Alicia is conducting a study on consumer behavior. the study requires her to note the number of people who shop at a particular grocery store at a particular time during a weekday. she also needs to pay attention to their preferred brands of choice, the arrangement of items at the store, and the customer service they receive. she needs to conduct the study without interacting with the customers so that she does not influence their behavior and choices. in this scenario, the study conducted by alicia is an example of a(n) study.

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.