TEMASEK JUNIOR COLLEGE

Preliminary Examination 2014

General Certificate of Education Advanced Level
Higher 2

ECONOMICS

9732/01

Paper 1
29 August 2014
2 hours 15 minutes
Additional Materials: Answer Paper, Cover Page

READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

Do not turn this page over until you are told to do so.
Write your name and CG number on all the work you hand in.
Write in dark blue or black pen on both sides of the paper.
You may use a soft pencil for any diagrams, graphs or rough working.
Do not use staples, paper clips, highlighters, glue or correction fluid.
Answer all questions.
Begin each case study on a separate sheet of answer paper.
At the end of the examination, fasten your work for each case study separately.
The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.

This document consists of 7 printed pages and 1 blank page

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Temasek Junior College

Economics

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Answer all questions.
Question 1
The Evolution of the US Domestic Airline Industry
Figure 1: Annual US Domestic Average Itinerary Fare in 2014 Constant Dollars
480

Average Fare ($)

460
440
420
400
380
360
340
320
1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

2013

Year
Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, US
Table 1: Net Income of US Carriers (in millions of dollars)
Year

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

Total

-9,104

-27,220

18,186

7,691

-23,750

-2,526

3,666

1,392

364

12,771

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, US

Extract 1: Airlines: Who Can Tolerate Them
The big bang in the airline world was October 24, 1978. On that momentous day, the Airline
Deregulation Act was signed into law. Prior to the new law, airlines were governed by the Civil
Aeronautics Board (CAB). It sets fares and granted (or not) licenses to airlines for new routes. The
system had functioned for over four decades when in the early 1970s, the Arab oil embargo
drastically increased fuel prices and the economy suffered from stagflation. The rate system often
subsidised inefficient routes. As airfares were escalating rapidly, congressional pressure mounted
to scrap this antiquated bureaucracy. The theory was that an industry once untethered from
government shackles would surely thrive under unfettered capitalism.
Post 1978, the stampede to compete was fast and furious. The Act basically allowed, perhaps
encouraged, any sentient being who, satisfied adequate pecuniary requirements and experience,
to join the fray. And in the intervening twenty-five year period, 129 enterprising souls did exactly
that. By the end of 2003, only 15 of these start-ups remained, with that number much less today.
Some of the great entrepreneurial success stories were Southwest, JetBlue, and America West
(now merged into US Airways.) Of the twenty-three major and regional carriers licensed before the
mass airline rush, only seven survive today and three of those are small regional airlines in
Alaska and Hawaii. Bankrupted are old great names of Eastern Airlines, Braniff and Pan American.
Most of the others have been merged out of existence so that only United, Delta, US Airways and,
with fate hanging, American remain extant. Of these remaining majors, it should be noted that all
have been through at least one bankruptcy.
Source: Adapted from Forbes, 20 Aug 2012
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Extract 2: How Airline Mergers Saved an Industryand May Even Benefit Fliers
In the airline industry, the "turbulence" puns never seem to end, because there's always something
that rattles the big carriers and shakes up the business. All the recent bankruptcies allowed the
airlines to trim an excess supply of jets and cut labour costs that got inflated during the late 1990s,
when the carriers were flush and the unions for pilots, flight attendants and machinists had the
leverage to demand generous contracts. They also set the stage for a spate of mergers, including
American and TWA in 2001; US Airways and America West in 2005; Delta and Northwest in 2008;
and United and Continental in 2010. Once American and US Airways have merged, the industry
will have shrunk from eight or nine big carriers in 2000 (depending on how you count) to just four.
Delta, United, Southwest and the new American will control about 85 per cent of all domestic air
travel.
Consolidation is finally helping a money-losing industry become profitable. Fliers may associate
bankrupt carriers with fire-sale airfares, but on the whole, a dysfunctional airline industry is a net
drag on the US economy. "What we should all root for is an equilibrium in which the airlines are
stable enough to make some money for shareholders and provide steady employment, while not
charging consumers too much," says Seth Kaplan, managing partner of the trade publication
Airline Weekly.
Too much consolidation, of course, can generate monopolies that gouge consumers. But so far
that hasn't happened. Since 2000, the average airfare, adjusted for inflation, has fallen by 18 per
cent, according to the Department of Transportation. Airfares have risen more sharply since 2009,
but that follows a plunge in fares during the recession, with ticket prices settling more or less where
they were before the downturn. "Mega-mergers over the last seven years have not caused US
domestic passengers to experience dramatically higher airfares or drastically reduced competition
on most routes," a recent study by consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers concluded.
Profit-hungry carriers undoubtedly will push fares as high as possible if a shortage of competition
on some routes lets them get away with it. But there are still discounters like Spirit and Frontier
eager to find markets where they can undercut established carriers by offering lower fares. Airlines
do charge more for extra baggage and other extras these days, but travellers have some control
over whether to pay those fees or not. As much as travellers like to gripe about flying, the
experience is actually getting better. Mild weather, better technology and other factors have
contributed to the better performance, but larger route networks with more integration help, too.
Source: Adapted from US News, 14 Feb 2013
Extract 3: American and US Airways Officially Merge to Create World's Biggest Airline
The worlds biggest airline was officially created on Monday with the merger of American Airways
and US Airways, capping a round of consolidation that has worried the US government, rivals and
consumer groups. The merged airline will take the American Airlines name and will have a global
network of nearly 6,700 daily flights to more than 330 destinations in more than 50 countries, and
more than 100,000 employees worldwide. The company has a firm order for 600 new aircraft.
Last month, the Justice Department gave the $11bn merger the go-ahead after initially raising antitrust concerns. Under the terms of the settlement, American and US Airways must divest
themselves of prime take-off and landing slots at six key airports in Washington, New York,
Chicago, and other cities. The two carriers will be forced to sell those slots to low-cost carriers
such as Southwest and JetBlue. "This agreement has the potential to shift the landscape of the
airline industry. By guaranteeing a bigger foothold for low-cost carriers at key US airports, this
settlement ensures airline passengers will see more competition on non-stop and connecting
routes throughout the country," said attorney general Eric Holder.
Source: Adapted from The Guardian, 9 Dec 2013
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Extract 4: Whats Next for the Industry?
With airline consolidation reshaping the industry, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) identifies four
key trends that will likely define the industry in the near-term:
Sustained profitability: Domestic airlines have been profitable since 2010, and analysts expect
2013 to be profitable as well. Network carriers have been able to exert capacity discipline,
eliminating redundant or unprofitable routes and rescheduling flights to better align with customer
demand. In addition, as carriers replace their aging fleets, theyll see additional gains from newer,
more fuel-efficient planes.
Business model convergence: Low-cost carriers (LCCs) are contending with aging aircraft that
are driving maintenance costs higher and a maturing workforce that increases labour cost
pressure. As LCCs have increased prices to cover increasing costs, their fares are more closely
matching those of the network carriers. According to the report, stable LCC markets experienced
a 19 per cent increase from 2008 to 2013, over twice the nine per cent increase in non-LCC
markets. Now that mega-mergers have changed the competitive landscape, the business models
of these remaining airlines are converging.
Ultra LCCs and mainline unbundling: Ultra LCCs are rapidly growing. As LCC airfares continue
to rise, ultra LCC airlines distinguish themselves by charging the lowest base fare and collecting
the highest ancillary fees. Ultra LCC traffic has almost doubled from 2008 to 2013, according to
PwC, and if this business model continues to prove successful, it will likely incentivise some
carriers to unbundle their product and services mix, at least for certain passenger segments.
Improvements to product quality: More carriers are competing for customers based on product
and service offerings, as passengers continue to search for and book flights based on best price,
reliability, convenience and amenities. As a result, airlines are increasing investments in customer
experience improvements such as in-flight Wi-Fi, premium seating options, and operational
reliability infrastructure.
Carriers today are able to make more investments in improving their operations, as merger-driven
consolidation has had a positive impact on the financial stability of the domestic airline industry,
continued Jonathan Kletzel, US Transportation and Logistics leader, PwC. Customer experience
will remain a priority for airlines, as companies continue to upgrade their operations and improve
efficiency in this time of relative financial stability.
Source: Adapted from PwC US, 2014
Questions
(a)

(b)

(c)

(i)

State the theoretical relationship between market power and prices in an industry.

[1]

(ii) Do the data reflect this relationship? Explain why or why not.

[5]

(iii) Describe the trend of the net income of US carriers over the period of 2004 to 2013.

[2]

(i)

Identify how the market structure for domestic US airlines has evolved since the [2]
early 1970s.

(ii) Explain the reasons for the evolution identified in b(i).

[4]

(iii) Discuss the costs and benefits of the consolidation.

[8]

Assuming you are the economic advisor to the CEO of Jetblue, justify your [8]
recommended strategies for Jetblue to remain competitive in the airline industry.
[Total: 30]

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Question 2
Singapore and the Dynamic Environment of Global Trade
Table 2: Singapores Current Account Balance (S$ million)
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

39,251.70

47,068.60

76,278.90

78,728.70

62,671.60

68,264.00

Source: Adapted from Singstat

Table 3: Singapores Imports by Source

Non-Oil Imports - Selected Countries (2007-2012) as a Percentage of Total Imports
2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

United States

12.3

13.3

10.5

12.0

12.4

12.2

China

12.1

12.0

9.5

11.6

12.1

12.4

India

2.2

3.0

2.1

3.2

4.5

4.1

Source: Adapted from Singstat

Table 4: Singapores Exports by Destination

Non-Oil Exports - Selected Countries (2007-2012) as a Percentage of Total Exports
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011

2012

United States

8.8

7.4

5.7

6.9

6.1

6.1

China

9.7

9.7

8.5

11.0

11.9

12.2

India

3.3

3.7

3.0

4.0

3.9

3.0

Source: Adapted from Singstat

Extract 5: Policy Reforms in China
Since the late 1970s, Chinas manufacturing-led economy has been characterised by rapid doubledigit GDP growth. However, in the wake of the global slowdown, China became more cognisant
that relying on the model of manufacturing and export-led growth is not sustainable. There is a
pressing need to ensure a structural shift from an investment-led to a consumption-based growth,
and the government is committed to develop a more sustainable and steady economy, albeit with
slower growth. [Chinas growth rate is forecast at 7.5% p.a.]
One major development is to build a competitive and vibrant economy. Policies are needed to
tackle existing market restrictions (ranging from state dominance of the market, to industrial
overcapacity, as well as financial restrictions) and accelerate the opening up of Chinas economy.
Reform policies aim to open the Chinese economy to more private and foreign participation,
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consequentially allowing the Chinese economy to be more efficient and integrated with the global
economy. They also seek to enhance the ease of doing business and increase market participation.
With the end goal of addressing overcapacity, the Chinese government will allow private and
foreign investments to participate in State Owned Enterprises [SOEs] so as to make them more
competitive.
Source: Adapted from IE Insights, 15 Feb 2014

Extract 6: India the New Export Focus for Singapore?

Indias GDP is forecast to grow an average of 6% to 8% through 2016 with a middle class that is
expected to nearly double by then, indicating a huge potential in the domestic market.
India is one of the worlds most important emerging markets and the second most populous nation
after China. The country is Singapores ninth largest trading partner, with total trade amounting to
S$35.4 billion in 2011. It has a fast growing consumer market, and opportunities are ripe for
Singapore companies to enter into the education, premium healthcare, F&B and retail sectors to
meet the needs of the growing upper middle class which is expected to reach 129 million by 2025.
Source: Adapted from IE Singapore, 24 July 2013

Extract 7: Examples of Singapores Success Stories

International Enterprise (IE) Singapore is the government agency driving Singapores external
economy. The IE Singapore vision is for a thriving business hub in Singapore with Globally
Competitive Companies (GCCs) and leading international traders. The following are examples of
successful overseas ventures.
Charles & Keith: From humble beginnings, in Ang Mo Kio, Charles and Keith Wong have built a
significant international brand. With its growing reputation for producing top-quality womens shoes
and later mens shoes under the Pedro line overseas businesses were eager to partner
Charles & Keith in their respective markets. Over 30 factories in China and Malaysia supply shoes
to a diverse range of outlets including Singapore, Japan, Dubai and Taiwan.
SATS: SATS is Singapores leading provider of gateway services and food solutions with over 60
years of operating experience. Having forged a solid reputation as a reliable and premier provider
of inflight catering as well as passenger, ramp, cargo and baggage handling services in the
aviation industry, it has successfully expanded its presence beyond Singapore and ventured into
the non-aviation sector. Today, SATS is present in 44 airports across 12 countries. SATS hoped to
ride on the booming Indian aviation market as early as 2003. Today, there are more than 20
international airports in India. By 2011, the Mumbai-Delhi air route was the tenth busiest airline
routes in the world with a total domestic passenger load exceeding 4.3 million. Growing incomes
in India are likely to boost SATS future in this emerging market.
Source: Adapted from IE Singapore, 2013
Extract 8: US Trade Sanctions
US government moved to impose substantial punitive tariffs on hundreds of millions of dollars of
imported steel products from South Korea and eight other countries, a much-anticipated decision
that marks one of the largest anti-dumping cases in recent memory. Steel imports from the nine
countries may be hit with tariffs up to 118%, but the lions share in this case from South Korea
was targeted for levies with much smaller duties of 10% to 16%.
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In the short term, the tariffs, if finalised, are expected to curb steel imports and lift US prices of
certain steel goods, which could be felt by American businesses and consumers. The tariffs also
may help restore several hundred steel factory jobs idled because of pressures from imports and
probably will embolden domestic steel makers to file more claims of unfair pricing against foreign
shippers. Worldwide, China is a leading producer and exporter of steel, but the country didnt figure
into Fridays announcement because the US already had levied big anti-dumping tariffs on its
tubular steel goods in 2010, which nearly halted its imports in that category.
Source: Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2014

Extract 9: Singapores Competitiveness at Risk

The Monetary Authority of Singapore's (MAS) traditional defence of a strong Singapore dollar
policy is built on balancing imported inflation against export competitiveness. The MAS believes a
strong currency does not hurt manufacturing as the heavy reliance on imported components which are cheaper when our currency is strong - helps hold down costs.
But this leaves service exports in the cold - and subject to the vagaries of a strong currency because they are typically much less reliant on imported inputs. The negative effect of an overvalued currency on service exports like tourism and medical care was very evident in the aftermath
of the Asian Currency Crisis of 1997 and 1998. We saw inbound tourism from East and South-east
Asian countries dry up. Singapore's private hospitals and clinics were also adversely affected.
Singapore has not benefited much from the US recovery. The EU is still in the doldrums, while
Japan is vigorously re-structuring, beginning with aggressively weakening the yen via quantitative
easing. China is re-balancing its economy towards domestic demand and services. The US is also
regaining competitiveness due to shale oil and gas, lower wages and a resurgent industrial policy.
Meanwhile, the recent Indian elections may translate to a vigorous manufacturing drive by the Modi
government. And, if it can straighten out its politics and policies, Myanmar, with abundant
resources and cheap labour, may prove to be a big draw for foreign direct investments.
Source: The Straits Times, 29 July 2014
Questions
(a)

(i)

Explain how the current account of an economy is calculated and suggest an [3]
explanation for the 62% growth in the current account of Singapore from 2009 to
2010.

(ii) Using Tables 3 and 4, explain the change in relative importance of the USA and [2]
China as Singapores trading partners, from 2007 to 2012.
(b)

Explain one reason why the Chinese government is promoting structural change.

[3]

(c)

Extract 6 reports that the Indian middle class is expected to double by 2016. [4]
Explain how this might affect trade between India and Singapore.

(d)

Analyse potential impacts of the punitive tariffs on American producers and [8]
consumers.

(e)

Discuss the threats and opportunities facing the economy of Singapore in light of [10]
recent developments.
[Total: 30]

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