There are two firms in the economy. Each firm employs positive amounts of capital and labour. The technology satisfies diminishing marginal rate of technical substitution of labour for capital. Currently, A’s marginal rate of technical substitution of labour for capital is 4 while B’s marginal rate of technical substitution of labour for capital is 2. A. Is the current production of the two firms efficient? If not, describe an exchange of inputs that would improve efficiency. B. Can these production levels of the two firms be observed in a perfectly competitive equilibrium of a production and exchange economy? Explain.

There are two firms in the economy. Each firm employs positive amounts of capital and labour. The technology satisfies diminishing marginal rate of technical substitution of labour for capital. Currently, A’s marginal rate of technical substitution of labour for capital is 4 while B’s marginal rate of technical substitution of labour for capital is 2. A. Is the current production of the two firms efficient? If not, describe an exchange of inputs that would improve efficiency. B. Can these production levels of the two firms be observed in a perfectly competitive equilibrium of a production and exchange economy? Explain.

Microeconomic Theory

12th Edition

ISBN:9781337517942

Author:NICHOLSON

Publisher:NICHOLSON

Chapter13: General Equilibrium And Welfare

Section: Chapter Questions

Problem 13.3P

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b) There are two firms in the economy. Each firm employs positive amounts of capital and labour. The technology satisfies diminishing marginal rate of technical substitution of labour for capital. Currently, A’s marginal rate of technical substitution of labour for capital is 4 while B’s marginal rate of technical substitution of labour for capital is 2. Is the current production of the two firms efficient? If not, describe an exchange of inputs that would improve efficiency. Can these production levels of the two firms be observed in a perfectly competitive equilibrium of a production and exchange economy? Explain c) State the first theorem of welfare economics of a production and exchange economy. Which conditions must be satisfied for the Pareto efficiency of an allocation of a production and exchange economy (assuming that all goods are used, produced and consumed in strictly positive quantities)? Discuss and explain
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