One of ValuTech's Objectives for the Year Is to Bring

question 34

Multiple Choice

One of ValuTech's objectives for the year is to bring down the firm's production costs by 5 percent. To meet this objective, managers have suggested the following alternatives:
(1) Use alternate suppliers who can provide raw materials at a lower cost.
(2) Adopt cutting-edge technology that makes the production process more efficient.
-What is the underlying assumption in the second alternative?

• A) Competitors are also likely to adopt high-end technology.
• B) Consumers' purchase decisions are directly influenced by the manufacturing process.
• C) The availability of better technology translates into higher worker productivity.
• D) The costs associated with upgrading will outweigh the benefits.
• E) Alternate suppliers can provide raw materials at a lower cost.

---

Definitions:

Echinoderms

Phylum of spiny-skinned marine deuterostome invertebrates characterized by a water vascular system and tube feet; include sea stars, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers.

Segmentation

A body plan in which the body is divided into a series of compartments (segments).

Deuterostomia

Deuterostomia is a major division of the animal kingdom that includes groups like the chordates and echinoderms, characterized by the developmental feature in which the anus forms from the first opening in the embryo, with the mouth forming later.

Protostomes

A major group of animals in which the mouth develops from the first opening in the embryo, with examples including mollusks, annelids, and arthropods.