Determination of factor prices by supply and demand, Macroeconomics

Assignment Help:

DETERMINATION OF FACTOR PRICES BY SUPPLY AND DEMAND 

Let us suppose that perfect competition prevails in the goods and the factor markets. In such a situation let us see how the price of any factor of production is determined. Each firm takes the market price of the factor as given and determines the quantity demanded at that price from the principle of profit maximization. In this way the demand for any factor by a firm is determined. By the horizontal summation of the demand curves of all firms we can get the market demand curve of that factor. The market demand curve shows how many units of the factor will be demanded at different prices of the factor. As discussed earlier, the market demand curve of a factor is assumed to be downward sloping.

Let us now consider the supply side of the picture. In a perfectly competitive market the suppliers of the factor take the market price of the factor as given and determine the quantity supplied at that price from an optimization process.

Given the market demand and the market supply for any factor of production, its price is determined by the intersection of these two curves. In other words, given the demand and supply curves of a factor, the price of the factor will adjust to the level at which the amount of the factor supplied is equal to the amount demanded. This is shown in fig. 10.5 where DD is the demand curve and SS is the supply curve of the factor. At the price OP, both the demand and the supply of the factor are equal to ON. Hence OP is the equilibrium price of the factor determined at the point of intersection of the factor demand and the factor supply curves.

                              Figure 10.5 

2223_Production Account19.png

 

At any other price, demand and supply are not equal. It should be noted that though the price is determined by the demand and the supply curves of the factor, yet it is equal to the VMP (or MRP) of the factor. This is so because any individual firm takes the price OP as given and employs the factor up to that point where the MRP of the factor is equal to its price in order to maximize profit. Thus, in a perfectly competitive market, price of a factor is determined by the demand for and supply of that factor but is equal to the marginal revenue productivity of the factor. 

 


Related Discussions:- Determination of factor prices by supply and demand

Describe the classical model of macroeconomics, Q. Describe the classical m...

Q. Describe the classical model of macroeconomics? 'The classical model' was a term coined by Keynes in the 1930s to signify essentially all the ideas of economics as they appl

Money supply in the mauritian financial sytem, Question 1: Discuss the ...

Question 1: Discuss the alternative theories of the demand for money and their relevance in specifying a demand for money function for a small island developing economy like

State about the central bank and monetary policy, Central bank and monetary...

Central bank and monetary policy By monetary policy we mean the policy directed at controlling the money supply and the interest rates. In most countries, the central bank is r

How not to justify say''s law, At first, Say's Law may seem 'obvious'. Thou...

At first, Say's Law may seem 'obvious'. Though, it's not - actually, it's highly controversial. The reason it may seem obvious is that you have perhaps learned from microeconomics

Macroeconomic models, Now we will analyse how macroeconomic variables fit t...

Now we will analyse how macroeconomic variables fit together and present models which explain the main macroeconomic variables.  Using these models we can, for instance, analyse

Trade-off proposals, While referring to the "EYE on YOUR LIFE" section on p...

While referring to the "EYE on YOUR LIFE" section on page 235 of the textbook, and the economic concepts you have accumulated during our course, consider the trade policies that se

Natural punishment for the failure, Malthus surmised that "poverty and mise...

Malthus surmised that "poverty and misery are the natural punishment for the failure by the ‘lower classes' to restrain their reproduction." The policy implication of this viewpoin

Firms use crowd sourcing technique, Thread less is an example of a firm bui...

Thread less is an example of a firm building on its customer base to use new products and also to participate in the design and vetting of popular designs. In the summer of 2010, D

Determine about the inflation rate, Determine about the Inflation rate ...

Determine about the Inflation rate For many central banks, this is the variable they are mostly interested in controlling. For all central banks, it is an important variabl

Controlling the supply of money, When the reserve requirement changes, whic...

When the reserve requirement changes, which of the following will change in the total banking system?  (Answer change or No Change) Transaction Deposits Total Reserves Req

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd