intro to economics unlimited wants and limited resources
TRANSCRIPT
Intro to Economics
Unlimited Wants and Limited Resources
I) Intro the Econ
A) economics – the study of the decisions involved in producing, distributing, and consuming goods and services
I) Intro the Econ
A) economics – the study of the decisions involved in producing, distributing, and consuming goods and services 1) goods are tangible, they are
physical
I) Intro the Econ
A) economics – the study of the decisions involved in producing, distributing, and consuming goods and services 1) goods are tangible, they are
physical Services are intangible, things people
do, not objects
II) Unlimited Wants and Limited Resources
A) scarcity – situation where there are not enough products to satisfy people’s needs or wants
II) Unlimited Wants and Limited Resources
A) scarcity – situation where there are not enough products to satisfy people’s needs or wantsB) Scarcity is based on two ideas:
II) Unlimited Wants and Limited Resources
A) scarcity – situation where there are not enough products to satisfy people’s needs or wantsB) Scarcity is based on two ideas: 1) there is no limit to what we want
II) Unlimited Wants and Limited Resources
A) scarcity – situation where there are not enough products to satisfy people’s needs or wantsB) Scarcity is based on two ideas: 1) there is no limit to what we want 2) however, there is a limit to our
ability to produce those goods and services
II) Unlimited Wants and Limited Resources
A) scarcity – situation where there are not enough products to satisfy people’s needs or wantsB) Scarcity is based on two ideas: 1) there is no limit to what we want 2) however, there is a limit to our
ability to produce those goods and services a) ex. Playstation 3
II) Unlimited Wants and Limited Resources
A) scarcity – situation where there are not enough products to satisfy people’s needs or wantsB) Scarcity is based on two ideas: 1) there is no limit to what we want 2) however, there is a limit to our ability
to produce those goods and services a) ex. Playstation 3 b) in a state of scarcity, no matter how
much we make, someone will always want more
C) This means that the consumer must choose
C) This means that the consumer must choose
1) therefore, what ever you spend your money on is the item you want most, b/c you gave up something valuable to receive it
C) This means that the consumer must choose
1) therefore, what ever you spend your money on is the item you want most, b/c you gave up something valuable to receive it a) ex. You have $100, do you by a t-
shirt from Abercrombie, or 5 DVDs
C) This means that the consumer must choose
1) therefore, what ever you spend your money on is the item you want most, b/c you gave up something valuable to receive it a) ex. You have $100, do you by a t-shirt
from Abercrombie, or 5 DVDs b) this does not mean money is scarce,
rather that these items are so valuable to us, that we are willing to give up something of value (money) to get them
C) This means that the consumer must choose
c) if I could produce the DVDs, I would not need to give up the valuable $ for them
D) Businesses must choose as well
D) Businesses must choose as well
1) their choices are based upon making a profit
D) Businesses must choose as well
1) their choices are based upon making a profit a) ex. What will make more money,
PS3 or Atari system
E) Governmental Choices
1) only have so much money and services to spend
E) Governmental Choices
1) only have so much money and services to spend2) if they dedicate all resources to one source, others will suffer
E) Governmental Choices
1) only have so much money and services to spend2) if they dedicate all resources to one source, others will suffer a) ex. “star wars” defense program,
spent a lot of $ on it, while ignoring other needs like education
b) what basis does the gov’t make their decisions?
III) Opportunity Costs
A) trade-offs – decisions that must be made between two choices
III) Opportunity Costs
A) trade-offs – decisions that must be made between two choicesB) When this decision is made, the alternative, the item you don’t choose is known as the opportunity cost
III) Opportunity Costs
A) trade-offs – decisions that must be made between two choicesB) When this decision is made, the alternative, the item you don’t choose is known as the opportunity cost 1) opportunity cost – value of the not
taken choice in a trade-off
III) Opportunity Costs
A) trade-offs – decisions that must be made between two choicesB) When this decision is made, the alternative, the item you don’t choose is known as the opportunity cost 1) opportunity cost – value of the not
taken choice in a trade-off a) this can be $ or time
III) Opportunity Costs
A) trade-offs – decisions that must be made between two choicesB) When this decision is made, the alternative, the item you don’t choose is known as the opportunity cost 1) opportunity cost – value of the not
taken choice in a trade-off a) this can be $ or time b) ex. After school job vs. sport
C) Life is a series of trade-offs
C) Life is a series of trade-offs
1) they can be positive or negative
C) Life is a series of trade-offs
1) they can be positive or negative a) ex. Take a job and earn money,
plus you don’t get inured playing a sport
C) Life is a series of trade-offs
1) they can be positive or negative a) ex. Take a job and earn money,
plus you don’t get inured playing a sport
b) ex. Take a job, don’t earn an athletic scholarship