Exam #3! Flashcards
Why do we want to be efficient with time, resources and money?
Resources are scarce
Economic decisions we make are decisions of…?
Constrained optimization
What are the factors of production (3)?
Factors of production, also called “inputs” or “intermediate goods” include:
- Labour (# of workers &/or skills of workers)
- Land (natural attributes, resources, fisheries, the weather)
- Capital (technology - machinery, buildings, equipment, etc)
What economic problems does scarcity cause (2)?
Scarcity causes:
Production (p’n) : what and how to produce
& Distribution (d’n): how to distribute production
Economic systems attempt to solve…?
Economic systems attempt to solve the problems of production and distribution.
What does it mean if a country is self-sufficient?
If a country is self-sufficient, it means that the country’s “needs” are being fulfilled (not necessarily the “wants”).
If a country is self-sufficient, does it require an economic system? Why?
Even if a country is self-sufficient, it still requires an economic system because scarcity is always present.
What are the types of economic systems (3)? Who makes the decisions in each case?
The types of economic systems include:
- Tradition (decisions made by tradition)
- Command (decisions made by govern’t)
- Market (decisions made by individual private firms and consumers)
What kind of economic system does Canada have?
Canada’s economic system is a mixture of both market and command systems.
What is a pro and a con of a tradition economic system ?
Pro: Social stability (everyone knows their role)
Con: Inflexible and resistant to change.
What is a pro and two cons of a command economic system?
Pro: Effective system for creating change at the will of the leadership.
Con 1: Leadership can be destructive
Con 2: As a country becomes more industrialized, the more complex the decisions therefore becomes harder for government to make sound decisions.
What is a pro and a con of a market economic system?
Pro: Efficient for complex industrialized societies
Con: Business cycle problems (inflation, unemployment, government budget deficits, trade problems, etc.)
How do people tend to make short-term decisions?
People tend to make short-term decisions based on price changes (rising or falling) and how much money they have.
How do people tend to make long-term decisions?
People tend to make long-term decisions (usually more expensive ones) based on forecasts. To understand forecasts, an understanding of how markets and the macro economy works is required.
In a market system, who is involved in making decisions (3)?
In a market system, those who make decisions are
Firms, Households and the Government.
What are firms’ goal in a market system?
Firms’ goal is to maximize profit by keeping costs (such as wages) down and output high.
What are households’ goal in a market system?
Households’ goal is to maximize leisure and income.
Firms compete with each other for…?
Firms compete for customers.
Households compete with each other for…?
Households compete for jobs.
Firms’ and households’ economic decisions are made primarily by _.
Primarily by competition - property rights
What are the two kinds of markets?
Goods and Factor markets.
What is a real flow?
A real flow is the delivery of goods/services.
What is financial flow?
Financial flow is payments.
What is accounting cost?
Accounting cost is the out-of-pocket expenses of performing an activity.
Ex/ Going to a concert includes:
Ticket + Transportation + Food = Accounting Cost
What is sunk cost?
Sunk cost is a cost that is irrelevant to making a decision.
Ex/ Going to a movie vs Going out for dinner: Transportation cost is involved in both, therefore it is a sunk cost.
What is opportunity cost?
Opportunity cost the value to you of what you gave up. Could be financial or not.
Ex/ Going to event vs Studying
Opportunity cost of going to event: Missing out on studying.
Opportunity cost of studying: Missing out on event.
What is economic cost?
Economic cost is the relevant accounting cost. (Accounting cost minus sunk cost)
What is the difference between positive and normative statements?
Positive statements can be verified, whereas normative statements are opinions (can be higher or lower quality depending on research done).
What are economic forecasts? What are they used for?
Economic forecasts are detailed probability estimates of future events. They are used to assess risk. People use them to make long-term decisions.
Variation in economic forecasts are caused by…?
There is variation in economic forecasts due to economists having different views about positive and normative statements because of different specializations.
What is the purpose of economic models?
Economic models are used to approximate the way things work in the real economy.
What is used to simplify assumptions in economic models?
Ceteris paribus (all other things held constant)
What are the 3 factors to be considered unemployed?
To be considered unemployed, the individual must be:
1) At least 15 years old
2) Actively seeking work
3) Available for work
What does the labour force (LF) include?
The labour force includes those employed and unemployed.
Does an individual have to work full-time in order to be considered employed?
No. Individuals can be part-time or full-time workers to be considered employed.
If an individual is on vacation or sick leave, can they still be considered employed?
Yes
How is the unemployment rate (UR) calculated?
UR = U/LF * 100
A recovery means…?
A recovery means that production of goods and services (Real GDP) has gone up.
A recession means…?
A recession means that production of goods and services (Real GDP) has gone down.
What are 3 reasons the UR can go up?
Reason 1: There is a recession, so production (Real GDP) decreases (some companies even close), therefore jobs are lost.
Reason 2: There is a recession, so those who lost their full-time jobs take on part-time jobs involuntarily
Reason 3: There is a recovery, so production (Real GDP) increases, therefore previously “discouraged workers” return to the work force.
How long does it take for a trend to be established?
It takes about 3-6 months worth of data to conclude there is a trend established.
What are 3 main measurement problems in the UR data? Determine whether it over/ or understates the problem.
Problems in the UR data include:
1) Unrealistic wage expectations (won’t take a job less than a given amount). Overstates the problem. Without this counted in the data, the UR would be lower.
2) Discouraged workers. Understates the problem because they are not taken into account in the UR data.
3) Involuntary part-time workers. Understates the problem. Although they may be employed, they would like full-time jobs.
What are the 3 types of unemployment taken into account in UR? Describe.
1) Frictional (Fr) : Between jobs/contracts, business bankruptcy, taking time off
2) Structural (St) : Long-term changes in a particular region or industry causes a mismatch with the unemployed workers’ skills and the skills required for available jobs.
3) Cyclical (Cy) : Temporarily unemployed due to recession. Government and banks can implement policies to make cyclical unemployment less severe.
What is the natural rate of unemployment (NR)?
The natural rate of unemployment is what the unemployment rate would be if there was no cyclical unemployment. We assume frictional and structural unemployment are always naturally present.
What does full employment mean?
Full employment means that those previously cyclically unemployed have found jobs (no cyclical unemployment)
If the country is at full employment, it is producing…
If the country is at full employment, it is producing its full potential level of Real GDP (Y). This is called potential output or full employment level of output, represented by Yfe.
What are 4 costs of unemployment that affect the whole country? Which is the largest cost?
1) Loss of potential output/income
2) Loss of human capital
3) Increase in health care and crime costs
4) Loss of tax revenue for the government
What is Okun’s Law?
Okun’s Law is the relationship between the UR and the Real GDP. It states that for every 1% drop needed in the UR to reach the NR, Real GDP must rise by 3%.
How is the rate of growth calculated (formula)?
Rate of growth = (present/past) - 1 * 100
What is the CPI?
The CPI is the Consumer Price Index. It measures the change in the general level of prices of goods and services that consumers buy.
What is the IPPI?
The IPPI is the Industrial Product Price Index. It measures the change in the general level of prices of goods and services (inputs) that industries buy.
What is the full name of the Deflator? What does is represent?
The Deflator is short for “GDP Implicit Price Deflator Index)”
Inflation rate is the…?
Inflation rate is the rate of growth of the price level.
What is inflation?
Inflation is when the price index increases.
What is deflation?
Deflation is when the price index decreases and becomes negative.
What is considered a healthy inflation rate?
1-3% per year is considered a healthy inflation rate.
What are the 5 degrees of severity of inflation?
1) Deflation inflation (negative inflation rate)
2) Creeping inflation (10% or less / per year)
3) Double-digit inflation (10-19% / per year)
4) Galloping inflation (20-60% / per year )
5) Hyper-inflation (600% + / per year)
How often is double-digit inflation noticeable?
Double-digit inflation is noticeable every month.
How often is galloping inflation noticeable?
Galloping inflation is noticeable every week or even day.
How often is hyper-inflation noticeable?
Hyper-inflation is noticeable every hour of every day.
What are two effects (on consumers and firms) of inflation?
(unanticipated) Inflation causes consumers uncertainty therefore they will change their behaviour and try to protect the purchasing power of their money. As for firms, they will cut back on new investment projects.
What are the three causes of inflation?
1) Excess demand or spending
2) Supply shocks
3) Excessive increases in the supply of money caused by government debt.