Profile of Serial Killer Jerry Brudos, AKA the Lust Killer

Profile of Serial Killer Jerry Brudos, AKA the Lust Killer Jerry Brudos was a shoe fetishist, serial killer, rapist, torturer, and necrophiliac who stalked women around Portland, Oregon in 1968 and 1969. The Early Years Jerry Brudos love for shoes began at the age of five after he rescued a pair of high-heel shoes from the garbage. As he grew older, his unusual interest in shoes developed into a fetish which he satisfied by breaking into homes to steal shoes and womens underwear. When he was in his teens he added violence to his repertoire and began knocking down girls, choking them until they were unconscious, then stealing their shoes. At age 17 he was sent to the Oregon State Hospital psychiatric ward after he confessed to holding a girl at knife-point in a hole he dug in the side of a hill for the purpose of keeping sex slaves. There he forced her to pose nude while he took pictures. Brudos was released from the hospital after nine months, even though it was clear he had developed a need to act out his violent fantasies towards women. According to his hospital records, his violence toward women developed from a deep hatred he felt for his mother. Married With Children Once out of the hospital he finished high school and became an electronics technician. Whether he refrained from acting out on his obsessions over the next few years or he just didnt get caught is unknown. What is known is that he married, moved to Portland, Oregon and he and his wife had two children. His mother later joined the family in their small suburban home. Brudos relationship with his wife began to falter after he approached her dressed in womens underwear. Up to that point, she had gone along with his strange bedroom habits, including his request that she walk around the house nude. Rejected by her lack of understanding of his need to wear womens underwear, he retreated to his workshop which was off-limits to the family. No longer intimate, the two remained married despite his wife discovering pictures of nude women and an odd molded breast among her husbands possessions. Brudos Known Victims Between 1968 and 1969 women in and around the Portland area began to disappear. In January 1968, Linda Slawson, 19, working as a door-to-door encyclopedia salesperson, happened to knock on Brudos door. He later confessed to killing her, then cutting off her left foot to use as a model for his collection of stolen shoes. His next victim was Jan Whitney, 23, whose car broke down while driving home from college in November 1968. Brudos later admitted to strangling Whitney in her car, then having sex with her body and bringing her corpse back to his workshop where he continued to violate the body for several days while it hung from a hook on his ceiling. Before disposing of her body he cut off her right breast in order to make a mold from it in the hopes of making paperweights. On March 27, 1969, Karen Sprinker, 19, vanished from the parking garage of a department store where she was to meet her mother for lunch. Brudos later confessed to forcing her into his car at gunpoint, then bringing her to his workshop where he raped her and forced her to put on various womens underwear and pose for pictures. He then killed her by hanging her from the hook in his ceiling. As with his other victims, he violated her corpse, then removed both breasts and disposed of her body. Linda Salee, 22, became Brudos next and last known victim. In April 1969 he kidnapped her from a shopping mall, brought her to his home and raped and then strangled her to death. Like all of his victims, he disposed of her body in a nearby lake. The End of the Killing Spree During the two-year killing spree, Brudos attacked several other women who managed to escape. The clues they were able to provide police eventually led them to Brudos door. While in custody at police headquarters, Brudos gave a detailed confession of the four murders. A search of his home gave police the additional evidence they needed to convict Brudos of three of the four murders. Included in the evidence were various photographs he took of his victims posed in his collection of womens underwear, parts of the corpses which had been found in a lake, along with some of his victims body parts stored in his home. He was convicted and given the death penalty and a life sentence. On March 28, 2006, Brudos, 67, was found dead in his cell at Oregon State Penitentiary. It was determined that he died of natural causes. Source Rule, Ann. Lust Killer. Books: Lust Killer by Ann Rule

When to Use Whom vs. Who

When to Use Whom vs. Who Knowing when to use whom versus who can be difficult for even the most careful writers and speakers. Many writers and grammarians hope the day comes when whom is cast aside and designated by dictionaries as archaic. Indeed, Paul Brians, a professor in the Department of English at Washington State University, says, Whom has been dying an agonizing death for decades. Until the last nail is placed in the coffin, however, it will be helpful to learn when to use whom versus who in various circumstances. How and When to Use Whom Put simply, use whom- which is a pronoun- when it is the object of a sentence. If you can replace the word with her, him, or them for example, use whom. Youll know when to use whom if the pronoun is used in the objective case, or action is being done to the pronoun. Take the sentence: Whom  do you believe? The sentence may sound pretentious, even snobbish. But it is correct because whom is the subject of the infinitive to, as well as the object of the sentence as a whole. Turn the sentence around so that the object is at the end: You were talking to whom? When you replace whom with him, it becomes even clearer: You were talking to him.Were you talking to him? When to Use Who If whom is used for the objective case, who is used for the subjective case- when the pronoun is the subject of the sentence, or the person creating the action. Take the sentence: Who is at the door? The pronoun who is the subject of the sentence. Check this by replacing who with a subjective pronoun, swapping in she or he for who, as in: She is at the door.He is at the door. Who is always used as the subject of a sentence or clause, and whom is always used as an object. Examples In the following sentences, who is correctly used in the subjective case. You can check this by replacing the pronoun who with another subjective pronoun, such as she, he, or you, for example: Who is coming to dinner? (He is coming to dinner?)Who was that masked man? (He was that masked man? or He was the masked man.)Sally is the woman who got the job. (She got the job.) As previously noted, youll know when to use whom if the pronoun is used in the objective case, or action is being done to the pronoun, as in: To Whom It May Concern. (It may concern him.)I dont know from whom the love letter came. (The love letter came from him.)They fought over whom? (They fought over him? or They fought over them?)After whom do I enter the stage? (I enter the stage after him.)Whom did you recommend for the job? (I recommended him for the job.)For Whom the Bell Tolls (The title of this famous Ernest Hemingway novel is saying, The Bell Rings for Him.) Some of these sentences may sound odd, and this is why the word whom will probably disappear from the English language one day. As used in these examples, whom sounds a little awkward, even when its technically correct. How to Remember the Difference The key to understanding when to use whom or who is knowing the difference between  subjective  and  objective  case. Once you can easily identify the subject and the object of a sentence or clause, you will be able to figure out the correct usage of who and whom. For instance, if you want to decide which is correct in this sentence: Who/Whom should I consider as a college recommendation? Rearrange the sentence so that it will make sense using him or he. Youll come up with the following choices: I should consider him for the college recommendation.I should consider he for the college recommendation. The pronoun him is clearly better. Therefore, the correct word in the sentence above will be whom. Remember this simple trick, and youll always know when to use whom and when to use who.

Should drugs be legalized Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Should drugs be legalized - Essay Example The congress in Canada set up a commission of enquiry to look into the issues that had been raised by the public and the lawyers. Many recommendations were made. To date, those recommendations are yet to be implemented. They have asked the question several times, ‘Should drugs be legalized?’ Before this question is answered, here is background information about substance abuse. Substance abuse is the use of mind controlling harmful drugs and other activity enhancing substances that are not approved for use by any qualified professional medical practitioner. These substances include alcohol, narcotics, cannabis, glue types, stimulants, sedatives, and hallucinogens. Some of these substances are abused against the regulations of bodies such as FIFA. Activity enhancing drugs have been banned from their use in sporting activities. The focus of this article is on the narcotics, such as cannabis, methamphetamine, opium, heroin, and cocaine. Substance abuse means the same as drug abuse. This is because of the dependency effect of the drugs that cause the users to become drug addicts. In a bid to curb drug trafficking and drug abuse, the Drug Enforcement Agency in the United States was formed. Many issues have been raised on whether this business should be made legal since the war on drugs seems a long road without success. Gore Vidal of The New York Times and Will iam Bennett have opinions on this topic that form the basis of this discussion. Should drugs be legalized? Gore Vidal in his article â€Å"Drugs: Case for Legalizing Marijuana,† gives the opinion that the substance abuse in the United States can be a thing of the past if only all drugs are made available but at a high cost. All drugs available should have a clear, accurate, and well-labeled description of the effects of the substance use. According to this writer, the bill of rights in the United States was paramount. Every citizen of the United

Answers For Final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Answers For Final - Essay Example The freedom that they long for is bleak. However, the author (Luther Para 6) gives the hope through his dream that the situations will change in future across the entire nation. The sons of the oppressed and the oppressors will one day embrace each other. There is hope that racial segregation and discrimination will come to an end and freedom and justice will in turn reign across the nation. He hopefully asserts that freedom will prevail across all the races, religion, and every individual will embrace each other irrespective of the dynamics and differences between them. The author uses division and analysis method to illustrate his opinion and perception to the audience. For an instant, he has divided his all his dreams of the American population in reference to the injustices and practices after which he analyses the implications of the consequences of each dream. For example, he dreams on the day, the Mississippi state known for sweltering heat of injustice and oppression will be transformed into a state characterized by an oasis of justice inclusive of freedom. The other method the author employs is the use of argument and persuasion. Luther explains the predicaments of the oppressed black community and the tribulations that they are undergoing such as being exile in their mother country. However, despite these challenges, he provides hope to them and urges them to soldier on with the preemption that they are definition the future of their generation. Brady on her literature titled I want a wife attempts to explain the role of a women in the perspective of a man’s opinion. The character in the literature explains the reasons he wants a wife and he is he derives an encouragement from his recently divorced friend who despite his marriage predicament is also searching for a wife (Brad Para 3). The main character in need of a wife

Georgia Atlantic Company Essay Example for Free

Georgia Atlantic Company Essay During the depression of the 1930s, Ben Jenkins, Sr., a wealthy, expansion-oriented lumberman whose family had been in the lumber business in the southeastern United States for several generations, began to acquire small, depressed sawmills and wholesale lumber companies. These businesses prospered during World War II. After the war, Jenkins anticipated that the demand for lumber would surge, so he aggressively sought new timberlands to supply his sawmills. In 1954, all of Jenkins’s companies were consolidated, along with some other independent lumber and milling companies, into a single corporation, the Georgia Atlantic Company. By the end of 1992, Georgia Atlantic was a major force in the lumber industry, though not one of the giants. Still, it possessed more timber and timberlands in relation to its use of timber than any other lumber company. Worldwide demand for lumber was strong in spite of a soft world economy, and its timber supply should have put Georgia Atlantic in a good position. With its assured supply of pulpwood, the company could run its mills at a steady rate and, thus, at a low per-unit production cost. However, the company does not have sufficient manufacturing capacity to fully utilize its timber supplies; so it has been forced to sell raw timber to other lumber companies to generate cash flow, losing potential profits in the process. Georgia Atlantic has enjoyed rapid growth in both sales and assets. This rapid growth has, however, caused some financial problems as indicated in Table 1. The condensed balance sheets shown in the table reveal that Georgia Atlantic’s financial leverage has increased substantially in the last 10 years, while the firm’s liquidity position markedly deteriorated over the same period. Remember, though, that the balance sheet figures reflect historical costs, and that the market values of the assets could be much higher than the values shown on the balance sheet. For example, Georgia Atlantic purchased 10,000 acres of cut timberland in southern Georgia in 1961 for $10 per acre, then planted trees which are now mature. The value of this acreage and its timber is estimated at $2,750 per acre, even though it is shown on the firm’s balance sheet at $230 per acre, the original $10 plus capitalized planting costs. Note also that this particular asset and others like it have produced zero accounting income; indeed, expenses associated with this acreage have produced accounting losses. When Georgia Atlantic was originally organized, most of the outstanding stock was owned by the senior Jenkins and members of his family. Over time, however, the family’s ownership position has gradually declined due to the sale of new common stock to fund expansion. In 1987, Ben Jenkins, Sr. died; the presidency of the firm was passed to his son, Ben Jenkins, Jr., who was 61 at the time. By the end of 1992, the Jenkins family held only about 35 percent of Georgia Atlantic’s common stock, and this represented essentially their entire net worth. The family has sought to finance the firm’s growth with internally generated funds to the greatest extent possible. Hence, Georgia Atlantic has never declared a cash dividend, nor has it had a stock dividend or a stock split. Due to the plowback of earnings, the stock currently sells for almost $2,000 per share. The family has stated a strong belief that investors prefer low-payout stocks because of their tax advantages, and they also think that stock dividends and stock splits serve no useful purpose—they merely create more pieces of paper but no incremental value for shareholders. Finally, the family feels that higher-priced stocks are more attractive to investors because the percentage brokerage commissions on small purchases of higher-priced stocks are lower than on large purchases of lower-priced shares. They cite the example of Berkshire-Hathaway, whose stock price has risen phenomenally even though it now sells for over $15,000 per share and pays no dividends. (The family does acknowledge, though, that Warren Buffett, Berkshire’s chairman, has done a superb job of managing the company’s assets, and that the rise of its stock price reflects that factor as well as Buffett’s financial policies.) As the date for Georgia Atlantic’s annual stockholders’ meeting approached, Mary Goalshen, the corporate secretary, informed Ben Jenkins, Jr., who is commonly called â€Å"Junior† at the company, that an unusually low number of shareholders had sent in their proxies. Goalshen felt that this might be due to rising discontent over the firm’s dividend policy. During the last two years, the average payout for firms in the paper and forest products industry has been about 35 percent; yet for the 58th straight year, Georgia Atlantic’s board, under the Jenkins family’s dominance, chose not to pay a dividend in 1992. The Jenkins family was also aware that several reports in the financial press in recent months indicated that Georgia Atlantic was a possible target of a takeover attempt. Since the family did not want to lose control of the company, they were anxious to keep the firm’s stockholders as happy as possible. Accordingly, Junior announced that the directors would hold a special meeting immediately after the annual meeting to consider whether the firm’s dividend policy should be changed. Junior instructed Abe Markowitz, Georgia Atlantic’s financial vice president, to identify and then evaluate alternative dividend policies in preparation for the special board meeting. He asked Markowitz to consider cash dividends, stock dividends, and stock splits. Markowitz then identified six proposals that he thought deserved further consideration: (1) No Cash Dividends, No Stock Dividend or Split. This was the position Markowitz was certain that Junior and the family would support, both for the reasons given above and also because he thought the company, as evidenced by the balance sheet, was in no position to pay cash dividends. (2) Immediate Cash Dividend, but No Stock Dividend or Split. This was simply the opposite of the no dividend policy. If a cash dividend policy were instituted, its size would still be an issue. (3) Immediate Cash Dividend plus a Large Stock Split. The stock split would be designed to lower the price of the firm’s stock from its current price of almost $2,000 per share to somewhere in the average price range of other large forest products stocks, or from $20 to $40 per share. (4) Immediate Cash Dividend plus a Large Stock Dividend. The reasoning underlying this policy would be essentially the same as that of Alternative 3. (5) Cash Dividend, Stock Split, and Periodic Stock Dividends. This policy would require the company to declare an immediate cash dividend and, simultaneously, to announce a sizable stock split. This policy would go further than Alternatives 3 and 4 in that, after the cash dividend and stock split or large stock dividend, the company would periodically declare smaller stock dividends equal in value to the earnings retained during the period. In effect, if the firm earned $3 per share in any given period-quarter, semi-annual period, and so on—and retained $1.50 per share, the company would also declare a stock dividend of a percentage amount equal to $1.50 divided by the market price of the stock. Thus, if the firm’s shares were selling for $30 when the cash dividend was paid, a 5 percent stock dividend would be declared. (6) Share Repurchase Plan. This plan is based on the premise that investors in the aggregate would like to see the company distribute some cash, but that some stockholders would not want to receive cash dividends because they want to minimize their taxes. Under the repurchase plan, individual stockholders could decide for themselves whether or not to sell some or all of their hares and thus to realize some cash and some capital gains, depending on their own situations. To begin his evaluation, Markowitz collected the data shown in Tables 2 and 3. As he was looking over these figures, Markowitz wondered what effect, if any, Georgia Atlantic’s dividend policy had on the company’s stock price as compared to the prices of other stocks. Markowitz is also aware of one other issue, but it is one that neither he nor anyone else has had the nerve to bring up. Junior is now 66 years old, which is hardly ancient; but he is in poor health, and in recent years he has been almost obsessed with the idea of avoiding taxes. Further, the federal estate tax rate is currently 60 percent, and additional state estate taxes would be due; so well over half of Junior’s net worth as of the date of his death will have to be paid out in estate taxes. Since estate taxes are based on the value of the estate on the date of death, to minimize his estate’s taxes, Junior might not want the value of the company to be maximized until after his death. Markowitz does not know Junior’s view of this, but he does know that his tax advisors have thought it through and have explained it to him. Finally, Markowitz knows that several Wall Street firms have been analyzing Georgia Atlantic’s â€Å"breakup value,† or the value of the company if it were broken up and sold in pieces. He has heard breakup value estimates as high as $3,500 per share, primarily because other lumber companies, including Japanese and European companies, are eager to buy prime properties such as those owned by Georgia Atlantic. Of course, Georgia Atlantic could sell assets on its own, but Markowitz does not expect that to happen as long as Junior is in control. Now assume that you are an outside consultant and have been hired by Abe Markowitz to help him with the analysis and make a presentation to the executive committee. First, Abe is not sure whether an announced dividend policy is a good idea. He believes an announced policy could cause the firm to feel forced to take actions that otherwise would be undesirable. He has also expressed concern about signaling and clientele effects. As old man Jenkins used to say, â€Å"If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.† Thus, analyze the firm’s present dividend policy to determine how well the company has performed compared to other firms in the industry before discussing the implications of the alternative dividend policies and making a recommendation. Markowitz also wants you to discuss whether the firm’s historical rate of return on investment has been affected by its dividend policy, the estate tax issue, and the takeover issue. Junior is famous for asking tough questions and then crucifying the person being questioned if he or she has trouble responding. That is probably why Markowitz wants you to make the presentation. So be sure that you thoroughly understand the issues and your answers so that you can handle any follow-up questions that you might receive.

How much more is Jane Eyre than just a piece of romantic fiction? :: Free Essay Writer

How much more is Jane Eyre than just a piece of romantic fiction? All the qualities of a typical romantic fiction are certainly found in ‘Jane Eyre’. The usual qualities found in romances are a Hero and Heroine. They can have some tension between them before finally falling in love but something gets in their way, eventually they over come all odds and get to be together in the end. Obviously Jane is the Heroine and Mr. Rochester is the Hero, and as in most romances, the story is told through the eyes of the Heroine. ‘Jane Eyre’ starts off with Jane’s childhood to allow the reader to get to know Jane and sympathize with all her views and feelings. When Jane first moves to Thornfield Hall the romance starts. To build up the tension for the reader Jane is at first denying her feeling. â€Å"it was rather a trial to appear thus formally summoned in Mr. Rochester’s presence† It is obvious to the reader what is going to happen and frustrating that Jane will not admit that she likes him this is very typical of a romance. It follows on conforming to the romance stereotype when Jane admits her feelings but something gets in the way. At first this is Blanche Ingram, Jane is convinced by things people have said that she is going to Marry Mr. Rochester. â€Å"And did I now think Miss Ingram such a choice as Mr. Rochester would be likely to make?† This is providing a barrier against them getting together in the straight forward way of just Blanche Ingram but she also stands to represent looks and class. She is a lot prettier than Jane and this tests Mr. Rochester to see if he is the deep thinking man Jane thinks he is. Also Jane is of a lot lower class than Blanche Ingram and it would have seemed strange at the time ‘Jane Eyre’ was written for Mr. Rochester to chose Jane. This is pushed aside and it seems like everything has started to go right for Jane. Then follows the clichà ©d romantic twist. Jane discovers Mr. Rochester’s wife. â€Å"this gentleman’s wife is still living† Everything falls apart for Jane. She runs away and begins to start a new life till the end of the novel when Jane finds out Mr. Rochester’s wife has died and they get married. â€Å"My Edward and I then are happy† As in all romances it comes to the happy ending to make the reader feel happy and satisfied. These were the ways in which ‘Jane Eyre’ followed the typical romance patterns for general romances. But there is much more to this novel.

Planning Assessment Essay

When planning assessment you need to gauge a clear idea of what level the candidate is at to see if they are ready to complete your planned assessment. There are many ways of achieving this knowledge. One method is observation in performance or another by taking an initial assessment test which have seven levels with the basic entry level 1 being the first. Once this knowledge has been gained, further knowledge is needed to suit their needs. What is their preferred learning style, is it part of a group or on a one to one basis. You will need to find out their strengths and weaknesses to get the most out of their abilities but also to work around and improve on different area that need to be worked on. When this has all been achieved the learners will need to be given information about the planned assessment. First of all they will need to have an understanding of what they are about to study, explaining what they need to do to meet the criteria set by OFQUAL – the governing body of the qualifications. They will need to understand what is expected of them when attending the course by giving them the code of conduct for them to follow. It is important that the health and safety procedures are explained to ensure their safety throughout their assessment. After this has been completed, the learners will be given the folder to look through and their assessment plan to see how they will complete it. 3. 3 EXPLAIN HOW TO PLAN A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO ASSESSMENT By taking a holistic approach to assessment, it can provide the learner with a more in depth report on their progress by covering all the different methods – observations, session plans, witness testimonies, knowledge evidence and professional discussion across all the units in one go. This allows me to understand the different kind of approaches each individual learner feels comfortable with to achieve the highest possible grade. 3. 5 EXPLAIN HOW TO MINIMIZE RISKS THROUGH THE PLANNING PROCESS It is the responsibility of the assessor to minimise the risks by making sure all of the health and safety procedures are covered such as risk assessment of the facilities. The assessor needs to gather information that is personal from the learner in order to adapt and provide special needs that they might have. Also the assessor will need to treat all learners equally, ensuring that equality and diversity issue are met. Once this information has been gained, the assessor can then produce an action plan for the learner which is both realistic and achievable so they are comfortable to achieve the best possible results. 4. 1 EXPLAIN THE IMPORTANCE OF INVOLVING THE LEARNER AND OTHERS IN THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS Peer and Self Assessment is an effective way to get the learners involved and it gives a clear idea of what the learner is currently at and what action is needed to meet the standards and criteria. This can be done through feedback. Feedback is a vital part of the assessment process as it gives the assessor an idea of if the learner has met the criteria set and if they haven’t, what action is needed to achieve the criteria. If there is a disagreement with the assessments carried out then the learners can follow the organisational procedures that are set in place which include grievance procedures, systems for appeals and confidentiality procedures. 4. 2 SUMMARISE TYPES OF INFORMATION THAT SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO LEARNERS AND OTHERS INVOLVED IN THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS. The first thing that should be made available to the learners and those involved in the assessment process is what the reason is for assessment. The NVQ award is structured for a candidate to provide evidence through practical assignments and portfolio evidence that is gained throughout the qualification. They will also need to know how long they have to complete the course which is up to the assessor. By giving them information on deadlines then it will ensure tasks are not left until the last minute which could affect the standards of the work. One other type of information that they will need to know is what the criteria is for them to achieve the grade. Each qualification has a minimum requirement needed to be met and once they learner knows this, they can work towards meeting it and gaining the qualification. 4. 3 EXPLAIN HOW PEER AND SELF ASSESSMENT CAN BE USED EFFECTIVELY TO PROMOTE LEARNER INVOLVEMENT AND PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY IN THE ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING Peer and Self-Assessment can be used effectively within the learners when one of the group has difficulty within a task. Learners can interact with each other and help each other out which would be a lot less intimidating and in some situations embarrassing for shy and insecure learners than an assessor telling them they are right or wrong in front of the rest of the group. 6. 3 SUMMARISE THE PROCEDURES TO FOLLOW WHEN THERE ARE DISPUTES CONCERNING ASSESSMENT IN OWN AREA OF PRACTICE If there are disputes concerning assessment in own area of practice then the procedures to follow are as follows: First of all the assessor has to be available to discuss the problem as it could be sorted out quickly and effectively through discussion. If the learner feels they want to take it further then they can take the steps to show their disagreement which will be listed in their ‘Student Handbook’ given to them at the beginning of the course. This includes a formal written complaint to the assessor’s superior which they will then deal with in an efficient and non-discriminatory way, treating the claim with upmost confidentiality where they will decided whether to uphold or overturn the assessor’s original decision. 7. 2 EXPLAIN HOW FEEDBACK AND QUESTIONING CONTRIBUTE TO THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS Feedback and Questioning can help learners improve on a specific task. Feedback provides correction and improvement on a piece of work. Not only can it correct or improve the work but it can be used as encouragement or motivation to a learner especially when they are doing well or think they are not doing well.

Harnischfeger Corporation

Financial Reporting & Analysis April 19th, 2013 Case Study- Harnischfeger Corporation 1. Describe clearly the accounting changes Harnischfeger made in 1984 as stated in Note 2 of its financial statements. The accelerated depreciation method was changed from to straight-line on all company assets that caused to increase after-tax net income for 1984 by $11. 005 million. The cumulative effect of change in 1984 there will be no reduction in the depreciation expense due to change. in 1984 decreased by $7. 0 million over the previous year.Most of this reduction was a result of the company's agreement with Kobe Steel, Ltd. Under this agreement, Kobe agreed to reimburse Harnischfeger up to $17. 0 million dollars of R;D expense over a period of three years. However, some students argue that Harnischfeger may be cutting its research budget since the actual reduction in Harnischfeger's    1984 R&D expense is more than one-third of this amount. (See Exhibit 4, Notes 6 and 9, in the case. ) 8 . Effective 1984, Harnischfeger began to include in its net sales products purchased from Kobe Steel, Ltd. , and sold to third parties by Harnischfeger.Previously only the gross margin on Kobe-originated equipment was included in Harnischfeger's financial statements. This increased Harnischfeger's sales in 1984 by $28. 0 million but had no impact on its profits. Some students would mistakenly argue that this had an impact on Harnischfeger's net income. (See Exhibit 4, Note 2, in the case. ) Although some of the above are pure accounting decisions with no direct cash-flow consequences, the other decisions affect the company's reported profits as well as its cash flow. The instructor should ask the class to identify the latter-type decisions among the above.Discussion of Question 2 The above analysis shows that most, if not all, of the reported profits of Harnischfeger in 1984 are produced by accounting changes. Therefore, the accounting changes helped the management report a signific ant profit rather than a modest loss. The instructor should point this out to the class and ask: Why do you think the management of Harnischfeger made these accounting changes? Students point out a number of possible motives for the accounting changes: 1. Boost the company's stock price so that the company could raise new capital, 2.Meet the earnings targets of the company's top management compensation plan, 3. Avoid the violation of debt covenant restrictions, and 4. Improve the company's image with the customers, dealers, and prospective employees. Some students argue that the analysis in Question (1) shows that it is too complicated for an average investor to â€Å"see through† the impact of all the accounting changes. They further point out that, even if many analysts recognize the effect of the company's accounting decisions on the 1984 profits, it is quite unlikely that the analysts would be able to assess the impact of these changes in future years.Other students are l ikely to argue that the market processes the reported profit numbers efficiently. They argue that there are some sophisticated analysts who could perform the analysis that was done in the class. The instructor should encourage this discussion. At some point in the discussion, the instructor should intervene and summarize the evidence from the research literature: 1. There is considerable evidence in finance and accounting literature that shows that the capital markets are generally efficient. 2.For stock prices to reflect reality in an unbiased manner, it is not necessary that everyone in the market has to process the information correctly. As long as there are some sophisticated investors who can â€Å"see through† the company's accounting changes, the stock price will reflect this due to the possibility of arbitrage by these investors. 3. The accounting studies that examine the stock market reaction to accounting changes conclude that the market is not fooled by the account ing decisions of firms. However, the evidence presented in these studies is not conclusive.Also, these studies do not examine whether the stock market recognizes the recurring effects of accounting changes. Without additional research, it is difficult to make conclusive statements on this issue. 4. Even if capital markets see through the effects of accounting changes, managers may believe otherwise in making accounting decisions. This is likely to happen if there are no significant penalties associated with such behavior. Even if investors fully recognize the impact of Harnischfeger's accounting decisions, there are other reasons for the company's managers to make these decisions.As Exhibit 2 in the case indicates, the top management of the company is awarded significant bonuses based on the company's reported profits. This provides an incentive for the managers to boost profits through accounting changes. However, if the compensation committee of the company's board of directors re cognizes this possibility, the committee could adjust the reported profits before awarding management bonuses. The instructor should challenge the students by asking: If investors can see through these changes from public information, why can't the board do it, especially when it has access to additional information in the firm?The third possible motive that is mentioned by the students is the desire of Harnischfeger's management to avoid the violation of debt covenant restrictions. Since the company recently experienced the painful consequences of violating these restrictions, it is plausible that the management changed the accounting policies to avoid future violations of the debt restrictions. If debt covenants are specified in terms of accounting numbers, managers have an incentive to choose accounting policies to minimize the violation of the covenants.However, if lenders recognize this possibility, lending agreements would be modified to avoid this possibility as long as the c ost of such a modification is not significant. The fourth possibility is that the accounting decisions are motivated by a desire to convince the company's customers, suppliers, dealers, and employees that Harnischfeger is again back on track and is viable. Given the nature of the company's products, a lack of confidence in the company's viability is likely to impair the company's ability to sell its products.In fact, the company was negotiating long-term contracts in 1984 with the governments of Turkey and China. It is quite possible that the company's return to profitability might have helped the management in this respect. Similarly, the company's ability to attract and retain talented employees might have been helped by the image that the company was back on track. During my visit to the company, Harnischfeger's management pointed out one additional factor in the company's accounting decisions: the role of internal management considerations.The company used the same set of accoun ting rules for external reporting and for internal management accounting. The company's product pricing was based on fully allocated product costs, and therefore its accelerated depreciation policies apparently caused its products to be overpriced relative to competition. In addition, the higher depreciation charges led to increased capital reinvestment demands from its divisions for maintaining and replacing the company's fixed assets.The company's management mentioned three principal reasons for its accounting decisions: (1) a belief that the external users of accounting data did not adjust for Harnischfeger's conservative financial reporting when comparing the company's performance with other companies in the industry, (2) the unpleasant experience with its debt covenant restrictions, and (3) the interaction between management accounting and external reporting. These reasons are discussed in greater detail in my paper, â€Å"The Anatomy of an Accounting Change. â€Å"Underlying all the accounting changes was a reporting philosophy outlined by the then chief financial officer and the current president of the company: In accounting there is no such thing as absolute truth. The same underlying reality can be accounted for using a range of assumptions. The earlier philosophy of this company was to choose the conservative alternative whenever there was a choice. Now we have decided to change this. We would like to tell the world that we are alive and well. We wish to tell the truth but do not want to be overly conservative in doing so.When the outside world compares our financial performance with that of other companies, they may or may not take the time and effort to untangle the effects of the differences in financial policies that various companies follow. My own belief is that people adjust for the obvious things like one-time gains and losses but have difficulty in adjusting for ongoing differences. In any case, these adjustments impose a cost on the user . If people adjust for the differences in accounting policies when they compare us with other companies, then it should not matter whether we follow conservative or liberal policies.But suppose they do not adjust. Then clearly we are better off following the more liberal policies than conservative policies. I am not sure whether people make the adjustments or not, but either way we wish to present an optimistic version of the picture and let people figure out what to do with the numbers. As a company you have to put the best foot forward if you want to raise capital, convince customers that you are a viable company, and attract talented people to work for the company. I feel that the financial reporting should help rather than hinder the implementation of our operating trategy. In my opinion, the changed accounting format highlights the effectiveness of our strategy better than the old policies do. The instructor can sum up the class discussion on question (2) by mentioning the view s of the management described above. Discussion of Question 3 After completing the analysis of Harnischfeger's accounting policy changes, the class should be asked to assess the company's future. At this point, I go back to my original question to the class, namely, â€Å"Is it worthwhile to invest in the company's stock in early 1985?    I call on a student who considers the company's stock a good investment and ask him or her to explain why. Harnischfeger's turnaround strategy consists of four elements: (1) changes in top management, (2) cost reductions to lower the company's break-even point, (3) reorientation of the company's business, and (4) restructuring the company's finances to facilitate the implementation of the reorientation strategy. The changes in the top management seem to be good. The new chief executive officer (CEO) has considerable experience in Harnischfeger's industry.The new CEO demonstrated his credibility with the financial community by successfully negoti ating with the company's lenders to restructure the company's debt. The new management has taken several steps in the right direction. The company's cost-reduction programs seem to be paying off. These programs were helpful in reducing the company's losses in 1984. The financial management of the company also seems to be sound. The cost-reduction programs and the pension restructuring have improved the company's cash flow.The total cash-flow analysis, shown in Exhibit 1, indicates that the company has been able to generate positive cash flow from its operations in 1984. The company raised substantial new capital through a public offering of debentures and common stock and used the proceeds to pay off all of the company's restructured debt. Finally, the company's business strategy seems to be sound. The management recognized the potential to exploit the company's strength in the material handling equipment business.Through its Harnischfeger Engineers subsidiary, the company planned t o expand in this area and concentrate on the high margin â€Å"systems† business. This strategy is likely to help the company to move away from the mining and construction equipment business, which is a low-growth and cyclical industry, to a higher-growth and more stable business. Students who are optimistic about the company's future cite the above factors as the reasons for their support for the company and its management.They argue that these factors indicate that the company's new management has the right ideas and knows how to turn the company around. These students suggest that the management's accounting decisions were part of its attempt to implement the company's strategy and are therefore constructive. The instructor should wrap up the case discussion by reviewing the company's motives for its accounting decisions. The instructor should point out that understanding these motives is essential for an analyst who is interested in assessing the company's current perform ance and its future potential.The instructor may end the class by taking a second vote on the investment potential of the company's stock and sharing with the class the subsequent events described below. SUBSEQUENT DEVELOPMENTS The following events describe the developments subsequent to the time of the case. As can be seen, Harnischfeger seems to have succeeded in implementing its strategy effectively. Also, the company continued to liberalize its financial reporting policies. 1985 1. The company changed its accounting for duration patterns and tooling. Previously, the cost of the patterns and tooling was expensed in the year of acquisition.Under the new method, these costs are capitalized and amortized over their estimated useful lives. 2. Harnischfeger reported a net profit of $0. 74 per share for fiscal 1985. The accounting change described above contributed $0. 24 per share to the reported profits. 3. The company raised $147 million by issuing preferred stock. 1986 1. Mr. Goess el was appointed as the chairman and CEO of the company, and Mr. Grade was appointed as the president and chief operating officer (COO). Previously, Mr. Goessel was the president and COO, and Mr. Grade was the CFO. 2.Harnischfeger acquired Beloit Corporation, a producer of papermaking machinery and systems, for $175 million in cash. Later in the year, stock equivalent to a 20% equity interest in Beloit was sold to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. , for $60 million in cash. 3. The company acquired Syscon Corporation, a firm based in Washington, DC for $92 million in cash. Syscon developed advanced computer systems for military markets. 4. Harnischfeger announced a plan to sell the company's Construction Equipment Division for approximately $17 million in cash and $55 million in debentures. . The company reported that Harnischfeger Engineers received a major order for the design of an automated car assembly plant. 6. Harnischfeger reported a net loss of $1. 14 per share for fiscal 19 86. This consisted of a profit of $2. 15 per share from continuing operations, a loss of $4. 45 per share from discontinued operations (Construction Equipment Division), and a gain of $1. 16 per share from the adoption of the new pension accounting rules. 1987 1. Harnischfeger received a takeover offer from Columbia Ventures, Inc. , for $19 per share in cash.The company considered the offer inadequate and rejected it. Exhibit 1 Total Cash-Flow Analysis ($ in thousands) |                                                                                                          |1984                         |1982                         |1981                         | |                                                                                                          |                               |                               |                               | |Working capital from operations                                                          | $ 2,961                   | $ 1,763                   | $ (55,902)             | |(Increase)/decrease n accounts receivable                                           |(23,908)                   |(5,327)                   |42,293                      | |(Increase)/decrease in inventories                                                       |9,282                      |56,904                      |26,124                      | |(Increase)/decrease in refundable income taxes and related interest    |                               |                               |                               | |                                                                                                          |11,289                      |(2,584)                   |(6,268)                   | |(Increase)/decrease in other current assets                                        |259                         |10,008                      |(439)                      | |Increase/(decrease) in accounts payable                                              |16,488                      |(1,757)                   |(3,302)                   | |Increase (decrease) in employee compensation and benefits payable       |                               |                               | |                                                                                                          |698                         |(15,564)                   |(3,702)                   | |Increase/(decrease) in accrued plant closing costs                               |(3,888)                   |(14,148)                   |20,496                      | |Increase (decrease) in other current liabilities                                  |    (3,181)                |    (15,927)                |    (3,030)                | |Cash from operating cycle                                                                   | $ 10,000                | $ 13,368                | $ 16,270                | |Minus plant and equipment additions                                                    |    (5,546)                |    (1,871)                |    (10,819)                | |Cash before dividends, investments, and    external financing                |                               |                               |                               | |                                                                                                          |$ 4,454                   |$ 11,497                   |$ 5,451                   | |Minus cash dividends                                                                   à ‚         |    0                         |    0                         |    (2,369)                | |Cash before investments and external financing                                     | $ 4,454                   | $ 11,497                | $ 3,082                   | |Minus advances to unconsolidated companies                                           |(2,882)                   |0                            |0                            | |Plus other                                                                                           |    269                      |    1,531                   |    848                      | |Cash before external financing                                                             | $ 1,841                   | $ 13,128                | $ 3,930                   | |                                                                                                          |                               |                               |                               | |External Financing:                                                                            |                               |                               |                               | |                                                                                                          |                               |                               |                               | |Proceeds from senior notes and subordinated                                        |                               |                               |                               | |Debentures                                                                                           |$ 120,530                |$ 0                         |$ 0                         | |Conversion of export and factored receivable sales to debt                   |                               |                               |                               | | 0                            |23,919                      |0                            | |Restructured debt                                                                               |0                            |158,058                   |0                            | |Debt replaced, including conversion of    receivable sales of 23,919       |                               |                               |                               | |                                                                                                          |0                            |(158,058)                |0                            | |Repayments of debt                                                                               |(161,500)                |(760)                      |(9,409)                   | |Increase (repayment) of short-term bank notes payable                         |2,107                      |(3,982)                   |(2,016)                   | |Other increases in debt                                                                      |1,474                      |0                            |25,698                      | |Issuance of common stock                                                                      |21,310                      |0                            |449                         | |Issua nce of common stock warrants                                                       |6,663                      |0                            |0                            | |Salaried pension assets reversion                                                       |    39,307                   |    0                         |    0                         | |Cash from external financing                                                                | $ 29,891                | $ 19,177                | $ 14,722                | |Net increase (decrease) in cash    and temporary investments                   |                               |                               |                               | |                                                                                                          |$ 31,732                   |$ 32,205                   |$ 18,652                   | 2. What is the effect of the depreciation accounting method change on the reported income in 1984? How will this change affect profits in future years? It increased the net income to $11 million for 1984 or $. 93 per common and common equivalent share. The straight-line method will allow the assets to continue to depreciate in the same amount for the life of the asset.This change will increase profit in future years even thought the depreciation expense in strait-line will be higher that would’ve been with accelerated method. 3. What is the effect of the depreciation lives change? How will this change affect future reported profits? As a result of going t o strait-line the company also has changed its estimated depreciation lives on certain U. S. plants, machinery and equipment and residual values on certain machinery and equipment, which increased net income for 1984 by $3. 2 million or $. 27 per share. No income tax effect was applied to this change. This change should report higher profits in the coming years. $3. 2 million or $. 27 per share. No income tax effect was applied to this change. This change should report higher profits in the coming years. 4.The depreciation accounting changes assume that Harnischfeger’s plant and machinery will last longer and will lose their value more slowly. Given the business conditions Harnischfeger was facing in its primary industries in 1984, are these economic assumptions justified? Not necessarily, they can not fully predict the outcome of these changes but history shows them that as long as their plant machinery are more up to date production will perform at a better rate which shoul d lead to valuable resources needed to conduct good business. 5. In Note 7, Harnischfeger describes the effect of LIFO inventory liquidation on its reported profits in 1984.Describe what is meant by LIFO liquidation and how liquidation affects a company’s income statement and balance sheet. By LIFO liquidation means when a company’s accounting sells its oldest inventory since the current sales are higher then current purchases then the liquidation will occur, meaning that older inventory will be sold. The effect of the LIFO liquidation on the company’s income statement is an increase in net income by $2. 4 million or $. 20 in fiscal year 1984. There is no income tax effect. On the balance sheet there is a decrease of inventory, due to liquidation. 4. The depreciation accounting changes assume that Harnischfeger’s plant and machinery will last longer and will lose their value more slowly.Given the business conditions Harnischfeger was facing in its primary industries in 1984, are these economic assumptions justified? They cannot fully predict the outcome of these changes but history shows; however, we know they were experiencing a drop in sales this would also mean that they were giving less use to their machinery, and that would cause less wear and tear to the machinery justifying and increase on the useful life of the asset. 5. In Note 7, Harnischfeger describes the effect of LIFO inventory liquidation on its reported profits in 1984. Describe what is meant by LIFO liquidation and how liquidation affects a company’s income statement and balance sheet.The liquidation means selling of older inventory since the current sales are higher then current purchases then the liquidation will occur and as result any inventory not sold in previous periods must be liquidated. The company will benefit by an increase in net income by $2. 4 million or $. 20 in fiscal year 1984. Meaning that the net loss of previous year 1983 was reduced by a pproximately 15. 6 million. The balance sheet would have decrease of inventory from 12. 6 mil in 1983 to 5. 5 mil in 1984. 6. Note 8, states Harnischfeger’s allowance for doubtful accounts. Compute the ratio of the allowance to gross receivables (receivables before the allowance) in 1983 and 1984.What would the allowance have been if the company maintained the ratio at the 1983 level? How much did the pre-tax income increase as a result of the changed ratio in 1984? The company's provision for doubtful accounts receivables as a percentage of total receivables was 8. 4% in 1984. The corresponding percentage in 1983 was 11. 3%. If the company maintained the same percentage provision in the two years, the bad debt expense in 1984 would have been $1. 5 million more than the reported expense. 7. Note 9, page 216, states that Harnischfeger decreased R&D expense in 1984 relative to the previous two years. Do you think this change was motivated by business considerations or accountin g considerations?How did this change affect the company’s reported profits in 1984? Also R&D expense in 1984 decreased by $7. 0 million over the previous year. Most of this reduction was a result of the company's agreement with Kobe Steel, Ltd. Under this agreement, Kobe agreed to reimburse Harnischfeger up to $17. 0 million dollars of R;D expense over a period of three years plus the company was reduced in its size so there was no need to that big expenditures on R;D. 8. Note 11, describes a number of changes in Harnischfeger’s pension plans in 1984. Describe these changes as clearly as you can. What are the economic consequences of these changes to Harnischfeger and its workers?The reduction in benefits and wedges were significant from 1982 to 1984. In 1984 the pension expenses accounted for 1. 9 million, 1983 for 6. 5 million and 1982 for 12. 2 million The change in the return on investment assumption is for all US plans. The economic consequence is that there will be less expenditure made by these pension owners during the lifetime of their pension. The company established a new plan, which goal was an improvement in the minimum pension benefit. This constituted in a restructure of the Salaried Employees’ Retirement Plan. From one side that decision could help the company to rebuild the trust of customers and suppliers for continuing in business.From the other side, the workers would suffer a significant economic lost and could lose the motivation to work for the company. But there is a possibility that a positive view could emerge because they could appreciate the company’s efforts to keep them working there, and then cooperate to take the company to the next level. 9. How did the pension plan changes affect Harnischfeger’s financial statements in 1984? Are these changes likely to affect future profits? The effect of the changes in the investment return assumption rates for all U. S. plans, together with the 1984 restruc turing of the U. S. Salaried Employees' Plan, was to reduce pension expense by approximately $4. 0 million in 1984 and $2. million in 1983, and the actuarial present value of accumulated plan benefits by approximately $60. 0 million in 1984. This may have an effect on future profits. The pension plan changes affected positively the statements in 1984. Less assets were available for benefits; therefore, more income was reflected in the financial statements, which contributed to the cash to pay debt obligations. Furthermore, if reducing the debt, company could recover the banks and shareholder’s trust. 10. Summarize all the accounting changes Harnischfeger made in 1984, and their effects on pre-tax profits and cash flows in 1984. 1. Change in the recognition of some types of sales. This resulted in a change in sales calculation.Harnischfeger incorporated products purchased from Kobe Steel, which were re-sold by the company, into its net sales. This increased aggregate sales and cost of sales by $28 million. The effect of the change in sales calculation was an increase in both aggregate sales and cost of sales by $28 million. Also, profit margin dropped from 1. 55% to 1. 44%, which represented a 7. 1% change in profit margin. 2. Change in the fiscal year for some foreign subsidiaries. By changing the fiscal year of foreign subsidiaries (ending period of September 30 instead of July 31), the effect was the lengthening of the 1984 reporting period for the subsidiaries from 12 months to 14 months.This increased sales by $5. 4 million. 3. Change in the depreciation methods on assets. The depreciation policy for financial reporting purposes was changed to a straight-line method from a principally accelerated method. The effect of the change in depreciation method (straight-line method) was a net income of $11 million realized in 1984. Overall, depreciation charges resulted in an increase of $3. 2 million in net income in 1984. 4. Change in the use LIFO liquidat ion in inventory valuation. The effect of LIFO inventory liquidation was an increase in 1984 net income by $2. 4 million, as gains. 5. Change in the allowance for doubtful accounts.The company adjusted its allowance for doubtful accounts to 6. 7% of sales for 1984 from 10% of sales in 1983. The effect of the change in the allowance for doubtful accounts was that it resulted in $2. 9 million in operating income for 1984. 6. Change in the R&D expenses. Harnischfeger significantly reduced its R&D expenses to $5. 1 million in 1984, from 412. 1 million in 1983. The effect of the change in R&D expenses was an increase in operating profit by $9. 1 million. 7. Change in employee pension plans. The effect of the change in pension plans was a reduction in pension expenses by $14 million and increase in net income by $3. 9 million, and a positive cash flow. 11.Accounting statements are used by investors, lenders, customers, employees, and governments in dealing with Harnischfeger. Among these groups, who is most likely to â€Å"see through† the above accounting changes, and who is least likely to do so? The least likely to â€Å"see through† the accounting changes are just normal people who don’t know accounting concepts because some methods of reporting can overstate or understate the numbers without a sustainable change so investors, lenders, and governments should be the ones to most likely â€Å"see through† the change and based on what they see they make a decisions. Employees in accounting, finance, and upper management should be able to â€Å"see through† the changes. 12.Are the accounting changes likely to help or to hinder Harnischfeger’s ability to implement its business plan? Be as specific as possible. Even thought the changes indicate an optimistic move, it does not guarantee that the company is going to be able to implement its business plan. The changes made strongly justify company’s boost in the periods an alyzed. From my point of view, company reflects a positive result on management through its financial reports. Basically the mission to satisfy shareholders and business related entities such as banks and suppliers was accomplished by showing the ability to overcome financial problems through management based on the financial statements.However, the accounting practice can be a matter of numbers’ convenience and it can be altered just to show easy actions. 13. Overall, what is your assessment of Harnischfeger’s future as of 1984? The company is taking a risk by expecting that the one-time boost in income and cash in 1984 will enable the company to successfully expand internationally and grow in new high tech areas and become profitable once again. They wanted to make their financial statements look pretty so that investors would buy their stocks and suppliers would continue giving credit for being able to produce product and sell. They need to stop playing with account ing methods and hiding the true story otherwise they will be in danger to not survive in a long run.

Ethnic Diversity essays

Ethnic Diversity essays Affirmative action can be defined as action taken to compensate for past unfairness in the education of minorities. The current system of affirmative action allows universities to admit applicants from certain ethnic and minority groups with lower credentials. The main purpose of affirmative action is to produce a diverse campus population that is comparable to today's society. The use of race as a facto by which someone is admitted to college in the long run will compromise the quality of the university. Implicating affirmative action to solve the problem of diversity on today's campuses has lead to the creation of problems. The discrimination against Caucasian and Asian American students a long with the toleration of lower quality work produced by African American students and other minority students is an example of the problems caused by Affirmative Action. Although affirmative action intends to do good, lowering the standards by which certain racial groups are admitted to colleg e is not the way to solve the problem of diversity in America's universities. The condition of America's public schools is directly responsible for the poor academic achievement of minority children. Instead of addressing educational discrepancies caused by poverty and discrimination, we are merely covering them up and pretending they do not exist, and allowing ourselves to avoid what it takes to make a dent in themaugmenting Head Start, improving high schools and spending more equally among schools (Jacoby 36). The implication of racial preference has given high schools permission to replace the tradition of achievement with a culture of entitlement. The feeling of the absence of enthusiasm for achievement is illustrated by John O'Sulllivan editor of the National Review hen he said, Restoring high standards in high school will take time; but it will not even begin until the corrupting influence of racial preference is removed. By not admitting under qual...

Everything you need to know about writing a resume

Everything you need to know about writing a resume Your resume is the first piece of any job hunt. It’s the foundational document for your job search- think of it like your own personal Constitution. But what if you’re just starting out, and don’t yet know the ins and outs of what a resume is for, what it’s supposed to achieve, and what you’re supposed to put in it? We got you. And if you just want a refresher on resume basics, you’re welcome to join in too. What is the Purpose of My Resume?Your resume is a snapshot of you as a professional. When you’re applying for a job, you don’t have the benefit of being able to introduce yourself in person, answer questions about what you do, or make a personal impression. So your resume has to do that talking for you. It includes basic contact information, information about your skills, a summary of the work experience you have, and usually an indication of what you’re seeking. It takes this information and organizes it in a straigh tforward, easy-to-read format for someone who likely doesn’t know anything about you. That’s it.What a resume isn’t: It’s not a long, conversational story about your life. It’s not a place to give opinions about your last boss. It’s not a place to list every class you’ve ever taken. Your resume is a very focused, targeted version of you- the best version of your professional self, for the job opportunity you’re seeking.How Should My Resume Look?Traditionally, resumes have been very strict, templated affairs. Your contact info goes here, your experience comes next, your skills go here, and a neat note about references wraps it up. That rigid idea of what a resume should look like has loosened up a little, mostly thanks to the digital informality that seems to be affecting all aspects of our lives. (Think emails replacing letters, and text-speak popping up, well, everywhere.) But while things are getting a little more flexible in the hiring world, things haven’t gone too crazy. After all, your resume still has to have the same base information included:Contact info.  This includes your name, address, phone number, and (professional-sounding) email address. (Sorry, hotchick1989@aol.gov.)Summary/objective information.  This is a leading sentence or two summarizing you as a job candidate, what makes you well-suited to this job, or why you’re seeking this particular job.Skills.  These are bullet points listing out the hard skills (easily quantifiable skills like specific software expertise, typing speed, etc.) and soft skills (more general skills like communication, organization, attention to detail, creativity, etc.) relevant to the job.Experience.  These are bullet points (no more than a sentence or two) showing what you’ve done in your career so far, or related volunteer/extracurricular work.Education.  These are brief bullets related to your education. Here, you’d list any degrees or certificates you have- and, if relevant to the job itself, information about your major/course of study.Then there are optional elements which are nice to include if you have them and have enough room, but aren’t necessary to complete the resume:A headline that summarizes your overall resume in a succinct one-linerRelevant hobbies (key word here: relevant)Languages you speak (if you’re multilingual)Volunteer workAnd then there are things that you shouldn’t include in your resume:Information about your gender, age, or marital status. It’s illegal for potential employers to ask about those, so don’t even open the door.A photo of yourself. Same rationale as bullet #1. You want your accomplishments and skills to speak for themselves.Lies or exaggerations. It can be tempting to innocently boost some skills you don’t really have, or throw in a job responsibility that you didn’t have, but remember that you may always be called upon to prove anything in your resume.As long as you include appropriate information in these basic areas, you can change the format up a bit in order to emphasize the information you most want the reader to know, or to deprioritize something you don’t want to emphasize (like an employment gap, or a lack of experience). However, some parts shouldn’t change- for example, your contact info should always be centered at the top, for easy reference, and your headline/objective/summary statements should go right under that to avoid confusion. But think of the other sections as moveable blocks that can be moved around for maximum impact. You can find a format that works best for you.A Sample Traditional ResumeIf you’ve got a lot of work experience in your field under your belt, then the traditional format might work best for your job search. In this â€Å"reverse chronological resume,† you put your work experience bullets up front, working backwards starting wi th your current or most recent job. This is followed by skills, education, and any other relevant information. Your resume would look something like this example:[START RESUME EXAMPLE]Terry Perkins 101 Main Street New York, NY 12121 111*222*3333 TerryP@emaildomain.com LinkedIn: T.Perkins.linkedin.comQUALIFICATIONS SUMMARYExperienced leader guiding a large team of customer service managers and representatives.Proven track record of providing top-notch customer service and support for more than 20 years.Specialize in implementing customer feedback systems to improve service and boost customer relationships and provide better service.Consistently positive and dedicated attitude in working with customers and internal stakeholders, forming strong relationships both within the company and with external customers.WORK EXPERIENCEGlobal Communications Inc.Director of Customer Service (2014 – present)Senior Customer Service Representative (2008 – 2014)Customer Service Associate (2001-2008)Manage a team of 25+ Customer Service Representatives.Serve as an escalation point for customers with challenging issues.Monitor and analyze monthly call volume reports, and identify trends.Refine customer service processes to improve customer experience and outcomes.Analyze and report business trends and employee statistics on a monthly basis.Manage all hiring for the department.Work closely with other departments within the company to ensure proper handling of customer service issues.BigBox.comCustomer Service Representative (1999 – 2001)Worked directly with customers via phone to address questions, product issues, and order issues.Developed a personal Excel tracking system to ensure comprehensive follow-up with customers.Worked with management and team members to incorporate customer feedback and improve the customer service experience.Communications ConglomerateOffice Assistant (1997 – 1998)Provided administrative support for the Regional Director of Sal es.Tracked sales data, collating monthly reports.Prepared financial reports.SKILLSCustomer serviceComplex problem solving with diverse types of customersCommunicating with internal and external partiesTime managementDeveloping and implementing best practicesMicrosoft Office suiteCall triage management softwareSalesTracker softwareEDUCATIONAnderson Business School, Leadership Training Seminar (completed May 2016)University of South Beach, B.A. in Communications, 1996[END RESUME SAMPLE]A Sample Skills-Focused ResumeIf you’re just starting out, or trying to change careers, you might want to set up your narrative a little differently, emphasizing your skills and capabilities instead of specific work experience. In this case, you might want to go with a â€Å"skill-based† resume, where you emphasize your qualities before your experience. Here’s an example of an internship resume based on this format:[START RESUME SAMPLE]Sandy Jones1300 University StreetSan Diego, CA 99999(000) 111-2222S.Jones@emaildomain.comMotivated, detail-oriented graphic design student seeking to leverage design skills, writing skills, and social media experience into an experience-building internship in graphic design.SKILLSCreative visual designCompleting projects on deadlineBranded social media communicationAbility to work in a variety of environmentsWorking with clients and colleagues to complete projects on spec and on deadlineSoftware: Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesignBilingual: French and EnglishEDUCATIONUniversity of San Diego,  Expected graduation: May 2018B.A. CommunicationsB.A. Graphic DesignActivities: Campus Happenings Magazine (layout and design for print and digital content)  Memorial High School, San Diego, CA,  High School DiplomaActivities: Student Soapbox student newspaper (reporter and layout artist)  EXPERIENCEFranklin’s Pub  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   April 2007 – August 2009Server/Social Media coordinatorHandled Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts for the restaurantActed as a brand ambassador for the restaurantServed customers and handled cash transactionsProvided cheerful, courteous service to all customers[END RESUME SAMPLE]While your resume should formally look like a resume, that doesn’t mean you need to have the same resume as everyone else. You can structure it so that it shows your strengths right up front for the reader to see. For more on how to write your resume from scratch, click here.You also don’t have to work from scratch. We’ve got lots of free templates you can use to get the process started.Should I Get Fancy with My Resume?Short answer: probably not. You can never go wrong with a classic, well-laid-out text document. Things like video resumes and infographi c resumes get a lot of hype because they’re different and seem hipper, but it’s important to remember a few things about your resume:The first person reading your resume may be a robot. Online applications generally have some kind of screening process in place before a pair of human eyes ever reads applicants’ resumes. If your resume can’t be screened by standard text-based software, then it likely won’t move on to the next round.The average time that recruiters or hiring managers spend reading a resume is 8 seconds. Alarming, no? That means your information needs to jump out at them. The best way to do that is to use a familiar format, but make the information pop. If they have to spend time figuring out what they’re looking and and where to get the information they need, it can definitely work against you.So again, unless you’re applying for a video-heavy creative arts position or a graphic design gig, â€Å"cool† formats sho uld probably be secondary to a classic format.How Do I Make My Resume Stand Out?Once you’ve got the basic information in your resume, you can use these elements to make it stand out in a crowd of similar applicants:Deploy action verbs. Using strong words to describe your experience and responsibilities makes it more vivid and interesting to the reader.Use stellar spelling and grammar. Always, always, always proofread your resume, and have someone trusted do it as well. Glaring mistakes could cost you, especially since you likely used â€Å"detail-oriented† or something similar as one of your skills.Don’t overcrowd. We’ve all had it drilled into our heads that a resume should be no longer than one page. One page is still a decent rule of thumb, but if you genuinely need more space than that, don’t overcompensate by making the font and margins tiny to cram everything in. If your resume isn’t easily readable, chances are it won’t be read .Whether you’re a resume first-timer or merely looking for a memory boost, we hope this info gets you started on the path to a kickass resume for your next job opportunity. Good luck!

Strategy and Change Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Strategy and Change Management - Case Study Example This paper will focus and look into SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis with regards to Human Resource Management of Sony Ericsson in penetrating and merging different personnel in forming the venture that set a new trend to mobile phone industry in the world. When Sony and Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson have made ties in 2001, to produce cellular phones, there were a lot of tremendous changes that transpired between these companies that are now one. Though these companies have their similarities in terms of products they produce, Erricson is limited in producing telecommunication devices while Sony produces a wide array of appliances and electronic gadgets. Upon analyzing the nature of the products these two produces, one might say that there are also differences in the number of employees and the management of staff these companies have. devices and appliance. If we are to deal with the kind of manpower of these two, Erricsson has a more complicated and specialized staff because it deals with a particular product. In this case, one might conclude that detailed manpower specializing in every spare part and division is evident in the rank and file of this company. On the other hand, due to the fact that Sony produces several appliances, it has a complex staff because it deals with the general structure of the appliances that they produce does have similarities with several brands of appliance and in this case, they also employ people with general knowledge and does not require specialization since the production of the company deals with general application of appliances that are being produced since the make-up of these products are similar with other appliance products. When these companies ventured into one, there are changes that have been made. In this case, such changes include changes in strategy and approach of Human Resource Management. If there is indeed a change for Human Resource Management, therefore, the perfect pendulum of such a change is the SWOT analysis to test whether the changes in Human Resource Management is in accordance and jive with the vision of the company. In this particular case, this study will look into four key aspects of this kind of analysis. This would ensure whether the said move of these ventures with regards to its Human Resource Management Schemes would be an effective move if we are to deal with the effectiveness and welfare of the Human Resource in the company. Strategy and Change Management: Assessment 3 Company and Management Background of Sonny and Ericsson as separate entities Ericsson is a well-known company specializing in manufacturing mobile phones. The company enriched and employs people who are specializing in cellular phone technology as well as semi-conductor. In this case, the company is particular to the Human Resources which specialize in a certain field with certainly, a particular need. The website of the company ericsson.com (2007) described the company as "Ericsson is a world-leading provider of telecommunications equipment and related services to mobile and fixed network operators globally. Over 1,000 networks in 140 countries

Service Encounter Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Service Encounter Analysis - Essay Example Although I rather expected a sales person to descend upon me and attempt to make a sale, the fact of the matter was that I spent around 5-10 minutes browsing without anyone even asking if they could assist me. After such a time, I had a legitimate question concerning the specifications of a particular laptop. However, as I tried to make eye contact and get the attention of the section salesperson, I was all but ignored. Eventually I went to the salesperson and asked if they could assist me with a few questions I had. Rather than willingly offering their help, they seemed to begrudge the fact that they had to be troubled by a customer. Although to their credit they were able to answer my question in a knowledgeable way, they did not do so with the determination or desire that I would have expected from someone whose job it was to be in such a customer service oriented position. The physical location of the store was in central London. The dà ©cor and surroundings of the internal store itself were Spartan and geared more towards a utilitarian representation of the product to the customer rather than hoping to create an ambient store atmosphere. This â€Å"big box† feeling somewhat diminished from the customer service experience due to the fact that the customer feels that they are just another face in the crowd whose sole purpose is to come, buy, and leave. As a means of improving this particular service encounter, it is my belief that the situation could have greatly benefitted from hiring an individual who was both knowledgeable and interested in customer service. Although I was satisfied with the information I received, the way in which it was given was not willingly. As a means of bettering the level of customer care, the store might want to pay a closer attention to hiring better people and/or instilling a greater degree of customer care training in the future. Although the experience was less than stellar, the