BA 385: Business, Government and Regulation

1. BA 385: Business, Government and Regulation Chapter Ten: Who’s Flying That Plane?

2. Introduction to Chapter Ten • The chapter examines the relationship between business and government and in particular the government’s role in influencing business decision making.

3. Government’s Role in Influencing Business • Prescribes the rules of the game for business. • Purchases business’ products and services. • Uses its contracting power to get business to do things it wants. • Is a major promoter and subsidizer of business. • Is the owner of vast quantities of productive equipment and wealth. 

4. Government’s Role in Influencing Business • Is an architect of economic growth. • Is a financier. • Is the protector of various interests in society against business exploitation. • Directly manages large areas of private business. • Is the repository of the social conscience and redistributes resources to meet social objectives.

5. Roles of Government and Business • What should be the respective roles of business and government in our socioeconomic system? • Given all of the tasks that must be accomplished to make our society work, which of these tasks should be handled by the government and which should be handled by business? • How much autonomy are we willing to allow business?

6. Business Beliefs Maximizes concession to self-interest Minimizes the load of obligations society imposes on the individual (personal freedom) Emphasizes inequalities of individuals Government Beliefs Subordinated individual goals and self-interest to group goals and group interests Maximized obligations assumed by the individual and discouraging self-interest Emphasized equality of individuals Roles of Government and Business Clash of Ethical Systems

7. Interaction of Business, Government, and the Public Lobbying Regulations and Other Forms of Persuasion Business Government Political Process Voting Interest Groups Contributions Advertising Public Relations Public

8. Interaction of Business, Government, and the Public • Government/business relationship • Public/government relationship • Business/public relationship

9. Government’s Nonregulatory Influence on Business • Two Major Nonregulatory Issues • Industrial Policy • Privatization

10. Industrial Policy Defined • …government policy intended to influence the structure, pricing, and output levels of private markets. • Comes in form of: targeting certain industries for special tax breaks regulatory favors • Why? Policy makers believe that these industries had high growth potential or were 'strategically' important for military or economic reasons. • Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) is the best-known example of an industrial policy agency.

11. Industrial Policy: A Critique • Problems? Industrial policy is a prime target for special interest capture, as firms attempt to influence government to favor them. Also, industrial policy has had the effect of raising prices and restricting output due to overbearing and bureaucratic government management. • Free market advocates assert that the market is the best mechanism for allocating scarce resources because everyone's interests are directly represented in buying decisions, whereas government authorities are subject to special pressures and undue influence because government can be the ultimate monopoly.

12. Pros Decline of U.S. competitiveness Use by other nations Ad hoc system Cons Reduces market efficiency Promotes political decisions Foreign success variable National attempts uncoordinated and irrational Government’s Nonregulatory Influence on Business Industrial Policy

13. Government’s Nonregulatory Influence on Business • Privatization • Producing versus providing a service (providing: hire a firm to cater public affair; producing: gov’t. agency prepares food and serves it). • Privatization debate • Federalization of certain functions • Airport security – Benefits? Disadvantages?

14. Major employer Large purchaser Major influence Subsidies Transfer payments Major competitor Major lender Taxation Monetary policy Moral suasion Government’s Nonregulatory Influence on Business Other Nonregulatory Influences

15. Government’s Regulatory Influence on Business • Factors to Consider Regarding Government Regulation • Protection • Scope • Cost

16. Government’s Regulatory Influence on Business • Federal Regulatory Agency • Has decision-making authority • Establishes standards or guidelines conferring benefits and imposing restrictions on business conduct • Operates principally in the sphere of domestic business activity • Has its head and/or members appointed by the president (generally subject to Senate confirmation) • Has its legal procedures generally governed by the Administrative Procedures Act

17. Government’s Regulatory Influence on Business Reasons for Regulation • Controls natural monopolies (economies of scale exist to advantage of one firm, i.e. local telephone service) • Controls negative externalities • Achieves social goals • Other reasons • Controls excess profits (rise in oil price: unfair luck, affects economic policy) • Controls excessive competition (resulting from excessively low price and leading to monopoly then high priced items)

18. Government’s Regulatory Influence on Business Types of Regulation • Economic regulation • Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) • Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) • Federal Communications Commission (FCC) • Social regulation • Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) • Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) • Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

20. Government’s Regulatory Influence on Business • Fair treatment of employees • Safer working conditions • Safer products • Cleaner air and water Benefits of Regulation

21. Government’s Regulatory Influence on Business • Costs of Regulation • Direct costs(ex. Sheer number of agencies and the costs involved in supporting those.) • Indirect costs(ex. Forms businesses must fill out to comply.) • Induced costs Reduced innovation Reduced investment in plant and equipment Increased pressure on small business

22. Deregulation Purpose & Dilemma • Purpose • Intended to increase competition with the expected benefits of greater efficiency, lower prices, and enhanced innovation. • Dilemma • Must enhance competition without sacrificing applicable social regulations (e.g., health and safety requirements).