Suggestions forCase AnalysisChapter 12Learning Objecti.docx

Suggestions for
Case Analysis
Chapter 12
Learning Objectives
Research the case situation as needed
Analyze financial statements by using ratios and common-size
statements
Use the strategic audit as a method of organizing and analyzing
case information
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
12-2
After reading this chapter, you should be able to:
Research the case situation as needed
Analyze financial statements by using ratios and common-size
statements
Use the strategic audit as a method of organizing and analyzing
case information
2
The Case Method
Case method
offers the opportunity to move from a narrow, specialized view
that emphasizes functional techniques to a broader, less precise
analysis of the overall corporation
Cases present actual business situations and enable you to
examine both successful and unsuccessful corporations.

12-3
3
The case method offers the opportunity to move from a narrow,
specialized view that emphasizes functional techniques to a
broader, less precise analysis of the overall corporation. Cases
present actual business situations and enable you to examine
both successful and unsuccessful corporations.
Researching the Case Situation
You should not restrict yourself only to the information written
in the case unless your instructor states otherwise.
You should undertake outside research about the environmental
setting.
Check decision dates.
12-4
You should not restrict yourself only to the information written
in the case unless your instructor states otherwise. You should,
if possible, undertake outside research about the environmental
setting. Check the decision date of each case (typically the
latest date mentioned in the case) to find out when the situation
occurred and then screen the business periodicals for that time
period.
4
Important Note: Don’t go beyond the decision date of the case
in your research unless directed to do so by your instructor.
12-5

Important Note: Don’t go beyond the decision date of the case
in your research unless directed to do so by your instructor.
5
Available Information Sources
Compustat
Compact Disclosure
Hoover’s
EDGAR database
Company’s annual report
SEC 10-K form
12-6
Some available information sources are:
Compustat
Compact Disclosure
Hoover’s
EDGAR database
Company’s annual report
SEC 10-K form
6
Financial Analysis: A Place to Begin
A review of key financial ratios can help you assess a
company’s overall situation and pinpoint some problem areas.
Ratios are useful regardless of firm size and enable you to
compare a company’s ratios with industry averages.
12-7

A review of key financial ratios can help you assess a
company’s overall situation and pinpoint some problem areas.
Ratios are useful regardless of firm size and enable you to
compare a company’s ratios with industry averages.
7
Financial Ratio Analysis
12-8
Table 12–1 lists some of the most important financial ratios,
which are (1) liquidity ratios, (2) profitability ratios, (3)
activity ratios and (4) leverage ratios.
8
12-9
9
12-10

10
12-11
11
12-12
Other ratios include the price/earnings ratio, divided payout
ratio and the dividend yield on common stock
12
Analyzing Financial Statements
Scrutinize historical income statements and balance sheets
Compare historical statements over time

Calculate changes that occur in individual categories from year
to year
Determine the change as a percentage
Adjust for inflation
12-13
13
As a minimum, undertake the following five steps in basic
financial analysis.
1. Scrutinize historical income statements and balance sheets:
These two basic statements provide most of the data needed for
analysis. Statements of cash flow may also be useful.
2. Compare historical statements over time if a series of
statements is available.
3. Calculate changes that occur in individual categories from
year to year, as well as the cumulative total change.
4. Determine the change as a percentage as well as an absolute
amount.
5. Adjust for inflation if that was a significant factor.
Common-Size Statements
Common-size statements
income statements and balance sheets in which the dollar
figures have been converted into percentages
used to identify trends in each of the categories
12-14
14
Common-size statements are income statements and balance
sheets in which the dollar figures have been converted into

percentages. These statements are used to identify trends in
each of the categories.
Common-Size Statements
Common-size statements are especially helpful in developing
scenarios and pro forma statements because they provide a
series of historical relationships from which you can estimate
the future with your scenario assumptions for each year.
12-15
Common-size statements are especially helpful in developing
scenarios and pro forma statements because they provide a
series of historical relationships (for example, cost of goods
sold to sales, interest to sales, and inventories as a percentage
of assets) from which you can estimate the future with your
scenario assumptions for each year.
15
Altman’s Z-Value
Bankruptcy Formula
Altman’s Z-Value Bankruptcy Formula is used to calculate a
firm’s likelihood of going bankrupt.
12-16
If the corporation being studied appears to be in poor financial
condition, use Altman’s Z-Value Bankruptcy Formula to
calculate its likelihood of going bankrupt. The Z-value formula
combines five ratios by weighting them according to their
importance to a corporation’s financial strength.
16

Index of Sustainable Growth
Index of sustainable growth
indicates how much of the growth rate of sales can be sustained
by internally generated funds
12-17
The index of sustainable growth is useful to learn whether a
company embarking on a growth strategy will need to take on
debt to fund this growth. The index indicates how much of the
growth rate of sales can be sustained by internally generated
funds.
17
Useful Economic Measures
Constant dollars
are dollars adjusted for inflation to make them comparable over
various years
Prime interest rate
the rate of interest banks charge on their lowest risk loans
Gross domestic product
measures total output of goods and services within a country’s
borders
12-18
18
Constant dollars are dollars adjusted for inflation to make them
comparable over various years. The prime interest rate is the
rate of interest banks charge on their lowest-risk loans. GDP is

used worldwide and measures the total output of goods and
services within a country’s borders.
U.S. Economic Indicators
12-19
19
One way to adjust for inflation in the United States is to use the
consumer price index (CPI), as given in Table 12–2. Another
helpful analytical aid provided in Table 12–2 is the prime
interest rate. In preparing a scenario for your pro forma
financial statements, you may want to use the gross domestic
product (GDP) from Table 12–2.
Format for Case Analysis:
The Strategic Audit
Strategic audit
an approach for both written and oral reports that provides a
systematic method for successfully attacking a case
12-20
Figure 12-1
The strategic audit is an approach for both written and oral
reports that provides a systematic method for successfully
attacking a case. If you choose to use the strategic audit as a
guide to the analysis of complex strategy cases, you may want
to use the strategic audit worksheet in Figure 12–1.
20

12-21
Evaluation and
Control
Chapter 11
Learning Objectives
Understand the basic control process
Choose among traditional measures, such as ROI, and
shareholder value measures, such as economic value added, to
properly assess performance
Use the balanced scorecard approach to develop key
performance measures
Apply the benchmarking process to a function or an activity
Develop appropriate control systems to support specific
strategies including performance measurement
11-2
After reading this chapter, you should be able to:
Understand the basic control process
Choose among traditional measures, such as ROI, and
shareholder value measures, such as economic value added, to
properly assess performance
Use the balanced scorecard approach to develop key
performance measures
Apply the benchmarking process to a function or an activity
Develop appropriate control systems to support specific

strategies including performance measurement
2
Evaluation and Control Process
11-3
Figure 11-1
Evaluation and control information consists of performance data
and activity reports (gathered in Step 3 in Figure 11–1).
3
Measuring Performance
Performance
end result of activity
Steering controls
measure variables that influence future profitability
Cost per available seat mile (airlines)
Inventory turnover ratio (retail)
Customer satisfaction
11-4
4
Performance is the end result of activity. A firm, therefore,
needs to develop measures that predict likely profitability.
These are referred to as steering controls because they measure
variables that influence future profitability. Every industry has
its own set of key metrics that tend to predict profits. Airlines,
for example, closely monitor cost per available seat mile

(ASM). An example of a steering control used by retail stores is
the inventory turnover ratio, in which a retailer’s cost of goods
sold is divided by the average value of its inventories. Another
steering control is customer satisfaction.
Types of Controls
Output controls
specify what is to be accomplished by focusing on the end result
through the use of objectives
Behavior controls
specify how something is done through policies, rules, standard
operating procedures and orders from supervisors
Input controls
emphasize resources
11-5
5
Output controls specify what is to be accomplished by focusing
on the end result. Behavior controls specify how something is
done through policies, rules, standard operating procedures and
orders from supervisors. Input controls emphasize resources.
Activity-Based Costing
Activity-based costing
allocates indirect and direct costs to individual product lines
based on value-added activities going into that product

Allows accountants to charge costs more accurately because it
allocates overhead more precisely
11-6
6
Activity-based costing (ABC) is a recently developed
accounting method for allocating indirect and fixed costs to
individual products or product lines based on the value-added
activities going into that product. ABC accounting allows
accountants to charge costs more accurately than the traditional
method because it allocates overhead far more precisely
Enterprise Risk Management
corporate-wide, integrated process for managing uncertainties
that could negatively or positively influence the achievement of
objectives
11-7
7
Enterprise Risk Management is the corporate-wide, integrated
process for managing uncertainties that could negatively or
positively influence the achievement of objectives.
The process of rating risks involves three steps:
Identify the risks using scenario analysis, brainstorming or

performing risk assessments
Rank the risks, using some scale of impact and likelihood
Measure the risks using some agreed-upon standard
11-8
The process of rating risks involves three steps:
1. Identify the risks using scenario analysis or brainstorming or
by performing risk self-assessments
2. Rank the risks, using some scale of impact and likelihood
3. Measure the risks, using some agreed-upon standard
8
Traditional Financial Measures
Return on investment (ROI)
result of dividing net income before taxes by the total amount
invested in the company (typically measured by total assets)
Earnings per share (EPS)
dividing net earnings by the amount of common stock
11-9
The most commonly used measure of corporate performance (in
terms of profits) is return on investment (ROI). It is simply the
result of dividing net income before taxes by the total amount
invested in the company (typically measured by total assets).
Earnings per share (EPS), which involves dividing net earnings
by the amount of common stock.
9
Traditional Financial Measures
Return on equity (ROE)
involves dividing net income by total equity

Operating cash flow
the amount of money generated by a company before the cost of
financing and taxes, is a broad measure of a company’s funds
Free cash flow
the amount of money a new owner can take out of the firm
without harming the business.
11-10
Return on equity (ROE) involves dividing net income by total
equity. Operating cash flow, the amount of money generated by
a company before the cost
of financing and taxes, is a broad measure of a company’s
funds. Some takeover specialists look at a much narrower free
cash flow: the amount of money a new owner can take out of the
firm without harming the business.
10
Nonfinancial Performance Measures Used by Internet Business
Ventures
Stickiness
length of Web site visit
Eyeballs
number of people who visit a Web site
Mindshare
brand awareness
11-11
For example, some nonfinancial performance measures used by
Internet business ventures are stickiness (length of Web site
visit), eyeballs (number of people
who visit a Web site), and mindshare (brand awareness).

11
Shareholder Value
Shareholder value
the present value of the anticipated future streams of cash flows
from the business plus the value of the company if liquidated
Economic value added (EVA)
measures the difference between the pre- strategy and post-
strategy values for the business
after-tax operating income minus the total annual cost of capital
11-12
12
Shareholder value can be defined as the present value of the
anticipated future stream of cash flows from the business plus
the value of the company if liquidated.
EVA measures the difference between the pre-strategy and post-
strategy values for the business. Simply put, EVA is after-tax
operating income minus the total annual cost of capital.
Shareholder Value
Market value added (MVA)
measures the difference between the market value of a
corporation and the capital contributed by shareholders and
lenders
Measures the stock market’s estimate of the net present value of
a firm’s past and expected capital investment projects
11-13

13
Market value added (MVA) is the difference between the market
value of a corporation and the capital contributed by
shareholders and lenders. Like net present value, it measures the
stock market’s estimate of the net present value of a firm’s past
and expected capital investment projects.
Balanced Score Card
Balanced scorecard
combines financial measures that tell the results of actions
already taken with operational measures on customer
satisfaction, internal processes and the corporation’s innovation
and improvement activities—the drivers of future financial
performance
11-14
14
The balanced scorecard combines financial measures that tell
the results of actions already taken with operational measures
on customer satisfaction,
internal processes and the corporation’s innovation and
improvement activities—the drivers of future financial
performance.
Balanced Score Card
In the balanced scorecard, management develops goals or
objectives in each of four areas:
Financial: How do we appear to shareholders?
Customer: How do customers view us?
Internal business perspective: What must we excel at?
Innovation and learning: Can we continue to improve and create
value?

11-15
In the balanced scorecard, management develops goals or
objectives in each of four areas:
Financial: How do we appear to shareholders?
Customer: How do customers view us?
Internal business perspective: What must we excel at?
Innovation and learning: Can we continue to improve and create
value?
15
Balanced Score Card
Key performance measures
measures that are essential for achieving a desired strategic
option
11-16
Each goal in each area (for example, avoiding bankruptcy in the
financial area) is then assigned one or more measures, as well
as a target and an initiative. These measures can be thought of
as key performance measures—measures that are essential for
achieving a desired strategic option.
16
Chairman-CEO Feedback Instrument
Questionnaire focuses on four key areas:
Company performance,
Leadership of the organization
Team-building and management succession
Leadership of external constituencies
11-17

The questionnaire focuses on four key areas: (1) company
performance, (2) leadership of the organization, (3) team-
building and management succession and
(4) leadership of external constituencies.
17
Management Audit
Management audits
developed to evaluate activities such as corporate social
responsibility, functional areas such as the marketing
department, and divisions such as the international division
useful to boards of directors in evaluating management’s
handling of various corporate activities
11-18
Management audits are very useful to boards of directors in
evaluating management’s handling of various corporate
activities. Management audits have
been developed to evaluate activities such as corporate social
responsibility, functional areas such as the marketing
department, and divisions such as the international division.
18
Strategic Audit
Strategic audit
provides a checklist of questions, by area or issue, that enables
a systematic analysis of various corporate functions and
activities to be made
useful as a diagnostic tool to pinpoint corporate-wide problem
areas and to highlight organizational strengths and weaknesses
11-19

The strategic audit provides a checklist of questions, by area or
issue, that enables a systematic analysis of various corporate
functions and activities to be made. It is a type of management
audit and is extremely useful as a diagnostic tool to pinpoint
corporate-wide problem areas and to highlight organizational
strengths and weaknesses.
19
Responsibility Centers
Responsibility centers
used to isolate a unit so it can be evaluated separately from the
rest of the corporation
has its own budget and is evaluated on its use of budgeted
resources
headed by the manager responsible for the center’s performance
11-20
20
Responsibility centers are used to isolate a unit so it can be
evaluated separately from the rest of the corporation. Each
responsibility center, therefore, has its own budget and is
evaluated on its use of budgeted resources. It is headed by the
manager responsible for the center’s performance.
Responsibility Centers
11-21
Standard cost centers are primarily used in manufacturing

facilities. With revenue centers, production, usually in terms of
unit or dollar sales, is measured without consideration of
resource costs (for example, salaries). Typical expense centers
are administrative, service and research departments. A profit
center is
typically established whenever an organizational unit has
control over both its resources and its products or services. An
investment center’s performance is measured in terms of the
difference between its resources and its services or products.
21
Standard cost centers
Revenue centers
Expense centers
Profit centers
Investment centers
Benchmarking
Benchmarking
the continual process of measuring products, services and

practices against the toughest competitors or those companies
recognized as industry leaders
11-22
22
Benchmarking is “the continual process of measuring products,
services, and practices against the toughest competitors or those
companies recognized as industry leaders.”
Benchmarking
Identify the area or process to be examined
Find behavioral and output measures
Select an accessible set of competitors of best practices
Calculate the differences among the company’s performance
measurements and those of the competitors and determine why
the differences exist
Develop tactical programs for closing performance gaps
Implement the programs and compare the results
11-23
23
The benchmarking process usually involves the following steps:
Identify the area or process to be examined
Find behavioral and output measures
Select an accessible set of competitors of best practices
Calculate the differences among the company’s performance
measurements and those of the competitors and determine why
the differences exist
Develop tactical programs for closing performance gaps

Implement the programs and compare the results
Strategic Information Systems
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
unites all of a company’s major business activities within a
single family of software modules providing instant access
throughout the organization
11-24
24
Many corporations around the world have adopted enterprise
resource planning (ERP) software. ERP unites all of a
company’s major business activities, from order processing to
production, within a single family of software modules. The
system provides instant access to critical information to
everyone in the organization, from the CEO to the factory floor
worker.
Strategic Information Systems
Radio frequency identification (RFID)
an electronic tagging technology used to improve supply-chain
efficiency
Divisional and functional IS support
used to support, reinforce or enlarge business-level strategy
throughout the decision support system
11-25

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is an electronic tagging
technology used in a number of companies to improve supply-
chain efficiency. By tagging containers and items with tiny
chips, companies use the tags as wireless barcodes to track
inventory more efficiently. At the divisional or SBU level of a
corporation, the information system should be used to support,
reinforce or enlarge its business-level strategy through its
decision support system.
25
Problems in Measuring Performance
Lack of quantifiable objectives or performance standards
Inability to use information systems to provide timely and valid
information
11-26
26
The lack of quantifiable objectives or performance standards
and the inability of the information system to provide timely
and valid information are two obvious control problems.
Short-Term Orientation
Long-term evaluations may not be conducted because
executives:
Don’t realize their importance
Believe that short-term considerations are more important than
long-term considerations
Aren’t personally evaluated on a long-term basis
Don’t have the time to make a long-term analysis

11-27
27
Long-term evaluations may not be conducted because executives
(1) don’t realize their importance, (2) believe that short-term
considerations are more important
than long-term considerations, (3) aren’t personally evaluated
on a long-term basis or (4) don’t have the time to make a long-
term analysis.
Goal Displacement
Goal displacement
confusion of means with ends and occurs when activities
originally intended to help managers attain corporate objectives
become ends in themselves—or are adapted to meet ends other
than those for which they were intended
behavior substitution and suboptimization
11-28
28
Goal displacement is the confusion of means with ends and
occurs when activities originally intended to help managers
attain corporate objectives become ends in themselves—or are
adapted to meet ends other than those for which they were
intended. Types of goal displacement are behavior substitution
and suboptimization.
Goal Displacement
Behavior substitution
refers to the phenomenon of when people substitute activities
that do not lead to goal accomplishment for activities that do
lead to goal accomplishment because the wrong activities are

being rewarded
11-29
Behavior substitution refers to the phenomenon of when people
substitute activities that do not lead to goal accomplishment for
activities that do lead to goal accomplishment because the
wrong activities are being rewarded.
29
Goal Displacement
Suboptimization
refers to the phenomenon of a unit optimizing its goal
accomplishment to the detriment of the organization as a whole
11-30
Suboptimization refers to the phenomenon of a unit optimizing
its goal accomplishment to the detriment of the organization as
a whole.
30
Guidelines for Proper Control
Controls should involve only the minimum amount of
information needed to give a reliable picture of events.
Controls should monitor only meaningful activities and results,
regardless of measurement difficulty.
Controls should be timely so that corrective action can be taken
before it is too late.
Long-term and short-term goals should be used.
Controls should aim at pinpointing exceptions.
Emphasize the reward of meeting or exceeding standards rather
than punishment for failing to meet standards.

11-31
31
The following guidelines are recommended:
Controls should involve only the minimum amount of
information needed to give a reliable picture of events.
Controls should monitor only meaningful activities and results,
regardless of measurement difficulty.
Controls should be timely so that corrective action can be taken
before it is too late.
Long-term and short-term goals should be used.
Controls should aim at pinpointing exceptions.
Emphasize the reward of meeting or exceeding standards rather
than punishment for failing to meet standards.
Approaches to Strategic
Incentive Management
11-32
32
The following three approaches are tailored to help match
measurements and rewards with explicit strategic objectives and
time frames:
Weighted-factor method
Long-term evaluation method
Strategic funds method

Weighted-factor method
Long-term evaluation method
Strategic funds method
Business Strength/
Competitive Position
11-33
Figure 11-2
Using portfolio analysis, one corporation’s measurements might
contain the following variations: the performance of high-
performing (star) SBUs is measured equally in terms of ROI,
cash flow, market share and progress on several future-oriented
strategic projects; the performance of low-growth, but strong
(cash cow) SBUs, in contrast, is measured in terms of ROI,
market share and cash generation; and the performance of
developing question mark SBUs is measured in terms of
development and market share growth with no weight on ROI or
cash flow. (Refer to Figure 11–2.)
33

Approaches to Strategic
Incentive Management
An effective way to achieve the desired strategic results through
a reward system is to combine the three approaches:
Segregate strategic funds from short-term funds
Develop a weighted-factor chart for each SBU
Measure performance based on pre-tax profit, weighted factors
and long-term evaluation of the SBU’s performance
11-34
34
An effective way to achieve the desired strategic results through
a reward system is to combine the three approaches:
Segregate strategic funds from short-term funds
Develop a weighted-factor chart for each SBU
Measure performance based on pre-tax profit, weighted factors
and long-term evaluation of the SBU’s performance
11-35

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