Seven Management and Planning Tools

Competition level within every industry is constantly growing and businesses try to find any possible ways to improve quality of products and services. However, quality is quite a complex concept that can be viewed as a measure of perfection. Quality improvement leads to a perfect product that is meant to satisfy the customer. In the early 1980s, the seven management and planning tools were designed as major tools for effective planning and management of processes, which are above the quality operation. They are as follows: 1. Affinity Diagrams The first of the tools in the list is Affinity diagrams. The affinity diagram is a visual brainstorming instrument that can be used to categorize various facts and data, ideas and opinions by a proximity factor. It is especially useful for the purpose of systematization of big data into groups and categories, according to some forms of affinity. In its own turn, Continue reading

Mutual Fund Evaluation

The data for evaluating mutual fund can be found in its prospectus, quarterly and annual reports. The following financial parameters should be used in analyzing a mutual fund and its management: 1. Total Return Total Return indicates the impact of appreciation of its value and dividends (if any). It is becoming increasingly common to find total-return numbers published in newspapers, magazines or other sources. One can calculate total return using the following formula: Total Return (TR) =   [(Distributions + Change in NAV)/NAV at the beginning of the period] x 100 Distribution is the income received by the investors for having their money in the mutual fund. The components of dividends are stock dividends, bond interest etc. 2. Expense Ratio Expense Ratio is the ratio of total recurring expenses (fees, commission etc.) to average net assets. Lower numbers are desirable. Since the expense ratio fluctuates, it is better to compute Continue reading

Trade Cycle or Business Cycle Concept in Managerial Economics

Definition of Trade Cycle or Business Cycle According to Keynes, “A trade cycle is composed of periods of good trade characterized by rising prices and low unemployment percentage, alternating with periods of bad trade characterized by falling prices and high unemployment percentage. “ Characteristics of Trade Cycles From the above definition, it should be clear that trade cycle is the rhythmic fluctuations of the economy, that is, periods of prosperity followed by periods of depression. However, the waves of prosperity and depression need not always be of the same length and amplitude. Further, trade cycles varied tremendously in magnitude. While some have smaller cyclical fluctuations in economic activity, others have great intensity of fluctuations. Expansion in some cycles reaches the full employment level and stays there. However, in some cycles, the peak is reached even before full employment. Sometimes, the cyclical fluctuations may be prolonged for one reason or the Continue reading

Case Study: The Enron Accounting Scandal

As 2002 began, energy trader Enron Corp. found itself at the center of one of corporate America’s biggest scandals. In less than a year, Enron had gone from being considered one of the most innovative companies of the late 20th century to being deemed a byword for corruption and mismanagement. Enron was formed in July 1985 when Texas-based Houston Natural Gas merged with InterNorth, a Nebraska-based natural gas company. In its first few years, the new company was simply a natural gas provider, but by 1989 it had begun trading natural gas commodities, and in 1994 it began trading electricity. The company introduced a number of revolutionary changes to energy trading, abetted by the changing nature of the energy markets, which were being deregulated in the 1990s and thus opening the door for new power traders and suppliers. Enron tailored electricity and natural gas contracts to reflect the cost of Continue reading

Forms and Types of Business Entities

Business can be defined as an organization that provide goods and services to others, who want to do or need them, when people think of business careers, they have to think of job in large wealthy corporation, there are wide verity of career areas in business line. Business Entity is an organization that possesses a separate existence for tax purposes. Some types of business entities include corporations and foreign corporations, business trusts, limited liability companies, and limited partnerships The two basic types of business entities are sole proprietorship and partnerships. Sole Proprietorship Sole proprietorship type of business entity which legally has no separate existence from its owner. Limitations of liability enjoyed by a corporation and limited liability partnerships do not apply to sole proprietors. Also debts of the business are debts of the owner in the case of sole proprietorship type of business. A sole proprietorship essentially refers to a Continue reading

Financial Problems after Mergers and Consolidation

After merger and consolidation the companies face a number of financial problems. The liquidity of the companies has to be established afresh. The merging and consolidating companies pursue their own financial policies when they are working independently. A number of adjustments are required to be made in financial planning and policies so that consolidated efforts may enable to improve short term and long term finances of the companies. Some of the financial problems of merging and consolidating companies are discussed as follow: Cash management. The Liquidity Problem is the usual problem faced by acquiring companies. Before merger and consolidation, the companies had their own method of payments, cash behavior pattern and arrangements with financial institutions. The cash pattern will have to be adjusted according to the present needs of the business. Credit policy. The credit policies of the companies are unified so that same term and conditions may be applied Continue reading