ENGR460 University of North Dakota Robots Taking Over Jobs Reflection Paper ENGR 460 Podcast paper
Write a paper covering your reflection, insights, and understanding of one of the following topics related to our Engineering Economics course. Note that this should not be “just a summary” but expand on the discussion brought up in the podcast with your own thoughts in reference to broader impacts.
The paper should be single spaced, Calibri 11 size font, 2 pages in length, and should focus on the ethical, social, or external impacts concerning the real world application (or misunderstanding) of economic analysis techniques or the consequences of decisions driven by numbers alone.
Choose one of the following topics and listen to the corresponding podcast. Grading will be based on depth of discussion, insight and discussion in regards to external, societal, etc. impacts, and writing quality. You can add other sources or references concerning the topic to expand your discussion if you want, but it is not required, or add in a second podcast topic.
Podcast/Topic Options
Robots Taking Over Jobs: (combine Episode 626 with one other listed below)
PlanetMoney Epsiode 626: This Is the End of Jobs
https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/05/22/408834372/episode-626-this-is-the-end
PlanetMoney Episode 623: The Machine Comes to Town
https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/05/13/406461675/episode-623-the-machine-comes-to-town
PlanetMoney Episode 622: Humans vs Robots
https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/05/08/405270046/episode-622-humans-vs-robots
PlanetMoney Episode 544: M&M Candy Anomalies
https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2017/12/27/573812426/episode-544-the-m-m-anomaly
Suggested Topics: Decisions driven by external policy
PlanetMoney Episode 606: Spreadsheets! http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/02/25/389027988/episode-606-spreadsheets
Suggested Topics- ethics (impact on jobs, analysis errors), analysis model accuracy, etc.
PlanetMoney Episode 775: The Pigweed Killer (Controversial Herbicide)
http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2017/06/02/531272125/episode-775-the-pigweed-killer
http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/08/01/487809643/crime-in-the-fields-how-monsanto-and-scofflaw-farmers-hurt-soybeans-in-arkansas
Suggested Topics: Ethics (impact on others, development of products), decisions driven by money
PlanetMoney Episode 701: A Bank without Interest (Islamic Financing)
http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2016/05/13/477956675/episode-701-a-bank-without-interest
Suggested Topics: social understanding of economic analysis techniques (interest rates)
PlanetMoney Episode 640: The Bottom of the Well (impact of falling water resources)
https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2018/04/25/605848456/episode-640-the-bottom-of-the-well Suggested Topics: Ethics & Economics of using a finite resource, decisions driven by money, role of public in economic decisions.
5) PlanetMoney Episode 661: The Less Deadly Catch (Fishing regulations for supply control)
https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2018/04/11/601211410/episode-661-the-less-deadly-catch
Suggested Topics: Inadvertent impacts from analysis, impact of decisions driven by money, etc., using analysis to find a solution that balances social impact and drive for profit. ENGR 460 Podcast paper
Write a paper covering your reflection, insights, and understanding of one of the following topics related
to our Engineering Economics course. Note that this should not be “just a summary” but expand on the
discussion brought up in the podcast with your own thoughts in reference to broader impacts.
The paper should be single spaced, Calibri 11 size font, 2 pages in length, and should focus on the
ethical, social, or external impacts concerning the real world application (or misunderstanding) of
economic analysis techniques or the consequences of decisions driven by numbers alone.
Choose one of the following topics and listen to the corresponding podcast. Grading will be based on
depth of discussion, insight and discussion in regards to external, societal, etc. impacts, and writing
quality. You can add other sources or references concerning the topic to expand your discussion if you
want, but it is not required, or add in a second podcast topic.
Podcast/Topic Options
1) Robots Taking Over Jobs: (combine Episode 626 with one other listed below)
a. PlanetMoney Epsiode 626: This Is the End of Jobs
https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/05/22/408834372/episode-626-this-is-the-end
b. PlanetMoney Episode 623: The Machine Comes to Town
https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/05/13/406461675/episode-623-the-machine-comes-to-to
wn
c. PlanetMoney Episode 622: Humans vs Robots
https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/05/08/405270046/episode-622-humans-vs-robots
2) PlanetMoney Episode 544: M&M Candy Anomalies
https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2017/12/27/573812426/episode-544-the-m-m-anomaly
Suggested Topics: Decisions driven by external policy
3)
PlanetMoney Episode 606: Spreadsheets!
http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/02/25/389027988/episode-606-spreadsheets
Suggested Topics- ethics (impact on jobs, analysis errors), analysis model accuracy, etc.
4) PlanetMoney Episode 775: The Pigweed Killer (Controversial Herbicide)
http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2017/06/02/531272125/episode-775-the-pigweed-killer
http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/08/01/487809643/crime-in-the-fields-how-monsanto-an
d-scofflaw-farmers-hurt-soybeans-in-arkansas
Suggested Topics: Ethics (impact on others, development of products), decisions driven by money
5) PlanetMoney Episode 701: A Bank without Interest (Islamic Financing)
http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2016/05/13/477956675/episode-701-a-bank-without-interest
Suggested Topics: social understanding of economic analysis techniques (interest rates)
6)
PlanetMoney Episode 640: The Bottom of the Well (impact of falling water resources)
https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2018/04/25/605848456/episode-640-the-bottom-of-the-well
Suggested Topics: Ethics & Economics of using a finite resource, decisions driven by money, role of
public in economic decisions.
5) PlanetMoney Episode 661: The Less Deadly Catch (Fishing regulations for supply control)
https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2018/04/11/601211410/episode-661-the-less-deadly-catch
Suggested Topics: Inadvertent impacts from analysis, impact of decisions driven by money, etc., using
analysis to find a solution that balances social impact and drive for profit.
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