Employees Employees supply the skills and abilities needed to provide a product or service and to earn a profit. Most employees expect to receive an equitable wage or salary and to be given gradual increases in the amount they are paid for the use of their skills and abilities. To compete with other businesses, a business enterprise needs a committed and effective team of employees. Consumers In the international marketplace, from Hong Kong to Monterrey to Los Angeles to Munich, the target of business activity is consumers. A consumer is a person or business who purchases a good or service for personal or organizational use. Consumers in economic systems such as those of Japan, Germany, Canada, and the United States want more and better products and services. They want better automobiles, better homes, more luxuries, and better leisure equipment. They want to pay a fair price for the goods and services they purchase. They also want the goods and services they purchase to be reliable. A business enterprise attempts to satisfy consumer needs and desires while earning a profit. To do So, businesses must determine what those consumer needs and desires are. Because consumers continually want more and better things, new businesses are formed, and other businesses make adjustments to accommodate the demand. When a need or desire for products or services exists, a business can earn a profit by. supplying it promptly and efficiently. The uncertainty and risk involved in assessing consumer needs and wants provide a challenge to the business decision maker attempting to earn a profit. (未完待续)