Three weeks have passed since you were informed that the relocation would definitely proceed.
You have received the following email from William Seaton, Director of Finance:
From: William Seaton, Director of Finance
To: Finance Manager
Subject: Detailed issues associated with the relocation
Hi,
Congratulations, you are now officially in charge of the transition team! I am confident that you will do an excellent job and that it will be an opportunity to enhance your career.
I realise that the transition team is expected to reduce the pressure on the Board, but I have been asked to keep an eye on things and to ensure that your team has everything that it needs. I won't interfere, but I will stay in touch.
There are a few matters that I think you should address as a matter of urgency.
* Firstly, we need to have plans in place to ensure that our information systems are ready. What changes will we have to make in order to best align the information system with the company's needs? I am not asking about hardware issues or the physical relocation, but the changes to the information system itself.
* Secondly, how might we make use of the data in our own records and external sources to ensure that the new Head Office is managed as efficiently as possible? Remember that the present Head Office is a large and complex operation in its own right and it costs a significant amount to run.
* Thirdly, our relocation will create a number of challenges for our corporate treasury team. I need you to identify the key challenges and suggest how they might be dealt with.
* Finally, I would like you to identify the criteria against which the success or failure of your team will be judged once the transition is complete. I need your recommendations to be relevant and measurable.
William

Three months has passed since the discussion concerning Fouce Oil's proposal.
You have received the following email from William Seaton, Director of Finance:
From: William Seaton, Director of Finance
To: Finance Manager
Subject: Fouce Oil's proposal to collaborate on exploration
Hi,
After deliberating at length on the various discussions that we have had with Fouce Oil since its initial approach, we have decided to proceed.
We need to work out some important details, otherwise this venture will be a disaster.
Please draft a report that covers the following matters:
* Should we create a formal coaching and mentoring scheme, whereby members of Fouce Oil's exploration staff will receive guidance from their counterparts at Slide? Please explain the advantages and disadvantages of doing so very clearly.
* Please explain how best to organise a formal coaching and mentoring scheme, if we decide that we should create one.
* How should we manage the business relationship between the two companies' exploration staff for the duration of this arrangement?
* What are the difficulties associated with decision-making on exploration issues and how should we address those?
The collaboration goes live in a few weeks and so I need your input urgently so that I can get things moving.
William

You have received the following email from Marcus Svenson, Finance Director:
From: Marcus Svenson, Finance Director
To: Senior Finance Manager
Subject: Investment opportunity
Hi,
The Board is considering an investment opportunity to buy a forest in Bravador, a country in South Americ a. This will be a major expansion and will also enable us to diversify into new lines. For example, the forest contains lots of hardwood varieties that we could sell to companies in the double glazing industry or to furniture manufacturers. I downloaded the attached extract from an online encyclopaedia for your information.
The forest that we are planning to buy has not been used for commercial purposes until now. The land belonged to the Government for many years and it has been left to grow naturally. The Government is now keen to sell the land and has agreed that it may be used for commercial forestry purposes.
This investment will enable us to increase our output of softwoods by up to 20% per year, in addition to enabling us to enter the hardwood market.
I need two things from you. I need you to recommend a suitable approach to managing our relationship with the Bravadorian Government. I also need you to identify and explain the political risks that will remain even if we succeed in creating a sound relationship with the Government.
Marcus
Reference Material:

Peter Sorchi, Wodd's Chief Executive has stopped you in the corridor:
"We signed a memorandum of understanding with the Bravadorian Government last night. Effectively, we are now the new owners of a forest in a new continent for us. It has already made it onto the business pages in the press.
Once the formalities are completed, we will be entering into new commercial territory. Our surveyors have looked at the first area that we intend to develop and there is a lot more hardwood than we first expected. That is good news in a way because it can be sold at a premium, but we don't have any experience of selling hardwood and we are hardly going to pulp it for MDF or paper. I need you to identify the changes that we will have to make and to recommend how best to manage them.
The funding arrangements are still being worked out. Bravador's banks are not in a position to fund a transaction of this size and none of the other banks that we have approached are prepared to lend to us. We will need to raise additional equity. I realise that we would normally make a rights issue, but I think that it would be simpler and cheaper to suspend the dividend for a year, which would cover most of the purchase price in itself. Please advise me on the advantages and disadvantages of doing that.
It would be ideal if you could let me have a briefing paper on both of these matters urgently." Reference Material: