Family Link: Fill & Download for Free

Like so many measurements, infant mortality is calculated in different ways. Comparisons of results may indicate nothing if the results are measured in different ways. A false comparison may even be a lie.The United States strictly adheres to the WHO definition of live birth (any infant “irrespective of the duration of the pregnancy, which . . . breathes or shows any other evidence of life . . . whether or not the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached”) and uses a strictly implemented linked birth and infant-death data set. On the contrary, many other nations, including highly developed countries in Western Europe, use far less strict definitions, all of which underreport the live births of more fragile infants who soon die. As a consequence, they falsely report more favorable neonatal- and infant-mortality rates. Infant Mortality: A Deceptive StatisticIf the quick death of a pre-mature infant is recorded as a still-birth, which evidently happens in many other advanced nations, the death is not factored into infant mortality. In the U.S. the death is.One way of reducing official infant mortality is to leave any baby with a problem - a birth defect, infection, low birth weight, etc. - untreated so she quickly dies and is not reported as a live birth, so the death is not an infant death. In the U.S. such babies are almost always treated, always counted as live births, yet sometimes their lives cannot be saved.According to a World Health Organization report from 1988 (yes, it is an old report) the death rate of babies who had survived 28 days but died within one year of birth in the U.S. was lower than Norway, France, and the UK. International infant mortality rankings: A look behind the numbersThat same article states:In making international comparisons, an important reason for examining measures other than the IMR is that variations across countries in the registration of vital events may affect the overall rate. Because the number of deaths is always very small as a proportion of births, small differences in the way that deaths are measured can have particularly strong effects on the rates. Variations in the registration of live births indirectly affect the recording of infant deaths as well as live births; an infant death to be recorded as such, the infant must have been registered as a live birth. Death shortly after birth constitutes one reason an infant may not have been registered. Although registration of a live birth is supposed to be based on the WHO definition of any sign of life, not all countries subscribe to this definition (Haub and Yanagishita, 1991; Hartford, 1992). In France, a baby has to be alive at the time of registration, which could be 24-48 hours after delivery. If the infant does not survive to that point, it is recorded as a “false stillbirth.”…Japan has been known for its classification of some infant deaths as late fetal deaths (stillbirths), although some observers believe steps have been taken to correct the situation (Haub and Yanagishita, 1991). However, to the extent that this practice exists, Japan's IMR may be artificially low. To demonstrate the effects of potential variations in the classification of fetal and infant deaths, Haub and Yanagishita (1991) compared the number of fetal and infant deaths in certain countries. For most of the 19 countries in their comparison, the ratio of stillbirths (i.e., fetal deaths) to infant deaths in 1985 was between 0.45 and 0.60. Japan, which has the world's lowest infant mortality rate, had an unusually high number of stillbirths per infant deaths, 0.98. Haub and Yanagishita (1991) raised the question of whether social and cultural customs favor the recording of an infant death as a stillbirth, in light of the fact that infant deaths, but not stillbirths, are recorded in Japan's Family Registration System. This practice may occur because of a perception that the death of a child would be an undesirable entry in the registry.According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) infant mortality in the U.S. varies by race and ethnicity:Infant MortalityA nation of Asians would have a lower rate of infant mortality than a nation of Non-Hispanic Whites. Economic factors surely affect infant mortality, but it is hard to believe that Hispanic Americans, on average, are as prosperous as non-Hispanic whites or that American Indians are more prosperous, on average, than non-Hispanic blacks. Humans are unequal in many ways other than economic prosperity.If nations are to be compared, it is necessary that all of them gather and calculate statistics on live births in the same way and that all have similar ethnic makeups. No nation in Europe or Asia has the the ethnic and racial mix of the U.S.

Lars MittankLars Mittank was a German backpacker traveling in Bulgaria in July, 2014. While there, he supposedly took part in an altercation that resulted in a busted eardrum. He received medical attention, but family and friends were worried when they received cryptic texts from him saying he was being followed by four men.Lars MittankAt a local airport, he wanted to see a doctor to make sure it was safe for him to fly. This still is from security camera footage, which captured Lars sprinting out without his luggage, and then hopping a fence and going into the woods. He has not been seen since.Marco SiffrediIn 2001, Frenchman Marco Siffredi made history when he became the first man to snowboard down Mount Everest via the Norton Couloir, a gorge running down the mountain’s northern face. Amazing as that is, Siffredi wasn’t pleased – he wanted to snowboard down the Hornbein Couloir to the west of the summit, but there wasn’t enough snow.Marco SiffrediUndeterred, he returned the following year. After more than 12 hours of climbing, Siffredi reached the summit but was exhausted and possibly disoriented from altitude sickness. This photo was snapped just before he took off down the mountain, and was never seen again.Hannah GrahamThis photograph is of Hannah Graham, a college student who was last seen walking down a hallway before going missing. Hannah went out partying one night; no one knew where she was until she texted some friends that she was lost and on her way to a party.Hannah GrahamWitnesses also claimed to have seen her at a diner and possibly being forced into an older man’s car. Despite a thorough search, neither hide nor hair of her was found… until five weeks after her disappearance, when her remains were located. The aforementioned older man, who’d only met her that night, was convicted of taking her life.Elisa LamForewarning – this one’s terrifying. The young woman peering out of the elevator is 21-year-old Elisa Lam, a Canadian college student who was staying at the Cecil Hotel during a visit to Los Angeles.Elisa LamThe full footage shows Elisa entering and exiting the elevator repeatedly, and behaving erratically and fearfully, as if someone – or something – is after her. A model student, she went missing the same day this footage was taken, and found only three weeks later – inside one of the hotel’s water tanks. How she got inside the tank, or replaced its heavy lid, is anyone’s guess. Her passing remains unsolved.Geraldine LargayThe woman pictured here looks so happy, and it’s heartbreaking to realize this is the last photo ever taken of her. She’s Geraldine Largay, who decided to hike along the Appalachian trail alone, and it was taken the morning she disappeared, in July, 2013.Geraldine LargayShe would remain missing for two years. Finally, her remains were discovered by an Animal Planet film crew shooting a documentary on a completely unrelated subject. Her journal was also found, showing she’d survived 26 days in the wilderness, and knew that she was about to perish. Tragically, she was only about 30 minutes away from civilization.Madeleine McCannThis photo of a happy family relates to the “most heavily reported missing-person case in modern history.” How so? It’s the last known photo of 3-year-old Madeleine McCann (the girl on the right) briefly before her mysterious and much-publicized disappearance in May, 2007.Madeleine McCannIn a scenario that’s probably every parent’s worst nightmare, she was snatched from her bed in the middle of the night when the family was vacationing in Portugal. Authorities both there and in the U.K. pursued multiple leads and suspects, including looking into her parents, but no suspects were ever charged and she was never found.Hari SimranKnowing the backstory behind this selfie makes it heartbreaking. The man who took it, American yoga instructor Haru Simran, sent it to his wife during a shared vacation in Mexico, along with the caption “Looking down on you.”Hari SimranWanting to go for a hike alone, he took it on a cliff overlooking their hotel. The photo would be his last. He later texted his wife again, saying he had walked too far, and disappeared. His body was found four days later after a large-scale rescue operation, and it was reported he likely fell from a high cliff.Lisa AuLisa Au’s disappearance has been dubbed “Hawaii’s most mysterious unsolved mystery.” In 1982, Lisa, a 19-year-old hairdresser, left her boyfriend’s sister’s apartment after having dinner with them. It was the last time she would be seen… alive.Lisa AuHours later, her car was found on a highway, with the window rolled down despite the downpour. Ten days later, her badly decayed remains were found at a completely different location. Disturbingly, witnesses reported seeing a car with flashing blue lights tailing Lisa’s car. Could a cop, or somebody posing as one, had been involved? We don’t know, as the case was never solved.Lauren SpiererWe live in the age of constant surveillance, which has changed our lives in some imperceptible ways. Take Lauren Spierer, for instance. When this 20-year-old Indiana University student vanished in June, 2011, her last night was documented almost in its entirety by security cameras, which is where this still is taken from.Lauren SpiererShe was last seen leaving a friend’s apartment at 4:30am, walking on the road barefoot. Many theories were floated – including ones related to substance abuse – but nothing was ever proven and she remains missing to this day.Lisanne Froon and Kris KremersThis perfect selfie shows Dutch tourists Lisanne Froon and Kris Kremers, all smiles as they were hiking through a jungle paradise in panama in April, 2014. The two were supposed to be accompanied by a guide, but went into the dense woods a day earlier and simply vanished.Lisanne Froon and Kris KremersWeeks later, some of their belonging were recovered, including their cell phones and camera. The phones showed they tried calling emergency services for 11 days, while the camera had a series of 90 photos taken in near complete darkness. Eventually, some of their skeletal remains were found, but to this day no one knows what happened.Rolf BaeThis photo shows Norwegian adventurers Rolf Bae and Cecilie Skog sharing a kiss, just before they’d make the ascent to the summit of K2, the second-highest mountain in the world. They were no amateurs – Cecilie was the first woman to stand at both poles AND the tallest peaks of every continent.Rolf BaeThey loved nothing more than climbing together, but that passion would claim Rolf’s life. On their way down K2, Rolf ventured out under an ice cliff. The cliff collapsed, and took Rolf into the void with it. Cecilie then had to continue the descent without her husband.Brian ShafferIn detective fiction, there’s a sub-genre called “locked-room mystery,” where it seems impossible for a criminal to have committed the crime in question without being detected. In real life, that’s exactly what (maybe) happened to Brian Shaffer.Brian ShafferIn March, 2006, this 27-year-old med student from Ohio State University celebrated the first day of spring break by going on a bar crawl with friends. Their last stop was The Ugly Tuna Saloon in Columbus, Ohio. Security camera footage caught Brian as he was taking the escalator up to the bar. There is, however, no evidence of him leaving, and no trace of him was ever found.An unknown hikerThis photo shows a stunning natural scene. It was taken opposite the famous granite dome known as Half Dome, on the eastern end of Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park, California.An unknown hikerThe photo was the very last one snapped by an unnamed man, who’d been missing for a month after hiking in the park. The photo came from his phone, which was found in his backpack at the top of a cliff. Tragically, the man’s remains were located at the bottom of that cliff, and it’s assumed he lost his footing and fell to his doom.Dan WallickAir Force Lt. Col. Dan Wallick was no stranger to adversity, as he served four years in the Defense Department’s Strategic Command. His true passion, however, was hiking, which he loved doing through the mountains of Colorado.Dan WallickHe was supposed to meet up with a couple of his friends to continue the hike, but Wallick – an Iraq and Afghanistan War veteran – never made it. He had been lost for four days, when his remains were finally found at the bottom of a treacherous cliff from which he must have fallen. This is the 41-year-old Bronze Star winner’s last known photo.Gary BoxThis photo represents selfless heroism and the ultimate sacrifice. The firefighter is 35-year-old Gary Box, and he’s running towards the World Trade Center Towers on September 11, 2001. He would never return, and his remains have not been found to this day, leaving his family completely without closure.Gary BoxThen, nine years later, they finally got it, in the form of a photograph taken by a complete stranger. It showed a firefighter running through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel toward the Towers, while cars were stuck in traffic. It was taken by a Danish businessman, also stuck in the tunnel, who happened to snap Gary’s last photo.Jennifer KesseWe’re going to break from this article’s norm, but only because this is like something out of a horror movie. Florida resident Jennifer Kesse was 24 when she disappeared in January, 2006. Jennifer went to work and then left at the normal end of the workday – it would be the last time she’s ever seen.Jennifer KesseOn the way home, she spoke to her parents, then her boyfriend. The following morning, she – and her car – vanished. The creepiest part? At around noon, someone was caught on camera parking her car near an apartment complex and walking away. Unbelievably, their face was obscured by the railing, and they were never identified.Kenny VeachKenny Veach’s November, 2014, disappearance, which is straight out of The X-Files, can be traced back to an offhanded YouTube comment. Kenny commented that he was a long-distance hiker and mentioned an encounter with a capital M-shaped cave that unnerved him.Kenny VeachHe said the aforementioned cave in the Nevada mountains gave him a strange feeling that spooked him so much that he left without recording its location. Then, a month later, he commented again on the same video, saying he was going to try and find it. This is the last anyone’s ever heard of him. Whether he found the cave or not, he simply vanished.Natalee HollowayThe young woman in the middle of this photo is Natalee Holloway, an 18-year-old college student who disappeared in May, 2005, during a high school graduation trip to the Caribbean island of Aruba. She was last seen outside a restaurant/nightclub, in the company of three men – Joran van der Sloot and two others.Natalee HollowayNo charges were ever filed against them. Despite unprecedented search-and-rescue efforts, neither Holloway nor her remains were ever found. On May 30, 2010 – five years to the day since Holloway’s disappearance – van der Sloot took the life of another woman in Peru, and was convicted this time.David JohnstonThis photograph caught a man just before a historic, and catastrophic, occurrence – one which he was the first to witness. What do we mean? Well, this is United States Geological Survey volcanologist David Johnston, 13 hours before his passing as a result of the May, 1980, eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington state.David JohnstonIt was the most disastrous volcanic eruption to occur in the continental U.S. since 1915, and Johnston had a front row seat. “Vancouver! Vancouver! This is it!” he transmitted, before a blast sent him flying. His remains were never found.Tara GrinsteadThis is one of the last known photographs taken of beauty queen and high school history teacher Tara Grinstead. Then 30, Tara had been missing since October, 2005. One night before her disappearance, she visited a beauty pageant and attended a barbecue.Tara GrinsteadThe following week, when she failed to show up for work, co-workers called the police. At her home, there were no signs of forced entry or a struggle. In 2017, 11 years later, a tip led to an arrest. The culprit was a former student of hers, who broke into her house and attacked her, later disposing of the body.Natalia Molina ValenzuelaIn the age of social media, the last photos of people may come from the people themselves. This photo is a case in point. It was posted to social media on September 2, 2016, by a Colombian woman named Natalia Molina Valenzuela, who was a crew member on the Norwegian Pearl cruise ship.Natalia Molina ValenzuelaA mere six days later, when the ship was sailing through Funter Bay off the coast of Alaska, Molina jumped overboard. The U.S. Coast Guard searched for her for 42 hours, covering 340 square miles, but there was no sign of her. She was 24.George Mallory and Sandy IrvineIf this one seems like it was taken on a hostile alien planet – it’s because it sort of was. It was taken June, 1924, at base camp of the world’s highest mountain – Mount Everest. English mountaineers George Mallory and Andrew “Sandy” Irvine were part of a 1924 British expedition that tried to achieve the first ascent to the mountain’s summit.George Mallory and Sandy IrvineThe first two attempts were unsuccessful, and on the third Mallory and Irvine vanished. It was never conclusively proven whether they’d actually reached the top. Seventy-five years after disappearing, Mallory’s remains were found, showing signs of a fatal fall.Maura MurrayThis is University of Massachusetts Amherst nursing student Maura Murray, who disappeared on February 9, 2004 – five days after Facebook launched. The 21-year-old told professors she’d be taking a week off due to a death in the family – which turned out to be a lie.Maura MurrayShe then packed a bag, withdrew some money, and bought adult beverages. The black-and-white photo seen here is from the ATM’s camera. Murray got into her car and headed out of town, only to crash it on a snowbank. Police arrived on the scene 10 minutes later, but Maura was already gone – and hasn’t been seen since.Amy Wroe BechtelThis is one of the last publicly available photographs of 24-year-old Amy Wroe Bechtel, who went for a jog and never returned. Considering she vanished in July, 1997, there are shockingly few clues as to what might’ve happened.Amy Wroe BechtelHer car was discovered parked on the side of the road in Shoshone National Forest, but provided no clues. An intensive 10-day search-and-rescue operation found virtually nothing else. At one point, Amy’s husband Steve (seen next to her) was suspected, but he had an alibi. A $25,000 reward went unclaimed for so long that the family converted it into two college scholarships in Amy’s name.Sherry Lynn MarlerThere’s no mistaking this photo – it’s from the 1980s. It’s also one of the last ones ever taken of 12-year-old Sherry Marler before her unsettling disappearance in June, 1984. She and her stepfather were in a bank, and he gave her a dollar to buy herself a soda.Sherry Lynn MarlerShe was last seen exiting the bank, and crossing the road to the gas station across from it. When her stepdad returned to his truck 15 minutes later, she was gone. By the end of 1984, there’d been three possible sightings of Sherry – all unconfirmed, all placing her with a strange man, all saying she looked completely out of it. She has not been found to this day.Rebecca CoriamThere’s unsettling, and then there’s Rebecca Coriam. The 24-year-old was living her dream working on the Disney Wonder cruise ship when she disappeared in March, 2011. Had she gone overboard, as the cruise company claimed, had she taken her own life, or was there something more sinister at play?Rebecca CoriamCCTV captured her last images, at 4:45am the day she vanished. She paced the deck wearing baggy men’s clothes and tugging at her hair, looking distraught. The only trace of her remaining was a pair of flip-flops found near a swimming pool. But if she was truly gone, why had her bank accounts been accessed months later?Mary BadaraccoIt seems like everyone knows what happened to Mary Badaracco – it’s just that nothing can be conclusively proven. What do we know? She was last heard from on August 19, 1984. Her personal effects were completely gone as well, but her car was parked outside her home, with the driver’s side windshield smashed inwards.Mary BadaraccoHer car keys and her wedding ring, meanwhile, were on the kitchen counter. Her husband, who allegedly had been unfaithful and possibly abusive, told police he paid her a large sum of money to go away, and admitted smashing the car’s windshield. Her daughters don’t believe Mary, a new grandmother, would do that, though.Paula Jean WeldenIf she were alive today, Paula Jean Welden would be 91 years old. When she vanished in 1946, however, she was only 18. A sophomore in Vermont’s Bennington College, she got off work and wanted to hike the state’s famous Long Trail.Paula Jean WeldenSince no one wanted to tag along, she went alone. A group of other hikers met her on the trail, and she asked them some questions about it. They’d be the last to see her. Paula Jean wasn’t alone, though. Between 1920 and 1950, as many as ten people disappeared in that region, with some attributing the disappearances to either Bigfoot or UFOs.Grace MillaneSometimes, paradise can turn into something quite different. This was the case for 22-year-old British backpacker Grace Millane, who disappeared in New Zealand while hiking there just a day before her birthday. Through CCTV footage, local police had been able to pinpoint Grace’s last sighting – the Sky City entertainment complex in Auckland, on the evening of December 1, 2018.Grace MillaneTragically, her remains were discovered in a rural area a week later – a rarity for the tranquil island that led to a public outpouring of grief and comments even from the prime minister. A man is currently on trial for allegedly ending her life, but has entered a not-guilty plea.Mollie TibbettsDon’t let the face this young woman is making fool you – 20-year-old University of Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts was vivacious, sporty, and loved life and working with children. The still image is taken from a short, impromptu video recorded by her friend and co-worker Jarrett Rose that showed Mollie simply goofing off on July 17, 2018.Mollie TibbettsThe following day, she went for a jog near her home in the small town of Brooklyn, Iowa, and was never seen alive again. More than a month later, a man was arrested by police and led them to her remains. He’s currently standing trial.Audrey HerronIn August, 2002, it wasn’t just a woman who disappeared, but her car did as well. Audrey May Herron, a 31-year-old mother of three, finished her shift as a nurse in a healthcare facility in Catskill, New York. She then got into her car and started her drive home – about 12-15 miles.Audrey HerronShe has not been seen again in the 17 years that have passed since, and neither has her car, both completely vanishing off the face of the Earth. Audrey had received a substantial pay raise the day she disappeared, and was said to be completely devoted to her kids, making a voluntary disappearance unlikely.Kristen ModafferiConsidering her disappearance was so bizarre, it’s somehow fitting that the last known photo of Kristen Modafferi – snapped at a museum – was taken with her back to us, obscuring her face as her fate has been since she vanished in June, 1997.Kristen ModafferiNot long after her eighteenth birthday, Kristen finished her shift at a San Francisco coffee shop and told co-workers she might go to a beach party. Forty-five minutes after her shift ended, she was seen with a blonde woman who has never been identified. Kristen was last seen withdrawing money from an ATM, and then she simply vanished into thin air. She remains missing today.LaRece Simone HawkinsCarefree, smiling… and missing since May, 2018. LaRece Hawkins was an aspiring actress, and at 24 she was starting to get traction in the L.A. theater scene. She seemed to have all the reasons to be optimistic about her future. This photo, taken from her Instagram account, is the last she’d ever post.LaRece Simone HawkinsChillingly, she captioned it, “Going places and Doing BIG things! You may not know me now, but one day you’ll want to!” LaRece was last seen aboard the Escape, a Norwegian cruise ship. She went missing while it was 80 nautical miles from Atlantic City, New Jersey, and was never heard from again.Patricia KriegerMost of the time, people who disappear under suspicious circumstances are alone. For 65-year-old Patti Krieger, it was the exact opposite. In October, 2010, she was hiking the Sauk Mountain Trail in Washington along with six other people, including her fiance, and her 100-pound Rottweiler, Bear.Patricia KriegerThat hike is where this photo was taken. Patti and Bear separated from their group and went down the wrong trail. The others called out to her, but being hard of hearing, she kept going. So did they, assuming they’d link back to her later. They never did. Three weeks later, Bear was found on the mountain, alone. Patti has never been found.Matt WeaverIn the age of social media, it may well be that the last photo a person leaves may be digital – and not include themselves at all. Such was the case for Matt Weaver, a 21-year-old who went hiking in California’s Topanga Lookout Trail and never returned. This photo is the last he’d post to social media.Matt WeaverHours later, he texted a lady friend incoherently, telling her, “I just (want) to talk while I have the chance.” She texted him back, but received no reply. An investigative report revealed Weaver knew he would be confronted with potentially dangerous criminal activity – that may have cost him his life.Diana ZachariasFrom the outset, it seemed like Diana Zacharias’ dream of visiting the Grand Canyon was doomed. This 22-year-old Northwestern State University of Louisiana student hitched a ride to the airport with her dad in April, 2016, only to learn her plane broke down.Diana ZachariasHe drove her to another airport, and she made another flight – and wouldn’t be seen alive again. She set this selfie as her Facebook profile picture the day she went missing. When her mom texted to ask if she’s on her way to the airport to go home, Diana replied, “No, I am not going.” Four months later, her remains were found.Amy Lynn BradleyAmy Lynn Bradley disappeared from a large cruise ship named Rhapsody of the Seas in March, 1998. She was traveling with her family on a weeklong cruise, and this photo is the last one ever taken of her, alongside her brother, just one day prior.Amy Lynn BradleyThe 23-year-old was last seen by her dad in the early morning, but he found she was missing later in the day. The ship was on its way to Curacao at the time, and a thorough search upon arrival turned up nothing. Despite numerous potential sightings through the years, Amy remains missing – and may have fallen victim to human trafficking.Source : Chilling last photos of people before they went missing | Geeky Camel

Harvard Business School Brief CasesAccountingBiovail Corporation: Revenue Recognition and FOB Sales AccountingBiovail Corporation, a major Canadian pharmaceutical company, announces that it will miss its quarterly earnings target by $25 to $45 million, blaming $10 to $15 million of the shortfall on a truck accident that occurred on the last day of the quarter. Explores the concepts of revenue recognition, the ethics of earnings management, relationships with analysts, and the enforcement role of the SEC.Danshui Plant No. 2A plant in southern China has a contract to assemble 2.4 million Apple iPhones. Three months into the contract, the plant is operating at a loss. The plant manager analyzes the budget and considers whether changing from a static to flexible budget can help uncover the performance problems.Depreciation at Delta Air Lines: The "Fresh Start"After Delta adopts fair value accounting as part of its "fresh start" emergence from bankruptcy, the company changes its approach to depreciating its aircraft. Introduces students to depreciation policy and links between accounting policies and financial reporting choices.Jimmy Fu and Moog, Inc.: Understanding Shareholders' EquityJimmy Fu is interviewing for a job at Moog, Inc. In the job offer, the vesting and termination language for the stock plan leads Jimmy to investigate the Shareholders' Equity section of the Moog balance sheet and he finds more activity than he expects.Luotang Power: Variances ExplainedThe general manager of a coal-fired power plant in central China prepares for a presentation to the board of directors. He believes his company performed well in the previous year in several key metrics but the performance is not reflected in the financial results.Lyons Document Storage Corporation: Bond MathA manager must analyze the refunding of bonds issued in 2000, when interest rates were higher. Students must calculate the present value of interest and principal payments.Merrimack Tractors and Mowers: LIFO or FIFO?A CFO proposes use of FIFO to maintain earnings growth, accepting possible tax consequences. The case demonstrates that firms often have choices about accounting policies.The Talbots, Inc. and Its Subsidiaries: Accounting for GoodwillFocusing on the firm's acquisition of J. Jill, the case demonstrates what goodwill is, how it originates, how it is measured at acquisition, and how it is amortized or impaired.FinanceBlaine Kitchenware: Capital StructureIn response to an unsolicited takeover, a kitchen appliance maker contemplates using excess liquidity and additional borrowing for a stock repurchase. The company must determine the effects of increasing leverage on the cost of capital, firm value, and share price.Ceres Gardening Company: Funding Growth in Organic ProductsAn aggressive player in the organic gardening industry offers steep discounts and vendor financing to its retailers in an effort to increase market penetration. Students analyze the company's financial statements and make projections.Flash Memory, Inc.A small firm in the computer and electronic device memory market must invest heavily in new product development to stay competitive. The Chief Financial Officer is in the process of preparing the investing and financing plans for the next three years and must consider alternatives for additional funding in light of increased working capital requirements.Groupe Ariel S.A.: Parity Conditions and Cross-Border ValuationGroupe Ariel evaluates a proposal from its Mexican subsidiary to purchase and install cost-saving equipment at a manufacturing facility. Ariel corporate policy requires a discounted cash flow (DCF) and an estimate for the net present value (NVP) for capital expenditures in foreign markets. A major challenge of the case is which currency to use, the Euro or the peso.Hansson Private Label, Inc.: Evaluating an Investment in ExpansionA manufacturer of private-label personal care products must decide whether to fund an unprecedented expansion of manufacturing capacity. This case requires students to complete a fundamental analysis of the project, including the development of cash flow projections and net present value calculations.Harmonic Hearing Co.Two employees from a small manufacturer of hearing aids consider purchasing the company from the founder. Two financing alternatives are presented: one is virtually all debt-financed, the other all equity. The financing structure will significantly affect future products and firm performance.Hill Country Snack Food Co.The CEO of a snack food company believes in maximizing shareholder value by maintaining large cash balances and funding new initiatives internally using equity finance over debt finance. As he approaches retirement, analysts and investors want the company to adopt a more aggressive capital structure.Jones Electrical DistributionDespite several years of rapid sales growth and good profits, Jones Electrical Distribution experiences short-term cash shortages. The company is unable to take discounts on accounts payable and increasingly relies on loans from the bank to cover expenses. Company owner Nelson Jones weighs the options for managing sales growth against additional financing needs.Mercury Athletic: Valuing the OpportunityThe head of business development at Active Gear Advantage, a mid-size athletic footwear company, sees the opportunity to acquire Mercury Athletic and double the size of his business. Students gain exposure to basic DCF valuation using WACC.Midland Energy Resources, Inc.: Cost of CapitalThe senior vice president of project finance for a global oil and gas company must determine the weighted average cost of capital for the company as a whole and each of its divisions. Students become familiar with WACC and CAPM and associated data and formulas.Monmouth, Inc.A leading producer of engines and massive compressors for the natural gas industry considers whether to acquire a tool company. Students must choose an approach for valuing the company and consider how the offer should be structured.New Heritage DollA mid-sized, privately-owned, domestic firm evaluates two investment alternatives. The case explores basic issues in capital budgeting and requires students to analyze financial information from competing capital budgeting projects and choose a single investment project.Pacific Grove Spice CompanyA manufacturer, marketer, and distributor of spices and seasonings utilizes debt to fund the necessary growth in assets to support sales. The bank is concerned about the total amount of interest-bearing debt on the firm's balance sheet and has asked the company to provide a plan to reduce it.Polar Sports, Inc.A fashion skiwear company generates over 80% of sales between September and January and relies on seasonal production to respond promptly to customer orders. The VP of operations considers the costs and benefits of switching to level production.Sterling Household Products CompanyA manufacturer of laundry soap, cosmetics, cleaning and disinfecting products, and other consumer goods consider acquiring the germicidal and sanitation product unit from a company in the health care industry. A complete investment analysis may reveal whether the purchase price adds enough value to the firm.Valuation of AirThread ConnectionsA senior associate in the business development group at American Cable Communications must prepare a preliminary valuation for acquiring AirThread Connections, a regional cellular provider. This case can be used as a capstone valuation exercise for first-year MBA students in an introductory finance course.Winfield Refuse Management: Raising Debt vs. EquityA small, publicly traded company specializing in non-hazardous waste management considers a major acquisition in the Midwestern U.S. The chief financial officer wants the company to reconsider a long-standing policy to avoid long term debt and fund the acquisition through a bond issue.General ManagementApplied Research Technologies, Inc.: Global Innovation's ChallengesStudents analyze the decisions and the leadership styles of both a unit manager and a division VP of ART, Inc., an organization whose culture of innovation has spawned many successful brands—but this same culture might also be putting one division and its leader at risk.Calveta Dining Services, Inc.: A Recipe for Growth?Calveta Dining Services enjoyed three decades of growth under its founder Antonio Calveta. Now that Antonio is retired, can his son Frank carry out Antonio's directive to double revenue within five years while still maintaining Calveta's distinctive pro-employee culture?Clayton Industries: Peter Arnell, Country Manager for ItalyIn Italy, the new country manager of a U.S.-based HVAC company is under pressure to solve a range of problems that thwart the home office's strategic plans. His options are constrained by a depressed economy, difficult union relations, rising materials prices, intense competition, and nationalistic buying preferences.A Day in the Life of Alex Sander: Driving in the Fast Lane at Landon Care ProductsA driven superstar performer at a cosmetics firm has an impressive record of accomplishments but is limited by an inability to function effectively in a team setting, as a 360 performance evaluation makes clear.Evergreen Natural Markets 2012Kathleen Norton, the CEO of a successful food retailer with a track record of growth through local acquisition, has her leadership skills tested when her company purchases seven stores outside of the home base.Sugar BowlShelby Givens, the Westlake Lanes general manager, has successfully transformed her family-owned bowling alley into an urban lounge called Sugar Bowl. When investors offer to buy the business, Givens must evaluate whether she should accept the offer or retain involvement in the venture she worked so hard to create.Westlake Lanes: How Can This Business Be Saved?A general manager tries to improve a failing business that is owned and operated by her family. She uses her recent MBA training to devise a short term turnaround strategy while also proposing a longer term transformation plan to the board.HR ManagementCeleritas, Inc.: Leadership Challenges in a Fast-Growth IndustryCeleritas is a leading data communications company in a crowded and highly competitive market. With sales suddenly declining after years of record growth, Celeritas has begun to lose its status as a top player. The CEO calls for an offsite meeting to address several problems he believes are causing the recent slide.Raleigh & Rosse: Measures to Motivate Exceptional ServiceIn January 2010, U. S. luxury goods retailer Raleigh & Rosse is being sued by its employees for encouraging "off the clock" hours. At the center of the class action lawsuit is the famous Raleigh & Rosse performance measurement system previously thought to be the core of the retailer's success.International BusinessBella Healthcare IndiaBella Healthcare India was originally established as a low-cost manufacturing facility for a U.S.-based cardiology equipment developer but has since evolved into its own research and development center. After a failed joint product development effort with its parent company in the U.S., is the Bella Bangalore team ready to launch a new product and if so, which project should it choose?Kent Chemical: Organizing for International GrowthWith a global expansion strategy placing increasing demands on his organization, the president of Kent Chemical International is proposing a third reorganization effort after two failed attempts to better align his business with its U.S.-based parent company.Levendary Cafe: The China ChallengeLevendary Cafe has grown from a small Colorado-based restaurant into a $10 billion business with international expansion plans. Despite its solid track record, Wall Street is nervous about Levendary and its new CEO, Mia Foster. Foster is working hard to prove herself worthy of the job and her first order of business is to address concerns about the Levendary Chinese expansion plan.Meli MarineAn inter-Asian container shipping company is facing an important strategic decision after an interesting acquisition opportunity presents itself— if the board purchases larger ships, should they enter the global Asian-North American shipping business?United Cereal: Lora Brill's Eurobrand ChallengeThe European division for a multinational breakfast foods company prepares to launch a new cereal product. The VP for the division must decide whether to make the new cereal the first branded cereal product for the European division and how to create an organizational structure to support the new product strategy.MarketingAlpen Bank: Launching the Credit Card in RomaniaAlpen Bank considers whether to launch a credit card business in Romania. The firm rejected the idea several years earlier because of poor economic conditions in Romania. However, the country is emerging from a recession and incomes are rising along with disposable income. Students decide whether to launch the new business and how to acquire new customers.Atius GolfA maker of high-performance golf balls considers introducing a new product line called Elevate to appeal to casual golfers. The new line will be available through "off-course" specialty stores and big box retailers at lower price. The board of directors is divided on whether to support the decision.Atlantic Computer: A Bundle of Pricing OptionsAtlantic Computer, a leading player in the high-end server market, has developed a new server, the Tronn, and a software tool, called the "Performance Enhancing Server Accelerator," or PESA, that allows the Tronn to perform up to four times faster than its standard speed. How should Atlantic price the Tronn and PESA?Brannigan Foods: Strategic Marketing PlanningThe vice president and general manager of the soup division is concerned about declining sales and profitability. Hoping to reverse the trends, he asks 4 managers to review an analysis of the soup industry and recommend a turnaround strategy. Students must perform a quantitative analysis of each proposal before making a final recommendation.Classic Knitwear and Guardian: A Perfect Fit?In response to shareholder demands for margin improvements, the CMO of Classic Knitwear, a private-label non-fashion knitwear manufacturer, considers partnering with another company to produce a new line of high-margin, insect-repellant clothing.Clean Edge Razor: Splitting Hairs in Product PositioningA health and beauty manufacturing company launches a new technologically advanced vibrating razor into the highly competitive men's market for shaving products. The product manager struggles with positioning the product either as a "niche" razor for the high-end market or as a mainstream razor for the average consumer.Cottle-Taylor: Expanding the Oral Care Group in IndiaThe director for oral care products in India develops a marketing plan to support 20% growth in India but her boss wants to see 30% growth. To reach the revised goal, she must develop a new marketing plan while considering many factors including the regional differences between rural and urban consumers and the level of acceptance for modern dental standards across India.Culinarian Cookware: Pondering Price PromotionFaced with ambiguous results from a previous price promotion, Culinarian must decide if a new promotion will damage its premium brand or improve brand awareness and stimulate sales. What role should price promotion play in the company's sales growth goals?The Fashion ChannelThe new Senior Vice President of Marketing for The Fashion Channel is preparing to recommend a change in the company's traditional marketing approach by introducing a market segmentation program. Students must evaluate consumer research results, calculate financial scenarios, and make their own recommendation.Flare Fragrances Company, Inc: Analyzing Growth OpportunitiesFlare Fragrances experiences a decline in annual sales growth and considers introducing a new line of perfume or expanding distribution. Students study a wide range of factors including brand management, consumer demographics, product positioning, and pricing.Giant Consumer Products: The Sales Promotion Resource Allocation DecisionIn an effort to boost sagging sales, the Frozen Food Division undertakes a risky trade promotion. Focuses on cannibalization, brand equity erosion, and strategic channel issues.Harrington Collection: Sizing Up the Active-Wear MarketIn the wake of slumping sales and sagging profit margins, a leading manufacturer and retailer of high-end women's apparel must decide whether to expand into the high-growth active-wear market. The case explores the financial implications, assesses trade and competitor reactions, considers the risks, and determines whether the company's Vigor division will be able to successfully launch and manage a new product line.Launching Krispy Natural: Cracking the Product Management CodeA market leader for the sweet snack market wants to enter the salty snacks market with a reinvented line of premium crackers. Market test results exceed expectations in one city and fall short in 3 others. The marketing director must interpret the test market results, consider possible competitive response, and develop a recommendation for a national rollout.Manchester Products: A Brand Transition ChallengeManchester, a furniture company, has acquired an extremely powerful brand but can use its name for only three years-so the VP of Marketing must design a plan that transitions the new brand's power back to the company. The case examines decision-making related to brand equity, communications, and other aspects of marketing strategy.MedNet.com Confronts "Click-Through" CompetitionIn January 2007, "MedNet.com" is a leading website that provides science-based health information free of charge to online visitors. Its business model relies on advertising sales, primarily to pharmaceutical companies. In the face of fierce advertising competition, MedNet is forced to defend this model. However, in defending the value MedNet delivers, company executives may be building the case for why niche sites may be a better investment for the advertiser's budget.Metabical: Positioning and Communications Strategy for a New Weight Loss DrugThe marketing director at a pharmaceutical company must carefully consider the positioning and communications strategy for the launch a new weight-loss drug. Poor positioning of the drug in the highly competitive market for weight-loss solutions could spell disaster.Metabical: Pricing, Packaging, and Demand Forecasting Recommendations for a New Weight-Loss DrugA pharmaceutical company develops a new weight loss drug called Metabical. The senior marketing manager explores three different pricing models and considers the effects on profitability before making a final recommendation.Mountain Man Brewing Co.: Bringing the Brand to LightMountain Man Beer Company brews just one beer, Mountain Man Lager, known as "West Virginia's beer," popular among blue-collar workers. When the company experiences declining sales, the CEO considers launching a new beer, Mountain Man Light, in the hope of attracting younger drinkers. Mountain Man Lager's brand equity is a key asset for the company. Will Mountain Man Light enhance, detract from, or irreversibly damage the brand?Natureview FarmNatureview Farm, a Vermont-based producer of organic yogurt with $13 million in revenues, is the leading national brand sold into natural foods stores. When the company faces financial pressure to increase revenues to $20 million due to a planned exit by its venture capital investors, the VP of marketing must decide whether to expand into the supermarket channel.Olympic Rent-A-Car U.S.: Customer Loyalty BattlesA rental car company must decide how to respond after a competitor changes its loyalty rewards program. Marketing and operations managers review the firm's financial performance and the current loyalty reward program as they consider their options.P.V. Technologies, Inc.: Were They Asleep at the Switch?A leading manufacturer of photovoltaic inverters used in solar energy technology receives a bad evaluation from its largest customer. The company must consider the consequences to its reputation while considering among four possible responses to the situation.Reed Supermarkets: A New Wave of CompetitorsThe marketing VP at a high-end, conventional supermarket chain is concerned about increased competition from dollar stores and limited-assortment stores offering very low price points. She must decide how to change the current marketing and positioning plan to increase market share.Reliance Baking Soda: Optimizing Promotional SpendingThe new Domestic Brand Director needs to create a marketing budget that delivers a profit increase of 10%, weighing the value of advertising, price increases, and the role of the brand within the company. Students are expected to create and defend a similar budget.Rosewood Hotels and Resorts: Branding to Increase Customer Profitability and Lifetime ValueRosewood Hotels & Resorts is a small firm running 12 individually branded luxury properties. Its new leadership is contemplating whether the firm should significantly increase the prominence of the corporate identity, making Rosewood a corporate brand. Students must calculate how customer lifetime value would be affected by a shift from individual branding to corporate branding.Saxonville Sausage CompanySaxonville Sausage, a $1.5 billion manufacturer of pork sausage products, is experiencing financial stress because its leading product lines have lately produced declining revenues-except an Italian sausage named Vivio, which has recently experienced a significant increase in revenues, as has the entire Italian sausage category nationwide. What steps should the company take to expand Vivio into a powerful national brand?Soren Chemical: Why Is the New Pool Product Sinking?Soren Chemicals launches a new water clarifier for residential swimming pools called Coracle and is surprised by poor sales. Coracle is chemically similar to the company's highly successful water clarifier for large pools at recreational facilities and offers the same superior product performance. The marketing manager suspects the go-to-market strategy may be flawed but can she diagnose the problem before the end of the selling season?The Springfield Nor'easters: Maximizing Revenues in the Minor LeaguesThe marketing director of a new minor-league baseball team must design, conduct, and then interpret survey research to determine optimal ticket pricing that will yield large attendance figures and contribute to the owner's goal of breaking even in the first year of play. The pricing assignment becomes more challenging when other variables like concessions revenue are considered. Students are asked to complete a quantitative assignment as part of case analysis, and they must also grapple with less quantifiable factors.TruEarth Healthy Foods: Market Research for a New Product IntroductionTruEarth Healthy Foods wants to build on its successful introduction of fresh whole grain pasta by introducing a similar product concept for pizza. Acting as brand managers, students analyze the data and decide whether to bring the new product to market.Operations ManagementAIC Netbooks: Optimizing Product AssemblyA manufacturer of printed circuit boards diversifies it product portfolio by launching its own line of mobile consumer electronics. After three months of production, the production manager must consider ways to increase efficiency and lower costs.Baria Planning Solutions, Inc.: Fixing the Sales ProcessA consulting firm that specializes in using spend analysis to help companies identify savings is concerned about the disappointing performance of the sales team in signing up new clients. The sales director must analyze the current process flow to identify the problems facing the sales organization.Bayonne Packaging, Inc.A printer and paper converter specializes in delivering innovative packaging solutions for its customers. Despite tripling sales, the firm posted its first loss in over 10 years. The VP of Operations must analyze the production process and recommend improvements.Bergerac Systems: The Challenge of Backward IntegrationA manufacturer of diagnostic instruments for veterinary practices relies on two suppliers for the plastic cartridges used for a range of blood and blood chemistry tests. The CEO is concerned about inconsistent deliveries and considers acquiring one of the suppliers or expanding existing capacity.FoldRite Furniture Company: Planning to Meet a Surge in DemandFoldRite improves manufacturing quality and efficiency by developing stylish, environmentally friendly products. Now a new plan is needed to meet high demand, control manufacturing and inventory costs, and mitigate risk.The Morrison CompanyA developer and manufacturer of radio frequency identification tags (RFID) experiences a dramatic increase in sales over the past year. The increase exacerbates existing manufacturing problems and has led to increased shipping delays and inadequate inventory on hand.Scientific Glass Incorporated: Inventory ManagementScientific Glassware provides specialized glassware for laboratory and research facilities. Excess inventory is tying up extra capital needed to fund the company's expansion plans. The inventory manager is tasked with developing a more effective strategy for managing inventory.Organizational BehaviorAndrew Ryan at VC BrakesAndrew Ryan's excitement over a change initiative at VC Brakes turns to concern when organizational challenges surface. A subsequent restructuring puts him on the wrong side of politics and he must decide whether to leave or stay with the losing initiative.BoldFlash: Cross-Functional Challenges in the Mobile DivisionA new leader makes organizational changes to improve the product development process, but the changes may not go far enough.Campbell and Bailyn's Boston Office: Managing the ReorganizationCompetitive pressures drive organizational changes at a securities brokerage firm, with serious potential consequences for customers, employees, and the firm as a whole.Engstrom Auto Mirror Plant: Motivating Through Good and Bad TimesA plant manager confronts morale issues when, on the heels of an industry downturn, an incentive program stops producing payouts that employees have come to expect.Jamie Turner at MLI, Inc.Set in an industrial lighting company, this Brief Case describes the evolution of an interpersonal mismatch between a previously successful manager, Jamie Turner, and his new boss.Johannes Linden: Managing the Global Executive CommitteeIn the wake of an unexpected drop in manufacturing costs, the director of a large Swiss appliance manufacturer must convince his Global Executive Committee to revise revenue forecasts and sales targets for the upcoming year.Kay Sunderland: Making the Grade at Attain LearningAccount manager Kay Sunderland is surprised that her colleague Mike Morgan is potentially jeopardizing an important account by ignoring their employer's communication policy. Sunderland must decide how to handle the situation with both the client and her colleague Morgan.Martha Rinaldi: Should She Stay or Should She Go?Martha Rinaldi has been an assistant product manager at leading beverage company Potomac Waters since graduating from business school. Rinaldi is frustrated by her relationships with her boss and a close co-worker.MediSys Corp.: The IntensCare Product Development TeamMedical equipment maker MediSys is developing an innovative system for monitoring intensive care patients. Six months into the project, the product development team struggles through significant problems with design, schedule, a large competitive threat, and their own group dynamics.RL Wolfe: Implementing Self-Directed TeamsPlastic pipe manufacturer RL Wolfe introduces the concept of self-directed teams (SDTs) to its Corpus Christi plant in 2004. By 2007, Corpus Christi is outperforming the firm's other plants, and the production director seeks to understand which aspects of SDTs are working, which are not, and whether the other plants might be persuaded to accept the SDT approach.Ron Ventura at Mitchell Memorial HospitalStar vascular surgeon Ron Ventura's contract is up for renewal. He has improved the vascular surgery practice and generated much new case flow but is abrasive. How should his boss approach the upcoming performance feedback interview?Teaching Note available.Stone Finch, Inc.: Young Division, Old DivisionTo stimulate innovation and hasten growth in a young technology solutions division, an aggressive CEO milks the firm's cash cow, an old manufacturing unit. That unit soon faces key employee departures and sinking morale - and the newer unit runs into similar difficulties.TerraCog Global Positioning Systems: Conflict and Communication on Project AerialWhen a new product launch is threatened by cost problems, the firm's units are unable to come together and make a critical decision and a young executive must lead them forward.Thomas Green: Power, Office Politics, and a Career in CrisisA promising career appears to be headed off the rails as conflict deepens between a young marketing manager and his boss. Can this career be saved?Treadway Tire Company: Job Dissatisfaction and High Turnover at the Lima PlantLine foremen in a manufacturing plant are caught in the middle of an adversarial relationship between workers and management.SalesDesigns by Kate: The Power of Direct SalesThe sales representatives at Designs by Kate sell private-label jewelry at hosted parties. They also recruit, train, and manage teams of new sales reps. Sales have started to decline and the company must revisit the commission structure to determine if it is still effective.Service ManagementComfort Class Transport: Does Customer Service Need an Overhaul?Customer satisfaction with vehicles and drivers at a chauffeured limousine transport company is high and management has plans to expand the company into new markets. However, underperformance in the customer service call center could threaten the company's future.Delwarca Software Remote Support UnitA software firm provides telephone support for customers facing complex software integration issues. The manager of the remote support unit implements a new call triage process that fails to decrease customer waiting times and overall dissatisfaction. He must analyze the process and make recommendations for improvement.Playa Dorada Tennis Club: Expansion StrategyPlaya Dorada Beach & Resort in Boca Raton, Florida faces a growing seasonal demand for tennis services. The director of the tennis operations analyzes court capacity and pricing structure as he considers plans for expansion.Porcini's Pronto: "Great Italian cuisine without the wait!"Looking for expansion opportunities, a chain of full-service Italian restaurants considers launching a new chain of lower-cost, limited-menu restaurants. The vice president of marketing must develop the concept and also analyze three expansion strategies before the project can be approved.WrapItUp: Developing a New Compensation PlanA restaurant chain based in California offers made-to-order sandwich wraps using fresh, healthy ingredients. Management pilots a profit-sharing program at two restaurants to address concerns that employee turnover is high, customer satisfaction is decreasing, and revenue growth is flat.