Question

A pen maker uses labor and capital to produce their pens. They are both normal inputs...

A pen maker uses labor and capital to produce their pens. They are both normal inputs with prices w and r respectively. Initially workers were earning a wage of $10 per hour and capital was paying a rental rate of $8 per hour. If the input prices then changed to w=$7 and r=$6, what would be the substitution effect and scale effect? Would the firm employ more or less labor? more or less capital?

Homework Answers

Answer #1

Ans

Due to decrease in the wages, labour supply will be reduced. Because now labour would get less wages for the same hours of working. Substitution effect is from labour's point of view.

Scale effect is from producer's point of view. As wages are scaled down, so cost of production will be decreased. So more labour will be demanded. Hence, employment is scaled up.

Due to decrease in both wages and rent, then demand for both labor and capital will increase. So will employ more labour amd more capital.

Know the answer?
Your Answer:

Post as a guest

Your Name:

What's your source?

Earn Coins

Coins can be redeemed for fabulous gifts.

Not the answer you're looking for?
Ask your own homework help question
Similar Questions
Consider a firm for which production depends on two normal inputs, labor and capital, with prices...
Consider a firm for which production depends on two normal inputs, labor and capital, with prices w and r, respectively. Initially the firm faces market prices of w=4 and r=2. These prices shift to w=8 and r=6. In which direction will the substitution effect change the firm’s employment and capital stock? In which direction will the scale effect change the firm’s employment and capital stock? Can we say conclusively whether the firm will use more or less labor? More or...
Consider a firm for which production depends on two normal inputs, labor and capital, with prices...
Consider a firm for which production depends on two normal inputs, labor and capital, with prices w and r, respectively. Initially the firm faces market prices of w=4 and r=2. These prices shift to w=8 and r=6. In which direction will the substitution effect change the firm’s employment and capital stock? In which direction will the scale effect change the firm’s employment and capital stock? Can we say conclusively whether the firm will use more or less labor? More or...
QUESTION 10 If unskilled labor and capital are substitutes, the price of unskilled labor decreases when...
QUESTION 10 If unskilled labor and capital are substitutes, the price of unskilled labor decreases when the price of capital increases. the cross-elasticity between unskilled labor and capital is positive. the price of capital is increasing. demand for unskilled labor increases when the price of capital decreases. QUESTION 11 The imposition of a minimum wage on a competitive labor market will likely create unemployment as some people enter the labor market while some firms reduce the quantity of labor they...
Consider a firm that used only two inputs, capital (K) and labor (L), to produce output....
Consider a firm that used only two inputs, capital (K) and labor (L), to produce output. The production function is given by: Q = 60L^(2/3)K^(1/3) . a.Find the returns to scale of this production function. b. Derive the Marginal Rate of Technical Substitutions (MRTS) between capital and labor. Does the law of diminishing MRTS hold? Why? Derive the equation for a sample isoquant (Q=120) and draw the isoquant. Be sure to label as many points as you can. c. Compute...
Suppose there are two inputs (Labor; Capital). If the MRTSL,K = 5 and the relative price...
Suppose there are two inputs (Labor; Capital). If the MRTSL,K = 5 and the relative price ratio is 6, then the firm should uses more labor and less capital the firm should uses less labor and more capital the firm should uses more labor and more capital the firm should uses less labor and less capital 2 points    QUESTION 35 The optimal level of labor in the short run is determined where: marginal product of labor is equal to...
Consider a purely competitive firm that has two variable inputs L (labor hour) and K (machine)...
Consider a purely competitive firm that has two variable inputs L (labor hour) and K (machine) for production. The price of product is $p. The production function is Q (K, L) = 4L^1/4 K^1/4 . Assume that the hourly wage of workers is fixed at $w and the price per machine is $r. (a) Set up the objective of this firm. (b) State the first-order necessary conditions for profit maximization. (c) Write out the optimal inputs quantities, L and K,...
A firm currently uses two inputs, 5 units of skilled labor (Ls) and 40 units of...
A firm currently uses two inputs, 5 units of skilled labor (Ls) and 40 units of unskilled labor (Lu), to produce its output. Input prices equal $100 per hour for skilled labor and $10 per hour for unskilled labor. The firm's current input combination is cost-minimizing. Put numbers in the blanks to derive the equation for the total cost: The firm's total cost (TC) = _________* Ls + _______* Lu b. And use this TC equation to draw an isocost...
A firm uses two inputs, capital K and labor L, to produce output Q that can...
A firm uses two inputs, capital K and labor L, to produce output Q that can be sold at a price of $10. The production function is given by Q = F(K, L) = K1/2L1/2 In the short run, capital is fixed at 4 units and the wage rate is $5, 1. What type of production function is F(K, L) = K1/2L1/2 ? 2. Determine the marginal product of labor MPL as a function of labor L. 3. Determine the...
Suppose Sweden and Norway produce paper and bread using capital and labor. Paper is capital-intensive and...
Suppose Sweden and Norway produce paper and bread using capital and labor. Paper is capital-intensive and bread is labor intensive. Sweden has 600 workers and 500 units of capital, and Norway has 400 workers and 400 units of capital. (True or False) State reasons. (1). Sweden is abundant in capital. (2). Norway exports paper and Sweden exports bread under free trade. For questions (3)-(12), consider the movement from closed-economy to free trade. (3). The marginal product of labor for the...
A firm uses capital and labor to produce output according to the production ? = 4√??...
A firm uses capital and labor to produce output according to the production ? = 4√?? (a) Find the marginal product of labor (MPL) and marginal product of capital (MPK). (b) If the wage w=$1/labor-hr. and the rental rate of capital r=$4/machine-hr., what is the least expensive way to produce 16 units of output? (c) What is the minimum cost of producing 16 units? (d) Show that for any level of output, q, the minimum cost of producing q is...