Production is a major step in the series of economic processes that bring goods and services to people. Other main steps include distribution (getting the goods to persons who use them) and consumption (the final use of the goods). For example, the producers of a loaf of bread include the people who raise the grain, those who make flour, and those who bake the loaves. The bakery salespeople and the truck drivers who deliver the bread are distributors. Consumers buy and eat the bread. In a balanced economy, production and consumption are about equal and goods flow smoothly from maker to user.
A balanced economy is one in which the vast majority of people who want to work have jobs, and the total amount of production is sufficient to satisfy the needs and wants of the people. When a lack of balance exists, some blame can be placed on consumption, because many persons do not have money to buy goods they want. Other factors, such as technological change, overextension of credit, and improper distribution of goods can unbalance the economy.
