Assignment title: Information
EMBA June 2016
Individual Mid-Term EXAM
Answers marked with your individual LBS number must be submitted on Canvas by
23.59 on 10 July at the latest. This exam should represent your own efforts. It is an
open book exam so no time limit is imposed but your answers should not exceed
2500 words (and can be less).
The questions posed are broad and open ended so be careful to allow yourself enough
research and planning time. If you are completely on top of the material delivered in
class then I would estimate that writing a good answer to this exam would take up to
around one day in total. If you are not comfortable with the material then the
assignment could take two days or longer. The idea behind this exam is it is itself a
learning experience and not purely a test.
Guide to Assignment
We have studied in detail models relating to capital accumulation, TFP and
convergence. The aim is to use these frameworks to make sense of the various data
you are given and to fashion a coherent answer to the questions set. Good answers
will correctly use the models covered in class to provide a framework for your
answers. They will also arrange the data in a coherent way that utilises the theoretical
ideas and combine them with your own judgements as to what matters for growth.
The very best answers will also provide some critical evaluation of these models and
the data provided and in addition show independent thought and possibly use
additional data. However, you are not encouraged to reproduce various Economist
Intelligence Unit reports. The best answers will use analytical frameworks and
process data provided to provide a general ranking of countries and avoid journalism
and overly lengthy surveys of each nation. You should be explicit in how you have
combine the data to arrive at your final ranking.
Emerging Markets
This assignment is based around the attached spreadsheet (WEF Global
Competitiveness) in which you will find a list of indicators for a number of emerging
market economies (all data taken from the World Economic Forum's Global
Competitiveness Report.
for instance you may, or may not, find http://info.worldbank.org/governance/wgi on
governance useful).
Using these data and your knowledge of the determinants of long run prosperity
rank the countries in terms of their growth prospects.
). You can of course supplement this with additional data (
1
Please note that I am quite capable of reading the WEF analysis of this data and their rankings and I
know that you are quite capable of accessing their summary on the web. I am however more concerned
with your analysis of the data and your own rankings.Please don't feel the need to explain or critique
the WEF analysis.