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Will the company continue be profitable? What changes need to be made in their strategies if they are not profitable?

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Publicly traded company is JP Morgan Chase Bank.

About 3 pages. This paper should include the presentation of the leadership, mission, vision, and history of the publicly traded company JP Morgan Chase Bank.

About 4-pages with a SWOT analysis of your select publicly traded company which focuses on the external environment. In addition, include in comparative information and analysis about 2 competitors in the industry.

About 3-pages with a Porter Five analysis of your select publicly traded company which focuses on the industry environment. In addition, include in comparative information on whether there are potential substitute products or supply chain issues in the company’s future.

Strategy and New Markets

About 3 pages with a New Market analysis of your select publicly traded company which focuses on the Core Competencies and Value Chain Analysis.

About 4 pages with a Company Strategy analysis of your select publicly traded company which focuses on the Business, Corporate, and International Strategies.  In addition, include in comparative information and analysis about 2 competitors in the industry.

About 3 pages with Merger and Acquisition analysis of your selected publicly traded company. This paper should focus on the recent activity and future planned merger and acquisition. Discussion whether the merger is horizontal or vertical integration and how it will bring value to the corporation.

Financial Analysis

About 3 pages. After locating 5 years of financial statements:  Balance Sheets, Owner or Shareholder Equity, Cash Flow, and income statement for your public traded company.  You need 3 years of the same statements for two competitors.  4-page analysis of what this financial information means. Are the current business strategies working? Will the company continue be profitable? What changes need to be made in their strategies if they are not profitable? Please compare the information with the financial sheets of the competitor.

About 3 pages of eight recommendations to improve your companies market position, financial position, leadership, organizational structure, and/or Brand/Consumer Reputation, etc.

For reference I have attached a sample paper provided by the professor with the outline of each section and heading for the paper.

Thank You

 

 

 

 

 

 

Residual Income Valuation:Why is residual income value relevant to common equity shareholders?

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Explain the theory behind the residual income valuation approach. Why is residual income value relevant to common equity shareholders? So, if a firm’s residual income for a particular year is positive, does that mean the firm was profitable? Explain. If a firm’s residual income for a particular year is negative, does that mean the firm necessarily reported a loss on the income statement? Explain. What does it mean when a firm’s residual income is zero?
In conceptual terms, explain the value-to-book valuation approach. Explain how the value-to-book approach described and demonstrated relates to the residual income valuation approach.

Explain and justify methods used to identify the target market for the proposed business.

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M1 Explain and justify methods used to identify the target market for the proposed business.

Within this assignment, I will be explaining the different methods I will apply in order to identify the target market for my proposed business.

To find out my target market I will use primary research as well as secondary research, as I feel both will provide me with accurate, detailed and reliable information as they both have their own individual benefits along with their own drawbacks. By using both, though, I will be able to eliminate both the drawbacks and have access to reliable information and data that can help me determine my target market properly. I chose to use 1 primary research tool, a questionnaire, together with 1 secondary internet research process.

I will first create a questionnaire and give it to people as it is an easy and efficient process as well as unique to my business needs. Therefore, the benefits of using a questionnaire are that people are familiar with the format, it is easy to understand and clearly laid out. The data I receive is going to be new and up-to-date, because I know where it comes from. It allows a vast amount of information to be obtained in a short amount of time from a large number of people. For comparison and evaluation, the results of the questionnaire can be easily converted into graphs and charts. None of my rivals, as I do myself, will be able to steal or clone this data and it will be unique to my company needs to ensure exclusivity.

Nonetheless, questionnaires also have drawbacks. We lack credibility as anyone with random answers can answer the questions just to complete the questionnaire meaning there is no way to tell how accurate their answers are. Others claim it’s ineffective because there are different response types including long answers, multiple choices, etc. It could become expensive to produce the questionnaires and waste a lot of money to produce the resources and equipment and materials as I want it to be accurate, which means I’ll have to start from scratch. Questionnaires are a good research tool for my company as I can apply the questions to my business needs as well as choose who will answer my questionnaire.

The second type of research I’m going to do is research on the internet that helps me identify my target market. This is because it helps me to receive at once a large sample of data that increases the amount of statistics I have. Therefore, data is automatically entered into the database, no data entry errors occur. This is a more inclusive sample-based study rather than a conventional old-based research that is great for my proposed company because all the rivals in the resturant industry will have already done research and this would have been published on the internet, so this is not going to be difficult to find and there should be no shortage of information on the internet. Internet research is a cheap way to gather information because you don’t need to supply any materials or facilities as the study has already been collected.

On the other hand, sometimes you might rush through this research that might mean you don’t read something properly, and this may result in collecting inaccurate research that is wrong and invalid to my research that won’t be useful. A huge percentage of internet information is also unreliable and can be very unpredictable because people with no experience can publish information on the internet that has no basis of validity, which is why I will be extremely careful when browsing through the internet and carefully looking for websites and sources that have a clear connection.

There are some kinds of research that I would not engage in, such as interviews. This is because the interview costs can be quite high, because people’s workers are expected to perform the interviews. Now a day’s interviews in a paper form are old-fashioned, and none of them are willing to answer because they are usually done on iPads or tablets that cost too much cash. Also, the quality of the data that I will receive will often depend on the interviewee’s ability as some people have natural ability to conduct an interview, but some people may be shy and other data may not be good. It’s normal for most people that they’re not naturally good at conducting interviews, which is why I’m not going to use interviews to define my company target market. The sample size in an interview is limited because for a long period of time some people may not be willing to answer questions. However, if the interview is recorded on paper, the collected data will need to be entered manually and scanned into a device, however data entry that cost a significant amount of money because iPads or tablets etc. may need to be needed.

Additionally, a focus group is a good research method however, it is not suitable for me to identify the target market for my proposed business. This is because they can be moderately bias because people may intentionally put their personal opinions into the other participant’s exchange of ideas. This may make the results inaccurate because the group participants may reach certain assumptions or conclusions about a certain idea or product. Also focus groups are not in such depth compared to an individual interview because they are not as efficient in covering a lot of detailed information.

Postal surveys are a widely used research tool, as they allow you to obtain a large sample of work using a very low-cost approach with limited resources. However, there is no way to find out who did respond to the questionnaire and who did not. They are straightforward and easy to fill out as they have a basic format that allows respondents to pick answers from a present response set. I don’t think postal surveys are the most appropriate research tool so I can’t get immediate answers that aren’t helpful if I need a lot of information in a short time. So I’m not going to use postal surveys as a research method because it’s not ideal for the study I need to find out.

To conclude, I think that my chosen research methods are the most suitable methods because questionnaires are in a format that people are familiar with, making people more likely to answer because they understand what they are doing and the meaning of them. These are easy to understand because they are clearly written allowing different question types to obtain a large range of answers that is really helpful for me to gather a huge amount of data that suits well with questionnaires. As well as questionnaires, internet research is the most appropriate research method for me to use because I will be able to obtain a large amount of information in one go because it’s all in one location, it’s a simple research method that makes it useful because no one really reads books or uses conventional research methods in modern times and era. Both of these forms of study are the most suitable approaches I want to find out which is my target audience. Overall, the two most appropriate tools for my research are the questionnaires and internet research out of all the research methods I think.

What are some of the benefits and limitations to using interview as a research methodology?

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write a 1500-word paper using APA standards that focuses on the following: Interview two different individuals regarding their positions in society. Analyze their responses regarding:

Identify each person’s class, race, and gender, supporting your work with the text and/or outside resources.
What role has class, race, and gender played in their lives? How do you see these stratifiers as playing a role, even if the interviewee is unaware of it?
Apply one of the sociological perspectives to the individuals’ lives. Why did you choose this particular perspective? How does it explain each person’s life and life choices?
What are some of the benefits and limitations to using interview as a research methodology?
Analyze each person’s specific components of culture and relate them to his/her stratified position in society.

  Is the screening that practitioners are performing for child obesity including parental influence?

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Writing a PICO Question

November 2019

1. What is the problem?
Child obesity and how much parental control has influence on it. Screening for child obesity typically does not involve analyzing parental influence (Herbenick, James, Milton, and Cannon, n.d.).

 2. Why is the problem essential and relevant? What would happen if it were not addressed?
It creates awareness on how parents can help in reducing the rate of prevalence of obesity. If the issue is not addressed, many more children will end up suffering from obesity.

 3. What is the current practice?
Screening children for childhood obesity is done by checking their BMI and not including environmental cues at home or parental involvement (Herbenick et al., n.d.).

 4. How was the problem identified?
The problem under investigation was identified through quality concerns, that is, by evaluating the effectiveness of existing methods as far as the issue of controlling obesity is concerned. Notably, variations in practice were also put into consideration (Herbenick et al., n.d.).  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  5. What are the PICO components?
P – Childhood obesity

I – Including screening children for environmental cues and parental influence.

C – Screening that only includes calculating children’s BMI.

O – Better identification of childhood obesity.

 6. Initial EBP question      ❑ Background   ❑ Foreground
·         What can be the impact of including parental influence and environmental cues when screening for childhood obesity?

·         Is the screening that practitioners are performing for child obesity including parental influence?

·         Does including parental and environmental cues when screening for child obesity as opposed to solely calculating BMI reduce risks for children becoming obese?

 

7. List possible search terms, databases to search, and search strategies.
Database- PubMed, EBSCO Host, PubMed, CINAHL, Embase.

Search Strategies: Childhood obesity, NP, parents, education, screening, environmental cues, nutrition

8. What evidence must be gathered?
Publications such as PubMed, general guidelines, and standard regulations as far as obesity is concerned. Correctly, the standards used by the community, that is, parents and teachers, as well as that used by professionals like nurses, will be used. Organizational data, such as family or patient preferences, will also be used.

9. Revised EBP question
Does including parental and environmental cues when screening for childhood obesity improve outcomes in identifying childhood obesity when compared to using a BMI screening alone?

10. Outcome measurement plan
What will we measure? How will we measure it? How often will we measure it?

 

  Where will we obtain the data?   Who will collect the data? To whom will we report the data?
Prevalence of obesity in children at elementary school using the FNPA tool. The outcome will be measured as a percentage. Daily. The data will be collected from the healthcare facilities, that is, from patients of a specified age (5 to 12 years old). The researcher (Myself). The report can be submitted to nurse educators, parents, guardians, and policymakers.

 

Ethical Dilemma.

Childhood obesity continues to be a major issue despite the efforts of public health to reduce its prevalence. The diagnosis and prevention of obesity are bound to ethical consideration. Ethics requires food manufacturers to improve labelling to promote individual responsibility. It also restricts consumer choice on food consumption, mainly with carbs (Herbenick, James, Milton, & Cannon, 2018). Some ethical guidance provides frameworks on the development and implementation of policies in the field of obesity.

Healthcare practitioners should consider if the health of a child is being compromised by parental and societal influences. In the that case the child is at risk for obesity, the caregiver must be involved in treatment to help make healthy options available. Parents play a major role in their child’s nutritional habits and lifestyle choices (Watkins, & Jones, n.d.). If a child is at risk for developing childhood obesity, they are also at risk for developing other diseases later on in life (Watkins, & Jones, n.d.). While the media and society are ethically responsible for advertising unhealthy choices to children, parents ultimately remain accountable for a child developing childhood obesity (Watkins, & Jones, n.d.).

References

 

Herbenick, S. K., James, K., Milton, J., & Cannon, D. (n.d.). Effects of family nutrition and physical activity screening for obesity risk in school-age children. JOURNAL FOR SPECIALISTS IN PEDIATRIC NURSING, 23(4). https://doi-org.chamberlainuniversity.idm.oclc.org/10.1111/jspn.12229

Watkins, F., & Jones, S. (n.d.). Reducing adult obesity in childhood: Parental influence on the food choices of children. HEALTH EDUCATION JOURNAL, 74(4), 473–484. https://doi-org.chamberlainuniversity.idm.oclc.org/10.1177/0017896914544987

What are the major elements and dimensions of culture in this region?How are these elements and dimensions integrated by locals conducting business in the nation?

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GBCA Outline Example: Introduction

Seriously relevant graduate school research requires a question for which no ready answer is available.  The research is conducted, to answer specific questions regarding a topic, problem, or issue for which the answers are not yet known.  Let’s focus on the concept of a topic.  What do you want to know about a topic? Asking a topic as a question (or series of related questions) has several advantages:

Questions require answers. A topic is hard to cover completely because it typically encompasses too many related issues; but a question has an answer, even if it is ambiguous or controversial.

Questions give you a way of evaluating the evidence. A clearly stated question helps you decide which information will be useful. A broad topic may tempt you to stash away information that may be helpful, but you’re not sure how. A question also makes it easier to know when you have enough information to stop your research and draft an answer.

A clear open-ended question calls for real research and thinking. Asking a question with no direct answer makes research and writing more meaningful to both you and your audience. Assuming that your research may solve significant problems or expand the knowledge base of a discipline involves you in more meaningful activity of community and scholarship.

In this course, the required research questions are open-ended and require a variety of accumulated data to develop answers.  Your topic is a Global Cultural Business Analysis of the nation you selected.  You have been provided four specific research questions to guide you in the study of this topic which, if done well, will demonstrate you have attained an advanced measure of expertise in the topic.  The research questions provide the framework of your analysis.

  1. Question 1 requires you to discuss the general elements of culture (described in Chapter 2 of your textbook) as they apply to your chosen nation.
  2. Question 2 is a natural extension of Question 1 in that you will demonstrate how these elements of culture are used in business dealings by the people of your nation.
  3. Question 3 is a natural extension of Question 2 in that you will compare and contrast these specific findings with business cultural elements found in the USA. Here is where you use the models for understanding cultures (Hofstede, etc).
  4. Question 4 is where you briefly summarize your research findings and is the place where you draw substantive conclusions and report the implications of your research for doing business in that nation. Questions 1 through 3 “set the stage” for Question 4.

Question 4 is the most significant for two reasons, for two audiences:  the reader and your professor.  A substantive and comprehensive coverage demonstrates to the reader why the research is important and how it can be used in business dealings for US managers.  It also demonstrates to your professor the extent to which you have mastered the necessary advanced analysis and critical thinking skills required of a graduate-level student.

The example begins on the following page. Be sure to use the exact wordings in this outline for your APA level-headings.

EXAMPLE OUTLINE

Research Question 1: What are the major elements and dimensions of culture in this region?

Communication

Religion

Ethics

Values and Attitudes

Manners

Customs

Social Structures and Organizations

Education

Research Question 2: How are these elements and dimensions integrated by locals conducting business in the nation?

Communication

Religion

Ethics

Values and Attitudes

Manners

Customs

Social Structures and Organizations

Education

Research Question 3: How do both of the above items compare with United States culture and business?

Compare/Contrast Greenland with USA, based on answers to Research Questions 1 and 2

Hofstede analysis

Research Question 4: What are the implications for United States businesses that wish to conduct business in that region?

Analysis of facts from prior three questions

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

Weaknesses

Opportunities

Threats

FDI Analysis

As you begin to research your GBCA, think of it as writing four highly inter-related papers.

Remember, what you are really doing here is breaking the research assignment into smaller, more manageable components.

The first “paper” deals with the specific 8 dimensions of culture listed at the beginning of Chapter 2 of your book.  This first “paper” describes the general societal deployment of the 8 dimensions.

The second “paper” deals with how these specific 8 dimensions of culture are deployed in the daily business dealings in the nation.

The third “paper” compares and contrasts your nation with the USA;  here is where you deploy the Hofstede analysis.

The final “paper” is a detailed graduate-level analysis of the facts researched in the previous three questions.

Graduate-level work requires several substantive implications, based on the results of your research-based SWOT Analysis.  In the event the concept is new to you, please see SWOT Analysis Explanation  for a discussion regarding how to conduct such an analysis or  SWOT Analysis Video  for a short video lecture. In the event these hyperlinks are not active, simply contact the LUO Librarian for assistance in locating appropriate substitution links.

One of the several substantive implications should cover foreign investment decisions, as that is the bottom-line for all businesses seeking to do business overseas.

Should the First Amendment protect corporate political expression? Why or why not?

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Question: In your individual response post to the larger group, state whether you support the position of the other peer groups regarding the Citizens United decision in the case. If so, why? If not, why not? Be sure to provide detailed justification for your response and support in the way of scholarly research cited in APA style.

GROUP 1 POST

Should the First Amendment protect corporate political expression? Why or why not?

The 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission Supreme Court case ruled that the First Amendment protects corporate political expression.  The court concluded that US corporations are considered citizens, and that corporate spending could not be restricted for or against candidates. The majority opinion of the case laid out the argument for freedom of corporate political speech by framing restrictions as pathways to authoritarian censorship regimes. According to their arguments, our very democracy is threatened if anyone, even a separate legal entity like a corporation, is prevented from freely expressing their opinions (Steiner, 2011). Until that assessment by the Supreme Court changes, if it changes, or until a new Amendment is ratified changing the Constitution, this characterization of US corporations as US persons must be respected and upheld. Therefore, the rights of US corporations as US citizens, including the 1st Amendment, must be respected.

While the current legal opinion allows unlimited corporate money to flow into the election cycles, we personally believe this is a risky proposition that opens the door for massive corruption. Corporations are established as profit seeking organizations looking to maximize shareholder returns. They are created, not born, for economic purposes. As such, we do not agree with the interpretation of the 14th amendment that treats them the same as human beings that was established in Santa Clara County V. Southern Pacific RailRoad in 1886 (Pruitt, 2018).  As President Obama put it, treating corporations as people with the same political rights “open the floodgates for special interests—including foreign corporations—to spend without limit in our elections,” (Pruitt, 2018, par. 15). The immediate impact of the decision was clear, as corporate spending exploded in the election following the 2010 decision. Independent expenditures, which now had no limits for corporations, increased an astounding $700 million between 2010 and 2012 (Cillizza, 2019). Now, companies have the power and ability to produce massive information and propaganda campaigns that can bend the public will behind the company’s goals. While our personal opinions seem to support increased government regulation of corporate speech, we stand behind the law as it is written. Until such a time when the Supreme Court changes its precedents surrounding political speech or the federal government amends our founding document to clarify the limitations surrounding the 1st amendment, we accept the rulings applying the freedom of speech to the political activity of corporations.

If not, where should you draw the line for corporations between freedom and restrictions?

As American citizens, every individual member of a corporation has the rights of free political expression. Additionally, these citizens have the right to spend as much of their hard earned money as they would like on individual expenditures to Super PACs (FEC, 2019). This allows people to pool their money together to raise awareness and support for particular policies or interests. Corporations, although legally treated as people, are clearly not human. They are organizations made up of multitudes of individual employees working towards a common goal. As Justice John Paul Stevens put it, “Corporations…are not themselves members of ‘We the People’ by whom and for whom our Constitution was established,” (Pruitt, 2018, par.14) Since they were not considered or included in the founding constitution, corporations should not have inherent individual rights. When the First Amendment was drafted and ratified, the founders were not looking out for the free speech rights of big business. Therefore, modern day interpretations should not put words in the founder’s mouths and claim an extension of the rights to companies. If corporations are passionate about special interests, they are free to communicate the official business position to its employees, asking for voluntary contributions to the cause. They should not be able to bundle corporate resources on its own to politically protect its business interests. If their position is credible, their employees are free to use their first amendment rights as legal citizens to raise political awareness. Allowing corporations to exert financial influence on our election cycles is a dangerous proposition reeking of potential corruption. We would argue that this battle is best fought around redefining corporate entities in America. The Supreme Court must revisit the tertiary opinion from the 1886 case and rule that corporations are not people, and therefore are not entitled to the same rights (Pruitt, 2018). Until this occurs, big business will continue to dominate government, buying undue influence over the entire system, further entrenching their hold on power.

 If you were in charge of government relations at a business, what strategies would you now employ, in light of the Citizens United decision, to advance your position?

We are tempted ethically to remain neutral and keep our business away from PAC’s, since politics can be so volatile.  Choosing a side, especially in today’s climate will end up alienating some portion of customers, and that seems to run against attempts to reach the largest audience possible as a business.  However, given the current political and legal climate, our company would be at a significant disadvantage if we were not to engage in corporate political speech.

If we were in charge of government relations at a corporation following the Citizens United decision, we would immediately seek to increase our operating budget. We would request the resources needed to hire lobbyists to fight for our agenda in Washington. We would identify candidates in vulnerable districts and target them for our influence campaigns. In addition to running special-interest ads in his or her district, we would reach out directly to the legislator, setting up a meeting to discuss corporate positions on various issues relevant to the firm and congressional district. While winning over public support through information campaigns, our team would work behind the scenes to draft favorable legislation to present to government officials. Using the results of the ad campaign, such as polls showing changing public opinion or increases in related political activity, we would push the politicians to bring the legislation to the floor, creating our company’s own political insider and representative. Finally, we would direct resources towards funding industry special interest groups that are dedicated to advocating for pro-company policies. Through these strategies of political spending, the corporation would gain significant influence over the lawmaking process and help promote company interests to the front of the line of political priority. Until such a time when the legal interpretations of corporations are redefined, our team would work intensely through the established procedures to legally exert influence over the political system to advance our company’s interests.

Group 4 Post

Four out of the six people in our group believe that the First Amendment should protect corporations and their political agendas. The other two argued valiantly that corporations are inanimate objects and shouldn’t have a say in politics. Because politics have a large affect on companies and how they do business the majority of our group felt that having a collective say in political figures being elected is very important. On the flip side, it seems that most corporations are also only ever advocating to benefit their corporation and it really does not have anything to do with the companies morals or ethics (Steiner & Steiner, 2012). This is important in regard for the argument against the First Amendment protecting corporations because benefits for a corporation don’t always coincide with the company’s ethical standards.

Some lines that those argued should be drawn for corporations between freedom and restrictions included: giving shareholders a say, use independent companies to oversee decisions, and mandate detailed and robust disclosure to shareholders. Shareholders being the integral part of the implementations that would be used in order to keep corporations in check. A great example used in the text is the Hillary case specifically because it was decided that the timing was the largest problem the the company faced. “Justice Stevens began by observing that Citizens United had been free to show Hillary as much as it wanted anytime except 30 or 60 days before elections. Using its political action committee, it could have even shown it at those time. So there was no speech ban” (Steiner & Steiner, 2012, p. 313). This indicates the the Citizens United could have used the loopholes in place at the time and furthered their agenda but did not. The rules in place that allows corporations to campaign more than 60 days before and election and use political action committees are very good lines to draw in order to keep the balance between corporate freedom of speech and restriction.

As a group we collectively decided that educating ourselves on the politicians and what they could do for our corporation was the best first step. After this we would work to forward the company’s agenda and using the budgeted company money to do so. Some ideas that were brought up were looking for legal loopholes to further the company’s agenda, working with candidates to see what corporate money would be used for, use a legal and compliance team to ensure expenditures were legal, and be very careful of the arguments and messages that are put out there. Another final thing that was important to note was the need for shareholder involvement and approval of the messages that were being sent to the public.

Group 3 Post

Should the First Amendment protect corporate political expression? Why or why not?

The topic of corporate political expression is a very sensitive matter for many individuals, and I believe that this question can have both a yes or no response. I do strongly support the idea that individuals should have the right and the freedom to express their views, opinions, and thoughts. Even though massive organizations or corporations are not considered to be individuals, these organizations are both run and owned by individuals. I do not believe that it is the corporation, itself, expressing opinions, but rather it is the opinions of the individuals that run these organizations, that are being heard and established. I firmly agree, in reference to our text, that speech should not be eliminated, or banned, because of the speaker’s identity or the amount of wealth that they possess (Steiner & Steiner, 2012, p. 313). However, a corporation’s ability to do so should be regulated. “Political speech [is manifested] in the form of contributions and expenditures on behalf of candidates.” (Ferguson III, n.d.) If corporations have the same First Amendment protections for political expression as American citizens, this could “undermine the integrity of elected institutions across the Nation.”

 

If not, where should you draw the line for corporations between freedom and restrictions?

Drawing a line for corporations between freedom of political expression and restrictions on contributions and expenditures is extremely difficult. Since it’s difficult to put a monetary cap on when a company contributes too much to a campaign, transparency is key. Even if a company contributes a large amount of money to a politician and a campaign, stating who paid for an advertisement or disclosing donors during a campaign allows for transparency with voters, so the public can know who is funding their politician and, potentially where lobbying could become an issue. In an article from Harvard Law School, “A new bill that has been introduced in the House would direct the SEC to issue regs to require public companies to disclose political expenditures in their annual reports and on their websites.” (Posner, 2019) This is another way for consumers to have a better sense of the companies they are buying from and their political affiliations. It also gives Congress an idea of when lobbying could interfere too much with the decision making of politics and when one company could have too much say over a politician because of their donations. Transparency could also keep a politician from making deals and decisions simply because of a donor and instead keeping their head above water and making the decision that is best for their district or state.

One of the elements protected by the First Amendment is freedom of “individual” expression, speech, and press (FindLaw, n.d.). However, the Supreme Court case Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) ruled that the federal government cannot limit corporation’s contributions towards political campaigns (Kille, 2015). This means that corporations can give unlimited amounts of funds towards a political party but not the individual running for federal office (Kille, 2015). The funds are given to Super Political Action Committees (PACs) where the money is accepted and used to influence the outcome of a political election (McCamy, 2018). The money donated is not regulated and there is no cap on the amount. The funds are typically used for ads, broadcasts, or whatever is needed to communicate and satisfy the political objective (McCamy, 2018). Unfortunately, while corporate political expression helps political parties expand its reach, it also gives an unfair advantage and increases the possibility of corruption between government regulators and corporations.

The issue with drawing a line for corporations between freedom and restrictions is that corporations always find a way to create and expose a loophole. However, my understanding is that freedom of expression is violated when there is an attempt of interference on expression deemed appropriate by the constitution. The larger the corporation, the greater an influence it could have on voters and even regulators. It could be dangerous for corporations to have the freedom to contribute unlimited dollars towards a political candidate.  I found it interesting that after leaving their organization, 1 in 10 CEOs end up holding a political position.  According to the study by Coates, the political activity could cause many managers to lose focus on their business, and as a result, fail to focus on the core business and alternatively, spend money on investments that may not enhance the business itself but the political agenda of their CEO.  In many cases, this has resulted in the organization losing value (Coates, 2012).  The other issues that stands out is the protection of the shareholders.  If corporations are allowed to spend their money on supporting a candidate or using their money to discredit a candidate, they are not using the funds to create value for their shareholders, and this is where regulation is necessary because it the company’s actions effect so many others.

If you were in charge of government relations at a business, what strategies would you now employ, in light of the Citizens United decision, to advance your position?

If I were in charge of government relations at a business, presumably a large one, the strategies I would employ would be to the benefit of my stakeholders. The obvious idea would be to support those politicians who have similar interests to my corporation. The risk is angering other politicians that could lead to backlash from politicians and perhaps the public. This is probably not the most ethical way of doing things, but forming PACs is a great way to contribute to politics without sticking your neck out directly. I could suggest PACs that currently exist and have similar interests. I say that it is not the most ethical because I do not personally feel that this is in the public’s interest. Nonetheless, I would develop strategies that would invoke discussion on current laws affecting operations, employee healthcare, imports and exports, and foreign business relationships. Also, I would ensure to develop strategies that would give movement to the corporation’s social and environmental responsibility agenda. Rather than placing spotlight on a certain politician, I would bring to light certain issues that could be potentially impacted by the outcome of the election. In addition, I would employ certain strategies to advance my position.  Given that it is now legal for corporations to allocate unlimited funds to support a candidate, I would put myself in a position to understand what the leaders of my corporation would like to achieve in the next election and ensure that I represent their interests to the appropriate parties.

 

Citizens United vs. FEC. (2019, January 24). Retrieved from https://www.history.com/topics/united-states-constitution/citizens-united#section_4

Coates IV, J. C. (2012). Corporate Politics, Governance, and Value Before and After Citizen United. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1740-1461.2012.01265.x

Ferguson III, C. (n.d.). Corporate Speech. In The First Amendment Encyclopedia. Retrieved November 19, 2019, from https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/939/corporate-speech

First Amendment – Religion and Expression. Retrieved on 2019 November 20. Retrieved from https://constitution.findlaw.com/amendment1.html

Kille, L. W. (2015). Corporate speech and the First Amendment: History, data and implications. Retrieved from https://journalistsresource.org/studies/politics/finance-lobbying/corporate-speech-first-amendment-history-data-implications/

McCamy, L. (2018). Companies donate millions to political causes to have a say in the government — here are 10 that have given the most in 2018. Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com/companies-are-influencing-politics-by-donating-millions-to-politicians-2018-9

Posner, C. (2019, March 17). Is it Time for Corporate Political Spending Disclosure? Retrieved from https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2019/03/17/is-it-time-for-corporate-political-spending-disclosure/

Steiner, J.F., & Steiner, G.A. (2012). Business, government and society:  A managerial perspective; text and cases, 13th Ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin.

Subramanian, G., Bebchuk, L. A., & Jackson, R. J. (2010, November 19). Corporate Political Speech: Who Decides? Retrieved from https://harvardlawreview.org/2010/11/corporate-political-speech-who-decides/

 

So why do I need to reference? What sort of research should I include?

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Is the word count strict?

The word count is +/- 10% overall. The Pitch Template has suggested word counts for each section, but these are suggestions are only. However, you should follow the word count for the media release fairly closely. Title and subheadings are included in the word count.

What referencing system should I use?

As always in SAM, please use the Harvard in-text referencing system. Links for this are on Moodle.However, note that the assessment is a reference-light exercise.

Can we choose more than one audience?

Yes, but you don’t need to. One is enough. But either way, you need to do research into your audience and really understand them as deeply as you can.

Our tutor gave us feedback, but I want to give in a different direction. Is that okay?

Of course. Your tutor will do their best to give you helpful feedback in the moment, but you might decide that you have a different idea about the best path forward. That’s fine, but like any decision in PR, yours should be backed up by evidence.

Can I propose advertising as part of my campaign?

No, you are pitching a public relations campaign.

Can I modify the target audience?

Yes! In fact, you should refine the target audience, but remember that you’ll need to justify this to the client.

Can I modify the objectives?

Yes! You should refine and focus the objectives. Remember to make them SMART!

What’s a SWOT analysis?

This was covered in your readings.

How much research should I do?

That’s up to you, but you should be able to justify the claims you make about target audiences and have evidence in support of your strategy.

Do I need to cite academic sources?

No, there is no requirement to do so. You might want to use academic sources as part of your research, but you don’t have to. You do, however, need to do research which then needs to be cited!

Do I need to reference the course materials? Discuss theory?

No, you don’t need to do this. A good, strong pitch document will display an understanding of the concepts, principles and theories we’ve looked at this semester. For example, your campaign should be contextually and culturally appropriate.

So why do I need to reference? What sort of research SHOULD I include?

You need to back up your claims and show a strong understanding of target audiences, relevant issues, and so on. You might, for example, want to do more research into diversity in Australia, for instance. Your research should ALWAYS be referenced. After all, a client might want to know more or want to be able to verify your claims.

How many references do I need?

There’s no answer to this – every campaign pitch will be different, requiring different research. It’s less about the total number of references and more about making sure that your claims are backed up by evidence where necessary.

How you reference [insert source type]?

You need to work this out for yourself! In addition to the UNSW guide to the Harvard system (which is pretty good), there are countless others. If you’re truly lost, just make sure that you have the author (if there is one), title, publication, date, and URL.

Can you give us a template for the pitch document?

Yes, there’s one on Moodle. Please note that the word counts are guidelines only. Make sure you personalise it with your name and other details.

Can I modify the pitch template?

You are welcome to modify the pitch template however you think appropriate. Make sure, though, that you address all the required elements.

I know it says “no advertising” but I had this great idea for an ad…

No advertising! This is a public relations challenge, not an advertising one.

What can I spend the budget on?

The budget is there solely to give you a bit of money to play with if you wanted to create something for your campaign that might cost a small amount (e.g. a short video for the web). It CANNOT be used on paid media of any kind.

What should my media release be about?

Your media release is about the campaign: it’s launch, what it aims to achieve, its message, etc. If you want to write something more focused on one aspect that’s fine too, but your release should make clear what the campaign as a whole is about and what it’s trying to achieve.

How do I get quotes for my media release (or any other materials)?

Make them up! This is actually what mostly happens when a release gets drafted: the writer usually invents the quotes and then gets “sign-off” from the person quoted.

What do you mean by “other materials”?

Anything you like! This is your opportunity to show what your campaign would be like, so you can create some social media posts, or perhaps right a short feature story to try to place in a newspaper or magazine.

Do I need references in my content samples?

No.

In answer to the question regarding budget for the SBS brief; they have said, that you have $5,000 (in principle) to work with. Other questions and answers can be found in an FAQ document on Moodle.

Again, the pitch is Public Relations focused not advertising therefore the budget is limited. The focus should be on how it could reach its target audiences through PR. However, some advertising can still be used as suggested solution to the clients.

 

Critically evaluate the contribution of strategic marketing to the overall strategic management of organisations and the pursuit of sustainable competitive advantage.

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Assignment Brief Template
Page 1 of 12
Faculty of Business and Law
Assignment Brief Academic Year 2019/20
Module Title: Marketing Strategy Assignment
Number
1
Module Code: 303MKT Assignment Title Strategic Marketing Report
Assignment
Weighting
50%
Release Date: September/October
2019
Module Leader
Submission
Date/Time:
Submission
Time and Place:
Submission through
Turnitin ONLY
Assessment Information
This assignment is designed to assess learning outcomes:
2. Critically evaluate the contribution of strategic marketing to the overall strategic management of
organisations and the pursuit of sustainable competitive advantage.
3. Apply strategic marketing frameworks and concepts to solve marketing problems.
This assignment is an individual assignment.
This assignment requires you to produce a strategic marketing report for Greenfish Design relating to the
Midnight Pebble product.
Greenfish Design Limited: Midnight Pebble
Green Fish Design Ltd was founded by Coventry University Engineering Academic Dr Phil Green. Phil has a
PhD in the area of carbon fibre composites and has held multiple academic roles. His career has spanned
both academia and industry having worked for Jaguar Landrover as a lead engineer. Having experience of
both industry and academia Phil has been able to research and develop new innovative products that have
real world application. Evidence of this can be seen in his role in the development of D30, a flexible, pliable
material that locks together and hardens in the event of collision, this material has found application in
areas such as electronic device protection and body armor for high impact sports. As part of this process
Phil has also been nominated for the Popular Prize at the European Inventors Awards 2019 after spinning
out the d30 business back in 2003 which is now a highly successful on-going business.
Assignment Brief Template
Page 2 of 12
Following the successful development and commercialisation of D30 Phil wanted to develop a new product
around his interest in photoluminescent materials. Photoluminescent is the process whereby luminescence
is created by the absorption of visible light. This light is stored as energy and is released as visible light,
which appears to glow in the dark. This phenomenon has application for areas such as wrist watches, paint
and emergency exit signs. Phil wanted to see if there was an application of this technology to solve a
domestic problem and began to search for a problem to solve. During this process Phil created a number
of ideas and prototypes whilst being careful to consider existing patents. Patents are a legal protection
granted by the government to the inventor to prevent people from making or using an invention without
their permission. The problem Phil identified was that people often take a glass of water to bed, however
at night when they want a drink of water there is a risk of knocking over the glass. This could result in a
smashed glass, but also the risk of spilling water on expensive electronic devices such as smart phones or
tablets. In order to provide a solution to this problem the Midnight Pebble has been developed.
The Midnight Pebble is a drinks coaster which people can use to place beverages on (see appendix 1 for
images). The Midnight Pebble has a circular aluminium alloy ring, with the centre of the coaster being a
photoluminescent clock face. The pebble emits light at night which shines up through the beverage
container (ideally a glass) which sends out a pleasant green light into the room. The type of light emitted
has been researched heavily and identified as a hue that doesn’t disrupt sleep. To make the product
patentable a clock face was added to the product where the photoluminescence also back lights the hands
of an analogue clock. Three different clock face designs were used for the initial production representative
prototypes. The design was developed around rapid assembly and is made up of simple quality components
which provide a high-quality finish. The initial batch of components were sourced from the UK, China and
Hong Kong and were assembled in the UK. The patent for the design of the product is for Great Britain
only, and means that no similar product can be developed and sold within the UK. Having developed the
product Phil has sold 600 units over the last seven years, however due to other commitments he has been
unable to dedicate enough time to really drive the product forward. The main channels through which the
product has been sold through are selling directly to online retailers as well as bricks and mortar gift shops.
Gift shops have shown the most promise, as having a store assistant explains the product has helped
consumers buy into the concept/utility of the product. Additionally, when selling to retailers they tended
to want to purchase from a supplier that supplies multiple products, rather than just one.
The original business model of Greenfish Design Ltd was to license the design/patent to an organisation in
order to earn royalties, rather than becoming a supplier of the product. As mentioned previously Phil has
not had the time to allocate resources to the business, and as a result Green Fish Ltd has stopped trading
as a company, however the patent has been renewed each year and is now in the 9th year out of the twenty
year life of a patent. Currently Phil has a back stock of around 400 units available for immediate sale. The
unit cost to manufacture a product is £4.50 (providing 5000 units are ordered) and unit cost will increase
in situations where smaller orders are made. The recommended retail price of the product is around £20
the trade price being around £7.50. Moving forward Phil would like to create a sustainable business
through a licensing agreement with an existing company or a start-up organisation. The product is
considered as commercially viable as it has a large potential market, barriers to entry due to the patent, as
well as being well designed and highly functional. You are now required to develop a report to help find a
solution for Phil.
The report to be structured as follows;
– Short Introduction (detailing structure)
– Marketing Audit (External and Internal Analysis) and SWOT
– Objectives and Growth Strategies.
– Marketing mix moving forward
Assignment Brief Template
Page 3 of 12
The owners would like you to seek information from sources such as Mintel for use in the external analysis,
however for the internal analysis only the client brief should be used. The owners want to see in depth
analysis of the situation and an evidence-based argument for any future strategies.
Mark Allocation Per Section
Structure of report 10%
Marketing Audit (including SWOT), Indicative Mark Allocation broken
down as follows: –
External Analysis – 12%
Internal Analysis – 12%
SWOT – 6%
30%
Objectives and Growth Strategies 25%
Marketing Mix 25%
Coherence of the Report (Does the report link together well) 10%
Please use the above guidance for the word count for each section in the report.
Criteria for Assessment (Generic)
Class
Mark range
Guidelines
Class I
90 – 100%
80 – 89%
70 – 79%
In addition to that for 80 – 89% below, an outstanding answer that
could hardly be bettered. High degree of understanding,
critical/analytic skills and original research, where specified.
Outstanding in all respects.
In addition to that for 70 – 79% below, the answer will demonstrate
an excellent level of understanding, presence of clear description,
critical/analytical skills or research, as appropriate.
Answer entirely relevant to the assignment set. Answer will
demonstrate clear understanding of theories, concepts, issues and
methodology, as appropriate. There will be evidence of wide-ranging
reading and/or research, as appropriate, beyond the minimum
recommended. Answers will be written/presented in a clear, wellstructured
way with clarity of expression. At level 3, evidence of
independent, critical thought would normally be expected.
Class II : I
65 – 69%
Answer demonstrating a very good understanding of the
requirements of the assignment. Answer will demonstrate very good
understanding of theories, concepts, issues and methodology, as
appropriate. Answer will be mostly accurate/appropriate, with few
errors. Little, if any, irrelevant material may be present. Reading
Assignment Brief Template
Page 4 of 12
60 – 64%
beyond the recommended minimum will be present where
appropriate. Well organised and clearly written/presented.
A good understanding, with few errors. Some irrelevant material may
be present. Well organised and clearly written/presented. Some
reading/research beyond recommended in evidence.
Class II : II
55 – 59%
50 – 54%
Answer demonstrating a good understanding of relevant theories,
concepts, issues and methodology. Some reading/research beyond
that recommended may be present. Some errors may be present and
inclusion of irrelevant material. May not be particularly wellstructured,
and/or clearly presented.
Answer demonstrating a reasonable understanding of theories,
concepts, issues and methodology. Answer likely to show some
errors of understanding. May be significant amount of irrelevant
material. May not be well-structured and expression/presentation
may be unclear at times.
Class III
45 – 49%
40 – 44%
An understanding demonstrated, but may be incomplete and with
some errors. Limited use of material with limited reading/research
on the topic. Likely to be poorly structured and not wellexpressed/
presented. Irrelevant material likely to be present.
Basic understanding demonstrated, with some correct description.
Answer likely to be incomplete with substantial errors or
misunderstandings. Little use of material and limited
reading/research on the topic in evidence. May be poorly structured
and poorly expressed/presented. Some material may be irrelevant to
the assignment requirements.
Marginal fail
35 – 39%
Some relevant material will be present. Understanding will be poor
with little evidence of reading/research on the topic. Fundamental
errors and misunderstanding likely to be present. Poor structure and
poor expression/presentation. Much material may not be relevant to
the assignment.
Fail
30 – 34%
20 – 29%
0 – 19%
Inadequate answer with little relevant material and poor
understanding of theories, concepts, issues and methodology, as
appropriate. Fundamental errors and misunderstandings will be
present. Material may be largely irrelevant. Poorly structured and
poorly expressed/presented.
Clear failure to provide answer to the assignment. Little
understanding and only a vague knowledge of the area. Serious and
fundamental errors and lack of understanding. Virtually no evidence
of relevant reading/research. Poorly structured and inadequately
expressed/presented.
Complete failure, virtually no understanding of requirements of the
Assignment Brief Template
Page 5 of 12
Specific Grading Criteria
External Analysis (12%)
Section/Poi
nts
0 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10 11-12
External
Analysis
Missing
altogether
or
completely
wrong e.g.
students
describe
the
framework
s rather
than
applying
them.
Very poor,
framework
s used
incorrectly.
Poor
sources
used and
no
implication
s. Poor
classificatio
n within the
attempt.
Attempts to
use the
framework
s but could
do with
better
application
and
sources.
One
element
missing or
poorly
developed.
(If one of
the
PESTEL of
Porter’s
is missing
then start
on a 5/6
grade).
PESTEL
and
Porter’s
complete
d. Some
of the
implicati
ons are
slightly
lacking
and there
is the
potential
for higher
quality
sources
to be
used.
PESTEL and
Porter’s
completed
fully and with
good analysis.
High quality
sources used.
Implications
are well
explained/an
alysed.
Some sources
could be
stronger
Perhaps could
be a little
more
innovative in
the content.
PESTEL and
Porter’s
completed fully
and with strong
analysis.
Implications are
presented
concisely and
have clear
relevance to the
case.
PESTEL and
Porter’s
completed fully
and with
excellent
analysis. High
quality sources
used such as
MINTEL.
Interesting
issues raised.
Concisely
written and to
the point.
Internal Analysis (12%)
Section/
Points
0 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10 11-12
Internal
Analysis
No analysis
section
included.
Very poor,
random
points
made, the
framework
isn’t used.
Students
haven’t
completed
the full
analysis
with
sections
missing,
some
relevant
points
made.
Good use
of the
framewo
rks,
perhaps
one or
two
points
are
incorrectl
y
explained
or
placed.
Good
analysis, all
elements
covered,
perhaps a few
points could
have clearer
implications,
but still
strong.
Strong analysis
given, clear
points made,
perhaps lacking
in refinement,
but overall very
strong.
Superb work, all
elements
covered, and
information is
comprehensive.
Written
concisely and to
the point, very
professionally
presented/argu
ed.
SWOT Analysis (6%)
Section/
Points
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
assignment. Material may be entirely irrelevant. Answer may be
extremely short, and in note form only. Answer may be
fundamentally wrong, or trivial. Not a serious attempt.
Assignment Brief Template
Page 6 of 12
SWOT Missing or of
very little
relevance/value.
A very
poor
attempt
but
some
merit.
Clear and
comprehensive,
could be more
focused.
Very good,
balanced
and
informative.
Some basic
errors
made.
Very clear
and
professional,
key points
identified
but could be
more
accurate in
places.
Very clear,
concise and
professional,
key points
identified
and
presented.
Could be
more
analytical.
Strong analysis
demonstrated,
concise, analytical
and well
balanced/presented.
Objectives and Growth Strategy (25%)
Section/Points 0 1-4 5-8 9-12 13-16 17-20 21-25
Objectives
and Growth
Strategy
Missing or of
very little
relevance/value.
Completely
lacking in
coherence
and content,
no analysis,
weak.
Lack of
understanding
show, very
poor
objectives,
clearly a poor
piece of work.
Elements
missing.
Poorly worded
objectives, or
not fully
developed/not
SMART Some
attempts to
discuss
strategic
approaches
but lacking in
analysis.
Needs to be
more accurate
and follow the
requirements
of the brief.
Very good
objectives.
Some
relevant
points
made but
lacking
accuracy
in places.
Could do
with some
better
analysis of
the
options.
Well-argued
strategic
options, clear
rationale for
the choice
made. Well
presented.
Strong analysis
demonstrated.
Could improve
clarity and
conciseness
further.
Written in a
suitable tone.
Clear and
wellarticulated
objectives,
excellent
application
of theory,
potential
options
discussed,
clear use of
previous
analysis to
come to a
conclusion
on most
appropriate
strategic
approach
moving
forward.
Coherence
with
previous
points
made.
Marketing Mix (25%)
Section/Points 0 1-4 5-8 9-12 13-16 17-20 21-25
Marketing Mix Missing or of very
little relevance/value.
Marketing mix
is completely
irrelevant, no
real value in
the work.
Marketing mix
is incomplete
or of a poor
quality, no
links with past
sections, no
real practical
relevance.
Some good
points made,
could be
more
accurate,
only small
links with the
previous
section and
the mix is a
little
disjointed.
Very good
marketing mix,
clearly
articulated,
relevant points
made, links
with previous
sections/
strategy could
be stronger.
Very highquality
marketing
mix, clearly
realistic, links
well with the
previous
sections,
perhaps
neglected to
link up all
elements.
Superb
marking mix,
concise and
complete,
links
perfectly
with the
strategic
approach
and
objectives
(no loose
ends).
Structure of the Report (10%)
Section/Points 0-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10
Structure of the
report
Lots of sections
missing, or
Poor
presentation,
Structure isn’t
followed fully
Structure or
presentation has
Professional
presentation and full
Assignment Brief Template
Page 7 of 12
structure is
completely wrong,
presentation is
very weak.
structure is
muddled or
sections are
missing.
and
presentation
could be better.
some very minor
issues, but
overall is
excellent.
structure is present,
superb overall.
Coherence of the Report (10%)
Section/Points 0-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10
Coherence of the
report.
Report lacks any sort
of coherence, random
structure.
Report is lacks
coherence, however
attempts have been
made to link the audit to
the rest of the report.
Some new information
bought in that doesn’t
link.
Report demonstrates a
good level of coherence.
Excellence level of
coherence, some
elements are perhaps
not fully linked.
Completely flawless
levels of coherence.
Well thought out
and organised to
ensure the plan is
fully integrated.
Word Count
The word count is 2000 words.
There will be a penalty of a deduction of 10% of the mark (after internal moderation) for work exceeding
or below the word limit by 10% or more.
The word limit includes quotations and tables but excludes diagrams and the bibliography.
How to submit your assessment
•
Your
coursework
will
be
given
a
zero
mark
if
you
do
not
submit
a
copy
through
Turnitin.
Please
take
care
to
ensure
that
you
have
fully
submitted
your
work.
•
All
work
submitted
after
the
submission
deadline
without
a
valid
and
approved
reason
(see
below)
will
be
given
a
mark
of
zero.
•
The University wants you to do your best. However we know that sometimes events happen which
mean that you can’t submit your coursework by the deadline –
these events should be beyond your
control and not easy to predict.
If this happens, you can apply for an extension to your deadline for
up to two weeks, or if you need longer, you can apply for
a deferral, which takes you to the next
assessment period (for example, to the resit period following the main Assessment Boards). You must
apply before the deadline.
You will find information a bout the process and what is or is not considered to be an event beyond
your control at https://share.coventry.ac.uk/students/Registry/Pages/Deferrals-and-Extension.aspx
•
Students
MUST
keep
a
copy
and/or
an
electronic
file
of
their
assignment.
•
Checks
will
be
made
on
your
work
using
anti-plagiarism
software
and
approved
plagiarism
checking
websites.
GUIDELINES
AND
BACKGROUND
TO
THIS
ASSIGNMENT
Plagiarism
As
part
of
your
study
you
will
be
involved
in
carrying
out
research
and
using
this
when
writing
up
your
coursework.
It
is
important
that
you
correctly
acknowledge
someone
else’s
writing,
thoughts
or
ideas
Assignment Brief Template
Page 8 of 12
and that you do not attempt to pass this off as your own work. Doing so is known as plagiarism. It is
not acceptable to copy from another source without acknowledging that it is someone else’s writing
or thinking. This includes using paraphrasing as well as direct quotations. You are expected to correctly
cite and reference the works of others. The Centre for Academic Writing provides documents to help
you get this right. If you are unsure, please visit www.coventry.ac.uk/caw. You can also check your
understanding of academic conduct by completing the Good Academic Practice quiz available on
Moodle.
Self-plagiarism or reuse of work previously submitted
You must not submit work for assessment that you have already submitted (partially or in full), either
for your current course or for another qualification of this and any other university, unless this is
specifically provided for in your assignment brief or specific course or module information. Where
earlier work by you is citable, ie. it has already been published/submitted, you must reference it
clearly. Identical pieces of work submitted concurrently will also be considered to be self-plagiarism.
Self-plagiarism is unacceptable because you cannot gain credit for the same work twice.
Moodle includes a plagiarism detection system and assessors are experienced enough to recognise
plagiarism when it occurs. Copying another student’s work, using previous work of your own or
copying large sections from a book or the internet are examples of plagiarism and carry serious
consequences. Please familiarise yourself with the CU Harvard Reference Style (on Moodle) and use
it correctly to avoid a case of plagiarism or cheating being brought. Again, if you are unsure, please
contact the Centre for Academic Writing, your Progress Coach or a member of the course team.
Return of Marked Work
You can expect to have marked work returned to you within ten working days of submission. If for any
reason there is a delay you will be kept informed. Marks and feedback will be provided online/in class/face
to face. As always, marks will have been internally moderated only, and will therefore be provisional; your
mark will be formally agreed later in the year once the external examiner has completed his / her review.
APPENDIX 1 – Midnight Pebble Images
Midnight Pebble Nautical
Assignment Brief Template
Page 9 of 12
Midnight Pebble Aviator
Midnight Pebble Roman
Assignment Brief Template
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Assignment Brief Template
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Assignment Brief Template
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Discuss the practical problems of calculating an appropriate cost of capital using the Capital Asset Pricing Model, and the particular problems of estimating a cost of capital for unquoted companies.

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BAF-6-MFI Managerial Finance
Coursework Assignment 2019-20
The deadline for submission of the Group Report part of this coursework
. The Group
Presentations will take place thereafter.
Case Study: Valuation of Loja Limited by Tambaku plc
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Tambaku plc, a large tobacco company, has informed the Board that, given the declining consumption of tobacco products, it is essential for the firm to diversify its operations to reduce the overall risk of the business for its shareholders. The CEO also believes that rapid growth in the overall size of the firm is necessary to be able to compete effectively with bigger rivals. In pursuit of these objectives Tambaku plc has decided to make a bid to acquire Loja Limited, an unquoted company which operates a chain of supermarkets.
Extracts from Loja Limited’s accounts for the year just ended are set out below:
£ millions
Revenue (Turnover)
12,500
Operating Profit
300
Net interest
1
Profit Before Tax
299
Taxation
57
Profit After Tax
242
Dividends
60
Retained Profit
182
Tambaku plc is carrying a large amount of surplus cash – the CEO, who had recently rejected a proposal to return excess cash to shareholders through a share buyback, is confident that injection of the surplus funds into Loja Limited would result in Loja’s earnings increasing by 10% in the first year after takeover. He is also confident that the increased level of earnings could be maintained for the foreseeable future. He has instructed the treasury team to estimate the bid price for Loja Limited on this basis.
Tambaku plc’s Non-Executive Director (NED) has expressed caution and suggested that the company’s treasurer ought to look dispassionately at the proposal and produce more detailed financial projections relating to Loja’s value before the Board gives the go-ahead to the CEO’s plan.
The treasurer has therefore asked her team to make an alternative estimate based on free cash flow projections (rather than a roughly estimated earnings figure). For this purpose the treasury team has gathered the following information/estimates:
© Vijay Lee Page 2
 Loja’s turnover has increased to the current level of £12.5 billion from a figure of just £8.1 billion six years ago.
 Over the next three years, Loja’s sales revenue can be expected to increase at an annual rate equal to the compound average growth rate experienced over the previous six years.
 The latest operating profit ratio will remain unchanged for the next three years.
 The annual capital investment required to maintain current operational levels is equivalent to the annual depreciation (accounting depreciation can be assumed to be equal to tax depreciation).
 However, additional working capital would need to be brought in during each year for the next three years – the additional working capital brought in each year would be roughly equal to 15% of the increase in sales revenue during that year.
 After the next three years, the estimated free cash flow is expected to grow in perpetuity at about 3% per year in real terms. The inflation rate is expected to be about 2% per year.
 91-day UK Treasury Bills are currently trading at a market price of £99.75 per £100 nominal; the yield on such bills is generally calculated on an ACT/365 basis.
 The market risk premium is currently estimated at 5.5% per annum.
 The corporation tax rate is 19%.
Loja Limited has recently cleared its borrowings, and currently has no debt.
For both the earnings valuation required by the CEO, and the free cash flow valuation suggested by the NED, the treasury team intends to use relevant information relating to two comparable quoted companies whose line of activity is similar to Loja Limited – i.e. Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc and J Sainsbury plc.
Required:
A. Perform a simple earnings valuation of Loja Limited as required by the CEO of Tambaku plc, and also perform a discounted cash flow valuation as suggested by the NED. Compare the results obtained, and discuss the reasons why it is unusual for these different techniques to yield closely similar results.
(circa 30 marks)
B. Discuss the weaknesses of earnings valuations and earnings-based management in general, with particular reference to the CEO’s arguments justifying the takeover of Loja Limited.
(circa 10 marks)
C. Discuss the practical problems of calculating an appropriate cost of capital using the Capital Asset Pricing Model, and the particular problems of estimating a cost of capital for unquoted companies.
(circa 10 marks)
D. Explain what are referred to as “managerial” motives for merger and acquisition activity, identifying any of these that might be relevant in the case of Tambaku plc and Loja Limited.
(circa 15 marks)
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In addition to 65 marks for technical content as roughly indicated above, marks will also be awarded under the following heads:
o Demonstration of financial report writing skills – essentially the preparation and presentation of a report to the top management of a company, using standard business software such as Microsoft Word and Excel.
(circa 15 marks)
o Demonstration of planning and organizational skills – evidence of background reading, teamworking, adherence to the requirements of the assignment.
(circa 5 marks)
In all, a total of 85 marks is allocated as above for the group report – with variations in marks between group members arising only due to differential sharing of the mark for the report agreed between group members and indicated in the form “Estimate of Individual Contribution to Group’s Written Report” (which only needs to be submitted IF the group members have agreed to share the mark for the report unequally – in which case it must be individually signed in confirmation by all the group members).
The remaining 15 marks are allocated for the group presentation – where individual marks will depend not only on the overall quality of the team effort, but also the individual presentation skills demonstrated.
Note:
Ideally, your submission should be in the form of a report to the Board of Tambaku plc. The main report must be word-processed and word-counted, and the number of words clearly indicated on the cover sheet. The expected length of the report is 2000 words (there is no limit on what can be put into any appendices to the main report).
The group will also be expected to make a short presentation to the Chairman relating to those parts of their report which they consider to be the most important and relevant. Each presentation will be for no more than 15 minutes and should be punchy and to the point – please avoid long, rambling discourses.
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ESTIMATE OF INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTION TO GROUP’S WRITTEN REPORT
[Only to be submitted if group members agree to share the mark unequally]
No.
Name of group
Member
Percentage
contribution to
group report
Signature of
member
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
TOTAL
100
Note: · If there are 3 members in a group an equal contribution would be 33.33% each.
· If there are 4 members in a group an equal contribution would be 25% each.
· If there are 5 members in a group, an equal contribution would be 20% each.
· Variations from these levels of 33.33%, 25% and 20% are permissible for individual group members up to a maximum limit of ± 4% only for a 3-person group, ± 3% only for a 4-person group, ± 2.4% only for a 5-person group or 2.05% for a 6-person group.
· Here is an example of how it might work for a 4-person group:
A four-member group’s report is awarded a mark of 65%. Therefore the aggregate marks for the four members are 65 x 4 = 260. The group agrees that John takes 3% extra share (maximum), by Ringo surrendering a corresponding share of 3%.
No.
Name of group
Member
Percentage contribution to group effort
Mark awarded for report
1.
John Lennon
28%
73
2.
Paul McCartney
25%
65
3.
George Harrison
25%
65
4.
Ringo Starr
22%
57
TOTAL
100%
260
As can be seen, the maximum variation in contribution of 3% can result in a fairly substantial variation in the marks granted to the individual. [Note that John may also have the extra 3% by (for example) Paul, George and Ringo each surrendering 1% share. It is for the group members to democratically agree between themselves how they would like the marks to be shared].
BAF-6-MFI Managerial Finance – Coursework 2018-19
MANAGERIAL FINANCE : PRESENTATION ASSESSMENT
NAME OF STUDENT 
CRITERION 
Weighting
Verbal Communication Skills:
 Voice (Audibility, Pace of Delivery)
 Manner (Confidence, Enthusiasm)
 Eye Contact
 Effective Use of Time
30%
Use of visual aids:
 Originality, Creativity
 Slides: Clarity, Visibility, Impact
20%
Structure/content/organisation of material – teamwork
30%
General presentation skills:
 Clarity of exposition
 Response to questions, if any
 Overall impression
20%
TOTAL
100%