Garry Halper Menswear Limited (GHM) is a medium-sized manufacturer of superior-quality men’s suits and jackets that up to now have largely been distributed in Canada. The firm has landed a very large order for men’s suits with Sutton’s in the United States. To meet the order, the firm has decided to import partly completed suits from China. The treasurer of GHM must assess the financing needs and related risks that result from this large increase in sales. At the same time, he believes that the company’s present bank is timid in its response to the firm’s needs, and he would like to consider another banking relationship.
The chief of paediatric orthopaedic surgery was very concerned by the long times that the young patients (and their parents) were experiencing in the orthopaedic clinic. Long wait times tended to aggravate the already pent-up distress and concern that the patients were facing. The chief glanced at recently collected data on service times and wondered how the process could be improved, while continuing balancing budgetary pressures to reduce costs. Moreover, any changes couldn't be done in isolation, as her clinic shared resources with other departments. A monthly executive meeting was fast approaching and expectations were starting to run high that her efforts might be able to spur improvements in other departments too.
A Chinese investment banker is performing due diligence on the potential acquisition of a Canadian manufacturer of health care products. Among her tasks is the need to put a value on the acquisition target. Her client is an independently wealthy investor and chair of Great Wall Holdings (Great Wall). Great Wall was a privately held conglomerate with interests in a wide range of companies. The investment banker is interested in diversifying his holdings outside of China and was especially interested in gaining a modest foothold in the manufacture of health care products in North America.
The vice-president of finance for Westwood Plastics, Inc. (Westwood), wants to assess the impact of the possibility of a weakening Canadian dollar on the company's financial health given its exposure to the Euro. Because Westwood is required by a loan covenant to generate a minimum level of pre-tax earnings, management is concerned about the possible impact of the exchange rate volatility on projected income and cash flows. The vice-president of finance is considering both an option and a forward strategy to minimize the foreign exchange risk Westwood is facing. She must decide how to use financial instruments to hedge the risk.