A middle class family named The Birlings Essay Example for Free

A middle class family named The Birlings Essay An Inspector Calls, written by J. B. Priestley, is about a middle class family named The Birlings. The Birlings lived in an up and growing industrial town in the north midlands. Set in 1912, the Birlings were happily celebrating their daughter Sheilas engagement to a respectable businessman, Gerald Croft. However, the modest celebration turned out to be more than eventful when an unexpected inspector arrives enquiring the suicide and death of a young girl names Eva Smith. Whilst doing so, the inspector unlocks a chain of family secrets along the way. The play, in its time, proved to be very popular, and still does so today. In this play, I think that J. B. Priestley chose the characters very well. I think that what made the play so appealing is the way in which he gave each character such a strong personality. Each member of the Birling family has a unique personality and throughout the play some of the Birling family change. I do think however, that the Birlings as a whole family are quite stereotypical. The Birlings come across as a family that have wealth and seem to be quite a respected family of a high class. At the beginning of the play, the Birling family seem to be quite a closely bonded family but throughout the play this bond seems to drift apart as they recognise their differences. The family consists of four very unique and exciting individuals: Arthur Birling- A very self-obsessed, wealthy business man, also very self-opinionated. The perfect example of an old snob. Obviously very proud of his achievements in life, but with his heart set on a knighthood which would be his ultimate achievement. Sybil Birling- Considers herself high in regard to social standings, largely on the back of her husbands success and wealth. Possibly a Hyacinth Bucket of her time. A very unlikeable woman who sees lots of people as being beneath her. Sheila Birling- comes across as a very polite and obedient woman, looking forward to her engagement to Gerald Croft. However, as the play goes on, Sheila begins to realise the truth about herself and the Birling family, and begins to stand up against them. Eric Birling-Quite an enclosed person. Erics personality is hard to detect. He seems to be the outcast of the family, and the family do not discover until later on in the play that Eric is in fact a heavy drinker and was to father a illegitimate child. A typical wealthy young man of the day.

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DARK RIVER DARK MOUNTAIN Our attention was suddenly caught by the activity near the shooters hut. A van had stopped and a group of men were lifting out a lot of equipment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I thought that the men must be here to open the cave, which had been closed for many years now. The men, with their equipment, headed for the cave. I knew that although they were experienced, it would be very hard to get into the entire cave, as it was through very small holes and gaps.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Major, myself and a few other people walked behind the men, slowly. While walking, I thought of Marthe, being taken out of the cave after so many years. I saw Marthe in my head as if it was not many years ago. We finally reached the cave and everyone there gathered round to watch.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The men were ready to open the cave, my cave, or at least it used to be my cave. As they entered the cave, I remembered when I last saw and spoke to Marthe. As I was thinking of her, I also thought of when I touched her hand in the cave. Thinking of her so much quite upset me.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Suddenly I remembered Marthe’s secret. No one else knew, although they may have suspected, but Marthe was the spy and she used to help the foreign parachutists.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I told the men that I had discovered the cave and that it would be easier if I showed them the way as I had been before and I was also a trained pot-holer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I entered the cave with the men behind me. We walked along silently until we got to the point where I had last touched Marthe. We all stopped and the men looked down to where Marthe was but no one could see very much. I put a torch on and pointed it down the gap to see the best way to get down. After a few minutes, I explained to the men what we should do and they started to tie ropes and prepare themselves. As the men went down, one by one, I, again, thought of Marthe. Finally, it was my turn to lower myself down through the cave. I went down very slowly. When I reached the bottom, I looked around and as I moved the light of my torch, I could hear bats flying around.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The men spread out looking for any signs of Marthe.

‘George’s Trains’ Working Capital Essay

George’s Train Shop is a family owned business that focuses on the sales and repairs of train toys. George is running a profitable business, but as he is aware of my MBA Managerial Finance class, he has asked for advice on his working capital practices. Although George is currently enjoying the benefits of a profitable business, there are opportunities for him to expand his business ventures. This first starts by dissecting degree of aggressiveness in working capital practices, current capital budgeting practices, and areas where he can improve in both arenas. In addition, careful management of the company’s cash flow will allow George’s Train Shop to explore other business opportunities for growth as well as flourish with increased.Alshubiri investigated the relationship between the aggressive/conservative working capital policies and the impact on profitability and risk. The study indicated a negative relationship between the profitability measure of firms and banks and degree of aggressiveness of working capital investment and financing policies (2011). Aggressive working capital policy is one in which you try to squeeze by with a minimal investment in current assets coupled with an extensive use of short-term credit. Conservative working capital practices are those in which companies assure plenty of cash in the bank, warehouses are full of inventory and payables are all up to date (Bank, n.d.). In an attempt to cut expenses to a minimum, George’s Train Shop owner, George Olieux, manages working capital by keeping few inventory and reordering inventory when only 1 product model is left on shelf (Intelecom, n.d.). According to Bank, as you tighten inventory, your sales and accounts receivable might swoon because you could run short on product. Inventory shortages might result in lower revenue and collections as competitors with well stocked inventories steal your customers (n.d.). Moreover, you risk default and bankruptcy as you adopt more aggressive working capital policies, as tight inventories can lead to shortages and lost sales. Firms with aggressive working capital policies, such as George’s Trains Shop may not be able to generate more returns on assets by following aggressive approaches towards short term assets and liabilities. Capital Budgeting refers to the process in which a  business determines whether projects are worth pursuing (Byrd, 2012); however, because the amount of capital available at any given time for new projects is limited, management needs to use capital budgeting techniques to determine which projects will yield the most return over an applicable period of time (Investopedia, n.d.). When Olieux acquired the business, it was heavily dependent on sales of classic Lionel trains, but when demand dropped, he had to make capital budgeting decision and invest in new product lines (Intelecom, n.d.). George Olieux explored other product opportunities by analysis of trends in the market. Because smaller trains and race cars were gaining popularity, Olieux decided to start selling race cars and smaller train models. The ability to identify which assets are expected to add value to the firm is central to the financial management role (Byrd, 2012). George’s capital budgeting technique included observation of market trends and pursuing assets, such as race cars and small trains, that were trending at the moment. Since George did not use popular methods of capital budgeting, including net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), and payback period, George had to take a conservative route by first exploring the success of just one race car product line. A potential pitfall George uses in current capital budgeting practices is the lack of a sophisticated measure of capital budgeting, such as the net present value. Such methods can measure which projects can add value to the business as well as compare various investments to one another. The Net Present Value method measures the dollar added value the investment will bring to the firm. It is calculated by taking the present value of future cash flows minus the initial investment (Byrd, 2012). George has statements from previous years that document cash flows and bu siness cycle trends. These statements include the timing and magnitude of cash flows, which include increased cash flows in the summer due to tourism, and reduced cash flows during income tax time. Using previous cash flow statements can help anticipate and calculate future cash inflows of a potential investment, such as the purchase of a Race Car or small train line, and can provide George with an accurate picture of the project’s Net Present Value. The lack of a cash cushion is one primary reason small businesses fail; therefore for small businesses, it is important to understand and manage the company’s cash cycle (Byrd, 2012). The cash flow statement records the amounts of cash  and cash equivalents entering and leaving a company, and includes three components by which cash enters and leaves a company: core operations, investing, and financing (Heakal, 2010). The operations section of the Cash Flow statement would include changes made in cash, accounts receivable, depreciation, inventory, and accounts payable (Heakal, 2010). This would include purchases of inventory and the sales of products/services. George keeps inventory levels to a minimum as an attempt to keep cash spending at a minimum, so frequent purchasing and selling of inventory is observed. The investing section of the Cash Flow statement would include George’s investment in acquiring the lease for the building and business, while the financing section includes loans for purchasing the business and interest paid on those loans. A company can use a cash flow statement to predict future cash flow, which helps with matters in budgeting (Heakal, 2012); therefore I recommend that George use the business’ cash flow statement in evaluating capital budgeting projects, such as the addition of Race Car and small train product lines, as well as other potential ventures. Moreover, I recommend George use the statement of cash flow to understand how much cash is generate and how much of that cash stems from core operations, such as the sale of specific product lines or the repair services offered. The management of cash is necessary to start, operate and expand a business. Before George can expand his business, he must prove to potential investors not just the profitability of the business, but the ability to pay short term obligations. By using sophisticated capital budgeting methods, such as the NPV, George can accurately asses the value added from potential investments. Through careful managing of cash flow statements, George has the potential to not just pay off short term obligations, but expand business ventures. Resources Alshubiri, F. (2011). The Effect of Working Capital Practices on Risk Management: Evidence from Jordan. Global Journal of Business Research, 5(1), 39-54. Bank, E. (N.D.). Aggressive vs. Conservative Working Capital. Retrieved on 9/5/2013, From website: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/aggressive-vs-conservative-working-capital-65216.html Byrd, J., Hickman, K., & McPherson, M. (2012). Managerial Finance. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Heakal, R. (2010). What is a Cash Flow Statement? Retrieved on 9/8/2013, from website: http://www.investopedia.com/articles/04/033104.asp INTELECOM. (Producer). Management of Working Capital Case Study: â€Å"George’s Trains†. [Video File]. Retrieved from the Intelecom Video Library. Investopedia (n.d.). Definition of ‘Capital Budgeting’. Retrieved on 9/6/2013, from website: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/capitalbudgeting.asp Palani, A. A.. & Mohideen, A. (2012). Impact of Aggressive Working Capital Management Policy on Firm’s Profitability. International Journal of Research in Commerce And Management, 3(3), 49-53.

Timeline of Indias Mughal Empire

The Mughal Empire stretched across most of northern and central India, and what is now Pakistan, from 1526 to 1857, when the British exiled the last Mughal emperor. Together, the Muslim Mughal rulers and their predominantly Hindu subjects created a golden age in Indian history, full of art, scientific achievement, and stunning architecture. Later in the Mughal period, however, the emperors faced increasing encroachment by the French and the British, which ended with the fall of the Mughal Empire in 1857. Timeline of Mughal India April 21, 1526: First Battle of Panipat, Babur defeats Ibrahim Lodhi, Sultan of Delhi, and founds Mughal EmpireMarch 17, 1527: Battle of Khanwa, Babur conquers the combined army of the Rajput princes and takes control of much of northern IndiaDec. 26, 1530: Babur dies, is succeeded by son HumayanJuly 11, 1543: Pashtun leader Sher Shah Suri defeats Humayan, drives him into exile in Afghanistan1554: Humayan travels to Persia, hosted by Safavid emperorJuly 23, 1555: Discord among Sher Shah Suris successors allows Humayun to retake control of northern India, be restored to Mughal throneJan. 17, 1556: Humayan falls down stairs and dies, succeeded by 13-year-old son Akbar, later Akbar the GreatNov. 5, 1556: Second Battle of Panipat, child Emperor Akbars army defeats Hemus Hindu forces1560s - 1570s: Akbar consolidates Mughal rule over much of northern and central India, as well as what is now Pakistan and BangladeshOct. 27, 1605: Akbar the Great dies, succeeded by his son Jahangir1613: The British East India Company defeats Portuguese at Surat, Gujarat State and establishes the  first warehouse in India1615: Britain sends the first ambassador, Sir Thomas Roe, to Mughal court1620s: Mughal art reaches a high point under Jahangirs rule1627: Emperor Jahangir dies, succeeded by son Shah Jahan1632: Shah Jahan orders destruction of newly-built Hindu temples, breaking with Mughal record of religious tolerance1632: Shah Jahan designs and begins building Taj Mahal as a tomb for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal1644: British East India Company builds Fort St. George in Madras (now Chennai), southeast coastal India1658: Aurangzeb imprisons his father, Shah Jahan, for the rest of his life in the Red Fort at Agra1660s-1690s: Aurangzeb expands Mughal rule to more than 3.2 million square km, including Assam, the Deccan plateau, and parts of southern India1671: Aurangzeb orders construction of the Badshahi Mosque at Lahore, now in Pakistan1696: Establishment of British East India Comp anys Fort William on Ganges delta, fort and trading factory which becomes Calcutta (Kolkata)March 3, 1707: Death of Aurangzeb marks the end of Mughal Golden Era, beginning of slow decline; he is succeeded by son Bahadur Shah IFeb. 27, 1712: Bahadur Shah I dies, succeeded by incompetent son Jahandar ShahFeb. 11, 1713: Jahandar Shah is executed by agents of nephew Farrukhsiyar, who takes the Mughal throne1713 - 1719: Weak-willed Emperor Farrukhsiyar falls under the control of Syed brothers, two generals and king-makers who had helped depose Jahandar ShahFeb. 28, 1719: Syed brothers have Emperor Farrukhsiyar blinded and strangled; his cousin Rafi ud-Darjat becomes new Mughal emperorJune 13, 1719: 19-year-old Emperor Rafi ud-Darjat is murdered at Agra after just three months on the throne; Syeds appoint brother Rafi ud-Daulah to succeed himSept. 19, 1719: Syeds kill 23-year-old Emperor Rafi ud-Daulah after three months on the throneSept. 27, 1719: Syed brothers place 17-year-old Muhamma d Shah on Mughal throne and rule in his name until 1720Oct. 9, 1720: Emperor Muhammad Shah orders Syed Hussain Ali Khan killed at Fatehpur SikriOct. 12, 1722: Emperor Muhammad Shah has Syed Hassan Ali Khan Barha poisoned to death, takes power in his own right1728 - 1763: Mughal-Maratha Wars; Marathas seize Gujarat and Malwa, raid DelhiFeb. 13, 1739: Nader Shah of Persia invades India, wins Battle of Karnal, loots Delhi, steals Mughal Peacock ThroneMarch 11, 1748: Battle of Manipur, Mughal Army defeats Durrani invasion force from AfghanistanApr. 26, 1748: Emperor Muhammad Shah dies, succeeded by 22-year-old son Ahmad Shah BahadurMay  1754: Battle of Sikandarabad, Marathas defeat Mughal Imperial Army, kill 15,000 Mughal troopsJune 2, 1754: Emperor Ahmad Shah Bahadur deposed and blinded by Vizier Imad-ul-Mulk; former emperor spends rest of life in prison, dying in 1775June 3, 1754: Imad-ul-Mulk appoints Alamgir II, the 55-year-old second son of Jahandar Shah, as the new Mughal Empero r1756: British make lurid charges about imprisonment and death of 123 British and Anglo-Indian troops by Bengali captors in Black Hole of Calcutta; story likely fabricatedNov. 29, 1759: Imad-ul-Mulk and Maratha ruler Sadashivrao Bhau conspire to murder Alamgir II, place Aurangzebs grandson Shah Jahan III on Mughal throneOct. 10, 1760: Shah Jahan III deposed after less than a year, but survives until 1772; succeeded by Alamgir IIs son, Shah Alam IIOct. 1760 - 1806: Emperor Shah Alam II, in alliance with Durranis, works to restore the glory of Mughal EmpireOct. 23, 1764: Battle of Buxar, British East India Company defeats the combined army of Emperor Shah Alam II and the nawabs of Awadh and BengalNov. 19, 1806: Emperor Shah Alam II dies, marking the end of effective leadership from Mughal Dynasty; he is succeeded by hapless son Akbar Shah II, who is a puppet of the BritishSept. 28, 1837: Akbar Shah II dies at age of 77, succeeded as a puppet ruler by son Bahadur Shah II1857: Use of po rk and/or beef fat on army cartridges sets off the Sepoy Mutiny or Indian Revolt1858: British use Indian Revolt of 1857 as the pretext to exile last Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah II, to Rangoon, Burma; Mughal dynasty ends