Federal Reserve Board Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Federal Reserve Board - Essay Example But when we talk about of United States which is world's largest economy then the monetary policy of the country also expands its impact on in form of economic and financial effects on other countries of the world. In shortest possible definition the main objective of a monetary policy is to look into various aspects of the economy of a nation ranging from inflation; economic output; to employment. The working of it could be understood by way it affects the demand i.e., is being parameterized in form of people's and firms' current tendency towards expenditure and spending on goods and services. In United States the Monetary policy matters relate to it are all conducted by the Federal Reserve System which is the central bank of America and the form of influences it makes on demand is mainly by raising and lowering of short-term interest rates (Dennisy, 2007). The responsibility of conducting a monetary policy lies in the hand of Fed's FOMC or Federal Open Market Committee. The FOMC comprises of 12 members out of which the seven members are from the board of Governors; the President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the rest four are the other Reserve Bank Presidents who occupy the seat in rotation. The Committee meets eight times a year in Washington, D.C. The remaining Reserve Bank Presidents provides all necessary inputs to the Committee's discussions on various issues. The Directors of each Reserve Bank has their own defined duty in form of contributions through recommendations about discount rates (Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, 2004). Federal Open Market Committee in 2007 The FOMC amended its policy related to the Authorization for Domestic Open Market Operations on January 30, 2007 and directed the Federal Reserve Bank of New York so that various domestic policy directives could be adopted. The Bank has now been authorized to buy or sell U.S. Government Securities from or to securities dealers and foreign and international accounts maintained at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. This includes buying and selling of U.S. Government securities and obligations that are in direct obligations of, or have been fully guaranteed to principal and interest by, any agency of the United States, from dealers for the account of the System Open Market with process being competitive bidding. The authorization has been further expanded to ensure the conduct of open market operations through lending government securities to dealers to be determined by competitive bidding. The bank will also act as an assisting agent for foreign and international accounts maintaine d in the bank for short-term investments (The Federal Reserve Board, 2007). The FOMC while considering the necessity to carry out the various foreign currency directives has asked the Federal Reserve Bank of New York for System Open Markets Account. The bank has been granted further permission to purchase and selling of some foreign currencies in the form of cable transactions on the open market at home and abroad with foreign monetary authorities, with Bank of International Settlements, and with other international financial institutions. The currencies which have been considered for above mentioned transactions are Canadian Dollars, Danish Kroner, Euro, Pounds Sterling, Japanese Yen, Mexican Pesos, Norwegian Kroner, Swedish Kronor and Swiss

Analysing Mcdonalds Essay Example for Free

Analysing Mcdonalds Essay I c) The competitor I choose is Sonic Corp. , their competitors are 1) Burger King, 2) McDonald’s and 3) Whataburger. The first financial ratio calculated was the current ratio. The industry percentage is . 93, McDonald’s current ratio is 1. 14 and Sonic is 1. 72. Both companies have ability to pay back their short-term liabilities with their short-term assets. Debt to Equity: McDonald’s: . 75, Sonic (-172. 3) and the industry: 1. 00. Sonic’s short-term debt has gone up from 22. 9 in 2007 to 57. 5 in 2009 and the long term has gone down from 727. 2 in 2007 to 683. 4 in 2009. Their Owner’s Equity has been in the red; in 2007 it was (-106. ) and slowly has decreasing to (-4. 3). Gross Profit Margin: McDonald’s: 38. 65, Sonic 33. 11, and industry: 31. 74. Both companies are about average. The gross profit margin has been stable for the past three years and had not fluctuated far from the industry median. Net Profit Margin: MCD: 20. 01%, SONC: 10. 29% and industry: 2. 99. McDonald’s is keeping above the industry average on every dollar of sales a company earns. Sonic has been having some trouble keeping above water. For ? in Sales and ? in Net Income Growth the formula I used was (B-A)/A*100 or (new# old #)/old # times 100. ? in Sales: both companies increase sales in the year 2008 but then a slight decrease in the year 2009. ? in Net Income Growth: Where as MCD has double in net income in the last three years, going from 2395. 1 in 2007 to 4551. 0 in 2009, SONC has decline in net income. In year 2007 it was at 64. 2 and now in 2009 it is 49. 4. II a) When I found out that we were going to be studying McDonald’s for this semester, I could only think about hamburgers and coffee. I never gave it a thought that a fast food restaurant would have deal with environmental, social, economic or political responsibilities. In our text book Strategic Management Concept by Fred R. David (2010), strategies is defined as â€Å"the means by which long-term objectives will be achieved. † Well McDonald’s has definitely achieved more than it’s share of objectives in the past years. Even at the beginning of MCD, Ray Kroc, the businessman who bought McDonald’s from the McDonald brothers, had a long-term objective for that restaurant. He wanted MCD to be the most successful fast food operation in the world. And year after year he has achieved this by continuously surpassing its competitors, supporting the local community and â€Å"work to provide sustained profitable growth for our shareholders. † II b1) Economic Forces: Unemployment rate of 9. 5%. While large corporation are downsizing and cutting jobs, MCD is hiring. Breakfast sales are declining due to the unemployment rate. Dollar’s value: on Market Watch (July 17, 2009) with William Spain he wrote that with the economy going the way it is going, people will keep spending more on fast food than at family-style restaurants, often because they also feel they are no longer sacrificing quality to save money as fast food chains add new products that taste better and are seen as healthier and fresher than ever before. † Social, Cultural, Demographic, Natural Environmental Forces: Working Globally on animal’s welfare. Green Restaurant Design, the MCD in Denmark is the first hydroflurocarbon free restaurant. Political, Govt. Legal Forces: In 2001, Eric Schlossers book Fast Food Nation includes criticism of McDonalds business practices and alleges at MCD used its political influence to increase their own profits at the expense of the health of the nation and the social conditions of its workers. Children obesity problem. Technological Forces: Offering free WiFi hotspots. Competitive Forces: New drive-thur layouts to better service time.

Analysis of Why are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteri

Analysis of Why are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria by Beverly Daniel Tatum 'Why are all the black kids sitting together in the cafeteria'; by Beverly Daniel Tatum Ph.D. is a book of many subjects, theories, ideas, as well as opinions that are discussed, challenged and criticized. Are we free from racism? Why, are all the black kids sitting together in the cafeteria? These questions I hope to answer for myself and for others. One of Beverly Tatum's major topics of discussion is racial identity. Racial identity is the meaning each of us has constructed or is constructing about what it means to be a white person or a person of color in a race-conscious society. (Tatum, pp Xvii) She talks about how many parents hesitate to talk to their children about racism because of embarrassment and the awkwardness of the subject. I agree with her when she says that parents don't want to talk about racism when they don't see a problem. They don't want to create fear or racism where none may exist. It is touchy subject because if not gone about right, you can perhaps steer someone the wrong way. Another theory she has on racial identity is that other people are the mirror in which we see ourselves. (tatum pp18) 'The parts of our identity that do capture our attention are those that other people notice, and that reflects back to us.'; (Tatum pp21) What she means by this is that what other people tell us we are like is what we believe. If you are told you are stupid enough you might start to question your intelligence. When people are searching for their identity normally the questions 'who am I now?'; 'Who was I before?'; and 'who will I become'; are the first that come to mind. When a person starts to answer these questions their answers will influence their beliefs, type of work, where they may live, partners, as well as morals. She also mentions an experiment where she asked her students to describe themselves in sixty seconds. Most used descriptive words like friendly, shy, intelligent, but students of color usually state there racial or ethnic group, while white students rarely, if ever mention that they are white. Women usually mention that they are female while males usually don't think to say that they are males. The same situation appeared to take place when the topic of religious beliefs came up. The Jewish students mentioned being Je... ...Sitting Together in the Cafeteria; Basic Books, 10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299; ïÆ' £1997 Appendix 1) Why does she seem like a racist herself?: She always is talking about how white people benefit so much from things they don't even realize they benefit from. Well how about all the special groups and organizations that are set up just for black people. I think she should take another look at our society before she says that white benefit so trememdously. I am not saying whites do not benefit more but she really, really drills this opinion and I disagree. 2) She seems like she is telling everyone they way they should think: I don't get why she is so hung up on telling people who they should call what, and what they should do about it. Half of her book is about letting people feel free to be who they are, being proud of ones back round, and having a mind of your own and thinking for yourself. 3) Why does she believe so much in Affirmative action?: If Affirmative action was to be implamented then white people would be discriminated just because they were white. If she is trying to abolish racism, causing racism towards another race isn't solving the problem.

The Possible Outcomes of Globalization

Human beings have always been dirty, corrupt, deceitful and horrible. But humans also have some redeeming factors that account for our current state of relative peace, our ability to innovate, the ability for great kindness and to care for other living things. All because each individual person is as different as the last with their own unique experiences and morals and standards that accumulate to our own incredibly different personalities and attitudes. Yet there are those who believe that striping us of the things that makes us†¦ s will be a great improvement on society even when the evidence points elsewhere. There is a very clear disagreement in our society about what we should do and what the benefits of globalization are. ‘Black’ and ‘White’ sides to a very grey issue. Usually people on the right will say that globalization is a good thing, giving you this; Claims increase in diversity and creativity, trade becomes easier and cheaper, goods becom e more accessible and cheaper, and that everyone will be materially richer. Countries are becoming more alike in the sense of offering some more commonly diverse choices. †-Tyler Cowen(supporter of Globalization) The other side to this are people that are decidedly on the left and they will say things like; Homogenization of culture, loss of creativity, total loss of some cultures, people will become easier to control through advertisements, society becomes about working and keeping ‘afloat’ and not living an actual life, creates violence within people try to protect their culture. †Fast food†¦ ecomes a fueling up ritual†¦ but if it social or family values is what you about†¦ then its a disaster. †-Benjamin Barber (advocate against globalization). Although I say most conservatives and most liberals is because some conservatives don’t see it for what is and buy into what the businessman would say and that all cultures would get a b it of every other culture and are fearful of the blending of culture and are against it. Some liberals think that bringing money to the third world countries, and many more reasons.This is not to say that the political spectrum doesn’t play a role but rather a major one, as most people on the right see it for what it is and support it because globalization creates wealth for the multinational corporations and destroys the native peoples culture and making them more focused on work and it becomes a win-win situation. Liberals are fearful of the corporation as once the people are on the bandwagon it’s very easy to keep them on it and the power of the people of those nations falls to the businesses.Another reason for concern on the part of all citizens regardless of political ideologies is the outsourcing of jobs, which we are already seeing the effects of as unemployment â€Å"unemployment rate moving to 9. 5% in the U. S. , the highest level since 1983. The same thing happened around the globe; the unemployment rate surged to record high values. †-London Forex Broadsheet. My opinion is that there are large winnings and some very hard losses to be had.On one side it boosts the local economy and overall wealth of the certain poorer country, and poverty by any measure is a horrible thing to live in. Unfortunately it destroys the culture that has survived for possibly thousands of years â€Å"Just over 38% of global cultures are in danger of extinction or are already extinct†-UNESCO and we lose some of the history that makes the world the way it is, also globalization can destroy the local environment and cause serious physical injury and sickness. †About one half of the forests that covered the Earth are gone.Each year, another 16 million hectares disappear. †-globalchange. umich. edu And the only reason they live in poverty is not because they're useless and lazy but because of the current global economic system we use. So overall I believe that the losses outweigh the possible gains. The driving forces behind globalization is the corporations they first lobby the government to build an airport saying it will bring more tourists and money. afterwards they move in and set up factories (depending on the ethics or pressure put on them by the public) or sweatshops.So the increased tourism brings foreign ideas and technology like: democracy, freedom, wealth, internet, computers, TV’s, etc. After they make some money in a dangerous mine or a low paying factory they buy a TV/Computer and they see what we have and they want it, they see our big houses and big cars and they will save up and buy one. when they do that they adopt our north american culture and they stop going to church because they can get more money working weekends, they dress like we do and act like we do.They want to be like us so they tell their parents that their culture is dumb and look how this new culture brought us out of povert y, and how we don’t have to pick through garbage anymore. Once people think like this and act like this it causes other people to join them, thinking â€Å"Well he has a car a house and nice clothes, why can’t I have that? † So as more people drop their culture and uniqueness the faster it speeds up. The possibilities of an outcome of this en masse shift towards a North American lifestyle are endless, but what is almost certain is the fact that 99. % of the time this will end badly and not just for the humans that live here but the entire planet. So I will propose 3 scenarios that generally cover the possible outcomes at this point in time. Scenario 1) As more and more people get cars, computers, and use more electricity the CO2 emissions increase exponentially and we get to a tipping point in the atmosphere and a cascade/domino effect happens. Methane from the bottom of the ocean is released into the atmosphere and the Earth heats up even more.Then the Amazon b urns heating it even more, etc. etc. and the world fries and after 100000 years the Earth is plunged into an ice age. By the way almost everyone died. Scenario 2) As more and more jobs are outsourced to cheaper labour the North American way of life collapses because there’s no jobs and with no money you can’t buy anything. Then the whole global economic market crashes and burns. World is plunged into WWIII for the remaining resources, nuclear bombs are launched, whole countries become uninhabitable.Billions die. Scenario 3) In a global effort we switch over to renewable resources and solve the global energy crisis and with that we are able to stabilize the economy and regain peace. It is then possible to help and provide electricity to developing countries. There are many proposed solutions to the crisis we are dealing with but just as with many other problems many of the ‘solutions’ prove to be ineffective or even more harmful. So what will it take to hav e a solution that will save us?Unfortunately its too late to have a gradual change that would allow for people to adapt comfortably to the new lifestyle that i am about to propose. We will have to do this quickly and without hesitation because the longer we wait the more painful this will be. In scenario 3 of the last paragraph is what we will have to do as currently many of the wars being fought around the world are about or were started by the need of the black gold, oil, and n order to restore peace we need to switch over to a more renewable way of life especially here in North America. Not only will this reduce the incentive to kill each other over something that will become increasingly obsolete but it will also help calm the people who are angry at the way we live here because of our wastefulness. Also legislation by the government will have to be passed in order to make it harder for corporations to treat people poorly and pay them less, also make them create jobs in their ho me (eg; US, Canada, UK, etc. ) countries.Increased tourism from more money and cheaper bills will help reinforce the local cultures as people usually travel to see the culture. Advertisements will have to be localized and not forcing the American way of life down peoples throats. I believe that this will, if not completely solve this issue, help out greatly. Unfortunately people can’t see what is happening around them and then when they finally realize what has happened its too late, and that is the problem, why we can’t solve this crisis and why we can’t solve many other difficult issues that exist.The fact is that until something catastrophic happens no one will do anything about it, history shows this and as the saying goes History always repeats itself. Globalization will continue to be a problem for a very long time and when the mass population sees what has happened it will be too late. all we can do is support groups in foreign countries that try to susta in the culture and language of their ancestors.

Home-Style Cookies Case Essay

1. Briefly describe the cookie production process. The company uses batch processing system, wherein the process begins when the management gets orders from its distributors. Production schedules are then made which are based on the orders received. In the beginning of every shift, a list of the cookies to be made that day is delivered to the person in charge of mixing. The ingredients needed are activated through a master list containing all the ingredients to ensure accuracy. The ingredients are then transferred to the mixers then to a cutting machine. After that, the cookies are heated to an oven and moved to a cooling rack. When the cookies are all cooked, they are manually packed. Lastly, the packaged cookies are labelled and sealed. 2. What are two ways that the company has increased productivity? Why did increasing the length of the ovens result in faster output rate? First, the company has increased productivity by cutting the non-filled cookies diagonally, so more cookies can be baked any time. Second, automating the ingredients lead to reduction in the waste of ingredients and helps on the cut back with human error when mixing the ingredients. Increasing the length of the ovens result in faster output rate since it enables more cookies to be baked at once. The bigger the oven, the more cookies we can bake in it which means the faster the output rate. 3. Do you think the company is making the right decision by not automating the packing of cookies? Explain your reasoning. What obligation does a company have to its employees in a situation such as this? What obligation does it have to the community? Is the size of the town a factor? Would it make a difference if the company was located in a large city? Is the size of the company a factor? What if it was a much larger company? I think that the company is making the right decision by not automating the packing of the cookies. It should resemble the human factor in its product. One of the most important steps before packing the cookies is the removal of broken or deformed cookies. An automated process is unable to conduct this critical step. It is critical that this step is done as it would depict the image of the company producing a good product. All companies have a moral obligation  towards their employees. If the company has built on a structure that would help employees stay gainfully employed, the company should honor the commitment it has on its employees. A company that is committed to its workforce sends a message to the community that it cares and is dedicated to its employees. People of a community would be more proud to support such a company with integrity and commitment. Yes, the size of the town is a factor. If the company is located in a small town, it is much easier for them to penetrate the market and to actually show the values it has within its company. Yes, I think it would matter if the company is located in a large city, as it is quite challenging to catch more customers in larger cities, because of the increase in competition. Yes, the size of the company is a factor. The bigger the company is, the easier it is for them to hook customers, as the customers would perceive that it is already established and trusted. It would benefit the company more if it were larger, since it could hire more people and has capacity to help the community more. However, it is very important for companies to take note that whether it may be big or small it should always focus on productivity and efficiency to provide absolute customer satisfaction. 4. What factors cause the company to carry minimal amounts of certain inventories? What benefits result from this policy? Minimal amounts of inventories are caused by many factors. First factor is the quality of the cookies. Since the company is set on providing a product that is high quality and does not use preservatives or additives, they use minimal inventories to retain the freshness of the product and to avoid waste of resources. Second, lower inventory costs, the lesser the inventory the lower the costs. Third, less need for storage space, since there is minimal inventories used, minimal space is also utilized. Lastly, satisfied customers, because of the freshness and high quality of the cookies the company provides satisfaction to its consumers. 5. As a consumer, what things do you consider in judging the quality of cookies you buy in a supermarket? The main factor in judging the quality of the cookies is by its quality or freshness. Fresh or high quality cookies would catch more customers. Second, the ingredients, if natural ingredients  are used I would be more enticed to buy cookies. Third is the packaging of the product, its outer appearance tells a lot about a product. I would buy a product which has a really nice and neat packaging. 6. What advantages and what limitations stem from the company’s not using preservatives in cookies? By not using preservatives, the product would appeal more to customers, as more people now are health-conscious. It would also lessen the costs of the company, since fewer ingredients are needed. On the other hand, not using preservatives limits the shelf life of the cookies. 7. Briefly describe the company’s strategy. Mainly, the company focuses on providing high quality cookies that appeal to a particular market niche. The company also centers on its customers and employees. Through this, it gives a possible effect on its community and gains the support of the people.

The Bicycle Thief essays

The Bicycle Thief essays The Bicycle Thief by Vittorio De Sica is a movie that breaks the Hollywood aesthetic of beautiful people, fancy homes, and extensive wealth that only thrives in fantasy and sometimes-unconquerable dreams. It exploits the plight of working class individuals who live in what some may call ghettoes or over crowded cities. Standing outside of a government agency, men await the fates of their futures: will it be their day to get work or will they go home in defeat to tell their wives and children that they might not have enough money to eat? It is a travesty to envision a life that is lived moment to moment and the future holds no promise for a better tomorrow. It is striking to watch a movie that encapsulates the very heart of the working class. The audience is introduced to the movies central character, Antonio. A man who is in search of a job and the one he receives requires a mode of transportation common in those days, a bicycle. The bicycle he owns is in a repair shop waiting for alterations to be done, but because of the lack of money his family has, he never acquired the opportunity to pay for it. He then journeys back home to his wife, his son, and his newborn to herald the good news, however, as all good things too good to be true there is a catch. Antonio tells his wife that he can have this beneficial job if he has a bicycle, translation: we need money to get the bike so I can work. Maria, his wife, decides to pawn their precious linens, apart of her dowry, in order to retrieve Antonios bicycle from the shop. However, maintaining the bicycle long enough to see a single paycheck would pose as a dilemma rather than a means of support. First day on the job the bicycle gets stolen, crisis becomes the inevitable. Another plight of the working class individual, stolen goods are as good as gone and sold and money in some ...

Ethical Scenarios †Ethics Essay

Ethical Scenarios – Ethics Essay Free Online Research Papers Each team should respond in paragraph form to the questions that follow the scenarios presented below. Any disagreements or complications that occur within the team regarding the correct response should be noted in the Learning Team Reflection Worksheet for the week. Individual After the teams have completed their responses, each member should consider his or her individual responses and reactions to the various ethical perspectives. Rate yourself on the scale at the end of this document for each perspective. For each ethical perspective (duty-based, goal-based, rights-based, and human-nature), write a reflective paragraph in which you express your personal ethical statement regarding that perspective. The paragraph should state the numerical rating you gave yourself on the scale, and then supply an explanation for why you rated yourself at that level. SCENARIOS Duty-based (Deontological): This is a common issue in corporate America. There always seems to be individuals that never seem to pull their own weight. In this first perspective Michael is not pulling his own weight, so Donna who feels duty-bound creates a set of rules and tries to impose the rules on Michael. I have found that when you try to tell someone what or how they should do something they resist and eventually become even more difficult to work with. Sometimes it is easier to try to sit down with the individual and ask why there is a problem. After discovering the underlying reason you can then work together to come up with a solution to the problem. Determining what someone’s work ethics are prior to developing a team can eliminate a great number of headaches. This will give you the opportunity to structure the team environment in a manner that will eliminate most problems before they arise. I have rated myself a four (4) on this because I have always been a duty-based person. The task at hand has never been the issue only to work as hard as possible to complete the task. Goal-based (Teleological): Setting team goals can be a difficult task because determining if the goals have been obtained on an individual basis can be subjective. For example, Corin and his team are in their last class at the University of Phoenix. Corin believes that he has reached his goal and therefore has no interest in the class. While the rest of the team believes that the goal to graduate has not been reached since they have not completed the Capstone class. Goals have to be defined well in advance and monitored. By monitoring the objective of the goal a team or individual can determine if the have lost sight of the goal then redefine the path to reach the goal. I rated myself a four (4) on this because I have been attempting to achieve a goal for 25 years. I have been on track at different periods and I have been off track at times. However, I have always kept my eyes on the goal and have made adjustment to my approach to achieve my goal. Rights-Based: â€Å"It is my god given right†¦Ã¢â‚¬  is probable the most abused statement in history. Right-based ideology is at times, the most dangerous and most powerful belief. Individuals have rights†¦ groups have rights†¦ however when a group of people with similar beliefs get together and try to force their beliefs on the masses watch out. Numerous atrocities have been perpetuated on society because a group has been successful in enforcing their rights. For example World War II was partially about one group’s ideal that they were the master race and look what that small group was able to do. However, there are an equal number of examples where right-based ideology can be constructive as in the town meeting where the community gets together to discuss an ordinance on car noise levels. In this example the community as a whole is deciding the best course of action. Another example would be the â€Å"Civil Rights Movement† where â€Å"One man had a dream† changed a nation. I originally rated myself a four (4) on this but, after writing about right-based issues I find that I am not admittedly a right-based thinker. I believe that right-based thinking is important and under the right conditions a powerful tool. So I changed my rating to a 3. Human-Nature: What is in one person’s nature in not necessarily in another’s? Karen believes that it is alright to try to cheat by copying a paragraph and not making the required references. It is often the easy road that defines â€Å"Human Nature†. Is it easier to copy and past the home work? Is it easier to say that you have done something when you honestly have not? The easy road is just too hard to resist some days. I rated myself a four (4) on this because, I believe that through had work the accomplishments are better savored. Research Papers on Ethical Scenarios - Ethics EssayResearch Process Part OneThe Hockey GameThe Project Managment Office SystemIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalArguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS)Analysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaStandardized TestingEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenOpen Architechture a white paperBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of Self