Discusion

Discussion Prompt #1 - The firm's self-supporting growth rate is influenced by the firm's capital intensity ratio. The more assets the firm requires to achieve a certain sales level, the lower its sustainable growth rate will be. Many experts argue that it is better for an organization to grow organically or by putting the money back into the business and not taking on debt. Consider your own organization that you currently work for or have worked for in the past. What is their approach to growing the business? How would you advise your company based on what you have learned this week in terms of self-supporting growth?

Discussion Prompt #2 - Managerial entrenchment occurs when managers gain so much power that they can use the firm to further their own interests rather than the interests of shareholders. The shareholders are essential to the organization. For this discussion, consider that you are the CEO of a large public-traded organization. What steps would you take to ensure that your management team makes decisions for the better of the stakeholders and not their own interests? Provide specific steps based on your research of organizations that have faced this issue in the past.