Solutions to Problems with the No Child Left Behind Act :: Teaching Education Essays Schools

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA) deals with student achievement standards by holding schools accountable for the achievement of their students (Implementation 11). The NCLBA uses standardized tests to chart the success of students. If students are not meeting standards, the school is required to offer tutoring, which is funded by the state with Title I, the education mandate passed in which granted all public schools access to federal grants, money (No Subject 7). The Act itself is not the problem; the problem is that the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) standard which is a big part of the NCLBA is not being met. The AYP standard is not being met because schools are not changing their methods quickly enough. It was said in the NCLBA that schools nationwide were to have 100% proficiency of the AYP standard within 12 years (Implementation 9). Since the passing of the NCLBA in 2001, most public schools, nationwide have not improved at all. Solutions There are a number of ways that this problem can be solved. To start, teachers could have to have higher credentials, thus giving them a better understanding of the subject areas in which they teach, and giving the students more and better sources (Facts). Right now teachers are only required to have a bachelor’s degree and be certified to teach, have a teaching certificate. Also, schools could require a minimum amount of studying per week for each student (Implementation 8). As of now, the only schools that require a certain amount of study time are private schools. In each class, there is scheduled time each day/week set aside for studying. Basically, it is a study hall. A lot of schools have study halls already set in place, but, for example, Aransas Pass High School is one of the many schools across the nation which do not enforce studying during that time (Crenshaw). There is one very obvious, but extremely flawed solution to this problem. Schools need to change their curriculums and start focusing more on the

Meralco Financial Analysis

INTRODUCTION MERALCO is the Philippines’ largest electric power distribution company, with franchise service area covering 9,337 square kilometres. It provides power to 4. 8 million customers in 31 cities and 80 municipalities, which include the whole of Metro Manila, the provinces of Rizal, Cavite and Bulacan, and parts of Pampanga, Batangas, Laguna and Quezon. Business establishments in the franchise area account for almost 46% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product or GDP.Through Clark Electric Distribution Corporation or CEDC, a 65%-subsidiary, it holds the power distribution franchise for Clark Special Economic Zone in Clark, Pampanga. CEDC franchise area covers 32 square kilometres and 1,611 customers. The Company is organized into three major operating segments, namely, power distribution, real state and contracts, services and others. In 2010, MERALCO PowerGen Corporation or MPG (formerly Asian Center for Energy Management), a wholly owned subsidiary, was reorg anized as the Company’s vehicle for potential entry into power generation. COMPANY PROFILEMERALCO marches on to its 108th year of service in 2011. Consistently in the list of the Philippines’ top five corporations and cited among Asia’s finest, MERALCO today serves over 4. 8 million residential, commercial and industrial customers. It is strategically located to serve the country’s center of commerce and industry and its hub of government services and infrastructures. It services about 30 manufacturing economic zones, which also compete in the global market. Likewise, the Company caters to providers of outsourced business process, both domestic and international. MERALCO’s 9,337 sq. km. ranchise area overs 31 cities and 80 municipalities including Metro Manila, the entire provinces of Bulacan, Rizal and Cavite; parts of the provinces of Laguna, Quezon, Batangas and Pampanga. Electrification level in the franchise area is 99%. MISSION to provide our customers the best value in energy, products and services. VISSION to be a world-class company and the service provider of choice. OBJECTIVES: To protect and enhance the interest of its stakeholders by committing itself to the following principles. 1. The Customers are its reason for being, and therefore, they should always be treated with dignity.The Company must be fully responsive to their needs. The Company has the responsibility to: * Provide the customers with the highest quality products and services, consistent with their requirements and with international standards; * Treat the customers fairly, courteously and with integrity in all of its business transactions; * Act promptly on their immediate concerns and be receptive to their long-term needs and interest; and * Make every effort to ensure that the health, safety and general well-being of its customers are enhanced by its products and services. 2.The Employees are its most valued asset, and therefore, they should alway s be treated with dignity and with full consideration of their interest. The Company has the responsibility to: * Provide its employees with incentives and opportunities for professional growth and advancement; * Provide its employees with just and competitive compensation, and benefits that improve their living conditions and incentives * Guarantee fairness, equal treatment and opportunity and avoid discriminatory practices; and * Provide suitable and safe working conditions to protect employees from avoidable injury and illness in the workplace. . Its Investors are its principals, and therefore, the trust they have placed in the company must be honoured. The company has the responsibility to: * Apply professional and diligent management to ensure the financial viability of the company and maintain a fair and competitive return for its investors; and * Conserve and enhance its investors’ assets, and fulfil and safeguard their interest. 4. The Suppliers and Creditors are its business partners and, therefore, the relationship with them must be based on mutual respect and benefit.The company has the responsibility to: * Foster long-term stability, direct relation and continuous development with suppliers to attain quality, competitiveness, process efficiency and performance reliability; * Seek fairness, truthfulness, integrity and transparency in all of its business dealings with them; and * Seek encourage and prefer suppliers whose business practices respect human dignity and the environment. . The Competitors are its catalyst toward continuing service excellence and, therefore, the competition with them should be fair and honest, a basic requirement for national development in the distribution of products and services to the community. The Company has the responsibility to: * Promote behaviour that demonstrates mutual respect among competitors; and * Maintain the highest level of business ethics and integrity. . The Community is its business environment and the society it serves. The Company has the responsibility to: * Uphold and maintain at all times the highest standards of business ethics; * Fulfil with dedication and commitment its social responsibilities; * Undertake activities that support and contribute to the economic and social development of the country; 7.Employ proactive measures and cooperate with the government and non-government institutions in activities to serve society towards a collective benefit. * Help the government in its efforts and programs in its efforts and programs towards raising investor confidence, developing the capital market, and ensuring high sustained economic growth through good corporate governance. Observe and comply at all times with the orders, rules and regulations of the government, its agencies and instrumentalities, in the pursuit of its utility objectives and other corporate endeavors; * Institutionalize sound environmental practices in collaboration with the concerned government agen cies and encourage other corporations/organizations to support all programs for an effective environmental management system. SUBSIDIARIES AND AFFILIATES * Meralco Powergen Corporation (MPG) * Clark Electric Distribution Corporation (CEDC) * Radius Telecoms, Inc. * Meralco Financial Services Corporation (FINSERVE) Lighthouse Overseas Insurance Limited (LOIL) * Meralco Energy, Inc. (MEI) * Rockwell Land Corporation (ROCKWELL) * Republic Surety and Insurance Company, Inc. (RSIC) CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS MANILA ELECTRIC COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES| CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION| | | | | December 31 | | 2010 | 2009 | | (amounts in millions) | ASSETS| | | | | | Current Assets| | | Cash and Cash equivalents| Php 24,370. 00 | Php 17,068. 00 | Trade and other receivables – net| 25,609. 00 | 21,600. 0 | Inventories – at lower cost or net realizable value| 2,043. 00 | 1,857. 00 | Land and development costs – at lower of cost or net realizable value| 1,708. 00 | 1,191. 00 | Other current assets| 2,027. 00 | 2,969. 00 | TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS| 55,757. 00 | 44,685. 00 | | | | Noncurrent Assets| | | Utility plant and others – net| 101,009. 00 | 98,231. 0 | Construction in progress| 2,241. 00 | 3,627. 00 | Investments in associates and a joint venture| 321. 00 | 1,203. 00 | Investments properties – net| 8,037. 00 | 8,021. 00 | Deferred pass – through fuel costs| 1,222. 00 | 3,161. 00 | Deferred tax assets – net| 42. 00 | 17. 00 | Other noncurrent assets – net| 10,339. 0 | 13,184. 00 | TOTAL NONCURRENT ASSETS| 123,211. 00 | 127,444. 00 |   | Php 178,968. 00 | Php 172,129. 00 | | | | | | | LIABILITIES AND EQUITY| | | Current Liabilities| | | Notes Payable| Php 149. 00 | Php 513. 00 | Trade payables and accrued expenses| 31,138. 00 | 28,261. 00 | Income tax payable| 413. 00 | 133. 00 | Customer's refund| 7,131. 0 | 9,147. 00 | Current portion of interest – bearing long-term financial liabilitie s| 5,574. 00 | 4,069. 00 | TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES| 44,405. 00 | 42,123. 00 | | | | Noncurrent Liabilities| | | Interest-bearing long-term financial liabilities – net of current portion| 15,498. 00 | 17,234. 00 | Customer's deposits – net of current portion| 23,761. 00 | 25,063. 0 | Deposits from pre-selling of condominium units| 741. 00 | 343. 00 | Deferred tax liabilities – net| 3,322. 00 | 4,230. 00 | Long-term employee benefits| 9,547. 00 | 10,987. 00 | Provisions| 12,875. 00 | 7,492. 00 | Advances for construction – net of current portion| 3,271. 00 | 2,989. 00 | Other noncurrent liabilities| 2,352. 0 | 522. 00 | TOTAL NONCURRENT LIABILITIES| 71,367. 00 | 68,860. 00 |   |   |   | TOTAL LIABILITIES| 115,772. 00 | 110,983. 00 | | | | Equity Attributable to Equity Holders of the Parent| | | Common Stock| 11,273. 00 | 11,273. 00 | Subscriptions receivable| (738. 00)| (960. 00)| Additional paid-in capital| 4,111. 0 | 4,112. 00 | Excess of Acquisit ion cost over carrying value of non-controlling interest acquired| (328. 00)| (328. 00)| Employee shared-based payment plan| 743. 00 | 569. 00 | Unrealized fair value gains on available-for-sale investments| 96. 00 | 71. 00 | Share in cumulative translation adjustment of a subsidiary and an associate| 12. 00 | 684. 0 | Retained earnings:| | | Appropriated| 6,000. 00 | 4,198. 00 | Unappropriated| 37,800. 00 | 37,750. 00 | Equity Attributable to Equity Holders of the Parent| 58,969. 00 | 57,369. 00 | | | | Non-controlling interests| 4,227. 00 | 3,777. 00 | TOTAL EQUITY| 63,196. 00 | 61,146. 00 | | | | | | | Php 178,968. 00 | Php 172,129. 00 | MANILA ELECTRIC COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES| CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME| | | | | Years Ended December 31 | | 2010 | 2009 | | (amounts in millions, except per share data) | | | | REVENUES| | | Sale of electricity| 239,077. 00 | 178,686. 00 | Sale or real state| 3,375. 00 | 2,877. 00 | Sale of contracts, services and others| 3,009. 00 | 2,987. 00 |   | 245,461. 0 | 184,550. 00 | | | | | | | EXPENSES (INCOME)| | | Purchased power| 200,916. 00 | 150,928. 00 | Operations and maintenance| 15,711. 00 | 13,611. 00 | Depreciation and amortization| 6,219. 00 | 5,064. 00 | Provision for probable charges and expenses from claims| 5,750. 00 | 3,351. 00 | Cost of real estate sold| 2,640. 00 | 2,230. 0 | Interest and other financial income| (2,690. 00)| (4,246. 00)| Cost of services| 1,996. 00 | 1,803. 00 | Provision (reversal of provision) for probable losses from refund – net| (1,632. 00)| (1,179. 00)| Interest and other financial charges | 493. 00 | 3,328. 00 | Equity in net earnings of associates and a joint venture| (283. 00)| (245. 0)| Accretion of present value impact on customers' refund | 225. 00 | 555. 00 | Foreign exchange losses (gains) – net| 51. 00 | (266. 00)| Taxes, fees and permits| 974. 00 | 421. 00 | Others| 654. 00 | 216. 00 |   | 231,024. 00 | 175,571. 00 | | | | INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX| 14,437. 00 | ,979. 00 | | | | PROVISION FOR (BENEFIT FROM) INCOME TAX| | | Current| 5,233. 00 | 3,218. 00 | Deffered| (913. 00)| (595. 00)|   | 4,320. 00 | 2,623. 00 | | | | NET INCOME| Php 10,117. 00 | Php 6,356. 00 | MANILA ELECTRIC COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES| CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOW| | | | | | | 2010| 2009| | | (Amounts in Millions)| CASH FLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES| Php 14,437. 0 | Php 8,979. 00 | Income before income tax| | | Adjustments for:| | | | Depreciation and amortization| 6,219. 00 | 5,064. 00 | | Provision for probable charges and expenses from claims| 5,750. 00 | 3,351. 00 | | Interest and other financial income| (2,690. 00)| (4,246. 00)| | Interest and other financial charges| 493. 0 | 3,328. 00 | | Provision (reversal of provision) for probable losses from refund – net| (1,632. 00)| (1,179. 00)| | Loss on disposal of utility plant and others – net| 1,033. 00 | | | Provision for doubtful accounts, net of recoveries| 982. 00 | 886. 00 | | Cost o f guaranteed service levels pay-out| 388. 00 | 216. 0 | | Loss from disposal of investment| | 46. 00 | | Equity in net earnings of associates and a joint venture| (283. 00)| (245. 00)| | Present value impact on customer's refund| 225. 00 | 555. 00 | | Employee share-based payments| 174. 00 | 301. 00 | | Reversal of write-down of inventory to net realizable value| (3. 0)| (41. 00)| | Gain on disposal of investment property| (4. 00)| | | Donation of investment property| 2. 00 | |   | Foreign exchange loss (gain)| 51. 00 | (266. 00)| Operating income befor working capital changes| 25,412. 00 | 16,749. 00 | Decrease (increase) in:| | | | Trade and other receivables| (10. 0)| 15,601. 00 | | Inventories| (130. 00)| (168. 00)| | Land and development costs| (517. 00)| (531. 00)| | Deferred pass-through fuel costs| 1,939. 00 | 631. 00 | | Other current assets| 955. 00 | (1,854. 00)| Increase (decrease) in:| | | | Trade payables and accrued expenses| 41. 0 | 8,798. 00 | | Customer's re fund| (2,241. 00)| (2,889. 00)| | Customer's deposits| 1,298. 00 | 2,913. 00 | | Deposits from pre-selling of condominium units| 398. 00 | 307. 00 | | Long-term employee benefits| (1,424. 00)| (1,555. 00)|   | Provisions| (140. 0)| (4,935. 00)| Net cash generated from operations| 25,311. 00 | 33,067. 00 | Income tax paid| (4,953. 00)| (3,797. 00)| Net cash flows generated from operating activities| 20,358. 00 | 29,270. 00 | CASH FLOW FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES| | | Additions to:| | | | Construction in progress| (5,769. 00)| (7,914. 0)| | Utility plant and others| (2,741. 00)| (187. 00)| | Intangibles| (300. 00)| (127. 00)| | Investments properties| (110. 00)| (662. 00)| Interest and other financial income received| 1,058. 00 | 1,332. 00 | Proceeds from:| | | | Return of investment| 752. 0 | | | Disposal of utility plant and others| 82. 00 | | | Disposal of investment property| 28. 00 | | | Settlement of deliverable currency forwards| 5. 00 | | Dividends received from associates| 96. 00 | 445. 00 | Dividends paid by subsidiaries attributable to non-controlling interests| (15. 00)| | Decrease (increase) in:| | | | Other noncurrent assets| 622. 0 | (1,657. 00)| | Other receivables| | | Net cash used in investing activities| (6,292. 00)| (8,770. 00)| CASH FLOW FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES| | | Proceeds from:| | | | Interest-bearing long-term financial liabilities, net of issue costs| 10,528. 00 | 12,398. 00 | | Notes payable| 380. 00 | 2,936. 00 | | Collection of subscriptions receivable| 222. 0 | 445. 00 | Payments of:| | | | Interest-bearing long-term financial liabilities| (10,748. 00)| (8,295. 00)| | Dividends| (6,187. 00)| (2,820. 00)| | Interest and other financial charges| (2,044. 00)| (1,524. 00)| | Notes payable| (744. 00)| (12,251. 00)| | Stock transaction costs| (1. 0)| | Increase(decrease) in other noncurrent liabilities| 1,830. 00 | 277. 00 | Net cash flow used in financing activities| (6,764. 00)| (8,834. 00)| NET INCREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALE NTS| 7,302. 00 | 11,666. 00 | CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF YEAR| 17,068. 00 | 5,402. 00 | CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF YEAR| Php 24,370. 0 | Php 17,068. 00 | MANILA ELECTRIC COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES| RATIO ANALYSIS| | 2010| 2009| TEST OF LIQUIDITY| | | | | | A. Current Ratio =| Current Assets| | | Current Liabilities| | | | | =| 55757. 00 | 44685. 00 | | 44405. 00 | 17234. 00 | | | | =| 1. 26| 1. 06| | | | B. Acid-test Ratio =| Cash + Short-term investments +receivables (net)| | | Current Liabilities| | | | | =| 49979. 00 | 3048. 00 | | 44405. 00 | 17234. 00 | | | | =| 1. 13| 0. 18| | | | C. Receivables turnover =| Net credit sales| | | Average net receivables| | | | | =| 245461. 00 | 184550. 00 | | 36409. 00 | 36409. 00 | | | =| 6. 74| 5. 07| | | | Average Collection period =| 365 days| | | receivable turnover| | | | | =| 365 days| 365 days| | 6. 74| 5. 07| | | | =| 54. 15 days| 72. 01| | | | D. Inventory turnover =| COGS| | | Average inventory| | | | | =| 22126 3. 00 | 168572. 00 | | 2971. 50 | 2971. 50 | | | | =| 74. 46 times| 56. 73| TEST OF SOLVENCY| | | | | | A. Debt to total assets ratio =| total debt| | | total assets| | | | | =| 115772. 00 | 110,983. 00| | 178968. 00| 172,129. 00| | | | =| 0. 65| 0. 64| | | | B. Times interest earned =| Income before income taxes and interest expense| | | interest expense| | | | | =| 14,437. 0 | 8979. 00 | | 493. 00 | 3328. 00 | | | | =| 29. 28| 2. 70| | | | TEST OF PROFITABILITY| | | | | | A. Profit Margin =| Net income| | | Net sales| | | | | =| 10,117. 00 | 6356. 00 | | 245,461. 00| 184550. 00 | | | | =| 4%| 3%| | | | B. Asset Turnover =| Net Sales| | | Average assets| | | | | =| 245,461. 00 | | | 175,548. 50 | | | | | =| 1. 40| | | | | C. Return on assets =| Net Income| | | Average Assets| | | | | =| 10,117. 00 | | | 175,548. 50 | | | | | =| 6%| | | | | D. Return on common stockholder's equity =| Net income| | | Average common stockholder's equity| | | | =| 10,117. 00 | | | 11,273. 00 | | | | | =| 90%| | | | | E. Earnings per share =| Net Income| | | Weighted average common shares outstanding| | | | | =| 10,117. 00 | | | 1,127. 00 | | | | | =| 8. 98| | | | | F. Price-earnings ratio =| Market price per share of stock| | | earnings per share| | | | | =| 10| | | 8. 62| | | | | =| 1. 16| | | | | G. Pay-out Ratio =| Cash Dividends| | | Net income| | | | | =| 7,834. 00 | | | 10,117. 00 | | | | | =| 77. 43| | ANALYSIS HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL ANALYSIS REVENUES For the year end December 31, 2010 MERALCO procured a Php245, 461 million revenues, 33. 0% higher than previous year revenues worth Php184, 550 million. Sales from the three major operating segments increased during the year 2010 with the power distribution as the top performing operating segments. Php178,686 million sales from electricity was a 96. 82% of Php184,550 million. EXPENSES Expenses for the year 2010 amounted to Php231,024 million was increased by Php55,453 million or 31. 58% due to higher purchased power that was increased by 33. 12%. In support to this, purchased power got 86. 97% of the total Php231,024 worth of expenses. NET INCOME Php10,117 million net worth of income of 2010 was 59. 7% higher than 2009 it’s because of the higher sales of electricity for the year 2010. Eventhough the net income for the year 2010 is just a 4. 12% of the total sales the company still achieved its higher net income compare to 2009. CURRENT ASSETS As of December 31, 2010, the Company’s consolidated cash and cash equivalents amounted to Php24,370 million, Php7,302 million or 42. 78% higher compared with the balance of Php17,068 million of December 31, 2009. In addition, cash and cash equivalents achieved 13. 62% of its Php178,968 million total assets. This is due to a higher average collection period from 29 days to 24 days.Other increase in current assets may be due to higher sales for the year 2010. CURRENT LIABILITIES Current liabilities had increased by 5. 42% or Php2,282 million by the yea r ended December 31, 2010 with trade payables and accrued expenses having the highest increase worth Php2,877 million, achieving 20. 52% of its total liabilities. Decreases in the current liabilities was due to payments of some payables and some customer’s refund. NONCURRENT ASSETS Most of the noncurrent assets had decreased by the year 2010, this is due completion of major electric projects and due to consumption of fuel gas.NONCURRENT LIABILITIES A total of Php4,789 million increase in noncurrent liabilities of the company may due to issuance of long term obligations that could result in an increase in working capital. This increase was due to pre-termination of some loan deposits received from units sold on instalment contracts. EQUITY The employee shared-based payment plan had increased by 31% as of December 31, 2010. This is due to recognition of the provisions of PFRS2, â€Å"Shared-based Payments† related to Employee Stock Puchase Plan. And a decrease of 98. 5% of the share in cumulative translation adjustment of a subsidiary and an associate was resulted from the return of capital related to the Company’s investment in FPPC. RATIO ANALYSIS CURRENT RATIO A total of Php55,757 million worth of current assets definitely means a capability of the Company to pay its current liabilities worth Php44,045. This means a 1. 26 current ratio is an indicator of a slightly strong financial position. ACID-TEST RATIO A 1. 13:1 acid-test ratio of the company simply portrays that its most liquid assets can settle its current liabilities. RECEIVABLE TURNOVERThe Company can collect its receivables 6. 74 times in a year with an average of 54. 15 days or less than two months collection period. This situation is favourable to the company’s present position. INVENTORY TURNOVER As inventory is being concern, the company is efficient in managing its inventories. A 74. 46 times inventory turnover is a proof of the latter statement. It is not too high n or too low indicating a better liquidity. DEBT TO TOTAL ASSET RATIO More than half of the company’s assets are financed through the company’s debts. This is proven by a 0. 65 ratio of debt to total asset.TIMES INTEREST EARNED Since the earnings of the company, Php14,437, is higher than its total interest expense, Php493, the company has the capability to settle its debts. Getting a 30. 28 ratio means that the company is able to meet its interest obligations because its earnings is significantly greater than its annual interest obligations. PROFIT MARGIN Compare to 2009 profit margin of 3%, the company got 4% profit margin which indicates that the revenue earned, Php245, 461million by the company was effectively converted into actual profit, Php10,117 million, despite of Php231, 024 total expenses .ASSET TURNOVER The 1. 4 asset turnover ratio of 2010 is relatively higher than 2009 meaning despite of Php178,968 million total assets the company still gained a total revenu e of Php245,461 million with a total net profit of Php10,117 million meaning the company is efficiently utilizing its assets to produce a favourable profit. RETURN ON ASSETS The company has a total 6% return on assets of 2010 which is 2% higher than 4% return on assets of 2009 indicates that the company can make an intelligent choice on how to spend its money on new assets. RETURN ON COMMON STOCKHOLDER’S EQUITYA 6% increase in return on common stockholder’s equity simply indicates that the company is generating profits on its common stock investment meaning it is generating an income for the benefit of common stockholders. EARNINGS PER SHARE With an 8. 62 earnings per share which is higher than the 2009 EPS, 5. 74, the company is getting a higher earnings, meaning a strong financial position. PRICE-EARNINGS RATIO The 1. 16 price-earnings mean that investors are ready to pay 10 times earnings. The company has a chance in getting numerous investors. PAY-OUT RATIO A 77. 3 % of the total Php7834 can be paid back to shareholders. Investors will increase its confidence to the company. CONCLUSION MERALCO is the Philippines’ largest electric power distribution company, with franchise service area covering 9,337 square kilometers. It provides power to 4. 8 million customers in 31 cities and 80 municipalities, which include the whole of Metro Manila, the provinces of Rizal, Cavite and Bulacan, and parts of Pampanga, Batangas, Laguna and Quezon. Business establishments in the franchise area account for almost 46% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product or GDP.The Company registered consolidated revenues for the year ended December 31, 2010 amounted to P=245,461 million, 33% higher compared with the P=184,550 million for the same period last year. Sales from all operating segments increased during the year with the highest registered by power distribution. The increase in electricity spending is attributable to (i) increased number of customers across all customer classes, (ii) growth in various industries as restocking activities resume after the global economic crisis, (iii) unusually warmer temperature during the first half of the year and, (iv) election spendings.Sales from electricity amounted to P=239,077 million, an increase of P=60,391 million, or 34%, from P=178,686 million for the year ended December 31, 2009. Consolidated costs and expenses amounted to P=231,024 million for the year ended December 31,2010, P=55,453 million higher than the P=175,571 million last year, primarily due to higher purchased power costs, increased provision for doubtful accounts, accrual for compensation and employee benefits. The 2010 consolidated full year results reflect higher recurring net income compared with 2009 mainly as a result of increased volume of energy sold.Revenues generated from power distribution amounted to P=239,164 million for the year ended December 31, 2010, higher by 34% compared with P=178,752 million in 2009. Pass-through charges increased by P=48,442 million, or 33% to P=195,435 million compared with P=146,993 million in 2009, as a result of higher average generation charge during the year, partially offset by the decrease in the average recoverable system loss charge to P=11,567 million from P=16,108 million. Costs and expenses of the power distribution segment increased by P=55,211 million, or 32%, to P=225,905 million in 2010 compared with P=170,694 million in 2009.For the year ended December 31, 2010, purchased power costs amounted to P=200,916 million, an increase of 33% from P=150,928 million in 2009 brought about by the higher electricity consumption particularly from the industrial customers and increased in average purchased power cost per kWh. Operations and maintenance expense increased by P=2,100 million, or 15%, to P=15,711 million for the year ended December 31, 2010 compared with P=13,611 million for the year ended December 31, 2009 brought about by the increases in salar ies and wages and provision for doubtful accounts.MERALCO’s liquidity increased as the current and quick ratio rose in 2010. On the other hand, the company’s collection of receivables had dropped down from 72 days of 2009 to 54 days of 2010. This means the company is having a good turnover when it comes to it receivables. in this connection, the company achieved the 74. 46 times of inventory turnover that resulted to a higher sales. 0. 65 debt to total asset ratio and 30. 28 times interest earned proved that the company is solvent and able to meet its interest obligations.Revenue earned was effectively converted into actual profit despite of a higher total cost of expenses still the company gained a 59% increase in net income. As far as asset is concern, the company is efficiently utilizing its asset that resulted to a favourable profit. And because of the increase, we can say that the company is profitable and this could gain the trust of shareholders and may attract investors. RECOMMENDATION MERALCO’s total performance could be the basis of prospective investors to invest and it could be the reason why present stockholders will continue to do business with the company.A favourable increase in sales as well as the increase in net income may not be an indicator of a total good performance of a company. The management should still preserve its good turnover on assets and inventories to preserve its stockholders and the legacy that MERALCO had started ever since. The company should sustain its good performance since it’s the number one electricity supplier here in the Philippines. The service should be enhanced and be improved as well. Customer’s refund should be minimized as well as the receivables.The company should think of a better way of reducing refunds and receivables without sacrificing it’s service and trust of the customers. Assets should continue to increase and be utilized in the right manner. Acquiring of as sets should be done in the right time so that the company will not suffer in paying its unwanted debts. Continuous improvement and innovation when it comes to service is highly recommended for the company to hold its present position in the market. MERALCO should continue to give light and power to the entire archipelago.

Dimensional Analysis in Physics Problems

Dimensional analysis is a method of using the known units in a problem to help deduce the process of arriving at a solution. These tips will help you apply dimensional analysis to a problem. How Dimensional Analysis Can Help In science, units such as meter, second, and degree Celsius represent quantified physical properties of space, time, and/or matter. The International System of Measurement (SI) units that we use in science consist of seven base units, from which all other units are derived. This means that a good knowledge of the units youre using for a problem can help you figure out how to approach a science problem, especially early on when the equations are simple and the biggest hurdle is memorization. If you look at the units provided within the problem, you can figure out some ways that those units relate to each other and, in turn, this might give you a hint as to what you need to do to solve the problem. This process is known as dimensional analysis. A Basic Example Consider a basic problem that a student might get right after starting physics. Youre given a distance and a time and you have to find the average velocity, but youre completely blanking on the equation you need to do it. Dont panic. If you know your units, you can figure out what the problem should generally look like. Velocity is measured in SI units of m/s. This means that there is a length divided by a time. You have a length and you have a time, so youre good to go. A Not-So-Basic Example That was an incredibly simple example of a concept that students are introduced to very early in science, well before they actually begin a course in physics. Consider a bit later, however, when youve been introduced to all kinds of complex issues, such as Newtons Laws of Motion and Gravitation. Youre still relatively new to physics, and the equations are still giving you some trouble. You get a problem where you have to calculate the gravitational potential energy of an object. You can remember the equations for force, but the equation for potential energy is slipping away. You know its kind of like force, but slightly different. What are you going to do? Again, a knowledge of units can help. You remember that the equation for gravitational force on an object in Earths gravity and the following terms and units: Fg G * m * mE / r2 Fg is the force of gravity - newtons (N) or kg * m / s2G is the gravitational constant and your teacher kindly provided you with the value of G, which is measured in N * m2 / kg2m mE are mass of the object and Earth, respectively - kgr is the distance between the center of gravity of the objects - m  We want to know U, the potential energy, and we know that energy is measured in Joules (J) or newtons * meter  We also remember that the potential energy equation looks a lot like the force equation, using the same variables in a slightly different way In this case, we actually know a lot more than we need to figure it out. We want the energy, U, which is in J or N * m. The entire force equation is in units of newtons, so to get it in terms of N * m you will need to multiply the entire equation a length measurement. Well, only one length measurement is involved - r - so thats easy. And multiplying the equation by r would just negate an r from the denominator, so the formula we end up with would be: Fg G * m * mE / r We know the units we get will be in terms of N*m, or Joules. And, fortunately, we did study, so it jogs our memory and we bang ourselves on the head and say, Duh, because we should have remembered that. But we didnt. It happens. Fortunately, because we had a good grasp on the units we were able to figure out the relationship between them to get to the formula that we needed. A Tool, Not a Solution As part of your pre-test studying, you should include a bit of time to make sure youre familiar with the units relevant to the section youre working on, especially those that were introduced in that section. It is one other tool to help provide physical intuition about how the concepts youre studying are related. This added level of intuition can be helpful, but it shouldnt be a replacement for studying the rest of the material. Obviously, learning the difference between gravitational force and gravitational energy equations is far better than having to re-derive it haphazardly in the middle of a test. The gravity example was chosen because the force and potential energy equations are so closely related, but that isnt always the case and just multiplying numbers to get the right units, without understanding the underlying equations and relationships, will lead to more errors than solutions.

How to Use Sentence Connectors to Show Contrast

Once you have mastered the basics of correct usage in written English, you will want to express yourself in increasingly complex ways. One of the best ways to improve your writing style is to use sentence connectors. Sentence connectors are used to express relationships between ideas and to combine sentences. The use of these connectors will add sophistication to your writing style. After you study these constructions, take the  contrasting ideas quiz  to check your understanding. Common Connectors for Contrast Type of Connector Connector(s) Examples Coordinating conjunction but High level positions are stressful at times, but the financial rewards make these positions very desirable indeed. Subordinating conjunctions whereas, while While high level positions are stressful at times, the financial rewards make these positions very desirable indeed. Conjunctive adverbs in contrast, on the other hand High level positions are stressful at times; on the other hand, the financial rewards make these positions very desirable indeed. Prepositions unlike Unlike the undesirable stress of high level positions, the financial rewards make these positions very desirable indeed. Common Constructions for Contrast Formula Example Explanation the main statement, but contrasting statement Id really like to come to the film, but I have to study tonight. Use a comma or semicolon (;) with but. But is the most common way to show contrasting ideas. the main statement, in spite of contrasting statement OR in spite of contrasting statement, main statement They continued on their journey, in spite of the pouring rain. Use in spite of plus a noun, noun phrase or gerund the main statement, despite contrasting statement OR Despite the contrasting statement, main statement They continued on their journey, despite the pouring rain. Use despite plus a noun, noun phrase or gerund the main statement, although contrasting statement OR Although contrasting statement, main statement We wanted to buy a sports car, although we knew that fast cars can be dangerous. Use although with a subject and a verb. Learn More About Sentence Connectors Sentence Connectors: AdditionSentence Connectors: OppositionSentence Connectors: Cause / EffectSentence Connectors: Comparison

A New Song By Langston Hughes - 1497 Words

As time has passed humanity still tends to separate each other based on our racial being rather than seeing each other as one human race. Langston Hughes’s, â€Å"A New Song,† published in 1938 introduces the idea of a new vision of social relations in American society. Hughes’s original version of this poem written in 1933, does not encompass his growing anger on this subject that is dwelled upon in his published version. However, with Hughes’s powerful tone and word choice throughout his 1938 rendition, his reader is able to understand his urge to transform America into an interracial culture. (Central Idea) His poem voices the importance of transforming society into a multiethnic unity and working-class established through cultural ties between whites and blacks. (Thesis) Hughes voices this crucial need to change through his emphasis on African American’s past struggles as opposed to the new dream, his militant tone, and through expressing the ro le that the establishment of cultural ties plays in society. In the first couple of lines in Hughes’s poem he speaks upon past African American struggles and encourages them to move forward from them with the use of his refrain lines, ‘that day is past,’ and ‘bitter was the day.’ He makes various references â€Å"responding to the early days of depression, moreover†¦having a range of tone, language, and insight†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Shulman 295), to speak upon slavery and inequality. For example, he awakens the memories of slaves being lynched, whipped, andShow MoreRelatedThe Effects of Slavery Depicted in A New Song by Langston Hughes and Fences by August Wilson999 Words   |  4 Pagesbegan. A New Song by Langston Hughes and Fences by August Wilson were both based on black characters. Both the poem and the play base their theme on their inherited history and the difference with today and back then. A New Song by Langston Hughes is a poem that expressed black history. Condensed in a few stanzas, Hughes managed to capture the past, as well as the future, of the blacks. The poem’s begins with â€Å"I speak in a name of the black millions.† (365) It is obvious that Langston Hughes’ purposeRead MoreReoccurring Themes in the Work of Langston Hughes Essay1649 Words   |  7 PagesLangston Hughes is an extremely successful and well known black writer who emerged from the Harlem Renaissance (â€Å"Langston Hughes† 792). He is recognized for his poetry and like many other writers from the Harlem Renaissance, lived most of his life outside of Harlem (â€Å"Langston Hughes† 792). His personal experiences and opinions inspire his writing intricately. Unlike other writers of his time, Hughes expresses his discontent with black oppression and focuses on the hardships of his people. Hughes’Read MoreThesis: Langston Hughes and the Blues1812 Words    |  7 Pagesï » ¿Research Outline I . Introduction Thesis Langston Hughs viewed the music of the blues and poetry as kindred forces that propelled the downtrodden blacks of the 1920s and 1930s toward a better day. II. Paragraph Two develop metaphor between constancy of blues music and ocean waves in live of black people. Quote blues poems: Weary Blues, Po Boy Blues, Homesick Blues. Relationship between the listener (the poet) and the blues musician, each coming to the same place night after night Read MoreLangston Hughes The Weary Blues Analysis1256 Words   |  6 PagesOn Langston Hughes’s The Weary Blues Kevin Young, a graduate of Harvard University and one of the winners of the Guggenheim Fellowship, writes the historical perspective of Langston Hughes. He discusses the flowering of the African American literature and culture and how it is actually just the extension of the New Negro movement. From the Harlem Renaissance, Langston Hughes is able to represent â€Å"different things† for â€Å"different men.† The uprising of Hughes’s poems are the result of their hardshipsRead MoreLangston Hughes Biography1058 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"James Mercer Langston Hughes, known as Langston Hughes was born February 2, 1902 in Missouri, to Carrie Hughes and James Hughes.† Years later his parents separated. Langston’s father moved to Mexico and became very successful, as his for mother, she moved frequently to find better jobs. As a child growing up Langston spent most of his childhood living with his grandmother named Mary Langston in Lawrence, Kansas. Mary Langston was a learned women and a participant in the civil rights Movement. WhenRead MoreComparison Between Modern Day Music And Langston Hughes And Paul Laurence Dunbar1478 Words   |  6 PagesComparison of modern day music to Langston Hughes and Paul Laurence Dunbar Poetry has changed over the course of many years and numerous events in history.Music, as well, changed the sound and lyrical meanings due to many events in history. Whether music is poetry or not can be argued, but I believe music is an art represented through sound and lyrics. Music is a form of poetry with a little tune to it. Music has a message to it just as poetry would. Modern day music can reflect on many things, justRead MoreEssay on James Langston Hughes891 Words   |  4 Pages (February 1, 1902 - May 22, 1967) Born in Joplin, Missouri, James Langston Hughes was born into an abolitionist family. He was the grandson of grandson of Charles Henry Langston, the brother of John Mercer Langston, who was the the first Black American to be elected to public office in 1855. Hughes attended Central High School in Cleveland, Ohio, but began writing poetry in the eighth grade, and was selected as Class Poet. His father didnt think he would be able to make a living as at writingRead MoreEssay on Langston Hughes1393 Words   |  6 PagesLangston Hughes  Langston Hughes was one of the first black men to express the spirit of blues and jazz into words. An African American Hughes became a well known poet, novelist, journalist, and playwright. Because his father emigrated to Mexico and his mother was often away, Hughes was brought up in Lawrence, Kansas, by his grandmother Mary Langston. Her second husband (Hughess grandfather) was a fierce abolitionist. She helped Hughes to see the cause of social justice. As aRead MoreThe Harlem Renaissance : The Rebirth Of African American Arts1708 Words   |  7 PagesHarlem Renaissance The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural, social, and artistic movement that took place in Harlem, New York. This mainly took place starting from the end of the First World War until the mid-1930s. Harlem, at this time, was the center of the African-American culture, and Harlem appealed lot of black artists, writers, scholars, musicians, poets, and photographers. Lots of these artists had fled from the South because they needed to get away from their oppressive caste system so thatRead MoreMaya Angelou And Langston Hughes1193 Words   |  5 Pageslanguage†. There are so many ways love can be interpreted. The central message that the comfort humans receive, and the shyness they feel for an individual are compartments of love that may not always be touched on in poetry. Maya Angelou and Langston Hughes are both African American poets that have made tremendously positive names for themselves in the literature department. Their significant signature in the poetic community has been made by their passion and commitment to produce poetry that speaks

The plight of migrant workers Free Essays

Introduction: The wise saying goes, ‘The writer sees, what the Sun can not see.’’(Proverb) If that writer happens to be a photojournalist, his products are going to be nearer to the reality. This is the strength of the book of David Bacon. We will write a custom essay sample on The plight of migrant workers or any similar topic only for you Order Now Of the four factors of production, Land, Labor Capital and Organization, it is known that the Labor occupies the first position, because without it, the other three are rendered idle. In the context of globalization of all segments of economic and profit-generating activities, agriculture too occupies the prominent place. The labor requirement in this area is vast, and it needs to be employed at the right time, depending upon the timings of the harvesting and marketing of the crops. How do the migrant workers plough their lives, what are the problems that confront them and what is the solution? The harsh realities of migrant experience†¦ The materialistic civilization, industrial and internet revolution have made the concept of globalization a reality, without world leaders formally announcing the same. The economic compulsions are such, something tangible is happening all over the world in the industrial and agricultural sectors, without anyone making efforts for it ‘actually.’ Transnational communities are being formed in the natural course, because of the common economic and survival interests and aspirations of such labor force. This has happened all along the northern road from Guatemala, via Mexico and far into the United States. Douglas Bacon is eminently suited to do the task of writing this book, for he is thrice-blessed—being the journalist, the photographer, and a trade union leader and labor organizer.(Ahn, 2004) With the might of his pen, and the click of the flashgun of the camera, he gives the picture of the real life of the migrant labors working for plenty and prosperity of others to a great extent, and their individual prosperity to some extent. Workers move and become part of the migrant work-force, not because they want to move, but because someone somewhere is willingly and anxiously waiting for them. Undocumented immigrants far outnumber the documented immigrants. (Ahn, 2004)US border policy treats them in an unjust manner, labeling them as an aggregation of individuals. Immigration policy on such block of immigrants demands special attention and policy guidelines, to properly accept them into the mainstream of the society, because they are contributing to the welfare of that society. These great dramas of borderlands create new issues time and again.   Their combined work output is definitely contributing to the movement of giant wheels of agriculture production to fulfill the food requirements of the Nation. The labor movements are both for survival and for further improvement of working conditions to secure stable life, without uncertainties and anxieties. Agriculture: 1. The obstacles the migrant workers face, their thoughts about their homeland, and their plans for building a better life: The number of migrant workers in USA runs into millions. They are available for all types of work related to agriculture, like planting, weeding, harvesting and packing. Their contribution is basic and fundamental, but in return, they don’t get what they deserve. Their income is less than $7,500 an year. (Ahn, 2004) The working conditions are dangerous from the point of view of health, for they have to toil in the hot fields below the hotter sun, they handle  Ã‚   not too safe farm equipments, the ill effects of physical exposure to herbicides, chemical fertilizers and poisonous pesticides do serious damage to their health. â€Å"Often we went into the fields barefoot,† remembers Jorge Giron, from the Mixtec town of Santa Maria Tindu, who now lives in Fresno. His wife, Margarita, recalls that in the labor camp â€Å"the rooms were made of cardboard, and you could see other families through the holes. When you had to relieve yourself, you went in public because there were no bathrooms. You would go behind a tree or tall grass and squat. People bathed in the river and further down others would wash their clothes and drink. A lot of people came down with diarrhea and vomiting.† The strikes, they say, forced improvements. (Bacon, 2005) 2. In what way do the members of these communities face ethnic and racial discrimination? The main problem of the migrant workers is their status. Since they are illegal entrants, the worry of their clandestine stay bothers them during 24 hours in a day. Their number is more than 52% of the total workforce. (Ahn, 2004) They move like caravans, depending upon the requirements in a particular area. This affects their lifestyle adversely, because they live in temporary houses, in congested areas where sanitation facilities are too poor. Some spend their nights in their cars or dusted fields; under temporary structures.   They work even when they are sick, for the medical facilities are poor, one is afraid to ask for them for the fear of losing wages, or even the job. In case of prolonged illness, the chances of being deported are certain. Long periods of absence from homeland and the denial of the association of near and dear ones, lead to depression in many cases. Since the job is temporary and without any perquisites, they remain engulfed in a sense of insecurity. They live under compulsion, for they have to support their family members in a distant land, who are expecting their remittances month after month. Migrant workers with the family, face another problem of education of their children, as they have to constantly shift from one school to another. The children are brought up in uncertain and poor conditions and they develop a sense of inferiority complex. The racial and ethnic problems though not there legally, yet in the day to day dealings, they show their presence. â€Å"Labor organizing was part of the mix here too. In 1993 FIOB began collaboration with the United Farm Workers. â€Å"We recognized the UFW was a strong union representing agricultural workers,† Dominguez explains. â€Å"They recognized us as an organization fighting for the rights for indigenous migrants.† But it was an uneasy relationship. Mixtec activists felt that UFW members often exhibited the same discriminatory attitudes common among Mexicans back home toward indigenous people. Fighting racism in Mexico, however, had prepared them for this. According to Rivera Salgado, â€Å"the experience of racism enforces a search for cultural identity to resist [and] creates the possibility of new forms of organization and action.†(Bacon, 2005) 3. What kinds of organizations have they formed to protect themselves? Cezar Chavez founded the United Farm Workers Union and the farm workers stand up for their rights. His pressure tactics made the growers sign the contract, which protected worker’s interests. Laws are being framed one after another, but these have proved to be laws designed for exploitation. For every provision of the law for protecting the interests of the workers, the legal brains of the employers find an escape route. â€Å"Labor shortages caused by World War II resulted in the 1942 U.S./Mexico Bracero Program. Bracero contracts ranged from one to six months, and employers were required to provide food and housing, pay local wage rates, cover medical expenses, and provide transportation between Mexico and the farm. These clauses, however, were rarely enforced and growers routinely exploited Braceros by shorting the hours they worked or changing the rate of pay once the work was completed.†(Ahn, 2004) With strong protests from the labor, the Bracero Program was terminated in 1964.United Farm Workers Union of America (UDW) is credited with securing improvement in the working conditions of California farm workers and now the workers have the legal mandate of access to faucets, toilets and cold drinking water. But the Unions face a peculiar problem. They don’t get the necessary support from the workers. Less than 10 percent of all strawberry workers are unionized.(Ahn, 2004) At the National level, there are several organizations fighting for the rights of the workers. Some of them are the Coalition of Immokalee Workers in Florida, Farm Labor Organizing Committee in North Carolina etc. 4. How does their position in American society compare with the civil rights struggles of other groups we have studied? The Civil Rights Struggle is a broad struggle, having national and international repercussions. The problem of migrant worker is a â€Å"struggle within the struggle.†(Own)   Rights for the workers are the consequential action to the Civil Rights struggle. Now that the civil rights issues are settled legally, it is time that the government pays sincere attention to the plight of the migrant workers, so it does not turn out to be an issue like the issue of slavery in disguise. Conclusion: Unfortunately in USA, democracy and capitalism have joined hands to give a free reign to exploitation and the workers are at the receiving ends. What to talk about those illegal migrant workers. They are like smuggled goods liable to be confiscated by the Government at any time. Some tangible steps need to be taken to reconcile these good ideals. USA has tried combinations and permutations, by placing emphasis on one or the other ideal. The problem of migrant workers is mainly the human problem, apart from the one that of legal and economic. The concept by the workers that the Management is the sworn enemy and they must be a war with it always, is wrong. Similarly, the Management needs to have the humane approach. The thought process both the parties need to change. Then only their action process will also change. So, when the thoughts are changed, the mind is changed; when the mind is changed, the man is changed; when the man is changed, the society is changed. References Cited: Ahn, Christine, Article: Food First/Institute for Food and Development Policy | For Land †¦Workers Without Rights in American Agriculture, (2004)†¦ Bacon, David (Author), Carlos, Jr. Munoz (Foreword), Douglas Harper (Foreword) Book: Communities without Borders: Images and Voices from the World of Migration Paperback: 235 pages Publisher: ILR Press; 1 edition (October 2006) Language: English ISBN-10: 0801473071 ISBN-13: 978-0801473074 Proverb: Source anonymous Own: This symbol is my own creation. Bacon, David: Article: Communities Without Borders (David Bacon);The Nation: October 2005 issue. How to cite The plight of migrant workers, Essay examples

Comparison Of Critical Success For Historic â€Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Comparison Of Critical Success For Historic? Answer: Introduction As part of the Australian company that the project has been assigned to me, I have chosen my firm that specializes in IT. The name of the company is TechnologyOne. It is a major software and IT consulting services firm and the country in which the company wantsits business to grow is China.The main reasonforthecountry being China is that it is both, one of the biggest IT markets as well as a hub of Information Technology producing services. The commerce and trade arrangements between Australia and China are quite cordial and friendly and date back to several years. Chinas IT sector has rapidly grown since the new plans and policies were introduced by the government. Chinas IT industry has witnessed exponential growth since the past two decades and the sector is now a key contributor to the countrys overall economy.In its recent 5-year plan, China has plans to make IT as one of seven strategic industries which would assist the country in becoming a world-class, high-tech market that is innovation-oriented and away from its cheap-labor outsourcing destination image. Since the past few years, China has also made rapid developments in the IT sector, stirred by foreign investment and several indigenous private firms. Combined Internet Usage Chinas IT sector is very vast and multifaceted and covers a large array of products, firms, and departments. China is well-known to be the manufacturing hub of most of the worlds electronic goods. China has billions of Internet users on mobile and PC platforms and the number is ever increasing. China also has millions of users in social networking and smartphone devices and these are also constantly on growth (Assessment, 2013). Figure 1: IT Market growth outlook 2014 Source: (ChinaDaily, 2013) Chinas IT market is the fourth-biggest in the world in terms of spending. At the present time, it is ranked as the second biggest IT and software outsourcing destination after India. The countrys IT industry is expected to grow by 15 percent annually in the next five years. The four main areas of the IT industry in China are Telecom, Hardware, Software and IT services. The latter two sectors have considerable foreign investment involved and it is advisable for all foreign companies venturing into China to form a partnership with a local firm. China has the largest population count in the world and at an estimated, 1.3 billion people.It has a large market base. The country also has large consumer consumption rates and market research shows enormous potential for almost any category of business in China (Zeng, 2015). Growth Potential With such huge potential for growth in the IT sector and internet usage, statistics show that the number of internet users in China has grown from 600 million to 700 million in just a years time. As per the same data, the overall internet penetration in China has also increased to 48.8% as of now (Moser Yu, 2014). The differentiation of various internet users in China can be done on the basis of age, gender, educational qualifications, occupation, location, and income. The key statistics pertaining to internet usage in the country shows that most of the users are from the age group of 10-29 and that there are more male users than females. Urban regions have comparatively more internet users than rural areas and students attending higher education institutions make less demand of Internet when compared to junior or high school students. The main reason behind such data is that high school students have more spare time to browse the internet than those attending higher education or in various occupations. TechnologyOne as an Australian company dealing with IT services is looking to venture into China as a foreign investment destination would need to keep in purview the above data (Jung, 2016). Government Framework China is as per its constitution, a socialist state under the peoples democratic dictatorship. The government of China is comprised of the system of congresses and political party system that accords with its multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC). The peoples parties of congresses, the multi-party collaboration andthe regional ethnic sovereignty and self-governance at the basic level of society together constitute the central framework of Chinas political system. Chinas multi-party cooperation system and the main political system identify the status and roles of the CPC and other political parties in the routine political life of the country (MacDermott Mornah, 2016). Legal Aspects China is susceptible to political risks and there exists a strong case fora possibility of nationalization of industries. A similar type of scenario did actually occur in China in 1949. Likewise, there also exists a risk of confiscation, expropriation, contract repudiation andcurrency inconvertibility in the country. It has been witnessed in many countries of the world that currency devaluation and widespread inflation is very like to happen and could cause havoc on the sufficiency of insurance limits as just one of the several problems. In China, there exists a unique form of political risk which is the primary issue of dispute between the countrys central government and provincial governments over theapplicable law (Jung, 2016). Ethnicity and Religion The problem of allocating a decent life quality to all factions of the society in countries such as China is a major challenge. The Chinese government has also been promoting policies such one-child family since 1978 which means that married couples are urged to have only one-child. The positive side of these policies is that such couples are rewardedwith better opportunities and schemes. The Chinese people are very proud of their historical backgrounds and consider themselves as sons of Han (the dynasty that ruled in China). Although, several ethnic groups have been absorbed by the Han Chinese, still now the main rights and cultural benefits are possessed by only the majority Chinese people (Khairullah Khairullah, 2013). The Chinese government officially recognizes five religions that are Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism, and Protestantism. There are strictly followed governmental regulations on religious groups and worship in the country. Religious believers who do not comply with the state-controlled faith preachments are imposed to intimidation, harassment and even detention. The US Secretary of State even designated China in 2006, as a country of particular apprehension due to the severe violations of religious independence (Moser Yu, 2014). Family values and Hierarchical Importance The mainstay of the Chinese culture and way of life are the values and components such as family, hierarchical system in social life, self-restraint and cultivation of morality and great importance on hard work and achievement. Chinese culture and society can be described in one word ascollectivist. In China, the familyassumes much more prominence than its individual members. Chinese kids are taught about family values and respecting their elders very early in life. They are given lessons about obedience, self-restraint, and moderation for their elders and family members and must not answer back to them at any cost (Bergsager Korppoo, 2013). Power Distance Index (PDI) is a term that explains the extent to which the less potent members of institutions and organizations (the family) recognize that power is unequally distributed. It refers to that how a societys level of inequality is sanctioned by the followers just equivalent to the leaders. The concept of individualism or IDV refers to how much the individuals are includedin groups. Speaking in individualist terms the societies where individuals are expected to take care of their families are on the individualist side; whereas those on the collectivist side are people who right from their birth are integrated into strong, jointor extended family system who always protect them in exchange for their loyalty. Thus collectivism in this sense refers to the group and not the state (Zeng Go, 2013). Differences in Cultural Backgrounds of Australia and China China and Australia differ significantly with respect to their economic and political systems, social values and regulatory framework, regardless of the considerable changes that have occurred in China since the past few years. Numerous differences do actually exist between the two countries in such aspects. In Power Distanceterms, the scores of China are twice as that of Australia which indicates that China is more centralized with littlesigns of de-centralization, whereasAustralia is highly decentralized. Secondly, Australia ranks high in individualism,whereas China is ranked low in with signs of strong collectivism. Moreover, Australia has a higher ranking than China in masculinity indexthatshows that Australia is more masculine whereas China is feminine. China has ahigher rankingin uncertainty avoidance than Australia, that proves Chinese people are relatively more risk-averse than Australians.Another major point of differentiation between the two is that Australia has a short-te rm orientation whereas China has along-term orientation (Weir, 2014). Figure 2: Australian wine exports to China show strong growth Source: (Beveragedaily.com, 2016) These cultural differences do impactcertain aspects of management such as cooperative strategies, decision- making, conflict management, work group characteristics and motivation systems. Chinese managers are more likely to bend towards cooperative strategies than Australian managers who place alarger importance on contractual protections than Chinese. Moreover, whenChinese managers are faced with conflicts, they tend to use secondary forms of inspirationwhich involve the aid from a third party, whereas the Australians prefer to use more direct forms (Quer, Claver Rienda). The Chinese managers are more likely to averse risky choices than Australian managers. Another point of difference between the two is that Chinese managers give more care to building social and interpersonal contacts than Australians. As far as the motivation systems are concerned, the equity norm is usually ignored in Australian companies whereas it is considerably used in Chinese companies that can even be evidenced by the Australian preference for pay for performance versus the Chinese liking for pay equity amongst employees (Vaux, 2014). Steps forEffective Negotiations There are some necessary steps that are required to be undertaken to facilitate effective negotiations for the growth and expansion of our new IT business in China. These important tips are relevant to some of the common and prevalent practices in China. For doing business in the country, the knowledge and information about such practices are absolutely essential (Ambler, Witzel Xi, 2017). Some of these which we as a foreign IT firm venturing in China must keep into consideration are: FaceThe concept of Face is somewhat different in China. The term Face is normally referred to the communication between people in China. In typical Chinese settings, saying no directly or doing anything that undermines the status of another person is not acceptablebusiness practice. The type of constructive criticism and input addition that are laudable in Australia is considered insulting and inappropriate in China (Zhou, Zhou Liu, 2017). Non-Verbal Non-Verbal forms of communication are facial expressions, gestures, tone of voice and eye contact. Different forms of non-verbal communication convey different meanings and sometimes the same type of gestures followed in different countries have significantly different meanings. In China, the sign O.K. is not recognized by everyone and they usually do a thumbs-up to convey the same. Personal Space In China, communication via touching is generally prohibited especially with the visitors. The society in China is rather traditional and one can find the Chinese people violating each others personal space which is not that common practice in the western world (Zhou, Zhou Liu, 2017). Figure 3: Chinese and western cultural differences set in China Source: (LinkedIn, 2015) Gift Giving The Chinese are renowned for lavish gifting, but officially gifting in business scenario especially bribery is illegal in the country. In the same context, if a foreigner wants to gift a Chinese with some item, he or he must give it privately only (Boontanapibul, 2010). HRM practices in Australia and China Australia has numerous attractive features whichmake it a top-countryto do a study of HR practices, especially of the MNCs. First and foremost, the country has a long history of legal regulation of HR practices doneby a third party court of law system. Such a legal systemmakes it distinct from many other countries,especially the Anglo Saxon countries. This systemof Australiaand the proximity to Asia marks it as an important country to include in the global study of MNCs. Secondly, there are issues of public procedure around if unique institutional arrangements deter MNC HR practices or lead to innovation and diverse practices emerging in Australian based companies. Similarly, there are issues for Australian MNCs operating overseas, whether they can develop and acclimatizewith these institutional arrangements for foreign-based operations (Liang, 2015). It would also be useful to compare MNC HR practices in Australia with MNC HR practices within significantly different organized and legal situations.Thisis to be accommodated in the Australian companies and offshore based international study. Australia has an abundance of delegation of HRM practices to downline ministries and the application of strategic HRM policies is better than other OECD countries. As far as HRM delegation is concerned, there are limited features in which central HRunit applies plans which are primarily workplace and senior executive mattersrelated (Qin Zhang, 2015). In China, there is more emphasis on management of benefits and preservation of relationships with government agencies that result in comparatively less apprehension for the recruitment and selection methods. Furthermore,in China human resource managersare more trained to choose a candidate based on the prestige of the academic institution attended than on the relevant skills a candidate possesses. The even more essential elements of the Chinese culture like the degree of association with a specific institution is also an important consideration on staffing and selection(Cheema, 2012). Challenges Facing TechnologyOne in China Firstly, for doing business effectively in China, it is important to know the companies that ourlikely partners deal with, toremain aware of the creditworthiness of suppliers and clients. The court system in China is fickle and conventionshere arent asstrictly followed as in Australia. Thusit is essential to have knowledge about partners in China especially about those we are dealing with.Doing business effectively in China requiresdiligenceandis a vital step for any company entering into anassociation with a Chinese firm(Bari Ali). Second, accounting standards have different implications in China, which imply that inspectingorganizationsinvolve much time and perseverance. Some of the Chinese companies like to pay their bills thatimplies that Firm-A pays Firm-B with debt collected from Firm-Cusing aconcept called as triangular debt. Reckoning overhead expenses for firms in China is tough because sometimes companieskeep retired individuals as theirstaff (Chang et. al, 2017). Third, Chinese companies also sometimes face issuespertaining to land ownership. Themain issue in this contextis hard to assess because theoretically, the government has official custody of almost everything. The Chinese foreign accounting system is especially difficult to navigate for visiting firms doing business in the country (Chang et. al, 2017). Recommendations China is a wide sized market to gain an effective economic growth. It can be seen under the current situation that China will be a better partner in terms of gaining effective growth. There are differences in between the political and legal system. Growth can only be attained if the challenges are met efficiently. The availability of expert technicians and relatively low-cost of manufacturing and labor will help in introducing a significant IT investment destination. It os further suggested that there can be an effective growth in the market helping in systematic growth. The difference in the culture and traditions can be met by developing a bridge and by exploring the investing opportunities in China. The most convenient way to overcome the issue is through meeting public procedure around if unique institutional arrangements deter MNC HR practices or lead to innovation and diverse practices. Similarly, there are issues for Australian MNCs operating overseas, whether they can build u p and acclimatize with these institutional arrangements for foreign-based operations. It is possible to gain competent market by hiring a local HR manager to meet the requisite results. In order to gaain competitive advantage it is possible to manage the advantage in the market. Conclusion China is a huge market permeated with speedy industrial growth and economicdevelopment. It is the worlds third-biggest trading country after the United States and Germany. In my opinion, China will remain to be a key business ally of Australia. The challenge is that business houses and organizations of Australia docomprehend the variations in the political,economic, and cultural scenario of the country which can be difficult to accomplish and canhamper business growth (Mitra Zaman, 2015). China, as most of us know is an IT hub of the world and most electronic products no matter where they are sold, are manufactured here. The availability of expert technicians and relatively low-cost of manufacturing and labor make it a most sought-after IT investment destination. The legal and commercial aspects of the two countries Australia and China are relatively similar, and although there are slight differences in culture and traditions, they can always be adjusted to and it would still be worth investing in this country of enormous potential (Zeng, 2015). 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