Consumption (economics)

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Consumption is a common concept in economics, and gives rise to derived concepts such as consumer debt. Generally consumption is defined by opposition to production. But the precise definition can vary because different schools of economists define production quite differently. According to some economists, only the final purchase of goods and services constitutes consumption, and every other commercial activity is some form of production. Other economists define consumption much more broadly, as the aggregate of all economic activity that does not entail the design, production and marketing of goods and services (e.g. "the selection, adoption, use, disposal and recycling of goods and services").

Likewise, consumption can be measured by a variety of different metrics such as energy in energy economics . The total consumer spending in an economy is generally calculated using the consumption function, a metric devised by John Maynard Keynes, which simply takes the aggregate disposable income and multiplies it by a "marginal propensity to consume". This metric essentially defines consumption as the part of disposable income that does not go into savings. But disposable income in turn can be defined in a number of ways - e.g. to include borrowed funds or expenditures from savings.

For more information about Consumption (economics), read the full article at Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.


News tagged with spending


US tops world in health care spending, results lag

Medicine & Health / Health

created Dec 08, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 2

(AP) -- The United States ranks near the bottom in life expectancy among wealthy nations despite spending more than double per person on health care than the industrialized world's average, an economic group said Tuesday.


The skyline of Tokyo in Japan, where scientists have criticised the new government for plans to slash research budgets

Japan scientists attack govt research cut plans

Other Sciences / Other

created Nov 26, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (5) | comments 0

Top Japanese scientists, including four Nobel laureates, have criticised the new government for plans to slash research budgets, warning the country will loose its high-tech edge.





Search results for spending


Study shows health care spending spurs economic growth

Other Sciences / Economics

created Dec 14, 2009 | popularity 4 / 5 (2) | comments 3

As the national discussion of health care focuses on costs, a new study from North Carolina State University shows that it might be more accurate to think of health care spending as an investment that can spur economic growth. ...


Tech investing will be a tougher play in 2010 (AP)

Tech investing will be a tougher play in 2010

Technology / Business

created 23 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

(AP) -- Mutual funds that bet exclusively on technology stocks are the star performers of 2009.


Immediate, aggressive spending on HIV/AIDS could end epidemic

Medicine & Health / HIV & AIDS

created Nov 18, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Money available to treat HIV/AIDS is sufficient to end the epidemic globally, but only if we act immediately to control the spread of the disease. That was the conclusion of a study just published in the open-access journal, ...


Broadband stimulus moves at dial-up speeds

Technology / Telecom

created Dec 03, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Mark Morgenthaler wants nothing more than to hire 15 people to help expand his wireless Internet service, Surfnet Communications in the Santa Cruz Mountains. He can't wait to start accepting applications, interviewing candidates, ...


Novel carbon-trading scheme could stop large-scale extinctions

Space & Earth / Environment

created Dec 03, 2009 | popularity 1 / 5 (3) | comments 2

A new strategy for saving tropical forest species was published in the leading journal Science on the eve of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen, Denmark, by a team of researchers, includ ...


End of the e-mail era? I'm not buying it

Technology / Internet

created Nov 19, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

I don't know about you, but I'm overwhelmed by e-mail. Yes, I know. The Wall Street Journal has declared that e-mail's reign is over. It's supposedly being replaced by technologies such as instant messaging, social networking ...


Diabetes cases to double and costs to triple by 2034

Medicine & Health / Diseases

created Nov 27, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

In the next 25 years, the number of Americans living with diabetes will nearly double, increasing from 23.7 million in 2009 to 44.1 million in 2034. Over the same period, spending on diabetes will almost triple, rising from ...


Holiday shopping off to mildly encouraging start (AP)

Holiday shopping off to mildly encouraging start

Technology / Business

created Nov 30, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

(AP) -- After shoppers gave retailers a somewhat encouraging start to the holiday shopping season, stores now turn their attention to the online promotions known as Cyber Monday and bringing back customers ...


Less TV time may help overweight adults burn more calories, researcher says

Medicine & Health / Health

created Dec 14, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- Adults may stave off weight gain by simply spending less time watching television, according to a new study. Overweight adults who cut television time in half burned more calories as a result. ...


Free after 35 years: DNA clears Florida inmate (AP)

Free after 35 years: DNA clears Florida inmate

Biology / Biotechnology

created 4 hours ago | popularity 5 / 5 (3) | comments 0

(AP) -- For years, James Bain insisted he was home watching TV with his twin sister when a 9-year-old boy was kidnapped and raped.



List of search results for spending