micro year 1 (part 1) Flashcards
what is the basic economic problem
how to allocate scarce resources given unlimited wants
what is opportunity cost
The cost of the next best alternative forgone when a choice is made
what does a PPF diagram show us
the maximum possible production of 2 goods/service with given factors of production
The various combinations of 2 good/service that can be produced with given factors of production
what goes on the x and y axis’ of a micro PPF
- 2 specific goods/services (e.g laptops and iPads)
- or consumer goods and capital goods
what goes on the x and y axis’ of a macro PPF
goods , services
consumer goods and capital goods
what is the law of increasing opportunity cost
as the production of one good increases, the opportunity cost of producing additional units of that good also increases.
because resources are not perfectly adaptable
what does a concave PPF curve illustrate
the law of increasing opportunity cost
what does a liner (straight) PPF curve illustrate
shows constant opportunity cost
where is productive efficiency and where is productive inefficiency on a PPF
any point on the curve is productively efficient
(using all factors of production to there maximum levels)
Any point inside the curve is productively inefficient(unemployment on macro)
Any point outside of the curve is unattainable with the given factors of production
what is allocative efficiency
allocative efficiency is wether what’s being produced is satisfying consumer demand
what is Pareto efficiency and where is it on a PPF
- the idea that you cannot make someone better off without making someone else worse off
- Pareto efficiency is on any point on the curve as if you change the ratio of production you are making people who like the foregone product worse off
how do you shift the PPF curve
-increase/decrease the quality and or quantity of factors of production (Q^2CELL)
-The shift could also favour one product more than the other and so the curve would shift more on one side than the other
how do you go from a point inside a PPF curve to a point on the PPF curve
Use factors of production better (use labour better, if there is any unemployment of labour in the business use it up)
What is the Law of demand
There is an inverse relationship between price and quantity demanded, as price increases quantity demanded decreases (vice versa)
Assuming cetris paribus
Why is the demand curve downward sloping
- there is an inverse relationship between price and quantity demand
What is the income effect
Don’t know about this one styl ?????
As prices go up our incomes can’t stretch as far and therefore we are less ABLE to buy as we can’t afford the same quantity of goods as before and demand contracts because of this
vice versa for a lowering of price
What is the substitution effect
- as prices for a good increase the price of substitues become more competitive and so demand switches
vice versa for a lowering of price
definition of supply
The quantity of a good/service producers are willing and able to produce at a given price in a given time period
what is the law of supply
- direct relationship between price and quantity supplied (assuming ceteris paribus)
why is the supply curve upward sloping
- direct correlation between price and quantity
- higher price needed to cover higher marginal cost of production.
What are the non price factors that can affect supply
dont think just about individual firms
- Productivity
- taxation
- No. of firms (market level supply)
- Subsidies
- Weather (agriculture)
- Costs of production (transport, labour, oil, raw materials, regulations, utilities, rent, wages)
why is economics a social science
it uses scientific methods to build theories that can explain behaviour of individuals
what is division of labour
The assignment of different parts of a manufacturing process or task to different people in order to improve efficiency
what makes division of labour effective
- promotes efficiency as individuals become specalised which increases productivity
what are the cons of division of labour
- Unrewarding, repetitive work can lower motivation
^lower productivity. - Workers take less pride in work so quality suffers.
- Dissatisfied workers causes absenteeism to increase.
absenteeism means the practice of regularly staying away from work or school without good reason.
what is the difference between positive and normative statements
Positive statement can be tested using empirical data and are objective and fact based
Normative statements are based on opinion and include value judgements.
Define the primary sector
The primary sector is a part of the economy that involves the extraction and collection of natural resources (Agriculture, Fishing, mining and forestry are all examples)
Define the secondary sector
The secondary sector is a part of the economy that involves the processing and manufacturing of raw materials into finished products, such as the production of Cars, electronics and furniture.
Define the tertiary sector
The tertiary sector involves the provision of goods/services to businesses and consumers such as healthcare, education, transportation, tourism and retail
Define the quaternary sector
the quaternary sector involves the knowledge-based sector, including R&D, information technology and innovation
what is utility
the usefulness or enjoyment a consumer can get from a service or good.
what do consumers and suppliers look to maximise
consumers look to maximise utility with every item consumed
Suppliers look to maximise profit
Define consumer surplus
The difference between the amount a consumer is willing and able to pay for a good/service and what they consumer actually pays
Define producer surplus
The difference between the price the producer is willing and able to supply a good/service for and the price they actually receive.
what is the formula for revenue
No. units sold x selling price
who was Adam Smith and what was his beliefs
- Scottish economist and philosopher
- believed in free market economies
- came up with the invisible hand (a metaphor for the unseen forces that move the free market economy)
- believed capitalism driven by Self interest leads to a thriving economy
who was Karl Marx and what was his beliefs
- German economist.
- critiqued capitalism, prompted communism
- believed that the value of goods and services is determined by the amount of labor required to produce them (labor theory of value).
- argued capitalism exploits workers by extracting surplus value from their labor.
what is a command economy
where all resources are owned by the government or central authority, who decides what to produce, how to produce it and who for and also the price that goods/services sell for
what is the structure of a 15 marker
K
A
A
Ev
A
A
x2
detailed
what are the 4 key ways to evaluate
1) weight up your points on either side of the argument
2) Consider long and short run impacts
3) question assumptions made in your theory
4) Consider and weight up the key stake holders
Do multiple in one evaluation paragraph (dont have to do all but do 2-3)
what are the 4 functions of the price mechanism and in what order are they completed
1)signals price is to high/low
2)incentives to change price
3)rations excess demand/supply
4)allocates scarce resources
- where would you find consumer surplus on a diagram
- below the demand curve and above the price line
where would you find producer surplus on a diagram
Above the supply curve and below the price line
exept on a tax diagram where producer incidence is above the consumer incidence
what are complimentary goods and what are some examples
Goods that are in joint demand, they are usally bought together
(Razor & blades)
(printer & printer ink)
if there is a contration of demand of one good what would happen to its complimentary good
There will be a shift in demand left as less people are willing and able to buy it
vice versa
what are substitute goods and what are some examples
Goods that are in competative demand
they are similar to each other
they are rivalrous
(coke & pepsi)
(tea & coffee)
if there is a contraction of demand on one good what will happen to the substitute good
The demand for the substitute will shift to the right
vice versa
what is derived demand and what are some examples
The demand for something is derived from the demand of something else
(Labour & output)
(Cars & Aluminium)
what is composite demand
The idea that 2 goods require the same good to make e.g butter and ice cream, both need milk
if there is an increase in the production of one good there is a decrease in the supply of the other as less resources can be used to make the product
what is joint supply
The idea that an increased supply of one good will increases the supply of another e.g. honey and beeswax
if one good is demanded more, the other good will be supplied more
What does PED measure
Measures the responsiveness of quantity demanded given a change in price
what is the formula for PED
%∆ in quantity demanded / %∆ in price
what is the formula for %∆
difference / original ( x100)