Saturday, May 23, 2020

Energy Crisis And The Uk - 1594 Words

Energy crisis in the UK The United Kingdom is in the midst of a power shortage with fossil fuels running low and the closure of the coal mines and ageing nuclear power stations. In the upcoming winter months parts of the UK are likely to have â€Å"power blackouts. The UK is struggling to supply the vast amount of energy needed and it is said that supplies sre likely to be close to running out asoon as the winter 2015. The demand for energy is higher than the supply. National Grid and Ofgem have recently warned the government of the increased risk†¨of potential power shortages, particularly in 2015/16. To comply with the EU Large Combustion Plan Directive (LCPD), a significant number of coal-and oil-fired power plants are due to close by the end†¦show more content†¦Power station Operator Capacity (GW) Expected closure date Coal Cockenzie ScottishPower 1.2 By 2015 Didcot A †¨ RWE npower 2.0 By 2015 Ferrybridge Scottish and Southern Energy 1.0 By 2015 Ironbridge E.ON UK 1.0 By 2015 Kingsnorth E.ON UK†¨ 2.0 By 2015 Tilbury RWE npower 1.1 By 2015 Oil Fawley RWE npower 1.2 By 2015 Grain †¨ E.ON UK†¨ 2.0 By 2015 Littlebrook RWE npower 1.0 By 2015 Nuclear (Magnox) Oldbury NDA 0.4 2011 Wylfa NDA 1.0 2012 Nuclear (AGR) Hartlepool British Energy 1.2 2014 Heysham 1 British Energy 1.2 2014 Hinkley Point B British Energy 0.8 2016 Hunterston B British Energy 0.9 2016 Dungeness B British Energy 1.0 2018 Heysham 2 British Energy 1.2 2023 Torness British Energy 1.2 2023 The drastic closure of coal and nuclear power stations has reduced the supply available for the UK consumer, causing a cost crisis. Prices of electricity and gas have increased for most of the last decade, road fuel for most of the past two decades. This has had an impact on industrial and economic growth.Energy prices are projected to remain high or increase for many reasons.The UK output is declining as power stations are being closed and costly measures are put in place to cut carbon emissions . Energy companies are investing large sums of money into renewable energy. Ofgem’s Supply Market Indicators (SMIs), published on September 2013 confirmed electricity prices have increased over the last two years by 7%, driven primarily by a 17% increase inShow MoreRelatedPestle Analysis of Construction Industry Essay826 Words   |  4 Pages(Bricdata 2012; Balfour Beatty, 2012). * The interest rates are very low in the USA and UK where it will be kept at 0.5% until 2015 (Barrow and Copper, 2012). This will enhance consumer investments in infrastructure since the banks do not offer attractive rates. Moreover low interest rates will enable the infrastructure companies to borrow more money for project investments. * Infrastructure UK unit built in HM Treasury in 2010 and actively discussed $109bn Transportation and InfrastructureRead MoreNuclear Power And Its Effect On The Environment1347 Words   |  6 PagesNuclear power seems to be the only way to help human beings go through energy crisis and climate change. These two problems threaten global security and the stability of the environment. There are several advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power, so my essay is focusing on what British people really think of nuclear energy. Overview UK’s first nuclear reactor called Calder Hall was built in Sellafield in 1956. Now the UK has 18 nuclear reactors generating 16% of its electricity. There isRead MoreEnergy Sources Of Renewable Energy1292 Words   |  6 Pages1. Introduction. Nowadays, with the continuous increase in the demand for energy consumption resulted by both population and socioeconomic growth, making it a priority to satisfy such a demand for all developed countries. This report aims initially to focus on the energy situation in the United Kingdom, and then present two forms of energy conventional energy in specific coal, and renewable energy which is wind energy, and will finally recommend the most suitable one after comparing and contrastingRead MoreThe Economic Economy Of 2.real Estate Sector Essay1584 Words   |  7 PagesOTHER COUNTRIES In 2009, the world economy was marked by a very small recovery following the world crisis, the inflation, a slowing economic growth, a high unemployment rate, and the shrinking of the foreign direct investments, not only in the US, Europe but in other developed countries as well. In 2009, the real estate market was in state of equilibration after the shock caused by the financial crisis and the explosion of the housing bulb, which were the consequence of a careless banking system, asRead MoreGlobal Future Of The United Kingdom1742 Words   |  7 Pagesdeveloping and world poorest regions are found here, nuclear weapons are increasing at a faster rate, the climate change crisis is bringing its worst effects, an even by 2040, the superpowers sill still derive much of their resources, especially energy in the same region. Russia is rising as a global food superpower. When economists talk about the emerging food security crisis, they forecast it to happen in the 2030s. By 2040, the global population will be hitting nine billion and the world willRead MorePestle Analysis of Barclays Plc1083 Words   |  5 PagesReport). The most important economic change in banks’ operation is the current unavailability of loans given by the banks. Today, banks cannot provide the volume of loans that was possible before the financial crisis. Global economic recession has followed the US sub-prime mortgage crisis that broke out in summer 2007. Bank of England reduced the base rate down to the zero level in order to stimulate business (Hull, 2008). In these environmental conditions Barclays Plc has to operate in the globalRead MoreUk s Membership Of The European Union1417 Words   |  6 Pagesmembership of the European Union (EU) has caught the attention of people around the world. A number of debates about the UK should remain in or leave the EU has been held. Undoubtedly, the upcoming referendum could bring country risk exposure, particularly country-specific economic risk. It is impossible to know the exact answer before the referendum. However, the trade-off that the UK would face would be the same regardl ess of it is inside or outside the EU (Dhingra and Sampson, 2016). The concept behindRead MoreForeign Direct Investment ( Fdi )1672 Words   |  7 Pagespast five years from 2011 to 2016 the UK has seen its FDI increase by almost double to 2213 individual FDI projects, this being an increase of 11% from 2014/15 to 2015/16 (Department for International Trade, 2016). The UK also stands out as the clear leader in attracting this FDI into the UK taking a total of 20.9% of the market share of FDI in the European union (Ernst Young LLP, 2016). FDI is becoming an influential power within the economic system for the UK. A current FDI project underway seeingRead MoreAlternative Energy Resources and Human Dependence on Oil Essay1016 Words   |  5 PagesAlternative Energy Resources and Human Dependence on Oil Introduction The modern world is fuelled by oil (Youngquest, 1998). This reality has brought tremendous changes and developments that is continuously transforming the modern period, changing its lifestyles and economies in the last 200 years. However, these changes do not only paved for modernization and development, but it has also paved for the environmental crisis that the world is now facing (Bodley, 2008). Environmental crisis refers toRead MoreForeign Policy : International Politics And Relations Through Various Variables1645 Words   |  7 Pagesfrom the start: the UK leaving the EU will lead to perverse geopolitical outcomes, some unpredictable but others already apparent. The UK is about to enter a world of power politics it has not inhabited for many decades and one in which former EU partners will have a very real and pressing incentive to compete with and to undermine the UK on various fronts, including on the status of Overseas Territories and the presence of financial services com panies in London. Brexit is a crisis of globalization

Monday, May 18, 2020

Hedge Funds And Its Strategy Classifications - 992 Words

Introduction As of 2014, more than 11,000 hedge funds are managing more than $2.6 Trillion in assets (De Pol, 2015). The statement itself speaks how important these hedge funds are in the global financial market. They provide investors with opportunities to achieve gains and manage risks. Hedge funds provide liquidity and make financial markets more efficient. These funds can be operated with extreme flexibility and play an important role in financial innovation and reallocation of financial risk (Rubin et al, 1999). Although it sounds good, hedge funds took a hit during the 2008 crisis. Along with the credit crisis came Madoff fraud, the biggest investment scam in 2008. Investors started looking at these funds as high risk, highly leveraged investment vehicles that lacked transparency. Since mid-2009 hedge funds have picked up and strategies are being improved for better risk management, transparency and gaining confidence of investors. The article will give a brief overview of Hedge Funds and its strategy classifications. Then it will particularly describe â€Å"Event Driven† strategy and the market risks associated with it. Hedge Funds A hedge fund can be defined as a pool of investment vehicles that is actively managed and is open only to a limited group of investors and whose performance is measured in absolute return units (Connor and Woo, 2003). Hedge funds are private investment partnerships that require investors to make considerable investments. They are largelyShow MoreRelatedHedge Funds And Hedge Fund3653 Words   |  15 PagesChapter 2 Hedge funds 2.1 Introduction This chapter gives a brief introduction to hedge funds and hedge fund data. Hedge funds are generally considered as private investment vehicles for wealthy individual and institutional investors. According to the National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996, participators are limited to at most 500 ‘qualified investors’, individuals who have at least $5 Million to invest in hedge funds and institutional investors with capital of at least $25 MillionRead MoreColumbia Sportswear Risk Management3168 Words   |  13 Pages management, and hedging activities. TABLE OF CONTENTS COMPANY OVERVIEW 2 OPERATIONS 2 BREAKDOWN OF SALES 3 BREAKDOWN OF ASSETS 3 BREAKDOWN OF INCOME 3 INTERNATIONAL TRADE 4 RISK MANAGEMENT POLICY 4 DERIVATIVES 5 STRATEGY 7 APPENDICES 8 BIBLIOGRAPHY 10 COMPANY OVERVIEW Founded in 1938 in Portland, Oregon, as a small, family-owned, regional hat distributor and incorporated in 1961, Columbia Sportswear Company has grown to become a global leader in the designRead MoreHedge Fund Activism : Corporate Policy3259 Words   |  14 PagesHedge Fund Activism 1. Background Shareholder activism refers to the active influence on corporate policy and practices through the use of ownership position1. Activism can be advocated by a single minority investor, or large institutional investors with majority stakes in the organization such as mutual funds and pension funds2. The history of shareholder activism can be traced back 80 years ago when a court decision sided with dissident shareholders and reinstated the special dividend that HenryRead MoreHedge Funds : Introduction And Overview10196 Words   |  41 PagesI. Hedge funds: Introduction and Overview A hedge fund is a regulated investment fund that is typically open to a limited range of investors who pay a performance fee to the fund’s investment manager. Every hedge fund has its own investment philosophy that determines the type of investments made and strategies employed. In general, the hedge fund community undertakes a much wider range of investment and trading activities than traditional long-only investment funds. Hedge funds invest in a broaderRead MoreGenerally Accepted Accounting Principles and Case989 Words   |  4 PagesStudent Cases with Solutions to accompany Accounting amp; Auditing Research: Tools amp; Strategies (7th edition) NOTE: In addition to the in-chapter and end-of-chapter exercises which serve as short cases you will find the following short cases arranged by course title that can also be utilized as short cases that require the student to access the authoritative literature to address the issue presented in the case. Other excellent sources of longer and more detailed cases include the DeloitteRead MoreMutual Fund : An Open End Investment1822 Words   |  8 Pagesmutual fund is an open-end investment company that invests money of its shareholders in a usually diversified group of securities of other corporations, as defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary. Mutual funds help with financing and investing opportunities. They give the small investors a chance to invest their money in other areas besides stocks and bonds. There is multiple mutual funds to choose from and different reasons why shareholders should choose them. As popular as mutual funds have becomeRead MoreMutual Fund Performance in Bull and Bear Market: The Case of Pakistani Mutual Fund2280 Words   |  10 PagesChapter 2 Overview of the Mutual Funds in Pakistan 2.1 History of Mutual Fund There are main two types of mutual funds are available open end and closed end funds for the Pakistani investors. Close End mutual funds are traded in stock exchange, directly every investor can buy or sell these funds in the stock market. Prices of these funds are determined on the basis of demand and supply of the shares rather than net assets value in case of closed end mutual funds. In 1962, Government of theRead MoreBuilding And Infrastructure Development Across The Globe1496 Words   |  6 Pagesinfrastructure has drawn significant interest from the global investment community. Considering budgetary constraints faced by governments, private investors are increasingly expected to participate in infrastructure investments. However, private investors, fund and investment managers should approached with caution when dealing with this new form of investment. Understanding the asset class is vital in assessing the risks and potential returns. Due to several similar characteristics, many people often regardRead MoreCase Study: Internal analysis of Ryanair1196 Words   |  5 PagesCase Study in: Johnson, G. et al., 2005. Exploring Corporate Strategy. 7th ed. Essex: Pearson Education Ltd. 1. Internal audit of tangible, financial and intangible resources Tangible Resources 1. Human Resources * Ryanair currently employs 2000 people (2003) from 25 nations. * The pay is performance related and among the highest in the airline industry (Annual Report 2004, p. 5). Travel concessions and participation in the share option program is granted to all employees. In 2003 over 30% (639Read MoreThe Financial Performance And Financial Strengths Of Next Plc1871 Words   |  8 Pagesimproved indirect cost control is one of the reasons. The indirect cost only rose by 4%, when the gross profit increased by 8% past two years. And as mentioned above, the cost savings also produces considerable profit. Besides, the share buybacks strategy that the Next plc operates may contribute to the high ROCE ratio. By buying back outstanding shares can help the firm keep relative low amount of equity, which helps the company maintain high ROCE ratio. Compared with Next plc, there is less than

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Learn Basic French Jewelry and Accessories

A great beginners lesson in French, the words used for jewelry and accessories are easy to master. You can even practice every  time you put on a necklace or see a piece of jewelry on the people around you. This French vocabulary lesson is very simple and if you practice the words daily, you should have no trouble committing them to memory. By the end of this lesson, you will learn the basic French words for common pieces of jewelry (bijoux) and accessories (accessoires) for both men and women. You can also take comfort in the fact that many pieces of jewelry are almost identical in French and English. This is due to Frances influence over the fashion industry and the fact that English likes to borrow French words and phrases. This means that you already know a few of these words and all you need to do is add a French accent. Note: Many of the words below are linked to .wav files. Simply click on the link to listen to the pronunciation. Types of Rings Rings are a popular piece of jewelry and the French words are very easy. Once you learn that  une bague  means ring, you will often just add a modifier to further define it. The exception is the wedding ring (une alliance), but thats easy enough to remember. Just think of marriage as an alliance (which it is). Ring -  une  bagueEngagement ring -  une  bague de fianà §aillesFriendship ring -  une bague damitià ©Diamond ring -  une bague de diamantWedding ring -  une  alliance Earrings and Necklaces You will often wear a pair of earrings so it is useful to know the French for both the singular and the plural. They are very similar and a perfect example of how that transition is often made. Earring -  une  boucle doreille  Earrings - des boucles doreilles The French word for a  pendant is very similar to English and necklace is easy if you associate it with a collar. Necklace -  un  collierPendant -  un  pendentif Wrist Jewelry Bracelet is one of the French words that migrated to the English language, so cross that one off your list right now! To describe a charm bracelet, the word for charm (breloques) is added to the end. Bracelet -  un  braceletCharm Bracelet -  un  bracelet à   breloques A watch (une  montre) is another piece of jewelry that you will want to know. By adding a descriptive word to the end, you can speak about specific types of watches. Pocket watch - une montre de pocheDiver watch -  une  montre de plongà ©eMilitary watch -  une montre de miltaireLadys watch - une montre dame Mens Jewelry and Accessories Men enjoy a few specific accessories and these should be easy to memorize.   Cufflink -  un  bouton de manchette  Pair of cufflinks -  un paire de boutons de manchetteHandkerchief -  un  mouchoirTie Clip -  un  fixe-cravate  (cravate  means neck  tie) Clothing Accessories and Jewelry Even our clothes need a piece of jewelry or an accessory and these three words are easy additions to your French vocabulary. Brooch -  une  brochePin -  une  Ãƒ ©pingleBelt -  une  ceinture Hair and Head Accessories The English and French words for barrette are the same and ribbon is similar as well, so all you really have to memorize in these accessories is the French word for hat. Barrette -  une  barrette  Hat -  un  chapeauRibbon -  un  ruban Eyeglasses When you are speaking of glasses (des  lunettes), you can add a descriptive word to the end to further define a style of glasses. Sunglasses -  des  lunettes de soleil  (f)  Reading glasses -  des lunettes pour lire (f) Cold Weather Accessories When the temperature drops, we get an entirely new set of accessories. Within this entire lesson, this list of words may be the most difficult to memorize, but keep trying and youll get it. Scarf -  un  foulardMuffler -  un  cache-nezShawl -  un  chà ¢leGloves -  des  gants(m)  Mittens -  des  moufles(f)  Umbrella -  un  parapluie Bags and Totes The common factor in these totes is the word  sac (bag). The descriptive words,  Ãƒ   main  (by hand) and  Ãƒ   dos  (by back or for the back) make perfect sense when the phrase comes together. Purse -  un  sac à   mainBackpack -  un  sac à   dos You may have already learned the  porte  means door, but the  porte  found in these nouns refers to the verb  porter  (to carry). Wallet -  un  portefeuilleBriefcase -  un  porte-documents

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Aztec Essay - 838 Words

Aztec Essay History has been very cruel to the Aztecs. What do you know about the Aztecs? The first thing that probably comes to your mind is human sacrifice, or them being very bloody and gory. Well there is much more to the Aztecs than human sacrifice and wars. The Aztecs were a very advanced and successful civilization. They did perform human sacrifice, but it was a part of their religion, and it was common for cultures to sacrifice humans at the time. Also, all of the things we know today about the Aztecs come from the Spanish perspective, and the Spanish had every reason to make the Aztecs look bad. History should say the Aztecs were a well organized civilization who deserve credit, and should not be opinionated on because of†¦show more content†¦What would history say about us if our culture was destroyed, and all we left behind was toilets, video games, and trash? Works Cited Burstein, Stanley M. and Richard Shek. World History: Medieval to Modern Times. Orlando: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2006. Carrasco, David and Scot Sessions. Daily Life of the Aztecs: People of the Sun and Earth. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1998. De Bustamonte, Carlos Maria. A History of the Ancient Mexico. Fisk University Press, 1932. Del Catillo, Bernal Diaz, J.M. Cohen, translator, History of the Conquest of New Spain. Penguin, 1963. Duran, Diego. The History of the Indies of New Spain. 1581, trans. Doris Hayden. University of Oklahoma Press, 1994. Leon-Portilla. The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of Conquest of Mexico. Beacon Press, 1962. Leonard, Jonathan Norton. Ancient America. Time-Life Books, 1967. Shahagun, Bernardno. Florintine Codex. American Museum of Natural History. Painting by an Aztec artist, circa 1555. Stearns, Peter N. et al. World Civilizations: The Global Experience, AP Edition. New York: Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers, Inc., Longman, 2003. Stearns, Peter N. et al. World Civilizations: The Global Experience, Third Edition. New York: Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers, Inc., Longman, 2003. â€Å"Territorial Acquisitions by Aztec Rulers.† Map. Aztecs DBQ. 2005. Townsend, Richard F. The Aztecs, New York: Thames and Hudson, Inc.,Show MoreRelated Aztecs Essay2339 Words   |  10 Pages Aztec The Aztec Indians, who are known for their domination of southern and central Mexico, ruled between the 14th and 16th centuries. Their name is derived from Azatlan, the homeland of the north. The Aztecs also call themselves Mexica and there language came from the Nahuatlan branch of the Uto-Aztecan family. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The Aztecs were formed after the Toltec civilization occurred when hundreds of civilians came towards Lake texcoco. Late families were unfortunate andRead MoreThe Aztecs Essay2396 Words   |  10 PagesThe Aztecs When the Spaniards under Hernan Cortez gazed upon the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlà ¡n in Mexico in 1519, the scene before them amazed them. There, in the middle of a wide lake was a shimmering city with bright white walls of vast buildings sitting on an island in the middle of a large lake with causeways linked to it. The astonishment of those first Spanish visitors soon turned to horror when they saw the vast scale of ritual sacrifices made by the Aztecs. Even today, it is hardRead More the aztecs Essay3431 Words   |  14 Pages nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The Aztecs were an American Indian people who ruled a mighty empire in Mexico from the 1400s to the 1500s. The Aztecs had one of the most advanced civilizations in the Americas and built cities as large as any in Europe at that time. They also practiced a remarkable religion that affected every part of their lives and featured human sacrifice. The Aztecs built towering temples, created huge sculptures, and held impressive ceremonies all for the purpose of worshippingRead MoreEssay The Aztecs3724 Words   |  15 PagesThe Aztecs Throughout time women have had to fill a role, defined by her culture, in order to be considered desirable. Wherever or whenever she might have been from she struggled with the pressure to fill her niche in society. These pressures vary greatly from one culture to another, but some cultures are particularly demanding. Women in pre-Colombian Aztec society were held to a very strict code of behavior. From the day they were born to the day they died their domesticity was held up as beingRead MoreThe Aztec Empire Essay1174 Words   |  5 PagesWho were the Aztecs? Why were they considered to be an empire even greater than the Romans? And how was Hernan Cortes able to defeat them? These are some of the questions that people ask about these indigenous people. These people are known as the Aztecs but originally called themselves Mexica. They came to Mexico in the early thirteenth century and from there they started to develop a social structure and government consisting of priests, kings, peasants, and soldiers. Besides having a very organizedRead MoreIncas and Aztecs Essay1959 Words   |  8 PagesIncas and Aztecs Like the Athenians and Spartans of ancient Greece, the Inca and the Aztec bear resemblance to the two other ancient cultures. The Athenians and Incas were both more interested in developing their Arts as well as their military, but both the Spartans and the Aztecs were highly interested more so in warfare than religion. Although the Aztec and Inca never had to face each other, it is interesting to compare them because of their dominant positions of extremely large and powerfulRead More the aztec and maya Essay721 Words   |  3 PagesThe Aztec and Maya were both American Indian people. The Aztec were ruled by a mighty empire in Mexico during the 1400s and early 1500s. The Maya however, developed a magnificent civilization in Central America and Southern Mexico. Both civilizations contributed a great deal to the modern world and invented items that are still used today. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;According to the Aztec Legend, the ancestors of the people who founded Tenochtitlan, came to the Valley of Mexico. The Aztec wanderedRead More Aztec Civilization Essay680 Words   |  3 Pages The Aztec Indians created a great civilization in Central Mexico, reaching its peak in the 1500amp;#8217;s. Being late arrivals to the area, and because of their strong neighboring nations, they were forced to live in the swampy western areas of the Lake Texcoco. Because of the swampy surroundings, the Aztecs used mud to create miniature islands in the swamps. These islands are called chinampas, or amp;#8220;floating gardens,; and were used as farming lands. On these fertile islands they grewRead MoreEssay about the aztecs990 Words   |  4 Pages The Aztecs Introduction nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The tribe in which I will be researching is the Aztecs tribe. I plan to find out the answers to the questions below. 1.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Where they lived? 2.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Their religions? 3.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;What they ate? 4.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Some of their beliefs? 5.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;What life was like? The Aztecs nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The IndianRead MoreAztec Culture Essay1402 Words   |  6 Pagesproduction(Barbara 2009). Women status were degraded by the shift from horticulture to intensive agriculture across the world in various civilizations or cultures. The Aztec culture The people referred to as Aztecs called themselves Mexica. The Aztec occupy a vast region of Central America centered around what now is Mexico City. But during their reign, the Aztec city was named Tenochtitlan and featured many bridges built over the lake in which it was founded (Peters-Golden 2002a: 19). Before the Spanish arrived

Jymique Easter Free Essays

Easter is celebrated the world over to mark the resurrection of Jesus Christ†. Also Easter is observed any. Veer between March 22 and April 25 of every year. We will write a custom essay sample on Jymique Easter or any similar topic only for you Order Now Also a good question is what does the word Easter even mean, Who started this tradition, and where did it come from, and why was it made Foster 2 Television Networks tells all about Easter and why we celebrate it. It tells that celebrate Easter because of Jesus Christ resurrection. In this website it tells about how Easter is called a movable feast because it does not fall on a set date every year. I can SE this source very effectively in my paper because it tells about the origins of Easter. â€Å"Easter. † History. Com. Television Networks, n. D 28 Septet. 2014. In History. Com. AE In this website it tells about the dates of Easter, and this is helpful information considering that Easter does not fall on the same date every year. In fact this source does not just help me, and it helps all the people out there who want to know what day Easter falls on. In this source it also talks about how Easter is a â€Å"blessed time for the faithful to celebrate life, death and resurrection for the savior. † â€Å"Easter 2014 Dates. Easter Dates for 2014 and Information. N. P. , n. D. Web 28 Septet. 2014. An this website it talks about the origins, the meanings, and practices of Easter, and it says that â€Å"Both Christian and Pagans have celebrated death and resurrection themes Foster 3 following the Spring Equinox for millennia. † can use this source as a very powerful tool in my research paper since it goes deep down into the practices of Easter. â€Å"Origins, Meaning and practices of Easter. â€Å"Easter. N. P. , n. D. Web 28 septet. 2014. While researching the holiday Easter, I have found some very helpful information for me and everybody else to understand Easter a little bit more. I have learned a lot of interesting things about Easter such as when it started, why it started, and why it is so important. â€Å"Easter is a day that is honored by nearly all contemporary Christianity and is used to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ†. Easter usually involves a family gathering followed by a big feast with a Easter ham for everybody to enjoy. Also some family go to church for early service to start off their Easter Sunday. Last but not least, just about every family has a Easter Egg hunt to finish off there Easter Sunday. A Easter egg hunt is when the a family boils eggs, then decorates the eggs with fancy designs. After that they hide the eggs around their neighborhoods, yards, parks, or where ever the family thinks is a good place to hide the Easter Eggs. That is Foster 4 when all the children go scavenging for the decorative Easter Eggs. Most people do not know why they color or hide Easter eggs. The egg was a sacred symbol among the Babylonians. The Babylonians believed that a large egg fell from the Euphrates River, an that the Goddess Stare was hatched. So the after that the egg came to be symbolized as the Goddess â€Å"Easter’. The name Easter has its roots in polytheistic religions, most people prefer to say Resurrection Day rather than Easter. As you know Easter falls on different dates every year in the months of March or April. The chosen date comes from a formula established by the Roman Emperor Sophistication The Great an the Council of Niece in A. D. 325. You can use this formula to find Out the date that Easter fall on every year. â€Å"According to this rule the latest possible date for Resurrection Sunday is April 25, next occurring in 2038. The earliest is March 22, in 2285. So you see there is a lot of history to Easter. How to cite Jymique Easter, Papers

Case Study of Lehman Brothers-Free-Samples-Myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Explain the basic Principles of Financial Accounting and Management Accounting as they apply to a Business Organization of their Choice. Answer: Introduction During 1844, the German immigrant Henry Lehman started his business journey with the grocery shop in small city of United States. Eventually, the company expanded the capital market through commercial paper trading that led their position as the official dealer of the US treasury (Mensah, 2015). However, the happy days of the company started ending with the 2007 financial year closing. Analysis of financial statement The given case study of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. represented their quarterly income statement and the quarterly balance sheet for the financial year 2007-08. The income statement revealed the quarterly financial data for the months of August 2007, November 2007, February 2008, May 2008 and August 2008. Further, the balance sheet revealed the quarterly financial data for the months of August 2007, November 2007, February 2008 and May 2008 (Fleming Sarkar, 2014). It can be identified from the financial statement of the company that the total revenue of the company are in decreasing trend and fell to 2.40 in August 2008 from 14.74 in August 2007. Further, the the company was not able to generate any positive income and their loss after tax for August 2007 was 3.93 whereas the income after tax for that of August 2007 was 0.89. The earnings per share of the company was also in negative for August 2008 and that was 5.93 per share whereas, the EPS for August 2007 was 1.53. The total assets of the company were moving around 5.40 to 5.90 during the period and did not have any considerable change. On the other hand, the liabilities of the company were highest during February 2008 and amounted to 761.21 and it was lowest during May 2008 that amounted to 613.15 (Ahnert Kakhbod, 2017). Therefore, it can be said that the liquidity position of the company were improved. Identification of key ratios and ratio analysis Ratio calculation Ratio Formula Result Aug-07 Nov-07 Feb-08 May-08 Liquidity Ratio Current ratio Current asset /Current liabilities 0.62 0.64 0.63 0.65 Profitability ratio Return on sales ratio Operating profit / Net sales 0.08 0.09 0.06 -0.70 Return on Assets ratio Net sales / Average total assets 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.01 Solvency ratio Debt to equity ratio Total liabilities / Total equity 29.34 29.73 30.66 23.33 Equity ratio Total equity / Total assets 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.04 Analysis of ratio Liquidity ratio The liquidity ratio is calculated for measuring the ability of the company to pay back its current obligations. Further, the current ratio is used for taking rough measurement of financial health of the company. The current ratio of the company is moving around 0.60 to 0.65. Current ratio less than 1 indicates that the company is not in a good position to pay off their short-term, obligations with the available short-term assets. Profitability ratio the profitability ratio of any organization calculates its ability to convert its sales into income. Looking at the profitability ratio of the company, it is identified that return on sales of the company was moving around 6% to 9% till February 2008. However, during next quarter that is May 2008, the company was not even able to generate positive return on sales and the result was loss of 70% which was significantly high. The reason behind this was that the revenue for that quarter fell by more than 50% as compared to February 2008 quarter, whereas the expenses did not fall by this high percentage. Looking at the return on assets ratio of the company, it is identified that the return for the quarter May 2008 was 1%. However, it was consistent at 2% for the last three quarter. The reason for the fall in the return was fall in sales by more than 50% as compared to February 2008 quarter. The profitability ratio of the company is very low and they shall try to conve rt their sales into profit. Solvency ratio the solvency ratios states the ability of the company for making the payments and pay off the long-term liabilities to the shareholders, creditors, banks and financial institutions. Better position of solvency ratio states that the financial status and creditworthiness of the company is sound over the long-term. With regard to the debt to equity ratio, it is considered that lower the ratio better the stability of the company (Stein, 2013). Looking at the above table, it is recognized that the debt to equity ratio of the company is ranging from 20 to 30% that indicates that the company is financially stable. On the other hand, the equity ratio implies the amount of the assets financed through the investment from the owners through the comparison of total equity to the total assets of the company. The ratio states that higher the ratio, better the position of the company. However, the equity ratio of the company is considerably low and amounts to only 3 to 4%. Therefore , it is identified that the equity position of the company is significantly unfavourable. Arguments with regard to the success of the company One of the major reasons behind the failure of Lehman Brothers was the financial crisis. As per the arguments of Andrew Ross Sorkin, the government could save the company but not tried honestly. However, various factors were there that led to the failure of the firm. The reasons are as follows No buyer the very first and major issue was that the lack of buyer. If the other cases like Washinton Mutual, Merrill Lynch, Wachovia or Bear Sterns are considered, it can be recognized that they did not declared bankruptcy as they found buyers. However, Lehman did not found. Further, Bank of America was interested till they found that rather than Lehman they can opt for Merrill Lynch. Disastrous balance sheet as no buyer was there, the 2nd option for Federal Reserve was to overcome the situation through availing the emergency loan. However, the Federal Reserve decided not to lend them as they did not have strong collateral for offering back-up (Kim Song, 2017). As per the arguments, the Fed could have provide the loan, but as per the calculation they were not supposed to provide the loan as it was evidential that the central bank will expose to considerable loss, if they try to revive the institution. No political favour was there for the bailouts - the public was at that point getting to be noticeably impatient with the finance related industry. The possibility that the Treasury or Fed may venture in to salvage a firm like Lehman, and stick citizens with billions of dollars in losses, simply didn't fly politically. With different acquisitions, the losses were figured to be less huge, and an eager acquirer was ready. That way, it didn't appear like the foundation was basically strong, however that regardless it kind of unsuccessful, and was obtained by another bank (Fitzpatrick Thomson, 2016). Failure directly did not affect the average Americans - Obviously, when it came to AIG, no reasons made a difference. It was safeguarded the day after Lehman neglected to the tune of $85 billion. It additionally had no acquirer; its monetary record was likewise a wreck; and its misfortunes could likewise be very huge. However, the alterations to a limited extent, the governmental issues were totally extraordinary (Chen et al., 2013). A disappointment of Lehman would in a roundabout way influence all Americans. Be that as it may, its immediate losses would generally fall on the shoulders of institutional financial specialists and present and previous Lehman speculation investors who held the company's stock. A disappointment of AIG, be that as it may, would straightforwardly influence a colossal number of normal Americans. Impact of political competitive environment The favourable environment of any business is impacted by the circumstances of the economic conditions and financial market of the world. The favourable conditions of the business is characterized by high GDP growth, efficient and transparent capital markets, political conditions, active investors, liquid markets, strong earnings of business and low inflation (Gehrig Haas, 2016). The global environment with regard to the market was favourable for the company as well as for the business during the 2007-08. The favourable condition was the result of various factors like strong market for equity, continuing growth in GDP, tightening of credit spread, active volumes of trade and low interest rate by major central banks. Ethical considerations No one was sure regarding whether the reforms associated with Lehman Brothers were sufficient, whether they went far enough or whether they were dealing with the appropriate issues. Major ethical considerations with regard to Lehman were as follows Mischief during boom times - Standard way of thinking might be that mischief happens when the economy is not doing so great, however in many cases it is the inverse. To keep up a forceful pace of development, officials are regularly enticed to hide the inconveniences. After there is a financial disaster like the recession and organizations begin to fail, misconduct was found that may have occurred during boom. Further, during the boom period when things are going exceptionally well, there is an inclination not to ask regarding the suspicious things (Harris, 2013). Balance sheet tricks - governments and companies frequently utilize balance sheet dishonesty to keep away from full revelation of their finance related issues. That was unquestionably the case with Lehman, which incidentally dispatched resources for London during difficult period to influence advances to seem like income (Ball, 2016). One of the key issues individuals need to consider is if conducts can be actually inside the guidelines and in fact legitimate, it is an exceptionally inconspicuous and nuanced question yet it was an inquiry the researcher should have concentrated on. While implementing the ethical reforms, actual implementation process is as crucial as the original one. To be more specific, the reforms can be designed well, however, it it is not implemented intelligently, it will not be effective and can be unfavourable at the same time (Birkinshaw, 2017). External factors required to be considered Under the present global economy, most of the entities will have to expose themselves to various uncertain pressures from external environment that have considerable impact on the companys human resource aspect. Once successful, Lehman Brothers had a tough time mainly due to sub-prime crisis of mortgage, ongoing issues of contracted liquidity in economy under the banking system and global market of US. This significantly destroyed the operations of the company as the finances were severely impacted (Longworth, 2016). Owing to this, in association with external factors the company had to retrench 6000 of their employees. Further, the HR management of the company required to take into consideration the external factors like technology of the company, strategy, size, strategies of life cycle and structures. It was further recognized that the analysis of HR should have been able to evaluate the HRM policies and strategies to response and adopt the external as well as internal changes wit hin the organization. The company instead of cutting-off their employees could reduce their wages (Dumontaux Pop, 2013). Further, the company required to adopt the HRM strategies with regard to the alterations in external environment that is the job repackaging and temporary plan for the employees lay-off. Conclusion From the above discussion it is concluded that one of the major reasons that led to the significant fall of Lehman Brothers was the subprime crisis during 2007 that eventually led to the collapse of the company during the year 2008. It was recognized that various stakeholders were equally responsible for the crisis and the other responsible factors were excessive leverage, leadership issues, failure of measuring the risks like the value at risk and the poor regulation system of industries related to investment banking. Moreover, the role of some specific derivative instruments was also led to the collapse of the country. Recommendation It is recommended that the company should have managed its operation as per the conceptual framework and proper care should have been taken while dealing with subprime lending along with consideration of value at risk. Further, as the profitability ratio, equity ratio and liquidity ratio of the company were significantly low as compared to the industry standard, Lehman shall take into consideration these facts and try to balance their financial performance through paying off the short-term liabilities and increasing the equity ratio. Reference Ahnert, T., Kakhbod, A. (2017). Information choice and amplification of financial crises.The Review of Financial Studies,30(6), 2130-2178. Ball, L. (2016).The Fed and Lehman Brothers: Introduction and Summary(No. w22410). National Bureau of Economic Research. Birkinshaw, J. (2017). Lehman Brothers General Motors: contrasting models of failure.The Business Management Collection. Chen, R. R., Chidambaran, N. K., Imerman, M. B., Sopranzetti, B. J. (2013). Leverage, Liquidity, and Loss Spirals: Lessons from the Lehman Failure. Dumontaux, N., Pop, A. (2013). Understanding the market reaction to shockwaves: evidence from the failure of Lehman Brothers.Journal of Financial Stability,9(3), 269-286. Fitzpatrick IV, T. J., Thomson, J. B. (2016). Lehman Brothers bankruptcy, what lessons can be drawn?. InBanking Crises(pp. 213-220). Palgrave Macmillan UK. Fleming, M. J., Sarkar, A. (2014). The failure resolution of Lehman Brothers. Fleming, M., Sarkar, A. (2014). The failure resolution of Lehman Brothers, Federal Reserve Bank of New York.Econ Policy Rev. March,31. Gehrig, T., Haas, M. (2016). Anomalous Trading Prior to Lehman Brothers' Failure. Harris, R. (2013). Warning Signs Prior to the Financial Crisis of 2008: A Comparative Analysis.Journal of Management Engineering Integration,6(1), 88. Kim, D., Song, C. Y. (2017). Bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers: Determinants of Cross-country Impacts on Stock Market Volatility.International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues,7(3), 210-219. Longworth, D. (2016). Canadian Domestic Financial Policy Responses During the crisis itself, especially following the failure of Lehman Brothers in midSeptember 2008, the key financial policy response was liquidity provision to banks and borrowers by the Bank of Canada (BoC)(see chapter 6 in this volume for more information) and the federal.Crisis and Reform: Canada and the International Financial System. Mensah, J. M. K. (2015). The failure of Lehman Brothers: causes, preventive measures and recommendations.Browser Download This Paper. Stein, M. (2013). When does narcissistic leadership become problematic? Dick Fuld at Lehman Brothers.Journal of Management Inquiry,22(3), 282-293.

Sunday, May 3, 2020

Audit Assurance and Compliance Case Study

Questions: A.Would King Queen be liable to EFL? Provide Specific Case References to Support your Answer. B.Would your answer change if EFL had written to King Queen advising you that they intended to make a Loan to Impulse and were relying on the 2012 Audited Financial Report to assist them in making their decision? C.Define Actual and Perceived Independence, and Explain the Importance of each. D.For Each of the above Independent Situations list any Professional Standards and Regulatory Requirements Breached and Discuss Possible Alternative Courses of Action the Auditor should have taken in order to properly discharge their Professional Responsibilities. Answers: A.As mentioned in the case study on Impulse Pty Limited, it can be hereby ascertained that Impulse is essentially an entertainment system manufacturing organization founded during the year 2005. The case study also mentions that King Queen acts as an independent auditing corporation for the corporation Impulse Pty Limited right from its inception. Consequently, the situation of 30th June during the year 2012 mentions that the company Impulse Pty Limited is facing several issues associated to the liquidity position of the corporation as well as inventory at hand. However, during the time of preparation and presentation of financial declarations as well as financial announcements for the company Impulse Pty Limited for the period 30th June 2012, the management of the firm King Queen did not take into account certain important business circumstances into account that led to unadjusted financial situation replicated by the financial statements. As per the case study, it can also be det ermined that Easy Finance Limited (EFL) is financing company that funded different business organizations. EFL also disbursed loans to the corporation Impulse after taking into consideration and assessing the financial declarations of the company. The primary intention and purpose of the company Impulse was to handle and identify the issues that led to the constant relegation of the financial condition of the firm. Finally, Impulse suffered bankruptcy during the period December 2012 owing to combined implications of several major difficulties associated to the liquidity condition as well as levels of inventory of the organization and consequently EFL too had to suffer badly owing to the adverse impacts of such kinds of events. As per the specific roles and responsibilities of independent auditors, it can be said that the independent auditors have the accountability to prepare as well as present financial declarations based on the accurate historical data of the organization and by considering the companys financial as well as trading standpoints (Glover et al. 2014). However, the financial announcements of the company need to replicate the actual financial condition of the firm during a particular period of time founded on the flows of cash, functional results, incomes as well as gains along with income and profits (Kend et al. 2014). Nevertheless, in certain cases, particular events or else circumstances might crop up after the specific date of authorizing and declaring the pecuniary reports of the firm. Therefore, it becomes important to adjust and incorporate the effects of these events in the financial declarations in the upcoming financial reports that is to be declared by the corporation. In addition to this, the independent auditors also have the need to attach significance to the events that take place prior to the process of preparation as well presentation of the financial declarations and take into account the material impacts of the events on the preparation of the financial statements related to the organization (Schmidt et al. 2016). Thus, there is pressing need for conducting obligatory adjustments for the purpose of disclosing several critical facts regarding the financial soundness of the organization during the specific period of time. As per the effective adjustments in the financial statements made during the period September 2002, the incidences triggered by the disclosures or else non disclosures can be indicated to the consequent events that involved several parties. As per the case study, it can be hereby ascertained that EFL had to bear huge amount of losses owing to the bankruptcy of the corporation Impulse. It can further inferred that this specific loss is mostly caused due to the non-disclosure of proper financial information of Impulse by the auditing and accounting firm King Queen of Impulse Pty Ltd. Based on the norms and principles of auditing, it can be hereby inferred that the actions steered by the auditing firm King Queen was immensely unethical. Consequently the auditing firm is accountable to the financing company EFL for the losses it has suffered by disbursing huge amount of loans to the company Impulse based on the financial reports of the firm (Messier Jr 2016). B.The analysis of the case study reveals the fact that King Queen might not face legal charges based on certain condition. The independent auditing company would not face any legal charges in case if it delivered the right information concerning the financial condition of the firm Impulse to the EFL at the time when EFL asked about written explanation in quest of advice from King Queen related to the financial condition of the firm. King Queen had the need to provide credible financial information regarding the firm Impulse to the financing firm EFL if it had clearly written regarding their decision for disbursement of loan based on the financial announcements presented by the King Queen. However, if EFL agreed to disburse loans to Impulse even after receiving and knowing the actual financial information regarding the company Impulse, then EFL cannot hold King Queen responsible for the bitter consequences. However, as per the conditions stipulated under the paragraphs (93 to 97) of PCAOB Auditing Standard No 5, the auditing corporation King Queen had the need to undertake an assimilated audit of the financial announcement of the company Impulse in a bid to generate an appropriate financial statement of the firm and to declare about the real health and financial soundness of the company (Moroney et al. 2014). In addition to this, there was also need for maintenance of internal control related to the particular approach of the firm regarding auditing. The maintenance of internal control can help in delivering the direction associated to the consequent events as mentioned in the in the case study. The internal control in organization can also help in proper audit of financial reports and provide proper advice to the auditors. The right guidance to the auditing firm King Queen can help in averting different liabilities that are associated to the different consequences of events as stated above. The auditing therefor, also needs to abide by the guidelines rel ated to the associated to auditing standards for undertaking the practices of audit as well as their approaches of audit (Stuart 2012). The auditing firm such as King Queen can adhere to the stipulations conditioned under the Australian Auditing Standards mentioned under the Section 336 of the Corporation Act (William Jr et al. 2016). In this case, King Queen, the firm performing audit needs to review and audit of financial reports in addition to other financial information as per the conditions laid under the ASQC 1. In addition to this, they also need to maintain compliance with the ASA 102 that mentions the ethical obligations that need to be satisfied at the time of performance of audit, reviews as well as other types of assurance engagement of the firm (Eilifsen et al. 2013). Furthermore, the King Queen also had the need to comply with the stipulations provided as per the section ASA 220 for maintenance of quality control of a particular audit of a financial statement togeth er with other historical information (financial information) (Auasb.gov.au 2016). In addition to this, the auditors also need to maintain compliance with the directives mentioned under ASA240 for understanding the responsibilities of the auditors associated to fraudulent actions in a specific audit of financial declaration and take into consideration the regulations of ASA 250 for understanding the laws of auditing a financial report (Auasb.gov.au 2016). C.As rightly indicated by Glover et al. (2014), auditing independence deals with two wide aspects that can be discussed for comprehending the nature as well as characteristics of auditors. As such, there remains difference between the actual independence and perceived independence of auditing when considered in terms of appearance. Therefore, in a bid to attain goals as well as objectives of auditing, both the actual as well as the perceived independence is imperative from the viewpoint of the contributions of auditing. Louwers et al. (2013) asserts that actual independence refers to the operations of the auditors that get impacted by the thinking potential. To put it simply, the actual independence of auditing is primarily reliant on the in dependent state of mind of the particular auditors. The state of the mind of the auditors exert considerable impact on the functioning as well as approaches of different auditors. This in turn affects the way auditors deal with particular situati ons associated to their auditing practices (Arens et al. 2012). Thus, freedom in the decision making can be observed during the time when directors of firms tries to negotiate positions of the auditors. The actual independence of auditing that depends on mental state of individuals is very difficult to enumerate. Therefore, this can be very challenging to gauge the objectivity of particular auditors. However, perceived independence of auditing can be considered as the grey area between the normal black and white aspects of the auditing and is based mainly on perceptions (Duncan and Whittington 2014). D.As rightly mentioned by Carson et al. (2013), there are several important regulatory requirements along with auditing standards associated to the process of auditing as developed by Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC). There are several directives as well as regulations stated in the regulations of ASIC that the independent auditors take into consideration for undertaking their actions (ODonnell K. et al. 2015). As mentioned in the first scenario, Bob has duplicated and at the same time used the financial information provided in the books of the company Club Casino in a bid to prepare university assignment task. Bob essentially removed the probable references that are related to the Club Casino that has the probabilities of breach of audit as Bob did not notify Clun Casino for any such kind of practices. Thus, it can be said that Bob is an independent auditor who needs to get approval from Club casino regarding the utilization and employment of financial information for satisfying the primary educational requirements. Bob also need to comply with the ethical requirement as stipulated under the ASA 102 (Auasb.gov.au 2016). Bob needs to adhere to the regulations in order to comply with ethical obligations during the performance of audit of firms. The second scenario explicates in detail the involvement of Wendy to the company Ace Limited. The company have the need for the auditor rotation as per the stipulations of ASIC. In addition, it is also imperative for the auditor to maintain adherence to the stipulations mentioned under ASA 220 Quality Control Aus A6.1 that specifies about the requirement of the auditor rotation (Auasb.gov.au 2016). The Corporation 2001 also mentions about the requirements of the rotation requirements necessary for meeting the ethical obligations of auditors (Auasb.gov.au 2016). Again, as per the guidelines of ASIC, there are several enforceable regulations for the auditors responsible for preparation as well as presentation of reports for main areas of different business actions and if the corporation is operating for more than 5 years. The third scenario refers to the assignment of Leo in the auditing procedure of organization Precision Machinery Limited. The scenario can help in comprehending the features of appointment that need to meet the capability and effectiveness levels. This is related to the quality assessment programs together with different disciplinary procedures of the professional accounting bodies. Therefore, it is important to adhere to the directives stipulated under ASA 220 for quality control of audit and assessment of quality of the particular audit evidence and ASA 510 Audit Engagement rules and regulations (Auasb.gov.au 2016). The fourth scenario indicates towards the occurrence particularly between Chan Associates and the Classic Reproduction Pty Ltd. The present scenario refers to the application of registration requirements in the most suitable manner (Stuart 2012). Thus, it calls for the need of arrangement of full settlement actions for the particular claims related to the fees of auditing firm Chan Associates. In addition to this, the present scenario also talks about the relation with Classic Reproductions for not fulfilling specific auditing requirements. References Arens, A.A., Elder, R.J. and Beasley, M.S., 2012. Auditing and assurance services: an integrated approach. Prentice Hall. Auasb.gov.au. 2016. Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (AUASB) - Home. [online] Available at: https://www.auasb.gov.au/ [Accessed 15 Dec. 2016]. Carson, E., Simnett, R. and Vanstraelen, A., 2013, September. Auditing the auditors: An international analysis of the effectiveness of national inspection regimes on audit quality. In The University of Auckland Business School Seminar. Duncan, B. and Whittington, M., 2014, September. Compliance with standards, assurance and audit: does this equal security?. In Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Security of Information and Networks (p. 77). ACM. Eilifsen, A., Messier, W.F., Glover, S.M. and Prawitt, D.F., 2013. Auditing and assurance services. McGraw-Hill. Glover, S.M., Prawitt, D.F. and Messier, W.F., 2014. Auditing assurance services: a systematic approach. McGraw-Hill Education. Glover, S.M., Prawitt, D.F. and Messier, W.F., 2014. Auditing assurance services: a systematic approach. McGraw-Hill Education. Kend, M., Houghton, K. and Jubb, C., 2014. Competition issues in the market for audit and assurance services: are the concerns justified?. Australian Accounting Review, 24(4), pp.313-320. Louwers, T.J., Ramsay, R.J., Sinason, D.H., Strawser, J.R. and Thibodeau, J.C., 2013. Auditing and assurance services. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Messier Jr, W., 2016. Auditing assurance services: A systematic approach. McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Moroney, R., Campbell, F., Hamilton, J. and Warren, V., 2014. Auditing: A Practical Approach. Wiley Global Education. ODonnell, K., Hicks, B., Streeter, J. and Shantapriyan, P., 2015. Getting it right: directors assessment of information. Managerial Auditing Journal, 30(2), pp.117-131. Schmidt, P.J., Wood, J.T. and Grabski, S.V., 2016. Business in the Cloud: Research Questions on Governance, Audit and Assurance. Journal of Information Systems. Stuart, I., 2012. Auditing and assurance services: an applied approach. McGraw-Hill/Irwin. William Jr, M., Glover, S. and Prawitt, D., 2016. Auditing and Assurance Services: A Systematic Approach. Auditing and Assurance Services: A Systematic Approach.