|
|
LAW OF DEMAND: The inverse relationship between demand price and the quantity demanded, ceteris paribus. This fundamental economic principle indicates that as the price of a commodity decreases, then the quantity of the commodity that buyers are able and willing to purchase in a given period of time, if other factors are held constant, increases. This law is incredibly important to the study of economics. If you compiled a top ten list of economically important laws, the law of demand would be right there at the top.
Visit the GLOSS*arama
|
|
|
|
                           INEFFICIENT: The state of resource allocation that exists when the highest level of consumer satisfaction is not achieved from available resources. This state occurs in market exchanges if the price buyers are willing and able to pay for a good does not reflect the satisfaction everyone obtains from the consuming the good or if the price sellers need to charge for a good does not reflect all opportunity cost of producing the good. An inefficient state of resource allocation means that society is not doing the best it can to address the scarcity problem. Available resources are not used to achieve the greatest possible satisfaction of wants and needs. Inefficient MarketsAn inefficient state occurs if the highest level of consumer satisfaction is not achieved from available resources. A market exchange achieves an inefficient state if the demand price does not reflect the satisfaction everyone obtains from consuming the good or if the supply price does not reflect all opportunity cost of producing the good.Under these circumstances, a market equilibrium equality between demand price and supply price does not achieve an efficient equality between the value (satisfaction) of the good produced and the value (satisfaction) of other goods foregone. Satisfaction can be increased by producing more of one good and less of another. EfficientIn contrast, a market exchange achieves an efficient state if the demand price reflects the satisfaction everyone obtains from consuming the good and the supply price reflects all opportunity cost of producing the good, that is, the satisfaction foregone.Market equilibrium, with equality between demand price and supply price, means the satisfaction obtained from the good is equal to the opportunity cost of production. In other words, the value (satisfaction) of the good produced is the same as the value (satisfaction) of other goods foregone. Satisfaction cannot be increased by producing more of one good and less of another. Markets and GovernmentThe two primary methods of resource allocation--markets and government--are also the two primary reasons for an inefficient allocation.- Markets: Markets can be inefficient "naturally," with no help from government, due to market failures. The primary market failures are public goods, market control, externalities, and imperfect information. In each of these cases, the "natural" market equilibrium equality between demand price and supply price does not generate an equality between the value of the good produced and the value of other goods not produced.
- Government: Governments can cause an otherwise efficient market to be inefficient through price controls and taxes. Price controls force prices above (price floor) or below (price ceiling) the equilibrium price. Taxes create a wedge between the demand price and the supply price. In each of these cases, the market is unable to achieve an equality between the demand price and supply price, and thus there is no equality between the value of the good produced and the value of other goods not produced.
Recommended Citation:INEFFICIENT, AmosWEB Encyclonomic WEB*pedia, http://www.AmosWEB.com, AmosWEB LLC, 2000-2025. [Accessed: July 18, 2025].
Check Out These Related Terms... | | | | |
Or For A Little Background... | | | | | |
And For Further Study... | | | | | | |
Search Again?
Back to the WEB*pedia
|
|
|
BROWN PRAGMATOX
[What's This?]
Today, you are likely to spend a great deal of time browsing through a long list of dot com websites seeking to buy either a case of blank recordable DVDs or a pair of red goulashes with shiny buckles. Be on the lookout for mail order catalogs with hidden messages.
Your Complete Scope
This isn't me! What am I?
|
|
|
The average length of a "business lunch" is about 36 minutes.
|
|
|
"A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses those skills to accomplish his goals. " -- Larry Bird, basketball player
|
|
NDP
Net Domestic Product
|
|
|
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
|
|
