The economic environment of business is composed of various set of economic policies, economic system, strategy of economic growth and development, resource endowment, size of market and status of infrastructural facilities in a country. All these economic policies affecting business environment one way or the other. Economic policies include fiscal policy, monetary policy, foreign trade policy, price policy, etc. These policies lay the framework within which every organization has to function. To understand the impact of these policies on business environment, let us discuss each one of these components in detail. 1. Fiscal Policy By fiscal policy we mean, the government’s tax efforts, public expenditure and public borrowing. Through these the government can effectively encourage consumption, investment and savings habits and also restrict them. For example, suppose there is inflation in a country. Inflation implies that the people have high purchasing power and so they demand goods. To curb this, Continue reading
International Economics
Consumer’s Surplus – Definition, Significance and Criticisms
The concept of consumer’s surplus is one of the most important idea in economic theory especially in demand and welfare economics. This law was first developed by French engineer A.J Dupuit in 1844 to measure the social benefits of public commodities like canals, bridges, national highways, etc. This concept was further refined and popularized by Dr. Alfred Marshall in 1890. The essence of the concept of consumer’s surplus is that people generally get more satisfaction or utility from the consumption of commodities than the actual price they pay for them. It has been found that people are willing to pay more price for the commodity than they actually pay for them. This extra satisfaction which the consumers obtain from buying a commodity has been called consumer’s surplus by Marshall. The amount of money which a person is prepared to pay for a commodity indicates the amount of utility he derives Continue reading
Trends in International Trade and Cross Border Financial Flows
When a firm operates only in the domestic market, both for procuring inputs as well as selling its output, it needs to deal only in the domestic currency. As companies try to increase their international presence, either by undertaking international trade or by establishing operations in foreign countries, they start dealing with people and firms in various nations. Since different countries have different domestic currencies, the question arises as to which currency should the trade be settled in. The settlement currency may either be the domestic currency of one of the parties to the trade, or may be an internationally accepted currency. This gives rise to the problem of dealing with a number of currencies. The mechanism by which the exchange rate between these currencies (i.e., the value of one currency in terms of another) is determined, along with the level and the variability of the exchange rates can have Continue reading
Advantages of Fixed Exchange Rate System
A nation’s choice as to which currency regime to follow reflects national priorities about all factors of the economy, including inflation, unemployment, interest rate levels, trade balances, and economic growth. The choice between fixed and flexible exchange rates may change over time as priorities change. Read More: Fixed Exchange Rate System Flexible Exchange Rate System At the risk of over-generalizing, the following points partly explain why countries pursue certain exchange rate regimes. They are based on the premise that, other things being equal, countries would prefer fixed exchanges rates. Fixed exchange rates provide stability in international prices for the conduct of trade. Stable prices aid in the growth of international trade lessens risks for all businesses. Fixed exchange rate system reduces the possibility of competitive depreciation of currencies, as it happened during the 1930s. Also, deviation from the fixed rates is easily adjustable. Fixed exchange rate provides stability in the Continue reading
Benefits and Costs of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to Host Country
Foreign Direct Investment plays an important part in global entrepreneurs and businesses. The FDI can easily provide a firm with new business environments and markets, cheaper production facilities, usage chances of newest technologies, cheaper financing and skills. There is an significant difference between FDI and foreign portfolio investment (FPI). Foreign portfolio investment means investing of individuals, companies, or policy makers of a nation in foreign fiscal tools (for example government bonds, foreign stocks) making an important wealth piece in a foreign entrepreneurship is not involved. There are two strategic kinds of FDI: Horizontal foreign direct investment : If FDI is made in way which in same sector as a company have activity in at home. Vertical foreign direct investment: If a company or multi national establishment (MNE) supplies production resources for a company’s local transactions, or this kind of foreign direct investment can take place with selling the final product Continue reading
Deficit Financing – Meaning, Purposes and Limitations
Deficit financing is understood in different ways in different countries. It is understood as the excess of current expenditure over current revenue which is financed either through public borrowing or the creation of new money by the government. So the deficit budget is also called deficit financing in USA. But in India deficit financing is understood in a different way from deficit budget. While the former refers to a situation where the current expenditure exceeds current revenue of the government, the latter is taken to mean the excess of aggregate expenditure (both on current and capital accounts) over aggregate revenue. The former is called deficit budgeting and the latter deficit financing in India. Deficit financing in Indian context refers to the meeting of budgetary deficit through the creation of new money adding to the existing money supply in the economy. Deficit financing includes any or all of the following in Continue reading