Kurt's Adventures, Inc. stock is quite cyclical. In a boom economy, the stock is expected to return 30% in comparison to 12% in a normal economy and a negative 20% in a recessionary period. The probability of a recession is 15%. There is a 30% chance of a boom economy. The remainder of the time the economy will be at normal levels. What is the standard deviation of the returns on Kurt's Adventures, Inc. stock

You work as the sales manager for a company that sells office supplies to businesses of all sizes. because the profit margins are razor-thin, you need to ensure that you are getting the very best prices on paper, pencils, pens, post-it notes, and other office supplies from the manufacturers. when reviewing the quarterly profit statement, you realize that your costs are higher than they should be, and you trace the higher costs back to an employee who has been lax about getting competitive bids to ensure the lowest prices. when you conduct your research to determine the reason for the higher costs, and take action to bring those costs back down, in which of the key management processes are you taking part?