...First of all, line costs are the amounts that WorldCom paid other companies to be able to use their communication networks for their customers and it included access fees and transport charges for messages. The line costs are an expense and instead of reporting them as an expense at the time, they chose to hold off on paying them and adding them in as an expense so that it would look as though WorldCom was earning more than they really were. The first solution should have been to relook at the financial statements of WorldCom from an ethical standpoint. Instead of ignoring expenses or changing expenses into assets and assets into expenses, WorldCom should have followed the guidelines of the Generally Accepted Accounting Practices and the SEC and followed the accrual method for their financial statements. If Scott Sullivan would have followed the rules of the GAAP and the SEC, WorldCom could possibly have gotten themselves out their financial hole rather than making it larger. Since that did not happen the internal auditors are considered to be the first line of defense against accounting errors and fraud within a company. The treatment of those line costs was found by Cynthia Cooper who was WorldCom’s internal auditor. It was brought to the attention of Scott Sullivan (WorldCom’s CFO) and they wanted him to explain why they had treated their line costs as capital expenditures. Now, the purpose of the United States securities law is to help protect all investors in a company...
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...With the help of Mr Sullivan's financial engineering Mr Ebbers raced the business - now called WorldCom - through 70 deals in four years, buying up competitors and expanding his reach. Along the way the company picked up numerous fans on Wall Street, perhaps most notably Jack Grubman, a telecoms analyst at the prestigious investment bank Salomon Smith Barney. Like many analysts of the time, Mr Grubman believed that to succeed in the new era of the internet and the world wide web companies needed to create telecoms networks that spanned the globe - a goal that could only be achieved with serious financial backing. Mr Ebbers had no trouble finding people willing to give him a hand. Usually sober bankers and investment analysts were entranced by his plain-speaking manner and as the company grew its share price defied gravity. Using its valuable shares as bargaining chips and backed up by piles of debt, Mr Ebbers snatched up businesses across the US and waded into Europe. Its acquisitions included UUNet, one of the oldest carriers of internet traffic, which is still a major provider to AOL. WorldCom also sealed what at the time was the biggest deal the US stock market had seen, snatching another US communications group, MCI, from the clutches of BT. That $40bn merger in 1998 gave WorldCom an effective stranglehold on the US internet market, forcing the sale of part of MCI to another British firm, Cable & Wireless. In the deal C&W picked up a piece of internet history...
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...WorldCom is one of the biggest scandals that happen in the world, especially in the United States of America. WorldCom merged with MCI in 1997 for US$37 billion to form MCI WorldCom. Later on WorldCom wanted to merge with Sprint Corporation in 1999 becoming a $129 billion merge, but before the two companies finalized the US department of Justice and the European Union stepped in and didn’t want this to happen, for this merge had the possibility of creating a monopoly. Bernard Ebbers was the CEO of WorldCom at the time, he became very wealth with WorldCom common stock. Without the merge of Sprint, WorldCom Stock started to decrease over time, and the banks were pressuring Ebbers and he had to cover margin calls on his WorldCom stock that was used to finance other business like (timber, yachting.) From 1999 through 2002 Scott Sullivan (CFO), David Myers (Controller) and Buford Yates (Director of General Accounting) were using shady accounting methods to show the company profitability and financial growth when company was losing shares. The company was capitalizing there expenses when they should have been expensing them, making the balance sheet look better than what it really is. The second issue for the company was making fake accounting entries to make them look like they generated revenues from corporate unallocated revenue accounts. WorldCom had approximately $3.8 billion in fraud of June 2002. For unethical practices WorldCom was capitalizing their products when they...
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...Chad Ducharme Macroeconomics What do Enron, Tyco, and World-com have in common Intro The purpose of this work is to show you what happens when you try to cheat the system. the reason the government does audits and checks for so many frauds is because people nowadays will do whatever it takes to make a little extra money. What these companies did not only hurt themselves in the long run but hurt the millions of workers and families that were connected with them. The Companies Enron was formed in 1985 by two gas companies, Houston Natural Gas and Nebraska InterNorth.Enron incurred massive debt and, as the result of deregulation, no longer had exclusive rights to its pipelines. In order to survive, the company had to come up with a new and innovative business strategy to generate profits and cash flow. To try to fix this Enron came up with the idea of becoming a “gas bank” to try to fix its problems. They would buy gas from a network of suppliers and sell it to a network of consumers, contractually guaranteeing both the supply and the price, charging fees for the transactions and assuming the associated risks. This became so successful that they decided to apply this to other things instead of just gas like, coal, paper, steel, water and even weather. In 2001 CEO Kenneth Lay retired and named Jeffrey Skilling president and CEO of Enron. On October 16th 2001 They reported their first quarterly loss in over four years and went downhill until the company filed for bankruptcy...
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...Organizational Leadership LDR 531 Group Number: SC09MBA10 G. Edward McCullough, M.A. March 25, 2010 Examining a Business Failure: WorldCom Why do businesses fail? Most business corporations experience company failure because of their lack of organizational leadership and unethical practices, which can consist of fraud, conspiracy, falsifying documents, and embezzlement. An example of a business failure is most recognized by the WorldCom (2002) bankruptcy scandal. Many organizational behavior (OB) theories as it relates to leadership, management, and organizational structure can give in site to explain the company’s failure. Most blame for the WorldCom scandal was placed in its founder and CEO Bernard Ebbers due to his unruly managerial functions (planning, organizing, leading and controlling) that he practiced during his time at WorldCom. WorldCom was known as a telecommunication giant, established from nothing in 1983 to become the biggest accounting scandal in United States (U.S.) history in 2002. According to Jones Jonesington (2007) says, “In 1998, the telecommunications industry began to slow down and WorldCom’s stock was declining which gave CEO Bernard Ebbers increased pressure from banks to cover margin calls on his WorldCom stock that was used to finance his other businesses endeavors (timber, yachting etc.).”(Jonesington, J., 2007) WorldCom took another big hit in 2000 when it was forced to abandon its merger with Sprint, says Jonesington. (Jonesington, J., 2007) ...
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...summer 2002 WorldCom, the fastest rising company in the US history with its CEO of 17 years Bernard Ebbers was busted for fraudulent financial activities (American Greed, 2008). The history of the company dates back to 1983 when Long Distance Discount Services (LDDS) was founded. The company was providing long distance calling for cheap by doing acquisitions and buying smaller phone companies (American Greed, 2008). Bernard Ebbers was company’s CEO and within 10 years he was able to make LDDS into the largest telecom company with a revenue of US 6 billion (American Greed, 2008). In 1998, Ebbers performed the biggest merger by buying out MCI. Company’s name was changed to WorldCom to reflect its size and capacity. In 1999 WorldCom’s performance was at its highest peak, with its stock at US 68 per share (American Greed, 2008). Ebber’s main strategies as CEO of WorldCom were: aggressive acquisitions; and cost control by “hammering off pennies” (American Greed, 2008). Even though Ebbers was cutting costs at WorlCom by refusing to provide free coffee to his employees, he was splurging extensively. In the late 90’s, Ebbers bought a percent of hockey team, not only he owned several yachts but he also bought yachts building company, he purchased a biggest ranch in the US, timberland, crawfish company, golf course, etc. Money for these purchases came from Ebbers’ personal loans from JPMorgan and Citi bank and totaled US 408 million. Ebbers secured the loans with WorldCom stock (American...
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...Detailed Lesson Plan (Grade 7) 1. Objectives After providing the necessary materials, each student; 1.1 investigates the different types of solutions: -unsaturated -saturated -supersaturated 1.2 performs an actual activity about solubility. 1.3 values the common solutions that can be found at home and can be used in daily living. 1. Learning Tasks 2.1 Topic: Solutions 2.2 Concept: The unsaturated solution has a less amount of solute to be dissolved. The saturated solution can hold no more solute to be dissolved. The supersaturated solution cannot hold more solute. 2.3 Materials 2.3.1 Textbook/Other Reference -Science Grade 7: Matter (K-12 Curriculum), pages 1-16 - http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/science/solution-heat-solution.html 2.3.2 Instructional Materials - video clips, materials enumerated for the experiment and activity sheet. 2. Methodology 3.1 Daily Activities 3.1.1 Prayer/ Greetings Christ Jesus Whom we open our eyes, may you be there; When we open our ears, may you be there; When we open our mouths, may you be there; When we open our diaries, may you be there. Help us to see with your eyes; Help us to hear with your ears; Help us to speak your truth in love; Help us to make time for you… for others… for ourselves. Amen. 3.1.2 Checking of Attendance 3.1.3 Checking of Assignment 3.2 Preparatory Activities 3.2.1 Review Teacher: Class...
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...Osmosis Introduction: Tissues are made up of cells that have the same structure and function. In this experiment osmosis will be measured in a piece of tissue. Water potential can be determined by the changes in dimensions of the tissues when it is placed in solutions of different concentrations. Research Question: What is the effect of sucrose solution on potato cells Hypothesis: Osmosis will increase when the solutions are less concentrated with sucrose Variables: Dependant: Osmosis Independent: Length Materials: 12 large test tubes or specimen tubes with bungs, marker pen, potato chip cutter, scalpel, fine forceps, 3 watch glasses or petri dishes, ruler, 6 labeled beakers one containing 50cm^3 of distilled water and other four containing 50cm^3 of 0.2 mol dm^-3, 0.4 mol dm^-3, 0.6 mol dm^-3 and 0.8 mol dm^-3. Method: 1- Using the potato chip cutter, cut 24 chips from the potato. Cut the chips into 5cm lengths using the scalpel. Be as accurate as possible. Place 4 chips into each of six, labeled test tubes, one test tube for each of the different sucrose solutions. Pour in enough of each respective solution to cover the potato tissue. Put a bung in each one of the test tubes and label this series “potato”. 2- Repeat the method using the apple fruit or turnip root, putting four chips of tissue 5cm long into each of the second series of test tubes. Label these tubes “apple” or “turnip”. 3- Leave the tubes for at least an hour 4- After at least...
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...FUNDAMENTALS OF SURFACE MODES: ¥ COLLOIDS ¥ means ÒglueÓ in Greek ¥ was coined in 1861 by Thomas Graham. ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ WHAT IS A COLLOID? usually consists of two phases; one continuous phase in which the other phase is dispersed. Size of particles: larger than the size of molecules and small enough for the dispersed phase to stay suspended for a longer period of time. ¥ No strict boundaries for the size limits. OFFICIAL DEFINITION ¥ In 1903 Wolfgang Ostwald formulated the official definition of a colloid: ¥ a system containing entities having at least one length scale in between 1nm and 1µm. ¥ For smaller particles there is no distinct boundaries between the phases and the system is considered a solution; ¥ for larger entities the particles will fall to the bottom due to the gravitational force, and the phases are separated. 1 2 3 MESOSCOPIC PHYSICS ¥ The particle size is in the so-called mesoscopic range in between the macroscopic and microscopic limits. LARGE INTERFACIAL AREA ¥ One very important quality of the colloids is the large interfacial area between the dispersed and the continuous phases. WHAT EFFECTS HAS THIS? ¥ This means that interface effects and hence the electromagnetic surface modes, are very important for the properties of the colloids. ¥ It costs energy to create this much surface and the particles would clump together if this isnÕt prevented. ¥ Usually the particles are charged and hence repel each other. 5 6 4 Four states...
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...encouraged to ask question/s that is related to this module and that you don’t know the answer to and want it to be answered. The question/s can be answered by anyone in class. The instructor will allow sometime for other students to answer the question/s before contributing. You can post your questions in MODULE 2 forum under the Discussion Forums. Complete Assignment #2. The assignments are posted in the ASSIGNMENTS area of the website. Even though the homework assignments are not to be turned in and graded, you are strongly encouraged to do them to understand the material and to prepare for quizzes and tests. A complete solution to this assignment will be posted on the course website under ASSIGNMENTS on Thursday (Sept 4th). You are encouraged to review the solutions and compare your work to the solution, ensuring that you understand the reasons the solutions appear as they do. You are also encouraged...
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... * Has no secretary The most important problem would be catching the flight for the meeting in Chicago since it’s an emergency and work related. Solutions: Getting work done for the day on the air plane on the way to the meeting. Call the secretary to find out at least some of the info for the meeting. Item#2 Problems: * Internal politicking in the company * Finding someone to replace F.T. Dickenson * Dealing with eliminating his overtime hours The two most important problems would the politicking, because someone else may feel the same way and decide to leave the company too. Also, finding someone to replace him and do his unfinished work in such a short period of time. Solution: Search for a new employee ASAP. Item#3 Problems: * Workers threatening to walk out over a co-worker * 10 votes to dismiss Foreman Edward George The workers are the most important asset to the company, so their interest should be first. Second, you have to figure out what to do about the votes to dismiss Ed George. Solutions: Talk to Ed George about his problems with his co-workers. Hold a meeting and get even more workers involved in the voting process, the take another vote. Item#4 Problems: * Overloading which can result in interruption of electrical power. * Not being reachable for Southern Power Solution: Contact Southern Power ASAP. See if they could come out and help with the problem. Item#5 Problem: * Balancing your work and his until Wednesday ...
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...Name Date Class COLLIGATIVE PROPERTIES OF SOLUTIONS Section Review Objectives • Identify the three colligative properties of solutions • Describe why the vapor pressure, freezing point, and boiling point of a solution differ from those properties of the pure solvent. Vocabulary • colligative properties • freezing-point depression • boiling-point elevation Part A Completion Use this completion exercise to check your understanding of the concepts and terms that are introduced in this section. Each blank can be completed with a term, short phrase, or number. In a solution, the effects of a nonvolatile _______ on the properties of the solvent are called _______. They include _______ point and vapor pressure _______, and boiling point _______. In each case, the magnitude of the effect is _______ proportional to the number of solute molecules or ions present in the _______. Colligative properties are a function of the number of solute _______ in solution. For example, one mole of sodium chloride produces _______ as many particles in solution as one mole of sucrose and, thus, will depress the freezing point of water _______ as much. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Part B True-False Classify each of these statements as always true, AT; sometimes true, ST; or never true, NT. 11. When added to 1000 g of water, 2 moles of a solute will increase the boiling point by...
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... it increases the water movement out of the plant by a process called transpiration. When there is a shortage of water, the guard cells well get smaller and close the stomata, and the transpiration process will move slower. The osmolarity would be tested with solute concentrations ranging from 0.0 M to 0.6 M. The concentrations increased 0.1 M each time and the solute used was sucrose. The goal of this experiment was to determine which concentration had the least effect on the potato after being incubated. This information helped us estimate the osmolarity of the potato tuber tissue. Our group hypothesis is that the osmolarity of the potato will have the concentration with the 0.1 M solution. This hypothesis is based off the predicted outcome that smaller molarity concentrations will have the least effect on the potato. The more solute added to a solution decreases the concentration of water in most cases (Kosinski). The decrease in water concentration would then lead to a lower weight of the potato tuber once it has finished incubating. Methods & Materials: For experiment A you will need the following items: 1 large potato tuber Forceps petri dish razor blade DI water metric ruler 7 250 mL beakers/ or disposable cups balance that weighs to the nearest 0.01g sucrose...
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...The data solute concentration of the egg was found by taking the average percent change in mass for each percent solute concentration used in the lab and putting the data into the graph(Mass vs. Solute Concentration Over 3 Days). According to the data from the class, the solute concentration inside an egg is 25.1%. The egg would be in an isotonic solution at 25.1% solute concentration. This is when the concentration outside the egg is equal with the concentration of water inside the egg. The point of equilibrium is the point at which the trendline crosses the x-axis. At this point, the egg would no longer gain or lose mass. If the concentrations are the same inside and outside the egg, diffusion will not be able to take place. All averages...
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...Analysis of Carcinus maenas ingestion rates Materials and methods Part 1 - Control experiment Two mussels (mytilus edulis) were opened and the mussels inside cut into 4 pieces, producing 8 pieces of roughly equal size in total. A balance was then tared with a weighing boat placed on it. Each piece of mussel flesh was placed individually and in turn into the weighing boat to be weighed. The pieces were then placed into a plastic bucket half filled with filtered seawater. The weight, time of weighing and time of immersion into the bucket were all noted down for each piece of mussel. The position of each piece of flesh inside the bucket was also taken down so as not to mix them up. One of the eight pieces was left in the bucket for the duration of the experiment until being removed and weighed at the end and was written down as “the last”. Another piece was removed frequently throughout the experiment and was given the name “the one”. The last 6 pieces were each removed once and weighed at regular intervals to provide a range of submersion times. The experiment was run for roughly 20 minutes. The method for removing and weighing the pieces of mussel was kept consistent throughout the experiment. Each piece was removed, blotted clear of any excess water and weighed. If the piece of mussel was “the one”, it was returned to the bucket of seawater, if not, it was kept aside and moist for the crab feeding (Part 2). Once all of the pieces were removed and weighed (multiple times for “the...
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