6A- Identifying Opportunities in Economic & Regulatory Trends

Identifying Opportunities in Economic & Regulatory Trends 

• Economic Trend: Gap between CEOs' wage and average workers
• Source:https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/making-sense/stock-market-boom-has-given-ceos-a-raise-what-about-average-workers
• I believe that this may be an opportunity since there is factual evidence to back it up. The study was carried out by the Economic Policy Institute.
• The prototypical customers are CEOs who make a lot more than their average workers.
• I think exploiting this opportunity would be extremely easy for CEOs because they also get paid from stock, unlike average workers.
• I saw this opportunity because I am interested in increasing the minimum wage for average workers. I do not think CEOs should make a ton while average workers can barely afford rent or living expenses.

• Economic Trend: The Economy Needs More Workers
• Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/07/upshot/jobs-report-economy-needs-workers.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FEconomic%20Conditions%20and%20Trends
• I believe that there is definitely an opportunity for the government to lower the unemployment rate. The fact that wages are increasing means that workers are really needed. 
• The prototypical customers are unemployed citizens who are looking for jobs.
• I think this would be a very easy opportunity to exploit since it would be good for unemployed people and for the economy. 
• I saw this opportunity because I have experienced what it is like for someone to be unemployed and looking for a job. I believe that workers should be able to make a livable wage.

• Regulatory Trend: Federal Aid Heading to Algae-affected Businesses
• Source:https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&t=pubname%3AFSNC%
• I think this opportunity exists because there have been a lot of businesses that are currently being affected by the discharges from Lake Okeechobee. This is definitely an opportunity since the local newspaper talks a lot about the discharge pollution of the Indian River Lagoon and St. Lucie River.
• The prototypical customers would be small businesses and nonprofit organizations that have been affected by the Lake Okeechobee discharges who are in need of money.
• This opportunity is easy to exploit. The businesses just have to apply for loans through the US Small Business Administration website.
• I saw this opportunity because it is a prevalent issue that has had a great impact on my hometown. 

• Regulatory Trend: Don't Arm Teachers via Federal Grants
• Source:https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=WORL
• I think this opportunity exists because it wouldn't make sense to arm teachers using money from the Federal Government. For instance, "A Johns Hopkins analysis published in March, suggests that in the heat of the moment 'a consequences of a teacher pulling a gun could be disastrous.'"
• The prototypical customers would be school teachers and their students who would be affected by said teachers.
• The opportunity is somewhat difficult to exploit. There are many people who think teachers should be given guns in order to protect their classroom in case of a shooting. It would be unsafe for schools to arm teachers.
• I saw this opportunity because I think teachers should not play the role of security guard, when they were trained to teach and only teach. The underlying issue would be gun control or the lack thereof.