6A –Economic & Regulatory Trends

1. Economic Trend: Increasing demand for eLearning in China
Source of Information: Sitting in on education company meeting between TCK EdTech and New Oriental
How I spotted it: While I was working my internship in China, I was constantly made aware of the lucrative industry by my boss who employed a Chinese education marketing expert, Maggie. I heard that New Oriental corporation would be interested in TCK's product if there were eLearning opportunities
Customer: Students in less developed areas of China without access to good schools or infrastructure, companies who are looking to purchase eLearning services
Level of Difficulty: Difficult because we would have to develop technology which would allow us to distribute the educational content and to market the school system to schools. It is easy because the curriculum is out there already, just need to fit to our system
Why I thought about this opportunity: My boss's passion about the potential of the business spreading across China and being unique for its simultaneous entertainment and educational opportunity spread to me. I also talked to the marketing expert, Maggie and she seemed to know the potential of the opportunity.

2. Economic Trend: Hurricane Florence approaching South Carolina and there is a food shortage
Source of Information: I found the opportunity of a food shortage when doing research on local opportunities in South Carolina for Assignment 5.
How I spotted it: I remembered Dr. Pryor's example about students driving up to Texas to sell generators when a hurricane hit that area. Since Florence is approaching I suspected that there would be food and water shortages in the area as people prepare for the hurricane. Because of the food shortages, I may be able to water bottles and can food in bulk to people in SC and NC.
Customer: People in the path of hurricane Florence who haven’t yet stocked up on resources, are in flood zones where their food sources will get damaged, outside the metropolitan area
Level of Difficulty: The opportunity is relatively easy, I just need to find people willing to buy food or water at a higher than normal price, I would have to contact shipping and food supply companies to buy and ship goods to the areas affected by Florence. I would have to make an investment of purchasing all the food items
Why I thought about this opportunity: I thought it was very clever of the students in Dr. Pryor's example of selling generators to a hurricane effected area and thought I might try to replicate that practice one day after a natural disaster affects an area

3. Regulatory trend- Energy infrastructure increase from Mexico and USA encouraged
Source of Information: Deloitte referencing North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC)
How I spotted it: Regulatory body NERC wants require an increasing number of electrical grid connections between developing Mexican electrical grid and USA. This likely means they will need more electricians to work to connect the electrical grids, and they may be willing to hire third party contractors to do the work.
Customer: Electricity companies who are hiring third party contractors between the USA and Mexico, Mexican electricity companies hiring electricians, electricity companies if they are lacking in employees
Level of Difficulty: Challenging- I know nothing about electrical industry and I would have to hire USA and Mexican electricians, and then contact and hope to receive third party contract from electricity companies between the USA and Mexico and probably have sort of transnational agreement worked out. I would have to hire at least one electrician expert, and then have him train some students out of electrician trade school
Why I thought about this opportunity: I know electricians such as my friends father who runs a business. My father also does some electrical work
Additional Info: https://www.energy.gov/policy/articles/increasing-electricity-cooperation-north-america

4. Regulatory Trend: Tariffs placed on Chinese goods
Source of Information: New York Times and Wall Street Journal articles about the goods effected by US Tariffs placed on Chinese goods
How I spotted it: The prices of telecommunication devices from China is becoming more expensive and companies who need the electrical equipment in the USA will be searching for cheaper electrical equipment providers besides China or are frustrated with the tariffs the USA is placing on China
Customer: Companies looking for cheap telecommunication equipment, individuals who are searching for cheap telecommunication equipment
Level of Difficulty: Difficult- I would have to either find and communicate with telecommunication equipment providers in India or other less developed nations to import their products or find a cost-effective way to produce telecommunication equipment in America
Why I thought about this opportunity: Reading the news every day, I see how many different industries have been affected by the US-China trade war, especially technology/electronics. I thought that a telecom equipment company might be lucrative because one of the ladies I worked at a restaurant with, Brook, mentioned that her father started a telecom company in America and is a millionaire now for his work