Sociology A Sociological Perspective - 1292 Words

Origins of Sociology Ashley Drees Ivy Tech Community College Professor Brosmer April 10,2016 What is Sociology Sociology is the study of social behavior or society, including its origins, development, organization, networks, and institutions. Sociology is a social science that uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about social order, disorder, and change. Three Main Theoretical Perspectives in Sociology Functional Perspective Conflict Perspective Symbolic Interactionist Perspective Functional Perspective Conflict perspective Symbolic interaction perspective Classical Sociology Auguste Comte- French Philosopher Founder of the discipline of Sociology Karl Marx- German Philosopher Was inspired by Hegelian Idea Emile Durkheim- French Sociologist Feared and Hated social disorders Max Weber- German Philosopher Ideas as simple reflection of economic factors Who is Auguste Comte Born: January 19, 1798 in Paris, France Death: September 5, 1857 due to stomach cancer Gave Sociology its name- Father of Sociology A huge influence in the 19th century A mathematician and a scientist Separated Society into two categories Social Statics Social dynamics Developed the Law of 3 Stages Theological Stage Metaphysical Stage Positivist Stage The Law of Three Stages Theological Stage This stage is when the religion is dominate Metaphysical Stage This stage is when abstract speculative thinking is most prominentShow MoreRelatedThe Sociological Perspective Of Sociology874 Words   |  4 PagesThe Sociological Perspective Sociology is the scientific study of society and human behavior. Human behavior and each respective society that is studied can be evaluated and governed by the scientific method to produce reliable results. The inquiries into these subjects are derived by the inspirations of sociological perspectives. Each stratifying field of Sociology finds an anchor in the relationships between these pieces in the human context in which they are found. Navigating the water inRead MoreSociology : A Sociological Perspective896 Words   |  4 PagesCarolina, â€Å"Sociology is the study of human social relationships and institutions† (http://sociology.unc.edu/undergraduate-program/sociology-major/what-is-sociology/). Sociology is science practiced by everyone in the world, whether they realize it or not. It is not only an incredibly important social science but also a beautiful art to study how society works. Now, an educated sociologist will realize that there are different perspective to view the world through from a sociological perspective. ThereRead MoreSociology : A Sociological Perspective1053 Words   |  5 PagesSociology is the study of society and social lives and forces that influence people and shape the construction of society their lives. It also gives us an awareness of cultural difference that allows us to see the social world from many perspectives. (Sutton 2013). Sociology perspectives are overview of hu man behaviour and its connection to society as a whole. A sociological theory is a set of ideas explain how society or aspects of society work and there are many variations of the basic theoriesRead MoreThe Sociological Perspective Of Sociology963 Words   |  4 PagesAfter a careful study and a deeper research on an introduction to sociology, I have come to understand that no problem can be solved well enough if one does not have the sociological perspective which is defined as a way of looking at the world through a sociological lens. In fact, there is the need of the lens that will help one to view situations and have the eye to emerge through different views to solve that problem. This mirror has become a doorway that will help one to have a beginner’s mindRead MoreTheoretical Perspectives On Sociology And Sociological Perspectives1357 Words   |  6 PagesTheoretical Perspectives in Sociology In the world of sociology there are many different ways that humans interact with the world. Although we are all human beings, we do not always see the world the same way that others do. Even though not many are aware of the different ways they can see the world, there are three sociological perspectives. Using structural functionalism, the conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism one will be able to decide which view best represents the way they see thisRead MoreSociology : A Sociological Perspective2031 Words   |  9 PagesSociology refers to the study of a society’s structure, development, collective behaviors, and functions, which delves into examining social institutions and social relations. Sociology may also be termed as â€Å"a scientific way of thinking about society and its influence on human groups,† (Andersen Taylor, 2007, p. 2). Society, on the other hand, refers to people who share norms, traditions, values, and laws as well as live together as an organized community. Sociology is important in understandingRead MoreTheoretical Frameworks Of Sociology And Sociological Perspective Essay918 Words   |  4 Pages What does Sociology have to do with me? Why do people think or act differently than you? Why are some people rich while others are poor? Why do some commit crimes, break laws and others do not? These are all some of the questions students need an answer to, which led them to enrol to this course. â€Å"Sociology is the scientific study of individuals in groups, organizations, cultures and societies; and of the interrelationships of individuals, group, organizations, cultures and societies.† (KennedyRead MoreSocial Deviance : A Sociological Perspective On Deviant And Criminal Behavior Within Sociology1160 Words   |  5 Pagessocieties with norms. Sociological theories of deviance are those that use social context and social pressures to explain deviance. You’ll find these in your readings for this week . Think of the diagram for a functionalist approach to deviance: Great post! You did a nice job defining deviance as a whole. A theory closely associated with this term is labeling theory. Labeling theory is one of the most important approaches to understanding deviant and criminal behavior within sociology. Labeling theoryRead MoreEssay on The Sociological Imagination1389 Words   |  6 PagesMy personal condensed definition of â€Å"the sociological imagination† is that it is the idea one should be aware of the societal structures around themselves, and how those structures can influence a person and vice-versa. In addition, I think that having a â€Å"sociological imagination† also involves a deep appreciation for the importance of society and culture. Consequently, for a person that has completed a basic introduction to sociology college course and actually paid attention, I would hope thatRead MoreWhat Is Sociology?1062 Words   |  5 PagesWhat is sociology? We can start by saying that sociology is the systematic study of human society. Sociology should be more than you find in a good documentary on a social issue. It is certainly more than listings of facts and figures about society. Instead it becomes a form of consciousness a way of thinking, a critical way of seeing the social. Seeing the general in the particular. In his short book ‘Invitation to Sociology’(1963) characterized the sociological perspective as seeing the general

Financial Statements and Stakeholders Free Essays

Introduction In this report six different users of financial statements will be identified. Each user group will be described and the reasons why they use financial statements will be examined. Analysis and calculations of relevant and specific financial information will be performed to reflect the performance of the company, and how this is seen by the different stakeholder groups. We will write a custom essay sample on Financial Statements and Stakeholders or any similar topic only for you Order Now The two companies I have chosen are J.Sainsbury plc and WM Morrison’s Supermarkets plc, hereafter known as Sainsbury’s and Morrison’s. This is because these two companies are two which have a large number of stakeholders who will be affected by the company’s financial statements. Sainsbury’s and Morrison’s also compete within the same sector and thus the financial statements and companies are obviously comparable, this will help with benchmarking to analyse the data .(Mclaney and Atril.2008). This will help to determine, along with the relevant analysis and calculations, which stakeholders will be more pleased with the financial statements out of the two supermarkets. As of May 2014, Morrison’s had 11% of the market, and Sainsbury’s 16.6% (Garner.2014). The financial statements we will be assessing are income statements and balance sheets. These are the two statements which are of greatest importance to the majority of stakeholders. I have attained the most recent financial statements from the two companies from their recent annual reports. This report will use financial ratio’s to assess the profitability, efficiency, Liquidity, Financial Gearing and Investment potential within Morrison’s and Sainsbury’s.(Mclaney and Atril.2008.). Boards of Directors The owners and boards of directors of both Sainsbury’s and Morrison’s would use financial statements to review the performance of management and assess the overall performance of the company. For the smooth operation of the organisation, the managers and owners also need the financial reports to make essential business decisions. For example the current debt to equity ratio is important in deciding the amount of long term capital that would be required to be raised for making certain business decisions. This can be determined by using the following formula. Total liabilities Total assets x 100% Sainsbury’s (?m)Morrison’s (?m) 10535 16540 x 100% =63.7% 6037 10792 x 100% = 55.9% As can be seen Sainsbury’s debt to equity ratio is 63.7% with Morrison’s at 55.9%, a difference of 7.8%. This ratio is one of the key set of 10 identified by Laurent (2006) in being able to predict a firms performance. This thus means that they are financing their growth more by debt than they are by their current assets than Morrison’s. However this is not necessarily a bad thing, and this could mean that they growing more than if they did not utilise this outside financing. If this increases earnings by a greater amount than the debt interest that would be incurred then it is definitely beneficial to do so, thus the board would be pleased with what they have seen from the financial statements. Shareholders Shareholders receive a set of financial statements as a right, and are the only stakeholders to do so. The shareholders interest will be in what the company is doing with the money they have invested, and whether it is making a profit or loss. If it is profitable, they will want a return in the form of dividends, so they will be concerned with the level of dividends the company is paying out year on year and the potential for future profits and dividends. If profit levels and dividend pay-outs diminish noticeably, or if no dividends are paid out because the company has made a loss, then they will consider selling their shares and investing in something else which will give them a higher return. Obviously operating profit margin is also needed to measure overall performance and this can be calculated as follows. Profit before interest and tax Sales x 100% Sainsbury’s (?m) Morrison’s (?m) 1009 23949 x 100% =4.2% (95) 17680 x 100% =-0.5% Supermarkets usually operate at low operating margins, so these results are not wholly surprising (McLaney and Attril.2008) Morrison’s extremely poor performance this year is down to incredibly high administrative costs, this could be seen as possibly due to a new initiative or launch of service which required high costs to get this off the ground, and therefore this may pay dividends in the future. Thus it will be imperative to see how they will perform in the next year without these high administrative costs. Sainsbury’s operating profit margin can be compared with the previous year to see how they are progressing, and this was 3.8%. Thus their net profit margin has increased and the shareholders will be pleased with this performance as it could increase shareholder dividends. Banks Banks are extremely interested in a companies such as Sainsbury’s or Morrison’s financial statements. For example if a company has an overdraft or a bank loan, then the banks need to make sure that a company can afford to pay these loans it owes off (Palepu and Healy.2008). If a company is applying for a loan, similar considerations apply, although the bank would in addition insist on looking at more up to date information than the last set of statutory accounts as these could be rather out of date. The banks would calculate this by with the acid test ratio. This shows the company’s ability to pay its current liabilities from liquid assets. This is calculated as follows. Current assets less inventory Current liabilities Sainsbury’s (?m) Morrison’s (?m) 4362-1005 6765 = 0.5 : 1 1430-852 2873 = 0.2 : 1 Supermarkets by nature have very low acid test ratio scores due to some stock on their shelves not selling as quickly as they would like. However Morrison’s at 0.2:1 is much lower than the company would be wanting to have, whereas Sainsbury’s at 0.5:1 is relatively healthy for a company that operates as a supermarket. Creditors A company’s trade creditors and suppliers will also obviously be interested in a companies financial statements such as the balance sheet and income statement. Such stakeholders will be concerned with whether the company can pay regularly for its purchases from them, so they will have an eye to the cash position of the company – its liquidity. They will also be interested consequently in any items in the accounts which may affect this liquidity such as bank overdrafts or loans, as such items would usually indicate cash problems in the company which may render it an insecure buyer for the future. Creditors are also extremely interested in creditor days. This is the average payment period to payables expressed in days. This can be calculated by the following formula. Trade payables x 365 Purchases Sainsbury’s (?m)Morrison’s (?m) 2272 x 365 16606 = 50 days 2692 x 365 22562 = 44 days As can be seen, Sainsbury’s creditors will be the more pleased out of the two sets of stakeholders for both supermarkets. This is because they are paid on average six days faster than Morrison’s creditors and thus will have a more efficient flow of cash. This could mean building a better relationship with these creditors. However Morrison’s may also be pleased as it means they are able to hold on to this cash for longer and maximise cash flow with longer creditor days payable. Trade debtors/customers. These persons would be interested in the company’s likely continuance into the future as a secure source of supply, and so would look for any items affecting this, such as production difficulties, sales price increases etc. These will also be most interested in debtor (receivables) days, this is the Average collection period for receivables expressed in days. It is calculated as follows. Trade receivables x 365 Sales Revenue Sainsbury’s (?m)Morrison’s (?m) 433 x 365316 x 365 23949 = 7 days17680 = 7 days Here both Sainsbury’s and Morrison’s debtors will be equally as pleased when analysing the financial accounts for both of these companies. This is because they both receive a similar amount of time in which to pay their debts. Equally both of the supermarket chains will be relatively pleased with this as they will be in a similar position to each other in receiving the money from debtors. Similarly this is much shorter than the time it takes both to pay their creditors, and thus their cash flow efficiency will be maximised. Competitors Competitors will also be interested in the financial results of a rival in the same industry sector to see whether its results are better or worse than its own, whether it has brought new products to the market place and how these have been doing (Palepu and Healy.2008). Competitors of Sainsbury’s such as Asda and Tesco may also be interested to compare things such as costs of goods on the income statement to compare this to their own performance. A rival’s bad result, when its own is good, would enhance performance in the eyes of its own shareholders. A rival’s similar adverse performance may reflect that both are hit by the same business factors. In the retail business something that both Morrison’s and Sainsbury’s would be interested in seeing is how their inventories turnover period compares with that of their rivals. It can be calculated as follows. Inventories x 365 Cost of sales* Sainsbury’s Morrison’s 1005 x 365852 x 365 22562 = 17 days 16062 = 20 days Here Sainsbury’s will have the more pleased boards of the two supermarkets when analysing their competitors in terms of inventory turnover. This is because on average they manage to turn over their inventory 3 days quicker than Morrison’s. This demonstrates that they have a more efficient stock system and are selling their products at a faster rate, which could lead to a better overall performance. Conclusion As can be seen, a range of different stakeholders have reason to be interested in a companies financial statements. These stakeholders range from being interested in their own personal gain, those such as Shareholders, as well as being interested in how it impacts upon other stakeholders, through the analysis of both debtor days and creditor days. Financial reports are important for all different stakeholders so they can decide whether or not it is beneficial to be involved with a certain company, they are always interested in the going concern of the company. It is important for numerous reasons that these stakeholders have access to the accounts to gain clarity and for the continuation of the working relationship with companies such as Sainsbury’s and Morrison’s. It is therefore important that the accounting is accurate and up to standards for these different stakeholders of financial statements, it is also useful for comparison of companies and as can be seen from the analysis Sainsbury’s stakeholders will be more pleased with the financial statements than Morrison’s. Bibliography Garner, E. (2014). Kantar, UK grocery growth at lowest level for 11 years, [Online] http://uk.kantar.com/consumer/shoppers/070514-kantar-worldpanel-uk-grocery-share-data-april-2014/ [Accessed online on 01/11/2014] J.Sainsbury’s plc, 2014. Annual Report and accounts 2013-2014. [Online]. http://www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/media/2064053/sainsbury_s_annual_report_and_ accounts_ 13-14.pdf. 2014. [Accessed online on 01/11/2014] Laurent, C.R. Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of financial ratio analysis. Journal of Business Finance and Accounting. [Online] Vol 6(3). 2006. p401-413. McLaney, E. J., Atrill. P. (2008). Accounting and finance : an introduction. Fourth edition. Harlow: Pearson. Palepu, K. Healy, P. (2008) Business Analysis and Valuation: Using Financial Statements. Mason:Thomson Learning WM Morrison’s Supermarkets plc , 2014. Morrison’s Annual Report 13-14 [Online]. http://annualreport.marksandspencer.com/downloads/MS_AR2014_Annual_Report.pdf [Accessed online on 01/11/2014] How to cite Financial Statements and Stakeholders, Essay examples

German And Dutch Influence On American Housing free essay sample

Essay, Research Paper German colonists came to North America in the late seventeenth century, they settled chiefly in Pennsylvania. Germans reinforced big, permanent houses of wood and prey rock. Dutch colonists came, more than a century earlier, to the New World. Their first colonies were in New Amsterdam, now known as New York City and the Hudson Valley to the North. Dutch immigrants used rock and brick to construct their places. Their places were big harmonizing to colonial criterions. Dutch places were noted for their cosmetic brickwork. The Germans enticed by such good studies, more displaced Germans came, herding the trails that led westward. The turn overing hills and fertile dirts of the River Valley in Pennsylvania reminded them of their fatherland, so they settled by the 1000s, and their posterities, misnamed the? Pennsylvania Dutch? remain at that place to this twenty-four hours. The Dutch landed and decided to name New Amsterdam their place. We will write a custom essay sample on German And Dutch Influence On American Housing or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They learned to utilize the sea to their advantage and became fisherman, they supplied seafood to Europe and shortly became one of the taking exporters. Germans used Gable roofs with goons in constructing their homes. Germans used goons, or abbreviated roofs, to protect the people walking, from rain, and helped with the remotion of rain from the roof. Dutch colonists built their places utilizing intricate, stepped gables. Some of the chief architectural characteristics in German and Dutch influenced houses are dormer Windowss, stepped gables or? goons? , metal troughs, little Windowss with skiding shutters, and the Dutch door. The Dutch door is a door that is divided in half horizontally, like the door outside of the pool for the grant base. There are some typical characteristics of the German and Dutch ; Germans had hearths in the centre of the first floor. The hearth was the centre of most activities. On the opposite side of the hearth was a big household room for entertaining, they used the visible radiation and heat from the hearths to make many day-to-day jobs and used for the entertaining of the invitees. A favourite characteristic of the Dutch was broad front porches on their places. The Dutch besides had dormer Windowss that are still widely used today. Dormer Windowss are Windowss that are projecting through a steeply inclining roof. While making this study we found that non many houses can be influenced by merely one group of people. Herpes zosters from the English colonies and dormer Windowss from the Dutch can be used on the same house. Although many houses have different features they still have a distinguishable manner.