Highland Construction works primarily on new home construction but has become aware of new and potentially profitable construction activities in multi$-$home structures such as $20-$unit apartment buildings. This type of construction would be a new activity for the firm. The President of the firm believes the firm could do a number of things related to this opportunity: $1.$ Do nothing, $2.$ Purchase new equipment to efficiently construct the larger buildings, $3.$ Lend their name to sub$-$contractors who would in turn do all of the construction but pay a royalty fee, or $4.$ Hire a larger work force to undertake the new projects in addition to their existing projects. If no additional work has been done regarding this new opportunity, what stage of the decisionmaking framework has been reached by the firm?

A$)$ Define the decision to be made and any related issues

B$)$ Determine the criteria to be used when evaluating alternatives

C$)$ Generate alternatives

D$)$ Decide on an alternative and begin implementation