Microeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 16

Microeconomics - Essay Example Macroeconomics is similar to this except that it deals with a country’s GDP, trade figures, and unemployment rates (â€Å"What’s†). These two economic principles go hand-in-hand because they each compliment each other. For example, the purchasing decision of an individual consumer would have an effect on the greater country as a whole, no matter how big or small. Looking at it from the other perspective, a macroeconomic decision taken by a government will have an effect on the spending habits of a single consumer. Microeconomics is largely to do with the prices of regular goods and services and how they affect a market. If a market is not doing so well, maybe the prices of goods and services need to be lowered. On the other hand, if the economy is doing above average, maybe the prices of goods and services need to be raised. This is largely due to the need to control inflation, which has more to do with macroeconomic decisions (Fox). Macroeconomics is concerned w ith economic growth and the discrepancies in national income, or GDP (â€Å"Difference†). An example of an economic decision that I could make would be the purchase of some new running shoes. If the price is too high, then I will put off my decision to purchase a new pair. Alternatively, I could look for another pair that is cheaper and more in my price range. Before making the final purchasing choice, I would find a selection of running shoes and evaluate of pair based on its pros and cons. Factors that I would consider in making my choice would obviously be price, followed by quality. Ultimately, my final choice would come down to the best pair of running shoes that I could buy in terms of durability and how comfortable the shoes are. An example of a macroeconomic decision that has affected me has been the raising of the minimum wage level. When a government chooses to raise the minimum wage, a consequence of

Factors Which Affect Decision Implementation Essay Example for Free

Factors Which Affect Decision Implementation Essay Correct decisions, the two previous papers elaborately developed, can be arrived at only if the requisite process of ponderously putting many influencing factors in perspective is observed. Since errors in decision-making can end up being costly both for the company and its stakeholders alike, it has been seen that the use of critical thinking has proven to be essential in guiding decision makers in choosing the best options that will generate best results. But if one were to think that arriving at a logical and well-thought out decision ends the entire process of decision-making, one definitely takes the dangerous path of frustrating the process all together. A correct decision, one may argue, only proves to be beneficial to a company or organization when its implementation would translate the rigors of critical analyses into tangible results. Langdon, if only to mention, argues along the same line of thought. He maintains, â€Å"Decision makers will never leave the point of the decision without thinking about the steps necessary to implement the decision successfully† (Langdon, 2001, p. 15). Ethical Implications and Other Factors Affecting Implementation of Decision The previous discussion was able to zero in on the viable options that may gleaned from the map drawn to help BAE Systems establish greater presence in the island of Kava. It may be wise to be reminded of the decisions that were suggested hitherto: first, the company needs not only to â€Å"sustain its existing accounts, but also to set up new client-accounts done through aggressive advertisement and in-shore sales campaign† so as to ensure that the â€Å"sale of its products is commensurate with its desired expansion rate†; second, it needs to see through the â€Å"creation of an efficient and result-generating human workforce†; and third, it also is imperative that it should â€Å"create a larger warehouse, if not an adjacent processing plant in the island, so as to meet the demands of the market† It is noteworthy to mention that there are certain risks attached to the cited options. The purpose why the last paper identified them is to further inform the decision maker of the resulting benefits and costs that must be anticipated in the event of making the decision. However, to outline the varying factors that may affect th e implementation of any decision – which, if only to mention, concerns greatly the company and its stakeholders – is another area that must also be carefully looked at. Surely, the three above-cited options will generate ebbs of impact for the company in general. Two major factors can determine the success of the implementation of the suggested paths: the internal coherence of the decision itself, and the external receptivity of the stakeholders involved. The first factor pertains to the logic from which any decision is drawn; and this has already constituted a large portion of the previous studies. Every decision, if only to repeat, is arrived at after a ponderous circumscription of the problems at hand, and the generous gathering of facilitative facts to throw light into one’s judgment. If the problems were well stated, chances are, the solutions are going to be suited. The next factor is however different. This time, one has to consider other areas that affect the success rate of the decision. Roozen, De Pelsmacker and Bostyn have identified some of them: â€Å"the influence of stakeholders, organizational commitment, personal values, goals of the organization and socio demographic characteristics of individuals†, among others (2001, p. 87). In the light of the three suggested decision paths for BAE Systems, what Roozen (and company) points are certainly of paramount importance. For instance, since the company’s goal to establish a greater presence in Kava is heavily dependent on the expansion of its new sales accounts, the decision to equally expand the workforce and to create newer intra-island processing plants must be leveled against the impact such will have on the stakeholders – e. g. , will the company owners allow for an increased budget allocation to defray the expansion cost? , will the company managers be willing to oversee difficult but potential market areas within the island? , will the commitment of the newly hired sales representative be aggressive enough to meet expectations? , or will the vision of the company itself be willing to risk so much for a return of investment which will come later on? It is very important to note that BAE Systems’ vision is intricately knitted with the amount of available resources the company has, or is willing to risk for investment purposes. One way or another, the welfare of both the company and its stakeholders is the friction force that shall determine how fast or slow the implementation of the decisions pertinent to BAE Systems’ expansion in Kava island would be. Key to the company’s success in Kava is also anchored on the ethical implications the decisions have on its stakeholders. In order to clarify the moral basis for sticking into a decision, Rodgers and Gago has sought to identify many differing ethical motives in a study they conducted. They suggest that there are at least six â€Å"pathways† that justify, and thus serve a basis for a particular decision to be pursued: â€Å"psychological egoism, deontology, relativist, utilitarian, virtue ethics, and ethics of care philosophy† (Rodgers Gago, 2001, pp. 358-359). Without having to go through their respective details, it may be good to note that the suggested options for BAE Systems are largely motivated by the â€Å"utilitarian† pathway. What does this mean? This means that the company which seeks to expand a venture must be seen primarily in terms of its ability to survive the risk. Thus, in a utilitarian approach, the company is more defined by a ‘consequentialist’ attitude in decision-making policies, in that it tries to see to it that any decision would generate the â€Å"greatest good (for) the greatest number of people† (Rodgers Gago, 2001, p. 359). Conclusion One may properly recall that, in the Business Scenario, Alex once quipped that economics is what drives the company to further expand its presence in an island of Kava. In many ways, what he said was correct, if not telling. The overarching reason why one needs to surmount the seemingly impossible difficulties, by identifying all the contributing factors relative to the company’s vision, is indeed driven by economics. But having economics alone as the moving force behind the desired expansion of a certain company may not capture the entire picture. Any decision driven by economics therefore, one must remember, must also be tempered by the opportunities it creates for the involved stakeholders, and the ethical implications it generates seen from their perspective. Critical thinking, as always, can always help ensure that these seemingly non-economic aspects of doing business are given their due importance.

Learning And Communicating Online Education Essay

Learning And Communicating Online Education Essay The purpose of this paper was to express the extent of agreement with collaborative learning approaches. Thorough research on the subject of collaboration and the methods that are implemented by educators proved that there are more positives than negatives. This paper delves deep into the information that was discovered along the journey. The information contained within will help to prove that collaboration is a valuable tool for learning. This paper focuses on the importance of teaching students from a young age to work in collaboration with their peers. It shows that there is a wealth of information for students of all ages to learn from one another while participating collaboratively. It also points out the importance of working in groups to build on a students social, management and inquisitive skills. Collaboration will assist students in building upon the knowledge that they already have. Like all things in life, for every positive there is a negative and this report also covers a few of those negative points. Learning environments have changed progressively over the past 10 years. Continued use of antiquated methods, of instruction is harming students, and not allowing students to explore their full potential. The traditional whole class approach to education has outgrown its usefulness. Whole class instruction was a product of the industrial revolution to provide education to the masses (Shachar 2005). Years ago, the path to higher education was something that people undertook in their younger years, now higher education is something that is carried out by people of all ages and backgrounds. There is an assortment of training options available now to anybody that wants to further their education. They include; traditional on campus (full or part time), work based training (apprenticeship / traineeship), or an online degree (with no physical contact hours at all). Education has ventured out of the class room and into the virtual world. This change in educational venue has also seen the way that students are encouraged to learn develop. With the evolution of education, has come the growing interest in online degrees. The way that students participate with others while undertaking these online degrees, is collaboratively over the internet. Collaboration is a key to achieving goals. Because it allows students to build on knowledge they already possess, by interacting with other students. It is a way to receive feedback from their peers and educator in a less formal way than within the classroom. Although there are negatives to collaboration, according to the research conducted, the positives outweigh the negatives. Students learn how to interact in a professional manner within their learning groups and they build on their social and management skills. Collaborative learning can be defined as an instructional method in which students work together in small groups towards a common goal. Co-operative learning is defined as a structured form of group work where students pursue common goals but are assessed individually. Co-operative learning can be encompassed within the definition of collaborative learning (Prince 2013). Collaboration implemented in the early years of learning builds a foundation for success, both at school and in life. It can provide a positive attitude towards school and learning. Collaboration also teaches students how other people think (Battistich, Watson 2005), and build a set of skills that will be useful throughout their school years and into their careers. Co-operative learning reduces the gap between students, it has been found to provide significant support to students who are slow learners (Shachar 2005). Through collaboration, students are interacting with others from different backgrounds and learning abilities. The diversity that students are faced with is of particular benefit to their learning (McWhaw et al. 2005). Collaboration provides students with the opportunity to verbalise their thoughts and to analyse other peoples ideas. These thoughts facilitate understanding through cognitive restructuring on those who teach learn the most. Group members not only capitalise on the interaction between themselves and their peers but they learn how to problem solve by participating in the groups collective thoughts (Terwel 2005). Students find that when receiving feedback from their peers throughout their educational journey, that their learning experience is enriched. They feel as though they have a better knowledge of the information that has been presented to them and that their retention levels of new subject matter are greater. Collaboration represents an interaction where students are given more power over their learning than traditional methods (McWhaw et al. 2005). It is a method, in which students are their own time keepers. Students are able to invest as much time as they feel is necessary to achieve their goals. A common way of teaching students to work collaboratively is to assign them to groups to work through a problem. Groups have a greater potential to solve complex problems in challenging contexts, they bring more knowledge, skill and experience to the work than any individual could (Hackman, 2011). When working in small groups, there are various methods that can be utilised to help establish a sense of community and interaction between students. These include; case studies, role-playing, debates and threaded discussions (Lou, Macgregor 2004). For groups to be successful, the students must have a set plan of action. They need to allocate tasks to individual group members, and know that the task will be completed. A specific skill set should be utilised by the students to ensure that they are benefitting from the group sessions. Students will need to show that they are able to be open, have good leadership (able to follow instructions as well as give them), be inquisitive (ask for clarification from other group members regarding information provided by them) and show that they have good judgement (Bosworth 1994). With the development of social media and other online mediums, it has been increasingly easier for educators to set collaborative tasks for students. Online mediums such as BlackboardTM, Adobe Connect and Collaborate are integral parts of educator controlled collaboration. Weekly tasks are posted to blackboard for completion by the students. The activities ask for members of the group to actively participate in posting the answers to the said activity, and to provide feedback on a post, or to ask a question of fellow students. Adobe Connect and Collaborate are two programs that work in similar ways. They both provide an online platform for lectures / tutorials. These sessions are held by educators in regards to assignments and instructional information; they are beneficial for students to attend. It allows them the opportunity to ask real time questions of their peers and educator in relation to the information that is being presented. There is also the opportunity to ask any relevant questions in relation to the subject, and to be provided with an answer on the spot from a peer or educator. Social networking sites (Facebook and Twitter) are morphing into new channels for collaboration and innovation. They are increasingly tapping into the collaborative mindset in ways that continue to evolve (Moore, Neely 2011). Take students at Swinburne University for example. They have set up Facebook groups (which are independent from the university) for subjects that are offered by Swinburne. Students from a subject are welcome to join the particular group for the said subject. Within these groups, students have contact with other students who are studying the same subject, but may be from a different online learning group. These subject groups on Facebook are a wealth of knowledge. The students ability to be able to ask a question or an opinion from a myriad of students, gives them access to a broader knowledge base. Students within these groups also share information that they think may be of benefit to other students. As a result of questioning the effectiveness of collaboration in approaches to learning, it was found that there are negatives with collaborative learning. It has been noted that students feel as though greater involvement by all students within their online groups would make weekly activities more relevant to their studies. Collaboration is only as good as the involvement of students. If activities are only completed by a few students, then the benefits of the activity are going to be low. The greater the involvement, the more beneficial it is going to be. As the collaborative process is still evolving, there will always remain an element of unpredictability within the group environment. Students may find it hard to overcome their learning style that is their mindset. Some may find it easier to work alone and others may rebel and refuse to work with individuals within the group (Banerjee 2012). It was found that those who are rebellious are more likely to be high achieving students. These students do not want their grades to be effected by other students (Shachar 2005). Students working within groups may feel as though they are the ones doing the heavy lifting. There could be students within the group that do not contribute as much as other students. The act of not performing up to scratch is commonly referred to as social loafing. The challenge with groups is to identify what it takes for groups to exploit their considerable potential while avoiding the dysfunctions that await the unwary (Hackman, 2011). In conclusion, thorough research was conducted on the subject of collaborative approaches to learning. While carrying out the research for this paper, it became quite clear from the outset that there are more positives in relation to collaboration than negatives. When students collaborate, they are interacting with people from different backgrounds and learning abilities. Research showed that the implementation of collaborative exercises in the early years of a students education assisted them in gaining a positive attitude to learning, and to build a foundation for success in both school and life. One of the most common ways of collaboration in an online medium is to place the students in small learning groups. The communication that happens in these collaborative groups, gives students the opportunity to verbalise their thoughts, ask questions of their fellow group members and analyse other peoples ideas. Students that work within these groups, have the ability to solve more complex problems within a quicker time period. Social media and other online mediums have contributed to the accessibility of collaboration for students. Not only are online sessions set by educators for the students to attend, but there is a greater occurrence of student led collaboration through mediums such as Facebook and Twitter. This new age in technology will continue to evolve at an unprecedented pace in the future, bringing with it more ways for students to enhance their learning experience. Research showed that there are negatives in relation to collaboration. There is an element of unpredictability with the group environment. Students working within these groups may feel as though they are contributing more than others. Some students find that it is easier to work alone (their learning style dictates this), while others may be rebellious and refuse to work with members of the group. The contributing factor to this theory is that high achieving students do not want their grades to be effected by the work carried out amongst the group. Students also feel as though a larger contribution from all students in their online groups would be of greater benefit. The old adage of more is better, is correct in this instance. With the involvement of only a few, there isnt as much information to be absorbed by the students. Once again, in conclusion the research carried out in relation to this paper, has proven that collaboration is important to learning.

Pesticides :: essays research papers

Putting Aside Pesticides   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are 2.5 billion pounds of pesticides being applied to agricultural products each year in the United States. This is ten times more than was applied forty years ago. It is still unknown as to what type of exact effects these chemicals may have on individuals. Some farmers that have been using pesticides in their fields and developed leukemia are finding that the cause of their disease is from inhaling pesticides. These chemicals are still in use today and most of them have never been tested for the short or long-term effects that they may have on humans.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Each year there are 10,000 pesticide related poisonings. On July 4th 1985, over 300 Californians became sick after eating watermelons treated with the pesticide tenik. Testing supermarket produce is a way of determining the amount of exposure the consumer receives through common produce like carrots, tomatoes and lettuce. 44% of foods that were tested in supermarkets were found to have some traces of pesticide residue on them. Of all the pesticides found, nineteen of them were a pesticide called DDT. DDT was banned in this country 12 years prior to the testing. It was believed that these chemicals might have entered this country from another country that doesn’t have pesticide restrictions as the U.S. does.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pesticides are contaminating the Earth’s water supplies. There are seventeen pesticides found in twenty-three state’s water supplies right now. Scientists at Cornell University conclude that 99% of pesticides miss the intended source and find their way into the water, air and soil. Most of the pollution isn’t strong enough to create an immediate impact on humans so the wildlife is the primary target to these contaminates. Animals such as the European Starling birds are constantly being tested and found that they are greatly affected both behaviorally and psychologically.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Farming practices that do not use pesticides/herbicides are slowly becoming introduced bit biologically created pesticides are not nearly as productive as found in preliminary testing. Biotechnology has shown to have successfully resisted pests in plants that were destroyed by pesticides but still hasn’t proven itself as a better alternative. William Liebhardt Ph.D. is an Agricultural Specialist at the University of California, Davis and he says, â€Å"When you start spraying with pesticides, you disrupt the natural balance that exists in nature. As a result, you end up killing beneficial insects, then insects that were not a problem become problems and this happens repeatedly† requiring more and more spraying. Pesticides :: essays research papers Putting Aside Pesticides   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are 2.5 billion pounds of pesticides being applied to agricultural products each year in the United States. This is ten times more than was applied forty years ago. It is still unknown as to what type of exact effects these chemicals may have on individuals. Some farmers that have been using pesticides in their fields and developed leukemia are finding that the cause of their disease is from inhaling pesticides. These chemicals are still in use today and most of them have never been tested for the short or long-term effects that they may have on humans.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Each year there are 10,000 pesticide related poisonings. On July 4th 1985, over 300 Californians became sick after eating watermelons treated with the pesticide tenik. Testing supermarket produce is a way of determining the amount of exposure the consumer receives through common produce like carrots, tomatoes and lettuce. 44% of foods that were tested in supermarkets were found to have some traces of pesticide residue on them. Of all the pesticides found, nineteen of them were a pesticide called DDT. DDT was banned in this country 12 years prior to the testing. It was believed that these chemicals might have entered this country from another country that doesn’t have pesticide restrictions as the U.S. does.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pesticides are contaminating the Earth’s water supplies. There are seventeen pesticides found in twenty-three state’s water supplies right now. Scientists at Cornell University conclude that 99% of pesticides miss the intended source and find their way into the water, air and soil. Most of the pollution isn’t strong enough to create an immediate impact on humans so the wildlife is the primary target to these contaminates. Animals such as the European Starling birds are constantly being tested and found that they are greatly affected both behaviorally and psychologically.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Farming practices that do not use pesticides/herbicides are slowly becoming introduced bit biologically created pesticides are not nearly as productive as found in preliminary testing. Biotechnology has shown to have successfully resisted pests in plants that were destroyed by pesticides but still hasn’t proven itself as a better alternative. William Liebhardt Ph.D. is an Agricultural Specialist at the University of California, Davis and he says, â€Å"When you start spraying with pesticides, you disrupt the natural balance that exists in nature. As a result, you end up killing beneficial insects, then insects that were not a problem become problems and this happens repeatedly† requiring more and more spraying.

Ramon Charles

Simforian Hello I am Ramon Charles Nadado. I come from a middle class family. I am currently married and have two children. During my days in elementary school I have had to transfer twice. During my first grade I was in New Era University, during the second I went to La Salle Green Hills, and for the rest of my elementary school days I studied in Lourdes School of Mandaluyong till my time in highschool. I went back to New Era University for college. My hobbies are watching movies and animes, reading manga and novels, and listening to music.The Philippines has had a history of many problems which are still happening today and are causing many problems for the Filipino people. One of these problems, and not to mention the biggest one, is corruption which leads to the other problem of poverty. Another one of the problems are the environmental problems which are causing many of us to have diseases that we are not able to treat because we are not able to prevent them these diseases from multiplying. The last problem is about the economy of the community, this problem is also caused by corruption.I plan to conduct projects that will help us rise from these problems step by step. But first I will need the support of you Filipino citizens and God so that I have a reason and an inspiration for doing these things. I can try to stop corruption by having an election for new government officials which the people of the lower and middle class will decide upon to improve their welfare. To improve the situation of the environment which can also improve the situation of the people, I will have cleaning drives to help decrease pollution and have more hospitals built in provinces.

Pest Brazil

BRAZIL PEST Political environment †¢Greed and Corruption †¢Increase in government expenditures †¢Political stability and emphasis on consistent economic policies and growth †¢Position of international influence and power (BRIC) †¢Many environmental restrictions and regulations (Protection of Amazon) †¢Going into business: High bureaucracy, lack of transparency of rules and slow legal procedures (are hurdles to overcome and make brazil a difficult country to do business in) †¢The huge opportunities for foreign companies in Brazil's growing economy have to be weighed up against the country's relatively high taxes and labor costs // labour rules are generous to workers †¢Foreign exchange rules are in favour for investors outside the country but with some restrictions by certain states (freely allow dividends and capital to be repatriated to investors outside the country, but some restrictions are imposed by certain states // differences in risk be tween its 27 states) Economic environment †¢The world’s sixth largest economy (GDP: $2. 089) †¢Poor GDP growth of 3. % in 2011,(was high in 2010 but dicreased due to measures to decrease inflation) the economy is expected to grow strongly. †¢inflation 5% †¢expanding its presence in world markets. ($256 billion (2011 est. ) – 24th worldly) †¢ high interest rates make it an attractive destination for foreign investors. explain †¢Imports: $226,2 billion (2011 est. ) – 23rd world – cost to import/per container:1. 730 †¢large and well-developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing, and service sectors, †¢capital inflows over the past several years have contributed to the appreciation of the currency, hurting the competitiveness of Brazilian manufacturing and leading the govern (exchange rates: 1,6728 (2011 est. – 2(2009) †¢Stock of direct foreign investment – abroad: ? 171,7 (2011 est. ) †¢foreign direct investment unflows:31 †¢still has a relatively high debt burden †¢Several Brazilian companies ranking of the world’s largest companies. †¢unemployment (6,7%) – high rate o job creation †¢South America's leading economic power and a regional leader, one of the first in the area to begin an economic recovery. †¢Brazil managed to go from a net importer of food to one of the world’s leading exporters of agricultural products. †¢ease of doing business (ranked 124th) – corruption major business constraint (67% of managers believe that) Socio – cultural environment world’s fifth largest country by both population and total area. (Large and growing population (191mn in 2010, 1,5% growing, 5th in the world) ) †¢Large % of youth population (51,3% of population is under 30 †¢Urban population: 84,3% †¢increase in living standards. From 1980 to 2010, Brazil’s Human Development Index (HDI) increa sed by 30. 8 percent from 0. 549 to 0. 718. but bad gini index †¢Poverty / inequality (21,4% of population is below poverty line + Gini index:56. 99, equality of distribution of income 0-100 †¢Consumer expenditure per capita is low ($6. 619,8) †¢ Consumers rapidly adopting spending habits that are more characteristic of consumers in developed countries.According to Credit Suisse Research’s Emerging Consumer Survey 2011, Brazilians’ devote a considerably larger share of income to discretionary spending than consumers in other BRIC countries. †¢Brazilian respondents reported saving a relatively modest 10 percent, and more than half (52 percent) were not able to set aside any income for savings. (high inflation – uncertain environment) †¢favelas or shanty towns stand in striking proximity and sharp contrast to the city’s upscale environs and stunning scenic backdrop. Fortunately, some have seen fit to aid the residents of Brazil†™s favelas. The plight of Brazil’s large population of urban poor has given rise to a number of innovative social programs. increasing number of consumers attaining middle-class status (more than 32 million the past 7years) while another 20 million have escaped a state of poverty. (reach a low-income market segment of new consumer) †¢Sharing borders with 10 neighbours in Latin America †¢troubled and combative social situation †¢ illegal narcotics trafficking / border disputes Urugua-Brazil border – 1st country of number of murders by youth: 20. 386 †¢education level low 9average education 14 years old) – education spending: 4,2%of GDP Technological environment †¢Energy independent / rich in natural recourses †¢Strengths in agricultural research, know-how and technology. (Much of the credit goes to Embrapa, Brazil’s highly accomplished, public agricultural research organization. †¢Initiatives on R( that promote South-So uth cooperation in several arenas, including science and research collaboration in fields such as nanotechnology, oceanography and Antarctic research. ) †¢Many transportation routes and infrastructures ( ports (atlantic ocean) ) †¢Transportation note : the International Maritime Bureau reports that the territorial and offshore waters in the Atlantic Ocean remain a significant risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; 2010 saw an 80% increase in attacks over 2009; numerous commercial vessels were attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crews were robbed and stores or cargoes stolen †¢Growing Infrastructure programs due to world cup / olympics (government’s Growth Acceleration Program has pumped $250 billion into infrastructure projects. †¢Recent discovery of huge offshore oil deposits near Rio de Janeiro will further promote future growth, transforming Brazil into one of the world’s biggest oil producers †¢creativity and flair for design and innovation that are ingrained in the Brazilian national character and enhanced by the country’s newfound financial fitness, telecoms talent and entrepreneurial energy. DATA SOURCES †¢Euromonitor: https://www. portal. euromonitor. com †¢IMF website: http://www. imf. org/external/country/BRA/index. htm †¢CIA website: https://www. cia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/br. html †¢UNCTAD: http://unctadstat. unctad. org †¢World Bank World Development Indicators: http://data. worldbank. org/data-catalog/world-development-indicators. †¢United Nations Development Programs: http://www. undp. org/content/undp/en/home. html †¢CEBR website: http://www. cebr. com/ †¢Forbes magazine website: http://www. forbescustom. com/index. html †¢CNN Money website: http://money. cnn. com/