--%>
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 : Diseconomies of Scale Diseconomies of

    Diseconomies of Scale: The diseconomies are the drawbacks occurring to a firm or a group of firms due to big scale production.Internal Diseco

    		•
  • Q : Which of the following lists includes

    Which of the following lists includes only capital resources (and therefore no labor or land resources)?

    		•
  • Q : Problem of what to produce Describe the

    Describe the problem of What to produce?

    		•
  • Q : Total revenue minus total cost An

    An unregulated monopoly which does not price discriminate maximizes profit at the output level which maximizes: (w) P minus marginal costs [MC]. (x) total revenue minus total cost. (y) marginal revenue [MR] minus marginal costs [MC]. (z) price minus a

    		•
  • Q : Increment in production with

    An increase in the production of stereos at similar time that consumers expect a price decline would outcomes in ______ in equilibrium price as well as equilibrium quantity will ______: (w) decrease; be uncertain. (x) increase; be uncertain. (y) decrease; decrease. (z

    		•
  • Q : Minimize losses at wholesale price in

    The wholesale price per bushel of peaches below that it purely competitive peach orchard would minimize losses via shutting down its operations is: (1) $4.00 per bushel of peaches. (2) $7.67 per bushel of peaches. (3) $8.00 per bushel

    		•
  • Q : Felicific calculation of utilitarianism

    The supposition that a ‘felicific calculation’ gives a proficient guide for fitting punishment to the crime committed is an integral portion of: (1) Gresham’s Law that ‘Bad will drive out Good’. (2) Jeremy Bentham’s utilitarianism.

    		•
  • Q : Shifting in market demand curve The

    The expectations which proposed new tariffs will be enacted which will raise the future prices and accessibility of digital cameras will: (1) Not affect the present demand for cameras. (2) Cause consumers to move up all along their market demand curve. (3) Not influen

    		•
  • Q : Higher labor force participation rate

    Poverty stricken families are seldom described by: (w) a female headed household. (x) higher labor force participation rates. (y) more frequent illnesses. (z) higher birth rates and more children. Hey friends pleas

    		•
  • Q : Problem on utility-maximizing bundle

    Jane consumes only apples and chocolate.  She is always willing to trade 1piece of chocolate for exactly 3 apples. Her income is $200.  She can buy apples for $1 each and chocolate for $2 per piece.a. To Jane, apples and chocolate are (circle 1):

    		•