Steelband Music in Trinidad and Tobago Research Paper - 1

Steelband Music in Trinidad and Tobago - Research Paper Example Music of a particular region and era contains vital information about the thoughts and beliefs of its people. Drumming is considered an integral part of culture of Trinidad and Tobago. Located off the south eastern coast of North America close to the Bahamas in the Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago’s musical history dates back to the years of its rule by the British and Spaniards. Music was used as a channel of self expression and a means of social and intellectual liberation. The history of Trinidad and Tobago has seen colonisation by the British and the Europeans. This is quite evident in the demographic mix of races, religions and communities of people. Music is deeply associated with caste, colour and race as at some point or the other people from different backgrounds have alternate ways of thinking and applying music. The country’s population consists of Christians (50%), Hindus (25%) and mixed races (Europeans, Whites etc.). Half of the population are Trinidadians, the rest are Afro-Trinidadians (African in origin) and the remaining are of mixed origin (Aho 20). The music world has seen extensive use of percussive elements in compositions from around the world. Amongst the genres of music that rely on heavy usage of percussion are Reggae, Hip Hop, Rap, Native Caribbean Folk Music and Latin American Music. The emphasis on rhythm and percussive elements in musical compositions and performances is a trademark of music from the Latin American, Caribbean and European regions. Trinidad and Tobago’s music history also has the roots of percussion dominance in music embedded in the culture and tradition. The steel drum has its origin in the economically backward areas of the capital city: Port of Spain. The steel drums that we know today had its origins in the capital city and were made by young men with basic education, hailing from underprivileged families. The

Financial Analysis for Managers Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Financial Analysis for Managers - Case Study Example Wal-Mart registers nearly $20,000 profit every minute of every day. Last fiscal year, Wal-Mart recorded profits of $10.3 billion. For comparison, Target's profit per minute is $6,084. To say Wal-Mart is a money-making machine would be an understatement. The calculations given as Appendices A, B and C are based on Wal-Mart and Target's past four years annual data from the 10K and Hoovers. Some are calculated by author as well. (Dollars are listed in thousands). Net Profit Margin is an indication of how effective a company is at cost control. The higher the net profit, the more effective the company is at converting revenue into actual profit. Target has greatly improved on this number over the last few years and reached the high number of 3.8 in 2002 from its low of 3.4 in 1999. In comparison to Wal-Mart, it has outperformed it during this period. Operating Profit Margin shows how effective a company controls its cost and expenses associated with the normal business operations. Target's OPM remained consistent from 1999 to 2001 and improved from 2001 to 2002 due to the stronger supplier relationships, restructuring of stores and more effective inventory management. Wal-Mart remained below during the entire period. It has large overhead costs to maintain its many stores. Return on Assets determi... (c). Return on Assets Net Income + Interest Return on Assets = Average Total Assets Return on Assets determines how many dollars of profits can be achieved for each dollar of assets under control. Target's return on assets ranges between $8 to $9 which is compareable to Wal-Mart's ranges. (d). Return on Equity Net Income Return on Equity = Average Equity Return on Equity is one of the most important profitability measures. ROE reveals how much a company earned in comparison to the total amount of the shareholder equity found on the balance sheet. ROE encompasses the three main levers by which the management can better the corporation. These levers are profitability. Asset management and financial leverage. Again although Wal-Mart is ahead of Target during the whole period but the figures are even compareable as walmart ranges from $20 to $23 while Target' figures ranges between $19 to $21. 2. Efficiency ratios of Wal-Mart & Target Efficiency ratios of Wal-Mart & Target are calculated by applying the following formulae. (a). Asset Turnover Ratio SalesAsset Turnover Ratio = Average Total Assets Asset Turnover Ratio measures how efficiently a company uses its average total assets to generate sales. The figures show that Target has gone down in this number over the past four years from a high of 2.054 to 1.665. Sales for Target are not increasing as fast as the number of assets within the corporation. Wal-Mart has outperformed Target in this field as its minimum value was 2.601 in 2000 which is higher than the Target's highest value. (b). Inventory Turnover Ratio Coast of Goods Sold Inventory Turnover Ratio = Average Inventory Inventory Turnover Ratio measures the number of times that