Chris, the president of SGC Properties, is considering submitting a bid to purchase property that will be sold by sealed bid at a county tax foreclosure.  Chris’ initial judgment is to submit a $5 million.  Based on his experience, Chris estimates that a bid of $5 million will have a 0.2 probability of being the highest bid and securing the property for SGC.  The current date is July 1.  Sealed bids for the property must be submitted by September 15.  The winning bid will be announced on October 1. If SGC submits the highest bid and obtains the property, the firm plans to build and sell a complex of luxury condominiums.  However, a complicating factor is that the property is currently zoned for single-family residences only.  Chris believes that a referendum cold be placed on the voting ballot in time for the November election.  Passage of the referendum would change the zoning of the property and permit construction of the condominiums. The sealed-bid procedure requires the bid to be submitted with a certified check for 10% of the amount of the bid.  If the bid is rejected, the deposit is refunded.  If the bid is accepted, the deposit is the down payment for the property.  However, if the bid is accepted and the bidder does not follow through with the purchase and meet the remainder of the financial obligation within six months, the deposit will be forfeited.  In this case, the county will offer the property to the next highest bidder. To determine whether SGC should submit the $5 million bid, Chris conducted some preliminary analysis.  The preliminary work provided an assessment of 0.3 for the probability that the referendum for a zoning change will be approved and resulted in the following estimates of the cost and revenues that will be incurred if the condominiums are built: Revenue from condominium sales            $15,000,000 Cost       Property                                                       $5,000,000 Construction expenses                                $8,000,000 If SGC obtains the property and the zoning change is rejected in November, Chris believes that the best option would be the firm not to complete the purchase of the property.  In that case, SGC would forfeit the %10 deposit that accompanied the bid. Because the likelihood that the zoning referendum will be approved is such an important factor in the decision process, Chris suggested that the firm hire a market research service to conduct a survey of voters.  The survey would provide a better estimate of the likelihood that the referendum for a zoning change would be approved.  The market research firm the SGC has worked with in the past has agreed to do the study for $15,000.  The results of the study will be available September 1, so that SGC will have the information before the September 15 bid deadline.  The results of the survey will be either a prediction that the zoning change will be approved or a prediction that the zoning change will be rejected.  After considering the record of the market research service in previous studies conducted for SGC, Chris developed the following probability estimates concerning the accuracy of the market research information: P(A|s1) = 0.9       P(A|s2) = 0.2 P(N|s1) = 0.1       P(N|s2) = 0.8  where                 A = prediction of zoning change approved                 N = prediction of zoning change will not be approved s1 = the zoning change is approved by voters s2 = the zoning change is rejected by voters Perform an analysis of the problem facing SGC Properties, and prepare a report with your recommendations.  Make the sure the following questions are addressed. What should SGC do If they do not have the market research information? What should SGC do it they have the market research information? Should SGC hire the market research firm? What is the value of the information? Hint : Draw a graph with time line to follow up with dates

Understanding Business
12th Edition
ISBN:9781259929434
Author:William Nickels
Publisher:William Nickels
Chapter1: Taking Risks And Making Profits Within The Dynamic Business Environment
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1CE
icon
Related questions
Question

Chris, the president of SGC Properties, is considering submitting a bid to purchase property that will be sold by sealed bid at a county tax foreclosure.  Chris’ initial judgment is to submit a $5 million.  Based on his experience, Chris estimates that a bid of $5 million will have a 0.2 probability of being the highest bid and securing the property for SGC.  The current date is July 1.  Sealed bids for the property must be submitted by September 15.  The winning bid will be announced on October 1.

If SGC submits the highest bid and obtains the property, the firm plans to build and sell a complex of luxury condominiums.  However, a complicating factor is that the property is currently zoned for single-family residences only.  Chris believes that a referendum cold be placed on the voting ballot in time for the November election.  Passage of the referendum would change the zoning of the property and permit construction of the condominiums.

The sealed-bid procedure requires the bid to be submitted with a certified check for 10% of the amount of the bid.  If the bid is rejected, the deposit is refunded.  If the bid is accepted, the deposit is the down payment for the property.  However, if the bid is accepted and the bidder does not follow through with the purchase and meet the remainder of the financial obligation within six months, the deposit will be forfeited.  In this case, the county will offer the property to the next highest bidder.

To determine whether SGC should submit the $5 million bid, Chris conducted some preliminary analysis.  The preliminary work provided an assessment of 0.3 for the probability that the referendum for a zoning change will be approved and resulted in the following estimates of the cost and revenues that will be incurred if the condominiums are built:

Revenue from condominium sales            $15,000,000

Cost      

Property                                                       $5,000,000

Construction expenses                                $8,000,000

If SGC obtains the property and the zoning change is rejected in November, Chris believes that the best option would be the firm not to complete the purchase of the property.  In that case, SGC would forfeit the %10 deposit that accompanied the bid.

Because the likelihood that the zoning referendum will be approved is such an important factor in the decision process, Chris suggested that the firm hire a market research service to conduct a survey of voters.  The survey would provide a better estimate of the likelihood that the referendum for a zoning change would be approved.  The market research firm the SGC has worked with in the past has agreed to do the study for $15,000.  The results of the study will be available September 1, so that SGC will have the information before the September 15 bid deadline.  The results of the survey will be either a prediction that the zoning change will be approved or a prediction that the zoning change will be rejected.  After considering the record of the market research service in previous studies conducted for SGC, Chris developed the following probability estimates concerning the accuracy of the market research information:

P(A|s1) = 0.9       P(A|s2) = 0.2

P(N|s1) = 0.1       P(N|s2) = 0.8 

where

                A = prediction of zoning change approved

                N = prediction of zoning change will not be approved

s1 = the zoning change is approved by voters

s2 = the zoning change is rejected by voters

Perform an analysis of the problem facing SGC Properties, and prepare a report with your recommendations.  Make the sure the following questions are addressed.

  1. What should SGC do If they do not have the market research information?
  2. What should SGC do it they have the market research information?
  3. Should SGC hire the market research firm? What is the value of the information?

Hint : Draw a graph with time line to follow up with dates

Expert Solution
steps

Step by step

Solved in 3 steps

Blurred answer
Similar questions
  • SEE MORE QUESTIONS
Recommended textbooks for you
Understanding Business
Understanding Business
Management
ISBN:
9781259929434
Author:
William Nickels
Publisher:
McGraw-Hill Education
Management (14th Edition)
Management (14th Edition)
Management
ISBN:
9780134527604
Author:
Stephen P. Robbins, Mary A. Coulter
Publisher:
PEARSON
Spreadsheet Modeling & Decision Analysis: A Pract…
Spreadsheet Modeling & Decision Analysis: A Pract…
Management
ISBN:
9781305947412
Author:
Cliff Ragsdale
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Management Information Systems: Managing The Digi…
Management Information Systems: Managing The Digi…
Management
ISBN:
9780135191798
Author:
Kenneth C. Laudon, Jane P. Laudon
Publisher:
PEARSON
Business Essentials (12th Edition) (What's New in…
Business Essentials (12th Edition) (What's New in…
Management
ISBN:
9780134728391
Author:
Ronald J. Ebert, Ricky W. Griffin
Publisher:
PEARSON
Fundamentals of Management (10th Edition)
Fundamentals of Management (10th Edition)
Management
ISBN:
9780134237473
Author:
Stephen P. Robbins, Mary A. Coulter, David A. De Cenzo
Publisher:
PEARSON