1.4.5

Positive Externalities

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Positive Externalities

Positive externalities are beneficial spillovers to a third party or parties, who did not purchase the good or service that provided the externalities.

Positive externalities example

Positive externalities example

Vaccinations are a good example of a positive externality as they are not only a protection for the individual, but they have the positive spillover of protecting others who may become infected.
The appropriate public policy response to a positive externality, like a new technology, is to help the party creating the positive externality receive a greater share of the social benefits.
In the case of vaccines, like flu shots, an effective policy might be to provide a subsidy to those who choose to get vaccinated.

Positive externalities example

Positive externalities example

This diagram shows the market for flu shots with spillover benefits.

Positive externalities example

Positive externalities example

The market demand curve does not reflect the positive externality of flu vaccinations (as it only reflects the marginal private benefit), so only Q_Market will be exchanged.
This outcome is inefficient because the marginal social benefit exceeds the marginal social cost. If the government provides a subsidy to consumers of flu shots, equal to the marginal social benefit minus the marginal private benefit, the level of vaccinations can increase to the socially optimal quantity of Q_Social.

1

Microeconomics

1.1

Competitive Markets: Demand & Suply

1.1.1Markets & Demand 1.1.2Diminishing Marginal Returns 1.1.3Supply 1.1.4Market Equilibrium 1.1.5Price Mechanism 1.1.6Consumer & Producer Surplus 1.1.7IB Multiple Choice - Demand 1.1.8IB Multiple Choice - Supply

1.2

Elasticity

1.2.1Elasticities of Demand 1.2.2Factors Affecting Price Elasticity of Demand 1.2.3Elasticity of Supply 1.2.4Price Elasticity of Supply 1.2.5IB Multiple Choice - Price Elasticity of Demand 1.2.6IB Multiple Choice - Price Elasticity of Supply 1.2.7IB Multiple Choice - Other Elasticities

1.3

Government Intervention

1.3.1Indirect Taxes & Subsidies 1.3.2Application Question - Taxing Prices or Quantities 1.3.3Subsidies & Price Controls 1.3.4Deadweight Loss & Government Intervention 1.3.5Elasticity & Tax Incidence 1.3.6IB Multiple Choice - Government Intervention

1.4

Market Failure

1.4.1Types of Market Failure 1.4.2Introduction to Externalities 1.4.3Negative Externalities 1.4.4Policy for Negative Externalities 1.4.5Positive Externalities 1.4.6The Deadweight Welfare Loss of Externalities 1.4.7Case Study - The Externalities of Education 1.4.8Public Goods & the Free-Rider Problem 1.4.9Asymmetric Information 1.4.10End of Topic Test - Market Failure 1.4.11Application Questions - Market Failure

1.5

HL: Theory of the Firm & Market Structures

1.5.1Theory of the Firm & Market Structures

2

Macroeconomics

2.1

The Level of Overall Economic Activity

2.1.1The Circular Flow of Income 2.1.2Defining GDP 2.1.3Limitations of GDP 2.1.4IB Multiple Choice - Economic Indicators 2.1.5Business Cycles 2.1.6Output Gaps

2.2

Aggregate Demand & Aggregate Supply

2.2.1The Aggregate Demand Curve 2.2.2Components of Aggregate Demand 2.2.3Shape of the Aggregate Demand Curve 2.2.4Shifts in Aggregate Demand 2.2.5IB Multiple Choice - Aggregate Demand 2.2.6Short & Long-Run Aggregate Supply 2.2.7Alternative Models of LRAS 2.2.8Equilibrium in the AD-AS Model 2.2.9Output Gaps & the AD-AS Model

2.3

Macroeconomic Objectives

2.3.1Introduction to Unemployment 2.3.2Limitations of Unemployment 2.3.3Types of Unemployment 2.3.4Causes & Impact of Unemployment 2.3.5Defining Inflation 2.3.6Measuring Inflation 2.3.7Use of Index Numbers 2.3.8The Consumer Price Index 2.3.9Consequences of Inflation 2.3.10Causes of Inflation 2.3.11Inflation & Unemployment Tradeoff 2.3.12The Short-Run Phillips Curve 2.3.13The Long-Run Phillips Curve

2.4

Economic Growth, Poverty & Inequality

2.4.1Measuring Economic Growth 2.4.2Determinants of Productivity 2.4.3Economic Growth & Productivity 2.4.4Absolute & Relative Poverty 2.4.5Inequality 2.4.6Inequality 2 2.4.7Lorenz Curve 2.4.8Government Policy on Poverty 2.4.9End of Topic Test - Poverty & Inequality 2.4.10Application - Inequality & Poverty

2.5

Fiscal Policy

2.5.1Introduction to Fiscal Policy 2.5.2Fiscal Policy and AD-AS Model 2.5.3Fiscal Policy Lags 2.5.4Automatic Stabilizers 2.5.5IB Multiple Choice - Fiscal Policy

2.6

Monetary Policy

2.6.1Objectives of Monetary Policy 2.6.2Monetary Policy Implementation 2.6.3Monetary Policy & AD-AS Model 2.6.4Monetary Policy Lags & Pitfalls

2.7

Supply-Side Policies

2.7.1Supply-Side Policies 2.7.2Supply-Side Policies 2

3

The Global Economy

3.1

International Trade

3.1.1Globalisation 3.1.2Globalisation for LEDCs 3.1.3Globalisation for MEDCs 3.1.4Comparative Advantage & Trade 3.1.5Protectionism 3.1.6Arguments for Protectionism 3.1.7Arguments Against Protectionism 3.1.8End of Topic Test - Globalisation & Trade 3.1.9Case Study - Globalisation & Trade

3.2

Exchange Rates

3.2.1Floating Exchange Rates 3.2.2Fixed Exchange Rate 3.2.3Effect of a Stronger & Weaker Dollar

3.3

The Balance of Payments

3.3.1Balance of Payments 3.3.2Balance of Payments 2 3.3.3FDI & Reducing a BoP Deficit

3.4

Economic Integration

3.4.1Customs Unions & WTO 3.4.2Merged Currency

3.5

Terms of Trade

3.5.1Absolute & Comparative Advantage 3.5.2Gains from Trade 3.5.3Terms of Trade 3.5.4IB Multiple Choice - Comparative Advantage & Trade

3.6

Economic Development

3.6.1Factors Influencing Growth & Development 3.6.2International Institutions 3.6.3Measures of Development 3.6.4Barriers to Development 3.6.5Case Study - The Bottom Billion 3.6.6End of Topic Test - Emerging & Developing

3.7

The Role of Domestic & International Factors

3.7.1Interventionist Strategies 3.7.2Development Strategies 3.7.3Development Promotion Policies 3.7.4End of Topic Test - Growth & Global Development 3.7.5Application Questions -Growth & Global Development

3.8

The Role of International Trade

3.8.1International Institutions 3.8.2End of Topic Test - Globalisation & Trade

3.9

The Role of Foreign Aid

3.9.1Aid 3.9.2Limitations of Aid 3.9.3Support for Aid 3.9.4Application Questions - Developing Countries

Jump to other topics

1

Microeconomics

1.1

Competitive Markets: Demand & Suply

1.1.1Markets & Demand 1.1.2Diminishing Marginal Returns 1.1.3Supply 1.1.4Market Equilibrium 1.1.5Price Mechanism 1.1.6Consumer & Producer Surplus 1.1.7IB Multiple Choice - Demand 1.1.8IB Multiple Choice - Supply

1.2

Elasticity

1.2.1Elasticities of Demand 1.2.2Factors Affecting Price Elasticity of Demand 1.2.3Elasticity of Supply 1.2.4Price Elasticity of Supply 1.2.5IB Multiple Choice - Price Elasticity of Demand 1.2.6IB Multiple Choice - Price Elasticity of Supply 1.2.7IB Multiple Choice - Other Elasticities

1.3

Government Intervention

1.3.1Indirect Taxes & Subsidies 1.3.2Application Question - Taxing Prices or Quantities 1.3.3Subsidies & Price Controls 1.3.4Deadweight Loss & Government Intervention 1.3.5Elasticity & Tax Incidence 1.3.6IB Multiple Choice - Government Intervention

1.4

Market Failure

1.4.1Types of Market Failure 1.4.2Introduction to Externalities 1.4.3Negative Externalities 1.4.4Policy for Negative Externalities 1.4.5Positive Externalities 1.4.6The Deadweight Welfare Loss of Externalities 1.4.7Case Study - The Externalities of Education 1.4.8Public Goods & the Free-Rider Problem 1.4.9Asymmetric Information 1.4.10End of Topic Test - Market Failure 1.4.11Application Questions - Market Failure

1.5

HL: Theory of the Firm & Market Structures

1.5.1Theory of the Firm & Market Structures

2

Macroeconomics

2.1

The Level of Overall Economic Activity

2.1.1The Circular Flow of Income 2.1.2Defining GDP 2.1.3Limitations of GDP 2.1.4IB Multiple Choice - Economic Indicators 2.1.5Business Cycles 2.1.6Output Gaps

2.2

Aggregate Demand & Aggregate Supply

2.2.1The Aggregate Demand Curve 2.2.2Components of Aggregate Demand 2.2.3Shape of the Aggregate Demand Curve 2.2.4Shifts in Aggregate Demand 2.2.5IB Multiple Choice - Aggregate Demand 2.2.6Short & Long-Run Aggregate Supply 2.2.7Alternative Models of LRAS 2.2.8Equilibrium in the AD-AS Model 2.2.9Output Gaps & the AD-AS Model

2.3

Macroeconomic Objectives

2.3.1Introduction to Unemployment 2.3.2Limitations of Unemployment 2.3.3Types of Unemployment 2.3.4Causes & Impact of Unemployment 2.3.5Defining Inflation 2.3.6Measuring Inflation 2.3.7Use of Index Numbers 2.3.8The Consumer Price Index 2.3.9Consequences of Inflation 2.3.10Causes of Inflation 2.3.11Inflation & Unemployment Tradeoff 2.3.12The Short-Run Phillips Curve 2.3.13The Long-Run Phillips Curve

2.4

Economic Growth, Poverty & Inequality

2.4.1Measuring Economic Growth 2.4.2Determinants of Productivity 2.4.3Economic Growth & Productivity 2.4.4Absolute & Relative Poverty 2.4.5Inequality 2.4.6Inequality 2 2.4.7Lorenz Curve 2.4.8Government Policy on Poverty 2.4.9End of Topic Test - Poverty & Inequality 2.4.10Application - Inequality & Poverty

2.5

Fiscal Policy

2.5.1Introduction to Fiscal Policy 2.5.2Fiscal Policy and AD-AS Model 2.5.3Fiscal Policy Lags 2.5.4Automatic Stabilizers 2.5.5IB Multiple Choice - Fiscal Policy

2.6

Monetary Policy

2.6.1Objectives of Monetary Policy 2.6.2Monetary Policy Implementation 2.6.3Monetary Policy & AD-AS Model 2.6.4Monetary Policy Lags & Pitfalls

2.7

Supply-Side Policies

2.7.1Supply-Side Policies 2.7.2Supply-Side Policies 2

3

The Global Economy

3.1

International Trade

3.1.1Globalisation 3.1.2Globalisation for LEDCs 3.1.3Globalisation for MEDCs 3.1.4Comparative Advantage & Trade 3.1.5Protectionism 3.1.6Arguments for Protectionism 3.1.7Arguments Against Protectionism 3.1.8End of Topic Test - Globalisation & Trade 3.1.9Case Study - Globalisation & Trade

3.2

Exchange Rates

3.2.1Floating Exchange Rates 3.2.2Fixed Exchange Rate 3.2.3Effect of a Stronger & Weaker Dollar

3.3

The Balance of Payments

3.3.1Balance of Payments 3.3.2Balance of Payments 2 3.3.3FDI & Reducing a BoP Deficit

3.4

Economic Integration

3.4.1Customs Unions & WTO 3.4.2Merged Currency

3.5

Terms of Trade

3.5.1Absolute & Comparative Advantage 3.5.2Gains from Trade 3.5.3Terms of Trade 3.5.4IB Multiple Choice - Comparative Advantage & Trade

3.6

Economic Development

3.6.1Factors Influencing Growth & Development 3.6.2International Institutions 3.6.3Measures of Development 3.6.4Barriers to Development 3.6.5Case Study - The Bottom Billion 3.6.6End of Topic Test - Emerging & Developing

3.7

The Role of Domestic & International Factors

3.7.1Interventionist Strategies 3.7.2Development Strategies 3.7.3Development Promotion Policies 3.7.4End of Topic Test - Growth & Global Development 3.7.5Application Questions -Growth & Global Development

3.8

The Role of International Trade

3.8.1International Institutions 3.8.2End of Topic Test - Globalisation & Trade

3.9

The Role of Foreign Aid

3.9.1Aid 3.9.2Limitations of Aid 3.9.3Support for Aid 3.9.4Application Questions - Developing Countries

Practice questions on Positive Externalities

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1
What does the market demand curve best reflect?Multiple choice
2
What does the market supply curve best reflect?Multiple choice

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Policy for Negative Externalities

The Deadweight Welfare Loss of Externalities