how America Latina Logistica changed its organizational culture to remove impediments to good strategy execution.

America Latina Logistica (ALL) is a Brazilian logistic company, mainly focused in the railway line logistics in Brazil. In 1997, ALL was losing money, struggling from decades of underinvestment, and encumbered by bureaucratic management. Half the network’s bridges required repairs, over three-quarters of its rails were undersized for supporting standard-sized loads, and the system still relied on 20 steam-engine locomotives to move industrial customers’ cargo. CEO Alexandre Behring’s priority was to transform ALL into a performance-oriented organization with the strong cost discipline necessary to support an overdue modernization program. He decided that this would require a complete cultural transformation for the company. His first step was to recruit a new management team and fire the dozens of political appointees previously administering the railroad. In his first 10 days, he and his COO interviewed the top-150 managers to evaluate their suitability. They selected 30 for additional responsibility and removed those who did not embrace the new direction. The company established a trainee program, and in four years hired 500 recent college graduates. In Behring’s first year, he introduced a performance-based bonus program; in his second year, the company began comparing performance on operational indicators like car utilization and on-time delivery between divisions. The top managers also took symbolic steps to demonstrate their commitment to the new culture and to reinforce the personnel and process changes they implemented. They sold cars previously reserved for officers’ use and fired the chauffeurs retained to drive them. Behring became certified as a train conductor and spent a week each month working in the field, wearing the conductor uniform. For the first time, managers visited injured workers at home. The company created the “Diesel Cup” to recognize conductors who most effectively reduced fuel consumption.

Behring’s new direction energized the company’s middle managers and line employees, who had been demoralized after years of political interference and ineffectual leadership. In three years, Behring transformed a company that had not made a hire in over a decade into one of the most desirable employers in Brazil, attracting 9,000 applications for 18 trainee positions. In 2000 ALL achieved profitability, enabled by the company’s cultural transformation.

Please answer to the following questions with no more than 100 words per question:

1) Which were the main causes of the presence of an unhealthy organizational culture before the arrival of Alexandre Behring?

2) Which steps have been taken for changing the organizational culture of America Latina Logistica?

Music Teachers, Inc., is an educational association for music teachers that has 19,900 members. The association operates from a central headquarters but has local membership chapters throughout the United States. Monthly meetings are held by the local chapters to discuss recent developments on topics of interest to music teachers. The association’s magazine, Teachers’ Forum, is issued monthly with features about recent developments in the field. The association publishes books and reports and also sponsors professional courses that qualify for continuing professional education credit. The association’s statement of revenues and expenses for the current year is presented below.

The board of directors of Music Teachers, Inc., has requested that a segmented income statement be prepared showing the contribution of each segment to the association. The association has four segments: Membership Division, Magazine Subscriptions Division, Books and Reports Division, and Continuing Education Division. Mike Doyle has been assigned responsibility for preparing the segmented income statement, and he has gathered the following data:

a. The 19,900 members of the association pay dues of $100 per year, of which $20 covers a one-year subscription to the Teachers’ Forum. Other benefits include membership in the association and chapter affiliation. The portion of the dues covering the magazine subscription ($20) should be assigned to the Magazine Subscriptions Division.

b. A total of 2,500 one-year subscriptions to Teachers’ Forum were also sold last year to nonmembers and libraries at $30 per subscription. In addition to subscriptions, the journal generated $113,000 in advertising revenues.

c. The costs to produce the Teachers’ Forum magazine included $8 per subscription for printing and paper and $4 per subscription for postage and shipping.

d. A total of 28,600 technical reports and professional texts were sold by the Books and Reports Division at an average selling price per unit of $25. Average costs per publication were $4 for printing and paper and $2 for postage and shipping.

e. The association offers a variety of continuing education courses to both members and nonmembers. The one-day courses had a tuition cost of $75 each and were attended by 2,500 students. A total of 1,760 students took two-day courses at a tuition cost of $125 for each student. Outside instructors were paid to teach some courses.

f. Salary costs and space occupied by division follow:

Personnel costs are 25% of salaries in the separate divisions as well as for the corporate staff. The $220,000 in occupancy costs includes $55,000 in rental cost for a warehouse used by the Books and Reports Division for storage purposes. Assume that this cost could be avoided if the division were eliminated.

g. Printing and paper costs other than for magazine subscriptions and for books and reports relate to the Continuing Education Division.

h. General and administrative expenses include costs relating to overall administration of the association as a whole. The company’s corporate staff does some mailing of materials for general administrative purposes.

The expenses that can be traced or assigned to the corporate staff, as well as any other expenses that are not traceable to the segments, will be treated as common costs. It is not necessary to distinguish between variable and fixed costs.

Required:

1. Prepare a segmented income statement for Music Teachers, Inc. This statement should show the segment margin for each division as well as results for the association as a whole.

Music Teachers, Inc., is an educational association for music teachers that has 19,900 members. The association operates from a central headquarters but has local membership chapters throughout the United States. Monthly meetings are held by the local chapters to discuss recent developments on topics of interest to music teachers. The association’s magazine, Teachers’ Forum, is issued monthly with features about recent developments in the field. The association publishes books and reports and also sponsors professional courses that qualify for continuing professional education credit. The association’s statement of revenues and expenses for the current year is presented below.

The board of directors of Music Teachers, Inc., has requested that a segmented income statement be prepared showing the contribution of each segment to the association. The association has four segments: Membership Division, Magazine Subscriptions Division, Books and Reports Division, and Continuing Education Division. Mike Doyle has been assigned responsibility for preparing the segmented income statement, and he has gathered the following data:

a. The 19,900 members of the association pay dues of $100 per year, of which $20 covers a one-year subscription to the Teachers’ Forum. Other benefits include membership in the association and chapter affiliation. The portion of the dues covering the magazine subscription ($20) should be assigned to the Magazine Subscriptions Division.

b. A total of 2,500 one-year subscriptions to Teachers’ Forum were also sold last year to nonmembers and libraries at $30 per subscription. In addition to subscriptions, the journal generated $113,000 in advertising revenues.

c. The costs to produce the Teachers’ Forum magazine included $8 per subscription for printing and paper and $4 per subscription for postage and shipping.

d. A total of 28,600 technical reports and professional texts were sold by the Books and Reports Division at an average selling price per unit of $25. Average costs per publication were $4 for printing and paper and $2 for postage and shipping.

e. The association offers a variety of continuing education courses to both members and nonmembers. The one-day courses had a tuition cost of $75 each and were attended by 2,500 students. A total of 1,760 students took two-day courses at a tuition cost of $125 for each student. Outside instructors were paid to teach some courses.

f. Salary costs and space occupied by division follow:

Personnel costs are 25% of salaries in the separate divisions as well as for the corporate staff. The $220,000 in occupancy costs includes $55,000 in rental cost for a warehouse used by the Books and Reports Division for storage purposes. Assume that this cost could be avoided if the division were eliminated.

g. Printing and paper costs other than for magazine subscriptions and for books and reports relate to the Continuing Education Division.

h. General and administrative expenses include costs relating to overall administration of the association as a whole. The company’s corporate staff does some mailing of materials for general administrative purposes.

The expenses that can be traced or assigned to the corporate staff, as well as any other expenses that are not traceable to the segments, will be treated as common costs. It is not necessary to distinguish between variable and fixed costs.

Required:

1. Prepare a segmented income statement for Music Teachers, Inc. This statement should show the segment margin for each division as well as results for the association as a whole.

Music Teachers, Inc., is an educational association for music teachers that has 19,900 members. The association operates from a central headquarters but has local membership chapters throughout the United States. Monthly meetings are held by the local chapters to discuss recent developments on topics of interest to music teachers. The association’s magazine, Teachers’ Forum, is issued monthly with features about recent developments in the field. The association publishes books and reports and also sponsors professional courses that qualify for continuing professional education credit. The association’s statement of revenues and expenses for the current year is presented below.

The board of directors of Music Teachers, Inc., has requested that a segmented income statement be prepared showing the contribution of each segment to the association. The association has four segments: Membership Division, Magazine Subscriptions Division, Books and Reports Division, and Continuing Education Division. Mike Doyle has been assigned responsibility for preparing the segmented income statement, and he has gathered the following data:

a. The 19,900 members of the association pay dues of $100 per year, of which $20 covers a one-year subscription to the Teachers’ Forum. Other benefits include membership in the association and chapter affiliation. The portion of the dues covering the magazine subscription ($20) should be assigned to the Magazine Subscriptions Division.

b. A total of 2,500 one-year subscriptions to Teachers’ Forum were also sold last year to nonmembers and libraries at $30 per subscription. In addition to subscriptions, the journal generated $113,000 in advertising revenues.

c. The costs to produce the Teachers’ Forum magazine included $8 per subscription for printing and paper and $4 per subscription for postage and shipping.

d. A total of 28,600 technical reports and professional texts were sold by the Books and Reports Division at an average selling price per unit of $25. Average costs per publication were $4 for printing and paper and $2 for postage and shipping.

e. The association offers a variety of continuing education courses to both members and nonmembers. The one-day courses had a tuition cost of $75 each and were attended by 2,500 students. A total of 1,760 students took two-day courses at a tuition cost of $125 for each student. Outside instructors were paid to teach some courses.

f. Salary costs and space occupied by division follow:

Personnel costs are 25% of salaries in the separate divisions as well as for the corporate staff. The $220,000 in occupancy costs includes $55,000 in rental cost for a warehouse used by the Books and Reports Division for storage purposes. Assume that this cost could be avoided if the division were eliminated.

g. Printing and paper costs other than for magazine subscriptions and for books and reports relate to the Continuing Education Division.

h. General and administrative expenses include costs relating to overall administration of the association as a whole. The company’s corporate staff does some mailing of materials for general administrative purposes.

The expenses that can be traced or assigned to the corporate staff, as well as any other expenses that are not traceable to the segments, will be treated as common costs. It is not necessary to distinguish between variable and fixed costs.

Required:

1. Prepare a segmented income statement for Music Teachers, Inc. This statement should show the segment margin for each division as well as results for the association as a whole.

South Hampton University is preparing its budget for the upcoming academic year. This is a specialised private university that charges fees for all degree courses. Currently, 30 000 students are enrolled on campus. However, the university is forecasting a 5 per cent growth in student numbers in the coming year, despite an increase in fees to $3 000 per subject. The following additional information has been gathered from an examination of university records and conversations with university managers:
1. South Hampton is planning to award scholarships to 200 students, which will cover their fees.
2. The average class has 80 students, and the typical student takes 4 subjects per semester. South Hampton operates 2 semesters per year.
3. The average academic staff salary is $120 000 per annum including on-costs.
4. South Hampton’s academic staff are evaluated on the basis of teaching, research, administration and professional/community service. Each of the academic staff teaches the equivalent of three subjects during the academic year.
Required:
a. Prepare a revenue budget for the upcoming academic year.
b. Determine the number of staff needed to cover classes.
c. Assume there is a shortage of full-time academic staff. List at least five actions that South Hampton might take to accommodate the growing student numbers

South African students entering higher education institutions do so from positions of extreme inequality in terms of schooling, race, class, and financial and other resources. Policies of widening access to higher education have led to an increased number of students who enter institutions from poor and disadvantaged backgrounds without the 'cultural capital' deemed necessary for success. Large numbers of students drop out for a range of reasons that relate to poor programme choice, maladjustment, social circumstances, health and finances. The overall expansion of the higher education system has not made a definite impact on participation rates. In this assignment, you are to identify and explain three main challenges that the South African higher education sector is facing. How can these challenges be addressed and what are the implications on higher education institutions.

1. Introduction

2. Explain challenges 1 that the South African higher education sector is facing. Why is the challenge? How can this challenge be solved?

3. Explain challenges 2 that the South African higher education sector is facing. Why is the challenge? How can this challenge be solved?

4. Explain challenges 3 that the South African higher education sector is facing. Why is the challenge? How can this challenge be solved?

5. What are implications of these challenges on higher education institution?

6. Conclusion and recommendation

7. References

35% of flowers of a certain species bloom "early" (before May 1st). You work for an arboretum and have a display of these flowers. Round all answers to three decimal places.

a) In a row of 30 flowers, what is the probability that 11 will bloom early?

b) As you walk down a row of these flowers, how many flowers do you expect to have to observe (on average) in order to see the first one that blooms early? (Keep your answer as a decimal.)

c) In a row of flowers, what is the probability that you will have to observe 4 flowers in order to see the first one that blooms early?

d) In a row of flowers, what is the probability that you will observe more than 4 flowers to see the first one that blooms early?

e) In a row of flowers, what is the probability that you will observe 4 flowers to see the 3 that bloom early?

47. "Crossing the Chasm" refers to a new technology moving from:
a) Early majority to Innovator
b) Innovator to Early Adaptor
c) Early Adaptor to Early Majority
d) Early Majority to Late Majority
e) Innovator to Early Majority

51. A family owned business does not typically have an exit strategy
a) True
b) False

54. What international strategy should be selected for a strongly branded product where there is little pressure for local responsiveness and cost reduction?
a) International
b) Localization
c) Global Standardization
d) Transitional
e) Global Differentiation

57. When using a "Global Standardization Strategy" to enter a global market, which of the following entry tactics would most likely not be considered for the long term?
a) Licensing
b) Franchising
c) Joint Venture
d) Strategic Alliance
e) Exporting

1. Which of the following are TRUE regarding US poverty trends?

a. All of the above are true

b. African American children are 3 times more likely to live in poverty than white children

c. Transgender individuals are 2 times as likely to live in poverty than the general population

d. US Census date indicate that the US poverty rate is decreasing in the last few years

2. Which country has the smallest percentage of women in government leadership positions including National Parliament, House, and Senate seats?  

a. USA

b. Cuba

c. Rwanda

d. South Africa

3. The Equal Rights Amendment was ratified in the US in ________:

a. The ERA has never passed in the US

b. 1977

c. 1982

d. 1995

4. The World Economic Forum compares the 'gender gap', which is the relative position of women and men in economies around the world using educational, political, and health measures. The US is expected to close the gender gap, meaning that women and men would be more or less economically equal, in ______ years.  

a. 60

b. 20

c. 25

d. 50

The American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses (ASPAN; www.aspan.org) is a national organization serving nurses practicing in ambulatory surgery, preanesthesia, and postanesthesia care. The organization's membership is listed below.

find standard deviation, first and third quartile, and the limits for the outliers

1) Which factor favors decentralization of production?

Multiple Choice

• trade barriers are low

• product’s value-to-weight ratio is low

• product serves universal needs

• exchange rates are expected to remain stable

• high fixed costs of production technology

2) U.S.-based Filcore Company has a factory in Peru that serves the South American region. The factory has responsibilities for product and process engineering and development. It is also used to test new ideas and products. According to this information, what is the strategic role of the factory in Peru?

Multiple Choice

• lead

• contributor

• outpost

• server

• source

3) When Shondra shops at the warehouse club, she buys paper towels and tissues in bulk. What type of packaging do these products come in?

Multiple Choice

• transit

• secondary

• containerized

• pallet

• unit-load

4) Sigmund Jewelers creates inexpensive costume necklaces, bracelets, and rings. As a way to save costs on sending out these small items, the company combines 10 to 12 different orders into one. Which operational objective is the company applying here?

Multiple Choice

• variance reduction

• quality

• shipment consolidation

• inventory reduction

• responsiveness