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Beyonce Walton

English 1102

Final research paper rough draft

Dr. Navare

April 18th, 2020

Abuse and Covid-19

Abuse is to treat a person or animal with cruelty or violence, especially regularly or repeatedly. Abuse is something that happens on a regular basis and when the abuser starts going it is hard for them to stop because now this is how they get their anger out, putting their hands on someone beating them badly. The four main types of abuse are Physical abuse, Sexual child abuse, Neglect, and Emotional abuse. In the United States annually there are 700 thousand cases who are abused on a day to day basis. In 2015 approximately 1,670 kids died from abuse and or neglect in the United states. More than 50% are kids of the age of 18 and older. 90% of alleged abusers are related in some way to the victim.

When most people go through abuse they don’t tell anyone to try to get help. They just let it keep going and praying and hoping that it will get better and eventually stop. In the United states only 2.9 million cases are reported but yet not many get to go to court and get the abuser off the street. In this case for kids who are being abused physically there get away from it is school, and when it gets brought to the teachers attention that the child is coming to school with very traumatic bruises they have to file a dcfs report for someone to go into that home to see what’s really going on and also how long have this been going on. Send a social worker out and have the exam the bruises and see how they can help this child, either they need to get them out of the home and put them into foster care or have them go stay with another relative.

Maternity (Prenatal Care)

Author

Institution

Introduction

Getting pregnant is arguably one of the most desirable things for many women across the globe. It seems as if pregnancy cements womanhood in most women. However, it is worth noting that there is more to pregnancy than merely carrying it to full term. Women have to ensure that they do not suffer unnecessarily, and even safeguard their safety, as well as that of their unborn babies. This underlines the importance of prenatal care. My friend Mary has just discovered that she is pregnant or expectant, in which case she is in need of prenatal care. This paper is an effort to explain some aspects of prenatal care.

Well, Mary, Congratulations for the pregnancy. I am happy that you want to gain some understanding about prenatal care. Prenatal care refers to care that a pregnant mother receives from healthcare providers such as midwives or doctors in the course of their pregnancy. The prenatal care visits are meant to ensure that the developing fetus and the pregnant mother are strong and healthy (Lowdermilk et al, 2010). These regular checkups present an opportunity for you to learn the most appropriate methods you can manage or minimize discomforts that come with pregnancy, have any necessary testing, learn the warning signs, as well as ask questions that you may have pertaining to the pregnancy. In addition, prenatal care presents an opportunity for the physician to estimate the most likely birthing date, which would allow the healthcare providers to monitor the growth of the baby, as well as the pregnancy’s progress (Lowdermilk et al, 2010). In addition, it would allow for the scheduling of certain procedures and tests at the most appropriate instances.

Varied tests are carried out depending on the time of the pregnancy. At the first prenatal care visit, thorough examination is carried out and numerous tests conducted. The physician will ask questions pertaining to your medical history, as well as that of your partner and family. A complete physical examination is carried out with blood pressure, weight, pulse, breathing and height being measured. Two of the most crucial tests are ultrasound and Multiple Marker Screen. An ultrasound test allows the healthcare provider to take pictures of the fetus or embryo as it develops. This test may be used to find certain abnormalities, confirm the due date, show the placenta’s position, find multiple pregnancies, measure the cervix’s length, as well as show the size and position of the fetus (Lowdermilk et al, 2010). Ultrasound may be done alongside a blood test between the 11th and 13th weeks to screen for genetic birth defects. The Multiple Marker Screening, on the other hand, is done between the 15th and 20th weeks. During this test, your blood will be screened for birth defects such as spina bifida, and Down syndrome among others. In case there is a risk for developing birth defects, other tests may be offered (Lowdermilk et al, 2010).

The frequency of prenatal care visits depends on the risk posed by the pregnancy. If you are aged between 18 and 35 and are healthy, you will most likely be considered as having low risk of developing complications in the course of the pregnancy (Lowdermilk et al, 2010). In this case, you will be required to have the visit every 4 or 6 weeks for the first 28 weeks, once every two weeks from the 28th to the 36th week, and once every week after the 36th week until delivery. The frequency of the visits may be increased, in case the physicians think you are at risk of developing complications (Lowdermilk et al, 2010).

In conclusion, prenatal care is offered by healthcare providers to pregnant mothers to safeguard the health and strength of the baby and the mother. Its importance lies in the fact that it provides an opportunity for determining the date when the mother is likely to give birth, as well as safeguarding or ensuring the health of the baby and the mother. Various tests may be carried out during the visits including ultrasound and Multiple Marker Screening. The frequency of the prenatal care visits depends on the stage of pregnancy. Do you have any questions?

References

Lowdermilk, D.L, Perry, S.E., & Cashion, K. (2010). Maternity Nursing (8th ed.). New York: Mosby

Mission and Vision Statements

Student’s name

Affiliation

Couse

Date

Mission and Vision Statements

What is the company’s mission statement? What is the company’s vision statement?

In future When I complete my studies, I will be willing to work for many companies and organizations. Among them is the Walmart company, that involves itself in the activities of retail. Walmart is currently ranked first in the Fortune 500 companies of the world. Like most other successful organizations, Walmart company has a mission and vision statement, that guides its operations. To begin with, the mission statement of the organization states, “Saving people money so they can live better.” The organization uses The mission statement to attain its vision. Its vision statement on the other hand states, “To be the best retailer in the hearts and minds of consumers and employees.” The vision statement of an organization explains the goals that the organization hopes to attain its operations. therefore, it guides the strategies and other operations that the organization is involved in. The mission statement of the organization on the other hand states the means the organization intends to use in (Ferguson, 2016).

What role do these have on the way the business operates?

Both the mission and vision statements of the organization play a major role in the way business organizations operate. For the case of Walmart to begin with, its vision is to becoming the best retailing organization that both consumers and employees are aware of. This vision is the guiding statement through which its mission has been formulated. This is because the mission is intended to steer the organization towards attaining its vision. The mission concerns the organization being able to save the money of the people and thus improving their lives. Since it is through this mission that the organization can attain its vision statement, all the operational strategies and plans are based on the organization’s mission. Walmart organization, therefore, ventures on the activities that have the capability of reducing cost for the people and thus saving them money. When the organization can make people spend less for more valuables, it is highly likely to be considered the best organization in its field and thus by aligning the strategies and operation of the organization with the mission statement, it can attain its vision easily.

Do the company’s actions seem to align with their vision and mission statements?

As explained, Walmart is well known to be a significantly successful organization. Its financial stability has enabled the organization to be ranked first about the fortune 500 companies in the world. This implies that the organization is currently the company that has the highest revenues. All this success is brought about by the operations that the organization has been involving in. Its ability to have many customers that are loyal, who increase its sales implies that its actions and operations completely align with its vision and mission statements.

How might the mission and vision of the organization affect or guide you as an employee or manager in the company?

the vision and mission statement of the organization would be the basis through which I make decisions in case am a manager or an employee in the company. The mission of Walmart, for instance, shows that the organization intends to save money for the people. During the formulation and approving of operational strategies, therefore, I would ensure that the strategies accepted and utilized by the organization are only the ones that are likely to save money for the people. Both the mission and vision of the organization, therefore, would guide me completely whether as an employee or a manager of the organization.

If the company does not have a mission or vision statement, what might be the effect of that?

When a company does not have a mission or vision statement, it can have significant difficulties that determines its goals and purpose. there are many strategies that companies can use to attain benefits, hence it would be exceptionally difficult to conclude the most suitable strategies that align with the purpose and aim of the organization. Therefore, all organizations should aim to have mission and vision statements (Angelica, 2001).

References

Angelica, E. (2001). The Wilder nonprofit field guide to crafting effective mission and vision statements. Saint Paul, Minn: Amherst H. Wilder Foundation.

Ferguson, E. (2016). Walmart’s Vision, Mission, Generic & Intensive Strategies: Panmore institute. Retrieved from http://panmore.com/walmart-vision-mission-statement-intensive-generic-strategies

Mission Command

Student’s name

Institution

Course

Tutor

Date

Introduction

Mission command refers to the military command style. Mission command is the army’s command approach and control that empowers subordinates to make decisions. The technique also enhances decentralized execution that is appropriate to the situation at hand. The Commander gives subordinates a ‘mission’ or purpose in mission command. This ‘mission’ is a statement of the desired end-state, not how to reach that end state. The Commander delegates authority to the subordinate level and holds them accountable for achieving the mission by setting time-sensitive objectives (e.g., time and place) and measures. Subordinates decide how to reach those objectives within their means and capabilities. The Commander does not plan or manage for them and has no higher-level doctrines to impose on his subordinates. He provides resources, support, assistance and stays out of the way unless his subordinates require his help.

In military command, mission command involves a leader at some level of the chain of command, which shows failure in their duty. The principles of mission command are mission orders, risk acceptance, Commander’s intent, shared understanding, disciplined initiative, mutual trust, and competence. By applying these principles, commanders can command an operation with confidence. In the course of a discussion on doctrine, the Commander must identify the mission and the environment. The Mission Commander must also make a decision to accept or not accept risk. The Commander has to specify his intent so that all commanders will know how he wants them to conduct their missions. Thus, there is a need for clear and concise orders, even if they are no longer used formally (Rubel, 2018).

Principles of Mission Command

Mutual Trust

In mission command, the principle of mutual trust refers to the special relationship of trust and mutual respect between a commander and subordinate. The subordinate trusts the Commander to command competently and achieve success on their behalf (Mikaloff). It refers to an understanding between general and Commander that the Commander has complete authority and responsibility to command, direct and control all assigned or attached forces. The commanding officer has broad discretion to use their judgment, what we might call “the art of command.” The idea of mutual trust in mission command is at odds with the concept of hierarchy, organized with strict discipline. The degree of mutual trust varies depending on specific military leadership philosophies, including rank, maturity, experience, innovation skillset, contextual awareness, and so on. The South Korean soldiers had mutual trust in each other even though the army lacked the necessary equipment.

Disciplined Initiative

The principle of Disciplined Initiative refers to empowering adaptive and agile leaders in mission command. This principle focuses on the work to do in response to any given task or situation, no matter what obstacles present. The goal is not just a desired outcome but also strategic planning and leadership capabilities. This principle can only function when adopted as part of the culture or mission command manual and incorporated in the training regimen for all leaders. There must be an understanding that mission command means different things for different people to accomplish this. The most crucial factor is that it needs to make sense in relation to the current situation. This approach has proven relevant in wartime because it lessens hesitation from arbitrary decisions based on higher priorities, leading to increased efficiency and more success with fewer resources. According to the Garrett, poor leadership leads poor preparation.

Mission orders

The principle of mission orders in mission command is used in military organizations to allow the Commander to order subordinates to carry out specific tasks. There are two principles of mission orders: a. Mission command system b. Principle of mission orders. The principle of mission orders is the decision-making process that ensures that every task and every subordinate is focused on completing the missions as quickly, efficiently, and effectively as possible. There is a need for the principle of mission orders to ensure that subordinates understand roles and responsibilities and the objectives of the mission. The principle of mission orders also improves unity of command, simplifies command relationships, enhances situational awareness, results in self-sufficiency, and results in subordinates focusing on completing their role/responsibilities with minimal disruption. According to Garret, “On 30 June 1950, MG Dean received the order from Gen Walker, the Eighth Army commander,”.

Risk acceptance

The principle of Risk acceptance in mission command is a principle which states that the Commander of a military unit, responsible for military operations, should be responsible for deciding whether to take particular risks to accomplish the mission. The Commander who has accepted responsibility for a decision should not pass it on without very compelling reasons. This principle was one of General Norman Schofield’s life and career guiding principles. General Norman Schofield was born at Cowes on the Isle of Wight in 1881 into an upper-class English family with connections with royalty. He attended Harrow School and then studied modern history at Oxford University before training as an army officer at Sandhurst Royal Military Academy. He won many prizes, including Queen Victoria’s sword. South Korean army risked going to war without adequate equipment. This inadequacy led to the army compensating it with their lives.

Commander’s intent

The principle of Commander’s intent refers to a clear expression of an operation’s purpose and the desired end state of the military. This expression provides the staff with focus, supports mission command, and assists the subordinates in achieving the Commander’s desired results. At the operational level, ‘intent’ is a general statement describing what the Commander intends to do or wants to be done during a mission. The intent is not an order. It does not give any particular action but instead describes the operation that needs to be accomplished and leaves it up to subordinate units. The difference between intent and orders is that orders are explicit instructions on how something must be done and obeyed. In contrast, stated intentions remain within the scope of responsibility for each subordinate unit commander. LTC Smith needed adequate time to undertake reconnaissance of the terrain.

Shared understanding

The principle of shared understanding in mission command refers to the idea that the Commander must share an understanding with subordinates as to what is occurring in the mission. As a leader, you provide clarity and insight through your words to ensure your team can apply these same guidelines to their day-to-day operations. The principle helps leaders relay instructions in a way that inspires confidence and trust in the members of their team while also creating an intimate bond by having “one voice” among leaders and teammates throughout a mission (Pearce et al., 2021). These are two critical ways in which teams avoid confusion and continue operations without significant issues or errors along the way. Lack of shared understanding and coordination caused the fall of the South Korean army in various battles that they participated.

Competence

The principle of competence in mission command involves the capability of a unit’s leader to lead by their competence, without the need for detailed plans. The theory was developed during World War II and espoused by British military officer Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery. The principle is considered central to the success of every military unit in battle from then until now, as it provides clear leadership that would not be possible if teams had to be micromanaged constantly by officers on the ground. Competence in Mission command is most effective when commanders can exercise discretion and independence, with orders being given clearly on an “as needed” basis. This allows for better cooperation among staff members who can take the initiative in day-to-day activities with minimal guidance from above. North Korean army had a capable and competent leader that ensures provision of adequate equipment.

Command and Control

Elements of command

A command can be defined as the process by which someone or something gives a set of orders to others for a specific purpose or goal. There are different types or levels of command, but most fall into one category: strategic management. Strategic management consists of three types: business, system, and tactical. The main command elements are authority, responsibility, decision-making, and leadership. Other elements are essential, such as supporting the mission, achieving mission objectives, and performance. All these elements help make up the command structure in any given organization or group.

Elements of Control

Elements of Control in mission command are direction, feedback, information, and communication. The direction element involves defining objectives and ensuring the task force clearly understands those objectives. The element of feedback uses assessments and results to provide timely feedback to the military Commander on whether or not their plan is working as intended. Information is critical with this element as it helps manage resources and gives the Commander an accurate overview of what is going on within their mission area. And finally, communication ensures that they have all the critical information necessary for continued operations.

Command and Control as a Warfighting Functions

Warfighting Functions

Warfighting Functions refers to systems and tasks that enable a commander to synchronize and converge all elements of combat power effectively. The mission command functions are Planning, Direction, Support, and Training (Ploumis, 2020). For example, an Infantry platoon is tasked with searching and destroying an urban environment during warfighting operations. A commander of this platoon needs to make sure he has his maps updated with correct coordinates of the target building before engaging in armed conflict. He also needs to ensure his subordinate leaders know the current situation before deploying their troops into that area of operation. Once they have calmed any unruly civilians to any critical infrastructure outside the area, they will be entering. He coordinates air support for troops on the ground while ensuring no collateral damage to nearby buildings or lives on either side.

Tasks

Major tasks in mission command are command forces, control operations, establishing command and control systems, and driving the operations process. Command forces task to manage operational procedures, personnel, and resources. Control operations tasks are to plan and execute the operation with available resources. Establish command and control systems tasks are to develop systems that ensure commanders can easily exercise their authority during the procedure. Drive the operations process tasks are to establish priorities for an operation, synchronize operational actions across different lines of effort, employ all available assets for maximum effect, and coordinate or train subordinates on a particular skill set. These tasks are evident in the Task Force Smith; south Korea had uncoordinated operations and ultimately failed.

Command and Control System

Command and Control System in mission command involves people, processes, networks, and command posts. Military operations are not simple tasks to take on, especially when considering the many projects that need to be completed given any typical operation (Chen et al., 2021). The command and control system ensures that everything remains under control throughout any given operation. Task Force Smith displays the Principle of Command and Control System. It starts when the captain of a ship requests that an order be given to a subordinate. The subordinate will then try to follow the order by taking some action. If this is not possible, the subordinate will attempt to find another way of carrying out what was ordered in accordance with their professional judgment and experience.

Conclusion

Mission command is a military concept that focuses on “mission” rather than purely on “command. The founder created the concept to address problem areas in traditional military command structures. It has evolved to include many tenets of leadership, management, and strategy, to help fight as well as possible with a minimal loss of life and resources. The concept advocates that team members be given the full decision-making authority relative to their rank on accomplishing the assigned mission or goal. This is to increase initiative and flexibility and reduce the likelihood of inappropriate orders being given, according to the experience and expertise of each individual. The principles of mission command are vital to ensure success of any mission. Competent leaders are vital in any army since they ensure the army has everything they need to ensure they win a battle.

References

Burke, R. P. (2018). Command and Control: Challenging Fallacies of the military Model’s Research and Practice. International Journal of Mass Emergencies & Disasters, 36(2).

Matzenbacher, M. B. (2018). The US Army and mission command. Military Review, 2018, 61-71.

Mikaloff, M. R. S. School of Advanced Military Studies United States Army Command and General Staff College Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Pearce, A. P., Naumann, D. N., & O’Reilly, D. (2021). Mission command: applying military leadership principles to the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) crisis. BMJ Mil Health, 167(1), 3-4.

Ploumis, M. (2020). Mission command and philosophy for the 21st century. Comparative Strategy, 39(2), 209-218.

Rubel, R. C. (2018). Mission Command in a Future Naval Combat Environment. Naval War College Review, 71(2), 109-121.

Garrett, J. (2000). Task Force Smith The Lesson Never Learned. ARMY COMMAND AND GENERAL STAFF COLL FORT LEAVENWORTH KS SCHOOL OF ADVANCED MILITARY STUDIES.

Chen, X., Li, L., Zhang, W., & Li, L. (2021, December). Command and Control System in Intelligentized Warfare. In 2021 IEEE Conference on Telecommunications, Optics and Computer Science (TOCS) (pp. 951-954). IEEE.

Math 1101 Semester Project

Due: On 7/29/19 at 11:00 pm SHARP!

On iCollege Drop box

Instructor: Dr. M. Alexander

Student Name:_____________________

Student Panther ID: (last 4 digits) _________________

Turn in your project in the iCollege Drop Box with:

This cover sheet

The following pages with your answers on them

The excel print out that shows your work and supports your answers.

Semester Project

Part one (regression line or best-fit linear function)

The following table shows (for the years 1965 to 2000 and for people 18 and over) the total percentage of cigarette smokers, the percentage of males who are smokers, and the percentage of females who are smokers.

Percentage of Smokers

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Year Total Population All Males All Females

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

1965 42.4 51.9 33.9

1974 37.1 43.1 32.1

1979 33.5 37.5 29.9

1983 32.1 35.1 29.5

1985 30.1 32.6 27.9

1987 28.8 31.2 26.5

1990 25.5 28.4 22.8

1992 26.5 28.6 24.6

1993 25.0 27.7 22.5

1995 24.7 27.0 22.6

2000 23.3 25.7 21.0

1)Using Excel, draw a Scatter Plot and generate a regression line for the percentages of total population who are smokers versus time.

2) The Regression Line for the Percentage of total population who are smokers is (just copy the equation from your Excel spread

sheet , and attach an excel print out) :

______________________________________________

3) According to the model , the percentage of total population who are smokers in the year 2002 is:

__________________________________________________

Part two (quadratic function passing three points)

Use excel to find the quadratic function whose graph is a parabola containing the points (-2,1137), (2,1017), (3,1062).

The quadratic function is (attach an excel print out) :

__________________________________________________

Part three (best-fit quadratic function)

The table below gives the US population, in millions, for selected years.

EMBED Excel.Sheet.12

1) Create a scatter plot of the data points, with x equal to the number of years after 1960.

2) Create a best-fit quadratic function that models the data, using the number of years after 1960 as the input x.

The best-fit quadratic function is (attach an excel print out):

__________________________________________

3) Use the model to estimate the population of US in 2000. Is the estimate close to the actual population?

According to the model, the estimate of US population in 2000 is:

_______________________

4) Use the model to predict the US population in 2005.

According to the model , the US population in 2005 is: _______________________________

Turn in: The coversheet and these three sheets with your answers on them as well as the excel print showing your work (tables/graphs/equations/etc).

You do not need to turn in this page

How to Make a Scatter Plot and Regression Line (for users of Excel 2003 and before) :

Type your data into two columns side-by-side. Note The first column is always going to be on your X-axis by default

Highlight the data and select Chart Wizard from Insert Menu or the icon

Select XY (Scatter) from Chart Type.

Select the FIRST Diagram from the First Column (Scatter. Compares pairs of values) in the Chart sub-type

Click on Press and Hold to view sample of what you have made

Click on next to continue

Under Data Range; check Columns for Series in and click next

Under Titles,

Type in a title for your Bar Graph

Label both axes

Do not change anything under the Axes tab

Select the Gridlines tab and uncheck every box

Select the Legend tab and uncheck show legend

Select the Data Labels tab and ensure that no box has been checked and then click on next

For Place Chart; Select As object in to show both Data and Diagram

To include a Regression Line;

Right click on any of the plotted data:

Select Add Trend line

Under the Type tab select the appropriate type of graph your data fit

Under Options check Display equation on chart.

How to make a Scatter Plot and Regression Line (for users of Excel 2007) :

Type your data into two columns side-by-side. Note The first column is always going to be on your X-axis by default

Highlight the data and then “Insert “a Scatter Plot.

“Layout” to add title to your chart and turn off the legend and gridlines

To include a Regression Line,

Right click on any of the plotted data point:

Select Add Trend line

Under the Type tab select the appropriate type of graph your data fit

Under Options check Display equation on chart.

Business Friendly Governments

Name

Institution

Business Friendly Governments

Different countries have different procedures for registering a business. The longer the methods, the longer it takes to start the business. Stringent measures only bar prospective entrepreneurs from trading under a legally recognized entity. In turn, the country is denying itself income from taxes and duties that would have been paid by these businesspeople. The annual Ease of Doing Business report by World Bank ranks countries in the order of how easily a business can be started. I will, therefore, analyze the list by Hodgson CITATION Hod17 n t l 1033 (2017) and give opinions on why New Zealand made it to the top of the list, but Australia could not.

I am surprised to see Macedonia on the top-twelve list. It is a middle-income country, yet it has a better business registration process than first world countries like France, Germany, and China. A company only has to reserve a name and pay for a charter capital. I am also surprised to see Georgia on the list. It was just recently re-classified by the World Bank as a high-income country. It is not easy for financially strained individuals in such countries to start a business, but the ease in procedures has eased the task. I did not expect to see the US on the list since they have very stringent measures for non-citizens to start businesses in their country. Following the Brexit, UK also, in my opinion, may not have made a list, since they are withdrawing from the bloc trade. It, therefore, becomes hard for outsiders to engage in business.

New Zealand is ranked well than in Australia for many reasons. First, it has a conventional system for filing and paying taxes online. In Australia, one has to calculate their tax due or hire someone to do that for them. Information about avenues of paying taxes is not readily available. Secondly, the building regulations in New Zealand are straight forward and can be found online. Still, in Australia, the rules are amended annually by the Housing Industry Association in conjunction with the National Construction Code committee. Lastly, Australia has up to three steps to complete registering a business, and it takes around 20 business days to get an Australian Business Number. On the other hand, in New Zealand, it takes a single step and less than a day to complete.

Name

Professor

Course

Date

Abuse in Elderly Nursing Home

Slyne-with-Hest a nursing home in Lancashire found themselves in the news for all the wrong seasons. There were four staff in the home that were charged for abusing the elderly who had dementia as they though these individuals would not remember what was done to them. The elderly experienced both physical and emotional abuse that was characterized by being pelted with bags, bullied and mocked. According to one of the elderly person in the home, he stated that his foot was stamped on deliberately while another was almost tipped from their wheel chair. The actions of the workers are considered abuse because they inflicted pain on the elderly with the belief that these individuals would not end up remembering what happened to them.

The suspects, Michael Bryne, Daren Smith, Carol Ann Moore, Katie Cairns and Gemma Pearson were araigned in court and were charged with abuse of the elderly. Smith got an 8-months sentence, Cairns got a 5- months sentence, Moore 4months and Pearson was asked to carry out 12 months of community service and carry out 40 hours of unpaid work. Most of the victims were pulled from this home by the family because the management did also cover up the crimes.

In my opinion, the nursing home needs to fire everyone who was involved in the abuse incuding the entire management and hire other people who may have much compassion. There should also be close monitoring of the workers to ensure they carry out their tasks diligently. I believe the case was handed as it should have been. When local authorities received information about the possible abuse, they visited the home. Later the case was followed up by Care Quality Commission due to anonymous emails sent. The four suspects were arrested by police and the Lanshire County Council demanded a full inquiry into the issue.

Reference

Walker, P. (2014, January 10). Hillcroft nursing home care workers jailed for abusing elderly residents. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/jan/10/hillcroft-nursing-home-carers-jailed-abusing-residents

Business Environment

Student’s Name

Institutional Affiliation

Business Environment

Slide 1: Definition of Business Concepts

At the beginning of the course, I understood business as a process of exchanging goods and services with the aim of earning profit. Through this course, my comprehension of business has changed from just a process which does not only involve the exchange of goods and services. In this business has come out as an aspect that requires planning and laying of strategies to overcome the competitive forces of the free market (Stiglitz, 2015).

Slide 2: Definition of Business Concepts

Ideally, in this course, I understood business as a single-tier aspect involving general stakeholder analysis. However, this course has explicitly outlined to me that stakeholder analysis is a vital aspect that allows the business to understand and protect the interest of people who are influenced or influence decisions made in the business (Corporateethics, 2009). Ideally, the role of the government in business has been outlined to be laying out a regulatory framework to ensure fair competition and genuineness of products sold.

Slide 3: Definition of Business Concepts

Consumer behaviour as a business principle indicates why consumers make certain choices for products they purchase for consumption. For this reason, businesses have to understand the consumer decision-making process for them to understand consumer behaviours. Ideally, companies also ought to conduct an internal analysis to identify the strengths and weakness of the business (Corporateethics, 2009).

Slide 4: Business Environment

This is composed of external or internal factors which have a collective impact on business performance. Throughout this course, I have understood that external factors also influence how business organization functions. The business environment is also composed of microenvironment and microenvironment (Stiglitz, 2015).

Slide 6: Lessons relation to the Present and Future.

Lessons learnt throughout this course are helpful to my present and future career path. In the present, the knowledge I have acquired allows me to comprehend the fact that business is more than a collection of activities aimed at making profits. In the future, the knowledge that I have acquired in this course will allow me to effectively plan and strategize for my business as well as perform a stakeholder analysis. By understanding the concept of business environment, I can effectively understand the various aspects that have a collective impact on business performance and functioning of the business.

Slide 7: Reflective Business Practice

In this course, we learnt on the concept of reflective business practice which allows business practitioners to apply critical thinking and evaluation of one’s actions with an aim to continuously learn and develop professionally. By studying, the deeper contexts of this concept, I will be able to create platforms for my business to grow as well as improve my profession based on the reflections and critical evaluation of my actions.

Slide 8: Applying Concepts in the Future.

Having gone through this course, I have acquired knowledge of the business environment and other essential business concepts. Through this, I will apply this knowledge to perform stakeholder analysis, business environment scanning, complying to the existing government regulations and managing my workforce. Ideally, I will also use the knowledge acquired to perform consumer behaviour analysis. All these aspects will be aimed at boosting the business-stakeholder relationship and the overall business performance.

Slide 9: Professional Development Outside Formal Studies

Outside the formal learning environment, I will use various platforms that will help me professionally develop myself. Such platforms include special business projects, community involvement, job rotation at the work place and use of groups such as committees and peer groups.

References

BIBLIOGRAPHY l 1033 Corporateethics (Director). (2009). What is stakeholder theory [YouTube]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIRUaLcvPe8

Stiglitz, J. W. (2015). Principles of economics(Ebook-Second Edition).

Business

Students Name

Institution of Affiliation

Course Title

Date

In the business field, a budget is defined as a plan for an organization’s activities on expenses and revenues for a particular period (Bouckaert, Peters & Verhoest, 2016). A budget, therefore, is the primary tool in business for planning, controlling and tracking spending of an organization. The main purpose of the budget is to ensure that spending follows a plan, support the business objectives and stays within the present limits as well as does not exceed the available funds.

Incremental budgeting refers to the traditional method of budgeting whereby the budget is prepared by taking the current period’s budget or the actual performance as the base where the incremental amounts will include the adjustments for such things as inflation or the planned increases in the sales prices and the costs (Sridhar, 2017). The incremental type of budgeting is based on slight changes from the preceding periods budgeted results or either the actual results. It is a common approach in businesses where the management does not intend to spend a great deal of time in the budgets formulations or in the instances the organization does not perceive any significant need in conducting a thorough re-evaluation of the business. The particular mindset often occurs in times when there is not great deal of competition in an industry such that the profits tend to be perpetuated from one year to the next.

There are several advantages that arise from the use of the incremental budgeting (Wildavsky, 2017). Simplicity is one of the advantages as the budget is based on either the recent financial results or a recent budget to which can be readily verified. If a program requires funding for multiple so that it can achieve a certain outcome, the incremental budgeting is therefore structured to ensure that the funds have a continuous flow of the program thus ensuring funding stability. Operational stability is an approach to which ensures the departments get operated in a manner that is consistent and stable for long durations of time.

Anything that has an advantage has, however, possess some downsides as well. Similarly, the incremental budgeting is faced with several disadvantages. The incremental nature of the incremental budget assumes that there are only minor changes from the preceding period, when in fact there might be major structural changes in the business or its environment that call for more significant budget allocations. The incremental budget is known to foster overspending, it facilitates an attitude of use it or loses it in the regards to the budgeted expenditures since a drop in the expenditures in one period will be reflected in the future periods as well. Managers tend to build too little revenue growth and excessive expenses into the incremental budgets such that they can always have favorable variances thereby creating a budgetary slack.

In the incidences to which the budget is carried forward with minor changes, there tend to be little incentives to conducting a comprehensive review of the budget, such that the inefficiencies, as well as the budget slack, get to be automatically rolled into new budgets. Also, when the incremental budget is based on a previous budget, there always tend to be an increasing disconnect between the budget and actual results thus creating a variance from the actual budget. If a certain amount of funds get allocated to specific business areas in a previous budget, then the incremental budget assures that funding will be allocated in the same use in the future. Even if it no doesn’t need as much funding or if other areas require more funding and thus perpetuates resource allocation. Furthermore, since the incremental budgeting allocates most of the funds to the same use each consecutive year, it is difficult to get a huge funding allocation to direct a new activity. Thus, the incremental budgeting tends to foster the conservative maintenance of the status quo and thus does not encourage risk-taking.

Shortly, the incremental budgeting results in such a conservative mindset in a business that it might be a noticeable driver in destroying a company over the long term. One should instead engage in a thorough strategic re-assessment of the premises when preparing a budget as well as a detailed search of expenditures. Therefore, there should be significant changes in the allocation of funds from duration to duration as well as the targeted operational changes to which are intended to improve the competitive positions of a business.

Public budgeting is both a technical and a political process, and thus the approaches to public budgeting can thereby influence the extent and exercise of political power by the appointed professionals as well as the elected officials in governance (Simonsen, 2018). According to major critics, public budgeting has contributed to political power and bureaucratic growth. The budgetary process can also act as the arena in which the elected political officials demonstrate as well as enhance their power.

The main objectives of a government’s budget include reallocation of resources, reducing inequalities in the income and wealth, management of public enterprises, economic stability, reducing regional disparities as well as enhancing economic growth. The government prepares the budget for fulfilling certain objectives to which are direct outcomes of the government’s economic, political and social policies. Just like the other type of budgets, the incremental budgeting is not an exception and therefore tends to cover the same purpose just like the other budgeting types.

Reallocation of resources is among the main function of the budget to which the government and the public institutions use for the incremental type (Barr, 2018). Through the budgetary policy, the government reallocates resources by the economic; profit maximization and the social; public welfare priorities of the country. The government can influence the allocation of the resources through Tax concessions or subsidies to encourage investments to the producers. In one such an example is when the government discourages the production of harmful consumption of goods such as cigarettes and liquor through heavy taxes. The government may encourage the use khaki products through the provision of subsidies to the production and manufacturing sectors. The government can as well influence the allocation of resources through direct production of goods and services that is especially when the private sector does not have interest in a particular sector or in the case to which the private sector has assumed monopoly in production. Through allocation of resources, the government is capable of reviving all the falling projects in a country by using the incremental budget, which is adding an extra amount to the previous allocation such that the preferred projects attain the required stature. Therefore, the incremental budget is an important factor in the allocation of resources especially financial assistance to the crippling fields or those that need the government’s assistance.

The government uses budgeting as means of reducing the inequalities in income and wealth (Rubin, 2016). The economic inequality is an inherent part of every economic system in a country. The government aims at the reduction of such inequalities of income and wealth via its budgetary policy. The government further aims to influence the distribution of income through the imposition of taxes on the wealthy and spending more on the welfare of the poor people within its boundaries. The government will reduce the income of the rich and raise the standard of living of the poor and thus reduce the inequalities in the distribution of income. The main reason for the use of the incremental budgeting by the government to reduce inequalities in the income and wealth is because the incremental budgeting carries forward all the previous allocations of the budget to the next year. Thus it’s more influential in the wealth distribution and ensuring justice among the rich and the poor. Poor individuals have a bigger advantage with the use of the incremental budgeting as the budget favoring their side continues to be added and no matter how much it has previously been allocated.

Budgets are mainly prepared to ensure economic stability, and that’s why the core purpose of the budget is planning (Lorain, García Domonte & Sastre Peláez, 2015). The government uses the budget to prevent business fluctuations of inflations or deflation to achieve the objective of economic stability. The government is aimed at controlling the different phases of business fluctuations through its budgetary policies. The policies of surplus budgeting during the inflation as well as deficit budgeting during deflation aids in the maintaining of stability of prices in the economy. In the same case, the incremental budgeting is used by the government to reduce inflation through controlling the different phases of the business by allocating more funds to the times where there is monetary issues or deficit that need to be corrected putting the business in line again.

The government is mandated with the responsibility for the management of public enterprises through budgetary allocations and control (LÊgreid, 2017). There exist large numbers of the public sector industries especially the natural monopolies that are established and managed for the social welfare of the public. The budget is prepared with the main objective of making the various provisions for the managing of such enterprises and providing for the financial assistance to them. The incremental budgeting is thus of great importance to this sector of public welfare as it ensures that the public enterprises are continually allocated the funds that ensure their sound running thus preventing collapsing. The government is the sole proprietor of the public enterprises is mandated to ensure their smooth running, and thus the decision to use the incremental budget is more than suitable as the institutions serve the public interests.

Planning and budgeting go a long way to ensuring the economic growth of a country. Budgetary allocations contribute further to the growth of the economy that is influenced by proper planning. The growth rate of a country much depends on the rate of savings and investments (Brys et al. 2016). For this reason, the budgetary policies aim to mobilize sufficient funds and resources for the investments in the public sector. Therefore, the government is mandated to making various provisions in the budget to raise the overall rate of growth of the savings and investments in the economy. It is evident that for the country to grow economically sound, proper budgeting and planning are essential. The government uses the incremental budget to facilitate the growth of the economy via injecting a lump sum of finance into the required sector. The constant increment of the budget facilitates the growth and expansion of the targeted business and therefore. As a result, the gross domestic product of a country is targeted to rise improving the economy of the country.

Reducing regional disparities is another way to which the incremental budget is aimed at improving. The government’s budget is aimed at reducing the regional disparities through taxation and expenditure policies for promoting the setup of production units in economically backward regions. For this purpose, the incremental budget is used to inject funds on the neglected regions aiding in their resuscitation to reach the rest of the regions even if not fully but at least reach an average level. The budget furthermore is used to assist the individuals with low incomes by availing more job opportunities that are eventually aimed at raising the living standards of the people in the region.

There are three values that are used during the planning and budgeting and they include efficiency, efficacy and accountability (Bryson, 2018). Efficiency focusses on the process of the system of the program and its conversion of the inputs or the resources into the outputs making the value appropriate for the performance budgets and most in line with the management and the steering functions. Efficacy focusses on the outputs and the outcomes and thus measures the impact of the policies. Accountability refers to being open for scrutiny and thus it focuses on the inputs that are injected into the system or the program in action and therefore it is best characterized by the line item budgeting approach and best suited for the control and monitoring of a budget. Incremental budgeting is therefore of much importance to the government despite the drawbacks that it assumes in accomplishing the task of proper budgeting. The government has for years used the incremental budgeting to improve their economies as well as boost certain investments in their region. In case there is a negative flow in productivity especially the public sector, the government may inject more resources in addition to the previous allocated in order to make up the mess and keep things working out well. Therefore, the incremental budget has for decades been used by the governments in the public sector aimed at safeguarding the public from private exploitation and monopoly thereby serving the public in the best way. Despite the fact that most governments use the incremental budget to amass political power and support, the incremental budget has been of great value to many.

References

Barr, M. J. (2018). Budgets and financial management in higher education. John Wiley & Sons.

Bouckaert, G., Peters, B. G., & Verhoest, K. (2016). Coordination of Public Sector Organizations. Palgrave Macmillan.

Brys, B., Perret, S., Thomas, A., & O’Reilly, P. (2016). Tax design for inclusive economic growth. OECD Taxation Working Papers, (26), 0_1.

Bryson, J. M. (2018). Strategic planning for public and nonprofit organizations: A guide to strengthening and sustaining organizational achievement. John Wiley & Sons.

LÊgreid, P. (2017). Transcending new public management: the transformation of public sector reforms. Routledge.

Lorain, M. A., García Domonte, A., & Sastre Peláez, F. (2015). Traditional budgeting during financial crisis. Cuadernos de Gestión, 15(2).

Simonsen, W. (2018). Citizen participation in resource allocation. Routledge.

Sridhar, M. S. (2017). Unit-11 Budgeting Techniques. IGNOU.

Wildavsky, A. (2017). Budgeting and governing. Routledge.

ABSTRACTS:  Abstracts are not to exceed 150 words in length, and students are required to follow the standard abstract format described below.  Further, abstracts are to be typed, and double-spaced and must be turned-in on the assigned dates.

No abstract will be accepted late, but any assignment can be submitted early. Grading for the assignments will be based on properly citing your academic article (see below for the way to cite you article), on the completeness of the assignment, the level of analytical rigor, and the level of understanding and demonstration of competency of the article. Each assignment is worth 5 points.

Don’t forget that the academic article must be on governmental budget formation – the topic for this module.

Please refer to Wikipedia to learn what is an academic article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic_journal (Links to an external site.)WHAT IS AN ABSTRACT?

The abstract to be completed for this class consists of the following criteria:

Title:  the title of the article.

Author/s

Journal (full cite including year): Here is how you need to cite your article

McCue, C., Prier, E. and Steinfeld, J. (2020). Foundational Elements for a Public Procurement Body of Knowledge. Journal of Strategic Contracting and Negotiation. 4(4): pp. 233-251.

Name of reviewer (you)

ABSTRACT Example

Abstract:  the narrative should be a succinct, non-technical description of the article.  It must not exceed 150 words, typed double spaced, and should be so clearly written that the following questions could be answered by a member of the general public who reads it:

Paragraph (a):  What is the specific purpose of this article?  What information is being conveyed?

Paragraph (b):  How is the research conducted?  [A non-technical description of the general methodology used (i.e. narrative, exploratory, quantitative, etc.).  Should include notification of target group.]

Paragraph c):  What differences might the article make?  — to whom?  (What might we know or be able to do as a result of this work that we do not know or cannot do now?  To whom will this be important?)  It is important that the abstract shows justification for the research in terms of its implications for budgeting.