FIGURE 17.3 Labor supply and labor demand in (a) a purely competitive labor market and (b) a single competitive firm. In a purely competitive labor market (a), market labor supply S and market labor demand D determine the equilibrium wage rate W. and the equilibrium number of workers Q.. Each individual competitive firm (b) takes this competitive wage W, as given. Thus, the individual firm's labor supply curve s = MRC is perfectly elastic at the going wage W. Its labor demand curve, d, is its MRP curve (here labeled mrp). The firm maximizes its profit by hiring workers up to where MRP = MRC. Area Oabc represents both the firm's total revenue and its total cost. The green area is its total wage cost the blue area is its nonlabor costs, including a normal profit-that is, the firm's payments to the suppliers of land, capital, and entrepreneurship. ($10) W. ($10) W. S= MRC D = MRP (Σ mrps) d = mrp (1,000) (5) Quantity of labor Quantity of labor (a) (b) Labor market Individual firm Wage rate (dollars) Wage rate (dollars)

Microeconomic Theory
12th Edition
ISBN:9781337517942
Author:NICHOLSON
Publisher:NICHOLSON
Chapter10: Cost Functions
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 10.10P
icon
Related questions
Question

In a purely competitive labor market (a), market labor supply S and market labor demand D determine the equilibrium wage rate Wc and the equilibrium number of workers Qc . Each individual competitive firm (b) takes this competitive wage Wc as given. Thus, the individual firm’s labor supply curve s = MRC is perfectly elastic at the going wage Wc . Its labor demand curve, d, is its MRP curve (here labeled mrp). The firm maximizes its profit by hiring workers up to where MRP = MRC. Area 0abc represents both the firm’s total revenue and its total cost. The green area is its total wage cost; the blue area is its nonlabor costs, including a normal profit—that is, the firm’s payments to the suppliers of land, capital, and entrepreneurship. This firm’s labor demand curve d in graph (b) slopes downward because:
a. the law of diminishing marginal utility applies.
b. the law of diminishing returns applies.
c. the firm must lower its price to sell additional units of its product.
d. the firm is a competitive employer, not a monopsonist.

FIGURE 17.3 Labor supply and labor demand in (a) a purely competitive labor market and (b) a single
competitive firm. In a purely competitive labor market (a), market labor supply S and market labor demand D
determine the equilibrium wage rate W. and the equilibrium number of workers Q.. Each individual competitive
firm (b) takes this competitive wage W, as given. Thus, the individual firm's labor supply curve s = MRC is perfectly
elastic at the going wage W. Its labor demand curve, d, is its MRP curve (here labeled mrp). The firm maximizes
its profit by hiring workers up to where MRP = MRC. Area Oabc represents both the firm's total revenue and its
total cost. The green area is its total wage cost the blue area is its nonlabor costs, including a normal profit-that
is, the firm's payments to the suppliers of land, capital, and entrepreneurship.
($10) W.
($10) W.
S= MRC
D = MRP
(Σ mrps)
d = mrp
(1,000)
(5)
Quantity of labor
Quantity of labor
(a)
(b)
Labor market
Individual firm
Wage rate (dollars)
Wage rate (dollars)
Transcribed Image Text:FIGURE 17.3 Labor supply and labor demand in (a) a purely competitive labor market and (b) a single competitive firm. In a purely competitive labor market (a), market labor supply S and market labor demand D determine the equilibrium wage rate W. and the equilibrium number of workers Q.. Each individual competitive firm (b) takes this competitive wage W, as given. Thus, the individual firm's labor supply curve s = MRC is perfectly elastic at the going wage W. Its labor demand curve, d, is its MRP curve (here labeled mrp). The firm maximizes its profit by hiring workers up to where MRP = MRC. Area Oabc represents both the firm's total revenue and its total cost. The green area is its total wage cost the blue area is its nonlabor costs, including a normal profit-that is, the firm's payments to the suppliers of land, capital, and entrepreneurship. ($10) W. ($10) W. S= MRC D = MRP (Σ mrps) d = mrp (1,000) (5) Quantity of labor Quantity of labor (a) (b) Labor market Individual firm Wage rate (dollars) Wage rate (dollars)
Expert Solution
trending now

Trending now

This is a popular solution!

steps

Step by step

Solved in 2 steps

Blurred answer
Knowledge Booster
Economic Impact of Union
Learn more about
Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, economics and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.
Similar questions
  • SEE MORE QUESTIONS
Recommended textbooks for you
Microeconomic Theory
Microeconomic Theory
Economics
ISBN:
9781337517942
Author:
NICHOLSON
Publisher:
Cengage
Principles of Microeconomics (MindTap Course List)
Principles of Microeconomics (MindTap Course List)
Economics
ISBN:
9781305971493
Author:
N. Gregory Mankiw
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Microeconomics: Private and Public Choice (MindTa…
Microeconomics: Private and Public Choice (MindTa…
Economics
ISBN:
9781305506893
Author:
James D. Gwartney, Richard L. Stroup, Russell S. Sobel, David A. Macpherson
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Economics: Private and Public Choice (MindTap Cou…
Economics: Private and Public Choice (MindTap Cou…
Economics
ISBN:
9781305506725
Author:
James D. Gwartney, Richard L. Stroup, Russell S. Sobel, David A. Macpherson
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Survey of Economics (MindTap Course List)
Survey of Economics (MindTap Course List)
Economics
ISBN:
9781305260948
Author:
Irvin B. Tucker
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Economics (MindTap Course List)
Economics (MindTap Course List)
Economics
ISBN:
9781337617383
Author:
Roger A. Arnold
Publisher:
Cengage Learning