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Posted By: Kenny Member Level: Gold Posted Date: 22 May 2008
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2004 ICFAI University M.B.A Suggested Answers Economics (MB141) : January 2004 Question paper
Suggested Answers Economics (MB141) : January 2004
1. Answer : (b) Reason : The time frame allowed for the consumers to respond to price changes is one of the factors determining the price elasticity of a good. In the long run demand becomes more elastic, because customers have more time to find substitutes and adjust their consumption patterns. When people have very little time to respond to price changes, demand becomes less elastic. < TOP > 2. Answer : (d) Reason : In long run, all costs are variable, which means there will be no fixed costs. (a) In the long run, the fixed cost will be zero. Hence, the fixed cost of a firm in the long run will be lesser than the fixed cost of the firm in the short run. (b) Fixed costs remain constant, i.e. are independent to the firm’s level of output. (c) The difference between average total cost and average variable costs signifies the amount of average fixed cost of a firm. (d) With the increase of output, the average fixed cost falls at a decreasing rate. Hence the statement (d) is not correct. (e) When the firm is not producing anything, its variable cost will be zero. Hence, the total cost of the firm will be just equal to its fixed costs. < TOP > 3. Answer : (b) Reason : (a) True. In perfect competition there are many sellers and buyers (b) Not true. In perfect competition firms do not have any price making power as there are many sellers and the product is homogeneous. (c) True. In perfect competition product sold by all the firms is assumed to be homogeneous. (d) True. In perfect competition entry and exit of firms is free. (e) True. In perfect competition buyers and sellers have access unlimited information about the market. < TOP > 4. Answer : (d) Reason : When income increases by 33.33%, demand for CD players increase by 40%. Therefore, income elasticity of demand for CD players is 1.20. (a) Is not the answer since the demand is elastic as the income elasticity is 1.20. (b) Is not the answer since the CD player is a normal good as income elasticity is positive. (c) Is not the answer since the CD player is a normal good as income elasticity is positive. (d) Is the answer since income elasticity is positive and greater than one. (e) Is not the answer since income elasticity is greater than one. For necessities income elasticity of demand is positive but less than one. < TOP > 5. Answer : (e) Reason : The profit of a firm refers to the difference between total revenue and total cost. Hence, to maximize the profits, the firm should maximize the difference between total revenue and total cost. The difference between average revenue (AR) and average cost (AC) represents the average profit of the firm. Hence maximization of difference between average revenue and average cost also indicates profit maximization. A firm maximizes its profit when it produces and sells an output at which marginal revenue (MR) is equal to marginal cost (MC). < TOP > 6. Answer : (d) Reason : To maximize his total utility, a consumer should spend his income such that the last rupee spent on all goods gives same amount of additional utility i.e. MUx/Px = MUy/Py. The marginal utilities of last good X and good Y are same, hence it can be written as MUx/Px = MUx/Py. As the price of good X is < TOP > more than good Y, MUx/Px < MUx/Py, which means that the consumer has not achieved maximum possible satisfaction. In order to reach maximum satisfaction, he should, thus, consume more of good Y and less of good X because marginal utility per rupee from good Y is more than good X. 7. Answer : (d) Reason : Marginal Utility is change in Total Utility when additional unit of the good is consumed. If MU is negative, Total Utility will be decreasing. < TOP > 8. Answer : (c) Reason : The slope of the isoquant represents the Marginal Rate of Technical Substitution (MRTS) between labor (L) and capital (K). MRTS is equal to the ratio of the marginal productivities of two factors. (a) The slope of the isocost curve represents ratio of wages (w) and interest (r). (b) The slope of the indifference curve signifies marginal rate of substitution of goods (MRS). (c) The slope of the isoquant curve signifies the marginal rate of technical substitution (MRTS) between labor and capital. (d) The slope of the budget line represents ratio of price of good X and good Y. (e) The slope of the average cost curve only shows the rate of change in average cost curve with respect change in output. < TOP > 9. Answer : (b) Reason : (a) Average fixed cost (AFC) falls with the increase of output whether or not marginal cost is increasing or decreasing. Hence (a) is not correct. (b) When marginal cost is increasing, but less than average total cost, the average cost will fall. (c) Since (b) is correct, (c) cannot be the answer. (d) & (e) The average variable cost will be equal or less than average cost since average cost comprises of both AVC and AFC (i.e. average variable costs and average fixed costs). When marginal cost of a firm is increasing, but less than average total cost, average variable cost may be increasing or decreasing. < TOP > 10. Answer : (e) Reason : When price of sugar falls, it reduces the cost of production of ice cream. This encourages suppliers to supply more to increase their profits. When supply of ice cream increases (supply curve shifts right), the price of ice cream falls. With the fall in price, because of increased supply, the demand for the good increases. Supply increases with the fall in the cost of production. Price of ice cream will fall because of increased supply. Hence, the correct answer is (e). < TOP > 11. Answer : (b) Reason : The law of demand is directly derived from the law of diminishing marginal utility. When the price of the good falls, the consumer buys more of the good so as to equate the marginal utility to the lower price. The downward sloping marginal utility curve can be converted into the downward sloping demand curve. (a) Is not the answer because indifference curve doesn’t resemble the demand curve of a consumer. An indifference curve depicts the various alternative combinations of the goods, which provide same level of satisfaction to the consumer. (b) Is the answer because marginal utility curve resembles the demand curve of a consumer. (c) Is not the answer because budget line is not same as the demand curve of a consumer. Budget line represents all the combinations of the two commodities, which the consumer can buy by spending his entire income for the given prices of the two commodities. (d) Is not the answer because total utility curve is not same as the demand curve of a consumer. Total utility curve is a curve representing the sum of all the utilities derived from the total number of units consumed. (e) Is not the answer because average utility curve is not same as the demand curve of a consumer. < TOP > 12. Answer : (c) Reason : The law of diminishing returns states that by employing more units of some factors of production to work with one or more fixed factors, the total product will increase at an increasing rate, then at a constant rate and finally at a diminishing rate. < TOP > (a) Is not the answer because the law of diminishing returns holds good when all labors are equally efficient i.e. labor are homogeneous. (b) Is not the answer because the law of diminishing returns is relevant only when the time period is short because in long run all factors are variable. (c) Is the answer because the law of diminishing returns is not applicable when the two inputs are used in same proportion. When all factor inputs are increased by the same proportion, this law is not relevant. (d) Is not the answer because the law of diminishing returns assumes that the state of technology is given and remains constant. (e) Is not the answer because according to the law of diminishing returns, one factor of production must always be kept constant at a given level. So if capital is held constant, with varying labor, this law of diminishing returns holds good. 13. Answer : (e) Reason : All the statements are true. As one input is increase by keeping the other input constant, productivity of the fixed inputs increases. If price of one factor input increase, producers tend to substitute relatively less expensive inputs for this input. < TOP > 14. Answer : (d) Reason : When the management of a company has increased the salary of the staff by 10%, it will not affect the implicit cost. Implicit cost incurred by a firm is actually the opportunity cost of the factor owned by him. Opportunity cost of any input is the next best alternative use that is sacrificed by its present use. It indicates what a factor can earn in the next best use. (a) Is not answer because when there is an increase in salary of the staff by 10%, economic cost increases. (b) Is not answer because when there is an increase in salary of the staff by 10%, accounting profit decreases. Because accounting profits is the firm’s total revenue less its economic cost. So when the economic cost increases, accounting profits decreases. (c) Is not answer because when there is an increase in salary of the staff by 10%, direct cost increases. Because direct costs are costs which can be directly contributed to production of a given product. (d) Is the answer because when there is an increase in salary of the staff by 10%, implicit cost will not be affected. (e) Is not answer because when there is an increase in salary of the staff by 10%, fixed cost is affected, since salary paid to administrative staff is fixed in nature. < TOP > 15. Answer : (e) Reason : (a) Is not the answer because it is a false statement that elasticity remains constant throughout the demand curve. Elasticity takes different values at different point on the demand curve. (b) Is not the answer because it is a false statement that elasticity increases with increase in quantity demanded. (c) Is not the answer because it is a false statement that elasticity increases as the price decreases. (d) Is not the answer because it is a false statement that elasticity is equal to the slope of the demand curve. If the demand function is represented by P = f (Q), then the slope of the demand curve is given by ?P/ ?Q and its elasticity is given by ep = P/Q. ?Q/ ?P. (e) Is the answer because higher the elasticity, more responsive the demand is for a given change in price. Higher the elasticity, higher is the percentage change in quantity demanded than the percentage change in price. < TOP > 16. Answer : (d) Reason : Transfer payments are payments which cannot be regarded as payment for current services or production and therefore do not enter national income. Of the above, invalidity benefit, flood relief, government pensions and Scholarships do not involve any production activity and are transfer payments. Where as, salaries paid to Members of Parliament are compensation to the services rendered by the members, hence it is not a transfer payment. < TOP > 17. Answer : (e) Reason : GDPFC = GDPMP – Indirect taxes + Subsidies < TOP > ??If GDPFC > GDPMP, Subsidies > Indirect taxes 18. Answer : (d) Reason : Taxation is not an instrument of monetary policy, rather it is a fiscal policy instruments. So the answer is (d). < TOP > 19. Answer : (e) Reason : When income of a consumer increases, some of the income is saved and some of the income is spent on consumption. Therefore, MPC > 0 but < 1. < TOP > 20. Answer : (c) Reason : Loans are a form of credit, and as they can be used to purchase goods and services they are the equivalent of money. Banks through the ‘process of credit creation’ creates the money. The process of credit creation is done by accepting deposits and lending loans. < TOP > 21. Answer : (c) Reason : A variable is a stock if it is measured at a particular point of time. It is a flow variable if it is measured over a period of time. (a) Capital stock is measured at a particular point of time, hence is a stock variable (b) A firm’s assets are measured at a particular point of time, hence is a stock variable (c) Investment is measured over a period of time hence is a flow variable. (d) Price index is measured at a particular point of time, hence is a stock variable (e) Public debt is measured at a particular point of time, hence is a stock variable < TOP > 22. Answer : (a) Reason : APC + APS = 1 Thus, APS = 1 – APC = 1 – 1.05 = – 0.05. < TOP > 23. Answer : (b) Reason : Monetary policy mainly controls the economy by regulating the interest rates through changes in money supply. If the private investment is more sensitive to interest rate, then monetary policy can more effectively regulate the economy. a. A recessionary condition cannot make a monetary policy more effective. b. When private investment is more sensitive to interest rate monetary policy will be more effective as a small change in the interest rate would lead to a greater change in the output. d. During liquidity trap, the effectiveness of monetary policy decreases because during such policy, changes in interest rate cannot have any effect on investments. e. Effectiveness of the monetary policy is not determined by the phases of business cycle. < TOP > 24. Answer : (e) Reason : Multiplier = = 5. 0.20 1 MPS 1 ? < TOP > 25. Answer : (c) Reason : An increase in the supply of money in the economy will result in an increase the price level . So the answer is (c). < TOP > 26. Answer : (a) Reason : (a) Classical economists assume flexible wages in the economy. Flexibility of wages results in full employment of labor in the economy. Hence the aggregate supply curve becomes vertical at the full employment level. Therefore, the answer is (a). (b) Is not the answer. If Aggregate Supply curve is horizontal, increase in the Aggregate Demand does not exert pressure on the price level and more goods and services are supplied at the same price level. This can happen only if there is very high level of unemployed resources in the economy. But, classical economists assume full employment of resources. (c) If Aggregate Supply curve is first horizontal and then vertical, it implies Aggregate Supply is perfectly elastic until the full employment level is reached and perfectly inelastic at the full employment level of output. Hence, (c) is not the answer. (d) Is not the answer. Aggregate Supply curve with such a shape does not exist. < TOP > (e) Is not the answer. A positively sloped Aggregate Supply curve is not possible under the classical assumption of perfectly flexible wages. 27. Answer : (d) Reason : (a) During a boom bank reserves will be high as the bank credit is high to support the increased economic activity (b) Wage rate will be high as demand for labor increase during the boom phase (c) As the economic activity increase during the boom bank credit also increases (d) During a boom demand increased at a faster rate and inventories tend to be low. All other variables tend to increase during a boom. (e) Cost of production will be high as demand for factors of production will be relatively high during the boom phase. < TOP > 28. Answer : (c) Reason : Savings function captures the relation between the savings and the disposable income. Slope of savings function indicates how responsive savings are as income changes. That is, slope of the savings function is equal to ?S/?Y, which is nothing but Marginal Propensity to Save. (a) Is not the answer. Average Propensity to Save is equal to S/Yd. (b) Is not the answer. Marginal Propensity to Consume is equal to ?C/?Yd. (c) Is the answer. Marginal Propensity to Save is equal to ?S/?Yd. (d) Is not the answer. Average Propensity to Consume is equal to C/Yd. < TOP > 29. Answer : (c) Reason : Unemployment caused by imperfect information about the available jobs and skills in the market is called fictional unemployment. < TOP > 30. Answer : (d) Reason : Savings account deposits as well as fixed deposits form part of M3 definition of money supply. M1 = Currency with the public + Demand deposits with the banking system, while M2 = M1 + Post office savings bank deposits. Thus, transfer of funds from savings account, reduces both M1 and M2. However, M3 remains constant as decrease in savings account deposits is equally compensated by the increase in time deposits with the banking system. < TOP > Section B: Problems 1. a. The monopolist can maximize his profit by equating MC and MR P = 3,000 – 3Q TR = 3,000Q – 3Q2 MR = 3000 – 6Q TC = 3Q3 – 3Q2 – 600Q MC = 9Q2 – 6Q – 600 To maximize profits, MC = MR 9Q2 – 6Q – 600 = 3,000 – 6Q 9Q2 = 3,600 Q2 = 400 Q = 20 units. Price = 3,000 – 3Q = 3,000 – 3(20) = Rs.2940. Profit = TR – TC = 3,000Q – 3Q2 – ( 3Q3 – 3Q2 – 600Q) = 3,000(20) – 3(20)2 – 3(20)3 + 3(20)2 + 600(20) = 60,000 – 1,200 –24,000 +1,200 +12,000 = Rs.48,000 b The break-even level of output of the firm is determined when TR = TC. 3,000Q – 3Q2 = 3Q3 – 3Q2 – 600Q 3Q3 – 3600Q = 0 3Q (Q2 – 1200) = 0 Q = 34.64= 35 units. < TOP > 2. a. Total Cost (TC)= Fixed Cost +Variable Cost Fixed Cost = Rs.20, 000 Variable Cost = 500Q – 9Q2 + 0.25Q3 ??Total Cost = 20, 000 + 500Q – 9Q2 + 0.25Q3 b. Average Cost = Total Cost / Q = 20, 000 / Q + 500 – 9Q + 0.25Q2 c. Marginal Cost = ?TC/??Q = 500 – 18Q + 0.75Q2 < TOP > 3. a. National income = NNP at factor cost = NNP at market prices – Indirect taxes + Subsidies = 1,50,000 – 21,000 + 3,000 = 1,32,000 MUC b. Personal income = National income – Corporate profit taxes – Retained profits = 1,32,000 – 9,750 – 45,000 = 77,250 MUC c. Personal disposable income = Personal income – Personal income taxes = 77,250 – 15,000 = 62,250 MUC. < TOP > 4. a. High powered money = Monetary Liabilities of RBI + Government Money Monetary liabilities of RBI = Financial Assets + Other Assets – Non-monetary liabilities Non-monetary liabilities = Other non-monetary liabilities + Net worth = 525 + 1,000 = 1,525 MUC ??Monetary liabilities = 24,000 + 100 – 1525 = 22,575 MUC Government money = 25 MUC ??High powered money (H) = 22,575 + 25 = 22,600 MUC b. Money Supply = H ??m Money multiplier (m) = = = = 4 ??Money Supply in the economy = 22,600 ??4 = 90,400 MUC. < TOP > 5. The European car industry is an oligopoly. In car industry a few sellers dominate the sales of a product and the entry of new sellers is difficult or impossible. The product can be either differentiated or standardized. Characteristics of oligopoly market: i. Only a few firms supply the entire market with a product that may be standardized or differentiated. ii. At least some firms have large market shares and thus can influence the price of a product. iii. The firms in the oligopolistic industry are aware of their interdependence and always consider their rivals’ reactions when selecting prices, output goals, advertising budgets, and other business policies. iv. There is a great importance of advertising and selling costs under conditions of market situation characterized by oligopoly. A direct effect of interdependence of oligopolists is that the various firms have to incur a good deal of costs on advertising and on other measures of sales promotion. v. An oligopolistic firm faces an indeterminate demand curve. The demand curve faced by an oligopolistic firm represents different quantities of output that the firm can sell at different prices. These quantities cannot be definitely determined because the quantities will be different depending on the different reaction patterns of the rivals. When any firm changes its own price, rivals will also change their prices and as a result the demand curve faced by an oligopolist firm loses its definiteness. vi. The oligopoly market is concerned with group behavior. There is no generally accepted theory on group behavior. It basically depends on the behavior on the behavior of the members of the group. For example, it may happen that members of the group may compete with one another (Non-collusive Oligopoly), or it may happen that the members come to an understanding (Collusive oligopoly) among themselves and form a general body to promote their common interests. It may also happen that there is a leader in the group and other members of the group follow the leader.,(Price leadership), etc. < TOP > 6. An oligopoly market structure sellers try to differentiate their products mainly on the basis of four aspects: i. Physical Features – size, weight, color, design, particular attributes, etc. ii. Location –The number and variety of locations where a product is available. Some are available everywhere; while others available only at select outlets. iii. Services – Products can be differentiated on the basis of the services that accompany them. iv. Product images – The image that the producer tries to build up in the consumer’s mind through packaging etc. < TOP > C r 1 C u u ? ? 0.24 0.07 1 0.24 ? ? 0.31 1.24 7. Inflation is defined as an increase in the general level of prices in the economy that is sustained over a period of time. The increase in the price of a particular good is not called inflation. Inflation is measured for a basket of goods and services. With in the basket, prices of some of the goods and services may rise and prices of some of the goods and services may fall. When the overall price of the defined basket increases, it is called inflation. Inflation impacts different social groups differently. Some people gain from inflation while others get hurt. The impact of inflation depends upon the amount of income and wealth that inflation takes away from a particular group. Usually, inflation has a negative effect more on fixed income groups than on high and flexible group. It is generally believed that ‘ the rich get richer and the poor get poorer’ because of inflation. This is generally the case with prisoners, wage earners and those receiving a fixed monetary income. Though their monetary income is constant, real income is reduced because of inflation. < TOP > 8. The two variables that receive the most attention in macroeconomics are unemployment and inflation. The British economist A W Phillips pioneered in the investigation of the relation between rate of unemployment and rate of wage increase. When tracing the link between rate of change in wages and unemployment over nearly a century for the United Kingdom, Phillips discovered an inverse relationship. When wage rates were rising rapidly, unemployment rates were low. Correspondingly, wage rates rose more slowly when the unemployment rates were high. Though the original Phillips curve identified the relation between the change in wage rates and unemployment rates, a modified Phillips curve indicates the relation between rate of inflation and unemployment rate. As we discussed above wage increases not matched by increases in labor productivity are converted into increases in the price level. In terms of rates, an increase in the growth rate of wage rates not matched by an equal increase in the growth rate of labor productivity is converted into an increase in the inflation rate. For example, all other things being equal, if initially money-wage rates are increasing by 5 percent per year and labor productivity is increasing by 2 percent per year, the rate of inflation will be 3 percent per year. If the increase in the money-wage rates increases to 8 percent per year and the increase in the labor productivity to 4 percent per year, the inflation will increase to 4 percent per year. The inverse relation found by Phillips is best explained by the behavior of organized labor. Organized labor can cause autonomous increase in wage rates in excess of increase in productivity, which leads to inflation. The degree to which labor can do this will vary inversely with the unemployment rate and the ease of labor markets. With lower unemployment and tighter labor markets, organized labor will become more aggressive and press for larger wage increases. Under the opposite conditions, organized labor will be less demanding. Furthermore, low unemployment and tight labor markets are indicative of buoyant demand for goods and abundant profits. During such times, business will usually grant the “excessive” wage increase demands. Phillips curve indicates a trade-off between inflation and unemployment. That is, policy makers can choose a particular combination of inflation and unemployment from the menu indicated by Phillips curve. In this figure, the policy makers can choose 2 percent unemployment with 5 percent inflation or 3 percent inflation with 6 percent rate of unemployment or any other combination on the Phillips curve. Though such a trade-off seem to exist in the western countries in 1960s, the ‘70s portrayed a different picture of `Stagflation’, where high level of unemployment was accompanied by high rates of inflation. This led to the view that the downward sloping Phillips curve is relevant only in the short run and in the long run there is no trade-off in which case the Phillips curve is vertical. In the long run, the vertical long run Phillips curve is positioned at the natural rate of unemployment. < TOP > Section C: Applied Theory 9. Rent control is a type of price ceiling that the government authorities sometimes use for rented housing. Rent control can prevent housing markets from reaching equilibrium in case when the rents are set below the market equilibrium rents. Typically, rent control limits increase in monthly rental rates or establish rules that are than used to determine the ‘fair’ monthly rents for housing. They seek to keep rents lower than those that would prevail in equilibrium in a competitive market. Rent controls benefit lower-income people who would otherwise have to pay higher percentages of their income for rent. Using supply and demand analysis we can illustrate how rent control causes housing shortages when the rents set by law are below the market equilibrium rents. Suppose the market equilibrium rent per room is Rs. 2,500 and at this rent 20,000 rooms per year would be rented. Now suppose a local rent control ordinance establishes a ceiling of Rs. 1,250 per room. Because the controlled rent is below the market equilibrium rent, the result is a shortage of housing. At Rs. 1,250 per room the number of rooms demanded per year is 25,000, while the number supplied is only 15,000, resulting in a shortage of 10,000 rooms. The shortage arises from an increase in the number of houses demanded from the quantity that would exist at the equilibrium rent and from a decrease in the quantity of houses supplied to a level below the quantity that would prevail at the equilibrium level. Rent controls do make houses less expensive for tenants. Landlords respond to the reduction in rent by decreasing the quantity and often the quality of houses. This results in a shortage of rental houses. < TOP > 10. The fiscal deficit is equal to “Borrowings and Other Liabilities” of the government. It measures the overall borrowing required to finance Government expenditure. Therefore, fiscal deficit is a net addition to public debt. Large fiscal deficits have implications on money supply, growth, inflation and for the access to resources for private investment. ??Money Supply Growth We expect the government to be able to finance this fiscal deficit with a remarkably small money creation component. When debt is monetized, net RBI credit to government increases which increases the high-powered money in the economy. With the introduction of WMA on April 1, 1997 the component of debt monetized is limited, providing greater autonomy to the RBI in its conduct of monetary policy. ??Inflation Since the fiscal deficit is not monetized to a large extent, high fiscal deficit does not imply a high growth in money supply. Further, the comfortable position on food grain stocks and foreign exchange reserves give the government levers through which inflation can be kept under control. But, a large part of the fiscal deficit is used to finance current government expenditure, which is unproductive by its nature. This expenditure instantaneously increases the aggregate demand in the economy without any increase in the production/supply. This would finally lead to an inflationary situation in the long run. ??Crowding-out of Private Investment Continued reliance of government on market borrowings may lead to crowding-out of private investment. When government borrows from the market, liquidity position in the market becomes tight leading to a higher rate of interest. This higher rate of interest is a higher cost of capital, which discourages private investment. If the government can monetize a significant portion of its deficit, this may not lead to crowding-out of private investment. This concern is more serious when the private savings are not able to sustain increased government borrowings. ??Crowding-out of Essential Public Expenditure Fiscal deficit is a net addition to public debt. Increased public debt necessitates more debt service in the form of interest and repayment of borrowings. With increased reliance on market borrowings, cost of debt also increases for the government, which results in increased burden of interest. This increased interest burden crowds-out essential public expenditure on health, education and other social and economic welfare. < TOP > < TOP OF THE DOCUMENT >
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