SAMPLE 1

Background

The objective of this research is to investigate the impact of unemployment on the residents

living in the community of Gregory Park, St. Catherine during the period January 2021 - June

2021. The research will seek to examine two main causes of unemployment for the residents

living in the community, the impact this has on their standard of living along with identifying

solutions the government can implement to correct this issue. Gregory Park is a community in

the region of St. Catherine, some six (6) miles west from Kingston. In 1818 Thomas Greenhill

was listed as the owner of Gregory Park and in 2011 the community’s population was estimated

to be 20,832 persons. Our interest was sparked when more persons close to us including family

members and friends started to lose their jobs due to the effects of the global pandemic and it had

a negative impact on our family life.

According to the article, written by Paul Clark published in the Gleaner, dated October 22,

2020, entitled “Unemployment Rises by 50% as Labour Force Shrinks” states that “Jamaica’s

employed labour force suffered a six per cent decline at the end of July 2020 in comparison with

July 2019. In addition, information from the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) Labour

Force Survey (LFS) as of July 2020, states that there were nearly 1.3 million persons in the

labour force, a negative result from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the country’s

workforce”. As researchers, we believe that this issue is very important, as unemployment has

risen drastically since the onslaught of the pandemic, which is also a global issue. We believe

that if this issue is not addressed, it will substantially affect the development and well-being of

our society since a higher percentage of unemployment will result in Jamaica being penurious.
 SAMPLE 2

Background

The objectives of this research are to identify some factors that influence the increase in

petrol prices on taxi drivers for the period September 2020 to January 2021 and explain how

these factors negatively affect these drivers and the strategies the government has in place to help

stabilize the industry. The community of Arnett Garden is found in the southern part of St.

Andrew. This constituency was created in 1967 and got its name from a former PNP candidate,

Mr. Vernon Arnett. Mr. Anthony Spalding was appointed Minister of Housing in 1972 and

started creating what we now know as Arnett Gardens.

According to an article titled “When petrol price increases, my salary decreases”, by

Mxolisi Mngadi (2018) News24, which states “the price of petrol is too expensive now and

greatly affects taxi drivers’ livelihoods. When petrol increases, their salary decreases because a

chunk of their income goes towards petrol”. What led to our interest in researching is that we

have noticed that there has been a constant increase in petrol prices and wanted to investigate its

effect on taxi drivers. The increase in petrol also affects the service industries such as the

automotive sector and even our households’ consumption levels.

This topic is important to the researchers because we feel it is necessary for others to

understand the problems faced by taxi drivers who are essential in providing commuters like us

with their services, and how it can affect not only them but also the public at large. This research

can benefit not only taxi drivers but also society, as there are many people who commute daily

and those who purchase petrol for their vehicles that are also affected by the high prices. At the
end of this research, we hope for others to understand the struggles and challenges that taxi

drivers face amidst the pandemic and increasing gas prices.

SAMPLE 3

Background

The objective of this project is to investigate the pricing strategies employed at Sugar and

Spice Ltd located at Red Hills Road and how it affects the demand of cake for the period of

September to December 2020. Sugar and Spice Ltd was established in Jamaica on September 15,

1971 founded by David Chang. It is a family oriented business, which focuses on tradition. They

offer a wide variety of delicious and delectable products as cakes, cupcakes, patties and pastries.

Even though Sugar and Spice sells a variety of products, they are famous for their cakes. They

sell character cakes, plain and chocolate cakes and customize cakes etc.

According to Jeff Clements (2021), an online article entitled ‘What are the effects of

management’s pricing and non-pricing strategy decisions?’ Management pricing decisions can

impact the brand identity and, in turn, affect the customers, which identify with the company and

its product. As students, our interest was piqued; as we wanted to know the effect pricing has on

products and how this drives demand for that particular product.

As prospective entrepreneurs, this investigation is important to us as we seek to ascertain

whether or not the pricing strategies employed by businesses in regards to their product or

service affects demand and supply as well as profitability. This research will enhance our

knowledge on pricing strategies as well as how business can utilize the different types in order to

promote the viability of their business. When this investigation concludes, it can be used by the

management of Sugar and Spice Ltd to get an insight of customers’ views on the pricing of
cakes, to identify if the pricing strategies currently used are effective and to make important

decisions as to assist in making important business decisions. Other upcoming business in the

same industry can benefit from this as they seek to enter the market using this investigation as a

guide on how pricings affect product demand.

SAMPLE 4

Background

The objective of this research is to outline factors that cause unemployment and its

effects on the residents living in the community of Manley Meadows. From the research, we will

also seek to examine whether or not the government has implemented measures to help with the

issue. Manley Meadows is a small community in East Kingston, which was developed by

Wihcon Housing Development around 1989, using a section of the Bellevue Hospital property

and renaming it after the late Prime Minister Michael Manley. The aim of this project was to

provide low to middle income housing for families in the Kingston & St. Andrew area. Our

interest was piqued because some of us live in these communities and surrounding areas where

this issue is a sore one, and we hope that by investigating, we can bring awareness, and even

assist in providing solutions to reduce the issue.

According to the article, entitled “Unemployment rate climbs to 10.7%” by loop news

created on January 20, 2021, that states “Unemployment across the island jumped to 10.7% for

the month of October, representing an increase of 3.5% when compared to the similar period of

2019. While the country’s employment numbers were weaker for October, it came in stronger

than the employment performance reported by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) for

July 2020 at 12.7%, a sign that the economy is slowly rebounding. As researchers, we believe the
issue is important, as statistics indicate that our country is in a dire state when its people are not

being productive. We know that lack of jobs does not only affect crime rates but also contribute

to low standards of living and poverty. This research may be used to bring awareness to the

effects of being unemployed and hopefully find possible solutions. The government and other

public and private entities can also use the recommendations provide to help in solving the

problem.