Break in the Chain: An Excel-Driven Supply and Demand Student Case Study of the Beef Processing Industry During the COVID-19 Pandemic

In this paper, we develop a simple Excel-driven supply and demand spreadsheet model that instructors can easily implement in their classes to help students understand the interlinkages within markets across supply chains. For this exercise, we use a specific example involving the beef production and processing industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Presented as a case study aimed primarily at principles-level economics and business students, but valuable at higher levels as well, this Excel framework provides a graphical, and simulatable, visualization of how price and output dynamics play out across several markets linked through a supply chain. Hence, this lesson teaches students how markets are connected, as well as provides deeper insights about real-world market situations beyond common perceptions formed when reading news media accounts.

by Christopher Decker and Jeff Bredthauer

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Decker, C., & Bredthauer, J. (2024). Break in the Chain: An Excel-Driven Supply and Demand Student Case Study of the Beef Processing Industry During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Economics Teaching, 9(1), 31-45. DOI: 10.58311/jeconteach/850f36fabb1a3f6c80ee9796ecfc3e280b8adcd0

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