Originally Posted by potter

Every business has it's benefits, and every business has it's costs/expenses. I call bullshit on anyone who says they won't start (or will close) a business because of a marginal percentage of cost difference based on any varying factor (whether it's political, industrial, or economical causation).

Let's say war breaks out in some south american country and now import costs for a specific type of material increase by 25%. Let's say this price increase effects the bottom line of a clothing manufacturer by 5%. Do you think they're going to go with one of these options: accept a 5% revenue loss for the duration of the war, find a new import model, or look at the books and find a way to makeup for the loss somewhere else for the time being -- or just close their doors?

They're not going to just close their doors. The rhetoric from the media outlets saying so is fucking ridiculous. Businesses operate with costs, that's how it works. A business operates to make money, period. Whatever the costs and expenses are, you operate AROUND those to earn a profit. That's why they have entire degrees built around business. Because there's always a way to adjust and earn more profit, regardless of cost and operating expense. It's just how it works.