Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Project Management Interview Protocol. - 1650 Words

Part I - Project Management Interview Protocol Opening: I wanted to start this interview by thanking you Greg, for taking the time to meet with me today. I understand you are currently employed as a project manager, and since I am interested in this field of work, your willingness to help me understand more about project management is greatly appreciated. Personal Interpretations of Project Management: 1. How would you define project management? (Open-ended) 2. Why did you decided to become a project manager? (Open-ended) 3. What personal qualities do you feel are required to be an effective project manager? (Closed-ended) 4. From 1 – 10, how would you rate project management as a career? (Closed-ended) 5. What is the most stressful aspect of being a project manager? (Closed-ended) Technical Competences and Methodologies: 6. How do you go about allocating resources, scheduling and keeping your team updated on the status of a project? (Open-ended) 7. What technical competences are required of a project manager; for instance, educational requirements and certifications? (Closed-ended) 8. What is your approach to managing projects? (Open-ended) 9. What specific software applications do you use to manage projects? (Closed-ended) 10. Are you PMP (Project Management Professional) certified? (Closed-ended) Interpersonal Competencies Project Sponsorship: 11. How do you handle politics that arise during a project? (Open-ended) 12. Are you responsible for managingShow MoreRelatedEssay On Restoration Procedure1635 Words   |  7 PagesSimilar quality improvement project was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a nurse-driven removal protocol on the incidence and duration of indwelling urinary catheter use as well as CAUTI rates in hospitalized adults at a 150-bed community hospital in the Mideastern United States (Mori, 2014). 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Monday, December 9, 2019

Essentials of Working Capital Management

Question: Discuss about the Essentials of Working Capital Management. Answer: Introduction The present report aims to provide advice to a client for investing in Woolworths Limited accountant at WCP Accountants Investment Advisers. For this purpose, the report provides a description regarding its core business, strategic priorities and issues emerging from its annual and corporate social responsibility report. In addition to this, the report analysed the financial position of the company by calculating its key financial ratios and an overall evaluation of the value creation by implementing six capital integrated report. At last, recommendation is provided for the purpose of investing in the company. Description of the core business of the company Woolworths Limited is an Australian company established in the year 1924, headquartered in Sydney. It is recognised as the largest supermarket chain of the country with operating about 961 stores across the country. The company employees about 111,000 people in its retail stores, distribution centres and support offices and provide the customers high-quality services in terms of value, range and convenience. The company emphasises on the production of best quality products for the customers by working in association with Australian growers and farmers. It procures 96% of fresh fruit and vegetables and 100% of fresh meat from the countrys farmers and growers. Woolworths is being categorised as Fresh Food People as it aims to provide its customers all naturally sourced fresh products (Woolworths Supermarkets, 2012). Woolworths is second largest company in Australia in terms of revenue and also in New Zealand. In addition to this, it is also believed to be largest liquor retailer in Australia. The main strategic objectives of the company are to provide high quality and lower price products to its customers. The core business of the company includes providing food, liquor, petrol, general merchandise, home improvements and hotels to the customers. The company emphasises on achieving the following four strategic objectives in present: Expand its leadership in food and liquor Maximise shareholder value Continue its past record of establishing new growth businesses Develop and maintain a new era of growth Woolworths aims to meet the changing needs and expectations of the customers by establishing a new phase of growth and opportunity. The company has firmly recognised that retailing sector is rapidly evolving and as such the company needs to create high value for the customers through identifying innovative ways of growth (Mc Arthur, 2013). Discussion on the companys progress against its strategic priorities The company has established its strategic objectives mentioned above three years ago and since then are continually making progress in attaining its identified strategic objectives. The company has initiated its More Savings Everyday program that has enabled it to reduce its prices by about 2.9% in order to meet its first strategic objective. Moreover, it has also launched direct from farmers initiative and fresh bakeries in order to deliver fresh and high quality products to the customers. These initiatives of the company have enhanced its market sales and revenue generation (Mc Arthur, 2013). Woolworths has also created its spate Shopping Centres Australasia Property Group in Australia Stock Exchange (ASX: SCP) that facilities it to acquires about $500 million capital that improved its business performance for meeting its second strategic objective. The company in order to meet its third strategic objective is strongly investing for establishing the various stores for Home Improvement and has also invested in enhancing its online sales through establishing its Ezibuy acquisition. The company has also invested in world class supply chain by establishing its distribution centre at Hoxton Park that aims to improve its services the Home Improvement and Big W divisions. It has also acquired 50% in a data company that allows it to acquire information about its customers habits (Mc Arthur, 2013). Discussion on significant issues emerging from the Chairmans Report The chairmans report on Woolworths has reflected that the company has made significant changes in its senior management team for effectively meeting the customers needs. The Chairman report reflected that after the retirement of its CEO in 2015, the company conducted a global CEO search for appointing its new chairman. Brad Banducci was appointed as Managing Director in 2015 through the help of global CEO search. Brad was then replaced as the managing director of Woolworths liquor group by Martin Smith. The company is also conducting its search process for appointing new executive directors to develop a competent senior management team. The chairman report reflected that financial year 2015 is recognised as a year of significant changes for the company. The company has undertaken new retail challenges and implemented new strategies such as expanding its lean retail model for meeting them appropriately. The main issue as discovered from the chairman report of the company is resigning of its many executive and non-executive directors by the end of the year 2015. The company has to develop a special recruitment plan for hiring and selecting the vacant positions in its senior management team for meeting its strategic objectives in the future direction (Chairmans Report, 2015). Discussion on significant issues emerging from the Managing Directors Report The managing directors report in companys performance reflects that Woolworths is striving to enhance is growth continually but its revenue generation has not been increased from the past year. This is a significant issue for the company that it needs to place focus for creating value for all its stakeholders. As reflected from the managing directors report. The company is emphasising on renewing its customer focus strategy for achieving customer satisfaction. For this purpose, the company is striving to provide best products to the customers at reduced prices. However, for attaining customer satisfaction the main challenge that exists before the company is to regain momentum in Australian supermarkets. The increase of competition in the retail sector has impacted the companys performance in last few years. The company need to re-invent its lean retail model for staying competitive in its external business environment. The companys sales have declined significant in the past few year s mainly driven by the reduction in fuel prices and its disappointing trading result in Australian Food and Liquor and General Merchandise (Annual Report, 2015). The company had divested its core business into owning petrol stations, pubs and hardware that has not gone well with its performance. The main reason for the decline in companys sales as predicted by analysts is its long-term strategy for investing in opening large number of retail stores around the country. The company has loosed its focus on its core business area such as fresh food by investing in large number of businesses. As a result, it has loosened its faith in customers responsible for its continually declining sales. Thus, the managing directors report has reported a decline in the companys profitability over the past few years that need to be improved by renewing its customer strategy. The company need to shift its focus again to its main core business that is providing fresh food products to the customers for e nhancing its sales and regain its market leadership in Australias retail sector (Grath, 2015). Discussion on significant issues emerging from the Corporate Responsibility Report Woolworths has launched its Sustainability Strategy eight years gap for ensuring the implementation and adoption of sustainable practices in its business operations. The strategy of the company focuses on improving its operational efficiency through minimising waste generation by responsible sourcing. However, as reflected from its corporate sustainability report that the company has still not achieved the ambition of generating zero food waste. The company largely focuses on achieving sustainability through minimising its carbon generation by 42% and implementing effective policies for ethical sourcing, timber, paper and animal welfare. The main challenge that is present before the company as analysed from its CSR report is to attaining zero waste generation by optimum utilisation of its resources. It still needs to improvise on its sustainability issues by developing further strategies for reducing waste generation. The company still needs to reduce its carbon footprint and waste g eneration to landfill for attaining sustainability (Corporate responsibility report, 2015). Key Financial Ratios of Woolworth Limited for year 2015 Financial ratios are the key indicators for the financial performance of the company. Ratios are considered important because they help to compare the financial performance of one year with another year within same company as well as with other company. In this segment key ratios related to Woolworth Limited will be evaluated and recommendations will be provided on whether to invest in the company or not. Liquidity ratios (All figures indicates below are in million dollars) Liquidity ratios are known as short term financial ratios and it tell about the company ability to pay debt obligations. It is calculated using ratios like current ratio, quick ratio etc. Current Ratio Current ratio tells the short term liability position of the company and it is the ratio of current assets to current liabilities (Sagner, 2010). Current ratio of year 2015: Current assets/current liabilities = (7661 / 9169) = 0.84 times On looking at the ratio it can be said that liability position of the Woolworth was not good in year 2015 as value of current asset is low from the liabilities that have to be paid in year 2015. Liquidity position can be good if company works out to manage the current liabilities through paying excessive amounts through reserves and start collecting account receivables more frequently. Quick Ratio Quick ratio is similar to current ratio but there is small difference that while estimating the quick assets inventory and prepaid expenses are excluded because both of these cant be converted into quick cash within a short period of time. Quick ratio is the ratio of quick assets to current liabilities (Walton, 2000). Quick Ratio: Quick Assets/Current Liabilities = 2488/9169 = 0.23 times Having looked at ratio it can be said that Woolworth ahs very low quick ratio as per the market conditions. Ideal quick ratio range between 0.90 and 1.10, and compared to it Woolworth liquidity position was not sound. Management in Woolworth have to rethink about the policies on liquidity position of the company. Profitability ratios Profitability ratios guide about the income capability of the company and it is used to assess the companys ability to generate the earnings as compared to expenses. Here two profitability ratios will be examined: Net profit ratio and Return on total assets (Fridson and Alvarez, 2011). Net profit ratio: Net profit ratio tells the profit earned by the company in the period of time (Drake and Fabozzi, 2012). Formula: Net profit / Net revenue = 2,146/60868 = 3.5 % Net profit ratio of Woolworth Limited in year 2015 was 3.5% and it is very low from the expectations. It can be said that companys major earnings goes in the cost of goods sold and other operating expenses. In order to increase the net profit margin company has to decrease the expenses through avoiding business where earnings are below and are at break even point. Return on total assets: This ratio tells profit earned using the assets of the company. Formula: Net earnings/ total assets = 2146/ 25337 = 8.5 % The net profit to total assets ratio of Woolworth is 8.5 % and it was not up to the mark as it expected in year 2015. It can be said that overall profitability position of the Woolworth was not good and management has to rethink on the business activities that were giving losses. Capital Efficiency Ratio Capital ratios tell the position of the company and how these capitals are used to generate the profits. Debt Equity Ratio: This ratio shows the amount of debt capital as against the equity capital. Equity capital reflects the amount of capital that is taken through issues shares in the market whereas debt capital refers to capital that is taken from the financial institutions. Formula: Debt/Equity = 5331/10834 = 0.49 Debt equity ratio of the company was good in year 2015 but it was noted that company was increasing debt capital in last 4 years to finance the activities. It shows that company was dependent on debt capital more as compared to equity capital (Bull, 2007). Equity to total assets ratio: This ratio shows amount of total assets financed from the equity liabilities or owners funds. Formula: Total Shareholders equity/ Totals Assets = 10,834/25,337 = 0.43 On looking at ratio it can be said that Woolworth Limited has financed 43 % of total assets from the shareholders equity and it reflects good capital structure of the company. Woolworth has to issue more equity shares in order increase the owners capital and decrease the debt capital. Evaluation of the companys value creation or diminution in terms of six capitals over time The best way to analyse the value creation of Woolworths is to examine its six capital such as financial, manufactured, intellectual, human, social and relationship, and natural. The financial capital of the company is not presently in a sound condition as it is not enhancing its equity capital but rather emphasising on the incorporation of debt in its capital structure. This is bound to increase the liabilities of the firm and also poses a potential threat for its long-term development with decline in its sales. The company has invested largely into manufacturing of various products such as home improvement, owning petrol stations and investing largely in its liquor operations besides its main manufacturing of food products. However, the company need to focus largely on its main business area for improving its sales. The company largely relies on its intellectual capital through implementing a private label brands on all its products. Human capital refers to the employment propositi on of the firm that is composed of skills and competent employees facilitating it to develop unique products. Social relationship capital of the company is developed on the basis of its good relations with customers, suppliers and business partners. At last is the natural capital that is developed by the company through sourcing naturally fresh fruits and vegetables for manufacturing its products (WOOLWORTHS HOLDINGS LIMITED 2015 INTEGRATED REPORT, 2015). Conclusion On the basis of investigation made in Woolworth Limited it is highly recommended to the clients that they must hold or buy the shares at this moment because market value of share is very low as compared to last few years and it is highly expected that it will rise in coming years. So, it is profitable for the clients to buy the shares at this moment and sell them at the right moment when there is increase in value of market share. Financial performance of the Woolworth was not string in year 2015 and management has to reframe the policies to figure out the non profitable activities so that more profits can be generated through investing in profitable business. References Annual Report. 2015. [Online]. Available at: https://www.woolworthslimited.com.au/icms_docs/182381_Annual_Report_2015.pdf [Accessed on: 12 September 2016]. Bull, R. 2007. Financial Ratios: How to use financial ratios to maximise value and success for your business'. Elsevier. Chairmans Report. 2015. [Online]. Available at: https://www.woolworthslimited.com.au/annualreport/2015/chairmans-report.html [Accessed on: 12 September 2016]. Corporate responsibility report. 2015. [Online]. Available at: https://woolworthslimited2015.csr-report.com.au/files/Woolworths_CSR_2015.pdf [Accessed on: 12 September 2016]. Drake, P. P. and Fabozzi, F. J. 2012. Analysis of Financial Statements. John Wiley Sons. Fridson, M. S. and Alvarez, F. 2011. Financial Statement Analysis: A Practitioner's Guide. John Wiley Sons. Grath, P. 2015. Woolworths axes 800 jobs as sales decline. [Online]. Available at: https://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2015/s4230529.htm [Accessed on: 12 September 2016]. Mc Arthur, T. 2013. Woolworths makes progress on its strategic priorities. [Online]. Available at: https://www.fool.com.au/2013/08/29/woolworths-makes-progress-on-its-strategic-priorities/ [Accessed on: 12 September 2016]. Sagner, J. 2010. Essentials of Working Capital Management. USA: John Wiley Sons. Walton, P. 2000. Financial Statement Analysis: An International Perspective. Cengage Learning EMEA. Woolworths Holdings Limited 2015 Integrated Report. 2015. [Online]. Available at: https://www.woolworthsholdings.co.za/investor/annual_reports/ar2015/whl_2015_integrated_report.pdf [Accessed on: 12 September 2016]. Woolworths Supermarkets. 2012. [Online]. Available at: https://www.woolworthslimited.com.au/page/Who_We_Are/Our_Brands/Supermarkets/Woolworths/ [Accessed on: 12 September 2016].

Monday, December 2, 2019

Social observation and analysis of Alcohol drinking

Introduction Social interaction forms are very important aspect of the human life. For a very long time, sociologists have been carrying out investigations to try and explain how the society functions. Some of their views are depicted in the theoretical perspectives which are used to guide sociologists in understanding the society and its members.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Social observation and analysis of Alcohol drinking specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This paper seeks to use the alcohol drinking experience as a mirror to view how the different theoretical perspectives are applied in the society. Thus the paper will analyze the social role played by alcohol drinking and the social significance of the places where the drinking takes place. This observational analysis will be benchmarked on the different sociology theories that have been accomplished in class. Alcohol drinking Alcohol drinking has been ha s been around for a very long time. To this date there are several types of alcoholic drinks available in many different societies. Different types of drinks have a different social meaning. The drinks are thus used to divide the society into social strata. The type of alcoholic drink that is taken by an individual can be linked to his/her values, norms, behavior and how he/she interacts with other people in the society. In some societies the choice of drink is a strong indicator of behavior. However, this description does not include to the situational drinking such as celebrations that might be characterized by one type of drink such as the champagne. Status indicator The type of alcohol beverage that is consumed by an individual can be used as a major indicator of his/her status in the society. In most societies, alcoholic beverages that are not produced locally have a higher social status. For instance, the polish population regards wine as a drink of high to middle class status . The beers and vodkas produced locally in that country or often considered as drinks of an ordinary person. It’s usual to see university students in Poland taking wine to reinforce their importance in the society. In France, as opposed to Poland, the drinking of wine is the order of the day and thus the young elite always turn to imported beers to show their higher status. However, in the cases of the young ‘elites’ been drinking does not actually reflect their status in the society, it is more of a reflection of what they aspire to be in the future. Furthermore, a particular drink such as wine may not be in itself the definer of the social status. As it has been observed there are different types of wine with different calibers. The type of wine caliber consumed by an individual defines his status in the high and mighty of the society.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Le arn More Affiliation and loyalty As it has been observed, the choice of drink may also be used to link an individual to a certain group or to predict his affiliation to an organization. Certain brand of alcohol are usually identified with certain groups, for instance, whisky is usually identified with the Scots, Guinness with the Irish and Tequila with the people of Mexico. Thus the in the social context, a drink can be a significant indicator of the nationality or a person’s loyalty and cultural background Gender differentiator In a rather sort of conflict perspective, the alcoholic beverages are not only used to differentiate between the aspirations, class, or status in the society. A more common social classification arises from the gender differentiation role played by alcoholic beverages. The function of alcohol as a differentiator between masculinity and feminine attributes is always seen even in the absence of other differentiating factors. This is often seen even in the countries or societies where there is only one type of alcoholic beverage. In such a case the drink to be consumed by the females is often made sweeter with a less alcohol content while the male take a strong bitter form of the same. In many societies drinking by females is considered as ‘not drinking’ by the males. Thus males always shun female brands as this may make them appear feminine. Drinking places In the second part of this paper we describe the role of the places where the alcoholic beverages are consumed. Most societies across the globe have distinct areas where alcohol is consumed. These places provide a dedicated surrounding that is often separated from the outside world. The drinking places are often defined with their separate customs, laws and values. It’s common for one person to be surprised by how a friend or colleague behaves while in a bar or night club. This is due to the fact that the values and norms that one adheres to while in the c lub environment are completely different from those of normal life. Social interaction function The social distinction role that is played by drinking places is in one way or another completely different from that of the outside world. People with diverse professional backgrounds in the society can be found mingling in the drinking places. As such the drinking provides an important avenue for social bonding and interaction between individuals who have no other place to meet. In most societies that practice communal drinking, alcohol is often considered as a leveler. Communal drinking provides a significant means of interaction between individuals of different status in the community or society. The drinking places therefore perform a more important function of challenging the established social order.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Social observation and analysis of Alcohol drinking specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn Mo re An observation made in societies that are ethnically diverse indicate that drinking places often provide norms that enable individuals to feel more equal than in other spheres of life. For instance, observation studies on the American people show that there is a higher chance of individuals from different races to interact in drinking places. In Los Angeles, Americans of Mexican decent and the Anglos usually mix freely in clubs and it’s common to see a dance partner being chosen from other races. Social bonding In the earlier observation of the social role played by alcohol it was identified that social bonding, besides social interaction is one of the most important functions of drinking. An important part of the drinking is the generalized feeling of relaxation that comes with it. Thus as it may not be clear but its true that the places where alcohol is taken are very important for bonding to take place between individuals of diverse backgrounds. Conclusion This paper sought to analyze the social role played by alcohol drinking and the social significance of the places where the drinking takes place. This observational analysis was to be benchmarked on the different sociology learning objectives. The paper has been able to reveal how alcohol drinking and the places where it is drunk from play an important role in the social lives of human beings. This essay on Social observation and analysis of Alcohol drinking was written and submitted by user Lucia R. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.