--%>
Assignment Help - homework help

Okun's Law Coefficient Is so Large

Why the Okun's Law Coefficient Is so Large? Okun's Law posits not a 1-to-1 relation but a 2.5-to-1 relationship between real GDP growth and the unemployment rate. That is, a one percentage-point fall in the unemployment rate is associated not with a 1 but a 2.5 percent boost in the level of production. Why is this Okun's Law coefficient so large? Why isn't it the case that a one percentage point fall in unemployment produces a one percent rise in output, or even less? One answer is that the unemployment rate, as officially measured, does not count discouraged workers. In a recession, the number of people at work falls, the number of people looking for work rises, and the number of people who are not looking for work because they doubt they could find jobs--but would be working if business conditions were better--rises. Because the conventionally-measured unemployment rate does not include these discouraged workers, more than a 1 percent rise in real GDP is needed to reduce the unemployment rate by 1 percentage point. Moreover, when business returns to normal, firms' initial response is not to hire more employees, but to ask existing employees to work longer hours. So average hours of work per week go up, and the unemployment rate falls by less than one would otherwise expect. Finally, in some industries employing more workers increases production by more than a proportional amount: product design and set-up need to be done only once, no matter how much is produced. Thus businesses which have economies of scale do not need twice as many workers to produce twice as much output.

   Related Questions in Microeconomics

  • Q : Marginal social benefit and costs under

    Under pure competition, there is marginal social benefit will equivalent marginal social cost unless: (w) “hit and run” entrepreneurs prosper. (x) economic profits are zero. (y) there are externalities. (z) entrepreneurs a

    		•
  • Q : Determine total costs by

    Hey guys I need your idea for this query regarding the total costs as illustrated graph that this profit-maximizing pure competitor’s total cost (TC) equals area as: (w) 0Phq2. (x) 0bgq2. (y) 0aeq1. (z) daef.

    Q : Means of monopolistic competition

    Select the right answer of the question. Monopolistic competition means: 1) a market situation where competition is based entirely on product differentiation and advertising. 2) a large number of firms producing a standardized or homogeneous product. 3) many firms pro

    		•
  • Q : Asymmetric Information on quality The

    The Asymmetric information on quality can outcome in: (i) Not all potential profits from the exchange being realized. (ii) Lower equilibrium prices. (iii) Purchases of unexpectedly low-quality items termed as ‘lemons’. (iv) Some transactio

    		•
  • Q : Estimate Gini index Computing the

    Computing the proportion of the area above a Lorenz curve although below the 45-degree reference line relative to the whole area below the reference line yields a numeric measure of inequality termed as a/an: (w) Gini index. (x) inequality coefficient

    		•
  • Q : Average variable costs of pure

    Average variable costs per generic brick of this pure competitor equal approximately: (i) $.02 (2 cents per brick). (ii) $.04 (4 cents per brick). (iii) $.07 (7 cents per brick). (iv) $.09 (9 cents per brick).

  • Q : Facing a demand curve that perfectly

    When the world price for wheat is $10 per bushel; and Del, who one owns the biggest wheat farm into North Dakota, will: (w) face a demand curve that is perfectly price elastic at $10 per bushel. (x) realize $4 per bushel in long-run economic profits.

    		•
  • Q : Monopolistic competition in the long run

    In the past 4 decades, the still increasing globalization of trade has caused the United State automobile market to evolve by: (i) highly concentrated oligopoly towards monopolistic competition. (ii) pure monopoly to pure competition. (iii) a cartel t

    		•
  • Q : Normal accounting profit with zero

    Accounting profits are normal along with zero economic profits while there is: (1) monopoly power which has not yet been capitalized. (2) unpredicted short run surges within demand for a good. (3) uncertainty therefore unpredictable e

    		•
  • Q : Limitation of price elasticities of

    Price elasticities of supply and demand do NOT: (w) reflect desperation for goods and customers by buyers and sellers, respectively. (x) rise as the time period considered is expanded. (y) find out the economic incidence of a tax. (z) find out the leg

    		•