Category: Essentials of Economics: Ch 15
Microfinance is a topic we have addressed before in these news items and we make no apologies for returning to it again. The articles linked to below include an interview in the Guardian with Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel prize-winning founder of the Grameen Bank which is credited with lifting millions out of poverty with small loans – microfinance. There is also a podcast from Mervyn Davies the Chairman of Standard Chartered Bank Plc.
Microfinance and financial inclusion Times Online podcast (18/0/07)
Microfinance and financial inclusion (transcript for podcast) Times Online (18/0/07)
What’s the big idea? Guardian (16/2/08)
Questions
| 1. |
Explain what is meant by ‘microfinancing’. |
| 2. |
Discuss the likely effectiveness of microfinancing as a tool for promoting economic development (as opposed to economic growth). |
| 3. |
Evaluate two policies other than microfinancing that will help to promote economic development. |
The fall in the dollar has continued with the value of sterling rising above $2.10 for the first time in 26 years. The articles below look at a range of issues related to the strong pound and there are also case studies of the impact on a guitar strings company and the manufacturer JCB.
Questions
| 1. |
Identify the main factors that have caused the fall in the value of the dollar. Use supply and demand to illustrate your answer as appropriate. |
| 2. |
Assess the impact of the strong pound on UK exporters and importers. |
| 3. |
Discuss whether intervention in the foreign exchange market may be appropriate to help UK exporters to remain more competitive in world markets. |
The article linked to below from the Guardian by Larry Elliott argues that there are significant global imbalances in the world economy and that the IMF has to an extent ignored these imbalances. He argues that the sub-prime mortgage crisis, exchange rate movements and the rapid rise in oil prices are creating significant problems for the world economy.
Questions
| 1. |
Explain the main global imbalances identified by Larry Elliott in the article. |
| 2. |
Analyse the likely impact of these imbalances on the global level of economic growth. |
| 3. |
Explain the statement in the article: “Like many other countries in the region, the lesson China learned from the Asian financial crisis of 1997 was that it needed to build up a war chest of foreign exchange reserves that could be deployed in the event of a speculative attack.” |
In complete contrast to the holidaying habits of the Blair family, Gordon Brown chose to take his holiday this year in Weymouth on the Dorset Coast. Is he setting us a good example? Should we all be holidaying at home to support the UK economy? In the article below, David Smith looks at the impact of holidaying abroad on the UK balance of payments.
Holiday at home and do your bit for Blighty Times Online (26/8/07)
Questions
| 1. |
Examine the impact of growing overseas travel on the UK balance of payments. |
| 2. |
Assess the impact of a reduced tourism deficit on the rest of the UK economy. |
| 3. |
Discuss policies that the government could adopt to help encourage a reduction in the balance of payments deficit on tourism. |
The article below from the BBC website looks at the issue of microfinance – the provision of very small loans as a form of development assistance to help people in developing countries to support themselves and develop their businesses.
Small loans to women make big changes BBC News Online (21/8/07)
Questions
| 1. |
Explain what is meant by microfinancing. |
| 2. |
Examine the reasons why microfinancing is considered more effective at promoting economic development (as opposed to economic growth). |
| 3. |
Assess the extent to which microfinancing could help in other developing countries to promote economic development. |