Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Essay about How to Make a Chocolate Trifle - 715 Words
Baking to me is passion; it is an art. It gives me an opportunity to create. I love to bake and my specialty is desserts. It was very hard to narrow down and decide what it is that I wanted to write about being that there are so many dishes and desserts that I have mastered throughout the years. One of my favorite, yet simple, desserts to make is a Chocolate Trifle. My trifles in addition to my pound cakes have become one of the most requested desserts to make. Making a Chocolate Trifle involves preparation and learning the language of the kitchen. Preparation can be the difference between success and failure so having the kitchen prepared is the first step to take towards baking anything. Nothing is worse than opening theâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦It is a method of trial-and-error because even though you seem to have followed all directions sometimes your baked good just doesnââ¬â¢t follow though. I canââ¬â¢t begin to tell you how many cakes Iââ¬â¢ve had to throw away! It is an art that you must practice at over and over again until youââ¬â¢ve reached the point where you donââ¬â¢t need a piece of paper to follow along. In the Chocolate Trifle recipe there are words that might need explaining especially if you are a beginning baker; combine, mix and fold. Combine and mix can be used interchangeably because both words mean the same. Folding is a technique in baking that is used to integrate air into the mixture. Folding is to take a spatula or a spoon, scrape the bottom of the bowl and ââ¬Å"foldâ⬠over or into the mixture as if you would flip a pancake. Once you have your ingredients in front of you and understand the language then you are ready to begin! The ingredients for a Chocolate Trifle are as follows: 1-package of brownie mix (I have always preferred Duncan Hines), 1 (3.4oz.) package of instant chocolate pudding mix, à ½ cup of water, 1 (14oz.) can of sweetened condensed milk, 1 (8oz.) container of chocolate Cool Whip, thawed, 1 (12oz.) container of regular Cool Whip, thawed, and if you prefer some chocolate swirls, chocolate shavings or maybe even fresh strawberries for garnishment. First prepare the brownie mix according to the package directions. Air pressure affects baked goodsShow MoreRelatedQueen Victoria Aimee Wilkinson Queen1600 Words à |à 7 Pagesarmies went south to Africa, fighting the second Boer War. This war lasted from October 1899 to May 1902. During this time Victoria was concerned about her army and navy, and felt as though she wanted to lift their spirits. She decided to send them chocolate from home as a Christmas and New Year gift. Due to the Industrial Revolution, the English society was divided into three classes. There was the Church and Aristocracy, the Middle Class and the Poor, Working Class. The Victorians were deeply religiousRead MoreGourmet Bakers Pakistan8514 Words à |à 35 Pagesfor their food needs. Mr. chathha the founder of Gourmet stared his business with 20 million rupees. He is holding the position of Managing Director of the company. He was serving in Shezan Bakers as a General Manager and later on he decided to make his own bakery. He started his business through getting employees from shehzan bakers in the beginning. Gourmet produces a wide variety of bakery items, sweets and dairy products and offers high quality services in their restaurants. Gourmet hasRead MoreBook Report On Eric Ross2079 Words à |à 9 Pagesstarting to fall outside. Soon winter would be here. The smell of fresh brewed coffee invaded my nose as I stepped inside the door. 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The similarities that happen in the two stories are the characters that are introduced seem as if they are the villain at first but then theyRead MoreMacro Economic Analysis of Coca Cola4039 Words à |à 17 Pagesof soft drinks. Due to the facing of highly competition in the market, the Company used more than million dollars in the Ramp; D, marketing and production, in order to design a new product to gain a higher margin. This report is mainly focusing on how Coca-Cola Company Limited uses strategies in order to competitive in the mature market. Firstly, the issues of the Company will be identified, and then SWOT analysis of the company will be conducted. After that, evaluation of alternative strategiesRead More The Problem of Evil Essay examples5683 Words à |à 23 PagesPart I. A non-omniscient God. Grounds for supposing God is not omniscient The assignment for this essay mentions only that God is omnipotent and all-loving, and omits the other traditional attribute, of omniscience. Therefore let us first consider how the debate goes if we allow Gods ignorance of the suffering as His excuse for not stopping it. This approach gains some legitimacy thus: There are passages in the Bible where God is ignorant, such as Genesis 3.ix, where Adam is hiding in the bushesRead MoreMajor Problems in American History: to 1877 Essay5620 Words à |à 23 Pagesconverted to Christianity) prevented * Friday morning of March 22nd and evening, they came unarmed into our houses without bows or arrows, or other weapons, with deer, turkey, fish, furs, etc. to sell, and truck with us, for glass, beads and other trifles (small quantities of other things): in some places sat down at breakfast with our people at their tables * And this means that fatal Friday morning, there fell under the bloody barbarous hand of that perfidious (deceitful; faithless) and inhumaneRead MoreEssay on Winter Olympics 2006 Marketing Plan16242 Words à |à 65 Pagesif any? To what extent have the targets set by the bid promoters and the organizers been achieved, or missed? Finally, on what foundations and from which perspectives have Turin and its surrounding Olympic valleys managed to plan, and how are they preparing to make the most of the heritage of the Games, which is now the main reason that drives a city (and a country) to bear the expensive challenge of their organization? ââ¬â In this essay, primarily from an economic point of view, we will attemptRead MoreThe Ballad of the Sad Cafe46714 Words à |à 187 PagesSo that the only use that Miss Amelia had for other people was to make money out of them. And in this she succeeded. Mortgages on crops and property, a sawmill, money in the bank -- she was the richest woman for miles around. She would have been rich as a congressman if it were not for her one great failing, and that was her passion for lawsuits and the courts. She would involve herself in long and bitter litigation over just a trifle. It was said that if Miss Amelia so much as stumbled over a rockRead MoreCase Studies67624 Words à |à 271 Pagesexamine an organisation; others provide less structure, expecting students to learn by developing their own unique analytical method. Still other instructors believe that a moderately structured framework should be used to analyse a firmââ¬â¢s situation and make appropriate recommendations. Your lecturer or tutor will determine the specific approach you take. The approach we are presenting to you is a moderately structured framework. We divide our discussion of a moderately structured case analysis method
Monday, December 23, 2019
The World Of Business Ethics - 2141 Words
Claim The world of business in the United States is complex, each decision for any given company affects a number of variables at a time. Likewise, each decision is based on the evaluation of many factors; decisions that would seem mundane to the outsider have to take into consideration applicable laws, on both the Federal and State level, ââ¬Å"is what weââ¬â¢re doing legal?â⬠, what is best for the shareholders, ââ¬Å"will this yield greater dividends or increase share valueâ⬠, what is best for customers ââ¬Å"does our product/service do what is promised?â⬠. All of these considerations and more intersect into the field of business ethics, which helps determine which practices are ethically justifiable, and which are ethically reprehensible. In the United States, that which is considered ethical in business terms, does not necessarily translate into legality. For example, while it was perfectly within ethical limits for distilleries to sell liquor, during prohibi tion, it was strictly illegal. Likewise, in the modern day era, there are many laws that restrict and shape the direction of a business. One such body of laws are the Anti-trust regulations, which prohibit monopolies from existing within the confines of American industry. According to prevailing ethical theory, specifically Kantian ethical theory, a monopolistic business is ethically permissible, in a free market context. Explanation The illegality of monopolies in the United States, unlike various otherShow MoreRelatedBusiness Ethics And The Business World2792 Words à |à 12 PagesBusiness ethics play an essential role in the business world today. Since their development they have become a major influence on anything business related. 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How you react in theseRead MoreEthics Codes And The World Of International Business1404 Words à |à 6 PagesEthics or what it is sometimes known as moral philosophy is an idea that involves the decision or right or wrong conduct. Ethics play a very vital role in any business and especially in the world of international business. In an international business setting the set of ethically right doings expands greatly due to a particular countries ethics standards. Not all ethics standards are the same especially when dealing with countries across the seas from the United States of America. Due to differentRead MoreThe World Of Knowledge Is Not Exempt From Business Ethics1667 Words à |à 7 Pages The World of Knowledge Is Not Exempt From Business Ethics MG 640: Managerial Economics Prof. Rawana Miral Patel Due: November 8, 2015 Ethics is one of the most pertinent topics in todays world. In the present one finds oneself in a constantly evolving lifestyle where the boundaries between what is right and what is wrong is constantly changing and the line between truth and false is blurring. Even in this scenario one does understand the implications even a small wrong decisionRead MoreWorld Philosophy, Personal Values, And Business Ethics2625 Words à |à 11 Pagesshow how world philosophy, personal values, and business ethics have components that are shared that impact values and morals. Values are at the core of all decision making personal or business. This study will provide analysis of how these capacities shape a personââ¬â¢s or business ethics. It will show how something is reasoned to be right or wrong. It will highlight how these ideas get formed, the root of the problem as well as suggest recommendations that might resolve issues related to world, personalRead MoreThe Potential and Limitation of Team work Ethics as a Success Factor in the Business World1990 Words à |à 8 PagesThe Potential and Limitation of Teamwork Ethics as a Success Factor in the Business World Abderazak Ouassou Texas AM University - Commerce The Potential and Limitation of Teamwork Ethics as a Success Factor in the Business World Lincoln Electric, one of the most successful companies, is the world leading manufacturer of arc welding products. It is also one of the leading producers of industrial electric motors. This success is mainly driven by the ethical practices of the company. The LincolnRead MoreThe News of the World Phone Hacking Scandal from Business Ethics and Csr Point of View3483 Words à |à 14 PagesThe News of the World Phone Hacking Scandal from Business Ethics and CSR Point of View Date: 21 June 2012 Executive Summary The focus of the project youââ¬â¢re about to read is on the recently phone hacking scandal of famous UK News agency, - The News of The World. The report include a brief explanation of what has happened based on pre-selected online articles, analysis of the scandal from Business Ethics point of view by using various CSR theories discussed during the CSR course in period fourRead MoreWhat is Business Ethics?741 Words à |à 3 Pages In todayââ¬â¢s business world businesses face the challenge of doing the right thing over doing the profitable thing more than ever before. For many years the sole purpose of business was to be make profits for the shareholders. This view has now been changed. The propriety of business actions is being challenged by the modern day consumer. One of the major issues or opportunities (depending on which way one may see it) is the issue of ââ¬Ëgoing-greenââ¬â¢. Consumers in todayââ¬â¢s society have access to a largeRead MorePersonal Views Ethics Essay1083 Words à |à 5 PagesViews Ethics Essay Each person should live with moral standards. To distinguish between the right and wrong is based on the personââ¬â¢s ethics. It describes what kind of values and beliefs does the person has. In business, it composed of standard ethics that serves as a guideline among employees about their expectation to the company. Newell S. stated that ethics in business focuses on identifying the moral standards of right and wrong as they apply to behaviour within and across business institutionsRead MoreImportance of Ethics in International Business1541 Words à |à 7 PagesImportance of Ethics in International Business Executive Summary Ethics in the business world is important and global. Ethicsà indicate what is right and what is wrong inà business branches and also lead employees and stakeholders with moral values. Due to the globalization of markets and production processes, business people have to deal with ethical issues in cross-cultural settings at an increasing number. The purpose of this paper is to explain the importance of international business, emphasise
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Krugman Analysis Free Essays
The Story Behind Financial Deregulation a. Wild Optimism the Deregulation Movement b. The Political Influence of the Financial Sector (and the Wealthy in General) PART II: THE SOLUTION Section 3: The Solution is Government Stimulus (and a Few Other Reforms) 7. We will write a custom essay sample on Krugman Analysis or any similar topic only for you Order Now The Solution is Government Stimulus 8. Objection #1 : Government Stimulus Doesnââ¬â¢t Spur the Economy (and Response) ; a. Exhibit A: The Great Depression b. The Initial Stimulus Effort Was Too Small 9. Solution Specifics a. Stimulus Specifics b. Additional Federal Reserve Actions c. Housing Relief (et. L. ) 10. Objection #2: The Danger of Government Debt (and Response) ; . The Problem of Investor Confidence b. The Problem of Paying off the Debt in the Future 1 1 . Objection #3: The Danger of Inflation (and Response) Section 4: The Chances of Government Stimulus Being Implemented (and How to Improve Them) 12. Pragmatic Politics and the Coming Election a. An Obama Sweep b. An Obama Win, and a Divided Parliament c. A Rooney Victory 13. Conclusion Since the housing and financial crash of 2008, Americaââ¬â¢s economy has been stuck deep in the doldrums. Indeed, GAP has remained well beneath pre-2008 levels, and employment levels have failed to recover. In an effort to resuscitate the economy, the American government tried first to Jump-start it through stimulus spending, and has now replaced this approach with greater austerity. Nothing seems to be working. For Nobel Prize winning economist Paul Grumman, though, the answer is clear: the problem is that the original stimulus effort was too small, and, since that time, the government is moving squarely in the wrong direction. Indeed, Grumman argues that Americaââ¬â¢s current situation bares a striking resemblance to the stagnation of the Great Depression, and that history has taught us what to do in such situations: the overspent must take an aggressive approach to stimulate the economy into recovery. This is the argument that Grumman makes in his new book ââ¬ËEnd This Depression Now! ââ¬Ë Now, Grumman is not a proponent of big government spending under normal conditions. Indeed, even in a recession, Germanââ¬â¢s preferred approach is to drop interest rates in order to spur consumer spending. The problem now is that interest rates are already at zero, and this has not been enough to get consumer spending off the ground, thus leaving the economy in what is called a ââ¬Ëliquidity trapââ¬â¢. For Grumman, the liquidity trap is actually quite common in economic downturns that allow financial crashes (as is the case with the current one, and as was the case with the Great Depression), and is why such slumps tend to be deep and prolonged. According to Grumman, the best and surest way to save the economy from a liquidity trap is for the government to step in and undertake the spending that consumers wonââ¬â¢t. That is, the government must stimulate the economy back into action, until consumers can get back on their feet enough to take over for themselves. For Grumman, this is precisely what happened in America during WI, when the governmentââ¬â¢s military spending served to stimulate the economy and save it from the rips of the Great Depression. Now, Germanââ¬â¢s opponents will point out that the American government has already tried the stimulus approach during this downturn, and that this strategy did not work, thus showing that it cannot be relied upon. Whatââ¬â¢s more, these same opponents argue that the governmentââ¬â¢s debt is already enormous, and indeed dangerously high, and that further government spending at this point may well render the debt completely unmanageable, if not force the government into insolvency (which is indeed a threat that is currently being faced by several countries in the European Union). Finally, Germanââ¬â¢s detractors maintain that pumping more money into the economy at this time only threatens to drive up inflation to dangerous levels, perhaps even triggering a hyperinflation spiral. Grumman, though, claims that he has answers to all of these objections. In the first place, as noted above, the author maintains that the failure of the governmentââ¬â¢s first stimulus effort did not prove that this approach is ineffective, but that it simply wasnââ¬â¢t large enough to do the trick. Second, Grumman argues that though government debt does pose a concern, Americaââ¬â¢s debt is actually not that dangerous by historical tankards. Whatââ¬â¢s more, since America has its own currency (unlike the countries of the European Union), it is able to print money to turn over its debt, thus preventing the possibility of bankruptcy. Finally, with regards to inflation, Grumman contends that inflation simply cannot get off the ground in a depressed economy (as the current situation would attest to), and that when it is triggered in an upturn the government can always reverse its policy, thus keeping it firmly in check. Here is Paul Grumman speaking about his new book (Part II of the interview is available on Youth): http://www. Tube. Com/watch? What follows is a full executive summary of End This Depression NOW! By Paul Grumman. PART l: THE PROBLEM Grumman begins by way of establishing the gravity of the problems that Americaââ¬â¢s economy is currently facing. This can be seen in the numbers. To begin with, consider Americaââ¬â¢s Gross Domestic Product (GAP). As Grumman notes, GAP indicates ââ¬Å"the total value of goods and services that are produced in an economy, adjusted for inflationâ⬠¦ In a given period of timeâ⬠(loc. 274). As such, GAP provides a general picture of how much an economy is producing, and how quickly it is growing. Between the Great Depression and the beginning of the current recession, Americaââ¬â¢s GAP grew at an average rate of between 2% to 2. 5% per year (loc. 277). The biggest downturn during this time occurred between 1979 and 1982, when Americaââ¬â¢s economy experienced a ââ¬Ëdouble dipââ¬â¢ recession-?which Grumman characterizes as essentially ââ¬Å"two recessions in close succession that are best viewed as basically a single slump with a stutter in the middleâ⬠(loc. 283). At the low point of this recession, in 1982, Americaââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"real GAP was 2 percent below its previous peakâ⬠(loc. 83), meaning it basically went flat. However, the author continues, the economy rebounded very quickly in the immediate aftermath, ââ¬Å"growing at a 7 percent rate for the next two years-?morning in Americaââ¬â¢-?and then returned to its normal growth trackâ⬠(loc. 283). When we look at the latest recession, we find that the low point occurred between 2007 and 2 009. When compared with the recession of the late sassââ¬â¢s and early sassââ¬â¢s, we find that the latest ââ¬Å"plungeâ⬠¦ As steeper and sharper, with real GAP falling 5 percent over the course of eighteen monthsâ⬠(loc. 287). Whatââ¬â¢s more, the American economy has not seen a strong recovery this time around, as ââ¬Å"growth since the official end of the recession has actually been lower than normalâ⬠(loc. 287). All in all, the author claims, ââ¬Å"the U. S. Economy is [currently] operating about 7 percent below its potentialâ⬠(loc. 295), and has lost $3 trillion in value since the slump began (loc. 299). Most significant of all, though, is that the economy shows no signs of a major come back any time soon; thus leading Grumman to conclude that ââ¬Å"at this point weââ¬â¢ll be very lucky if we get away with a cumulative output loss of ââ¬Ëonly $5 trillionâ⬠(loc. 299). . Unemployment Is Way Up While the GAP numbers are certainly telling, the more significant numbers, according to Grumman, are those concerning unemployment. As the author reminds us, unemployment statistics cover only those who are looking for work but who canââ¬â¢t find it, and ââ¬Å"in December 2011 that amounted to more than 13 million Americans, up from 6. 8 million in 2007â⬠(loc. 94). This is already a staggering number, but when you take into account all of those people who have stopped looking for work out of frustration, or who have taken part-time work out of desperation, this number balloons even Geiger: ââ¬Å"by this broader measure there are about 24 million unemployed Americans -?abou t 15 percent of the workforce-?roughly double the number before the crisisâ⬠(loc. 202). And since the current slump has dragged on so long, the number of people who have been out of work long-term (meaning 6 months to 1 year, or longer [loc. 224]) has risen to levels not seen since the Great Depression. Indeed, Grumman writes that ââ¬Å"not since the sassââ¬â¢s have so many Americans found themselves trapped in a permanent stats of Joblessnessâ⬠(loc. 228). The unemployment numbers are particularly important, the author argues, since hey bring home the human element of the story. Indeed, while GAP statistics represent the abstract loss of an entire economy, unemployment numbers reflect the loss of income of real people. Whatââ¬â¢s more, unemployment not only affects income, but self-esteem as well: ââ¬Å"people who want to work but canââ¬â¢t find work suffer greatly, not Just from the loss of income but from a diminished sense of self-worth. And thatââ¬â¢s a major reason why mass unemployment-?which has now been going on for years-?is such a tragedyââ¬â¢ (loc. 173). Adding to the tragedy here is the fact that those who are shut out of the Job market or long stretches end up being stigmatize, which can hurt their prospects of landing work in the future: ââ¬Å"Does being unemployed for a long time really erode work skills, and make you a poor hire? Does the fact that you were one of the long-term unemployed indicate that you were a loser in the first place? Maybe not, but many employers think it does, and for the worker that may be all that matters. Lose a Job in this economy, and itââ¬â¢s very hard to find another; stay unemployed long enough, and you will be considered unemployableâ⬠(loc. 241). While all of these factors have very such affected people who were already in the Job market, it has been even worse for young people who had not yet established themselves before the recession hit. Indeed, unemployment levels among the young tend to be higher than the general population in the best of times, but in the worst of times they tend to get hit even harder. As Grumman notes, ââ¬Å"truly , this is a terrible time to be youngâ⬠¦ Roughly one in four recent graduates is either unemployed or working only part-time. There has also been a notable drop in wages for those who do have full-time Jobs that donââ¬â¢t make use of their educationâ⬠(loc. 249-58). 3. The Potential Long-Term Consequences When it comes to the plight of young people, as well as those who have found themselves shut out of the Job market for an extended period, these phenomena not only affect those directly involved, but also threaten to damage the economy in the long term. This proves to be the case because, as mentioned, present unemployment, or underemployment, can threaten future opportunities. As Grumman explains, ââ¬Å"if workers who have been Jobless for extended periods come to be seen as unemployable, thatââ¬â¢s a long-term reduction in the economyââ¬â¢s effective workforce, and hence in its productive capacity. The plight of college graduates forced to take Jobs that donââ¬â¢t use their skills is somewhat similar: as time goes by, they may find themselves demoted, at least in the eyes of potential employers, to the status of low- skilled workers, which will mean that their education goes to wasteâ⬠(loc. 324). And lost employment opportunities is not the only way that a prolonged slump can adversely affect future economic performance. As Grumman argues, an extended downturn tends to deter businesses from investing in and expanding their operations, which can leave them in a position where they are unable to meet emend when the economy finally does turn around and demand picks up: ââ¬Å"the problem is that if and when the economy finally does recover, it will bump up against capacity limits and production bottlenecks much sooner than it would have if the persistent slump hadnââ¬â¢t given businesses every reason to stop investing in the futureâ⬠(loc. 328). Germanââ¬â¢s claim that an extended economic downturn does in fact have significant long time repercussions is bolstered by an MIFF study that looked at previous recessions. As the author explains, ââ¬Å"the International Monetary Fund has tidied the aftermath of past financial crises in a number of countries, and its findings are deeply disturbing: not only do such crises inflict severe short-run damage; they seem to take a huge long-term toll as well, with growth and employment shifted more or less permanently onto a lower trackâ⬠(loc. 41). Even more important, for Grumman, is that there is also evidence that a concerted effort to pull an economy up out of a slump can mitigate the future damage (loc. 341). For the author, then, the message is clear: America is in the midst of a very serious and damaging slump; the longer the country remains in the slump, the worse things ill be in the long run. As such, we must take swift and direct action to extricate the nation from the current situation. Before we take a look at what form Grumman thinks this action should take, it well help to hear the authorââ¬â¢s assessment of the current situation, and what he thinks landed the country here to begin with. According to Grumman, while Americaââ¬â¢s current situation is really quite dire, the reason why the country finds itself in this situation is really rather simple. It all has to do with demand: ââ¬Å"why is unemployment so high, and economic output so low? Because we-?where by Weââ¬â¢ I mean consumers, businesses, and governments combined-?arenââ¬â¢t spending enoughâ⬠¦ E are suffering from a severe overall lack of demandâ⬠(loc. 453-62). Actually, this whole scenario is unfolding as somewhat of a domino effect, as is the case with all downturns. To be specific, consumers have stopped spending, which means that businesses do not feel the need to hire more employees and/or ramp up production; and since production is down, governments are earning less revenue through taxes, and are themselves more reluctant to spend (loc. 459). So, how does a country get itself out of this kind of slump? Under normal circumstances Americaââ¬â¢s Central Bank (the Federal Reserve), would pump more money into the economy, thereby lowering the interest rate (by the law of supply and demand) (loc. 554-59, 590). This has the effect of making credit cheaper, which spurs individuals to lower their savings and consumer more, thus pulling the economy out of the slump. As Grumman reports, this strategy has proven to be very effective over the years: ââ¬Å"it worked spectacularly after the severe recession of 1981-82, which the Fed was able to turn within a few months into a rapid economic recovery -?morning in America. It worked, albeit more slowly and more hesitantly, after the 1990-91 and 2001 recessionsâ⬠(loc. 559). The problem this time around is that when the recession hit in 2008 interest rates were already at the rock bottom rate of zero percent, meaning the Fed could not lower them any further (loc. 594). Since that time the interest rate has remained at zero, but, through it all, even this has not been enough to spur consumer spending to the point where it has been able to rescue the economy from its slump. When interest rates are at zero, and people still arenââ¬â¢t spending, you have what is called a ââ¬Ëliquidity trapââ¬â¢. As Grumman explains, ââ¬Å"itââ¬â¢s what happens when zero isnââ¬â¢t low enough, when the Fed has saturated the economy with liquidity to such an extent that thereââ¬â¢s no cost to holding more cash, yet overall demand remains IoWââ¬â¢ (loc. 596). And for the author, this is the crux of the issue. According to Grumman, a major part of the problem this time around is that when the latest recession hit, a large number of Americans were already deep in debt due to the housing crash, as well as other personal debt. What this meant is that even at zero percent interest a vast number of Americans could not afford to resume pending, for they had to get out of their debilitating debt first (loc. 755, 774, 2240). Nor is that the worst of it. Indeed, one of the most straightforward ways to get out of debt is to sell off your assets. But when a large number of people try to sell off their assets (including their houses) all at once, this drives down the price of the assets, thus reducing the amount of money that people can raise in order to pay off their debt, thus exacerbating the problem (loc. 63). But thereââ¬â¢s more! As the prices of assets fall, the purchasing power of money correspondingly increases (called fellatio), and this increases the relative burden of debt (for the money that you are paying back your debt with is ever increasing in value), thus complicating the matter even further (loc. 767). 5. The Root of the Problem: The Deregulation of the Financial Sector Now, a lot has been mad e of the issue of how Americans came to be so indebted in the first place, for this was a major part of why the current problem is so bad. Commentators on the right tend to blame borrowers who took out loans that they were not in a position to pay back, as well as government supported agencies who provided cheap loans to under-funded home-owners (loc. 059). Commentators on the left, on the other hand, tend to put the blame on deregulation in the financial industry, which allowed banking and investment companies to take on undue risk, as well as the banking and investment companies themselves who took advantage of the situation by way of providing loans to overly-risky borrowers. Grumman himself is primarily in the latter camp. To begin with, Grumman claims that the vast majority of bad mortgage loans were made by private firms, not the much maligned government-sponsored Fannies Mae and Freddie Mac (loc. 1072); who, the author contends, got into the bad mortgage name only very late (loc. 1072), and not nearly to the extent that private companies did (loc. 1072). But the root of the problem, according to Grumman, is the steady deregulation of the financial industry that began under Reagan in the sassââ¬â¢s, and that culminated with the Grammar-Leach-Bailey Act of 1999, which repealed a provision of the Glass-Steal Act. Glass-Steal was a bill passed in 1933 to deal with the ongoing Great Depression (loc. 977). The major provision in the bill was that commercial banking deposits would be insured up to a certain point by the federal government (loc. 977). This was meant o restore confidence in banks, many of whom had fallen to bank runs in the previous years (loc. 977). The issue with insuring bank deposits, though, is that this creates a moral hazard for the banks. For the banks know that they will ultimately be bailed out by the government (meaning taxpayers) if they fall into insolvency (loc. 86); and, as such, they are tempted to make overly-risky investments. As Grumman explains, ââ¬Å"it could have created a situation in which bankers could raise lots of money, no questions asked-?hey, itââ¬â¢s all government insured-?then put that money into high-risk, high stakes investments, curing that it was heads they win, tails taxpayers loseâ⬠(loc. 986). In order to protect against this moral h azard, the legislators behind Glass-Steal also included a provision that stipulated that commercial banks could not act as investment banks. This was meant to keep commercial bank deposits safe from overly-risky investments. As Grumman notes, ââ¬Å"any bank accepting deposits was restricted to the business of making loans; you couldnââ¬â¢t use depositorsââ¬â¢ funds to speculate in stock markets or commodities, and in fact you couldnââ¬â¢t house such speculative activities under the same institutional roofâ⬠(loc. 990). In 1999, though, this provision of the Glass-Steal Act was repealed by the Grammar-Leach-Bailey Act (loc. 1017). According to Grumman, this move was the height of irresponsibility, and was a major contributor to the extreme risk-taking environment that led directly to the financial crash of 2008 (loc. 007-1017). For the author, though, the repealing of Glass-Steal was not the only article of deregulation that prompted the crash. Indeed, he identifies several pieces of anti-regulatory legislation that also had a hand to play in triggering the whole mess, from President Carterââ¬â¢s Monetary Control Act of 1980 (ââ¬Å"which ended isolations that had prevented banks from pa ying interest on many kinds of depositsâ⬠[loc. 1003]); to President Reggaeââ¬â¢s Garn-SST. German Act of 1982 (ââ¬Å"which relaxed restrictions on the kinds of loans banks could makeâ⬠[loc. 003]); to the failure of legislators to keep up with new innovations in the financial industry, such as shadow banks (loc. 1029-42). Now, unlike some left-wing commentators, Grumman is not prepared to let consumers off the hook entirely for the debt problems that complicated the crash. Indeed, the author (following the economic thinker Hyman Minsk) argues that a big actor behind the growth of consumer debt in the recent past was a general natural tendency for people to forget about the dangers of debt during good times (loc. 733, 798-815). As Grumman explains, ââ¬Å"an economy with low debt tends to be an economy in which debt looks safe, an economy in which the memory of the bad things debt can do fades into the mists of history. Over time, the perception that debt is safe leads to more relaxed lending standards; businesses and families alike develop the habit of borrowing; and the overall level of leverage in the economy risesâ⬠(loc. 810). As the quote makes clear, the optimism in question touched all Americans, not Just the lenders, and so all involved deserve some share of the responsibility (loc. 33, 806). 6. The Story Behind Financial Deregulation According to Grumman, though, it was ultimately the lack of regulations that allowed this selective memory and wild optimism to become dangerous, for the regulations were essentially keeping these sentiments in check (loc. 838). Now, it may rightly be said that the same emotions that led to growing debt also influenced the legislation that allowed it to become da ngerous in the end (loc. 40). But for Grumman, there were other reasons behind financial deregulation that are also important to consider. For one, even before regulations were removed from the financial sector, the government had already begun to deregulate other industries (such as air travel, trucking, and oil and gas) (loc. 999-1003). These reforms had led to significant gains in efficiency in these industries (loc. 999), and thus many were optimistic that the same approach would work in the financial sector. The problem, as Grumman points out, is that ââ¬Å"banking is not like trucking, and the effect of deregulation was not so such to encourage efficiency as to encourage risk takingâ⬠(loc. 007). B. The Political Influence of the Financial Sector (and the Wealthy in General) Over and above the factors mentioned above, though, Grumman argues that there is a still more sinister explanation behind the deregulation of the financial sector. And this has to do with the political influence of those who benefited most from it: the bankers themselves. Take the Grammar-Leach-Bailey Act of 1999, for instance (which, yo u will recall, revoked a crucial regulatory provision of the Glass-Steal Act). As Grumman points out, the gassing of the Act was largely influenced by the lobbying of Citron and Travelers Group, who in 1998 had wanted to amalgamate to become Citreous, but who had encountered obstacles due to Glass- Steal (loc. 1043, 1357-65). And even before this, the political elite stood in defense of increasing deregulation, despite initial indications that the measures were problematic (loc. 1414, 1130). Indeed, as Grumman is wont to stress, the problems posed by deregulation did not begin with the financial crash of 2008. Instead, they began to surface even in the sassââ¬â¢s when the banking sector was first deregulated. For instance, in 1989 the Federal government was forced to shut down the thrift banking industry due to a collapse induced by bad debt (loc. 1099-1120). A desperate move that put taxpayers on the hook for $130 billion (loc. 1120). Then, in the sassââ¬â¢s, further difficulties arose when several large commercial banks over-extended themselves ââ¬Å"in lending to commercial real-estate developersâ⬠(loc. 1119). Finally, ââ¬Å"in 1998, with much of the emerging world in financial crisis, the failure of a single hedge fund, Long Term Capital Management, froze financial markets in much the same way that the failure f Lehman Brothers would freeze markets a decade laterâ⬠(loc. 1123). For Grumman, all of these events should have acted as clear warning signs that there was something seriously wrong with financial deregulation (loc. 1 125-30). So why did the political elite fail to heed the warning signs? For Grumman, this become a good deal more understandable when we appreciate how profitable deregulation was for the financial sector (loc. 142), and how much influence this sector has on government. Indeed, as the author points out, while deregulation did virtually nothing to increase the incomes of middle class families (loc. 137, 1190), the move was a great boon to the wealthy (loc. 1142, 1201), and especially the bankers themselves (loc. 1300, 1418). In addition, itââ¬â¢s no secret th at the wealthy, and the financial sector in particular, has a major influence on government (loc. 1351). This influence exists not only in the form of significant monetary contributions (loc. 346), but in the two-way cross-over between the financial sector and political office (loc. 1380, 1392). Whatââ¬â¢s more, the influence of the wealthy has been increasing as the rich have gotten richer since the time when deregulation first took off (loc. 1388). Section 3: The Solution is Government Stimulus (and a Few Other Reforms) 7. The Solution is Government Stimulus Grumman certainly maintains that reforms in financial sector regulations are needed if the country is to avoid falling into future debacles such as it finds itself in presently. For him, though, the more important question has to do with how to get the country out of its current situation. As you will recall, Grumman contends that Americaââ¬â¢s problem now is that it is in the midst of a liquidity trap. That is, interest rates are already at zero, and yet this still isnââ¬â¢t enough to reignite consumer pending. Whatââ¬â¢s more, since consumers arenââ¬â¢t spending, businesses have no reason to hire workers and/or expand their operations, and so they arenââ¬â¢t spending either (loc. 461). Any yet, for Grumman, this lack of spending is very much the heart of the problem. So what can be done? According to Grumman, the answer is simple: the government must step in and take over the role of spending (loc. 879). As the author puts it, ââ¬Å"the essential point is that what we need to get out of this current depression is another burst of government spending. Is it really that simple? Would it really be that easy? Basically, yesâ⬠(loc. 688). Germanââ¬â¢s argument is that government spending will put money into the hands of the people, who will then be able to recover enough to resume spending themselves. As consumer spending increases, businesses will increase production and hire more workers, thus fully pulling the economy out of its current slump (loc. 679). 8. Objection #1 : Government Stimulus Doesnââ¬â¢t Spur the Economy (and Response) Now, some argue that government spending doesnââ¬â¢t actually increase demand and spur the economy at all, since, they claim, all it really does is take resources from one sector of the economy and transfer them to another. The argument is well-rendered by Brian Riddle of the right wing thing tank the Heritage Foundation, who Grumman quotes in his book: ââ¬Å"the grand Keynesian myth is that you can spend money and thereby increase demand. And itââ¬â¢s a myth because Congress does not have a vault of money to distribute in the economy. Every dollar Congress injects into the economy must first be taxed or borrowed out of the economy. Youââ¬â¢re not creating new demand youââ¬â¢re Just transferring it from one group of people to anotherâ⬠(loc. 474). Now, for Grumman, this argument may hold true under normal circumstances, when banks are lending and companies are competing for resources (loc. 2369). But in a depressed economy this is not the case. Rather, in such a situation banks are not lending because safe investments net very little profit, and risky investments are, well, too risky (loc. 2369). So in a depressed economy, resources go unused by the private sector (loc. 2079). This being the case, government spending does not displace private spending; rather, it does nothing but increase demand How to cite Krugman Analysis, Papers
Saturday, December 7, 2019
Case Study of Dexus Properties Group Samples â⬠MyAssignmenthelp.com
Question: Discuss about the Study of Dexus Properties Group. Answer: Business operations: The company undertaken fore review is the Dexus property group which is an Australian Real Estate Investment Trust which invests, develops, manages and trades the Australian office and also the industrial property. The company owns a diversified portfolio which mainly consist of central business district offices which are held for longer term and are also leased (Are, 2017). Investments and investment activities: The following are the investment activities included: Capital expenditure on fixed assets Capital expenditure on other assets Net assets from acquisitions Sale of the fixed assets and businesses Purchase and sale from investments Sale and maturity of investments (Are, 2017). The following are the financing activities of the company: Cash dividends on common equity shares and preferred shares Change in the capital stock Repurchase of the common and preferred stock Sale of common and preferred stock Proceeds from stock options Other proceeds from sale of stock Issuance or repayment of debt (Market watch, 2017). Financial reporting practices: The companys financial statements have bene prepared using the historical cost basis. But the derivative financial instruments, investments in the financial assets along with the defined benefit obligations have been prepared on the basis of the fair values. These statements have been prepared using the applicable Australian Accounting standards including the interpretations of the country of austral and the Corporations Act 2001. These also comply with the International financial Reporting Standards and the interpretations as have been issued by the International Accounting Standards Board. Industry size: The industry has the size of $43.8 billion which was recorded during august, 2002. Industry growth: The industry shows an equity growth of 87.50 % (SMH, 2017). Industry supply chain: The supply chain efficiencies drive in the demand and supports the large retailers and the transport and the logistics occupiers which supports in the industrial demand. This takes in the advantage of the competitive pro commitment market which improve and consolidates the supply chains. There are larger retailers and the transport and the logistic occupiers that support the industrial demand. There are consolidated supply chains in respect of which there is an occupier demand which varies widely between the status of Sydney and the Melbourne, Brisbane. This is mainly due to the compliance in the demand of the solid pre lease demand in these markets and also due to the stronger values that would be achieved for the fully leased buildings. The year 2017 is most likely to be more subdued which follows the reduction in the projects that have bene planned in Brisbane and Perth. The rents are also likely to remain subdued and also stable since there is a pre-commitment in the market which remains competitive. There are land constraints too. Major players: The major players include Investa Property group, GPT group, ALE property group, Westfield corp Charter Hall group (PIR, 2017). Market shares of Industry players: Dexus market 9.61 B (Bloomberg, 2017). Investa Property group- $4,561 M (Invests smart, 2017). GPT group- 8.68 B AUD (Bloomberg, 2017). ALE property group- 927.95 M AUD Westfield corp- 15.88 B AUD (Bloomberg, 2017). Charter Hall group 2.46 B AUD (Bloomberg, 2017). Critical success factors: The Company is one of the leading real estate group in the country. It drives its success from the passionate innovation and collaboration which seeks to deliver in the right amount of space for the customers all across the extensive portfolio of the properties relating to the offices, industry and retail. The company caters to the needs of the customers and also delivers the services that are designed so as to add in the value to the partners. The company focusses on being the wholesale partner of choice. The demand for the top quality office buildings remains strong even when there are some of the challenges that exists in the lesser quality of the buildings (Dexus, 2017). Major threats: The following are the factors that threatened the same: The population of the country is ageing and so, the people have a different way of doing things and hence, they may not be able to afford the prices There is an underfunding of the state and the local retirement system which would present a challenge for the industry (Hoak, 2017). There is a change in the demand of the office space This also goes in line with the change in the demand for the retail space There is an issue related with the amount of the commercial real estate loans which would be required to be refinanced in the next couple of years. An attention has to be paid to the sustainability which would serve as the main thing when it comes to the saving of the environmental resources There are many of the commercial properties that are overvalued (Market watch, 2017) References: Are, W. and Business, O. (2017).Dexus - Capabilities. [online] Dexus.com. Available at: https://www.dexus.com/who-we-are/our-business/capabilities [Accessed 1 Sep. 2017]. Are, W. and Business, O. (2017).Dexus - History. [online] Dexus.com. Available at: https://www.dexus.com/who-we-are/our-business/history [Accessed 1 Sep. 2017]. Bloomberg.com. (2017).CHC:ASE Stock Quote - Charter Hall Group. [online] Available at: https://www.bloomberg.com/quote/CHC:AU [Accessed 1 Sep. 2017]. Bloomberg.com. (2017).DXS:ASE Stock Quote - Dexus. [online] Available at: https://www.bloomberg.com/quote/DXS:AU [Accessed 1 Sep. 2017]. Bloomberg.com. (2017).GPT:ASE Stock Quote - GPT Group/The. [online] Available at: https://www.bloomberg.com/quote/GPT:AU [Accessed 1 Sep. 2017]. Bloomberg.com. (2017).WFD:ASE Stock Quote - Westfield Corp. [online] Available at: https://www.bloomberg.com/quote/WFD:AU [Accessed 1 Sep. 2017]. Cummins, C. (2017).Mixed outlook for AREIT sector. [online] The Sydney Morning Herald. Available at: https://www.smh.com.au/business/property/mixed-outlook-for-the-areit-sector-20161006-grwbfz.html [Accessed 1 Sep. 2017]. Hoak, A. (2017).The top 10 threats facing real estate. [online] MarketWatch. Available at: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-top-10-threats-facing-real-estate-2012-07-17 [Accessed 1 Sep. 2017]. InvestSMART. (2017).Investa Property Group. [online] Available at: https://www.investsmart.com.au/shares/asx-ipg/investa-property-group [Accessed 1 Sep. 2017]. Marketwatch.com. (2017).DuluxGroup Ltd.. [online] Available at: https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/duluf/financials/cash-flow [Accessed 1 Sep. 2017]. www.pir.com.au. (2017).Competitors. [online] Available at: https://www.pir.com.au/listed [Accessed 1 Sep. 2017].
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