an Economic Problem for Dummies! Todays problem: 2012, not the film!

Cheer up! It’s not the end of the world!

So now that 2011 is dead and buried, and what a year it was, we now turn our attention to the year ahead. What does it have install for us? And more importantly, what does it have install for the economy?

Facebook are set to lead the way in internet
advertistement

            One big player, financially in 2012 will Facebook. The company has been growing for the past year and is set to begin its flotation on the stock markets but importantly they aim to continue expanding their advertising as part of the increase in sharing. This increase is set to gradually eat away at your private lives so that a true 3 Dimensional picture of you evolves online. Now that’s all well and good, but what of the economic implications? Well, Facebook has constantly been trying to evolve it’s advertising and creating a non obtrusive method of advertising. Whereby adverts are sent to people on their side bars based on their interests. The increase in this three dimensional profile will allow the advertising companies to reach their audience even more and as a result we will see a greater interest in Facebook advertising, their stocks will probably go up and there will likely to be the odd lawsuit surrounding privacy issues. This is backed up by a predicted 15.1% rise in internet advertising and Facebook is leading the way.

Are Apple set to revolutionise the technology world yet again?

            On a similar front, the technology of 2012 may see some evolutions, and in this case a lot of it focuses around the well-known Apple. Now according to Steve Job’s biography he is set to have “finally cracked” the Internet, on demand TV. This could quite possibly mean the launch of an iTV. This is a yet to be plundered market with Apple’s Apple TV, Sony’s Google TV and Samsung’s smart hub, yet although Smart Hub is integrated into blu rays and Apple TV has done relatively well it has yet to see the large take off seen in the tablet industry upon the release of the iPad. This leads me to believe that the on demand, internet TV will soon become a heated market place, assuming Apple has finally cracked it, because when Apple claims to have successfully done something it creates a massive market boom, be it their tablet revolution, the kick start to touch screens, smart phones and the MP3 player.

            We can also expect a spread in the African’s revolutionary spirit. 2011 was the year of uprisings with a number of nations uprising against their dictators and shunting them out, each inspired by each other! This spirit may spread, having so far remained in northern Africa. Protest movements were showing signs of starting up in other nations, Burkina Faso and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It would not surprise me if these nations or others are inspired by their neighbours and make a bid for freedom. Other side effects of last year’s revolutions may be seen in their neighbouring countries that potentially aided the original dictators. For instance Niger had close links with Qaddafi and we could see some repercussions of this throughout 2012.

It may be a terrible logo, but the olympics are set to be
an incredible economic boost

            The Olympics too will be arriving in the UK, for the first time since 1948, and with it will undoubtedly bring       a much-needed economic boost. Jobs have been created in the building of the Olympic park and undoubtedly many will also be created in its maintenance and services. Plus, it will bring in millions of people from international countries into our country and subsequently will see a rise in such industries as the food and drinks providers, entertainment, London’s museums and landmarks. In short it will bring a large amount of trade.

            Those are my main speculations but we will also see a wide variety of small changes and effects. The Eurozone crisis will doubtlessly continue, France and America are to hold new presidential elections, the Queen is to have her diamond jubilees, America will host a G8 summit and many anniversaries, everything from the Titanic to the SMS, will occur. One thing’s for sure 2012 is already set to be an incredible year in many respects, including finance. That is, assuming the world doesn’t end any time soon.