ECONOMICS

Economics Affecting Businesses

Economics Affecting Businesses

Introduction

Every business has one goal, to maximize its profit. This can be done by analyzing the demand of consumers, providing appropriate supply, along with maintaining quality of goods and services. However, there are many factors that affect this simple operation. Owing to these economic elements, the sales, production, and procurement of a business get adversely impacted. Here, we have provided you with a list of economic factors that affect the working of business organizations. All these factors are interconnected (Getches & Wilkinson, 1998).

Economic Factors That Influence Businesses

Demand and Supply

The demand and supply are two principal factors that affect the working of any business model. The demand is the will and ability of consumers to purchase a particular commodity, while supply is the ability of the business to provide for the demand of consumers. Suppose, a mobile phone infused with latest technology is introduced in the market, it will have a higher price because of its demand in the market. Its prices will continue to increase if the supply does not meet the demand. For instance, in the year 2000, weather played havoc with the sugar crops of Brazil, which is the largest sugar producer in the world. This led to a decrease in the supply of sugar, which in turn resulted in a steep rise in the sugar prices. However, after the initial price rise, the market forces came into play and the demand for sugar became equal to the supplied sugar (Chingwa & Haskins, 1990).

Marginal and Total Utility

Utility is the amount of satisfaction that is derived by consumers from the consumption of goods. It so happens that after continuous and successive consumption of units of the same goods, the satisfaction that is experienced by a consumer starts decreasing. This often results in short-term or long-term fall in sales. Some organizations prepare for the launch of another brand, before the fall in utility and sales is experienced. The launch of new brand ensures that the revenue trend of the business does not fall. Diminishing utility is among the external factors affecting business.

For example, when we buy a pizza, the first few slices give us immense satisfaction. However, there is a fall in the satisfaction levels, when we are eating the rest. Let's assume, the marginal utility derived on the consumption of the first slice was 90. However, due to diminishing utility, the second slice had the score of 80 and the third slice was just 70. The satisfaction derived on consumption will be in a decreasing order (Reuter & John, 1989).

Money and Banking

Banking facilitates monetary and fiscal policies that affect business and also the customers of the business. Money in circulation dictates the purchasing power or rather the demand of the consumers. On the other hand, the banking facility dictates the borrowing capacity of individuals as well as the business. The banking policies play a decisive role in affecting the prices of goods and interest rates along with investment and asset ...