ECON111 Lecture 4: Microeconomics111 - Elasticity

interval (or arc) elasticity

cross-price elasticity

price elasticity of demand

elastic demand

income elasticity

inelastic demand

inframarginal units

marginal revenue

point elasticity

price effect

quantity effect

total revenue

unitary elastic demand

1. __________________ A measure of consumers’ sensitivity or responsiveness to changes in the price of a good or service.

2. ___________________ When the percentage change in price (in absolute value) is more than the percentage change in quantity demanded (in absolute value).

3. ___________________ When the percentage change in quantity demanded (in absolute value) is more than the percentage change in price (in absolute value).

4. ___________________ When the percentage change in quantity demanded (in absolute value) is just equal to the percentage change in price (in absolute value).

5. ___________________ Total amount paid to a producer for a good or service P * Q.

6. ___________________ The effect on total revenue of a change in price, holding quantity constant.

7. ___________________ The effect on total revenue of a change in quantity, holding price constant.

8. ___________________ An elasticity calculated over an interval of a demand curve or demand schedule.

9. ___________________ Elasticity at a specific price or point on a demand curve.

10. ___________________ A measure of how responsive quantity demanded is to a change in income, all other things constant.

11. ___________________ A measure showing how responsive the quantity demanded of one good is to changes in the price of another good, other factors constant.

12. ___________________ The additional revenue received by producing and selling one more unit of output.

13. ___________________ Units of output that could have been sold at a higher price had the firm not lowered its price to sell additional (marginal) units.

Discussion #1

The law of demand states that a fall in the price of a good raises the quantity demanded, and the increase in price leads to a decrease in quantity demanded. The price elasticity of demand measures the responsiveness of the quantity demanded to a change in price. Demand for a good is said to be elastic if the quantity demanded responds substantially to changes in the price, and the percentage change in quantity demanded is greater than the percentage change in price. Demand is said to be inelastic if the quantity demanded responds only slightly to changes in the price, which indicates that the percentage in price is greater than the percentage in quantity demanded.

However, the extent of responsiveness of quantity demanded to a change in price depends on the nature of a particular good or service in the market. The price elasticity of demand partly depends on the availability of close substitutes. When a large number of substitutes are available, consumers respond to a higher price of a good by buying more of the substitute goods and less of the relatively more expensive good. In addition, goods or services that are considered necessities tend to have less elastic (more inelastic) demand, whereas goods or services that are considered luxuries have more elastic (less inelastic) demands.

• Explain why the demand for the good or service provided by the organization you work for is elastic or inelastic. How does this influence pricing decisions?
• Provide examples on how the availability of close substitutes affects price elasticity of demand.
• Give specific examples of necessities or luxuries, and explain how they affect price elasticity of goods or services.

Please answer ALL bulletins and place the answers under the correct bulletin.

1. Suppose that a 10% increase in the wage results in a 5% reduction in employment. In this case, labor demand is said to be:

A. elastic

B. inelastic

C. unit elastic

2. Which of the following best explains why elasticity varies along a linear demand curve?

A. As the quantity of labor demanded rises, the percentage change in quantity demanded declines (for a given change in labor use) while the percentage change in wage increases.

B. As the quantity of labor demanded rises, the percentage change in quantity demanded rises (for a given change in labor use) as does the percentage change in the wage.

C. As the quantity of labor demanded rises, the percentage change in quantity demanded declines (for a given change in labor use) as does the percentage change in the wage.

D. As the quantity of labor demanded rises, the percentage change in quantity demanded declines (for a given change in labor use) while the percentage change in wage decreases

3. Labor demand is more elastic when:

A. the substitution effect resulting from a wage change is larger

B. the scale effect resulting from a wage change is larger

C. both are correct

D. none of the above

4. The scale effect associated with a change in the wage is larger when:

A. the demand for the final product is more elastic

B. labor costs are a smaller share of total costs

C. there are many close substitutes for this category of labor

D. economics of scale are present in the production of the good

5. The price elasticity of demand for the final products affects the own-wage elasticity of demand for labor by affecting the magnitude of:

A. the substitution effect that occurs in the labor market

B. the scale effect that occurs in the labor market

C. both substitution and scale effects

D. neither substitution nor scale effects

6. Unions are expected to attempt to:

A. make it more difficult to replace labor with other resources

B. reduce the elasticity of demand for the final product

C. support laws that reduce the elasticity of supply of other resources

D. all of the above.

E. none of the above

7. Unions are likely to be less successful in negotiating higher wages in those labor markets in which:

A. the demand for the final product is more elastic

B. there are few close substitutes for union workers

C. the price elasticity of supply for other factors of production is relatively high

D. labor costs comprise a small share of total costs