Select two of the scenarios provided below. Analyze the facts in the scenarios and develop appropriate arguments and recommendations using case law and scholarly sources.

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Week 4 Project

Legal and Ethical Scenarios
Select two of the scenarios provided below. Analyze the facts in the scenarios and develop appropriate arguments and recommendations using case law and scholarly sources. Do not copy the case studies into the paper. Cite your sources in APA format on a separate page. Submit the paper to the Submissions Area by the due date assigned.

Scenario 1: Consideration and Capacity

Lucinda is on her way home to Grand Rapids, Michigan, from boarding school in Lansing Michigan to celebrate her 17th birthday with family. Lucinda’s car has a flat tire in an ice storm and skids into a ditch. Lucinda is able to walk to the nearest house where an elderly couple offers her food and shelter until her car can be fixed. Two days later, the snowplows cleared the road, the car is pulled out of ditch, the tire is repaired, and Lucinda is on her way home. Lucinda’s mother, Louise, is so appreciative of the couple’s care for her daughter that she sends them an email promising to pay $500 to help cover the expenses. Living on a fixed income, the elderly couple accepts the offer by return email. Lucinda and her mother get into an argument and Louise refuses to pay couple.

Can the couple hold Louise liable in contract for the services provided to Lucinda? Provide arguments for the parties, determine the outcome and support your answer with scholarly material.

Scenario 2: Types of Contracts

Dr. Brown was an adjunct instructor North State University (NSU) in Michigan. Each semester, near the beginning of each term, the parties executed a written contract that always included the following provision: “The parties acknowledge that this agreement may be cancelled by NSU or the instructor at any time before the first class session.” In the spring semester of Brown’s sixth year, he filed a complaint with NSU claiming that one of his students, Sylvia Davis, had engaged in inappropriate and disruptive classroom conduct. Brown gave her an “incomplete” grade and asked NSU to require her to apologize as a condition of receiving a final grade. NSU claimed, and Brown denied, that he was told to assign Davis a grade if he wanted to teach in the fall. Toward the end of the semester, Brown was told which classes he would teach in the fall, but the parties did not sign a written contract. The Wednesday before classes began, NSU terminated him. Brown filed a suit against NSU and others, alleging breach of contract.

Did the parties have a contract?
If so, what type of contract did they have.
Did NSU breach it? Explain.

Scenario 3: Agreement

Walker Honda, an automobile dealership that sold new cars, leased several properties from Commercial One, a leasing company. One day, a fire destroyed part of one of the leased buildings and Walker restored the premises. Commercial One received payment of insurance proceeds for the fire. Walker sued Commercial One to recover the insurance proceeds. Then days before the trial started, Commercial One served Walker a document titled “Offer to Compromise Before Trial,” which was a settlement offer of $120,000. Walker agreed to the amount of the settlement but made it contingent on the execution of a new lease. The next day, Commercial One notified Walker that they were revoking the settlement offer. Walker thereafter tried to accept the original settlement offer.

Has there been a settlement of the lawsuit? Explain

Summarize at least two media stories involving systems. Describe a system involved in each media story. Identify behaviors represented in each system. Describe how those behaviors are affecting each system.

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MA 610 System Behavior Analysis

Overview: In the previous two modules, you created a causal loop diagram and a stock and flow diagram of a particular system. One of the reasons we create diagrams is to help us understand the behavior of a system over time. In this activity, you will look at various situations involving systems and analyze the behaviors.

Prompt: Look through recent news coverage. You can use newspapers, online news, television news, blogs such as Huffington Post, and so on. You can find systems operating almost anywhere you look. Use at least two different situations/media stories. For each media story, summarize the story and characterize the system involved. Then identify which of the following behaviors are represented in the system and describe how they are represented:
 Nonlinear systems
 Nonexistent boundaries
 Limits to growth
 Ubiquitous delays
 Bounded rationality
 Causality (versus correlation)

Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:
 Summarize at least two media stories involving systems.
 Describe a system involved in each media story.
 Identify behaviors represented in each system.
 Describe how those behaviors are affecting each system.

Which aspect scored the highest, O-C-E-A-or N? What do the assessment results indicate that highest score means about your personality? Which aspect scored the lowest, O-C-E-A-or N? Explain why you agree or disagree with this item’s score result.

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Activity: Big 5 Personality – Personal Assessment

Complete the Big Five Personality Test. It measures scores on five major dimensions of personality: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism (sometimes abbreviated OCEAN).

Identify the personality type preference through one’s own self-reported assessment.

To take the Big Five personality assessment, rate each statement according to how well it describes you. Base your ratings on how you really are, not how you would like to be.

Reflect on the Activity results:

  1. Which aspect scored the highest, O-C-E-A-or N? What do the assessment results indicate that highest score means about your personality?
  2. Which aspect scored the lowest, O-C-E-A-or N? Explain why you agree or disagree with this item’s score result.
  3. The assessment results provide a Personality Pattern. The core pattern describes the essential role you take on in approaching the world. This role is a reflection of your core values and motivations, as well as the way you think about things.

Which of these 4 patterns did you score highest on? Explain a connection you can make to the described pattern, and what it is you value, or that you are motivated by.

  • Empathchoic Idealist
  • Practical Caretaker
  • Analytical Thinker
  • Logical Mechanic

 

How does the company describe its products and/or services? How does the company describe its industry? Is your company subject to seasonal cyclicality and/or dependent on the price of specific commodities?

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Topics in Finance: Investment Banking and Capital Markets

Boot Barn Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: BOOT)

Take the time to review the 10-K Scavenger Hunt Directions document. It will provide guidance on navigating the SEC’s Edgar database. Provide your answers in blue (RGB #0000FF) font. The use of tables or charts is acceptable if they will communicate your answer more clearly.

Provide your answers in your own words whenever possible and refrain from directly copying and pasting information from the 10-K. Provide the 10-K page number(s) from which you retrieved your answer under “Page(s)”.

Page(s)  Calculate LTM revenue as of Q1 (ended 06/25/22) using the relevant 10-Q and 10-K.

Page(s)  How does the company describe its products and/or services?

Page(s)  How does the company describe its industry?

Page(s)  Is your company subject to seasonal cyclicality and/or dependent on the price of specific commodities?

Page(s)  Select what you believe to be the three most significant risk factors your company lists and record them below. Briefly explain your rationale behind each choice.

Page(s)  What are the company’s business segments and what is its description of each?

Page(s) What are the company’s reportable geographic segments?

Page(s)  What projections does the company make for the next fiscal year?

Page(s)  What core strategies are the company focusing on?

Page(s)  Does your company own or lease most equipment and facilities? Why do you think they do one as opposed to the other, or some combination of the two?

Page(s)  Does your company pay dividends and/or buy back shares? Plan on paying down its debt ahead of schedule? Does your company mention its strategy for returning value to shareholders in the future?

Page(s) What were capital expenditures (or your company’s equivalent(s)) in the most recent fiscal year?

Page(s)  How many shares of the company were outstanding at the time of the filing?

Page(s) Does your company have any expenses or expenditures you would consider non-recurring or adjustable?

Page(s) Does the company have an executive or employee stock option plan? Briefly describe the mechanics of restricted stock awards.

Page(s) How many tranches of debt does the company have?

Page(s) Does the company have a revolving credit facility? If so, how large is the facility and how much is currently drawn down?

Page(s) Who is the current CEO? Who is the chairman of the board of directors? Briefly describe the recent developments in the CEO role.

 

What went wrong? What could Annie have done to prevent this? Based on the fact scenario, if Annie goes to court, what could she lose? What verdicts are possible? How much will litigation cost? Discuss possibilities as well as reasons for potential liability.

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Business Letter

ADR Assignment

Annie Baker and, her friend, Paula Accountant, decide to go into business together. Annie Baker makes excellent cupcakes, as recently seen on “Cupcake Wars.” Since the airing of the show, customers have been calling Annie off the hook. Paula Accountant, whose accounting office is next door, has noticed the huge lines outside Annie’s little rental shop. Always one to capitalize on a good opportunity, Paula approaches Annie and asks her if she is interested in owning her own shop and making her amazing cupcakes on a larger scale.

Annie is, of course, very excited at this exciting opportunity. However, she is upfront with Paula. She has no money. The rental office and equipment cost her so much money, she doesn’t have any finances to add to the partnership.

Paula, remembering the huge lines, tells Annie not to worry about it. Paula is willing to put all the money up front, as long as Annie will do the baking full time in the shop. They will split the profits.

With this understanding, the two go into business. The first two weeks, business continues to grow at a rapid pace. Annie is working 60 hours per week just to keep cupcakes on the shelves. The demand for her cupcakes is insane.

Paula, ever the entrepreneur, decides that they need an even bigger shop. She finds a new place and convinces Annie that they need a huge sign advertising that Annie is the famous “Cupcake Wars” baker. Annie likes the sound of that and agrees.

Within 30 days, they have given notice on the old place and moved everything into the new shop. Paula arranges for a huge sign that says “Annie’s Famous Cupcakes” on it. In addition, Paula decides Annie needs a larger oven. Without consulting Annie, Paula orders a much larger oven and lots of top line kitchen equipment so Annie can keep up with all the orders. Annie is pleasantly surprised but thinks Paula is spending an excessive amount of money.

Within a few weeks, Paula, overeager for success, has put in $20,000 of her own money to the business. Annie has not put in any money, but continues to work 60 hours per week, every week, to keep up with orders. At this point, all the cupcake money is going to paying down the $20,000 that Paula has given up front. The friends meant to enter a written agreement but got so excited about the business that they kept putting it off. Who has time for a written agreement when you have cupcakes to bake?

Right when the business was at its peak, COVID hits. In the state of Fancy Land, the governor orders all nonessential businesses to close. Irate, Paula immediately hires a lawyer for $2000 to argue that cupcakes were essential but eventually loses.

Now, eight months after the move to the new bakery, the business has zero income. Even worse, it looks like the order will remain in effect for at least six months. Paula has no more cash. Annie tried to continue baking at her home but got shut down.

Paula’s lawyer has now sent Annie a demand letter for the $22,000 she says she loaned to Annie’s business. The letter demands the $20,000 that Paula used to get the new space, the new sign, and other items that Annie may or may not have known about. In addition, she wants to reimbursed the $2000 paid to her lawyer for unsuccessfully arguing that cupcakes are essential.

Annie is shocked. She had put in all that work and effort based on their verbal agreement. She is stunned that Paula, her friend, would now claim it was a loan. Due to the shutdown, she has no money for a lawyer.

Annie hears you are a lawyer who does not charge much. She pays you a small amount of money to help her out. She is clear she has no more money.

For this assignment, prepare a business letter to Annie which outlines the following:

Learning Experience: What went wrong? What could Annie have done to prevent this?

Potential Liability: Based on the fact scenario, if Annie goes to court, what could she lose? What verdicts are possible? How much will litigation cost? Discuss possibilities as well as reasons for potential liability.

ADR: Annie can’t afford litigation. What are the alternatives? Describe at least three alternatives in detail and explain the pros and cons, as they apply to Annie’s unique situation.

 

What are the core values that drive your life? How are you living, working, and LEADING with integrity now? How can you set a higher standard in the future?

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Written Assignment: Personal Integrity Report

Integrity Reports

MBA 611 Written Assignment: Leading with Integrity

Read the blog linked in Canvas to James Clear’s annual “Integrity Report.” This blog is by James Clear, a business journalist, author, and blogger who studies successful people across a wide range of disciplines. The author developed an “Integrity Report” he annually published for some time.

For this assignment, students are expected to develop a personal leadership Integrity Report by reviewing the foundation of who you are as well as the leader you aspire to be.

A successful submission will integrate the various aspects of effective leadership presented in this course. Suggestions include:

  1. a) what does it mean to be a leader,
  2. b) how to evolve from a manager to a leader,
  3. c) goals for improving communication abilities, and
  4. d) specific tactics to gain respect and influence.

Additionally, a successful submission will consider one’s own leadership propensities, synthesized with course content introduced this term including the ethical use of power, how to morally influence others, and ethical considerations when motivating others.

Submit a personal Integrity Report answering these questions posed:

1) What are the core values that drive your life? Include at least three and describe how your values set the foundation for your leadership standard now or in the future.

2) How are you living, working, and LEADING with integrity now? Report on current initiatives you are committed to in improving your professional life.

3) How can you set a higher standard in the future? Here is where you include your vision. Be sure to apply leadership concepts and best practices studied this term to create a roadmap toward the leader you plan to become.

 

Create a product design within an operations management environment, using real world research to support your work. Create a service design within an operations management environment, using real world research to support your work.

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Implement Design Concepts

Create a product design and a service design within an operations management environment. Each topic should comprises one-and-a-half full pages of your 3-full pages of content.

Design is an important aspect in business. As applied to operations management, this is primarily product design and service design, and in a supporting role, facility design.

In this assessment, you will apply critical thinking to the application of design to operations management in an informative essay.

You can select an operations management environment of your own choosing, however ensure it is realistic and real world applicable, reflecting good judgment, business sense, and critical thinking skills. Consider the following topics and follow the instructions below; remembering to complete all elements of your assessment:

Product Design and Service Design:

Product Design

Create a product design within an operations management environment, using real world research to support your work. At the beginning of your paper, introduce your planned work, to include a description of the elements of the product design that you selected to focus on, and how you plan to apply it to a real world scenario.

Service Design

Create a service design within an operations management environment, using real world research to support your work. At the beginning of your paper, introduce your planned work, to include a description of the elements of the service design, that you selected to focus on, and how you plan to apply it to a real world scenario.

Ensure each topic is covered to appropriate breadth and depth demonstrating knowledge of the module concept and critical thinking skills. It is highly recommended that each topic comprises one-and-a-half full pages of your 3-full pages of content.

Any diagrams or design elements should take up no more than one-half page, allowing at a minimum a one-half page of narrative to accompany and demonstrate critical thinking skills related to the diagram or design element created as part of your Assessment.

 

What do the laws of supply and demand and the concepts of market competition suggest about running a Cold Stone Creamery franchise vs. a McDonald’s franchise? Which franchise would seem more attractive to you as a business, and why?

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Laws of supply and demand

What do the laws of supply and demand and the concepts of market competition suggest about running a Cold Stone Creamery franchise vs. a McDonald’s franchise? Which franchise would seem more attractive to you as a business, and why?
Considering the concepts of Corporate Social Responsibility and the various approaches to CSR that an organization can take, how do you feel ethically about the opportunity to own and run a McDonald’s franchise? What CSR approach would you take, and what are some practical ways you would demonstrate your CSR approach?
Cold Stone Creamery allows individuals, partnerships, corporations or limited Liability companies to purchase a franchise. McDonald’s only allows individuals (sole proprietorships) – no corporations and no partnerships (not even family members, apparently!). Considering the advantages and disadvantages of each form of business ownership, discuss how these requirements might make one of these franchises more or less attractive to you.
If you had the financial resources to purchase either one of these opportunities, which would you choose, and why? If you would choose not to pursue either, what would you prefer to do with the financial resources at your disposal?

Cold Stone Creamery
Franchise Fees: $12,000 to $27,000. Also, you pay 6% of gross sales (royalties) and 3% of gross sales (advertising fees)

Financial requirements: $100,000 liquid assets, and at least $250,000 net worth

Startup costs: $310,375 to $476,975

Training: 11 days

Average annual revenue: $350,000 to $400,000

 

McDonald’s
Franchise Fee: $45,000, and 4% of gross sales (franchise), and 10.7% of sales (rent)

Financial requirements: at least $500,000 liquid assets

Startup costs: Between $1M and $2.2 Million (40% must be paid by franchisee in cash)

Training: 12-18 months

Average annual revenue: $2.7 Million

Briefly summerize the Talking Data’s commercial evolution while focusing on how it changed the way it produced value for its customers at each stage of the evolution.

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Talking Data’s commercial

1. Briefly summerize the Talking Data’s commercial evolution while focusing on how it changed the way it produced value for its customers at each stage of the evolution. (20 points)

2 Conduct a SWOT analysis of Talking Data (20 Points, 5 points for each element)

3. Based on what you have learned in discussing the first two questions, make a recommendation as to what other markets or domains TalkingData should train its attention on. Justify your recommendation (20 points, 15 for recommendation, 5 for justification

Discuss two of the practices or tactics that were discussed in these articles that you believe will be particularly applicable to the transformation the you have outlined in your discussion for question 1.

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1. In the United States, State Franchise Laws prevent automobile manufacturers from directly selling vehicles to end consumers (see: https://www.autoraptor.com/understanding-dealer-franchise-laws/) . One of Hackett’s five strategic principals for Ford Motor Company states “We will evolve to capitalize on new business opportunities within this transportation operating system” [Grundling, Disruption in Detroit. Ford, Silicon Valley and Beyond]. The transportation operating system that Hackett refers to is conceptualized in the ‘Smart Vehicles in a Smart World’ vision that Hackett and his team developed. In order to pursue this principle, FMC will be required to extend its information architecture to enable significant multi-channel direct contact with end consumers, some of whom own Ford vehicles and others who don’t.

Briefly outline what you see as some of the architectural elements that will be necessary to do this.

Note: do not feel obligated to discuss this in technical terms; feel free to frame your discussion as functional requirements.

 

2. The Alturi, Duvauchelle, and Furr articles discuss practices and tactics for successful digital transformation.

Discuss two of the practices or tactics that were discussed in these articles that you believe will be particularly applicable to the transformation the you have outlined in your discussion for question 1. Make sure to explain why you believe each of the tactics to be applicable.

 

3. Assume the starting state for FMC in the digital transformation you have outlined is “Spaghetti and Silos” (see Weill & Woerner; Future Ready? Pick your pathway to digital transformation).

Which of the pathway described in the Weill & Woerner article would you recommend FMC take in the transformation effort? Make sure you justify your recommendation.