In 1995 the U

question 144

Essay

In 1995 the U.S. Justice Department sued to block a merger between Microsoft and Intuit, the producer of the nation's best-selling business software. The Justice Department argued that the merger would lessen competition and raise prices of business software. Is there an economic argument that the merger might actually result in lower prices? Explain.

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Definitions:

Internal Controls

Internal controls are the mechanisms, rules, and procedures implemented by a company to ensure the integrity of financial and accounting information, promote accountability, and prevent fraud.

Sarbanes-Oxley Act

A U.S. federal law that aims to protect investors by making corporate disclosures more reliable and accurate.

Compensating Balance

A minimum bank account balance that a borrower is required to maintain as a condition for some forms of loans or line of credit.

Petty Cash Fund

A small amount of cash kept on hand to pay for minor, incidental expenses of a business, recorded as a current asset on the balance sheet.