An event agency is deciding how to compensate a popular speaker.
Option 1: Fixed Fee of $10,000.
Option 2: Revenue Share of 40% of ticket sales.
The venue capacity is 500, and the ticket price is 5,000.
If the agency is strictly risk-averse and wants to guarantee it does not operate at a loss regardless of the attendance outcome, which compensation model should it choose, and what is the financial outcome in the worst-case scenario?
C
Step-by-Step Solution
Key idea: This is a "compensation model risk" question, recognizable because it requires calculating financial outcomes under uncertainty to satisfy a strict risk-aversion constraint.
Step 1: Identify the worst-case scenario. This is selling only 200 tickets.
Step 2: Calculate worst-case Revenue. Revenue = 200 tickets * 10,000.
Step 3: Evaluate Option 1 (Fixed Fee). Total Cost = 5,000 (other fixed) = 10,000 - 5,000. This is a loss, which violates the "no loss" constraint.
Step 4: Evaluate Option 2 (Revenue Share). Speaker Cost = 40% of 4,000. Total Cost = 5,000 (other fixed) = 10,000 - 1,000.
Step 5: Conclude. Revenue Share guarantees no loss, and the worst-case outcome is a $1,000 profit.
Answer: C