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Ashford 4: - Week 3 - Discussion 1

Your initial discussion thread is due on Day 3 (Thursday) and you have until Day 7 (Monday) to respond to your classmates.
Your grade will reflect both the quality of your initial post and the depth of your responses. Reference the Discussion Forum
Grading Rubric for guidance on how your discussion will be evaluated.

Employee Benefits

Increasingly, employees are being allowed to choose benefit packages from a menu of items. For instance, workers may be
given a package of benefits that includes basic and optional items. Basics might include modest medical coverage, life
insurance equal to a year's salary, vacation time based on length of service, and some retirement pay. But then employees
can use credits to choose among such additional benefits as full medical coverage, dental and eye care, more vacation time,
additional disability income, and higher company payments to the retirement fund. Using the theory of consumer behavior,
how do you think flexible benefit packages would affect an employee's preference between higher wages and more benefits?
Respond to at least two of your fellow students’ postings.

Respond

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Responses

Response Author Date/Time*

Indifference Curve Instructor Blagg 8/31/2010 4:12:53 PM

Hi Everyone,

Here is a simple visual that explains the Indifference Curve:

http://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/indifferencecurve.asp

Respond

Theory of Consumer Behavior - wcs William Shain 8/31/2010 5:59:05 PM

The theory of consumer behavior is focused on using a combination of goods to create the most
unity or satisfaction from the goods (p.161). The highest unity can be found from numerous
combinations of goods. The sample problem is a great real world situation that the theory of
consumer behavior applies. Salary is an obvious benefit of working that can be balanced with
other benefits. The question of unity comes from the individual value for these benefits.
In one possible scenario, you may have a family medical history that puts a higher value on full
coverage family medical insurance. Contrast that value to a young, single worker with no
medical issues, the value of full coverage insurance seems much less. Another great benefit is
paid vacation. This is one I bargained for when interviewing for my current position. My
response to my prospective employer was I highly valued four weeks vacation and understood
that may require starting at a lower salary. Ultimately, I did get the four weeks and a good
starting salary, my unity was high.

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The theory of consumer behavior is an exact fit for this example of salary versus other
benefits. In recent years, the value of these other benefits has been a strong negotiating feature
for employment. Employers often can match salary; however it is the value of the other
benefits that brings in the new employees. Creating a combination of goods that makes
employer and employee satisfied with great unity.
Charlie

Respond

RE: Theory of Consumer


Marianne Ordonez 9/12/2010 1:34:27 AM
Behavior - wcs
William

The first thing I need to comment on is that fact that you were able to negotiate your starting salary
and still get four weeks of PAID vacation. I think it is always such a great feeling when you find a good paying
job that also provides great benefits. I definitely believe that some people including myself do value benefits
more than a high paying salary. I feel as though when I was younger I would have taken any high paying job
even if it did not offer benefits but know I like to ask to see if the job offers a 401k plan and how much the
company matches. I also like to make sure that the job offers different health care plans that I can choose
from.

Consumer behavior may depend on the person and what they value the most. Whether it be
benefits or a higher salary. There are many different views people have on different types of benefit plans
based on where they are in their life. The true value is really with the beholder.

Respond

RE: Theory of Consumer


Sheree Graham 9/6/2010 8:25:25 PM
Behavior - wcs
Charlie
You presented with some interesting points in your posting. One thing that I have noticed with benefits
packages recently is the limited selections especially with healthcare insurance. I opted out of health
insurance with my former employer for that reason and selected to utilize my spouses insurance as the
primary insurer. You also mentioned your request for a set amount of vacation per year, good move. Along
with competing for wages, time off is another area that one must focus on. Many employers offer either PTO
(paid time off) based on the years of employment. An example would be an employee who has been
employed for 6 years or more earns 6.75hrs of PTO per 40hrs. Others offer a set number of days per year for
vacation, sick time and so forth.

Respond

RE: Theory of Consumer


Nichole Carter 9/6/2010 3:35:11 PM
Behavior - wcs
Good post Charlie. I think that holds true about paid time off. Some days an employee may just want to take a
day or week to relax. Employers should allow this because it allows the employee to come back refreshed
and renewed. If an employee has a family he or she has to remember that he has to make decisions for his
family as well to get time with him or her.

Respond

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RE: Theory of Consumer


William Shain 9/6/2010 5:25:07 PM
Behavior - wcs
From a mangers point-of-view, for me, it seems paid time off is one of the easiest and cheapest benefits
to give employees. Especially salary, exempt personnel. It an be a challenge at time to create
schedules to cover this time, however the long-term good will is hard to beat.

Charlie

Respond

RE: Theory of Consumer


Instructor Blagg 9/2/2010 8:24:11 PM
Behavior - wcs

Hi Charlie,

Superb points. I think that younger workers will increasingly look at the overall benefits packages
being offered rather than focusing on just the salary. The key is to maximize utility. This can mean
accepting health coverage with a much higher deductible if you are a younger employee and save
money on the monthly premiums. Then you take these savings and invest it.

Respond

RE: Theory of Consumer


William Shain 9/3/2010 6:19:22 AM
Behavior - wcs

Health insurance options are defiantly a hot topic when it comes to benefits
options. In my opinion it seems to be the option that confuses the most
people. On many occasions I have had to explain EOB's and plan benefits to
employees. A recent tough sell was how paying a small co-pay and
deductible for a lower premium would cost less than the top end plant with no
co-pay and no deductible. In one case it worked out to over $2000 a year
more for the premium plan. She finally agreed but said I just like the no
hassle feature of the other plan. I guess people will pay for what they want.

Respond

RE: Theory of Consumer


Ryan Dingman 9/6/2010 2:30:34 PM
Behavior - wcs
Instructor Belg,

This is what I have done. I never go to the doctor except for major health issues and standard checkups.
My health care plan has a $500 to $1000 deductable depending on what I am being seen for, but my
standard yearly doctor visits cost me $50. This allows me to keep my payments low, but give me
adequate coverage for major medical problems.
Ryan Dingman

Respond

RE: Theory of Consumer


Artrell Manning 9/4/2010 9:08:26 PM
Behavior - wcs

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Hi Charlie, great post. Your post enlightened me on what some of the things I
need to inquire about when it is time for me to go on job interviews. Being in
the military you don't think about insurance benefits or salary because it is
already set. Now that I am close to retirement your post has really helped me.

Respond

RE: Theory of Consumer


William Shain 9/5/2010 6:51:07 AM
Behavior - wcs
Another quick point of retiring from Military and benefits. Pay the small stipend to maintain Delta
Dental. When you get out, most employers offer insurance, but having two is great. Tricare will always
be the secondary insurance and will always have the lower allowed rate.

Typical billing goes something like this, they bill $500, civilian insurance allows $300 and pays. Tricar
allows $150. The EOB says Tricare rate exceeded by more than 115%, you owe no additional.
Basically after Tricare deductible its all paid for the year. The same goes for prescription, vision and
dental.

Benefits can be a challenge at times and not knowing what to ask for is tough. Insurance will at least be
an easy choice.

Charlie

Respond

RE: Theory of Consumer


Shanna Thronas 9/2/2010 11:39:53 AM
Behavior - wcs
Hi Charlie,

Good Post! I agree with you that the benefits do play a role when offered a job. I recently interviewed for
another position but the position will mean more overtime and more stress. If I do happen to be offered the
position I will bargain with them about my salary and benefits that I receive, such as tuition reimbursement
past the calendar year maximum. This is important to me in order to continue going to school. It all depends
on what is important to the person and what is currently going on in the person's life.

Shanna

Respond

RE: Theory of Consumer


William Shain 9/3/2010 6:21:22 AM
Behavior - wcs
Knowing you can haggle over benefits and customize them is a great thing. I know many young
workers who felt the package offered was it, no negotiating. A life lesson to be learned.

Charlie

Respond

Week 3 Discussion 1 David Gaynor 9/1/2010 7:37:10 AM

Consumer theory describes how consumers seek to maximize their utility in selecting a variety of different goods.
Consumers value different goods at different levels, and so by offering employees a variety of ways to be
compensated, employers can retain and attract more employees. Most employees will in general value certain

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benefits more than wages, such as health care. Fewer employees may choose options such as 401(k) matching,
but employers increase the odds of enabling each employee to have greater utility by offering variety.

However as people have more options, the opportunity cost of each choice increases. For example, when an
employee must choose between money, dental coverage, life insurance, and other such benefits, it become harder
for him to choose any one of them. Choosing between a higher wage and more benefits becomes more difficult as
options increase. Employees can be overwhelmed with options, and may not make the best choices because it
takes too much time to research them all. Thus, flexible benefit packages in general will cause employees to
choose benefits over higher wages up to a certain point. If too many options are offered, employees may choose
the higher wages rather than spend excessive time researching all their options.

Respond

RE: Week 3 Discussion 1 Branden Boyak 9/3/2010 12:13:50 AM

David,

While I can see your point, for these type of discussions I try to play the other side of the
coin just to make people think. Without choices people would not be happy because they
would feel that the freedom of choice was gone. But your argument is that when given too
much choice, they are still unhappy as there is too much to research to determine the best
option. So due to the overwhelming g amount of benefits, they choose to the higher wages.
I have not seen this to ever be the case, as each company in my 25 years of being in the
industry at most I have had only three or four choices to make for benefits, it has always
been the options that seem to overwhelm most people.

Respond

RE: Week 3 Discussion 1 Nichole Carter 9/6/2010 3:39:16 PM

Good post. You can always return later and pick up insurance. High salary from beginning of employment
may not be available in the future unless a raise comes up. It all depends on your lifestyle and how you
measure happiness and what you need. Each consumer is different in their current situations.

Respond

RE: Week 3 Discussion 1 Dennis Gregory 9/6/2010 8:52:45 PM

Hi David, good post. I think it depends on where the employee is in life and where they place their priorities.
As a younger employee who is not making a lot, they would value the income over the benefits and hope
their health holds. As they get older and want to secure their future and they have more use for health care,
they would begin to move towards valuing the benefits more. This is assuming they have
been receiving raises and their income has risen over the years.

Respond

Employee Benefits Branden Boyak 9/1/2010 8:07:58 PM

The theory of consumer behavior is based upon how consumers attempt to maximize their
utility when selecting various goods and services. In order to obtain the highest unity from the
numerous goods or services I have chosen to focus on the real example of benefit choices each
year provided by various employers.

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Each year, usually in September or October benefits packages go out to the employees from
various companies who support your company or are available in the selection process, each
employee must attempt to maximize the unity of their benefits choosing between what benefits
to cover, medical, dental, life insurance, long term disability and even Federal Spending
Accounts. The employer will usually offer some monetary value towards your benefits or to
even opt out from them all together. So each individual must maximize his or her unity with the
remaining funds and then maybe even have the option to buy stock or increase their investment
in a 401K IRA.

The employee must choose between where to spend the choices. Do you spend more on a
medical plan because you have young children or less on dental because the kids are past the
teenage years, is always a question that needs to be reevaluated each year.

But with so many choices is there sufficient time to make the right choice in order to maximize
their utility at this time of year.

Reference

Maurice, S. & Thomas, C. (2011). Managerial economics (10th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-
Hill

Respond

RE: Employee Benefits Jeffrey Fort 9/6/2010 9:18:24 PM

Hello Branden,

I have many options with my employer that is actually due for renewal next month. The medical coverage is
decent; however my fiancé’s coverage is even better. Since I will be getting married this year I am going to
drop my employer’s coverage and maximize my benefit by switching to her medical insurance. Another
example is the fact that her employer does not offer eye insurance and after marriage she will be added to my
employer’s eye coverage plan. With so many options it is very important to really plan on maximizing utility.

Respond

RE: Employee Benefits Monica Weber 9/6/2010 8:14:35 AM

Branden,
Great post. We also have the same type of benefit selection system in place. We are informed about the
time to re enroll in our benefit programs usually around the end of Sept. and we usually have until the end of
Oct. to update our benefit package. I have found from my own experience and other employees that this has
been a sufficient amount of time to complete this process. I have not heard any negative feedback re: this
process and for the most part they appreciate the ability to choose the benefits they need or want. Very good
point however because it may be that not all employers will give sufficient amount of time to make that
decision. It may be difficult for some to make those kind of choices since once it is made it will be another
year before they can change it again.

Monica

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Respond

RE: Employee Benefits Instructor Blagg 9/2/2010 8:21:52 PM

Hi Branden,

Excellent points. It depends on everyone’s particular situation. Younger workers want more money
immediately to use for spending (and paying down debts such as loans from education and
automobiles). Older workers have sufficient income and saving so they are looking to protect (or
hedge) their wealth through better health care, long term care, and life insurance products.

Respond

RE: Employee Benefits William Shain 9/2/2010 6:47:11 AM

To answer your question, is there adequate time to respond to the choices provided to maximize employee
unity, I feel yes. This is not a random date to opt in or out of benefits, it is an annual event. Every employee
can look over such options and start forming their plan the day after sign-up if they choose. Granted their
may be some new options that require additional review that only come out just prior to the sign-up period.
My experience has shown these changes to be minor or at a minimum very clearly defined.

Of course many people will not give these benefits a second thought until the last moment and they either
lose out for failure to even sign up or make a snap decision. Either way this seems to be more the employees
fault, not the employer. Another point for sufficient time, often employers will post information on major
changes well before the sign-up time to ensure their employees have adequate information to make the right
choice for themselves.

Charlie

Respond

RE: Employee Benefits Ryan Dingman 9/6/2010 2:37:20 PM

Branden,

Excellent posting, I have chosen to almost eliminate my dental plan, because my wife and I do not have
children and we have not had a dental problem in nearly 15 years. So we chose a dental plan with a very high
deductable one dental work, but a low deductable on general yearly office visits. This has been working well
for us, and we still have dental coverage if something did happen.

Ryan Dingman

Respond

Discussion 1 Roosevelt Jeanbaptiste 9/2/2010 11:26:58 AM

The theory of consumer behavior is the assumption that consumers can rank various bundles of goods as to
whether they prefer one bundle to another or are indifferent between the two (Thomas & Maurice, 2011). In
regards to employee benefits, many variables can come into play in the decision making process. One is the age
of the employee. A younger employee may not feel the need for full benefit. They may feel that an increase
income is more important than full benefit. However, if this young employee is married or has children; their need
might be different. A married or an employee with children may want the full benefit because they have
dependent. Overall, flexible benefit package can affect an employee’s preference based on their personal
situation.

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Reference

Thomas, C. R., & Maurice, S. C. (2011). Managerial Economics: Foundations of Business Analysis and Strategy.
New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin.

Respond

RE: Discussion 1 Shanna Thronas 9/2/2010 11:46:20 AM

Hi Roosevelt,

Good Post! I agree with your post. Each person is different and their priorities are different. I know of other co-
workers that do not have a spouse or any kids and they are in great health, therefore they do not take the full
coverage health care but a reduced health care plan. Me on the other cannot afford to not have insurance
with the work my husband does both on the job and off the job and with kids. I am fortunate enough to have
insurance through my work and my husband has it through the union. So if I change companies and the
health insurance is more than what I pay now I would probably opt out of the insurance and just stay with my
husbands.

Shanna

Respond

RE: Discussion 1 Instructor Blagg 9/2/2010 8:23:08 PM

Hi Roosevelt,

Excellent post. It is also interesting that when having to decide between a guaranteed higher wage
or more benefits (that may never be used such as health insurance), it can be tempting to choose
the guaranteed benefit of higher wages. For every dollar of wage increase being offered at some
point with no change in benefits, the choice of choosing the wage over the increased benefits looks
more attractive. And looking at it the other way, the more benefits being offered at some point with
no increase in wages, the benefits will start to look more attractive, even for a younger employer.

Respond

RE: Discussion 1 Manuel Colon 9/3/2010 10:04:53 AM

Hi Roosevelt and Professor Blagg, I completely agree that the logical choice would be to secure health
insurance even if it takes away from disposable income- regardless of the age group. With health care
and insurance prices on the continuous rise it is more of a liability not to be prepared for the worst case
scenario. This fact is more apparent with a person supporting a family with children.

Manuel

Respond

RE: Discussion 1 Artrell Manning 9/4/2010 9:14:50 PM

Good posting Roosevelt. I agree that the preference will depend on that
individual. Whatever their personal needs are will be the preference they
choose. I feel that a good insurance benefit package should be of the upmost

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importance because anything can happen and you have to be prepared. The
salary may be appealing but you have to take everything into account when
considering what benefit package best suits you.

Respond

Employee Benefits Shanna Thronas 9/2/2010 11:36:08 AM

I think flexible benefit packages would affect an employee’s preference between higher wages
and more benefits. Depending on the options available to the employee to choose from in
return for taking a lower amount of income will affect the employee’s decision. The employee
also needs to take into consideration how useful the benefit will be and if there could be
another option outside of the employer to take rather than reducing his or her income. If the
benefit outweighs the reduction in salary then based on the theory of consumer behavior the
employee will choose that option. The theory of consumer behavior explains that a consumer
must receive the same value, if not more, than what he or she is giving up for the product. The
employee is not going to choose optional benefits if they are not needed, or do not meet or
exceed the amount that his salary will decrease if he chose that option.

Respond

Employee Benefits Kristina Velarde 9/2/2010 2:11:38 PM

Using the theory of consumer behavior for this scenario, we can follow the steps outlined in the textbook to
construct an indifference curve. First, consider the benefits packages to be the consumption bundles (Maurice &
Thomas, 2011, p. 162). Then, employees would rank the bundles according to their preferences and assign utility
units to each of the bundles combinations. The preferences will vary by employee; each will want to feel secure and
safe in different ways, so benefits like medical, dental, life insurance, and retirement plans may be desired more
than wages for some employees.

The preference rankings and utility units will tell us the benefits the employees obtain from the bundles and which
bundle they prefer more or less to the others (Maurice & Thomas, 2011, p. 162-3). From the specific utility units, we
can then create an indifference curve representing the different benefits package combinations that provide the
employee with same level of utility (Maurice & Thomas, 2011, p. 165). The indifference curve will tell us which
combination of benefits the employees prefer at different wages. This information could be used to tell managers
what employees want in benefits for the wages they are paid.

I think we will see that employees are indifferent between receiving higher benefits / lower wages and receiving
lower benefits / higher wages. Receiving higher benefits offset the lower wages because employees won’t need to
allocate wages to pay for the benefits out-of-pocket. Similarly receiving lower benefits necessitates higher wages
because employees will need to cover benefits expenses out-of-pocket.

References

Maurice, S. & Thomas, C. (2011). Managerial Economics (10th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Respond

RE: Employee Benefits Jeffrey Fort 9/6/2010 9:02:09 PM

Hello Kristina,

The indifference curve that could be outlined is a sure fire approach to determining how an employee can
maximize utility. Today having little or no benefits can be very costly. In my situation I would have to maximize
my utility by using a combination of both. If I had no benefits and were faced with having to visit a hospital

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then this would put me in a very negative situation.

Respond

Substitution Effect and Income


Instructor Blagg 9/2/2010 8:19:33 PM
Effect

Hi Everyone,

Here are a few articles that discuss the substitution effect and income effect:

http://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/incomeeffect.asp

http://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/substitution-effect.asp

Respond

RE: Substitution Effect and


Shanna Thronas 9/3/2010 8:37:34 AM
Income Effect
Hi Professor,

For some reason I am unable to open the articles that you posted. I tried copying and pasting the link in two
different browsers and niether one said they could display the page because it wasn't found. Any
suggestions?

Shanna

Respond

RE: Substitution Effect


Kristina Velarde 9/4/2010 2:50:58 PM
and Income Effect
The links worked for me. Maybe the site was down when you tried it...

Respond

Discussion 1 Audel Zarghami 9/2/2010 11:32:12 PM

I think the dangerous aspect of trying to fit everyone into the same box is that people are always left out. It is
important to remember that each family is different and each person has their own set of personal needs. I don't
like the idea of people trying to put everyone in the same box. However, when people are given more options they
are happier. I believe that when people are given more options to purchase something or just have more options in
general there are more likely to purchase more things.

Respond

RE: Discussion 1 Dennis Gregory 9/6/2010 8:55:23 PM

Hi Audel, good post, you make a very good point. People don't like to be pigeon-holed into a "one size fits all"
benefits package. I think also, it depends on your need for security and where you are in your life. A younger
person may value a paycheck and income over a good health plan, whereas an older person may value that
good health plan.

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Respond

RE: Discussion 1 Nichole Carter 9/6/2010 3:46:15 PM

Good post. I agree with you as well. Many times people judge people because they are in a
different situation as theirs. A father may need the extra benefits to satisfy their family's issues.
Eventually even younger people will see benefit packages better than higher wage because
things arise all time.

Respond

RE: Discussion 1 Branden Boyak 9/3/2010 12:03:46 AM

Audel,

While I tend to agree with you think about the employers’ point of view for a minute. I
don’t think they are trying to fit everyone into a the same box but it gets very costly with
the more choices they tend to offer, no for them but for you. The more people that choose
one option over another, the cheaper the price for that option, it is like buying at the store
or at a club store, if they buy in larger volume, the cheaper the overall price they can offer.

Respond

RE: Discussion 1 Manuel Colon 9/3/2010 10:24:01 AM

Hi Audel and Branden, I tend to like choices as well. Although it is not likely that one company would
offer many choices- it would more than likely limit them to a few of the more cost beneficial ones to both
the company and employees. There will never be a one size fit all type of scenario- too many variants
involved.

Manuel

Respond

Employee Benefits Manuel Colon 9/3/2010 9:10:38 AM

In this example the consumer theory challenges each employee to determine what he
or she believes to be the most beneficial package based on their personal level of
understanding of all variables being offered by the company. On one hand- some
people will naturally prefer one bundle package over the next based on relative
comfort and usual spending habits. That is to say each employee will determine a
ranking system of the preferred bundle that yields the most satisfaction. (Thomas,
Maurice, 2010, Pg 162). Additional vetting processes such as utility and the levels
thereof would be equated by each employee. Generally speaking, I believe that
younger employees would naturally opt to take the higher wage package based on the
fact that it offers more utility towards their lifestyle. Elder employees might opt to take
the additional benefit packages since they are closer to retirement and therefore more
beneficial to them based on their respective utility. This is not to say that it is a one
size fits all- simply a matter of choice based on relative lifestyles and age.

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Manuel

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RE: Employee Benefits William Shain 9/5/2010 6:13:05 PM

You bring up a very important aspect of choice being different for different generations. Younger people
today tend to focus on the moment; which is definitely salary. The more experience worker (older) seems to
take into account the value of other benefits that tend to serve you on a long-term basis. Bottom-line, there is
no one-size fits all approach to this question.

Charlie

Respond

RE: Employee Benefits Audel Zarghami 9/6/2010 8:41:44 PM

Nice post. I believe you make a few very goo statements. You state that younger employees will naturally
opt to take the higher wage package based on the fact that it offers more utility towards their lifestyle. This
makes sense since younger employees are looking for money not health benefits, and that elder employees
might opt to take the additional benefit packages since they are closer to retirement. This is true as well since
they are looking for the best way to protect themselves for the rest of their lifes.

Respond

RE: Employee Benefits Kristina Velarde 9/6/2010 9:16:53 PM

Hi Manuel,

Monthly income greatly affects the choices we make in terms of what we purchase and what activities we are
able to do. The employees' choices would have an impact on the income they have available each month.
Choosing a higher benefits package means less income. With less income, they will have to make choices to
purchase less-costly items than they might be accustomed to. I believe that weighing these options for optimal
satisfaction is no easy task and will be unique to each person as you mention.

Kristina

Respond

RE: Employee Benefits Shari Buenzli 9/6/2010 11:01:34 PM

Manuel, I agree with your post. Personally speaking, I would choose higher wages because I am
young, single, and do not have children and I am in more need to live comfortably. If I were older,
had a family to raise and was more established, I would probably choose additional benefits versus
higher wages. In both cases, opportunity costs arise when weighing each decision because in this
particular example, we are giving up increased wages for additional benefits and vice versa.

Respond

Employee Benefits: Monica Weber Monica Weber 9/3/2010 1:33:25 PM

Employee Benefits

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Consumer theory is based on consumption of goods and services with the goal of maximizing their total
satisfaction. Satisfaction is also referred to as utility. This is the benefits consumers obtain from the goods and
services they consume. A consumption bundle is a particular combination of specific quantities of goods or
services. Consumers have limited incomes and must make decisions based on which bundle provides the most
utility. Consumers also rank these goods and services based on their utility.

Employers would be smart to offer flexible benefit packages. This would allow a greater combination of bundles
which would hopefully provide maximum utility for each employee. If for example one employee is not in need of
greater medical benefits but is in need of greater vacation time. This employee would be able to choose greater
vacation time while giving up medical benefits. This would increase their utility. In another example, a family of
four may be in need of greater medical benefits. They would choose to give up an increase wage for the increase
in medical benefits. However, in any of these scenarios there are difficult choices to make. There are opportunity
costs that arise in making these decisions. An employee must give up something in order to gain something else.

I do believe that in giving the employees the opportunity to choose which “bundle” they wish to purchase within
their limited incomes, it raises the employees overall utility. The employees have a choice in maximizing their
personal satisfaction. The employee’s choice between higher wages and more benefits will depend upon the
personal needs of the employee and what combination will allow for maximum utility.

References

Thomas, & Maurice, S. Charles. (2010). Managerial Economics: Foundations of Business Analysis and
Strategy (10th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin.

Respond

RE: Employee Benefits:


Sheree Graham 9/6/2010 8:30:53 PM
Monica Weber
Monica,
As always you presented with some very good points. One thing that I noticed was the statement you made
about employees selecting between higher wages and more benefits based upon their individual needs. This
is occuring more so now than ever because many people are coming out of retirement seeking employment to
make ends meet rather than seeking benefits. Most retirees are utilizing their pension and Medicare and have
not need for many of the offered benefits. Employees with families on the other hand are seeking wages that
will keep them out of a financial slumber as well as benefit packages that will be of an advantage to
themselves as well as their families.

Respond

RE: Employee Benefits:


David Gaynor 9/6/2010 6:36:02 PM
Monica Weber
Monica, good post. I agree that a family of four may be in need of greater medical benefits. I chose to give up
a portion of my wages for additional medical benefits. Having two active boys, trips to the emergency room
would be a huge cost that I could not cover. My personal need was to insure my family at a cost of additional
deductions from my paycheck but the benefits of having excellent health, dental, and vision insurance
outweighs the loss of pay.

Respond

Week 3, Discussion 1 Shelley Bailey 9/3/2010 10:22:09 PM

When analyzing consumer behavior, individuals make consumption decisions with the goal of maximizing their total
satisfaction from consuming various goods and services (p. 159). But because every individual is different and has
different needs, preferences are different. The consumption bundle, a particular combination of specific quantities of
goods or services, allows consumers to rank different goods and services according to the level of satisfaction they
get (p. 160). This satisfaction or benefits consumers obtain from the goods and services they consume is called
utility. To help consumers make decisions an indifference curve was created. This graph allows a consumer to plot
the trade off of different goods and compare it to their capability of substituting that good, or that person’s utility of
the good (p. 163).

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In this example, it is important for an employee to understand their benefits and be able to compare it to their pay. It
may be important for one person to have a 401K plan offered by their company, but not for a different employee. If
an employee had a great utility for the 401K plan, they are more likely to accept a lower base salary. This trade off
allows for employees to choose what benefits they choose to participate in and also what companies they choose
to apply for.

I think companies should allow their employees to choose different benefits important to them and adjust their
salary. This way everyone feels like they are fairly treated employees. For example, because of my young age and
health, long-term disability and health care, doesn’t interest me. I would much rather receive a higher base salary,
and have the money in my pocket, than for my company to partake in something I don’t need.

Respond

RE: Week 3, Discussion 1 David Gaynor 9/6/2010 6:41:58 PM

Shelley, I agree that employers should give employees the options to choose benefits important to them.
When I was younger all I wanted was the money. I wasn’t concerned with retirement and insurance. Now that
I have a family benefits are my main concerns. Employers need to understand that employees have different
needs and offer benefit packages tailored for the individual not the group.

Respond

RE: Week 3, Discussion 1 Instructor Blagg 9/4/2010 3:14:30 PM

Hi Shelley,

Good points. If employees even perceive that the benefits are more valuable than a higher salary
(even though it may not be true due to the group discount that the company may receive), then the
employee will be more satisfied with a comprehensive benefits package. This is where trading can
create value for both sides. The employee is able to obtain a comprehensive benefits package by
working for the company whereas they would not be able to afford it if they were working for
themselves. And the company benefits by being able to offer benefits at a discounted rate which is
less than the out-of-pocket cash they would have to pay the employee if they choose the higher
salary option. The company can also lower the higher salary perk to match the cost of the benefits
so that whatever decision the employee makes, the company would be indifferent to it.

Respond

RE: Week 3, Discussion 1 Shelley Bailey 9/5/2010 10:52:50 AM

Michael,
You make a great point that employers do receive many benefits at a discounted rate because of the
amount they are purchasing. Group discounts are available in many different things in our everyday
lives, like tickets to sporting events and even buying multiple products at the grocery store. Employers
are no different and the more employees a company has, the more likely they are paying less for
benefits than a smaller company. It is assumed that the larger the company, the better benefits they
offer for their employees.

Respond

RE: Week 3, Discussion 1 Marianne Ordonez 9/12/2010 1:17:36 AM

Hello Shelley,

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I think your idea of having companies be able to adjust their employees salary based on the benefits
is a great idea because it is true that everyone is looking for different things when they apply for a job. People
are either looking for larger salaries or a job that provides more benefits.

I agree that long-term disability is something that young adults do not look much at but they are
attracted to larger salaries. I like knowing that my company does give me options when it comes to picking
my benefits except I do not have the option of asking for a larger salary.

Respond

Employee Benefits - week 3 - Ryan


Ryan Dingman 9/3/2010 10:41:57 PM
Dingman
Increasingly, employees are being allowed to choose benefit packages from a menu of items. For instance, workers
may be given a package of benefits that includes basic and optional items. Basics might include modest medical
coverage, life insurance equal to a year's salary, vacation time based on length of service, and some retirement
pay. But then employees can use credits to choose among such additional benefits as full medical coverage, dental
and eye care, more vacation time, additional disability income, and higher company payments to the retirement
fund. Using the theory of consumer behavior, how do you think flexible benefit packages would affect an
employee's preference between higher wages and more benefits?

For this scenario we are looking at the theory of consumer behavior, which in general says we should focus on
using a combination of goods to create the most satisfaction from those goods. In this question we find many
different options that can be arranged in many different ways to create consumer satisfaction. The question is can
these goods be arranged in such a way as to cause a unity of satisfaction. For the most part I believe there will be a
possible way to arrange them to benefit more melodies than not, but it will never affect all of them the same way.
Therefore by allowing the employees to choose the benefit package from a list of benefits, the employer allows the
employee to satisfy their own needs. This in its self can cause unity.

An example of this can be seen in my own life medical history. When I was younger I always selected the minimum
coverage needed, because I never got sick. The problem was at the age of 20 I came down with cancer and then
spent the next year undergoing therapy. Luckily I beat the cancer, but now I almost always select the best plan I
can afford.

There are many other benefits that an employer can offer that would lead to unity. For example we could look at
vacation time, overtime, comp time, sick time, and time off of lunch breaks. All of these could be arranged and
offered to the employees in such a manner as to generate unity.

Now if we take the same examples and add good salary to the benefit package, then the business could quickly
cause unity. This would also be an example of salary versus other benefits otherwise known as the theory of
consumer behavior.

Ryan Dingman

Respond

RE: Employee Benefits - week


Shelley Bailey 9/5/2010 8:18:17 PM
3 - Ryan Dingman

Hi Ryan,
I'm really sorry to hear about your past medical history. It is great to hear that you beat the cancer and are
able to talk about it today. For this exact reason, some benefits are more important than others to employees.
But in your instance, sometimes you might think you want one option, but then need a different one. This
example also proves me point that health insurance is a necessity and all employers should offer it to their
employees. Many people think they are invisible to things like cancer and car accidents, but they are very
prevalent and unfortunately do happen.

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Respond

RE: Employee Benefits -


Ryan Dingman 9/6/2010 2:14:19 PM
week 3 - Ryan Dingman
Shelley,

Yes, I believe all employers should offer health insurance to their employees, but at the same time, I
believe the employees should have the opportunity to choose what type of plan they want to invest in.
Even after fighting cancer, I do not think we should force things like health insurance on people,
however, I think it is necessary for everyone to have. So what employers should do is allow employees
to pick and choose the plan that best meets their individual wants.

Ryan Dingman

Respond

Consumer Theory Nichole Carter 9/4/2010 10:48:23 AM

Consumers are for the most part on a budget. We try to get the maximum amount of good for the amount of
purchase. Many businesses do opt to offer a variety of benefit packages. I think many people cannot really afford
medical and other types of insurance but, I think they do it anyway because it is beneficial long term. Many times
when a patient receives hospital care it can be quite expensive and many people do not have thousands of dollars
in their account to give at a moment’s notice. In this case packaging various coverage makes people who want
more to pay more while people who really cannot afford it to at least have some coverage. Another reason for
packaging could be due to consumer preferences differ. I may not take insurance as been a basic need like another
consumer may. I may feel eating out is more important and opt out the insurance.

Respond

RE: Consumer Theory Kathleen Wilson 9/5/2010 12:05:58 PM

Nichole,

I agree that this all boils down to what your personal preferences are. I think that it benefits organizations to
offer packages that can be mixed and matched because it allows the employee some control over what they
need and want versus what they can afford. I know that at least one organization that is finding more and
more creative ways to keep the numbers down on the people that are on their insurance. At my husbands
employer, they have what they call a "spousal surcharge" if you try to enroll someone on their insurance that
has the opportunity to obtain insurance elsewhere. It is nice to see the other side of the coin that is working
for the employee instead of against.

Kathy

Respond

RE: Consumer Theory Monica Weber 9/5/2010 2:24:00 PM

Nichole,
Good post. Many people do not have enough money to pay for their medical expenses. Medical insurance is
necessary for many people because it is beneficial for the long term and it is a safety net especially if they
have children. If a business is able to provide a variety of benefit packages it will allow each employee to
customize their benefits, vacation time or salary. This allows for the employee to maximize their utility. This I
feel would make for a happier employee and a more productive one.
Thanks for the post.
Monica

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Respond

Elasticity & Inelasticity Instructor Blagg 9/4/2010 3:21:09 PM

Hi Everyone,

These articles briefly discuss elasticity and inelasticity:

http://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/elastic.asp

http://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/inelastic.asp

Respond

Week 3 - Employee Benefits Kathleen Wilson 9/4/2010 3:47:54 PM

Week 3 – Employee Benefits


When looking at flexible benefit packages for employees, everyone would be different
because everyone has a different utility as well as a different budget restraint. Having
flexible benefit packaging, allows the employees the ability to prioritize their wants and
needs and allowing them to tailor their needs within their budget constraints. This also
benefits the organization because it is able to “offer” what employees are looking for.
We are also seeing this with companies such as Progressive auto insurance; the
ability to “name your own price” allows the consumer to tailor their coverage and
deductibles based on the consumer’s budget.
Kathy

Respond

Employee Benefits Shari Buenzli 9/4/2010 8:23:50 PM

In this case, consumer theory allows employees to choose their benefit packages from different items,
depending on their level of satisfaction associated with each package (Maurice, Thomas, 2011, pg 161).
Flexible benefit packages will vary, depending on each individual's situation or preference. Personally
speaking, I would choose higher wages because I am young, single, and do not have children and I am
in more need to live comfortably. If I were older, had a family to raise and was more established, I would
probably choose additional benefits versus higher wages. In both cases, opportunity costs arise when
weighing each decision because in this particular example, we are giving up increased wages for
additional benefits and vice versa.

Reference

Maurice, S. & Thomas, C. (2011). Managerial Economics (10th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Respond

RE: Employee Benefits Kathleen Wilson 9/5/2010 12:17:27 PM

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Shari,

Having the option to tailor benefits certainly can make for employees that are happy within the organization.
This can create a favorable cycle within the organization especially if the organization is one that typically
does not pay well. For example, at my current organization, from the Friday after Memorial day to the Friday
before Labor Day we have "Summer Hours". This means that full time employees can leave 1 1/2 hours early
on Friday, 32/wk employees leave 1 hour early, and 24/wk leave 1/2 hour early. Perks as simple as this can
make a big difference when you are not paid well due to budget restraints.

Kathy

Respond

RE: Employee Benefits Roosevelt Jeanbaptiste 9/6/2010 7:08:11 PM

Hello Shari,

Good Post. I also agree with you on the reasons for accepting additional benefits. Age, family status, and
income does play a major role when individuals are selecting the proper benefit. I use to choose higher wage
versus more benefit. However, once I had my girls, I chose to get more benefit. My priorities changed as i
got older.

Respond

RE: Employee Benefits Ryan Dingman 9/6/2010 2:24:30 PM

Shari,

Your argument for why you would pick a less expansive plan helps make my argument as to why I think the
plans should be flexible. You said you would pick a plan that would help you live comfortably because you
are young and healthy. at the same time this is how I use to believe. unfortunately when I was 20 years old I
came down with cancer. I was young, very healthy and did not eat or drink anything that would have lead to
health issues. The cancer treatment took one year, and costs more than $100,000. Luckily I was in the
military and my health care paid for everything. However, if I hand not been in the military I would have
probably not had health insurance and would have not been able to pay for the treatment I needed. When I
got out of the military my next employer offered up multiple plans one of which was very cheap. When looking
at the less expansive plan I found it only covered $50,000 worth of yearly medical costs. This would not cover
me if my cancer were to come back, so I went with the more expensive plan that has a substantially higher
cap.

Given the above information, would you still buy the less expensive plan, or would you choose more
coverage?

Ryan Dingman.

Respond

RE: Employee Benefits Audel Zarghami 9/6/2010 8:49:21 PM

I think this is a very personal topic. Personally, I am at a very transitional stage right now in my life. I got
married 3 months ago and am looking for the best way to relocate back to my home town. My wife and I are
saving to make a down payment on our "dream" home so right now we would need money a lot more than we
would need benefits. We are younger so I am sure statistically we are a lot less likely to need to visit the
doctor. If we were older and I needed to visit the doctor regularly my choice and decision process would be
very different.

Respond

Theory of Consumer Behavior Artrell Manning 9/4/2010 8:38:04 PM

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According to the text the theory of consumer behavior is based upon an concentrated
effort to maximize their total satisfaction from consuming various goods and
services (Thomas and Maurice, 2011, page 161). Basing employee's benefit
packages to this theory is to know what is of relevance to that individual. Due to the
individuality of the employees their preference will not be the same. You can have
someone who is young and single that may place more value on salary. Whereas, an
older person with a family will place more emphasis on insurance benefits and
vacation.

Speaking for myself, the benefits discussed have been taken for granted because the
military offers them for free. Now that I am close to retirement I have to consider
what is of importance to me. Though I am single without children, I value insurance
benefits, salary and vacation time. I have to ensure the benefits in my next job are
of the same or better standards then what I am receiving now. As stated earlier, the
preference depends on the individual. That person has to know what is of the
upmost importance to them.

REFERENCE:

Thomas, C & Maurice S (2011) Managerial Economics: Foundations of Business


Analysis and Strategy 10th Edition New York: McGraw/Hill-Irwin page 161

Respond

Week 3 Discussion 1 Dennis Gregory 9/4/2010 11:35:52 PM

“Consumer theory requires that consumers be able to rank (or to order) various combinations of goods and services according
to the level of satisfaction associated with each combinations” (Thomas & Maurice, 2010, p.162). The benefits obtained from
goods or services can be described as utility. Consumers seek to maximize the utility from goods and services they purchase.
A worker’s age would probably affect most what they were seeking in their benefits package. A younger person in good health
might seek to maximize their wage while an older person may need to maximize health benefits and retirement planning.

When I was younger, planning for the future was not high on my list of priorities. Therefore, optional benefits in my
companies’ benefits were ignored in favor of making a higher income. As I have gotten older and my income has increased
and I am more mindful of the future, I am buying benefits that I may not have felt were that important in the past.

Thomas, C. R., & Maurice, S. C., (2010). Managerial Economics: Foundations of Business Analysis and Strategy (10th ed.).
New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin.

Respond

RE: Week 3 Discussion 1 Roosevelt Jeanbaptiste 9/6/2010 7:45:53 PM

Hi Dennis,

Good Post. I completely agree with you. We take different avenue in our lives. At younger age, we tend to
go more for the money than the benefit. As we get older, our priority change. I don't if it is because of
maturity or because those benefits become more important as we get older.

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Respond

RE: Week 3 Discussion 1 Monica Weber 9/5/2010 2:29:32 PM

Dennis,
Great post. Based on Consumer Theory, if a employer offers a variety of benefit packages this will allow the
employee to customize their benefits and thus maximize their utility. I agree that the age of the employee will
affect what choices they make. The employee's health and the health of their families may also impact their
decisions. I feel that being able to choose from a variety of benefit packages would benefit the employee and
the employer.
Monica

Respond

Employee Benefits Jeffrey Fort 9/5/2010 4:56:24 PM

There are two important factors here: (1) time and (2) money. Many consumers
tend to think about everything that they want to buy now and don’t realize what
they may run into later. Their desires usually outweigh their known necessities or in
some case their unknown necessities. According to Maurice and Thomas (2011),
for any given pair of consumption bundles, consumers must be able to classify the
bundles according to the level fulfillment they would enjoy from consuming the
bundles (p.162). Personally, I have many things to take into consideration before
making purchases or having a preference between a higher wage and more
benefits. I have to consider that I am young now and will retire one day and also
even though I am young does not mean I will not face health issues. I also have a
family that I want to spend time with whenever and as much as possible. So for me
vacation time, medical benefits, and retire plans are of high value to me.
The value for the employee will vary based on a couple of different things: age
and family status. Obviously, if someone has is married with children then many
benefits such as the retirement plan, vacation time, and medical benefits will be of
great importance. These types of things are usually important for people who have
long term and family goals in mind. On the other side of the fence if an employee
only had to worry about making a living for him/her-self then at the time money
would be of more importance.
Maurice, S. & Thomas, C. (2011). Managerial Economics. 10th Ed. New York:
McGraw-Hill

Respond

RE: Employee Benefits Kristina Velarde 9/6/2010 9:22:43 PM

Hi Jeffrey,

Looking at this from the employee or consumer perspective, the different options substitute for each other in
different combinations to give us a variety of benefits-income packages that are acceptable. As the employer
trying to determine which packages to offer, I think this scenario presents a difficult choice. As you mention,
people of different characteristics and lifestyles will prefer different packages. This shows that it would be best

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for the employee to offer many options to employees to ensure they are more satisfied with the wages and
benefits they receive. Not doing so could mean more employee turnover and could be more costly to the
company.

Kristina

Respond

RE: Employee Benefits Brandy Garner 9/7/2010 10:04:26 PM

Hello Jeffrey, time and money are important factors to consider when you are choosing your employee benefit
packages. However I think that the end result is the factor of money. Because money is what we need to
survive then money has a great influence of your options. If a person has a stable health condition and do not
require constant visits to the doctor then that person has the option to choose a fewer benefits, however, if a
person is always ill and require a lot of medication then it is in the best health decision for that person to
consider a better health plan.

Respond

RE: Employee Benefits Johanna Petty-Dunlap 9/6/2010 11:46:38 PM

Hi Jeffrey.
Good post. You stated some good points regarding time and money. I believe that some consumers that
consider their income more important than their health are those who are on a limited budget. Those who
hope nothing wrong happens. Those consumers tend to put their debt before their health first. What they fail
to realize is if something happens to them medically, they will be charged much more than what they would
have paid towards the benefits package.

Respond

Employee Benefits Sheree Graham 9/6/2010 8:19:13 PM

Employee Benefits

Among other factors, employees benefits appreciate the opportunity to choose from select benefit packages. As it
relates to the theory of consumer behavior, I think that employees will attempt to make rational decisions about
whether or not they would opt for higher wages or more benefits. There are several considerations to make in both
cases. From a personal perspective, I would take an overall of analysis of the benefits being offered as well as the
amount of deductions faced with each option. The selections of higher wages may come at the cost of not having a
decent benefit package. If the employee is married for instance they may opt for higher pay with the option to select
such benefits as health insurance from their spouses benefit plan. A single employee, depending on age and health
may opt for higher pay and selecting a benefit package at a later day. Another thing that a single individual
especially those without children may do is decide whether or not they select a benefit package that is minimal in
cost in the event that they are only employed for a short period of time. Depending on an individuals age, they may
want to take advantage of a benefit package that will be advantageous to them in the future versus seeking higher
wages.

Reference

Maurice, S. & Thomas, C. (2011). Managerial economics (10th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill

Respond

RE: Employee Benefits Shari Buenzli 9/6/2010 11:04:25 PM

Great post!

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I would choose higher wages because I am young, single, and do not have children and I am in
more need to live comfortably. However, in both cases, opportunity costs arise when weighing
each decision because in this particular example, we are giving up increased wages for additional
benefits and vice versa.

Respond

RE: Employee Benefits Johanna Petty-Dunlap 9/6/2010 11:24:32 PM

Hi Sheree
I agree with your post. Depending on a person's age, lifestyle, needs, marital status, income and even health
status will determine what type of benefits package they will choose. It all depends what is most important to
them for example most single mothers at my job purchases additonal vacation time to compensate when their
children are sick or have school activities that they are required to attend. I purchased additional life insurance
when I purchased my home.

Respond

Employee Benefits Johanna Petty-Dunlap 9/6/2010 11:19:47 PM

As I read this question, I think of myself choosing my benefit package. When I was younger, single and I barely
went to a physician unless I was sick or for my yearly physical; my benefit package with my employer was the
most basic medical and dental coverage the company offered. At that time, I wanted higher wages and I could care
less about having the best medical coverage. Vacation time and retirement pay was most important to me.
However, when I became a mother, wife and home owner; additional benefits became more of a priority. I was
willing to receive lower wages for more benefits.
I have chosen full medical coverage, dental and eye care, bought additional vacation time, purchased additional
disability coverage and allocated a little more than average into my retirement fund. Therefore, a consumer
chooses their benefits based on their needs, lifestyle and income.
For example, the more often a consumer is going to the physician, the more likely he/she will choose the best
medical coverage available with the lowest deductible. They will save money in the long run.

Respond

RE: Employee Benefits Brandy Garner 9/7/2010 9:57:44 PM

Hello Johanna, I truly understand your issues and concerns about employee benefit packages. I to have
changed my way of understand benefit package for health care for me and my family. Four years ago when it
was just me and my daughter we will only go to the doctor once a year for annually check ups, we was our
health was stabled. However, when my son was born his health became serious. My son suffers from
chronic asthma and he is only 3 years old. I visit the emergency room at least three times a month and he
requires so many refills on his medication that my insurance will not cover all of his medication that he will
need for the month. So due to his medical conditions I have to have a good insurance plan which required
more money.

Respond

Employee Benefits Brandy Garner 9/7/2010 9:50:01 PM

It has been reported that consumer behavior involves the use and disposal of products as well as the study of how
they are purchased. Product use is often of great interest to the marketer, because this may influence how a
product is best positioned or how we can encourage increased consumption. Since many environmental problems
result from benefits for an employees this is an area of interest for many people. Consumer behavior involves
services and ideas as well as tangible products. The impact of employees choosing higher wages and more
benefits will be a great impact when it comes considering your benefit packages. Due to the economic difficulties
that every family is facing, many employees are choosing to lower their benefit package so their wages would

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increase. Just managing food and shelter for families have been a great concern for many and as result health
benefits have been decreasing for thousand of families.

Respond

Employee Benefits Marianne Ordonez 9/8/2010 11:36:32 PM

Many companies have decided to give their employees the option of choosing their benefits. Just as
Maurice & Thomas have stated in the reading, “all individuals make consumption decisions with the goal of
maximizing their total satisfaction from consuming various goods and services” (2011,p.161). In the case of
benefits packages I feel as though there are many options that companies give their employees know which
sometimes make it hard to understand.

When I was fresh out of college all I cared about was how much the salary was when I was looking for a
job. Now that I am getting closer to my 30’s and am thinking about getting married and having a family it is no
longer so much about the salary but what benefits the company offers. I know that with people my age and others
who have families, benefits are important because medical and dental is something to consider when you start
getting older and have more health issues. I also think that the 401K option is a great option that some companies
have instead of raising salaries they match their employees 401k contributions. Age, family status and lifestyle
definitely comes into play for employees when they pick their benefits because a 22 year old woman will probably
not have the same interest for health, medical, 401k and life insurance benefits that a 45 yr old man may be
interested in. Either way I think it is beneficial that employers are giving their employees options.

Thomas, C. R., & Maurice, S. C. (2011). Managerial Economics: Foundations of Business Analysis
and Strategy. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin.

Respond

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