Economic Growth

Growth

  • Economic growth occurs when potential output (Y*) changes
  • AD/AS model looked at how actual output (Y) changes around potential
  • How does potential output change?  Through GDP/Capita and the production function below.

GDP/capita

An economy grows if:

  • Average labour productivity increases; or
  • Share of population employed increases

Factors which influence labour productivity are:

  • Capital
  • Technology

The Production Function and Growth Accounting

Economic Cycles

The economy goes through cycles of expansion and contraction between peaks and troughs in GDP.