Financial Accounting Science of Classifying

Question: Discuss about the Financial Accounting for Science of Classifying. Answer: Introduction: The accountancy is considered as science of classifying, recording and summarizing of data so that the relationship between the money, transaction and event is appropriately represented (Mdudde.net 2016). This will enable the user to calculate the financial results at the end of the accounting period. The accountancy is a process that helps the user in obtaining financial information relating to income and expenses, possible losses, actual losses, capital employed, liabilities etc (Arxiv.org 2016). The primary objective of accounting is to maintain records, provide timely information to management for decision-making, providing information to the external users so that it can aid them in making decision (Womlib.ru 2016). Accounting deals with the financial information so the accounting practice is based on reasoning. Therefore, accounting theories are established to explain with logic the reasoning behind a particular practice (Kabir 2016). Accounting theory is a scientific way of explaining and solving the real world accounting problems. Accounting theory can be defined as the broad principles that helps in evaluation of the accounting practices and provides the way forward for developing the new standard (newagepublishers.com 2016). The accounting theory helps the accounting professional and users understand reason behind various accounting practices. The learning of this theories helps the professional to perform their work in a more skillful and flawless way (Assignmenthelpsite.com 2016). In recent times, the accounting has become very complex therefore accounting theories will help the professionals to solve the real world problems. It can be said that accounting theories helps to understand the accounting process in a more professional way (Ventureline.com 2016). The accountants are guided by the accounting theories to represent the financial data in a professional way (Scribd 2016). The accounting theories have been developed using three common approach this are descriptive approach, usefulness approach and welfare approach. The decision usefulness approach is further classified into normative and empirical (Quora.com 2016). The accounting theories that are developed using descriptive approach relate to conduct of the accountants. The decision usefulness approach helped in developing two main theories normative theories and empirical theories (Swinburne.edu.au 2016). The important accounting theories that have been developed are proprietary theory, Entity theory, fund theory, residual equity theory and enterprise theory (Programsandcourses.anu.edu.au 2016). In this essay there are three accounting theories that are evaluated this are entity theory, fund theory and residual equity theory. It is important that before the accounting theories are discussed the assumptions based on which the accounting theories operates are discussed earlier. There are four assumption based on which the accounting theories operates they are entity assumptions, going concern assumptions, periodicity assumptions and assumption of monetary units. In developing accounting theories it is assumed that the business is a separate entity. That means the activity of the business is separate from owners of the business. The accounting theories developed are based on this assumption of separateness. The second assumption for accounting theories is going concern. It is assumed that the business will continue for infinite period of rimes so the accounting theories developed are based on these assumptions. However if the business is performing poorly then this assumption can be revised so that the financial statement prepared gives true reflection of financial statement. The monetary unit assumptions re quire that all the financial transactions reflected in accounts should be based on some monetary value. The last assumption of periodicity states that the business activity should be broken into different periods so that they can be measures. This assumptions forms the basis of developing accounting theories. The three accounting theories are discussed and evaluated below. The entity theory states that the business is a separate entity distinct from the owners or shareholders. It can be said that not the proprietor but the business unit is the centre of financial and accounting interest (Martin 2016). This theory states that the business is liable to both the owners and the creditors. The accounting equation stated in the theory is that asset is equal to liability (Investopedia 2016). This equation can also be put in a different way that is asset is equal to liability and equity of shareholders. The assets provided in the equation are the rights that are accruing to the entity and equity and liabilities are the source of those assets (Classificationofaccountingtheory06.wordpress.com 2016). The creditors and shareholders both have rights over the assets though they have different approach towards liquidation, risk, control and income. The income earned by a business is the property of the business unless it is distributed as dividends (Newagepublishers. com 2016). It is the responsibility of the business unit to fulfill the claims of the shareholders and creditors. The entity theory therefore has become more income centered so it is said to have become income statement oriented (Noble et al. 2016). The entity is accountable to the equity holders and it is accomplished by measuring the performance related to operation and other financial information. The income represents increase in equity after the demands of creditors are fulfilled (Classification of accounting theory 2016). In the similar way, the profits that are not distributed are the property of the business and it increases equity by increasing the reserves (Mdudde.net 2016). The strict compliance to entity theory requires that income tax and interest on debt be considered as distribution of profit and not as an expenses. In the corporate form of business enterprise, the entity theory is mostly applicable (Arxiv.org 2016). The corporate business considers business separate and distinct from the owners. The entity theory has greatly influenced various accounting techniques and its effect can be seen in various terminologies used in the accounting practice (Womlib.ru 2016). The entity theory favors that that last in first out (LIFO) method of valuation of inventories rather than the First in first out method (FIFO) (Kabir 2016). It is because according to this theory adoption of LIFO over FIFO helps in determining income appropriately. As the adoption of FIFO method helps in better valuation of inventories in the balance sheet so it can be considered as a better technique for determining the value of inventory under proprietary method (newagepublishers.com 2016). The common definition of revenue is that it is the product of enterprise. This definition of revenue is in accordance with the entity theory concept (Ventureline.com 2016). The expenses is commonly defined as services and goods that are consumed in obtaining the revenue. This definition is also obtained through the application of entity theory (Quora.com 2016). In preparing the consolidated balance sheet, the minority interest is recognized in addition to equity holders (Swinburne.edu.au 2016). This treatment of minority interest is in accordance with the entity theory. The entity theory puts emphasis on determining the income that is allocated to shareholders whereas proprietary theory evaluates the valuation of assets (Programsandcourses.anu.edu.au 2016). The fund theory puts emphasis not on the entity but group of assets and related obligations (Martin 2016). It also emphasis on the restrictions that are imposed on the use of assets called fund (Investopedia 2016). The fund theory takes the business unit as economic resources and the obligations and in addition to this related obligations and restriction is put in the use of this resources (Newagepublishers.com 2016). The accounting equation of fund theory is an asset is equal to restriction of assets. The accounting unit is stated in terms of assets and the use in which the assets are used (Zaharah 2016). The legal obligations and economic restrictions on the use of assets are represented as liability. The fund theory is centered towards assets and it focuses on administration and appropriate use of assets (Mdudde.net 2016). The primary objective of financial reporting is not the balance sheet or the financial statement but the statement showing the source and use of fund is the mos t important (Arxiv.org 2016). In this statement, operation of the fund is measured in relation to disposition and sources of funds. The nonprofit organization and government primarily uses the fund theory (Womlib.ru 2016). The public institutions have several operations therefore, it uses several funds for conducting its operation (Kabir 2016). In order to compare financial statement information the use and application of fund is very useful. The concept that is between the proprietary theory and entity theory is residual equity theory (newagepublishers.com 2016). The equation in this theory is that specific equities are deducted from assets and it comes to residual equity (Ventureline.com 2016). The equities of preferred shareholders and the claim of creditors are known as specific equity (Quora.com 2016). In case of large losses and bankruptcy proceeding the common shareholders may disappear so the preferred shareholders and bondholders will become the residual equity holders (Swinburne.edu.au 2016). The main objective of residual equity approach is to provide better information to the shareholders so that they can make better investment decision (Martin 2016). If it is assumed that, the company is a going concern and will continue for infinite period then in such case the current value of equity shares is dependent on the expected divided to be received in future (Investopedia 2016). The expected future dividend is dep endent on total receipt. From the receipt specific contractual obligations, payment made to equity holders and requirements of reinvestment is deducted (Newagepublishers.com 2016). In investment value, the trends can be measured by noticing the trend of residual equity measure based on current values. The statement of income and the statement of retained earring are required to mention the income that is available to residual equity holders after adjustments of all prior claims (Noble et al. 2016). This claim includes dividend paid to preference shareholders. In balance sheet, the equity shares should be separately represented from the preference shares (Classification of accounting theory 2016). The statement of fund should represented funds available to the business for making payment for common dividend and other purposes (Zaharah 2016). There are certain significant difference between residual equity theory and proprietary theory. In residual equity approach, the preference shar e capital is not included in the shareholders fund. In this methods the dividend that are payable to preference share holders are deducted before the dividend per share of equity shareholders are calculated. It should be remembered that both this theories are based on the same assumption that the economy in which the entity operates is free and both are concerned about the treatment of their assets and liability. In this section of the research paper, the usefulness of accounting theory is critically evaluated (Mdudde.net 2016). The accounting theory provides the foundation for practice and it can be said that theories are developed so that a proper meaning is given to the practice (Arxiv.org 2016). The accounting theories helps in narrowing the problem area range by identifying the facts of the studies. It is helpful in selecting the aspects of the phenomenon (Womlib.ru 2016). The accounting theory also provides a conceptual framework for studying the accounting problems. This provides a standard by which the accounting practice can be evaluated (Kabir 2016). The knowledge that is already available about the subject is organized in a body of knowledge known as accounting theory. The accounting theories are mainly the summaries of the current accounting policies (newagepublishers.com 2016). The accounting theory helps in attaining uniformity in practice. The goal of the accounting theory is t o provide uniformity in practice (Ventureline.com 2016). The generally accepted accounting principles are the current accounting theories that are used for practice. The aim of uniformity is to increase credibility about the information provided by the accounting system (Scribd 2016). The accounting theories have an advantage of predictive ability (Quora.com 2016). The future facts can be predicted by theoretical generalization (Swinburne.edu.au 2016). It is because of this predictive ability of the accounting theory it has given rise to various empirical research that can be used for decision making (Classification of accounting theory 2016). The accounting theories are helpful in development of new practice. The accountancy operates in a dynamic environment therefore with the change in social environment therefore there is a need for replacing the existing practice (newagepublishers.com 2016). The above discussions have shown that accounting theories is a complicated process. The theories of accounting are held together by conceptual framework for accounting. The accounting theories fit the conceptual framework and it helps to determine the financial principle and rules. It can be said that accounting theory is a definitive accounting principle. These accounting theories are framed after analyzing the practices of accounting. It can be said from above discussion that the accounting theories are based on logic and reasoning therefore, it can be considered as scientific. The accounting theories cannot help in understanding the financial position of the business or the profit and loss account during the particular period. It can also be said that an accounting theory cannot be considered as means of conveying information to the external users. The accounting theories act as a guide so that complicated problems arising from in day to day operation of the business can be solved . Reference Mdudde.net, 2016. [online] Available at:https://www.mdudde.net/books/Mcom/Mcom-f/Accounting%20Theory-final.pdf[Accessed 12 Dec. 2016]. Arxiv.org, 2016. [online] Available at:https://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1411/1411.4633.pdf[Accessed 12 Dec. 2016]. Womlib.ru, 2016. [online] Available at:https://womlib.ru/book/Accounting_Theory_And_Conceptual_Frameworks.pdf[Accessed 12 Dec. 2016]. Kabir, M., 2016.Normative Accounting Theories. newagepublishers.com, 2016. [online] Available at:https://www.newagepublishers.com/samplechapter/001009.pdf[Accessed 12 Dec. 2016]. Assignmenthelpsite.com, 2016. [online] Available at:https://www.assignmenthelpsite.com/upload/2014/11/Accounting-Theories.pdf[Accessed 12 Dec. 2016]. Ventureline.com., 2016.ACCOUNTING THEORY DEFINITION. [online] Available at:https://www.ventureline.com/accounting-glossary/A/accounting-theory-definition/[Accessed 12 Dec. 2016]. Scribd., 2016.Accounting theories and practices. [online] Available at:https://www.scribd.com/doc/19010247/Accounting-theories-and-practices[Accessed 12 Dec. 2016]. Quora.com., 2016.What are the theories of accounting? - Quora. [online] Available at:https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-theories-of-accounting[Accessed 12 Dec. 2016]. Swinburne.edu.au., 2016.Financial Accounting Theory | Units of study | Swinburne University of Technology | Melbourne, Australia. [online] Available at:https://www.swinburne.edu.au/study/courses/units/Financial-Accounting-Theory-ACC80005/international[Accessed 12 Dec. 2016]. Programsandcourses.anu.edu.au.,2016.Accounting Theory - ANU. [online] Available at:https://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/course/BUSN3001[Accessed 12 Dec. 2016]. Martin, J., 2016.Accounting Theories of Organizations. [online] Maaw.info. Available at:https://maaw.info/ArticleSummaries/ArtSumCovaleskiAiken86.htm[Accessed 12 Dec. 2016]. Investopedia., 2016.Accounting Theory. [online] Available at:https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/accounting-theory.asp[Accessed 12 Dec. 2016]. Classificationofaccountingtheory06.wordpress.com.,2016.Classification Of Accounting Theory | quotManaging Dyadic Interactions In Organizationa. [online] Available at:https://classificationofaccountingtheory06.wordpress.com/tag/classification-of-accounting-theory/[Accessed 12 Dec. 2016]. Newagepublishers.com, 2016. [online] Available at:https://www.newagepublishers.com/samplechapter/001343.pdf[Accessed 12 Dec. 2016]. Noble, A., Noble, A. and profile, V., 2016.Classification Methods in Accounting. [online] Blog.accweb.com.au. Available at:https://blog.accweb.com.au/2015/03/classification-methods-in-accounting.html[Accessed 12 Dec. 2016]. Classification of accounting theory, 2016. [online] Available at:https://classificationof accounting theory [Accessed 12 Dec. 2016]. Zaharah, S., 2016.Accounting Theory Approach. [online] Academia.edu. Available at:https://www.academia.edu/6256679/Accounting_Theory_Approach[Accessed 12 Dec. 2016].

Life In The (Jewish) Ghetto Essays - The Holocaust,

Life In The (Jewish) Ghetto Life in the Ghetto It is widely known what went on between the Jews and the Germans during World War II. Millions upon millions of Jews were killed because of Hitler's hatred, Hitler's tyranny, and Hitler's fury. While many people today still cringe at the thought of life in concentration camps, many are not aware of the harsh reality that existed in the Jewish ghettos. The word ghetto is not only the scariest place in America but also a word used to refer to a Jewish community. These ghettos or communities were the holding areas of many, many Jews who were forced to perform slave labor for the Germans during the war instead of going to concentration camps. In Germany, during the early stages of the war, more and more occupations were closed to Jews, and the free professions were totally banned to them. However, during the drafting of a general law designed to totally displace the Jews from their positions in the economy, it became evident to the Germans that the problem could not be solved without simultaneously clearing the way for increased emigration. If the Germans dispossessed them, they would no longer be a burden on the German economy. In June of 1938, a man named Martin Bormann, acting on behalf of the fuhrer's deputy, Rudolf Hess, sent German party activists a secret directive about the removal of Jews from the economy. In a Nazi meeting h eld on October 14, 1938, a man named Herman Goring, who was second in power only to Chancellor Adolf Hitler, declared that Aryanization (making the world one Aryan race) was the state's, and only the state's concern, adding that he was not prepared to allocate foreign currency to dispose of the Jews. He also added the remark that if the need arises we will have to establish ghettos in the big cities, and so it seems the stage was set as this was the first time mention was made of the plan to set up Jewish work brigades. Originally, the ghettos were not supposed to be permanent institutions, but used as temporary concentration camps until it was possible to find the ultimate solution to the problem of disposing of al the Jews. The first known instance of establishment of a ghetto was in December of 1939 in a town called Leczyca in Poland when the Germans attempted to segregate the Jewish population from the Poles. A prominent example of the way in which large communities were depopulated was the fate of Kalisz, one of the oldest Jewish communities in Poland with a population of twenty thousand at the outbreak of the war. Both Germans and Poles joined in the brutal attacks against the Jews. The Jews had no chance. Many Jews fled, some seven thousand reaching Warsaw. The healthy men remaining in Kalisz were sent to work in the camp, while the ailing were slaughtered in a nearby forest. By October of 1940, only a few hundred Jews were left in the city. The first ghetto to be established in a systematic fashion was the Lodz ghetto. Governor of the Kalisz-Lodz District, Friedrich Ubelhor, had planned the idea for a ghetto in Lodz since December 10, 1939. Ubelhor proposed two things. The first was to close off most of the Jewish population in the northern part of the city, where most of the Jews lived, and to transfer the Jews from other parts of the Lodz area to this area. The second was to select those fit to labor and concentrate them in another ghetto, actually a labor camp, where they would be organized into labor battalions. The first step in setting up Ubelhor's labor camp was to first fix the borders of the ghetto and work out the problems of transport through the streets .The Germans and Poles also had to find new homes to be resettled in. Other factors that played a part were sealing and guarding the ghetto, provisions for medical care, sewage, refuse removal, burials, and fuel necessary for heating. The basis for establishi ng the ghetto in Lodz focused primarily on three spheres: (1) the deportation of as many Jews as possible, with preference given to the

The eNotes Blog Happy Bloomsday! How Will YouCelebrate

Happy Bloomsday! How Will YouCelebrate Love it or hate it, Bloomsday is the annual day of celebration for James Joyces polarizing novel  Ulysses. It takes place on June 16th each year, to mark the first day of the protagonist Leopold Blooms journey across Dublin. To mark the occasion some Joyce fans follow the tradition of reading the novel in Edwardian garb- though Marilyn Monroe did it back in 1955 in decidedly modern attire her bathing suit. image via Open Culture Nowadays, though, celebrations can consist of two weeks of lectures, film screenings and readings surrounding the novel that the majority of  people (at least all the sane ones) find impossible to read. And while to these readers, including  yours truly, suffering through lectures on Ulysses is a punishment  only slightly worse than actually reading a chapter of  Ulysses (and very marginally better  than  suffering the fate of  Prince Oberyn vs The Mountain), in Vanity Fairs opinion, Bloomsday has become a travesty for another reason: The celebration that came closest to the spirit of the novel might have been the very first one, in Dublin in 1954, when four of the city’s literary notables attempted to trace the novel’s steps around the city, only to crap out halfway through, too drunk to go on Nowadays it would be nice to think that swelling readership of  Ulysses  drives the Bloomsday boom, but it’s more likely that Bloomsday provides an opportunity for cultural validation that’s about as substantial as sharing an author quote on Instagram. Reading  Ulysses  is a slow, immersive, and ultimately private experience; Bloomsday is a social-media-ready event, where like-minded people convene to celebrate their own taste. Which reminds me which Instagram filter should I use for my Ulysses selfie? Just kidding. Like Id own that thing. Check out #bloomsday on the Twitterverse  here  for lots of cool news about the impact  Ulysses has had around the world, including how one Iraqi poet translated the 1922 text into Arabic (you can watch that video here). Want to know what the fuss is all about? Check out study guide, Homework Help, quizzes and trivia for  Ulysses here. How will you celebrate Bloomsday? Share it with us @ on Twitter and @com on Instagram. (Feature Image via Yeats 2015)

Hunting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hunting - Essay Example Nature lovers and wild life activists continuously try to spread awareness that hunting an animal is not only unethical but may also interfere with the food chain. When the existence of a particular species is threatened the world faces a misbalance too. Though laws in all most all countries exist, which forbids killing of endangered species, yet a group of people ignore the severity of the problem and continue hunting. In Nagaland, a tribal place in India, villagers hunt the Great Hornbill just to pluck their feathers to make dresses or headgears. The hunting has become so severe that only a few hundred Great Hornbills exist today. Some people illegally hunt endangered species like one-horned rhinoceros or African elephants to use their horns and teeth for trade purposes. It is evident that not everyone is aware of the fact that animals have precious lives too and need to be protected. We cannot eliminate an entire species for our own selfish purposes. More National parks and Reserv es should be set up to protect wildlife and animals from external threat and forest officers should be employed to look after the animals in these areas and protect them from poachers. Laws covering animal protection must include severe punishments for the law-breakers and such people should not be pardoned at all. Since it is us who have destroyed the natural habitats of most wildlife animals, we should be responsible for their rehabilitation and protection. The national parks and bioreserves should also employ veterinarians to ensure immediate medical attention for animals in times of need. But, more importantly mass education should be conducted in every country to educate the people about the need of animal protection and unethical hunting. In some countries killing certain animals for sport is supported and there are seasons called hunting seasons which allows hunters to hunt animals like antlered bucks, antlerless bucks, minks, foxes, turkeys and small game animals like rabbit s, raccoons or squirrels. In fact, sometimes hunting is termed as â€Å"ethical hunting† which is a mockery of the word â€Å"ethics† itself; because I do not think anyone with the right ethics would ever indulge in hunting. Wildlife biologists agree that overpopulation of deer poses a problem, but they reject the idea that foxes, turkey and game animals must be included in the hunting list too. Hunting parks issue licenses and allow one license holder only a certain number of kills per year. Parks do their own duty by printing manuals that train hunters in recognizing animals and issue rules about using hunting weapons. However, even after such precautions some hunters fail to recognize animals from a distance and may kill a species that should not hunted. In other cases, hunters do not kill their game entirely and leave it badly injured or crippled. In such cases the injured animals suffers a long and utterly painful death. According to a PETA report â€Å"A member of the Maine Bow Hunters Alliance estimates that fifty percent of animals who are shot with crossbows are wounded but not killed. A study of 80- radio collared white-tailed deer, found that, out of 22 deer that had been shot with traditional archery equipment, 11 were wounded but not recovered.† Thus, a high percentage of animals are only wounded. â€Å"

Skills Evaluation (Personal and Professional Development for Business) Essay

Skills Evaluation (Personal and Professional Development for Business) - Essay Example This means the company should identify, select, and develop the right product to satisfy customer needs. With the help of marketers, a company should set the right product to make sure that it does not exploit customers and earn its profits. It is the work of marketers to give advice on distribution channels to suite the customers. Marketers are of great importance when it comes to promotional strategies as they advise on the best promotional media to communicate with customers and prospect new ones. When one is marketing a service, the delivery process to meet customer satisfaction matters since it should be the shortest and most efficient one (Bennett, 2011: 8-27). The people skills on offering the service are of high importance because the marketer ought to be professional and effective. The physical ambiance of the premise or environment is critical, since customers will evaluate the product based on the physical appearance of the environment; for example, a hotel needs to have a very clean and neat environment, as customers will associate it with healthy eating. Because of good environment, customers tend to be repetitive and bring more business. If the environment is unpleasant, customers may never come back, and worst of all, may spread bad reputation to other customers. My passion and ambitions for marketing are driving me to the desire of becoming a competitive marketing manager. My academic studies are continuously improving and equipping me with the necessary skills and techniques required for a successful marketer. I have a wide network of professional marketers who continuously applause marketing exercises. This is a source of motivation. A marketer needs several marketing skills for success. These skills help a marketer go along with people well, execute tasks with ease, and operate within strict deadlines. Employers expect from marketers, just like any

CSR and Corporate Identity

CSR and Corporate Identity Assignment Question : Outline a research question that can be investigated using qualitative methods. Describe a plan for how you will research that question. Your plan should include strategies for both data collection and data analysis. The rationale for the adoption of a particular form of data collection and analysis must be presented. 1. Introduction The purpose of this research is to investigate the gap between ideals and practices on corporate identity through corporate social responsibility (CSR) and build up practical findings to help corporations narrow the gap thus enabling them to enhance their CSR identity for both companies and employees. This study will focus on the case of large Korean corporations the so called ‘chaebol corporations (henceforth, chaebols). Chaebols are interesting cases to conduct CSR related research because chaebols use CSR for substituting their distorted corporate image and identity as ‘unethical, coming from illegal acts and unsound governance structure. In this sense, chaebols can be considered appropriate cases are currently grappling with a big gap between ideals and practices as the same pertain to their CSR identity. Exploring CSR identity and its effects on practice in chaebols will provide practical indications about the relationship between corporate identity strategy and its employees implementation and theoretical implications on chaebol related research. With multiple-case study strategy, this study will start by looking at corporate CSR identity on the organisational perspectives in case companies. Following this, the study will explore employees perception on corporate identity and CSR activities to identify and examine the factors that influence employee corporate identity and encourage employee participation in CSR activities. This is achieved using a triangulation method. This includes semi-structured interviews, focus group interviews and documentary analysis. In this paper, I will design the research plan with methodological strategy, data collection strategy and data analysis strategy including rationales respectively. 2. Research Questions Assumptions Research Questions The research questions will focus on exploring how CSR identity is conceptualised by companies and employees and how that resulting identity influences CSR practices in reality. Thus, the primary research questions are as follows: Q1. How do corporations conceptualise their CSR identity ? Q2. How does corporate identity formed at the organisational level influence the ethical identity of employees? Q3. What are the connections between the organisational level identity of CSR and employees participation in CSR activities? Assumptions Assumptions grounded in the logic of multi-faceted model of corporate identity (Soenen and Moingeon 2002) and employee performances are as bellow. This multi-faceted model of identity is not a measurement and it provides 5 categories of identity. A1. Corporate identity of CSR will affect employees participation for social activities. A2. Employees participation in CSR activities will increase when corporate identity and their strategies are aligned. A3. Professed identity will not affect employees participation in CSR activities. A4. Employees participation in CSR activities will be influenced by four types of identities when they are matched with each other. 3. Research Design (1) Research Method and Justifications This research will be conducted with a qualitative method. According to Creswell (2003), the main reason of using the qualitative method for research is because of exploratory character of study. As this study focuses on the perspectives of both the corporation itself and that of employees about CSR identity and CSR activities, qualitative methods of research and analysis are adopted. A qualitative method enables in-depth exploration of the CSR identity and, simultaneously, aid in understanding the conceptual relationships between ideals and practice about CSR identity and CSR activities. Moreover, as corporate identity which is formed by socially agreed concepts, and CSR, which has discursively constructed concepts, are both rather subjective, and changeable depending on the particular organisation, qualitative approach is more appropriate to understand how these identities can be conceptualised and formed in an organisational context. Comparing to qualitative methods, a quantitative approach rather focuses consideration on measurements and quantities of the traits established by the people or events of studies (Murray 2003). (2) Epistemological Approach While much research used quantitative method mainly takes a position of a functionalist or positivist stance, qualitative research can take almost all possible epistemological positions (Gephart 1999 ; Symon and Cassell 2004). This research overall takes an interpretive epistemological view with technically along with realistic point of view. While this research focuses on the specific cases of chaebols, the aim is not a generalization of findings. Instead, the findings might represent chaebol related issues. Taking an interpretivist view, sampling of target cases will be purposeful (Daymon and Holloway 2002) rather than being statistically and randomly representative sample. (3) Methodological Strategy and Technical Epistemological Justification Case Study Strategy Justifications This research will take the multiple-case study strategy as its methodological research strategy. There are two reasons for choosing a case study. First, as mentioned above, CSR itself is a very arguable concepts and the impact of CSR can vary depending on corporations conditions (Cho and Hong 2009) and corporate identity matters as well. As case study methodology draws insight from data gathered in research ( Stern 1998; Borgerson, Schroeder et al. 2009), to explore CSR and identity on both organisational and employees perspectives, it is a useful method to understand matters within the organisation context and obtain in-depth and empirical knowledge on them. Secondly, the case study approach is for this research as it enables the use of interview methods and company documents to collect data (Yin 2003) and also, verify the validity of the collected data. As for more replicable evidence, this research is based on multiple-case study of chaebol corporations. Ten cases are sufficient replications to obtain external validity. Compared to single-case designs, the evidence which is derived from multiple-case studies tends to be more compelling and being more powerful (Hersen and Barlow 1976 ; Yin 2003). The case sampling strategy will be explained in the data collection section. Even though the level of analysis is organisational, the unit of analysis is individual for example, managers and non-managerial employees who are directly and indirectly related to CSR identity and CSR activities in their organisations. (4) Data Collection Strategy and Technical Epistemological Justification 1) Triangulation Method The methods to gather the data will be triangulation methods: semi-structured in-depth interviews, focus group interviews and documentary analyses. The triangulation method is helpful to get an external validity in this research. Data sets obtained from each of 10 multiple-cases will be triangulated as figure 1. Semi-structured in-depth interviews A semi-structured interview will be conducted with managers and employees in the CSR department and strategy department. These informants can provide more specific and in-depth knowledge about their own experiences in face-to-face interviews. Even though other methods such as telephone or internet interviews, can also be carried out under the qualitative interview paradigm (King 2004), this research which deals with Korean managers and workers requires face-to-face interviews due to the greater importance of Korean culture in which direct contact can aid in obtaining greater details of the thoughts and experiences of interviewees. Focus Group interviews A focus group interview will be held with managers in other strategy related departments and with employees who have experience in CSR activities. The motivation for adopting this approach is that it allows participants to discuss their thinking and ideas about the CSR strategy and CSR identity with their colleagues at which point the similarities and differences on the perceptions of the participants about CSR can be investigated with greater ease. The advantage of using the focus group interview method at this stage is that it enables participants to get an idea from their colleagues so that they can reflect back on their thinking and their own experiences (King 2004). The questions which will be asked in the interviews will vary depending on the targets. In managerial level interviews, interviewees will be asked about how they conceptualise and identify CSR in terms of the 4 categories of responsibilities as classified by Carroll (Carroll 1999). In the non-managerial level interviews, interviewees will be asked about how they define their corporate identity in terms of CSR and how these identities affect their CSR participation. All of the interviews will be tape-recorded with the interviewees permission for later transcription. Documentary Analysis With regards to the validity of data collection, I will use the triangulation method with documentary analysis in addition to the focus group interview and the semi-structured interview. With respect to the documentary analysis, I will use CSR annual reports which are organised according to reporting guidelines (e.g. GRI Guideline). These reports will be accessed via companies webpage. 2) Sampling Strategy The case companies will be selected according to the ‘Most admirable companies in Korea 2009 ranking complied by the Korea Management Association (KMA). This index ranks companies, according to a consumer survey and employee survey, in terms of the companies ethical image and identity. If ranked in the top level, the company is considered to be, to some extent, ethical and philanthropic and is considered to have CSR strategies and programmes that are more systematically designed than those of other companies. After selecting the 10 top ranked companies as sample cases, interview targets will be selected by a purposive sampling strategy. This is because CSR requires professional knowledge through strategy planning and implementation at the organisational level. In this sense, managerial levels and non-managerial levels in CSR related departments will be considered the target samples for semi-structured in-depth interviews. Those located in other departments will be the target sa mple on focus group interviews. I will contact these targets by email and telephone and in some of the aforementioned cases, have already established initial connections. 3) Epistemological justifications In terms of epistemological position, this research will have realist assumptions interviewees accounts are assumed to indicate awareness about their actual experiences of CSR involvement. This realist approach will make it possible to gather more accurate accounts by comparing the findings from the interview with the documentary analysis. In qualitative research, interview methods aim â€Å"to see the research topic from the perspectives of the interviewee and understanding how and why they come to have this particular perspective† (King 2004). As this research takes the realist approach, the interview will be more structured and systematically prepared compared to, for example, interviews conducted by constructivists or phenomenologists (Pawson and Tilley 1997). 5) Data Analysis Strategy 1) Template Analysis Epistemological Justification Analysis of this research will be conducted via the templates technique. According to King (2004), template analysis as a set of techniques that can be used in realist work. It admits a positivistic position and is particularly useful for research that aims to compare different or similar perspectives of target groups within an organisational context (King 2004). In this sense, this research which relies on realistic epistemological viewpoints and is aims to examine CSR concepts and identity strategy as perceived by corporations and employees, templates analysis provides the most suitable way to produce a list of theme codes which, in turn, derive the concepts and definitions of CSR identity from the informants own words within a theoretical framework thus enabling the analysis to develop new theoretical and empirical implications. As mentioned previously, this research will focus on how corporations and employees perceive CSR concepts and identity from their experience on corporations CSR strategy and implementation, which means the words and expressions coming from their own perceptions, can be extremely varied. Therefore, creating the initial template with a few defined codes (King 2004) and starting with this initial template will be a very helpful to guide analysis as well as to collect data. Compared to other techniques such as grounded theory and repertory grids, this research starts with a theoretical framework and needs organisational level analysis. Using the template analysis, the process of conducting research will proceed as follows. First, to construct the initial template, interview guides will be prepared from a literature review and informal anecdotal evidence from the authors own experience. This interview guide will include minimum information so as to gain more ideas from the interviewees. Thus, the initial template will begin in a simplified format and consist of the 3 highest-order codes and two or three subdivided lower-order codes. It will then be subject to a processes of insertion and deletion with changes in the higher-order classifications (King 2004) after the first focused group interviews. For this, at the beginning of the first focus group interview, interviewees will be asked to express their opinions and perceptions on CSR under the three highest-order codes and several lower-order codes following the brief topic guideline. They focus group interviewees can then proceed with their discussions. After each interview, the initial template will be edited and added with some new codes if the issues are not found to be covered by the presented codes. 4. Limitations Conclusions This study has limitations in terms of generalization due to the small sample size. This is because a small number of respondents cannot be representative of the entire companys view, even though the propositions are proved by the respondents. The findings from this qualitative study may, thus, be considered preliminary. Further research, conducted using larger samples and adopting longitudinal analysis can aid to make the findings of the present research more robust. Moreover, given their unique governance system and political background in social context (Kim and Lee 2003), at present, chaebol related research tends to be conducted with an institutionalist approach. However, in this research, these factors are excluded as the focus is being kept on the organisational and individual level of the perception making process. This study will show the gap of corporate identity between ideals and practices and how employees are influenced by corporate identity in CSR practices. By using qualitative approaches with a case study strategy, this research will have practical implications for managers who work in CSR departments, viz., it will identify how to connect their strategy to employees ethical identification and participation. Reference Borgerson, J. L., J. E. Schroeder, et al. (2009). Corporate communication, ethics, and operational identity: A case study of Benetton. Business Ethics: A European Review 18(3): 209-223. Carroll, A. B. (1999). Corporate Social Responsiblity. Business Society 38(3): 268-295. Cho, S. and Y. Hong (2009). Netizens evaluations of corporate social responsibility: Contents analysis of CSR news stories and online readers comments. Public Relations Review 35: 147-149. Creswell, J. W. (2003). Research Design Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. Thousand Oaks, California, Sage Publications, Inc. Daymon, C. and I. Holloway (2002). Qualitative Research Method in Public Relations and Marketing Communications. London, Routledge. Gephart, R. (1999). Paradigms and Research Methods. Research Methods Forum 4. Hersen, M. and D. H. Barlow (1976). Single-case Experimental Designs: Strategies for Studying Behavior New York, Pergamon. Kim, B. and I. Lee (2003). Agency problems and performance of Korean companies during the Asian financial crisis: Chaebol vs. non-chaebol firms. Pacific-Basin Finance Journal 11(327-348). King, N., Ed. (2004). Using Interviews in Qualitative Research. Essential Guide to Qualitative Methods in Organizational Research. London, SAGE Publications Ltd. King, N., Ed. (2004). Using Templates in the Thematic Analysis of Text. Essential Guide to Qualitative Methods in Organizational Research. London, SAGE Publications Inc. Murray, T. R. (2003). Blending Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods in Theses and Dissertations. Thousand Oaks, California, Corwin Press, Inc. Pawson, R. and N. Tilley (1997). Realistic Evaluation. London, SAGE Publications Inc. Soenen, G. and B. Moingeon, Eds. (2002). The five facets of collective identities. Integrating corporate and organizational identity. Corporate and Organizational Identities: Integrating Strategy, Marketing, Communication and Organizational Perspectives. London, Routledge. Stern, B. B., Ed. (1998). Representing Consumers: Voices, Views and Visions. New York, Routledge. Symon, G. and C. Cassell, Eds. (2004). Promoting New Research Practices in Organizational Research. Essential Guide to Qualitative Methods in Organizational Research. London, SAGE Publications Ltd. Yin, R. K. (2003). Case Study Research: Design and Methods. Thousand Oaks, CA, SAGE Publications.

Hocus Pocus Abracadabra Essay -- Mythology

As a child the notion of magic was as simple as a magician sawing a woman in half, then piecing her back together, or the illusion of a human gravitating in mid air. Even as adults, we are still awed by such pastime entertainments of magic. On the contrary, Rebecca L. Stein and Philip L. Stein depict magic as a way of life similarly to elements of religion. In The Anthropology of Religion, Magic, and Witchcraft Stein and Stein illustrated magic as being a subcategory to religion; laws of magic; functions of magic; how it works; magic in society; and divination. In terms, of magic, what is it; and what makes it real? WHAT IS MAGIC? Magic refers to methods that somehow interface with the supernatural and by which people can bring about particular outcomes (Stein and Stein 136). Unlike religion, magic is geared to the satisfaction of an individual (e.g. Voodoo). Magic in contemporary societies has negative connotations affiliating magic to witchcraft or Voodoo like practices. Unlike religions rituals that tend to involve the whole of the community, magic is often centered on the needs and desires of an individual (Stein and Stein 137). However, in Western civilizations magic is the â€Å"answer† to unanswerable questions, and is the validation to which things are the way they are (dream interpretations, psychics). For instance, teenyboppers craze over horoscopes in Pop culture magazines. Readers feed into justifications to their emotions and faith, and hopes of true love. Overall, who wants to be in the world alone and lost? Therefore, horoscopes are the directions when one is confused when they are at the fork in the road. Based on that, is magic an omniscient power that can collectively derive from the supernatural? In some cases, m... ...o are hungry, or the faith for those who are near the edge of giving up. Regardless of the levels of diversity in cultures magic exist in various forms. Works Cited 1. Howie, Linda, et al. â€Å"Some Thoughts on Magic: Its Use and Effect in Undergraduate Student Life.† Totem: The University of Western Ontario Journal of Anthropology 19.1 (2011): 187. Web 30 Mar. 2012 2. Stein, Rebecca L, and Stein L. Philip. The Anthropology of Religion, Magic, and Witchcraft. 3rd ed. *Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, (2011), p. 136. Print 3. Stein, Rebecca L, and Stein L. Philip. The Anthropology of Religion, Magic, and Witchcraft. 3rd ed. *Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, (2011), p. 137. Print 4. Zorich, Zach. â€Å"Archaeology† Fighting with Jaguars, Bleeding for Rain 61.1 (2008): n. pag. Web. 30 Mar 2012. http://www.archaeology.org/0811/etc/boxing.html.