click below
click below
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Economics
finished
Term | Definition |
---|---|
High levels of economic activity | - Government may run a SURPLUS budget - Government will spend LESS to avoid stimulating the economy |
Lows levels of economic activity | - Government may run a DEFICIT budget - Will spend more in the budget that it received in taxation revenue to stimulate the economy |
Interest Rates and the effects of changes | - Changes of interest rates can affect the living standards - Demand for goods and services can be curbed - Consumers and business may devote money on loans rather than spending (OPPOSITE occurs when interest rates LOWER) |
GDP (Gross Domestic Product) | Measure the performance of an economy - Measures a total value of goods and services over a period of time - if GDP is increasing, then the economy is growing |
Importance of Economic Growth/GDP | - more goods and services produced - more employment - earning more money, means there's more to spend,. More spending means improved living standards |
Limitations as a measure | - GDP fails to measure a worthwhile life in Australia - Producing more products can have undesirable environmental/social consequences |
Business Cycle (DEF) | Refers to the recurring fluctuations in economic activity over time |
Phases of the Business Cycle | - Boom (peak) - Downswing/recession (contraction) - Trough - Upswing (expansion) |
Characteristics of economic 'BOOM' | - Above avg rate of economic growth - low unemployment - consumer + business confidence |
Characteristics of economic ' DOWNSWING/RECESSION' | - Fall in economic growth - Lower level of income - less inflation - unemployment issues |
Inflation (DEF) | Occurs when there is an increase in the level of prices paid for goods and services over a certain period of time |
Current Rates of inflation in Australia | 5.4% (should be between 2-3%) |
Causes of Inflation | - Consumer confidence - Business confidence (May expand and employ more) - Low interest rates (Encourages consumers to borrow more) - Lower taxes/increased government spending (Leads to increased demand and expenditure) |
Impacts on the economy (inflation) | - Uncertainty (difficult to determine costs of products) - Non-productive decisions (Divert resources away from investment) - International competitiveness (When inflation is greater than overseas - exports are at a disadvantage) - Purchasing power |
Employed | Occupations in which people work for other and get paid in return |
Unemployed | Someone without a paid job, but is available to work |
Workforce/Labour Force (def) | Total number of people employed, plus, the number of people seeking employment |
Cash Rate in Australia | 4.35% |
Unemployment Rate | 3.7% |
Causes of unemployment | - Weak GDP - Decreased spending - Increased overseas competition |
Frictional Unemployment | Freedom to choose occupation means that anyone can be in the process of switching jobs . Can cause weeks of unemployment |
Cyclical Unemployment | Consumer may buy less -> causing investors to fear future losses Businesses may reduce output and employ less as a result |
Technological Unemployment | - Machines used instead of labour |
Structural Unemployment | - Lack of employment opportunities - Shortage of jobs in the economy |
Seasonal Unemployment | - Some jobs only available in certain parts of the year - Such as working at festivals |
Hard-core Unemployment | Unemployment causes by: Age, gender, handicaps, personal characteristics, etc |
Productivity (def) | measures what can be produced from a given amount of resources |
Labour Productivity (def) | Measures the amount of goods and services that a worker can produce in a given amount of time |
Ways to increase labour productivity | management practice training workplace culture performance feedback |
Capital Productivity (def) | measures the amount of goods and services that can be produced using a fixed amount of capital |
Ways to improve capital productivity | technology improving processes |
Material living standards | refers to access of physical goods and services - measured by the quality of goods and services available each year |
Non material living standards | intangible - measured by assessing overall wellbeing things like: freedom of speech, free elections, etc |
Full employment | relates to the RBA promoing an environment that supports full employment - occurs when there are enough jobs for people who are available/want to work - Even at full employment, some people still face unemployment from frictional or hard-core reasons |
FTICAFD - Price | too low = consumers become suspicious of quality too high = product an be viewed as not worth the price |
FTICAFD - availability of credit | influences decisions to spend - spending too much credit leads to debt and is common cause of bankruptcy |
FTICAFD - age and gender | different needs and wants for different ages - marketers may specifically target men or women for products |
Trade liberalisation (def) | involves opening up markets for free trade so countries can trade without restrictions - promotes efficiency |
Deregulation (def) | Removal of government regulations in a certain area of the economy |
Labour market reform (def) | Reducing of eliminating government power in an industry to promote better competition in that industry |