Economics - Year 12

Economics Overview

Term 1 - Theme 1- Introduction to markets and market failure: Theme 1- 1.1 Nature of economics

1.1.1 Economics as a social science1.1.2 Positive and normative economic statements1.1.3 The economic problem1.1.4 Production possibility frontiers1.1.5 Specialisation and the division of labour1.1.6 Free market economies, mixed economy and command economy

  1. After three weeks there will be an assessment to review suitability to continue the course. EOU assessment will be carried out at the end of term. The assessments will consist of AS level questions and will initially look to reinforce the development of chains of logic and the use of application and evaluation skills.
Economic growth

The increase in the value of real output in an economy over time It is a key measure of performance. There are two measures of economic growth: Gross Domestic Product (GDP) GDP per capita

Inflation

A general rise in prices over a period of time or a fall in the purchasing power of money

Deflation

Downward pressure on prices in an economy

Employment

The number of people in the economy who are economically active i.e. willing and able to work and have a job

Unemployment

The number of economically active people who cannot find a job at a point in time

Balance of payments

A record of a country’s trade and transactions with the rest of the world

Aggregate demand (AD)

The total demand for all goods and services in an economy at any given price level over a period of time

Disposable income

The amount of personal income an individual has after direct tax e.g. income tax

Gross investment

The addition to the capital stock of the economy

Net investment

Spending on capital assets such as buildings, machinery and equipment having taken into account depreciation of assets

Government expenditure (G)

Expenditure by the state e.g. infrastructure and education

Net trade (X-M)

The difference between exports minus imports: Exports (X) – Imports (M) = Net exports

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

Student will have the opportunity to understand the reason why scarcity of resources exist and understand the role of entrepreneurs.

Create a supportive community:

Through group and individual work the student will start to learn the skills of analysis and evaluation.

Term 2- Theme 1- Introduction to markets and market failure: Theme 1- 1.2- How markets work

1.2.1 Rational decision-making1.2.10 Alternative views of consumer behaviour 1.2.2 Demand1.2.3 Price, income and cross elasticities of demand1.2.4 Supply1.2.5 Elasticity of supply1.2.6 Price determination1.2.7 Price mechanism1.2.8 Consumer and producer surplus1.2.9 Indirect taxes and subsidies1.2.10 Alternative views of consumer behaviour

  1. End of unit assessments based on Topic 1.2. This assessment will be completed in timed conditions and are based on A-level exam questions, which helps prepare students for their A-Level examinations
Rational economic decision making

When decisions made by economic agents are based on reason

Demand

The amount of a good or service that consumers are willing and able to buy at any given price

Income elasticity of demand

A measure of the responsiveness of demand to a change in income

Perfectly price elastic demand

A perfectly price elastic product will have a PED coefficient of ∞ (infinity)

Cross elasticity of demand

A measure of the responsiveness of demand for one good, x to a change in price of another good, y

Supply

The amount of a good or service that producers are willing and able to sell at any given price

Price elasticity of supply

A measure of the responsiveness of supply to a change in price

Price determination

Market equilibrium where demand is equal to supply

Price mechanism

The method by which prices for goods and services are achieved in an economy

Consumer surplus

The difference between the price a consumer is willing to pay for a product and the price that they actually pay

Producer surplus

The difference between the price a producer is willing to supply a product at and the price actually received for the product

Indirect taxes

Taxes charged by the government on a good or a service

Subsidies

Finance provided to producers to encourage them to produce goods and services

Consumer behaviour

The study of economic agents such as individuals and the reasons why they make decisions

Habitual behaviour

When people follow the same routines, repeating actions on a regular basis

Rational behaviour

Actions undertaken by economic agents such as individuals that are based on reason

Irrational behaviour

Actions undertaken by economic agents such as individuals that are not based on reason

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

The student will gain an insight into basic supply and demand and factor that influence price giving them a great understanding of the economy.

Create a supportive community:

Through group work the student will learn how to challenge assumptions and understand other peoples point of view.

Term 3- Theme 1- Introduction to markets and market failure: Theme 1- 1.3 Market failure

1.3.1 Types of market failure1.3.2 Externalities1.3.3 Public goods1.3.4 Information gaps

  1. End of unit assessments based on Topic 1.3. This assessment will be completed in timed conditions and are based on A-level exam questions, which helps prepare students for their A-Level examinations
Market failure

When the market is unable to efficiently allocate scarce resources to meet the needs of society

Externalities

The costs and benefits to a third party created by economic agents when undertaking their activities These costs and benefits can be either negative or positive

Public goods

A good where its use by an individual does not stop others from using it whilst its consumption does not reduce the amount available for consumption by others

Private goods

A good where its use by an individual stops others from using it whilst its consumption reduces the amount available for consumption by others

Information gaps

The difference in information between two parties

Government intervention

The use of regulatory frameworks to improve the working of individual markets

Government failure

When government intervention in markets leads to a net welfare loss in comparison to the free market operating alone

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

Gain an understanding of government policy and the positive and negative effect action can have on people, the economy and the environment.

Create a supportive community:

Through group work and independent study the student will gain life long transferable skills.

Term 1- Theme 2- The UK economy – performance and policies: Theme 2- 2.1 Measures of economic performance

2.1.1 Economic growth 2.1.2 Inflation 2.1.3 Employment and unemployment 2.1.4 Balance of payments

  1. End of unit assessments based on Topic 2.1. These assessments are completed in timed conditions and are based on A-level exam questions, which helps prepare students for their A-Level examinations
GDP

A measurement of the value or volume of goods and services produced in an economy over a period of time

GDP per capita

The annual GDP of a country divided by the average population in that year

Economic growth

The increase in the value of real output in an economy over time

GNP

Gross Domestic Product plus net property income from abroad such as dividends, interest and profit

GNI

The value of income of domestic economic agents minus that of income sent home by foreigners plus that of UK citizens repatriated from abroad

Inflation

A general rise in prices over a period of time or a fall in the purchasing power of money

Deflation

Downward pressure on prices in an economy

Disinflation

When the inflation rate is positive but falling

Employment

The number of people in the economy who are economically active i.e. willing and able to work and have a job

Unemployment

The number of economically active people who cannot find a job at a point in time

Claimant count

The number of people claiming Job Seekers Allowance (JSA)

ILO

A specialist United Nations agency that looks to promote the workforce worldwide

Balance of Payments

A record of a country’s trade and transactions with the rest of the world

Current account surpluses

A BoP surplus is when the sum of exports of goods, services, investment income and transfers is greater than imports

Current account deficits

When the sum of exports of goods, services, investment income and transfers is less than imports

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

The individual will gain insight into the four macroeconomic objectives and how they work within an economy.

Create a supportive community:

The student will learn how to develop balanced arguments and see economic policy form various angles.

Term 2- Theme 2- The UK economy – performance and policies: Theme 2- 2.2 Aggregate demand (AD) and 2.3 Aggregate supply (AS)

2.2.1 The characteristics of AD2.2.2 Consumption (C)2.2.3 Investment (I)2.2.4 Government expenditure (G)2.2.5 Net trade (X-M) 2.3.1 The characteristics of AS2.3.2 Short-run AS2.3.3 Long-run A

  1. End of unit assessments based on Topic 2.2 and 2.3. These assessments are completed in timed conditions and are based on A-level exam questions, which helps prepare students for their A-Level examinations
Short-run AS

The period of time in which the rewards paid for the factors of production are fixed e.g. wages for labour

Long-run AS

The time period where all factors of production are variable and can be increased over time

AD

The total demand for all goods and services in an economy at any given price level over a period of time

Consumption

Consumer spending on goods and services

Investment

Business spending on capital equipment to provide future output e.g. factories and machinery

Government expenditure

Expenditure by the state e.g. infrastructure and education

Net trade

The difference between exports minus imports

AS

The total value of output of the economy at any given price level at a given point in time

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

Students understand factors that impact both AD and AS and how they show diagrammatically to shape the UK econonomy.

Create a supportive community:

Through group work and challenging themselves to come up with alternative view and ideas student will develop evaluative skills.

Term 3- Theme 2- The UK economy – performance and policies: Theme 2- 2.4 National income

2.4.1 National income2.4.2 Injections and withdrawals2.4.3 Equilibrium levels of real national output2.4.4 The multiplier

  1. End of unit assessments based on Topic 2.4 . This assessment will be completed in timed conditions and are based on A-level exam questions, which helps prepare students for their A-Level examinations.
National Income

The total annual value of all goods and services produced within an economy

Circular flow of income

An economic model showing the flow of goods and services, the factors of production and their payments between households and firms within an economy

The Multiplier

An initial injection into the economy is multiplied by the amount of economic activity to create an overall boost to the economy

RNO

The total value of all goods and services produced in an economy after taking into account inflation

Injections

Spending in the economy from sources other than households that adds to the circular flow

Withdrawals

Expenditure in the economy that does not flow back to firms and leaves the circular flow

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

Understand how national income is used within the UK economy with various models to highlight this.

Create a supportive community:

Group work and individual study develops team working and independent working.