Qui tam and whistle blowing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Qui tam and whistle blowing - Assignment Example Having a system that allows for anonymous reporting of frauds should be incorporated especially in the private sector to check the massive loss of taxpayer money. This paper briefly looks at a scenario touching on Qui tam and seeks to give a recommendation on its place in the corporate world. Joseph Wellington definitely handled the question satisfactorily or even appropriately; he just spoke of the need for sufficient grounds to initiate a qui tam. He did not explain briefly what it is, its merits, and what the policy of his firm in whistle blowing is. Having a credible case could be a policy but it should be part of a more elaborate policy for Josephs’ organization. The first step in answering the question would be to explain briefly what Qui tam is and how it applies to the organization. Qui tam is a provision within the federal claims act modified in 1986, which grants a whistleblower who initiates a qui tam (a suit) on behalf of the United States government between 15 and 25 percent of funds, the federal government recovers. The government recovers these funds due to the actions and evidence of the whistleblower against fraudulent claims that lead to wastage or loss of federal funds to entities that make false claims against it. The company policy on Qui tam is open; you can initiate legal proceedings whenever there is sufficient evidence to suggest false claims were made against the federal government. Workers are protected in the event that they take Qui tam action against the company. However, all employees must take the requisite steps to ensure this is not abused and that company secrets are kept that way (Johnson, 2003). The company sh ould have a policy for whistle blowing which can be done securely and anonymously without exposing the whistle blower. This; Mr. Joseph should have said is part of the company’s fraud reduction strategy which could end up saving the company rather than an uncomfortable topic to be brushed over. Whistle

My favorite brand( NIKE shoes ) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

My favorite brand( NIKE shoes ) - Research Paper Example Nike, founded in January 25th 1964 by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight as Blue Ribbon Sports, is an American multinational enterprise headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, the designs, develops, manufactures and markets footwear, apparel, equipment, accessories and services. Valued at 10.7 billion USD, it is the most valuable brand among sports businesses and as of 2012, had more than 44,000 employees worldwide (Carbasho & Westport, 2010). It is quite easy answering people who ask what type of shoes I prefer (as it is clearly Nike), what I find particularly engaging is answering why I like Nike Shoes in a single sentence since it is a topic I could go on about for a whole day. Nike shoes are amazing in a plethora of ways and reasons. First of all, I like Nike Shoes for the wide variety that they offer. If you visit a Nike shoe store, guaranteed you will find a myriad of confusing choices to pick from. And if you’re not the disciplined type, you could easily go on an impulse buying spree. Nike shoes come in different amazing designs, colors, sizes, and so on, for all sexes. Virtually all tastes and preferences are catered for in a Nike store. It’s nearly impossible to miss something that strikes (or even something to gift to a special one on a special occasion). Secondly, Nike shoes elicit deep passion in me for the relative comfort they offer. Wearing Nike shoes is almost as comfortable as walking naturally barefoot except that your feet are now protected. So long as you pick a suitable size, you will always find Nike shoes designed for utmost comfort and protection. No pinches or sore toes at the end of that morning exercise, unlike other brands I’ve come across. In addition, Nike shoes offer durability unlike any other. Whether it is rigorous exercises or calm walks, Nike shoes will serve you for a good period of time before fading away/ aging. They are built tough to match any purpose. From my

Article Comparison Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Article Comparison - Essay Example Much data has indeed been disseminated on Hurricane Katrina and the challenges which health officials faced in spreading and the media in retrieving accurate and timely public health data during emergencies (Cohen, et.al., 2008). Evaluating how the media publicizes tragedies is an important aspect in communication research. Even as some media scholars have considered separate news coverage for public health issues, there is still an inadequate evaluation on the news coverage of public health issues during tragedies. Hence, this study is being carried out in order evaluate the content of national newspapers in relation to the Hurricane Katrina news coverage (Cohen, et.al., 2008). By evaluating such data, it may then be possible to close the gap between theoretical models of agenda setting and the wealth of public health data which need to be conveyed for the sake of public health service (Cohen, et.al., 2008). ... A statistical evaluation was then applied on the stories included in the sample with the application of cross tabulations and Pearson’s chi-square (Cohen, et.al., 2008). The study then revealed that 8.5% of the articles were related to efforts by first responders to the hurricane. About 6.4% of the articles focused on who or what was to blame for the disaster; 4.6% discussed practical concerns including access to health services; 2.1% covered animal rescue; 3.0% discussed reasons why the people stayed in New Orleans; 2.1% discussed racism; 2.1% covered disease; and finally, 2.1% of the news articles discussed population conflict (Cohen, et.al., 2008). The objectives of this study were met because the paper was able to cover the type of news discussed by the media in the aftermath of the Katrina hurricane. The results also revealed the ways by which the hurricane impacted the people in terms of health services and access to said services. It also revealed the fact that a small and diminishing number of newspaper articles included those which released public health data over time. Moreover, news articles on the hurricane impact on communities as well as reliable health information also diminished over time (Cohen, et.al., 2008). This study sets forth the importance of addressing public health impact of tragedies and the ways by which the media seems to underreport and reduce public health issues. The authors pointed out that this study is relevant because of the hurricanes which occur year after year and which significantly impact on our lives (Cohen, et.al., 2008). It is therefore important for practitioners to record the lessons learned from previous disasters and apply these lessons

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 8

Assignment Example Housed in the short-term demands includes: the day to day running of the hotel, customer relations, regulating operational costs and capitalising on returns. The long-term goals however, are more of a wholesome approach on the running of the entity and may include: monitoring and dissemination of information regarding the entity and resource allocation for hotel projects. For hotel managers to fulfil their long term goals, they have to abide by an intermediate path that entails the recruitment, training and development of a subordinate staff. They are also tasked with the duty of outlining the operational procedures that the hotel staff must abide by. These obligations go as far as the internal running of the hotel is concerned. The external factors however, cannot be ignored for they play a crucial part in shaping the business prospects of the hotel. Changes in the external environment are at times unpredictable and require a proactive mind to effectively counter them. The hotel personnel must also be able to have creative and critical minds to enable them to tackle any unprecedented events. The structural organization of the entity therefore comes into view. A structure that is flexible to deal with external commitments for the sake of the smooth running of the entity is necessitated. Putting in place such a system is tasked to the General Manager. Evidently, all these operations require a constant and effective interaction system between the manager and their subordinates. Effective communication is therefore a factor that is crucial to the success of a hotel operation. When a manager recruits and trains personnel, he/she makes use of the human resource segment of the company. The human resource department is a division of the hotel that handles matters affecting the welfare of the staff. By using the human resource programs and goals, the manager is able to advance the long-term goals. This role involves

The Effect of Salt Concentration on Grass Growth Essay Example for Free

The Effect of Salt Concentration on Grass Growth Essay Our aim was to test the effect of different salinities on the growth of plants which what we did was measured different amounts of salt dissolved into 2 litres of water, watered the plant once with the salt water then for 9 days with pure ware. I found with my investigation that the less the salt, the more the growth of the plant. My aim was achieved by measuring the 5 fastest geminating (out of 20) and to measure the differences in growth of the plant. I also had a few difficulties in the duration of this experiment which were the sunlight on the plants direct which made the plants to begin to die and also the highest salinity plant was not growing. Introduction High salinity in the root zone effects the growth of many plant species (stunted growth), low salinity in the root zone affects the growth of this type of plant (higher growth) and/or no effect on both. Total growth and leaf area are affected. Different plant species may have different tolerances to salinity; in this case we are geminating mung beans, Still the high amounts of salt concentration that are present can cause the Mung beans germination rate to grow poorly and cause it to die at a faster rate. Having salt water in the roots can have an effect of less water being absorbed in which causes the plant to dry out. (1) Mung bean plants grow up to 18 to 36 inches this investigation will show if different amounts of salt (Nacl) will affect the growth of the average Mung Bean. 2)The average mung bean growth without any salt concentrations is 2 to 3 feet long. (3) This Experiment was carried out to see if Saltwater had affects to Mung beans and their growth. The Main aim of this experimental Investigation is to test the theory that Mung Bean growth is affected if there are High amounts of Salt in the water present in the plant. The 5 different parts to this experiment will be to set up 5 Groups of Mung Beans and in each one a different Salt concentration. (No salt, 1. 25g, 2. 5g, 5g, 7. g) Over a period of time they will be measured and referred back to the hypothesis to compare its relevance. It was Hypothesized that if the Salt Concentration in the water is increased then the Growth of The Mung bean will be effected and decrease from its normal growth rate. Materials and Method Five circular sheets of cotton wool was cut and put into styrafoam cups. 20 mung bean seeds were added to each cup then marked with a permanent marker â€Å"group 1-5† with amount of salt watered with. Place in a safe/dry place where sun is not directly pointing on. Next you are to make up salt solutions and measure each plant with correct salt solutions of 40ml each. For group (1) will have no salt in the water, group (2) will be watered with water that has 1. 25g salt dissolved in 2L (0. 06% NaCI w/v), group (3) will be watered with water that has 2. 5 g salt dissolved in 2L water (0. 123% NaCI w/v), group (4) will be watered with water that has 5 g salt dissolved in 2L water (0. 25% NaCI) and group (5) will be watered with water that has 7. 5 g salt dissolved in 2L water(0. 375% NaCI w/v) all of which of the same temperature. Be sure to keep a sample of the water in case your plant dies and you need to begin the experiment again. Ensure all conditions (same position with same sunlight kept on for the whole ten days, the correct level of salt is measured and correct amount of water is measured for the salt to dissolve, keep the temperature of the water the same every time you water, use the same amount of water to each which hydrates the plants, use same size containers for each group, ensure you use the same measuring equipment and measure at the same time of the day, every day). I observed the germinating seeds twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. I used a ruler to measure the height at 7:30pm for the whole ten days, recorded my results in a results table (a table to record the dater you collect in the experiment). Results Over the 10 days of this experiment, notes were made on the observations. For the first few days, the measurements and physical appearance remained average/ almost the same. Afterwards for the following measurements and remaining days, the plants started to show discoloration and group’s number, 1, 4 and 5 showed browning in the leaves and stem. For the remaining groups everything stayed the same and the measurements increased by a fair amount each day. As the last days approached, the last two groups were showing wrinkling and shrinking in the stem and leaves. The roots had died out and the plant started to bend down and eventually was laying on the bed of cotton wool in a brown color. (Measurements shown in figure 1) Discussion The final results of the experiment on the 10th day were, group 1 (0g of salt) 100mm, group 2 (1. 25g of salt) 108. 5mm, group 3 (2. g of salt) 100. 5mm, group 4 (5g of salt) 51mm and group 5 (7. 5g of salt) 46mm. The average results showing that by having more salt in the water have a chance of the plants to dry out faster is high. Having salt in the soil doesn’t always make the plants die, this is shown in the results above that the high salinity helps the growth of the plants but only by a small amount. (2) The last two groups had the least growth, showing that having high amounts of salt affects the plants ability to absorb water into the roots. 1) It has also supported that high amounts of salt can cause the plants to shrink in a small amount of time, which in the experiment the last two groups show that. Problems with the placing of the plants might have had too much sunlight coming through to maybe improve the growth of the beans, the plants didn’t have enough time to grow properly and have more further and specific results. Other days in the process it would rain but others it would be really sunny which didn’t make it very accurate because some days the plants didn’t even get to grow at all or they would die out because of the sun. The experiment could go for longer, to improve the results as they would have been different with just 10 ten days of growth, even less. The placing of the mung beans could have been chosen better, a place where there is less sunlight and less interference. The surface could have been better than just cotton wool, we could of used soil rather than wool which the beans may have grown better; or the groups could have had half soil and half cotton wool on the plate to compare which is the better choice.

United States Declaration of Independence and Paine Essay Example for Free

United States Declaration of Independence and Paine Essay What is an allusion? What is parallelism, or parallel structure? â€Å"from The Autobiography: The Declaration of Independence.† Jefferson states that the king has established tyranny over the Colonies. How does Jefferson back up this statement? Why was the passage condemning Britain’s involvement in the African slave trade was struck out of the original Declaration of Independence? Why did Jefferson believe it is important to show how the original version of the Declaration of Independence was amended? In the opening paragraphs, whom does Thomas Jefferson refer to as â€Å"pusillanimous†? In the Declaration of Independence, the words â€Å"governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes† and their supporting passages suggest what? According to the way Jefferson has edited this draft of the Declaration of Independence, the phrase â€Å"with a firm reliance on the protection of divine providence† in the second to last paragraph was†¦. . ? What authority does the United States of America in General Congress cite in its Declaration of Independence? â€Å"from The Autobiography†, â€Å"from Poor Richards Almanack.† Why does Franklin arrives in Philadelphia in his working dress? In this selection from his autobiography, what does Franklin seems most eager to portray? How does Franklin ranks the virtues (according to what?)? What probable reason does Franklin suggest for his giving the boatmen his only shilling, even though Franklin did the rowing? Why does Franklin place the attainment of virtues in a numerical order? â€Å"from The Crisis, No. 1.† Paine argues that the best way to defeat the British is for what to happen/be done? Paine suggests that a state that surrenders its arms to the British would have to do what? By comparing the British king to a thief and a housebreaker, Paine suggests what about the British? In his conclusion, how does Paine intend to inspire readers? Which anecdote does Paine use in the selection? When Paine says, â€Å"though the flame of liberty may sometimes cease to shine, the coal can never expire,† he is using analogy to suggest what? Whom does Paine label a â€Å"sottish, stupid, stubborn, worthless, brutish man†? What kind of war does Paine describe as â€Å"murder†? When Paine begins his speech with the phrase â€Å"These are the times that try men’s souls,† he is suggesting what about the colonists? â€Å"Speech to the Virginia Convention.† Henry points out a contradiction between British claims and presence, such as? Henry recounts several instances in which the colonists sought agreement and acceptable terms with the British. He reviews these incidents in order to persuade the delegates of what? Henry states that the colonists have the advantage over the British because the colonists have what? Why does Henry advocates immediate action by the colonists? What is the main purpose of Patrick Henry’s speech? Why does Henry seeks to dissuade the delegates from resorting to argument? To whom is Henry addressing when he uses the word â€Å"sir†? When Henry uses the words â€Å"chains and slavery† near the end of his speech, What is he referring to?

Reflection on Research and Analysis Project

Reflection on Research and Analysis Project First Meeting: Before having my first meeting, I attended an open day with Mr. Collin Biggs who gave brief lecture on the requirement of RAP and topics which can be chosen to do a successful RAP. The topic I chose from the Oxford Brookes Project topic areas is number 8 which is The business and financial performance of an organisation over a three year period. For the 1st meeting my mentor Ashley Cooke asked me to write The Introduction of the RAP before having the first meeting. I decided to analyse the financial and business performance of GlaxoSmithKline and Astra Zeneca as a comparator. After choosing the topic and organisation I started to research the information about GlaxoSmithKline and Astra Zeneca. From the website of GlaxoSmithKline and Astra Zeneca, I downloaded their audited financial statement and annual reports for three years periods from 2007 to 2009. Situation: My mentor asked me to send the Introduction of my RAP three days before the meeting so that he can go through the work I had completed and prepare feedback for my 1st meeting. I was unable to send him the Introduction part of my RAP three days before the meeting as I underestimated the work required and I also was not quite familiar with Microsoft Word. I was able to send him the email with the Introduction of my RAP just two days before the meeting. During the first meeting, my mentor was not satisfied with my approach which I adopted to write Introduction of my RAP. Introduction about the company was very much in detail. My mentor told me to be precise and write only relevant information about the company. He also told me that my work was lacking quality as I only used Companys official website and did not refer to independent opinions and views. Lesson Learned: I learnt that I have to manage my time better as I need extra time to deliver my assignments on time as I am lacking the skills of effective use of Microsoft Word. I also learnt that I have to use third partys opinions and reviews about the companys performance which tend to be less biased. Second Meeting: As my first meeting was not up to the scratch so I was advised by my mentor to take some extra time to do sufficient work for my second meeting. He asked me to finish most of the research and analysis work prior to the second meeting. I tried my best to finish all the analysis work necessary to evaluate my project objectives such as trend analysis, ratio analysis, market research and strategic analysis of GlaxoSmithKline Plc and Astra Zeneca Plc. At the end of my second meeting my mentor shocked me when he asked me to prepare Microsoft Power Point slides for presentation. I was not sure how to make such slides using Microsoft Power Point. And I told my mentor there and then that I do not know how to use Microsoft Power Point to prepare slides. He was very helpful and he taught me how to prepare slides using Microsoft Power Point on his laptop. Situation: I was working very well according to the suggestions of my mentor. But I was unable to finish most of the work before time and could not email all the required work to my mentor three days before the second meeting. The reason was that my niece suddenly became sick and she was taken to the Hospital just five days before the second meeting.She was very seriously ill and I had to take my family couple of times to the Hospital. I could not finish my whole work. But I managed myself to attend the second meeting. My mentor told me that he was expecting more work from me. I explained the whole story to him. He inquired about the health of my niece and advised me that I have to be well planned and ready for such incidents and leave some buffer time for such uncertainties. Lesson Learned: I realised that if I would have left some buffer time, I would have completed my work well before the second meeting. Now I realised that I should try my best to finish my work and the task given before time to avoid any mishap or uncertainty. Third Meeting: My mentor asked me to give ten minutes presentation which should be summarised but comprehensive. My mentor told me that my presentation should be a glimpse of my overall RAP. My presentation will be followed by short question and answer session where I will be questioned on my work and my findings about the chosen organisation Situation: I was quite time pressured for my third meeting as I had some work left from my second meeting to complete and extra work to be done for the third time including the preparation of slides for presentation. I had to do rehearsal for my presentations as I have not given any presentations before this. I was a bit worried and nervous about my presentation. Lesson Learned: I learnt I should not leave the work till the last minute from my previous experience as unknowns can happen and delay the process. I gave myself an earlier deadline so that I could finish my work before the original deadline. Due to this I managed to finish my RAP on time. I also learnt a lot from the presentation part of my RAP. I learnt how to make slides on Microsoft PowerPoint as evidence; slides are attached with the submission of my RAP. I made my presentation to the Mentor. I ran out of time and could not complete the presentation well in time. I spent too much time on the introduction and the reason why I choose the organisation. I failed to present the conclusion and recommendation part of my presentation. I could not do justice with my efforts I put in my research work because of the way I presented my report to the mentor. I was not successful because of the lack of planning of my presentation. I did plan what I will present but due to the lack of practice I could not deliver what I was expecting from myself. Nevertheless, I learnt a lot from this experience. I learnt not to be over focused on the irrelevant things and properly giving time to more important areas. Question 2: How well do I think that I have answered the research questions? At the initial stage of my RAP I was confident that I will be able to do my RAP easily on the chosen topic. But in reality the chosen topic and finding information on organisation proved to be hard and challenging for me. I was not sure in the beginning from where should I gather information about GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca. I was carrying out my RAP research on limited information available but I came to know from a friend of mine that British Library is loaded with information regarding any organisation. I got financial and non financial information from British Library about GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca which was enough to do RAP analysis properly. During my secondary research, internet played a pivotal role in gathering data. Internet was of great help when reading up results of GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca for the first quarter of 2010 as this data was not easily accessible from other sources. It was hard for me to decide which ratios should be calculated in ratio analysis as each and every ratio has its own significance and importance. Time was a real issue in this project. I could not allocate time properly to the different areas of my research which I could have done better if I would have had more time. More time would have allowed me to visit more business libraries to get an in depth knowledge of the Pharmaceutical industry and its competitive environment. Question 3: How have you demonstrated your interpersonal skills and communication skills during the project work? Interpersonal and Communication skills are two skills which are not only important in academic life but in professional life as well. These skills facilitate in academics during presentations, class discussions, and project report writing and during professional life like dealing with customers, suppliers, peers and management. During my RAP, I used my interpersonal skills which I learnt through my studies, especially paper F7 (Financial Reporting) of ACCA. Initially the communication with my mentor was not very effective as I struggled to communicate properly with my mentor. My mentor sometimes could not understand my accent and he asked me to repeat few times during my interactions with him. I lost precious time of my meetings with him due to this communication problem. English is not my mother tongue. Even though my English have improved significantly after studying ACCA in England, native English speakers sometime find it difficult to understand me because of my strong accent. My mentor Ashley Cooke has been very patient with me and he never showed any signs of discomfort whilst communicating with me. I realised that in order to communicate effectively I had to be more confident when facing somebody face to face and I should speak slowly and clearly so that even with my strong accent, people could understand me. I have to improve my oral, verbal and non-verbal skills so that Ill be able to perform better both in academics and in work environment. Question 4: How has undertaking the Research and Analysis Project helped me in my accountancy studies and/or current employment role? I learnt a lot by doing my RAP which will help me in my reaming ACCA studies and also when I start my professional job. One of the things, I learnt whilst doing my RAP was how to do a research and gather information about a real world organisation, this helped me in developing my research skills. The research skill will be beneficial to me for my further studies and career. Communicating with people in an effective way was the new learning experience and it is very important for me when I will start my professional job in the future. My communication skills have improved significantly by doing this RAP. I think I would be in a better position to cope with the challenges in the future, which really would not have been possible without undertaking a project like this. Other thing, I learnt a great deal about is IT skills which I lacked before doing this RAP. I was not very familiar with Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. This project taught me a great deal about these packages as I had to use them to draw graphs, make tables and prepare slides for my presentation. Graphs and appendices in my RAP are evidence of my learnt skills. IT skills are very crucial for a modern accountant to have in order to succeed in this day and age. I knew a little about these software packages before but this project has given me an opportunity to draw graphs using data from tables which I did not know before. This skill will assist me a great deal in my further studies and career. In a nutshell, whilst doing my RAP I learnt how to manage time effectively and meet deadlines, which will not only help me in my academic and professional life but will also, bring positive changes in my life.