6A Identifying Opportunities in Economic and Regulatory Trends

Economic Trend: The Economy Is in the Expansion Phase of the Business Cycle

Source: https://www.thebalance.com/top-usa-future-economic-trends-3305666 

• While the economy is in an expansion phase, America now has the opportunity to fully recover from the recent recession. The federal government is planning on raising the interest rates back to 2%, while this may be harmful in the short run, it is a proven long run asset. With the interest rate back in its normal place, unemployment can retuned back to its comfortable spot of 4%. The customer of this opportunity is businesses both small and large being able to work hard and expand despite recent set back. The opportunity will be easy to exploit because it is a natural phenomenon that inadvertently effects the economy as a whole. I am emphasizing the opportunity to expand steadily enough that businesses can enjoy the next phase: the peak, but be conscious enough to avoid a damaging contraction afterwards. 
• I believe most people would see an expansion phase in the business cycle as an opportunity. However, I think what I see differently is the understanding that if you work extremely hard during the expansion and peak phase while being mindful that one day you will experience a contraction, you can minimize the harmful effects with proper preparation.

Economic Trend: College Graduates unable to find employment 

Source : https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2016/12/16/why-are-so-many-students-failing-to-find-good-jobs-after-college/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.ec3aef38e7e6 

• I believe an opportunity exists in the job sector of America. By placing emphasis on American companies and boosting the American economy, recently graduated college students will be able to find the right occupation. The prototypical customer are college students who have just graduated with their degree and are seeking employment. Rather, many graduated students complain about “underemployment” which is a term that refers to feeling as though your skills are not being utilized, and in most cases their degree. The opportunity may be difficult to exploit, but companies that seek and hire more recently graduate college students could contribute to the solution and benefit from it. 
• I think I saw this as an opportunity rather than a gap in America’s economy because increasing numbers of young adults are attending to college to find meaningful careers. But since a lot of Americans purchase international commodities, or place emphasis on foreign goods, these same young adults can not find work. Even though, they paid a good fortune to do so. Therefore, if companies begin the shift back toward hiring younger adults out of college this problem can be helped. 

Regulatory Changes: Increased Pressure for Gun Control Reform 

Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/get-there/wp/2018/02/22/the-enormous-economic-cost-of-gun-violence/?utm_term=.c7a61987f992 

• With recent pressure to end gun violence in the United States, comes great political and personal debate. However, I feel as though the economic effects of gun violence has not been given proper attention. I believe the increased pressure for gun control could be an opportunity if an entrepreneur found a plausible solution. Guns as a commodity has undoubtedly helped the American economy in the past. However, others debate that gun violence has cost American taxpayers a total of $229 billion. They take into account “health-care costs, law enforcement and criminal justice expenses, employer costs, and lost income (Washington Post)”. For this reason, I feel as though it is an easily exploitable opportunity because of the tension and controversy. 
• I think I see this as an opportunity rather than a political debate because I want to see real change occur. As politicians banter back and forth no real solution is being created and as someone who lost friends due to gun violence I would like to see something real be done. 

Regulatory Changes: Data Protection and CyberSecurity 

Source: https://www.dataprotectionreport.com/2018/07/u-s-states-pass-data-protection-laws-on-the-heels-of-the-gdpr/ 

• I think opportunities lies in the amount of jobs increased cyber security will create. Although it is a specialized field, if students who have interest in it learn that there is great opportunity there they can study it and one day find a job. Opportunity also lies in the amount of businesses that could start and thrive during a time of increased data protection. Therefore the prototypical customer would be: cyber security centered businesses, students joining that field, and everyday Americans who use websites that use cookies. I think the opportunity will be easy to exploit because e-commerce and technology are currently such large players in society. 
• I saw this as an opportunity rather than just a regulation passed by legislation because I have learned a lot about online commerce and technological advancements and their effect on American society through college classes.