Fundamentals of Internal Auditing

What is  Internal Auditing? Internal Auditing  is an independent, objective assurance and consulting activity designed to add value and improve an organization’s operations. It helps an organization accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control, and governance processes. Internal auditing is a catalyst for improving an organization’s governance, risk management and management controls by providing insight and recommendations based on analyses and assessments of data and business processes. With commitment to integrity and accountability, internal auditing provides value to governing bodies and senior management as an objective source of independent advice. The Institute of Internal Auditors has defined internal auditing as follows: “Internal auditing is the independent appraisal activity within an organization for the review of the accounting, financial and other operation as a basis for protective and constructive service to the management. It is a type of control, Continue reading

Classical Economics

Beginning with the ideas of Adam Smith (An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, 1750), including the ideas of David Ricardo, and ending approximately with John Stuart Mill (1850’s) the framework was established for classical economics. Mill in particular established the foundation for free trade in advocating individual libertarian autonomy rights which had the effect of limiting legislative authority in matters effecting the private economy.   In the context of 19th Century Europe, this argument makes much sense, monopolies had been granted to crown corporations for most major state projects and independent private business moguls were working toward respectability. In the context of our 21st Century corporate global climate the argument may validly be reversed. It can be argued that individual rights have the effect of lending legitimacy to legislation over matters effecting the private economy. Overall, the first classical theorists began the analysis of Continue reading

Definition of Inflation – Types of Inflation

Definition of Inflation Inflation is commonly understood as a situation of substantial and rapid general increase in the price level and consequent fall the value of money over a period of time. Inflation means persistent rise in the general level of prices. Inflation is a long term operating dynamic process. By and large, inflation is also a monetary phenomenon. It is usually characterized by an overflow of money and credit. In fact, the root cause of inflation is the expansion of money supply beyond the normal absorbing capacity of the economy. The behavior of general prices is measured through price indices. The trend of price indices reveals the course of inflation or deflation in the economy. Read More about Inflation: Causes and Effects of Inflation The Stages of Inflation Inflation in a Developing Economy Definition of Inflation by Different Economists There is no generally accepted definition of inflation and different Continue reading

Promotion Component of the Global Marketing Mix and Global Promotion Strategies

Marketing communications–the promotion “P” of the marketing mix–refers to all forms of communications that organizations use to establish meaning and influence buying behavior among existing and potential customers. Marketing communications should be designed to tell customers about the benefits and values that a product or service offers. The principal forms of marketing communications that is/ the elements of the promotion mix are Advertising, Personal selling, Publicity and Sales Promotion. All of these elements can be utilized in global marketing; however, the environment in which marketing communications programs are implemented can vary from country to country. Advertising may be defined as any sponsored, paid communication placed in a mass-medium vehicle. Advertising plays a more important communication role in the marketing of consumer products than industrial products. Frequently purchased, low-cost products generally require heavy advertising support. Not surprisingly, consumer products companies top the list of big advertising spenders. Global Promotion Strategies Companies Continue reading

New Venture Teams

A recent idea for facilitating corporate innovations is called a new venture team. A new venture team is a unit separate from the rest of the organization and is responsible for developing and initiating a major innovation. New venture teams give free reign to members’ creativity because their separate facilities and location free them from the organizational rules and procedures. These teams typically are small, loosely structured, and organic, reflecting the characteristics of creative organizations described in the table regarding the characteristics of creative people and organizations. Peter Drucker advises organizations that wish to innovate to use a separate team or department:  “For the existing business to be capable of innovation, it has to create a structure that allows people to be entrepreneurial… This means, first, that the entrepreneurial, the news, has to be organized separately from the old and the existing. Whenever we have tried to make an existing Continue reading

Importance of Cost of Capital

The cost of capital is very important concept in the financial decision making. Cost of capital is the measurement of the sacrifice made by investors in order to invest with a view to get a fair return in future on his investments as a reward for the postponement of his present needs. On the other hand from the point of view of the firm using the capital, cost of capital is the price paid to the investor for the use of capital provided by him. Thus, cost of capital is reward for the use of capital. The progressive management always likes to consider the importance cost of capital while taking financial decisions as it’s very relevant in the following spheres: Designing the capital structure: The cost of capital is the significant factor in designing a balanced and optimal capital structure of a firm. While designing it, the management has to Continue reading