International Financial Reporting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

International Financial Reporting - Essay Example It is expected that the framework would assist the IASB in not only developing new international accounting standards, but also in the revision of the existing ones. It may also help in reducing the many alternative accounting treatments which are outlined by various accounting standards and regulations (Pounder, 2009). The conceptual framework presents key issues relating to the preparation and presentation of the financial statements. These include objectives, underlying assumptions, qualitative characteristics, recognition and measurement of elements of the financial statements, and the concepts of capital management. Though there are other ways measuring the elements of the financial statements, â€Å"historical cost† is the most commonly used by entities. This basis renders accounting information of less value in the prediction of future performances of the entities. Before the introduction of a conceptual framework, the accounting system could be said to have been â€Å"rule based†, governed by rules on how to treat each and every transaction. Such a system was inflexible and rigid but it promoted excellent comparison of financial performances. Contrastingly, the introduction of a conceptual framework which is â€Å"principle based† has led to the development of accounting standards from a generally accepted conceptual basis with clear and specific objectives. It could be argued that the conceptual framework ensures that the information in the financial statements present a â€Å"true and fair view† financial position of the entity. This means that based on the management estimates and judgment, the financial information presented is fairly accurate. It could also be taken to mean that the financial information does not have material errors, and the users of such information can used it to make meaningful decisions. It is also worth

Employee Empowerment in the Workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Employee Empowerment in the Workplace - Essay Example Empowerment is seen as a process that results in individual employee enjoying autonomy while performing their jobs. This also ensures accountability on their part and thus develops a sense of ownership and increases the sense of fulfillment, while achieving shared organizational goals. Employee Empowerment has grown in importance in public administration. Early concern for employees as human resources and for the social aspects of work grew into the Quality of Work Life movement and such other efforts (e.g., McGregor 1960; Peters and Pierre 2000). The new public administration and the reinventing government movements have emphasized empowering employees (Marini 1971; Osborne and Gaebler 1992; DeWitt et al. 1994). Empowerment has become "one of the buzzwords of the hour" (Clark 1999, 5) (Lacerda Ramos Eduardo 1995). There were instances of efforts in stimulating employee empowerment in the history "Since World War II, the movement for worker empowerment has steadily gained momentum, c ertain countries have attempted (and in some cases sustained) experiments in various cooperative form of empowerment. With state support, the communal kibbutzim of Israel and Palestine have existed for over eight decades. In Latin America, major national trials in workers' ownership were initiated by the government in both Chile and Peru. In Europe, workers' firms came to constitute a major portion of Italian cottage industry, as well as French small- to medium-sized firms - especially in professional services such as printing, architecture, and engineering" (Lacerda Ramos Eduardo 1995). The present project work is an attempt to describe the importance of employee empowerment for employees as well as the organization. It takes an descriptive approach to illustrate the direct relationship between employee empowerment and their contentment and improved performance. Employee Empowerment- Meaning In common parlance, the term 'empowerment' refers to the process of enabling or authorizing an individual to think, behave, take action, and control work and decision making in autonomous ways. It is the state of feeling self-empowered to take control of one's own destiny. In the organizational context, this term is used with the term 'workers' to denote a changed work atmosphere where employees are at liberty to take decisions on their work and given the responsibility for the performance or otherwise at work place. In other words, employee empowerment is the process of granting the authority to employees with non-managerial capabilities to take decision in an autonomous way. Employee involvement and participative management are similar concepts used in the context of empowerment, but are not interchangeable. In fact, empowerment is the act of strengthening an individual's beliefs in his or her sense of effectiveness. In essence, then, empowerment is not simply a set of external act ions; it is a process of changing the internal beliefs of people (Conger and Kanungo, 1988). Individuals believe themselves powerful when they feel they can adequately cope with environmental demands-that is, situations, events, and people they confront. They feel powerless when they are unable to cope with these demands. Conger and Kanungo (1988) were among the first to define psychological empowerment. They described empowerment as

Acute Inflammation, Appendicitis In Young Adult

Acute Inflammation, Appendicitis In Young Adult Case Thomas is a 23-year-old graduate student that has been admitted to the emergency room with severe abdominal pain in his lower right abdomen. He has been experiencing the pain the last 2 days. Initially he experienced moderate tenderness in a general area around his lower abdomen. He has also been experiencing low appetite and nausea. Etiology The cause of appendicitis usually occurs as a result of the blockage of the opening of the appendix into the cecum. The blockage of the opening can lead to build up of mucus that may cause a variety of problems within the appendix such as swelling of the lymphatic tissue, thrombosis of vessels and increased internal pressure of the walls of the appendix. Bacteria that are normally found in the appendix may start to leak out of the appendix due to blockage. The bacteria can trigger a response from the body known as acute inflammation. Pathogenesis The obstruction of the appendix leads to increased intraluminal pressure. This causes constriction of surrounding vessels which results in decreased blood and oxygen supply to the appendix. This may result in necrosis of the appendix. The combination of increased intraluminal pressure and weakening of the walls of the appendix may cause may cause leakage of bacteria that is normally found within the appendix. The bacteria will trigger an acute inflammatory response of the body. The inflammatory response starts with the release of chemical mediators and emigration of neutrophils to the site of infection. Chemical mediators such as histamine, prostaglandin, leukotrienes, bradykinin, interleukin are released to mediate the inflammatory process. Histamine and bradykinin promotes vasodilation and increased permeability. Prostaglandins and leukotrienes can result in spasm and edema. This leads to swelling and pain of the appendix found in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen. Interleukin-1 is also released to increase the number of white blood cells. Neutrophils will attempt to recognize the infection and destroy it by ingestion. Ingested and destroyed bacteria will lead to pus formation (exudate). If not resolved, appendicitis can lead to further complications such as rupture of the appendix, which may lead to peritonitis (spread of infection to lining of abdomen and pelvis). Infection may also enter the blood and travel throughout the body which can be life threatening. Diagnosis Patients with appendicitis often have elevated body temperatures and pain and tenderness when palpated in the lower right abdomen. These symptoms can be found through physical examination. Further tests must then be done to verify any findings. An X-ray of the abdomen can be done to detect any obstruction that may be causing appendicitis. A swollen or enlarged appendix can be seen through ultrasound, however the absence of the appendix through ultrasound does not omit the diagnosis of appendicitis because it may not be revealed. CT scan can also be used when available and is usually more accurate in diagnosing appendicitis than ultrasound. Clinical Manifestations In early cases, decreased bowel function, decreased appetite may be an indication of appendicitis. Abdominal pain may not be localized and is dispersed throughout the lower abdomen. As appendicitis progresses it usually manifests in abdominal pain in the right lower quadrant. Nausea and vomiting may also occur due to obstruction. Treatment Surgical removal of the appendix (appendicetomy) is usually done. Antiobiotics may be given to reduce the spread of infection and pain medication may be used to manage pain. Prognosis Recovery from surgical removal is usually between 10 to 28 days. Appendicitis may also resolve spontaneously from inflammatory response. References G. B. Ryan, G. Majno. Acute inflammation. A review. Am J Pathol.1977 January; 86(1): 183-276. J R Johnson. Pathogenesis of acute appendicitis. Br Med J.1978 February 4; 1(6108): 305. Chronic Inflammation Rheumatoid Arthritis Case Betty is a 46-year-old woman who has been experiencing increasing pain in the joints of her wrists and fingers over the past year. Her symptoms have worsened and increased in frequency. She now experiences stiffness and swelling of the joints in her hand and also in her knees. She has since been diagnosed with early rheumatoid arthritis. Etiology Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder that mainly affects synovial joints. The cause of RA is unknown. However it is known to be some form of autoimmunity in which unknown factors trigger the immune system of the body to attack its own tissues through inflammatory response. Pathogenesis There are many cell mediators that are activated in the body in a patient with RA. Changes initially occur at the synovial lining of joints. Symptoms arise mononuclear cells increase in number and accumulate around the synovium. This causes swelling of the joint. As RA progresses, its characteristics develop similarly to an acute inflammatory process. Many inflammatory mediators are found in the synovial fluid and progressively cause the destruction of the cartilage. A large number of neutrophils can be found which are mainly responsible for acute inflammatory response. Histamine, Cytokines and chemokines can also be found aiding in the inflammatory response. T lymphocytes also play an important role in RA by increasing production of antibodies that damage the synovium. These antibodies activate the bodys complement system which plays an important role in immunity and inflammation by destroying cells in ways such as cell membrane destruction, leukocyte activate, adhesion and phagocyt osis. Because the disease is autoimmune, inflammatory response occurs intermittently through life with no resolution (chronic). Diagnosis Diagnosis of RA is dependent on a set of criteria. At least 4 of the following criteria must be present: Morning stiffness that last about 1 hour, Arthritis of 3 or more joint areas (finger, wrist, elbow, knee, ankle, toes), symmetric arthritis, rheumatoid nodules, erosion of bone and reduced calcium in bones, and positive rheumatoid factor blood test. Clinical Manifestations RA generally manifests in symptoms involving the joints such as pain, swelling, tenderness, and stiffness. Rheumatoid nodules can also occur near the joints. RA can progressively lead to deformities of the joints such as the fingers and toes. Treatment Currently there is no cure for RA. Treatment is aimed at decreasing pain and inflammation and protecting the joints from further degradation and maintain function. Treatments can vary greatly due to the complex nature of the disease. This can involve rest to prevent inflammation and exercise to strengthen the joints and muscles. Medical treatments for RA are also available and include NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), steroids, DMARDs (disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs), biological agents, immunosuppressive drugs and supplements. NSAIDs and steroids are mainly used as anti-inflammatory drugs and do not affect the progression of the disease. DMARDs are used to reduce the progression of RA but are not able to halt its progression. Biological agents are used to reduce destruction of the joints. Prognosis Progression of RA can vary from patient to patient. In most, the disease has a life long progression which eventually leads to some level of functional disability.

Leukemia Essay -- Cancer Health Medical Leukemia Essays

Leukemia Leukemia is a cancer that has had a significant effect on our society and with the developments of new drugs it may become treatable. Leukemia originates in the blood-forming organs which may include the lymph tissue and bone cells. In a person with leukemia the rate and the number of cells produced is altered. This altering can become fatal, or with proper treatment it can be subdued. There are two main types of leukemia which include "total" and "differential." These are mainly characterized by the appearance of white blood cells. When leukemia attacks the blood cells, the bone marrow (where blood cells are made), the spleen, and the lymph nodes are extremely weakened (Reagan 90). The classification of leukemia is based on what organ it is attacking. Leukemia can be in acute or chronic form, which means it can happen rapidly, or be prolonged and severe (Bourne 996). To diagnose leukemia doctors have to insert a needle into the bone marrow to extract it and then then view it under a microscope to see if it has any abnormalities that relate to that of leukemia. Some of the symptoms that are involved with leukemia include: lack of energy, fever, susceptibility to infection (because of lack of white blood cells), excessive or repetitive bleeding, easy bruising, and also enlargement of the liver, spleen and lymph nodes (997). This disease has been known to cause about "10% of all cancer deaths, about 50% of all cancer deaths in children and adult...

Case Digests And Political Law Essay

Facts: Petitioner was charged with violation of Section 2 (4) of the revised securities act. Respondent filed to cancel the passport of the petitioner and to issue a hold departure order. The RTC ordered the DFA to cancel petitioner’s passport, based on the finding that the petitioner has not been arraigned and there was evidence to show that the accused has left the country with out the knowledge and the permission of the court. Issue: Whether or Not the right to travel may be impaired by order of the court. Held: The bail bond posted by petitioner has been cancelled and warrant of arrest has been issued by reason that he failed to appear at his arraignments. There is a valid restriction on the right to travel, it is imposed that the accused must make himself available whenever the court requires his presence. A person facing criminal charges may be restrained by the Court from leaving the country or, if abroad, compelled to return (Constitutional Law, Cruz, Isagani A., 1987 Edition, p. 138). So it is also that â€Å"An accused released on bail may be re-arrested without the necessity of a warrant if he attempts to depart from the Philippines without prior permission of the Court where the case is pending (ibid., Sec. 20 [2nd par. ]). Article III, Section 6 of the 1987 Constitution should be interpreted to mean that while the liberty of travel may be impaired even without Court Order, the appropriate executive officers or administrative authorities are not armed with arbitrary discretion to impose limitations. They can impose limits only on the basis of â€Å"national security, public safety, or public health† and â€Å"as may be provided by law,† a limitive phrase which did not appear in the 1973 text (The Constitution, Bernas, Joaquin G.,S.J., Vol. I, First Edition, 1987, p. 263). Apparently, the phraseology in the 1987 Constitution was a reaction to the ban on international travel imposed under the previous regime when there was a Travel Processing Center, which issued certificates of eligibility to travel upon application of an interested party (See Salonga vs. Hermoso & Travel Processing Center, No. 53622, 25 April 1980, 97 SCRA 121). Holding an accused in a criminal case within the reach of the Courts by preventing his departure from the Philippines must be considered as a valid restriction on his right to travel so that he may be dealt with in accordance with law. The offended party in any criminal proceeding is the People of the Philippines. It is to their best interest that criminal prosecutions should run their course and proceed to finality without undue delay, with an accused holding himself amenable at all times to Court Orders and processes

American Parties Essay

The Republican secession affected the vote in some of the Western States but the Democratic â€Å"bolt† was more significant. It took two forms: one, the nomination of separate candidates for President and Vice President known as gold Democrats, and the other votes given directly to McKinley as the surest means of beating Bryan. There is no question that business was much depressed publicans had hoped to charge this condition to the Democratic administration and to the Tariff bill of 1894, and therefore McKinley, who represented protection more than any other man in the country, was the logical candidate. He was the â€Å"advance agent of prosperity† and promised the â€Å"full dinner pail†; prosperity was to be secured by a return to the protective tariff of the Republican party. A few Gold Democrats made a vigorous campaign, especially in the border states where the vote was likely to be close, but in general the party suffered from the closeness of the contest. A rumor on election eve that labor was swinging heavily to Bryan led many thousands of Democrats to shift their votes from Palmer to McKinley. Cleveland advised Gold Democrats to support Republican electors in doubtful states; and Palmer declared publicly that he did not consider it â€Å"any very great fault† if his hearers voted for McKinley. The result was a pitiful 131,000 votes for Palmer, less than 1 per cent of the total and 10,000 fewer than the Prohibition party polled. Even so, many Gold Democrats were well satisfied. Atkinson claimed it as an acknowledged fact that McKinley had been elected by the Gold Democrats. Wheeler insisted that they had polled enough votes in Indiana, Kentucky, and Maryland to give those states and a majority in the electoral college to McKinley, though others have doubted whether this was true in any state but Kentucky. Certainly a nucleus of â€Å"true† Democracy had been preserved for 1900. Leaders like Atkinson were sanguine. â€Å"Heretofore,† he wrote, â€Å"both the old political parties have truckled to the ilver states; hereafter, the National Democratic party will, like the old Free Soil party, hold the balance of power, and although small in number, they will in a forceful manner control events. † In the campaign of 1884, the Republicans again vigorously advocated the doctrine of Protection, protesting against indiscriminate horizontal reduction, but pledging themselves to correct the irregularities of the Tariff and reduce the surplus â€Å"without injuring the laborer or the great productive interests of the country. † The Democrats carefully avoided their blunder of 1880, when they flatly favored a tariff for revenue only. They devoted a long paragraph to the customary abuse of the opposing party and then explained that they meant to reduce taxation so that it â€Å"shall not exceed the needs of the Government economically administered,† and that this â€Å"can and must be effected without depriving American labor of the ability to compete successfully with foreign labor. † McKinley carried the New England States, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania by large majorities. The Middle Western States gave him their electoral votes. He invaded the solid South, carrying Delaware, Kentucky, West Virginia and Maryland, Maryland by an imposing plurality. Bryan carried Kansas and Nebraska, all the mining States except California, and also Washington, while Oregon voted for McKinley. North Dakota did likewise, while South Dakota gave her electoral vote to Bryan by a small plurality. Ohio, the State of McKinley and Hanna, was a disappointment to the Republicans. While they never regarded seriously the boasts of the Bryanites that they would carry the State, yet her plurality, being less than that of Michigan and about one third that of Illinois, showed that Ohio was somewhat uncertain. For, in the August forecast, Michigan was set down as very doubtful and, while Illinois was considered less doubtful, she was not regarded, like Ohio, as safe beyond peradventure for McKinley. Bibliography Binning, William C. 1999. Encyclopedia of American Parties, Campaigns and Elections. Greenwood Press: Westport, CT. Boller, Paul. 1984. Presidential Campaigns. New York: Oxford University Press. Felt, Thomas E. 1960. â€Å"The Rise of Mark Hanna†, Unpublished Ph. D. Dissertation, Michigan State University. Kelly, Patrick J. 2003. The Election of 1896 and the Restructuring of Civil War Memory. Civil War History 49 (3).

The Jim Crow Era

The Jim Crow Era The Jim Crow Era in United States history began towards the end of the Reconstruction Period and lasted until 1965 with the passage of the Voting Rights Act. The Jim Crow Era was more than a body of legislative acts on the federal, state and local levels that barred African-Americans from being full American citizens. It was also a way of life that allowed de jure racial segregation to exist in the South and de facto segregation to thrive in the North. Origin of the Term "Jim Crow" In 1832,  Thomas D. Rice, a white actor, performed in blackface to a routine known as â€Å"Jump Jim Crow.†Ã‚   By the end of the 19th Century, as southern states passed legislation that segregated African-Americans, the term Jim Crow was used to define these laws In 1904, the phrase Jim Crow Law was appearing in American newspapers. Establishment of a Jim Crow Society In 1865, African-Americans were emancipated from enslavement with the thirteenth amendment. By 1870, the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments are also passed, granting citizenship to African-Americans and allowing African-American the right to vote. By the end of the Reconstruction period, African-Americans were losing federal support in the South. As a result, white legislators on state and local levels passed a series of laws that separated African-Americans and whites in public facilities such as schools, parks, cemeteries, theaters, and restaurants. In addition to barring African-Americans and whites from being in integrated public areas, laws were established prohibiting African-American men from participating in the election process. By enacting poll taxes, literacy tests and grandfather clauses, state and local governments were able to exclude African-American from voting.   The Jim Crow Era was not just laws passed to separate blacks from whites. It was also a way of life. White intimidation from organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan kept African-Americans from rebelling against these laws and becoming too successful in southern society.  For instance, when  writer Ida B. Wells began exposing the practice of lynching and other forms of terrorism through her newspaper, Free Speech and Headlight, her printing office was burned to the ground by white vigilantes.   Impact on American Society In response to Jim Crow Era laws and lynchings, African-Americans in the South began participating in the Great Migration. African-Americans moved to cities and industrial towns in the North and West hoping to escape the de jure segregation of the South. However, they were unable to elude de facto segregation, which barred African-Americans in the North from joining specific unions or being hired in particular industries, purchasing homes in some communities, and attending choice schools. In 1896, a group of African-American women established the National Association of Colored Women to support women’s suffrage and fight against other forms of social injustice. By 1905, W.E.B. Du Bois and William Monroe Trotter developed the Niagara Movement, assembling more than 100 African-American men throughout the United States to aggressively fight against racial inequality.  Four years later, the Niagara Movement morphed into the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to fight against social and racial inequality through legislation, court cases, and protests. The African-American press exposed the horrors of Jim Crow to readers throughout the country. Publications such as the Chicago Defender provided readers in southern states with news about urban environments- listing train schedules and job opportunities. An End to the Jim Crow Era During World War II the wall of Jim Crow began to slowly crumble. On the federal level, Franklin D. Roosevelt  established the Fair Employment Act or Executive Order 8802 in 1941 which desegregated employment in war industries after civil rights leader A. Philip Randolph threatened a March on Washington in protest to racial discrimination in the war industries.   Thirteen years later, in 1954, Brown v. Board of Education ruling found the separate but equal laws unconstitutional and desegregated public schools. In 1955, a seamstress and NAACP secretary named Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a public bus. Her refusal led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which lasted over a year and began the modern Civil Rights Movement. By 1960s, college students were working with organizations such as CORE and SNCC, traveling to the South to spearhead voter registration drives.  Men such as Martin Luther King Jr. were speaking not only throughout the United State but the world, about the horrors of segregation. Finally, with the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Jim Crow Era was buried for good.