Economic, Political And Business Forces Flashcards
Major components of economics
- Allocation and management of income and expenditures of a household, business, community or government
- Production, distribution and consumption or wealth
- Satisfaction of material needs or people
- Study of the world economy- macroeconomic survey
- Societal establishment of economic systems that serve as means of achieving society’s economic goals
Economics
Is concerned with the way in which limited resources are allocated
Consumer price index (CPI)
Measures price changes of goods consumed by an urban family of four on a moderate income
Disposable income (DI)
The gross national product (GNP) minus depreciation, business and personal taxes and transfer payments (such as social security or welfare)
“The money in people’s pockets” to spend as they want
Federal Reserve discount rate
The rate at which the Federal Reserve Bank lends funds to its member banks
Gross domestic product
Measures value of all goods and services produced within a nation’s borders regardless of the nationality of the producer
Gross national product (GNP)
- Primary inductor of national economy
- Measures production in the economy by aggregating all goods and services produced by their current prices
- Measures only goods and services that have a market
- International comparisons are difficult
- Does not measure quality of life
Microeconomics
Deals with the economic behavior of individual units such as consumers, firms and resource owners
Macroeconomics
Concerned with behaviors of economic aggregates
Items considered macroeconomics
- GNP
- GDP
- Consumption
- Level of employment
- Investment
- Money supply
- Innovation
- International trade and production relationships
Net national product
GNP less capital consumption allowance
Capital consumption allowance
Allocated costs for depreciation of capital equipment
Political economy
Term used to describe the influence of political and social institutions on the aggregate economy
Prime rate
Interest rate that banks charge to their commercial customers (those with good credit ratings and lowest risk) for short term loans
Producer price index (PPI)
Measures the wholesale price of goods
Major economic systems
- Capitalism
- Communism
- Socialism
Capitalism
- Allows private ownership of property
- Income from property or capital accrues to the individual or firms that accumulate it and own it
- Firms are relatively free to compete with others for their own economic gain
- Profit motive is basic to economic life
Communism
- Production systems are government or state owned
2. Production decisions are made by official policy and not directed by market action
Socialism
- An economic system in which government owns or controls many major industries
- May allow markets to set prices in many areas
Economic indicators
Measure the relative standing of one economic system versus that of another
Economic indicators include
- GNP
- Net national product
- DI
Price indicators
Reflect a nation’s economic standing
Examples of price indicators
- CPI
2. PPI
Labor force statistics
Measure how many noninstituionalized people are currently working at paid jobs or are willing to work
Labor force
Employable population of the economy
Persons excluded in calculations of labor force
- Military
- Jails
- Hospitals/sanitariums (patients)
- Full time students
Unemployment statistics
- Indicate the number of people looking for paid work
2. Point to changes in the labor market
Interest rates
A percentage of a sum of money charged for its use
Two important interest rates
- Prime rate
2. Federal Reserve discount rate
Balance of trade
Refers to the net value of a country’s imports and exports of merchandise
Favorable balance of trade
- Country exports more than it imports
2. Surplus
Unfavorable balance of trade
- Country’s imports predominate
2. Deficit
Reasons American economy grew during the 1980s
- Decreased taxation (tax cuts) on businesses and citizens
- Deregulation of businesses
- Increased consumer spending, investment and construction
- Beginning trend of privatizing government services
Examples of businesses deregulated in the 1980s
- Telecommunications
- Air travel
- Banking
- Many others