anet Taylor is the new division controller of the$$ snack$-$foods division of Gourmet Foods. Gourmet Foods has reported a minimum$15\%$ growth in annual earnings for each of the past five years. The$$ snack$-$foods division has reported annual earnings growth of more than$20\%$ each year in this same period. During the current$$ year, the economy went into a recession. The corporate controller estimates a$10\%$ annual earnings growth rate for Gourmet Foods this year. One month before the December $31$ fiscal$$ year$-$end of the current$$ year, Taylor estimates the$$ snack$-$foods division will report an annual earnings growth of only$8\%.$ Warren$$ Ryan, the$$ snack$-$foods division$$ president, is not$$ happy, but he notes that$$ "the end$-$of$-$year$$ actions" still need to be taken. Taylor makes some inquiries and is able to compile the following list of$$ end$-$of$-$year actions that were more or less accepted by the previous division$$ controller:

LOADING...$($Click the icon to view the$$ end$-$of$-$year actions.$)1.$ Potential reasons why the$$ snack$-$foods division president might want to take these$$ end$-$of$-$year actions$$ include: