...EXAMINATION ASSIGNMENT Project Management (MDL) February 2012 A. Case Study 1: Case 1: Refer to the case study “Codeword” at the end of Chapter 10 in your Gido and Clements textbook. Read it carefully and analyse the case as a whole; identify the problems that manifest, and their causes. Then systematically present the solutions that you recommend, and the steps that must be taken accordingly. Strategise and prioritise. (60) B. Case Study 2: The CEO of ABC Corporation hires you to advise on how ABC will be placed in the best position to maximise its performance and to maintain long-term competitive edge. Read the following facts, and give her comprehensive advice. (50) ABC Corporation The CEO of ABC is clearly a highly motivated individual who has worked hard to build her business and values hard work from those in the organisation. She takes pride in “leading by example” by working long hours and still getting involved on the technical side of the business, making sure that they “get the job done right the first time”. She clearly values productivity and profit. She maintains that she would not have built the business if she had not pushed herself and those around her to achieve progressively greater levels of these. Profits are still looking good, but some comments on the part of two of her fourteen senior staff members have led her to suspect that all is not well within the organisation, and that it is hence perhaps nevertheless underperforming. Recently, she received...
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...ABC learning a CSR Dilemma Synopsis ABC Learning was an Australian provider of early child hood education services, founded in Queensland in 1988. Through its 18 child care centres it was the largest almost monopolistic single operator of early childhood education services in Australia by 1997. Led by founder and CEO Eddy Groves, ABC Learning continued to grow, by opening new centres and the acquisitions of competitors both locally and internationally. The company experienced a significant drop in their share price in 2008. Trading in the company shares was suspended in early 2008, closely followed by the company going into receivership in November of 2008. This essay will examine ABC Learning and assess the impact of the company’s corporate social responsibility policy or lack thereof and how this contributed to their spectacular collapse. Particular attention will be concentrating on the ethical internal running of the company’s corporate structure and executive leadership, focussing in particular on Eddy Groves’ poor decision making, creative accounting and resulting organisational culture. Dahlberg & Moss (2005) claim that ethics is a practical matter which involves thinking about every day actions and decisions either individually or collectively and then responding with respect for all concerned. When values underpin our responses and choices, ethics is at work. In some instances our decision making can be hindered because there...
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...CASE STUDIES IN PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT A Guide from the Experts TONY ADKINS John Wiley & Sons, Inc. CASE STUDIES IN PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT CASE STUDIES IN PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT A Guide from the Experts TONY ADKINS John Wiley & Sons, Inc. This book is printed on acid-free paper. Copyright © 2006 by SAS Institute. All rights reserved. SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and other countries. ® indicates USA registration. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. Published simultaneously in Canada. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400, fax 978-646-8600, or on the web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, 201-748-6011, fax 201-748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions...
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...Business Law Written Assignment 3 Case Study 1 Parks, a 7-foot, 265-pound center for the San Diego Slick, objected when his contract was assigned from the ABC Corporation to the XYZ Corporation, the team’s new owner. The change of owners did not cause a change in the composition of the team although a new coach was hired. Parks’s compensation and his responsibilities remained the same. Was this contract assignable? Facts of the Case: 1) Parks contract was assigned from the ABC Corporation to XYZ Corporation. 2) Parks compensation and his responsibilities remained the same. Issues: 1) The reason why we are in court today is to identify if Park’s contract was assignable. Rules of the Law: 1) Personal Service Contract – The parties agree that a personal service contract may be assigned. This allows the trade of an athlete from one team to another team. 2) Notice of Assignment – Assignee is under a duty to notify the obligor that the assignment has been made and performance must be rendered to the assignee. 3) Anti-Assignment Clause – Prohibits the assignment of rights under the contract. 4) Approval Clause – requires that the obligor approves any assignment of contract. Analysis & Conclusion: Since we do not have all the facts we can assume the following: 1) Parks contract did include the Personal service contract. 2) Notice of assignment was made by XYZ Corporation. 3) Parks contract did NOT include Anti-Assignment...
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...CENTRE FOR POST GRADUATE STUDIES Limkokwing University of Creative Technology Department : Course Name : Commence Date: Submission Date: Lead Lecturer: E-mail : Centre for Post Graduate Studies MBA 10 July 2013 24 July 2013 Theang Kok Foo kftheang@yahoo.com Individual Assignment 1 @20% Learning Outcome (LO) Mapping Task LO1 Analyse and interpret financial and managerial report for decision making. #1 #2 #3 Bloom’s Taxonomy LO2 Understand the basic concepts used in the preparation of financial statements. Critically assess the information relayed by financial reporting. Use financial information for financial and corporate strategy purposes. #4 Cognitive domain: Evaluation [High Order of Thinking Skills] Affective domain: Characterisation LO3 #5 #6 LO4 #5 #6 MBF 1213 Managerial Accounting – MBA Major Module July/August 2013 Assignment 1 1 CENTRE FOR POST GRADUATE STUDIES YOUR TASK: Limkokwing University of Creative Technology CASE STUDY: Cost Behaviour and Cost Volume Profit Analysis 1. Using the High-Low method to estimate the per-unit variable costs and total fixed costs. 2. Using the single product setting of the Cost-Volume-Analysis (CVP) to calculate the break-even point. 3. Use CVP analysis to calculate the break-even point. 4. Prepare an income statement for the company. 5. Calculate the company’s margin of safety 6. Calculation of product units to be sold for a target profit after cost increased INSTRUCTION TO PAIR ASSIGNMENT...
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...Title : Opportunities and Challenges that ABC Corporation is Facing Executive Summary Different strategies that key executives deliver to his/her sub-ordinates could make totally different cultures and business models of the company. ABC Corporation, a US listed chemical company is now under this transformation from a simple reporting hierarchy company to a matrix organization. Its aggressive vision till 2020 would amaze lots of the outsiders including shareholders and external analysts by boosting its double digit EBIT growth year over year. Behind this fantastic financial performance, ABC Corporation is actually facing its own internal challenges which make ABC staff feeling heavy in workload and low morale in the office. However, I don’t believe that this phenomenon will last long as lots of statistics and comments are showing that, ABC Corporation is running out the blue. Company Overview ABC Corporation is a diversified chemical company serving agricultural, industrial, environmental, and consumer markets globally for more than a century with innovative solutions, applications and quality products. ABC Corporation was listed US Stock Exchange in 2000. In 2013, ABC had annual sales of approximately $3.9 billion. The company employs approximately 5,600 people throughout the world, and operates its businesses in three segments: ABC Agricultural Solutions, ABC Health and Nutrition, and ABC Minerals. Company Strategy “Feeding the world, protecting health, and providing...
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...CASE STUDY #1 MEMO TO: Taxpayer FROM: DATE: 13 September 2013 RE: Tax treatment of employer-funded health insurance premiums I. FACTS The taxpayer was laid off from ABC Corporation after 15 years of employment. ABC has a health insurance program that provides coverage to all employees, including those who have been laid off or retired within the last two years. ABC continues to pay all health insurance premiums on behalf of the taxpayer even while he is not working. II. ISSUE(S) A. Is the taxpayer required to include the employer-funded health insurance premiums in gross income? III. SHORT ANSWER No. The taxpayer is considered an employee and continues to participate in an employer-funded health plan. The taxpayer is not required to include employer-funded health insurance premiums in gross income. IV. ANALYSIS A. Framework of Authorities 1. Statutory Authority IRC § 106(a) generally allows an employee to exclude employer-provided coverage under a health plan from gross income. 2. Treasury Regulations An employee’s gross income does not include employer contributions to a health plan that provides compensation in the event of personal injury or sickness incurred by the employee or the employee’s spouse and dependents. Treas. Reg. § 1.106-1. 3. Treasury Publications (or IRS Position) In Rev. Rul. 82-196, 1982-2 C.B. 53, an employer contributes to a health plan on behalf of its employee. Under...
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...University of Phoenix Comm/215 Version 10 Virginia Peralta August 30, 2011 Introduction: The case study of Carl Robbins reveals how a company and one of its employees who was unprepared to welcome new employees properly into the companies environment in spite of having been on the job for only less than six months. Background: This case study shows the obstacles that will pose a threat with the new campus recruiter Carl Robins. Most of which Carl Robins can only blame himself for. He failed to pay attention to important details and follow up on things in a timely manner which placed him in a bind. Although he was in a difficult situation, he should have taken his time and not rush which made things worse for him. He should have allowed himself enough time to examine the problems first. He never took interest in the important information and the views of the other employees. Carl Robins recruited fifteen new trainees for Monica Carroll. Monica served as one of the Operation Supervisor for ABC, Inc. This case study focused on Carl's main issues, his poor planning, and his inexperience on how to hire new recruits. Carl was not aware of the length of time it was going to take in order for him to complete his task. Carl’s main goal was to schedule another orientation set for June 15, in order...
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...The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at www.emeraldinsight.com/0951-3574.htm AAAJ 21,2 Strategic management accounting: how far have we come in 25 years? Kim Langfield-Smith Monash University, Melbourne, Australia Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the origins of strategic management accounting and to assess the extent of adoption and “success” of strategic management accounting (SMA). Design/methodology/approach – Empirical papers which have directly researched SMA and prior review papers of the adoption and implementation of SMA or SMA techniques are reviewed. As well as assessing the extent of adoption of SMA and the reasons underlying an apparent low adoption rate, the role of accountants in adopting and implementing SMA is considered. Finally, the success or otherwise of SMA is discussed. Findings – SMA or SMA techniques have not been adopted widely, nor is the term SMA widely understood or used. However, aspects of SMA have had an impact, influencing the thinking and language of business, and the way in which we undertake various business processes. These issues cut across the wider domain of management, and are not just the province of management accountants. Research limitations/implications – There is limited value in conducting future surveys of the adoption and implementation of SMA or SMA techniques. Rather, the focus should be on how SMA-inspired techniques and processes diffuse into general...
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...Case Study: ABC Learning Background ABC Developmental Learning Centres was founded in 1988. ABC rapidly expanded, reaching 43 childcare centres by June 30, 2001. By November 2005, it had 697 Early Childhood Education centres throughout Australia and New Zealand. In March 2006, it forecast that would have 950 centres in Australia and New Zealand by June 30, 2006. It was a highly profitable company in the 2004/5 financial year, recording net profit after tax of $52.3 million from total revenues of $292.7 million. The six months ending 31 December 2005 showed no slowing in the financial momentum for the company with profit after tax reaching $38 million and revenues of $219.8 million. Trading in ABC Learning shares was suspended in August 2008 after the company failed to release its earnings for the 2007-08 financial year. Despite selling off assets, the company fell into receivership in November 2008 after increasing debt servicing obligations and its auditors were unable to sign off on its accounts. The federal government injected $22 million into the company to keep its childcare centers open until the end of 2008. The company was subsequently delisted. Creditors voted to wind up the company in June 2010. ‘Lessons to be learnt from ABC Learning's collapse’ Colin Kruger January 2, 2009 Dr Philip Ross, the head of the school of accounting at the University of Western Sydney, describes it as a "failure of regulatory and accounting processes" and says that despite...
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...Case Study Introduction The Smith Family (TSF) is a national charity which supports disadvantaged children and families in Australia. It devotes to creating a better future for disadvantaged young Australians through providing education opportunity for them (TSF 2012). This case study aims to assess TSF’s strategic position using SWOT analysis. The analysis reveals that TSF holds strengths of comprehensive sources of funding and being able to provide transparent information. The popularization of social network and the future education reform plan may give an opportunity to TSF. On the other hand, TSF is weak in utilizing the funds efficiently and effectively. A cut in universities funding may be considered as a threat. The finding is that the strategic position of TSF is to offer long-term holistic support in education for children in need and what TSF is doing is in line with its strategic position. The second part of the case study will present detailed SWOT analysis and the last part is the conclusion. Analysis Strength TSF builds a strong partnership with corporation, foundations and universities and has comprehensive sources of fundraising. The annual report of TSF (2012) shows that TSF has more than 200 business partners, over 120,000 individual supporters, and is supported by government. TSF also runs an own Recycling Operation which can produce 2 million dollars annually. The extensive sources of fundraising give TSF a solid financial base with which they could easily...
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...ACTIVITY –BASED COSTING (ABC) IN SERVICE INDUSTRIES Name: Ira Suri Date: April 23, 2016 Class Name: ACC 560: Managerial Accounting Professor Name: Professor Jones Olajide Abstract This paper explores Activity- based costing in Amazon Company, which is predominantly considered to be a forerunner in online retailing. It offers comprehensive range of products like books, CDs, videos, DVDs, electronics, toys, tools, home furnishings and housewares, apparel, and kitchen gadgets. It has evolved over the years and through this paper we shall evaluate how a time driven ABC cost system can be implemented in Amazon and how will it provide a competitive edge to the company in the market space it maneuvers in and subsequent impact of the business performance. Also, the paper will assess the latent impact of time- driven ABC costing on services provided online with those delivered through traditional channels. Amazon.com Amazon is one of the biggest online retailing companies, which deals in an innumerable collection of products like books, Cd.s, Dvd’s, shoes, clothing, home furnishings, hardware, music and what not. Amazon’s vision is to be globe's supreme consumer centric business; to construct an abode where individuals can uncover and discern everything they might desire to acquire online.” Amazon.com also retails goods from renowned dealers involving Virgin Wines, Hotwire, Toysrus.com Inc., Target, The Borders group, Circuit City Stores Inc., Waterstones, Expedia...
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...CASE STUDY #1: MANAGING THE VIRUS HUNTERS I. Time Context The period in this case study is from 1999 to 2003. Vincent Weafer has been the leader of Symantec Corporation's virus hunting team since 1999. The Launch of Blaster-B worm took place in 2003. II. Viewpoint This case study is about the computer virus hunters at Symantec Corporation. It focuses on the nature of their job and the managerial challenges faced by Vincent Weafer. III. Relevant Facts A. Symantec Corporation. Symantec is a global software company. Its mission is to provide complete online security to its customers and safety to the cyber world. Symantec deals with the production of antivirus software, which provides protection against harmful contents for computers. Symantec is a long-term survivor since 1982. B. Vincent Weafer Vincent Weafer has an extensive range of experience, gained from more than 20 years in the information technology industry, ranging from software development, systems engineering, to security research positions. For the past 10 years, he has been the operational leader of the Symantec Global Security Response team, where his mission is to advance the research into new computer security threats and provide security content solutions such as anti-virus, antispam, intrusion and vulnerability response, real-time alerting, content solutions, research, and analysis. Weafer...
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...Migrating to a Standardized ERP System in a Cloud Computing Environment at ABC Corporation Barbara Ferneyhough Managerial Applications of Information Technology – IS535 (ON) Section B DeVry University, Keller Graduate School of Management December 11, 2011 Course Project Example used with permission from student Migrating to a Standardized ERP System in a Cloud Computing Environment at ABC Corporation Proposal Topic This proposal discusses the use of multiple financial systems throughout ABC Corporation (ABC), the impact that this has upon effective corporate operations and proposes a solution. ABC maintains four different ERP systems (BaaN, PeopleSoft, SAP and Deltek) and a financial consolidation system (Hyperion) across all of its divisions leading to increased IT costs as individual systems must be procured, maintained, and manipulated to provide financial data in a format that is meaningful to the home office for reporting and strategic management purposes. Not only is this a potentially inefficient use of technology, the use of a non-standardized system impacts the ability of management to obtain, manipulate and interpret critical data elements for strategic planning purposes and regular performance monitoring. Problem The business problem to be solved is how to improve operational efficiencies, reduce IT costs, and improve insight into the financial management aspects of the company for improved strategic planning and performance monitoring. Approach ...
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...company, we rely on: 1. Information asymmetry, voluntary disclosures 2. Annual reports - contains information about company and general purpose financial statements *Information asymmetry: a situation in which one party in a transaction has more or superior information compared to another (such as the seller knowing more than buyer) Woolworths Example: To find the annual report of Woolworths: 1. Search for the company website 2. Find the category – ‘Woolworths Limited’ 3. Locate ‘Invest in us’ – find all the history of annual reports Most of this information in annual reports is based on accounting. Woolworths Example: To check/reference the validity of CEO’s salary, we view 1. Company’s overall performance 2. Company’s competitors, in this case, Wesfarmers (including Coles): Richard Goyder (CEO with salary of $8.6 million in 2013) 1|Page Financial Accounting System and Managerial Accounting System Woolworths Example: Woolworths have external decision makers such as ASIC, ASX, ATO, shareholders, consumers, suppliers (e.g. farmers), government, auditors, bank and analysts – involved in the financial accounting system The managers of a company would be considered in the managerial accounting system. They have the most information about the company. The insiders of companies can...
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