Short-run economic decisions, Microeconomics

Assignment Help:

Weston Industrial Manufacturing Products ("WIMP") has the capability to produce a variety of industrial products, including a number of types of widgets. In the past, WIMP has manufactured 2 different types of widget (Type A and Type B). Each of these is sold in a market that approximates a perfectly competitive market. Production is limited to standard shifts operating Monday through Friday due to a contract with the relevant labor union.

The average labor rate is $10 per hour and the company currently employs 10 laborers who work a single 8-hour shift each day. The company employs several salaried marketing and administrative employees. The following table provides price and cost data collected from the accounting department:

WIMP: Per-Unit Price and Cost Data by Widget Type

 

Type A

Type B

Gizmo Widget

Price

100

90

See marketing estimates

 

 

 

 

Labor

40

20

20

Materials

20

40

50

SGA

8

4

4

Depreciation

20

18

40

 

 

 

 

WIMP has recently developed a new widget, the "Gizmo Widget." The Gizmo Widget is designed to serve a niche demand segment in the manufacturing industry. Labor costs are relatively low but this is partially offset by higher materials costs.

The company recently upgraded machinery to enable the Gizmo Widget to be produced and this is reflected in higher depreciation charges. WIMP's marketing staff produced the following sales projections regarding the Gizmo Widget:

Price

Projected Weekly Sales (# units)

180

50

160

90

140

120

120

140

100

160

80

170

In the short run, WIMP cannot add to its labor force of ten employees and consequently there are only 80 labor hours available per day to allocate toward widgets.

1.      Which costs in the table of accounting information are relevant for making short-run economic decisions regarding the production mix of widgets? Explain and show.

2.      Ignore the Gizmo Widget for the moment. How should WIMP be allocating production between the Type A and Type B widgets?
Be sure to briefly explain your approach/reasoning.

3.      What is the profit maximizing number of Gizmo Widgets that should be introduced? Be sure to account for the fact that Gizmo Widgets displace other types of widgets. Again, be sure you provide a brief explanation of your approach/reasoning.


Related Discussions:- Short-run economic decisions

PPC, how to find opportunity cost on PPc

how to find opportunity cost on PPc

Marginal revenue productivity, to what extent does Marginal revenue product...

to what extent does Marginal revenue productivity theory explain wage determination in Zimbabwe

Product markets and production, Product Markets: Markets where produced ser...

Product Markets: Markets where produced services and goods are bought and sold (distinguished from markets for factors of production). Production: Process by which human labour

Exchange rates, EXCHANGE RATES: The current unit focuses on exchange r...

EXCHANGE RATES: The current unit focuses on exchange rates and is a more in-depth study of foreign exchange markets from the perspective of financialeconomics.You have been ac

User cost of capital, User Cost of Capital = Economic Depreciation + ...

User Cost of Capital = Economic Depreciation + (Interest Rate)(Value of Capital) - Example An Airline buys Boeing 737 for $150 million with the expected life of 30

Measures to control inflation, Measures to control inflation: Fiscal po...

Measures to control inflation: Fiscal policy is one of the two main macroeconomic policies used to control aggregate demand and thereby achieve economic stability. Fiscal meas

Implementation of economic policies, IMPLEMENTATION OF ECONOMIC POLICIES: ...

IMPLEMENTATION OF ECONOMIC POLICIES: Innumerable studies are available to  document these failures of policy and planning. However, there are vast differences of opinion conce

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd