World trade has grown substantially in the last 60 years. For example, while world output grew at an annual rate of 3.8% per year between 1950 and 2003, world exports grew at 10.8% per year over the same time period. Which of the following help o explain the increase in international trade and finance since the 1950's?
a. International trade agreements such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
b. An increasing number of affordable international flights
c. Changes in property rights
d. The widespread use of the Internet to conduct business.

Afactory owner wants his workers to produce as many widgets as they can so he pays his workers based on how many widgets they produce. however, in order to make sure that the workers do not rush and produce a large number of poorly made widgets, he checks the widgets at random at various stages of their manufacture. if a defect is found in a widget, the pay of the entire section of the factory responsible for that defect is docked. how is this factory owner seeking to solve the agency conflict problem in this case?

Highland company produces a lightweight backpack that is popular with college students. standard variable costs relating to a single backpack are given below

On january 1, 2017, fisher corporation purchased 40 percent (90,000 shares) of the common stock of bowden, inc. for $980,000 in cash and began to use the equity method for the investment. the price paid represented a $48,000 payment in excess of the book value of fisher's share of bowden's underlying net assets. fisher was willing to make this extra payment because of a recently developed patent held by bowden with a 15-year remaining life. all other assets were considered appropriately valued on bowden's books. bowden declares and pays a $90,000 cash dividend to its stockholders each year on september 15. bowden reported net income of $400,000 in 2017 and $348,000 in 2018. each income figure was earned evenly throughout its respective year. on july 1, 2018, fisher sold 10 percent (22,500 shares) of bowden's outstanding shares for $338,000 in cash. although it sold this interest, fisher maintained the ability to significantly influence bowden's decision-making process. prepare the journal entries for fisher for the years of 2017 and 2018. (if no entry is required for a transaction/event, select "no journal entry required" in the first account field. do not round intermediate calculations. round your final answers to the nearest whole dollar.)