A firm employs M workers per week and the length of the workweek at the firm is H Let MPM be the added output from an additional employee and let MPH be the added output from a one hour increase in the workweek at the firm.  MEM and MEH are, respectively, the marginal expense of an added worker and of an added hour of work.  At present, the cost of an added unit of output produced by hiring more workers is $5 while the cost of an added unit of output produced by employing existing workers for more hours is $3.  Is the firm maximizing profits given its current employment level and workweek?  If your answer is yes, explain why. If your answer is no, explain why not and discuss what adjustments the firm should make.

Microeconomics: Principles & Policy
14th Edition
ISBN:9781337794992
Author:William J. Baumol, Alan S. Blinder, John L. Solow
Publisher:William J. Baumol, Alan S. Blinder, John L. Solow
Chapter7: Production, Inputs, And Cost: Building Blocks For Supply Analysis
Section: Chapter Questions
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A firm employs M workers per week and the length of the workweek at the firm is H Let MPM be the added output from an additional employee and let MPH be the added output from a one hour increase in the workweek at the firm.  MEM and MEH are, respectively, the marginal expense of an added worker and of an added hour of work.  At present, the cost of an added unit of output produced by hiring more workers is $5 while the cost of an added unit of output produced by employing existing workers for more hours is $3.  Is the firm maximizing profits given its current employment level and workweek?  If your answer is yes, explain why. If your answer is no, explain why not and discuss what adjustments the firm should make.

 

It's a general question. There's no given output being produced by added workers and additional hours.

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