TerraLoc Competes in the Market for Global Positioning Devices and Services

question 39

Multiple Choice

TerraLoc competes in the market for global positioning devices and services. The company manufactures its own GPS units, which are smaller than those of any other competitor and include a proprietary battery that lasts 200% longer than any other competitor's battery and that TerraLoc manufacturers on-site. TerraLoc also has developed proprietary software that is much faster and more precise than that of any competitor. When developing the proprietary battery, TerraLoc decided to manufacturer the battery in-house to reduce the possibility that the company it outsourced the battery manufacturing to might reverse engineer the battery and sell a similar product to competitors. This possibility was especially troubling given that the company expected a significant increase in demand due to the improved battery life. Additionally, TerraLoc sells its products and services through its own direct sales force to ensure that its representatives highlight the longer battery life of TerraLoc's units.
-If TerraLoc were to use a U-form organizational structure and the CEO decided to use budgets as a management control but wanted to make sure that the managers did not become too focused on the short term, the CEO should do all of the following except

• A) use an open process in developing budgets.
• B) determine budgets for her managers and allow them to focus only on meeting the budgets.
• C) use both quantitative and qualitative evaluations of managers' performance.
• D) make sure that the process used in developing budgets reflects the economic reality facing the firm's managers.

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Definitions:

Price

The cost in currency anticipated, called for, or dispensed in payment for a thing.

Quantity Supplied

The amount of a good that producers are willing and able to sell at a given price over a certain period of time.

Company Profits

The financial gain that a company achieves after all expenses, taxes, and costs have been subtracted from total revenue.

Time-Series Graph

A two-variable graph that has dates on the horizontal axis and values of a variable that occurred on those dates on the vertical axis.