Manage Recruitment, Selection & Induction Essay Example for Free

Manage Recruitment, Selection Induction Essay Question 1: Explain the role of probation as part of the recruitment process. All new staff employees are required to serve a probationary period. The probationary period allows the Department and the employee the opportunity to assess each others suitability. It is the responsibility of the Supervisor to continually review the services of staff on probation. An employee must be consulted if there are any problems with performance. Question 2: Explain the term ‘merit selection’ and its implication on equal employment opportunity. Selection based on merit is where the best possible match is made between qualifications, knowledge, skills, abilities and relevant experience of the applicants, and the selection criteria in the Position Description. When assessing applicants, only selection criteria are taken into account; that is, unlawful discrimination based on other applicant characteristics must not occur. In the case of casual and sessional staff, merit is determined by assessing applicants qualifications, skills, knowledge and experience against the duties to be performed. Question 3: Explain the relevant terms and conditions of employment. Not every code of practice of the employer which is referenced within the contract may have any force, but rather, can be used as a guideline. Therefore, when considering whether or not a specific document imposes contractual obligations, the test to be applied in determining intention, is whether a reasonable person would come to the conclusion that the person making the promise, had the intention of being bound by the statement. Question 4: Explain at least 2 valid psychometric testing that you can use in your selection process. Aptitude or Ability Tests Aptitude or ability tests provide information on a person’s ability to perform certain tasks and their potential to learn and understand new information and tasks. The tests cover skills such as: Verbal reasoning (critical evaluation of written information) Comprehension/grammar Numerical reasoning (logical interpretation of numerical and statistical information) Abstract, mechanical or spatial reasoning (pattern recognition) Information checking (checking errors / attention to detail tasks) IQ (how quickly you can learn and master a new task) They can be designed to indicate suitability for specific tasks eg computing, keyboard or foreign?language skills. Work style questionnaires (personality/motivation/Emotional Intelligence) Work style questionnaires or inventories are concerned with how you typically behave, such as?the way you relate to others or the way you approach and solve problems. They generally?explore personality characteristics relevant to the world of work. To answer the questions you often need to think about what you would do in a work situation. If you have no formal work experience, think about how you behave in similar situations such as voluntary work, university activities or when you are participating in your hobbies. Work style questionnaires look at factors such as: Ways of thinking, feeling and acting in different situations Interpersonal style, conflict style, leadership style Patterns of coping with stress Interests how much do you like carrying out various types of activities at work. Motivations – look at the energy with which you approach your work, and the different conditions which increase or decrease your motivation. Work values– what factors make work worthwhile for you How you interpret your own and others emotions and behaviours Question 5: A. Explain the term outsourcing? Outsourcing is the act of one company contracting with another company to provide services that might otherwise be performed by in-house employees. Often the tasks that are outsourced could be performed by the company itself, but in many cases there are financial advantages that come from outsourcing. Many large companies now outsource jobs such as call center services, e-mail services, and payroll. These jobs are handled by separate companies that specialize in each service, and are often located overseas. b. What functions can Human Resources outsource in terms of recruitment selection and induction, please states advantages and disadvantages of each. Functions include: – Employee assistance/counseling – Retirement planning help – Pension administration – Temporary staffing – Background checks – Training and management development programs – Executive development and coaching – Health care benefits administration – Employee benefit administration – Payroll – Risk management – Executive staffing – Employee relocation – HRIS selection, training implementation – Recruitment – Executive compensation and incentive plans – Policy writing – Administration of compensation/incentive plans Wage and salary administration Advantages Brings new ideas/talent into the organization get needed competencies Helps organization get needed competencies Provides cross-industry insights May reduce training costs Helps organization meet equal employment opportunity/affirmative action goals Disadvantages May result in misplacement s? Increases recruitment costs? May cause morale problems for internal candidates? Requires longer orientation or adjustment time Question 6: Research the following links to assist you in your answer. a) What is the role of the HREOC? Leading the promotion and protection of human rights in Australia by: Making human rights values part of everyday life and language. Empowering all people to understand and exercise their human rights. Working with individuals, community, business and government to inspire action. Keeping government accountable to national and international human rights standards. Securing an Australian charter of rights. b) What types of complaint can you make to the Commission The Australian Human Rights Commission can investigate and resolve complaints of discrimination, harassment and bullying based on a person’s: Sex, including pregnancy, marital status, breastfeeding, family responsibilities and sexual harassment Disability, including temporary and permanent disabilities; physical, intellectual, sensory, psychiatric disabilities, diseases or illnesses; medical conditions; work related injuries; past, present and future disabilities; and association with a person with a disability Race, including colour, descent, national or ethnic origin, immigrant status and racial hatred Age, covering young people and older people sexual preference, criminal record, trade union activity, political opinion, religion or social origin (in employment only) c) Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986 Grounds of discrimination Breaches of human rights by any Commonwealth body or agency and discrimination in employment on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion, national extraction, social origin, age, medical record, criminal record, marital status, impairment, disability, nationality, sexual preference, trade union activity. Areas covered Commonwealth body or agency; employment and occupation. Process for decision making Complaint must be in writing. It is then assessed and if within jurisdiction is investigated. If complaint is not declined, conciliation is attempted. If it cannot be conciliated, the Commission prepares a report to the federal Attorney General who then tables the report in Parliament. Question 7 : Summarise the national 10 privacy principles. There are ten National Privacy Principles (NPPs) that regulate how private sector organizations manage personal information. They cover the collection, use and disclosure, and secure management of personal information. They also allow individuals to access that information and have it corrected if it is wrong. NPP 1: collection – Describes what an organization should do when collecting personal information and what is told to the individual on collection. NPP 2: use and disclosure – Outlines how organization discloses and uses individual personal information. Under certain conditions and organization doesn’t always need the individuals consent to disclose personal information. NPPs 3 4: information quality and security An organisation must take steps to ensure the personal information it holds is accurate and up-to-date, and is kept secure from unauthorised use or access. NPP 5: openness An organisation must have a policy on how it manages personal information, and make it available to anyone who asks for it. NPP 6: access and correction Gives individuals a general right of access to their personal information, and the right to have that information corrected if it is inaccurate, incomplete or out-of-date. NPP 7: identifiers Generally prevents an organisation from adopting an Australian Government identifier for an individual (e.g. Medicare numbers) as its own. NPP 8: anonymity Where possible, organisations must give individuals the opportunity to do business with them without the individual having to identify themselves. NPP 9: transborder data flows Outlines how organisations should protect personal information that they transfer outside Australia . NPP 10: sensitive information Sensitive information includes information such as health, racial or ethnic background, or criminal record. Higher standards apply to the handling of sensitive information. Question 8: List the elements contained in a contract of employment. The full name of employer and employee The address of the employer The place of work The title of job or nature of work The date the employment started If the contract is temporary, the expected duration of the contract If the contract of employment is for a fixed term, the details Details of rest periods and breaks as required by law The rate of pay or method of calculation of pay The pay reference period for the purposes of the National Minimum Wage Act 2000 Pay intervals Hours of work That the employee has the right to ask the employer for a written statement of his/her average hourly rate of pay as provided for in the National Minimum Wage Act 2000 Details of paid leave Sick pay and pension (if any) Period of notice to be given by employer or employee Details of any collective agreements that may affect the employee’s terms of employment

Its Improving Home Energy Efficiency Construction Essay

Its Improving Home Energy Efficiency Construction Essay Introduction The typical home today has an unquenchable thirst for energy and there are many steps homeowners can take to help lower their demand for energy. The main source for todays energy is fossil fuels. The burning of these fossil fuels releases CO2 and CO2 is a major contributor to global warming. It is important that we take a more sustainable approach towards our energy usage. Sustainable energy usage benefits the environment and results in lower energy costs to the consumer. Building Shell The exterior surfaces of a building are called the building shell; this may include the roof, walls, doors, and windows. It is the effectiveness or ineffectiveness rather, of this shell that determines the level of energy demand a building will have. It is the heat exchange through the buildings shell that places the largest demands on energy consumption of the home. Lets take a minute to focus on the walls and structure with respects towards the building shell. A common trend in architecture today is to have many extrusions and intrusions in the walls of a home. This is more aesthetically pleasing to todays homeowner. However, these extrusions require extra framing which results in decreased insulation in corners and potential air leakage. Most single family residential homes are wood framed and any irregularities in the building shell are weak points when it comes to heat loss. Mobile homes are framed with metal studs, generally speaking. The increased metal presence combined with thinner walls and joints between modular sections all create potential weak spots that allow greater thermal conductivity. Multi-family housing units suffer from some of the same design flaws; much of their structural support comes from metal components, larger air handling units, and elevator shafts create weak points, thermally speaking. However from an energy usage point it is better to have an apartment that is surrounded by other apartments, the temperature change from one side of your wall/ceiling will be almost zero, this equates to lower heating and cooling costs. Later I will discuss air leakage and insulation more in-depth, for now just knows that when it comes to the exterior design of a building, simpler is better. Air Leakage What represents 5-40% of building conditioning costs also known as energy consumption, air leakage does. Air leakage is the exchange of air from the exterior to interior, or vice versa, of a building. Air leakage control can increase comfort, reduce damage to intra-wall components, prevent pest infestation, and save energy. While ventilation is needed for the building and human health, the goal is to control that ventilation and have it happen when we deem it necessary. Ultimately this exchange in air is a result of pressure difference from the inside to outside of a structure. The pressure difference is caused by the density difference in warm and cold air. This concept is also known as the second law of thermodynamics that is that warm will always move to cooler areas (when unassisted) until equilibrium is met. Unchecked airflow will seek equilibrium inside and outside by the most direct path. Examples of this process at work during winter months would be warm air exiting the struc ture through leaks in the upper regions of the building and cool air entering through the lower regions, thus creating a cycle that seeks equilibrium. Residents can prevent/reduce air leakage by ensuring that the building shell is properly sealed, air tight. This task can be accomplished by using spray foam around window and door frames as well as checking that the weather-stripping is in proper condition, not worn out. Also, windows and doors must be latched in order to be air tight, it is not uncommon for a window to closed but not latched. Other building practices that should be avoided include duct work, electrical fixtures, and plumbing components being placed in exterior surfaces. This could cause air leakage as well as reduced insulation where these components are present. Insulation Insulation prevents heat transmission through the building shell. In some winter months heat transmission poses a greater threat than air leakage. Insulation is placed in voids/cavities in the building structure to reduce heat transmission. Insulation accomplishes this goal by two means. It forces heat to transfer in the form of a gas, gasses are naturally poor conductors. Second its presence reduces heat convection and radiation. Insulation comes in many forms; it could be foam, fiberglass, wool, cellulose (shredded newspapers), and even straw bales in some construction. Every type of insulation has its own pros and cons. Foam is by far the most effective, it has very high R-values and if sprayed will expand to fill air leaks, on the down side it can be expensive, is not very fire resistant, and does not break down quickly in a land fill (eventually this is where it will end up). Fiber glass is probably the most prevalent form of insulation; it has good R-values, but until the wall is sealed can release particles into the air that are harmful if consumed. Wool/cotton is probably a more sustainable way to insulate a structure, generally it is made out of recycled jeans, can achieve comparable R-values, but due to its unpopularity can be significantly more expensive than more common insulations. Cellulose ranks about the same as wool, it is recycled content, but is blown in place and often will settle over time; this leaves a small section of the cavity insulated once it settles. Straw-bale insulation is a controversial issue, its density makes it a good insulator, and however there is much debate about how long it will last. Each insulation is designated a specific R-value and is labeled as such. The R-value is a measure of how well the material resists heat transmission. The important thing to know about R-values is the higher the better, less heat transfer equals less energy consumption. The inverse of the R-value is the U-value. U-values are used to rate win dows and doors for their efficiency. Windows Doors Windows and doors are the complete opposite of insulation. So much so, that we do not rate them by their ability to resist thermal conductivity, but by their ability to conduct thermal heat transfer. The way we identify windows and doors also known as fenestration is with a U-value. The National Fenestration Rating Council is the private/public group tasked with testing and assigning a U rating to fenestrations. Windows are made up of four basic parts; the glass, sash, frame, and the rough opening, all of these contribute to a windows inefficiency regarding energy. Windows can have several different types of glass including; Low-e, tinted bronze, reflective bronze, and clear glass. The best option for energy savings is to install an insulated, Low-e window. The insulative property is provided by a gas, usually co2 and argon. The gas is injected between the window panes and sealed in place; the use of a gas reduces the rate of convection between panes. The low-e is a coating placed on one pane of glass, usually inside the window, that reflects radiation. This coating is installed on the interior pane for cooler climates and on the exterior pane for warmer climates. The sash/frame is typically made of similar material, being; plastic, metal, or wood. With relation to energy consumption the plastic construction is the way to go. When made of plastic the sash/frame is extruded through a mold and often can be filled with foam insulation. The rough opening refers to the space between the window frame and the structural frame of the opening in the rough framing (the actual opening in the wall). The rough opening is often larger than the frame of the window to allow the builder to make adjustments during installation. Once installed, this space should be filled with insulation; the best to use for this situation is minimal expanding foam spray. Door construction is very similar. Doors can have glazing/fenestration within the door. They too, are given a U-value. When di scussing the U-value of doors/windows the most important for a consumer to know is that the lower the U-value, the better. Lower U-values result in greater energy savings when heating and cooling a building. Heating In North America the heating demands of our homes require a huge amount of energy. This energy comes from mostly from fossil fuels that have been refined, mined, and converted to meet our needs. The residential heating fuels that are used today can be broken down into four major categories; natural gas 53%, electricity 29%, oil 9%, and other types make up the remaining 9%. Huge natural gas reserves have been found in North America and it is considered to be the most environmentally friendly of the fossil fuels. It is the increased availability and societies concern for the environment that has led to exponential growth most recently in the natural gas industry. Electricity is considered to be 100% efficient once harvested. It is the methods by which we harvest electricity that cause environmental damage. The most environmentally degrading method of harvesting electricity is by coal power plants; however more sustainable methods such as harnessing wind and solar power production are b eing developed and implemented. Some electrical providers allow their customers to select the source/means of their power. Oil, once a major source of energy used to heat our homes is becoming quickly outdated as consumers become aware of more efficient and environmentally friendly ways to heat their homes. The other category refers to heat sources such as wood and coal, aside from the environmental impacts these sources are unpopular because they require more work by the consumer. A heating system should be designed to provide the home with heat at approximately the same rate that it is being lost in worst case scenarios. Each fuel type has a distribution system. These systems are given an efficiency rating. This rating measures how well the system operates and can be expressed as; Efficiency = Output Input. The resultant will be a percentage ranging from 35-95% efficient. The efficiency of a system is directly proportionate to the amount of fuel the system consumes. Therefore, the more efficient a system is, the less energy it will consume. High efficiency systems are considered to be any system with an 80-97% efficiency rating. Cooling Second to heating demands are the cooling demands, generally speaking, of a building. There are passive and active methods of cooling a structure. Depending on the designers knowledge and foresight of these methods energy required to cool the structure could vary greatly. Passive methods require no mechanical operations; the result is zero energy consumption. Active methods require the assistance of mechanical operations, although the level of energy consumption is defendant upon the system that is installed. Often it is a combination of these methods that provides the most comfort to the inhabitants of the home. One common passive method of cooling a structure is through the use of landscaping. The use of trees to shade a home is the most cost effective method of cooling. The trees must be deciduous so that they allow the sun to warm the building during winter months. Another passive method is ventilation through windows and other openings. A proper building design can create a chim ney affect, pulling cooler air in at lower portions of the home and releasing warm air in upper portions of the home. Often this chimney affect can be assisted by proper placement of ceiling fans, an example of a combination of passive and active systems. The use of fans to ventilate a home is the most energy efficient way to cool the building. Moving air is more comfortable to the inhabitants and can give the perception of a 4-8 degree temperature change. Window/Room air conditioners are the least energy efficient. The constant start up and shut down process consumes large amounts of energy. They are subject to significant accumulations of dirt, unchecked over time, this causes greater inefficiency and eventual failure of the unit. The use of central air conditioning is another active method to cool a residence. Central air conditioning can provide the most comfort; higher efficiency models reduce energy consumption. Central air conditioning systems are run by a thermostat and slow ly cool a building. This prevents the constant start up and shut down process that occurs with a window unit. Regardless of the system and methods used to cool a building the inhabitants have control over how much energy is used. The warmer the environment the residents can willingly tolerate the less energy will be consumed to cool the structure. Due to the fact that most people do are not present during the construction and design process of their home perhaps the most applicable way to save energy is to perform regular maintenance and select the proper lighting and appliances. Lighting Lighting has a huge effect on a homes energy consumption. There are many different light fixtures and bulbs a one could install in a home. Just as anything else thus far they vary in efficiency. The consumer must read labels to ensure they are actually purchasing the most sustainable, energy efficient light. Often more lighting than what is required is used, different activities require different levels of illumination, be sure to size fixtures adequately. Consumers must monitor their energy use by controlling when lights are on or off. If an area is not being utilized for a period of time the lights should be turned off to conserve energy. Also, residents should clean the globes or covers around the light bulbs, clean fixtures provide more optimal lighting. When purchasing new appliances consumers should purchase energy star rated appliances. Energy Star guidelines are set by the EPA and provide the consumer with a means of determining the efficiency of appliances such as dish washe rs, TVs, clothes washers, and dryers. To help with the cost of these more efficient options some state governments offer a tax rebate to those who purchase high efficiency appliances. Conclusion In conclusion, even with the unquenchable thirst for energy, the consumer has more power than they realize to reduce the energy consumption of the buildings they reside in. With reference to the buildings shell basic is better; irregularities tend to be thermal weak spots. Air leakage can happen anywhere the building shell is penetrated, stopping the unregulated air flow through a buildings shell will result in increased energy savings. The proper insulation is key, to providing comfort and energy efficiency. Windows and doors also known as fenestration create weak points in a buildings shell and must be sealed and properly installed to promote energy efficiency. Heating systems are produced by a wide variety of manufactures, it is crucial that the consumer is well informed with the potential energy consumption of the system before purchasing and installing. Cooling can be accomplished through passive and active means, often the most effective is a combination of both. Lighting fixtu res must be sized and installed properly to promote energy efficiency. Consumers should purchase high efficiency Energy Star appliances to conserve and reduce their homes energy consumption.

Hedonism Essay -- Papers

Webster's dictionary defines hedonism as "the ethical doctrine that pleasure, variously conceived of in terms of happiness of the individual or of society, is the principal good and the proper aim of action" or "the theory that a person always acts is such a way as to seek pleasure and avoid pain." With this definition in mind, and with further examination of John Stuart Mill's theory on hedonism, I am going to argue that hedonism is not an exclusive or distinct way of thinking. In fact, I think that with the exception of possibly a few people, most people are very hedonistically inclined. "Hedonistic utilitarians identify happiness with feeing pleasure and avoiding pain, meaning that the more an individual enjoys pleasure and avoids pain, the happier that individual is" (phil.tamu.edu). Now, is this really a new and profound thought? If you avoid pain, you will lead a happier life? With a few exceptions, I don't know many people who see pain as enjoyment. Most people I know have made it a point to enjoy themselves in so me fasion or another, and that doesn't include the enjoyment of pain. "Mill's overall subject is the right of the indivieual to think and act for himeself of herself. For Mill this does not mean the right to think and act as you please (Castell 360). Eventhough Mill encouraged independent thought and actions, he did not justify running around and doing whatever you liked. According to the Hedonic Society, what they call Enlightened Hedonism ("a naturalistic and humanistic lifestance advocation the ration cultivation of pleasure and happiness for all") can be state... ...ve a relatively balanced life, you would include both physical and intellectual aspects of your life. Whether or not you would be labeled a "Hedonist" would remain to be seen. If you incorporate the greater needs of others into your individual immediate needs, then technically, yes, that would be Hedonism. But, I would venture to say that you would be labeled "a nice person."  Works Cited Castell, Alburey, et al., Introduction to Moern Philosophy: Examining the Human Condition. (New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2001). "Hedonism." Stanford University (online) www.stanford.edu/~quixote/philosophies.htm#hedonism* . (12/03/2001). "John Stuart Mill." unknown (online) *www-/ phil.tamu.edu/~gary/intro/lecture.mill_1.html. (12/03/2001). "What is Enlightened Hedonism?" Hedonic Society (online) *www.hedonicsociety.org/custom/html*. (12/03/2001)

Abortion Essay -- Pregnancy Papers

Abortion Abortion has been an issue since 1820. In the beginning the problem was more about protecting doctors who have licenses. â€Å"Regular doctors thus had an incentive to ban abortion as part of an effort to drive irregular doctors many of whom were women out of business† (Straggenborg, p.211). The AMA (American Medical Association), which was the group that the regular doctors made, started a campaign that made the people believe that the white population was getting smaller and the population of the immigrants was rising. Abortions were made illegal to insure the stability of the population of American citizens. It seems odd that the only reason that abortions were made illegal at one point was because of money issues and a lust for white supremecy. It seemed to have nothing to do with the rights of a child or a woman. One of the reasons why abortion came into question in the beginning of the 1950s was due to the fact that a lot of doctors and lawyers were seeing many case s of illegal abortions and it was becoming a large social problem. Since there was a lack of competition for legal abortions, doctors found no problem making them legal again -- â€Å"They felt that abortions were justified under certain circumstances, and they begun to see the laws against abortion as an infringement on their own medical discretion† (Straggenborg, p.212). And so the issue arose again with many pro- choice groups speaking up. Then with court cases like Griswold v. Connecticut and Roe v. Wade, abortion again became legal in the United States. When looking at a topic like abortion, there are many things that one must take into account. Yet before we look at both sides of the issue, lets look at exactly what the issue is. If we were to s... ...ernet,authoritative} Lee, Dr. Ellie, â€Å" Is Abortion a Health Risk?† 2001 {popular news, print via internet, reputable} Katz, Nikki, Abortion Statistics, 2002 { unrestricted, internet publication only, apparently credible} Low Income Uninsured Children by State 2000, 2001, 2002. 2002 { scholarly primary, print via internet, authoritative} Vital Statistics of the U.S. 1998, Vol 1, Natality. 1998 { scholarly primary, print via internet, authoritative} Feinberg, Joel. â€Å"Abortion.† Random House, Inc, 1986. [Scholarly primary source; print; not used for evidence] Rosenblatt, Roger. â€Å"How to End the Abortion War.† The New York Times Company, 1992. [Scholarly primary source; print; not used for evidence]

Essay --

Budgetary shortfalls have become a part of everyday news and a grim reality for both public and private sectors. Negotiating a win-win scenario for all vested parties sometimes can seem like an insurmountable and daunting task. In order to run a successful municipality, all vested parties must collaborate and be solution based. Transparency plays a huge role in establishing trust, credibility and facilitating an agreeable end result. Every financial organization must create a budget. In simple terms, the budget is a plan that outlines how resources will be utilized during a specific period of time. A balanced budget generally translates into an organization demonstrating financial health and or responsibility, (Kennon, 2014). When the amount of goods or services exceeds the amount of revenue being generated, budgets then need to be revised so that they are in line. This generally means that concessions need to be made by governmental officials, union groups, employe es, constituents or all of the aforementioned stakeholders in the community. Due to a drop in revenue, a slight increase in contracted services and an increase in post employment expenditures for the current fiscal year, the mayor of my jurisdiction has asked all department heads to analyze, revise and submit a budget reflecting a 2% decrease in expenditures for the following year. This will allow for the government to remain solvent without raising the tax rate. As the department head of the public safety division, I oversee the budgets for the police and fire departments. This includes 44 full time police officer, 16 full time fire fighters and 10 part time fire fighters. Total yearly expense for the public safety division is $9,460,000 or 72% o... ... this would reduce the number of calls and offset the expense by 25% or $18,750. Each year the police and fire departments are involved in community outreach efforts. Costs in excess of $31,500 for events like the national fire safety week, national night out, crime stoppers, DARE, personal safety seminars and workshops, etcetera are typically absorbed by the public safety department and provided to the community free of charge. Being strategic as to what educational programs are offered and limiting the events to quarterly rather than monthly would save the jurisdiction approximately $7,000 annually without completely eliminating the programs that the community has come to expect. All told with the strategic approach to budget allocation and the implementation of targeted increases for those who violate the law, the proposed savings is $190,250. Essay -- Budgetary shortfalls have become a part of everyday news and a grim reality for both public and private sectors. Negotiating a win-win scenario for all vested parties sometimes can seem like an insurmountable and daunting task. In order to run a successful municipality, all vested parties must collaborate and be solution based. Transparency plays a huge role in establishing trust, credibility and facilitating an agreeable end result. Every financial organization must create a budget. In simple terms, the budget is a plan that outlines how resources will be utilized during a specific period of time. A balanced budget generally translates into an organization demonstrating financial health and or responsibility, (Kennon, 2014). When the amount of goods or services exceeds the amount of revenue being generated, budgets then need to be revised so that they are in line. This generally means that concessions need to be made by governmental officials, union groups, employe es, constituents or all of the aforementioned stakeholders in the community. Due to a drop in revenue, a slight increase in contracted services and an increase in post employment expenditures for the current fiscal year, the mayor of my jurisdiction has asked all department heads to analyze, revise and submit a budget reflecting a 2% decrease in expenditures for the following year. This will allow for the government to remain solvent without raising the tax rate. As the department head of the public safety division, I oversee the budgets for the police and fire departments. This includes 44 full time police officer, 16 full time fire fighters and 10 part time fire fighters. Total yearly expense for the public safety division is $9,460,000 or 72% o... ... this would reduce the number of calls and offset the expense by 25% or $18,750. Each year the police and fire departments are involved in community outreach efforts. Costs in excess of $31,500 for events like the national fire safety week, national night out, crime stoppers, DARE, personal safety seminars and workshops, etcetera are typically absorbed by the public safety department and provided to the community free of charge. Being strategic as to what educational programs are offered and limiting the events to quarterly rather than monthly would save the jurisdiction approximately $7,000 annually without completely eliminating the programs that the community has come to expect. All told with the strategic approach to budget allocation and the implementation of targeted increases for those who violate the law, the proposed savings is $190,250.

Kingfisher Airlines Essay

Background: Kingfisher airlines started out as a UB group subsidy, a USD 2 billion diversified conglomerate, which holds more than 60 companies under it which are associated with major industries. The United Breweries group owned the kingfisher airlines. Kingfisher airlines had then commenced its commercial operations in the year 2005 on the 9th of May. Operating with a fleet of four new Airbus A320-200’s, kingfisher airlines had its first travel from Mumbai to Delhi. Subsequently the airliner had even commenced its international maneuvers on the 3rd of September 2008, by interlinking Bangalore and London. However it faced a worsening economic scenario since 2008. The mighty airlines in the present day scenario is facing many bankruptcy problems, pushing the airline to ground many of its destinations and aircrafts. Introduction: It was the year 2006, when kingfisher airlines got listed in the stock exchange after it had been setup in the year 2003. The present day situation for KFA is that it has a staggering Rs.8200 Crore debt and the money to pay for fuel, salaries and airport fees etc. is running out. Due to this KFA has lost all its hopes and has pleaded the government to give them a total  bailout but according to market analysts, the actual flaws in KFA’s business plans and the functioning are due to the endless woes of it , which is the major root problem of the airline. So my research question for the current commentary would be â€Å"Will kingfisher airlines be able to recover from the present debt crisis using the current financial strategies?† Syllabus area covered: SWOT analysis Current Ratio Analysis GPM and NPM ratios – Analysis of the balance sheet Findings: When Deccan Aviation’s Captain G.R Gopinath was looking forward to selling off his airline, then is when Vijay Mallya who kept denying that he couldn’t even think of buying an airline whose business model is so different than that of his had suddenly put in his bid and apparently clinched the deal. It was an interesting deal because KFA had got the license to fly immediately and got immediate listing as soon as it purchased Deccan Aviation but it was not all good, along with the goodies they had even acquired the losses incurred by the airline. The promoter group of the airline that is the UB Group had an experienced set of officials to run its business which majorly includes Vijay Mallya himself. The Airliner’s second problem was that its chairman was acting like an absentee landlord and was concentrating on his other business. The third mistake that Kingfisher Airlines had made was that they could have first consolidated its domestic operations and then got into international flying as then the competition increases a lot and only those with enormous money resources survive. SWOT Analysis: Strengths Weaknesses Strong brand image Financial support from the promoter that is the UB group. First Indian carrier that started out with a whole new fleet of planes. Quality service and innovation Financial issues due to heavy debt borrowing The laying off of employees has caused a bad image. The maintenance costs were very high at ground and airline level. The company still has not met its breakeven. The ticket pricing was very high, not in the affordable range of the commoners unlike its competitors which are priced economically. Opportunities Threats Poor service of air India and problems of strikes in jet airways. Growth in air travel, the number of passengers has increased. Route Rationalization: cutting down business in unprofitable sectors and services to cities.1 Debt Recast: Kingfisher Airlines must ask the banks to reduce the interest rates of the loans and possibly find a local investor to invest some money in their business2. Low cost carriers obtaining the larger market share. Fuel costs also have increased subsequently. Economic slowdown Infrastructure constraints Banks will aver on severe security before giving in any more loans which they need for their operational costs. Some banks may even go up to the extent of calling in all their debt. The airline’s promoter funds will be tapped, which will put pressure on the finances of the UB group Current Ratio Analysis: It can be defined as the company’s ability to meet its short term maturing obligations. The current ratio is calculated using this formula: Current Assets/Current Liabilities. For the year 2012 (as of march 31st) = 16188.35/84428.04 = 0.19 (all values in million INR) For the year 2011 (as of march 31st) = 29738.26/55255.85 = 0.54 (all values in million INR)   3 http://www.marketing91.com/swot-kingfisher-airlines/ 4 http://m.outlookindia.com/story.aspx?sid=4&aid=279017 It can be seen that the current ratio has decreased from the year 2011 to  2012 which indicates a threat to the company as the debt to assets has significantly increased and has not yet been repaid in the right model to improve and come out of the debt crisis. Following is a graph that shows the plotting based on the balance sheet3. We can see that the current ratio is less than 1:1 for both the years which indicates that the short term debts of the business are much greater than its liquid assets, which could spell disaster for its survival if creditors demand payment. Which is the case for kingfisher airlines as there crisis has been increasing and increasing as there are no sources for revenue that can be used to pay out even a part of the debt. If the company’s current ratio falls below 1, it implies that the company has a negative working capital, it is then required for the business to take a closer look at the business and there are no liquidity issues. If the ratio is drastically below 1 it implies that the company has inventories that can be converted into cash and this involves to be seriously concerned into the working which when neglected can lead to a financial crisis like in the case of Kingfisher Airlines. When observed in the financial values the income from operations has increased drastically from march 31st 2011 to march 31st 2012 which can be accounted to the loss in operations and trade. If we observe the employee costs also have been cut down on a large note due to the laying off of the employees and staff members. The aircraft lease rental has been subsidized as the fleet of Kingfisher airlines has decreased. If we compare the quarters between December 31st 2011 and march 31st 2012, we can see that the aircraft fuel expenses are more or less the same, which shows a loophole as to why is there still such high fuel expenses even though the operations and fleet have been reduced or more close to being closed. The losses between the same periods have almost increased more than double the times. Hence we see the net losses of the company to increase from (44.426.95) to (115,152.60) lacs which shows the growing debt crisis of Kingfisher Airlines. Price Movement and Performance Charts of Kingfisher Airlines Index Comparison and Ownership Pattern of Kingfisher Airlines Source:http://www.bseindia.com/bseplus/StockReach/AdvanceStockReach.aspx?scrip code=532747 From the above graphs, it can be clearly seen of what the past, present and future trend of Kingfisher Airlines is going to look like in the respective areas mentioned above. GPM (Gross profit margin) For the year 2011 -4.8% For the year 2012 38.2% It can be seen that the gross profit has been depreciating at an exponential rate which shows that there is absolutely no scope of business for kingfisher airlines, as its functioning and sales have gone down on a drastic rate, thus leading to its mounting losses. NPM (Net Profit Margin) For the year 2011 21.1% For the year 2012 382.01% When we calculate the net profit for the company we can observe the change in it from the year 2011 and 2012 there is difference of about 360% which shows the enormity of the debt that kingfisher airlines is heading towards. The company’s market share has also shrunk a lot due to the onboard crisis. Below is the pictorial representation of the difference in the market share of kingfisher airlines between the financial year 2011 and 2012. FOR THE YEAR 2011 FOR THE YEAR 2012 Analysis: It can be seen that Kingfisher Airlines has gone for public issue before it obtained Deccan Airlines so a part of the money might have been raised from /the money gained out of it. The UB group was the promoter of the company so it had the maximum stake in the Airlines but lately due to the debt crisis its stake is being diluted in order to issue them to other public who can invest money and might raise some capital for the business, doing so it is raising financial pressure on the UB Group. The Going concern status of kingfisher airlines has already been lost which might pose a threat for investors investing in the company which might lead to very bleak chances of survival. Problems: Fuel dues: Kingfisher Airlines had been a nonpayer of fuel bills which lead to many problems for the airliner. HPCL (Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited) had abridged the supplies of fuel for the airliner in lieu of non-payment of overdue fuel bills. Delayed Salary: Kingfisher Airlines had not paid salaries to its employees from October 2011 to January 2012, which had caused employee dissatisfaction. It had also been noted that the tax cut from the employee’s income at the source was also defaulted while paying to the tax department. There was a delay in the aircraft lease rentals which has to be paid to GE Commercial Aviation Services, which later lead to repossession of four A320 aircrafts. Airport Authority of India had slammed notices on kingfisher for a due on bills which amounted to about 255.06 crore INR. This had happened because the airliner was working on a cash and carry basis with a daily expense of 0.8 crore INR. Kingfisher Airlines had even service tax arrears which invited the possibility of legal action against the airliner. Kingfisher Airlines was declared as a Non Performing Asset (NPA) by the banks that had lent money for the airliner to carry out its business. Later, KFA suffered more problems such as erosion of net worth, frozen bank accounts, much of its fleet being grounded and suspension of ticket sales by International Air Transport Association (IATA). Kingfisher Airlines share price from Sep-2010 to Sep-2011 Measures Taken: Revenue Inventiveness One world alliance membership would allow KFA to have incoming inland  passenger growth. Co-branded Credit Cards – Kingfisher Airlines had issues the King Club ICICI co-brand card as ICICI bank is one of its major lenders. Kingfisher Express: DTD (Door to Door) Cargo express services to capture the under penetrated air-cargo delivery service. Cost Reduction inventiveness Streamlining distribution channels. Renegotiating vendor agreements – airport and fuel discounts, operating leases at a discount. Control over discretionary spend – reduction in rentals, cost of transport, local conveyance and communication. Optimize space. Operational efficiency: saving on fuel consumption. Equity infusion Debt Re-schedulement Capitalization of its expenses which would lead to the increase in the net income, reduce the stockholder equity and total assets will upsurge for the same amount of expenses. Strategies for Kingfisher to come out from its Debt Crisis: Rescheduling and restructuring of loans- the unsecured loans must be converted into equity share capital then Kingfisher Airlines can avoid the finance cost of the unsecured portion but the promoter’s (UB Group) holding will drastically decrease and even the secured loans can be paid in almost the same manner. Thus the banks will have to increase the period of repayment and decrease the rate of interest on the loans which might help KFA’s operations and possibly the loans might be cleared. There must be efficient strategies to increase the turnover of the company which includes the change in pricing strategy and making it competitive to its co-airlines. Fuel subsidies from the government – KFA must convince the government to give them fuel subsidies by which they can run their airlines and then slowly repay back all its debts. FDI ( Foreign Direct Investment) – there is a larger chance of KFA getting merged with some international airline if the FDI limit is increased which will thus lead to the acquisition of Kingfisher Airlines by an international carrier but will be relieved of its debts and would not then effect the promoter group. Conclusion: The present condition of Kingfisher Airlines can be due to a series of reasons but ultimately it was a rise and all of a giant domestic carrier for India. There are very few chances for the company to bail out from its current situation. The hope of an international merger with Kingfisher might give a ray of hope to the survival of the airlines. If the current debt crisis is not put on hold and keeps increasing, there would be only one door open for Kingfisher Airlines that is to sell out everything to repay all its debts to banks and lenders thus leading to the ultimate collapse of Kingfisher Airlines.

Criminal Justice Paper Essay

The purpose of this Preparation Guide is to provide you with some general direction concerning the content, process, and structure of your class project paper. In the sections below are proffered some helpful information that will prove valuable with respect to facilitating your completion of a course project reflective of the high standards of quality work and personal learning that should be the aim of each participant in the course. Research Students must conduct research to obtain information from which the paper will be written. Sources of information may be classified as being â€Å"primary† or â€Å"secondary†. Primary sources include articles in scholarly/peer reviewed journals, court decisions, statutes, personal memoirs/interviews, government review articles, and so forth. Secondary sources include professional magazines in a related field of study, newspaper articles, book chapters, etc. The student will be graded in part on the depth and thoroughness of the research. For a 8 to 10 page paper, the student should develop approximately 10 sources. It is important that you work on this paper throughout the session and not procrastinate. Getting Started Select any ONE of the following six (6) Research Paper Topics. Other topics may be considered with prior instructor approval, but they must be directly related to a criminological theory for approval. * ONE: CONCEPTS OF CRIME, LAW, AND CRIMINOLOGY 1. Profile a county in your state on the basis of social, economic, and criminological factors. For the social picture the students may want to include such items as population size, rural versus urban area, rate of college graduates, divorce rate, etc. For the economic picture the students may want to include such items as percentage below poverty, average family income, percentage unemployed, rate of home ownership, etc. Census data are useful for the social and economic variables. Criminological factors, such as crime rates, arrest rates, number of officers, etc., can be obtained from  your state crime information center. The focus of the written assignment, then, is to tie the various social and economic forces operating within the county to the levels and types of crimes identified. 2. There are thousands of agencies with the mission of providing services to victims of crime. Complete an in-depth investigation into a specific agency at the local, state, or national level. The paper should include an historical look at the agency, provide statistics on the number and type of victims they assist, offer descriptions of the services provided, give an explanation of the philosophy of the agency, discuss funding sources, and provide information on the location of the agency. You may even want to include a personal interview with a representative of the agency. Try to apply a specific criminological theory. TWO: THEORIES OF CRIME CAUSATION Select a recent crime from a local newspaper. Spend a short amount of time laying out the facts of the case; attach the article to their final paper. Then define and apply one criminological theory that does a good job explaining this type of offense and one criminological theory that does a bad job explaining this type of offense. Integrate facts from the article to support your argument. This paper works best if you apply a specific criminological theory, like Routine Activities Theory, rather than a more â€Å"umbrella† theory, like Social Disorganization Theories. THREE: CRIME TYPOLOGIES 1. Select one type of crime. Provide the legal definition for the offense, incidence rates at both the state and national levels, and clearance rates at both the state and national levels. To what extent does this crime in your state reflect nationwide trends? Try to apply a specific criminological theory. 2. Street crimes (violent and property), enterprise crimes, and public order crimes vary in definition, incidence level, and how society views them. You  may either compare and contrast across these three large crime classifications or select one crime from each of the three categories to use as a representative of that group of offenses. Then discuss how not all crimes are alike or viewed as such. Try to apply a specific criminological theory. FOUR: THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM There are hundreds of treatment and rehabilitation programs for offenders that have been utilized in the past or are currently in favor. Identify one such program and provide an analysis of it. Specific topics to be discussed include the type of offender the program targets, the history of the program, its breadth of use across various facilities, its level of success, the length of the program, the structure of the program, etc. Try to apply a specific criminological theory. NOTE: You are encouraged to use the resources of the DeVry University online library and campus library resources. If you are unable to locate source material at the campus library, you should request the material via â€Å"inter-library loans†. Writing Style In this course you are expected to demonstrate writing proficiency. Pay careful attention to paragraphing, sentence structure, quotation conventions, spelling, punctuation, citation protocol, and other aspects of grammar. Remember to proofread, correcting any typing or printing errors. All papers written for this course should follow the standards that are applicable in the business environment. This includes a business-appropriate writing style and no misspelled words or grammatical errors. Presentation and organization, while not as important as content, will impact your grade. Always write as if the reader is unfamiliar with the material you are presenting. It is important that you learn to catch mechanical errors in your writing. Research has shown that they can make a bad impression. In 2001, Larry Beason published a study of how business persons react to minor writing  errors–â€Å"Ethos and Error: How Business People React to Errors† College Composition and Communication. 53(1), 33-64. He found that â€Å"For some readers, simple accidents or certain errors have little impact, while other readers see the same errors and create a damning portrait of the writer.† Many of the business persons in his study interpreted mechanical errors as evidence that the writer was a poor business person–a faulty thinker, not a detail person, a poor oral communicator, and/or a poorly educated person. Some also interpreted mechanical errors as evidence that the writer was hasty, careless, uncaring, and/or uninformed.† A direct quotation will be indicated by quotation marks (followed by the page number where the quote was taken). Direct quotes longer than three lines, will be indicated by indenting the entire quote and typing it double-spaced (followed by the page number). Unless the style or manner of presentation of the information in the quote is important to the paper, the material will be substantially paraphrased, rather than quoted. The student is reminded that the use of a direct quote or paraphrase without proper citation of the source of the material amounts to plagiarism. Physical Preparation of the Paper See the Course Paper in the Course Home section of our class. Submission Deadlines and Point Value: All submission deadlines will be noted in the class syllabus. See the Course Paper link under Course Home. Citing Work in the Body of the Paper This paper will be written using the latest publication manual of the American Psychological Association (APA). There are two steps in the APA style of documentation: (1) works are cited, in an abbreviated form, in the body of the paper (in-text citation), and (2) full information about all works cited in the text provided at the end of the paper in a section entitled â€Å"Reference Page.† When you need to document the source of your information, you will provide, within the text the paper, the last name of the author(s) of the work (or a short title if the author is unknown), followed by the date the material was published. This can be done in a variety of methods, depending upon the flow of the sentence. For instance, A Check List and a Few Reminders: Did you: * Proof-read your paper * Use quotation marks (hopefully you did not use many, if any, quotes) for any direct quote (complete with page number where quote was taken)? * Check to make sure that all sources used in the text match with the reference page (including correct spelling of authors and dates)? * Review reference page to insure that all sources are complete and in proper order (e.g. alphabetical by author’s last name)? * Number all pages * Write the cover page with the following information: Title of paper, your name, email, Course title, The University, and Due date. * Keep your paper gender neutral? (Do not assume the masculine voice when writing – use â€Å"police officer† rather than â€Å"policeman† or use he/she rather than he). * Keep the tense the same throughout your paper? (should be in past tense – such as, â€Å"research revealed†). * Insure that you have at least 2 complete sentences for a paragraph? (One sentence paragraphs are not accepted in formal writing). * NEVER use a personal pronoun in your paper (such as â€Å"I†, â€Å"my†, etc.). You are not experts in the field. While your opinion is encouraged during classroom discussion, it does NOT belong in a research paper. Plagiarism DeVry University is committed to the highest standards of academic honesty. Acts of academic dishonesty include plagiarism, cheating, bribery, academic fraud, sabotage of research materials, the sale of academic papers, the purchase of academic papers, and the falsification of records. An individual who engages in these or related activities or who knowingly aids another who engages them, is acting in an academically dishonest manner and will be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with the bylaws and procedures of DeVry University (See Student Handbook). Each member of the academic community is expected to give full, fair, and formal credit to any and all sources that have contributed to the formulation of ideas, methods, interpretations, and findings. The absence of such formal credit is an affirmation that the work is fully the writer’s. The term â€Å"sources† includes, but is not limited to, published or unpublished materials, lectures, lecture notes, computer programs, mathematical and other symbolic formulations, course papers, examinations, theses, dissertations, and  comments offered in class or informal discussions. The representation that such work of another is the writer’s represents plagiarism. Care must be taken to document the source of any ideas or arguments. If the actual word of a source is used, it must appear within quotation marks. In cases that are unclear, the writer must take due care to avoid plagiarism. The source should be cited whenever: 1. A text is quoted verbatim   2. Data gathered by another are presented in diagrams or tables/charts 3. The results of a study conducted by another are used   4. The work or intellectual effort of another is paraphrased by the writer. Since the intent to deceive is not a necessary element (strict liability), careful note taking and record keeping is essential in order to avoid plagiarism. In other words, it is like being a little bit pregnant (you either are or you are not). One cannot have â€Å"accidental/unintentional† plagiarism! Students should consult members of the faculty for clarification of the definition and substance of this policy on plagiarism as it applies to their particular discipline. (Source: City University of New York – Proposal on Plagiarism).