In this Module, you’re going to think about cycles in your reference organization – predictable changes over time in key measures of the organization’s performance – and how sensitive you think the organization is to business cycles.

For the Module 5’s Project, please read the Summary of Current Economic Conditions in the most recent issue of the Fed’s Beige Book.

http://federalreserve.gov/FOMC/BeigeBook/2009

Please address the following questions in a 2 to 4-page MS Word document.

Before answering the following two questions keep in mind the distinction between seasonal and cyclical influences on an organization. The questions below refer to cyclical, not seasonal, economic variations (cycles).

1. How sensitive do you think your organization is to economic expansions (upswings) and contractions (downswings or recessions)? Explain. If you believe that your organization’s performance is not sensitive to general economic business cycles, then explain why it is stable as the economy moves up and down. CAUTION: You must be specific in your reasoning, with the focus directly on your SLP organization rather than making general comments that apply to any organization.

2. The Fed has forecasted future economic conditions and they are found in the Fed’s Beige Book. Please choose the one most important economic condition that might affect your company’s future performance. Confine yourself to only one.

SLP assignment expectations:

Use information from the modular background readings as well as any good quality resource you can find. Make sure you cite all resources you use and provide a reference list at the end of your paper.

LENGTH: 2-4 typed and double-spaced pages.

In addition to the overall quality, depth, grammar, and organization of the paper, the following will, in particular, be assessed:

1. By your ability to apply variability in the economy to the operation of your organization.

2. Your analyzing organizational activity in the context of general economic activity and constraints.