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Dr. Flores
Introduction to Economics
Modules 1-4
Krugman Pages 2-30
Basic Economic Concepts
Module 1
• Is this all there is to economics?
What is Economics in General?
• Economics is the science of scarcity and
choices.
• Scarcity results because our wants are greater
than our limited resources.
• Since we are unable to have everything we
desire, we must make choices on how we will
use our resources.
• In economics we will study the choices of
individuals, firms, and governments.
choices
Economics is the study of _________.
Examples:
You must choose between buying jeans or buying shoes.
Businesses must choose how many people to hire
Governments must choose how much to spend on welfare.
Economics Defined
Economics- The study of scarcity and choice.
Macroeconomics- A focus on the overall ups and
downs in the economy
Microeconomics- focus is on choices made by
individuals or firms.
Scarcity: What would parents choose? What would kids choose?
The Four Factors of Production
• Producing goods and services requires the use of
resources.
• ALL resources can be classified as one of the
following four factors of production:
Land
Labor
Capital
Entrepreneurship 6
Land = All natural resources that are used to produce
goods and services. Anything that comes from “mother
nature.” (Water, Sun, Plants, Oil, Trees, Stone, etc.)
7
Two Types of Capital:
8
• Entrepreneurship= ambitious leaders that combine
factors of production to create goods and services.
Entrepreneurs:
1. Take The Initiative
2. Innovate
3. Take the Risk of Failure
PROFIT
So they can obtain _________.
Profit= Revenue - Costs
9
Classify the Factors of Production in the following scenario:
• Inflation
• Deflation
• Price Stability
Depression
• Recession
• Expansion or growth
(which leads to
inflation)
• Graph demonstrates
changes happening
over time as cycles
change
Module 3: The Production Possibility Curve
PPC helps explain efficiency; opportunity costs;
and economic growth
Keys to this Module
You have been shopping at the mall for a half hour, the
additional benefit of shopping for another half-hour might
outweigh the additional cost (the opportunity cost).
After three hours, the additional benefit from staying an
additional half-hour would likely be less than the additional
cost.
Marginal Analysis
Notice that the decision making process wasn’t
“should I go to the mall for 3 hours or should I stay
home”
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KEY CONCEPT
Anytime two nations or
people have different
opportunity costs then there
is the opportunity to gain
from trade
Production Possibilities for Two Castaways: Tom and Hank
Quantity of coconuts
30
Tom’s consumption
without trade
Tom’s
PPF
0 28 40
Quantity of fish
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Figure 4.1 (b) Hank’s Production Possibilities by himself
Quantity of coconuts
20
Hank’s consumption
without trade
8
Hank’s
PPF
0 6 10
Quantity of fish
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Tom and Hank’s Individual Opportunity Costs
Tom’s Hank’s
Opportunity Opportunity
Cost Cost
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• Both castaways are better off when they each
specialize in what they are good at and trade.
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(a) Tom’s Production and (b) Hank’s Production and
Consumption Consumption
30 Tom’s consumption
without trade Hank’s production
with trade
Tom’s consumption
with trade 20
Hank’s consumption
with trade
10 Tom’s production
10 Hank’s consumption
9 with trade 8 without trade
Tom's Hank's
PPF PPF
0 2830 40 0 6 10
Quantity of fish Quantity of fish
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» KEY TO KNOW
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Rich Nation, Poor Nation
• Most clothing is made overseas in countries that
are much poorer than the U.S.
• The immediate reason for their poverty is that
their economies are much less productive.
• Even though these economies are much less
productive, these countries hold a comparative
advantage in clothing production.
Why?
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• International trade results from comparative
advantage.
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(a) The U.S. Production Possibilities Frontier (b) Canadian Production Possibilities Frontier
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1.A higher standard of living comes from
specialization and trade and thus globalization is
ultimately a benefit for all nations economically.
2.Comparative advantage explains the source of
gains from trade between individuals and
countries.
3.Everyone has a comparative advantage in
something.
4. Absolute advantage is the ability to produce a
particular good or service better than anyone
else.
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