Stretching Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Stretching - Assignment Example Yoga stretches are different from conventional forms of stretches in that they are rhythmic and are designed to boost flexibility. Borden particularly prefers the â€Å"Stretch and Fire† which entails stretching one muscle group while contacting the others (Sherman 5). In the process, a muscle reflex is triggered and this deepens the stretch while increasing the range of motion. What is more, the exercise lasts only about 20 minutes a day. For effective results, one would repeat the regimen five times a week. Yoga also helps the mind to focus. It increases mental alertness and reduces lethargy. Research reveals that Yoga reduces anxiety and depression (Sherman 4). According Borden, people who practice yoga are better performers across various realms of life, whether they are at work or in other social events. Muscle flexibility improves posture and leads to that chisel-shaped body or lean shape that both men and women crave for (Sherman 4). Even most important is the fact that yoga boosts confidence. Want to be flexible? Stretch for enhanced

Management Practice Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Management Practice - Coursework Example Gaurav Agrawal is having a master's degree in Microbiology and also he is Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Operation Management. General Manager joined this company when the economic condition of the company was not good. And the business is limited to United States only. Soon after joining General Manager called a meeting of its staff members and asked them to participate in suggestion schemes. These suggestion schemes are open to each & every employee of the organization. In the suggestion scheme, employees are invited to give their suggestion for improving the working condition of the organization. The employee who has given the best suggestion was rewarded by General Manager. These suggestion schemes are very helpful in improving the working environment of the organization. With the improvement with the suggestion scheme General Manager got the confidence of the staff members. Implementation of suggestion also helped in motivation of the employee in the organization. As the employees get motivated there is a sudden increase in the production yield. Also due to the motivation, all the production processes are completed in time. General Manager shares all the information to his staff members and also involves them in making a decision on a particul ar Project. If we see our future as a General Manager of the same organization then we need to understand & learn about the management skills from the existing General Manager. We need to know the "How General Manager is able to manage different kinds of situations". These all information can be found by discussing the different situations at different time interval with General Manager. Interview is the most common method for getting the information about a general manager. Interviewing General Manager: While interviewing General Manager it is necessary to draft the questionnaire before interview. The questionnaire helps you to ask the relevant question only. It helps in asking all the questions, so that no question will be left. The question should be prepared in such way, so that more & important information can be gathered. In the above case our objective is to get the following information related to General Manager: Personality and the manager's core values. Philosophy about work and management Leadership and mentoring of people Organizational Goals and objectives Social responsibility and company culture Discrimination, Sexual Harassment and Diversity IT, Internet, and Globalization. 1) Questions Related to Manager's Personality and Core Value: ME: Sir, Please let me know about your background. What did you do before Erth Ophthalmic Inc. GM: I have been at Erth Ophthalmic Inc. from last 14 years. Before this I was the Assistant General Manager for Sema Technology Inc. in New York. I was responsible for expanding its business in other countries, looking after working environment of the company, sales, marketing and services. Prior to that I was the Quality Manager for Sai Visison Care Inc. and looked after all the quality issues and customer satisfaction. ME: Sir, Please let me know about main vision associated with the organization. GM: The Company needs to focus on their employee satisfaction and the customer satisfaction. These are two major areas which are of major concern in an organization. Employee's satisfaction increases productivity and therefore makes a direct impact on customer satisfac

Customer service - M Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Customer service - M - Coursework Example It is vital for Tesco to build trust amid customers regarding prices and its stability to attain increased competitiveness. Tesco in order to meet its standards has undertaken initiatives to create immense value for its customers as well as shareholders through leveraging its experiences. The vision of Tesco is â€Å"to offer simple, transparent, and convenient products which reward its customers’ loyalty and strengthen their bond with the business† (Tesco Plc, 2014). Tesco complies with requisite legal aspects and best business practices to meet its customer demand for securing increased profit. The aim of Tesco is to provide best services to every customer in order to enhance customer loyalty towards the brand. The objective of the study is to understand the importance of legal aspects, customer service standards, and performances relevant to Tesco and its customers. Customers are bestowed with numerous rights and protections in order to get the best results and prevent offensive practices within the business. Tesco understands the legal rights of consumers and hence provides proper information about its products to them. Moreover, to ensure effective management of the customer services, Tesco provides helpline numbers and customer helpdesk and resolve their queries and complaints. From the perspective of organisational requirements, it is important for Tesco to provide a better shopping experience and deliver a proper after sales services for encouraging customers engage in repeated sales. Customer satisfaction is the key to success and hence it is important to understand and track their changing needs. Ensuring ethical operation and knowing customers are essential for business to sustain in the long-run. Every company needs to follow certain rules and legislation, along with external regulations to manage customers in a fair and efficient mann er. It is observed that complying with legal aspects enhance the quality of services.

Financial Analysis of Northrop Grumman Essay Example for Free

Financial Analysis of Northrop Grumman Essay The fiscal analysis of Northrop Grumman includes the examination of profitability, liquidity, and equity ratios, its 3 year stock price, as well as a general financial overview of the company. This case study exams their fiscal strategy as well as the debt utilization and possible effects of the fiscal crisis on Northrop Grumman. This document compares Northrop Grumman to other companies in the defense sector by comparing their ratios as well profitability. The paper will provide the reader with an understanding of the financial makeup of the company and its current and recent performance as well as estimates of future earnings. Overview of Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman is one of the world’s major defense contractors. Northrop Grumman is an innovative company that has long history of making aircraft and other products that support the defense industry. Northrop Grumman is made up of the former Northrop and Grumman companies and eighteen other companies that have been integrated into one successful corporation. Northrop Grumman has four primary sectors in its business model: aerospace systems, electronic systems, information systems, and technical services. The company has its headquarters in Falls Church, Virginia, and production facilities across the United States, with major facilities in California, Virginia, and Maryland. Northrop Grumman is the third largest defense contractor in the world. Some of Northrop Grumman’s primary competitors are Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Boeing, and L-3 Communications Holdings, Inc. Northrop Grumman plans on remaining competitive even with the threat of sequestration looming over the federal government and the threat of an additional $500 Billion in defense cuts above the currently planned $500 billion in defense cuts. They plan on remaining competitive by being able to successfully develop and market their products, to stay ahead of the competition. This is done by reaming innovative, and providing the facilities and people to accomplish these goals of developing and manufacturing new products and support businesses and governments in information technology. History of Northrop Grumman Northrop was founded in 1939 by Jack Northrop in Hawthorne, California. The company produced its first aircraft in 1940, the N-3PB patrol bomber for the Norwegian Air Force. The first production aircraft for the United States Army Air Force was the P-61 Black Widow. They continued developing aircraft for the United States Air Force, competing in the bomber contract in the mid-1940s for the long range heavy bomber contracts using his radical flying wing designs of the XB-35 and XB-49, which were in competition with the B-36 and B-47. This was a highlight of Jack Northrop’s development of technologically advanced aircraft. In 1959, they had the first flight of the F-5 a supersonic low cost fighter that would serve as the basis of the T-38 supersonic jet trainer for the USAF, and later on the F-20 an upgraded version of the F-5. They also designed the US first ICBM the Shark. They continued with development of many programs culminating with the B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber, currently the most advanced and expensive bomber ever built for the US Air Force. In 1994 they acquired the Grumman Corporation and became Northrop Grumman. The Grumman Corporation started out in the 1930 was instrumental in the development of Naval Aircraft. They built the XFF-1, built in 1931, was the first naval aircraft with retractable landing gear. The built the widely successfully naval fighters the Wildcat with the first ever sto-wing and the Hellcat one of the most successfully carrier aircraft of World War Two. Grumman continued to develop aircraft for the United States Navy, developing the F9F Panther, one of the United States Navy’s earliest jet fighters. Grumman continued to develop jet aircraft, including the A-6 Intruder family of aircraft for the Navy, as well as the F-14 Tomcat, made famous by the movie Top Gun. Most notably the Grumman designed and built the Lunar Lander for the Apollo program. Key Products Northrop Grumman is primarily involved in four related by also distinct industries which are also their core competencies. They are involved in aerospace systems, electrical systems, information systems and technology systems. Involvement in these key areas allows them to focus on their customers’ needs for unmanned air systems; command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR); logistics, and cyber security. The company is currently involved in a many major programs for the Defense Department. They are producing the RQ-4 Global Hawk an unmanned air system (UAS) that is the only UAS that is allowed to fly in US airspace. They are also developing and producing active electronically scanned array radars for the F-35 and F-16 as well as a multitude of electronic warfare systems like the US Navy’s Next Generation Jammer. The Lightning family of advanced targeting pods is also a key program within Northrop Grumman, with the L ightning Generation four reaching its 250th produced unit. Northrop Grumman is also developing the X-47b for the US Navy, which would give them a stealth carrier launched unmanned combat air vehicle, which would be the first for the US Navy. This aircraft also made history, by being the first unmanned combat air vehicle to accomplish a catapult launch, on 29 November 2012 at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland (McKinney 2012). Northrop Grumman is also a partner with Lockheed Martin in building major components to the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter Program, specifically the center fuselage and weapons bay. They also participate in the civilian sector with the flat sequencing system for the US Post Office, and information systems for the Department of Homeland Security and public 911 services. Financial Condition Northrop Grumman is a financially secure company that is looking to maintain its current status quo. According to their Value Line Report they were given an A++ rating for financial stability. Value Line is also estimating their 2012 revenues at $25100 million, which represents a decrease of $1312 million. Even though the company’s revenues have decreased since 2010, they have been able to maintain their strength in the defense industry. They are still the third largest defense contractor; even with their recent sell offs of Newport News and Huntington Ingalls Industries, Incorporated. This sell off, the drawdown in the Iraq and Afghanistan, and the decreases defense spending has led to a decrease in revenues however according to Value Time, their revenue in 2013 is estimated to be $2,500 million a decrease of only $100 million. Northrop Grumman also carriers a middle grade bond rating of BBB+, BBB+, and Baa+ from the 3 major bond raters, S P, Finch, and Moody’s. These rating show that Northrop Grumman is stable company with an average stock price for 2012 of $63.13. Northrop Grumman Fiscal Strategy Northrop Grumman’s corporate strategy can be explained in the 2011 Annual Report opening quote from CEO Web Bush, â€Å"2011 was an outstanding year for Northrop Grumman, affirming that our focus on performance, portfolio alignment and effective cash deployment continues to create value for our shareholders, customers and employees and position our company positively for the future.† This quote states the overall direction that CEO Web Bush is taking Northrop Grumman into the future. The key to this strategy is Northrop Grumman focusing on performance. An example of this was an earnings per share increase of 17% on diluted shares to $7.41 (Northrop Grumman 2011). In 2011, with the spinoff of their shipbuilding division, they were able to provide, $1.6 billion in equity to their shareholders (Northrop Grumman, 2012). These actions have all been to provide the most benefit to their shareholders. Northrop Grumman is also focusing in on the new strategies that the Department of Defense is pursuing, with over 90% of their business with the DoD and the US government by focusing in on the growth areas of the DoD. C4ISR, unmanned systems, cyber security, and logistics are leading the way as the new focus of Northrop Grumman as they are the portions of the DoD that will continue to grow with the current budget issues facing the Obama presidency. They are also continuing its focus on their aerospace division which is the most profitable, since Northrop Grumman is a prime contractor on the F-35 and the F/A-18, as well as the builder of the Global Hawk. They are also seeing the US budget problems as an ideal point to start pursue the international market place more, like the recent sale of Global Hawks to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Their continued focus of on stockholder’s value means they need to focus on their key priorities of unmanned air system, C4ISR, logistics, and cyber security. Another part of Northrop Grumman’s strategy is making minor and major acquisitions into other companies allowing them to expand their business, which in turn will help increase stockholders value. They will from time to time create strategic alliances, form joint ventures, and dispose of or spinoff companies when they believe that these actions will aid in creating more value for their stockholders. Northrop Grumman’s strategic plan is to continue to focus on increasing shareholder value as well as to continue to maintain their cutting edge in technology and in the defense industry, and to develop systems that will support the DoD new strategies as US forces leave Afghanistan and begin to focus on the Pacific Region. The current fiscal crisis that is gripping the US, with large cuts to the defense budget, expiration of the George W. Bush tax cuts, increased tax rates, cuts to social programs, and new taxes from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Ac 2010, will directly affect Northrop Grumman at all levels. However, Northrop Grumman is in a position to succeed with the cuts and tax increases and the possibility of another $500 billion in budget cuts to its largest customer, the Department of Defense in the event of sequestration, because of the companies diversity within the defense market and their mix of being the primary contractor and a subcontractor on many contracts. They plan on continuing their focus on their core industries needs of the DoD. Northrop Grumman also believes that their business is well positioned within the US government, because of the diversity of programs they are working on like the F-35 Lightning II, RQ-4 Global Hawk, Minute Man III upgrades, next generation jammer, and other classified programs. These programs, with their importance to the US DoD will allow Northrop Grumman to remain viable during the fiscal crisis, and remain profitable. They also believe that a deal will be reached averting the crisis, and allowing business to continue. Northrop Grumman’s Weighted Average Cost of Capital Northrop Grumman has a weighted average cost of capital of 8%. This represents the low cost at which Northrop Grumman is able to procure financing. They currently have been buying back shares, which are increasing shareholder’s equity by making each share worth more; as well they have been utilizing debt effectively. They particularly have been using bonds to buy back stock as well as for financing capital programs. They use the weighted average cost of capital as a tool in determining discount rate and terminal value assumptions. The weighted cost of capital takes into consideration the relative weights of the components of their capital structure. This is used to measure the costs of new capital, and with a weighted average cost of capital at 8%, Northrop Grumman seems to balance in its approach to capital which is a sign of a mature and financial stable company. Profitability Northrop Grumman has been a profitable company over the course of its history. In 2002 their profits were $697.0 million and a Value Line estimate of $2,005 million for 2012, which are almost three times the profits of 2002. These recent profits can be attributed to the operations in the Middle East, particularly the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which have increased profits in every major defense contractor. Northrop Grumman plans to remain profitable during the defense cuts from 2011-2021 by continuing their excellence in their product development, manufacture and support. Failure in any of these areas will have a negative effect on their profitability. They also need to ensure that their contracts are completed on time and on budget, to ensure that with some of the current contracts and political environment that either they do not get canceled, or that they do not have continue on with their own funds. Other things that could affect profitability would be a failed rocket launch or failure of a product that cannot be fixed causing a contract to be canceled. Northrop Grumman’s net profit margin has also increase since 2002. In 2002 their net profit margin was 4.1% and has increased gradually to an estimated 8.0% in 2012. However, Value Line estimates that their net profit margin will decrease to 7.3% in 2013 and fall to 6.8% till at least 2015. The gradual increase in profits is attributed to the wars in the Middle East, where there has been an increased demand on their products, but the estimated decrease will be a result of the winding down of operations in the Middle East and the fiscal crisis enveloping the US Government. Even though their profits and net profit margin is planning on decreasing in 2013 and beyond according to Value Line, Northrop Grumman will remain profitable and thereby allowing to focus on their strategy of performing well for their shareholders. This increase in profitability is in line with their strategy of performance particularly with their stock price, which investors take the firm’s profitability into account. This has resulted in an average return on capital of 9.2%. Their return on capital is estimated to continue this increase rate through 2017 at 11.5%. Northrop Grumman’s EBITA Margin for 2011 is 14.26% at $3,304,000 million which has been increasing since 2010 and should continue to steadily increase even with the future budget uncertainty in the US government. Dividend Policy Northrop Grumman is also a stable company because of its dividend policy. Northrop Grumman offers a quarterly dividend and has been paying a dividend since 1943 except for 1949-1950. The dividend payouts for 2012 were $0.50 for the first quarter and $0.55 for each subsequent quarter, totaling $2.15, with earnings per share of $7.40 estimated for 2012 resulting in a 29% dividend payout ratio. When compared to other companies in the defense industry, Northrop Grumman is on par with its main competitors in regards to a dividend payout ratio with Boeing having a 2011 dividend payout ratio of 31% and Lockheed Martin of 41% in 2011 (Tortoriello, 2012). In 2011, Northrop Grumman was able to allocate $2.8 billion to give back to shareholders by repurchasing stock and through dividends. These strong cash flows in 2011 were a result of the spinoff of their shipbuilding industry, and $26,412 million in sales. The company is continuing its share repurchasing in 2012 with $290 million allocated to repurchase 13.6 million shares, with $2.0 billion left in that program (NOC earnings release, 2012). This along with the $2.15 dividend in 2012 represent Northrop Grumman strength as a company and their resolve to focus on their shareholders, by buying back stock, making it worth more and continuing to raise their dividend. Prior to the 2000s Northrop Grumman conducted its dividend policy like a utility with dividends that did not change its payout year to year. This all changed when Ron Sugar became CEO of Northrop Grumman in 2003. He began a program the resulted in stock buyback programs and was able to double the dividend payout during his tenure. CEO Sugar was able to raise the sales per share, however this did not result in an increase in the share price, which a low of $33.80 (Forbes, 2011). Northrop Grumman through their current CEO Wes Bush has increased their emphasis shareholder returns. He was able to the do by increasing dividends by an average of $0.13 per year and an average dividend of $1.78, since 2007. The 2012 dividend will be $2.15 with the fourth quarter paid on Dec 31, 2012. Northrop Grumman’s dividend policy is to continuously provide a dividend to its shareholders and to continuously attempt to increase the dividend as well. Another part of Northrop Grumman’s dividend policy is the stock buyback program. Northrop Grumman has been doing this since 2010, since they have excess cash from the spinoff of Newport News and Huntington Ingalls Industries, Incorporated, the shipbuildin g portion of Northrop Grumman and recent bond issues to buy back stock, in lieu of issuing a higher dividend. Corporate Bond Policy and Debt Usage Northrop Grumman uses corporate bonds like many other companies, for acquisitions, capital expansion projects, and refinancing existing debt. They currently have nine bond issues out with interest payments ranging from 1.85-7.81% with maturity dates from 2014 to 2040. Its current credit rating from SP, Fitch and Moody’s is BBB+, BBB+, and Baa1. These rating mean that Northrop Grumman has a lower medium grade rating, however according to Moody’s their debt metrics are at the high end of their current class of debt. Their current long term debt on 31 December 2012 will be $3,935.0 million (Value Line, 2012). Since 2009 they have paid of $256.0 million towards their long term debt. In 2011, Northrop Grumman paid $2,692 million in interest payments, according to their 2011 Annual report. They are projecting paying $207.0 million in 2012, which is lower than 2011, but that number is likely to rise at least through 2017. In November of 2010, Northrop Grumman issued a tender offer to buy its bonds back for a total of $2.119 Billion of bonds from its subsidiaries. Concurrently, they have a public offering of senior unsecured debt securities for debt repayment, pension funds, acquisitions, share repurchases, and working capital. On 15 February 2011, Northrop Grumman had a bond issue of $750 million at maturity with an interest rate of 7.125%. Moody’s has not down or upgraded Northrop Grumman’s bond rating, due to a large order of RQ-4 Global Hawks to NATO, and because of a $4.0 billion share repurchase plan. That sale could have a positive effect on their bond rating. All in All, Northrop Grumman has had numerous bond issues, and is currently using its latest one for a multitude of purposes. Industry Comparison Northrop Grumman is one of the top five defense companies in the world with defense revenues in 2010 of $31,181 billion (Tortoriello, 2012). Northrop Grumman as the one of the leading defense contractors in the world and is on par with or exceeding its competitors. Comparing the profitability of Northrop Grumman to its peers in the defense industry, we can take a look at figure 1 and compare profitability ratios of Northrop Grumman with the averages in their industry group. The median return on assets (ROA) for the search and navigation equipment is 7.10%, Northrop Grumman currently has a ROA of 7.45% as of 31 Dec 2011, and their current ROA is 5.72% as of 30 September. Using 2011 numbers, Northrop Grumman is slightly more profitable than the other firms in its SIC industrial grouping. Northrop Grumman is also effective in how they finance their activities, by using a mix of bonds, stock options, and other forms of financing. As of 2011 their total debt to equity ratio is 0.38 when compared to the industry average is of 84.40 is significant because it shows little financing Northrop Grumman is using at this time, however, they are still have a decent bond rating of Baa1 from Moody’s and Value Line has their financial strength listed as A++. The industry average for the quick ratio is 2.00. Northrop Grumman’s 2011 quick ratio was 0.97. With a quick ratio below one, this shows that Northrop Grumman is highly effective at creating cash from its investments and work activities. In examining these ratios; it shows that Northrop Grumman is a highly successful and stable company that would present a low risk investment to an investor. However, it is to be seen what the possibilities of sequestration and cuts to the military have on these ratios and the profits and low debt that Northrop Grumman has during the 2000s. Stock Price Analysis Northrop Grumman is a publicly traded firm on the New York Stock Exchange, under the symbol NOC. As of 14 December, 2012 they currently have 254,000,000 shares of common stock outstanding. They currently have zero preferred stock and $3,935 million currently in bonds. According to Northrop Grumman’s last cash flow statement, they paid $543 million in dividends. As of 15 November 2012, the board of directors decided to issue a quarterly dividend of $0.55 per share payable 12 December 2012. Northrop Grumman since 2009 has paid an average dividend of $1.83. They also have repurchased $2,194 million in company stock, and they have been doing this for the past few years as another way to compensate their investors besides dividends. Northrop Grumman over the past thirty-six months has seen its stock rise and fall and continue on that path with an average volatility of 2.0. The low volatility of their stock is representative of a stable company, and stable stock prices, that would attract conservative investors, and give new investors faith that they will receive a decent return on their money. Northrop Grumman during this time has since its stock prices with a high of $71.87 and a low of $49.26. The few really large troughs in the wave that the stock price creates is August of 2011 and fall of 2009. These troughs represent the low times for Northrop Grumman’s stock, but during these times there stock has been steadily climbing specifically after Wes Bush took over as CEO and began to focus on improving the share price as well increase the performance of the company. These dual actions have led to an increase in their share price as well helping the company reduce debt, and increase capital to deal with the impending financial crisis that could possibly lead to another recession. As of 14 Dec 2012, Northrop Grumman is trading at $67.37 (yahoo finance, 2012); they have consistently been trading in the upper $60s since July of 2012, when the stock price was rising from a low of $57.29 in June of 2012. Northrop Grumman stock has been rising because of the good ratings they have received from numerous media outlets, such as Value Line and Yahoo Finance. The rise in stock prices and favorable rating can be attributed to the company renewed focus on its core industries and the spinoff of its ship building subsidiaries. Their performance has increased under the leadership of their current CEO Wes Bush. Their stock prices have also remained stable in recent months, because of the strong cash presence, which is adding investor friendly initiatives such as a raising the dividend and repurchasing stock, as well as lobbying for new contracts, like the $30 million post office contract and the NATO contract to buy RQ-4 Global Hawks. Lastly, Northrop Grumman is one of the more stable companies with an estimated EPS in 2012 of $7.40, down $0.01 from 2011, which is indicative of a stable company that is meeting or exceeding its performance estimates. Currency Risk Northrop Grumman is exposed to foreign currency risk; however they are not at a great risk to fluctuations in foreign currency. They are exposed to the risks of foreign currency from their international operations. They mitigate foreign currency risk by entering into foreign currency forward contracts as to manage portions of receipts from international customers and payments that may be have to made to international partners. As of 31 December 2011 Northrop Grumman had $233 million in foreign currency forward contracts outstanding (Northrop Grumman, 2011). With $26,412 million in sales in 2011, (Northrop Grumman, 2012), $233 million is not very significant, and they believe a 10% change in interest rates of foreign currency exchange rates would not have a significant effect on the financial position or effect their operations. Capital Markets Northrop Grumman will be affected by the volatility and disruption the domestic and international credit markets. Northrop Grumman access these markets from time to time when they need capital to support capital expansion projects, refinancing of existing debt, and for evolving lines of credit. With the current fiscal crisis in the US and Europe, will make it difficult for Northrop Grumman access credit on favorable terms or at all which will have an adverse effect on the fiscal standing. They are at risk, because of counterparty default because they deal with bankers and brokers in the credit market, when they have need for more capital. Their suppliers are also at risk with the volatility and disruptions in the credit markets from the fiscal crisis. If their ability to access credit on favorable terms, or at all could adversely affect Northrop Grumman by forcing them to change suppliers, which could lead to them to be unable to meet their contractual obligations. This could cause delays in programs or force them to find other means to assist their suppliers to support their contracts. Northrop Grumman has also entered into credit agreements amounting to an aggregate principle of $2 billion. This is a revolving door 364 day credit agreement that will help them cover costs over the short in the event of a decrease in cash. This revolving line of credit is based on many rates, including the LIBOR or an alternate rate. Northrop Grumman will be facing issues in the credit market, due to the fiscal crisis in the US, and the instability in the federal budget and the looming threat of sequestration, which will directly affect the credit markets. However, the slow growth rates of the US economy, and economy remaining on the brink of falling back into recession has kept interest rates low, which is an attempt to make credit easier to access. Conclusion Northrop Grumman is a leading defense contractor in the United States that has four main business areas, aerospace systems, electronic systems, information systems, and technical services. They are involved in many products that are used or are in development for the Department of Defense, from the RQ-4 to new electronic warfare systems. Northrop Grumman currently receives 90% of its revenues from the US government, primarily from military contracts. They are also a very stable company that has been increasing their dividends over the past few years, as well as having a steady stock price that has been increasing as well. Their currently a lower medium grade bond rating, rated at Baa+ from Moody’s. They have a strong history of supporting the US military with a multitude of historic aircraft and systems that support these aircraft. Northrop Grumman will continue to excel within the looming threat of sequestration and $1 trillion in budget cuts to the defense budget over the next ten years. All in all, Northrop Grumman is a leader in the defense industry and will continue to be a profitable company during the drawdowns in the Middle East and the defense budget cuts facing the US armed forces. References Defense System Staff (2012) NATO inks $1.7B deal for Block 40 Global Hawks, 1105 Media, Vienna, VA. Retrieved on November 10, 2012 from http://defensesystems.com/articles/2012/05/21/agg-nato-global-hawks-contract.aspx. Dobosz, John (2012) Half A Trillion In Pentagon Budget Cuts Turns Defense Stocks Into Dividend Darlings, Forbes, Inc. Retreived on November 12, 2012 from http://www.forbes.com/sites/johndobosz/2012/05/25/superior-firepower-pays-fat-dividends/ Harrington, Robert L. (2012) Value Line Northrop Grumman. Value Line Publishing. Retrieved on November 20, 2012 from http://www3.valueline.com.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/secure/vlispdf/stk1700/index.aspx. Mergent (2012) Mergent Online General Company Information, 2012. Retrieved November 15, 2012 from www.mergentonline.com. McKinney, Brooks (2012) Northrop Grumman, U.S. Navy Conduct First Catapult Launch of X-47B Unmanned Aircraft, Globe Newswire. Retrieved on November 29, 2012 from http://www.irconnect.com/noc/press/pages/news_releases.html?d=10014076. Movius, Steve (2012) Northrop Grumman Reports Third Quarter 2012 Financial Results. Falls Church, Va. Northrop Grumman (2012) 2011 Annual Report. Falls Church, Va. Thompson, Loren (2011) How Northrop Grumman Aims To Outperform, Forbes, Inc. Retrieved on November 29, 2012 from http://www.forbes.com/sites/beltway/2011/01/10/how-north rop-grumman-aims-to-outperform/. Thompson, Loren (2012) Northrop Grumman Finds A Formula That Will Work In Hard Times, Forbes, Inc. Retrieved on December 11, 2012 from http://www.forbes.com/sites/lorenthompson/2012/12/11/northrop-grumman-finds-a-formula-that-will-work-in-hard-times/?partner=yahootix. Tortoriello, Richard (2012) Industry Surveys, Aerospace and Defense. S and P Capital IQ Industrial Surveys, New York. Retrieved on November 25, 2012 from http://www.netadvantage.standardandpoors.com.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/NASApp/NetAdvantage/index.do. (2012) Industry Browser Industrial Goods Aerospace/Defense Major Diversified Company List Yahoo Finance. Retrieved on December 8, 2012 from http://biz.yahoo.com/p/610conameu.html. (2012) Moodys Disclosures on Credit Ratings of Northrop Grumman Corporation , Services, New York. Retrieved on November 3, 2012 from http://www.moodys.com/research/Moodys-Disclosures-on-Credit-Ratings-of-Northrop-Grumman-CorporationPR_243144. (2011) Moo dys says Northrop Grummans $4 billion share repurchase authorization wont impact ratings, Moody’s Investor Services, New York. Retrieved on November 10, 2012 from http://www.moodys.com/research/Moodys-says-Northrop-Grummans-4-billion-share-repurchase-authorization-wontPR_218143. (2012) Northrop Grumman Corp. Ford Equity Research, Retrieved November 30, 2012 from www.fordequity.com. (2012) Northrop Grumman Corp. Mergent Corp. Retrieved on December 12, 2012 from www.mergent online.com. 2012 D B ratios, SIC 3812. Retrieved on December 5, 2012 from http://www.mergentkbr.com.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/index.php/reports/industry (2010) Northrop Grumman Announces Cash Tender Offers for Debt Securities and Commences Debt Offering. Los Angeles. Retrieved on November 10, 2012 from http://investor.northropgrumman.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=112386p=irol-newsArticleID=1489734highlight=. (2012) Northrop Grumman, Yahoo Finance. Retreived on October 30, 2012 from http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bs?s=NOC+Balance+Sheetannual. (2012) Northrop Grumman Corporation, numerous Moody’s reports. Moody’s Investor Services. New York. Retrieved on November 1, 2012 from http://www.moodys.com/credit-ratings/Northrop-Grumman-Corporation-credit-rating-558850. (2010) Northrop Grumman Announces Cash Tender Offers for Debt Securities and Commences Debt Offering, PR News Wire, Los Angeles. Retrieved on November 27, 2012 from http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/northr op-grumman-announces-cash-tender-offers-for-debt-securities-and-commences-debt-offering-106442983.html. (2012) 3 Defense Companies To Buy Ahead Of A Fiscal Cliff Compromise. Retrieved on December 9, 2012 from http://seekingalpha.com/article/1053621-3-defense-companies-to-buy-ahead-of-a-fiscal-cliff-compromise?source=yahoo.

The Role Of Communications In An Organisation English Language Essay

The Role Of Communications In An Organisation English Language Essay Understanding the role of communications in an organization: 1.1: Explain the communication processes used within my organization (TESCO): Communication process is the process of sending data from one source to another intentionally with a meaning perceived by the receiver. If a company wants to survive in the industry then communication plays a vital role. Without proper communication no work can be completed successfully in organization. It is simply passing information from one to another. There are six basic elements of communication process which are sender (encoder), message, channel, receiver (decoder), noise, and feedback. Tesco uses modern communication process where ICT is vital.  Tesco controls and monitor their every aspect of their operation by using ICT, which includes stock, distribution, payroll, communication methods, and so on 1.2: Analyse the purpose of communication process used within TESCO: In Tesco communication helps to achieve its aims and objectives. Although it doesnt help to achieve all of the aims and objective still help to achieve their main aims and objectives such as To make profit To expand To provide good services to the customers To provides jobs Tesco advertise their product thorough brochures, Internet, television to inform people about their product rates and special offers at the stores at the time. Tesco spends lots of money to advertise their products and make sure that have reached their customers. This will attract more customers and enables Tesco to make a profit. Tesco advertises vacancies thorough Internet and newspaper and find a right person for the job to provide good services to the customers. If Tesco makes profit it will help them to expand and create more jobs so advertisements helps Tesco to achieve their aims and objectives such as making profit, expand and creating jobs. Tesco used costly and effective communication method such as demonstration, video in training so that the colleagues can be trained efficiently so they can provide good services to the customers. Tesco used to check their availability of product and order them at right time so they can provide better services. They do not want to disappoint the customers and they advertise their prospectus and advertise their financial performance to attract new shareholders so they can get more money, which will help them expand worldwide. Tesco need to communicate very well because they are running their business at international level. If business wants to expand worldwide or want to create new jobs they need to make profit. Tesco makes 3 million profits a day and serving more than billions of customers per week. Tesco need to check there expire dates and quality of their product so that their customers are not affected. Tesco arranges meeting with the staff so they can discuss and create new ideas and feedback about their services and Tesco used to communicates with customers and take their ideas and complaints to improve their services. Tesco uses to give written warning to their employees and the person who breaches the employment contract and they finally dismiss them they have written evidence and they can use it for future references and they employ the staff that can take care of their customers. Tesco uses overhead projector to analyse the profit forecast with the employees and accountant which is very expensive and Tesco used to arrange meetings with their senior manager so they can get a better decision and to solve problem and this will help them to make profit and expand. Tesco provide walkie-talkie to their security guard to protect their premise and customer belonging in the stores. Tesco use e-mails, mobile phones, and pager and fax to communicate within their employees to pass any urgent information in terms of emergencies such as break down of machines, raw materials needed this will help them to provide good services to the customers. Tesco writes letters to their customer about the nectar value or the amount due to them by the customers. Tesco prepares reports about the company legal obligations, which can be used for future references. 1.3: Analyse communication barriers in TESCO: There can be a few problems with the use of ICT in Tesco.   Faults of computers can slow down the processing systems, fraud can take place and the cost of ICT is very expensive.   But Tesco has the latest ICT equipment and is not getting any major problems.   There ICT system gives them the best support to meet its objectives. Tesco spent about  £133 million on ICT that is about 1.4% of their turnover, this clearly shows that ICT is a great success for the company and is fit for its purpose.  ICT is value for money and very effective in helping Tesco achieve its business objectives. Be able to manage interpersonal communication skills: 2.1 Auditing my Communication Skills: The communication skills that I am used to are: Tone/pitch, Slang, Pace, Gestures, Body language, Listening, Facial expression, Eye contact, Group interactions. 2.2: The use of my communication skills within organizational setting: My tone and pitch was appropriated I did not shout at of my client as this would make him/her angry or even intimidating to talk to me so I kept it at a level that he/she could hear me clearly. I did not used any slangs and jargon because my client may not of understand what I was say so he/she will be confused not only just my clients but others within the group also the only time it is appropriate for me to use slang is when I am talking with my friends. I used appropriate pace I did not talk to fast because people may not heard clearly what I was saying. In order to get my point across I talk slowly  and clearly to that my point could be heard. Gestures- I used appropriate gestures for the other to understand what I was trying to say. Adapted the used of Egan theory of SOLER which stands for Squarely, Open, Lean, Eye contact, Relaxed. I lean forward to show that I was interested in what he/she was saying I kept my contact and I also faced him/her squarely. I had to listen to wha t he/she was saying so that I can summarize my facial expression was welcoming I smiled at him/her to make him/her feel safe and felt I feeling of love and belonging according to Maslow hierarchy of needs I kept my eye contact on the person that was talking to show that I was listening. As I was a group interaction I gave other people time to talk I did not talk over anybody voice. In my group interaction with my client I appeared to be interested and kept good facial expressions.     One 2 one When talking to the child I used the correct tone I did not shout or this would make him angry to I get calmed I also talked slowly and clearly to he can hear what I was saying. I kept good eye contact with the child I listen to what he was saying and I ask him some open question so that he can express himself. I did not stand over him when I was talking or he may feel intimidating. I kept good facial expression mostly my smiling at him. I did not use any slangs or jargon just simple words that he may understand. I also incorporated Maslow by showing love, belonging and safety. I showed hid that he can come and talked to me without by afraid. I played with him nicely and made in happy so that he would know that he is in a safe environment. Care value base I did not shout at the person as they have the right to be treated with respect. I tried to empower them to make their own decision   I done this my asking the seven year old boy what he would like to do. I did not pass any racism comment or else I would be discriminating against their diversity being race religion culture etc. I also gave them the rights to their own beliefs I did not slag them off but I gave them the chance to explain themselves. I maintained confidentiality as this builds trust I done this by not passing important information about the clients to others and also it would breach the data protection act. 2.3: The effectiveness of my communication skills within organizational setting: Communication is the best tool by which a person can express and try to convey its point but it is not necessary that the receiver takes it in the right way as the sender must have perceived.   Why do we learn how to communicate effectively as poor communication and lack of communication skills can lead to misunderstandings, fights, low morale, arguments and change the perception of the audience or the receiver 2.4: A development plan to improve my own communication skills, using feedback from others: Successful communication is not about me and getting what I want; it is about discovering what other people want and need and then adapting my presentation to match their needs. As I practice and develop my skills, I find that people gladly  adopt my ideas because I have subtly helped them to discover them for themselves rather than telling them about them. To development plan to improve my own communication skills, using feedback from others I generally use the following process: Visual- use conversation to describe things check that spectacles are been worn help the person to touch things explain the detail sighted people take for granted Hearing- do not shout, speak normal and clear and make sure your face is visible so that those who can lip read are able to do so write message or use pictures check for hearing aid   Environmental- Check and improve the lighting Change to a quieter setting Work in smaller group if it would help you to see and hear each other more easily. Time- give people more time to talk and understand Be able to manage my workplace communications: 3.1: Improvements to my workplace communications: Improving communication can lead to healthier relationships and further motivation which is much needed in company. From what we can understand, it is hard to measure the motivation of the secretary, which appears quite low. Although it may seem like there are a lot of problems, many other issues are not; for example, poor language skills, hierarchy, and emotional interference. There are two main types of communication; formal and informal. It is important to know which to use for certain information. Formal communication runs through a procedure or protocol whereas informal is quite the opposite, where information is communicated through unreliable sources, such as the grapevine. Communication with the secretary seemed considerably informal; especially at times when it would have been more desirable to be formal. To ensure important information is carried through, it is highly recommended to be formal and use the right medium for communication. 3.2: Implementation of a plan to improve my workplace communications: To implement a plan to improve my workplace communications following are necessary: I believe there are more things to improve on in my group communication because sometimes it was a lot harder as there was more than one person. It was also harder because there was someone who is a resident and then there were 4 staff members between 20-35. There were a few barriers in this communication because we were outside and it was raining, everyone was cold and also we all had umbrellas covering our faces. My active listening sometimes wasnt very good because everyone was talking over one another, I think that if I had spoken up then I could of grasped what was getting said but because I was only there on placement I thought that I shouldnt but in although who I was talking to should have taken turns in speaking.    My eye contact sometimes wasnt very good because it was raining so there were umbrellas in the way of peoples faces and its harder to use eye contact within a group communication. The reason I didnt use much eye contact was because everyone was speaking over one another so I kept glancing at everyone but my main focus was on someone. This was because I wanted him to feel comfortable although it was cold outside. I didnt use touch in my group communication as I thought it wasnt needed. This was because we were all outside and it was cold. Everyone had an umbrella to themselves so you couldnt really get close enough to anyone to touch them. Although I did help someone get out of his chair when it was time to go back inside. To improve on this I believe I could have helped someone a bit more with getting in and out of his chair because then I would have used touch more appropriately rather than just grabbing at his hand to help him walk inside. I didnt grab at his hand because I knew he could walk on his own with the aid of a walking stick but if he had of asked me to hold his hand then I would have done. 3.3: Develop measures to evaluate success of a plan to improve my workplace communications: It is a necessity Nobody can do without communicating we communicate even if we are silent by our facial expression, or the posture we are sitting etc.   Therefore, we need to know the communication process to communicate effectively. It is a two-way process It includes sending a message and the response to that message. It is not complete unless the receiver has correctly known the message and his response (feedback) becomes known to the sender. It always involves two parties sender and receiver Two or more individual are involved in communication, in the organization point of view it can be upward, downward, horizontal or vertical.   The flow of communication is a circular one It is continuous, on-going process. It is a pervasive function; performed in all types of organizations at all the levels of management. Organization surely cannot do without communication. It is like Bow out of the arrow You can never take back your words whatever you say is already said and already observed by the receiver like for e.g. when we are angry we say things which we are not suppose to say even if we apologize it is irreversible.   That is the reason we have to be careful in saying anything to anybody this goes professionally as well personally. Recommendations and Conclusion Improving communication can lead to healthier relationships and further motivation which is much needed in Johns company. From what we can understand, it is hard to measure the motivation of the secretary, which appears quite low. Although it may seem like there are a lot of problems, many other issues are not; for example, poor language skills, hierarchy, and emotional interference. The crucial problems in the organisation can easily be avoided simply by exercising effective communication practice. This would include understanding different methods, forms and mediums of communication.

Conrads Heart of Darkness and the Dehumanization of Africans Essay

Heart of Darkness and the Dehumanization of Africans      Ã‚  Ã‚   The Western world, generally speaking, is not kind to Africa and its native inhabitants. We acknowledge Africa's existence, but we do not want to see or understand anything about it beyond the obvious: overt things that are open to criticism like Apartheid (a European invention). The occasional praiseworthy entity is given momentary applause, but felicitations are short-lived and quickly forgotten. These statements refer just to politics, so one can imagine the rightful indignation by twentieth-century African writers when their work is largely ignored in favor of such enlightening fare as Heart of Darkness. One writer, Chinua Achebe, seeks to change this view by illustrating the complex, unquestionably civilized rituals and protocols of day-to-day African life. He is not alone in his endeavor, as several other writers also portray an Africa worthy of respect while they crumble the long-standing traditions of ignorant bias and patronization. Can Achebe really change the perception that Africa is nothing more than the heart of an immense darkness that surrounds all of us? That is exactly what he tries to do in his essay on racism. He ascertains that "white racism against Africa is such a normal way of thinking that its manifestations go completely unremarked." He further questions the classification of Heart of Darkness (or any work that dehumanizes Africans) as a "great work of art" (12). Obviously, this essay is more direct in its attack on the standard view of Africa than his novels, but Achebe uses the essay forum to state his hopes about the future of African literature in the West. He wants to rehabilitate this image that he keeps seeing from everyone who ha... ...oroughly rehabilitated me towards Africans in literature. Only a few billion more to go until Achebe can call his project a success.    Works Cited Achebe, Chinua. "An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad's Heart of Darkness." Hopes and Impediments: Selected Essays. New York: Anchor, 1990. -- -- --. No Longer at Ease. London: Heinemann, 1960. -- -- --. Things Fall Apart. 1958. The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces, Expanded Edition, Vol. 1. Ed. Maynard Mack. London: Norton, 1995. Ba, Mariama. So Long a Letter. 1980. The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces, Expanded Edition, Vol. 1. Ed. Maynard Mack. London: Norton, 1995. Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. New York: Signet, 1997. Soyinka, Wole. Death and the King's Horseman. The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces, Expanded Edition, Vol. 1. Ed. Maynard Mack. London: Norton, 1995.

Movie †Psycho Essay

Psycho (1960) is a powerful complex psychological thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock. This horror movie is based on the novel written by Robert Bloch. Story-wise, though, I do not consider this movie to be an extraordinary but its brilliant excursion and its ingenious construction and above all its wonderful musical scores invented and innovated by Bernard Herrmann has made this movie all time great. Bernard Herrmann was born in New York in 1911. He studied music at Julliard School of Music and joined CBS radio in 1934. He quickly joined young Orson Welles to score his radio plays, including the notorious Wars of the World and within a very short span of time he established himself as a recognized film music scorer. Although remarkably versatile, Herrmann proved particularly adept at scoring dark psychological melodramas, such as Hangover Squire (1945) and On Dangerous Ground (1951), and it was perhaps inevitable that he would be teamed eventually with master of suspense and artist of â€Å"Psycho† Alfred Hitchcock. Their subsequent partnership resulted in a composer-director relationship unmatched in film history of creativity, flair and cinematic symbiosis. We find fantasy, romance, nostalgia, tenderness; all there in Herrmann but the unique scores of â€Å"Psycho†evidently suggest Herrmann’s departure from traditional compositional techniques. The most noticeable departure from film music custom is hat. Herrmann elected a daring and controversial orchestral combination: strings alone. Now such a combination imposes severe limitations on the range of available tone colors. This means a commensurate increase of composing problems, since generally important for composers to be able to call on the many resources of the symphonic ensemble- woodwinds, brass and percussion as well as strings- for variety and contrast in the treatment of musical material. But Herrmann’s selection of string alone deprived him of many tried-and-true musical formulas and effects normally employed in the scoring of horror and suspense films. Going by the established music theories, we find that music theory describes how sounds, which travel in waves, are notated, and how what is sounded, or played, is perceived by the listeners. Every object has a resonant frequency, which is determined by the object composition. Musical sounds are composed of pitch, duration and timbre. Pitch is determined by the sound’s frequency of vibration, whereas Rhythm is the arrangement of sound in time and Meter animates time in regular pulse groupings called measures. Melody is the unfolding in musical time of a principal single line of pitches. This line can be sounded alone, unaccompanied, known as monophony. It can also be accompanied by chords, known as homophony. Melody is often the most identifiable element in western music. Instrumentation is the study and practice of writing music for musical instruments. Writing for a specific instrument requires the ability to take into account the special properties of that instrument. Where as Diegetic Music, which is also called â€Å"source music† is produced by people or devices that are part of the story space of the film. Diegetic sounds are those pieces of sound that the characters in the movie should be able to hear, whether the sound source is visible or nor.   Coming back to â€Å"Psycho†, along with the strings, Herrmann has wonderfully used Diegetic Music also here. One does not have to be musician to notice a marked absence of tunes or melodies in the sense in which these terms are generally used. It is safe to say that in Psycho Herrmann was simply following his own customary practice in this respect but the result in this case is a special, disturbing quality, one which contributes greatly to the scores overall effectiveness. In an interview given in 1971, Herrmann explained that he had used only strings for Psycho because he felt that he could complement the black-and-white photography of the film by creating a black-and white sound. In most people mind the strings are associated first and foremost with romance. Nine times out of ten when a love a scene takes place on the screen the violins will soar in a big tune, the cellos throb in a passionate counter melody. But in Psycho, the level of score created by Herrmann with strings is mainly due to the fact that Strings span the longest effective gamut of notes; have an effective range of dynamics unmatched by the other group; and within the boundaries of their basic single tone colors they can command a great number and variety of special effects. And when the expressive range of string orchestra is compared to that of black-and-white photography, Herrmann analogy becomes perfectly clear. After watching the movie first scene that comes to my mind and the images that conjured are those of Janet Leigh being hacked to death in the shower and now I realize why even people who have not seen the movie are aware of it but Bernard Herrmann’s strident, discordant music, the â€Å"bird-shriek† and â€Å"distorted screaming bird-cries† appears to be one of the most horrifying cues ever composed, Herrmann brilliantly proved here that the view of the camera is very important aspect of film making but to enforce that view and to provide fluidity ,music is even more important. In conclusion this can be safely said that No film sound track library would be complete without â€Å"Psycho†.   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‚  References    Movie : –   Psycho U.S. Release date : – June 1960 Running Length  Ã‚   : – 1:48 MPAA Classification : –   R (Violence) Cast : – Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, John Gavin, Martin Balsam, Janet Leigh Director and Producer   :- Alfred Hitchcock Screenplay : Joseph Stefano based on the novel by Robert Bloch Cinematography : John L Russell Music : Bernard Herrmann U.S. Distributer : Paramount Pictures.