New orders are coming in quickly for SmartTech, and management is confident that new contracts will take them through the next couple of years. The company has started investing again, but not in people. The number of employees is the same as when the company and its competitors faced the Great Recession. Most likely due to , the company is producing more product and services with less people.

a. the lack of skilled labor

b. new competition

c. social changes

d. technological advancement

Gibson's bodywork does automotive collision work. an insurance agency has determined that the standard time to replace a fender is 2.5 hours (i.e., "standard output" 0.4

The maximum tax rate on estates and gifts

Alandowner entered into a written agreement with a real estate broker whereby the broker would receive a commission of 10% of the sale price if he procured a "ready, willing, and able buyer" for the landowner's property and if the sale actually proceeded through closing. the broker found a buyer who agreed in writing to buy the property from the landowner for $100,000, the landowner's asking price. the buyer put up $6,000 as a down payment. the agreement between the landowner and the buyer contained a liquidated damages clause providing that, if the buyer defaulted by failing to tender the balance due of $94,000 at the closing date, damages would be 10% of the purchase price. the landowner included that clause because she was counting on using the proceeds of the sale for a business venture that would likely net her at least $10,000. the buyer became seriously ill and defaulted. when he recovered, he demanded that the landowner return his $6,000, and the landowner refused. the broker also demanded the $6,000 from the landowner and was refused. the broker and the buyer filed separate suits against the landowner, with the buyer pleading impossibility of performance. the two cases are consolidated into a single case. how should the court rule as to the disposition of the $6,000?