The American :: essays research papers

A literary technique that authors often times employ is giving to the characters a name to enhance the reader’s understanding of that character. In The American, Henry James uses this style with most of his characters’ names. Often times, the names may translate into an English word, or it could even just sound like an English word. The novel is better understood because of this and the reader can get more meaning out of each character and his or her personality traits. In whichever way James chooses to depict names, they intensify the reader’s comprehension. The main character, Christopher Newman, is a prime example of Henry James’ use of this method. He is named after Christopher Columbus, the discoverer of America, as he says early in the novel, "Did you ever hear of Christopher Columbus?†¦my parents named me for him." (6). This is just relating him ever more to America and distinguishing him from a European. His last name "Newman" is very symbolic. He has traveled to Europe and Paris to basically become a "new man." He has given up his previous life of business and hard work, and is determined to live carefree and abroad. Newman changes day by day, and the reader follows along with these changes. The name Claire de Cintré also enhances the reader’s knowledge of her as a person. "Claire" in French means "light" and "Cintré" often can be translated as "crazy" or "insane." Claire is a light in many ways. She always wears white clothing, which can be very bright and seems to almost emit a glow when she is in a room. Her personality is also very lightening. She is well liked among everyone the reader is introduced to and always seems to attract the attention of people when she is in the room. Newman says, "†¦if you are going into a room with Madame de Cintré, you needn’t be afraid of being noticed yourself!" (139). Claire also can be seen by the reader to be a bit "crazy." She puts on a grand façade to those around her, but she can be different. She seems to be very depressed behind the happy face that she puts on. Nobody will really speak of why her previous marria ge was such a disaster, and this may be the cause of her depression. The reader can also assume that living with a mother and brother as the Marquise de Bellegarde and Urbain could drive any sane person a bit mad.

Interest groups and political parties Essay

Although they both serve as linkage institutions, interest groups and political parties have different goals in politics. The fundamental goal of interest groups is to influence legislative decisions and public policy by attempting to focus people’s attention on these topics or educate them on a certain issue or a small group of issues. They do this mostly by lobbying congressional committees at the local, state, and national levels, usually during campaign season. Grassroots lobbying and political action committees play a big role in lobbying efforts. Congress relies on funding and support from interest groups, and in return, the legislation focuses on the issues in which supporting interest groups specialize. Unlike interest groups, the main goal of political parties is getting their representatives elected as president or to other government positions. In order for political parties to be successful, they must hear out interest groups to determine which issues people are truly concerned about; parties are required to focus on a wide range of issues. Political parties also rely on media and advertising to get support and campaign funds. This is taken care of mostly by PACs within the party. Political parties tend to serve the interests of the politicians themselves rather than the constituency, but they are often successfully swayed when interest groups lobby Congress, Interest groups play a big part in the success of politicians and political parties in general. When a politician agrees to bring up a certain issue in Congress or any other position if he or she is elected, an interest group concerned with that issue will support his or her campaign with financial contributions. More money makes for stronger campaigns, so parties are able to have a big enough influence so that they are able to get their politicians elected. Interest groups will also publically endorse candidates who they feel would meet the needs of the group and raise awareness for issues that certain candidates want to focus on, if elected. While endorsing the viewpoints of politicians during their campaigns helps political parties to get their representative into office, it also benefits the interest groups themselves. When an interest group raises awareness on a certain issue to support a candidate, it is also further informing the constituency. Although interest groups do notparticipate in elections, getting their point across while advocating for a candidate usually results in more supporters. The public’s reaction to certain issues communicated by interest groups also helps to determine which topics of concern are on the public agenda. This allows interest groups to alter their lobbying techniques and focus on different congressional committees. Thus, there is a distinct relationship between interest groups and political parties that allows for mutual benefit within the government.

The Bible s Leadership As A Responsibility And Service Essay

Thus, Adam in many ways acts not only as a husband but also as a father to Eve and is thereby responsible for her actions as any father is. This is how and why Adam is to be blamed for original sin. Today, people tend to view leadership as some sort of great privilege. However, the bible describes leadership as a responsibility and service. This is best described in (Mark 10:41-45). This means that the husband being in a leadership makes him responsible for whatever happens among those under him. Despite the fact that this does not absolve Eve of all her guilt, it however, implicates Adam much more than it does her. Many scholars argue that if Adam had done the right thing and punished or warned Eve of her transgressions, then perhaps the fall of man would not have occurred. Leadership means that Adam was expected to answer for him and for Eve as well. The point of the argument seems to revolve around the fact that God made Eve as a lesser creature who was less intelligent when comp ared to Adam. This, therefore, makes her less accountable for her suggestion to defy God (Kuam et al., 67). The fact that the serpent chose to come to Eve when he decided to tempt the two human beings showed that it too believed that Eve was less likely to question his argument. However, in the case of Adam, the scripture appears to show that he had been bestowed with every perfection, including a great understanding of all commands that God had given him. Eve’s actions were a mere reflection ofShow MoreRelatedWhy I Am A Student Leadership Team?888 Words   |  4 Pages Why am I on a student leadership team? What compelled the leaders of my Youth Group to choose me to be on this team? How is this team enriching my life? What am I gaining? How is this team affecting others around me as well as the Youth Group? What, or whom, am I leading? These are all questions I ask myself when it comes down to The structure of USL. Recently, our team has went through changes. I d like to mention change was necessary. We weren t doing anything. We were only meeting once aRead MoreA Observation Of A Holiness Church Of God1292 Words   |  6 Pages Group Great Leadership Inturns Create Great Leaders: A Participant Observation of a Holiness Church of God Altariq Jones Central Piedmont Community College Introduction Macedonia Holiness Church was established in 1954 in Fairmount, North Carolina. This dynamic church is one of many which form a congregation of churches. Specifically, there are 13 churches in this specific congregation all lead by Pastors. In turn the congregation is led by a Senior Bishop and a Bishop boardRead MoreValues Based Decision-Making Essay1372 Words   |  6 PagesBecause values drive the way individuals select actions, this paper will outline how my personal, organizational, and cultural values affect my decision-making. Personal Values Personally, I hold numerous values essential, most notably respect, responsibility, and honesty. These values routinely affect my decision-making in my personal life. I believe individuals must live by the golden rule, treat others as you want them to treat you (Luke, p. 6:31). I incorporate this simple advice into all decisionsRead MoreEssay about Values Based Decision-Making1416 Words   |  6 PagesBecause values drive the way individuals select actions, this paper will outline how my personal, organizational, and cultural values affect my decision-making. Personal Values Personally, I hold numerous values essential, most notably respect, responsibility, and honesty. These values routinely affect my decision-making in my personal life. I believe individuals must live by the golden rule, treat others as you want them to treat you (Luke, p. 6:31). I incorporate this simple advice into all decisionsRead MoreBecause God Created Man To Take Care Of The Earth, Christians1633 Words   |  7 Pagestask of equipping Christian youth as disciples of Christ and as good stewards of their environment as they encounter issues of morals, social justice and service to their community. Walterboro Wildlife Sanctuary provides valuable stewardship opportunities for sustaining the local environment for church youth leaders who teach ways to reduce one s ecological footprint. We should be recycling and reusing in our churches. If you think about it we do throw away a lot of stuff that could be recycledRead MoreServant Leadership at Pervasive Solutions Essay1747 Words   |  7 PagesServant leadership is the management philosophy at Pervasive Solutions. From the perspective of a middle manager, this is a description of how the leadership team at Pervasive Solutions uses the servant leadership philosophy to lead, make decisions, lead change, and to motivate the employees to succeed. According to Hellriegel, Jackson and Slocum (2008), â€Å"the relationship between leaders and subordinates is reinforced by the concept of servant leadership† (p. 56). Nayab, N. (n.d.) stated, â€Å"TheRead MoreThe Mission Of The Church1211 Words   |  5 Pagesof the community as part of enabling this mission. †¢ Spiritual gifts are empowered by the Holy Spirit so that we can serve the needs of God’s creation. I am a steward of these gifts for God’s purpose. †¢ This role entails the highest level of responsibility and commitment due to the covenantal relationship between me and God, the local church, Va conference, and larger connectional United Methodist Church. 4. Explain your understanding of diakonia, the servant ministry of the church, and the servantRead MoreReligion And Religion : Religion866 Words   |  4 PagesReligion requires its followers to simply accept it, without solid evidence. Books written about God and religion, such as the Bible and Book of Mormon, are all the works of a man, who supposedly heard the voice of god. Religion is a belief in the unseen and unknowable and is therefore at no time expected to prove that it s right, or even show evidence for why it s right. Given this limitless explanation, religion therefore has the capacity to do much harm to the world and civilization. LookRead MoreNo Turning Back : History Of Feminism And The Future Of Women862 Words   |  4 Pagespastors and priests are indeed males. While there are some female leaders in various churches, a lot of these women are looked down upon, held to different standards, and given less respect due to the historical references society has put on church leadership. In Estelle Freedman’s book, â€Å"No Turning Back: The History of Feminism and the Future of Women,† she said, â€Å"The major Western monotheistic religions, which originated around five thousand years ago in the ancient Middle East, provide a good exampleRead MoreMy Volunteer Service At Fallbrook Church1062 Words   |  5 PagesLeadership is both a research area and a practical skill, regarding the ability of an individual or an organization to lead or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations. Leadership cannot be defined by just one word, but by action. I have seen development within myself through my volunteer service. Leadership is both a research area and a practical opportunity to share the ability gained as an individual, also through my organizations to lead or guide other individual team members

The Metamorphosis, And The Lord Of The Flies By William...

Throughout the human experience, mankind has never changed. There have been many physical changes, but man is still just an animal. As a society, since the renaissance, we have tried to distance ourselves from animals, convincing ourselves that we are different. We are not, we still have primal urges, we still need to eat, to breathe, we are still animals. Two novels: The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, and The Lord of the Flies by William Golding, prove this statement to be true. In Kafka’s novella, the reader observes a man’s descent into his own depression due to his parent’s selfishness, and the isolative nature it created within him. In Golding’s novel, we observe a group of young boys put onto an island where there are no rules, and they are the makers of their own destinies. Neither of these novels end well, as one ends with a man’s will to live breaking, and the other with the brutal massacre of children. Both novels delve into the darker side of humanity, and both leave the reader with more knowledge about the world as a whole, and themselves. Both The Lord of the Flies and The Metamorphosis explore the worst parts of the dark, greedy, and nightmarish beast called man. Greed and darkness are always present in man, but it takes situational pressures to pull them out. In both stories, the characters were content with their horrible situations because they hadn’t faced strong outside pressures yet. In both stories this comes in the form of a sudden occurrence. In theShow MoreRelated Essay on Behavior in All Quiet on the Western Front and Lord of the Flies1313 Words   |  6 PagesComparison of Human Behavior in All Quiet on the Western Front and Lord of the Flies  Ã‚         An authors view of human behavior is often reflected in their works. The novels All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque and Lord of the Flies by William Golding are both examples of works that demonstrate their authors view of man, as well his opinion of war. Goldings Lord of the Flies is highly demonstrative of Goldings opinion that society is a thin and fragile veil that whenRead MoreLord Of The Flies, And A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings1859 Words   |  8 Pagesnature starts there when it comes to the story of creation.Pieces of literature, such as â€Å"Lord of the Flies† by William Golding,â€Å"The Metamorphosis† by Franz Kafka, and â€Å" A very old Man with Enormous Wings: A Tale for Children† by Gabriel Marquez referenced the Bible through allusion. An author implements allusion to reveal the truth about the sinful nature of man. William Golding’s the â€Å"Lord of the Flies† shows that on account of a lack of guidance, the potential to sin inherited from birth thatRead MoreThe Old Man And The Sea1176 Words   |  5 Pagesconflict between man and nature. There are classics such as The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway and Lord of the Flies by William Golding, that show a very clear line that divides man from nature, and how nature is for the most part the enemy. However, in other stories, the line between civilization and nature is blurred. Stories such as True West by Sam Shepard, The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, and â€Å"The Rememberer† by Aimee Bender display examples of how the two distinct world of the civilizedRead MoreBelonging Essay4112 Words   |  17 PagesHeat and Dust Winch, Tara June, Swallow the Air Gaita, Raimond, Romulus, My Father Miller, Arthur, The Crucible: A Play in Four Acts Harrison, Jane, Rainbow’s End Luhrmann, Baz, Strictly Ballroom - film De Heer, Rolf, Ten Canoes - film Shakespeare, William, As You Like It Skrzynecki, Peter, Immigrant Chronicle Dickinson, Emily, Selected Poems of Emily Dicksinson Herrick, Steven, The Simple Gift Baillie, Alan, The China Coin Russell, Willy, Educating Rita Cleven,Vivienne et al (eds), Contemporary Indigenous

Essay on Comparing Hinduism and Buddhism - 1932 Words

Comparing Hinduism and Buddhism Hinduism and Buddhism have different similarities and are in some ways connected to each other. Some of the practices of the two religions are similar in various ways and there are several examples to show this. Hinduism first started in India around 1500 BC. The word Hindu comes from the Sanskrit word sindhu, or river. The Hindu community define themselves as those who believe in the Vedas, or also those who follow the way, or dharma, of the four classes and the stages of life. The four classes being the varnas and the stages of life being the ashramas. Like Hinduism, Buddhism also started in India. It is based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, who is called the Buddha or†¦show more content†¦These are the Sutra Pitaka, which is a collection of discourses, the Vinaya Pitaka, which is the code of the monastic discipline, and the Abhidharma Pitaka, which contains all different philosophical, psychological, and doctrinal discussions and different classifications. The Sutra Pitaka is made up of dialogues between the Buddha and his people and consists of five different texts. The first is the Digha Nikaya, then the Mijjhima Nikaya, the Samyutta Nikaya, Anguttara Nikaya and the Khuddaka Nikaya. The Vinaya Pitaka has over 225 rules of conduct for the Buddhist monks and nuns, each which ha a story to explain. The Abhidharma Pitaka has seven separate works, which include detailed classifications of the psychological phenomena, metaphysical analysis, and a thesaurus of technical vocabulary. Hinduism also has many texts but the most important of all is the Vedas. The oldest is the Rig-Veda, which was developed in an ancient form of the Sanskrit language in northeast India. It consists of 1028 hymns to many gods. Two other Vedas were added to the Rig-Veda, the Yajur-Veda which is a book for sacrifice, and the Sama-Veda which I the hymnal. A fourth book added around 900 BC, which is a collection of magic spells, is called the Atharva-Veda. The Brahmans, long Sanskrit texts, were also composed around this time and the Upanishads were composed around 600 BC. These Vedas and writings are considered revealed canon orShow MoreRelatedEssay on Comparing Hinduism and Buddhism478 Words   |  2 PagesComparing Hinduism and Buddhism While Hinduism and Buddhism come from the same cultural backgrounds, they are extremely diverse in their beliefs on afterlife, deity, and rituals. Both religions believe in reincarnation, but it is where an individual goes after he or she gets off the endless cycle that differs. These religions also part when it comes to whom they do or do not worship. Every religion comes with rituals and Hinduism and Buddhism are no exceptions. Hindu followers have no doubt theyRead MoreComparing Buddhism and Hinduism Essay644 Words   |  3 PagesComparing Buddhism and Hinduism As mentioned at the first meeting of our seminar, I originally took this class to fulfill a requirement set forth by the Hutchins School. However upon a little investigation and contemplation of my own, I have begun to think that I might find myself truly enjoying this class. Never having been much of a religious person, I suppose Ive shied away from the ideas of organized religion. Though this may always be the case for me, I have recently developed aRead MoreComparing The Religions Of Hinduism And Buddhism Essay1459 Words   |  6 PagesExam II #2. Compare and contrast the religions of Hinduism and Buddhism. What were the essential differences between the two? What hope did they give to the common people of India ? Both Hinduism and Buddhism are prominent religions in the ancient and modern world. They are arguably two of the most popular polytheistic faiths as well. Most people make the mistake of grouping them as one uniform religion, but this is inaccurate. Buddhism and Hinduism do split some resemblance, but several aspectsRead MoreHinduism and Buddhism976 Words   |  4 Pages Buddhism and Hinduism are two of the world’s most influential and greatest religions. Buddhism is a religion based on the teachings of the awakened one (Abrams), and Hinduism is the oldest of the world’s greatest religions (Rice). Both of these religions arose in South Asia, thus they share similar culture and philosophy; however, they also contrast greatly with each other in many other aspects. By comparing the rituals of worship of the two religions it is proven that Hinduism worships variousRead MoreThe Bhagavad Git A Conversation Between Arjuna, Krishna And The Blessed One853 Words   |  4 Pagesphysical Arjuna ends having an emotional battle within himself. To go against his faith or deal with the consequences of killing his own family. The Bhagavad Gita shows how religion influences a follower’s judgement on a situation. By comparing The Bhagavad Gita to Buddhism it is clear to see how the religions differ on influence. Arjuna at first has no problem with fighting until he sees his some of family getting ready to fight for the other. Now he is faced with the dilemma of what should he doRead MoreThe Beginning Of Buddhism And India1216 Words   |  5 PagesThe beginning of Buddhism started in 5th century B.C. in India (Violatti). Siddhartha, also referred to as Buddha, was said to have seen the suffering of the world and set out a way to fix it. He was said to have reached a state of enlightenment that was said to have begun at the end of attachments. These attachments were said to have been able to be achieved through a large amount of meditation and analysis of the world (Violatti, Buddhism). Buddhism does not have a direct set of books to followRead MoreHinduism and Budhism: Two of the World ´s Largest Religions1201 Words   |  5 Pagesreligions that are recognized as having the largest population of followers.(Major) Of these, there are some that are not recognized as or do not fall unde r the definition of religion in their countries of origin. Two of these Religions are Hinduism and Buddhism. While some do not see these as extremely prominent, they are pinocle belief systems in the Asian continent, with over 1 billion followers all together. (Feldhaus) These two religions along with few other traditional Asian belief systems areRead MoreSimilarities Between Buddhism And Hinduism1404 Words   |  6 Pages Buddhism and Hinduism are closely related when comparing the two. Buddhism was created based on the ideologies of Hinduism. There differences on their views with the idea of self and transmigration. They compare with one another with the problems of having senses, desires and anger. Hinduism believes in everything being unified together as one ultimate reality, which is Brahman. Brahman is the truth of all. Atman is considered as the true and pure self. Atman and Brahman are identical with oneRead MoreSimilarities Between Hinduism And Hinduism1390 Words   |  6 Pagesboth fall under the religions of Hinduism. Not only do the details of the pieces help explain the art, but so does the culture and the religion practiced at the time the piece was made. Hinduism is a major religion in India that is practiced by almost everyone. This is where they believe in one supreme being that has many different aspects. People who don’t understand Hinduism commonly mistake it with Buddhism due to the fact they share similar beliefs. Hinduism has the most affect on the cultureRead MoreBuddhist Meditation Center On Buddhism1205 Words   |  5 PagesIrving. After going through the course material on Buddhism, it got me curious to learn more about the culture, experience live worship ritual, meditation, and architecture of the temple. To understand the religion and culture better, I requested a friend of mine to visit the temple along with me. Since he practices Buddhism and also is a Tibetan, he acted as a personal guide during my visit to the meditation center. With little knowledge about Buddhism, he helped me understand the meaning of different

Web Site Structure Free Essays

The purpose of this paper is to discuss and compare three Web site structures from the student textbook â€Å"New Perspectives on the Internet† by Schneider and Evans. This student will identify the preferred structure and why; provide two Web site locations with URL addresses, and discuss advantages to Cascading Style Sheets in the creation of a web page. A hierarchical structure is where the â€Å"pages are linked going from the most general page down to more specific pages†¦In a hierarchical structure, users can easily move from general to specific and back again. We will write a custom essay sample on Web Site Structure or any similar topic only for you Order Now † (Schneider/Evans. 2006. p. 65). A linear structure is where â€Å"each page is linked with the pages that follow and precede it in an ordered chain.† (Schneider/Evans. 2006. p. 64). Linear structure does allow for augmented pages â€Å"in which each page contains an additional link back to an opening page.† (Schneider/Evans. 2006. p. 65). The third type of structure is called Mixed structure where â€Å"the overall form is hierarchical, as users can move from a general introduction to individual†¦however, links also allow users to move through the site in a linear fashion. (Schneider/Evans. 2006. p. 66). A Mixed structure provides the up and down and side to side movement within a site. The preference of this student would be Mixed structure and Hierarchical structure as these two types of structures provide maximum movement throughout a Web site. Formatting links, home pages and paths are unique to each Website; but, however, are similar depending on structure. A web site that this student enjoys to peruse is the National Geographic Web site, with the URL located at http://www.nationalgeographic.com. This site appears to be styled in a hierarchical structure, as it allows general to specific inquiry. It also allows the movement of backward and forward. Another web site of interest to this student is Facebook, with the URL located at http://www.facebook.com. This web site is designed on the linear structure with augmentation. Facebook pages are linked with pages that â€Å"follow and precede it in an ordered chain.† (Schneider/Evans. 2006. p. 64) Because Facebook does support an augmented style, links to outside sources and other available pages are available to the user. This design, however, from the user opinion, is lacking in personality and compatibility with the user. The design appears to be generalized, and simplified, allowing for many users in many locations and of many cultures. It is, therefore, very generic. Both Web sites provide home page links; but, because of the differences in structure, movement within each web site page is different. After some research in Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), this student has discovered several advantages in creating web pages. âž ¢ Cascading Style Sheets are written outside of the HTML codes and are therefore easy to access, change and manipulate. âž ¢ Cascading Style Sheets provide the designer the ability to change one section within the one sheet and having all similar sheets change as well in numerous locations. In closing, Cascading Style Sheets are a must in the creation of a web site. They provide ease of movement; top to down, back and forward and specific movement side to side. This ability provides a user-friendly web site. Depending on the information provided by the Web site and the audience to which it is geared, determines how the structure of the web site is designed. How to cite Web Site Structure, Essay examples

Purposes of Management Accounting

Question: Indicate the main purposes of management accounting and its relevance to the management of organisations.Evaluate the main cost structures of organisations and methods of their calculation.Determine appropriate methods of calculating break-even, profitability and capital input costs. Answer: Introduction Management accounting is of significant help to the management because it aids in decision making process and helps financial accounting. Determining the cost structure for the management is vital because a business needs to know about the expected profitability and costs. Therefore, budget leads to proper control on the management and the function. To prepare this report, Dicksmith Holding Ltd has been selected which is a good company in consumer electronics. The report will revolve around financial accounting, importance of budget and variances. Profit for the company As per the trend and the budget we can expect that the company will move to significant height in the year 2015. We are expecting the figures to touch $37,905 thousand as against $19,826 thousand in 2014 and this is due to strong policies framed by the management. The preparation of budget along with spotting of variances can lead to this figure. Moreover, investing in software will lead to strong opportunity like stock movement, tracing of sales, etc. Hence, a strong figure can be expected in the year 2015 as comapred to 2014. Budgeting Management and financial accounting are the two pillars that help in structuring the organization and to steer it forward. However, with the advent of technology, the manual system no longer exists. The work is being done by the latest softwares. In our case we are selecting Dicksmith holdings Ltd that is a leader in the field of consumer electronics. In this case it needs to have strong grasp over the management and the financial aspect. Investing in softwares will help the company to get automatic updates concerning the inventory and will aid in decision-making process (Albrecht et. al, 2011). Moreover, this will tend to have a strong grasp over the budgetary process, financial statement preparation and the conduct of the business. Management Accounting vs. Financial Accounting Management accounting helps the management that is present internally. It helps to connect the various departments and ensures that the activities are aligned. It aids in preparation of budgets and various other financial statements. In short it helps the management in taking decisions. Employees, managers, etc depends upon management accounting to get adequate information (Drury, 2011). On the other hand, financial accounting mainly revolves with the information that is beneficial to the parties that are present externally. Government, regulatory authorities, creditors depends on the information provided by financial accounting The main role of management accounting is to plan and forecast and this is done by preparing the budget. Moreover, it is not rigid; it can be used as per the requirements. On the contrary financial accounting is prepared as per the format and aids in the process of decision-making. It is mandatory for the organization to prepare it (Drury, 2011) Hence, management accounting can be said to be the essential tool that helps financial accounting. Management accounting is not compulsory but provides strong assistance to financial accounting. Objectives of preparing budget When it comes to financial planning preparation of budget is essential and vital. Without a budget it is difficult to operate because estimation is needed for the proper functioning. A budget helps to strengthen the organization and leads to proper functioning. It helps in forecasting and even enables in knowing the performance in comparison to the previous year result (Robinson Last, 2009). The main objective of budget is to provide solidity to the company in terms of guidance and proceedings. It enables the company to chalk out a plan regarding what needs to be done. Hence, preparing budget leads to planning. A budget helps in structuring the management and helps in evaluating the performance that is based on the expectations 9 Needles Powers, 2013). Secondly, it helps in forecasting the cash flow. It enables the company to grow at a rapid pace. Through budget, a company can estimate the funds that remain in the hands of the company and even predict crisis if any. Moreover, preparing budget helps in better allocation of resources. It helps the company to decide where the funds should be allocated and which activities will generate the maximum returns (Needles Powers, 2013). By a valid consideration and application of various other methods budget can provide significant results. Moreover, it helps in measuring performance and the variances if any can be used to rectify the process. The prime aim of creating an operational budget is to ascertain the functioning of the business and estimation can be done with the figures that are estimated. It helps the management to command over the current period expenses. Operational budget is of utmost helps because it enables saving and provides ample benefits (Robinson Last, 2009). Therefore, it helps in reduction of the financial problem. It helps the management and structures the business. Secondly, the forecasting of the expenses can be done with ease and flexibility. When the performance of the past is assessed, comparison can be done with the figures of the current period so that alignment of the business can be done. The chief aim of the operational budget is to enhance savings, investing, as well as strong planning. In short, it helps the business to perform in an effective manner and reduce the debt. Hence, it helps to avoid the jerks that are temporary in nature. Examples of Operational budget In our example we have selected Dicksmith Holding Ltd where different operational budgets are prepared and are linked to sales, manufacturing, selling expenses, etc. Sales budget can be termed as the initial stage of the budget that pertains to business and budgetary control starts from here. Sales budget assumes special importance because many budgets depend on it (Dicksmith, 2015). Secondly, the production budget provides the total units that can be manufactured. It needs to be noted that the production rests on three main factors that is the units needed to be sold, need of the stocks and other units. Thirdly, the material budget that is direct in nature helps in ascertainment of raw materials that is required for purchasing purpose. If ascertainment of the units purchase is done then it can be multiplied with the cost per unit to know the budgeted amount. Then the preparation of the labor budget that is direct is done so that it highlights the labor hour and the cost of labor to know the entire labor cost. The manufacturing overhead budget is prepared to ascertain the expected variable and fixed overhead. Lastly, the selling expenses budget provides the way for variable and selling expenses (Lanen et al, 2008). The general and administrative expenses budget leads to strong estimation of the expenses that is operational in nature and linked to administration. Classification of Costs On the basis of types Direct Cost- These costs are important because it can be accurately traced to a cost object with minimum effort. This cost object can be a department, product, project etc. For example, in the production of concrete, the cost of sand, gravel, cement etc are direct costs. Indirect Cost- These costs cannot be traced to a cost object but these benefit multiple cost objects. It can either be fixed or variable but mostly it is fixed as it does not change significantly. For example, the cost of depreciation, power and supervisors salary in a concrete plant are indirect cost. On the basis of behavior Fixed Cost- These costs incur no matter what level of production or sales is generated. It is important because high fixed costs can prove to be an entry barrier for competitors and on the other hand, it can also create economies of scale. For example, depreciation, rent, salaries etc. Variable Cost- These costs varies with the production output. It is necessary to understand these costs because high variable costs indicate that a business can operate at a relatively low level of revenue. For example, commission to salesman only when they sell products or services, credit card fees etc. Mixed Cost- This cost is basically an admixture of both fixed and variable costs. It is important to know the mix of both these because one can predict how costs can alter with varied level of activity. For example, the total cost of a building owned by a company is mixed cost where the depreciation associated with the building is fixed while the utility expense is variable. On the basis of function Production Cost- Any costs whether direct or indirect that are attributable to the production of goods and services are called production costs. Companies can get a clear picture about how much cost will incur to produce an item or service by classifying these costs. Example, cost associated with a product, utility expense, etc (Horngren, 2011). Administration Cost- Costs required to administer the business are the administration costs. It is required to ascertain the structure of fixed cost. Example: staff wages, office supplies, rent, etc (Horngren, 2011). Selling Cost- Costs incurred in selling products or services are the selling costs. It must be classified because it can rival the size of production budgets. Example: advertising and salary of sales staff, etc (Horngren, 2011). Distribution Cost- Costs incurred from the production stage till the customer point are distribution costs. Example: warehouse costs and transport cost etc. Research and Development Cost- These Costs are incurred for developing or improving products. Example: designing of products, patent etc. On the basis of relevance Relevant Cost- These costs are associated with a particular management decision and will change as a result of this decision in future. It is helpful in eliminating extraneous data from a decision-making process. Examples: Costs incurred to keep or sell a unit, etc (Horngren, 2013) Irrelevant Cost- These costs does not alter as a result of a management decision but it can be relevant to other management decisions, hence must be classified. Examples: Sunk Costs, fixed overheads, non-cash items, etc (Horngren, 2011). Standard cost Standard costing is used by companies to measure performance and determine costs but speculation on it being the most efficient measurement tool has always been there. Standard costing takes into consideration factors like quantity, price and quality of the material and it is based on present and projected future conditions. Standard costing permits the recording of inventory and cost of goods sold (COGS) at standard cost in order to prevent time-consuming in valuation of inventories (Horngren, 2013). Since, these accounts are recorded at their standard cost, corrective action becomes impossible and there does not remain any yardstick that can measure the performance. Therefore, in order to use standard costing in variance analysis, the variance and costs must be inter-related which means that the standard costs must be compared with the actual costs. In simpler words, variance analysis can be computed by the differences between standard cost and actual cost (Horngren, 2011). By dedu cting the actual costs with the standard costs, the inefficiency in estimates can be ascertained and investigations can be done by the management to determine the cause. Variances of direct labor, direct material and overhead costs can also be obtained and by comparing these variances or actual costs with standard costs, innovative ways can be known on how to control costs more effectively. Hence, it can be assumed that both standard costing and variance analysis make a very good performance measurement tool (Horngren, 2011). In variance analysis, the variances are assessed as favorable and adverse so that it becomes easy for the authorities to ascertain its financial impact. A favorable variance arises when the actual or net income of the company is better than the standard or estimated income (Shim Siegel, 2009). It can also arise when the actual costs of the company are less than the projected or standard cost. It can be interpreted that when the actual revenue of the company rises as a result of decrease in costs or increase in income, then a favorable variance is created. For example: The actual revenue of $100000 of a company versus a budget or standard revenue of $90000 gives a favorable variance (revenue) of $10000. Similarly, the actual costs of $150000 of a company versus a budget of $175000 give a favorable variance of $25000 (Vanderbeck, 2013). Similarly, when the revenue of the company are lower than what is expected or the expenses are higher than what is expected, then it gives rise to an unfavorable variance. In relation to standard costing, it means that when the actual costs are higher than standard costs, an unfavorable variance is created. These variances are very significant for the management because after identifying these variances, they can take relevant steps in order to determine the cause of such variance (William, 2010). For instance, the actual revenue of $500000 of a company versus a budget of $550000 gives an unfavorable variance (revenue) of $50000. Similarly, the actual costs of $250000 of a company versus the standard cost of $200000 gives an unfavorable variance (expense) of $50000. Conclusion The discussion and the report clearly signify that the preparation of budget is important for the organization and helps in smooth running of the organization. Furthermore, the financial accounting, as well as management accounting must go hand in hand that helps to steer the organization in the correct direction (Needles, 2011). This enables knowing the variances and leads to proper strategy. Moreover, the annual report of Dicksmith Holding clearly shows that budgeting and holds the key for success of the organization. References Albrecht, W., Stice, E. Stice, J 2011, Financial accounting, Mason, OH: Thomson/South-Western. Drury, C 2011,Cost and management accounting, Andover, Hampshire, UK: South-Western Cengage Learning. Dicksmith 2015, Dicksmith profile 2015, viewed 12 July 2016, https://www.dicksmith.com.au/da/ Horngren, C 2011, Cost accounting, Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: Pearson Australia Horngren, C 2013, Financial accounting, Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: Pearson Australia Group. Lanen, W. N., Anderson, S Maher, and M. W 2008, Fundamentals of cost accounting, NY: Hang Loose press. Needles, B. E. Powers, Marian 2013, Principles of Financial Accounting. Financial Needles, S. C 2011, Managerial Accounting, Nason, USA: South Western Cengage Learning. Vanderbeck, E. J 2013, Principles of Cost Accounting, Oxford university press Robinson, M., Last, D 2009, Budgetary Control Model: The Process of Translation. Accounting, Organization and Society, NY Press Shim, J.K Siegel, J.G 2009, Modern Cost Management and Analysis, Barron's Education Series William, L 2010, Practical Financial Management, South-Western College.