Archive for category: Business paper

This is an assignment that focuses on the understanding in corporate governance in organization. The paper involves answering two sections on the topic.

The understanding in corporate governance in organization

UNDERSTANDING IN CORPORATE GOVERNANCE IS NEEDED Briefly set out:

1) Firstly, key theoretical perspectives underlying the remuneration of executive directors in major national or multinational firms; 2) Secondly, the institutional requirements and guidance as to the setting of executive director remuneration for quoted companies in the UK; 3) Thirdly, major issues and controversies arising in respect to executive director remuneration in recent years;

4) also then against this contextual background proceed to outline the nature of executive director remuneration in one major UK listed company, identifying and interpreting changes in the nature of remuneration over the past 10-15 years, how these were communicated to stakeholders, and any specific issues relating to that remuneration and its manner of determination which you consider to be insightful and relevant. Relevant material will be available from a whole variety of sources including lecture and class notes and handouts, books, journal articles, Blackboard, and also wider ranging internet sources.

A1. the role of corporate governance in firms where there is separation of ownership from control; A2. the importance of corporate governance in sustaining competitive advantage. A3. how to think about governance through the identification and analysis of the firm’s business model.

B. Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills B1. Firstly, assess the role of capital markets in aligning the interests of managers with those of owners; B2. Secondly, understand the relationship between strategy and the role of board structures in corporate governance; B3. Thirdly, evaluate how executive compensation arrangements align the interests of managers with those of owners C. Transferable and Generic Skills C1. Communicate complex ideas and also arguments fluently and effectively; C2. Critically evaluate qualitative and quantitative information.

This is a paper that focuses on the analysis of three competitors within an industry of your choice. The paper also provides clear guidelines for writing this paper.

The analysis of three competitors within an industry of your choice

A‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‍‍‍‌‌‌‍nalyze three competitors within an industry. A good competitive analysis is a scouting report of the actual market terrain the industry itself must navigate in order to be successful. A Competitive Analysis is a tool utilized in the strategic planning process to: Help management understand their competitive advantages and disadvantages within the industry. Generate an understanding of competitors’ past, present, and (most importantly) future strategies. Provide an informed basis to develop strategies to achieve competitive advantage in the future. Forecast the returns that may be made from future investments. In this assignment, the student will select an industry to explore. Make sure it has an IBISWorld (database) industry code.

The analysis of three competitors within an industry of your choice

Then prepare a competitive analysis of three of the largest industry competitors you are analyzing (or those with relevant stats). Thoroughly research these industry competitors, representing:

1. Executive summary: Firstly, write a high-level overview of the paper; this would be read by a busy executive to determine interest in the report and its findings. (one-page length).

2. Industry overview and description: Financial data, revenue size, number of competitors, industry leaders, etc. Secondly, provide key industry stats based on IBIS or Hoover’s information (other sources are available as well). You may consider utilizing a chart to demonstrate the information in this section with some text information to transition information and lay a foundation.

3. Key factors: Thirdly, indicate factors that drive this industry in regards to growth and innovation include an environmental scan of the social, legal, regulatory, demographic areas, etc. Provide a SWOT (Strengths, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threat analysis) of the industry in a grid format. Moreover, include an analysis utilizing Porter’s Five Forces of the industry itself.

4. Analysis of the top three competitors:

Fourthly, develop an analysis of key factors for the competitors and a SWOT of each competitor. A grid format presents a strong representation for both the analysis and the SWOT. It should include company financial data, major lines of business and potential divisions of‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‍‍‍‌‌‌‍ interest, market positioning, market share, branding, target market, company overview, products, revenue, HQ, employees, financial overview, points of differentiation, critical success factors, etc. Summarize this section by answering the following questions: How do the companies stand up to the competition? What are the competitive edges of each? What does each do better than its competition? Where might each competitor be vulnerable? What is the major “watch-out” for each competitor? Why? And if none, what are the vulnerabilities? Finally, what are the market strategies utilized by each to achieve their objectives?

Industry future

5. Industry future (this is your higher-level analysis of the “industry facts”): Also, what factors will influence the success or decline of this industry over the next three years? Where do you see the competitors in three years, and how will the industry itself change? What recommendations would you have for each competitor based on what you have researched? Consider how you would relate Blue Ocean Strategy to the industry-specific to the three competitors. This section should demonstrate how well you have synthesized the information and also your analysis. This section should be two to three pages in length and supported by your research.

6. Conclusion: Lastly, your final thoughts on this industry. Would you recommend it as an industry for investment over the next three years? (Sections 5 & 6 need to be at least three pages with support.) Does this industry have a future for you? Additionally, this paper requires substantive research using credible secondary sources citing six to eight credible references sources including IBIS. The final paper should be approximately 10 to 12 pages plus references and exhibits. The paper MUST be in APA format with a cover page, table of contents, reference page, and any applicable appendices The topic is Wireless Telecommunications in the US the IBIS #5172‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‍‍‍‌‌‌‍1 on IBIS WORLD

Read the ethics case on page 4-45. Do you think it was fair for the government to destroy an entire company because of the misdeeds of some of its members? Or had Andersen become such a serious offender that such an action on the part of the government was justified?

Government to destroy an entire company because of the misdeeds

Discussion Topic:1
Read the ethics case on page 4-45
FIRSTLY, Do you think it was fair for the government to destroy an entire company because of the misdeeds of some of its members?

SECONDLY, Or had Andersen become such a serious offender that such an action on the part of the government was justified?

Unit 3 Discussion: Amrerica’s Ailing Drug Policies.

Discussion Topic:2
Read the ethics case on pp. 6-38
FIRSTLY, Given how critical some drugs are in saving peoples’ lives, do you think it is ethical to charge high prices for these drugs?

SECONDLY, What are some of the ethical considerations discussed in the case, and if you were the CEO of a pharmaceutical company, what would your approach be?
Unit 4 Discussion: The Subprime Mortgage Market Meltdown – How Did it Happen?

Discussion Topic:3

Read the ethics case on page 8-29, and answer the following questions in one original post.

FIRSTLY, What were the responsibilities of the mortgage brokers to borrowers? To lenders? To investors? How well did they fulfill their responsibilities? Why?

SECONDLY, Did some subprime lenders behave unethically? If so, how? Whose interests did the subprime lenders have a responsibility to represent? Did they adequately represent those interests?

THIRDLY, What could be done to prevent future blowups like the one that occurred in the subprime market?

Unit 5 Discussion: Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan

Discussion Topic:4
Read the ethics case on page 11-37, and answer the following questions in one original post.

FIRSTLY, Should Unilever’s stockholders endorse its sustainability plan? Why or why not?

SECONDLY, Are there business advantages to using sustainable or green suppliers? If so, what are they? If not, do you think a traditional return on investment analysis captures all possible benefits of going green?

THIRDLY, Are there any ethical criticisms of Unilever’s sustainable living strategy? If so, what are they?

Unit 6 Discussion: Profiting From Death – “Janitor’s Insurance”

Discussion Topic:5

Read the ethics case on page 15-31, and answer the following questions in one original post.
1.      In your opinion, is COLI unethical? If you think there is something unethical about the practice, what is it? If you do not think so, why do you think so many people find it unethical?
2.      Suppose a company provided life insurance to each employee and also had a COLI policy on each employee; would that settle the fairness question?
3.      Does the fact that from a financial perspective some employees are worth more dead than alive represent a genuine conflict of interest?

Unit 7 Discussion: Compensation – How Much is Enough?

Discussion Topic:6
Using the internet, find the annual salary of the CEO of any company of your choosing.
·         Do you believe the CEO of the company you chose is being compensated for being an excellent manager?
·         Do you feel that this salary is fair, or that the salary should be higher or lower? Why?
·         If you were the CEO of company, how much would you think is a fair salary, and what would be your philosophy in compensating your employees?

Unit 1 Discussion: Is Eight Really That Great?

Discussion Topic: 8

Read the ethics case at the end of Chapter 1 titled “Incentives and Ethics: Cross-Selling at Wells Fargo” on page 1-27.
What do you think is the root cause of the opening of those unauthorized accounts?
Do you think it was the right move for the CEO to resign?
If you were the CEO of Wells Fargo, and this occurred, would you step down as CEO? Or would you take action to address what occurred? Please explain.

This is an assignment that discusses on how to develop a business case to secure support from senior management. The paper also requires use of learnt skills on real-life projects.

Develop a business case to secure support from senior management

Introduction
In addition to the class-based practical exercises, the course project is designed to help the students apply the learnt skills on individually selected real-life projects. These project-based exercises are planned and integrated sequentially as the course progresses thus they are expected to be applied to the selected projects to achieve its expectations and deliverables. The student himself/herself together with the identified project stakeholders will constitute the required project resources. The instructor will discuss, explain, and also run each of the required assignments in class using a running case throughout the course. Some templates will be provided to use in specific requirement, but the students often are encouraged to develop or search for an alternative template.

Pre-Requisite: Knowledge gained and practiced in the OPM310, specifically in developing the project charter, identifying project stakeholders, and documenting project scope, schedule, and cost.

Submission format

The submission of the project will be a SINGLE pdf file through Moodle. The exact date and also time as published on Moodle by the instructor.
Required Assignments
1. Firstly, select a project and develop its project charter
2. Secondly, develop a business case to secure support from senior management
3. Thirdly, assess the alignment of the project using system approach
4. Fourthly, develop project’s Goals, Objective, Strategies, CSF, and KPI (at least one for each)

5. Additionally, assess and select appropriate project organizational structure
6. Also, use weighted selection model to select a suitable project manager
7. Use pairwise selection approach to select between suppliers
8. Apply the NPV concept to evaluate the feasibility of the project
9. Use Cause-and-effect tool to identify root causes of quality related issue
10. Apply EVM to evaluate project progress after two weeks of progress. Must include
all ten assessment EMV parameters 
11. Report progress (using status and also progress reports)
12. Demonstrate the use of contracting model (FP, CR, or T&M) with an external
supplier
13. Develop lesson learned document
14. Lastly, develop project closure document

You are opening a new restaurant in Kamloops this May. You need to develop a menu for dinner and drinks. Briefly describe the type/style of restaurant the number of seats/covers and justify your menu choices and pricing for your target market in an introductory paragraph.

You are opening a new restaurant in Kamloops this May

Final Course Project (30%)
You are opening a new restaurant in Kamloops this May. You need to develop a menu for dinner and drinks. Briefly describe the type/style of restaurant the number of seats/covers and justify your menu choices and pricing for your target market in an introductory paragraph.

The first part is as follows;
1. FIRSTLY, Develop a dinner menu of 8 entrees (not a side or appetizer) that you would serve at the restaurant.

a. SECONDLY,Develop a Standardised Recipe for each menu item.

b. THIRDLY, Develop Standard Purchasing Specifications for each item to be purchased.

c. FOURTHLY, Develop a recipe detail and cost card for each menu item including;

i. ALSO, Plating and garnishing instructions.

ii. FURTHER, Cost per portion.

iii. ADDITIONALLY, Selling price.

Iv. LASTLY, Food Cost Percentage.

d. FURTHERMORE,  Develop a beverage list of 5 different alcoholic & non-alcoholic drinks that you would serve (must include at least 4 cocktails, other choices may be wines by the glass or bottle or carafe, bottled or draft beer, pop etc.)

e. MOREOVER, Develop a standard drink recipe for each one of your cocktail drinks and ounces served for each glass/bottle of wine and glass/bottle of beer.

f. BESIDES, Calculate the standard cost for each drink, by costing out each of the ingredients on a recipe detail and cost card including;
i. Glassware and serving procedures
Ii. Drink Cost
iii. Selling price
Iv. Beverage Cost Percentage

The second part is as follows;

1. Using the Sales figures that will be provided later in the semester, develop a Menu Engineering sheet for the Restaurant Menu entrees from above.

2. ALSO, using the data collected analyze the menu and identify changes that would increase the profitability for the restaurant. You must provide a written summary of all of the changes you propose to make to the menu more profitable.

FINALLY, Use Excel spread sheets for Recipe Detail Cost Cards and Menu Engineering Worksheets.

ADDITIONALLY, All other required items can be word-processed using a 12-point easily legible font. LASTLY, You MUST cite where you get your pricing information from.