Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Economy

Economic Factors of Production and Income

Factors of Production Defined

• Land (including natural resources): All the "gifts of nature" that we use to produce goods and services.
• Labor: The work time and work effort that people devote to producing goods and services.
• Capital: Consists of tools, instruments, machines, buildings, and other items that have been produced in the past and that businesses now use to produce goods and services.
• Entrepreneurship: The human resource that organizes labor, land, and capital. This involves coming up with new ideas about what and how to produce, making business decisions, and bearing the risks that arise from these decisions.

Human Capital

Human Capital is the knowledge and skill that people obtain from education,... Continue reading "Understanding Economic Factors of Production" »

Personal Selling

Personal selling is utilized when the nature of a product varies, such as in housing, where price and quality fluctuate, or when customer requirements are unique. It is essential in the following scenarios:

• When customers require advice to determine the most appropriate product for their situation.
• When selling expensive products, such as automobiles.
• When negotiation regarding price or product specifications is necessary, which is common in B2B transactions (e.g., bulk discounts).
• When a business is represented at a trade fair.

Public Relations

Public relations is effective for improving a brand or company's image and raising public awareness. Activities include:

• Sponsoring events, such as football matches.
• Donating products to charity.

Understanding Organizations

An organization is a tool used by people to coordinate their actions to obtain something they desire or value, while attempting to fulfill a common goal.

Organizations are a response to and a means of satisfying human needs. They provide goods and services, employ people, and bring together people and resources to produce products. Ultimately, organizations exist to create value.

Why Do Organizations Exist?

People working together to produce goods and services create more value than people working alone. Organizations exist for the following reasons:

• Increase specialization and the division of labor: Division of labor allows for specialization, enabling individuals to become experts at their jobs.
• Use large-scale technology:

EU Energy Market Liberalization Packages

First Package: Directive 96/92 concerning common rules for the internal market in electricity and Directive 98/30 on the internal market of natural gas. Liberalization was to be progressive, applying gradually to different categories of consumers. It introduced a partial opening of national markets to competition; both required liberalization of certain segments of their electricity and gas markets to enlarge.

Second Package: Directives 2003/54 and 2003/55. The liberalization process took place at different speeds in different Member States, aiming at the creation of an internal market. It required national gas and electricity markets to be liberalized for large consumers by 2004 and for all consumers... Continue reading "EU Energy Liberalization and Banking Union Framework" »

Charts and Graphs

• Pie chart
• Line graph
• Bar chart
• Table
• Flow chart
• Organigram

Types of Lines in Graphs

• Solid line
• Curve
• Fluctuating line
• Dotted line (puntos)
• Axis
• Undulating line
• Broken line

Describing Trends: Increase

• To increase = raise (aumentar)
• Rise = go up (subir)
• Grow
• Boom / soar / climb (remontar)
• Jump = skyrocket (dispararse)
• To reach a peak (pico)

Describing Trends: Decrease

• To decrease
• Fall
• Plunge (picado)
• Drop
• Go down
• Decline
• Collapse

Describing Trends: Stability

• To remain stable
• Stay constant
• Stabilize

Describing Trends: Leveling Off

• To level off / out = flatten out (nivelar)
• Stop or start falling / rising

Trend Modifiers: Size

• Dramatically
• Vastly
• Hugely
• Significantly
• Considerably
• Slightly (leve)

Trend Modifiers: Speed

• Substantially
• Rapidly
• Suddenly
• Gradually

Incoterms

• EXW: Ex

Loan Types and Capital Cost Analysis

Understanding Loan Structures

American Loans Explained

In American loans, all intermediate payments only include interest expenses. The principal is paid back at maturity.

C − Fees = I = ∑T_i · C_o + C_o

_{o o j=1} (1+R_B)^j (1+R_B)^T

French Loans Explained

The loan is repaid with equal payments (P), which include both interest and partial repayment of the principal. The process requires three steps:

1. Calculate the constant payment per period ‘P’.
2. With the computed value ‘P’, calculate the cost of debt.
3. Compute the effective annual rate.

The Cost of Equity Capital

Firms with excess cash can either pay a dividend or make a capital investment. Because stockholders can reinvest the dividend in risky financial assets,... Continue reading "Financial Valuation: Loan Structures and Equity Cost Models" »

E-commerce Fundamentals

Payment Methods for Online Shoppers

Online shoppers commonly use a credit card or a PayPal account to make payments. Other alternative methods include:

• Billing to mobile phones
• Cash on delivery (COD)
• Check
• Debit card
• Electronic money
• Gift cards
• Postal money order
• Invoice

Product Delivery Options

• Downloading (for music, movies, images, etc.)
• Drop shipping (the manufacturer ships the item directly to the consumer)
• In-store pick up (collecting items at a physical shop)
• Printing or by e-mail (tickets for concerts, cinema, etc.)

Market Share and Statistics

E-commerce represented 8% of sales in the USA. In 2012, there were 242 million people shopping online in China.

Advantages of E-commerce

• Convenience

  Online shops are usually available 24 hours

The Great Depression: The Longest and Deepest Economic Downturn in American History

Causes of the Great Depression

In 1929, the prevailing economic theory held that the economy possessed self-correcting mechanisms that would prevent a severe depression. However, the Great Depression defied these expectations.

• Overproduction: Some economists believed the depression was caused by an excess of goods and services.
• Lack of Investment Opportunities: Others pointed to a decline in profitable investment opportunities.
• Technological Innovation: Joseph Schumpeter argued that the failure of entrepreneurs to introduce new products contributed to the depression.
• Stock Market Crash and Bank Panics: The stock market crash of 1929 and subsequent bank failures exacerbated

Understanding Global Inequality: Thomas Piketty's Capital in the 21st Century

The Inequality Problem: R > G

Thomas Piketty's research on inequality has gained significant attention, particularly his formula r > g, where:

• r represents the return on capital (profits or interest from investments)
• g represents the overall growth of the economy

Piketty argues that over time, wealth concentrates in the hands of the wealthy few, regardless of hard work or intelligence. The actual distribution of wealth reveals higher inequality rates than commonly perceived. To combat this, he advocates for active redistribution and improved access to education.

Capitalism and Inequality

Piketty's book, Capital in the 21st Century, challenges the notion that capitalism... Continue reading "Understanding Global Inequality: A Deep Dive into Thomas Piketty's Capital in the 21st Century" »

External Environment Tools

PESTEL Analysis

List of influences on the possible success or failure of strategies:

• Political Factors: Government policies, taxation changes, trade regulations. Zara's corporate social responsibility is transparent; Zara collaborates with communities in its areas of operation and has a code of conduct.
• Economic Factors: Business cycles, interest rates, GDP trends. Zara conducts deep consumer research and acts in a unique way. Export and import concerns affect performance.
• Social-Cultural Factors: Population changes, income distribution. Zara has a good image through donations and charity. Zara embraces diverse cultures, and its brand is known worldwide.
• Technological Factors: ICT innovations, new discoveries, and technological