The speaker has just made a key point. The global middle class will double in the coming years. However, this new middle class rising out of emerging economies is quite different from the current global middle class. The speaker suggests the R and D (research and development) organizations of today's companies may not be well positioned to gain this market. Which advantage of globalization does this point most directly address

"in my opinion, we ought to stop making our own drums and accept that outside supplier's offer," said wim niewindt, managing director of antilles refining, n. v., of aruba. "at a price of $21 per drum, we would be paying $4.70 less than it costs us to manufacture the drums in our own plant. since we use 70,000 drums a year, that would be an annual cost savings of $329,000." antilles refining's current cost to manufacture one drum is given below (based on 70,000 drums per year):

During january 2018, the following transactions occur: january 1 purchase equipment for $20,600. the company estimates a residual value of $2,600 and a five-year service life. january 4 pay cash on accounts payable, $10,600. january 8 purchase additional inventory on account, $93,900. january 15 receive cash on accounts receivable, $23,100 january 19 pay cash for salaries, $30,900. january 28 pay cash for january utilities, $17,600. january 30 firework sales for january total $231,000. all of these sales are on account. the cost of the units sold is $120,500. the following information is available on january 31, 2018. depreciation on the equipment for the month of january is calculated using the straight-line method. the company estimates future uncollectible accounts. at the end of january, considering the total ending balance of the accounts receivable account as shown on the general ledger tab, $4,100 is now past due (older than 90 days), while the remainder of the balance is current (less than 90 days old). the company estimates that 50% of the past due balance will be uncollectible and only 3% of the current balance will become uncollectible. record the estimated bad debt expense. accrued interest revenue on notes receivable for january. unpaid salaries at the end of january are $33,700. accrued income taxes at the end of january are $10,100

Rossdale co. stock currently sells for $68.91 per share and has a beta of 0.88. the market risk premium is 7.10 percent and the risk-free rate is 2.91 percent annually. the company just paid a dividend of $3.57 per share, which it has pledged to increase at an annual rate of 3.25 percent indefinitely. what is your best estimate of the company's cost of equity?