An interview is a conversation Essay Example for Free

An interview is a conversation Essay An interview is a conversation between 2 or more people, arranged for certain specific purpose or in general.   For an interview to occur, the individual being called should be known to a certain extent.   However, the process of interview helps the interviewer to screen the individual further and get to know the interviewee better.   Many organizations are conducting interview to know whether the qualities, skills and qualifications of the individual would be a match for that of the organization, and whether the individual would be of any use to the organization (USC Career Planning Placement Center, 2008). An interview can be a traditional one-to-one interview, group interview or an interview conducted before a panel or committee.   During a one-to-one interview, eye contact between both the individuals is required along with strong listening and responsiveness.   Both the individuals should get a rapport with each other (Oatey, 1999).   In a panel interview, one interviewee would be facing a panel of interviewers.   The entire process of selection is held before a panel rather than a single interviewer. The interviewee has to read and understand each personality of the panel and accordingly make adjustments.   The individual needs to take the time to answer each and every query from each of the panel members, but has to make strong eye contact and use listening skills during the interview process (USC Career Planning Placement Center, 2008).   A group interview is to determine which individual can lead other employees.   It is usually conducted between a panel and a group of interviewees seeking a vacancy in the organization.   This interview process is usually informal, but strong discussion points may arise, which can lead to a significant impact on the final interview process. Group interview may not be a one-to-one situation, and hence the individual skills of the interviewees would not be known.   However, as greater intellectual efforts would be going in, the brainstorming potential would be higher.   Besides, there is also a good chance to determine the communication and the roles each of the interviewee would be playing in a team (Alan Price and HRM Guide Network, 2008).

Consumer Learning and Attitude Formation

Consumer Learning and Attitude Formation Emily Keegan Because not all learning theorists agree on how learning takes place, it is difficult to come up with a generally accepted definition of learning (†¦) first, consumer learning is a process; that is, it continually evolves and changes as a result of newly-acquired knowledge (†¦) both newly-acquired knowledge and personal experience serve as feedback to the individual and provide the basis for future behaviour in similar situations (Schiffman, Kanuck and Hansen 2008). In relation to the above quote, it is imperative to first understand that there are many different theories regarding how consumers learn. However this essay intends to discuss and analyse the topic of how consumers learn and formulate their attitudes, by researching two different theories, which is learning by behaviour and learning by knowledge. Through these two different schools of thought we shall be discussing the study of ‘conditioning’, both classical and operant. This will be done by discussing the works of famous learning theorists, such as Ivan Pavlov, and BF Skinner. In terms of attitude formation, it is of course closely linked to our learning, as our attitudes are linked and are informed by our knowledge and feelings towards certain things, for example such as brand names. We shall then be applying this knowledge and these theories to relevant media examples, such as advertising, celebrities and media debates. It has long been a question in the study of consumer behaviour, are the behaviours and attitudes we possess, something we learn or something that we just inherently have. Theorists who agree with the notion of behavioural learning theories believe that: People’s experiences are shaped by the feedback they receive as they go through life. Similarly, consumers respond to brand names, scents, jingles and other marketing stimuli based on the learned connections they have formed over time (Solomon et al. 2010). Effectively meaning that any behaviours learned are a result of external occurrences in your life. This belief led to two of the most influential approaches to learning, the first of which was classical conditioning. Antonides and Raaij (1999, p.221) define classic conditioning as ‘a process in which a previously neutral stimulus acquires the ability to elicit a response by repeated association with a stimulus that naturally produces a similar response’ (Antonides and Raaij 1999). The most famous example of classic conditioning would of course be Ivan Pavlov and the salivating dogs experiment. In short Pavlov presented a dog with an unconditioned stimulus (which was food) and the dog’s unconditioned response was to salivate. He then introduced a neutral stimulus (which was a bell), when the bell was rung, there was no conditioned response from the dog as he did not salivate. However during the conditioning process anytime Pavlov produced food to the dog he also rang the bell. During this process the dog began to associate the sound of the bell with food and after conditioning, when Pavlov simply rang the bell (the conditioned stimulus) without producing any food the dog would salivate, this became known as a conditioned response. Psychologist B.F. Skinner is probably best known for his role in demonstrating the effects of operant conditioning. Bernstein (2010, p.181) defines operant conditioning as ‘a process in which responses are learned on the basis of their rewarding or punishing consequences’ (Bernstein 2010). Skinner created what is now commonly known as the ‘Skinner Box’ to study the learning patterns of animals. The skinner box is a cage that contains a food-release mechanism the animal activates when it responds in a certain way – for example, by pressing a lever or pushing a button. Through operant conditioning, organisms learn responses, such as pressing a bar that produces changes in the environment (release of food). In this form of learning the consequences of a response determine the likelihood that the response will occur again. In this form of learning, the consequences of a response determine the likelihood that the response will occur again (Nevid 2011). A typical example of operational learning and conditioning in relation to the media, is advertisements. In our everyday life the media surrounds or more specifically bombards us with adverts. Solomon et al (2010, p. 253) proposes that ‘advertisements often pair a product with a positive stimulus to create a desirable association’. In fact, most advertisements are so well conducted semiotically, with the intention that they remain in your memory and consciousness. One such commercial that stuck in my mind was conducted by Lancome cosmetics. For their newest perfume ‘Tresor Midnight Rose’. For the advertisement Lancome hired famous young actress Emma Watson to be the star or the face of its advert. As Egan (2007) explains, Advertisers are willing to pay large sums of money for celebrities who would hold the greatest influence on the target audiences and who will, hopefully, influence the consumer’s attitudes and behaviours in a positive way towards the said brand. Lancome describes the perfume itself as ‘sexy, sweet and playful’ and clearly felt that by using Emma Watson they were representing the perfume by using an actress who they felt embodied all those elements. So this would be a symbolic code employed within the advertisement itself. As codes are used in media texts to make them coherent and meaningful. In the commercial (AutoCurate 2011) Emma is portrayed as an independent, beautiful young women living in Paris. Who one day visits a book shop and by chance meets the handsome young man who works there. However she leaves behind her hat, which the young man clings on to in case he sees her again. One night sitting outside a cafà © he notices her walking down the street and runs after her. His chase leads him to a boat which is just pulling away, so he thinks he has missed her. Then he turns around and there she is standing behind him, its faith. It’s meant to be. In reference to positive stimuli, we can look at the name of the fragrance. Midnight could connote magic and enchantment, as some people know midnight as the ‘Witching hour’. Or the word rose, as a rose is one of the most romantic flowers particularly associated with Valentine’s Day and love. The concept of a midnight rose is also significant as the rose is a flower which is supposed to bloom at this time. Which could stimulate a response that the woman who wears this perfume comes alive at night and blossoms. That by wearing this fragrance you will become this enchanting, magical, mysterious women. Thus creating in the mind of the consumer a desirable association with the brand. Perfume is a particularly relevant example of operant conditioning. For example if a woman purchased ‘Tresor Midnight Rose’ and received compliments on her scent (a reward) then she is a lot more likely to continue to purchase the perfume. However if she received negative comments on her perfume (punishment), she is a lot less likely to wear it again. Now in terms of attitude formation: Attitudes can be based on cognitive, affective, and behavioural information (†¦) knowledge about an object can come either from direct experience with the object or from indirect sources such as parents, peers, and the media (Millon and Lerner 2003). One of the most popular models used to describe how an attitude is formulated is the ABC Model. As explained by Augoustinos, Walker and Donaghue (2006) The ABC model takes three elements into account, Affect, Behaviour and Cognition. Affect meaning, how the consumer feels about a certain object or product. Behaviour, essentially meaning an overt behaviour or intention towards an object. Finally by cognition, it is the cognitive response, meaning the convictions and beliefs a consumer has towards a product, brand, person etc. An example that springs to mind, of the power that the media has in changing and shaping people’s attitudes is the Angelina Jolie case. As noted by biographer Kathleen Tracy (2008), Jolie first began to be properly noticed in the late nineties with some very daring and interesting film choices, such as ‘Gia’ and ‘Girl, Interrupted’. However it wasn’t until her breakthrough role as popular video game heroine Lara Croft in Tomb raider that she really came into prominence. Besides her daring film role choices Jolie was known as a bit of a wild child, due to her estranged relationship with her father (acting legend Jon Voight) and her controversial marriages to both actors Johnny Lee Miller and Billy Bob Thornton. Then of course there was her involvement in the divorce of Americas ‘it’ couple Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston. While Jolie was once before seen as a rebellious and provocative young woman, she is now seen by many as a loving mother to six children and as an ambassador for some of the most global and world renowned organisations, such as UNICEF. So the questions begs to be asked, how can strong opinions and attitudes towards someone or something change so drastically? Well what is an attitude? An attitude is the individual predisposition to evaluate an object or an aspect of the world in a favourable or unfavourable manner (Antonides and Raaij 1999). These attitudes of course can be changed. This is due to a number of reasons, for example the ‘knowledge function’. Meaning that our knowledge of a topic or a product can change how we feel about them. Like in the Angelina Jolie example, if your only knowledge of her, was her role in the Pitt and Aniston divorce, you may be inclined to have a negative attitude towards her. However after learning about all her humanitarian work and loving relationship between herself and her six children (that she has gone on to have with Brad Pitt), your attitude towards her is likely to change in a positive way. Another example of attitude formation, could be the recent debate on homophobia in the Irish Media. This debate sprung to the forefront after last weeks ‘The Saturday Night Show’ on RTE. During the show, presenter Brendan O’Connor was interviewing gay rights activist Rory O’Neill (also known by his drag name Miss Panti Bliss). During this interview Mr O’Neil made a number of comments about writers John Waters, Breda O’Brien and the Iona Institute (a Catholic organisation, which promotes marriage and religious values), claiming that these people/organisation were homophobic. Since the show was aired, Brendan O’Connor publically apologised on his Twitter for any offense that may have been caused and RTE paid the Iona institute compensation. This has caused outrage among many different groups in society and in a follow up; A statement from RTE confirmed: The Saturday Night Show will host a debate on homophobia; what constitutes homophobia and who gets to define the word? (Irish Independent 2014). Theory of reasoned action – social pressure! P291. Self-perception theory and social judgement theory! P285. Conclude!!! Bibliography Antonides, G. Raaij, F.V.W. 1999. Learning Processes IN: Antonides, G. Raaij, F.V.W. (ed.) Consumer Behaviour: A European Perspective. New York: John Wiley Sons Ltd, p. 221. Augoustinos, M. Walker, I. Donaghue, N. 2006. Social Cognition: An Integrated Introduction. 2nd ed. London: Sage Publications Ltd. AutoCurate 2011. Emma Watson in Lancà ´me Trà ©sor Midnight Rose Advertisement [Online]. Available From: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVZ1wz7pz4U [Accessed 31 January 2014]. Bernstein, D. 2010. Instrumental and Operant Conditioning: Learning the Consequences of Behaviour IN: Hague, J.D. (eds.) Essentials of Psychology. 5th ed. USA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, p. 181. Egan, J. 2007. Marketing Communications. London: Thomson Learning. Irish Independent. 2014. RTEs The Saturday Night Show to host debate on homophobia. Irish Independent: Irish News [Online], 31 January. Available From: http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/rtes-the-saturday-night-show-to-host-debate-on-homophobia-29966413.html [Accessed 1 January 2014]. Millon, T. Lerner, M.J. 2003. Attitude Formation IN: Weiner, I.B. (eds.) Handbook of Psychology, Personality and Social Psychology. 6th ed. New York: John Wiley Sons Ltd, p. 311. Nevid, J. 2011. Operant Conditioning: Learning Through Consequences. IN: Hague, J.D. (eds.) Essentials of Psychology: Concepts and Applications. 3rd ed. USA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, p.175. Schiffman, L.G. Kanuck, L.L. Hansen, H. 2008. Consumer Learning IN: Schiffman, L.G. Kanuck, L.L. Hansen, H. (eds.) Consumer Behaviour: A European Outlook. Essex: Pearson Education Limited, p. 208. Solomon, M.R. Bamossy, G. Askegaard, S. Hogg, M.K. Learning and Memory IN: Solomon, M.R. Bamossy, G. Askegaard, S. Hogg, M.K. (eds.) Consumer Behaviour: A European Perspective. 4th ed. Essex: Pearson Educated Limited, p. 246. Solomon, M.R. Bamossy, G. Askegaard, S. Hogg, M.K. Learning and Memory IN: Solomon, M.R. Bamossy, G. Askegaard, S. Hogg, M.K. (eds.) Consumer Behaviour: A European Perspective. 4th ed. Essex: Pearson Educated Limited, p. 253. Tracy, K. 2008. Angelina Jolie: A Biography. Washington: Greenwood Publishing Group. 1

Automobile Sector Analysis: Five Forces and SWOT

Automobile Sector Analysis: Five Forces and SWOT 1. Overview of the automobile sector Five forces analysis Competitive Rivalry between Existing Players: High Competition between existing automobile companies is high. Although the automobile market was dominated by the three big auto manufacturers in US, Toyota and Honda in Japan, the situation is changed. With the growing demand in emerging market, the emerging competitors in China and India may drive an intensified price competition. However, the competition could also focus on the safety, warranty and financial services etc. Threat of New Entrants: Medium Although the entrant barrier is high for the automobile industry because the requirement of capital and technology, an increasing number of automobile manufacturers are emerging in China and Asia due to the economic expansion and growing demand. However, these automakers are in the development status and may not catch up the leading technology in Japan and US, so the threat from new entrants is medium. Threats of Substitutes: Low Customers could choose to switch to transportation means other than automobile such as bicycles, buses and subways. However, the automobile is still the favourite despite the relevant high cost than other mentioned transportation means because its flexibility, comfort and convenience. Bargaining Power of Suppliers: Low In automobile industry, the component supplier has little bargaining power because the manufacturer could switch to other suppliers easily. On the other hand, the components are generally low value and the suppliers find it difficult to bargain with automakers. Bargaining Power of Customers: High The competition in the automobile industry is intense as mentioned above. So the customers have many choices on the brands and models. Customers care about the quality, price, safety, comfort, appearance of the car. Recently, customers are also more and more concerned about the environmental effect of the automobile and the energy efficiency. So the customers get more and more bargaining power in automobile industry. 2. Toyota Motor Company 2.1 Overview of the company Company profile Toyota Motor Corp. is one of the largest and leading automobiles manufacturers in the globe. It operates in three main business segments; the two biggest are automobile and financial services whereas the third one is comprised by many smaller other divisions. It is spread worldwide as it has 50 manufacturing facilities in 27 countries and regions Toyota designs, manufactures and sales passenger cars of several types and utilities, trucks, tractors and material handling equipment, minivans and other car accessories. Its products can be divided into 2 main categories, conventional and hybrid vehicles. The company sells its products under Toyota, Lexus, Hino and Daihatsu brands The company is also engaged in the financial industry as it provides financing to its customers and dealers. It is also involved in housing, marine, e-commercial, ITS and biotechnological activities. Toyota sells its vehicles in more than 170 countries and regions worldwide. Toyotas primary markets are Japan, North America, Europe and Asia. It is headquartered in Toyota City, Japan and employed around 316,121 people as on March 31, 2008 Strategy Analysis Toyotas strategy can be summarised under three key principles; growth, efficiency and stability. These are the three priorities the companys management will pursue to achieve future sustainable growth and increase the economic value. Growth will be achieved through continuous investment mainly in hybrid vehicle segment to meat the increasing demand. Efficiency is mainly focused on cost management and further reduction in order for the company to be able to provide high quality products in affordable prices and maintain its competitive advantages. Stability will be ensured by maintaining a solid financial base. Within the economic downturn it is important for Toyota to maintain sufficient liquidity in order to continue to finance its investments in research and development of new technologies, which is an integral and essential part of the companys advantages. Peer Group As Toyota operates in the global market its competitors come from all around the world. Its major competitors are BMW AG, DaimlerChrysler AG, Fiat S.p.A., Ford Motor Company, General Motors Corporation, Honda Motor Co. Ltd., PSA Peugeot, Renault S.A., Volkswagen AG and many others SWOT Analysis Strengths Weaknesses Strong overall financial performance Strong reputation and quality Strong position is Asian market Research and development Production pipeline system and cost management Diversified product portfolio Financial services are still undeveloped Huge expenses on pensions and post-retirement benefits Opportunities Threats Increasing demand for hybrid and environmental-friendly cars Expansion in emerging Asian markets Financial and other non-auto division development New car models Global economic crisis Strong competition in automotive industry Yen and US dollar exchange rates Tight environmental regulations on carbon emissions Problems with specific components of sold cars. (Recent brake problem) 2.1. Key Financials Analysis 31/3/2009 31/3/2008 31/3/2007 31/3/2006 31/3/2005 Sales 207,852.40 264,120.58 202,821.01 178,294.05 173,443.60 Operating Income -4,667.52 22,809.82 18,959.84 15,919.51 15,192.39 Net Income Available to Common -4,423.79 17,259.05 13,923.62 11,629.63 10,950.45 Total Assets 292,725.95 324,979.61 275,051.76 242,604.35 227,515.08 Total Liabilities 185,398.39 199,132.47 169,488.89 148,104.55 138,230.49 Common Equity 101,865.07 119,249.79 100,242.15 89,502.94 84,563.86 Net Cash Flow Operating Activities 14,724.7 26,357.6 27,783.5 22,136.2 22,144.6 * IMPORTANT First year to report losses * Stable increase in sales Decline in 2009 greatly affects income * Severe decrease in cash flow from operating activities, nearly 50% * Very big difference between sales and operating income points out severe cost expenses for the company. As this differences is constantly increasing it is not far from the truth to say that Toyota is gradually loosing its competitive advantages in cost efficiency against its competitors. * General trend in key financial s shows a steady and permanent increase until 2008 and a sharp decline in 2009, due to severe problems of economic recession and its great impact on automobiles industry. This trend applies for almost all financial s, pointing out that the companys performance as a whole followed a movement like this. 2.3. Multiples analysis 31/3/2009 31/3/2008 31/3/2007 31/3/2006 31/3/2005 Price To Earnings -22.43 9.19 14.74 15.25 11.23 Price To Book 0.97 1.32 2.04 1.97 1.44 Price To Cash Flow 7.41 4.83 7.83 7.80 5.87 Price To Sales 0.5 0.7 0.8 1.0 0.7 * Multiples follow companys general trend, namely increase until 2007 and then decreasing sharply * Consistent with overall picture of company, multiple analysis show the economic downturn of the entity from 2007 onwards * Point to mention: negative P/E ratio. Markets expectation about company looks really slim. The economic crisis, alongside with its severe problems generating income and its recently damaged reputation, create really unfortunate future prospects for Toyota. The negative P/E ratio and specifically its magnitude (-22) implies that nobody is neither willing to pay to buy the companys share nor expecting any profit generation. * Very sharp decline as well; 31.62 units is something extremely noticeable. If we focus on decline itself, it shows an extremely quick unfavorable turn of the market towards the company. 2.4. Companys performance 31/3/2009 31/3/2008 31/3/2007 31/3/2006 31/3/2005 Profitability Return on Equity -3.98 14.49 14.68 14.00 13.60 Operating Profit Margin -2.25 8.64 9.35 8.93 8.76 Asset Utilization Total Assets Turnover 0.71 0.81 0.74 0.73 0.76 Net Sales % Working Capital 28.93 180.70 1412.62 29.78 15.30 Gearing EBITDA / Interest Expense 20.94 86.19 77.33 153.70 146.20 Long Term Debt/ Common Equit 62.63 50.40 52.92 53.41 55.44 Valuation Investment Earnings Per Share -1.41 5.43 4.34 3.57 3.32 Dividend Yield Close 3.21 2.82 1.59 1.40 1.63 Liquidity Quick Ratio 0.81 0.77 0.76 0.81 0.87 Current Ratio 1.07 1.01 1.00 1.07 1.15 * Negative profitability in 2009 * Fluctuating sales/working capital as a result of fluctuation if investments (working capital) * Gearing increase in 2009 at the same time with high decrease of interest cover * Stable and quite low liquidity 2.5. Cash Flow analysis 31/3/2009 31/3/2008 31/3/2007 31/3/2006 31/3/2005 Cash Flow Operating Activities 14,724.7 26,357.6 27,783.5 22,136.2 22,144.6 Cash Flow Investing Activities (12,265.3) (34,254.0) (32,727.4) (29,704.4) (28,591.6) Cash Flow Financing Activities 6,967.4 6,242.7 7,565.6 7,716.8 3,917.0 Effect of exchange rates -1,294.04 -749.27 218.18 604.94 232.09 Net Cash Flow 8,132.86 -2,402.99 2,839.91 753.58 -2,297.85 * Severe decrease in cash flow from operating activities, nearly 50% which vividly affects its operating income * Extreme decrease in investing activities around 70%, probably caused by cash shortage and policy change. The company issued a new project with main goal to improve profits and cover operating expenses and as a result we see a large negative impact in new investments. * Financing activities exhibit a stationary trend over the past few years indicating the stable financial policy of the entity. * Adverse effects of exchange rates during the last two years indicating the risk the company runs because of the Yens depreciation to the U.S dollar and the Euro. 2.6. Stock Performance The companys share performance seems to move according to the index, with the trend to over perform it constantly. We can see the decline of the shares price, which started right before the end of 2008, following the global economic recession. At the turning point, which is in the beginning of 2009, we observe a relatively high trading volume, probably indicating the forthcoming upward movement. It is also really significant to point out the extreme high trading volume observed during the first months of 2010, followed by a new decline of the shares price. This reflects the problems that Toyota is facing nowadays. There is a considerable lack of trust from the market towards the company which is mainly caused by its severely damaged reputation and loss of quality. 3. Ford Motor Company 3.1 Overview of the company A . Company profile The group operates in two segments: Automotive and Financial Services. For the automotive segment which consists of Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo has a main operating activity in manufacturing, sale and service of component for cars and trucks. The Financial services segment is included of financing, insurance and leasing regarding to cars, trucks, industrial equipment, construction equipment and other activities. The company has operation in North America, South America, Europe, Africa and Asia- Pacific. B. Strategy Analysis  · One Ford The Company has initiated the new strategy called â€Å"One Ford† which has detail as follow: o ONE TEAM focuses the significant of team work in order to reach the automotive leadership. The measurement is satisfactory of business partners, employees, investors, and related companies. o ONE PLAN: The four-step plan has been established which composed of: balance between cost structure and revenue; develop new product follow customer preference; develop balance sheet status and finance the plan; and cooperation around the world to leverage companys resources. o ONE GOAL: That is â€Å"to create an exciting and viable company with profitable growth for all†. Ford has started the restructuring business process before the economic crisis which the Company has reduced the excess capacity, closed some unprofitable plants and lower excess workforce. In addition, Ford has improved the product line in term of higher quality, more safety, use less energy and more economic. * Affordable Fuel Economy: Focusing on deliver fuel efficiency engine to the market. For example, the 2010 Ford Fusion is now Americas most fuel efficient midsize sedan for both the hybrid and conventional gasoline models. * Electrification strategy: plan to bring pure batteryelectric vehicles, next-generation hybrids and a plug-in hybrid to market quickly and more affordably over the next four years. * Safety leadership: Ford got totaling 16 models picked from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety which more than other brands. * EcoBoostâ„ ¢ Engine: delivers significant gains in fuel economy along with a great performance drive feel. C. Peer Group Fords peer group is Daimler AG, Fiat Spa ¸ Honda Motor Company Limited, Motors Liquidation Company, Nissan Motor Company Limited, Toyota Motor Corp and Volkswagen AG. D. Fords SWOT Analysis Strengths Weaknesses l Wide geographic Operate throughout the world and has a strong market in North America, Europe and Asia. Sales of each region of 2008 are 49%, 39% and 12% respectively. The well diversified market of ford reduces the risk of economic problem in specific area. l Brand royalty Ford has renowned reputation about quality and also owns other renowned brands such as Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo. l Quality car Ford owns totaling 16 models of car that rated as safety car by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety l Product Recall Experienced many recalled products due to the quality of defective cruise control switch which may cause fire. Even though there is no fire cases reported but the Companys reputation is negative affected. l Negative operating result l Low gross margin GSKs long-term debt increased by 115.5% in 2008, which may lead to problems such as heavy interest payment, risk of having too little working capital and even increasing possibilities of bankruptcy. l Too much long-term debt This may lead to problems such as heavy interest payment, risk of having too little working capital and even increasing possibilities of bankruptcy. Opportunities Threats l Expanding market in emerging market Ford has a plan to expand its sale in the emerging market which has great buying power in the future. l Eco-friendly engine Ford has high reputation in the eco-friendly engine such as hybrid engine which has very promising market. l Fuel efficiency Ford found another opportunity in the market for fuel-efficient in small and middle car. l High competition Due to new competitor, lower demand and excess capacity. l Economic crisis Economic crisis and regression in USA where is the main market of Ford caused severe effect to the Company. 3.2. Key Financial Analysis Source: ThomsonFinancial Scaling Factor : 1,000,000 USD Currency: USD 12/31/08 12/31/07 12/31/06 12/31/05 12/31/04 Net Sales or Revenues 146,277.00 172,455.00 160,123.00 177,089.00 171,652.00 Operating Income 3,518.00 8,031.00 -8,167.00 7,010.00 10,681.00 Earnings Before Interest And Taxes (EBIT) -4,885.00 6,792.00 -6,689.00 9,354.00 11,669.00 Interest Expense On Debt 9,682.00 10,927.00 8,783.00 7,643.00 7,071.00 Net Income Available to Common -14,681.00 -2,764.00 -12,615.00 2,441.00 3,634.00 Total Assets 215,773.00 276,459.00 275,337.00 264,891.00 294,447.00 ST Debt Current Portion of LT Debt 63,972.00 61,052.00 62,456.00 59,904.00 66,433.00 Long Term Debt 90,716.00 107,478.00 109,593.00 94,428.00 106,540.00 Total Liabilities 231,889.00 269,410.00 277,643.00 250,812.00 277,525.00 Common Equity -17,311.00 5,628.00 -3,465.00 12,957.00 16,045.00  · Net sales decreased from 2007 about 15% as the economic crisis in the State which is the main market of Ford. The Company has had substantial losses from operation since 2006.  · Ford has high outstanding of long-term loan which may causes liquidity deficiency or bankruptcy if the Company still has continuously loss in the future.  · As a result of net losses from operation since 2006, Ford has had negative shareholders equity since then. 3.3. Multiples Analysis MONTHLY HISTORICAL MARKET PRICES Y2008 Y2007 Y2006 Y2005 Y2004 January 6.64 8.13 8.58 13.17 14.54 February 6.53 7.91 7.97 12.65 13.75 March 5.72 7.89 7.96 11.33 13.57 April 8.26 8.04 6.95 9.11 15.36 May 6.80 8.34 7.16 9.98 14.85 June 4.81 9.42 6.93 10.24 15.65 July 4.80 8.51 6.67 10.74 14.72 August 4.46 7.81 8.37 9.97 14.11 September 5.20 8.49 8.09 9.86 14.05 October 2.19 8.87 8.28 8.32 13.03 November 2.69 7.51 8.13 8.13 14.18 December 2.29 6.73 7.51 7.72 14.64 . 5 Year 5 Year VALUATION Y2008 Y2007 Y2006 Y2005 Y2004 Y2003 Growth Rate Average P/E Ratio (High) -1.36 -6.93 -1.41 12.94 9.63 34.66 -1.04 2.57 P/E Ratio (Low) -0.16 -4.75 -0.90 6.64 7.01 13.16 -1.01 P/E Ratio (Close) -0.35 -4.81 -1.12 6.77 8.13 32.00 -1.01 1.73 Price/Sales 0.04 0.08 0.09 0.09 0.18 0.18 -0.80 0.10 Price/Book Value -0.32 2.62 -4.14 1.14 1.74 2.62 -3.94 0.21 Price/Cash Flow 0.44 1.24 1.76 0.70 1.11 1.35 -0.67 1.05 Price/Working Capital 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -0.16 7.78 TARenderChart.png * P/E ratio turned to be negative since net losses from operation since 2006 and also the market price has continuously decreased from 8.58 in the beginning of 2006 to 2.29 at the end of 2008. * P/B ratio had negative value in 2008 from the negative book value of Ford. 3.4. Companys performance Worldscope Currency: USD PROFITABILITY RATIOS 12/31/08 12/31/07 12/31/06 12/31/05 12/31/04 Return On Invested Capital 0.25 1.92 1.95 2.95 3.32 Operating Profit Margin 2.43 2.94 3.12 5.02 6.54 ASSETS UTILIZATION RATIOS Asset Turnover 0.63 0.60 0.59 0.59 0.58 Net Sales Pct Working Capital 10.62 6.21 5.68 11.06 41.64 LEVERAGE RATIOS EBITDA / Interest Expense -0.50 0.62 -0.76 1.22 1.65 LT Debt Pct Common Equity -76.88 233.49 316.38 1,268.12 1,229.66 LIQUIDITY RATIOS Quick Ratio 1.05 1.08 1.12 1.08 1.03 Current Ratio 1.21 1.25 1.30 1.25 1.19  · Profitability ratios do not show the good performance as Ford has had net loss from operation since 2006.  · Leverage ratios also go in the same trends as a result of negative equity and high outstanding balance of long-term loan.  · Liquidity ratios present that Ford still can generate cash to supply its working capital but if consider to the long-term debts Ford may cannot provide enough cash to support its debt payment since these ratios are still in the low range compared with its debt outstanding amount. 3.5. Cash flow analysis Source: ThomsonFinancial Scaling Factor : 1,000,000 USD Currency: USD 12/31/08 12/31/07 12/31/06 12/31/05 12/31/04 Net Cash Flow From Operating Activities -179.00 17,074.00 9,609.00 21,674.00 22,591.00 Net Cash Flow From Investing Activities 3,143.00 6,457.00 24,862.00 -7,462.00 8,567.00 Long Term Borrowings 42,163.00 33,113.00 58,258.00 24,559.00 22,223.00 Inc(Dec) In ST Borrowings -5,120.00 919.00 -5,825.00 -8,591.00 4,937.00 Reduction In Long Term Debt 46,299.00 39,431.00 36,601.00 36,080.00 36,021.00 Net Cash Flow From Financing Activities -9,104.00 -5,242.00 15,273.00 -20,651.00 -14,226.00  · The Company cannot generated sufficient cash from operation and had negative net cash flow from operation. Moreover the Company had to pay interest expenses for loans and had high net cash paid for financing activity. 3.6. Stock market performance  · Ford shares have been traded lower than SP500 since 2001 until 2010. Especially since 2006 that the operating results had continuous substantial losses. 4. Honda Motor Company Limited 4.1. Introduction Honda Motor is one of leading automobile manufacturers in the world. The company develops, manufactures and markets automobiles, motorcycles and power products. The company also provides financing services to the dealer and customer for the sale of products. Honda has global operations in areas including North, South and Central America, Asia, Middle East, and Europe with its headquarter at Tokyo in Japan. Strategy analysis Honda Motor has three strategies. They are â€Å"Staying Close to Customers†, â€Å"glocalization† and â€Å"five region strategy†. Staying close to customers mean the maintenance of the qualities of a small company, Provide value product with flexibility and efficiency as a small company does and maintain global reach and technology advantage as a large company does is the drive to the future growth of Honda. Glocalization means the effort to launch subsidiaries in regions that could best meet the demand of local customers and expand the subsidiaries as the local demand increases. Five region strategy requires the operations focus on five areas the world. They are North America, South America, Europe/Middle East/Africa, Asia/Oceania and Japan. The management decisions are served to suit the situation in different areas. The advanced RD capacity equips the Honda to provide flexible products to adjust the need of these regions. Business activities The company operates through four business segments: the automobile business, motorcycle business, financial services, and power products. The automobiles business division manufactures passenger cars, multi-wagons, minivans, port utility vehicle, sports coupe and mini vehicles. Hondas automobiles use gasoline engines of three, four or six-cylinder, diesel engines and gasoline-electric hybrid systems. Honda also offers alternative fuel-powered vehicles such as natural gas, ethanol, and fuel cell vehicles. In 2008, the company sold 3,925,000 units of automobiles. The motorcycle business produces a range of motorcycles, including scooters, electric-motor-assisted bicycles, sports bikes and large touring cycles. Hondas motorcycles use gasoline engines developed by Honda that are air or water cooled, two or four cycled, and single, two, four or six cylinder. In 2008, the company sold a total of 9,320,000 units of motorcycles. Honda offers a variety of financial services to its customers and dealers through its widespread finance subsidiaries. Hondas power products manufactures a variety of power products including power tillers, portable generators, general purpose engines, grass cutters, outboard engines, water pumps, snow throwers, power carriers, power sprayers, lawn mowers and lawn tractors (riding lawn mowers). Honda also manufactures the major components and parts used in its products, including engines, frames and transmissions. Peer Group The globalization of the Honda motor makes it face the global intense competition. The competitors include Ford Motor, Nissan Motor, Toyota Motor, Volkswagen etc.(in the automobile sector) and Yamaha Motor, Harley-Davidson etc.(in the motor vehicle industry). SWOT Analysis Strengths Weaknesses l Global diversification The company operates a total of 397 subsidiaries, and 104 affiliates all over the world. l Leading market position and good brand image Honda is one of the largest vehicle and motorcycle manufacturers over the world with strong brand strength. l Strong Research and Development capacity The large investment in RD could equip Honda the capability to differentiate itself in the intense competitive market. l Declining Market Share in Sector Evident of decline in unit sales and lost of market shares in the automobile industry. l Low employee productivity Honda has a weak proportion on the number of employees and the revenues. Opportunities Threats l Growing demand in Asian market Honda has taken measures to occupy the huge potential Asian market. l Growing demand in hybrid electric vehicles The companys emphasis on hybrid technology innovation will capture market trends as an opportunity to enhance its market share. l Global competition The competition would result in price pressure and thus reduce the profitability. l Tightening emission regulations The emission standards will cause Honda to occur more costs in product development, testing and manufacturing process design. 4.2. Key Financials Analysis Source: ThomsonFinancial Currency: JPY Scaling Factor : 1000000 JPY 31/3/2009 31/3/2008 31/3/2007 31/3/2006 31/3/2005 Sales 10,011,241.00 12,002,834.00 11,087,140.00 9,907,996.00 8,650,105.00 Operating Income 189,643.00 953,109.00 851,879.00 730,889.00 630,920.00 Net Income Available to Common 137,005.00 600,039.00 592,322.00 597,033.00 486,197.00 Total Assets 11,579,494.00 12,439,610.00 11,964,917.00 10,533,995.00 9,187,808.00 Total Liabilities 7,449,150.00 7,753,539.00 7,359,399.00 6,320,785.00 5,828,513.00 Common Equity 4,007,288.00 4,544,265.00 4,482,611.00 4,125,750.00 3,289,294.00 Net Cash Flow Operating Activities 383641 1126918 904525 576557 746624 l The operating income reduces dramatically, approximately 80% from the previous years result. This result is caused by the severe decline in the sales and the consequently increase in inventory cost. l Before 2009, all the s are in a healthy and steady upward trend. But in the fiscal year ended at 31st march 2009, the volumes all experienced a dramatic decline. They are caused by the sales plunge. l The declines trends are due to the economic recession caused by the financial crisis because the demand in Japan, US and Europe shrank. The automobile industry faces a severe challenge and most companies in the sector reported unsatisfactory results. 4.3. Multiple analysis 31/3/2009 31/3/2008 31/3/2007 31/3/2006 31/3/2005 Price To Earnings 30.7 8.6 10.3 Price To Book 1.0 1.1 1.6 1.5 Price To Cash Flow 4.6 4.2 6.8 Price To Sales 0.4 0.4 0.7 0.7 0.6 l Although the P/E ratio increases significantly, its not a good sign. The increase in P/E ratio is not due to the high expectation of the investors and the fundamentals such as growth opportunities. Instead, the soaring P/E is the result of the plummeting earnings to common shareholders. l The price to book ratio and price to sales declined in 2008 and 2009, indicating the declining

Personal Narrative- Monocross Motorcycle Ride :: Personal Narrative Essays

Personal Narrative- Monocross Motorcycle Ride As my flesh started to be spread across the pavement, dirt, and gravel, I thought to myself "Why, why did I ride today?" I wish I could have thought of a better way to get home that day. It had been raining that afternoon and the thought had crossed my mind not to ride home, but I didn't want to leave my bike at school. The day started out like any other day, except for one difference, I decided to ride my motorcycle to school. I woke up that morning and saw it was a beautiful, bright and sunny day, so I thought, "What a perfect time to ride my bike to school." I did my regular morning routine as usual. As I was going through my closet I decided to wear shorts, a t-shirt and a vest instead of a coat, because it was such a bright and sunny day. When I went outside I heard the birds chirping and this dog barking in the RV Park. It had to be one of the most beautiful mornings I had ever seen. The sun was shinning down on me making my cold skin warm right up. After I had gotten done looking at all the beautiful colors on the trees I started my motorcycle. It started just fine and sounded like a lion giving his morning roar. I put on my helmet and started out for school. This was only my second time, driving a motorcycle on public roads, and, since it was my second time, I decided to take the back roads to school. Riding to school on a monocross motorcycle is different from anything else. Monocrosses are a mix between a street bike and a dirt bike. They have the power to climb hills, but they also have a mirror, turning lights, license plate, and other things to make it street legal. The morning ride to school went great. The bike was running perfectly and cornered well. While I was riding to school, I got the feeling like I was flying. When I started into a corner I would slow way down. Then, when I knew I could shoot out of it, I would twist the throttle as far back as it would go and would power out of the corners. When I was powering out of the corners, the engine would whine like it was screaming for me to let go.

Abortion: A Woman Has the Right to Choose Essay -- Argumentative Essay,

The right to choose what happens to YOU is an American right that every person should be allotted. Though the First Amendment clearly states that all Americans have the right to freedom of speech, the topic of abortions continues to be challenged. Abortions poses moral and ethically challenges that many Americans ponder over. The major two sides involved in this is heated issue is â€Å"Pro-Life† vs. â€Å"Pro-Choice†, pro-life being against and pro-choice supporting abortions. This research paper will examine the many different court cases affecting abortions and the two different arguments What is an Abortion? â€Å"An abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by the removal or expulsion of a fetus or embryo from the uterus before it is viable†, (Grimes, 2007). An abortion can happen for two different ways, either because of problems during pregnancy or by inducing one because of choice. Abortions usually refer to the induced terminations while terminations related to medical issues are commonly called miscarriages. Obviously the controversy comes into play when dealing with the induced terminations. †Induced abortion has a long history and has been facilitated by various methods including herbal abortifacients, the use of sharpened tools, physical trauma, and other traditional methods. Contemporary medicine utilizes medications and surgical procedures to induce abortion. The legality, prevalence, cultural status, and religious status of abortion vary substantially around the world. In many parts of the world there is prominent and divisive public controversy over the ethical and legal issues of abortion. Abortion and abortion-related issues feature prominently in the national politics in many nations, often involving the opposing pro-lif... ...stitution and what it means today: Supreme Court decisions of 1973, 1974, and 1975, page 36 (Princeton University Press 1985): "The abortion cases afforded the Supreme Court another opportunity to caress the Ninth Amendment without embracing it." 3. Chrisrs. (March 2011). Belotti vs. Baird. Bullentin; For Law Students.com. Retrieved from http://4lawnotes.com/showthread.php/2613-Bellotti-v.-Baird 4. Graber, Mark A. Rethinking Abortion: Equal Choice, the Constitution and Reproductive Politics. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1999. 5. Lowdermilk, Perry, Cashion, and Alden. (2012). Maternity and Women’s Health Care. Elsevier Mosby. St. Louis, Missouri. 6. Potts, Malcolm et al. Abortion, page 347 (1977). 7. â€Å"Webster v. Reproductive Health Services." West's Encyclopedia of American Law. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 2 Dec. 2011 .

The Malaysian Accounting Standards Board Accounting Essay

MFRS 101-Presentation of Financial Statements prescribes the footing for presentation of general purpose fiscal statements to guarantee comparison both with the entity ‘s fiscal statements of old periods and with the fiscal statements of other entities. It sets out overall demands for the presentation of fiscal statements, guidelines for their construction and minimal demands for their content.Purpose of fiscal statementsFiscal statements are a structured representation of the fiscal place and fiscal public presentation of an entity. The aim of fiscal statements is to supply information about the fiscal place, fiscal public presentation and hard currency flows of an entity that is utile to a broad scope of users in doing economic determinations. Fiscal statements besides show the consequences of the direction ‘s stewardship of the resources entrusted to it. A complete set of fiscal statements comprises: ( a ) a statement of fiscal place as at the terminal of the period ( B ) a statement of comprehensive income for the period ( degree Celsius ) a statement of alterations in equity for the period ( vitamin D ) a statement of hard currency flows for the period ( vitamin E ) notes, consisting a sum-up of important accounting policies and other explanatory information ( degree Fahrenheit ) a statement of fiscal place as at the beginning of the predating period when an entity applies an accounting policy retrospectively or makes a retrospective restatement of points in its fiscal statements, or when it reclassifies points in its fiscal statements. An entity may utilize rubrics for the statements other than those used in this Standard. For illustration, an entity may utilize the rubric ‘statement of comprehensive income ‘ alternatively of ‘statement of net income or loss and other comprehensive income ‘ . Statement of fiscal place Information to be presented in the statement of fiscal place. As a lower limit, the statement of fiscal place shall include line points that present the undermentioned sums: ( a ) belongings, works and equipment ; ( B ) investing belongings ; ( degree Celsius ) intangible assets ; ( vitamin D ) fiscal assets ( excepting sums shown under ( vitamin E ) , ( H ) and ( I ) ) ; ( vitamin E ) investings accounted for utilizing the equity method ; ( degree Fahrenheit ) biological assets ; ( g ) stock lists ; ( H ) trade and other receivables ; ( I ) hard currency and hard currency equivalents ; ( J ) the sum of assets classified as held for sale and assets included in disposal groups classified as held for sale in conformity with MFRS 5 Non-current Assetss Held for Sale and Discontinued Operations ; ( K ) trade and other payables ; ( cubic decimeter ) commissariats ; ( m ) fiscal liabilities ( excepting sums shown under ( K ) and ( cubic decimeter ) ) ; ( N ) liabilities and assets for current revenue enhancement, as defined in MFRS 112 Income Taxes ; ( O ) deferred revenue enhancement liabilities and deferred revenue enhancement assets, as defined in MFRS 112 ; ( P ) liabilities included in disposal groups classified as held for sale in conformity with MFRS 5 ; ( Q ) non-controlling involvements, presented within equity ; and ( R ) issued capital and militias attributable to proprietors of the parent An entity shall clearly place each fiscal statement and the notes. In add-on, an entity shall expose the undermentioned information conspicuously, and repetition it when necessary for the information presented to be apprehensible: ( a ) the name of the coverage entity or other agencies of designation, and any alteration in that information from the terminal of the predating coverage period ; ( B ) whether the fiscal statements are of an single entity or a group of entities ; ( degree Celsius ) the day of the month of the terminal of the coverage period or the period covered by the set of fiscal statements or notes ; ( vitamin D ) the presentation currency, as defined in MFRS 121 ; and ( vitamin E ) the degree of rounding used in showing sums in the fiscal statement.Current/non-current differentiationAn entity shall show current and non-current assets, and current and non-current liabilities, as separate categorizations in its statement of fiscal place in conformity with except when a presentation based on liquidness provides information that is dependable and more relevant. When that exclusion applies, an entity shall show all assets and liabilities in order of liquidness.Current assetsAn entity shall sort an plus as current when: ( a ) it expects to gain the plus, or intends to sell or devour it, in its normal operating rhythm. ( B ) it holds the plus chiefly for the intent of trading. ( degree Celsius ) it expects to gain the plus within 12 months after the coverage period. ( vitamin D ) the plus is hard currency or a hard currency equivalent ( as defined in MFRS 107 ) unless the plus is restricted from being exchanged or used to settle a liability for at least 12 months after the coverage period. An entity shall sort all other assets as non-current.Current liabilitiesAn entity shall sort a liability as current when: ( a ) it expects to settle the liability in its normal operating rhythm ; MFRS 101 ( B ) it holds the liability chiefly for the intent of trading ; ( degree Celsius ) the liability is due to be settled within 12s months after the coverage period ; or ( vitamin D ) it does non hold an unconditioned right to postpone colony of the liability for at least years after the coverage. Footings of a liability that could, at the option of the counterparty, consequence in its colony by the issue of equity instruments do non impact its categorization. An entity shall sort all other liabilities as non-current,Statement of alterations in equityInformation to be presented in the statement of alterations in equity. An entity shall show a statement of alterations in equity. The statement of alterations in equity includes the undermentioned information demoing in the statement: ( a ) entire comprehensive income for the period, demoing individually the entire sums attributable to proprietors of the parent and to non-controlling involvements ; ( B ) for each constituent of equity, the effects of retrospective application or retrospective restatement recognised in conformity with MFRS 108 ; ( vitamin D ) for each constituent of equity, a rapprochement between the transporting sum at the beginning and the terminal of the period, individually unwraping alterations ensuing from: ( I ) net income or loss ; ( two ) each point of other comprehensive income ; and ( three ) minutess with proprietors in their capacity as proprietors, demoing separately parts by and distributions to proprietors and alterations in ownership involvements in subordinates that do non ensue in a loss of control. Information to be presented in the statement of alterations in equity or in the notes. For each constituent of equity an entity shall show, either in the statement of alterations in equity or in the notes, an analysis of other comprehensive income by point. An entity shall show, either in the statement of alterations in equity or in the notes, the sum of dividends recognised as distributions to proprietors during the period, and the related sum of dividends per portion.

The Digital World

The twenty first century marked the start of a new era of technological advancements. Although technology has evolved through the ages, the new developments have certainly brought technology unto a higher pedestal, creating more and more opportunities for people all over the world. The world went back to its usual state- borderless. Communicating with people in other parts of the globe has been made easy with a simple click of the send button. The internet has also certainly provided students with other avenues to obtain information for their school work.Not only that, editing pictures, videos, music, etc. has also been possible through the different advancements developed. Years ago, we were so used to using hearing our favorite music from cassette tapes placed inside portable cassette players. But nowadays, digital music, Ipods, mp3 players, and the like have been introduced. True enough; a digital world has been created together with the coming of this millennium. Widespread Use o f Internet Appliances The introduction of internet appliances in the market is seen to be another avenue by which producers could increase their revenue (Mandelstam, D. , n. d.)According to the study made by Hambrecht’s and Quist’s Internet Group, the development and production of internet appliances shall increase in the 2000s (Pastore, M. , 1999). As a means for increasing their revenue, the producers of internet appliances have connected their products to the internet to be able to receive positive feedback, knowing how popular the internet is nowadays and of course, the fact that these appliances could be accessed even from a distance. More or less, we should be expecting more internet appliances in the near future as anything is possible in the modern times through technology (David Strom Inc., 1999).Digital Counterfeiting Digital imaging is another technological advancement brought about by the twenty-first century. The editing of pictures through a program such as Photoshop has somehow evolved to the forgery of Identification cards (csrc. nit. gov, n. d. ) as well as the faking of US dollar bills (books. nap. edu, n. d. ). Obviously, digital counterfeiting is continuously being used as another way to commit crime by those who have continuously abused the benefits being brought about by the advancements in technology (Miller, 2000).Benefits and Risks of New Wireless Technology Wireless Technology, as its name implies promises one thing: internet connection without the wires (hp. ca, n. d. ). Wi-fi enabled hotspots are seen in every part of the country, in coffee shops, malls, airports, schools, etc. allowing people to check their emails or access the internet wherever they are, thus cutting the possibility of failing to read a very important email message or failing to attend to something important.Just like mobile phones, sending messages over the World Wide Web and researching would be hassle-free and very easy. In the office setup, manag ers would have an easier time in setting up networks without moving wires (hp. ca, n. d. ). It would help in lessening the rigidity of the office environment that often leads to the raising of IT costs and reduction in productivity (hp. ca, n. d. ). In summary, wireless technology offers an efficient, effective and convenient way of accessing the internet, for companies and for individuals.Unfortunately, disadvantages come with these benefits. In a report published by BBC news (April 28, 2007), the head of the government’s committee on mobile phone safety research Professor Lawrie Challis released a statement with regard to the potential health risks that wi-fi internet could bring (bbc. co. uk). Research shows the dangers of pollutants such as lead and UV radiation when using wireless internet. In addition to this, wireless technology is constantly becoming a threat to security and privacy as well.The Ernst &Young survey showed that most companies do not have protection agai nst intrusion from third parties, seeing the wireless technology as another avenue to commit internet related crimes (Beckley, 2005). Computer Gaming One of the causes of internet addiction is internet gaming. As the gaming culture continues to arise, these games become more and more addictive because of the use of the stereotype of the game player (Cover, R. , 2006). Although internet addiction is one of the many disadvantages of computer gaming, violence is yet another negative value planted in the young minds of children (Myclopedia, 2004).The violence being taught maliciously by these computer games could affect our society as this may release the aggressive behavior within us (Harris, J. 2004). The addiction of the people in these computer games would help in further deteriorating the values which should be considered as more important such as socialization with real people. Spam and its prevention and ramifications The direct effects of spam could include the consumption of co mputer and network resources, which could again, lead to the congestion of mail servers.It is also costly for individuals who devote much of their time and attention in canceling and disregarding unwanted messages without deleting the important ones. Spam comes from different senders. One of the most common brought about by spamming then is the impossibility to disregard these kinds of messages without ignoring the valuable ones. Because of the many emails an individuals usually receive, and because most of them are spam, they tend to delete everything including those that of vital importance to them.The simplest way to avoid this problem is through filtering. Popular email hosts nowadays offer filtering as one of their services. If a certain individual receives too much mail from a certain sender, all she/he has to do is block that certain address. Thus, all email messages that would come from that particular sender would not be delivered to his/her inbox (Gnus Manual, 2003). One w ay of discouraging spammers is through charging each and every mail being sent all over the world (Boushka, 2006).Also, new filtering systems should be developed that could help in slowing down the servers of these spammers as well as helping in bouncing back spammed emails to their senders. Although the Bayesian way of filtering is considered to be the most effective way to combat SPAM (Graham, 2003), new efforts must be done in order to enhance this considering the flaws present in the system. The development of new email protocols should be given importance- protocols that would no longer be susceptible because of spam (Boushka, 2006).Electronic Surveillance and Personal Privacy Wiretapping and electronic eavesdropping has been two of the most popular methods being used in criminal investigation (Landesman, n. d. ). These new forms of technology are being placed secretly to monitor the activities of criminals, and hopefully catch them in their act (Maclin, 2007). Aside from these , new surveillance videos have been installed to monitor employees’ work in a certain company to ensure that they are doing what is expected of them, and are not committing any felonies (Sinrod, E.J. , 2001).Though these may be advantageous to some, the increase in the production of electronic surveillance poses a threat to the privacy of the people being placed under these surveillance systems. In the next five years or so, more and more electronic surveillance devices could be developed that would not be noticed by the general public but could actually monitor their personal lives (Kaplan, C. S. , 1990). Ethical Use of Computer Information from Data MiningData mining is the extraction of protected information from larger databases that definitely helps companies in their gathering of very important information (Anderson. ucla. edu, n. d. ). It is of course, very useful for the science professionals and even for the businessmen as they do get their profits from the vast amou nts of information that they obtain. Data mining tools do predict trends and behaviors that could be of great help to anyone in research. However, some businessmen take advantage of data mining and even go beyond as online marketing which is not very different from SPAM (Exa, 2002).Somehow, these profit oriented individuals have violated the ethics of data mining by advertising online, spamming the accounts of people holding email accounts, and even sending out copyrighted information (Thearling. com, n. d. ). Health Dangers of Using Computers and the Internet The computer can be seen as one of the causes of many accidents. Usually, small kids could cause fire and get badly wounded for spilling a drink on the computer. Thus, children should be taught on how to properly use the computer to avoid accidents such as this (allpctips. com, 2006).In relation with this, too much use of the computer could affect the health of its users. These health related problems, cited by the Royal Socie ty for the Prevention of Accidents are the following: Repetitive Strain Injury, Strained Eyes, Stress and the worst, Epilepsy (RoSPA, 2007). In order to prevent these, one must be able to organize his or her work properly to minimize his or her time in front of the computer. Also, users must know when to take their short breaks in order to relax themselves during long periods of being exposed to the computer (Herbert, 2006).Environmental Impact of Widespread Computing Widespread computing requires a lot of energy and somehow contributes to the pollution of the environment (Kohler and Erdmann, 2004). It is also very damaging when a certain place does not have proper waste disposal (Bolton, 2003). Widespread computing could lead to problems that could contribute to the pressing problems that our world is facing nowadays, on the account of the threats of global warming, brought about by the pollutants that harm our ozone layer.The chemicals emitted as waste from pervasive computing cou ld even add on to this problem. In the same way, the increasing consumption of energy, could be tripled just because of widespread counting (Williams and Kuehr, 2003). Internet Addiction Internet addiction ruins real-life relationship and could bring about personal, family, academic, occupational and financial problems as being too engrossed with the internet puts people in seclusion, making them more and more distant to real people (Illinos Institute for Addiction Recovery, n.d. ).The reason why most people tend to be so addicted to the internet is because they find it as an extension of their social life- through the different chat soft wares, social networks such as friendster. com and myspace. com, etc. (Grohol, J. M. , 1999). Obviously, internet addiction has been more common to the children and teenagers who are so enthusiastic towards the new world that was opened to them through the World Wide Web (bewebaware. ca, 2007).