Accounting and Finance
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The Impact Of COVID-19 On The Budgeting Strategies Of Entertainment CompaniesThe COVID-19 pandemic resulted in unprecedented disruptions across various sectors, profoundly impacting the entertainment sector. This study investigates the detailed effects of the pandemic on the financial strategies of three leading entertainment companies: The Walt Disney Company; Live Nation Entertainment Incorporated; Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. This research charts a comparative analysis of stock performance pre-pandemic, during its peak, and in the current landscape, compared with the S&P 500 index and the S&P Small Cap 600 Index, as provided by Bloomberg. This study aims to offer essential insight into the enduring repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on prominent companies, and their strategies for navigating these unprecedented challenges. This research also reveals the complex financial paths of these entertainment companies following the closure of their theme parks and venues. This uncovered the underlying dynamics that govern their weakening financial status. In addition to this analysis, this study also compared a comprehensive array of financial metrics, including an analysis of earnings per share, revenues, liquidity analysis, profitability indicators, capital structure, asset turnover ratios, and market value. The results indicated the financial weakening amidst the pandemic-induced challenges. The research findings demonstrate a substantial downturn in stock values and financial metrics during this period across these entertainment companies. The pandemic has created an enduring impact on their fiscal viability and a damper on strategic initiatives. The research indicated weakening trends and financial troubles for the long-term sustainability of these entertainment companies.
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Saving for Retirement in America: The Struggle and the SolutionsRetirement is a part of life that all working Americans work towards. Sadly, it is not the reality a lot of people can enjoy. With the death of pensions, lack of retirement savings, poor finance education, and high cost of living, a lot of Americans do not get to retire and work until the day they die. There are several avenues that can be pursued to remedy this crisis. Becoming aware of what options are present such as the types of accounts where retirement savings can be invested effectively. Additionally, increasing the financial literacy of Americans during their primary and secondary education would greatly prepare them for their own financial future, and improve the U.S. as a whole. Furthermore, on a widespread scale, regulations and laws can be implemented to increase the minimum wage to an amount that is acceptable to live on in a given area, executive pay can be kept in check while increasing the median worker’s pay, or monthly stimulus payments can be made to support individuals. Lastly, with the power of collective bargaining, individuals through a Union can fight for better wages, benefits, protections, and retirement benefits when firms are not willing to grant them by their own accord.
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The Problems That Allow Fraud to OccurAuditors failing to do their jobs correctly allow criminals to steal millions every year.
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A Study of Semi-Strong Form of Market Efficiency: Active vs. Passive Portfolio Strategies - with Bloomberg TerminalsThis research paper gives a detailed analysis of semi-strong form of market efficiency when there are being used Active vs Passive portfolio strategies. This study shows if the market can be outperformed through the comparison of the returns of two portfolios with 20 stocks each. On a daily basis, market efficiency, through the semi-strong form, provides investors and all market participants with the same information and prices which respond respectively to the information given in any market. At this moment no one will have the possibility to outperform and profit anyone, given the same tools. Market efficiency won't allow investors to make a profit above the average because it gives them the opportunity to be rational and make reasonable choices. Both portfolios used to conduct this study were created through Bloomberg Terminals for a period of 12 weeks. Active portfolio stocks are chosen through an extensive analysis in detail as how the market was performing and what stocks were predicted to have the greatest return. On the other hand, the passive portfolio stocks were chosen not through an extensive analysis but are expected to have returns as closely as it can be possible. Each portfolio has equity indices; these portfolios will be compared with the market index for better insights and understanding. This study indicates if market is outperformed, or if market is efficient as well as will give the answer to questions like how market efficiency affects the economy, how would the economy be better off.
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The Road to Whistleblowing: A Review Through CasesNumerous corporate scandals in the recent years have left the public wondering as to why situations such as cooking the books and other fraudulent activity go unreported for so long. Many times employees are aware of such frauds developing in their companies, but they fail to speak out because of fear. Yet fear is only one of the major reasons why potential whistleblowers hesitate immensely when considering blowing the whistle. Laws prior to these scandals did little to protect whistleblowers from negative results such as retaliation from employers. As a result, the public did not know frauds in companies until they became extremely out of hand and were as a result, highly publicized. The problem with not reporting frauds until they are massive is the fact that they become extremely costly and often cost taxpayers millions of dollars. This research will be based on the analysis of several whistleblowing cases in order to evaluate the effectiveness of whistleblowing laws in providing appropriate protection to whistleblowers. It will not only provide information on each case, but also will go into the several negative repercussions that each whistleblower faced after blowing the whistle. The purpose of this research is to provide business students as well as the public with more information regarding the concerns of whistleblowers when attempting to blow the whistle, as well as with current laws that are in place for the protection of whistleblowers such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and Dodd-Frank Act of 2010.
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Non-Competition Agreements: A Discussion to Eliminate Their UseThis paper examines non-competition clauses and makes the case for their elimination in the course of conducting business. The main purpose of non-competition clauses is for the business entities, since it reduces the amount of competition they face. However, the burden placed on the worker outweighs the advantages for the businesses. The degree of enforceability of non-competition clauses will be explored in Massachusetts, Colorado, and California. This paper analyzes cases regarding non-competition agreements that pertain to each state. Finally, the case will be made that non-competition clauses should be eliminated and instead further enforce current trade secret statutes in addition to the creation of statutes that protect trade secrets on a state level.
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The Unprofessional Side of Accounting: Cooking the BooksThis research examines how companies misstate revenues, whether that can be ethical in certain situations, and which laws have been put in place to prevent or limit companies from committing fraud. The term “cooking books” in business refers to when companies make up or manipulate areas of their financial statements to make their numbers stand out more. This research shines light on how serious this issue really is, and what such actions does to not only the company, but those in and around it. How and why do companies commit fraud? How does government regulate and proactively stop fraud from occurring? What has happened to companies in the past that have cooked their books? To answer these research questions, information was collected pertaining to how companies cook their books and why they do it, as well as research different laws that have governed and improved fair and appropriate financial reporting. This list of laws will be at the federal level and consists of looking at the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and its impact on how fraud has been limited and disallowed. Additionally, this research analyzes Enron, Tesco, and Wells Fargo, and their run-ins with fraudulent behaviors. Through looking at their own respective situations, each company’s specific actions they took to make or consciously go about committing fraud will be examined, as well an examination of their financial statements to give indications on how their fraudulent behaviors subsequently impacted the company from an investor’s point of view. Fraud occurs every day in the business world, and it is something that should not be taken lightly. This has been an issue for decades, but is finally slowing thanks to a closer and more restrictive look what has been done in the past and what can be done in the future to make a level playing field.
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Numbers Never Lie, And Baseball Is The True Class Of Professional SportsThis thesis focuses on the contracts given out in baseball and football, by ownership, to their respective players. It delves into the specifics and loopholes of said contracts. The MLB Players Association (players that fight for their rights) has never been better whereas the NFLPA has never been worse. Issues ranging from the length of playing career in each sport, the guarantees in contracts, and how the players are treated physically and socially is examined. It is clear that NFL implementing the MLB’s contract structure would be most beneficial to their respective players. All contracts in such a violent sport should be fully guaranteed in regards to injuries. Furthermore, the NFL needs to mirror the MLB’s ethical practices in order to be a fair and just league.
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The Portrayal Of Environmental Corporate Social Responsibility (1970’S-2010): A Look At The New Yorker’s CartoonsCorporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become a hot topic. This thesis focuses on analyzing the way environmental CSR has been depicted over 40 years (1970-2010) by cartoon artists in The New Yorker magazine. The research question addressed is: How have The New Yorker cartoonists’ views of Carroll’s (1991) CSR components changed over time? This study adopts a mixed methods methodology – qualitative visual methods (cartoon analysis) and quantitative counting of instances of presence of certain elements or lack thereof. An in-depth qualitative and quantitative analysis of eight selected cartoons was performed. The qualitative part of the analysis was done by partially adopting Carroll’s framework of CSR, i.e. by adopting three of the four Carroll’s (1991) components of CSR and the SCIM-C model. This model was used to analyze the cartoons from a historical context. The quantitative part of the analysis was done by counting the number of “yes” and “no” answers to several questions based on the same work. The results of the analysis demonstrate that throughout the specified time period, 1970 to 2010, cartoonists viewed corporations and corporate executives as primarily profit driven, disregarding of ethical societal expectations, and rather careless about complying with existing environmental laws.
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These Heels Were Made For Working: Women’s Appearance in the WorkplaceDo women's choice in apparel, hair, makeup, and overall appearance have an impact in the way they are perceived in the world of business? In careers that are predominantly male, are women not taken seriously based on how they look? We challenge the idea that a woman can't be attractive, confident, and smart. With research taken from academic journals and prominent magazines, we explore whether or not there is a gender barrier in the workplace. The findings are geared towards young women entering the business world so they can be better prepared for the scene of a male-dominated field.