Question

"Starting in 2007, a dramatic drop in demand sent the USPS over a financial cliff. Because of the rise of digital communication, Americans were simply no longer mailing cards, letters, flyers, invitations, announcements, bills, statements, and solicitations as they had in the past. The volume of U.S. mail peaked in 2006 at 213 billion pieces, but in 2007 the numbers quickly began to drop. Since 2007, the total volume of all mail has dropped 25 percent and since 2001 the volume of first-class mail has declined by nearly one-third" (Pieces of Mail).

The facts in this excerpt correlate to which of the sources from these works cited entries?

Fiscal Year 2013 Integrated Plan. U.S. Postal Service, Feb. 2014. https://about.usps.com/who-we-are/financials/integrated-financial-plans/fy2013.pdf

Postage Rates and Historical Statistics, Rates for Domestic Letters Since 1863. U.S. Postal Service, Feb. 2014. https://about.usps.com/who-we-are/postal-history/domestic-letter-rates-since-1863.htm

Gattuso, James L. "Can the Postal Service Have a Future?" The Heritage Foundation. 10 Oct. 2013. https://www.heritage.org/government-regulation/report/can-the-postal-service-have-future

Pieces of Mail Handled, Number of Post Offices, Income, and Expenses Since 178

Answer 1

The drop in demand for the USPS services is due to the rise of digital communication, leading to a decrease in mail volume and raising concerns about the USPS's financial future. The most relevant works cited entry is the 'Fiscal Year 2013 Integrated Plan' from the USPS itself.

Step-by-step explanation:

The decline in demand for postal services correlates with a change in communication preferences that shifted from traditional mail to digital platforms such as email and social media. As indicated in the facts, this has led to a significant decrease in the volume of mail handled by the United States Postal Service (USPS). The question explores how these changes in consumer behavior have affected the supply and demand dynamics of the USPS, hinting at the potential impact on its financial sustainability and continued viability.

Concerning the works cited entries, the excerpt closely relates to the statistical and financial data likely contained within the first citation, "Fiscal Year 2013 Integrated Plan. U.S. Postal Service, Feb. 2014." This document would provide comprehensive information about the USPS's operations, including mail volume and financial performance, thus relating to the subject matter described in the excerpt.