Consider the following table: Weights 25% Risk Solvenc 25% Repayme 10% Profitabilit 10% Liquidit Class y nt y y 10% Financial Efficiency 20% Collater al 1 X 2 X X 3 X 4 X 5 X Based on the above information, find the weighted average score using the single rating system. 3.5 O 2.8 O 8.2 3.8

Furniture Forecasting Futura Furniture Products manufactures upscale office furniture for the Office of the Future. The sales division comprises regionally based sales offices made up of sales representatives and regional managers. Sales representativeswho report to the regional managersconduct direct sales efforts with customers in their regions. As part of the sales process, representatives gather information about likely future orders and convey that information back to the regional managers. Regional managers use that information to create sales forecasts, which are then used as the basis for manufacturing schedules. Sales representatives and regional managers are both compensated on a salary plus commission (percentage of revenue as pricing is centrally controlled). However, a regional managers commission is adjusted based on regional sales that exceed the forecasted budget. Corporate managers are concerned with one of Futuras key products, the DeskPod. They worry that DeskPod forecasts are inaccurate, causing extreme havoc in the manufacturing process. How are the forecasts likely to be inaccurate? What do you think is driving this inaccuracy? How might this problem be solved?

Energy entrepreneur T. Boone Pickens has proposed converting the trucking fleet in the United States to liquefied natural gas (LNG) and using wind power to replace the missing LNG in electric power production. What infrastructure issues do you see that must be resolved before the Pickens plan could be adopted?

One of the approaches for the Southern Company to comply with the Clean Air Act is to adopt fuel-switching technology. Do you think this strategic flexibility would have value to Southern Companys shareholders? Why?