Economics Flashcards
Economics
The study of the ways societies allocate resources to individuals and groups.
(including the choices to fund certain initiatives)
Since resources in any society are finite, allocation of resources is a reflection of what that society values.
Economic Systems are based on…
- what goods are produced
- how those goods are produced
- who acquires or benefits from the goods
2 Categories of Economics
Macroeconomics: larger systems
Microeconomics: smaller systems
Market Economy
Economy where supply and demand are determined by consumers
Planned Economy
A planning authority (possibly a public entity) makes decisions about resources will be produced, how they are produced, and how people benefit from them.
Market Socialism
In between Market and Planned Economies. A planning authority determines the allocation of resources at a higher level, while consumer goods are driven by a market economy.
Demand
What customers want and need, and how much they are willing and able to purchase
Supply
How much of a good suppliers are willing and able to sell.
Market Equilibrium Price
Where the interests of the consumers meet the interest of the suppliers. The price people are willing to buy at, and sellers are willing to sell at.
Dependent on the overall economy, beliefs and considerations of individuals, and other factors.
Elasticity
How quickly the quantity of a product responds to change in the price demanded for the product. If it changes quickly it is said to be very elastic.
Market Efficiency
When a market can produce enough output of goods to meet consumer demands, it is said to be efficient.
Comparative Advantage
When a country can produce a product more efficiently and cheaply - or at a lower opportunity cost - than other countries, it has a comparative advantage in production of that product.
Microeconomics
Focuses on economic factors such has how consumers behave, how income is distributed, and output and input markets.
Focused on the industry or firm level, rather than a whole society.
Studies factors of production, costs of production, and factor income. These factors determine production decisions for individual firms.
Market Classification
Markets are classified by assessing these conditions:
- existence of competition
- number and size of suppliers
- influence of suppliers on price
- variety of available products
- ease of entering the market
Market Failure
5 Types:
- competition is inadequate
- information is inadequate
- resources are not mobile
- negative externalities (side effects that affect 3rd parties)
- failure to provide public goods
Factors of production
Resources needed to produce a good or service
- labor
- land
- capital
- entrepreneurship
Can be fixed (land, equipment) or variable (labor), producing fixed or variable costs (costs of production).
Factor Income
Factors of Production have an associated factor income. Factors that earn income include:
- Labor: earns wages
- Capital: earns interest
- Land: earns rent
-Entrepreneurs: earn profit
Each factors income is determined by its contribution - in a market economy this is not guaranteed to be equal.
Output Market
4 kinds of market structures in an output market: perfect competition, monopoly, monopolistic competition, oligopoly
Perfect Competition
All firms sell an identical product
No one controls the final price
Nothing makes it difficult to enter or leave the industry (called a barrier to entry)
Example: agriculture
Monopoly
One seller controls the product and its price.
High barriers to entry - like high fixed cost structures.
Monopolistic Competition
Many firms sell similar but not identical products (different brands of food or clothing)
Low barriers to entry
Oligopoly
A few firms control the production and distribution of products. Barriers to entry are high, preventing most firms from entering the market.
Example: automobile
4 types of monopolies
natural monopoly, geographic monopoly, technological monopoly, government monopoly
Natural Monopoly
A single supplier has a strong advantage over others
Geographic Monopoly
Only one business offers a product in a certain area
Technological Monopoly
One company controls the technology necessary to supply a product
Government Monopoly
A government agency is the only provider of a good or service
Sherman Anti - Trust Act
- Prohibited trusts, monopolies, and any other situations that eliminated competition.
Clayton Anti-Trust Act
- Prohibited price discrimination.
Robinson-Patman Act
- Strengthened provisions of the Clayton Anti-Trust Act.
Securities and Exchange Commission
Requires companies that provide public stock to provide financial reports on regular basis.
Control by US government
Banks are regulated more than other businesses, and required to provide information to the government.
Marketing
All activity used to convince consumers to acquire goods, convince them of its utility.
Utility
The ability of a product or service to satisfy the need of a consumer.
Four Types: Form, Place, Time, Ownership
Form Utility
A products desirability lies in its physical characteristics.
Place Utility
A product’s desirability is in its location and convenience
Time Utility
A product’s desirability is determined by its availability at a certain time.
Ownership Utility
A product’s desirability is increased because ownership of the product passes to the consumer.