Calculate and interpret financial ratios from financial statements Essay

Calculate and interpret financial ratios from financial statements - Essay Example In addition, you can use these ratios to compare the performance of your company against that of your competitors or other members of your industry. (Alex Auerbach) When you take profit before tax or interest (EBIT) and divide it by the difference between total assets and current liabilities, you can get a financial ratio known as return on capital employed ratio or ROCE. It is a ratio that shows the companys capital investments’ profitability and efficiency. The ROCE ratio is a measure of how well a company is using capital to generate income. A high ROCE is a sign or a successful growth company and indicates that a larger mass of proceeds can be reinvested to gain more profit. However; one year ROCE evaluation should not be the basis for reinvesting. Investors should look closely on the trend over several years to have consistency. A sudden decline in ROCE signals a loss of competitive advantage. Asset Turnover Ratio specifies the connection between assets and revenue (Revenue/Total assets). It gauges a company’s efficiency in using its resources in making sales. A higher asset Turnover is better. It also specifies pricing strategy: companies with low profit margins are inclined to have high asset turnover, whereas those with high profit margins tend to have low asset turnover. This ratio is important to settle on the amount of sales that are produced from each dollar of assets. To evaluate a companys operational efficiency, return on sales ratio is used. ROS is also recognized as a company’s â€Å"operating profit margin". It is calculated using this formula: Net Income before interest and tax divided by sales. Investopedia says â€Å"This measure is helpful to management, providing insight into how much profit is being produced per dollar of sales. As with many ratios, it is best to compare a companys ROS over time to look for trends, and compare it to other companies in the industry. An increasing ROS indicates the

A journal article in the family and consumer science

A journal in the family and consumer science - Article Example Finally, a strong balance of personal reaction as well as summarized information would be included. The article entitled â€Å"Promoting Partnerships for Healthy Youth† was written by Gulley (2011) and published in the Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences Education. The author clearly stated that the purpose of the project was â€Å"to deliver a school-based health promotion program†¦ (where) the aim of the program was to increase nutrition knowledge, promote a healthy body mass index and encourage a healthy body image among children in grades four through seven, residing in a small rural community in southwest Virginia† (Gulley, 2011, p. 47). Through providing a theoretical background that establishes the need for school-based health promotion, as evidenced by the reported incidences of obesity and prevalence of overweight children, Gulley examined school-based interventions to determine their effectiveness prior to proposed implementation. The key elements present in the discourse used the joint efforts of university and community partnership as the main agencies to promote health and enhance awareness of school children on the relevance of an identified program, the Healthy Weights for Healthy Kids (HWHK). As revealed, the HWHK â€Å"a school-based health education program, developed by Cooperative Extension Specialists at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, which focuses on promoting positive attitudes and behaviors related to food, drinks, physical activity, and body image (Serrano, 2003)† (Gulley, 2011, p. 48). There were six identified key topics from which the HWHK’s curriculum was premised and guided by the Experiential Learning Model, to wit: â€Å"(1) Smart Foods, (2) Smart Choices, (3) Smart Drinks, (4) Smart Snacks, (5) Smart Activities and (6) Smart Image† (Gulley, 2011, p. 48). By measuring students’ knowledge on attitudes

Project development management process

Project development management process INTRODUCTION PROJECT MANAGEMENT: is the art and science of planning, organizing and managing, the vision, task, and resources to bring about the successful completion of specific project goals and objectives. Project Management in software development process can be referred to as the application of management techniques and system execution of a software project through the projects life-cycle in order to achieve predetermined objectives of scope, quality, time and cost to the equal satisfaction of those involved. It involves planning, monitoring, and control of people, process and event that take place as software evolves from an initial concept to an operational implementation. [6] SOFTWARE: Software comprises of programs and associated data and documentation. Each of these items is a part of software development process. The main problems for software development currently are: high cost, low quality and frequent changes causing change and rework. Software has become a limiting factor in the evolution of computer-based systems. The intent of software development is to produce a framework for building higher quality software. In order to achieve successful and quality software certain methods and criteria need to be followed. These methods and criteria are classified as the software development processes. [6] SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES: is a structure imposed on the development of a software product. The process includes the phase approach to software development, software development models, the software development processes and the software project management processes. There are several models for such processes, each describing approaches to a variety of tasks or activities that take place during the process. These processes are carried out in a step by step criteria so as to come up with a successful project where by a successful project start with a step back and understanding business drivers, the problem or opportunity that accelerates the project. [6] A PHASED APPROACH TO SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT A development process consists of various phases, with each phase ending with a defined output. The phases are performed in an order specified by the software development process model. The primary reason for using a phased process is that it breaks the problem of developing software into successfully performed set of phases, each handling a different concern of software development. This ensures that the cost of development is lower than what it would have been if the whole problem were tackled together. [4][6][2] Furthermore, a phase software developmental approach allows proper checking of quality and progress at some defined points during the development. In general, any problem solving in software must consist of these activities during the development process: requirement specification, system design, detailed design, coding and testing, deployment and conversion as shown in figure 1. [6] Requirement Specifications: defines the objectives of new or modified system and lists a detailed statement of the functions that new system must perform. Analysis: during analysis, the focus is on building models that unambiguously determine the problem for which a software solution is being constructed. At this stage the limitations of the target environment is not given a priority. Design: the analysis model is adapted such that it serves as the basis for implementation in the target environment. Hence, the design deals with transforming or refining the analysis model into a design model that determines how to eventually obtain a working system. Implementation: at this stage, the coding of the system is performed Testing: testing deals with the validation of software at various levels. Testing can be categorized as follows: Unit: deals with testing the smallest units of the designed software. Integration: integration testing deals with testing the application that has been (partially) put together by integrating the smallest software units. Basically it involves testing individual software modules as a group. Validation: this involve in testing whether the software functions in a manner expected by the user. System: this is carried out at the after the integration and validation testing, system testing deals with different test whose primary purpose is to fully exercise the computer-based system. Although each test has a different purpose, all work should verify that all system elements have been properly integrated and perform allocated functions. Recovery: recovery testing involves system tests that force the software to fail in a variety of ways and verifies that recovery is properly performed. Security: this testing verifies that protection mechanisms built into a system will, in fact, protect it from improper usage and unauthorized access. It ensures adherence to restrictions on command usage, access to data, and access requirement according to associated privileges. Stress: the stress testing involves executing a system in a manner that demands resources in abnormal quantity, frequency, or volume. In other words, stress testing helps find out the level of robustness and consistent or satisfactory performance even when the limits for normal operation for the system software is crossed. Conversion: during this phase, the old system is substitute by the new system that has been developed. Four approaches can be adopted to achieve the conversion transformation [Harold] namely: Parallel: in this approach both the old and new system are run together until everyone involve in the project is convinced that the old one can be safely taken out of operation. Direct Cutover: at this stage, the old system is discarded and replaced by the new one, all at the same time. Pilot study: during the pilot study approach, the new system is introduced into a very limited area of the organization. It is not introduced any further into the rest of the organization as long as the pilot system does not begin running smoothly. Phased: the phased approach involve the introduction of the new system in stages. The pilot study approach can be considered as a special case of this approach. Maintenance: software maintenance process is the modification of a software product after delivery to correct faults, to improve performance or other attributes, or to adapt the product to a modified environment. At this stage the system has to be kept operational. The nature and extent of activity during this process depend on the type of software being developed. For some support software, the maintenance and operation phase may be very active due to changing user needs. [7] SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES Software development processes are the structures or processes imposed on the development of a software product. To produce a successful and qualitative software product certain processes management criteria need to be considered. [6] A process is a particular method of doing something, generally involving a number of steps or operations. A software development project will have at least development activities and project management activities. The development process focuses on the activities directly related to the production of software that is design, coding, and testing. Project management processes focus on planning, estimation, scheduling and taking corrective action when things do not go as per plan. [6][7] Configuration management processes focus on change and configuration control, so that the correct, tested and approved version of software component are put together for delivery. The process management processes focus on the management and improvement of these processes. The four named processes will be discussed in detail. Development Processes: these processes specify the major development and quality assurance activities that need to be performed in the project, and hence form the core of the software development processes. [7] Software development activity like any production activity is carried out in a sequence of steps, each step performing a well-defined activity leading to the satisfaction of the project goals, with the output of one step forming the input into the next step. One of the aims of any process should be to prevent defect from a phase to pass on to the next phase. This requires verification and validation activity at the end of each step. Verification checks the consistency of input into a phase, while validation activities check the consistency with user needs. There is a clearly defined output of a phase, which can be verified by some means, and the input into the next phase. Such outputs of a development process are called work products. These could be requirements documents, design documents, code, and prototype. [5] As a development process typically contains a sequence of step, the criteria for exit and entry from the phase are to be defined. These generally depend on the implementation of the process. Besides the verification and validation criteria, the development step needs to produce some information for the management process. Information has to flow from development process. An example of a typical step in a development process is illustrated in figure 2. [8] Project Management Processes: the project management component of the software process specifies all the activities that need to be done by the project management to ensure that the cost and quality objectives are met. Project management is an integrated part of software development. To meet the cost, quality and schedule objectives, resources have to be properly allotted to each activity for the project, the progress of the different activities has to be monitored, and corrective action taken, if needed. The processes focus on issues like planning a project, estimating resources, and schedule and monitoring and controlling the project. The basic task is to plan the detailed implementation of the process for a particular project and ensure that the plan is followed. [5][6] Software Configuration Management Processes: throughout development, software consist of a collection of items, such as programs, data and documents that can be easily changed. These changes do happen often. The easily changeable nature of software and the fact that changes often take place require that changes take place in a controlled manner. Software configuration Management systematically controls the changes that take place during development. Basically it is the task of tracking and controlling changes in the software. Configuration management practices include revision control and the establishment of baselines. It is also the process of changing requests and verifying the completeness and correctness of item. These processes are considered independent of the development process, because development processes cannot accommodate changes at any time during development. [6] Process Management Processes: software processes are also not static entities. Process management processes concentrate on the changes that need to be done to improve the process. The three important entities that software development deals with are processes, projects and products. The various software processes ensure that the activities require to develop software are carried out in a controlled manner. [6] CONCLUDE SUMMARY Software development management process consist of various phases, each phase ending with a successful defined output, making it possible to move to the next phase accordingly. The phases are performed in an order specified by the process model criteria being followed. The software development process goes through several phases just like the software development life cycles. The software development process consists of four management processes which are development processes, project management processes, software configuration management processes and the process management processes. The four Ps extremely vital for software project development management are people, product, process and project. All four play equally important roles in the success of a project.

Essay --

Today there are many problems and defects with with healthcare, income inequality and poverty. From time to time the government tried to change policies, in order to improve these issues, however, the gap between rich and poor keeps increasing and there is very little improvement in healthcare and the economy. In fact, healthcare keeps on becoming costly. Research studies shown that, there are strong connection has been made between housing and health. The continuing inequities in health reflect socioeconomic inequalities including housing conditions and this has led to a renewal of studies in the past years in housing as a cause of health (Research Part: I, Ch. 4&5). In this research essay it will focus on housing as a cause of health, and study of a causal connection between the two can be identified. Also, it will study other things that related to housing and may have an impact on health and how they interact, and whether a more approach included that should be taken to improve h ealth status. This approach would accept the complex causal role of housing, both at an individual and community level. According to the research studies, there are many causes of health, including: household income, employment, working conditions, education, warm dry housing, family support, the absence of drugs and diseases (Research Part: I, Ch. 4&5). Each social class has a evident power, and that power is their economic ability to change society. The four major classes are the capitalists, managers, businesspersons, and the workers. A persons clothing, housing and educational opportunities usually depend on their class, but that is a direct reflection of their income. A person does not gain any class or power without their income being taken into... ...level initiatives and stronger legislation to require healthier homes and neighborhoods. Public health professionals and health care providers must fight to create universal, equitable housing policies that benefit our most vulnerable populations." In conclusion, health and housing are strongly and complexly interconnected at a level that appears clear to common sense, but can be difficult to discover through scientific experiments. According to the researches above, it’s shows that housing indeed is an important factor of health status. However, the very nature of both housing and health means that they are inserted of some other factors, and each of the factor are influence by one of another. Anyway, the strong correlation between these two concepts means that if an incorporated, continual policy was approved, the consequences could prove to be quite significant.

Papaya

Papaya is a herbal supply of nutrients and minerals which might be important for the everyday functioning of the body.Because of its numerous wellbeing and curativeadvantages; it is broadly utilized everywhere around the globe. Read on and discover whyyou have to consolidate this ‘fruit of the angels,' the call given by the famous voyager Christopher Columbus, in your ordinary eating regimen. 1. Enhance digestion.Papayas are usually eaten for correct digestion. The availability of papain, a stomach related super catalyst, enhances assimilation by separating proteins and additionally washes down the stomach related tract. The fibre acquired from the organic product allows increment defecations. Enhanced defecations indulgefacilitate the section of stool, thereby lowering the results of constipation. Hence, a tumbler of papaya juice is regularly endorsed as a home solution for assimilationrelated issues or astringency. 2. Brings down cholesterol:- Papaya is made of fibre, vitamin C and cancer prevention agents that stop cholesterin develop into your arteries. Cut ready papaya into items and consume this on the empty abdomen for higher outcomes. Eat papaya daily for at least one month to lower blood cholesterin. Try not to eat or drink anything for around two hours in the wake of eating papaya. 3. Secures against joint pain:- Papayas are known to be useful in opposition to rheumatoid joint inflammation and osteoarthritis. Papain and chymopapain, the two essential enzymes,found in papaya, accommodating in decreasing irritation related to osteoarthritis and rheumatoid joint pain. Additionally, Papaya contains cell reinforcement's vitamin C, nutrition E and carotene that suggests mitigating properties against joint inflammation, therefore, enables to cure burning. Hence, an individual struck by osteoporosis, joint pain ought to take papaya consistently. 4. Useful for diabetics:- Numerous specialists have discovered that the utilization of crude papaya could aid to keep up glucose level and cholesterol in light of the high fibre content, accordingly keeping a beware of diabetes.5. Boosts your immunity:-Papaya is thought as a wonderful immunity booster. Eating of papaya has connected with the development of theimmunity arrangement of the body since it is an incredible supply of vitamin A, B, C, and K. They assist to decimate harmful microbes. A medium-sized papaya could offer you double your day by day necessity of vitamins. 6. Healthy skin:- Papaya is one of only a handful couple of natural products which are utilized for skin shining and face pack.It can enable your skin to look more conditioned and energetic. Papaya's facial utilizations could facilitate to decorate the flexibility of the skin. Exorbitant free radical movement is accepted to be in charge of much of the wrinkling, hanging and other skin harm that happens with age. The vitamin C and lycopene in papaya guard your skin and might help reduce the signs and symptoms of getting old. The papain chemical and Vitamin A in papaya helps expel dead skin cells what's more, inert proteins, accordingly restoring your skin. It also allows preserving your pores and skin hydrous. 7. Diminishes pimples ; Burns:- Most adolescents experience the ill effects of pimple issue. The juice acquired from papayas is utilized to treat the regions on the skin influenced by skin inflammation. An eating routine which has papayas will facilitate recover the condition internally, creating the skin clear. Or by utilizing a basic papaya cover you can avert pimples and diminish their length. The juice of the fruit is used on burnthe region helps in diminishing the imprints caused due to the burn.8. Hair Care:-a). Advances hair development:- The nutrients in papaya facilitate stop hairless. Eating papaya consistently can help lessen hair diminishing. b) Herbal conditioner:- As it is wealthy in minerals, vitamins and chemicals, papaya acts as a herbal conditioner, creating your hair milder and sleek. Mixture papaya, yoghurt, banana, and coconut oil together into a dense mash. Blanketed your head to hold warmness and left for about 30 minutes and wash your hair.This mixture is useful for soothing your hair. c). Papaya for dandruff remedy:- Hair dandruff has turned out to be a standout amongst the most widely recognized hair issues. Papaya is useful for hair dandruff. You can without much of a stretch control dandruff by utilizing papaya as it has catalysts which can avert and control the abundance development of oil and chemicals on your scalp. Crush a large portion of a papaya and blend it with a large portion of a measure of yogurt. Combine well and rub in it on the scalp. Wash off with cool water or a gentle cleanser following 30 minutes.9. Controls Menstruation:- Papaya juice can be of extraordinary help for ladies with unpredictable menses. Intake of fresh, young papayas can standardize the abnormality in one's intermittent cycle. Papayas can deliver warm in the body. This extreme generation of warmth within the body animates the sex hormone. This instigates periods in the females. Henceforth, papayas can be helpful in taking care of troublesome menses.Papaya is made in important supplements and has a heavenly taste.To enjoy the numerous advantagesof papaya, don't forget to include this sound and flavorful organic product to your eating routine.

Critical Analysis of the Nut Island Effect Essay

The Nut Island Effect (NIE) is a sad but true outcome of what happens when communication breakdown within an organization. The following is a critical analysis of the events that ended in a terrible catastrophe at the Nut Island treatment plant. In our analysis we will cover the following topics as well as reference supporting articles and excerpts that will support our position: 1. Key arguments in the article. 2. Sampling and analytical strategies. 3. Interpersonal relationships. 4. Implications of results and its relevance. 5. Analyzing current organizational design. . Our assessments and methods to improve strategies and managerial skills. By analyzing these topics, we will have a better grasp on becoming effective managers and leaders so we will not fall victims to the â€Å"NIE† in our organizations. Key Arguments in the Article The article The Nut Island Effect: When Good Teams Go Wrong, talks about how a management’s dream team was tainted by too much empowerment. Initially, senior management preoccupied themselves with other issues and did not take the time to look at what was going on behind the scenes. They allowed workers to ultimately make decisions on how the plant would run. In essence, senior management’s lack of interest or control over day-to-day operations set the ball in motion for total chaos. Secondly, when team members approached senior management with their concerns over faulty equipment and the need for parts and supplies, their requests were ignored and taken for granted. A resistance to senior management followed. Team members stayed out of management’s radar, even if it meant solving their own problems. They incurred out-of-pocket expenses and working long hours without reporting overtime. This behavior unified the team’s ability to digest problems and dish out solutions, even if they were not the most appropriate. At this point the workers were making their own rules. Management did not take responsibly or an interest in the tasks at hand. Meetings were not set up to educate the team on appropriate practices. Instead of offering guidance, they avoided the problem all together, allowing the team to do as they pleased. This was a major factor in the deterioration of the team’s performance. Finally, came the denial phase. The team and management did not listen to the concerns of outsiders. Instead of controlling the situation, they continued to work as they had been doing so, until a terrible event broke the deadlock. Unfortunately it was too late because the four major machines stopped working which caused unprocessed waste to wash up onto the shores of Quincy, Massachusetts. Sampling and Analytical Strategies The NIE is a true situation that can occur in companies. However, the article does not describe or inform readers on adequate sample sizes or methods used in carrying out the study. Within the article, the author mentioned talking to upper management as well as former employees when gathering detail. In addition, the author explained how he had described this syndrome to other managers and their awareness on this type of situation did exist. The upper managers in this article did a good job of keeping their heads in the sand since they allowed this terrible effect to develop over a long period of time without addressing the issue. Interpersonal Relationships Unfortunately, there was a division within the organization between management and employees. There was no hierarchy structure. We believe that due to the lack of management support, the members of the team became stressed. Their mental, physical, and emotional well-being was not preserved. This caused them to form a resistance against management and isolate themselves from the world, so to speak. Even though the workers were not out to sabotage their work; that is exactly what happened. Till this day, employees that worked at the plant believed they did the best they could with what they had to work with. Furthermore, there was no trust between management and employees. We believe that improving the health and communication of an organization is a priority. Moreover, it is important to put employee needs first as well as sharing information regularly. Companies such as Southwest Airlines and Amazon. com instill this discipline in efforts to improve the quality of their organization’s ideals. Implications of Results and it Relevance When examining the results of the NIE, there were evident signs that should have been acted upon; this might have avoided this collapse. â€Å"Managing remote teams takes much more involvement and care than any of us would have imagined, especially when the remote teams have a history of acting independently. We encounter even more challenging issues when the remote teams are inexperienced in information development because they are located offshore in emerging economies. † (Hackos, 2004) As Levy (2001) points out, â€Å"a team can easily lose sight of the big picture when it narrowly focuses on a demanding task. The task itself becomes the big picture, crowding other considerations out of the frame. † Analyzing Current Organizational Design Utilization of high performance work teams (HPWT) would have given the treatment plant a higher chance for success. The team seemed to possess characteristics of a HPWT. They were cohesive and highly dedicated to the company’s mission. However, a true HPWT should be clear on their mission, know their priorities, and act towards supporting the team’s goals. Furthermore, their goals were antiquated and did not have the support of senior management or access to outside sources to enhance their ability to set new goals, based on the latest technology. They worked well together and had good communication within the team. However, having good communication is of little use if what is being communicated is not viable. They cross-training each other, teaching new hires only what team members knew which was outdated and lacked outside training opportunities. Furthermore, HPWT are effective at identifying and resolving problems, as well as making successful group decision because they can detect and resolve conflicts. (Holmes, 2010) Truly the NIE missed the mark in this area. Even though management was unresponsive, the team should have been more persistent, instead of recoiling as they did. Implementation of a HPWT would have been effective in the organization if it would have been able to collect information before and after the application. The major emphasis would have been the involvement of senior management in both scenarios. â€Å"The task of getting organizations to function effectively is a difficult one. Understanding one individual’s behavior is a challenging problem in and of itself. A group, made up of different individuals and multiple relationships among those individuals, is even more complex. In the fact of this overwhelming complexity, organizational behavior must be managed. (Nadler, Tushman, Hackman, & Lawler, 2001) Our Assessment and Methods to Improve Strategies and Managerial Skills The NIE can subtly take root within any organization. We feel that the warning signs are the key to recognizing such occurrences and should promptly be addressed. As leaders within our respective organizations, we should work hard not to isolate anyone. Furthermore strong leaders need to fight for their team’s cause. One article has this to say about the NIE, â€Å"†¦we must keep them from becoming isolated, unable to look at their work in a larger context. We must keep our own teams and especially our remote teams from becoming exclusively focused on deadlines. Instead, they need to participate in a strategic vision that is aligned with larger corporate goals and customer needs. (Hackos, 2004) As managers, the lessons to be learned from the NIE, is blatantly simple. Managers must be aware of the activities of a team even if they do not want to micro-manage. We must understand that even though we want our team to be able to function independently, a major part of our job is to supply the right amount of supervision vs. employee empowerment. Empowering a team is not a onetime process; managers cannot assign a task and send their employees on their way. According to Bailey (1992), how we define empowerment within our projects will depend upon the specific people and context involved. In conclusion, the NIE scenario discusses how managers neglected to serve as mediators and coaches. As managers, leaders and directors the knowledge of the NIE has alerted us that it is critical to always provide direction to our teams and to listen to their needs. We need to train and prepare our employees for empowerment regardless of their background, education, or experience. Lastly, keeping leaders involved, integrating team members, and bring in outside experts is important in creating an effective environment within organizations. References http://www.innovint.com/downloads/principles-of-empowerment.php http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-mackey/creating-the-high-trust-o_b_497589.html

3 Problems with In-Line Lists

3 Problems with In-Line Lists 3 Problems with In-Line Lists 3 Problems with In-Line Lists By Mark Nichol An in-line list, one located within a sentence rather than formatted vertically below an explanatory phrase, sentence, or paragraph, may present an obstacle to comprehension in the following ways. Each sentence represents a different type of error, and the discussion that follows each statement explains the problem and a revision resolves it. 1. Organizations must notify affected individuals of a data breach when a reasonable person would conclude that the unauthorized access to, disclosure or loss of the information would be likely to result in serious harm to the individual or individuals.   In this sentence, there should be three distinct phrases consisting of a noun followed by a preposition, but disclosure is bereft of the latter; either allow it to share one, or give it its own: â€Å"Organizations must notify affected individuals of a data breach when a reasonable person would conclude that the unauthorized access to or disclosure or loss of the information would be likely to result in serious harm to the individual or individuals†Ã‚  or â€Å"Organizations must notify affected individuals of a data breach when a reasonable person would conclude that the unauthorized access to, disclosure of, or loss of the information would be likely to result in serious harm to the individual or individuals.†Ã‚   2. Typically, the best companies: are customer-focused; understand their value proposition; develop powerful and distinctive messaging; and listen well and act to improve their processes, products, and customer experience continuously. No colon or other punctuation mark is necessarily to signal that an in-line list follows the subject of the sentence; it is redundant to the verb(s) it precedes: â€Å"Typically, the best companies are customer-focused; understand their value proposition; develop powerful and distinctive messaging; and listen well and act to improve their processes, products, and customer experience continuously.† This is true as well for vertical lists, unless the introductory wording constitutes an independent clause- compare â€Å"Typically, the best companies [vertical list follows]† and â€Å"Typically, the best companies demonstrate the following qualities: [vertical list follows].† Note, too, that with the latter format, the list items would have to be revised to be complete sentences or to not begin with a verb. 3. Its long list of supporters includes Kobe Bryant, swimmer Janet Evans, Venus and Serena Williams and other sports royalty. When the style a publication adheres to calls for omitting the serial comma in simple lists (â€Å"a, b and c†), the serial comma must still be employed on occasion to clarify organization when a compound list item occurs: â€Å"Its long list of supporters includes Kobe Bryant, swimmer Janet Evans, Venus and Serena Williams, and other sports royalty.† (This rule applies for list forms â€Å"a and b, c, and d,† â€Å"a, b and c, and d,† or â€Å"a, b, and c and d,† as well as â€Å"a and b, c and d, and e† and so on.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Writing a Reference Letter (With Examples)16 Misquoted QuotationsKn- Words in English