The World of Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The World of Finance - Essay Example Both Amex and NASDAQ are similar since both the companies are based on the stock market. Both handle major clients and many different exchanges. Both also deal with the buying and selling of stocks. Each is widely known and capitalizes on their investors. There are some differences in the operations of two companies. NASDAQ is more of a corporate's corporation. It handles mostly technological clients and uses technology to electronically handle everything. Amex on the other hand, likes to be more personalize and does not handle everything electronically. Amex uses floor exchanged and is thought to be slower in handling things. NASDAQ is extremely competitive and continues to try to find way to better its company. In September 2002, New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer sued five corporate executives (former WorldCom chief executive Bernard Ebbers, Qwest chairman Philip Anschutz, former Qwest CEO Joseph P. Nacchio, Metromedia Fiber chairman Stephen Garofalo and former McLeod CEO Clark McLeod) for repayment of funds garnered through profiteering in Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) and phony stock ratings given by Salomon Smith Barney in return for investment banking business. In January 2003, Spitzer reached a "global" settlement with top Wall Street firms. They pledged to pay $1.4 billion to settle federal and state charges. Bernard Ebbers was head of WorldCom. WorldCom had merged with one of the biggest technological companies MCI in April, 2003. This was one of the biggest technological mergers. This merger had broken up monopolies such as AT&T that had dominated the telephone industry. But after the scandal WorldCom was changed. The company filed for bankruptcy. For a time, WorldCom (WCOM) was the United States' second largest long distance phone company. (Liqi, 2006). PART - II Economic Functions of Financial Intermediaries Financial intermediaries are involved in performing very important economic function of channelizing the excess funds that depositors have, towards satisfying the fund requirements of the borrowers. Financial intermediaries aggregate small amounts of funds into big pools, then invest it in a diverse portfolio of primary securities to achieve more efficient diversification of risk than an individual investor. In this way, financial intermediaries are able to use savings that would otherwise not have been available to produce economic activity. Brokers' Roles in Financial Markets Brokers perform very important function in financial markets. They obtain relevant information that is required by the clients to make informed investment decision. This information ranges from market conditions to government regulations. In addition, brokers carry out clients' portfolio investment planning and provide guidance to the clients about most optimal investment decisions. Brokers have high level of control of a financial market. However, the advent of internet has brought about changes in the way businesses are conducted. The financial markets are no exception. NASDAQ makes use of the internet to provide value added information to the clients. The investment

Music Analysis of My Heart Will Go On by Celine Deon Assignment

Music Analysis of My Heart Will Go On by Celine Deon - Assignment Example The singer starts from the low tone and moves up hitting the highest tone as she approaches the chorus. The song has both chorus and choruses. The song has duality with two distinct parts with the first sounds soft romantic and second sounds determined. The music strains a slow romantic note in the first part. The charm takes a slow music sounds romantic and soulful, that borders on the melancholic but never gives up hope. The music gushes forth powerfully in the second part projecting a determination only a woman’s heart is capable of. Their song uses such instruments such as flute, guitar, piano, violin to create the melody that makes the song creates the mood and provokes a melancholic feeling. The music stresses on the instrumental arranging. There is much use of flute back by melodic use of strings and rhythm guitars. Both electronic and acoustic instrumentation is evident in the song (Hanninen, 2012). The song lyrics creates a somber mood amongst the listeners. In addition, the choice of the love as the theme is much attractive as a love remains a contemporary issue based on the unexpected separation as it happened to the young lovers, Jack and Rose. The music greatly impacts on one’s subconscious minds based on the lyrics that makes one feel so attached and need to share in the pain with Rose. The song provokes human nature to feel part of a problem that affects another based on the state of disparity. The song communicates the emotion expressed in the film, and the words parallel the dialogues especially from the scene when Jack Dawson says his final goodbye and makes Rose promise that she will never give up. However, there are some parts that are read from Rose’s mind. The music depicts a sad love story and creates melancholy is as we watch and listen to its lyrics. The song is emotional as well as demanding. I have chosen the song ‘My Heart Will Go On’ by Celine Deon.

Business -Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business -Assignment - Essay Example The increase in unemployment would result to lesser people having jobs. Lesser people having jobs would translate to lesser Tesco sales. People have less money to buy Tesco products. Clearly, one possible effect is the decline in the company’s sales(Geroski & Gregg, 1997,49). Another possibility is the increase in variable expenses. Inflation would translate to higher prices of commodities, raw materials and other purchase amounts. The company must spend more to purchase the same number of inventory sold in the Tesco Plc stores. The prices of other products sold in its outlets would rise. Obviously, another possibility is the increase in variable expenses(Lipsey & Chrystal,2007,334). A third possibility is an increase in fixed expenses. The electricity cost could increase because of the increase in the electricity company’s operating expenses. The water utility company would increase prices. The telephone costs could demand a price increase. The fixed salary of Tesco employees could increase. Definitely, A third possibility is an increase in fixed expenses(Ingham,2000,47). A fourth possibility is the decline in purchases. A decline in sales would result to an oversupply of products being displayed at the Tesco Plc shops. Many of the inventory items displayed in the Tesco Plc will have a high probability of expiring because of the slowdown in demand for Tesco Plc product. The company, Tesco Plc, will be forced to reduce the number of items purchased due to the large stocks of unsold store items displayed. This reduction in Tesco Plc purchases would ensure that the newly bought products will be sold only after the prior –purchased products have been sold. Surely, a fourth possibility is the decline in purchases(Mullard, 1995,113). A fifth possibility is retrenchment of some employees. A reduction in sales would mean that the company may generate a large decline in the company’s products. Thus, the company has to

The political economies of Panama and Costa Rica Research Paper

The political economies of Panama and Costa Rica - Research Paper Example Costa Rica & Panama: Basics Costa Rica has an estimated population of 4.6 million as of July 2011 and a growth rate of 1.3% (IndexMundi, 2012). Sixty-four percent of this population is residing in urban centers of which about 94% are white, 3% black, 1% Amerindian, and 1% Chinese (IndexMundi, 2012). Their language is Spanish and the nation has high literacy rate of 94.9% (IndexMundi, 2012). The country allocated 6.3% and 10.5% in health from its GDP in 2009. The nation is located in the border of Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean. It is adjacent to Panama. Its rich geographic area is blessed with mineral, petroleum, hydropower and commercial resources (IndexMundi, 2012). Panama, on the other hand, has a population of 3.5 million and with a growth rate of 1.5% (IndexMundi, 2012). It has a 0.4 migration per a thousand of populace based and 75% of its people are residing in urban communities (IndexMundi, 2012). Panama has bilingual language: English and Spanish with predominant Roman Catholic religion. The country has allocated about 3.8% of its GDP for education and around 8.3% for health. Panama likewise is blessed with copper. Mahogany forests, hydropower and good shrimp culture among many other natural resources of commercial values. Costa Rica’s Pol-Economy Clare, Seanz and Trejos (2002) pointed that there are empirical evidences showing the decline of Costa Rica’s income per capita in the last decade albeit good economic standing in economic input. Clare et al. (2002) opined that the situation seemed amazing because the 80s to the 90s was the period when the country is undertaking serious reform in trading and fiscal performance. Re searcher attributed this mediocre 0.7% annual growth rate of income per capita to influential factors of development: demographic changes (Clare et al., 2002). The latter meant an increasing figure of labor productivity in industrial and agricultural sectors. Economists posit that such increase in participation in production, particularly women and immigrants from Nicaragua. While increased number of labor forces meant growth of income, however, economic activity is slowed by poor labor productivity. Labor productivity has only reached a poor rate of 1.57% in Costa Rica compared to 3-4% labor productivity in East Asian countries (Clare et al., 2002). Using growth accounting, researchers pointed that slow labor productivity growth is reflected in slight negative growth rate of total factor productivity (Clare et al., 2002). This finding is bit odd because the in the last four decades, multitude of technological advancements are poured in this country to support the labor forces in pr oduction. Further study using sectoral analysis was in fact utilized to determine whether slow growth of productivity is a universal phenomenon or merely underplayed by a particular sector. Oddly, Clare et al. (2002) found that the industrial and agricultural sectors continued to attain high rates labor growth productivity and TFP while the service sector stagnates in the production. Researchers opined that it’s ironic for the service sector to have decreasing production output noting that it’s absorbing a large share of resources. As a matter of fact, the service sector of Costa Rica has been allocated with budget higher than that of Brazil and Chile (Clare et al. 2002). Economists assumed that the service sector have difficulties in capturing its market. In a disaggregate

Modern Tech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Modern Tech - Essay Example The unchallenged power of plethora of books, journals and other sources of primary information are not in question here, rather the question lies in whether internet and the new media superstructure has overtaken the conventional modes of information as in case of print, radio and television with relation to speed of distribution and the scope of universal followership with one click. The need for better information served faster to the multitudes craving for better and more efficient modes of information distribution has been the propelling factor in the unchallenged reign of internet as a vital source of information, or mis-information as the case may be. The contentious issue facing the public at large is the possibility of internet replacing books, journals, even libraries in becoming the primary source of information. The net has also overtaken the traditional trusted source for news ie; TV. This was evident in the 9/11 attacks on World trade centre wherein there was a surge of ‘flash crowd’ on the net trying to get the information and details as they had no access to TV at their workplace.

Personal Development Portfolio Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Development Portfolio - Personal Statement Example Upon knowing these things, I should have to deal and live with the working people, to the extent of doing their tasks to be able to know their lives and how they are coping up with their demands and queries and putting my self into situation for me is somewhat a sort of preparation. With this, I am confident to say that these things honed me to become sensitive with the needs of the people especially, the workforce. The uncertainty before becomes a clear picture of what it is to be with this kind of field. If we are to define Human Resource Management, according to McNamara (1999), it is defined as "The Human Resources Management (HRM) function includes a variety of activities, and key among them is deciding what staffing needs you have and whether to use independent contractors or hire employees to fill these needs, recruiting and training the best employees, ensuring they are high performers, dealing with performance issues, and ensuring your personnel and management practices conform to various regulations. Activities also include managing your approach to employee benefits and compensation, employee records and personnel policies" Upon analyzing the definition of HRM, it is evident that tremendous workloads and responsibilities are inclined with regards to this field thus; this should serve as guiding light for me. It is very important to know the definition of the field that you are into in order not to be swayed and to be guided accordingly as to what should I do in this field. I am now aware that variety of activities awaits me in doing tasks related to HRM. Dealing with the workforce doesn't end in recruiting key personnel that are qualified in a certain position but rather a continuous process of maintaining these individuals as well as ensuring their growth while doing tasks that would cater their needs. These things should be present in an HR specialist and these actual occurrences should beef-up my experience so they should not be taken for granted and that I was able to do and analyze while studying this field. The Use of theoretical modules is also important as they serve as references and guide to f urther enhance my knowledge in this kind of field. Personal Development Portfolio 3 While studying the modular approach of the program, my tutor Paul Smith is really a big help for me to understand different approaches to cope up with the demands of the said field. Of course, various exercises in these modules are aids that really enhanced my skill to the fullest. At first, it was quite hard but it becomes easier with every module after the other after determining the importance of Human Resource Management. My development and recruitment skills were also developed though I am engaged in a modular approach, which really helped me in determining the individuals who are capable for the job as well as how to maintain these people. Upon

Organic Food Market in Hong Kong - Environmental Scan Essay Example for Free

Organic Food Market in Hong Kong Environmental Scan Essay ?Global trend of organic food In 1950s, consumers are starting to aware of organic product and in 1970s to 1980s, organic sector start to develop, e. g. set up regulation and certification around the world. In 1990s, the organic food market has a sharp growing, expanding at 20% a year. In 2006, the sales of organic baby food were increased 21. 6%. There are also has dramatically increase in variety, availability and decreasing the cost of organic food. ?Local trend of organic food. At the end of 1980s, there were many cases happened in Hong Kong that poisonous crops which are contaminated with pesticide, people in Hong Kong raise their awareness of health. Until 1990s, Organic foods have been selling in Hong Kong, most of them are imported from North America, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and Japan. In the few years ahead, consumption of organic food is increasing. In 2000s, the local market has a strong demand on fresh organic foods. International Trade Centre (ITC ) done a set of survey and observed some trends of Hong Kong. For example, there are more convenience organic food such as pre-packed organic salads; some public canteens and catering buy more organic food; provision of organic products with biodegradable packaging. Major competitor In Hong Kong, there are three major type of retail shops is selling organic food. First type is supermarket, e. g. Park n’ shop and Welcome are two major chains. Second type is department stores, e. g. Citysuper, Seibu, Jusco, Sogo. Third type is specialty healthy food shops, around 50 to health food shops selling organic, health and diet-supplement foods. Consumer ?General type of consumer Hong Kong Organic Resource Centre (HKORC) release the result of a survey on 7 Jan 2005, it shows that 30% of the respondents had purchased organic foods. It also shows us the people who are interested in buying organic food are high education qualification, executives, managers or professionals, and they are usually with a higher total household income, married and/or with children. The meaning of organic food in consumer view In Hong Kong people’s mind, â€Å"organic food† has the similar meaning as â€Å"healthy food†, they also care about the nutritional value and image of the product. The best selling of organic foods in Hong Kong are baby food, rice cake, grains, fruit juice and breakfast cereals, so we can see Hong Kong people are more health-conscious now.