Merger and acquisition strategies
a. are aimed at facilitating a company's shift from a broad differentiation strategy to a low-cost provider strategy
b. tend to be the most often used and most effective strategic options available to multi business companies
c. provide superior means for firms to rapidly increase the vertical scope of their core business
d. are one of the best ways for a company strongly differentiate its product offerings
e. are often driven by such strategic objectives as to expand a company's geographic coverage or extend its business into a new product categories

Lambert manufacturing has $100,000 to invest in either project a or project b. the following data are available on these projects (ignore income taxes.): project a project b cost of equipment needed now $100,000 $60,000 working capital investment needed now - $40,000 annual cash operating inflows $40,000 $35,000 salvage value of equipment in 6 years $10,000 - both projects will have a useful life of 6 years and the total cost approach to net present value analysis. at the end of 6 years, the working capital investment will be released for use elsewhere. lambert's required rate of return is 14%. the net present value of project b is: