Discussion Post

This week we started with an intro to financial management and learned that the goal of firm (and its managers) is to maximize shareholder wealth. This is a long-term goal, achieved by maximizing the long-term share price. Financial maneuvering to maximize quarterly profits or buying back stock simply to increase the firm’s earnings per share are not long-term strategies. The point is that by maximizing shareholder wealth (long-term share price), the firm’s customers, suppliers, and employees should also benefit. Bottom line, all “stakeholders” should benefit from shareholder wealth maximization.

The attached WSJ article discusses labor/employee issues at Starbuck’s and how this can relate to board of director issues as well. A key quote from the article: “The Starbucks board and executive leadership team regularly engage with all stakeholders, and we are committed to constructive dialogue that furthers our collective goal of creating long-term value for all stakeholders”

For this week’s discussion, find a company that is having board of director issues or “proxy fights” and how this may relate to shareholder wealth and/or activist investors. Your chosen supporting article(s) may or may not specifically mention shareholder or stakeholder wealth and that’s OK.

I’m looking for a discussion on board of director/labor issues at your chosen firm and how the firm and/or activist investors are responding to the issues.

READ AND NOTE THE FOLLOWING:

Before submitting your initial post on this discussion (and for all discussions), be sure to review the grading rubric, APA citation guide, and “Credible Sources” documents found in Moodle under the “Getting Started” section. Note, Investopedia and/or Wikipedia are NOT considered credible sources. Review the full Discussion Grading Rubric before submitting your post (word count, linkage to course material, etc.). As for each of the discussion in this course, at least one outside “credible” source is needed to support your discussion post, your initial post is due no later than Thursday night at midnight, and a response to at least one other student by Sunday at midnight. Please note that there is at least a 30 minute delay after you submit your initial post before you can see the other students’ posts and make a reply.

Example of an in-text citation

After businesses started to open back up after the COVID-19 closures, suppliers could not keep up with consumer demand because of the disruptions in their business operations due to COVID-19 shutdowns, which resulted in increased prices (“How do supply,” 2023). Later in the same post: As a result of the pandemic and increases in inflation, workers began to demand higher wages to cover expenses (Frick, 2022).

This student’s required REFERENCE section at the end of the post

Frick, W. (2022, December 23). What causes inflation? Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from

https://hbr.org/2022/12/what-causes-inflation

How do supply chain issues contribute to inflation? (2023, June 27). US Bank. Retrieved from

https://www.usbank.com/investing/financial-perspec…

Am I picky about the indentations and what is italicized and what isn’t? Not so much. Am I serious about the rest, yes. The point is to let the reader know exactly where specific info is from and where they can find the original data/information.

https://www.wsj.com/business/starbucks-labor-group-plans-board-fightdf47062b?st=oywx6hxoe3hn2f8&reflink=article_gmail_share (may require subscription, full article
below)
Labor Group Plans Board Fight at Starbucks
Coalition of unions seeks three seats on coffee giant’s board
By
Lauren Thomas and Cara Lombardo
Protesters among a coalition of unions and Starbucks workers rally outside a New York
Starbucks coffee store earlier this month. PHOTO: BEBETO MATTHEWS/ASSOCIATED PRESS
A labor group is seeking representation on the Starbucks board, ratcheting up pressure in a
battle between the coffee giant and its workers over pay and working conditions.
The Strategic Organizing Center—a coalition of labor unions including the Service
Employees International Union that owns a small Starbucks stake—is seeking to address
what it views as a failure by the board to oversee the company’s treatment of its workers.
The group has nominated three director candidates, according to people familiar with the
matter, kicking off what is sure to be one of the most closely watched proxy battles in
2024.
The window for shareholders to nominate candidates to be voted on at Starbucks’ next
annual meeting opened Oct. 25 and runs through this Friday, according to proxy materials.
Like most boardroom fights at large corporations, the success of this one will likely hinge
on who can win the support of the big index funds and proxy advisors.
Over the past two years, about 360 of the company’s 9,380 U.S. cafes have voted to join the
Starbucks Workers United union, an affiliate of the SEIU. Starbucks has resisted those
efforts, and Starbucks Workers United has filed more than 600 complaints against the
company with the National Labor Relations Board.
Starbucks has vowed to spend $1 billion on higher wages and expanded benefits for
baristas, and on Monday said it formed a board committee focused on complying with
responsibilities, including regulatory oversight and the environment.
“The Starbucks board and executive leadership team regularly engage with all
stakeholders, and we are committed to constructive dialogue that furthers our collective
goal of creating long-term value for all stakeholders,” the company said in a statement.
“Today, Starbucks has a diverse, engaged, and independent board with a balanced mix of
experience, skills, and perspectives,” it added.
The SOC argues that the fight over unionization has exposed the company to legal, financial
and regulatory risks while damaging the value of its brand—and potentially its share price.
The coalition, founded in 2006 and formerly known as Change to Win, has previously
submitted proposals at companies including Apple and Uber but this marks the first time it
has nominated director candidates.
Unions have notched recent wins for everyone from auto workers to Hollywood
writers and actors, in part because public support for organized labor is at its highest level
in decades and companies have wealth to share after years of strong profits. Even in
banking, which is historically union-shy, there are organizing efforts underway. But with
many companies tamping down on spending, the power balance could shift away from
workers’ groups again.
SOC has held an economic interest in Starbucks for years as part of its shareholderadvocacy portfolio, the people said. (Many of Starbucks’ workers are also shareholders,
through the company’s stock-ownership program.)
SOC’s nominees are: Maria Echaveste, a former senior White House official in the Clinton
administration and corporate attorney; Joshua Gotbaum, an economic-policy and
regulatory expert; and Wilma Liebman, formerly chair of the National Labor Relations
Board under President Obama.
While unionized baristas make up a small portion of the company’s workforce, they have
steadily gained traction since 2021, when workers in Buffalo, N.Y., voted to form the first
labor union at a Starbucks cafe.
Earlier this month, the union said thousands of unionized baristas went on strike on a busy
sales day for the coffee chain—known as “Red Cup Day”—as they tried to bring the
company back to the negotiating table.
It falls to Chief Executive Laxman Narasimhan, who only just took the reins from Howard
Schultz in March and is Starbucks’s first CEO from outside the company, to grapple with the
labor unrest. (Schultz returned for a brief stint as interim CEO in 2022 to help the company
navigate labor and operational challenges.) Narasimhan must also contend with
Starbucks losing its edge to rival
Luckin Coffee
in China, which Schultz has said represents one of the company’s best opportunities for growth.
The Starbucks Workers United union has said that Narasimhan should give priority to
negotiations with newly unionized workers versus spending his time working as a barista,
something he has done to get a handle on the business.
Starbucks, for its part, has said it prefers to keep a direct relationship with workers rather
than by going through a union. Schultz was called in March to testify before a U.S. Senate
committee on the company’s response to the union drive.
Some investors have already raised concerns regarding Starbucks’ management of its labor
issues.
At the company’s 2023 annual meeting in March, more than half of the shares that were
voted favored a nonbinding request of the company to commission an independent
assessment of its worker-rights practices. The proposal was also supported by both leading
proxy-advisory firms, Institutional Shareholder Services and Glass Lewis.
The labor group at Starbucks could also benefit from the required use of the so-called
universal proxy card that went into effect last year. Directors nominated by a company
must now be listed on the same ballot as those put forth by activists, enabling investors to
pick and choose rather than vote entirely for either one slate or the other.
Advisors had expected the changes in proxy-voting rules could encourage first-time
activists, particularly those fighting for social issues.
Appeared in the November 22, 2023, print edition as ‘Labor Group Bids To Join Starbucks Boardroom’.
In-text Citations
In-text citations are used in the body of a paper to show which sources a student used to support
their argument.
When you use material from a source—whether paraphrasing, summarizing, or directly
quoting—you need to document that source by using an in-text citation which corresponds to a
source in your reference section. All paraphrases, summaries, and quotes must be cited and
referenced. If they are not, then your use of the material is considered plagiarism which, of
course, can have SERIOUS ACADEMIC CONSEQUENCES.
Rules for In-Text Citation
1) In-text citations should include the author’s name, if available, and the year of publication.
2) Cite the last name of the author first followed by the year of publication. Do this each time
you use any material from that author (in the form of a paraphrase, summary, direct quote, etc).
This citation can be placed at the end of a sentence, or it can be incorporated into the
grammatical structure of the sentence.
Examples:
Thorough research has concluded that working out is a super fun way to spend an
afternoon (Sanders, 2016).
According to researcher Ryan Sanders (2016) working out is a super fun way to spend an
afternoon.
3) For a work by two authors, cite both last names followed by year on every reference.
Examples:
(Sanders & Hoffnung, 2016)
According to Sanders and Hoffnung (2016)…
4) For a work by three to five authors, cite all the last names followed by year on the first
reference, and the first author’s last name followed by “et al” and then year on every subsequent
in-text citation.
Examples:
(Sanders, Hoffnung, & Hammond 2016)
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(Sanders et al., 2016)
5) For a work by six or more authors, cite the last name of the first author followed by “et al.”
and the year for all your in-text citations.
Examples:
(Sanders et al. 2016)
According to Sanders et al. (2016)…
6) If no author exists for the source, use the first few words of the title for your in-text citations.
Examples:
Research shows that statistically, he who works out probably has, in fact, being on a diet
(“Diet Daily,” 2016)
7) If the material is a direct quote, the page or paragraph number of the source should
immediately follow.
Examples:
“I think every girl’s dream is to find a boy at the right time, when he
doesn’t want to be a bad boy anymore” (Hitler, 1939, p. 376).
Responding to criticism that her music panders to emotionally susceptible, hormonally
volatile teenage girls, Taylor Swift (2014) famously responded “He alone, who owns the
youth, gains the future” (para. 3).
8) Quotations with 40 or more words should be in block format.
A) Do not put a block quote in quotation marks.
B) Start a block quote on a new line.
C) Indent the ENTIRE block 0.5 inches from the left margin (in the same position as a new
paragraph).
D) Additional paragraphs within a block quote should have the first line indented an
additional 0.5 inches.
E) The in-text citation for a block quote is placed outside the final punctuation at the very
end of the quote.
F) Double space, just like the rest of the paper.
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APA: REFERENCES
The reference list should appear at the end of the paper. It provides the information necessary for
a reader to locate and retrieve any source you cite in the body of the paper. Each source you cite
in the paper must appear in your references; contrariwise, if a source appears in your references,
it must also appear in the body of your paper.
Your references should begin on a new page after the body. Label this page “References” (no
quotation marks, underlines, italics, etc) centered at the top of the page. The reference page is
double spaced just like the rest of your essay.
1) All lines after the first line of each entry in your reference list should be indented one-half
inch from the left margin. This is called a hanging indention.
2) Authors names are inverted—surname first, then first and middle initials. Do this for up to
seven authors (Author, A. A., Author B. B., Author C. C., etc). When authors number eight or
more, include the first six authors’ names, then insert three ellipses, and add the last author’s
name.
Example:
Potter, H. J., Weasley R. B., Granger H. J., Malfoy, D. L., Lovegood, L., Longbottom,
N.,…Hagrid, R. (1998). Dealing with Sadness—from Cedric to Snape. How to Defeat the
Sadness in One Books, 6, 476-542. doi:10.1080/13622200720003763650
3) In reference notes for journal articles, include both the volume and the issue numbers if each
issue of the journal is paginated separately (that is, if each new section starts over with the page
one). If the journal paginates continuously throughout the volume, then use the volume number
in the reference note.
4) Reference list entries must be alphabetized by the surname of the first listed author of each
work.
5) If you have more than one article by the same author, list the separate articles in order by the
year of publication starting with the earliest and ending with the latest.
6) When referring to any work that is NOT a journal—such as a book, article, or webpage title—
capitalize only the first letter of the first word of a title and subtitle, the first word after a colon or
a dash in the title, and proper nouns.
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REFERENCE EXAMPLES: BOOKS, REFERENCE BOOKS, AND CHAPTERS
Entire Book — Print Version
Format:
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (year). Title of work. Location of Publication: Publisher.
Example:
Sanders, R. J. (2026). The art of creative drawing: how to draw in a wall and make
it pretty. Baton Rouge, LA: Hopkins.
Electronic Version of a Print Book
Format:
Author, A. A. (year). Title of work. Retrieved from http://www.___________
Example:
Sanders, R. J. (2021). Strange things I’ve found under my bed. Retrieved from
http://www.something.org
Format:
Author, A. A. (year). Title of work. doi:__________
Example:
Coelho, P. (2008). Reflections of the warrior of the light. doi:13.1369/6666666666
Electronic-Only Book
Format:
Author, A. A. (year). Title of work. Retrieved from http://www.___________
Example:
Sanders, R. J. (2025). Life over and over again Retrieved from
http://thingsithinkabout.com
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Edited Book
Format:
Editor, A. A. (year). Title of work. Location of Publication: Publisher.
Example:
Sanders, R. J. (2026). Horror-terrors. Salem, MA: Blackwood Press.
Chapter in a Book
Format (Print):
Author, A. A., & Author B. B. (year). Title of chapter or section. In A. A. Editor & B. B.
Editor (Eds.), Title of book (pp. xxx-xxx). Location of Publication: Publisher.
Example (Print):
Sanders, R. J. (2026). Finding Modern Architecture. In J.K. Lovecraft & B. H.
Blackwood (Eds.), Modernist (pp. 66-82). Fullerton, CA: Blackwood Press.
Format (Online):
Author, A. A., & Author B. B. (year). Title of chapter or section. In A. A. Editor & B. B.
Editor (Eds.), Title of book (pp. xxx-xxx). Retrieved from
http://www.__________
Example (Online):
Sanders, R. J. (2021). Different varieties. In C. Hammond & R.
Hoffnung (Eds.), Reflections of the warrior of the light (pp. 15-150). Retrieved
from http://www.paulocoelhoblog.com
Format (Online with DOI):
Author, A. A., & Author B. B. (year). Title of chapter or section. In A. A. Editor & B. B.
Editor (Eds.), Title of book (pp. xxx-xxx). doi:xxxxxxxx
Example (Online with DOI):
Sanders, R. J. (2026). Architecture. In J.K. Lovecraft & B. H. Blackwood (Eds.),
Modernist (pp. 66-82). doi:13.1369/867523458123
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Multiple Editions of a Book
Format:
Author, A. A. (year). Title of work. (xx ed.). Location of Publication: Publisher.
Example:
Sanders, R. J. (2084). The revolution: the true (3rd ed.). Buffalo, NY: SSC Publishers.
Entry in an Online Reference Work (Dictionary, Encyclopedia, etc.) — Byline
Format:
Author, A. A. (year). Title of entry. In A. A. Editor & B. B. Editor (Eds.),
Title of reference work (xx ed.). Retrieved from http://www.__________
Example:
Sanders, R. J. (2016). The Day. In R. Hoffnung (Ed.), Dictionary of Day and Time
(Summer 2019 ed.). Retrieved from http://www.dayandtime.org
Entry in an Online Reference Work — No Byline
Format:
Title of entry. (year). Title of reference work (xx ed.). Retrieved from
http://www.__________
Example:
The Day. (1996). Dictionary of Day and Time. Retrieved from
http://www.dayandtime.org
Entry in Reference Work — No Byline
Format:
Title of entry. (year). In A. Editor (Ed.), Title of reference work (xx ed., Vol. xx,
pp. xxx-xxx). Location of Publication: Publisher.
Example:
The Day. (1996). In R. Sanders (Ed.), Dictionary of Day and Time (5th ed., Vol 1, pp. 98100). Bossier City, LA: SCC Publishers.
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Book Written and Published by an Organization
Format:
Organization. (year). Title of work. Location of Publication: Publisher.
Example:
The Earth. (2019). Arguments for a flat earth from scientists around the
World. Washington DC: Author.
In this case, “Author” is written in place of the publisher because the organization (in this
case the Flat Earth Society) are also the ones who published the work.
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REFERENCE EXAMPLES: PERIODICALS
Journal Article With DOI
Format:
Author, A. A. (year). Title of article. Title of Journal, Volume (issue), xxx-xxx.
doi: xxxxxxxx
Example:
Sanders, R. J. (2018). The Day. Journal of the Day Sciences, 13 (6), 33-36.
doi:8796546549756
Journal Article Without DOI — Internet
Format:
Author, A. A. (year). Title of article. Title of Journal, Volume (issue), xxx-xxx.
Retrieved from http://www.__________
Example:
Sanders, R. J. (2018). Tutors. Journal of the Helpers, 13 (6), 33-36. Retrieved from
http://www.awebsite.edu
Journal Article Without DOI — Print
Format:
Author, A. A. (year). Title of article. Title of Journal, Volume (issue), xxx-xxx.
Example:
Sanders, R. J. (2018). Great Tutors. Journal of the Helpers, 13 (6), 33-36.
Article in a Magazine — Print
Format:
Author, A. A. (year, Month). Title of article. Title of Magazine, Volume (issue), xxx-xxx.
Example:
Flow, A. (2016, June). No, I’m not upset! Women’s Mood, 333 (36), 6-12.
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Article in a Magazine — Online
Format:
Author, A. A. (year, Month). Title of article. Title of Magazine, Volume (issue). Retrieved
from http://www.__________
Example:
Flow, A. (2016, September). No, I’m not upset! Women’s Mood, 333 (39).
Retrieved from http://www.womensmagazine.com
Article in a Newspaper — Print
Format:
Author, A. A. (year, Month day). Title of article. Title of Newspaper, pp. xx, xx.
Example:
Sanders, R. J. (2078, November 23). Polar bears. The Success Times, pp. A3, A6.
Article in a Newspaper — Online
Format:
Author, A. A. (year, Month day). Title of article. Title of Newspaper. Retrieved from
http://www.__________
Example:
Sanders, R. J. (2079, April 13). Polar bears. The Success Times. Retrieved from
http://www.something.org/print_media
Report from University or Government Organization
Format:
Organization. (year). Title of report. (Publication No. xx). Retrieved from
http://www.__________
Example:
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Last updated: Ryan Sanders. June 30, 2016.
International Student Association. (2016). International Students at LSU Shreveport.
(Publication No. 33-1399). Retrieved from http://www.isalsus.com
Report from Nongovernmental Organization
Format:
Author, A. A. (year). Title of report. (Research Report No. xx). Retrieved from Agency
Name website: http://www.__________
Example:
Human, N. M. (2017). Tutors. (Research Report No. 11.2). Retrieved from Equal Rights
for Tutors website: http://www.tutorslsus.edu
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REFERENCE EXAMPLES: WEB PAGES (GENERAL)
Author Known
Format:
Author, A. A. (year). Title of work. Retrieved from http://__________
Example:
Sanders, R. J. (2029). The Day. Retrieved from http://daylsus.com
Author Unknown
Format:
Title of work. (year). Retrieved from http://__________
Example:
The Day. (2016). Retrieved from http://lsusfun.edu
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This information is proprietary to Dr. Lynn Kendall. Scanning, copying, website posting, or
reproducing and sharing in any form is strictly prohibited.
F28j
MBA702 Financial Management
Syllabus
This information is proprietary to Dr. Lynn Kendall. Scanning, copying, website posting, or reproducing
and sharing in any form is strictly prohibited.
MBA 702, Financial Management
LSUS School of Business
Spring 2024, AP1
Course Professor
Name: Dr. Lynn Kendall
Title: Assistant Professor of Finance in Residence
Office hours: Via email only, this is a 100% online class. I try to respond to all emails within 24 hours. If
you have not gotten a response within that time, please email me again. Please note that I
will check email over the weekend. Please include your full name in all emails.
Email: lynn.kendall@lsus.edu
Course Description
The study and application of advanced financial knowledge for managerial decision-making. Please note
that this course was FIN 701 prior to Fall 2021.
Learning Objectives
This course attempts to give you a more in-depth knowledge of the financial management topics, upon
completion of the course, the student will:
 understand and discuss the goal of the firm and the role of managerial performance in goal
attainment.
 utilize the tools and processes associated with capital budgeting to make investing decisions.
 calculate and understand the implications of firm and project cost of capital.
 describe the possible effects of capital structure and dividends on firm value.
The primary goal for this course is to solidify your understanding of financial management and broaden
your understanding of applying finance concepts in practices.
Course Structure
This course is 100% online and is delivered through Moodle. The regular course week runs from Monday
(12 a.m.) to Sunday (11:59 p.m.) except for Week 7. Week 7 ends on Saturday at midnight for all LSUS
MBA classes. All times are based on Central Standard Time. Only one Module will be available at a time.
For the purposes of this course, 11:59 PM is considered “midnight” due to Moodle settings. If you see the
word “midnight”, it means 11:59PM Central time.
Materials
1. Textbook
There is no textbook required for MBA 702. Course notes are provided under “Online lecture material”
and other supplemental materials will be provided in “Supplemental Readings for this Module”.
2. Other Resources
Each week in Moodle I will have additional resources listed, “Important additional resources and videos”.
Under this item each week there will be helpful “how-to” videos and other resources that will help you
master the week’s materials.
This information is proprietary to Dr. Lynn Kendall. Scanning, copying, website posting, or reproducing
and sharing in any form is strictly prohibited.
3. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Financial calculator
A financial calculator is highly recommended for this course because students score substantially better
using a calculator than performing the calculations longhand. A used calculator meeting course
expectation may be available on eBay. Some companies may rent financial calculators for a few dollars
per week. However, it is more cost effective to purchase it outright. Students who do not use an
allowable financial calculator will need to compute the calculations longhand and will not be extended
additional time.
TI BA II Plus or TI BA II Plus Professional calculator are the models that I recommend highly. HP 12c or HP
10bII Plus are also examples of acceptable models. These calculators are available (new) for as low as $26
(Amazon price as of 12/4/23 for the BA II Plus). In all cases, it is up to the student to master their
calculator. There are extensive videos online (YouTube is great). Note that all course materials and
instructor videos will be based on TI BA II Plus. If you choose to use an alternative financial (scientific or
graphing) calculator, it is up to you to confirm that your calculator has the necessary time value of money
capability and develop proficiency with that calculator. Not allowed for use during the Proctorio exams:
Excel, and financial calculator apps on your smart phone or computer are NOT ALLOWED.
Course Expectations and Policies
Participation/Attendance
Students are required to complete all course-related activities including reading the class notes,
read/view the important additional resources/videos, completing tests on time, and responding to
several discussion questions throughout the semester. Your online activity will be monitored. Moodle
automatically maintains a log of when you open documents and when you post to discussion boards. It
maintains the full text of all your postings.
Academic Honesty
Academic honesty and integrity lie at the heart of any educational enterprise. Students are expected to
do their own work and neither to give nor to receive assistance during quizzes, examinations, and takehome assignments. Deliberate violations of academic integrity (plagiarism, cheating, and
misrepresentation of information) and fabrication are not tolerated. Actions outlined in the LSUS Student
Handbook under Academic Misconduct will be followed for incidents of academic misconduct. All
students at LSUS are required to review Understanding Plagiarism, the university guide to defining,
understanding, and avoiding plagiarism. This booklet is available electronically at the following link.
http://www.lsus.edu/studentaffairs/documents/studentconductcode.pdf
Special Accommodations
LSUS is committed to making students with disabilities full participants in its programs, services, and
activities. University policy calls for reasonable accommodation to be made for students with disabilities
on an individual and flexible basis. However, it is the responsibility of the students to make their needs
known. If you have a documented disability that impacts your academic work and for which you require
accommodations, please see me or the Coordinator of Services to Students with Disabilities (ADM 227,
Phone 318-797-5365) so that such accommodations may be arranged.
Title IX Protections
This information is proprietary to Dr. Lynn Kendall. Scanning, copying, website posting, or reproducing
and sharing in any form is strictly prohibited.
Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 is a U.S. federal law that provides various sex-based
discrimination protections under educational programs that receive federal-level financial assistance. Such
protections include, but are not limited to, pregnancy/parenting and gender-based harassment. For LSUS’s Title IX
policy (PM-73) and informational brochure as well as contact information and forms for emergency and nonemergency incident reporting, visit the LSUS Title IX webpage.
Class Communication
As email is the primary means of communication, it is vital that you check your official school email at
least once every day. I will send out updates and other information at times and if you do not check your
email, you may well be missing something important to you. Particularly with respect to “where do I?”
“how do I?” type questions about the course, start with the FAQ and Vital Information link on the course
Getting Started section. Your academic coaches should be the first line of approach for course questions
related to discussion grades, assignment grades. Content questions should come to me by email. I will
respond within 24 hours and if this is a question that would benefit the entire class, I will post the
question and answer under the “FAQ” part of the course. You must indicate MBA 702 and your last name
in the subject line, otherwise normal response times cannot be guaranteed, a response will be delayed.
Don’t forget salutation and signature: Professional emails include salutation and subject line. I check my
email several times a day and on a limited basis over weekends. Weekend emails may take more than 24
hours for a reply.
Class Communication (Netiquette)
The instructor reserves the right to manage a positive learning environment and thus will not tolerate
inappropriate conduct in the course. Dialogue postings deemed inappropriate will be deleted from
dialogue threads. For example, comments or postings that openly chastise or criticize classmates will be
removed. Due to privacy laws, topics of a private nature, such as grades, should not be discussed openly
in threaded dialogues. Email your instructor instead. All LSUS students, whether enrolled in a regular or
online course, are responsible for behaving in a manner consistent with LSUS Code of Student Conduct.
Technology Prerequisites
A financial calculator is highly recommended for this course. See specific requirements above.
This course will require a personal computer (PC or Mac, no Chromebook, no phone), webcam with
microphone (internal or USB), Internet connectivity, knowledge of the internet, and knowledge of email.
Some students have chosen to purchase a computer which meets these requirements, specifically for
exams. Additional information about the specific technical requirements necessary for online learning at
LSUS will be available in the Getting Started section of Moodle. For non-PC users, it is your responsibility
to ensure that all files submitted are PC compatible so that they can be accessed for grading. Computer,
power, ISP, or related failures not directly caused by Moodle will not be accepted as excuses for missed
exams, late assignments, or other neglected activities. Because technology failures are not uncommon, it
is strongly recommended that you submit assignments well in advance of the deadline, allowing yourself
time to correct technology and other failures without missing a deadline. Technical support issues with
Moodle should be directed to Information Technology Services. ITS can be reached by phone at 318-7975221 or by email at its@lsus.edu.
Originality and Copyright
This information is proprietary to Dr. Lynn Kendall. Scanning, copying, website posting, or reproducing
and sharing in any form is strictly prohibited.
All work done in this MBA 702 course should be your own original work. LSUS maintains a university
license agreement for Turnitin, an online text matching service. Turnitin may be used in this course to
evaluate the originality of your work, along with other techniques to evaluate authorship rights.
The materials on this course website are used in compliance with U.S. Copyright, including a good faith
application of fair use. Additionally, these materials are only for the use of students enrolled in this
course.
Grading and Evaluation
Assignments/Assessments
Assignments
Exams (6)
Practical Application Assignments (2)
Discussion Questions (4)
Total
Percent
60%
20%
20%
100%
MEANS OF ASSESSMENT
MODULE EXAMS: Timed module exams occur weekly. Module exams may contain multiple-choice and
true/false questions; exams for Modules 1-6 (Module 6 is for weeks 6 & 7 of the course) will cover
material only on that specific module and each is worth 10% of your grade. The exams will be multiple
choice questions that consist of conceptual and quantitative questions. For each exam, only one attempt
is allowed. Each exam will be available for the last 3 days of the module.
Test material will be derived from reading assignments (Lecture Material, Instructor Videos, and Practice
Problems) and class discussions (Roughly half of test questions will be derived from practice problems, a
calculation question in the practice problems may appear as a concept question on an exam, and vice
versa).
Proctoring
All exams in the MBA program will be proctored using Proctorio. You are strongly encouraged to review
the Proctorio Resources page in the Getting Started section of each Moodle course prior to taking any
assessment.
During a proctored exam, you must be in a private setting by yourself, and the following items are not
allowed: course materials, course notes, sunglasses, hats, music, additional computer/TV screens, or
other distractions/devices that involve outside assistance. Outside assistance of any kind and
copying/sharing questions in any format are strictly prohibited and will be considered a violation of the
LSUS Code of Student Conduct, MBA Honor Code, and copyright law. The instructor will not administer
individual make-up exams. Exceptions will only be made for those unable to take an exam during its
scheduled time and have a university sanctioned excuse.
As a part of the testing process, prior to beginning the exam, students will be asked to stop and pan their
surroundings with a webcam. Students should therefore plan for a suitable “testing space” at home or
elsewhere. Students should review the Proctorio checklist and FAQ document found in the Getting
This information is proprietary to Dr. Lynn Kendall. Scanning, copying, website posting, or reproducing
and sharing in any form is strictly prohibited.
Started section of Moodle.
Exam Aids that are Allowed:
 After you have verified your identity, as a part of the required room scan, I need to see the exam area
around you. You must show your single sheet of scratch paper and 5.5 X 8.5 (or smaller) index card
with equations only (see FAQ/Exam-Equation sheet for details), and your financial calculator (TI BA
II Plus or similar) to the camera before answering any exam questions. NOTE: A calculator app on
your smart phone or using Excel is NOT ALLOWED.
Please note that exam deadlines are firm unless you have a university-sponsored event or doctor’s
excuse. Your professor may, or may not, make exceptions in certain cases of family emergencies or
unplanned work travel, provided supporting documentation.
No Return Policy
At LSUS, a major value associated with our MBA Program is AACSB accreditation, which means that we
exhibit the highest standards of academic excellence and integrity. The No Return policy states that
professors will not provide review options for individual quizzes, assessments, or exams. Professors will
share general results, but graded tests will not be returned. Upon student request directly to the
professor, more specific feedback can be provided on the type of calculations or concepts missed on an
exam. In addition, professors will review quiz and exam results to ensure question quality and overall
question performance.
DISCUSSIONS: Over Modules 1-6 there will be a four (4) discussion question that require your
participation. These discussions require that you post your initial response based on class readings and
research from other sources by Thursday at midnight each week. In addition, you must post a
comment/critique to another student’s answer by Sunday at midnight. NOTE: THERE IS A STANDARD 30
MINUTE LAG TIME AFTER YOU MAKE YOUR INITIAL POST BEFORE MOODLE SHOWS YOU POSTS MADE BY
OTHERS. This participation portion of the grade applies to all discussion questions. Participation is worth a
total of 20% of your term grade. In order to receive full participation points, you must complete your
initial post and replies by the deadlines listed here. A cursory initial post or an “I agree” type of response
will earn 0 points. No posts are accepted after the discussions close on Sunday nights at midnight. Please
see the Rubric in Moodle for more detail on this graded element. Be sure to review the “Welcome” and
“Getting Started” section of the course for the following: “Discussion Grading Rubric”, “APA Guidelines”,
and “What is a credible source” before the first discussion.
You are expected to craft and post a well-considered response based on your class readings and research
from other sources. It is best to respond to the discussion question after reading the assigned course
material(s) and/or article(s). To earn full points for each discussion, each student will have to submit their
own answer in the discussion thread, as well as respond to another student’s answer (To see other
classmate’s posts, you must wait 30 minutes until your editing time has elapsed).
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Over Modules 1-6 there will be two (2) “Practical Application” assignments
that will be based on the material covered in that specific module. The practice problems and the posted
solutions in the module will be your best guide for how to work each of the practical application
problems. These assignments are INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS and will require a combination of problem solving
This information is proprietary to Dr. Lynn Kendall. Scanning, copying, website posting, or reproducing
and sharing in any form is strictly prohibited.
(you must show your backup work!) and short answer. Each assignment will have specific directions
which will allow you to practice that week’s material. Submissions will be in MS Word, using the template
provided. Assignments are to be submitted to the appropriate assignment Dropbox by Sunday night at
midnight. Group work, whether it is two persons or more, is strictly prohibited and will be considered a
violation of the LSUS Code of Student Conduct and MBA Honor Code.
Grading
In determining the final course grade, the following scale is used:
90% – 100% = A
80-89.99% = B
70-79.99% = C
60-69.99% = D
Below 60% = F
Mandatory Accreditation Day
All accelerated online programs in the College of Business at LSUS now include an 8th module to collect
required assurance of learning data. This module is set aside specifically for assurance of learning, and no
course-related activities can be performed after the closing time on Saturday, as set by your professor.
This day of data collection will not influence your grade in the course and must be administered after the
conclusion of the course content. Therefore, an online assessment will be available on the Monday of the
8th week. Your participation is necessary for us to maintain our top tier business accreditation. This does
not affect the structure of your course, and your only action item is to login to Moodle on Monday of the
8th week and complete the 30-minute assurance of learning assessment.
Extra Credit Policy: There is no extra credit in the class, unless specifically highlighted in an
assignment. There are 6 exams, 2 problem assignments (practical applications) and 4 discussions, the full
course grade is based on the same items for all students. I will never provide individual students with
“special” extra credit options. Please do not ask for extra credit to help boost your grade “so I can get that
B that I need”.
Late Work Policy: Late submissions for Practical Applications and initial Discussion posts are severe;
see the Practical Application and Discussion grading rubrics in Moodle. Practical Applications are due by
Sunday night at midnight and Discussions close each Sunday at midnight. All Moodle exams close at
11:59PM, midnight (Central time). The final suggested Proctorio access time for any exam is the
allowable time for the exam plus 30 minutes. If you access the exam after this time on the last day of the
exam availability window, you may not have the full 60 minutes allowed for the exam. Those not taking
the exam will receive a score of zero.
Corona Virus Policy: COVID 19 is still with us, in a variety of strains. LSUS protocols require that all
students, faculty, and staff report positive results. Please see this link for all updates and reporting:
https://www.lsus.edu/coronavirus-updates It is important to report your status, even though this is an online
class. In order to provide any considerations with assignment or exam deadlines due to your COVID
symptoms, I must be notified by LSUS of this situation.
This information is proprietary to Dr. Lynn Kendall. Scanning, copying, website posting, or reproducing
and sharing in any form is strictly prohibited.
Important Dates, Spring 2024, AP1
Monday
1/15/2024
Wednesday
Friday
Tuesday
1/17/2024
1/19/2024
1/23/2024
Wednesday
Monday
2/14/2024
3/4/2024
Classes begin for spring AP1/1C
Last day to drop or add courses for spring AP1/1C
Last day for 100% refund for spring AP1/1C
Last day for 60% refund for spring AP1/1C
Last day to drop or resign without a “W” for fall AP1/1C
Last day for 40% refund for spring AP1/1C
Last day to drop with a “W” from spring AP1/1C
Classes end for spring AP1/1C, Required MAD must be completed in Moodle
Course Outline, Spring 2024, AP1
Dates
Module
Start
End
Topics
M1
Jan 15
Jan 21
Introduction, financial
statements & ratio
analysis
M2
Jan 22
Jan 28
M3
Jan 29
Feb 4
M4
M5
M6
Weeks
6&7
Feb 5
Feb 12
Feb 19
Feb 11
Feb 18
Feb 25
AND
Feb 26
Mar 2
Mar 4
Mar 4
Time value of money
Assignments
Graded Discussion 1 (All initial discussion posts due
Thursday at midnight of discussion week and replies
due by midnight on Sundays of discussion week.)
Proctorio Pretest must be completed by Friday of week 1
Exam 1, due Sunday at midnight (11:59 PM)
Intro Zoom will be on Monday the 15rd at 6PM Central,
see link in Moodle
Practical Application 1 due Sunday at midnight
Exam 2, due Sunday at midnight
Bonds (interest
rates/yield curve)
and Stocks
Risk/return and capital
budgeting
Exam 3, due Sunday at midnight
Cost of capital/raising
Exam 4, due Sunday at midnight
Last day to drop with a W in this course is Wednesday
Graded Discussion 3
Exam 5, due Sunday at midnight
capital
Leverage and capital
structure plus
Dividend Policy and
Merger & Acquisition
Basics
Mandatory
Accreditation Day
Graded Discussion 2
Practical Application 2 due Sunday at midnight
Graded Discussion 4 (initial post due by Feb 22 and reply
Feb 25
Exam 6, due Saturday March 2 at midnight
Required online assessment on Monday, March 4. This is
not graded.
*** Note the early end to Week 7 of the course: Saturday 3/2/2024
Additional Course Information
Syllabus Subject to Change: While information and assurances are provided in this course syllabus, content may
change in keeping with new research and literature and that events beyond the control of the instructor could
occur. Students will be informed of any substantive occurrences that will produce syllabus changes.
This information is proprietary to Dr. Lynn Kendall. Scanning, copying, website posting, or reproducing
and sharing in any form is strictly prohibited.
STUDENT RESOURCES: Information to help students THRIVE while attending LSUS.
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Email/call the office for Location:
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and sharing in any form is strictly prohibited.
LSUS SHARE
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Discussion grading rubric
Be sure to read the “Expectations” for discussions at the end of this document.
Discussion Grading Criteria, max grade = 30 points:






All the components below are present and complete and your initial discussion post is
submitted no later than Thursday at midnight for each discussion week.
Linkage to weekly course material is clear and logical.
Answer provides sufficient depth to cover the topic (250 words minimum).
o What is sufficient depth? This isn’t a term paper, answer questions that are posed
so that those reading your post understand your viewpoint. Outside sources help
support our viewpoints, providing background and/or context for the discussion.
o If you have specific questions about what is required, contact your academic
coach.
APA citation for sources provided (with a minimum of 1 reference, but no more than 5
references). The sources are of high quality (books, journal articles, reputable business
magazines, professional association publications, government websites etc.).
Investopedia (or Wikipedia) is not considered a proper reference. Wall Street Journal,
Forbes, Business Week, Harvard Business Review, and similar are considered
appropriate.
o If you are citing the course lecture notes, this is only good as a
SUPPLEMENTAL SOURCE, it will not be sufficient to have only the lecture
notes as your outside research. For citing the lecture notes, something like
(Kendall, M2.2, slide 12) is sufficient in text and it is does not need to be included
in the formal list of references.
o Please note that there is a standard 30 minute waiting period for your post to
process and be visible in Moodle. After this waiting period, you will then be able
to see other students’ posts.
Response is well written and free from writing errors (grammar, punctuation, sentence
structure, spelling, etc.)
Follow up response to at least one other student by Sunday night is substantial and
identifies specific aspects of the classmate’s initial post that is valid and/or invalid and
presents a reasonable justification for agreement or disagreement. (Follow up post does
not require meeting the 250-word minimum requirement)
 Late initial post deductions: Up to 24 hours late, -4 points, > 24 hours late, -8 points; no
credit for posts after Sunday night.
 Failure to reply to another student by Sunday night: -8 points
 Additional deductions will be taken for failure to meet the remaining listed criteria and
expectations (up to 6-point deduction for each criteria).
General Expectations for Discussion Forums









Prior to posting to the discussion forum, it is strongly recommended that you read and
digest course material from the module topic(s).
Excellent discussion posts will indicate that you have read the course material and
comprehend it fully but will also demonstrate relevance to the topic and/or questions and
will ultimately provide a “value added” response. Participation quality can be enhanced
and improved by linking work and life experiences to the topic at hand, referring and/or
linking to previously discussed concepts, providing full justifications for arguments and
avoiding minimalist responses (e.g. “I agree” or “I don’t think so” or “maybe”).
Participation quantity and quality are integral to excellent discussion posts. While you are
required to meet both quantity (word count) and quality standards, a qualitatively sound
response is integral to an excellent discussion post.
To earn the maximum number of points for your posts, your responses must be consistent
with the kind of depth commensurate with that of a master’s level student.
You should clearly and thoroughly address every aspect of the discussion requirement
with the appropriate amount of detail that removes any ambiguity about your position on
an issue.
Engaging in analytical thinking is a must at this level as it demonstrates an understanding
of each side of an issue well enough to impartially think on both sides of the issue.
Use relevant external sources to support your arguments as your opinion on an issue is
simply an opinion and not evidence. Be accurate when you use information as evidence
and incorporate relevant course information as justification for your arguments.
Please ensure that your responses do not include spelling and grammatical errors – use
spell-check or other software programs if need be.
NOTE: Your entire post should be made within the discussion topic, for example: do not
put your references in a separate document as an attachment. Further, please don’t have
your full discussion as an attachment, it is likely that it will not be read by other
classmates. I am not so picky on the APA format that “hanging indents” should be an
issue. The graders will not be going to attachments to see what else you might have
included.
o So, why are you allowed to add attachments if this won’t be included in your
grade? Maybe you found a great article or video that you think the rest of the class

would really benefit from and don’t think they would go to your references to
figure out where to go to get it.
o Put a note in your discussion post to let the rest of your cohort know that they
should check out your attachment.
As a final thought, please know that it is easy for us to recognize when we receive work
which has been done speedily with little thought and substance.