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Fundamentals of Macroeconomics

ECO 372
August 7, 2014

Fundamentals of Macroeconomics
Macroeconomics is the study of the economy as a whole. What happens in the economy as a whole is based on individual decisions that are made during economic activities (Colander, 2010). Economic activities can be defined as actions that involve the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services at all levels within a society ("Business Dictionary", 2014). Purchasing of groceries, a massive layoff of employees, and decreases in taxes are just a few economic activities that will be discussed along with the affects those particular activities have on government, households, and businesses. The flow of resources from one entity to another for each activity will be discussed as well. Let us begin with grocery shopping.
Shopping for groceries is something that is done by each and every household. We all must eat to survive. The amount a household purchases depends on the prices of the products and how much money they have set aside for their grocery budget. Product prices are driven by the state of the economy. Consumers will shop around to find the “best deal” to stretch their budget as far as they can, especially if the economy is in a weakened state. Grocers will compete with other stores to try and keep the consumers coming back to their establishments. The more the consumers purchase the more successful the businesses will be. In many cases, lower income families must seek assistance from the government in the form of food stamps and other aid to provide for their families. Families that fall into the lower income bracket often times are due to one or more working adults in the household being laid off by an employer.
Massive layoffs of employees affect all economic institutions. In an unhealthy economy, a single lost job becomes infectious,

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