Question: Read and brief the following cases: a.

> Drucker says that the most important time to seriously reexamine the firm’s vision/mission is when the firm is very successful. What is this?

> As cited in the chapter, Edward Deming, a famous businessman, once said, “In God we trust. All others bring data.” What did Deming mean in terms of developing a strategic plan?

> Why are strategic planning retreats often conducted away from the work site? How often should firms have a retreat, and who should participate in them?

> Explain how developing a mission statement can help resolve divergent views among managers in a firm.

> Compare and contrast vision statements with mission statements in terms of composition and importance.

> Why do many firms move too hastily from vision/mission development to devising alternative strategies?

> If your company does not have a vision or mission statement, describe a good process for developing these documents.

> What are the three stages in strategic management? Which stage is more analytical? Which relies most on empowerment to be successful? Which relies most on statistics? Justify your answers.

> What are some different names for “mission statement,” and where will you likely find a firm’s mission statement?

> Are “strategic management” and “strategic planning” synonymous terms? Explain.

> Compare and contrast vision statements with mission statements in terms of composition and importance.

> How do you think an organization can best align company mission with employee mission?

> Compare and contrast the near-end-of-chapter quotes by Alexander the Great and Bear Bryant regarding the importance of strategic planning in military or athletic settings. How applicable are those quotes in a business setting? Discuss.

> Some excellent nine-component mission statements consist of just two sentences. Write a two-sentence mission statement for a company of your choice.

> Explain why both internal and external factors should be stated in specific terms, i.e., using #’s, %’s, $’s, ratios, and comparisons over time, to the extent possible.

> Explain how a firm such as J. Crew can be doing well, but does not have an effective vision or mission statement.

> Compare the opossum and turtle to the woolly mammoth and saber tooth tiger in terms of being adept at adapting.

> Explain why internal strengths and weaknesses should be stated in divisional terms to the extent possible.

> Strengths and weaknesses should be determined relative to competitors, or by elements of being, or relative to a firm’s own objectives. Explain.

> List four components and four guidelines that the J. Crew mission statement fails to exhibit. Write a new and improved mission for J. Crew.

> Compare your college/university’s vision and mission statements to a leading rival institution

> Describe the three activities that comprise strategy evaluation.

> Write a Vision And Mission Statement For Pepsico

> Develop an improved J. Crew mission statement

> Strategic planning for your university.

> Update the PepsiCo cohesion case.

> Gather strategy information for PepsiCo.

> Compare business strategy with military strategy.

> Distinguish between the “self-concept” and the “philosophy” components in a mission statement. Give an example of each for your university.

> How often do you feel a firm’s vision and mission statement should be changed?

> List eight benefits of having a clear mission statement.

> List seven characteristics of a mission statement.

> Distinguish between the “self-concept” and the “philosophy” components in a mission statement. Give an example of each for your university.

> Find the court decision located at T.C. Memo. 1992-204. a. Which court heard the case? b. Who was the judge(s)? c. Which tax year(s) is in question and in what year was the case decided? d. Which code section(s) was at issue? e. What was the issue(s) inv

> Find the court decision located at T.C. Memo. 2015-189. a. Which court heard the case? b. Who was the judge(s)? c. In what year was the case decided? d. What was the issue(s) involved?

> Find the court decision located at T.C. Memo 2013-144. a. Which court heard the case? b. Who was the judge(s)? c. In what year was the case decided? d. What was the issue(s) involved?

> Define and distinguish between general (interpretive) and legislative regulations.

> Find the court decision located at 142 T.C. 297. a. Which court heard the case? b. Who was the judge(s)? c. In what year was the case decided? d. What was the issue(s) involved?

> Find the court decision located at 144 T.C. 279. a. Which court heard the case? b. Who was the judge(s)? c. In what year was the case decided? d. What was the issue(s) involved?

> Locate the court case David H. Hoffman, et ux., T.C. Memo 2016-69. Using only the headnotes, answer the following questions: a. What issue(s) did the court address? b. What was the ruling of the court?

> Locate the court case Vichich, 146 T.C. No. 12 (2016). Using only the headnotes, answer the following questions: a. What issue(s) did the court address? b. What was the ruling of the court?

> Locate the court case Ellis v. Jarvis et al., 117 AFTR 2d 2016-1932. Using only the headnotes, answer the following questions: a. What issue(s) did the court address? b. What was the ruling of the court?

> Use a tax service to give three parallel citations for Falstone, Inc. v. Commissioner, a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals case decided in 2003. Using only the headnote(s), determine the issue(s) in this case.

> May Circular 230 practitioners advertise on television? On the Internet? If so, what standards are applied to the advertisements?

> Use an online tax service (e.g., Checkpoint, LexisNexis, CCH IntelliConnect) to answer the following questions: a. What is the general content of Internal Revenue Code § 28? b. What is the general content of Internal Revenue Code § 141? c. What is the ge

> Use a tax service to give three parallel citations for Baral v. U.S., a Supreme Court case decided in 2000. Using only the headnote(s), determine the issue(s) in this case.

> Use a tax service to give two parallel citations for U.S. v. D’ambrosia, a Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals case decided in 2002. Using only the headnote(s), determine the issue(s) in this case.

> Why should the tax researcher exercise caution in relying on an IRS publication, such as published instructions to tax forms, in undertaking a research project?

> Read and brief the following cases: a. Thornton v. Commissioner, 2003-2 USTC ¶50,695 b. Stamoulis v. Commissioner, T.C. Summary Opinion 2007-38

> Read and brief the following cases: a. Gregory v. Helvering, 55 S.Ct. 266 (1935) b. Hunt, T.C. Memo. 1965-172

> Read and brief the following cases: a. Willie Nelson Music Co., 85 T.C. 914 b. Green v. U.S., 117 AFTR 2d 2016-700.

> Read and brief the following cases: a. Rownd, T.C. Memo. 1994-465 b. Arnes, 93-1 USTC ¶50,016.

> If your last name begins with the letters A–L, read and brief the following cases: a. Sorensen, T.C. Memo. 1994-175 b. Keller, 84-1 USTC ¶9194. If your last name begins with the letters M–Z, read and brief the following cases: c. Washington, 77 T.C. 601

> Find the court decision located at 101 AFTR2d 2008-1612. a. Which court heard the case? b. Who was the judge(s)? c. Which tax year(s) is in question and in what year was the case decided? d. Which code section(s) was at issue? e. What was the issue(s) in

> Find the court decision located at 67 AFTR2d 91-718. a. Which court heard the case? b. Who was the judge(s)? c. Which tax year(s) is in question and in what year was the case decided? d. Which code section(s) was at issue? e. What was the issue(s) involv

> Chapters of the Internal Revenue Code are subdivided into subchapters. How are subchapters identified? What is generally contained in a subchapter?

> The final step in the research process typically involves a memorandum to the client file and/or a letter to the client communicating the results of the research. List the items that should be found in the body of both of these documents.

> What is an IRS notice? When is it used? In your opinion, could a tax practitioner rely on an IRS notice as authority for a tax return position?

> Find the court decision located at 2014-2 USTC ¶50,516. a. Which court heard the case? b. Who was the judge(s)? c. Which tax year(s) is in question and in what year was the case decided? d. Which code section(s) was at issue? e. What was the issue(s) inv

> Find the court decision located at 108 AFTR 2d 2011-5569. a. Which court heard the case? b. Who was the judge(s)? c. Which tax year(s) is in question and in what year was the case decided? d. Which code section(s) was at issue? e. What was the issue(s) i

> Find the court decision located at T.C. Summary Opinion 2015-65. a. Which court heard the case? b. Who was the judge(s)? c. Which tax year(s) is in question and in what year was the case decided? d. Which code section(s) was at issue? e. What was the iss

> Find the court decision located at T.C. Summary Opinion 2013-21. a. Which court heard the case? b. Who was the judge(s)? c. Which tax year(s) is in question and in what year was the case decided? d. Which code section(s) was at issue? e. What was the iss

> The U.S. Tax Court is a national court that hears cases of taxpayers who may appeal to various geographical courts of appeals. How does the Tax Court reconcile the opposite holdings of two or more of these courts of appeals for taxpayers who work or resi

> Distinguish among a regular, memorandum, and summary decision of the Tax Court.

> The U.S. Tax Court is a national court that meets in Washington, D.C. Does this mean that the taxpayer and his or her attorney must travel to Washington to have a case heard?

> How many judges sit on the U.S. Tax Court? What is the length of time of the appointment of each judge?

> The U.S. Tax Court has undergone an evolution since it was founded. What happened to its structure in 1926, 1943, and 1969, respectively?

> Each subtitle of the Internal Revenue Code contains several chapters. How are chapters identified? What generally is included in a chapter of the code?

> What is an IRS announcement? When is it used? In your opinion, could a tax practitioner rely on an IRS announcement as authority for a tax return position?

> Who has the burden of proof in most cases involving the tax law? Why?

> Step 5 in the tax research process is concerned with reaching a conclusion or making a recommendation. If one has not found a clear answer to a tax research problem, how is a conclusion or recommendation to be reached?

> Discuss the precedential value of a court of appeals decision. Which court of appeals decisions are most important to a specific taxpayer?

> Name the four court case reporters that publish Supreme Court decisions. Illustrate the elements of a citation that might be found in each reporter. Explain what each part of the citation means.

> Differentiate between the Supreme Court’s overturning of a lower court’s decision and its denial of a writ of certiorari.

> How does one petition the Supreme Court to hear one’s tax case?

> Name the three court case reporters that publish court of appeals decisions. Illustrate the elements of a citation that might be found in each reporter. Explain what each part of the citation means.

> Are the U.S. courts of appeals national courts? What type of cases do they hear?

> Name the three court case reporters that publish U.S. Court of Federal Claims decisions. Illustrate the elements of a citation that might be found in each reporter. Explain what each part of the citation means.

> Is the U.S. Court of Federal Claims a national court? Must a taxpayer go to Washington, D.C. to present a case to this court?

> The rules that govern practice before the IRS are found in Circular 230. Discuss what entails practice before the IRS and state which section of Circular 230 contains the definition.

> Locate the most recent committee reports associated with each of the following code sections (if any) using a tax service such as Checkpoint. Give the citation to the committee report, the Public Law number, and a brief explanation of how the Public Law

> Name the three court case reporters that publish tax and nontax district court decisions. Illustrate the elements of a citation that might be found in each reporter. Explain what each part of the citation means.

> Is a federal district court a national court? How many judges hear a case brought before a federal district court?

> Specific items of tax authority have different “values” in helping the tax researcher to solve his or her problem. Explain this statement and describe how it applies to the tax research process.

> Which of the trial courts would best serve a taxpayer litigating an issue of a technical tax nature? Why?

> Tax Court memorandum decisions are not published by the federal government. However, commercial reporters include these decisions. Illustrate the elements of both a temporary and a permanent citation for a Tax Court memorandum decision, using both the CC

> Where are regular Tax Court decisions published? Illustrate the elements of both a temporary and a permanent regular Tax Court citation. Explain what each part of the citation means.

> What is the small tax case procedure of the U.S. Tax Court? What is the maximum amount of the deficiency that can be the subject of a small tax case hearing? Comment on the trial procedures in small tax cases.

> Explain each of the elements of this citation: Rev. Proc. 2013-14, 2013-3 I.R.B. 283.

> Explain each of the elements of this citation: Rev. Rul. 96-41, 1996-2 C.B. 8.

> Use an online tax service (e.g., Checkpoint, LexisNexis, CCH IntelliConnect) to locate the following code sections. What other code sections reference each of the sections you found? State which online tax service you used to complete this assignment. a.

> Explain each of the elements of this citation: Rev. Rul. 2013-5, 2013-9 I.R.B. 525.

> Locate the committee reports associated with each of the following code sections using a tax service such as Checkpoint. Give the public law (P.L.) number of the most recent committee report and a brief explanation of how the new provision changes the co

> Answer the following questions about this citation: Reg. § 1.274-6T(a)(2). a. What does the “1” stand for? b. What does the “274” stand for? c. What does the “6T” stand for? d. What does the “(a)” stand for? e. What does the “(2)” stand for?

> Are homeowners who claim an itemized deduction for interest paid on adjustable rate mortgages and then receive refunds in a later year required to show the refunds as taxable income? Database to search: Announcements Keywords: adjustable, rate, mortgage,

> Can proceeds from a life insurance policy be included in a decedent’s gross estate if the policy was purchased by an S corporation for an employee-shareholder? Databases to search: IRC and IRS letter rulings Keywords: Sec. 2042, life, insurance, estate,

> Regular full-time employees are allowed to represent certain organizations before the IRS without being a Circular 230 practitioner. Name the organizations that can be represented by full-time employees, and cite where you found that authority in Circula

> A member of a tax-exempt business league makes deposits into a strike fund. The contribution reverts to the taxpayer if the fund is terminated. Are these deposits tax deductible? Database to search: IRS Technical Advice Memoranda Keywords: business, leag

> What is the current status of each of the following IRS pronouncements? a. Notice 2015-79 b. Revenue Ruling 2004-28 c. Revenue Procedure 93-15 d. Announcement 2014-24

> What is the current status of each of the following IRS pronouncements? a. Notice 2010-92 b. Revenue Ruling 2000-41 c. Revenue Procedure 89-31 d. Announcement 99-110