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hWhat is positive economics?
objective and fact-based where the statements are precise, descriptive, and clearly measurable. These statements can be measured against tangible evidence or historical instances.
What is normative economics
subjective and value-based, originating from personal perspectives or opinions dependent on notions of welfare
Is this a normative question ‘Are people better off if they know their habit formation tendencies’
Yes as what is better off? It is subjective
How do economists approach the Kitty Genovese Problem and how do they model this
They care about just one person calling the police:
* Each person helps with probability p
* Probability no one helps is (1-p)^n
Thus, probability that at least one person helps is
1-(1-p)^n
What is the set-up of the Kitty Genovese Game
public goods problem
What assumptions do we make about the players in the Kitty Genovese Model
- Rationality- each neighbour has a belief about the behaviour of other neighbours and best responds to that
- Beliefs are correct
what does the P(calling) being between 0<p<1 imply
Neighbour is indifferent between calling or not calling such that their expected payoff is the same whether they call or not, giiving them no incentive to deviate.
Payoff from calling = Payoff from not calling
Find the implied solution from the neighbour being indifferent between calling or not calling
What does this solution imply
As n increases, the probability that someone calls the police decreases
Draw the game theory matrix for the Kitty Genovese Game and identify the nash equilibriums
2 nash equilibriums in top right and bottom left. Explain why.
B and D
Moral Decay - Normative
Should- Normative
Define consumption bundle
The bundle of goods consumed
What consumption bundle will a rational agent always consume
the bundle that optimises her preferences given her income and the prices of the goods that are avaliable
What is the budget line
P(x1)X1 + P(x2) X2 = Y
what is always the y,x intercept and gradient of the budget line
y intercept: x1/Y
x intercept: x2/Y
gradient: -P(x2)/P(x1)
Where is the optimal consumption bundle on a graph + the optimal consumption rule
gradient of indifference curve = gradient of budget line
(exchange rate in market = exchange rate in preferences)
Define a company
a social organisation that buys or hires productive inputs, coordiantes them in production to produce goods and services, and then sells the output
Our assumptions about firms
- Decision making carried out by one agent (avoids principal-agent problem)
- Firm objective is profit maximisation
- Profit = Revenue - Oppostunity Costs
How is a firm restrictied in the short run compared to the long run
Short run, at least one input factor is fixed.
What is the production function
q=q(l,k) - the higher number of unit ouputs given l units of labour and k units of capital
q=output/unit time
l = people-days labour/unit
k= (machine days)/unit time
Marginal Product of Labour
By how much does output increase if we employ one more unit of labour
NOTICE CURLY D, because partial derivative of q(l,k) w.r.t L
Marginal Product of Capital
By how much does output increase if we employ one more unit of capital
What are the 2 general types of production functions
- Fixed Coefficients Production function (Pedagogical)
- Variable coefficients
Fixed coefficient production functions
Labour and Capital must always be used in fixed proportions e.g. 2 brewer hours and 1 brewing system to produce 1 pint per hour.