1Feedback

(15 points) Answer each question in a sentence or two:
1. What lecture or topic was most interesting to you? What did you enjoy about it?
2. Was there a topic that wasn’t covered in class that you would have liked to see?
3. How many discussion sections did you attend?
4. If you ever attended, what was the most useful feature of the discussion sections?
5. Regardless of whether you attended, was there anything that would have made discussion sections
more useful?
2 Short Questions
Answer each question in a sentence or two:
1. (10 pts) Risk and information:
(a) In your own words, define the concepts of ‘asymmetric information’ and ‘adverse selection’.
(b) Give one example of each and explain how it relates too the concept.
(c) For each example, describe a screening or signaling tool that can address the information issue.
2. (10 pts) What is “payment for ecosystem services (PES)”? List at least three common shortcomings
of existing PES schemes.
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3. (10 pts) Consider a farmer’s decision about whether to purchase a new variety of maize (corn) seeds
advertised as resulting in higher yields (amount of maize produced per area planted).
(a) Describe how the concepts of performance risk, reliability risk, and fit risk might apply in the
case of the farmer’s adoption decision for these new maize seeds.
(b) Give examples of how at least two types of marketing tools might increase the likelihood that the
farmer adopts the new seeds.
3 Final Project Outline
Produce a detailed outline for your final paper. You may produce one outline per group, but each group
member should hand in a copy with their problem set. Make sure to indicate the names of all of your group
members. The outline should include:
Introduction
• What is your topic?
• Why is this topic important/relevant to the class?
• What are the 3-5 main points (concepts from class) you will make in the paper?
Body
• One section for each main point/class concept (3-5 sections)
• In 2-3 sentences, describe the claims you will use to support these points (These claims will be developed
into your topic sentences when you write the final paper.) Try to incorporate class concepts here.
• A very brief summary (in bullets) of the evidence you will gather to support these claims.
• In 2-3 sentences, describe the preliminary idea for your numerical analysis.

Reflection

This reflection activity is comprised of two sections collectively totaling a minimum of 500 words. Complete your reflections by responding to all prompts. 

Exchange Across International Borders

The success of an economy in effectively employing the four factors of production determines how well that economy performs relative to its potential and relative to other economies. 

Address the following:

Evaluate non-monetary benefits that open trade has contributed to the world since the end of World War II. 

Provide at least 2 examples of the above benefits and explain why you believe each is important.

• Analyze how changes to U.S. trade and tariff policies affected U.S. trade with other nations. 
• Support your responses with recent (less than 2 years old) credible news sources. 
• The Global Role of the US Economy

Consider that some politicians, labor unions, and special interest groups argue that U.S. trade deficits are harmful to the economy, and nations that run large trade surpluses with the United States are benefiting from unfair trade practices and agreements. These parties support increasing tariffs on imports and eliminating or rewriting trade agreements. 

Analyze 2 credible economists’ opinions on the effects of the 2 of following factors with respect to the total U.S. trade balance. Find 1 economist who is less concerned about trade deficits, who thinks they are less important or that they mean something else is good (U.S. consumers have more disposable income for example). Then find another economist who is more concerned, (he or she may see a trade deficit as having adverse employment effects, for example). Weigh in their different perspectives and state whether you agree or disagree with their assertions, providing the logic behind your thinking. The factors to analyze include:

Trade, Economic Growth and Job Creation

The gains from specialization and trade are based on comparative advantages, which reflect the relative opportunity costs of production. When countries specialize in producing goods and services for which they have comparative advantages, total production in the global economy rises. Trade advocates argue that this increase in the size of the economic pie can be used to make all trading countries better off through international trade. Economists also use the principle of comparative advantage to advocate free trade among countries as a better policy.

Based on the above summary and the detailed QUESTIONs of the international trade issues in the textbook (Chapter 40) discuss the following questions.

• Does free trade contribute to the improvement of economic well-being? How does trade stimulate long-term economic growth? Explain.
• Who gains and losses from free trade among countries, and how do the gains compare to the losses? Explain using examples.
• Do you think the U.S. export and import of goods and services are based on the principle of a comparative advantage of trade? Explain.
• Why do countries impose trade restrictions on goods and services they import from other countries? What are the pros and cons of trade protectionism?
• What is the impact of free trade on domestic job creation policy? Elaborate with examples.

Walmart’s financial reports are used for various reasons, including determining how the company is doing in the financial market. Decide to evaluate the effects of economic and market conditions on Walmart. Completing this exercise provides you with financial market research to present to your management team to inspire new KPIs and policies.

Assessment Deliverable

Use the previous years data (attached)

Write a 2- page shareholder analysis in which you address the following:

Evaluate economic conditions that influence company performance. Consider political, environmental, currency (money), global economics, and government influences on economic conditions.

Compare market conditions from the previous year with the company’s performance for that same year. Conclude how the market conditions that year influenced the company’s performance, such as interest rates, Federal Reserve Bank monetary policy changes, or other market conditions relevant to the company you selected.

Analyze year-over-year performance from the past three years (2021, 2022, & 2023). Provide the 2021, 2022, and 2023 trailing PE ratio, forward PE ratio, price to book, return on assets, and return on equity