Deception Point Page 3

He clucked ruefully. â€Å"Thirty-four. Almost an old maid. You know by the time I was thirty-four, I'd already-â€Å" â€Å"Married Mom and screwed the neighbor?† The words came out louder than Rachel had intended, her voice hanging naked in an ill-timed lull. Diners nearby glanced over. Senator Sexton's eyes flash-froze, two ice-crystals boring into her. â€Å"You watch yourself, young lady.† Rachel headed for the door. No, you watch yourself, senator. 2 The three men sat in silence inside their ThermaTech storm tent. Outside, an icy wind buffeted the shelter, threatening to tear it from its moorings. None of the men took notice; each had seen situations far more threatening than this one. Their tent was stark white, pitched in a shallow depression, out of sight. Their communication devices, transport, and weapons were all state-of-the-art. The group leader was code-named Delta-One. He was muscular and lithe with eyes as desolate as the topography on which he was stationed. The military chronograph on Delta-One's wrist emitted a sharp beep. The sound coincided in perfect unison with beeps emitted from the chronographs worn by the other two men. Another thirty minutes had passed. It was time. Again. Reflexively, Delta-One left his two partners and stepped outside into the darkness and pounding wind. He scanned the moonlit horizon with infrared binoculars. As always, he focused on the structure. It was a thousand meters away – an enormous and unlikely edifice rising from the barren terrain. He and his team had been watching it for ten days now, since its construction. Delta-One had no doubt that the information inside would change the world. Lives already had been lost to protect it. At the moment, everything looked quiet outside the structure. The true test, however, was what was happening inside. Delta-One reentered the tent and addressed his two fellow soldiers. â€Å"Time for a flyby.† Both men nodded. The taller of them, Delta-Two, opened a laptop computer and turned it on. Positioning himself in front of the screen, Delta-Two placed his hand on a mechanical joystick and gave it a short jerk. A thousand meters away, hidden deep within the building, a surveillance robot the size of a mosquito received his transmission and sprang to life. 3 Rachel Sexton was still steaming as she drove her white Integra up Leesburg Highway. The bare maples of the Falls Church foothills rose stark against a crisp March sky, but the peaceful setting did little to calm her anger. Her father's recent surge in the polls should have endowed him with a modicum of confident grace, and yet it seemed only to fuel his self-importance. The man's deceit was doubly painful because he was the only immediate family Rachel had left. Rachel's mother had died three years ago, a devastating loss whose emotional scars still raked at Rachel's heart. Rachel's only solace was knowing that the death, with ironic compassion, had liberated her mother from a deep despair over a miserable marriage to the senator. Rachel's pager beeped again, pulling her thoughts back to the road in front of her. The incoming message was the same. – RPRT DIRNRO STAT – Report to the director of NRO stat. She sighed. I'm coming, for God's sake! With rising uncertainty, Rachel drove to her usual exit, turned onto the private access road, and rolled to a stop at the heavily armed sentry booth. This was 14225 Leesburg Highway, one of the most secretive addresses in the country. While the guard scanned her car for bugs, Rachel gazed out at the mammoth structure in the distance. The one-million-square-foot complex sat majestically on sixty-eight forested acres just outside D.C. in Fairfax, Virginia. The building's facade was a bastion of one-way glass that reflected the army of satellite dishes, antennas, and rayodomes on the surrounding grounds, doubling their already awe-inspiring numbers. Two minutes later, Rachel had parked and crossed the manicured grounds to the main entrance, where a carved granite sign announced NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE (NRO) The two armed Marines flanking the bulletproof revolving door stared straight ahead as Rachel passed between them. She felt the same sensation she always felt as she pushed through these doors†¦ that she was entering the belly of a sleeping giant. Inside the vaulted lobby, Rachel sensed the faint echoes of hushed conversations all around her, as if the words were sifting down from the offices above. An enormous tiled mosaic proclaimed the NRO directive: ENABLING U.S. GLOBAL INFORMATION SUPERIORITY, DURING PEACE AND THROUGH WAR. The walls here were lined with massive photographs – rocket launches, submarine christenings, intercept installations – towering achievements that could be celebrated only within these walls. Now, as always, Rachel felt the problems of the outside world fading behind her. She was entering the shadow world. A world where the problems thundered in like freight trains, and the solutions were meted out with barely a whisper. As Rachel approached the final checkpoint, she wondered what kind of problem had caused her pager to ring twice in the last thirty minutes. â€Å"Good morning, Ms. Sexton.† The guard smiled as she approached the steel doorway. Rachel returned the smile as the guard held out a tiny swab for Rachel to take. â€Å"You know the drill,† he said. Rachel took the hermetically sealed cotton swab and removed the plastic covering. Then she placed it in her mouth like a thermometer. She held it under her tongue for two seconds. Then, leaning forward, she allowed the guard to remove it. The guard inserted the moistened swab into a slit in a machine behind him. The machine took four seconds to confirm the DNA sequences in Rachel's saliva. Then a monitor flickered on, displaying Rachel's photo and security clearance. The guard winked. â€Å"Looks like you're still you.† He pulled the used swab from the machine and dropped it through an opening, where it was instantly incinerated. â€Å"Have a good one.† He pressed a button and the huge steel doors swung open. As Rachel made her way into the maze of bustling corridors beyond, she was amazed that even after six years here she was still daunted by the colossal scope of this operation. The agency encompassed six other U.S. installations, employed over ten thousand agents, and had operating costs of over $10 billion per year. In total secrecy, the NRO built and maintained an astonishing arsenal of cutting-edge spy technologies: worldwide electronic intercepts; spy satellites; silent, embedded relay chips in telecomm products; even a global naval-recon network known as Classic Wizard, a secret web of 1,456 hydrophones mounted on seafloors around the world, capable of monitoring ship movements anywhere on the globe. NRO technologies not only helped the United States win military conflicts, but they provided an endless stream of peacetime data to agencies such as the CIA, NSA, and Department of Defense, helping them thwart terrorism, locate crimes against the environment, and give policymakers the data needed to make informed decisions on an enormous array of topics. Rachel worked here as a â€Å"gister.† Gisting, or data reduction, required analyzing complex reports and distilling their essence or â€Å"gist† into concise, single-page briefs. Rachel had proven herself a natural. All those years of cutting through my father's bullshit, she thought. Rachel now held the NRO's premier gisting post-intelligence liaison to the White House. She was responsible for sifting through the NRO's daily intelligence reports, deciding which stories were relevant to the President, distilling those reports into single-page briefs, and then forwarding the synopsized material to the President's National Security Adviser. In NRO-speak, Rachel Sexton â€Å"manufactured finished product and serviced the customer.†

Understanding Issues in Organizational Behavior

Understanding Issues in Organizational Behavior Free Online Research Papers A. How effective are non-monetary incentives in relieving stress? Monetary incentives at first glance appear to be motivational and accepted as such by most people but not always does it carry much length in satisfaction. Relieving employee stress goes further than monetary compensation from your employer. Non-monetary compensation in consideration to assist employees with stress comes in many forms. Employees under stress would most likely look forward to paid time off, schedule adjustments and the possibility of a more flexible work shift. I my experience non-monetary incentives have resulted in a more effective response from employees. Happy employees perform better and produce better results in the work environment. B. How does employee motivation impact organizational performance? Employee motivation plays a large part in an organizations performance and productivity results. Motivation encourages people to try and achieve their designated task and goals. For many, motivation provides a sense of accomplishment and the good feeling of belonging to an organization in control of their destination. Being part of something structured can often offer much motivation for employees. Lack of motivation among the work force can result in low encouragement to achieve, promote negative feeling about the organization and the organizations concerns about its personnel. Organizations who promote positive motivation expresses awareness and acknowledgement about their employees further enhancing creativity and productivity results. C. In today’s business environment, what is the importance of a culturally diverse workforce? Today’s business is almost non-existing without cultural diversity taking main stage in the workforce. The importance of culturally diverse in the workforce is just as important as the business market today if not more. Understanding and learning how to deal with cultural diversity can only widened and opened global opportunities for organizations to succeed. By becoming more adapted to the needs and indifferences of all the many cultures within business and particularly the workforce, organizations have expanded and opened the doors to great success potential. Accepting diversity and maintaining a positive and motivated organization in today’s business world is priority for many businesses around the world. The workforce is the core structure of an organized business, dealing with diversity and creating a positive and diverse workplace will only promote success and performance. Research Papers on Understanding Issues in Organizational BehaviorResearch Process Part OneOpen Architechture a white paperAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalPETSTEL analysis of IndiaBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfThe Project Managment Office SystemTwilight of the UAWMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductRelationship between Media Coverage and Social and

A Brief History of Seat Belts

A Brief History of Seat Belts The first U.S. patent for automobile seat belts was issued to Edward J. Claghorn of New York, New York on February 10, 1885. Claghorn was granted United States Patent #312,085 for a Safety-Belt for tourists, described in the patent as designed to be applied to the person, and provided with hooks and other attachments for securing the person to a fixed object. Nils Bohlin Modern Seat Belts Swedish inventor, Nils Bohlin invented the three-point seat belt - not the first but the modern seat belt - now a standard safety device in most cars. Nils Bohlins lap-and-shoulder belt was introduced by Volvo in 1959. Seat Belt Terminology 2-Point Seat Belt: A restraint system with two attachment points. A lap belt.3-Point Seat Belt: A seat belt with both a lap and a shoulder portion, having three attachment points (one shoulder, two hips).Lap Belt: A seat belt anchored at two points, for use across the occupants thighs/hips.Lap/Shoulder Belt: A seat belt that is anchored at three points and restrains the occupant at the hips and across the shoulder; also called a combination belt. Car Seats - Child Restraints The first child car seats were invented in 1921, following the introduction of the Henry Fords Model T, however, they were very different from todays car seat. The earliest versions were essentially sacks with a drawstring attached to the back seat. In 1978, Tennessee became the first American State to require child safety seat use.

Developing New Venture for an Entrepreneur Essay

Developing New Venture for an Entrepreneur - Essay Example Reflective learning enables use to learn from the past experience and improve upon that. While an entrepreneur exploits opportunities, a good entrepreneur creates opportunities innovatively. The success of Hinna Azeem in the jewellery brand is a proof of her reflective entrepreneurial skills. Introduction A few years ago Hinna Azeem was a young girl living a hectic life in London. She happened to have a passion for Gems and Jewellery. She turned to be more enthusiastic as she became familiar with it. She cherished the dream of becoming a jewellery designer and she took up the evening class to learn jewellery making and designing at St.Martin’s Collage of Art and Designing. Hinna’s dream rolled out as jewellery brand in the year 2000. It took more than two years to stabilize the business through a steady growth. Her passion for designing jewellery got better with her travelling experiences around the world including the gemstone rich areas of Africa, Asia and South Ameri ca. Her professionalism and personal inclination to stones helped her to make unique and versatile designs. While it was designed to be stylish to enhance the beauty of women, she aimed to make those available at affordable prices. She promoted on the view of making a women look complete with perfect set of jewellery. The timeless designs of H. Azeem, along with affordable price tags, soon captured the attention of the masses and the brand became very popular. Steadily climbing up in the graph the company turned out to be profitable in less than two years. Her production was outsourced to suppliers in the far off countries with the objectives of cheap labour and availability of materials. Though she had gained the potential to turn her brand into an icon of fashion, using tactics like outsourcing and so on, she kept the public trust by maintaining low prices. Having achieved tremendous success in the business, Now, H. Azeem plans to enter into the category of men’s jewellery. As it enhances the market for the business, she provides an excellent customer service department with an effective network of after sale service. She outsourcers to retailers for sale and now the firm also have an online portal for sale. These could be termed as the strategic and technical skills she adapted to remain unique in the market. Being young and intelligent, she has been acknowledged as one of the outstanding entrepreneurs. She has now been recognised by scholars and news makers as an innovative, successful proprietor. Report The following is the report of our group. As we kept on moving about fulfilling the task requirements, each one of us was challenged with problems and difficulties. This report, however, formatted individually, enables one to analyse how every one had completed the assigned task in connection with our reflective learning outcomes. At the end of the individual report is the conclusion which is the group’s overview. Individual 1 An entrepreneur is the one who look forward to exploiting opportunities to maximum

Business and Social Approaches to Social Media Essay - 1

Business and Social Approaches to Social Media - Essay Example Identifying how this particular tool is now being used and identifying the ways that it can work for others that are using the Internet is then creating a different approach to connecting online. Theories of Social Media The use of social media for businesses is one which relates specifically to the ability to connect with others online through specific mediums. The social media platforms consist of areas which users can interact and connect with other like-minded users. The growth of this has led to platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Wikipedia and business areas where others can connect. The concept is now known as web 2.0, where interaction and user-generated content is providing more applications and alternatives for those that are online. The concept of using these tools is based on the demographics, ability to display a specific message to viewers and the ability to collaborate with business ideas that will attract potential customers to a business (Kaplan, Haenlein, 2010). Th e approach which is now being taken with social media has allowed the main concept to transform the way in which many are approaching business and interactions. When searching for the user-generated content, there is the ability to connect with others that are interested in specific ideologies, consumerism, and choices. A business can specify demographics, target markets and other concepts that are from a given profile. From this, there is the ability to transfer information and knowledge about the business and to create a connection to customers. This creates a social graph, in which one business connects to potential customers and begins to expand with the specific target markets that are available through the interactions and known interests that are listed on the various online portals (Qualman, 2011). The concept which has been used with approaching target markets has also led to the promotional mix is a model which is followed. This has been built into a hybrid model that is u sed for communicating with others and for interactions that are able to get specific results with online marketing. Consumer to consumer communications as well as promotions from businesses is the two main focuses of the hybrid promotional mix that is used for user-generated content. This occurs with the main promotion, advertisement or page that is listed on a social media site or website. The consumer then has the ability to focus on direct responses by commenting on the promotional tools with engagement. For businesses, this means that the promotions need to have positive responses from consumers while ensuring that the discussions work in favor of the business. The promotional mix that is needed is then based on gaining a sense of control with the promotions that are used for the social media portals (Mangold, Faulds, 2009). The interactions with customers and the way which this is associated with the promotional mix are then leading to the need to put the public relations of a business as the main priority. The amount of control that is a part of the user-generated content is based on finding a way to build credible forms of marketing and interactions that are online. The use of effective communication, ability to increase exposure and creating a strong presence and brand loyalty are some of the focuses that are a part of using social media online.  

Individual analysis of an organisation of student's choice Assignment

Individual analysis of an organisation of student's choice - Assignment Example Wal-Mart emerged as a global retailing corporation from being a local retailer with the successful implementation of a unique and undisputed supply chain and operations management system within the business. The major characteristics of the operations management of Wal-Mart which have driven the success of the company on a global platform are the unique inventory management systems, non-replicable everyday low pricing strategies, the use of high end technology and integration in the supply chain and a centralized procurement and distribution system. Wal-Mart has become the undisputed leader in the retail segment through the use of the everyday low pricing strategy which has driven high volume of sales and subsequently increased profitability for the company. Wal-Mart is acclaimed for having maintained the highest operating profit margins, inventory turnover and sales per square feet among the retail companies operating in the United States and other countries in the world. The operat ions management of Wal-Mart has played a key role in the popularity of the company and the emergence of the company as the number one retail business among many players in the retail industry. Wal-Mart as a business has both internal and external stakeholders. Both the internal as well as the external stakeholders of the company have much interest in the activities and management of the business. The internal stakeholders of Wal-Mart include the shareholders, the management and the employees of the company. On the other hand, the external stakeholder group comprises of mainly the customers, suppliers, distributors, competitors and the governments of the countries in which the stores of Wal-Mart operate. The most important internal customers are tee employees and the most critical external customers of Wal-Mart are the customers of the business. Wal-Mart is renowned for managing its human resources very well and is currently

Budget Information Problem Based In Metroline Travel Engineering Accounting Essay

Budget Information Problem Based In Metroline Travel Engineering Accounting Essay This report outlines a budget information problem based in Metroline Travel engineering and logistical function. The report also presents a discussion and analysis of a budget information problem with reference to the problem solving frame work. The project also includes the 4 Ps within the marketing mix, limitations of incremental budgeting, 10 criteria which are proposed for good-quality information and a financial analysis of the logistical function overtime cost. These analyses are necessary for competent decision-making. In addition, the report concludes with an investigative examination of these problems and plausible recommendations to address the companys deficiencies. Also noteworthy, advantages and disadvantages using the SMART framework with recommendations and implications will also be outlined. Contents Assignment 02 1 A budget information problem within the logistical function 1 B629/BZX629 Managing 2: Marketing and Finance 1 Report Prepared by: Kelemn Wyllie 1 Senior Material Support Manager 1 Metroline Travel 1 Tutor 1 Mr. Jay Naik 1 1 Date of the Report: 25-08-2010 1 Contents 3 TMA Part 1 5 Introduction 5 Stakeholder Analysis 6 Problem Statement 7 Figure 4 Internal Engineering Value Chain Analysis 7 Analysis 9 10 Conclusion 14 Recommendation 16 Figure 12 recommendations within the budget control loop 16 Bibliography 21 Appendix 22 TMA Part 2: TMA Activities 38 Activity 1: Week 6 Table 6.1 Three new tasks you could do at work 38 Activity 2: Week 6 Table 6.2 Costs Rewards associated with the proposed 3 new work 39 Activity 3: Week 6 Table 6.3 Communicating your proposed idea to peers in the organisation 40 Activity 4: Week 7 Table 7.1 How I currently deliver the service and how it could be improved 41 Activity 5: Week 8 Table 8.1 Focus group research on a marketing problem 42 Activity 6: Week 9 Table 9.1 Investigate marketing planning in my own organisation 43 Activity 7: Week 9 Table 9.2 The Marketing Plan 44 Activity 8: Week 10 Part A What financial information do you deal with at home and at work? 45 Activity 8: Week 10 Part B Share with other students what you hope to achieve by studying finance 46 Activity 9: Week 10 Table 10.1 Stakeholders financial information needs 47 Activity 10: Week 10 Table 10.2 Financial information requirements 48 Activity 11: Week 11 A completed version of Table 11.1 Garden Furnishings: solving the problem 49 Activity 12: Week 12 A Word Document noting your/your line managers budgetary information requirements 50 Activity 13: Week 12 Part A A completed version of Table 12.2 Template for cash budget 51 Activity 13: Week 12 Part B A Word document discussing practical application of master and cash budget information to problems of Garden Furnishings 52 Activity 14: Week 12 Resolving a budget information problem 53 TMA Part 1 Introduction As senior material manager in a public bus company called Metroline Travel. A subsidiary company owned by the Singapore based ComfortDelGro Corporation. See Appendix for profit and loss account and other related financial information as of 31st march 2010. The worlds second largest listed land transport company. The senior material manager supervises a team of 15 material support managers across London. These personnel are the logistical team and their core responsibilities are the supply, storage and procurement of parts to engineering (core activity). The logistical hierarchy is illustrated in figure 1. Figure 1 Metroline Organisational Structure (Logistical Department) Stakeholder Analysis Stakeholder analysis is a useful technique used to identify the key people within the logistical function framework. These key personnel are very important to the organizational structure because they have tremendous power and influence which affects the performance and future resource planning allocated from senior management. Managers should consider the organisations responsibilities and commitment to all its stakeholders. (Understanding marketing and financial information, P. 196) According to Mendelows matrix these can be grouped into to 4 categories which are illustrated figure 2 in Metroline Travel below: Figure 2 Mendelows matrix High Low C- Keep Satisfied D- Key Players A- Minimal Effort B-Keep Informed Low HighPower Level of Interest A- Drivers B- Operation, Suppliers C- Finance department D- Engineering (Core Activity) Assumptions To make the problem more bounded: Material managers have complete autonomy over their overtime Material manager received invoices on a Friday in May, June and July Budgets are formed outside the control of the logistical function Cost can be divided in to fixed and variable cost The material managers are constraint to 19 hours per week overtime (limiting factor) in line with the EU working time directive Problem Statement Budgets are used for detailed planning in the allocation of resources in a business. This information is important to management and stakeholders alike in assessing the activities and performance of an organisation, illustrated in Figure 3. The logistical function overtime budget is based on an incremental budgeting principle with an absorption costing approach for allocating cost per material managers. The incremental budgeting principle is based on 9% of their base salary plus current inflation. However, the material mangers overtime for May, June and July allowance were over budgeted which would affect workers long term motivational level working on a weekend. This over-budget affects the controlling, planning and decision-making of its activities. This overtime process is very important in maintaining a reliable service to engineering. Figure 3 Information direction Senior material support manager Material mangers Engineering The value chain consists of a series of activities that create and builds significance in maintaining a bus. An organisation can consider the activities in its value chain and assess if they are value added activities or non-value added activities. (Understanding marketing and financial information, P. 190) This is illustrated in figure 4. Figure 4 Internal Engineering Value Chain Analysis EQUIPMENT ENVIRONMENT OTHER OTHER INPUT MACHINERY OUTPUT TOOLS QUALITY CHECKS REPAIR REPORT ENGINEERS BUS REPAIR MANAGEMENT PARTS GARAGE OVERTIME OTHER MATERIAL MANAGERS OTHER PROCESS PEOPLE As their line manager; I was tasked by the head of purchasing and logistics to investigate and place corrective actions to bring this over budgeting back under control. This over- budget is illustrated in figure 5. Figure 5. Material Managers Overtime budget as of the 31 July 2010 MONTHS January February March April May June July USER Material manager 1  £800  £900  £100  £100  £445  £520  £549 Material manager 2  £0  £220  £200  £220  £458  £612  £323 Material manager 3  £0  £100  £500  £461  £552  £144  £66 Material manager 4  £0  £50  £100  £110  £100  £222  £366 Material manager 5  £0  £60  £631  £100  £223  £141  £316 Material manager 6  £200  £100  £211  £250  £300  £44  £342 Material manager 7  £0  £600  £0  £54  £642  £335  £559 Material manager 8  £102  £0  £200  £0  £452  £500  £445 Material manager 9  £200  £0  £130  £0  £452  £900  £498 Material manager 10  £500  £0  £45  £0  £100  £626  £613 Material manager 11  £100  £200  £115  £225  £100  £225  £889 Material manager 12  £0  £200  £25  £445  £252  £225  £789 Material manager 13  £200  £0  £255  £235  £231  £995  £145 Material manager 14  £0  £120  £22  £122  £85  £452  £445 Material manager 15  £0  £100  £12  £144  £200  £100  £112 Total =  £2,102  £2,650  £2,546  £2,466  £4,592  £6,041  £6,457 Budget  £4,000  £4,000  £4,000  £4,000  £4,000  £4,000  £4,000 Cost variance  £1,898  £1,350  £1,454  £1,534 - £592 - £2,041 - £2,457 adverse adverse adverse Total Budget-  £48,000 Monthly allowance  £4,000 Daily rate-  £12.60 Weekend rate-  £20.23 Analysis Market segmentation is an important marketing task described by Bonomo and Shapiro (1983), cited by Sargeant (2009). It has a number of advantages which can be used to identify existing and potential customers. By placing customers into different groups by successful targeting their needs and managing their expectations. Figure 5. Organisational market segmentation criteria (Operating variables) Engineering (core activity) Heavy user Suppliers Medium user Finance department Medium user OTHER Light users After speaking with the material managers and investigating their overtime sheets for the months for May, June and July submitted to payrolls. The investigation using; the problem solving framework (The Managers Good Study Guide, PG 69). I found that the material managers were working more on a weekend to incur the over budget this is illustrated in figure 6 in appendix, which the daily rate is  £12.60 while the weekend rate is  £20.23 The budgeting system can seriously influence the level of motivation and culture of an organisation, because budgets play a central role in (Understanding marketing and financial information, P. 155). This was because of an increase of activity; 40 plus financial invoices received from the finance department over May, June and July were received on a Friday and could not be completed that day because of day to day activities. These invoices needed to be resolved as soon as possible and took some time to process on the data base system for payment for the following week from finance illustrated in figure 7 . In addition, the limitation of the incremental budgeting, this budgeting type has inefficiencies and imperfections which were not noticed, until the increase of activity. Figure 7 total financial invoice hours to completion Using the 4 Ps- Price- Was the increase in the usage of overtime to complete the receipt of engineering invoices which will affect the material managers long term motivation coming into work allocating resources and imposing constraints on activity (Understanding marketing and financial information, P. 155). Product- Was the volumes and frequency of the engineering invoices given on a Friday identifying those areas that require corrective action (Understanding marketing and financial information, P. 155). Promotion- The finance manager; a senior manager requesting this activity be completed as soon as possible assessing how well managers have carried out their responsibilities (Understanding marketing and financial information, P. 155). Place- Is material managers working location assessing how well managers have carried out their responsibilities (Understanding marketing and financial information, P. 155). Budgeting is needed to provide managers at different levels with useful information to keep on the right road. This is illustrated in 11.2 the pyramid of purpose. This information is received for decision making. Corporate level- Provide a bus service to Transport for London Material manager overtime Support engineering Provide a bus service to Transport for London Provide parts and technical information Business level- Support engineering Operational level-Provide parts and technical information Operating Level-Material manager daily overtime Analysis of information criteria not being met There are 10 criteria which are proposed for good-quality information for decision-making; this is illustrated in figure 8. However the material managers overtime sheets were being sent directly to payroll, which added to the budget information problem. 1 Relevant- Their line manager had no knowledge of Material managers overtime 7 Timely- No Knowledge of Material managers overtime being over budget until at the end of the month 8 Communicated to the right person- Overtime sheets were sent directly to payrolls Figure 8 10 criteria which are propose for good-quality information for decision-making 10 Less costly than the value of the benefits it provides 9 Communicated via the right channel 8 Communicated to the right person 7 Timely 6 Concise 5 Trustworthy 4 Complete 3 Sufficiently accurate 2 Clear 1 Relevant Good-quality information for decision-making Analysis of the absorption costing approach From the cost analysis, the logistical function has a total budget figure of  Ã‚ £48,000. This is calculated by applying the  normal budgeted hourly rate of  £12.60 which is the budgeted man (direct labour) hours per manager according to normal capacity illustrated in figure 9, by the using the incremental budgeting principle. Figure 9 cost assignment is both Indirect cost- variable Overtime brought on by finance invoices Cost object Bus repair Direct cost- fixed Weekly overtime to provide parts and technical information to engineering The indirect and direct costs are equally distributed illustrated in figure 10, using the absorption costing approach which all cost is allocated to the main budget. This prevents monitoring of actual hours against the  actual spend within the budget. The resulting variances  should have enabled the logistical function to monitor the productivity and efficiency of all the managers. Hopefully, you can then see if there is a pattern or a reason for persistent adverse variance. The analysis will provide you with some clues about incentivize or modify  such behaviour via the budget building process. Figure 10 Relationship between costs Direct cost Variable cost Overtime brought on by finance invoices  £20.23 Fixed cost Weekly overtime to technical information to engineering  £12.60 Indirect cost Break-even analysis Break-even analysis identifies the level of activity and risk at which an organisation can generates no surplus or deficit. In the case of an over-budgeting issue; it relates to the point where the logistical function is in budget and will not be penalized for being over spent illustrated in figure 11. TotalJanuary February March April May June July  £2,102  £2,650  £2,546  £2,466  £4,592  £6,041  £6,457 Over BudgetNet Total =  £26,854 Total Budget- £ 48,000 Monthly allowance  £4,000 =  £48000- £26,854 =  £21,146 21,146(Fixed cost)/ 6 months =  £3,524 per month in overtime remaining  £3,524/ 15 material managers=  £234.93 per manager Direct cost  £234.93/  £12.60 = 18.64(Contribution) weekly hours per month or Indirect cost  £234.93/  £20.23 = 11.61(Contribution) weekend hours per month Figure 11 Break-even analysis Conclusion From the analysis, there is a clear budget information problem within the logistical function; the problem solving frame work has identified several problem areas. By Using the 4 Ps to illustrate Material managers working more on a weekend which has a higher premium rate than daily working. The limitations of the incremental budgeting; as an effective forecasting tool. 10 criteria; which are essential for good-quality information for decision-making. In which 3 criteria are not being met. In addition, not identifying true cost drivers within the budget. In which material managers that are working more on a weekend are not identified. These factors combined have affected the logistical function staying within their overtime budget. Recommendation Budgeting is part of the control process in organisations: the control loop (Understanding marketing and financial information, P. 134). The setting objectives, planning and implementing tasks, monitoring progress, reviewing results and adjusting tasks are crucial in staying and planning budgets illustrated in figure 12. Based on the investigative examination and analysis of the problems; these recommendations should improve the over- budget situation and return productivity. Figure 12 recommendations within the budget control loop Check against overtime sheets past weeks If not working- restart from the begin of the loop Operational level Provide parts and technical information Use recommendation outlined in action plan to control material manger overtime budget- budget building process Using the SMART framework from (Understanding marketing and financial information, Pg 122) the action plan will be outlined as the following Recommendation Timeline Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats (Price) Material manager weekly overtime sheets sent to senior material manager 1 week to start Giving back control to the line manager by improving the Relevant, Communicated to the right person and Timely elements of information Increase of Senior material manager workload To start a new process, which can be adapted throughout the company and monitor usage for next year budget review Material managers might feel disempowered which might affect there motivation (Place) Weekend overtime needs pre-approval 1 week to start Giving back control to line manager by improving the control element of the budgeting loop. In addition the material having to work on a weekend might increase their morale Increase of Senior material manager workload To start a new process, which can be adapted throughout the company and monitor usage for efficiency of material mangers Identification of cost drivers Control of weekend working (indirect labour) Material managers might feel disempowered which might affect their motivation (Product) + Promotion Finance manager giving the invoices on a Monday instead of a Friday 2 weeks to start Spread the work load of the material manager Direct labour cost Increase of material managers weekly workload Weekend overtime can be used to complete other essential engineering task Build up of daily work that carried over from day to day Rolling budgets Next financial year Flexibility is built into the budgeting system to deal with any changes arising from day to day activities Updated much more frequently increasing work load It encourage a high level of learning and flexibility Rolling budget can be expensive in terms of management and administrating time. Which might affect management morale and less time to manage Activity based costing Next financial year Understand what and where is driving costs Very time consuming, checking each material managers overtime sheet for cost drivers Understand of cost drivers  before an informed decision can be reached If inappropriate drivers are selected. then it could lead to incorrect decisions  resulting in loss of efficiency,  de-motivation of staff and eventual failure of the business Work shredding to engineering administration clerks 2 weeks Reduce in material manager weekend overtime- It asserts, on quite strong evidence, that 80% of our results are generally produced by 20% of our effort and that the remaining 80% of our effort is swallowed up in achieving that last 20% of our results Increase in administration clerks workload Training have to be provided- cost Training and development Increase in errors by new users. Responsibility still remains with material manager 1640 Words References B629/BZX629 Managing 2: Marketing and finance Understanding marketing and financial information by Produced for the course team by Andrew Lindridge and Haider Ali (Marketing) and Graham Francis and Michael Lucas (Finance) The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA 2010 The Open University The Managers Good Study Guide by Academic Editor: Sheila Tyler 2007 The Open University Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA Booms, B. H. and Bitner M. J. (1981) Marketing Strategies and Organization Structures for service firms in Donnelly, J.H. and George, W. R. (eds) (1981) Marketing of Services, Chicago: American Marketing Association, pp. 47-52. Hope, J. and Fraser, R.(2003)Beyond Budgeting: How Managers Can Break Free from the Annual Performance Trap, Boston, M.A., Harvard Business School. Francis, G. 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