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Running head: GENERIC BENCHMARKING: LESTER ELECTRONICS, INC.
Generic Benchmarking: Lester Electronics, Inc.
Anne Groce, Olanike Oyedare, Oluremi Oyedare, Jun Michael Calma
, Brian Barnhart
University of Phoenix
Generic Benchmarking: Lester Electronics, Inc.
Introduction
Most corporate growth occurs by internal expansion, which takes place when organizations existing departments grow through normal capital budgeting activities. However, the most dramatic examples of growth and often the largest increases in stock prices, result from mergers. Many reasons have been proposed by financial managers to account for frequent merger activity. The primary motivation behind a merger is that it provides an opportunity to bring together and increase the value of the combined enterprise.
Realizing prosperity in any organization requires hard work and a great deal of research. One commonly used research tool available to organizations is benchmarking. Benchmarking is the process of identifying, understanding, and adapting outstanding practices from other industries and organizations worldwide. Other companies is look at Benchmarking as a highly respected practice in the business world. Benchmarking is an activity that gives businesses the ability to look outward to find the best practice that fits the organization.
The main concepts discussed in this paper in relations to the Lester Electronics scenario are weighted average cost of capital (WACC), operating leverage, Beta, financial mix, and analyzing risk. Companies used in this paper to relate to the concepts are AT&T, Best Buy, Coca-Cola Company, Exxon Mobil Corporation, General Mills, Microsoft, Starb ...