1) What is "human capital" and why is it considered an investment? 2) What is "human capital"? How is it important in the determination of a worker's wage rate? 3) How is human capital acquired? 4) How does the demand for high-skilled workers compare to the demand for low-skilled workers? Why does this difference exist? 5) How does an increase in the cost to acquire a skill affect the vertical distance between the supply curves of high-skilled and low-skilled workers?

1. Why wages differ For each of the scenarios in the following table, indicate the most likely reason for the difference in earnings. Differences in Human Capital Scenario Major-league hockey goalies earn more than minor-league hockey goalies. Research done in the United States, based on U.S. Census data, finds that during an adult's working life-high school graduates earn an average of $1.2 million, associate's degree holders earn about $1.6 million, and bachelor's degree holders earn about $2.1 million. Two automotive technicians have the same amount of schooling and work experience, but earn different wages. The first works the day shift for an auto manufacturer factory for an annual wage of $50,000 per year, and the second works the night shift for the same company for an annual wage of $60,000 per year. Compensating Differential Differences in Natural Ability Labour Unions

What role might discrimination play in accounting for income inequality? Draw a curve that shows what happens if this group of workers is discriminated against. Label it. Draw a point to indicate the new equilibrium wage rate and employment level. Choose the correct statement. O A. Discrimination causes the wage differences between white men and white women. O B. Wage differences between different groups as a result of discrimination can act as an incentive to encourage people who are prejudiced to buy from the people against whom they are prejudiced. O C. Discrimination causes the wage differences between black men and white men. O D. Economists agree that prejudice causes all wage differentials between different groups of people. 80- 70- 60- 50 40- 30- 20- 10- Wage rate (thousands of dollars per year) 40 0+ 0.0 $2.0 2.0 Workers (thousands) >>> Draw only the objects specified in the question. 1.0 S 3.0 VMP Q 4.0

Explain why a capitalist economic system tends to bring about a highly unequal distribution of income. Why did income inequality rise significantly in the U.S. after about 1980?

1. Suppose that currently the government provides everyone with a guaranteed income of $10,000 per year, but this benefit level is reduced by $1 for each $1 of work income. The government is considering changing this policy so that the benefit level is reduced by $1 for every $2 of work income. What effect would this policy have on work effort? Explain your answer and include a graph depicting the two scenarios.

The equality between MRP of labor and the MRC for labor determines the ______________________________________? Graph.

Workers in countries such as Sweden and Germany work fewer hours per week, on average, than do workers in the United States. Does this mean that Swedes and Germans are lazier than Americans? Explain how laziness could be interpreted in the context of the work-leisure choice model developed in this chapter. What other information might you want to gather to determine whether Swedes or Germans were indeed less work oriented that Americans?

Ab 9  Economics