Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Research on Organizational Culture and Diversity †MyAssignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about the Research on Organizational Culture and Diversity. Answer: Introduction: Tania Kay was the Marketing Manager of Consumer Food Products Corporation of Canada. She had held a bachelor of arts degree in Political Science before completing her MBA from one of the premiere business schools in Canada. She had one physical ailment, as she was born with a dislocated hip, due to which she had undergone surgeries thrice, when she was fourteen months old, then when she was twelve years old and again after 7 years, when she had attained the age of 19 (Angeloni, 2013). She did not limp or give any other indications of her condition, till the point she used to get very tired. The only major difficulty Tania always experienced, was with her balance. The marketing department of ConFood had gone for a team-building retreat, which involved a scavenger hunt through the woods of cottage country in Central Ontario, with tree climbing, rock climbing, canoeing and a five-kilometer hike. Tania obviously could not participate in most of the activities which were carried out, due to physical ailments (Baumgrtner et al., 2015). She did not want to disclose the physical limitations to her colleagues and so she had talked about her problems with one of the managers. Marianne Renfrew, Tanias boss was the only person to be aware of the problems which Tania had. Still, she did not talk to her regarding the problems which she had faced in the retreat as her previous experiences, along with the knowledge about the psychology of attribution which she possessed, could allow people to judge her as a person negative attitude, incompetent or someone who always complains (Burgstahler Doe, 2014). During the debriefing session, when feedback was shared b y team members for one another, Tania saw that somebody had suggested her not to be negative in her approach as the approach made everyone else feel down as well. Tania felt at a loss after the marketing teams team-building retreat. Keeping in mind the fact that Marianne Renfrew knew about Tanias condition, to some extent, anyone else in Tanias position would have communicated the situation, which she faced during the retreat and debriefing sessions, to her boss as she was the only person aware of Tanias situation (Butterworth et al., 2012). This would have helped Tania get moral support and not feel let down or alone, having got disregarded as a team member. Disability can affect any person in any point of time, so this is an issue which is not abnormal. Communicating the problems in an effective manner help solve grave situations easily (Dong et al., 2013). Marianne Renfrew could have in turn communicated the issue which Tania was facing, to all her fellow employees, which would have made Tanias colleagues behave with her in a cordial and affectionate manner (Gold et al., 2012). On the other hand, Tania also would have felt that she was an integral part of the team, despite not being able to take active part i n all the activities due to her dislocated hip. The team building retreat for the marketing team involved various kinds of activities with the teams engaging in scavenger hunt through the wilderness of the scout camp to collect different puzzle pieces. The team which could put together the puzzle pieces would win the scavenger hunt. The hunt involved a rock wall climb, five-kilometer trail hike and tree climbing. Tania, who had a dislocated hip, in the very instance thought that she would not be able to participate in the activity as she might fall down (Kaletta, Binks Robinson, 2012). She did not want to reveal the limitation which she carried and hence, she had a talk with one of the facilitators. The process used to plan, run and evaluate the team building weekend through carrying out various activities like rock climbing, tree climbing and canoeing need drastic changes for the benefit of the employees, especially for Tania, who has a disability of dislocated hip (Lindsay et al., 2012). The activities should be such, which wou ld help build the culture, personality and work ethics to ensure that an organization runs in an effective manner. The recommendations on the changes are needed, for making the process used to plan, run and evaluate the team building weekend because these changes would help in making the marketing team involve themselves better and also make Tania, who has suffering from disability to feel a part of the group. The recommendations are as follows: Before going ahead with the team building retreat, management should have made sure to let every employee know about the kind of activities set to take place during the event. As communication is key for any organization to carry out their objectives in the desired manner, so they should have made sure to understand how comfortable every employee would be in taking active part in all those activities (Mitra, 2013). This exercise would have allowed Tania to communicate her problems to the management, which could have ensured transparency and better treatment of Tania and her problems from her colleagues. The activities should have been aimed more for establishing right attitude in workplaces and bring forth necessary developments among the employees. Rock climbing, canoeing, tree climbing and a five-kilometer hike would require team effort but that would not enable any individual persons growth. Active participation from members would help in successful implementation of the activities but if persons with disabilities are not taken into consideration along with special provisions for them, then those activities would not make any use for them. In this case, Tania felt left out from the group as she had physical problems, due to which she could not take part in any of the activities. Disabled people need to get recognition. Adoption of a unique identity which is socially invisible and deciding to disclose, allows other members to understand the social label attached to the ones holding any sort of disability, which might subsequently intervene with functions of work and social aspects (Claire Beatty MacLean, 2005). Employees could be made to go through certain live situations to help them be better marketers, which would get reflected through the activities and allow them to excel in their work. This would have also allowed Tania, suffering from a dislocated hip, to take active part and gel with other colleagues in the best possible manner to get the best output, thereby make those activities a success. That would have allowed Tania to feel better and not get isolated. Research indicates that people having concealable stigmatized identities tend to go through more of negative outcomes in all three forms, psychologically, behaviorally and physically, than those with visible stigmas (Quinn Earnshaw, 2011). The activities undertaken by the management for the team-building retreat could have been based on knowing people better and consider arranging grooming sessions. This would have ensured people to get groomed and set the right tone for working effectively in the workplace (Ravalier, Dandil Limehouse, 2015). The debriefing session should be held to highlight the strong points of the employees, rather than allow employees to provide feedback for another. Every feedback for each and every employee would be different as perceptions for different individuals are different. Negative feedbacks have adverse effects on the psychology of employees and hence should be discouraged by categorically specifying the need to express their positive views on the employees. This was exactly not done in case of Tania, where a feedback from her colleague was try not to be so negative, its a real downer for everyone else. This statement had direct impact on the psychology of Tania, where she had started to feel that she was not a part of the marketing team after the team-building retreat. Open-voicing of concerns is something which employee generally tend to avoid but in this case study, Tania, who has been suffering from a dislocated hip, could not take part in any of the team building activities that were taken up during the marketing retreat. Moreover, she did not express or share her problem with anyone, fearing that she would be judged as a negative individual, incompetent or a whiner (Santuzzi et al., 2014). This made her feel miserable and also the facilitator-led debriefing sessions were so humiliating for her that she did not know what to do. She was confused whether to disclose or if she would not disclose her problems to everyone, that would mean further alienation from her teammates and repetition of similar situations (Trainor et al., 2012). Some of the things which the management could have done differently to encourage more voicing of inclusion related concerns and also develop a more inclusive culture are: The situation of employees like Tania Kay, who suffered from disability like dislocated shoulder, should be encouraged to participate and not feel left out. Words of encouragement from the managements side for all employees to voice their opinions openly, would work wonders to provide them the much needed confidence and assurance that their problems would be heard and recognized (Santuzzi et al. , 2014). Management should introduce some personality building exercises to make the employees become aware of the surroundings, so that they could develop mutual respect for one another and not treat people having some sort of disabilities, with disrespect (Vrlander, 2012). Importance of organizational culture would come into play while encouraging employees to voice their concerns related to feeling alienated from the group due to some sort of disability. Organizational Culture is a set of expectations, commonly held to understand how people behave (Martin 2002, Schein, 1985). The need to coordinate with one another for carrying out any sort of activity would come to good effect and help make employees realize the art of doing things together. The success of an organization relies on the ability of the organisation to appreciate, encourage diversity and in realizing the benefits. Organisations should assess the issues related to workplace diversity in such a manner that altogether the company can prosper and reap dividends out of it. Diversity is inclusive of race, gender, age and background. Diversity not only talks about how people perceive themselves but the manner in which they view other people. The perceptions of the employees influence to a great extent the interactions taking place within the company. Human resources professionals should deal effectively the issues related to communication and adaptability so that the company can grow in the positive direction. Successful organizations know that immediate action is needed and they are willing to utilise the resources in order to ensure that diversity is maintained in the workplace (Byrd Scott, 2014).Employer makes changes so that the employees feel more comfortabl e to work within the organization. Flexibility should be of benefit for both the parties and it helps in providing superior outcome. Formal flexibility refers to the human resource policies that have been officially approved and that entitles the supervisors with flexibility and discretion in carrying out work within the organization. Informal flexibility, on the other hand, is indicative of the unofficial policies which has not been written down but are available for employees (Barak, 2016). The approach of an organization can be either proactive or reactive in nature. The organization should act as the provider of equal opportunity for all kinds of employees. The employees in an organization come from different kinds of backgrounds and so their cultural ethos should be taken into consideration in framing the rules and policies. Employees of different state having different kind of cultural backgrounds often have to migrate to other states so that in order to get a suitable job. Dearth of jobs often compels people to move to another state. They try to assimilate themselves with the cultural milieu of the different place after moving to the different place. Often people get the opportunity to move abroad to fulfil their career goals. The company should be co-operative enough in understanding the cultural ethos of the people coming from a different place so that their sensitivity is not harmed. They should be given leave during festivals so that they can come back to their native place and enjoy themselves. Understanding the needs of the employees is important for the successful growth of an organization. The employees are provided with respect if their cultural sensitivities are understood. They suffer from inferiority complex if their personal values are taken for granted. It can prove to be a stumbling block in regard to job satisfaction and can prove to be detrimental for the growth of the organization (Kundu et al., 2017). The framework of an organization should be developed in such a manner that the needs of all kinds of employees are satisfied. This can be in relation to job-sharing, arrangements of working from home, telecommuting and flexible timings. Child care facility along with that of part-time working and maternity leave can go a long way in providing the women in the workforce with flexibility so that they can perform their maternal duties perfectly before joining office. It is often found that organizations are blatant to the needs of women and this often forces the women to leave the organization and perform their maternal duty. Consideration for the circumstances and maternal needs of women should be given top priority while framing the policy in an organization (Ali, Ng Kulik, 2014). The work schedule should be made flexible so that the women can work and also fulfil their duty towards the family. Appropriate understanding for the concerns of women can go a long way in providing flexibi lity and encouraging them to perform better in the organization. This kind of policy helps in drawing lines within the organization and helps in bringing diverse individuals together. Changing mindset is essential in bringing changes within the organization and implements drastic changes for the successful growth of the organization. Employees in the present age look for work-life balance when they work in a company. Employees who are young and have not yet married feel the need of flexible timings so that he can follow his passion. The prerogative of an individual should be given importance and considered so that the individual feels inspired to work in a company and provide greater outcome (Tran, 2017). The organization should be flexible in its policies and should have a empowering culture and at the same time should be able to keep the workforce engaged and happier. The organization can carry out an audit before designing the workplace flexibility practice. An internal survey can be carried out in order to understand the preference and value of the employees. An external survey can also be conducted in order to get idea regarding the market practice. This can help in designing a robust system that can evaluate the needs of the employees (Guillaume et al., 2017). External benchmark can be made use of in order to bring positive changes within the organization (Wheeler, 2015). Sexual orientation in the workplace is often a cause of discrimination and should be done away with completely so that the organisation can grow positively. Discrimination on the basis of sexual discrimination can adversely affect the job status and the working environment. People with different sexual orientation are often harassed and different treatment is meted out to them thus causing them to suffer from insecurity. They can be overlooked in times of promotion and they c an be wrongfully terminated. Disability is another arena on the basis of which discrimination is done in the workplace. There is a general notion that the output coming from person suffering from disability is less as compared to that of a normal person and so discrimination is often carried out against them (Rudstam et al., 2016). Monetary cost compensation should be provided and they should be measured independently with the help of an external panel in order to prevent any kind of prejudice. Awareness should be raised in the organisation so that disability is recognized as a serious issue. The regional integration organizations should come together and see to it that the organizations are not discriminating on the basis of gender. Any claims on discrimination should be addressed in the right manner in the organization. An employee is often put in a less desirable position and they are forced to take leave of absence. Proper harassment policy within the organization can help in mitigating the harassment that a rises on account of disability discrimination (Badal Harter, 2014). The organisations should frame policies that mitigate bias within the organization. It should not rely on the bias in relation to individual perception and structured interviewing that has real-scoring against that of criteria can rightfully addresses the problems arising out of workplace diversity. The organisations should work in the arena of unconscious bias and research should be used in order to assess whether the right methods are being used in terms of recruitment, selection and leadership training (Phillips et al., 2016). The strategic human resources management should highlight on the three elements-integration, alignment and consistency. The initiatives taken should not undermine or work against each other. Resisting to changes proves to be a barrier in ensuring unity within the workplace. Miscommunication should be avoided within the teams and empathy can help in dealing with discrimination in the workplace. Resistance proves to be a major reason in forcing the minorities to bear insult and it limits the vale in relation to new perspectives. Misallocation of human resources is termed as glass ceiling and it provides an invisible barrier for the employees and it prevents them from achieving the executive position. The difference between that of wage and the level of education in relation to male and female employees offers proof of the barrier that exist in the workplace. Another social behaviour that acts as a challenge relates to that of homophily. It refers to the tendency of the individuals so that tey can associate with other people (Santuzzi Waltz, 2016). This tendency is highlighted during the hiring process along with that of informal socialization pattern within an organizatio n. Managers should be proficient at handling this kind of challenge with the help of awareness along with that of clever delegation. Managers have to understand the cultural predisposition in relation to the subordinates so that they can ensure that cultural rules are not violated. References Angeloni, S. (2013). Integrated disability management: an interdisciplinary and holistic approach.Sage Open,3(4), 2158244013510303. Baumgrtner, M. K., Dwertmann, D. J., Boehm, S. A., Bruch, H. (2015). Job satisfaction of employees with disabilities: The role of perceived structural flexibility.Human Resource Management,54(2), 323-343. Burgstahler, S., Doe, T. (2014). Disability-related simulations: If, when, and how to use them in professional development.Review of Disability Studies: An International Journal,1(2). Butterworth, J., Migliore, A., Nord, D., Gelb, A. (2012). Improving the employment outcomes of job seekers with intellectual and developmental disabilities: A training and mentoring intervention for employment consultants.Journal of Rehabilitation,78(2), 20. Dong, S., Oire, S. N., MacDonald-Wilson, K. L., Fabian, E. S. (2013). A comparison of perceptions of factors in the job accommodation process among employees with disabilities, employers, and service providers.Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin,56(3), 182-189. Gold, P. B., Oire, S. N., Fabian, E. S., Wewiorski, N. J. (2012). Negotiating reasonable workplace accommodations: Perspectives of employers, employees with disabilities, and rehabilitation service providers.Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation,37(1), 25-37. Kaletta, J. P., Binks, D. J., Robinson, R. (2012). Creating an inclusive workplace: Integrating employees with disabilities into a distribution center environment.Professional Safety,57(06), 62-71. Lindsay, S., Adams, T., McDougall, C., Sanford, R. (2012). Skill development in an employment-training program for adolescents with disabilities.Disability and rehabilitation,34(3), 228-237. Mitra, S. (2013). Data revolution for disability-inclusive development. Ravalier, J. M., Dandil, Y., Limehouse, H. (2015). Employee engagement and management standards: a concurrent evaluation.Occupational Medicine,65(6), 496-498. Santuzzi, A. M., Waltz, P. R., Finkelstein, L. M., Rupp, D. E. (2014). Invisible disabilities: Unique challenges for employees and organizations.Industrial and Organizational Psychology,7(2), 204-219. Trainor, A. A., Carter, E. W., Swedeen, B., Pickett, K. (2012). Community conversations: An approach for expanding and connecting opportunities for employment for adolescents with disabilities.Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals,35(1), 50-60. Vrlander, S. (2012). Management practice and disability: an embodied perspective.Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research,14(2), 148-164. Ali, M., Ng, Y. L., Kulik, C. T. (2014). Board age and gender diversity: A test of competing linear and curvilinear predictions.Journal of Business Ethics,125(3), 497-512. Badal, S., Harter, J. K. (2014). Gender diversity, business-unit engagement, and performance.Journal of Leadership Organizational Studies,21(4), 354-365. Barak, M. E. M. (2016).Managing diversity: Toward a globally inclusive workplace. Sage Publications. Byrd, M. Y., Scott, C. L. (Eds.). (2014).Diversity in the workforce: Current issues and emerging trends. Routledge. Guillaume, Y. R., Dawson, J. F., Otaye?Ebede, L., Woods, S. A., West, M. A. (2017). Harnessing demographic differences in organizations: What moderates the effects of workplace diversity?.Journal of Organizational Behavior,38(2), 276-303. Kundu, S. C., Kundu, S. C., Mor, A., Mor, A. (2017). Workforce diversity and organizational performance: a study of IT industry in India.Employee Relations,39(2), 160-183. Phillips, B. N., Deiches, J., Morrison, B., Chan, F., Bezyak, J. L. (2016). Disability Diversity Training in the Workplace: Systematic Review and Future Directions.Journal of occupational rehabilitation,26(3), 264-275. Rudstam, H., Golden, T., Bruyere, S., Van Looy, S., Gower, W. S. (2016). Beyond Handicap, Pity, and Inspiration: Disability and Diversity in Workforce Development Education and Practice. InDeveloping Workforce Diversity Programs, Curriculum, and Degrees in Higher Education(pp. 280-303). IGI Global. Santuzzi, A. M., Waltz, P. R. (2016). Disability in the workplace: A unique and variable identity.Journal of Management,42(5), 1111-1135. Tran, B. (2017). Organizational Diversity: From Workforce Diversity to Workplace.Handbook of Research on Organizational Culture and Diversity in the Modern Workforce, 100. Wheeler, D. S. (2015). A Changing Workforce for the Changing Needs of Critically Ill Children in the United States and Canada.Pediatric Critical Care Medicine,16(8), 791-792.

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Managerial Accounting Brenton Pryce Company

Questions: You have just been hired as an accountant by GoodStyle Furniture, a manufacturer of specialty, hand-made furniture based in South Australia. The furniture produced by Goodstyle is in two ranges, Modern and Classical. The two ranges are different in design, but both are high quality, hand-made furniture and are priced accordingly. The owner of the company, Brenton Pryce, has always believed in pricing a quality product based on how much their larger competitors are pricing theirs. His argument has been that our product is as good, if not better, than the mass producers of furniture, so we should be charging at least as much, if not more, than what they charge. When you arrived at work for the first time, you learnt that the though the company has been in existence for the last twelve years, they have never had an accountant. The accounts were typically prepared by the Laura Peters , secretary of Brenton Pryce and Tom Nichols, a part-time accountant who came in once or twice a month. Tom has informed Brenton that he could no longer spare the time to come in and has suggested the need for an accountant on a full time basis, which is why you have been hired. Brenton, though, is still not convinced of the need for a full time accountant. Look, why do I need a full-time accountant? At the end of the day, all I need to do is total up my revenues, total up my expenses and the difference is my profit. Do I really need to understand my product costs? What is the purpose of that? Its not like I can lower my prices if my product costs are lower. I just follow the big guys like Hardly Normal and Super A-mart and price my product according to their pri ces. Why do I need to know what my product costs are? asked Brenton. Laura, who has been the secretary cum bookkeeper (of sorts) since the day the company started has prepared some information for you. Trying to be helpful, she has alphabetised the accounts. I do not know much about accounting, said Laura. But Tom has said that we need a Schedule of Cost of Goods Manufactured and a Schedule of Cost of Goods Sold, whatever that means. I have last years accounts for you, so could you please prepare those schedules or whatever and get it to Brenton? The alphabetised list of accounts can be found in Appendix A. Four days into your work, there was a fire over the weekend in the main office that stored the accounts. The manufacturing facility was not affected and work could go on, however, most of the information that was for the current years accounts was damaged and only partial fragments were readable. Luckily your work on last years accounts were not affected as you had brought them h ome to complete and was still in process of completing them.You need to get me back all the information thats now lost! My creditors want to see that information and I need you to work on it asap said BrentonSifting through ashes and interviewing selected employees, you have worked up some additional information: a) Laura remembers clearly that the predetermined overhead rate was based on 60,000 direct-labour hours to be worked for the year and $180,000 in overhead costs. (Tom mentioned this before he left, Laura said. No idea why it is important, but if it can help you, good luck.) b) The work in process balance was $4,500 at 1st April . Also the production supervisors cost sheets showed only one job in process on 30th April. Materials of $2,600 had been added to this job, and 300 direct labour hours had been expended at $6 per hour on this job. c) The accounts payable are for raw material purchases only, according to Laura. She clearly remembers that the balance in the account on 1st April was $6,000. Checking with Brenton for his cheque stubs, payments of $40,000 were made to suppliers during April. (All materials used were direct materials.) .The balance in the Accounts Payable account was $8,000 at 30 April .d) A charred piece of the payroll ledger shows that 5,200 direct labour hours we re recorded for the month. Laura has confirmed that there were no variations in pay rate (i.e. all employees were paid $6 per hour.) e) Records in the warehouse indicate that the finished goods inventory totalled $11,000 on 1st April. Also the finished goods balance was $16,000 on 30th April .f) The balance in the Raw Materials account was $12,000 on 1st April.g) Actual Manufacturing overhead incurred during April was $14,800.h) From another charred piece of paper, you discerned that the cost of goods manufactured for April was $89,000. You are now ready to and give Brenton the information he needs before you lose your job! When you went in to tell him that you can now start working on the information, Brenton tells you that he has spoken to Tom (their previous part-time accountant) and that the following information are required: Tom says we need the following information: Work in process at the end of April, raw materials purchased in April, Overhead applied, Cost of goods sold in April, and Raw materials used in April. He also suggested that we should be looking at whether the overhead was over- or under-applied, whatever that means. Required:Prepare a report (no more than 10-pages) for Brenton Pryce that addresses the following: a) The purpose of a product costing system. b) Preparation of a Schedule of Cost of Goods Manufactured and Cost of Goods Sold for last year. (The schedules may be in the appendix). Explain why some items have been excluded from the schedules. c) An Income Statement for last year assuming that tax is charged at 30% on Income before taxd) Determine the values for the following:i. Work in Process at the end of April; ii. Raw materials purchased in April; iii. Overhead applied in April; iv. Cost of Goods sold in April; v. Raw materials used in April; and, vi. Over- or under-applied overhead in April. e) Discuss how overheads can be over- or under-applied and how the company should deal with the over- or under-application. Administrative salaries $2,400 Advertising expense 1,200 Depreciation factory building 800 Depreciation -- factory equipment 1,600 Depreciation -- office equipment 180 Direct labour cost 21,900 Raw materials inventory, beginning 2,100 Raw materials inventory, ending 3,200 Finished goods inventory, beginning 46,980 Finished goods inventory,. ending 44,410 General liability insurance expense 240 Indirect labour cost 11,800 Insurance on factory 1,400 Purchases of raw materials 14,600 Repairs and maintenance of factory Sales 110,000 900 Sales salaries 2,000 Taxes on factory 450 Travel and entertainment expense 1,410 Work in process inventory, beginning 1,670 Work in process inventory, ending 1,110 Answers: (a) Product Costing is a term or methodology associated with managerial accounting. Product costing helps to determine the cost per unit of a product by studying and considering various sources used in its production.(Martin, 2012) Product Costing is defined as the process of assigning direct and indirect cost to individual branches, product and other cost items.(Brierley, 2008) Product costing help to improve the management information by helping the managers and other members of the board to take decision regarding product pricing, product design, delivery mechanism, etc.(Oracle, 2003) Product costing also serves the following benefit: It helps the manager to understand the contribution of each product in generating profit and in the growth of the economy. (Scheid, 2010) It assists the manager in understanding the variance between the actual expenditure and the budgeted expenditure. (Hoyle, 2010) Product costing helps to test or examine the viability of various new products. (Fisher, 2012) It helps to identify various sources of profit and losses. (CO Mgbame, 2009) There are various ways or methods involved in product costing. Each and every method have their own independent way of measuring the per unit cost of a product. Some of them are:o Activity Based Costing (Compton, 2009)o Marginal Costing (Per-Olov Johansson, 2010)o Process Costing (Osmond Vitez, 2011)o Standard Costing (Arthur, 2010) (b) Statement of Cost Particulars Amount ( $) Amount ( $) Opening Stock of Raw Material 2,100 Add: Purchase of Raw Material 14,600 Less: Closing Stock of Raw Material (3,200) COST OF RAW MATERIAL CONSUMED 13,500 Add: Direct Labor Cost 21,900 PRIME COST 35,400 Add: Factory Overhead - Depreciation on Factory Equipment 1,600 - Depreciation on Factory Building 800 - Repairs and Maintenance on Factory 900 - Insurance on Factory 1,400 -Taxes on Factory 450 - Indirect labor Cost 11,800 16,950 FACTORY COST 52,350 Add: Opening Stock of Work In Progress 1,670 Less: Closing Stock of Work In Progress (1,110) 560 COST OF GOODS MANUFACTURED FOR SALE 52,910 Add: Opening Stock of Finished Goods 46,980 Less: Closing Stock of Finished Goods (44,410) 2,570 COST OF GOODS SOLD 55,480 In the above schedule, Cost of Goods Manufactured is $ 52,900, whereas the Cost of Goods Sold is $ 55,480. While calculating the Cost of Goods Manufactured and Cost of Goods Sold, some of the item such as Travel and entertainment expense has excluded from the calculation because they form the part of office and administrative expense which is included in the calculation of total cost of sale. Thus, from the above calculation we can say, -Cost of Goods Manufactured= Factory Cost + Change in the Inventory of Work In Progress. -Cost of Goods Sold= Cost of Goods Manufactured + Change in the Inventory of Finished Goods. -Total Cost of Sale= Cost of Goods Sold + Office and Administrative Expense + Selling and Distribution Expense (c) Statement of Income Particulars Amount ( $) Amount ( $) Sale 110,000 Less: Cost of Goods Sold ( Calculated in Answer b) 55,480 GROSS PROFIT (A) 54,520 B. Office and Administration Expense - Travel and Entertainment Expense 1,410 - Depreciation on Office Equipment 180 - General liability Insurance 240 - Administrative Salary 2,400 TOTAL OF B 4,230 C. Selling and Distribution Expense - Sales Salary 2,000 - Advertisement Expense 1,200 TOTAL OF C 3,200 Net Profit/ Income before Tax ( A-(B+C)) 47,090 Amount of Tax (@30%) 14,127 Net Profit/Income after Tax 32,963 (d)(i) Calculation of Work In Progress at the end of AprilEstimated Overhead= $ 180,000Direct Labor Hour= 60,000 hrsOverhead Rate = Estimated Overhead/ Direct Labor Hour = 180000/60000 = 3 per hr Particulars Amount ( $) Opening Stock of Work In Progress 4,500 Add: Direct Material 2,600 Add: Direct Labor Hours (300*6) 1,800 Add: Overhead incurred (300*3) 900 Closing Stock Of Work In Progress 9,800 (ii) Calculation of Raw Material Purchased at the end of April Dr. Cr. Date Particulars Amount ( $) Date Particulars Amount ( $) 1st April To Opening Payment made 6,000 During April By Payment made 40000 During April To Raw Material Purchased 42,000 30th April By Closing Payment made 8,000 (Balancing Figure) 48,000 48,000 (iii). Calculation of Overhead Applied in the month of April Total Labor Hrs worked in April= 5,200 Overhead Rate ( As calculated in d(i))= 3 Overhead Absorbed/Applied in April (5200*3)l= $15,600 (iv.). Calculation of Cost of Goods Sold during the month of April Dr. Cr. Date Particulars Amount ( $) Date Particulars Amount ( $) 1st April To Opening Stock of Finished Goods 11,000 During April By Cost of Goods sold 84,000 (Balancing Figure) During April To Cost of Goods Manufactured 89,000 30th April By Closing Stock of Finished Goods 16,000 100,000 100,000 (v.) Calculation of Raw Material Used in the month of April Dr. Cr. Date Particulars Amount ( $) Date Particulars Amount ( $) 1st April To Opening Stock of Raw Material 12,000 During April By Raw Material Used 54,000 (Balancing Figure) During April To Raw Material Purchased 42,000 30th April By Closing Stock of Raw Material 0 54,000 54,000 (vi.) Calculation of Over or Under Allied Overhead Overhead Applied (As calculated in d(iii)) = $15,600Actual Overhead = $14,800Overhead Over applied = $(15600 14800) = $800 (e) Overhead comprise of indirect employees, indirect material cost and other indirect expenses which are not direct expense which are not directly identifiable or allocable to a cost subject economically feasible way. Overhead may be under-absorbed or over-absorbed.(Reinold, 2010) The under-absorption or over-absorption of overhead can be disposed off in cost accounting by using any of the following method:(THAKUR, 2009) Under- absorption or Over- absorption is to be treated by using supplementary rate. Under- absorption or Over- absorption is to be written off to Costing Profit Loss Account Under- absorption or Over- absorption can be carried. over to the next years account.If under-absorption or over-absorption is because of the management fault then such under-absorption or over-absorption will be transferred to Costing Profit or Loss Account. (Caplan, 2011)If under-absorption or over-absorption is because of seasonal variation then such under or over absorption of overhead shall be carried forward to the next accounting year. If under-absorption or over-absorption is because of change in price level then we will calculate supplementary rate and under-absorption or over-absorption with respect to unit sold will be transferred to Profit and Loss Account and under-absorption or over-absorption with respect to units in stock will be added to the value of stock.In the given case, in order to treat t he over-absorption of overhead the company should credit the Profit and Loss Account. References Arthur, J. (2010). Standard Costing: A Quick Look at the Top Advantages. Bright Hub , 1. Brierley, J. A. (2008). Understanding of the Sophistication of Product Costing . American Accounting Association , 1-3. Caplan, D. (2011). MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING: CONCEPTS AND TECHNIQUES. Organ State , 1. CO Mgbame, E. O. (2009). Product costing systems in Nigerian companies. Afrivan journal Online , 1. Compton, T. R. (2009). Activity-Based Costing. The CPA Journal , 1. Fisher, J. G. (2012). Product costing systems. The Jpurnal Of Corporate Accounting Finance , 1GAS Hoyle, K. H. (2010). Product Cost Flows in a Process Costing System. managerial Accounting , 1. Martin, J. R. (2012). Management Accounting: Concepts. Management And Accounting Web , 1-4.. Oracle. (2003). Concept of product costing. Peoplesoft. , 3-15. Osmond Vitez, D. M. (2011). Advantages Disadvantages of Process Costing. Chron , 1.. Per-Olov Johansson, B. K. (2010). A note on cost-benefit analysis, the marginal cost of public funds,. Environmental Economics , 1-6. Reinold, M. M. (2010). Concept relating to Overhead. PMC , 1-3. Scheid, J. (2010). Pros and Cons of Product Costing. Bright Hub , 1. Scheid, J. (2010). Standard Costing: A Quick Look at the Top Advantages. Bright Hub , 1. THAKUR, R. (2009). How to treat the under or over absorption in cost accounting. Articles.net , 1.

Saturday, April 11, 2020

Analyzing the Sample Final Essay For Philosophy

Analyzing the Sample Final Essay For PhilosophySome of the good parts in a final essay for philosophy include discussing a sample of final essay for philosophy written by a philosopher of the previous generation. We must always remember that we may be reading and following the work of someone that we do not personally know or even admire personally. What we may think is true, but we must do our best to verify.Sample essays tend to have great information in them. The writing style of a sample of final essay for philosophy may not be yours, but there is more opportunity to show your views on the subject and explain your reasons as to why you have written what you have written. It is a good idea to look at the sample and see how the writing appears and to check if it has the type of language we are looking for. This is where we need to trust our own interpretation of what we have read rather than rely on someone else's.If the writing sample you are using is from a very famous philosophe r you will be in for a treat. A famous philosopher writes the essay? Who is this person, the writers and editors, why did they write the way they wrote it and who were they to ask to do a sample for? It is worth knowing, because a famous writer can help you see some things you may not have noticed or thought about before.However, a writing sample may not always be used. Sometimes the examples the authors use are based on how they are presented in the essays of others. This can mean that the examples might not be so original and it might not be an excellent way to show you how to write.It can also be important to see how many examples have been used as a sample. There are so many examples out there with these essays that sometimes it can become difficult to see if a particular writing sample is really unique. The number of samples used can often give you the impression that the writer does not have the skill to come up with original content, as these samples are not original.Last but not least, you need to consider the style of the writing. Sometimes there is more chance that the style of the writing will be similar to other works, especially if the work is from the same person. This means that they may have done things differently, but because it is a style of writing you should try to put your own thoughts into it. A good example of this is when a writer uses poetic expressions that you may not like in a story, but you do not necessarily have to agree with the story.The good thing about a final essay for philosophy is that you can read a sample of one and see how it looks and feels to you. It can give you ideas on how to go about writing your own work. By studying a sample you can ensure that you have found something that is interesting and relevant to you and will make you think about what you want to say.

Sunday, March 8, 2020

Ethical Issue Whistleblowing

Ethical Issue Whistleblowing Abstract Whistle blowing is a courageous act of reporting misdoings of other people. This paper looks at the act in an engineering context, where an engineer raises concern about problems with a current system before or after a disaster. The actor hopes to prevent future disaster based on problems identified. The paper presents the case of Salvador Castro, an engineer with Air-Shields Inc. who discovered design flaws in his company’s product.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Ethical Issue: Whistleblowing specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The flaws had the potential to cause death to end users, yet reporting them to management did not cause the company to take corrective action. The paper analyses the ethical factors at play. It intends to explain why Castro ended up losing his job. The paper also provides recommendations for companies and individuals faced with such an engineering ethical dilemma to have me asures that ensure there is no victimization of whistle blowers or abuse of whistle blowing privileges. Introduction Whistle blowing refers to the action of reporting ethical behaviour of another person or other people. For the whistle-blower, the intention to report comes from the existence of conflicts in morality. The overall intention is usually to promote justice and fairness and have a positive outcome for the benefit of all stakeholders. On the other hand, those who are subjects of a whistle blowing case may feel betrayed, and the whistle-blower can be considered disloyal (Waytz, Dungan, Young, 2013). In engineering circles, whistle blowing can occur before and after a disaster happens. It usually involves the presentation of facts about a disaster, which will put blame on engineers. In cases where the reporting happens after an accident or disaster, the acts of whistle blowing still remains futuristic (Harris, Pritchard, Rabins, 2009). The aim of reporting is to ensure tha t the good of the public and other stakeholders is considered in future engagements.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In some engineering cases, there can be warnings about projects and other endeavours, but these may not qualify as whistle-blowing because they occur within the channels of communication used by the engineering community. Whistle blowing only happens when there is a clear deviation from the norm in reporting of ethical violations. The case presented in this paper is about a medical electronics engineering firm called Air-Shields Inc. that manufactures life support equipment for medical institutions. An engineer in the company discovers a design flaw and informs his supervisor so that the problem does not reoccur and cause untold damage in future. However, no one in the company takes any steps to remedy the situation (Kumagai, 2004). Case overvie w Kumagai (2004) reports the story of Salvador Castro, a medical electronics engineer who acted as a whistle-blower. Castro came to know that the design of one of the earliest incubators was faulty. Based on his engineering knowledge and role in the company, he immediately informed his supervisor of the problem. He explained the situation and its consequences, should the company fail to undertake corrective action. It would cost some money to fix the problem, and on the other hand, there was risk of patient death if the problem goes unfixed. When supervisors and no one else at the company seemed to pay attention to the dangers presented by the design flaw, Castro informed his superiors that he was going to inform the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) so that regulative action against the company would be taken. The intention of reporting to FDA was to save lives of patients that would rely on the faulty incubators. However, Castro’s actions were not well received by the company. His intention to report to FDA cost him his job. Castro faced an ethical dilemma of keeping his job by not reporting the design flaw, or going ahead to whistle blow and lose his job. On the other hand, Air-Shields Inc. had to consider making the recommended fix or dismissing the claims and face the risk of being accused of contravening engineering obligations to take actions that benefit health, welfare and security of the public (Kumagai, 2004).Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Ethical Issue: Whistleblowing specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A description of the engineering failure The persistent objective should be to protect the safety, health, and welfare of the public in any work done by engineers. Where there are abuses in areas that affect the public interest, an engineer is expected to speak out (Saini, 2012). Castro spoke when he discovered a design flaw. He did the right thing as an engineer. H owever, the company’s failure to address the flaw was an engineering failure, a deliberate mistake that increased the risk of death for innocent people. On the other hand, Castro made a mistake of not fully understanding how the system operates. Going directly to supervisors with the information was good, but it would also present trust issues with management. As a result, there were conflicts of interest. The company failed its ethical test by retaliating against Castro’s whistle blowing activities, instead of embracing required changes. An in-depth analysis of the major issues surrounding the failure Whistle blowing has moral complexities. An accusation and a retaliation both produce injury. Castro’s action to report the flaw threatened his career. Similarly, his actions also threatened the careers of other employees in the company. Thus, an analysis of the case reveals that there could be a situation where actions by the company against one individual, such a s Castro are meant to protect the careers of many other people, the staff members. The company needs to have a system of dealing with bad news about its manufacturing process. It needs to accommodate the findings by engineers that highlight errors in its products. The setup of safety and corrective mechanisms for its engineering and manufacturing processes is a moral requirement. If these systems were in place, then the reporting by Castro would be welcome. The company did not have a means of informing the public about its products. In such instances, the expectation by the public is that the company will issue a product recall, if the design flaw is very grave. Otherwise, it may issue a cautionary message. If the problem is not very serious, the company can fail to inform the public so that it does not create unnecessary panic. Nevertheless, it must undertake corrective action for the problem identified.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More An analysis of the ethical lapses When an engineer like Castro is making a whistle blowing attempt, he or she assumes that someone somewhere having the right authority will respond to the discovery. Such a response would arise because the person understands the moral importance of disclosure. In many cases, the whistle-blower puts this faith in the employer’s top management. This is a mistake. The action assumes that top management will be free of corruption. It also fails to consider the repercussions of the report. The action dramatizes the moral situation of many engineers who have the ability to detect problems that can affect the public. However, engineers must also develop the capacity to convince others to react. If Castro had the required skills in negotiating, persuading and allying with colleagues, he could have approached the case differently. He could have convinced many of his colleagues to consider the moral implications of the flaw and compelled the company to take action (Waytz, Dungan, Young, 2013). A formal communication channel that relies on the management levels of the company acted as an impediment to the overall effectiveness of whistle blowing. Communication to supervisors may have not been interpreted well (Harris, Pritchard, Rabins, 2009). The company needed an alternative feedback mechanism that allows different levels of management and technical departments to get information without allowing one level or individual to dictate message reception. If this were the case, some other managers or engineers would have taken up the case based on its moral principles and acted right. Another reason for the observed reaction to whistle-blowing in Castro’s case is that the valuation of fairness by the whistle blower was different from that of the company. Recommendations for actions Whistle blowers who receive heroic acclaim are rare. Practical, ethical reactions to whistle blowers in engineering may not always match expectatio ns of the whistle blower. It is important for both parties in the accusations to understand their motivations and work towards reducing the cost of their actions while they increase benefits to all parties involved. Companies should not just interpret whistle blowing as a disloyal action, especially when it happens through the available channels of organizational communication. The best way is for engineers at all levels of the organization to set up a brute force deliberate reasoning process that will override any tendencies of partiality or in-group favouritism (Waytz, Dungan, Young, 2013). This will ensure that all cases receive fair treatment and actions are based on facts and values of an organization. Such a system will also prevent abuse of whistle blowing privileges for personal vendettas. References Harris, C., Pritchard, M., Rabins, J. (2009). Engineering ethics: Concepts and cases. New York: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Kumagai, J. (2004, April 1). The whistle-blowers di lemma. Retrieved from IEEE Specturm: https://spectrum.ieee.org/at-work/tech-careers/the-whistleblowers-dilemma Saini, A. (2012, February 20). Social engineering. Retrieved from Engineering and Technology Magazine: https://eandt.theiet.org/ Waytz, A., Dungan, J., Young, L. (2013). The whistleblowers dilemma and the fairness-loyalty tradeoff. Journal of Experiemental Social Psychology, 49, 1027-1033.

Thursday, February 20, 2020

Photographer presentation- Martin Parr PowerPoint Presentation

Photographer - Martin Parr - PowerPoint Presentation Example They clearly reflect on their environment. A good example is shown in his book ‘Signs of the Times: A Portrait of the Nations Tastes’. (1992). He involved pictures of peoples’ homes, and used quotes below the pictures from this book. He has compiled very many photo books, which have taken long time to compile (Parr, 2012, p.78). There are several things that have contributed to his success in the field of photography. Firstly, he always focuses on sets, but not individual images. According to him, none of his individual photos was the favorite. This is because he has ne never focused on individual images, but he thinks of big collections as projects or sets. In a recent interview, Martin Purr said that he stopped focusing on single photos to be able to capture the minds of many people in the internet. Secondly, Martin Purr always adds statements on his photographs about the society. In every picture taken by him, there is a very strong statement that reflects on the society. This makes the photos interesting, funny, and depressing. Of late, he has been able to interject his thoughts and ideas into the photographs. This allows him to express his views about the society and the world at large. This documentary photographer is always obsessive. He includes inspiration and encouragement quotes in the sets of photographs and photo books that he collects. These inspirations add more attention to the viewer especially in the internet. Martin Purr is now at the age of 60s and has not stepped down even one bit. He still fights for popularity and commercial shoots, and this makes him travel the world for the mobilization (Dewi, 2005, p.89). Images taken by Martin Purr are always familiar. In a recent interview he explained that he does not possess a studio. However, he has an office in London but he does not visit the office regularly. He enjoys working at home where he preserves his photo books and other photographic collections. As technology

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

The futile Pursuit of Happiness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The futile Pursuit of Happiness - Essay Example There is a lot of truth in the article. Gertner states that we, "...will adapt to a pleasurable event and make it the backdrop of our lives". We see this everyday through our own lives. Children will quickly discard and neglect the Christmas toys that they had anxiously waited a month to receive. The toy does not have the lifespan or the energy of the anticipation for it. People buy a new car and soon find that the newness has worn off. Just as the glitter wears away from the Christmas toys, so does the grief from a tragic loss. Its easy to think you will never find a job as good as the one that just laid you off, but people are almost always pleasantly surprised by lifes fortunes. The mistake we often make in judging the happiness that we will receive from a given decision or event is generally due to our misunderstanding of where happiness lies. We may be unhappy due to our limited income. The thought of winning the lottery seems like it would make us ecstatic beyond belief. However, by logical examination, it would in all likelihood only result in greater unhappiness. If a modest amount of money made us unhappy, a large sum may make us miserable. How many of the things that make us unhappy could be changed with only money? The bills may be paid, but the underlying reasons for our unhappiness would persist. The author points out that we can train our emotions and in doing so make more rational decisions. A cooling off period to prevent buyers remorse may be rational, but it removes the excitement of making a new purchase. Analyzing our potential for happiness based on laboratory rationale takes away our propensity for risk. It reduces our courage and limits our innovation and invention. While it may be a practical approach to making decisions, it precludes the human nature of emotion. Evaluating our predicted happiness and basing our decisions on a calculated outcome may be more practical