Internet Exercise #1

As you know, financial accounting differs in many ways from managerial accounting.

• The website of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) at http://www.imanet.org provides an overview of the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) designation. (Access the overview at http://www.imanet.org/ima/sec.asp?TRACKID=&CID=5&DID=5.)
• The website of the American Institute of Public Accountants (AICPA) at http://www.aicpa.org provides an overview of the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation. (Access the overview at http://www.aicpa.org/nolimits/become/index.htm.)

Review the information provided on these two websites. Then, write a brief paper (3 - 5 paragraphs) that:

• Compares and contrasts these two professional designations (that is, the CMA and CPA).
• Identifies the professional designation(s) (that is, the CMA, CPA, or both) that involves obtaining a license from the state in which the accountant practices.
• Lists and briefly describes other certifications discussed on the AICPA and IMA sites.

Internet Exercise #2

The Total Quality Engineering Company maintains a website at www.tqe.com. Click on the archive tab to bring up the Focus on Quality Newsletter link. Choose an article from the most recent newsletter. After reading the article, write a brief paper (3 - 5 paragraphs) that summarizes the article. (Your paper should provide the appropriate citation for the article. If necessary, you may wish to refer to the following website, which includes information about citations: http://www.cod.edu/library/research/citenet.htm.)

Internet Exercise #3

The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award program maintains a website at http://www.quality.nist.gov that provides information about the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige award. Review the information provided on this website. Then, write a brief paper (3 - 5 paragraphs) that:

• Describes the Malcolm Baldrige award.
• Identifies recent winners of this award (including their industries).
• Discusses whether winners are any more successful than other organizations (Hint: Consider exploring the "Why Apply" link on home page.)