You are a recent business major graduate and a new manager in the supply chain management organization of Marriott International. The organization is looking to reduce the amount of money spent each year on basic supplies such as linens and towels, cleaning supplies, furniture, and appliances. You have been asked to explore the feasibility of establishing an electronic exchange (consortium) of other hotel chains and the suppliers of the items in an attempt to lower total costs. Required:
a. Explain how such an electronic exchange might operate.
b. What are some of the pros and cons of participating in an electronic exchange?
c. Identify several strategic and competitive issues that may complicate the formation of such a consortium.
d. Would you recommend that Marriott continue to explore the feasibility of setting up a consortium? Why or why not?

Navel county choppers, inc., is experiencing rapid growth. the company expects dividends to grow at 19 percent per year for the next 8 years before leveling off at 5 percent into perpetuity. the required return on the company’s stock is 10 percent. if the dividend per share just paid was $1.52, what is the stock price?

Suppose a stock had an initial price of $65 per share, paid a dividend of $1.45 per share during the year, and had an ending share price of $58. a, compute the percentage total return. (a negative answer should be indicated by a minus sign. do not round intermediate calculations and enter your answer as a percent rounded to 2 decimal places, e. g., 32.16.) b. what was the dividend yield and the capital gains yield? (a negative answer should be indicated by a minus sign. do not round intermediate calculations and enter your answers as a percent rounded to 2 decimal places, e. g., 32.16.)

Exercise 18-15 sheffield appliance center is an experienced home appliance dealer. sheffield appliance center also offers a number of services for the home appliances that it sells. assume that sheffield appliance center sells ovens on a standalone basis. sheffield appliance center also sells installation services and maintenance services for ovens. however, sheffield appliance center does not offer installation or maintenance services to customers who buy ovens from other vendors. pricing for ovens is as follows. oven only $790 oven with installation service 850 oven with maintenance services 970 oven with installation and maintenance services 990 in each instance in which maintenance services are provided, the maintenance service is separately priced within the arrangement at $180. additionally, the incremental amount charged by sheffield appliance center for installation approximates the amount charged by independent third parties. ovens are sold subject to a general right of return. if a customer purchases an oven with installation and/or maintenance services, in the event sheffield appliance center does not complete the service satisfactorily, the customer is only entitled to a refund of the portion of the fee that exceeds $790. assume that a customer purchases an oven with both installation and maintenance services for $990. (b) indicate the amount of revenue that should be allocated to the oven, the installation, and to the maintenance contract.