Economics Archives - Page 3 of 4

The Growth of Economic Inequalities in the USA

A new year is upon us, and there are numerous stories of economic recovery across the world. However beyond basic growth rates, there is another measure which often reflects more about people’s day to day lives. I’m referring to wealth inequality and in the USA, it often feels more like the great depression rather than a booming new decade.

The depression of course took place in the 1920s and in those times, as usual the wealthy were pretty much shielded from the worse effects. In fact during that decade, the wealthiest 10% of the population owned about 84% of the total wealth. The situation evened out over the next few decades with that figure declining before starting to rise again in the 1980s. However we’re now reaching levels that are very similar to those of the 1920s with the majority of US wealth held by a small proportion of it’s citizens.

The statistics are now more accurate so in some senses a direct comparison is not always completely relevant. However the overall result is the same, the level of wealth inequality in the US is extremely high and only heading in one direction. You can see some aspects if you watch news and documentaries on the local media. It’s certainly interesting to view the different perspectives – for US readers try watching the local news from the UK – you can use this, or vice versa for European readers.

Fortunately when these inequalities are combined with a growing economy, the effects seem less severe. The US is doing pretty well, with unemployment heading to a new 6 year low and the job market consistently expanding. However when you realise that the richest 0.1 % control as much wealth as the poorest 90% you realise this is not a fair and equal society.

The rich are in fact getting even richer, while the poorer sections of society are increasingly stepping into levels of significant debt in order to simply survive. Real incomes are growing, but at a much higher rate for the wealthy than the poorer levels. In fact with under 1% income growth, it’s not getting much easier for those at the wrong end of the income ladder.

Of course capitalism has always produced such inequalities, but the argument goes that the growth in income actually is down to new businesses and opportunities for all. However the studies suggest that the growth in wealth is not coming largely from entrepreneurial spirit but merely reflects the fact that the wealth is held in shares and bonds which naturally are worth more as the economy recovers. Unfortunately this is unlikely to help bring many benefits to society at large, it will just make the rich, well richer!

The Eurozone Economic Woes Continue

There never seems to be an end to these stories, as other nations climb from the economic recession and power ahead so the 18 nations in the Eurozone seem unable to achieve any sort of economic progress. Inertia always seems to be the core story, and the latest round of retail figures and business growth surveys continue the depressing narrative.

First the retail sales, which is almost always the first indicator of proper recovery and a precursor of growth. However not in Europe where sales are still falling – down 1.3% for the month of September from the previous month.

Of course there are many other external factors which may influence such short term fluctuations in retail sales even in a large market like the Eurozone. However investigating growth brings no relief either, with minimal reporting across virtually all the sectors. These particular figures were brought from the Markit Purchasing Managers’ Index. It’s obviously of concern with the main focus of the policy makers in Europe being precisely pushing up growth across the continent..

Normally, the average figures across the Eurozone have been boosted up from Germany, teh country that is normally at the forefront of growth. In these figures though Germany has suffered the biggest fall in retail sales – falling over 3.0% in one month, closely followed by Portugal with 2.5%. Sometimes figures like these can be deceptive though as German consumers are generally very cautious and likely to trim back consumption earlier than many other countries. They are likely to keep spending in certain areas, surprisingly digital sales have actually increased for services like these to access foreign TV like Channel 4 Online, however purchases for bigger goods and services look at best stagnant.

It’s hard to see anything to create any level of optimism, which is probably what German consumers are thinking as they start tightening their economic belts. All the figures show the picture of an economy staggering along with little signs of improvement, in fact figures suggest a further downturn is more likely than a recovery.

Meanwhile the already conservative forecasts are constantly revised downwards. The Eurozone was predicted to grow by 1.2% in early Spring, this week that estimate was now cut to 0.8% for 2014. Many consider even this low figure to be optimistic based on these latest figures, which clearly show that there’s no light yet visible to the end of this recession at least not if you’re in the Eurozone.

James Parker

Writer, blogger and part time technology consultant can be tracked across the internet ether through a variety of web and video sites. His latest technology effort can be found here on the important topic of how to get an American IP Address.

How to Promote Self Esteem in the Workplace

You’ll experience a high ROI if you invest in developing stronger self-esteem among your workers. This lofty goal won’t be achieved overnight, although there’s nothing unusual about worthwhile investments. You have the option to use the services of experts and even read articles on the subject. But you have lived long enough and can use your good judgment to think of some things on your own. Or if you prefer, your company’s human resource department can provide you assistance. It doesn’t really matter what approach you choose; what’s important is that you’ve taken a step that is certain to help your workers and your business.

One effective way to help improve your workers’ self esteem is just to let them know you appreciate them. Don’t think you need to go over the top with this approach. All you really need to do is let them know you are thinking about their welfare from time to time. You can take advantage of group meetings or during reviews to do this. While in these meetings, you have the opportunity to give positive feedback, praise, or even just ask if anyone requires help with anything. Just taking the time to ask about how they’re doing is enough to let them know you’re thinking of them.

It is very common for people to want to feel accepted by others, especially at their place of employment. You might want to consider the working environment like society, but a small version. You need to realize that the same group formation and interactions are going to happen. So it becomes just as important to have a sense of belonging and being accepted at work. Whatever department you work in, or if this is your business, facilitating these positive feelings can actually be up to you. What is encouraging or should be for you is this goal will have an ROI for your business. You will increase productivity at work, especially when people are happier and feel less stress.

There are benefits all round, some which are less obvious. Where the employees are motivated and feel wanted, there’s less requirements for rigid rules and regulations. You can allow more leeway to staff and still watch productivity rise. A typical example is being more relaxed by internet usage allowing staff reasonable and unrestricted access. In a happy work environment this is rarely abused, people use the internet responsibly and sensibly. Otherwise you’ll find draconian restrictions on access essential with employees often using proxies to change IP address using sites like these, to bypass company policy.

If you believe that people are suffering from low self-esteem, there are some effective actions you can take with those suffering with this problem. Even though you are able to do this, it’s a good idea to avoid the appearance of singling them out for these positive reinforcement actions. When people need a little extra help, they should be treated just like everyone else, but a little more help should be given. You could say something nice about them, complimenting them for a job well done. High achievers at your place of employment may not receive your special attention. These people exist at every worksite. What you should do is offer your support to those in need.

One of the greatest challenges you may ever face is making positive changes at your workplace. But as you just read, there are simple measures that can be designed to help boost the level of self esteem. You will have a better business environment overall and it will be well worth your time and effort.

Heather Collins
Smart DNS

Yes, You Can Drive Greener

Last updated on September 2nd, 2024 at 03:31 pm

You might feel conflicted about protecting the environment while being forced to use a car to travel around. Nevertheless, we actually do need an automobile in many cases for us to live happily. For those who have kids, you may have no alternative but to drive them to school and they too have different activities such as sport in their spare time. Fortunately, we are living in an age where greenhouse emissions are a big concern so now we have options for how we can balance protecting the environment while still being able to drive.

During the last couple of years, there are more cars available that are environmentally friendly. You today have electric cars that function as well as gas-powered cars though they do need frequent charging. If you find that electric cars are not practical for your situation, you could get a hybrid car which uses electricity but also uses gas for extra power and distance. When driving a hybrid, you don’t use as much gasoline and you’ll have lower emissions.

It could be that you’re not ready to move to this degree and as such you should do your research on what conventional types of car have the best results in terms of fuel consumption and emissions. The last decision you make may depend on the type of journeys you generally do but you can certainly find models that are both efficient and economical. Taking good care of your car by performing regular maintenance and keeping tires well inflated can also help with reducing fuel consumption.

Your driving practices can also effect the environment like over-acceleration would end in using up more fuel than steady driving. When you go on an extended trip, be sure to plan the drive so that you won’t waste gas by being lost or taking the long way. Additionally it is easy to overload your vehicle especially when going away, so try to be sensible in what you really need to take and get into the habit of traveling light whenever possible.

There are many green driving tips available online and it’s worth checking out reviews on popular motor car shows, there are some reputable ones on British TV (not really Top Gear!) which you can access through this method.

You’ll probably find occasions when you use your car or truck when it really isn’t necessary. If you walk to nearby stores or restaurants, you will be able to get some exercise while safeguarding the environment. In addition, you can likely find school runs or group activities where car sharing is a possibility. Most of us probably would prefer to drive in our individual cars but if you want to cut emissions then there are sacrifices to be made.

If you modify some of your driving behaviors and check out ways to reduce emissions, you will still be able to drive while helping the environment.

Associated Source

Economic Opportunites for Developing Nations

Last updated on July 3rd, 2014 at 01:57 pm

The internet has brought many great changes to our lives. As a communication medium, a place for entertainment and research it’s unparalleled – most of us now even pay our bills and arrange our insurance policies. However the pontential for economic development in some of the poorer nations in the world is perhaps one of the most exciting.

In North America and Europe, the internet already has spawned many thousands of online businesses. Marketers, service industries and retail outlets can all be run either solely or partly online. A market is no longer restricted to a local geographical area, in some senses the internet has genuinely created a global market.

I know a young entrpreneur who sells coffee online. He doesn’t have a shop and merely buys in coffee from various sources and sells it from his website. He adds value by supplying lots of choice and information about the various coffee beans available. His customers are literally in all four corners of the world stretching from Japan to the Outer Hebrides. There are very few restrictions on where he can sell to – in fact local infrstructure of his customers are probably the main restrictions i.e. an unreliable postal service.

There are few reasons why this business could not be run from a developing nation. A web site can be set up very easily, distribution networks are available in most countries and a young internet entrepreneur in a poorer nation can set themselves up with minimal capital.

Unfortunately in some countries artificial obstacles are being created- check this. Despotic or backward looking governments often block and filter the internet due to a variety of reasons. Unfortunately this also stunts the economic potential for it’s citizens. Facebook is an easy place to start selling goods and services but many countries block access to this social networking site for political or religious reasons. Of course these blocks can be circumvented – there are many sites like this http://www.theninjaproxy.org/ which show how to bypass these restrictions using proxy servers and VPNs.

Hopefully this aggressive filtering of the internet will not continue, Governments need to put aside their petty blocks and embrace the incredible opportunities that the internet offers.

Irish Gross Domestic Product is on the Rise

It is certainly well documented that one of Ireland’s biggest problems and one which largely caused it’s economic troubles was the bursting of a huge, unsustainable property bubble. The country has been in recession ever since, so any news of growth in any sector is bound to be reason for some optimism.

For those who reason that any recovery should be well balanced and across all sectors however there is still cause for concern. For example much of the rise seems to be linked with a growth in construction spending up a massive 15% this year. Obviously this is from a small base but it’s still a huge rise in a single year for an economy still technically in recession.

For example lets look at some other sectors, ones which we at cipec.org for example think should be important sectors in the majority of recovering economies. Sectors like agriculture, forestry and fishing are not the big, boom sectors of many economies but they are often the most sustainable and provide many, many jobs. These areas in Ireland fell by around 3%, if you look at other key economic sectors like distribution and transport a similar story – with falls of around 2%.

There’s no doubt that things are improving in Ireland, for example they were able to exit the bailout put in place some three years ago. They met all the economic conditions put in place by the EU, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Unemployment although still very high has fallen about 2.5% over the last year too and has a strong downward trend which the Government is hoping to continue and accelerate.

The media is also positive, if you watch the BBC you can see many positive stories being led which is in stark contrast to the economic jokes that were streamed some years ago. Incidentally – this link will allow you to access the BBC’s broadcasts online if you are in Ireland.

The worry is still there, though is the sector that caused Ireland’s economic woe’s really the sector that should be pulling it back from the mire. Sure construction and property is a vast lucrative market but look what happened last time!

For Further Technical information on the geo-location method mentioned above, please see this for help.

Economics – Investing In Your Future For The Long Haul

Last updated on November 23rd, 2014 at 03:26 pm

You have most likely heard that economics typically takes superiority over management in most types of companies around the world. Management can chance instantly but a business’s economics is stable normally. Halloween Kostumer tackles more about economics and thus, it should be taken up to be aware on the things about economics. If you have a choice between on a business that is very profitable, the average management and a business that isn’t money making by huge management then you should pick your first choice. Economics play a big part into man’s life. Within man’s everyday activity, economics will always be involved. Another part which will be touched by economics is on about investing stock market. There are many quality books that you can read and also magazines, blog posts, newspapers and a lot more. Learn anything and everything you can about stock market including economics, investment theories, taxation, personal finance and everything else that is relevant to the business. This will assist you on getting the most out of your money and time. Having a wide knowledge in corporate finance and personal finance, taxation and economics can help you in your investments.

However, if you have lots of knowledge about economics then you can also learn through the internet. You can discover methods of the way business works and how it can help you discover the best investments. With the internet there is a little information that the people can’t get. Halloween Kostumer can help you about economics related topics. There are lots of reasons why the stock market appeals to different people, but it is vital to first gain. A very thorough knowledge and understanding of the investment process will help you out on this. Take heed of the advice about economics and you could soon be making wise investments. Since there are many people who are excited about stock market, before making an investment you need to think first. Finding some useful market tips will be able you to make better decisions by the time you are investing your money in Halloween Kostumer from onlinekostumer.dk.

There is some good software that specializes in investment management. It will surely save a lot of time and it doesn’t cost that much to learn how to rightfully do things. Look into one that can help you for tracking prices and with profits and losses. Halloween Kostumer will open your eyes about how economics affects the life of the people. Since we are working for our living, we then have to realize how our economy involved into us. Our economy experienced a lot of situations. There are times that we experience problems and there are times also that we are enjoying our economy. We as people are actually part of the economy. Whatever happens into our economy, we are surely affected into it. So, we have to be aware that we should understand what is happening into our daily lives concerning our economy. Take for instance onlinekostumer.dk – a site selling halloween kostumer, after the finacial crisis they had to fire 80% of their employees and was about to shut down. Then another company invested quite a bit of money in the company and because of this, they are now having quite a bit of success. Indeed, economics plays a big part into man’s life in order to survive. Whatever happens on economics, people’s expenses will surely be affected. So when it comes to economics be sure to invest in your future for the long haul.

Source:
onlinekostumer.dk
onlinekostumer.dk – Halloween Kostumer

Today’s Youth Needs To Wake Up And Realize They Need To Save And Invest

Last updated on October 27th, 2019 at 07:18 pm

Many young potential investors don’t trust the stock market. Many times this is because they have seen their parents lose money in the market plunges in the early 2000’s and 2008. Watching the angst their parents went through would naturally lead many of them to shy away from stocks. There was also the silly Occupy Wall Street protests that also put portrayed the market negatively. So, for people in their 20’s or early 30’s, learning how to start buying stocks isn’t a priority.

Sadly though, it is exactly that age group that will do best buying stocks as they have the longest time horizon possible. Someone who is just out of college or who has recently gotten their first job perhaps has thirty to forty years before they will retire. That extended time period would allow them to make it through any market downturns and keep holding on for retirement.

Investors who have short time periods to invest in have the most risk when it comes to stocks. You need to be able to stay strong and not sell when faced with a sinking market. Eventually, history has shown, things will go back up and you need to still be holding on to your stock to get that money back. For instance, everyone who held their stocks in 2008 and early 2009 took a beating but are now ahead in 2013 if they didn’t sell.

Another reason youngsters should get interested in stocks is because they might not have families yet and actually have money they can invest if they want to. The word “want” is the key word though, as too many don’t feel the need to save and plan for a future that is too far off for them to vision. It is too bad that in today’s world, going into debt is socially acceptable and planning for retirement is rare. It should be the other way around and today’s youth may never have a chance if they don’t wake up and think ahead.

Young Investors Are Becoming Afraid Of Wall Street

Last updated on October 27th, 2019 at 07:12 pm

Facebook is a juggernaut of a company that has captured the interest and imagination of many first time investors. Unfortunately, for those who had no experience in investing and had to learn how to buy Facebook stock during the IPO, it has turned into a really bad situation.

Right now, the stock is down more than 50% from its IPO price and that is quite a hit for an investor of any experience level. For those who had never bought a stock before, investing in the market is something they might shy away from in the future because of that big loss.

The stock market is losing credibility with younger investors who are daily fed the impression that it is rigged toward the rich. Occupy Wall Street and the mentality that the rich get richer while the little guy gets stomped on has made many younger adults who are in their 20’s and 30’s distrust big corporations and buying stocks. Many are investing in less scrupulous schemes involving online stocks often using rotating proxies to purchase multiple options.

This is a terrible shame as everyone should understand how the stock market works and have a portion of their assets in it as historically it has provided the highest rate of return. Anyone who is serious about retiring in today’s world need to actively build their savings and one of the weapons in their arsenal should be stocks. But for younger people who are now permanently turned off by the market, their chances of ever becoming self dependent have been greatly reduced.

The Current Economic Situation

Last updated on October 27th, 2019 at 07:07 pm

The last few years have been extremely rough economically both for business and for individuals. We have seen many established business disappear from the high street as well as countless independent businesses. The impact that this has had on communities is catastrophic and many people have found themselves without employment.

This situation has seen countries really struggle in the global market, the situation over in Greece is just one example.

Keeping up to date with the financial news can be confusing as well with some reports showing that we are far from recovery while others point to employment in certain areas rising and shops beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. For people sitting at home watching or reading these reports it might not make any difference to their own situation and we are seeing people in all walks of life beginning to tighten their belts and look at ways that they can save money.

Some sites online are handy for people looking for advice on how to save money from travel and motoring to banking and general home running. This impartial advice, click here, can save households hundreds if not thousands of pounds a year. There was very much a culture of waste in society but with things the way they are people are being far more responsible and we are now seeing people being more thoughtful. Not only does this save a bit of money but could have a great impact on the environment as energy wastage continues to plummet.

It may be a few years before we find ourselves economically stable again but hopefully by that time there will be a few good habits that people have got themselves into.