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ECONOMICS ASSIGNMENT
Standard 12.2.3 : Discuss the effects of changes in supply and / or demand on the relative scarcity. price and quantity of particular products
Standard 12.4.3: Discuss wage differences among jobs and professions, using the laws of demand and supply and the concept of productivity.
ECONOMICS: Compare and Contrast Paper
How is the structure, organization, management and products of a standard American corporation similar to and different from a drug gang in Chicago?
ASSIGNMENT: Compare and contrast the economic structure of a drug gang to a traditional corporate structure (in this case, McDonalds) using specific details and examples.
Materials will also be posted to my website, including the actual college thesis paper of Levitt and Venkatesh
Materials: 1) Freakonomics excerpt: Why do Drug Dealers Still Live with
Their Moms? Pages 89 – 114
2) Levitt and Venkatesh thesis paper: An Economic Analysis of a
Drug –Selling Gangs Finances
(on my website) The abstract is quite interesting
3) Movie clips: Super Size Me (you can find many of these clips on
www.youtube.com) or you can rent the movie.
4) Websites
Points to consider when comparing and contrasting these two organizations and products:
1) As you read the excerpt from Freakonomics, watch Super Size Me and visit websites, think about the similarities and differences in the “products” being offered. Obviously one is illegal and one is legal, but what are the similarities as well?
2) Who is in charge of each organization and how is each organization structured?
3) To what extent is consumer choice a factor in the consumption of both products?
4) Who works for each organization, from the top echelons of each group to the lowest paid employees? It may be helpful to create a T chart to keep straight the different levels of employees in the Black Disciples versus McDonalds.
a) race
b) class
5) Geographical range of organizations
6) Effects: economic, social (community, family), physical (health) and psychological (Investigate “social responsibility as seen by the Black Disciples and McDonalds)
7) symbols, slogans, signs
8) Your own categories you create
Paper requirements
1) Thesis: A point of view that can be debated
2) Evidence to support your thesis: facts, details
3) At least 5 pages: front only, neatly written on every other line
4) If typed, 12 point font in Times New Roman style, double-spaced four pages, 1 inch margins.
5) APA references page and internal citations
Ex internal citations:
(Dubner & Levitt, 2005) cite the year only the first time
(Dubner & Levitt) citation after the first one
(Dubner & Levitt, p. 95) if you are directly quoting from the text, include the page number the quite can be found on.
6) AVOID excessively quoting from the reading, even though it has many interesting passages. Quote only briefly to emphasize a point that you have proved with facts and details.
Websites
Black Disciples Gang
http://chicagogangs.org/index.php?pr=BDN
Mc Donald’s websites
http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd CORPORATE WEBSITE
MC DONALD’S CORPORATE STRUCTURE AND DIVISIONS
http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/investors/corporate_governance.html
.
http://www.mcdonalds.com/ CONSUMER WEBSITE
Articles about McDonalds
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-80099775.html
Fast food facts from Super Size Me
http://www.vivavegie.org/101book/text/nolink/social/supersizeme.htm