9.1 - Economic Analysis

By: Cluk    Read Original Post: Economic analysis

When I browse the almanac, I often find that, to my suprise, most resources aren't directly involved in making money, even though my island is a prosperous economic powerhouse.  Therefore, I've developed this little analysis of Tropican sectors and their use.  It assumes that productivity and profitability, not happiness or a bank account, are paramount.

Basic Resources

Ok, every island has a number of basic resources:

Land (including specialized areas like beaches)
Environment
Crop conditions (like soil quality, rainfall, etc.)
Minerals
Vegetation
Fishing quality
Population
Money

I consider things like respect and happiness secondary because they are products of the deployment of these basic resources.  Some of these are easily renewable (i.e., vegetation), while some must be jealously guarded (land) - once they're gone, they're gone.  You might start with a lot of some resources (minerals) or have to develop your small starting supply (population).

These resources allow the use of sectors of your economy.  Of course, this is subjective, as there are no definites in economics.  The sectors and their uses:

Construction

Construction Office

The CO is its own sector because it is the unifying factor of all islands; no island can survive without it.  Its use is both the means and the end for the pursuit of resources.  That is, it allows economic development by building the buildings that use resources and it is also the way to re-invest the resources earned from buildings.

Resources used: Land (little), Population (moderate & uneducated), Money (lots)

Light Industry

Farm (usually on higher-profit crops)
Ranch
Wharf (for canning)
Logging Camp
Mine

The Harvesting sector is the group of industries that produce materials.  Most can be sold directly; some can be further refined.  A rural-agrarian economy uses mostly Harvesting buildings and even a more advanced industrial economy needs many to produce raw materials.  

Resources used: Land (lots), Crop conditions/Minerals/Vegetation/Fishing (varies by building and crop), Population (large employer of uneducated), Money (moderate)

Heavy Industry

Lumber Mill
Cigar Factory
Jewelry Factory
Rum Distillery
Cannery

The Heavy Industry sector takes the goods produced by Harvesting and adds a great deal of value by refining them into finished goods.  An advanced industrial economy has many of these factories.

Resources used: Land (moderate), Population (large employer of high school grads), Money (tons)

Industrial Support

Teamster's Office
Dock (for freighters)
Roads
Electric Power Plant (can help w/ upgrades to increase profits, allows TV)
TV Station (for Industry Ad campaign)

The Industry Support sector provides services that any export-based economy requires.  Without the first two items, the economy would be paralyzed.  Roads are invaluable when connected to buildings that produce and/or use goods.  They help to make teamsters more efficient, so I always use them wherever I have industry.  Also, the Power Plant is highly recommended because it provides important factory/mine upgrades that can dramatically increase the return on an investment and the Ad Campaign can mean a dramatic boost in income as well.  This sector is vital to industrial success and must grow with the Light and Heavy Industry sectors.

Resources used: Land (low), Population (fairly low), Money (fairly low, especially compared to what it supports)

Tourism

All Tourism and Entertainment category buildings
Arc. Site
Bank (Off-shore banking)

This sector is comprised of the buildings that directly profit from the flow of tourism, including hotels and attractions.  A mix of hotels and attractions optimally will have both full hotels and full attractions.  Obviously, an economy that focuses on tourism needs a large Tourism sector.

Resources used: Land (tons), Environment (must be high), Population (many uneducated, a few higher), Money (lots)

Tourist Support

Attractive Housing (no shacks near hotels)
Fountains, Statues, Landscaping (improve Environment)
Police Station (improve crime around hotels)
Airport
Dock (yachts)
Electric Power Plant (for hotels, attractions, TV)
TV Station (for Tourism Ad Campaign)

Tourists' Tourism Rating is comprised of 4 items.  The Tourism Sector only deals with Hotel and Attractions, so Tourism Support must handle Crime Safety and Environment.  Tourist Support also deals with the way to get tourists to the island.  Power is required for the better tourist facilities and an Ad Campaign can help you fill those facilities.  Again, it is important that Tourist Support expand as Tourism does in order to maintain a high Tourism Rating and constant flow of Yanqui boats or planes.

Resources used: Land (moderate), Population (fairly low), Money (fairly low)

Free Money

Newspaper (Coupons)
Radio (Menudo/Bachata/Opera)
TV (Sitcoms/Sumos/Soaps)
Diplomatic Ministry (for aid and edicts)
Airport (to issue Trade Delegations)
Foreign Military Base
Bank (on Urban Development)

Free money is available for those who want it, so the Free Money sector takes advantage of media and foreign income and Urban Development savings.  This is a sector that needs little or no outside support and is quite profitable on a larger island.  Building an Airport merely for Trade Delegations might be a little much, but they are quite lucrative...

Resources used: Land (low), Population (low, but highly educated and skillful), Money (fairly low)

Population Control

High School
College
TV Station (on Learning with Larry)
Clinic/Hospital (on Obstetrics)
Immigration Office
Dock (for immigrants)

The Population Control sector can make your population larger, more trained, and more skillful - and ultimately better.  Clever use of this sector can mold your population the way you need it for maximum productivity and yield.

Resources used: Land (fairly low), Population (fairly low, but educated), Money (moderate)

Happiness

Farm, Ranch, Wharf, Market (for Food motive)
Housing (Housing motive)
Church, Cathedral (Religion)
Entertainment
Clinic, Hospital (Health Care)
Police Station (Crime Safety)
Radio, TV (set to improve Liberty or Respect)
Make-work (work for work's sake to improve Job)
Fountains, Landscaping (Environment)
Statue (Environment, Respect)

The Happiness sector has no direct economic impact.  It takes resources that would otherwise be put into economic development and instead uses them to increase happiness.  It should be given the minimal sustainable investment - keep the people as happy as you have to.

Resources used: Land (variable, but usually lots), Environment (high for max. happiness), Population (large employer, including many educated workers), Money (lots)

Political

Palace
Armory
Guard Tower
Prison
Police Station (when used for arrests)
Statue (for govt. control)
Bank (slush fund)
Diplomatic Ministry (when used to placate foreign powers)
ANY building placed to satisfy a faction

Political sector buildings are unproductive and a large draw on resources.  Unfortunately, they're often needed to maintain power.  Because these buildings are basically dead ends for your resources, use them only as you must.
Resources: Land (moderate), Population (moderate), Money (moderate)

What's left now is to play around with the sectors and find the right balances in terms of resource investment.

Give Me Liberty or Give Me... Respect?

Liberty is an interesting case.  It is just a regional variable like crime safety and environment are.  Some Tropicans care about it more or less than others do.  Also, you will lose face with the Intellectuals if it's not reasonably high.  The notable thing is that the manual implies that people will take action against you if they have too much liberty.  This isn't true - people are actually more likely to rebel, protest, etc. if there is insufficient govt. control.  The reason liberty and control are associated is that patrolling soldiers and the martial law edict, which are the main ways of increasing govt. control, also hurt liberty.  But with BBC and Radio Free, you can increase liberty while maintaining govt. control because liberty does not undermine control.  So in a ruthless dictatorship, you can make the people, especially those danged intellectuals, happier by setting media to increase liberty and you can still grip your subjects with an iron fist.