Thursday, September 5, 2019
Hurler Syndrome Disease
Hurler Syndrome Disease Hurlers Syndrome In a persons body every substance is important and should present the right amount of itself to function properly. In this case a very rare inherited disease of metabolism is when a person cannot break down long chains of sugar molecules called glycosaminoglycans. This disease is known as Hurlers Syndrome which is part of a larger group of diseases more commonly referred to as MPS. Other names for Hurlers Syndrome are alpha-L-iduronate, Mucopolysaccharidoss Type 1, and MPS1H. Other MPS diseases are Hurler Scheie Syndrome, which is a milder feature of Hurler Syndrome, Maroteaux-Lamy Syndrome, whose features are very similar to Hurler Syndrome and Sly Syndrome, whose phenotype is similar to that of Hurler Syndrome. Unfortunately, there are many more syndromes within the MPS disease category. Hurlers Syndrome is named after Gertrud Hurler, who was the doctor that described both a boy and a girl with the condition in 1919. Dr. Scheie was a consultant ophthalmologist and in 1962 he wrote about some of his patients who were less severely affected than those previously diagnosed by Dr. Hurler. Those patients who could not be clearly diagnosed as either the severe or milder end of the disease were said to have Hurler Scheie Syndrome. When you have Hurlers Syndrome, your body does not make a substance called lysosomal alpha-L-iduronidase. This means that a person without lysosomal alpha-L-iduronidase cannot break down long chains of sugar molecules which are used in the building of connective tissues in the body. The sugar molecules are usually found in mucus and in fluid around a persons joints. ââ¬Å"There is a continuous process in the body of replacing used materials and breaking them down for disposal.â⬠What does break down long chains of sugar molecules is a substance called alpha-L-iduronidase enzyme. ââ¬Å"This is essential in cutting up the mucopolysaccharides called dermatan and heparin sulphate. The incompletely broken down mucopolysaccharides remain stored in cells in the body causing progressive damage.â⬠A result of not having the alpha-L-iduronidase enzyme is that glycosaminoglycans will build up and damage a persons heart and organs. Symptoms of this disease can be mild or very severe. Hurlers Syndrome is a disease inherited from both parents which means that both parents have to pass the gene to their child in order for the child to have the disease and any child of any race can have it. When a child is born you cannot really tell that they have the disease because they appear healthy at birth. ââ¬Å"Babies may show little sign of the disease, but as more and more cells become damaged, symptoms start to appear.â⬠Most of the symptoms are thick coarse facial features with low nasal bridge, halted growth, progressive mental retardation, cloudy corneas, deafness, joint disease including stiffness, heart valve problems, abnormal bones in the spine, chronic runny nose, hernia, speech problems, hyper activity, depression, pain, and clawed hands. Most people do not notice the facial symptoms until the child is at the age of two. To tell if a person has Hurlers Syndrome, doctors usually do a simple urine test. The test would show extra mucopolysaccharides, but docto rs would not be able to tell what form of MPS that the person has. Thus, Hurlers Syndrome is not diagnosed until many other conditions have been looked into and after which more specific tests have been performed. This is usually done when the child is about six to twenty-four months of age. To treat Hurlers Syndrome, a person would have to have enzyme replacement surgery which helps the body make alpha-L-iduronidase or have a bone marrow transplant to prevent retardation and that only improves some of the symptoms and should be done at a very young age. Scientists state that it is better for a child with the disease to have this surgery at a young age because they will have a better chance of living longer. A person can also have a stem cell transplant surgery and if this surgery is successful many symptoms of the disease are stopped. Seventy-five percent of those whose transplants are from siblings or other close family members have a higher rate of survival than those whose donors are not as closely matched. Many children with a heart disease caused by Hurlers Syndrome cannot have these surgeries due to the fact that their heart is not strong enough to help recover after any surgery. Any other treatments that can treat Hurlers Syndrome depend on the organs which are a ll infected. ââ¬Å"For those children whose diagnosis came too late in the progression of the disease to be eligible for transplant, there is still some hope in a newly approved enzyme replacement therapy.â⬠Young children with Hurlers Syndrome usually end up with nervous system problems and will have the chance of dying at a young age. Experts say that couples with the history of Hurlers Syndrome in their family or any other disease should be tested before they think about having children of their own. Today there is no actual cure for Hurlers Syndrome, but the MPS society is working very hard to find a cure for it. ââ¬Å"About 1 in 160 people are carriers, which result in about a 1 in 25,000 chance of two carriers meeting. Since this disease is so rare the chance of having a partner who is another carrier is very slight provided their partner is not a cousin or other close family member.â⬠Since Hurlers Syndrome is a recessive gene there are only 1 in 4 chances that a child will suffer this disease if their parents are carriers. In this case 1 out of 100,000 children are affected with this rare disease. ââ¬Å"The unaffected children have a 2 in 3 chance of being carriers like their parents, and a 1 in 3 chance of being a normal non-carrier.â⬠The oldest survivor of Hurlers Syndrome is currently in his early twenties and is standing strong, however, most people affected with this disease do not live past the age of twelve.
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
How to Achieve World Domination :: Process Essays Dominating Essays
How to Achieve World Domination Are you tired of the grind? Do you long for easier days? Do you grow weary of lesser people who have struggled to the top and are now telling you what to do? Are you out of high school or soon will be? Are you mad all the time? If you answered yes to these questions you may be ready to embark on the job of a lifetime, a no holds barred quest to fulfill your every desire. But wait! It's not just a job; it's complete and total control over a select group of people. In this high tech fast paced rewarding career you not only get to subserviate those around you into whimpering masses, but also get to see your dreams come to fruition through long and complicated acts of deviousness. Beautiful buxom women will flock to you and your new-found power. You'll have confidence, no stress and the perks of dealing harshly with what bugs you will lead you to a life of fulfillment and relief and many nights of peaceful slumber knowing that those who you once held in disrespect you now hold in the palm of your hands. What is this hallowed of hallowed jobs that will prove once and for all who is the alpha male? What is this rewarding path that will show you the country and get your demands met at the same time? The push of a button could reap you millions in cash. Leaders will tremble at your name. If you have what it takes: an iron fist, a will of steel or even buns of cinnamon, you too can be a part of the booming field of brand new despots. Act fast, uproot your life and follow these tips, and you too can become AN EVIL OVERLORD! GETTING STARTED Lesson one- Do it for yourself! You may have seen recent movies in which actors have portrayed "Evil" doctors, leaders, and even flat out thugs. But as all things out of Hollywood, these stories are tainted with the capitalist greed that makes for a good movie. Strangely the very people who are giving us these "outlandish" characters are the people whom we can turn to for prime examples of underhanded dealings and a lack of decency which all-good evil leaders posses. They are right, their characters are wrong. These film villains are always beaten; they usually lack an air of class, and furthermore are many times out for simple money or a bleeding heart special cause.
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Science of Flavors :: essays research papers
Abstract:à à à à à The flavor of food is what compels us to eat certain items. The taste sensations of different food combinations are at time mesmerizing. The restaurant industry has long been based on tending to the need of the consumer, feeding them good food. As economic times change, there are more appearances of chain casual dining restaurants. Consequently, the change brought a need of consistency of food products. Food science is a field where the study of people and food. The field has been contributing immensely to the successful expansion of the chain restaurant industry. The science of flavor has proven to be extremely marketable and flavorful. Science of Flavors And the Restaurant Industry à à à à à The restaurant industry has long been established on the service of good food. Stand alone restaurants bringing the fine and new flavorful cuisines are very hard to come by nowadays. The massive trend of chain casual dining restaurants is in effect, and it does not seem to be slowing down. Since the chain system of restaurants works on brand recognition there is a standard system for every aspect of the restaurants niche that each establishment must follow. In addition, since these casual dining establishments work on a volume base commission, they need to produce good food, fast; furthermore, each dish needs to be the same every time. The consistency of the food throughout every chain establishment produces a problem in the casual dining nation, which is why all the franchises are turning to the science of food; in other words, food science. Food science has been producing phenomenal feats throughout the restaurant industry. The study of food and peopleââ¬â¢s perception of flavors has proven to be very marketable throughout the casual dining sector. The Science of Flavors First and foremost an diminutive understanding of flavor is necessary. Flavor is a complex mixture of sensory input of the food being eaten. The composed sensory input is: taste (gustation); smell (olfaction); tactile sensations; and visual sensations. Although people may use the word ââ¬Å"tasteâ⬠to mean ââ¬Å"flavorsâ⬠in the strict sense it is applicable only to the sensation arising from specialized taste cells in the mouth. Those taste cells are the taste detectors distributed all throughout the tongue. The taste detectors are specialized configurations commonly referred to as taste buds. (Margolskee, Smith 2001) Usually the first step in food consumption and much of foodââ¬â¢s flavor is perceived through the olfacotory impression on the mind.
Monday, September 2, 2019
Thomas Hardys Tragic Stories Essay -- Biography Biographies Essays
Thomas Hardy's Tragic Stories For centuries, various writers have endeavored to encapsulate the constituents of tragedy, and create works of literature that adhere to their understanding of an ostensibly universal system of tragic structure, tragic plot, and tragic theme. Nevertheless, the etymology of the word, "tragedy," proves to be as elusive and arcane as the tragic construct is seemingly concrete and unequivocal; indeed, the word, "tragedy," can be traced to the Greek word, "tragoidia," which literally means, "goat-song." We do not know whether actors in the Choral Odes read their lines clad in goatskins, or if goats were bestowed as prizes; we do know, however, that Aristotle reconfigured the more bucolic play tradition, and, in his Poetics, developed a technique founded on the tradition of regal grandeur, sweeping scope, and cosmic power. Thomas Hardy, one of the few Victorian tragic prose writers, undoubtedly draws from the tradition of Aristotelian Greek tragedy. Nevertheless, our thesis expresses skepticism in the precision and alacrity with which Hardy is equated with tragedy and conventional tragic form. In a post-Shakespearean nineteenth-century world, writers were acquainted with two tragic traditions: Greek and Christian. The Greek tragic tradition is founded upon the ritual feasting of Dionysus (or the Roman version, Bacchus); the Christian mystery play tradition is rooted in the Passion of Christ. Both traditions bind themselves inextricably to forces larger than themselves - either to gods and goddesses, or to the Holy Trinity - and structure their plays around the rituals inherent in these traditions. Hardy's own novels comprise elements of both Greek and Christian tragic conventions, thus elici... ...on tragedy from The Life and Work of Thomas Hardy Bibliography Bloom, Harold. Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human. New York: Riverhead Books, 1998. Brereton, Geoffrey. Principles of Tragedy: A Rational Examination of the Tragic Concept in Life and Literature. Florida: University of Miami Press, 1969. Gibson, James. Thomas Hardy: Interviews and Recollections. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1999. Hardy, Thomas. The Life and Work of Thomas Hardy. Athens: The University of Georgia Press, 1985. Kramer, Dale. Thomas Hardy: The Forms of Tragedy. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1975. Krook, Dorothy. Elements of Tragedy. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1969. Margeson, J.M.R. The Origins of English Tragedy. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1967. Page, Norman. Oxford Reader's Companion to Hardy. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000.
Sunday, September 1, 2019
Obesity as a Social and Medical Problem Essay
Obesity has become an epidemic in our over indulgent North American society. In addition to body image issues, obesity causes significant health issues. Society often views the word obesity to be a disease when it is actually a sign of a disorder; genetic or environmental. The percentage of our population that is growing overweight is increasing every year, and can become a very serious issue if it is not dealt with more urgently. Problems relating to self-confidence, self-consciousness, and isolation can occur as a result. An enduring problem in todayââ¬â¢s society, especially with children, has to deal with sociality. Public appearance is very important to us and when we donââ¬â¢t look good, or have a low self-esteem, it can lead to further issues; possibly fatal. Those with the ââ¬Å"obeseâ⬠label have to deal with social problems every single day. The fact they donââ¬â¢t look ââ¬Å"normalâ⬠causes them to not fit in with the ââ¬Å"regular crowdâ⬠and can lead to isolation issues. Being isolated from the majority of the population can lead to problems such as depression and later on, suicide. Another big influence on social problems relating to obesity is the media. Every day at some time, somewhere, we are watching TV, reading the newspaper, or searching the web. The media tends to give labels and meaning to words in which we get influenced on. The view that the media portrays to us is that if you are a certain weight, you are obese; and vice-versa. Another problem with the media is the amount of time our society spends on it. Time consumed on useless media takes away from time spent doing productive activities such as exercising. However, the corruption in social patterns relating to obesity isnââ¬â¢t the only problem. Another big factor stands on the medical side. Obesity is a risk in a number of prolonged diseases. Maintaining a healthy weight is critical in order to reduce the risk of those diseases and additionally, improve your overall health. Many children and youth have fewer opportunities to be physically active at school as physical education classes and time spent being physically active at school have been reduced. Being overweight or obese has many risks involved. Serious conditions such as a stroke, high blood pressure, and Type 2 diabetes, can occur as a result; just to name a few. Linked with health problems is a poor diet. Variations in our food environment have made it challenging to maintain a healthy weight. Society tends to want to eat more fast-food rather than cooking at home because it is cheaper and less time-consuming. We have become lazy when it comes to our diets. We donââ¬â¢t take into consideration the Food Guide and basically eat what we want, when we want. Obesity is also a major drain on the economy. The amount of money being spent on health care because of obesity-related diseases is astronomical. The Globe and Mail had an article headlined, ââ¬Å"Obesity costs economy up to $7-billion a yearâ⬠. By eating right and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, our society can cut down economic costs drastically. All we need to have is some discipline, the proper diet, and exercise. Numerous children today are spending less time exercising and more time in front of the TV, computer, or video-game console. Even worse, some schools have banned the use of balls used at recess. An article in the Toronto Star explained why such a peculiar ban took place at Earl Beatty Public School, ââ¬Å"The letter stated that there have been a ââ¬Å"few serious incidentsâ⬠in which staff and students have been hit, or come close to being struck, by flying balls. Not only are we lacking in exercise, the catalyst for running around at recess has now been taken away for some. This issue is going to further decrease the amount of physical activity kids partake in, and increase the possibilities of obesity. Commuting to and from work also contributes to obesity when you consider that in order to get by, mo st families need to have at least two incomes. People often have to commute long distances to jobs, and with the minimal time for meal preparation, fast foods become a number one option. Furthermore, having supermarkets, as well as other grocery stores open all night, more money is being spent on expensive, half-prepared meals. Children need to have a healthy example with their parents being physically active and eating healthy. Preventing children from becoming overweight means adapting to the way your family eats and exercises. Many believe that it is the parents fault when it comes to child obesity, and theyââ¬â¢re correct. Children donââ¬â¢t have the discipline to eat ââ¬Å"healthyâ⬠foods and arenââ¬â¢t capable of preparing home-made meals. It is the parentââ¬â¢s job to influence and lead the way for our youth. If parents set a better example health-wise for their children, it is highly doubtful that the percentage of obesity would be even remotely close to where it is now. Managing and preventing obesity can lead to many societal benefits. Having healthy, positive-minded people in our cities is always encouraging. Managing obesity can lessen the stress that occurs at work, as well as create a friendlier environment. Having a good work environment has shown to raise productivity, therefore creating better capital. Another optimistic result from obesity management in society is the discipline factor. If those that are overweight can overcome a huge default in their life, by working hard and staying focused, it will then translate into other aspects of their day-to-day lives. Our society will become that of a disciplined one, therefore work will become more productive because there is better focus on the tasks at hand; furthermore, children in school will become more confident because of how hard they worked as well as their new self-image. Overall, if our world can manage and prevent obesity, living can ultimately consist more of positive vibes and less of anxiety. In conclusion, it is clear we have a serious issue with obesity that impacts many aspects of peopleââ¬â¢s lives. It is an austere condition that doesnââ¬â¢t get monitored with enough concern. Possibilities such as Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure are the two leading causes from being overweight. Medical, as well as social research can help people further comprehend that weight and obesity issues are vastly social, not individual. We have to start working together on fighting obesity. We are a lazy society and we tend to make things harder than they really are. If society works together to help those in need by giving them the courage and confidence needed to make a personal change, this unnecessary burden called obesity can be upheld. It all starts with the right diet as well as exercise and a strong commitment. As little as ten minutes a day on the bike can improve oneââ¬â¢s health. The ball is in our court, and stronger action needs to be taken. We need to start now because the benefits to individuals as well as society are well worth the effort.
Saturday, August 31, 2019
Case Analysis: Tennant Company Essay
Lead-In/Key Issues Over Tennant Companyââ¬â¢s (Tennant) 141 year history, they have consistently remained a producer of floor-cleaning equipment and technologies focusing their efforts in producing products for non-residential use. Since the new CEO Chris Killingstad has come to the company however, he has been dramatically changing Tennantââ¬â¢s value proposition with a broader emphasis encompassing ââ¬Å"chemical-free cleaning and other technologies.â⬠This case shows Tennantââ¬â¢s move beyond traditional green efforts to centralizing environmentally-friendly performance at the heart of the companyââ¬â¢s focus, and whether this new focus provides enough benefit as a competitive advantage. The challenge now for Killingstad and Tennant is how to move forward into 2013 in terms of company focus and direction; mainly the extent to which they should diversify. Should Tennant move into residential markets with smaller units for consumers to use in-home? Should they continue to focus on the commercial side, investing instead in the market potential of their ec-H20 and irreversible electroporation technologies? Or should they enter emerging markets with low-cost alternatives to truly increase their global exposure and propagate their vision of chemical-free cleaning? Situation Analysis External Analysis In this section I will use case information and provide an analysis of the commercial cleaning industry. I am choosing to ignore the residential cleaning industry at this time as they have only begun thinking about the consumer market at the time the case was written. Also, given the push by the majority of cleaning companies to ââ¬Å"go greenâ⬠it is important to look at the entire cleaning industry rather than just the ecologically-friendly niche in order to assess the level of Tennantââ¬â¢s competitive advantage relative to the industry as a whole. As aforementioned, there has been a general trend towards green alternatives in the 21st century, across a large array of industries. More specifically in the commercial cleaning industry it was revealed that consumers desired more environmentally-friendly solutions, as long as there was no sacrifice to price and performance. This ties in with the industry opportunities in the Tennant SWOT analysis (appendix 2) as the innovativ e products from Tennant give them the advantage over chemical-only cleaning companies. Before I analyze Porterââ¬â¢s five forces with respect to Tennant, we must understand what life cycle stage the commercial cleaning industry is currently at. Since profits for Tennant have been rising, and the industry as a whole is said to have risen to 5 billion, I can conclude the industry is still in the growth stage. Now it is important to look at how the development of new technology has impacted Porterââ¬â¢s five forces, most specifically the bargaining power of buyers and the threat of substitute products. Since the introduction of their disruptive technologies they have greatly reduced the risk of these two forces specifically; as these types of products are not easily available elsewhere. It is through these technologies they have created a new, unique selling proposition that has become a competitive advantage for Tennant. Internal Analysis Moving away from the external environment in the cleaning industry, I will now shift attention to Tennantââ¬â¢s key strengths (and their underlying causes) as well as an analysis of financial information to assess their profitability and efficiency. The main source of Tennantââ¬â¢s relative strength in the industry comes from their innovative and patented technologies (see Appendix 2). Firm-specific strengths are resources that can become core competencies; in the case of Tennant they have already become a primary strategic advantage. Now as technological strengths are quite often a by-product of well-structured R&D within a firm, it is therefore crucial to look at in this case. Most of their initial innovative success can be attributed to the Advanced Product Development group, which although was only allocated 10% of the R&D budget they developed the most significant technologies between 2002 and 2006, namely their FaST and ReadySpace technologies. Following the success of th eir ec-H2O technology, they decided to further develop its platform outside of the corporate culture of Tennant and created the subsidiary ââ¬Å"Orbio Technologies Group.â⬠It was through this subsidiary that Tennant developed the split-stream technology and irreversible electroporation, both successful innovations. In all, it can be concluded that the creation of an ââ¬Å"entrepreneurialâ⬠subsidiary was a successful management move, and combined with well coordinated R&D it allowed Tennant to develop their core competency. Now it is also important to note where their strengths and weaknesses lie with respect to their financial data and corresponding ratio analysis. Tennantââ¬â¢s main concerns lay in three specific ratios: operating cash flow ratio, their operating profit margin, and their solvency ratio (see Appendix 1). First their operating cash flow ratio is well below one indicating they have not generated enough cash flow during the year to pay off their short-term liabilities. Second their operating profit margin is only 6.10% and 5.76% for the past two years respectively, indicating they are not generating an ideal amount of EBIT per sales dollar earned. And third their solvency ratio is below the healthy threshold of 20% (10.67% and 9.67% for the past two years respectively) meaning they have less of an ability to fulfill debt obligations and have a heightened default risk. Now they are a little stronger in some areas; their current ratio is above a two which is ideal for most firms. Also they do have some operating leverage (although not much above a one means it is low). There is a significant gap between their gross margin and operating profit margin, indicating they are spending a large amount of their revenue on operating expenses. This is to be expected with a highly R&D intensive company like Tennant, as well as the need for high selling expenses required to differentiate from the rest of the cleaning companies. Strategic Alternatives Alternative #1 My first alternative is for Tennant Company to move into the residential, consumer market with smaller Orbio-E handheld units. In this proposed alternative they should stay away from licensing and keep production within the company. This alternative simply provides a variation of their core competency, innovative technologies, and therefore does not stray far from their already established strategic strengths. Alternative #2 The second alternative I would recommend would be the proposed base-of-the-pyramid (BOP) model in emerging markets. As suggested by the case would allow them to identify areas to improve in their legacy markets by creating low-cost products for low-income consumers in developing countries. Furthermore, this action could potentially catapult them to industry-leader status by taking their green initiative to the next level. This very likely would also cause an increase in their goodwill. Alternative #3 The final alternative I will provide with this analysis is for Tennant to continue current operations. They would focus their resources on developing their existing customer relationships with their tried and tested product line. This alternative is taking the less risky approach, by not pursuing chemical-free cleaning too quickly and waiting to assess where the industry is after a given period of time. This will help mitigate potentially detrimental effects on their existing customer base who do not feel ready to make the transition to chemical-free cleaning. Strategic Recommendation I would suggest Tennant Company move forward with my second proposed alternative, of the BOP business model venturing into emerging markets. It does carry with it more risk, and would require them to take an in-depth analytical look at the profitability of that option. However the potential benefits outweigh the perceived risk in this example for Tennant. Not only will they gain valuable insight into reducing costs associated with their production by developing a low-cost line, but this option is the most synergistic with their core vision. Chris Killingstad even states: ââ¬Å"We owe it to the world to grow and expand as much as we can,â⬠and this simply cannot be accomplished by avoiding emerging markets in developing countries. All-in-all, with their unique technology and highly green initiatives, Tennant Company is well-positioned for continued success in the cleaning industry.
Friday, August 30, 2019
Management Forecasts
ââ¬Å"Management Earnings Forecasts: A Review and Frameworkâ⬠by D. E. Hirst, L. Koonce and S. Venkataraman explained the antecedents, characteristics and consequences interlinked with earnings forecasts. Antecedents are characteristics that are prevalent prior to the consequence such as the existing environment/firm specific characteristics; and consequence is the outcome from antecedents and characteristics. Characteristics are the choices the management has deciding on how the report will be issued. The article guides the reader giving explanations of why management decides to release earnings forecasts, interactions of the three variables and its findings and how these findings may impact one period to another. Studies have found that management may issue forecasted earnings to reduce difference of opinions and/or information with the shareholders, to avoid litigation risks when the entity needs to make bad news disclosures and when managers have equity-based compensation tied to extend their wealth. Case Summary According to the case, ââ¬Å"Management Earnings Disclosure and Pro Forma Reportingâ⬠by Mark T. Bradshaw and Jacob Cohen states that companies too often exclude information that negatively impacts the companyââ¬â¢s earnings per share on their pro forma reports prior to releasing the financial statements that is in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles which is based on companies who have released such reports and the response to such reporting by the regulators. According to the case, pro forma reporting was originated by the SEC to provide earnings comparability for investors for differing time periods based on a ââ¬Å"what ifâ⬠analysis, meaning, what would have happened if this transaction had occurred and what wouldââ¬â¢ve been its impact on later reporting periods (Regulation S-X 1982). However, multiple incidents have shown that companies abuse the system. Proxim and Cisco, Inc. , both released their pro forma reports prior to their financial statements being released where both of the companies excluded the research and development costs, restructuring charges, mpairment/amortization of goodwill, which resulted in an overall positive net income with net income per share, whereas the financial statements in accordance with GAAP resulted in a loss with loss per share for both of the companies. Managers who are trying to disclose bad news about the company are more likely to issue earnings forecasts in order to avoid litigations (Skinner 1994, 1997). In addition, Trump Hotels and Casino, Inc. DJT) also excluded a onetime charge while including a onetime gain of $17. 2 million, exceeding the analystsââ¬â¢ estimates of $0. 54 per share to $0. 63 per share on their pro forma reporting (Burns 2002). The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) responded to their incautious reporting and DJT acknowledged the findings and consented to unyielding commitments if similar violations were to take place again. The DJT incident was the first time the commissions took action against abusing pro forma reporting. Financial forecast data rating agencies such as Standard & Poorââ¬â¢s (S&P) recommended for companies to include in their operating earnings such as restructuring charges, write-downs of assets, stock-option expenses and research and development costs and furthermore S&P suggested companies to exclude from operating earnings the following four categories: 1) goodwill write-downs 2) charges for litigation 3) gains and losses on asset sales and 4) expenses related to mergers and acquisitions (Leisman and Weil 2001). Although S&P made recommendations, Proxim, Inc. , still excluded restructuring charges, research and development costs while Cisco Systems, Inc. , also excluded restructuring, stock option exercise and research and developments costs on their pro forma reports, one of the reasons might be based on the belief that stock prices will fluctuate with high volatility, for example, when Rainforest Cafe announced earnings per share that was lower than expectations the stock price plummeted by 40% on a single day (Sloan and Skinner). Although managers may want to convince the investors their companyââ¬â¢s value by providing pro forma reports that is plausible, they may want to consider the fact that this is only short term credibility because according to Hirst et al. (1999) only when the prior forecast is accurate do they consider future forecasts. The choices arenââ¬â¢t clear-cut on why the management continues to release misleading pro forma reports, the incentives behind them may be bonuses tied to stock prices or on the other hand management may want to release pro forma reports that is symmetrical to financial statements to reduce the asymmetry of information between managers, analysts and shareholders (Ajinkya and Gift 1984; Verrecchia 2001). It would be best for management to issue accurate pro forma reports to maintain creditability with the shareholders and the analysts because in the long-run the investors will depend on the entityââ¬â¢s reports for accuracy thus creating creditability which is the fundamental foundation of any business.
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