Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Economy

Characteristics of International Division Structure:

• Organized by function, product, or geography – such as country units within a region.
• Reflects a shortage of capabilities: With few employees having knowledge and experience in international operations, it made sense to cluster them together rather than to spread them throughout the organization.
• Used mainly by firms with a low ratio of foreign to domestic revenues and low foreign product diversity.

Global Product Structure Decision Involves:

• Locating manufacturing and other value-creation activities in the most appropriate global location to increase efficiency, quality, and innovation.
• Considerations made on coordination and integration problems.
• Locating a structure that can coordinate resource

Global Market Entry Strategies and Alliances

Market Entry Modes: Definitions and Characteristics

• Licensing: Represents a market entry strategy whereby a company grants rights to a foreign partner.
• Franchising: A variation of licensing.
  • Fact Check: Franchising is another variation of licensing. (T)
  • Fact Check: Franchising in a global context. (T)
  • Fact Check: Franchising is a variation of [X]. (F)
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI): Honda's investment of $550 million in building a plant is an example of FDI. (T)
• Contract Manufacturing: Companies that use contract manufacturing may require a considerable commitment of management resources.

Licensing Strategy and Advantages

• Licensing is a contractual agreement. (T)
• Licensing as a market entry mode has several

Stages of Tourism Development

Exploration: Tourism is limited, and the social and economic benefits are small. Tourist attractions are likely to be focused on nature or culture.

Involvement: This marks the beginning of tourism development. Governments may be under pressure to develop transport infrastructure and community resources.

Development: New roads, train stations, and airports may be built. New tourist attractions may emerge, and hotels and hospitality provisions will be put in place.

Consolidation: Tourism growth slows to keep tourist products and services exclusive.

Stagnation: A decline in tourism begins; numbers may have reached their peak, and carrying capacities may be met.

Rejuvenation or Decline: These are possible outcomes for destinations... Continue reading "Tourism Development: Lifecycle, Impacts, and Attitudes" »

California Property Tax & Budgeting Sector Differences

California's Prop 13: A Non-Neutral Tax System

Property tax in California operates under a non-neutral system, initiated by Proposition 13 in 1978. This landmark legislation linked the tax rate to a property’s sales price at the time of acquisition, with a maximum 2% annual increase on the assessed value. As noted by Bland, this structure means the tax rate is determined by the sales price, primarily benefiting owners who retain their properties for extended periods. The low annual increase on property tax has resulted in significant tax disparities, allowing long-term property owners to realize substantial tax benefits over time, especially upon sale.

Impact on State Revenue and Local

Economic Integration

• Free Trade Area: In such an area, trade barriers amongst member countries are removed, but they keep their own barriers with third countries. In this situation, countries still need customs to check that no product from a third country is passed as a product from the union. For example, Mexico and the United States are in the NAFTA, but the United States has a higher tariff on rice coming from India. It could go through Mexico if there were no customs between Mexico and the United States.
• Customs Union: Members not only remove trade barriers amongst them but also adopt a common set of external barriers. That way, it is not necessary to have customs inspections at the borders.
• Common Market: Members not only remove trade barriers

Government Financial Reporting

Governments combine blended components into both fund and government-wide (GW) statements.

Chapter 8- NPV

Opportunity Cost of Capital: expected rate of return given up by investing in a project

Net Present Value: Present value of cash flows minus initial investment--> difference between value and cost.-->reflects time value of money

Risky dollar worth less than safe one

Capital Budgeting Decision: is concerned with finding out investments that maximize value of the firm

IRR: the discount rate at which project NPV = 0 --> accept project if IRR is greater than opportunity cost of capital

Payback Period- time until sum of project cash flows equals the initial investment--> accept if payback period is less than some specified number of years

Discounted Payback Period - Accept project if discounted payback period is less than some... Continue reading "Maximizing Firm Value Through Investment Analysis" »

Core Economic Concepts

Microeconomics: Households and Firms

Microeconomics is the study of the economic system from the perspective of households and business firms.

Macroeconomics: System Performance

Macroeconomics is the study of the overall performance of the economic system.

Economic Growth (EGR)

Economic growth means that the economy is moving towards its full potential output. This is beneficial for the economy because it signifies that people are working and goods are being sold, which in turn stimulates the economy further by creating more jobs. Economic growth is typically presented as the percentage increase in Real GDP.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Definition and Measurement

GDP is the total market value of all the final goods and services... Continue reading "Understanding Key Economic Indicators and Finance Terms" »

Governments must combine their Discretely presented component units into both the fund and the Government-wide statements. F

 A related organization is a Contractual arrangement whereby two or more participants agree to Carry out a common activity and share its risks and rewards. F

 A primary government can impose Its will on a potential component unit if it has the authority to Modify or approve the unit’s budget. T

 The comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR) is divided into three main sections: the Table of contents section, the auditors’ report section, and the Financial section. F

The typical audit is designed to Cover all... Continue reading "In-depth financial statement analysis" »

ALOS: Average Length of Stay

Total occupied room nights/total bookings

Attrition

Difference between the number of rooms reserved compared to the number of rooms used

Booking Curve

An important tool for yielding that provides a visual representation of the pickup, number of bookings, availability, and yielding capacity of the hotel over time

Pick Up

No. of reservations between today & day of arrival

Contract

>30 nights + large volume

Group

>10 rooms, contract, deposit

• Corporate: Negotiated rate for a block with a specific company
• Association/Convention: Negotiated rate for a block with trade, professional, philanthropic association
• Government: Negotiated rate for a block with a qualifying government agency

Transient

Ind & groups

• Retail: Market