Assignment 4: Understanding the Numbers for Better Decisions
It is the management’s responsibility to maximize shareholder wealth as it is based on the organization’s future cash flows. To accomplish this, managers have to understand how to use financial statements for analysis.
In this assignment, you will explain the importance of the statements to the financial reporting process and management decisions.
Tasks:
Write a 2–3-page research paper. Apply APA standards to citation of sources.
Exercise 1-1: A Person Whose Performance Could Be Improved
Step 1: Select a Person
Think of a co-worker or subordinate whose work performance (by your standards) could be improved. Overall, he or she may be an average, a below average, or even an above average performer.
The person you select should:
· be an immediate subordinate, a co-worker, or a person one level in the organization beneath your own.
· not be close to retirement, a part-time employee, a temporary employee, or a person whose performance is at or near the “bottom of the barrel.”
· hold a job with which you are familiar, e.g., you may have held the job yourself or you may have supervised the job for a long enough period that you have a good understanding of its day-to-day requirements.
Step 2: Provide Reasons for Performance
In the space provided on the next few pages, present your analysis of the situation by listing in point form up to six reasons explaining why the person performs as he or she does.
There is no set of right or wrong reasons. This is to be your personal assessment of the situation. You may wish to list one, several, or many reasons.
Step 3: Weight the Reasons
Beneath each of the spaces allocated for a reason, there are three scales:
· The first asks you to what degree you feel this particular reason contributes to the person’s level of motivation.
· The second asks you whether you feel the reason you have listed suggests the jobholder is to some degree at fault or personally responsible for the below-par performance.
· The third asks you to assess the degree to which the organization’s management system (e.g., the nature of the job, supervision, the reward system) is responsible.
For any given reason, it is possible that the reason implies that either the person or the management system or both are responsible for the below par performance.
Step 4: Provide Examples
Provide examples that support the weighting you gave your reason by describing a few specific things that the person actually does or does not do that lead you to see him or her as not performing as well as he or she might. Be as specific as possible and try to describe three or more things. For example, you might write things like “he arrives late for work” or “she complains about her job.”
Step 5: Identify Solutions with No Limitations
Assume that you are in a position of authority and have unlimited resources in the organization. Recommend a solution by describing precisely what you would do to improve the situation. Do not limit yourself in any way to what is possible in the particular situation or the organization. Assume that you and the organization have whatever resources and rights that you need to do anything that you feel is warranted. Of course, in reality this is not likely to be the case.
Step 6: Identify Solutions with Practical Limitations
Now let’s be practical. You probably don’t have total power and you may not be the person’s supervisor. However, assume that you are the supervisor. Given the practical realities of your organization, what solutions, if any, would you recommend to correct the problem? If you feel that your hands are completely tied and that you could do nothing useful, say so. You do not have to recommend a change.
Reason 1: ______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
1. To what degree does this particular reason contribute to the person’s level of motivation?
NOT AT ALL ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) VERY MUCH
1 2 3 4 5
2. To what degree does this particular reason indicate that the person himself or herself is responsible for the below par performance?
NOT AT ALL ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) VERY MUCH
1 2 3 4 5
3. To what degree does this particular reason indicate that the management system (the job design, reward system, supervision, etc.) is responsible?
NOT AT ALL ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) VERY MUCH
1 2 3 4 5
Examples: ______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Solutions with No Limitations: ___________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Solutions with Practical Limitations: ______________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Reason 2: ______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
1. To what degree does this particular reason contribute to the person’s level of motivation?
NOT AT ALL ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) VERY MUCH
1 2 3 4 5
2. To what degree does this particular reason indicate that the person himself or herself is responsible for the below par performance?
NOT AT ALL ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) VERY MUCH
1 2 3 4 5
3. To what degree does this particular reason indicate that the management system (the job design, reward system, supervision, etc.) is responsible?
NOT AT ALL ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) VERY MUCH
1 2 3 4 5
Examples: ______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Solutions with No Limitations: ___________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Solutions with Practical Limitations: ______________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Reason 3: ______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
1. To what degree does this particular reason contribute to the person’s level of motivation?
NOT AT ALL ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) VERY MUCH
1 2 3 4 5
2. To what degree does this particular reason indicate that the person himself or herself is responsible for the less than excellent performance?
NOT AT ALL ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) VERY MUCH
1 2 3 4 5
3. To what degree does this particular reason indicate that the management system (the job design, reward system, supervision, etc.) is responsible for the less than excellent performance?
NOT AT ALL ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) VERY MUCH
1 2 3 4 5
Examples: ______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Solutions with No Limitations: ___________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Solutions with Practical Limitations: ______________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Reason 4: ______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
1. To what degree does this particular reason contribute to the person’s level of motivation?
NOT AT ALL ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) VERY MUCH
1 2 3 4 5
2. To what degree does this particular reason indicate that the person himself or herself is responsible for the less than excellent performance?
NOT AT ALL ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) VERY MUCH
1 2 3 4 5
3. To what degree does this particular reason indicate that the management system (the job design, reward system, supervision, etc.) is responsible for the less than excellent performance?
NOT AT ALL ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) VERY MUCH
1 2 3 4 5
Examples: ______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Solutions with No Limitations: ___________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Solutions with Practical Limitations: ______________________________________
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Feb. 20, 2011 — Stretching before a run neither prevents nor causes injury, according to a study presented at the 2011 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).
More than 70 million people worldwide run recreationally or competitively, and recently there has been controversy regarding whether runners should stretch before running, or not at all. This study included 2,729 runners who run 10 or more miles per week. Of these runners, 1,366 were randomized to a stretch group, and 1,363 were randomized to a non-stretch group before running. Runners in the stretch group stretched their quadriceps, hamstrings, and gastrocnemius/soleus muscle groups. The entire routine took 3 to 5 minutes and was performed immediately before running.
The study found that stretching before running neither prevents nor causes injury. In fact, the most significant risk factors for injury included the following:
“As a runner myself, I thought stretching before a run would help to prevent injury,” said Daniel Pereles, MD, study author and orthopaedic surgeon from Montgomery Orthopedics outside Washington, DC. “However, we found that the risk for injury was the same for men and women, whether or not they were high or low mileage runners, and across all age groups. But, the more mileage run or the heavier and older the runner was, the more likely he or she was likely to get injured, and previous injury within four months predisposed to even further injury,” he added.
Runners who typically stretch as part of their pre-run routine and were randomized not to stretch during the study period were far more likely to have an injury. “Although all runners switching routines were more likely to experience an injury than those who did not switch, the group that stopped stretching had more reported injuries, implying that an immediate shift in a regimen may be more important than the regimen itself,” he added.
The most common injuries sustained were groin pulls, foot/ankle injuries, and knee injuries. There was no significant difference in injury rates between the runners who stretched and the runners who didn’t for any specific injury location or diagnosis.
After reading the articles and the mini lecture about flexibility, discuss the question below. Please use facts and published studies, not just your opinions.
Do I really need to stretch? There is plenty of research to support either point of view. I have provided you with a view from each side . Which side of the argument do you support? Have you personally seen any positive results from stretching? As in all discussions, please use fact to back up your opinions and respond to at least one of your classmate’s discussion.
Review the following articles:
Using these articles, complete the following:
Support your statements with scholarly references. Be sure to use concepts from the textbook relevant to the assignment.
Write your initial response in 1–2 paragraphs. Apply APA standards to citation of sources.
Write a 350-word response regarding the differences between the direct and indirect presentation of cash flows. Why does the Financial Accounting Standards Board allow both methods? Which do you prefer? Why?
Format your response consistent with APA guidelines.
***Due 08/16/2015 by 8 p.m. central time
Due Wednesday 7/23/14 – before midnight eastern time.
Unused/ Original. No copy-paste work!!
1100–1200 words
One of your vendors that work closely with your franchise wants to purchase $10 million in materials and services from suppliers in China, Japan, and South Korea. It was recommended that the company use an approach to business negotiations that provides a win-win for both parties. Management was also told they needed to know the background of the Asian negotiator and that they should use a “middleman†to help them with the negotiation. Because of your work in China, the vendor would like your advice in this business dealing.
The middleman stressed the importance of etiquette and social customs in addition to the win-win model.
What trade agreements apply, and how do they affect the negotiations?
In marketing, what is the difference between attitudes and values? Why is it an important distinction?
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