Bryn's AS Economics Blog

Sunday, November 30, 2014

The electric bus; a solution to market failure?

Could be if this experiment in Brazil works out
http://bcove.me/0q2d50ad

Mining in Burkino Faso; a case of market failure

This depressing clip shows a clear example of market failure and the need for government intervention

http://bcove.me/a7g555pz

Free child flu vaccine; a policy to overcome market failure associated with a merit good

Is flu vaccine a merit good? Quite possibly given the roll-out of this government policy

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-30241903#
This clip shows the reasons why the vaccine is required http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-29502296

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Cross elasticity of demand: Fuel and donkeys in Iran

Great example from the BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-30051970

Sunday, November 16, 2014

What fine should you get for littering?

£500 for a Pringles lid? So reports the BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-29949175

Successful information provision by governments to reduce market failure: Drink driving public information films

From the BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-29948187 and http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-29936901

Positive and negative externalities from the Jakarta sea wall

Great clip from the BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30030189#

Why governments tax fuel: Price Elasticity of Demand in action

Nice story from Australia from the BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-29983483#

Should we allow the advertising of e-cigarettes?

Intersting clip from Sky

http://news.sky.com/story/1370246/e-cigs-put-smoking-back-on-tv-after-49-years

Is there information failure? Will there be positive or negative externalities when they are consumed?

Perfect competition presentation

A comprehensive explanation from Mo Tanweer

http://motanweer.mediacore.tv/media/perfect-competition-2014

How competitive is the UK supermarket market?

Great data from economicshelp

http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/11947/economics/market-share-in-uk-supermarkets/

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Unit 2: The problems of deflation

Thanks to economicshelp for this summary

http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/978/economics/definition-of-deflation/

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Unit 1: Should we ban more public smoking?

That's the proposal for London, reports the BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-29625451# and

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-29633045#

Unit 1: Should we regulate against fast food outlets near schools?

Interesting clip from the BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-29637971#

Unit 1: Elasticity revision video

.... produced by students. I don't think I could have done beter myself!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yBqJqdPCFE#t=193

Saturday, October 11, 2014

Unit 1: The price of milk

Loads of stuff on S&D in this BBC interview
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-29502499#

Unit 1: Pre-loading and negative externalities

....reports the BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-29454768#

Unit 1: Plain packets for cigarettes in France

That bastion of smoking introduces regulations on packaging, reports the BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-29373283#

Unit 2: The money supply and inflation

Thanks to economicshelp for this post
http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/5278/inflation/m4-money-supply-and-inflation/

Unit 2: Economic growth

Thanks to economicshelp for this data packed post
http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/5843/economics/economic-growth-stats-2/

Unit 2: The UK budget deficit

Thanks to economicshelp for this post
http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/5922/economics/uk-budget-deficit-2/

Unit 2: Monetary policy and the exchange rate

Thanks to economicshelp for this great post
http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/11550/currency/money-supply-and-the-exchange-rate/

Unit 1: Supply and demand criss cross

Thanks to tutor2u for this
http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/economics/comments/make-your-students-happy-test-their-demand-and-supply-knowledge-with-this-5?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+economics_news+%28tutor2u+Economics+Blog%29#When:11:49:00Z

Unit 1: Allocative efficiency; the continuing change on the high street

Thanks to sky for this report
http://news.sky.com/story/1349807/high-street-decline-continues-with-shop-closures

Unit 2: What's measured in GDP

More than used to be the case as previously unrecorded drugs and prostitution output has been added reports Sky
http://news.sky.com/story/1344953/drugs-and-prostitutes-boost-economy-by-12-3bn

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Unit 1: Positive and negative externalities from the Kenyan flower industry

Nice clip from the BBC raising many issues regarding Africa growing flowers for Europe

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-29276515#

Unit 1: Demand and supply of loom bands

Thanks to tutor2u for this activity

http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/economics/comments/loom-bands-a-demand-and-supply-example-and-activity

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Unit 1: Negative externalities from converting a mill

A pretty clear case of negative externalities in Hampshire reports the BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-29209283#

Unit 1: How do you combat market failure in the food market from excessive sugar?

Some ideas from a BBC clip

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-29221018#

Unit 1: Are London fireworks a public good?

Debatable, according to this tutor2u post

http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/economics/comments/are-fireworks-in-london-a-public-good?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+economics_news+%28tutor2u+Economics+Blog%29#When:13:20:00Z

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Unit 1: The economic problem: Who gets the goods produced

An interesting solution to scarce resources in Venezuela; fingerprinting(!) reports the BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-28893383#

Unit 1: Welsh assembly plan to stop smoking in cars

.If you have a child in the car, a £50 fine reports BBC Wales
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-29169124#

Unit 2: EU unemployment

Thanks to economicshelp for this
http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/1247/economics/european-unemployment-2/

Unit 2: Why is the AD curve downward sloping?

Thanks to economicshelp for this
http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/11437/economics/why-is-the-aggregate-demand-ad-curve-downward-sloping/

Unit 2: Exchange rates

Thanks to economicshelp for this explanation
http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/11422/economics/real-effective-exchange-rate/

Unit 2: The effect of contractionary fiscal policy in Japan

As you would expect, reports Sky
http://news.sky.com/story/1331936/japans-economy-dips-as-new-sales-tax-bites

Unit 2: A more accurate measure of output? Drugs and prostitution boost GDP

So reports Sky

http://news.sky.com/story/1329351/uk-economy-boosted-by-wider-contributions
and the BBC audio http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-29042385#

Saturday, September 06, 2014

Unit 1: e-cigarettes; are they a case of market failure requiring government intervention?

This appears not be clear cut with a lack of data on this new product market on long term health effects. This BBC clip may start you thinking

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-28983713# and Sky http://news.sky.com/story/1324805/call-for-e-cigarettes-to-be-banned-indoors.
This might alter your views!
http://news.sky.com/story/1330462/report-e-cigarettes-could-save-thousands

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Cost Benefit Analysis: Swansea lagoon

Thanks to tutor2u for pulling together these resources

http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/economics/comments/cost-benefit-analysis-swansea-tidal-lagoon?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+economics_news+%28tutor2u+Economics+Blog%29#When:08:17:00Z

Unit 2: What determines the level of interest rates?

An interesting article from the Guardian

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/aug/17/interest-rates-go-up-five-points-bank-of-england-decide

Friday, August 15, 2014

Unit 2: Supply side policies to tackle youth unemployment in Kenya

This Aljazeera video shows a small supply side policy; low interest loans from government

http://bcove.me/bnt3wne8

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Unit 1: Should we have warning labels on alcohol bottles?

An interesting topic for evaluation which could start with this BBC clip

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-28736758#

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Unit 2: How good a measure of growth is GDP

Nice summary from the BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-28324971

Unit 1: Rising demand for Steinway pianos in China

Rising incomes seems to be the main, but not the sole reason reports the BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-28578541#

Unit 1: Aspirin: Am I suffering from information failure?

Is there under consumption of aspirin in the free market? It appears there might be according to this BBC report

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-28670584

Unit 1: Public and private goods: The farmer's road

Nice story from tutor2u

http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/economics/comments/public-and-private-goods-farmer-opens-a-toll-road?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+economics_news+%28tutor2u+Economics+Blog%29#When:14:55:00Z

Unit 1: The economic problem: Unlimited wants in health care

NICE's decision not to finance a new cancer drug highlights the basic economic problem

http://news.sky.com/story/1315056/breast-cancer-drug-too-expensive-for-nhs
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-28701630#

Unit 1: Diesel tax: Making the polluter pay?

An interesting proposal for London to try and reduce air pollution

http://news.sky.com/story/1309480/dirty-diesel-drivers-face-new-tax-in-cities

Monday, July 07, 2014

Unit 2: The Glastonbury multiplier effect

Nice clip from the BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-28089558#

Unit 1: Should we just ban smoking?

This BBC short debate might help you make up your mind

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-28088830#

Unit 1: Should we have a tax on fizzy drinks?

Nice clip from BBC Wales

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-28144856#

Monday, June 30, 2014

Unit 2: Income equality; the effects of taxes and benefits

Good data source from the guardian

http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2014/jun/26/is-wealth-being-distributed-fairly-through-benefits-and-taxation

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Unit 1: The opportunity cost of watching Gangnam style

Thanks to tutor2u for this

http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/economics/comments/what-gangnam-style-represents-in-opportunity-cost-terms

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Unit 1: Substitution of factors of production

From labour to capital in Singapore reports the BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-27932240#

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Unit 1: Information failure in the statins market

I'm 56 so should I see my Doc to be put on statins? This BBC clip is a classic example of information failure because if the doctors don't agree, how should I decide?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-27790483#