ABSTRACT
The beginning section of this chapter might sound familiar. If the previous coverage of consumption begins with the need for economic output on the part of human beings under the mandate of securing necessities, this coverage starts with the other side of the coin-the supply of those necessities. How do producers produce? What do they assume? What are the systemic effects of how they behave? In what ways have the how and why questions changed over the years? These are the types of questions addressed in this chapter.
