Explain the role of the main economic groups: consumers, producers and the government. Within an economy, there are three main groups of agents. Producers Consumers Government 1. Consumers Individuals and households who provide labour to firms and purchase goods and services. Consumers pay income tax on wages and pay indirect taxes on purchases, for example, …
Labour intensive refers to a production process where labour costs are the largest component. Labour intensive implies that capital (machines/factories) are a small percentage of the final cost. Labour intensity is the percentage of labour which is used in the production process. Labour intensive industries Certain industries and types of jobs tend to be more …
A zombie firm is a company that is currently able to stay in business but is loaded with bad debts and needs bailouts to survive. For example, a company which took on large debts but then a rise in interest rates makes these form debt repayments unaffordable and it would go under – without support …
Readers Question – what explains the strength of the German economy post-war? In the aftermath of the Second World War, the German economy was devastated by years of war, price controls, rationing and the loss of patents and top scientists to the US. However, by 1950, the economy was transformed by investment, economic growth and …
Definition: Static efficiency is concerned with the most efficient combination of existing resources at a given point in time. For example, static efficiency involves the concept of productive efficiency – producing at the lowest point on the short run average cost curve – given existing resources and factor inputs. Static efficiency is also concerned with …
A production possibility frontier shows how much an economy can produce given existing resources. A production possibility can show the different choices that an economy faces. For example, when an economy produces on the PPF curve, increasing the output of goods will have an opportunity cost of fewer services. Diagram of Production Possibility Frontier Moving …
The Asian financial crisis of 1997 refers to a macroeconomic shock experienced by several Asian economies – including Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, South Korea and Indonesia. Typically countries experienced rapid devaluation and capital outflows as investor confidence turned from over-exuberance to contagious pessimism as the structural imbalances in the economy became more apparent. The crisis of ’97-99 …
Globalisation involves the increased integration and interdependence of the global economy. Since the 1960s, there has been an increased rate of globalisation, which has been characterised by rising trade, rising exports as % of GDP, greater movement of labour and capital, and an increased interdependence of the global economy. Globalisation has benefitted some countries more …