Chapter 11- Scarcity & Choice Flashcards
Economics
Is the study of how people, businesses and governments who have limited resources (e.g. money) make choices and decisions to meet their needs.
Economic resources
Are the factors (things) used to produce and distribute goods and services to businesses and people.
A need
Is something essential for survival e.g. food.
A want
Is anything that we would like to have but do not need to survive e.g. a holiday.
An opportunity cost
Is the item you do not buy in order to buy another item.
The financial cost
Is the price of the item you choose to buy.
The Factors of Production are (definition)
The economic resources needed to produce goods and services.
The 4 Factors of Production are:
Land, Labour, Capital, Enterprise.
Land:
Anything provided by nature to produce goods and services e.g. fields, forests.
Labour:
The people involved in producing a good or service (workers/employees) e.g. teachers, factory workers.
Capital:
This refers to the physical items used in making goods and services e.g. machinery, computers.
Enterprise:
Brings land, labour and capital together to produce a product or service e.g. Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg.
The ‘idea’ behind a good or service. An entrepreneur takes a personal and financial risk in making their idea a reality.
Example: Ben and Jerry’s Factors of Production
Land:
Cows (produce milk) graze on the land. Sugar beet and fruit are grown to make flavourings.
Example: Ben and Jerry’s Factors of Production
Labour:
Ben & Jerry’s employ staff to produce ice-cream.
Example: Ben and Jerry’s Factors of Production
Capital:
Machinery and equipment are required to make the ice-cream, while delivery vans deliver it to shops.