What factors do you think are influencing the supply and demand of the product/good/service that is the subject of your article?

Part
1: (140 words)
Scenario
According to a recent article in Forbes Magazine, “The demand for additional
battery life is so large Pokémon GO is
already having an impact on the sales of external batteries and phone
cases with extra battery capacity.” Popular portable battery makers
told Forbes that the sales of certain products
have grown significantly, up to double or triple just in Pokémon GO’s first week in the United States. On a less
technological front, coffee prices are up by 13 percent due to increased
demand, and the supply of Corvettes is not sufficient to meet the current
demand. All of these statements come from headlines from the past three months,
indicating that the laws of supply and demand impact everything from your phone
to your car to MY coffee. This is the basis for our discussion this week!
For Discussion
Choose an article on a topic (product/good/service)
that affects your daily life.

For example, I found an article in the Chicago Tribune about coffee prices.

Briefly tell us what your article is about.

My article reported that although coffee prices are
high, the price being paid to the coffee producers in Brazil has remained
constant.

Which aspect of the article’s discussion affects your
daily life?

Coffee growers are threatening to cut production in
order to force the prices higher. This means that my $6 cup of coffee at
Starbucks could become even more expensive.

What factors do you think are influencing the supply and demand of the product/good/service that is the subject of your article?

Americans have been conditioned by marketing to agree
to pay $5 for a cup of coffee, so there is no reason for retailers to
charge less.

5.
Include the URL of the
Web site where you found the article.
o Coffee Prices to Rise Again

Part
2: (135 words)
Preparation
Few topics associated with
global trade are more vehemently debated than outsourcing. For this discussion,
you will watch two video clips that provide some perspective on outsourcing.
Using the information you gain from the videos and the materials you studied in
the course module, respond to the discussion question below.
The
following video clip is from the film Outsourced. It
covers American sentiment on losing jobs to India and the availability of
Chinese goods. We want cheap stuff; however, most of it comes from China.

You can view the transcript for “Made in China” (opens
in new window).

As countries like China
and India become leaders in manufacturing, the costs of their expertise rises,
diminishing their advantage against U.S. counterparts. At the same time,
convoluted and increasingly risky supply chains dependent on inexperienced vendors
have turned once stable brands like Boeing into the perfect “reshoring” case
study. The following video explains why outsourcing can be bad for business.
You can view the transcript for “Why
Outsourcing is Bad for Business” (opens in new window).

For Discussion
Select ONE of the
following perspectives on outsourcing, and answer the related questions.
Although your opinion is always valued, be sure to support your opinion with
facts obtained from your course materials, the videos, or a reliable source.
Make sure to cite your sources.
The consumer: Does the consumer benefit? Are prices
lowered by outsourcing? Why or why not?
Efficiency and productivity: Does outsourcing enhance
efficiency and productivity? Why or why not?
Competition: Does outsourcing encourage competition? Is
this a good thing? Why or why not?
Developing countries: Does outsourcing benefit
developing countries? Why or why not?
International stability: Does outsourcing foster
international cooperation, respect, and stability? Why or why not?

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