Definitions for economics

Aggregate demand: The total demand for a country’s goods or services at a given price level and at any given time

Aggregate supply: The total amount that producers in an economy are willing to supply at a given price level in a given time period

allocative efficiency: where consumer satisfaction is maximised

Asymmetric information: Information not equally shared between 2 parties

capital: man made aids to production

Change in demand: where a change in a non-price factor leads to an increase/decrease of demand

choice:the selection of appropriate alternatives

command economy: an economic system where capital  and resources are allocated centrally

complements: goods for which there is joint demand

consumer confidence: how confident consumers are about the future economic prospects

cooperation tax: A tax on firms profits

Cross elasticity of demand (XED): the responsiveness in demand for one product compared to the change in price of another product.

Demand: The quantity of a product that consumers are willing to purchase and are able to purchase at various prices over a period of time

Demand curve: This shows the quantity demanded and the price of the product

Demerit goods: goods where the consumption of them is more harmful to the consumers than they actually realise

direct tax: A tax that cannot be avoided and taxes the people and firms

Disposable income: Income after taxes on income have been deducted and state benefits have been deducted

division of labour:  The specialisation of labour, where labour is broken down into separate tasks

economic efficiency: when the economy is both productively and allocatively efficient

Labour: The quantity and quality of human resources

Enterprise: The willingness to take the risk

Factors of production: The resource inputs that are available in an economy for the production of goods and services

Land: natural resources in an economy

Want: anything you like, regardless of whether you have the resources to purchase it

scarcity: A situation where there are insufficient resources to meet all want

opportunity cost: The cost of the  next best alternative forgone

Factor endowment: The stock of the factors of production

Production: the output of goods and services

Subsidy: A payment by a governing body to increase consumption or production of a particular good or service

production possibility curve: This shows the maximum quantities of different combinations of output of two products, given current resources and the state of technology

trade off: the calculation involved, when deciding to give up one good for another.

Economic growth: Change in the productive potential of an economy

productive potential: is the change in the maximum output that an economy is capable of producing.

Market economy; An economic system whereby resources are allocated according to the market forces of demand and supply

Price system: A method of allocating resources by the free movement of prices

Supply: the quantity of a product that producers are willing and able to provide at different market prices over a period of time

Mixed economy: an economic system where resources are allocated through a mixture of the market and direct public sector involvement


Definitions for a competitive market and how they work

Market: Where buyers or sellers meet to exchange products

Sub-market: A recognised distinguishable part of a market, also known as  a market segment

Notional demand: the desire for product

effective demand: the willingness and ability to buy a product

Consumer surplus: The amount that the consumer is willing to pay, above the price that is actually paid.

Real disposable income: Income after all forms of direct tax have been taken into account. And state benefits have been added to take account the change in price levels

Normal goods: Goods for when income increases, demand increases

Inferior goods: goods for when income increases, demand decreases

substitutes: competing goods

complements: goods for which there are joint demand

change in demand: Where a non-price factor leads to an increase/decrease in demand

producer surplus: the difference between the price the producer is willing to accept and what is actually paid. 

equilibrium quantity: The amount that is wanted and supplied at a given price

Disequilbrium: Any postion in the market where demand and supply are not equal

surplus: an excess of supply over demand

Shortage: an excess of demand over supply

Elasticity: The extent to which buyers and sellers respond to change in market conditions

Price elasticity of demand: the responsiveness of the quantity demanded to a change in the price of the product

Price elastic: where the percentage change in quantity demanded, is sensitive to a change in price

price inelastic: where the percentage change in quantity demand is not that sensitive to a change in price

Income elasticity of demand; The responsiveness of demand to a change in income

Normal goods: Goods witha a positive income elasticity of demand

Income elasticity: goods for which a change in income produces a greater change in demand

income inelastic: goods for which a change in income produces a smaller change in demand.

Cross elasticity of demand (XED): The responsiveness of demand for one product in relation to the change in price of another product

Price elasticity of supply: The responsiveness of the quantity supplied to a change in price of the product

Market failure: Where the free market mechanism fails to achieve economic efficiency

Productive efficiency: where production takes place using the least amount of scarce resources

Economic efficiency: Where both allocative and productive efficiency are being achieved

Inefficiency: where economic efficiency is not achieved

free market mechanism: The system by which the free market forces of demand and supply determine prices and the decisions made by consumers and firms

information failure: A lack of information resulting in consumers and producers making decisions that do not maximise their welfare

Private costs: The costs incurred by those taking a particular action

private benefits: the benefits incurred by those taking the particular action

external costs: the costs that are the consequence of externalities to third parties

External benefits: the benefits that accrue as a consequence of externalities  to third parties

Social costs: The total costs of a particular action

social benefits: the total benefits of a particular action

negative externalities: this exists when the social costs of an activity is greater than the private costs

positive externalities: Where the social benefit is greater than the private benefit

merit goods: goods that have greater benefits than consumers actually realise

De-merit: goods that are more harmful than consumers actually realise

public goods: goods that are collectively consumed and have characteristics of non rival and non excludability

Free rider: someone who directly benefits from the consumption of a public good but who does not contribute towards its provision

non-rivalry: situation where consumption by one person does not affect the consumption for all others

Quasi public goods: Goods that have some but not all characteristics of public goods

Direct tax: one that taxes the income of people and firms and that cannot be avoided

indirect tax: a tax levied on goods and services

Polluter pays principle: any measure, such as a green tax, whereby the pullet pays explicitly for the pollution caused

Tradable permit: A permit that allows the owner to permit a certain amount of pollution. And be sold to another polluter if not used very much.

 

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