KNEC| KASNEB| KISM| Study notes and Revision materials for schools in Kenya. KNEC certificate courses, Diplomas, Higher Diplomas, KISM courses cpsp-k and aps-k, KASNEB cpa, atd, cs, cifa, ccp, dcm, cict and cict, Ksce and Kcpe
Scarcity being the central economic problem is defined as the inadequacy/ insufficiency/ inability of (economic) resources or goods and services available to fully satisfy unlimited wants. Human wants are people‟s desires for goods and services (backed by the ability to pay) and the circumstances that enhance their material well-being. Human wants are, therefore, the varied
Increase in cost of production: An increase in factor prices, for instance, tends to increase the cost of production which reduces the ability of firms to maintain or even expand their scale of production leading to a fall in supply. Inappropriate technology: since production depends on the method(s) used, the decision to use less mechanization
Costs to the unemployed • Even though, people may have more time to pursue leisure activities, they may be constrained in so doing by a lack of income. • The unemployed may also suffer a loss of status. • More likely to experience divorce, nervous breakdowns, bad health and are more likely to attempt suicide
Frictional unemployment It represents unemployment that occurs naturally during the normal workings of an economy. It can occur for a variety of reasons such as people changing jobs, moving across the country, searching for new opportunities or taking their time after they enter the labour force to find appropriate jobs. It arises because it takes
The unemployed are those individuals who do not currently have a job and who have actively looked for work in the last 4 weeks (International Labour Organisation). Individuals who looked for work in the past beyond 4 weeks but are not looking currently are not counted as unemployed. The employed are individuals who currently have
Use diagrams as appropriate. Under perfect competition, there are many buyers and sellers in the industry. The firms are price takers and cannot influence price, as such they must always compete at their maximum level of efficiency. There are no barriers to entry. Firms attempt to maximize profits. In the short run, if firms are
The market is defined as that place where buyers and sellers come together to exchange goods and services for a particular price and quantity. It consists of both demand and supply. Demand representing consumer behaviour and supply represent firm behaviour. [Diagram demonstrating equilibrium] a. Introduction of a new, cost saving technology. This causes the supply
A Monopoly is a market structure in which there is either only one producer or seller in the market. The one firm produces the goods for a particular sector/industry. Entry is typically restricted due to high costs or other barriers, which may be economic, social, or political. Since the firm is the sole supplier there
Accounting Profits are based on historical information and indicate the difference between revenue (received and due) on the one hand and expenditure paid and owed on the other. An economist sees cost, an element of profit in terms of opportunity cost. I.e. the cost in terms of alternatives foregone. Therefore accounting profits are generally greater
The Law of Demand states that the quantity of a good demanded will fall as its price rises and will rise as the price falls – all things being equal. Quantity demanded of a good is therefore inversely related to price. The determinants of Demand are: • Price of the good itself. • Price of
