Archive for the ‘Market structure’ Category
Link: http://www.marketplace.org/topics/sustainability/boom-and-bust-story-crop-called-guar
Summary: Guar is a small bean, and it had a recent rise and fall in the marketplace. Besides being an additive to thicken many foods, it’s also used in fracking. When fracking took off, the price of guar rose. As the price increased, Texas farmers started growing a lot of it, until Pakistan and India–which grow 98% of the guar combined–caught up to the demand. As a result, oil companies stopped hoarding it, and the prices dropped. The Texas farmers were left without buyers, and caused a chain reaction of bankruptcy.
Original Air Date: October 9, 2014
Length: 2 minutes 47 seconds
Link: http://www.marketplace.org/topics/sustainability/what-could-slow-uss-surging-oil-output-low-prices
Summary: The oil the United States has been pumping has been getting less and less profitable. In North America, oil comes from fracking shale, and after the first initial output, oil companies have to drill deeper and deeper to get to the oil, causing it to be more expensive to access. However, the price of oil is dropping worldwide, and that could mean that the United States could be out of the oil industry, simply because it costs too much to produce.
Original Air Date: October 10, 2014
Length: 2 minutes
Link: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/08/26/343403757/high-prices-arent-scaring-consumers-away-from-the-meat-counter
Summary: A discussion of the factors impacting supply and demand of pork. Includes consideration of behavior of retailers and consumers in respond to changes in the market. Considers influences and impacts of related goods.
Original Air Date: August 26, 2014
Length: 4 minutes 22 seconds
Discussion Prompt: In this podcast, what factors are driving the increase in the price of meat? How does this relate to supply/demand factors that we are studying? Can you give two specific examples of other factors of demand or supply that might impact the price of meat? For each example, name the ‘factor of demand/supply’ and give a specific example.
Follow-up Prompt: Review the posts of your peers, comment on the accuracy of their suggestions and try to add more examples and expand on their ideas.
Link: http://www.econtalk.org/archives/2014/06/gregory_zuckerm.html
Summary: Russ Roberts, host of Econtalk, interviews Gregory Zuckerman, author of The Frackers: The Outrageous Inside Story of the New Billionaire Wildcatters about the rise of the hydraulic fracturing, its developmental stages and the eventual energy revolution.
Original Air Date: June 26, 2014
Length: 61 min
Link: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/12/13/250747279/episode-503-adding-up-the-cost-of-the-planet-money-t-shirt
Summary: A detailed review of the costs that went into producing the Planet Money t-shirt.
Original Air Date: December 13, 2013
Length: 21 min
Link: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012/12/13/167055503/why-legos-are-so-expensive-and-so-popular
Summary: Why are Legos so popular? How has this toy-construction behemoth survived and out-strategized competitors even after their 1989 patent expiration?
Original Air Date: December 13, 2012
Length: 5 min
Link: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/07/12/200906903/will-a-health-insurer-sponsor-the-next-jackass-movie
Summary: As the health insurance market prepares for the changes brought about by implementation of Affordable Care Act, this podcast considers how insurance companies might begin to target their new consumers. Considers marketing and branding strategies as well as how insurers might think about using incentive schemes to retain customers.
Length: 4:04 min
Original air date: July 12, 2013
Link: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/08/09/210550830/episode-478-rocky-pipkin-private-eye-vs-the-raisin-outlaw
Summary: Describes the raisin industry in the United States and how historic events resulted in a government sanctioned raisin cartel. Includes discussion of one producer breaking from the cartel, efforts by the cartel to enforce its collective actions, and other political and economic impacts of this defection.
Length: 21:51 min
Original air date: August 9, 2013
Link: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4722627&ft=1&f=
Summary: Discusses case between Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Intel over Intel’s alleged coercive behavior in the market for computer chips. Intel has market dominance in the computer processor market.
Length: 1:58 min
Original air date: June 29, 2005
Link: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1788989&ft=1&f=
Summary: Discusses European Commission’s decision to fine Microsoft for monopolistic practices. The Commission found that Microsoft abused its dominance of the market to force consumers to use their Media Player software.
Length: 3:20 min
Original air date: March 24, 2004
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