Economic cost: Another term for opportunity cost (the highest valued alternative foregone in the pursuit of an activity) that is used in the study of economics to indicate the fundamental role opportunity cost plays in economics. The value expressed in terms of satisfaction of the foregone activity is your opportunity cost. Because there are usually several alternatives that aren't pursued, opportunity cost is the highest-valued one. An opportunity cost is sometimes compensated with some form of payment, like a wage. However, the existence of an opportunity cost is independent of any actual cash outlay.
Enterprise: An organization that combines scarce resources for the production and supply of goods and services. The term enterprise is generally used synonymously with other terms such as business, firm, and company. If a distinction exists, enterprise can be profit oriented, nonprofit, privately owned, or government controlled. Alternatively, the term enterprise might also be used more in reference to the production activity itself rather than the organization.
Exchange: The process of trading one item for another. Exchange is fundamental to the study of economics, markets, and market-oriented economies. Most exchanges in a modern, complex market-oriented economy involve a commodity on one side and a monetary payment (that is, price) on the other. In essence, a buyer gives up money and gets a good, while a seller gives up a good and gets money.
Education: An increase in the knowledge or skills processed by people. Education is generally view from a "formal" perspective, in which "students" sit in classrooms attuned to enthralling lectures from teachers before they are forced to reveal their education through exams. Education, however, can be much less formal, acquired on the job or through the real word experiences. An important economic aspect of is how it enhances the productivity of labor by increasing human capital. Education, in fact, has been one of the prime sources of economic growth and improved living standards.
Maturity: That date at which the principal on a bond or similar financial asset needs to be repaid. Maturity dates can be anywhere from a few hours to 30 or more years. For example, government securities are classified by their maturity dates, with Treasury bills maturing in one year or less, Treasury notes in 1 to 10 years, and Treasury bonds in 10 years or more. Under normal (nonrecessionary) conditions, shorter maturity periods carry lower interest rates, while longer maturities need higher interest rates to compensate for the uncertainty of tying funds up for longer periods.
Moral suasion: Government policy in which policy makers or leaders encourage or discourage particular behavior using information requests of consumers, business, and others, without formal actions such as laws or regulations. The use of moral suasion can be somewhat effective during short-term crises situations, such as wars, energy shortages, or financial instability. Moral suasion is occasionally used for monetary policy when the Federal Reserve System doesn't want to, or have the time to, use other monetary policy tools.
