Macroeconomic

BEN 9601 - Online Assignment (B): Country Report [individual]

Please use online economic publications in your assigned country, and evaluate the information and arguments presented in it.

Your discussions will focus on three perspectives: first, an analysis of the economic issues of most importance to a particular country; second, a set of recommendations to the government of that country in regard to macroeconomic policies; third, an evaluation of the investment potential in that particular country, which involves an evaluation of long-term economic aspects. Please indicate the key issues currently facing the nation.

The maximum word count is 1000 words. This submission will be the basis for 10% of the course grade [50% of the online assignment]. A country report sample can be found on the Blackboard [sample_country_report.pdf]

It is helpful to include a small box of summary statistics, such as the following:

2006 2009 2011 Real GDP growth, % 6.89 -4.82 8.49 GDP per capita, US$ 7687 8553 10498 Inflation, annual avg % 10.51 6.25 6.47 Unemployment, % 10.19 14 11.9 Current acct balance, US$, Billion

-32.2 -13.3 -76.9

Current acct balance as % of GDP

-6.07 -2.18 -9.95

Deposit Interest Rate % 21.65 17.65 - Foreign exchange rate, US$

1.42 1.54 1.67

Fiscal deficit/surplus as % of GDP

1.90 -5.55 -

Fiscal debt as % of GDP 51.50 51.45 -

Submission instructions:

- Include country, date, and your name(s) at the top of the first page. - Word count: 1000 - Please submit your report as an MS-Word file to me at

[email protected] - Due April. 11, 2017

Students are expected to work on this assignment during the following class hours:

Mar 21, Mar 28, Apr 4, Apr 11. [No lectures]

Evaluation Criteria:

Analysis of the economic issues – 2.5 Marks

Recommendations to government - 2.5 Marks

Evaluation of the investment potential – 2.5 Marks

Writing – 2.5 Marks

Rubric:

Sophisticated Competent Needs Work

Soundness and accuracy of analysis (2.5 Max)

Multiple issues are addressed and positions taken are supported by strong arguments. 4-5 pts

One or more issues are addressed and positions taken are reasonably supported by arguments. 2-3 pts

A failure to address at least one of the issues. An issue or issues addressed were not supported reasonably. 0- 1 pts

Effectiveness of recommendation to government based on economic theories and practices (2.5 Max)

Correct and highly detailed application economic theories to strongly support the position taken on at least two issues pertinent to the country. 4-5 pts

Mostly correct and reasonably detailed application of economic theories to strongly support at least one of the listed issues pertinent to the country. 2-3 pts

Incorrect application or interpretation of economic theory, or failure to include any economic theory pertinent to the issue(s) selected. 0-1 pts

Forming a coherent paper and evaluation based on the analysis of the country (2.5 Max)

Evaluation is clearly stated and connections to the country and position are clear, explicit, and relevant. The underlying logic is explicit. 4-5 pts

Evaluation is clearly stated and connections to country and position are mostly clear, some aspects may not be connected or minor errors in logic are present. 2-3 pts

Evaluation may not be clear and the connections to the country are incorrect or unclear or just a repetition of the findings without explanation. Underlying logic has major flaws; connection to position is not clear. 0-1 pts

Writing (2.5 Max)

Paper is coherently organized and the logic is easy to follow. There are no spelling or grammatical errors and terminology is clearly defined. Writing is clear and

Paper is generally well organized and most of the argument is easy to follow. There are only a few minor spelling or grammatical errors, or terms are not clearly defined. Writing is mostly clear

Paper is poorly organized and difficult to read – does not flow logically from one part to another. There are several spelling and/or grammatical errors; technical terms may not be defined or are poorly

concise and persuasive. 4-5 pts

but may lack conciseness. 2-3 pts

defined. Writing lacks clarity and conciseness. 0-1 pts

Assigned Countries

Alayyar Abdulaziz China Alnakhli Badur U.S.A. Bhatia Vineet Italy Conlon Nicholas Japan Dominguez David Kuwait Hiemstra Ryan Brazil Lishman Robert Germany Mainoo Nana Russia Mustafa Mustafa Luxemburg Prytula Michael Syria Ryzhkov Ilya Saudi Arabia Terrell Sean Venezuela Wright Steven South Korea