Mrs. smith operates a business in a competitive market. the current market price is $7.50. at her profit-maximizing level of production, the average variable cost is $8.00, and the average total cost is $8.25. mrs. smith should
a. shut down her business in the short run but continue to operate in the long run.
b. continue to operate in the short run but shut down in the long run.
c. continue to operate in both the short run and long run.
d. shut down in both the short run and long run.

Ajustification for job training programs is that they improve worker productivity. suppose that you are asked to evaluate whether more job training makes workers more productive. however, rather than having data on individual workers, you have access to data on manufacturing firms in ohio. in particu- lar, for each firm, you have information on hours of job training per worker (training) and number of nondefective items produced per worker hour (output). (i) carefully state the ceteris paribus thought experiment underlying this policy question. (ii) does it seem likely that a firm’s decision to train its workers will be independent of worker characteristics? what are some of those measurable and unmeasurable worker characteristics? (iii) name a factor other than worker characteristics that can affect worker productivity. (iv) if you find a positive correlation between output and training, would you have convincingly established that job training makes workers more productive? explain.

Who is better at multi-tasking? in business, employees are often asked to perform a complex task when their atten-tion is divided (i.e., multi-tasking). human factors (may 2014) published a study designed to determine whether video game players are better than non–video game play-ers at multi-tasking. each in a sample of 60 college stu-dents was classified as a video game player or a non-player. participants entered a street crossing simulator and were asked to cross a busy street at an unsigned intersec-tion. the simulator was designed to have cars traveling at various high rates of speed in both directions. during the crossing, the students also performed a memory task as a distraction. two variables were measured for each student: (1) a street crossing performance score (measured out of 100 points) and (2) a memory task score (measured out of 20 points). the researchers found no differences in either the street crossing performance or memory task score of video game players and non-gamers. “these results,” say the researchers, “suggest that action video game players [and non-gamers] are equally susceptible to the costs of dividing attention in a complex task”

Neveready flashlights inc. needs $317,000 to take a cash discount of 3/15, net 70. a banker will loan the money for 55 days at an interest cost of $13,200. a. what is the effective rate on the bank loan? (use a 360-day year. do not round intermediate calculations. input your answer as a percent rounded to 2 decimal places.) b. how much would it cost (in percentage terms) if the firm did not take the cash discount but paid the bill in 70 days instead of 15 days? (use a 360-day year. do not round intermediate calculations. input your answer as a percent rounded to 2 decimal places.) c. should the firm borrow the money to take the discount? no yes d. if the banker requires a 20 percent compensating balance, how much must the firm borrow to end up with the $317,000? e-1. what would be the effective interest rate in part d if the interest charge for 55 days were $7,200?