What Are the Benefits of Earning an IB Diploma?

In past posts on the blog , you may have noticed that when we talk about AP courses and exams , we sometimes mention another acronym that may not sound as familiar to you: IB. This stands for International Baccalaureate , and represents another advanced educational option for high school students that exists alongside the AP program. While the IB program isn’t as popular as the AP program in the United States, it can definitely be a worthwhile option for those who have access to it. In particular, earning an IB diploma, which requires that you take certain courses and fulfill additional academic and extracurricular obligations, can be an impressive qualification to add to your resume. Read on for more information about the IB Diploma Programme and how an IB diploma can enhance both your high school experience and your college prospects. International Baccalaureate is an overarching organization that administers a number of different educational programs for students ages 3 to 19. Its curricula are used by specially trained teachers at certified schools throughout the world, and it prides itself on providing â€Å"rigorous, high-quality education† to its students. The most familiar IB program to high school students in the United States is the IB Diploma Programme, or IBDP, which is offered to students between the ages of 16 and 19. When you hear about â€Å"IB courses† being offered at a high school, it means that that school has been certified to offer the IBDP. (Students may be able to take some IB courses without enrolling in the full IBDP curriculum.) In some ways, the IB program is similar to the AP program—it’s a way for high school students to take advanced, rigorous courses. However, there are two main differences. For one thing, the IB program is much less popular than the AP program among high schools in the United States, and you since you can’t self-study IB courses, its availability is limited. In addition to this, the IB program is far more focused on presenting a cohesive overall curriculum with specific requirements that culminates in a diploma. While the AP program offers a similar option in the AP Capstone Diploma , most students don’t approach the AP program in that way. For a more detailed explanation of the International Baccalaureate organization, and especially the IB Diploma Programme, check out the Beginner’s Guide to the International Baccalaureate Program . The IBDP is a two-year academic program that, as we’ve mentioned, is open to students aged 16 to 19—in other words, high school students. Upon successfully completing the program and all its requirements, students can earn the IB diploma, which is a significant credential for college applications and other purposes. Academically, the IBDP requires students to take courses and pass exams in six specific subject areas. Three or four of these subjects must be taken at the more challenging â€Å"Higher† level, while the rest can be taken at the â€Å"Standard† level. In addition to this coursework, the IBDP has three more major requirements. First, students must write a lengthy essay based on independent research. Second, students must take a Theory of Knowledge course, which covers critical thinking and epistemology. Third, students must participate in a certain number and range of extracurricular activities. Earning the IB diploma means that you’ve done much more than take a few IB courses. Instead, you’ve undertaken a particular kind of high school education that is meant to teach you not only history, math, and other subjects, but also how to better analyze and understand the information you’ll encounter in school and beyond. Along with this stated purpose, an IB diploma can be an asset for you in a number of different ways, especially as you take on the college admissions process. Below, we’ll go over some of the main benefits of working toward and receiving an IB diploma. Our Early Advising Program helps students in 9th and 10th grade discover their passions and build strong academic and extracurricular profiles to succeed in high school. The IBDP is well-known throughout the world for the high quality of the coursework it offers. The strength of the IB curriculum, as well as the extensive training that IB teachers and school administrators are required to undergo, help the program to maintain this high standard. The respect that the IBDP enjoys means that no matter where you go, colleges will understand and positively view the effort you’ve put into earning your IB diploma. College admissions officers in particular will be familiar with the program’s reputation, making an IB diploma an excellent way of demonstrating your academic prowess. Strong performance in school is, of course, an important component of what competitive colleges look for in applicants. This is typically represented in your application by your GPA , transcript, and class rank. However, since every high school is different, colleges can’t always be sure what your grades actually mean compared to those of other applicants. Programs like the IBDP help colleges to evaluate applicants by providing a single curriculum that’s used worldwide, allowing admissions officers to more precisely assess your performance. Since this program is known to be rigorous, doing well in your IB courses and earning your IB diploma indicates to colleges that you’re an objectively strong student. Earning an IB diploma also shows you’re willing to take on special academic challenges. You’ve chosen to go beyond the typical high school curriculum and pursue a goal that asks more of you, including substantial independent work on topics of your own choosing. This is something that every competitive college values. As we’ve mentioned, the IB program is less popular and well-known in the United States than, for example, the AP program. You must take IB courses at a certified high school—self-studying is not allowed—which limits the number of students who can participate. The expense and training required to get certified as an IB school can also contribute to its relative rarity at high schools. What this means for you is that if you have an IB diploma, you’ll be among a relatively small portion of the college applicant pool with this qualification.   This distinction shows that you’ve not only taken on academic challenges, but done so through a program that’s widely known to be reputable and rigorous and require a good deal of independent work from its graduates. Not every student can present such a prestigious qualification when they fill out their college applications, and this relative uniqueness is an advantage. In addition to the novelty of IB participation itself, certain elements of the IB Diploma Programme may give you the opportunity to do especially interesting and original academic work that will give you additional chances to set yourself apart from other applicants. As we mentioned, you’re required to complete a substantial independent research project in order to receive your IB diploma. Your choice of topic for this project can say a lot about you, and your ability to handle the challenges of independent work and create something truly original will render you a unique and recognizable candidate come application season. One particular perk of the IB program is that it can be useful not only in the college application process, but also once you get to college. Like AP test results , your IB courses can sometimes be used by colleges to determine placement and credit. Depending on your school, you may be able to be placed in higher-level courses as a result of your IB experience, or you might receive credit outright for your IB courses, which can enable you to save time and money in getting your degree. Colorado and Texas have even passed laws requiring colleges in those states to award college credit to students with IB diplomas. If you’re interested in attending college outside the United States full-time (as opposed to on a short-term basis as a study abroad student), an IB diploma may be particularly useful to you. Since other countries have different academic systems and pathways to a university education, it can be difficult for students from the US to gain entrance. The international recognition of the IB diploma can help to bridge this gap. Some examples of countries that accept the IB diploma for entrance into universities are France, Spain, Italy, India, and Turkey. Additionally, some universities offer scholarships specifically for IB diploma holders. While each country and school has additional requirements you’ll need to meet, an IB diploma can be of great help in the process. Finally, aside from college admissions concerns, getting your IB diploma can simply be a very satisfying intellectual experience in its own right. The IB program is designed not only to provide you with rigorous course content, but also to help you learn how to think, analyze, and critically consider materials in the way that your college will eventually expect. The independent projects that are part of the IB curriculum can be enjoyable as well. Some high school students don’t get many opportunities to focus their energies on the topics they consider interesting. Studying a topic that really moves you can bring out your intellectual best in a way that your daily classwork may not. Going through the full IB Diploma Programme isn’t for everyone, and as we mentioned, it isn’t available everywhere. If you have access to this option, however, it can be a strong addition to your college application profile as well as an aid to your intellectual development. You can find more advice on whether IB is right for you and handling your IB coursework in these posts from the blog : To learn more about IB, take a look at our Ultimate Guide to the International Baccalaureate Program . You can also visit the official International Baccalaureate website at www.ibo.org . Looking for more personal assistance with managing your high school goals? Check out our Student Mentorship Program to see how our experienced near-peer mentors can help you to identify your passions and prepare for the college application process.

Human Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

Human Resource Management - Essay Example Many of the companies allow casual Fridays however, Morrison’s office does not allow casual on any day of the working week. Morrison argues that formal dress code is more important for the companies who have front-line client dealing and if a company does not have any such dealing then in that case ditching the suits may boost the morale of employees. Therefore, Career Partners 3 has been following â€Å"business only† trend for years. On the other hand, HR Solutions Incorporation has recently changed the dress code from business casual to casual dresses. HR Solutions is a Chicago-based international human resources pollster. The representative of company, Amelia Forczak argues that when employees are given free choice to wear anything, it shoes the level of trust on the employees and it also empowers the staff and improves their efficiency. Forczak argues that the recent decision of adopting business casual to casual dress code has been taken after conducting the inter nal surveys. The recent internal survey of the company has shown that rather than dressing up casually on Friday only, employees are more comfortable in wearing casual every day. At HR Solutions, preference is given to the workers on what they want to ensure to achieve the productivity. Forczak argues that if by only changing wardrobe of workers which is not difficult to implement, the company can achieve a quick win then what else the company wants. However, Forczak has also highlighted the point that if companies are not having direct dealing with employees then they can be provided relaxations in dress codes to make them feel more comfortable. Moreover, Forczak considers it as a good practice in leadership to keep up a affinity with the workers. Therefore, Forczak is very satisfied from the decision of changing dress code. A study conducted by HR Solutions in 2011 suggests that out of the total employees only 27 percent of employees at workplace are actively involved and the rema ining 73 percent of employees are either recognised as â€Å"actively disengaged† or â€Å"ambivalent†. In May 2010, when the company conducted a poll it was found that 55 percent of employees were of the view that they did not have a traditional dress code and 44 percent said they had to wear suits and ties. In this essay, the HRM models and concepts will be used to analyse whether the move from business casual dress code to casual dress code at HR Solutions is a suitable move for the company. HRM Implications Dress code is an important aspect of corporate culture and when it comes to decide whether a casual or a formal dress code is suitable for a company, various opinions come on screen. A recently conducted survey findings suggest that 41 percent of the companies believe that workers who are dressed more professionally are more likely to be promoted as compared to the workers who are not dressed professionally and this figure may vary based on industry such as in f inancial services, 55 percent of the companies have this opinion (Haefner, 2008 cited in Cardon & Okoro, 2009). Dress codes appear to be a major focus of service organisations where the employees directly interact with the customers. Billions of dollars are being spent by service organisations on defining, acquiring, managing and monitoring the dresses of employees and manuals of these company contain detailed illustrations about the dresses ranging from uniform

Memorandum Law Research on Law Cases Case Study

Memorandum Law Research on Law Cases - Case Study Example Before the case started, the complainant had paid $600 towards the purchase of the freezer. Jones found out and sued the Star Credit Corps for contract rescission. During the case the court fund the terms of the purchase to be unconscionable, they award the complainant with the freezer at a price of $600 to which he had already paid. The court found the contract unconscionable because of the gross inadequacy in the value of the freezer and the price at which it was to be sold. It was found that the credit charges in the contract exceeded the value of the freezer. The purchaser of the freezer was found to be limited financially during the time of purchase to which the seller also knew. The case of the Derby v. Derby is one that is based on divorce. The two were married for twenty two years before Mrs. Derby filed for divorce citing cruelty, years later Mr. Derby alleged adultery and by the wife severally. The court found out that Mr. Derby had signed out an agreement that had been brought to him by the wife citing that he had done so to secure their marriage. The husband says that the wife had promised to live with him if he signed the agreement of her having a real estate that they owned. The court in it ruling stated that, the wife had been opportunistic and used the fact that the husband had been convinced to sign the agreement for them to move back in together. Mr. Derby to sign the agreement in the absence of his lawyer because of the consideration that were misrepresented by the conduct of Mrs. Derby accepting to go back to the husband (Derby v. Derby, 378 S.E.2d 74 (Va. Ct. App. 1989)). The court found the agreement to be invalid as it was unconscionable, the wife had taken advantage of her husband’s emotional weakness and need to rebuild his family to agree. It was not out of free will and voluntary, but it was because of a condition stated. In relation to the Jones case, the intention of the

Old house Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Old house - Essay Example Today, people are able to communicate with the rest of the world instantly and can operate from anywhere in the world as there are faster modes of transport that move people from one place to another. Most people depend on the modern appliances to survive as it proves to be easy and time consuming to use them. For example the emergence of the microwave has made people become lazy as they use it t cook and warm food. One day after ten thousand years, someone will discover my house that was buried six feet below the ground. The house will be in a bad state but will still be intact. Upon entry, one is welcomed by a bad odour and this is due to the rotten and spoilt items in the house. On the walls hang pictures of my family and the rewards I won when I was a college student. One cannot help but notice a wall clock that is not functional. In addition, there are wall writings as well as different arts from different people. Most of the items in the old house will represent the kind of life the people in that generation had. For instance, the presence of the old television and a home theatre that stands at one corner of the living room. My home theatre is infested with insecticides and is worn out. The home theatre is one of the gadgets that almost every home had. The remote lies next to the television and one can barely see the wordings on top of it and at the look at the batteries, they are worn ou t. Moreover, the presence of an air condition shows that at the time, people used the machine to regulate the amount of heat in the house. This is proof that during summer, when it was hot people made their lives cool by using the air condition. Moreover, there was the refrigerator. On opening it, nothing was inside apart from a bad smell that came out of it. People used the fridge to store and conserve food to be used later. Because of the busy work schedules, people used to prepare food and store in the fridge.

Carbonic Anhydrase: Structure, Mechanisms and Functions

Carbonic Anhydrase: Structure, Mechanisms and Functions INTRODUCTION Carbonic anhydrase, abbreviated as CA, is the first identified zinc containing enzyme, (CA; carbonate hydro-lyase, EC 4.2.1.1) It is an enzyme that catalyzes the reversible hydration and dehydration of carbon dioxide to form carbonic acid, bicarbonate ions and protons. Being one of the fastest enzyme known, it is believed that one molecule of CA can process one million molecules of carbon dioxide  per second. The basic molecular structure of CA includes specific amino acid threonine 199, glutamate 106, histidine 64 and histidine residues namely His 93, His 95, and His 118. The mode of regulation of CA is being inhibited by various medically prescribed substances that act as non competitive inhibitors, an example is Acetazolamide. CA plays a major key role in the fluid balance and regulatory of pH in different parts of the body thus, Mutation of this enzyme may lead to several diseases.(1) CARBONIC ANYHYDRASE THE START: Breathing, a fundamental function in life The air that we breathe in has some valuable oxygen, an important molecule wherein it helps the breakdown of fats and sugars in our cells. From the blood, oxygen diffuses then binds with the hemoglobin to be transported in the cells of our body. A by product of sugar and fat breakdown in cells is called Carbon dioxide CO2). It is a key metabolite in all living organism and it needs to be removed from our body. Carbon dioxide is diffuse out of the cells and transported in the blood in different ways to get to the lungs. CA is transported in numerous forms, mainly as bicarbonate, HCO3-. Bicarbonate is a CO2- with an attached OH group. When the HCO3- reaches the lungs, it is transformed back to a CO2, so it can be exhaled from the body. The conversion of bicarbonate to carbon dioxide facilitates its transport into the cell; while the conversion of carbon dioxide to bicarbonate assists trap the carbon dioxide in the cell. This interconversion of carbon dioxide and bicarbonate develop at a slow physiological pH hence organism tend to produces an enzyme to hasten the process. This enzyme responsible for the speed up interconversion, which can be found in the red blood cells, is called carbonic anhydrase. Although the interconversion of bicarbonate to carbon dioxide can happen without the enzyme, CA can great increase the rate of the conversions up to a millions of fold. (2) STRUCTURE The CA molecule in general has ellipsoidal shape with the estimated dimension 4.1 x 4.1 x 4.7 nm. The active site is situated in a cavity having an approximately conical shape. The cavity is assessed 1.5 m wide at the way in and about 1.6 nm deep attaining almost the center of the molecule. The zinc ion is next to the peak of the cone and liganded into 3 imidazole groups. Taken as a whole, the CA is composed of 10-stranded anti-parallel beta-sheet enclosed with various elements of other secondary structure. The 6 alpha-helices and 10-beta sheets make up the secondary structure of carbonic anhydrase. The basic function of CA is basically to regulate the oxygen and carbon dioxide content of the blood that is needed in a human body. As the function suggests, the chemical structure of CA extremely lies with the presence of zinc that lies deep within its active site. Its common amino acid composition includes threonine, glutamate and histidine. The specificity of these 3 amino acids (threonine 199, glutamate 106, and histidine 64) plays a critical role in relation to the presence of zinc by charging it with a hydroxyl ion. The zinc cation is associated with three histidine residue protein backbone namely: His93, His95, and His118. As stated, zinc plays a major role in the reaction of CA. The zinc present in the active side of CA is being bound to water to be able to dissociate it into a proton and hydroxyl ion. The hydroxyl ion is being stabilized by the positively charged zinc, in this way; the hydroxyl ion is being prepared to attack the carbon dioxide inside the RBC. A closer look with CA can be seen in the figure below where the amino acid chains in the active site together with the zinc are evident. The role of the zinc basically includes the command of directional transfer of the bound hydroxyl to the carbon dioxide to be able to form bicarbonate ion. From the figure, it shows that the intermediate structure where the bicarbonate ion is still attached to the enzyme. The alanine replicated the side chain for amino acid 199 in this arrangement. Histidine 64 swings in the direction of and away from the zinc ion in every cycle of enzyme action although it is helping the zinc to recharge with a novel hydroxyl ion. The two locations of this residue, revealed in the bottom right figure, symbolize its movement throughout the action of enzyme. Almost immediately as the zinc is reloaded with an original water molecule together with the release of bicarbonate ion, the enzyme is set for another action on some new carbon dioxide molecule. (3) MECHANISM OF CATALYSIS The rate of catalysis of the CA is exceedingly pH dependent. It means that, the higher the pH, the catalysis is faster and as the pH reduces, the speed of the reaction falls down. The mean pH of this transition is near pH 7. (5) Figure 2.0 shows the mechanism of CA catalysis. A zinc atom which is generally bound to four or more ligands differs in CA. In CA, three locations are engaged by the imidazole rings of three histidine residues and an additional site is occupied by a water molecule. Thus the geometry form of the active site is tetrahedral. The zinc atom plays an important role in the mechanism of CA catalysis because it is responsible for the release of a proton H+ from a water molecule, which then generates a nucleophilic hydroxide ion. Then carbon dioxide substrate attaches to the enzymes active site and is situated to react with the hydroxide ion. The zinc-bound OH-  attacks the carbon of CO2  therefore converting it into a bicarbonate ion. This occurs since the zinc ion has the +2 charge, which attracts the oxygen of water. It then deprotonates the water, thus, converting it into a better nucleophile so that the newly converted hydroxyl ion can attack the carbon dioxide. After the nucleophilic attack of zinc bound OH-, addition of water molecule displaces the bicarbonate ion from the metal ion. The CA is then ready for another cycle of catalysis. (7) KINETICS OF REACTIONS CA inhibitors are class of pharmaceuticals that control the activity of carbonic anhydrase. It is inhibited by two classes of compounds, a metal complex forming anions and others are isosteres and sulfonamides. Inhibitors ionize upon binding with the enzyme to give way an NH- group that relocates the zinc hydroxide ions and shares a hydrogen bond. There are roughly 25 clinically used CA inhibitors as a drugs. It is mainly established as antiglaucoma drugs, diuretics, hypotensive agents, anticonvulsants, anticancer agents, antiepileptics, with additional use in the management of duodenal and gastric ulcers, osteoporosis and neurological disorder. (8) Acetazolamide Methazolamide Dorzolamide Topiramate Figure 3. Illustrations of some CA inhibitors (9) Figure 3.0 shows some CA inhibitors like Acetozolamide which acts as a mild diuretic. It cures glaucoma, altitude sickness, and some benign intracranial hypertension. Methazolamide treats glaucoma present in dogs which is called Open-angle glaucoma. While Topiramate which is a weak inhibitor, alleviate epilepsy, lennox gastuat syndrome and migraine headaches. And another CA inhibitor is the, Dorzolamide or sulphonamide which treat ocular hypertension or open-angele glaucoma. (10) CA activator regulates the proton transfer processes between the active site and the solvent system. It also binds at the entrance of the enzyme of the active site. One of the strong activator of CA is Histidine. Some amines and amino acids like l-Trp (tryptophan), l-Phe (Phenylalanine),  d-DOPA (D- 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine),  l-Tyr (Tyrosine), 4-amino-l-Phe also works as activators of CA. These CA activators are potentially target for drug development that can be useful as a derivative for the enhancement of synaptic efficacy which can be able to treat various conditions like, depression, alzheimers disease, ageing, spatial learning and memory therapy enhancer. (11) MODE OF REGULATION: Acetazolamide Inhibitor In case of excessive contents of CA in blood and peripheral areas of the lungs, proper regulation and inhibition is needed. Acetazolamide is a non competitive inhibitor that is effective in giving control with the catalytic reaction of the enzyme. This chemical complex substance is medically used o treat different conditions of moderate up to severe metabolic or respiratory alkalosis. Alkalosis may happen if excess CA is being reacted with the bicarbonate and carbon dioxide ions in the RBC, causing extreme absorption of bicarbonate thus giving the erythrocyte more basicity rather than having enough and sufficient pH level. Acetazolamide action is explained by interfering with bicarbonate (HCO3-) reabsorption in the kidneys, thereby giving enough acidity in the RBC, and further results to alkalinizing the urine. The action of inhibition results further to decreased synthesis of aqueous humor of the eye and causes the lowering of intraocular pressure. The interaction of Acetazolamide with CA does not occur with the active site, only close or remote to the active site. The net effect of this inhibitor basically changes the shape of CA that obviously leads to the inability of the substrate to bind properly, results to no catalytic reaction. (12) CARBONIC ANHYDRASE IN HEALTH AND DISEASE: Carbonic Anhydrase is found in numerous places in the body, including in the cerebro-spinal fluid, cytosol of some cells and mainly in the red blood cells. Since CA generates and utilizes protons and bicarbonate ions, it plays a major key role in the fluid balance and regulatory of pH in different parts of the body. Absence or mutation of the CA enzyme may lead to several diseases.  Also, CA inhibitor contributes to several treatments of diseases. One of the linked diseases of CA is the Osteopetrosis with cerebral calcification and renal acidosis. It is a syndrome deficient with CA in the body commonly called as Marble brain disease. This happens because sulfonamide inhibitor of CA can produce metabolic acidosis and have shown that CA inhibitors blocks the parathyroid hormone-induced the release of calcium bone which causes bone resorption. And since CA is present in the brain and CA inhibitors inhibits the production of cerebral spinal fluid, mutation of CA lead to cerebral calcification. Other disease associated with the deficiency of specific type of CAIII is the Myastenia gravis. It is an autoimmune neuromuscular disorder that results to a weak muscle of a person. Defects in CA IV can cause retinitis pigmentosa, a degeneration of retinal photoreceptor, which a patient experiences night vision blindness and loss of midperipheral visual. (13) Glaucoma, a condition wherein a build up of fluid in the eyes occurs and this presses the optic nerve that caused damage, is treated with the use of CA inhibitors like acetazolamide, brinzolamide, dorzolamide, and methazolamide. These inhibitors lessen the amount of fluid in the eye rapidly by 40% to 60% thus lowering the pressure inside the eye of a person with glaucoma. It now lessens the risk of optic nerve damage which promote vision loss. But prolong use of this drug affects the same enzyme in the tissue and may lead to kidney and liver damage The CA also plays an important role in the secretion of acid through the catalyzed hydration of excreted CO2 in the stomach lining which is mainly responsible in digestion of food. It helps to make pancreatic juice alkaline and our saliva neutral. In summary, CA performs different role and functions at their specific locations. (14)

Thomas Berry :: essays research papers

Human Condition Through Thomas Berry   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Normally, I don’t agree with Thomas Berry, but I agree with his quote â€Å"†¦inner anxiety and even†¦doubt ourselves and the meaning of it all.† Thomas Berry put the dimension of contemporary existence, future orientation, and placed it in what I consider a perfect statement. When we hit this realization of perplexity within our future, we will be in such awe. People will become over capacitated with the diversity of every day life. We will deviate into a whole different culture. Thomas Berry’s statement was well conceived.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As in human condition, the journey symbol portrays an internal struggle. Also it depicts some form of transformation. Another thing appearing in both is a theme of endearing negativity. We know, or thing we know, all that we have is adequate. He puts this in a sense of hysteria with what we incur during our journey. He tells us that we live n an unacceptable situation and that we must undergo transformation. In my experiences, I have not yet covered this conflict in the large scale he puts it on.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When referring to spirituality, I believe that Berry places a strong emphasis on faith. In order for us to encompass happiness we must have a strong divinity towards spirituality. Spirituality in a certain religion. Spirituality in ourselves, others, etc. We also must have an awareness for the other divinities. The usual sense of religion relates to a general sense of faith. It is less than expected to pay homage to your god or belief. Berry’s sense of religion inquires that belief of faith as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I don’t agree with Berry’s view on spirituality. I feel as though his belief would make all that I learned redundant. I feel as though people holding this view have either a horrible view on life or are stuck in a religious domicile. In his writings, Berry makes it seem like joy is not meaningful unless there is a downside to it.

Financial Reporting Problem Essay

Abstract In this paper we will discuss Walmart’s Balance sheet and Income Statement. We will analyze the company’s total assets at the end of the most recent annual reporting year and to why it is important. We then will talk about the company’s total assets, how much cash and cash equivalents did the company have, as well as, the amount of accounts payable at the most recent year, and from the previous year. What the company’s net revenues are from the last three annual reporting periods, the change in dollars in the company’s net income from the most recent annual reporting period to the previous annual reporting period. We will talk about the company’s total assets at the end of the most recent year and the previous year from the annual reporting period. Lastly, we will discuss as to what information that has been obtained within this paper that would be important to a potential investor, employee and so forth. Financial Reporting Problem, Part 1 Total Assets The total assets for Wal-Mart as of January 31, 2013 were $203,105,000. The reason this is important for a company or business to know, is so the business can have a better understanding of how much the company is worth. Knowing how much a company is worth is beneficial because the assets can be used as collateral for a loan. Also knowing the assets and comparing total assets to previous years can show if a company is growing and expanding or shrinking. For Wal-Mart, the comparison from the previous year shows that the total assets increased. As of January 31, 2012 the company showed total assets of $193,406,000. With the comparison from January 31, 2012 to the current figure from January 31, 2013 Wal-Mart grew and/or expanded in total assets by 9,699,000. Cash and Cash Equivalent The total cash and cash equivalent for the end of the year for Wal-Mart as of January 31, 2013 is 7,781,000. Knowing the total cash and cash equivalent will help the company to know how much the company has to spend. No organization has the intention of spending more money then what the company has available. If a company has very low cash or cash equivalent then the company will need to consider if a loan is needed. In consideration for a loan total expenses needs to be considered. If a company like Wal-Mart has enough cash to pay all expenses then a loan isn’t needed, but if the expense exceeds the cash then a loan is needed. Also another factor to consider on getting a loan is if the money coming into the company will be enough to pay the loan back. Accounts Payable The accounts payable for the end of the most recent annual reporting period that ended January 31, 2013 is 1,061,000. Knowing the accounts payable helps a company to know one of the companies expenses. This is important because if the companies accounts payable are higher than the money coming in, that could be a problem for the business. Comparing to previous years accounts payable can show many different problems or benefits for the business. Net Revenues Walmart Inc. net revenues from the last three annual reporting periods are as follows; On January 31st, 2011 in the amount of $421,849,000. On January 31st, 2012 the net revenues were; $446,950,000 and on January 31st, 2013 it totaled to the amount of $469,162,000. From looking at the reports Walmart Inc. has had an increased from 2011 to 2012 in the amount of $25,101,000 and from 2012 to 2013 has increased to $22,212,000. Net Revenue helps account for certain price reductions, adjustments and refunds. This is necessary to get the general measure of the real top line rather than the bottom line. Net Income Looking at Walmart’s income statement from the net income of 2013 on January 31st it totaled in $16,999,000. The change from 2012 and 2013 is a increase in $1,300,000. The net income from 2012 is $15,699,000. From looking at the statement and seeing that there is a loss due to nonredeemable and redeemable non-controlling interest the company has lost net income by 16,998,000 within 2013 but in 2012 only had a 609,000 difference, and in 2011 had a 1,289,000 difference from 2013. When it comes to Net Income it is closely followed and play a huge role in ratio analysis. Shareholders take a close look at the net income due to their compensation of the company. If a business is not generating enough profit, the values of shares fall. It is important to know that net income does not measure to how much cash a company has earned during a given period. Change in Dollars of Net Income The change in dollars of Walmart’s net income from 2013 is 16,999,000 and from 2012 it is only a million dollar difference of 15,999,000. Total Assets in Recent Year from Annual Reporting Wal-Mart has reported its accounting period for fiscal year 2013; accounting period ends on January 31st of each year. Wal-Mart’s current total of assets as of fiscal year 2013 is $203,105,000.00. Wal-Mart continues to grow in consecutive years with an average increase in assets of $10,000,000 dollars a year for the past five years. The earnings per share have increased 10.6 percent increasing their shares to $5.02. The company has made earnings in addition of $22 billion make it a $ 466 billion dollar corporation. It is with no doubt that the success of the corporation continues on the rise. The corporation owns 4,000 locations in the United States alone adding $10 billion alone in net sales. Further from generating income and investing in growth and assets Wal-Mart has always researched and invested in ways to reduce expenses and operating costs. Strategies such as training front line and middle managers in operating cost reductions and implementing sales and inventory syste ms have greatly reduced operating costs in the current successful years. Total Assets from Previous Annual Report In fiscal year 2012, Wal-Mart had a total of earning of $15.8 billion  with a closing total of net sales of $443.9 billion. Since 1992 Wal-Mart has made and increased a total net worth of sales of $400 billion dollars. The corporation strategy for 2012 was to continue to invest in growth and re-enforce in what separates them from their competitors, their low incomparable low merchandise prices. A very unique idea that required greater investments and growth was that of creating a merchandise corporation to the public that provided a one stop be all shopping store. The corporation concentrated in providing its customers a broad assortment of merchandise which provided customers in a sense a time saving tool in a high tempo life style generation. Wal-Mart’s obvious and epic success of how effective and efficient their corporation strategies are. In addition Wal-Mart continues to re-invest in its online market and expanding its online strategy. Important Information Wal-Mart received a total of $332 million in common stock in the year of 2013 alone. In 2012 Wal-Mart returned dividends to its investors worth $60 billion in shares. A high number of their investors are Wal-Mart associates averaging an increased percentage of stocks by the yearly. A yearly accounting period of accounting provides the corporation’s accounting state which in return provides transparency to its current investors and a corporate overview of potential new investors. Internally Wal-Mart benefits from these reports in projecting new investments. Strategic Management can influence how much can be reinvested while at the same time have oversight of how expenses, employee and associate management, and operating costs have to be considered before any over spending incurs. Overall an accounting report is essentially the backbone of a corporation. The accounting structure requires having a solid foundation in a corporation in order to have a successful business. Accountin g is the measurement of how much a business fails or it is successful. References http://c46b2bcc0db5865f5a76-91c2ff8eba65983a1c33d367b8503d02.r78.cf2.rackcdn.com/88/2d/4fdf67184a359fdef07b1c3f4732/2013-annual-report-for-walmart-stores-inc_130221024708579502.pdf