ECON7020
Macroeconomics for Business
Introduction the issues macroeconomists study the tools macroeconomists use some important concepts in macroeconomic analysis
LECTURE 1
Introduction to Macroeconomics
Text treatment: Mankiw 8th (& 7th) edition, Ch. 1-2
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Outline of the course:
Introductory material (Chaps. 1, 2 & 3) Growth Theory (Chaps. 8-9) The standard of living and its growth rate over the very long run Classical Theory contd (Chaps. 4, 5 & 6) How the economy works in the long run, when prices are flexible Business Cycle Theory (Chaps. 10-11) How the economy works in the short run, when prices are sticky (closed economy)
Outline of the course:
Business Cycle Theory contd (Chap. 13) How the economy works in the short run, when prices are sticky (open economy) The Financial System (Chap. 20) An overview of the financial system; Minsky’s Financial Instability Hypothesis
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Important issues in macroeconomics
Macroeconomics, the study of the economy as a whole, addresses many topical issues, e.g.: What causes recessions? What is “government stimulus” and why might it help? How can problems in the housing market spread to the rest of the economy? What is the government budget deficit? How does it affect workers, consumers, businesses, and taxpayers?
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Important issues in macroeconomics
Why does the cost of living keep rising? Why are so many countries poor? What policies might help them grow out of poverty? What is the trade deficit? How does it affect the country’s well-being?
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Why study macroeconomics?
1. The macroeconomy affects society’s well-being. 2. The macroeconomy affects your well-being. 3. The macroeconomy affects election outcomes.
Economic models
…are simplified versions of a more complex reality
irrelevant details are stripped away
…are used to
show relationships between variables explain the economy’s behavior devise policies to improve economic performance
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Example of a model: Supply & demand for new cars
shows how various events affect price and quantity of cars assumes the market is competitive: each buyer and seller is too small to affect the market price Variables
Qd = quantity of cars that buyers demand Qs = quantity that producers supply P = price of new cars Y = aggregate income Ps = price of steel (an input)
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The demand for cars demand equation: Q d = D (P,Y ) shows that the quantity of cars consumers demand is related to the price of cars and aggregate income specific functional form:
D (P,Y ) = 60 – 10P + 2Y
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The market for cars: Demand demand equation:
The market for cars: Supply supply equation:
Q d = D (P , Y )
Price of cars
P
Q s = S (P , P S )
Price of cars
P
S
The demand curve shows the relationship between quantity demanded and price, other things equal.
D
Quantity of cars
Q
The supply curve shows the relationship between quantity supplied and price, other things equal.
D
Quantity of cars
Q
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The market for cars: Equilibrium
Price of cars
Endogenous vs. exogenous variables
S
P
The values of endogenous variables are determined in the model. The values of exogenous variables are determined outside the model: the model takes their values & behavior as given.
Q
equilibrium price
D
Quantity of cars
In the model of supply & demand for cars, endogenous: exogenous:
P, Qd, Qs Y, Ps
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equilibrium quantity
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The effects of an increase in income (Y) demand equation:
The use of multiple models
S
Q d = D (P , Y )
An increase in income increases the quantity of cars consumers demand at each price… …which increases the equilibrium price and quantity.
Price of cars
P
P2 P1 D1 Q1 Q2 D2
So we will learn different models for studying different issues (e.g., unemployment, inflation, long-run growth). For each new model, you should keep