Journal Assignment Observation of a Presentation Essay

Journal Assignment Observation of a Presentation - Essay Example Each person hired had to have restaurant experience in the area of their work. For an example, a person in the kitchen had to have kitchen and food preparation experience. There were 14 new people hired for this day time shift. Each person wore a name tag, and they were told that they needed to wear the name tag every time they came to work. One lady started to laugh. She was rather young, and Mr. Marcus asked her what was funny. She said that she was glad she didn't have to wear them like the ones that retail stores have their employees do because they aren't able to be read! As the people introduced themselves, it was easy to see who were outgoing and who were quieter. The outgoing people smiled and made eye contact with others, while the more reserved were polite in their behavior, participated, but appeared uncomfortable in the group setting. Mr. Marcus smiled frequently, then said that he wanted all of them to understand correct table service because when working in an elite restaurant, it is necessary to know the procedures. He asked if anyone had ever known or practiced right-handed table service. One male, Jon, raised his hand and said that he did. Mr. Marcus asked him to come help him demonstrate. He had two of the other people sit as though they were guests in the restaurant. Jon set the table for right-handed service, then Mr. ... He had Jon take the dishes from the table from the right, then serve dessert to the guests. The others watched and Mr. Marcus asked if they had any questions. Geoff, another male, raised his hand and asked if left-handed service was ever used instead of the right handed method. Mr. Marcus explained how and when that could be used and the need to observe the guests as to which hand is used in eating. Mr. Marcus handled questions very well. Julia asked about having an accident and dropping something. Mr. Marcus' answer was pleasant. "Well, Julia, I hope that doesn't happen, but if it does, the staff will help clean it up and then we'll fire you!" He laughed, admitting he was teasing, but that the staff would help in a crisis. His personal mannerisms, his smile, eye contact, and interaction, made the trainees feel comfortable. His non-verbal behavior was impressive and quite natural. It was obvious that Mr. Marcus was quite comfortable with his position. His mannerisms showed a person who was comfortable with himself and what he was doing. He made eye contact with every person he was training and had a way of getting each to participate without causing him or her to feel uncomfortable. He did this by a slight motion of his hand. His dress was a shirt and tie with a business suit, the jacket was removed while he was training. The language that was notable was his use of "guest" instead of "customer" and "service" instead of "waiting on the table." This was definitely an upper class eating establishment! Also, when a question was asked, he repeated the question in the form of a statement, then proceeded to answer the question. This is an excellent technique for anyone in communications or the teaching field. The trainees were dressed in the type of uniforms

Role of Communication in Health and Safety

Role of Communication in Health and Safety DIANE PARSONS TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Explore the role of communications training in the promotion provision of health safety in the workplace. Page 2 2. Outline the principles procedures of good house-keeping in the workplace. Page 3 3. Noise, dust and fumes are hazards which are commonly found in workplaces. For one of these hazards outline the risk associated with exposure to this hazard and control measures which might be used in the workplace. Identify at least 3 hazards which are commonly encountered in your workplace and briefly describe how these are controlled. Page 45 4. Explain the typical contents of a first-aid kit their appropriate uses. Page 6 5. Explain the risks associated with the following hazards work environment, work practices, medication, alcohol, drugs and outline for each, steps which an employer might take to control these risks (please provide at least 2 controls per hazard). Page 78 6. Outline risk factors in relation to health, to include stress/ lifestyle/ diet/ illness. Page 910 ReferencesPage 11 1. EXPLORE THE ROLE OF COMMUNICATIONS TRAINING IN THE PROMOTION PROVISION OF HEALTH SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE. The role of communications and training in the work place is important in any job. In Healthcare there is no exception to this. Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 (SHWWA 2005) all employers must specify the training essential to ensuring the health and safety of their employees. The training provided will help staff achieve the essential skills, knowledge and attitudes needed to ensure that they are competent in the health and safety features of their work. In healthcare the Conformity European (CE) mark is important and a lot of employers train their staff to look out for this. Communication in the workplace is essential as is training and the Health Service Executive (HSE), Health Service Authority (HSA) and Health Information Quality Authority (HIQA) are there to ensure that the SHWWA 2005 and the General Application Regulations 2007 (GAR 2007) are in place in the workplace. It is important from management to staff that communication is enforced in the workplace for health safety. For instance if there was a spillage in a nursing home in the corridor and there was a sign put in place to warn others of this the management could rest in ease knowing that their staff are aware and capable of ensuring health safety practices in the workplace. That is just one way of communicating there are many more ways I have listed a few below. (Course Notes 2015) Verbal – speaking, face to face Listening Non Verbal – texting, email, notice board, fax, registered mail, skype Demo/Training Focus group Conference call Emergency procedures www.google.com /images 2. OUTLINE THE PRINCIPLES PROCEDURES OF GOOD HOUSE-KEEPING IN THE WORKPLACE. The importance of good house-keeping is so important Healthcare and in particular Nursing Homes and Hospitals which are all about health and the well-being of patients. If a workplace practises bad house-keeping it can become unsafe and even hazardous for the staff and patients. Cluttered and untidy areas, spills and leaks and broken and damaged equipment are all signs of poor house- keeping. An example of bad house-keeping could be a fire exit left blocked and a fire breaking out in the work place, this bad house-keeping endangers everybody in the work place and it is up to the employers and employees to avoid incidents like this. Work places need to outline the principles procedures of good house-keeping to all employers and employees. The workplace needs to be actively monitoring the process of house-keeping within the workplace. HIQA and HSA have certain standards on house-keeping and have an inspection system in place. Some benefits of good house-keeping are: Good housekeeping prevents accidents such as slips, trips and falls Make the workplace happy, enjoyable and safe Improve and maintain your company’s image (good housekeeping echoes a well-run company) order and routine will impress visitors, employees and clients etc. Reduce the risk of accidents or harmful materials i.e. dust, vapours Help your company make the most and benefit the best out of its work space. In house-keeping there are 5S, this is a method of work organised in 5 stages with the goal of considerably improving the order and cleanliness in the workplace. This is known as the Heidelberg Model. These 5S are: SORT- removing anything unnecessary and disposing of it properly STRAIGHT- set things in order, easy to find SHINE- keep work place clean and safe STANDARD- maintain high standards in house-keeping and maintain orderliness SUSTAIN- to keep in working order, to perform regular audits (www.hsa.ie) 3. NOISE, DUST AND FUMES ARE HAZARDS WHICH ARE COMMONLY FOUND IN WORKPLACES. FOR ONE OF THESE HAZARDS OUTLINE THE RISK ASSOCIATED WITH EXPOSURE TO THIS HAZARD AND CONTROL MEASURES WHICH MIGHT BE USED IN THE WORKPLACE. IDENTIFY AT LEAST 3 HAZARDS WHICH ARE COMMONLY ENCOUNTERED IN YOUR WORKPLACE AND BRIEFLY DESCRIBE HOW THESE ARE CONTROLLED. A hazard is anything that has the potential to cause you or others harm. In the workplace there are many hazards. There are 5 categories of hazards Physical, Mechanical, Biological, Chemical and physosocial. (Course Notes 2015) Fumes would be a major hazard, the risks associated with this are life threatening. They would be physical and chemical hazards. The risks of fumes can come from gas leaks, chemical fumes etc. Some of the risks associated with fumes are they can cause serious illness, death, over exposure can lead to long term health problems, gas leaks can cause explosions. The control measures for this hazard would be storing chemicals away in proper storage areas, a carbon dioxide alarm and when handling dangerous substances always wear your Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Making sure all chemicals are Classification, labelling and packaging (CLP) and a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) is available and up to date. (www.google.com/image) In healthcare hazards are all too common but they must be identified and control measures must be put in place. Employers need to refer to the hierarchy of control measures which are: Remove, Replace, Reduce, Restriction, training and PPE to ensure safety. 3 HAZARDS COMMON IN THE WORKPLACE 4. EXPLAIN THE TYPICAL CONTENTS OF A FIRST-AID KIT THEIR APPROPRIATE USES. First aid is the first or immediate help given to a patient before the arrival of a paramedic or doctor. The first aid kit is there to offer an appropriate point of care, everything in the first-aid kit is put together based on the knowledge and experience on those putting it together. Included in it is PPE which is one of the employer’s duties in the workplace to have to maintain health and safety at work. (www.hsa.ie) 5. EXPLAIN THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS WORK ENVIRONMENT, WORK PRACTICES, MEDICATION, ALCOHOL, DRUGS AND OUTLINE FOR EACH, STEPS WHICH THE EMPLOYER MIGHT TAKE TO CONTROL THESE RISKS In the workplace there are many risks, some include hazards work environment, work practices, medication, alcohol and drugs. Under the SHWWA 2005 one of the employer’s duties to employees is to provide a safe place to work so therefore the employer may have steps in place to control these risks. Every year it costs the state 3.6billion in accidents, 70% of accidents can be prevented by good health safety morals. (Course Notes 2015) There would usually be a risk assessment carried out which would: Identify the hazard b) assess the risk c) put controlled measures in place www.google.com/image 6. OUTLINE RISK FACTORS IN RELATION TO HEALTH, TO INCLUDE STRESS/LIFESTYLE/DIET/ILLNESS The risk factors in relation to health in the workplace are huge because stress, lifestyle, diet and illness all fall under health. In healthcare it is important that the staff promote good health and wellbeing, they do this through putting into practice of workplace policies and health promotion activities. For employers the risk factors can lead to loss of business and damage the company name, performance impairment, absenteeism and the loss of competitive edge. STRESS is a major risk to the health of an employee. Stress can be caused by many different reasons and have many different effects. Some effects of stress: Can be physical or mental Interfere with your ability to perform Increase cholesterol blood pressure Cause depression, break downs etc. All these can have a bad effect on the employees work and performance. www.google.com/image LIFESTYLE can have risk factors in relation to an employee’s health. A hectic or busy lifestyle can take its toll on someone’s health. If a person had a busy social lifestyle and were out parting every night it would eventually have an effect on their work due to tiredness or maybe coming into work with alcohol still in their system, the same would go for drugs. Drugs can be part of someone’s lifestyle too and have a devastating impact on it. ILLNESS can also have a lot of risk factors in relation to health. In the workplace it can lead to cross contamination staff and patients. It can lead to poor work performance, judgement and unpredictable moods. Lack of good time keeping and an increase of absenteeism. DIET can play a major role in the growth, repair and maintenance of a body. A well balanced diet and exercise are essential to good health. A bad diet, lack of water and no exercise can result in tiredness, stress, illnesses and depression which in return can influence someone’s ability to work. www.google.com/image REFERENCES (Course Notes 2015)page 2 (www.google.com/image)page 2 (www.hsa.ie) page 3 (Course Notes 2015)page 4 (www.google.com/image)page 4 (www.hsa.ie)page 6 (Course Notes 2015)page 7 (www.google.com/image)page 8 (www.google.com/image)page 9 (www.google.com/image) page 10 1

Best Man Wedding Speech -- Wedding Toasts Roasts Speeches

Best Man Wedding Speech Good Evening everybody...I hope you are all enjoying everything so far...My name is Frank Levy, and I am Rick's Best Man for the evening. I happened to find out that there was a pool going on as to how long my Best Man's speech was going to be, and I was the only one who bought in at 60 minutes, so you might as well all just relax, sit back and enjoy the ride. When Rick first asked me to be a "Best Man", I wasn't really sure what my responsibilities were suppossed to be. I asked around, and was told that my main duties for today were: To ensure that the groom arrives on time, To make sure he is sober, And to make sure he is looking good. Well 2 out of 3 isn?t bad... After all I?m best man, not a plastic surgeon! I was also worried about how long...

Retaining Customers Essay

BT is one of the largest communications companies in the world. One of the services they offer is residential or personal communications solutions. Even though they now have competition from other companies offering consumers substitutes for their service, they still hold the largest market share of providing residential customers with telephone lines. For BT to maintain this market share, they must retain the customers they have. I will be recommending how they can retain their customer base as well as winning new customers. I will be looking at several models and theories in order to do this. * Making Customers into Champions * The case of the complaining customer * The tip of the Iceberg Model From BT a customer receives a core service. Telephony. The customer expects the telephone in their home to be working when they pick it up. They are not going to be ‘wowed’ by the service if it is just working. However, when the customer makes contact with BT to enquire, change or add something they will use this opportunity to form a perception of BT’s Customer Service. Most people who move to a different telephone provider do so because they perceive indifference in the people they do business with at their current company. Customer feedback tells BT that one of the biggest drivers of dissatisfaction is the difficulty in registering their complaint with BT. A large part of this dissatisfaction stems from a lack of promised callbacks and an initial difficulty in escalating their issue. This feedback has been substantiated by OFTEL in that the number of customers contacting them to complain that they have not received a promised call back has been increasing. OFTEL have given BT a very clear indication that they expect this situation to be addressed and therefore it is paramount that the following recommendations are implemented immediately. * Own, Decide, Do – Training to be rolled out to all Customer Service Advisors. When a complaint is received in the 150 call centres the individual must own the complaint, make a decision about what to do with it and follow any promised action up with a call to the customer to let them know what happened. * Keeping the customer informed – With some complaints resolution may not be speedy. There may be some technical difficulties, which hold resolution up. The customer does not know this and will perceive any periods of silence as the indifference of BT to their complaint. Keeping the customer informed of progress or news (good or bad) will enhance the customers perception of BT> * EDCSM’s (Event Driven Customer Service Measures), the service that BT offer customers must be analysed in order to measure its success. Through BT’s sophisticated SMART datatbase, every contact with the customer is logged with the id of the advisor who took the call. This way trends can be spotted as well as training areas The barriers for the customer to successfully register their complaint are as follows: * The BT ‘shunt’ – BT is a huge business with over 20 large call centres taking in the freephone 150 (customer service) calls. It is very easy for complaints to get ‘lost’ in the system. * The call steering system. There are many different numbers to press for different departments. It is difficult to speak to a human * The Call Handling Time that advisors are encouraged to adhere to. This measure the amount of time they are talkng with each customer in order to keep the Percentage of calls answered as high as possible. * Poor training and coaching – target based coaching instead of skills based coaching In the longer term there are some other changes that should be implemented by BT over a period of time in order to instil enhanced behaviours in all employees. Traditionally employees of a company see a complaining customer as being a nuisance. BA challenged this when they introduced the Making Customers into Champions Model. This model can be directly applied to BT, who is, itself, striving to provide World Class Customer Service. This model labels different sectors of the customer base and how likely they are to contact BT with any dissatisfaction they may have and how easy it is to register this dissatisfaction. If the customer has a complaint and they cannot register this in any way, they may feel tempted to try a different provider. If the complaint is not registered then BT has not had a chance to resolve the complaint. If BT has a chance of resolving the issue, if it is resolved skilfully and well, research suggests that this could actually enhance the customer’s perception of BT. So, in short, a customer complaint can turn in to a glowing report for BT. Furthermore, if we make BT’s customers in to champions, BT can learn from the mistakes they have made that might have caused complaints in order that they do not occur again. * A dissatisfied customer will tell between 10 and 20 other people about their problem * A customer who has had a problem resolved will tell 5 people about their situation The case of the complaining customer is a valuable study that BT should already have taken heed of. The problems experienced by Mr Shelton almost mirror the experiences some BT customers have when things go wrong and customer relations are tested to the full. It may be tempting for some employees working for such a huge ‘cash cow’ as BT to believe that BT can afford to lose difficult customers. This study shows that whilst few customers actually take the time and energy that Mr Shelton did to complain, there are actually many other dissatisfied customers (Mr Shelton is just the ‘tip of the Iceberg’). These customers are the ‘missing in action’ group and will just quietly take their custom elsewhere and thus impact significantly on BT’s profit margins. The article points out that whilst it would be easy for us to read Mr Shelton’s contacts with the company as neurotic, in actual fact Mr Shelton has responded very emotionally to the way he feels his complaint has been dealt with. Customers should be allowed to vent their feelings, feel listened to and valued before their problem is resolved. They are experiencing feelings of powerlessness and this will be compounded if they feel that an advisor is not listening to them. Paraphrasing can be a useful tool here, to show empathy and check for understanding. TARP published a graphic representing the Tip of the Iceberg Principle. It indicates that consumer complaints to a third party are only a small portion of those that exist. They’re just the visible portion and reflect the much broader picture. This demonstrates how important it is for BT to be proactive in gaining feedback from customers at every possible opportunity. It was not the tip of the iceberg that sunk the Titanic, and it will not affect the business greatly if just those visible customers were dissatisfied with BT’s service. Those that leave quietly will have the greatest impact and BT will have little or no information as to why they left. BT must strive to deal with any customer requests the first time every time. Here is a list of my recommendations for BT for implementing across the board over the next 12 months in order to retain customers. * A review of the training process – all training should be underpinned with updated balance scorecard and appropriate coaching given by line managers * Quality must come before quantity. If all customers were dealt with the first time they called, there would be less calls * Approach customer complaints as a chance to ‘dazzle and delight’ customers and enhance a customers perception of BT – through a training programme * Work together with different departments and not as adversaries. Promote teamwork * Introduce an incentive scheme for teams and individuals who achieve excellent customer relations * Use customer feedback more effectively (EDCSM’s)- find out what customers want/expect then exceed this * Give staff more responsibility and authority to deal with complaints. Allow then to be flexible when it comes to procedural rules. Stop quoting ‘BT policy’. * Allow a measure of redress such as goodwill payments and compensation payments In implementing the above and re-training staff, BT will retain greater numbers of customers. Existing customers (especially those we have information about) are an ideal group to market new products to as well gain information from about how to improve on the products and services BT has.

How To Stress Syllables in Japanese Pronunciation

How To Stress Syllables in Japanese Pronunciation For non-native Japanese speakers, learning the cadence of the spoken language can be very challenging.  Japanese has a pitch accent or musical accent, which can sound like a monotone to a new speakers ear. It is quite different from the stress accent found in English, other European languages and some Asian languages. This different accent system is also why Japanese speakers often struggle with putting the accent on the correct syllables when learning English.   A stress accent pronounces the syllable louder and holds it longer. English speakers speed up between accented syllables without really thinking about it, as a habit. But the pitch accent is based on the two relative pitch levels of high and low. Each syllable is pronounced with equal length, and each word has its own determined pitch and only one accent summit. Japanese sentences are constructed so that when spoken, the words sound almost like a melody, ​with rising and falling pitches. Unlike Englishs uneven, often halting rhythm, when spoken correctly Japanese sounds like a steadily flowing stream, particularly to the trained ear. The origin of the Japanese language has been a mystery to linguists for some time. Although it bears some similarities to Chinese, borrowing some Chinese characters in its written form, many linguists consider Japanese and so-called Japonic languages (most of which are considered dialects) to be a language isolate. Regional Japanese Dialects Japan has many regional dialects (hogen), and the  different dialects all have different accents. In Chinese, dialects (Mandarin, Cantonese, etc) vary so widely that speakers of different dialects are not able to understand each other.   But in Japanese, there are usually no  communication problems among people of different dialects since everybody understands standard Japanese (hyoujungo, a dialect spoken in Tokyo). In most cases, accentuation doesnt make a difference in the meaning of the words, and the Kyoto-Osaka dialects dont differ from Tokyo dialects in their vocabularies.   The one exception is the Ryukyuan versions of Japanese, spoken in Okinawa and the Amami Islands. While most Japanese speakers consider these to be dialects of the same language, these varieties may not be easily understood by those who speak Tokyo dialects. Even among the Ryukyuan dialects, there may be difficulty understanding each other. But the official stance of the Japanese government is that the Ryukyuan languages represent dialects of standard Japanese and are not separate languages.   Pronunciation of Japanese The pronunciation of Japanese is relatively easy compared with other aspects of the language. However, it requires an understanding of Japanese sounds, pitch accent, and intonation to sound like a native speaker. It also takes time and patience, and its easy to get frustrated. The best way to learn how to speak Japanese is to listen to the spoken language and try to imitate the way native speakers say and pronounce words.  A non-native speaker who focuses too much on the spelling or writing of Japanese without taking into account the pronunciation will have difficulty learning how to sound authentic.

Ancestry of Laura Elizabeth Ingalls

Ancestry of Laura Elizabeth Ingalls Immortalized in time by the Little House series of books that she wrote based on her own life, Laura Elizabeth Ingalls was born on February 7, 1867, in a little cabin at the edge of the Big Woods in the Chippewa River Valley region of Wisconsin. The second child of Charles Philip Ingalls and Caroline Lake Quiner, she was named after Charles mother, Laura Louise Colby Ingalls. Almanzo James Wilder, the man Laura would eventually come to marry, was born February 13, 1857, near Malone, New York. He was the fifth of six children born to James Mason Wilder and Angeline Albina Day. Laura and Almanzo married on August 25, 1885, in De Smet, Dakota Territory, and had two children - Rose born in 1886 and a baby boy who died soon after his birth in August 1889. This family tree begins with Rose and traces back through both of her parents. First Generation 1. Rose WILDER was born on 5 Dec 1886 in Kingsbury Co., Dakota Territory. She died on 30 Oct 1968 in Danbury, Fairfield Co., Connecticut. Second Generation (Parents) 2. Almanzo James WILDER was born on 13 Feb 1857 in Malone, Franklin Co., New York. He died on 23 Oct 1949 in Mansfield, Wright Co., Missouri. 3. Laura Elizabeth INGALLS was born on 7 Feb 1867 in Pepin County, Wisconsin. She died on 10 Feb 1957 in Mansfield, Wright Co., MO. Almanzo James WILDER and Laura Elizabeth INGALLS were married on 25 Aug 1885 in De Smet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota Territory. They had the following children:    1 i. Rose WILDER ii. Baby boy WILDER was born on 12 Aug 1889 in Kingsbury Co., Dakota Territory. He died on 24 Aug 1889 and is buried in De Smet Cemetery, De Smet, Kingsbury Co., South Dakota. Third Generation (Grandparents) 4. James Mason WILDER was born on 26 Jan 1813 in VT. He died in Feb 1899 in Mermentau, Acadia Co., LA. 5. Angelina Albina DAY was born in 1821. She died in 1905. James Mason WILDER and Angelina Albina DAY were married on 6 Aug 1843 and had the following children:   Ã‚  Ã‚   i. Laura Ann WILDER was born on 15 Jun 1844 and died in 1899. ii. Royal Gould WILDER was born on 20 Feb 1847 in New York and died in 1925. iii. Eliza Jane WILDER was born on 1 Jan 1850 in New York and died in 1930 in Louisiana. iv. Alice M. WILDER was born on 3 Sep 1853 in New York and died in 1892 in Florida. 2 v. Almanzo James WILDER  Ã‚   vi. Perley Day WILDER was born on 13 Jun 1869 in New York and died 10 May 1934 in Louisiana. 6. Charles Phillip INGALLS was born on 10 Jan 1836 in Cuba Twp., Allegany Co., New York. He died on 8 Jun 1902 in De Smet, Kingsbury Co., South Dakota and is buried in De Smet Cemetery, De Smet, Kingsbury Co., South Dakota. 7. Caroline Lake QUINER was born on 12 Dec 1839 in Milwaukee Co., Wisconsin. She died on 20 Apr 1924 in De Smet, Kingsbury Co., South Dakota and is buried in De Smet Cemetery, De Smet, Kingsbury Co., South Dakota. Charles Phillip INGALLS and Caroline Lake QUINER were married on 1 Feb 1860 in Concord, Jefferson Co., Wisconsin. They had the following children:   Ã‚  Ã‚   i. Mary Amelia INGALLS was born on 10 Jan 1865 in Pepin County, Wisconsin. She died on 17 Oct 1928 in at the home of her sister Carrie in Keystone, Pennington Co., South Dakota, and is buried in De Smet Cemetery, De Smet, Kingsbury Co., South Dakota. She suffered a stroke which caused her to go blind at the age of 14 and lived with her parents until the death of her mother, Caroline. After that she lived with her sister, Grace. She never married. 3 ii. Laura Elizabeth INGALLS iii. Caroline Celestia (Carrie) INGALLS was born on 3 Aug 1870 in Montgomery Co., Kansas. She died of a sudden illness on 2 Jun 1946 in Rapid City, Pennington Co., South Dakota, and is buried in De Smet Cemetery, De Smet, Kingsbury Co., South Dakota. She married David N. Swanzey, a widow, on 1 Aug 1912. Carrie and Dave never had any children together, but Carrie raised Daves children, Mary and Harold, as her own. The family lived in Keystone, the site of Mount Rushmore. Dave was one of the group of men who recommended the mountain to the sculptor, and Carries stepson Harold helped with the carving. iv. Charles Frederic (Freddie) INGALLS was born on 1 Nov 1875 in Walnut Grove, Redwood Co., Minnesota. He died on 27 Aug 1876 in Wabasha Co., Minnesota. v. Grace Pearl INGALLS was born on 23 May 1877 in Burr Oak, Winneshiek Co., Iowa. She died on 10 Nov 1941 in De Smet, Kingsbury Co., South Dakota, and is was buried in De Smet Cemetery, De Smet, Kingsbury Co., South Dakota. Grace married Nathan (Nate) William DOW on 16 Oct 1901 in her parents home in De Smet, South Dakota. Grace and Nate never had any children.

Marks & Spencers Dividend Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Marks & Spencers Dividend Policy - Essay Example This paper evaluates the different ways a firm pay out cash to its shareholders such as dividend payout, stock repurchase and new stock dividends as practiced by Marks & Spencer. The first step toward understanding dividend policy is to recognize that the phrase means different things to different people. A firm's decisions about dividends are often mixed up with other financing and investment decisions. Some firms pay low dividends because management is optimistic about the firm's future and wishes to retain earnings for expansion. In this case the dividend is a by-product of the firm's capital budgeting decision. Another firm might finance capital expenditures largely by borrowing. This releases cash for dividends. In this case the firm's dividend is a by-product of the borrowing decision. There is one possible source of the firm's investment outlays and borrowing which is an issue of stock. Thus dividend policy is defined as the trade-off between retaining earnings on the one hand and paying out cash and issuing new shares on the other. (Brealey & Myers, 2003) There are many firms that pay dividends and also issue stock from time to time. They could avoid the stock issues by paying lower dividends. Many other firms restrict dividends so that they do not have to issue shares. They could issue stock occasionally and increase the dividend. Both groups of firms are facing the dividend policy trade-off. In short, companies can hand back cash to their shareholders either by paying a dividend or by buying back their stock. (Carlson, 2001) Most companies pay a regular cash dividend each quarter, but occasionally this regular dividend is supplemented by a one-off extra or special dividend. Dividends are not always in the form of cash. Frequently companies also declare stock dividends. Both stock dividends and splits increase the number of shares, but the company's assets, profits, and total value are unaffected. The distinction between the two is technical. A stock dividend is shown in the accounts as a transfer from retained earnings to equity capital, whereas a split is shown as a reduction in the par value of each share. (DeAngelo, DeAngelo, & Skinner, Special Dividends and the Evolution of Dividend Signaling, 2000) Many companies have automatic dividend reinvestment plans (DRIPs). Often the new shares are issued at a 5 percent discount from the market price; the firm offers this sweetener because it saves the underwriting costs of a regular share issue. Sometimes 10 percent or more of total dividends will be reinvested under such plans. Sometimes companies not only allow shareholders to reinvest dividends but also allow them to buy additional shares at a discount. In some cases substantial amounts of money have been invested. (Scholes & Wolfson, 1989) There is an important difference in the taxation of dividends and stock repurchases. Dividends are taxed as ordinary income, but stockholders who sell shares back to the firm pay tax only on capital gains realized in the sale. However, the Internal Revenue Service is on the lookout for companies that disguise dividends as repurchases, and it may decide that regular or proportional repurchases should be taxed as dividend payments. (Jagannathan, Stephens, & Weisbach, 2000) Stock Repurchase There are three main ways to repurchase stock.