|
|
ACCOUNTING PROFIT: The difference between a business's revenue and it's accounting expenses. This is the profit that's listed on a company's balance sheet, appears periodically in the financial sector of the newspaper, and is reported to the Internal Revenue Service for tax purposes. It frequently has little relationship to a company's economic profit because of the difference between accounting expense and the opportunity cost of production. Some accounting expense is not an opportunity cost and some opportunity cost is does not show up as an accounting expenses.
Visit the GLOSS*arama
|
|
|
|
                           COST: An alternative term for economic or opportunity cost, which is the highest valued alternative foregone in the pursuit of an activity. Opportunity cost is one of the most fundamental concepts used in the study of economics, hence when the term cost is used in the study of economics without modification, it usually means economic or opportunity cost. Because economists like to economize on effort, the succinct term cost is also frequently used in lieu of opportunity cost or economic cost. In fact, whenever the term cost is used in economics, absent of any modifiers, it inevitably means economic or opportunity cost.Starting With ScarcityThe ultimate source of cost is the pervasive problem of scarcity (unlimited wants and needs, but limited resources). Whenever limited resources are used to satisfy one want or need, an unlimited number of other wants and needs remain unsatisfied. Hence pursuing one activity means alternatives are not pursued. Herein lies the essence of cost. Doing one thing prevents doing another.Cost Plus...There are a seemingly endless number of modifiers that can be used with the term cost. Here is a lengthy, but necessarily incomplete list.- Accounting Cost: An actual outlay or expense incurred in production that shows up a firm's accounting statements or records, which may or may not be an opportunity cost.
- Average Cost: The opportunity cost incurred per unit in the production of a good, calculated by dividing the total cost of production by the quantity of output produced
- Explicit Cost: An opportunity cost that involves a money payment and usually a market transaction.
- External Cost: An opportunity that is not included in the market price of a good because it is not included in the supply price.
- Fixed Cost: An opportunity that does not change with changes in the quantity of output produced.
- Historical Cost: An accounting principle stating that expenses are recorded in terms of original or acquisition cost, which may or may not reflect opportunity cost or current market value.
- Implicit Cost: An opportunity cost that does NOT involve a money payment or a market transaction.
- Marginal Cost: The change in total opportunity cost resulting from a change in the quantity of output produced by a firm in the short run.
- Production Cost: The opportunity cost of using labor, capital, land, and entrepreneurship in the production of goods and services.
- Total Cost: The opportunity cost incurred by all of the factors of production used by a firm to produce a good or service, including wages paid to labor, rent paid for the land, interest paid to capital owners, and a normal profit paid to entrepreneurs.
- Variable Cost: An opportunity cost that changes with changes in the quantity of output produced.
This is a modest list at best. Other terms contain the word "cost" include average variable cost, total variable cost, average fixed cost, total fixed cost, total factor cost, average factor cost, and marginal factor cost. Other "cost" terms pop up in the study of economics as attention is directed to specific topics and issues.
Recommended Citation:COST, AmosWEB Encyclonomic WEB*pedia, http://www.AmosWEB.com, AmosWEB LLC, 2000-2024. [Accessed: April 25, 2024].
Check Out These Related Terms... | | | | | | | |
Or For A Little Background... | | | | | |
And For Further Study... | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Search Again?
Back to the WEB*pedia
|
|
|
GREEN LOGIGUIN
[What's This?]
Today, you are likely to spend a great deal of time looking for the new strip mall out on the highway looking to buy either an AC adapter that won't fry your computer or a case for your designer sunglasses. Be on the lookout for slow moving vehicles with darkened windows.
Your Complete Scope
This isn't me! What am I?
|
|
|
More money is spent on gardening than on any other hobby.
|
|
|
"Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly and get on with improving your other innovations. " -- Steve Jobs, Apple Computer founder
|
|
ITO
International Trade Organization
|
|
|
Tell us what you think about AmosWEB. Like what you see? Have suggestions for improvements? Let us know. Click the User Feedback link.
User Feedback
|
|
