1. Basic Economic Concepts
Economics: the discipline that deals with the allocation of scarce resources for the purpose of fulfilling society’s needs and wants
Scarcity: all economic problems stem from the fact that our needs and wants are unlimited, but our resources are limited

2. 3 Basic questions
In deciding how to deal with scarcity, every society must answer these basic questions:
What goods and services should be produced?
How should goods and services be produced?
How should goods and services be distributed? OR For whom should goods and services be produced?

3. Factors of Production Also known as productive resources
Land, or natural resources
Labor, or human resources
Capital resources or capital goods
entrepreneurship

4. Factors of Production

5. Basic concepts, continued
Goods: tangible items of value
Services: intangible items of value; acts that are performed
Consumer goods: items of value that are produced for final use by the purchaser
Durable goods: last 3 years or longer
Non-durable goods: can be used up quickly

6. Economic Decision-making
Trade off: giving up one thing to have another
Opportunity cost:
When making a decision, the next best alternative that was given up is the opportunity cost of that decision
Production Possibilities:
the maximum combinations of goods and/or services an economy can produce when all productive resources are fully used

9. Economic Decision-making
Cost-benefit analysis: a comparison of the costs (negatives) of an action to its benefits (positives)

10. Circular Flow of Economic Activity

11. Comparative Economic Systems
What other types of economic systems exist?
Traditional: allocation of scarce resources and economic activities are the result of ritual, habit, or custom
Command: allocation of scarce resources is the result of planning of a central authority that makes most of the decisions
Mixed, or modified system: an economy that exhibits characteristics of several types of economies

12. Market Economy
Also called capitalism, free enterprise, free market economy
An economy in which privately owned businesses have the freedom to operate for a profit with limited government intervention

13. What are the Characteristics of a Market Economy?
The characteristics of a market economy were observed by Adam Smith, a Scottish economist and philosopher in 1776, who put his observations into a book called The Wealth of Nations.
The characteristics he observed are:
Profit motive: the desire to improve one’s condition, often by making money
Private property rights: the freedom to use and control one’s own property as he wishes

14. Market economy, continued
Productivity: the degree to which productive resources are used efficiently to increase production of goods/services. Reflects the relationship between inputs and outputs.
Division of labor: dividing a job into a number of different tasks, to be performed by separate workers
Specialization: concentrating, and therefore becoming expert at, a particular job or task

15. Division of Labor Ford Motor Plant 1928

16. Division of Labor – Ford 1913

17. Volkswagen 1970

18. Assembly Line 2015

19. Krispy Kreme

20. Division of Labor Specialization
In the previous photograph , we see one of the most famous examples of division of labor and specialization. This image was taken in 1928 and shows how workers in the Ford Factory had specific tasks as the cars moved through the factory. From 1908 to 1916, the Ford factory gradually increased the number of automobile components made under division of labor and assembly line production. The result was a drop in the price of a Model T Ford from $850 in 1908 to less than $300 by the 1920s.

21. Market economy, continued
Voluntary exchange: buyers and sellers freely and willingly entering into market transactions
Competition: the actions among sellers to attract consumers away from other businesses
Laissez faire: idea that government should not interfere with business activities— “Let it be”
Invisible hand: individuals pursue their own self interest, which through competition and voluntary exchange, benefits all of society

22. Role of the Government in the U.S. Economy
Provide public goods and services
Redistribute income
Taxes
Transfer payments
Protect property rights
Contracts
But, eminent domain
Resolve market failures (laws, regulations)

23. Goals of the U.S. Market Economy
Freedom: Individuals’ economic freedom of choice is protected and fostered. Power of government and other interest groups is constrained.
Growth: Increasing the productive capacity of the society
Stability: Maintaining an economic environment characterized by little or no inflation and no rapid price fluctuation

24. Goals (continued)
Security: protecting individuals against such economic risks as unemployment, bank failure, poverty, business failure, etc.
Full Employment: Resources, including workers, are being used to capacity. In practice, this means keeping unemployment levels at or below 5%.

25. Goals (continued)
Efficiency: Optimal use of scarce resources; preventing waste and ensuring most benefit for the least cost.
Equity: People within society are treated fairly.