Managerial Economics and Organizational Architecture-ARTHUR ANDERSEN Case Study

Managerial Economics and Organizational Architecture-ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP - Case Study Example Thereafter, around the 1980s, Arthur’s firm changed its outlook by installing wooden doors in all its offices, while the firm trained its employees on thinking straight, as well as talking straight. The management also gave the right of decision making to the central office’s professional standard group, with an aim to quality and firm opinions in the organization. Technologically, an engineer in Andersen’s firm came up with the idea of computers use in bookkeeping, hence proving to be efficient while automating their client’s accounting systems. This led to the rise of a computer consulting business, which provided services to other firms and yielded much more revenue compared to the auditing. Due to the conflicting factors of the consultants feeling underpaid and leaving the firm, Andersen separated the consulting and auditing business and decided to form Andersen worldwide (AW). This consisted of Andersen consulting that focused on consulting services v ia use of computer systems and Arthur Anderson (AA), which focused on audit and tax business (Capstone case study pp 555) Due to stiff competition, the firm made some organizational changes; first, it decided to cut on it costs by ensuring that its employees retired at the age of 56 year, thus yielding more revenue that benefited the partners. New partners emerged such as Steve Samek who headed the Boston chicken audit, and Robert Allgyer who excelled in waste management that generated $17. 8 million. With Samek becoming the managing partner at AA, he introduced the 2X performance evaluation that required partners to yield twice as much from auditing and non-auditing services, and those who met this target would be rewarded. The dress code changed and the wooden doors that had been installed were removed, and a new logo â€Å"the rising sun† was adopted. New services were offered such as concentrating on the bookkeeping and offering internal audits (capstone, 557). Evaluate A ndersen's claim that their problems on the Enron audit were due to a few "bad partners" in the organization. If you disagree with this claim, discuss what you think were the root causes of the problem. As one staff suggested, â€Å"there were too many people in the Houston office, with their fingers on Enron’s pie† (capstone, 55), which is true as the auditor present chose to ignore the problems that faced Enron. Andersen firm was competent and it should not have blamed anybody for the decisions it made such as shredding documents so as to hide fraud practices at Enron. Anderson should have taken the blame himself, as he was responsible for his employees’ ethics other than firing David Duncan. In addition, the problem could have arisen from incompetent staff, questionable accounting practices, bad management, and poor internal controls. Suppose you were Andersen's managing partner in the early 1990’s. Would you have done anything differently than the actu al management (assuming you knew only what they did at the time)? First, I would have only hired a substantial number of auditors to work with and ensure that they were competent enough. Secondly, my management would not have advised Enron to declare itself bankrupt at that crucial time, as many investors would be affected. The questionable accounting practices at Enron that Andersen signed off should have been brought to light, so as to determine the root cause of the problem. Moreover, effective management, quality

Managed care creating pressure to do more with less Research Paper

Managed care creating pressure to do more with less - Research Paper Example This paper deals with the flaws and issues in the field of health care. The drawbacks and the strategies are also explained. The paper describes the need for improvement in health care and the ways in which managed care can be improved. Then the strategies are also listed with supporting arguments. Managed care was initially developed to reduce the burden of people who seek the medical attention. Medical expenses are increasing day by day and due to this people find it difficult to deal with their medical expenses. These problems led to a situation where managed care becomes an important matter of concern. (Pre 2009). Managed care mainly deals with strategies that aim at providing quality treatments at a better cost. Even employed people find it difficult to manage their medical issues and hence managed care is considered to be an important concept. The concept of managed care takes different dimensions depending on the situation and place where it is portrayed. Managed care is commonly known as the technique used to minimize the medical expenses there by providing quality health care treatments. The main aim of managed care is to reduce the burden of the patient with the help of medical insurance and financial institutions. This is achieved by mitigating the risk to the insur ance company from which a person avails his insurance. This in turn reduces the cost incurred to the patient and transfers the rest of the monetary operations to the concerned insurance firm. Managed care has certain limitations and ethical concerns which form the major part of managed care. These ethical concerns depend on the type of problem and the way in which managed care is perceived. In an organization which provides medical benefits to an employee relies on an insurance company that helps the organization to reimburse the employee’s medical expenditure. This certainly reduces and minimizes the expenses of the employee. But this may not prove to be beneficial in all the

Business plan Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Business plan - Term Paper Example Its operating hours would start at 5:00 o’clock PM until 5:00 o’clock AM of the next day. Three regular staff would be manning the cafà ©. The owner, as manager, would be in the cafà © during the week and can assist the staff on some tasks, especially is the volume of customers would need additional hand. The target gross income per month is $8,000 that would yield $96,000 in a year. Break-even point and return of investment can be attained in three to five years depending on the actual inflow of customers. With the start-up expense of $100,000 and initial month operational expense of $5,000 ($105,000), the current cash on hand of $80,000 would only require $25,000 that would be sourced out from relatives and friends. Bank loan is not a viable alternative at present since it will incur interest in addition to the burden of monthly amortization (which will not occur in the case of investors). An initial of 20 computer units will initially provide the internet services with a plan to add 20 more units after three years. After five years, there will be expansion in the area, lease another property with larger space or establish a second branch. Hang-out Cyber Cafà © is a one-stop shop business outfit that will offer product and services to customers during nighttime. It will be operating for 12 hours daily from 5:00 o’clock PM to 5:00 o’clock AM for seven days a week. It can offer its internet services and products continuously in a month without interruption. This will ensure continuous earning for the business. Hang-out Cyber Cafà © will offer snacks and drinks for users and shoppers. It will also offer office, school and computer supplies that consumers can purchase conveniently since most of the stores and malls will be closed at nighttime. The supplies would include bond paper, ball pen, pencil, stationery, notebook and pad paper, blank CD and DVD, printer ink, etc. Besides the internet services,

Quantitative 1 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Quantitative 1 - Assignment Example research study will be based where the aim of the study is to determine the extent to which quantitative research is appropriate and robust in its application to the human and social context. There are different reasons that have been postulated for the conclusion that quantitative research is appropriate and robust when applied to human and social context including the nature of quantitative research (Fassinger & Morrow, 2013, 70). This is the use of models and a scientific methodology that ensures the data or results from the research are objective and there is no personal relation or biasness by the researcher attributed to the lack of association of the researcher to the participants. This is different from qualitative researcher where objectivity is lost from the high association of the researcher with the participants. This allows quantitative research to be preferred and appropriate for human and social sciences research. The ability of getting the one truth that exists in the human perception under investigation is the main reason for the preference of quantitative research as it maintains this objectivity. The other reason for the assertion is the possibility of replicating the results of quantitative research when conducted by different personnel (Bless et al., 2006). Different researchers can be able to come up with the same results as a measure of confirming the results made by previous research is consistent. This is due to the making of the same assumptions in the research and the use of a predetermined format and well laid out methodology in carrying out sampling, data collection, and analysis. This is not possible in qualitative research due to the possibility of different researchers making different assumptions and using different analysis or being biased. There is a clear specification of the dependent and independent variables in quantitative research study of social and human context. This allows for the better understanding of causality

The Woman's Role in the Islam Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The Woman's Role in the Islam Religion - Essay Example val of Islam. Similar to other religious, Islam has stipulated a certain position of women in society including their role and social status. The Islam tradition goes back to the 7th century when the revelations transmitted to the Prophet Muhammad who emphasized Islam’s continuity with earlier Semitic traditions. During this period of time, the patriarchal nature of most Islamic societies reinforced the pervasive belief that Muslim women were more subject to the control of men than were women in most other societies. This control was dramatic in the case of Muslim women during the 7-10 centuries. They were secluded immediately upon marriage; that was, they were removed from contact with men (other than relatives) and rarely allowed to move about in public. Islam stated that "marriage is the only road to virtue and that in marriage wives must be submissive and obey their husbands† (Roded 1999, p. 57). Girls generally married between the ages of ten and twelve. Scholars have argued that the definition of power should be broadened to include the invisible control of events by women, which gave them a certain stat us and position. In Muslim societies, kinship and lines of descent were important, and consequently women's power was most visible as they matured and developed the ability to influence the lives of others in their immediate kin and descent groups. In these societies, high-status aristocratic women in particular had power in their ability to influence the actions of their sons, husbands and other male relatives (Roded 1999). Quran and its laws had the profound impact n position and status of women in society and their relations with men. In general, Muslims affirm the Quran to be God's actual words; Muhammad is neither author nor editor, for no human agency influenced the formation of the text. Muhammad does not, therefore, function in the way, for example, the Evangelists do in Christianity. The Islamic tradition is reluctant to allow even this modicum of human involvement in the production of the Quran. Muhammad is not a partner but a go-between, chosen from among men to transmit verbatim God's Word communicated to him through the angel Gabriel. The role of women is to listen and obey, to live the life outlined for them in the revelation and the traditions, and made specific in the law. During the Middle Ages, the role of women in society did not change greatly affected by strict social laws and religious traditions. A blend of Islam and local cultural prescriptions shaped women's lives. In Muslim societies, the local culture was clearly patriarchal, making it difficult to distinguish what part of current culture came from Islam and what pre-Islamic influences remained (Roded 1999). The pre-Islamic record in Iran, Afghanistan and Iraq suggested important public and political roles for royal women. It was clear from historical accounts that the incorporation of Islam into the society profoundly changed the cultural, political, and social conditions under which women lived and worked. Prior to the coming of Islam, women of aristocratic origin had participated in public affairs (Nashat and Beck, 2003). Since the inception of the Islam religion, women were instructed to dress simply and modestly, while all men

Diabetes Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Diabetes - Research Paper Example The A1C Diagnostic Tool The testing of diabetes has long been faced with a myriad of challenges that include insufficient diagnosis of the disease. Several diabetes diagnostic tests have been developed over the years but all of them are not accurate as the Haemoglobin A1C level test. The A1C test is undertaken to test the amount of sugar present in the red blood cells. The test looks into the average blood glucose levels in patient’s body for a period of two to three months. The A1C test uses an averaging system whereby a patient’s blood glucose levels are tested based on a percentage system (Cunha-vaz, 2011). Diabetes tests conducted using the A1C diagnostic testing tools have been very accurate in estimating blood sugar levels of a patient over a long period of time. Compared to other tests, the A1C test does not require a patient to fast without food for periods of time since the test can be conducted at any time (Ford-Martin, 2004). A1C Research Tests A research was conducted to test the effectiveness of the A1C diagnosis test in South Korea over a period of 6 years. The test was conducted to find out the best levels for haemoglobin A1C level for different diabetes patients this included patients belonging to different races. The research targeted a total of 10,038 participants were included in this research and they first underwent a 75-g oral glucose test tolerance test at baseline with two year follow up. Among the research participants, 572 of them had a previous history of having diabetes (Ford-Martin, 2004). From the results a receiver operating characteristic curve was used to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of the A1C cut-off. The results established that at the baseline 635 participants representing 6.8% had previously undiagnosed diabetes. An A1C cut-off of 5.9% produced the highest sum of sensitivity at 68% and specificity (91%). At the end of the research, after 6 years 895 (10.2%) participants had developed diabetes. An A1C cut-o ff of 5.6% had the highest sum of sensitivity (59%) and specificity (77%) in the identification of consequent 6-year incident diabetes. After variations in adjustment it was found that men with A1C baseline of 5.6% had a 2.4 fold increased risk while women with the same baseline had a 3.1 fold increased risk of contracting diabetes in the future (Cunha-vaz, 2011). The research study was successful in concluding that patients with a 5.9% A1C cut-off identified participants with undiagnosed diabetes. The study also concluded that people with A1C equal or greater than 5.6% had increased risk of contracting diabetes in the future. Integration of A1C The research study undertaken by researchers on the agreed levels of Haemoglobin A1C test was important in determining the agreed levels of A1C suitable for diagnosing diabetes. From the research we are able to learn that doctors have found out that people with Haemoglobin A1C level of ? 5.6% have a higher risk of contracting diabetes. Due t o the accuracy of using the A1C diagnosis testing, Doctors are now able to easily detect diabetes in the body. Many researchers agree that the A1C test and research was important in coming up with a standardised A1C cut-off which was put at the level of 6.5%. The results of the South Korean research concluded that the A1C levels of 5.9% contributed to patients contracting type 2 diabetes (Cunha-vaz, 2011). While on the other hand, the same study was conducted among the Japanese population and they found out that an A1C cut-off

Lignin Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Lignin - Research Paper Example de Candolle. His explanation about lignin was that it is a fibrous material that does not have any taste, it cannot be dissolved in water or alcohol but is soluble in weak alkaline solutions, and in order extract it from the solution an acid could be added to it which would cause its precipitation. Lignin is among the most commonly found organic polymers, and only cellulose and hemicelluloses is ahead of it regarding abundance (Shi, Xiao, Deng, & Sun, 2013). Thus, lignin forms the majority of the natural resources that man has. 30% of non-fossil organic carbon is made up of lignin while making up almost one-fourth to third of the dry mass of wood. Every species contains a unique type of lignin, the difference lying in its composition. Since lignin is a biopolymer, it attains its uniqueness owing to its heterogeneity and because it does not really have a properly defined primary structure. The most important and common function of lignin is to strengthen wood in trees, which is made from xylem cells, by providing it with support. The natural state of lignin as present within a plant is known as protolignin (Kutscha & Gray, 1970). The classification of lignins depends on their structural elements. Softwoods, hardwoods and grasses contain different lignins and the reason behind the difference between the three is the different content of guaiacyl (G), syringyl (S) and p-hydroxyphenyl (H) units. Guaiacyl lignin is present in the majority of softwoods and is mainly a polymerization product of coniferyl alcohol. Hardwoods typically contain the guaiacyl-syrinngyl lignin which is a copolymer of coniferyl and sinapyl alcohols, the ration varying from 4:1 to 1:2 for the two monomeric units (Pereira, Portugal-Nunes, Evtuguin, Serafim, & Xavier, 2013). Another type is that of compression wood that is largely made up of phenylpropane units of the p-hydroxyphenyl type along with the usual guaiacyl units. At times the term syringyl lignin and p-hydroxyphenyl lignin