IB Resources: Study Guides, Blog Indexes & Student Tools

Welcome to your central hub for everything IB. Whether you're working on your Internal Assessment, preparing for Paper 3, or just trying to make sense of Micro or Marketing, this page pulls everything together. You'll find study tools, blog indexes, and downloadable guides for both IB Economics and IB Business & Management.

IB Economics Resources

Blog Indexes

• Introduction to Economics Index

  All you need to start your IB Economics course:

  1- What is Economic Prosperity?

  2- Why You Should Take IB Economics?

  3- The Division of Labour

  4- A Beginner’s Guide to IB Economics

  5- The Big Economic Questions

  6- Scarcity and Opportunity Cost

  7- The Production Possibility Curve PPC / PPF

  8- The Circular Flow Model

  9- Evolution of Economic Thought

  10- The Business Cycle

• Microeconomics Index
  All our blog posts on elasticity, externalities, consumer choice, market failure, market power and more - with real-life examples and exam-focused explanations.

  1- Supply

  2- Rational Consumer Choice (HL)

  3- Bounded Self-Control (HL)

  4- Business Objectives (HL)

  5- Market Equilibrium

  6- Price Elasticity of Demand (PED)

  7- Demand

  10-Income Elasticity of Demand (YED)

  11- PES (Price Elasticity of Supply)

  12- Balancing the Market Game Price Controls (Part 1)

  13- Balancing the Market Game (Part 2): Taxes, Subsidies & Nudges

  14- Market Failure

  15- Market Failure in Common Pool Resources

  16- Externalities

  17- Public Goods

  18- Asymmetric Information (HL)

  19- Market Power Part 1: Perfect Competition

  20- Market Power Part 2: How Firms Chase Profit

  21- Market Power Part 3: Monopoly and Natural Monopoly

  22- Market Power Part 4: Oligopoly, Collusion, and Game Theory

  23- Market Power Part 5: Measuring Market Power Monopolistic Competition

  24- Price Controls: When Politicians Try to Fix Markets

  25- Pollution Economics

  26- Regulation vs Deregulation

  27- The Ultimate Guide to Public Goods

  28- Taxation and taxation examples

• Macroeconomics Index

  Blog entries on the IB Economics macroeconomics topics including your favourite topics, fiscal and monetary policies, unemployment, inflation, macroeconomic objectives and more - with real-life examples and exam-focused explanations.

  1- Free Markets: Inequality and the Circular Flow

  2- Measuring Economics - GDP, GNI and the Circular Flow (Part 1)

  3- Measuring Economics Can You Measure Happiness? (Part 2)

  4- Aggregate Demand

  5- Aggregate Supply

  6- Macroeconomic Equilibrium - Monetarists vs Keynesians

  7- Monetarist vs Keynesian - Economic Policy and Assumptions

  8- The Story of Economic Growth

  9- Unemployment More Than Just Numbers

  10-Unemployment: Why Some Joblessness Is Just Inevitable

  11- Inflation

  12- Deflation

  13- National Debt

  14- Macroeconomic Goals

  15- The Economics of Inequality

  16- Understanding Poverty

  17- Why Inequality Happens

  18- How Governments Fight Inequality

  19- Monetary Policy

  20-Advanced Monetary Policy

  21- Fiscal Policy

  22- Fiscal Policy Part 2

  23- Supply-Side Policies

  24- Do Supply-Side Policies Work on Demand?

  25- Inflation Part 2

  26- The Evolution of Money

  27- Bonds Explained

  28- Interest Rates Explained

  29- The Minimum Wage

  30- The Minimum Wage Debate: Are Good Intentions Enough?

  31- Economic Growth

  32- Fighting Economic Downturns

  33- Productivity and Economic Growth

  34- The Labour Market Explained

  35- Technology and Economic Growth

  36- Does Economic Prosperity Actually Bring Happiness?

  37- Corruption

  38- Why Do Recessions Happen

  39- Entrepreneurship and Say vs Schumpeter Entrepreneurship

  40- The Business Cycle

Fundamental Theory & Concepts

Core Market Failure Theory Posts For IB Economics

What Is Market Failure Really? - IB Economics Definition Understanding when markets fail to allocate resources efficiently and the conditions required for market efficiency.

Market failure definition | Allocative efficiency | Pareto efficiency | Market efficiency conditions | Resource misallocation | Economic efficiency

Efficiency and Market Failure - The Welfare IB Economics Foundation Breaking down allocative efficiency, productive efficiency, and dynamic efficiency - the benchmarks against which market failure is measured.

Allocative efficiency | Productive efficiency | Dynamic efficiency | Welfare economics | Consumer surplus | Producer surplus | Deadweight loss

Market Failure Types Overview - The Four Categories Comprehensive introduction to public goods, externalities, imperfect competition, and asymmetric information.

Market failure types | Public goods | Externalities | Imperfect competition | Asymmetric information | Market failure classification

Perfect Competition vs Reality - When Markets Work and When They Don't Comparing perfect competition assumptions with real-world market conditions and identifying failure points.

Perfect competition | Market assumptions | Monopolistic competition | Oligopoly | Monopoly | Competition spectrum

Efficiency Analysis

Consumer and Producer Surplus - Welfare Foundations How consumer and producer surplus demonstrate market efficiency and how market failure reduces total welfare.

Consumer surplus | Producer surplus | Welfare analysis | Market efficiency | Surplus maximisation | Welfare triangles

Deadweight Loss - Measuring Market Failure Understanding deadweight loss as the cost of market failure and calculating efficiency losses.

Deadweight loss | Efficiency cost | Welfare loss | Market failure measurement | Monopoly deadweight loss | Policy evaluation

Pareto Efficiency - The Efficiency Benchmark Defining Pareto efficiency and its role as the standard for judging market outcomes.

Pareto efficiency | Pareto optimal | Efficiency frontier | Resource allocation | Welfare maximisation | Optimal outcomes

Types of Market Failure In IB Economics

Public Goods

Public Goods Theory - Non-Excludable and Non-Rival Understanding the characteristics that make goods public and why markets fail to provide them efficiently.

Public goods | Non-excludable | Non-rival | Free rider problem | Tragedy of commons | Collective action

Free Rider Problem - Why Public Goods Fail The incentive problems that prevent private provision of public goods and create underprovision.

Free rider problem | Public goods provision | Collective action | Incentive problems | Underprovision | Social dilemma

Quasi-Public Goods - The Grey Area Merit goods, demerit goods, and goods with public characteristics that create partial market failure.

Quasi-public goods | Merit goods | Demerit goods | Mixed goods | Partially excludable | Government provision

Global Public Goods - International Market Failure Climate stability, pandemic prevention, and other global challenges requiring international cooperation.

Global public goods | International cooperation | Climate change | Pandemic prevention | Global governance | International externalities

Externalities

Negative Externalities - When Markets Overproduce Pollution, congestion, and other negative spillovers that lead to overproduction and welfare loss.

Negative externalities | Pollution | Congestion | Overproduction | Social costs | Environmental degradation

Positive Externalities - When Markets Underproduce Education, research, and other positive spillovers that lead to underproduction and missed benefits.

Positive externalities | Education benefits | Research spillovers | Underproduction | Social benefits | Knowledge spillovers

Externality Solutions - Internalising External Costs Pigouvian taxes, subsidies, cap-and-trade, and other mechanisms to correct externality problems.

Pigouvian taxes | Subsidies | Cap and trade | Coase theorem | Carbon pricing | Externality correction

Environmental Externalities - Climate and Sustainability The economics of climate change, biodiversity loss, and other environmental market failures.

Environmental externalities | Climate change economics | Carbon emissions | Biodiversity loss | Sustainable development | Green economics

Imperfect Competition

Monopoly Power - Restricting Output for Profit How monopolies create deadweight loss through output restriction and price increases.

Monopoly | Market power | Output restriction | Price maker | Deadweight loss | Consumer exploitation

Oligopoly Collusion - Coordinated Market Failure How firms in oligopolies can coordinate to reduce competition and create market failure.

Oligopoly | Collusion | Cartels | Price fixing | Market coordination | Competition restriction

Barriers to Entry - Preventing Competition Natural and artificial barriers that prevent competition and maintain market power.

Barriers to entry | Natural monopoly | Artificial barriers | Market contestability | Competition policy | Entry deterrence

Technology Giants - Modern Market Power Examining market power in digital markets and platform economics.

Tech monopolies | Platform economics | Network effects | Digital markets | Big Tech regulation | Modern market power

Asymmetric Information

Information Asymmetry - When Knowledge Isn't Equal Understanding how unequal information between buyers and sellers creates market failure.

Asymmetric information | Information gaps | Adverse selection | Moral hazard | Information problems | Knowledge inequality

Adverse Selection - The Lemons Problem How quality uncertainty leads to market breakdown, from used cars to insurance markets.

Adverse selection | Lemons problem | Quality uncertainty | Market breakdown | Insurance markets | Selection bias

Moral Hazard - Changing Behaviour After Agreement How insurance and other agreements can change behaviour and create inefficiency.

Moral hazard | Behavioural change | Insurance problems | Risk taking | Principal agent | Incentive problems

Signalling and Screening - Information Solutions How markets develop mechanisms to overcome information problems through signalling and screening.

Market signalling | Screening mechanisms | Information revelation | Quality signals | Certification | Reputation systems

Real-World Applications & Case Studies

Current Global Market Failures (2024-2025)

Climate Change - The Ultimate Market Failure How greenhouse gas emissions represent the world's largest market failure and policy responses.

Climate change | Carbon emissions | Global warming | Carbon pricing | Paris Agreement | Climate policy

COVID-19 Pandemic - Global Public Health Market Failure Lessons from the pandemic about public health as a global public good and international coordination failures.

Pandemic response | Public health | Global coordination | Vaccine distribution | Health externalities | International cooperation

Big Tech Monopoly Power - Digital Market Failure Examining market power in digital platforms and regulatory responses worldwide.

Big Tech | Digital monopolies | Platform power | Data monopolies | Tech regulation | Antitrust policy

Biodiversity Loss - Environmental Market Failure The economics of ecosystem services and the failure to value natural capital properly.

Biodiversity loss | Ecosystem services | Natural capital | Species extinction | Environmental valuation | Conservation economics

UK-Specific Market Failures

NHS and Healthcare - Merit Good Underprovision The UK's approach to healthcare as a merit good and ongoing challenges in provision.

NHS | Healthcare provision | Merit goods | Universal healthcare | Health inequality | Public health

Housing Market Failure - Affordability Crisis Planning restrictions, land banking, and other factors creating housing market failure in the UK.

UK housing crisis | Housing affordability | Planning restrictions | Land banking | Housing policy | Market failure

Energy Market Oligopoly - The Big Six Concentration in UK energy markets and regulatory attempts to increase competition.

UK energy market | Energy oligopoly | Ofgem regulation | Energy competition | Market concentration | Utility regulation

Financial Services - Too Big to Fail Moral hazard in banking and financial services regulation since the 2008 crisis.

UK banking | Financial regulation | Too big to fail | Moral hazard | Financial stability | Bank regulation

Sector-Specific Market Failures

Education Market Failure - Human Capital Underinvestment Why education markets fail and the case for government intervention in education provision.

Education economics | Human capital | Merit goods | Education externalities | Skills gaps | Education policy

Healthcare Market Failure - Information and Insurance Problems asymmetric information, moral hazard, and other problems in healthcare markets.

Healthcare economics | Health insurance | Medical information | Health externalities | Healthcare access | Medical ethics

Transport Market Failure - Congestion and Pollution Negative externalities from transport and policy solutions including congestion charging.

Transport externalities | Traffic congestion | Transport pollution | Congestion charging | Public transport | Sustainable transport

Agriculture Market Failure - Environmental and Social Issues Externalities in agriculture including pollution, animal welfare, and food security.

Agricultural externalities | Farming pollution | Food security | Agricultural subsidies | Rural economics | Sustainable agriculture

Government Intervention Solutions

Regulation and Standards

Competition Policy - Preventing Market Power Antitrust law, merger control, and other tools to maintain competitive markets.

Competition policy | Antitrust law | Merger control | Market regulation | Competition authority | Monopoly regulation

Environmental Regulation - Controlling Externalities Command and control regulation to limit pollution and environmental damage.

Environmental regulation | Pollution control | Environmental standards | Regulatory compliance | Green regulation | Sustainability policy

Quality Standards - Addressing Information Problems How standards and certification help overcome information asymmetries.

Quality standards | Product certification | Safety regulation | Consumer protection | Information regulation | Standards bodies

Financial Regulation - Preventing Systemic Risk Banking regulation, capital requirements, and other measures to prevent financial market failure.

Financial regulation | Banking supervision | Capital requirements | Systemic risk | Financial stability | Prudential regulation

Market-Based Solutions

Pigouvian Taxes - Pricing Externalities Using taxes to internalise external costs and correct market failures.

Pigouvian taxes | Carbon tax | Pollution taxes | Externality pricing | Environmental taxes | Tax policy

Subsidies and Grants - Correcting Positive Externalities Using subsidies to encourage activities with positive externalities.

Subsidies | Government grants | Positive externalities | Education subsidies | Research funding | Innovation support

Cap-and-Trade Systems - Market Mechanisms for Environment Using market mechanisms to achieve environmental goals efficiently.

Cap and trade | Emissions trading | Carbon markets | Environmental markets | Tradeable permits | Market-based environmental policy

Public-Private Partnerships - Hybrid Solutions Combining public and private provision to address market failures.

Public-private partnerships | PPP models | Hybrid provision | Mixed economy | Infrastructure investment | Service delivery

Direct Provision

Public Goods Provision - Government Supply When and how governments should directly provide public goods.

Public provision | Government supply | Public goods | State services | Public sector | Direct provision

State-Owned Enterprises - Public Ownership The role of state ownership in addressing market failures.

State ownership | Public enterprises | Nationalisation | Public utilities | State intervention | Government ownership

Universal Basic Services - Comprehensive Public Provision Emerging debates about universal provision of basic services.

Universal basic services | Public provision | Social services | Welfare state | Universal access | Public goods

Cross-Topic Connections For Your IB Economics Course

Market Failure and Development

Development and Market Failure - Institutional Weaknesses How weak institutions in developing countries exacerbate market failures.

Development economics | Institutional failure | Governance problems | Market development | Economic development | Institutional economics

Poverty and Market Failure - Vicious Cycles How market failures can perpetuate poverty and how poverty can worsen market failures.

Poverty | Market access | Credit markets | Inequality | Development traps | Social exclusion

Infrastructure and Market Failure - Network Effects How infrastructure market failures can constrain economic development.

Infrastructure economics | Network effects | Natural monopolies | Infrastructure investment | Development bottlenecks | Economic growth

International Economics

Global Market Failures - International Coordination Market failures that cross borders and require international cooperation.

Global market failures | International coordination | Global public goods | International externalities | Global governance | Multilateral cooperation

Trade and Market Failure - Correcting Distortions How trade can help address market failures and how market failures can distort trade.

International trade | Trade distortions | Market access | Trade policy | Comparative advantage | Trade benefits

Globalisation and Market Power - Multinational Dominance How globalisation can increase market power and create new forms of market failure.

Globalisation | Multinational corporations | Global market power | International competition | Global regulation | Cross-border mergers

Environmental Economics

Sustainability and Market Failure - Long-term Thinking How market failures prevent sustainable resource use and long-term thinking.

Sustainability | Environmental degradation | Resource depletion | Intergenerational equity | Sustainable development | Green economics

Climate Change Economics - The Biggest Market Failure Comprehensive analysis of climate change as a market failure and policy responses.

Climate economics | Carbon pricing | Climate policy | Global warming | Greenhouse gases | Climate action

Circular Economy - Addressing Resource Market Failures How circular economy principles can address market failures in resource use.

Circular economy | Resource efficiency | Waste reduction | Recycling | Sustainable consumption | Resource loops

Current Statistics & Data (2024-2025)

Key Global Market Failure Indicators

Climate Change Costs: Global economic losses from climate change estimated at $1.2 trillion annually Biodiversity Loss: Ecosystem service losses valued at $2.7 trillion per year globally
Air Pollution: Causes 7 million premature deaths annually, costing $2.9 trillion in health costs Antibiotic Resistance: Could cost $100 trillion globally by 2050 without action Digital Market Concentration: Top 5 tech companies control 77% of global digital advertising

UK-Specific Market Failure Data

Housing Affordability: UK house prices 8.1 times average earnings in 2024 NHS Waiting Lists: 7.77 million people on NHS waiting lists as of 2024 Energy Market: Big Six energy companies control 70% of UK household energy market Air Quality: Air pollution costs UK economy £20 billion annually in health impacts Financial Concentration: Top 4 UK banks control 77% of personal current accounts

Regional Comparisons

US Market Concentration: 75% of US industries became more concentrated between 1997-2012 EU Digital Markets: Digital Services Act targeting Big Tech market power implemented 2024 China State Intervention: State-owned enterprises account for 30% of Chinese GDP Developing Country Institutions: Bottom quartile countries score 2.1/6 on governance indicators Carbon Pricing Coverage: 23% of global emissions covered by carbon pricing mechanisms

IB Economics Exam Excellence

Question Techniques

Evaluating Market Failure Solutions - Paper 3 Framework Comprehensive framework for analysing and evaluating different approaches to addressing market failure.

IB Economics evaluation | Market failure analysis | Paper 3 techniques | Policy evaluation | Government intervention assessment | Solution evaluation

Market Failure Diagrams Made Simple - Visual Analysis Welfare diagrams, externality graphs, and other visual representations of market failure.

Market failure diagrams | Welfare diagrams | Externality graphs | Monopoly diagrams | Economic graphs | Visual analysis

Linking Market Failure to Other Topics - Higher Level Analysis Connecting market failure analysis to international trade, development economics, and macroeconomics.

Market failure connections | Cross-topic analysis | Economic integration | Higher level thinking | Synthesis skills | Topic linking

Real vs Theoretical Market Failure - Critical Analysis Distinguishing between textbook examples and real-world complexity in market failure analysis.

Real world analysis | Theoretical vs practical | Critical evaluation | Policy complexity | Implementation challenges | Practical economics

Real Exam Questions For Your IB Economics Course

Past Paper Analysis: Market Failure Questions - High-Scoring Responses Breaking down successful responses to market failure questions with examiner insights.

Past paper analysis | Market failure questions | High scoring answers | Examiner comments | Exam technique | Success strategies

Market Failure Essay Planning - 15-Mark Structure Planning and structuring evaluation essays on market failure and government intervention.

Essay planning | 15-mark questions | Market failure essays | Evaluation structure | Argument development | Essay technique

Case Study Analysis - Market Failure Examples Using real-world market failure examples effectively in exam responses.

Case study technique | Real examples | Market failure cases | Evidence use | Practical application | Example selection

Data Response Techniques - Market Failure Statistics Interpreting and analysing market failure data in Paper 1 questions.

Data response | Statistical analysis | Market failure data | Quantitative analysis | Data interpretation | Paper 1 skills

Emerging Issues & Future Trends

Digital Economy Market Failures

Platform Economics - Network Effects and Market Power How digital platforms create new forms of market power through network effects.

Platform economics | Network effects | Digital monopolies | Platform power | Tech regulation | Digital markets

Data as Market Failure - Privacy and Competition How data collection and use creates new forms of market failure requiring regulation.

Data economics | Privacy rights | Data monopolies | Information power | Digital privacy | Data regulation

Algorithmic Bias - Discrimination in Digital Markets How algorithms can perpetuate discrimination and create new forms of market failure.

Algorithmic bias | Digital discrimination | AI ethics | Automated decision making | Algorithmic fairness | Tech accountability

Cryptocurrency and Market Failure - Regulation Challenges Market failures in cryptocurrency markets and regulatory responses.

Cryptocurrency regulation | Digital currency | Crypto market failure | Financial innovation | Digital assets | Regulatory innovation

IB Economics Diagrams Programme, What's included:

• 200+ exam-ready diagrams covering the entire IB Economics syllabus

• Video for every diagram showing you exactly how each model looks

• Image version perfect for modelling diagrams in you essays, presentations, and your IA

• Detailed written explanations of the economic theory behind each diagram

• Both SL and HL IB Economics diagrams clearly labelled and organised by topic

• Real IB Economics exam application showing how to use diagrams effectively in Paper 1 and Paper 2

• Global Economy / International Trade Index
  Everything from exchange rates and protectionism to globalisation and economic development - made digestible for IB learners.

  1- Benefits of International Trade

  2- Absolute vs. Comparative Advantage

  3- Tariffs Explained

  4- Quotas

  5- Subsidies

  6- Trade Protection

  7- Economic Integration

  8- Monetary Unions

  9- The World Trade Organisation

  10- Exchange Rates

  11- Fixed Exchange Rates

  12- Balance of Payments Part 1

  13- Balance of Payments Part 2

  14- Balance of Payments Part 3 (HL)

  15- Sustainable Development

  16- More Than Just Money: Economic Development

  17- The Composite Indicators

  18- Poverty Traps

  19- 10 Roadblocks to Prosperity

  20-The Political and Social Roadblocks

  21- 10 Epic Strategies for Economic Growth & Development

  22-Why Some Economic growth and development Strategies Shine While Others Flop

  23- Sustainable Development Goals

  24- Globalisation

• HL IB Economics Index
  Higher Level content on advanced theory, analysis techniques, and exam strategies.

• SL IB Economics Index

  Standard level content, analysis techniques and exam approaches.

Support Guides

• Internal Assessment (IA) Guide – Free Download
  Step-by-step support on topic selection, structure, evaluation, and common IA mistakes.

IB Economics Podcast Highlights

• Visit the Podcast Page and sign up for free
  

• Real-life examples, mini-lessons, and exam-friendly storytelling based on the IB syllabus - with humour designed for IB Economics students.

Every episode of Pint-Sized links back to what matters most for your IB Economics course:

• Understanding key IB Economics concepts

• Applying them in real-world IB Economics contexts

• Building IB Economics course confidence without drowning in dry theory.

Subscribe for free to exclusive episodes designed to boost your IB Economics grades and confidence:

IB Resources Hub

Explore comprehensive study guides, tools, and blogs tailored for IB students' success.

Study Guides

Access detailed study guides for various IB subjects to enhance your learning experience.

Student Tools

Explore IB Economics and Business resources - blog indexes, IA guides, EE tools, and study materials to help you master the IB with confidence.

The IB Trainer Blog Index

Explore our curated blog index for valuable insights and tips on IB studies.