Strategic performance management makes connection between strategy and culture of organization - Free Essay Example

Introduction Abemarle and Bond, a renowned pawn-broking firm in England is targeting toward expansion. With a figure like 1,100 shops, the boss does not seem to be looking at it with great hopes. Barry Stevenson strongly feels that there is definitely room for expansion. He affirms that there should be 3,000 pawnbrokers on high streets. With the strategy in mind, the firm is looking forward to open 25 stores this year in cities like Liverpool, Manchester, London as well as in other big cities thereby adding to the 139 it already has as goal. Above mentioned goals do need Strategic Performance Management. Strategic performance management is aligning company strategy to team and individual goals and rewards, and ensuring the whole organisation is pulling together in the right direction. Strategic performance management makes the connection between the hard the business goals, the strategy and the soft employee motivation and culture of performance management. It links the strategy and the culture of an organization and managers ability to improve employees performance. Strategic performance management makes the connection between the strategy and culture of an organization and its ability to manage employees performance to better impact on business performance. Is it Really Important? What happens at the organizations frontline is often not what the CEO intended when setting the business strategy.   This is because communications from the top are not always clearly understood further down the line, leading to a mismatch between corporate strategy and how it is translated into targets at a team or individual level. Employees want to do the right thing, but they can only do so if they know what the right things are and receive regular feedback about their work, and if their rewards are aligned and understand the impact on delivering the business strategy. By successfully connecting these three elements: people, strategy and culture, CEOs can improve their business results, enhance employee productivity and increase the likelihood of achieving their business objectives. In short, if the hard (the business goals and strategy) and the soft (employee motivation and culture) are not in harmony, results suffer.   Yet by implementing strategic performance management the connection between the hard and the soft can be made. The missing link is the strategic performance management model.   Executives must ask how they actually want to manage performance.   Long-term growth or short-term gains?   What targets must be met and by when? And how do you want managers and employees to work to achieve them? In fact, be it a business project or even a social work project, development of strategies and learning the trick of management forms a vital part in todays work culture. Looking at Abemarle and Bond, the same ideology can be vividly seen. The firm is following the strategy of expansion thereby, improve its business prospects. Bill is an integral part of the HR team at the company he is working with. In order to improve the quality of performance, the HR team is working on revising certain strategies. Revising on employees performance in the form of annual reports, maintaining latest updates through newsletters and news release have started shaping the HRD of the company, thereby influencing the progress of the company. Blue Flamingo, one of the leading retail stores has also started revising their business strategies. Focusing on customer needs, they are rethinking about the various departments in their store. In addition, they are also extending their services. For example, they are introducing online shopping facilities too. Responding to consumer needs and catering to them has been the most important motive for the retail store. Keeping the public demand in mind, the retail store has done a total renovation of the store, and also added to the services. Taking the shoppers drive into consideration, the store has included those items which are high in demand, in the online store facilities. With the growing awareness of globalization, industrialization as well as technologies, developing strategies and following them has been an integral part of work culture in the modern age. Requirements Strategic Performance Management is a dynamic process that requires information sharing, coordination and effective control and feedback mechanisms throughout the hierarchy of strategies and objectives to enable the organization to make its strategy work. Initiatives Strategic initiatives comprises any number of portfolios, programs and projects. Again note that strategic alignment is necessary among portfolios, programs and projects and that performance information feeds the decision-making process regarding which projects make up the programs and portfolios. Project strategy and objectives must be logically linked to the Strategic Performance Management framework and need to be taken into account when determining the capability of the organization during strategy formulation. Build Your Strategies A major share of an individuals daily schedule is of course devoted to office. Irrespective of whether you have your own business or associated with a typical 9-5 job or even if you are the Vice President of your organization, you have to accept the fact that a lions share of your day would be pre-occupied by your workplace. Sometimes, the higher rank you go to the more time you have to devote to your work. Besides, there are other factors to consider too. If you are in a leadership role, then its not just time that you have to consider. There are also other factors to take into account. You will have to shoulder more than one responsibility. Its not just the quality of work and the time you devote toward work that will determine your progress at workplace. Rather, you will be held responsible for other aspects like managing the team you are working with. In a way, you might also be playing the role of a psychologist. In fact, you would be working with an entire team, whereas your te am members would be performing on an individual basis. So, it is very important that you keep both your eyes and ears wide open to your team in respect to the members. To be more explicit, you would have to be responsive to their performance and at the same time assess each individuals performance separately. In order to ensure quality, you might also have to address their needs and certain issues they might feel necessary to raise. The truth is, since you would be spending almost half the day with your workplace, where the team members form a major part, you would have to be very thoughtful. It is this thoughtfulness that helps create a better workplace and eventually affect the progress of the organization to a great extent. The sky is the limit for people aiming to achieve success. In order to be successful, strategy is the word. The well-known story revolving around the hare and the tortoise might spread a message here. In other words, you have to be slow but steady in designing your strategies. Looking at the corporate sector, it can be seen that there are many companies which have reached to a significant level. However, looking at their history and source it can be seen that they have developed from a very grass-root level. Taking Mr. Bean for example, it has reached to a status of fully fledged brand from a mere TV program (www.bized.co.uk). An extensive mind process as well as professionalism has been the basic tools behind the prosperity of Mr. Bean. Mentioning worthwhile, it has been complex as well as demanded constant mind-work. Rowan Atkinson has been behind all the decision-making process. However, there are two other people who have influenced the decision-making process of Rowan Atkinson. Peter Bennett Jones, the Chairman of Tiger Aspect Productions, the company that is behind the production of the programs, and Katherine Senior, the Executive Producer are the two people who have influenced the decision-making process of the entire work-process. It is not just managing the program that is involved with the work. Rather, there are other duties and responsibilities too which are involved and eventually affect the reputation and growth of the company. In case of Mr. Bean also, the same rule applies. The responsibilities related to selling the program and merchandising and licensing rights to other businesses also have played a major role in shaping the company thereby elevating the level of Mr. Bean from a television program to a renowned brand. In order to develop a comprehensive idea and knowledge of what strategy they exactly follow, it would be helpful to look into what strategy they exactly follow. The producer of a program will go to a TV company, and then he is a ssigned with the responsibility of getting the program broadcasted. Now the deal works between the broadcaster and the producer. The two people associated with the entire project negotiate with the money required for the rights to show the program. The next factor comes with the audience and keeping their needs in mind. For the media world, the audience plays a major role which eventually determines the growth and development of a program. In other words, audience should form a significant part of the strategy. Mr. Bean has also followed the same strategy with keeping the audience in mind with special emphasis on the type of audience and their needs, as well as the effect it has on the market. The philosophy of responding to clients or the targeted audience and catering to their needs has also been an influential factor for some other organizations and companies. Larry Burton, President of Strang, a well known company, admits that it is not difficult to address to the clients and it is also essential to keep their needs in mind (https://www.strang-inc.com/mailing/2001/10_01.pdf). In fact, Burton has also accepted the responsibility of listening to the clients and addressing to the needs as a culture of the entire firm. Some Basic Key Points After a deep analysis of the importance of strategies, it would be helpful to take a close observation into what is the thumb rule for building and developing strategies. To speak from a laymans point of view, be it at the home front or at workplace, following strategies do bring a great change. After all, performance is the word that exists at every sphere of life. Even a student also would be assessed according to his performance in academics at the end of the year. To speak candidly, even if a student has substantial knowledge on a particular subject, yet his intelligence would be determined by the score obtained by him at the end of his academic year. Once again, if he follows a strategically designed method of study, he is certain to obtain the required score. Following strategies is essential to everyone. To speak of workplace, if one is in a leadership role working with a team of say 20 members, then he would have to consider various factors. First and foremost, human-being is not a machine. Just as one needs a healthy environment at the home front, so would he want to have a comfortable ambience in workplace too. The location of an organization definitely matters as also suggested by an online article (https://www.strang-inc.com/mailing/2001/10_01.pdf). The location of the company forms the physical environment which again determines the work performance and the quality of work. Keeping a balance of the two cs, concentration and collaboration, the physical environment should be planned. The next two primary factors included in the physical environment are mobility and flexibility. Primary Factors Primary Factors Other Factors Other Factors Flexibility (It is related to location and hence falls under the category of physical environment) Mobility (It is also related to location, and is a part of physical environment) Concentration (Although it is not exactly under physical environment, yet it influences and determines the physical environment) Collaboration (This factor is also not exactly under physical environment, but again influences the physical environment) Following these four basic factors, should the management team and the organization team plan for an office. In simple words, if a company is located in a place which does not provide flexibility or mobility, then it would be really difficult. A location at an outdated inflexible place might invite unwanted circumstances, which would eventually prevent the facility layout to carry on with the work process. This would also disturb the concentration which is the most significant part of any project. Team members would not be able to focus on work, thereby bring harmful circumstances to the progress of the company. Starting from Financing to Annual Reports Its All about Strategies Following strategies is helpful. However, it might demand you to be more deliberate and require a higher level of organization and management skills. Jurgen Daum, the Director of Program Management for mySap Financials, and a former CFO himself, affirms that its not just materials that play a role when it comes to something like supply chain management. Its also the cash flow, which should be taken into account. The flow of cash can be in any form even including payments. A huge working capital would definitely include billing, payment, collection and settlement processes as well as financial transactions. Even other areas like borrowing money from the bank would also be a major part of managing the financial part of the organization. Once again, the team as well as people in the lead roles who are also associated with the organization, should design well though out plans to manage this part which might be the be all and end all of an organization. It can not be denied that the evolu tion of technologies has brought an immense change in organizations with special regard to management. Machines hand in hand with technology have already started shouldering responsibilities on a great scale. Most of the organizations now prefer to rely on devices like computers and e-pads and also other useful machines in order to store and manage their database. Electronic Bill Presentment and Payment (EBPP) deserves special mention in this regard. Through this specially designed e-finance solution, the overhead associated with issuing invoices has been reduced to a significant lower level like 70%. Interestingly, records show that many large companies have been able to save millions of dollars annually. As goes a popular saying, There is always room for improvement, building up strategies and observing them religiously would always end up in landing you up in unknown truths. Such instances are not common when you work real hard, yet do not always get the desired result. The trick lies not in how hard you are working. Rather, its all about how strategically you are managing your work. A leadership role like that of a Vice-President or a CEO would definitely require you to focus on a wide variety of responsibilities. Professionalism to start with, you would also be heading an entire team which definitely calls for effective strategies. Among other factors, you should definitely consider maintaining annual reports, newsletters, organizing developmental opportunities for employees like professional workshops, time management, and last but not the least addressing employees needs and issues they might want to discuss with you. Sometimes an issue like setting up lights might also play a s ignificant role in the workplace. The team leader should always be responsive to these needs, which form a major part of strategically designed method of working. Integration Weve all challenged ourselves at some point in our lives, whether it was a 5K run, a weight loss program, a school project, and so on. The first thing we did when we decided to accept the challenge was to set personal goals. Those goals may have been to run the 5K in 20 minutes or to lose 20 pounds in 3 months, or to get an A on that project. Next, we developed a plan to reach those goals within the desired time frame. Lastly, we executed the plan. Now, if were really goal oriented, we set milestones and were constantly comparing our personal progress in relation to where we were in our plan. The same way we (hopefully) reached those goals is the same way an organization should integrate their strategic plan into a performance program. In the example above, integrating the plan into performance plan takes place during the goal setting phase, when we are deciding what we wanted to accomplish and how we would go to get there. This methodology takes us from developing objectives, to developing a plan, to integrating strategy into the performance management system. Below are 9 steps that will help ensure that organizational strategy is integrated with performance plan. Develop Mission, Vision and Core Value Statements Develop a Strategic Planning Process and Identify Organizational Objectives Conduct Stakeholder Identification Analysis and SWOT/SWOC Analysis Perform Gap Analysis Align Key Processes, Projects, Systems, Workforce and Budget to Strategic Goals Integrate Strategic Plan into Performance Management System Integrate the Strategic Plan to Results-Based Budgeting System Integrate Strategic Plan to Workforce Planning System Integrate All Activities Into a Performance Management System These are the high level steps to integrating corporate strategy into the performance management planning process. Acknowledgement When we claim value, we create value a win/win for the organization.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   There is great power in a group that notices its potential together and is committed to each others success.   When members of a team discover their sense of purpose, you dont have to ask them to do something; they call you to tell you what theyve done.   Goals are fueled by purpose.   In our work we use processes that invite team members to be conscious and present in each moment so that they can deal positively with difficult issues and work beyond them to form lasting and active partnerships, generating a culture of acknowledgement.   Lets take a look at what the Leader put into practice: She noticed how hard people were working She kept the vision in mind and took time to reflect on where it was aligned She led from a sense of purpose and shared that with others She was strategically encouraging, appreciative, and human in all interactions Benefits of creating an organizational culture of acknowledgement and achievement, ask?   A culture of acknowledgement notice an increased capacity for performance, a trust in collaboration, a consistent stream of referrals, a relaxation around each other, becoming ambassadors for their work places, and actively feed off of each others creativity and success.   Indeed, clients who have taken this philosophy home report an increase in harmony in their families.   Teams who are acknowledgement and achievement based choose to collaborate with potential rather than collude with issues.   Their performance management techniques turn to coaching a team approach, rather than being punitive.   They look for and acknowledge the behaviour they want and any need to regulate behaviour decreases.   Their staff becomes achievement oriented. Notice what someone is doing right and do it strategically with desired performance in mind.   A typical good job can work well now and again, however giving specific praise that cultivates desired behaviour is more beneficial. Use the followings: The professional tone of your email invites the professional in all. You followed your instincts to cut in and be in the right place to catch the pass. Having that report to me earlier allowed me to add my piece earlier and wow the client. You organized our meeting in a way that the whole team engaged easily. You asked the perfect extra questions in the interview process to reveal the perfect V.P.

New Student Loan Law Changes Lending Landscape

Bigger government grants, better student loan repayment terms and more funding for financial literacy programs are some of the primary provisions of the new federal student lending law. Passed in conjunction with the health care reform law last month, the new student loan legislation is the most significant college financial aid reform since the Pell Grant started in the mid-1960s. Injecting $61 billion into higher education programs over the next decade, the law will help students before, during and after college. It goes into effect this July. Here's the help you'll receive along your college journey from the new law. High school years Students desperately trying to pay for college will get a helping hand thanks to student loan reform. Allocating $750 million to bolster college access programs aimed at low-income high school students, the law will provide support for counseling workshops across the nation on financial literacy, college retention and admissions to college through the College Access Challenge Grant Program. College years Low-income students in need of an extra financial boost may get one through the newly increased Pell Grant. Starting in 2013, the federal government's largest financial aid program will inject $36 billion into the Pell Grant Program, steadily increasing the award from its current level at $5,550 a year to $5,975 over a five-year period. "This bill makes a massive (infusion) into the Pell Grant to keep its purchasing power strong," says Rich Williams, higher education associate for the U.S. Public Interest Research Groups in Washington D.C. "When the Pell Grant was originally created, it could fund about 72 percent of a public education at a four-year university. Today, the grant can only afford about 32 percent." With tuition inflation increasing more than three times faster than the annual rate of inflation, it's going to take more than a nominal grant increase to restore college affordability. Williams adds that each year more than 400,000 qualified high school grads delay or forgo college because it costs too much. While the grant increase is a good start, it could potentially decrease college affordability in the long run if states continue to cut higher education budgets, says Tim Ranzetta, founder of the student loan research firm Student Lending Analytics in Palo Alto, Calif. "Some will argue that by continuing to (increase grant funding), there's little incentive for schools to keep costs under control," says Ranzetta. "The increase will make college more affordable in the short term, but you've still got this long-term tuition spiral." With college costs reaching an all-time high, students are increasingly forced to rely on federal student loans, which were overhauled in the new law. The government will originate and distribute its own federal student loans rather than contract with a private lender to do it. The switch from the Federal Family Education Loan Program to direct government lending will save an estimated $61 billion in private lender fees, with some of that savings going to the Pell Grant increase, a $2.55 billion boost to the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities and similar programs, and $10 billion to trim the national deficit. "It shouldn't change things much for students," says Ranzetta. "The loan amounts and terms will stay the same. Students should contact their financial aid office to sign a new promissory note if they need to." After college The silver lining to student loans piling up is that the new law will help you pay them off faster and more cheaply. Under an expanded income-based repayment plan, students paying back federal loans starting in and after 2014 will have the option of capping their monthly loan bills at 10 percent of their discretionary income -- defined as any income above 150 percent of the poverty line -- and dismissing all remaining debt after 20 consecutive years of payment. Students enrolling in income-based repayment before 2014 will have to stick to the current 15 percent monthly cap with all federal student loan debt dismissed after 25 years. Under either version of the program, students who choose to enter a public service field such as teaching or social work after graduation can qualify to have all remaining debt forgiven after 10 years of consecutive payments. "With this law, students looking to go into socially valuable careers will finally have the support and means to do that even if they have a loan debt that would normally push them out," says U.S. PIRG's Rich Williams. While Williams is quick to point out that the law is far from a perfect solution to the college affordability problem, it's a solid first step to make college accessible to those who need it most. "Education is pretty much a necessity and this bill brings help at a time when students and families are struggling," says Williams. "Right now, we're really excited and really satisfied." Posted April 23, 2010 Bigger government grants, better student loan repayment terms and more funding for financial literacy programs are some of the primary provisions of the new federal student lending law. Passed in conjunction with the health care reform law last month, the new student loan legislation is the most significant college financial aid reform since the Pell Grant started in the mid-1960s. Injecting $61 billion into higher education programs over the next decade, the law will help students before, during and after college. It goes into effect this July. Here's the help you'll receive along your college journey from the new law. High school years Students desperately trying to pay for college will get a helping hand thanks to student loan reform. Allocating $750 million to bolster college access programs aimed at low-income high school students, the law will provide support for counseling workshops across the nation on financial literacy, college retention and admissions to college through the College Access Challenge Grant Program. College years Low-income students in need of an extra financial boost may get one through the newly increased Pell Grant. Starting in 2013, the federal government's largest financial aid program will inject $36 billion into the Pell Grant Program, steadily increasing the award from its current level at $5,550 a year to $5,975 over a five-year period. "This bill makes a massive (infusion) into the Pell Grant to keep its purchasing power strong," says Rich Williams, higher education associate for the U.S. Public Interest Research Groups in Washington D.C. "When the Pell Grant was originally created, it could fund about 72 percent of a public education at a four-year university. Today, the grant can only afford about 32 percent." With tuition inflation increasing more than three times faster than the annual rate of inflation, it's going to take more than a nominal grant increase to restore college affordability. Williams adds that each year more than 400,000 qualified high school grads delay or forgo college because it costs too much. While the grant increase is a good start, it could potentially decrease college affordability in the long run if states continue to cut higher education budgets, says Tim Ranzetta, founder of the student loan research firm Student Lending Analytics in Palo Alto, Calif. "Some will argue that by continuing to (increase grant funding), there's little incentive for schools to keep costs under control," says Ranzetta. "The increase will make college more affordable in the short term, but you've still got this long-term tuition spiral." With college costs reaching an all-time high, students are increasingly forced to rely on federal student loans, which were overhauled in the new law. The government will originate and distribute its own federal student loans rather than contract with a private lender to do it. The switch from the Federal Family Education Loan Program to direct government lending will save an estimated $61 billion in private lender fees, with some of that savings going to the Pell Grant increase, a $2.55 billion boost to the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities and similar programs, and $10 billion to trim the national deficit. "It shouldn't change things much for students," says Ranzetta. "The loan amounts and terms will stay the same. Students should contact their financial aid office to sign a new promissory note if they need to." After college The silver lining to student loans piling up is that the new law will help you pay them off faster and more cheaply. Under an expanded income-based repayment plan, students paying back federal loans starting in and after 2014 will have the option of capping their monthly loan bills at 10 percent of their discretionary income -- defined as any income above 150 percent of the poverty line -- and dismissing all remaining debt after 20 consecutive years of payment. Students enrolling in income-based repayment before 2014 will have to stick to the current 15 percent monthly cap with all federal student loan debt dismissed after 25 years. Under either version of the program, students who choose to enter a public service field such as teaching or social work after graduation can qualify to have all remaining debt forgiven after 10 years of consecutive payments. "With this law, students looking to go into socially valuable careers will finally have the support and means to do that even if they have a loan debt that would normally push them out," says U.S. PIRG's Rich Williams. While Williams is quick to point out that the law is far from a perfect solution to the college affordability problem, it's a solid first step to make college accessible to those who need it most. "Education is pretty much a necessity and this bill brings help at a time when students and families are struggling," says Williams. "Right now, we're really excited and really satisfied." Posted April 23, 2010

The Misuse of Power and the Extent of Free Will Within A...

In both Nineteen Eighty-four and A Clockwork Orange, free will and the misuse of power are two intrinsically linked themes which are woven throughout and that govern everything that happens within both novels. The different reactions of different characters are an area that both George Orwell and Anthony Burgess focus on with interesting parallels between the two main protagonists, Alex and Winston. Winston and Alex, although very different, react in quite a similar fashion to events surrounding their circumstances. Their control over their own free will and use of power is evident from their actions. Within nineteen eighty-four, the limit of free will associated with each character is clearly evident. A character is bound only by the†¦show more content†¦It is clearly the exact opposite to Nineteen Eighty-Four, where many are punished throughout even for â€Å"thoughtcrime†. This shows evidently the contrasts between the two novels. In CWO, you have free will to the extent within which you can legally ‘get away’ with things or ‘twist’ the system, whereas in the latter, the expressed echelons of free will are as such that there is barely any space for private thoughts, and the state use fear and terror tactics almost to put their ‘minions’ into a submissive culture whom abide by the states every whim, thus showing a clear mi suse of power and a great lack of free will. This lack of free will is greater exasperated by the radical new languages within each novel. The radical new languages used in both novels, are clear indications of the perspectives that most be people upheld in regards to those who were in power at the time in which these texts were written. Delving deeper into the texts, Nineteen Eighty-Four’s ‘Newspeak’ is the clear product of a corrupt authoritarian governmental regime, within which every movement and action is controlled by the state. This is governened by a policy of ‘Ingsoc’ which states that â€Å"all knowledge rests in the collective mind of the Party†, thus meaning in reality that whatever the Party says goes. Any seemingly controversial or any that are even slightly evocative of producing independent thinking are abolished. It

Investment Risks and Discounted Cash Flow Applications - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 10 Words: 2996 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Management Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? Investment Risks and Discounted Cash Flow Applications You are the company accountant with a medium sized, privately owned company. The company has surplus funds which it does not believe it will be able to invest in company operations for at least five years. The majority shareholders are also the directors of the company and they do not wish the surplus finds to be distributed as dividends. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Investment Risks and Discounted Cash Flow Applications" essay for you Create order A board meeting has, therefore, been called to discuss the proposal that the funds be invested in a portfolio of medium to long term securities. Three of the directors have recently attended a short course at the local university on Investment and the Management of Risk. They make the following comments at the meeting, based on their interpretations of what they have learned on the course: If we hold a portfolio of stocks we need only consider the systematic risk of the securities As a cautious investor we must always consider total risk We should not buy anything if the expected return is less than the market as a whole and certainly not if it is below the return on the risk free asset. Question 1(i): Explain to the members of the board the meaning of systematic, unsystematic and total risk and advise them about how all three types of risk can be measured. Reasons for Dissecting Risk Investing in securities is an inherently risky proposition (unless one invests in the risk free asset). Prudent investors are risk-averse (Damodaran 2002, pp. 70), and as such they need methods to quantify the risk associated with potential investments, in order to make informed investment decisions corresponding with their risk tolerance and objectives for return. Thus, the concept of risk needs to be reduced into separate elements which can be calculated. Total, Systematic, and Unsystematic Risk The total risk involved in holding any security has two distinct components: systematic risk and unsystematic risk. Systematic risk refers to the risk of holding securities in general, and is also known as market risk (Ross, Westerfield, Jaffe 2005 pp.275). This is the risk associated with macroeconomic variables beyond the control of any one company, and this risk measure serves as a floor for the amount of risk in a portfolio of stocks that can be eliminated by diversification (McAlister, Srinivasan, Kim 2007, pp. 39). When an investors portfolio is properl y diversified, this is the level of risk that such an investor should concern themselves with (Howard 2006, pp. 29). Unsystematic risk refers to the level of risk associated with a particular security, which can fluctuate greatly depending on the underlying value of the assets which the security represents (Howard 2006, pp. 30). For instance, while the economy may be rather steady at any given time (and a diversified portfolio would reflect such stability in its measures of systematic risk), an individual company may be undergoing dramatic changes which cause the company valuation to fluctuate wildly. Unsystematic risk is the portion of total risk that an investor in a diversified portfolio seeks to minimize. To illustrate the difference between systematic and unsystematic risk, one helpful analogy is the schism in physics between the smooth macro-level curvature of space-time at cosmic scales predicted by General Relativity, and the chaotic and unpredictable micro-level fluct uations of space-time at infinitesimally small scales predicted by Quantum Physics. At the scale of space-time discussed by Einsteins General Relativity equations, the effects of small-scale fluctuations are ultimately balanced out, and the picture of space-time is one of a smoothly curving space-time accentuated bent according to the gravitational effects of large masses. At the scale of space-time addressed in Quantum Physics, however, space-time fluctuates in such an unpredictable and chaotic manner that predictions become difficult, if not impossible (Feynman 1985, pp. 5). This corresponds to the macro-level systematic risk of the market, in which the volatility of individual securities is balanced out, leaving only the risk of the market as a whole, compared to the violent variances of individual companies at the micro-level which is measured by unsystematic risk. Total risk is a combination of systematic and unsystematic risk. Since unsystematic risk decreases asymptoticall y as stocks are added to a portfolio (meaning that the level of risk approaches, but never quite equals, the level of systematic risk), investors with properly diversified portfolios are most concerned with systematic risk as a measure of their total risk (Howard 2006, pp. 29). Investors with less diversified holdings should add the market level of systematic risk to the level of unsystematic risk associated with the securities held to compute total risk. Computation of Total, Systematic, and Unsystematic Risk Systematic risk, or non-diversifiable market risk, can be calculated as the average covariance of the securities in the portfolio (in this case, the portfolio should be considered to be a basket of stocks representing the entire market) (Ross, Westerfield, Jaffe 2005, pp. 273). Total risk is the average variance of the security in the portfolio, and by definition (total risk = systematic risk + unsystematic risk), the unsystematic risk of any security in the portfolio i s the average variance of the individual security minus the average covariance of the portfolio (Ross, Westerfield, Jaffe 2005, pp. 275). Question 1(ii): Discuss the directors comments If we hold a portfolio of stocks we need only consider the systematic risk of the securities This comment by the directors holds true, if the portfolio is sufficiently and adequately diversified. As mentioned above, a properly diversified portfolio creates a scenario in which the unsystematic risk asymptotically approaches 0, leaving only the systematic or market risk in the calculation of total risk. However, this assumes that the stocks selected in the portfolio are sufficiently diverse (Damodaran 2002, pp. 735). For an example, a diversified portfolio that includes a broad cross-section of securities from many industries can be considered more properly diversified than a portfolio which gives extra weight or emphasis to specific industries. Otherwise, there is an industry-specific leve l of risk that remains in the unsystematic risk of the entire portfolio. As a more concrete example, consider a portfolio that consists of a group of energy stocks and a group of petrochemical companies. No matter how many stocks are added to this portfolio from the group, the risk associated with petroleum price shocks has not been removed via diversification (while it is true that petroleum price shocks would affect the market at large, they would disproportionately affect industries in which petroleum is the critical input). The stocks in the portfolio must be sufficiently diverse for the effects of diversification to be realized as a reduction in unsystematic risk. However, if the stocks in the portfolio are assumed to be sufficiently diverse to account for a truly diversified portfolio, the statement made by the directors certainly coincides with financial theory, and should be applauded a sound understanding of the concept of diversification and its relation to investment a nd risk management. As a cautious investor we must always consider total risk This statement certainly rings true for the investment decisions of the directors, and demonstrates an understanding of both the impacts of diversification and the demarcation between the different types of risk involved in the total risk of an investment (Howard 2006, pp. 29). To support this statement by the directors, three scenarios will be used to illustrate the importance of a focus on total risk. In the first scenario, a hypothetical investor has no information regarding any of the components of total risk. The hypothetical investor has little knowledge of the inherent risk factors of the current market (no understanding of current levels of systematic risk), and has randomly selected a single security (perhaps by using the dart toss stock selection scheme). This investor may not understand that the market as a whole is in an upswing or decline, and has no information to understand how any random stock in the market at large should perform, on average. Thus, the investor has no information on systematic risk. This investor also selected the security at random, so the investor has no information regarding the proclivity of the particular security to fluctuate in value. Here, the investor has no way to deduce total risk, since the investor cannot arrive at a conclusion regarding either the systematic risk or the unsystematic risk. Any profits made by the investor in this scenario can only be regarded as the fortuitous results of chance. In the second scenario, a hypothetical investor has performed a thorough analysis on a particular company, and thus has a solid understanding of the companys earnings potential and true valuation relative to its market capitalization. However, the investor has not performed an analysis on the economy as a whole, and as such has no information as to whether macroeconomic conditions support or invalidate a decision to purchase the parti cular security in question. So, while the investor feels confident that they understand the unsystematic risk associated with the security, they have no information regarding the systematic risk of the market as a whole, and thus the investment decision based on their research may be ruined by a change in overall market conditions. Finally, in the third scenario, the final hypothetical investor has performed an analysis of macroeconomic conditions to concoct an investment decision. This investor, however, has performed no analysis of the particular securities they plan to purchase (even to see if they form a properly diversified portfolio). Thus, even though this investor potentially understands the systemic risk portion of their investment, they have no way of determining if they have eliminated the unsystematic risk in their holdings. They may very well be correct regarding the markets overall risk level, but if they do not eliminate the unsystematic risk associated with indivi dual securities, their efforts will also be in vain as they are still subject to potential volatility and additional risk based on fluctuations in the securities held. We should not buy anything if the expected return is less than the market as a whole and certainly not if it is below the return on the risk free asset. The first portion of this statement is incorrect, unless the board has decided that the return on the market as a whole is equivalent to their required rate of return. The level of expected return on the investment should be a function of the risk tolerance of the investors. If the risk of the market as a whole (systematic risk) is higher than the risk tolerance of the investors, the investors should seek to invest in the risk free asset, or at least include the risk free asset in the portfolio to achieve the level of total risk that best suits the risk tolerance of the investors (Ross, Westerfield, Jaffe 2005, pp. 300). The directors have here made a very e asy mistake: equating the expected return on the market as a whole with the minimum acceptable return, without considering that even the systematic risk may be more risk than they are willing to tolerate. For instance, a troubling political climate or unexpected macroeconomic events may create levels of price fluctuations in the market as a whole which amount to risks that the investors are not willing to take. At such a point, the investors should seek to lessen their exposure by investing some portion of their holdings in the risk free security (to park their funds until the systematic risk of the market more closely mirrors their own risk tolerance) (Damodaran 2002, pp. 155). The second statement is correct. Since the return on the risk free asset is, by definition, devoid of either systematic or unsystematic risk, this is the minimum return that the investors should demand for their resources (Damodaran 2002, pp. 204). Any additional expected return should be balanced by the systematic risk associated with placing funds in risky securities. Investors in properly diversified portfolios should not expect any returns above market average, unless they are willing to assume some level of unsystematic risk as well. Question 2 (i): Why is it important to discount future cash flows? The Relevance of Discounted Cash Flows Valuation Models The notion that future cash flows should be discounted back to todays value by a factor equal to the opportunity cost of capital is central to the concept of the Time Value of Money. By discounting future cash flows by the opportunity cost of capital, we recognize the very real impact of financial decision-making (Ross, Westerfield, Jaffe 2005, pp. 195). Cash flows in the future are worth less because if they were available in the present, they could be earning a return equal to the opportunity cost of capital (which is always greater than zero based on the existence of the risk free asset). A dollar held today is worth more than a dollar held in the future, because todays dollar could (at the very least) be invested in the risk free asset and be worth more in the future. Whereas if we have to defer our receipt of cash until the future, we should expect compensation relative to the opportunity cost of not receiving the money up front. This is the basis of interest payments, the time value of money, and ultimately this concept is the crux of all financial theory (Damodaran 2002, pp. 11). To forego discounting future cash flows is to assume that there is no time value associated with cash, and that there are no investments with positive returns (Ross, Westerfield, Jaffe 2005, pp. 901). If future cash flows are not discounted, it becomes easy to lose sight of the potential returns that were missed based on the allocation of cash for a project. This will also skew the decision-making process and distort the perceived profitability of a project. The net present value (NPV) model allows inv estors to determine if a project makes financial sense based on their expected rates of return or opportunity cost of capital (Damodaran 2002, pp. 13). If the cash flows were not discounted, a project may look profitable in the initial feasibility study for the project, even though the project returns less over time than is expected by the investors, and the money would be better invested in other projects with a higher or positive net present value. Thus, discounting future cash flows allows quantitative models to presume that capital has other potential uses, and that a project should at least meet certain requirements for return over time before it is considered. As an example, consider a project which costs  £100, and is expected to generate  £150 in year 1. A similar project costs  £100 but will generate  £150 in year 2. Without discounting the deferral of cash flows in the project, they both appear to generate  £50, and both look equally p rofitable. In truth, however, the first project is more profitable, since the real profit over the time period in question is equal to the  £50 plus any profits that could be generated over the next year at the companys required rate of return. Thus, it is vital that future cash flows are discounted to make accurate decisions through financial analysis, or the opportunity cost of capital will be omitted from the final decision. Question 2(ii): Susie Lee owns the Lotus Blossom Bar and Restaurant. She is considering the following investment to upgrade the existing facilities. The cash flows for the investment are estimated as follows: End of Year Cash Flow ( £) 0 -(10,000) 1 10,000 2 20,000 3 40,000 4 50,000 5 30,000 Assuming the opportunity cost of capital is 12 percent, calculate the investments net present value. Based on your calculations advise Susie if she should undertake the investment project? Net Present Value of Upgrading the Lotus Blossom Bar and Restaurant Net present value is calculated as the sum of future cash flows discounted by the opportunity cost of capital (here, 12%) (Damodaran 2002, pp. 12). In this example, a  £10,000 investment yields five years of positive cash flows ( £10k year 1,  £20k in year 2,  £40k for year 3,  £50k for year 4, and a final cash flow of  £30k in year 5). All of these cash flows must be discounted to today (year 0), and if the sum of the discounted cash flows is greater than the  £10k cost of the project, the project will have a positive net present value and will make a sound investment for the Lotus Blossom Bar and Restaurant. The following table illustrates the present value calculati ons as performed on the cash flows, and summarizes by adding all of the projects cash flows to arrive at the projects net present value. Cash Flows Discount Formula Result Initial Investment (Year 0) - £10,000 =-10000 - £10,000.00 Year 1  £10,000 =(10000)/(1+.12)^1  £8,928.57 Year 2  £20,000 =(20000)/(1+.12)^2  £15,943.88 Year 3  £40,000 =(40000)/(1+.12)^3  £28,471.21 Year 4  £50,000 =(50000)/(1+.12)^4  £31,775.90 Year 5  £30,000 =(30000)/(1+.12)^5  £17,022.81 Total  £140,000.00 Net Present Value: Sum of DCF  £92,142.37 Even after considering Susie Lees opportunity cost of capital by discounting her expected future cash flows from the project, the net present value of the upgrade is overwhelmingly positive, and she is strongly advised to undertake the investment project (Boyes 2004, pp. 235). This project generates revenues well beyond her required rate of return. Generating  £150,000 in 5 years from a  £10,000 up-front investment is a very solid investment at a 12% required rate of return. In fact, the investment is incredibly profitable using the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) methodology, which yields the rate of return at which the project yields a NPV of 0 (Damodaran 2002, pp. 866). Solving for a zero value for net present value yields the following result: Cash Flows Discount Formula Result Initial Investment (Year 0) - £10,000 =-10000 - £10,000.00 Year 1  £10,000 =(10000)/(1+1.651814)^1  £3,771.00 Year 2  £20,000 =(20000)/(1+1.651814)^1  £2,844.09 Year 3  £40,000 =(40000)/(1+1.651814)^1  £2,145.02 Year 4  £50,000 =(50000)/(1+1.651814)^1  £1,011.11 Year 5  £30,000 =(30000)/(1+1.651814)^1  £228.77 Total  £140,000.00 Net Present Value: Sum of DCF - £0.00 In other words, until Susie Lee requires a 265.18% rate of return on her capital, this upgrade represents an extremely solid investment (Collis, Montgomery 1998, pp. 88). Works Cited: Boyes, W. The New Managerial Economics. Houghton Mifflin Company. Boston, Massachusetts. 2004. Collis, D. and Montgomery, C. Corporate Strategy: A Resource-Based Approach. Irwin/McGraw Hill. Boston, Massachusetts. 1998. Damodaran, A. Investment Valuation: Tools and Techniques for Determining the Value of Any Asset. Second Edition. John Wiley Sons, Inc. New York. 2002. Feynman, R. QED: The Strange Theory of Light and Matter. Princeton University Press. New Jersey. 1985. Howard, M. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Accounting for Unsystematic Riskà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . Financial Management. Sep. 2006. McAlister, L., Srinivasan, R., Kim, M. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Advertising, Research and Development, and Systematic Risk of the Firmà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . Journal of Marketing. January 2007. Ross, S., Westerfield, R. , and Jaffe, J. Corporate Finance. Seventh Edition. McGraw-Hill Companies. New York. 2005.

Scheduling Schedule For Your Supervisor - 851 Words

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Human Essay Example For Students

Human Essay There are two things that make up a human: god and animals. Humans alone have morality, ability to know the principles of right and wrong behavior, and ethical judgment. Alexander Pope, Shakespeare, and Gilgamesh, these people and books, use concepts of human beings are: morality, divinity, and integrity. In todays world it is shown that humans are very easily divinity and animal. Concerns and perspective status of a person and behavior is what leads humans through life. One of these is which perseverance gives determination of a strong-minded person. A person leads himself with his or her own good moral conduct. We are different than animals in a way, that we can see happiness, while most animals cant. Economy is what lets you manage your household and private affairs. Prudence is the ability to govern and discipline oneself. Courage holds your mind and soul together throughout thick and thin. Human also have another trait, Self-consciousness.Where we are aware of our bodies, and the control of movement, unlike animals. We see ourselves in daily life, and an animal would not, not even in a mirror. These are basic morals or ideals we humans live by today, in our mind and domains. Gilgamesh believes that humans equal god plus animal. The divine plus the beast makes up a person. Another point that is mention on pg 49, is that man should be able to see his own death. Humans are the only animals aware that they are going to die, and what might possibly happen. Essay on Man, Alexander Pope, says that a man doubts everything. Humans can see the good and bad in things, while an animal just wonders what it is. The Humans mind and body both prefer different things. The mind could say youre too fat, and yet the body is hungry. Animals just eat whether they are hungry or not, in the wild they could careless about anything else.Human condition is brought up here, where humans have to do more than just reproduction. Gods they control life, and learn, and as part of such, Humans must too. Humans now a days, go to school and college to learn. Shakespeare, in Hamlet, believes that humans move like angels. The mind of a human should be of the gods type. We have knowledge, tec hnology, and man made things waiting and built from us. That humans are like animals. We all came from the ground and we lay into the ground (ashes to ash, and dust to dust.), the quintessence of dust. Humans have structure their lives by morality and most of it is not by that ideal. We all help another in the time of need. Animals are aware of another in pain, but cannot help; they might eat the one in pain. In art, we can look at a stupid shape or circle, and see beauty of all kinds. Humans make tings for no real apparent reason of divinity. Animals walk everywhere just showing their bodies, and humans have the idea of clothing themselves for reasons unknown. We are animals, but the divinity (god) does not let us. Humans have Medical care, glasses, contacts, make up, drugs; animals have no such things. Animals die because of the down side, but the divinity we have does not let humans go to pieces for a little problem. Humans have the ability of time! Animals could care less.They w ake up, start the day, and go to sleep when the sun is going down. Humans do not like that, the god side of them has to extend itself past that, and stay up longer, live longer, and be stronger. .u8834ba5d04075fd7720c775e5a857c2a , .u8834ba5d04075fd7720c775e5a857c2a .postImageUrl , .u8834ba5d04075fd7720c775e5a857c2a .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u8834ba5d04075fd7720c775e5a857c2a , .u8834ba5d04075fd7720c775e5a857c2a:hover , .u8834ba5d04075fd7720c775e5a857c2a:visited , .u8834ba5d04075fd7720c775e5a857c2a:active { border:0!important; } .u8834ba5d04075fd7720c775e5a857c2a .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u8834ba5d04075fd7720c775e5a857c2a { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u8834ba5d04075fd7720c775e5a857c2a:active , .u8834ba5d04075fd7720c775e5a857c2a:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u8834ba5d04075fd7720c775e5a857c2a .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u8834ba5d04075fd7720c775e5a857c2a .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u8834ba5d04075fd7720c775e5a857c2a .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u8834ba5d04075fd7720c775e5a857c2a .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u8834ba5d04075fd7720c775e5a857c2a:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u8834ba5d04075fd7720c775e5a857c2a .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u8834ba5d04075fd7720c775e5a857c2a .u8834ba5d04075fd7720c775e5a857c2a-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u8834ba5d04075fd7720c775e5a857c2a:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Deforestation EssayIn conclusion, humans have an urge to extend themselves past the animals to a hirer rank of human. Humans have the same body characteristics as animals; hair, bones, blood, skin, and faces structure. We have the urge of reproduction, sleep, food, and sense, but divinity has taken it hirer. Gods have time, minds, knowledge, technology, brains, and style. Humans have that too on the inside, but they also have the animals on the outside. So in general, we are stuck in the middle of divinity and creature.