...The Blue Sweater: Bridging the gap between rich and poor in an interconnected world By Jacqueline Novogratz Published by Harper Collins Pages: 314, $14 Jacqueline Novogratz is an American woman with a dream to ‘change the world’. In this book she engagingly narrates the story of her life from the time she began working in Africa to the success of the Acumen fund, a charity that she established. (Novogratz, 2011, Pg 298) ‘Solutions to poverty must be driven by discipline, accountability, and market strength, not easy sentimentality - many of the answers to poverty lie in the space between the market and charity’. In a world where (Koga,2013) charity means giving money away to the poor, Novogratz addresses the reason many of the traditional charities have been unable to completely eliminate poverty. Her idea is to bring about a more sustainable change by using what Novogratz(2011) calls ‘Patient capital’. (Anderson, 2011)This concept was later chosen by Forbes as one of the most powerful ideas of the year 2011. (Novogratz, 2011) In the first few days of her arrival in Africa, Novogratz is plagued by resistance both to her American-ness and the changes that she suggests. After numerous struggles, her tremendous resilience finally gains her acceptance in a microfinance start-up, Duterimbere. In the fledgling organization a lot is learned through trial and error and her passion for work shines through, even during the many challenges thrown at her. Here, for the first...
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...A Chain Reaction We are all connected. Whether you live in different hemispheres, on different sides of the equator, or right next door to someone, the interconnectivity of human beings is real. Jacqueline Novogratz understands this better than anyone else. Donating a sweater to a Goodwill in Virginia that ultimately ended up on the back of a young boy in Africa more than ten years later is proof that anything we do can affect anyone, anywhere. I have donated many sweaters, shirts, pants, etc…to Goodwill in my life, and after reading this book, I like to think that my clothes have had an impact on someone’s life as well. Actions that seem so trivial to some—donating to Goodwill—can be so meaningful to others. Regardless of if you personally know someone, actions you make can influence their life. If everyone acknowledged this, I think people would be more prone to doing good in this world because they would understand they could be making a positive impact on someone’s life somewhere. As Jacqueline Novogratz’s story unfolds in The Blue Sweater, we see a detailed experience that shows how one individual can make a difference. Jacqueline’s experience was almost surreal. In my opinion, it seemed as if her story could easily be adapted to a screenplay for the next big box office hit. Though inspiring as it was, it is still hard to imagine being able to endure what she did. I think Jacqueline is an incredibly strong woman who knew she could make a difference no matter what people...
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...provided would come from my personal savings. I have allotted at least $1, 500 dollars to do so. This would allow me to purchase business cards, buy internet leads for sales, purchase flyers, and buy ink pens or key chains to hand out to prospective clients. I can think of several items needed that would fall under the capital asset requirements category. As the business grows, I would need to move into my own office space or share space with another agent. This would require me...
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...Strategies Recommendations Recruitment and selection strategies are critical to success of any business. It is especially important in a new business as resources would be required to carry out operations. The limousine business is also starting up in Austin, Texas; hence it would need to build the right team in right time. However the process of finding and selecting right people is dependent on the geographic location where the business is based. The company needs to meet the challenge of being based in Austin. This means that staff has to have their base location as Austin. Using strategies that fail will lead to wastage of time and resources, due to which it becomes extremely important to plan well, search creatively and select wisely. Recruitment and Selection Strategies Recommendations The first stage of recruitment and selection is management of applicants and welcoming the applicant to the business. Recruitment and selection are typically measured as one method. Though, the distinction will be made here between the first actions and concerns when preparing staff recruitment and the procedure of selecting an applicant from a group of candidates (Cascio, 2013). Recruitment needs to be sensibly planned to attract the correct employee’s to Landslide Limousines. To be a small business owner, creating awareness will be needed: Tell present employees to get the “word” out about the business to family and friends. One can also request referrals from more experienced workers. The...
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...Summary: We are seeking an Accounting and Finance professional to work in our Englewood, CO office. The individual must possess strong business acumen and thrive in a dynamic business environment. The position will be responsible for sales and financial reporting, financial planning, and business analysis activities. Key Responsibilities: • Prepare sales and financial reports for management team. • Prepare monthly forecast; this includes forecasting sales, GP and OPEX. • Assist in preparing annual budget. • Assist in preparing quarterly business review (QBR). • Prepare and review financial statements, perform variance analyses, and provide status reporting as part of the month-end close cycle. • Research G/L entries by working closely with the G/L group to ensure proper accounting. • Prepare and oversee extended customer payment terms requests. • Prepare and oversee components of the compensation process. • Prepare and oversee components of rebate calculations. • Assist in any other special projects or ad-hoc analyses for the business. Qualifications: The successful candidate will have strong accounting knowledge and financial analytic abilities. The candidate should be passionate about the use of technology to solve business problems, including a very high proficiency with MS Excel, notably pivot tables and formulas. The candidate must be extremely detail oriented and have the ability to sort through and summarize detailed information...
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...Reasons for amalgamation * Eliminate wasteful competition * Pool business talents and acumen for enhanced performance * Enjoy economies of scale Secure greater efficiency Accounting procedure Involves two processes; * Closing the books of the individual firms * Preparing the opening statement of financial position for the new firm A. Closing the books of the individual firms 1. Open a realisation account for each firm 2. Transfer all the assets to the realisation accounts except cash/Bank Dr. Realisation A/C with book values Cr. Asset A/C 3. Transfer all the liabilities to the realisation A/C Dr. Liability A/C Cr. Realisation A/C 4. for the agreed values of the assets and liabilities Dr. Asset A/C- For the new firm Cr. Realisation A/C Dr. Realisation A/C Cr. Liability A/C- For the new firm 5. for the balances in the realisation accounts Dr. Realisation A/C using the old Cr. Old Partners capital A/Cs P&L ratio Or vice versa 6. The capital required by each partner in the new business should be the balance c/d in the partners’ capital accounts while the balancing figures in the capital accounts will be the the cash that will be either paid out or introduced by a partner Dr. Old partners’ capital A/Cs Cr. New partners’ capital A/Cs 6. The remaining cash in an individual business is then transferred to the newly combined business DR. New cash/bank A/C Cr. Old cash/bank...
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...In our text, Ferrell, Hirt, and Ferrell tell us business is important in our society as the study of it can help improve our station not only in life but in our current occupation and community (Ferrell, Hirt & Ferrell, 2009). Understanding the entire life cycle of business as it impacts the community and largely, the country can help to navigate some of the issues and boundaries we find in our lives. As the internet expands small business growth this becomes more important. Additionally, economics, natural, financial and human resources are affected by the tides of politics and other forces which shape the ability to do business in a certain area. Embargos and other sanctions can deeply change how small and large businesses can sell or buy...
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...Sarah Talley Farm Produce Submitted by Sudeshna Pande FT14273 Character profile of Sarah * CEO of Frey Farms (family owned business) * Began selling pumpkins at the age of 8 * Negotiated deals with retailers like Wal Mart who were entering the produce business * Has good business acumen to identify the trend in retail. Able to maintain amicable relationships with Wal Mart * Able to manage distributed produce operations * Passionate about the farm business * Go getter – Was able to secure the initial deal with Wal Mart extempore * Ambitious and ready to go after the big-fish * Recognized her company’s shortcoming in operations (to competitors) and her inexperience in business * Needed the Wal Mart contract for her business * She is on the weaker side of the negotiation table According to the case : * The business of watermelon * Seasonality – peak prices in May , June, early July (10-15 cents/pound) and off-season in July & August (4-5 cents/pound) * Adverse weather conditions and diseases seriously affect the produce of melons. * Watermelon prices are going up, but Wal Mart needed the prices to go down Recommendations (strategies ): * Fey Farm as a single entity has less power . But so do all the other competitors. Hence Sarah can building a coalition with all the melon producers in the region. * Emphasize on the fact that if Wal Mart wanted to satisfy its...
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...Business enviroment research Retail trade Members: Tatiana Kazinik, Valeriya Kostyukovskaya, Angelina Ilmast. Pobba 14 Degree Programme in International Business Introduction. Retailers are business firms engaged in offering goods and services directly to consumers. In most—but not all—cases, retail outlets are primarily concerned with selling merchandise. Typically, such businesses sell individual units or small groupings of products to large numbers of customers. A minority of retailers, however, also garner income through rentals rather than outright sales of goods (as in the case of enterprises that offer furniture or gardening tools for rent) or through a combination of products and services (as in the case of a clothing store that might offer free alterations with the purchase of a suit). Retail trade is widely known as a very competitive area of commercial endeavor, and observers note that many fledgling retail establishments do not survive for more than a few years. Indeed, competition for sales has become so great that consumers have seen a marked blurring of product lines among retailers. Increasingly, retailers have taken to stocking a much greater variety of goods than their basic industry classification would indicate (bookstores, for example, increasingly stock music products, while food, liquor, office supplies, automotive supplies, and other wares can all be found in contemporary drug stores). This development further complicates efforts to establish...
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...C. Mohan Kailas is the President, Owner and founder of Kailas Companies. Upon its founding in 1990, Kailas Companies owned and managed roughly 25,000 square feet of commercial office and retail space. Today, Kailas Comp sum exceeds two million square feet. Through Mr. Kailas’ diligent and committed work, Kailas Companies transformed into Louisiana’s top owner/operator of commercial property. With over thirty years of real estate experience, Mr. Kailas’ acumen extends to nearly every facets of property management--including single family homes, 100+ unit high rise apartments, condominiums, retail and commercial office space. Mr. Kailas’ extensive background in these field allows him to make sound decisions and financially evaluate properties...
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...Business Prospects in India Business is that giant who resides in the whole world. Until one doesn’t connect globally one can’t come under its clutches thereby missing all the benefits it has to offer. It wasn’t until the early 1990s that India began to reap these benefits with the corroding ‘license raj’ giving way to the economic reform of Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization (LPG). Economic indicators like foreign exchange reserves, that can cover upto 6 months imports now as compared to those that could cover only 2 weeks imports then, substantiate the ameliorated scenario. On the flipside, indicators such as the current account deficit, which is worse (4%) now as compared to that in 1991 (3%), impugn India’s amiability towards businesses. India being rich and diverse in its culture and demography, exhibits a plethora of business avenues. With a population of over 1 billion, a growing middle and upper middle class that aspires for a better standard of living, the market for ventures in retail, education, wealth management, health, telecom, infrastructure development, and insurance sectors is massive. The relatively lower labour costs and a large rural population (83 million) are instrumental in attracting labour intensive IT and social enterprises respectively. In addition, there is a growing pool of consumers demanding customised and ‘indianised’ products and services and opportunities for recreation and self-improvement, which has opened doors for many innovative...
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...ROGERS The integration of multiple geographies, cultures, nationalities, ages and styles in enterprises around the world is having an enormous impact on business relationships. Leaders today need a new, specialized set of skills if they are to be successful. 18 Chief Learning Officer • June 2010 • www.clomedia.com ueled by social networks and technology, universal collaboration is becoming a daily business reality. Global data and knowledge are now accessed on devices that people can hold in the palms of their hands. Jim Kouzes, renowned leadership expert, recently described this shift by stating that “while the content of leadership has remained the same over the past 20 years, the context has not.” Leaders striving for success today must be able to master three new levels of competence: • Global business acumen: The new financial, industry, functional and technical skills needed to navigate a market characterized by rapid evolution of business models, markets, products, and mergers and acquisitions. • Global mindset: The capacity to engage in a boundaryless and synthesizing cognitive process that identifies opportunity and innovation in complexity. • Global citizenship: A potent combination of geographic, political, economic, governmental, legal, cultural, technological and environmental savvy that informs business strategy formulation and execution. Global Mindset vs. Global Citizenship A global mindset includes the ability to see beyond the boundaries of the organization...
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...the primary interface between Amazon and our business partners. We obsess over providing world class support to Merchants selling on the Amazon platform. We strive to predict the Seller's needs before they recognize they may have a problem, create innovative self-help tools, and provide solutions to help our partners better serve their customers. Position Description: Seller Support Associate LOCATION Bangalore / Hyderabad LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS English SHIFT REQUIREMENTS 24/7/365 The Seller Support Associate acts as the primary interface between Amazon and our business partners. The Seller Support Associate will be responsible for providing timely and accurate operational support to Merchants selling on the Amazon platform. The successful candidate has an immediate, distinct effect on the experience of customers of Amazon, making a strong record of customer focus a high standard for the role. A Seller Support Associate is expected to address chronic system issues, provide process improvements, develop internal documentation, and contribute to a team environment, all while adhering to service level agreements for phone and/or email cases. Summary of Responsibilities • Demonstrates effective, clear and professional written and oral communication. • Provides prompt and efficient service to Amazon Sellers and Merchants including the appropriate escalation of Sellers’ issues. • Builds Platform and business knowledge to better serve sellers • Maintains...
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...professionals need to get technical with their understanding so as to ensure a full understanding of the possibilities of the benefits of technology rather than only relying on their technology department to serve in this capacity. Secondly, executives need to embrace collaboration. Chief marketing officers and chief information officers are working more and more together in a daily operational setting with other parts of the organization benefiting from the gained information fostered from their close union. Thirdly, everyone from the Chief Executive Officer to front line employees need to lead the charge in maximizing the benefits that technology can provide in reducing the gaps between departmental areas. The fourth goal is to prove business results are improving by looking at the direct...
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...Entrepreneurship: is the act of being an entrepreneur, which can be defined as "one who undertakes innovations, finance and business acumen in an effort to transform innovations into economic goods In other to make profit”. This may result in new organizations or may be part of revitalizing mature organizations in response to a perceived opportunity. The most obvious form of entrepreneurship is that of starting new businesses (referred as Start-up Company); however, in recent years, the term has been extended to include social and political forms of entrepreneurial activity. When entrepreneurship is describing activities within a firm or large organization it is referred to as intra-preneurship and may include corporate venturing, when large entities spin-off organizations. Who can become an entrepreneur? There is no one definitive profile. Successful entrepreneurs come in various ages, income levels, gender, and race. They differ in education and experience. But research indicates that most successful entrepreneurs share certain personal attributes, including: creativity, dedication, determination, flexibility, leadership, passion, self-confidence, and “smarts.”Creativity is the spark that drives the development of new products or services or ways to do business. It is the push for innovation and improvement. It is continuous learning, questioning, and thinking outside of prescribed formulas. Types of entrepreneurs Social entrepreneur: A social entrepreneur is motivated...
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