Rapid Response to Natural Disasters

Rapid Response to Natural Disasters Rapid Response[c1] One of the most important features of logistic support management is a quick response following a natural disaster. With the recent improvement of information technology, the logistical operation has been able to be conducted on time and the delivery of the required materials to the victims has been more efficient than ever. A rapid response towards the natural disaster is crucial in order to minimize the damage being done and also reduce the number of lives lost, especially in the aftermath, which could be due to lack of medical coverage or insufficient food or water. This is why transportation method such as land, air and water transport is the most important before, during and after the disasters struck. In providing a rapid response towards a disaster, there come certain challenges with it such as[1]; Relocating critical equipment and commodities when a disaster warning is given Relocating[c2] the critical equipment and commodities needs to be carefully structured and planned as it needs to as far away as possible from the disaster location, to be completely safe from its effect radius. But it needs to be as close as possible to the disaster in order to provide a quick relief to those who are affected by the disaster. (suggestion buat assessment tentang disaster effect radius, and put away from that radius) Evacuation plans If[c3] a disaster struck a nation in all of a sudden, the people will all be still in the location and facing the disaster as it happens. This kind of situation will require a perfect evacuation plan as it involves a massive chaos and difficult to get things done in order. A chaotic situation is an already badly struck location will cause further damage and an increasing number of loss as it hastens the process of rescuing the people and providing an effective disaster aid. (suggestion – training and educating people about evacuating safely and in order. Rehearsal) Clearing path for the movement of people and materials after the disaster Related[c4] to the evacuation plans is the path or road being used to move the people out of the disaster area, as it might not be as in good condition as it were before. It might be congested with traffic of the people wanted to get out of the area, or full of rubbles from the destructions of the buildings and facilities, or being filled with mudslides or submerged in floodwater. These are the problems faced when a disaster relief operation is trying to provide a rapid response towards a disaster. (suggestion ) Method and procedures in the movement of casualties As[c5] a disaster struck, it normally causes a lot of casualties, with most of them involving major injuries that may lead to death. As rapid response is aiming towards reducing the number of death, it requires a proper management in terms of the method and procedures of dealing with the casualties. Not all personnel involved in the disaster aid relief operation are well trained with the procedures as it also involves volunteers from around the world. Though their intention is good, it may also hasten the process and thus the effort of trying to provide rapid response in diminished. (suggestion – provide more training for volunteering bodies around the world of a standard operating procedure and methods being used) Bringing in rescue and repair team, together with their facilities and equipment Transport In the event of a disaster, the resources needed as part of a relief operation must be transported to the affected area as quickly as possible to attend to the casualties and also reduce the number of death and prevent further damages to that area. But providing the amount of transport for all that in such a short time is a big challenge as part of the logistic support group. It is key to use whatever transportation left in the affected area, especially as bigger and better transport from outside is being delayed with the route being cut off as a result of the disaster. And getting the cooperation from the agencies, companies or any organization with any method of transportation is also a challenge as it might involve funds, assets and other matters that need time to be coordinated. (suggestion deal with local organizations, agencies or companies as part of their own disaster plan) (suggestion – create a networking system between all agencies and organizations for cooperation in terms of transportation to increase the efficiency of the relief operations) Coordination and Collaborations Dealing with the event of a natural disaster, it is hard for the affected nation to handle the matter on its own, as their system is crippled and the organization is in chaos. This is why it will need help and support from other nation, especially their neighboring countries or member countries of a regional organization. During a disaster relief, part of the logistic matter is moving and distributing the commodities in as short time as possible to the victims, and this normally involves huge transportation coordination and is a very expensive matter. And certain processes or procedures are too complex to be used in such a critical time where everything needs to be done in such a short space of time. (suggestion – more detailed cooperation between member countries of any organization must be made (OIC, NAM, etc.), not focusing only on regional organization. Better coordination brings better process standardization – better cooperation and better results) (suggestion – information sharing on the critical needs, then easier to coord) Undestanding Environments For the coalition or regional organization, a disaster relief operation mostly involves working in a very different environment and also limited to several constraints. For example, in a disaster that involves conflicts, the distribution and transportation of goods might not be as smooth as it should be. Even with good conditioned roads and transport vehicles, they might me susceptible to attacks, ambushes or mines. Their supply center and relief workers might also be targets for these attacks, which might hamper the process of reaching out to the victims. Political situation might also pose a problem to the success of the relief operation as different groups tries to take advantage of distribution process in the name of their own organization for political gains. Though it has nothing to do with the disaster relief operation organization, it does hamper the initial objective of delivering the goods as quickly as possible to the right community. (suggestion – local capabilities must be identified, as the utilization of their capcities will provide benefits to the relief operation. must identify mana proses yg boleh cepat, mana yg akan lambat. Siapa yg boleh tolong, siapa yg akan menyusahkan.) Sustenance Support Even though the initial support or relief is crucial in saving lives and minimizing damages, it needs to be sustained for a longer period of time in order for it to be completely functioning as it is supposed to be. Resupplies must be coordinated so that the right amount is delivered, as it might vary from the initial quantity and specifications, as adjustments on the commodities are being made from time to time. (suggestion – after receiving the initial support, local authorities must work out the on adjustments and on providing resupplies. Not totally depending on supports from others only.) Packaging xxx (suggestion The aspect of the logistic support that must be given the importance is the Packaging of commodities. Handling equipment, determine the bulk of the unit package should be done accurately as to protect it from damaging. However, Storage and transport circumstances determine the strength of the package unit. For example medicines in plastic bottles survive rough road transport. Other related aspect that should be kept in mind is Shelf-life Climate, Spoilage, Pest resistance (FEMA, 2013, NDMA, 2010). Protecting Important Provisions After the episode of disaster large-scale, relief logistics require consistent and sustained supplies of critical and fast-moving products such as fuel, oil, lubricants, tires, and essential spare parts. In addition, expansion of an operation requires shipments of high value specialist equipment. The time of disaster condition is critical any need may rise therefore before during and after the disaster the protection, handling and provision of the related supplies must be done carefully, such as; Fuel import, refining, and storage, Materials handling and storage at ports , Unloading and bagging equipment, container handling, and secure Storage, Handling and storage at Airport , Storage at developing regional airfields, local assembly and secure packing of tires and spares parts ( UNDP, 2006; NDMA, 2010). Security Time taken to get clearance or permission will cause delay. Commercial airfields ports might be damaged as a result from the disaster. So need to use unconventional ways such as military infrastructure as nearest point of entry. This will need special clearance requires more time to get permissions Security arrangements should be reviewed as soon as the disaster hits. Access to some routes and airfields may be destructed to reach the location or clearance and permits may be needed by the logistic supply teams, especially in emergencies. Hence, Arrangements should be made to obtain the relevant documents before, rather than after, the onset of a disaster (Iqbal et al., 2007; UNDP, 2006). Distribution Distribution of products to victims at the disaster location is distinct from transport and handling bulk package of commodities. The assignment of distribution is commonly decentralized to a distinct agency. It includes the physical and non-physical transfer or distribution from their point of production to the point at which they made available to the victims. The effectiveness of distribution systems depends largely on how recipients are selected and identified in the first place. Often this is a complex and highly political activity, over which external implementing agencies has only limited influence (UNDP, 2006). Bibliography United Nation Development Program (UNDP). (2006). Logistics: Disaster Management Training Program. New York. [1] UNDP. (2006) [c1]Dah siap rephrase [c2]Yang nombor (i) semua chong sendiri..nak kena bubuh reference ke? [c3]Yang nombor (i) semua chong sendiri..nak kena bubuh reference ke? [c4]Yang nombor (i) semua chong sendiri..nak kena bubuh reference ke? [c5]Yang nombor (i) semua chong sendiri..nak kena bubuh reference ke?

America’s Failing Public Schools: Charter Schools Are Not the Solution

America’s Failing Public Schools: Charter Schools Are Not the Solution    It was with wild fanfare that the state’s Republican legislature and Republican Governor enacted their reforms for the state’s public school system. Among the panaceas was charter schools, a ‘90s education fad that gives individual parents the right to send their children to state-approved public charter schools at public expense. Politicians reasoned that less-bureaucratic charter schools would teach students better than traditional public schools because charter schools wouldn’t be subject to the same mandates that the state had heaped upon public schools. Furthermore, traditional schools would be forced to compete with charter schools as they lured thousands of students and millions of dollars away from traditional public schools. Competition from charter schools would then lead to all-around better schools in the state as traditional public schools improved themselves to remain competitive with the cutting-edge charter schools. The charter school program aimed to allocate educational resources via market mechanism by shifting towards freedom of contract. However, the plan unfairly mixes individual decision making with the expenditure of public tax dollars. Moreover, the competition through which legislators sought to improve education throughout state schools has failed to materialize as students enrolled in Michigan charter schools remain a drop in the bucket. In this paper, I will show how the charter school movement represents a limited shift towards freedom of contract and explain why this shift is unfair to the taxpayers of the state of Michigan. Further, I will argue that the market mechanism has not yet become a factor in public educa... ... other today, but as the numbers indicate, an effective market for K-12 education is a long way off. Personally, I do not believe that the salvation lies in charter schools or an individualist approach to educating children. Instead, I think it takes a village, or even the entire state, to come together as a community and reach consensus on ways to improve the existing educational infrastructure in the state, i.e., traditional public schools. Granted, needs are not the same across the board, but there are innovative programs that have worked in some areas that could be successfully repeated in other areas. Competition is not the salvation. Cooperation is the means by which we will improve schools in Michigan. In the words of one Michigan educator, â€Å"We should not waste our time implementing schools of choice, we should work to create choice schools in Michigan.†

The Major Profitability Ratios

The major profitability ratios are: 1. 1. 1. 1RETURN ON CAPITAL: Describes the earning capacity of the enterprise and it is measured by the following ratio: Profit before interest and taxation Average operating Assets The Return On Capital ratio measures how well the average operating assets (assets such as debtors, cash, fixed assets, stock) are generating the company s income, and is indicative of the management techniques applied by the company to utilise its assets. A poor income rate of return could indicate that valuable assets are under utilised.As a result of this problem, an enterprise, which shows a negative Return on capital could be under the influence of poor management. The earning capacity of XYZ Limited for 1998 and 1999 |Ratio|2000|1999|1998|Comments| |||||| Return on|||||| Capital|NPBT|100|88|70|| |Av. OA|(286 + 230) 2|(230 + 162) 2|(162 + 144)|Industry ave| ||100 x 100|88 x 100| 2|| ||258|196|70 x 100|| ||38, 76%|44, 9%|153|| ||||45. 7%|| |||||| I N T E R P R E T A T I O N : XYZ Limited s return on capital declined from 45. 7% in 1998 to 44. 9% in 1999.This decrease is mainly due to the increase in assets, but further investigation is required to analyse the extent of this decrease. The decrease continued further from 44. 9% in 1999 to 38. 76% in 2000. Again this decrease is due to an increase in assets. The question that arises therefor is: â€Å"Is this phenomena as a result of mismanagement of assets, or just because XYZ Limited is starting up and still growing? † Additional investigation would be required to analyse the extent of the decrease. 1. 1. 1. 2NET PROFIT RATIO: The primary objective of an enterprise is to make a profit.Profit is earned from sales and serves as an important measure of return of capital. The Net Profit percentage can be measured by the following ratio: Net Profit Sales This Net Profit Ratio measures the overall effectiveness of the enterprise s operations, before interest, tax and other non-â€Å"operati ng† items. The shortfall of this ratio in terms of its effectiveness is perhaps the fact that its usefulness is limited to comparisons with other companies. In addition, there is no guideline as to what the ideal absolute value should be. Changes to the Net Profit % can be influenced by one of two components, viz. – Gross Profit Percentage Operating Expenditure In addition, the percentage of sales consumed by operating expenses (i. e. Gross Profit % – Net Profit %) is often indicative of management efficiency in controlling operating costs. Disciplined management techniques, for example, by cutting costs can lead to two consequences, viz. : – A more profitable enterprise An efficiently operating enterprise The Net Profit % of XYZ Limited is as follows: – Net Profit % Margin|2000|1999|1998| Net Operating Income|100|88|70| Net Sales|900|800|700| |11. 11%|11. 00%|10. 00%| |||| I N T E R P R E T A T I O N :The Net Profit Percentage Margin increased steadily in proportion to the Gross Profit percentage during the horizon of 1998 to 1999 (10% to 11%). This improvement in the enterprise s return on capital indicates that a proportionately greater profit was earned from sales in 1999 that in 1998. The crux of the matter, however, is not yet known whether this improvement is as a result of larger Gross Profit or lower expenses. Further analysis would be required. During the period of 1999 to 2000 the Net Profit Percentage Margin increased by a further 0. 11% (11% in 1999 to 11,11% in 2000).Again this improvement can be ascribe to an improvement in the enterprise s return on capital. And as noted in the previous horizon, it cannot be determined whether this improvement is as a result of larger Gross Profit or lower expenses. Further analysis would be required. 1. 1. 1. 3Gross Profit % Margin Gross Profit % is an indication of the return of the enterprise s core business. The Gross Profit percentage can be measured by the following r atio: Gross Profit Sales The Gross Profit percentage ratio may be difficult to calculate, as many companies do not disclose their Gross Profit figures.This ratio measures the overall profit margin the enterprise is making on the goods it sells. Perhaps a weakness of this ratio is that by disclosing this type of information a company could potentially expose itself to its competitors. Changes in the Gross Profit % can be influenced by the following factors: Change in markup – changes in the selling prices of goods, or possibly trade discounts will have a direct impact on the GP margin. Sales Mix – an enterprise may deal with numerous different products, which have different mark-ups, and as a result, the sales mix will have an influence on Gross Profit % margin.A changing sales mix should be ascertainable from the segment report (if prepared) by the enterprise. Inventory theft – the theft of inventories would cause unequal quantities of inventories to be reflec ted as sales and cost of sales, and will definitely have a negative impact of the GP margin. The Gross Profit % of XYZ Limited is as follows: – Gross Profit Margin|2000|1999|1998| Gross Profit X 100%|300|256|210| Sales|900|800|700| |33. 33%|32. 00%|30. 00%| |||| I N T E R P R E T A T I O N : During the period 1998 to 1999, XYZ Limited s Gross Profit percentage margin increased from 30. 3% in 1998 to 32. 9% in 1999.Changes in Gross Profit from one period to the next may be influenced by an increase in sales volume, but further analysis would be required. During the period 1999 to 2000, XYZ Limited s Gross Profit percentage margin increased by 1,1% (from 32. 0% in 1999 to 33. 3% in 1999). A closer look into the enterprise would be required to analyse the following factors: – Higher selling prices Lower purchasing prices Incorrect inventory counts Stricter prevention or loss control policies For obvious reasons, this type of analysis is only possible if the unit selli ng price and the costs are known. 1. 1. 1. Return on Equity (ROE) Return on Equity is measured by the following ratio: Net Profit After Tax Total Equity Return On Equity (ROE) is an indication of good or bad the shareholders prospered during the year. The objective of any enterprise must be to yield sufficient returns in line with the risks taken on by the owner. In addition, the Return on Equity ratio also gives the investor an idea of the sort of return of investment he/she is achieving. This can be compared with returns on alternative investment opportunities such as savings accounts, gilts, and fixed properties. The ROE of XYZ Limited is as follows: –Return on Equity200019991998 Net Profit After Tax|56|48|33| Total equity|186|154|102| |30. 11%|31. 17%|32. 35%| |||| I N T E R P R E T A T I O N : During 1998 the Return on Equity ratio, as calculated above, indicated that for every rand in equity XYZ Limited generated 32. 35 cents in profit. Also noticeable is that during 19 99 and 2000 this profit was measured as 31,17 and 30. 11 respectively. Apart from the fact that there was a mediocre decline in percentage over the three-year period, nothing signifies that the company is undergoing stress in terms of the ROE figures. Thus no further analysis would be required. . 1. 1. 5Earnings Per Share Describes the earning per share of the entity and it is measured by the following ratio: Earnings Per Share Total Equity Earnings Per Share indicates the value of the company s share as perceived by the market. The higher increase in value, the higher the favourable perception of the enterprise. The EPS of XYZ Limited is as follows: – Earnings Per Share|2000|1999|1998| Net Profit After Tax|56|48|33| Number of Shares Issued|10|10|8| |R5. 60|R4. 80|R4. 13| |||| I N T E R P R E T A T I O N : XYZ Limited s earnings per share favourably increased over the three horizons from R4. 3 (1998), to R4. 80 (1999), to R5. 60 (2000). This steady increase in share value ove r the three-year period is indicative of the higher favourable perception of XYZ Limited s 1. 1. 1. 6P/E Ratio Describes Price/Earnings per share capacity of the entity and it is measured by the following ratio: Price Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Per Share indicates the internal growth of an enterprise. The P/E ratio also signifies how much investors are willing to pay per rand of current earnings. Furthermore, an increase in P/E usually indicates that an enterprise shows potential for future growth.The P/E Ratio of XYZ Limited is as follows: – P/E ratio|2000|1999|1998| Price per Share|28|20|16| Earnings Per Share|6|5|4| |5. 00|4. 17|3. 90| I N T E R P R E T A T I O N : The Price/Earnings per share for XYZ Limited steadily increased over the horizons of 1998 (3. 90) to 1999 (4. 17); an increase of 0. 27. This increase is healthy for the company as it reflects it as a growing capability. However, since XYZ Limited is in its start-up phase this increase is understandable. The Price/Earnings per share for XYZ Limited, again, steadily increased over the horizons of 1999 (4. 17) to 2000 (5. 00); an increase of 0. 3. What is interesting to note is that this internal growth suggests that perhaps it is one of the contributory factors, which influenced the negative trend in the return of capital and since the company is relative new, growth is inevitable. 1. 1. 2 Liquidity Ratios Liquidity ratios, in essence, measure the ability of the enterprise to pay its bills on time. In other words, the more liquid an enterprise possesses, the more able it would be in terms of paying its bills. In addition, Liquidity ratios also measure the management of a firm s ability to employ working capital. The major liquidity ratios are: Current Ratio Acid-test Ratio Stock Turnover days Creditors payment ratio 1. 1. 2. 1Current Ratio The Current ratio measures the amount of times the company s assets cover its liabilities. Current liabilities consist of creditors who must be paid in cash in the short term. Current assets mainly consist of stock, debtors, and cash. The calculation of the current ratio is as follows: Current Assets Current Liabilities There is no generic rule of thumb about what the figure should be, but generally speaking, an acceptable ratio usually computes between 1 and 2, even though this may vary from industry to industry.The significant thing about the current ratio is that it is used to make comparisons, rather than an absolute measure of liquidity. As a short-term ratio, it makes sense, due to the fact the company s liquidity in the short term depends upon whether it has enough current assets to pay its current liabilities. Another important aspect of the Current Ratio is that it is an important tool for creditors and bank managers (in the case of overdrafts) as signifies that the company can make the commitment to its lenders. The current ratio could also be used in terms of risk management in the event of a negative trend in t his ratio.For example, if the rate at which the company s assets are converted into cash is slower than that of the repayment of the company s creditors, there would be liquidity problems in that enterprise. The Current ratio of XYZ Limited is as follows: – Current Ratio|2000|1999|1998| Current Assets|186|110|22| Current Liabilities|70|36|20| |2. 66 : 1. 0|3. 06:1. 0|1. 10:1. 0| |||| I N T E R P R E T A T I O N : The Current ratio for XYZ Limited during the period 1998 to 1999 increased considerably from 1. 10:1. 0 to 3. 06:1. 0. The poor acid-test ratio in 1998 indicated that the company had experienced problems.This is obviously not the case due to the fact that the enterprise was just starting up. Another observation of this particular horizon is that it signifies that in 1999 the company expanded (grew) substantially since its inception – which contributed to the enormity of the gap. During the period of 1999 to 2000 the current ratio of XYZ Limited expectedly â₠¬Å"levelled-out† from (3. 06: 1. 0) to (2. 66:1. 0); and even though it is still above the industry norm (2:1). Even though this horizon indicates that XYZ Limited has the capabilities of servicing long-term debt and current liabilities, it must still be viewed with caution. 1. 1. 2. Acid Test Ratio The Acid-Test ratio (or sometimes referred to as the Quick ratio) is a more severe form of the current ratio where current assets are readily converted to cash are calculated as a proportion of the current liabilities. The calculation of the Acid-test ratio is as follows: Current Assets – Stock Current Liabilities The Acid-test ratio also compares current assets to current liabilities, but removes stock from the assets, since stock is usually the least liquid of all the assets and the most difficult to convert into cash. This ratio, in fact, gives us a more accurate assessment of the liquidity of the enterprise.A quick ratio of 1:1 would be considered as the norm , but may v ary from industry to industry. The Quick ratio of XYZ Limited is as follows: – Acid Test Ratio|2000|1999|1998| Current assets – Stock|120|70|7| Current Liabilities|70|36|20| |1. 71:1. 0|1. 94:1. 0|0. 35:1. 0| |||| I N T E R P R E T A T I O N : The Current ratio for XYZ Limited during the period 1998 to 1999 increased considerably from 0. 35:1. 0 to 1. 94:1. 0 respectively. The poor acid-test ratio in 1998 is indicative of the fact that the company was in its infancy stage and was probably committed to its lenders.XYZ Limited then somewhat leap-frogged in 1999 to a more favourable position due its debtors recovery. During the period of 1999 to 2000 the quick ratio of XYZ Limited declined marginally from (3. 06: 1. 0) to (2. 66:1. 0) respectively; and even though it is still above the industry norm (1:1). The decrease in XYZ Limited s quick ratio could be ascribed to expansion in operations and growth and even though was still able to meet its short-term commitments. 1. 1. 2. 3Stock turnover days The calculation of the stock turnover days is as follows: Average inventory X 365 Cost of salesThe inventory stock days calculates the sales an enterprise contains in its year-end inventory. The most efficient scenario would be to have no inventory holding, but is impractical, as it would make an enterprise inoperable. It would therefor be considered as a management inventory control policy. The Stock turnover days ratio of XYZ Limited is as follows: – Stock Inventory Turnover Days|2000|1999|1998| Ave inventory X 365|66|40|15| Cost of sales|600|544|490| |40. 15|26. 84|11. 17| I N T E R P R E T A T I O N : It is interesting to note that during the period 1998 and 1999 this figure for the stock turnover days seemingly increased by 25. 7 days (from 11. 17 days in 1998 to 26. 84 days in 1999). This increase in the number of days could be as a result of growth or due to stock holding. XYZ Limited showed an increase in the number of days for the horizon 1 999 (26 days) and 2000 (40 days). This negative trend over this period and the previous horizon could be misleading and potentially indicates that stock piling occurs. It is difficult to assess this condition as the company could be in the process of delivering a huge order or has over stocked in anticipation of sales projection. 1. 1. 2. 4Creditors PaymentsThe calculation of the creditors payments is as follows: Average Creditors X 365 Cost of sales The creditors payments days indicates the period an enterprise uses to pay it s trade collectors. This can potentially give rise to cash discounts by suppliers. The Creditors Payments ratio of XYZ Limited is as follows: – Stock Inventory Turnover Days|2000|1999|1998| Ave Creditor X 365|40|26|20| Cost of sales|600|544|490| |24 days|17days|14days| I N T E R P R E T A T I O N : XYZ Limited showed an increase in the number of days for the horizon 1998 (14 days) and 1999 (17 days). And again during 2000 (24 days).This, however, does n ot signify anything as the company is still able to pay its suppliers in less that 30 days, which suggests an efficient payment process. 1. 1. 3 Leverage Ratios Leverage (Gearing) ratios, in essence, gives the analyst an indication of the sort of debt an enterprise has and how the operations is financed. All leverage ratios will contain long-term debts and short-term debts. This is usually compared with the total assets of the company. Financial institutions and banks are usually keen to know the company s leverage as they are keen to find out how much an enterprise has borrowed and what it can afford to borrow.The major leverage ratios are: 1. 1. 3. 1Debt Ratio The debt ratio is an indicator of all the debt that the company has , to its total assets. The calculation of the debt ratio is as follows: Total liabilities Total assets Due to the accounting equation, it can be generally assumed that the company has financed its assets by the above proportion of â€Å"non-owner† fun ds. â€Å"Owner funds† refers to share capital and retained earnings. Lenders generally stipulate that this ratio should not exceed a certain percentage because it is usually more risky to lend to a company who lacks owners funds (i. . share capital + retained earnings) as apposed to its â€Å"non-owners† funds. Again, the desirable value of this ratio is difficult to evaluate and its usefulness lies in how it compares to the same ratio in other similar companies. The debt ratio of XYZ Limited is as follows: – Debt ratio|2000|1999|1998| Total liabilities|100|76|60| Total assets|286|230|162| |34. 97%|33. 04%|37. 04%| |||| I N T E R P R E T A T I O N : The debt ratio for XYZ Limited during the period 1998 to 1999 decreased marginally from 37. 04% to 33. 04%. this was mainly due to an increase in assets.Due to this effect on leverage, the debt equity ratio caused the return on shareholder s equity to remain fairly constant even though an increase in return on capit al was encountered. During the period of 1999 to 2000 the debt ratio of XYZ Limited increased marginally, suggesting that the company did not have the same profitability as the previous horizon. 1. 1. 3. 2Long-term Debt Ratio The long-term debt ratio is an indicator of only the long-term debt that the company has, to its total assets. The calculation of the long-term debt ratio is as follows: Long-term Debt Total assetsLong term debt is fairly static. Generally lenders do not like to give long-term loans to finance short-term (current assets). They prefer to lend on a long-term basis for items such as fixed assets. The ratio therefor indicates what proportion of the assets has been financed by long-term debt. The debt ratio of XYZ Limited is as follows: – Long-term debt ratio|2000|1999|1998| Long-term debt|30|40|40| Total assets|286|230|162| |10. 49%|17. 39%|24. 69%| |||| I N T E R P R E T A T I O N : The debt ratio for XYZ Limited during the period 1998 to 1999 decreased mar ginally from 24. 9% to 17. 39%. This was mainly due to an increase in total assets. Due to this effect on leverage, the debt equity ratio caused the return on shareholder s equity to remain fairly constant even though an increase in return on capital was encountered. During the period of 1999 to 2000 the debt ratio of XYZ Limited increased significantly mainly due to an increase in total assets and a decrease in long-term debt. What is noticeable in this ratio is that XYZ Limited is not particularly bad for the company. In fact, the company is seemingly doing very well.

Book Review Gone Girl By Gillian Flynn - 1160 Words

Author’s Intent Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn is a book that captured and shocked thousands of hearts, appearing on bookshelves all over the country. But does Gone Girl live up to the hype? Could it possibly be as good as your neighbor is saying? The answer is surprisingly, yes. Flynn uses impressive characters and themes to tell a horrific story so captivating you’re unable to set it down. Gone Girl was a rollercoaster of emotions you couldn’t wait to ride again. Most notably in the novel, is the tragic and appalling mind of Amy Dunne, however, if you delve past the surface you see a much more striking message. Flynn uses his story as a vessel to display the devastating and remarkable affect the people around you have on your personality. Constantly, we see signs of dissatisfaction, lack of acceptance, and facades in our two protagonists. Both Nick and Amy craft false personas to please each other, disguising their true selves in order to maintain the stability of their marriage. Yet, t hese facades end up being the exact reason why their marriage crumbles and falls, both of them dissatisfied with their lives and each other. In the beginning, Amy pretends to be an easygoing â€Å"cool girl† to appeal to Nick. Then as time goes on, she reveals her real personality, upsetting Nick. â€Å"It wasn’t me, Nick! I thought you knew†¦ I tried so hard to be easy. But it was unsustainable. It turned out he couldn’t sustain his side either: the witty banter, the clever games, the romance, and theShow MoreRelatedHuman Resources Management150900 Words   |  604 Pagesaccomplish the organizational goals. As human resources have become viewed as more critical to organizational success, many organizations have realized that it is the people in an organization that can provide a competitive advantage.2 Throughout the book it will be emphasized that the people as human resources contribute to and affect the competitive success of the organization. Human Resource (HR) management deals with the design of formal systems in an organization to ensure the effective and efficient