How is unemployment measured and reported?

Assignment 1: Unemployment and the Economy

For this assignment, you should use the information in the textbook and the information found on the official Department of Labor website, http://www.bls.gov/home.htm.

Unemployment is one of the major concerns that people have in today’s economy, since losing one’s job can be one of the most devastating events a person can experience. But what do the numbers actually mean? What is the actual state of the economy, in terms of its ability to generate jobs for its citizens?

Questions:

  1. What is the labor force participation rate? What was the labor force participation rate in 2008? How has it changed since 2008 and what does this change imply for the state of the economy? Does the labor force participation rate effect the unemployment rates reported in the media?
  1. How is unemployment measured and reported?
  1. What is a discouraged worker? Are they included in the basic unemployment rate? Are they included in any measure of unemployment? How has the number of discouraged workers changed since 2008? How does the exclusion of the discouraged worker affect the basic unemployment rate reported in the media?
  1. What is frictional unemployment? What is structural unemployment? What is cyclical unemployment? What economic policies should be used to deal with these types of unemployment? Which type is most prevalent in today’s economy?
  1. Unemployment insurance is designed to help the unemployed. Do these benefits encourage or discourage a person from looking for work? How long should these benefits last?
  1. Does the existence of unions help or hurt the overall economy and the employment rate? Why or why not?

Deliverables:

  1. Submit an 3-6 page paper in Microsoft Word format, to the W2: Assignment 1 Dropbox by Saturday, November 21, 2015, addressing the above-noted items.
  1. Create a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation of 5-10 slides that summarizes your findings in your report. Post your presentation to the Assignment 1 Discussion Area by Saturday, November 21, 2015.
  1. Comment on at least two other presentations and identify the strengths and weaknesses of each.

Name your documents SU_ECO2072_W2_A1_LastName_FirstInitial.

All submissions must be original and all resources must be acknowledged.

 

What are the betas listed for these companies?

EVALUATION OF PORTFOLIO BETA AND THE REQUIRED RETURN ON STOCK

The tendency of a stock’s price to move up and down with the market is reflected in its beta coefficient. Therefore, beta is a measure of an investment’s market risk, and is a key element of the CAPM.

In this part of the project, you get financial information using Yahoo!Finance (found at http://finance.yahoo.com/ )

To find a company’s beta, enter the desired stock symbol and request a basic quote.  Once you have the basic quote, select the “Key Statistics“. Scroll down this page to find the stock’s beta.

In your initial response to the topic you have to answer all 4 questions.

You are expected to make your own contribution in a main topic as well as respond with value added comments to at least two of your classmates as well as to your instructor.

 

From Yahoo!Finance obtain a report on  Amazon and Coca Cola.

  1. What are the betas listed for these companies?
  2. If you made an equal dollar investment in each stocks what would be the beta of your portfolio?
  3. Apply the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) Security Market Line to estimate the required return on these two stocks. Assumptions and Data: Note that you will need  the risk-free rate and the market risk premium. Assume a 5% market risk premium. To get the current yield on 10-year Treasury securities go to Finance!Yahoo’s (www.finance.yahoo.com)  -click on  Market Data – Bonds.  You will use the current yield on 10-year Treasury securities as the risk-free rate to estimate the required rate of return on stocks.

  4. Compare the required return on these stocks calculated using CAPM in question #3 against their historical return over the last 52 weeks, found in the Yahoo!Finance  – Key Statistics.  Is there a difference between these returns?  Is this a problem?  Why is there a difference?

Assess how Mattel performed on the six issues that you identified.

Using the required readings and a minimum of two external professional or scholarly resources, provide a critical analysis of Mattel’s Barbie Goes to China case study.

  • Provide an introduction briefly describing the problems Mattel faced.
  • Use the required readings and two external resources of your choice (not Wikipedia) to identify six cultural issues that U.S. businesses must address before attempting to sell their products internationally. Include citations in your analysis.
  • Assess how Mattel performed on the six issues that you identified.
  • Conclude with a summary and recommendations.
  • Remember to include a references page.

Length: 4-6 pages not including assignment cover sheet, title page, and references page. Begin your assignment with the NCU cover sheet, followed by a title page, and then an introduction, where you will state the purpose of the paper. Use topic section headings for each of the bullets (centered and bolded). Remember to cite your sources within the text of your document. End with a concluding paragraph, followed by the references page. If you have in-text citations, they must appear on the references page.

Your response should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts presented in the course by providing new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect professional business writing and current APA standards.

What roles do firewalls and proxy servers play in network security?

:  Web developers are able to set the font, colors and style attributes of the HTML elements with or without CSS.  Inline CSS is similar to the original way of adding style to a web page.  CSS has formalized the layout and style into a single location, either the top of a page or in an external file.  With enhanced CSS and use of common CSS files developers can create a theme that is easier to implement and maintain.

 

2:Based on this week’s assigned readings and your own research, discuss how CSS might be used for developing a unique website style. Find a website that includes CSS to enhance their website appearance and functionality. Explain why you think this.

 

3:Using the library, research an article that describes the importance of usability when designing a website. Provide a summary of the article and explain the qualities and importance of effective design.

 

IT 240

4: Network firewalls are used to protect your network as a whole instead of just your computer. They work based on a set of rules you make unless you keep the default set, and any incoming packets have to adhere to these rules otherwise they are not allowed past the firewall. They fall into two basic categories which are basically a fast, simple version and a slower, more complex version. IPFilter, NPF, and PF are a few common versions of network firewalls.

 

5:

:  Web developers are able to set the font, colors and style attributes of the HTML elements with or without CSS.  Inline CSS is similar to the original way of adding style to a web page.  CSS has formalized the layout and style into a single location, either the top of a page or in an external file.  With enhanced CSS and use of common CSS files developers can create a theme that is easier to implement and maintain.

 

2:Based on this week’s assigned readings and your own research, discuss how CSS might be used for developing a unique website style. Find a website that includes CSS to enhance their website appearance and functionality. Explain why you think this.

 

3:Using the library, research an article that describes the importance of usability when designing a website. Provide a summary of the article and explain the qualities and importance of effective design.

 

IT 240

4: Network firewalls are used to protect your network as a whole instead of just your computer. They work based on a set of rules you make unless you keep the default set, and any incoming packets have to adhere to these rules otherwise they are not allowed past the firewall. They fall into two basic categories which are basically a fast, simple version and a slower, more complex version. IPFilter, NPF, and PF are a few common versions of network firewalls.

 

5:What roles do firewalls and proxy servers play in network security? What is the importance of maintaining security on a LAN? Provide examples to support your answer.

 

6: DESCRIBE ONE THREAT:    :One threat I found interesting from the website you provided is TSPY_ROVNIX.YPOB. It is also known as Spyware.PasswordStealer. This virus gets into your system by other malware that you accidentally download from the internet. It targets vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer (another reason not to use IE) and Adobe Flash Player. This threat is rather advanced as it deletes the initial downloaded copy of itself as it buries itself in your computer system. This threat has hit over 3,000 Japanese computer systems according to the website.

What is the importance of maintaining security on a LAN? Provide examples to support your answer.

 

6: DESCRIBE ONE THREAT:    :One threat I found interesting from the website you provided is TSPY_ROVNIX.YPOB. It is also known as Spyware.PasswordStealer. This virus gets into your system by other malware that you accidentally download from the internet. It targets vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer (another reason not to use IE) and Adobe Flash Player. This threat is rather advanced as it deletes the initial downloaded copy of itself as it buries itself in your computer system. This threat has hit over 3,000 Japanese computer systems according to the website.

Why you are studying Mexica philosophy and what initially interests you most about it as an intellectual phenomena.

I have a 6 page research paper. It can be on any topic related to the Aztecs. Basically in this paper, I have to introduce myself (which I wrote already), decribe sources and methods that I ussed to do this research (such as books, documents, converstions, videos, online sources), show facts that I found during the research, analyze whether the facts are good or bad, and tell what’s the importance of the things that I found and how it can be beneficial/significant for myself and for others. And I also need a works cited page.

 

And here is the guideline by my professor:

 

I.   My Introduction of Self and Research Issue(s)

(The final version of this section should be from approximately half-page in length, when typed and doubled-spaced.  The first draft can be more than a page)

Introduce yourself in first paragraph(s).  Start with something important to your identities such as your personal or family name; geography of origin — where you were born and/or your geography of orientation — where you live now; your socioeconomic class of origin and/or orientation; your gender or origin and/or gender of orientation; your “ethno race” of origin and/or orientation; your “nationality” of origin and/or orientation; your present occupation and/or your future profession, why you are studying Mexica philosophy and what initially interests you most about it as an intellectual phenomena, and why.

In the next paragraph(s), first present each of your research interests in question – for example:  What were/are some of my most salient primary and/or secondary language learning and/or blending experiences (“typical,” or “extraordinary”)?  What were/are some of the “bridges” or “barriers” encountered when acculturating my first language and/or acculturating and/or transculturating additional languages?   Then give at least one good reason why you are researching this issue or set of selected issues.

 

II.  Models & Methods Sections 1st Draft

(This section of your research report could be from a half-to-whole page typed doubled-spaced in length)

In the first paragraph(s), start by stating how (if) you are using my Chicano/Latino/Ethnic Studies Paradigm in your research report to be: (A) critical of the dominant in your Analysis & Assessment section; (B) concerned with those you identify as being among your community’s most needy, drawing at least three implications for them in your concluding section; (C) holistic in your use of at least three different methods (i.e., documentation, participant observation, conversation, and recollection) & models (Cuellar’s MHSM 1 & 2) to collect and construct the facts you found regarding the issues you are researching; and (d) reflexive in your use of the first/third person positions/perspectives to narrate and negotiate both your insider/outsider dilemmas/resolutions.   Then introduce other specific models that you are using to better analyze and assess the facts and the patterns among them found in your required and other readings on Aztec philosophy.

In your second paragraph, you identify and briefly detail each of the at least three different methods you use (e.g., three or more documents—books, videos, photos, recordings, etc.; three or more conversations with significant others; three or more participant observations of current events; three or more recollections of past experiences) to collect and analyze the facts you found regarding your Aztec philosophy concerns.

 

III. Research Results

In this approximately three-six-page section, you present the different facts that you collected regarding your Aztec philosophical issue(s) selected over time and space.   You can start the first paragraph by identifying the area(s) of Aztec philosophy that you are researching, followed by one or more reasons for your selection of each.

You can structure your facts by describing three significant events or experiences in you life that illustrate each (approximately one-two page per issue). The first page could describe three significant enculturation experiences for you and your two colleagues.  The second page of research findings could describe your significant acculturation/deculturation/reculturation experiences; and the third page could describe your transculturation experiences in more recent times.

IV.  Analysis and Assessment

In the first paragraph(s) you analyze or examine the patterns evident in your research findings regarding Aztec philosophy.  Here you should discuss at least three similarities and/or differences, and/or changes and continuities, and/or causes and consequences that you found.

In the next paragraph(s) you evaluate your Aztec philosophy research results and the patterns found among them, in terms of what you assess to be either positives and/or negatives, gains and/or losses, etc.

V.  Implications and Conclusion

In the first paragraph(s) of this section you discuss what you found to be personally very significant, meaningful and/or important as a result of doing this research on Aztec philosophy.

In the next paragraph(s) you discuss what you found very significant, meaningful and/or important as a result of doing this research on Aztec philosophy, especially for those that you identified as being among those in greater need.

Finally, close with a great quote that you find best concludes your report.

 

VI.  References Cited (use either MLA or APA format – be style consistent throughout)

What finally pushes Augustine to fully convert to Christianity? How does Antony factor in to that final decision?

Remember that this chapter 8 is in the same pdf that you looked at last class to read chapter 2.

1. Recall that Rowan Williams told us that many people start believing in God because other people show them that God is trustworthy. With that in mind, write a paragraph that explains the importance of Victorinus and Ponticianus for Augustine’s eventual conversion. Try to explain what it is specifically about each of those men that is so important for Augustine.

2. Look through the chapter for the times that Augustine mentions his friend Alypius. Write a brief paragraph here about Alypius’ role in the chapter.

3. What finally pushes Augustine to fully convert to Christianity? How does Antony factor in to that final decision?

What are some of the ethical responsibilities and obligations that management accountants have within an organization?

APA, no minimum word count

Week 2

What is callable preferred stock? Why do corporations issue such stock? Given the different features that are associated with stock (callable, cumulative, preferred, etc.), what type of stock would you want to buy personally and why?

Review the roles of management accounting within a company. What is the most important role of management accounting? How is that different than financial accounting?

Week 3

Describe three issues/problems that a company could encounter when trying to determine the actual cost of a good or service to be used in the cost of goods sold. For each of your issues, provide an example of a company or industry where these issues could be present.

We’ve all experienced (or heard about) the challenges that the airlines have been facing. Read the Zacks Investment Research article, “Airline Industry Stock Outlook – August 2012.” Identify three factors that are affecting airline company’s ability to break even. For each of your factors, discuss how these have an impact on the breakeven (contribution margin, fixed costs, variable costs, a combination, etc.), and what happens if these factors increase or decrease.

Week 4

Review the Standard costs: wake up and smell the coffee.article.  When evaluating performance, many organizations compare current results with the actual results of previous accounting periods. Is an organization that follows this approach likely to encounter any problems? Explain.

Flexible budgets provide different information than static budgets. Discuss some of these differences. Is a flexible budget always better? Are there times when you’d recommend using a static budget over a flexible budget?

Week 5

List a few of the issues and considerations businesses should have when it comes to the selection of long-term investments and how those issues impact the various financial statements.

Review the “Rights & Responsibilities of a Certified Management Accountant” article. What are some of the ethical responsibilities and obligations that management accountants have within an organization? Provide some examples. Are these responsibilities different than the obligations for financial accountants?

•Discuss supply chain risks and possible mitigations.

Strategic Warehouse Management, Inc. (SWM) is a U.S. based warehousing organization in the construction and management of warehouse operations. The CEO’s market development team has determined that there is an opportunity to open a warehouse in Australia that could serve multiple businesses. The CEO plans to open a “non-resident company” (Land and Tax News, 2012). The CEO has also decided that the warehouse can be opened in any city in Australia. Some clients in Australia have also asked SWM to manage the flow of goods from Australia to U.S. locations. The CEO wants to get a preliminary plan developed as soon as possible before going further.

The CEO asked you to design a supply chain that includes warehouse operations in any city in Australia. In addition, the CEO has a number of items he’d like to see you cover in the report. He has asked you to:

•Develop requirements for the warehouse design and to provide an organization structure to manage the warehouse in Australia.

•Present considerations for Workforce Management

•Investigate key regulations and other key issues (e.g. labor climate) related to managing a warehouse in Australia as a foreign entity.

•Develop export procedures and import procedures in the U.S.

•Discuss supply chain risks and possible mitigations.

•Analyze which operations SWM would outsource and which operations SWM would directly manage and explain why.

•Outline the budget line items that would need to be considered (it is not necessary to develop a budget with dollar figures).

•Determine the metrics you would use to measure success of the warehouse and the total supply chain.

Your report should be an eight to ten page APA style paper (not including the title and reference pages) and submitted to the CEO (your instructor) by the last day of the class. You are required to include at least 6 scholarly sources.

Writing the Final Paper

The Final Paper:   1.Must be eight to ten double-spaced pages in length, and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

2.Must include a title page with the following: ◾Title of paper

◾Student’s name

◾Course name and number

◾Instructor’s name

◾Date submitted

3.Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement.

4.Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.

5.Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis.

6.Must use at least six scholarly sources, including a minimum of three from the Ashford Online Library.

7.Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

8.Must include a separate reference page, formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing C

Using the library, research an article that describes the importance of usability when designing a website.

1:  Web developers are able to set the font, colors and style attributes of the HTML elements with or without CSS.  Inline CSS is similar to the original way of adding style to a web page.  CSS has formalized the layout and style into a single location, either the top of a page or in an external file.  With enhanced CSS and use of common CSS files developers can create a theme that is easier to implement and maintain.

 

2:Based on this week’s assigned readings and your own research, discuss how CSS might be used for developing a unique website style. Find a website that includes CSS to enhance their website appearance and functionality. Explain why you think this.

 

3:Using the library, research an article that describes the importance of usability when designing a website. Provide a summary of the article and explain the qualities and importance of effective design.

 

IT 240

4: Network firewalls are used to protect your network as a whole instead of just your computer. They work based on a set of rules you make unless you keep the default set, and any incoming packets have to adhere to these rules otherwise they are not allowed past the firewall. They fall into two basic categories which are basically a fast, simple version and a slower, more complex version. IPFilter, NPF, and PF are a few common versions of network firewalls.

 

5:What roles do firewalls and proxy servers play in network security? What is the importance of maintaining security on a LAN? Provide examples to support your answer.

 

6: DESCRIBE ONE THREAT:    :One threat I found interesting from the website you provided is TSPY_ROVNIX.YPOB. It is also known as Spyware.PasswordStealer. This virus gets into your system by other malware that you accidentally download from the internet. It targets vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer (another reason not to use IE) and Adobe Flash Player. This threat is rather advanced as it deletes the initial downloaded copy of itself as it buries itself in your computer system. This threat has hit over 3,000 Japanese computer systems according to the website.