The Merger of Kmart & Sears

As the engineer of the $11.5 billion planned purchase of Sears, Roebuck & Co. by Kmart Holding Corp.,

Edward Lampert is stepping out of the shadows of Wall Street to make a high‐profile bet that the

fortunes of not just one but two retailing giants can be turned around. He keeps his strategy close to the

vest, and his fortune is uncertain, though it was estimated at $2 billion ahead of the acquisition news.

Mr. Lampert’s hedge‐fund firm, ESL Investments inc., which owns 43 million shares of Kmart, and 31

million shares of Sears, recorded paper gains of nearly $600 million in the wake of the takeover news.

He knew that was a spectacular one‐day return given that market interest rates were 6%.

Short‐sellers have been wary of Kmart ever since it emerged from bankruptcy in early May 2003. After

Mr. Lampert bought up some $1 billion of Kmart’s distressed debt in 2002, he kicked off an aggressive

restructuring campaign that included closing stores and selling off real estate to competitors. Investors

were so enamored of his results that they helped to double Kmart’s stock price in the past 18 months

from $58 per share to the current value of $120 per share.

The SEC filing also included a new employment contract for Sears chief executive Alan Lacy, who is

slated to be CEO and vice chairman of the combined company, Sears Holdings Corp. Under the

employment pact, which runs for 5 years after the merger’s effective date, Lacy is entitled to a minimum

base salary of $1.5 million a year and a target annual bonus of 150% of the base salary.

An acquirer’s brand typically is the one that goes forward, but companies have been known to flout the

rule based on whose brand is stronger in the marketplace. When Nations Bank bought Bank of America,

the merged company took the Bank of America name and re‐branded all the Nations Bank branches.

Asked to comment on the Kmart / Sears deal, an analyst said “I don’t think the combined company will

be a much more significant challenge to Wal‐Mart. Consumers think that when they want price they go

to Wal‐Mart. When they want value – a little fashion – they go to Target.” After hearing this, Mr.

Lampert began to wonder if he had made the correct decision. “I wonder,” he thought to himself,

“would I have been better off buying Target instead?” Although it was too late, he began to look at the

financials for Target to see if he would have been better off buying Target.

Questions you should consider in reviewing the case:

1. How could we find the greatest underperforming area for any of the firms?

An individual's demand curve for a good can be derived by measuring the quantities selected as

a the price of the good changes.
b the price of substitute goods changes.
c income changes.
d All of the above.

The balance on services for year 2007 is​ (in millions) ​$ ----- (Round to the nearest integer and enter any deficit with a negative​ sign.)

The balance on services for year 2008 is​ (in millions) ​$ ----- ​(Round to the nearest integer and enter any deficit with a negative​ sign.)

The balance on services for year 2011 is​ (in millions) ​$ ----- ​(Round to the nearest integer and enter any deficit with a negative​ sign.)

FILL IN "_____" IN LINEAR AND QUADRATIC

FILL IN EXPONENTIAL

Jiffy Corporation has its seen its earning increase steadily each quarter from 2004 (its founding) through 2008. Because of the recession, Jiffy has struggled to provide investors with the same level of growth. Jiffy’s CEO, COO and CFO whose wealth is significantly leveraged by Jiffy’s equity-based compensation, are trying to focus on how to keep the company on a growth climb despite the hard time. Interestingly, each quarter, Jiffy has been able to meet or beat the investor’s forecasts. Jiffy’s typical business model is to ship its products to customers on account with payments due within 30 days after delivery. Jiffy’s products are manufactured in two plants, one in Columbus, Ohio and the other in Houston, Texas. Jiffy’s inventory is stored in 20 different warehouses located in 15 states. Many of Jiffy’s smaller customers are start-up companies. Surprisingly, Jiffy has a relatively rate of uncollectible accounts relative to others in its industry. Anderson & Cooper is Jiffy’s external auditor. You are the engagement partner assigned to Jiffy’s audit. Please respond the following question: 1. What are some of the red flags for possible management fraud based on the client’s profile?

2. Identify three types of management (financial statement) fraud that might be attempted in
this situation. What red flags will you look for to identify the frauds, and how will the
frauds be attempted?

The board of directors at Freeman-Brown Private School (FBPS) has hired you as part of a consulting team to review the situation and present your findings and recommendations. Write a paper (1,250-1,500 words) that discusses the case. Complete this assignment from the perspective of the hired consultants. Respond to the following questions:

Review how organizations interact with their external environment (as open systems and complex adaptive systems). How effective was Freeman-Brown as an open system at the time of the closure? How effective was Freeman-Brown as a complex adaptive system at the time of the closure?

Review your reading this week on the internal environment of organizations. What is your evaluation of the organizational culture and organizational climate at the time the decision to close two campuses was made?

What is your evaluation of the decision made by Dr. Murphy and Caudill? What is your evaluation of the process of going about the closure?

Was FBPS demonstrating social responsibility? Discuss the closure impact on three specific stakeholders. Provide an explanation, using appropriate management theories, for how the administration could have handled the closure effectively with stakeholders? Include one theory from each of the following: the classical approach, the human relations approach, and the modern management approach.

You have been asked to suggest two goals: one long-term and one short-term goal for the future direction of FBPS. Justify your decision.

Present a concluding statement that integrates the 4 functions of management as a means to revamp management at FBPS and meets the recommended goals.

CASE STUDY:

Freeman-Brown Private School (FBPS), based in Illinois, was founded in 1944 by the Brown and Freeman families. Over the years, the school acquired a reputation as a leading academic institution with an advanced curriculum. Parents described the school as having a highly performing academic environment that provided a rigorous curriculum while fostering a safe, family-oriented atmosphere in a place where community was valued. Not surprisingly, the student population grew and the school opened multiple campuses in the metropolitan area (Bristol, Culpeper, Richmond, Hampton, and Staunton). The Brown and Freeman families eventually sold FBPS to the for-profit, Alabama-based Caudhill International Family of Schools in 2007. The mission of the Caudhill group was to broaden the international focus of FBPS, along with the nine other schools it owned (across the United States, Switzerland, and Mexico). Even under the new ownership, the environment in the various FBPS campuses was still described as achievement-oriented and supportive. Milestones

1944 - Freeman-Brown Private School was founded by the Brown and Freeman families.

1944 - Inaugural opening established Hampton campus.

1969 - Culpeper campus was established.

1981 - Richmond campus was established.

2003 - Bristol campus was created.

2007 - Freeman-Brown Private Schools joined the Caudhill International Family of Schools.

2008 - Culpeper campus relocated to Staunton campus.

2008 - The inaugural freshman class joined Freeman-Brown Preparatory High School.

2010 - Freeman-Brown Preparatory High School was designated an authorized International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme School.

2012 - Freeman-Brown Preparatory (High) School graduated its first class in May.

2012 - Freeman-Brown's new 6th-12th grade Middle and Upper School campus opened in August in North Richmond?.

2013 - The Upper School Athletic Complex and Student Center opened.

Within a year of Caudhill owning the school, parents noticed a subtle name change. The school, which was previously known as "Freeman-Brown Private School," was now "Freeman-Brown Preparatory School." This name change in itself did not seem to affect the school's image or unctioning at an operational level, but it was an early indication of the strategic direction in which the school would be heading. In 2008, FBPS attempted to enter the high school business at its Culpeper campus, but that initial attempt was not as successful as anticipated. This was probably a contributory factor to the relocation of the high school to a new state-of-the-art campus in Richmond, known as the North Richmond campus. A high point for FBPS came in 2010 when it launched its International Baccalaureate Programme (IB Programme). Its first IB graduating class was May of 2012. However, that same year FBPS decided to close both the Culpeper and the Hampton campuses. At the time of the Hampton closure, families were informed that low enrollment was the reason behind the closure and that all other campuses would remain open. The economic recession in the United States between 2005 and 2011 led to many organizations going out of business, and the education sector was not exempt (U.S. Department of Labor, 2013). In addition to the economic recession, private schools in Illinois have faced intense competition from charter schools, which are independently run public schools. Between 2011 and 2013, two top-rated charter schools opened campuses within 5 miles of the Staunton campus. Some FBPS Staunton campus students transferred to those schools. In 2013, FBPS sent an e-mail to parents in error, informing them that the Staunton campus (pre-K through middle school) would be discontinued. That e-mail was withdrawn on the same day, and shortly afterwards, the head of the school retired. Caudhill appointed Dr. Audrina Murphy as the new head of the school. Dr. Murphy, a well-educated and experienced administrator, worked with "strategic planning experts" to create a niche and a new mission for the school. Dr. Murphy embraced her new role and continuously assured parents that the Staunton campus would remain open. Parents who attended the Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) meeting in mid-December 2013 affirmed that she offered assurances at the meeting. January 2014 Winter break started on Monday, December 23, 2013, and students were scheduled to return to school on Tuesday, January 7, 2014. On Monday, January 6, 2014, the Staunton campus principal received information that the campus would close at the end of the semester, and this news was conveyed to faculty and staff at the school. Only two campuses would remain open: the Richmond and North Richmond campuses. Parents were outraged, students were in disarray, and faculty and administration were in shock. If parents had been informed earlier, it would have been possible for them to try to secure a spot for their children at one of the schools nearby. However, open admissions at the surrounding schools had closed earlier in December. Parents attempted to place their children on waiting lists, but most lists had already filled up, some in excess of 800 students. Additionally, many local schools had already completed their hiring for the following academic year, leaving FBPS faculty and staff limited in employment options. As it turned out, FBPS was not the only school closing campuses. That period was a difficult time for schools in Illinois in general, with reports from the Center for Education Reform (2011) reporting that between 2010 and 2011 the major reasons schools closure were financial, mismanagement, and district-related issues. Parent Meeting Parents were invited to a meeting on January 8, 2014, to meet with the head of the school and a Caudhill official. Parents invited the media to the meeting, but the media was denied access. At the onset of the meeting, Dr. Murphy took the podium and began by praising the Staunton campus and its community. These statements bothered some of the parents, who demanded to know why the school was closing if it had all the positive attributes just attributed to it. The meeting grew tense and heated. Parents felt betrayed because of the timing of the closure announcement. Dr. Murphy stated that buses would be provided to shuttle children ages 2-12 to the new locations. However, the closest campus would require a trip of 40-miles (minimum) twice every day. This would not be a viable option for many parents, but the announcement timing left them with few options. Other parents tried to negotiate with the administration to run the school for one more academic year so families would have enough time to transition their children. Neither the Caudill official nor Dr. Murphy agreed to this proposed solution. Some parents offered to pay more in terms of tuition, but administration again did not agree to this proposal. Parents asked if the closure was due to financial reasons. Dr. Murphy replied that finances were "not a factor" and the closure was for "demographic reasons." While Dr. Murphy stated that the reason for the closure of the two campuses was not financial in nature, Moody's analytics reported that the parent company (Caudill) was experiencing some strain. The rating of Moody's analytics is a representation of the analysts' opinion of the creditworthiness of an organization. From August 2012 to 2014, the corporate family rating (CFR) went from B2 to Caa2 indicating a lack of confidence in the financial health of Caudill. Moving Forward Following the parent meeting in January, some families pulled their children out of FBPS immediately, prior to the completion of the academic year. Those families received no financial reimbursement as parents had signed a contract for the academic year. Other families decided to withdraw from the school at the end of the semester. By June 2014, student population had significantly diminished on the affected campuses. Some of the students who remained at Staunton planned to transfer to surrounding schools. Few decided to continue at the Richmond and North Richmond campuses. Others registered at Allegiant Academy, a new nonprofit private school opened by parents previously affiliated with Staunton. Kasey Luce, daughter of one of the FBPS founders, came out of retirement to become principal of Allegiant Academy. In addition to her role as principal of the school, Luce was also the president of the nonprofit corporation that owned the school. Allegiant Academy began with an enrollment of about 100 students (pre-K-8 grade), rising to 120 students by the end of the year. Most of these students were from the Staunton campus population. The school leased a church for its first year to house the school. Parents described Allegiant Academy in positive terms with approximately 90% of families choosing to reenroll for the 2015-2016 academic year.

Significant problems with measuring real GDP and the price level include

Perform research in the University library using at least 8–10 relevant peer-reviewed academic or professional journal articles that were published within the past 5 years, and complete the following to prepare your report: On Patient Abuse

• Analyze the ethics of the case from each end of the ethical spectrum (ultraconservative to ultraliberal) from the perspective of 3 of the following stakeholders:
  • Patient,
  • Patient’s immediate family or guardians
  • Emergency medical personnel or first responders
  • Doctors, surgeons, specialists, or other medical providers
  • The hospital or health care facility
  • A pharmaceutical or medical device company
• Identify policies at the federal, state, and local levels relating to the provision of health care and patient rights that played the following roles in the case:
  • Assesses opposing views of these policies from the perspectives of the provider and patient
  • Analyzes the implications of these policies on the operations of health care organizations
• Identify at least 3 state or federal laws that are relevant to the case, and complete the following:
  • Evaluate key legal factors that are inherent in the case.
  • Assess various policies and procedures that are inherent in these laws that relate to the provision of health care by providers or patient rights.
• Differentiate between the demands of legal policies and ethical issues with relevance to the needs of the provider and patient.
• Formulate an assessment of the potential impact of the case on decision-making options in the future for providers, patients, and administrators.

You writing about patient abuse and answering the following that is required toward patient care and abuse

You have three lines of training modules: Company Training (CT), On-line Training (OT), and Academic Training (AT). For each sold CT, you will receive $1,000 in revenue, while for each sold OT, you will receive $800 and for each AT, you will receive $700. Each module lasts for one month. To deliver the module CT, UQ-HDTC requires 100 hours of data scientist and computer programmer time. The module OT requires 300 hours of data scientist and 500 hours of computer programmer time, while AT requires 200 hours of data scientist and 100 hours of computer programmer time. Suppose you has purchased 1,000 hours of data scientists time and 800 hours worth of computer programmer time for each month. How many CT, OT, and AT modules you should sell per month, so as to maximize your revenue, given the constraints on data scientist and computer programmer time? Please form the problem as an LP problem and solve it using Tableu form of Simplex method.