Week 8 EOC: Chapter 8, Question 4

Answers: 

a.  In October 2009 total revenues were $545,000 and in October 2010 total revenues were $583,000.  

b.  In October 2009 GOP was $162,000 and in October 2010 GOP was $184,550.

c. The GOP Percentage in October 2009 was 29.72% and GOP Percentage in October 2010 was 31.66%.

d.  According to (Pg. 297; Managerial Accounting for the Hospitality Industry) "When it is high (over 50%), it usually reflects efficiency on the part of management in converting additional revenues into additional profits." Santi's hotel achieved a flow-through percentage of 59%. A "Flow-through was created by managerial accountants to measure the ability of a hotel to convert increases in revenue directly to increases in GOP." (Pg. 296; Managerial Accounting for the Hospitality Industry) So, My assessment on the percentage would be that Santi's hotel achieved a high flow-through percentage. (Pg. 297; Managerial Accounting for the Hospitality Industry) "Understanding the flow-through characteristic of a specific hotel helps management better understand the importance of incremental levels of revenue and thus the importance of utilizing truly effective revenue management techniques."

Week 7 EOC: Trump and Small Businesses

Under Trump Presidency, some major economic policy changes with Immigration, Taxes, Healthcare, and Regulations will each affect a business in positive or negative way. When it comes to Small businesses Karen Kerrigan, president and CEO of The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council) stated that “His agenda of lower taxes and simplifying the tax code, relieving small businesses of excessive regulation and red tape, competitive solutions for more affordable health insurance,” she continues to mention word of smarter trade agreements, and advancing growth-oriented policies. “Trump pledged to flatten the tax code from seven rates to three, with nobody paying more than 33% in income taxes. The alternative minimum tax would be repealed. Capital gains taxes would stay, but carried interest would be taxed as ordinary income.” Trump has mentioned gathering and deporting any undocumented immigrants in the U.S, and building a wall between the U.S. and Mexico. If he were to do so it would cost over $1 trillion to prosecute, the economies Gross Domestic Product would get reduced, and Small businesses would get affected in a negative way. Trump has changed his mind about what he plans on doing with healthcare, he now mentions keeping parts of the Obama Health Care Act, but there’s no certainty. Trump wants to be able to allow people to buy insurance across state lines, in all 50 states and work with states to ensure access to coverage for individuals who don’t have any. A constant complaint for small business owner is that they must take time away from managing their businesses to deal with time-consuming regulations. Therefore, “Trump plans on Asking all Department heads to submit a list of every wasteful and unnecessary regulation which kills jobs, and which does not improve public safety, and eliminate them.” That being said, I believe Trump Presidency will affect many businesses differently, but I feel Small businesses wont struggle as much through the change. 

Week 6 EOC: Pot in the Workplace

When it comes to deciding if marijuana is a good or bad thing in the workplace, there are many things to consider. The major one is safety, the reason any company would prohibit marijuana in the workplace. “Marijuana over activates parts of the brain that contain the highest number of these receptors. This causes the "high" that users feel.” (https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana) Which means your senses, body movement, and brain get altered. An employer wants to know he can trust his workers, and some users have been known to miss work or get injured. Medical marijuana is another thing to consider, “an estimate of 2,604,079 medical marijuana users throughout the states since Mar. 1, 2016 have been made legal.” (http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=005889) Patients who use marijuana medically should not have to go through drug tests, and should be considered a good thing. These patients require their “medicine” in order for them to function. Marijuana is known to alter your mind and body, but it can also be used treat cancers and diseases. It prevents nausea, relieves pain, and helps with weight gain; which can help boost an employee’s mood and can lead to a better work performance. But, “under Federal Marijuana Law cannabis is treated like every other controlled substance, such as cocaine and heroin. The federal government places every controlled substance in a schedule, in principle according to its relative potential for abuse and medicinal value.” (http://www.safeaccessnow.org/federal_marijuana_law) 26 states have legalized the use of marijuana, 7 states for recreational use. Each state has different laws limiting the use of marijuana, and just recently California and Nevada passed laws legalizing the recreational use of marijuana. So, considering the pros and cons I would have to side with it being acceptable in the work place.