Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Use Is_String to Check if a Variable Is a String in PHP

Use Is_String to Check if a Variable Is a String in PHP The is_string() PHP work is utilized to check if a sort of factor is aâ string. A string is an information type, for example, gliding point or whole number, however it speaks to message as opposed to numbers. A string utilizes a lot of characters that incorporates spaces and numbers. For example, a location, for example, 1234 Broadway and the sentence I ate 3 franks contain numbers that ought to be treated as text, not as numbers. The most effective method to Use the Function Is_string is utilized inside an if () articulation to treat strings in a single manner and non-strings in another. It returns valid or bogus. For instance: ?php if (is_string(23)) {echo Yes;} else {echo No;}? The code above should yield No in light of the fact that 23 isn't a string. Lets attempt this once more: ?php if (is_string(Hello World)) {echo Yes;} else {echo No;}? Since Hello World is a string, this would reverberate Yes. Indicating a String A string can be indicated in four different ways: Single quotedDouble quoted Heredoc syntaxNowdoc Syntax Every one of these techniques requires severe adherenceâ to PHP rules, which are accessible at the PHP site. The least complex technique, single-cited strings, requires uncommon treatment when strict single quotes or exacting oblique punctuation lines show up in the string. Incorporate an oblique punctuation line before the single quote or oblique punctuation line inside the string. The model beneath delineates this treatment: ?php// Outputs: Arnold said: Ill be backecho Arnold said: Ill be back;// Outputs: I deleted C:*.*?echo I deleted C:\*.*?;? Comparative Functions is_float() †decides whether the kind of factor is floatis_int() †decides whether the sort of factor is integeris_bool() †decides whether a variable is a booleanis_object() †decides whether a variable is an objectis_array() †decides whether a variable is an exhibit

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Using the example (simplified) bank balance sheet below show and explain why the Leverage And Capital Ratios are changed as a result of a 6m write-down in mortgages Essay Example

Utilizing the model (improved) bank accounting report beneath appear and clarify why the Leverage And Capital Ratios are changed because of a 6m compose Utilizing the model (rearranged) bank monetary record underneath appear and clarify why the Leverage And Capital Ratios are changed because of a 6m record in contracts Essay Utilizing the model (rearranged) bank monetary record beneath appear and clarify why the Leverage And Capital Ratios are changed because of a 6m record in contracts Essay The underlying accounting report shows that the all out value is  £16m and the all out resource is  £305m. After the recorded of  £6m on contracts, the home loans have changed over  £120m into  £114m with the goal that the new all out resources change to  £299m. Moreover, because of the abatement of all out resources, the all out value likewise transformed into  £10m In request to make the all out value equivalent to add up to resources. As we probably am aware, the recipe of influence proportion and capital proportion is: Influence ratio= Total Equity/Total Assets *100% Capital ratio= Total Equity/Risk-balanced resources *100% Along these lines, as the changing of complete value and all out resources, the influence proportion likewise change simultaneously. Because of the changing of home loans, the hazard balanced resources of home loans additionally change so the complete hazard balanced resources transformed into  £191m contrasted and beforehand figure  £194m. Subsequently, capital proportion has changed inferable from changing of all out hazard balanced resources. In a word, the influence proportion and capital proportion are changed because of a  £6m record in contracts. Part B: If this record in contract resources was across the board; clarify what gauges all banks would need to take so as to reconstruct their capital proportions back to the necessary least of 8%. Answer: 1. The principal strategy is by expanding all out value (with no adjustment in hazard balanced resources) 1. As we probably am aware, the capital proportion = absolute value/chance balanced resources *100% From the table, we can see the present capital ratio=5.24%.the target capital proportion =8%.given the hazard balanced resources  £191, we assume to discover what amount of absolute value is have to accomplish capital proportion of 8%? Expect X=total value. 8%=X/ £191m*100% X=â £15.28m. Taking everything into account, all out value most increment to  £15.28m to accomplish the capital proportion of 8% with no adjustment in chance balanced resources. 1. From the table we can see, given the bank hasâ £10 in complete value. From 1 X is given  £15.28m. X- £10m=â £15.28m- £10m=â £5.28m. Taking everything into account, bank required extra value  £5.28m from the current value of  £10m to accomplish the all out value of  £15.28m with the goal that the capital proportion of 8% can be accomplished. 1. The subsequent strategy is by diminishing danger balanced resources (with no adjustment in value) 1. With no adjustment in value, we ascertain the complete hazard balanced resources. Utilizing  £10m in value The all out hazard balanced assets=â £10m/8% *100%=â £125m. Taking everything into account, expect all out value is fixed; the complete hazard balanced resources need to diminish to  £125m so as to accomplish the capital proportion of 8% 1. Structure the table, we can see, current hazard balanced resource =â £191m and the objective hazard balanced resource =â £125m. The difference in hazard balanced resource =new chance balanced resources old hazard balanced assets=â £125m- £191m=- £66m. Taking everything into account: the complete hazard balanced resources must lessen by  £66m so as to get  £125m with the goal that the capital proportion of 8% can be accomplished. 2. We presently need to change the arrangement of Assets to make chance balanced assets=â £125m Since the hazard weight of credits and advances is 100%. We have to make it littler, old credits and advances=â £125m, new advances and advances=old advances and advances +changes in sythesis of assets=â £125m+ (-  £66m) =â £59m. All in all, to accomplish the estimation of hazard balanced asset=â £125m, we have to diminish the credits and advances byâ £66m so as to get the new advances and advances =â £59m 1. So as to accomplish liabilities=assets, we additionally need to change the estimation of money in works. New money in works balance= current money in works + change in structure of assets=â £5m+â £66m=â £71m. Taking everything into account, to accomplish the estimation of hazard balanced asset=â £125m, we not just need to diminish the advances and advances, yet in addition need to expand the money in works by  £66m so as to get the new money in works =â £71m. By diminish the credits advances and increment the money, which will lessen the loaning. The liquidity proportion will expand lead to the credit emergency. [C]New accounting report with the capital proportion of 8% Liabilities  £m Resources  £m Hazard Weighting Hazard Adjusted Assets ( £m) Stores Money Current records 195 Money in Tills 71 (0%) 0 Time stores 94 Cash at call 5 (0%) 0 All out Liabilities 289 Ready to move resources Gove Bonds ; Bills 10 (10%) 1 Different Bonds ; Bills 40 (20%) 8 Value Investor Capital 7 Different resources Held Profits 3 Credits and Advances 59 (100%) 59 Home loans 114 (half) 57 All out Equity 10 All out Liabilities + Equity 299 All out Assets 299 All out Risk- Balanced 125 UK Liquidity Ratio 3.34% Influence Ratio 3.34% Capital Ratio 8% Part C: Clarify how, in remaking capital proportions, total interest will change, therefore the economy in general, could slide into downturn. Answer㠯â ¼ The bank begins to remake the capital proportions by decreasing the hazard balanced resources. Under the lessening the hazard balanced resources, it will change the sythesis of the benefits by decreasing the credits ; progresses and expanding money in works. It will cause the flood of the liquidity. Bank is out of nowhere diminishing gainfulness. Credits become lesser and lesser to firms, people, etc. The bank would not offer advances to others so as to modify the capital proportion to accomplish a higher figure, which will cause the credit emergency. Accepting the whole bank do that, the total will fall because of the falling of the utilization of locally delivered merchandise ; administrations and the venture. These are rely upon advances. For individuals, they need to take credits from banks by purchasing vehicles and house. They likewise need to pay the instructive charges. For the organizations, they are in a tough situation they can't back the advances. In some cases, they donà ¢â‚¬â„¢t have enough cash to purchase the new hardware and pay the pay to their workers, so they take credits from banks, the issue is they can't take enough advances from banks in order to firms are tending to make less venture. Because of revamping capital proportion, banks don’t need to offer advances to other people, the Cd will tumble down. Thus, the monetary will go into the downturn. The monetary will encounter a colossal fall as far as their total interest. Additionally, the banks begin to remake the capital proportion by expanding the value. Through expanding held benefit, it can defer the installment of profits and increment its credits rates ; bank charges, or by laying off staff and shutting failing to meet expectations branches with the goal that it will cause the expanding of the joblessness rate and decreasing spending. Everything is tending to fall. Spending lesser and lesser, the total interest will fall. In this manner, GDP will fall prompting the downturn.

Thursday, August 13, 2020

This is what happens when we dont do work

This is what happens when we don’t do work Im long overdue for a blog update. To dispel your mental image of me as a faceless recluse, I havent been posting because of a drought of excitement. Actually, theres been too much excitement for me to find the time to blog. Heres a quick summary of my last two-and-a-bit weeks to prove it. CPW I spent most of CPW punting psets in order to gorge myself on free food, wander around campus terrifying prefrosh, and brew gallons of bubble tea for my caffeine event (note: never hold a confusingly named event on the fifth floor). I only wish Id had more time to spend at my first Meet The Bloggers, which was a pretty fun, low-key event. Apologies to Rohan15 for this gem of a conversation Im about to share: Rohan: Youre pretty chill! I was expecting you to bemorewell me: NERDY AND AWKWARD??? Is that it? Rohan: I didnt want to say it, but yes. Although I am arguably nerdy and awkward, MIT students are generally not the variety of nerd that seems to stick in societys collective subconscious. CPW, while certainly not farfetched, is a heavily time-compressed exaggeration of MIT. We dont stay up until 4am speaking in rapid-fire Math-ese or building wall-climbing robots every night, only some nights. If you think thats weird, every once in a while, my (course 12) GRT will burst excitedly into the kitchen to talk about rock striations. The daily grind About a year ago, in a flash of inspiration, my neighbor Ale bought a secondhand trumpet. For months, my ears were barraged with brassy wails reminiscent of a dying porpoise. Now, hes good enough that hes more comfortable using the trumpet than the piano to help him compose for jazz class. Now, ever since I was a wee Asian nailed to a piano bench, Id wished I could play the violin. This sentiment persisted through college, although I always thought, eh, Ill never have time or eh, Ill do it later. Then Stephan started learning the viola under Julias tutelage, and also got a piano, and Harry and Sam came into possession of ukuleles, and Ale found a tenor saxophone on Ebay, so Angela decided to get an accordion, and everyone else felt comfortable enough to dust off their high school instruments again, and I felt comfortable enough to have the following revelation: I pictured myself, 30 years old and alone in a dingy apartment, clad in a bathrobe, surrounded by takeout dinners and bills, with coding as my only hobby other than breathing, mumbling, Eh, Ill do it later. So I dumped the remainder of my IAP paycheck into a violin and an alto sax. At first, I was terrible, but now I am merely bad. On the other hand, life is good. Except for the part where I need to start three final projects. Woe. I turned 21 Finally. and the arts In addition to being the time when the semester really grinds down on us, this is also the time when student groups begin to unveil the performances theyve been working on all semester. Last Saturday, I hit up Grains Of Rice, an annual AAA (Asian American Association) event where tons of Asians from MIT, BU, Harvard, etc, and a professional guest group get together and perform. Grains Of Rice showcases many traditional varieties of entertainment, like taiko drumming, lion dancing, Chinese yoyoing, and cultural dances, but fellow course 6-ers Andrew12 and Jeff12 broke the mold and opened with a rap about Asian-American stereotypes. I dont have a recording of it, but I just so happen to have filmed a music video for them which you can view and share with all your friends (hint, hint) below! Warning: may be extremely offensive to Asians; may be extremely unamusing to non-Asians. This years guest was Kaba Modern, whom you may know from Americas Best Dance Crew, but I missed out because I had to run off to Resonances epic 10th anniversary concert. Okay, there was some quality a cappella, too. Fortunately for a cappella lovers, there are a few more concerts left in the year. This semester, the Chorallaries decided to observe MITs 150th anniversary on their spring concert posters by costuming themselves in styles from different decades, and I got to shoot for them! It turns out theyre as skillful at modeling as they are at keeping four-part harmonies. So if you happened to see a group of barefoot, tie-dyed tree huggers sprawling in front of 77 Mass Ave, or a few dashing gentlemen holding stiff Napoleonesque poses for a daguerreotype, that was just us. MIT hasnt invented time machines yet. (^ click to see the rest of our photoshoot!) Because I hate to end a post without a vague sense of coherency, let me leave you with a general observation: MIT is home to some insanely fun and well-rounded people. via squishable.com And mixing all those people together on the same campus is the perfect recipe for a pretty lively college experience. Where else are you going to make music videos with your complexity theory pset partners while gawking tourists are herded by?

Saturday, May 23, 2020

High Gas Prices - 1241 Words

Gas prices in the United States are breaking record highs. Millions of people need fuel drive to work, to school, and to the bank, to accomplish daily commitments. Some wonder how gas prices got so high. Many reasons like high taxes and demand, give strong evidence of the causes of high gas prices. The effects of elevated gas prices cause Americans financial woes and lifestyle inconveniences. Many people assume the reasons for high gas prices, but are unaware of the significant explanations. Most people would speculate the culprits for raising the gas prices are the oil refinery companies because their profit equals billions, but in reality our elevated dependency on gasoline, higher taxes, and environmental regulations are the†¦show more content†¦2005) Some people believe only major affects on American families would be if the increase was immense and lasted at least five years. The evidence discussed proves their claims wrong. I disagree with the opposing statement that A mericans are not significantly affected and would not be until something traumatic occurs. I fall in the low-income range of less than $30,000 per year. Many people like me are affected in major ways. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the three-year-average median household income for all states in 2002-2004 is $44,473 per year. (US Census 2004) Many live paycheck to paycheck struggling to get the bills paid, providing shelter, food and necessities, and still finding enough to enjoy leisurely activities. Not too mention, future and unexpected costs like tuition, car repairs, and medical bills have to be worried about. I have a small, fairly fuel-efficient vehicle I purchased in late 2004, with a 13-gallon tank. With the same driving habits, it now costs me $10 to $18 more per week than it did when I purchased my car. If this increase maintained throughout one year which can be easily assumed according to yearly averages, gas would cost me $520 to $936 per year. The opposing side claims Americans would only be seriously affected if the price rose over $4 per gallon and sustained at leastShow MoreRelatedThe Reason for High Gas Prices2463 Words   |  10 Pagesshowing a gas station with the gas prices on a sign sitting in front of it. The gas sign said that the price for regular was an arm, the price for plus was a leg and the price for premium was a first born. As I marveled over what Photoshop can do, I began to think about these high gas prices and what is causing them. Everyone talks about, complains about, and jokes about the high gas prices, but no one does anything about them. Many people told me what they thought was causing the high gas pricesRead MoreThe Economic Impact of High Gas Prices1135 Words   |  5 PagesThe economic impact of high gas prices 1 The Economic Impact of High Gas Prices A Brown Strayer University The Economic Impact of High Gas Prices 2 The Economic Impact of High Gas Prices Section 1: Introduction The American economy is one of the strongest in the world; people from every country comes here to live or travel on vacation with their families and take advantage of its many economical opportunities available to its citizens. Traveling is one ofRead MoreEnergy Price Volatility With Regards Natural Gas3973 Words   |  16 Pages Executive Summary In this paper, energy price volatility with regards natural gas will be expounded on the essentials of market requisites. The report explains a number of factors that lead to price differences in the market as well price volatility implications to the oil and gas companies and industry. Supply and demand factors play a major role in shaping natural gas prices in addition to other factors such as war, environments and OPEC. Value-at-Risk (VaR) as a tool to manage risk and quantifyRead MoreEnergy Price Volatility With Regards Natural Gas3236 Words   |  13 PagesExecutive Summary In this paper, energy price volatility with regards natural gas will be expounded on the essentials of market requisites. The report explains a number of factors that lead to price differences in the market and price volatility implications to oil and gas companies and industry. Supply and demand factors play a major role in shaping natural gas prices but factors such as war, environment and OPEC contribute to price differentials. Value-at-Risk (VaR) evaluates and quantifies riskRead MoreExxonmobile: Social Responsibility in a Commodity Market1377 Words   |  6 Pagescommodity market. ExxonMobil is the world’s largest publicly traded international oil and gas company. They hold an industry-leading inventory of global oil and gas resources. They are the world’s largest refiner and marketer of petroleum products (ExxonMobil, 2013). This case deals with the everyday struggle of raising gas prices and the toll it has on the average consumer. What is to cause for these raising gas prices one might ask. The case looks at the former CEO of ExxonMobil and his $400 millionRead MoreProduction Cost Of Production Costs912 Words   |  4 Pages but less preferred as it contains impurities and needs more processing to refine into gas. The cost of processing heavy/sour crude oil is high; this is why the price of sweet/light crude oil is much higher than heavy/sour crude oil. So, high production costs of gas make the supply elasticity lower. Transportation costs. States that are farther from the source of supply will have higher prices because of high transportation cost. State or companies have to invest in technology as tankers, pipelinesRead MoreA Brief Note On Gas And The Gas Station1046 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Situation C Gas is something that most Americans cannot live without in today’s society. In the past, when cars were not readily available to all Americans, gas was not that important. Those that had cars needed it and those that did not. Prices on a gallon of gas in the 1920’s and 30’s was .25 cents a gallon. That was a lot of money in those days since many people barely made $1500 a year. Now we spend our days complaining about the $2 average price that we pay now. Gas has become a necessityRead MoreEssay on Affordable Gas1246 Words   |  5 Pagesyou suddenly realize that your gas light is on. In a matter of miles the car will come to a disappointing stop with out more fuel. Up ahead you spot a gas station. You feel a sudden relief. As you pull up to the pump that ear to ear smile leaves your face. The same gas that was Three-nineteen a gallon is now well over four dollars. You instantly realize that you can’t afford this trip on your own. Do you cancel the trip or ask your friends to chip in? Why do gas prices continue to rise to such ridiculousRead More Fuel Wars Essay866 Words   |  4 Pagesresponse to the increasing gas prices Over the past two years, it has been said that gas prices would begin to rise in 1999. Immediately, this news grasped the attention of the business sector and public. Both spent their time devising a plan, on how to keep the prices low, but the time has come for these plans to begin working. The fuel prices have increased dramatically and the economy is now starting to feel the effect. Around the world, the increase of the price of crude oil has hit the publicRead MoreInformative Speech931 Words   |  4 Pages2/20/2013 Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about why gas prices are so high, and continue to rise. Central Idea: Gas prices are on the rise in the US recently because of three major factors: the price of crude oil, the increase in internal regulations, and the increased demand for the gas. Organizational pattern: Topical Introduction I. Attention-getter: Back home, I used to spend 6 dollars to fill my car with gas. Unfortunately, today I spent 70 dollars, actually some times

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Abortion A Controversial Issue - 1256 Words

Abortion is a very controversial issue. To first start out abortion is the deliberate termination of a woman’s pregnancy, most often performed within the first 22 weeks of pregnancy. People can either be pro-choice or pro-life for abortion. Being pro-choice means that people believe that it is a woman’s choice to get an abortion if they want one. Pro-life means people believe no matter what if a woman is pregnant they should have the baby; no abortion. I intent to explain why women who get pregnant should have the right to get an abortion, if they so choose to. Abortion has had a very long history. Women were getting abortions before they were even legal. Abortions in 1800’s weren’t as safe, but women were still getting them. Abortion was illegal in the United States, but certain states made abortion legal, to save the health of the mother. The laws for abortion depending on the state, which each state had different. In 1970 Alaska, Hawaii, New York, and Washington liberalize abortion laws. Which made abortion available at the request of a woman and her doctor. But now in 2015 all states allow abortions but each state has different laws on it. Example in Ohio to have an abortion it has to be by a licensed physician, public funds limited to life endangerment, rape, and incest, and parental involvement required for minors, parents must give consent. That’s only some of the laws, but in other states they are a lot more stick. Woman have the right to an abortion if they soShow MoreRelatedThe Controversial Issue Of Abortion878 Words   |  4 Pagesrecent discussions of abortion, the controversial issue has become whether or not women should be given the right to take their unborn child’s life away. Many believe in all having the right to live while others believe in the right to be given a choice. Women do not want to be given restrictions, they want to be able to have a voice when making decisions. With abortion women have a hard time making their decision based upon the judgement others make if the decision of abortion is followed throughRead MoreAbortion : A Controversial Issue Of Abortion Essay2668 Words   |  11 PagesAbortion is terminating a pregnancy before the fetus has been born. Abortion has been and still is very controversial and has had an increasing amount of cases all over the world. In 2000 there were over one million abortions in the United States (Harper, et al., 501). Abortion is one of the most common procedures women undergo. According to the current abortion rates about thirty percent of women will have an abortion by the age of forty-five (Jones and Kavanaugh, 2011). Most abortions are attributedRead MoreThe Controversial Issue Of Abortion1555 Words   |  7 Pagestopic of abortion in the United States has been and remains one of the most controversial issues in western culture and politics. An abortion can be defined as the expulsion of a fetus from the uterus before it can survive on its own. This comprises two major forms of abortion: spontaneous, which is often referred to as a miscarriage or induced abortion, which is the deliberate termination of a pregnancy. The term is commonly used to refer to the induced abortion, and this is the abortion, which hasRead MoreThe Controversial Issue Of Abortion865 Words   |  4 Pages Today, people have the right to voice their thoughts regarding a topic, rather they’re different or alike, creating a new philosophy about it, or supporting the traditional belief. In regards to the topic, Abortion has been a subject of controversial matters. Some believing they have the right to do such an act while others would absolutely disagree. Before supporting such an act or not, we typically take into consideration the goods and bads of the action first. While taking a life might be oneRead MoreAbortion : A Controversial Issue911 Words   |  4 PagesAbortion is a controversial issue in many countries all the time and there are always two sides of abortion. Pro-life supporters believe that abortion is immoral, so they argue that it should be illegal because an unborn baby is life. However, they do not figure out that woman who is on the inevitable situation such as infection, rape, or extreme poverty would still have the abortion even though the abortion is illegal. Many women die due to unsafe abortion, which is illegal and performed by uneducatedRead MoreAbortion : A Controversial Issue843 Words   |  4 PagesAbortion Abortion has been a very controversial issue in the United States for the past several decades. Many people think that is it morally wrong. To say that something is morally wrong is an opinion. Since everyone’s opinions are different on this topic there have been many court cases and protests against abortion. However there are a lot of people out there that believe that abortion is a rightful decision. My personal opinion on the abortion controversy is that every woman should have theRead MoreAbortion : A Controversial Issue989 Words   |  4 Pagesaverage total of abortions performed annually in America (operationrescue.org). Abortion is a very controversial issue in the United States and all across the globe. First, I will discuss the different types of abortion. Next, I will explain when the abortions are performed. Then, I will share some of the laws regarding abortion in the United States. Finally, I will express my views on abortion. Abortion should be illegal in all states. First, I will discuss the various types of abortion. There are threeRead MoreAbortion: a Controversial Issue1159 Words   |  5 PagesAbortion: A Controversial Issue One of the major controversial issues confronting the society today is abortion. I choose abortion as the topic of discussion since it contradicts my values and beliefs. Abortion is the extraction of the human fetus from the mothers womb with an intention to end the life of that fetus prior to its natural birth. The controversy surrounding abortion is whether it should be legalized or not? In my opinion, abortion is morally and ethically wrong because it leadsRead MoreAbortion : A Controversial Issue882 Words   |  4 Pagesconsider abortion as a rightful act, and abortion is a name of destroying human life. Now a days our society faces several types of issues Abortion is one of the complicated issue for both ways health and society that’s why abortion become a very controversial issue that’s become debatable in politics. In addition, these researches will describe the different issues of abortion, such as, legal laws on abortion, restriction of abortions, rate of ab ortion and consequences of the abortion. Abortion isRead MoreThe Controversial Issue Of Abortions1443 Words   |  6 Pageslooking at them. This includes their reproductive system, which worldwide has caused many controversial issues that will be further looked upon throughout this paper. When the word â€Å"Abortion† is heard, a heated argument often arises between couples, families, governments, and most commonly throughout women’s minds around the world. Over the past hundred years, the topic of abortions has been an ongoing issue. Many people agree to this practice, while others see it as completely absurd. In the past

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Bribery Scandal @ Siemens Free Essays

Case Analysis by Steve Akana steve. akana@laverne. edu BUS 685 Global Business Management Case 1 – The Bribery Scandal at Siemens AG Overview The report will analyze the case study and discuss the bribery scandal at Siemens AG. We will write a custom essay sample on Bribery Scandal @ Siemens or any similar topic only for you Order Now The author of the case study paints a picture of a successful and arguably dominant multi-national firm, with a reputation for a war chest of competencies and innovative products. The obvious question, then, is why would a firm with this resume and list of global achievements become involved with corruption and criminal behavior? Therefore, the case study raised questions such as the accountability of senior managers to the rampant corruption occurring in global divisions. Summary On November 15, 2006, 30 offices and private homes were raided by 200 police officers, tax inspectors, and prosecutors in Munch and other cities in Germany to investigate suspected bribery, embezzlement of company funds, and tax evasion. Five Siemens employees were taken into custody in connection with the case. Swiss prosecutors were also involved in the raids because they had an independent investigation on three people connected to Siemens, which launched in 2005. As a result, there was â‚ ¬420M of questionable payments made over a sevenyear period from 1999 to 2006. Official Siemens records showed the payments as having gone to external consultants. It was determined, however, that the funds were actually paid to foreign purchasing officials and that the expenditures coincided with the procurement of â€Å"fixed-line line telecommunications business in various international markets,† including Italy, Puerto Rico, Greece, and the United States. Siemens acknowledged that certain company employees were engaged in fraud, and the damage to the company could be around â‚ ¬10-30M. Because of the fraud Siemen’s was burdened with an additional â‚ ¬168M in income tax charges since 1999. Their net profit was restated from â‚ ¬3. 106B to â‚ ¬3. 033B. By the spring of 2007, two former Siemens managers were convicted of embezzlement of company funds (â‚ ¬6M) for the purpose of bribing foreign officials to win a natural-gas turbine contract. The employees argued that their actions did not violate any laws, resulted in no personal gain, and were taken solely for the purpose of improving Siemens’ positioning. They argued that they worked only to secure a lucrative deal in which the payments were required by Enel management as part of the standard bid process. In fact, Siemens AG argued that the court order requiring forfeiture of earnings from the contract, prior to 2002 when the German government instituted a law prohibiting bribes to private officials abroad, specifically, had no basis in law. Analysis It took approximately 200 government officials, made up of police officers, tax inspectors, and prosecutors to indite five Siemens employees. The result was that the company was fined â‚ ¬30M, which was approximately 7% of the total â‚ ¬420M in bribes Siemens paid out. Combined, Siemens lost a total of â‚ ¬450M in 2006. Therefore, the company had to restate their net profits for 2006 from â‚ ¬3. 106B to â‚ ¬3. 033B. The adjustment was a mere 1. 4% of their total net profits in 2006. Two Siemens employees gave out bribes worth â‚ ¬6M in order to win contracts. The punishment for these briberies was a fine of â‚ ¬44M; however, the contract awarded to Siemens was worth â‚ ¬450M. Therefore, the company’s gain was a profit of â‚ ¬406M. The penalties Siemens paid were roughly 10% of the overall profit made from the contract. So was it worth it for Siemens to engage in criminal behavior? The punishment they received of paying fines varying up to 10 percent were only a drop in the bucket compared to the profits they gained. So from the viewpoint of a Siemens employee who is willing to break the law in order to gain large profits, it was definitely worth it. As a matter of fact, if a company anticipates the percentage of penalties that will be applied for breaking the law, they could actually build that figure into their contract award fee and then move on with the business as usual. Furthermore, in addition to the financial repercussions Siemens experienced, the case study also mentioned damages to their reputation. In the end, however, Siemens’ growing profits did not reveal any decreases due to a damaged reputation. By 2011, Siemens ended up making more money than they had in the last five years, since 2007. From 1999 to 2006, their combined net income was â‚ ¬26. 3B (over seven years), and from 2011 to 2007, their combined net income was â‚ ¬31. 95B (over five years). Discussion Questions 1. Is unethical behavior the cost of doing business? What exactly is the role of Senior Managers? 2. Was Siemens penalized enough? Should fines be used as a deterrent to bribery? Are these the effects of the absence of adequate laws or weak enforcement practices? 3. Relativism vs. Normativism (Co-Determination Law). Relativism is the idea that ethics and morals are based on the context of a situation; the people involved, and their beliefs. Normativism is the idea of universal law based on what is good for everyone alike. So in this situation, would it be more appropriate to view Siemens’ actions in the context that they were simply trying to make profits? Conversely, would it be more appropriate to view the situation as what might be good for one company is not good for others, creating an unfair playing field? Would you apply relativism or Normativism to this case study when examining the Co-Determination Law? 4. Can you discuss in your own words, what is the difference between lobbying and bribery? Recommendations 1. Executive Ethics Program – Mandate that anyone equal to or above a director level to undergo a specialized business ethics and regulations program for executives. We should hold the government responsible to provide this training. The program would be taught by people who enforce the law, such as litigation lawyers and prosecutors. Training the people in the company at the level where the bribes derive from is much more appropriate than mandating a company-wide training where only lower level employees will end up receiving this training. 2. Levy Stricter Fines – Any company caught giving bribes for any reason will not be allowed to keep the profits they made as a result from the contracts won. The fines the company will owe to the government will be the equivalent to the gains received or the potential value of the contract being awarded. If the company is found guilty, they must walk away from the contract, allowing other companies that did not break the law to rebid on the contract. 3. Two Years of Probation – companies that break the law will not be allowed to bid on any contracts in the industry in which the contract existed, i. . a contract with an Energy Company would prevent further bids on any contracts in the energy industry for two years. Lessons Learned 1. 2. 3. 4. A strong ethical culture is critical for effective corporate governance. Merely publicizing the need for integrity won’t bring it about. Senior executives need to know what is going on throughout the organization. Strong intern al control is more important in a widely dispersed and decentralized company. 5. A focus on â€Å"making the numbers† will never be successful in the long run. Questions still needing to be answered 1. How acceptable are bribes and kickbacks in industrialized countries? 2. Who will go to jail, and how much will the financial settlements cost Siemens? 3. What will be the effect of the scandal on Siemens’s strategic plans to acquire/dispose of business units? 4. Where were the internal and external auditors? 5. Can an outsider like new CEO Loscher really change an entrenched corporate culture? Reference Deresky, Helen. (2011). International Management: Managing Across Borders and Cultures (7th Edition ed. ). Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall. How to cite Bribery Scandal @ Siemens, Papers

Sunday, May 3, 2020

Causes and Effects of the Great Depression free essay sample

The Great Depression was the most catastrophic event in U.S. History. It not only crippled the economy, but stunted political and social aspects of American life as well. Before the Depression, the twenties roared. The previous decade flourished after the slight recession following World War I, but overall made for a hopeful future. People celebrated the end of the war by spending money and enjoying all that life had to offer. This came to a screeching halt when the Depression hit in 1929 and would change the lives of Americans forever. There were many causes of the Great Depression with just as many effects that would change the lives of millions. The crash of the economy and the people’s reaction to it caused the extreme recession, and as a result, the individual family suffered greatly as did the economy. The 1930’s and early 1940’s was a dark period for the United States and left many people suffering. There were many three major economic causes that triggered the Great Depression: the stock market crash of 1929, the nationwide bank failures and a strangled European foreign policy. The biggest cause was the Stock Market Crash of 1929. October 29th, 1929, also known as Black Tuesday, has been known as the worst day in the history of the New York Stock Exchange. On Black Tuesday, 16.4 million shares worth nearly $14 billion, worth roughly $185 billion today, were lost. The stock market dropped 25% and lost another $30 billion, worth roughly $1.3 trillion today, over the next four days. The stock market reached its lowest point on November 13th, 1929. In addition to the Wall Street Crash, banks all over the country began to fail. Deposits were uninsured, so that once the bank failed, all the money in it would be lost. Families who lost everything were faced with problems that included homelessness and poverty. Surviving banks became extremely cautious and were unwilling to hand out new loans due to the uncertainty of the banks future. Between 1930 and 1940, nearly 9,000 banks were shut down. Because of the bank failures, people became fearful of the current economic situation and started to change their financial habits. The spending rate dropped dramatically, therefore mass production rates dropped and eventually the workforce ceased as well. Unemployment followed, rising to 25% at the peak of the Depression, and when people couldnt pay off their loans and debts, their belongings were repossessed. In attempt to  help protect American companies, President Herbert Hoover put the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act in effect in June of 1930, which raised taxes on nearly twenty thousand imported products. However, his plan backfired and rather than bring in money, the tax virtually shut down foreign trade between the United States and Europe. Though many factors helped cause the Great Depression, the e conomic ones contributed the most. There were also social aspects that contributed to the Great Depression, including a reduction in purchasing and the drought in the Midwest. When banks started failing and prices inflated, people got scared of what their futures held. In preparation, many stopped buying unnecessary luxuries and only spent money on the bare minimum. This decrease in purchases from the entire population slowed and eventually shut down many industries during the Great Depression. This contributed to the ever-rising unemployment rate and forced many people into poverty. Also, the western plains were faced with the problem of the drought. Starting in the Mississippi Valley and spreading, the drought dried up the farms and all their crops, forcing many farmers to sell their farms for less than they’re worth in order to pay off taxes and debts. By the peak of the Great Depression, the dried plains were nicknamed â€Å"The Dust Bowl.† Massive dust storms blew all the nutrient-rich topsoil from the fields, leaving the over-plowed infertile dirt that was beneath it. This posed as a huge problem for farmers and resulted in many losing their farms to the dust and dirt that consumed them. The decrease in the population’s purchasing and the Midwest dust bowl contributed drastically to the Great Depression. The most outstanding effects of the Great Depression were seen in the social aspect of American life and within the early American family. Immediately after Wall Street crashed in 1929, the unemployment rate skyrocketed, resulting in five million jobless in 1930 and eleven million jobless by the following year. Along with the increased unemployment rate, wages plummeted and workers were laid off. Laid off workers received no benefits and no source of income in order to provide for their hungry families. Due to these cuts, many people lost everything they owned. If they had an account at a bank, it was very likely that they lost all the money in it. Farmers in debt had to sell their farms for less than they were worth in order to pay their bills. Additionally, families with low  incomes depended on their children to keep the family alive as well. Kids were taken out of school to work in factories and in mines for poor wages. Nonetheless, families still lost their homes and had to take refuge elsewhere. So when this happened and they had nowhere left to go, they moved to the cities. This mass migration was one of the biggest in United States history. Cities offered employment and opportunities for those having trouble. People also moved to cities to escape the increasingly problematic Dust Bowl issue on the western plains. In cities, people could work in factories and find odd jobs to make the rent and put food on the table. Also, the repeal of prohibition majorly affected society, in both positive and negative ways. Prohibition became a gateway to illegal alcohol trafficking, which soon became very popular and common. However, after the repeal, alcohol served as a new source of income for bars, stores and restaurants. The repeal of prohibition lifted the economy. There were both positive and negative social effects stemming from the Great Depression, however the majority were devastating and destructive. The overall status of the Great Depression was majorly influenced by its two presidents of the decade, Herbert Hoover and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. President Hoover, the 31st president of the United States, led the country from 1929 to 1933 and had to deal with the Great Depression from the very start of his presidency. Despite the disaster that consumed the country, he had a very laissez-faire approach to the situation. He believed that if the situation was let alone it would eventually fix itself without need for any intervention. The only remotely productive task Hoover attempted was the creation of the Smoot-Hawley Act in 1930, which raised taxes on imported products. He meant to give more money to the government in order to help families and put more money into the flow of the economy, however this backfired and international trade became choked and nearly nonexistent. This tariff combined with the 1932 Revenue Act, which skyrocketed taxes and fees off the charts, is often blamed for deepening the Great Depression rather than fixing it. In the end, Hoover’s small efforts to turn the economy around were not enough and he was not elected to serve a second term as president. New president Franklin Roosevelt won the election and became the 32nd president of the United States. Unlike Hoover, Roosevelt came with a plan to pull the country out of its financial ruins. In his first hundred days in office, Roosevelt pushed  fifteen major bills through congress. These bills were meant to reform every aspect of American economy including banking, deposit insurances, and welfare programs. The Federal Emergency Relief Act gave nearly $500 million to state-run welfare programs in order to get families back on their feet. The Homeowners Loan Act allowed people to take loans and mortgages out on houses safely. The Glass-Steagall Act insured bank deposits under $5,000, and was proved instantly effective. Following these Acts, Roosevelt put his New Deal into action. The objective of the New Deal was to give help to the people who lost their jobs, homes and savings. To provide relief, Roosevelt put the Nation Recovery Administration into immediate action. The NRA set equal minimum wages, prices and competitive conditions in all industries. It also encouraged unions that planned to raise wages in order to increase the working class’ purchasing power. Additionally, the NRA cut down on farm production in order to sell their products at a higher price and make it more possible to make a living in farming. By the end of his second term, Roosevelt had also added social security, a national relief agency, and the Works Progress Administration. The WPA employed 8.5 million people and its employees built bridges, roads, public buildings, public parks and airports for a salary of $41.57 a month. Because of this, unemployment fell by 2/3 in his first term. Undoubtedly, without Roosevelt’s plans for reform, the country would have stayed in ruins for many more years. He ultimately saved the country in his first term. The Great Depression was a time of struggles and hardships, and healing the American economy afterwards was no minor feat. Families’ lives were changed forever. During Herbert Hoover’s presidency, the outlook was bleak on the future, but President Roosevelt brought back hope. Ultimately, World War II was what really pulled the country together again. The war demanded guns, munitions, ammunitions and weapons, which created a whole new industry to keep the economy afloat. The Great Depression was one of the darkest periods in U.S. history, leaving many people and their lives in danger. But when the recession finally ended, the economy prospered for decades to come.