Upper Sixth Homework : EU vs INTEL

Dear Upper Sixth

I am now officially a scab : I should be withdrawing my labour today in support of the public sector workers' strike, yet here I am setting you those questions to do for homework.

Due : Thursday 1/12

So, here are the questions:

1. Explain why technology heavyweights end up dominant in their industries
2. From the example, describe a network effect.  Is it an innocent or deliberate barrier to entry?
3. To what extent is discounting anti-competitive?
4. Do you agree with the EU's decision to fine INTEL.  If so, should the fine have been so large?

Right, back to my strike action

U6 HW : Characteristics of Oligopoly

Dear Upper Sixth

There is only one HW this week, so this should be done by either next Monday (group in R25) or next Tuesday (group in R26)

Watch the video above.

1)Explain how T*sco gained its second mover advantage in South Korea (success criteria : uses key terminology such as barriers to entry ; is specific to supermarket retailing ; possibly uses game theory)

2)Use their website to list ways T*sco use non-price competition to win market share (just a list)

3)Using the characteristics, explain why Supermarket retailing is an oligopoly. (success criteria : matches each of the six characteristics to supermarket retailing)

Right, that's me off to go out and enjoy a bike ride.  I'd hate to be stuck at home hunched over a computer doing my homework and having to watch videos about that supermarket.

Upper Sixth Homework : Barriers to Entry and Business Class Airlines

HW due 20/9/11

Use the two links below to find out about Skyline.

Research another business class airline which has failed.

To what extent was the failure of business class airlines because of barriers to entry in the industry.

Criteria : One side ; evaluation in every paragraph ; minimum two barriers to entry considered

google.co.uk

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7453108.stm

Upper Sixth Homework : Debate Prep

The debate's title is:

This house believes that pharmaceutical companies should not be able to patent new drugs

Please arrive to the lesson with at least two sides of notes of valid points and valid examples that you have written.  You will not be told which side you will argue on until the start of the lesson.

Links to some articles to start you off on a previous post here

Upper Sixth Homework - agriculture, industrialisation and tourism

Dear Upper Sixth,

Follow this link here to view or download the 9 tasks you are to complete by Tuesday 10th May.

Thanks

Upper Sixth Homework - Protectionism

EdExcel specification : examine case of protectionism currently in the news.

Research and write about two recent cases of recent protectionism

Criteria

For each case:

• Explain why the govt might have used a protectionist measure
• List possible positive and negative economic consequences
• Brief judgment of their decision

• should be around 2 sides of A4

Start by using this website : http://www.globaltradealert.org/

Then continue researching using the Economist website, google news and quality newspaper websites and of course - the BBC.

Upper Sixth Homework : Banana Wars

Here are some links for you to use in your research




Trade deal on bananas finally agreed (BBC World Business News - audio reports, December 2009)
Is it time to boycott Latin American bananas? (Guardian, February 2010)
Banana Wars - The Fruits of International Trade (BBC news, December 2009)
Q&A: The banana wars (BBC news, December 2009)
Fears for fair trade farmers if ‘banana war’ ends (Guardian, November 2009)
Caribbean Banana Exporters Association
Trade in bananas: £170m to support banana exporters in 10 African and Caribbean countries (March 2010)
The Big Question: Why are bananas so cheap, and what does it mean for producers?(Independent, October 2009)

Lower Sixth Revision & Upper Sixth Revision

Leave a comment.  It will be answered.

Upper Sixth Homework : INTEL and Competition Policy

Dear Upper Sixth

Belated, but now on here.  It would seem only fair that you have until Wednesday to complete these questions


The link to the article which we read in class is here

Thank you

•Explain why technology heavyweights end up dominant in their industries

•From the example, describe a network effect.  Is it an innocent or deliberate barrier to entry?

•To what extent is discounting anti-competitive?

•Do you agree with the EU’s decision to fine INTEL.  If so, should the fine have been so large

Upper Sixth Homework : Private Public Partnership and Private Finance Initiatives

Stephen Taylor - you an stop clicking that refresh button, here is the homework for the class:

Research PPP and PFI using NHS hospitals and the running of tube lines as case studies.

Produce a table, which has pros on one side and cons on the other.  One side of A4 in length minimum.  Also note any queries that you have.

To start you off, here are three articles I have found using Google.  Try using the time-line as a tool and also use the site specific searches (eg : "tubelines site:guardian.co.uk" returns only articles from The Guardian).

Invest at least one hour of your time on this.  I thank you.  Due : Tuesday 7th December

The pros and cons of PFI hospitals - Telegraph

http://www.economist.com/node/11920719

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/dec/18/tube-ppp-upgrade-london-underground

Upper Sixth Homework - Competition Policy

1.Give three reasons why markets should work well

2.Examine the barriers to entry which prevented competition in the Ferry passenger market

3.Detail two ways a monopoly can become complacent

4.Using the case material, explain how the OFT can judge if prices are artificially too high

5.Explain how a lack of Wi Fi on board suggest a degree of monopoly power

6.Evaluate the likely effectiveness of transparent prices in detering abuse of monopoly power in this industry

7. Edward only : Using another example of a recent OFT investigation, assess the effectiveness of the OFT in making markets work well

Upper Sixth Homework - Game Theory

Economics - Game Theory

1. Follow the link above
2. Read one of the articles on Game Theory
3. Handwrite (write using either your left or right hand or both, not using cut and paste commands on your computer) half a side of notes summarising this article
4. Jot down some questions you have about Game Theory

I thank you

Monopsony Note-taking Homework

As requested by Stephen, here are the questions, which need to be answered by period 3 tomorrow:

•Explain how supermarkets can assert monopsony power over suppliers of milk and meat

•To what extent will a voluntary code of practice reduce excessive buyer power in the grocery market?

•Examine the reasons why local authorities are able to operate as a monopsony in the care home market

•For both cases, analyse how monopsony power works against the interests of the suppliers and final consumers

Some articles worth reading for debate prep

Articles on patents and drug companies

The very visible hand | The Economist

http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2007/08/price_power

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/drug-firms-collaboration-pools-hiv-treatments-1814018.html

Tacit Collusion in the Energy Market

Dear Upper Sixth

Awfully sorry to be tardy in my posting of your homework, but here it is.  Those kind chaps over at Tutor2u have not only provided the stimulus material, but also seven questions I would like you to answer. In fact, if you could email them your answers and ask them to mark it, that would be brilliant.  Alex, the last sentence is a joke.

Look forward to seeing the fruits of your labour next Wednesday.

All the info is here

Upper Sixth Homework

From tutor2u :

Here is an excellent highly relevant article on cooperative behaviour between oligopolistic giants. Two of the world’s biggest drugs companies GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer have announced a plan to merge their HIV treatments in a joint venture. ViiV Healthcare is an attempt for both companies to limit the risks of costly races to find new profitable treatments for HIV/aids and give them an opportunity to counter the loss of the revenues as these companies lose patent protection and are open to competition from generic drug makers. It is a strong reminder of the very high fixed costs of research into new drugs; the long lead times between new drug development, testing and finally getting it to the market. And also the impact of the entry of generic drugs into markets once patent protection runs out. The new company has a 19% share of the global drugs market, in comparison to the Californian company Gilead’s 31%.
Drug firms’ collaboration pools HIV treatments (Independent)
IPO of HIV business is ‘up to shareholders’ (Telegraph)

Write a side of notes on the above story and one other - of your own choosing - about how oligopolistic firms act interdependently.   Please do all try not to come up with the same example!

Price Discrimination

For the Upper Sixth Economists:

Part Two of the research homework (the first was finding an example of monopoly - I hadn't forgotten) : Research examples of price discrimination.

For inspiration, follow this link. No-one is to do the M6 toll road as an example. Be original.

Once we have gathered all these examples, we will have a blogging lesson to share our knowledge with the millions of people that follow this blog all around the globe.

Upper Sixth Homework

Essay : With the aid of examples, exaplin how firms with monopoly power can use barriers to entry to protect their market power and profits.

Hint: the use of the word 'examples' is significant: you are going to have to do some research into different real case studies.

Hand in on 16th September

Rule A Country

For the Upper Sixth:

This week's homework is to run a simulation where you are a ruler of a country and decide upon its trade policy.  Follow the link below and report back on your success or failure


http://nobelprize.org/educational_games/economics/trade/