Cars

Although U.S. automakers have struggled in recent years, and there have been layoffs in some of the major manufacturing plants in Detroit, the auto industry still has a huge impact on the U.S. and global economy. For instance, just one automaker, Ford, had a total net income of $6.6 billion dollars alone for 2010. Along with the other U.S. automakers such as Chevy and General Motors, these companies employ thousands of people in the manufacturing, repair, transporting, and sales of autos in the U.S. For example, the Motor Vehicle and Parts Industry employed 732,800 workers in 2008. The United States also spends and earns billions of dollars in exporting U.S. vehicles and importing foreign vehicles with other countries such as Germany, Japan, Switzerland, Italy, and France. Additional jobs created by the auto industry would include the multi-billion dollar parts industry. Some recent new job opportunities are coming to the forefront due to the push the develop and mass produce energy efficient and hybrid vehicles that take new skills and training to produce and repair. One down side to the economic impact that the auto industry has is the millions of dollars in increased healthcare costs due to polluted air, and vehicle injuries and deaths. As long as people choose to make automobiles their primary source of transportation, then the auto industry will continue to have a very substantial effect on the economy both negative and positive. 

  ehow.com/facts_6738360_effect-do-cars-economy.html

Microsoft

 Perhaps no other company of a mass manufactured product has had a greater impact on the globally economy then when Microsoft invented Windows in 1987.Windows is a personal computer operating system from Microsoft that, together with some commonly used business applications such as Microsoft Word and Excel, has become a  "standard" for individual users in most corporations as well as in most homes. Microsoft with this invention revolutionized the way that individuals and corporations could access, organize, and transmit enormous volumes of information.The way that Microsoft's programs have impacted the economy is they have streamlined and made business processes so much faster, accurate and efficient has saved corporations thousands of dollars in operating costs as well as made them more competitive with other similar businesses worldwide. Another way that Microsoft has impacted the economy is all of the people they have employed throughout their 35 years, such as computer engineers, who are constantly inventing, and developing more sophisticated Microsoft software. It must also be noted that millions of jobs have been created in business offices around the globe to operate these Microsoft products for their individual employers. For example, since 1990, over 28% of the jobs added in Washington have been related to Microsoft. Microsoft contributed $9.16 billion dollars to Washington in 2008 through employee compensation and the company's direct purchases. The significance of the amount of money that individuals spend on Microsoft products for home use cannot be overstated because it is a huge share of the software market. They would probably have a complete monopoly of this part of the economy, if it were not for the competition of Apple.  

microsoft.com/presspass/features/2010/apr10/04-09WashingtonEconomy.mspx?rss_fdn=Topstories

Apple

Apples had a large effect on the economy by inventing and developing a different computer operating system that many consumers think is more efficient and durable and also less prone to being corrupted malicious viruses. Because of this new invention and competition it caused Microsoft to drop their prices for many of the computers and software that they produce and sell to maintain a high level of sales because the Mac is widely considered a better product. Even during an economy marred in the 4th quarter of 2009 by layoffs, bankruptcies and bailouts; Apple managed to get record revenue and sell a record number of Ipods. This success not only was a positive effect on the employees of Apple, but also the thousands of people who invested in its stock. Apple got 46% of its revenue from international states. This has helped Apple to stay in the forefront of inventing new technology, which improves the efficiency of how many businesses process information, and therefore has a positive effect on the economy also. 

fastcompany.com/blog/caly_dillow/culture-buffet/apple/apple-store-economy-worth-24-billion-dwarfin-android-market
artechnica.com/apple/news/2009/01/apples-sales-abroad-helped-offset-effect-of-weak-us-economy.ars

Oil

 Perhaps one of the most profound and wide ranging economic factors in the world are the fluctuating prices of oil, which are perhaps second in importance only to the impact of agriculture and food prices. The price of oil effects almost every facet of society's economy because of the domino effect it has in the necessity of this product for creating, producing, and transporting such an enormous percentage of all the products and services this society depends on to function in today's world. Because of this, the countries that have the largest natural oil supplies or have control of those supplies, hold the power of the oil prices. These countries use this power to their advantage which can have an extremely negative effect on the economy of countries who are dependent on importing it. For example, this effects, how much it costs large companies to manufacture the automobiles that we drive, how much it costs to transport food and other products, and all this cost eventually is paid by the common consumer, and families trying to survive. Some of the solutions being researched are alternative energy such as solar, wind turbines which are big in Iowa, nuclear, and even water, such as the hoover dam which uses the power of the river to produce electricity for millions of customers. This is our best hope of improving the economy by creating good jobs to produce alternative energy and to get our economy out of the grasp of the hostile countries that produce oil.  

currencytrading.net/features/20-surprising-ways-high-oil-prices-affect-the-global-economy

Video Games

Since computerized video gaming began in the early 1970's, the games have increased many times in their sophistication and complexity and also in popularity. There are video games that are designed for use by many different types of hardware such as PC's, Xbox, Nintendo's, Ipads, Playstations, Wii's, and other similar devices designed by many companies in this very competitive industry. The games have become more and more intricate and challenging and demanding. Each year the market expands because of gamers who haven't stopped gaming, younger gamers, and even parents. People can decide wether they want to play at home on their PC or Xbox, or they can choose to take many kinds of hand held devices such as Gameboys, PsP, and Ipads. In 2009 computer and video game companies sold $10.5 million in software revenue, and $20 million overall. Also in 2009 the U.S. video game console software accrued $8 billion. So obviously along with the hundreds of thousands of well payed employees who design, manufacture, and sell the software and hardware in the gaming industry, and the millions of dollars that people spend on these items for their own entertainment and gifts this industry has and enormous and still growing effect on the economy. Even in a market, where other forms of entertainment might be declining in sales.

theesa.com/gamesindailylife/economy.pdf

Fashion

Obviously the fashion industry is an important and inherent part of the economy in every part of the world because of the necessity of people to purchase clothes. Of course there is a wide range in the difference of how people in different income brackets budget, how much they are willing to spend on fashion. The economic downturn that began in 2009 has definitely had a negative impact on the fashion industry.  People that may have splurged on several outfits such as formal wear from higher end outlets, are now more price conscious. Therefore; high fashion designers have more competition from companies that may produce similar looking designs that are much lower price. Sometimes to referred to as knockoffs. There are some people out there still buying clothes, but it's a smaller pool. And that's because the amount of wealthy people that have the expendable income to purchase suits and dresses that may cost $1000 dollars or more, has decreased. One area of fashion that families even of modest means will still save up for is the formal wear purchased by millions of students across America for their high school proms. This is of course also true of weddings.

abcnews.go.com/Business/story?Id=5737974&page=1

Movies

 As one of the most common forms of family entertainment movie's contribute to local economies throughout many parts of the world. Every weekend, for instance, the Des Moines Register lists the highest grossing films showing in our community that week. Although the tickets may cost only approximately ten dollars a piece, millions of people attend multiple movies throughout the year. And many times are spending money on concessions, and may very well shop at local retail stores before and after the showing. In addition to the actors, producers, directors, choreographers, and cameramen, who earn their money from the movies and are then investing their money back into the economy, they also create additional earnings for many retail outlets, and cable companies through DVD's and Pay-per-view. One example of another way that movies can effect a local economy is something that happened with a production called After Dark Film production company, here in Iowa. They came to Iowa with great expectations of receiving tax credits worth $400,000 to make films, which Iowa offered them as incentive to bringing new, exciting industry to the state of Iowa. However, after only producing a couple of films, it was discovered that the tax credits were being  misused. Head of Iowa Film office, Tom Wheeler, and others, were inappropriately using the tax credits. When it was discovered the film company was going to sue, so the state of Iowa settled with After Dark productions and paid them roughly a half a million dollars in taxpayers money. And then they left and decided not to do business in Iowa anymore. Therefore, in this case, the film industry was bad for the local economy instead of productive.

filmindustrynetwork.biz/state-forced-to-pay-43000-to-film-production-company-for-fraud/6540
cinemorall.com/cinemarolling/film-the-top-10-money-making-movies-of-all-time