U1 Radio 4 Bits and pieces

Luxuries
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9042000/9042672.stm

The Housing Market - Podcast
http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/today/today_20100927-0705a.mp3

Markets and Immorality
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9035000/9035858.stm

Feedback

This blog is largely private and aimed at SGS Economics students - if you want to give me feedback, even anonymously, please do so in the comments bit of the post.

You may want to comment on lessons, the style of my teaching, feedback on essays, and this blog even.

Keep the tone civil if your complaining!

If there is something you don't understand try to explain what you don't get rather than just saying "anything" or "everything".

Sam

U3 Ch. 2- Week Three Essay Help

1c) THIS MUST RELATE TO DE BEERS

Define market share – relate it to De Beers previous strategy.

Explain why ‘higher returns’ may be sought by De Beers

Discuss advantages and disadvantages of two or three other objectives.

Benefits and their impact in terms of the chapter content.

Evaluate in terms of downsides and the chances these could happen.

2b. ) YOU MUST USE EXAMPLES

* Internal growth:

Plough-back profit: explain issues (in terms of benfits/advantages v contraints/disadvantages)

Innovate/invent: explain issues

* External growth: (mergers/acquisitions).

Microeconomics U1 - Markets and Speculators, and Food

From todays lesson - http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9029000/9029295.stm

Listen again and consider how and by how much the forces of supply and demand are affected.

Clues for P16, Q2b

Clues for Q2b - feel free to circulate

Explain what is meant by average cost (use diagram page 7).

Reasons for similar firms in an industry having similar costs:

1. Same / similar variable costs (i.e. labour and raw materials);
2. Similarly-sized industrial units (MES)

Reasons why they might not face similar costs:

1. Products are often differentiated
2. Firms may operate in different countries
3. Well-established firms may have advantages
4. Some firms may be run better

The Impact of Markets - Connaught

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-11257374

The demise of Connaught has led to the rapid acquisition of the efficient parts of the business. This story from the Beeb explaind part of the story.

How does it relate to efficiency and the power of markets?

AS U1 Price Ceiling on Scots drinkers...

The Scottish government has announced that it wants alcohol to be sold at a minimum of 45p per unit.

Introduction - what would you put in this?

Analysis
- Explain this move in the form of a diagram.
- What are the arguments for and against such a move?

Evaluation
- what would you put in this?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-11155653

Welcome and welcome back! (Stat attack)

Welcome to the sixteen Y12s, the fifth cohort of economics students at SGS.

Thankfully some of you Y12's made it through transition so we have 16/18 in y13. 32/34 will be the most we've had taking economics at one time and I'm looking forward to the challenge.

AS grades were OK. The distribution was pretty even across the range (5 A's, 5 B's, 5 C's and 5 D's, 2 E's and 2 U's.

A2 results were excellent with A* for Jack Gill, Tom Maxey and Ben Garner. A's were achieved by James Mayley, Taylor Ross and Joe Fresen. Chris Nightingale was very happy with a hard earned C.

So far at A2 we've had final grades as follows:

A* 16.7% 16.5%
A 27.8% 44.5%
B 22.2% 66.7%
C 22.2% 88.9%
D 11.1% 100%

Students have found this course has helped them to achieve places on Land Economy at Cambridge (2), Geography at Cambridge, Financial Mathematics, Business Studies (3), Actuarial Science, Maths, History, Physics, Drama and English, and Construction.

Good luck in the coming year,

Sam Walker, SGS, Head of Economics