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Accounting Ratios, 2006.
This paper defines the term accounting ratios and details why they are a significant tool applied by accountants when presenting accounting statements.
1,841 words (approx. 7.4 pages), 10 sources, MLA, $ 59.95
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Abstract
The writer of this paper examines the importance of accounting ratios in business. Accounting ratios illustrate the present as well as the prospective, so that shareholders can visualize how much gain a business attained, the total worth of the assets and the level of cash reserves available. This well-researched paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of accounting ratios. One significant drawback of the accounting ratio is that it depends too heavily on the conventional costs that lead to twists in quantifying performance. Ratios are required to be represented meticulously. They can entail the evidences to the performance of the company or financial environment. However, they are unable to demonstrate whether the performance is good or bad out their own. The writer details the manner in which the final figures of accounting ratios are achieved, while discussing the fact that these ratios necessitate some quantitative information for an informed analysis to be made. The writer contends and clearly explains why accounting ratios are completely dependent on the supplied data which may or may not be accurate.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Discussion
Conclusion
References
From the Paper
"A markedly low accounts ratio may give rise to angry suppliers and remarkably high inventory turnover ratios may lead to supply shortages and angry customers. The one that is correct for one company may not be considered appropriate for another one. Besides, no two companies are found to be similar irrespective of the fact that they are competitors in the same industry or market. Application of ratios to evaluate one company with another provides misleading information. Businesses may be within the same industry but have distinguished financial and business risk. Ratios are completely dependent on the data that may or may not be accurate."
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The Financial Planner, 2006.
This paper examines the role of a financial planner and discusses why it was voted the number three job in America.
978 words (approx. 3.9 pages), 4 sources, APA, $ 34.95
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Abstract
The writer of this paper contends that the career of a financial planner, while very rewarding, is not without its challenges. This paper details the responsibilities and requirements needed to become a financial planner. This paper distinguishes between the position of financial planner and that of the certified financial planner, which is actually a designation obtained by a financial planner. There are currently no educational or experience prerequisites to become a financial planner, other than the requirement in most firms that the applicant pass several licensing examinations, which are detailed in this paper. This paper discusses the areas in which a financial planner typically operates in, including: Investment planning, estate planning, retirement planning and business succession planning. While describing the ins and outs in the financial planning field, the writer contends that this career is primarily a sales position. The writer also delves into the pay-scale of this particular profession, which varies by firm and level of experience. Those with more experience and with an inventory of clients can demand up to six-figure salaries.
From the Paper
"Another group of firms includes brokerage firms, also called wire houses, that may offer some or all of these services, but their primary aim is investment management. These companies include Merrill Lynch, Saloman Smith Barney, Goldman Sachs. They may call their personnel Financial Planners, but they tend to be focused on gathering money from clients to invest through the firm. Some of these firms may offer some of the specialized planning services for their high-dollar clients. The most important thing for someone who is considering this profession is that it is primarily a sales position, particularly in the beginning of the planner's career."
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The Enron Scandal, 2006.
An overview of the Enron scandal and the resulting Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
1,679 words (approx. 6.7 pages), 8 sources, MLA, $ 54.95
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Abstract
This paper describes the disastrous Enron accounting scandal and how it brought financial destruction to thousands of investors, as well as the resulting Sarbanes-Oxley Act, an act intended to protect investors by mandating the accuracy and reliability of corporate disclosures to the public. The paper recounts the rise of Enron and its financial ruin brought on by fraudulent investments and accounting practices. The paper further describes the Department of Justice investigation into the scandal, its implications, indictments in the scandal and the many important features of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
Outline
Introduction
Enron History
Enron's Fall
Implications of the Enron Scandal
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act
Conclusion
From the Paper
"Imagine, one day you are gleefully planning for retirement, you've just received your retirement fund statement and your diligent savings has grown nicely over the years. In fact, you envision traveling the country, during your golden years, or perhaps taking that European cruise you've so dreamed about. Yes, you're finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, your careful savings is finally about to pay off. However, in the next moment, it's gone! Completely. Gone are your dreams of cross-country sight seeing. Gone are your dreams of cruising the Mediterranean. In place of these dreams is the nightmare of the reality that your retirement savings is now not worth the paper the statement is printed on. That nightmare is the reality many Enron investors had to face."
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The Xerox Debacle, 2006.
An overview of the corporate fraud scam involving Xerox Corp.
2,290 words (approx. 9.2 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 70.95
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Abstract
From 1997 to 2000, Xerox used a host of concealed accounting practices to meet or outstrip Wall Street expectations and conceal its true operating performance from investors. This paper examines the history of the Xerox debacle and the outcome, including new lessons learned regarding company management and the role of the SEC.
From the Paper
"Xerox dismissed KPMG and retained Pricewaterhouse Coopers to conduct their accounting procedures. Although the SEC allegations contain various accounting practices, the most concrete involve two. One is the recollection of revenue from multiyear leases on office equipment. Xerox crudely recorded revenue that was not yet received in order to extend and deform operating results. The second practice was setting aside 'cookie jar' reserves to harbor restructuring costs, and then incorrectly adding them back later to earnings."
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Financial Statements for Insurance Companies, 2006.
A look at Financial Accounting Standard 115, adopted by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, and the problems it will create.
2,248 words (approx. 9.0 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 69.95
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Abstract
This paper describes the increased difficulties in understanding the financial statements of insurance companies that will occur as a result of Financial Accounting Standard 115 (FAS 115) adopted by the Financial Accounting Standards Board. The paper explains that FAS 115 will create wide variations between companies in the carrying values used for debt securities which will necessitate even more analysis to determine a company's financial condition as well as make it impossible to compare companies' financial positions without restating each company's debt-security portfolio values to a common basis.
From the Paper
"Higher equity levels created by having debt securities carried at market will be misleading to financial statement users. Hardly anyone believes that a company can fully retain the security gains that currently exist in their portfolios. To do so would require curtailing crediting rates to those available based on current rates on new money. Competitive pressures won't allow companies to do this and retain their policyholder funds. To reflect such gains as equity of the company in the financials is just plain misleading."
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International Financial Reporting, 2005.
This paper explains that many factors, such as history, politics, differential currency types, ease of conversion and regulations of various international banking institutions, prevent full harmonization of international financial reporting.
3,445 words (approx. 13.8 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 97.95
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Abstract
This paper explains the history of the inter-relationship of political and economic changes that effect today's problem of harmonization of currency and reporting such as (1) competing economic policy objectives similar to today's problems with oil, (2) the Janus-faced nature of international capital flows and (3) the changing center of influence of the international system from the United Kingdom and toward the United States. The author points out that the new ISO engineering standards represent a model for standardizing accounting and reporting processes not only by solving the problems of harmonizing the accounting and reporting process but also by offering an open-ended approach, easily adaptable to even the smallest of enterprises. The paper stresses that this need for global standardization means that the mundane "bean-counters" of the past must be replace by today's global accountants trained in several disciplines.
Table of Contents
Thesis Statement
The Powerful Influence of History
The Gold Standard
The Rise and Dilemmas of Bimetallism
The Development of the International Monetary Systems between WWI and WW II
The Bretton Woods System and its Problems
The Harmonization of the British Pound, U.S. Dollar and the European Common Currency
The Future Outlook from an ISO Point of View
From the Paper
"Between the wars, the United States overtook Britain as the leading player in the commercial and the financial domains. However, America's foreign financial and commercial relations did not yet fit together in a way that produced a harmoniously working international system. Moreover, with even today's technological edge America is finding the attainment of harmonization a difficult task at best. Great Britain likewise struggles with several issues in this area. Hence, when postwar planners again contemplated the reconstruction of the international system, they sought a framework capable of accommodating these changed conditions. The solutions to the problems are not at all straightforward and thus the pronounced lack of harmonization of accounting and reporting."
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Defining Artificial Intelligence, 2006.
This paper examines the modern day debate that questions whether artificial intelligence (AI) is a reality or merely an extension of expert systems (ES) application programs.
1,810 words (approx. 7.2 pages), 3 sources, APA, $ 58.95
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Abstract
The writer of this paper defines the terms for both artificial intelligence (AI) and expert systems (ES) which to a limited degree is currently making its way towards the fields of accounting and auditing. This paper explores the lingering doubt and disagreement over whether AI truly exists or if it's merely a highly sophisticated ES application. This paper contends that AI's history is traceable backward through the millennia to the point where humankind first walked upright and attempted to make tools an extension of themselves.
Topics covered in this report include:
Thesis Statement
Defining the Topic
The Artificial Intelligence Side
Prehistory
The Modern Birth of AI:
Enter the Pseudo Science of Psychology
The Chinese Room
Can Computers Be Creative?
Bibliography
From the Paper
"The technological advances and particularly their rapidity in the just past half century - and particularly the last decade - began as an effort to build a digital computer for military use. This use was, to not only help in the guidance of munitions but also to help decode secret messages coded by several clever schemes all created within the minds of men and women. The Nazi Germany's Enigma Machine is the classic example and indeed the code was broken, however by intelligent personnel rather than a machine, digital or otherwise. Ironically, the Japanese military codes were broken early on in the war by the U. S. Navy Code-breakers located in Pearl Harbor."
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IRS Up for Improvement, 2006.
Discusses the problems revealed with the IRS, after an audit by the General Accounting Office, and what management can do to address those problems.
5,615 words (approx. 22.5 pages), 33 sources, MLA, $ 136.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses an audit performed on the IRS by the General Accounting Office and the problematic issues discovered by that audit. The paper points out that some of the issues include information security problems that include the potential for damage to both the government and taxpayers as well. The paper also breaks down the issues individually in order to determine which issues can be resolved by managerial changes.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Situation
The Issues
Governmental Proposed Solutions
Conclusion
From the Paper
"He noted that historically, IRS reports has had significantly overstated its receivables primarily because IRS included duplicate and insufficiently supported assessments that it had recorded as part of efforts to identify and collect taxes due. Bowsher explained that while IRS may have a need to maintain such records for enforcement purposes these and many erroneous assessments were not valid receivables for financial reporting purposes and should not have been included in the reported balances. He also noted that in addition IRS' estimates of the collectibility of its receivables have been unreliable because, in addition to including invalid receivables, IRS relied solely on collection experience and did not group assessments according to their collection risk or consider the taxpayer's current ability to pay. Bowsher concluded that this unreliable information on IRS' accounts receivable has affected decisions about the impact of increased collections on the deficit, evaluation of enforcement and collection performance, determination of staffing levels, and allocation of resources."
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Evaluating Business Stability, 2005.
This paper lists and defines many accounting ratios that are used to evaluate a company's stability.
1,255 words (approx. 5.0 pages), 4 sources, APA, $ 42.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that stability measures the long-term health of a business by using ratio analysis to interpret the financial position of any business; while ratios can be used to set targets and to measure performance, they are by no means foolproof. The author, as an example, defines the 'Acid Test' ratio as 'Cash and Near Cash' divided by 'Current Liabilities', which measures the ability to meet current debt and is a stringent test since it discounts the value of inventories; the rule of thumb is 1-to-1 with a lower ratio indicates illiquidity and a higher ratio may imply unused funds. The paper relates that the Sharpe Ratio, which is based on a risk-adjusted measure developed by Nobel Laureate William Sharpe, calculates using standard deviation and excess return to determine reward per unit of risk.
From the Paper
"The P/E looks at the relationship between the stock price and the company's earnings. The P/E is the most popular metric of stock analysis. The P/E gives you an idea of what the market is willing to pay for the company's earnings. The higher the P/E the more the market is willing to pay for the company's earnings. A low P/E may indicate a "vote of no confidence" by the market or it could mean this is a sleeper that the market has overlooked. What is a desirable P/E? It all depends on the investors' willingness to pay for earnings. The more they are willing to pay in the belief that the company has good long term prospects over and above its current position, the higher the right P/E is for that particular stock."
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Sage 2000 Accounting Pack, 2006.
Describes the set up, use and features of a specialized business accounting system known as the Sage 2000 Accounting Pack.
1,619 words (approx. 6.5 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 52.95
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Abstract
In addition to describing the benefits of the Sage 2000 Accounting Pack in comparison with other business accounting packs, this paper also describes how the software is set up and used, its special features and its ability to expand with a business as it grows.
From the Paper
"One can walk into any computer sales shop and find shelf after shelf of different accounting programs to accomplish general accounting procedures for the small business. The prices of these products range widely according to the complexity of the software system. The installation or setup of this type software automatically becomes one's ultimate responsibility upon breaking the seal on the packaging and this can become quite an entangled situation for the not too computer literate. Therefore, most of these systems, some quite good for what they accomplish, for our purposes shall be left in the "buyer beware," category along with the recommendation for bypassing them altogether."
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The History of Accounting, 2006.
A comprehensive history of accounting in America.
1,855 words (approx. 7.4 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 59.95
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Abstract
The author introduces the topic by discussing the modern day needs of society to have accountants and how their importance is often overlooked. He then recounts the earliest known form of accounting and how it has developed over the years, stating many examples of where it is necessary to have good accounting skills and how these skills were developed. The paper concludes with what the future can bring for the accounting world.
From the Paper
"Methods of accountancy were somewhat modernized during the Renaissance in Italy, where Arabic numerals had been introduced long before for financial purposes; Luca Pacioli's Summa de Arithmetica, Geometria, Proportioni et Proportionalita (1494)
is viewed as a crucial work in determining the course of Renaissance, and eventually modern, accounting. While Benedetto Cotrugli had invented the double-entry system of accounting before the publication of the Summa, Pacioli's methods greatly expanded on these ideas, containing 36 chapters on bookkeeping and earning the rare distinction of publication. "
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Derivative Securities, 2006.
An overview of derivative securities, what they are, their purpose and the financial disaster they can bring if not managed properly.
1,668 words (approx. 6.7 pages), 6 sources, MLA, $ 54.95
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Abstract
This paper begins with a brief explanation of what derivative securities are and what purpose they serve. Next, the paper briefly explains how derivative activity level can be monitored and then takes a look at the derivative disasters that befell the Baring Brothers of London and the local government of the city of Orange County. The paper explains that these disasters were a result of careless strategies with derivatives and examines the lessons learned from these two disasters. Finally, the paper suggests measures that can be taken to prevent such disasters from happening again.
From the Paper
"A Derivative is a contractual relationship established by two (or more) parties where payment is based on (or "derived" from) some agreed upon benchmark. Derivatives are risk-shifting devices. They are most frequently used to reduce exposure to changed in foreign exchange rates, interest rates, or stock indexes."
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