Network Technology and Network Administration Essay

Network Technology and Network Administration - Essay Example It can be proved by unusual requests and complaints network pros have gotten from end users. So, now basic need is to generate awareness among all users so as to lessen the load on IT professionals. 3. Todd Fink, senior telecommunications administrator at Premier Bankcard in Sioux Falls, S.D., once got a request from a user looking for another coffee holder for his computer. After asking he came to know that customer understood CD ROM drive as coffee holder. Looking at above complaints and stories it can be understood that how important basic knowledge of computer and internet is for every user. Users don't need an encyclopedic knowledge of how their computers work or how network is configured--but they may need a little technical enlightenment here and there. Organization may provide new users with any substantial training or indoctrination to help them understand IT policies and best computing practices, and that often translates into problems for support techs. One way to head off at least some of the problems is to educate users about certain key computing basics. This will save time and money of users and organization as well. Here are some important things that are most critical for users to know, such as how to: Computer software is a compilation of structured, written instructions that are executed by the physical components of personal system. Physical components of your PC do not understand human language, so those instructions are written by highly trained computer programmers, using languages (set of commands) that your personal computer does understand. Examples of software are windows, Linux etc Physical Parts of PC (Hardware) You use computer programs Computer programs take your commands through Keyboard or a Mouse Computer programs use the special language to communicate with CPU CPU executes what

The Planned Economy VS. The Free

The Planned Economy VS. The Free Market Economy Essay The Planned Economy which is the economy that the government organises is very different from the Free Market Economy where the private sector is in charge and owns firms etc The planned economy is better in the sense that people are less stressed due to not having to worry about their next meal or other, due to the government supplying their basic needs like housing, medical care, food, clothes, education, a job, so nobody is unemployed yet all get paid the same amount more or less. People are not paid very much, maybe 3 dollars per month, but it is all that is needed, countries like Cuba get most of their countries money from tourism, and still have fairly good public education, a good transport system and it is said that they have excellent medical care, and people in Cuba get all medical care needed for free including operations and medicine. Meanwhile in the free market economy their are very poor people in the lower classes that have absolutely no food and could starve to death, and the very rich that are to involved in themselves that they do not care about others. but it is also better because their is freedom of expression. You also get paid according to how hard you try and the effort you put into things. Their is a better allocation of resources because each business or firm tries to allocate resources in a better way due to competition, trying to produce either more at a better quality for a lower price or just trying to be better than somebody else, and selling your better quality goods. This is good because their is a variety of choices and better quality good than their would be in a planned economy because in a planned economy everything is the same for everybody. I believe that the better economy is the Free Market Economy is more challenging.

An In Depth Look At Blizzard Entertainment

An In Depth Look At Blizzard Entertainment This report is a in-depth look at Blizzard Entertainment the company, to find out why Blizzard entertainment is so successful in the gaming industry. We will look at the reasons on how it could come out with best selling games over and over again and how they manage to sell 2.4 million copies of one game within the first 24 hours. Furthermore, we will understand how Blizzard entertainment runs such a big company to such efficiency using the business model SWOT and PEST in the analysis of its success. A look at the current developments and what future developments it might have or where it can go from here will be discussed as well. I. A Brief History of Blizzard Entertainment Well, Blizzard Entertainment was not always as we had known it, originally founded in 1991 February as Silicon Synapse by Chairman Allen Adham, president Michael Morhaime and vice president Frank Pearce All Graduates from UCLA. In the days of Silicon Synapse it was more on focused on making game ports for other Gaming studios. Until the Breakthrough Game The Lost Vikings, it was hailed as one of the forefathers of that Game Genre . A year after that they released Rock Roll Racing another Cult Hit that paved the way for its predecessors in the Racer Shooter Genre. In 1994 It was only then its name was reestablished as Blizzard Entertainment. The first big scale game it released by Blizzard Entertainment, was Warcraft: Orcs Humans and it was a hit with the gamers. Ever since they have made a benchmark in the game, the gaming world was at their fingertips now. After such success with Blizzard Entertainments original Warcraft game, Warcraft: Orcs Humans , was touted as one of the best strategy games of 1994, and the games epic sequel, 1995s Warcraft II : Tides Of Darkness, won numerous awards, including the companys first Game of the Year award. Warcraft III :Reign Of Chaoss, released in July 2002, has likewise won several accolades , just like Starcraft another hit Game Series released by Blizzard Entertainment, It has become a staple of professional tournament gaming, along with its expansion, the award-winnin g Warcraft III : The Frozen Throne, which was released in July 2003. II. Current Projects and a look at the rise of WOW ( World Of Warcraft) Well Blizzard has many notable achievements in its released games, None of it comes close To World Of Warcraft, more widely known as WOW. World of Warcraft stands as the greatest game in the popular Warcraft series. World of Warcraft has been an extraordinary success since its launch in November 2004. It has impressed game critics and has captivated millions of players, who adore the virtual world created by this game. It is no longer just a game but is now a genuine phenomenon, and one that shows no signs of abating. It is one of the key games of recent times, and stands as a landmark title for online gaming. World of Warcraft is the forth title in the series of Warcraft games, which has been entertaining people for over a decade To understand more about the appeal of World of Warcraft, let us recall the time when WOW was released. It was not merely some massively multiplayer online role-playing game. It created a truly engaging online world set in the heart of Azeroth, a fantastic land that is filled with heroes and monsters and many other creatures. The games strength is that it functions as an experience, as a world that exists on its own terms that you may visit and explore as you please. The game sold more than 240,000 copies in its first 24 hours on the market, more than any other PC game in history. Since then it released two other expansion sets which was a greater success then the one before. Blizzard is also making attempt to diversify beyond their original aim of just making games. Blizzard Entertainment is currently working with Legendary Pictures in making a live action Warcraft movie. III. tso The 8 Core Values are namely : Gameplay First, Blizzard Entertainments success can be attributed to the gaming experiences they provide the consumer or player. The goal of each discipline within the company regardless of job post be it art, programming or customer support, is to create games as fun as possible for as many people as possible. In order to achieve this aim, it is in Blizzard Entertainments prime belief that its workers also enjoy the process of game making. Commitment to Quality, This is the most well known core value of Blizzard Entertainment, which is not only applied in creating the best gaming experience for the consumers, but also practiced in every aspect of their job. They approach each task carefully and seriously, and seek honest feedback and use it to improve the quality of their work. Afterall, games are remembered for their high quality, and not how late they are released into the public. Play nice, Play Fair, In their business first impressions are important but lasting impressions are the ones that matter. Blizzard Entertainment strives to maintain a high level of respect and integrity in all interactions with us, players, colleagues, and business partners. The conduct of each Blizzard Entertainment employee, be it online or offline, can reflect on the entire company. Embrace your inner Geek, The employees at Blizzard are encouraged to show their geek side . Cutting-edge technology, comic books, science fiction, top-end video cards, action figures with the kung-fu gripà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Whatever it is theyre passionate about, it matters that each employee embraces it! Their unique enthusiasm helps to shape the fun, creative culture of Blizzard Entertainment. Happy and truly passionate workers make better workers, and what Blizzard Entertainment is all about today. Every voice matters, Great ideas can come from anywhere. Blizzard Entertainment is what it is today because of the voices of our players and of each member of the company. Every employee is encouraged to speak up, listen, be respectful of other opinions, and embrace criticism as just another avenue for great ideas. All because Blizzard values its employees and listens to the different ideas. Think globally, Blizzard Entertainment is a global company and everywhere on the planet there are people who play Blizzard Entertainment games. While respecting the cultural diversity that makes people unique, we strive to grow and support our global gaming community. We also seek the most passionate, talented people in the world to enrich our company and help us forge the future vision of Blizzard Entertainment. No country is too big or too small for Blizzard to take on or think about. Lead responsibility, Blizzard Entertainment believes its products and practices can affect not only our employees and players but the industry at large. As one of the worlds leading game companies, they are committed to making ethical decisions, always keeping the players in mind, and setting a strong example of professionalism and excellence at all times and for other game companies to exemplify. Learn and Grow The games industry is ever-changing. Technology improves, techniques change, and design philosophies become outdated. Since the founding of Blizzard Entertainment, it has worked to improve through experience, teaching one another and cultivating the desire to be the best at what they do. They see this as an individual responsibility as well as the companys. Employees can count on their peers, managers, and the company itself to be supportive and help them gain the knowledge and training they need. IV. A in-depth SWOT Analysis This Analysis will help us better understand of Blizzard Entertainments Success and its weaknesses. Using The SWOT Analysis model we can see the opportunities and revaluate the strategies to cope with its weaknesses. Strengths Good market position globally One of the very best pc game developers and held in high esteem by its customers. Very large age group from its larger customer base. Takes Feedback from its players and customers quickly and seriously. Developed World Of Warcraft to huge success and acclaim. Weaknesses May lack some competitive edge in some market segments over rival companies Relies on its current game titles more than it should. Very slow to release its games, often over the stipulated release date. Opportunities Business can be further diversified into other industries, example, making a film which it is trying to do now. Acquire more gaming sectors. More varied games. Look at a brand new type of pc game to boomz everyone away. Opening up of other global markets, getting more customers worldwide further. Working together with another pc gaming company to have a co-project. Threats Other big pc game producing companies, might pose some competition with maybe more attractive graphics or different game genres, Example, FPS. The time it takes to release a game might turn some gamers off, or they might just stop waiting all together. Limited experience in other industries it might want to diversify into Piracy 3rd party clients such as Garena, lancraft blueserver and many others. Strengths Blizzard Entertainment has a good market position globally, meaning in the games market it has a huge cut of the customers and transactions that happen in it. Blizzard Is very well respected by the gamers, customers and other companies alike for their awesome games which are well designed and enjoyable for a very wide age group. When Blizzard comes out with a new game other companies will always try to better it learning from its strengths. From kids to adults, blizzard games have players every age range, making it well welcomed by all. Blizzard Entertainment leaves no gamer from the casual gamer to hardcore, professional gamer satisfied. The games Are simple enough and fast for the casual gamer to play, but also well balanced with good competitive potential. Intact, World Cyber Games (WCG) the worlds largest scale gaming competition has 2 Blizzard Entertainment games to compete in, Namely Starcraft 2, Warcraft 3 and Dota, which is a custom map made from Warcraft 3. Blizzard Entertainments World Of Warcraft easily overshadows all of its accomplishments with 12 million subscribers and increasing. Making it the most played online MMORPG, no small feat without its dedicated team of staff. If a bug is reported or game defect , blizzard will take it seriously and respond quickly to look into the problem and solve the issue. Weaknesses While Blizzard Entertainment is certainly a very successful company but it is not perfect or infallible. One of its Weaknesses is its most of its games revolve around the same genre of the real time strategy (RTS) or Role Playing Games (RPG). Some game diversity would be a fresh change and might get into a bigger cut of the market and different gamer groups. On top of that Blizzards Entertainments game graphics might be less visual compared to other games therefore might have less competitive edge in some market segments over rival companies example sports gaming or fps. Though Blizzard Entertainment has very good games it keeps expanding on the already expanded game stories, example Warcraft which has great gameplay and good storyline, however it Blizzard keep concentrating on the same story and how to make a better installment people might get bored to keep playing the same story thats over extended or stretched. While Blizzard Entertainment are showing great signs of market diversification by trying to make a movie, their experience is very little in that field and almost non-existent. Might hit many glitches and problems along the way it might hard to solve with little experience. Which Blizzard Entertainment is attempting to avoid by working with a experience movie company, Legendary Films. Everyone agrees that Blizzard Entertainment makes great games, but another thing they agree is they take a really long to do that often over the stipulated release date. An impatient customer is never a happy customer. Game Quality should never be compromised but still the releases could be faster. Opportunities No doubt Blizzard Entertainment is very successful in its games and products, it can further diversify into other game genres it might not have touched, example sports gaming or FPS. Warcraft has a very rich storyline and might be good as a comic or book, gaining more exposure for Blizzard Entertainment as well in the process. Gameplay improvements and Graphical improvements to its current games with patches or when a new game comes out because the gaming industry is always improving, and gamers demand more every time. Look at a brand new game Genre with a totally new gaming engine of which the likes were never seen before and Blizzard Entertainment is on its way to another great selling game. Working with another experienced gaming company will help expand its horizons and its pool of talent, with more ideas and more funding, Blizzard Entertainment has a great global market share and good global coverage, but there are still countries that have not even heard of it, with the expanding global market and opening of markets, it would be a great time to reach even more countries. Blizzard Entertainment is currently working with Legendary Pictures, the studio behind the feature films such as Watchmen, The Dark Knight, Batman Begins, Superman Returns, and 300, in making of a live-action Warcraft movie. Threats Blizzard Entertainment faces serious competition from other companies that have some game genres that other gamers find more fun, example FPS. On top of that though Warcraft 3 has great cinematics, its in game graphics cant be compared. So many other games out there with much better graphics. EA games has Tiberiam Wars with much better graphics but of the same RTS genre , how about Relic Gamings Company of Heros. The Time it takes for Blizzard Entertainment to release its games is a great internal threat, for it may lose many loyal customers that got sick of waiting for the usually delayed games. Customers hate to wait unnecessarily and may buy other games instead. Blizzard Entertainment move into diversifying its market by moving into the movie industry which it has little experience, and requires a lot of funding. By going into other Game Genres its not familiar with also can be a risky move that might spell disaster by spreading itself too thin. Piracy is without a doubt one of the greatest threats to Blizzard Entertainment, infact to any industry that relies on the IP law. File Sharing is now everywhere and very easily accessible, one can even get the game without going out of his home and without spending a single cent for the game. Piracy costs Blizzard Entertainment millions of dollars every year. Why would people pay if they can get it free? Along with Piracy is 3rd party clients that make it possible for the games to be played online for free without the need for a original cd-key. In the past without these programs playing online with a pirated game would be impossible, and that would be one of the reasons why original games where still popular for the fact it had a cd-key that allows it to be played online. With these programs it bypasses all these security measures and there is no longer the need to pay for the game. V. Final SWOT Evaluation It is clear enough from this evaluation that Blizzard Entertainment has a very successful business model, but at the same time has so much more that it could improve on and diversify into. The very rich storyline of Warcraft has so much potential from movies to books to comics to Television series. The move that Blizzard Entertainment decided to make by working on a Warcraft movie was a good market decision to capture the growing movie industry and movie fans. Its lack in experience in the industry is offset by doing the movie with a more experienced movie company Legendary Pictures, the studio behind the feature films such as Watchmen, The Dark Knight, Batman Begins, Superman Returns, and 300, with a proven track record. But it should be warned that yes Blizzard Entertainment can go into other industries, but it must not neglect its main market share the gamers, and some hardcore fans might be turned off by the change Blizzard Entertainment. The Strengths are many and can be further worked upon by looking at the same game with different angles. Continuing to make games based on the gamers demand would be the best bet, for that means their games will always be in demand. The threats and weaknesses are numerous as well, however with the right well thought strategies they can be avoided and countered to keep Blizzard Entertainment ahead in the gaming world. However the greatest threat is Piracy and 3rd party clients, which in the case the saying if you cant beat them , join em doing business with the 3rd party clients might help Blizzard Entertainment gain back its lost profits from the programs and piracy. VI. Conclusion Blizzard Entertainment is a great game developer, and to continue in a increasing volatile market it has to keep changing to meet the demands of the new world. But if it continues to deliver its mission statement Dedicated to creating the most epic entertainment experiencesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.ever following its 8 core values. I dont doubt and not for a second that Blizzard Entertainment will continue deliver gaming experiences that redefine gaming.

Aerobic Dancing and Weight Control Essay -- essays research papers fc

Flat stomachs, tone arms, nice, firm buttocks, and nice shapely legs. This sounds like a familiar dream for many women in the world. Most do not think it is possible for them to achieve, but clearly all it takes is time. Aerobics dancing is one of the most effective aids in weight control, with the added benefits of improved self-esteem and confidence. Many people cannot enjoy life due to their weight and other problems brought on by being overweight. Those who are overweight cannot mentally handle the thought of going out and being seen. That is why solutions for keeping weight within an appropriate range for height, sex, and age are essential. One of the most effective ways of reaching appropriate weight level is through aerobic dancing. Physical changes in one’s life can be beneficial, but that is not what makes a person. A person’s mental health makes one who she is. There are many ways to improve mental and physical health. Dancing burns as many calories as walking, swimming or riding a bicycle. A half-hour of dancing can burn between 200 and 400 calories. One factor that determines how many calories are expended is the distance traveled. In one study, researchers attached pedometers to square dancers and found that each person covered five miles in a single evening. (Dance for the Health of it) The physical changes that can be beneficial to one’s health weigh more than those of the mental state. Even so, it has been proven that the way one feels about ones’ self is better than how one actually is. The point I am trying to get at is self-esteem. Additionally self-esteem can really mold person ality and can determine how a person’s life will end up. For many careers, individuals need to have a lot of self-esteem. Certain available jobs may hire depending on the applicant’s social status and how well he or she can associate with people. People who are not very social because of the fear that they will be made fun of, or are afraid because of their appearance, may allow their weight to interfere with future Hernandez 2 opportunities. â€Å" Because it makes you feel good, you like what you see on the outside and you like yourself more.† (Missett, 21) This tends to help individuals to stand up and be confident enough to go through with public appearance and not care what other people are thinking. When combining aerobic exercise and dance, it is considered a... ...nditions that the patient might have that may cause further risks before advising any workout regimen. People should really start their aerobic Hernandez 6 exercise at a pace that is comfortable with their beginning level of condition, and then gradually accelerate the tempo and frequency of their workouts as they adapt to their new lifestyle. In a short time, people will begin to recognize many health benefits that aerobics can do for them and feel great too. Works Cited Aerobics for health  © Arnot Ogden Medical Center, 1997 Colgan, Michael Ph. D., Optimum Sports Nutrition, Chapter 9, Page 95. Dance for the health of it! Mayo clinic health letter. January 1994 . Last Updated: Sunday, June 23, 1996 Physical Activity and Health 1998 Baltimore County Public Schools Polley, Maxine. Dance Aerobics New York; Macmillan Publishing Company, 1981 Sheppard Missett, Judy. The Jazzercise Workout book New York; Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1986

Analysis of Current Accounting System Essay

1. Terms of reference 1.1.1 This report has been prepared to cover the requirements of the learning and assessment area Principles of Internal Control and Evaluating Accounting Systems at Level 4 of the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) Diploma in Accounting qualification. 1.1.2 This report forms an evaluation of the Accounting System of the Inkwell Limited. 1.1.3 The main purpose of the report is: To evaluate the accounting system and procedures that are currently in place at IWL To identify weaknesses within the system, suggest possible improvements and make recommendations for improvement. To analyse cost benefit for suggested improvements. 2. Executive summary 3. Methodology 3.1.1 This report has been prepared using information provided by AAT case study text and study materials from Home Learning College. 3.1.2 Research for the recommendations has been made using internet. A list of websites used can be found in Appendix 1. 3.1.3 In developing the report support and assistance from my Home Learning College tutor was provided. 4. Introduction 4.1. Inkwell Ltd (IWL) was formed seven years ago. IWL is the medium-sized company that supplies a complete range of re-manufactured inkjet and laser toner cartridges that are fully compatible with all major printers. Since its launch IWL has grown steadily and now has revenue of over  £16 million. The company employs around 180 full-time employees. 4.2. IWL has adopted the functional structure system with three departments i.e. finance, sales and purchases. The BODs comprised of Managing Director, Sales Director and Finance Director is responsible for all decision-making activities in the company. The management structure chart can be found in Appendix 2. 4.3. The main purpose of accounting function of the IWL is to collect and process information from other departments in order to prepare statutory and management accounts as well as to determine the price of cartridges the company can pay for in order to achieve required profit margin (management accounting). The Finance Departme nt is also responsible for making sure that inventory levels meet IWL’s policy, the company’s credit rating is kept strong, management accounts are prepared every month, orders from suppliers are monitored and supplier payments are arranged for. 4.2 To make an effective use of the accounting systems and procedures in place the finance department has been divided into two main areas of accounting i.e. financial accounting and management accounting (cost accounting). The area of financial accounting has been further sub-divided into the sections of general ledger and inventory, purchase ledger, sales  ledger, payroll and personnel database. The chart showing the structure of The Accounts Department is provided in Appendix 3. 4.2.1 Sections within the finance department interact and maintain a relationship with other departments. The information flows to general ledger from the sales ledger, purchase ledger and payroll, personnel section and shops. The general ledger provides information to the Company Accountant for the purpose of preparing monthly management accounts and approving supplier payments, to The Finance Director for the purpose of preparing financial statements and to the Sales Director for the purpose of costing IWL’s products. The Purchase Ledger section has a direct relationship with the General Ledger and the IWL’s suppliers. The Sales Ledger section maintains a close relationship with the sales department as well as with the General Ledger. The Payroll and Personnel Database section is working closely with shop managers from whom it collects the information to prepare payroll for employees. The department also co-operates with external users such as HMRC in order to comply with statutory requirements. The Costing Section is working closely with The Sales Director. 4.3 The objective of financial statements is to provide information about the financial position, performance and changes in financial position of an enterprise that is useful to a wide range of users such as suppliers, customers, government agencies or financial institutions in making economic decisions, for instance, whether to grant a loan or to give credit to the company. At the financial year end the Finance Director at IWL prepares the following financial statements: 4.3.1 Income Statement: this statement provides information about the financial performance of the company in terms of revenue from sales, costs and expenses incurred to generate the profit. It also provides information about gross and net profit generated for past financial periods. It is also referred to as the Profit and Loss Account. 4.3.2 Statement of Financial Position: this statement shows the financial position of the company at the end of each financial year. It provides the information about the company’s assets, liabilities and the equity claim of its shareholders. It is also referred to as the Balance Sheet. 4.3.3 The Statement of Cash Flow: this statement provides a link between the Income Statement and Statement of Financial Position as at the year end of the  previous and current financial years. Its main purpose is to reconcile liquid funds to profit by providing an analysis of cash inflows and outflows from operating, investing and financing activities. 4.4 A stakeholder is an entity that can be affected by the results of a company in which they are said to be stakeholders, i.e. that in which they have a stake. The critical external stakeholders for IWL have been identified as follows: 4.4.1 The financial institutions- IWL has a strong relationship with its bank. Through producing a series of convincing annual business plans, the company directors have been able to raise sufficient finance to grow IWL into a significant player in the cartridge supplies sector. Without this co-operation it would be much harder to expand the Company to its current position. They are IWL’s stakeholders because they lent money to The Business and they would be affected in case The Company becomes insolvent. 4.4.2 Customers- the IWL has a base of around 120 large trade customers. These customers account for 20% of IWL’s revenue. It is imperative to maintain good relationship with customers in order to remain competitive and have high customer satisfaction level. Customers are categorised as stakeholders because the company’s actions can affect their financial position. 4.4.3 Government- The government is interested in businesses as they set out the regulations and need the businesses to do well to keep the economy healthy. Economic policies introduced by The Government through taxation, and the ability of The Government to influence interest rates, impact on the business through prices and costs. The company needs to make sure that it is paying the right amount of tax and VAT and that it complies with all government’s policies and accounting standards. 4.5 IWL is the medium-sized, centralized, manufacturing company operating nationwide. For a small sole trader or partnership type organisation, like off-licence shop, there are likely to be few transactions to process. As a result the basic single entry record system, with detailed cash book, would most likely be used. A simple structure where the owner or partners make all the decisions related to the business would also be adopted. However, the single entry system lacks controls necessary to verify the accuracy of the postings and therefore would not be practical in circumstances where a high  volume of business transactions had to be processed. Medium and large sized companies will most likely use more sophisticated, double entry bookkeeping system. Higher amount of transactions would require more people to operate it and therefore the structure would be more sophisticated too, with either divisional or matrix structure adopted. The IWL uses double entry system. 5 Analysis of the Current Accounting System 5.1 The main external regulations the IWL has to comply with has been identified as: 5.1.1 The Company Law- compulsory legislation that governs the formation and registration of limited companies. It sets out the responsibilities of companies, their directors and secretaries and also determines the requirements relating to the preparation of Financial Statements of a company. It is legally binding on all limited companies in UK. In case of any changes in The Company LAW, staff training may be required to ensure compliance which will affect The IWL’s cash flow and availability of resources i.e. staff released for training. 5.1.2 The Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Regulations- this regulation apply when a business organisation employs individuals and sets out the requirements for deducting PAYE income tax and National Insurance Contributions (NIC’s) from payments made to employees. The regulation also stipulates rules for sending PAYE income tax and employees’ NIC’s to HMRC and identify the forms and returns that must be kept and submitted when administering the scheme. Any changes to the regulations i.e. change of the company tax rate or the National Insurance Contribution (NIC) has a direct effect on IWL because these are statutory requirements and The BODs need to make sure the staffs are appropriately trained and that they comply with the regulations. This may require substantial cash outlay as well as additional labour to provide cover for absent staff so these sorts of changes may significantly affect the Company’s finances. Accounting Standards-these are the regulations and codes of practice which have been developed to try to reduce the number of different interpretations and treatments used by accountants in preparing and presenting the Financial Statements for limited companies. This regulation have a direct impact on the company’s actions, as IWL is a limited company and have to prepare Financial Statements each year. The  Finance Director, being ACCA qualified, is applying accounting standards while preparing the financial statements. Changes made to the standards may require the Finance Director to undertake additional training which again will affect the company’s finances and the availability of staff. 5.1.4 The Data Protection Act 1998- the act lays down the principles by which the personal data should be managed by ‘data controllers’. Business organisations that keep personal data in respect of living and identifiable person are data controllers. The IWL has Payrol l and Database section in the Accounts Department therefore is obliged to comply with the regulation. Only authorised members of staff are to use IWL’s computers. In case of any changes in the Data Protection Act 1998, the Company may be required to, for example, purchase new safe for keeping the records in safe and secure way or to purchase new database software to meet the requirements of the regulation as well as train staff and review and implement changes in company’s policies. 5.2 Fraud is an intentional act by management or employees in order to obtain an unfair or illegal advantage. The most common causes of fraud in a business can be identified as a lack of operational internal control procedures within the business, lack of internal anti-fraud controls, especially risk management, as well as a lack of internal audit. In order to improve fraud and theft detection, the BODs needs to regularly review company’s fraud policies and procedures to ensure that they effectively reduce risk, improve processes and are in compliance with prevailing laws and regulations. This involves identifying the company’s specific fraud risks and then developing and implementing controls, procedures and operational changes to mitigate those risks. 5.3 The most common types of fraud can be identified as the theft of assets and corruption. The effects of the fraud activities can devastate the company in various ways, for instance, financial loss, external confidence , company morale or increased audit costs. Theft- this is probably the most common method of fraud, usually carried out because staff are presented with opportunities due to lack of physical controls and little or no segregation of duties with individual members of staff being given too much personal control over procedures. Impact of the theft can be fairly easy quantified. If, for  example, the manager overstates the hours worked by an employee, these can be easily calculated by multiplying the rate per hour by hours worked. In fact this is stealing the company’s time and subsequently money. There is a high risk of such an activity occurring within IWL shops as the company has no procedure in place for sales, warehouse or administrative staff to sing in or out when they arrive or leave work. This type of fraud often happens without knowledge of the management. 5.3.2 Corruption- this form of fraud usually involves a dishonest member of staff working in collusion with others to commit acts of fraud. The example of su ch an activity is changing contract terms and conditions after it have been awarded in favour of the supplier. There is a great possibility of this type of fraud occurring in the IWL’s due to lack of internal control procedures for purchasing inventory. This results in loses to the company because, the company is paying more for the product therefore reducing the Company’s revenue. 5.4 The accounting system can support internal control by means of setting the standards and using of control systems. 5.4.1 Standards allow the organisation to define its expectation of how things should be achieved. They allow the management to monitor the performance of the employees. These standards can be based on what the organisation expects from the staff, for example, implementing of company’s procedures. The organisation will generally outline to the staff what it expects in relation to performance levels, like cost of ensuring work is carried out effectively and that the deadlines are met, as well as in relation to the error allowance. Standards should be set in relation to the organisation’s objectives and goals. A tool commonly used for the purpose of measuring performance is that of standard costing. A main feature of standard costing is variance analysis, where differences between budgeted and actual figures are monitored. This allows the organisation to identify where changes may be required. 5.4.2 Use of control in systems is aimed at ensuring that the plans of organisation are being met. Deviations found by the control monitors should be investigated and if they negatively affect organisation then corrective action should be taken. An internal control system includes all the policies and procedures adopted by the organisation to achieve the objectives of: Effective conduct of the business, Implementation of internal policies and procedures, Safeguarding the assets of the organisation, Detecting and preventing incidences of fraud and error, The accuracy and completeness of the financial records, The timely preparation of reliable financial information. Regardless of the size of the organisation the accounting system must be reliable, cost effective and capable of being used effectively by the person(s) operating it. An accounting system of the IWL is a collection of computerized and manual accounting processes, procedures and controls created to collect, record, classify, summarize and interpret financial data for decision making by management. The record keeping systems of IWL meet organisation’s requirements for financial information. The Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threads (SWOT) analysis has been prepared to identify those areas of the current accounting system that do not operate satisfactory and can be found in appendix 4. The analysis showed that the work is going through the correct sequence of events and processes and that there is good segregation of duties within the department. However, there are areas where the systems could be improved. These have been identified as better staff training and introd uction of audit trail. Better trained staff would become specialised in the area they operate which would enable them to complete tasks more efficiently and effectively and therefore reduce costs. The audit trail would minimise potential for error and would act as a control tool for staff activity. Weaknesses Identified Within The Accounting System The weaknesses that rise potential for error and possible exposure to fraud within The Accounting System of the IWL have been identified as insufficient staff training and lack of audit trail procedures. 6.2 Insufficient staff training caused many problems during the last six months period. There was not enough cover in the sales ledger section when the clerk was off sick or on holiday leave which caused accumulation of work that affected other departments as the financial information was not presented in the timely manner. The fact that no one was able to provide cover was evident proof of staff training needs. Another area where problems  occurred due to lack of training is that of the payroll and database section. The clerk was provided with only one day in-house training of how to operate payroll software and this resulted in mistakes with the staff salaries calculations. This is the example of error that occurred because of the lack of training. Some of them have been underpaid what may result in lower staff morale and de-motivate them which will result in worse productivity or alternatively may give a reason to commit fraud. Work could be delegated to different persons what would also act as an anti-fraudulent control because the person providing cover could spot any unauthorised or suspicious activities and report it to the management. It is recommended that all staff should be sent for training in order to become multi skilled. 6.3 Another weakness identified is the lack of internal audit procedures within the accounts department of the IWL. The impact on the organisation may be significant to the company in terms of money and reputation, should the fraud activities took place. Internal audit has proved to be the most successful method of detecting fraud. It would be advantageous to any organisationif its internal audit function were able to advise management on identifying and assessing the risks associated with fraud co uld review and monitor the internal control procedures in place to minimise the risk of fraud and also actively engage in detection of fraud within the accounts function. Internal controls are also successful as means not only of deterring or preventing fraud, but also of exposing acts of fraud. Many of the causes of fraud can be guarded against and, together with analysis of reports and trends and the investigation of errors and anomalies, fraudulent activities are often expose. The typical measures introduced in practice to help deter and prevent fraud has been identified as: Educating staff and raising awareness of the possible types of fraud and the likely impact of fraud on the organisation and its stakeholders. Whilst there is a belief that that such education could not only alert staff to types of fraud but could also encourage staff to indulge in fraudulent activities, research shows that money spent on educating staff and promoting staff awareness does in fact deter fraud and in the long run benefits outweigh costs. 6.4.2 Monitoring performance and making sure that accounting procedures are being followed. One member of staff, for instance accounting technician when his review and recommendation process is  completed, could be delegated to perform this task with all the discrepancies and suspicious activities reported to the management and appropriate action taken to mitigate risks. 6.5 The company can support individuals who operate accounting sys tems using training, manuals and written information and help menus. 6.5.1 Training- well trained staffs operate their accountancy systems more effectively than the untrained staffs. A review of the training needs of the company and its accounting staff has been undertaken, these have been identified as follows: General ledger and inventory clerk- appropriate training in the work of the Sales Clerk would relieve pressure from the Sales clerk who has no accounting or credit control qualification and who has a heavy workload during busy periods. 6.5.1.2 Purchase ledger clerk- this member of staff is already familiar with the work of the sales ledger section and an update of skills in this area is worth considering. The Purchase Ledger clerk is part AAT qualified and expressed an interest in studying for intermediate level 3 exams. 6.5.1.3 Sales ledger clerk and credit controller- this staff member has experience of the purchase ledger having worked as a Purchase Ledger Clerk before joining IWL. Some further training in this area would give a greater degree of flexibility. The clerk has expressed an interest in professional accountancy training and this should be encouraged. 6.5.1.4 Payroll and Personnel Database clerk- this staff member is working on a recently installed system has a heavy workload and is in need of additional training. Further training by a company who sold IWL new system is recommended. The clerk has an accounting qualification but further training should be discussed. 6.5.1.5 Costing technician- this is the only member of staff that has the experience to operate costing system. This member of staff shows reluctance to gain accounting qualification. The issue needs to be reso lved to the benefit of the company. 6.5.2 Manuals are files containing documents which provide the user with detailed information relating to procedures and operating activities. An example of the manual is handbook created by the Finance Director of the IWL relating to the IT systems. 6.5.3 Help menus- are aimed at providing assistance to the system user by allowing them to query items relevant to their effective use of the system. It provides the information on how to use the software in the correct manner. Sage payroll has such a facility in place. 6.5.4 Written information- the example may be company policy handbook issued by the Finance Director. 6.6 Every member of accounting staff is required to comply with statutory and organisational requirements. The types of controls that can be put in place to ensure compliance may include: data security controls and administrative controls. 6.6.1 Data security controls are put in place to ensure that the organisation’s data files are not subject to unauthorised access, change, disclosure to unauthorised persons, loss, damage or destruction. The IWL has a data security controls in place, however these are not being adhered to properly. It is recommended that staff should be informed about requirements of changing the password regularly and that unauthorised person should not be given access to the company’s computers. 6.6.2 Administrative controls can be categorised as segregation of duties, written policies and procedures and supervision. Due to lack of staff training, it is not possible to segregate and share duties between workers as they are not multi-skilled. This rise a possibility of error occurring as well as fraudulent manipulation of the system. Written policies are in place however, accountability and responsibility for implementing should be clearly defined. Every member should be informed about the consequences in case the procedures are not followed. Supervision of individuals or groups involved in the processing, checking and use of information within the system is essential. It is recommended that the activities of staff should be controlled by either member of the BODs or the Company Accountant. 6.7 The potential areas of fraud arising from lack of control within the accounting system have been identified as inventory control section and the purchase ledger section. Inventory control system would benefit from acquiring the Purchase Order Processing module which would improve the accuracy and reliability of the inventory control and would minimise risk of fraud. The Purchase Ledger section need more supervision as the Purchase Manager seems to be the most unreliable and suspicious person.

Autism and the Physiological Effects on the Brain essays

Autism and the Physiological Effects on the Brain essays Autism is defined as a neurological disorder, which affects the brains functioning (Autism Society of America, 2004). Autism prevents normal development of the brain as far as communication skills and social interaction is concerned. It occurs in about fifteen of every 10,000 people (Cure Autism Now Foundation, 2004). Four out of five people with autism are male, however it is not limited to any particular racial, and ethnic or social group (Cure Autism Now Foundation, 2004). The main causes of autism are not known, as they are related to brains functioning. Autism is a disorder composed of skills and deficits varying greatly from one person to another. People with autism show individualized and distinct combinations of strengths and needs. Persuasive Development Disorders include five syndromes, autism included, all having similar characteristics. PDD can be diagnosed as early as eighteen months, but while a child is still growing and developing, a specific diagnosis may change (Autism Society of America, 2004). However, children who have a disorder included in the Persuasive Development Disorders, all have individual traits and all share special needs in verbal and nonverbal communications, social interaction, and behavior. Strategies included with interventions for people with any PDD are the same as far as their focus on structure and consistency are concerned (Autism Society of America, 2004). It seems that autistic children are more likely to depend on just one type of learning style (Edelson, n.d.). If an autistic child likes looking at books, for example picture books, watching television (sound or no sound), and often looks carefully at people or objects, then they could be a visual learner (Edelson, n.d.). If an autistic child talks a lot, likes people talking to them, and enjoys listening to the radio or music, then they might be an auditory learner (Edel...