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Scarcity
a situation in which unlimited wants exceed the limited resources available to fulfill those wants
economics
the study of choices people make to attain their goals, given their scarce resources
economic model
a simplified version of reality used to analyze real-world economic situations
three key economic ideas
1. People are rational 2. People respond to economic incentives 3. Optimal decisions are made at the margin (Marginal analysis)
Marginal Analysis
analysis that involves comparing marginal benefits and marginal costs
The Economic Problem That Every Society Must Solve
1. What goods and services will be produced? 2. How will the goods and services be produced? 3. Who will receive the goods and services produced?
trade-offs
because of scarcity, producing more of one good means producing less of another good
opportunity cost
highest-valued alternative given up to engage in an activity
Centrally planned economy
an economy in which the government decides how economic resources will be allocated
Market Economy
an economy in which the government decides how economic resources will be allocated
Market economy
an economy in which the decisions of households and firms interacting in markets allocate economic resources
mixed economy
an economy in which most economic decisions result from the interaction of buyers and sellers in markets but in which the government plays a significant role in the allocation of resources
Productive Efficiency
a situation in which a good or service is produced at the lowest possible cost
Allocative efficiency
a state of the economy in which production is in accordance with consumer preferences; every good or service is produced up to the point where the last unit provides a marginal benefit to society equal to the marginal cost of producing it.
voluntary exchange
a situation that occurs in markets when both the buyer and seller of a product are made better off by the transaction
Economic variable
something measurable that can have different values, such as the incomes of doctors.
Positive analysis
analysis concerned with what is
Normative analysis
analysis concerned with what ought to be
Microeconomics
the study of how households make choices, how they interact in markets, and how the govt attempts to influence their choices.
macroeconomics
the study of the economy as a whole, including topics such as inflation, unemployment, and economic growth
business cycle
alternating periods of economic expansion and economic recession
expansion
period of a business cycle during which total production and total employment are increasing
recession
period of a business cycle during which total production and total employment are decreasing
economic growth
ability of economy to produce increasing quantities of goods and services
inflation rate
percentage increase in the price level from one year to the next
gross domestic product (GDP)
the market value of all final goods and services produced in a country during a period of time, typically one year
final good or service
a good or service purchased by a final user
intermediate good or service
a good or service that is an input into another good or service, such as a tire on a truck
transfer payments
payments by the govt to households for which the govt does not receive a new good or service in return
consumtion
spending by households on goods and services, not including spending on new houses
investment
spending by firms on new factories, office building, machinery, and additions to inventories, plus spending by households and firms on new houses
govt purchases
spending by federal, state, and local govt on goods and services
net exports
exports minus imports
value added
the market value a firm adds to a product
underground economy
buying and selling of goods and services that is concealed from the govt to avoid taxes or regulations or because the goods and services are illegal
Nominal GDP
value of final goods and services evaluated at current-year prices
Real GDP
value of final goods and services evaluated at base-year prices
price level
a measure of the average prices of goods and services in the economy
GDP deflator
measure of the price level, calculated by: Nominal GDP/Real GDP * 100
Nominal GDP (2014 II)
$17.3 Trillion
Real GDP (2014 II)
$16 trillion
Economic Growth (2013 II- 2014 II)
2.6%
CPI: consumer price index
237.9
Inflation (by the % change in the CPI over the last year)
2.0%
Per capita
per person
capital
(K): manufactured goods owned by firms to produce other goods and services
Considered Investment? United Airlines buys new Boeing 787 United Airlines buys fuel for jets Buying new house Buying used house Putting $ in bank for spring break Person investing stocks for retirement Ski store stocking up for winter Factory
YES: United Airlines buys new Boeing 787 NO: United Airlines buys fuel for jets YES: Buying new house NO: Buying used house NO: Putting $ in bank for spring break NO: Person investing stocks for retirement YES: Ski store stocking up for winter NO: Factory
True or False: One difference btwn a capital good and an intermediate good is that an intermediate good is used up and transformed in the production process while a capital good is not.
True
True or False Every time a $ is used to make a purchase in a country, this will show up in GDP.
False: think underground economy
Which of these would be considered money in the U.S.? Corporate Stock US Savings Bonds Capital Owned by Boeing (K) Investment by Ford in a Factory Funds in checking accounts US Currency (Cash)
NO: Corporate Stock NO: US Savings Bonds NO: Capital Owned by Boeing (K) NO: Investment by Ford in a Factory YES: Funds in checking accounts YES: US Currency (Cash)
Currently, the FED is concerned about the number unemployed, underemployed, and have quit looking. Thus, what do you think the value of the federal funds rate might be?
LOW
If the Federal Funds Rate falls, all else equal, GDP will most likely _______ and ____(#)______ components of GDP will change.
RISE 2- Consumption and Investment
GDP=
Consumption+ Investment+ Govt purchases+ Net Exports
Monetary Policy:
Who: Federal Reserve (Central Bank) Goal: Promote employment and stabilize prices (around 2% inflation is good!) How: by changing interest rates of changing money supply
Fiscal Policy:
Who: President and Congress Goal: Increase demand & economic growth or reduce demand, reduce inflation, and lower budget deficit How: influence over federal expenditures and taxes
GDP Deflator
measure avg price of all goods and services in an economy. =(nom GDP/Real GDP) * 100
CPI
Consumer Price Index: an average of the prices of the goods and services purchased by the typical urban family of 4 Used to correct nominal prices and wages over time for the impact of inflation (P2/P1) *100
Nominal Price Wage:
CPI how many dollars does it take to buy or pay them
Real price/ wage
CPI Nominal value with inflation removed
GDP Limitations
GDP does not measure well-being Value of leisure is not included Not adjusted for pollution or other negative effects of products Not adjusted for crime and other social problems Does not measure "how the pie is divided up"
CPI Limitations
Substitution Bias: consumers will buy cheaper Increase in quality bias: price increases overstate the pure inflation in some products New product bias: prices of new products drop drastically Outlet bias: CPI did not reflect prices actually paid when a sale was in place
Money is an asset that:
Medium of exchange Store of value (assets away for future; gold inventory, bonds, stocks) unit of account Standard of deferred payment (loans in terms of $) **Credit Cards do not equal money!**
Efficiency Wage
a higher than market wage that a firm pays to increase worker productivity
price level
a measure of the average prices of goods and services in the economy
inflation rate
the percentage increase in price level from one year to the next
Producer Price Index
an avg of the prices received by producers of goods and services at all stages of the production process

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