Each of the following firms benefits from barriers to entry in its industry. Indicate whether each of the barriers is natural or government created. a. A small-town bar that is the only establishment in the county licensed to serve liquor.
b. A diamond company that owns nearly all of the world's diamond mines
c. A pharmaceutical company receives a patent for a new cancer-fighting drug
d. A soda company that spends over $3 billion on advertising every year
e. A waste-treatment plant that cost a lot to build even though it costs only two cents to treat each gallon of waste

There are three factors that can affect the shape of the treasury yield curve (r* t , ip t , and mrp t ) and five factors that can affect the shape of the corporate yield curve (r* t , ip t , mrp t , drp t , and lp t ). the yield curve reflects the aggregation of the impacts from these factors. suppose the real risk-free rate and inflation rate are expected to remain at their current levels throughout the foreseeable future. consider all factors that affect the yield curve. then identify which of the following shapes that the us treasury yield curve can take. check all that apply. a. downward-sloping yield curveb. upward-sloping yield curvec. inverted yield curve

Aproject currently generates sales of $14 million, variable costs equal 50% of sales, and fixed costs are $2.8 million. the firm’s tax rate is 40%. assume all sales and expenses are cash items. (a). what are the effects on cash flow, if sales increase from $14 million to $15.4 million? (input the amount as positive value. enter your answer in dollars not in (b) what are the effects on cash flow, if variable costs increase to 60% of sales? (input the amount as positive value. enter your answers in dollars not in millions). cash flow (increase or decrease) by $

The management of a supermarket wants to adopt a new promotional policy of giving a free gift to every customer who spends > a certain amount per visit at this supermarket. the expectation of the management is that after this promotional policy is advertised, the expenditures for all customers at this supermarket will be normally distributed with a mean of $95 and a standard deviation of $20. if the management wants to give free gifts to at most 10% of the customers, what should the amount be above which a customer would receive a free gift?