Economics 2281: Introductory Class Huma Essa
Economics 2281: Introductory Class Huma Essa
INTRODUCTORY CLASS
HUMA ESSA
Economics 2281
Terms to remember:
Wants
Needs
Resources
Inputs
Outputs
Finite
Infinite
Factors of production
Scarcity
Unit 1: The Basic Economic Problem
Terms to remember:
Renewable resources
Non renewable resources
Factors of production & their rewards
Land- rent
Labour- wages
Capital- interest
Enterprise- profit
Mobility of factors of production
Factor mobility refers to the ease with which resources or factors of production can be
moved from one place to another without incurring cost or loss of output.
Factors of production may be moved:
Within a firm
Between firms in the same industry
Between industries
Between countries
Why is factor mobility important?
Moving factors of production from one use to another is not always easy or
without cost.
Many workers are occupationally immobile
Many workers are geographically immobile
Specialised resources with specific characteristics or functions.
What affects the quantity and quality of factors of
production
Some natural resources are non renewable such as fossil fuels, minerals and metal
ores. Once they have all been used, they cannot be replaced.
Some scarce resources are renewable and it is possible to increase their quantity and
quality over time.
We can show the impact of changes in the quantity and quality of factor resources on
production using production possiblity curve diagram. (PPC)
What affects the quantity and quality of factors of
production
Discovering new sources of natural resources and increasing both quantity and quality of
other factors of production available for productive use enables firms to:
Produce more goods and services
Produce a wider range of goods and services
Improve the quality of goods and services
Invent new products and ways of producing them.