Introduction to Investments – Meaning, Objectives and Elements

Concept of Investment Investment is the employment of funds with the aim of getting return on it. In general terms, investment means the use of money in the hope of making more money. In finance, investment means the purchase of a financial product or other item of value with an expectation of favorable future returns. Investment of hard earned money is a crucial activity of every human being. Investment is the commitment of funds which have been saved from current consumption with the hope that some benefits will be received in future. Thus, it is a reward for waiting for money. Savings of the people are invested in assets depending on their risk and return demands. Investment refers to the concept of deferred consumption, which involves purchasing an asset, giving a loan or keeping funds in a bank account with the aim of generating future returns. Various investment options are Continue reading

Ways to Overcome Resistance to Organizational Change

Change triggers emotional reaction because of the uncertainty involved, and most Organisational change efforts run into some form of employee resistance. Resistance to change can be overcome by education and communication, participation and involvement, facilitation and support, negotiation and rewards, and coercion and manipulation. Kotter and Schlesinger set out the following six change approaches to deal with this resistance to change: Education and Communication — Where there is a lack of information or inaccurate information and analysis. One of the best ways to overcome resistance to change is to educate people about the change effort beforehand. Up-front communication and education helps employees see the logic in the change effort. this reduces unfounded and incorrect rumors concerning the effects of change in the organization. Participation and Involvement — Where the initiators do not have all the information they need to design the change and where others have considerable power to resist. Continue reading

Pricing under Different Market Structures

Price-fixation is an important managerial function in all business enterprises. If the price set is quite high, the seller may not find enough number of consumers to buy his product. If the price fixed is too low, the seller may not be able to cover his cost. Thus, fixing appropriate price is a major decision-taking function of any enterprise. Price-decisions, no doubt, need to be reviewed from time to time. Market Structures and Pricing Decisions A firm operates in a market and not in isolation. Under Perfect Competition price is determined by the forces of demand and supply. The point of intersection between demand and supply curves is the point of equilibrium which determines the equilibrium price. Each firm under perfect competition is a price taker and not a price maker. The Average Revenue Curve of a firm under perfect competition is horizontal and that AR = MR. Further there Continue reading

Valuation of Assets in a Demerger

A demerger scheme usually involves the allotment of shares in the transferee company to the shareholders of the transferor company, in lieu of their reduction of their interest in the transferee company having a mirror image of shareholdings. If post demerger as part of strategy, intention is to create holding subsidiary relationship or retain part stake than it is possible to allot shares of the transferee company to the transferor company. In the context of a demerger scheme, a valuation exercise is mandatory in order to determine the number of shares to be issued to the shareholders of the transferor company in consideration for the spin off/demerger of the undertaking or undertakings. If demerger is going to be in ‘Shell Company’, than valuation is primarily to determine the capital structure of the Transferee/Resultant Company. If the demerged and resulting companies belong to same group of management and shareholders are common, Continue reading

Trends in International Trade and Cross Border Financial Flows

When a firm operates only in the domestic market, both for procuring inputs as well as selling its output, it needs to deal only in the domestic currency. As companies try to increase their international presence, either by undertaking international trade or by establishing operations in foreign countries, they start dealing with people and firms in various nations. Since different countries have different domestic currencies, the question arises as to which currency should the trade be settled in. The settlement currency may either be the domestic currency of one of the parties to the trade, or may be an internationally accepted currency. This gives rise to the problem of dealing with a number of currencies. The mechanism by which the exchange rate between these currencies (i.e., the value of one currency in terms of another) is determined, along with the level and the variability of the exchange rates can have Continue reading

The Rise of Artificial Intelligence: A Critical Evaluation

Generally, when most hear the words artificial intelligence, the first thing that comes to mind is menacing robots. However, this is not accurate. Artificial intelligence is an imitation of human knowledge that is programmed in different machines, using algorithms, to simulate the thought process and actions of humans. The first concepts for AI started in the 1950s, where many mathematicians, scientists, and philosophers explored the possibility of machines that problem solved and made decisions like humans. Over the years, AI research has grown by leaps and bounds, and many programs created, are used daily. From virtual assistants like Siri to the use of autopilot on an aircraft, artificial intelligence is everywhere, even in education in the form of the AI essay writer. Further research on AI raises awareness and helps those gain the knowledge to understand how beneficial or dangerous this technology could be. As artificial intelligence continues to develop, many Continue reading