Problem of Legal and Social Justice - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1249 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2019/04/08 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Social Justice Essay Did you like this example? The United States is in dire need of a criminal justice reform to reduce prison population and make changes to the mandatory minimums for nonviolent offenses. During the 1970s and 1980s the criminal justice system focused on rehabilitation then it shifted to retribution and crime control (Atkinson, 2018). According to Atkinson (2018), there has been a 500 percent increase in prison population over the last 40 years, bringing the total up to roughly 2.2 million. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Problem of Legal and Social Justice" essay for you Create order More than $80 billion per year in tax dollars are spent to maintain jails and prisons (Atkinson, 2018). It becomes a difficult balance between protecting innocent people from potential harm and being realistic about allocating funds appropriately. Until changes are made we will continue to see a rise in prison population which means more tax dollars used to sustain it. The purpose of legal justice is to ensure criminals serve time for the crimes they commit, which provides justice for the victim, victims family, and the community as a whole. Legal justice becomes impractical when innocent people go to prison for crimes they did not commit or when plea deals are given out at the expense of victims. Plea bargains are used to prevent excessive court expenses if the defendant is willing to admit guilt and accept responsibility for the crime (Hough McCorkle, 2017, p. 212). Pleas can be beneficial to the defendant if the prosecution has substantial evidence that would result in a longer sentence than the time offered in the plea deal. However, pleas can also be used to intimidate the defendant (who may be innocent) into admitting guilt in fear they would face a longer sentence if found guilty by the jury. An example of legal justice is the conviction of Dustin McCowan for the murder of ex-girlfriend Amanda Bach (Geberth, 2015, p.29). The prosecutor presented a slam dunk case equipped with biological evidence (the victims blood on the suspects shirt), incriminating cell phone records, and an eye witness placing the suspect in the area where the victims car was found. Dustin was ultimately sentenced to 60 years in prison for the murder of Amanda. Amanda, her family, and the entire community received justice in this case. Another example of legal justice was the conviction of Scott Peterson for the murder of his wife and unborn son. In 2005 Scott was given the death penalty for the 2002 murders. This case was more of a circumstantial evidence type of case, but the fact Scott was having an affair and told the lady he had recently lost his wife made him seem very guilty. Also, his odd behavior and indifferent attitude towards his missing 9-month pregnant wife made him also appear guil ty. Scott receiving his guilty verdict and ultimate death penalty sentence provided not only justice for the victim and her loved ones but also the entire country. The purpose of social justice is to ensure all people are treated fairly, because in order for justice to be served the person should be doing time and not a person. Wrongful convictions are fairly common and with organizations like The Innocence Project, innocent people are being released from prison after serving many years behind bars for a crime they did not commit. This causes unnecessary court expenses paid in taxes and wastes the time of all individuals involved in the trial when innocent people are convicted. Researchers found jurors from a higher socioeconomic status than the defendant tend to deliver a harsher penalty (Hough McCorkle, 2017, p. 203). According to Hough and McCorkle (2017), a death penalty verdict is more commonly recommended for a white victim than a black victim, and if the victim is a white female then the likelihood of a death penalty verdict is even higher. An example of social injustice where a plea bargain was used is the Leroy Harris case. Leroy accepted an Alford plea, meaning he plead guilty to lesser charges but never admitted responsibility for the crime (Feuer, 2017). Leroy had been convicted of robbery and rape in 1989 and was sentenced to 80 years. He never wavered from declaring his innocence and appealed the guilty verdict five separate times. Leroy was in prison for 28 years when the prosecutor offered the Alford plea after acknowledging there were substantial holes in the case against him. This is all too common that people are found guilty for crimes they did not actually commit. Situations such as these is where social justice becomes crucial in preventing the mistreatment of minorities facing criminal charges. Another example of a social injustice is George Zimmermans not guilty verdict in the murder of Trayvon Martin. Trayvon was only 17 years old and was just walking through a neighborhood George believed he didnt b elong in. Florida has a stand-your-ground law in place which allows citizens to use deadly force if they feel threatened or there is a perceived threat. George claimed he felt threatened by Trayvon, so he shot him multiple times taking his life. Trayvons death and the deaths of several other unarmed black men lead to the Black Lives Matter movement. This movement has brought awareness to police unfair treatment of minorities. After a person has been arrested and charged with the crime they go before a judge, usually within 24-48 hours, to determine whether they will be held in jail awaiting trial or be released on bail (Hough McCorkle, 2017, p. 200). If there are no plea deals offered, then the case will go to trial. At trial there will be witnesses for both sides including experts who provide testimony on a specific field. A judge determines if a person is an expert in their field by a using either the Daubert standard or the Frye standard. To be considered an expert, the person must demonstrate the ability to use scientific principles and be knowledgeable in the particular field their testimony is in relation to (Hough McCorkle, 2017, p.185). Once the judge deems the person an expert, they are then granted permission to testify in court. Experts are often used to assist with both the prosecution and defense and come from a wide range of fields. In the movie My Cousin Vinny, actress Marisa Tomeis chara cter was an expert on general automotive knowledge during a murder trial. Experts dont necessarily have to be a forensic scientist or a firearms specialist to be considered an expert. An important aspect of expert testimony is to speak in terms easily understood by the jurors to eliminate any confusion. The CSI effect also contributes to jurors misunderstanding and an unrealistic expectation of the evidence presented in a trial. People that watch a lot of crime shows on television believe they have a better understanding of evidence analysis and police investigation at a crime scene (Hough McCorkle, 2017, p. 194). One major misconception is jurors believe if there is no DNA evidence then the prosecution failed to do a thorough job (Shelton, 2008). The core principle of social justice is that all individuals and groups are entitled to fair and impartial treatment. It also focuses on preventing abuse of human rights and providing equal opportunities for all within a society. It is morally wrong to treat people differently based on how they look or who they are. Legal justice focus is solely on punishment for crimes committed in order to provide justice to the victim. Sometimes legal justice comes at the expense of social justice and vice versa. One day the hope is the United States criminal justice system will undergo reform, so it is fair to all and the victim receives the true justice they deserve.

Freedom In America - 2258 Words

The United States of America is and has always been very close to realizing democracy’s ideal of a country where there is â€Å"liberty and justice for all†, though a number of factors have conspired to move the country away from them in the past, and threaten to do so in our immediate future. Though their outcomes have varied considerably over the years, the main factors causing the U.S to stray from its ideals of freedom and equality have always been one or both of the following factors—discrimination and war. These factors are perennial, affecting every nation that has ever existed and probably every nation that will exist, and our nation’s reaction to them has been on par with that of every other nation in a similar position. From†¦show more content†¦One such factor is war. During World War I, the Espionage Act of 1917 was used to jail prominent critics of American intervention in the war—among them, Eugene V. Debs, four-time president ial candidate (Ball, 146). Shortly after the war ended, A. Mitchell Palmer used the powers granted by the act to conduct mass arrests and deportation of hundreds of foreign residents (Emert, 54, 55, 56). During World War II, the federal government forcibly relocated thousands of Japanese Americans into what were essentially concentration camps (Cooper, 10, 11). The Japanese internment was implemented in the name of combating a virtually non-existent military threat, for fear that Americans of Japanese descent might aid the Empire of Japan (Cooper, 63). After the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon and the declaration of the War on Terror, the USA PATRIOT Act was hurriedly conceived and passed into law (Ball, 38). Included in the law were provisions for roving wiretaps, the sharing of information between criminal probes and intelligence agencies and secret searches of private property in violation of the Constitution (Ball, 57, 74, 81). War has always been a major contributor to the detriment of civil liberties in all nations, andShow MoreRelatedAmerica s Freedom Of Freedom1495 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Since 2011, the Freedom House has classified Mexico as a purple, or a â€Å"not free† country in its annual Freedom of the Press report. The upraise of violence in the country, stemmed from its war against drugs, has threatened Mexico’s freedom of expression and practice of journalism, undermining the foundations of the country’s democracy. During the last 12 years, 82 journalists have been murdered, 18 have disappeared and there have been 33 attacks on media outlets according to the NationalRead MoreEssay on Freedom In America889 Words   |  4 Pages America is the universal symbol of freedom. But is it really free? Does the history of the United States stay true to the ideas of our forefathers? Or has the definition been altered to fit American policies? Has freedom defined America? Or has America defined freedom? I believe America was at first defined by freedom, then after time, America defined freedom, altering the definition to fit the niche it fi ts in, but still keeping key components so it still seems to be staying true to theRead MoreAmerica Is Considered For Its Freedom1616 Words   |  7 PagesAmerica is known for its freedom. Freedom to speak your opinion, freedom to practice any religion that you choose, and freedom to criticize the government. American’s are able to have the power or right to act, speak, or even think about almost anything they wanted to without restraint from the government or from other people. Migrants from other countries come to the United States to have a chance at freedom. To raise a family away from war torn cities or harsh governments. They come to AmericaRead MoreThe Importance Of Freedom In America1256 Words   |  6 PagesFreedom has been present in American literature and American history ever since this country was formed. Ever since the colonists declared independence from England, freedom has been the staple of America and it continues to be as many people leave their ho mes and come to our country just to seek it. The Declaration of Independence started the need for freedom and later documents such as What Is The Fourth of July to a Negro continued the prospect of everyone deserving freedom in America. EveryoneRead MoreThe Freedom And Freedom Of The United States Of America1603 Words   |  7 PagesAmericans, in this rightfully proud nation of The United States of America, have freedom and liberty set amongst the highest of our ideals. Generations were born and raised in this country. They were taught to always respect and cherish the rights and liberties given to us, the people, that were earned and are still being bravely defended to this day. Our rights were earned and are defended by our courageous, gun wielding soldiers. Currently, in this turbulent time of politics in our nation,Read MoreThe Importance Of Freedom In America793 Words   |  4 PagesAustin—a city renowned for its strives towards liberation—glimmers as a hub of cultural vibrancy in Texas. This city excludes itself from the conservative frame of mind that is deeply embedded within Texan culture, and its people celebrate the freedom to explore their human identity through self-expression. The live music here charms listeners, drawing them out to bars, clubs, backyards, garages, churches, and concert halls, filling the air with harmonies that comprise the spirit of Austin. PerformersRead MoreThe Religious Freedom Of America2138 Words   |  9 Pages Religious Freedom of America In this is paper I’m going to tell you about the religious freedom we have in America and how it’s uniquely American. There are many reason we have religious freedom in America, One being that it’s a law. I’m going to tell who wrote the bill of rights that made religious freedom a law and why they wrote it. I’ll tell you about the people who fight in war just to make sure we have this freedom among other freedoms. I’ll talk about how America is one place whereRead MoreFreedom Of Speech : America3324 Words   |  14 PagesAmerica is a land whose roots are nourished by equality, opportunity, and freedom. The first amendment that our forefathers sought to proclaim was that of freedom of speech. In doing so, all men were allowed to speak their minds, regardless of how it might impact someone else. This was a concept that was relatively marred since its conception in ancient Greece. Free loving nations have always sought to increase the happines s of its citizens, yet it has always failed. America is a benchmark of libertyRead MoreReligious Freedom in America569 Words   |  2 PagesFrom the beginning the United States of America was formed, it has been founded and established by religious toleration and freedom. Without religious freedom, people are forced to comply with laws and policies that blatantly contradict their beliefs. This results in people living their lives in a struggle between their personal beliefs and obeying the laws that are placed before them. Obviously upholding personal convictions is very important, but people are forced to decide if it is personallyRead MoreAmerica Is A Country Of Freedom2427 Words   |  10 PagesThe United States of America is a country of freedom, a quality highly desired by many non-Americans. As Americans, the Bill of Rights grants each of us native-born Americans with certain freedoms. For example, we have the freedom of religion, the freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of petition, and freedom to bear arms. In addition to these freedoms, we also have the freedom to receive a free public education. As a future educator, this freedom directly affects me

3D printing revolution in fashion industry Free Essays

AD Printing Revolution in Fashion Industry Last week, I went to London Science museum, there was an exhibition of AD printing showing the completely new image of fashion in the coming 20 years. AD printing has been developing rapidly, now it is way more than printing plastic. It prints something that I cannot even believe: structural thing like house, complicated thing like gun, huge thing like rare plane and guess what, lively tissue. We will write a custom essay sample on 3D printing revolution in fashion industry or any similar topic only for you Order Now As AD printing becomes more mainstream, its applications are broadening (Rachel 2013). It started to hit the roll of fashion, besides AD printed handbags, dresses, we can see AD printed high- heel shoes and bikinis in the latest fashion shows. As Stephanie (2014) mentioned, the mix of apparel and technology shows the innovative soul of fashion, the future of fashion is truly tricked out with AD printing technology. As this evolution continues we can expect to see a AD printing revolution in our fashion industry. In the following sections, this essay is going to illustrate the revolution in production, supply chain and design aspects. Beginning with the first step of manufacture, production method in fashion field will e totally changed. According to some researches, 10% of all consumer products by the year 2025 will be made by the AD process. Richard (2013) discussed that since applications of the technology spread and prices decrease, more products will be manufactured at their location of purchase or consumption. Indeed, consumers will be printing their own clothing by 2020, according to inventor and futurist Ray Skuzzier (Tanya 2013). This implies that new household-level production will emerge. On top of it, production will no longer includes labor force, capital, natural resources, UT only the printing machines, raw materials and programs which lead a huge reform. Based on the change of production method, the supply chain will eventually be modified. â€Å"The world will transform from a macro-manufactured supply chain to a micro-manufactured supply chain or what is known as distributed manufacturing† (Nick 2014). Whereas cars today are made by Just a few hundred factories around the world, they might one day be made in every metropolitan area. The supply chain is going to be shortened as only machines and programs are involved, the whole supply chain may even only appear in our home. As the supply chain will undergo a makeover, certain categories of business will be eliminated. Countries will rather do domestic production than import since production will no longer require so much labors and places, shipping, delivery and inventory service will then go downhill. Before, the Internet technology has already overturned many traditional business models, so now the AD printing technology is going to revolute the fashion industry into a new era. Nature of design will be adjusted due the altered producing methods. Customization of goods is more significant due to maker can simply adjust the aerogramme (Richard 2013). As AD printing can solve some practicable problems of creative products, so it actually encourages the creativity in meeting individuals’ need. The Job of designer will change as they have to know well about technology and design the products with programmer, or even, everyone can become a designer. What Rachel (2013) mentioned is this kind of intersection of fashion and technology can give everyone access to creativity. People will be designing clothes for themselves which they know their size and style the best, so they can create personalized clothing. If you do not want to spend time on making your own AD printing programmer, you can simply buy it online as what we are doing for music file, consumers would pay a fee to download and print the renderings, Ideas may eventually never produce sportswear, but simply sell the format to print Jersey and sneaker. Due to this, keen competition between the brands will be stronger, millions of designers are compete to produce a tremendous variety of objects. Some researchers start to doubt whether AD printing will be widely spread since customized products may be more expensive than traditional mass-produced goods, ND spend longer time as well (Ashley 2010). And actually, since the technology is improving and supply increased, according to the scale of economy, the price of machine and materials for printing are eventually dropping. CNN did an experiment in 2013 that compared buying 20 items like phone case, spoon holder to the cost of printing them out directly. The result is, it took 25 hours to print all the objects and they saved up to $1926, depending on the quality of the comparable retail products. So we can definitely imagine all the time cost and price will be reducing by 2020. As what Nick (2014) pointed out, we are at the beginning of a revolution that will transform our society in ways we can’t even imagine. How to cite 3D printing revolution in fashion industry, Essays

Accounting for Business Place in the Market

Question: Discuss about the Accounting for Business for Place in the Market. Answer: Introduction AGL energy Ltd that started its operation in 1837 is currently one of the pioneers in the field of Energy Company. The company has a strong line of action and taken an action to limit the greenhouse gas emission and provides secure, as well as affordable energy to the customers. It has a huge experience of 175 years. It serve the customers through the entire eastern Australia and meet the requirement of customers in terms of energy needs, that includes gas, solar power, electricity and various other services (AGL Energy Ltd, 2015). When it comes to portfolio, it has a diverse power generation portfolio that contains base and intermediate generation plants spreading to generation of thermal, as well as sources of energy that is renewable like wind, hydro, solar, biomass, etc. With the due passage of time, it has cemented its place in the market and created a strong goodwill by serving more than 3.6 million customers. Statement of Financial Position Total Current Assets Total Current Assets Current assets 2015 2014 Cash and cash equivalents 259 456 Trade and other receivables 1894 1902 Inventories 396 191 Other financial assets 156 114 Other assets 262 318 Assets classified as held for sale 492 430 Total 3459 3411 Percentage difference 50.34 49.65 Current assets are those assets, converted into cash within a period of one year. It includes, cash, bank, sundry debtors etc (Christensen, 2011). From the above analysis, it can be observe that the current assets of AGL Energy Ltd in 2014 reported at 49.65% while it was 50.34% in the year 2015. This portrays that the current assets increased by 0.69% because of enhancement in the financial assets of the company that includes inventory holdings (AGL Energy Ltd, 2015). Such increase indicates that AGL has enough resources to repay off its debt obligations in the future and it has positive cash flows to develop (Northington, 2011). Total non-current assets Total non-current assets Non-current assets 2015 2014 Property, plant 6958 5694 Intangible assets 682 631 Investments 91 32 Trade and other receivables 44 46 Inventories 32 28 Other financial assets 596 484 Deferred tax 682 631 Assets evaluation 130 372 Other assets 31 18 Total 12374 10723 Percentage 54.63 45.36 Non-current assets cannot be converted into unrestricted cash within a period of one year of the date of balance sheet and from the above analysis, it can be observed that the non-current assets of AGL stood at 45.36% while in 2015 it increased by 9.27% and reported at 54.63%. It clearly signifies that the company had invested resources in intangible assets, inventories, fixed assets and other investments. Hence, it can be ascertain that AGL had made such investments taking into account the long-term prospects (Parrino et. al, 2012). In other words, AGL had opted for such investments that it estimates to keep for more than a year. Total current liabilities Current liabilities 2015 2014 Trade and other payables 1377 1417 Financial liabilities 269 477 Borrowings 443 45 Provisions 191 101 current tax liabilities 86 49 Directly associated liabilities 0 77 Total 2373 2166 52.28 47.71 Current Liabilities are the debt obligations of a company that must be paid within twelve months from the balance sheet date (Brigham Ehrhardt, 2011). From the above analysis, it can be seen that AGL Energy has increased its provisions and borrowings at a very high rate. On one hand, the provisions have increased from 101 in 2014 to 191 in 2015 while borrowings have largely increased from 45 in 2014 to 443 in 2015 (AGL Energy Ltd, 2015). As a result, it has more enough debt obligations to be paid off. Moreover, the current liabilities of AGL reported at 47.71% in 2014 and it increased to 52.28% in the year 2015. Total non-current liabilities Non- Current liabilities 2015 2014 Borrowings 3439 3669 Provisions 456 106 Other Financial liabilities 387 280 Other liabilities 363 275 Deferred tax liabilities 0 50 Total 4645 4380 Percentage 51.47 48.53 Non-current liabilities are the long-term financial obligations that are not due within the current accounting year. It is observe from the above analysis that AGL Energy ltd had not paid the borrowed funds (Graham Smart, 2012). Therefore, in the current year that resulted in the increase of non-current liabilities. If the deferred tax liabilities could not be paid, then such increment in non-current liabilities would be more. Moreover, the non-current liabilities stood at 48.53% in the year 2014 while it increased to 51.47% in the year 2015. Stockholder Equity Total stockholder equity 2015 2014 Contributed equity 6696 5437 Reserves (65) (99) Retained earnings 2175 2249 Non-controlling interest 9 1 Total 8815 7588 Percentage 53.74 46.25 From the above analysis, it is observe that the stockholders equity of AGL Energy reported at 46.25% in the year 2014 but it increased to 53.74% in 2015. This indicates that there is an increase in the capital or earnings of the company. It can be seen that the non-controlling interests of the company enhanced from 1 in 2014 to 9 in 2015 that led to the increase in stockholder equity (AGL Energy Ltd, 2015). This signifies good news especially for the shareholders as now they can entrust their faith upon the company and its activities (Williams, 2012). B. Stockholders Equity Total stockholder equity 2015 2014 Contributed equity 6696 5437 Reserves (65) (99) Retained earnings 2175 2249 Non-controlling interest 9 1 Total 8815 7588 Percentage 53.74 46.25 Stockholders equity is that portion of the balance sheet that portrays the receipt of capital from the investors in exchange for the paid-up capital (stock), retained earnings and donated capital. It is popular as shareholders equity (Horngren, 2013). The reason behind the increase in the contributed equity portion of the company in the year 2015 is that the company issued $83 million ordinary shares in 2014 but in the year 2015, the issue of ordinary shares increased to $1275 million. Such further issue of ordinary shares have facilitated in the increase of contributed equity of the company. Furthermore, the decrease in the retained earnings of the company also facilitated in the decrease of stockholders equity, otherwise it would have increased more (AGL Energy Ltd, 2015). The increase in non-controlling interests of the company from $1 million in the year 2014 to $9 million in the year 2015 has also facilitated in enhancing the contributed equity of the company from $5437m in 2014 to $6696m in 2015. Moreover, the stockholders equity of the company stood at 46.25% in 2014 while it increased to 53.74% in 2015. Statement of Profit Loss Total Operating revenue Total operating revenues 2015 2014 Revenue 10678 10445 Operating revenues generated from the day-to-day activities of a company that means revenue posted from the sale of goods and services of the company. From the above figures, it is observe that AGL Energy Ltd had incurred a loss as its operating revenues have declined from 10445 in 2014 to 10678 in the year 2015 (AGL Energy Ltd, 2015). Such loss further indicates that the core operations of AGL are not so profitable and an immediate change is required to either decrease costs or increase revenues. If AGL consistently incurs operating losses, then it will have to encounter bankruptcy in future. Cost of goods sold (in $m) COGS 2015 2014 cost of goods sold 61 73 Cost of goods sold (COGS) are the direct expenses attributable to the companys production of goods sold. These costs fall into the basic sub-categories of direct material, labour, and overheads. From the above figures, it is observed that the COGS of AGL Energy Ltd reported at $73m in the year 2014 but it decreased to $61m in the year 2015 that indicates lower gross profit margin obtained by the company in comparison with the previous year (Needles Powers, 2013). Total expenses before income tax total expenses before income tax 2015 2014 Finance income 20 24 Finance cost -250 -243 Depreciation -379 -326 TOTAL -609 -545 From the above figures, it can be observe that the total expenses before income tax of AGL Energy Ltd was significantly high in the year 2014 and reported at negative of 545 but in the year 2015, it further increased to negative of 609. The reason behind such increase is that the financial income of the company reduced from 24 in 2014 to 20 in the year 2015 and even the finance costs being negative in numbers increased from 243 in the year 2014 to 250 in the year 2015. Increment in such expenses will create various difficulties for the company and it will not be able to carry out its business activities in a smooth and efficient manner (Deegan, 2011). Any non-operating gain or losses NO Earnings per common share Earnings per share 2015 2014 EPS 33.3 98.2 Earnings per share defined as the portion of companys profits allocated to every outstanding share of the common stock, thereby serving as a clear indicator of the profitability of the company (Brigham Daves, 20012). From the above figures, it is observed that the Earnings per share of AGL Energy declined from 98.2 cents in the year 2014 to 33.3 cents in the year 2015. This indicates that the company has not been able to align with the expectations of the investors and it did not provide heightened concentration on proper capital allocation, efficiency, and productivity (Spiceland et. al, 2011). Such a decline in earnings per share can signal to the investors that the company is in major trouble, thereby leading to decline in the companys stock prices also. It is observe that even after an increase in the weighted average number of ordinary shares of AGL Energy, the company failed to deliver an appropriate EPS. The company based on such weighted ordinary shares that were 580,276,015 in the year 2014 calculates the above-mentioned EPS figures and it enhanced to 653,725,754 in the year 2015. Statement of Cash flow Net Cash inflow/outflow from operating activities Cash flow from operating activities 2015 2014 Receipts from customers 11587 11791 Payments to suppliers and employees -10236 -10733 Dividends received 32 26 Finance income received 24 23 Finance costs paid -216 -217 Income taxes paid -147 -191 Cash generated from operating activities 1044 699 percentage 59.89673 40.10327 From the above figures, it is observe that the net cash provided by operating activities of AGL Energy increased from $699m in the year 2014 to $1044m in the year 2015. Although cash utilized in operating activities in both years, yet there is an increase in the receipt of dividends, receipt of finance income and decrease in the payment of finance costs in 2015. The percentage increase in net cash provided by operating activities depict that the company has maintained an efficient and strong business (Davies Crawford, 2012). In the year 2014, the percentage stood at 40.10% but it increased to 59.90% in the year 2015. Net Cash inflow/outflow from investing activities Cash flows from investing activities 2015 2014 Payments for property, plant and equipment -744 -624 Payments for exploration and evaluation assets -34 -28 Payments for oil and gas assets -28 -46 Payments for investments in associates and joint ventures -80 0 Payments for intangible assets 0 -25 Payments for businesses and subsidiaries, net of cash acquired acquisitions in current period -1348 -79 acquisitions in prior periods -32 -33 Government grants received 32 190 Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment 6 2 Loans advanced to related parties -3 -126 Proceeds from repayment of related party loans 56 0 Net cash used in operating activities -2175 -769 From the above figures, it is observe that the net cash used in investing activities was in negative figures for both the years. In the year 2014, the net cash used in investing activities was negative of $769m but in the year 2015, it further increased to $2175m. The reasons behind such increase in use of net cash in investing activities are because of increased payment towards Plant, Property and Equipment, evaluation and exploration assets, investments in joint ventures and associates, less receipt of government grants, and acquired subsidiaries and businesses. This increase in net cash for investing activities portray that the company will face future problems while managing funds and it may fail to obtain a better stand in the market. In terms of percentage, the net cash used in investing activities reported at 26.12% but it enhanced to 73.88% in the year 2015. Net Cash inflow/outflow from financing activities Cash flows from financing activities 2015 2014 Proceeds from issue of shares, net of transaction costs 1210 1 Proceeds from issue of shares to non-controlling interests 8 1 Purchase of shares on-market for equity based remuneration -7 -6 Proceeds from borrowings 2647 2075 Repayment of borrowings -2580 -1547 Payments for settlement of derivative financial instruments -10 0 Dividends paid -344 -269 Net cash [provided by financing activities 924 255 From the above figures, it is observe that the net cash provided by financing activities of AGL increased from $255m in the year 2014 to $924m in 2015. The reasons behind such massive increase in cash provided by financing activities are the proceeds from share issue, proceeds from share issue to non-controlling interests, and proceeds from borrowings. The percentage of net cash provided by financing activities reported at 21.63% in 2014 but it increased to 78.37% in the year 2015 that is a very strong indicator for the company in terms of performance and managing of resources for future scenarios (Merchant, 2012). Net increase or decrease in cash during the year 2015 2014 Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents 466 281 In both the years, cash utilized but in 2015, huge amount of cash expended for the investing activities of the company in comparison to 2014. The cash and cash equivalent at the end of 2014 reported at $466m that decreased to $259m in the year 2015. This clearly indicates that the company will pay cash issues in the upcoming future if it consistently maintains such results (Brealey et. al, 2011). Variations of strategies made so that costs decreased and revenues increased. In terms of percentage, the cash, and cash equivalent in 2014 stood at 64.27% while in 2015, it decreased to 35.72%. Conclusion The above findings are deriving through the figures provided in the annual report. Hence, the authenticity of the findings is sure. The findings give a complete picture that AGL Energy Limited has strong fundamentals that is observe from the balance sheet and the income statement. Therefore, from the report, it can be ascertain that the company is heading strong and the percentage calculation stress that 2015 has been fruitful. Further, the findings also indicate that financial number from the statements is enough to provide recommendation. Moreover, this method is accurate and devoid of any flaws. Even a common person can easily understand the percentage variation. Recommendations As per the findings and conclusion, AGL Energy is a safe bet and hence, can be selected for investment. It has explored new mechanisms and energy being one of the best areas for further landmark; it is bound to get additional benefit. However, just the worry figure is the earnings per share that has dropped. Apart from it all other factor indicate that the company has posted a strong figure and hence, ideal for investment purpose. References AGL Energy Ltd 2016, AGL Energy Ltd Annual Report 2015, viewed 15 September 2016, https://www.agl.com.au/residential Brealey, R., Myers, S. and Allen, F 2011, Principles of corporate finance, New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Brigham, E. Daves, P 2012, Intermediate Financial Management , USA: Cengage Brigham, E.F. Ehrhardt, M.C 2011, Financial Management: Theory and Practice, USA: Cengage Learning. Christensen, J 2011, Good analytical research, European Accounting Review, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 41-51 Davies, T. Crawford, I 2012, Financial accounting, Harlow, England: Pearson. Deegan, C. M 2011, In Financial accounting theory, North Ryde, N.S.W: McGraw-Hill. Graham, J. Smart, S 2012, Introduction to corporate finance, Australia: South-Western Cengage Learning. Horngren, C 2013, Financial accounting, Frenchs Forest, N.S.W: Pearson Australia Group. Merchant, K. A 2012, Making Management Accounting Research More Useful, Pacific Accounting Review, vol. 24, no.3, pp. 1-34. Needles, B.E. Powers, M 2013, Principles of Financial Accounting, Financial Accounting Series: Cengage Learning. Northington, S 2011, Finance, New York, NY: Ferguson's. Parrino, R., Kidwell, D. Bates, T 2012, Fundamentals of corporate finance, Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Spiceland, J., Thomas, W. Herrmann, D 2011, Financial accounting, New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin,University Press Williams, J 2012, Financial accounting, New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.