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Economic Decisions Paper

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How People Make Economic Decisions Paper
Eco/212
September 28, 2010

Making Economic Decisions Economic decisions made by individuals can affect the economy. The principles of individual decision-making include people being rational, economic incentives, and optimal decisions made at the margin. Trading the three economic systems are market economy, centrally planned economy, and mixed economy. Each contains their own attributes on how they contribute to an economy. The current economic system in the United States is a mixed economy.
Individual Decision-making People try to be rational. “It means that economists assume that consumers and firms use all available information as they act to achieve their goals. Rational individuals weigh the benefits and costs of each action, and they choose an action only if the benefits outweigh the costs” (Hubbard, & O'Brien, 2010). Economic incentives are motives human beings act upon. This generally can mean people take the cheapest route that benefits them the most. Human beings have to answer the question, “Is there enough incentive or motive to make this decision?” Optimal decisions are made at the margin. These decisions are all or nothing. Within one of these decisions can be marginal benefit and marginal cost. An optimal decision that I made to compare marginal benefit versus marginal cost would be when I decided to trade in the truck I loved so much for a car. The marginal benefit of trading the truck in was buying cheaper gas instead of premium, lower vehicle payments, and better gas mileage. The marginal cost is a smaller engine (no eight cylinders), no bed in the back, no towing, and no four-wheel drive. However, I traded in my Dodge Ram for a Dodge Challenger and thoroughly have enjoyed both vehicles. Incentives that would have led me to keep my Ram are if gas prices decreased and my salary

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