Abstract This paper discusses the effects of rising gasoline prices on the Americaneconomy. It looks at consumer confidence, the assumptions underlying the economics of energy, crude petroleum prices and the power of the OPEC cartel.
From the Paper "This analyst argued that when energy prices decline the U S economy booms. Cheap energy said Ciscel helped get the economy out of the stock market crash through the continuing savings and loan crisis and kept minor downturns in construction real estate and manufacturing from threatening the economic boom. Given this general background the purpose of ..."
Abstract This paper briefly describes the beginnings of the Americaneconomy, explaining that it has almost always been based on big business, and then takes a look at the evolution of the Americaneconomy in more recent times. The paper discusses the development of micro and macroeconomics and its influence on the Americaneconomy as well as the influence of Japan's economic strength and the role of financial institutions in America. The paper also discusses the general state of the Americaneconomy today and what the future holds for the economy, explaining that while there is no guarantee, America's economy in the future looks strong.
From the Paper "It is an arguable fact that the initial American economy was built by outsiders....The Irish built the canals and tall new buildings and roads. The Chinese helped build transcontinental railroads. But, without entrepreneurs, some legitimate, some not, all this labor would have gone to waste. There were no true business giants in the rest of the world to compare with the Rockefellers, Morgans, Carnegies and Fords. Yet, the pioneers who settled this country now sat back and let hired imported cheap labor do much of the work. The American economy, as the 20th Century began, created an ever-widening gulf between the Have's and the Have-Nots. There was little sympathy for Communism as the voice of exploited workers. People like Eugene V. Debs and Norman Thomas developed Socialist political parties, but the were a distinct minority. Unions, on the other hand, began to flourish, and with them came the strong and powerful union leadership which, after World War II deteriorated into the same greedy, power-mad elite that they had organized to fight."
Abstract This paper explains that the economy in the 1990s was at a natural low point and was going through a restructuring period changing from the manufacturing and governments sectors to a stronger service sector, reflecting the current culture of a 24/7 lifestyle. The author believes that the attack of 9/11 changed the public perception of how the economy behaves and points out that other events, such as corporate accounting scandals, geo-political risks and war, also have deeply affected the economy. The paper relates that another trend that makes the Americaneconomy seem weak after 9/11 is a change in consumer spending habits.
From the Paper "Still many Americans would argue that due to consumer confidence being low in the market place and therefore having a direct influence on commerce that the economy is weak even today. In the days after the attacks, consumers were uncertain of the future. Price comments, that the average American has less buying power than he or she did in the late 1990s. This is due to increased costs and standards of living while annual costs of living raises have not increased exponentially to meet demand and grow for the retail markets. Also rising energy costs and America's reliance on the Mid-East for petroleum products have made it difficult for the average family to spend money on durable goods."
Abstract An analysis of how American policy makers determine money policy and how those decisions affect the Americaneconomy.
From the Paper "Monetary policy is aggregate demand regulation by means money supply and interest rates management. For example, monetary policy has to solve such problems as how to finance budget deficit. How does monetary policy affect the economy? And what points should government focus on? The point of implementing policy through raising or lowering interest rates is to affect people's and firms' demand for goods and services."
Abstract This paper examines the Americaneconomy over the last ten years in terms of GDP, CPI, unemployment, and interest rates; identifies the present stage of the business cycle, and compares the performance of the economy over the years since 1992.
Abstract This paper presents an analysis of how trade unions keep the Americaneconomy stable.
From the Paper " Over recent years, it has become fashionable in many quarters to write off trade unions, to label them as obsolete institutions out of touch with new realities and incapable of change. In today's world of individual employment contracts, performance-related pay schemes, Human Resource and Total Quality Management and all the other ingredients of the so-called "new" workplace, trade unions are often regarded as anachronistic obstacles preventing success of the market economy. As collective voluntary organizations that represent employees in the workplace, it is argued, trade unions no longer serve a useful purpose. "
Abstract This paper outlines the slowdown in the Americaneconomy. It discusses, among other issues, the average American consumer's reaction to the increased threat of terror and lowered job stability. This paper raises the issue of the oil crisis and its implications on the American public.
From the Paper "The public demand for goods and services that seemed to be at the crux of many arguments against the reality of a recession has slowed substantially. Undeniable market declination and excruciating deficits in corporate, and even more troublesome, total industry profits have finally taken their toll on the average American. Lowered job security and renewed promises of a terrorist threat to the mainland are only a couple of the factors that have landed us in our current status which is, to say the least, not promising to those on the supply end. A decreased willingness to spend has been detrimental to the viability of formerly prime industries, particularly in neighborhoods like tech and air-travel. As if to gird those that have held fast to the validity of the notion that we have suffered a recession, the failure of widespread consumer demand to grow this quarter has perpetuated the condition of ailing stock prices, spreading unemployment and an unreliable job market."
Abstract The paper researches the potential effects on the Americaneconomy of high crude oil prices in 2004. The paper discusses the dependence on oil for energy purposes and describes the energy problems in the U.S. and the world at large, including crude oil prices. The paper illustrates the effect on the Americaneconomy.
From the Paper "High crude oil prices and in turn high prices for refined products, are the source of worries about the economy in the fall of 2004. The world's dependence on energy sources, most of which are not located in areas where they are consumed, causes the locations of world energy reserves to be as crucial a concern as are the energy surplus and deficit characteristics of the various international regions."
Abstract This paper takes an interdisciplinary approach to explore the effects of Wal-Mart's expansion on the Americaneconomy and its society. As the effects of Wal-Mart are multi-faceted, three of the most relevant disciplines are used to fully explore the positive and negative effects of Wal-Mart's entry into a community. As such, the economic perspective, (including employment rate and tax revenue), political science perspective, (including the effects on local elections and policies as well as federal policies), and the sociology perspective, (including social stratification), are used to shed light on this controversial topic. A qualitative literary review of appropriate journals, pertaining to the three identified disciplines, are used. The connections made between the economic, political, and sociological disciplines give rise to several interesting advantages and disadvantages of the entry of Wal-Mart into the Americaneconomy and society, advantages and disadvantages that wouldn't be identified with one discipline alone.
Outline:
Background
Problem Statement
The Importance of the Problem at Hand
Disciplinary Perspectives, Evidence and Insights
Wal-Mart's Advantages and Disadvantages from the Perspective of the Economic Discipline
Wal-Mart's Advantages and Disadvantages from the Perspective of the Political Discipline
Perspective of the Sociology Discipline
Integration
Conclusion
From the Paper "More than 235,000 Wal-Mart employees are 55 years of age or older ("Corporate facts", n.d.) and many are students. These employees find Wal-Mart's flexibility perfect for supplemental income, and for students it can provide valuable work experience ("Economic opportunity", n.d.). Not only does Wal-Mart offer opportunities to diverse social groups, but their benefit plans often help prevent struggling, low-income families from having to rely on welfare-funded healthcare plans, such as Medicaid."
Abstract This paper examines the downside of immigration in the U.S and focuses on three specific areas: The impact of immigration on the labor market, the use of welfare and the payment of taxes. The writer asserts that while immigration may benefit the country as a whole, the burdens of these new population flows fall unequally on particular communities. This paper also discusses the high Mexican immigration rate in California and the resulting effects on its economy. This paper contains researched facts and statistics as well as relevant expert opinions to back up the writer's claim that immigration impacts negatively on the U.S. economy.
From the Paper "Education is the key to mobility in the United States and those communities, which cannot provide adequate education will be unable to move their members out of poverty, no matter what cultural solidarities they are able to maintain. Clark suggests that the result of this social immobility could lead to what he calls a "tearing of the social fabric" in multicultural communities. Although the tensions of cultural difference make these communities culturally rich, Clark argues that too much tension could result in balkanization, interethnic violence, and increasing economic stagnation."
This paper examines the rich history of North America's economy as well as its constantly evolving and developing commerce, from its birth in 1776 to the present day.
Abstract This paper opens by tracing the roots of America's commerce back to the Boston Tea Party. This paper details the manner in which the harbors on America's east coast accommodated both shipping and fishing from Nova Scotia to the Florida Straits. This paper delves into the booming economy on America's west coast which brought about the California Gold Rush and the fur trade which originated on the northwest. This paper examines the impact of various industries on America's growing economy including logging, agricultural and the railway system, which, by the 1880s connected the east and west coasts. This paper also focuses on North America's current natural resources and their contributions to the economy including natural gas, which is supplied primarily via Canada.
Table of Contents:
Exploiting the West
Today's Prospects
Political/Cultural Climate
References
From the Paper "The bases for antique economies on the North American continent are simple to define. They were economies of continuous expansion right up to the present, in many ways. Every schoolchild knows that the abundant rivers and rapids on the East Coast allowed the development of knitting mills and the clothing industry. As farmland grew more expensive, people moved westward. The Erie Canal, completed in 1825, linked the waters of Lake Erie (and the lands beyond the lake) and the Hudson River (and New York City, and the world) to the east. It opened up the nation west of the Appalachian Mountains, creating the midwestern breadbasket."
Abstract This paper discusses the spread of the global economy and the greater dependence that the Canadian economy now has on the United States economy. It discusses the foreign investment markets for Canada and looks at the view of the United States with regards to it current account deficit. Finally the paper lists some of the actions that the United States can take for which Canada must be prepared.
From the Paper "While many analysts predict a fairly painless global adjustment once the US current account seeks a more equitable balance, the increasing uncertainty in the market seems to betray a growing fear of a sudden and profound systemic shock. Researchers point out that the US is currently the greatest investment vehicle for most of the world's leading economies with its current account deficit standing at -22% of GDP (The 1). Yet, framing the current account in this manner does not accurately represent the true disparity in the US economy as opposed to those of its foreign counterparts such as Canada. The US basically considers deficits normal between most of its trading partners and this is definitely the case with Canada. However, this gap is even more severe when examined in relation to specific countries such as China that have created an export economy through the financing US spending: "The United States runs a current account deficit of more than $600 billion per year...foreign central banks...have made substantial purchases of U.S. government bonds to add to their foreign exchange reserves" (Clarida par.3)."
Abstract The paper contends that although offshoring may reduce prices, it is a poor business practice for many reasons. The paper explains why it hurts the Americaneconomy and harms American workers. The paper discusses how offshoring creates poor working conditions for many workers and argues that this practice should be more regulated to ensure that American companies do not exploit foreign workers in the name of saving money.
From the Paper "Offshoring, also known as outsourcing, has influenced the American economy since the 1990s, when it first became widespread. It has removed jobs from American workers, created economic woes in many industries, and has created sweatshop like working conditions in many manufacturing environments. It has gained more attention recently because many American consumers are unhappy dealing with outsourced service employees, and they have been complaining about the service quality to many companies. Many experts in the field believe not enough is being done to regulate the use of offshoring, and to help guarantee the rights of American workers."
Abstract The Americaneconomy has many components that contribute to its growth and affect its rate of inflation. The overriding stimuli stem from the monetary and fiscal controls imposed by the Federal Reserve and government, respectively. This paper explains how economy has enjoyed modest growth for several years and that can be expected to continue. It discusses why the Federal Reserve is raised interest rates in late 1999 in order to keep the rate of inflation down and discusses the reasons for this act.
From the Paper "The Federal Reserve sets interest rates by mandating the rates at which Federal Reserve banks loan funds to other institutions. These rates then affect the rates of those institutions as they seek to maintain their profit. Thus an increase in rates by the Federal Reserve results in an increase in interest rates charged to customers by financial institutions throughout the nation. Investors may, in this instance, move some funds out of other investments in order to take advantage of the higher rates (such as moving out of bonds), and the stock market may see a decrease in value as investors weigh the effect of the interest rate increase on corporate borrowing."
This paper examines the impact in the rise of speculative investments in unregulated Southeast Asian economies which has resulted in a global-wide financial crisis.
Abstract This paper analyzes the under-regulated stock market, real estate ventures and currency instability in the Asian economy that resulted in world-wide financial crisis. This paper explores the events in the stock markets in Thailand, Manila, Singapore and Hong Kong that were extremely profitable for a short time, only to crash soon after, leaving countless people owing billions of dollars and the economies of many Asian nations in shambles. The writer of this well-researched paper discusses how banks in the U.S. suffered greatly because of fraud in Singapore as well as in trading in derivatives, which when the various nations' economies sank, so did the value of these investments. This paper also examines the tug of war between Asian exports and imports and their impact on the Americaneconomy.
Table of Contents:
Abstract
Introduction
The Derivatives Fiasco
Japan
Asia
United States Actions and Reactions
Conclusion
Bibliography
From the Paper "A staid old British banking institution, Baring Brothers, decided to enter the Asian derivatives field, and so sent a number of young traders, including Nick Leeson, first to Indonesia, then, based on his success, to Singapore. He used this great distance from the home office to trade in his own account, using the firm's money, as well as investments from other international banks. Because of the volatility of the market (and natural disasters like the Kobe earthquake) he first made poor judgment calls which had him owing 170 million pounds (about. $225 million). At the end, he was in the red (or, rather Baring's was) in the amount of $1.5 billion. When discovered, he and his wife fled, but were eventually arrested. This one man's greedy fraud had caused Baring's to go bankrupt, and caused a ripple effect in the U.S. where similar derivatives investments turned sour."
