You Make the Call-Situation 1

question 72

Essay

You Make the Call-Situation 1
Steve Jones is the 35-year-old owner of a highly competitive small business that supplies temporary office help. Like most businesspeople, he is always looking for ways to increase profit. However, the nature of his competition makes it very difficult to raise prices for the temps' services, while reducing their wages makes recruiting difficult. Jones has, nevertheless, found an area-bad debts-in which improvement should increase profits. A friend and business consultant met with Jones to advise him on credit management policies. Jones was pleased to get this friend's advice, as bad debts were costing him about 2 percent of sales. Currently, Jones has no system for managing credit.

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Definitions:

Scarcity

The basic economic problem that arises because people have unlimited wants but resources are limited, necessitating the allocation of resources.

Unlimited Resources

Access to an infinite amount of materials or assets without any constraints.

Human Wants

The desires and needs of individuals for goods, services, and other intangibles that lead to satisfaction.

Opportunity Cost

The toll taken for not picking the second highest preference when decisions are formulated.