Abstract The paper shows the relationship between corporations and the general public has always been somewhat of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, individuals purchase goods and services from corporations and invest in stock in hopes of reaping financial benefits as well as stimulating economic growth. By contrast, corporations employ individuals and must also please Wall Street analysts as well as meet their own financial expectations. The paper discusses how over the past two decades, numerous high-profile corporate scandals have occurred that have weakened the public's trust in corporations, beginning with the savings and loan scandals of the 1980 involving Charles Keating, and the insider trading and leveraged buyout scandals of the late 1980s involving Drexel Burnham and Michael Milken. During the 1990s, it seemed as if corporations could do no wrong, minting tens of thousands of millionaires (employees, executives, investors) while reporting unprecedented profits. The paper explains however, that as the accounting scandals and ensuring bankruptcies of Enron, Global Crossing, WorldCom and numerous other high-profile corporations indicate, there was much deception and smoke and mirrors behind their seemingly invincible exterior.
Part II of the paper discusses the reasons for Enron's downfall in light of the auditing business. In Part III, Enron's law firms? role in the collapse is outlined. Part IV reviews Enron's lack of 401(k) diversification. Part V outlines proposals for restoring corporateintegrity. Lastly, this paper concludes with proposals for restoring integrity within the American business arena.
From the Paper "As Enron's chief outside counsel, Vinson & Elkins billed Enron for $36 million last year, about 7% of the law firm's revenue. (Mason). In addition to testifying before House lawmakers, Vinson & Elkins has been subpoenaed by the Securities and Exchange Commission, which also is investigating Enron. (Mason). Lawmakers in both House and Senate committees have criticized as inadequate the firm's review of allegations Watkins raised last year. (Mason). Vinson & Elkins was tapped by Derrick, former Enron general counsel, and former Chairman Ken Lay, to conduct a limited investigation of Watkins? allegations of questionable accounting and conflicts of interest in Enron financial practices. (Mason). Watkins maintained that because Vinson & Elkins had worked on some of the company's problematic off-the-books partnerships, another firm should investigate the practice. (Mason)."
Abstract This paper lists, reviews and discusses the steps to be taking when merging companies. The paper reports that many mergers end in failure, which is why it is imperative that companies perform proper due diligence.
Outline:
Step 1: Pre-Merger Goals
Step 2: A General Meeting: Showing Executive Leadership
Step 3: Creating Positive Group Behavior
Step 4: Focusing on Refining the Organizational Structure
Step 5: Redefining the Corporate Culture
From the Paper "At this time, further consolidation of departments to save costs may be necessary--for instance, combining public relations with communications--or, conversely, creating new departments to serve the needs of the new entity. A commitment to organizational development as well as change must be made, as the company gains a better sense of where it wishes to head into the future. Ideally, communications department staff members should make an effort to begin to express this idea to shareholders and the public, as well as internal members of the staff as was done in Step 2. Developing the corporate website and company intranet to facilitate communication on all levels will also be an aid in creating channels to voice concerns and new ideas and dialogue."
Abstract This paper discusses Dell Computer Corporation's vision statement and its mission statement. It describes its unique competitive differentiators and its go-to-market strategies on serving customers through their direct selling model. The paper describes how Dell's unique direct selling model combined with build-to-order manufacturing has made the company so successful in the market.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Dell's E-Business Analytics Strategy: Foundation for Product Customization
Best Practices in e-business: All about Integration The End Game: Dell's Mass Customization Strategy Conclusion: Analysis and Recommendations of Dell's E-Business Strategies
From the Paper "- Only after all the integrations are in place, and the state engines created to specifically track the performance of these systems in synchronization with one another should Dell attempt to re-design their website front-end. What is immediately clear from evaluating their website however is that the approach to managing product selections that invoke a rules-based model needs to be changed to be much more efficient,. Dell needs to move away from a rules-based model driving their site to a constraint engine that is faster, more accurate and does not take so long to react to a specific products' definition."
Abstract This paper discusses the success of Microsoft Corporation in terms of its strategic management. It describes the company's strong set of values and beliefs, such as integrity, honesty, openness, personal excellence, constructive self-criticism, continual self-improvement and mutual respect. The paper also discusses how the company has successfully applied such values to provide the best results and the highest quality.
From the Paper "First of all, the input costs will be lower, as the hypermarket could benefit from certain volume discounts. Human Resources costs will also be lower, especially regarding top managers. A hypermarket will need a smaller number of top managers that run a very largely sized unit. Hypermarkets employ specialized workers that are better qualified for a specific job and that concentrate only on that job, increasing efficiency, decreasing costs, and diminishing the risk of mishandling the necessary machines. Also, costs with location of the hypermarket will be reduced, given the enormous size of the store, and it can benefit from certain discounts for this reason. Supply chain costs will be reduced due to its very flexible and specialized organization, as distribution will be improved and will become more and more efficient in time."
Discusses the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which was designed as a response to the wave of corporate fraud cases that riddled the corporate landscape in America in 2002.
Abstract This paper looks at the Sarbanes-Oxley Act that was enacted in order to rectify the constant corporate scandals, fraud, and failures sweeping across the United States. The paper discusses the purpose of the Act, outlines its contents, explains exceptions to the Act that apply to foreign companies, and includes a timetable chart for its implementation. Issues such as independence and corporate responsibility, independence within the accounting profession, accountability and disclosure, and how the Act affects banking organizations that are non-public are also discussed in this paper.
From the Paper "The Sarbanes-Oxley Act is aimed at private companies by definition, as Section 108 on Accounting Standards implies. However, despite this seemingly straightforward definition, non-public banking companies are finding themselves under the jurisdiction of the Act based on their former standing with regard to SEC and FDIC regulations."
Abstract This paper takes a look at how corporate strategies have changed over time, focusing on the last twenty years in particular. The paper presents a review of some the strategies that are in use today and explains what conditions prompted the changes in corporate strategies as well as how and why companies implement certain business strategies. Some of the strategies discussed are concentrated growth, market development, innovation and product development.
From the Paper "The shift to a marketing orientation meant a shift from an internally focused perspective to an open extroverted one. In process industries and durable goods industries, the marketing concept was slow to penetrate. When confronted with saturation, firms in such industries settled for stagnating growth rather then make the effort to shift to a marketing outlook. It was not until after World War II that these industries were pushed by new technologies into a belated market orientation."
Abstract This paper discusses the responsibility of corporate leaders to behave in an ethical manner in their business environment and business relationships. The paper provides some resources and ideas as to how business leaders should behave and how leaders can become educated and updated on ethical ways to conduct their day-to-day business activities.
From the Paper "In the journal Development Southern Africa the authors present examples of corporate irresponsibility (such as Freeport-McMoRan, a U.S. firm operating open pit copper and gold mines in Indonesia that has dumped tons of waste into mountains and rivers). But the authors also assert that corporate leaders should behave ethically - with "integrity and mindfulness" - and without corporate citizenship education this is not possible. The ways in which companies have, in the past, been coaxed (persuaded) to develop ethical leadership standards - and "counter the erosion in corporate ethics" - is through legislation and enforcement. "But this is not enough" (Prinsloo, et al, 2006), the article asserts. What is also needed is "education and training," and within that training should be a close examination of the "complex challenges and paradoxes business leaders face.""
Abstract This paper explores the issues and history of corporate taxation. Corporations are taxed at a rate depending on their income. This paper discusses the pros and cons of dropping the corporate tax, the methods which can be used to drop or lower corporate taxes and why. The paper includes charts and statistics concerning corporate taxes.
Table of Contents
I. The Beginning of Corporate Income Tax
II. The 1986 Tax Reform Act
III. How Does Taxes Affect Business
IV. Corporate Tax Rates
V. Decline of the Corporate Income Tax
VI. Why the Wide Range Between State and Corporate Taxes
VII. How Does Corporate Tax Work with Multi-state Manufacturers?
VIII. Does the Corporate Tax Help
IX. Proposals of Corporate Income Tax
X. Need of Stimulus
XI. Future Research Concerning Corporate Taxes
XII. Conclusions
XIII. Works Cited
From the Paper "Where did the corporate income tax begin? How does it affect our economy? What is the future of the corporate income tax? Will deleting corporate income tax be the answer for the economy? What about cutting part of this tax? How does the corporate income tax help the economy? These are questions that will be answered in this paper as well as how the corporate tax is affecting our economy now.
The Beginning of Corporate Income Tax
"How the corporate tax began is an example of why tax systems can be worse than they should be and how little influence the economic profession has on government policy (Norton 2). Sometimes ideals look great when they are not that sound. Corporate taxes were used during wartime until 1909, when Congress enacted a 1 percent tax on corporation income. The rate increased until 1932 to 12.5 percent when the rate was changed to the progressive rates. Norton stated, ?Surtaxes on corporate income were added for "excess profits" during both world wars. The highest peacetime rate, 52.8 percent, was reached in the sixties? (2). "
Abstract This paper analyzes the role of regional integration in promoting global business throughout North America. It explains that geographical proximity has been an important factor in the successful establishment of regional trading blocs such as NAFTA. The author claims that the members of the North American Free Trade Association have studied the European Union experience in order to evaluate the successes and failures of the EU in terms of regional integration and global business, and to craft their own approaches to promoting regional integration and global business in North America.
From the Paper "In analyzing the role of regional integration in promoting global business throughout North America, it is evident that geographical proximity has been an important factor in the successful establishment of regional trading blocs such as NAFTA. As one might expect, the members of the North American Free Trade Association have studied the European Union experience in order to evaluate the successes and failures of the EU in terms of regional integration and global business, and to craft their own approaches to promoting regional integration and global business in North America. Implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement began on January 1, 1994. NAFTA has or will remove most barriers to trade and investment among the United States, Canada, and Mexico by 2008."
Abstract In this article, the writer critically evaluates the key success factors that corporations that are successfully managing corporate entrepreneurship programs have in common as well as which factors vary. The writer addresses the issue of how competitors to companies who have successfully put corporate entrepreneurship programs into place attempt to create comparable entrepreneurial climates and copy processes proven to be successful. Four companies who have successfully used corporate entrepreneurship programs are used as the basis of this analysis.
Outline:
Executive Summary
Introducing IBM's Emerging Business Opportunity (EBO) Unit
Nokia's Approach to Corporate Entrepreneurship
Toshiba's Unorthodox Laptop Journey
Trilogy Software and the Indian Corporate Entrepreneurship Connection
Summary
References
From the Paper "The EBO process within IBM quickly became one that had three parameters associated with project progress. These include project-based milestones, financials, and assessments of the specific business' maturity. As IBM's culture is heavily focused on metrics of performance, additional milestones included market acceptance including the number of customer pilots, customer references and design-ins, mentions by key industry analysts, product development checkpoints, internal execution, and software vendor partnerships. EBO-based initiatives also were staffed with the most senior members of the management team, and while these seasoned veterans complained they felt they were being actually demoted, in fact EBO leadership gave them the opportunity to gain a higher level of visibility than was the case before."
Traces the economic integration in Europe from the years after WWII to the groundbreaking Maastricht Treaty and identifies some of the key challenges to this process.
2,469 words (approx. 9.9 pages), 10 sources, 2001, $ 75.95
Abstract The paper comments that at the dawn of this new millennium the project of European economic integration faces a number of challenges, each of which the EU is striving to address effectively. The paper goes on to describe these challenges and explore the pressing issues associated with them. Also examined, is the development of European economic integration from the years following World War Two to the rise of the European Union.
From the Paper "In 1995 the Madrid European Council asked for an examination of the likely effects of enlargement on the European Union. The report was to contain information pertaining to the consequences of enlargement in regard to agricultural and structural policies as well as a long-term budgetary outlook. Financial information was important because it was thought that enlargement would entail an extensive overhaul of EU economic policy in order to incorporate new member states."
An assessment of the competing claims of the stockholder stakeholder approaches to corporate social responsibility, and a look at similarities and differences of each type of approach to responsibility.
2,515 words (approx. 10.1 pages), 10 sources, 2001, $ 76.95
Abstract This essay will discuss the competing claims of both the stockholder and the stakeholder approaches to corporate social responsibility. An explanation for corporate social responsibility will be provided and arguments will be put forward for similarities and differences in the stockholder and stakeholder approaches to this movement. Evidence to support these arguments will be provided throughout the essay.
From the paper:
"Before discussing the competing claims, it must be understood what is meant by the term corporate social responsibility. Corporate social responsibility is just one aspect of business ethics and has become increasingly important for companies operating in the global economy. It is a fast developing and increasingly competitive field. There is no single, commonly accepted definition of corporate social responsibility but it generally refers to the idea that businesses are accountable for the effects of their actions on the community and should seek socially and economically beneficial results. It involves operating a business in a way that meets ethical and legal standards as well as meeting public expectation. Decisions taken by managers need to satisfy the needs of the community and companies must be accountable for the way in which their results are achieved."
This paper examines the European Union and the Maastricht Treaty that is responsible for bringing about economic integration within the member countries.
Abstract The writer of this well-researched and informative paper details the history of the EU, established in 1993, as well as the Maastricht Treaty which was responsible for the successful economic integration within the member countries. This paper also cites the various drawbacks within the EU such as the lack of an armed force capable of more than just post-conflict interposition. This paper stresses the political vision and concepts behind the EU as well as the growing need for broader security structures and even more economic integration between the member countries.
From the Paper "The European Union was established in 1993 with the Maastricht treaty that was responsible to bring about economic integration with the member countries. This is considered as one of the most powerful and strategic economic trade integration, and is responsible for contribution of nearly one-third of the entire world's trade. This has been so successful because of the fact that the west European countries have all formed together to form this agreement and have also initiated the single currency that is sued in this region called the Euro. Now after this the European commission is actually aiming at getting their political and commercial interaction with Latin America, and all effort is being put to get this done with as soon as possible."
Abstract This paper studies the current trend within special education toward integration, which means that special education students are fully integrated into mainstream classrooms. The paper studies the benefits and disadvantages to this system, which include possible disruptions in the curriculum for mainstream students and a lack of adequate staff to support the requirements of special needs students. The paper also reviews current research studies on the subject, and provides a qualitative summary of their findings. The paper concludes with a series of recommendations about inclusion, which the author maintains is a flawed -- but admirable -- approach to special education.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Literature Review
Purpose and Research Questions
Hypothesis
Method
References
From the Paper "Special education has been a major concern for human rights advocates and open-minded educators in recent decades. Since the 1970s, many great strides have been made in assuring that all students receive a fair and equal education. However, every liberal movement made in the education system is met with backlash from those reluctant to see changes. Many legitimate concerns have been raised by the most recent movement in special education, inclusion. The inclusion movement pushes for all students to be educated in a single classroom, so that there is complete integration between normal students and those with special needs. "Inclusive education means that all students in a school--regardless of their strengths, weaknesses, or disabilities in any area--become part of the school community." (King 2003) Special needs students can benefit from having non-disabled peers help mentor them through example, and normal students can benefit from learning to interact with disabled peers. A great deal of research has supported the viewpoints of the proponents of inclusion, while other research has supported the opinions of those not in favor of inclusion. The question must be asked whether or not inclusion is an effective approach to education. The many fears include that special needs students will not receive the individualized attention and care they need, and instead be neglected. Other concerns are that the curriculum of normal students will be watered down to accommodate for the disabled students, or that the disabled students will simply be a distraction. Regardless of the opposition, inclusion seems to be the new wave of special education, and efforts must be made to make inclusion work for the students."
