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

Segmenting Business Markets

Business buyers can be segmented geographically, demographically or by benefits sought, user status, usage rate and loyal status. Almost every company serves at least some business markets. (Ex. Starbucks has developed marketing programs for coffees and for food).

Segmenting International Markets

Few companies have the resources to operate in all, or even most of the countries of the world. Some large companies, sell products in more than 200 countries, but most international firms focus on a smaller set of countries. Different countries, can vary greatly in their economic, cultural and political make up. Companies can segment international markets using one or a combination of several variables. They can segment by:... Continue reading "Segmenting Business and International Markets: Requirements and Strategies" »

Foreign Exchange Market

The foreign exchange market is a global decentralized market for trading currencies. Like any other market, it operates on the principles of demand, supply, and price.

Nominal Exchange Rate

The exchange rate represents the price of one currency in terms of another. There are two types:

• Direct exchange rate: The cost of one unit of foreign currency is given in units of local currency (e.g., 1 USD = 0.94 EUR).
• Indirect exchange rate: The cost of one unit of local currency is given in units of foreign currency (e.g., 1 EUR = 1.06 USD).

Changes in exchange rates influence relative prices. Currency appreciation occurs when the local currency strengthens, allowing you to buy more foreign currency. This increases the relative price... Continue reading "Understanding Foreign Exchange Markets and Exchange Rates" »

Outsourcing an IR Process

Advantages:

1. Services provided by professionals trained in IR.
2. 24/7 monitoring.
3. Early notification of potential problems in the region.

Disadvantages:

1. Potential loss of control of response to incidents.
2. Possible exposure of classified organizational data to service providers.
3. Locked in to proprietary equipment and services.

Long Before a DOS: Six Tasks

1. Coordinating with the ISP.
2. Collaborating and coordinating with professional response agencies.
3. Implementation of prevention technologies.
4. Monitoring resources.
5. Coordinating the monitoring and analysis capabilities.
6. Setting up logging and documentation.

Potential Containment Strategies

1. Monitoring system and network activities.
2. Disabling access to compromised systems.
3. Changing passwords.
4. Disabling

The Degree of Product Acceptance

by the market over time. 'An attempt to recognize distinct stages in sales history of the product' during its life span (Kotler). Evolution of the sales and benefits from the product's launch until its recall. The duration of each stage isn't identical; they can be lengthened, repeated or not even produced at all. Classic stages are:

• Introduction:
• Uncertainty stage.
• The organization risks in choosing the marketing mix variables (4Ps+).
• Higher costs. Limited benefits. Lower sales.
• Basic versions of the product.
• Performances:
  • Attract innovators
  • Activate demand
  • Modifications in products to adapt to what demand wants/needs
• Courses of action:
  • Prestige strategy, higher prices, exclusive or selective distribution, good communication

Economies of Scale

Economies of scale refer to the falling average cost of production as a firm expands. While total costs may increase, the cost of producing each additional unit decreases.

Diseconomies of Scale

Diseconomies of scale, on the other hand, occur when a firm becomes too large and experiences rising average costs.

Internal Economies of Scale

Internal economies of scale are cost benefits that an individual firm can enjoy as it expands:

• Purchasing economies: Bulk buying can lead to lower costs.
• Marketing economies: Marketing costs can be spread over a larger volume of output.
• Technical economies: Larger factories can be more efficient than smaller ones.
• Financial economies: Large firms have better access to capital and can borrow at lower

Unit 7: Full Cost Systems

Introduction

This unit explores full cost systems, assuming that manufacturing processes consume resources to perform tasks. The costs of these resources are accumulated to determine the cost of the centers. Variations in this hypothesis lead to different systems:

1. Unnecessary Resource Consumption: Some resource consumption might be deemed unnecessary and accounted for as a period loss, not a production cost. This leads to distinctions between traditional and economical full costing.
2. Resource Cost vs. Accumulated Cost: The cost of resources used in production might differ from the cost accumulated in the units produced. This introduces systems with predetermined rates like normal costing, imputation rationelle, and standard

Available for sale securities - are debt and equity securities that are neither held for trading, held to maturity, nor held for strategic reasons.

Business combination - purchase of more than 50% ownership of the investee’s stock.

Consolidated financial statement - Combined financial statements from parent and subsidiary company.

Cost method - Investment of less than 20% of the investee’s outstanding stock.

Debt securities - Notes and bonds that pay interest and have a fixed maturity date.

Dividend yield -measures the rate of return to stockholders, based on cash dividends.

Equity method - Investments between 20%-50% of the outstanding stock.

Equity securities - Are preferred and common stock that represent OWNERSHIP in a company and DO NOT

Step 1: Forecasted Operating Cash Flows

Step 2: Forecasted External Capital Required

Pricing Studies:

Research can be used to evaluate alternative price approaches for new products before launch or for any proposed changes in prices.

Gabor and Grainger Method:

Different prices for a product are presented to respondents who are then asked if they would buy. A 'buy-response' curve of different prices, with the corresponding number of affirmative purchase intentions, is produced.

Multibrand-Choice Method:

Respondents are shown different sets of brands in the same product category, at different prices, and are asked which they would buy.

Research for profit-oriented pricing

Research for share-oriented pricing

Quantitative approaches

Market Potential:

Maximum total sales level that can be reached in a certain market. It contributes to the... Continue reading "Pricing Studies and Market Potential: Research for Profit-Oriented Pricing" »

Neoliberal Industrial Policy: From Vertical to Horizontal Measures and Structural Reforms

The Rise of Neoliberalism (1970s Onward)

In the wake of a shrinking working class, industrial policy underwent a significant shift from the 1980s onward, beginning in the late 1970s with Margaret Thatcher in the UK and Ronald Reagan in the US. This shift was characterized by a move away from vertical policies towards horizontal measures and structural reforms, such as labor market and services reform.

By 1982, the debt crisis forced Latin American countries to open their economies and embrace neoliberal policies, marking the end of the Third World project. Export-oriented industrialization was promoted, and foreign transnational corporations (TNCs) gained... Continue reading "The Shift from Vertical to Horizontal Industrial Policy: A Historical Perspective" »