A Level Micro Definitions Flashcards
Ceteris paribus
All things being equal; the assumption that, whilst the effects of a change in one variable are being investigated, all other variables are kept constant
Economic goods
Goods which are scarce because their use has an opportunity cost
Free goods
Goods which are unlimited in supply and therefore have no opportunity cost
Needs
The minimum which is necessary for a person to survive as a human being
Production possibility curve
A curve which shows the maximum potential level of output of one good given a level of output for all other goods in the economy
Capital productivity
Output per unit of capital employed
Fixed capital
Economic resources such as factories and hospitals which are used to transform working capital into goods and services
Human capital
The value of the productive potential of an individual or group of workers. It is made up of the skills, talents, education and training of an individual or group and represents the value of the future earnings and production
Labour productivity
Output per worker
Market
Any convenient set of arrangements by which buyers and sellers communicate to exchange goods and services
Non-renewable resources
Resources such as coal or oil which once exploited cannot be replaced
Non-sustainable resources
Resources which are being economically exploited in such a way that it is being reduced over time
Primary sector
Extractive and agricultural industries
Productivity
Output per unit of input employed
Profits
The reward to owners of a business. It’s he difference between a firm’s revenues and costs
Renewable resources
Resources, such as fish stocks or forests, which can be exploited over and over again because they have the potential to renew themselves
Secondary sector
Production of goods, mainly manufactured
Specialisation
A system of organisation where economic units such as households and nations are not self-sufficient but concentrate on producing certain goods and services and trading the surplus with others
Stakeholders
Groups of people who have an interest in a firm, such as shareholders, customers, suppliers, workers, the local community in which it operates and the government
Sustainable resources
Renewable resources which can be economically exploited in such a way that it will not diminish or run out
Tertiary sector
Production of services
Utility
The satisfaction derived from consuming a good
Welfare
The well being of an economic agent or group of economic agents
Working it circulation capital
Resources which are in the production system waiting to be transformed into goods or other material before being finally sold to the consumer
Base period
The period, such as a year or a month, with which all other values in a series are compared
Index number
An indicator showing the relative value of one number to another from a base of 100. It is often used to present an average of a number of statistics
Equilibrium
The pint where what is expected or planned is equal to what is realised it actually happens
Normative economics
The study and presentation of policy prescriptions involving value judgments about the way scarce resources are allocated