The Killers Essay Example for Free

The Killers Essay Hemingway is a great figure of the  « lost generation  », like Fitzgerald, S. Anderson, G. Stein, S. Lewis†¦ F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote â€Å"all gods dead, all wars fought, all faiths in man shaken† to describe the feeling the young intellectuals had in this years. The writers of the â€Å"lost generation† added their own feelings of loss and failure to the previous tradition of realism. The short story The killers by Hemingway is representative of this realism and those feelings of loss and failure, because it seems that Summit (the town where the action takes place) and its inhabitants are part of a sterile and destructive world without any god or powers above. How and why is this short story representative of this â€Å"lost generation† ? I)Realism : †¢The setting the atmosphere : the setting seems to be a commonplace : comparison with Ed. Hoppers’s painting Nighthawks, representing a similar place a very common lunch counter, in an American town, Summit artificial atmosphere with â€Å"streetlight†, â€Å"arc light† in the street ; the colours seem to be absent of the scene : this is a sort of black white scene, with the darkness of the night and the artificial white light, the â€Å"black overcoat† and â€Å"the face was small and white†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦) the town seems to be a dead town, with a great impression of loneliness †¢The mundanity: everything is prosaic : for instance, the menu :  « a roast pork tenderloin with applesauce and mashed potatoes  » or  « ham and eggs, bacon and eggs, liver rand bacon, or a steak† the language is contaminated by this mundanity, it reflects the disenchantment of the world †¢The time : -the time is passing minute after minute without real action : â€Å" it’s five o’clock †, â€Å" it was a quarter past six †, â€Å" it was twenty past six †, â€Å"at six fifty-five†, â€Å"the hands of the clock marked seven o’clock and then five inutes past seven† -the rhythm of the story could be comparated with the rhythm of blues music : it is very slow, without any real action, filled by a pointless conversation †¢ The violence in the contact between the characters : -violence is omnipresent, subjacent even in the dialogs between the characters:â€Å"what the hell do you put it on the card for†, â€Å"oh, to hell with the clock†, â€Å"you’re a pretty bright boy, aren’t you ? † and then â€Å"well, you’re not†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ -the cook and Nick are tied up : â€Å"I got them tied up like a couple of girl friends in the convent†, the â€Å"killers† use arms â€Å"Al [.. with the muzzle of a sawed-off shotgun resting on the ledge†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ II)An everyday tragedy : †¢An imposed behaviour : -every action is imposed by a sort of automatic reflex, for instance Ole Andreson is always on the run â€Å"I’m through with all that running around†, the inhabitants of the city â€Å"all come here and eat the big dinner† everyday, Ole Andreson â€Å"comes here to eat every night [†¦] at six o’clock†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ -the characters are locked in the routine †¢The passivity of the characters : the characters are all passive : they do not react when the killers come in the restaurant, they accept to be tied up without any form of rebellion, at the end of the story, the cook says â€Å"I don’t even listen to it† when Nick is telling George about his visit to Ole, George says â€Å"you better not think about it†, Nick wants to â€Å"get out of this town† -Ole stay lying on his bed looking at the wall while he is sure to be killed, he does not react and just says â€Å"after a while I’ll make up my mind to go out†, when going out means to be killed The characters are failures : -the killers are described only by there garments : â€Å"a derby hat and a black overcoat buttoned across the chest†, â€Å"they were dressed like twins†, â€Å"both wear overcoats too tight for them†, they are â€Å"about the same size†; it is as f all their nature could be locked in their appearance -Al is described with only two features : â€Å"his face was small and white and he had tight lips†, max is not described -They are seen as a â€Å"vaudeville team†, a sort of comic pair (like laurel Hardy for instance), which is far away from the representation of killers, they are too much real that they seem unreal -Ole, who was a boxer, is now seen as â€Å" an awfully nice man†, â€Å"he’s just as gentle† says Mrs Bell : all the characters seems to be failures III)Adversity of the world : The loneliness : the town, Summit, is a sort of symbol of loneliness despair the death is omnipres ent, even in a subjacent form : for the killers, the death of a man is just a simple action (detachment) : â€Å"what are you going to kill him for, then ? † and the answer â€Å"we’re killing him for a friend. Just to oblige a friend†, â€Å"he never even seen us† for ole, life seems to be worse than death : he has no passion, he keeps looking the wall when Nick says he is going to be killed by two men (total failure to act) The characters seem to be interchangeable : -as seen before, the characters seem to be interchangeable : they are devoid of personality, there is a play on resemblance / dissemblance (the 2 killers look alike even if they are different) -Ole does not look at Nick, but is always looking to the wall (it is as if Nick as lost his humanity for Ole) -Mrs Bell is confused with Mrs Hirsch†¦ †¢A refuge in the language ? in that story, it seems that language is only used as a refuge for the characters : they speak only to fill the time passing by (inanity of conversation), to forget the loneliness of the place.. -when Al says â€Å"shut up ! you talk to goddam much†, Max answers â€Å"well, I got to keep bright boy amused† or â€Å"we have to keep amused, haven’t we ? † : it is as if language was used only to fill a gap -the words are used two or three times : for instance, â€Å"well, good night†, â€Å"I guess† or â€Å"it’s a hell of a thing† and â€Å"it’s an awful thing† (it is like a dialog of the deaf) A disenchanted world : the story stop short : there is no suspense, the killers have told George they were about to kill Ole, but they do not the title â€Å"the killers† announced a story of gangsters, of killers, but there is finally no murder, therefore the end of the story is quite â€Å"flat† It is as if nothing could move the characters (Ole resolved to death, immutability of the characters†¦) Summit and its inhabitants seem to be a sterile and destructive world deserted by God, accomplishing a destiny without any form of rebellion Conclusion : The short story The killers is quite representative of the writing of the â€Å"lost generation†; here, it seems that human beings have been abandoned by God, in an hostile world, where action is doomed to failure. Men are resolved to death, since they cannot do anything to change life. Ole Anderson, destined to death, keeps lying on his bed, unable of any action, saying â€Å"there ain’t anything to do†, and will surrender to his enemies : it is as if life were worse than death for him. Hemingway uses the realism to show how much life is insipid and bland for those men, and describes the â€Å"everyday tragedy† they live in and the adversity of the world.

Ensure The Success Of Your Business Commerce Essay

Ensure The Success Of Your Business Commerce Essay In order to remain in business, business owners and organisations need to take proactive steps all the time to ensure that their businesses remain at a competitive edge, hence the need to strategically manage the human resources of the organisation to ensure overall success of the business. Human resource management (HRM) is a strategic, integrated and coherent approach to the employment, development and well-being of the people working in organisations (Armstrong, 2009). However, Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) is a proactive management of the employees of a company or organisation. Strategic human resource management includes typical human resource components such as hiring, discipline, and payroll, and also involves working with employees in a collaborative manner to boost retention, improve the quality of the work experience, and maximize the mutual benefit of employment for both the employee and the employer. (BusinessDictionary.com) This article will look at different models of strategic HRM, the importance of strategic HRM, an analysis of an HRM framework, the HRM process and the development of strategies as well as an assessment of the roles in strategic HRM. Models of strategic HRM Although there is some acceptance of the idea that strategic HRM should support the strategic direction of the business, there is no agreement on the best way of doing this. Two normative models epitomise the relationship between labour management and organisational strategy. The first is explored in the best practice or universal school. The second approach, where integration between strategic HRM and organisational strategy is an essential feature, is explored in the contingency and configurational schools (Porter, Bingham and Simmonds 2008). Comparison of Universalistic and Contingency models of HRM Universalistic model Contingency model There is an existence of best human resource management practices and all organisations should adopt these best practices. There are not best practices but for effectiveness, an organisations HR policies must be consistent with other aspects of the organisation. A universal relationship exists between individual best practices and the organisations performance. The main contingency factor is the organisations strategy, or the internal and external environment which is described as vertical fit. One single practice leads to a greater organisational performance. They do not consider either synergetic interdependence relationships or integration mechanisms. Many contingent works focus on a single practice i.e. a single practice is dependable on the other to achieve the goal of the organisation. REASONS FOR THE IMPORTANCE OF HRM IN ORGANISATIONS The human resources remains the most important asset of any organisation and the overall importance of human resource management is to ensure that the organisation is able to achieve success through its entire workforce in order to ensure a successful business. In the area of strategy, the HR department improves the organisations bottom line with its knowledge of how human capital affects the success of the organisational as a whole. Leaders with expertise in HR strategic management participate in corporate decision-making that underlies current staffing assessments and projections for future workforce needs based on business demand. It enables the organisation to strategically deal with HR issues which in-turn enables employees to work effectively in order to achieve the organisations goals and objectives. Human resource managements allow organisations to prioritize their organisational and business strategies hence attracting and retaining and the development of competent employees. Another reason of HRM in organisation also lies in its importance as a Legal requirement. The HR department of organisations ensures compliance with employment laws. They complete paperwork necessary for documenting that employees are eligible to work in the U.K. The employment laws also states that employers have an obligation to provide safe working conditions for their entire workforce. Hence, workplace safety and risk management specialists from the HR area manage compliance with U.K. Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 by maintaining accurate work logs and records, and developing programs that reduce the number of workplace injuries and fatalities. Workplace safety specialists also engage employees in promoting awareness and safe handling of dangerous equipment and hazardous chemicals. HRM FRAMEWORK The purpose of the HRM framework is to ensure the adoption and implementation of a fair and transparent process which in-turn will retain the valuable skills and experiences of employees within the organisation. It ensures that effective consultation takes place with employees and their representatives on how these processes will be applied, ensuring effective outcomes for employees, customers and all stakeholders. Harvard framework of HRM Harvard framework is a strategic map to guide all managers in their relations with employees and concentrates on the human or soft aspect of HRM. It was developed by Beer et al in 1984. This framework is based on the belief that the problems of historical personnel management can only be solved when general managers develop a viewpoint of how they wish to see employees involved in and developed by the enterprise, and of what HRM policies and practices may achieve those goals. Without either a central philosophy or a strategic vision which can be provided only by general managers HRM is likely to remain a set of independent activities, each guided by its own practice tradition. (Armstrong, 2009) The Harvard model outlines four HR policy areas as follows: Human resource flows recruitment, selection, placement, promotion, appraisal and assessment, promotion, termination Reward systems pay systems, motivation Employee influence delegated levels of authority, responsibility, power Work systems work design and alignment of people. Which in turn lead to the four Cs or HR policies that have to be achieved: Commitment Congruence Competence Cost effectiveness HRM PROCESS AND STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT HR processes are the basis for the management of customers satisfaction with Human Resources. Customers feel comfortable and their level of satisfaction increases when there is an understanding of the HR processes, how they are connected and how they interact. In order to achieve continuous customer satisfaction these processes needs to be measured and regularly monitored to identify any gaps in the processes and improve on it for the benefit of the all stakeholders. HRM processes The HRM processes consist of the following basic areas: Planning (strategic HR planning, job design) Attracting (recruitment and selection) Attracting applicants from which to begin the selection process. This can either be from internal or external sources. Recruitment is about finding and engaging the people the organisation needs to make up its workforce. Team meetings, notice boards, intranet are methods of sourcing for people internally, and radio/TV adverts, local newspaper adverts, posters, job centre plus recruitment agencies are methods of external recruitment. Selection is assessing the suitability of potential employees and predicting which applicant will be able to carry out a job role successfully. It is characterised by the competence, experience, qualifications, education and training of the applicant. Developing (induction, orientation, training of the work-force, career development, talent management, leadership development, performance appraisal) Training the employee in order to acquire the needed skills for the job. Talent management is the process of identifying, developing, recruiting, retaining and deploying talented people with special gifts, abilities which enable them to perform effectively Retaining (compensation, benefits) HR Controlling HR strategy development HR strategies set out what the organisation intends to do about its human resource management policies and practices and how they should be integrated with the business strategy and each other (Armstrong, 2009). Strategy development is about choosing the most appropriate course of action for the realisation of organisational goals and objectives, in order to achieve the organisational vision. The process of developing HR strategies involves the following steps: Conduct a SWOT analysis of your organization. Determine the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats/risks that affect the business and organization, focusing on the strengths and weaknesses of the workforce. The current skills of the workforce should also be taken into consideration in order to identify where skills and/or education levels may be improved. After the SWOT analysis, take a look at the organisations overall performance against target(s) for the previous year(s) in order to find out what how well the organisation has done or what problems, issues and/or challenges were faced. Afterwards identify factors that could be responsible for any change that has taken place. Set quantitative targets by drawing up SMART objectives for the future. SMART objectives are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. Develop an action plan for implementing the HR strategy. Create a timeline for the successful completion of key objectives. As long as the strategy is detailed and also depending on how big the organisation is, options may be made available for heads of departments to choose how best to deal with issues at a departmental level. Introduce and communicate the action plan to your organisation as the overall success of the strategy lies in proper implementation. Organise meetings, discussion and training sessions for senior management to raise awareness and reinforce the importance of their acceptance of the HR strategy plan letting them know how they will benefit from the plan on a personal level. ASSESSMENT OF ROLES IN STRATEGIC HRM The role of human resource managers in strategic HRM is kind of bi-dimensional as they are responsible for the development of strategic solutions that promote departmental and organisational success, and also manage the functional aspects of human resources. Workplace Safety Creating a work environment free from unnecessary hazards is a strategic role of every human resources manager. Strategic development for workplace safety entails risk management and mitigating potential losses from on-the-job injuries and fatalities. Workers compensation insurance is an area in which a strategic plan helps lower company expense for insurance coverage. Reducing accidents through training employees on the proper use of complex machinery and equipment is one of the functional tasks associated with creating a safe work environment. Compensation and Benefits The compensation and benefits structure partly determines the companys business reputation and image. Decisions made by human resources managers pay scales and employee benefits can impact employee satisfaction, as well as the organisations ability to recruit talented workers. Job evaluation, labour market conditions, workforce shortages and budget constraints are factors that HR managers consider in a strategic plan for pay and benefits. Employee Training Human resources managers strategic role with respect to employee training and development prepares the workforce for future positions within the company. Succession planning, promotion-from-within policies and performance evaluation factor into the human resources managers role. Training and development motivate employees, and in some cases, improve employee retention. Recruitment and Selection Employee recruitment and selection is also a part of employee relations though it is a separate discipline itself. Therefore, a human resources managers strategic role is to combine elements of employee relations into the employers recruitment and selection strategy. Employee Relations The sustainance of an employee relations program is an important element of human resource strategy. It includes salaries, benefits, health and safety, training and employee development. The strategic role of a human resources manager in this regard is to determine how to identify and resolve workplace issues that may jeopardize productivity, performance and working relationships. They develop tools such as employee opinion surveys and action plans, monitor compliance with labour and employment laws, address employee concerns, and provide training and guidance to supervisors and managers. In conclusion, the development of effective human resource strategies is vital to the prolonged existence and success of a business. In time past, personnel management was concerned only with the processing of applications, payrolls and staff benefits but human resources strategy today involves executive leadership teams consulting with human resources experts to develop complementary goals for human resources and the overall business.

Americas New War Essay -- Middle East September 11 Terrorism Essays

America's New War The events of September 11th, 2001 will influence the lives of American's for years to come. Some American's will never fly on a commercial airliner again while others feel unsafe in their usual daily routine. Our country has felt a mix of emotions as the war on terrorism begins to unfold across the globe in Afghanistan. Yet I believe that a war on ignorance is about to unfold on our own soil. After the attacks the national news reports were filled with stories about Americans of Middle Eastern decent being targets for hat crimes and unnecessary violence. At this point in time, Americans of every gender, race and religion need to focus on who are nations true enemies are. The attacks on America left me with a mix of emotions and unanswerable questions. I went to sleep on September 11th feeling unsettled. However in the days to follow I felt angered watching the news reports about how ignorant American's had been acting towards citizens of Middle Eastern descent. One news report that I recall vividly was about a West Bloomfield restaurant. Someone had claimed that when the news began to show actual pictures of the attacks on the World Trade Center customers and staff began to cheer. The story escalated and numerous rumors circulated the community and within a few days the Middle Eastern restaurant had little to no business. The owner was on the news stating that there were no celebrations within his restaurant and he wanted to show the surveillance videos from that day to show the city that this was all a lie. What I find even more frustrating is the ignorance that U.S. Representative John Cooksey displayed by his comments about Muslims and Arab Ameri cans after the terrioist attacks. Cooksey stated to a ... ...rty I had been to. I even learned to do a few traditional Arabic dances and tried some new Arabic food. I am fortunate to have experienced different aspects of a few Middle Eastern cultures. Over the last few years I have learned about so many different aspects of Middle Eastern culture so now uninformed American's ideas about Arab's and Muslim's frustrate me. After such a tragedy as the recent terrorist attacks I hope that fellows American's will take it upon themselves to end this hatred that has surfaced. It's shallow to treat someone differently because they wear a turban or own a party store. American's should spend less time worrying about who's Arabic and focusing on what makes someone Arabic and accepting that. At this time American's of all cultural backgrounds should unite together and stop the ignorance that is present in our American culture today.

The Effect of Divorce on Children Essay examples -- Sociology Parentin

The Effect of Divorce on Children Works Cited Missing Divorce is always a traumatic experience in a person's life, especially a child's. When parents divorce, children are not always considered during the settlement. This omission can lead to problems with the child's perception of daily life. The impact divorce has on a family is more prominent to the children of the family than the parents. As a child, there are many situations that affect a view, memory, opinion, or attitude. Children have many of their own daily struggles to cope with, such as peer pressure. Adults sometimes forget what it is like to be a child dealing with some of the childhood pressures. Many parents do not realize how something like divorce could possibly affect their children as much as it does themselves. As the case may be, children are strongly affected by divorce. Some react differently than others, but all experience some kind of emotional change. Parents who are going through a divorce sometimes try to shield their children from the situation. But regardless of their parents good intentions, children often find themselves in an emotional catastrophe. Instead of protection from the situation, children need support and reassurance during this hard time. Parents feel like it is their job to protect their children from the same kinds of anguish and stress that they feel during the divorce. But ignoring this only leads to more unwanted stress. Parents should help their children better understand what changes will be taking place in the future, such as new places to live, new ways of communicating with their parents, and new schedules of daily life. There are many factors that affect a child's reaction to divorce. Their rea... ...ince fathers usually make more money and have more economic resources, if they were to get remarried, children in the new family would be better off because getting remarried usually results in higher incomes. It may not be possible to make every marriage a happy one or to always avoid divorce. Some spouses even have no choice when their mates leave them. But it's time to change all of this and lead these children to better adult lives. These children are the future and without them functioning correctly, the generations to come may also be affected in great ways. With a little more encouragement from our society, many of the same parents who would literally run in front of a speeding car to save their child from death might consider working harder at creating a better marriage to help our future generations (Betsy Hart: Time to Change the 'Divorce Debate').

Dehumanization in Death of a Salesman Essay -- Death Salesman essays

Dehumanization in Death of a Salesman      Ã‚   Alienation and loneliness are two of the frequently explored themes in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman.   Yet they can also cause other effects which are just as harmful, if not more so.   In Death of a Salesman, two of these other results are dehumanization and a loss of individual freedom.   This is a very complex web of emotions, but as Miller said, â€Å"Death of a Salesman is not, of course, in the realistic tradition, having broken out into quite a new synthesis of psychological and social dimensions† (Eight vii).   It did indeed â€Å"break out† in the modernist direction.   It is a wonderful example of the way modernist writers expressed their beliefs.   They believed that the industrialization of society caused people to lose their individuality.   Willy’s seniority at his advertising firm means very little in the larger scheme of things.   He is just one of the many workers.   He begins to wear out and be of little use.   Therefore, he is discarded and presumably replaced with someone who will do the job more efficiently.   He is not treated as a human being but as a part of a larger mechanism, a larger machine.   This crushes what little self-esteem he has left.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This mechanized society can also lead to a loss of individual freedom.   In order to survive, one must be a part of the competitiveness.   This may mean giving up having the freedom to choose a pleasing occupation.   Biff wants to find his own way and do what he wants; he is looked down upon because of his wish.   Happy, his brother, wants to be financially successful.   He knows that in order to do that, he needs to join the work force and persevere where his father failed.   In this society, one can either do what he ch... ...g the Loman family, Miller relates the larger, all encompassing themes of the modernists to a common American family.   Miller relates them, specifically Willy Loman, to society as a whole and to the smaller societal unit of the family.   He then goes on to show the psychological responses to and results of societal conditions.   Specifically, he demonstrates that interaction with modern society without some understanding of what is occurring can lead to alienation and loneliness.   These, in turn, can lead to dehumanization and a loss of freedom for the individual.    Works Cited Baym, Franklin, Gottesman, Holland, et al., eds.   The Norton Anthology of American Literature.   4th ed.   New York: Norton, 1994. Florio, Thomas A., ed. â€Å"Miller’s Tales.† The New Yorker.   70 (1994): 35-36. ---.   Eight Plays.   New York:   Nelson Doubleday, 1981.         

Physics Lab Safety Booklet Example Essay

Why Is Laboratory Safety Important? Lab Safety is important because a safe work space, is a productive work space. When everyone follows all rules and regulations the assignment will get done and no one will be hurt. Some of the chemicals and substances can be harmful if used incorrectly, so there all certain ways we protect ourselves. Lab Safety Symbols This is the fire symbol, it means something is flammable. So keep it away from flames or it will catch on fire. This symbol is for toxic or poisonous chemicals. Safety procedures are to protect you and others also in the lab. Safety Symbols continued The symbol below means that a chemical or substance is corrosive, which means that is can cause visible disintegration of human tissue or any other substances or materials it may come in contact with. These two symbols mean that a substance or a chemical have dangerous fumes. Those fumes will harm you if inhaled. These three symbols are the different types of radioactive symbols you might see. Radioactive waste can harm both humans and the environment, so handle with care. Lab Safety Equipment These are goggles, they are use to protect the eyes. Gloves (below) are used to protect the hands. ï ¿ ¼Safety Equipment cont. This is a lab apron. It is used to protect the clothing from spills, chemicals or substances that might go through the clothes and damage skin. ï ¿ ¼ Measuring Instruments This is a triple beam balance. It measures mass in grams. This is a graduated cylinder, it measures volume in milliliters. This is a ruler, it measures length in both centimeters and inches. ï ¿ ¼Safety Rules This is a fire blanket, it is used when a persons hair or article of clothing catches fire. This is a safety shower with an eye wash station built in. If you ever get anything in your eyes, go swiftly over to the eye wash station , turn in on and hold open your eyelids and let keep using it for 15 to 20 minutes.

Review of Financial Statements Essay

Financial statements are essential accounting tools which include balance sheets, cash flow statements, and income statements that provide information on a company’s past and present financial history. Information on financial statements can be used by any number of public and private entities to determine if an organization’s financial status is healthy. Burger King and McDonald’s are two organizations that use financial statements in conducting business. Further, this paper will discuss the financial statements of each company, the firms which audit each companies financial statements, and define accounting concepts, terminologies, and transactions used in the financial statements. Additional information will provided regarding when McDonald’s and Burger King were established and what product and services they provide to the public. Overview of Organizations McDonalds first opened its doors in 1940 introducing the concept of the â€Å"speedee service system† offering french fries, hamburgers, and shakes to satisfy the hungry customer quickly at a low price. Over the next 65 plus years the McDonalds menu has changed from just french fries and hamburgers to salads, wraps, chicken nuggets and many more items which cater to the ever changing tastes of consumers. McDonalds has been criticized over the years as being a major contributor high obesity rates, in part due to the speedee service concept. These criticism have caused McDonald’s to rethink menu items and helped the company to enact numerous changes to the menu which now offers nutritional guides for each menu item and healthier choices such as salads, fruit, and milk. McDonald’s has changed the oil used to fry foods to make the fries healthier and includes a choice of meal sizes and most recently started a new line of coffee drinks, which offers the desired Starbucks taste for a fraction of the cost. â€Å"The fast food chain currently has 31,000 restaurants worldwide and operates in 119 countries and serves approximately 47 million customers daily. McDonalds is also highly associated with the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) that has donated money and services to families and communities for over 35 years to approximately 37 million children and families.† (McDonalds, 2009). The McDonald Corporation pays for most of  RMHC’s global administration cost so that all donations go directly to the community and families. The charity is in such high demand that RMHC plans to expand their programs by 37% by 2010 to better help those in need. Burger King started in 1953 first known as Insta Burger King offering hamburgers to consumers that was cooked on a small cooker called an Insta-Broiler oven; the concept proved to be successful. â€Å"In 1954 the name changed to Burger King, the broiler oven first used was replaced with the flame broiler and soon became popular for offering their flame broiled hamburgers and what is now known as the Whopper burger.† (Burger King, 2009). The next 60 plus years for Burger King began suffering the same criticisms as McDonalds. It seemed all fast food chains were being blamed for the increased obesity rate in the U.S. Burger King followed suit and began making changes to their menus adding chicken, salads, fruit, food nutritional guides, smaller sizes, choice of drinks such as tea, milk, and changing the oil used to fry French fries as well as additional changes. Burger King Corporation is associated with a few charity organizations such as â€Å"Have It Your Way† which works to alleviate hunger, disease, and promotes community education through scholarship programs; the McLamore Foundation provides scholarships and is associated with several charities for When Organizations Were Established Burger King was founded in 1954 in Miami, Florida by James McLamore and David Edgerton. â€Å"McLamore and Edgerton, both of whom had extensive experience in the restaurant business before starting their joint venture, believed in the simple concept of providing the customer with reasonably priced quality food, served quickly in attractive, clean surroundings.† (New York Job Source, 2009), thus, the invention of the Whopper which was an instant success. Today Burger is found in all 50 states and 74 countries and territories throughout the world with more than 11,700 restaurants. In 1967 the Pillsbury Company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota purchased the company and its employees and the company went public in May 2006 at $17 a share. Today the company remains majority-owned by an equity group comprised of Texas Pacific Group, Bain Capital Partners and the Goldman Sachs Funds. (New York Job Source, 2009). McDonald’s was founded by two brothers, Dick and Mac McDonald of San  Bernardino, California. Ray Kroc, a milkshake machine distributor happened on the brothers’ restaurant as he was curious to discover why such a small establishment would need 10 milkshake machines. Kroc was impressed by the speed with which these two brothers were able to provide service in their busy hamburger stand and he asked the brothers for a briefing on their â€Å"McDonald’s Speedee System† and after the briefing he requested and â€Å"secured the rights to duplicate the system throughout the United States. â€Å"Ray Kroc opened his first outlet in Chicago in 1955, 50 years later the number of McDonald’s locations had expanded to over 31,500.† (Albrecht, Stice, Stice, & Swain, 2008, pg. 76). Today McDonald’s averages over 100 million dollars a day and is located in 121 countries around the world. Both companies had meager beginnings and have grown into fas t food superstars. Accounting Organizations Providing Audits Both McDonald’s and Burger King offer burgers, fries, and creamy shakes. However, the differences between McDonald’s and Burger King are far more than golden arches and golden crowns. McDonald’s has both and internal and external audit committees. The internal audit committee is composed of five Directors, each of whom meets the independence and other requirements of the New York Stock Exchange (Santona, 2009). The committee abides by a charter which states all its responsibilities and is reviewed annually. Ernst & Young LLP (Ernst & Young), the Company’s independent auditors, is responsible for performing an audit of the Company’s annual consolidated financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and for issuing a report on those statements (Santona, 2009). The Burger King Corporation also has both internal and external audit committees. The internal committees perform quarterly internal audits that are published for investors, but these audits are indicated as unaudited by an external entity. KPMG LLP is the external organization the Burger King Corporation uses for its external audits. Financial Statements Used and Terminology As a publicly traded company within the United States Burger King Corporation (BKC) has taken all the necessary steps required to abide by the regulations set forth the Sarbanes-Oxley Act  of 2002. â€Å"The annual report for FY2008 includes information such as business information, risk factors, physical assets, legal proceedings, stockholder matters, and finally a comprehensive financial statement.† (Burger King Corp, 2009). This section of the annual report begins with management reports on internal controls which are in place regarding financial reporting which explains in detail the understanding of both the CEO and CFO and their obligation to take full responsibility for the content of the annual report. The report of the independent registered public accounting firm (KPMG) is and additional statement of responsibility from the independent accounting firm which states the firm has reviewed the information. Paged within the reportcontain the balance sheet, statement of income, statement of stockholders equity, and statement of cash flows for FY2008 compared to 2007, 2006, and 2005. While BKC’s annual report was presented in a standard no-frills format, McDonald’s Corporation’s 2008 annual report included graphics and photos as the driver of the information. Along with the financial statements, â€Å"McDonald’s annual report focused on highlights from the menu to the money along with letters of welcome from the Chairman, Andy McKenna and CEO, Jim Skinner.† (McDonalds Corporation, 2009). The financial reporting still included the management’s report on internal controls, the report of independent registered public accounting firm (Ernst & Young, LLP), the balance sheet, statement of income, statement of stockholders equity, and the statement of cash flows. In both instances a dedicated effort was made to satisfy the requirements regulated by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Basic Accounting ConceptsIn 2008, McDonalds’ financial report shows annual total revenue at 23,522.4 million dollars compared to Burger King’s 2,455.0 million dollars; a difference of 21,067.4 million dollars; McDonald’s clearly having earned more revenue (MSN Money, 2009). However, prior to 2003, the difference between McDonald’s profits and Burger King’s were even greater. â€Å"From 2001 through 2003 Burger King was losing money, but has made a steady annual gross profit since.† (CNN Money, 2006). Transactions In 2008, Burger Kings’ annual profit was 1,452.0 million dollars and in 2007 the profit was 1,317.0 million dollars, a growth of 135 million dollars. McDonald’s has also encountered gross profit over the past two years, however, at a much greater scale. In 2008 the gross profit recorded was 8,639.2 million dollars and in 2007 a gross profit was recorded of 7,905.2, an increase in profit of 734 million dollars. Accounts Affected by Transactions While the two fast food restaurant chains are no where near comparable in revenue, both chains are increasing revenue year after year. Since 2006, when Burger King became a publicly traded company; like McDonald’s, they both worked to maintain a profitable growth for share holders which has increased the amount of profit each year (MSN Money, 2009). Both companies have cash assets as well as land and property, rental fees, food, supplies, salary responsibilities, and advertising. Financial Statements Affected by TransactionsEach of the transactions listed for Burger King and McDonald’s are provided in detail on a number of the financial statements. Specifically, the profit can be followed on the balance sheet, the statement of income, and the statement of cash flows located in each annual report. In addition these figures are compared to the previous years’ numbers on each of these statements. Conclusion McDonald’s and Burger King have been in business for decades and each company has established its respective company in the hearts of the American people and consumers across the globe when they expanded into global market. Both companies use reputable accounting firms and the same types of financial statements in order to assess the health of their financial status. This paper has shown how important understanding the concepts, terms, and transactions listed on financial statements are in order to better gauge how a company is faring financially on a year to year basis. References Albrecht, W.S., Stice, E.K., Stice, J.D. & Swain, M.R. (2008). Accounting: Concepts and applications, (10 ed). Cengage Learning Center, Mason, Ohio. Burger King Corp. (2009). Company Info. Retrieved June 20, 2009 http://www.bk.com/Companyinfo/corporation/fact.aspxCNN Money. (2006). The King Meets his Public. Retrieved June 18, 2009, from http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2006/03/06/8370602/index.htmMcDonalds. (2009). Our company. Retrieved June 18, 2009 from http://www.aboutmcdonalds. Com/mcd/our_company.htmlMcDonald’s Corporation (2009). 2008 annual report. Retrieved June 18, 2009, from http://www1.mcdonalds.com/annualreport/index.htmlMSN Money. (2009). McDonalds Corporation: Financial Statement. Retrieved June 18, 2009,from http://moneycentral.msn.com/investor/invsub/results/statement.aspx?Symbol=MCD&1stStatement=Income&stmntView=AnnMSN Money. (2009). Burger King Holdings Inc.: Financial Statement Retrieved June 18, 2009, from http://moneycentral.msn.com/investor/invsub/results/statement.aspx?Symbol =BKC&1stStatement=Income&stmntView=AnnNew York Job Source. (2009). Burger King: World’s second largest food chain. Retrieved June 19, 2009 from http://www.nyjobsource.com/burgerking.htmlSantona, G. (2009). McDonald’s: 2009 Annual Shareholders’ Meeting and Proxy Statement. Retrieved June 20, 2009, from http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/etc/medialib/aboutMcDonaldsinvestor_relations.Par.58.686.File.tmp/2009%20Annual%Shareholders%20Meeting%20Proxy %20Statement.pdf