EC 104: Introduction to Microeconomics

Discover the intricate workings of a market economy, highlighting its notable advantages such as efficiency and innovation, and addressing the critical challenges like income inequality and market failures. Understand the balance between market and non-market elements in global economic systems.

Unpack the primary subdivisions of economics: Microeconomics, centered on individual economic agents, and Macroeconomics, which looks at broader economic trends. Understand the core differences and inherent connections between these two fields. Explore real-world examples to comprehend their implications.

Grasp the distinction between nominal and real exchange rates, using the yen and dollar as examples. Learn how these rates influence purchasing power in different economies. Understand their implications in the global trade landscape.

Unravel the complexities of long-run economic growth and its driving factors. Discover why rising productivity stands out as the cornerstone of sustainable economic expansion. Understand the role of various elements in shaping a nation's economic trajectory.

This video explains the theory of Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) in economics, emphasizing how it relies on the "law of one price" and illustrating how exchange rates should adjust to equalize purchasing power between nations in the long run. It also demonstrates how price disparities for products like iPhones can lead to currency exchange rate adjustments and eventually equalized prices.

This video explores the causes of lags in the impact of monetary and fiscal policy on aggregate demand, drawing analogies to recognizing seasonal changes, adjusting cooking temperatures, and waiting for planted seeds to grow, and discusses the implications of these lags for the debate between active and passive economic policy approaches.