Question

Automated Data Processing (ADP) provides computer software and services to a host of companies, including automobile dealerships. ADP charges dealerships a monthly lease for hardware, software, and support services, but does not charge for training the dealerships’ employees. Dealerships need only pay for their employees’ time and travel to ADP headquarters, where they attend "Software U" at no additional charge. The time and travel expenses paid by a dealership to train workers is an example of what type of specialized investment?
a. Dedicated asset
b. Site specificity
c. Physical-asset specificity
d. Human capital

Answer 1

Answer:

The answer is c) Physical-asset specificity

Explanation:

The asset specificity is defined as the degree in the investments made to support a need to have a higher value than they would have if they are redistributed for any other purpose. They are non-redistributable physical and human investments that are specialized and exclusive for a task. In the example of the exercise, employee training is a specific investment of assets, since it is more likely that your investment will have the same profitability in the management of software and hardware provided by ADP.