introduction and Alignment

Managers need to understand the impact of the macroeconomic environment on their firms’ and industries’ competitive strategies. In the larger macroeconomic environment, influencing measures include the overall level of income and output produced in the economy, the price level, and the level of employment and unemployment. The latter factors are affected by the spending decisions of individuals and organizations throughout the economy. Thus, macroeconomic analysis focuses on the aggregate behavior of different sectors of the economy.

Upon completion of this assignment, you should be able to:

• Identify the major measures of macroeconomic activity.

Resources

• Textbook: Economics for Managers

Background Information

Many variables influence the major macroeconomic goals of policy makers. Many of these policies and changes affect macro events that influence managerial and business-specific decision making. These changes can include measures of the price level and the levels of employment and unemployment. This circular flow of economic activity forms the basis for the analysis of the macroeconomic environment in which managers operate. Inflationary pressures and indicators are measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and can affect short- and long-term business investment and decision-making strategies.

Instructions

1. Before beginning this assignment, read Chapter 11 in Economics for Managers.
2. Navigate to the threaded discussion and respond to the following:
   1. From the Bureau of Labor Statistics website (http://www.bls.gov/cpi/), find the answers to the following questions:
      1. How is the consumer price index (CPI) used?
      2. How is the CPI market basket determined?
      3. What goods and services does the CPI cover?
      4. How are CPI prices collected and reviewed?
      5. How can the CPI help businesses manage costs?
3. Your initial post is due by the end of the fourth day of the workshop.
4. Read and respond to at least two of your classmates’ postings, as well as all instructor follow-up questions directed to you, by the end of the workshop.
5. Your postings should also:
   1. Be well developed by providing clear answers with evidence of critical thinking.
   2. Add greater depth to the discussion by introducing new ideas.
   3. Provide clarification to classmates’ questions and provide insight into the discussion.
   4. Respond to the following:
      1. From the Bureau of Labor Statistics website (http://www.bls.gov/cpi/), find the answers to the following questions:
         1. How is the consumer price index (CPI) used?
         2. How is the CPI market basket determined?
         3. What goods and services does the CPI cover?
         4. How are CPI prices collected and reviewed?
         5. How can the CPI help businesses manage costs?

Developing Nation Problem-Solution

You are going to submit a Problem/Solution Research Paper that analyzes a social issue being faced by a particular periphery or semi-periphery nation. You will begin your research paper project in this unit. You will submit an essay which will act as a beginning draft for your Unit VII Research Paper.

Before starting the essay assignment:

1. Read the requirements for the Unit VII problem-solution paper, and review the grading rubric for the paper, as well. This information can be found below, within the Unit VII Research Paper instructions.

2. Pick a country for your essay assignment which will also be the same country used for the Unit VII paper (the country must be from a periphery nation or semi-periphery nation). Note: The Unit II reading explains the concept of periphery and semi-periphery which will help you in choosing your country.

3. Begin brainstorming and researching about the issues and solutions you want to cover in this essay assignment and subsequently in your research paper. You can choose one of the topics listed in the link below, or you may pick your own topic:

Unit Essay Assignment Instructions:

Submit a two page essay with draft material you can use in your final paper (remember, the final research paper is due in Unit VII). This two page essay is meant to get you started in your researching and writing for the final paper.

Developing Nation Problem Solution Essay Assignment Instructions & Requirements Check List

The two page essay must use the following headings: Introduction of Problem, Solution, and Conclusion.

It is required that each section include the following:

1. Introduction of Problem: Briefly introduce the country you are presenting and the major social issue (economic, political, environmental, political, war, poverty, etc.) Include a description of the nation’s background, geography, demographics, and other important details about the nation that are important for your presentation of the problem. Present details about the social issue being faced in the nation. You can present more than one issue. This section should contain research you found on the issue and your own analysis. Make sure to include who the problem impacts and seriousness of the issue. You want to convey to the reader why it is a problem. Present your thesis or main argument in the introduction.

2. Solution: Present at least one solution to the issue. This section should contain research you found on the solution(s) and your own analysis. Discuss things like why it is the best solution, who is involved in implementing the solution, and potential positive and negative impact of implementing the proposed solution(s). *In the final draft in Unit VII you will provide a more in-depth explanation and analysis of the solutions and include at least one sustainable solution to the problem.

3. Conclusion: Include: (1) Summary of what was discussed and any final thoughts. You can talk about how it impacts the future, need for future research, or call to action. It is required that you apply the term globalization in your essay in some capacity. Discuss how globalization or inter-connectedness relates to the issue or solution. This discussion could involve concepts discussed in the textbook like the impact of colonialization, imperialism, technology, environment, immigration/migration, Westernization, terrorism, geopolitics, trade, military, etc. Your paper should be written in APA style with a minimum of 2 pages (not including the title and reference pages).

Source Requirement:

Your essay must contain research you have gathered from a minimum of two sources (not including the textbook). Sources can be from reputable news or magazine sources, organizational or governmental websites, or peer reviewed journal sources.

Sample List of Social Issues:

Some Potential Social Issues to Research in the Developing World (periphery nations):

• Overpopulation in urban area or population demographic issues (like growth in aging population sector)
• Other population issues like migration and immigration
• Race, Religious, Ethnic, or Cultural disputes or issues. Endangered language/culture, social inequality, caste system
• Human Rights (children’s rights, gay rights, women’s right, domestic violence, child brides, sweat shops or poor working conditions, child labor, sex trafficking of children).
• Environmental Issues (water and air pollution, deforestation, impacts of climate change, drought, endangered plants and animals, oil drilling/coal extraction, energy consumption, land use issues, pesticides)
• War, Conflict, Terrorism, unstable regime, border or land disputes, refugee situations, aftermath of cold war, etc.
• Crime, drug cartels, corruption
• Economic struggles, debt, joblessness, extreme poverty, lack of resources or infrastructure, hunger, economic inequality.
• Educational issues like illiteracy
• Health problems (clean water, access to medicine/vaccines/hospitals, smoking and lung cancer, disease prevention or treatment), Ebola, Aids.

Final Paper Assignment

For the final paper, you will choose an area of interest within the field of neuroscience and

provide a brief summary, locate and summarize a recent popular media story, summarize the

source article, and provide a comparative analysis from your informed perspective.

Step 1:

Select a topic in neuroscience-that is of interest to you. Present relevant history and current

knowledge in this field. Your textbook is an excellent resource.

Step 2:

Summarize a popular press story that presents research findings in your area of interest. Read

and summarize the story and write a summary of the focus, information, and presentation of the

information.

The story must have been published no earlier than 2011. The following media sources are

suggestions, however other sources are acceptable, including news from social networks.

Step 3:

Summarize the source article that your popular media story is based on. This summary will fully

incorporate a minimum of two references pulled from your peer-reviewed primary article.

The source article must have been published by a respected, peer-refereed journal, no earlier than

2010.

The article must include full description of one or more empirical quantitative studies. Purely

theoretical or review papers are not acceptable. Articles describing qualitative research (e.g., case

studies, anecdotal evidence, anthropological or informal methodologies) are not acceptable for

this assignment.

The following are journal suggestions, however articles in other respected, peer-refereed journal

are also acceptable.

Step 4:

Present a comparative evaluation of the accuracy and perspective of the popular media story

based upon your evaluation of the source article and your own informed neuroscience

perspective.

(4~5pages, references is not included, 2~3references in total)