Country Analysis Matrix

Analyzing the macroeconomic status of a country examines the behaviors within a whole economy. In addition to the macroeconomic factors introduced in the reading materials, other components must be considered when analyzing the economic status of a country. The first component is the misery index, which is the unemployment rate and the inflation rate combined. Another consideration is the economic freedom index, which is an exploration of the overall position of a country in comparison to other countries. Finally, there is the human development index, which focuses on the people within the economy, not just the economic growth within a country. (See attachment)

For this assignment, compare the United States and one other selected country of your choice approved by the instructor. Throughout this course, multiple resources have been included in all topic materials to provide websites that will assist in the research required for this assignment. Collect the economic data outlined in the "Country Analysis Matrix," located in Topic Materials and conduct additional research through a minimum of three readings from The Economist. You must provide citations for the three articles from The Economist.

In addition to completing the matrix, write a 250-word summary identifying two major economic strengths and two major weaknesses for your selected country. Focus on identifying factors that contribute to the country's overall performance and support the growth of the economy as a whole. For example, has the country grown primarily through export promotion or domestic growth? Finally, point out any significant differences you observe between your selected country and the United States. Use the matrix you have developed and the readings from The Economist to support your analysis.   

GCU format is required for essays only. Solid academic writing is always expected. For all assignment delivery options, documentation of sources should be presented using GCU formatting guidelines, which can be found in the GCU Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

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