How To Pitch Your Nonfiction Book To The Right Publishers In 4 Easy Steps - The Writers For Hire

HOW TO PITCH YOUR NONFICTION BOOK TO THE RIGHT PUBLISHERS IN 4 EASY STEPS You’ve put your heart and soul into your book, and it is a great achievement to celebrate! But now that you have it completed, what do you do with it? Your book is written and edited to perfection†¦now what? Most likely, you will want to get it published and have it become successful, whether to help you establish yourself as an expert, teach others, entertain, or build your business or brand. Now you need a publisher! But, how do you go about contacting a publisher who will publish your book? How do you find the right publisher for your type of book? How do you submit it to them? What can you expect? While you can certainly just look up the address of the big publishing houses and fire your book off to them, you’ll have a greater chance of success getting published if you take some time to follow these 4 easy steps and pitch to the right publishers. Step 1: Identify the right type of publishers for your book Over the years the book publishing industry has changed a lot. With the start of many smaller, specialized publishers, e-publishing, and POD (print-on-demand) publishing, there are many options to getting your book published. Most people have heard of the mainstream/traditional publishing houses (also known as trade publishers). Those are the ones that put major books in the bookstores and are many authors think of when they want to market their book. Getting a book published by the likes of Penguin Random House, Harper Collins, Simon Schuster, or Macmillan Publishers (or one of these houses’ numerous imprints) can certainly raise an author’s marketability, possibly get them higher advances and sales, and increase their credibility. Here are some advantages and disadvantages to using a major publishing house: PROS: These large publishing houses produce a wide range of genres in both nonfiction and fiction so you’re sure to find one that will publish the type of book you’re marketing. They also have big budgets so there is a higher chance for larger book runs, substantial advances, increased marketing budgets, and help marketing your book. If you’re writing a book to position yourself as an expert or to build you or your company’s brand, this option gives you the leverage to do that. CONS: Even though these types of publishers publish more books than smaller presses, there is more competition to get noticed and accepted by a publisher. And there is no guarantee your book will sell or that you’ll get help marketing your book. In fact, you will likely be expected to do most of the marketing yourself unless you’re already an established author. You’ll also find it harder to receive personalized attention and service, due to the volume of authors they work with each year. While most authors dream of publishing with the â€Å"big boys,† there are other options to getting your book published and out to the marketplace. Small or independent publishers – While it might sound prestigious to publish with the larger companies, smaller or â€Å"indie† publishers are more prevalent, which gives you a greater chance of getting published. Not only can they give you the same outcome – a professionally published book – but they can also provide you with a long-lasting partnership and more individual attention. PROS: These publishing companies are smaller, publishing fewer titles than the larger publishers, so there is not as much competition for the editor’s time and attention. This means personalized attention will be paid to your project, and editorial focus on some of the finer details of your book. Plus, there is not as much pressure to sell copies quickly. CONS: Being smaller, these companies purchase fewer books and have smaller marketing budgets. You might, depending on your book, get very little in the way of marketing support and be expected to do the marketing yourself. They also offer smaller advances than the larger publishing houses and might offer smaller or shorter print runs. Academic publishers – Many of the larger and more prestigious colleges and universities have their own publishing arm. Examples of these are Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, and Princeton University Press. While the major trade publishers publish books for the general public, academic publishers produce scholarly and research books for students (academic, professional, and school titles). PROS:Due to the nature of the topics these publishers handle, you will find less competition to get your book sold. If your book falls along these academic lines, publishing in this field can increase your credibility greatly and enhance your career, if that is your focus. As many also rely on peer reviews for publishing, you can be assured your work will get a thorough review by experts in your focus area. CONS: Many academic and scholarly books require some form of peer review or editorial panel to qualify a book for publication. This means your work has to go through several people before reaching the acceptance process, rather than a single editor. Not all peer reviews are equal, and selection standards for publishing can vary greatly between publishers and within varying fields of study. Also, these types of publishers don’t produce as many books, especially as many universities continue with budgets cuts. Self-publishing and print-on-demand (POD) publishers – Not that long ago in publishing, it was hard to gain any sort of credibility for an author who self-published their own book. It was known as â€Å"vanity publishing† because an author actually paid what could be a large fee to a â€Å"vanity press† to publish their book, rather than being paid by a publisher to produce it. However, with the increase in popularity of e-books, digital marketing, and easier print services, it’s become more common for authors to self-publish their books, helping them gain a platform for their work without losing credibility. PROS: By self-publishing a book, you can have complete control of the writing, editing, layout, publishing, and marketing of your work. As technology has gotten better, much of what is done to prepare your book, such as layout, typesetting, and cover design, is done online instead of manually. This helps cut the costs of printing. Books can even be produced as they are ordered so you don’t have to have a large costly print run or store the books before they are sold. Plus, you get to keep 100% of your profits when you sell your books versus the average 10% you receive from a publisher. CONS: While costs have come down from what they used to be, there are still costs associated with getting your book set up and printed when you self-publish. You can hire a company that will do all the layout and design services, but you will still be in charge of the whole project. You’ll also have to handle your marketing, finding creative ways to promote your book among the huge volume of them already being marketed. And, if you don’t go with a POD publisher, you will have to stock and keep track of your book inventory, as well as create a good system for sales, bookkeeping, and tax purposes. Step 2: Find the right publishers for your book Now that you have an understanding of the types of publishers out there, you can narrow your search by category, and begin to identify which one is right for you. The first step is to discover exactly who the traditional publishers or self-publishing companies are in your category. Certainly, you can head over to Google and do a quick search for publishing houses. But, by far, your best research tool out there to find traditional trade book publishers is the Writer’s Market by Writer’s Digest. While it is subscription based with a cost, the fee is nominal and well worth the money with either a monthly, 6-month, or annual subscription. A Writer’s Market hardcopy or Kindle download can also be purchased from Amazon and they also offer directories in specific book genres. The Writer’s Market provides a full directory of trade book and magazine publishers, and their list is updated in real time. It includes all the necessary information including contact information, names of editors, type of publisher, types of books they publish, and how they want to receive submissions. It is a wealth of information that will save you time in the process with its search features. Other directories that have book publisher listings include Jeff Hermans Guide to Book Publishers, Editors Literary Agents, 28th edition; Writers Artists Yearbook 2019; and The Writer (online). Another great way to find the right information on where to submit your book is by looking at published books that are similar to yours. Check the copyright or imprint page for the name and address of the publisher, then turn to the dedication or acknowledgement pages, as they oftentimes mention the names of the editors and agents who worked with the author. You can also look at the author’s website or the publisher’s website to gather more contact information. If you choose to self-publish, there are many great companies out there to work with. Check out your options at Writer’s Digest Directory of Self-Publishing Companies, MoneyPantry’s Top 10 Self Publishing Companies to Publish Your First Book, or PublisherGlobal’sSelf Publishers. Step 3: How to submit your book to the right publishers How you submit your manuscript will depend on how you want to publish your book and will vary from publisher to publisher and company to company. To self-publish, contact the self-publishing companies you’ve identified you might want to work with. Review their websites to learn what their process is for publishing books and what they can do for you. Research what they charge and what services and terms they offer. Call the company and interview them so you make sure to get the right fit for you and your book. For traditional trade publishing, some publishers will not accept unsolicited requests except through an initial query letter. Some publishers will only accept a proposal or manuscript through a literary agent. Others will request a book proposal be sent. It is very important to follow their guidelines. Publishers and editors are busy people and get hundreds of unsolicited manuscripts. You do not want to waste their time or be ignored simply for not following their guidelines. Never be the exception to the publishers’ rules! When you research various publishers within the directories, they will list out all the information on the format for submission, what to include, who and where to send it to. Following each publishers’ guidelines carefully will set you well above the competition in getting the editor’s attention. Always make your submission concise, memorable, relevant, and respectful. Create your hook, describe your book’s genre, the key problem it addresses, how your book will solve this problem, and what makes your book different from the competition. And, while it might seem counterproductive, if you already have a finished manuscript, you will still need to write a query letter and, in most cases, a book proposal to submit. It would be a very rare case to send in a finished manuscript with your first contact with a publisher. Editors have limited time and will not have the luxury of sitting down and reading your book in full. They just want the guts of what your book is about and what it has to offer. How to craft your best query letter A query letter introduces you and your book idea to a potential editor. It’s sole purpose is to grab the editor’s attention with just enough information to make them say, â€Å"Yes! Send more!† Your letter should get the editor excited about your idea while also being professional, intriguing, and concise. It is a chance for the editor to evaluate your book idea without having to spend a lot of time reading the whole manuscript, and discover right away if your book is a good fit for them. It is best to keep this â€Å"sales pitch† to only one page of 400 words or less. The letter should contain three sections: the hook that draws the editor in, a short synopsis of your book, and your author’s biography. As you are pitching a nonfiction book, you can also include brief information regarding the target audience, if you have space in the letter. Always follow proper format for your query letter and always send it directly to the appropriate editor by name and title. Most publishing houses will have numerous editors that handle various genres of books. If you aren’t sure which editor handles your specific genre, simply call the publisher and ask. This will ensure your query gets into the hands of the person who can say, â€Å"YES!† How to craft your best book proposal Why would you need to create a book proposal if you’ve already written the full book? When self-publishing your book, you will certainly need your full manuscript completed to move on in the publishing process. However, if you are looking to publish your book with a traditional publisher the standard process is to only submit a book proposal. These publishers won’t review the full manuscript but will potentially purchase your book based on a synopsis and sample chapters . Even if a publisher only wants a query letter on initial contact, it is still a smart idea to draft a book proposal so it is ready to send off as soon as an editor asks to see more. Why should they, the publisher, buy and publish your book? What makes your idea a good and salable book? Your book proposal is your convincing argument to get them to invest in your manuscript and pay you for it. The length of a book proposal can vary greatly depending on the complexity of your book. Most proposals run from 15 to as many as 50 double-spaced pages with sample materials, and are written using a standard and expected format. You should always include a cover letter introducing your book and yourself as the author. The proposal should also include a synopsis of the book, the table of contents or outline, information about the competition, similar published books, marketing and promotion information, an author’s biography, and sample chapters. A solid book proposal will cover exactly what the book is about, why you are the ideal person to write the book, who will buy it, and how you will address your topic. You can get more information on writing a nonfiction book proposal at How To Write The Perfect Nonfiction Book Proposal. Or check out SampleTemplates and Template.net for sample book proposal templates. Step 4: Tracking your submission and the pros and cons of simultaneous submissions When you start to submit your book to publishers or agents you don’t want to forget who you sent it to and when. It’s never good to hound an editor or follow up too soon. Within the directory of publishers, you’ll find that most will list what their response time is on submissions. Creating a simple spreadsheet will help you keep track of all the submissions you make. By including the publishing company, editor’s name, address and phone number, when you sent your query letter or proposal, and the expected response time, you can easily see which editors responded back, what their response was, and who you still need to follow up with for an answer. If you’re submitting to just one book publisher or agent at a time, then tracking will be a simple process. But what about simultaneous submissions, sending your book to more than one publishing house at a time? Some book publishers and agents are open to this process; others are not. This information should also be found within the publishing directories. Always follow their rules and guidelines. Whether or not you choose to submit to only one editor at a time or many is up to you, but be open and upfront with them. While you don’t have to tell them who else you’re submitting to, if you are making simultaneous submissions, let each editor you are doing so. Also let them know if or when your book has been accepted by another editor. A word about literary agents So, do you really need a literary agent or can you get your book published with a publisher all on your own? Isn’t it easier to cut out the middleman? This really depends on where you pitch your book. Many publishers, especially the smaller presses, will accept unsolicited submissions and evaluate your idea based on a good query letter and/or book proposal. Others, like the bigger publishing houses, only accept submissions through a reputable agent. While hiring an agent adds one more step in the process of getting your book into the hands of your readers, and requires you to pay a commission, there are many advantages. A good agent knows the publishing process and has inside knowledge of publishing houses, editors, and what they are buying. They also lend credibility to your work as they have vetted your idea before approaching busy and overwhelmed editors. They act as the go-between for you and the publishing house, helping with contract negotiations and potential larger advances. They can also help you improve your book proposal even before you approach a publisher. A good agent can definitely be an asset as they have the knowledge and contacts to get you noticed. Now’s the time! While it may seem like a long and daunting task to get your nonfiction book into the hands of your audience, it is a very worthy cause to see your book in print! Odds are you will have to pitch to many publishing companies and their editors before you will find one to say, â€Å"YES!† However, if you follow the 6 steps outlined above, you will find the process should give you faster and easier results.

Examining The Religious Background Of Islam Religion Essay Essays

Examining The Religious Background Of Islam Religion Essay Essays Examining The Religious Background Of Islam Religion Essay Essay Examining The Religious Background Of Islam Religion Essay Essay Islam is an Arabic word that means entry . Acquiesce to Allah ( God ) , and his orders. Islam besides comes from the Arabic word salam which means peace ( Islam City ) . Muslims believe in one God, in Angels ( Islam City ) , they believe in Mohammed as the prophesier, and one sanctum text ( Royesh ) . However after the decease of the Prophet Mohammed, Islam split into two. The Sunni, and the Shia. Sunni are considered as the Orthodox Islam ( Jabber Feed ) . They claim they follow the right way. Whereas Shia means party believing that they are the Party of Ali ( Thompson 14 ) . The split was caused over a political difference ( Jabber Feed ) . The argument was on who will take the Muslim state ( About.com ) . The leaders were known as Caliphs which mean replacements. They were considered themselves as swayer under God, instead than male monarchs and emperors ( Thompson 13 ) . Although there swayers were close friends of the prophesier, they were e lected by the people ( Thompson 13 ) . The first Caliph was voted to be Abu Bakr. This caused choler within some of the people, because they believed that Ali, Mohammad s cousin/son-in-law deserved to be the Caliph ( About.com ) . The Shia s believed that Mohammad owes Ali since his male parent ( Mohammad s uncle ) took attention of Mohammed, after his parents decease. Besides, Ali is considered to be the closest to the prophesier because he married Mohammad s girl ( Thompson13 ) . The Shia s were angry, although Ali became a Caliph, and was considered as one of the first four Caliph, he was a replacement after 24 twelvemonth, which cause the major split ( Thompson 13 ) . Shia/Sunni: The Similarities and Differences Moslems, all believe in one God, Mohammed as their prophesier, and the holy text. All Muslims worship together, and may intermarry ( Thompson 14 ) . However there are differences that occur. The Sunni s base their spiritual pattern on ahadith . Ahadith are narrated by the Prophets comrades, and depict the Prophetss life, and religious beliefs ( About.com ) . The Shia nevertheless base their faith on Ahadith that are narrated by Ali and Fatima, that are about relations of the prophesier. Therefore doing their religious beliefs to differ ( About.com ) . The Sunni and Shia carry through their wudu and supplication otherwise. Sunni pray five times a twenty-four hours, with specific timings, while Shia tend to diminish their supplication to three times a twenty-four hours, every bit good as uniting their supplications ( Amin ) . Besides Sunni and Shia complete their supplications otherwise. Sunni s pray and put their brow straight on a supplication mat, while Shia brows are placed on a hardened clay. ( Amin ) . The Caliphs after the Prophet, are non considered in the Shia group. Alternatively they have their ain line of Immam s ( Religious leaders ) . From that the Shias spilt into groups. Some Shia believe that there were 12 Immams, and others believe there were seven. These groups were known as the Twelver s and Sevener s ( Thompson14 ) . Although there are differences, Shia and Sunni have coexisted with each other. There have been little differences throughout history. But the struggles did non curtail the groups to populate individually. Shia and Sunni, have lived in the same states ( Royesh ) . Sunni being the bulk, holding 85 % of the universe Muslim population, and Shia have 15 % ( Jabber Feed ) . These two groups consider themselves both as Muslim, they do non separate themselves. ( About.com ) . The segregation that occur, is merely because of their religious beliefs. Nonetheless Sunni and Shia have cohabited since the beginning ( Royesh ) . Religions In Afghanistan In Afghanistan there are many minority faiths such as Sikh, Jewish, Christians. But the chief faith that coexists in this state is Islam ( Afghanistan Peace Organization ) . The other faiths, are scattered around the state, and have largely entered and left Afghanistan as bargainers. Other faiths have immigrated, and lived in urban Centres, but due to civil differences that have occurred during the twelvemonth of 1985, they have emigrated out of the state. Thus Islam in Afghanistan remains the dominant faith by far, and has no competitions ( Jabber Feed ) . Politicss and Islam Before 1979, the workss and policies of the monarchy system in Afghanistan, were relied on faith. The elites would sit beside the solon, and assist warrant the regulations ( Royesh ) . For societal influence these elites got political power backup and support. A societal rebellion occurred due to Communist Coup and rough behaviors of the Communist government. This gave the spiritual elites to name a Jihad. Therefore deriving the leading place ( Royesh ) . In 1992 Islamic parties entered Kabul, and the Communist government were destroyed. This created a bloody civil war that resulted in deceases, and a country-side lawlessness and anarchy. This was the start of the Taliban entrance ( Royesh ) . They forced Religious Torahs upon the people, and made the authorities pure Islamic. But after 2001 when the Taliban were overthrown, spiritual elites have reentered into the authorities ( Royesh ) . Work Cited Amin, Hussein. The Origins of the Sunni/Shia split in Islam. Islam For Today. Hussein Abdulwaheed Amin, 16/o8/2007. Web. 13 May 2010. lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.islamfortoday.com/shia.htm gt ; . Cooley, John. Unholy Wars. Afghanistan, America and International Terrorism. 2nd Edition. London, UK: Pluto Imperativeness, 1999. 63. Print. Facts About Afghanistan. Afghanistan Peace Organization Afghanistan Peace Organization, 2010. Web. 11 May 2010. lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.afghanistan.org/ gt ; . Religion in Afghanistan. Jabber Feed. Jabberfeed, 14/04/2010. Web. 11 May 2010. lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //jabberfeed.com/2010/04/14/religion- in-afghanistan/ gt ; . Royesh, Aziz. Intervew by Eleni, Omar, Banan. 06/05/2010. 2. Print. Thompson, Jan. World Religions. Islam. 4th Edition. Vancouver, B.C: Whitecap Books, 2004. 13-14. Print. Understanding Islam and Muslims. Islam City. Islam City, 1989. Web. 13 May 2010. lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.islamicity.com/mosque/uiatm/un_islam.htm gt ; . What s the Difference Between Shia and Sunni Moslems? . About.com. About.com, 2010. Web. 11 May 2010. lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //islam.about.com/cs/divisions/f/shia_sunni.htm gt ; .

Teen prevention of sex summary of past paper Essay

Teen prevention of sex summary of past paper - Essay Example The students were divided into two groups with one group participating in the sex prevention program and the other group merely exposed to traditional sex education. A questionnaire was distributed to the participants two years after completion of the program and following the conclusion of the sex education lessons at school. The results of the study indicated that the patterns of sexual conduct was vastly the same as between students of the different groups. The only difference in sexual conduct was observed between students who had subsequently dropped out of school and those who had not. In this regard, students who left school engaged in more risky sexual behavior than those who remained in school. The second journal article reviews was written by Sellars, McGraw and McKinlay (1994). In this article, the authors reported on a study in which the assumption that free access to condoms increased sexual promiscuity among teens was tested. The study was conducted with 536 Latinos between the ages of 14 and 20. The subjects were divided into two groups: one group had liberal access to condoms and the other group had normal access to condoms. The research study began by obtaining baseline information from the subjects with a follow-up interview three months later. The study conducted by Sellars (1994) revealed that 80% of all participants reported sexual contact after providing the baseline information. Sexual activities among females in both groups showed no appreciable differences, although frequency was higher for females in the group with normal access to condoms. Sexual activities among females in the group with liberal access to condoms revealed a larger propensity for multiple sex partners. Males reported less sexual contact among boys in the group with liberal access to condoms. Males in the group with liberal access to condoms also reported a higher risk of having

Mystery Shopper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mystery Shopper - Assignment Example The three travel agencies provide a wide range of services including organizing cruises, guided tours, vacations, and flights among others. However, each company has a unique offering. Although they operate in the same sector, I must admit that my experience with each of the three travel agencies was quite different. The purpose of this paper is to present a critical analysis of my experiences after visiting the three travel agencies. Liberty Travel – when I visited Liberty Travel, the first impression I got was that of a well-established company. The office was quite big considering that it was a travel agency. There were between 50 and 60 employees in the large office that was organized in such a way that one could actually see the entire space. The employees looked motivated and welcoming. I was attended to immediately I entered the office. The employee who attended to me was very jovial, which I loved. She was very keen on listening to me and provided me with all the information that I needed. The packages they were offering were very good. I was particularly pleased to know that the company could organize personalized vacations where the customer would suggest what experiences he or she would love. However, the main weakness I found in Liberty Travel was their pricing. The company had very high prices, which I thought was over the board. If I owned the company, I would provide a variety of packages at different prices to accommodate the rich as well as the middle income people. American Express Travel – the American Express Travel office was quite small with less than 30 employees. However, I noted that there were very many customers waiting to be served. Personally, I waited for about 10 minutes to be served, which I felt was a weakness in the company. The employees were warm and welcoming. However, they did not seem as keen with customers as I had witnessed at Liberty Travel. For example, rather than help me fill out the forms,

E-Recruiting (HR) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

E-Recruiting (HR) - Essay Example The first references to e-recruitment appear in articles of the mid-1980s (Gentner, 1984; Casper, 1985), while systematic reference to the e-recruitment in the HR journals begins almost a decade later, in the mid-1990s, when IT companies and universities begin to use the Internet extensively. Since then, the e-recruitment industry has been developing and it is estimated that in Europe it will have soared in value from just over 50 million in 1999 to 3.8 billion by 2005 (Taylor, 2001). Due to the novelty of the term, different authors have different concepts of what e-recruitment consists of. In this paper we take a view on e-recruitment that has been promoted by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD, 1999). This states that the most common ways to use the Internet as a means to recruit are: - To add online hiring pages to the existing organization site. It is a very common exercise at the moment and its major benefit, namely the minimal cost related with creating a page on the company site, puts it forward as the smartest way to recruit on the Internet (Scheyer and McCarter, 1998). - To use Web sites specialised in recruiting employees, like "online recruiters", "job portals", "online job boards" e-recruiting "job agencies". Those sites ultimately act as mediums that connect the companies with potential applicants. The dedicated recruitment Web sites can take the form of job listing Web sites, which are very similar to printed classified advertisements; work-wanted sites, which emphasize the prospective employee's side; and, finally, online recruiters who make use of other Web sites as a resource for finding clients and customers (Rudich, 2000; Taylor, 2001). - To use a media site. In this case, electronic advertisements appear similarly and simultaneously with traditional printed advertisements in the original paper (newspaper e-recruiting magazine). Classifieds on the newspaper's Web sites are sometimes offered free to anyone paying for a print advertisement. The scope of e-recruitment also involves providing the possibility to conduct remote interviews and assessments, such as psychometric e-recruiting aptitude tests online, and using banner advertisements and smart agents to search the Web. Interactive tools, which link the corporate databases with the Web site, like search engines, interactive application forms, e-mail auto-respondents and electronic mailing lists, are also at an early practice stage (Dysart, 1999; Taylor, 2001). Factors affecting the decision to recruit through the Internet In most relevant literature there are some commonly identified benefits and downsides for the companies using e-recruitment. The commonly cited advantages and drawbacks of e-recruitment in the literature are as follows: Advantages of e-recruitment Low cost The economy achieved depends on the e-mailing approach applied. Publishing vacancies on the corporate Web site involves almost no cost at all, while the cost of putting advertisements on dedicated recruitment sites depends mainly on the coverage of the particular site. e-recruitment also achieves considerable economies of scale in terms of the number of words used because, through the Inter

Generation Y And Management Business Essay

Generation Y And Management Business Essay This research is aimed at seeking to comprehend the Generation Ys employment related preferences, beliefs and attitudes as well as senior members and employers impression of this generation. It is understood from previous researches that there are certain areas of configuration within which this generation so called Baby Boomers have realigned themselves. It is however worth noting that, differences in opinion and perceptions within the generation have surfaced, symptomatic of the existence of negative stereotypes, biases and perception, and potential zones of divergence and even clash at the place of work. Sometimes if these disagreements and negative perception are left uncontrolled, organizations will certainly lose their competitive advantage. These elements are those that this study aims to develop in relation to shift of mindset and stereotypes within our management platforms. Both of the Baby boomers and other generations at work places should find it necessary to reflect upon their own impressions recognizing the time bared schools of thought and embrace the and take affirmative stepladder towards change. Introduction The Generation Y is expansively known as the ages born between early 1980 and the year 2000. This is a generation with unique characteristics. This is a generation known to be independent of mind, results oriented and confident. Although information technology growth and expansion began in the previous generation known then as Generation X, the Y generation was begotten into an era dominated by technology and most often understands more in regards to the digital world hence known otherwise as the Digital generation. They further are perceived to know more about information technology than their teachers and their parents. The generations enhanced technical know-how has thrown this generation into an age otherwise known as Global village that is accessible to everyone. This generation has caused a lot of changes within the management divide. Most of these are highly associated with the beliefs and the values of these generations that suggest different ideals in the workplace. According to Nagle, (1999), work doesnt define life. This is a belief held by the Generation X. Generation Y on the other hand appears to associate itself with a work-environment or work-life that is balance with flexibility and one which defines their position within the job. It is within these parameters that this study aims to find out the challenges presented to the today managers at workplace who must always recruit, train and constantly motivate this highly sophisticated generation of employees so that their wealth of creativity can be utilized by the company. In order to succeed in the time to come, it will remain essential for organization and company managers to comprehend these new employees. Problem Statement Majority of the Gen. Ys focus more on their individuality, it is possible to argue that there exists very little relationship about the generation X and Y, their generation as a whole contains remarkably common characteristics. Generation Ys were begotten into an age of information technology, praise, resource and indulgence. This has resulted to a myriad of defining traits. This research seeks to provide a clear comprehension of the youngest generation in the management profession presently. It seeks to examine their traits, what attributes attracts or motivates them to work with are associate themselves with an organization and what keeps them with a particular employer, manager or management, as well as their career aspirations and the impacts for employers trying to bring them on board, develop and retain them. Purpose and objective of the study The purpose of this research would be to analyze in detail establishing the following: Who are the Generation Y and their characteristics? How are the Generation Y characteristics affecting the management systems? What is the relationship of the current management styles with the Generation Y? Significance of the Study This article considers the impact of the new generation of employees entering the hospitality workforce and the changes in management paradigms that will be required to successfully recruit, select, train and motivate Generation Y to achieve the objectives of the company or the organization, given the premeditated significance of manpower management (human resources) in creating competitive and sustainable service organizations. This research aims to analyze the current state of mind on Generation Ys job-related attitudes, values and behaviors and reviews the studies that have been carried out to the current date on the Generation Y in the work environment. Literature Review Generations X and Y To better understand Generation Y, we first look at the preceding age group, Generation X, to determine how the two generations differ from one another and how these differences affect the work atmosphere. Generation X is usually explained as the age following the baby boomers and born between 1961 and 1979. The term is based on a novel by Douglas C (1991) adults trying to discover themselves in society. Terri Nagle (1999) describes Generation X as, the most ignored, disheartened, misunderstood and disheartened generation that our country has seen in a long time. This generation grew up during the beginning of the technological revolution era. Home computers, PCs and the internet became widely their characteristic (Everet, Craig R. 2010) everywhere. The MTV generation began growing up in unstructured households, dealing with new issues of disease and trying to make it through the Cold War. Generation X learned how to avoid the mistakes of their parents and grow into a generation who values education, hard work, and the power of money. These characteristics are quite different than Generation Y. Generation Y is widely known as the generation born between 1980 and 2000. This generation is confident, independent, and goal-oriented. Although, technology advances began in the Gen X era, Generation Y was born into technology and often knows more about the digital world than their teachers and parents. The enhanced technological knowledge has launched this generation into an era that is accessible everywhere to anyone. Gen Y has high self-esteem; they are the trophy generation that allows every child to get a medal or praise, leaving no one behind. The values and beliefs of these two generations suggest different ideals in the workplace. Generation X believes, work is a thing you do to have a life (work doesnt define their life), (Nagle, 1999). Gen Y on the other hand seems to want a work-life balance with flexibility to define who they are in their job. Generation Y presents a challenge to managers who must train and motivate this next generation of employees so that their strengths become a benefit to the company. Being able to understand new generations as they move into the work force will continue to be an adjustment for managers for years to come. To be successful in the future, it will be important for companies and managers to understand these new employees. Management Style According to studies that have been done by other peers it is evident that Generation Y workforce, management style was among the top motivational characteristics that Gen Y was interested in from an employer. They wish to be treated on an individual basis and acknowledged, whether it is positive or negative. As one respondent stated, Acknowledgement is important. You are less likely to be motivated to do well if you are not acknowledged, whether you do well or not. A classic example of this is from the movie, Smith J et al (1999). The employees are all treated the same and when Peter Gibbons decides to change things in the office and do things his way. Instead of getting fired, he gets a promotion. Peter stepped out of the monotonous workforce and decided to create a motivating work environment. Another way for managers to increase the motivation on Gen Y workers is to challenge them at their daily tasks. Work can easily become boring and un-motivating to an employee who is constantly doing the same thing every day. To combat this, managers can assign different tasks to the employee; allow them to work on different projects and to keep an open mind to how the employee can bring new and motivating ideas to the company. As another study participant noted, When an off the wall idea isnt immediately shot down, I am more encouraged! Gen Y employees are motivated when given the freedom to work as they please. These employees do not want a manager telling them what to do at every second, but they do desire regular feedback. They prefer a guiding hand to a micromanager. Employees want to know if they are doing the job well and if theyre not, it is up to the manager to help train and motivate them to be the best they can. Gen Y needs be motivated through constant reward and recognition. Because of their short attention span, recognition and rewards must arrive quickly, (Nagle,1999). Role of Managers in handling Generation Y A very important role for managers is to create mentorships within the company. This allows the senior employees to reach out to the Generation Y employees and offer them advice and counseling in a new environment. This is a very successful way for Gen Y to learn about the values of the company, as well as gain insightful knowledge in an industry that is foreign to them. One of the respondents gave an example of this by stating: Direction is important. You want to have a good mentor that will give you a sense of direction rather than having you aimlessly reaching. Gen Y is not a generation that can remain happy without seeing the significance of their work. Wandering aimlessly and never seeing the end results of their work leaves them frustrated and unmotivated. As one respondent stated, Why work on something if you have no idea what the benefit will be from efforts. This is why communication is one of the most important aspects of dealing with Gen Y. If they feel their job has a sen se of purpose, they stay motivated and open to direction and leadership from mentors. Employees who are open-minded are more apt to grow and develop in their industry. Ideas and knowledge can be transferred successfully through generations as long as everyone is open to new and old ideas and can find a way to build them into the daily office routine. It is crucial for managers to understand that Gen Y craves continued education from their colleagues. They seek challenging tasks and have a desire to gain knowledge by working with the employees around them. Methodology Research Design The survey method is will be used to investigate the level at which the characteristics and behavior of the Generation Y has impacted the management systems. According to Mugenda, (1999) and Mbweza, (2006), survey research seeks to identify what large number of people think or feel about certain issues. Given that the total number of respondents (comprising of the the youth through the social media, teachers and local leaders) is 150, this is relatively a large number of study sample compared to the study area to qualify this as a survey. (Moreso, Orodho, 2003) and (Mbweza, 2006) indicates that surveys are used to describe some aspects or characteristics of human population such as opinions, attitudes, believes or even knowledge of certain phenomenon. This study still fits as a survey as it seeks to find out and describe what the respondents know about Generation Y and overall generational shift, its benefits as well as its demerits as regards to management systems within companies a nd organizations both corporates and medium sized organizations. Target Population The target population will comprise teachers, youth representatives, local leaders, managers and a sample of those within the social media network. Teachers will be targeted as they are perceived to understand and posses a lot of information as regards the youth and overall generational change and associated management dynamics when they teach and interact with the young generation who majority of them fall within the generation Y. It is thought therefore that they may have very important information that may help in this study. The youth representatives will also be targeted as they are the people who are so into the system and causing the management dynamics due to their characteristics of the workplace. Sample selection and sample size To select a representative sample, a researcher must have a sampling frame (Mugenda, 1999). This is a directory or index of cases from which a sample will be selected. The researcher will select a list of representatives from the target groups within the location of study. According to Orotho, (2005), sampling is a process of selecting a sub-set of cases in order to draw a conclusion about the entire set. Therefore the researcher will have three representatives of the target population. The representatives will be expected to fill questionnaires, take part in interviews from their areas of work while those who are not employed will be requested to accompany the researcher in carrying out survey. The researcher will strive to formulate questions that will be given to the sample selected among the users of the social media network Data collection instruments The study will use questionnaires, focused groups discussions and interview method to obtain data from the respondents. Questionnaires method will enable the researcher to collect a large amount of information in reasonably quick space of time (Orotho, 2005). However, because of the importance of interviews in allowing the researcher to investigate and prompt things that we cannot observe (Wellington, 2000), they will be used on all respondents. Hence the interviews will enable all the respondents to give their account of situations which they have lived, gone through or seen. Interviews will also enable the researcher to acquire detailed information from the respondents. To obtain this in-depth information from the youth representatives and teachers, interviews will be best suited for this purpose. The interview will also be used to collect information from the teachers and the managers because their number is relatively manageable. Pilot Study Before collecting the actual data, the researcher will carry out a pre-test on the questionnaires to enhance reliability of the instruments (Mugenda, 1999). The pilot study will enable the researcher to correct any ambiguity in the questionnaires. These instruments will be piloted within the College staff who will not be included in the actual study. However, according to (Wiersma 1985), interviews and focused group discussions will not be piloted as they are verbal instruments that are used in the presence of the investigator who may correct any ambiguity that may exist in the questions by simply rephrasing the particular questions. Validity of the Instruments According to (Mbweza, 2006) Validity refers to the extent to which a test or instrument measures what it was intended to measure. The questionnaires in this study will be validated through application of content validity. Gay (1981) identified that content validity is a matter of judgment by the researcher and the professionals. There is no way it can be computed and there is no way it can be expressed quantitatively (Gay 1981). Hence the researcher will carry out deeper reviewing of the instruments with colleagues in order to enhance the validity of the instruments. The researcher will also consult widely from the project supervisor and other departmental and non-departmental lecturers for comments and suggestions which he will consider and incorporate in order to validate the questionnaires.

Concusion :: Personal Narrative Essays

Concusion " Ding , Ding, Ding." School had just ended. My butt had been just freed from the oppression of that chair for the rest of my life. Never again was I planning to sit down in Mr. Dicksons room again. But that was the least of my concerns. Because, today I couldn't wait to get riding on the Bike trails. These were old paths of a railroad track that had jumps built on them. By the time I got out to the bikeracks and met my friends, we were exhilerated. "To the bike trails?" I asked. "to the bike trails" they replied. We had been going to the bike trails for weeks now. Every day we came back for another thrill. So, with haste we sped away from school. Our first stop was my house. " going to the bike trails , Mom" I said while grabbing a box of little debbie snacks. "O.K., be home for supper" she said. This was in code it meant be home at five. Well who cares on to the second stop, Dons Deli. I went in and grabbed the usual. A pink lemonade Snapple and one of those huge pixie sticks. I got to the counter. "The usual" the cashier said "Yup" I said realizing that this recognition was a product of the last few weeks. "That will be two dollars" she said. But that was needless because I had already left the money and was half way out the door. I mounted my bike and rode the steed while sucking down as much sugar as possible. We finally arrived at the bike trails. We then Infiltrated the left over food that we bought from Dons Deli. We were all on a sugar high, it's now time to ride. We did the usual. Had jump contests, fix jumps, and practiced new tricks. I had a good day, my jumps were perfect. And we would soon would move on to the hardest jump†¦. The big double. This jump was about three and a half to four feet high. And a proximately eleven feet long. Not only that, if you messed up their was a ditch in the middle. I jumped it at least ten times, missing trees on the landing every time. And because of this we decided to move it over. This process only used about an hour of precious jumping time. We had made the jump better than ever. I tried the jump first of course. We couldn't have made it any better.

Hertz Corporation

ALTRIA GROUP, INC. (MO) 10-Q Quarterly report pursuant to sections 13 or 15(d) Filed on 07/26/2012 Filed Period 06/30/2012 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549 FORM 10-Q (Mark One) y QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the quarterly period ended June 30, 2012 OR ? TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the transition period from o Commission File Number 1-08940 Altria Group, Inc. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) Virginia 13-3260245 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) (I. R. S. Employer Identification No. ) 6601 West Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia 23230 (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code) Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (804) 274-2200 Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last reportIndicate by check mark whether the re gistrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ? No ? Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T ( §232. 05 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes ? No ? Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of â€Å"large accelerated filer,† â€Å"accelerated filer† and â€Å"smaller reporting companyâ₠¬  in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. Large accelerated filer ? Accelerated filer ? Non-accelerated filer ? (Do not check if a smaller reporting company) Smaller reporting company ?Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ? No ? At July 16, 2012 , there were 2,032,833,474 shares outstanding of the registrant’s common stock, par value $0. 33 1/3 per share. Table of Contents ALTRIA GROUP, INC. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No. PART I – FINANCIAL INFORMATION Item 1. Financial Statements (Unaudited) Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011 3 Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2012 and 2011 5 Three Months Ended June 30, 2012 and 2011 Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Earnings for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2012 and 2011 7 Three Months Ended June 30, 2012 and 2011 8 Condensed Consolidated Statements of Stoc kholders’ Equity for the Year Ended December 31, 2011 and the Six Months Ended June 30, 2012 9 Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2012 and 2011 10 Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements 12 Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations 61 Item 4. Controls and Procedures 99 PART II – OTHER INFORMATIONItem 1. Legal Proceedings 100 Item 1A. Risk Factors 100 Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds 100 Item 5. Other Information 101 Item 6. Exhibits 102 Signature Signature 103 – 2- Table of Contents PART I – FINANCIAL INFORMATION Item 1. Financial Statements. Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (in millions of dollars) (Unaudited) June 30, 2012 December 31, 2011 Assets Consumer products Cash and cash equivalents $ Receivables 1,528 $ 3,270 256 268 Leaf tobacco 799 934 Other raw mater ials 184 170 Work in process 269 316 Inventories:Finished product 432 Other current assets 1,779 1,207 Deferred income taxes 359 1,684 1,207 468 Property, plant and equipment, at cost 607 5,143 Total current assets 7,131 4,750 2,512 2,131 Goodwill 4,728 2,619 Less accumulated depreciation 2,216 5,174 Other assets 12,098 6,486 Investment in SABMiller 5,174 12,088 Other intangible assets, net 5,509 472 1,257 31,494 33,385 3,012 Total consumer products assets 3,559 Financial services Finance assets, net Other assets 41 Total Assets $ 18 3,053 Total financial services assets 3,577 34,547 $ See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.Continued – 3- 36,962 Table of Contents Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Continued) (in millions of dollars, except share and per share data) (Unaudited) June 30, 2012 December 31, 2011 Liabilities Consumer products Current portion of long-term debt $ Accounts payable 600 $ 600 335 503 Marketing 5 81 430 Taxes, except income taxes 218 220 Accrued liabilities: Employment costs 110 225 Settlement charges 2,184 3,513 Other 1,217 1,311 Dividends payable 836 7,643 13,089 Long-term debt 841 6,081 Total current liabilities 13,089 Deferred income taxes 5,074 4,751Accrued pension costs 1,139 1,662 Accrued postretirement health care costs 2,367 2,359 Other liabilities 606 602 28,356 30,106 1,764 Total consumer products liabilities 2,811 Financial services Deferred income taxes Other liabilities 119 3,141 30,239 33,247 33 32 935 Total liabilities 330 1,883 Total financial services liabilities 935 Contingencies (Note 11) Redeemable noncontrolling interest Stockholders' Equity Common stock, par value $0. 33 1/3 per share (2,805,961,317 shares issued) Additional paid-in capital 5,647 Accumulated other comprehensive losses 5,674 24,334 Earnings reinvested in the business 3,583 (1,674) (1,887) Cost of repurchased stock (773,116,613 shares in 2012 and 761,542,032 shares in 2011) (24,969) (24, 625) Total stockholders’ equity attributable to Altria Group, Inc. 4,273 3,680 2 3 Noncontrolling interests Total stockholders’ equity 4,275 Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity $ 34,547 See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements. – 4- 3,683 $ 36,962 Table of Contents Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings (in millions of dollars, except per share data) (Unaudited) For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2012Net revenues $ 2011 12,134 $ 11,563 Cost of sales 3,878 3,825 Excise taxes on products 3,560 3,618 Gross profit 4,696 4,120 1,130 1,272 Marketing, administration and research costs Asset impairment and exit costs 37 3 Amortization of intangibles 10 11 3,519 2,834 Operating income Interest and other debt expense, net 586 Earnings before income taxes 572 (743) Earnings from equity investment in SABMiller (344) 3,676 Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests 1,224 2,421 Net earnings 2,6 06 1,255 Provision for income taxes 1,382 (1 ) Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc. (1) $ ,420 $ 1,381 Basic earnings per share attributable to Altria Group, Inc. $ 1. 19 $ 0. 66 Diluted earnings per share attributable to Altria Group, Inc. $ 1. 19 $ 0. 66 $ 0. 82 $ 0. 76 Per share data: Dividends declared See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements. – 5- Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings (in millions of dollars, except per share data) (Unaudited) For the Three Months Ended June 30, 2012 Net revenues $ 2011 6,487 $ 5,920 Cost of sales 2,086 2,030 Excise taxes on products 1,907 1,918 Gross profit 2,494 1,972 596 671 16 1Marketing, administration and research costs Asset impairment and exit costs Amortization of intangibles 5 Earnings from equity investment in SABMiller 1,295 293 Interest and other debt expense, net 5 1,877 Operating income 294 (223) Earnings before income taxes (155) 1,807 581 Net earnings 712 1,226 Provision for income taxes 1,156 444 Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests (1 ) Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc. — $ 1,225 $ 444 Basic earnings per share attributable to Altria Group, Inc. $ 0. 60 $ 0. 21 Diluted earnings per share attributable to Altria Group, Inc. $ 0. 60 $ 0. 21 0. 41 $ 0. 38 Per share data: Dividends declared See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements. – 6- Table of Contents Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Earnings (in millions of dollars) (Unaudited) For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2012 Net earnings $ 2,421 2011 $ 1,382 Other comprehensive earnings, net of deferred income taxes: Currency translation adjustments — 1 61 64 154 135 Benefit plans: Amounts reclassified to net earnings SABMiller: Ownership share of SABMiller's other comprehensive earnings before reclassifications to net earningsAmounts reclassified to net earnings (2 ) 5 152 205 2,634 Comprehensive earnings Comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests 140 213 Other comprehensive earnings, net of deferred income taxes 1,587 (1) Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc. See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements. – 7- $ 2,633 (1) $ 1,586 Table of Contents Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Earnings (in millions of dollars) (Unaudited) For the Three Months Ended June 30, 2012 Net earnings $ 2011 1,226 $ 444Other comprehensive earnings, net of deferred income taxes: Currency translation adjustments — 1 39 32 (23) 78 (5) 1 Benefit plans: Amounts reclassified to net earnings SABMiller: Ownership share of SABMiller's other comprehensive (losses) earnings before reclassifications to net earnings Amounts reclassified to net earnings (28) 112 1,237 Comprehensive earnings Comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests 79 11 Oth er comprehensive earnings, net of deferred income taxes 556 (1) Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc. See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements. 8- $ 1,236 — $ 556 Table of Contents Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity for the Year Ended December 31, 2011 and the Six Months Ended June 30, 2012 (in millions of dollars, except per share data) (Unaudited) Attributable to Altria Group, Inc. Common Stock (1) Earnings Reinvested in the Business Accumulated Other Comprehensive Losses Cost of Repurchased Stock Non-controlling Interests Total Stockholders’ Equity $ 935 Balances, December 31, 2010 Additional Paid-in Capital $ 5,751 $ 23,459 $ $ (23,469) $ $ (1,484) 3 5,195 — — 3,390 — — 1Other comprehensive losses, net of deferred income tax benefit — — — (403) — — (403) Exercise of stock options and other stock award a ctivity — (77) — — 171 — 94 Cash dividends declared ($1. 58 per share) — — — — (3,266) Repurchases of common stock — — — — — (1,327) Other — — — — Net earnings Balances, December 31, 2011 (3,266) — — (1) 935 5,674 23,583 3 3,683 — — 2,420 — — — 2,420 Other comprehensive earnings, net of deferred income taxes — — — 213 — — 213 Exercise of stock options and other stock award activity — (27) — — 16 — (11) Cash dividends declared ($0. 82 per share) — — — — — (1,669) Repurchases of common stock — — (360) — (360) Balances, June 30, 2012 (1) (1,669) — — — — $ 935 $ 5,647 $ 24,334 — $ (1,674) (24,625) (1) Net earnings (1) Other (1,887) (1,327) 3,391 — $ (24,969) (1) $ 2 (1) $ 4,275 Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests for the six months ended June 30, 2012 and for the year ended December 31, 2011 exclude $1 million and $2 million, respectively, due to the redeemable noncontrolling interest related to Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, which is reported in the mezzanine equity section in the condensed consolidated balance sheets at June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011 , respectively.See Note 11. See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements. – 9- Table of Contents Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (in millions of dollars) (Unaudited) For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2012 2011 Cash Provided by (Used In) Operating Activities Net earnings (loss) – Consumer products $ 2,311 – Financial services 110 Net earnings $ 1,962 (580) 2,421 1,382 Depreciation and amortization 113 121 Deferred income tax provision 299 132 (743) (344) (34) (24) (456) — Adjustm ents to reconcile net earnings to operating cash flows: Consumer productsEarnings from equity investment in SABMiller Asset impairment and exit costs, net of cash paid IRS payment related to LILO and SILO transactions Cash effects of changes: Receivables, net 2 Inventories (12) 95 Accrued liabilities and other current assets (94) (251) Income taxes 130 (64) Accounts payable 5 58 Accrued settlement charges 58 (1,329) (1,398) Pension plan contributions (514) (209) Pension provisions and postretirement, net 85 122 Other 90 121 Financial services Deferred income tax benefit (1,270) PMCC leveraged lease charges 7 Decrease to allowance for losses 10) Other liabilities (income taxes) 1,437 Other (529) 490 — 505 (21) See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements. Continued – 10- 23 (85) Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities 479 Table of Contents Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Continued) (in millions of dollars) (Unaudited) For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2012 2011 Cash Provided by (Used In) Investing Activities Consumer products Capital expenditures $ Other (39) $ (3) (40) 1 Financial services Proceeds from finance assets 552 129 510 0 — Net cash provided by investing activities 1,494 Cash Provided by (Used In) Financing Activities Consumer products Long-term debt issued Repurchases of common stock (360) (575) (1,674) Dividends paid on common stock (1,589) Issuances of common stock — 29 Financing fees and debt issuance costs — (23) (133) (155) (2,167) (819) Other Net cash used in financing activities Cash and cash equivalents: Decrease (1,742) Balance at beginning of period (250) 3,270 Balance at end of period $ 1,528 See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements. – 11 – 2,314 $ 2,064Table of Contents Note 1. Background and Basis of Presentation: Background At June 30, 2012, Altria Group, Inc. ‘s direct and indirect wholly- owned subsidiaries included Philip Morris USA Inc. (â€Å"PM USA†), which is engaged in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes and certain smokeless products in the United States; John Middleton Co. (â€Å"Middleton†), which is engaged in the manufacture and sale of machine-made large cigars and pipe tobacco, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PM USA; and UST LLC (â€Å"UST†), which through its direct and indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries including U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company LLC (â€Å"USSTC†) and Ste. Michelle Wine Estates Ltd. (â€Å"Ste. Michelle†), is engaged in the manufacture and sale of smokeless products and wine. Philip Morris Capital Corporation (â€Å"PMCC†), another wholly-owned subsidiary of Altria Group, Inc. , maintains a portfolio of leveraged and direct finance leases. In addition, Altria Group, Inc. held an approximate 27. 0% economic and voting interest in SABMiller plc (â€Å"SABMiller†) at June 30, 2012, whi ch is accounted for under the equity method of accounting. Altria Group, Inc. s access to the operating cash flows of its wholly-owned subsidiaries consists of cash received from the payment of dividends and distributions, and the payment of interest on intercompany loans by its subsidiaries. In addition, Altria Group, Inc. receives cash dividends on its interest in SABMiller if and when SABMiller pays such dividends. At June 30, 2012, Altria Group, Inc. ‘s principal wholly-owned subsidiaries were not limited by long-term debt or other agreements in their ability to pay cash dividends or make other distributions with respect to their common stock.Share Repurchases In October 2011, Altria Group, Inc. ‘s Board of Directors authorized a $1. 0 billion share repurchase program, which Altria Group, Inc. intends to complete by the end of 2012 . During the six and three months ended June 30, 2012, Altria Group, Inc. repurchased 11. 9 million shares (aggregate cost of approximate ly $360 million , and $30. 16 average price per share) and 2. 0 million shares (aggregate cost of approximately $66 million , and $32. 37 average price per share), respectively. As of June 30, 2012 , Altria Group, Inc. had repurchased a total of 23. million shares of its common stock under this program at an aggregate cost of approximately $688 million , and an average price of $29. 01 per share. The timing of share repurchases under this program depends upon marketplace conditions and other factors, and the program remains subject to the discretion of Altria Group, Inc. ‘s Board of Directors. Basis of Presentation The interim condensed consolidated financial statements of Altria Group, Inc. are unaudited. It is the opinion of Altria Group, Inc. ‘s management that all adjustments necessary for a fair statement of the interim results presented have been reflected therein.All such adjustments were of a normal recurring nature. Net revenues and net earnings for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for the entire year. These statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes, which appear in Altria Group, Inc. ‘s Annual Report to Shareholders and which are incorporated by reference into Altria Group, Inc. ‘s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. Balance sheet accounts are segregated by two broad types of businesses.Consumer products assets and liabilities are classified as either current or noncurrent, whereas financial services assets and liabilities are unclassified, in accordance with respective industry practices. During the second quarter of 2012, Altria Group, Inc. determined that it had not recorded in its financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2012, its share of non-cash gains from its equity investment in SABMiller, relating to SABMiller's strategic alliance transactions with Anadolu Efes and Castel that were closed during the first quarter of 2012.Because Altria Group, Inc. did not record these gains, it understated by $342 million, $222 million and $0. 11 earnings from equity investment in SABMiller, net earnings/comprehensive earnings, and diluted earnings per share attributable to Altria Group, Inc. , respectively, for the three months ended March 31, 2012. Additionally, Altria Group, Inc. understated its investment in SABMiller, long-term liability for deferred income taxes and total stockholders' equity by $342 million, $120 million and $222 million, respectively, at March 31, 2012.There was no impact on net cash flows from operating, investing or financing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2012. Altria Group, Inc. assessed the materiality of – 12- Table of Contents Altria Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited) these understatements in accordance with the Securities and Exchange Commission 's (â€Å"SEC†) Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 99 â€Å"Materiality† and determined that the impact was not material to Altria Group, Inc. ‘s financial statements as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2012.Accordingly, Altria Group, Inc. has determined that it is appropriate to revise its first quarter 2012 financial statements and has reflected this revision in the financial statements as of and for the six months ended June 30, 2012. Financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2012 reported in future filings will reflect this revision. Altria Group, Inc. ‘s chief operating decision maker has been evaluating the operating results of the former cigarettes and cigars segments as a single smokeable products segment since January 1, 2012.The combination of these two formerly separate segments is related to the restructuring associated with the cost reduction program announced in October 2011 (the â€Å"2011 Cost Reduction Program†). A lso, in connection with the 2011 Cost Reduction Program, effective January 1, 2012, Middleton became a wholly-owned subsidiary of PM USA, reflecting management's goal to achieve efficiencies in the management of these businesses. Effective with the first quarter of 2012, Altria Group, Inc. ‘s reportable segments are smokeable products, smokeless products, wine and financial services.For further discussion on the 2011 Cost Reduction Program, see Note 2. Asset Impairment, Exit, Implementation and Integration Costs. Effective January 1, 2012, Altria Group, Inc. adopted new authoritative guidance that eliminated the option of presenting components of other comprehensive earnings as part of the statement of stockholders' equity. With the adoption of this guidance, Altria Group, Inc. is reporting other comprehensive earnings in separate statements immediately following the statements of earnings. Note 2.Asset Impairment, Exit, Implementation and Integration Costs: Pre-tax asset impa irment, exit and implementation costs for the six and three months ended June 30, 2012 consisted of the following: For The Six Months Ended June 30, 2012 Asset Impairment and Exit Costs For The Three Months Ended June 30, 2012 Implementation (Gain) Costs Total Asset Impairment and Exit Costs Implementation Costs Total (in millions) Smokeable products $ 23 $ (12) $ 11 $ 16 $ 9 $ 25 Smokeless products 14 5 19 — — — General corporate — (1) (1 ) — — — Total $ 37

The eNotes Blog eNotes Visits UW, Brings Free Coffee and FreePasses

Visits UW, Brings Free Coffee and FreePasses This weekend, our  social media team here at helped sponsor TOSAs Taiwanese Carnival at the University of Washington. We stocked our booth  with five gallons of free coffee, 300+ donuts, boxes of super awesome pencils, fistfuls of   passes, and a  ton of Homework Help advice. We also  set up a drawing for a free Kindle Fire (hey, we love free stuff!). Although Seattles weather  competed against the carnivals promise of music, food, and multicultural fun, we did meet and hang out with some great UW students who braved the rain. Check out pics of the event below. If you would like to bring free stuff to your school or university, leave us a  comment. Well enter you into a contest for a year-long free pass to the site. Office and community manager Brandi Haker (left) and publicity/editorial intern Katie Rounds (right) rocking the booth. coffee cups. Yes, they do make coffee taste better. Who doesnt love neon pencils? Some of the amazing food available at the carnival from other vendors. How much rain does it take to clear a campus? This much. Two happy eNoters who hung out with us. Brandi and Katie doin work (i.e., being charming). End of the day and packing up. Want us to come to your school? Leave a comment!

Behavioural learning theory Essays

Behavioural learning theory Essays Behavioural learning theory Essay Behavioural learning theory Essay Behavioural learning theories consist of two main forms of learning, classical conditioning and instrumental conditioning. I will briefly be looking at both types of learning and then talk about phobias and the exposure techniques used to eliminate them. Ivan Petrovich Pavlov demonstrated classical conditioning in his experiments with dogs. Pavlov rung a bell every time he gave the dogs food and the sight of the food would make them salivate. Eventually the dogs associated the bell ringing with food, so that the bell alone would make them salivate. He explained that there are two types of reflexes, conditioned and unconditioned. Unconditioned reflexes are those that are innate whereas conditioned reflexes were acquired through conditioning. Unconditioned reflexes are based on a connection between unconditioned stimulus (US) and unconditioned response (UR). In Pavlovs experiments, the unconditioned stimulus was the dogs sight of food and the unconditioned response was the dogs salivating. Similarly, condition reflexes are based on a connection between conditioned stimulus (CS) and conditioned response (CR). In the experiments, the conditioned stimulus was the sound of a bell ringing while the conditioned response was salivation (Gleitman, 1995). Therefore classical conditioning is concerned with the learning of the relationship between the conditioned stimuli and the unconditioned stimuli. Pavlov also showed that the more often the conditioned stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus are paired together, the more the strength of the conditioned response increases. The pairing reinforces the connection and such trials are called reinforced trials. Likewise, if the unconditioned stimulus is presented without the conditioned stimulus then the conditioned response gradually weakens. This is known an unreinforced trial. This will eventually lead to extinction whereby the conditioned reaction is undone and therefore the conditioned response disappears (Gleitman, 1995). However, the conditioned response can be resurrected through reconditioning. This typically needs fewer reinforced trials to bring the conditioned response to its previous strength because there is a spontaneous recovery (i. e. he conditioned response was masked rather than abolished during extinction). Conditioned responses can be suppressed through fear, which is known as response suppression. This may be one cause of why phobias develop. For example, someone who gets bitten by a snake may develop a very intense fear (or phobia) of snakes. Instrumental conditioning (also known as operant conditioning) is a form of learning whereby a reinforcer (reward) is only given once the correct instrumental response has been performed. Edward L. Thorndike proposed a theory known as the Law of Effect. In this he explained that responses that are followed by a reward (positive reinforcement) are strengthened and responses that are followed by no reward or punishment (negative reinforcement) are weakened. This is supported by the theory of evolution. Those that choose the best responses will have a better chance of survival (Gleitman, 1995). Phobias are a type of anxiety disorder which are characterised by an intense and irrational fear of an object or situation. The sufferer is usually aware of this irrationality, but continues to be afraid. Phobic people are always preoccupied with their phobia and avoiding the particular objects or situations that frighten them. Avoiding those particular objects or situations does not always help minimise the problem. This is because most of the time, the phobia tends to extend to other similar stimulus. For example, a person who fears leopards may also fear cats, spotted objects or even parts of the city where the zoo is located (Gleitman, 1995). One mechanism which explains why phobias develop is that chance association of ideas lead to fears. For example, a child that is told that goblins come by at night may develop a fear of the dark (Locke, 1690 in Gleitman, 1995). Many modern theorists explain that phobias derive from classical conditioning, where the feared object is the conditioned stimulus. An example would be a fear of snakes after a snake bite (Wolpe, 1958 in Gleitman, 1995). This theory also explains why phobias tend to expand. If a person who is conditioned to fear a particular stimulus encounters the stimulus in a different context, then that person will be conditioned to fear the new stimuli. There are two main types of phobias, specific and social. Social phobias are a fear of embarrassment or humiliation. Examples of sufferers avoiding situations include public speaking in case they falter or eating in restaurants in case they choke on their food. These sufferers may turn to alcohol or drugs in order to give themselves more confidence. Specific phobias, on the other hand, are a fear of particular objects or events. The classical conditioning explanation doesnt explain why patients tend to be afraid of only a limited number of stimuli. Phobias of snakes, spiders and heights are particularly common whereas phobias of knives, cars and electrical equipment are rare. If classical conditioning was the cause of phobias, then fear of knives and fire would be much more common as most people have been hurt by them. An explanation for this may come from the Preparedness Theory of Phobias, which is based on evolution. The theory explains that our ancestors had a built-in predisposition to fear stimuli that were dangerous to them (like spiders and snakes). Natural selection, therefore, favoured those that were innately predisposed to learn to fear these stimuli very quickly (Seligman, 1971 in Gleitman, 1995). To support this theory, experiments have been carried out in which nonphobic subjects were shown pictures of various objects. The pictures were paired with electric shocks. It was found that the subjects more often feared the pictures of snakes and spiders than the pictures of flowers and mushrooms (i hman, Eriksson and Olofsson, 1975; i hman, Dimberg and i st, 1985 in Gleitman, 1995). However, these studies have been criticised because it is not known what prior fears the subjects had before they participated in the experiment. Some investigators have used laboratory-reared monkeys to get around this problem. Experiments showed that the monkeys who had never seen snakes before become much more easily frightened by toy snakes than by flowers. As monkeys are our simian cousins, humans come to fear some stimuli much more readily than others (Cook and Mineka, 1989 in Gleitman, 1995). Behavioural therapy is a technique used to treat mental disorders. Behavioural therapists use classical and instrumental conditioning to re-educate patients. The treatment does not look at the causes of the disorder but aims to modify the sufferers behaviour. The more specific methods used to treat phobias are known as exposure techniques, so called because the patient is exposed to the phobic stimulus as part of the therapeutic process. Exposure treatments involve extinction, in which the classically conditioned connection is removed. One technique is flooding whereby the person is immersed in the fear reflex until the fear itself fades away. A person who suffers from ophidiophobia (snake phobia) may be placed in a room full of harmless snakes until the fear is extinguished. Some phobic reactions are so strong that the flooding is done in the patients mind rather than in real life. This is known as implosion therapy. Some patients cannot handle flooding so an alternative technique that is used is systematic desensitisation (Wolpe, 1958 in Gleitman, 1995). This tries to remove any anxiety connected to various stimuli by a gradual process of counter-conditioning (Watson, 1924 in phobialist. com/treat. html) to a response incompatible with fear, usually muscular relaxation. The first stage of the therapy involves getting the patient relaxed through meditation and untensing exercises. The explanation for this is that relaxation is incompatible with feeling fearful or having anxiety and therefore the relaxation response counters the fear response. In the second stage, the patient constructs an anxiety hierarchy. Fear situations are arranged from least to most threatening. In the final step, known as desensitisation, the patient imagines each situation on the hierarchy while practising relaxation techniques, until all the situations have been dealt with successfully. Biofeedback instrumentation is often used to ensure that the patient is truly well-relaxed before going to the next higher situation in the anxiety hierarchy. Several indexes have been used in this approach including pulse rate, respiration rate and electro-dermal responses. An example of a hierarchy would be when treating snake phobias. First, the patient may imagine a ball of string and then imagine a worm and handling a worm. They will then progress to visualising a snake and finally handling a snake. When this is done and the patient is relaxed with this, the patient may then attempt to actually handle a snake in real life (Gleitman, 1995). Sometimes, this process is paired with modelling. In modelling, the patient observes others in the presence of the phobic stimulus. The models would be responding with relaxation rather than fear. This encourages the patient to imitate the models and thereby relieve their phobia. In conclusion, the behavioural learning theory uses conditioning to explain why people develop mental disorders. Therefore, behaviourists try to treat phobias by reconditioning a patient so that their conditioned response (phobic response) is changed or removed. The types of methods used to do this include flooding, implosion therapy and systematic desensitisation. There are different views as to why people develop phobias. One view is that people become conditioned to fear certain stimuli due to past experiences or hearing stories. However, this does not explain why people tend to be prone to certain kinds of phobias more than others. The biological view for phobias may give a better explanation in that due to evolution, humans have inherited fear of certain stimuli that were dangerous to our ancestors (e. g. snakes).

Accounting and Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Accounting and Finance - Essay Example The former does not give consideration to fixed costs while the latter adds alls the direct as well as indirect costs to ascertain the total cost of per unit of output. This means that Absorption costing does not make any differentiation between fixed and variable costs whereas Marginal costing accounts for only the variable expenses. Under this technique the costs are segregated into manufacturing, administrative and selling costs. Here all the manufacturing expenses-fixed as well as variable- are deducted from revenues to obtain gross margin and then the selling & administrative costs-fixed as well as variable- are subtracted from gross margin to obtain the net income. The fixed manufacturing overhead charges are allocated to the units on a per unit basis. This is obtained by dividing â€Å"Standard fixed manufacturing overhead† by â€Å"Normal Output†. If the production is higher or less than the standard output, necessary adjustments are done with respect to volume variances. In the case of â€Å"favorable volume variance† i.e. if the actual production exceeds normal capacity, the amount relating to over-absorption is subtracted from the cost of goods produced and sold. If the variance is â€Å"unfavorable†, the amount relating to under-absorption is added with the total cost of goods produced and sold (Lal & Srivastava, 2008, pp.628). Under this method a proportion of fixed costs are carried forward to the next accounting period as a constituent of closing inventory. This is criticized by the supporters of marginal costing on the ground that costs relating to an accounting period are transferred to the subsequent period. Marginal Costing differentiates between variable and fixed costs. The marginal cost refers to the variable cost of a product or it comprises direct material, direct expenses, direct labor and variable portion of the overheads. Marginal Costing is an accounting system under which the variable expenses are charged to the units and the fixed

BUSINESS PROPOSAL Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

BUSINESS PROPOSAL - Assignment Example Small Business Administration (SBA) is the Guam’s government official agency that deals with helping in the formulation of business plans and securing funds necessary for its establishment. In the Business plan, investors should include the legal structure of the company. This would be determined by the following factors; investor’s ownership, management responsibilities and tax consequences. The various types of businesses include; sole proprietorship which has advantages like quicker tax preparations, low start up costs and ease of money handling. Its disadvantages include; personal liability and lack of financial control. In the case of starting a corporation, a type of business which has legal rights that separate its liability from the owners’ and it’s chartered by the state (Norman, 1999). To start this kind of business in Guam, investors are required to pay a filing fee of 50$. This levy is used to fill by-laws and articles of incorporation at the G uam Department of Revenue and Taxation. A corporation that seeks to be taxed as a corporation is called a â€Å"C† corporation. It pays federal and income tax on earnings while those that don’t pay income tax on their proportionate shares are called â€Å"S† corporations. ... The EIN can be secured from Internal Revenue Service offices. The Employer Identification Number will be useful in opening of the business bank account. This is done at the initial stage and it is an essential requirement for all companies and businesses that hire employees. The Employers Identification Number is issued to the applicant on the submission of form SS-4 to the Internal Revenue Service. Furthermore, there is an option of applying for the EIN online for instant issuance (Daily, 2010). Next, the investor registers for taxes. All companies incorporated in Guam have a mandate to register for one or several identification numbers that are tax-specific, licenses or permits which includes sales tax, unemployment tax and income tax withholding. According to section 26201, Article two, Chapter twenty six of Title eleven of the Guam Code of Annotated, privilege taxes should be assessed, levied and collected monthly against persons on the basis of their activities and business in G uam determined by application of rate against gross proceeds of sales, values or gross income. Businesses and business owners are required to pay Use Tax under the Guam’s Use Tax law which is applicable on the occasion that one has imported personal property that will be consumed or used in the operations of your business. If the business hires employees, it is required to pay the Payroll Tax (Norman, 1999). Guam has a separate Territorial Tax system apart from the United States based on the Internal Revenue Code. As business owner or entity conducting operations in Guam, is required by this code to file and report a Guam Territorial Tax Return. In title 26 and 31 of this code, business owners are mandated to file form 8300 if the business earns more than ten thousand