Planning and Controlling Direct Labor Costs Essay

Planning and Controlling Direct Labor Costs - Essay Example In the current competitive business environment, companies that cannot afford to charge low prices on their products are likely to be excluded from markets. In this regard, cost cutting allows firms to employ low pricing strategy and still make profits (Burns, Quinn, Warren & Oliveira, 2013). Business costs come in many forms. As noted by Burn et al. (2013), manufacturing companies incur expenses in acquisition of raw material and labour among other things. Sometimes it is not easy to assess the value contributed to the company’s product or service by the expenses incurred. According to Burn et al. (2013), many firms find it hard to assess actual contribution of their employees to their products. In this regard, planning and control of direct labour costs is one of the most challenging tasks for businesses. This paper discusses direct labour costs in relation to a soda ash mining company called Tata Chemicals Magadi. Importance of the study Tata Chemicals Magadi has been exper iencing financial difficulties in the recent years. As a result, the company hired an expatriate in May this year to help streamline its operations. After analysing the company’s operations, Paul Patterson (the expatriate) asserted that the Magadi’s financial problems were mainly caused by poor planning and control of labour costs. He therefore proposed a plan to improve labour efficiency. He took office in July 2013 but his progress has never been assessed until today. This study aims at determining the extent to which Patterson has been successful in streamlining the company’s direct labour costs. The specific objectives include: (1) determining actual contribution of individual employees to product output in the months of September, October and November. (2) Reconciling variances and providing information that will help the company to properly plan and control its direct labour costs. (3) Enhancing maximum output from employees. Analysis Direct labour cost co mprises of human resource expenses that goes directly to processing of products or provision of services (Horngren, Datar & Foster, 2003). In a manufacturing set up, direct labour cost would be the expenses incurred in form payment of wages and other benefits to employees who are directly involved in product manufacturing (Horngren, Datar & Foster, 2003). In this regard, as pointed out by Horngren et al. (2003), benefits may range from house allowance, transport allowance, medical cover, social security contribution and workmen’s compensation insurance among other things. This excludes labour expenses related to administrative functions such as accounting, human resources and purchases departments. Some functions in manufacturing department such as supervision and other overhead costs are not part of direct labour costs (Horngren et al., 2003). Tata Chemicals Magadi mines and dries soda ash from Lake Magadi before packaging and transporting to the market. In this case, direct labour costs comprise of wages and other benefits enjoyed by employees who are directly involved in mining and drying of soda ash. There are seven plant operators in charge of mining machines and 22 in charge of driers. In addition, there are 6 drivers who operate tracks that transport wet ash from the lake to the drying plants 4 in charge of front-end loaders at mining

Theme is innocence and epiphanies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Theme is innocence and epiphanies - Essay Example According to a New York Times piece this January, the normal child, ages 8-18, uses over 7 ? hours a day with technology gadgets almost 5 hours of TV and films, equaling 2 ? hours of music, three hours of video games and internet, and only 30 minutes of traditional reading. This technology use, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, sums up to an overwhelming 75 hours a week (Stone 1). This information is not just sheer figures. However, they are a manifestation of the way the world is heading. There is a direct connection of the amount of time spent with gadgets and poor grades, obesity, violence, impatience, and mainly a loss of family interest. Therefore, it is safe to argue that children today still experience epiphanies from their daily experience within a technologically infused society (Stone 1). â€Å"Thinking, the ability to reason and reflect accurately, draws conclusions derived from our experiences, insights and knowledge. Thinking is what makes us human and has perm itted us to create, communicate, build, progress and become civilized. It encompasses so many phases of who our children are, as well as what they do, from learning, observing, questioning, remembering, and judging to innovating, deciding, arguing and performing† (Taylor 1). Families are being hurt by all of the new innovation. When a cluster of 4-6 year olds were asked to select between watching a television program and spending quality time with their parents along with siblings, 54% of them considered watching TV (Stone 1). In addition, according to a similar survey reported by the A.C. Nielson Company, the normal parent spends three and a half minutes only in a week to have meaningful discussions with their children. Technology is shaping a generation gap, which makes parents feel left out as they cannot relate to what their children are doing (Stone 1). Whether child recognition of their parents’ experiences or students paying attention in class, a child’s i mmediate surrounding establishes the kind of attention, which he/she will develop. In generations past, for instance, children dedicated considerable sums of their time to studying, an activity which offered few interruptions and needed both intense and sustained attention, memory and imagination (Taylor 1). The arrival of the television among other gadgets altered that concentration by providing children visual incentives, disjointed attention, as well as little need for imagination. Then the Internet was established, and children were propelled into an immensely different environment in which, since entertainment is the culture, consistent concentration is impractical, imagination is needless and memory is subdued. â€Å"Technology sets the mind to pay attention to information extremely differently compared to reading. The metaphor, which Nicholas Carr adapts is the difference between jet skiing and scuba diving. Book reading is similar to scuba diving whereby the diver is submer ged in a silence, visually controlled, negligent setting with few interruptions, and, as a result, is forced to focus intently and think intensely on the restricted information, which is available at that time. In comparison, using the Internet is similar to jet skiing, whereby the jet skier is skimming extremely fast along the surface of the water, open to

Aristotle,nz Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Aristotle,nz - Essay Example The procedure of realizing excellence of character calls for individuals to develop a steadiness of character by adopting virtuous pursuits and shunning vice. Aristotle stressed the ethical as well as normative effect of virtuous regulations would contribute towards assisting or directing human beings in the pursuit of good. Thesis Statement: From Aristotle’s treatise, all human beings have the capability of acquiring the excellence of character and thought through the constant practice of constructive behaviors such as temperance and duty. Aristotle also wrote about the excellence of thought- or intellectual excellence. He specified that common sense as well as practical wisdom could also be considered as being a kind of excellence of thought. From his writings, it is evident that Aristotle believed that the combination of these two types of excellences is what would be the redeeming factor of the human race. The concepts on the excellence of thought and character tie into Aristotle’s ideas on temperance and intemperance. According to Aristotle, the acquisition of temperance is important because it brings a balance between the excesses that are easily embraced by the untamed human soul and the insensibility that characterizes extreme asceticism. This is directly related to the portrayal of temperance in any challenging situation. For instance, an individual who was practicing temperance would find a balance in the expression of his or her emotions. In a situation where there was a significant threat, the temperate individual’s expressions of fear would not be more or less that the situation called for. However, an intemperate person would either express extreme stoicism or extreme fear that did not correspond to the danger of existing threat. Essentially, the possession of temperance in a human being is what will keep the soul’s need to yearn for different things in harmony with common sense

Muti questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Muti questions - Essay Example (5 marks) Pearl Harbour was the best geographical place for an attack; it was close enough to japan than other places like San Francisco. The more the Japanese attackers moved closer the more they were going to be detected hence a place far away was best suited for them. They wanted to stop any interference coming from the USA government of wanting to attack the Dutch, Singapore, Burma, Malaysia and South Asia. Japan wanted to take over the oil resources of South Asia because the American government had stopped selling oil to them because of their hostility in China (Takaki 323). The pearl harbour had the majority of the USA`s naval force. For Japan to win over America forces, they wanted to destroy most of its naval force that existed in Pearl Harbour. They wanted as well to avoid immediate retaliation of the USA because the needed time to regroup after their naval base was destroyed. Some people in the American government were getting suspicious that the Japanese would attack them, Japanese felt that were running out time and soon the USA government would discover the attack they were planning. The nearest place for them to execute their attack plan was in the harbour. The Japanese army was in control of government resources and they wished that one day that they would conquer all of China. American was not being fair by trying to stop this from happening. What led to the increase in spending in Reagan`s spending 1987? (3 marks) President Reagan financed the development of nuclear weapons. Funds were directed to the research and development of nuclear weapons. Defence spending under Reagan`s government were more than usual. The impacts of World War 2 were still being felt in the USA and the president wanted to put back the economy at its feet. What factors led to the migration of the Vietnamese to USA? (5 marks) Individuals from Vietnam were poverty stricken hence they had to move and find resources elsewhere. The Vietnam country was facing Economic hardships Continuous war in Vietnam led to the immigration of Vietnamese to the USA because peace existed there. There existed social struggle in Vietnam. The country had no Political stability. How did Harry S. Truman manage the war after the death of President Franklin (5marks) (Takaki 373) At first Truman felt he was not a man enough to take the place of Franklin who had just died. He had the problem of continuing the war which wasn’t finished. In his mind the fastest way to finish and win the war was to use atomic weapons against Japan. Trauma worked with the congress and funded heavily in the United Nations and helped in doing away with of communism. He came up with a marshal plan of rebuilding Europe which had been badly destroyed during the war time. He oversaw the lifting of Berlin and the creation of NATO. Trauma`s presidency was a turning point for the country especially in the sector of foreign affairs as America now supported foreign policies and worked closely with other countries. Why were the Americans involved in the Vietnam War? (8 marks) The USA wanted the stop of communism spread in Asia. The Americans strongly opposed communism. Already the USA was in the Vietnam supplying and providing military and financial support. They felt that they needed to be there fully and increases their military personnel. There was a growing risk and support of the National Liberation Front. This was a communist guerrilla group which had attacked the USA in the South Vietnam. The political ego of

The Cold War and the Concept of American Citizenship Essay

The Cold War and the Concept of American Citizenship - Essay Example At the same time, the growth in power of the Stalinist USSR and the concerns with respect to the future of the world order after the decline of old European powers (Britain included) led the U.S. to intervene much more actively in the internal affairs of their partner (and satellite) states, contributing to the rise of anti-imperialist and anti-militarist mentality among the wide sectors of the American population. These two developments led directly to the transformation of the concept of American citizenship, which was now considered to be both a sign of super-power entitlement and a stigma connected with the U.S. ‘imperialist’ designs. In general, the end of WWII was met with immense jubilation by the U.S. public, as it was believed that the end of hostilities would bring about the new prosperity. However, already in 1946, the Fulton Speech by British statesmen Winston Churchill signified that the Western powers were to confront the Soviet opposition in the post-WWII settlement of the globe. Thus a picture of the new global rift emerged that pitted the USA against the allegedly ‘merciless’ Soviet communists. This generally Manichean worldview found its most visible expression in the McCarthyist campaign of anti-communist hysteria that was accompanied with veritable persecution of all alleged supporters of the Communist Party of the USA. Within a McCarthyist discourse, such individuals were regarded as traitors to not only the U.S. Federal government, but to a very ‘American Way of Life’ that was to be considered sacrosanct by all citizens. This inherently conservative interpretation focused on such symbols as private property, freedom of religion and free enterprise to rally the opponents of Soviet Communism around the visage of the American national identity. In this way, the American civic patriotism became increasingly associated with the notions of economic liberalism and social and political conservatism, which wer e now to co-exist in a potentially uneasy synthesis. It is characteristic that McCarthyist paid specific attention to the notions of citizenship, as disloyal elements, potentially of European migrant descent, were to be deprived of their American citizenship, if considered ‘un-American’. The activities of a famed House Committee for Un-American Activities (HUAC) may be considered an epitome of McCarthyist efforts to bring about such an outcome for their ideological opponents. Nevertheless, the McCarthyist project for the revamping of the American cultural and civic identity, with the subsequent de-liberalization of the American political culture, was bound to failure, as the significant segments of the American political elite were loath to allow the conservatives to monopolize the political agenda of the nation. The dismissal of McCarthy and the discrediting of his supporters meant that the U.S. elite were to move in direction of the socially liberal policies that were tried in the New Deal period. Both Eisenhower and Kennedy may be regarded as the consistent promoters of such a course, notwithstanding all understandable differences in their internal and foreign policies. The late 1950s saw the gradual de-emphasizing of the geo-political confrontation with the USSR, as the level of anxiety and concern with the Soviet threat began to subside after the death of Stalin and especially after the effective end of the Korean War. These two developments, together with the end of the post-WWII economic reconstruction and the definite beginning of an era of consumer spending and individual prosperity that was not seen and even imaginable in previous decades, helped re-define the concept of American citizens

Reflective Letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reflective Letter - Essay Example s learned, the following three (3) choices in designing my writing portfolio were chosen and revised copies are hereby appropriately attached: (1) profile essay; (2) position essay; and (3) proposal essay; which all delves on the same topic/issue: â€Å"The rising role of women in drug trafficking†. The profile essay initially presented a profile draft about Griselda Blanco’s â€Å"The Godmother† of Drug Trafficking. From the comments and reviews that were provided, I changed the structure from what previously appeared as a biography, to more of a profile, which was specifically required. Likewise, some parts were revised to present narrative discourse, rather than providing chronological and bibliographic details to adhere to the story format. In the position essay that focused on the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) being part of the drug trade, there was a need to provide an overview of the CIA prior to delving into the case. As noted, I make some re-organization of identified paragraphs for effective consistency. Likewise, the proposal essay about â€Å"The Rising Role of Women in Drug Trafficking† has apparently led to ‘femicide’ in areas where drug trafficking was deemed prevalent, discussed why it was an alarming situation and what policy options could be implemented to curb this rising menace. On my first draft, the problem and significance of the study were discussed extensively but I failed to provide required details in the solution portion. Therefore, during the revision, greater details on the solution to decrease femicide were duly presented. Further, one’s ideas and paragraphs were appropriately

Manage health and safety in the workplace Assignment

Manage health and safety in the workplace - Assignment Example This means that the UAE is suffering from poor health and safety practices. However, the UAE ministry of labor law regulated the health and safety act in 1980 and underwent a regulation in 1986. Risk assessments as required by legislation, regulation and organizational Work place safety and health is a framework that cultivates safe habits in all individuals in order to engender a strong safety culture in the workplace. It requires stakeholders to take measures that ensure that individuals at work place are safe and healthy (Oxford Business Group, 2008: 23). The aim of the UAE regulated Act was to push the stakeholders to eliminate or even minimize the risk that result from work related accidents. More so, the acts penalize stakeholders who do not adhere to accident preventing measures. This means that the Act contain laws that oversee the rights of employees because it offers protective equipment guidelines and advocates for first Aid and medical facilities. Health and safety regula tions and legislation and how it is applied in specific work situations Chapter 5 of the UAE Labor Law outlines workers entitlements in terms of protective safety equipment, first-aid boxes, fire procedures, ventilation, water and medical care as well as sanitation (Loney et al, 2012: NP). First he law does not permit industrial and construction workers to work during the extremely hot hours of the day in order to avoid heat related injuries. The law advocated for this relieve because a large proportion of the UAE workforce is usually at risk during the summer months since they develop heat-related illnesses that range from the mild heat rash to the serious heat exhaustion, heat injury, and heat stroke (Kanna, 2011:75). In another note, the Ministry of Labor approximated that 42% of general UAE workforce in 2010 went into the construction industry. The same statistics claim that most of these construction workers work aboveground or at high heights. In this case, the law advocates f or protective wear and height awareness programs, through which it encompasses the media, instructional posters, pamphlets and animated videos that come in different languages several languages. More so, the campaign offer manuals for supervisors and employers that contain detailed technical information that vividly explain how to improve industries into safer working places. Additionally, workers in all sectors are entitled to work two hours less than the normal working hours during the holy month of Ramadan because these individuals during the Ramadan period undergo fasting. This means that most of them might not have the needed energy to work for the required full hours. Practical application of health and safety policies and procedures in the workplace Every organization should put up all necessary measure to foresee the safety of its workforce. This means that managers and supervisors should ensure that they have installed safety instruction board in a place that is noticeable for everyone and all the staff should read it (Hughes and Ferrett, 2009. 35). The instructions should contain understandable languages that depend on the work force. In another case, most industries use machines and other heavy equipments, which mean that they should ensure that