Business Finance Homework Help

Discussion: Mission Accomplished?

Post 1: Initial Post

Instructions

This posting should be a minimum of one short paragraph and a maximum of two paragraphs. Word totals for this post should be in the 100–200-word range. Whether you agree or disagree, explain why with supporting evidence and concepts from the readings or a related experience. Include a reference, link, or citation when appropriate.

For Discussion

Choose ONE of the following questions to respond to in your initial post.

1. Think of a company whose product or service you feel strongly about (positive or negative). Research that company’s mission statement. Do you think the company is achieving its mission? Be sure to include the company, the mission statement, and reasons why you think the company is or isn’t achieving its mission.
2. In your reading on forecasting, you read examples of botched forecasts by business leaders, including one from Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer predicting in 2012 that the iPhone wouldn’t get any significant market share. Why do you think it’s difficult for businesses to accurately forecast the future when planning?
3. In your reading, we identified six steps of the planning process:
   • Define objectives
   • Develop premises
   • Evaluate alternatives
   • Identify resources
   • Plan and implement tasks
   • Determine tracking and evaluation methods

   Which step do you think businesses most often overlook or fail to adequately address when making plans? Why?

Post 1: Initial Post

Instructions

This posting should be a minimum of one short paragraph and a maximum of two paragraphs. Word totals for this post should be in the 100–200-word range. Whether you agree or disagree, explain why with supporting evidence and concepts from the readings or a related experience. Include a reference, link, or citation when appropriate.

Preparation

Watch the following video about some of the worst business decisions ever made:

You can view the transcript for “10 Worst Business Decisions Ever Made” here (opens in a new window).

For your reference, here’s a list of the ten business mistakes identified in the video:

• Blockbuster declined to buy Netflix
• Western Union turned down a chance to buy the patent on the telephone
• Publishers turned down Harry Potter
• AOL and Time Warner merger
• Firestone refused to recall faulty tires and lost the Ford partnership
• 20th Century Fox granted George Lucas rights to Star Wars films and merchandise
• Atari said no to Apple computer
• Kodak sat on first digital camera too long
• NBC vs. Conan and Leno
• RCA diversified too much

For Discussion

Pick one of the examples from the video, or research your own example (if you do this, please provide at least one supporting link). You may also choose to do more research on the example you chose. Then answer ALL of the following questions about the decision you chose:

1. What barriers do you think the decision-makers faced? Can you identify any biases that might have influenced their decision?
2. What tools or processes do you think the decision-makers could have used to avoid the bad decision? Be specific about why you think the tools or process would have led them to a different decision.
3. Put yourself in the decision maker’s shoes. Do you think you would have made the same mistake? Why or why not?

Discussion: Are They Simply Guidelines?

Post 1: Initial Post

Instructions

This posting should be a minimum of one short paragraph and a maximum of two paragraphs. Word totals for this post should be in the 100–200-word range. Whether you agree or disagree, explain why with supporting evidence and concepts from the readings or a related experience. Include a reference, link, or citation when appropriate.

Preparation

As public pressure for corporate accountability and ethical behavior increases, businesses and industries are putting more emphasis on establishing and publicly sharing their codes of ethics with stakeholders. Businesses adopt these to help guide corporate decision-making, but they can be used against them when businesses stray from their stated codes. For instance, Enron’s 64-page code of ethics was Exhibit #1 at the trial of its CEO, Ken Lay, after the company imploded. Stuart Gilman, president of the Ethics Resource Center in Washington, D.C., said that, for Enron, “ethics was simply a piece of paper with three Ps—print, post [in the company lunchroom], and then pray that something is actually going to happen.”

To complete this discussion assignment, you will need to:

1. Select a company that you are familiar with as a customer, employee, or investor.
2. Locate a copy of the company’s code of ethics. You can generally find this on their Web site in the “About Us” section of the site. Make sure to get the link/URL for the code of ethics when you are there because you need to include that link in your initial post.
3. Do some general research about the company you selected regarding possible activities by the company or its leadership that either violates or supports this code of ethics. You will use this information to support the position you take in your initial post.

For Discussion

Please respond to ALL of the following questions in your initial post:

1. Share the company you selected, the link/URL to the company’s code of ethics, and your reason for selecting the company.
2. Based on your reading of the company’s code of ethics, and your research into the activities of the company, what grade would you give them for adhering to their code of ethics? Use the same grading scale you are evaluated by: A, B, C, D, F. Provide your reasoning for assigning them the grade you did.
3. Now, consider the industry in which the company operates (e.g., Disney in the entertainment industry). Are there forces at work in that industry that make it easier or harder to be ethical?
4. Are there external factors (public opinion, social norms, attitudes, values) that influence public perception of the company’s ethical behavior? For example, even though cigarette manufacturer Philip Morris may conduct its business according to its own code of ethics, some people believe it is unethical for them to make and sell a product that is known to cause cancer.
5. Does a company’s adherence or nonadherence to a code of ethics influence your decision to do business with them?