Micro and Macro Economics Discussions

For every discussion,
please include at least one reliable citations and or sources. Thanks

Rubric document is attached.

Microeconomics

1) Overview

In this discussion
topic, we will be discussing the financial environment and investing.

• If you were going to
  invest money, given the current financial market status, where would you invest
  your money today?

• What are some possible
  investment choices for you as an individual?

• What factors influence
  your decision on what to invest in?

• How does the economic
  climate affect what you invest in?

  2) Overview

  There are many distinct
  characteristics that classify a market as Perfectly Competitive
  including:

• Very large number of
  firms

• Homogenous products

• Entry and exit into
  the market free of barriers

• Perfect Information

• Individual firms are
  price takers

• Long run economic
  profits will be zero

  Instructions

  Given these
  characteristics of a perfectly competitive market, select one of the
  characteristics listed. In your post:

• Fully explain what
  that characteristic means and what its importance is to classifying a market as
  perfectly competitive.

  • If you have noticed
    this characteristic in a certain market, explain where you have seen it before
    or provide your own example.

• Would you see the
  characteristic you are discussing in any of the other three market structures –
  monopolistic competition, oligopoly or monopoly?

  • Why or why not?

    3) Overview

    An Oligopoly
    marketplace consists of a very few number of sellers who hold the majority of
    the market share. For this discussion topic, you will be searching for
    information on oligopolies.

    Instructions

    Find an article that
    describes a current oligopoly market.

• In a short paragraph,
  summarize what the article says about the oligopoly industry you have found.

• Be sure and cite your
  reference so others can read the full article.

  • Do your very best not
    to duplicate an article someone else has already found.

  • If it has already been
    discussed, select another article.

• Briefly discuss any of
  the following items that you find evident in this market:

  • high concentration
    ratios,

  • collusion,

  • price fixing,

  • price leadership,

  • heavy non-price
    competition,

  • interdependence among
    firms,

  • barriers to entry,

  • anti-trust problems

    4) Overview

    In this module
    discussion topic, we will be discussing labor.

    Instructions

    In your post, address
    the following questions:

• What factors influence
  your decisions to work?

• Are there factors
  besides income that influence your decision to work?

• If you were to win a
  lottery prize of $200,000 per year, would you continue to work?

  Where appropriate,
  cite examples from your text or other readings.

  5) Overview

  In this discussion
  topic, we will be discussing the US national health insurance program.

  Instructions

• Select one of the key
  components of the Federal Government’s National Health Care Program found in
  chapter 30 and summarize in your own words what that component includes.

• Share what economic
  effects you feel you have already seen or expect to see in the future with the
  national health care program.

• How do you feel the
  national health care program has impacted you personally up until this point?

  Where appropriate,
  cite examples from your text or other readings.

  6) Overview

  In this module
  discussion topic, we will be discussing exports and imports.

  Instructions

  In your post, address
  the following questions:

• What types of products does the US export and what
  types of products do we import?
• Why do you think those are the products we export or
  import?
• How does the strength of the dollar impact imports and
  exports?

Where appropriate,
cite examples from your text or other readings.

7) Overview

In this discussion
topic, we will be discussing exchange rates.

Instructions

In your post, address
the following questions:

• What is an exchange rate? What is the exchange rate
  currently for the US dollar and the euro? for the dollar and the yen? for
  any other currency of your choice?

Where appropriate,
cite examples from your text or other readings.

Macroeconomics

1. Overview

In this module
discussion, we will be considering consumption and saving.

Instructions

In a response, address
the following:

• Discuss the relationship between saving and
  consumption.
• In your discussion, distinguish between saving
  and savings.
• Consumer spending is directly affected by expectation
  of future income.
• What events might change consumer confidence?
• Discuss and provide examples of events that may change
  consumer confidence and therefore impact consumer spending.
• Do your best to avoid posting duplicated information
  if possible.

Where appropriate,
cite examples from your text or other readings.

1. Overview
   

The government can
pursue fiscal policy actions by changing government expenditures or taxes.

Instructions

In your initial post,
answer the two questions.

• What are the possible effects from making these types
  of changes to either government spending or taxes?
• Give an example of a discretionary fiscal policy action
  you have seen taken in the past and why you felt that action was taken.

Where appropriate,
cite examples from your text or other readings.

1. Overview 

In this module
discussion topic, we will be considering monetary policy actions.

Instructions

In a response, address
the following:

• What actions can the Fed take to conduct monetary
  policy? What are some of the effects we would expect to see from
  contractionary or expansionary monetary policy?
• Now do some research and find any case of monetary
  policy action that the Fed utilized in the past 10 years and explain what
  purpose the Fed had in conducting that monetary policy action. What
  economic effect do you feel we saw from that monetary policy action? Do
  your best to avoid posting duplicated examples and information if
  possible.

Where appropriate,
cite examples from your text or other readings.

1. Overview

In this discussion, we
will examine policymaking.

Instructions

The Great Recession
was the most serious economic downturn in U.S. history since the Great
Depression.  The recession began in December 2007.  Interest rates at
the time were very low, close to zero.  Despite the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009, a nearly $800 billion fiscal stimulus and an
expansionary monetary policy, the economy is only now getting back to normal in
2015.

In retrospect, what
set of macro policies, if anything, should we have conducted to achieve a
better recovery? Explain your reasoning.  Be sure to address the
arguments favoring active versus passive policymaking as they relate to your
discussion.

Where appropriate,
cite examples from your text or other readings.

1. Overview

In this module
discussion topic, we will be considering imported goods.

Instructions

In your initial post,
address the following:

• Is there an imported product you purchase on a regular
  basis?
• Do you purchase it because it is less expensive than
  similar US goods, or for some other reason?
• Has what you have learned in this class changed your
  thoughts about buying imported goods? Why or why not?
• Do you differentiate between goods that are made
  overseas, but are made by a US company?

Where appropriate,
cite examples from your text or other readings.

1. Overview

For our last
discussion topic, consider the strength of the US Dollar.

Instructions

In your initial post,
address the following questions.

• What does it mean when the dollar appreciates compared
  to when the dollar depreciates?
• Has the US dollar been relatively strong or weak over
  the past year?
• How does the strength of the dollar affect exports and
  imports?

Where appropriate,
cite examples from your text or other readings.