...and investment rates.4 During times when economic activity weakens, monetary policy can push its interest rate target (adjusted for inflation) temporarily below the economy's natural rate, which lowers the real cost of borrowing. This is sometimes known as "leaning against the wind." 5 To most economists, the primary benefit of low interest rates is its simulative effect on economic activity. By reducing interest rates, the Fed can help spur business spending on capital goods—which also helps the economy's long-term performance—and can help spur household expenditures on homes or consumer durables like automobiles.6 For example, home sales are generally higher when mortgage rates are 5 percent than if they are 10 percent. A second benefit of low interest rates is improving bank balance sheets and banks' capacity to lend. During the financial crisis, many banks, particularly some of the largest banks, were found to be undercapitalized, which limited their ability to make loans during the initial stages of the recovery. By keeping short-term interest rates low, the Fed helps recapitalize the banking system by helping to raise the industry's net interest margin (NIM), which boosts its retained earnings and, thus, its capital.7 Between the fourth quarter of 2008, when the FOMC reduced its federal funds target rate to virtually zero, and the first quarter of 2010, the NIM increased by 21 percent,...
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...Revised 04/10/2012 Quarter | SPRING 2012 (4/2/2012 – 6/18/2012) | Meeting Days/Time | Mondays: 6–10 pm Room #103 | Instructor | Professor Shervelle Thomas | Instructor Phone | C: (901) 212-1950 H: (901) 552-4241 W: (901) 434-6647 | Instructor E-mail | shervelle.thomas@strayer.edu | Instructor Office Hours/Location | Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6- 8 pmAdditional times available by appointment | Academic Office Phone Number | (901) 251-7111 | Strayer Technical Support | (877) 642-2999 | COURSE DESCRIPTION Presents the fundamental concepts of organizational behavior. Emphasizes the human problems and behaviors in organizations and methods of dealing with these problems. Focuses on motivation, informal groups, power and politics, communication, ethics, conflict resolution, employment laws, technology and people, and managing change. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS Required Resources Nelson, D., & Quick, J. C. (2009). Organizational behavior: 2010 custom edition. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. Supplemental Resources Austin, J. (2009). Mapping out a game plan for change. HRMagazine, 54(5), 39-42. Effective organizational communication: A competitive advantage. HRMagazine, 53(12), 1-9. Buckingham, M. (2009). How women handle success. BusinessWeek, 4153, 70-71. COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES 1. Evaluate human behavior in organizations and the forces shaping the behavior. 2. Analyze individual differences within organizations and their impact...
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...‘‘Veterans Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Act of 1999’’. SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS. Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Act of 1999. 15 USC 631 note. The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title. Sec. 2. Table of contents. TITLE I—GENERAL PROVISIONS Sec. 101. Findings. Sec. 102. Purpose. Sec. 103. Definitions. TITLE II—VETERANS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Sec. 201. Veterans business development in the Small Business Administration. Sec. 202. National Veterans Business Development Corporation. Sec. 203. Advisory Committee on Veterans Business Affairs. TITLE III—TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE Sec. 301. SCORE program. Sec. 302. Entrepreneurial assistance. Sec. 303. Business development and management assistance for military reservists’ small businesses. Sec. Sec. Sec. Sec. Sec. 401. 402. 403. 404. 405. TITLE IV—FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE General business loan program. Assistance to active duty military reservists. Microloan program. Defense Economic Transition Loan Program. State development company program. TITLE V—PROCUREMENT ASSISTANCE Sec. 501. Subcontracting. Sec. 502. Participation in Federal procurement. Sec. Sec. Sec. Sec. 601. 602. 603. 604. TITLE VI—REPORTS AND DATA COLLECTION Reporting requirements. Report on small business and competition. Annual report of the Administrator. Data and information collection. TITLE VII—MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS Sec. 701. Administrator’s order. Sec. 702. Small Business...
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...the strategy performances, financial measurement was used to keep a record on tangible asset in order to determine revenues and profits from those tangibles in previous decades. Since the increasing number of knowledge-based organization aroused, it is necessary to have knowledge-based intangible asset’s performance measurement to indicate the organization’s capability and success. Balanced Scorecard is an efficient measurement system consists both financial and non-financial factors. Because “ the balanced scorecard is a performances measurement system that identifies and reports on performances measures for each key strategies area of business” (textbook). In respect of the majority organizations, The balanced scorecard has four basic perspectives-financial perspective, customer perspective, internal business and learning and growth, in terms of translate organization’s mission to their strategy, and structure their implementation. However, once the organization’s mission varies, the order and contains of these perspectives may vary. . Financial perspective includes all elements, which may show the finance ability of organization, i.e. profit and loss statement, cash flow statement, balance sheet. From an overview of these factors, shareholders may identify the successfulness of organization. When their appearance is that more economic value added, the goal is achieved. But this may not be the case for a non-profit organization; by...
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...Strategic Alliance is when two or more independent companies come to terms of agreement on what the other company can gain by converging there assets. The converging of these parties within the agreed terms based on service level agreements, form a business strategic alliance. Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and a given set of objectives define the terms of the alliance from each party. The author states that the terms are typically based on operation performance metrics to measure the terms of the success of the strategic alliance. 2) What percent of corporate Alliances are successful measured by the Cost of Capital. What are the reasons for such results? The intention and meaning behind a Strategic Alliance is for both companies to be more successful as partners in a joint venture more then they would have separately. The author of the article states that corporate alliances are a 50/50 chance of success and goes on through some reasons behind the lack of success for one or both parties. Much of the failure of one party or another is due to the traditional organization and management. The operational performance metrics, from the Service Level Agreements that form the terms in which the alliances are joined, are dated in nature because of the focus on meeting the metrics versus looking the overall strategy and vision. The lack of focus on the vision by company’s leaders causes them to manage their business individually and downwardly. Stemming through to middle management...
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...UNCTAD/ITE/IIA/5 UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT How to Prepare Your Business Plan UNITED NATIONS New York and Geneva, 2002 Note UNCTAD serves as the focal point within the United Nations Secretariat for all matters related to foreign direct investment and transnational corporations. In the past, the Programme on Transnational Corporations was carried out by the United Nations Centre on Transnational Corporations (19751992) and the Transnational Corporations and Management Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Development. UNCTAD seeks to create an enabling environment for international investment and enterprise development. Its work is carried out through intergovernmental deliberations, technical assistance activities, seminars, workshops and conferences. The term “country” as used in this study also refers, as appropriate, to territories or areas; the designations employed and the presentation of the material do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. In addition, the designations of country groups are intended solely for statistical or analytical convenience and do not necessarily express a judgement about the stage of development reached by a particular country or area in the development...
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...Date A Line of business (LOB) is a term that is generally used to refer to products that are highly related and are meant for consumption by a particular group of customers. Therefore businesses in same line produce similar goods targeting the same consumer group. A small business is defined as one that is independently operated, not dominant in their field and whose main aim is to make profits. It also has less than 500 employees and annual receipts not exceeding $21.5 million depending on the type of product they produce. (Osborne, 2011) Therefore a small-business line of business (LOB) refers to an independently-owned business with less than 500 employees, annual receipts not of $21.5 million, not dominant in their field and dealing with related products targeting a particular group of customers. Examples of lines of businesses are education and training services, medical services, information and technology services etc. (Aaker, 2001) According to the U.S Small Business Administration (SBA), the small businesses preferred in this context falls under the HUBZone category. The HUBZone refers to Historically Underutilized Business Zones i.e. business located both in urban and rural communities but in underutilized business zones. The U.S Small Business Administration (SBA) gives special treatment to this types of businesses under the HUBZone program by ensuring they gain preferential access in regard to award of federal contracts. The line of business (LOB) for our preferred...
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...Forbes.com: How LinkedIn Has Turned Your Resume Into A Cash Machine Table of Contents | | | |Page Number | | | | |Terms of Reference |2 | | | | | | |Introduction |3 | | | | | | |Section 1: | | | | |Creating Mission, Vision and Values |4 | | | | | | |Section 2: | | | | |Implementing Mission, Vision and Values ...
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...Business Basics Apex Training Company As the sole proprietor of Apex, Martha has had the full responsibility of running all aspects of her company for the past six years. At the time of initial start up, the company was small and was easily managed by one person. Martha worked numerous hours as she developed her training company to structure a strategic plan that addressed her short and long term business goals. Martha, as the sole proprietor, did not have to share Apex’s earnings with anyone else. She was able to turn her profits immediately back into the company. Martha also paid lower taxes due to the fact that Apex earnings are considered her personal income. She played all roles within the company. For example, she was able to fill in when Rose, her one employee, called in sick, and still monitor all business operations. Based upon her four years experience as the vice president of marketing for a training company and the financial success she had in the position, Martha felt very comfortable stepping into the presidency of her own company. However, as her company’s revenues grow and her training requests expand, Martha is re-evaluating her business plan as well as her form of business ownership. As Martha’s accountant, I am concerned that she has reached several limitations of sole proprietorship. Marth had to take a loss the first year Apex was in business. She had to ensure that she had enough money to pay Rose, as well as the operating...
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...Study Report ¹ SUBMITTED TO PROF. NEIL COHEN School of Business and Public Management The George Washington University BY Anil Kumar Cheerla FINA 6224 FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT WASHINGTON, DC January 26, 2011 Q1: Consider which comparable peers are good matches and use them to perform a multiples analysis, calculating and defending an estimate of Crocs value. Soln: Comparable companies analysis – Done to determine appropriate valuation multiple for Crocs, Inc. • • Selected peer group based on industry, business and financial characteristics Included explosive growth stocks such as Lulelemon & Under Armour having similar prospects for growth and ROIC as Crocs, Inc. and some mature, stabilized businesses with stable industry growth rates – Nike, Deckers & Timberland. This mix will help us provide valuation from an aggressive sales growth and maturing sales context. Some characteristics used in selection include – o Primary or at least significant portion of business revenue comes from footwear & apparel – analogous to Crocs primary business o Has product appeal to large group of customers o Has distinct product attributes (innovative/creative) and differentiation from competition o Has wide range of distribution channels o CAGR Sales growth, COGS to Sales & Significantly less debt exposure on their balance sheets o Have characteristics of high octane growth and show signs of maturity and stabilizing long-term growth similar to well established footwear brands. • ...
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...Indicators (both cover and leading) are fragmented into 4 areas of focus: Financial, Customers, Operational and People. These indicators are checked on a regular basis and prearranged as a Scorecard for determining current company status. Strategic management is a continuous process that evaluates the business and industries in which the organization is involved, appraises its competitors, and fixes goals to meet all the present and future...
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...of Corporate Information Technology from the time of his arrival at Alcan: his observations on the current state of IT management, his appointment to the position of Chief Information Officer and the development of his new strategic plan for IT management. Part A presents the main features and challenges of IT management at Alcan up until the middle of 2006.. Students are encouraged to reflect on the characteristics, implications and challenges represented by IT management in a large global organization. To which quadrant It belongs to In order to identify the class in which Alcan belongs to, we need to understand the specific business characteristics Rate of change in Alcan: Alcan belongs to the aluminium industry which involves mining and manufacturing: 1. Typically this kind of an industry is a stagnant and slow moving in terms of technological adoption and new process introductions 2. It depends on macro economic scenarios and industry performance is effected directly with the international pricing fluctuations 3. Slow rate of growth 4. Customer needs and preferences are not shifted rapidly 5. Dependent on government regulations 6. Competitive landscape is international – Internally Alcan is the market leader and it provides at cheaper rates compared to other international competitors due to its lesser COGS and operational expenses 7. As it is vertically integrated and there is no problem with the supply of raw materials ...
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...Robert S. Kaplan David P. Norton O S T everal years ago, we introduced the concept of a “Balanced Scorecard” for motivating and measuring business unit performance.1 The Scorecard, with four perspectives—financial, customer, internal business processes, and learning and growth—provided a balanced picture of current operating performance as well as the drivers of future performance (see Exhibit 1). Can Business Operate with a Balanced Scorecard? CO Some argue that managers cannot operate with multiple measurements of business-unit performance. While they recognize that aggregate financial measures (such as operating income, return on investment, and economic value added) are not perfect by themselves, they claim that financial measures at least are well understood and provide clear, unambiguous, and objective goals on which all organizational participants can focus. Such people feel that multiple measures—some financial and some non-financial—are confusing and lead to ambiguous, often conflicting, signals about what the organization values. PY We disagree. Imagine entering the cockpit of a jet airplane and observing that there is only a single instrument. How would you feel about flying on that plane after the following discussion with the pilot: Reprinted by permission of Harvard Business School Press. Adapted from The Balanced Scorecard by Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton. Copyright ©1996 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College;...
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...Introduction After attending several lectures at xxx, I have decided to open a kiosk business in my estate selling potatoes. I therefore have to decide under what legal form to register my business after a careful consideration of the different pros and cons and finally identify what would make up the supply chain of my business. Background information There are a range of legal structures associated with different forms of business: 1. Sole trader businesses are the easiest to set up because there is no complex paperwork. The business and the owner are the same person in law. The sole trader does not have limited liability which means that they are responsible for all the debts of the business. The sole trader has to produce an annual accounting return for the Inland Revenue. 2. Partnerships are set up by a Deed of Partnership which is a document made out by the partners and witnessed by a solicitor. This Deed sets out the legal relationship between partners e.g. how profits will be shared out, responsibilities of partners etc. In traditional partnerships the partners had unlimited liability i.e. they were jointly responsible for the debts of their partnership. In 2001 this has been altered so that some large partnerships e.g. accountancy firms can have limited liability. 3. Companies are separate in law from the individual owners (shareholders) of the business. This means that should the business run up debts the shareholders are only liable for these debts up to the sum they...
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...ENGINEERING ADVANTAGE Developing growth strategies to become a market leader S T R AT E G Y Introduction A business will not become the market leader by chance. It takes careful planning to build an organisation that outperforms its competitors. In business, these plans are called strategies. A business strategy can take many forms. For IMI, a leading engineering business, its strategies focus on growing the business within the niche markets in which it operates. A niche market is a relatively small and often highly specialised segment of a market. IMI is a global engineering business focused on the precise control and movement of fluids in critical applications. IMI has five platform businesses which use its expertise in valve and fluid engineering in different markets: • Fluid Power – specialists in motion and fluid control technologies, custom engineered for critical applications requiring precision, speed and reliability. • Severe Service – highly engineered valves and controls that enable vital industrial and energy production processes to operate safely, cleanly and more efficiently. • Indoor Climate – experts in hydronic distribution systems and room temperature control which deliver energy efficient indoor climate systems. • Beverage Dispense – specialists in innovative beverage cooling and dispense solutions that contribute to increased sales and lower operating costs. • Merchandising – specialists in bespoke point of sale merchandising solutions which improve...
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