1 1 Chapter 23 Disucssion Forum Use this forum to post your answer to the Chapter 23 Discussion TIF 23-1 (text page 1206). Answer all questions in your primary post. You must reply to two other students. Refer to the grading rubric for point scoring guidelines. Forum Guidance: This is a really important discussion forum because it begins to showcase the challenges of large multi-national and multi-divisional companies in a global economy. When making a primary post ensure that you take a firm position only from an accounting perspective. Avoid criticizing one division for not wanting to work with another. Unless there is a goal of divisional cooperation then each division is stand alone. As you work through the reply posts take some time to really engage each other and challenge the issues involved in this conversation Avoid thinking emotionally, business is not an emotional place, there is no concept of fairness. Division Presidents are hired to maximize the profit of their division unless the company creates a different culture. So, setting aside emotion and aspirational attributes, what are the complexities of this situation and what are the alternatives? Primary posts and reply posts that are based solely on editorial positions of fairness will receive point deductions. Limited reply statements of agreement will not be counted. This is a forum of extreme complexity from an accounting perspective and there is a lot of room for conversation. TIF 23-1 Ethics in Action Sembotix Company has several divisions including a Semiconductor Division that sells semiconductors to both internal and external customers. S The company's X-ray Division uses semic onductors as a component in its final product and is evaluating whether to purchase them from the Semiconductor Division or from an external supplier. The market price for semiconductors is $100 per 100 semiconductors. Dave Bryant is the controller of the X-ray Division, and Howard Hillman is the controller of the Semiconductor Division. The following conversation took place between Dave and Howard: Dave: I hear you are having problems selling semiconductors out of division your Maybe I can help. Howard: You've got that right. We're produ cing and selling at about 90% of our capacity to outsiders. Last year, we were selling 100% of capacity. Would it be possible for your division to pick up some of our excess capacity? After all, we are part of the same company. Dave: What kind of price could you give me? Howard: Well, you know as well as I that we are under strict profit responsibility in our divisions, so I would expect to get market price, $100 for 100 semiconductors. Dave: I'm not so sure we can swing that. I was expecting a price break from a "sister" division Howard: Hey, I can only take this "sister" stuff so far. If I give you a price break, our profits will fall from last year's levels. I don't think I could explain that. I'm sory, but I must remain firm-market price. After all, it's only fair-that's what you would have to pay from an external supplier. Dave: Fair or not, I think we'll pass. Sorry we couldn't have helped. - Is Dave behaving unethically by trying to force the Semiconductor Division into a price break? Comment on Howard's reactions. 1 1 Chapter 23 Disucssion Forum Use this forum to post your answer to the Chapter 23 Discussion TIF 23-1 (text page 1206). Answer all questions in your primary post. You must reply to two other students. Refer to the grading rubric for point scoring guidelines. Forum Guidance: This is a really important discussion forum because it begins to showcase the challenges of large multi-national and multi-divisional companies in a global economy. When making a primary post ensure that you take a firm position only from an accounting perspective. Avoid criticizing one division for not wanting to work with another. Unless there is a goal of divisional cooperation then each division is stand alone. As you work through the reply posts take some time to really engage each other and challenge the issues involved in this conversation Avoid thinking emotionally, business is not an emotional place, there is no concept of fairness. Division Presidents are hired to maximize the profit of their division unless the company creates a different culture. So, setting aside emotion and aspirational attributes, what are the complexities of this situation and what are the alternatives? Primary posts and reply posts that are based solely on editorial positions of fairness will receive point deductions. Limited reply statements of agreement will not be counted. This is a forum of extreme complexity from an accounting perspective and there is a lot of room for conversation. TIF 23-1 Ethics in Action Sembotix Company has several divisions including a Semiconductor Division that sells semiconductors to both internal and external customers. S The company's X-ray Division uses semic onductors as a component in its final product and is evaluating whether to purchase them from the Semiconductor Division or from an external supplier. The market price for semiconductors is $100 per 100 semiconductors. Dave Bryant is the controller of the X-ray Division, and Howard Hillman is the controller of the Semiconductor Division. The following conversation took place between Dave and Howard: Dave: I hear you are having problems selling semiconductors out of division your Maybe I can help. Howard: You've got that right. We're produ cing and selling at about 90% of our capacity to outsiders. Last year, we were selling 100% of capacity. Would it be possible for your division to pick up some of our excess capacity? After all, we are part of the same company. Dave: What kind of price could you give me? Howard: Well, you know as well as I that we are under strict profit responsibility in our divisions, so I would expect to get market price, $100 for 100 semiconductors. Dave: I'm not so sure we can swing that. I was expecting a price break from a "sister" division Howard: Hey, I can only take this "sister" stuff so far. If I give you a price break, our profits will fall from last year's levels. I don't think I could explain that. I'm sory, but I must remain firm-market price. After all, it's only fair-that's what you would have to pay from an external supplier. Dave: Fair or not, I think we'll pass. Sorry we couldn't have helped. - Is Dave behaving unethically by trying to force the Semiconductor Division into a price break? Comment on Howard's reactions