Month: May 2018

The choice between fair value and historical cost accounting has been a widely debated issue in the accounting literature (Christensen & Nikolaev, 2013). However, the conceptual framework for international financial reporting (hereafter the IASB Framework) and the equivalent AASB Framework does not prescribe a specific measurement base to account for the key elements in financial reports (the IASB Framework 2010). Specific measurement methods for different accounting elements are provided in the specific international financial reporting standards (IFRS). Unlike most other accounting standards, IFRS provides a free choice between fair value and historical cost accounting for the non-financial asset groups: property, plant and equipment (PPE) (see IAS 16) and intangibles (see IAS 38). This has resulted in variations in valuation practices for PPE and intangible assets.

Required

1. Refer to the current IASB Framework and IFRS 13 Fair Value measurements, briefly explain the measurement concepts in relation to historical cost and fair value accounting.

2. Evaluate the benefits and challenges of using historical cost and fair value accounting for PPE and intangibles, by reviewing accounting literature.

3. Identify valuation practices (in relation to the use of historical cost and fair value accounting) for the following non-financial asset groups: PPE and intangibles, by reading the ‘accounting policy’ sections of three listed companies’ 2016 annual reports.

Note: You are required to select one company listed London stock exchange, one company listed on the New York Stock Exchange, USA, and the third one is selected from the Australian Securities Exchange.

4. Analyse if the valuation practices for PPE and intangibles are consistent across the three companies.

5. What is your opinion on the free choice between historical cost and fair value accounting for PPE and intangibles: should such free choice be continued in practice? Or should it be abandoned? Justify your answer.

References

Christensen, Hans B. & Nikolaev, Valeri V., (2013). Does fair value accounting for non-financial assets pass the market test? Review of Accounting Studies, 18(3), pp 734-775.

Missonier-Piera, Franck., (2007). Motives for fixed-asset revaluation: An empirical analysis with Swiss data, The International Journal of Accounting, 42(2),pp186–205.

 

IASB Framework, IAS 16, IAS 38, IFRS 13, retrieved from http://www.ifrs.org

 

AASB Framework, AASB 116, AASB 138, AASB 13, retrieved from http://www.aasb.gov.au

 

Australian Securities Exchange, www.asx.com.au

 

New York Stock Exchange, www.nyse.com

 

London Stock Exchange, www.londonstockexchange.com

Submission requirement

 

1. Assignment submission

a. Submission of this assignment by due date is compulsory for the successful completion of the subject.

b. The word limit is no more than 3000 words (excluding references and appendix)

c. The submitted hardcopy of the assignment must be the identical version of the electronic copy submitted through the Dropbox (i.e. Turnitin) on VU Collaborate. Inconsistence in the hardcopy and the electronic copy may result in a zero mark of the assignment.

 

Note: If you cannot submit your assignment through the Dropbox on VU Collaborate due to technical issue, then email your assignment to your tutor or lecturer no later than the due date.

d. The Turnitin/Dropbox Similarity Report should be no more than 20%.

e. Late submission without the extension approval from your tutor will be penalised at two marks (out of 20) per calendar day (including weekend).

f. Completed extension application form must be submitted to your tutor at least five days in advance of the due date.

g. Students are responsible to protect their work and save data by making necessary backup. Loss of data due to a computer or storage devices problems will not be considered a legitimate reason for an extension.

 

2. Referencing and style

 

· Assignment must be typed using Word document, with double alignment, and 1.5-lines space.

· Assignment is required to use Harvard referencing style (see VU library for examples of Harvard Referencing Style at http://guides.library.vu.edu.au/Harvard).

· Assignment without proper referencing (in text and end of text) will be subject to substantial deduction of marks. This may result in the assignment being marked zero.

 

3. Preventing plagiarism

 

3.1 Academic Honesty and Preventing Plagiarism Policy

 

Plagiarism is defined as ‘The practice that involves use of another person’s intellectual output and presenting it (without appropriate acknowledgement) as one’s own’.

 

Examples of plagiarism:

· Word-for-word copying of sentences/paragraphs in an assignment without acknowledgement or with insufficient or improper acknowledgement;

· Downloading essays or assignments from the web and presenting these for assessment;

· Presenting another student’s work or research data as the student’s work;

· Copying out parts of any text without acknowledging the source(s). This may be written text, structures within texts, diagrams, formulae, sound files, still photographs, audio-visual material (sound and image files), graphics/animations/multimedia objects, other computer based material, mathematical proofs, art objects, products and others. This can be done as verbatim copying or paraphrasing.

· The use of someone else’s concepts, experimental results, experimental conclusions or conclusions drawn from analysing evidence or arguments without acknowledging the originator of the idea(s) or conclusion(s).

 

 

3.2 Students are responsible for:

 

· Understanding and respecting the University’s policies and procedures regarding plagiarism, collusion, and other forms of academic misconduct, and as such should only submit work for correction or academic credit that is their own or that properly acknowledges the ideas, interpretations, words or creative works of others;

· Avoiding the lending or making accessible original work to others;

· Being clear about the appropriate referencing rules that are applicable to their field of study;

· Refusing to be a party to another student’s efforts to undermine the academic integrity of the University.

· Seeking assistance with their learning and assessment tasks if they are unsure of appropriate forms of acknowledgement.

Assignment 1: Discussion—Predicting and Developing a Long-Term Growth Strategy

To develop a strategic plan, as a nonaccounting manager, you need to analyze and link management accounting data and performance information with business strategies. You also need to extend the scope of management accounting beyond the organization. For this perspective, you will need to focus on variables that are external to the firm, such as variables relating to markets, customers, and competitors. This external focus will help you develop a sustainable competitive advantage, which is the primary element of your long-term growth strategy.

In this assignment, you will analyze the factors that affect the long-term growth strategy of a company.

Tasks:

Respond to the following:

• What can you learn from the financial statements of competitors that determine the relative cost position of your company?
• What are some of the ways in which you can secure a sustainable cost advantage over the competition?
• How does maintaining a strong understanding of relative costs help you maintain the competitive advantage?
• How do you use cost structure to differentiate products? Do you think product differentiation is a successful growth strategy? Why or why not?
• What is the usefulness of conducting a customer profitability analysis?

Assignment 2: Discussion—Ethics and IPR

Assignment 2: Discussion—Ethics and IPR

IPR protect drug companies from others making their  products without the expense of investing in research and development.  IPR also enable drug companies to recoup research and development  (R&D) costs by charging more for a drug than the marginal cost of  producing it.

One result of this strategy, however, is that unless a  company can charge enough to cover the costs of R&D and production,  it has no incentive to develop and produce a drug; no matter how  important that drug may be to certain populations, for example, the poor  in third-world countries.

 

• What ethical dilemmas does this situation pose for drug companies?
• Do other types of companies face similar dilemmas?

In addition to the readings assigned for Module 4, identify and read two to three other articles on professional ethics and the concept of intellectual property.

Share your observations, early conclusions, reflections, and questions in this discussion.

 

CAREER CONNECTION: Values And Strategy Paper

Choose an organization according to the following:

• Current employer
• Most recent or former employer
• Place of business that you have patronized or have been familiar with over a long period of time. 
  • Avoid choosing an organization that is so large that historical data would be difficult to apply. Firms in the Russell 2000® index may fit well, whereas firms in the Dow 30 Industrial index probably do not. 
• The organization can be a start-up that you or a significant other may create in the future. For a start-up, focus on an entrepreneurial idea that is of substantive interest, so this project leaves you with a product you may leverage in the future. 

Write a 1,050-word paper in which you address the following: 

• Identify the major components of the strategic management process.
• Discuss how these components work together to create value for the organization.
• Evaluate the company's mission statement, vision statement, motivation strategy, innovation strategy, and people strategy. If the organization does not have one or more of these, how does that affect the organization and its people?
• Explain the role of ethics and corporate social responsibility in strategic planning.  How does this direct their strategy? How does the organization's vison and mission align with your own values and vision?  If you are currently working for the organization, how does your role influence this and vice versa?  

Format your paper according to APA guidelines. 

 

Conflict Resolution

 Read Finkelman (2016), Chapter 13: Improving Teamwork: Collaboration, Coordination, and Conflict Resolution, section on Negotiation and Conflict Resolution, pp. 324-333 (see attached chapter 13 in word document).

 

· Observe nurses in a care delivery setting. Identify a recurring conflict with the potential to negatively impact patient care. Decide if delegation was an issue in the conflict. This should be from your practice setting or prelicensure experiences.

 

· Provide details of what happened, including who was involved, what was said, where it occurred, and what was the outcome that led you to decide the conflict was unresolved.

 

· Identify the type of conflict. Explain your rationale for selecting this type.

 

· Outline the four stages of conflict, as described in our text, and how they relate to your example.

 

· Propose strategies to resolve the conflict. Search scholarly sources in the library and the Internet for evidence on what may be effective.

 

· Discuss if delegation was an issue in the conflict. Be specific.

 

· Describe how you would collaborate with a nurse leader to reach consensus on the best strategy to employ to deal with the conflict.

 

· Describe the rationale for selecting the best strategy.

 

· Provide a summary or conclusion about this experience or assignment and how you may deal with conflict more effectively in the future.

 

· Type your paper using Microsoft Word 2010 or later.

 

 

Write a 5-7-page paper (not including the title or References pages) using APA format and at least four scholarly references no older than 5 years that includes the following level one headings:

 

1) Start your paper with an introduction ending with a purpose statement (e.g. “the purpose of this paper is…”)

 

2) Describe an unresolved (recurring) conflict that you experienced or observed. Identify the type of conflict.

 

3) Provide details of what happened, including who was involved, what was said, where it occurred, and what was the outcome that led you to decide the conflict was unresolved.

 

4) Outline the four stages of conflict, as described in Finkelman, and how the stages relate to your example. Decide if delegation was an issue in the conflict. Be specific.

 

5) Describe the strategies for conflict resolution and how you would collaborate with a nurse leader to resolve the conflict. Cites the course textbook and three scholarly sources.

 

6) Provide a conclusion or summary about this experience and how you may deal with conflict more effectively in the future.

 

Career Perspectives In Public And Global Health?

Career Perspectives in Public and Global Health?

"The only thing that will redeem mankind is cooperation." Bertrand Russell, British philosopher (1872–1970)

The public and global health infrastructure relies on the unique talents and training of many professionals to achieve significant improvements in public health. The wide assortment of new and existing public health challenges create both a need and opportunity for individuals interested in pursuing careers in public health. Few public health professionals or organizations function independently. Most collaborate as part of a larger infrastructure that works on a local, state, national, or global level to improve the health of populations. 

Whether you are already on a career path or looking for a profession that will allow you to help others, it is beneficial to understand the various roles of public health professionals. Be sure you keep these health professionals in mind as we explore diseases, disasters, and the future of public and global health over the next few weeks.

Post a comprehensive response(250-350 words) to the following:

After reviewing several job advertisements in the public health field (using the websites provided), prepare a summary of a job description for one career within the field of public health that is new or of particular interest to you. To do this, go to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and research information about this career in the current edition of the Occupational Outlook Handbook. Be sure to include information about the following in your summary job description discussion:

1. Nature of the Work—provide a brief summary statement of the nature of the work. What do these professionals do?

2. Education and Training—what are the educational/training requirements for this career?

3. Earnings—what salary can you expect to make in this career?

4. Related Occupations—what other public health professional might this individual regularly work with?

5. Which of the public health organizations identified in your class resources thus far, might employ this type of public health professional? How would this career fit the mission of the organization you selected? (Clue: Look in the "About US" or "Mission" section of the organizations website for more details.) 

Assignment: Cooperate. Collaborate. Connect.

Many nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and government organizations often work side by side on the same problem.

To prepare for this Application Assignment, explore the web pages of the organizations provided in your Learning Resources, this week, to learn about the work they are doing. Look for one health issue that you can see in both the NGO and government organizations for this assignment.

To complete this Application Assignment, write a 2 page paper that summarizes and compares the roles and function of one governmental and one nongovernmental organization (NGO) public or global health organization for a specific health issue. Be sure that your summary includes information about the following:

1. Where are the organizations' headquarters located?
2. What is the mission or purpose of these organizations?
3. What populations do they serve? And what do they do?
4. How are the organizations funded? Are they part of a larger public health infrastructure?
5. Do these organizations mention collaboration with any other agencies or organizations?
6. Are there any major public health issues these organizations are currently focusing on?
7. What might be some ethical issues that are related to the mission of these organizations? (If the organizations have a code of conduct or ethics statement, provide a brief summary in your description.)
8. Summarize what you learned in researching these organizations: What were the most interesting things you learned in this application? How are the organizations you selected similar or different?

Be sure to support your work with specific citations from this week's Learning Resources and additional scholarly sources, as required. Refer to the Essential Guide to APA Style

 

Assignment: Next Steps

 

For this week, you will work on developing a writing process strategy to continue improving your scholarly writing, and you will incorporate your S.M.A.R.T. goals identified in this week’s Discussion. As you work on these last assignments, take time to reflect on all you have accomplished, how much you have supported and encouraged your colleagues, and the rewarding journey ahead.

 

To prepare for this Assignment:

 

• Review      the feedback you received regarding the S.M.A.R.T. goals you identified in      this week’s Discussion.
• Revise      your goals accordingly, based on feedback provided by your Instructor, your      colleagues, and any other relevant source (e.g., other Instructors).
• Review      Learning Resources, and consider how these resources might support your      writing process.

 

1) Describe any strategies you might use for advancing your scholarly writing and why you selected these strategies.

 

2) Explain the types of resources you will use to support your writing process as you continue your scholarly journey (e.g., Writing Center materials, support groups, professional learning communities, and regular discussions with your doctoral chair).

 

3) Identify any potential issues you might face and provide strategies on how you might address these issues.

 

4) Congratulate yourself on at least one skill you have gained/improved upon during your experience in this course.

Project Management

Managing a project team and addressing people's issues are challenging for project managers. A flood of people's issues may overwhelm a professional, and especially those who aspire to be a PM someday. There are professional tools that consultants use to bring teams together and bring awareness to personality types. There are two types of activities that can help: personality assessment tools and team building exercises.

Personality assessment tools are useful in two ways. They introduce and promote discussion about the notion that different people have different personalities and these differences influence their effectiveness as team members. While it may seem patently obvious that different people have different personalities, examining and discussing this is useful. They also give insight to each individual on how their own personality might influence their interactions both as team members and as managers.

There are many assessment tools on the market today. One tool mentioned by the textbook's author is the Personal Style Inventory third edition, by Champagne and Hogan, published by HRDQ® (www.hrdq.com). This assessment is based on the well-known work by the mother daughter team of Myers and Briggs. You may also review the personality profile test at www.humanmetrics.com

An astute student will recognize that not only are these types of assessments and exercises useful in a classroom environment, they can also be used in “real” projects. Many PMs will administer personality assessment tools as a team building exercise that also gives the team real insights into how best they can work together.

What type of team building exercise would you use if you were managing a project team? Why will this work? What challenges have you personally experienced, if any, and how did a team building or team assessment tool help?

Your comments should be supported by research that you reference at the bottom of your post – see rubric in syllabus for complete submission guidance.

 

By the due date assigned, attach the rough draft of your essay as a Microsoft Word document to the Discussion Area. By the end of the week,comment on at least two of your classmate's submissions using the peer review questions provided below.

The essay assignment for this week is to compose a paper of at least 750 words in which you offer your interpretation of a literary element poem (such as theme, imagery, symbolism, or characterization) in one of the assigned poems. You may choose any poem from our reading listexcept for “The Chimney Sweeper.” If you wish, you may base your paper on the analysis you began in this week’s discussion.

Tips for the Essay

1. Open your introduction with an engaging opener, such as a question, quote from the poem, or interesting idea. Then, connect to the poem and mention the title and the author. End your introduction with a thesis statement that interprets one literary element of the poem (such as theme, imagery, symbolism, or characterization).
2. The body paragraphs should support your thesis. Present specific aspects of the poem that help to illustrate your points. Make sure to quote from the poem and analyze specific lines that support your argument.
3. Include a strong concluding paragraph that summarizes your main points and explains the significance of the thesis.

APA Reminder