Even before Michelle could explain why a prospect had not purchased her company's new line of ecofriendly outdoor furniture, her supervisor started explaining how she should have emphasized the fact that the furniture is made through a revolutionary recycling process and that the prices are justified by the furniture's quality and eco-friendly nature. In this scenario, the supervisor provided Michelle with feedback by telling her how she could make better sales presentations.

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.