society, while others cite these incidents as a reason for remaining armed. The purpose of gun control is to limit the amount of violence in today’s†¦show more content†¦As Cole (2007) states in his article â€Å"In hindsight, there were signs that Cho might be a threat to himself and possibly others, including complaints as far back as 2005 by two female students who reported receiving inappropriate messages from Cho† (Para. 4). Family of Eduardo Sencion had reported his violent and paranoid behavior to police two years prior to h is shooting spree. Police had responded to an incident at his home but no actions were taken nor were any firearms removed from the home (Citizens Crime Commission, 2013). So the question becomes how to limit or deny access to firearms to those diagnosed with severe mental illness. Across the nation, many states have begun to reassess their mental health policies and how they affect gun control. One state in particular is Maryland. In 2012, Maryland began a legislative task force to investigate the access of individuals with mental illness to regulated firearms (Maryland, 2013). Under current state law, access to firearms is denied to anyone who has been confined to a mental health facility for more than 30 consecutive days. The law also states that the individual must be determined to be dangerous to themselves or to others along with their mental illness in order to be denied access to firearms. The other question asked is what access law enforcement officers should have to mental health records. In an article by Gostlin (2011) he states â€Å"Successfully reducing firearms-relatedShow MoreRelatedGun Control And The Right State Of Mind1687 Words   |  7 Pages Gun control has been one of main debating topics for years. This particular subject is discussed frequently between our presidential candidates. How safe do citizens feel in the community knowing that it is not hard to obtain a concealed handgun and/or a handgun license? Citizens in some communities have to worry more about their lives rather than bills. It should never have to be that way for anyone. Some people are not in the right state of mind to have the privilege to carry a firearm. SanityRead MoreA Research Project On Gun Violence1549 Words   |  7 PagesNeed for the Project There is a need for this research project because gun violence has become a very prevalent issue within the past decade. Its frequency has resulted in the formation of many myths, questions, and connections with mental health disorders. This country is searching for answers and this research will be designed to uncover the secret truths of gun violence and mass murders. By performing studies and revealing their results, it is the purposes of the project to help authorities betterRead MoreThe Issue Of Gun Rights1092 Words   |  5 PagesGun Rights Even though congressional gun-related legislation remains stalemated, there is still a continued argument over whether laws should be enacted to restrict guns or not enacted to allow gun rights. Not allowing law abiding citizens, who support the constitution, to exercise their rights to obtain and own firearms is unjust. Not only does this lead to making all gun owners criminals, it also makes them easy targets. Citizens who pass background checks should be allowed to obtain and possessRead MoreGun Control Is A Tough Business854 Words   |  4 Pages Gun control in America is a tough business. Second amendment advocates love to flourish their rights to bear arms. However, their stubbornness is causing many unnecessary complications that could be easily solved if they would cooperate more with legislators. The need for more a more thorough background check, more rigorous restriction on purchases and less selfishness is paramount to the evolution of our country. Of the many problems we face in gun control it is availability of guns to the veryRead MoreBetter Mental Health Care Will Stop Senseless Shootings Essay1010 Words   |  5 Pagessociety today is the power of gun rights versus gun control. For the last few decades, the hot topic as regards to the availability of assorted firearms within the United States of America has been characterized by concerns about a right to bear arms found in the Second Amendment to the U.S Constitution, and the responsibility of government to prevent crime and deaths. The biggest component of the Gun Control debate is whether existing gun laws are sufficient, or whether more gun laws are needed. SupportersRead MoreThe Connection Between Psychotropic Drugs And Criminal Justice5455 Words   |  22 PagesThe most common cause has always pointed to gun control, however there is new evidence that proves it is not guns; it is the misuse of psychiatric drugs. The effects of these drugs and the misuse and misadmi nistration of these drugs has led to a social and criminal justice issue in the United States and it needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. In the article Every mass shooting over the last 20 years has one thing in common?. And it is not guns, Adams discovered over the last 20 years,Read MorePolice Brutality, And Murder Against The Unarmed Black Community1685 Words   |  7 Pagestrial the prosecutor did not bring charges against Officer Wilson, In a typical trial the prosecutor usually suggests or recommends what charges to bring against the defendant. In Officer Wilson trial he was allowed hours of personal testimony, versus a regular trial where personal testimony isn’t typically heard in the court room. In Wilsons trial 60 different people were heard for witness testimony. In a regular trial testimony is only heard from. In Officer Wilsons trial case the county prosecutorRead MorePolice Brutality, And Murder Against The Unarmed Black Community1685 Words   |  7 Pagestrial the prosecutor did not bring charges against Officer Wilson, In a typical trial the prosecutor usually suggests or recommends what charges to bring against the defendant. In Officer Wilson trial he was allowed hours of personal testimony, versus a regular trial where personal testimony isn’t typically heard in the court room. In Wilsons trial 60 different people were heard for witness testimony. In a regular trial testimony is only heard from. In Officer Wilsons trial case the county prosecutorRead MoreThe Constitution Of The United States2266 Words   |  10 Pagesimportant to them than any of the other’s written but it is one that is heavily debated and considered in the twenty first century by those now in power. Guns of this new day are not the guns of the framers day. Gun violence fuels the heated discourse. The hot debate, the argument of today is weighed heavily against the rights of the people versus the rights of the government. Do we trample the rights of all to safeguard the freedoms of a few? In the State of the Union address to congressRead MoreGuns Get Into Wrong Hands Essay3379 Words   |  14 PagesJusupovic, SEI, ?When Guns Get Into Wrong Hands? 11 When Guns Get into Wrong Hands Introduction Over the years in the United States of America, there has been a lot of gun violence especially in the past couple of years. With so many lives being affected because of gun violence it is the people?s mission to explore ways we can minimize the gun violence and keep our communities safe for everyone. Is there a correlation between the laws that we have for gun control and do they promote gun violence in our

Proposed changes to the lease accounting - MyAssignmenthelp.com

Questions: 1. From your firms annual report find out the asset/s that your firm has tested for impairment. 2. How did your firm conduct the impairment testing? 3.Has your firm recorded any impairment expenditures during the period? 4.Identify the key estimates and assumptions used by your firm in conducting the impairment testing. 5. Do you find any sort of subjectivity involved in the impairment testing process? How can this subjectivity influence the outcome of the impairment testing? 6. What do you find interesting, confusing, surprising or difficult to understand about the impairment testing? 7.What new insights, if any, have you gained about how companies conduct impairment testing? 8. Based on your assignment, comment on the fair value measurement. Answers: Answers 1 The company Pacific Star Network Limited has been allocated. The company is based in the Melbourne and is a listed company listed in the Australian Stock Exchange. For deep understanding and the analysis of the impairment testing the annual report for the financial year ending thirty of June two thousand seventeen has been selected. The annual report contains the directors responsibility statement, financial statements containing the balance sheet, profit and loss account and the notes to the financial statements and the independent auditors report. For the purpose of the analysis, the main focus will be on the consolidated profit and loss account and the notes to the account forming part of the financial statements of the company for the year under consideration. As per thirteen note number and the three note number, the company has tested the following assets for the purpose of the impairment. These are: Goodwill of the company. As the goodwill of the company is not amortized but impaired in accordance with the relevant accounting standard. Intangibles assets of the company the major intangible assets in the consideration are the masthead. The other intangibles are radio licenses, patents and trademarks, website of the company, inside football masthead, goodwill obtained on the acquisition or the business combination and customer relationships. Financial assets and the financial instruments of the company. These include the loans and advances which are recoverable in cash or in kind during the normal course of the business and include the receivable on account of the sundry debtors which has been classified under the head of trade and other receivables. Property plant and equipment of the company as specified separately in note number ten of the financial statements of the company. It includes studio facilities, computer equipment, motor vehicles, office equipment, plant and equipment and improvements. Lastly the investment made by the company during the year under consideration or and that too by using the equity method of accounting of the investments as prescribed the accounting standard. Answers 2 The annual report of the company has not only provided as to how the impairment of assets have been tested but have also provided that how the company has tested for the impairment of the assets at all the levels. The details of the procedure are given below as mentioned in the annual report of the company: At first the impairment is defined as the excess of the carrying amount of the asset at the particular date over the recoverable amount of that particular asset. The carrying amount is equivalent to the amount as carried in the financial statements at the particular date. The recoverable amount is defined as the amount equivalent to the higher of the two figures. These are value in use and the net selling price. Value in use is equivalent to the amount that is obtained by discounting the cash flows of the company that has been estimated for the future years at the discounting rate and includes the discounted value of the terminal value of the asset at the end of its useful period. Net selling price is the amount equivalent to the receipts available after deducting all the expenses pertaining to the sale of that asset. Where the individual assets are identified as being not capable of producing or generating the cash flows on their independent basis then the assets are allocated according to the cash generating units through which the capability of generating the cash flows can be estimated easily (AASB, 2016). At first, for the impairment testing of the property plant and equipment, the company has adopted the value in use and has estimated the cash flows on the basis of the business projections as duly approved in the board meeting of the board of directors of the company. It has been identified that the carrying amount as stated is not in excess of the recoverable amount and thus impairment has not been charged. Secondly, the intangibles have been tested for the purpose of the impairment. As the intangibles are not capable of producing the income on its own therefore the company has identified the two main cash generating units. These are broadcasting cash generating units and other one is publishing cash generating units. Under the first cash generating units, the company has clubbed radio licenses and under the second cash generating unit the company has clubbed remaining intangibles including the publications, journals and slow and inside football. Thirdly, the trade receivables and the other receivables have been tested on the basis of the time period within which it will be received. The company has defined the ageing schedule of the debtors and accordingly has identified which receivables shall be treated as impaired. Impaired is not in equivalent terms with the term of bad debts. The major consideration is in respect of the two types of risks namely credit risk and the other one is liquidity risk. In this way, the company has prescribed the procedure for the impairment test and has tested accordingly. Answers 3 In parlance with the annual report of the company for the year under consideration, the company has reported the figures of the impairment of assets under the following heads: Goodwill of the company has been impaired by $7442 thousands in the financial year ending 2017 as compared to Nil in the previous financial year ending 2016. The goodwill impairment has been charged on the major acquisition of Morris Media made by the company in the previous financial year and impairment charged in the current financial year (Company Official Website, 2017). Masthead being an intangible of the company has been impaired by $797 thousands in the financial year ending 2017 as compared to Nil in the previous financial year ending 2016. The intangible is known by the name of Inside Football masthead. In the current financial year under consideration, $40 thousands have been charged for the impairment of the trade and other receivables as compared to $157 as charged in the previous financial year. In the case of the property plant and equipment the company has not charged for any impairment as the carrying amount is lesser than the recoverable amount (Company Official Website, 2017). Answers 4 The company has listed the following key assumptions and the estimates as required for the purpose of the testing of impairment. These have been listed as below: In the annual report of the company, under the note relating to the intangible assets of the company bearing number thirteen, the key assumptions that the company has adopted have been listed. These includes two broad and major headings Value in use for broad casting cash generating unit and other one is Value in use for publishing cash generating unit. Value in use for broad casting cash generating unit relating to the radio licenses the company has made the assumption that the net cash flows before the tax will continue for the future years at the annual growth rate of 2.3 percent and that too on year on year basis. The second assumption is regarding the discounting rate used for discounting the cash flows and accordingly weighted average cost of capital has been used which is 17 percent. Value in use for publishing cash generating unit relating to mastheads, brands and the customer relationships and also for the goodwill, two assumptions have been used. The net cash flows estimated from the magazine division will decrease by 10 percent on year on year basis and discount rate pre tax will be used and which will be 23 percent as equivalent to the weighted average cost of capital (Company Official Website, 2017). The cash flows as estimated for future depends upon the projections for the next two passed by the board of the company and for the next subsequent years the cash flows will be using the growth rates for estimating the cash flows and that too ranges from 2.3 percent positive to the figure of 10 percent negative. For the purpose of the impairment of the receivables, the four slabs have been made for bifurcation and according to the risk and the debtors ageing the impairment is charged. These slabs are less than six months, less than twelve months, between one to five year and lastly greater than five years (Company Official Website, 2017). Answers 5 In the given case, it is observed that there is the subjectivity involved in the testing of impairment of assets. The degree of the subjectivity cannot be ascertained in accurate manner but the degree has further been confirmed when the independent auditor of the company has commented on the value in use as determined by the company for their cash generating units as the key audit matter which is required to be disclosed so as to educate the investors of the company and their stakeholders. Secondly, the company has not made any impairment of the property plant and equipment and has also not given the detailed calculations of the same. These will greatly affect the decision of the investors and the stakeholders of the company. Answers 6 The impairment testing of the intangibles that the company has adopted is very interesting for me. It is because the cash generating unit so selected by the company is in direct consonance with the intangibles assets so concerned like broadcasting deals with radio licenses and publishing with journals. Secondly the assumptions that the company has made for determining the value in use is real and sounds logical and interesting as two different discounting rates have been used for different cash generating units. Its surprising in the sense that whole of the goodwill of the company amounting to $7442 thousands have been impaired during the year and the same has been acquired in the previous financial year. Answers 7 The new insight that has been gained about the impairment testing is that the company can impair whole of its goodwill of the company in the particular year depending upon the facts and the circumstances of the case. Secondly the company can use two discounting rates for the calculation of the value in use of the assets for each of the cash generating units. Answers 8 At first the company has mentioned in the annual report of the company that the Australian accounting standard number nine on the financial instruments will be applicable on or after first of January two thousand and eighteen and accordingly the fair value determination in accordance with the standard will be dealt in the next financial year. Secondly, the company has mentioned that the revenues have been recognized at the fair value of the consideration that has been received or will be receivable. Authenticity of lease agreement in terms of financial transactions lacks the economic reality. This fact can be substantiating with the accounting treatment prescribed in the earlier accounting rules on leases by IASB. The major fact of hiding the reality is the treatment of operating lease payments and debts in the financial statements of the company as they are recorded as not measurable in financial terms liability in the financial accounts as contingent liability (Ely, 2015). Recording of debt in this manner creates the misleading picture of the companys financial in the eyes of the stakeholders by having high net worth of the company. Another fact which supports that the economic reality is lacking in former accounting standard on leases is treatment of leaseback arrangements. In this type of lease agreement although ownership and rewards never transferred to the lessee but the lessee have the advantage to use the lease asset for its major life which in turns to have the financi al benefit without having legal benefits on the lease assets. Thus, the piece of information used by chairperson in his commentary about lacking of economic reality seems true (Day and Stuart, 2013). Lease agreements are very famous amount different business and find their place at highest levels in airlines and retail sectors. Lease agreements are of mainly two types. One is operating lease and another is financial lease. The earlier accounting standard issued by IASB or IFRS organizations suggests that the operating lease were not recorded in the balance sheet or books of accounts. They were presented in books of accounts as information under Note to accounts in the form of conditional liability which will depend on future event. This situation attracts the business to have more operating lease agreements which will around 85% of the total leases agreement at one point of time (Singh, 2011). Although operating leases are recorded as off the balance sheet debts but they will become actual liabilities for companies in future. This fact creates the situation of bankruptcy for some major airlines and retail companies as their operating leases commitments will become higher and the balance sheet of the company looks positive without these liabilities. And at the time leading to bankruptcy the off the balance sheet commitments of these company will 66 times higher than the actual reported commitment in the balance sheet (Ma, 2011). One of the major deficiency in the former accounting standard on leases creates be short of comparability among the companies operating in same sector like airline sector or retail sector where lease contracts are majorly taken place (Singer, 2017). The accounting treatment of lessor and lessee in case lease airline fleet is very different under earlier standard despite of the fact that their actual financial commitments are same. Thus, it carets the situation of no playing fields available for some airlines while having decisions on the basis of inter comparison financial results (Gross, 2014). The changes and new accounting standard on leases will lacks the attractiveness to different business or sectors that are into lease contracts. More than 50% of the listed companies in Australia are having huge no of the lease contracts will be affected and will not able to take advantages with ambiguity in former law on lease. An accounting treatment change are generally contentious in nature and lacks the reality at economic and financial levels which affects debt reporting in the company having lease agreements (Lim, 2014). Also the cost of implementing the changes into the system will discourage the different people or companies not to follow the new changes in accounting of lease contracts (Knubley, 2010; Moore and Nagy, 2013). The lease agreement after implementation of new changes helps different stakeholders in like investors and management in the sense that lease contracts will helps them to have economic reality along financial reality and the true asset value can be determine for having correct decision about the contract of lease (FASB, 2016). Reference AASB, (2016), Impairment of Assets available at https://www.aasb.gov.au/admin/file/content105/c9/AASB136_07-04_COMPjun09_01-10.pdf accessed on {23-01-2018}. AASB, (2016), Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement available at https://www.aasb.gov.au/admin/file/content105/c9/AASB139_07-04_COMPoct10_01-11.pdf accessed on {23-01-2018}. Company Official Website, (2017), Annual Report 2016, available on https://www.pacificstarnetwork.com.au/accessed on {23/01/2018}. Day, R. and Stuart, R., (2013), New lease accounting proposal: what it means and what companies can do to prepare.Financial Executive,29(6), pp.11-13. FASB, (2016), New Guidance on Lease Accounting available at https://www.fasb.org/jsp/FASB/FASBContent_C/NewsPagecid=1176167901466 accessed on {23/01/2018}. Ely, K.M., (2015), Operating lease accounting and the market's assessment of equity risk.Journal of Accounting Research, pp.397-415 Gross, A.D, (2014). The path of lease resistance: How changes to lease accounting treatment may impact your business.Business Horizons,57(6), pp.759-765. Knubley, R., (2010). Proposed changes to lease accounting.Journal of Property Investment Finance,28(5), pp.322-327 Lim, S.C., (2014), Market Recognition of the Accounting Disclosure and Economic Benefits of Operating Leases: Evidence from Borrowing Costs and Credit Ratings. Ma W, (2011), Impact on Financial Statements of New Accounting model for leases available at https://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1194context=srhonors_theses accessed on {23/01/2018} Moore, S. and Nagy, A., (2013), CONTRACT STRUCTURING UNDER THE NEW LEASE ACCOUNTING RULES: THE CASE OF CUSTOM DESIGN RETAIL, INC.Global Perspectives on Accounting Education,10, p.81 Singer, R, ( 2017), Accountinq for Leases Under the New Standard, Part 1: Definition and Classification of Leases and Lessee Accounting.CPA Journal,87(8). Singh, A.,( 2011). A restaurant case study of lease accounting impacts of proposed changes in lease accounting rules.International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management,23(6), pp.820-839.