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Katie Edwards

The Durango Herald | Despite campaign talk, free markets no longer exist - 1 views

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    I thought this article about the state of the US economy was particularly interesting. The statistics of ratio large firm to small firms (3-1, small) is increasing. The article also states, "The market rewards and punishes with little regard to whom or what or how it impacts. Generally, it is large firms that enjoy these little gems of taxpayer munificence. They have become "too-big-to-fail."
Monique T

Greek yogurt on a marathon-like growth spurt | Lake County News-Sun - 1 views

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    This article describes the recent growth in a number of firms producing Greek Yogurt in the United States. As a result of this growth, the firms are experiencing economies of scale and they are all expanding their factories to increase their output. As the article states: "The Chobani plant today bustles with 14 production lines mechanically squirting yogurt into plastic cups that zip down conveyor belts." - this shows a technological improvement that is an economy of scale: due to the increase in size in the firm, it can employ more efficient, lower cost methods of production.
Monique T

Sugar makers taste victory after tribunal restores trade barriers | The Globe and Mail - 3 views

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    In order to protect its domestic industries from European subsidized-sugar, Canada places high duties (tariffs) on imported sugar. This article details how local firms are benefiting due to a ruling that allows these trade barriers. While consumers would benefit from free trade because they can purchase sugar at a low price, it would have a harmful effect on domestic firms, which is why protectionist measures are put in place.
Monique T

Oil giants fined for price-fixing | Fin24 - 4 views

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    This article discusses how petroleum countries in South Africa were fined for price-fixing. This is an example of large firms who form a collusive oligopoly, because they are working together to agree on prices that will maximize their joint revenue. However, due to the fact that this means higher prices for consumers, it was an illegal agreement and so the firms are being fined.
Monique T

Malta's power stations cost up to €126m a year in health, environment | The M... - 1 views

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    This article discusses the environmental and human health costs of power plants. These type of costs would be considered negative externalities of production, because they are harmful effects that do not effect the firm producing the power, but rather a third party, society as a whole. When producers are making the power, they value the cost as the private costs to their firms, but as outlined by this article, there are many social costs which they do not consider, and this leads to over-production, which means the market is failing, as the resources are not being allocated efficiently. An interesting aspect is that they are able to put a true "cost" on environmental and health effects, which can be quite hard to determine.
Katie Edwards

New Design to Reduce Solar Manufacturing Costs - 0 views

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    This article highlights the redesign of solar manufacturing so that it is cost-efficient for the company, as well as energy-efficient for the consumers. The lower-cost manufacturing is simpler by a decision to minimize some production costs by combining the design into a "single silicon wafer processing line." Clearly, it's a variable cost, and a positive change for the firm.
Katie Edwards

Industry protests power tariff hike - Indian Express - 1 views

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    Many industrial associations in India are displeased with an increase in the power tariff, because "It would not only prevent new industries from coming to the state but may also lead to closure of the existing ones." Power is a service high in demand among large industries, and making it more expensive to use external producers will harm businesses and firms in India.
Katie Edwards

Indian economic slowdown to continue in next financial year: World Bank - The Economic ... - 0 views

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    This is a report on the World Bank's economic predictions for the financial situation of India in 2012-13. Economic growth will be low, and aggregate demand in mentioned in the context of fiscal consolidation and higher interest rates. These factors will decrease the AD, and we are especially aware that higher interest rates decrease investment and firm spending. Both of those activities will undoubtedly hinder India's national economic growth.
Lola Z

Report Shows Production Costs Up - 0 views

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    This article examines how the increase of production cost of cent and nickel affects the business. The total costs has been increasing and making the firm losing money.
Lucas G

Coca-Cola cuts prices, Pepsi may follow suit - 1 views

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    This article concerns the oligopoly of Coca-Cola and Pepsi in the soft-drinks industry. It is a non-collusive oligopoly; and the two firms compete in order to gain consumers and maximize profits. Although this is usually apparent through non-price competition (as price competition can result in heavy losses for both firms), in this situation in India, Coca-Cola is reducing its prices in order to gain consumers. Pepsi will then follow suit, also reducing its prices, as if it doesn't it may lose many consumers to Coca-Cola.
Lola Z

Merger brings new monopolies for mining firms |Economy|chinadaily.com.cn - 0 views

  • fourth-largest metals
    • Lola Z
       
      The market share of these two companies in the trade will be larger. As a result, monopoly will emerge.
  • Business / Economy
  • The deal's success will weaken the power of Chinese buyers in the down-stream part of the mining industry
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  • work harder to develop themselves to gain more power in the international market
  • world's largest publicly traded commodities supplier.
Lola Z

When is a carbon tax an economic reform? Good question. - The Drum Opinion (Australian ... - 0 views

  • winners and losers in the global green economy.
    • Lola Z
       
      There is also negative externalities of green economies. The possible higher cost will probably cause firms to reject the method and this will lead to a negative economy.
  • what are the implications for the economy of government attempts to curb the growth of carbon dioxide emissions?
  • carbon tax
    • Lola Z
       
      Because of the negative externalities of carbon emission, a carbon tax is in place as an incentive for firms to reduce carbon emission, hence, negative externalities.
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  • excise tax on cigarettes or alcohol.
  • Simply imposing a tax on the production of local emissions will not necessarily affect the extent of these externalities because production can move to another country.
    • Lola Z
       
      This is a very critical point. Because the externalities are worldwide, the actions should be taken worldwide too.
Sebastian van Winkel

Government to speed up sale of stakes in state firms: Manmohan Singh - 0 views

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    Slowing exports and foreign investment have widened the current account deficit. Global ratings agencies have repeatedly warned India that it faces a credit downgrade if it does not tackle a high debt burden and the fiscal deficit, which is the largest among major emerging economies.
Lucas G

Minimum wage due to rise by 11p - 1 views

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    This article concerns the fact that minimum wage for the UK will be raised by 11p; an increase of 1.8% from its current level. This change will affect aggregate supply in the short run (SRAS curve); as it will effectively increase the costs of production for all the firms in the industries of the economy. The result will be a shift to the left on the SRAS model.
Mirren M

Rising Beer Prices Could Hint at Oligopoly - 0 views

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    This article talks about how beer prices are rising and like the concept in oligopoly, the rest of the firms follow and vice versa. "After South African Breweries bought Miller in 2002, it set out to take market share from Bud. Its bigger rival responded by slashing prices. The others were then forced to match."
Katrina D

RIM writes off value of tablet inventory - 1 views

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    Most of you all already know about RIM's decision to cut the selling price of their tablet, the Playbook, by more than half (presumably because they are discontinuing the product). This is an example of a large firm cutting costs and reducing its output (from their inventories). We can also relate it to the concept of economies of scale, since Blackberry was able to afford to lose the Playbook as their other products are more successful.
Mirren M

Corn ethanol firm says it cut production cost - 1 views

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    "Poet, which currently produces 1.5 billion gallons a year of ethanol from corn, said its 1-year-old pilot plant has reduced the cost of making ethanol from corncobs to $2.35 a gallon from $4.13 by cutting capital costs and using an improved "cocktail" of enzymes" - (picked from the article) The company also changed their source of fuel in order to produce a bigger amount of ethanol.
Lola Z

Off With Their Heads! The Fantasy Google Monopoly - Forbes - 2 views

    • Lola Z
       
      Here it deals with the concept of menacing monopoly. Google isn't doing anything "evil", but it is just so comprehensive that everyone can't help to use it.
  • . Microsoft’s impressive growth of Bing in a mere two or so years shows that new competition in search can come at any time.
    • Lola Z
       
      There is actually competitor of Google. It is Microsoft's Bing.
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  • They rest on their laurels and do not innovate.
    • Lola Z
       
      If there is a monopoly in industry, consumers can be end up in disadvantage as the monopolist refuses to innovate and discourages other firms which can potentially innovate from entering the industry.
  • Google continues to innovate in many spheres of Internet and e-commerce activity, from mobile operating systems to books to social media.
    • Lola Z
       
      However, we can see that Google is innovating and giving consumers advantages. It is a benign monopoly.
  • Google search is a free product, supported by advertising. And that advertising is not priced by Google itself, rather through an auction among advertisers bidding on the use of search keywords. Google doesn’t control price, let alone raise prices.
    • Lola Z
       
      Here again, Google is shown to be a benign monopoly. Monopolists usually control the price freely, and raise the price as high as they can to earn profits. However, Google is free. Even if advertisers post commercials on it, the price is not set by Google.
  • Monopolists also have no incentive to reduce costs and increase efficiency, because the absence of competition assures them of selling products very profitably.
  • Google doesn’t act like a monopolist and shares none of the characteristics sheltering classic monopolists from competition. Its astounding success in Internet search is universally regarded as a consequence of better design, superior code, better products and plain old hard work.
  • an “evil” monopolist
  • Of course, it’s unlawful to monopolize a market, not to become a monopolist as a result of superior business acumen or execution.
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