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Imagine what the world would be like without cars. Without all the pollution they produce. A world without the noise from running vehicles. The dangers of being in a car crash. Now, think about a self-driving car with you sitting in the driving seat. While both scenarios may seem like a figment of your imagination, the second thought is not. Self-driving vehicles are a reality because companies like Google and Waymo are working on self-driving cars that can maneuver with the utmost ease. While there were challenges in developing this technology, and some vendors are still testing their variants, Google’s self-driving car was a concept that turned into reality thanks to the relentless focus on developing a quality, affordable product.

Current Projects

It can be argued that self-driving cars are here to stay, given their need and scope. Many notable automobile makers are now considering the possibility of developing self-driving cars. Some have progressed well but are going through the testing phase. Google’s self-driving car developer, Waymo, once claimed that the world would see self-driving vehicles on the road by 2020. While that did not happen by 2020, the delay is not in the over-arching self-driving car project. There have been delays in the past, but the project will continue for some time.

Technology

Many companies are doing their part to develop self-driving cars, and there have been instances when these cars were tested. When we discuss self-driving vehicles, Google’s self-driving automobile comes to mind. The car has been around since 2006 and has been going through rigorous testing ever since.

The car is a marvel of cutting-edge technology, using a combination of microchip-based processing units and software to operate the vehicle. Google has been rigorously working on and testing many prototype vehicles for years. The self-driving car has covered several laps of 100-mile runs and continues to do so. The self-driving vehicle is progressing through a testing phase during which the technology is established for reliability, affordability, and the response of installed systems. The car is expected to include limited functionality with other manually controlled functions. For example, the driver can drive and park the vehicle manually or automatically. Automatic assisting for brakes is also there for improved survivability.

Once the prototype phase is over, many companies will present their self-driving cars and robots. Delays in the project are temporary, and self-driving vehicles are anticipated to be on roads before 2030. The improving technology indicates that these cars are about to hit mass production.

The Future of Cars

Driving a car can be a hectic experience, and taking your vehicle on a long drive can make you feel tired and frustrated. Surprisingly, humans tend to feel bored and tired even when driving a luxury car with top-of-the-line features. With smart cars soon on the road, you do not need to worry about becoming sleepy and bored while driving. This automotive revolution is just around the corner, with many vendors trying their best to include features that will get you to your destination in no time. Self-driving vehicles are all set to be affordable without compromising your family’s safety.

Improvements

The preparation of prototypes was completed years ago, but comfort, automation, and integration drive improvements to the design. Automated cars will revolutionize how we drive by helping us save money through fuel economy without compromising mileage. Two concepts currently being developed include cars with hybrid propulsion and electric propulsion. Both will improve fuel economy through a cutting-edge ecosystem that monitors fuel status and displays the information to the driver. The driver will be there and can take over by pressing a button if he prefers. About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Have you considered improving your business and taking it to the next level? This will be impossible without human resource management. First, running a business is not easy, and an entrepreneur must focus on multiple operations areas. This means managers and the human resource department are responsible for meeting targets and company goals. However, operating under outdated methods will no longer work; the same applies to old technologies. Do you expect your managers to meet your expectations in the 21^st century using technologies of the previous century? Certainly not. Effectual use of technology and efficient human resource management is essential. You can make sure to manage your human resources by doing the following:

Anticipating Needs

One of the roles of any modern Human Resource (HR) department is to anticipate the requirements of an expanding company. The HR department must monitor company plans to accommodate a plan of expansion. Sometimes, companies initiate mergers with other businesses, and no matter how small or big the organization, a merger puts the HR department at attention. The HR department must anticipate future business needs and operate accordingly while keeping the current needs of the business and employees in view. Now, the role of HR will expand twofold as they are responsible for managing the existing workforce while anticipating partial recruitment for the future. It is worth noting that these hirings are limited and not expansive and replace current underperforming employees or those who left.

Focusing on Growth

The first thing to consider is business growth. HR must maintain focus on where the business is headed. The department should expect to recruit and onboard new associates if the business is trending toward growth and expansion. HR departments must stay in touch with upper management to know when to act and plan for recruitment. Expected business growth will likely initiate the recruitment process so the HR department must be kept involved in an expansion plan.

Understanding the Mission Statement

As a matter of principle, every human resource department must understand the business’s mission statement. The mission statement is the driving force for any company and projects it towards a desired growth level. This becomes possible when the human resource executives understand company objectives correctly, and there is little to no room for error. Human resource managers understand what is at stake and do all they can to meet required performance levels and objectives.

Ensuring Employee Retention

Employees are the biggest asset for any company, so pushing employees unnecessarily or forcing them to quit is not a desirable practice. A proficient HR team will ensure employee retention at all costs. Experienced employees understand their job well and know what the company expects from them. Employee retention can improve profitability and help the business expand without the risk of incurring losses. The inability to ensure a high-profit margin while increasing losses is something every HR team must avoid. As such, retaining experienced employees and hiring new candidates when needed are primary responsibilities for HR.

Equipping Employees

An employee given a goal but no tools to achieve it is ineffective. It is a common problem for many companies where employees lack the tools to achieve desired performance. The HR department must consider their requirements and promptly provide the tools they ask for to maintain increased business productivity and employee satisfaction. 

Considering Employee Competence

HR must assign employees targets based on their skills, competence, and portfolio.A fresh candidate may lack the expertise and knowledge of an experienced employee. Therefore, HR professionals must consider employee experience and knowledge before assigning tasks. Similarly, HR should recognize growth opportunities for employees to hone skills or areas to improve.

Initiating Best Practices

Identify HR best practices to achieve results without compromising employee performance. HR professionals must have the skills and expertise to know what it takes to extract better results from the team without making them lose their confidence. For example, making employees consistently work late can reduce their overall performance, but it may occasionally become pivotal to achieving monthly and quarterly goals. HR should identify which best practices to initiate and when to implement them to maximize production and employee approval.

Conclusion

Considering and putting these factors into practice is the best way to grow your organization, so implement these steps to effectively manage your HR efficiency. About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

The demand for organic food and products has grown exponentially in the twenty-first century as people have grown healthier and more environmentally conscious. The need for sustained farming is more important than ever, as science has shown that everyday agriculture practices have adverse effects on climate change, and the use of pesticides and artificial fertilizers has led to water contamination, pollution, and soil erosion. Although these farming techniques usually produce higher yields, they are done at the expense of the environment and negatively affect our health in the long run. The need to balance the growing rise in global food demand and the conservation of the environment has induced more people towards organic farming produce.

Despite producing lower yields than traditional farming techniques, studies have shown that organic farming is more profitable. Researchers calculated that organic farming earns approximately 22-35% more, as farmers can sell their certified organic produce at higher prices. The cost of producing organic goods is much lower as they do not rely on pesticides, chemicals, or other industrial items. However, they have a higher labor cost, which is beneficial as it creates more jobs and requires skilled professionals.

The demand for organic food has grown exponentially as millions of Americans become more health-conscious and actively seek healthy alternatives to their favorite foods. For example, Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, the parent company of the Impossible Burger, have been offering meat-alternative plant-based patties and sausages to combat heavily processed fast food. It has become a multi-billion-dollar industry, with everyone actively pursuing more plant-friendly organic products. Supermarkets and big-box retailers like Walmart, Costco, and Target actively advertise their organic food sections and have seen massive spikes in sales.

The value of organic farms being eco-friendly and healthier cannot be overlooked. Still, organic food does not produce the exact yield as those harvested through traditional farming techniques. Additionally, their high price margins can discourage the average American, who might not want to spend much of their budget on organic foods. Individuals might be more inclined to consume regular processed food products since they are more affordable. Regarding cost, organic foods cannot compete with processed foods and are in danger of being a luxury item rather than a necessity. Despite availability almost everywhere in the country, people experiencing financial hardships might not be able to afford to buy organic foods regularly.

While organic farming is more profitable than traditional farming techniques, there are disadvantages. At the same time, farmers can earn a premium from selling their products as certified organic; it is a long-term investment. It typically takes years to produce a yield that can cover their expenses. Many farmers cannot financially afford to invest in something that will not see a return for years and are hopelessly dependent on pesticides and chemicals. Most farmers dedicate only a percentage of their farming land to organic products. Though they might slowly reduce their dependence on chemicals, it will still be many years before they fully transition into exclusively producing organic foods.

That means that the bulk of orders is being met by corporations, who have the capital and the means to mass-produce it that the average farmer cannot. This means companies use automation to produce large-scale orders, ultimately hurting the agricultural sector and dissuading farmers from entirely diverting from conventional farming methods. According to David Crowder from the Washington State University Department of Entomology, the problem could be solved if the government intervenes on their behalf and assists the industry.

“The challenge facing policymakers,” he explains, “is to develop government policies that support conventional farmers converting to organic and other sustainable systems, especially during the transition period, often the first three years.”

The only way for us to combat climate change and the degradation of the environment is by helping farmers use eco-friendly methods and boost profits during their first few years of transition. It is also crucial for the government to protect them from the threat of companies like Target and Walmart, whose pricing techniques ultimately cause more harm than good in both the short and long term.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Have you ever captured a picture and stared at it for hours, wondering how to improve it? Are you searching for ways to give your photography a professional look? Recently, there has been a shift towards online image editors. With the development of advanced tools and software, you can edit your picture from any corner of the world or seek help from anyone. But as a beginner, you might be confused about where to start the process. Below are insights into digital image editing tactics.

Digital Image Editing

This term refers to the modification and improvement of digitally saved images with the help of software and various editing tools.

The Era of Image Editors

In the digital era, almost everyone is familiar with photo editing software, including the popular image editing software Photoshop. Some editors believe it ruins your photograph, while others use it to manipulate pictures.

Image Editing Tips for Beginners

Here are some image editing tips to help you better understand editing software.

• Image flattening

This is the essential element of every digital image editing practice. As you cannot lay the foundation of a house without primary material, you cannot edit a photo perfectly with this step. It appears in “Camera Raw,” where you’re setting your image. You must open your photograph in Camera Raw and adjust the color temperature and exposure if needed.

Now set up the highlights slider between the range of -30 to -80 and the shadows slider within the scope of +30 to +80. If you want to darken your picture, make the highlights slider dull, flatten the shadows, and set the range in mid-tones. Your image will flatten out and might be looking dull.

To make your image look pretty, choose the proper contrast for it. Remember that by adding too much difference, your image will lose its natural look. Always use the proper toning techniques per your picture requirements in digital image editing.

• Use of healing brush

In the next step, go for a healing brush instead of spot healing. It will let you choose your source points to heal. The healing tool helps you remove pimples, dark spots, skin inconsistencies, and background distractions.

You can also use this tool on landscapes, as it lets you eliminate little distractions and spots. However, it would be best to be more attentive to the small details to use this tool efficiently. Otherwise, your image will not meet expectations, and digital image editing will not work for you.

• Clone stamp tool

Clone stamp tone lets you both lighten or darken your image. You can either apply it to your background or on your skin. Keep the opacity 15% and use it on those areas which do not contain many details. You can apply it to natural light shots, which do not include points. The frequency-separation option allows you to merge several transitions in the sky, ground, or shapes with fewer details.  

• Dodge and burn

This digital image editing software contains a feature shape and modifies the light as you choose. There are several ways through which you can dodge or burn your picture. You can set up the curve adjustment layer for brighter and darker exposure. The layer mask and brushes allow you to avoid and burn the best-fit place you want.

Dodge and burn tools can affect shadows, highlights, or mid-tones. You can darken or lighten a single side of your photograph to represent transition. You can do multiple things with the dodge and burn tool to beautify your image.

• Frequency separation

Frequency separation is a tactic in digital image editing that makes your skin look smooth. Depending on the picture, you can use it extensively or in moderation. You can apply this tool to your clothes, backdrops, or skies.

• Layer change

While using digital image editing software, you can use the layer change tool on almost every photograph. You need to open the B&W layer and modify the blending mode to soft light to make changes. After this, you will observe much contrast in your picture.

For this reason, keep the opacity between 20% to 60%. You can give your image a sharp look and change color-wise luminance on the white and black layers. You can get beautiful skin toning by altering the red and yellow colors.

• Highlights with curves

You can change your image’s contrast through the curve adjustment layer. To make an S-shaped curve, you must bring down the top point from the right side and add a second one near it. This step gives your picture some unique color transitions.

Picture editing is no longer complex with a wide range of digital image editing software. You must be attentive and careful while working with different tools and following the image editing tips. This will nrevent you from a mishap bandadd a professional look to your photograph.  

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

The real estate market has been suffering oscillations recently, which always raises the question: is it an excellent time to buy real estate? The truth is that purchasing a property is a dream for many people for various reasons. Among them, we can cite family needs, the desire to achieve independence by leaving the parents’ house, or simply a form of investment. Regardless of the reason, purchasing a property must be planned and made at the best time to avoid financial problems later.

But what exactly is the best time to buy a property? Below are some ideal situations for you to realize your dream of acquiring your own property.

Career Stability

If you find yourself at a time when your career is stable, and you have a salary that allows you to commit monthly installments over a medium to long term, then this is an excellent time to buy real estate.

As the current job market is going through many changes, many people are afraid to invest in a property because they worry about having a good enough salary to pay the installments. But if you find yourself in a situation where none of this is a hindrance, it is a good time to invest in acquiring real estate.

Family Needs

Many people have the desire to marry and raise a family. In this case, acquiring a property to house the new family is often necessary. Another common case involving family needs is when a family that has lived paying rent for many years finds it better to invest their money by paying mortgage installments on their property.

If you have a certain amount saved or are thinking about real estate, this is an excellent time to buy real estate. Determine the family’s current needs and act cautiously, selecting the property and the form of payment.

Availability of Money

Did you receive an inheritance, win the lottery, or save a lot of money? This can be an excellent time to buy real estate.

Remember that one of the main advantages of acquiring this type of asset is its tendency to appreciate over time. This investment only monetizes unless you leave the property and fail to do the necessary maintenance. Also, if you are in no hurry to sell your property, you can rent it, get extra income, and potentially buy a second property later.

Lack of Alignment

Was a child born? Are your parents older and no longer want to climb stairs? Have some members moved out, and now the house is too big? These are some of the reasons why people decide to buy another property.

When your home no longer meets the family’s needs, it is an excellent time to buy real estate that suits your new reality, whatever it may be. A couple whose children are adults may want to keep a house in town and another in the country or on the beach. Professionals who frequently move from one city to another may prefer a loft of their own rather than staying in hotels.

City Change

Whether it is by choice or by necessity, it may be that your life will move you to a new city. With an apartment or a home, you will feel more secure in facing the transformations brought about by that decision. Be sure to evaluate prices, which can change significantly from one city to another. In capitals, the value of real estate is usually higher. Meanwhile, the suburbs can bring quality of life and resource savings in acquiring property.

Desire to Live Alone

At some point in life, many young people are eager to begin their lives alone, without the supervision of their parents. In the same way, whoever stays in the family for a longer time also desires to have his own house with his own rules. And this is also an excellent time to buy real estate!

Financial and emotional independence provides maturity, develops responsibilities, and enables decision-making without worrying about anyone else’s opinion. About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Your employees are your greatest assets. They generate your revenue, earn you profit, and play a significant role in keeping your company going. All’s well and good initially; however, a problem arises when they’re sitting on a desk from 9-5, attached to a computer. A monotonous lifestyle is bound to create a shift, not in the lifestyle, but in the mindset. 

See, two things happen when your employees are working. One: they are working and working, productive beyond measure. Two: they become absent-minded, lost in the words they type. It becomes worse when one transforms into two as well. Now, if not all, then most of your employees are absent-minded. The issue here is how you identify absent-mindedness. Is it absent-mindedness, or do they take too many off days?

A specific routine can get on to the heart, and it’s worse if the seat is weak. Absenteeism is essentially a lack of attendance at work without any valid reason. Many people take leaves because they need a break, and some take them because they might feel lazy. Supervisors will never know the truth because calling in sick is as easy as falling off a log. There are, however, quite a few reasons why employee absenteeism rates are high.

Burnout

Research proves that burnout is directly connected to decreased performance in the workplace (Ruotsalainen et al., 2015). This phenomenon may lead to multiple withdrawal symptoms, such as absenteeism and intention to leave the job (Alarcon, 2011; Kim and Kao, 2014). 

Burnout does not just involve a reduced interest but is a form of exhaustion. It acts like a seed that grows to be a plant. It will continue to reap results, majorly negative, eventually taking a toll on one’s mental energy. To have money come into your account, you will still go to work, but with low motivation rates and a reduced sense of accomplishment. This dissatisfaction has much to do with your environment, too.

In all honesty, if your employee’s friends are with them or have someone they like at their workplace, attendance would benefit, wouldn’t it? It is all about forming a feeling of homeliness where you work. They are giving 9 hours of their day, the crunch of their time, to your workplace, and if you are not satisfied, that means you are simply not receiving it. Maslach (1982) defined burnout as a psychological syndrome that includes emotional exhaustion, reduced sense of accomplishment, and depersonalization among professionals working with different people in relatively demanding situations. 

Other Reasons

 Employees can feel particularly vulnerable at the next workplace. One of the reasons they can demonstrate absenteeism is because they are dealing with personal issues. These emotional issues can involve commitments at home or those within relationships. It can get tricky to juggle so much together.

Having no control of your work or what you oversee can be particularly tough on the brain. As humans born to live and love, society has enforced so much on us that managing emotions with our work is difficult. An age-old traditional idiom says you won’t succeed if you don’t put your heart into something. What do you do? Put your seat at work, then what do you give to your family? Your employees give so much to their families; they have nothing left to bring to their presentation at work. 

There is too much to juggle and not too many hands to help. Swamped with expectations, your employee takes a break. A break means an off day. They feel loosened and relaxed. And it helps. So, they take more and more and more. While it is understandable, the fact remains that if they can’t do the job, you will find someone else to do it for you. Even the boss will get fired if the deadline is not met at the end of the day. You must come up with a middle ground.

Solution

What if you introduce tight work timings with workload divided at points that we, as humans, can logically fulfill? What if you put yourself in their position and target precisely that? It is laborious and time-consuming but think about the results it would reap. It is a one-time effort that would be long-lasting and ease your conscience. Of course, prolonged absences cannot compromise work, and your employee cannot be absent every other day, but you can have additional help, can’t you? 

Companies must rethink policies that help establish facts and figures for bosses and employees—the narrative changes when we change our perspectives. You can set up procedures to reduce absenteeism, and your employees will follow them, but what if you change the way you see absenteeism and develop a solution that would help in the long term? About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

On the global level, only a few countries have industrialized without innovating their agricultural sector. Unbelievably, agricultural transformation can reduce poverty by consistently improving rural economic growth.

The transformational procedures start with increasing the income of rural households, higher productivity in the agricultural fields, and increased demands within the local market. The increase in productivity enables targeting larger markets, ago-processing increases, and farmers decide to take more jobs because of the decrease in work. Modernization in the agriculture sector results in becoming more efficient and less labor-centric. On the other hand, non-agricultural sectors have become more labor-intensive to manage significant growth.

For the analysis, it was mandatory to measure those countries in the middle of their agricultural transformation phase or at an abrupt halt. The most prominent indicators of any economic transformation are the decline in farm production and the overall drop in GDP. It also deals with reducing the economically driven people in the agricultural sector within the country’s total crop of people employed. The indicators depict that the farm sector has become more efficient while the economy is also growing.

These indicators fall into the macroeconomic list of indicators. Moreover, metrics will be here that define the transformational change in agriculture locally or even at the household level. For example, the ratio that depicts the agribusiness output from the total agriculture GDP will rise significantly in the earlier stages of the transformation. Additionally, as discussed beforehand, rural wages will increase as the transformation in agriculture occurs, irrespective of the factors that make it possible. In time, people witnessed those households linked to farming change their consumption style. They will significantly buy more from processed goods in the market, in contrast to what they grow in their fields. 

Nevertheless, it is essential to understand how a farming household will experience a change in income during the agricultural transformation. Farmers will adopt innovative technologies, perform creative farming measures, and expand operations for better results. Moreover, farming households will try to earn income from other sources but continue to work on their lands. On the other hand, families will leave the farming business and migrate elsewhere. The subtleties of the work involving agricultural transformation also vary extensively with the geographic nature of the country, such as the markets, quality of the road, and ecological system. These factors are core characteristics that can track a country’s progress to a successful agricultural transformation.

Ensuring a Successful Agricultural Transformation

Numerous metrics were considered when determining the agricultural transformation of different countries. The patterns were quite visible after discussing the historical data regarding the transition across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The performance metrics were chosen based on their success and unsuccessful periods during the transformation phase. The research does not include those lagging metrics, creating a prospect that the transformation process will continue. The metrics also depicted the level of readiness towards the successful implementation and selected those who were absent. The absence of indicators showed that the victimized countries had to stop their transformation process. Even though countries take different routes towards their transition process, the present study identified twenty-five performance indicators essential to ensuring transformational change in the agricultural aspect.

Critical Influential Areas

The twenty-five measuring criteria consist of the essential features to ensure agricultural transformation. The ten metrics selected measure the commitment and the methods taken by the government sector. It consists of the strategies and implementation approaches that can drive a transformational change for a country. The present study highlighted that the countries that considered these metrics, if not excelled exceptionally, still survived the transformational change. However, the countries that fail to adopt these metrics may fail to ensure a transformational change in their agricultural sector.

Conclusion

After analyzing the need for agricultural transformation and how countries should go about it, it is without a doubt that governments need to work hard. They need to identify a course that can accelerate the transition phase and reduce the likelihood of stalling. Moreover, it is essential to understand that today’s transformation differs from the past decades. Nonetheless, the standard set of institutional, organizational, and political factors remains unchanged for agricultural transformation.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Do you have plans to invest in real estate this year? If so, it makes sense to investigate opportunities you might find on the way—those who have barely started exploring their real estate options. The global economy fluctuates and often ends in a recession, much like the real estate market. It is best to keep your options open to capitalize on the opportunity when the time is right. It is worth noting that real estate is a volatile industry where property prices keep rolling up and down. When you see this happening, know that it is time to get in touch with experts. Get more on this below:

A Glimpse into the Storm

So, what happens when global economies crash or show signs of an inevitable crash? Will you experience symptoms, or will it all sail over your head? Keeping the 2008 recession in view, only a select few will know if a storm is brewing. Fortunately, real estate agents are among those who can smell a recession coming. Before exploring your options and finding ways of buying, selling, or renting a property for residential purposes, contact a real estate agent immediately.

Soon, you will discuss your real estate options with a proficient, reliable agent. The economy has a profound impact on the real estate market. Knowing about this beforehand is not easy. It will help if you keep the company of someone who knows and understands the need.

What Happens if Economies Fall?

The real estate market and the world economy are connected. This market segment is more volatile because it runs on speculations, much like how we do business in the stock market, where speculation rules. Rumors can make or break sessions after sessions in the market. The same goes for real estate, as prices fall after speculations lead the market. Why would anyone care? Hypotheses come about rumors that can be true or false. If there is news about the economy, regardless of whether it is true, the market will likely fall victim to speculation based on rumors.

They were wondering what happens when a global meltdown is around the corner. Markets begin to fall more quickly, and no recovery is in sight. The market continues to spiral downward, and price hike becomes a norm. Property prices continue to rise for as long as the recession continues. Remember that an economic meltdown does not end in a day or two. With all this going on, investors start to vacate the market and withdraw their capital as soon as possible. Investors suffer enormous losses depending on the amount they have invested.

Interest Rates Go Out of Control

If you have ever invested in a property, you would know that interest rates significantly impact real estate prices. With economic turmoil, the interest rates will become out of control. Having no check and balance on interest rates means that property prices and rent will go out of hand. No compensation will again increase the costs of properties. Those looking to rent properties for commercial purposes should wait.

With interest rates out of control, mortgage rates also suffer. Remember that mortgage rates may remain out of control if interest rates are out of check. Let the interest rate settle, and then decide whether or not the market is worth investing in.

Government Policies

The government must keep a check on things no matter how bad they are. You should set up the availability of emergency protocols to keep things under control to some degree. The real estate market may be volatile, but some would consider investing in buying properties despite knowing the fluctuation. Prices were never lower, and sellers were ready to incur losses. Investors will find this is the best opportunity to invest in lucrative properties. Think about it: who would let go of such an opportunity?

Understanding the real estate market is difficult for novices. It is best to keep a relationship with your real estate agent so he can guide you on buying and selling properties that may become lucrative and regain their market value in little time. Likewise, those of you looking to rent properties can also find it an excellent opportunity to invest. You need to know when and what property to invest in. Let your real estate agent help you find the best investment opportunities.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

A proper accounting system in place is essential for any business to flourish. Successful entrepreneurs suggest it is best to set up a robust accounting system right at the company’s start, allowing it to mature as business operations grow and thus build a sturdy foundation for the businesses. A proper accounting system promises countless benefits, with updated financials being the most important. It is always convenient for a small business owner to have updated financial information. That can only happen if there’s a proper system of recording transactions, monitoring the budget, and promptly managing cash flow and income statements. You can conveniently achieve all of this by setting up appropriate accounting software. 

If you are freshly starting with your business and have little to no clue about setting up the accounting system for your business, you have nothing to worry about. Here, we have listed a step-by-step guide to implementing a proper accounting system for your small business. It isn’t as complicated as some professionals might make it sound. 

• Step 1 – Getting started. Set up your bank account: Before you make any purchases or give up any business services, it is best to open a separate bank account for your business. Individual bank accounts will help track your business finances efficiently. A different credit card, creditors’ accounts, and payroll accounts are also essential to accurately manage all business transactions and record taxes.
• Step 2 – Pick an accounting method: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has introduced two commonly used business accounting methods. These include the cash method and the accrual method. With the cash method, income is recorded when the cash is received in your bank account and not when registered or invoiced. Similarly, expenses are calculated when you pay the vendor. The accrual method, on the other hand, works with invoices and billing dates. The cash method works fine for small businesses since the transactions are not large, and you only pay taxes for the money that came in or left your account in a fiscal year. 
• Step 3 – Hire an accounting professional: With your bank account set and accounting system selected, it is time to hire the services of a professional accountant to deal with your business’s regular bookkeeping and accounting tasks. Even though accounting and bookkeeping differ in functions, the latter being a simple data entry task and the former including detailed financial analysis, for small businesses, a single person can carry both tasks efficiently at the start. Hire someone with a good skill set in managing the accounts of a small business. If you are not too particular about hiring someone, you can even choose to outsource your accounting to specialized companies. Establishing an in-house accounting team for more control over the finances would be best. 
• Step 4 – Get a proper accounting Tool: With the help of your accounting professional, select the tool that best suits your business needs. Many accounting tools are available, offering varying functionalities and complex functions. Discuss your financial management requirements with your accounting expert and special software that fulfills all your business requirements. Buying a cloud-based or server-based accounting software that offers cross-integrations is suggested. If your business finances don’t allow you to spend a lot on accounting software, you could get free or basic versions of the software. 
• Step 5 – Create a budget: With all your accounting tools in place, create a preliminary budget for your organization. Allocate a pre-set amount for each department or task and further redistribute how you plan to use each department’s funding. Good accounting tools offer practical budgeting tools that allow you to allocate budgets and adequately monitor the progress in real-time. After your budget is calculated, it becomes easy to record transactions and monitor the consumption of the budget at ease. 
• Step 6 – Record transactions timely:

1. Record all transactions meticulously with your tools ready and budget-curated.
2. Don’t leave the recording for the end of the month because that can increase the risk of error.
3. Keep your books updated daily and reconcile them weekly with your bank accounts to clearly understand your finances.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

The Covid-19 pandemic took the world by storm in 2020, its effects were truly unprecedented, and it has brought society a wholesome time to recover; in fact, some countries are still not out of the woods. The pandemic crippled businesses across every industry, but human beings are nothing if not resilient. Companies have gradually adjusted, and we slowly move back to a semblance of normalcy.

Old vs. New

As businesses adjust, technology has played a vital role in helping us navigate through our new normal. Let us look at the mortgage industry, for example. Recent changes in market demand and customer expectations have made digital mortgage systems necessary for any business in this industry. Fintech lenders have been leveraging the power of technology in the mortgage industry for some time now, so the adjustment has not been as difficult for them. Still, old-fashioned mortgage lenders have had a steep learning curve to overcome

The Market Booms! A Rise of Mortgage Fraud

Mortgage rates in 2020 hit an all-time low, causing demand to rise faster than most industries could keep up with, at least without technology. Fintech makes processing mortgage payments quicker and far more efficient, but these low mortgage rates also attract those terrible actors looking to defraud people. The number of scams documented rose by 1316 every month in 2020. Software solutions also offer more significant security protocols in the mortgage industry.

Widespread frauds in the industry include occupancy fraud, straw buyers, and air loan fraud. The rising frequency of swindles makes it more necessary than ever for mortgage lenders to verify people’s identities and confirm the authenticity of their desired property purchase before giving them a mortgage loan. Modern technology can verify that applications for a mortgage are legitimate faster and more accurate than any human ever could.

The Solutions

Big data

Predictive analytics and other such technologies are making data collection faster than ever. Businesses now have the technology to compile more robust data on their customers and the rest of the market, opening entirely new possibilities that, until now, were utterly unachievable.

Big data has made several practices within the mortgage industry more efficient than ever before, including underwriting, account servicing, regulatory reporting, and identifying fraud and other risks.

In the mortgage industry, who is and is not eligible for a loan is determined using credit scores and other such financial analytics; big data can help process such calculations faster and may even discover benchmarks for loan eligibility that most people would have overlooked. Thanks to big data, more millennials and marginalized groups such as immigrants can avail of mortgage loans because modern data analysis methods can consider factors such as rent, utility, digital services, and telecom payments.

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence, as we know, it is still a very new industry standard, but it is already making waves in automation and productivity across different industries. In the mortgage industry, AI is helping to improve efficiency and accuracy in the lending process, allowing lenders more excellent opportunities for scalability.

How Does Modern Technology Benefit Lenders?

Those who choose to take out a mortgage loan are not the only ones benefiting from technology in the industry; lenders are also helping. Technology has already successfully eliminated paper-intensive processes, meaning lenders can position their businesses as more environmentally conscious.

Implementing technology into the mortgage industry also allows businesses to cut costs by eliminating redundancies, reducing the need for human intervention, and performing tasks involved in the lending process faster than ever before.

Lenders looking to integrate technology into their business should assess their company’s unique needs and goals first. Pinpoint specific redundancies and other issues in the overall business process and decide what technology solutions will benefit your business.

Where Do We Go From Here?

The Covid-19 pandemic changed how m businesses operate; it also affected the market demands of people across various market segments. We can expect unprecedented innovations as the tech industry rises to meet these new needs and expectations.

It is difficult to say where precisely the mortgage industry will go from here. As the boom settles, we should see the market gradually stabilize; what will be the role of modern technology as this happens? Will technology continue to benefit the disenfranchised? Homelessness is a grave issue, and there is no end in sight for now. Many questions are yet to be answered, but we must wait and see.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.