Disscusion Q 3

Disscusion Q 3

Question

Discuss one of the following topics in the discussion forum:

  1. WiMAX showed great promise for convenient and fast connectivity; however, deployment has stalled and there is a great deal of competition from cellular technologies, especially LTE. Discuss the technology in terms of its potential positive and negative impacts to society.
  2. Think of all the ways your cell phone transmits data. Discuss the different ways, giving a clear explanation of each way it transmits data and the format in which it does so.

Liberty BUSI561 DISCUSSION BOARD FORUM 2

Liberty BUSI561 DISCUSSION BOARD FORUM 2

Question

Discussion Board Forum 2 Case Study

Topic: Contracts

Don Willetts and his wife Dana began visiting the Sunday School class you teach in New Bern, NC, about 3 months ago. Don is not a Christian, but, with the encouragement of his wife who is a Christian, he says he is beginning to explore the faith.

After his first visit to the class, you spent some time talking with Don. You discovered that he owns a small, local health food products business and that he is interested in growing the business by adding some new product lines. You informed him of the high anti-oxidant qualities of the Scuppernong grapes your family produces company sells, and you asked him if he might be interested in promoting either the grapes themselves or the various products and pills developed using their seeds. Don was interested, and, a few days later, you supplied him with some samples. The samples turned out to be a very popular item with his regular customers, so he placed a modest phone order with your company. Over time, Don placed regular, increasing phone orders, and he began investing heavily in advertising for the Scuppernong products at his store. Your company has faithfully delivered everything requested, promptly, and at consistent prices. You typically sent an invoice with each delivery, requiring payment within 30 days, and, though Don had frequently been late making payment, he had generally paid each invoice within 45 to 60 days. You had elected not to charge him any interest or penalties though your invoices state that you reserve the right to do so.

On one occasion when your 17-year-old son, a part-time deliveryman for your company, delivered some product to Don’s store, Don handed your son a requirements contract and asked him to sign it on behalf of your company. The contract included a guaranteed price schedule consistent with what he had been paying. Don told him that it was “just a formality” to guarantee a continuing business relationship. Your son signed the contract and gave it back to Don. Neither Don nor your son mentioned the contract to you.

After a columnist for the New York Times wrote an article praising the anti-oxidant qualities of Scuppernongs, the demand for Scuppernongs skyrocketed nationwide. Your company became inundated with orders, far in excess of your ability to meet the demand. A company in Connecticut offered to pay you twice the going rate for your products, but the company also required you to sign an output contract as a part of the deal.

Though this contract would represent a substantial financial windfall for your company, you felt bad about potentially leaving Don out to dry. You called Don, advised him of the offer you had received, and, to try and soften the blow, you suggested to him the names of other reputable potential suppliers in the area.

To your surprise, Don became very angry and told you that he expected you to continue to supply him with all the product he needed, when he needed it, and at the prices he had always paid per the requirements contract between your businesses as well as in accord with an implied duty of good faith and fair dealing that had evolved based on your ongoing business relationship. When you asked what requirements contract he was talking about, he faxed you a copy of the contract that had been signed by your son.

Your assignment:

Looking at the situation from both a legal and spiritual perspective:

1. What should you do about continuing to do business with Don?

2. If you elect to stop doing business with Don, what legal causes of action might he bring against your company, what damages or remedies might he seek, and what legal defenses might your company have?

In connection with this assignment you may want to research the following legal concepts and incorporate what you find in your DB response if you consider them relevant:

· Covenants of good faith and fair dealing

· Minor’s capacity to contract

· Fraud in the execution of a contract

· An employee’s capacity to bind a company by contract

· Section 2-306 of the Uniform Commercial Code

· Implied contracts

· Promissory Estoppel

· Custom and practice between merchants

· Any other legal concepts you believe may be relevant

You may also want to look at:

Sons of Thunder, Inc. v. Borden, Inc., 148 N.J. 396 (1997).

Jenkins, Sarah Howard (Fall, 2006). Symposium: Contracting out of the Uniform Commercial Code: Contracting out of Article 2: Minimizing the obligation of performance & liability for breach, 40 Loy. L.A. L. Rev. 401.

TB_07_File1

TB_07_File1

Question

. One of the basic relationships in interest rate theory is that, other things held constant, for a given change in the required rate of return, the the time to maturity, the the change in price.

a. longer; smaller.

b. shorter; larger.

c. longer; greater.

d. shorter; smaller.

e. Statements c and d are correct.

. Assume that a 10-year Treasury bond has a 12 percent annual coupon, while a 15-year Treasury bond has an 8 percent annual coupon. The yield curve is flat; all Treasury securities have a 10 percent yield to maturity. Which of the following statements is most correct?

a. The 10-year bond is selling at a discount, while the 15-year bond is selling at a premium.

b. The 10-year bond is selling at a premium, while the 15-year bond is selling at par.

c. If interest rates decline, the price of both bonds will increase, but the 15-year bond will have a larger percentage increase in price.

d. If the yield to maturity on both bonds remains at 10 percent over the next year, the price of the 10-year bond will increase, but the price of the 15-year bond will fall.

e. Statements c and d are correct.

. A 12-year bond has an annual coupon rate of 9 percent. The coupon rate will remain fixed until the bond matures. The bond has a yield to maturity of
7 percent. Which of the following statements is most correct?

a. The bond is currently selling at a price below its par value.

b. If market interest rates decline today, the price of the bond will also decline today.

c. If market interest rates remain unchanged, the bond’s price one year from now will be lower than it is today.

d. All of the statements above are correct.

e. None of the statements above is correct.

. A 10-year Treasury bond has an 8 percent coupon. An 8-year Treasury bond has a 10 percent coupon. Both bonds have the same yield to maturity. If the yields to maturity of both bonds increase by the same amount, which of the following statements is most correct?

a. The prices of both bonds will increase by the same amount.

b. The prices of both bonds will decrease by the same amount.

c. The prices of the two bonds will remain the same.

d. Both bonds will decline in price, but the 10-year bond will have a greater percentage decline in price than the 8-year bond.

e. Both bonds will decline in price, but the 8-year bond will have a greater percentage decline in price than the 10-year bond.

. Which of the following statements is most correct?

a. All else equal, long-term bonds have more interest rate risk than short-term bonds.

b. All else equal, high-coupon bonds have more reinvestment rate risk than low-coupon bonds.

c. All else equal, short-term bonds have more reinvestment rate risk than do long-term bonds.

d. Statements a and c are correct.

e. All of the statements above are correct.

. Which of the following statements is most correct?

a. Relative to short-term bonds, long-term bonds have less interest rate risk but more reinvestment rate risk.

b. Relative to short-term bonds, long-term bonds have more interest rate risk and more reinvestment risk.

c. Relative to coupon-bearing bonds, zero coupon bonds have more interest rate risk but less reinvestment rate risk.

d. If interest rates increase, all bond prices will increase, but the increase will be greatest for bonds that have less interest rate risk.

e. One advantage of zero coupon bonds is that you don’t have to pay any taxes until you sell the bond or it matures.

. Which of the following bonds will have the greatest percentage increase in value if all interest rates decrease by 1 percent?

a. 20-year, zero coupon bond.

b. 10-year, zero coupon bond.

c. 20-year, 10 percent coupon bond.

d. 20-year, 5 percent coupon bond.

e. 1-year, 10 percent coupon bond.

. Which of the following events would make it more likely that a company would choose to call its outstanding callable bonds?

a. A reduction in market interest rates.

b. The company’s bonds are downgraded.

c. An increase in the call premium.

d. Statements a and b are correct.

e. Statements a, b, and c are correct.

. Other things held constant, if a bond indenture contains a call provision, the yield to maturity that would exist without such a call provision will generally be the YTM with a call provision.

a. Higher than.

b. Lower than.

c. The same as.

d. Either higher or lower (depending on the level of the call premium) than.

e. Unrelated to.

. All of the following may serve to reduce the coupon rate that would otherwise be required on a bond issued at par, except a

a. Sinking fund.

b. Restrictive covenant.

c. Call provision.

d. Change in rating from Aa to Aaa.

e. None of the statements above. (All may reduce the required coupon rate.)

. Which of the following statements is most correct?

a. All else equal, if a bond’s yield to maturity increases, its price will fall.

b. All else equal, if a bond’s yield to maturity increases, its current yield will fall.

c. If a bond’s yield to maturity exceeds the coupon rate, the bond will sell at a premium over par.

d. All of the statements above are correct.

e. None of the statements above is correct.


. Which of the following statements is most correct?

a. If a bond’s yield to maturity exceeds its annual coupon, then the bond will be trading at a premium.

b. If interest rates increase, the relative price change of a 10-year coupon bond will be greater than the relative price change of a 10-year zero coupon bond.

c. If a coupon bond is selling at par, its current yield equals its yield to maturity.

d. Statements a and c are correct.

e. None of the statements above is correct.

Answer: e

. A 10-year corporate bond has an annual coupon payment of 9 percent. The bond is currently selling at par ($1,000). Which of the following statements is most correct?

a. The bond’s yield to maturity is 9 percent.

b. The bond’s current yield is 9 percent.

c. If the bond’s yield to maturity remains constant, the bond’s price will remain at par.

d. Statements a and c are correct.

e. All of the statements above are correct.

. A 15-year bond with a face value of $1,000 currently sells for $850. Which of the following statements is most correct?

a. The bond’s yield to maturity is greater than its coupon rate.

b. If the yield to maturity stays constant until the bond matures, the bond’s price will remain at $850.

c. The bond’s current yield is equal to the bond’s coupon rate.

d. Statements b and c are correct.

e. All of the statements above are correct.

. A Treasury bond has an 8 percent annual coupon and a yield to maturity equal to 7.5 percent. Which of the following statements is most correct?

a. The bond has a current yield greater than 8 percent.

b. The bond sells at a price above par.

c. If the yield to maturity remains constant, the price of the bond is expected to fall over time.

d. Statements b and c are correct.

e. All of the statements above are correct.


. You are considering investing in three different bonds. Each bond matures in 10 years and has a face value of $1,000. The bonds have the same level of risk, so the yield to maturity is the same for each. Bond A has an
8 percent annual coupon, Bond B has a 10 percent annual coupon, and Bond C has a 12 percent annual coupon. Bond B sells at par. Assuming that interest rates are expected to remain at their current level for the next 10 years, which of the following statements is most correct?

a. Bond A sells at a discount (its price is less than par), and its price is expected to increase over the next year.

b. Bond A’s price is expected to decrease over the next year, Bond B’s price is expected to stay the same, and Bond C’s price is expected to increase over the next year.

c. Since the bonds have the same yields to maturity, they should all have the same price, and since interest rates are not expected to change, their prices should all remain at their current levels until the bonds mature.

d. Bond C sells at a premium (its price is greater than par), and its price is expected to increase over the next year.

e. Statements b and d are correct.

. An investor is considering buying one of two bonds issued by Carson City Airlines. Bond A has a 7 percent annual coupon, whereas Bond B has a
9 percent annual coupon. Both bonds have 10 years to maturity, face values of $1,000, and yields to maturity of 8 percent. Assume that the yield to maturity for both of the bonds will remain constant over the next 10 years. Which of the following statements is most correct?

a. Bond A has a higher price than Bond B today, but one year from now the bonds will have the same price as each other.

b. Bond B has a higher price than Bond A today, but one year from now the bonds will have the same price as each other.

c. Both bonds have the same price today, and the price of each bond is expected to remain constant until the bonds mature.

d. One year from now, Bond A’s price will be higher than it is today.

e. Bond A’s current yield (not to be confused with its yield to maturity) is greater than 8 percent.

. A 10-year bond with a 9 percent annual coupon has a yield to maturity of 8 percent. Which of the following statements is most correct?

a. The bond is selling at a discount.

b. The bond’s current yield is greater than 9 percent.

c. If the yield to maturity remains constant, the bond’s price one year from now will be lower than its current price.

d. Statements a and b are correct.

e. None of the statements above is correct.

. Which of the following statements is most correct?

a. Long-term bonds have more interest rate price risk, but less reinvestment rate risk than short-term bonds.

b. Bonds with higher coupons have more interest rate price risk, but less reinvestment rate risk than bonds with lower coupons.

c. If interest rates remain constant for the next five years, the price of a discount bond will remain the same for the next five years.

d. Statements b and c are correct.

e. All of the statements above are correct.

. Which of the following statements is most correct?

a. If a bond is selling at par value, its current yield equals its yield to maturity.

b. If a bond is selling at a discount to par, its current yield will be less than its yield to maturity.

c. All else equal, bonds with longer maturities have more interest rate (price) risk than do bonds with shorter maturities.

d. All of the statements above are correct.

e. None of the statements above is correct.

. A 10-year bond pays an annual coupon. The bond has a yield to maturity of 8 percent. The bond currently trades at a premium--its price is above the par value of $1,000. Which of the following statements is most correct?

a. If the yield to maturity remains at 8 percent, then the bond’s price will decline over the next year.

b. The bond’s current yield is less than 8 percent.

c. If the yield to maturity remains at 8 percent, then the bond’s price will remain the same over the next year.

d. The bond’s coupon rate is less than 8 percent.

e. If the yield to maturity increases, then the bond’s price will increase.


. You are considering two Treasury bonds. Bond A has a 9 percent annual coupon, and Bond B has a 6 percent annual coupon. Both bonds have a yield to maturity of 7 percent. Assume that the yield to maturity is expected to remain at 7 percent. Which of the following statements is most correct?

a. If the yield to maturity remains at 7 percent, the price of both bonds will increase by 7 percent per year.

b. If the yield to maturity remains at 7 percent, the price of both bonds will increase over time, but the price of Bond A will increase by more.

c. If the yield to maturity remains at 7 percent, the price of both bonds will remain unchanged.

d. If the yield to maturity remains at 7 percent, the price of Bond A will decrease over time, but the price of Bond B will increase over time.

e. If the yield to maturity remains at 7 percent, the price of Bond B will decrease over time, but the price of Bond A will increase over time.

Answer: e

. Which of the following statements is most correct?

a. Sinking fund provisions do not require companies to retire their debt; they only establish “targets” for the company to reduce its debt over time.

b. Sinking fund provisions sometimes work to the detriment of bondholders--particularly if interest rates have declined over time.

c. If interest rates have increased since the time a company issues bonds with a sinking fund provision, the company is more likely to retire the bonds by buying them back in the open market, as opposed to calling them in at the sinking fund call price.

d. Statements a and b are correct.

e. Statements b and c are correct.

. Which of the following statements is most correct?

a. Retiring bonds under a sinking fund provision is similar to calling bonds under a call provision in the sense that bonds are repurchased by the issuer prior to maturity.

b. Under a sinking fund, bonds will be purchased on the open market by the issuer when the bonds are selling at a premium and bonds will be called in for redemption when the bonds are selling at a discount.

c. The sinking fund provision makes a debt issue less risky to the investor.

d. Statements a and c are correct.

e. All of the statements above are correct.

Answer: e

. Which of the following statements is most correct?

a. Junk bonds typically have a lower yield to maturity relative to investment grade bonds.

b. A debenture is a secured bond that is backed by some or all of the firm’s fixed assets.

c. Subordinated debt has less default risk than senior debt.

d. All of the statements above are correct.

e. None of the statements above is correct.

Medium:

. Which of the following statements is most correct?

a. Rising inflation makes the actual yield to maturity on a bond greater than the quoted yield to maturity, which is based on market prices.

b. The yield to maturity for a coupon bond that sells at its par value consists entirely of an interest yield; it has a zero expected capital gains yield.

c. On an expected yield basis, the expected capital gains yield will always be positive because an investor would not purchase a bond with an expected capital loss.

d. The market value of a bond will always approach its par value as its maturity date approaches. This holds true even if the firm enters bankruptcy.

e. None of the statements above is correct.

. Which of the following statements is most correct?

a. The current yield on Bond A exceeds the current yield on Bond B; therefore, Bond A must have a higher yield to maturity than Bond B.

b. If a bond is selling at a discount, the yield to call is a better measure of return than the yield to maturity.

c. If a coupon bond is selling at par, its current yield equals its yield to maturity.

d. Statements a and b are correct.

e. Statements b and c are correct.

Answer: c

. Assume that all interest rates in the economy decline from 10 percent to 9 percent. Which of the following bonds will have the largest percentage increase in price?

a. A 10-year bond with a 10 percent coupon.

b. An 8-year bond with a 9 percent coupon.

c. A 10-year zero coupon bond.

d. A 1-year bond with a 15 percent coupon.

e. A 3-year bond with a 10 percent coupon.

. Which of the following has the greatest interest rate (price) risk?

a. A 10-year, $1,000 face value, 10 percent coupon bond with semiannual interest payments.

b. A 10-year, $1,000 face value, 10 percent coupon bond with annual interest payments.

c. A 10-year, $1,000 face value, zero coupon bond.

d. A 10-year $100 annuity.

e. All of the above have the same price risk since they all mature in 10 years.

. If the yield to maturity decreased 1 percentage point, which of the following bonds would have the largest percentage increase in value?

a. A 1-year bond with an 8 percent coupon.

b. A 1-year zero coupon bond.

c. A 10-year zero coupon bond.

d. A 10-year bond with an 8 percent coupon.

e. A 10-year bond with a 12 percent coupon.

M3 Assignment 2: LASA 1: Leadership Strategies Presentation

M3 Assignment 2: LASA 1: Leadership Strategies Presentation

Question

M3 Assignment 2: LASA 1: Leadership Strategies Presentation

Directions:

Taking on the role of a CEO, develop a PowerPoint presentation of approximately 15 slides that explains how you would adapt the Western leadership strategies of either Heifetz and Linsky or Drucker in your approach to managing an international organization on the brink of structural change and expansion. One of your main goals will be to motivate and communicate a vision while connecting to the firm’s mission for all stakeholders, including your Board of Directors. A brief profile of the organization is as follows:

  • The company is a manufacturing firm with annual earnings in excess of $350 million.
  • It is headquartered in the United States, has two branches in the United Kingdom, and one expansion branch set to open in China.
  • A new branch will provide more innovative technologies to infuse the firm’s declining market share while also presenting cultural management and organizational integration challenges.

Your presentation should contain the following components:

  • Identification of your chosen leadership philosophy with justification of your choice.
  • Using Porter’s Five Forces as a strategic guide, please explain how you will approach Foreign Direct Investment and Financial Risk Assessment.
  • Complete a Financial Risk Assessment for acquiring the new technology company by identification and explanation of at least four risks which could impact your organization.
  • Identification and explanation of the key internal structures (at least 3) that will be designed to enhance the culture within your organization
  • Explanation of how projected global and market trends over the next 10-15 years will impact your company’s ability to maintain a competitive advantage.

Submit to the W3: Assignment 2 Dropboxby Wednesday, January 22, 2014.

Assignment 2 Grading Criteria

Maximum Points

Identify and justify a chosen leadership philosophy.

16

Explain an approach to foreign direct investment and foreign risk assessment using Porter’s Five Forces.

36

Complete a Financial Risk Assessment for acquiring the new technology company; explain at least 4 risks which could impact the company.

36

Identify and explain the key internal structures to enhance organizational culture.

32

Explain how projected global and market trends over the next 10-15 years will impact the company’s ability to maintain a competitive advantage.

36

Written Components: Organization, usage and mechanics, APA elements, style

44

Total:

200

Taking on the role of a CEO, develop a PowerPoint presentation of approximately 15 slides that explains how you would adapt the Western leadership strategies of either Heifetz and Linsky or Drucker in your approach to managing an international organization on the brink of structural change and expansion. One of your main goals will be to motivate and communicate a vision while connecting to the firm’s mission for all stakeholders, including your Board of Directors. A brief profile of the organization is as follows:

  • The company is a manufacturing firm with annual earnings in excess of $350 million.
  • It is headquartered in the United States, has two branches in the United Kingdom, and one expansion branch set to open in China.
  • A new branch will provide more innovative technologies to infuse the firm’s declining market share while also presenting cultural management and organizational integration challenges.

Your presentation should contain the following components:

  • Identification of your chosen leadership philosophy with justification of your choice.
  • Using Porter’s Five Forces as a strategic guide, please explain how you will approach Foreign Direct Investment and Financial Risk Assessment.
  • Complete a Financial Risk Assessment for acquiring the new technology company by identification and explanation of at least four risks which could impact your organization.
  • Identification and explanation of the key internal structures (at least 3) that will be designed to enhance the culture within your organization
  • Explanation of how projected global and market trends over the next 10-15 years will impact your company’s ability to maintain a competitive advantage.

Submit to the W3: Assignment 2 Dropboxby Wednesday, January 22, 2014.

Assignment 2 Grading Criteria

Maximum Points

Identify and justify a chosen leadership philosophy.

16

Explain an approach to foreign direct investment and foreign risk assessment using Porter’s Five Forces.

36

Complete a Financial Risk Assessment for acquiring the new technology company; explain at least 4 risks which could impact the company.

36

Identify and explain the key internal structures to enhance organizational culture.

32

Explain how projected global and market trends over the next 10-15 years will impact the company’s ability to maintain a competitive advantage.

36

Written Components: Organization, usage and mechanics, APA elements, style

44

Total:

200

Marketing Multiple Choice Questions

Marketing Multiple Choice Questions

Question


Question: A low-cost leader can translate its low-cost advantage over rivals into superior profit performance by

A Cutting its price to levels significantly below the prices of rivals

B Either using its low-cost edge to underprice competitors and attract price-sensitive buyers in large enough numbers to increase total profits or refraining from price cutting and using the low-cost advantage to earn a bigger profit margin on each unit sold

C Going all out to use its cost advantage to capture a dominant share of the market

D Spending heavily on advertising to promote its cost advantage and the fact that it charges the lowest prices in the industry – it can then use this reputation for low prices to build very strong customer loyalty, gain repeat sales year after year, and earn sustained profits over the long-term

E Outproducing rivals and thus having more units available to sell

Question: Strategic offensives should, as a general rule, be based on

A Exploiting a company’s strongest strategic assets

B Implementing and executing the chosen strategy efficiently and effectively

C Sizing up an organization's internal and external situation

D Molding an organization's character and identity

E The buyer’s needs that the company seeks to satisfy

Question: Because when to make a strategic move can be just as important as what move to make, a company's best option with respect to timing is

A To be the first mover

B To be a fast follower

C To be a late mover (because it is cheaper and easier to imitate the successful moves of the leaders and moving late allows a company to avoid the mistakes and costs associated with trying to be a pioneer – first-mover disadvantages usually overwhelm first-mover advantages)

D To be the last-mover – playing catch-up is usually fairly easily and nearly always much cheaper than any other option

E To carefully weigh the first-mover advantages against the first-mover disadvantages and act accordingly

Question: Easy-to-copy differentiating features

A Cannot produce sustainable competitive advantage

B Seldom are perceived by buyers as having much value

C Tend to give buyers a high degree of power in bargaining for a lower price

D Should never be incorporated in a company’s product offering if its differentiation strategy is to succeed

E Lead to vigorous price competition

Question: Which one of the following is not a strategic choice that a company must make to complement and supplement its choice of one of the five generic competitive strategies?

A Whether to focus on building competitive advantages

B Whether to employ the element of surprise as opposed to doing what rivals expect and are prepared for

C Whether to employ a market share leadership strategy

D Whether to display a strong bias for swift, decisive, and overwhelming actions to overpower rivals

E Whether to create and deploy company resources to cause rivals to defend themselves

Question: Which of the following is not a typical reason for companies to expand into the markets of foreign countries?

A To gain access to new customers

B To strengthen its capability to employ vertical integration strategies, especially those that involve partial integration (building positions in selected stages of the industry’s value chain)

C To achieve lower costs and enhance the firm's competitiveness

D To capitalize on company competencies and capabilities

E To spread business risk across a wider geographic market base

Question: The generic types of competitive strategies include

A Build market share, maintain market share, and slowly surrender market share

B Offensive strategies and defensive strategies

C Low-cost provider, broad differentiation, best-cost provider, focused low cost, and focused differentiation

D Low-cost/low-price strategies, high-quality/high-price strategies, and medium-quality/medium-price strategies

E Price leader strategies, price follower strategies, technology leader strategies, first-mover strategies, offensive strategies, and defensive strategies

Question: In which of the following instances is being a first-mover not particularly advantageous?

A When moving first with a preemptive strike makes imitation difficult or unlikely

B When first-time buyers remain strongly loyal to pioneering firms in making repeat purchases

C When early commitments to new technologies, types of components, or emerging distribution channels produce an absolute cost advantage over rivals

D When markets are slow to accept the innovative product offering of a first-mover and fast followers possess sufficient resources and marketing muscle to overtake a first mover

E When being a pioneer helps build a firm’s image with buyers

Question: Multidomestic competition is best characterized as a situation where

A The competitive arena among rival companies involves several neighboring countries rather than either a single country or the world market as a whole

B Competition is mainly among the domestic companies of a few neighboring countries (five countries at most)

C There are extensive trade restrictions, sharply fluctuating exchange rates, and high tariff barriers in many country markets that work against the formation of a true world market

D Competition among domestic companies predominates, and foreign competitors are a minor factor

E There is no international or global market; just a collection of mostly self-contained country markets

Question: To succeed with a low-cost provider strategy, company managers have to

A Pursue backward or forward integration to detour suppliers or buyers with considerable bargaining power and leverage

B Move the performance of most all value chain activities to low-wage countries

C Sell direct to users of their product or service and eliminate use of wholesale and retail intermediaries

D Do two things: (1) perform value chain activities more cost-effectively than rivals and (2) be proactive in revamping the firm’s overall value chain to eliminate or bypass nonessential cost-producing activities

E Outsource the biggest majority of value chain activities

Question: Companies that compete on an international basis have a competitive advantage over their purely domestic rivals

A To achieve a larger domestic interest by developing sufficient resource strengths and competitive capabilities for success

B To benefit from coordinating activities across different countries’ domains –

C Solely for the benefit of their shareholders

D That guarantees the generation of big profits, big returns on investment, and big cash surpluses after dividends are paid

E All of the above

Question: The major avenues for achieving a cost advantage over rivals include

A Revamping the firm's value chain to eliminate or bypass some cost-producing activities and/or outmanaging rivals in the efficiency with which value chain activities are performed

B Having a management team that is highly skilled in cutting costs

C Being a first mover in adopting the latest state-of-the-art technologies, especially those relating to low-cost manufacture

D Outsourcing high-cost activities to cost-efficient vendors

E Paying lower wages and salaries than rivals

Question: For backward vertical integration into the business of suppliers to be a viable and profitable strategy, a company

A Must first be a proficient manufacturer

B Must be able to achieve the same scale economies as outside suppliers and match or beat suppliers’ production efficiency with no drop-off in quality

C Must have excess production capacity, so that it has ample in-house ability to undertake additional production activities

D Needs to have a wide product line, so that it can supply parts and components for many products

E Should have a distinctive competence in production process technology and at least a core competence in manufacturing R&D

Question: In which one of the following market circumstances is a broad differentiation strategy generally not well suited?

A When buyer needs and preferences are too diverse to be fully satisfied by a standardized product

B When few rivals are pursuing a similar differentiation approach

C When the products of rivals are weakly differentiated and most competitors are resorting to clever advertising to try to set their product offerings apart

D When there are many ways to differentiate the product or service and many buyers perceive these differences as having value

E When technological change is fast paced and competition revolves around rapidly evolving product features

Question: A focused low-cost strategy can lead to attractive competitive advantage when

A Buyers are looking for the best value at the best price

B Buyers are looking for a budget-priced product

C Buyers are price sensitive and are attracted to brands with low switching costs

D Demand in the target market niche is growing rapidly and a company can achieve a big enough volume to fully capture all the available scale economies

E A firm can lower costs significantly by limiting its customer base to a well-defined buyer segment

Question: Which of the following are not generic strategy options for competing in foreign markets?

A An export strategy and a multidomestic strategy

B Global strategies keyed either to low-cost or differentiation

C Cross-border transfer strategies and home-field advantage strategies

D Using strategic alliances and joint ventures with foreign competitors as the primary vehicles for entering and competing in foreign markets

E Franchising and licensing strategies

Question: Which of the following is the most unlikely element of a localized multidomestic strategy?

A Granting country managers fairly wide strategy-making latitude

B Plants scattered across many host countries, each producing product versions for local area markets

C Marketing and distribution adapted to the buying habits, customs, and culture of each host country

D Preference for local suppliers (use of some local suppliers may be mandated by host governments)

E Selling direct to buyers (perhaps via the company’s website) to avoid having to establish networks of wholesale/retail dealers in each country market

Question: A think-global, act-global approach to crafting a global strategy involves

A Pursuing the same basic competitive strategy theme (low cost, differentiation, best cost, focused) in all countries where the firm does business

B Selling much the same products under the same brand names everywhere and expanding into most, if not all, nations where there is significant buyer demand

C Integrating and coordinating the company's strategic moves worldwide

D Utilizing the same competitive capabilities, distribution channels, and marketing approaches worldwide

E All of the above

Question: A greenfield venture in a foreign market is

A One where the company creates a subsidiary business by setting up all aspects of the operation upon entering the market from the ground up

B One where foreign facilities and marketing strategies are shared with local businesses

C One where the company learns through training by the foreign entity on how to compete

D One that supports exports into a foreign market by marketing indirectly through local rivals

E One that offers lower risk and a faster path to returns

Question: Profit sanctuaries are country markets or geographic regions whereby a

A Company can rank the competitive advantage opportunities in each industry

B Company possesses good strategic fit with other businesses and identifies the value chain where this fit occurs

C Company derives substantial profits because of its protected market position or unassailable competitive advantage

D Company creates substantial investment strategies because it is losing competitive advantage over competitors

E Company that invests its dividends in expanding its foreign market presence

Question: The advantages of using an acquisition strategy to pursue opportunities in foreign markets include

A Having a high level of control and speed as an entry strategy to overcome trade barriers

B Allowing a company to achieve scalable economies

C Eliminating the costs and risks associated with establishing a foreign business location

D Being able to achieve variable product quality and competitive product performance

E Being able to export goods at higher costs than rivals in those locations

Question: A strategy to be the industry's overall low-cost provider tends to be more appealing than a differentiation or best-cost or focus/market niche strategy when

A There are many ways to achieve product differentiation that buyers find appealing

B Buyers use the product in a variety of different ways and have high switching costs in changing from one seller's product to another

C The offerings of rival firms are essentially identical, standardized, commodity-like products

D Entry barriers are high and competition from substitutes is relatively weak

E The market is composed of many distinct segments with varying buyer needs and expectations

Question: Outsourcing the performance of value chain activities presently performed in-house to outside vendors and suppliers makes strategic sense when

A An activity can be performed better or more cheaply by outside specialists

B It allows a company to focus its entire energies on those activities that are at the center of its expertise (its core competencies) and that are most critical to its competitive and financial success

C Outsourcing won't adversely hollow out the company’s technical know-how, competencies, or capabilities

D It reduces the company's risk exposure to changing technology and/or changing buyer preferences

E All of these

Question: Which of the following is not one of the factors that affects whether a strategic alliance will be successful and realize its intended benefits?

A Picking a good partner

B Recognizing that the alliance must benefit both sides

C Minimizing the amount of resources that the partners commit to the alliance

D Ensuring that both parties live up to their commitments

E Structuring the decision-making process so that actions can be taken swiftly when needed

Question: The strategic impetus for forward vertical integration is to

A Gain better access to end users and better market visibility

B Achieve the same scale economies as wholesale distributors and/or retail dealers

C Control price at the retail level

D Bypass distributors-dealers and sell direct to consumers at the company’s website

E Build a core competence in mass merchandising


The “Internet of Things”, IOT

The “Internet of Things”, IOT

Question

1. The "Internet of Things", IOT, is the process of identifying and tagging physical and virtual objects and link them to the Internet by embedding with sensors and actuators, and automatically transferring data over the network without human intervention. There are many different utilization of IOT today with smart technology. The smart meter replaced two years ago in Greater Vancouver area is one such example. The smart meter will transfer the hydro usage to the central system periodically without the need of human reading and recording the usage. This automation eliminates the human error and can also detect failures or misuage.
2
IOT will help business by increasing the profits and reducing costs. Today's Business models are based largely on static information with manual process. Information obtained are through a slow process and sometimes out dated. With IOT, the business can always obtain the first-hand dynamic information and this will help them make the right decision quickly and efficiently. Many business are using the IOT to provide the real time stock information to the vendor and consumers. Furthermore, when a customer’s buying preferences are sensed in real time at a specific location, dynamic pricing may increase the odds of a purchase. Companies that take advantage of these capabilities stand to gain against competitors that don’t.

3
‘The Internet of Things’ (IOT) is a scenario where people, products, or systems are provided with unique codes, or identifiers, that enable the linkage of these objects to the internet. Such a linkage provides the ability to obtain more information about the object – e.g. its status, location, cost, more detailed specification etc.
The unique identifier allows for automatic transfer of data about the object, without the need for any human-to-human or human-to-machine interaction.
4
IOT has already had tremendous impact on business and the way we see and interact with the world and it will continue to do so as we keep surrounding ourselves with ‘smart’ technology and devices.
IOT has the potential to one day connect everything and everyone at all times. Such an inflow of real-time information would significantly improve the organization’s ability to respond to their customers’ needs. Not only would it change the timeliness that the information is received it, but it would also increase the amount and detail of that information – creating a more personal and potentially more ‘ customized’ relationship between the business and the customer.
This will lead to the ability of the businesses to make more effective decisions – i.e. ability to respond to customer feedback, react to most recent trends, and consider customer behaviour in their decisions and planning.

DonCorporation_costofgoodsmanufacturedschedule

DonCorporation_costofgoodsmanufacturedschedule

Question

. DonCorporationincurredthe followingcostswhilemanufacturingitsproduct.

Materialsused inproduct

130,000

Advertisingexpense

49,000

Depreciationonplant

65,000

Propertytaxesonplant

16,000

Propertytaxeson administrativebuilding

7,700

Deliveryexpense

20,000

Laborcosts ofassembly-lineworkers

112,000

Salescommissions

31,000

Factorysuppliesused

24,000

Salariespaidtosalesclerks

58,000

Work-in-processinventorywas$23,000 atJanuary1 and$15,800 at December31.Finishedgoods inventorywas$67,000 atJanuary1 and$52,600 atDecember31.

Instructions

Prepareacostofgoodsmanufacturedscheduleanddeterminetheamountofcostofgoodssold.

Disscusion question 2

Disscusion question 2

Question


Take a look at the Honeynet Project site at, specifically at the "Challenges" section. Read through the different challenges that have been issued. While it serves as a great source of information for analyzing attacks for the security community, it might also serve as a great source of information for attackers! Explain how defenders and attackers might successfully utilize this site. Is there anyway to manage who gets access to this information?