...Assignment 4: Analysis of the Business Cycle April Hammer Strayer University Online Assignment 4: Analysis of the Business Cycle Introduction 1. The Current Economic Conditions Microeconomics is a social science that deals with the behaviors of individual consumers, firms and industries. It is an analysis of certain firms, individuals and households’ decision making processes as well as behaviors that affect how resources are allocated (EconGuru Economics Guide, 2006). Where macroeconomics deals with the economy as a whole, microeconomics deals with individual firms and how consumers make decisions as well as how companies decide what to sell and at what price to sell it at. The economy today has been in a big uproar with major downfalls and setbacks that have come about. We are in a current recession. One would hope that the economy will be able to repair after this downfall. Today’s economy in the United States is becoming a major disaster in more areas then one. One major issue is that the United States does not make enough products that we need to sustain ourselves. We import far more then we export. This has put the United States in debt to other countries. This debt continues to grow and become unreachable. Some of our major companies are being bought out by other countries. There are many data tools that can be evaluated to determine how well a current economy is doing. GDP growth is a measurement of the total value of goods produced is an...
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...Analysis of the Business Cycle Tamika Williams Professor Amiel Managerial Economics & Globalization March 15, 2011 Strayer University ABSTRACT The purpose of this paper is to take an economical and statistical look of where the economy is headed for the next coming years. Review the outcome of the economy over the past three years and what direction it’s going. Based on this review, it will show the current state of the economy and the impact to the Oligopolist in terms of prospects for higher sales and labor costs will be highlighted. The economy has continued to remain small despite some economic growth over the past two years. It has been said the economy will continue to grow because of the positive turn around in 2009 but in my opinion I do not think so. Due to multiple factors that the US has experience over the recent years such as unemployment which is causing a financial burden on the economy, I cannot see the US making substantial come back. The loss of countless jobs has put a financial strain on the country; while ours who are still employed struggle to maintain their jobs and contribute to the unemployment rate which has continue to climb. As shown in Figure 1) a steady rise in the unemployment rate from 7.75 % in early 2009 to over 10% in 2009 and 2010. The unemployment rate continues to grow due to corporations expecting for the economy to continually to fail; Shareholders cut cost by cutting jobs. Even with the government making efforts to hire...
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...Analysis of the Business Cycle Professor Amiel Managerial Economics & Globalization March 15, 2011 Strayer University ABSTRACT The purpose of this paper is to take an economical and statistical look of where the economy is headed for the next coming years. Review the outcome of the economy over the past three years and what direction it’s going. Based on this review, it will show the current state of the economy and the impact to the Oligopolist in terms of prospects for higher sales and labor costs will be highlighted. The economy has continued to remain small despite some economic growth over the past two years. It has been said the economy will continue to grow because of the positive turn around in 2009 but in my opinion I do not think so. Due to multiple factors that the US has experience over the recent years such as unemployment which is causing a financial burden on the economy, I cannot see the US making substantial come back. The loss of countless jobs has put a financial strain on the country; while ours who are still employed struggle to maintain their jobs and contribute to the unemployment rate which has continue to climb. As shown in Figure 1) a steady rise in the unemployment rate from 7.75 % in early 2009 to over 10% in 2009 and 2010. The unemployment rate continues to grow due to corporations expecting for the economy to continually to fail; Shareholders cut cost by cutting jobs. Even with the government making efforts to hire back people the unemployment...
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...1. Introduction Macroeconomics studies the behavior of the overall economy. Macroeconomics examines economy-wide phenomena such as changes in unemployment, national income, growth rate, gross domestic product, and inflation and price levels. Research has proved that the main economic factors that affect aggregate demand are economic growth, real income, interest rates and consumer confidence. This assignment will discuss current macroeconomic conditions in the US and how these conditions have affected two monopolistically competitive firms, McDonald’s and Verizon. This paper will explore how the two companies responded to the macroeconomic conditions in terms of their stock performance, current and future sales revenue, current and future products, labor costs and hiring decisions. 1.1 The Current Economic Conditions The current macroeconomic situation is fragile. The US economy is clearly in terrible shape, but what is unclear is how we got there. Many experts trace the origins of the current economic situation to the housing bubble that came about earlier this decade (Tanneeru, M). According to the estimate, the real GDP of the US increased .25 of 1 percent over its level in the 1st quarter of 2011. The growth rate of the economy is still volatile and while any increases in real GDP are welcome, they are not sufficient to reduce the unemployment pool (Watkins, T, 2011). 1.2 McDonald’s and Verizon McDonald’s Corporation franchises and operates McDonald’s restaurants...
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...Chapter 10 Classical Business Cycle Analysis: Market-Clearing Macroeconomics Goals of Chapter 10 A) Use the IS-LM model with rapidly adjusting wages and prices to present the classical model B) Examine the relationship between money and the business cycle I. Business Cycles in the Classical Model (Sec. 10.1) A) The real business cycle theory 1. Two key questions about business cycles a. What are the underlying economic causes? b. What should government policymakers do about them? 2. Any business cycle theory has two components a. A description of the types of shocks believed to affect the economy the most b. A model that describes how key macroeconomic variables respond to economic shocks 3. Real business cycle (RBC) theory (Kydland and Prescott) a. Real shocks to the economy are the primary cause of business cycles (1) Examples: a. Shocks to the production function, b. the size of the labor force, c. the real quantity of government purchases, d. the spending and saving decisions of consumers (affecting the IS curve or the FE line) (2) Nominal shocks are shocks to money supply or demand (affecting the LM curve) b. The largest role is played by shocks to the production function, which the text has called supply shocks, and RBC theorists call productivity shocks (1) Examples: a. Development of new products or production techniques, b. introduction of new management techniques, c. changes in the...
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...Analysis of the Business Cycle and its Impact on Economic Indicators Olufunmilayo Ogutuga Economics For Managers ECON 550 Professor Saad Khalil December 10, 2011 | | Abstract It is no surprise that the economy of The United States of America is going through a cyclical peak. During the various business cycles, economic indicators revealed how the economy is doing based on gross domestic product, employment, inflation, retails sales etc. This paper would critically examine the business cycle and its implications in terms of higher sales, consumer demands and labor cost. It will also analyze how economic indicators such as Real GDP, Unemployment and Inflation have been impacted by the current and unfortunate economic situation faced in the United States today. Introduction The United States, like many other countries, is experiencing a major change in its economic system; and it is currently coming out of a recessionary business cycle which saw the production of goods and services decline, and unemployment on the rise; but the economy is moving at a snail's pace, easing into a peak. The paper will focus on how to interpret the business cycle and explain the current business cycle in the United States through an in-depth and critical look at the economic indicators. These Economic indicators will reveal the current economic situation...
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...How To Run a Successful Business Using Four Key Business Models Okay so you have started your business and now you're having trouble figuring out what comes next. Well here is the solution for you. This report will serve as a basic manual on how implement certain business plans that are important in running and maintaining a successful business. The Basics Before any business models are discussed it is important to understand the basic of running a business. To start off knowing what type of business you are running is very important. In today's society it is important to define an organizations type of business based on the types of customers it wishes to serve, the particular needs of the customers, and the means or technology by which the organization will satisfy these customers needs. Once your business is defined, the next step is to have a business mission which complements its business definition. The business mission statement should define what an organization is, why it exist, and its reason for existing. It should define who the primary customers are, what products and services your company provides and should reflect management's vision of what it seeks to do. A good mission statement can provide many benefits including: Clarifying managements long term vision and direction of the organization, providing guidance in identifying pursuing, and evaluating market and product opportunities, and motivating and challenging employees to do the things valued by their...
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...6/28/2015 Software Testing Life Cycle STLC Software Testing Life Cycle STLC Contrary to popular belief, Software Testing is not a activity. It consists of series of activities carried out m help certify your software product. These activities (s the Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC). The different stages in Software Test Life Cycle - Each of these stages have a definite Entry and Exit criteria , Activities & Deliverables associat In an Ideal world you will not enter the next stage until the exit criteria for the previous stage practically this is not always possible. So for this tutorial , we will focus of activities and delive different stages in STLC. Lets look into them in detail. http://www.guru99.com/softwaretestinglifecycle.html 1/12 6/28/2015 Software Testing Life Cycle STLC Requirement Analysis During this phase, test team studies the requirements from a testing point of view to identify requirements. The QA team may interact with various stakeholders (Client, Business Analyst, System Architects etc) to understand the requirements in detail. Requirements could be eith (defining what the software must do) or Non Functional (defining system performance /secur .Automation feasibility for the given testing project is also done in this stage. Activities Identify types of tests to be performed. Gather details about testing priorities and focus. Prepare Requirement Traceability Matrix (RTM). Identify test environment details...
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...THE SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE LECTURE NOTES DEVELOPING INFORMATION SYSTEMS SOLUTIONS The Systems Development Cycle: The systems approach can be applied to the solution of many types of problems. When this involves the development of information system solutions to business problems, it is called information systems development or application development. Most computer-based information systems are conceived, designed, and implemented using some form of systematic development process. In this process, end users and information specialists design information systems based on an analysis of the information requirements of an organization. Thus, a major part of this process is known as systems analysis and design. When the systems approach is applied to the development of information system solutions, a multistep process or cycle emerges. This is frequently called the information systems development cycle, also known as the systems development life cycle (SDLC). Steps involved and products produced in the traditional information systems development cycle: 1. Systems investigation - Product: Feasibility Study 2. Systems analysis - Product: Functional Requirements 3. Systems design - Product: Systems Specifications 4. Systems implementation - Product: Operational System 5. Systems maintenance - Product: Improved System 1. All the activities involved are highly related and interdependent. 2. Several developmental activities can occur at the same time...
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...The organization use the supply chain to gain competitive advantage within the retail industry and still considering three categories of improvement such as cycle time, quality, and cost concerns and developments. Cycle time measures the amount of time according to the unit using minutes and customer hours adding and subtracting one from another will not provide an average value (Tooling University, 2011). Quality reduces variation of processes surrounding targets to include goals, objectives, mission, and organizations vision eliminating faults, failures, and satisfying customer expectations (Shsu Ed, 2011). Demand media Inc. (2011) says “cost basis is defined as the amount of money originally put into investments before any growth or loss” (pg 1. para 1.). The three categories of improvement enhance business productivity though facilitate challenges such as cycle time step is not a stand alone use to calculate lead time. The business must know the work in process to calculate cycle times. The many dimensions to quality and customer perception of quality are a factor to determine what is important in service and manufacturing processes. Cost is subject to many changes because of investment changes and stock changes. Victoria’s Secret organization can resolve improving resistance changes in the organizations business process through exploring and revising the content of projects and different aesthetics to build infrastructure and the change management process implementation...
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...Industry Life Cycle Paula Baldridge Midway College BUS 411 August 24, 2014 Dr. Marla Ashe Abstract The purpose of this summary is to understand the concept of the industry life cycle and explore the implications in the process of designing business strategies. The authors of the article “GRA Decision Making Model for the Integrated Strategies of Life Cycle with Industrial Value Chain” familiarizes readers with evaluation models and analysis that has contributed to the development of business strategies fitted to the industry life cycle. Key words: industry life cycle, business strategies What is industry life cycle? Industry life cycle is stages (introduction, growth, shakeout, maturity, and decline) through which industries are believed to pass (Parnell, 2014). In this article, the authors use the concept of industry life cycle with the industrial value chain to propose an evaluation model to develop integrated strategies. The analytic hierarchic process and grey relational analysis is what forms the model can help decision makers to assess their integration strategies. Because of the competitive environment it is a necessary strategy for survival and development. For organizations to have successful business strategies they must be aware of where the industry stands in the industry life cycle. According to Huang, Chu & Chen, (2009) The AHP and GRA based decision-making model to construct an evaluation method can provide decision makers in PC industry...
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...School of Business, Management & Information TechnologyFdSc Internet Computing for Business Yr 2 Sem 1 Level 2Assessment | | Module Title: Systems Analysis & Design (NCD-CN10) Module Leader: M Binner Assessment Title: Car Hire Company Hand in Date: 21/1/2011 David Ray Student no. 30162106 Contents 1 Introduction 2 2 Life Cycle Models 3 2.1 What is a Life Cycle Model 4 3 Fact Finding and Feasibility 7 Fact Finding 7 Feasibility 7 4What is a Problem Statement? 9 4.1 Writing a Problem Statement 9 4.2 Problem Statement 11 5Evaluation of the current System 13 6Problem Statement Solution 13 6.1 High budget solution 15 6.2 Low Budget Solution 17 7Dataflow Diagrams 19 What is a Dataflow diagram? 19 Different levels of Data Flow Diagrams 20 Level 1 Data Flow Diagram 21 Level 2 Data Flow Diagram 22 8 ERD of New System 23 9Data Dictionaries 25 10Cost Benefit Analysis 26 11A Cost benefit Analysis for Car Hire Company 26 12Evaluation of Proposed New System 27 13Summary and Reflection 27 14References 28 15 Bibliography 28 16Appendices 29 1 Introduction For this assignment I have been asked to develop a new system that could resolve issue’s within a Car Hire Company. For the assignment I will be looking at what a System Life Cycle model is and how it relates to business. I will be briefly looking at various cycles and will explain why I chose the system life cycle that I will be using...
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...Developing Business/IT Solutions Systems Analysis and Design (SAD) • Overall process by which IS are designed and implemented within organizations • The process of completing an IS project is known as systems analysis and design (SAD). • Any SAD project involves four essential ingredients: – People - Methodology - Management - Tools • Two most common approaches to Systems Analysis and Design ← Object-oriented analysis and design ← Systems Development Life Cycle Systems Development Lifecycle (SDLC) [pic] [pic] Systems Investigation Stage The Investigation Phase begins the preliminary study of the proposed information system solution to meet the e-business needs. Its focus is to seek to answer the questions: What are our opportunities? What are our business priorities? How can information technologies provide information systems solutions that can be used to address theses needs? Because the process of application development can be costly both in time and resources, the system investigation phase begins with a Feasibility Study. The goal of feasibility studies is to evaluate alternative systems and to propose the most feasible and desirable systems. Feasibility is assessed across four major categories: [pic] Organizational Feasibility: This focuses on how well a proposed information system supports the objectives of the organization. – Specific features...
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...Certification and Approval A Directed Research Project on Information System Strategic Planning the Cost of Efficiency: Is there a preferred approach to information systems planning, submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Strayer University in candidacy for the degree of Master’s of Science in Information Systems. Submitted by: _________________________Date: _______________ Approved by: ___________________________ Date: _______________ ABSTRACT Information systems’ planning is often costly to implement and maintain; however, sound planning practices may reduce expenses associated with the development processes. A Formal methodical approach to systems analysis, requirements engineering, systems design, development, and construction may offer a reduction in development and certain aspects of life cycle support expenses. Corporate expenses may reach approximately 5% of their gross income on information systems development and support. This equates to approximately $15,000,000 to $35,000,000 annually (Whitemarsh Information Systems Corp. 2008, p.). Information systems may cost significantly less. In comparison, information systems, contingent upon other factors such as size of the company, and complexity of the information system cost may range anywhere from $2,000,000 to $10,000,000 per system. Corporate leadership clearly has a strong influence upon information system expenditures and may have unrealistic expectations associated with anticipated return on investments...
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...PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE ON STRATEGIC ORIENTATION OF A ENTREPRISE Mohammad N. Shahidi, KIMEP, Almaty, Kazakhstan ABSTRCT The impact of product life cycle (PLC) on strategic orientation (SO) in dynamic environment, which is a subject that has interested strategic management scholars, is the focus of this proposal. The literature reviewed shows that despite the worldwide research on strategic management, there is still not a single definition for such a term. As a result, a wide range of conceptual frameworks exists for the formulation and implementation of strategies. There is no consensus on the factors among the scholars that affect strategic orientation of a enterprise. The consideration is mostly towards market/costumer satisfaction, technology, competition, with the enterprise’s capabilities affecting the most. Some of the scholars emphasize management issues and strategic thinking. Others such as Porter, focus on typology and resource bases. However, few scholars focus on the impact of product life cycle on strategic orientation. The attempt in this paper is to show that not only does the PLC orient strategy of an enterprise faster and straight forward than any other factors, but it also takes all other factors into account. The main question is “how product life cycle affects the strategic orientation of a enterprise”. This study began by defining strategic orientation, product life cycle, and their analysis. The study is focused on how the product life cycle has been...
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