Nordstrom Inc. is a Seattle-based department store rivaling the likes of Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Bloomingdale’s. Nordstrom is a Hall of Fame member of Fortune magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list. Nordstrom is known for its quality apparel, upscale environment, and generous employee rewards. However, what Nordstrom is most famous for is its delivery of customer service above and beyond the norms of the retail industry. This service orientation serves as a form of control as it helps employees decide how to behave when they encounter new situations. Stories about Nordstrom service abound. For example, according to one story the company confirms from long ago, in 1975 Nordstrom moved into a new location that had formerly been a tire store. A customer brought a set of tires into the store to return them. Without a word about the mix-up, the tires were accepted, and the customer was fully refunded the purchase price. In a different story, a customer tried on several pairs of shoes but failed to find the right combination of size and color. As she was about to leave, the clerk called other Nordstrom stores but could only locate the right pair at Macy’s, a nearby competitor. The clerk had Macy’s ship the shoes to the customer’s home at Nordstrom’s expense. In a third story, a customer describes wandering into a Portland, Oregon, Nordstrom looking for an Armani tuxedo for his daughter’s wedding. The sales associate took his measurements just in case one was found. The next day, the customer got a phone call, informing him that the tux was available. When pressed, the associate revealed that using her connections she found one in New York, had it put on a truck destined to Chicago, and dispatched someone to meet the truck in Chicago at a rest stop. The next day she shipped the tux to the customer’s address, and the customer found that the tux had already been altered for his measurements and was ready to wear. What is even more impressive about this story is that Nordstrom does not sell Armani tuxedos.

How does Nordstrom persist in creating these stories that serve as a way to control and direct employee behavior? If you guessed that they have a large number of rules and regulations designed to emphasize quality in customer service, you’d be wrong. In fact, the company gives employees a 5½-inch by 7½-inch card as the employee handbook. On one side of the card, the company welcomes employees to Nordstrom and states that their number one goal is to provide outstanding customer service, and for this they have only one rule. On the other side of the card, the single rule is stated: “Use good judgment in all situations.” By leaving it in the hands of Nordstrom associates, the company seems to have empowered employees who deliver customer service heroics every day.

1. The controlling facet of the P-O-L-C framework introduces you to a variety of controls. What types of controls does Nordstrom seem to effectively incorporate into their operations?

2. Does Nordstrom use behavioral controls? What are some examples?

3. Does Nordstrom use outcome controls? What are some examples?

4. What suggestions would you give Nordstrom for maintaining and evolving the organizational culture that has contributed to its success?

5. What balanced scorecard elements does Nordstrom seem to view as most important?

Bamboo Consulting is a consulting firm owned and operated by Lisa Gooch. The following end-of-period spreadsheet was prepared for the year ended July 31, 2019:

Prepare an income statement for the year ended July 31, 2019 for Bamboo Consulting. If a net loss has been incurred, enter that amount as a negative number using a minus sign. Be sure to complete the statement heading. Use the list of Labels and Amount Descriptions for the correct wording of text items other than account names. You will not need to enter colons (:) on the income statement.

Prepare a statement of owner’s equity for the year ended July 31, 2019 for Bamboo Consulting. No additional investments were made during the year. For those boxes in which you must enter subtractive or negative numbers use a minus sign. Be sure to complete the statement heading. Use the list of Labels and Amount Descriptions for the correct wording of text items.

Prepare a balance sheet as of July 31, 2019 for Bamboo Consulting. Fixed assets must be entered in order according to account number. Be sure to complete the statement heading. Use the list of Labels and Amount Descriptions for the correct wording of text items other than account names. You will not need to enter colons (:) or the word "Less" on the balance sheet; they will automatically insert where necessary.

Who are the illegal miners in South Africa? They are often illegal immigrants, largely from Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho or other central and southern African nations that come to South Africa in search of striking it rich, or at the very least, making a decent living. In South Africa, the illegal miners are often referred to as the Zama Zamas, a term that means “trying your luck”. These immigrants come to South Africa to earn a living with the hopes of remitting earnings back to their families in their respective homelands.Some illegal miners are South Africans who view illegal mining as a dangerous, albeit potentially remunerative activity. Some of the South African illegal miners can be described as “legal miners by day, yet illegal by night.” In other words, they might be gainfully employed by a mining firm and work legitimately for the company during the day shift, but re-enter the mine when evening falls to bolster their income. These individuals are particularly useful to a group of illegal miners given their familiarity with the mine and its risks. It is also quite possible that the South African illegal miners are unemployed mineworkers that were previously laid off by the mining companies when they were forced to retrench as a result of increasing global competitive pressures. Alternatively, illegal mineworkers may simply be young, black South Africans (without any previous mining experience) seeking a living in a nation that has struggled to reach its potential in the post-apartheid era and where one out of four South Africans is unemployed.Regardless of the nationality or the motivations that landed the illegal miners in this role, one thing is certain: it is not an easy life. Illegal miners may break into the very mines they work in by day, or often work in abandoned or disused mine shafts. (Disused mine shafts are mines that legitimate mining companies are in the process of closing down because they are no longer economically viable, but where the firms are awaiting final permits issued by the government to “officially” close the mine. Mining companies complain that all too frequently, the government-issued permit is delayed for months, thus exacerbating the illegal mining problem.) The miners often align themselves with a group of miners united in their illegal search of striking it rich. There is power in numbers. Being part of a group offers protection from rival factions of illegal mine workers, and fosters some level of camaraderie as the freelance miners ‘watch over’ one another. Since illegal miners are typically not employees of any business, nor members of any union and often times, not even citizens of South Africa, it can be said, that if it wasn’t for these informal groups, the miners would have no one else with even an ounce of their interests in mind. The groups generally work for a leader (a “kingpin”) who organizes runners to bring food and drinks to them, while the “miners” stay underground, some times for days – and even months - at a time. Illegal miners often run the risk of falling prey to other serious crimes. Illegal miners’ lives have been threatened - and lost - when they have refused to relinquish the deftly collected gold particles in their possession to thieves. Deaths, however, often go unreported, and as a result, there is no way of knowing how many illegal miners lose their lives each year. Only when there is a more visible event – such as a fire that went out of control in an abandoned mineshaft in 2009, killing 76 people, is a light shed on the plight and the working conditions of these workers.

**Word limit 2000-3000 words**

This assignment features an exponential function that is closely related to Moore’s Law, which states that the numbers of transistors per square inch in Central Processing Unit (CPU) chips will double every 2 years. This law was named after Dr. Gordon Moore.

Table 1 below shows selected CPUs from this leading processor company introduced between the years 1982 and 2008 in relation to their corresponding processor speeds of Million Instructions per Second (MIPS).

Table 1: Selected CPUs with corresponding speed ratings in MIPS.

Processor Year t Years After 1982 When Introduced Million Instructions per Second (MIPS)

4 1982 0 1.28

5 1985 3 2.15

6 1989 7 8.7

7 1992 10 25.6

8 1994 12 188

9 1996 14 541

10 1999 17 2,064

11 2003 21 9,726

12 2006 24 27,079

13 2008 26 59,455

(Instructions per second, n.d.) This information can be mathematically modeled by the exponential function:

MIPS(t) = (0.112)(1.405^(1.14t+9.12))

NOTE: This function is created as a “best fit” function for a table of empirical data and, therefore, does not exactly match many (or any) of the data values in the table above. Rather, the total cumulative differences from all of the data points is at a minimum for this function.

Be sure to show your work details for all calculations and explain in detail how the answers were determined for critical thinking questions. Round all value answers to three decimals.

Generate a graph of this function, MIPS(t) = (0.112)(1.405^(1.14t+9.12)), t years after 1982, using Excel or another graphing utility. (There are free downloadable programs like Graph 4.4.2 or Mathematics 4.0; or, there are also online utilities such as this site and many others.) Insert the graph into your Word document that contains all of your work details and answers. Be sure to label and number the axes appropriately. (Note: Some graphing utilities require that the independent variable must be “x” instead of “t”.)

Find the derivative of MIPS(t) with respect to t. Show your work details.

Choose a t-value between 10 and 26. Calculate the value of MIPS'(t). Show your work details.

Interpret the meaning of the derivative value that you just calculated from part 3 in terms of the MIPS(t) function and this scenario.

If the MIPS(t) function is reasonably accurate, for what value of t will the rate of increase in MIPS per year reach 6,000,000 MIPS? Approximately which year does that correspond to? Show your work details.

For the t-value you chose in part 3 above, find the equation of the tangent line to the graph of MIPS(t) at that value of t. What information about the MIPS(t) function can be obtained from the tangent line? Show your work details.

Using Web or Library resources research to find the years of introduction and the processor speeds for both the CPU A and the CPU B. Be sure to cite your creditable resources for these answers. Convert the years introduced to correct values of t by subtracting 1982 from each year. Then, determine how well the MIPS(t) function predicts the forecast CPUs’ processor speeds by comparing the calculated values with the actual MIPS ratings of these two CPUs. Show your work details.

Thurston Howell IV is the sole heir to the Howell Enterprise fortune. He does not participate in the business, preferring to tend to his comic book collection. He does however own a large piece of the company.

Recently he had become concerned about how the company has performed specifically related to some transactions relating to stockholders’ equity.

Here is the data relating to stockholders’ equity:

Howell Enterprises

Stockholders’ Equity

As of December 31, 2019

Common Stock, 2,000,000 shares outstanding                         10,000,000

Retained Earnings                                                                          7,500,000

Total Stockholders Equity                                                              17,500,000

Thurston currently owns 300,000 shares of Howell Enterprises

Here are the relevant transactions for 2020:

1. The company issued 500,000 shares @ $8.00 per share
2. The company purchased 100,000 shares @ $15 per share
3. The company declared a $2.50 per share cash dividend
4. The company declared a 2:1 stock split

Required

1. Calculate the book value per share as of December 31, 2019. (total equity / number of shares outstanding)
2. Calculate the total value of Thurston Howell IV’s stock as of December 31, 2019. (his shares x book value per share)
3. Calculate the percentage of the company that Mr. Howell owns as of December 31, 2019. (his shares / total number of shares outstanding)
4. Prepare journal entries for the transactions listed above
5. Calculate the ending balances in the equity accounts
6. Calculate the book value per share after the transactions have been recorded
7. Calculate the total value of Thurston Howell IV’s stock after the transactions have been recorded. (his shares x new book value per share)
8. Calculate the percentage of the company that Mr. Howell owns after the transactions have been recorded. (his shares x new total outstanding shares).
9. Calculate the amount of loss that Mr. Howell has suffered (if any) as a result of the above transactions. (compare #2 to # 7).
10. Write a summary in Word explaining your results. Which transactions caused Mr. Howell to lose money?

Record the transactions for 2020 and calculate the ending balances in all of the stockholders equity accounts.

Mr. Howell’s Investment

Turn in the summary with this page

Bonds Problem

Hartz Corporation had the following transactions relating to borrowings during 2020:

• Hartz issued $2,000,000 in ten-year 5% bonds when the price was 98 (Bond A). Interest is paid once a year.
• Hartz issued $2,000,000 in ten-year 5% bonds when the price was 102. (Bond B). Interest is paid once a year.
• Hartz issued $2,000,000 in ten -year 5% bonds that were issued at par (100) (Bond C). Interest is paid once a year

Required

• Calculate the amount of money received when the bonds were issued for each bond.
• Calculate the amount of cash paid on the interest date for each bond.
• Calculate the amount of interest expense for each bond.

Capital markets and the ability to raise funds for corporate uses are essential to the U.S. economic system. For this assignment, imagine that you have $25,000 to invest in U.S. companies. You are buying used stock. The company got the money when it issued the stock originally. You will be buying it from an existing owner. You are investing, or buying, the stock because you believe the company will make money and pay you a dividend in cash. Each share of stock that you buy entitles you to any dividend declared and a vote at the annual stockholders' meeting. The stock also allows you the ability to earn your money back by selling the stock. Of course, investing in stocks is risky and there is the possibility that the stock you buy will be worth less when you want your money back. The company is not obligated to give you any of your money back. You will only get your money back if another investor wants to buy your stock. Instructions Using the above scenario and the resources listed below, complete the following directions for your Week 3 Stock Journal entry: Select three US companies that are publicly traded using your knowledge and experience and make sure you are practicing good diversification. Jim Cramer, Money Manager, on CNBC, plays a game at the end of his show called "Am I Diversified." Check out the short clip, Am I Diversified - Mad Money [Video], to get a sense of industry diversification. Ideas for Sources of Information: There are many ways to find such companies and the stock prices, including the New York Stock Exchange, Google Finance, NASDAQ, and Yahoo! Finance. Describe how you will divide $25,000 across the three companies (e.g. $10,000 in Company 1, $10,000 in Company 2, and $5,000 in Company 3). You decide the amount you are investing in each company. You do not have to provide any analysis to justify your decisions. Provide a reason for picking each company. For example, you might invest in Ford because that company gets a lot of your money and you hear that Ford is doing well, and will continue to do well. Identify the number of shares you are buying, and the price of the shares you are buying for each company. Once you decide the companies and the amount for each company, determine how many shares you can buy. For example, if Company 1 is selling for $42.16, then you may buy $10,000/$42.16, or 237.19 shares. But you cannot buy a part of a share, so you decide to buy either 237 or 238. In this example, you buy 237 shares at $42.16 per share, investing $9,991.92. You won’t be able to buy exactly $10,000, or $5,000, or $25,000, but it will be relatively close. Use at least two quality references. Consider using the sources of information ideas above and/or searching and locating resources from the Strayer University Library. Note: Wikipedia and other websites do not qualify as academic resources. Submit two documents for your journal assignment submission by uploading them to the assignment submission area: Completed Excel template. Completed Word document template with your rationale. Note: This course requires the use of Strayer Writing Standards. For assistance and information, please refer to the Strayer Writing Standards link in the left-hand menu of your course. The specific course learning outcome associated with this assignment is: Analyze the performance of an investment portfolio over time.

Jessica is a 30 year old immigrant from Mexico City. She and her husband Marco have been in the U.S for the last three years and have finally earned enough money to move out of their aunt home and into an apartment of their own. They are both hard workers. Jessica works 50 hours a week at a local restaurant, and Marco has been contracting side jobs in construction. Six months before their move to an apartment, Jessica finds out she is pregnant. Four months later, Jesssica and Marco arrive at the county hospital, a large, public, nonteaching hospital. A preliminary ultrsaound indicates a pssible abnormality with the fetus. Further scans are conducted and it determind that the fetus has a rare condition in which it has not developed any arms, and will not likely develop them. There is also a 25% chance that the fetus may have down syndrome. Dr. Wilson, the primary attending physician is seeing Jessica for the first time, since she and Marco did not receive earlier prenatal care over concerns about finances. Marco insists that Dr. Wilson refrain from telling Jessica the scan results, assuring him that he will tell his wife himself when she is emotionally ready for the news. While Marco and Dr. Wilson are talking in another room, Aunt Maria walks into the room with adistressed look on her face. She can tell that something is wrong and inquires of Dr. Wilson. After hearing of the diagnosis, she walks out of the room wailing loudly and praying out loud. Marco and Dr. Wilson continues their discussion and Dr. Wilson insists that he has an obligation to Jessica his patient and that she has a right to know the diagnosis of the fetus. He furthermore is intent to discussing all relevant factors and options regrading the next step, including abortion. Marco insists on taking some time to think of how to break the news to Jessica, but Dr. Wilson, frustrated with the direction of the conversation, informs husband that such a choice is not his to make. Dr. Wilson proceeds back across the hall, where he walks in on Aunt Maria awkwardly praying with Jessica and phoning the priest. At that point, Dr. Wilson gently but briefly informs Jessica of the diagnosis, and lays out the option for abortion as a responsible medical alternative, given the quality of life such a child would have. Jessica looks at him and struggles to hold back hers tears. Jessica is torn between her hopes of a better socioeconomic position and increased independence, along with her conviction that all life is sacred. Marco will support Jessica in whatever decision she makes, but is finding it difficult to not view the pregnancy and prospects of a disabled child as aburden and a barrier to their economic security and plans. Dr. Wilson lays out all of the options but clearly makes his view known that abortion is "scientifically" and medically a wise choice is this situation. Aunt Maria pleads with Jessica to follow through with the pregnancy and allow what "God intends" to take place, and urges Jessica to think of her responsibility as a mother. Write a 500-750 word analysis of this situation be sure to address the following questions. Which theory or theories are being used by Jessica, Marco, Maria and Dr. Wilson to determine the moral status of the fetus? Explain? How does the theory determine or influence each of their recommendation for action? What theory do you agree with? How would the theory determine or influence the recommendation for action? Please cite all sources.

Social Security system is a pay as you go retirement plan. Money taken from workers checks is
transferred to retirees. At one time there were 42 workers per retiree; today the ratio is now under 3 to 1.
By 2030, the ratio is expected to fall to 2 to 1. The only way to keep the current system solvent is to raise
taxes on those currently working or cut benefits to those already retired. Neither of these options is
particularly pleasant. Another option is now being debated, privatization. Under this plan, the government
would still deduct money from our checks, but it would be put into personal retirement accounts under our
own individual (but limited) control.
Carefully read the information below, and then do three things with the data. (1) Make two columns (one
for costs and the other for benefits) and place each piece of information in the correct column. (2) Prioritize
each list, from most important to least important. (3) Write a three-paragraph analysis. Paragraphs one
and two should explain why you feel the top two costs and top two benefits are the most important. Finally,
paragraph three is your analysis, based on your interpretation of all the facts listed below, explain whether
you believe we should privatize Social Security or not. The paper should be word-processed and no
more than one page in length.
1. The stock market has averaged a 7% return on peoples’ investments over the last
50 years, which is significantly higher than the 1-2% or less most will receive
under the current Social Security plan.
2. Many people close to retirement could be harmed by a sudden drop in the market,
reducing the value of their retirement accounts just when they need it the most.
3. Any privatization plan would have much higher administrative costs than our
current transfer program, reducing the potential returns.
4. Disabled workers and widows of workers who die young would see a reduction in
benefits.
5. Under privatization, people would be more in control of their own retirement.
6. Social Security is indexed to protect against inflation (there is a COLA tied to the
CPI), private retirement accounts would not be able to guarantee this protection.
7. If we try to privatize, the only way to continue to pay for today’s retiree’s benefits
and put money into separate accounts for each individual would be to raise taxes
or cut benefits or both (at least in the short run).
8. Instead of the government simply paying out the collected money in transfer
payments, this money could now be funneled into investments across the country
leading to more economic growth.
9. Privatization may lead to a loss of “community”, the idea that we are all in the
same retirement plan together.
10. Under privatization, even the poor would have a chance to invest in the stock and
bond markets normally only available to the wealthy.
11. Some people are concerned that many people are totally unprepared to choose the
investment strategy best suited to their individual needs. This could lead to
people making bad choices and having less retirement income.
12. If you die before retirement age the money in the account would pass to your
heirs, not the government.

1) A budget prepared at a single volume of activity is referred to as a:

A) Strategic budget.

B) Standard budget.

C) Static budget.

D) Flexible budget.

Answer: ___________

2) Select the incorrect statement regarding flexible budgets.

A) Flexible budgets often show the estimated revenues and costs at multiple volume levels.

B) A flexible budget is used to compare actual to budgeted amounts.

C) A flexible budget is also known as a master budget.

D) Standard prices and costs are used in preparing a flexible budget.

Answer: ___________

3) Which of the following income statement formats is most commonly used with flexible budgeting?

A) Sales − Variable costs = Contribution margin; Contribution margin − Fixed costs = Net income

B) Sales − Cost Of Goods Sold = Gross Margin; Gross Margin − Operating Expenses = Net Income

C) Sales − Manufacturing Costs − Selling And Administrative Costs = Net Income

D) None of these answers is correct.

Answer: __________

4) Spark Company's static budget is based on a planned activity level of 45,000 units. At the same time the static budget was prepared, the management accountant prepared two additional budgets, one based on 40,000 units and one based on 50,000. The company actually produced and sold 49,000 units. In evaluating its performance, management should compare the company's actual revenues and costs to which of the following budgets?

A) A budget based on 40,000 units

B) A budget based on 45,000 units

C) A budget based on 49,000 units

D) A budget based on 50,000 units

Answer: _____________

5) Jones Company developed the following static budget at the beginning of the company's accounting period:

If actual production totals 8,200 units, the flexible budget would show total costs of:

A) $8,000.

B) $8,100.

C) $8,200.

D) None of these is correct.

Answer: ________________

6) Static and flexible budgets are similar in that:

A) They both are based on the same per unit variable amounts and the same fixed costs.

B) They both concentrate solely on costs.

C) They both are prepared for multiple activity levels.

D) None of these answers is correct.

Answer: _______________

7) Which of the following applications is most suited for developing flexible budgets?

A) Database

B) Graphics

C) Spreadsheet

D) Word processing

Answer: ___________________

8) When would a variance be labeled as favorable?

A) When actual costs are less than standard costs

B) When standard costs are equal to actual costs

C) When standard costs are less than actual costs

D) When estimated costs are less than actual costs

Answer: _________________

9) When would a variance be labeled as unfavorable?

A) When standard costs are more than actual costs

B) When expected sales are less than actual sales

C) When actual sales are equal to expected sales

D) None of these answers is correct.

Answer: _______________

10) Assuming actual volume is 10,000 units and planned volume is 12,000 units, the sales volume variance in units:

A) Equals 2,000 units unfavorable.

B) Equals 2,000 units favorable.

C) Cannot be determined without additional information.

D) None of these answers is correct.

Answer: __________________