Hi Nicolas, I thing your blog on Samsung was very informative and very well written. This post was extremely easy to read. I did however think that maybe some more in depth information about how Samsung contributes in the South Korean market. And how its economy has greatly influenced the culture and operations of multinational corporations like Samsung. The economic growth of South Korea is greatly due to global corporations. Samsung is one of the biggest contributors. However, your post was very great. Blessings, Amanda Its businesses reach deep into many parts of people's lives. (n.d.). How Samsung dominates South Korea's economy. CNNMoney. Retrieved December 4, 2021, from https://money.cnn.com/2017/02/17/technology/samsung-south-korea-daily-life/index.html.

Hi Clay, I enjoyed reading your post this week. I think that you explained your thoughts fairly well. There was not much mentioned on how Coca-Cola can help with the economy. Such as "Coca-Cola supports jobs, tax revenues and incomes for households and firms, shares best practices within the local market, and carries out environmental and social projects throughout its value chain." This information can be important to show how much the company is contributing to the economic growth. Blessings, Amanda Resource: Coca-Cola. Steward Redqueen. (2019, March 3). Retrieved December 4, 2021, from https://www.stewardredqueen.com/what-we-do/coca-cola/.

Hi Rachel, I enjoyed reading our blog post on Apple this week. I like how you explained the Federal Reserve in detail. The monetary policy is key in determining the interest rates through the funds rate which affects the cost of capital for a company such as Apple. The fiscal policy which involves increased tax reduces the earnings of Apple. The higher tax increase costs to the firm and thus affects economic decisions negatively whereas the lower tax increases savings and retained earnings for a company that in turn favors its economic decisions. I believe you have a great section to add to your milestone. Amanda

Milestone 3 Amanda Jones Regent University Federal Reserve & People's Bank of China Every country has a central bank and tha bank will contribute in the foreign exchange markets to control its currency's value. In the United States, the central bank is the Federal Reserve System and the People's Bank of China in China. Each of the central banks have other duties besides the exchange market (Bajpai, P. (2021, May 19). They attempt to control the growth of the money supply in their respective countries to and will maintain economic growth and low inflation. The degree to which the house currency is controlled or "managed" varies among central banks. Offering an efficient monetary policy involves achieving the price stability of goods and services. The Federal Reserve structure should design to ensure that the financial system and monetary policy are not concentrated in a few individuals' hands. Thus, the network has to accommodate all individuals from all parts of the country and the economy. Central banks commonly manage the exchange rate for three reasons; to smooth exchange rate movements, determine the implicit rate of exchange boundaries, and reply to temporary disturbances. A central bank could be worried that its economy will be influenced by unexpected developments in the home currency's value, at that point, it might endeavor to control those currency developments after some time. Central banks carry out its nation's monetary policy and oversee its money supply, often mandated with maintaining low inflation and steady GDP growth. Some of the central banks will keep up their home currency rates inside informal or understood limits. Some times a central bank may try to protect a currency's incentive from a brief aggravation. The central bank's intervention strategy aims to counter dislocated market conditions. The People's Bank of China officially became China's central bank in 1983. The People's Bank of China's governor is chosen by a committee or the party's top leader. However, the governor is subject to appointment and removal of position at any time. The People's Bank of China affects the economic growth in China. As a manufacturing and export-driven economy that receives tremendous forex capital for its exports, the Chinese currency forex rates also impact its money supply. The largest shareholder in Lenovo is the Chinese Government. China is the largest and fastest-growing economy globally as of July 2020 (Seth, S. (2021, September 13). Lenovo grew to become the market leader in China and raised nearly $30 million in an initial public offering in the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Effect of the fiscal policies in China The fiscal policy is how the government adjusts its spending and revenue to influence a broader economy. This is done by adjusting the level of the expenditure and tax revenue. This is where the government can affect the economy by either increasing or decreasing economic activity in the short term. Government authorities closely observe money supply and take necessary actions suitable for the overall economy or selected sectors. Much like the Federal Reserve, the Central Banks can affect the country's economic growth. The central banks control and manipulate the national money supply. They issue currency and set interest rates on loans and bonds. The central banks raise interest rates to slow growth and avoid inflation. Also they can lower the growth, industrial activity, and consumer spending. In this way, they manage monetary policy to guide the country's economy and achieve economic goals, such as full employment. The economy is prone to changes in their performance. With the seasonal up and down movements and economic shocks will affect an economy's stability forcing the Federal Reserve and the People's Bank of China will help to develop strategies to restore the economic growth rate to its original state. It is at this point that monetary policies are used and applied. However, even with the Covid-19 pandemic, the sales of Lenovo declined, but the company managed to transform the business. One reason for a decline is that many people were hesitant to make big purchases. Also, the problem with getting the products due to slow shipping played a part in reducing sales. But with companies allowing their employees to work from home and schools being virtual, the need for computers rose. Therefore sales increased and as did Lenovo's profits. "From achieving record pre-tax income of $1.02 billion to reaching near-record revenue of $50.7 billion, I could not be prouder of our strong performance," said Yuanqing (Haranas, M. 2020, May 20). Conclusion In conclusion, both the Federal Reserve and the People's Bank of China equally have a significant impact on their country's economy and how it can affect other countries. Lenovo still saw gains even when the economy was down due to Covid-19, and how the public did not want to make significant purchases shows us that the technology demand is still high even with the slow production. Colossians 3:23-24, whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. References Bajpai, P. (2021, May 19). How central banks control the supply of money. Investopedia. Retrieved December 4, 2021, from https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/053115/how-central-banks-control-supply-money.asp Haranas, M. (2020, May 20). Lenovo profits and sales 'severely impacted' by covid-19. CRN. Retrieved December 4, 2021, from https://www.crn.com/news/data-center/lenovo-profits-and-sales-severely-impacted-by-covid-19?itc=refresh Lenovo StoryHub. (2021, May 27). Lenovo delivers record fourth-quarter results and new fiscal year milestone - surges past US$60 billion revenue mark, with record annual profits. Retrieved December 4, 2021, from https://news.lenovo.com/pressroom/press-releases/fy-2021/ Seth, S. (2021, September 13). How does China manage its money supply? Investopedia. Retrieved December 4, 2021, from https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/072815/how-does-china-manage-its-money-supply.asp Thomas, N. A. (2019). NIV Holy Bible, New International Version. Thomas Nelson.

Hi Christina, One area where you may need help is with the supply and demand section. Some major issues affecting demand for the company are a variety of social concerns. A lot of people in this era are trying to be healthy and cut out or reduce the carbonated beverages and soft drinks due to their poor nutritional value. The rise of obesity and the correlation between poor diet and a number of health issues such as diabetes and heart disease have caused people to become more conscious and aware of what they are choosing to consume. A lot of consumers, public health professionals and government agencies are concerned with all the health problems associated with obesity. Coca-Cola actively works to reduce sugar in our products; invest in sugar alternatives; and offer smaller packages, like mini-cans, to help beverage lovers control their portion sizes (The Coca-Cola Company. (n.d.). Resource: How does the company address obesity? The Coca-Cola Company. (n.d.). Retrieved November 6, 2021, from https://www.coca-colacompany.com/faqs/how-does-coca-cola-address-obesity.

Hi Antazah, I enjoyed reading your post for this week. I think that another way that sets McDonald's apart from other fast food restaurants is by localization is another key element in their pursuit of innovation. By producing limited-time or seasonal menu items catered to the tastes of the locals, they can motivate customers to return to their stores (Lin, S. K. (n.d.). This can be something that is only available at Christmas time and the customers know that it's seasonal and they will look forward to this during that time. I thought you have a great start to your milestone for this week, and I look forward to the next one. Resource: Lin, S. K. (n.d.). Why McDonald's remains one of the most profitable franchises to own. Workstream. Retrieved November 7, 2021, from https://www.workstream.us/blog/why-mcdonalds-most-profitable-franchises.

Hi Rachel, I enjoyed reading your milestone this week. I think that you could add a little more to the Comparative Advantage Against Rivals section. The competitors are trying to keep up with Apple, but Apple renews its products every year and develops all products with an understanding beyond the era. That is why all Apple products use the highest level of processor and the most advanced software to match this hardware (Görpeli, S. (2019, November 27). This advancement in technology makes Apple stand out because the customer knows there will be new software or products released yearly, but at the same time it can be hard due to the high cost of Apple's products. Reference Görpeli, S. (2019, November 27). Why is Apple more successful than other companies? Medium. Retrieved November 6, 2021, from https://sonergorpeli.medium.com/why-is-apple-more-successful-than-other-companies-7812cfb41506

@tamrwhi Thank you so much for the feed back! I took care of that typo now I will correct and add to the GDP. Thanks again!

Milestone 1 Amanda Jones Regent University ECON 230 Dr. Bajah November 5, 2021 Leveno Company Overview Lenovo was founded on November 1, 1984, in China by Liu Chuanzhi. Chuanzhi and ten other engineers started the company. The company's global headquarters is in Beijing, China, with the operational base located in Morrisville, North Carolina. Lenovo specializes in the production and selling of servers, smartphones, P.C.s, smart T.V.s, and the Yoga, IdeaPad, and ThinkPad series of notebook P.C.s, among many other products. Lenovo is a U.S. $50 billion Fortune Global fortune 500 company, with 63,000 employees and operating in 180 markets worldwide (Bhasin, H. (2018, February 9). Lenovo has new featured products: Legion Slim 7 AMD 15" Gen 6, Legion 5i Pro 16" Gen 6, Legion 5 AMD 15" Gen 6, and the IdeaPad Gaming 3 15". Lenovo is one of the most demanded personal computer products on the market. The company believes that a healthy corporate culture is key to having a healthy bottom line. "Everyone is an engine" fostered a commitment culture, and Pioneering is key. According to Lenovo, the company is doing exceptionally well and is one of the fastest-growing personal computer vendors in North America (Li, H (2021). Does the company have a comparative advantage over its rivals? Lenovo's leading rivals include H.P. and Dell, Apple, Acer, and Asus are also among the top competitors of Lenovo (Pratap, A., & About Abhijeet Pratap Abhijeet (2021, October 30). Lenovo has competitive advantages over its rivals in the personal computer marketplace by its extensive distribution network and expanding into other markets. Over the years, Lenovo has purchased and made partnerships with IBM, which has allowed Lenovo to have access to newer markets and an avenue to increase sales. Despite the heavy competition in the P.C. industry, Lenovo has continued to grow due to its strong focus on technological innovation and customer experience. Lenovo places a high value on producing a quality product. Their customers want products that are superior in terms of performance and affordable in terms of price. Instead, Lenovo has introduced a broad range of products that can cater to the needs of various segments of customers (Pratap, A., & About Abhijeet Pratap Abhijeet (2021, October 30). This is why their product is in such high demand and famous in the global market. Explain the supply and demand for its key product or service. With the Coronavirus pandemic, the demand for laptops and other electronics has increased. With the changes in workplaces and education, it has become increasingly challenging for the company to meet all demands. However, Lenovo directly deals with many of the components' suppliers to the plant, which prioritizes securing supplies when encountering disruptions. Lenovo has managed to produce more than 20 million computers for the past three quarters in a row (Li, H. 2021). Dell and H.P.'s major competitor recently reported quarterly net income growth of 42 percent and 51 percent, respectively; Lenovo's net income surged 119 percent for its latest quarter. GDP of China and the United States As of 2021, both countries share 41.89% and 34.75% of the entire world's GDP. The projections by the IMF for 2021, the United States is leading by $6,033 billion or 1.36 times on an exchange rate basis. The economy of China is Int. $3,982 billion or 1.18 times of the U.S. on purchasing power parity basis. According to estimates by the World Bank, China's GDP was approximately 67% in 2019 (StatisticsTimes.com. (2021, May 15). How do fluctuations in GDP, economic growth, investments, and patents affect the company's profitability? Each of these is important to the company's profitability. The GDP is important because it gives important information about the size of the economy and how the economy is performing during a specific period. The growth rate of real GDP is an indicator of the general health of the economy. When the GDP is shrinking, as it did in many countries during the recent global economic crisis, employment often declines, and the economy slows down. An increase in capital investment allows for more research and development in the capital structure. This is usually the first step in the capital investment process. If the capital investment in machinery improves labor productivity, it can produce more products at a lower cost and faster turnaround times. This is one way that can increase the company's profits. Many businesses can benefit from protecting their technology or inventions from competitors, including manufacturing or technology industries. Patents protect your business ideas and ultimately are an asset for the company to use in the future. References: Bhasin, H. (2018, February 9). Top 10 Lenovo competitors. Marketing91. Retrieved November 5, 2021, from https://www.marketing91.com/lenovo-competitor-analysis/ Comparing United States and China by economy. Comparing United States and China by Economy - StatisticsTimes.com. (2021, May 15). Retrieved November 5, 2021, from https://statisticstimes.com/economy/united-states-vs-china-economy.php#:~:text=As%20per%20projections%20by%20IMF,in%202019%20it%20is%2067%25 Li, H. (2021). Interview: How Lenovo handles global supply crunch amid the pandemic. CGTN. Retrieved November 4, 2021, from https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-09-09/Interview-How-Lenovo-handles-global-supply-crunch-amid-the-pandemic-13qdCNQOHIs/index.html Pratap, A., & About Abhijeet Pratap Abhijeet (2021, October 30). Lenovo sources of competitive advantage. notesmatic. Retrieved November 5, 2021, from https://notesmatic.com/lenovo-sources-of-competitive-advantage/