BBC news (www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11408228)
U.S. new home sales in August among worst on record
After reading the article I found out that the housing market is still very far from making a full recovery. New home sales are at record lows even though the construction of new homes is rising slightly. This struggle in sales is due to high unemployment, tight credit, and consumer uncertainty about the direction our economy is heading. Previously owned homes aren't doing that any better, with sales being at the lowest point since 1997. I was shocked after reading this article because I was under the impression that our economy was on the rise. Yet with the housing market at record lows, it's hard to imagine that our overall economy is doing any better.
Denver Post (www.denverpost.com/business/ci_15775230)
Buying an automobile with large percentage of domestic content a good way to boost the U.S. economy
When buying a new car, it is important to do your research regarding the domestic content as well as the location of final assembly. By purchasing a car with a high percentage of U.S. involvement, a consumer is helping the economy make a recovery. Buying domestic cars creates tons of jobs for Americans and strengthens our industrial base. Also, the quality of American made cars is better than ever so the consumer isn't sacrificing quality in order to support our economy. I found it interesting that there is much more to consider than just gas mileage and quality when purchasing a car.
Business Week (www.businessweek.com/news/2010-09-25/obama-s-stimulus-plan-made-crisis-worse-taleb-says.html)
Obama's Stimulus Plan Made Crisis Worse, Taleb Says
According to Taleb, Obama's actions that he has taken to help our economy have actually made the situation much worse. The Stimulus Plan was the wrong way to approach the current economic crisis Taleb says. Instead of attempting to promote domestic growth, Obama should have focused on paying down our massive amount of federal debt. Up to this point, our federal debt has increased substantially and unemployment has gotten worse. It was interesting to read an article that was so opinionated regarding Obama's agenda. I found it interesting that Taleb suggested paying off the national debt prior to strengthening our home front.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Concentration Paper
Part 1
1. I chose CSU for two main reasons. I knew that I wanted to stay in state because of the substantially lower tuition rate compared to some of the out of state schools that I was looking at. Once I had narrowed my college search down to Colorado schools, I began looking at the business programs offered at each school and found that CSU was the best in the state.
2. I chose business as a major because I enjoy learning about how and why money exchanges hands within our economy. I also believe that having a solid understanding of finance is a practical skill to have, regardless of what you end of doing for a job. Therefore, it made sense to major in something where the skills I gained would be beneficial both at home as well as at work.
3. I knew Sean Bull from high school. I have met a few other people so far, but Sean is the only one that I knew going into the class.
4. Within the college of business, I know you and Kathy Thornhill (my advisor).
5. No, I am not interested in studying abroad in the future. While it may offer a life changing experience to those who participate in it, I feel as though I would gain the most from my four years at CSU if I spend all of them studying in Fort Collins. I love living in this city so far and this connection can only grow as I progress throughout college.
6. Business Week - Have heard of it but don't read it
Fortune - Have heard of it but don't read it
Forbes -Have heard of it but don't read it
The Economist - Have not heard of it
BBC - Have not heard of it
Denver Post - Read it each day
Forbes Small Business - Have not heard of it
Wall Street Journal - Have heard of it but don't read it
7. I want to know what kind of jobs are offered to a graduate from each different concentration. I am leaning towards a finance concentration, but I feel as though it would be helpful to have a solid understanding of all of the concentrations prior to making a final decision. I also would like to know how to balance my time better so that I can be a successful college student.
Part 2
1. My strengths include being outgoing, a hard worker, patient, and driven. I feel as though I am a decently well rounded individual who has the ability to accomplish anything that I set my mind to. I typically strive to do my best in every aspect of my daily life. Whether it be doing my homework or working out, I see to it that I do every task to the best of my ability. Some weaknesses that I have are indecisiveness, and worrying/stressing out too much. I need to relax more about things and not try to do too much at one time.
2. I am not considering Accounting due to the fact that I am not into sitting at a computer imputing data all day. I feel as though accounting would not offer enough interaction with other people in a typical day. While this might change once I learn more about it, my perception of accounting is sitting in a cubicle all day doing "busy work".
I am kind of interested in Management due to the fact that it involves working with people. Interacting with others is something that sound fun to me, yet managing them is a whole different ball game. Management sounds like it would challenge me to become "overly assertive" in order to maintain control of a workplace. With that being said, I hate the type of people who are control freaks when it comes to group work and I'm afraid that is what management might entail.
I used to be interested in Marketing due to the fact that I enjoy learning about how companies sell their products/services. Then I talked to my brother who had an internship with Intel this past summer and he told me that the marketing department was the "fluff" of the company. I want to do work that makes a difference in the world, and I'm not sure if marketing can offer that to me. Therefore I would need to learn more about what marketing actually consists of.
Computer Information Systems does not interest me whatsoever due to the fact that I'm not very computer savvy. I am not super interested about learning the details and intricacies of the computer world. As long as I can use the main programs that are utilized on a daily basis I will be content with my understanding of computers. There is very little chance that I could learn something new about this concentration that would make me change my mind.
I am very interested in Finance because of all of the people that I have talked to who have degrees in this concentration. My uncle has a degree in finance and I am very excited about learning more about the things that he does on a daily basis at his job. I want to learn more about the numbers that allow businesses to operate and I feel as though the finance world would be a perfect fit for me.
I am not that interested in real estate because of the craziness of the home market. One of our family friends is a real estate agent and his job sounds like a roller coaster ride every day. Perhaps if I had a better understanding of what else the real estate industry consisted of I would gain more appreciation for such a concentration. I'm not sure if being a "salesman" is really my forte.
3. I was an ESTJ. It said that I was strong in extroversion and judging. Based off of this, it told me I would be interested in management type jobs. While this was one of the concentrations that I was considering, I was surprised that finance wasn't even mentioned as possible jobs for my personality type. I feel as though simply because of a few of my answers about enjoying the company of others, the test assumed that managing people was perfect for me.
I still feel as though my organized and detail oriented nature would be a good match for working in finance. Finance seems as though it requires an individual who is able to handle orders as well as think on their own. I am inclined to believe that finance is still a solid fit for me due to my ability to organize/accomplish tasks even though it suggested management.
It listed me as in between a "doer" and an "executive" which is pretty much where I believe that I fit into society. I enjoy a nice balance of working with others as well as getting work done on my own time. I am a people person who also enjoys listening to what others have to say as well. Overall this was an eye opening experience that helped me realize that their other concentrations that I should look into prior to making a definite decision.
1. I chose CSU for two main reasons. I knew that I wanted to stay in state because of the substantially lower tuition rate compared to some of the out of state schools that I was looking at. Once I had narrowed my college search down to Colorado schools, I began looking at the business programs offered at each school and found that CSU was the best in the state.
2. I chose business as a major because I enjoy learning about how and why money exchanges hands within our economy. I also believe that having a solid understanding of finance is a practical skill to have, regardless of what you end of doing for a job. Therefore, it made sense to major in something where the skills I gained would be beneficial both at home as well as at work.
3. I knew Sean Bull from high school. I have met a few other people so far, but Sean is the only one that I knew going into the class.
4. Within the college of business, I know you and Kathy Thornhill (my advisor).
5. No, I am not interested in studying abroad in the future. While it may offer a life changing experience to those who participate in it, I feel as though I would gain the most from my four years at CSU if I spend all of them studying in Fort Collins. I love living in this city so far and this connection can only grow as I progress throughout college.
6. Business Week - Have heard of it but don't read it
Fortune - Have heard of it but don't read it
Forbes -Have heard of it but don't read it
The Economist - Have not heard of it
BBC - Have not heard of it
Denver Post - Read it each day
Forbes Small Business - Have not heard of it
Wall Street Journal - Have heard of it but don't read it
7. I want to know what kind of jobs are offered to a graduate from each different concentration. I am leaning towards a finance concentration, but I feel as though it would be helpful to have a solid understanding of all of the concentrations prior to making a final decision. I also would like to know how to balance my time better so that I can be a successful college student.
Part 2
1. My strengths include being outgoing, a hard worker, patient, and driven. I feel as though I am a decently well rounded individual who has the ability to accomplish anything that I set my mind to. I typically strive to do my best in every aspect of my daily life. Whether it be doing my homework or working out, I see to it that I do every task to the best of my ability. Some weaknesses that I have are indecisiveness, and worrying/stressing out too much. I need to relax more about things and not try to do too much at one time.
2. I am not considering Accounting due to the fact that I am not into sitting at a computer imputing data all day. I feel as though accounting would not offer enough interaction with other people in a typical day. While this might change once I learn more about it, my perception of accounting is sitting in a cubicle all day doing "busy work".
I am kind of interested in Management due to the fact that it involves working with people. Interacting with others is something that sound fun to me, yet managing them is a whole different ball game. Management sounds like it would challenge me to become "overly assertive" in order to maintain control of a workplace. With that being said, I hate the type of people who are control freaks when it comes to group work and I'm afraid that is what management might entail.
I used to be interested in Marketing due to the fact that I enjoy learning about how companies sell their products/services. Then I talked to my brother who had an internship with Intel this past summer and he told me that the marketing department was the "fluff" of the company. I want to do work that makes a difference in the world, and I'm not sure if marketing can offer that to me. Therefore I would need to learn more about what marketing actually consists of.
Computer Information Systems does not interest me whatsoever due to the fact that I'm not very computer savvy. I am not super interested about learning the details and intricacies of the computer world. As long as I can use the main programs that are utilized on a daily basis I will be content with my understanding of computers. There is very little chance that I could learn something new about this concentration that would make me change my mind.
I am very interested in Finance because of all of the people that I have talked to who have degrees in this concentration. My uncle has a degree in finance and I am very excited about learning more about the things that he does on a daily basis at his job. I want to learn more about the numbers that allow businesses to operate and I feel as though the finance world would be a perfect fit for me.
I am not that interested in real estate because of the craziness of the home market. One of our family friends is a real estate agent and his job sounds like a roller coaster ride every day. Perhaps if I had a better understanding of what else the real estate industry consisted of I would gain more appreciation for such a concentration. I'm not sure if being a "salesman" is really my forte.
3. I was an ESTJ. It said that I was strong in extroversion and judging. Based off of this, it told me I would be interested in management type jobs. While this was one of the concentrations that I was considering, I was surprised that finance wasn't even mentioned as possible jobs for my personality type. I feel as though simply because of a few of my answers about enjoying the company of others, the test assumed that managing people was perfect for me.
I still feel as though my organized and detail oriented nature would be a good match for working in finance. Finance seems as though it requires an individual who is able to handle orders as well as think on their own. I am inclined to believe that finance is still a solid fit for me due to my ability to organize/accomplish tasks even though it suggested management.
It listed me as in between a "doer" and an "executive" which is pretty much where I believe that I fit into society. I enjoy a nice balance of working with others as well as getting work done on my own time. I am a people person who also enjoys listening to what others have to say as well. Overall this was an eye opening experience that helped me realize that their other concentrations that I should look into prior to making a definite decision.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
My WHY Factor
- I am in college so that I can gain knowledge that will allow me to become a productive member of society.
- I hope to broaden my understanding of different studies and interest groups.
- I want to interact with people from all walks of life and allow them to share their thoughts with me.
- I want to make the best use of the money that my parents have invested in furthering my education.
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