Acatalog merchant wants to build a new distribution center that will improve inventory management, storage of products, shipping, and returns. the company develops a close relationship with ups, its main supplier of shipping services. ups the catalog merchant design its new distribution center so that it coordinates well with the shipping processes at ups. this arrangement reduces shipping costs and improves service to the catalog merchant's customers. this situation is an example of:

Garrett is an executive vice president at samm hardware. he researches a proposal by a larger company, maximum hardware, to combine the two companies. by analyzing past performance, conducting focus groups, and interviewing maximum employees, garrett concludes that maximum has poor profit margins, sells shoddy merchandise, and treats customers poorly. what actions should garrett and samm hardware take? a. turn down the acquisition offer and prepare to resist a hostile takeover. b. attempt a friendly merger and use managerial hubris to improve results at maximum. c. welcome the acquisition and use knowledge transfer to impart sam hardware's management practices. d. do nothing; the two companies cannot combine without samm hardware's explicit consent.