Business

Instructions:   Paper should be NO LESS  than five pages, double spaced,  1” margins. Minimum of five references, APA style      Evaluating Ethical Considerations arising in Financial Accounting   There have been a number of high profile accounting scandals.  Enron and Worldcom are well known and have been extensively evaluated by regulatory agencies, the courts and others. You are requested to research and write a paper ( 5 pages, double spaced using 12 point font) evaluating a questionable accounting practice (excluding Enron and Worldcom).  You can select from the examples provided in Appendix A or conduct independent research regarding another questionable accounting practice.  You should select a matter that interests you.  As an example, the PNC matter included in Appendix A involves the company, a third-party provider of financial services to the company and an external auditor providing advice to the third-party provider.  The topic should not be fairly recent. Please check with your professor if you are in doubt about the topic.    You cannot submit a paper you used for other ethics assignments in a different course. This is considered to be plagiarism and consequences are very serious.   The paper should summarize the facts giving rise to the questionable accounting practice(s) and include (but is not limited to): ·      What parties were involved in the questionable practice? o   CEO? o   CFO? o   Internal accounting or tax departments? o   Third-party provider of financial products or services? o   External Auditor? o   Other? ·      What enabled the accounting scandal? o   Corporate culture – (tone at the top)? o   External or internal pressure? o   Corporate compensation practices and policies? ·      What controls or processes could have been instituted to deter the questionable accounting practices? o   Statement of corporate value (Code of Conduct) and other policies? o   Corporate culture that encourages reporting of questionable activities? o   External auditor awareness and/or engagement? o   Internal audit oversight including independent Audit Accounting Committee oversight? o   Other? ·    What principles as provided by the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) Statement of Ethical Professional Practice were violated or placed into question? o   Competence? o   Confidentiality? o   Integrity? o   Credibility? ·    What penalties, if any, were imposed? Were they adequate from your perspective? o   Loss of position or compensation? o   Suspension of license or other privileges? o   Civil? o   Criminal? ·    As provided in the Interagency Statement on Sound Practices Concerning Elevated Risk Complex Structured Finance Activities (January 11, 2007), did the questionable accounting practice (such as PNC included in Appendix A) involve a Complex Financial Structured Transaction (“CFST”)?  Your evaluation should be principles based, considered in broad terms and not limited to whether a defined “financial institution” was involved.  If not, why not?  If yes, what principles provided in the Interagency Statement may have deterred the CFST(s)? o   Formal, written firm-wide policies and procedures to identify, evaluate, assess and document reputational risk? §  Transaction lacked economic substance or business purpose? §  Transaction was designed for questionable accounting, regulatory or tax objectives? §  Concerns that transaction would be properly reported or disclosed in financial reports? §  Circular transfers of risk? §  Oral or undocumented agreements? §  Economic terms that were inconsistent with market norms including substantially disproportionate compensation? o   Sufficient due diligence performed to evaluate the reputational risk? o   Were experienced senior experts and senior members of management without a direct financial interest in the outcome involved in the approval process? o   Other principles or guidance provided in the Interagency Statement?               Appendix A (References listed below are representative and not comprehensive – additional research recommended)   Weatherford (2016) http://ww2.cfo.com/fraud/2016/09/weatherford-fined-140-accounting-fraud/ https://www.sec.gov/news/pressrelease/2016-194.html https://www.sec.gov/litigation/admin/2016/33-10221.pdf http://www.marketwatch.com/story/sec-wont-pursue-clawbacks-in-weatherford-accounting-fraud-case-2016-09-27   Toshiba (2015) http://blogs.wsj.com/briefly/2015/07/21/5-things-to-know-about-toshibas-accounting-scandal-2/ http://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/081315/toshibas-accounting-scandal-how-it-happened.asp https://www.toshiba.co.jp/about/ir/en/news/20151208_2.pdf http://www.glasslewis.com/toshiba-accounting-scandal http://law.emory.edu/ecgar/_documents/volumes/3/3/essays/engelberg.pdf     PNC (2001) – Example of Complex Financial Structured Transaction http://www.investmentnews.com/article/20061212/REG/612120716/pnc-exec-sanctioned-in-accounting-scandal https://www.sec.gov/litigation/admin/33-8112.htm https://www.sec.gov/litigation/complaints/comp18985.pdf   https://www.sec.gov/news/press/2004-163.htm https://www.sec.gov/litigation/litreleases/lr18985.htm https://www.sec.gov/litigation/admin/2007/34-55523.pdf https://www.sec.gov/litigation/admin/2006/33-8759.pdf     Interagency Statement on Sound Practices Concerning Elevated Risk Complex Structured Finance Activities https://www.federalreserve.gov/boarddocs/srletters/2007/SR0705a1.pdf

Complete the worksheet below and answer each question.  Choose a person and a situation in which you are currently experiencing or have experienced a conflict.  I.  Justify that it is, in fact, a conflict (rather than a difference of opinion or perspective) by demonstrating that it meets the five parts of the definition of a conflict.  So, define each of the following and then explain how your specific conflict fits each of these criteria. A.  Expressed Struggle  B.  Perceived Incompatible Goals C.  Perceived Scarce Resources  D.  Interdependence E.  Interference from the Other Party  II.  Describe how this conflict would be handled using each of the communication styles and conflict methods in your text.  To do this, briefly define each method.  Make sure to paraphrase the text.  After you have defined each method, describe your and the other person’s behavior that would be associated with each of these methods.  Discuss the pros and cons of each choice.  A.  Avoiding B.  Accommodating C.  Competing D.  Compromising E.  Collaborating III.  Which choice would be the best and why? Answer all questions below, as well.  A.  Compare and contrast different skills that you have learned for dealing with differences of opinion/perspective and conflict in which there truly is a scarce resource. B.  Reflect on the different styles and methods for conflict management.  How might less appropriate styles and methods of conflict management alter relationships? C.  How does practicing the appropriate style and method in conflict demonstrate communication competence?

The purpose of this assignment is to summarize two strategic alternatives for your selected corporation based on individual research and team analyses. Assume that you work as an analyst team lead at the company you have been studying throughout this course, and you are issuing a high-level communication to company CEO that summarizes your analysis. Based on what you have discovered regarding environmental scan issues, financial analysis issues, industry trends, etc., communicate a plan for implementing two strategic alternatives in an executive summary of 750-1,000 words. Include the following in your response: Based on your work this semester, synthesize and present key analytical findings about where the company is exceling and how or where it can improve. Refer to both your CLC and individual analysis in your summary. Propose two creative yet viable corporate-level strategic alternatives. Critique the pros and cons of each alternative utilizing your analytical findings. Select and defend the pursuit of one of your two viable alternatives. How does this alternative align with the firm’s mission, vision, and values? How can management employ this alternative to create competitive advantage for the firm? Suggest next steps. Based on your analysis, identify a business unit or activity within the corporation that you would suggest defunding in order to finance your strategic alternative, or provide an alternate funding source. Defend your selection. Given your overall proposal, how do you suggest the company promote its culture, vision, and mission to maximize its chances for success in the industry? How might the company develop its servant leaders to endorse and exemplify tenets of the Christian worldview (CWV) in the workplace? Propose and defend at least one significant leadership initiative.

Read two cases Understanding the Brand Equity of Nestle Crunch Bar (A and B). We will work with the data in the case to write a memo to Professor  in which you address the following questions: 1.     What themes do you find in the data that help you understand what this brand means to consumers? 2.     Based on your analysis of the data, how would you evaluate the health of the Nestle Crunch Bar?  What are the brand’s strengths and weaknesses? 3.     Based on your insights from reading the case and analyzing the data, what would you write as a value proposition for this brand? Provide data-driven analysis of the situation and use data to support your interpretations Note, it is fine to include graphs, charts or spreadsheet excerpts in the paper.

Share with us an experience you’ve had where you crafted or altered your message due to the make-up of your audience.  You may use your experience with delivering a speech, having a conversation, or even being part of a small group to answer the question. No sources

Reflection Paper 1 The response paper is 3 full pages in length. You must use the attached template; failure to use the template will result in a point deduction. Prompt: Using your Web searching skills, find a recent news article (NOT a blog post – check with me if you’re confused!) about a ceremony, ritual or tradition at an organization that demonstrates organizational control via culture. The article should be from the past 24 months (2 years). Your example can come from the non-profit sector, corporate America, academia, etc… there is no boundary on the “organization type”. Explain why the example you’ve selected represents a organizational control. In your answer, you should touch on aspects of the following: -What is the ceremony / ritual / tradition? -How does the ceremony / ritual / tradition / create a system of control within the organization? -Is the control perceived by organizational members as positive or negative? Are they aware of the control system? -In your opinion, is this an effective system of control? You do not need to include appendices in the online submission, but you should include the URL of the article as a footnote or endnote for your online submission.

Read the article and then answer the three questions. How would you describe Carla Harris? What motivates her? How ineffectively or effectively did she manage her career? What are some critical incidents in her career path? What would be some career lessons that you would take-away from her case?

1. Consider the memo from Larry Summers to his colleagues at the World Bank. According to Hausman and McPherson, upon what controversial philosophical choices does the “impeccable economic logic” of Summers’ argument rely?2. Explain the idea of Pareto optimality? What guidance, if any, can Pareto optimality provide to philosophical theories of justice? What are the limitations of Pareto optimality in debates about which economic and political policies a society ought to adopt?3. Explain what is frequently referred to as the “First Welfare Theorem” in economics.What are the implications of this fact for attempts to promote justice or efficiency through public policy4. Compare and contrast ethical utilitarianism and contemporary cost-benefit analysis. In what ways are they similar? How do they differ? Be sure to consider differences in understanding of welfare and the aims of public policy. Why, according to Lionel Robbins and others, should contemporary economics reject ethical utilitarianism?5. If welfare as understood as preference satisfaction, it is virtually impossible to make interpersonal welfare comparisons. As a result, welfare economists frequently adopt willingness to pay as a kind of shorthand for (or approximation of) preference satisfaction. Why might an economist think that willingness to pay is a useful approximation for preference satisfaction? Explain at least two common concerns with using willingness to pay in cost-benefit analysis.

  Netflix (find reliable data and information, both at the firm level and the industry level you will gather information and data relevant to the firm and its industry and use the core microeconomic principles .you will compose a 5-page research paper in which you will analyze the market and business data to explain how the core microeconomic principles impact the sustainability of the firm, and your recommendation will suggest the actions the firm can take to ensure success. l I. Introduction   Select a near monopoly firm from the list provided.   a) Summarize the history of the firm, and provide an overview for what the firm does and what goods/services it sells.   II. Explore the supply and demand conditions for your firm’s product.   a) Evaluate trends in demand over time, and explain their impact on the industry and the firm. You should consider including annual sales figures for the product your firm sells. b) Analyze information and data related to the demand and supply for your firm’s product(s) to support your recommendation for the firm’s actions. Remember to include a graphical representation of the data and information used in your analysis. c) How has COVID-19 impacted your firm’s supply and demand of products and/or services?   III. Examine the price elasticity of demand for the product(s) your firm sells.   a) Analyze the available data and information, such as pricing and the availability of substitutes, and justify how you determine the price elasticity of demand for your firm’s product. b) Explain the factors that affect consumer responsiveness to price changes for this product, using the concept of price elasticity of demand as your guide. c) Assess how the price elasticity of demand impacts the firm’s pricing decisions and revenue growth. d) Given high unemployment levels, would you say demand for your firms products are elastic or inelastic?   IV. Explore the overall market for your firm.   a) Discuss the market share (not stock price) of the firm and its top competitors by providing details on current percentages for each firm and describing the trend over time. You might consider presenting the data graphically. b) Analyze the barriers to entry in this market to illustrate the potential for new competition and its impact on your firm’s future in the market. c) Describe the market structure for this firm, and analyze how this affects the firm’s ability to influence the market. d) How has government regulation and oversight impacted your firm’s success or future?   V. Recommendation a) Develop a recommendation for how the firm can manage its future as a near monopoly by synthesizing the data presented. b) Suggest how the firm’s position within the market and among its competitors will allow it to take your recommended action. c) Describe how the firm can sustain its success going forward by evaluating the findings from demand trends and price elasticity.   Apply APA formatting to citations and references.

Defend the importance of a proactive and predictive aviation safety program as it relates to reducing risk and hazard. Explain the value of a proactive safety risk management program.