Michael Smith

Purpose of Assignment

The purpose of this assignment is so students may look at the microeconomic data and other sources for better understanding of trends and determinants of the labor market.

We will look at the microeconomic data and other sources for better understanding of trends and determinants of the labor market. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) website provides public with an easy access to different statistical tools and different types of data presentation.

Assignment Steps

Select one of the following surveys as a team, from the BLS Current Employment Statistics survey (National):

• Manufacturing Employment – CES3000000001

Retrieve and save a Microsoft® Excel® file and the graphs to your desktop for analysis. You will have to check the “include graph” box along the top of the page to see the graph, and you will need to copy and paste the graph separately into your Microsoft® Excel® document.

Tutorial help on Excel® and PowerPoint® functions can be found on the Microsoft® office website. There are also additional tutorials via the web that offer support for office products.

Consider the following two articles, located in the Week 4 Electronic Reserve Readings, discussing actor salaries and hedge fund executives’ average salaries:

• “Robert Downey Junior is Hollywood’s Highest-Paid Actor”
• “In Tough Year, Hedge Fund Leaders Still Paid Well: Average Salary of $467M Was Half 2013, Report Says”

Prepare and present a 1- to 2-slide Microsoft® PowerPoint® presentation-analysis.

Include the following content in the presentation:

• What factors affected the demand and supply for this labor group during the last 10 years? Research and report data available from Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and other peer reviewed sources.
• What jobs do you think have the best mix of salary and other characteristics that individuals care about?

Cite a minimum of one peer-reviewed source, not including the textbook and required economic data.

Format consistent with APA guidelines.