Category: Uncategorized

Case study

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Institution:

Date:

Abnormal Psychology

Based on the readings from the Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology, Sam suffers from anxiety. The evidence to support this is through the DCM-5, which talks about distress as one of the aspects of abnormal behavior. A person shows signs of distress due to the disabling conditions that they are experiencing (Comer, 2011). I selected the model because from the case study, Sam’s experiences of abnormal behavior led to panic attacks, and he thought he was going to die. The case study also shows that his anxiety attacks caused him to dread being in public places. Information regarding the psychological conditions affecting Sam can be collected using the unstructured interview. The main reason for using this method is to have a better understanding of the client by creating an environment that allows him to express himself. The process proves to be convenient, but it has several limitations. Unstructured interviews are time-consuming, and the information gathered is bulky, making it hard to compile the data collected.

According to the case study, Sam experiences anxiety symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea, racing heart and sweating. The clinical tests that can be used to determine Sam’s condition include a chest x-ray to determine the presence of fluids in the lungs and Echocardiogram which Sam’s doctor already performed. I selected these specific assessments because they are used to determine the cause of the anxiety attacks that Sam is experiencing. Therapy is one form of treatment that would fit the selected model. The treatment will be beneficial because it will reduce the feelings of distress associated with it. The goal of therapy is to improve mental health and improve relaxation of the mind. Based on the reading, “on being sane in insane places” (Rosenhem 1973) and the case study, I agree with Rosenham’s promise regarding mental illness.

References

Comer, R. J. (2011). Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology. New York: Worth Publishers.

Rosenhan, D. L. (1973). On being sane in insane places. Science, 179(4070), 250-258.

Management and Behavioral Leadership

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Institution

Introduction

The most important aspect to the successful running of an organization is its management. Good management results into efficient running of an organization including improvement of the workability and work quality of the employees. Due to this, several theories have come up to enable organization leaders to function more efficiently and for profit maximization. This paper, thus, reviews a behavioral leadership theory and functions of management that best fits the manager’s role and responsibilities in a precepted clinical setting.

According to Egner (2009), every institutional leader has the responsibility to solve individual problems through a dynamic utilization of personnel. His duty is to develop and maintain a culture that encourages work. As a result, the leader has to utilize more than only the functions of management. He or she should show concern for production as well as people.

In a clinic, organization, planning, controlling, and directing are the main functions of the manager. Quality work is crucial for the patients’ well-being and the medical practitioners have to be experienced and well conversant in their job descriptions. Planning involves the selection of programs, projects, or objectives appropriate for the type of organization. Furthermore, it also involves the procedures and policies for accomplishing them. Lutz (2010), on the other hand, states that planning should always come before the action. This then has to be combined with employee motivation and training so that they realize the organization’s target goals, including the mission and vision. The manager also has to overcome resource and political barriers. This goes together with being keen on identifying any deviations from the plan and doing the necessary planning for correcting the problem. Consequently, it is important to note that these management functions are not only for the top manager, but also for all leaders in the clinic. The managing director should however act as the head of all subordinate leaders.

Organization of clinical personnel occurs chiefly to achieve maximum coordination. This ensures efficient synchronization of staff, equipment, materials, methods, and timing. The customers in a clinic are mainly patients who have to be directed from one room to another and efficient coordination will always result to customer satisfaction and minimum chaos. Furthermore, Lutz (2010) states that well defined and logical organizations encourage savings in efforts and energy and minimize frustration. As a management function, organization entails the designation of specific duties to certain personnel and departments. It also defines their functions and specifies the links between personnel and departments.

In a clinical setting, diagrams, operating guides, and tables promote coordination of the staff, departments, and customers. However, it is difficult to keep them up to date and they give subtle coordination in fast growing, expanding, and dynamic enterprises. Another major cause of failure is delegation if authority to subordinates. A good delegator gives the ideas of subordinates a chance, allows the staff to make mistakes and learn from them, gives other subordinates the power to make decisions, and formulates an effective transfer of information over subordinates.

Behavioral leadership theory focuses on analyzing behaviors or actions that describe a style of leadership. With this aspect, leaders are required to work with a specific category of style that relies on their methods and actions used to fulfill the goals (Egner, 2009). However, the choice of suitable leadership criteria relies on the values and objectives of the individual making the evaluation, but different individuals have diverse values. Thus, the best approach is to include several criteria when researching on leadership effectiveness.

Egner (2009) recommends four criteria for leadership effectiveness. They include individual leader effectiveness, follower job fulfillment, follower fulfillment with leader, and group performance. The first criteria enables the assessment of the leader at an individual level on overall effectiveness. The second and third criteria enable coordination among the leaders and staff while group performance enables monitoring of all employees as a single unit.

Consequently, management also has to be made systematic by combining it with hub clinical procedures. For this to occur, leaders need to identify significant points in each project and ensure that the stakeholders are actively engaged. For the staff, formulation of unit councils is important to help them acquire a voice and make decisions. Furthermore, since clinical work involved listening and responding to patient issues, the staff should adopt a variety of qualities like good communication skills, good clarity and perception of the local language including community dynamics, and an answer oriented approach (Egner, 2010). Furthermore, respect and open-mindedness for the views of other eligible staff and a genuine obligation to individual position and organization goals are also important.

Conclusion

Generally, efficient and effective clinical practice requires the leaders to work together with the staff and stakeholders. If this can be integrated with proper management functions and behavioral leadership, then work will run smoothly and any arising problems will be easy to get rid of. Consequently, the staff should realize that they are all eligible in making crucial decisions regarding a patient’s well being and survival, thus they should not only rely on their leaders to make decisions although the final word should be the latter.

References

Egner, T. (2009). Behavioral Leadership – The Managerial Grid. München: GRIN Verlag GmbH.

Lutz, E. (2010). The functions of Management, Retrieved from,< http://www.cfa.ilstu.edu/pguithe/the345/am1c.html> Accessed December 11, 2012

MICROECONOMICS OF WHEAT PRODUCTION

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The City and State where it is located

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Pork Production

Commodity Description

Pork is one of the most preferred meat in the UK due to its white meat characteristics and the value it has to the body (Keeton and Dikeman, 2017). It is the meat of a domestic pig and is favored compared to the red meat. Denmark is the largest supplier of pork meat in the UK, having many individual farmers in the area. The gestation period of a pig depends on the breed kept. In the UK, the wild boar is the most common one, with a gestation period of 115 days, which is shorter compared to the Javan Warty Pig. The feed given to the pigs determines the time at which the pig will gain weight to reach the market requirement. A pig is slaughtered for pork when it gets to 60kgs. This weight is the most recommended; however, it may be a little bit less considering the market. Pork is traded in the London stock exchange.

Pork can be sold as raw meat or may be processed to make other products such as pork sausages, luncheon meat, and hot dogs (Iske, Morris and Kappen, 2016). It may be eaten unprocessed but cured in products such as smoked pork, ham, and bacon. It has a high protein content and fat hence help in the growth and development of consumers. It is also high in minerals and vitamins such as thiamine, zinc to aid in brain and immune system. Vitamin B12 and B6 help in blood and red blood cell formation and also improve brain function. Besides, it contains phosphorus and iron that is essential in body growth and maintenance.

Commodity Prices

According to the agriculture and horticulture delivery board, pig prices have been in the increase, especially between mid-2019 and February 2020. In April 2019, pig prices were at 139 sterling pounds, and by December 2019, the prices had risen to 162 sterling pounds (Pork.ahdb.org.uk, 2020). Currently, the price is at 162.82 pounds per kilogram. The drastic change within one year is extreme, with a difference of 23 pounds. The change in the price was because of the African Swine Fever, a severe viral disease that affected the farmers and killed most of the pigs being reared, mainly in Denmark (Taylor et al., 2020). The individuals who practice swine farming had to shift to other animal farming; hence the supply of pork meat went low. Also, the animals became resistant to the drugs that were used to prevent and cure this disease; thus, most of them succumbed to death. Due to low production that consequently caused less supply, pork prices rose from March, and until now, it has still maintained at 162, which is high compared to early 2019.

Low production with high demand in the market consequently impacts the prices, which leads to competition for the available product. Challenging weather conditions also affected the production of pork in the UK. High temperatures slow growth of pigs hence changing supply and lowers the quantity of the product in the market. High temperatures also reduce pig’s fertility; therefore, less production of pork that affect market supply (Loeb, 2019). Low or high outputs affect prices of pork in the market. The production level is influenced by many factors that affect prices profusely.

Reasons for and effects of price changes

In March 2019, the prices of pork went high from 138 to 162 sterling pounds due to the outbreak of African swine disease. Because the infected animals were not safe for consumption, the supply of pork reduced in the market (Hopkins and Terazano, 2020). This effect means a shift of supply shifted to the left, decreasing the quantity and increasing the price.

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A shift in the supply may either increase or decrease or decrease the prices. As seen from the diagram, the original price in the market is P1, with a quantity of Q1, which is formed with the demand D1 and supply S1. As supply shifts to the left to S2, it decreases the amount of pork to Q2 and also increases the price to P2. The African Swine disease causes the change in supply to the left, hence reducing the quantity and increasing cost (Bowman et al., 2013). This impact occurs with the constant demand for the same product.

Shifts in demand either increases or decreases the price of products in the market. A right shift in demand increases both the quantity of the product and price in the market. This is because when there is high market demand, production increases; hence the market reacts by increasing the price. This is because people are willing to purchase more of the product. A leftward shift means a decrease in demand for pork. It causes the quantity to decrease, and the price also drops.

Changes in the price of pork are caused by production changes, government regulations, and economic factors (Stępień and Polcyn, 2016). Pork production is affected by the quality of feed they eat as this determines the weight they will gain hence the time they will get to the market. Government regulations, such as having price controls, also determine the prices of the product. The controls ensure that the prices are not too high for the consumers nor too low for the producers. High temperatures also affect production hence reducing the supply of the product in the market. The cost of production also determines the prices set. High costs increase the price.

Government interventions

Production of pork or pig farming continued even after the outbreak of the disease due to the government putting regulations on smallholder farmers to register their animals and have laws on feeding the pigs (Wasley, Heal and Smaith, 2018). The rules were a way to ensure that the disease does not spread to other areas of the UK. The disease profoundly affected areas of China; hence there was the prevention of export products from outside the country to prevent bringing in the disease. Also, for farmers who undertake extensive farming, the government provides subsidies to the farmers, to support the large-scale farmers and increase production. Such subsidies and support affect the quantity and prices of the product.

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According to the above diagram, an increase in subsidy has the effect of increasing the quantity of the product in the market and decreasing the prices. The pork farmers receive price P2 while the rest is covered by the government. The subsidy provided by the government is shown by P2, P1 Q1D, Q1S.

During the disease period, such government subsidy is beneficial to farmers as they use it in their production. This may be through providing safe feed free from the disease to the pigs by each farmer (Jurado et al., 2018). The disease is spread through contact by an infected animal or through the consumption of meat with infection; therefore, preventing these ways of spread ensures the animals are safe.

However, the success of this subsidy was also a challenge as people evaded from the purchase of pork for fear of consuming contaminated meat. Farmers, too, were worried about losses that may occur due to the disease hence had shifted to other forms of farming. The disease has a high rate of mortality, which may make farmers lose a lot.

Evaluation

China is the highest consumer of pork in the world, and the UK is one of the leading exporters of pork to China. Therefore, pork farming has a high demand across the globe; hence is sustainable. Animal products are profoundly affected by diseases but having disease control steps may ensure that the product production and supply is maintained throughout the years (Bornett, Guy, and Cain, 2003). Consumption of processed and smoked sausages is also high, especially for breakfast. This is evidence that there is a high demand for the product.

However, some religious communities do not consume pig products. This is a challenge to its long-run success in situations where the population grows. Also, production areas will be restricted to areas that the Muslims do not inhabit. The areas may be conducive for pork production, but since the community’s religion prohibit its consumption, they may not allow the farming to occur in their area (Fuseini et al., 2017). Nevertheless, the current high demand eventually requires high supply; hence production must increase.

Government OF UK, has regulations on pig production, how to handle and transport them. These regulations ensure that the product that gets to the market is safe for consumption. Subsidies have ensured that the prices are not too high for consumers. However, the effect of the disease was huge and still reflects current prices; the government is trying to support farmers, to increase production hence get a reduction in the rates.

Changes in the supply of wheat affect the prices, which may make consumers opt for other sources of animal protein such as beef. There are beef sausages, and people may decide to consume them for breakfast rather than the pork. To avoid this, the government needs to support pigs’ farmers by providing disease prevention methods, subsidies, and lands to practice farming. The support will encourage more farmers to practice pork farming hence increase production, which increases supply in the market, leading to decreased prices.

References

Bornett, H., Guy, J. and Cain, P. (2003). Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 16(2), pp.163-186.

Bowman, A., Froud, J., Johal, S., Leaver, A. and Williams, K. (2013). Opportunist dealing in the UK pig meat supply chain: Trader mentalities and alternatives. Accounting Forum, 37(4), pp.300-314.

Pork.ahdb.org.uk. (2020). EU Reference Price. [online] Available at: https://pork.ahdb.org.uk/prices-stats/prices/eu-reference-price/ [Accessed 24 Feb. 2020].

Fuseini, A., Wotton, S., Knowles, T. and Hadley, P. (2017). Halal Meat Fraud and Safety Issues in the UK: a Review in the Context of the European Union. Food Ethics, 1(2), pp.127-142.

Hopkins, V. and Terazano, E. (2020). African swine fever drives up European pork prices. [online] Ft.com. Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/5d6a2c8a-eab5-11e9-85f4-d00e5018f061 [Accessed 24 Feb. 2020].

Iske, C., Morris, C. and Kappen, K. (2016). Influence of pork and pork by-products on macronutrient and energy digestibility and palatability in large exotic felids. Journal of Animal Science, 94(9), pp.3738-3745.

Jurado, C., Martínez-Avilés, M., De La Torre, A., Štukelj, M., de Carvalho Ferreira, H., Cerioli, M., Sánchez-Vizcaíno, J. and Bellini, S. (2018). Relevant Measures to Prevent the Spread of African Swine Fever in the European Union Domestic Pig Sector. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 5.

Keeton, J. and Dikeman, M. (2017). ‘Red’ and ‘white’ meats—terms that lead to confusion. Animal Frontiers, 7(4), pp.29-33.

Loeb, J. (2019). Defra taking action to prevent African swine fever in the UK. Veterinary Record, 185(5), pp.124-125.

Stępień, S. and Polcyn, J. (2016). The phenomenon of cyclical fluctuations on the pork market – global perspective. Management, 20(1), pp.382-396.

Taylor, R., Condoleo, R., Simons, R., Gale, P., Kelly, L. and Snary, E. (2020). The Risk of Infection by African Swine Fever Virus in European Swine Through Boar Movement and Legal Trade of Pigs and Pig Meat. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 6.

Wasley, A., Heal, A. and Smaith, E. (2018). Intensive farmers get £70M in government subsidies in two years. Bureau of Investigative Journalism. [online] Available at: https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2018-12-28/intensive-farms-get-70m-subsidies [Accessed 24 Feb. 2020].

Micro Environment Review: A Case of Ryan Air

Introduction

Developing a long-term business model for Ryanair entails planning for the airline’s future. Ryanair’s tactics and continual expansion have effectively transformed the firm from just a single route airliner to Europe’s leading low-cost carrier over the previous decades. To prepare for the future, one must have a thorough understanding of the present. This is the beginning point for a micro environmental assessment, which discovers the internal characteristics of the specific environment in which an organization operates and converts this information into actionable plans and choices. All elements that have a direct impact on the organization are included in the micro-environment. Porter’s Five Forces approach will provide a comprehensive analysis of the aviation business and its appeal.

Porter’s Five Forces

Bargaining Power of Suppliers

Due to the industry’s razor-thin profit margins, good negotiation is vital. Determining supplier and buyer negotiating strength is critical. Aviation suppliers include fuel suppliers, aircraft and component manufacturers, maintenance providers, and airports. Boeing and Airbus are the two main aircraft manufacturers. Its market share is substantial. A strong supplier position results from the two firms focusing on a coordinated approach that can effect price. The all Boeing fleet of Ryanair has resulted in considerable cost reductions when it comes to new planes and replacement parts. They cannot afford to lose Ryanair as a customer. Even with strong negotiating power, the hefty expenses of pilot retraining make Ryanair’s supplier switching costs unacceptably high.

Bargaining Power of Customers

When customers band together to put pressure on producers to lower prices or improve quality, they have negotiating power. When a large number of customers are concentrated, switching costs are low, and buyers are generally price sensitive, customers are thought to have more negotiation leverage. Traveling for pleasure or business is governed by one’s price sensitivity. Due to the fact that their tickets are often paid by their companies, business passengers are less susceptible to swings in ticket prices. Due to their frequent travel, large corporations may be able to get higher prices for their staff, which compensates the lack of sensitivity of business class passengers. Overall, Ryanair consumers have relatively high bargaining power because they can easily, and at no extra cost, switch to new airlines.

Threat of Substitutes

As long as the consumer gets the same value out of the substitute, it’s a replacement. Substitute products for the airline industry and Ryanair in particular include rail networks, marine transports, coach transportation, and car rental companies. In contrast, Ryanair plane tickets are less expensive than taking the train, buses, and ferry tickets. Since Ryanair has opted to rely on low prices as its principal source of competitive advantage, this is what has transpired. Comparatively, Ryanair’s exposure to substitute products and services is minimal.

Threat of new Entrants

The ease with which new players might enter and compete with current market members is known as the “threat of entrants (Rodríguez-García, Orero-Blat, & Palacios-Marqués, 2020). It’s difficult for new entrants to enter the airline business because of the high entrance barriers that must be overcome. Ryanair is minimally exposed to the threat of new entrants. Economic size, financial needs, distribution routes, and other variables are some of the factors that contribute to these hurdles.

Rivalry amongst Existing Firms

The airline industry is known for its hefty entrance fees, but exiting the market is just as expensive, with many companies choosing to operate at a loss. As a result, the number of competitors remains constant. The undercapitalized are weeded out, and the survivors are pushed to be as cost-effective and profitable as possible. While the number of existing airlines looks to be steady, another factor to examine is the expansion of new routes. Low-cost airlines fight intensely to deliver the lowest fares possible in order to acquire market share.

Important Stakeholders

Stakeholders include other airlines, staff/employees, passengers/customers, governments, local communities, and the suppliers, as well as the media and unions.

References

Rodríguez-García, M., Orero-Blat, M., & Palacios-Marqués, D. (2020). Challenges in the Business Model of Low-Cost Airlines: Ryanair Case Study. International Journal of Enterprise Information Systems (IJEIS), 16(3), 64-77.

Micro-Practice Settings in the Community

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Micro-Practice Settings in the Community

Macro, mezzo, and micro are the three levels that agencies employ to reach out to people in communities. The micro-practice level deals with individuals, families, and small groups (Mattocks, 2018). This level is often used to help individuals with basic issues directly. Some of these issues include helping one to find a home, taking care of foster children, and giving counseling. The main purpose of micro-practice in social work is to meet with individuals, families, and small groups to help them improve their quality of life. This is done by guiding these people in identifying and managing the challenges that bar them from having a happy and quality life. These challenges may be mental, physical, emotional, financial, or spiritual (Mattocks, 2018). The agencies help individuals in coping with life despite these challenges. The meetings set up often give people hope and strength to keep fighting and pushing for a better life. These talks help people who have mental issues or suffer from any other diseases that may be chronic; to understand their status and learn to live with it. Micro-practice agencies are important because they will help connect their clients to better resources, healthcare services, and temporary housing to ensure their lives get better (Mattocks, 2018). This paper will present research done on micro-practice settings in the community. It will include a faith-based, governmental, and private agency.

Faith-Based Agency

Faith-based organizations have a great value in society. The primary role of these organizations has always been providing basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter to the needy (Freund, 2021). Through a collaborative effort, individuals donate what they have to these organizations so that it is given to the less fortunate. Currently, the roles of these organizations are expanding, and they are now involved in housing and community development (Freund, 2021). The advantage of faith-based organizations is that they are fully committed and very passionate about helping people in the community. This is because it promotes people’s quality of life and nourishes their spirits. These organizations aim to help people; they also want to pull people into their faith and belief. Several faith-based organizations have been created to help other people in my community. For instance, the Catholic Church in my community has an organization that runs these operations. They give food, clothing, and shelter to those in need. Most of these resources come from church members, well-wishers, and donations from politicians and even the government (Freund, 2021). The church visits orphanages and shelters to donate the resources they have acquired. The people who manage to come to church and need this help are warmly received, counseled, and given the appropriate help. The church has built shelters that help accommodate the homeless. The church has an organizing committee that helps manage and redistribute the resources.

Governmental Agency

The government plays a valuable role in ensuring the lives of its people are good and of quality. It, therefore, offers social services to members of the community to achieve their goals. The government’s social services include free or affordable education, healthcare services, affordable housing, job training, adoption, and community development and management (Forenza & Eckert, 2018). The government employs social workers to give these services to people. The government has created agencies that help reach out to people in areas where some of these services are not accessible. For instance, an area can lack a mental health facility, and the government can play a role in dispatching social workers to these areas. They can do a door-to-door or set up a place to meet a small group of people at a time. Governmental agencies usually provide services at a subsidized cost (Forenza & Eckert, 2018). If it is education, the government can help pay a part of an individual’s tuition fee as they cater for the rest. The governmental agencies also provide minimum income support to individuals and households living in poverty (Forenza & Eckert, 2018). This way, the government helps improve the quality of life of people within its jurisdiction. Training jobs and engaging the youth in social work is another role that governmental agencies play. They engage the youth in activities that help in community development. This is a win-win situation since the youth will get paid for their services, and the community will benefit from these programs. Therefore, governmental agencies help develop individuals and the community through their programs.

Private Agency

Few private agencies deal with social work programs in my community. The few available agencies are sponsored by rich individuals and rely on donations from well-wishers. Despite wanting to help people in the community, the private agency faces challenges in reaching its goals. Paying their employers and getting resources to redistribute to society is challenging. However, most private agencies offer services like counseling that are affordable and easy to maintain (Jacob et al., 2020). Some volunteers work with private agencies without expecting pay. These individuals have a passion for guiding and counseling other people. They also want to see others happy through their talks and interaction. The private agency deals with individuals, families, and small groups. The major service provided is guidance and counseling. The people who seek help from these private agencies are often engaged in co-curricular activities and get enrolled in social clubs. This interaction with others through social activity helps the different individuals to build their self-esteem and confidence (Jacob et al., 2020). These actions, in turn, give these people a drive to work on the negativity in their lives and lead quality lives.

Hypothetical Client

The faith-based organizations, which are mainly churches in the community, receive many people every day. It could be adults, children, the old most of whom are homeless and lack basic needs. Therefore, faith-based agencies work around the clock to ensure they help as many people as possible (Mattocks 2018). The church could receive an orphaned child who is homeless. The church will take up the responsibility of taking care of the child. The child’s information will be investigated to ensure it checks out before the church takes him in as their responsibility. The concerned organization will report to the authorities to make them aware that the child is now under their care so that they get a go-ahead. Reporting to authorities will help prevent any future problems and need legal advice (Mattocks 2018). The client will be given food and shelter and also sponsor his studies. All the resources wired towards catering for this child come from the faith-based organization’s donations from the church, offerings, and donations from sponsors and well-wishers. At some point, the agency will connect the child to get a foster home so that they grow within the structure of a family. Alternatively, the child could be enrolled in an orphanage whereby the organization will send some of its members to visit him from time to time. As the church members visit the child they put in the home care, they also get the chance to visit the other children to give them food and clothing.

As a social worker, I have acquired skills to deal with different clients. Children have always been my soft spot because they are sweet and innocent. Approaching a child can be challenging, especially if they have undergone traumatic experiences. It, therefore, requires one to approach them with caution, or else they will shut off and not give you any relevant information. I would offer the child a snack, offer to play with them, or make a good and relevant joke to them. This will lighten up their mood and open a way for a good conversation. I would use indirect questions to get relevant and helpful information. For instance, they would tell you how they used to get late to school; you could ask them why and this will make them explain to you about their family life. The child could offer more information about their family or a hint to the kind of life. This will help me understand the child’s current situation and how I will be required to handle them. The person-in-environment theory will help me understand the child’s background and how they have been raised. This theory will help me get the information I will use to handle the child. I will know what to say and what to avoid ensuring that my client is comfortable throughout our interaction.

The quantity and quality of services offered by these faith-based organizations are good. However, these organizations should avoid pegging their services to their specific faith. When they offer help to people in the community, they should understand that not everyone will want to be a part of their faith. Some people do not believe in any religious aspects, but they will need help. So it does not mean that, as you offer them your help, they owe you their faith. Most people suffering out there are drunkards, drug addicts, and people who have engaged in criminal activities. These people know little to nothing about faith and churches, but faith-based organizations are obligated to help them. The organization will offer help, give them food and clothing, and counsel them. After this, an individual will decide to give their lives to the church and do as per the faith of the organization. If they accept to join the church, then the better for the organization, but if not, at least they did their part in helping the individual.

References

Forenza, B., & Eckert, C. (2018). Social worker identity: A profession in context. Social work, 63(1), 17-26. https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swx052

Freund, A. (2021). Culturally-based socialization to social work: comparison of faith-based and secular students. Social work education, 40(2), 190-205. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2019.1664453

Jacob, A., Tauati, A., & Brown, A. (2020). Applied response to homelessness: Model for service learning across the micro-macro social work practice continuum. Journal of Social Work Education, 56(sup1), S131-S141. https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2020.1723758

Mattocks, N. O. (2018). Social action among social work practitioners: Examining the micro-macro divide. Social Work, 63(1), 7-16. https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swx057

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Question 1:

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Selling Price per Unit 250 250 250 250 250

Variable Cost -86 -86 -86 -86 -86

Contribution 164 164 164 164 164

Units Sold 70000 80000 100000 85000 75000

Total Contribution 11480000 13120000 16400000 13940000 12300000

less Fixed Costs 2400000 2400000 2400000 2400000 2400000

less Depreciation 4200000 4200000 4200000 4200000 4200000

EBIT 4880000 6520000 9800000 7340000 5700000

less Tax @ 40% 0.4 1952000 2608000 3920000 2936000 2280000

EAT 2928000 3912000 5880000 4404000 3420000

Add Depreciation 4200000 4200000 4200000 4200000 4200000

Net Cashflow 7128000 8112000 10080000 8604000 7620000

Question 2

Calculation of Depreciation (total cost of machine – salvage value)/number of years

(21000000-0)/5=4200000 Question 3

The payback technique overlooks the time estimation of cash. The money inflows from a venture may be sporadic, with the vast majority of the return not happening until well into what’s to come. A venture could have a satisfactory rate of return yet at the same time not meet the organization’s obliged least payback period. The payback model does not consider money inflows from the extent that may happen after the starting venture has been recuperated. Most real capital consumptions have a long life compass and keep on providing pay long after the payback period. Since the payback technique concentrates on fleeting benefit, an alluring task could be ignored if the payback period is the main thought (Horngren, 2012).

Question 4: Accounting rate of Return

EBIT 4880000 6520000 9800000 7340000 5700000

less Tax @ 40% 0.4 1952000 2608000 3920000 2936000 2280000

EAT 2928000 3912000 5880000 4404000 3420000

Add Depreciation 4200000 4200000 4200000 4200000 4200000

Net Cashflow 7128000 8112000 10080000 8604000 7620000

Question 5:

Accounting Rate of Return

The accounting rate of return is ascertained by subtracting deterioration from the aggregate money stream, then isolating the consequence of that count by the beginning speculation. The result is the rate of the introductory venture you can hope to acquire for the period. The result is utilized to land at the normal bookkeeping return rate; the bookkeeping rate of return for every year is included then partitioned by the quantity of years included in the computation.

Pros

Calculating the average rate of return is easy. Managers can rapidly see whether a venture opportunity may be sufficiently lucrative to legitimize doing further assessment. Come back to the illustration of buying new hardware to expand gainfulness. On the off chance that the introductory computation demonstrates the buy will just earn a 2 percent expansion in benefits however putting resources into trucks to convey items to the clients will lessen the transportation costs by 10 percent, then administration ought to choose the diminished delivering expenses is a finer speculation.

Cons

The biggest drawback in using the average accounting return method doesn’t take into record the time estimation of cash. This is the idea that cash is worth a known sum today, however there is no assurance what the same measure of cash will be worth later on. As such, you recognize what you can purchase today with a given measure of cash. You don’t realize what you can purchase for the same measure of cash tomorrow, and the more drawn out it takes you to win back your speculation, the more noteworthy the danger included with supporting the obtaining influence of that future cash esteem.

Question 6:

NPV= Discounted Cashflows-Initial Outlay Discounted Cashflows yr Cashflows Discounting Rate @ 8% present value

1 7128000 0.9259 6599815.2

2 8112000 0.8573 6954417.6

3 10080000 0.7938 8001504

4 8604000 0.735 6323940

5 7620000 0.6806 5186172

Total Present value 33065848.8

less Initial Outlay 21000000

Net Present Value 12065848.8

Question 7

Based on the Net Present Value the company should continue pursuing its PDA projects as the NPV value indicates future prospect of the project. The means that the project will be profitable.

Reference

Garrison, R. H., Noreen, E. W., Brewer, P. C., & McGowan, A. (2010). Managerial accounting. Issues in Accounting Education, 25(4), 792-793.

Horngren, C. T. (2012). Cost Accounting: A Managerial Emphasis, 13/e. Pearson Education India.



Management and Cost Accounting for Pepsi Company

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Institution

Management and Cost Accounting for Pepsi Company

Introduction

All the profit making organizations have a major objective of maximizing profits and this can only be achieved through efficient and effective management of both material and human resources. According to Weygand (2009), management accounting is a core part of management that is concerned with the identification, presentation, and interpretation of information useful in formulating strategies, decision making, optimizing resource use, controlling and planning activities, safeguarding assets, and disclosure to employees. These managerial functions can only be achieved by an important tool called standard costing. Standard cost accounting techniques, therefore, represent the central part of management accounting techniques, which also include responsibility accounting statement and budgetary system. This enables profit oriented organizations and manufacturing firms achieve their profit maximization objectives through effective and efficient use of material and human resources by proper use of management accounting techniques (Weygandt, 2009). This report seeks to identify and synthesize the effects of core formative influences on the systems of management accounting in the recent history of Pepsi Cola Company. It will also identify the important drivers for changes in the company and in the general business environment, and also evaluate their potential and actual effects on the concept of management accounting. The report will also seek to describe, discuss, and critically appraise balance scorecard as a best way of measuring the performance of business organizations.

Company Background

Pepsi is a leading global company dealing in beverages, snacks, and food. They use contract manufacturers or manufacture, market and sell a variety of convenient, salty, grain based snacks, carbonated beverages, and foods in over 200 countries (Weygandt, 2009). Its largest operations are in North America (Canada and United States), United Kingdom, and Mexico. The company has a commitment to a sustainable growth, which is basically referred to as a performance with purpose. It also has a commitment focused to generating a healthy financial return and at the same time give back to the society. This includes meeting the needs of its consumers by offering a spectrum of reliable and convenient beverages and foods and reducing the company’s impact on its environment through energy, water, and packaging initiatives. The company also seeks to support its employees through inclusive and diverse culture that strives to recruit and retain world class talent (Gill & Gill, 2009).

The company was started in 1898 by an industrialist and Pharmacist called Caleb Bradham. It came to be known as PepsiCo in 1965 after merging with Frito Lay. Until 1997, the company owned Pizza Hut, KFC, and Taco Bell, but these restaurants were later spun off into the Tricon Global Restaurants. In December 2005, the company surpassed Coca-Cola Company for the first time since the two companies began to compete (in terms of market value) (Weygandt, 2009). The company is organized into three basic business units: (1) PepsiCo Americas Foods, which include Quaker Foods North America, Frito-Lay North America, and Latin American snack and food business, (2) PepsiCo Americas Beverages, which include Latin America beverage Businesses and PepsiCo Beverage North America, (3) PepsiCo International, which includes all Pepsi businesses in Europe, United Kingdom, Middle East, Asia, and Africa. The company manufactures and sells its products through consolidated businesses and non controlled affiliates (Gill, & Gill, 2009). The leading sweet and salty snack brands of the company include Doritos, Lay’s, Cheetos, Ruffles, and Smith’s. The company also uses contract manufacturers to manufacture and a sell several Quaker brand snacks and cereals. It also manufactures and sells beverage concentrates, finished goods, and fountain syrups under other beverage brands including Marinda, 7 UP, Pepsi, and Mountain Dew. The brands are sold to independent distributors, authorized bottlers, and retailers. However, in some markets, the company operates its own distribution facilities and bottling plants. The company also uses the contract manufacturers to market and sell ready to drink tea products through international joint ventures (Gill, & Gill, 2009).

The company operates in a highly competitive market environment. It competes against regional, local, global, and private manufacturers on the basis of quality, product variety, price, and distribution. In the United States, the company’s chief beverage competitor, Coca-Cola Company, enjoys a large share of carbonated soft drink consumption, while it enjoys a large share of liquid beverage consumption (Weygandt, Kieso, & Kimmel, 2010). The Coca-Cola Company also enjoys a significant share of the carbonated soft drinks consumption in other markets outside the US. On the other hand, Pepsi’s snack brands enjoy significant leading worldwide positions in snack industry. Its snack brands are faced with regional, local, global, and national snack competitors. Success in such a competitive environment depends on the effective promotional strategies for the existing products and the new products to be introduced. The company believes that its brands’ strength, marketing and innovation, its products’ quality, and flexible distribution networks enables it to compete favorably.

International markets have increasingly become hotspots for PepsiCo. These markets include Mexico, Eastern Europe, Saudi Arabia, China, and India. It has a 37% global share of the market operating in 190 nations. The company takes great care at every level of its operation to ensure that the highest level of standards is met. In their product marketing, advertising, and packaging, they strive to be excellent because they believe that their customers deserve to be served with better quality products and at the same time promise to work with an aim of improving all areas of their operations. In their bottling and manufacturing process, the company follows strict quality controls to ensure that its products meet the high quality standards expected from them by their customers. The company also follows strictly formulated quality procedures during package filling and manufacturing and each can and bottle passes through testing and inspection process (Weygandt, Kieso, & Kimmel, 2010). Containers are quickly rinsed and filled through high speed and a state of the art process, which ensures that no foreign material enters the products. The quality control measures ensure that the integrity of the products is maintained throughout the process of distribution from the warehouse to the stores shelf. PepsiCo local bottlers determine the products to pack and market in their territory of operation based on the demands of the local consumers and other market factors. It has a big market share to challenge its main competitor (Coca-Cola) and a balance of promotions to effectively communicate to its target customers.

The company’s operations outside the U.S., particularly Mexico, Canada, Russia, and the United Kingdom significantly contribute to its revenue and profitability and the growth of its businesses in the emerging markets such as china and India presents a very good opportunity for future expansion of the company (Weygandt, Kieso, & Kimmel, 2010). However, there is no assurance that the existing products or the newly manufactured products will be successful or accepted in the emerging markets due to local and global competition as well as differences in culture and product price. The financial performance of the company may be adversely affected if it is not able to expand its businesses in the emerging and developing markets or if it is not able to form strong strategic business alliances to survive in the competitive and ever changing political and economic environment. Civil unrest, market risks, and unstable political conditions could also have diverse effects on the financial performance of the company. To effectively compete, the company must develop a mutually beneficial relationship with its key customers, Wal-Mart, and other retailers. The loss of any of its customers including Wal-Mart could adversely affect its financial performance. The conduct of the company’s business activities, including distribution, production, advertising, sale, labeling, marketing, transportation, and so on, are subjected to various laws and regulations as administered by the government. The laws and regulations may change, at time, dramatically, due to economic, social, and political events. According to Weygandt, Kieso, & Kimmel, 2010), such changes may involve a change in food and drug laws, labeling, marketing and advertising practices, export of the company’s product, laws restricting on the kind of ingredients to be used, or high taxations. These may have serious implications in the operations of the company such as increasing the cost of production.

Critical Accounting Policies

The policies may obligate the management to make subjective and difficult judgments concerning uncertainties, which may thus have significant impact on the financial results of the company. Likelihood of future changes and precision of such estimates highly depend on a range of underlying variables and a number of possible outcomes. The company’s critical accounting policies operate in conjunction with revenue recognition, goodwill and brand valuations, and income tax expense.

Revenue Recognition

The company’s products are sold on credit terms or for cash. Credit terms are established according to the industry and local practices and it normally require payment to be made within a period of 30 to 90 days (Capparell, 2008). It may also guarantee discounts for the customers who make early payments. It recognizes revenue for delivery or shipment to its customers based on the written terms of sales. The company has a policy to replace out of date and damaged products from its store shelves and ware houses to ensure that the customers receive quality and fresh products that they expect.

Brand and Goodwill Valuations

The company sells its products under various brand names and the costs incurred in developing a brand must always be accounted for. In case the company makes some acquisitions, the buying price is allocated to the identifiable assets and liabilities, based on the estimated value (Capparell, 2008). Any remaining buying price is recorded as goodwill. Determining a fair value requires a significant assumption and estimate based on evaluation of several factors such as product life cycles, marketplace participants, market share, consumer awareness, brand history, amount of future cash flows, future expansion expectations, and discount rates. The company has a belief that a brand can have an indefinite existence if it has a record of strong cash flow and revenue performance (Weygandt, Kieso, & Kimmel, 2010). This has made it develop the ability and intent of supporting the brand at present and the foreseeable future. In the event that perpetual brand criteria are not timely met, the brands are then amortized over their expected future useful lives, ranging from five too forty years.

Income Tax Expense

The company’s income, available tax planning opportunities, and statutory tax rates are determinants of the annual tax rate. Significant judgment is vital in the evaluation of tax position and determining the annual tax rate. Deferred tax liabilities normally represent the tax expenses recognized in the financial statements in which payments have been deferred. In 2008, annual tax rate for the company was 26% compared to 25% in 2007 (Capparell, 2008). The 1% increase in tax rate in 2008 is primarily attributed to the absence of tax benefits recognized in the previous years in relation to favorable resolution of foreign tax matters. The costs incurred by the company include the purchase of direct material, manufacturing overhead costs, and direct labor costs. The raw materials used in the company include oil, potatoes, and flavor. The direct labor comprises of three steps namely, raw material, processing, and packaging. Manufacturing overhead costs incurred by the company include the cost of electricity in the manufacturing process.

Internal Accounting Procedures

The company has the snacks department, which has several major divisions that accumulate costs. The divisions include: production, finance, R & D, Personnel, planning, and marketing. The department of marketing is composed of sales and distribution, advertising and marketing, and general and administration (Capparell, 2008). However, costing is majorly associated with the department of production. The company’s costing is classified into manufacturing costs and non-manufacturing costs. Manufacturing cost is composed of direct material, direct labor, and manufacturing overhead, which on the other hand is composed of variable manufacturing overhead and fixed manufacturing overhead. Non-manufacturing costs is composed of selling costs and administrative costs.

Manufacturing Costs

This is the expenditure incurred in the production process. The costs incurred by the company under this category include direct costs, which include the cost of raw materials such as oil, potatoes, seasoning (flavor), carton, and film (packet). The other cost is direct labor, which are basically labor costs and sometimes called the touch labor since the workers typically touch the products. According to Capparell, (2008), direct labor include workers working in peeling department, washing department, input department, frying department, slicing department, packaging department, and seasoning department. The other cost is the manufacturing overhead, which include all manufacturing costs except direct labor and direct material. Variable manufacturing overhead costs include gas, electricity, nitrogen (N2) flush, repairing costs, utility expenses, and maintenance costs, whereas fixed manufacturing overhead costs include rental costs, meals, transportation costs, and depreciation. It is also composed of indirect labor costs, which include security guards, labor used in the service department, labor in the engineering department, warehouse labor, overtime, and labor in the quality department.

Non-manufacturing Costs

These are the costs not incurred in the process of manufacturing a product. They include such costs as advertising expenses and salaries of salesmen. Non-manufacturing costs are again divided into two categories as selling and marketing costs and administrative costs. Marketing and selling costs are the sales required to secure the customer orders and ensure that the finished products safely reaches the hands of the customers (Gill, Mickey, & Gill, Cheryl, 2013). The costs are often referred to as order filling costs or order getting costs. They include placement costs, commissions, and transportation costs. The other category of non-manufacturing costs is the administrative costs, which include clerical, organizational, and executive costs associated with the general organizational management rather than with marketing, manufacturing, or selling. Administrative costs include general accounting, executive compensation, public relations, secretarial, and other such costs used in the overall administration of the company. In the Snacks department of Pepsi Company, the following costs are listed as administrative costs: salaries, depreciation costs, and office expenditure (furniture and stationery costs).

Cost Classification on Grounds of Cost Behavior

Costs can be classified based on their behavior other than being classified as manufacturing and non-manufacturing (Gill, Mickey, & Gill, Cheryl, (2013). These are variable costs and fixed costs. Variable costs are costs that vary in direct proportion to the changes in activity levels. In the case for PepsiCo, the variable costs incurred include electricity and gas. On the other hand, fixed costs are costs that remain constant regardless of the changes in activity levels. For PepsiCo, such costs include depreciation of fixed assets, transportation costs, cost of permanent staff, and rental costs. Other costs incurred by the company include extra benefits and fringe benefits given to employees. Fringe benefits are the perks given to workers to motivate them with an aim of retaining them. Fringe labor includes meals, overtime, and transportation. Extra benefits to executives also include provident fund, pay roll, free medical facility, fuel expense, transport expense, and cell phones.

Process Costing

The company’s snacks department undertakes the system of process costing because of the production of identical product units on a continuous basis and for a long period, costs are accumulated by the departments, and units are computed by the departments (Gill, Mickey, & Gill, Cheryl, 2013). For PepsiCo, there are three major departments involved in the manufacture of potato chips: processing department, packaging department, and input department. Input department deals with processing of the raw materials. The company owns farms where grade A potatoes are taken from. The potatoes are first put into check for quality inspection before being put into the process. After approval, they are then put into further processing. The next department is the processing department, which is further sub divided into five sub departments; washing, slicing, peeling, frying, and seasoning. The last department in this aspect is the packaging department whereby the products are packaged and then a nitrogen flush is passed into the packets before sealing to ensure that the products have a lifespan of three to four months in the case for the processed potatoes. The packets are packed into cartons and then sealed after which they are sent to the purchase points or warehouses (Capparell, 2008).

Cost flow system

The direct labor, manufacturing overhead, and direct materials are transferred into the account of work in progress after which they are transferred to finished goods inventory.

The company has undertaken a number of assumptions in its daily operations which include:

Labor is a fixed cost.

Discretionary fixed costs include quality maintenance expenses, R & D expenses, and advertising expenses.

Committed fixed costs include labor costs and contractual costs.

Summary

New businesses and companies that are less established normally require a break even in order to succeed. However, PepsiCo is an established business and a strong brand that do not require a break even analysis in order to run. It instead needs the break even analysis to analyze its profit margins. According to Gill, Mickey, & Gill, Cheryl (2013), PepsiCo’s existence in the market is attributed to its profit maximization objective and target profiting. In cost accounting analysis, there is need to look into costing procedures. It normally involves the use of absorption and variable costing procedures. In the case for PepsiCo they majorly focus on the variable costing approach, mainly used for decision making while absorption costing approach is used in the analysis of financial figures. These cost analysis methods are very vital in determining the profitability of the company and whether the company is in a position to attain its set objectives.

References

Capparell, S. (2008). The real Pepsi challenge: How one pioneering company broke color barriers in 1940s American business. New York, NY [u.a.: Wall Street Journal Books.

Gill, M., & Gill, C. (2009). The ultimate coke or pepsi?: Amazingly awesome questions 2 ask your friends!. Longwood, Fla: Fine Print Pub.

Gill, Mickey, & Gill, Cheryl. (2013). Coke or Pepsi? Forever!: Amazingly Awesome Questions 2 Ask Your Friends!. Fine Print Pub Co.

Kimmel, P. D., Weygandt, J. J., & Kieso, D. E. (2011). Financial accounting: Tools for business decision making. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley.

Weygandt, J. J. (2009). Hospitality financial accounting. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley & Sons.

Weygandt, J. J., Kieso, D. E., & Kimmel, P. D. (2010). Managerial accounting: Tools for business decision making. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

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Bridgeport City

Bridgeport is a seaport city in the state of Connecticut. It is located in Fair County and bordered by other towns which are Fairfield, Trumbull, and Stratford. It is the largest city in the state with a population of roughly 146000 people. The city has a rich history dating back to before colonization by the English. The earliest inhabitants of the town were a native tribe called the Paugusett. The tribe had several scared sites one of which was the Golden Hill which was the source of water for their planting fields. The natives were mainly fishermen and farmers, growing crops such as squash, com and beans. When the colonialists arrived, they set up camp in Stratfield district. They began to take part in activities such as farming and the town began to grow as a trading center. The shipbuilding and whaling industries were also established at the time (Forrant). The Housatonic Railway boosted the economy of the town especially after it was connected to the rails of New York and new haven. Manufacturing became the backbone of the city’s economy until the 1970s.

Before and during the First World War, the city continued to expand mainly due to industrial growth. Heavy industry restructuring in the 1970s saw the decline of the city’s economy. Many people lost their jobs and many more moved out of the city into the rapidly developing suburban neighborhoods. The city was further mismanaged and several officials were convicted of this. The city filed for bankruptcy but was declared solvent by a federal court in 1991. In recent years the city has revamped itself by coming up with mixed development projects and proposed shopping areas that will create jobs for its economy.

The city has a population of about 146000 people making it a small city with a relatively low population. It is mainly suburban as most people live outside the city itself. This is because of the collapse of heavy industries in the 1980s that led to the economic and social decline of the city. The city is divided into five geographic neighborhoods which are Downtown, East Side, North End, South End and the West Side. These neighborhoods are mostly middle class and upper middle-class. The city can this be termed as being middle class although there are a few poor neighborhoods in the geographic areas around. The median income per person in the city is about $43000 which is lower than other cities in the state.

The main economic activities of the town are centered on the service industry. The main employers are the fields of education, health and finance. The major employer is the health sector with the largest hospitals being St. Vincent’s medical centre, Bridgeport Hospital and Bridgeport Healthcare Centre. These hospitals combined employ about 6000 people. Other employers are the People’s United Bank, the University of Bridgeport and Housatonic Community College. The rate of unemployment is relatively low with some people being employed and others running small scale businesses within the city. The city has one of the most unequal income distributions in the city with fifty seven percent of going to the wealthiest people.

The governance structure of the city is the mayor-council system. Each district in the county elects two members into the city council. The mayor is elected by all the residents of the city at large. The public schools system takes up most of the budget of the city, about half of the total budget amounting to nearly $260 million. The Property taxes in the city are quite high, about 4.2%. The mill rate reached an all time high in 2017 at 54.37.

Some of the major problems that the city of Bridgeport faces include the high rate of taxes. One resident of the city even proposed that the city be given the Guinness world record for highest raise in property taxes in a year in 2017. Aside from this, the other major challenge is how the city spends its revenues. A lot of it goes into retirement benefits that have escalated in the recent past. The medical covers of the retired people also weigh heavily on the city’s budget. Other concerns include employment levels and poverty levels. During the economic crunch faced by the city, many people lost their jobs and this has affected the quality of services available. The city has also faced crimes common in others pats other country. To combat these crimes and other concerns of residents, the mayor launched a platform for them to report any issues (Barraza). A major challenge in the city is that there may not be enough resources to address them because of the fiscal inflexibility that is part of cities in Connecticut.

I would say that my city is a good place to live. There is a vibrant entertainment scene, waterfront park and beaches. For theater and music, there are several venues for events. These venues include Cabaret Downtown Theatre, Playhouse on the Green, Webster Bank Arena nod Playhouse on the Green (Hersh 103). These arenas can host both large and small events such as children’s plays and concerts, sports events and theaters. One of the most famous events that are hosted by the city is the Gathering of the Vibes. The event takes place every year and showcases music, arts and camping events through an entire weekend. The event attracts thousands of people from all over the country. The Greater Bridgeport Symphony is one of Bridgeport’ prestigious orchestras that has been existence since 1945.

For history and nature lovers, the city is home to museums, parks and zoos. The Discovery Museum and Planetarium shows science-focused exhibits. The Housatonic museum of Art has an impressive art collection of art considering it is only two years old. The Barnum museum concentrates more on the history of the city while the Beardsley Zoo is the only zoo in the wider Connecticut region. The city is also home to a number of parks, earning it the nickname ‘the Park City’. The first park was created in 1806 and as the population of the city grew, residents recognized the need for public spaces. This led to the creation of Seaside Park, Beardsley Park, Beechword Park, and Pleasure Beach (Olmsted).

In conclusion the city of Bridgeport has a rich history that spans through many decades. The city has grown through times of social and economic decline due to bad leadership but in recent times it has risen again. It is now home to tens of thousands of residents and the current leadership has come up with plans to earn the city even more revenue by creating employment and attracting tourists. The city is home to people of diverse backgrounds making it cosmopolitan and welcoming to visitors. Its public parks are also a major attraction and source of pleasure for its residents. The vibrant music and art scene provides entertainment for the residents by hosting sporting events, concerts, plays and camping activities. Living in the city gives a person many options to choose from in terms of entertainment and exploration. Challenges are an inevitable part of growth but Bridgeport City is a wonderful place to live in.

Works Cited

Forrant, Robert. “The Rise and Demise of the Connecticut River Valley’s Industrial Economy.” Historical Journal of Massachusetts 46.1 (2018).

Olmsted, Frederick Law. Frederick Law Olmsted: Plans and Views of Public Parks. Vol. 2. JHU Press, 2015.

Hersh, Barry. “Parks, open space, arts and culture.” Urban Redevelopment. Routledge, 2017. 101-108.

Barraza, Brisa, et al. “Design Thinking for Better Community in the City of Bridgeport.” (2018).

Ahmya Ash                                                                   

Advanced Composition 213

Professor Ruby Lewis

August 27, 2020

                                                              Outline

Broad Subject: Heritage

Specific Topic:  Dee’s superficial view of her family heritage   

Thesis Statement:  In Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use,” Dee (Wangero) Johnson neglects her real heritage and adapts a new one, while belittling her family who lack education.

Supporting Points: 

1.  Dee’s distant relationship with her family

2.  Dee’s newly acquired identity

3.  Dee’s distorted perception of her heritage 

Supporting Statements:

1. Dee’s relationship with her family became estranged when she went to Augusta for school.

2. During the black consciousness movement, Dee acquired a new Afrocentric identity.

3. Dee’s distorted perception of her heritage stems from her not wanting to be connected to slavery.

Concluding Statement: Dee (Wangero) lives in her own world as she tries to find her new identity within African cultures, she rejects her real heritage in favor of a constructed one.

Title:  Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use”

Dominant Mode of Development: Character Analysis

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Abnormal Memory Disorders

PART A. Two Environmentally Influenced Abnormal Memory Disorders

Dementia is an abnormal memory disorder caused by environmental factors. The disease is caused by damage to the brain, which leads to progressive loss of the thinking ability due to brain damage. The condition leads to deterioration of the thinking capacity, impaired reasoning, and personality changes. The syndrome is most common in aging persons and may be challenging to diagnose since there are no tests that have ever been done for its diagnoses. However, the consciousness of dementia affected people usually is not affected, although it can cause disability (Henderson).

Another environmentally influenced memory disorder is the Wernicke- Korsakoff Syndrome, which is mostly caused by excessive consumption of alcohol. The disease is also a result of the lack of vitamin B1 available in thiamine. The main features of the syndrome include brain dysfunction, an altered mental state as well as other brain abnormalities. The symptoms of this disorder include short term memory, increased confusion, and amnesia. Victims of the condition are mostly reported to have abused alcohol in their past or present. They are most likely unable to process new information or activities. Victims also develop inattentiveness and agitation, while most of them appear to be apathetic (Kuhn et al.).

PART A. Two Genetically Predisposed Abnormal Memory Disorders

One of the genetically predisposed memory disorder is Huntington’s disease (HD). The condition is characterized by mood changes and loss in mental abilities, especially for the old. Other symptoms include unsteady movement and a general lack of coordination in humans. The disease is caused by a huntingtin gene mutation in humans and passed on to generations of the infected people. The condition can be diagnosed through genetic testing to the pre-exposed victims prior to the symptoms showing off. However, there is no cure for HD, and full-time care is required for patients at their late stages of the disease. Study shows that the disease affects both men and women equally, and most of them develop other conditions such as pneumonia and heart diseases due to the movement disorder (Labadorf et al.).

Another memory disorder caused by genetic factors includes Parkinson’s disease (PD). The condition is mostly associated with a movement disorder, such as being slow, impaired balance, fatigue and muscles being rigid. Further symptoms may appear as the disease progress, such as sexual problems and difficulty in swallowing food. PD is closely related to aging since most of the symptoms shown by its patients are available in aging people. Also, PD causes memory dysfunction similar to that in aging due to the destruction of the frontal lobe. Parkinson’s disease is mostly associated with cognitive impairment and difficulty in memory recognition (Lill and Christina).

Part B: Description of How the Aging Process Affects Memory, Intelligence, and Learning

As people grow older, they tend to be slower in digesting information in their brains than in their younger days. The reason is that most of there are changes in the nervous system where information inputs are translated into output. Also, the aging process minimizes the storage and retrieval capacity for information in the memory and, thus, older people will most often forget past details to process new information in their brain. Therefore, reaction time to a stimulus is faster in youths than in older adults, which means that the young will more likely respond to a surprise, unlike the elderly.

Intelligence is also affected by the aging process in that it is most common for older people to make decisions based on logic than the young. The topic is, however, debatable when based on factors such as the speed of response and verbal skills. The IQ of a person increases as they grow older, but only up to a maximum age where it starts reducing. Therefore younger adults can be said to be more intelligent than older adults. Also, learning deteriorates with the aging process. Older people take more time to understand and remember information than younger ones. The ability of the brain to process new information and hold on to it is lost as people grow older. I would, therefore, agree with the phrase that aging is inevitable, and so is memory loss and learning ability (Limbert et al.)

Part B: Techniques That Can Be Used To Improve Memory and To Continue Learning throughout a Lifetime.

People can boost and maintain their memory through healthy lifestyles. Some of the techniques that could be helping in keeping our mind intact include meditation, taking coffee, eating berries, physical exercise, and having enough sleep. Meditation helps in maintaining the short-term or working memory in that it allows people to concentrate on the short-tern information. Besides, taking coffee before an activity has been proven as a memory booster. Research that involved taking a caffeine pill after a learning task showed that remembering was boosted for 24 hours. In this study, participants were made to memorize images and later tested with different photos. The learners on caffeine would more clearly remember the pictures they had seen without confusion (Nicholson and Catherine).

Another essential technique is the visualization of information. Once the eyes have seen something, it will be easier for the brain to register the image, unlike when giving information about an unseen object. Thus, paying attention to objects, images, or pictures helps a lot in boosting and maintaining memory. Older people may draw objects from their imaginations of the information they receive to help them remember the information in the future. Finally, relating new information to something already known boosts our memory. For example, establishing relationships between the known and unknown during studying helps students understand and remember the issue (Nicholson and Catherine).

Works Cited

Henderson, Victor W. “Dementia with lewy bodies.” (2017).

Kuhn, James, Shweta Akhouri, and Edward J. Newton. “Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome.” (2019).

Labadorf, Adam, Andrew G. Hoss, and Richard H. Myers. “Huntington’s Disease.” Neuroimmune Pharmacology. Springer, Cham, 2017. 503-516.

Lill, Christina M. “Genetics of Parkinson’s disease.” Molecular and Cellular Probes 30.6 (2016): 386-396.

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