The Impact of Immigration on Labor Productivity and Economic Development

Task:

What is the most important force affecting labor productivity? Why?  How do you think immigration affects labor productivity?

You need to mention “the lump of labor fallacy”,  See the notes (chapter 7).

Second, what are your observations? What can you tell about the immigrant community you study and their impact on the long run economic development?

Sources you may use: 
“On balance, manufacturers reported moderate output growth; however, several Districts indicated that firms faced rising materials and shipping costs, uncertainties over the trade environment, and/or difficulties finding qualified workers.

Employers throughout the country continued to report tight labor markets and difficulties finding qualified workers, including highly skilled engineers, finance and sales professionals, construction and manufacturing workers, IT professionals, and truck drivers. A couple of Districts reported that worker shortages were restraining growth in some sectors.

Prices continued to rise, growing at a modest to moderate pace in all Districts. Manufacturers reported raising prices of finished goods out of necessity as costs of raw materials such as metals rose, which they attributed to tariffs. Construction contract prices increased to cover rising costs of labor and materials. Retailers and wholesalers in some Districts raised selling prices as they continued to see increased costs in transportation and also worried about impending cost increases resulting from tariffs.” 

The Beige Book, Summary of Commentary on Current Economic Conditions By Federal Reserve District, https://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/files/BeigeBook_20181024.pdf

News, Discussions, and Publications
The Power of More Foreign- Born Workers
"They take our jobs!" - myths about immigration
The World Economy, special report
How Immigration Helps the Economy.
Economics of Immigration: Myths and Realities.
Immigrants Helping or Hurting the U.S. Economy.
How Immigrants Create Jobs.

Include a brief conclusion: State what you learned about the community and its contribution to economic development, and, if applicable, recommend policies to improve the outcome (economic efficiency).

Your response should include approximately 500 words.

Chapter 8: Saving, Investment, and the Financial System.

Introduce the topic. 
Evaluate the contribution of the immigrant population to national saving and investment.
Include a brief conclusion: recommend policies to improve the outcome (economic efficiency).

PBS
Immigrant entrepreneurship
Costs and Benefits of Immigration

1.Global impact. How do U.S. immigration and trade policies affect global poverty and income inequality, and why should we be concerned about it? (Read the IMF publication, The World Bank Report)

2.Interview with an immigrant 
Find someone who immigrated (or otherwise came) to the United States from another country.
Your informant may be a friend, a relative, someone else. You will use a pseudonym (false name) for your informant, to reduce any possible concerns about privacy. 
Here is a list of ideas to guide your conversation. You do not need (and you can't) cover all questions. They are just ideas to get started with an interview.

Observations on the Immigrant Community and its Impact on Economic Development

Get some background about your informant’s personal story. 
Where did your informant grow up? When did he or she come to the US, and how old was he or she at the time? Then, find out about your informant's original culture. Try open-ended questions, like  What was your life there like?  What did you or your family do for a living?  How did you spend your time? How was it different from here?  What funny stories about home do you tell to relatives or friends? 
Next, ask your informant about immigrating (or coming to visit, etc.) to the United States. 
Why did he or she come to the United States? How?  What did he or she expect of the United States?   Does the reality of life in the United States align with the values espoused in American society, such as freedom and equity? Have they experienced any anti-foreign bias (a tendency to underestimate the benefits of interacting with foreigners) or stereotyping? Find out about the difficulties they encounter. Do they feel connected and welcomed? 

Consumption: amounts and kinds of stuff that people have, buy; similarities or differences in advertising; attitudes about shopping, fashion and style, being rich or poor, buying on credit, savings, etc. 
Labor: kinds of work available, working conditions, pay, time off, attitudes about work, bosses, shop owners, work ethic, unions, strikes, etc. 
Nations and nationalism: who are the dominant people (by language, ethnicity, etc.) at home, and here? who are indigenous people, minorities, outsiders, competitors, or enemies; racial or ethnic issues (construction of “the other”); attitudes (if any) about foreign investors, free trade, domestic and international corporations, etc. 
Population: norms and attitudes about families and family size, marriage, children, inheritance, the size and role of networks of relatives, etc. 
Gender: roles of men and women in social life, families, work, and politics; power and status of men vs. women; women’s work vs. men’s work; etc. 
Poverty: how widespread is it, how visible, what do people think about it? What causes it? Attitudes towards charity, beggars, etc. 
Pollution: worse than here? better? attitudes about it? Litter, polluting cars, smoke, garbage, sewage, attitudes about global warming or toxic waste from industry, etc. 
Health: health care, attitudes and practices around disease, hospitals, doctors, sick people, old people, etc.
How do the US or other countries affect what happens in her/his home country? Attitudes and ideas about the US in his/her home culture, and about his/her home culture among people he/she meets in the US. Are we, or they, misinformed or wrong? 
Finally, ask about your informant's experiences and views of our culture as an immigrant here. For example:  How does American culture differ from the culture that he or she came from?  What seemed strange, confusing, funny, or hard to get used to about Americans?

Any particularly good, bad, or interesting experiences as an immigrant?  Is there anything that she or he particularly likes, or does not like, about Americans?  Does your informant still feel connected to his or her original culture? If so, what does he or she do that maintains that connection or identity? How would he or she describe America to people in his or her home country?  If he or she could tell Americans something about themselves, or give them advice, what would it be? All along, try to get your informant to provide specific examples or stories. 

3.Reflect on your personal experience. Consider the following questions: What are the best things you discovered about your community? Do you have a different picture of your community than you had before you began your studies? Identify any stereotypes you may have had about immigrant groups in your community. Have your career options been expanded by your experience? How can you continue your involvement with this group or social issue? How can you educate others or raise awareness about this group or social issue? What are the most difficult or satisfying parts of your work? Why? Identify the question(s) this study has raised for you. What are you still wondering about?