Scope of Managerial Economics

Q1. Yes. Firms represent a combination of people, physical assets, and instruction (financial, technical, merchandiseing, and so on). People directly involved include stockholders, managers, workers, suppliers, and customers. Businesses role scarce resources that would other be available for other purposes, pay income and other taxes, provide trade opportunities, and atomic number 18 responsible for much of the material well-being of our night club. Thus, each(prenominal)(prenominal) of society is indirectly involved in the firms operation. Firms exist because they are useful in the process of allocating resources producing and distributing goods and services.As such, they are basically stinting entities Q2. A. The around direct effect of a requirement to install new befoulment get a line equipment would be an augment in the operating bell piece of the evaluation framework. Secondary effects might be expected in the terminate rate due to an increase in regulatory r isk, and in the revenue function if consumers react positively to the installation of the pollution control equipment in drudgery facilities. B. All three major components of the valuation modelthe revenue function, cost function, and the tax deduction rateare likely to be affected by an increase in advertising.Revenues and cost exit twain increase as output is expanded. The discount rate may be affected if the firms turn a profit outlook changes signifi terminatetly because of increased demand ( branch) or if borrowing is necessary to stock a rapid expansion of lay down and equipment to meet increased demand. C. The primary effect of newer and more efficient production equipment is a reduction in the total cost component of the valuation model. Secondary effects on firm revenues could in addition be big if lower costs make toll reductions possible and result in an increase in the quantity demanded of the firms products. bidwise, the with child(p)ization rate or discount factor can be affected by the firms changing prospects. D. The time pattern of revenues is affected by such a pricing decision to raise prices in the near term. This will neuter production relationships and beautifyment plans, and affect the valuation model through the cost component and capitalization factor. E. A general lowering of interest grade leads to a reduction in the cost of capital or discount rate in the valuation model. F. Higher rates of flash, leading to an increase in the discount rate, cause the present determine of a unvaried income stream to decline.Unless(prenominal) the firm is able to increase product prices in nightspot to maintain profit margins, the value of the firm falls as inflation and the discount rate increases. Of course, the economic effects of inflation on the economic value of the firm are complex, involving both asset and liability valuations, so determining the overall effect of inflation on the economic value of individual firms is a dif ficult task Q3. The economic profit fantasy provides the most appropriate basis for evaluating the operations of a product line since it allows for a risk-adjusted normal rate of return on all capital use to the enterprise.Even when business profits are substantial, economic profits can sometimes be negative given the effects of risk, inflation, and other factors. Substantial business profits are no guarantee to the growth, or even maintenance, ofcapital investment. In actual practice, investors adjust reported identifying data to account for additional factors that must be considered Q4. A. Interesting perspective on the characteristics of grand businesses has been given by legendary Wall Street investors T. Rowe Price and rabbit warren E. Buffett.The late T. Rowe Price was founder of Baltimore-based T. Rowe Price and Associates, Inc. , one of the largest no-load mutual fund organizations in the United States, and the father of the growth stock theory of investment funds. con cord to Price, hypnotic growth stocks have low labor costs, superior inquiry to develop products and new markets, a high rate ofreturn on stockholders equity (ROE), elevated profit margins, rapid masterings per share (EPS) growth, privation cutthroat competition, and are comparatively immune from regulation.Omahas rabbit warren E. Buffett, the billionaire head of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. , also looks for companies that have strong franchises and esteem pricing flexibility, high ROE, high money flow, owner-oriented management, and predictable earnings that are not natural targets of regulation. Like Price, Buffett has profited tremendously through his investments. To apply Prices and Buffetts investment criteria successfully, business managers and investors must be metier to fundamental economic and demographic trends.Perhaps the most obvious of these is the ripening of the population. Health-care demands will continue to soar. In recognition of this fact, investors have bid up the shares of companies crack prescription drugs, health care, and health-care cost containment (e. g. , home health agencies). Perhaps less obvious is that an aging and increasingly wealthy population will relieve growing amounts for their childrens education and retirement. This bodes well for mutual fund operators, insurance policy companies, and other firms that scissure distinctive financial services.As the overall population continues to enjoy growing income, spending on leisure activities is apt to grow companies that offer distinctive goods and services in this area will do well. helping well-heeled customers have fun has always been a good business. productivity enhancement to combat economic stagnation is also likely to be a major thrust during the coming decade. In this area, it is perhaps easier to flump likely beneficiaries of emerging technologies than it is to chart the future course of technical bring home the bacon.For example, compile retailers, long-di stance and cellular phone companies, and credit card providers are all major beneficiaries of the rapid pace of advance in computer and information technology. Similarly, major broadcasters, cable TV companies, movie makers, and software providers are all prone to benefit from increasingly user-friendly technology for leisure-time activities. B. The American pull out Company, Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, and Wells Fargo are well-known examples of major common stock holdings of Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.Each of Berkshires major holdings are large capital-intensive companies with long operating histories of above-average rates of return. Like any really good business, they display a wise use of assets as indicated by an average ROE that is well above classifiable norms. Enhancing the attractiveness of these companies is the fact that they also display above-average annual rates of growth in stockholders equity. Thus, they can all be described as beneficiaries of high-m argin growth. As is often the case, attractive financial and operating statistics reflect essentially attractive economic characteristics of each company.The American Express Company is a postmortem travel and financial services firm that is strategically positioned to benefit from aging baby boomers. The Coca-Cola Company, one of Berkshires biggest and most successful holdings, typifies the concept of a savage business. Coca-Cola enjoys perhaps the worlds strongest franchise owner-oriented management, and both predictable and growing returns. Also, the company is not subject to price or profit regulation. From the standpoint of being a wondrous business, Coca-Cola is all the way the real thing. Newspapers, banks, and cable TV companies, such as The Washington Post Company and Wells Fargo &Company, translate immense economies of collection plate in production into dominating competitive advantages. They also fit Buffetts criteria for wonderful businesses. In the case of Gillett e, above-normal returns stem from unique products that are designed and punish by extraordinarily capable management. The late T. Rowe Price was prone to invest in high technology companies that produced distinctive products.On the other hand, Buffett is fond of saying that he doesnt understand high-tech and doesnt want to be short-winded out of business by a few guys working in a garage somewhere. Of course, Buffetts thinly-veiled reference to Hewlett-Packard and the Silicon Valley rotary motion that was started by two guys in a simple garage subject matter that Buffett clearly does understand the problems of investing in hard-to-project high-tech companies. Thus, trance Buffett avoids high-tech stocks, T. Rowe Price, if he were alive today, might find compelling the advantages of high-tech companies such as Microsoft, Intel, and Cisco Systems, among others. C.Above-normal returns from investing in wonderful businesses are completely possible to the extent that such advantag es are not fully recognized by other investors. In the case of T. Rowe Price, early investments in Avon Products, Xerox, and IBM generated fantastic returns because Price saw their awesome potential far in advance of other investors. On the other hand, Buffett has profited by taking major positions in wonderful companies that suffer from some significant, but curable, malady. In 1991, for example, Buffett made a large investment in American Express when the company suffered unannounced credit card and real estate loan losses.When the company absent these losses without any lasting damage to its intrinsic profit-making ability, its stock price soared and Buffett cleaned up. Companies that are conservatively financed enjoy a similar ability to profit when an unexpected business downturn causes financially distressed rivals to sell invaluable assets at bargain-basement prices . Therefore, while above-average stock-market returns provide the clearest evidence of having picked good b usinesses for investment, short-term results can be disappointingly average or below-average if the virtues of these good businesses are clearly recognized in the marketplace.More frustrating still is the problem of purpose and investing in good businesses at attractive prices and then having to wait while conventional wisdom comes around to recognizing them as such. The overall stockmarket is extremely efficient at ferreting out bargains and adjusting prices so that subsequent investors earn only a risk-adjusted normal rate of return. For individual investors seeking above-average returns, decision good businesses is a necessary first step, but they must also be incorrectly priced (too cheap). Buffett succeeds because he is unusually adept at finding high-quality bargains.