Suppose that the U.S. government decides to charge wine consumers a tax. Before the tax, 35 billion bottles of wine were sold every year at a price of $7 per bottle. After the tax, 29 billion bottles of wine are sold every year; consumers pay $8 per bottle (including the tax), and producers receive $4 per bottle. The amount of the tax on a bottle of wine is $1 per bottle. Of this amount, the burden that falls on consumers is $ per bottle, and the burden that falls on producers is $ per bottle. True or False: The effect of the tax on the quantity sold would have been smaller if the tax had been levied on producers.

1. The amount of tax on a bottle of wine is $4.

2. The tax burden on consumers is $1.

3. The tax burden on producers is $3.

4. The effect on the tax on the quantity sold would have been smaller if the tax had been levied on producers.

False.

Explanation:

a) Data and Calculations:

Before the tax, the number of bottles of wine sold every year at $7 per bottle = 35 billion bottles

After the tax, the number of bottles of wine sold every year at $8 per bottle = 29 billion bottles

Therefore, there is a reduction of 6 billion bottles as a result of the increased price of $1 per bottle (from $7 to $8).

The price received by producers = $4 per bottle

Therefore, there is a total tax of $4 ($8 - $4)

Consumers bear $1 ($8 - $7)

Producers bear $3 ($7 - $4)

The effect of the tax would have still increased the price to $8 or more.  Thus, if the tax had been levied on producers, the quantity of bottles sold would have reduced drastically.

In an effective OBM company, communication is in all direction, not the conventional up, down or sideways.  It is focused on improving the company economics.  And as my partner, John Case says, (the individual who coined the phrase open-book management, implementation should start with a focus on improving the company economics, not sharing financials.

Explanation:

These Forbes and Harvard Business Review articles provide more background:  

https://hbr.org/2018/01/more-than-a-paycheck  http://www.forbes.com/sites/fotschcase/2016/05/31/engage-your-employees-in-making-money/