CIA CONCEPT NOTE FYBMS Microeconomics Sem 2 2021 CMS0204

AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF XXXXXX (the chosen commodity)

1. This is the assignment for CIA 1 and 2 for Economics. It is for 40 marks. The
handing in date of this 3000 words essay (in the PDF), through an email to
agnelo.menezes@xaviers.edu, in the intervening midnight between Saturday, 10th
April, 2021 and Sunday, 11th April, 2021. The ideation, layout and format involved
in this assignment are described below.

2. OBJECTIVES: This assignment is meant to get the student to:

2.1. Understand various microeconomic concepts as they unfold in real time.
2.2. Engage with a commodity (good / service) through which the dynamics
mentioned in the above point can be observed, analyzed and subsequently
described via textual articulation and inferences through numerical data.
2.3. Identify a typical Company that deals with this commodity and show how
the various economic aspects posited in the above point are enacted in the
operations of the chosen Company.

3. ACTIVITIES: Students are required to:

3.1. Track the backend and frontend pathways of a commodity.
3.2. Engage with the manufacturing as well as the marketing of the said product.
3.3. Delve into the various policies (public and private) connected with the said
commodity.

4. LAYOUT: The following is the framework of the assignment:

4.1. COMMODITY’S GENESIS: (4 marks; length: 10 % of the full essay)
4.1.1. When: initiation into human consumption
4.1.2. Where: location of this commodity’s entry into the human
consumption basket
4.1.3. Why: triggers that led to its emergence into the human consumption
4.1.4. Universalization: reasons that caused its consumption proliferating to
other parts of the world.

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4.2. COMMODITY’S BACKEND PATHWAY (= MANUFACTURING):
(8 marks; length: 25 % of the full essay)
4.2.1. Main inputs and their sources, technology involved (then and now),
usual scale of production, existence of the outsourcing possibilities
(Fordism versus Post-Fordism).
4.2.2. Financial requirement of as well as this firm’s access status to credit.
4.2.3. Basic infrastructure and personnel requirements for this commodity.
4.2.4. Evolution of the commodity (cosmetically, technically = version-
wise, its existential status – ‘sun-rise’, ‘mid-day sun’, ‘sun-set’,
evergreen standing vis-à-vis current consumption baskets).
4.2.5. The major producers (domestic – government / private and foreign),
status of commercial rivalry.
4.2.6. Government policies connected to the production of this commodity;
impact of WTO’s diktats and / or globalization and / or cultural /
political pressures on the said commodity.

4.3. COMMODITY’S FRONTEND PATHWAY (= MARKETING):

(8 marks; length: 25 % of the full essay)
4.3.1. Main outlets
4.3.2. Margins offered to the seller
4.3.3. Placement of the said commodity on display shelves
4.3.4. Promotional efforts for the said commodity per se as well as the décor
of the sales outlets
4.3.5. Services offered (pre-sales, on-sales and post-sales)
4.3.6. Involvement of e-commerce modes
4.3.7. Government policies connected to the sales of the said commodity
4.3.8. Type of sales spaces (domestic – local, regional and national as well
as foreign markets), fakes (counterfeits).
4.3.9. Impact of globalization on the sales of this good.
4.3.10. Usual type of consumers (income-wise, area-wise, occupation-wise)

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5. ANALYSING A TYPICAL COMPANY THAT DEALS WITH THIS
COMMODITY: (15 marks; length: 40 % of the full essay)
5.1. Identify a company that produces this commodity
5.2. For how long has this company been dealing with this commodity
5.3. Technological engagement of this firm since its inception
5.4. This company’s production scale
5.5. Market share of this company
5.6. Promotional activities and expenditures of this company
5.7. Policies that this company encounters.
5.8. Future of this company with respect to this commodity.
5.9. The Profit-Loss status of the Company
5.10. Basic infrastructure and personnel requirements
5.11. Evolution of the commodity from the company’s perspective.
5.12. The major rival producers (domestic – government / private and foreign)
5.13. The Company’s experiences with Government policies connected to the
production of this commodity; impact of WTO’s diktats and / or
globalization and / or cultural / political pressures on the said commodity.

6. LESSONS LEARNED (SWOC): (5 marks; At least 10 points)

7. GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:
7.1. Not more than 3000 words (excluding Lessons Learned, Bibliography and
Appendix).
7.2. A Bibliography is expected with appropriate citations through the text.
7.3. The Appendix (if it exists) must be connected to the main body of the essay.
7.4. All citation will be in the APA format.
7.5. Page size: A4; full justification; Times New Roman, Font Size 12, Margins
of 1 inch Top, Right and Bottom and 1.5 on Left ; Pagination is
compulsory; Line spacing 1.5
7.6. Please ensure that the correct UID is written on the project’s cover page.
7.7. In subject of email: write ONLY UID and COMMODITY’s NAME
7.8. Projects that are without proper UID Number will not be assessed at all.
7.9. The handing in date: intervening midnight between Saturday, 10th April,
2021 and Sunday, 11th April, 2021.
7.10. Late Projects will lose 0.5 marks per delayed date.

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