Section II. Macroeconomics Course Outline

Infusionomics DVD Training Series Outline

Instructor: Dr. Gerald J. Swanson

12. The Economy
    1. Goals for the Economy
    2. The Circular Flow – a Picture of the Economy
       1. Withdrawals from the Economy
       2. Injections into the Economy
13. Measuring the Economy, Part 1
    1. Aggregate Demand
       1. Definition
       2. Measuring Aggregate Demand (Consumption + Investment + Government Spending + Net Exports)
       3. Manipulating AD through Fiscal Policy
    2. Employment vs. Unemployment
       1. Defining the Labor Force
       2. Measuring the Unemployed vs. the Employed
          1. Unemployment Rate
          2. Participation Rate
          3. Employment Rate
    3. Economic Growth – The Gross Domestic Product
       1. Practical Examples
       2. Defining GDP
       3. Major Components of GDP
       4. What GDP does NOT Measure
       5. Real GDP vs. Nominal GDP
14. Measuring the Economy, Part 2  &  Review
    1. Inflation
       1. Measuring Inflation – The Consumer Price Index
       2. Effects of Inflation
       3. Nominal vs. Real Interest Rates
       4. Defining the Core Rate of Inflation
    2. Review of Sections 12 and 13
15. What is Money?
    1. Functions of Money
    2. Characteristics of Money
16. The Federal Reserve and the Money Supply
    1. Creating a Banking System – the Adventures of Slim
    2. How the Fed Creates Money
    3. The Money Multiplier
    4. Federal Requirements
17. Additional Tools of Monetary Policy
    1. Discount Rate
    2. Federal Funds Rate
    3. Open Market Operations
    4. Limits of Monetary Policy
18. Fiscal Policy and the National Debt
    1. Policy Tools
    2. Policy Limitations
    3. Public vs. Non-public Debt