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Questions and Answers
What typically signals a failure of corporate governance?
Which technique is associated with Enron's financial misrepresentation?
What was a significant outcome when Enron's fraud was revealed?
Which of the following best describes the Enron board of directors' performance?
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What is often a consequence of applying Mark-to-Market accounting improperly?
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What important lesson can be derived from the Enron case regarding corporate governance?
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What was Enron's original business focus before its expansion?
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What characteristics indicate a breakdown in corporate governance?
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What accounting technique did Enron exploit to create virtual earnings?
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What was a consequence of Enron's use of Mark-to-Market accounting?
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What are Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) primarily used for?
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How did Enron use SPVs to mislead investors?
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What effect did the Energy Policy Act of 1992 have on companies like Enron?
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What manipulative strategy did Enron employ in California's energy market?
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Which of the following was an outcome of Enron's manipulative tactics in the energy market?
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What was a failing of Enron's auditors in relation to their financial manipulations?
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Who was not considered a key stakeholder in Enron's collapse?
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Which factor did not contribute to the main reasons behind Enron's collapse?
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What was a consequence faced by Enron employees due to the collapse?
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What act was introduced in response to the Enron scandal?
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Why might board members have failed in their oversight role at Enron?
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What was a significant failure of Theranos' board of directors?
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What was Theranos' claimed innovation?
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What was a potential reason investors continued to support Theranos despite the lack of evidence?
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What was a major limitation of the Edison device developed by Theranos?
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What characterized the board of directors at Theranos?
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Which of the following was NOT a factor contributing to Theranos' corporate governance issues?
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What was one of the risks of the overreliance on the publicity of the board's members?
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Why did the board of directors at Theranos pose a problem for corporate governance?
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Which of the following stakeholders played a significant role in Theranos' fraud?
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Which of the following factors exemplifies poor governance in Theranos?
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What was a consequence of the lack of transparency at Theranos?
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Which of the following stakeholders was primarily responsible for the daily operations of Theranos?
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What factor contributed to investors' continued support of Theranos despite a lack of solid evidence for its product?
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What was a common characteristic of both Enron and Theranos in their company cultures?
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How did charismatic leadership play a role in Theranos' ability to attract investors?
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What misconception did many investors have regarding their ability to assess Theranos' technology?
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Which type of fraud was primarily associated with Theranos as compared to Enron?
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What role did the media play in the cases of both Enron and Theranos?
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What was a key difference in organizational type between Enron and Theranos?
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Study Notes
Corporate Governance Failures
- A failure of corporate governance occurs when internal rules and processes designed to ensure management and accountability break down.
- It can result in unethical actions by directors, poor decision-making, and a lack of transparency.
Enron
- Founded in 1985 in Houston, Texas.
- Grew from a traditional energy provider to a powerhouse in energy trading.
- Became one of the largest global companies in the natural gas and energy industry.
- Collapsed in 2001 due to fraud.
Enron: Key Questions
- What went wrong?
- Who was responsible for the failures and why?
- Did the Enron board of directors fulfill its role?
- What lessons can be learned from the Enron case?
Enron: Mark-to-Market Accounting Technique
- Enron used this technique to exploit future revenues based on overly optimistic projections creating virtual earnings, resulting in misleading financial statements.
- This led to pressure to close more mergers and acquisitions to maintain the illusion of growth, regardless of actual financial health.
- Auditors failed to detect or act on these manipulations leading to further fraud.
Enron: Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs)
- Enron created SPVs to conceal debts and losses by relocating risk to a separate entity and isolating financial risk.
- SPVs obtained funds through debt financing from independent equity investors.
- Enron used this strategy to hide over $30 billion in debt, resulting in a deceptively strong financial position.
Enron: Energy Market Deregulation
- The Energy Policy Act of 1992 deregulated electricity transmission grids, allowing companies like Enron to buy, sell, trade, and transport natural gas.
- Enron leveraged its position in California's energy market through tactics such as the "Death Star strategy" to create artificial shortages and drive up prices.
Enron: Key Stakeholders
- Top management: Skilling (CEO), Fastow (CFO), Lay (Founder and Chairman)
- Auditors: Arthur Andersen
- Employees
- Board of directors
- Banks
- Retail and institutional investors
- Media
- Government
- Regulatory bodies (SEC)
Enron: Reasons for Collapse
- High-risk, aggressive corporate culture.
- Excessive risk taking.
- Remuneration system: Bonuses on short-term profits.
- The role of regulation and regulators.
- Lack of transparency in financial statements.
- Inadequate board oversight.
- The role of auditors.
Enron: Conflict of Interest Improvements
- Independence of directors
- Independence of auditors (no consulting, physical location)
- Separation of banks' activities (underwriters and investors)
- Sarbanes-Oxley Act (2002): Introduced stricter regulations to improve corporate accountability and transparency in response to the Enron collapse.
Theranos
- Biotech start-up founded in 2003 in Palo Alto, California by Elizabeth Holmes.
- Promised to revolutionize healthcare with its technology, performing hundreds of tests with a single drop of blood.
- Valued in the billions and attracted high-profile investors.
- A journalistic investigation in 2015 exposed the scandal: Theranos turned out to be a false claim campaign.
Theranos: Key Questions
- What were the reasons for Theranos’ collapse?
- Why did investors continue to support Theranos even without evidence of the innovative blood technology?
- Did the Theranos board of directors fulfill its role?
Theranos: The Edison Device
- Theranos developed the "Edison” device claiming it could conduct over 200 different tests with a single drop of blood.
- The technology lacked independent validation, and results were unreliable leading to misdiagnoses and inappropriate treatments.
Theranos: Manipulating the Board of Directors
- The board was filled with all-star names but lacked expertise in healthcare or medical technology industries.
- The board was characterized by poor governance, unchecked CEO control, CEO power concentration, lack of transparency, and overreliance on prestige.
Theranos: Key Stakeholders
- Founder (Elizabeth Holmes, CEO) and executives (Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani, Chairman and COO)
- Board of directors
- Investors
- Employees
- Patients and consumers
- Doctors and medical providers
- Partners and retailers (Walgreens, Safeway)
- Regulatory bodies (FDA, SEC, CMS)
- Media and journalists
Theranos: Investor Support
- Charismatic leadership: Elizabeth Holmes' visionary pitch and comparisons to Steve Jobs.
- High-profile backers: Support from prominent figures like Henry Kissinger, George Shultz, and James Mattis boosted credibility.
- Fear of missing out: Potential for disruptive innovation led investors to prioritize early involvement.
- Limited expertise: Many investors lacked deep knowledge in medical diagnostics.
- Secrecy and hype culture: Theranos operated in "stealth mode”, fostering intrigue and anticipation.
- Partnerships and endorsements: Deals with Walgreens and Safeway validated investor confidence.
Enron and Theranos: Comparison
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Similarities:*
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Culture for secrecy
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Managerial hubris
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Charismatic leaders
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Complicit in unethical behaviour
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Top board of directors
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Most admired organizations
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Both declared bankruptcy
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Differences:*
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Accounting Fraud VS Technology fraud
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Public VS private organization
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Energy VS technology industry
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Enron was highly diversified
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Description
Explore the corporate governance failures that led to the downfall of Enron, one of the largest companies in the energy sector. This quiz delves into the key questions surrounding Enron's collapse, the role of its board of directors, and the implications of mark-to-market accounting on financial transparency.
