How to Answer the 5 Most Common Interview Questions

How to Answer the 5 Most Common Interview Questions In a 1981 interview, TV journalist Barbara Walters famously asked actress Katharine Hepburn, â€Å"What kind of tree are you?† Ever since then, the tree question has been a byword for out-there interview questions. And while you probably won’t get any tree-based questions in your next job interview, you should be prepared for open-ended questions designed to test your readiness for a job. Here are some answers and strategies you should have in your pocket for when an interviewer asks you a question slightly outside of your resume.1. What are some of your strengths and weaknesses?Relax. The interviewer isn’t expecting a full audit of your personal failures or a speech about how you remind yourself of Mother Theresa and Mark Zuckerberg. When you’re asked about your strengths, make sure your answer is directly relevant to the job you’re interviewing for. If you’re interviewing for a sales position, mention your knack for turning a slammed door i nto a promising lead. Or if you’re under consideration for a management position, talk about how your leadership led your former group to its best year ever.For your weaknesses, don’t answer with something that will likely make the interviewer roll their eyes, like â€Å"I work too hard† or â€Å"I love my job too much.† Instead, be honest- but again, make sure it can be spun as a positive for the specific role you’re seeking. For example, instead of saying that you work too hard, say that you have a tendency to try to solve every problem that comes along.The key is to  make sure the interviewer knows you’re aware of your limitations. In this case, you could say that you tend to take on a lot, but that you’re aware of the need to work with the team to find solutions together instead of putting it all on one person. A little self-awareness goes a long way.2.  What was your reason for leaving your previous  job?Chances are, the in terviewer will ask you why you’re looking to leave your current job- or if you’re currently unemployed, why you left your last job. If it’s the former, stress that you’re seeking to grow by taking your skills and experience to the next level with this job. If it’s the latter, and you left your last job under less-than-ideal circumstances (like being fired), don’t panic. Emphasize that the job wasn’t a good fit for you, and you’re seeking a job that fits with your long-term goals (with a bit of explanation of what those are and how they relate to the job you’re trying to get).3. What are your salary expectations for this position?Asking what kind of salary you’re expecting may just be the interviewer’s way to determine what you expect from the job. It’s a risky question to answer- too high a salary, and they might think you’ll jump ship for the next high-paying opportunity that comes along. Too low, and that could impact the salary and benefits they propose to you as part of a job offer. It’s okay to punt this one a little- explain that you’re flexible on salary depending on the role and benefits package and would be happy to discuss that further in the future.4.  Tell me about yourself .When an interviewer asks you about yourself, this is not the time to talk about your hometown, your elementary school spelling bee trophies, or your allergies. They want you to cherry-pick your bio to show whether you’ll fit at their company, in their open  position. Here’s where a quick summary of your relevant education would come in handy, along with  an overview of jobs you’ve had in the field or other experiences appropriate to the job itself. This is something you can prepare ahead of time- just a few sentences outlining who you are as a professional and what makes you a strong candidate for the position.5. Tell me about a time you solved a d ifficult problem.Another popular interview tactic is to have the candidate tell a story about a time they demonstrated a particular skill, like problem solving. Before you go into the interview, think about the skills you’d like to emphasize and come up with a few (honest!) anecdotes about how you applied those in real life. Write them down, or at least jot down notes; that will help them stick in your head and make them easier for your brain to â€Å"grab† when you’re on the spot.If you do know what kind of tree you would be, great! You’re all set if that somehow comes up. Much more likely, you’ll see questions like these. The more you think about them beforehand, the more ready you’ll be to answer them like a pro.

How to Do the Flame Test

How to Do the Flame Test You can use a flame test to help identify the composition of a sample. The test is used to identify metal ions (and certain other ions) based on the characteristic emission spectrum of the elements. The test is performed by dipping a wire or wooden splint into a sample solution or coating it with the powdered metal salt. The color of a gas flame is observed as the sample is heated. If a wooden splint is used, its necessary to wave the sample through the flame to avoid setting the wood on fire. The color of the flame is compared against the flame colors known to be associated with the metals. If a wire is used, it is cleaned between tests by dipping it in hydrochloric acid, followed by a rinse in distilled water. Flame Colors of Metals magenta: lithiumlilac: potassiumazure blue: seleniumblue: arsenic, cesium, copper(I), indium, leadblue-green: copper(II) halide, zincpale blue-green: phosphorusgreen: copper(II) non-halide, thalliumbright green: boronpale to apple green: bariumpale green: antimony, telluriumyellowish-green: manganese(II), molybdenumintense yellow: sodiumgold: ironorange to red: calciumred: rubidiumcrimson: strontiumbright white: magnesium Notes about the Flame Test The flame test is easy to perform and does not require special equipment, but there are drawbacks to using the test. The test is intended to help identify a pure sample; any impurities from other metals will affect the results. Sodium is a common contaminant of many metal compounds, plus it burns brightly enough that it can mask the colors of other components of a sample. Sometimes the test is performed by viewing the flame through blue cobalt glass to strip the yellow color from the flame. The flame test generally cant be used to detect low concentrations of metal in a sample. Some metals produce similar emission spectra (for example, it may be difficult to distinguish between the green flame from thallium and the bright green flame from boron). The test cannot be used to distinguish between all metals, so while it has some value as a qualitative analytical technique, it must be used in conjunction with other methods to identify a sample.

Discussion Questions 2 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion Questions 2 - Coursework Example Achieving of these targets and thus successful strategy creation can be done through utilizing a series of â€Å"hows† that enables the company to plan its business growth, to meet customers’ needs and to prepare to the changing market conditions. The process of strategy implementation includes managing of operations aimed to achieve organizational goals and objectives. This part of converting strategic views into the concrete actions requires managers to direct organizational actions, be able to motivate people in order to meet the performance targets. A strategy is a distinctive way that allows the company to understand where it wants to be from the current situation, how to manage future direction and how to get there. It is also about how the company would be set apart from the rivals, respond to the changing market conditions, manage business, improve the performance gaps in order to achieve its competitive edge. These are the main conditions and reasons for the businesses to develop a strategy and why it is so important. Once a strategy is developed, an organization in ready to make decisions and involve stakeholders for future performance. As business model represents an economic spectre of making money, a viable business model allows an organization to have a material profit from its products and services but it also gives consumers a benefit from using them. Under such conditions, each part of the business, its owners and stakeholders, are satisfied with the outcome, which is profit for the company and good service or product for the

Korean Vs American Culture Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Korean Vs American Culture - Assignment Example Thus, they call them teacher (Sang-Hun 1). On the other hand, Americans greet their elders with either a handshake or a hug. It is also the same greeting between people of the same age since elderly base more on handshakes while the youths give many hugs. There is no particular tradition in America concerning greetings during New Year celebrations though most spend it together as a family. In America, the young address elders by their names and not considered offensive (Kim and Hong 63). The second difference of culture is that Korean students in elementary school go to school from 8 am to 3 pm. This is also the same for students in middle school. It changes when a student joins the high school where school starts at 6 am and ends at 6 pm. The students take a one-hour lunch break with a 20-30-minute break between one-hour classes. It is because one has to work extra hard to make it to college in Korea. There is much competition from people who want to join college. In America, school is strictly from 8 am to 4 pm. Americans have shorter breaks between classes compared to Koreans. Americans have greater opportunities to choose from so there is no pressure studying in order to go to college (Ford et al. 730). Food and type of meal are another cultural difference between Koreans and Americans. The Korean’s main dish is rice with a couple of side dishes. However, the most popular is Kimchi. This is a dish comprising a mixture of cabbage, fish, onions and much pepper. Koreans eat a lot of pepper in their food. There is another popular side dish Chopchae made of spinach, sweet potato, carrots, beef and different kind of spices. They also eat meat and pork covered with a lot of onions as a side dish. Americans, however, rarely have home cooked meals due to their busy schedules. It is easier for them to just eat out from fast food restaurants. Most Americans eat from McDonald's, Burger King and Domino.  The main kinds of food served in these places are burgers, chips and pizza (Ford et al. 730).  Ã‚  

Handling information Essay Example for Free

Handling information Essay QUESTION- ( 1.1 ) Identify legislations and codes of practice that relate to handling information in health and social care ANSWER In order to answer the question above I am going to explain the meaning of Legislations: Definition of the word Legislations. Noun 1) An officially elected or otherwise selected body of people vested with the responsibility and power to make laws for a political unit, such as a state or nation 2) The process of making or enacting laws: it will require legislation to change this situation Code of practice. Noun A set of guidelines and regulations to be followed by members of some profession, trade, occupation, organization etc.; does not normally have the force or law As a senior care worker it is very important to know the right to confidentiality is guaranteed partly by the Facts safety Act 1998, partly by the Human Rights Act 1998, and partly by principles established by judges on a case by case basis (the common law). The purpose of this code of practice The Health and Social Care Act 2008 requires us to publish a code that sets out the practice we will follow in obtaining, handling, using and disclosing confidential personal information. DATA PROTECTION ACT 1998 This legal document sets out eight principles which are in essence a code of good practice for processing personal data. These are Make sure that things are processed fairly and lawfully. Processed only for one or more specified and lawful purpose. Adequate, relevant and not excessive for those purposes This Code of Practice fulfills that requirement. We intend to be used in two main ways: †¢ By our staff, to set out how we will work and to provide a point of reference against which our practice can be judged. The Code will help us to continually develop policies, processes and training. These will, in turn, generate detailed guidance to our staff on issues relating to confidential personal information. As a senior care worker what we should and allowed to do Our functions (the jobs we were set up to do) include the registration of health and social care providers to ensure that essential standards of quality and safety are being met; reviewing and investigating the quality of the services we provide; and protecting the interests of people whose rights are restricted under the Mental Health Act 1983. Our main objective in performing our functions is to protect and promote the health, safety and welfare of people who use health and social care services. Schedule 9 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 allows us to help other public authorities to carry out their functions. This may include sharing confidential personal information with them where we think it is appropriate and in the public interest to do so. The Data protection Act 1998 sets out eight principles which are in essence a code of good practice for processing personal data. Our workplace policies and procedures will be based around those principles. The Human Rights Act 1998 details the right to a private life. There is also the GSCC code of practice for social care workers, which provides a clear guide for all those who work in social work, Failure to comply with conditions. A person who— (A) Is registered under this Chapter in respect of a regulated activity (whether as a service provider or manager), and. (B) Fails, without reasonable excuse, to comply with any condition for the time being in force by virtue of this Chapter in relation to the registration. Is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding  £50,000. Now I am describing the purpose of the Code of Practice The Health and Social Care Act 2008 requires us to publish a code that sets  out the practice we will follow in obtaining, handling, using and disclosing confidential personal information. This Code of Practice fulfills that requirement. We intend it to be used in two main ways: By our staff, to set out how we will work and to provide a point of reference against which our practice can be judged. The Code will help us to continually develop policies, processes and training. These will, in turn, generate detailed guidance to our staff on issues relating to confidential personal information. By our stakeholders (people who use services, careers, the public, providers of health and social care, and other regulatory bodies), to find out about the principles that they can expect us to follow, and to be reassured about our use of confidential personal information. The Office of the Health Professions Judge. (1)There is to be a body corporate known as the Office of the Health Professions Adjudicator (referred to in this Part as â€Å"the OHPA†). . (2)The OHPA is to have functions in relation to the professions regulated by— . (a)the Medical Act 1983 (c. 54), and . (b)the Opticians Act 1989 (c. 44). . (3)Schedule 6 (which makes further provision about the OHPA) has effect. Now I am explain a my life history about health and social care I just didn’t realize how important reading and keeping good records was until I started to support my son. When his support workers follow the information in him records he has a good day and keeps healthy. Following his detailed support plan around morning and evening care means that he starts and finishes the day well. Each day we write down what we have done and how things went. Because of my son’s medical needs we also keep daily records of him medication and seizures? This helps my son, his mum, and the doctors notice any changes in his health. My son’s keeps her own health records in his room for when he goes to the doctor’s and also in case there is an emergency. We explain to him each day about the other records we fill in. my son can see all of the records about him when he wants to; he has given permission for his mum to see most of the records too. We keep the records in a locked cabinet in the sleep-over room. My suggestion as a senior care givers we  will be dealing day to day with service users confidential information so it is very important and one our job roles is to understand the legislation and bring into practice especially, when we are handling or passing others the confidential information of our service users so therefore, Continue on a separate page if necessary QUESTION- ( 1.2 ) Summarise the main points of legal requirements and codes of practice for handling information in health and social care ANSWER In this question of the question I am going to Summarised the main points of legal requirements and codes of practice for handling information in health and social care under the DATA PROTECTION ACT 1998. The data protection act sets out 8 principles governing the use of personal information; Personal data shall be processed fairly and lawfully Personal data shall be obtained only for one or more specified and lawful purposes Personal data shall be adequate, relevant and not excessive Personal data shall be accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date. Appropriate technical and organizational measures shall be taken against unauthorized or unlawful processing of personal data and against accidental loss or destruction of, or damage to, personal data. Personal data shall not be transferred to a country or territory outside the European Economic Area, unless that country or territory ensures an adequate level of protection for the rights and freedoms of data subjects in relation to the processing of personal data. GSCC Code of practice The code of practice states social worker should/not respecting confidential information and clearly explaining agency policies about confidentiality to service users and carers Abuse the trust of service users and careers or the access, we have to personal information about them or to their property,  home or workplace Maintaining clear and accurate records as required by procedures established for your work. FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (2000) The Act provides a general right of access to information held by Public Authorities (PA). Anyone can request information from a PA and has the right to be told whether the PA holds the information, and if it does, to be provided with the information. Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA98) Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights establishes a right to ‘respect for private and family life’. This underscores the duty to protect individual privacy and preserve the confidentiality of health and social care records. Current understanding is that compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and the common law of confidentiality should satisfy Human Rights requirements. For more information please visit or Google it The legislation and the codes of practice that relate to handling of information in social care settings include; Date protection Act 1998 This law protects privacy of personal data unless a criminal offence arises that requires disclosure of certain information Caldecott standard This governs the sharing of information based on data protection amended in 2006 and 2008 Freedom of information Act 200 The Health and Social Care Act 1998 Mental capacity Act 2005 The Access to medical Reports Act 1988 The Care quality Commission Act (CQC) Standards of Quality and Safety The General Social Care Council (GSCC) These act gives authority to the Secretary of State for Health; the power to regulations, to authorize or require health services to disclose patient information, including data which is patient identifiable to support NHS activity in the interest of improving patient care or wider public interest. In addition the data may be used; To monitor diseases including communicate diseases or; For occupational purposes on medical research o as to improve the quality  of care or treatment or; To improve /monitor diseases or medical research; Promote good practice in handling information in health and social care settings Continue on a separate page if necessary QUESTION- ( 2.1 ) Describe features of manual and electronic information storage systems that help ensure security ANSWER I am describing below the features of manual and electronic information storage systems that help ensure security. Manual data: When not in use, files containing personal data should be kept in locked stores or cabinets to which only authorized staffs have access. Procedures for booking files in and out of storage should be developed, so that file movements can be tracked. Files should be put away in secure storage at the end of the working day, and should not be left on desks overnight. Electrical and others data Log out of computer when not working at desk Any discs containing data are securely kept in office Filing cabinets are protected when not in use Ensure telephone calls remain private, in office, door shut Ensure files are stored in the right order e.g. numerical/alphabetical Never discuss service users in front of others and only on a need to know basis Care plans are stored in secure office areas Personal data keeping with the help of electric A database is another example of a storage system: it enables large amounts of information to be kept in a series of records. These records will sort the information according to a set of values. For example, a database which contains employee information will have individual records of each employee. This will show their name, age, sex, date of birth etc. The most common form of database is the ‘relational’ database: as the name suggest, this is where records are grouped together because they share the same attributes. In other words, they have a relationship with each other. Information is also stored on the Internet. There are over 80 million web sites on the Internet at present and the number is growing. This information is held on large servers and when information is requested by a user it is retrieved either from a database or a server and sent to the user. This is called a ‘client-server’ relationship. Data Protection Principles (1) Personal data shall be processed fairly and lawfully. SOAS will ensure that data are obtained fairly, and will make reasonable efforts to ensure that data subjects are told who the data controller is, what the data will be used for, for how long the data will be kept and any third parties to whom the data will be disclosed. In order for processing to be fair and lawful, data which is not sensitive personal data will only be processed by SOAS if at least one of the following conditions, set down in the Data Protection Act, has been met: The data subject has given his/her consent to the processing. The processing is necessary for the performance of a contract with the data subject, or for taking steps with a view towards entering into a contract. The processing is required under a legal obligation other than a contract. The processing is necessary to pursue the legitimate interests of SOAS or of third parties, and does not prejudice the rights, freedoms or legitimate interests of the data subject. My suggestion to all, keep in mind all the time about the data protection which I have mention above in order to safeguard yourselves and as well as others failure to do so may result being prosecuted.

Virginia Woolfs A Room of One’s Own Essay examples -- Literature Room

In Virginia Woolf’s feminist essay â€Å"A Room of One’s Own,† Woolf argues that â€Å"a woman must have money and a room of her own† (16) if she is to write fiction of any merit. The point as she develops it is a perceptive one, and far more layered and various in its implications than it might at first seem. But I wonder if perhaps Woolf did not really tap the full power of her thesis. She recognized the necessity of the writer’s financial independence to the birth of great writing, but she failed to discover the true relationship to great writing of another freedom; for just as economic freedom allows one to inhabit a physical space---a room of one’s own---so does mental freedom allow one to inhabit one’s own mind and body â€Å"incandescent and unimpeded.† Woolf seems to believe that the development and expression of creative genius hinges upon the mental freedom of the writer(50), and that the development of mental fre edom hinges upon the economic freedom of the writer (34, 47). But after careful consideration of Woolf’s essay and also of the recent trend in feminist criticism, one realizes that if women are to do anything with Woolf’s words; if we are to act upon them---to write the next chapter in this great drama---we must take her argument a little farther. We must propel it to its own conclusion to find that in fact both the freedom from economic dependence and the freedom from fetters to the mind and body are conditions of the possibility of genius and its full expression; we must learn to ‘move in’: to inhabit and take possession of, not only a physical room, but the more abstract rooms of our minds and our bodies. It is only from this perspective in full possession of ourselves that we can find the unconsciousness of ourselves,... ...d imposing figure of a gentleman, which Milton recommended for my perpetual adoration, a view of the open sky† (34). In this, the message is clear: women’s perspectives of the world should not be framed by the figure of a man; we should not allow the limits of our minds to be dictated to us by a patriarchal social structure, nor should we allow ourselves to be defined by the function that is prescribed for our bodies. We should instead transcend the struggle to find our right relation to men, and move in to our own minds and bodies; regain possession of them, inhabit them, and from these rooms of our own we should look for our place, our room, our right relation to reality. Only then will our glances upward be greeted with an incandescent, unimpeded view of the open sky. Works Cited Woolf, Virginia. A Room of One's Own. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1989.

Financial Ratio and Costco

Acct Info for Decision Making Project on Costco Wholesale Corp. Costco Group 2012 History & Background Founded by  James (Jim) Sinegl  and  Jeffrey H. Brotman,  Costco opened its first warehouse in  Seattle, Washington, on September 15, 1983. Sinegal had started in wholesale distribution by working forSol Price  at both  FedMart  and  Price Club. Brotman, an  attorney  from an old Seattle retailing family, had also been involved in retail distribution from an early age. Wal-Mart  founder  Sam Walton  had plans to merge  Sam's Club  with Price Club.In 1993, however, Costco merged with Price Club (called  Club Price  in the Canadian province of  Quebec). Costco's business model and size were similar to those of Price Club, which was founded by Sol and Robert Price in 1976 in San Diego, California. Thus, the combined company, PriceCostco, was effectively double the size of each of its parents. Just after the merger, PriceCostco had 206 locations gen erating $16  billion in annual sales. PriceCostco was initially led by executives from both companies, but then Sol and his son Robert Price founded Price Enterprises and left Costco in December 1994.In 1993, when growing competition threatened both Price Club and Costco Wholesale, they entered into a partial merger just after Price’s earnings dropped to 40%. The new company, named PriceCostco, Inc. , focused heavily on international expansion, opening stores in Mexico, South Korea, and England. Despite best efforts to recover losses, sales continued to drop. Disagreement between the two leaders, Robert Price and Jim Sinegal, regarding company direction and recovery policies soon left the merger in tatters.In 1994, the breakup was formally announced. Sinegal continued to manage PriceCostco while Price’s breakaway company was named as Price Enterprises. The first Price Club location was opened in 1976 in an old airplane hangar,  previously owned by  Howard Hughes, and is still in operation today (Warehouse No. 401, located on Morena Boulevard in San Diego). In 1997, the company changed its name to Costco Wholesale and all Price Club locations were rebranded Costco. As of December 011, the Company operated a chain of 598 warehouses in 40 states and Puerto Rico (433 locations), nine Canadian provinces (82 locations), the United Kingdom (22 locations), Korea (seven locations), Taiwan (eight locations, through a 55%-owned subsidiary), Japan (eleven locations), Australia (three locations), and 32 warehouses in Mexico through a 50%-owned joint venture. Financial Highlights Net Revenue Year| 2012| 2011| 2010| Costco Net Revenue| 12,314,000| 11,176,000| 9,951,000| (Currency in USD) The net revenue of COST increase every year, it was a good sign.Year| 2012| 2011| 2010| Costco Net Income| 1,709,000  | 1,462,000| 1,303,000| (Currency in USD) COST did better in the following two years. And COST had most 40. 6 thousand dollars increase from 2011 to 201 2. Total Assets Year| 2012| 2011| 2010| Costco Total Assets| 27,140,000  | 26,761,000  | 23,815,000  | Costco Total Liabilities| 14,779,000  Ã‚  | 14,759,000| 12,986,000  | (Currency in USD) The total assets and liability of COST shows that the company purchased a lot of assets on its credit during these three years. That might be not a good sign, because COST might not have enough cash.Earnings per Share Year| 2012| 2011| 2010| Costco EPS| 3. 89| 3. 3| 2. 92| It’s increasing in every years. It means COST are profiting during every years so that they can paying the EPS. Financial Ratios Analysis Profitability Ratios 1. Return on Assets (ROA) Year| 2011| 2010| 2009| Costco| 5. 78%| 5. 69%| 5. 09%| Return on assets ratio is calculated by dividing net income by average total assets. Return on assets represents the cents in profits for every dollar of assets. This measures how efficiently and effectively the company uses its assets to generate profits.These numbers tell the ability of Costco to make profit. Costco has a positive net income so that its ROA is increasing past 3 years. 2. Return on Equity (ROE) Year| 2011| 2010| 2009| Costco| 12. 81%| 12. 50%| 11. 31%| The Return of Equity is calculated by dividing net profit by total shareholders’ equity. Return on equity measures a corporation's profitability by revealing how much profit a company generates with the money shareholders. The number above shows that Costco is with stable growth in past 3 years, however, ROE ;15% that will attract more investors to invest.Effectiveness Ratios 3. Asset Turnover Year| 2011| 2010| 2009| Costco| 3. 52| 3. 40| 3. 35| Asset turnover  is calculated as sales divided by average total assets. It measures  a firm's efficiency on using its assets to generate sale. The higher assets turnover is, tells the better the company does. Costco’s assets turnover tells us that it did a better job in 2011 because the ratio increased 0. 12 compared with 2010 which only grew about 0. 05. 4. Inventory Turnover Year| 2011| 2010| 2009| Costco| 12. 67| 12. 31| 11. 94| Inventory turnover is calculated as COGS divided by average inventory.It measures how many times per year the company sells its inventory. Firms with a low cost strategy want a high inventory turnover, while firms with a differentiation strategy will experience a lower inventory turnover. The ratios for Costco are increasing during the three years, and Costco seems to have done a better job in selling their inventory because it sells its inventory faster and faster. Liquidity Ratios 5. Current Ratio Year| Aug. , 2011| Aug. , 2010| Aug. , 2009| Costco| 1. 14| 1. 16| 1. 11| The current ratio is calculated by dividing current assets by current liabilities.This ratio measure if a firm has enough in current assets to cover his current liabilities. The current ratios for Costco have gone up during 2009-2010, and decreased during 2010-2011. However, the ratio is greater than 1 which means Costco has enough assets to cover his current liabilities. 6. Quick Ratio Year| Aug. , 2011| Aug. , 2010| Aug. , 2009| Costco| 0. 55| 0. 56| 0. 49| The quick ration is calculated by dividing the sum of cash, account receivable and short-term investment by current liabilities. As with the current ration, an analyst would want to see a minimum of one for the quick ratio.However, the number above shows that Costco’s quick ratio is under 1, which means that Costco is not doing well on its job. It might because Costco has a too big liability to its business or Costco has a less current asset to cover its liabilities. Solvency ratios 7. Long-Term Debt to Assets Year| Aug. , 2011| Aug. , 2010| Aug. , 2009| Costco| 0. 05| 0. 09| 0. 10| The long-term debt to assets is calculated by dividing long-term debt by total assets. This tells us that if a firm can pay its long-term debt. If a firm does not a ability to pay off its long-term debt, shareholder might be left with nothing.The lower long-term debt is the better ability a firm has to pay its debt. Costco is doing well by keeping the long-term debt ratio (average) around 0. 08, which means its assets will be enough to pay the long-term debt. 8. Debt to Equity Year| Aug. , 2011| Aug. , 2010| Aug. , 2009| Costco| 0. 10| 0. 20| 0. 22| The debt to equity is calculated as dividing total liabilities by total shareholder equity. It tests the ability of the firm to cover its interest payment. The higher the ratio is, the lower the likelihood of default.Costco’s debt to equity ratio is quite stable around 0. 10-0. 22 during 2009-2011. Summary According to Costco's 2011 annual report, the Costco Wholesale has a growing rate in making profits. It is one of the largest retailer stores in the global market. Unlike most retail operations, it has built its model around providing only what people want to buy quickly or in volumes that make up for its discounting practices. As the economy has slowed, the warehouse d iscount strategy has come into focus as the go-to source for both consumers and small business supply needs.Costco and its subsidiary companies are mostly like engaged in the operation of membership warehouses in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, through majority owned subsidiaries in Taiwan and Korea, and a 50 percent-owned joint venture in Mexico. Costco operates membership warehouses based on the concept that offering member’s low prices on a limited selection of nationally branded and private-label products in a wide range of merchandise categories will produce high sales volumes and rapid inventory turnover, management said in a recent filing.Here are the competitive advantages and disadvantages for Toyota based on our research data and analysis: Competitive Advantages: * Know their customer: Costco goes after a certain type of customer: small business owners who are status conscious and who have money to spend on bargain-priced premium ite ms like Dom Perpignan champagne, luxury watches and tech gadgets. * Deliver bigger value, not just lower prices: Costco doesn’t just offer low prices, it offers exceptional bargains on elegant, Treat customer service as an investment, not a cost to be shed: Costco has been criticized by some Wall Street analysts for their high labor costs –and Costco does pay their employees quite well Costco Wholesale SWOT Analysis Strengths: Costco Wholesale offers its customers and consumers lowest prices on a wide range of national and international branded products and goods, in a wide arrange of merchandise categories. The products and services of the Costco Wholesale are reliable as the company deals in best available quality products at competitive prices.The company pays attention to details and has various strengths that add to its success. These factors include rapid turnover of the inventory, running an efficient operating structure, reduced cost of handling of merchandise and generation of high sales volume at each of its store. Costco Wholesale gives preferences to it customers and provides them best value for the money. Weaknesses: Costco’s business conditions constantly change because external and internal forces make other business participants to alter their actions.The driving forces in this sector are the major underlying causes changing business and competitive conditions. Operating on a large scale means difficulty in bringing changes to grass root levels Opportunities Costco Wholesale is one of the first companies to have a growing acceptance of internet shopping. Costco created a website in the United States as well as website in Canada to be more effective and competitive in the internet market. The company is constantly working to make its distribution channels stronger and enter new potential markets.By offering value and working more towards developing a strong loyal customer base the company can gain more market share. Threats Warehouse clubs not only compete in one sector or market but it competes with a wide range of other types of retailers which include Wal-Mart Dollar General, supermarkets, general merchandise chains, specialty chains, fuel stations and internet retailers. Their competitiveness changes because the different types of products they deal in. Due to its tremors growth and growing market share, the company has caught the attention of many of the market leaders and its competitors.The industry of wholesale has a number of individual companies that are highly competitive and have very effective strategies. They have developed loyal customer bases and everyone is relentlessly fighting for the greatest market share. Costco’s major competitors include Wal-Mart. Recommendation 1. Develop more types of the products. The Costco involved every kind of products in the store, but we can see there are just few types of each product, so the optional become less and less.Every customer wants to the lower price at Costco, but they still want to have more choices on each product. And every single product just has the biggest packet so that it may cause to the waste. So the member of the Costco doesn’t have any choices to select the same product, such as the size, color and so on. 2. Improve the quality of the products. The strategy of Costco is the right products in the right place for the right price, but the right price should be with the good quality, but some customers said the quality of the clothes is not good.We cannot deny that most of the products have the good quality, but the company should check on every product, or just a little customers' unsatisfaction will influence all the customer's choice. 3. Increase the amount of the stores. The company has 600 locations wide world. In US, there are 433 locations. As an international global company, Costco should develop more location out of the United States so that it can open a new market in the world. For othe r countries, the customers are still inconvenient to purchase in the Costco. It will decrease the confidence of Costco's members.The Costco's strategy is the right products in the right place for the right price. If the members of other countries doubt the right place, the strategy will be broken. 4. Reduce the prices of some products. The company guarantees the low price and most of the products are, but we still can see a lot of products are more expensive compare to other stores, especially Jewelry. For most customers can understand that the high quality with the high price, but the huge amount of numbers, such as 12,234. 99 will make the members confuse to the strategy of the company

College Is A Waste of Time and Money Essay

Maybe it’s my age or my personality, but I really haven’t enjoyed many of the stories that we have had to read. To me, there is an extreme amount of negativity in them, especially in the titles. I think it would have been more interesting and relevant to read a current article on this subject, and not something written in 1975. While the basics are still in play, there have been a lot of changes over the years. The most notable difference would be the demographics that make up today’s student body. As an older, non-traditional student, I don’t consider it a waste of time or money, and I don’t think many others feel that way. There are so many people who would love to go to college, but are unable to for some reason. Although, I’m not familiar with how young people look at college today, I think a significant number likely look forward to the opportunity. I do agree with many of Ms. Birds findings. I don’t believe anyone should be force d to go to college. It should be entirely up to each individual. We still see many parents pushing their kids to continue their education, and often for good reason, but if the child doesn’t want to go, it should be their decision. At the age of 18, many are too young and confused, and don’t know what they want to do with their life. It’s also nice to have a break after 13 years of school. We will always have kids who will rebel, just for the sake of rebelling. I think a main cause of this for many students is too much pressure. They have all these standards to live up to, whether it comes from their parents, their siblings, other family members, or society. Some may take that rebellious attitude because they have trouble learning, and they don’t want anyone to know. They would prefer to look like a rebel than to look like a retard. I also agree with the lack of quality teachers, and being required to take many classes that have nothing at all to do with your major. A couple of years ago, I had an in-class accounting teacher who just read to us from the book. I’m thinking I’m coming here and paying for someone to read to me, I can read all by myself, I am looking for someone to teach me. My main focus is getting a degree, but I also truly enjoy learning. I definitely agree with her on college being too expensive. I think she would be shocked to see today’s prices, and I would be very interested to know what textbooks and tuition cost in her day. The kids back  then had some fear of campus violence. But horrors, like the Kent State shooting, were not the norm. Today, we are always seeing campus shootings. Although these seem to have become a way of life and can happen anywhere, it’s still quite scary for the students and may actually have the opposite effect of parents wanting to send their kids off to college. It also seems that hazing has gotten out of control on our campuses. Unfortunately, there is just such an overwhelming hatefulness in our world. There is another factor that may play into a lack of desire to go on to college. They can look at the many success stories of people who didn’t go to college, some who never even completed high school. These folks used hard work to become millionaires and billionaires. I think some people are more successful because of their charismatic personalities, which has nothing to do with their ability or their intelligence. The article I have included with my essay bot h contradicts and agrees with Ms. Birds perceptions. The traditional white male students must feel that college is a waste of time and money, but they are in the minority.

Free Essays on Henri Mattisse

Henri Matisse, celebrated as one of this century's greatest colorists, is also now recognized for the brilliant invention he brought to his sculptural compositions. Born in La Cateau-Cambrà ©sis, in northern France, Matisse first studied law before taking up painting at the age of twenty-one, and in 1891 he enrolled at the Acadà ©mie Julian in Paris. The following year he transferred to the École des Beaux Arts, where he studied under the great Symbolist painter Gustave Moreau. In 1899, Matisse was introduced to Andrà © Derain, who in turn introduced him to Maurice de Vlaminck. These artists shared a fascination with the tonal dynamics of Post-Impressionism; their vivid compositions increasingly gave color an emotive, independent, and antinaturalistic role. They exhibited together at the 1905 and 1906 Salon d'Automne, where their paintings created a sensation, leading one critic to refer to them as "Les Fauves" or "wild beasts." By 1909 Matisse shifted to a more serene style i n paintings, executed with broad color planes, simplified structures, and idyllic subjects. Matisse's first sculptures were created during his student years. Not surprisingly, his earliest figures were copies after small-scale academic bronzes. By 1900 Matisse had begun more ambitious compositions. His Serf, 1900-1903, took Rodin's The Walking Man as a point of departure. Where Rodin cropped the figure to emphasize the dynamism of the pose, Matisse chose to emphasize the static qualities of his standing figure. Over the next decade Matisse created a number of female nudes, variously rendered as standing and reclining figures, which reveal his careful study of the model. Unlike such contemporaries as Aristide Maillol, who consciously echoed classical archetypes, Matisse sought to render the female nude with a new immediacy, freed of art-historical conventions. The Backs are Matisse's most radical works in bronze. The figure, shown from the back, is executed in high re... Free Essays on Henri Mattisse Free Essays on Henri Mattisse Henri Matisse, celebrated as one of this century's greatest colorists, is also now recognized for the brilliant invention he brought to his sculptural compositions. Born in La Cateau-Cambrà ©sis, in northern France, Matisse first studied law before taking up painting at the age of twenty-one, and in 1891 he enrolled at the Acadà ©mie Julian in Paris. The following year he transferred to the École des Beaux Arts, where he studied under the great Symbolist painter Gustave Moreau. In 1899, Matisse was introduced to Andrà © Derain, who in turn introduced him to Maurice de Vlaminck. These artists shared a fascination with the tonal dynamics of Post-Impressionism; their vivid compositions increasingly gave color an emotive, independent, and antinaturalistic role. They exhibited together at the 1905 and 1906 Salon d'Automne, where their paintings created a sensation, leading one critic to refer to them as "Les Fauves" or "wild beasts." By 1909 Matisse shifted to a more serene style i n paintings, executed with broad color planes, simplified structures, and idyllic subjects. Matisse's first sculptures were created during his student years. Not surprisingly, his earliest figures were copies after small-scale academic bronzes. By 1900 Matisse had begun more ambitious compositions. His Serf, 1900-1903, took Rodin's The Walking Man as a point of departure. Where Rodin cropped the figure to emphasize the dynamism of the pose, Matisse chose to emphasize the static qualities of his standing figure. Over the next decade Matisse created a number of female nudes, variously rendered as standing and reclining figures, which reveal his careful study of the model. Unlike such contemporaries as Aristide Maillol, who consciously echoed classical archetypes, Matisse sought to render the female nude with a new immediacy, freed of art-historical conventions. The Backs are Matisse's most radical works in bronze. The figure, shown from the back, is executed in high re...

The Sociology of the Family Unit

The Sociology of the Family Unit Sociology of the family is a subfield of sociology in which researchers examine the family as one of several key social institutions, and as a unit of socialization from a variety of sociological perspectives. The sociology of the family is a common component of introductory and pre-university academic curricula, as the family makes for a familiar and illustrative example of patterned social relations and dynamics. Overview Within the sociology of the family, there are several key areas of inquiry. These include: Focus on the demographic makeup of families, and how this shifts over time or from place to place. For example, research has found that millennial adults are more likely to live at home with their parents than any other previous generation.How social class affects a family and how the family itself might help or hinder the social mobility of its members.Social dynamics within families, including the specific roles family members play in relation to one another, and what families do together on a daily basis and in the long-term. Those interested in this aspect will be fascinated by the findings of the American Time Use Survey, which took a close look at family dynamics.How social and economic change affects families.How the family as an institution interacts with other institutions and social organizations.The diversity that families and households take. How do sociologists approach some of these key areas? Family and Culture Within the sociology of the family, one area that sociologists examine is the cultural factors that shape family structures and family processes. For example, how gender, age, race, and ethnicity influence family structure, and the relationships and practices within each family. They also look at the demographic characteristics of family members across and within cultures and how they have changed over time. Family Relationships Another area studied under the sociology of the family is relationships. This includes the stages of coupling (courtship, cohabitation, engagement, and marriage), relationships between spouses through time, and parenting. For example, some sociologists have studied how differences in income between partners influences the likelihood of infidelity, while others have examined how education affects the success rate of marriage. The topic of parenting is a large one. It includes things such as the socialization of children, parental roles, single parenting, adoption and foster parenting, and the roles of children based on gender. Sociological research has found that gender stereotypes influence parenting even when children are at a very young age, and manifests in a gender pay gap for childrens chores. Sociologists have also examined whether being in a same-sex couple affects parenting. Alternative Family Forms Alternative family forms and singlehood are other topics examined under the sociology of the family. For example, many sociologists study the roles and influence of family members beyond the nuclear family, such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, godparents, and surrogate kin. Marital disunions are also studied, as divorce rates have risen over the past several decades. Family Systems and Other Institutions Sociologists who study the family also look at how other institutions affect and are affected by family systems. For instance, how is the family affected by religion and how is religion influenced by the family? Likewise, how is the family affected by work, politics, and mass media, and how are each of these institutions affected by the family? Edited  by Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D. Source: Unknown. American Time Use Survey - 2017 Results. Bureau of Labor Statistics, June 28, 2018, Washington, D.C.

Western Worldview on Environment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Western Worldview on Environment - Research Paper Example For example, greenhouse gases that diminish the ozone affect the weather system which in turn affects the lives and homes of people. A hurricane can put out electrical power for several weeks leaving thousands without the ability to heat their homes, store food, and function in the ways they have become accustomed to. People need to stop thinking of only themselves and realize that each one of us is a part of a larger whole. To that whole we each have a responsibility as a member, but it also may turn out that by being environmentally conscious our own lives are also improved. One part of subscribing to the western worldview is the expectation of acquisition. One is reminded of this expectation especially at this time of year when the dominant image is of shopping and acquiring goods. At one time I subscribed to the idea that buying stuff was good: good for me who got stuff, and good for the economy because it helped to keep jobs and move money around. When the economy recently slowe d down, I heard a lot of people talking about getting by with less by recycling and reusing. I started thinking of ways I could participate. Chris Johnstone of the Deep Ecology Institute explains it as â€Å"a holistic approach to facing world problems that brings together thinking, feeling, spirituality and action. It involves moving beyond the individualism of Western culture towards also seeing ourselves as part of the earth. This leads to a deeper connection with life, where Ecology is not just seen as something 'out there', but something we are part of and have a role to play in† (Johnstone). Reusing and/or recycling as a system depends upon and affects the economy as a system and so forth. Admittedly my motive was to save money, but that motive grew as I started thinking of ways to stretch my dollar by being environmentally savvy. For instance, I found out that I actually prefer to wear jeans dried on the clothes line over jeans dried in an electric dryer. However, when I have to use my dryer, I leave the kitchen door open so it helps to heat my kitchen. I also cut down on the use of both my washer and my dryer by wearing my jeans more than once before I wash them. Besides saving money and energy using my dryer and my clothes line, I also stopped driving my car to the store and started riding my bicycle. I have to make more trips more often, but I am not using an energy source other than the one I generate, and by moving about under my own steam instead of some dead dinosaur’s, I am improving my health and my physical appearance. So, the health of the earth’s inhabitants as a system depends upon the environmental system. Last year I started a compost pile in my yard, so when spring rolled around I had some free fertilizer which I added to some dirt. Then I planted tomatoes, green beans, and some peppers in the pile of dirt and compost. I got to eat fresh veggies all summer. Again my health is improved by improving the soil (the earth ) and the interrelated systems of the natural world demonstrate dependence on each other. Some people believe that they are excluded from being a part of the whole when it comes to environmental consciousness. These people are Christians. As a child I was taught that Jesus was going to return to earth and take all the believers to heaven with him. This was supposed to happen at any moment, so there was no reason for preserving the natural resources because the world would not be around much longer. I no longer believe that, but many people do and that causes these people to discount the importance of preserving the environment. Unfortunately, if anyone dares to speak out against this policy, others would accuse them