At the moment, Fabricorp manufactures all of its goods from steel. The steel manufactured by the only company capable of producing the volume Fabricorp requires is expensive, and it can be difficult to sell the goods manufactured from that steel at a profit. Aluminum is produced by another company at a much lower cost and is available in the volume Fabricorp requires in order to maintain production. Therefore, to increase profits, Fabricorp intends to switch from steel to aluminum in the manufacture of its goods.
Which of the following would be most important to know in determining whether Fabricorp’s plan, if implemented, is likely to achieve its goal?