Suppose that a candy maker owns a building and is renting part of the building's space to a doctor. further suppose that because the candy maker is the owner, he has the right to make noise during the day while he makes candy. while the doctor cannot insist on a quiet environment, the doctor could move to a quieter building. however, rent in the next best building is $350/month more than rent in the noisy building. the candy maker can adopt a new technology that eliminates the noise for $275/month. given this situation, can the doctor find a private solution with the candy maker that will make both better off?

The business cycle is the periodic but irregular up-and-down movement in economic activity, measured by fluctuations in real gross domestic product (gdp) and other macroeconomic variables. a business cycle is typically characterized by four phases—recession, recovery, growth, and decline—that repeat themselves over time. economists note, however, that complete business cycles vary in length. the duration of business cycles can be anywhere from about two to twelve years, with most cycles averaging six years in length. some business analysts use the business cycle model and terminology to study and explain fluctuations in business inventory and other individual elements of corporate operations. but the term "business cycle" is still primarily associated with larger (industry-wide, regional, national, or even international) business trends.