...assessment grade. Case under Observation: This is a case study of a U.S. company called Cossco, Inc, depicted in different scenarios 1 through 4, carrying a maximum of 70 marks. Each scenario is presented in a way that encapsulates the topics in your syllabus for International Trade Finance. Students are advised to closely read each scenario and understand the issues faced by the CFO and financial analyst. Recommendations are to be given in a logical and concise manner. __________________________________________________________ Scenario 1 20 Marks Cossco, Inc is a U.S based company that has been incorporated in the United States for three years. It’s a small company with total assets worth $300 million. The company produces a single type of product, golf clubs. Cossco during the boom time, has been quite successful. However, the demand for “IRONS”, the company’s primary product in the United States, has been slowly decreasing since last year. Cossco’s shareholders have been pressuring the company to improve its performance. Cossco produces high-quality golf clubs and employs a unique production process, but the prices it charges are among the top 5 percent in the industry. In light of these circumstances, Chris Mathew, the company’s chief financial officer, is considering the following: If Cossco cannot penetrate the U.S. market further or reduce costs here, why not import some parts from overseas and/or expand the company sales to foreign countries? International Trade...
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...CHAPTER 9 RISK ANALYSIS, REAL OPTIONS, AND CAPITAL BUDGETING Answers to Concept Questions 1. Forecasting risk is the risk that a poor decision is made because of errors in projected cash flows. The danger is greatest with a new product because the cash flows are probably harder to predict. 2. With a sensitivity analysis, one variable is examined over a broad range of values. With a scenario analysis, all variables are examined for a limited range of values. 3. It is true that if average revenue is less than average cost, the firm is losing money. This much of the statement is therefore correct. At the margin, however, accepting a project with marginal revenue in excess of its marginal cost clearly acts to increase operating cash flow. 4. From the shareholder perspective, the financial break-even point is the most important. A project can exceed the accounting and cash break-even points but still be below the financial break-even point. This causes a reduction in shareholder (your) wealth. 5. The project will reach the cash break-even first, the accounting break-even next and finally the financial break-even. For a project with an initial investment and sales after, this ordering will always apply. The cash break-even is achieved first since it excludes depreciation. The accounting break-even is next since it includes depreciation. Finally, the financial break-even, which includes the time value of money, is achieved. 6. Traditional NPV analysis is often...
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...“more loyal to flavor than brand” (Page 5). Positioning Statement: Among older adults, Vital-Aid is the only brand of Sports Drink that provides a healthy hydrating solution; containing powerful antioxidants that reduce the risk of many diseases including cancer. Pricing strategy: Two pricing strategies can be used with new products Skimming and Penetration. Skimming strategy will help us reach our performance objective by covering high costs of development, sacrificing high sales for high profits while capitalizing on the price insensitivity of buyers. A Penetration strategy would not be beneficial because with a lower price and a higher production cost, our profit margins will be negatively affected and our performance objective will not be reached. o (20% – 22%) / 22% = .268 [ < 1 i.e. Price Inelastic] ($.79 - $.59) / $.59 o (15% – 20%) / 20% = .988 [ < 1 i.e. Price Inelastic] ($.99 - $.79) / $.79 Vital-Aid will be sold at the manufacturer price of $0.53 and the MSRP of $.79 per 20 Oz. Bottle. Although pricing 5 flavors at $0.79 manufacturer’s price will maximize profit, The Price Elasticity of Demand At both price points are Inelastic, which means that the consumers at these price points are less price sensitive. Because elasticity is the same, competition plays a large role in the pricing decision. The manufacturer’s price of $0.53 price makes sense because it is high (above other major competition) but below the market leader Croc-Ade, also our retail price will...
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...Scenario One: Cost Club HRM/546 May 28, 2012 DATE: May 28, 2012 SUBJECT: Cost Club Human Resources Concerns Cost Club is administratively organized into regions, and each region develops their own operational policies as long as the low cost bottom line and reasonable customer service is maintained (University of Phoenix, 2012). There are several routine human resources issues that need to be addressed in the workplace. The first issue involves potential wrongful discharges at the Anderson Cost Club store. The second issue is assisting the regional CEO in reducing employee costs; addressing the use of independent contractors and temporary employees. The third issue involves determining if Cost Club is legally responsible in three separate situations because of employee or vendor error. The fourth issue is addressing alternatives to settle disputes between employees and the company. The last issue involves addressing the Employment Law concepts that can arise in personnel actions, and assisting in the training around best practices in selection, promotion, and performance evaluations of employees. Message 1: Discharges at the Anderson Cost Club store The Anderson Cost Club store is located in a right-to-work state which secures the right of employees to decide if they want to join or financially support a union. This will have nothing to do with how or why the two employees were terminated from Cost Club. The GM at the Anderson Cost Club store terminated the...
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...1. The description the requirement of the video system is as below. ------------------------------------------------- A video store system runs a series of fairly standard video stores. Before a video can be put on the shelf, it must be cataloged and entered into the video database. Every customer must have a valid customer card in order to rent a video. A customer rents the video for three days at a time. Every time a customer rents a video, the system must ensure that they do not have any overdue videos. If so, the overdue videos must be returned and an overdue fee must be paid before the customer can rent more videos. Likewise, if the customer has returned overdue videos, but has not paid the overdue fee, the fee must be paid before a new video can be rented. Every morning, the store manager prints a report that lists overdue videos. If a video is two or more days overdue, the manager calls the customer to remind him/her to return the video. If a video is returned in a damaged condition, the manager removes it from the video database and may sometimes charge the customer. a. Draw a use case model for the video system described above. Manager Manage customer Add video Rent Return Overdue Print report Delete video charge Customers (10 marks) b. Rental is one of the use cases in the video system. Write a Rental use case description using detail format (Use case name, actor(s), brief description, pre-condition, post-condition, main scenario (flow...
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...Executive Summary In Springfield Nor’easters case study, Larry Buckingham is the marketing director for the Nor'easters, a class A minor league baseball team in Springfield, MA. As any other profit-seeking business the objective of this sports club is to sustain a viable business by making profit, at least brake-even in the opening season. The two major sources of revenue for Nor’easters are ticket and concession sales. Larry conducts market research to gain knowledge about potential customers and their willingness to attend Nor’easters games on different ticket price levels. The results of the survey and other information collected by various sources help Larry to develop a pricing strategy for the Nor’easters’ ticket and concession sales. This paper evaluates the data yielded from the market research, presents two alternative pricing strategies and states the strengths and weaknesses for each. Finally, this paper concludes with a set of recommendations from the alternatives discussed. According to the evaluation of survey data, the information provided in the case and assumptions made, at least 50% of the Springfield population need to attend at least one game throughout the season for Nor’easters to break even. However, although not fully reflective of the whole population due to limited sample size, the survey data states that only 39% of Springfield residents are willing to attend games. Nor’easters will have to escalate this to above 50% level by conducting marketing...
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...know Lisa and Reuben, the owner/managers of Club IT, and learning some of the back office operations. You’ve become familiar with the Club IT website, and you want to help Lisa and Reuben see how they can achieve their primary strategic objective - “to build a community that meets regularly at Club IT.” After reading Chapter 2, you have seen many real business cases where IT has helped organizations achieve strategic objectives. The real estate industry has seen a major transformation with electronic communications and the web, the airlines are continuing to innovate, and even your course registration process is getting easier with online options. While Club IT doesn’t have the IT resources of Kmart or Sears, it is much more agile and should be able to take advantage of it’s information base to help build a community with the support of IT. 1. Many organizations now have a members’ website, where customers can keep track of different kinds of information related to the organization. Many have “wish lists” where you can keep track of items related to that business – eBay is a good example. Visit a site that allows users to keep a “my favorites” type of list (eBay, Amazon, Dell, Old Navy are examples) and prepare a paragraph discussing the kinds of competitive information the organization can gain by providing this service. 2. Consider the different strategies for competitive advantage listed in the chapter: a. Cost leadership b. Differentiation ...
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...could lead to harm" Risk is a more difficult concept to define. The term risk is used in everyday language to mean "chance of disaster". When used in the process of risk assessment it has specific definitions, the most commonly accepted being "The combination of the probability, or frequency, of occurrence of a defined hazard and the magnitude of the consequences of the occurrence". The distinction between hazard and risk can be made clearer by the use of a simple example. A large number of chemicals have hazardous properties. Acids may be corrosive or irritant to human beings for example. The same acid is only a risk to human health if humans are exposed to it. The degree of harm caused by the exposure will depend on the specific exposure scenario. If a human only comes into contact with the acid after it has been heavily diluted, the risk of harm will be minimal but the hazardous property of the chemical will remain unchanged. There has been a gradual move in environmental policy and regulation from hazard-based to risk-based approaches. This...
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...Chapter 03 - Markets, Organizations, And The Role Of Knowledge CHAPTER 3 MARKETS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND THE ROLE OF KNOWLEDGE CHAPTER SUMMARY This chapter answers three primary questions: How do market systems work? What are the relative advantages of market systems compared to central planning in large economies? Why do we observe so much economic activity conducted within firms in market economies? In addition to covering the basic principles of exchange and supply-and-demand analysis, the chapter introduces two concepts that are critical to the subsequent development in the book: specific knowledge and contracting costs. The chapter also makes the important point that individuals have incentives to choose value-maximizing organizational arrangements. An appendix presents the basics of present value analysis and the valuation of common stock. It also discusses the concept of stock market efficiency. This appendix provides useful background material (for example, when instructors want to discuss the stock market reactions to events). CHAPTER OUTLINE GOALS OF ECONOMIC SYSTEMS PROPERTY RIGHTS AND EXCHANGE IN A MARKET ECONOMY Dimensions of Property Rights Managerial Application: Patent for Priceline.com Managerial Application: Property Rights Insecurity in Columbia Gains from Trade Managerial Application: While Animosity between the Governments of Venezuela and the U. S. Grow, So Does Trade Managerial Application: Strategic Business Planning—Ignoring Economics of Trade Academic...
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...Scenario One: Cost Club Background Cost Club is a growing retailer, similar to Super Wal-Mart or Target. It provides discount merchandise and supermarket products in large stores located in many areas of the United States. Cost Club is administratively organized into regions, and each region is permitted to develop its own operational policies these worekersliijijijijoijmmkhere are many strong competitors to Cost Club, with some regions experiencing more competition than others. Your Role in Cost Club You recently have joined the Atlanta regional office of Cost Club as the Assistant Manager of Human Resources (HR) for the region. If you do well in this assignment, you may advance to the HR manager spot when your boss, Pat, moves on to another executive role in Cost Club. For memo purposes, Pat’s last name is the same as the last name of your facilitator. Pat has explained that while the Manager’s role is to focus on long-range and integration issues involving the entire region, your role as assistant manager is to deal with HR issues that arise routinely in the workplace. Pat has forwarded you a number of e-mails that present situations referred to HR; you must look at the situations and respond to Pat in an e-mail that addresses all the forwarded e-mails. Pat apologizes for not giving you time to settle in to your new position, but says that these are significant and time-sensitive issues that have to be dealt with quickly. You immediately begin examining the...
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...Case Scenario 2 1. Introduction to Virgin Blue – Low Cost leisure travel for Australians. - The airline was developed to service the Australian domestic leisure travel segment as a low cost airline with low prices, one class of ticket, and minimal on-board, complementary services. - In 2003, virgin blue holdings floated on ASX with core business being provision of travel services to leisure travellers in Australia and overseas - Pacific Blue in 2004 - Polynesian Blue in 2005 - Virgin Australia 2009 long haul airline servicing the trans-pacific 2. Introduction to Australian Domestic Airline Industry 1. Industry Product Segments Business Travel (57.1%) - Full fare Passenger transport by business and government travellers - Demand is based on business conditions and the need to travel - The cost of airfares is not necessarily an important factor - Video conferencing has a negative impact on growth in this segment. Leisure Travel (29.4%) - Comprises of low fare passenger transport by leisure travellers - Price is an important factor and is normally the first issue considered when planning a trip - Heavily discounted tickets are a strong driver of passenger growth in this segment Freight and others (13.5%) - Freight transport – time sensitive and high value to weight items - Others – excess luggage, late fees...
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...Developing a Marketing Strategy: Delivering and Capturing Value Marketing Plan: The Brita Products Company Product: • Brita Pitcher-filter water system Price: $15.16 pitcher system and $4.10 filter • Brita faucet system Price: $34.99/$39.99 Faucet System Place: Pitcher system: main health food chains introducing department stores, mass merchandise, grocery stores, club stores, drug stores. (Minimum advertised price). Faucet to be launched. Promotion: They are very focused in taste for pitcher. It has been a good decision since I think probably to try to find another proposal for purity and health for the faucet system. Diagnosis: The first question is can we launch faucet system? Or would it cannibalize the pitcher system in which we are the leader? I think we definitely should launch the faucet system it is cheaper so we can access to another segment of customers. Also the faucet could even convince people that regularly drink water directly from the tap, because it last longer, and the cost is lower compared to the pitcher. It even helps the customer get to know Brita and improve taste on water, and even evolution as a Brita customer, first the faucet system then the pitcher. Then how would we promote the faucet in order to differentiate it from the pitcher? Would the taste be also the main focus on our campaign? Or should we focus on health and bacteria? Even though public is not very aware of the bacteria issues on water. Another question is to launch...
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...Cost Club Scenario #1 Paper Cherie Hands-Dixon University of Phoenix Human Resource Law/ HRM 546 Phillip Quintana, JD September 12, 2011 | Cost Club | Memo To: Pat Quintana From: Cherie Hands-Dixon Date: September 12, 2011 Re: Messages The Cost Club Store in Anderson wanted to downsize the workforce by firing two of their employees for no reason given. It was stated in the previous e-mail the general manager must supply information for terminating these two employees. Otherwise the employees are to file a claim for wrongful termination and the possibility being awarded compensatory damages and punitive damages. Pat Quintana, the executive of human resources has concerns the company will lose this case if reasons for the discharge is not documented. The Anderson Cost Club Store could be sued for wrong termination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This act into place to help shape our country with employment right. “Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (a) It shall be an unlawful employment practice for an employer, (1) to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual, or otherwise to discriminate...
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...ADMN 233 Assignment 3 Part 1 Routine E-Mail Messages and Memos 25 marks (Questions 1 and 2) Refer as needed to material in Chapter 8. Read the instructions for each activity. Answer all questions clearly and concisely. Include examples to support your answers. Activity A – Routine memo Read the following scenario and respond to the question that follows. Scenario 1: Performance Assessment Judith Halls, Manager of Human Resources at The Maritime Fish Packing Cooperative, wrote the following first draft of a reply memo. | The Maritime Fish Packing Cooperative | |Interoffice Memo | | | |Date: December 4, 2009 | | | |To: Michael Foreman, President ...
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...Discuss the trends in the golf equipment industry and how it may impact a company’s strategy. Ans: According to new the United States Golf Association (USGA), Golf equipment manufacturers are forced to launch the equipment within the limitation. Therefore, the product differentiation is not quite high while recreational golfers do not enjoy playing due to lack of innovational equipment. Also, the USGA states that there are various factors that result in the declining of golfers such as: - Game difficulty: Golf equipment manufacturers are forced to follow the new USGA rules, thus, recreational golfers are suffered from the limitation of golf equipments. They cannot enjoy playing golf as much as before while new golfers face the difficulty of playing. - Time consuming for practice: According to the limited innovation of golf equipment, golfers need lots of time to practice while they also have take responsibility to their job and spend time with their families. - High golf fee: Some golfers realize that golf fee is high, as a result, they cannot practice frequently. 2. Discuss the importance of innovation, brand, performance, and price in the golf equipment industry. Ans: Good reputation and image can lead to brand loyalty. That’s why many brands use lots of advertising expenditure to promote their brands. As the leading sports brand in the world, Nike has a clear marketing advantage over its competitors. Nike spends some of their annual revenues on advertising to...
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