responding to peers

I need support with this Economics question so I can learn better.

Reply to at least 2 of your classmates’ initial posts

• Read the instructions for Assignment 1 and choose your overseas country from the list provided
• State the target overseas country you have chosen and explain why this country interests you
• Briefly describe the product or service provided by your organization (or an organization that is of interest) that you will analyze in this course
• Using any of the G, U, or I indicators, select two indicators and explain how these relate to your chosen target country’s economic health

peer #1

State the target overseas country you have chosen and explain why this country interests you

South Africa is an excellent overseas destination for the Verizon Business Markets (VBM). The organization (VBM) is a subdivision of the American-based telecommunication multinational, Verizon Communications Inc. Verizon Business Markets is a product of the amalgamation of several enterprises and small business units formerly serving independently but under the Verizon umbrella. Several factors make South Africa an ideal investment target for VBM. The country (South Africa) is one of the leading economic hubs on the African continent. Conducting business in South Africa provides an organization the opportunity to access the Southern, Central, and Eastern Africa segments, according to the African Development Bank Group (2019). South Africa also fares well economically relative to many other states in the continent. The calming political and social environment also makes the destination worthwhile. The fact that Verizon Communication Inc., VBM’s mother organization, also has well-established roots in the nation, too, proves the suitability of the country. Going to South Africa further gives VBM an opportune chance to be part of the new frontier, Africa’s development, in the global economy World Bank (2018).

Briefly describe the product or service provided by your organization (or an organization that is of interest) that you will analyze in this course

Verizon Business Markets (VBM) is an Information Technology organization. The entity leverages the mounting facet of technology, as well as big data applications, particularly to the government and business segments. VBM’s primary focus is, therefore, to establish steadfast IT frame and schemes for the IT and telecommunication clients. The entity serves both the government and the public with technological solutions such as FiOS (broadband, television, and voice service), ground-breaking voice resolutions, achieved IT services, and data security, and IP networking, among other services. Federal, local, state, healthcare, education, and utilities’ establishments form VBM’s primary customers (Federal Communications Commission, 2011).

Using any of the G, U, or I indicators, select two indicators and explain how these relate to your chosen target country’s economic health

GDP & Growth (G), as well as, Inflation & Interest Rates (I) constitute two noteworthy indicators for the selection of South Africa as a potential destination for VBM. The country’s GDP was $366.30 billion in 2018. GDP in South Africa assumes a growing trend from 2016 to date, 295.75 for 2016, 348.87 for 2017, and 366.30 for 2018 (Trading Economics, 2020). The technology sector contributes about 1% of the GDP and the nation’s GDP is forecasted to rise by 1.3% by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (2019). The inflation of the country, as of 2019 was 3.6 percent, from 4.5 percent in 2018. The fall in food and transport prices is the cause of the fall in inflation. Consumers in the state can now spend more money on other aspects such as investments and education, hence a great opportunity for VBM to fare well.

References

Africa Development Bank Group. (2019). Southern Africa Economic Outlook 2019. Retrieved from https://www.afdb.org/fileadmin/uploads/afdb/Documents/Publications/2019AEO/REO_2019_-_Southern_africa.pdf

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2019). South Africa. Retrieved from https://data.oecd.org/south-africa.htm

Trading Economics. (2020). Retrieved from https://tradingeconomics.com/south-africa/gdp

World Bank. (2018). South Africa Economic Update. Retrieved from http://pubdocs.worldbank.org/en/798731523331698204/South-Africa-Economic-Update-April-2018.pdf

peer # 2

• Read the instructions for Assignment 1 and choose your overseas country from the list provided.
  • United Kingdom

• State the target overseas country you have chosen and explain why this country interests you
  • I have chosen the United Kingdom as my country of choice because like the United States, they have a veteran population that has either been wounded, ill or injured and have service members that are deployed to the same areas as American troops. The United Kingdom is also going through a period of economic transition with BREXIT and resources to support their wounded, Ill and Injured service members may be in need. This would be a great opportunity to continue strengthening our allegiance with the UK while providing services that will benefit their active-duty population.

• Briefly describe the product or service provided by your organization (or an organization that is of interest) that you will analyze in this course
  • The Navy Wounded Warrior Program was established in 2007 by congressional mandate to provide non-medical services to the wounded, Ill and Injured. I have included the mission and vision for further clarification.

Mission

Navy Wounded Warrior is the Navy’s sole organization for coordinating the non-medical care of seriously wounded, ill and injured Sailors and Coast Guardsmen, and providing resources and support for their families. Through proactive leadership, the program provides individually-tailored assistance designed to optimize the success of the wounded warriors’ recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration activities.

Vision

Navy Wounded Warrior will be recognized as the gold standard of care for the world-class support it provides each and every enrolled Sailor and Coast Guardsman, as well as their families.

• Using any of the G, U, or I indicators, select two indicators and explain how these relate to your chosen target country’s economic health
  • For purposes of this assignment I will be using the GDP & Growth (G) and Unemployment and Utilization (U) sections to describe why a program similar to the Navy Wounded Warrior Program would be a valuable resource and an asset not only to the government but more specifically to those service members in need of assistance. In 2019, the UK economy rebounded to 0.4% in Q3 from -0.2% in the previous quarter. This was indicated by trade and household consumption feeding into the economy. The unemployment rate came in at 3.8% below the forecasted 3.9%. There were 23,000 fewer people out of work, however, the number of those employed also dropped by 53,000. These indicators may contribute to the need for support services especially in the veteran population to include their family members. Although difficult to ascertain at the moment, the United States is the only country with a robust infrastructure designed to take care of their wounded, Ill and Injured. This infrastructure does not exist in the same scale in the United Kingdom which has a smaller veteran population and smaller GDP per capita.

References:

1. Assignment 1 Instructions: GUIDES
2. TRADING ECONOMICS: 20 million INDICATORS FROM 196 COUNTRIES. (n.d.). Retrieved January 15, 2020, from https://tradingeconomics.com/
3. JWI515 Lecture Notes, Week 2