Final answer:
The decision by Con-tractors Inc. was fostered by the 'actionable' aspect of segment screening, which evaluates the feasibility of operating in a foreign market, especially considering regulatory barriers that affect trade, such as extended import hold periods.
Step-by-step explanation:
The aspect of segment screening that fostered the decision by Con-tractors Inc. to not conduct business in parts of South America is the actionable criterion. This criterion pertains to the practicality of entering a market based on operating conditions and the regulatory environment. When the company learned that the governments would hold all imports for up to 18 months, they realized that such a market condition is not actionable, meaning it does not allow them to efficiently conduct business or maintain a supply chain that meets their requirements for timeliness and predictability.
Trade barriers, along with policies like those mentioned in the Multifiber Agreement and import quotas for textiles and sugar, are examples of how international trade can be regulated, thereby affecting the decisions of multi-national companies about where to do business. Moreover, concerns over dependency on imported products and the influence of multinational firms in countries with lower environmental standards underline the complexity of international business operations.