P14 Marginal costbenefit analysis and the goal of the firm Ken Allen, capital budgeting analyst for Bally Gears, Inc., has been asked to evaluate a proposal. The manager of the automotive division believes that replacing the robotics used on the heavy truck gear line will produce total benefits of $560,000 (in todays dollars) over the next 5 years. The existing robotics would produce benefits of $400,000 (also in todays dollars) over that same time period. An initial cash investment of $220,000 would be required to install the new equipment. The manager estimates that the existing robotics can be sold for $70,000. Show how Ken will apply marginal costbenefit analysis techniques to determine the following: a. The marginal (added) benefits of the proposed new robotics. b. The marginal (added) cost of the proposed new robotics. c. The net benefit of the proposed new robotics. d. What should Ken recommend that the company do? Why? e. What factors besides the costs and benefits should be considered before the final decision is made? P15 Identifying agency problems, costs, and resolutions Explain why each of the following situations is an agency problem and what costs to the firm might result from it. Suggest how the problem might be handled short of firing the individual(s) involved. a. The front desk receptionist routinely takes an extra 20 minutes of lunch time to run personal errands. b. Division managers are padding cost estimates so as to show short-term efficiency gains when the costs come in lower than the estimates. c. The firms chief executive officer has had secret talks with a competitor about the possibility of a merger in which she would become the CEO of the combined firms.

d. A branch manager lays off experienced full-time employees and staffs customer service positions with part-time or temporary workers to lower employment costs and raise this years branch profit. The managers bonus is based on profitability.