Rational economic behavior of the owner, the employee, the consumer, the family man. Rational behavior of the consumer and producer - description, features and typical features. Consumer spending is divided into
Is competition a good thing or a bad thing? What makes people use loans, overpaying interest to the bank? How to ensure that our expenses are not more than income? All these questions are answered by the section of economics that studies the rational behavior of producers and consumers in the modern world.
Human economics
From the point of view of this science, all types of human behavior are divided into four types - production, distribution, consumption and exchange. The economic system itself is based on production, the purpose of which is to generate profit through the exchange of goods for money. The flip side of this coin is consumption. It is determined by a certain law called "rational consumer behavior", which means thoughtful and dictated by reasonable reasons.
The actions of the consumer and the producer as two interdependent aspects in the economy
Production and consumption are interrelated processes that regulate each other. Rational behavior consumer, employee, owner, family man, citizen proceeds from decision-making that is consistent with the income of each economic entity. The consumer not only chooses one or another market offer, but also influences the producers by his choice (or lack of it). In some areas of the economy, competition is so strong that marketers have introduced the concept of "consumer dictate." Indeed, in the competitive race, only those entrepreneurs survive who have been able to understand well the typical features of rational consumer behavior - their client.
The consumer as a driving factor
So, a consumer is someone who is a subject of consumption: he buys, uses a product or service. In fact, this is any representative of humanity, but also legal entities, associations, etc. The purpose of consumption is to extract the maximum profit from the use of the product. The constraints in this case are prices, budget, assortment, etc. Due to their action, both the consumer and the manufacturer are forced to develop certain strategies of behavior or rational choice.
The usefulness of rational consumer behavior for the economy also depends on the type of economic and economic activity of the country. If this is a command-administrative type, then the regulation of consumer choice is very high - for example, he cannot freely choose housing, a car, medical services... If we are talking about a market economy, then the consumer has full sovereignty and independently makes decisions, disposing of his financial resources.
To each according to his needs
How broad our consumer needs are can be understood by remembering which of our needs we provide by choosing certain products: physiological, cultural, social, communicative, security or self-realization needs. Everyone has their own products and their own business niches that produce them. Knowledge of economics and marketing helps to make a choice when consuming something.
The bulk of the population of our planet are people with one way or another limited financial resources. Therefore, each of us had to think about the questions: "How to properly spend your finances? What should be purchased first of all, and what should be postponed for now? How to reduce costs? How to choose a product or service yourself. best quality by affordable price? "All these questions are answered by the theory of rational consumer behavior. Next, we will consider the components of this section of the economy in more detail.
Stages of rational behavior
The first stage is understanding the need to acquire something. The second step is to search for information about the required product. Then comes the assessment and analysis of this information, all possible purchase options. And finally, decision making.
In this regard, several types of financial spending are distinguished with rational consumer behavior: mandatory (minimum, most necessary) costs - for food, clothing, travel, utility bills, etc. - and arbitrary: for hobbies, goods high level consumption, travel, etc. Another type is the savings of the subject in question.
Types of reasonable behavior of the consumer of goods and services from the side of the economy
The types of rational consumer behavior are divided into:
- self-interest behavior;
- behavior pursuing situational goals (immediately at the time of choice);
- complete rationality, assuming that a person studies information on a product or service for a long time and maximizes the benefits obtained;
- limited rationality, when the collection or analysis of information is difficult due to various reasons (physical, social and other factors);
- formal (weak) rationality, especially if it is limited by factors beyond the control of a person.
Interaction effects
The plan of each individual subject provides for activity within the framework of his preferences. There are certain effects of consumer interaction:
The snob effect. A situation is created when the purchase is made to emphasize their social status.
The effect of joining the majority. Expressing a desire not to be worse than people who are "successful." It is characterized by irrational demand. A purchase is made only because it was made by another person whom the buyer values \u200b\u200band respects. There is also a speculative demand arising from a shortage of goods.
The effect of presumptive quality. Products with the same characteristics in different stores are sold at different prices.
Veblen effect. A situation in which things are defiantly and emphatically purchased that have a very high price and are not available to most people.
Consumer Behavioral Analysis
An example of rational consumer behavior looks like this. Suppose you are thinking about purchasing washing machine... First of all, you strive to evaluate all possible market offers. Study advertisements, assortment, prices, unique trade offers (discounts, promotions, opportunity free installation or delivery), feedback. As a result, you choose the store that offers the best (but not the lowest) price, while providing the maximum warranty period, free shipping, installation and post-warranty service. Another option: if you are extremely limited in funds, then do not pay attention to the warranty offers, but choose the machine at the lowest price.
Situational rational economic behavior of the consumer is illustrated by the following example. Suppose your phone is broken and you are waiting for an important call. You don't have time to study the market, one information is important for you - how quickly you can fix your gadget. Therefore, you choose the nearest repair service, whose master promises to fix your phone today. The price of such a service in this case fades into the background.
Rational manufacturer behavior
A producer is a person or organization that manufactures and markets goods or provides services with the aim of generating income from rational consumer behavior. The costs of acquiring production resources are called costs. Profit is formed by the difference between income and costs. Its maximum value is the manufacturer's goal. To increase profits, he seeks to lower production costs. This is facilitated by saving on raw materials, production equipment with new technology, reducing electricity costs, etc. Each manufacturer answers for himself three main questions: what, how and for whom he produces his product or provides a service.
To determine what exactly to produce, an analysis of the demand market, rational consumer behavior in the desired sector of the economy, production and advertising costs, etc. is carried out. The volume of production and its methods are determined. For example, you can manually harvest a crop by hiring and paying a large number of workers, or use agricultural machinery by buying or renting it. Also, the manufacturer needs to decide for which segment of the population he releases his product. Thus, targeting the broad masses implies a larger volume of goods at a lower price than targeting social strata with above average incomes.
What does the manufacturer want?
In general, the rational behavior of the manufacturer is the answer to the question: "How to get the most profit from a limited amount of resources?" A particular version of this question arises when one or another entrepreneur comes to the need to expand - how, with the resources at his disposal, to achieve an increase in the volume of output?
For example, this problem can be solved by expanding production volumes due to quantitative changes (increase capacity, the amount of natural resources and workers used), or by improving the productivity (productivity) of resources. In countries with developed economies, they prefer to use the second way of solving the problem. It means an increase in labor productivity (the amount of goods produced in one unit of time by one worker). Against the background of the depletion of mineral resources and the rise in prices for products made from them, this path looks optimal.
How and due to what is the increase in labor productivity? Firstly, specialization in some kind of activity helps. By performing the same small operation, the worker acquires better skills and his productivity increases. Secondly, the use of modern technologies makes it possible to increase the volume of production of certain goods over the same period of time. Thirdly, this factor is influenced by professional training and quality education of employees. The quality of products is closely related to the level of professionalism of those who work on it.
One study by a Brooklyn Institute scholar found that 28 percent of the increase in US national income from 1929 to 1982 was generated by technological advancement, 19 percent depended on capital infusions, and 14 percent on increased worker education and training.
What conclusions can be drawn?
So the behavior of consumers and producers is driven by reasonable reasons for the most successful economic strategy... A characteristic feature of rational consumer behavior is the comparison and analysis of market offers and the ability to make financial savings. And for the manufacturer, the most important thing is to find a balance between the costs of providing the market with its product or service and its price, keeping in mind the competitiveness of its niche and actual demand to your offer.
Rational economic behavior of an owner, employee, consumer, family man, citizen 19 Rational economic behavior of a family man Economic behavior - the image, method, nature of economic actions of citizens, Economic behavior of workers, managers, production teams in certain developing conditions economic activity... Economic agents are everyone who can own property, conduct business activities, receive income and conduct expenses. Household - a set of individuals living together and a household providing themselves with everything necessary for life, fully or partially pooling and spending their funds. It is the primary economic agent economic system, other economic agents (firms, government) are secondary. Household classification: 1 private households: - coincides with the concept of a family; - may consist of several families or one person; - live together, have a single budget and way of life. institutional (collective) households: - not relatives, but live together for a long time; - nursing home patients, prisoners, monks.
19. 2 2 by location; by demographic characteristics; income per household member; labor potential; according to production characteristics. Household economic functions Consume goods and services Produce goods and services for themselves or for sale Reproduce and form human capital and supply labor to the factor market Other functions owns land, capital receives factorial (?) Income pays taxes accumulates investments and savings
Consumables - immediate use; - long-term use. 2 by the nature of the needs being met. The analysis of consumption shows that there are two approaches: 1. outside of one's own economy EGOISM 2. within one's own economy ALTRUISM (Latin Alter - another) is a moral principle that prescribes ALTRUISM disinterested actions aimed at the benefit and satisfaction of the interests of another person (people) Typically used to denote the ability to sacrifice one's own benefit for the common good. Home business forms: 1. Market home business; 2. a non-market household enterprise. The second and secondary function of the family The household as a producer has unique features: 1. not entity (no registration required); 2. the factors of production belong to the members of the household; 3. contracts are not possible (unlike a lease contract); 4. are responsible for everything with their personal property. First and main function families 1 by the nature of consumption of goods: 19.3
19. 4 Human capital (formation functions): 1. creation of conditions for the reproduction of Ch. K.; 2. reproduction of Ch. K.: - the birth of children; - reproduction (education, training - education (formal, informal), introduction to culture). 3. Implementation of Ch. K.: - organization family business; - maintaining household... Financial assets Capital assets Property Economic potential of a household Real estate Human capital Economic potential depends on its consumption. Potential is a set of funds, reserves, the use of which allows you to achieve economic effect... The third most important function of the family Household as a labor supplier
What is a rational consumer 19. 5 The goal of a rational consumer is to achieve maximum utility from the goal of a rational consumer of consumption of goods and services A rational consumer is able to rank (compare) sets of goods and a rational consumer of services according to their degree of preference; Rational consumer is able to evaluate goods and services from the point of view of Rational consumer of utility; The rational consumer prefers to take into account the properties of transitivity; Rational consumer The rational consumer always prefers more than less; Rational consumer A rational consumer sacrifices more easily the consumption of the product, which he has more Rational consumer. Rational consumer behavior is deliberate behavior, Rational consumer behavior involving the comparison of the results of action with costs. In countries with a command economy, consumer actions are regulated. In a market economy, the consumer has freedom of economic behavior. Stages of rational consumer behavior: 1) 2) 3) 4) awareness of the need to purchase; search for information about a product or service; assessment of possible purchase options; decision-making.
The main questions of rational consumption What determines the price of demand for a product? What set of goods should the consumer buy? How does consumption depend on income? Answer: It is determined by the utility of a unit of goods that the consumer is ready to buy What he prefers from the available 19. 6 Expenses cannot be higher than income Budget limit 5 bags Household budget - the balance of family income and expenses for a certain period of time Income Expenses Income consumer is the amount moneyreceived for a certain consumer period of time and intended for the purchase of goods and services for personal consumption. Nominal income is income calculated in purely monetary terms, excluding income from the purchasing power of money, price level, inflation. Real income - the number of goods and services that can be purchased for the amount of nominal income.
19.7 The main sources of the consumer's nominal (monetary) income: 1) wage; 2) social payments states (benefits, pensions, scholarships); 3) income from entrepreneurial and other activities; 4) income from property (rent for an apartment, interest on money capital, dividends on securities). Types of consumer expenses: 1) mandatory, minimum necessary expenses (food, clothing, transport, utilities); 2) arbitrary (tourism, books, paintings, cars). Engel's Law (1821 -1896): the higher the level of family income, the less its share (1821 -1896): expenses for foodstuffs and higher spending on luxury goods, fine items, savings. In the United States, the share of spending on food is 10-15%, and a significant number of Russian families spend 40 to 48% of their expenses on food. A consumer is one who purchases and uses goods, orders works and services for personal household needs, not related to making a profit. Each of us, a company, an organization and the state as a whole, is a consumer. Consumption - use, use. Types of consumption: 1) production (consumption, use of resources in the production process); 2) non-productive (final consumption of goods by people, the population to meet vital needs).
Rational consumption of an entrepreneur 19. 8 An entrepreneur is a person who, using his own funds and borrowed funds and at his own risk, creates a company in order, by combining production resources, to create goods, the sale of which will bring him profit. The growth of sales and assets. The key to the entrepreneur's success: effective management; effective investment. Know the essence of your business to the smallest detail; Good business - plan; Skillful management of financial resources; The skills of analyzing the financial statements of your company; Ability to effectively manage the company's personnel. Sciences that ensure success: production management; marketing; financial management; Accounting; information Technology.
19. Rational economic behavior of the owner, employee, consumer, family man, citizen . Bogbaz11, §11; Bogbaz, §4, 50.
19 . 1. Consumption and consumptionbody .
19 . 2. Purpose of the consumer .
19.3. Rational consumer behavior .
19.4 . Consumer income and expenses .
19 . 5. The relationship between income and consumer spending .
19 . 6. Placement of savings .
19 . 7. Standard of living .
19.8. Rational behavior of the manufacturer.
19.1 . Economic behavior - the image, method, nature of the economic actions of citizens, workers, managers, production teams in certain emerging conditions of economic activity.
Consumer - is the one who purchases and uses goods, orders works and services for personal household needs,not profit-making .
Each of us, a company, an organization and the state as a whole, is a consumer.
Consumption - use, use. The use of products, things, goods, goods and services in order to meet needs.
Types of consumption : 1) production (consumption, use of resources in the production process); 2) non-productive (final consumption of goods by people, the population to meet vital needs).
Types of needs : 1) primary (physiological, existential) and secondary (social, prestigious, spiritual); 2) saturable (having a clear limit) and unsaturated (the desire to satisfy which does not have a clearly defined limit [need for knowledge]).
Needs (motives) include not only what is beneficial, extremely necessary for life, but also real requests for items that may be harmful to health, but are consumed due to prevailing habits and pleasure.
19.2 . Consumer goal - extracting maximum utility from the consumption of goods and services.
Limitations on the way to achieve the consumer's goal : 1) consumer, family budget (balance of family income and expenses); 2) prices for goods and services; 3) the range of products and services offered.
Thorstein Veblen (1856-1929) [The Leisure Class Theory (1899)] rejected the notion of a person acting as the subject of utility maximization or, as he himself wrote, as a "lightning-fast calculator of pleasure and trouble, or a little ball rolling out under the influence of stimuli, who throw him back and forth, while he himself remains unperturbed. " In reality, human economic behavior is more complex, sometimes even irrational. A person is under the influence of various psychological stereotypes - the instinct of imitation, the instinct of self-preservation, the tendency to rivalry, idle curiosity, etc. In this case, a special role is played by what Veblen called “envious comparison” (someone lives better, someone has more). Hence the scientist deduced a commitment to "prestigious", conspicuous consumption and capital accumulation.
Consumption is demonstrative - consumption of goods and services in order to obtain the effect of demonstrating their use.
Veblen saw a way out of this situation in the transfer of power from the "leisure class" (ie the big bourgeoisie) to the "technocrats", ie rationally minded engineering and technical personnel who transform capitalism into a smarter, more responsive topressing needs people system.
19.3 . Rational consumer behavior Is deliberate behavior that involves comparing the results of an action with costs.
In countries with a command economy, consumer actions are regulated. In a market economy, the consumer has freedom of economic behavior.
Consumer sovereignty - the right of the owner of any kind of resources to independently make decisions related to the disposal of these resources and their use.
Stages of rational consumer behavior : 1) awareness of the need to purchase; 2) search for information about a product or service; 3) assessment of possible purchase options; 4) decision making.
19.4 . Consumer income and expenses .
19.4.1 ... Consumer income .
Consumer income - is the amount of funds received over a certain period of time and intended for the acquisition of goods and services for personal consumption.
Nominal income - income, calculated in purely monetary terms, excluding the purchasing power of money, the level of prices, inflation.
The main sources of the consumer's nominal (monetary) income :
1) salary;
2) social payments from the state (benefits, pensions, scholarships);
3) income from entrepreneurial and other activities;
4) income from property (rent for an apartment, interest on money capital, dividends on securities).
Real income - the number of goods and services that can be purchased for the amount of nominal income.
Real income depends on the amount of final income (nominal income - income tax) and the level of prices for goods and services.
Real income \u003d final income / consumer price index.
19.4.2. Consumer expenses .
Types of consumer spending :
1) mandatory, minimum necessary expenses (food, clothing, transport, utilities);
2) arbitrary (tourism, books, paintings, cars).
19.5 ... What are the dependencies between income and expenses ?
In many households, the income received is split into two parts: 1) is used forpurchase of goods and payment for services necessary to meet the personal needs of people; 2) the second part formssaving.
1) the more income a consumer receives, the more he is able to spend on consumption;
2) the more income the consumer receives, the greater the amount of savings;
3) the higher the family's income, the lower the share of spending on food and more on durable goods, as well as the greater the share of savings;
Engel's law (1821-1896): the higher the level of family income, the lower the share of its spending on food and the higher the cost of luxury goods, fine things, savings.
IN USA the share of food expenses is 10-15%, and a significant number of Russian families spend 40 to 48% of their expenses on food.
19.6 ... Placement of savings .
Savings placement methods : 1) savings account with a savings bank; 2) acquisition valuable papers; 3) purchase of real estate; 4) life, health, property insurance.
When choosing options for placing savings, the consumer needs to compare themfrom the point of view of 1) reliability, 2) interest on income, 3) liquidity (the possibility of easy conversion of savings into cash).
19.7 . Standard of living.
19.7.1. Standard of living - This is the level of well-being of the population, the degree of satisfaction of the basic vital needs of people.
To characterize the standard of living, various indicators are used: 1) consumption per capita, 2) real incomes of the population, 3) provision with housing, 4) indicators of the development of education, health care, and social security.
19.7.2. UN experts believe that the standard of living is characterized by a special indicator -human development index (and human Development Index), calculated on the basis ofthree quantities: 1) GDP per capita, 2) average life expectancy and 3) education level.
The Human Development Index was proposed in 1990 by a group of researchers from the United Nations Development Program for an integral assessment of human progress.
By dividing a country's gross domestic product (GDP) by the number of citizens, we get an indicator calledGDPper capita ... This indicator can be used to compare the degree economic development and the standard of living of different countries. It is GDP per capita that is one of the main indicators of the nation's standard of living. When production grows faster, then one resident of the country accounts for everything more products and services, and the standard of living is improving. If the population grows faster than production, the average standard of living goes down.
19.7.3. Human Development Index (HDI) - an index for a comparative assessment of the economic potential of different countries. When calculating the HDI, three types of indicators are taken into account: 1) the average life expectancy at birth, 2) the level of literacy of the country's adult population, 3) the total proportion of students. The index was developed in 1990 by a Pakistani economistMahbubohm aleHackohm. Used by the UN in its annual Human Development Report since 1993.
The standard of living can be considered both for the country as a whole and for individual social groups of the population, taking into account regional characteristics.
19.7.4. The quality of life.
Quality of life \u003d standard of living + working conditions and safety + cultural level + physical development, etc.
19.8 ... Rational producer behavior.
19.8.1 ... Manufacturer's goals.
Manufacturers– these are people, firms, enterprises. those. all those who make and sell us goods and provide services.
Purpose of the manufacturer in a market economy - getting as much profit as possible at the lowest cost.
The rational organization of economic activity requires the manufacturer to solve a number of questions: how, having limited resources, to achieve the goals of his production? How to combine production resources to keep costs to a minimum? How to increase the volume of production with the available resources?
19.8.2. Resource efficiency .
An indicator or measure of how efficiently available resources are being used isperformance .
Productivity ≠ labor productivity .
Performance - 1) this is the volume of goods and services created per unit of cost; 2) the amount of benefits that can be obtained from the use of a unit of a certain type of resource during a fixed period. The costs can be any resources involved in the production process - land, fuel, equipment costs, etc.
Ways to increase productivity, production volume : 1) expanding the use of economic resources (extensive way); 2) increasing the efficiency of their use (intensive way).
Extensive the way lies in a quantitative change in resources (an increase in production capacity, the amount of natural resources used, the number of employed workers), intensive - in improving the quality characteristics of resources, improving their productivity or productivity.
Most countries today focus on the second way of expanding productive capabilities.
Labor productivity (productivity \u003d labor productivity, which is measured by the amount of products produced per unit of time).
Factors (methods) of increasing labor productivity (\u003d increasing the volume of output) :
1) division of labor, or specialization;
2) the use of new equipment or technology;
3) the level of education and professional training of employees;
4) the effectiveness of management decisions.
and) Owner - the one who owns the rights to own, use and dispose of any property.
In economic science, property is a real relationship between people that is formed in the process of appropriation and economic use of property. The system of economic relations of property includes: relations of assignment of factors and results of production, relations of economic use of property, relations of economic realization of property. In a market economy, property must bring maximum profit... If it is not profitable, it increases hidden costs, lowers competitiveness and can lead to ruin. On the other hand, the owner is obliged to bear the “burden of ownership” - the costs associated with owning the property: taxes, expenses for maintaining the property in good condition, protecting the property, insurance, causing possible damage to the property, etc. Rational behavior of the owner - increasing profits and reducing the burden of ownership.
b) Worker - subject labor law, an individual working under an employment contract for an employer.
The employee must know the rights and obligations according to Labor Code RF and the employment contract (see clause 5.9.). The employee must constantly monitor more profitable offer the labor market, even II other regions; strive for professional development (for example, through state retraining courses); defend their rights in relations with the employer with the help of the trade union movement.
in) Consumer - the one who purchases and uses goods, orders works and services for personal household needs, not related to making a profit.
The consumer should strive to study all the offers on the market before buying, to study all aspects of the contract concluded upon purchase and to know his rights.
Consumer income - the amount of funds received over a certain period of time and intended for the acquisition of goods and services for personal consumption.
d) Family man - a social role played by a person as a family member (father, mother, wife, husband, etc.).
For the rational distribution of family funds, a family man must: keep track of all sources of family income, together with the whole family, determine priority areas of expenses and keep track of them, create their own savings and invest them correctly, taking into account profitability and risks.
e) Citizen - a person associated on a legal basis with a particular state.
A citizen should be aware of the taxes and fees that he is obliged to pay. He must know about the tax benefits, tax deductions, pensions and benefits due to him and demand them from the state.
Standard of living - the level of consumption of material goods.
The quality of life - an indicator that includes, in addition to the standard of living, working conditions and safety, cultural level, physical development, etc.
Section 3. Social relations
3.1. Social stratification and mobility
3.2. Social groups
3.3. Youth as a social group
3.4. Ethnic communities
3.5. Interethnic relations, ethno-social conflicts, ways to resolve them
3.6. Constitutional principles (foundations) of national policy in the Russian Federation
3.7. Social conflict
3.8. Types of social norms
3.9. Social control
3.10. Freedom and responsibility
3.11. Deviant behavior and its types
3.12. Social role
3.13. Socialization of the individual
and) Owner - the one who owns the rights to own, use and dispose of any property.
In economic science, property is a real relationship between people that is formed in the process of appropriation and economic use of property. The system of economic relations of property includes: relations of assignment of factors and results of production, relations of economic use of property, relations of economic realization of property. In a market economy, property should bring maximum profit. If it is not profitable, it increases hidden costs, lowers competitiveness and can lead to ruin. On the other hand, the owner is obliged to bear the “burden of ownership” - the costs associated with owning the property: taxes, expenses for maintaining the property in good condition, protecting the property, insurance, causing possible damage to the property, etc. Rational behavior of the owner - increasing profits and reducing the burden of ownership.
b) Worker - subject of labor law, individualworking under an employment contract for an employer.
The employee must know the rights and obligations in accordance with the Labor Code of the Russian Federation and the employment contract (see clause 5.9.). The employee must constantly monitor the best offers on the labor market, even II other regions; strive for professional development (for example, through state retraining courses); defend their rights in relations with the employer with the help of the trade union movement.
in) Consumer - the one who purchases and uses goods, orders works and services for personal household needs, not related to making a profit.
The consumer should strive to study all the offers on the market before buying, study all aspects of the contract concluded upon purchase and know his rights.
Consumer income - the amount of funds received over a certain period of time and intended for the acquisition of goods and services for personal consumption.
d) Family man - a social role played by a person as a family member (father, mother, wife, husband, etc.).
For the rational distribution of family funds, the family man must: keep track of all sources of family income, together with the whole family determine priority directions expenses and keep track of them, create your own savings and invest them correctly, taking into account the profitability and risks.
e) Citizen - a person associated on a legal basis with a particular state.
A citizen should be aware of the taxes and fees that he is obliged to pay. He must know about the tax benefits, tax deductions, pensions and benefits due to him and demand them from the state.
Standard of living - the level of consumption of material goods.
The quality of life - an indicator that includes, in addition to the standard of living, working conditions and safety, cultural level, physical development, etc.
Section 3. SOCIAL RELATIONS
3.1. Social stratification and mobility
3.2. Social groups
3.3. Youth as a social group