Intro to Econ Flashcards
What is one commonality between the models, pareto efficiency and Kaldor-Hicks efficiency?
They are all hypothetical. The models display what could/will happen in an ideal scenario and the efficiencies look at IF THERE IS A POSSIBILITY of change
What are the different factor payments?
Land receives rent, Labor receives wages, Capital receives interest, and Entrepreneurship receives profit
What is a factor payment?
A factor payment is what a person receives when they provide a certain factor of production
How is money distributed through the economy (based on the circular flow diagram)?
Households provides money to the goods market in exchange for goods and services in the form of expenditures (consumptions). The goods market then provides the firms money in the form of revenue in exchange for the goods and services. The firms give money to the factor market in the form of a factor payment in exchange for the factors of production, and then the factor market gives that factor payment to the household in exchange for their factors of production.
How are goods and services moved through the economy (based on the Circular Flow Diagram)?
The Factors of Production are moved from the Household to the Factor Market and the to the Firms. From there, the firms use those factors of productions to provide goods and services to the goods market. The goods and services are then moved from the goods market to household
What are the four factors that make up the Circular Flow Diagram?
Households, Firms, Goods Market, and Factor Market
What is the Circular Flow Diagram?
A general display of how goods, services, and money move through the economy
How can the Production Possibilities Frontier be used to display growth/changes to the scenario?
If a third variable is added to the scenario, the PPF will shift either to the left (in) or the right (out) to display any positive or negative changes to the feasibility of the scenario.
Are Production Possibilities Frontiers more accurate with a curved line?
Technically yes, but the difference between a curved and linear line are miniscule enough that a linear line is just as credible. The linear line is also easier to work with as it only uses simple algebra while the curved line requires the use of calculus.
Why are Production Possibilities Frontiers sometimes seen with curved lines?
A curved line provides a more accurate depiction of trade-offs so you can best use your resources
What are some things that can be determined with a Production Possibilities Frontier?
If something is feasible with the current resource, if something is efficient, any trade-offs that can be made along with their opportunity cost
What part of the graph is the Production Possibilities Frontier?
If we are being specific, the Production Possibilities Frontier is the line that is displayed on the graph
What does PPF stand for and what is it?
PPF stand for Production Possibilities Frontier and it is a commonly used model that is used to see how feasible certain actions are and to compare them to one another. It is usually categorized with a straight linear line but can also be seen with a curved line.
What is empirical work used for?
Empirical work is used to determine how accurate a model is and if the decisions made from it actually work in real life.
What is one key assumption that is made when using models and what is it referred to as?
When using models, it is key to assume that anything not explicitly displayed in the model remains constant (even if it doesn’t naturally). This is referred to as “other things equal” or “ceteris parabus”
How is theoretical work used?
Theoretical work utilizes models, which are general displays of the economy to help them focus on a specific aspect and how certain decisions may affect it.
What are the two ways economists go about studying something?
Economists can perform studies through theoretical work (models) or empirical work (data collection and analysis)
In the terms of the factors of production, what is referred to when we mention “capital?”
Capital refers to the tools, technology, and equipment that is used to create a good or service.
What is the definition of “The Factors of Production?’
The factors of productions are the things put in to create an economics output
What are the factors of production
Land, labor, capital, entrepreneurship
What are some examples of things that use positive economics?
GDP calculations, revenue predictions, effects to revenue if the price is changed, etc.
What are some examples of things that involve normative economics?
The optimal tax rate (people are always going to believe that it should be lower, even if it is just for them), the price of a license (the public will want it cheap but the organization will want it more expensive), etc.