Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Economy

Investing in Global Financial Markets

Capital Flows and Investment Opportunities

One of the main features of globalization is the free flow of capital across borders. Investors constantly seek profitable avenues to maximize their return on investment. As an individual, you can deposit money in a bank and earn interest. Banks, in turn, lend this money to individuals, businesses, and governments to finance their projects, profiting from the difference between interest earned on loans and interest paid on deposits.

Investment Options and Risk-Return Trade-off

Investors have various options, each with its own risk profile. Bonds offer interest payments and eventual repayment of principal, provided the issuer doesn't default. Shares, on the other hand,... Continue reading "Investing in Global Financial Markets: Understanding Risk and Return" »

Production

Processing raw materials to create products that are ready for consumption. Production also includes the assembly of goods. This department exists in companies that belong to the secondary sector. In general, the primary sector (agricultural and fishing) and the tertiary sector (services) do not have this functional area.

Purchasing

Obtaining and analyzing quotes/prices from suppliers, buying at the right time by coordinating with the warehouse supervisors.

Sales

Organizing sales promotions, looking for new customers, preparing the best quotes/prices.

Marketing & Advertising

Dissemination of information about the company's products. Persuading potential clients to buy the company's products through promotions, advertising, sales…

Commercial

Providing... Continue reading "Understanding Organizational Structures and Functional Areas in Business" »

Niche market - It is a small market that aims to meet specific user needs.

Merger

A combination of two or more companies in which the resulting firm maintains the identity of the acquiring company.

Consolidation

The combination of two or more firms, generally of equal size and market power, to form an entirely new entity.

Portfolio Effect

Merger allows acquiring firms to enjoy potentially desirable portfolio effect:

• Achieves risk reduction while maintaining firm’s rate of return

Tax Loss Carry Forward

A loss that can be carried forward for a number of years to offset future taxable income and perhaps utilized by another firm in a merger.

Horizontal Integration

The acquisition of a competitor.

Vertical Integration

The acquisition of customers or suppliers by the company.

Synergy

The recognition that the whole may be equal to more... Continue reading "Merger and Acquisition Terms for Multinational Corporations" »

1 Steps to Elaborate a Job Description

Job title, duties, skills and competencies, relationships, salary

2 Skills for New Receptionist

For our receptionist positions we need certain skills, communication skill, multitasking skills, confidential, computer literacy, friendly, intelligent, tolerant and patient, professional, innovative, organized

3 Pre-Opening Plan

• Establish a positive image
• Let customers know you are opening for business
• Bring in customers or have them contact you
• Interest customers in your new company and your product or service

Ongoing Plan

• Explaining major features and benefits of your products
• Communicating information about seller
• Clearing up customers' questions and concerns
• Introducing new goods or services

4 Labor Union

Is an organization... Continue reading "Effective Strategies for Job Description and Product Promotion" »

Economies and Diseconomies of Scale

Economies of scale: Reduction in the average unit costs as the business increases in size. When a business increases the scale of operations, it becomes more efficient.

Diseconomies of scale: Increase in average unit costs as the business increases in size. This occurs when the business experiences inefficiencies as it becomes larger.

Internal Economies of Scale

Efficiencies the business makes itself:

• Technical: Bigger units of production reduce costs since the increase in variable costs are spread over a set of fixed costs.

• Managerial: Managers specialize in one job and not in many.

• Financial: Bigger businesses are less risky than smaller ones since big businesses are considered safe by financial institutions,

Pure Competition

is a theoretical market structure with three necessary conditions: Very large numbers of buyers and sellers, identical products and freedom of entry and exit.

Market Structure

is a classification that describes the nature and degree of competition among firms in the same industry.

Competition:

is a theoretical market structure with three necessary conditions.

Monopolistic Competition

a market structure that has all of the conditions of pure competition except for identical products.

Because a monopolistic competitor faces competition from a large number of firms in its industry, it must somehow convince consumers that its products are better than the products produced by other firms.

Natural Monopoly

A natural monopoly is one in which... Continue reading "Market Structures and Competition" »

Monetary policy:“Monetary policy is the process by which the monetary authority of an country controls the supply of money, often targeting an inflation rate or interest rate to ensure price stability and general trust in the currency”.Expansive, low interest rates, cheap money. If the money flows towards the economic agents with a low cost, governments can boost C and I. However, this does not always work, in the current crisis. Companies would not borrow because there was a shrinking demand - they didn’t want more facilities! - and Consumers would not buy because of the high unemployment and uncertainty.

üFiscal Policy:

Increase on G, multiplying effect, somehow forces consumption. Governments can fund big projects to boost the economy.

Key Characteristics of a Perfectly Competitive Market

1. Very Large Number of Producers

In a perfectly competitive market, there are a very large number of producers, each of whom produces a very small proportion of the total market output.

2. Producers are Price Takers

As a single producer produces a small proportion of the total output supplied in the market, their production decisions cannot affect the market price of the product. They have to take the prevailing market price as given and fixed. Thus, an individual producer faces a perfectly elastic demand curve.

3. Products are Homogeneous

Products are exactly the same and, therefore, are perfect substitutes for each other. This implies that the cross-elasticity of demand is infinite between... Continue reading "Understanding Perfect Competition in Economics" »

Small Business Advantages:

• Greater focus: focus where they want; in places with greater profitability; in specific markets
• Greater cachet: greater sense of exclusiveness so they can charge more for their output, leading to higher profit margins
• Greater motivation: more prestige can motivate managers/employees
• Competitive advantage: giving a more personalized service and being more flexible
• Less competition: focusing on a niche gives limited competition
• Internal growth: slowly, steady and out of the existent operations of the business. They don't take many risks. Expands by selling more products or by increasing its product range. Usually self-financed
• External growth: quick and riskier methods. Expands by entering into an arrangement with another