Economic Concepts and Analysis Flashcards
On a graph, what depicts a positive relationship?
Dependent variable moves in same manner or direction as independent variable.
On a graph, what depicts a neural relationship?
Dependent variable does not change as independent variable changes.
Concurrent with a significant downturn in the economy, the sale of electronics decreases most likely caused by:
The decline of market participant income
What does the demand curve reflect?
The impact that price has on the amount of product purchased. The curve shows the quantity of a commodity that will be demanded at various prices during a specified time.
Describe the theory of derived demand.
Demand for a good or service that results because it is an input needed in order to provide another good or service for which there is demand. The demand for a good or service is derived from the demand for another good or service.
What are factors that change market demand?
- size of market
- income or wealth of market participants
- preferences of market participants
- change in prices of other goods or services
Distinguish between a change in quantity demanded and a change in demand.
- a change in QD is movement along a given demand curve as a result of change in price only.
- a change in demand is a shift in a demand is a shift in a demand curve as a result of changes in variables other than price
Draw a supply and demand curve.
See notes.
Draw a price ceiling and describe the potential affects.
See notes.
Actual price is set below equilibrium price. The equilibrium price is the “ceiling.” This will create a market shortage where quantity demanded will be greater than quantity supplied.
Draw a price floor and describe possible affects.
See notes.
Actual price is set above equilibrium price causing a market surplus. Quantity supplied is greater than quantity demanded.
Describe what happens when demand is the causes of change in market equilibrium.
Equilibrium quantity and price will change in the same direction as demand.
Describe what happens when supply is the causes of change in market equilibrium.
Equilibrium quantity will change in the same direction as supply but equilibrium price will change in the opposite direction.
What is the relationship between the marginal revenue curve and the demand curve of a perfect monopoly and why?
The marginal revenue curve is below the demand curve and the curves diverge as quantity increases. Facing a downward sloping demand curve, the firm must continuously lower its prices in order to sell more units.
List examples of reasons why monopolies exists.
- Control of raw materials or processes
- Government granted franchise (exclusive right)
- Increasing return to scale (natural monopolies)
What are the characteristics of a perfect monopoly?
Limited substitutes, barriers to entry, single seller (the DMV)
Characteristics of monopolistic competition.
- Large number of sellers.
- Firms sell a differentiated product or service (similar, but identical) for which there are close substitutes.
- Firms can enter and leave the market easily.
- Demand curve is downward sloping and highly elastic due to the amount of substitutes.
- Profits only in the short-run (no long-term profits)
A group of firms that conspires to make price and output decisions for a produce or service is called a what?
Cartel. This is collusion and illegal in the US.
What is the pricing policy called when a group of oligopolistic firms conspire to set a price at which a good or service is provided?
Collusive pricing. Normally, pricing will be established at price higher than competitive price for a given industry. This is illegal in the US.
What type of collusion is legal in the US? And provide an example.
Tactic collusion. Example: An air route between two cities is only served by 3 airlines. Every week, the largest of the 3 airlines posts their prices online and the other two airlines match the posted prices for future bookings.
Oligopolistic firms are less likely to collude when?
The economy is recessionary because demand is lower.
How do oligopolistic firms make a profit?
Long run if costs are below market price. They will continue to make profit because access to the market is restricted.
Characteristics of oligopoly?
- Few sellers exist.
- Firms either sell a homogeneous product (standardized o) or a differentiated product (differentiated o).
- Entry into market is restricted.
Collusion among firms is more likely to happen.
What type of market structure normally avoids price competition in order to avoid a price war? And why?
Oligopoly. Since there are few firms - actions of one firm are more likely to affect another firm. If one firm lowers their prices, another firm will most likely follow which could cause a chain reaction.
However, this also means that oligopoly is at risk for collusion.
Which market structure is lease likely to be found in the US, and why?
Perfect Competition. Perfect competition assumes that goods and services are homogenous, such that there is no differences in size, quality, style or other features. Therefore, there is no reason to advertise or compete.
Are there any market structures that could have profit in the short run?
No. No firm is guaranteed profit in the short run.
Price discrimination is accomplished most effective in markets with what type of characteristic?
Fairly distinct segment of customers. An example is pharmaceutical companies. They charge different prices to for the same drug to different geographic market segments. Which is why Europeans only pay about half what Americans do for medications.
What is an example of a legal, natural monopoly?
Utility companies.
Describe the nature of the US economy’s market structure.
Mix of market structures with different commodities/industries. Monopoly, monopolistic competition, and oligopoly markets are most common. Perfect competition really doesn’t exist in the US Market.
In a macroeconomics free market model, what is a leakage?
Leakages result when income is used for purposes other than domestic consumption. I.e. savings and taxes.
Identify the 5 major sectors of a macroeconomic free market model?
- Individuals
- Business Entities
- Government Entities
- Financial Entities
- Foreign Entities
What is a consumer’s marginal propensity to consume?
Measures the change in consumption spending as the percentage of change in disposable income.
How is the marginal propensity to consume calculated?
(Change in Spending)/(Change in Disposable Income)
When is the multiplier effect used?
When you need to determine a change in spending.
What is the multiplier effect formula?
Multiplier effect = Initial change in spending X [1/(1-MPC)].
An increase in the value of a foreign currency (I.e. the Chinese currency) relative to US currency means what?
Chinese goods are more expensive in the US and US goods less expensive in China. Therefore, it would result in increased aggregate demand of in the US (of US goods).
A rise in the country’s exports of a country would most likely cause what immediate effect?
The aggregate demand curve would shift outward.
What is the Keynesian Supply Curve?
“Kink” in the supply curve. The curve is horizontal up to the point of the assumed level of output at full employment, and then it slopes upward.
If Keynesian Supply Curve is assumed, what would an increase in aggregate demand result in?
(Draw this out)
Results only in more output until output at full employment, at which point output and price level both increase.
If Keynesian Supply Curve is assumed, what would an increase in aggregate supply result in?
(Draw this out)
Will not affect the price level unless aggregate demand intersects supply where it is positively sloped.
What is the natural rate of unemployment?
Measured as the sum of frictional, structural, and seasonal unemployment and normally occurs at the peak of a business cycle.
What is potential GDP a measure of?
Measure of the maximum amount of goods and services an economy can produce at a given time, assuming available technology and full utilization of economic resources, including labor.
What is the national income?
Total payments for economic resources included in the production of all goods and services. (Wages, rents, interest, profits)
When potential national income exceeds actual nation income, this represents a recessionary phase in the business cycle. Explain why.
PNI is greater than actual NI because there is decreased demand, which is a characteristic of a recessionary phase, which results in decreased payments for goods and services (which is NI).
What is the expenditure approach for determining GDP?
Sum of spending by:
- Individuals
- Businesses
- Governments
- Net imports and exports
What is the income approach for determining GDP?
Sum of:
- Compensation
- Rental Income
- Proprietors and Corporate Income
- Net interest
- Taxes on production and inputs
- Depreciation and Miscellaneous other items
How is net domestic product measures?
GDP - Depreciation
What is structural unemployment?
Unemployment because prior type of job greatly reduced or eliminated. Usually due to technology.
What is cyclical unemployment?
Unemployment due to a downturn in the economy.
What is frictional unemployment?
Transition between jobs.
There can be official full employment during which kinds of unemployment?
Structural, frictional, and seasonal. Only cyclical unemployment is considered in the official measure of full unemployment.
What are the phases of the business cycle in order starting with peak?
Peak, recession, trough, recovery
Why is the change of unemployment a lagging indicator of a change in the business cycle?
Unemployment lags behind the change in a business cycle. Unemployment is a result of changes in the business cycle - not a direct cause.
What are leading indicators of business cycles and some examples?
Measures of economic activity that occur before the change in the business cycle.
- consumer expectations
- weekly manufacturing hours
- stock prices
- building permits
- new orders for consumer goods
- new orders for manufactured capital goods
- real money supply
What are lagging indicators of business cycles and some examples?
Measures of economic activity associated with changes that occur after changes in the business cycle.
- changes in labor per unit of output
- ratio of inventories to sales
- duration of unemployment
- commercial loans outstanding
- consumer credit to personal income