Sofia works for Galaxy Manufacturing Inc., where her team shares a machine and materials with another team that works a different shift. Each team is responsible for ensuring that the machine is in working order and the work area is fully stocked before handing it over to the other team at shift change. The two teams sharing a work space and machine is known as .

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.