Ethics in Business
Consumers and attorney generals in more than 40 states accused a prominent nationwide chain of auto repair shops of misleading customers and selling them unnecessary parts and services, from brake jobs to front-end alignments. Lynn Sharpe Paine reported the situation as follows in ''Managing for Organizational Integrity," Harvard Business Review, Volume 72 Issue 3:
In the face of declining revenues, shrinking market share, and an increasingly competitive market... management attempted to spur performance of its auto centers.... The automotive service advisers were given product-specific sales quotas−sell so many springs, shock absorbers, alignments, or brake jobs per shift−and paid a commission based on sales.... [F]ailure to meet quotas could lead to a transfer or a reduction in work hours. Some employees spoke of the "pressure, pressure, pressure'' to bring in sales. This pressure-cooker atmosphere created conditions under which employees felt that the only way to satisfy" top management was by selling products and services to customers that they didn't really need.
Suppose all automotive repair businesses routinely followed the practice of attempting to sell customers unnecessary" parts and services.
Required:
1. How would this behavior affect customers? How might customers attempt to protect themselves against this behavior?
2. How would this behavior probably affect profits and employment in the automotive service industry?
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- L.L. Bean operates two factories that produce its popular Bean boots (also known as "duck boots") in its home state of Maine. Since L.L. Bean prides itself on manufacturing its boots in Maine and not outsourcing, backorders for its boots can be high. In 2014, L.L. Bean sold about 450,000 pairs of the boots. At one point during 2014, it had a backorder level of about 100,000 pairs of boots. L.L. Bean can manufacture about 2,200 pairs of its duck boots each day with its factories running 24/7. In 2015, L.L. Bean expects to sell more than 500,000 pairs of its duck boots. As of late November 2015, the backorder quantity for Bean Boots was estimated to be about 50,000 pairs. Question: Now assume that 5% of the L.L. Bean boots are returned by customers for various reasons. L. Bean has a 100% refund policy for returns, no matter what the reason. What would the journal entry be to accrue L.L. Bean's sales returns for this one pair of boots?arrow_forwardThe following data were taken from the records of Splish Brothers Company for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025. Raw Materials Inventory 7/1/24 $58,100 Accounts Receivable $28,000 Raw Materials Inventory 6/30/25 46,600 Factory Insurance 4,800 Finished Goods Inventory 7/1/24 Finished Goods Inventory 6/30/25 99,700 Factory Machinery Depreciation 17,100 21,900 Factory Utilities 29,400 Work in Process Inventory 7/1/24 21,200 Office Utilities Expense 9,350 Work in Process Inventory 6/30/25 29,400 Sales Revenue 560,500 Direct Labor 147,550 Sales Discounts 4,700 Indirect Labor 25,360 Factory Manager's Salary 63,400 Factory Property Taxes 9,910 Factory Repairs 2,500 Raw Materials Purchases 97,300 Cash 39,200 SPLISH BROTHERS COMPANY Income Statement (Partial) $arrow_forwardNo AIarrow_forward
- L.L. Bean operates two factories that produce its popular Bean boots (also known as "duck boots") in its home state of Maine. Since L.L. Bean prides itself on manufacturing its boots in Maine and not outsourcing, backorders for its boots can be high. In 2014, L.L. Bean sold about 450,000 pairs of the boots. At one point during 2014, it had a backorder level of about 100,000 pairs of boots. L.L. Bean can manufacture about 2,200 pairs of its duck boots each day with its factories running 24/7.In 2015, L.L. Bean expects to sell more than 500,000 pairs of its duck boots. As of late November 2015, the backorder quantity for Bean Boots was estimated to be about 50,000 pairs. Question: Assume that a pair of 8" Bean Boots are ordered on December 3, 2015. The order price is $109. The sales tax rate in the state in which the boots are order is 7%. L.L. Bean ships the boots on January 29, 2016. Assume same-day shipping for the sake of simplicity. On what day would L.L. Bean recognize the…arrow_forwardFinancial accounting questionarrow_forward2 Questionarrow_forward
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