Management Reporting Cases

Management Reporting Cases During the semester you will complete three Management Reporting C ases that utilize the 201 3 Form 10 - K for Blue Nile, Inc., accounting standards, and other materials. These case s are intended to teach the following skills: 1. Clo se reading and critical evaluation of financial information. 2. Application of financial accounting concepts to a real - world business. 3. Ability to obtain and organize information, to identify and solve unstructured problems in unfamiliar settings, and to exerc ise good judgment in complex and ambiguous business contexts. 4. Appreciation of how real - world companies use financial information to make decisions and the wide variety of decisions that financial accounting affects. Elements of Blue Nile, Inc. ’ s Form 10 - K may be used during class discussions. The 201 3 Form 10 - K may be obtained from Blue Nile, Inc. ’ s website. Preparation Guidelines All Management Reporting Case assignments must: ? Be type written (12 - point font, single - spaced, and one - inch margins) using standard business memo format . Please see the “ Writing Business Memos ” handout, which is posted on Blackboard, for a description of this format. ? Not exceed two pages in length. ? Not include a cover sheet. ? Use appropriate English spelling and usage. ? Have se rially numbered pages. ? Spell out numbers from one to ten, except when used with mathematical, statistical, scientific, or technical units and quantities (e.g., distances, weights, or measures). All other numbers are to be expressed numerically. ? Be organiz ed, with appropriate headings and subheadings. ? Use citations that are easy to follow when referring to the Form 10 - K. The Management Reporting Cases require individual reading, analysis, and writing. All Management Reporting Case assignments must: *Be type written (12-point font, single-spaced, and one-inch margins) using standard business memo format. Please see the ?Writing Business Memos handout posted on Blackboard. *Not exceed two pages in length. *Not include a cover sheet. *Use appropriate English spelling and usage. *Have serially numbered pages. *Spell out numbers from one to ten, except when used with mathematical, statistical, scientific, or technical units and quantities (e.g., distances, weights, or measures). All other numbers are to be expressed numerically. *Be organized, with appropriate headings and subheadings. *Use citations that are easy to follow when referring the Form 10-K. This handout is also available online at the George Mason University Writing Center web site: http://writing center.gmu.edu Updated 2006 Writing Business Memos A memorandum (memo) is used to make annou ncements, to confirm what transpired during conversations or meetings, and to request or exch ange information. It can be directed to a few specific people but often addresse s a group, entire team or depart ment. It is often written in the first person ( I or we ) and ranges from very informal to extremely formal, depending on the writer and the intended recipients. Its topic is narrow a nd should be apparent immediately. Since it is a business document, it is important that the writing be up-front and concise. A good memo summarizes facts, analyzes pertinent i ssues, makes a recommendation, and supports it. It is easy to get overly technical and use unnecessary words to describe a situation; attention to clarity eliminates any need for the writer to go into lengthy explanations . Remember, too, that a memo becomes the property of its recipients and is not “private.” Don’t say anything in a memo that you wouldn’t say in person. STANDARD MEMO HEADING Though the format for a memo may vary from one organization to another, the standard heading consists of a series of clearly labeled lines that convey key information about the memo’s contents and its distribution. The following are standard elements of a memo header: Date: The date on which the memo is distributed To: The person(s) to whom it is primarily addressed (sometimes with job title) cc: Name(s) of anyone else who receives a copy (sometimes with job title) From: Name of the writer, usually followed by his/he r handwritten initials (sometimes with job title) Subject: or Re: Concise statement of the memo’s topic THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN WRITING MEMOS: • Identify your audience befo re you begin to write. • Ask yourself, should this be persua sive, directive, or technical? • Be concise and come straight to the point. • Maintain a business-like tone. • Use headings, bullets, and/or numbered lists so key points stand out and the document is easy to read. • As when writing anything, each paragraph should contain one main idea. Also, try to keep each paragraph short. • Always proofread very carefully. Check all of your facts. • Don’t forget to identify any a ttachments. If not, a recipien t would not realize anything was missing. • Never include a closing. The “From” line eliminates the need. Management Reporting Case 2 In addition to the technical aspects of financial reporting, financial accountants and managers must understand the ethical considerations and implications of their accounting judgments. An awareness of, and a commitment to, e thical professional practices is critical to the preparation and use of financial reports by accountants, managers, investors, regulators, and other stakeholders. The Chair of Blue Nile, Inc. ’ s Board of Directors has asked you to evaluate Blue Nile, Inc. ’ s 201 3 Form 10 - K and determine how well it meets the CFA Institute ’ s Code of Ethics. This Code of Ethics can be obtained from http://www.cfapubs.org/doi/pdf/10.2469/ccb.v2014.n6.1 . Pre pare a memo to the Chair that contains an analysis of how well the disclosures in the Form 10 - K carry out the values expressed in the CFA Institute ’ s Code of Ethics. Describe each Code standard and discuss how it applies to Blue Nile, Inc. ’ s 201 3 Form 10 - K. Use examples from the Form 10 - K to support your assertions. If necessary, suggest how the Form 10 - K could be improved to better carry out the Code standards. Submission: Please submit your memo in Blackboard via Turnitin by 11:59 PM on the due date .