The manufacturers of several designer purses have met and agreed not to sell their purses to Jolie's Department Store because of Jolie's practice of discounting all items 20 percent below the retail costs at other stores. The manufacturers are concerned about maintaining their images of exclusivity and quality. The agreement among the manufacturers: a. is valid because of their need to protect their product. b. violates the Sherman Act because it is a boycott. c. is valid because the rule of reason applies and they have a valid reason. d. none of the above

M. cotteleer electronics supplies microcomputer circuitry to a company that incorporates microprocessors into refrigerators and other home appliances. one of the components has an annual demand of 235 units, and this is constant throughout the year. carrying cost is estimated to be $1.25 per unit per year, and the ordering (setup) cost is $21 per order. a) to minimize cost, how many units should be ordered each time an order is placed? b) how many orders per year are needed with the optimal policy? c) what is the average inventory if costs are minimized? d) suppose that the ordering cost is not $21, and cotteleer has been ordering 125 units each time an order is placed. for this order policy (of q = 125) to be optimal, determine what the ordering cost would have to be.