scholarly journals Financial Planning and Management Practices of Electrical Contractors

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 1482-1498
Author(s):  
Gunnar Lucko
Keyword(s):  
Cash Flow ◽  
Financial Planning ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Business Success ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Planning And Management ◽  
Healthy Growth ◽  
Cash Flow Forecasts ◽  
Electrical Contractors

Abstract Contractors must carefully manage their cash outflows (e.g., for materials to enable their work) and inflows (after the work) to be profitable, particularly in an economy that is still recovering from the 2008-2012 recession that grew out of the mortgage crisis. Their importance for business success is undisputed, as bankruptcies due to insufficient cash flow underline. Therefore, this study investigated current business practices of electrical contracting companies of different sizes with respect to their financial planning and management. A detailed questionnaire was developed with best guidelines on survey studies and pilot testing. It was sent to members of the National Electrical Contractors Association. Respondent anonymity was ensured. The survey recorded demographics, business practices, operating conditions, and other important factors using 57 subquestions. Each section allowed feedback to clarify the numerical responses. Responses were well distributed across company sizes, so that the results are representative for the entire industry. The results indicated that contractors generally have a substantial amount of experience in financial decision making. Their approach is conservative and focuses on healthy growth. Yet, opportunities to fine-tune business practices are identified, e.g., immediate invoicing, considering discounts to accelerate payment receipts, attempting to negotiate and use favorable credit terms, reviewing payment performance, and performing frequent cash flow forecasts. Some of the differences in the responses can be attributed to different company sizes. To help especially smaller companies in planning their cash flow, a spreadsheet for implementation has been created.

Downsides and DCF: Valuing Biased Cash Flow Forecasts

CFA Digest ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 96-98
Author(s):  
William Ang
Keyword(s):  
Cash Flow ◽  
Cash Flow Forecasts

scholarly journals The Soil Organic Matter in Connection with Soil Properties and Soil Inputs

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 779
Author(s):  
Václav Voltr ◽  
Ladislav Menšík ◽  
Lukáš Hlisnikovský ◽  
Martin Hruška ◽  
Eduard Pokorný ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Texture ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Natural Soil ◽  
Soil Productivity ◽  
Linear Regression Models

The content of organic matter in the soil, its labile (hot water extractable carbon–HWEC) and stable (soil organic carbon–SOC) form is a fundamental factor affecting soil productivity and health. The current research in soil organic matter (SOM) is focused on individual fragmented approaches and comprehensive evaluation of HWEC and SOC changes. The present state of the soil together with soil’s management practices are usually monitoring today but there has not been any common model for both that has been published. Our approach should help to assess the changes in HWEC and SOC content depending on the physico-chemical properties and soil´s management practices (e.g., digestate application, livestock and mineral fertilisers, post-harvest residues, etc.). The one- and multidimensional linear regressions were used. Data were obtained from the various soil´s climatic conditions (68 localities) of the Czech Republic. The Czech farms in operating conditions were observed during the period 2008–2018. The obtained results of ll monitored experimental sites showed increasing in the SOC content, while the HWEC content has decreased. Furthermore, a decline in pH and soil´s saturation was documented by regression modelling. Mainly digestate application was responsible for this negative consequence across all soils in studied climatic regions. The multivariate linear regression models (MLR) also showed that HWEC content is significantly affected by natural soil fertility (soil type), phosphorus content (−30%), digestate application (+29%), saturation of the soil sorption complex (SEBCT, 21%) and the dose of total nitrogen (N) applied into the soil (−20%). Here we report that the labile forms (HWEC) are affected by the application of digestate (15%), the soil saturation (37%), the application of mineral potassium (−7%), soil pH (−14%) and the overall condition of the soil (−27%). The stable components (SOM) are affected by the content of HWEC (17%), soil texture 0.01–0.001mm (10%), and input of organic matter and nutrients from animal production (10%). Results also showed that the mineral fertilization has a negative effect (−14%), together with the soil depth (−11%), and the soil texture 0.25–2 mm (−21%) on SOM. Using modern statistical procedures (MRLs) it was confirmed that SOM plays an important role in maintaining resp. improving soil physical, biochemical and biological properties, which is particularly important to ensure the productivity of agroecosystems (soil quality and health) and to future food security.

scholarly journals When Rights Enter the CSR Field: British Firms’ Engagement with Human Rights and the UN Guiding Principles

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alvise Favotto ◽  
Kelly Kollman
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Global Markets ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Due Diligence ◽  
New Governance ◽  
Business And Human Rights ◽  
Market Competitiveness ◽  
Guiding Principles ◽  
Corporate Social

AbstractThe adoption of the Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights by the United Nations (UNGPs) in 2011 created a new governance instrument aimed at improving the promotion of human rights by business enterprises. While reaffirming states duties to uphold human rights in law, the UNGPs called on firms to promote the realization of human rights within global markets. The UNGPs thus have sought to embed human rights more firmly within the field of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and to use CSR practices to improve corporate human rights accountability. In this paper, we explore how this incorporation of human rights into the CSR field has affected the business practices and public commitments British firms have made to promote human rights. We analyse the CSR reports published by the 50 largest British firms over a 20-year period starting in the late 1990s and interview senior CSR managers of these firms. We find that these firms have expanded how they articulate their responsibility for human rights over time. These commitments however remain largely focused on improving management practices such as due diligence and remediation procedures. Firms are often both vague and selective about which substantive human rights they engage with in light of their concerns about their market competitiveness and broader legitimacy. These outcomes suggest that, while firms cannot completely resist the normative pressures exerted by the CSR field, they retain significant resources and agency in translating such pressure into concrete practices.

Family dynamics and gender perspective influencing copreneurship practices

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mário Franco ◽  
Patricia Piceti
Keyword(s):  
Gender Roles ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Family Dynamics ◽  
Family Firms ◽  
Business Management ◽  
Business Success ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Family ◽  
And Gender

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand the family dynamics factors and gender roles influencing the functioning of copreneurial business practices, to propose a conceptual framework based on these factors/roles. Design/methodology/approach For this purpose, a qualitative approach was adopted, through the analysis of seven businesses created by copreneurial couples in an emerging economy – Brazil. Data were obtained from an open interview with each member of the selected couples who are in charge of firm management. Findings The empirical evidence obtained shows that the most important factors for successful copreneurial family businesses are professionalization, dividing the couple’s tasks and business management. Trust, communication, flexibility and common goals are other essential relational-based factors for the good functioning of this type of family business and stability in the personal relationship. Practical implications It is clear that professionalization and the separation of positions and functions are fundamental for a balance between business management and the couple’s marital life. When couples are in harmony and considering factors such as trust, communication and flexibility (relational-based factors), the firm’s life-cycle and business success become real and more effective. Originality/value From the family dynamics factors and gender roles, this study focused on one of the most important and integrated family firm relationships, copreneurial couples. As there is little research on the heterogeneity of family firms runs specifically by copreneurial couples, this study is particularly important and innovative in the context of a developing economy, such as Brazil. Based on empirical evidence, this study was proposed an integrative and holistic framework that shows the functioning of copreneurial businesses practices.

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