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Factors
Businesses are affected by the economy
An economy describes how a country spends its money
This is determined by 5 factors
Economic
Economic
Growth
Growth
Exchange
Exchange Inflation
Inflation
Rates
Rates
Economic
Economic
Factors
Factors
Balance
Balanceof
of Unemployment
Unemployment
Payments
Payments
© Business Studies Online: Slide 1
Economic Growth
Growth
This measures how much extra an economy has
produced this year compared to last year
The total amount produced in an economy is called:
ross
omestic
roduct
This means the total value of products produced within
the UK
© Business Studies Online: Slide 2
The Business Cycle
Cycle
The growth of an economy will vary, but generally
increases
This is called the Business Cycle, and can be shown as:
Income
Trend is
increasing growth
Boom
Recession
Time
© Business Studies Online: Slide 3
Inflation
Inflation
Inflation is a general and sustained increase in prices
In other words its when things get more expensive!
It is measured by looking at the price of a “basket” of
goods bought by most people each month
It is quoted as a percentage annual figure
E.g. inflation of 5% means that on average things
are 5% more expensive now than they were this
time last year
The government will want inflation to be low in order to
help businesses.
Can you explain why low inflation helps businesses?
© Business Studies Online: Slide 4
Why is High Inflation Bad?
Bad?
Inflation can cause a number of problems:
People try to save money, and so will spend less. This can create
unemployment
Higher prices means people are worse off
Costs will be higher, forcing prices
up further.
If UK inflation is higher than elsewhere
then UK companies will sell fewer
goods abroad
© Business Studies Online: Slide 5
Unemployment
Unemployment
Where people who want a job cannot get one
It can occur for a number of reasons:
Frictional
People moving between jobs
Structural
Caused by major changes in the structure of the economy
Cyclical
Caused by changes in the business cycle
Technological
Caused by automation, where machines take the place of workers
Seasonal
Caused due to changes in the seasons, e.g. Alton Towers staff
© Business Studies Online: Slide 6
The Effects of Unemployment
Unemployment
Unemployment can have good and bad effects on
businesses:
Effects of Unemployment
Good Bad
• More people looking for • People have less
work money to spend
• Business has greater • Demand will fall
choice when recruiting • Profits may fall
• Will be able to pay
lower wages
ü û © Business Studies Online: Slide 7
The Balance of Payments
Payments
The balance of payments (BoP) measures the level of
international trade that takes place.
It is calculated as:
Where:
Exports are goods and services made in the UK but sold in
foreign countries
Imports are goods and services made in foreign countries but
sold in the UK
© Business Studies Online: Slide 8
Deficit or Surplus?
Surplus?
If more money is spent on our exports than we
spend on imports then the BoP is in SURPLUS.
If we spend more money on imports than we
receive from exports the BoP is in DEFICIT.
© Business Studies Online: Slide 9
The Effects of International Trade
Trade
International trade can create opportunities or threats for
businesses
Effects of International Trade
Opportunities Threats
• More potential • Increased competition
customers from foreign firms
• Could buy materials • Language and legal
from cheaper foreign differences
suppliers • Increased transport
costs
• Changes in the
exchange rate
ü û © Business Studies Online: Slide 10
Exchange Rates
Rates
The exchange rate is:
E.g. £1 = US$1.5
The most commonly quoted rates are:
£ / $ (Pound Sterling against US dollar)
$ / ¥ (US dollar against Japanese Yen)
£ / € (Pound Sterling against Euro)
€ / ¥ (Euro) against Japanese Yen)
© Business Studies Online: Slide 11
What Determines Exchange Rates?
Rates?
Like most things, the value of a currency depends upon:
The number of people who want to buy it (DEMAND)
The number of people who want to sell it (SUPPLY)
MADE IN THE UK MADE IN THE USA
Changes in the
exchange rate can
have very big
effects upon
businesses: PRICE = £20,000 PRICE = $30,000
New Exchange Rate Original Exchange Rate
£1 = $2 £1 = $1.50
British car sold in USA for: British car sold in USA for:
$40,000 (£20,000 x 2) $30,000 (£20,000 x 1.5)
American car sold in UK for: American car sold in UK for:
£15,000 ($30,000 ÷ 2) £20,000 ($30,000 ÷ 1.5)
© Business Studies Online: Slide 12
How Exchange Rates Affect Businesses
Businesses
The effect upon a business depends upon whether the
business buys and sells abroad
In general:
Increase in Value Decrease in
of the pound Value of the
pound
Affect on Become more
Imports into Become cheaper
expensive so
the UK so will increase
will fall
Affect on Become more Become
Exports out of expensive so will cheaper so will
the UK fall increase
© Business Studies Online: Slide 13