Key issues facing my organization over the next five years

Amwal was formed in 1998 as a financial planning firm for the women of Qatar under the patronage of HE Shiekha Mozah, the wife of the Emir of Qatar.   As a result of Amwal’s success and reputation it was transformed into a fully licensed investment bank in 2005.Amwal, like most of the investment banks and asset management firms in the region, has benefitted from the unprecedented economic growth, high oil prices, and surplus wealth. The GCC countries are expected to grow over seven percent in the next five years. Qatar is one of the top GCC countries in economic performance.   As such, Qatar’s economy is expected to grow 13% in 2008 as a result of sustained oil prices and the country’s ambitious gas industrialization initiatives.Following Russia and Iran, Qatar has the world’s third largest gas reserves. In terms of energy, these reserves are expected to last for more than 200 years. This growth is not temporary in nature and is expected to continue ov er the long run. During former U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan’s recent visit o Jeddah, he was quoted saying that the oil boom would â€Å"go on forever†.All of these factors have resulted in a mushroom effect on the growth of different kinds of financial institutions in the region.   Existing banks are expanding rapidly, new banks are being set up, and many international players from US, Europe, and Asia are setting up shop in this region. In the last two years nearly 280 financial intuitions have surfaced in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).In the current market scenario, I believe that Amwal will face the following challenged as it strives to become a world class investment bank:  Carving its own identity and differentiating from its regional peersAmwal has a very strong shareholder base that includes prominent local and regional organizations.   For this reason Amwal’s identity sometimes is overshadowed by affiliation with one of i ts shareholders in the multiple   transactions that Amwal actually facilitates.   As a new investment bank Amwal leveraged its shareholder base to its benefit.   However as we grow it is imperative that we carve out our own identity that will build a strong brand recognition in the region. This is important because it will help Amwal to differentiate itself from its regional competitors, who often operate on similar grounds and similar strengths.   This will occur over the mid   to long range period as Amwal builds on successful deals, takes steps to increase social responsibility, and invests in its employee resources.Competing with global names such as Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley and Goldman SachsDue to economic growth and initiatives to develop the capital markets, GCC countries have been successful in attracting global names such as Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Barclays etc. This presents a unique challenge for a local bank like Amwal to remain compe titive due to its relative inexperience as compared to the multinational investment banks. GCC countries have embarked on a major capital expenditure initiative, developing their infrastructure and other major projects. Qatar alone will spend over $100 billion(U.S.) over the next five years.   This will help to position Amwal as a local expert with global capabilities.Hiring and retaining key staffDue to the spur in new market entrants, banks are competing for the best human resources and often find themselves short of a healthy bench-strength. This has been mainly due to the high turnover, shortage of seasoned professionals, and a general preference to employ western educated professionals with regional experience. This problem is more prevalent for local banks with limited resources.These local banks are rely heavily on key staff such as the senior manages of investment banking and asset management. Amwal is not immune to this problem and has recently developed a policy of retai ning good employees and encouraging its staff to develop further expertise by sending them for training and allowing time off from work for academic studies.   Amwal will face a key challenge of retaining staff and hiring more professionals due to circumstances beyond its control including regional factors such as increased competition and the higher cost of living.Need for a better corporate governanceAnother challenge is creating the right balance of power and accountability between the board of directors, senior management, shareholders,   and internal operating departments.   Amwal has grown tremendously over the last few years and is now planning for its own Initial Public Offering (IPO) early next year to support its current growth and future goals. During the initial years of operation, Amwal’s management style was very centralized with authorities and powers limited to a few key individuals. While this is very common among most local and regional institutions li ke Amwal, this structure usually leads to a financial and strategic gap upon the exit of these key individuals.Amwal has come a long way since its transformation into an investment bank and have developed business policy principles, guidelines, internal and external regulations and monitoring mechanisms. However, as we continue to grow, expand our global reach, and prepare for the IPO, I believe these measures would need to be constantly reviewed and enhanced as they are critical for conducting proper corporate accountability and enhancing business prosperity. Another prevailing impediment is the lack of proactiveness of the local governing bodies that need to substantially enhance the regulatory framework, develop stricter industry guidelines, and encourage transparency.   As an industry leader, Amwal is in a unique position to have a positive effect on the creation of the regulatory industry in the region.ConclusionThese observations are not only unique to Amwal.   Since we ar e in a constantly changing environment it is critical that local and regional institutions identify these challenges and develop a strategic plan to respond to them.   I believe that Amwal is well placed and uniquely positioned for this challenge with its sound business model and comprehensive long range strategic plan.

New York Passes a Married Womens Property Act, 1848

New York Passes a Married Womens Property Act, 1848 Enacted: April 7, 1848 Before married womens property acts were passed, upon marriage a woman lost any right to control property that was hers prior to the marriage, nor did she have rights to acquire any property during marriage. A married woman could not make contracts, keep or control her own wages or any rents, transfer property, sell property or bring any lawsuit. For many womens rights advocates, womens property law reform was connected to suffrage demands, but there were supporters of womens property rights who did not support women gaining the vote. Married womens property law was related to the legal doctrine of separate use: under marriage, when a wife lost her legal existence, she could not separately use property, and her husband controlled the property.   Although married womens property acts, like that of New York in 1848, did not remove all the legal impediments to a married womans separate existence, these laws did make it possible for a married woman to have separate use of property she brought into marriage and property she acquired or inherited during marriage. The New York effort to reform womens property laws began in 1836 when  Ernestine  Rose  and Paulina Wright Davis began to gather signatures on petitions. In 1837, Thomas Herttell, a New York city judge, attempted to pass in the New York Assembly a bill to give married women more property rights. Elizabeth Cady Stanton  in 1843 lobbied legislators to pass a bill. A state constitutional convention in 1846 passed a reform of womens property rights, but three days after voting for it, the delegates to the conventions reversed their position. Many men supported the law because it would protect mens property from creditors. The issue of women owning property was linked, for many activists, with the legal status of women where women were treated as the property of their husbands.   When the authors of the  History of Woman Suffrage  summarized the New York battle for the 1848 statue, they described the effect as to emancipate wives from the slavery of the old common law of England, and to secure to them equal property rights. Before 1848, a few laws were passed in some states in the U.S. giving women some limited property rights, but the 1848 law was more comprehensive. It was amended to include even more rights in 1860; later, married womens rights to control property were extended still more. The first section gave a married woman control over real property (real estate, for instance) she brought into the marriage, including the right to rents and other profits from that property.   The husband had, before this act, the ability to dispose of the property or use it or its income to pay for his debts.   Under the new law, he was not able to do that, and she would continue her rights as if she had not married. The second  section dealt with the personal property of married women, and any real property other than she brought in during marriage.   These too, were under her control, although unlike real property she brought into the marriage, it could be taken to pay debts of her husband. The third section dealt with gifts and inheritances given to a married woman by anyone other than her husband.   Like property she brought into the marriage, this also was to be under her sole control, and like that property but unlike other property acquired during marriage, it could not be required to settle her husbands debts. Note that these acts didnt completely free a married woman from economic control of her husband, but it did remove major blocks to her own economic choices. The text of the 1848 New York Statute known as the Married Womens Property Act, as amended in 1849, reads in full: An act for the more effectual protection of the property of married women: §1. The real property of any female who may hereafter marry, and which she shall own at the time of marriage, and the rents, issues, and profits thereof, shall not be subject to the sole disposal of her husband, nor be liable for his debts, and shall continue her sole and separate property, as if she were a single female. §2. The real and personal property, and the rents, issues, and profits thereof, of any female now married, shall not be subject to the disposal of her husband; but shall be her sole and separate property, as if she were a single female, except so far as the same may be liable for the debts of her husband heretofore contracted. §3. Any married female may take by inheritance, or by gift, grant, devise, or bequest, from any person other than her husband, and hold to her sole and separate use, and convey and devise real and personal property, and any interest or estate therein, and the rent s, issues, and profits thereof, in the same manner and with like effect as if she were unmarried, and the same shall not be subject to the disposal of her husband nor be liable for his debts. After the passage of this (and similar laws elsewhere), traditional law continued to expect a husband to support his wife during the marriage, and to support their children.   Basic necessaries the husband was expected to provide included food, clothing, education, housing, and health care.   The husbands duty to provide necessaries no longer applies, evolving because of an expectation of equality of the sexes.

Technology, Privacy, Accounting, Finance, and Governance Values Analysis

Technology, Privacy, Accounting, Finance, and Governance Values Analysis Introduction Nowadays, privacy in the workplace has become a prominent concern for many organizations. The issue of privacy has become a subject of concern as a result of an increased rate of employees monitoring in the workplace. The high rate of electronic monitoring of employees has caused a conflict between the rights of employers to safe guard their business, versus employees privacy.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Technology, Privacy, Accounting, Finance, and Governance Values Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The legal rights of employees as well as rights of the employers’ varies from one state to another which affects the strategies that firms adopt in enforcing the monitoring rights. Nonetheless, most federal and state laws support employees monitoring which has made many firms to adopt employee monitoring systems. Employees monitoring is very controversy as it goes beyond legal rights to encompass moral obligations of employers and employees which are difficult to differentiate (Hartman DesJardins, 2011). Employers versus Employees Rights Employees monitoring in United States of America was legalized as early as in 1986 with the enacting of Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA). The act allows employers and system administrators to monitor activities in their computer systems. The enacting of ECPA allowed employers to have legal rights to monitor employee’s activities in the workplace. Generally, an employer is mainly the owner of workstations, phones, servers, software and communication devices that employees use. The employer provides these devices in order to facilitate business operations. Therefore, an employer has an interest to monitor activities on these systems for liability and security reasons. An employer can opt to monitor employees telephone conversations, emails as well as non-personal telephone calls made on business phones without giving prior notice to employees, unless in the State of California where employees’ monitoring is highly regulated by the government. Whereas the enacting of ECPA protects employers from insecurity and liability associated with illegal use of employers electronic systems such as pirating, fraud or sale of company trade secretes. The act also provides protection for employees’ privacy. The act does not allow monitoring of employees personal communications that are made over the company systems.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In addition, the act does not allow employers to monitor conversations of their employees that are made though the employees cell phones. Thus, the act is very effective as it tries to safe guide employers’ rights as well as the rights of employees in ensuring that employees’ personal affairs are not interfered with (Hartman DesJardins, 2011) How Does Technology used at Daimler Affect Employees Privacy Daimler corporate has a very efficient and effective technology that ensures privacy of its employees who use its systems. The company has installed its servers, as well as users workstations with appropriate password and other security measures to safeguard information that is received or transmitted over its systems from unauthorized external access. To enhance the protection of employees’ privacy, its systems encrypt personal data that is transmitted over public networks. Private and application-related access protection has been installed in order to safe guard personal data in Daimler corporate database. These protection measures have been adopted by the organization as its strategy to ensure safe data management, which controls responsibilities and authorization to safe guard the privacy of employees. How Daimler Protect Employees Personal Information At Daimler Corporation, i t is only its authorized personnel that are allowed to collect process or use personal data. Authorized personnel monitor emails, voice mails and telephone conversations that are transmitted over the companys systems, for those employees it suspects to wrongly use the companys systems. However, the company does not allow its system administrators to use employees’ personal data for private purposes, transmission of such data to unauthorized people, or making available of such data to unauthorized persons. Accounting Principles Financial performance of an organization is considered as a significant part of an entity as it is responsible for determining how other departments and processes within the organization are run. In U.S., Organizations are required to abide by the General Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) that were enforced in 2002 through the enacting of Sarbanes- Oxley Act (SOX).Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Technology, Privacy, A ccounting, Finance, and Governance Values Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The act requires companies to report specific data in their financial annual reports. In being compliant in honoring SOX act, Daimler Company has been consistent in disclosing its internal controls, audit committee structures as well as codes of ethics and conduct. In order for Daimler to be SOX compliant, its CEOs and CFOs sign an attestation that make them liable for any financial data reported. Signing of this document verifies that its officers have reviewed all financial data reported and verified that it is correct. Signing of this document makes the officers to be responsible for any internal controls that have occurred. This requirement is contained in section 302 of the act (Taylor, 2012). On the othe4 hand, section 204 of the act requires organizations to monitor how overall financial processes are run. This entails how organizations information sys tems are run and secured. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) is the body that helps external auditors decipher if an organization they are auditing is SOX compliant. Those companies that have reported false data are penalized and declared as incompliant. Thus, that is why it is imperative for employers to electronically monitor employees’ activities to avoid any liability or insecurities as a result of their employees’ misconduct. Conflict of Interests Many organizations are concerned about conflicts of interests for their corporate board members and executives. Board members should concentrate on the concerns of their companies and not on outside interests. Therefore, board members should not let their personal interests surpass the decisions they make as directors (Murray, 2012). Executive Compensations The Federal law requires clear disclosure about compensations of CEOs, CFOs as well as three other high ranking officers. The company should disclose a mount and type of compensation given to CEO, CFO as well as three other most highly paid officers. In addition, the company should disclose the criteria it uses to come up with executive compensations as well as the degree of relationship that exist between executive compensation practices versus corporate performance (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 2012).Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Legal and Ethical Responsibilities of Board Members Board members in Daimler Company are required to abide in honoring the duty of care that requires them to discharge their duties in good faith and in a manner that they believe to be of maximum benefit to the company. They are also required in honoring the duty of royalty. Board members should avoid using their positions or the assets of the company in a manner that will result to their monetary benefits or monetary gains of their family members. Lastly, the board members should honor duty of obedience. Board members ought to make sure that they follow the companys governing documents while exercising their powers and duties. They should ensure that the companys assets are used lawfully. They should also make sure that they comply with the states laws that dictate how business should be run (Levy, 2012). Areas of Compliance and Improvements Daimler Company is compliant in accounting practices according to SOX, executive compensatio ns, Legal and Ethical responsibilities of board members, but the company will require enforcing its management of conflict of interests by adopting a conflict of interest policy and make every director to sign and abide by it. Conclusion Employers should ensure that they monitor electronic activities of employees in order to protect themselves from any liability and security problems associated with illegal use of electronic systems. The employers should ensure that they have a policy that regulates employees monitoring process that all employers are aware of before, even before being hired. The employers should avoid intruding in private matters of their employees, but limit their monitoring to work related issues. Daimler has a very effective internal and external control that effectively manages the various stakeholders who are involved in its business transactions. However, the company requires adopting a conflict of interest policy. Reference List Hartman, L. DesJardins, J. (2 011). Business Ethics: Decision Making for Personal  Integrity and Social Responsibility (2nd ed.). New York :McGraw-Hill. Levy, J. (2012). Ethical and Legal Responsibilities of Board Members. Web. Murray, J. (2012). What Should a Conflict of Interest Policy for My Corporate Include? Web. Taylor, C. (2012). SOX Compliance- Regulatiting Accounting Standards. Web. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. (2012). Executive Compensations. Web.

Diaz Surname Meaning and Origin

Diaz Surname Meaning and Origin The surname Diaz comes from the Latin dies which means days. Although it is a common Hispanic surname, Diaz is believed to have Jewish origins, predating the Hispanic world. It is related to the Spanish surname DIEGO; numerous historical examples point to the use of Diaz as a patronymic of Diego (son of Diego). DIAZ is the 14th most popular Hispanic surname and the 73rd most popular surname in the United States. Surname Origin:  Spanish, Portuguese Alternate Surname Spellings:  Dias Famous People with the Surname DIAZ El Cid (born  Rodrigo Dà ­az) - medieval military leader and hero of SpainPorfirio Diaz - Mexican general; president from 1876 to 1911Nate Diaz - American MMA fighterNick Diaz - American MMA fighter; brother of Nate DiazJunot Diaz - Dominican-American author and Pulitzer Prize winner Where Do People With the DIAZ Surname Live? According to surname distribution data from  Forebears, Diaz is the 128th most common  surname in the world, ranking as most prevalent in Mexico and with the highest density based on population in Puerto Rico. Diaz is the 4th most common last name found in Chile; 7th most common in Peru, Cuba and the Dominican Republic; 8th in Panama; 9th in Venezuela and Argentina; and 10th in Colombia and Puerto Rico. Within Europe, Diaz is most frequently found in Spain, where it ranks as the 14th most common surname. It is most frequently found in the northern region of Asturias, as well as the Canary Islands. Genealogy Resources for the Surname DIA 100 Common Hispanic Surnames Their MeaningsGarcia, Martinez, Rodriguez, Lopez, Hernandez... Are you one of the millions of people sporting one of these top 100 common Hispanic last names? How to Research Hispanic HeritageLearn how to get started researching  your Hispanic ancestors, including the basics of family tree research and country-specific organizations, genealogical records, and resources for Spain, Latin America, Mexico, Brazil, the Caribbean and other Spanish speaking countries. Diaz Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Diaz family crest or coat of arms for the Diaz surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted.   GeneaNet - Diaz RecordsGeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Diaz surname, with a concentration on records and families from France, Spain, and other European countries.

Justin Martyr Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Justin Martyr - Research Paper Example Introduction Justin is one of the most significant Greek apologists of the second century. No one actually knows his exact date and place of birth. The Apologies (the First and the Second Apology) and Dialogue may indicate his time and place of birth. Most people indicate that he was born around 100 AD. However, his place of birth is not clearly known, some indicates that Justin was born of pagan parents in Palestine around 100 A.D. and died as a martyr in 165 A. D. Others indicate that he was probably born in Flavia Neapolis (Nablus) around the same time. In the Dialogue, he narrates of his conversion to Christianity. This is after he had experimented with several Greek philosophies such as the Pythagorean, Peripatetic, and Stoic1. As a Christian, Justin continued to travel as an itinerant teacher. He was devoted to defend Christianity during his travels. Upon arrival in Rome, Justin established a school there. However, he was denounced by his adversaries and martyred in 165 along w ith other six companions. It is important to note that only three of Justin’s have survived despite the fact he was a creative writer. These works include his Dialogue with Trypho (the Jew) and his two Apologies against pagans. The Dialogue with Trypho is the most ancient apologetic against the Jews, and it was written after the two Apologies. However, a portion of the introduction has been lost2. Life Justin Martyr’s life, birth, and death details are relatively sketchy and obscure. Any understanding of Justin’s life must be assessed from various sources such as his works (the first apology, the second apology, and the dialogue with Trypho) and from ancient writers (Tatian, Irenaeus, and Eusebius) who mention Justin in their works3. Justin was born probably around 100 CE in Nablus (a Roman colony established when the Second Temple was destroyed near the Shekhem’s ruins). In the Dialogue, he asserted that he was of Samaritan origin; however, he might have been probably indicating his geographical roots. This is because he indicates in the First Apology that he belonged to one of the countries that did not get the revelation given to the Samaritans and the Jews. He also asserts that he was educated and raised as an uncircumcised pagan in the Dialogue4. Justin sought truth in four main philosophical schools (Peripatetic, Platonist, Pythagorean, and Stoic), and he was very much convinced that Christianity led to unambiguous and complete truth. After he was converted, he established an influential school in Rome. He became a devoted educator and defender for Christianity5. In the Dialogue with Tryphon, he states that he first placed himself under the Stoic. However, after sometime he recognized that he did not learn anything about God, and that his master did not have anything to teach him on the subject. The Peripatetic man welcomed him but after a while, he requested for a fee; this scenario proved to him that the man was not a philos opher. The Pythagorean man declined to teach him anything; Justin had to learn first astronomy, music, and geometry before anything else6. Finally, the Platonist delighted Justin for some time. These accounts

Chipotle Mexican Grill Financial Position Case Study - 1

Chipotle Mexican Grill Financial Position - Case Study Example This shows an improvement in the company’s performance, as it is indicates an increase in the rate of return on the shareholders equity that is going up steadily over the years. More than often, the return on assets ratio gives a measure of effective and efficient utilization of assets in order to produce net profit. It therefore, allows the management an opportunity to enhance the utilization of resources around the company. Chipotle Mexican Grill return on assets in the year 2008 indicates a ratio of 0.3788 and thereafter an increase in the 2009 as the return on assets ratio rose to 0.4987 and a further increase in 2010 to 0.5094, indicating that there was an increase in the returns on the net profit from the assets, as they were effectively utilized (Grant, 2009). As a restaurant that offers Mexican food, Chipotle Mexican Grill is considered to be the leading among its competitors in the United States market. This attributes are related to its ability to offer services that have got high level of integrity. More so, the services of Chipotle Mexican Grill is accredited as one that is of high quality and has outstanding reputation as a result, the company outshines the rest of its competitors who offer Mexican dishes as it is followed by Baja fresh Mexican grill (Allen, 2011). On the other hand, Taco Bell remains low in its operations because it offers lower food quality as compared to its competitors even though its menu remains favorable. The liquidity ratio of Chipotle Mexican Grill indicates the profitability measure concerning how effectively and efficiently the firm’s performance is accredited in terms of the current ratio (Grant, 2009). A good liquidity ratio gives creditors more interest in transacting with the company, as it determines the overall liquidity of a company in terms of business short-term solvency thus, its ability to pay back its debts as it runs its business

Office furniture ksf Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Office furniture ksf - Research Paper Example One of the concepts that can enhance flexibility in the production of office furniture is the adaptation of the flexibility manufacturing systems that further enhance flexibility. However, such systems require high capital investments to install as well as operate such systems therefore; most of the small as well as medium companies may not be able to install such systems (Dima, 2013). Some of the benefits of the Flexible production processes include maximization of production and hence more profits. Keeping in mind flexible production processes such as the utilization of the FMS enhance the quality of the goods been manufactured. Consequently, such systems reduce the labor cost since fewer workers will be required to run the systems. This is because the production process in such cases involves the use of machines rather than the use of the conventional methods that necessitate more workers. Moreover, such systems increase the speed of production. New Product development is very important in the manufacturing of office furniture. This is due to the high competition in the market. This process may entail the innovation of new products or the development of the existing products. New products are very essential for survival especially in a competitive market. However, the innovation of new product must be followed by marketing strategies that push the products into the market (Dima, 2013). Moreover, furniture manufacturers need are forced to innovate new products due to the change in consumer wants, therefore increasing completion as well advances in technology. Moreover, a furniture manufacturer can engage in the production of new product in order to capitalize on new opportunities. For the manufacturer to capitalize on new opportunities they must understand thoroughly the customer wants; as well as develop new products that