W8-IP Project Portfolio management and Project Plan Assignment

W8-IP Project Portfolio management and Project Plan - Assignment Example Frozen Food Company was established to respond to opportunity of a unique and healthy market. The aim of this report is to develop and implement the processes for project portfolio management in the Frozen Food Company. This would allow the company to select the projects that yield maximum profit and are best aligned with the business strategy. The funded projects would enhance the company’s mission of providing the nutritious food to its customers and increasing the living standards of the society. The company also aims at reduction of pollution to maintain and sustain a safe environment both for customers and its employees. 1. Introduction Frozen Food Company, a multi-national company specializing in frozen foods, cereals and tin packed foods, is organized into various strategic business units that are aligned with the corporate business strategy of the company in a fast moving consumer goods sector. The company is maintaining its operations globally with mission of â€Å"c hange and innovation† and has the strategy to develop a new range of products ahead of time before the competitors. The company also aims at reduction of pollution to maintain and sustain a safe environment both for customers and its employees. Frozen Food Company can achieve this through the creation of an effective project portfolio and strategic business units (Kerzner 2010). This study would be conducted in one of the strategic business units of the company to create an effective project portfolio. 2. Aim and Objectives Selection of the right project aligned with the business strategy is an important aspect of the business from the view point of profitability. No organization has unlimited resources and thus it becomes crucial to manage its scarce for optimal utilization to achieve maximum benefit from the operations of its strategic business units. In the given problem scenario, it is essential to analyze the projects and select the most appropriate to create an effective portfolio that is aligned with organizational strategy and maximizes the profitability through optimal utilization of resources (Kerzner 2010) and is the aim of this report. 3. Scope of the Project This project focuses on measuring how the firm will increase its shareholders growth through evaluating the revenue growth, expectations, operating margin and asset efficiency. Focus on the SBU known as Frozen Food Company that specialized in Vegetables & Chicken Cutlets, Chicken Nuggets, Parathas, Chicken Rolls, French Fries and Burger Patties. This scope will be limited in order to focus on the objectives effectively. Following activites would be the part of this project report Recognizing portfolios available in the company Selecting a portfolio Managing the portfolio The above activities will be carried out using the

English-language films Essay Example for Free

English-language films Essay 1. How are the pictures helpful in understanding the selection? 2. Why did the noise of the sonar speed up? 3. Why did the Titanic sink? 4. How were Frederick’s Fleet and Minnie Coutts alike? 5. If you wanted to prove the fact that over 1,500 people died out of the more than 2,300 people on board, what would you use to prove this? 6. What is the most likely reason the author wrote this selection? 7. The author uses figurative language, including comparing the ship to a â€Å"ghost from the ancient past,† saying the ship is â€Å"weeping great tears of rust,† and saying he felt as if he â€Å"had walked into a dream. † Why does he do this? 8. Tell how the author felt about seeing the Titanic. 9. Imagine that the author kept a journal. Write one or two sentences to tell what he might write after he came up from his first trip to the Titanic 1. How are the pictures helpful in understanding the selection? 2. Why did the noise of the sonar speed up? 3. Why did the Titanic sink? 4. How were Frederick’s Fleet and Minnie Coutts alike? 5. If you wanted to prove the fact that over 1,500 people died out of the more than 2,300 people on board, what would you use to prove this? 6. What is the most likely reason the author wrote this selection? 7. The author uses figurative language, including comparing the ship to a â€Å"ghost from the ancient past,† saying the ship is â€Å"weeping great tears of rust,† and saying he felt as if he â€Å"had walked into a dream.† Why does he do this? 8. Tell how the author felt about seeing the Titanic. 9. Imagine that the author kept a journal. Write one or two sentences to tell what he might write after he came up from his first trip to the Titanic

Children of parents who misuse alcohol

Children of parents who misuse alcohol Children Of Parents Who Misuse Alcohol Or Substances Introduction It is estimated that there are between 200,000 and 300,000 children in England and Wales where one or both parents have serious drug problems. Research and local knowledge have shown that substance and alcohol misuse in parents or pregnant women can have a significant impact on parenting and increase risk, especially for babies and younger children (Hidden harm 2003). This does not mean that parents who experience substance / alcohol misuse are poor parents. However the impact of substance misuse problems can, on some occasions lead to children and families needing additional support; or in a small number of cases support and multi agency disciplinary action to prevent significant harm. The most effective assessment and support comes through good information sharing, joint assessment of need, joint planning, professional trust within the interagency network and joint action in partnership with families. These guidelines apply whenever there are professional concerns about the wellbeing or safety of children whose parents or carers have substance/ alcohol misuse problems, specifically where these difficulties are impacting, or are likely to impact, on their ability to meet the needs of their children. These guidelines also apply to professionals working with pregnant women who have substance/ alcohol misuse problems, where their partners are known to have substance/alcohol problems or where someone with substance misuse problems is living in a household where children are present. Aims 2.1. To increase the professional’s understanding of the impact of an adult’s substance misuse problems on children’s lives. 2.2. To enable universal and specialist services to improve their identification of children in need where adult substance/alcohol misuse is a problem 2.3. To enhance the provision of co-ordinated services to families in which there are dependant children of parents, carers or pregnant women with substance/ alcohol misuse problems. Principles 3.1. All those who come into contact with children, their parents and families in their everyday work have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. 3.2. Parents, carers and pregnant women with substance/ alcohol misuse problems have the right to be supported in fulfilling their parental roles and responsibilities. 3.3. A multi agency approach to assessment and service provision is in the best interest of children and their parents/ carers. 3.4. Risk is reduced when information is shared effectively across agencies. 3.5. Risk to children is reduced through effective multi agency and multi disciplinary working. 3.6. While many parents, carers and pregnant women with substance/ alcohol abuse problems safeguard their children’s well being, children’s life chances may be limited or threatened as a result of these factors, and professionals need to consider this possibility. Identifying The Need Of Children, Their Parents Or Carers, Or Pregnant Women With Substance/ Alcohol Misuse Problems 4.1. The birth of any new child changes relationships and often brings new pressures to parents. Agencies need to be sensitive and responsive to the changing needs of parents with substance/ alcohol misuse problems. 4.2. Parents, carers or pregnant women with substance / alcohol misuse problems may have difficulties which impact on their ability to meet the needs of their children, unborn child or new baby. 4.3. The adverse effects of alcohol/substance misuse on children are typically multiple and cumulative and will vary according to the child’s stage of development. They may include fetal alcohol syndrome, failure to thrive, blood-borne virus infections; incomplete immunisation and otherwise inadequate health care; a wide range of emotional, cognitive, behavioural and other psychological problems; early substance misuse and offending behaviour; and poor education attainment. These can range greatly in severity or may often be subtle and difficult to detect. 4.4. There is growing evidence to suggest that children often take on a caring role in families where there is parental drug or alcohol use. In some cases, it is particularly hard for children to cope with one or more parents with drug or alcohol dependency and they need help and support. 4.5. The risk of harm to the child may be reduced by effective treatment and support for the affected parent(s) and by other factors such as the presence of at least one other consistent, caring adult; a stable home with adequate financial resources; maintenance of family routines and activities; and regular attendance at a supportive school. Guidelines For Referral And Assessment For Pregnant Women With Substance/ Alcohol Misuse Problems 5.1 All agencies are responsible for identifying pregnant women with substance/ alcohol misuse problems who may be in need of additional services and support. 5.2. When a professional identifies a pregnant women experiencing substance/ alcohol misuse problems an assessment must be undertaken to determine what services she requires. This must include gathering relevant information from her GP, PDAC, the Midwifery service, in addition to any other agencies involved, to ensure that the full background is obtained about any existing or previous diagnosis, or treatment for mental illness. 5.3. Consideration must be given to the impact and harm continued substance misuse has on an unborn child. Where this assessment identifies that a pregnant woman has substance / alcohol misuse problems a referral must be made to Powys Children’s services for a pre-birth assessment. 5.4. Where the need for a referral is unclear, this must be discussed with a line manager or the Safeguarding Children’s Team. If a referral is not made this must be clearly documented. Staff should ensure that all decisions and the agreed course of action are signed and dated. Section 10 gives guidelines in relation to assessment of risk. 5.5. A pre-birth assessment should be undertaken on all pre birth referrals and a multi agency meeting held to share information. If a pre-birth multi agency meeting is not needed this must be endorsed by a manager and the reason for the decision clearly recorded on the agency’s records. Guidance For Referral To Pdac 6.1. In the case of pregnant women where there is evidence of problematic use of illicit, proprietary or prescribed drugs or alcohol, agencies becoming aware of the evidence should initially discuss the benefits of a referral to PDAC with the individual. If there is agreement referral should then be made to the appropriate area office of PDAC. This referral may be made initially by phone, but should be followed up immediately with a written referral. In the event that the woman is already a client of PDAC it would be appropriate to confirm that the pregnancy is known to them. In the event of a woman refusing to agree to a referral being made it is the responsibility of the agency to consider whether a referral can be made without consent on Child Protection grounds. This would need to be subject of discussions between all the appropriate agencies – Children’s Services, Police, Health etc. PDAC will always be willing to discuss the appropriateness of referral prior to formal contact being made. Guidance For Referral To Powys Children’s Services A referral for an initial assessment to Children’s services must always be made if a parent carer or pregnant woman is considered to have significant substance/ alcohol problems. A referral should be discussed with a line manager. NB If a child is in immediate danger then a referral to the police/social services should be made. Partnership Working Assessment and identification of parents, carers and children’s needs for services is not a static process. The assessment should also inform future work and build in an evaluation of the progress and effectiveness of any intervention. Where more than one agency continues to be involved in a joint assessment or provision of services for parents or carers with substance misuse problems, and their children, regular review dates must be set to jointly review the situation and to ensure that interagency work continues to be co-ordinated. Each agency should document their own actions and responsibilities clearly and also the roles and responsibilities of other agencies. References All Wales Child Protection Procedures Children Act 1989 Children Act 2004 DOH (2000). Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families. Hidden Harm (ACMD) 2003 Appendix A Guidelines For Professionals For Assessing Risk When Working With Drug Using Parents The following assessment guidelines were developed by the Standing Conference on Drug Abuse (SCODA) [May 1997] to assist professionals in identifying children who may be in need or at risk as a result of parental substance/ alcohol misuse. They should be used as guidelines in the holistic assessment of the family. Parental Drug Use 1. Is there a drug free parent, supportive partner or relative? 2. Is the drug use by the parent Experimental? Recreational? Chaotic? Dependent? 3. Does the user move between categories at different times? Does the drug use also involve alcohol? 4. Are levels of childcare different when a parent is using drugs and when not using? 5. Is there any evidence of coexistence of mental health problems alongside the drug use? If there is, do the drugs cause these problems, or have these problems led to the drug use? Accommodation And The Home Environment 6. Is the accommodation adequate for children? 7. Are the parents ensuring that the rent and bills are paid? 8. Does the family remain in one area or move frequently, if the latter, why? 9. Are other drug users sharing the accommodation? If they are, are relationships with them harmonious, or is there conflict? 10. Is the family living in a drug using community? 11. If parents are using drugs, do children witness the taking of the drugs, or other substances? 12. Could other aspects of the drug use constitute a risk to children (e.g. conflict with or between dealers, exposure to criminal activities related to drug use)? 13. Is there adequate food, clothing and warmth for the children? 14. Are the children attending school regularly? 15. Are children engaged in age-appropriate activities? 16. Are the child’s emotional needs being adequately met? 17. Are there any indications that any of the children are taking on a parenting role within the family (e.g. caring for other children, excessive household responsibilities etc)? Procurement Of Drugs 18. Are the children left alone while their parents are procuring drugs? 19. Because of their parent’s drug use are the children being taken to places where they could be â€Å"at risk†? 20. How much are the drugs costing? 21. How is the money obtained? 22. Is this causing financial problems? 23. Are the premises being used to sell drugs? 24. Are parents allowing their premises to be used by other drug users? Provision Of Basic Needs Health Risks 25. If drugs and/or injecting equipment are kept on the premises, are they kept securely? 26. Are the children aware of where the drugs are kept? 27. If parents are intravenous drug users: Do they share injecting equipment? Do they use a needle exchange scheme? How do they dispose of syringes? Are parents aware of the health risks of injecting or using drugs? 28. If parents are on a substitute prescribing programme, such as methadone: Are parents aware of the dangers of children accessing this medication? Do they take adequate precautions to ensure this does not happen? 29. Are parents aware of, and in touch with, local specialist agencies who can advise on such issues such as needle exchanges, substitute prescribing programmes, detox and rehabilitation facilities? If they are in touch with agencies, how regular is the contact? Family Social Network And Support Systems 30. Do parents and children associate primarily with:   Other drug users?   Non-users?   Both? 31. Are relatives aware of the drug use? Are they supportive? 32. Will parents accept help from the relatives and other agencies? Parents’ Perception Of The Situation 33. The degree of social isolation should be considered particularly for those parents living in remote areas where resources may not be available and they may experience social stigmatisation. Do the parents see their drug use as harmful to themselves or to their children? Do the parents place their own needs before the needs of their children? Are the parents aware of the legislative and procedural context applying to their circumstances, (e.g. child protection procedures, statutory powers?

Al Capone :: essays research papers

By all accounts, Alphonse did well at school until the 6th grade, then at the age of 14 he was expelled for retaliating against a female teacher who hit him. Following his expulsion, the Capone family decided to move neighbourhoods - a chance move that would have a huge impact on Al's criminal future. Just round the corner from Capone's new home was the headquarters of gentleman gangster Johnny Torrio's East Coast operation. And like many boys in the area, he became involved in running errands for Torrio, just to earn a little extra money. Despite his involvement with Torrio and street gangs, Capone continued to work and support his family. However, when Torrio moved to Chicago, Capone was left open to some bad influences. At the age of 18, Capone was hired by an aggressive gangster Frankie Yale to work in his bar, the Harvard Inn. It was an incident in the Harvard Inn that earned Capone his nickname "Scarface". One night local gangster Frank Gallucio was drinking with his sister at the Harvard Inn, when Capone approached the young girl to pay her a compliment. Gallucio took offence to the young punk and began a brawl with Capone, it was during the scuffle the older man pulled a knife and cut Capone's face three times - Scarface was born. In early 1918, the career of Capone took another unexpected turn when he met the other most influential person in his life - his future wife Mae. Later that year, on December 4th, Capone became the proud father of Albert (Sonny) Francis Capone - Johnny Torrio became the godfather to his son. Such a dramatic change in lifestyle made him reconsider his career, and he resigned from the Harvard Inn and went to work for a construction firm as a bookkeeper. Chicago's underworld beckons In January 1920, the 18th Amendment of the Prohibition Act came into force, which made the brewing, distilling and distribution of alcohol completely illegal. The Prohibition era had begun, and Chicago's criminal underworld, including Johnny Torrio, was well prepared to make bootlegging illegal alcohol an extremely profitable business. Back in New York, Capone continued to concentrate on his legitimate career right up until the end of 1920 when his father tragically died. Without this strong parental figure, he resumed contact with Torrio, who had built up an influential racketeering empire in Chicago. It wasn't long before Torrio invited him to join him, and within a few months, Capone's life took a drastic turn that would change his destiny forever.

Black Movements of 1960

Kelsey Kindell Lauren Cherneski English 102 5 September 2012 Black Arts Movement of the 1960s The history of BAM, the types of entertainment, and their effects on society has the upmost impact on history today. Due to it being the only American literary movement to advance â€Å"social engagement† as sin qua non of its aesthetic. The movement broke from the immediate past of protest and petition (civil rights) literature and dashed forward toward an alternative that initially seemed unthinkable and unobtainable: Black Power.One of the most important figures in the Black Arts movement is Amiri Baraka (formerly Leroi Jones). Following the assassination of Malcolm X in 1965, Leroi Jones (Amiri Baraka) made a symbolic move from Manhattan’s Lower East Side to Harlem, where he founded the Black Arts Repertory Theatre/ School. According to the â€Å" Norton Anthology of African American Literature,’’ no one was more competent in the combination of the experiment al and the vernacular than Amiri Baraka, whose volume Black Magic Poetry 1961- 1967(1969) is one of the first products of the African American creative energies of the 1960s.Umbra, which produced Umbra Magazine, was the first post-civil rights Black literary group to make an impact as radical in the sense of establishing their own voice distinct from, and sometimes at odds with, the prevailing white literary establishment. The attempt to merge a Black-oriented activist thrust with a primarily artistic orientation produced a classic split in Umbra between those who wanted to be activists and those who thought of themselves as primarily writers, though to some extent all members shared both views.Black writers have always had to face the issue of whether their work was primarily political or aesthetic. Black Arts Movement influenced the world of literature, portraying different ethnic voices. Before the movement, the literary canon lacked diversity, and the ability to express ideas fr om the point of view of racial and ethnic minorities was not valued by the mainstream. Theatre groups, poetry performances, music and dance were centered on this movement, and therefore African Americans were becoming recognized in the area of literature and rts. African Americans were also able to educate others through different types of expressions and media about cultural differences. The most common form of teaching was through poetry reading. African American performances were used for their own political advertisement, organization, and community issues. The Black Arts movement was spread by the use of newspaper advertisements. The first major arts movement publication was in 1964. The movement lasted for about a decade, through the mid-1960s and into the 1970s.This was a period of controversy and change in the world of literature. One major change came through the portrayal of new ethnic voices in the United States. English- language literature, prior to the Black Arts movem ent, was dominated by white authors. The theatres, as well as cultural counters were based throughout America and were used for community meetings, study groups and film screenings. Newspapers were a major tool in spreading the Black Arts movement.In 1964, Black Dialogue was published, making it the first major arts movement publication. As the movement matured, the two major locations of Black Arts' ideological leadership, particularly for literary work, were California's Bay Area because of the Journal of Black Poetry and the Black Scholar, and the Chicago-Detroit axis because of Negro Digest/Black World and Third World Press in Chicago, and Broadside Press and Naomi Long Madgett's Lotus Press in Detroit.The only major Black Arts literary publications to come out of New York were the short-lived (six issues between 1969 and 1972) Black Theatre magazine published by the New Lafayette Theatre and Black Dialogue, which had actually started in San Francisco (1964-1968) and relocated t o New York (1969-1972). In conclusion, the impacts of Black Arts activities were the development of Black theater groups and Black poetry performances and journals, and both had close ties to community organizations and issues.Black theaters served as the focus of poetry, dance, and music performances in addition to formal and ritual drama. Black theaters were also venues for community meetings, lectures, study groups, and film screenings. Resources http://aalbc. com/authors/blackartsmovement. htm http://www. english. illinois. edu/maps/blackarts/historical. htm

Disclosure Analysis Paper Essay

Disclosures are an essential part of financial reporting for publically traded corporations. The following analysis will look into General Motors Company’s disclosure relating to the company’s current assets of cash equivalents, inventory, and receivables. Disclosures can be found within the General Motors Company’s financial statements and they will help readers gain a better understanding of the financial data. The sections of the company’s disclosures will be analyzed in detail throughout this paper. The General Motors Company uses a table of contents for their significant disclosures so that the reader(s) of their financial statements can easily find whatever he or she may be looking for. The type of disclosure is listed along with a page number where the precise information can be found. The disclosures for the General Motors Company’s assets are very precise. The first note to the reader(s) deals with Presentation. This section explains that G eneral Motors Company’s financial statements are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) in the United States. This section also lets the reader(s) know of any new accounting standards used by the company. In the year 2010 a few of these new standards were how the company financed receivables, fair value measurements, transfers of financial assets, and variable interest entities. In note three the company gives information about accounting standards, which have been issued, but are not yet in use in the General Motors Company. One standard deals with business combinations a new standard issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). The new standard for business combinations according to General Motors Company/Annual Report (2011) deals with â€Å"the disclosure of supplemental pro forma information for business combinations that occur during the current year† (Notes to financial statements). However, this standard was not to go into effect until January 1, 2011 so it was not incorporated into the 2010 financial statements. Another accounting standard that had not yet be adopted dealt with financial services-insurance. This standard was also put into place by  the FASB and it addressed the deferral of acquisition costs within the insurance industry. Basically the new standard changed or modified the type of costs in a company that can be capitalized in the renewal and acquisition of insurance industry. See more: analytical writing This standard would not go into effect until January 1, 2012, so it was not adopted for the 2010 financial statements. Within the notes section Note four contains information about Fair Value Measurements. According to General Motors Company/Annual Report, â€Å"Cash equivalents, marketable securities, and derivative financial instruments are presented on our financial statements at fair value† (Notes to financial statements). The note goes on to explain where the reader(s) of the General Motors Company financial statements will be able to find the fair value of debt, finance receivables, along with the carrying value related to these receivables and debt. According to General Motors Company/Annual Report (2011), â€Å"High liquid investments with a maturity of 90 days or less at date of purchase are classified as Cash and cash equivalents. Investments in securities with a maturity date of greater than 90 days at date of purchase are classified as Marketable securities† (Notes to financial statements). Note five deals with Cash and Restricted Cash disclosures. This note informs the reader(s) of the financial statements that restricted cash would not include cash used to secure debt set up because of securitization business deals. According to General Motors Company/Annual Report (2011) â€Å"Both cash and cash equivalents, which are restricted because of withdrawals of cash or the cash equivalents used under the terms of certain contractual arrangements will be recorded as restricted in other assets on the consolidated balance sheet† (Notes to financial statements). Also discussed in this section are how negative balances are reclassified and the way in which the company treats these occurrences. On the General Motors Company financial statements commercial paper, bank accounts, marketable securities, money market funds, and treasury bills are elements in the cash and cash equivalent sections on the financial statements. All these elements are considered highly liquid and are to be used by the General Motors Company for short-term n eeds if required. Note 10 for General Motors Company’s financial statements deals with inventories. This disclosure states that the company’s inventories are stated at what is lower between market and cost. Also stated is that a large part of the United States inventories cost are determined by a last-in,  first-out (LIFO) inventory method. The LIFO method was used in between 31% to 26% of GM’s inventories at December 31, 2010 and 2009 respectively (General Motors Company/Annual Report, 2011). First-in, first-out (FIFO) inventory method is used for determining cost for their other inventories. In conclusion the General Motors Company’s financial statements contain a great deal of information and included in this information are 31 disclosures. All the company’s disclosures were placed in their financial statements to aid the reader(s) with understanding the financials as well as making an educated evaluation and informed decisions about the General Motors Company and their financial statements.