Worldcom Ethical Dilemma - 979 Words

In 1998, Betty Vinson was promoted to a senior manager in the firm’s corporate accounting division. Two years later in her position she experienced a major ethical dilemma. The company WorldCom was a very successful company up until the middle of 2000 when the telecommunication industry entered a protracted slump. The company’s earnings were not Wall Street expectations, and it was saddled with unpaid bills. Vinson’s job was to repair the problem by doing some wrong accounting practices. The ethical dilemma is weather she should or shouldn’t do and the consequences if she does or doesn’t do. What ethical decision should Betty Vinson take? The first right decision is to do the wrong accounting practice. Vinson was told that it was only†¦show more content†¦The WorldCom employees could loose their jobs and causing higher unemployment. Other businesses could loose they’re jobs too if they had strong relationship with WorldCom. The picture would not look good for the community as a whole. The members of the board would feel guilty not seeing this mistake in their hands of power. The members of the board would leave the shareholders empty handed. All of this could occur if Vinson decided not to take any part of wrongdoing. WorldCom would have no chance producing revenue and therefore it would go bankrupt. The right decision I personally would make, would be the second decision-making. The reason for this action is because I care about my status and not off others. I care that I do not commit any White Collar Crime. My belief is that sooner or later the actions will be caught and I do not want to be part of it. I am pretty sure that I could find another job somewhere else with a great history of a job position. My primary virtue is to do the right thing. I hate doing something that I believe is not fair and unethical. I could not accept being a senior manager to Director of Management Reporting, when I know how wrongfully I did my previous job. I care what I love, and that is my family. If my wife urged me to quit the job, I would give thoughts about it but still agree with her. The ability to make my family happy is far more important than the employees at work.Show MoreRelatedCorporate Ethics and the Employee1555 Words   |  6 PagesCorporate Ethics and the Employee Introduction The WorldCom case presents two different responses to WorldComs financial difficulties. Betty Vinson acted unethically and illegally, was caught and was punished for it. Cynthia Cooper acted ethically and legally, was recognized and lauded for it. While their ethical positions might initially seem simple, the reality is complex. Likenesses of Betty Vinson and Cynthia Cooper On the face of this situation, there are many likenesses between VinsonRead MoreThe Concepts of Ethics and Social Responsibility866 Words   |  4 Pagesrational. People invest in irrational ways all the time, and sometimes that includes ethics, a good example being ethical mutual funds. Yet, even Friedmans argument does not discount that ethics can be a part of what is our purpose? or any other ethical question. An example firm could be the Body Shop, a company that earns its money specifically because it has a particular ethical outlook. The ethics of the company are a selling point, something that attracts customers to the brand. The ethicsRead MoreEthical Leadership in the Master of Science Leadership Program776 Words   |  4 Pagesdecision, their employees, and goals of the organization. There are many readings that describe ethics and leadership, but ethical leadership is basically knowing your inner values and having the courage to steadfastly live by them for the purpose of the common good. Southwestern Colleges Master of Science in Leadership program has given me a firm understanding of how important ethical reasoning is and how it impacts, good and bad, an organization. My first artifact, LEAD505 Leadership and EthicsRead MoreA Case Of Accounting Fraud1555 Words   |  7 PagesAnother major case of accounting fraud driven by the desire to build and protect one’s personal financial condition is the WorldCom debacle. Bernie Ebbers had to show continually growing net worth in order to avoid margin calls on his own WorldCom stock that he had pledged to secure loans. When WorldCom, the telecommunications giant, failed and was put into bankruptcy, the U.S. witnessed the largest accounting frauds in history. Former CEO, Bernie Ebbers, was convicted of orchestrating this accountingRead MoreEssay about Revenue Recognition763 Words   |  4 Pagesusers. In 2002, WorldCom a telecommunication company, filed for bankruptcy. It was later revealed that the company was involved with improper accounting in two major forms. First WorldCom inflated revenues to increase profits, thereby increasing stock prices, and increasing the satisfaction of stakeholders. Second, the company understated line costs. Revenue is important to users of financial statements because it helps them evaluate a company’s performance and prospects. WorldCom violated the revenueRead MoreWorldcom Failure1198 Words   |  5 PagesWorldCom Failure in relation to its Organizational Behavior LDR/531 - Organizational Leadership October 7, 2010 WorldCom Failure in relation to its Organizational Behavior INTRODUCTION Year 2002 saw an unprecedented number of corporate scandals: Enron, Tyco, Global Crossing, etc. In many ways, WorldCom is just another case of failed corporate governance, accounting abuses, and outright greed. Many people may question if there is a secret to operating a successful business in modern times.Read MoreVerizon Wireless1280 Words   |  6 PagesDevon Daniel Verizon Verizon stars with WorldCom in 1983 when Murray Waldron and William Rector came together to sketch out a plan create a long-distance telephone service. Long Distance Discount service, became their new company that began operating as a long-distance reseller in 1984. The new company grew quickly in the next fifteen years, over time it change to WorldCom. The company became one of the largest telecommunications corporations in the world. They also became the largest bankruptcyRead MoreEthics Assignment: Worldcom Case653 Words   |  3 PagesEthics Assignment: Worldcom case Introduction: On 21 July 2002, WorldCom, Inc., the then-second largest telecommunications company in the U.S. filed bankruptcy protection. Its failure was due to its executives’ bad business behaviors to manipulate earnings with improper accounting entries. The key persons involved in the fraud were as follows; CEO Bernard Ebbers, CFO Scott Sullivan, the accountants were Bufford Yates (Director of General Accounting), David Meyers (Controller), Troy Norman (DirectorRead MoreWorldcom Case Study16775 Words   |  68 PagesAn Ethical Dilemma at WorldCom: A case study of Cynthia Cooper The Scenario One May afternoon, while sitting in his cubicle at WorldCom Inc. headquarters located in Clinton, Mississippi, Gene Morse was stunned to find an accounting entry for $500 million in expenses, which was not accounted for with any invoices. He immediately reported this entry to his boss, vice president of internal audit Cynthia Cooper (Pulliam Solomon, 2002). Little did they know at the time that this discovery would beginRead MoreThe Ethics Of The New Employees964 Words   |  4 Pagesinfluence their followers to act ethically, they have first to communicate the ethical standards and continuously back up the same with real examples. This implies that writing a code of ethics is not just enough to step of indoctrinating ethics in the organization. As such, ethics should be inculcated early in every sphere of the organization life. Ethical leaders should be those people who do not tolerate instances of ethical lapses. Despite the spirited effort by leaders to curb instance of unethical

Ironic Twist in Shirely Jackson´s The Lottery Essay

What makes stories special is the ability to portray meaning between the lines. Every author has their own characteristics and spin that they incorporate into each of their pieces. These can include character genre, symbolism, plot structure, and irony. Shirley Jackson writes an ironic story about a small village who partakes in an annual lottery. The village looks forward to this day and moods are always high. However when the reader gets to the end of the short story they are shocked to find the lottery is a drawing for who in the village gets stoned to death. In The Lottery, Jackson surprises her readers by putting an ironic twist at the end of her tale, by filling the story with warming articulation, light hearted characters, but†¦show more content†¦Another method Jackson uses is making the characters seem excited and joyful. After the kids arrive, the men begin to gather, talking about planting and rain, tractors and taxes, normal everyday topics that men typically discuss. Next, the women begin to arrive, greeting each other and exchanging gossip. The scene Jackson is painting for the reader is of a common, ordinary gathering of the village like a town meeting only with something exciting about to happen. The town people are all standing around waiting for the lottery, talking, laughing, and carrying on. This is all part of the irony of Jackson’s story. Jackson creates these normal, happy scenarios like when Mrs. Hutchinson and Mrs. Delacroix were talking. It says that the two women â€Å"laughed softly,† after exchanging a joke (Jackson n.d.). This is another example that Jackson uses to make the reader believe the day is not overly important. The next light hearted segment we see in the text is when Mr. Adams goes to draw from the lottery. Mr. Adams goes to the stand where Mr. Summers is and they greet each other by first name. It concludes this interaction by saying, â€Å"They grinned at one another humorlessly† (Ja ckson n.d.). Jackson makes this drawing so nonchalant that the reader at this point is dying to understand what great reward is awaiting the winner of the lottery. Now the reader finds what the winner of the lottery

Hr Practice and Corporate Governance in Nigeria Case Study of Mtn Nigeria free essay sample

RESEARCH PROPOSAL 1. INTRODUCTION We might perhaps begin with an acknowledgement of the fact that capitalism is on the ropes all over the world. The observation by the one time British Prime Minister Ted Heath on the â€Å"ugly and unacceptable face of capitalism† , following the indiscretions of Tiny Rowlands in relation to the management of Lonrho in the 1970s may appear today somewhat feeble and tepid in the light of the trauma that capitalism has been enduring in the recent pass. The Global crisis of capitalism which has since come to be described as the â€Å"the global meltdown†, has necessitated the re-invention or re-configuration of the capitalist system if it not to expire. Whether it is called a stimulus, bailout, or recovery package, the truth of the matter is that throwing money at the current crisis without interrogating and identifying its underlining causes can only guarantee temporary relief (Oyebode 2009). The whole world is thrown into a state of confusion and gloom because of board schecism and corporate abracatadabra. The bottom line of the problem is that we have failed to embrace corporate governance. The issue of recruitment has also been lopsided. Without much ado, with all the recent happenings in our corporate world and the national economy we are left with no other choice than the weapon of corporate governance and recruitment that will see merit above mediocrity. 1. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM The issue of corporate governance and Human Resource Management has gained prominence in the world of work over the time because of its importance and its effect in the neglect (Oyebode 2009). We do not need go far before we see the menace of the neglect of this two great weapon. Bad Human Resources Management has killed a lot of company. Lack of good corporate governance has made a lot of organization to buckle under. They have failed to rise up where others have risen. Corporation creates jobs, generate tax income, produce a wide array of goods and services at reasonable prices, and increasingly manage our savings and secure our retirement income. Amid growing reliance worldwide on the private sector, the issue of corporate governance has similarly risen in prominence. The recent financial crises all over the world and particular in our industries have made amply clear why the issues of transparency and accountability in corporate governance are so important to investors confidence and to overall national economic performance. Avil (1998) said before you can get good corporate governance in an organization, the organization must be filled with the right people, in the right mix and at the right time, doing the right job always. He therefore linked corporate governance with personnel management. Human Resources Management itself is the branch or function of management that is responsible for identifying workers, attracting and getting such workers to join and stay in the organization, placing them in suitable position, motivating them, remunerating them and helping them to work together and to grow. Obasan (2002) concluded that for an organization to be what it ought to be , both corporate governance and Human Resources Management must work synergetic ally. Ekpeyong (2004) said one key element in improving economic efficiency and organization productivity is corporate governance, which involves a set of relationships between a company’s management, its Board, Shareholders and other stakeholders. 2. RESEARCH QUESTION The research question of the study will include: †¢ What is good corporate governance? †¢ What is Human Resource Management? †¢ What is the nexus between corporate and Human Resource Management? †¢ How do you measure national development and economic growth? Does corporate governance and Human Resource Management enhance productivity and national development? †¢ Who is responsible for corporate governance within an organization? 3. RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS †¢ There is no direct relationship between corporate governance and human resource management in enhancing national growth †¢ There is a direct relationship between corporate governance and human resource management in enhancing nationa l growth †¢ Good human resource management practice does not enhance organization productivity Good human resource management practice enhance organization productivity 4. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY If there is any problem that is hampering growth and productivity in our organization and national development, they are these two important factors we are considering today. This is corporate governance and human resource management. Human resource management has either made or mars many organizations. Many use the rule of the thumbs, many engage in partial recruitment and sentimental selection. The end result of this faulty recruitment is not far fetched. Over 45% of our industries are producing below their installed capacity. Many lack innovation and initiation. All we see about today is imitation and piracy. The problem that could be associated with this is that many of our organization are not filled with those who can do the job. The people who can give everything to achieve something. Productivity level is low and porous; organization problem keeps on increasing unabated and uncontrolled. National development is undesirable and could not take us anywhere. That brings about the major reason of considering this topic. We want to look at a means of ensuring a good corporate governance , putting a better human management in place and both combined together to enhance organization and national development. 5. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The purpose of the study among others includes: †¢ To determine the effect of corporate governance on organization and national development †¢ To determine the effect of human resource management on organization and national development †¢ To determine the relationship between corporate governance and human resource management as it relate to national development To determine the elements that makes up good human resource management practice †¢ To justify the reason why organization and the nation should adopt corporate governance and good human resource management as a means of organization productivity and national growth. 6. SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY Corporate governance and human resource management is a wide topic to consider, especially in t his case where it is considered in relation to national development. Our extent of study shall be the effect that corporate governance and human resources management can have on national development. The study will also look at the symptom of national growth and the indicator or yardstick of measuring national growth. Though a seemingly herculean task to accomplish. The subject will be the senior management cadre of MTN Nigeria. We are also going to look at their method of reporting, accounting and recruitment process to establish if corporate governance is really in effect within the company. The constrained face in the cause of the research includes: †¢ Time frame for the execution of this research †¢ Contact constraint. This are the challenges faced in meeting with our subject of our case study. Many are evasive, non-cooperating and look too busy to corporate. †¢ Financial and logistics constraints limit the number of questionnaire distributed †¢ Secrecy constraints are the challenge faced trying to look into their accounting record and the proceeding of their annual general meeting. Whether it is in compliance with the codes of corporate governance 7. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF MTN NIGERIA LIMITED MTN Nigeria is part of the MTN Group, Africa’s leading cellular telecommunications company. On May 16, 2001, MTN became the first GSM network to make a call following the globally lauded Nigerian GSM auction conducted by the Nigerian Communications Commission earlier in the year. Thereafter the company launched full commercial operations beginning with Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. MTN paid $285m for one of four GSM licenses in Nigeria in January 2001. To date, in excess of US$1. 8 billion has been invested building mobile telecommunications infrastructure in Nigeria. Since launch in August 2001, MTN has steadily deployed its services across Nigeria. It now provides services in 223 cities and towns, more than 10,000 villages and communities and a growing number of highways across the country, spanning the 36 states of the Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Many of these villages and communities are being connected to the world of telecommunications for the first time ever. The company’s digital microwave transmission backbone, the 3,400 Kilometre Y’elloBahn was commissioned by President Olusegun Obasanjo in January 2003 and is reputed to be the most extensive digital microwave transmission infrastructure in all of Africa. The company subsists on the core brand values of leadership, relationship, integrity, innovation and â€Å"can-do†. It prides itself on its ability to make the impossible possible, connecting people with friends, family and opportunities. MTN Nigeria also recently expanded its network capacity to include a new numbering range with the prefix 0806, making MTN the first GSM network in Nigeria to have adopted an additional numbering system, having exhausted its initial subscriber numbering range 0803. MTN’s overriding mission is to be a catalyst for Nigeria’s economic growth and development, helping to unleash Nigeria’s strong developmental potential not only through the provision of world class communications but also through innovative and sustainable corporate social responsibility initiative 8. OPERATIONAL DEFINITION The concepts used in the research will be defined as follow: †¢ Corporate governance: Refers to the relationship among the Board, the Directors and the top management in determining the direction and performance of any organization. Human Resource Management: Involves all management decisions and actions that affect the nature of the relationship between the organization and its employees or human resources as the case may be. †¢ Corporate Governance Code: It is the guide and principles of relationship among the industrial stakeholders. †¢ Stakeholders: Are those who are by virtue of their location or better still relationships connected with the operations of the organization. †¢ Shareholders: Are the owners of the organization †¢ Board of Directors: Are the set of people at the highest hierarchy of the organization that check, ratify the decision of management. REFERENCES †¢ O. B Fagbohungbe (2003) the dynamics of corporate governance and policy monitoring. Paper delivered at the Institute of Corporate and Business Affairs Management (ICBAM) †¢ Martin Check (1998) Principles of corporate governance. Harvard Business Review. HBS Press †¢ Folayan Ojo (2006) Personnel Management: Theories and Issue; Panaf Publishing inc, Lagos †¢ Donald J. Johnson (2004) OECD Principles of Corporate Governance. OECD Publication Services, Paris †¢ Joseph Sanusi (2002) Promoting good corporate governance: Issues and challenges. Keynote address delivered at the Annual Directors Seminar organized by FITC, Abuja

The U-2 Essays - Black Projects, Signals Intelligence,

The U-2 The U-2 CIA ? Air Force Reasons: Soviet air defense was aggressive April 8, 1950 ? USSR shot down a US Privateer over Baltic Autumn 1951 ? USSR downed a Twin-Engine Navy Neptune bomber June 13 1952 ? USSR allegedly downed a RB-29 Also scattered reports from Britain and Turkey After USSR backed N. Korea fear of USSR expansion grew Development: Civilian or Air Force? After many letters the decision for who to run development came from president Eisenhower who instructed that if a uniformed test pilot was captured in USSR in peacetime problems would arouse so a civilian team was called for development. Funding I would like to note that this segment in many reports was covered with black marker You try to read a sentence blacked out like this s and understand it. The Team James R. Killian, Jr. Director of Scientist --- President of MIT His team of engineers worked no more that 50 feet from the assembly line. Problems were recognized and fixed in a few hours of draft productions. The Place Lockheed Martin's Advanced Development facility in Burbank, CA AKA Skunk Works The Plane: The design called for a lightweight aircraft for ultrahigh flight. Tail The long tail was bolted to the body was only 3 bolts. This design was similar to a sailplane, which is also known for its lightweight. Wings The wing spar went through the fuselage. The panels were bolted to the side of the fuselage. (Sailplane) Amazingly the wings where integrated fuel tanks keeping almost all of the U-2's fuel. Nose and Landing Gear The nose was curved upwards to keep stabilized during wind gusts. (Sailplane) The landing was a complex set of bicycle like gears that weight 208 pounds but had the capability to withstand the touchdown of a 7-ton aircraft. Camera After developing 2 cameras each too large or too heavy a camera a camera was then developed using 3 mirrors and a prism to meet the size and weight requirements of the U-2 ?Spacesuits? One of the first partially pressurized suits for high altitude flight was developed for specifically for the U-2. The cockpit kept a constant pressure 28,000 ft. This was at an outside pressure of a ?window cracking' 70,000 feet or more. If the pressure suddenly decreased the suit would automatically inflate and administrate oxygen to the pilot. (Blood boils after 65,000ft) Fuel The CIA called on the vice president of Shell Oil Co. to make a low-volatility, low-vapor kerosene fuel. A fuel with the boiling point of 300?F Security I wish I could fly like an eagle to the see fly like and eagle like my spirits carry me I want to fly. Right into the future ? I want to fly again. Over flights: First The first over flight of the U-2 was over Leningrad. Its target was to observe ship and submarines at bay. The Soviets caught glimpses of the U-2 but never accurately recognized the neither plane nor flight path. The USSR sent a letter to the White House describing the detection a Twin-Engine Navy Neptune bomber over USSR. The USSR was grossly wrong in the description of the U-2 and could not sustain the U-2 on radar for more than a few seconds. Nevertheless Eisenhower closed all over flights Renewal Eisenhower later renewed the U-2 program. But after taking pictures of Yerevan, USSR, The aircraft malfunctioned, and was forced to return to base. In another flight a pilot nick-named the ?Lemon Drop Kick' was to fly over Bulgaria. The reason he was called that was because he always sucked on lemon hard candies during flight. But on that day the solider suiting him up put a L-pill in his pocket, unknowingly with the hard candies. L-pill being a suicide pill filled with potassium cyanide. He took off and started to eat his candy. He felt one of the pills had no flavor. Without biting into it he removed his faceplate and spit it out. The pilot was fine, but a thin glass coating away from death. More flights over the USSR west border were conducted with target cites and testing areas. Operation GRAND SLAM, the last over flight The flight was the first transit over the Soviet Union, all previous flight flew halfway in then turned around and retraced it's flight. The flight would have been sooner, but the weather did not permit it. So CIA asked for more time. President Eisenhower demanded that no flights to

Wizard of Oz free essay sample

There were many theoretical assumptions made by people however the author continued to say it was merely a childrens book. There was never any proof justifying what people assumed about the story. The strengths Of this article were all the evidence from the book. Dorothy wearing silver shoes on a golden road could have meant many things. A key plank in the populist platform was a demand for free silver. The good witch who wore white could have been another political analogy. The word Oz itself s another word for an ounce of gold or silver.Bam, the author of The Wizard of Oz had also written about politics previously. Many of those things could have a deeper meaning, but to most people its just a childrens story. He claimed that the story was neither a pro-Populist parable nor an anti- populist parable. The author of The Wizard of Oz aimed not to teach but to entertain; he aimed to amuse not to lecture. We will write a custom essay sample on Wizard of Oz or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Therefore, he believed the story is best viewed as a symbolic and satirical representation of the populist event and politics.What is known to most people as a childrens book can also be considered a political story. Oz operates on two levels, one literal and the other symbolic and political. Its fascinating how the author incorporates it on both levels. However, the weakness in this article was that there was no proof. It was all just rumors and hearsay. The point he was trying to prove couldnt be proven. Anyone can misinterpret a story or say what they think the author meant, but only the author himself will know the true meaning.

The Function and Location of the Pineal Gland

The Function and Location of the Pineal Gland The pineal gland is a small, pinecone-shaped gland of the endocrine system. A structure of the diencephalon of the brain, the pineal gland produces the hormone melatonin. Melatonin influences sexual development and sleep-wake cycles. The pineal gland is composed of cells called pinealocytes and cells of the nervous system called glial cells. The pineal gland connects the endocrine system with the nervous system in that it converts nerve signals from the sympathetic system of the peripheral nervous system into hormone signals. Over time, calcium deposits build-up in the pineal and its accumulation can lead to calcification in the elderly. Function The pineal gland is involved in several functions of the body including: Secretion of the hormone melatoninRegulation of endocrine functionsConversion of nervous system signals to endocrine signalsCauses sleepinessInfluences sexual developmentInfluences immune system functionAntioxidant activity Location Directionally the pineal gland is situated between the cerebral hemispheres and attached to the third ventricle. It is located in the center of the brain. Pineal Gland and Melatonin Melatonin is produced within the pineal gland and synthesized from the neurotransmitter serotonin. It is secreted into the cerbrospinal fluid of the third ventricle and is directed from there into the blood. Upon entering the bloodstream, melatonin can be circulated throughout the body. Melatonin is also produced by other body cells and organs including retinal cells, white blood cells, gonads, and skin. Melatonin production is vital to the regulation of sleep-wake cycles (circadian rhythm) and its production is determined by light and dark detection. The retina sends signals about light and dark detection to an area of the brain called the hypothalamus. These signals are eventually relayed to the pineal gland. The more light detected, the less melatonin produced and released into the blood. Melatonin levels are at their highest during the night and this promotes changes in the body that help us to sleep. Low levels of melatonin during daylight hours help us to stay awake. Melatonin has been used in the treatment of sleep-related disorders including jet lag and shift-work sleep disorder. In both of these cases, a persons circadian rhythm is disrupted either due to travel across multiple time zones or due to working night shifts or rotating shifts. Melatonin has also been used in the treatment of insomnia and depressive disorder. Melatonin influences the development of reproductive system structures as well. It inhibits the release of certain reproductive hormones from the pituitary gland that affect male and female reproductive organs. These pituitary hormones, known as gonadotropins, stimulate gonads to release sex hormones. Melatonin, therefore, regulates sexual development. In animals, melatonin plays a role in regulating mating seasons. Pineal Gland Dysfunction Should the pineal gland begin to function abnormally, a number of problems may result. If the pineal gland is not able to produce sufficient amounts of melatonin, a person could experience insomnia, anxiety, low thyroid hormone production (hypothyroidism), menopause symptoms, or intestinal hyperactivity. If the pineal gland produces too much melatonin, a person could experience low blood pressure, abnormal function of the adrenal and thyroid glands, or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD is a depressive disorder that some individuals experience during the winter months when sunlight is minimal. Sources Emerson, Charles H. â€Å"Pineal Gland.†Ã‚  Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, www.britannica.com/science/pineal-gland.Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. â€Å"Melatonin.†Ã‚  Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, www.britannica.com/science/melatonin.

Case Study Analysis of Whole Foods Market Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Analysis of Whole Foods Market - Case Study Example In the last 30 years, sales of organic products have increased by 30 percent, driven by changing consumer habits in healthier eating and lifestyle (Gemma, 2009; Thompson, 2008). More consumption of organic products and healthier lifestyle products have made this an attractive procurement model for many different grocers and specialty stores to keep up with this increase in consumer demand. Thus, Whole Foods no longer corners the market and runs the risk of losing market share to new competition in key target markets. Using Porter’s Five Forces as the relevant example, Whole Foods operates in a market environment where there is relative ease of entry by competition, a market where competitive rivalry does not require complex technologies or capital investment to differentiate, where there is relative ease of product substitution for consumers, and where there is relatively low bargaining power for Whole Foods within the supply chain. In fact, Whole Foods acknowledges in its 201 0 annual report that the business maintains many different risks associated with current and future unpredictable supply fluctuations that makes forecasting and procurement difficult to manage (Whole Foods, 2010). The supply chain is significantly impacted by changing laws on organic and health-related products (Whole Foods, 2010) that can create harsher product formulation changes. At the same time, increase in competitive procurement of organic products has the ability to limit supply, thus raising prices within the supply chain against the laws of supply and demand (Boyes & Melvin, 2005). High availability of substitutes and increasing competitive rivalry in marketing, supply and differentiation give consumers considerable buying power in this market which forces Whole Foods to continuously monitor the marketing environment to counter competitive marketing to sustain its current and projected market share expectations with key target markets. Currently, the life cycle of organic products in this market environment is unpredictable, as most of the demand for similar health-conscious and organic products is trends-based driven by lifestyle and consumer attitude. Therefore, the sustainability of certain organic products represents a risk to the business and therefore impacts supply chain, promotions, and even pricing establishment. In many ways, the competitive advantages currently experienced by Whole Foods is strongly influenced by consumer behaviour and lifestyle demands that might not always be sustainable. However, Whole Foods currently maintains high revenues that continue to show growth in organic and health-conscious products (Whole Foods, 2012; MMR, 2012, MMR, 2011). Growth estimates recently provided by Whole Foods illustrate an estimate of 15.6 percent, up from the 2011 projection of 13.5 percent (MMR, 2012). The sales growth improves market availability domestically and internationally, however it is a market where competitive differentiation and m arketing-based positioning drive competitive rivalry. 2. Resource and competitive position of Whole Foods Whole Foods Market maintains a significant cost advantage in advertising over competition. In 2007, the business only devoted 0.5 percent of its total budget to this function, relying instead on word-of-mouth for sustaining market share and satisfying customers (Whole Foods, 2010; Thompson, 2008). Other competitors in this environment spend considerably more on advertising and promotion in order to