Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Evaluation Of A Customer Relation Assignment - 1329 Words

This paper discusses the results of a customer relation assignment which was designed to create knowledge through observation. Three different healthcare service organizations were observed for this assignment. This technique provided ample amounts of information on how different healthcare facilities handled customer relations. The paper is written from a first person point-of-view and covers the following information such as, the type of the organization visited and services provided by each of them. The paper will continue to explain the process required to obtain information and the willingness to offer information from the organizations. Further the paper will divulge my feelings regarding customer service at each facility and what changes I would have made in order to make the experience better. The three healthcare facilities visited in order to complete this assignment are Breachtree Dental Center, Oakwood Healthcare Clinic, and unit 2 West at Sinai Grace Hospital in the cit y of Michigan. The first organization that I visited was Breachtree Dental Center located in Westland, Michigan. This organization provides care to adults and children who need dental care. There are several dental services offered by this center: oral cancer screenings, bridges, root canals, osseous surgery, veeners and dental implants. The entire environment is warm and comfortable, patients have the options to watch TV, read magazines, or even have a warm cup of coffee while they wait inShow MoreRelatedEvaluation Of A Customer Relation Assignment : Observation Of Three Different Healthcare Service Organizations1324 Words   |  6 PagesThis paper discusses the results from a customer relation assignment which was designed to create knowledge through observation of three different healthcare service organizations. This technique provided ample amounts of information on how different healthcare facilities handled costumer relations. The paper is written in a first person experien ce and covers the following information such as type of the organization and services provided at each of them. Then the paper will continue to explain theRead MoreFinal Marketing Plan Assignment1671 Words   |  7 PagesPlan Assignment and Guide DUE: July 7, 2010 at the beginning of class NO LATE PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED Marketing plans serve several critical roles within sport organizations. Marketing plans allow everyone to see how their actions fit in with the actions of other employees. Marketing plans also: †¢ provide a road map for corporate development, †¢ assist in the management and implementation of strategy, †¢ communicate role specificity to new employees, †¢ coordinate the assignment of responsibilitiesRead MoreAcct 309717 Words   |  3 PagesACCT 309 COSO Integrated Framework: Internal Environment Part 2 Assignment 1. Download or open the COSO ERM Integrated Framework from Course Handouts in Blackboard. 2. Review chapter 2 â€Å"Internal Environment† pages 27-34. 3. Read the following information about Go-Go Corporation. 4. Determine how each of the issues relates to the eight factors of the internal environment. * Factors of internal environment include risk management philosophy, risk appetite, board of directorsRead MoreWhat Is Customer Service Agent? An Hr Manager?1527 Words   |  7 Pagesessential procedures for implementing job responsibilities necessary to attaining business ingenuities. Try and ponder the multiplicity of customer service agent position obligations in conforming with business s metrics: overseeing of calls, call time, and devotion in maintaining an assured level of consumer service telephone effort. In search to efficacious customer service agents, the pros can point to the ensuing characteristics: 1) Appropriate documentation of each member of staff that has conceptualRead MoreStrategic Plan, Part I: Conceptualizing a Business1108 Words   |  5 Pagesbusiness chosen for the assignment. A mission statement will be developed, setting the business apart from others in the same or similar market. The vision statement will also made, discussing the direction the business wants to take in the future. Other topics such as, principles or values will be discussed. Concluding the paper will analyze the mission and vision statement, and values in guiding the business in a strategic direction. Followed by an evaluation of customers need in giving the competitiveRead MoreGlobal Market Demand : The Hub Of A Community1585 Words   |  7 Pagesor reference for local schools or business via community health initiatives. Walgreens the organization has a shared vision of providing its communities and customers trusted services to include medicine preparations, counseling, routine immunization s to specialty pharmaceuticals and wellness amenities. Their goal is to provide each customer and member specialized and adaptive care as evidence to their ongoing initiatives to confirm to the global market demand, as to be discussed below. OrganizationRead MoreAldi Porter Analysis758 Words   |  4 PagesIndividual Assignment BUS845 This assignment requires you to answer two questions. It should be submitted through Turnitin at the latest 3 pm, Friday, Week 5. For the Turnitin submission – title your document with your full name and student number, e.g., Smith20062007. Turnitin can be found on the unit’s iLearn site Answer each question separately and make sure your name and student number can be found in the header of each page. Make sure that the answers to the questions are presented on separateRead MoreThe Importance Of An Efficacious Frame Work1610 Words   |  7 Pagesanalysis as a profession, improve the analysts/policymaker relationships, and effectively measure analytic quality. The Intelligence Community Directive (ICD) established the Intelligence Community (IC) Analytic Standards that govern the production and evaluation of analytic products; articulates responsibility of intelligence analysts to strive for excellence, integrity, and rigor in their analytic thinking and work practices; and delineates the role of the ODNI Analytic Ombuds. Structured MethodologyRead MoreIssues in Global Business1296 Words   |  6 Pagesthe module focuses on enabling students to develop skills in the analysis of the strategic environment, development, evaluation and implementation of strategic concepts. These early stages of the module are designed to develop students’ analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills. The module continues with a study of the global business environment and critical evaluation through the use of case studies to develop the student’s awareness and explore good and bad practices within the businessRead MorePromotional Activities Task Sheet795 Words   |  4 Pagesdesigned to alter customer attitudes, and investigate how the cost of promotional activities affects the final choice of promotional activities. | What you need to produce | You need to produce a plan of a promotional campaign, working within an allocated budget, for a new or existing business, which: A. (A01) Explains the main objectives of the promotion campaign, the range of promotional activities available to the business and the characteristics of the targeted customers. B. (A02) Explains

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Risk and Audit of GPSA Limited Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Risk and Audit of GPSA Limited. Answer: Introduction Auditing is the process being undertaken by the certified accountant for the purpose of verifying the books of accounts of a business entity for a particular financial year. The auditing involves risk assessment as the major element (Leung, Coram, Cooper, 2012). The auditor needs to assess the risk of manipulations in the financial statements before commencing the actual verification of the books and records of the entity. In this context, a report has been prepared here that deals with the risk assessment in relation to the audit of GPSA Limited which engages in the research and development activities and investment in properties. The report provides overview of the application of risk assessment tools and techniques such as test of controls and ratio analysis. Further, discussion on the audit steps required to reduce the audit risk has also been provided in this report. Accounts The five accounts as identified by the audit partner, John Richard being potentially risky are given as below: Accounts receivables Current Investments Property Assets Intangible Assets Research and Development Capitalization Analysis The days in accounts receivables have been observed to be rising over the period of three years. In the year 2015, the accounts receivable days were 53 which increased to 61 in 2016 and then further increased to 83 in the year 2017. The increase in the accounts receivable days has been significant in three years, which certain raise concerns of the auditor. Current investment account shows the investments held by the company for disposal in the short term. Current investment forms part of current assets. The current ratio of the company has been observed to be increasing from 1.66 times in 2015 to 1.80 times in 2017. The company makes investment in the properties which are shown under the property assets account. Intangible assets and research and development capitalization accounts are the most crucial for the auditor because these comprise the main business activities of the company. In the year 2016, the company incurred a huge sum on the research of new laser surgery device which one of its competitors has already developed and patented, the expected revenues from this device may be adversely affected. Further, as per the loan covenants the company will be under obligation to pay the loan on demand if the debt to equity ratio goes increases above 1.2:1 (AICPA, 2016). Audit Risk Audit risk is the risk that the auditor would make incorrect audit opinion in regards to accounts examined because the fraud and error remain undetected (Griffiths, 2016). The auditor tries to reduce the audit risk by adopting the test of controls and substantive procedures. In the case of GPSA Limited, the main audit risks have been identified as below: The capitalization of research and development expenses may be manipulated. The accounts receivable might include bad and irrecoverable debt. The company might try to increase the equity to keep the debt equity ratio within the limits specified in the loan covenant. Audit Steps to Reduce Risk The auditor should verify the controls over the accounts receivables and apply extensive checking on the receivable accounts outstanding for more than a considerable period of time. Verify the capitalization in the research and development account and the expected cash flows from the device developed. Apply substantive tests over the equity accounts to verify (ISA 330, 2009). Business Risks Faced by GPSA Limited Business risk implies the possibility of loss that the company may incur due to adverse business conditions. The auditor should strive to find out the events that gives rise to substantial business risk (Reuvid, 2014). In the case of GPSA Limited, it has been observed that the company is facing downfall in the demand in market due to increased competition. The manufacturing and property industry in Australia is under pressure to improve the margins. The return on equity of GPSA Limited is down from 22.17% in 2015 to 7.19% in 2017. Further, the return on total assets is down from 15.52% in 2015 to 4.86% in 2017 and net margin has decrease from 17.85% in 2015 to 10.38% in 2017. The downfall in the key profitability ratio clearly indicates that the company is bearing high business risk and it may incur losses. Further, the debt to equity ratio has also increased from 1.04 times in 2015 to 1.11 times in 2017. If the debt to equity ratio hits the limit as per loan covenant of 1.20 times, the company would incur solvency risk. Thus, overall it could be evaluated that the business risk of GPSA Limited is high for the audit of 2017. Effective Control Some of the potentially effective controls that GPSA Limited has are discussed as below: The company has two non-executive independent directors out of total five on the board. The company has implemented a new IT system for the record maintenance. The access to records is password protected (Graham, 2015). The major shareholders take active part in the management of affairs, particularly related to the managerial bonus and remunerations. Budgeting system is there in place through which company specifies the targets to be achieved in the coming period (Graham, 2015). Risk Alleviated The risks alleviated by the above mentioned controls of GPSA Limited are given as below: It is essential to have independent directors on the board to alleviate the risk of losing governance in the organization. Thus, GPSA Limited, by having two independent directors on the board, alleviates the risk of non-governance in the company (Graham, 2015). The new IT system implemented by the company would alleviate the risk of errors in recoding the transactions and maintaining records. Password protection provides safeguard against the risk of unauthorized access to the accounting records. The involvement of shareholders in the management of affairs reduces the risk of management manipulating the financial statements for personal benefit. Preparing budgets and targets for the future performance helps in tightening controls over the activities of the personnel. The risk of non-performance is reduced to a great extent (Graham, 2015). Test of Control One test of control for the above discussed potentially effective controls is prescribed as below: Inspection of board meeting minutes and resolutions. Test of transactions recorded by the new IT system and verification of the security measures. Verifying the resolution passed and approvals given by the shareholders for the managerial bonus. Verifying the variance report to check that budgetary system is working properly (Graham, 2015). Weaknesses in Internal Control The internal controls laid by GPSA Limited over the sales processes and accounts receivables seem to be sufficiently good but there are certain weaknesses which if the company overcomes would help it to reduce the risk of fraud or error. In the case of incomplete deliveries, the responsibility to probe into the reasons should be assigned to officer other than the dispatch supervisor. Thus, the segregation of the duties does not seem to be proper in relation to delivery of goods and follow ups. The incomplete deliveries should be signed off by the appropriate authority. In the same way, the return of sold material is also not under the watch of proper authority. The sales return should be approved by the sales manager rather than the supervisor of dispatch department. Further, the company does not take confirmation of the material delivered to the customer. In regard to trade receivables, it has been observed that the company does not have a system of account reconciliation. The compa ny does not take balance confirmation from the trade receivables on regular basis which is a significant loophole in the system (Whittington, 2015). Conclusion From the discussion in the report, it could be concluded that the audit of GPSA Limited for the year 2017 should be with more focus and planning because the company is bearing high risk. Further, there has been a change in the internal control system due to implementation of the new IT system. Thus, the auditor needs to go through testing of controls in detail this year. References AICPA. 2016. Audit Guide: Analytical Procedures. John Wiley Sons. Graham, L. 2015. Internal Control Audit and Compliance: Documentation and Testing Under the New COSO Framework. John Wiley Sons. Griffiths, P. 2016. Risk-Based Auditing. CRC Press. ISA 330. 2009. Auditors Response to the Assessed Risk. Retrieved 18 September 2017, from https://www.ifac.org/system/files/downloads/a019-2010-iaasb-handbook-isa-330.pdf Leung, P., Coram, P., Cooper, B.J. 2012. Modern Auditing and Assurance Services, Google eBook. John Wiley Sons. Reuvid, J. 2014. Managing Business Risk: A Practical Guide to Protecting Your Business. Kogan Page Publishers. Whittington, O.R. 2015. Wiley CPAexcel Exam Review 2015 Study Guide (January): Auditing and Attestation. John Wiley Sons.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Why is a states authority to govern is always contested Essay Example

Why is a states authority to govern is always contested? Essay In all forms of government there is always an element of dissent and disobedience to the authority of the state. While in totalitarian states, dissent is not tolerated and crushed as and when it happens, in the more democratic forms of government it is actually seen as a healthy sign. If we go back in history, we find that most of the progressive legislations and grants of civil liberties have been won through hard struggle from below. So the merits associated with democratic governance today were largely a product of grassroots struggle of the people and their contestation of the authority of the state. So instead of looking at contestation of state power as a malign expression of social disorder, one could attribute positive conclusions about its role in the development and progress of society. But not everyone agrees with this point of view. Hence, it is safe to say that there is no consensus with respect to the problem of state authority and its relation to the general po pulation. The rest of this essay will explain why state authority is constantly contested by people and will elucidate how it will help foster social justice. The former Chief Scientific Advisor to the UK government, Sir David King had once famously remarked that the phenomena of global warming and climate change are more dangerous than social disorder in the form of terrorism. While Sir David King’s assessment might come across as far-fetched at first, there is proper rationale behind his views. To state it concisely, there is elaborate empirical evidence in the form of global temperature statistics and changing weather patterns to back up King’s views, than what one could possibly come up with to present the dangers of terrorism. And more crucially, unlike global climate change, the present governmental actions to mitigate or suppress terrorism are actually proving counter-productive, in that they are triggering off more terrorist retaliations. King’s concerns about the UK’s security are quite relevant in discussing about state authority and governance. For example, under the leadership of Tony Blair, the UK joined hands with the United States in launching counter-terror operations in Afghanistan and later in Iraq. Right from the beginning of these operations, the general public in the UK and the USA were strongly against it. This is clearly seen in the Gallup polls taken at periodic intervals for the last several years. The same polls show that the general population is more concerned with issues of livelihood, environment (including global warming) and civil liberties. Here is a classic case of the idea that the authority of the state to govern is always contested. In this particular example, the actions of the Tony Blair government were not mandated by the general public, as the opinion polls clearly indicate. It is fair to say that the legitimacy of so-called counter-terror operations were strongly called into question by the general public, both in the UK as well as the rest of the world. While the Gallup polls showed the statistical and quantitative proof of this contes tation, the public demonstrations in the form of protests and rallies in the lead-up to the War on Terror gives further credence to public displeasure toward government actions (Bromley, 2009, p.402). We will write a custom essay sample on Why is a states authority to govern is always contested? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Why is a states authority to govern is always contested? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Why is a states authority to govern is always contested? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Going back to the topic in question, people have a natural tendency to detest authority. It starts from early childhood, when a child resists its parents’ control over its actions and behaviour and later takes the generalized form of resisting those in positions of authority. While conceding that not all forms of authority are oppressive and exploitative in nature, it is also true that subordinate employees do not particularly enjoy taking orders from their superiors in office. It is fair to say that human beings, by virtue of their self-respect and sense of dignity, do not like to relate to other human beings through skewed power relations. This is one reason why a political philosophy such as Communism had found expression on several occasions during the twentieth century and still continues to draw attention in the academia and political debates. Despite Communism’s practical failings, it is closely allied to Anarchism, which is founded on strong distrust of all authority (Blakeley and Saward, 2009, p.370). The Making Social Lives text describes governing as â€Å"the process of trying to shape, direct or rule some areas of life. The process of governing – usually governing others – is undertaken by many sorts of agencies and groups who combine two things: a commitment to make things, or people, better (or to keep them the same in the face of threats that might make things worse) and a claim that they have the authority to bring this improvement about. This double aspect of governing – improvement and authority – can be found in many practices of governing†. (Bromley and Clarke, 2009, p.326) Although there is nothing objectionable with this stated objective of governing, there is often a wide gap between the objectives and actual results. There are several reasons why this is so. Firstly, there might be no unity of purpose and co-ordination among the various agencies and groups that were instated to carry out the objectives of governance. Secondly, of the two aspects of governing – improving and authority – the former is likely to be overlooked and the latter is prone to be abused. While national governments are not the only institutions of authority, they are quite distinct from the other forms. For example, institutions such as the Church, minority groups, trade unions, professional associations, human rights groups, etc all wield authority over certain people up to certain levels. This is true even with institutions such as the United Nations and the European Union, which apparently have a broader jurisdiction to exercise their authority. But the authority of the state â€Å"has a control of territory and population that is not generally given to other organizations and institutions, and ultimately it has coercive powers that are also not generally given to others. The government governs in the name of ‘the people’–the population of a given territory. Often, this population is a nation; and we generally associate governments with nation states, although identifying the nation is not always easy.† (Bromley and Clarke, 2009, p.326 ) This insight into the difference between state authority and other forms of authority is quite crucial to understanding why the former is constantly under scrutiny. In all other cases, the objectives are limited and interests are narrowly defined. Moreover, there is no pretence of serving the interests of the ‘greater common good’ with any of the aforementioned institutions. But in the case of a nation-state and its governance through democratic means, the general public has expressed their preferences electorally and is in anticipation of its execution. But only rarely do promises made during election campaigns get reflected in actions and results. Often, election campaigns turn out to be no more than an exercise in grabbing and exploiting authority, rather than an exercise of carrying out the public mandate. Given that this has largely been the trend since the inception of parliamentary democracy in Britain, it is no surprise that the general public views its government with a high degree of suspicion. Seen in this context, it is easy to understand why the authority of the state to govern is always contested. This is true in Western democracies such as the U.K. and the U.S.A, as it is in more authoritarian and dictatorial states elsewhere in the world (Bromley, 2009, p.422). When one takes a look at the disconnection between public policy and public opinion in the U.K., one is inclined to say that contestation of state authority is much warranted. Take, say, the most recent economic crisis that the world witnessed. In early 2008, the whole world was plunged into an economic recession, following the collapse of the sub-prime mortgage market in the United States. The U.K. too was not immune to this global wave and hence got affected quite badly too. Just as some of the major institutions in the U.S.A were on the verge of bankruptcy, our own Bank of England, Royal Bank of Scotland, Merrill Lynch, etc were teetering on the brink as well. The policies of the New Labour government in the years leading up to the economic crisis and the remedial measures in its aftermath do give away where the government’s loyalties lie. The blind adherence to the principle of ‘light regulation’ and the irrational faith in unfettered capitalism had led to several economic crises in the past. But despite repeated failures of this system, the U.K. government has not learnt its lessons, making the people vulnerable to more such turmoil in the future too (Blakeley and Saward, 2009, p.352). Just as Sir David King, rightly pointed to the flawed priorities of the government in the context of the War on Terror, the same can be said of the economic policies of our government in the last few decades. Despite growing disparities in the distribution of income between socio-economic groups, and despite falling education standards at primary and high school levels, and despite no improvement in the standard of living for the middle classes, our government is keen on pushing the capitalist agenda on its people. Hence, it is understandable why people have become suspicious of their governments and sceptical of its policies. In order to change the situation, people have to organize at the grassroots level and conduct public demonstrations as a way of letting know the government that its authority cannot be taken for granted. References: Simon Bromley and John Clarke, Chapter 7, Governing Problems, Exploring Social Lives, published in 2009, The Open University. Georgina Blakeley and Michael Saward, Chapter 8, Political Ordering, Exploring Social Lives, published in 2009, The Open University. Simon Bromley, Chapter 9, Pirates and Predators: Authority and Power in International Affairs, Exploring Social Lives, published in 2009, The Open University.