ENGR.ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ENGR.ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
14th Edition
ISBN: 9780190931919
Author: NEWNAN
Publisher: Oxford University Press
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## Why the aggregate supply curve slopes upward in the short run

In the short run, the quantity of output that firms supply can deviate from the natural level of output if the actual price level in the economy deviates from the expected price level. Several theories explain how this might happen.

For example, the **sticky-price theory** asserts that the output prices of some goods and services adjust slowly to changes in the price level. Suppose firms announce the prices for their products in advance, based on an expected price level of 100 for the coming year. Many of the firms sell their goods through catalogs and face high costs of reprinting if they change prices. The actual price level turns out to be 110. Faced with high menu costs, the firms that rely on catalog sales choose not to adjust their prices. Sales from catalogs will **increase**, and firms that rely on catalogs will respond by **increasing** the quantity of output they supply. If enough firms face high costs of adjusting prices, the unexpected increase in the price level causes the quantity of output supplied to **rise** above the natural level of output in the short run.

Suppose the economy's short-run aggregate supply (AS) curve is given by the following equation:

\[ \text{Quantity of Output Supplied} = \text{Natural Level of Output} + \alpha \times (\text{Price Level}_{\text{Actual}} - \text{Price Level}_{\text{Expected}}) \]

The Greek letter \( \alpha \) represents a number that determines how much output responds to unexpected changes in the price level. In this case, assume that \( \alpha = 2 \) billion. That is, when the actual price level exceeds the expected price level by 1, the quantity of output supplied will exceed the natural level of output by $2 billion.

Suppose the natural level of output is $60 billion of real GDP and that people expect a price level of 110.

*On the following graph, use the purple line (diamond symbol) to plot this economy's long-run aggregate supply (LRAS) curve. Then use the orange line segments (square symbol) to plot the economy's short-run aggregate supply (AS) curve at each of the following price levels: 100, 105, 110, 115, 120.*
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Transcribed Image Text:## Why the aggregate supply curve slopes upward in the short run In the short run, the quantity of output that firms supply can deviate from the natural level of output if the actual price level in the economy deviates from the expected price level. Several theories explain how this might happen. For example, the **sticky-price theory** asserts that the output prices of some goods and services adjust slowly to changes in the price level. Suppose firms announce the prices for their products in advance, based on an expected price level of 100 for the coming year. Many of the firms sell their goods through catalogs and face high costs of reprinting if they change prices. The actual price level turns out to be 110. Faced with high menu costs, the firms that rely on catalog sales choose not to adjust their prices. Sales from catalogs will **increase**, and firms that rely on catalogs will respond by **increasing** the quantity of output they supply. If enough firms face high costs of adjusting prices, the unexpected increase in the price level causes the quantity of output supplied to **rise** above the natural level of output in the short run. Suppose the economy's short-run aggregate supply (AS) curve is given by the following equation: \[ \text{Quantity of Output Supplied} = \text{Natural Level of Output} + \alpha \times (\text{Price Level}_{\text{Actual}} - \text{Price Level}_{\text{Expected}}) \] The Greek letter \( \alpha \) represents a number that determines how much output responds to unexpected changes in the price level. In this case, assume that \( \alpha = 2 \) billion. That is, when the actual price level exceeds the expected price level by 1, the quantity of output supplied will exceed the natural level of output by $2 billion. Suppose the natural level of output is $60 billion of real GDP and that people expect a price level of 110. *On the following graph, use the purple line (diamond symbol) to plot this economy's long-run aggregate supply (LRAS) curve. Then use the orange line segments (square symbol) to plot the economy's short-run aggregate supply (AS) curve at each of the following price levels: 100, 105, 110, 115, 120.*
The image contains a graph and a brief explanatory text related to the concepts of Aggregate Supply (AS) and Long-Run Aggregate Supply (LRAS). Here is a detailed transcription and explanation suitable for an educational website:

---

### Understanding Aggregate Supply and Long-Run Aggregate Supply

In this section, we will explore the relationship between price levels and the output of goods and services in an economy, particularly focusing on Aggregate Supply (AS) and Long-Run Aggregate Supply (LRAS).

#### Graph Analysis

The graph presented depicts the relationship between the **Price Level (vertical axis)** and **Output (horizontal axis, measured in billions of dollars)**. Two different supply curves are illustrated:

1. **AS (Aggregate Supply):** Represented by an orange line.
2. **LRAS (Long-Run Aggregate Supply):** Represented by a purple line with a diamond shape at the central point.

This graph helps us understand how the total quantity of goods and services produced in an economy (output) changes in response to different price levels.

#### Key Observations:

- **Price Level Scale:** Ranges from 75 to 125.
- **Output Scale:** Ranges from 0 to 100 billion dollars.

#### Concept Highlight

The text accompanying the graph states:

> "The short-run quantity of output supplied by firms will fall below the natural level of output when the actual price level __________ the price level that people expected."

This statement underscores the critical concept that in the short run, if the actual price level deviates from what people anticipated, it can lead to a mismatch in output.

---

This graph is instrumental in understanding the dynamics of aggregate supply in different time frames and provides a visual aid for comprehending these economic principles comprehensively.
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Transcribed Image Text:The image contains a graph and a brief explanatory text related to the concepts of Aggregate Supply (AS) and Long-Run Aggregate Supply (LRAS). Here is a detailed transcription and explanation suitable for an educational website: --- ### Understanding Aggregate Supply and Long-Run Aggregate Supply In this section, we will explore the relationship between price levels and the output of goods and services in an economy, particularly focusing on Aggregate Supply (AS) and Long-Run Aggregate Supply (LRAS). #### Graph Analysis The graph presented depicts the relationship between the **Price Level (vertical axis)** and **Output (horizontal axis, measured in billions of dollars)**. Two different supply curves are illustrated: 1. **AS (Aggregate Supply):** Represented by an orange line. 2. **LRAS (Long-Run Aggregate Supply):** Represented by a purple line with a diamond shape at the central point. This graph helps us understand how the total quantity of goods and services produced in an economy (output) changes in response to different price levels. #### Key Observations: - **Price Level Scale:** Ranges from 75 to 125. - **Output Scale:** Ranges from 0 to 100 billion dollars. #### Concept Highlight The text accompanying the graph states: > "The short-run quantity of output supplied by firms will fall below the natural level of output when the actual price level __________ the price level that people expected." This statement underscores the critical concept that in the short run, if the actual price level deviates from what people anticipated, it can lead to a mismatch in output. --- This graph is instrumental in understanding the dynamics of aggregate supply in different time frames and provides a visual aid for comprehending these economic principles comprehensively.
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