The State Of The UK Economy And Its Effects On Honda Essay Example
The State Of The UK Economy And Its Effects On Honda Essay Example

The State Of The UK Economy And Its Effects On Honda Essay Example

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  • Pages: 6 (1376 words)
  • Published: July 15, 2017
  • Type: Essay
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There are multiple techniques for assessing shifts in a nation's economy. The business climate of a country is heavily influenced by its economic condition, as international trade drives currency flows that impact the pricing and expense of merchandise. Honda, a Japanese automaker, has committed £267m to bolstering production at their Swindon facility in the United Kingdom. This initiative targets output of 183,000 vehicles during year one, with projections to ramp up to 250,000 within three years while also creating 500 new jobs and increasing total plant staff to 3,500.

Economists use different indicators to assess the economy and compare it to prior time periods, like the previous month or year, as well as to evaluate the UK economy against other global economies. The business cycle portrays projected fluctuations in a country's production, income, and expenditure over time. Economists utiliz

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e specific terms - such as Growth, Boom, Slowdown, Recession, and Recovery/Growth - to describe distinct phases of the cycle.

The UK economy goes through cycles of boom and recession because manufacturers and suppliers struggle to fulfill the high demand in a boom. This leads to an increase in prices and inflation, including for employee wages. Furthermore, heightened credit demand and costs could lead people to borrow more money. At present, Honda is experiencing a period of growth and has hired 500 new workers at their factory.

Increased hiring led to increased demand and higher costs for their cars, ultimately resulting in decreased demand as prices became unaffordable. In response, businesses may reduce expenses and lower selling prices to stimulate demand. This cycle can also lead to declining productivity and profits.

As unemployment rises, the government must allocate more fund

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towards benefits and strategies to boost demand for products and services to prevent further unemployment. In the event of rising costs within businesses like Honda, customers may not be able to afford their products, leading to cost-cutting measures such as employee layoffs. Reversing a recession can be challenging due to its cyclical nature. Government or investor intervention is typically necessary to stimulate economic recovery. A sizable corporation like Honda would likely require external investment to recover from a recession.

Comprehending the different stages of the business cycle is essential for comprehending how the economy is gauged. To monitor the economy's performance, five indicators are consulted: fluctuations in Gross Domestic Product (GDP), inflation and deflation rates, and employment rates.

The UK's Balance of Payments, encompassing Trade Surpluses/Deficits, is intricately linked to its economic performance. Gross Domestic Product (GDP), measuring the volume of economic output, provides another crucial gauge. Variations in GDP can provide valuable information on the phase of the economic cycle, with three constituent parts depicting business activity over a given quarter.

To comprehend the state of the economy, the UK government utilizes three distinct methods for measuring GDP. These consist of GDP output, which gauges the value produced by activities like farming and manufacturing; GDP income, which indicates the total earnings generated by goods and services; and GDP expenditure, which evaluates overall spending on completed goods and services created within the UK economy. By examining these metrics in combination, policymakers can obtain valuable insights into the whole economy.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) supplies economic information to various entities including banks, industry leaders, and the media. GDP statistics are utilized not only to document previous

occurrences but also to anticipate future patterns. As a result, corporations like Honda employ output, income, and expenditure data to scrutinize the economy and adapt their manufacturing rates correspondingly. Furthermore, inflation and deflation are gauged by means of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), a conventional instrument employed across Europe for evaluating prices in the UK's overall economy.

Formerly, inflation was assessed using the retail price index (RPI), which includes mortgage interest payments. However, the CPI measures the average changes in prices of a specific group of goods over a set period. The Office for National Statistics reviews this group's expenses every month and uses updated pricing to determine cost fluctuations. Inflation occurs when expenses rise while deflation happens when they drop.

When inflation rises, Honda may have to increase their prices which could make it difficult for consumers to afford their products. This could result in the company needing to cut costs, potentially leading to job losses and a greater demand for higher wages. If employees receive pay raises that don't keep up with inflation rates, they might actually be earning less money. Conversely, if workers' salaries rise at or above inflation rates, this could cause increased costs for the company and subsequent price increases. It's evident that changes in one economic aspect can impact others.

For example, during economic booms with limited product availability, businesses face rising costs due to demand-pull inflation.

The increase in prices, commonly referred to as inflation, typically coincides with currency devaluation and is generally viewed favorably. Nevertheless, this implies that present prices are often greater than those from a decade ago. Fortunately, wages have also risen during this period, enabling individuals to still

purchase these commodities and services. Conversely, deflation suggests a reduction in prices and is regularly linked with economic downturns.

Despite the initial appearance of benefits, reduced prices can pose challenges for businesses like Honda. To remain resilient, Honda must reduce their expenses in response to the lower prices, which could result in job cuts and a requirement for enhanced efficiency. Furthermore, deflation may cause customers to defer buying pricier Honda vehicles as they expect future prices to drop.

Difficulties in surviving can arise when the economy's job rates are affected. Employment rate fluctuations serve as indicators of economic performance, with high levels being typical during a boom and reduced during recessions. As a result, these employment rates' impacts on both the economy and individual businesses may vary. Honda, for example, may face challenges in selecting qualified personnel when employment levels are high.

The UK may encounter economic challenges due to a scarcity of job seekers and the possibility of Honda employees demanding increased wages as a reaction to inflation, which could pose difficulties in cost management. Nevertheless, higher employment rates result in greater tax revenue for the government. In addition, assessing trade surpluses and deficits with other countries offers another measure of the UK's economic advancement.

When the UK's exports are greater than its imports, it experiences a trade surplus. Conversely, when imports outweigh exports, there is a trade deficit. A trade deficit implies that the country is incurring more expenses than income; nevertheless, foreign investment can help to balance this inequality, making a trade deficit not necessarily critical.

The UK has been experiencing a trade deficit for several years, with the deficit size increasing throughout 2009. This implies

that if Honda imports more than it exports, it will incur losses as its costs are not fully covered. The balance of payments represents the disparity between the inflow and outflow of money in the country, encompassing all financial imports and exports, including trade and investments.

When examining the economy's overall structure, one often references a negative balance of payments, which indicates more outflow than inflow. Honda has obtained 267m from Japan to establish a facility in Swindon, UK, to cover expenses such as construction, insurance, communication, and transportation.

This article discusses the structure of the economy which is divided into three sectors: the Primary Sector, which involves activities related to natural resources like farming, mining, oil extraction, and fishing; the Secondary Sector, which includes manufacturing and construction; and the Tertiary Sector, which involves service-related activities like banking, education, communication, hotels, catering, and transport. The Honda plant is considered part of the Secondary Sector as they manufacture cars for dealerships. During tough economic times, companies like Honda must lower costs and increase services or product production to stay competitive due to the direct effect of the economic environment on business operations.

Both Honda employees and the company itself contribute to funding public services, including hospitals and schools. Honda employees make tax and national insurance payments from their earnings, while the company makes contributions towards a pension scheme on their behalf. The funds generated from these contributions not only help pay for public services, but also support benefits for individuals who are unemployed, unable to work or retired.

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