Economics 3220 Lecture Notes - Economic Surplus, Cost Estimate, Indirect Costs
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8. Two methods of reducing pollution
Suppose the government wants to reduce the total pollution emitted by three firms in its area. Currently, each firm is creating 4 units of pollution in the area, for a total of 12 pollution units. The government wants to reduce total pollution in the area to 6 units, In order to do so,it can choose between the following two methods:
1. | The government sets pollution standards (Method 1) |
2. | The government allocates tradable pollution permits. (Method 2) |
compare the two methods to determine the least-cost way of achieving the desired pollution quantity.
Eliminating pollution can be more difficult(and thus more costly) for some kinds of firms than for others. The following table shows the cost of elimanating each unit of pollution for each of the three firms.
Firm X | Firm y | Firm z | |
---|---|---|---|
Cost of elimination the first unit of pollution | $650 | $55 | $90 |
Cost of elimination the 2nd unit of pollution | $800 | $70 | $125 |
Cost of elimination the 3rd unit of pollution | $1,500 | $110 | $180 |
Cost of elimination the 4th unit of pollution | $10,500 | $550 | $1080 |
Under Method 1, the government sets pollution standards so that each firm must reduce its polluton by 2 units. Fill in the following table with the total cost to each firm of reducing its pollution by this amount
Total cost of eliminating 2 units of pollution | FIRM X | FIRM Y | FIRM Z |
Adding up the costs to the three firms, you can see that the total cost of eliminating 6 units of pollution through regulatory standard is _________
$1645
$1790
$2,785
$1,490
Now suppose the government uses method 2 to reduce pollution in the area from 12 units to 6 units by issuing two pollution permits to each firm. For each permit a firm has in its possession, it can emit 1 unit of pollution, but firms are also free to trade pollution permits with one another. For example, if firm X were to buy a permit form firm Y, firm X would end up with three permits and would need to reduce its pollution by only1 unit, whereas firmY would end up with only one permit and would have to reduce its pollution by 3 units. Assume the negotiation and exchange of permits are costless
Because of its high pollution-reduction costs, firm X might be better off buying permits form firm Y and firm Z so that it doesn't have to reduce its own pollution emissions. At which of the following prices are both firm y and firmz willing to sell one of their permits to firm X? check all that apply
- $390
-$155
-$415
-$70
Again , suppose that you are considering the method of pollution reduction involving trabable permits. Suppose the owners of the three firms get together and agree on a trading price of $420 per permit. Fill in the following table with the action taken by each firm, the amount each firm will pollute, and the amount it costs each firm to reduce pollution to the necessary level. (Hint: do not include the prices of permits in the cost of reducing pollution)
FIRM X | FIRM Y | FIRM Z | |
Initial pollution permit allocation | 2 units | 2 units | 2 ;units |
action | |||
Final pollution amount |
Given this senario, rthe total cost of eliminating 6 units of pollution using a tradable permit is _______
$0
$1,470
$1,100
$630
On the basis of this example, you can conclude that eliminating pollution is ________ costly to society when
more
less
the government allocates pollution permits that can be bought and sold than when it directs each firm to eliminate a certain amount of pollution.
Blank under method one
FIRM X | FIRM Y | FIRM Z | |
$800 | $125 | $305 | |
choose the right answer | $2,300 | $70 | $215 |
$2,150 | $165 | $125 | |
$1450 | $180 | $270 |
Blanks under tradable permits
| FIRM X | FIRM Y | FIRM Z | |
Initial pollution permit allocation | 2 units | 2 units | 2 ;units | |
action | buy 1 permit | buy 1 permit | buy 1 permit | |
Final pollution amount | 1 unit | 1 unit | 1 unit | |
Cost of polluton reduction | $650 | $0 | $125 |
Question 1
Which compensation method helps to explain the large difference between the salaries of top-level managers and mid-level managers in a firm?
A. | Tournaments | |
B. | New blood | |
C. | Piece rate | |
D. | Backloaded compensation |
3 points
Question 2
Please consider the information provided under Question 19 in Chapter 3 (page 54). Based on the stated information, the optimal number of bees kept if the externality is ignored by Yung is 5,000. Is the socially optimal number of bees higher or lower than 5,000?
A. | We do not have enough information to answer this question | |
B. | Same | |
C. | Lower | |
D. | Higher |
3 points
Question 3
Which of the following factors contribute to the existence of firms?
A. | All of these factors contribute to firm existence | |
B. | Risks associated with specialization | |
C. | Incomplete contracts | |
D. | Willingness of some people to take on risk in exchange for residual income |
3 points
Question 4
Public goods are often subject to free-rider problems because these goods are:
A. | Non-rival and non-excludable | |
B. | Rival and non-excludable | |
C. | Non-rival and excludable | |
D. | Rival and excludable |
3 points
Question 5
Which of the following is the most efficient mechanism for allocating scarce goods?
A. | Government allocation system | |
B. | First-come-first-served system | |
C. | Market system | |
D. | Random allocation system |
3 points
Question 6
Many years ago, most of the major Hollywood movie studios also owned chains of local movie theaters across the US. Today, most of the local movie theaters are owned by other companies. What has happened to the degree of integration in the movie industry over time?
A. | Less horizontally integrated | |
B. | Less vertically integrated | |
C. | More horizontally integrated | |
D. | More vertically integrated |
3 points
Question 7
Your firm produces replacement parts for the nuclear submarines operated by the US Navy. Which one of Porter's Five Forces will be most prominent in determining your strategies and profitability?
A. | Bargaining Power of Suppliers | |
B. | Bargaining Power of Customers | |
C. | Threat of New Entrants | |
D. | Threat of Substitutes |
3 points
Question 8
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. | The market mechanism for allocating resources is most efficient due to the incentives it creates. | |
B. | Markets are always the most efficient way to allocate goods, even if the market is not perfectly competitive. | |
C. | The random allocation mechanism provides no incentives at all. | |
D. | The government allocation mechanism provides no incentive for the economy to grow. |
3 points
Question 9
Suppose a firm's cost structure exhibits economies of scope. Which of the following actions is compatible with this cost structure?
A. | Diversify into other product lines | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
B. | Focus on core competencies and reduce production | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
C. | Focus on core competencies and maintain constant production | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
D. | Focus on core competencies and expand production Question 10 Please refer to Table 8.3 on page 132 in the book. Suppose we change the payoffs in the "low price, low price" cell to 0, 25 from 0, 0. Does this change the Nash equilibrium for the game, and is the game still a Prisoner's Dilemma?
3 points Question 11 Which of the following statements about restricting entry to markets is NOT true?
3 points Question 12 Your firm earns $2 million per quarter in total revenue, and your accounting profits are $100,000 per quarter. You do not charge the firm for the use of an old building that you own because it is 50 years old and fully depreciated. However, another firm has offered you $200,000 per quarter to use the facility, and this is the market rental rate for similar facilities. In this case, we know that your:
3 points Question 13 Please refer to Question 13 in Chapter 1 (page 17). What is the marginal cost of reducing global warming by 0.017 degrees?
3 points Question 14 In Chapter 6, Boyes focuses on negative externalities such as the various types of pollution. However, as we discussed during our online session, we can also observe positive externalities in which external benefits are generated for people. Which of the following is NOT an example of a positive externality?
3 points Question 15 Common property resources are:
3 points Question 16 The free-rider problem arises in markets for common property resources.
3 points Question 17 Firms that set their product price below the actual cost of production may be engaging in:
3 points Question 18 Under a cap-and-trade mechanism to control air pollution, what happens to the price of pollution rights if the supply of righs is reduced (i.e., the supply of rights is reduced)?
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