Economists study how people make choices in life in response to the incentives that they face. It is the foundation for business decision-making. Economists examine all types of markets, the means and strategies for profit maximization, industrial and labor organizations, the distribution of income and ownership rights, governmental activities and political and economic philosophies, and analyze how these and other factors influence the production of goods and services.
Most economists are concerned with the practical applications of tools of economic decision-making and analysis as they relate to firm, industry and government operations. There are many types of economists, including business economists, labor economists, macroeconomists, public finance economists, behavioral economists and game theorists. Economics is a broad-ranging discipline that covers issues such as pricing and production, profit maximization, data analytics, forecasting, the effect of incentives on urban development, or how to counteract a terrorist organization.