ECON Flashcards
The measure of the responsiveness of the quantity demanded to a change in price, is defined as…?
The price elasticity of demand
What is the formula for Price Elasticity of Demand?
( PED = \frac{percentage\ change\ in\ quantity\ demanded}{percentage\ change\ in\ price} )
What does it mean if PED > 1?
When the quantity demanded is very responsive to a change in price (PED > 1), we say demand is elastic
What does it mean if PED < 1?
When the quantity demanded is not very responsive to a change in price (PED < 1), we say that demand is inelastic.
What does it mean if PED = 1?
When PED =1 we say demand is unit elastic
What does it mean if PED = 0?
When PED = 0 we say demand is perfectly inelastic
Does inelastic demand indicate good or poor avaliability of substitutes?
Poor avaliability of substitutes
Does elastic demand indicate good or poor avaliability of substitutes?
Good avaliability of substitutes
What are the three other additional factors that effect elasticity of quantity demanded other than price?
- Quality and closeness of available substitutes
- Quality and closeness of available substitutes
- Time
At what point along the demand curve is revenue maximised?
At unit elasticity
Explain how the price elasticity changes along a demand curve?
You tend to get high elasticity at the top of the curve, low elasticity at the bottom of curve
What is the difference between normal and inferior goods?
Normal Goods: the sign of income elasticity is positive — an increase in income leads to an increase in quantity demanded.
Inferior Goods: an increase in income leads to a decrease in quantity demanded. Goods for which this is true are termed inferior goods
What does it mean if IED > 0 or IED < 0?
Normal good: IED > 0
Inferior good: IED < 0
What is the formula for the income elasticity of demand?
( IED = \frac{Percentage\ change\ in\ quantity\ demanded}{Percentage\ change\ in\ income} )
The ratio of the percentage change in the quantity demanded of a good to the percentage change in the price of a related good, is known as the…?
Cross elasticity of demand
What type of good has an XED > 0?
A substitute good
What type of good has an XED < 0?
A complementary good
When the price of a good decreases, is the substitiution effect positive or negative?
The substitution effect is always positive
A good for which a higher price makes the good more desirable. The idea is that the consumer gets utility from being seen to consume a good that has high status, is known as what type of good?
A veblen good
A good where a higher price causes an increase in demand. A fall in price causes a fall in demand, is known as what type of good?
A Giffen good
What are the four factors of production?
Land
Labour
Physical Capital
Materials
The quantity of output that a firm can produce can be thought of as a function of the amounts of capital and labor employed, is what type of function?
The production function
What is the diminishing marginal productivity of labour?
The point at which beyond this quantity of labor, the additional output from each additional worker continues to decline
In economics what is defined as the short run?
The short run is the time period over which some factors of production are fixed
At what point should a firm shut down in the short and long run under perfect competition?
If AR ≥ ATC, the firm should stay in the market in both the short and long run.
If AR ≥ AVC, but AR < ATC, the firm should stay in the market in the short run but will exit the market in the long run.
If AR < AVC, the firm should shut down in the short run and exit the market in the long run.
At what point should a firm shut down in the short and long run under imperfect competition?
TC > TR > TVC: firm should continue to operate in the short run but shut down in the long run.
TR < TVC: firm should shut down in the short run and the long run.
What causes economies of scale?
Labor specialisation, mass production, and investment in more efficient equipment and technology
What causes diseconomies of scale?
Inefficiency, problems with motivating a larger workforce, and greater barriers to innovation and entrepreneurial activity.
Under perfect competition where must firms operate on the LRATC curve?
Firms must operate at minimum efficient scale in long-run equilibrium, and LRATC will equal the market price
Many firms, very low barriers to entry, very good availability of substitutes, compete on price, no pricing power, are the characteristics of which market structure?
Perfect competition
Many firms, low barriers to entry, very good availability of substitutes, compete through marketing, some pricing power, are characteristics of which market structure?
Monopolistic competition
Few firms, high barriers to entry, low availability of substitutes, compete through marketing and price, some pricing power, are characteristics of which market structure?
Oligopoly
One firm, high barriers to entry, no availability of substitutes, compete through advertising, significant pricing power, are characteristics of which market structure?
Monopoly
At what price level must perfect competition firms produce?
Price = MR
What is the profit maximising level for a perfect competition firm?
MC = MR
When does economic profit occur for a perfect competition firm?
Economic profit occurs at MR > MC
Is it possible for perfect competition firms to earn over economic profits over the long run?
Firms will not earn economic profits for any significant period of time. The assumption is that new firms will enter the industry to earn economic profits
Explain the marketing techniques monopolistic competition firms use to differentiate themselves?
- Branding
- Innovation and differentiation
- Advertising
What are the 4 profit models for an oligopoly?
Kinked demand curve
Cournot duopoly model
Nash equilibrium model (prisoners dilemma)
Stackelberg dominant firm model
An increase in a firm’s product price will not be followed by its competitors, but a decrease in price will, describes what oligopoly model?
Kinked demand model
The model considers an oligopoly with only two firms competing?
Cournot duopoly model
The choices of all firms are such that there is no other choice that makes any firm better off, is known as…?
Nash equilibrium
A single firm in an oligopily that has a significantly large market share because of its greater scale and economies of scale, is known as what type of model?
Dominant firm model
What barriers to entry are usually established by a monopoly?
Economies of scale, very high initial setup costs, legal barriers and resource control
The practice of charging different consumers different prices for the same product or service, is known as…?
Price discrimination
What is perfect price discrimination?
Perfect price discrimination is charging each respective consumer group the maximum the consumer is willing to pay for each unit
A type of monopoly that exists due to the high start-up costs or powerful economies of scale of conducting a business in a specific industry, is known as…?
A natural monopoly
What is the N-firm concentration ratio?
The sum or the percentage market shares of the largest N firms in a market
What are the issues of using the N-firm concentration ratio?
It is relatively insensitive to mergers of two firms with large market shares & Ignores barriers to entry
How do you calculate the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index?
The sum of the squares of the market shares of the largest firms in the market
What are the issues assoicated with using the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index?
Ignores barriers to entry & ignores elasticity of demand
What is the difference between gross national product and gross domestic product?
Gross National product (GNP): Market value of the goods and services of the citizens of a country, regardless of where it is produced
Gross domestic product (GDP) is the total market value of the goods and services physically produced within the borders of a country within a certain time period
Which notable items are not included in GDP?
Resale goods / WIP goods
Transfer payments made by the government
Which notable items are included in GDP?
Rental value from properties actually owned
Value of owner occupied housing
Goods and services provided by government
Explain the difference between the expenditure and income approach to calculating GDP?
Expenditure approach, GDP is calculated by summing the amounts spent on goods and services produced during the period
Income approach = Household income + Business Income + Government Income (Taxation)
What is the difference between the sum of value added approach and value of final output method of calculating GDP?
Sum-of-value-added method, GDP is calculated by summing the additions to value created at each stage of production and distribution process
Value-of-final output method: The value of all the final goods and services produced
Does the GDP for the value added approach = final output method of calculating GDP?
Yes
What is the difference between nominal and real GDP?
Nominal GDP: Sum of all current year goods at current year prices.
Real GDP: Sum of all current year goods at base year prices
What is the formula for the GDP deflator?
( GDP\ Deflator = 100 \times \frac{Nominal\ GDP}{Real\ GDP} )
What is GDP per capita?
Real GDP divided by population
What are the components of the expenditure approach to GDP?
C = Consumer consumption I = Business investment G = Government spending X = Exports M = Imports
What are the 2 components of government spending in G of the expenditure approach to calculating GDP?
- Government consumption: Spending on public sector goods such as health care, education, defence etc
- Government investment: Government capital investment e.g. roads, infrastructure etc.
What is the capital consumption allowance made up of?
The depreciation (i.e., wear) of physical capital from the production of goods and services over a period
What is the difference between personal income and personal disposable income?
Personal income is a measure of the pretax income received by households
Personal disposable income is personal income after taxes
What is the formula for the fundamental relationship?
S = I +(G – T) + (X-M)
What is the fiscal balance?
The difference between government spending and tax receipts
What is the trade balance?
The difference between exports and imports
How would a government deficit be financed?
A government deficit (G – T > 0) must be financed by some combination of a trade deficit (X – M < 0) or an excess of private saving over private investment (S – I > 0).
What is the difference marginal propensity to consume and the marginal propensity to save?
The marginal propensity to consume (MPC) is the increase in consumer spending due to an increase in income.
The marginal propensity to save (MPS) is the increase in consumer saving due to an increase in income.
What causes movements along the AD curve?
Change in the price level