Influences on consumer and business behaviour
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Introduction
In this activity, students read an article on economic behaviour by Ross Gittens and analyse his arguments on factors that influence consumer decisions. Students are also given the opportunity to investigate government policies or regulations designed to influence the decisions of individuals or businesses.
This activity addresses the following aspects of economics curriculums:
- consumer decisions about the allocation of scarce resources
- utility, opportunity cost, marginal cost, long-term costs of economic decision-making
- government intervention in the market to influence consumer and business decisions.
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Teacher resources
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Student learning resources
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Government influences on consumer and business decisions
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Suggested activity sequence
This sequence is intended as a framework to be modified and adapted by teachers to suit the needs of a class group. If you assign this activity to a class, your students will be assigned all student resources on their 'My learning' page. You can also hand-pick the resources students are assigned by selecting individual resources when you add a work item to a class in 'My classes'.
- Use a grouping strategy to organise students into pairs.
- Pairs read the article.
Note: This article has high literacy demands. Choose either the reading for meaning strategy and/or the Cornell note taking system to support students to read the article. - Individual students write a tweet or short sentence that summarises the article.
- Pairs of students complete the worksheet.
- Display the visualiser. Pairs discuss answers to each question and record their responses.
- Students individually write a quick response to the question: What obstacles does government face when they attempt to influence consumer behaviour?
- Invite students to read what they have written and add any points that students did not address but are essential.
Optional
- Invite students individually complete the investigation.
- Record the examples of each policy that all students identified.
- Discuss with students how and why governments intervene in the market to influence consumer and business decisions.