Econ Exam 2 March 6 Flashcards
What does the long run depend on?
Returns to scale
What are the three types of returns to scale?
Increasing, Constant, and Decreasing
Increasing Returns to Scale
When the firm doubles inputs, the resulting output more than doubles
Constant Returns to Scale
a doubling of inputs would result in a doubling of outputs
Decreasing Returns to Scale
when the firm doubles inputs the resulting output would be less than double
Specialization of Labor
a system of organizing the manufacture of an article in a series of separate specialized operations, each of which is carried out by a different worker
Economies of Scale
a company can decrease their cost per unit by increasing volume
Example of Economies of Scale
9 farms, each with own capital (tractor, combine etc) one person buys out all farms, they can sell excess capital, therefore decreasing cost/unit but maintaining volume
IMPORTANT DATE
February 11, 2014, 9*F
Market Equilibrium
exists when the amount consumers are willing and able to buy is matched by the amount suppliers are willing and able to supply OR
- when the market clears
- when supply equals demand
- when there are no surpluses or shortages
Market Equilibrium Price
the price in which demand for good x c.p. is equal to supply of good x c.p. “OR,OR, OR”
Market Equilibrium Quantity
the quantity that exists when supply equals demand
Shoe Surplus Example
Shoes=$50, store is full and another shipment coming, so there is a sale. Price lowered to $45 making surplus smaller, and price is lowered to $40 to make surplus even smaller until the market clears
Shoe Shortage Example
Shoes=$15, store is out of stock. Price = $20, making shortage smaller, price raised until market clears
Natural Market Adjustment Process
process of consumers and suppliers working together to move market towards equilibrium or somewhere in the vicinity of equilibrium
What book did Adam Smith write?
“Wealth of Nations”, in the classical school of econ, argument for lasseiz faire econ, which is about self reg markets w/ little gov intervention
Elasticity
a measure of how much buyers and sellers respond to changes in market conditions
Price Elasticity of Demand
a measure of how much the quantity demanded of a good responds to a change in the price of that good =% change in quantity/ % change in price
Elastic Demand
quantity demanded responds substantially to changes in price
Inelastic Demand
quantity demanded responds only slightly to changes in price
What can effect elasticity?
Avail. of Close substitutes, necessities vs. luxuries, definition of the market, time horizon
Availability of Close substitutes
goods with close substitutes tend to have more elastic demand bc it is easier for consumers to switch from that good to others
Necessities vs Luxuries
necessities tend to have inelastic demand and luxury items tend to have elastic demands
Definition of the Market
Narrowly defined markets tend to have more elastic demand than broadly defined markets because it is easier to find close substitutes for narrowly defined goods.
Time horizon
goods tend to have more elastic demand over longer time horizons
What does larger price elasticity imply?
It implies a greater responsiveness of quantity demanded to changes in price
Total Revenue
the amount paid by buyers and received by sellers of a good, computed as the price of the good times the quantity sold
Total Revenue Equation
Price x Quantity