470 WORKSHOP PLAN

JANUARY 2006

DR. SHINGLETON

DESIGNED IN NEW TIMES ROMAN, 16 FONT, PORTRAIT, WITH 1.0 INCH SIDE MARGINS

ONLINE SAVED IN HTML

 

WORKSHOP 2. JAN24

 

ü    ASSIGNMENTS

ü    PROBLEMS AND EXERCISES 5-2A 5-2B  5-3  5-5

ü    PROBLEMS AND EXERCISES 6-3

ü    PROBLEMS AND EXERCISES 7-2A

 

ü    EACH INDIVIDUAL SHOULD BE PREPARED TO EXPLAIN THE ANSWER TO EACH ASSIGNMENT. THIS WILL BE PART OF YOUR CLASSROOM PARTICIPATION GRADE.  ONLY ONE WRITTEN SET OF ANSWERS IS REQUIRED FROM EACH GROUP.

 

 

THE QUIZ WILL BE AN APPLICATION OF THE TOOLS OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND.

 

REVIEW ANSWERS TO EXAM

 

 

TONIGHT  CH 5-6-7 COST, DECISION MAKING, AND COMPETITIVE MARKETS

PURPOSE: ESTABLISH THE LOGIC OF THE SUPPLY FUNCTION

 

PRODUCTIVITY

          DEFINE AS AVERAGE PHYSICAL PRODUCT OF LABOR

          OTHER FACTORS HAVE PRODUCTIVITY TOO

          DIMINISHING RETURNS

                   OTHER FACTORS HELD CONSTANT

                   SPECIALIZATION AND RISING MPPL

                             MCDONALDS

                             ADAM SMITH'S PIN FACTORY

                   DIMINISHING RETURNS TO LABOR USE

 

 

PRODUCTION FUNCTIONS

          MARGINAL (PHYSICAL) PRODUCT OF LABOR

 

COST CONCEPTS

          SUNK COSTS

                   NOT RELEVANT TO PRODUCTION DECISION

                   VALUABLE FOR LEARNING

          FIXED COST

                   LONG RUN VS SHORT RUN

                   ALFRED MARSHALL'S CLOCK

          VARIABLE COST

          TOTAL COST

          INTRODUCTION TO ATC (PER UNIT COST)

          ATC = AVC + AFC AND SKETCH

                   THIS IS THE IMPORTANT PART

          MARGINAL COST

                   MARGINAL VS dAVERAGE

 

HOW TO SHOW INCREASE IN COST

          FIXED COST

          VARIABLE COST

          5.3(PG 169) 

 

 

LONG RUN AVERAGE COST (LRATC)

          ECONOMIES OF SCALE (FALLING LRATC)

          DISECONOMIES OF SCALE (RISING LRATC)

 

CLOSING NOTES ON LRATC

          ALL COSTS ARE VARIABLE IN LONG RUN

                   NO LRATC, LRAVC, LRAFC

          NOT JUST ALL LOW POINTS FROM ATC CURVES

          LRATC IMPLIES DEGREE OF COMPETITION

          5.2A 5.2B (PG 169)

 

 

SHOWING COST IN TABLE

          5.5(PG 170) 

 

 

CH 6: PROFIT MAXIMIZATION

 

PROFIT AND CAPITAL

ECONOMIC PROFIT

DEFINITION

ROLE

 

PROFITS

ACCOUNTING = NORMAL + ECONOMIC

 

 

VENTURE CAPITAL

ROLE OF THE ENTREPRENEUR

APPLE COMPUTER

MCDONALDS

                   HIGH FAILURE RATE/RISK

                   INNOVATION

 

          PROFIT AVERAGES ONLY ABOUT 12% OF INCOME

 

SURVIVORSHIP PRINCIPLE I AND II

          SHARE PRICES REFLECT EXPECTED FUTURE PROFITS

          BUYOUT OF FIRMS WHO DO NOT MAXIMIZE PROFITS

                   IF EVERYBODY DOES IT IT MUST BE CORRECT

 

PRICE TAKER VS PRICE SETTER

          PRICE TAKING FIRMS

                   LARGE NUMBER OF PRODUCERS WITH

                             HOMOGENEOUS PRODUCTS OR

                             REGULATED PRICE

 

                   LONG RUN: FREE ENTRY AND EXIT

 

 

COMPETITIVE MARKETS, ASSUMPTIONS

          ALL ARE PRICE TAKERS IN A COMPETITIVE MARKET

          MANY PARTICIPANTS

          EASY ENTRY AND EXIT

          PRICE MAKERS ARE IN OTHER KINDS OF MARKETS

 

 

OPERATING RULES FOR PRICE TAKING FIRMS

THIS IS THE IMPORTANT STUFF

ALL CASES REPRESENT PRICE TAKERS/QUANTITY ADJUSTERS

          CASE 1... P < MIN AVC

                   SHORT RUN

                             THE INTERSECTION RULE

                             BEST Q = 0

                             SHUT DOWN PRICE

                             LOSS = FIXED COST

                   LONG RUN

                             LIQUIDATION

 

          CASE 2... P > MIN AVC BUT P < MIN ATC

                   STRESS NEED TO KNOW COST STRUCTURE

                   SHORT RUN

                             CHOOSE Q SUCH THAT MR = P = MC

                             BREAK EVEN PRICE

                             LOSS < FIXED COST

                             HOW TO SHOW ECONOMIC LOSS

                   LONG RUN

                             LIQUIDATION

 

 

          CASE 3...   P = MIN ATC

                   WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT Q* ?

                   SHORT RUN P VS AVC

                             SET Q AT P = MR = MC

                   LONG RUN P VS ATC

                             SET Q AT P = MR = MC

                   HOW TO SHOW ECONOMIC PROFIT (= 0)

 

          CASE 4...   P > MIN ATC

                   SHORT RUN P VS AVC

                             SET Q AT P = MR = MC

                   LONG RUN P VS ATC

                             SET Q AT P = MR = MC

                             PROFIT MARGIN = P - ATC

          MAX PROFIT MARGIN IS NOT MAXIMUM TOTAL PROFIT

                   PROFIT = P*Q - ATC*Q

                   HOW TO SHOW ECONOMIC PROFIT

          6.3(PG 194) 

 

 

SUPPLY CURVE OF FIRM

          SHORT RUN FROM MC CURVE ABOVE AVC

          LONG RUN FROM MC CURVE ABOVE ATC

 

 

INDUSTRY SUPPLY

          FREE ENTRY/FREE EXIT

                   ECONOMIC PROFITS/LOSSES AS MARKET SIGNALS

          INDUSTRY SUPPLY CURVE... SHORT RUN

          INDUSTRY SUPPLY CURVE... LONG RUN

                   THE ROLE OF EQUILIBRIUM AND PROFITS

          PRICE SETTING FIRMS (EVERYONE ELSE)

                   DOWNWARD SLOPING DEMAND CURVES

                   MARGINAL REVENUE

 

7.2A(PG 227)

 

EXAMPLES, AS TIME PERMITS

 

NEXT TIME

 MARGINAL REVENUE

          USE STRAIGHT LINE DEMAND CURVES

          CONSTRUCTION OF MR CURVE

          WHAT DOES NEGATIVE MR MEAN?

          MR = PNEW MINUS ( QOLD * PRICE REDUCTION)

          ELASTICITY REVIEW

                   EXAMPLE: SELLING BASEBALL CARDS

 

 

EXAMPLE

  Q=1   P=$50  SALES = 1*50 =  $50   MR = $50

  Q=2   P=$45  SALES = 2*45 =  $90   MR = $40

  Q=3   P=$40  SALES = 3*40 = $120   MR = $30

6.3(PG 194)  

 

 

CASE STUDIES

 

SECOND QUIZ

          GIVE COMPLETE ANSWERS

          MAXIMUM 2 PAGES