EFFICIENCY AND ADAPTATION

Module 3 – Case
EFFICIENCY AND ADAPTATION
Assignment Overview
As we begin to consider some parallels between the business world and the natural world, we can identify
some very similar patterns in extinction, adaptation, and supply and demand in both. For example, an
organism faces many challenges as it attempts to survive in the natural world, just as a business will
struggle to succeed in the marketplace. When resources in the environment are limited, like consumers in
the marketplace, organisms and businesses will compete. Those that can maximize their efficiency at
production will succeed over those that cannot. Let’s look at how the principles of economics determine the
role that these costs play in the success of species in the wild and a business in the marketplace.
Case Assignment
Part I
In Module 1 you were first introduced to communities. Organisms within communities interact primarily
through the following ways: competition, predation, and symbiosis. Read about the unusual relationship
documented between Ethiopian wolves and Gelada monkeys at the website below or read about the
symbiotic relationship between badgers and coyotes. Chose only one of the articles below to answer Part I
using the following questions:
Luntz, S. (2015). Symbiotic partnership between monkeys and wolves discovered. Accessed on IFL
Science on August 16, 2016, at http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/monkey-wolf-symbiosis/
or
Haemig, P. D. (2012). Badger-coyote associations. Ecology. Info 11. Retrieved from
http://www.ecology.info/badger-coyote.htm
What type of relationship is found between the Gelada monkeys and Ethiopian wolves or badgers and
coyotes?
What are the short-term and long-term benefits for each species you read about in the article you selected?
What are some of the costs for each of the species as a result of their mutual relationship?
Do you think their relationship could change if resources became scarce? Why or why not?
Part II
Now consider the benefits and costs to businesses in the marketplace: Choose one of the following
businesses that are now extinct: Circuit City, Pan Am, or Tower Records. Address the following questions in
Part II of your assignment:
What were some of the long-run costs associated with operating the business?
Who were their competitors?
What were the factors that contributed to the decision to shut down the business?
Do you think your chosen company could have been successful by adopting a mutually beneficial
partnership, similar to organisms in the wild? Why or why not?
Assignment Expectations
Organize this essay assignment using subtitles that summarize the topic from each question above. For
example, to answer Question 1, use a descriptive subtitle like the following: Part I: Symbiotic Relationship
Between Coyotes and Badgers.
Answer each question under the subtitle using complete sentences that relate back to the question. Be
sure to use APA formatting throughout your essay with 1-inch margins, 12-point type, and double spacing
throughout. Include a title page, introduction, answers to the questions with subtitles, and concluding
paragraph. Remember to include in-text citations within the body of the essay referencing your resources
(e.g., Murray, 2014). Also, be sure to include a reference section at the end of your assignment listing all
required readings and any additional resources you used to complete your essay. A helpful guide to writing
a quality essay can be found in Trident’s Student Guide to Writing a High-Quality Academic Paper. This
guide also provides links to example essays written in APA format.
Direct quotes should be limited and must be designated by quotation marks. Paraphrased ideas must give
credit to the original author, for example: (Murray, 2014). Direct copying from “homework help” websites will
not receive credit. Once you have completed your assignment within a Word document, please upload your
final version to the Case 3 Dropbox. Please also note your Turnitin originality score and make revisions as
needed. Please contact your instructor with any questions.