Notesale: Turn your study into money

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Economists
develop models which attempt to simplify and improve our understanding of
how consumers and producers behave
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● Economics = the allocation of scarce resources to provide for unlimited
human wants
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This arises when there
are infinite human “wants” but finite resources
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This incurs an opportunity cost - the value of the next best
alternative foregone
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● Consumers are assumed to want to maximise utility, whilst firms are assumed
to want to maximise profits
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● Productivity = the output per unit input
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It does not carry a value judgement
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The economic problem
● The economic problem = this involves 3 parts: what to produce, how to
produce it and how to distribute it
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g
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● Non-renewable resource = one whose stock level decreases over time as it
is consumed (e
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coal, oil and steel)
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● Opportunity cost = the value of the next best alternative foregone
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● Consumer goods = directly provide utility to consumers (e
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food, clothes
and holidays)
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PPF and opportunity cost
● If a point lies within the PPF, this is an inefficient combination because not
all resources are being fully utilized
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● If a point lies anywhere on the PPF then it is an efficient combination
because no resources are being wasted
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g
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This shows productive efficiency
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● If a point is located above the PPF then that combination is not yet attainable
(but it could be if economic growth occurred)
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● If a PPF is curved then the opportunity cost will vary
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Shifts in the PPF
● If the PPF shifts outwards then this shows economic growth
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● PPFs occasionally shift inwards, indicating a decrease in the potential output
of an economy (e
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after a natural disaster)
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g
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g
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Movement along the PPF
● There is no need for a change in the quantity or quality of the factors of
production for a movement along the PPF to occur
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● However there will still be an opportunity cost involved
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● This is because some resources are better suited for the production of some
things than others (e
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many economic resources are not easily adaptable or
transferable)
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However, if all resources are equally suited to all forms of production,
then the PPF would be a straight line,
Specialisation and the division of labour
● Specialisation = The process by which individuals, firms and economies
concentrate on producing those goods and services in which they have an
advantage (a limited range)
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g Adam Smith’s pin factory)
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Specialisation advantages
● Leads to economies of scale - lowers the long run average cost for the firm
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● Rising standards of living
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● Countries may become over reliant on the production of one product, so if
there is a shortage/depletion of resources then their economies will suffer
(e
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Zambia and fluctuating global copper prices)
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Overall, this should aid economic growth and living standards
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● Higher productivity achieved by…
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➔ Workers should become more skilled (faster) over time
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➔ Capital machinery can be used continuously in production
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Division of labour disadvantages
● Monotony of work - consequences include: workers becoming less
productive, increased staff turnover and therefore greater costs for
recruitment
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This could leave them structurally
unemployed
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So if one group of workers
go on strike, or one part breaks down then the whole production process will
be halted
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Functions and characteristics of money
● Money is anything that is generally acceptable in the payment of a good or
service, or a debt
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● Money has to act as
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This makes buying and selling easier
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➔ Measure of value = allows a comparison to be made between goods,
so that when they are traded it is understood that they are worth
different amounts
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Types of economies - free market, command and mixed economies
● Free market economy = where scarce resources are allocated by the price
mechanism
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● Mixed economy = some resources are allocated by the price mechanism and
some by the government
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Free market economy
● Associated with the writings of Adam Smith
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● There are no pure free market economies in the world today
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● Advantages:
➔ Competition between firms results in lower prices for consumers and
greater efficiency
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➔ Consumers have lots of choice
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➔ Financial incentives due to little or no income or corporation tax
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These fuel economic growth
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➔ Erratic swings in the business cycle (very extreme boom and bust
periods)
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Information
gaps persist
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g
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g
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Command economy
● Associated with Karl Marx - believed that production should be driven by
human need rather than profit
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● North Korea = closest example
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g
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Advantages of a command economy

Disadvantages of a command economy

Cooperation between firms can lead to
high levels of output
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Reduction in inequality due to
government controlling workers’ wages
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Government can fund public goods and
services more (e
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defence and
healthcare) and tax harmful products
like tobacco (or carbon dioxide…)
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Other disadvantages of a command economy… asymmetric information can
occur because the government does not actually know what is best
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● Because consumers and producers are both driven by self-interest, the
interactions between them will lead to a mutually beneficial allocation of
resources
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Karl Marx’s view - command economy
● Marx argued that a free market economy creates inequality and exploitation of
workers, so eventually the lower classes would revolt and seize the means of
production
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Friedrick Hayek - free market economy
● Supporter of the free market and very critical of command economies,
because he believed that consumers know best
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He believed that governments should not intervene in
resource allocation decisions, except in the provision or protection of public
goods
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