Ask an Economist

Question:
A group of ten people traveling in a bus from station A to Station B. The fare is Rs. 10/person with the total fare Rs. 100. But, the ticket master instead asks the group to pay only Rs. 50 and travel without tickets. He gives the assurance that the checking squad will not charge them for traveling without tickets. Here, the ticket master and checking squad know each other and will distribute the Rs. 50 among themselves, with an ultimate loss of Rs. 100 to state transportation and the people involved in this corruption go unnoticed. How can one prevent this economic loss to the state?
Answer:

You could allow the group to report this to the station master and get a Rs. 25 award. You could randomly check buses unannounced. You could offer a bonus to the ticket master for every ticket he has proof of having sold.

Question:
Two friends go out for breakfast, each ordering eggs, toast and coffee. The total bill is $20.00. They agree to leave a 20% - $4.00 tip for the fast and friendly service. The following week, the same two friends go across the street to a comparable restaurant and again order an eggs, toast and coffee breakfast. This time the total bill is $22.00. When it comes to deciding the tip, one friend suggests that the tip should be the same as last week, 20% - $4.40. The other friend reasons that because the food, the service and the dining experience were essentially the same, the total amount paid, $24.00 should be the same, meaning a $2.00 tip. This friend further reasons that if the restaurant owner is charging 10% more for the same meal, the staff should be compensated accordingly higher. What are your thoughts? When all other factors are essentially equal, should comparative meal costs factor into tip consideration?
Answer:

The writer has already shown that a good argument can be made either way. There is no correct answer the way the question is framed. The friends will debate the question until the restaurant closes. So, let's give them something else to debate...

Question:
CIF or FOB Price per Metric Ton of Yellow Corn No. 2 for Animal consumption
Answer:

The Iowa State University Estimated Livestock Returns (http://www2.econ.iastate.edu/estimated-returns/) provides estimates of cattle finishing and hog production costs and returns. The...

Question:
I just wanted to know if price changes how much quantity is supplied or demanded then what creates the price in the first place? If you say that price affects supply and demand and supply and demand affect price then this just sounds like circular logic to me.
Answer:

First, it is important to understand the difference between a few concepts. The demand is a function that describes that the quantity demanded (consumption) declines as the price increases. That is, the demand is the relationship between the...

Question:
I am a huge Duke Blue Devils fan and the NCAA basketball season has just recently started back up again. Currently, I am taking a microeconomics class and we just started covering oligopolies and cartels along with game theory. It got me thinking about whether or not the NCAA is considered a cartel or if it would be a monopoly. I looked into it and I have seen it referred to as being a cartel but also having monopoly power. Is monopoly power the same as a monopoly? If so, can the NCAA be a monopoly and a cartel?
Answer:

I teach an Economics of Sports class here at Iowa State University.  In my class, we discuss the economic structure of the NCAA and professional sports leagues in the U.S.  You are correct that the NCAA is a cartel and so is a...

Question:
I was just thinking about the massive economic dislocations resulting from World War I and their impact on Weimar Germany. But the dislocations spread well beyond there. The War had bankrupted England and France (though not so much the U.S.), to the extent that they forced Germany to pay such enormous reparations that Germany was a basket economic case in the 1920s. The U.S. economy boomed during that period, but it then crashed ten years later. After World War II, somewhat contrariwise, we had an unprecedented and never repeated period of growth and prosperity. After Vietnam, we had galloping inflation, followed (I think) by a recession. After seven years of a ruinous war in Afghanistan and Iraq, we had a Great Recession. Now I'm a political scientist, not an economist, but from the standpoint of political economy, it would seem that there must be correlations between massive military expenditures and economic cycles. The economy, that is to say, does not exist in a vacuum. So, Dr. Economist, is it possible that the famous "economic cycles" are not merely cycles that happen all by themselves, but rather sine waves that correspond with other fluctuations in military expenditures and war? As a political historian, I know that it has always been wars that have bankrupted nations and caused political upheavals. This is not new. Why not in our age? Why do we teach our students that there are recurring economic cycles without, in traditional economics, relating them to the military adventures of our own government, And that of others?
Answer:

There are really two questions here: (1) what are the causes of economic fluctuations, generally? And (2) what role do wars and military spending play in these fluctuations? 

Answering the first question is beyond the scope of this...

Question:
Hi
I am trying to calculate GDP for countries and the numbers don't seem to add up.
I am using the formula GDP = Consumption + Investment + Government spending + Imports - exports
I am using the example of France
It has a GDP about 2500 bn dollars per year.
Thus the components of C, I, G and X-Y should equal about 2500 right?
These are the figures that I have found
C = 1360, Investment = 20 per cent of GDP ie around 500, G= 1370
Frances trade balance is negative to about 55 bn per year and government borrowing is 85 bn
So if you calculate 1360 + 500 + 1370 - 55 - 85 you end up with 3090 which is more that 20 per cent more than the published figure.
So where am I going wrong in my calculations?
I was thinking it was something to do with PPP v nominal dollar values but the difference between the two is only 10 per cent whereas my figures differ by more than 20 per cent
Thanks for any help
Mick Cooke
Figures are from
C = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_consumer_markets
I = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_gross_fixed_investment_as_percentage_of_GDP
G = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_government_budget
X-Y = http://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/fra/
Answer:

The main problem with your calculation is that you are using as "G" the French government's budgetary expenditure, which most likely includes large transfer payments. Transfer payments are not part of GDP. Another problem is that you are...

Question:
I've worked with, or had my kids, in many organizations that rely on (and demand) contributions. They claim that 100% participation (even a single dollar) is important because other donors look at the participation levels when making their decisions. It seems plausible, but is there any ACTUAL evidence that (a) that is a wide-spread practice, and (b) that such institutions actually raise more money?
Answer:

This question is in two parts: 1) How prevalent is the requirement for 100% giving of any amount; and 2) Do organizations raise more money if there is a 100% giving expectation?

Let me begin by stating that I’m not aware of any research...

Question:
Burkina Faso has an employment rate of about 15%, give or take. Approximately 85% of the population is subsistence farmers. Does this mean the country's economy is supported by the 15% of the population who are receiving a wage (not including foreign aid)?
Answer:

The answer is no. It is not correct to conclude that Bukina Faso’s economy is supported by only 15% of the population. It is a common challenge in developing countries to appropriately account for employment and the economic contributions of a...

Question:
How can there be inflation at different rates within the same currency zone? For example, how can there be higher inflation in Greece than in Germany, despite having the same currency?
Answer:

Effectively, you are asking: how can there be different prices across countries within the same currency zone? This may sound surprising because within the Euro common currency, for example, we label regions as countries and there is a price...

Question:
What is the median family spendable income for families living in Fort Dodge, IA.
Answer:

The American Communities Survey provides information on median household income

This is before taxes and transfers

American Fact Finder

Question:
Hi!

I wanted to value a high-tech start-up of which I have the cash flows of the coming 6 years. I am not a VC just a post-grad student, so I decided to use the discounted cash flow method. To do so, I calculated the discount rate. For a high-tech start- up the discount rate = Rate of equity (which can be determined by the capital asset pricing model). So I calculated my discount rate, used it in the DCF model, and found an approximation of the value of the high-tech firm.

But I didn't take into consideration that the company sells their products globally. This fact has an impact on its beta factor, and consequently on the discount rate, and finally on the value of the firm!

One option is to use the International CAPM model, but my company is going to sell globally, so how do I know the impact of that to the discount rate? Any help would be very appreciated.

Thanks
Answer:

If your company is based in the U.S., the valuation should be based on the standard CAPM. However, barring exceptional circumstances, one would expect the beta of such a firm to be closer to zero than the beta of an otherwise identical firm...

Question:
I keep seeing this number used instead of actual dollar numbers. Isn't most government spending a part of GDP? If $1 billion spent on a battleship raises the GDP by $1 billion, doesn't that fatally skew the percentage formula?
Answer:

Let me start by reminding you that GDP is a measure of the total amount of goods and services produced in an economy, say the USA, in a year. So it sums the total value in dollars of everything that has been produced in the country in a given...

Question:
Can you see the number GDP per capita increase in the next year and subsequently cause an increase in commercial boat ownership within the United States?
Answer:

Let me start by saying that I have expertise in the economics of commercial fishing. I cannot speak to whether GDP will increase next year. If GDP does rise, there may be channels by which commercial boat building and therefore boat ownership...

Question:
Are goods and services purchased to comply with regulations included in GDP? For example, is money spent on preparing tax returns considered "production" in GDP calculations? It kind of feels like it should *not* be, but I suspect that it is.
Answer:

GDP is the final $ value of all final goods and services produced in a year. Even if a service exists to help compliance with a regulation, it is included because the provision of that service, such as that performed by a tax attorney, is income...

Question:
When speaking about social welfare in economics, they are referring to the allocation of resources and imperfect markets, NOT the social welfare of Medicaid, food stamps etc. Is this assumption right?
Answer:

Social welfare maximization in economics typically refers to the correct allocation of scare resources to agents (firms, individuals) so as to generate the maximum possible utility (or other criterion) for the agents. The term has no negative...

Question:
Would slowing down immigration and blocking illegals from working in the US automatically cause the minimum wage to rise on its own?
Answer:

Minimum wages are wage floors set by law, not by the market. They, however, are subject to political pressure from citizens. If, say, hypothetically, all immigration, legal or otherwise, was stopped, then there would be a stronger demand to hire...

Question:
What correlations exist, if any, between a country's age distribution and its economic output? Additionally, does the relative shape of a country's population pyramid seem to give any indication of future performance in (a sector of) the stock market? I have read that a country with an age distribution like an inverted pyramid (more older people than young people) requires a greater investment in healthcare, and the opposite shape (non-inverted pyramid) requires a greater investment in education. Therefore, is it a stretch to conclude that the healthcare sector in a country with an inverted pyramid age distribution will fair better than it would with a non-inverted pyramid in the same country?

Also, is there a name for the sub-field of economics that studies how demographics is related to economy?
Answer:

The question of how demographics relate to economic issues (e.g., poverty, economic growth) has been at the forefront of economics ever since its infancy as a science. For instance, Rev. Malthus (1766-1834) controversially suggested that...

Question:
I was wondering if there are any threats that could cause regression or the stop of progression in the arena football league. I know the Arena football league is trying to expand in order to create more revenue but their business models have been poor in the past. Wondering what's your take on the subject and what environmental factors could prohibit this development
Answer:

If I understand your question correctly, you are asking about factors that will determine the success or failure of the Arena Football League.  As with any firm or industry, ‘economic’ success or failure depends on the ability of the firm or...

Question:
Hi, I gross $52,500 a year in Suffolk County Long Island, NY. How does my personal income compare to other income earners on Long Island? Somewhere in the middle or on the low side?
Answer:

None of us here have direct expertise on this issue. You may look at: http://www.longislandindex.org/data_posts/household-income-distribution/ for more...

Question:
I have noticed that Trillions of dollars of building during the Middle Ages went on in Europe from an agrarian/trading society. How did taxation of millions for farm labor become the basis of trade in Europe? It seems not rational that the food grown during the period 300 AD to 1780 was the basis of wealth. Therefore we know that mining silver, gold, copper allowed for coins but since there was no technology of the era that converts to the Trillions in Building out Paris, London, Prague, Austria, Russia. So, how was farm labor converted to the structures we see still standing today.....which architecturally are still the world standard for greatness.
Answer:

Medieval cathedrals and other structures are indeed impressive works of construction, and to look at them is to marvel at human ingenuity.  Medieval societies were in fact technological quite progressive, a fact documented for example in...

Question:
Hi. I studied economics at undergraduate level and have encountered the profit maximising rule of MR = MC; with the standard premise for such calculations involving the production of goods with a fixed price per unit. I currently work in the construction sector (demolition) where each of our projects have a different cost and revenue from other projects. As such, I would like to know if/how the above measure could be applied to the service sector? My current thinking is that the data must be manipulated to achieve the cost per square foot of a site. However, this will involve significant data manipulation just to run the calculations. Could you tell me if I am on the right track with this direction or whether there is an alternative way that I could calculate the profit-maximising output? My goal in answering this question is to determine the appropriate mark-up for our business when submitting a quote to a client. At present, we are charging a 10% mark-up which I currently believe to be too low to be sustainable. Any assistance on this would be greatly appreciated.
Answer:

Hello:

Suppose you have N projects, each of them with possibly different but constant marginal costs (MC). Since the marginal cost for each project is constant, the average variable cost is also constant, and your profits can be expressed...

Question:
A few of my friends believe that the cure for cancer already exists, but the pharmaceutical companies won't release it because they make more money treating the disease rather than curing it. In my head, the company that had the cure would end up making the most because they would have a better product. My questions is which model would be the most profitable?
Answer:

You have put your finger on an important topic that economists have been arguing about since Kenneth Arrow’s analysis of the incentives to innovate in “Economic Welfare and the Allocation of Resources for Inventions” in _The Rate and...

Question:
Many markets in third-world countries have small stores selling exactly the same goods located side-by-side. In the Mid-East you can go to the gold souk, or the carpet souk. In the Far East you will see an entire street of hat shops, or bamboo-pole shops. My favorite street in Hanoi is full of shops that only sell gaffer-tape and scotch-tape. What is the economic mechanism that drives this clustering? Surely the pressure would be to price your goods lower than the next guy, thus driving down prices overall, to all of the shop-owners disbenefit?
Answer:

Souks and bazaars are in appearance competitive market places. The close proximity of shops selling virtually identical goods should drive price down. So, why do shops locate close to each other instead of locations where they would have less...

Question:
I have read a few recent articles in the Wall Street Journal recently regarding farmers going out of business, prices for fertilizer inputs, and how well farmers have been doing producing crops. They were titled "The Next American Farm Bust Is Upon Us", "Here’s One Industry Where the U.S. Is Already Catching China—Fertilizers".

Regarding the first article, why are American farmers still incurring such high costs for production inputs and why do they really have no where to sell their grain and product to make any money? Secondly why are fertilizer inputs in particular so expensive when the second article talks about how our supply is expanding and we are producing more fertilizer than any other country? Shouldn't these input costs go down or be down because of such a high supply?

Lastly it seems that farm production has been peaking and they are doing extremely well in regards of yield and product output, consequently having no place to sell their grain. My question is where do Ag Economists forecast job growth will be greatest in the Agriculture Sector in the next five years? Which particular majors in certain sectors of the Ag industry will do the best and be in high demand?

Thank you for your time
Answer:

While it is true that, in general, farmers are still facing high production costs.  They have also seen some of those costs fall over the past couple of years.  And it is not true that they have nowhere to sell their products. ...

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