An automobile manufacturer is converting an assembly line from standard vehicles to hybrid vehicle production. Conversion will cost $100 million. Production capacity will be 4000 vehicles in the first year and will increase by 1000 vehicles per year for all future years. Each hybrid earns a net profit of $5,000.a. If the interest rate is 15%, how many years will it take until the present worth of the net benefits equals the $100 million initial cost? Report your answer to 2 decimal places. b. Using the simple payback method, how many years will it take the $100 million investment to pay back? Report your answer to 2 decimal places. c. Based on your answers to parts a. and b. would you recommend this investment? Why or why not?

"in the electricity industry, low average total costs are obtained only through large-scale production. in other words, the initial cost of setting up all the necessary wiring makes it risky and, most likely, unprofitable for competitors to enter the market. throughout much of the 20th century, many people viewed south africa’s de beers group as a monopoly because it controlled a large percentage of diamond production and sales. patents are granted to inventors of a product or process for a certain number of years. the reason for this is to encourage innovation in the economy. without the existence of patents, it is argued, research and development for improved electronics is unlikely to take place, since there’s nothing preventing another firm from stealing the idea, copying the product, and producing it without incurring the devel opment costs."which of the following best explains the barriers to entry that exist in this scenario? increasing returns to scale legal barriers exclusive ownership of a necessary resource