In
economics
Economics () is a behavioral science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services.
Economics focuses on the behaviour and interac ...
, output is the quantity and quality of
goods
In economics, goods are anything that is good, usually in the sense that it provides welfare or utility to someone. Alan V. Deardorff, 2006. ''Terms Of Trade: Glossary of International Economics'', World Scientific. Online version: Deardorffs ...
or
services produced in a given time period, within a given economic network, whether consumed or used for further production. The economic network may be a
firm
A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of legal people, whether Natural person, natural, Juridical person, juridical or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members ...
, industry, or nation. The concept of
national output is essential in the field of
macroeconomics
Macroeconomics is a branch of economics that deals with the performance, structure, behavior, and decision-making of an economy as a whole. This includes regional, national, and global economies. Macroeconomists study topics such as output (econ ...
. It is national output that makes a country rich, not large amounts of
money
Money is any item or verifiable record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts, such as taxes, in a particular country or socio-economic context. The primary functions which distinguish money are: m ...
.
[ H.L Ahuja (1978). '' Macro-development economics: an analytical approach''.]
Definition
Output is the result of an economic process that has used
inputs to produce a product or service that is available for sale or use somewhere else.
''Net output'', sometimes called ''netput'' is a quantity, in the context of production, that is positive if the quantity is output by the production process and negative if it is an input to the production process.
Microeconomics
Output condition
The profit-maximizing output condition for producers equates the relative marginal cost of any two goods to the relative selling price of those goods; i.e.
One may also deduce the ratio of marginal costs as the slope of the
production–possibility frontier
In microeconomics, a production–possibility frontier (PPF), production possibility curve (PPC), or production possibility boundary (PPB) is a graphical representation showing all the possible quantities of outputs that can be Production (econom ...
, which would give the rate at which society can transform one good into another.
Macroeconomics
Relation to income

When a particular quantity of output is produced, an identical quantity of income is generated because the output belongs to someone. This is the
identity that output equals income (where an identity is an equation that is always true regardless of the values of any variables).
Output can be sub-divided into components based on whose demand has generated it – total
consumption ''C'' by members of the public (including on imported goods) minus imported goods (the difference being consumption of domestic output),
spending by the government, domestically produced goods
bought by foreigners, planned inventory accumulation , unplanned inventory accumulation resulting from incorrect predictions of consumer and government demand, and
fixed investment on machinery and the like.
Likewise, income can be sub-divided according to the uses to which it is put – consumption spending,
taxes
A tax is a mandatory financial charge or levy imposed on an individual or legal entity by a governmental organization to support government spending and public expenditures collectively or to regulate and reduce negative externalities. Tax co ...
paid, and the portion of income neither taxed nor spent (
saving
Saving is income not spent, or deferred Consumption (economics), consumption. In economics, a broader definition is any income not used for immediate consumption. Saving also involves reducing expenditures, such as recurring Cost, costs.
Methods ...
).
Since output identically equals income, the above leads to the following identity:
:
where the triple-bar sign denotes an identity. This identity is distinct from the goods market
equilibrium condition, which is satisfied when unplanned inventory investment equals zero:
:
Output is the result of an economic process that has used inputs to produce a product or service that is available for sale or use somewhere else.
Net output, sometimes called netput, is a quantity, in the context of production, that is positive if the quantity is output by the production process and negative if it is an input to the production process.
Fluctuations in output
In macroeconomics, the question of why national output fluctuates is a very critical one. And though no consensus has developed, there are some factors which economists agree make output go up and down.
If we take growth into consideration, then most economists agree that there are three basic sources for economic growth: an increase in labour usage, an increase in capital usage and an increase in
effectiveness
Effectiveness or effectivity is the capability of producing a desired result or the ability to produce desired output. When something is deemed effective, it means it has an intended or expected outcome, or produces a deep, vivid impression.
Et ...
of the factors of production.
Just as increases in usage or effectiveness of factors of production can cause output to go up, anything that causes labour, capital or their effectiveness to go down will cause a decline in output or at least a decline in its rate of growth.
International economics
Exchange of output among nations
Exchange of output between two countries is a very common occurrence, as there is always trade taking place between different nations of the world. For example, Japan may trade its electronics with Germany for German-made cars. If the value of the trades being made by both the countries is equal at that point of time, then their trade accounts would be balanced: the exports would be exactly equal to imports in both the countries.
See also
Notes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Output (Economics)
Macroeconomic aggregates