This document provides an introduction and overview for a course on economics for journalists. It defines economics as the study of how people deal with scarcity and make choices with trade-offs. The course will cover topics like how economies, companies, banks, markets and governments work, and economic theories. Students will write assignments, do a group project, and take a midterm and final exam. The instructor emphasizes applying economic concepts clearly and citing sources to avoid plagiarism. The first assignment is to set up an RSS reader for daily economic news and write an economic diary entry.
The document summarizes a TED Talk given by Daphne Bavelier on how video games can make our brains smarter, better, faster and stronger. It provides commentary on the principles of good presentation used by Bavelier in her talk, including keeping it uncluttered and simple with powerful text and images. The document also notes how Bavelier's use of imagery helped the author understand complex ideas, compared to a talk by Sir Ken Robinson that lacked imagery. It concludes by advising engaging audiences through humor, stories or games.
The document outlines several community service project ideas that could be undertaken by a group, including visiting a temple, inaugurating a statue or other infrastructure projects, holding a blood donation or health camp, distributing supplies to students, providing self-employment tools to those in need, planting trees, holding meetings, contributing funds to organizations, and inducting new members. The overall goal seems to be undertaking meaningful community service projects through teamwork and participation.
This was a project taken by me and 2 of my friend to revamp the IIT Guwahati website. We tried to incorporate each and every process of design principles to make sure the website looks much more sensible and intuitive.
This document summarizes research on academic blogging. It finds that most academic blogs are single-authored blogs written by academics for an audience of peers. They typically take the form of informal essays commenting on academia and research. While academic blogging expands the dissemination of ideas, the research shows bloggers primarily converse with each other rather than engaging the general public. Academic blogs form interconnected communities rather than a cohesive online forum for broader debate.
This document provides an introduction to economic journalism. It defines economics as the study of how people deal with scarcity and make choices about allocating limited resources. Key economic concepts discussed include supply and demand, incentives, business cycles, and how governments measure and influence economic performance. The role of economic journalists is to provide context and perspective on these issues.
This document provides an overview of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), initial public offerings (IPOs), and international trade. It discusses different types of M&A deals, global M&A activity from 2004-2012, the M&A process, questions to consider in M&A deals, and valuations. It also covers the IPO process, trade terminology, arguments for and against free trade, government trade policies, and the relationship between trade and currency values.
This document provides an overview of foreign exchange and bond markets. It discusses the major global currencies and daily forex trading volumes. It also outlines factors that influence currency values such as interest rates, inflation, and trade imbalances. Additionally, it defines what bonds are, how bond markets work, and key factors like interest rates and credit ratings that affect bond prices. Yield curves and spreads are also explained as tools used in analyzing bond markets.
The document summarizes a TED Talk given by Daphne Bavelier on how video games can make our brains smarter, better, faster and stronger. It provides commentary on the principles of good presentation used by Bavelier in her talk, including keeping it uncluttered and simple with powerful text and images. The document also notes how Bavelier's use of imagery helped the author understand complex ideas, compared to a talk by Sir Ken Robinson that lacked imagery. It concludes by advising engaging audiences through humor, stories or games.
The document outlines several community service project ideas that could be undertaken by a group, including visiting a temple, inaugurating a statue or other infrastructure projects, holding a blood donation or health camp, distributing supplies to students, providing self-employment tools to those in need, planting trees, holding meetings, contributing funds to organizations, and inducting new members. The overall goal seems to be undertaking meaningful community service projects through teamwork and participation.
This was a project taken by me and 2 of my friend to revamp the IIT Guwahati website. We tried to incorporate each and every process of design principles to make sure the website looks much more sensible and intuitive.
This document summarizes research on academic blogging. It finds that most academic blogs are single-authored blogs written by academics for an audience of peers. They typically take the form of informal essays commenting on academia and research. While academic blogging expands the dissemination of ideas, the research shows bloggers primarily converse with each other rather than engaging the general public. Academic blogs form interconnected communities rather than a cohesive online forum for broader debate.
This document provides an introduction to economic journalism. It defines economics as the study of how people deal with scarcity and make choices about allocating limited resources. Key economic concepts discussed include supply and demand, incentives, business cycles, and how governments measure and influence economic performance. The role of economic journalists is to provide context and perspective on these issues.
This document provides an overview of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), initial public offerings (IPOs), and international trade. It discusses different types of M&A deals, global M&A activity from 2004-2012, the M&A process, questions to consider in M&A deals, and valuations. It also covers the IPO process, trade terminology, arguments for and against free trade, government trade policies, and the relationship between trade and currency values.
This document provides an overview of foreign exchange and bond markets. It discusses the major global currencies and daily forex trading volumes. It also outlines factors that influence currency values such as interest rates, inflation, and trade imbalances. Additionally, it defines what bonds are, how bond markets work, and key factors like interest rates and credit ratings that affect bond prices. Yield curves and spreads are also explained as tools used in analyzing bond markets.
The banking system channels savings from individuals to borrowers. As financial intermediaries, commercial banks take deposits and make loans. They must keep a portion of deposits as reserves set by the central bank. When the reserve ratio is lower, banks can lend out more, expanding the money supply through the money multiplier effect. Non-bank financial institutions also participate in shadow banking.
This document provides an overview of financial markets for journalists. It discusses the key characteristics of markets, including that they bring together buyers and sellers, allow standardized trading of fungible products by any participant, and make trade information public. The document also summarizes the main types of financial markets like commodities, stocks, bonds and forex, and the participants, price formation processes, and factors that influence prices in these markets.
The document provides an overview of analyzing corporate profit and loss statements. It discusses key components of a P&L statement such as revenue, expenses, profit, earnings per share, and how it shows the path from revenue to net profit. It also discusses interpreting P&L statements, including checking footnotes and understanding the treatment of items like depreciation, subsidiaries versus associates, and minority interests. An example P&L statement is then presented for Hutchison Whampoa Limited to demonstrate these concepts.
The document provides an overview of international trade concepts including absolute advantage, comparative advantage, trade barriers, and trade policies. It discusses how free trade creates winners and losers between importing and exporting countries. Specifically, domestic consumers in importing countries and domestic producers in exporting countries tend to benefit from free trade, while the opposite is true for domestic consumers in exporting countries and domestic producers in importing countries. The document also outlines the effects of tariffs on prices and trade volumes.
PCCW reported a 20% decline in first-half net profit due to lower revenue contribution from its property development unit. Net profit fell to HK$656 million from HK$822 million a year earlier, while revenue declined 2% to HK$11.37 billion, mainly due to smaller contribution from its property development subsidiary. Revenue from PCCW's core telecommunications services rose 11% and from its broadband TV business increased 45%, but it did not offset the decline in property revenue. An analyst said net profit was below expectations due to continued investment in the TV business.
This document provides an overview of government economic policy tools used by central banks and finance ministries. It discusses fiscal policy tools like taxation and government spending and how they can be used to stimulate or contract the economy. It also explains monetary policy tools controlled by central banks, including interest rates, required reserve ratios, and open market operations to influence money supply and achieve goals of steady growth and low inflation. Specific policy examples from the US, UK, Japan, and Europe are also mentioned.
The document discusses key economic goals of governments including full employment, steady annual growth, and stable prices. It then covers concepts of absolute and comparative advantage in determining what goods countries will produce. It provides an overview of common economic indicators used to measure economic performance such as GDP, CPI, unemployment, and money supply. It also discusses important considerations for analyzing and reporting on economic data.
The document provides an overview of key concepts for covering stock markets and shares, including:
- What a share represents in terms of ownership stake and entitlement to profits
- Factors that influence share prices such as supply and demand, the economy, and company earnings
- How share prices reflect market expectations about a company's future performance
- Tools for analyzing stocks such as indexes, sectors, market capitalization, price-earnings ratios, and technical indicators
- Sources of information like brokerage ratings and finding contextual factors behind price movements
This document provides an overview of economics concepts for journalists. It discusses three main types of corporate financial disclosures - profit and loss statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements. When reporting on earnings, journalists should focus on net profit and revenue year-over-year changes. The document also summarizes an article about Hong Kong's Hutchison Whampoa reporting a 12% rise in profits and explains economic growth and business cycles.
The stock market rebounded after earlier losses as concerns eased over European banks' access to funding. French banks reassured markets and investors watched for progress on Europe's debt crisis. Major U.S. stock indices ended higher, led by gains in industrial, materials and tech stocks, as signs pointed to stabilization in the markets.
Hutchison Whampoa reported a 12% rise in net profit to HK$14.17 billion in 2009, despite a 14% drop in revenue to HK$300.55 billion. Gains from property and asset sales offset losses in its energy and 3G businesses. While losses in 3G operations fell 67%, the division is still dragging on earnings. However, results from property completions and asset sales boosted profits.
The document provides an overview of covering company news as a financial journalist. It discusses why companies exist, the differences between private and public companies, and how public corporations function. It also outlines various types of corporate stories to cover, including earnings announcements, new products/business lines, executive changes, initial public offerings, and secondary fundraising. Key details on how to report on these stories such as common questions to ask and elements to include in articles are also reviewed.
This document provides an introduction to economic indicators for journalism students. It defines economic indicators as data used to evaluate the health of an economy. It discusses established indicators like the Consumer Price Index and copper prices. It also categorizes indicators as lagging, coincident, or leading in relation to economic activity. The document advises that good indicators are original, measure important economic activity accurately and consistently, and correlate closely with broader economic measures. It gives some hypothetical alternative indicators as examples from past classes.
This document provides an overview of corporations for journalism students. It discusses why companies exist, the difference between private and public companies, key industries, how public companies function, costs and profit, types of corporate stories to cover, and earnings announcements. The document is from a class on economics for journalists that focuses on reviewing supply and demand, examining the economic efficiency of gifts, and discussing corporations.
The document contains three proposals for small business profiles to cover:
1. A Chinese company called Yage Era Corp. that deletes negative posts and links online for clients and how it navigates regulations in a growing market.
2. A cat cafe in Hong Kong called The Cat Cafe that lost its restaurant license but continues operating as a cooking school with resident cats.
3. A music therapy center in Hong Kong called Pang's Music Therapy Center that offers treatments to both special needs and normal clients, and the growing but limited market for music therapy in Hong Kong.
This document provides an overview of week 2 topics from an economics course for journalists, including supply and demand. It discusses key concepts such as scarcity, opportunity costs, comparative advantage, and how supply and demand determine market prices. Government policies like rent control are also examined. An example writing assignment is given asking students to explain why a dog walker earns more than nurses based on economic concepts from class. Assessment criteria for the assignments focus on correctly applying relevant economic ideas and constructing a logical argument.
This document provides an overview of a course on global financial journalism. It discusses key themes like how everything in today's global financial system is interrelated and how business journalism isn't just about numbers but also about people. It defines what constitutes business news and explains why business journalism is important. The document outlines learning outcomes, assignments students will complete, reading assignments, the assessment process, and the course schedule. The goal is for students to learn to write different types of business news stories and analyze financial documents and events.
The document discusses initial public offerings (IPOs) and the IPO process. It explains that an IPO is the sale of shares in a private company to investors, resulting in the listing of the company on a stock exchange. The IPO process involves several steps, including announcing the intention to list, appointing an underwriter, setting an indicative price range, determining subscription levels, and finalizing the pricing before the company's shares are listed. The document provides details on these various stages to educate about fundamentals of business and financial journalism related to IPOs.
The document discusses mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and initial public offerings (IPOs). It defines different types of M&A transactions like mergers, acquisitions, take privates, and joint ventures. It also outlines the M&A process including initiation, due diligence, shareholder votes, integration, and questions to consider in M&A deals. Additionally, it covers global M&A trends in recent years and methods for valuing transactions.
The document discusses key economic indicators such as GDP, CPI, unemployment rates, and confidence indexes. It explains how governments and central banks use tools like fiscal policy, monetary policy, interest rates, and reserve ratios to influence economic goals of steady growth, low unemployment, and stable prices. Specific indicators covered in depth include CPI, which can have issues due to arbitrary baselines and basket changes over time, and unemployment rates, which don't include discouraged workers.
The banking system channels savings from individuals to borrowers. As financial intermediaries, commercial banks take deposits and make loans. They must keep a portion of deposits as reserves set by the central bank. When the reserve ratio is lower, banks can lend out more, expanding the money supply through the money multiplier effect. Non-bank financial institutions also participate in shadow banking.
This document provides an overview of financial markets for journalists. It discusses the key characteristics of markets, including that they bring together buyers and sellers, allow standardized trading of fungible products by any participant, and make trade information public. The document also summarizes the main types of financial markets like commodities, stocks, bonds and forex, and the participants, price formation processes, and factors that influence prices in these markets.
The document provides an overview of analyzing corporate profit and loss statements. It discusses key components of a P&L statement such as revenue, expenses, profit, earnings per share, and how it shows the path from revenue to net profit. It also discusses interpreting P&L statements, including checking footnotes and understanding the treatment of items like depreciation, subsidiaries versus associates, and minority interests. An example P&L statement is then presented for Hutchison Whampoa Limited to demonstrate these concepts.
The document provides an overview of international trade concepts including absolute advantage, comparative advantage, trade barriers, and trade policies. It discusses how free trade creates winners and losers between importing and exporting countries. Specifically, domestic consumers in importing countries and domestic producers in exporting countries tend to benefit from free trade, while the opposite is true for domestic consumers in exporting countries and domestic producers in importing countries. The document also outlines the effects of tariffs on prices and trade volumes.
PCCW reported a 20% decline in first-half net profit due to lower revenue contribution from its property development unit. Net profit fell to HK$656 million from HK$822 million a year earlier, while revenue declined 2% to HK$11.37 billion, mainly due to smaller contribution from its property development subsidiary. Revenue from PCCW's core telecommunications services rose 11% and from its broadband TV business increased 45%, but it did not offset the decline in property revenue. An analyst said net profit was below expectations due to continued investment in the TV business.
This document provides an overview of government economic policy tools used by central banks and finance ministries. It discusses fiscal policy tools like taxation and government spending and how they can be used to stimulate or contract the economy. It also explains monetary policy tools controlled by central banks, including interest rates, required reserve ratios, and open market operations to influence money supply and achieve goals of steady growth and low inflation. Specific policy examples from the US, UK, Japan, and Europe are also mentioned.
The document discusses key economic goals of governments including full employment, steady annual growth, and stable prices. It then covers concepts of absolute and comparative advantage in determining what goods countries will produce. It provides an overview of common economic indicators used to measure economic performance such as GDP, CPI, unemployment, and money supply. It also discusses important considerations for analyzing and reporting on economic data.
The document provides an overview of key concepts for covering stock markets and shares, including:
- What a share represents in terms of ownership stake and entitlement to profits
- Factors that influence share prices such as supply and demand, the economy, and company earnings
- How share prices reflect market expectations about a company's future performance
- Tools for analyzing stocks such as indexes, sectors, market capitalization, price-earnings ratios, and technical indicators
- Sources of information like brokerage ratings and finding contextual factors behind price movements
This document provides an overview of economics concepts for journalists. It discusses three main types of corporate financial disclosures - profit and loss statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements. When reporting on earnings, journalists should focus on net profit and revenue year-over-year changes. The document also summarizes an article about Hong Kong's Hutchison Whampoa reporting a 12% rise in profits and explains economic growth and business cycles.
The stock market rebounded after earlier losses as concerns eased over European banks' access to funding. French banks reassured markets and investors watched for progress on Europe's debt crisis. Major U.S. stock indices ended higher, led by gains in industrial, materials and tech stocks, as signs pointed to stabilization in the markets.
Hutchison Whampoa reported a 12% rise in net profit to HK$14.17 billion in 2009, despite a 14% drop in revenue to HK$300.55 billion. Gains from property and asset sales offset losses in its energy and 3G businesses. While losses in 3G operations fell 67%, the division is still dragging on earnings. However, results from property completions and asset sales boosted profits.
The document provides an overview of covering company news as a financial journalist. It discusses why companies exist, the differences between private and public companies, and how public corporations function. It also outlines various types of corporate stories to cover, including earnings announcements, new products/business lines, executive changes, initial public offerings, and secondary fundraising. Key details on how to report on these stories such as common questions to ask and elements to include in articles are also reviewed.
This document provides an introduction to economic indicators for journalism students. It defines economic indicators as data used to evaluate the health of an economy. It discusses established indicators like the Consumer Price Index and copper prices. It also categorizes indicators as lagging, coincident, or leading in relation to economic activity. The document advises that good indicators are original, measure important economic activity accurately and consistently, and correlate closely with broader economic measures. It gives some hypothetical alternative indicators as examples from past classes.
This document provides an overview of corporations for journalism students. It discusses why companies exist, the difference between private and public companies, key industries, how public companies function, costs and profit, types of corporate stories to cover, and earnings announcements. The document is from a class on economics for journalists that focuses on reviewing supply and demand, examining the economic efficiency of gifts, and discussing corporations.
The document contains three proposals for small business profiles to cover:
1. A Chinese company called Yage Era Corp. that deletes negative posts and links online for clients and how it navigates regulations in a growing market.
2. A cat cafe in Hong Kong called The Cat Cafe that lost its restaurant license but continues operating as a cooking school with resident cats.
3. A music therapy center in Hong Kong called Pang's Music Therapy Center that offers treatments to both special needs and normal clients, and the growing but limited market for music therapy in Hong Kong.
This document provides an overview of week 2 topics from an economics course for journalists, including supply and demand. It discusses key concepts such as scarcity, opportunity costs, comparative advantage, and how supply and demand determine market prices. Government policies like rent control are also examined. An example writing assignment is given asking students to explain why a dog walker earns more than nurses based on economic concepts from class. Assessment criteria for the assignments focus on correctly applying relevant economic ideas and constructing a logical argument.
This document provides an overview of a course on global financial journalism. It discusses key themes like how everything in today's global financial system is interrelated and how business journalism isn't just about numbers but also about people. It defines what constitutes business news and explains why business journalism is important. The document outlines learning outcomes, assignments students will complete, reading assignments, the assessment process, and the course schedule. The goal is for students to learn to write different types of business news stories and analyze financial documents and events.
The document discusses initial public offerings (IPOs) and the IPO process. It explains that an IPO is the sale of shares in a private company to investors, resulting in the listing of the company on a stock exchange. The IPO process involves several steps, including announcing the intention to list, appointing an underwriter, setting an indicative price range, determining subscription levels, and finalizing the pricing before the company's shares are listed. The document provides details on these various stages to educate about fundamentals of business and financial journalism related to IPOs.
The document discusses mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and initial public offerings (IPOs). It defines different types of M&A transactions like mergers, acquisitions, take privates, and joint ventures. It also outlines the M&A process including initiation, due diligence, shareholder votes, integration, and questions to consider in M&A deals. Additionally, it covers global M&A trends in recent years and methods for valuing transactions.
The document discusses key economic indicators such as GDP, CPI, unemployment rates, and confidence indexes. It explains how governments and central banks use tools like fiscal policy, monetary policy, interest rates, and reserve ratios to influence economic goals of steady growth, low unemployment, and stable prices. Specific indicators covered in depth include CPI, which can have issues due to arbitrary baselines and basket changes over time, and unemployment rates, which don't include discouraged workers.
3. One answer:
“Economics is a study of mankind
in the ordinary business of life.”
- Alfred Marshall, Principals of Economics
Monday, 21 January, 13
4. Another answer...
✤ The study of how people deal with scarcity
✤ Nothing is available in unlimited quantities
✤ This requires making choices, making trade-offs
Monday, 21 January, 13
5. Economic choices
✤ Which product/service to choose?
✤ What other products/services to forego?
✤ Which choice will make us happiest?
✤ Classical economists assume people make these choices rationally
✤ People will act to maximize their well-being
✤ But aren’t always rational (according to behavioral economists)
Monday, 21 January, 13
7. Incentives
✤ People’s choices are affected by incentives
✤ “Half-price!”, “Three for the price of two!”
✤ Smoking indoors – or cursing – could result in a fine
✤ Incentives don’t have to be monetary
✤ Wearing a helmet when riding a motorcycle
✤ Reduces the bodily “cost” of an accident
Monday, 21 January, 13
9. Traffic accident deaths
Helmet law
% of total enacted
accidents 8
6
4
2
0
1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999
Source: Maryland Dept. of Transportation
Monday, 21 January, 13
10. Course topics
✤ How economies function ✤ How banks function
✤ How to measure economies ✤ How companies operate
✤ How governments manage ✤ Some of the major trends in
economies economic thought
✤ Why trade exists, and why it
matters
✤ How markets operate
Monday, 21 January, 13
11. And, most importantly...
✤ How to write about these things as journalists
Monday, 21 January, 13
12. Intended learning outcomes
✤ Understand and explain basic ✤ Understand and explain how the global
macroeconomic concepts to a general trade system works
audience
✤ Understand and explain how financial
✤ Interpret economic data and explain the markets operate
significance to a general readership
✤ Understand and explain how the
✤ Understand and explain the banking system functions
methodology behind a variety of
common economic indicators ✤ Explain how companies function and
ways they compete with each other
✤ Understand and explain the use of
monetary and fiscal policy tools ✤ Understand and explain theories of a
variety of important economic thinkers
Monday, 21 January, 13
15. Recommended texts
✤ Ip, Greg. (2010). The Little Book of Economics: How the Economy Works in
the Real World.
✤ Moss, D. A. (2007). A Concise Guide to Macroeconomics : What Managers,
Executives, and Students Need to Know. Boston, Mass.: Harvard
Business School Press.
Monday, 21 January, 13
16. Assessment Tasks
10%
Final Exam
30%
15%
Writing Assignments
Group Project
Midterm Exam 15%
Class Participation
30%
percentage of final grade
Monday, 21 January, 13
18. Plagiarism
My assignment
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minim veniam, dolor sit amet,
quis nostrud consectetur
exercitation “Yes, we can,” said
adipisicing elit,
ullamco laboris Barack Obama.
sed do
nisi ut aliquip eiusmod
ex ea commodo tempor
consequat. incididunt ut
labore et dolore
Monday, 21 January, 13
19. ...and its consequences
DECEMBER 3, 2009, 6:14 P.M. ET
Notice to Readers
A Nov. 10 "New Global Indian" online column by New York City freelance writer Mona
Sarika has been found to contain information that was plagiarized from several
publications, including the Washington Post, Little India, India Today and San
Francisco magazine. In the column, "Homeward Bound," about H-1B visa holders
returning to India, Ms. Sarika also re-used direct quotes from other publications,
without attribution, and changed the original speakers' names to individuals who
appear to be fabricated. The column is the only work by Ms. Sarika to be published by
the Journal, and it has been removed from the Journal's Web sites.
Monday, 21 January, 13
20. Assignment for Jan. 28
✤ Read course syllabus (on course blog)
✤ Set up RSS reader with feeds from course blog and news sites
✤ Begin daily reading
✤ Write an “economic diary” and upload to course blog by 3:30pm Jan.
28
✤ Details on course blog
Monday, 21 January, 13