The main objective of private industry is to generate income; therefore, any legislated restrictions on business practices operate only to industry's disadvantage. Industry must be allowed complete freedom in the development of new technologies as well as in the manufacturing of products. Opponents of the conclusion drawn above would be LEAST likely to cite which of the following points in their rebuttals?
a. If consumers know that an industry operates within the bounds of environmental regulations, they are more likely to purchase that company's products.
b. Legislated restrictions force companies to run more efficiently, which in turn reduces operating costs.
c. When a company's management restricts research and development to a few focused areas, the immediate cost benefits are substantial.
d. technological research is unrestricted by legislation, companies waste money developing similar technologies.
e. some cases, industrial compliance with strict regulations has resulted in the invention of more efficient means of production.