Final answer:
The CEO's commitment to serving the natural gardening community by providing rare and native plants is inconsistent with the I/O model, as it aligns more closely with the resource-based view which emphasizes internal resources and capabilities.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the CEO of Twin Spires, Inc., is consistent with the assumptions of the industrial organizational (I/O) model is false. The I/O model of above-average returns is primarily focused on the external environment of the firm, including industrial properties and competitive forces. In contrast, the CEO's commitment described here resonates more with the resource-based view (RBV) which stresses the significance of the firm's distinctive resources and capabilities in achieving competitive advantage and above-average returns.
The CEO's dedication to serving the natural gardening community and the provision of rare and native plants is a strategic choice reflecting such unique resources and capabilities, rather than being driven by external industrial factors.