household

household

a group of individuals whose economic decision-making is interrelated. In economic theory, households perform two roles. On the one hand, they enter the market place as buyers or CONSUMERS of goods and services produced by firms; on the other hand, they provide FACTOR INPUTS to firms in order to produce those goods and services. The term ‘households’ is used primarily in macro- (national income) analysis, while the term ‘consumers’ is used in micro- (supply and demand) analysis. See CIRCULAR FLOW OF NATIONAL INCOME MODEL, PERSONAL SECTOR.

Collins Dictionary of Economics, 4th ed. © C. Pass, B. Lowes, L. Davies 2005